#especially rad old church art

[overly-dramatic-artist]

💖Week Two: Relationships💖

The primary relationship that overarches the entire story and evolves the most significantly is Angela and Bruno. From a young age, they declare each other to be the best of friends, almost always at each other’s side or poking gentle fun at the other. To be perfectly clear, neither see the other in any sort of romantic view for a long, long time, and even when it starts to develop, they are quite blind to it, brushing off their feelings as just being a very strong friendship. They have the kind of rapport where they can be talking back and forth over each other passionately without any sort of irritation, or sitting in complete silence together either reading or crocheting, just passing the time in the presence in each other’s company.

When Angela is 19 and Bruno is 20, their relationship….changes for lack of better words. There’s a spark. A shift in the stars. An awakening of senses that ties the strings of their friendship into an irreversible knot. And despite this ‘change,’ they still promise to remain friends and just friends; only friends. She is still processing the trauma of her last romantic relationship, and Bruno (who I HC as demiromantic) doesn’t really want to take the deep dive into romance. So, they are friends. Just friends…who happen to sometimes kiss and look at each other a little too longingly.

For a more immersive and in depth experience/explanation of their relationship, I suggest reading my fic Why did it have to be me?

Angela is also quite close with Julieta and Pepa, as well as Agustin and Felix. As young teens, Angela and Pepa are in the church choir together, with Felix and Agustin who act as instrumentalists for the group. Julieta and Bruno will occasionally be pulled into the musical antics. Of the sisters, Angela is probably slightly closer to Julieta, mostly for her ability to read Angel like a book and is able to hone in on what’s going on with the girl. Pepa on the other hand has her head slightly more in the clouds so to speak when it comes to understanding the shifting moods and feelings of her friends, mostly because she has such a huge responsibility already of trying to regulate her own emotions. Julieta has always suspected something going on between her brother and Angela, is eventually proven correct when the relationship becomes difficult to keep hidden. She was mostly just suspect of her brother harboring a bit of a crush on Angela, but just being in denial about it for many years to the point where it had been completely repressed.

(Forgive the old art, I definitely need to update these ones :0 )

Angel loves the Madrigal kids with her whole heart, and though she wouldn’t say it out loud, she considers them as her nieces and nephews (and technically speaking with the whole common-law marriage contingency, they *are* her sobrinos more so than her cousins kids). She is closest with Isabela and Dolores given that they spent more of their formative years with her more than the other kids, but if you ask her, she will adamantly deny having a favorite.

When they were little, Isa and Dolores loved when Angela and Bruno would watch them for an afternoon/evening, because they would make a production of keeping them entertained with outlandish stories, complete with melodramatic acting and costumes (they especially love getting into Angela’s wardrobe of fancy things, and Dolores especially loves Angela’s would-have-been wedding gown that she keeps tucked away in her closet, but when Dolores finds it and gushes about how pretty it is, she’s able to let go of some of the bad feelings surrounding it). The girls get involved in their fable telling, inserting their own takes of action into the plot (which is completely welcomed) (very much like that episode of Bluey with uncle Rad and Frisky). Once Dolores gets her gift though, loud and intense storytellings get overwhelming for her, especially with the addition of the other kids. So, from this point on, Angela would do private story-time for Dolores, most often done when she would braid her hair. Isabela, on the other hand, liked to take on a directorial role, and was adamant about her vision for plots. Early on, the girls’ favorite stories were La Fada Morgana and the tale of Ariadne.

Angela, for better or worse, sees a lot of herself in Isabela as she grows up. The pressure to be perfect and splendid all the time is far from unfamiliar for her, and she tries, though not terribly successfully, to curb the pain of having to fit into a predetermined mold by giving Isabela some creative outlets to express herself. Initially, Isabela is able to get some of her feelings out through art, but overtime becomes scared of the consequences for just having negative feelings, so she only ends up creating in a very limited manner.

Luisa was an armored by Angela’s dancing when she was very young. When Luisa was around four, Angela returned from a long trip wherein she had learned to dance the Bolero, and little Luisa fell in love with all of the twirls and movements of her tía’s long skirt and cape. Angel would take Luisa’s hands and spin her around the floor to the sound of Agustin’s piano playing, and lift her up in the air like a true prima ballerina. With Angela, Luisa was able to indulge herself in her desire for the soft and girlish things of life, like chiffon skirts the swish around when she spins and pretty ribbons decorating her hair in elaborate styles. Unfortunately, time for the frilly trivial things lessens as the demand for Luisa’s gift grows. When traveling, Angela tries to find little trinkets like earrings or hair pins that Luisa can wear will working so she can still feel some bit of fun femininity.

Camilo and Mirabel both thought that Angela and Bruno were married when they were itty bitty. It only got brought up at one point: Camilo had just turned five, Mirabel in a few months preparing for her gift ceremony. The family is in the dinning room/ kitchen, and Mirabel asks Angela why she never wears a ring like her mama or tía Pepa. She’s a little confused at first, like what are you talking about, why would I wear a ring? Cue slight tense atmosphere of gently explaining that they are in fact not married, and the awkwardness that ensues afterwards of the kids insisting that they must be married because they’re in love and if you’re in love you should be married. This adds a mountain of tension on the pair as well as her relationship with Alma, especially given she leaves for a long time after Mirabel’s gift ceremony.

Angela teaches Camilo to play guitar when she comes back from a trip from DR when he’s seven. She gifts him her old guitar, telling him it’s charmed to never go out of tune, but in reality, she and Félix take turns tuning the strings when Camilo isn’t looking. He doesn’t catch on until he’s thirteen.

She also teaches Mirabel to embroider when she returns from her first cruise six months after her gift ceremony. Mirabel is in a concerning depressive spiral considering how young she is, and Angela offers to take her out of the magic house for a little bit to be in her family’s shop. She tells her that she can find magic in the ordinary things and thus starts teaching her little thread decorations and embellishments. She’s able to cultivate a bit more happiness in Mirabel through crafts and tailoring.

Antonio, given his very young age, does not have many solid memories of Angela, but loves her regardless. When she comes back for Dolores’ wedding, he is still shy, but quickly acclimated to her presence (the rats have nothing but good things to say about her). She held him a lot as a baby, but her traveling and almost permanent move away kept her from being around when his consciousness evolved from baby brain to child-with-object-permanence brain.

Now for the enormous family tree!!!

