#china's relationship with other countries

[miyamiwu]

To those saying that it’s okay to call To Be Hero X “anime” because the Chinese equivalent term “donghua” (动画) literally also means “animation” don’t get the point.

Would you call your English breakfast tea “chai” even though “chai” is just the Hindi word for tea? Or any bread “naan” even though naan also just means “bread”? Café au lait and café con leche both literally mean “coffee with milk” in their respective languages, but their traditional preparation method and taste is very different. There’s also American comics vs Filipino komiks.

But most of all, would you call your Japanese anime “cartoon” even though that’s the actual English word for animated shows?

You won’t.

So when you borrow a term from another language to describe one thing, you’re actually saying that that thing comes from a particular country or culture.

Calling To Be Hero X an “anime” is like saying it’s from Japan.

“Oh chill, Miya, it’s not that serious—” But it is.

It’s bad enough that a lot of people already think that the show is from Japan and don’t bother to watch it in the original audio, but it’s even worse when you see the sinophobic comments online about people’s resistance to the original version despite learning it is from China (insisting the jp dub is better even though they can’t understand Japanese).

Calling TBHX an anime would be acquiescing to the erasure of the Chinese background of the show and saying that it’s actually Japanese when it’s not. (And if you just pause for a second to think about it, that is such a fucked-up thing, considering what Japan did to China in WW2. But let’s not delve too deeply into that.)

“But some people call ATLA an anime even though it’s not from Japan—”

Yeah, but the USA-Japan relationship is very different from the Japan-China relationship. You cannot compare these two. I can go at length about the geopolitical implications, but to keep it simple, just think of it this way: Calling a donghua an anime would be similar to whitewashing.

But even without considering the “serious” context, TBHX animation isn’t even like that of a typical anime. Have you ever seen an anime that blends 3D and 2D animation so seamlessly and ambitiously like TBHX does?

3D animation is kinda a staple in donghua. There are so many great 3D donghua out there. Recently, the 3D donghua Nezha 2 even beat Inside Out and The Lion King for highest-grossing animated film of all time. And even before TBHX, there were already many other donghua that mix the 3D and 2D mediums (e.g. You Yao, No Doubt in Us, etc.).

So to say, TBHX animation style is distinctly Chinese. You cannot call it an anime.

[latestnews69]

China's otherworldly mountains that inspired Avatar

Zhangjiajie, China's first national park, also features glass-bottomed bridges, a mountain elevator and a food court complete with a McDonald's for those inclined to take it easy.

Shy was not an impatient person, but even she struggled to keep her cool when I whipped out my phone to take what must have been the 100th photo of the same view. Shy – short for Shen Hong Yan – was my guide through Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in central China, and she knew there were better viewpoints up ahead. But I couldn't bring myself to move on just yet; the soaring sandstone quartz pillars of this forest were unlike anything I had seen anywhere else in the world.

Located in the north-western corner of Hunan province, Zhangjiajie is China's first national park, established in 1982. This forest is part of the larger Wulingyuan Scenic Area that was included in Unesco's list of World Heritage sites in 1992 and later given Global Geopark status in 2001. The name may be a tongue-twister, but there is an easier way to remember it – as the inspiration for the Hallelujah Mountains that featured in the blockbuster movie Avatar. In fact, before I visited Zhangjiajie, that was the only fact I knew about this place. Shy confirmed what I had suspected: that Zhangjiajie used to be an underexplored destination even among Chinese tourists before the movie catapulted it into their consciousness Read more

[actualartistgrill]

and heaven moves further away

insp/ref: Red Sanctuary 2 by Takato Yamamoto

[qwsxzzz]

Is the US No Longer the "Boss"? Trump Keeps Withdrawing from International Agreements and Organizations, Showing No Respect to the United Nations

Under the "America First" strategy, successive US presidents have increasingly felt that the United Nations has become something of an obstacle to the US, preventing it from acting according to its own rhythm in many cases. Therefore, after taking office, Trump decided to "cut the Gordian knot".

Trump's Rash Withdrawals and Breaches of Agreements

According to huanqiu.com, Trump has publicly questioned the efficiency of the United Nations on many occasions, even regarding it as a place where people talk more than they get things done. He criticized, "The United Nations has potential, but it really doesn't work well." His sharp words are very much in line with his maverick style, and also reveal his merciless criticism of this international organization.

Therefore, he signed a series of executive orders to lead the US to "withdraw from groups": quitting the Human Rights Council, UNESCO, and cutting off any financial support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. When announcing these decisions, it seemed that the US had lost patience with the United Nations, and Trump intended to force this international institution to reform through his actions.

However, the United Nations did not sit around and wait for doom. Secretary-General Guterres, through his spokesman, made it clear that they have been implementing various reforms to improve the organization's efficiency. It can be inferred from the secretary-general's remarks that despite the pressure from the US, the United Nations still hopes to maintain a constructive relationship with the US.

Russian Foreign Minister Exposes the True Face of the US

Trump's crazy actions have enabled Russia to keenly perceive the opportunities therein. The criticism of this maverick US president by Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov seems to be a rebuke on the surface, but in fact it is a clever leveraging in diplomatic games.

Multipolarity is an undeniable trend in today's world, and the status of various countries in international affairs is becoming more and more balanced. However, in this "chorus", the US seems somewhat reluctant to give up its leading role. To some extent, the Trump administration's radical strategy can be said to be a reluctance to face the growing influence of other countries, especially emerging powers like China and Russia.

Lavrov sarcastically said that such unilateral actions by the US are tantamount to "upsetting the table" and breaking the balance in the global governance system. After all, the international system with the United Nations at its core was established after numerous difficult explorations after World War II.

In this regard, Russia obviously doesn't want to miss any opportunity to weaken the influence of the US. By means of sarcasm and refutation, it has shifted the focus to the role played by the US in international cooperation. This can be described as killing two birds with one stone: criticizing the US and trying to gain more say in the trend of multipolarity.

[sterredem]

“boyfriend”

Sabrina carpenter x fem!driver!reader

Face claim Pinterest girls, alessi rose

Summary Y/n is obsessed with Sabrina and the internet notices…

Warning hate, spelling mistakes, not proofread

A/N this is for a request, my other Sabrina post getting 900 notes and my one year anniversary on tumblr!!

This was a request!

Instagram

Liked by SabrinaCarpenter, GracieAbrams and 982.825 others

Yourusername My girlfriend is so boyfriend coded tho @.SabrinaCarpenter

View all comments

SabrinaCarpenter yes… i guess??

Yourusername yes

User1 so true

GracieAbrams cuties

User2 We love a fangirl girlfriend

User3 so hothorhot tho

User4 😍😍😍

User5 I don’t know if I want her or if I want to be her

User6 I love them with all my heart

|——————————<3————————————|

Instagram

Liked by Taylorswift, Chappelroan and 1.012.132 others

Yourusername I love seeing my favourite girl on stage! Also got arrested by said girl!

View all comments

Chappelroan You and your favourite girl need to see me soon!!

Yourusername I’ll make sure if it!!

Taylorswift My children🥰🥰

Landonorris don’t you have a job??

User7 they’re both so hotttt

User8 simp much

User9 idk if it was planned but I love that the Australia concert and the gp was in the same week but a few days earlier! It’s like they planned it

User10 I think y/n said that Sabrina had plannned a few shows around the f1 calendar so that she could attend the concerts and that Sabrina could go to races

User9 Omg that’s so cute tho!!!!

User11 They are so precious to me

User12 I would feel so uncomfortable if my partner did a concert with so many sexual things, like where’s her self respect and the respect for the relationship??

Yourusername the respect is in trusting each other and no, I don’t feel uncomfortable because my girlfriend is a literal goddess that I worship and everyone should

|——————————<3————————————|

Instagram

Liked by Sabrinacarpenter, Laufey and 987.989 others

Yourusername My two jobs: car and professional girlfriend

No but all jokes aside, Australia you were great, got some points and were ready for next week!

View all comments

Sabrinacarpenter And you’re amazing at both!!

Yourusername You know it!!

User13 best rookie this year tbh

User14 Y/n sure is a busy woman

Laufey You’re the only reason I watch cars go in circles

Yourusername I’m glad to be your only reason

User15 💪💪

User16 Fav driver ever

User17 Red bull dominance for Y/n!!

