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josephthesnailshow · 4 months

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Burnt Luigi (Post #1)

"Burnt Luigi" is a Creepypasta/ARG created by JosephTheSnail (or JosephTheSnailShow). The story explains a weird copy of Super Mario 64, an installment of Nintendo's Super Mario franchise, where the player supposedly activated an easter egg that shows Luigi burning alive and becoming disfigured afterwards. The game itself was suddenly found at Gamestop, even though they don't sell games like that. The weird part about this game is that Luigi never even appeared in it until it got remade for the DS.

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Personally, I don't know how to start this, but I love Nintendo. The console I grew up with was the Nintendo 64. The games on the console are great, but the one I liked the most was Super Mario 64. Unfortunately, I realized that I don’t have a copy of Super Mario 64 since, if I remember correctly, my parents sold a lot of games I had, and as we were moving at the time, we kept the original Super Smash Bros., in which I had a lot of fun playing.

Anyway, we saved up, and we had enough money to afford more games, so I asked my parents if I could get Super Mario 64 again; they agreed, and I went across the street to the nearby GameStop next to Walmart because it's a submall with GameStop. Now, keep in mind that my first idea was to get the game from eBay; however, I don't really trust the sellers, so I went to GameStop to see if they were having a nostalgia sale or whatever. For some reason, I didn't expect this—I found the game along with other games like Majora's Mask, another favorite game of mine, without hesitation; I purchased it and Majora's Mask because of my nostalgia trip—but there was no short message written in sharpie on the cartridge or anything eerie from one of those haunted game stories I'd seen before.

I returned home and turned on my Nintendo 64 to begin playing, and the game began as it usually does: I was greeted by the head of Mario, I pressed START, and it played the cutscene where Mario jumped out of the pipe. I didn't find anything weird; it was like any other Mario game. Keep in mind that this game was not cheap; it cost the exact same as what you would expect from a Super Mario 64 copy.

Anyway, when I first started the Bob-omb Battlefield level, I collected stars one by one.

After I reached the top of the mountain, King Bob-omb came there to greet Mario and say his line. For some reason, his brother is mentioned in the text, but I don't remember what it said because I was focused on the good part of the level, fighting King Bob-omb. I did notice the text, though; it said something about Luigi. If you saw the text in the original game, it was familiar, but this game included a different way to end the message.

I didn't care since there's nothing weird about hearing Luigi mentioned in any of the Mario series. I finally collected the star after I defeated King Bob-omb.

Nothing really weird happens; it's just me having fun.

But I played the game until I unlocked the basement after defeating Bowser and getting the key. I didn’t go into any detail because nothing fascinating happened, and then I entered the basement.

This area always creeped me out as a kid since it was dark down there, and it gave me an eerie feeling like the regular game gave me; I don’t know why. I just walked around; I usually stopped periodically and mashed the buttons on my N64 controller to activate something; I don’t know what I activated, but I might’ve activated a secret; and eventually, I reached the part of the basement where the picture frame of Lethal Lava Land is after running through the halls.

For some reason, instead of the figure in the picture frame, it was Luigi. For some odd reason, this version of Super Mario 64 is so dedicated to Luigi that it's almost like the "Year of Luigi" thing is still continuing; I personally didn't find anything wrong with it since I like Luigi as a character after all.

Again, it didn’t seem too out of the ordinary because Luigi was planned to be in the game during the beta test days, but I just jumped into the picture frame, and I was sent to the level afterward.

Lethal Lava Land was the same as it normally should be, but some platforms were missing, and coins were gone.

I began looking for stars to collect in order to unlock a level or star room. I eventually arrived at the platform where Mr. I was supposed to be, but instead of Mr. I, the eyeball enemy, Luigi was standing there on the edge, not moving at all. I approached him to see if he was just Mr. I with a different model; this could have been a modded version of Super Mario 64, a personalized copy, or something else, and I accidentally pushed him into the lava.

I felt very bad for him.

His screams and cries for Mario were not distorted or recorded by a different person; they were made by Charles Martinet, the voice actor of Mario and Luigi, their usual voice actor. Maybe, judging by this being clearly recent, it sounded like the screams were A.I. generated.

After Luigi’s flesh melted and he drowned in the lava, a star flew out of the lava, and I collected it.

I was instantly sent to Peach’s castle, but for some reason, I was knocked out of the picture frame like Mario is when he fails a level. I noticed that the water was red, almost like blood, and Mario had a terrified expression on his face.

Right behind him, Luigi looked different—almost like a zombie; his clothes were darker, and his skeleton was visible. His clothes were torn as well. Every time I tried to find my way out, it was like the endless staircase you need to go up to defeat Bowser. But every door was locked, and the gruesome imagery of Luigi will stay in my mind when I try to sleep.

Trust me, I tried everything to get out of this situation. I tried doing the BLJ (Backwards long jump) to get out of this, and guess what? It didn't work.

The eerie part is that Luigi in the picture frame had 1080p graphics, and the game doesn’t really have higher graphics since the console is pretty old and it was beyond the system's technical limitations. While the main graphics worked, this was different. You've seen games like Super Smash Bros. and the others, and the quality didn't look like Luigi's picture frame. The picture of Luigi's disfigured body in the picture frame threw the original graphics out the window, and if I'm being honest, I really liked how this version worked. Unfortunately, I will probably not be able to try this version again, but luckily, I screenshotted everything in this game.

Anyway, this bloodied water rose, and Mario drowned in it while performing the drowning animation; there are no more lives since it took them all, and it returned me to the intro with Mario's head; the game went back to normal; I turned off the game as I'm not taking any risks anymore; I'm done.

Post #1 (Epilogue):

If you want to play this version of Super Mario 64, lucky for you, I copied the original game file and brought it over to the web. Good luck finding it. As for the game itself, I still have it since, after this situation, the copy is back to normal; there's no creepy moment where Luigi gets burned by Mario pushing him, and I'm able to play it normally again. How did I put the original game on the web? I dumped the ROM, and for goodness' sake, do not ask for a link.

For now, I'm protecting this blog, and if my brother ever finds this game, this blog will be given to him, as just like me, he loves Mario, and he knows more about this stuff than I do. Hopefully, he will do a better job than I did with this blog, my grammar, or anything like that.

Nothing's going to happen, and I will be fine. I will just enjoy my copies of Majora's Mask and Super Mario 64.

My wish is for my brother to record this experience and do a better job than I did.

I hope that I will stop having nightmares of Luigi getting his face burned off and his screams.

#burnt luigi #haunted gaming #creepypasta #josephthesnail #super mario 64 #super mario #video games #yes...#I updated this story #AGAIN

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ledenews · 10 months

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Robert Villamagna: ‘Found Objects’ of Life Inspire this Tin Man’s Heart