The great grandparents don’t play much part in the story, so for sake of simplicity, I will skip over them. Quinuama Ixchel Maria Estrada - Villca Gonzalez and Raymundo Hernan Antonio Estrada - Rodriguez Villca are Angela’s maternal grandparents (they are primarily who raised Angel), who have children: Beatríz Adriana Pilar Carvajal - Estrada Villca, Naylay Ezekiel Hernan Estrada - Villca Ruiz, and Anamaria Yaamil Quinuama Morales - Estrada Villca. Beatríz marries Lucio Fernando Simoné Carvajal - Silva Estrada, and they have two children: Imelda Constantine Adriana Manuel - Carvajal Estrada and Dominic Simoné Lucio Carvajal - Estrada. Naylay marries Ramona Xiomara Laura Estrada - Ruíz Allard, and they have three children: Remedios Yoselín Magdalena Márquez Estrada Ruiz, Nicolás Raymundo Ezekeil Estrada Ruiz Vargas, and Narcisa Esther Xiomara Mendoza Estrada Ruiz. Anamaria marries Guillermo (listed below), and their only child is Angela Leilani Yaamil Morales Estrada.

On Guillermo’s side of the family there are the great grandparents Enele Aulii Taito and Kanani Sofia Anacoana Taito Flores Tuigamala, Chimalmat Itzamara Morales Canul and Matteo Guillermo Morales Delgado Canul. The two relevant children from these couples are Guillermo’s parents, Leilani Maria Onosa’i Morales - Taito Flores and Babajide Jacobo Matteo Morales - Canul Taito. Guillermo was distant from his family, setting out at a very young age to live with one of his uncles, Enele Kahiau Luis Taito Flores (Leilani’s brother) to learn the trade of raising goats. Enele sadly passed away years before the formation of the Encanto, leaving Guillermo to raise himself on his own since he was 16.

Of Angela’s five cousins (in order of age): Imelda Constantine Adriana Manuel - Carvajal Estrada, Remedios Yoselín Magdalena Márquez Estrada Ruiz, Dominic Simoné Lucio Carvajal - Estrada, Nicolás Raymundo Ezekeil Estrada Ruiz Vargas, and Narcisa Esther Xiomara Mendoza Estrada Ruiz; she is closest to Remedios. Narcisa, despite begin the closest in age, has an odd relationship with Angel from a young age, the two of them mixing like oil and water. Narcisa enjoyed teasing Angela as a child, and they would often get into little fights, sometimes escalating to crying and yanking on each other’s ponytails. Narcisa’s sardonic personality settled with age, and she became much kinder to Angela by the time she’s an adult. Remedios has a….reputation in town for her coquettish behavior and ‘revolving door’ of lovers. Angela is closest to Reme because of the older girl’s honesty and acceptance of things deemed ‘improper.’

Her relationship with her father is difficult to say the least. Guillermo became extremely detached and emotionally distant after the passing of his wife. He’s a man of very few words, even with his family. He’s one of those fathers who doesn’t want their kid to grow up, who would just keep them forever as a child if he could. It stems mainly from the fact that his wife died so young and seeing his daughter surpass his wife’s life breaks his heart.

Some other relationships include her three exes: Roberto Montoya, Aureliano Torres, and Esteban Cesare Moscote Suarez. Roberto is a sweet boy that Angela projected her desire for romance on to when she was 12 (totally based on my own experience of picking a relatively cute boy to have a crush on so I could feel normal) who was exceeding kind to her during their little relationship, but both ultimate decided that it just was not what either of them wanted, and Roberto came out to her saying that he had kind of done the same thing in ‘picking a sweet girl to project his feelings on to.’ Aureliano was the emotionally unavailable son of the cantina owners, who sauntered his way into Angela’s heart with a blasé smirk and several glasses of rum. She broke it off with him when a lie was revealed. Esteban was a seemingly kind gentleman who was the picture of perfection upon meeting him, but evolved into an extremely manipulative and abusive partner that Angela became engaged to after he put her on the spot in front of half the town with a proposal (Don’t worry though, she breaks it off after finding her strength).

I’ve probably talked way too long about this now :)

@encanto-extended-edition

[landwriter]

I saw this and thought “wow this is exactly the shit I adore I want to rub my hands over that engraving and SMELL it this is so far up my alley it’s inside my living room” then I saw the tag @verminetroglodyte put

the entire fic was just a psyop to spread my obsession you have it the wrong way around i wrote Saint Morpheus so you would think about pews

Church bench ends from 1530 depict two headed dragon under assault- Church of the Holy Ghost, Crowcombe UK 

[bustyasianbeautiespod]

to help answer the question of if catholic churches in the US are ugly...here of some pictures (from google) of churches i’ve been to. these are all in the same geographic area

this one is older, built in the 1880-1900ish. it’s considered the “nice” church people have weddings and baptisms at

this one is brand-spanking-new built in like 2012 i think? lots of people think the murals are stupid including my brother who loves to point out that the deer shouldn’t have both spots and antlers because when deer hit puberty and get antlers they lose their spots. 0/10 on the color scheme and like what the fuck even are those stupid peach/white stripes on the arches

no idea when this one was built. maybe the 1970s based on vibes

and this one is a very rad Irish Catholic basilica, even as an ex-catholic i can still appreciate the art and shit. built in 1890ish

overall i’d say the older ones are cool and the newer ones tend to skimp on the details like fancy light fixtures, stained glass, metalwork, etc. that give it a “catholic aesthetic”

My first reaction upon seeing this was “why is there so much blue⁉️⁉️⁉️⁉️⁉️“ since the color is not usually used in Philippine churches. We mostly stick with reds and browns and golds (although i only attend church when it’s a family obligation like during christmas and holy week, perhaps in other days they have different color schemes?)

Unfortunately, I can’t find any interior photos of most churches I wanted to show as an example. Here’s one that’s renowned for being our oldest church i think and being very baroque and very pretty.

pretty sure this was 1500s. you can see the place where priests used to stand to give their homily (the elevated brown stand on the right side) which im surprised to not see in even the older churches you sent. When we do visita iglesia during holy week (viewing seven churches in a row during holy thursday and good friday) it’s churches like this that we frequent.

I would say this is the usual color scheme i see, especially if they’re old. newer ones (built in the 2000s) fall into more minimalist designs of white and brown.