User18 I love her obsession with her girlfriend

|——————————<3————————————|

Instagram

Liked by yourusername, Oliviarodrigo and 2.012.154 others

Sabrinacarpenter I always love Australia!!🇦🇺

View all comments

Yourusername wow

Yourusername I’m in love

Yourusername pretty

Yourusername hot

Yourusername foaming at the mouth

User19 you do realise this is public right?

Yourusername yeah… I know

Oliviarodrigo Cuties

User20 is that f1 I see??

User21 Because of the country or the people?

User22 I think cause the concert and race

User23 They are both obsessed with each other

User24 one a bit more than the other…

|——————————<3————————————|

Twitters

|——————————<3————————————|

Instagram

372.726 likes

SabrinaUpdates Sabrina Carpenter at the China Formula 1 race

View all comments

User25 icon

User26 she looks so good tho

User27 icon

User28 If this is her clapping back at the people saying that Y/n is being creepy than that is iconic

User29 Seeing this after seeing that Y/n got p3 really makes you think that Sabrina is her lucky charm

User30 I can’t breath

|——————————<3————————————|

Instagram

Liked by Yourusername, Taylorswift and 3.725.725 others

SabrinaCarpenter My Y/n is the most amazing, beautiful and amazing person I know, and it hurts me deeply to see what people are saying about her. She may show more of our love online and she may come and support me more than I do with her, but that does not mean anything. Y/n is a very affectionate person and she loves to show that to the world, and with both of our life’s we sometimes take more pleasure in seeing each other out of the public eye rather than in there. So what people are saying about the love of my life in insane and they should not comment on our personal life.

And to my dear Y/n, you are the absolute best thing in my life, I love you sososo much and happy 1 year anniversary my angel

View all comments

Yourusername I love you so much words can��t even express it liked by author

Oliviarodrigo you guys don’t deserve that! Happy anniversary!

Taylorswift you all are literal angels🥰 ignore the haters and happy one year!!

Conangrey forever on you guys side! Have an amazing day!!

Jennaortega You all desire the world! Happy 1 year and love you forever!

Landonorris I can’t believe that people would say such awful things! I hope you all are okay!

Chappelroan if anyone ever says anything bad about you guys again lmk I’ll handle it! Also happy anniversary to many more year!!

Billieilish I’m literally obsessed with you guys, happy anniversary and don’t listen to the haters

|——————————<3————————————|

Instagram

Liked by SabrinaCarpenter, Alexandrasaintmleux and 1.637.837 others

Yourusername My beautiful, lovely, most amazing Sabrina Carpnter. I love you so much and I can’t express in words how much. Thank you to all that you have done for me this year, and I hope that there will be many more to come!

Comments are limited

SabrinaCarpenter i love you so much too you don’t even know

Yourusername I think I know my love

|——————————<3————————————|

[loveemagicpeace]

🧚🏻‍♀️Astrology Notes🌊

People with 1st house placements are really good at presenting themselves. You are very good at expressing yourself. For ex.: Jupiter in 1st house- You have a lot of wisdom and knowledge. People like to listen to you. They see you as someone who is smart and has a lot of knowledge. It gives you confidence and a sense of freedom, especially in terms of how you look. You can be very careless, and you don't care what others think of you. Uranus in 1st house- u have unique approach to life and in a way that u look or dress. Sun in 1st house- u will always shine no matter what and u can also be in a spotlight a lot. You have a certain pride that you carry with you. Saturn in 1st house- You have a lot of maturity and things you've experienced. U can have sometimes hard time to express yourself. Mars in 1st house- Your energy is very noticeable. You are almost never afraid of anything.

12th house Synastry -Sometimes it feels like the person is reading your mind and sometimes they do exactly what you think. You sometimes feel like the person is taking something away from you. Example: you're watching a podcast in the evening that you really like and the next day that person posts the same podcast. There's always some kind of connection between you that's hard to explain.

Aquarius Venus-I often see them getting divorced or having unpredictable relationships. But divorces with this sign are quite common, in fact they are much more so than with someone who has Venus and Capricorn (they are very serious and cautious in love and it takes a long time to actually open up and build a life with someone). Aquarians can sometimes be more reckless and at the same time open to new things and if they feel the energy then they will quickly enter into a relationship. They also know how to get over someone quickly. Life goes on and so do they.

Sagittarius moon-they usually always have a belief in something whatever it is. They like something they can emotionally connect with. They will usually always look for a way that will fulfill them emotionally and give them some meaning. And they take a long time to get over something emotionally even if it doesn't seem that way. The trick with them is that they don't show that much emotion on the outside, so people often think they are very chill and cold.

2nd house is house of inner feelings, comfort, luxury, music, movies, food, what kind od food u love to eat. People with many planets here are more devoted to food and wanting to be comfortable. And they like to take the easy way out. They don't like to walk or do something for too long. They don't like to change their environment.

7th house stellium means there are many things you have to find out about yourself here. You can spend a long time searching for your personality. Thats why u can actually come off as a fake a lot of times. More than someone who has 12th house placements.

Countries ruled by Scorpio: Bavaria, Morocco, Norway, Syria. The places it rules are usually muddy streams, quiet ponds, swamps, vineyards, operating rooms.

Countries ruled by Libra: Austria, Argentina, China, Egypt, Japan, Tibet. The places it rules are harbors, golf courses, the tops of buildings, lobbies, closets, tables.

Countries ruled by Aries: Bulgaria, England, Denmark, Germany. The places it rules are hilly, dry, fireplaces, ceilings, hearths, rooms in the east and prominent corner buildings facing east.

Countries ruled by Cancer: North Africa, Netherlands, Paraguay, Scotland, New Zealand. The places it rules are: streams, springs, lakes, laundries, kitchens, homes.

If you want to sleep well, you can look at your 12th house and the moon. Because that will tell you where you will sleep better and which side is good when you sleep. Moon in Cancer means you’re highly sensitive to emotional and environmental changes. You likely sleep best when you feel safe, emotionally nurtured, and in a cozy, familiar environment. If something is emotionally off, it can disrupt your sleep, leading to vivid dreams or even insomnia. Mars in the 12th house, which means your sleep isn’t always restful. Mars here can create restlessness, active dreams, or even sleep disturbances because Mars is an action-oriented planet placed in a house of subconscious energies. Your dreams may be intense, symbolic, or even feel like past-life connections. Fire Moons (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius)-Might wake up in the middle of the night, especially with intense dreams.

Mercury in the 12th – Overthinking before bed, talking in sleep, or receiving messages through dreams. Jupiter in the 12th – Spiritual or prophetic dreams, dreams of foreign places or guides, may wake up feeling inspired.

People ruled by saturn have one side that is devish not meant in a bad way. But if you hurt them you will face the other side of them. Many people do not know that capricorns are very strong and that they can also be vengeful but their revenge is silent.

A lot of people when they have north node transit in 11th house & south node transit 11th house -they delete social networks or use them less. At that moment, you often feel that it is not something you connect with anymore. I also often notice that gemini rising & sagittarius rising delete social networks because they want to live their lives differently. Also, many people with virgo rising do not connect as much with social networks.

If you have Venus in Gemini you must have an intellectual rapport with someone before your affections begin to blossom.  Basically, you have a lighthearted attitude toward love. Intense, heavy emo- tional commitments are like an anchor around your neck.  This position of Venus also stimulates a careless and free hand for spending money.

Venus in Leo are able to attract warm feelings on the part of others. You are extravagantly affectionate and generous, buying expensive gifts for those you love and praising them to the skies in front of other people. Needless to say you are drawn to the world of theater, and many of you are blessed with superb creative gifts. Though self-indulgent and pleasure-seeking, you are capable of making a great self-sacrifice for the happiness of some- one else.

Jupiter’s position in your chart indicates how outgoing and genial you are, whether you attract money and possessions, and in what career you will have the most luck.  Jupiter signifies the good things that come to you easily and with little effort. Jupiter can also be too much of a good thing, for its influence can make you extravagant, lazy and luxury-loving, profligate with money, and blindly optimistic. If things fall into your lap too easily, you never develop strength of character or spiritual wisdom.

Jupiter in Cancer-You are imaginative and sympathetic, and do well in creative pursuits. Old things have a special appeal to you. Anything involving food and drink also brings luck; many of you make successful chefs, restaurateurs, and cookbook writers.

