#but she still had no concept of him for. most major baby milestones.

[azuredrg]

raiden loves michan he loves all his kids but he was so fucking bad at expressing that. directly after the final days Raiden was very adamant at being heavily physically involved in rebuilding multiple countries (one of which from the ground up) and helping end wars n shit he was so married to his work he had no time for his family and he never even bothered letting them know he thinks about them always and he loves them more than anything cuz he was like aww im her mama of course she knows i love her ^_^ (never expresses it in ways that make sense to her cuz she is a fucking toddler why would she give a fuck about the stupid adult job you have)

anyways he spent more time at home after the twins but he was constantly working on blueprints and communicating with builders and landowners and governments and whatever the fuck. he rarely built time for them unless prompted because it like. never crossed his mind. worlds first transmasc absent father.

[obviouslygenuinely]

Babygate Analysis/Conclusions: A Non-Larry Perspective

(Image Credit: Hollywood Life)

I'm prefacing this post with a few disclaimers:

After some consideration, I chose to write this without factoring in Larry whatsoever. No Larry-related points, proof, or speculation in any way. This is solely analyzing babygate from an unbiased perspective. 

I don't claim to know the entire truth. It is impossible for any of us to know.  What I conclude is based on direct evidence, circumstantial evidence, research, and analysis.

I am willing to discuss opposing views. I’m happy to talk about the topic in a civil, kind, and mature matter. I will dismiss any discourse that is aggressive, immature, and so on.

I did not include every single opinion/conclusion/piece of evidence I found. I condensed my thoughts as much as possible (and this is still a novel-length post). There are so many more points I can think of. However, babygate masterposts cover all of that; I’ll link to some of those at the end.

The conclusion points aren't in a very specific order. I aimed to list related points one after another. Aside from that, it's not in order of "hardest to weakest" evidence.

Please read “Author’s Notes” for additional clarity/input. They interject thoughts/etc. that I feel are necessary to include. 

Lastly, I included links to every source I cited in this post. However, I did not tag the Tumblr users. I’m not sure if they are comfortable with having Babygate questions/comments directed to their blogs. If you are a linked source and want to be tagged, please let me know! 

My Initial Reaction To Babygate

In February of 2020, I received several messages on LateToLarry requesting that I analyze something called “babygate”. I had no idea what babygate meant at the time. 

I learned what it meant, and prior to any research I felt the theory was so absurd. I also felt uncomfortable analyzing it because I believed I’d feel bias as a single mom. The idea of discussing a random child in depth initially bothered me, too. I declined to analyze it last year.

However, I did a LOT of research over time. My opinion has changed significantly. Below, I’ve shared my main conclusions and analysis about babygate. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy my post! 

1. No Paternity Test Was Performed Prior To The Pregnancy Announcement

Louis was/is a prominent celebrity and has a current net worth of $70 million. From legal, financial, and practical standpoints, it makes no sense for him to choose not to get a test. 

It’s unheard of in Hollywood and the entertainment industry. Any sensible team -lawyers, PR reps, managers, advisors, etc. - would not just go along with it. They are employed to protect his career and image. 

The Opposing Views

A. “Briana/Louis didn’t want to risk miscarriage with prenatal testing.”

Non-invasive testing is completely safe for fetuses and pregnant women, so there’s no medical reason for the lack of testing.

B. “Louis chose not to get the test done because he wanted to be a father and was invested in the pregnancy/parenting.”

Time has shown that this is not true. Louis does not have custody; there was a brief custody case in 2016 that led nowhere. He does not have a consistent or prominent role in the child’s life.

Conclusion

There is no logical reason for the lack of paternity testing prior to the announcement unless Louis knew he was not the father and all parties knew this to be true.

2. There Was No Confirmation Of A Paternity Test After The Birth

I’ll keep this section fairly short. A quick Google search returns dozens of conflicting reports. Many of them state that Louis demanded a paternity test shortly after birth. Other reports state that he has never pursued a paternity test. 

Here are a few examples:

“Louis Tomlinson not interested in paternity test” - Business Standard

“EXCLUSIVE: Louis Tomlinson Demanded a DNA Test “As Soon as the Baby Was Born”” - InTouch Weekly

“Louis Tomlinson: No DNA Test Needed ... Positive Freddie's His Son” -TMZ

“Louis Tomlinson & Briana Jungwirth: WhyHe Had DNA Test Done on His Newborn Son” - Hollywood Life

This Twitter thread discusses TMZ reports that - as of 2020 - no DNA test was done.

Conclusion

There is no reliable confirmation that Louis pursued a paternity test. The media cannot come to a general/factual consensus.

Again, there is no reasonable explanation for the lack of paternity testing unless Louis knows he is not the father of the child. 

3. The Conception-To-Birth Timeline Is Inconsistent/Unreliable

Pregnancy and conception as a whole can be rather confusing; timelines from conception to birth are unique to each person. Having said that, Briana’s timeline is full of glaring inconsistencies that don’t add up. 

I’ll begin with this timeline based on bulletprooflarry’s post and my own research. Dates I’ve added myself include linked sources:

May 5th, 2015 - Louis and Briana were first seen together in public.

May 6th to May 31st, 2015 - Briana and her mom followed baby-related social medial accounts.

May 12th, 2015 - Louis and Briana were pictured together in public.

July 3rd, 2015 - Louis is seen with Briana’s brother in Hollywood.

July 14th, 2015 - The first pregnancy report is published.

August 4th, 2015 - Louis confirms pregnancy on GMA.

January 21st, 2016 - The child is reportedly born.

Based on the dates above, these are the possible dates/milestones for her pregnancy:

Scenario A - If conception occurred on May 5th, Briana was 37 weeks and 2 days pregnant on January 21st, 2016. This is considered an early-term birth and about 26% of births occur at 37 weeks.

Scenario B - If conception occurred on May 12th, Briana was 36 weeks and 2 days pregnant on January 21st. This is considered a late-term or late premature birth and about 10% of births occur at 36 weeks.

These dates matter because Briana’s alleged hospital stay was not consistent with a premature or early-term birth. She was pictured in public - healthy and holding a baby carrier - within one week of giving birth. 

(Image Credit: Daily Mail)

(Image Credit: larrysbbrbb28)

If she gave birth based on the dates above, it’s extremely unlikely that she or the baby would be out in public so soon.

Below are screenshots of an additional timeline from an archived Tumblr post. It provides excellent points about more timeline inconsistencies: 

The main inconsistencies and red flags are bolded in the post. It supports the unreliable conception timeline, and it also mentions my next point - the official pregnancy announcement. 

The post above mentions that the Jungwirth family followed baby-related accounts before Briana could possibly know she was pregnant. Here’s one screenshot from skepticallarrie proving it:

I’ve also seen several posts that show inconsistencies with the size of Briana’s baby bump. Unfortunately, the most reliable post no longer exists. You can view a web archive of Briana’s pregnancy photos, but most of the image links are broke. 

The only post I have saved is a web archive of a long babygate post. The beginning of the post contains photos showing discrepancies in the size of Briana’s baby bump. 

The Opposing Views

“Pregnancy looks different on everybody, everyone recovers differently, etc.”

Yes, this is true and a valid point! As a woman who has gone through multiple pregnancies and two live births, I truly understand this argument. 

However, the sheer amount of inconsistencies are what make this a red flag. There are too many unreliable and contradicting points to brush this off. It goes beyond the point of “well, each person has a different experience”.

Conclusion

There are a few conclusions/scenarios I believe you can draw from the information above:

Briana was pregnant prior to meeting Louis.

Briana was never pregnant in the first place. 

Both are valid to consider, but I personally believe she was never pregnant. 

(Author’s note: My calculation for dates are based on the date of alleged conception. Most due date calculators, by default, use the date of a woman’s last mentrual period - LMP - to provide estimations.

I also used Date Duration Calendar for my calculations. Accessible due date calculators only allowed me to input dates from 2019/2020. Depending on the tools and dates you use, your mileage may vary.)

4. The Announcement Itself Was Highly Unusual

This point ties into the first and third points. I don’t consider it a major piece of evidence, but it’s noteworthy due to the other points. 

So, there are a few reasons why the Good Morning America announcement stands out. 