This is the church I did my first communion in.

it’s significantly less grand. finished in 1994.

anyway, this has been fun! especially where and how i grew up where even if you’re not particularly religious, catholicism still plays a huge part in your life, seeing how stuff differs in other places is super interesting! Thank you so much for sending this in!

-Grey <3

[jidai]

jidai’s budget mutuals/friends appreciation

Hi, all! I’m quite late with this but I decided to put a small friends and mutual appreciations post in hopes of brightening up the end of this year a little bit. ❤️ If you were tagged, please make sure to check below for a small little message from me. However, I want to make it very clear that I truly appreciate all of my mutuals. You guys brighten up my dash and always reblog or create so many funny and creative posts. I just wanted to give a few special shout outs to those that have taken out the time to reach out and interacted with me past my ask box or we just see each other often.

The messages are ordered by your URL, so you might have to scroll for awhile before you see your messages. I’m so sorry lmao. 

Happy New Years, everyone!

@25th​​, Nonnie, the Young Genius. bro, remind me how old you are 🧍‍♀️ Like my brain CANNOT fathom the thought that you’re so skilled at SO many things and you’re not even in your twenties??? PLEASE SPARE THE TALENT. i will even accept crumbs. But I’m writing to tell you that you are such a wonderful presence on my dash. I always look forward to your gfx. They’re so SO good and you’re improving from one post to another. Like WOW. Now, you’re even starting an art blog, too? You’re so dedicated to the arts. I respect that a lot. Your hard work and commitment will bring you very far in life, whatever you decide to do. 

I love interacting with you. You’re such a big sweetheart and full of positivity and energy. I look forward to seeing more of your art and gfx ❤️

@biscuitwalk​, Dann, the AK Wiz. Dann, I know you’re not as active on here so idk when or if you will ever read this but I want to say that I miss you and your creations so, so much. I will say it a hundred times over and OVER but you inspire me so goddamn much. You have no fucking idea. Your works are absolutely gorgeous and unique. I can look at it once and I can instantly recognize your style (and your cute lil’ pufferfish <3). The way you utilize colors and implement various techniques, shapes, textures into your work. Goddamn, you’re so good. I always look to your work if I ever need inspiration and they help me brainstorm. God, I wish I could put it into words how much I adore your works.

We didn’t really talk for long but you seemed like such a kind and fun person to be around. I wish you the best in your future endeavors, wherever you are. Stay safe <3

@elriccs, Mirai, the Short King. 🧍‍♀️ ok look I know, I know I’m TERRIBLE at replying to you and I’m so fucking sorry. I absolutely love to talk to you but my dumbass cannot seem to reply in a timely manner LASELKSAL. That’s on me and I gotta do better. Anyways!!! Thank you SO fucking much for always leaving such kind messages on my work. I swear to god you’re one of my biggest hype man and I ALWAYS look forward to reading your tags. They’re so funny and it makes me all tingly and happy inside. Bro, like, you just radiate big fun vibes, bro. I really hope that I can get to know you better so I can just insult you until it’s too late to walk away </3

And of course, let me also remind you that I love your works so much. They way that you utilize your textures and those muted colors... OOMPH *chefs kiss* I will always love--

@lockhvrts​​, Em the Soulsborne GOD. hi em 🥺 it’s been awhile since I’ve had a proper conversation with you and I hope you’re doing okay! I miss you and our conversations where we do nothing but geek out and complain about the game industry lmao. if you manage to read this, I just wanted to let you know I miss your presence here. It’s been kinda dull not seeing your beautiful soulsborne gifs and your game rants. Let’s catch up soon. <3 stay safe and well!

@nathanprescutt, Benn, the Man. BENNNNNNNN.  I love you a lot bro. I know we haven’t had long conversations for some time and I hope I can change that! You were my first friend on this blog and I will always appreciate it. I remember us just geeking out over your works and how I would always send you a gfx request like once a week LMAO. The one thing that I have always appreciated about you was the fact that you’re very opinionated (if not, very vocal on your stance on things) and you hold your ground. There were a few time where you encouraged me to speak on topics that I think I shouldn’t and that stuck with me for quite awhile. I’m still a nervous rambling mess when it comes to debates but just know that the one time you supported me to voice my opinion--I hold it very dear to my heart. 

While I don’t spend much time together, I will always remember our animal crossing session. It was  so much fun just trashing and chilling on your island. Especially the bar :( that bar was fucking AMAZING. Maybe once FFXVI comes out, we can geek out hehe

Also, thank you so much for sending in photos of all your doggos, omg. I miss seeing them so much I hope they’re doing well. Stay hot, my German bro lol. Ich bin sehr dankbar, so eine tolle Freundin zu haben. ❤️❤️❤️

@noxdivina​, Lin the Big Dick Daddy Kind. The church is open for business bitch and I’m here to preach the GOSPEL.

Okay, jokes aside, I’m really happy that we became mutuals. You’ve always give off this like, mysterious cosmic vibe (????? huh). And your selfies just further proves that you are wtf. But you’re always so kind to those that you interact with. You’re an absolutely sweetheart and like I just want to give you a giant hug every time we interact. You’re such a soft human being. It’s so nice being around you. It’s like being tossed in the oven and baked at 250 degrees F for 25 minutes. And to boot you’re really talented, hello? God really said let there be a perfect human being and yeeted you into the universe. Thank you for always leaving such kind messages and words in my DM/askbox/works. I cherish them so much. I hope I can get to know you better in the future bc you’re rad, bro <3

anyways, updated drawing of u and maya:

i always assume you’re in a black fur parka 24/7 and maya is coatless neck down. also deck me with those jacked arms of yours thanks  🧍‍♀️

(edit: fuck i forgot to draw a PARTY HAT ON MAYA IM SORRY)

@rokuseis​, Sei, the Dumber.

i have nothing to say to you go away you banana hater ASELKSAEKL

BITCH, you doo bee getting on my nerve 24/7/365 🧍‍♀️ you were an unexpected but a very welcomed addition to my life. I can’t believe we really went 1 fuckin’ year without speaking to each other and then suddenly our friendship blew up because over a stupid BANANA. Now you gotta deal with me and my stupid, random, crude ass messages daily. I cannot. Clown to clown communication. But thank you so much bitch for being there for me and telling all of these funny ass stories and life experiences.

