#but also. musicians are just people and people have the capabilities to imagine things and make things up

[faunandfloraas]

The thing where people obsessively go over lyrics and act like everything in a song must be 100% real and autobiographical is so..... boring. And annoying.

[irlbop]

Every so often I see a post on here or IG that compares how Terzo and Copia sing the same song but differently. On one hand (and an amazing hand, no less), the fact that there are differences in delivery down to how they growl means we need to give Tobias all the flowers: He’s putting in that extra layer of work to really show that Terzo and Copia, while played by the same guy, are different people with different approaches to how they perform.

But on the other hand, I also like to think of the implications these differences mean. A lot of the time, Terzo’s voice is regarded as smoother, more controlled. Seduction comes easily to him and oozes out of him and into his vocal delivery. Which makes sense: As part of the Emeritus line, it was extremely likely that he was actually properly trained.

Even if Ghost only started with his father and probably was expected to remain dormant, I could imagine the Clergy having Nihil’s progeny vocally trained as a precaution — maybe not necessarily to revive the Ghost Project, but music was proven to be effective in swaying people into joining them.

(That, and I think music probably always was at least somewhat important in the Church: Lucifer was, after all, God’s lead musician. I think it’d make sense to at least have the leader/figurehead of your cause be taught to uphold a certain respect for that sort of thing.)

But I digress, because then we have Copia. Copia, who had no idea of his relation to anyone important, much less the Emeritus line. But nonetheless he was still determined to rise in the ranks. However, I don’t think he was trained. At the very least, he wasn’t trained in the same caliber as was extended to the Emeritus brothers. After all, for all everyone knew, he was just a Cardinal: the likelihood of him ascending to the mitre was extremely unlikely, especially if were meant to take even a fraction of Nihil’s claims of the bloodline seriously.

As such, Copia’s delivery on some notes and songs comes off a bit more wild than his brother’s; slightly rougher. He’s still very capable of delivering seduction, of course, but based off what we see of him, he more likely than not differs greatly compared to Terzo in terms of prowess.

I’m more than willing to bet that Copia probably trained himself in private, singing along to old albums, listening to Opus and Infestissumam on repeat, taking notes, and trying to replicate their voice work both to the best of his ability while also trying to work in his own fingerprints. Hell, he might’ve even forced himself to watch recordings of performances to get down the movements or the vibes each song is meant to portray. (Look, as an autist, this hits home, he needs this research —)

And say he did get training — I think the instructor was mainly only doing this at the request of Sister. And it probably only happened when they were preparing to transfer power from Terzo to Copia. By then, from what admittedly little I understand of voices, Copia’s voice was probably locked in anyway.

All this to say

Idk I just like the idea that Tobes’s ability to cause variations on the same songs lends itself to so much character study and world building. But that’s just me. Juice box? 🧃

[the--highlanders]

I would be interested in hearing about how Jamie influenced the Doctor's moral code

I do want to preface this by saying that one's companions absolutely play a massive role in influencing the doctor's development and morality. barbara probably more than anyone. one as we first meet him in an unearthly child is not the same as one in the tenth planet, or two going forward. he's already come a long way by that point.

that being said, two in power of the daleks and the highlanders is. honestly a lot more morally grey than he is later in his run, or compared to later incarnations. he does very little to reassure ben and polly post-regeneration, picks up the examiner's badge with not a lot of outward concern for the man who's just died, runs around in the highlanders antagonising the people he doesn't like without ever actually specifying whose side he's on. he bashes perkins' head into a table until he admits he has a headache. there's a real sense that he's doing everything he does less because he wants to do the right thing, and more because it's entertaining to him. his sense of right and wrong is far more secondary than it will be in the future.

some of his development is driven by himself, and likely by his other companions - 'there are some corners of the universe which have bred the most terrible things' comes before he's had much of a chance to get to know jamie, let alone have jamie's sense of morality rub off on him. but as the doctor (and the audience) get to know jamie, his moral code starts looking an awful lot like the one the doctor will come to adopt

the first thing about jamie is that while he meets the doctor in the aftermath of a war, while the first time we see him he's holding a knife to two's throat - he's not a soldier. he's a musician. he's spent nearly a year as (more or less) a non-combatant marching with an army. and that shows in the way he acts, because while physically he's a capable fighter, and happy to show that when he needs to, he is fundamentally not a killer. he'll destroy robots, but he won't kill humans or humanoid aliens. he duels with trask, but knocks him off the ship rather than finishing him off. he refuses to fight the gond with a weapon. even when it's to his detriment or puts other people in danger, like him being initially unable to shoot the zombie in the age of ambition.

maybe most tellingly, in the novelisation of the abominable snowmen, he's the one to step in and stop the monks from killing the abbot. he steps in front of the abbot, 'ignoring the weapon' pointed at him, and gets the monks to stand down by telling them 'we've had enough killing'. which is something it's very easy to imagine the doctor doing.

he also ends up being the one to push the doctor into investigating, like in enemy of the world, or putting his foot down and insisting they should do the right thing, like in evil of the daleks where rescues victoria even when two tells him not to. in fact, it's predictable enough that he will do this that two hinges the start of the human factor experiment on the fact that he can tell jamie not to do the right thing and help a complete stranger, and jamie will defy him and do it anyway. more than that, two's whole sub-plan to create 'good' daleks depends on his belief that jamie embodies the best of humanity. at the beginning of series 5, he's already recognised jamie's moral code as something that defines him and that can be depended on.

so jamie is someone who prefers to avoid (lethal) force if he can, and who will stick his neck out to help people when he doesn't have to or when even people he cares deeply for say he shouldn't. which isn't particularly true of two at the beginning of his run, but which starts to become true from s5 onwards, and which later incarnations will cleave to.

but the really telling thing is - we very rarely see jamie truly, properly hate someone. he butts heads with villains (vaughn in the invasion, for instance), and disapproves of people who don't live up to his standards or expectations (william wallace in on a pedestal being childish, irresponsible, and careless with other people; two in evil of the daleks for, again, being careless with other people and appearing to side with the daleks). but there's really only two times on-screen where he can't stand someone. one of these is evans in the web of fear, who really just wants to escape and save himself, rather than help everyone else. he's a coward, and jamie calls him out on it with disgust. but most of all, he hates bennik in enemy of the world. the interrogation scene is probably the angriest we ever see him. he hates bennik's callousness, actively threatens him, and says - interestingly - that he 'must have been a nasty little boy'. he's seething through that whole scene.

so the two characteristics that jamie seems to find completely unbearable are - cowardice, and cruelty. and those are the two major tenets of the 'oath' that goes along with the doctor's identity and mission. 'never be cruel, and never be cowardly'.

he's not solely responsible for the person the doctor becomes and the way they end up approaching the universe - those wheels were set in motion long before he arrived, and the doctor themselves provides a lot of the impetus. but it's interesting that jamie arrives just after the doctor's first regeneration, at a time where he seems to be searching for who he is and who he will be - and there's jamie to set a standard, and hold two to it.

[emi-writings]

Honestly, still kinda pissed that someone saw my jokey post about changing c!Wilbur – in a way that would have resulted in the exact same mc skin – and decided to scold me for “changing a loved character” in a way they considered “sucks”.

Could you imagine if commented every fanart of zombie Wilbur with “this isn’t canon and also it sucks” just because I personally didn’t like the zombie Wilbur headcanon?

My headcanons also aren’t something new, I just held back on how extreme they were because I knew people who were obsessed with cc!Wilbur would get upset for doing things cc!Wilbur wouldn’t like, even if I could back up why I have those headcanons from the canon material!

Just because I posted something in a jokey way, it doesn’t mean that these aren’t things I have spent years exploring in my fanfics, ideas that always wanted to expand on but never did before.

Why do I headcanon Wilbur as a witch? Because potions in Minecraft are considered magic, you get the death message “killed by magic” when killed by potions, and the mob witch uses potions. Wilbur is strongly associated with potions because he started a potion scam when he joined the dsmp! I held back from including things like astrology, but now that cc!Wilbur is dead to the fandom, I figured I wouldn’t need to anymore.

I’ve actually included Wilbur with witchy tattoos in my fanfics before! In the first ever tattoo artist/flower shop in the tntduo fandom!

Gender nonconforming Wilbur is simply based on the fact that he does act very gender nonconforming in canon. He serenaded Quackity to get him pregnant, he refers to himself as the Yin to Quackity’s Yang, I don’t want to touch on the Ghostbur and Friend shenanigans.

Wilbur not understanding geography? He needs help finding things on the server, and he clearly doesn’t know how countries work if he thinks he can just claim a piece of unused land and call it a country. It’s a funny little joke, he doesn’t even know what exactly is going on in terms of countries in the server, he just cares about his own thing.

Wilbur is one of the many characters that didn’t have a canonically height listed, so I made him a bit shorter than his cc! counterpart… He’s still taller than most other characters, it’s not much of a difference that I think would matter.

We know Wilbur is a musician as he composed the L’manburg anthem, but canonically the only instruments in the dsmp are the noteblocks. But I think woodwind instruments make sense for Wilbur, since they’re capable of playing some hauntingly beautiful melodies, and as the son of the angel of death, I think that would make sense for his character.