A. If Briana got pregnant on May 5th, then she was approximately 10 weeks pregnant when the first pregnancy report was published. This also means she was approximately 13 weeks pregnant at the time of the GMA announcement.

If Briana got pregnant on May 12th, she was approximately nine weeks pregnant at the time of the first report and approximately 12 weeks pregnant at the time of the GMA announcement.

B. The public announcement on Good Morning America raises a lot of questions. I’ve had multiple issues embedding the video; the bolded link takes you to the GMA announcement on YouTube. 

Anyways, these questions/thoughts - disregarding any Larry theories -  come to mind when watching the video: 

This is a segment for promoting/discussing their album/music.

The baby announcement is the sole non-album/music related topic that is mentioned during the segment.

The announcement is not organically worked into the segment as a natural talking point.

Louis’ reactions - such as bringing the microphone to his lips and not talking - is very unlike his standard interview demeanor.

The male interviewer and the band members have noticeable facial expressions and body language that suggest discomfort, stress, or awkwardness. 

A post by skepticalarrie draws similar conclusions. Her post is much more detailed than mine, and I highly recommend reading/viewing it. 

(Author’s Note: I’ve touched upon this on LateToLarry and will make a post here eventually, but body language and facial expressions are valid. They’re valid to the point that they are used in court cases.) 

Conclusion

My conclusions here are twofold. One is that: 

Announcing a pregnancy - especially a celebrity-related pregnancy - this early is extremely uncommon and unlikely.

The announcement itself seems out of place and very forced. 

This particular point, to me, is not extremely strong evidence. I still think it’s worth keeping in mind and is relevant to other points here. So, I’ve included it either way.

5. Briana Posted Stolen Pregnancy/Baby Photos On Social Media

(EDIT: I wrote this piece before the recent release of Briana’s alleged ultrasound and don’t have time to add it. It’s pretty strong proof and can easily be found in recent babygate posts.)

Babygate posts often point out that Briana and the Jungwirth family used stolen/fake pregnancy and baby photos on social media. It’s a well-known topic that’s often discussed. 

I’m condensing this section to a few examples. I encourage additional research if you’d like to see more. 

A. This Tumblr post shows stolen baby bump photos that Briana’s cousin Ashley posted on Twitter: 

B. This Tumblr post and Twitter post show a stolen baby photo that Briana posted on Instagram:

(Author’s Note: Since I was not active in the fandom at the time, I am relying on information from other blogs and social media posts. I vetted my sources pretty well, but any false information is my own mistake.)

Conclusions

The only word that sums this up is “suspicious”. Using stolen photos of a pregnant woman/baby is not necessary if you are legitimately pregnant. That’s really what it boils down to. It lends to the conclusion that Briana was never pregnant. 

6. Photos And Videos Of The Child Are Heavily Altered And Manipulated

It is indisputable that many photos and videos of the child are heavily manipulated to alter his appearance. This goes beyond filters, lighting, and angles. 

Several detailed posts show the manipulations; here are some examples:

A web archive of all Photoshop evidence from tellmethisisnotlove

An in-depth post from genuineconspiracy that includes detailed photo evidence.

A video post from freefreddiereign that shows Photoshop evidence based on photos the child. 

There is no doubt that his facial features are frequently altered. This is easy to conclude using any free software that detects Photoshop. As a photographer myself, I can easily spot the manipulations.

(Author’s Note: I know that directly discussing the child is controversial. When I first heard of babygate, my initial reaction was discomfort about analyzing a child.

I quickly learned/concluded that his family members are responsible for heavily putting him in the public eye. All content I’ve used for research is based on the family’s posts.

Still, I have personally chosen not post pictures of the child, but the links I am sharing contain photos/videos of him.

Additionally, I used FotoForensics on photos of myself prior to writing this. It was important to me to feel absolutely certain about this point. I’m fine with sharing my own FotoForensics images if anyone is curious.)

The Opposing Views

A. “Freddie looks like Louis in pictures that aren’t Photoshopped.”

Parentage cannot be based on whether or not a child looks like his mother/father. I understand the viewpoint, but it’s simply not evidence. Additionally, thinking the child looks like Louis is a matter of opinion. 

There’s also the fact that appearance means nothing overall. Science backs up this statement very well. Examples and references:

“How can children from the same parents look so different?” by HowStuffWorks

“My Baby Looks Nothing Like Me: A Genetic Explanation” by FamilyEducation

Additionally, here is a personal anecdote. I have two sons close to Freddie’s age. One of them looks exactly like his father and nothing like me. The other looks exactly like me and nothing like his father. Despite how they look, they are both of them are our biological children. 

Conclusion

There is no reasonable explanation for altering the child’s appearance - particularly to make him look more similar to Louis. 

I cannot think of a single argument as to why the Jungwirth family would do this unless they need/want the child to look a specific way. 

7. Johannah Deakin’s Official Obituary Does Not Mention The Child

When looking into babygate, I read the argument that the child is legitimately Louis’ son because he is listed as her grandchild in Internet-based obituaries and announcements. 

I also read the counter-argument that Louis’ mother’s official newspaper/print obituary does not mention the child.  I recall seeing proof, but I did not save it at the time. I did some research and this appears to be true. 

The Doncaster Free Press is a local weekly newspaper in Doncaster, and it published an article about the funeral. The article is NOT an obituary itself, but it does list her obituary details. The publication does not list the child among the surviving family members. 

If a mistake is made regarding these details, it’s typical for newspapers to post a correction addressing a misprint. Upon further research, the Doncaster Free Press did not issue a correction at any time. 

(Author’s Note: I lost my own mother and am personally familiar with how local obituaries are written. Immediate family members - i.e. spouses and adult children - provide information regarding surviving family members.) 

Conclusion

The conclusion here is straightforward. Louis and his family chose not to include the child in his mother’s official obituary. This strongly suggests that he is not legitimately related to Louis. 

My Opinion-Based Conclusions

Update: After some consideration, I am saving my opinion-based conclusions for a separate post. I originally intended to include them here; transparency is important to me.

Unfortunately, the section became rather long and took away from the main post points. So, I’ll be working on a post that’s just my opinion-based conclusions. In the meantime, feel free to message me with any questions. 

Final Thoughts

If you’ve made it this far, thank you for taking the time to read my post! I appreciate the interest expressed for it, and I hope it lives up to expectations. 

Again, I want to reiterate this is:

Not an all-inclusive post; I narrowed down my findings to seven points.

Not a masterpost on babygate.

Purposely omitting any potential Larry-related points to remove bias. 

I’ve reread this quite a few times, and it’s as error-free as possible. If you spot any mistakes/errors, I’m completely open to making corrections. Just kindly let me know. 

This list contains references/research about babygate that I consider the most reliable. It includes Larry and non-Larry related Babygate content.

Tumblr posts tagged with babygate by Tumblr use genuineconspiracy.

A web archive of babygate posts by Tumblr user tellmethisisnotlove (her account was deactivated by staff).

Tumblr posts tagged with babygate by darkrainbowlouis.

Tumblr posts tagged with babygate by skepticalarrie.

Lastly, if there’s interest in an opinion-related post or Larry-related post, I’ll consider writing them. Feel free to let me know as you all did with this post. 

Thanks!

Amy (obviouslygenuinely/latetolarry)

[darkpetal16]

Can we see anything about the Jujutsu story? I'm so excited to see all the chaos!!

Sure thing! I'll take some scenes from chapter one. They haven't been edited yet and I don't have a beta so please forgive the typos / lack of description.

April 13th, 2000

Éclosion was a town of over 25,000 citizens in France. It was a suburb a few hours from Paris, and was known as one of the safer towns in France.

On April 13th, in the year 2000, the entire population of Éclosion instantly died from an “unknown” cause.

To most of the world, it was a bizarre tragedy, something to be marked down as an unsolved mystery for the history books. Each citizen had simultaneously suffocated within a few minutes of being exposed to… something.

Something that could not leave behind a physical trace of its existence yet was so overwhelming it simultaneously strangled over 25,000 living beings within Éclosion.

To a very small group of people, they knew the truth.

That town did not die by ordinary means, rather, from the sheer spiritual pressure exerted by a very dangerous being.

To that small group of people, they assumed it was the work of a curse.

Curses were created when cursed energy leaked from humans as a result of their human emotion. Cursed energy would build up in areas like sediment until it is strong enough to manifest a form. They were known to be lethal when left alone.