It’s the way he sees it. And when you say something like that about Robert Villamagna, you mean there’s more than what meets his eyes when he interprets what goes into his works of art. And no one sees it the same because, when it comes to this artist’s imagery, it all makes sense in a different way never considered before. Take his “Old King Coal” piece as an example. Once upon a time ago, coal was king in West Virginia, and for decades fossil fuels ruled in Kentucky, too. In Appalachia America not so long ago, if a kid quit high school to work in the mines, he was simply following in his daddy’s footsteps into coal country. Not only was it acceptable, it was expected, but it’s different these days and that’s why Villamagna’s coal king is crying. "Old King Coal" hits hard with folks of the coalfields in Appalachia America. He honors people with his art, and his work speaks to social and commercial issues, too, and from his first step to his final step, the process proves a mission of imagination on every occasion. Sometimes Villamagna “sees” it first and then builds it, and sometimes this tin man’s heart is inspired – literally – by discarded junk. No matter what prompts his projects, Villamagna’s mixed media style is fantastically distinctive, and his work is in high demand, too. After more than 20 years as an associate professor of art at West Liberty University, he’s now a full-time artist – with office hours, to boot – and these days his work often is described quite simply as “It’s a Villamagna.” And ain’t that just cool? Combining the lithograph metals, vintage photos, and, as you describe, “found objects” … how – and why – did all of that come together for you as “mixed media”? For much of my life, I have been attracted to “junk” and collected a variety of things. I just love the look and feel of old objects. I think about who made them and who used them. Years ago, I discovered a used book about artists using found materials. The idea of taking these various materials and using them to create art had never occurred to me. What a concept! The switch was pulled. About 10 years later, (my wife) Chris discovered another book titled “The Fine Art of the Tin Can” by Bobby Hanson. That introduced me to using repurposed metal in my work. Villamagna is vigilant when searching for what he calls "found objects" for his work. Please explain the process of finding “found objects.” First of all, let me clarify the term “found objects”. We usually think of art being created with paint, clay, crayons, pencil, etc. Sometimes artists make art using unexpected objects … things we don’t normally consider as art materials. These objects had another function or purpose and are referred to as “found objects”. These found objects can be manufactured (a bicycle seat, a discarded vacuum cleaner, an old photo) or from nature (stones, bones, leaves). The materials I use in my work cover a wide range, but primarily I use repurposed metal (from old signs and cans), old photographs, parts of things such as from old toys, oddball machine parts, broken clocks, etc. Most of the time I purchase these materials at flea markets or on eBay. There are times when I actually “find” materials while walking. You just have to be vigilant. Occasionally, the tin fairy will leave an old potato chip can or piece of cool metal on my porch. It’s nice when friends are on the lookout for materials for you. Christmas can happen when you least expect it! Do you collect your materials before you have the artistic idea, or do you go searching for very specific items to create a very specific piece of art? I’m constantly on the hunt for materials. My search is not specific to individual items, more in general categories: printed cans, doll houses, old photo albums, pieces of weird junk, etc. The items I acquire fill shelves and bins until I pull them for a particular piece of work. Sometimes one object can kickstart an idea, such as piece I did this past summer that began with an old pennant from Myrtle Beach. Other times I may have an idea I wish to pursue, so I rummage through my materials to see what might work. Do you have “office/studio hours,” or is your work created in a more happenstance style? I’m usually working in my studio Monday through Friday, sometimes Saturday as well. I’m guessing I average 40-50 hours per week in the studio. Most days I’m up at 4:35, but I usually don’t get into the studio until 9 am. One of my favorite quotes is by artist Chuck Close: “Amateurs look for inspiration; the rest of us just get up and go to work.” The "Tin Man" honored the Jamboree tradition in the city of Wheeling with one of his recent works. How do you describe the soul of Appalachia? When I think of “soul”, I think of something not in its physical state, but rather the experiencing of deep feelings and emotions. So, while I may envision Appalachia as a mountainous area in the central-southern part of the Eastern US, it’s soul is it’s music, followed by its literature. I would love to say its soul is it’s art, but that would not be the truth. Not that art doesn’t contribute, but I feel it’s the music that is the true soul. The Irish/Scottish fiddle music combined with African American blues music (banjo, guitar). When I work in the studio, I listen to a huge mix of what I label folk-blues, covering such artists as John Prine, RL Burnside, Bob Dylan, Taj Mahal, Guy Davis, Guy Clark, Jimmy Duck Holmes, and Tim O’Brien to name a few. I know I’m leaving some out. This music inspires me, and for me it’s the soul of Appalachia. Villamagna honored American veterans with this work of art, and it helps that American Legion Post 1 is the oldest post in the United States. At times, Villamagna makes simple statements about society with his artwork. Read the full article

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lastchancevillagegreen · 1 year

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Saturday, 14 May 2023:

The Notorious Byrd Brothers The Byrds (Columbia) released in 1968, this is roughly a 1986-1987 pressing

First things first: I’ve somehow decided that the Byrds fifth album, and their final album with David Crosby, might just be my favorite Byrds album (not that there are a great many contenders). Back in the late 90s when I was listening to The Byrds’ reissues I was convinced they were all brilliant albums. Today, I’m lucky if I think believe three of their albums are worth my time. I think I like them more as a singles band than an album band, and I believe that Gene Clark was the King Byrd, not Roger McGuinn. I agree with McGuinn’s assessment that he should have ended the Byrds long before he did. I realize I’m on the outer fringe of Byrd Appreciation, but I do believe if you want Byrdsian harmonies, this is the album you should grab for over any others. (I’m also fond of the fact that Crosby, never a favorite artist in any capacity, is represented in the fourth window on the album cover by a horse, even if it does give the equine a bad name.) I like the country lilt of this album over Sweetheart of The Rodeo because it is more understated and I prefer the vocals on this album because there are no exaggerated “country” vocals here like there are on their more famous country album.

I bought this sealed on eBay and the dealer wanted a small fortune for it. I reminded him that while the album itself is a 1968 release, it is still a repressing that is 20 years older than the actual album itself and therefore not worth the dough he wanted. What I didn’t tell him was the real reason I wanted this album: that back cover. If you look on discogs they claim that the only version of this album with that back cover that is suddenly a negative image instead of a normal image like it is on every other pressing over the years, hails from 1987. But if you look at the date on the price tag that is on the album cover (see a close up of that price tag below) the date stamped on that price tag reads July 1986.

Evidently discogs does not have every single existing copy of The Notorious Byrd Brothers listed or they have misrepresented a 1986 pressing as being a 1987 pressing. Regardless, either 1986, 1987 or both years contain the back of the album with a negative image photograph but I can find no other pressings that have this weird change. What prompted such a change? Perhaps a mistake? Perhaps someone simply remembered incorrectly how the image actually looked or who knows, maybe they just decided to change it thinking it better represented the music within (it doesn’t). Anyone’s guess is welcome, but the truth shall win out one day!

Perhaps I still paid too much for this album, but I do enjoy buying sealed copies of albums because that means it is actually my copy, not someone else’s. To have what I am calling my favorite Byrds albums with that alternate back cover that is unlike no other pressing, well, that satisfies me and the price becomes worth it. And come on, it has that Nice Price sticker which was such a common find back in the day that I always appreciate seeing it slapped on one of my albums! Another piece of information is that even when released in 1968, this album contained no inner sleeve and no credits other than what is on the back of the album. It was a bare bones release.

Below you will find the A and B side of the label. Since this is an 80s pressing it is the label with the golden “Columbia” and Walking Eye all in a circle around the label, another truly classic label from Columbia.

Lastly, in a photo pulled off discogs, you can see what the back of the album cover looks like on every pressing over the years save for this one I am highlighting!

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the-firebird69 · 2 years

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The seriously and I see what he's doing and you do too you say what you said to me was he has been doing this stupid s*** just wants to stare at me and hit me I really sure why, I don't think it's detail as you say I think it's just being a schmuck. Others are looking for detail that's why you say I agree

Mac daddy this sucks badly

With a fire out of the woods and it's a good size brush fire and tell by Walmart cow farm into the east of punta Gorda and last time I looked it's getting bigger and then smoke all over. The more I considered a threat, hey Matt collecting stones and the ratting on him a bit but mostly inspiring him to do it. It's a fairly stupid activity that both are engaged in because what they're doing is deadly to each other but they keep doing it and sticking her son in the middle. NOW Thor friend said that last part I agree. As soon as illegal it's damned annoying and that's what this retarded folk doing. In a good morning and it got all sorts of information on him find out they're doing stupid stuff and he's doing something just as stupid but you're doing it to him. So he's starting to see something they're in the way they're obstructing him and they're doing this stuff to him all of it at the same time and they're making him look like an ass when he did really superb job this morning for his people it was outstanding what he did for his own well past what morlock would ever want to think that he could do and he exceeded what their limits are they said. And they're buying the big one getting weaker looking stupider is seeing dumber things more often into more people and pretty soon they'll be walking around and almost original format. And a lot of it's derived from messing around with the max for real but weird you just like kick their ass this morning and you got tons of stuff on them now we have a fire and you're trying to poke around in my travel bags on my bike saying that you put something in there so it doesn't make sense that you do that and act like King of the poppers but I guess the forcing it somehow in this community possibly threatening your sister in the grave and some other stuff like that Intel got a bunch of idiots who go for the jugular just to make you look stupid it's absolutely true he says so it's upsetting and it's annoying and they're past and their repulsive and they're always amazed by the simple eBay practically everyone has and it's just a ploy

Zues

Can I say something too he's a crass a****** as well Daddy threatened for that to happen I'll send you orders doing the same thing John remillard does this is not really I said yeah but sending a flag up regardless of what color the flag is and it's true we don't need that it's annoying and motivational and seen a lot of people get snapped in half doing that kind of thing all the time and I don't know what that means so I guess I'll have to see it to believe it and they say they're not used to being insulted and I doubt that they're women scream at them all night long not a bunch of hooky assholes who are just used to hearing stuff and not seeing it happen to them I'm just saying it and seeing their heads in a row open a bridge with hikes in them. Not used to idiots threatening me with propane and walking around later thinking that freeze a bird when they're not threatening himself to like a putz like there's a f****** piece of s*** calcuttin kid. So I have something else to say three lines it's really angry and these people like it and just keep doing it and doing it and saying stupid s*** and going off and also completely unaware and what's happened now I have seen stupid people before but these people are stupid and behaving stupid and acting stupid on purpose it's getting ridiculous I don't want to hear I want them away from him also going to control them and they're all walking by same s*** getting real close being freaking so brave and what a bunch of dirty pieces of s***

Hera

It never works it hasn't ever worked I came up with a plan that's going to be complete in less than a year and then I'll be gone they're hooky a****** s*** they don't believe it cuz they're stupid crusty spent senile jackasses