Like, I shouldn't feel more pressured to make my headcanons of c!Wilbur more like cc!Wilbur after we all agreed that the character was separate from the content creator!

[ellohallohiya]

District 1 Headcannons

Kind of unorganized so sorry about that. This is really just a blurb to get all my random headcannons out of the top of my head

Also some topics may get dark and uncomfortable (it's Panem sorry) so if you don't feel safe reading, don't? Thank you for watching out for yourself

INDUSTRY

District 1 is divided into artisans, performers, and factories

Artisans have a wide range of things like glassblowing, gem cutting, woodworking, sculpting, painting, etc.

Performers are usually singers, dancers, musicians, gymnasts, athletes, courtesans, and more

Factories mass produce luxury items (such as sunglasses or bags) that are later usually customized and extra decorated

There are also factories that produce plastic, rubber, similar materials, and recycle them

Types of artisans and performers are separated into 'guilds' to specialize

This is usually chosen out from the kids' performance in these activities that could be seen as beneficial in their specific subindustry

Often times the skill is passed through family so they do that

Rarely they get to choose the subindustry they be in

Most of the time they enjoy it to a degree, since usually talent correlates with passion. They kind of hate it after deadlines and pressures and being forced to make works they don't even like

Performers are usually tough trained from a young age and are strictly conditioned

Performers usually travel to the Capitol to entertain them. There's usually circuses or big groups of them who perform and travel together for best synergy and performance

They kind of are like family (similar to the Covey and other traveling groups)

Courtesans are fancy prostitutes (usually being bought and belonging to only one person instead of being tossed around in the streets from person to person)

Courtesans are mostly children sold by their parents for high prices(there's sadly a good amount of this since there's only one orphanage in the District)

These children are sold into three (main?) categories, sex trafficking, personalized avox/slave, and organ harvesting

After the children are sold they look at their genetics to see if they'll grow up to be naturally attractive, have more strength capabilities, have healthier/better functioning organs

Depending on their attributes they get sorted

A good amount of Capitolites wouldn't like a former criminal to be their avox (some of them like the novelty of having a war prisoner as an avox but some Capitolites are afraid they might revolt or fight back)

At a higher price, one can buy an avox from District 1 who wasn't a criminal, and was specially trained (for an ever longer time than average) to be a servant

They usually have better cooking, cleaning, managing, driving skills, etc.

Some Capitolites like to personalize their avox by giving them bodily adjustments/attachments. Really just modifying them to their aesthetic

Organ harvesting has to happen somewhere in Panem (especially with a country so corrupt) It happens in all the Districts, and even the Capitol, though mostly in District 1 where the population is on the higher end, but the valued/well-off population is very low

Used for a variety of things such as organ replacements for elite Capitolites, scientific research, mutt experimentation, and display (for people like Gaul)

Anyways it's usually the factory workers who end up losing their jobs, and their homes, and their everything who end up resorting to selling their children

I imagine the divide between artisans and performers/factory workers is similar to town/seam but worse

Factory workers can't really improve on their situation since they don't get practice or training for anything so unless they have a natural talent they stay in their spot

Most of them lose their jobs due to District 3's technology getting better, meaning they need less and less workers

That's it for now! I'll get into the propaganda and the career academy headcannons soon (hopefully)

Also, I have started a fic that's centered around District 1 right now. I'll try to include culture and norms into the story! But my writing is beginnerish and quite incompetent, so any comments, criticism, and compliments will be loved!

(I update incredibly slow and more so due to a new school year so sorry)

[loopingpyre]

Shadow knife dies so hard in the original they forgot to put him in the final dungeon. This might be a bit all over the place. There was a lot. Most of the final two eps are the characters accepting their decision to be better when they get back. Izuru being on the spectrum makes a ton of sense. Not the direction one expects from the cool loner type. Unlike Mifue and Suzuna, Kotono is too straight for the female MC. Tragic. Kinda messed up you can give Suzuna codependency issues though. Shogo's was great. 13 years...and then he gets a chance to do things right the second time. And all of a sudden Thorn with the steel chair making him go through that again in the ending. My man cannot catch a break! Still, points for being the most forthcoming about how it's gonna suck for everyone when they get back. Even at the end before the Mu fight he calls reality hell. Nice reminder that their real struggles are after they get back. I can't imagine the game expected the Marie bit to be an actual twist. I wasn't ready for her transformation though. Where is she keeping all of those bombs... Super cool tie! Shadow knife's eps. If the Eiji death messed him up this bad I can't imagine how miserable Kotaro's would've been. Pretty much was a longer version of his stuff from the tower which I didn't mind. Mu kinda breaks in the second half of his and Wicked's story. Sad. Wicked though. Wtf! I was so unsure what the point of her story was at first. She doesn't really learn much of anything nor does she care to and you barely get more insight into her over the course of it. Reading that she was comatose and then seeing the hospital scene though. It stirred something within me for sure but I don't know if I can word it. Maybe it's that some people in Mobius just can't be helped? Her scars run so deep and she's also not even capable of living and trying like the rest of them when they go back. Then again her grandfather doesn't take the mask off so she's still got a chance if she wakes up? There's hope there but she's so far gone I'm not sure if you're supposed to believe in that. I will say Ike-P's comments when you are in the aquarium with Shadow Knife and Wicked and depressed Mu were hilarious. I felt so bad for him. He's too normal for all that. Thorn was certainly an antagonist. Part of me was expecting a much deeper reason with Ichika but nope just a lost love/friend. Like if they weren't whispering in Mu's ear then they could've been an earlier musician and Wicked could've been the one who wanted to destroy the world. Grand Guignol sucked. Looks awesome but man those hallways were long. Interesting that Mirei didn't need to be brainwashed of all people. Kuchinashi and Wicked being done with reality made sense but I guess there's not much left for Mirei either (in her eyes). Stay in Mobius ending was insanely miserable. As for the actual end. Happy that Mu and Aria can be together again. I will say Aria did grow on me over the course of the game and only a small percent of that was seeing the yuri vision between her and Mu. Trying to guess who everyone was in the credits was a fun little game. I really liked how even the characters who didn't have much of an image problem still presented differently in Mobius. Also liked how they didn't really show anyone's face. Makes them regular people who are back to a regular world. Seeing the musicians interacting with the club members was super sweet too. I wonder if Mirei knew that was Kotono and her kid. While there's a lot of hope, the Kuchinashi one was quite the downer. Feels like the game wants you to play out how their lives will play out including however you defined the mc. A little meta that you don't really see the MC? The person in Mobius is your avatar and when you finish the game you're back to living in reality. Might be reading too much into that though. Quick note on the last few songs. Were there like effects or something? How was she doing that with her voice?? Might have some final things to add once I sleep on it. Thank you for reading my rambling this whole time! 4096 limit.

So the fun part about the Wicked thing is that her character episodes are a bit limited. This is because there's a natural stopper in the form of an official light novel sequel to the game, that's all about her.

You can find a translation here if you're interested. I adore this thing so much, this was written before Overdose was released, so future content couldn't really contradict it. The 12 episode anime adaptation actually gives her more screentime outside of Naruko so it's less of a twist, but that anime is already more of a fun fan thing because it's not a straight adaptation of the game to begin with. The whole thing about reality and hell is that it's trying to play on the game's fancy tagline that uses a special kanji that refers to both of those words at the same time, reality is hell. Thorn is very interesting also because like, their backstory is packed with Stuff that they keep hidden from you and there's so many wild implications in the idea of assuming someone else's guise so they 'aren't dead'. Like, holy shit. I like how the ending is stylised like that. It's rather interesting in that it's an overdose exclusive addition, and Takuya Yamanaka, the game's director isn't actually sold on if it was the best thing to even add because he wanted it to be interpret-able and not just give them happiness, but he also wanted players to get a little bit more out of the characters if they'd already played the vita game. It's one of those things where I think they managed to run a smidge better in the anime due to being able to just do whatever. I like Kuchinashi and Shogo just so happening to cross paths though, that's cute. The last few songs are especially insane, the boss rush in the grand guinol is all new overdose remixes, arrangements by Cosmo@P, who also composed Thorn's theme, Distorted Happiness. They go incredibly hard and I think it has to be a combination of skills to make Ueda's voice go wild. I'm really glad you enjoyed the game! If you ever come up with any other notes about it let me know, it's been a ton of fun reading your stuff!