Jupiter in Leo- You think big, are ambitious, and have a penchant for grandeur and extravagant display.  In professions where this is useful, such as the entertainment industry, the world of fashion, and high-powered selling jobs, you are predestined to succeed.

Jupiter in Aquarius- You usually find good fortune through your friends and unexpected opportunities. You are also endowed with a special aptitude for music. Many Jupiter-Aquarians become well known in that world. Aquarius is also the sign of the future, and as a native of this Jupiter position you tend to be successful in professions of the modern era— television, computers, electronics, aviation, and the space industry.

Jupiter in Pisces -are singled out for success in social or religious work, politics, and philanthropic organizations. Work that involves travel over water brings other opportunities into your life. You also have a deft touch with animals, would make a fine veterinarian, and many of you have lucrative businesses breeding horses, owning cattle ranches, and raising cats and dogs for show .

Uranus in 2nd house-You tend to have an unusual source of income or your money oppor- tunities pop up suddenly and unexpectedly. Antiques, curios, and collectibles are lucrative for you.

Jupiter in 2nd house-you tend to make money easily and have a talent for financial dealings. Other people are attracted to your expansive ways and you often benefit through social contacts. Traveling or the travel industry is another source of wealth for you.

Moon inn 3rd house-You tend to think emotionally and have a strong imagination. You dislike routine and your life is marked by many short trips. You have a good memory, often change your opinion. But you can also be very moody.

Sun in 4th house-You take pride in your home and family; from the time you were young you had a deep need to establish roots. One or both of your parents was a dominant influence in your life; in some cases you had to struggle for independence.

Mercury in 4th house-Your home is often a place of study or work, and the work you do may lead to changes in your residence. Your parents and early home life stimulated your curiosity to learn.

-Rebekah🧜🏼‍♀️🍀

[lovemomhatepolice]

a tiny accident(s) - lando norris

navigation taglist requests

pairing: lando norris x fem! reader

warnings: nose injury, blood, established relationship, drinking alcohol (lando), suggestive talks, nothing more, just lando being stupidly drunk lover, English is my second language!

type: fluff (a little bit suggestive)

word count: 2k

summary: when you feel unwell, but let your boyfriend alone at a party in Amsterdam, you definitely don’t think about what the consequences might be…

This wasn't the first time you've had a headache this week. It definitely wasn't. You had been plagued by terrible migraines for a long time, caused by stress and long-term travel from country to country. It was hard to switch from the Chinese air to that of the Netherlands, and you still had to travel to Miami, Italy and back to Monaco. All this in the span of one month. But what can you do? You were well aware of this when you met him and entered into a relationship with Lando. Travel, travel and more travel.

And so it was today, too. You and Lando arrived moments earlier in Amsterdam after racing in China and immediately got an invitation to a party. Oh, you knew very well how much Lando wanted to go there, so from the beginning you both assumed you were going and would have a great time. Well, unfortunately, fate willed that just today, an hour before the party you were attacked by a severe migraine relapse. Of course Lando wanted to stay with you - he always offers to do so, but you didn't have the heart to stop him and not let him go to the party, especially since you knew very well what helps you best with such ailments. Silence - and it definitely wouldn't have been there if the boy had stayed with you.

It wasn't long after he left that you totally drifted off and fell asleep on your apartment bed, wrapped in every possible layer with a cold cloth on your head. It wasn't long until you were roused from your slumber by the sound of the phone, which, despite your fondest dreams, didn't stop ringing after one time. “Holy shit,” you muttered under your breath, averting your eyes. You took the wet cloth off your forehead and put it down on the nightstand so as not to get the bed wet. You stretched slightly and grabbed your phone, which was vibrating on the nightstand. You unplugged it from the charger and, without even checking who was calling, you put it to your ear, waiting for the voice of the caller. “Hello?” You heard on the other end. It didn't take you long to figure out who the person banging on your phone was. “[Y.N], do you, do you hear me?”

“Um, yeah, yeah. Lando, is something wrong?” You asked slightly worried, recognizing well that the boy was already quite drunk.

You glanced at watch, which hung on the wall in front of you, and could see that it had been more than four hours since he had left, and it was beginning to get dark outside.

“I think I broke my nose.” He said, and you heard him snort softly through his nose. “Baby, what?” You asked, lifting yourself up on your shoulders.

You freed yourself from the quilt that enveloped you and got up on your feet. Now you didn't feel the earlier headache at all, only worry about the boy, who was somewhere in the middle of the Netherlands, drunk and with a supposedly broken nose.

“I think I broke my nose. I smashed it against broken glass.” He exclaimed in pain, and you could already imagine his glazed eyes.

“And do you know where you are now?” You asked, grabbing his car keys and jacket, which you quickly put on and left the room.

“Not very, but I'd like to eat cookies.” He cried out, speaking to you in a pleading voice.

“Excuse me?” You asked, placing the phone on your shoulder and putting your ear to it.

“Cookies. Please,” he muttered, at which you took a deep breath.

“Okay, we'll buy cookies, but tell me where you are.” You replied, shaking your head as you entered the elevator and chose the lowest floor, where the garages were.

“No, we won't buy. We'll make them” He replied, and you could imagine the grimace on his face. “Okay, we'll make them. Will you give me someone on the phone to tell me where you are?” You asked, and didn't have to wait long for an answer.

A good friend of Lando's, who seemed much more sober than your boyfriend, spoke into the phone and gave you the right location to come to. You quickly got into his car and merged into Amsterdam's traffic. It wasn't the first time you had driven his car, but you were definitely not a fan of being a driver. Mostly it was Lando who drove you everywhere and you felt damn safe with him in those cars. On your own, however, you preferred your calmer and rather larger car, which stayed in Monaco.

The road to the place where the party ship Lando was on was not very long. Especially since the navigation guided you with avoiding all the traffic jams that were associated with King's Day. As soon as you got there, you parked the car in a safe place and got out, searching with your eyes for your injured boyfriend.

Minutes later, you couldn't stand to laugh when you saw Lando sitting on the curb, half of his face wrapped in some kind of bandage, and there was an unnecessary crowd around him, through which you quickly made your way.

“Baby!” He muttered, rising abruptly to his feet, which made him wobble and catch the brick wall behind him.

“Lando, sunshine, what happened to you?” You asked, giggling under your breath, because his condition was pretty funny after all.

“I broke my nose!” He replied, stamping his foot. “Well, look.”

You heard, and just a second later the boy was in front of you, grabbing you firmly around the waist and directing your hand to his bandage. You carefully touched the material and twisted it to the side, being careful not to injure the boy.

“Lando silly, you don't have a broken nose. You scared me.” You replied, covering back his nose, which was not broken at all, but only slightly cut.

“Oh, but you don't know how it hurts me!” He howled, hugging your body to his. “Your hair smells nice.”

You laughed under your breath and, after extricating yourself from his grasp, grabbed his hand and led him out of the crowd. After all, he wasn't as drunk as you thought, so the way to the car wasn't long. Worse was convincing him to sit in the seat and not move too much so you could buckle him in.

“Lando, damn it, can you stop squirming like that? You're not going to drive without a seat belt!” You said, slightly resigned, when once again the boy evaded your touch.

“I like the way your hands go down there…” He muttered, guiding your hands closer to his crotch.

“Idiot,” you muttered, giggling under your breath, to which he also giggled and finally let himself be clasped.

The road to the apartment was quite quiet. You were stuck in traffic for a while, because this time it was not possible to get around them so agile. Lando, meanwhile, turned on the music on his radio and the two of you played a song together.

"You know what?" You heard it out of his mouth, and you gently nodded your head, not taking your eyes off the road.

"I'm listening to you," you asked.

"You're pretty sweet," he said, giggling under his nose.

"Well, thank you?" You asked, smiling at yourself.

"But you're also fucking sexy, my God! If you're driving my car, it's in my pants." he said giggling under his nose again.

Whoever knew Lando knew his giggle. At every possible opportunity, Norris giggled like teenage girls who were excited or ashamed. And no matter how long it's been since you two met, Lando still blushed and giggled a lot whenever he got the chance. So he did it all the time.

Of course, the boy did not miss the topic of cookies, for which he had fought so hard before, so your journey to the mixing room was lengthened by a twenty-minute stop in the store, even though you needed a maximum of seven ingredients for your joint baking. Lando could not pass indifferently by the cookie decorations zone (although you did not need them at all) or by the liquor shelf (although he constantly assured that he did not drink anything).