Populated locations such as schools and hospitals are hot spots for creating curses because many negative emotions were associated with those places. The same concept applies humanity's collective fear and hatred. An image of fear shared by the masses can create a powerful curse even if the subject was not real, such as famous monsters or ghosts. The negative emotions that humanity directed at that singular fear would cause it to manifest as a curse and in time… a cursed spirit.

Cursed spirits’ bodies are entirely made up of cursed energy--or spiritual energy. Their metaphysical existence made it impossible for normal humans to perceive or touch them.

Only a small group of humans were able to interact with cursed spirits, and in turn, combat them.

They were known as Jujutsu Sorcerers.

Jujutsu Sorcerers formed a society over the past thousands of years to work in the shadows to supress curses in an effort to protect humanity. All Jujutsu Sorcerers were trained in their youth at one of the two Jujutsu educational facilities in either Tokyo or Kyoto in Japan. At those facilities, they were taught how to utilize their own cursed energy in order to exorcise cursed spirits.

After graduating, alumni Sorcerers who remain aligned with the schools typically used one of the two facilities as a home base. Those facilities served as the cornerstone for the Jujutsu Sorcerer community. They mediated issues, assigned missions, and officially established a payroll for all their employed exorcists. The higher-ups were in charge of the schools and by extension all Jujutsu sorcerers.

Sorcerers would be dispatched wherever they found a gathering of cursed spirits. They were dispatched based on how strong they are in comparison to the spirit they face. The jujutsu society would rank spirits--and Sorcerers--like so:

Grade 4 - The weakest; a tire iron is plenty to deal with it.

Grade 3 - Slightly harder than Grade 4; handgun or something of similiar power recommended.

Semi-Grade 2

Grade 2 - An average Jujutsu sorcerer would not come out unscathed.

Semi-Grade 1

Grade 1 - “Even a tank might be insufficient.”

Special Grade 1

Special Grade - “Cluster bombs might work.”

For reasons not yet known to the Jujutsu community, curses and Sorcerers were most commonly found in Japan. While some could crop up in other countries, it was exceedingly rare.

That meant only a handful of Sorcerers were dispatched on rotation to monitor countries outside of Japan.

For example, France.

There were only three Sorcerorors stationed in France and they would handle the curses and Curse Users that appeared in France.

Three Sorcerers.

Who, at best, could handle a Grade 1 spirit.

But on April 13th that year something truly horrific happened.

A curse that had simultaneously slaughtered thousands of civilians within minutes of being born. Its mere presence could be felt by the Sorcerors not only in France, but in the surrounding countries across Europe.

It was only felt for five minutes, and then it vanished.

And so while the majority of the world was in a panicked frenzy over the mysterious massacre, the Jujutsu world was in a different kind of panic.

For a spirit that went beyond their measurement system had just been born… and they had no way of dealing with it.

.

<Skipping a scene here to avoid spoilers>

.

(Lilly - April 13th, 2000)

Again.

Again.

Again.

Again.

Lilly stared in grim resignation at the hanging corpse. The woman didn’t even reach her thirties before throwing in the towel. The body swayed side by side, still warm. Still leaking. The woman hadn’t hung herself from far up enough to snap her neck, so she strangled slowly and painfully.

Dumbass, Lilly thought, finding it hard to scrounge up sympathy for the woman.

Woman could have saved herself the painful death if she just chugged sleeping pills with wine.

But people that desperate to flee reality rarely thought that rationally.

“Geh,” Lilly gasped, clutching at her head as another burst of pain shot through her. She was blinded, her vision going completely white at the influx of memories.

She fell to her knees, struggling to breathe from the intense pain. Her body quaked and trembled, unable to cope with the weight of her soul.

Too many memories. Too many lives. Too many deaths.

If she could forget then the body would carry on without needing her entire soul to be there. She could rest a bit more. She could sleep in death’s kind arms--

But, no.

Again.

Again.

She woke up again in a body too small and immature to handle the weight of her memories.

Lilly was what many referred to as an old soul.

It was not that her soul was older than the others around her, more so that her soul tended to retain the memories and knowledge of her previous lives.

Whereas death granted most souls a clean slate before their next life, Lilly was not permitted the same courtesy.

She was, mockingly, a Blessed being.

The pain subsided, the small body quivering.

How old am I now? Lilly wondered. Which world is this? Where--?

Panting, the old soul glanced around the house. Most of it looked like an average house on Earth from the early 2000s or late 1900s. None of it was in disarray so probably not apocalyptic.

Not completely normal though, Lilly thought, feeling how sensitive her spiritual energy was in her current body.

If was born in a powerless world, she wouldn’t have woken up. The fact that she woke up meant there was something about that world that made it special.

Maybe a Hero will be born here? Will a Story happen?

Her head throbbed again, her soul and energy aching from the strain of being awoken in a premature body. Lilly stumbled around the house, every so often feeling another spike of her insides burning.

It was not too dissimilar to swallowing lava. On top of the pain, she was nauseous, unbearably hot, and had significant difficulty in trying to focus on what was in front of her. Every step was a milestone. Her soul yearned to burst out of the fragile body, to preemptively rejoin death.

Not yet. I woke up here for a reason. There’s always a reason, Lilly thought. She fumbled around the house, searching for anything that could give her a better idea of where she was.

No computer. I think I see a landline phone, though, Lilly thought.

When she went to use it, however, only silence could be heard. She frowned, then hesitantly moved to flick on the lights.

Nothing happened.

Uwa… did I accidentally fry the tech trying to contain my energy? Lilly wanted to groan.

She hated being reborn in tech-sensitive worlds. If her spiritual energy was too overwhelmign for the technology, it became such a hassle. It meant she had to consciously filter, repress, and refine her energy any time she had to use it when around technology.

Whatever.

Time to find a neighbor then, she thought.

Stepping outside the house, Lilly found a bizarre scene. There was a mailman who collapsed right at the door, and judging from how still he was, she could tell he wasn’t breathing.

Lilly stared at the dead body. She looked up and found several crashed cards and more dead bodies.

Oh.

“Oops,” she said.

.

<Skipping several scenes & time skip>

.

March 8, 2001

Lilly was minding her own business the following day. Yuuta was swaddled and placed in a baby wrap carrier that Lilly tied around herself. She kept his head well supported, it rested in the crook of her neck.

It had been a while since she had repeatedly cast so many illusionary and compulsion spells. She knew it couldn’t be helped--she was in the body of a seven-year old, of course the adults wouldn’t take her too seriously.

She had finished authenticating his birth certificate, adoption papers, and was on her way to handle funeral arrangements for his mother. Lilly had already made a few tentative and brief ventures into the world to steal (shamelessly) steal money so she had cash on hand in case the woman hadn’t made prior plans for herself--which guessing by how optimistic she was, Lilly assumed the answer was no.

Yuuta was an easy crier, which made what would have been a thirty-minute errand into a two-hour errand since a lot of that time was spent soothing the infant.

Lilly could feel he had more spiritual energy inside him than some of the adults she had previously encountered, but it was still growing.

If her hunch was correct and he was a protagonist--or antagonist--then she figured his energy would only continue to grow.

Maybe I should start feeding him some of mine? Lilly pondered. If she doubled or tripled the raw power of someone important, what would Fate do? Would it increase the power levels of everyone else to match, or would it give away under her pressure?

She didn’t know the story--if there was one in that world--so she had no way of knowing what to anticipate. She could only catch the common signs and draw her own predictions from her past experiences.

Let’s find out, Lilly thought.

<Scenebreak>

Daiki Choki was had recently completed his mission to vanquish an A-Grade Curse at a nearby graveyard. It had gone much smoother than he anticipated, and the Jujutsu Sorcerer was looking forward to his pay.

As he was leaving the graveyard, however, he felt something… odd.

It was indescribable. A sensation he had never encountered.

Similar… very similar… to encountering a powerful Curse, but…

It was a Curse, yet it was not.

It clearly had a presence. He felt an uncomfortable heat wash over him, as if the thing was projecting an aura of fire, but it was not malicious. Curses were filled with malevolent bloodlust, but what he felt lacked that intensity.

It was still dangerous, that heat.