[writhe]

ugh i’m so excited literally camping was SO good for my mental health it was truly such a nice break from technology and it was with people i admire & i feel, like, so much more hopeful for having gone. also so so so happy about the upcoming housing situation- it’s better than i could have imagined (i’m sure it’ll have its downsides but, i mean, i couldn’t have conceived of something like this being available to me). really excited about the closeness / familiarity that’ll bring with folks who’ve hovered on the periphery of my life for years. also, happy it’ll be a good place for olive to stay when she visits. i spent yesterday outside & then hanging with franklin & working on a commission i’m super excited about (& feeling very proud of- it’s a pretty complex (for me) drawing i’ve done it relatively quickly) & having insane gay sex & eating really good food. i spent today outside & on errands & working on the commission more & now i’m going on a date (!!?) with someone i’m pretty casually / newly seeing who is just like. an extremely cool and talented musician & does cool shit and that’s so fun, too. starting to feel more secure & capable & grounded in the ways i relate to people. & i’m also happy it’s cooling off, i’ve been able to walk so much more. things had been so unrelentingly bleak & terrible & i felt so raw and distanced from myself & why i cared about being alive and i’m happy i’m starting return to myself, im happy there is a light in the distance

[seeingteacupsindragons]

How to Wrangle a Muse: A Guide to Finding Inspiration When You Have No Creative Ideas

Get Your House in Order:

It is unlikely for a muse to show up when you can’t host one. If you’re not in a position to create, even if a muse does show up…she likely won’t stick around for too long.

So, first things first: make sure your mental health is taken care of. Make sure your social and spiritual needs are taken care of. Make sure your physical health is taken care of. None of these things will likely ever be perfect, but get them in functioning shape. Find routines that make them easier and less burdensome.

And if you can’t get there, that’s okay. Those things are more important than creating anyway. You are more important that creating, and your body and mind knows this and shuts off the muse and creativity when you’re not capable of doing more important things first. Running away from danger will turn off your digestion, and not being healthy can turn off creativity.

You need to be able to have time and space and mental energy in order to create So fix the walls and the door that’s hanging off the hinges and buy some furniture so when the muse shows up, she has a place to sit down. And if you can’t: then that’s okay, too.

It’s not a big deal if a window sticks or your cabinet doors are hard to open or one of the stairs sticks. Your mental place for creating doesn’t have to be perfect. But if you have mold or flooding or a toilet doesn’t work, well…living there is gonna suck and so is creating.

So make sure everything’s livable before you move on.

Get Excited for Guests:

If you’re ready to create, it’s time to remind yourself what creating is.

This is a good time to engage with the craftwork of others to get excited about craft again: study someone else’s knitting pattern, read their comic, listen to their music. Watch them work and enjoy the time.

Fall in love with your craft again. Look at things you love and want to create like, and stare at them hard. Have fun. Play. You need to want to be there. You need to want to be doing what you’re doing.

Send out the Invitations:

Muses are tricky, finicky things. And they’re lazy. They’re not there to work. They make wanting to do the work easier. Muses are there for inspiration, as guideposts, but they’re not gonna do any chores.

A muse has not, ever in the history of the world, mixed paint colors for her artists or wrote a single word of writing or sewn a single stitch. They will never, ever do it. But they make people want to. And they show what you want it might look like.

So if you want one to come, practice creating so your muse knows where she’s going—if inspiration for music strikes and you are not at all a musician, it might be tricky to figure out what to do with it.

If you have a medium you want to channel it in, then create a habit so the muse is more likely to fall into the rut you made for it. Practice and do the thing!

This also entails things like getting good creating habits set up: do drawing warmups; get reference documents; get your yarn, fabric, and scissors; get a list of writing exercises; whatever.

Go into your craft room or office or workshop regularly, even if you’re just moving things around a little bit or tinkering with completed projects. Open up your word documents.

Start the Party Without Them:

Again, muses are rather lazy, and it takes a lot for them to feel welcome. They’re not going to navigate a rosebush to get to your house. They’re going to find you or they’re not, and they don’t care if they visit you or not.

If you don’t have ideas, but you want to create? You go find some. People have creative challenges for just about every craft imaginable: sign up for one. Do a prompt list, try to do something weird, try to copy something you saw, try to figure out how to do something you only saw finished from scratch.

Is it the same as being inspired? Is it the same as creating a muse? No. Fuck no, it’s not. It’s much less fun and much less exciting and it can feel like the chore it is sometimes. But you know what?

A muse doesn’t know how to start a party. She only knows how to sing at one. Oh, people claim a muse started the party when she arrived, but she didn’t. She lit it up, sometimes she’s the life of a party—but that doesn’t mean that’s all there is to creating. The muse doesn’t need to be there to start creating if creating is what you want to do.

If your muse doesn’t want to come, show them she’ll be taken care of, and that she’ll matter. That you’re willing to put the work into making her feel welcome and valued. That you’re willing to put in the work with or without her.

The more you put into creating and letting your brain work over ideas, the more you keep seeking out where a muse might be, the more you work at meeting your muse halfway…the more likely she is to show up. The more likely she is to be flattered into arriving.

Okay, muses aren’t flattered or not. This really works because you’re training yourself to find inspiration. You’re training yourself to look for ideas and find ideas, and once you have provided a little bit of raw material, your brain can work wonders. But inertia is a thing. Blank page syndrome is a thing. Trying to create when you haven’t gotten anything to build from is hard…both mentally and often physically. We like forms and molds and shapes and patterns. We’ve all got basic building blocks we turn to.

But while a lot of people mistake a muse for those forms and molds and shapes and patterns…they aren’t. A muse isn’t the base of a story. A muse is the guiding light of inspiration that shows what it could be. What it might be. It’s the excitement that comes with potential, the whirling mind as you realize what you could do, what this creation could be. It’s not the hardy roots of creative love.

So find an idea, or grab one from someone else, or spin one out of a prompt generator or list and get to work. You can do it without a muse. You will.

And then one might just show up unexpectedly late with all the apologies in the world and a brilliant torch to lead the way.

[snugglyporos]

Worth noting how 'media literacy' applies here, because media literacy is not just normal literacy in the sense of being capable of reading. Lots of people talk about media literacy but won't talk about how you learn to be literate, so I'm going to do that here.

First, we have a tweet, a picture, and a headline, all of which are designed to invoke a response by the reader: former rough sleeper wins permission for anti-homeless gates outside 8 million pound home.

This, right here, should raise a ton of red flags. Even if the story was true, the reality is that this is a perfect example of media speak, and the purpose of a headline is to make you buy papers. This kind of thing is indistinguishable from when advertisers go 'new! different! fast acting!' So right away, we should be asking questions and not taking it at face value.

Second, let's consider the source: who are the Telegraph? Americans probably don't know them, but they're a right wing media outlet in Britain. More importantly perhaps, they're owned by Lloyds Banking Group, which is as the name indicates, a financial player in the British Economy. Not much different from how, right now, the San Francisco Times is being influenced by their billionaire owner.

Young people, myself included, are pretty familiar with the concept of clickbait, or rage bait, where things are meant to get you to do or think something based entirely on knee-jerk emotion. Many people are less used to thinking of this sort of thing being deployed by legacy institutions, or that a bunch of stodgy old people could deploy it like they're 15 year old redditors. But they DO, and you should be aware of it.

Now, we should go a bit deeper. We've examined the intention of the headline, and the source it's coming from. But now we need to examine deeper, and talk about the motive. Could they simply want a dirt story on Sheeran? Possibly. Celebrity dirt always gets someone's attention. Could they be trying to tamp down on his anti-homelessness work in service of a larger conservative effort to punish homelessness? Also possible.

But that's not really the core reason for the story, and reading it should give us clues as to what it's really about.

First, we have the facts of the case: Sheeran wanted to build a privacy fence, and he was denied, because the city council decided that the one he wanted wouldn't fit in the area he lived in, because something something 'cultural homogeneity' or whatever. Wherever you fall on the 'bring down the HOA vs gentrification bad' spectrum isn't really relevant here.

But what IS relevant is the fact that he wanted a privacy fence, this was not news for the Telegraph when it was denied, but when it was approved they ran this story.

Okay, so now let's ask a question: why does he need to have a privacy fence in the first place?

Well, you could say A. that's his right as a homeowner, or B. that he wants to keep weird fans away, but neither of those is true, and the REAL answer is informed by the Telegraph itself posting this.

You see, in Britain, the paparazzi is, to but it bluntly, legendarily bad. They have a history of doing everything from illegally hacking phones to causing the death of Princess Diana. Press freedom might be more restricted in the UK with their libel laws, but their paparazzi are much, much worse than in the US.

And then you can put together that the reason Sheeran put up his fence is to keep people from the Telegraph and other papers from banging on his doors and trying to take photos inside his windows and things like that.

Which, as you can imagine, is a problem for the Telegraph. But 'famous musician puts up gate and fence to keep annoying paparazzi away from his house' doesn't sell many papers.

Thus you get 'Ed Sheeran, former homeless guy, joins in the anti-homeless sentiment now that he's rich' because the goal is to pressure him to take down the fence and give the Telegraph and others like it more access.

And it is, of course, worth noting that it isn't a lie, not entirely, that things like gates and privacy fences could, in theory, be used to be anti-homeless. So it'll fly under the libel laws.

But it's worth noting here that this is how a story is spun, how it is disseminated, and how it's designed to get you to react to it. There's zero difference between that tweet and a tiktok or youtube thumbnail trying to get you to click on it and hear spin.