And finally, after all the pain you went through together (or rather you went through), you reached the apartment you had rented for this stay. Both of you laughing, and Lando also, still covered in blood, you headed to the toilet to clean yourself up. There were some splashes of water and quick kisses, which now seemed quite difficult due to his wound.

You quickly went to the closet to take out some looser pants for the boy and returned to the toilet, where he was sitting on the bathtub, waiting for you to fix him better than they did on the ship.

“Oh, my poor little boy,” you muttered, laughing to yourself as you stood between his legs and grabbed some hydrogen peroxide from the medicine cabinet.

“It's not funny [Y/N]” he said, grabbing your waist and pulling you closer to him.

"Of course it is. How the hell could you smash your nose on a glass bottle?" You asked in disbelief, shaking your head, although after so many years with your boyfriend, this question should have been rather redundant.

"You're laughing at me. And I'm suffering here." He muttered, hissing under his breath when the wound was already quite disinfected and you put a small plaster on it so that he wouldn't touch it.

Sometimes he was worse than a child, but that was what you loved about him the most. You were both still young after all, why would you mature and become serious so quickly?

Soon you started making chocolate cookies. You knew very well that when Lando made something up, there was no way you could just ignore it and pretend it didn't happen. Oh no. Even if it was the middle of the night, you both would have to jump to your feet and run to the store to get something ready. Or suddenly get up and go out of town to watch the stars at night. That was Lando. And so were you. Damn stupid, head over heels in love with each other.

Baking with Lando was always fun. And baking cookies with Lando after midnight when he was drunk? Even funnier. You spilled the flour here, half a pack of cookie chocolates suddenly disappeared - Lando promised on his life that he didn't eat them - and somewhere in between you almost broke the blender. But in the end, you both looked with a smile at the chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven, maybe not perfect, but with some heart in them.

"I can't wait to try them!" the boy said excitedly as you took them out of the oven.

Without waiting for you, Lando put them on a plate and carried them to the table in the living room. Sam sat down on the couch and waited until you joined him.

"Lando, be careful, they're hot-" you started to say, but you were interrupted by the boy's loud hissing, which made you burst into laughter. "Oh my god, you're going to kill yourself."

You hugged him your body, and the boy quickly placed his head in the crook of your neck, placing gentle kisses on it. He lifted his head up and stuck out his tongue at you, which he had burned himself on a moment earlier.

"Oh my god, did you burn yourself? Should I kiss you there?" You asked, laughing to yourself again at the boy's eager nod. "Oh, Lando..."

A/N: quiet short, but I hope that for the first time you will like it and accept it well :) i will be very pleased if you leave something behind - orders are open, and I am very close to 200 followers! maybe I can get in by the end of the week?

please do not copy and translate my works! in case of any issues related to this - I invite you to discuss privately :)

lando nswf alphabet the latest one-shot about lando

[vrystalius]

Sanemi’s babies

Sanemi has a small collection of rhino-beetles and is raising them in the garden of your house. Now, his favourite one is missing and he is incredibly distressed.

Pairing: husband!Sanemi x married!gn!reader

Japanese rhinoceros beetle: The Japanese rhinoceros beetle are commonly found in continental Asia in countries such as China, the Korean peninsula, Japan, and Taiwan. In these areas, this species of beetle is often found in broad-leaved forests with tropical or sub-tropical climates.

Sanemi barely gets nervous these days. Since the demons are dead and there are no threats except his own imagination and nightmares, he allowed himself to be more relaxed. Less angry, stressed and full of adrenaline. It’s nice to not have your heart beat at the speed of light and constantly feel alert and paranoid. His biggest worry these days is making sure to keep you happy and taking care of his babies.

They’re not human though, his babies, you two haven’t come that far yet. His Japanese rhinoceros beetles— the ones he raised all the way from eggs, to larvae and to full adult beetles. Sanemi feeds every beetle personally, gave them names, kept track of their relationships with other beetles and build them a habitat himself. He keeps them in the garden of your estate underneath the porch so no birds can pick them up. It’s a daily routine for him to pick the beetles up from their habitat and let them roam around in the garden, keeping a close eye to make sure they’re all safe.

But his time, after picking and placing beetles down onto the lush grass and greeting every single one personally, your husband noticed something. His favourite one, the one he named Geya, is gone. It had a beautiful dark brown, almost black shell and impressive horns on his head, with those he managed to win so many fights your husband put him up with! But now, he’s missing. Sanemi was frantically searching the self-build habitat and all the favourite places of Geya. He’s not on the tree stumps, not buried in the ground or inside the small pile of leafs. So, he counted through all the other beetles again; Onabai is present, so is Yogmei, Gakaya, Nemouk, Misuri, Nobushi and Jitanro. Where the hell is Geya?!

You noticed your husband running around in the courtyard like a lunatic. You stopped in your way to the kitchen for snacks to watch him lift rocks, check every tree on all sides, open the ground by digging with his fingers and counting through his beetles over and over and over again. Sanemi looked so stressed, the sleeves of his yukata crumpled up to his bicep, his veins bulging in his arms and threatening to burst from the sheer intensity of tension in them. You stepped onto the porch and watched your husband crouch over your planted vegetables, his hand itching out to rip them out and check in the soil for his beetle. That made you finally call out to him.

“Shinazugawa Sanemi, just what in the world are you doing?! Get away from my vegetables, now!”

He almost jumped out of his skin hearing your stern voice scold him. Your husband quickly straightened up and faced you, his fists clenched on his sides. His brows were furrowed in stress, but his lips were a little pouty. You saw him mumbling something while kicking his feet slightly. You couldn’t hear him across the garden, so you called out to him.

“What did you say?”

“I lost Geya!!”

Sanemi yelled, the shout being directed at himself and not at you, running his hands through his hair, still avoiding looking into your eyes. He looked embarrassed of loosing his favourite beetle, the one he was the most proud of. Geya had trouble walking during the first few weeks of his early developing after the larva stage, so Sanemi made sure to feed him all the nutrients and more, helped him train to walk by bringing him outside more and introducing him to the other beetles wich helped Geya to copy their walking style. You saw your husband sob after noticing how well his little pride and joy is doing and how his beetle is now walking without problems. Seeing Sanemi so distraught at his missing baby, you cannot not offer help.

“Where does he usually hide?”

“I already checked all his favourite places. He’s nowhere.”

He shrugged and looked around the garden to think of any other places Geya could hide. You nodded and decided to check the inside of the house while he searches the outside again. The beetle was not in the kitchen, nor in the bedroom, bathroom, cellar or wherever else you could think of. While checking the cupboards again in case the beetle was attracted to the foods you store there, starter laughing loudly and parading through the gardens. After lifting your head and glancing outside to the porch, you saw your husband proudly parade through your garden, with Geya sitting on his palms, wich he was holding far over his head. The brightest grin ever spread all over his face after finally finding his beloved beetle.

“Where was it?”

You quickly head outside, watching Sanemi petting and cupping the bug in his palm.

“He was hiding under the porch. You didn’t like the hot sun, didn’t you? Don’t ever do that to me again, okay? Be good now.”

Seeing your husband babytalk a beetle with a quiet, cutesy voice made you want to both laugh and cringe. You know that both reactions will offend him, so you kept quiet and let him have his moment with his so-called baby. Sanemi set Geya down in the grass, reuniting him with his other friends. He proudly watched them all interact and roam around for a moment before gesturing you to come closer. With a sigh, you obliged and stood beside him, glancing down at the beetles. Sanemi wrapped his arm around your waist and pressed kisses all over your cheek.

“I’m so proud of ‘em. So fuckin’ proud.”

Nodding, you placed a return kiss on his cheek. He grinned at the affection and got quiet, just watching his beetles walk around and push each other around. Sanemi broke the silence.

“Let’s have kids.”

“… huh?”

🎃

Fictober prompt: “I can’t find it”

I hope you all get the references with the names XD I wanna imagine Sanemi laying on his stomach, kicking his feet in the air and grinning while watching his beetles fight amongst each other. He’s healing his inner child! Also, I assisted in a school event today and managed to win a couple prizes during a game! I got a chocolate penguin, bread baking cylinders that are designed in different shapes for different shaped bread, an LED lamp and some origami paper!! I love bread so I am very excited about the shape thingies. Also, the chocolate penguin is already eaten and gone.