I know I don’t say it a lot because when we talk it’s literally just dogs barking at each other but I want to make it clear now: I love your humor and vibe so much. You never fail to make me laugh anytime I talk to you and I appreciate it so much. I can’t tell you how many times I felt better after talking to you. Even though sometimes your fucking jab hits hard and I end up actually inSULTED BY IT. But thank you for becoming my friend and I look forward to all of our stupid moments together. Looking forward to shitting in your sink when I finally fly to your home <3

@wolfamongthem, Anna, the Grinch. Please don’t hurt me for that title. I'm just saying if someone needs a live casting, it’ll be u. Anyways, did you know that I was so fucking intimidated by you for a long ass time, even before we became mutuals aseljas LMAO. I always see your gifs around on explore and they’re so gorgeous and then I look at your text posts and it’s u roasting people like there’s no tomorrow- 🧍‍♀️ bitch I was SCARED OF U KSKS. Now that I’ve talked to you a few times, you’re really funny like where do you find those reaction memes????? Like bro you and your shitposts is my morning cup of coffee. 

Anyways, in 2021 I expect a full-fledge review of all AAA games from you-- no more shit talking in the tags let it all out BITCH. Thank you for being such a great mutual! I look forward to see what weird shit you will send me the next time we talk lmao

@zenien​​, Selm, the I’m-gay-for-Lady-Maria-or-anything-that-moves-in-BB-Bitch™. ok bitch if I’m being honest I wrote yours last so my brain is FRIED. so everything i say from here is raw from the HEARt cause that’s all I got left. But anyhow, we savin’ the best for last! honestly, i didn’t expect you to barge into my life like that. i really didn’t. i was just gonna keep admiring with my 7 feet (2.1336 meters) pole. I’m glad you made the first move because look where we are wtf 🧍‍♀️ friends??? I wouldn’t believe you if you told me that in 2014 when I first followed you lmao. 

You’re such a kind soul. I know you may disagree but I’m determined to convince you. I can’t tell you how much I want to thank you for taking the time to talk to me during my rough bits. It’s like sitting on a wooden bench in a park during sunset and you sit next to me, just enjoying the vast sky. You radiate such peaceful energy. It’s very calming. Or you know, 2 seconds later i’m suddenly suplexed by your 40 tons of insults like what-- 

Thank you for everything, so far. Truly. It’s been so fun listening to you talk about your Bloodborne journey and see your reactions live. It’s been so fun to see you post your graphics and it continues to blow me away. It’s been so fun hearing about your life and the stories of your adulthood. Every words that we have exchanged, I hold dearly to my heart--more than you ever know. Love u bitch.

[g0ldxplated]

My MANIA (era) experience

Now that all my FOB related shows are over and none are coming up in the near future, I thought why not look back on what has probably been one of the best years I was lucky enough to experience, all thanks to my favorite band and the people I got to meet through them.

It all began with the three small shows they announced in Europe. I had already booked a vacation to Japan, just two weeks prior to them releasing the dates. I already knew that I had to make it to at least one of them and while Berlin was out of the question since I wasn’t going to go to Tokyo just for a couple of days, I decided I would cut my vacation short and book another 16 hour flight from Tokyo to London, so I would be able to see them at least in Brixton. Prior to that, me and three of my friends had come up with the idea to design a flag, specifically for this show. 

Basically, what we did was to put the wave that had come around by the beginning of the MANIA era inside of the crown FOB logo.  Needless to say the show  (01/11/2018) was an absolute blast and by the end of it, we had our flag handed to Ranel in hopes he would give it to the boys. It was such a good time, seeing them after what had been more than a year and in a setting that was way more intimate than the venues they usually play in. After the show we thought that this would be the last we would ever see of our little project, but months later we would come to realize it would turn into one of the greatest memories ever.

Anyway, the day atfer the Brixton show (01/12/2018), the boys were playing a short acoustic set in Kingston, in a venue even smaller than Electric Brixton. They only played 5 songs (HMTOD, Sugar, Uma, Mmrs and Centuries) but I enjoyed every second and they seemed to be in such a great mood. Not to mention that it’s not every day we get to hear the acoustic version of those songs.

After these two special gigs, I already knew the MANIA era was off to a fantastic start for me and the adventures along the way would become some of my favorite memories. Shortly after, MANIA was released and the boys announced their Wrigley Field show, so me and a group of friends immediately decided to visit the US for the first time, as we couldn’t miss out on such a special show (it had been my dream to see them play in Chicago, their hometown for a long time). Additionally, we planned to attend 6 shows of their EU/UK tour and I spent months being excited for all that was to come. They went on to play in New Zeeland and Australia and what came next truly blew my mind. I saw footage from the first show that would kick off their tour over there and came across a very blury video of Stay Frosty. During that time they didn’t have the backdrop for it ready so the background image they used was a logo. But not just any logo, it seemed awfully familiar and I immediately thought of the flag we had made months prior. I couldn’t tell 100% if it was what we had designed, but I decided to take a chance and tweeted Pete about it to ask him whether it was inspired by the flag we had given to them in Brixton. What happened next was probably one of the best things that ever happpened to me.

Hours later, the FOB twitter account responded me, followed me and sent me a DM. Me and my friends were ecstatic and they promised to send a package to me that would include stuff for all of us. Little did I know how generous they would be. They even included a picture of the logo and one with Pete in it in their reply to me.  And I wouldn’t be disappointed. A short while before I was going to leave for my upcoming FOB shows, a gigantic package was delivered, including a signed copy of MANIA, the vinyl and Llamania for all of us and additionally stickers, bath bombs, a guitar strap, a Folie poster and the bobble heads. I couldn’t thank them enough for making this an absolutely incredibly memory for me to share with my friends, especially because they would use the logo as a backdrop during Church, meaning so many people got to see what we inspired and I had a chance of witnessing it with my own eyes during the EU/UK tour. The feeling of seeing it in person was incredible. Next, the EU/UK tour came up and I saw them in London, Amsterdam, Berlin, Hamburg, Munich and Düsseldorf. It was the best time I got to spend with friends, traveling to all these awesome cities and seeing our favorite band together.