Zues

It's going to be less than a year and I'll be gone walking around mumbling spewing at each other saying dumb s*** issuing threats to get rid of them until the last batch gets here it's pitiful really things to be pity I guess all I got left is to try and install you know what I mean everything else is gone down the river. So I feel that way too he said the last three lines again but really they get him angry and they think they're going to win something I've never seen juvenile behavior this bad out of them you going to win something if anything you lose like a few chips at least right back you know if you like dollar chips or whatever the f*** so he's looking around thinking you know if anything I'm going to lose chips for that but he says is I lose huge companies and they sail right off just as a precursor so I know what I'm going to announce

Thor Freya

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adultswim2021 · 3 years

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Perfect Hair Forever #2: “TiVo Your eBay” | November 28, 2005 – 12:30AM | S01E02

You know how sometimes you just remember some retard online saying something mildly stupid and it just sticks with you for the rest of your life? I have that for this episode, which is titled “TiVo Your eBay”, which obviously doesn't make any sense, so the stupid thing is this: a guy on my friend's message board reacting to that title, and sorta writing the episode off as being bad because of the title by saying something like “Recording Device Your Auction Website? Uhh... okay! (rolleyes)”

Again, it's endlessly weird to me how serialized this, 12 oz. Mouse, and a little bit Squidbillies is. It just seems like a bad idea to do; though to be honest I guess I'm not so sure what 12 oz. Mouse would be like if it weren't serialized. I guess it would just be weird crazy crap? Do you think that show would have any kind of fanbase or longevity if it were more like Aqua Teen Hunger Force? On the other hand, did that work out for this show?

The difference between this and 12 oz. Mouse is that the plot doesn't really matter the way it seems to in 12 oz. Mouse. 12 oz. Mouse's whole thing is THIS GOES DEEPER THAN YOU THINK. This does something different. This is insufferably anime-esque on purpose; the same way it takes Goku 40 episodes to fight a guy. 40 episodes that somehow take place in slower than real time. Like it has a plot you can follow, but you aren't really going to be rewarded for doing that, because it's mostly nonsense. Sorry! At any rate, this one ends exactly where the last one left off, following Gerald on his journey to find Tuna Mountain. We introduce a new guy, the king of all animals, who is kind of a stereotypical virtuous anime good guy. He gets to touch Brenda's butt. Again, I can not stress how disappointed I am that there doesn't seem to be ANY Brenda cosplay online whatsoever.

We also meet Rod, the anime god (though I think he briefly appeared/was teased in the first episode? And there's weird stuff with clowns. We see a bunch of them crucified in the forest, and there's a bit where a red moon encircles a white planet, and when it gets to a particular position it looks like a clown and a horn honks. WOULD COULD IT MEAN??? Could the clowning be REAL?

Anyway, this one was mildly amusing. I liked little bits here and there. The car crammed with animals is fun. The part where Uncle Grandfather tells the king of animals to fight Brenda “for a few minutes”. Little stuff like that you know? I also really like the opening sequence on this one featuring a song by Brendon Small. It's legit. Also the closing music on this one is great, too. I hope that's an original bit of music and not just a needledrop. Underrated aspect of this show is the music, which is often creative and funny and nice to listen to. Also word up to this show for beating Lucy, the Daughter of the Devil to the “we do different openings every episode, aren't we nice” punch. Fuck Lucy!

EPHEMERA CORNER:

The Animation Show (November 28, 2005 – 1:30AM)

I don't know if I've really made this point lately, but this era of Adult Swim pretty much lost me. I think I don't remember watching any of these shows, really. I think I may have been recording repeats of stuff I wanted to have better copies of, maybe, because my main memory of watching Adult Swim around this time is disparate little snippets of the very beginning or very end of episodes of new shows. A lot of the stuff I've been reviewing lately I caught up with later, or TiVo'd on an individual basis and let pile up and maybe didn't even really bother with at all. Really, the only thing that felt important to me was Tom Goes to the Mayor. Tim & Eric was the only thing anchoring me to the block in any significant sense.

So, The Animation Show sorta just passed me by. I don't think I even knew it aired until after the fact. I eventually got the DVDs from Netflix and made DVD-R copies of them, cuz a lot of it was stuff I'd seen and already liked or was roughly up my alley. Specifically what we got here was a couple of Don Hertzfeldt Shorts, a guy I used to not like because I watched Rejected somewhere and thought it was “rando” humor (I like him now!) and some Mike Judge shorts, a bunch of which I recognized from being used as extras on Beavis and Butt-head King Turd DVDs. It was stuff from the 2003 version of the show, but I don't think it's the entire thing. Honestly, I'm not that up on the Animation Show stuff despite owning a rip of it. I don't think I really watched through those DVDs. Sorry. This is a bad one. ANYWAY: They capped it off with a rare showing of “A Day in the Life of Ranger Smith”. Not really part of “The Animation Show” as far as I'm aware, but I think they thought it was on theme.

#adultswim2021 #adult swim #perfect hair forever

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pooktales · 4 years

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Greymane’s Garters

I made up a fake history because ‘Greymane’s Garters’ is so fun to say and imagine. Enjoy!

The Order of the Grey Garter, more popularly known as "Greymane's Garters", has origins comingled in Human myth and legend. It is now considered somewhat ridiculous, as it instantly conjures a mental image of the noble King Greymane of Gilneas, him covered head to toe in white fur as he is in Worgen form, but for some reason wearing a pink-and-gray frilly woman's garter strapped to his leg.

Image: from ebay (only 1 left!)

This, I assure you, Greymane's Garters are not! They are hardly a male Worgen lingerie trend, but an order of noble knights and also so much more. Firstly, female Worgen find themselves members of this ancient order as well. Secondly, the garter is only a symbol--today it is often worn around the arm at ceremony or as a badge, a flat pink-and-gray belt coiled in a hoop and showing its buckle, that it was once considered part of suit of armor to help keep plate buckled over the legs. Only attend a Greymane's Garters initiation and see for yourself and you can be assured of this. The members proudly wear very little but their fur, to show they have at least embraced their Worgen side (this is a subject of contention even within this royal order, but they at least agree fur is alright). So the wearing of yes, admittedly, skimpy clothing to show off fur and the traditional garter around the leg is a thing. But if it is not buckled around the leg, then it goes proudly on the arm above the bicep, or on a cape--it may look strange indeed to the unschooled, but it is an honorable form of dress. Greymane’s Garters are not 'furries in SM gear' whatever the modern youth mean by that. A Greymane's Garter would maw you and strap you to a pole or a bedframe or some other handy torture device if they ever heard you calling their order a low-key furry headcanon, never that.

Military History

The order was first formed in the Second War. Under pressure to conform to the standards and military norms of the Alliance of Lordaeron, Gilnean leadership made a pledge that they would stay a distinct force as far as they could, focused solely on the political advantage of their own kingdom. As such, they felt a need to distinguish their military leaders on the battlefield with a brand that could not be overtaken by the blue and gold Alliance regalia. Their other goal was to remind their soldiers that their home kingdom, Gilneas, should always be the priority. Of course, this manifested itself in only a token support force sent to aid the Alliance at that time, all of them good-looking men in excellent polished plate, saying things like 'What ho!' and also 'Get gabbin' or get goin!' which were practiced phrases to deflect accountability. They made it subtly clear that they were only interested in doing those tasks for the Alliance that would further Gilnean interests. And they defiantly wore their pink, gray and white garters high up their thighs. The grey garter became an emblem of their stalwart resistance to Alliance assimilation. The effort was a great success from the Gilnean perspective. Not long after the first Greymane's Garters arrived in Lordaeron, the Alliance despaired at them, actually, and didn't prod the Gilnean King for any more his "help". And then the Greymane’s Garters went back home after the conflict and eventually the Gilnean wall went up too, which certain Alliance leaders were pretty relieved for, even if they couldn’t say it. The wall also had the effect of ‘keeping it over on their side’.

Mythical Origins

The more mythical origins of the Greymane’s Garters involve a magical Grey Lady who walked out of the Emerald Dream one evening in the forests of Gilneas, accompanied by gray feydragons. Everything she touched turned into a gray mist. A knight set out to slay her, believing she was a witch, but instead, she mesmerized him and inspired him to gather his fellow knights to return to her and perform a great task that would, she said 'Make little sense now, but will mean everything to saving your kin' in the far future. They Great Grey Knight then returned to the mists as the Grey Lady bade him, with three axemen, five lancers, and twenty-six cavalry men. And then, standing in a circle, she gave them all the garters of their order to wear, attaching them to their legs and buckling each to cinch proud and tight. And then she showed them a traditional dance. It was the gray dance of death that much empahsized squats and lunges with the legs, later used to train King Greymane's personal guard for ages, who one day kept him alive during the conflict with Sylvanas.

Competing accounts say the first Greymane’s Garters never learned a fighting technique, but they did serve her special gray ritual wine made from special silver grapes. And she made them grill her delicious capon and venison for supper. In exchange for that, what she taught the knights was how to create a 'Grey Garter', a special kind of powdered sugar dough dessert that is made in loops of pastry. This sparkling gray dough dessert was passed down in the Gilnean court and would still be cooked today if not for the disruption, again, of Sylvanas laying waste to Gilneas.