Perhaps not directly evil, but…

If he had to put it into words, it was as if he had stumbled across a forest fire. The fire held no ill-will, but it was still a dangerous force that if left unchecked would devour the entire forest.

Daiki did not feel that it was especially powerful, however, so he made his way over to it.

To his surprise, it took the form of a small girl holding something in a budle of cloth. She was entering the funeral parlor.

Daiki frowned. Curses had never looked human before.

Suppose there’s always a chance it’s possessing her corpse, Daiki thought. He may not have encountered that specific scenario before, but he didn’t see a reason why it couldn’t happen.

Curses weren’t human, but they were tricky by nature.

Daiki lingered outside the mortician’s office, wondering if he would need to follow after the curse. He hated fighting near civilians, but--

The Curse left, as if sensing something was wrong.

But that’s silly, thought Daiki.

It headed straight past the building, making its way to the graves behind. Daiki followed behind it, slowly pulling his gun.

The Curse stopped, turning around to face Daiki. Its eyes were a vibrant red.

“Why are you focusing on me?” it asked.

Oddly articulate for a curse, the Sorcerer thought, raising his gun and taking aim. He smirked. “Don’t worry about it, Curse.”

“Curse? What--?”

He fired, and then his whole world tilted upside down. He hadn’t even felt it happening, let alone seen it, but somehow his head had been chopped off his body the moment he pulled the trigger. The Curse, who had been several steps ahead of him, was suddenly crushing his gun in her bare hand, scowling at him.

“If I had let that gone off, you woulda woken him,” she scolded the decapitated head. “Rude.”

[treason-and-plot]

REPLIES TO SAOIRSE’S APARTMENT

@dreamsascend​

You tell him, Soairse xD

Saoirse doesn’t take any shit from Roy!

@dreamsascend​

Also, must be hard for Roy but kudos for trying and accompanying her to go house hunting!

Thank you for recognising just how much pride he had to swallow to do that. But he would truly do anything for Saoirse.

@dreamsascend​

Also, the place looks very quirky. Really seem to fit Soairse so much ^_^

Yes she genuinely loves it! Wallpaper and all!

@windermeresimblr​

I feel like Roy maybe should have stayed at home if he's going to be such a jerk about this.

But doesn’t he deserve points for coming along in the first place?

@stsciurussimblr​

Now I do love me some retro wallpaper, but this place is kind of a nightmare. Still. . .if she likes it. . .

She honestly does!

@ktarsims​

xD Maybe it's best she has her own place, Roy... you might shudder at what she'd do to yours to fit her tastes.

She also kind of liked that tacky motel room...

@lilsisterg​

I've begun to wonder just how much longer this relationship is really going to last.

The wallpaper will outlast everybody!

@streetlightaurora​

I'm with Roy on the fabulous brick wall views 😅

@skyburned​

Interior design, more trouble than disagreements about money. Try getting rid of mom's old couch and just see. Poor Roy, but maybe light a whole bunch of candles and avoid the views.

I think Roy would prefer to get a blowtorch heehee

@shhhushhh​

Who lived there beforehand? Socialism itself?!

@simmerjazen​

LOL Roy. I mean the place doesn't look the best, but since she's doing it on her budget she's looking that the brightside of things.

She loves that it’s hers, and that it’s kitsch and quirky, and she also loves the fact that Roy is so appalled...Saoirse is someone who likes to subvert people’s expectations. She has a definite rebellious streak!

@wannabecatwriter​

She's going to live there, so it's up to her. As long as she likes it...

That’s right! I’m glad she isn’t letting Roy influence her decision!

@greywardenconsort​

Roy's right, that's a dump!

It makes my skin itch a little bit, lolol! And I would feel very claustrophobic without a balcony, at least. 

@kscriba​

I can't blame Roy, but if she's content then it doesn't matter, I just can't imagine him visiting!

I can’t either, unless he’s wearing a Hazmat suit.... 

@sweetnovember77​

I would love the place just because—just because i prefer to live alone. Roy is just being a big old baby.

That’s the major reason Saoirse loves it. What it looks like is secondary to the fact that it’s a place to call her very own.  

@mysimsloveaffair​

Roy just now got back on her good side, he probably should hush.

Heheheheh great advice!!

@belasims​

At this rate I’m imagining his visits here will go just swimmingly 😐...😬.

Roy arriving for his first sleepover at Saoirse’s place: 

@sweetnovember77​

Awww... Makes me smile too!! Many disdain the thought of parting with their hard-earned cash. I love Roy! ♥️

People can say what they like about Roy, but one of his most endearing qualities is that he is not a tightarse. 

@dandylion240​

Hmm I'm beginning to wonder what Roy would have been like if his mother hadn't chased Saoirse away when he was a teenager.

Wow! That is a mind-blowing concept to ponder. I think it would have all unraveled sooner or later though. Neither of them were suited to or even looking for a longterm relationship at that time. But they probably would have reconciled a lot sooner.

@skyburned​

now that is opening a mental door because he can see her on the other side and there's no other way to get there, and it's taking him a while to see the way, and to get used to the fact that it's going to cost him, not in money but in a gift of power, to go through.

What a beautiful observation! I have missed your elegant prose so much. And the fact that he is even able to think that way though is a huge milestone! It’s a real sign of emotional growth and his commitment to Saoirse.

@ktarsims​

I’m snickering internally that Roy considers a TV an essential necessity. I kind of bet that Saoirse doesn’t share this particular priority. Points to Roy for -noticing- he was crossing the line again and taking a step back though. I don’t think I’d have her patience. I’d be insulting the things HE likes by now with extreme acerbity.

LOL! She does love Roy though. And thank you for giving Roy at least a little bit of kudos. As mentioned earlier, it must have been hell for his poor ego to accompany her on her flat hunting expedition today!  

@streetlightaurora​

😭

@greywardenconsort​

I agree Roy, I shiver at the thought of taking a blacklight to that wallpaper  =/

@simmerjazen​

Roy!?!?!?! Wow! Okay. And I agree, that wallpapaer is ugly as fuck LOL but I like that he said loan. Now it's a matter of will he actually take the money when she tries to pay him back.

That’s an interesting question. Roy is extremely generous and would not want Saoirse to pay him back, but Saoirse would want to because she does not want to feel indebted to Roy. However if their relationship has progressed  significantly and she no longer feels that a power imbalance exists, then she may not mind so much.

@wannabecatwriter​

It's progress.

Amazing progress! I’m feeling very proud of Roy.

@mysimsloveaffair​

Yeah...the wallpaper looks like the late 60s, early 70s threw up all over it.

I do not know what the obsession was with brown and orange back in those days...was it supposed to look earthy or autumnal or something? Anyway such a horrible, horrible combination. 

(Edit: I Googled it and found this interesting discussion about the very same topic on Reddit!)

@parystrange​

dear god that wallpaper... pass me the eye bleach!

@muses-circle​

Good boy, Roy, support your woman, don't beat her down. The fact that he realizes this is pretty huge. I do agree with him on one point, however: that wallpaper has got to go. Yikes!

I’m so happy that Roy has redeemed himself a little bit! And the fact that their taste in furnishings and interior design is so different is hilarious...imagine what other things they have yet to find out about each other!

@shhhushhh​

Dearest Pru, may you still remind me their both divorce statuses. When you said some of her things will be shipped from SV, I wonder may we expect some farewell unpleasant surprises from her ex. Or will Sonia strike back for Roy's refusal to play a theatro in front of her parents.

No, sadly...as tempting as that is, I’m about ready to wrap up this chapter and set sail for IP. There will be no nasty plot twists lurking in packing crates or anywhere else, lolol!

[amyscascadingtabs]

46!

well this got away from me like.. a lot.. but enjoy!

46; “Have you seen the… Oh.”

Three minutes is such a long time, she thinks as she sets the timer on her phone, keeping the peed-on plastic stick in a closed grip so she doesn’t have to see the result.

She’s still not sure what she wants it to show.

From outside the door, she can hear Jake moving around in their apartment, completely oblivious to the major crisis his fiancée is going through. She’s curled up on the toilet hugging her legs and holding her thumb over the test’s digital screen, and she should probably tell him - scratch that, she should definitely tell him, seeing as he’s the only plausible father of the potential foetus inside her and all - but she can’t make herself raise her voice to call for him.

She takes a deep breath. Then another.