So, to be media literate, follow the following steps when you encounter something like that tweet in the wild:

Examine the words used. Are there words that act as deliberate triggers of emotional feeling? Words mean things, and using, for example, anti-homeless alongside 8 million pound home, are designed to cause a reaction. With a tweet, there's a character limit, same as a headline, and that means every word used is deliberately chosen to invoke a reaction.

Examine the source. Who is writing this story? In America, we would probably expect different things depending on whether the source was First Things or if it was The Jacobin. The source matters. No source is ever entirely non-biased; bias is innate to people after all; but some sources are more biased than others. In this case, the Telegraph is a right wing rag, closer to what we in America would call a tabloid.

Ask what the goal of the story is. Space in media is limited. Doesn't matter if it's the space of a physical page or space on the website for articles, someone still has to take time and effort to write a story and then put it on the website and those people need to be paid, and that means that they have some intentions behind that. They're not putting up whatever they feel like, like it's a tumblr blog you run for fun. This is a business and there will always be motive behind every action. In this case, the motive of the story is to twist actions that hurt the paper into things that paint Sheeran as a hypocrite, in order to gain support for what the paper wants, which is more access to Sheeran and others like him.

Remember! Do this for things you like as well as hate. Lots of people are willing to do this for things they like, but are not as willing to do them for things they dislike, because we naturally view our own preferences as being apolitical or unbiased. When you do something, it's okay, when they do something it's political, that's how people think.

Media literacy is about asking questions about things, not just accepting what you're told at face value. If your first instinct upon reading a tweet like that is to immediately accept its premise, you could stand to take a step back and consider if that was intended or not.

Please don’t pay for his music.

[onebirthdaywishes]

The significance of a JANUARY 8 birthday and your future

January 8 VS Capricorn

The individual whose birthday is January 8 is competitive, competent, and goal-oriented. There are no lazy people born under this vibration, and most are ambitious, overachieving workaholics. It's not surprising, then, that you crave success. Power, authority, and material security make you feel safe and secure in an uncertain world. More than anything, however, you aspire to great accomplishment. For you, it's all about the work. You want to make your mark in the world and be remembered for what you' ve done.

Once you' ve started something, you' ll hang on and see it through to the end. You refuse to quit, and if you' re knocked down, you bounce right back up. Although you tend to vacillate between self-assurance and self-doubt, overall you have faith in your own capabilities. With an excellent head on your shoulders, you reason things s out carefully and plan all your moves with care and exactitude.Your organizational and executive skills give you a decided edge in business or the professions. As a boss or manager, you' re fair, but you expect a lot and can be extremely demanding.

Your deepest need is to love and be loved, but you are cautious with regard to relationships and would rather hold back then appear vulnerable. You' ll only let down your guard if you feel secure enough to trust the other person. If and when this happens, you make a sensual, loving, dependable partner.

BLESSING

How to wish a 4 year old happy birthday

1. 4 years old, simple, happy birthday!

2. My dear little baby, happy 4th birthday!

3. I wish you a happy day of growth! Happy 4th Birthday!

4. Baby's 4th birthday, happy birthday! Wish for healthy growth!

5. Baby is 4 years old, happy birthday, happy every day, happy forever!

PERSONALITY

The beautiful quality of imagination has been endowed upon you as the finest gift in the cornucopia of destiny. Because you possess this charming trait, you are able to live in two worlds at once, the real one and the one of fantasy. However, you also may combine these two worlds, making of the combination a brilliant career for yourself. All the great writers, artists, actors, musicians, and directors do exactly this, and with the same endowment, you should be able to do it, too. Plays, movies, music, and art are, after all, the products of the imagination of the artist and creator; they are the real expression of the life of the mind. Since you have the power within you, it is your duty to produce.

LIFE PATH

You are self-reliant, careful, and shrewd. Your ability to interpret the actions of others makes it comparatively easy for you to detect deception. Any task entrusted to you will be done satisfactorily. You love detective stories and psychoanalysis. Your health should be rugged, and you should have a lot of vitality.

DESTINY

Direct your imagination into practical avenues. Control a tendency to go off on flights of fancy. Search for a grounding for your ideas. A systematic schedule can help you avoid repeating your efforts. Complete each job you start. Joining an organization could be fortunate because of help you may receive in solving pressing problems. Try to find passion and mental stimulation in whatever you attempt.

KARMIC LESSON

You have large projects in mind that you find difficult to accomplish, simply because you lack some essential ingredient. Try to figure out just what is missing and resolve to obtain it by persistent work and study. Once you have done so, undoubtedly brilliant success will be yours. You do not believe in living your life haphazardly; instead, you plan ahead a good deal and often think out exactly what you will do tomorrow before going to sleep. Originality marks everything you do. You should be a true example of success. You are a stickler for doing the right thing, and you won’t bargain with anyone over your code of right and wrong. You are careful, sincere, and honest.

SECRET

Born on this day, you might gravitate naturally to the stage or screen and work that concerns itself with appearing before large audiences. You like admiration.

For more information please log in: https://www.onebirthdaywishes.com

[heritage-instrument-insurance]

Technology's Impact on the American Music Industry

Technology and music have always been intertwined. It is a calm relationship that keeps evolving. Things started to change From the beginning when the phonograph came along. Now, with streaming services, how we listen to and experience the heavenly thing is completely different. It is pretty interesting to see how technology has shaped the entire industry, from creation to consumption. Let's dive deeper into this and explore how technology has transformed the music scene and musicians' take.

So, let's talk about the phonograph. It was a game-changer, invented by Thomas Edison in the year 1877. Imagine being able to record and playback sound for the first time! Before that, songs were mostly live, like concerts and performances. But the phonograph changed everything. It made music accessible to everyone, letting people enjoy their favorite artists and songs at home. This led to the rise of record labels and popular genres like jazz and blues. It was a truly revolutionary invention.

Radio broadcasting took music to the next level in the early 20th century. Radio stations were instrumental in promoting new artists and genres, shaping our culture, and influencing what people liked to listen to. They also used radio for advertising, which helped the industry grow. As radio became more popular, people started listening to music on the radio more than buying physical records. It was a major shift in how we consumed music.

Television brought a whole new visual element to music in the mid-20th century. Music videos, combining sound and captivating visuals, became a fantastic way to promote artists and reach a wider audience. MTV, launched in 1981, completely transformed the industry by focusing on videos and creating a visually oriented culture. Music videos not only highlighted the artistry of musicians but also influenced fashion, culture, and societal trends. And with the evolving industry came new challenges and threats requiring makers to get insurance for musicians as their top priority.

The late 20th and early 21st centuries saw a digital revolution that completely reshaped the industry. CDs, introduced in the 1980s, offered better sound quality than vinyl records. But then came the 1990s, and digital formats like MP3 disrupted the traditional industry. These digital files could be easily shared and downloaded online, leading to widespread piracy and a decline in physical sales.

To keep up with the digital age, the music industry started using online platforms like iTunes and Amazon Music. These platforms let people buy and download individual songs or whole albums, making it more convenient and flexible. But then, in the 2010s, streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, and Tidal took over. These platforms offered on-demand access to huge libraries, allowing people to stream without having to download anything.

Streaming services have changed how the industry makes money. While they have increased the overall amount of music people listen to, the royalties artists get per stream are lower. This raises questions about whether the industry, especially for independent artists who rely on sales, can sustain itself in the long run. It's a complex issue with a lot of implications. However, with dedicated insurance for musicians, such issues can be navigated smoothly.

Technology hasn't just changed how we listen to music; it's also revolutionized how music is made. Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) have given musicians the power to create and produce high-quality music right from their home studios. These software tools offer a vast array of instruments, effects, and recording capabilities, making production more accessible and affordable than ever. It truly democratized the music-making process.

Technology has also played a crucial role in the birth of new genres and subcultures. Genres like electronic music and hip-hop have been significantly influenced by technological advancements. The internet has also created a space for online communities and fan bases to form, allowing artists to connect directly with their audience and cultivate a loyal following. It's a powerful tool for artists to build their careers and connect with fans on a deeper level.

[cloudpresenter]

Bring on the Festive Cheer with a Virtual Holiday Party for Remote Teams

The holiday season is upon us once again, heralding our favorite slow times with family, friends, snow, gifts, and loads of good cheer. However, for remote teams working from different locations worldwide, sharing the enjoyment virtually poses a challenge!

But don’t fret just yet. While you may be miles apart, you can still make your employees feel special with an online holiday party. Technology today has developed by leaps and bounds to provide innovative ways to ensure that no distance dulls your merrymaking. You just need a smidge of thoughtful planning and creativity to arrange a memorable virtual event.

What You Need for a Perfect Virtual Party

Picking the right tools is the backbone of conducting any virtual event flawlessly. And when your celebration involves everyone donning party hats, a reliable and high-quality platform becomes all the more important.

Additionally, your software should pack a punch with:

● Easy-to-launch event space without a tedious sign-up ● Screen sharing capability ● Live chat options ● Breakout spaces for smaller groups ● Recording facility to relook fond memories

Once your system foundation is set, you can begin stacking it with fun elements!