Modern Findings

Today, historians cannot find any real evidence connecting the myth of the Grey Lady to the military dance of Greymane's personal guard. (If it can even be considered a dance.) Nor can they say with confidence that a legend of that era really would be an elaborate way to convey a few cooking recipes involving gray food. Most recent research makes a more practical suggestion as to the actual events concerning the Grey Lady. That is, the knights soon discovered the Grey Lady was in fact a witch, or at least a very strange woman with the skill of a pressure salesman and a lot of mist handy where she happened to live in the forest. She clearly had a thing for knights wearing garters so halfway through their weird dinner-date, the men who weren't drunk and drugged off their feet got together and slayed her. They vowed, there and then, to come up with a better story for what happened and be 'reborn in blood'. From there on, the 'grey garter' story became a joke among the Gilnean nobility descended from these surviving knights, and when an opportunity eventually came up during the Second War to give the Alliance of Lordaeron the proverbial middle finger for making them provide aid against the Orcs, the Gilnean nobility reached back for the 'grey garters' story, layered some more meaning in it, and then made it a part official military dress. As an in-joke among the Gilnean crusty uppercrust. The rest, as they say, is history.

Motto

The motto "reborn from blood" has passed into common parlance of course, though many Gilneans may not even realize it. One often meets a Gilnean or a Worgen who, thinking of the turmoil their people have endured, make the remark that Gilneas will be reborn from the blood of their enemies. This derives from none other than the Greymane’s Garters.

Source: wish.com

The Ribbon

As you can see, the ribbon itself has changed over time. First, in the era of the Grey Lady myth, it was a very tribal-looking chevron in white, pink and gray colors. Later, it was a bold pink-and-gray plaid. Even later, due to lack of resources and the loss of the kingdom to Sylvanas' forces, it was mainly the sort of spider's silk, large swaths of pink ribbon were easier to come by in Darnassus where most Gilnean refugees settled.

The pink color of the Darnassian iteration (also referred to as the Gilnean diaspora, so show some respect) isn't "girly" as some consider it. First of all, pink is a color, it doesn't “belong” to anyone. Second of all, the whole thing was going to be abandoned when the order was re-formed after the fall of Gilneas recently, but many of the prouder Worgen members insisted it was also the color of roses, or raw meat or flesh, which connects back to that side of the Gilnean experience. Gray connects back with Greymane and white is the color of a new moon, of hope, of Greymane's own fur hide. So they keep all the colors, pink, gray and white, intermingled whether in the traditional plaid pattern or the primal, very bold chevron that can be easily seen strapped to a Gilnean's leg across the battlefield. Or, yes. In frilly Darnassian pink if that's what's available.

Notable Members of Greymane's Garters

King Archibald Greymane

King Genn Greymane (current sovereign)

Princess Tess Greymane

Queen Mia Greymane

Lord Darius Crowley

Lorna Crowley

Lord Vincent Godfrey (posthumously stripped of rank due to treason)

Speculation

It is rumored that King Anduin Wrynn has been offered a place in the Greymane’s Garters (with a special exception made for his devotion to Stormwind of course). However, Greymane is most likely still awaiting confirmation that Anduin will accept. Undoubtedly he will, of course! Anduin’s biggest reservation is said to be ‘Wait, aren’t those guys a furry group that wears underwear on the outside? This is for real?’ Though SI: 7 refuses to comment on whether the the young king actually said this. It may be that Genn is waiting for Anduin to mature some more before offering Greymane’s Garter again. Or, it may be that other rumors are true, that Anduin is prepared to make his own royal order of garter-wearing knights if he has to, to get out of wearing fancy underwear given to him by Greymane.

Because, of course, two garters on both of Anduin’s legs, ontop of his armor? One leg pink and the other blue? That would look completely ridiculous and anyone would obviously agree.

Unless you are a proud member of Greymane’s Garters that is!!

-fin-

#warcraft #worgen #genn greymane #gilneas

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surveys-at-your-service · 3 years

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Survey #396

“every time i leave, you say you won’t be there, & you’re always there”

So, is it gif with a hard G or soft G? I used to say "jif," but now I pronounce it as "gif." If you use libraries, what is the largest overdue fine you’ve ever had? *shrug* Do you ever borrow things other than books from the library? I remember back in the day, they used to offer educational computer games, and I bought a dinosaur one as a kid that I was madly obsessed with. Are there still any movie rental places left where you live? Just Redbox things outside of some stores. Do you ever buy secondhand books (or DVDs, video games, CDs)? Yeah; Ebay is my friend. Or do you prefer them to be brand new? I mean yeah, but it's not a massive deal to me so long the thing is operational or not falling apart. Do you ever write fanfic? Of what? Nah. Do you ever READ fanfic? Of what? Also nah. Do you have a favorite classical composer? No. Have you ever had multicolored/rainbow hair? No, but I would LOVE to. What kind of hats, if any, do you like to wear? I don't wear hats. What is your #1 deal-breaker with friendships? If you're manipulative, byyyyyeeeee~ Who is your favorite character on Bob’s Burgers and why? (If you watch it) I've seen some episodes, but I don't actually watch it. Have you ever had a retro celebrity crush? Like a crush on an “old” celebrity who was most famous a long time ago or is long dead? Audrey Hepburn, for one, is drop-dead GORGEOUS. When you buy/receive new clothes, do you instantly wear them or wash first? It depends on what I bought and where it's from. What’s the weirdest item you’ve seen for sale on Ebay? Idk. Are parents to blame for what their kids do on the Internet? No; kids make their own choices. I do, however, believe the parents should monitor what they do until they reach a certain degree of maturity, as well as the child's history with what they've done on the Internet. Do you use acronyms to remember things? Sometimes. Do you take pills like Tylenol for the littlest aches and pains? No. Only if I'm really in pain will I take Ibuprofen/Advil. Don’t you think Crocs are ugly? Big time. I don't know why they're in vogue now when they used to be so widely hated. When was the last time you went roller skating? Oh, it's been years. Who was your favorite Ninja Turtle? I was never into the franchise. Horror flicks make you: laugh, scream, or squirm? I prefer the ones that make you uneasy. I'm not a big fan of the nasty ones, and I want to feel on edge when I'm watching a horror film, but it's EXTREMELY rare I become legitimately scared. If you could become a doctor, what would you specialize in? Uhhhh. Maybe genetic disorders. What’s the cutest thing a little kid has ever said to/in front of you? I'm sure it was something my niece or nephew said, but I'm unsure of what. They've said many adorable things. Did any characters from TV shows scare you as a kid? Which one(s)? FUCKING KING RAMSES FROM COURAGE THE COWARDLY DOG. FUCK he gave me nightmares. What’s the saddest thing you’ve heard on the news recently? I was very saddened to hear about the giraffe that died giving birth. Do you believe that acupuncture works? I'm not educated enough on this subject. Have you ever been hypnotized? No, and I don't believe it's possible to be. What’s the first food you can smell when you enter the mall? The soft pretzels, omg. That little stand is my favorite part of our local mall. They make DELICIOUS pretzels. What is the worst hurt you’ve ever experienced? Jason leaving. Are huge muscles gross or sexy? Like serious body builders, it's gross to me. I prefer a natural musculature. Have you ever fished and caught something weird? I know I have, but what isn't coming to mind. Do you use an umbrella when it rains? Unless it is absolutely pouring, no. Do you like getting caught in the rain? No. What is the hardest part of cleaning for you? It requires physical exertion and I am INCREDIBLY weak with non-existent stamina. Do you have any fake flowers in your room? No. Do you own any succulents? No. What is your favorite thing about spring? The only thing I like about spring are all the flowers. What is something you find hard to draw? HANDS. UGH. Was it sunny for your senior prom pictures? Sigh. It was a beautiful sunset. I REALLY wish I didn't delete all those pictures from existence. Have you ever seen a double rainbow? I've seen like, a triple rainbow. What’s one thing you want to learn how to make? Your ordinary meals. I really want to be able to cook my own food from scratch. Do you have stomach issues? Maybe TMI, but it's been questioned but not fully examined that I may have IBS. My stomach is very sensitive. When was the last time you apologized and didn’t mean it? I'm not sure. Do you prefer to be the “talker” or the “listener” in a conversation? The listener. What’s a movie that you think everyone should see? Johnny Got His Gun. If you could have any hair color, what color would you want? Either pastel pink or light creamsicle orange. When was the last time you saw your “first love”? February of 2017. Who’s the smartest person you know personally? My best guy friend Girt. What makes them so smart? He's just very intelligent. Book-smart. Are there any bands/artists that get you all emotional? Ozzy. He and his music are so important to me. What’s your favourite aunt or uncle’s first name? Robert. Have you ever done a first aid course? No. What time do you generally wake up in the morning? It varies from like, 6:00-8:30ish. If you could have one superpower, what would it be? Definitely shapeshifting. I'd love to be a druid, man. Do you ever make surveys? If so, are they long or short? No, but I combine them because I don't like surveys that are too short by my standards. When is the next time you’ll change your hairstyle? Will you color it? Honestly, probably never. I love my current hairstyle, but I most certainly plan on dyeing it maaaany more times. As a child, what was your favorite game to play? I was hooked on the first three Spyro games. I would play 'em over and over. Do any of your siblings have significant others? Do you like them? My older sister is married, and I am NOT a fan of her husband. He's WAY too conservative and bigoted and racist and misogynistic, etc. etc. He's wonderful as a dad, like holy shit he loves his kids, but his beliefs are abhorrent. Dad's daughter is also married, and her husband is awesome. Mom's eldest daughter is also married, and her husband seems cool. My brother has a fiancee that I've never met. Do you believe in the concept of global warming? No fucking shit I do. It's impossible to logically deny, especially as the years go on. When was the last time you took a picture of something? Was it yourself? I took some pictures of this beautiful hydrangea bush outside the TMS office a few days ago. When drinking soda, do you prefer bottles or cans or poured in a glass? Cans, because it stays colder. Do you wear deodorant? Um, yes? If you had a pet pig, what would you name it? Probably something very unoriginal, like Wilbur. Do you like Led Zeppelin? I LOVE "Kashmir." "Stairway to Heaven" was madly important to me, but yeah... I can't listen to it anymore. Like seriously, I haven't in years. Do you like hugs? I do. Have you read the Constitution of the United States of America? Only the Bill of Rights for school. Do you have your own computer or use a family one? I have my own laptop. Do you take out the trash? Sometimes. Is there a calendar in the room you’re in? Outdated meerkat ones. What is your best friend’s name? Sara Jane. :') Have you ever seen a real-life cop chase? Maybe? What is your favorite shape? Circles. Are pigs adorable or dirty? They're precious! And pigs are actually a lot cleaner than people think, if they're not muddy. Anything moldy in your house? Not to my knowledge. Our old house had a serious mold problem, though, which is the primary reason we had to move. Especially with Mom having cancer at the time, she needed to be in the most sterile environment possible. Have you ever been in an earthquake? No. Do you enjoy history? No. Are you watching TV right now? No, but rather GameGrumps on YT. Could you ever be a mortician? True shit, it actually doesn't seem THAT bad. Can you solve a Rubik’s cube? Never seriously tried. How many pets do you have? Just two right now. Are you more close with your mom or dad? My mom. Who is the person that has impacted your life the most? Jason. Or Mom. Have you ever had a pet fish? Yeah. Poor things, they had terrible husbandry. I've learned a hell of a lot from a YouTuber/streamer that is like obsessed with fish about just how misinformed people are on how to take care of various fish. Your goldfish in that little bowl died for a reason, you know. Do you believe in ghosts? Yes. Do you prefer tea or coffee? Both suck. Have you ever vaped? No. How did your parents meet? They were co-workers. What was your first word? "Dada." Have you ever had a kinky dream about a celebrity? ... I mighta lmao. When was the last time you had Nutella? A long time ago. It reeeeaaaally needs to stay out of my house, because I will eat it straight out of the jar. Name someone with a sexy sounding voice. So I don't know where this was, but Mark was once credited in something as "if chocolate had a voice" and I was like YOU FUCKIN BET YOUR SWEET ASS.