So yeah, Amy’s period is a few days late, and it could easily be stress, but work has been a lot and everything has been a lot and it’s possible she’s forgot her birth control once or twice this month and it’s possible she hasn’t remembered this means they need to use condoms to be on the safe side. Long story short, she could be pregnant, a terrifying and life-changing possibility which in this moment frightens her half to death. It’s unplanned. They still haven’t had the much-needed conversation about kids. It’d clash with their wedding plans and her becoming a sergeant. There needs to be a minus sign on this test, and yet she keeps imagining a plus one staring her in the face.

She imagines the purity and magic of holding one of her nieces and nephews as newborns a thousand times intensified, a baby with Jake’s eyes or a toddler with his curls, sleepless nights with him by her side and watching a kid take their doubting first steps. She thinks about their mutual fawning over Terry’s daughters tiny shoes and the warmth in her heart when he so skilfully explained such an advanced concept as structural racism to young children, about seeing him with newborn Ava, and about the smile on his lips when it was her turn to hold the youngest Jeffords daughter. There’s the possibility of a plus sign on this test, of something, someone, growing inside of her - it sure would explain why she’s been so exhausted lately - and it freaks her out enough to start shaking with anxiety, but in a weird way, it also doesn’t.

Two minutes.

For someone who thinks of everything, Amy Santiago never really thought about kids in a serious way, and she’s regretting it now. There’s an eventual version of the life calendar with space for them, of course there is, but she never truthfully imagined having to use it. She’s doing so good with her current one. Having a kid would change everything from her body to how she’d spend her time off duty to possibly the way she’s planned out most of her major life milestones in bolded letters, and she’s not quite sure she’s ready to change.

Then again, she wasn’t sure about being ready to change when Jake kissed her that day in the evidence locker, and now there’s an engagement ring on her left hand and a wedding planning binder on their coffee table. So maybe change isn’t always bad.

One and a half minutes.

“Ames?” Her fiancés voice is what eventually brings her out of the deep thinking, the tone of it alarmingly high. “Can I come into the bathroom?”

Her heart jumps, eyes darting to the carton on the sink whose text Jake can most definitely read.

“Why?”

“I can’t find my phone - I’m thinking I might have left it in here.” Now when he says it, she does see his phone on the bathroom counter. Next to the carton. Crap. “Look, it doesn’t sound like you’re using the toilet or shower and we’re engaged, I’m just going to come in.”

“Jake -” She tries to protest, but she did forget to lock the door and he enters, eyes darting around to look for his phone but getting stuck on her visibly anxious form.

“Babe, have you seen the…” He sees the phone, rushing to get it while also noting the damned pregnancy test carton. “Oh.”

“Indeed”, she mumbles.

“Is this - are you - Ames?”

“I’ll know in a minute.”

“Oh.”

“Mmhmm.”

“Oh.”

“We need to talk.”

“I’d say that’s an understatement.”

With one minute left, she starts telling him all her fears and worries, about her career and their apartment and everything that could go wrong, about the fear of them not being good parents and not loving their kid enough, about the money and planning and time them having a child demands. The timer on her phone goes off and he takes the test from her, placing it face-down on the floor so she can finish talking before they see the results.

Eventually she’s out of words, sitting down next to him and letting him hug her, letting her tears fall as he strokes her hair.

“You know”, he whispers in her ear, his voice shaking a little, too. “All the things you mentioned - we’d solve them. If we had kids, I would stay home more, for example.”

“You would?”

“Of course I would. You’re going to become the youngest female Captain of the NYPD, and while you if anyone would be able to combine that with motherhood, I’d easily work less if it meant spending more time with my kid.”

She takes a shaky breath, trying to regain her composure.

“And all the other stuff you mentioned - we would solve that, too. Together”, he tells her, and she believes it. “Because I know there’s no way I wouldn’t love a kid who’s half you.”

“I know”, she mumbles. “I know - I know I’d love them, too. But I didn’t… I never thought about kids before you.”

“Ditto.”

“I just wanted to be married first. I wanted to plan it.”

“Well”, he says, holding up the test stick in front of her eyes, calming smile on his lips. “You still can. This is negative.”

“Oh thank god.”

They sit in silence for a minute, him still stroking her hair while she takes deep breaths.

“Jake?”

“Mm-hmm?”

“Do you think maybe - after we’ve been married for a little while - we could try for real?”

He chuckles softly, kissing her forehead twice. “I’ll make an appointment in our shared calendar.”

“It’s my body, I’m making the appointment.”

[vskpop]

My 30 favourite songs of 2017

YouTube playlist ⋅ Spotify playlist

30. Don’t Recall – KARD

I’m upset with myself that last year I didn’t put Oh NaNa in my best of 2016 list because, reader, it was: it ended up as my second most played song of 2017. I didn’t listen to the follow-up Don’t Recall quite as much, but it was the song that cemented my love for KARD’s hip-hop/dancehall/pop jumble. Whoever is selecting their songs has such a flair for dance songs with a melancholy vibe, and Don’t Recall is unparalleled so far. It’s still too rare to get proper idol groups that are mixed gender, and it’s almost impossible for them to succeed. I’m so pleased that international success has been enough to keep KARD alive, even though their numbers are still abysmal at home. Live: M Countdown 17/07 – Yu Huiyeol's Sketchbook 30/08 Other songs of note: Rumor – Trust Me

  29. Heaven and Earth – Laboum

I went through a phase in which I found Laboum adorable, and then for some reason I stopped liking them as much (the reason is that ZN gets on my nerves, I’m sorry, I know). I still listened to their album Miss This Kiss for the nostalgia effect – and because lead single Hwi Hwi is damn good – and I just fell in love with 천지차이. As far as I can tell, it was never performed live, or at least not in venues where it was filmed. I hope that this kind of song keeps being given to them, and that eventually it becomes their lead single. They deserve to take a break from the cuteness. Other songs of note: Hwi Hwi

   28. Tomorrow, Today – JJ Project

I realise that I already said it when JJ Project made their comeback a few months ago, but Bounce is a modern classic in the trashiest way possible. The styling and sound that Jinyoung and JB went for in 2017 are completely different from their origins, but just as great. Tomorrow, Today is what I love about GOT7’s Fly with a dash of my favourite JYP group, DAY6. They get to show off the vocal skills they developed since we last saw them as a duo and, most of all, their range of wistful looks. Also, I love that for once they didn’t have to sing about love and how right a girl is, but rather about having to face tough decisions as they grow up. Live: M Countdown 17/08 – Genie showcase Other songs of note: Coming Home – On & On

  27. Palette – IU ft. G-Dragon

I don’t know why, I’ve never been a huge fan of IU until I watched Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo and found a sudden connection with her that I had never felt before. Her most recent album has helped bringing together my love for actress IU with singer IU. In an industry where being honest and clever is nobody’s priority, she manages to sound real and in control of what she does without abandoning her pop roots. I’m not sure many artists would manage to make an introspective song sound so pleasant and calm. Live:  Inkigayo 23/04 – Music Bank 28/04 Other songs of note: Can’t Love You Anymore ft. Oh Hyuk

  26. Archangels Of The Sephiroth – Stellar

If there had to be a swan song for Stellar, I’m glad it was Archangels Of The Sephiroth. With two members having already left and the other two on the way out, this was 100% the last single they put out with the formation we knew and loved, and we can’t even blame them for leaving. It’s a fact that this doesn’t have anything to do with their previous concepts, but I love the pseudo-satanic, pseudo-mystical vibe and I would have loved for them to keep going on this path. Archangels Of The Sephiroth gets more interesting with every listen, and the video is creepier with each view (bathtub of blood anyone?). As the song says, we really did love them till the end. Live: Inkigayo 09/07 – Music Bank 07/07

  25. Signal – Twice

Signal is by far the best Twice song ever – it’s interesting, kind of weird, and not necessarily super cute. Obviously the majority of the public hated it, and back to Likey we went. I love the bassline pushed right at the front, the dissonant harmonies, the fact that some of the mute members finally got to sing. Of everything they’ve released in 2017 (four comebacks is a lot for anyone) this is the only choice that doesn’t feel safe and completely within their sexy baby wheelhouse. They even get to have a proper storyline in the video, which is a rarity. Live:  Show Music Core 03/06 – Inkigayo 21/05 Other songs of note: Knock Knock – 24/7