It was bitter sweet when tour ended, but I knew I was going to see them again in Chicago and meanwhile decided to also see them at Leeds fest. I can’t thank my friends enough that always spent ridiculous amounts of time queueing with me, freezing with me, sitting through rain and cold wind, sharing stories and laughs together, only so we could rock out on barricade after. The whole experience was one I will always treasure. So up next was Leeds fest:

As always, the boys didn’t disappoint and Pete’s flame thrower bass made one of its first appearances. It was tough to last until FOB’s set, mostly due to how incredibly terrible some fans of certain artists behaved (I even cracked my rib from being crushed against the barricade as I found out once back home), but all the exhaustion was blown away the second they came on stage, opening with Disloyal Order, which had all of us emotional to say the least. Leeds happened around two weeks before our biggest FOB related adventure to date would begin and meanwhile I had started a small project months prior. I created a book filled with letters from fans all over the world, specifically about their very own MANIA experiences. I knew a lot of people wanted to be present for this big milestone the band was looking forward to, but couldn’t be, hence why I wanted to take a part of everyone with me to give to the boys. I had managed to snatch a Sunshine Riptide package for their Wrigley show, meaning I knew I was going to meet Pete and Andy at a m&g, so I thought I could hand the book to them in person.

This is us a couple of hours before getting on our flight to Chicago ♥

The Chicago trip turned into a little bit of a FOB tourist tour, meaning we went to the infamous Pick Me Up cafe and sat on the table they shot the cover of EOWYG on. The food was terribly delicious as well, so I can 100% recommend going there if you take a trip to Chicago.

All the days spent with so many amazing people in Chicago made the whole trip truly unforgettable. I’m so grateful for all of the friendships I’ve been able to make this past year.

I also got a tattoo done while there (not my first FOB tattoo but definitely one of the most meaningful):

What it means? Basically it’s inspired by Chicago Is So Two Years Ago, especially by the line “There’s a light on in Chicago and I know I should be home”. It just personally made a lot of sense to me to get a tattoo related to this song in this particular city. Inside the light bulb is part of the Chicago skyline and the coordinates are for Wrigley Field. Soon the big day came and I couldn’t contain my excitement, neither could my friends. I was stoked for the show, I was stoked to give them the book I had spent months on making. But mostly I was thrilled to finally, after 11 years of waiting, meet Pete and Andy. Especially Pete has been someone I’ve been looking up to for a long time, therefore I couldn’t believe it was going to happen on such a special day.

The m&g itself was rather short (sadly), though the boys were lovely and Andy said my KISS shirt was cool. 

I can’t even express how much I enjoyed the show itself. It was emotional from beginning to end and I did shed some tears. I felt blessed hearing Chicago Is So Two Years Ago and Lake Effect Kid in this particular place. Despite having been to quite a few FOB shows, this one will always remain one of my favorites, without a doubt.

Amazingly enough, Wrigley Field wasn’t the end of our FOB adventures. Remember the book I was talking about? During the m&g I wasn’t allowed to bring it with me and therefore couldn’t hand it to the boys in person. Luckily a lovely staff lady took a hold of it for me. Once again, I thought I had seen the last of it. But I was curious whether they had eventually gotten it or not (also felt a certain responsibility towards everyone that had contributed), so I tweeted Pete. After the show when we got on our Lyft back home, my friend suddenly told me he had replied! Though he commented on my tweet and said the book was rad, rather than answering my question as to whether or not he had gotten it. Still, I was happy.  A couple of days later I woke up to Pete having posted my book on his IG story! I couldn’t be more thankful, he’s truly a real one and made my heart super happy. So many people trusted me with their words and I decorated the book with my personal art, so it meant the world to me he cared enough to truly let me know he had gotten a hold of it.

The next day my friends and I had tickets for the MANIA experience. Yet another thing I feel incredibly fortunate to be able to say I saw in person. It felt like talking a walk through Pete’s head. We spent hours just hanging out, listening to the demos and songs they had available for people to listen to over headphones.

After the experience we decided to visit their old apartment, where everything pretty much began (the one where they also took the photo for their TTTYG album cover). This would be the last stop of our little FOB Chicago tour and probably the right place to visit last. I feel I kind of came full circle and couldn’t be grateful enough for everyone who made this trip truly special.

I pretty much thought that Chicago/Wrigley Field would be the last FOB related event I’d attend for this era/year, but then we figured out Andy was going on EU tour with his band SECT and immediately bought tickets. What can I say, no better way to let this era come to an end than meeting Andy at this show a week ago. We were the only FOB fans there so we got to talk to him for quite a while, which was refreshing since it’s pretty much impossible to spend more than 10 minutes talking to one of them unless you bump into them on the street. He was lovely, took a lot of time to talk to us, took pictures with us, signed my Wrigley ticket and even kept saying hi every time he walked past us. Once the gig was over he immediately came looking for us to hand all four of us one of his drumsticks. Andy is truly the sweetest and I’m so happy I was able to meet him in this very intimate setting (I don’t think there were more than 60 people). This year was certainly unreal and I can’t wait for next era.

Maybe it was all just a dream ♥

[oldbluethings]

Time for another round of extended author’s notes because I'm procrastinating ;) So, I'm going to talk about the first thing I ever published for this fandom...

*TW for discussion of rape/non-con, and other icky bad things*

First of all: What the fuck was I thinking?!

Actually, I know exactly what I was thinking back then when I started this monster. The first iteration was a short, crack-type fic. It was very light-hearted, almost a magical mishap-type story. And didn't have any of the darker themes—rape, betrayal, etc—in it, initially. 

Holy shit, that sure escalated quickly!

I've always sort of loved taking a crack idea, like mpreg—which is the best sort of crack—and trying to make an actual, serious story out of the idea. Like a ‘What if?’ exploration. It occurred to me right after I started writing this, that mpreg might be a crack-like story element in a lot of fandoms, but maybe not so much in the MCU (and comics) fandom, where magic could basically do anything. (And had already done everything in comics canon, PG-13 rating be damned!) So, my lighthearted fluffy story quickly grew serious. And got a lot longer as I decided to get fucking serious.

Guys, I really plotted this thing out! I just wanted you to know that for reasons... I don't plot a lot, but I do make outlines. But for this I needed a really detailed list of clues and characters and plot points before I felt comfortable writing anything. 

 This is where the ‘twist’ ending came from. I wrote a first draft, but it wasn't doing much for me. I felt the story needed a stinger in there, some kind of surprise. It was too straightforward at first, almost boring. In my first drafts, Stephen basically stumbled by accident into everything: the rape demons, the mystery of the missing people, the weirdo town, and the church, etc... The whole rape was originally a kind of hostage situation thing: where the trapped creature is the same species as the rape demons and they are willing to trade Stephen his life back (sans demon baby) in return for helping them. And now that I think about it... that's actually a pretty cool story. Maybe I should have stuck with that :/ 

Hmmm, moving on...