#survey #surveys #random questions #lyrics: ''jet city woman'' by queensryche

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lovemesomesurveys · 4 years

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Sleep with or without clothes on? I always sleep with clothes on.

Prefer black or blue pens? Black.

Dress up on Halloween? Nah, not anymore.

Like to travel? Yes. I wish I could more of it. And now with the pandemic who knows when I’ll be doing any traveling.

Like someone? I don’t have any romantic feelings for anyone currently.

Are you dating the person you like? There’s no such person as I said.

Do they know? Uh, wouldn’t the person I was dating know I was dating them?

Who sleeps with you every night? No one.

Think you’re attractive? No.

Want to get married? No. It’s not something I see ever happening for me.

Are you a good student? I was. I’m done with school now.

Are you currently happy? No.

Have you ever cheated on someone? Been cheated on? Nope and nope.

Birthplace? Somewhere in California.

Christmas or Halloween? Christmas.

Colored or black-and-white photo? Colored, but black and white photos are beautiful as well. I just like color.

Do long distance relationships work? They certainly can. People do it.

Do you believe in astrology? Nope.

Do you believe in love at first sight? Not at all.

Do you consider yourself the life of the party? Haha, no, definitely not.

Do you drink? Nah, I haven’t drank in 8 years now and have no desire to. Just wasn’t my thing.

Do you think dreams eventually come true? Not always of course, but some do.

Favorite fictional character? I watch a lot of shows and movies and read a lot of books, so I have many favorites.

Go to the movies or rent? I enjoy going to the movies. Some movies I like to experience in theaters for the first time, like the big ones that I’m excited about. Some movies I think look kinda good, but I can wait until they’re available to rent or stream. I miss going to the movies, though. It’s been almost a year now since the last time.

Have you ever moved? Yeah.

Have you ever stolen anything? When I was a kid I thought the candy in the big candy bins at the store were free, ha. Whoops.

How’s the weather right now? It was super windy today.

Last time you cut your hair? Almost a year ago.

Last person you talked to on the phone? My mom.

Last time you showered? A couple days ago.

Loud or soft music? I like to have the volume at a reasonable level. I don’t need it blasting.

McDonalds or Burger King? I like some stuff from both.

Night or day? Night.

Number of pillows? I only use two, but I have like 11 on my bed lol. I like throw pillows.

Piano or guitar? Piano.

Future job? I don’t know. :/

Current job? I don’t have one.

Current longing? I want Wingstop.

Current disappointment? My mom and brother checked a few places and couldn’t find any of my Starbucks Doubleshot energy drinks, so that sucked.

Current annoyance? My head hurts.

Last thing you ate? Some shortbread cookies. I was dipping them in Almond Breeze that has a hint of honey in it and the combo was delicious.

Last thing you bought? Starbucks.

Most recent thing you are looking forward to? New episodes of my some of my shows I watch this week.

What are you hearing right now? I’m watching a vlog.

Plans for the weekend? Nothing out of the ordinary.

What did you do today? Slept until 5, had coffee, checked my social medias, watched TV, had dinner and watched The Servant with my mom and bro, and now here I am doing surveys and watching YouTube videos.

Pick a lyric, any lyric or song? Nah.

Pick a movie quote? Nah.

Do you believe that Walt Disney is really frozen? No.

Did you ever hear that myth? Yeah, I know about it.

When you get older, do you want children? I’m 31 and know that I don’t want children.

If not do you want cats instead? I want dogs instead.

Do you believe it's easy to forgive and forget? Not the forgetting part.

Do you ever wish your parents would disappear? No!

When you feel like running away from it all, who do you call? I don’t call anyone I just cry and do my normal go-to activities to try and distract myself and get through the day.

Do you speak any foreign languages? Not fluently, but I can speak a little Spanish.

Are you in high school? Nooo, I graduated over a decade ago. I’m old.

Elementary? Omg.

College? Nope, I graduated back in 2015.

How many stairs can you climb before you wanna pass out? Well, I can’t take the stairs at all since I’m in a wheelchair.

Have you ever kissed someone with braces? No.

Do you want to? That’s a weird thing to want to do lol. Like, you can not mind or not care if you did, but to be like, “I really want to kiss someone with braces” is weird.

What color is your shower curtain? Blue.

Do you own a wallet? Yeah.

Do you have any money in it? Nope.

Do you think you smell good? I smell my deodorant.

Do other people agree? Hopefully no one thinks I smell bad.

Do you think painting toenails is stupid? No? I don’t paint my toenails, but I don’t think it’s stupid to do so.

Do you enjoy school? I enjoyed aspects of it.

Why or why not? I’m someone who easily gets overwhelmed, stressed, and burnt out, but I enjoyed learning about the stuff I was interested in and not all the projects were bad.

Have you had sex in the past week? No. Or ever.

Is it awkward when you run into your ex? That never happens. We don’t live in the same city for one, but also I don’t go anywhere, ha.

Are you afraid of falling in love? Yes. I fell in love twice and was rejected and hurt, so not the best experience. But I think I’m more afraid the older I get, too.

Was your last kiss drunk or sober? Sober.

Do you remember who you liked in Year Seven? My best friend at the time, Kyle.

Are there any relationships you wish could have lasted longer? Ty and I never dated, but I feel like something could have happened between us. I feel like it was heading in that direction and if we had more time together... who knows. But things got messed up.

Will you get kissed tonight? Nope.