Creative Ideas for an Engaging Online Party

With the right tech arrangements, half the battle is already won. Now begin pouring oodles of imagination into deciding party specifics with these fantastic ideas:

Theme Parties Set the Tone

Themes instantly help to rally people around a central concept that channels everything—decor, costumes, activities, and more. Try whipping up intrigue by keeping them a surprise till the event. Popular ideas include 1980/1990s pop culture themes involving neon spandex and crazy hairdos!

Party Packages & Kits at Their Doorsteps

Who doesn’t love surprises delivered to your door? Sprucing up the mood before logging in goes a long way. Ship fun kits with whacky wigs, customized t-shirts, sweet treats, candle decorations, games, and more so everyone can dress up and get into character together.

Holiday Backgrounds & Decorations Galore

Visual embellishments breathe festive life into any space, real or digital. Encourage attendees to display holiday knick-knacks prominently wherever they log in from. Shared digital backgrounds featuring winter wonderlands or cozy holiday scenes also foster collective spirit!

Spot Gifting Ideas

What’s a party without gifts to unwrap and share joy? To keep the festival cheer rolling, plan goodie bags or e-gift cards to shower on employees with some spot awards and games thrown in. Brainstorm original presents tailored specifically to what each person would like.

Lip-Smacking Food & Beverages

Mark the calendar for your virtual party and have everyone cook up their favorite potluck dishes and cocktails to relish as they mingle digitally. The secret is getting ingredients and recipe instructions circulated beforehand, so folks can whip up margaritas, hot chocolate, cheese platters, cookies, and more to enjoy together.

Dance Parties with Curated Playlists

Music and dance automatically liven any mood, so pump up the jam. Make merry with custom playlists, dance face-offs, or karaoke singalongs. You could even have a prize for the best kitchen dancer!

Laughter With Comedy Shows

Harness laughter yoga techniques by hosting a virtual comedy session. Search local areas to hire standup comics or improv artists willing to deliver performances online for your team. The idea is keeping things breezy, engaging, and chock full of cheer.

Specialized Activities & Performances

Explore organizing segment-wise entertainment customized to intrigue everyone. For movie buffs, you could host streaming watch-parties with directors’ commentaries. Musicians on staff can be asked to pre-record festive songs or play them live. Other unique ideas include magic shows, stand up routines, impromptu skits, caricature or balloon artists, and murder mystery parties, the options are endless.

Virtual Backgrounds & Zany Selfies

Embellish photos and selfies snapped during meetups by using props and virtual holiday backgrounds. Share these images on internal communications after the event to memorialize fun memories.

Raffle Prizes & Giveaways to Cap Off

Wind up once the party energy winds down with lucky draws for goodies or gift cards. Call out ticket numbers manually just like in-person events. But ensure tracking in advance who gets what to post the presents next day.

Plan Group Games & Breakout Activities

Multi-person games prompt conversations between colleagues usually separated by distance. Coordinate trivia quizzes, household scavenger hunts, charades, Winter-themed Pictionary, or custom bingo cards focusing on work in-jokes!

End Note

Year-end festivities hold a special place for humans longing to connect, rejoice together, and feel appreciated. Rather than fretting over losing this warmth with distributed teams, embrace innovation to foster community despite physical distances.

With the right tools and little imagination infused into planning activities or performances personalized for your workplace culture, throwing an engaging virtual shindig is easier than ever! The vital aspect, however, remains conveying that no matter where employees may be, they are integral to organizational successes always worth celebrating.

[jeanjauthor]

wait wait wait - OMG OMG OMG !!!

That's an ushabti.

THAT is an USHABTI.

Those things were created to be magically enchanted to come to life as a servant of the deceased, specifically to do certain tasks for the deceased. Farmers would be dressed & kitted out as farmers, scribes would look like scribes, housemaids would look like housemaids, cooks like cooks, musicians & dancers like musicians & dancers, etc. They would come to life, instantly know their role, and perform it flawlessliy for the deceased, so that the deceased could live leisurely in the afterlife, never having to do any work.

--That ushabti is dressed to be the pharaoh!!

XDD

...This instantly tells me that Tutankhamun (formerly Tutaknhaten) complained enough about ruling that his funerary team put an Ushabti Pharaoh into his funerary goods.

Okay, okay, the humored side of me is done chuckling, and now we're getting into the serious side of things.

This is the most humanizing thing to date regarding The Boy King.

No, really, think about it. His predecessor (father/brother?) was the first Monotheist, and appointed himself High Priest of the new One God Only religion, seriously damaging the political power & authority of all the other temples across Kemet (literally, the Black Land, so named for the rich, dark soil deposited by the yearly floods of the Nile, kem = black).

Aknhenaten dies, Tutankaten comes to power at a young age, and suddenly he's got massive pressure from the old priests who want their power back, the people are probably all "we want our gods back, too!!" and in the meantime, he's got administrative shit to do, when he's still a kid.

Literally, the records show he was just nine (9) years old when he was put on the throne.

This made him much more easily pressured, influenced, intimidated, etc, than most any adult would have been. There isn't a single nine year old out there that I know of that would be capable of holding their own against the adults around him. So his first few years of reign for sure would have depended on others, but the ones expecting him to rule would be pressuring him to make decisions at an age where children are still children. He knows it's important, but he knows he's still a kid, even if the concept of childhood back then wasn't quite the same as our modern one.

And he's surrounded by adults who are pressuring him this way and that, and being pressured by the priests, and he wants someone who would be absolutely dead-loyal to him, absolutely competent, to help him out.

Absolutely, for dead-sure certain, he would have looked at the concept of ushabti and gone, "I want one of those, as a pharaoh-servant!!" I feel ya, buddy. I feel ya, right there.

It's touchingly sweet...and still funny AF...that someone actually put a pharaoh ushabti into his funerary goods.

I don't know how many other pharaohs would have asked for such a thing--most pharaonic burials didn't exactly survive, ya know?--but I'd imagine a few absolutely would have done so.

...Also, I might be mistaken, but that could be a pharaoh ushabti wearing the War Crown, so...yeah, he's hoping someone else can do his battle duties for him, too...and I can't blame him in the least, lol!

Ushabti of king Tutankhamun

[x3rrorx]

(This is long and I’m sorry but I just wanted to put this out there because I feel it needs to be said.)

At the end of the day and besides all the discourse and drama going on in regard to Noah deleting his socials, I just hope that he is doing okay. I know he’s a grown ass man fully capable of handling shit, as we know. But, mental health is already such a difficult thing for anyone, I could never imagine how being someone who’s in the limelight with eyes constantly on you and your personal life picking apart and over analyzing everything every single day must be. Especially to go from being in a band that wasn’t as big & blown up, being able to freely walk around festivals and shows, and watch other bands play from anywhere besides side stage, to now having SO much recognition and your life getting a complete 180 in such a short time. Social media is already so draining and constantly filled with negativity for those of us who aren’t in bands and don’t have our lives on display for thousands every day. And IF Noah deleted his socials to take a step back mentally and distance himself from the constant online discourse then I’m glad he did. The phrase, “oh this comes with the territory of being famous, they should have known what this entailed before being in a band and touring, ect.” Is the most entitled and selfish shit I’ve seen being said about musicians for the longest time. At the end of the day, they’re normal human beings. Their job just consists of them getting on a stage and performing. These HUMANS can also struggle with anxiety, stress, depression, mental health, and SO much more just like we do and I think because they’re musicians and are put on this “pedestal” that people tend to forget that.

I’m glad that Noah has decided to go to therapy for his own reason’s and felt comfortable enough to share that information in an interview he knew fans would see. I’m also glad that he also has an outlook like working out and writing music to help block out all the shit going on and to help keep him grounded and just overall makes him feel better. As someone who ALSO struggles with mental health, having outlooks to help pull you out and keep you distracted and distanced from the things that are potentially triggering is so important. I’m sad to see how so many people responded to Noah deleting his socials. I understand those who missed the content that was still left on a few of those platforms & liked having that sense of nostalgia there for whatever their own reason being. However, if this was a decision that was made out of anything at all related or tied to trying to better himself or his mental state, I’m sure seeing how SO many responded negatively to this probably did not help the cause. I hope Noah knows that there are still those who see him as a normal human with normal emotions and respect the decisions he’s made for himself. And above all, I hope he continues to put himself first and do whatever he needs to do that helps him in absolutely anyway. I really do hope that he’s doing okay through all of this.

This is all just my personal take. Obviously I do not know how Noah is feeling and he could very well not even know what’s going on online after deleting OR is even sitting back laughing and shaking his head over everything. I don’t know Noah and never would want to speak or justify on his behalf. I’m just simply putting myself in someone’s shoes and relating to how I would personally feel in those situations. But anyways, sending love and positivity to Noah, ALL of the BO crew, and all of the BO Culties. ❤️

🖤🖤🖤🖤

[bonny-kookoo]

Sing to me: JJK x Reader 🔞

Pairing: Jeon Jungkook x Reader

Genre: Mermaid AU, Siren!Jungkook, Prince!Jungkook, homeless!Reader, Romance,  Smut duh

Wordcount: 5k (medium)

Tags/Warnings: okay so, spoiled kook, possessive kook, Theres literally an attempted murder lol, drowning? whoops, blood oh no, reader is hella fucking dense ok, biting, courting lol, fish boy is in love, whoops, anyways we got sexy times too, because in this AU fishboy got legs n all of that hah, unprotected sex because, guys pls this ain't supposed to he realistic, wrap it before you tap it folks, its also not all that filthy lol, blink and you'll miss the scene, honestly I didn't include much smut because yall nasty so you will ask for dirty drabbles anyways, not that I mind lol, k I'm done I think, wow mom I've sinned less than usual..