The pregnancy aspect was also just peripheral, at first—something he had to deal with on top of every other fucked up thing in his life—and resolved almost like an afterthought. Which... didn't work for me after I thought about it.

Choosing to make Wong the ‘villain’ was a tough decision. And I still don't see him as a straight-up villain in this. Like, at all. I see him as someone who had to make a tough choice—weighing the damage he would do to his friend with the possible fate of the world if the creature was controlled by the evil dudes. And I actually think he made the right choice. And Stephen does, too, even if he might not be ready to admit it yet. But I also liked the idea that if the two of them had just put their bullshit aside and talked about everything they had going on and joined forces, they could have solved the mystery another way, without having to resort to the trickery. And, now... They’re obviously okay with each other in the sequel stories. 

I actually love Wong and I hope I didn't trash him too much. I just feel like I should make that clear. 

The hardest part of writing this was trying to get down Stephen’s emotional turmoil in the aftermath of his rape. And the fact that he's forced to confront it every day as the demon inside him grows in this unnatural way. I hope I did all right. I struggle hard with the inner thoughts and feelings of characters—it's one of my weakest points as a writer. And I really hope my treatment wasn't offensive or insensitive. Some of what I put down is as close as I could come—using the written word, anyway—to my own experiences as a sexual assault survivor. (I feel like art, my first love, would be able to capture that feeling better because the event is still so abstract to me, like, ‘how can I put this in words?’) Just this weird numbness and distance from the fact, interspersed with moments of complete panic where you get terrifying flashes of the most random shit. I don't know if that ever goes away. I hope it does... It felt good to write it, like I was making someone else go through something so we could talk about it together later like buddies. So I guess that's my therapy. 

Fuck, that's depressing. Sorry 😐 

Anyhoo... Mordo is there being evil, but also oddly supportive and totally hot because I felt Stephen needed someone to bounce ideas off of. And, also, I really dig Evil!Mordo. I made him a little power hungry, almost like a vampire. Like sucking the magic juice out of people was kind of an addiction for him, but he wasn't willing to hurt Stephen yet. Especially when he was pregnant. A reader asked if that's was my original intent, even if I didn't follow through on that so much in the sequel, Spark and Fade. And, yeah, that's true: I basically abandoned that plot because it was dumb. And I'm glad I did. 

Uh... random thoughts... Detective McAllister is rad and she's featured in the sequel to Children of the Old Moon, which has been partly written but won't ever be published unless I can finish the LAST fucking chapter of that fic!!! 

Christine is awesome and capable. I love her as a best friend to Stephen and kick-ass doctor, just totally willing to roll with this weird-ass new life he has no matter how fucked up it gets. “Oh, you're pregnant now? Okay, have you picked an OBGYN?”

And... I think that's it. Thanks for letting me ramble on 😊

[garamondemagazine]

PROFILE: Alejandra Frank of Teros Gallery

Teros Gallery is a San Diego gallery supporting local and bi-national artists. They do exhibits, music shows, installations and contribute immensely to the SD local art scene.

Where are you from?

I was born and raised in San Diego, then lived in SF/Oakland for almost eight years. Pretty sure I left my heart there.

What is your background?

Family-wise: My mother is from what was once a small town in Nayarit, Mexico called Tepic. She moved to Guadalajara when she was seven. My dad was born in the Bronx to Russian/Romanian Immigrants who had fled to NYC as Jews escaping the Bolshevik Revolution. They moved to Binghamton, NY in the Fifties. My parents met in Guadalajara while my father was in medical school. They got married in Texas on Halloween and ended up moving to San Diego in 1972 when Fashion Valley was still grazing land for cows. Unfortunately, many of the important family members on my father's side had passed by the time I was born, and I was mostly raised around my mother's Mexican side of the family, a family made up almost entirely of artists.

Discipline-wise: I attended City College of San Francisco for several years, taking classes in Graphic Design, World Music, and Journalism. The need to work eventually lured me away from school, although I left with what was a good platform of skills and knowledge to inspire my desire to begin my magazine.

How did Teros Gallery start? What inspired Teros?

Having a workshop/show space was an idea marinating in my brain for a while. In 2011, some friends and I got together to create our first zine. "We are Speakers of an incomprehensible language" was our motto, something I had read regarding the Sioux Tribe. This was a group of artist friends coming together to do things for the sake of art/storytelling, riffing off a feeling for the need to create. These issues would come out about every other month, depending on when I could scrape/raise enough to print them. I insisted on the zine being free.

After the 3rd issue, I organized our first fundraiser in San Francisco. We had the show at a convent where my friend, Drew Fehlman was living. Drew built these bizarre, impressive wood panels to hang art on. All of the artwork was inside the church meanwhile bands/music were downstairs in the basement. It was a pretty amazing and exciting experience, especially since it was our first show. From then on, we kept doing events in different spaces, tying together and curating a subversive blend of music and art. I wanted to avoid having shows at bars and be as innovative as possible.

it was important for me to be consistent and never give up on making magazines, it was one of the only things that made me feel like I accomplished something. In 2015 I was going through some tumultuous times. We had to move out of our place in Oakland. I decided to quit both my jobs (Shout out to Little Star Pizza and Children's Creativity Museum) and focus on other aspects of my life. I ended up surviving without a home and doing odd jobs for over a year.

In the midst of this endeavor, my friend Amanda and I went to Tijuana to visit our friends Celeste and Aaron who were painting a mural outside of "Out Here". That weekend was very special and inspiring for many reasons. This was the same weekend I completed the 11th issue of Teros Magazine. On our way back from the border, Amanda asked me what my intentions, were for Teros. My response, was "I want a space, warehouse, any type of physical foundation for I'm doing." She immediately took me to 3888 Swift Ave. Her friends were living in a house behind an old Palm Reading place that was pretty much abandoned. I had the vision of art hanging on the walls, a place to create, meet people who are like-minded, play music, record, hang out, engage in the community, and most importantly, a safe space.

Thanks to all the amazing people that helped manifest this vision! You know who you are : )

Are you an artist yourself?