Have you had to have stitches at all in the last year? No.

How old will you be on your next birthday? 32.

Which is coming next: Christmas or your birthday? My birthday.

Have you ever stayed up all night and then gone to work in the morning? Not work, but school.

Would you pierce your nipples for $100? Nooo.

Have you ever dated someone who had a child? No. That’s not something I want, but that’s also something I worry about the older I get because it’s not uncommon for people my age to have a child, probably more, so finding someone who doesn’t may be hard.

Are you taller than 5’6”? No, I’m like 5′4.

Would you ever consider adoption? I don’t want children, I think I’ve made that pretty clear now.

How do you feel about your life right now? I feel good at all about it.

What’s the last song you listened to? I don’t remember to be honest. I haven’t been listening to music lately.

Have you ever been a clown for Halloween? No.

Is your hair longer than your shoulders? Yeah, it’s past my butt.

What time did you go to bed last night? Not until after 9AM. :/

When did you get up this morning? It was evening time when I got up at 5PM.

When was the last time it rained? A few weeks ago.

Are your fingernails painted at the moment? Nope. I haven’t painted them in years.

Do you ever go hunting/fishing? No. I have no interest in either of those.

When was the last time you went camping? Never. Not something I have any interest in doing either.

Are you currently wearing anything orange? Nope.

Do you know anyone who is a nurse? Yeah.

Are you currently wearing any jewelry? Nope.

Was any of it given to you?

If so, by whom? What are you looking forward to tomorrow? There isn’t anything.

Do you know anyone who plays guitar? Not that I know of.

How many missed calls have you had today? One.

Have you told anyone you loved them today? No.

Are you wearing shoes at the moment? No.

Does it snow where you live? No, sadly.

Do you live within an hour of the ocean? More like 2 1/2 hours.

Do you ever do things even though you know you'll regret it later? Yes. And not do things that I know I’ll regret not doing.

What are you currently sitting/laying on? My chair.

Have you ever dated a friend of one of your siblings? No.

How old is your oldest living grandparent? I think he’s 87.

Do you remember who you were dating in July 2006? No one.

Are you still dating that person? Yes, I’m dating no one. ha.

Who was the last non-relative of the same sex you had a conversation with? My doctor.

Last non-relative of the opposite sex? The nurse at my last appointment.

Do you tend to fall for people who don’t return your feelings? Yep. :/

Where do you go to school, if anywhere? I’m done with school. I wouldn’t give you the name anyway.

Do you have a job? No.

Where did you get the shirt you’re wearing? Hot Topic.

Are you left-handed? Nope.

Do you wear contacts? No, I wear glasses.

Who are your godparents? I don’t have any.

What do you think of winter? I love the winter.

Did you have an imaginary friend as a child? No.

Which parent do you look most like? My mom.

Ever been to Alabama? No.

Do you use eBay to buy or sell? I’ve only ever bought stuff on eBay.

Ever failed a test? Yes.

Do you have any friends who are famous? No.

Is your computer a laptop? It is.

Could you go the rest of your life without drinking alcohol? I’ve gone 8 years and have no desire as of now, so.

What did you dress up as for Halloween? It’s been a few years since I’ve dressed up for Halloween. I’m over that part of it.

Your most recent ex breaks down and tells you they love you, what do you do? Ha, that wouldn’t happen.

You and your last ex: who should hate whom? Neither of us should hate the other. Nothing happened to warrant those kind of feelings.

When was the last time you stayed at a hotel? Almost a year ago during my Disneyland vacation.

Would your parents be okay with you dating someone of another race? Yes.

Is your self esteem high or low? My self-esteem is shit. When was the last time you showered? A couple days ago.

Is music a daily part of your life? No. Especially not lately.

Yellow nail polish: yes or no? Sure.

Have you ever received a hickey from the last person you kissed? No.

What are you doing right now? This and watching a YouTube video.

What time did you wake up this morning? I didn’t get up until 5PM.

When was the last time you cried really hard? About a week ago.

Think of your last kiss, was it good? Yeah.

Have you held hands with somebody in the past three days? My doggo. (:

Have you ever held hands with the same sex? Yeah, my mom.

If the year consisted of only one season, which would you choose? Fall or winter.

What’s bothering you right now? My head hurts.

What were you doing at eleven last night? I was coloring and watching Sister, Sister. Lol, sounds like I traveled back to my childhood.

What was the last thing you drank? Water.

Are you wearing anything you borrowed from someone? No. All the clothes I wear are mine.

Have you ever kissed the last person you text messaged? No.

What side of a heart do you draw first? The left, I think.

Is there someone you will never forget? There’s a lot of people I’ll never forget.

Is there someone you don’t ever want to be out of your life? My loved ones, of course.

This time last year, were you single? Yep. I’ve been single for 8 years.

Do you listen to music when you’re down? I don’t turn to music anymore for that, I tend to turn to ASMR.

What is your mom saved as in your phone? “Mama Bear” with a bear and purple heart emojis.

When’s your birthday? July 28th.

Can a relationship last without honesty? I don’t know what kind of relationship that would be.

Do you curse in front of your parents? No. I’m a grown adult and still feel weird about it lol. And it’s not like my parents don’t cuss. My mom loves her f-bombs, ha. I’m just weird.

Are you short? Yes.

Did you have any unread text messages this morning when you woke up? No.

Which shoe do you put on first? I think my left.

Do you wish things were better? That sure would be nice.

What are your plans for Friday? New episodes of a couple shows I watch come out, so I’ll have those to watch. Otherwise, just the same ol’, same ol.’

Saturday? Nothing out of the ordinary.

Anything going on this week? No.

Do you find it hard to trust others? For me, it’s opening up to people that is hard for me.

Are you a patient person? No.

Do you laugh a lot? I haven’t had a good, real laugh in so long. I chuckle and do the blow air out of nose laugh, ha.

Do you know anyone with the same birthday as you? Yeah.

What color shirt are you wearing? Black.

What color are your pants/shorts? I’m wearing blue leggings.

Plan on getting married? No.

Do you believe that love lasts forever? Not always, but it definitely can.

Do you believe everyone needs a second chance? Not everyone, but generally. I give out many chances.

Do you want your tongue pierced? No.

Do you always answer your phone? When it’s my parents or brother.

What woke you up this morning? I haven’t gone to bed, yet, but most likely it’ll be my alarm.

What were you doing at 8:00 this morning? It’s only 12:33AM, but I hope to be asleep at 8.

Do you say "sexy" a lot? I like never say that.

Ever made out in a pool? No.

Do you like to have long hair or short hair? Long. I just wish I had the energy and motivation to style it and take better care of it. My hair is so long and all I do is throw it up in a bun all the time.

Where do you keep your money? In my bank.

What was the weather like today? It’s currently 57f.

Do you want to cut your hair? Just a trim.

Do you like sushi? Blech, no.

Are you over the age of 25? Yes. I’m 31. I typed 32 at first, I’m already aging myself up ugh. I have a few months until then.

Do you have a nickname? Just Steph and Sis.

Do you change your phone background a lot? Not a lot, but every few months I’d say. I really get into during the holidays.

Would you get back with your last ex if you could? No.

Do you still talk to the person you had your first kiss with? Nope. It’s been like 10 years since we’ve talked or seen each other.

How long does it take you to get ready to go out? Ha, my outings only include going to the doctor now, but it doesn’t take me long at all. I put in minimal effort.

Have you ever been strip searched? No.

#personal #text #survey #surveys #long survey

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chaotic---calm · 4 years

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The Bride With White Hair Review (and recap and reaction) (First-Time Viewing!)

Lien Ni-Chang – Brigitte Lin

Cho Yi-Hang – Leslie Cheung

Male Chi Wu Shuang – Francis Ng

Female Chi Wu Shuang – Elaine Lui

Ho Lu Hua – Kit Yin Lam

Hsin Cheng – King-Kei Cheng

Released in 1993. Directed by Ronny Yu.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHMi6fTOuic

**General note: I’ve seen variation in the character names used between different media. For full disclosure, I’m using the ones my DVD gave me, so apologies if they’re not strictly-speaking the most accurate. I cannot speak or read Chinese, so I just have to go with what I have. **

Time for another review! :D

As the title says, this was my first time ever watching this movie. I’d heard of the movie before, but only recently did I stumble across it again. After watching the trailer linked above, I knew I had to watch it. And one eBay purchase later, it’s mine! :D This movie was certainly…interesting, to say the least. Definitely not a bad movie, but it was weird, and yet, I ended up really loving it!

Right off the bat, I was getting good vibes for the movie from the music playing over the opening credits. Overall the music in this film was very compelling, atmospheric and moody. After the opening credits, we see an envoy of people approaching a person standing vigil over a special rose that only blooms once every 20 years.

The man guarding the rose is Cho Yi-Hang. When they ask for the rose, he asks what year it is, and he discovers that he’s been guarding the rose for 10 years. He tells them to leave, and when they persist about the rose and try to steal it, he kills them all.