Summary: Help me love myself, and I might learn to love you as well.

Or alternatively: you save Jungkook from being killed, and he totally gets the wrong signals. But he's cute, so its fine. Probably.

Jungkook is floating.

He thinks about what lies above the waves, and cant think of anything he really finds interesting. The surface is littered in junk, in things humans leave behind without thinking twice about it. It's air is thick and stuffy, hard to breathe and never clear at all. It's crowded, with creatures who at the end of the day all look the same in his eyes. There's nothing exciting about the world people walk on.

Its boring, and dirty.

His own home is, compared to that, a kingdom radiating like the moon itself. It shines and sparkles, and harbors some of the most beautiful creatures ever to be found. He and his family, as well as everyone else, live in peace with nature down underneath the waves, existing side by side instead of trying to gain the upper hand all the time.

And he's reminded of the cruelty of man, when he finds himself caught in a net.

He's somehow made the fishermen drop it instead of pulling him up on their boat. But that doesn't mean he's free- he's still struggling with it, fighting it, but he cant rip it apart. All he does really, is tie the knots tighter, have them dig into his skin until spots are rubbed raw. He can't really swim anywhere at this point, gives up as he can see the last lights of his distant home fade into the distance.

Jungkook is floating.

He's slowly being led by the waves, by the love of wind and waters, as he closes his eyes. Its a pity, really; for a prince held so high to die by the mere hands of the poor, he thinks. It's upsetting him, very much so, but he takes it as it is. There's nothing he can do anyways, as he slowly comes into contact with the sand below. It washes him up onto short, the dry sand sticking to his body, waves pushing him higher and higher onto the ground.

He shivers, the cold outside air biting at his skin now unsheltered and defenseless.

He doesn't know how long he lays there.

But at some point, steps are heard on the sand. He keeps his eyes closed, doesn't care about what will happen next- he really just wants to have it be over by now, the ropes already painfully burning his skin at certain spots. He's sure theres sand in his wounds as something touches him- warm fingers, hesitant, and almost shy.

He keeps his eyes closed.

"My god, I hate humans.." You mutter under your breath, your voice hitting his ears, making him notice the way it sounds. He thinks it sounds very similar to some of his kind; sirens being blessed with voices sweet and enchanting. Maybe you were one of the strays who had decided to live on the surface for some reason? But your smell was entirely human, although much sweeter and pleasant than anyone he'd met before. And then, after a small short moment of pain-

He's free.

His arms flop to his side, and he breathes in deeply- finally able to fully move again. His eyes open, and adjust to the night for a moment, before they meet yours.

How interesting.

"Jungkook?" Jimin asks him, curious to what has gotten the young Siren so occupied. Typically, Jungkook would be watching the annual kingdom dances with at least some form of interest; even if it was just a glimpse of it, just to make his parents worry less about him misbehaving. But today, as the graceful dancers move around to the orchestra playing, the young prince is absolutely not there. At least not mentally. "Jungkook." The older one scolds, getting Jungkooks attention- his gaze hard and annoyed. "Please, young prince- at least try to pretend you're interested. This is after all part of our culture." He strategically uses his title as teasing- something which makes Jungkook snort without any fun.

"I really don't want to be here." He explains, and Jimin sighs. "I'd rather be at the surface.." He mumbles, being careful not to be too loud- but Jimin does pick it up, and so does his partner, Taehyung, next to him- now leaning a bit forward to hear better.

"Oh?" Jimin asks. "What could be of interest there, I wonder?" He teases, and Jungkook grows even more irritated.

"Nothing that should interest a whore like you." He says harshly, though Jimin knows he means no harm with it. Jimin is, after all, a man who enjoys the simple pleasures in life- which is why he can't quite grasp why Jungkook, a young man in his prime like himself, doesn't seem to care about whats going on around him.

"Hm, but I think she must be absolutely divine if you're willing to risk the wrath of your own mother just to see her." He says, and Taehyung snickers next to him, clearly amused.

But to both of their surprise, Jungkook grows.. calm. Theres even a glimpse of a smile on his lip as he rests his head on his head, elbow on the armrest of his throne. "That she is." He says, quietly, as he watches the young woman in front of him. He has to imagine you there instead, moving oh so gracefully to the sounds of his Kingdom's greatest musicians- dressed in the most beautiful gown he'd gift you. "That she is.." He repeats, a dreaming look on his face that Jimin has not seen before.

Jungkook watches you.

He enjoys watching you on your daily trips to the beach, picking up cans and bottles, and other things people throw away without care. You're cleaning up the beach, and he thinks its a very good behavior- he likes the way you always carefully scan the ground and sides for any garbage. He swims a little closer as he spots you squatting down; eyes lighting up as you pick up a shell he'd personally not care much for. It's slightly pink- but nothing he hasn't seen in his life. They're so common, and he suddenly thinks that if this already makes you happy, what if he was to bring you something else? Something better, something more worth your attention?

He feels a rush of excitement.

Dashing into the opposite direction, he makes his way towards the ground below, eyes scanning the ground as he searches for something. He spots it after a few minutes of searching, but when he holds the pearl, he hesitates.

Its not enough.

No, that's not what you should get. He's only paying back his dept, yeah, that's what he's doing. But what if he was overdoing it by bringing you something too expensive or rare? No, he should be smart about it, yeah. Start small, and work your way up he thinks, as he takes the pearls he's collected while deep in thought, and pushes himself back to the top, swimming easily. He hopes you're still there-

And there you are, dipping your feet into the water.

He looks at what he can see; only able to see clearly underneath the waves rather than above. There's a bracelet hanging around your ankle, and it looks cheap, he thinks. It only helps him by giving him ideas for his next gifts- if you would accept his first, that is. He's never been rejected before, but then again, has always rejected instead. Nothing had interested him to the extend you did. Maybe you really were of his kind, secretly.

When he slowly brings his head up the waves, you don't get scared, or flinch. You simply look, spot him, and smile.

He likes that expression.

He comes closer, free hand helping him onto the stone you sit on, his hand holding your gift eagerly pushing against yours. You understand quickly, and open them, and he smiles. You're smart, he notes, and it only adds to your qualities, he thinks. Dropping the pearls, your eyes sparkle again- as they should, he thinks with pride. You inspect them with big eyes, as if you've never seen something alike. He enjoys your reaction- and you nod at him. "Thank you- are they for me to keep?" You ask, pointing to them, and then at your chest. He's not fully fluent in human language, but has picked up on some words and phrases, since Seokjin had recently strayed- teaching him some stuff whenever he got bored and visited his younger brother.

So Jungkook nods. "You." He says, and you like the sound of his voice; fittingly just as handsome as the rest of him, you think. But then again- his kind is known for its beauty and enchanting voices. "Keep." He tells you, pushing your closed palm a bit closer to your body as if to underline his statement. You think its cute, in a way.

"Okay." You say. "I'll keep them-?" You ask, and he doesn't understand, until you point to yourself, and say a name- yours, he supposes.

"Ah-" He starts, pointing to himself. "Jungkook. Jeon, Jungkook." He tells you, and you nod, smiling.

"It's nice to meet you, Jeon Jungkook." You smile, and he grins back, slightly sharpened canines in stark contrast with his bunny-like smile.

He thinks its nice to meet you too.

"But you're a witch, aren't you?" Jungkook argues, staring at Taehyung. "I thought you were all so capable." He challenges, and Taehyungs eyes darken- quite literally, since sea witches do technically have black eyes- but conceal them, as to not scare off people. He regains his composure however when Jimins hand lays on his shoulder.

"Now now, no need to become huffy." He says. "He didn't say he can't do it- he simply told you that its not that easy." He explains, and Jungkook sighs, rolling his eyes. Ever the spoiled prince, they think to themselves.

"I don't care about that." He states. "Can you do it, or can you not?" He asks, and Taehyung thinks for a moment.

"I.." He begins, before he sighs. "I can. But, there's a catch, Jungkook." He tells him, and this time, the youngest of the group seems just as serious as he listens. "I can't promise that.. the result will be what you will expect." He says.

"What do you mean?" Jungkook asks.

"There's a chance she won't survive it."

He doesn't think much about why you're so often sitting on that rocky structure close to the deep- he likes not having to get out of the water to be close to you. And you think, Jungkook is quite the interesting being.