  24. Wake Me Up – Taeyang

It’s kind of sad to think that this could be the last Taeyang single for years and years. At least it’s a ballad, so we will be able to all cry together when we listen to it after he’s enlisted.This album felt properly his – something that he created and composed, rather than something that was given to him to perform. Not that he’s ever lacked emotion, but Wake Me Up has a depth that is only second to Eyes Nose Lips. Live:  Inkigayo 20/08 – Fantastic Duo 03/09 Other songs of note: White Night – So Good

  23. Move – Taemin

This is possibly (definitely) the sexiest song of 2017. Taemin has such an eye for taking trends from the West and making them current for Korean audiences, as well as constantly changing his image while staying true to himself. I can’t get enough of the elegant electropop of Move, with the bass and the voice parts creating one of the sexiest musical combinations of 2017. Taemin carries a song that could have been much less interesting in the hands of an artist with less expressiveness. I don’t know if it’s the thought of the choreography, but this song always makes me blush a little. Live: Seoul Fashion Week – M Countdown 19/10 Other songs of note: – Rise – Day and Night

  22. Untitled 2014 – G-Dragon

If a ballad from Taeyang was expected, it certainly wasn’t from G-Dragon. I’m not sure how much truth there is the gimmick of titling the album with his real name and saying that he was finally stepping away from his persona, but Untitled 2014 feels painfully raw and real. Whatever happens from now on – after all the members of Bigbang enlist and eventually return to music – this album and this song will be a milestone in his career, and the perfect summary of what he’s done in the past eleven years. Live: ACT III M.O.T.T.E in Taipei 08/10 Other songs of note: Bullshit

  21. Change Up – Seventeen

You could take any random combination of Seventeen members and they would be able to put up an incredible show for you. This has been proven over and over by them, but I think that the Change Up subunit – the leaders of the standard subunits – has proven this definitively. I wouldn’t have thought of this song for them in a million years, yet they perform it convincingly and make it the catchiest Seventeen song of this year. Also, who knew that Woozi could have such swagger? Live: Mnet showcase Other songs of note: Don’t Wanna Cry – Clap – Habit – Rocket

  20. Rollin’ – Brave Girls

Every time I say “tropical house”, I add “drink!”. It has been so omnipresent in k-pop this year that it has been impossible to avoid. I skipped over Rollin’ the first few times I stumbled upon it because there were enough marimbas in my life, but I gave into the hype and this ended up being one of the most played songs of my year. As of last year, Brave Girls have an entirely new line-up – and yes, they did deserve a new name – and I hope that they will be the new bastion of sexy concepts now that there is no real mid-point between Laysha and cute concepts.  Live: M Countdown 03/09 – Show Champion Ep. 219

19. Never – Produce 101/Wanna One

This technically doesn’t count as a Wanna One song, but I’m pretty sure that if there is a song that symbolizes Produce 101 and the rise of the nation’s boy group, it’s Never . Written by Hui of Pentagon, another of my favourite groups, this song starts quietly, and slowly adds more elements until it gets to one of the best chorus drops of 2017. It made me wish that they had kept it for the final group instead of using it during the programme, and I wasn’t surprised at all when it was re-recorded by the final formation. Live: Wanna One version at KCON LA Other songs of note:  Energetic – Burn It Up

  18. Singing In The Rain – Jinsoul (LOONA)

Looking at the sheer amount of material that pre-debut group Loona have released this year gives me palpitations. A million members and subunits filled each month of 2017, and almost all the releases have been excellent – overall, they probably were the best group of the year. Jinsoul’s Singing In The Rain was my favourite song released – not by far, though, seeing the overall quality. I was especially impressed with how they managed to have Jinsoul sing and rap seamlessly, and how the song manages to be sexy without being inappropriate for a very young girl. And, of course, it’s a banger. Other songs of note: Loona released dozens of songs this year, so this is just a tiny selection of my favourites. Eclipse (Kim Lip) – new (Yves) – Sweet Crazy Love (Odd Eye Circle) – Loonatic (Odd Eye Circle) – Sonatine (1/3)

  17. Body Talk – Red Velvet

To me, this is one of the best songs by Red Velvet ever. Only a company like SM could waste it and have it  relegated to the b-sides of their mini albums; it’s a fantastic mid-tempo track that showcases the best vocal skills of the group, and allows them to sound about fifteen years older than title track Rookie. At least, in the arc of their three thousand 2017 comebacks, they managed to go from the childish image that they had patented in 2016 to the sultrier “velvet” image they have abandoned ages ago, even if it’s still paired with a “red” song. Other songs of note: Peek-A-Boo – Red Flavour – You Better Know – Would You – Talk To Me

  16. Circle’s Dream – Subin (Dalshabet)

Dalshabet haven’t had the best luck in their career. Subin is yet another amazing soloist that was in a group when she released a song, and has now left the label and disbanded her girl group. Seeing her solo by itself, it’s actually had to imagine her as part of bubbly Dalshabet: she is sensual, allusive, and her music is weird and enthralling. I love her voice and I love the ideas she has for herself – ideas that are far removed from traditional k-pop. The elements of this song are few, but she manages to create such a clever repetitive, circular structure with them, echoing the themes of the lyrics and capturing the listener. Subin is technically a solo artist now, so I am hoping we will get to hear much more of this.

  15. Yes No Maybe – Suzy

What makes me mad about Yes No Maybe is that nobody heard it. I can’t imagine how well it would have done if the now officially defunct Miss A would have released it, instead of Suzy now that her popularity is entirely tied to her acting and advertising career. It’s also true that she has always been my favourite Miss A, so it was delightful to see her come out with a debut album that does something interesting and doesn’t package her as the sexy ingenue character that she’s had since the beginning of time. Yes No Maybe strikes the balance between being  Latin, dancey song and a more introspective pop piece. Unlike half of her former group, Suzy has signed a new contract with JYP. Here’s hoping she gets to do more excellent, slightly left-field pop music. Live: &Live

  14. A Girl Like Me – Gugudan

It is still surprising that I don’t find the awkward beeping samples in the song insufferable, but the truth is that I love the weirdness and how it’s amplified by the singing parts. I already knew in February that this would be one of my favourite concepts of the year, and it is: there aren’t enough songs about how great the girls are, as opposed to their love interest. It’s not female empowerment, but I have the feeling we can’t get much closer. I love it even more considering how terrible their following comeback was . Live:  Music Bank 03/03 – SBS Korea Music Festival

  13. Island – Winner

It goes without saying that Winner is my favourite group in current k-pop, and they can hardly do any wrong in my eyes. However, this entire year could have been a disaster: they had to come back from losing a member who was the main singer and composer for the group. Island has the tropical (drink!) elements of their 2017 hit Really Really, but it’s a bit less conventional, and the video is delightful and incredibly romantic. Live: Inkigayo 06/08 Other songs of note: Really Really

  12. As If It’s Your Last – BLACKPINK

While I find most complaints against YG idiotic, it is absolutely true that having Blackpink release one single song in an entire year is ridiculous. The only good thing is that the song was brilliant, and I’m still not bored of it after having seen it performed at least fifty times. When it came out I found it really frankensteiny, but at this point the structure seems perfectly reasonable and linear to me (Stockholm syndrome at its best). Live: SBS Gayo Daejun – Show Music Core 01/07 Other songs of note: So Hot (Wonder Girls remix)

  11. Cactus – A.C.E

Every year I end up falling in love with one rookie group that will probably not see their third birthday, and in 2017 it was the turn of kings of thighs A.C.E., who singlehandedly resurrected early 90’s eurodance with their debut single Cactus . It was the one of a kind title of their song that attracted me, the weirdness of the thigh dance that drew me in, and everything else that made me stay. They are great singers, charismatic performers and can stand the most high-intensity dance of 2017 without blinking. I am so attached to A.C.E (and Dreamcatcher, full disclosure) that I broke my promise to never watch a survival show again and I am following Mixnine for them. Live:  Music Bank 02/06 – Music Bank 26/05

  10. Dinosaur – AKMU

What I love about AKMU is that when they try different genres, they always put so much of them into the song: nobody else could sing Dinosaur apart from them. It’s so simple, yet so full of detail; it’s true that it has EDM elements, but it’s not even remotely a club song. I’m still shocked every time I hear Suhyun hit those dolphin-high notes. The Stranger-Things-y video is still one of the most beautiful releases of  this year. Live: Dingo Music Other songs of note: My Darling – Reality