"This rose is not for you.”

Cho acts as the narrator of the film as he tells his tale, and he reveals that he’s been guarding this flower these past 10 years while waiting for the woman he loves, and he wonders if she even knows.

Next we are taken back in time (to a beautifully shot scene, btw) to when Yi-Hang was a child and first began learning his fighting skills from his master. We’re told that his master tirelessly lectured him about right vs. wrong and how good and evil can never mix, which naturally is the main theme for the movie. What is right and wrong? What is good and evil?

“The sword protects the body, even from falling petals.”

At this point, the movie takes it’s time to develop Yi-Hang as a character. It’s evident from the beginning that he is a kind soul who tries to help others, even going so far as to rescue a lamb(?) (according the to subtitles; it honestly looks like a goat to me) from it’s owners to prevent it being slaughtered. As he tries to save the lamb, though, he’s pursued by wolves, one of only two things he fears (the other being lightning/thunder). Before the wolves can kill him, though, they are called off by a young girl playing the flute.

Honestly, such a sweet scene.

After passing out from exhaustion, he is found and cared for by a soldier who is not strict like his master (and I try not to let the alarm bells go off in my head at the sight of a grown man plying an ~9-year-old with alcohol), and from this man, Yi-Hang learns probably two of the most important life lessons he’ll ever hear: “Fear not the criticisms of others, as long as you are at peace with yourself” and “What kind of life would it be if you always have to look to others for approval? You’re better off dead.”

It’s apparent how much these two ideals have shaped the man Yi-Hang grows up to be as we see him having to answer for his crime of killing a man, only to find that he’d defended a family from him, saving the mother from being raped and the children from being murdered.

I love how when the family he protected comes to his defense, one of the kids even runs straight to him to hug him. It’s such an endearing touch and really emphasizes how good and well-liked Yi-Hang is.

We also need to take a moment to appreciate how hot Yi-Hang is. Look at that smile!!

When confronted about roughing up other young men from the other various clans (there are 8 big clans in total), he lists off their various faults as well: not paying after visiting a brothel, trying to steal someone’s farm, and using fighting prowess to harass scholarly folk. He’s interrupted by his leaders, but it’s already clear, Yi-Hang is a man of principle and conviction and will do the right thing regardless of what others expect of him. He’s sentenced to three days of contemplation with no water to pay for his crimes, and he shrugs it off like it’s nothing.

Another important character to look at now is Ho Lu Hua. She’s the daughter of one of the leaders, and she clearly has a crush on Yi-Hang, which he definitely didn’t reciprocate when they were children and, in my opinion, still doesn’t as a young man. Still, she persists, finding him where he’s meditating and giving him a jade pendant of her father’s and a quick kiss on the cheek before trying to leave. He catches her and…he tells her to cover for him while he goes to pee. :p The next time we see him he’s sleeping in a tree above a campfire, so I’ll just assume he ditched her to bear his punishment for him.

Quite a bit of the movie’s tension falls around these too, both because of her unrequited love but also because her father wants to break tradition and have her succeed as the new Chief after the current one, but the current Chief favors Yi-Hang and wants him in that role.

Our next critical moment is a scene of foreign beggars from Manchuria stealing food from the main group’s military, but before they can distribute much of it, the military men ride down on them, slaughtering everyone they find, with heavy implications that worst fates await any woman they encounter. The scene is rough to watch, and worst is watching a pregnant woman who has gone into labor and her husband desperately trying to escape the melee.

Pictured: S T R E S S

And now, we finally get a proper introduction to the title character of the movie, though at this point, her hair isn’t white yet.

For now, we only know of her as “the witch” or “the wolf girl” as she was evidently raised by wolves. This woman is a badass fighter who uses her hair and a whip as her weapons and who immediately just cuts a dude in half like it’s nothing! She cuts through them all like a knife through butter, including another man who declares he’ll cut her into nine pieces. Her response: doing so to him instead.

“Exactly nine pieces,” she says after destroying him.

Meanwhile, the pregnant woman and her husband have escaped, but she isn’t looking good, and the situation is critical. They find a campfire where Yi-Hang is sleeping in a tree, and beg him for help delivering the baby, a prospect he is not prepared for.

“You want me to deliver your baby?!?”

Luckily for him, the witch appears and takes control of the situation, delivering the baby while he supports the mother. Unfortunately, the trauma of the night has been too much and the mother dies, leaving her husband grief stricken….and Yi-Hang and the witch quietly having an intense moment at the same time.

Nothing like falling in love over a corpse!

All jokes aside, this scene is a great example of what I ended up liking most about the presentation of this film. Very often (and I have more gif examples to follow), the filmmakers choose to zoom in close on faces, especially on the eyes, which creates a more intimate setting and forces the acting to come through expression and gaze alone. In some ways it’s minimalistic, but in other ways, it allows the characters to express volumes more than they otherwise might be able to because we express so much of our thoughts and feelings through our eyes, if only people paid close enough attention. “The windows to the soul” indeed.

So moving along, despite his newfound infatuation, Yi-Hang is still considerate of the husband, comforting him that he still has hope because he has a son to care for now, and he gives the man the jade pendant that Lu Hua gifted him so that he’ll have the means to start a new life. At this moment, the witch flees, and Yi-Hang pursues. He finds her bathing in a pool in a cave and watches her in awe. I really shouldn’t like this scene (because spying on someone in the bath is a creeper move if ever there was one), but somehow the movie manages to make it endearing. And when she inevitably discovers him, she aggressively confronts him, and he just flirts his way through the whole moment.

The witch: “Anyone who sees me must be blinded.”

Yi-Hang: “Well, I’ve seen your whole body; must I die a horrible death?”

She receives a message to return home, leaving him behind. It turns out, our girl if from a cult in Manchuria, and their leader gets quite the introduction:

“Lord of the Supreme Cult, blessed by slaughter and bloodshed.”

The leaders are actually conjoined twins, both known by the name Chi Wu Shuang. And they are very fucking creepy. Not because they are conjoined twins (though I must say, what an odd/unique/interesting/different/? choice), but because they are dripping with madness. These folks are legit crazy, and it is unnerving. On top of all that, the male twin clearly has an obsessive attraction to the witch and is hella creepy towards her, and the female twin mocks him for his lack of romantic prowess.

They give the witch her next targets, one of which is Yi-Hang, which clearly shocks and dismays her, and shortly we also see a scene where Yi-Hang is reluctant to continue in this conflict, partially because of his infatuation with the witch. This is the point where I struggled with the movie. Maybe it’s because I’m aro, or maybe it’s because while I am an emotional person I’m also very logically minded when making important decisions, but swift head-over-heels falling in love like this is rarely convincing to me, at least, not in serious situations like war that lead to suddenly deciding to withdraw support from the people you have lived with your whole life with and should have the most instinctive loyalty for. I dunno. It’s fine, and as we’ll discuss later, the relationship eventually does become believable to me, but here I really had to struggle not to roll my eyes.

Anyway, Lu Hua confronts Yi-Hang about the jade pendant, demanding to know where it is. When he can’t produce it, she reveals that she has it and wants to know why he gave it away. He tells her that he felt the man needed it more, and she coldly informs him that she killed that man (and presumably the baby, though we’re never told his fate), and she makes it clear she no longer entertains feelings for him. It’s a rough scene, and Yi-Hang is understandably upset to hear that the man he helped has been murdered, especially after so petty a thing.

Tension in their clan continues rising as a leader for the force taking action against the cult must be decided, and once again it’s between Yi-Hang and Lu Hua. Yi-Hang doesn’t want the position whereas Lu Hua and her father do want her in it, but the Chief refuses to listen to either side and forces his way, insisting that Lu Hua be second-in-command.

A recipe for disaster if ever I saw one.

More intense focus on the eyes, and I am HERE for it!

Yi-Hang and his master discuss the situation later, and he tells his master he doesn’t want to be the leader because he’s afraid he’ll be forced to act against his convictions.

“I can’t believe being kind-hearted is a fault.”

His master scoffs and points out that their country is in danger from the cult and it is their duty to protect it at all costs, and he says that Yi-Hang has no other choice, that he can’t just kindly ask their enemies to spare them and their home. Yi-Hang says that he could leave and become a recluse, but it’s clear from the next scene that he doesn’t. Instead, he visits with his soldier friend, now a general, who looked out for him when he was a child. That man reiterates the same message as his master, saying, “Our duty as military men is to protect the land.” He also has some prisoners killed as a precaution in case they’re particularly dangerous, which doesn’t sit well with Yi-Hang.

Poor boy is facing a moral crisis.