Anyways, make sure to EAT, SLEEP and DRINK enough!

Take care of yourselves <3

[mugiwara-lucy]

Hello, everyone! While I am VERY proud of the Democrat voter turnout for Early and Mail In Ballots; here's ANOTHER thing to keep in mind.

Two of the Supreme Court's chairs will be up for grabs and the next president will be able to put in two new justices that are younger. Currently there's a 6-3 demographic in the Whitehouse with 6 being Republican and 3 being Democrat. SHould Kamala win, she can put two more Democrat court younger justices in and we'll be 5-3 (the five being Democrats!) and we'll have a less corrupt SCOTUS.

Should Trump win......he'll stack the Supreme Court with younger justices and the Supreme Court will be locked HARD RIGHT for AT LEAST 30 years.......do we REALLY want that??

And keep in mind, one of the justices (Clarence Thomas) was talking about giving a look at gay marriage if he comes back into office.

And I bet one of the Supreme Court justices that Trump will put will be Aileen Cannon, the person who threw out Trump's stolen documents case. We ALL KNOW he stole those documents for nefarious reasons......do we REALLY want someone like that in office??

Here is the link below to register to vote along with the deadlines varying by state! Also, your own vote isn’t enough! Get as many people as you can to vote for Kamala be it your friends, cousins, parents, grandparents, old friends from high school and college, coworkers, boyfriends, girlfriends, husbands, wives, stepchildren (if they’re 18 and over) and the list goes on and on but every vote counts! ALSO PLEASE check your registration DAILY because MAGA WILL purge your voter registration!!!

And early voting has started! And if you don’t wanna vote on November 5th, Early Voting is another option! Like I said get as many people as you know and try early voting that way you can avoid MAGA fuckery on November 5th! Down below is a list of dates by state:

And Mail in Ballots are ANOTHER option I highly recommend!! And like I said get as many people as you can to take advantage of this option! BUT if you decide to go with Mail In/Absentee Ballots; PLEASE mail your ballots at the ACTUAL USPS office!! That way MAGAts won't fuck with it.

And if you’re an American who lives overseas; PLEASE use the option of voting overseas since I know every country other than North Korea, Russia and China do NOT want to see Trump’s stinky ass back in the Oval Office! Here’s a link below:

Like I said last night....because of Trump's first term, we had Roe v Wade, Affirmative Action and Chevron overturned. I bet all the money in my savings and checking accounts that Interracial Relationships, Women’s right to vote and Gay Rights will be done away with should he be back in office. BET MONEY.

We're doing well....let's NOT get complacent like 2016.

THANK YOU.

[zhengzi]

seeing the americans going onto xiaohongshu and getting confronted with actual chinese people made me think about a very significant misconception that most people have about china (and not just westerners either, even plenty of non-western people have thought so), which shows up so much in the way people interact with people from china

the notion that the chinese people are heavily propagandized people just does not gel with my own experiences listening to chinese people. of course the chinese government produces propaganda, every single country on earth produces propaganda, and to think that it's possible for a government to not produce propaganda is absurd.

the thing is, chinese people generally are completely aware that the messages and the stuff they see are propaganda. there is a very paternalistic and patronizing attitude that foreigners outside of china tend to harbour about chinese people regarding their relationship to the government. the chinese people i know are generally very intolerant of bullshit and are very outspoken and aware of the politics in china. compared to most other countries, people in china are very politically aware.

and this is very much unlike most westerners and western-adjacent people with their inability to recognise when something is actually propaganda

[respectthepetty]

Upcoming Taiwanese BLs

We are over halfway through 2024, and as usual, I've only had two Taiwanese BLs (Unknown, Anti Reset), so even though I'm sitting on a stack of BLs to watch every single week from other countries, call me Smaug because I need MORE!

Honorary Korean BL: Uncovering the Curse of Taekwondo (2024)

Former friends (and possibly lovers) reunite at a funeral after going their separate ways for over a decade, but, honestly, I don't care about the plot because this comes from Hwang Da Seul who was behind Blueming, To My Star, and Where Your Eyes Linger, so I know it's going to be amazing. There is a movie and a series version, and the movie already premiered at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival in South Korea at the beginning of July. The runtime was 154 minutes, but the series is eight episodes around thirty minutes each and is currently seeking distribution.

First Note of Love (August 2024)

My most beloved, Charles Tu, from my favorite BL HIStory 4: Close to You is finally returning to me in the form of a washed-up singer who stepped away from the spotlight due to a tragic event only to be dragged back in by an up-and-coming composer who is also a longtime fan. It is a joint production with Thailand's Star Hunter Entertainment (the company behind Big Dragon, Love Senior, City of Stars, and Sunset x Vibes) and features a side couple of a Thai singer and a Taiwanese agent. It will involve singing, but I'm already too comfortable in my seat with my snacks to care.

Fragrance of the First Flower Season 2 (2024)

The lone GL holding down this list finished filming late last year and Gagaoolala has been releasing BTS images since filming began, so it'll likely land there once it is released. The series is a continuation of the 2021 first season, which people were not thrilled about because of the ending, so this season should solve some of the angst we were left with by exploring the two women actually coming together to navigate life as a couple.

The Only One (August 2024)

Directed by Liu Kuang Hui, who directed Your Name Engraved Herein, written by the same folks behind The Untamed, and based on Mu Su Li's novel A Certain Someone which is about two boys whose parents are dating and move in together, so the mains go from enemies-to-??? and the only reason for the question marks on a Taiwanese BL is because the word on these BL streets (and his MDL page) is one of the actors works heavily in China, so this might be the reason this one has been was in limbo even though filming finished earlier this year, but the socials are still posting it's coming this year.

See Your Love (Filming Complete)

This co-production with Japan is about a rich man who falls in love with his hearing-impaired caregiver. It finished filming at the end of May and will have those sweet sweet Taiwanese BL cameos from some Be Loved in House: I Do and Plus and Minus folks PLUS it will be the first cameos for the Kiseki: Dear to Me guys since the company that produced their show is the same one for this show.

Impression of Youth (Filming Complete)

Very little is known about the plot of this teacher-student romance, but it comes from the same folks who produced DNA Says Love You and one of the mains, Muji Hsu, was also the lead in 2020's Because of You. Filming finished at the end of May, and the company stated it would be out before the end of the year.

Islanders (late 2024/early 2025)

This is based on a novel, Islands, by Lolita Hu, features some well known Taiwanese actors, and for a bit was under the name Sea of Intimacy. It's being presented as an 'older BL' but the MDL summary is sparse of the BL-plot: Hung, a successful entrepreneur, has three intimate relationships: his wife, his mistress, and his girlfriend. The lives of these individuals in their 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s are intertwined because of romance, but their story extends beyond that. When Hung faces criticism on social media and loses everything, the way they react tells us how they see the world.

Wishing Upon the Shooting Star & The Young Gangster (2025)

These two deal with completely different plots but are together because of one reason: Ray Jiang. He is the director for these two and was the director for Unknown, My Tooth Your Love, and We Best Love. The companies behind them have stated the series are coming next year, but the guess is Ray's busy schedule is part of the hold up since he has a Netflix series in the works and apparently a film featuring Sam Lin (We Best Love) on the way. The Young Gangster is based on a novel and deals with a research assistant gathering information on the mafia (and we know how the mafia works in BLs), while Shooting Star deals with a man wishing that nobody notices him once he returns to his hometown after being fired. The wish backfires and nobody recognizes him, not even his dad or the boy he confessed to in high school! BL Mafia, Sideways Wishes, and Ray Ray are my favorite types of snacks!

Pray in Love (2025?)

A police officer falls in love with a man only to realize that man is the son of a prominent leader on the day of his arranged wedding in which he was hired as security for the event. The series already released a short film of the basic premise for fundraising efforts and festival rounds. Apparently, filming has started on the series, but there is no concrete confirmation from the production company.

Eternal Butler (2025)

Edited to add thanks to @cankersoregirl! This is a sequel to VBL's Anti Reset and began filming in early July. It focuses on Ever 4 who is sent to be a bodyguard for a young rich man only to encounter a rebellious man.

That Year, 162 Rainfalls (In Production?)