  9. Beautiful – Monsta X

This is yet another song of a overcrowded production that I am totally in love with. The bleeps and bloops leave plenty of space for the members to show their skill – especially Kihyun, who could sing literally anything to me at this point. Just like All In , Beautiful feels like the refined version of the chaotic, loud concepts Monsta X began with. There are raps and aggressive parts, but they are striving for a higher concept than “street urchins” now, and it’s reflected in their music. Live: 2017 MAMA in Japan – Show Champion Ep. 226 Other songs of note: Dramarama –  Now or Never – Shine Forever – I’ll Be There

  8. Runaway – Pentagon

Pentagon have already done a lot for being a group that has debuted just over a year ago. Of all these releases, Runaway is my favourite without any doubt: for me it strikes the right balance between the trendy elements that Hui has been carrying over from his Produce 101 successes, and the rougher concepts that Pentagon had to begin with. I find it hooky without being too in your face, and moody without being full-on tragic. Live:  Inkigayo 03/12 – Inkigayo 26/11 Other songs of note:  Critical Beauty – Violet – Like This – Get That Drink

  7. Boy – EXID

EXID are my everything. I feel bad for choosing Boy as my favourite song they’ve produced this year, when Night Rather Than Day was such a classy, unusual choice for them and Boy is just another dance song. Unfortunately, it’s just monstrously catchy, and my love for it eclipses (get it?) everything else they’ve released. Live: M Countdown 13/04 – Show Champion ep. 224 Other songs of note: Night Rather Than Day – DDD

  6. Chase Me – Dreamcatcher

Dreamcatcher are my rookies of the year. After scrapping the cute concept and adding a couple of members, they spent twelve months delivering a series of metal-inspired, horror-themed comebacks that managed to showcase the members’ talents.  While all their singles are amazing, there is something special about Chase Me and its chorus, mixing hammering instrumentals and creepy falsettos. There is no doubt that the only way from here is up, and there is nothing gives me as much joy as a girl group with a non-cute concept being (relatively) successful. Much bigger groups and bigger companies have refrained from embarking on international tours but Dreamcatcher have left survival show Mixnine to go on one. I can’t wait to see what these queens do in 2018. Live: M Countdown 19/01 – Music Bank 03/02 Other songs of note: Fly High – Wake Up – Sleep Walking – Good Night – Lucky Strike (Maroon 5 cover)

  5. Love & Affection – Seohyun

Seohyun’s solo came and went almost unnoticed at the beginning of this year: it was smothered by Taeyeon’s releases and the inevitable run-up to SNSD’s tenth anniversary. It really saddens me to no end that, now that Seohyun has left SM Entertainment, she seems to be going for an acting career, when she is such an amazing vocalist with such unique colours. With even her lead single receiving little attention, there was no hope for her b-sides. But Love & Affection is a masterpiece, with a booming chorus and a surprise ending, and what I hope to see if she ever decides to make more music under her new label.

  4. I Would – DAY6

There is only one criticism that I have for JYP and DAY6: there must be something else they want to do that’s not singing about love and heartbreak in pretty conventional ways. For the rest, there are only good things to say about the 25 songs they put out this year. It was hard to pick just one song to put in the list, and to be honest there are two or three other candidates I feel kind of guilty for cutting out. Live: EBS Space 11/05 – Kiss The Radio 04/08 Other songs of note: DAY6 released 25 songs this year, so this is just a tiny selection of my favourites. Goodbye Winter – You Were Beautiful – How Can I Say – I Wait – Lean On Me

  3. Good Thing – NCT 127

Despite the complete chaos that surrounds NCT at all times, I keep loving most of their releases (except Cherry Bomb , which I hated): they were my #1 and #3 most played song on Spotify with Good Thing and Limitless respectively. I love Good Thing in itself, but I also wish that NCT didn’t keep circling around that pseudo hip-hop, trappy, appropriative concept they’ve been given a million times and they did something brighter, poppier, that sets them apart from the three hundred hip-hop concepts that are going around without slipping into Astro territory. Live: M Countdown 05/01 – Show Music Core 07/01 Other songs of note: Limitless – 0 Mile – Back 2 U (AM 01:27)

  2. Tendae – Bobby

In an excruciatingly adorable interview for MTV Japan, Bobby says that with his debut album he wanted to show that he can do more than rap, and reveal his romantic side. I had already become obsessed with Bobby’s sing-rapping a long time ago, so Love And Fall gave be nothing but joy. His lyrics show that he’s capable of putting complex emotions in words, and most of all he is also completely able to translate that in his singing. 텐데 is sweet, heartbreaking, sexy. Bobby is one of the best performers of his generation, if not the best. Other songs of note:  Runaway – In Love

  1. Gashina – Sunmi

If there is one thing that Sunmi has taught us this year, it’s that there is a life after girl group disbandments. She came back singing about heartbreak and vengeance with dark humour and double entendres, a super-sexy choreography and a vibe that couldn’t be more far from the current sugary girl group trends. Everything about Gashina is iconic, from the song itself to the lyrics to the costumes to the choreography. Sunmi was without any doubt the queen of 2017. Live: Inkigayo 10/09 aka the iconic genderswapped performance – MAMA 2017 ft Taemin – Inkigayo 27/08

[enxgmatics]

It was never going to be easy, they’d known that from the offset. She’d essentially woken to years of her life just wiped and having to readjust to all the developments that had shaped her present day to day. The most drastic being Oliver- it was almost impossible balancing not upsetting him and not feeling a burden either. The first few weeks were the real test, filled with many late night interrogations with baby steps of progress but after months there still hadn’t been a major clarity moment. No matter how timidly Ollie attempted to fill in the gaps or how bluntly Sienna stormed through the facts- nothing triggered her clouded memories. It wasn’t until she allowed herself to relax and take some advice Parker (and Sienna in a less tactful way) gave her; to stop over analyzing the big picture, just take it day by day and see where it leads.

On that particular day Alex had every intention of joining Oliver on set as she did most days, to slowly become reacquainted with that kind of setting before she was cleared to work again. A brief call from her team that morning put an abrupt stop to her plans, her fame had launched during the period she couldn’t recall and her frequent visits hadn’t gone unnoticed by the paparazzi. With so much to wrap her mind around already, officially going public wasn’t really an option. So instead she found herself lounging around his, their? apartment at a loose-end. Eventually settling on making a special meal, the gesture became more and more romantic and thought out as the day went on. It wasn’t until she was on the final countdown did she begin second guessing, Alex had never been a lovey dovey type of person. A concept she could only presume had shifted somewhat with how long she’d been dating Oliver but unable to recall those milestones- it was very new and nerve-wrecking to her. She just kept reassuring herself this man had been so patient with her, attended each appointment holding her hand and dealt with every meltdown, the cries of frustration, hell they shared a bed. Surely she could cook his favourite dinner? a fact she’d made sure to collect during them reconnecting and so what if she lit some candles and dolled herself up in a new dress?.. 

Her heart was hammering against her rib-cage by the time the latch went, anxiously meeting him in the hallway to greet him with a gentle kiss. She was positive her intentions were at least hinted at by the dim candle light behind her or the aroma that filled the room but her fleeting courage had her already downplaying it. “I might’ve had too much time on my hands..If it’s too weird, I dunno we can just pretend I didn’t make a total ass out of myself” she rambled on, pre-apologising for a situation she hadn’t even shown him yet. 