I grew up with a family of artistic freaks, the best kind of freaks. My mother was always painting or playing the piano. She is very generous with her materials and encouraged us to be artists. Her famous quote is "USA la Cabeza," or "use your head," artistry can be used to solve almost any situation. For a while I didn't understand the formal, collegiate concept of "art" but I always gravitated towards the weird shit, the mysterious, the psychedelic... the dare I say.. "artsy.." The creativity involved the music I listened to, the way I dressed, and my journals filled with scribbles and rants. I wasn't producing art, per se, but it became a part of everything I was into. Once I left San Diego, I felt more comfortable being myself and exploring my identity, realizing that being an artist could be more than producing original work. That an artist can be someone who chooses to live their life artistically, who reveres the importance of the senses and the exploring/pushing of cultural boundaries. I do feel what I do with Teros, both on paper and in the gallery, is an art. It takes a creative flair and knowledge to curate and organize an experience that itself is an original work (whether it be an art show, a musical performance or film screening).

Does teros have a mission?

Teros is a place for creation, a workshop for the realizing of dreams and a haven for community-based artists to thrive. Our mission is to do good for our neighborhood, to give the artist's a place to have a voice and to hold a place and a space for new and exciting Art and Music.

What do you think differentiates teros from other galleries in San Diego?

We transform the space as much as possible. We step out of the boundaries and keep it DIY. Due to the size of the gallery being so small, we have the advantage of being able to really play with the space, to take artists' rad ideas and make them happen! For instance, Melissa Walter, a former resident artist at NASA created a black hole in the corner of our gallery space using light-absorbing black paint and thread. It was like something out of 2001: Space Odyssey! And "Yenta" painted every wall with tall figures and designs in black, including a white flooring to give it a warped fun house feel. We don't focus on gaining capital with our shows; I work at a restaurant which pays for most of the expenses! But I enjoy the hustle.

What do you think about the art scene here in San Diego?

I feel incredibly lucky to be here, a place surrounded by truly inspiring people making incredible things happen. However, sometimes it feels like we are going in circles like we are doing things for our group of friends. I think a lot of San Diego is enamored by all the breweries suffocating our city and don't want to scratch the sun-soaked surface. If you dig deep, there's something very special. Just keep digging.

I think, the most recent show at SDAI, "Millennial Pink", was a turning point for San Diego.  The exhibit was centered on the beauty and emotions invoked from our queer culture.  Located in Balboa Park, many tourists from all over visit and get a chance to expose themselves to something different, and innovative. I think that says something.

How do you find the artists that show here?

I started showing artists I've published in Teros Magazine, including friends and family.  Since then it's been a domino effect. The space became a meeting ground for creative, like-minded people. Nowadays, you can find new artists on social media and they can find you, so that's also a nice thing.

Any upcoming projects?

I'm currently working on the newest issue of Teros.  The cover is set to feature one of my favorite visual artists, Davor Gromovlic, from Sombor, Serbia. Davor's work illustrates an incredible folklore tale, characters amongst nature cohabiting with extraterrestrial figures. I'm excited to see what will happen with this issue. Hopefully, it'll be complete by our two-year anniversary party in late October.

What is your message to the world?

Sometimes, your actions are your message. I am holding this gallery space for something I value as dearly as Art and Music because I think the world needs it. That's my message.

To find out more about Teros gallery and their upcoming shows you can check out their Instagram: @terosgallery or check out their space in San Diego!

IG:@lesfeminin

www.lesfeminin.com

[crystalsoul16]

Answer all the questions, mwahaha >u

Get to Know Me

Oh geez

okay, challenge accepted, let’s do this!!

I’m putting this under a cut for length tho lol

1. What is you middle name?My middle name is Ryan c:

2. How old are you?I am 24, but definitely don’t feel like I am >->

3. When is your birthday?July 11th! Best way to remember is that it’s also free slurpee day at 7-Eleven lol

4. What is your zodiac sign?Cancer

5. What is your favorite color?various shades of blues and greens. Hard to pick just one ^^;

6. What’s your lucky number?16~

7. Do you have any pets?I have three dogs (two beagles at my mom’s, one undetermined breed (assumed belgian malinois?) at my dad’s), and three birds

8. Where are you from?I live in the state of Virginia, USA

9. How tall are you?5′2″, making me the shortest person in my family T^T

10. What shoe size are you?Depends on the brand, since I have 6 ½ boots that fit just fine, but also have a pair that’s a size 9. So it’s kinda hard to say ^^;;;

11. How many pairs of shoes do you own?I have 8 pairs of shoes, but really only wear one ^^; I got a new pair of shoes for Christmas that I want to use tho!

12. What was your last dream about?…..crap, I don’t remember

13. What talents do you have?I feel like my drawing skills are pretty good, and one of my instructors at school told me I’m good at video editing. I really wanna play with that skillset more and get back into making AMVs one day, and of course continue improving my art skills

14. Are you psychic in any way?If I am, I’m not aware -shrugs-

15. Favorite song?oh gosh, I have so many it’s hard to pick one… At this current moment in time though, the one that is standing out in my mind is Strike Back by BACK-ON, which is the 16th opening for Fairy Tail

16. Favorite movie?Again it’s hard to pick one, but Brother Bear is jumping at me, so I’ll go with that for now lol

17. Who would be your ideal partner?Okay, um… Well, they definitely need to like animals, cuz I do not trust people who don’t like or respect animals. They also need to like video games. Considering I spend a lot of my time playing them, and really hope to one day be involved in video game production and/or design, I feel like my partner should also have an appreciation for video games. Plus ideal casual date is cuddling on the couch and playing games together, so a shared love of gaming kinda feels like a must ^^; Plus with online games we can still hang out even if we’re not together so yeah. Video games. Also liking anime would be great, since I love watching anime and going to cons and cosplaying (oh shit couple cosplaying tho yes plz~!!) so sharing an interest there would be great! Plus then if we’re not in the mood to game, we can just cuddle and watch anime. Also having a genuine kind and caring soul is a must. Those are probably the most important points, but I guess it’d be nice if they’re also in touch with their youthful side. I can be a wee bit childish at times myself, so I just wanna make sure I ain’t gonna be judged if I decide I want to eat dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets or cuddle with a plushie lolol Also, not a requirement, but willing to do stuff in the kitchen together would be nice~ And not judging me for watching cooking competition shows every so often would also be nice >->

……..or honestly, just be Yoosung >->;;;;;;;;;;; cuz it’s honestly startling to me how fuckin’ close that guy is to an ideal for me. And by close, I mean he is -hides face in hands- but of course, he’s fictional. So once again, fictional characters setting the bar high… -facepalms and sighs heavily-

18. Do you want children?At this current point in time, no. I’m still too much of a child in my own eyes to consider being a parent to anything that isn’t covered in fur or feathers. Maybe someday in the future, I will. 