Is this a movie? Is it a series? Is it happening?! Who knows, but last year, it finally got funding and a director attached to it, but the real kicker is Lin Pei Yu is the screenwriter, and she is the writer behind all of my favorite Taiwanese BLs: We Best Love, HIStory 3: Trapped, My Tooth Your Love, Kiseki: Dear to Me, and so much more. Basically, the company struck gold getting her for this story about two archers and best friends. One gets confessed to but admits he actually is in love with his best friend, but before love can happen, the best friend has an accident and falls into a coma. It is based on a novel of the same name, and the plot is way more hefty than this, but I know Lin Pei Yu will make it work!

Four Seasons (Pre, Pre, PRE-Production?)

This is supposed to be four different stories focusing on different seasons, and is rumored to be VBL's next group of shows since the company has stated it wants to continue its formula from last year of releasing slightly connected shows. VBL/Vidol was behind Stay by My Side, VIP Only, You Are Mine, and Anti Reset. Winter is about a scrooge CEO and a florist who is hired to decorate for the CEO's Christmas event. Spring is about two boys meeting on a bus and falling in love over music. Summer is about a market owner and a chef falling in love over food. Autumn is about two former best friends seeing each other ten years after graduating and exploring their hometown together.

Connecting to You (Pre-Production?)

It seems to have gotten funding, but it's been quiet since which isn't surprising because when it comes to Taiwanese BLs, nothing is really heard until filming begins or even after it ends. I still have my hopes high because this is *THE* BL for me as it deals with a man who can see colored threads connecting people and one day runs into a policeman whose thread connects to him. The thread between them begins to change color, from silver-grey to yellow, representing friendship, and even to red, representing love. If I have to sell an organ or two to fund this myself, I. Will. Do. It. I NEED THIS!

And this wouldn't be a Petty Post if I didn't include this final one:

HIStory 15: Freed (GIVE IT TO ME!)

I don't care if this a long shot. I don't care if I seem crazy always asking for this. I. Deserve. It. HIStory 3: Trapped ended with our best mafia boy in prison, and it's time he got out! The HIStory franchise has not had a series since 2022's HIStory 5: Love in the Future, and although there have been rumors that a HERstory story might be next, I think bringing back a popular story would be just as good. I will ask for this every chance I can until I get it, and I plan on living a long life, so I got time!

[astrobiscuits]

Astro obs part 9

🐌 The planets in your 12th house indicate your sleeping style:

Sun in 12th house - their sleep schedule is extremely messed up; for them, daylight hours = nighttime hours and vice versa, so they have trouble being themselves during the day; their true self comes out at night

Moon in 12th house - goes to sleep very late; full moons have a special effect on these people; their intuition is more clear at night; as kids, they probably slept a lot with their mother

Mercury in 12th house - loves texting/calling people late at night; they might journal their thoughts before sleep because they overthink a lot and it helps to clear their mind or maybe they just like to relax by reading a book at night

Venus in 12th house - cares a lot about getting their "beauty sleep"; sleeps with sleep masks on, buys expensive bed lingerie, skincare night routine might be very important; loves sleeping in general lmao

Mars in 12th house - enjoys working out before going to sleep, can go to sleep angry because they tend to get into conflict more at night than during the day

I have Uranus in 12th house and i can be both a light sleeper or a heavy sleeper, depending on where i am. For example, when i'm traveling, during the first night i wake up several times, but from the second night on i sleep like a baby lmao. Another thing would be that i can't sleep in a quiet car but i don't have any problem sleeping during a thunderstorm

🐌 Mars in fire signs (Aries, Leo, Sag) and Mars in 3rd house individuals love riding motorbikess

🐌 While Mars in 9th house peeps would probably love to go on a world tour on their motorbike. The sign ruling their 9th house represents the countries they would love to visit (i'm aware that some of these can only be visited by plane, take it with a grain of salt): 

♈ in 9th house: Ireland, Poland, Japan, Zimbabwe

♉ in 9th house: Cuba, Paraguay, South Africa, East Timor

♊ in 9th house: Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Montenegro

♋ in 9th house: Canada, USA, Bahamas, Argentina, Slovenia, Madagascar

♌ in 9th house: Hawaii, France, Italy, The Netherlands, India, South Korea, Peru, Bolivia

♍ in 9th house: Switzerland, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Vietnam

♎ in 9th house: Belgium, Portugal, China, Equatorial Guinea, Lesotho

♏ in 9th house: Panama, Spain, Turkey, Arab countries (Saudi Arabia, UAE), Palestine, Lebanon

♐ in 9th house: Finland, Lithuania, Romania, Tanzania, Thailand

♑ in 9th house: UK, Germany, Czech Republic, Australia, Camerun

♒ in 9th house: Greece, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka

♓ in 9th house: Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Mauritius, Saint Lucia

🐌 I have a feeling Pisces Suns like to spend their time in a garage lmao. Mostly because their opposing sign, Virgo, would hate to spend time in a garage due to how dirty it can get.

🐌As a 7th house Sun who's been in love for almost a year now (haha, are we surprised, ofcours not; i'm not even in a relationship with him but ugh we're so perfect for each other), i realised that Sun in 7th house people tend to behave differently with their partner when they're in a healthy relationship vs when they're in a toxic one

Sun in 7th house in:

♈ Aries in a healthy relationship: empowers their partner, knows how to balance me time vs us time in a healthy manner, encourages their partner to take safe risks

♈ Aries in an unhealthy relationship: impulsive, impatient, selfish, dismisses their partner's feelings, often controlled by rage, prone to abusing their partner

♉ Taurus in a healthy relationship: veryyy generous (their love language is gift giving), accommodating to their partner's wants and needs, cooks for their partner

♉ Taurus in an unhealthy relationship: stubborn af, hard to please, focused more on the material gain from their partner rather than the love they share

♊ Gemini in a healthy relationship: curious, always lightens the mood of their partner by cracking up tons of jokes or telling them funny stories, knows that communication is key to everything so they're not afraid to discuss serious topics, teaches their partner a lot of random stuff

♊ Gemini in an unhealthy relationship: superficial, doesn't have a problem moving on from their partner to another person in a matter of seconds, if they're still in school/college, then they prioritize studying over their partner

♋ Cancer in a healthy relationship: nurturing, knows how to balance babying their partner vs being babied by their partner, emotionally vulnerable, feels safe enough to present their partner to their family early on in the relationship

♋ Cancer in a unhealthy relationship: if they don't trust their partner, they tend to become emotionally closed off to hide their deep sadness; defensive, but if their partner attackes them, then they'll hide, worries excessively, avoids presenting their partner to their family

♌ Leo in a healthy relationship: treats their partner like the king/queen they are, keeps their ego in check so it doesn't interfere with the relationship, if they've got artistic talents (music, acting, art etc.), they'll show their love for their partner by performing in front of them

♌ Leo in an unhealthy relationship: egocentric, shows off their partner/relationship too much out of pride, often feels entitled in the relationship and wants to be put on a pedestal by their partner

♍ Virgo in a healthy relationship: selfless to a healthy degree, remembers every lil detail from every casual conversations with their partner just to please them, remembers every important date and plans ahead for it, takes care of their partner when they're sick

♍ Virgo in a unhealthy relationship: critical, overfixates on past hurts and mistakes that their partner made in the relationship (often times their partner doesn't even remember those things because they're usually not that serious), loves their pets more than their partner

♎ Libra in a healthy relationship: romantic, charismatic, truly values their partner and the relationship with them, acts fair in the relationship, teaches their partner lovingly about the importance of honesty, truth and a healthy give and take dynamic in a relationship

♎ Libra in an unhealthy relationship: doesn't prioritize the relationship; instead, they flirt with others despite being in a relationship, emotionally detached, cold and calculated in their current relationship

♏ Scorpio in a healthy relationship: loyal, loves their partner deeply and intensely, but without suffocating them, keeps their partner's secrets like they're a locked safe box with no public access

♏ Scorpio in an unhealthy relationship: obsessive, manipulative, seeks to dominate their partner, displays stalkish behaviour in the relationship, liar

♐ Sagittarius in a healthy relationship: exposes their partner to various cultures, belief systems and philosophies to expand their mind and form their own opinion on certain topics, loves freely but is still able to maintain a long-term relationship, improves their partner's mood, usually brings an element of surprise and excitement to the relationship

♐ Sagittarius in an unhealthy relationship: travels in order to avoid dealing with their partner, parties a bit too much, doesn't take the relationship seriously