He’s curious; that much you can tell. His hands rest on your knees, your toes sometimes brushing against his abdomen as he swims closer- face coming forward to properly look at you. His vision must be bad outside of the waters you assume, his brown eyes squinting in concentration until he huffs and let’s himself back into the waters. You chuckle, and simply take off your jacket, slipping into the water as well as you control your breath- his entire face brightening at your body now underwater in his world, finally clear to see for his eyes.

You’re pretty, he thinks, definitely prettier than any other human he’d encountered before. The clothes covering your breasts and private parts a bit dull and boring for his taste- but he’d change that soon. He smiles, happy, before holding up his finger as if to signal for you to wait before he swims away, elegantly and fast. You swim up to breath some air, catch your breath, until there’s a hand around your calf, holding, fingers running over the skin, signaling you to come down again. You follow his question, taking a deep breath to meet him underneath the surface; his excited hands wrapping something around your neck, before he swims in circles as if he’s suddenly got too much energy. You point to yourself, as if to ask if you can keep it- and he nods, wide eyes watching you with a smile that you can’t help but mirror.

You don't quite realize what he's doing.

He however thinks you know. You know that he's courting you, and you're interested in him. You know that he's just given you more than a simple gift. He only believes you're letting him work for it- something he happily does, taking on the challenge as always. He swims closer, holds your shoulders, as his eyes look into yours, his gaze happy and child-like almost. He's close to finally showing you affection- but you suddenly swim to the surface instead.

And even though he knows you only wanted to breathe, he can't help but feel slightly sour at the ruined moment.

"You're awfully happy these days." His mother says, watching her son in the gardens of the palace. "May I ask what has gotten you in such a bright mood?" She asks, and Jungkook doesn't quite know how to break it to her. He knows its not forbidden, knows it has, and does, happen each and every day it seems- but there's still fear inside of him. Theres still hesitation, even though he is not ashamed of what has happened- of what he has done. His mother however notices. "You know you can trust me, right?" She says, and he nods.

Its now or never.

"I've found a mate." He says, and his mother smiles warmly, holding his cheek as she kisses it in congratulation. "Its a human." He says, quietly, hurried- but his mother continues to smile.

"I have suspected as much." She states. "Your friend- Park Jimin- is not very good at talking quietly." She snickers, and Jungkook curses under his breath about how he wants to strangle him. Theres a huge weight lifted off of him however; finally having said it, made it very real to him, in a way- even though it was already.

Because, after all; you were wearing his kingdom's sigil around your neck already. He had claimed you.

He's restless the next time he swims to the shore to meet you again- eager to see you to give you the news of his family's acceptance.

You're late- later than usual, and his brows are furrowed, mood upset at your mannerism. You're usually always on time, always just as eager to see him he thinks- but this time, you're not there. After his anger however, he grows increasingly worried instead. What if something had happened to you instead? Oh what a bad person he would be to be mad at you for getting into an unfortunate situation. As guilt slowly makes his way into his body, claims his muscles, he moves to sit on the stone he usually finds you on. He tries to look around- rain on his skin making it possible to be out way more comfortably.

He spots movement above.

Theres a person he can't make out- throwing something off the cliff down into the sea, and Jungkook clicks his tongue in anger, already upset- but still curious on what it was the person had been so eager to discard. Typically, its tiny things or plastic he finds- but this is something else, he knows.

Underwater, he smells blood.

His pupils contract, eyes widening, as he spots the black bag slowly making its way to the bottom of the sea- red trail leading from it. Its not the blood however that makes him frantic- its the smell of it, of you, that stops his heart.

He gets you out the bag, his anger over the entire situation diminishing into nothing as he holds you close, eyes spotting the deep cut on your side, and the scratches on your face. Unsure where to bring you, he holds you close, brings you onto his back as one of his hands hold yours, your arms around his neck. He swims quickly to the only place he knows you can breathe.

The underwater cave is big enough for now, he thinks, as he brings your body onto the ground, out the water. He doesn't notice he's crying, doesn't quite speak, his native language of clicking sounds and little noises escaping him as he whines out for your attention, waiting for you to wake up somehow. He's been so invested in making you like him and accept him that he's got no idea what to do with a human. Are you cold? How can he warm you up? How does he stop bleeding wounds? How much can you bleed before you die? Are you already dying?

Jungkook doesn't know what to do. So he simply lays by your side, holding you close, in hopes his slightly higher body temperature can keep you warm.

"He's doing the best he can-" Jimin says, Seokjin next to Taehyung as they both lean over your body. Both witches are concentrated, already exhausted, but there's no way they're giving up on you now. Not only because you're important to Jungkook- but because no one deserves to simply die like this.

"I know, I know!" Jungkook huffs out, pupils turned into cat like slits- a clear sign of the absolute terror and chaos inside of him. "What if they're best isn't good enough? Jimin, I can't loose her, you don't understand-" He starts, but Jimin holds the younger one's shoulders, for the first time serious with him.

"I do." He glances at Taehyung. Jimin had saved Taehyung before as well- the young sea witch having been hit by a fisherman's harpoon years ago. Ever since then, Jimin had been attached to the witch like glue. "Trust me, I really do. And they're doing all they can to make sure she's going to be fine." He promises, and Jungkook nods.

All he can do is pray.

When you wake up, there's several things you notice.

First, you're alive. Having a raging headache, and your limbs and muscles feel horribly tender, but you're alive. There's also strings of rope tied to two rock formations acting like a clothing line, several blankets and clothes hanging from it. They don't look human-made to you- the fabrics and designs not something you would think of as regular. There's a bucket and several stained rags- now copper-brown with old blood. Its then that you look down, seeing your cut sewed shut.

You also notice its rather soft underneath you.

Its sheepskin laid over seaweed you notice- the whool soft and fluffy, and warm. Everything seems to be so thoughtfully placed, even some decorative items- you can spot fireflies casually sitting in a jar close by, and burned wood, probably to . Probably to make light during the night. You're tired however, so you simply lay down again. Quite honestly, surely you should fee worried about the situation- but then again, there was no one to miss you, no place you called your home anyways. No use in worrying- because deep down, you had your suspicion.

A Jungkook swims to the surface with the plastic box in his arms, he's careful not to throw it too hard onto the ground. As he steps out the water, he's sure to at least try and his his hands of most the water before he goes to check on the blankets he had brought this early morning. They've dried enough, he notices, and is glad about that, as he picks one up.

You don't have to be cold anymore, he thinks.

He's unnaturally careful for his typical character- his usual behavior quite the opposite as it was now. Now, he's making sure you're properly tucked in, as he notices your eyes watching him.

He freezes, for a moment.

Jungkook hasn't really thought much about what would happen if you were to wake up- after all, Seokjin had told him he was unsure if you were to wake up this early in the first place, and Taehyung didn't even know if you would wake up at all. He'd told his younger brother to be prepared for any reaction really; fear, confusion, maybe even anger. But you seem calm, curious even, and Jungkook decides to sit down in front of your face, waiting.

"You brought me here, right?" You ask, and he nods, eyes not leaving your form.

"You-.. hurt." He points to the spot where your wound had been. "Also hurt." His hand points to your head. "Brothers, helped." He informs you, and you smile, nodding at his words. He suddenly looks at the ground, mumbling. "I.. worried. Thought... you, dying." He tells you, and you sit up slowly again, keeping the blanket around your shoulders.

"I'm not dead though." You say, and he nods. "Thank you, Jungkook. Now we're even." You say, and he tilts his head in confusion- a mannerism you could only think of as cute. "I saved you- you saved me." You say, and he smiles, nodding.

"I-" He starts, leaning forward a bit, now way more energetic and lighthearted as before. "I- we-" He growls a little in frustration, and you cant help but giggle at his troubles- the chirps and clicks escaping him foreign- but somehow, they feel hazy, as if your mind knows the language, but has forgotten what it meant. He's trying so hard you notice, and appreciate. "You like here?" He asks, and points around. You nod, and he beams at you. "I made." He tells you, proudly so.

"I guessed as much. Its very thoughtful of you, thank you." You say, and he nods, happy you like what he did for you. Its not a permanent solution, obviously, but as soon as you're healed well enough, he already planned a new spot for you to come with him.

You just don't know it yet.

There's a weird feeling inside of you.

It's like homesickness, you think. Every time you look at the waters, you feel- sad? It's making you uneasy, and with every day passing by, it just gets worse and worse. But it's today, that you cant take it.

When you dip your legs into the water, it soothes an ache you can't recognize ever having. It helps your skin, it somehow feels as if you're breathing again. But It's not enough, you think- before you let yourself fall into the deep end.

You're floating.

It's like leaving a stuffy and crowded mall, just to stand in a park, fresh air after it had rained, and light breeze clearing your head. Everything is silent, but not at the same time- the water around you feeling as if you're being hugged, held. It makes you relax, makes you let go, makes you only exist for a moment.

You're floating.

And there's a sudden wave of realization that you're also breathing. There's no water in your lungs- or maybe there is, and you just don't feel it being there. Darkness surrounds you as you don't know where you are exactly- theres no telling where is where, no way to know if you're upright or not. Maybe you've died?

Did you drown?