@thosemalemuses​

[siouxempirepodcast]

South Dakota Writers – Interview with BJ Sheldon

I was drawn to many aspects of the Black Hills, during the years that I vacationed here (1999-2005). The spectacular geography, the historical significance, the laidback attitudes of this region. But I chose to move here for one specific reason: I knew this was where I was going to find my tribe. I knew, without any proof, that in these thar Hills I would find kindred souls: artists, writers, and other transplants as well. People who were well-read and open-minded. Individuals who felt inspired, even driven, to create. People who were also seeking connections. I did find this group of people, this family of friends, but it took many years. There were lots of missteps, along the way. How I found the right people, the real people that would become part of my inner circle, was based upon two significant factors: First, a business network that I joined nearly three years ago (The OWN, a network that supports women in business) and second, the other authors I have been privileged to meet. For me, as an author, this second factor is most critical. There are many people who can create in a vacuum. There are actors and playwrights and dancers and artists who don’t need anything from the outside world to get inspired. There are many who rely on their instincts to fuel their creative endeavors and passions. But I’m not one of those people. I need a tribe to not only come up with ideas but to motivate my writing goals. Last year I was excited to join South Dakota Writes, a networking community for our state’s authors. Their Facebook page defines South Dakota Writes purpose as “to organize people with a passion for writing in South Dakota by creating a vibrant online and offline community. This group will share information and events that may be of interest to writers in South Dakota”. Through South Dakota Writes, which was founded by Jason Kurtz (an author and English teacher based in Harrisburg) I have been able to network and celebrate with other artists throughout our region. I needed to know that these folks exist and that they were creating their milestones and opportunities. I need to know that there are writers in our area that are trying to accomplish what I have and those who have far exceeded my wildest literary ambitions. It is with this in mind that I wanted to sit down for some one-on-one interviews with some of the writers based in the Black Hills and pick their brains on what having a local writer’s community means for each of them. For my first interview, I wanted to talk with an author who achieved her success through Independent publishing. BJ Sheldon is the author of two trilogies, The Dusty Chronicles and the Gibborim Series, both of which were released through Whiskey Creek Press of Nashville.  BJ and I met at Hazel & Oak café in downtown Rapid City. Over curry chicken salad and coffee, we talked about writing, publishing and what it meant to be a South Dakota writer. We spoke first about BJ’s history and what brought her to our area.

South Dakota Writers – Interview with BJ Sheldon – Photo from bjsheldon.webs.com

“I grew up in northwest Iowa. This was the mid-80s. When the rug came out from under farming, my dad decided to sell the family farm, and we moved to Phoenix. I lived there twenty-six years. I married my first husband, and we had two children together. Then I married my second husband and had another daughter — my third. When our youngest was eleven, my husband decided to join the military. That was in 2005. He joined the Army Reserves but spent more time in active duty than inactive. When he came back from his second deployment, he had some injuries and so was looking for something different to do. He had been awarded some medals and the military was very impressed with him, so they sent him to Fort Dix in New Jersey to do some training. We were at Fort Dix/Maguire for twenty months when his medical issues caught up with him. He had the chance to retire and we had to decide where to go. We either could go back to Phoenix, or to Michigan where my husband is from. Or we could go back to Iowa where I was raised and still had a family. But my brother lived here in Rapid and raised his kids here. We decided to give Rapid City a try. A lot of people ask me ‘Oh, you moved here on purpose?’. I like it here. We go back to Phoenix to see my parents and now, that’s where my new grandchild is. She’s four months old. I’m a grandma!”

BJ has written several books, many geared to a Young Adult audience but dealing in rather deep subject matters including the supernatural. I wanted to know what inspired her writing career. Like many authors, it began with a love for reading as a child.

“I was a frustration to my kindergarten teacher. I was already reading. I was that kid so far ahead of everyone else and when I was bored, I was trouble! I would read everything I would get my hands on. My mom would drop me off at the library so she could go grocery shopping. The librarian would see me hanging out in the children’s book section. She came over and said ‘follow me’ and took me to the older children’s section where there were chapter books. From there I quickly moved my way into the teen section. I ended up writing my first book in 4th grade. It was a really bad book! This was around the same time as Marylou Retton and the 1984 Olympics so my story was about a gymnast that found God. Then, I would write little short stories and in high school, I wrote poetry.”

After adolescence, BJ wanted to continue her writing ambitions but in a new direction.

“I wanted to be a journalist. My first choice in college was journalism but my dad told me ‘no daughter of mine would be a dirty lying journalist’ so I did what dad wanted! I couldn’t even finish the first semester at college. I went back a second time (as an English major) when my second daughter was a baby. We (she and her first husband) broke up a year later. I was let go in 2009 from a job I hated and I was out of work for about nine months. My daughter’s birthday was coming up and I decided to write her a story. It was a bad story – ‘Skyler and the Saga of the Sages’ — but this was when the cobwebs got cleared away and I remembered how much I used to love this in high school.”

She began writing her first series, by hand, after moving to Rapid.

  “I wrote it during lunch breaks at the job and then my husband had this old laptop he used on his first deployment. It became an obsession. I like (writing) YA because I like the concept of teenagers. Having raised three of them, they have this uncanny way to see the world in a different way than we do and most think that they are going to live forever. They just can bounce back from things. I’m also drawn to the supernatural because life is complicated and heavy and dark. I like being able to take reality and twisting it and making it something else.”

  Like many Black Hills-based writers, BJ takes inspiration from our environment.

“My ‘Gibborim’ series takes place in the Black Hills. There are fallen angels and demons and it’s twisted!” Writing in fantasy/supernatural gives her the liberty to create new worlds. “There’s no rigid rules that it has to be (a certain) way, whereas with contemporary fiction there is. I like being able to make things up. I’m not normal. My way of dealing with reality is making my own reality!”

BJ Sheldon’s works are published by an independent press based in Nashville Tennessee (with her most recent series on a new imprint by that same independent publisher). We spoke about the publishing experience:

“When I first started out I went down the traditional route and started researching agent queries and wasn’t really getting anywhere. Then I got on Twitter. That’s how I found my publisher. They liked the concept of my book. I had won an award (Readers Favorite, Silver Medal, 2011). Whiskey Creek Press signed me to a three-book deal. With the indie presses, you wind up paying for a lot of the up-front costs yourself. I’ve just started getting checks this year. But it helped me learn about to design, how to market.”

As a result of her relationship with Whiskey Creek, BJ has had the opportunity to network with many other authors including Utopia, an annual writer’s conference and convention. She says this has helped her get over her natural shyness. “There are people there of all aspects of publishing – self-published, indie and traditional.”

“There are people there of all aspects of publishing – self-published, indie and traditional.”

BJ had planned to self-publish her second series, The Gibborim Series, but Whiskey Press reached out to her and offered her a chance to publish on their new imprint, geared toward YA supernatural fiction. As luck would have it, they wanted another trilogy. But she does hope to try other publishing methods at some point, just for the experience. And then we delved into the heart of the matter, the community of authors we find ourselves part of here in the Black Hills. As BJ explained,

“When I first came here I thought I was the only writer! Then I went to a meeting of Black Hills authors but I didn’t quite fit in. Most were publishing works of non-fiction. Even the South Dakota Festival of Books is mostly non-fiction works, so I still felt like an outsider. I made friends with this girl, Katie, who self-publishes. Apparently, the day before I met her some New York Times, bestselling author had been on a panel with her and literally walked off when she learned that Katie was self-published. But then I met Jonas Lee (the Black Hills-based author of the ‘Carter Gabel’ trilogy – a YA series about time-traveling – which was self-published) who’s become a good friend. So, I told Katie ‘you need to find your tribe, ’ and she’s already booked tickets to the next Utopia Convention.”

BJ has learned that strong marketing — no matter whether you’re self-published or publish through traditional or independent presses — is key to the success of any author. That, and good editing.

“It hurts the craft (poor editing). There are far too many people, especially in self-publishing, who don’t take the time to make sure that what they’re putting out there is the best representation of themselves. You can’t edit your own writing. With this South Dakota Writes group, we listen to each other and network and ask the questions. I’ve got all these new writer friends, doing great work. It’s nice to get together with them.”

She wants to see more community and connection between the South Dakota writing community.

“Listen to the people around you who have experience, who want to help and not just scoff at them. Otherwise, you’re just going to continue to be stuck where you are. I hope that with the South Dakota Writes group, that a lot of people are going to learn from each other. I hope those who are doing well, who have succeeded will have enough compassion to help other people learn how to improve.”

South Dakota Writers – Interview with BJ Sheldon – Photo from bjsheldon.webs.com

For more information on the BJ Sheldon and her published works, I encourage you to check out her website at http://ift.tt/1Atq1Kq. Please follow this ongoing series here at The Sioux Empire as I meet with other South Dakota authors in the near future!

The post South Dakota Writers – Interview with BJ Sheldon appeared first on TheSiouxEmpire.com.

from South Dakota Writers – Interview with BJ Sheldon