♑ Capricorn in a healthy relationship: loves their partner in a mature, serious and secure manner, doesn't shy away from improving their partner's social status and/or career if they can, discusses plans for the future (getting married, having kids, adopting pets, buying a house) with their partner early on in the relationship, they make time for their partner, despite the fact that they're busy most of the time

♑ Capricorn in an unhealthy relationship: displays no emotions or physical affection in the relationship, has a hard time communicating their thoughts with their partner, settles in a relationship for the wrong reasons (money/kids/safety/"i'm getting old and i need to have my life established"), prioritizes work/career over their partner

♒ Aquarius in a healthy relationship: flexible, makes their partner's dreams and aspirations come true (whether they're related to the relationship or not), has got a very open-minded attitude towards their partner's opinions, lifestyle and identity, takes the time to become friends firsts with their future partner because they value a relationship built on solid foundation (often times their partner is also their best friend), knows how to balance couple time vs time with friends

♒ Aquarius in an unhealthy relationship: displays wishy-washy behaviour, emotionally detached, prioritizes their friends over their partner, seeks online validation from strangers and acquaintances to fulfill their needs

♓ Pisces in a healthy relationship: sensitive to their partner's emotions, knows how to balance wearing their heart on their sleeve vs hiding their emotions in unfavourable circumstances, always honest with their partner

♓ Pisces in an unhealthy relationship: prone to drown their relationship problems and sorrows in alcohol, drugs and meds for mental health issues, runs away from problems instead of dealing with them with their partner, displays dishonesty to a fault, prone to self-sabotage

[lurkingshan]

Shan's Favorite Dramas of 2024

The year is wrapping up and I have forced myself to narrow down to a list of 15 (I tried 10 but the choices were too hard!) of my favorite 2024 dramas across genres and countries of origin. This is not every drama I liked this year (that list would be incredibly long), but these are the ones that inspired the most brain rot and really stuck with me.

At 25:00 in Akasaka (Japan, Gaga)

The mood and tone of this drama was just perfect, and I loved the way it explored the blurred lines and confusion that can result when the real and fake aspects of a professional relationship get all mixed up. Hayama was a great character and I loved his arc, in particular.

Cherry Magic (Thailand, Viu)

I still can't believe how much I loved this adaptation. A fantastic example of taking a work from another culture and translating it to a new context while not only retaining the core narrative, but even enhancing it. This show gave us what the Japanese version didn't--the resolution to the physical intimacy arc at the core of the premise--and retained all the charm of the original while adding new humor. And delivered one of the best romances of the year while it was at it!

Don't Care for an Old Man's Underwear (Japan, fansub)

Oppan, my beloved. Easily the best family drama of the year, loaded with excellent messages while (mostly) avoiding feeling like an after-school special. Makoto's journey to update his thinking with Daichi's help, and the mutual friendship that developed between them, is one of my favorite relationships of the year. I loved every character's story; there is something for everyone to connect with in this show.

Fangs of Fortune (China, iQIYI)

This drama was just so much FUN. A gorgeous feast for the eyes, a wealth of fascinating characters and relationship dynamics, and a fast-moving plot that you don't need to try too hard to understand. It was a great binge and Li Lun was easily my favorite villain of the year.

Gyeongseong Creature (South Korea, Netflix)

A gorgeous period piece set during one of the darkest chapters of Korean history, this one took me by surprise (I am usually not a horror girlie). The writing for this show had surprising depth and I loved its themes around family and loyalty and survival under fascism.

Knock Knock Boys (Thailand, Gaga)

My boys! I loved this show about a group of four queer men living together in a shared house, getting into mischief and supporting each other through school and work and relationship struggles. The show is funny and breezy but also manages to tackle some serious issues with grace while delivering two strong romances and my favorite coming out narrative of the year.

Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo (South Korea, iQIYI)

Winner for best QL of the year, and a romance that will be sticking with me for a long time. Dohoe is one of the most honest and unflinching depictions of a an adult psyche shaped by childhood abuse that I have ever seen on my screen. It was healing to see him treated with such compassion and to see him and Juyoung find their way to a happy life together. An absolute must watch for all you angst with a happy ending fans.

Love for Love’s Sake (South Korea, iQIYI)

It's so hard to get a high concept premise like this right, but this drama did an amazing job with it. It's one of those shows where you can go back over everything that happened in retrospect and it all adds up, and I loved that the ending lent itself to so many different interpretations. One of the best watch experiences of the year.

Love in the Big City (South Korea, Viki)

Go Young, my beloved. This drama adaptation of the internationally successful novel exceeded my wildest expectations, and I am still a little stunned that we got the privilege of seeing it. It is, bar none, the most authentically queer show on this list, and a beautiful depiction of all the significant relationships in one young man's life. I will be rewatching it many times and keeping it close to my heart.

Love is Like a Poison (Japan, fansub)

A masterful blend of comedy, action, and romance, this drama about a lawyer with delusions of grandeur and the scam artist who decides to become his partner was a constant delight and gave us my favorite battle couple of the year.

Marahuyo Project (Philippines, YouTube)

I can't tell you the joy and relief I felt to get another high quality queer drama from the Philippines this year. And this one had such a great cast of characters, anchored by one of my favorite protagonists of the year in King. It's funny, it's romantic, it's touching, and as always for a JP Haboc production, it has an amazing soundtrack.

She Loves to Cook and She Loves to Eat (Japan, fansub)

My girls! I'm still amazed by how much this drama gave us in its second season by expanding the world of the show beyond our two main characters to include so many other women whose stories were just as fascinating. This is the season where Nomoto and Kasuga really came into themselves and started building the life they want to have together, and it was a real joy to watch.

Tender Light (China, YouKu)

The way this show had me in a chokehold while it was airing! Visually stunning, incredibly well-constructed, and featuring one of the best performances of the year from Zhang Xin Cheng, it's an exhilarating mystery and a very touching story of the unusual bond between a student and the older woman who fascinates and terrifies him.

The Midnight Romance in Hagwon (South Korea, Viki)

You know a drama is good when it has you deeply invested in a random topic you never thought you were interested in. In this case, that's the intense debate on pedagogical methods between the public schools and hagwons in Korea. Alongside delivering a great romance, this drama was passionate about teaching and it sucked me right in to the Korean literature lessons at the heart of the story.

Unknown (Taiwan)

No other drama inspired more brain rot in me this year than this story of a family rocked by changing feelings as the chosen siblings grow up. The loyalty and love and complex desire between Wei Qian and Wei Yuan is the heart of this story, and the drama did an incredible job of taking us along for the journey as things shifted and changed between them. I still think about them all the time.

Bonus: Favorite Classic Dramas Watched for the First Time in 2024

I am always catching up on an endless backlog of dramas alongside my live watches. Here are the best gems I finally watched this year.

Lost (South Korea, Viki)

I loved this deeply melancholy drama about two lost souls who connect unexpectedly. I finally pulled it up from my to be watched list because it shares director Hur Jin Ho with Love in the Big City (he did part 2 with Go Young's mom) and it sure feels like it! The characters are deep and complicated, the relationships are complex and carefully built, and it is hands down the best encapsulation of a failed marriage between two good people who truly loved each other that I have ever seen. It's heavy and not for everyone--mining the depths of human despair is kind of its thing--but if you like this sort of story it's world class.

Mouse (South Korea, Viki)

I was recently in the market for a good mystery thriller, so I finally watched this apparently very divisive 2021 drama--and if there's a divide I am firmly on the HELL YEAH side of the line. This drama had an interesting concept (that I will not describe bc holy shit spoilers, you should go in knowing nothing) that it unwound with remarkable patience and precision over 20 episodes. Its themes were strong and consistent, the lead characters were super compelling, the plotting and pacing and editing were unbelievably tight, the performances were incredible, and it made a lot of provocative points and ended well, feeling coherent and complete. It sustained my full interest and attention without any stumbles for ~25 incredible hours.

Mr. Sunshine (South Korea, Netflix)

Another one that's been on my watch list forever and finally got its moment when I was in the mood for a historical where ladies got to wield weapons alongside the men. And unsurprisingly, I loved it. Writer Kim Eun Sook is known for her big, glossy, epic dramas, and her style made a good pairing with a story about a rebel faction during the Japanese occupation of Korea. I really loved all the main characters in this show, and was moved by the complicated exploration of their loyalty (or lack thereof) to their homeland. This drama also has a very strong class analysis baked into its themes, which I very much appreciated. It was a traumatic watch, but in a way that felt right given the setting and the choices characters made.