If you did, it would explain Jungkook being there. He's swimming towards you with a face full of worry, as he grabs your wrist and holds you close. "I can't even let you out of my sight for a mere day it seems, my love." He sighs, and your eyes widen. Its almost comedic how his own do the same, focusing on your neck, as he touches.

You're sensitive, and shift away from his touch.

"It-" He starts, now holding your shoulders, as he begins to smile. "It worked! It really did- by the dragon kind, you look absolutely divine!" He laughs, and can't help but hold your hands, eyes roaming your appearance, as you don't quite get it- until you follow his gaze.

Just like him, there's fins now on the sides of your calfs, smaller ones on your ankles as well. Theres also ones decorating your outer forearms- they look like the ones you'd always see on goldfish as a kid. There's something alike to scales as well, but barely noticable. "I- what happened to me?" You ask, and Junkook smiles.

"You.. almost died." He admits, taking your hand and swimming to what you assume is back towards the cave. "You had been robbed during the day, and when I found you.. well, you know what happened." He says. "While you were asleep, we were thinking about what to do. There was no way you would survive as a human- so, a friend of mine- Taehyung- performed a ritual, together with Seokjin, my brother." He says. You finally spot light, glad to be able to have at least some form of orientation. "I'm glad you're adjusting so quickly, my love." He states, smiling at you.

You notice the petname again.

"Jungkook-" You start, as you both reach the cave again, sitting on the edge of where the ground of the cave meets the water. "Why are you.. calling me that?" You ask, and Jungkook seems confused.

"Why do you ask?" He questions. And you don't quite follow, until he continues. "You're my mate- I am only addressing you as such."

Your eyes widen. "Wait- we're-" You start, and its only then that it clicks in Jungkooks head.

"Oh." He says- the dissapointment bitter and evident in his voice. "You.. didn't know?" He asks, and you shake your head, unsure what he means. "I see.." He tells you, suddenly distant. "I.. will bring you breakfast tomorrow.. sleep well." He abruptly says, and before you can say anything, he's already gone.

What just happened?

"There you are!" A voice says, deeper than Jungkooks, but not unfamiliar. Taehyung had been visiting and bringing you food and nescessities ever since that talk with Jungkook. This time, however, Taehyung seems like he wants to say something. You look at him, silently urging him, and he sits down next to you, sighing.

"Does he hate me?" You ask, quietly, and Taehyung looks sad.

"He could never." He says. "He just.. didn't take the rejection well. He'll need time to come around. It won't take that much time- his mother is already trying to get a new partner for him." He explains, and your head whips around towards him. "I- you.. did reject him, right?" He asks, slowly. "You do.. not love him, right?" He urges again, and you groan suddenly, throwing your face into your hands.

"Oh my god I'm so stupid.." You say. "It all.. everything was so overwhelming, I didn't even notice what he was doing." You cry into your hands, as Taehyungs hand places itself onto your back, trying to soothe you. "I though.. especially after I found out about his status.." You mumble. "How could he want me?" You ask, and Taehyung sighs.

"Head up, little siren." He says. "He's still able to hear you sing, if you want to." He says, and you look at him.

"But how?" You say. "I have no idea where the kingdom, or anything really is. And he won't come see me until its too late." You say.

"Well-" Taehyung says, standing up, and holding out his hand. "-allow me to escort the future princess to her lover."

"How did you find me?" He simply asks, not turning around, as you float closer. "I'm sorry, but I still need time to.. get over-" He starts, but you don't let him finish, instead leaning into his back, your arms around his middle.

"I'm stupid." You say. "I'm really, really stupid." He shakes his head, but you continue. "Just because I didn't realize- doesn't mean that I don't feel anything for you." You say. "I just.. felt unworthy, I guess. Insignificant." You admit, and he turns around, holding your face in his hands.

"You really are not gifted with the mind of the dragons king, my love." He states teasingly, the glimmer in his eyes returning. "My status means nothing to me, if that meant I could not have you." He says, and you lean forward, capturing his lips. "I hope you know what this meant, at least." He teases, and your eyes widen, scared you might've done something wrong. "It means you love me." He says, and you chuckle.

"Good." You say. "Because I do."

Even though he thinks you looked like a goddess reborn in your white and pearl decorated gown from the wedding, he enjoys you without it, close to him, just as much. He's alive, he's feeling, he's in love, as his hands move over your skin, his senses filled with you and nothing else.

The sounds you make for him are sweeter than any siren's song he's ever heard or could ever sing himself. No member of his kind is as enchanting as you, he decides, as he bites and kisses the sensitive skin of your neck. Jimin had teased him relentlessly the entire evening and night by trying to send you sweet words, to which you didn't react- but that didn't mean that it didn't piss him off.

You were his.

His princess- and soon to be queen, one day.

And he's planning on making that very evident, as he marks up your skin with little bites, visible for everyone to see. He wants everyone to know, even though by tomorrow, the entire Kingdom will celebrate the marriage of its prince anyways. He's more than ready to show you off, to hold you close, to have people see the divine being at his side that's you.

It's only natural for his hands to roam your skin, for his lips to worhip every inch it seems, as you reach out for his hand every second it leaves you. It's painfully endearing he thinks, how you can be so innocent and pure, while he's between your legs, performing the sinful act of pleasuring you with his mouth.

You pull him towards you, as you straddle his waist, leaning down to kiss him. He's in god's divine lands he thinks, as he suddenly feels you sinking down on his awaiting length. You fit around him perfectly, more so than he could've ever imagined. And as you both move, he holds you close, happy that here, in his world, he doesn't need to breathe.

He can kiss you as long as he wants.

(c)Bonny-Kookoo. I spilled strawberry milk on my poor laptop while writing this.

[nazmazh]

(As I sit here, thinking on these, I might actually have to build these all as playlists. Will reblog once I've assembled the lists and or built them in YouTube)

1. You want something with cozy vibes but is eminently sing-a-long-able or at least groovable/vibe-able for most people - Which does mean broadly appealing and largely familiar. In short, you want an all-time classic here. Not necessarily your hidden gem deep cut or obscure indie fave that nobody else really knows - As much as I love those types of songs. In short, something you would actually conceivably hear on the radio. Also, you don't want too bombastic (Though I personally love me a good song with some excellent slow-burn buildup reaching a big crescendo). A touch (just a touch, generally don't go overboard) of melancholy or yearning is good here too.

looklikeapencil's suggestion of "Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac is an excellent choice (I might be biased because I have been big into the whole "Rumors" album lately). I might put forth Elton John's "Tiny Dancer" for this. That's the first one that came to mind. "Hey Jude" by The Beatles is also pretty much always a crowd-pleaser.

2. For snapping into action/"Oh, it's go-time!" stuff, video game-y power-up songs are great. Honestly, Homestuck also has some great ones to that end, considering most musicians that contributed to its soundtrack have strong video game influences. In terms of regular songs, for myself personally, I'd have to go with "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC - Maybe it's a throwback to those halcyon days of playing hockey as a kid, but this has good pump-up energy and some nice beats that you can imagine impacts being timed to.

For a less-bombastic, more focused/purposeful take on the concept - Calm/Focused Fury among chaos/a big battle, you might envision this sort of moment as, I might go with "Cities on Flame With Rock and Roll* by Blue Oyster Cult (This came to mind for me first, outside of video game-y stuff, but I wanted something more straightforward/expected too).

3. Hmm... for the worst deeply personal/intimate moment song, that's tricky. Probably won't be doing a whole playlist for this one.

I mean, the easiest is just to go for something with complete tonal dissonance, y'know?

I can't imagine much of Spinal Tap's catalogue really fits touching, personal memories, but I've got to imagine that "Big Bottom" especially doesn't fit.

(For the other kind of intimacy, that song could go either way, depending on how into the silliness of it your partner is. But I'm guessing it's also not likely going to be great)

4. Songs to play for your funeral - Okay, I have already got a shortlist for this sort of thing - Not that I fixate on it. Hopefully not more than anyone generally, anyway, I hope: Frank Turner - "Eulogy" Boston - "Hitch a Ride" The Parting Glass - Pretty much any version will do, but I am partial to Peter Hollens' rendition of it.

5. Absolutely not for my funeral? Well, there's plenty. But I think I'll stick with those songs considered traditional/appropriate funeral songs for this (and not make a playlist for it) The big one is, of course Amazing FREAKING Grace. I don't care what version or how objectively well-performed it is. Just don't. Nothing religious, for that matter. "General Taylor", either. Much as I do actually like this song, it's about how eager they are to bury him because he was such a pain-in-the-ass that they want to be sure he's gone for good (at least, there is respect for an enemy's capabilities built into that, but still). "The Sound of Silence" by Simon and Garfunkel - Again, one I like, but it's too overdone. It's also not the vibe I want people to remember me with, exactly, y'know?

Personality test

Best song to hear on the radio in a car full of friends when it's dark and warm and raining outside and you're all kinda tired but still having a good time

The song that would play in the movie about your life at the part where you finally snap and enter a violent, freewheeling action scene

The worst song you can imagine playing in the background of a deeply personal or intimate moment

A song you'd want played at your funeral

A song you WOULD NOT WANT played at your funeral