I appreciate what the movie is doing here, and Leslie Cheung’s acting is excellent for portraying a kind person weary of the violent world he lives in; however, as is often the case, it feels like the themes are being dealt with too simplistically. Yes, being kind to other people is important and remorseless slaughter of people certainly should be avoided as possible. I’m sure most of us wish we could so easily be as altruistic a person as Yi-Hang is, but the pragmatism inside of me also can’t help but be frustrated with his stance here too. It is also a fact that threats have to be dealt with, and unfortunately war and killing is sometimes necessary to ensure the protection of your home and your people. It’s a difficult situation where everyone and no one is right at the same time, and to paint it as a “the hero is right and the others are all just mindlessly callous/cruel/evil” is a deceptively simple view that doesn’t work in the real world. But this is a movie, so let’s push all that aside and root for Yi-Hang!

After getting drunk and arguing with the people he’s supposed to be working with, including Lu Hua, their camp is attached by the cult members, including the witch. Yi-Hang and the witch engage each other in combat, and it is AWESOME! The cinematography of this moment is gorgeous and dramatic and intense.

Look at it!

Yi-Hang convinces the witch not to kill him, appealing to her to remember him.

Talking with the eyes again.

When she hesitates, Lu Hua shoots her in the back with a poison dart. Yi-Hang springs to the rescue, spiriting her away and back to the cave pond where they met earlier.

We next get a very intimate (and my favorite) scene of Yi-Hang calming the witch and treating her wound by pulling the needle from her back and sucking the poison free before they both collapse in exhaustion.

I can’t get over the attention to detail in the last gif that he takes care to cover her shoulder again when he’s finished, preserving her modesty because he is a truly good, considerate person!

And finally, finally, our leads get to actually spend time together, giving me a chance to get more on board with their romance and their feelings for each other. The witch reveals that she has no name, other than knowing that her family name is Lien. Yi-Hang is upset by this and insists that everyone should have a name, and he asks if he can give her one. She agrees, and he settles on “Ni-Chang” upon remembering her from his childhood (the young girl who saved him from the wolves). She is thrilled, and I must say I am too. I love the intimacy, connection, and openness of giving/receiving names in stories like this.

An important moment between these two is when Ni-Chang tells Yi-Hang that people always mistrust her, and she implores him to never treat her that way, that she needs him to trust her always. He immediately agrees, vowing that he will never let her down.

Me: *sensing the impending downfall*

They two decide they are going to run away together, and while Yi-Hang is asleep, Ni-Chang leaves him a note to wait for her, and she leaves to formally separate herself from the cult. Wu Shuang are livid, especially the male twin, who obsessed after her so much. Ni-Chang calmly asks what she must do to leave the cult, and the female twin says she knows what her brother wants.

Pictured: Me

The next scene is unspeakably creepy.

Thankfully, the female twin realizes that Ni-Chang is in love with someone else and uses the moment to mock her brother even more (they really are hateful as hell to each other), and the scene is stopped before it gets unforgivably horrific. Angry that she has fallen in love with someone else, they choose another punishment for Ni-Chang to endure in order to leave.

Stripped to her underclothes and forced into a walk of shame across a spikey, burning path (all after nearly being raped), and this woman can still silence a jeering crowd with naught but a single glare.

She’s being beaten as she goes and is not allowed to defend herself, and still she finds the resolves to continue

At this point, I’m muttering to myself that I’ll never forgive Yi-Hang if he fucks this up after she went through all of this for him....

Meanwhile, Yi-Hang is found by his people, and they are livid when he insists that he’s going to leave. They convince him that he owes his master an explanation before he leaves, and I lament to the heavens. Why, why, why don’t they just disappear into the night?! Why formally get permission to leave? Fuck honor! Just get out of there!

Naturally, he and the others arrive just in time to see a figure in white fleeing in the background and find that the master and several other people have been murdered. Yi-Hang’s friend Hsin Chen is barely alive, only lasting long enough to pin the blame on Ni-Chang.

Ni-Chang then arrives looking for Yi-Hang, wanting to take him and run away. But he resists and asks her if she killed everyone. She doesn’t directly answer, saying only that their dead don’t matter to her, that they should just run. Yi-Hang apparently takes this as a confession (*coughs* dumbass *coughs*), and he asks, “Why did you do it?”

Nooooo! Bitch, she asked only one thing of you: not to mistrust her!

And then it all goes downhill from here. Ni-Chang, shattered by the fact that Yi-Hang is doubting her and believes that after their declaration for each other she would come back and kill his people fractures her psyche, and her hair turns stark white as she goes mad with rage.

“Why didn’t you believe me?”

Augh, the anguish of this question, reflected perfectly in their eyes!

An epic battle ensues, and Ni-Chang kills everyone, including Lu Hua, except for Yi-Hang, who is only knocked out.

Damn. Hell hath no fury indeed.

When Yi-Hang wakes up, Ni-Chang is waiting for him, sword at his throat. He softly calls her name, and it’s clear he regrets his mistake, but she says only “She is dead,” before running away.

“Ni-Chang?”

“She is dead.”

He then sees a vision of his master who gives him the guilt trip of his life, except it isn’t his master, it’s Wu Shuang! It turns out they were the figure in white he saw fleeting through the room when he arrived to find the master and everyone else slaughtered.

The twins fight dirty, hitting him with a truckload of guilt first by forcing him to hallucinate his master and then Lu Hua, battering him left and right with their kung fu and magic. He’s no match for them and finds himself about to get his dick chopped off (no lie), when suddenly Ni-Chang swoops back in to rescue him!

Me: Yaaasssssss!!!!!!!

Even though I was struggling to be fully invested with their romance earlier, I cannot tell you how overjoyed I was to see her here. I was very strongly hoping that she would come back to save him despite how he let her down.

The final battle is great, and it features two of my favorite tropes: 1) a battle couple and 2) teamwork where the allies constantly look out for each other and protect one another. Ni-Chang and Yi-Hang work together beautifully, each fighting their best against the twins and always stepping in to either protect the other or pull the twins’ attention to them to spare the other a moment to recover.

Finally, while the twins are distracted with Ni-Chang (the female twin demanding that the male twin kill her, and him hesitating because he’s gross, but it saves Ni-Chang’s life so I’ll allow it), Yi-Hang manages to sneak up behind them, killing them by sundering their body where they are connected. Their death is quite interesting. They’ve obviously been unhappy throughout the movie about being stuck with each other and are consistently hateful to each other, especially the sister to the brother. Her dying breath is to berate him for being her downfall, whereas his is to marvel at how comfortable lying flat on his back is, seeming to find peace instead of regret in his death.

The ending of the movie caught me off guard, because Ni-Chang leaves immediately after the fight, and there is no reconciliation or reunion between he rand Yi-Hang.

We end with narrator Yi-Hang reminding us of the rose (I’d forgotten all about it at this point) and how he’s guarding it until it next blooms so that he can try to use it’s magical properties to save Ni-Chang from the madness he caused.

Final thoughts

First off, I have to gush about how much I love Ni-Chang and how her character was treated throughout. I love strong women who are capable fighters, but only when that holds true consistently. Quite often in movies, we are introduced to a woman who first arrives as a competent, badass fighter that is quite capable of taking care of herself. But then by the third act of the movie, because suddenly now a man has to be the hero, she is nerfed into being a damsel in distress, losing all of her battle prowess. Instead, Ni-Chang remains a fighter to the end, crucial to their victory, even riding to Yi-Hang’s rescue more frequently than he does for her. Representation like this fills me with joy. Also, she’s a fully fleshed out, realized woman. She’s a fighter, but she’s also soft, and emotional, and a lover. She’s not just stuck in a one-note stereotype.

I really enjoyed this movie overall. I think the relationship feels a little on the shallow side, but it is also only a 90-minute movie, not a long television series with more time to devote to building a relationship from scratch. I do feel like the actors had good chemistry with each other, and the soundtrack and cinematography held me enraptured the whole way through. I tend to like bittersweet endings, but I really did feel gutted at the end of this one to see them still tragically separated rather than able to stay together. I mentioned before in my review that I was eventually able to believe in their relationship later on; seeing them in the cave after Yi-Hang saved Ni-Chang from the poison helped, but it was actually the moment when she came back to rescue him that I fully believed that theirs was a relationship that was true and could last, so I was thrown off to see it still crumble even after they worked together to defeat their enemy.

When I bought this movie, I knew there was a sequel, but since I didn’t know if I’d like this one, I didn’t buy it right away. Given my feels at the moment, though, I absolutely must see the sequel and what happens for these two characters next. I’ve avoided all spoilers except to watch the trailer for the movie and carefully glance at the reviews. They range from some people insisting it’s an awful movie, to some saying it’s a fine sequel, to even a few saying that it’s better than the first, so I’m excited to find out what I think! I’ll be reviewing it as soon as I can get a copy purchased and delivered my way!

#Asian movie review #The Bride With White Hair #Brigitte Lin #Leslie Cheung #Francis Ng #Elaine Lui #Ronny Yu #movie review #first-time reaction

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