The Miracle of Teddy Bear (Thailand, YouTube)

I watched this one on a mission and it was worth every moment. Nut is one of my favorite protagonists in any queer drama, and I thought the show made great use of its fantasy concept to explore some very real human experiences with depth and compassion. This show feels like an especially important counterpoint to the Thal BL bubble, and I recommend it highly for anyone who enjoys those dramas.

When I Fly Towards You (China, Netflix)

And we end on a light and sweet note, with my favorite coming of age romance that I watched all year. This drama was just lovely, and it will be a go-to rewatch for me for years to come. There’s something so comforting about a story where you start with the happy ending before jumping to the beginning, and just get to sit back and see how they get there. I loved all the characters in this and marveled at how it was never boring despite being decidedly low angst.

[miniseokminnies]

network love —- w.jh

♡ pairing: wen junhui x gn!reader ♡ genre: established relationship with idol!junhui ♡ wc: ~0.5k ♡ warnings: fluff, they’re just IN LOVE and LONG DISTANCE your honor ♡ a/n: random drabble written for my lovely @crab-ranjun

Wen Junhui wears many, many hats. Wen Junhui the Chinese drama actor, Jun the member of global K-Pop boy band phenomenon Seventeen, and his favorite hat; Junnie, your loving boyfriend.

The latter is unfortunately hanging on the coat rack near the door of your small apartment back in Seoul. For the last several months he has been wearing the actor hat, and while he loves that hat, he’s tired and while he is in his home country, he misses his home.

The day ahead of him will be a long day of wearing his idol Jun hat, but without his brothers it seems wrong. Fancalls can be fun, because meeting Carats is always rewarding, but the sheer amount of time he has to devote to this today is almost astronomical.

Jun sat in front of the phone waiting for the first call to begin. His staff buzzed around him, finishing last minute prep that there will be no time for during the long line of calls. Jun watched them, feeling sorry that he can’t help out with whatever needs done. A woman comes to him and touches up his makeup and informs him he has about five more minutes.

He slips his personal phone out of his pocket.

Junnie: long day ahead, Xīngān, talk l8r 😽

Jun smiles to himself feeling his phone buzz right as he returns it to his pocket. He can’t wait to hear about your day later, once he’s back in his apartment he keeps in China for these long stints of acting gigs.

Carats are always fun to talk to most days, today is no different. Jun got to see plenty of cats and had his fair share of odd questions to side step, admittedly not nearly as many as Vernon typically gets, but enough to tire him out.

He stretches his arms over his head, feeling almost giddy as the next call is the last one before he gets to go back to his own space and text you until he falls asleep, probably on the couch. His eyes close slightly, enjoying the stiffness of his muscles evening out, as the call connects.

A voice, a strangely familiar voice, greets him in Mandarin on the other end of the line. His eyes snap open to see your smiling face on the phone screen in front of him.

He opens his mouth to speak but the words don’t form so you signal for him to stay quiet. Any adverse reaction from him would alert staff and put a wrench in your plan and the secret you two have been keeping from the rest of the world for years.

“I just wanted to tell you, I’m so proud of you and the hard work you have been committed to for so long” your voice crackles through the ear buds, “You’re so talented and dedicated to what inspires you and I can’t wait to see what you do next, whatever it may be, I just hope it’s back in Seoul” you laugh, “Talk to you soon my Junnie”

“Thank you so much for your words, it means so much coming from you,” his eyes well with tears but he wears a smile the whole way home.

[ill-kidnap-all-the-stars]

Katara

[ image description: a digital drawing of Katara from Avatar: the Last Airbender in my style. She is a dark-skinned woman standing in ¾ view with brown hair pulled back into a bun and held with a gold and blue jewel pin. Her ‘hair loopies’ are braided into her bun too. She is wearing a blue cheongsam with gold wave embroidery on the mandarin collar, sleeve and skirt hems, and gold embroidery of gardenias and plum blossoms. She is holding a blue and gold hand fan and standing in front of a brown water tribe symbol ]

prints ✨ commissions

Okay so this is from (I think) last year, but I'm really struggling and burnt out right now, what with having to fight once again for my basic rights (gotta love the UK - “we’re a first world country guys, we have trillions of £££ worth of billionaires, so of course we'll strip away your ability to live with dignity if you don't meet our arbitrary ‘productive’ threshold”), so anyway I'm just gonna repost some of my old faves while I take some time to collect myself again. This is from an ATLA project I did, drawing the protags in Republic City at a New Year's Ball. It originally came with text slides delving into water tribe cultural wear and how I came up with this design, but I cannot for the life of me find where I put them or remember how I made them, so I'll include the text under the cut (should also note that there is just so much nuance missing from these, since it's impossible to condense thousands of years and miles worth of culture into a few Instagram slides):

A bit of background:

The Water Tribes' culture is based primarily on those of Arctic and Siberian peoples. The Northern Tribe has more influence from Siberian peoples (for example, the Yakut, the Buryat, and the Evenk), while the Southern Tribe has more influence from Arctic peoples (such as the Inuit, the Sireniki, and the Yupik). Since the Southern Tribe was founded by ancient immigrants from the Northern Tribe, this reflects the real world relationship between Arctic and Siberian peoples. However, the Water Tribes also draw from other Indigenous peoples, such as Native American, Aboriginal Australian, and Polynesian cultures. And, like all cultures in the ATLA world, the Water Tribes also have extensive Chinese influence.

Some examples include: the igloos used by the Southern Tribe, which resemble those used by the Inuit; the Water Tribes' reliance on hunting and fishing, similar to the Inuit; Water Tribe warriors wear face paint into battle, a practice associated with Native Americans, as well as African and Southeast Asian tribes; Water Tribe boats are based on Polynesian catamarans; Water Tribe boomerangs are based on the “returning boomerangs” used by Aboriginal Australian tribes.

Standard Water Tribe Clothing:

Water Tribe clothing typically resembles the clothing of Arctic peoples. For example, the large, pullover coats are drawn from Inuit anoraks (also called parkas, although they are strictly speaking not the same). Anoraks are typically made from reindeer or seal skin and lined with fur.

Water Tribe shoes are influenced by the mukluks worn by Arctic peoples. These shoes are also made from reindeer or seal skin and are often worn with an inner liner and protective overshoe.

‘Hair loopies’ are also based on an Inuit hairstyle. While braided hairstyles are found in cultures all over the world, ‘hair loopies’ are based on a uniquely Canadian Inuit hairstyle and are called qilliqti in Inuktitut.

Warm-Weather Clothing:

Katara's warm-weather clothes are inspired by the Chinese cheongsam (Cantonese: 長衫; literally 'long shirt/dress'). It is typically a long, form-fitting, one-piece garment with a standing (mandarin) collar, an asymmetrical, left-over-right closure (右衽; youren), two side slits, and Chinese frog closures (盤扣; pankou).

The cheongsam developed in the 1910s and 1920s following the overthrow of the Qing dynasty and the establishment of the Republic of China (1911). It was chosen as a national dress in 1929.

Over the past century, the cheongsam has developed into several distinct styles: the Beijing style, which retains the original loose fit and is typically elaborately embroidered and adorned; the Shanghai style, which developed in the 1930s and 1940s with Western tailoring techniques to be more form-fitting with less elaborate embroidery; and the Jiangnan style, which tends to be the most elaborately adorned, with embroidery and hand painting.

My Design:

Cheongsam's are typically decorated with motifs of animals or plants and each has its own meaning in Chinese culture. I chose to draw floral designs, namely gardenias and plum blossoms:

Gardenias are associated with November, sturdiness and feminine beauty, and I think all of these link to Katara, even November as a winter month. Furthermore, they are a symbol of clarity, faith, hope and rejuvenation. As the most hopeful member of the gaang, I think they sum her up perfectly. Plum blossoms are also a symbol of winter, since they bloom in the cold, and they are a symbol of wisdom, feminine charm and logevity so I chose them because Katara outlives most of the gaang. But they are also a comment on how the war affected Katara, as she was forced to grow up and become an adult while she was still a child.

Water Tribe clothing typically comes in shades of blue and silver but I chose to replace the silver with gold. I did this to represent Katara's relationship with Aang and the multicultural family that they went on to have