19. Do you want a church wedding?Not sure, honestly. It would also depend on what my partner wants. All I know is that a fantasy theme would be rad!!

20. Are you religious?Not entirely. I mean, I do believe that there is some sort of higher power, but I don’t really do much beyond that. I know there’s a term for it, but I can’t remember what it is right now

21. Have you ever been to the hospital?Once, when I was little. I think I was five? I think I blacked out though so I don’t remember much about it. Otherwise, I’ve only been to visit someone or sit in the waiting room while waiting for someone who was admitted.

22. Have you ever got in trouble with the law?Not yet, and I hope to keep it that way!!!

23. Have you ever met any celebrities?Do anime voice actors count? Cuz I’ve met a few at cons before, but I’m not sure if those count ^^;;;

24. Baths or showers?Personally I prefer showers

25. What color socks are you wearing?White

26. Have you ever been famous?Nope, and I’m totally fine with that. Too much attention makes me nervous lol

27. Would you like to be a big celebrity?As said before, I’m good without that sort of attention.

28. What type of music do you like?I tend to listen to rock music a lot, but I’m open to listening a lot of stuff. Especially video game OSTs and Fantasy/Celtic stuff!

29. Have you ever been skinny dipping?No I haven’t, and I think I’m too shy and don’t like my body enough to ever be comfy doing that ^^;;;;;;;

30. How many pillows do you sleep with?Three

31. What position do you usually sleep in?I’m usually on my side or stomach, and I’m pretty much always hugging a pillow or plushie when I fall asleep

32. How big is your house?Well, my mom’s house is bigger than my dad’s. That said, neither are very large really… My mom and I keep saying how we wish this house had more closet and storage space… And at my dad’s, my room isn’t even attached to the house lol. My brother took my old room, so I now have the small mini-house thing right next to the pool. It’s got a bathroom, a counter for a microwave by the door, and a small bedroom. I like the privacy it has though!

33. What do you typically have for breakfast?Sadly, I often skip breakfast because I rarely wake up before noon lol. When I do have breakfast though, it’s either a bowl of cereal or a bagel with cream cheese

34. Have you ever fired a gun?No I have not

35. Have you ever tried archery?No, but I want to so baaaaaaaaaaaad~!!

36. Favorite clean word?solely because of my bro saying it in a ridiculous voice, biscuit

37. Favorite swear word?Fuck, because it’s the one I use the most lol

38. What’s the longest you’ve ever gone without sleep?Over 48 hours. I had three final projects due, two of which I had to paint, so I stated up two days straight to finish them, and didn’t even fall asleep before going to school. That said, I don’t remember how late I stayed up including class, but due to class time, it was probably another five or seven hours… And it was misery. 0/10, would never recommend

39. Do you have any scars?I do have a small one next to my left eye from when I got bit by a dog when I was five, which was the cause of the hospital visit mentioned a while back

40. Have you ever had a secret admirer?umm……not that I recall, no

41. Are you a good liar?It depends. Sometimes I can be, but sometimes it’s easy to catch me. That said, I don’t like doing it

42. Are you a good judge of character?Not sure, honestly -shrugs- I like to assume I am, tho

43. Can you do any other accents other than your own?I can try, but they probably sound horrible XD

44. Do you have a strong accent?I was once told that I had a southern accent, but I’m not exactly sure. Sometimes I may slip into an exaggerated one, tho

45. What is your favorite accent?I’m a fan of a lot of accents, but I’ve always had a weakness for Australian! Probably because I grew up watching Steve Irwin all the time so I developed an early fondness for it lol

46. What is your personality type?INFP

47. What is your most expensive piece of clothing?I’m not sure, to be honest. I tend to be satisfied with “cheap” clothes, like at walmart or somethin’, so I’m not sure…. If I had to guess…it’s probably my Organization XIII coat

48. Can you curl your tongue?yurp

49. Are you an innie or an outie?Innie

50. Left or right handed?Rightie

51. Are you scared of spiders?Hell yes >~unless they’re spiders in pokemon, which always tend to be my favorite bug types for some reason lolol

52. Favorite food?shit, I dunno, I like a lot of foods….. I’ll just say pasta and be general about it lol

53. Favorite foreign food?dude I fuckin’ love me some mochi~

54. Are you a clean or messy person?Very clean when it comes to organizing files. Very messy otherwise

55. Most used phrased?Lately for some reason I’ve been saying “Oh dear” a lot and I have no idea why XD

56. Most used word?probably fuck

57. How long does it take for you to get ready?On average, to get ready in the morning takes me about half an hour, and most of that time is spent waking up =_=

58. Do you have much of an ego?I have no ego whatsoever. I could honestly use more of one, even just a small one to give myself at least a little confidence lol

59. Do you suck or bite lollipops?I try to just suck, but I tend to bite :/

60. Do you talk to yourself?always

61. Do you sing to yourself?sometimes, if no one is around to hear me >->

62. Are you a good singer?not at all lol

63. Biggest Fear?honestly, being disliked. I know I shouldn’t worry about what people think of me, but I do worry about people close to me finding me annoying or coming to dislike me for some reason.

64. Are you a gossip?nope

65. Best dramatic movie you’ve seen?Either Gran Torino or Forrest Gump

66. Do you like long or short hair?On myself? I used to always keep my hair very long, and just recently decided to try shorter hair. And I actually really like it on myself! In general though, I’m good with anything~ You do you~

67. Can you name all 50 states of America?yup. I don’t feel like listing them all, if that’s what you’re asking, but I do know that one song that lists them in alphabetical order, so yup

68. Favorite school subject?hmmm…. In school, I tended to like math best, since I was pretty good at it

69. Extrovert or Introvert?I am without a doubt an Introvert

70. Have you ever been scuba diving?nope

71. What makes you nervous?everything. My anxiety has me in a nearly constant state of nervousness lol But especially being in social situations that involve talking to strangers!!

72. Are you scared of the dark?hmmm….. I mean, I can sleep in the dark if needed, but I prefer having some sort of background noise, usually a TV

73. Do you correct people when they make mistakes?Depends on the mistake. If it’s a typo, then no. If it’s a pokemon type advantage or something like that, hell yes.

74. Are you ticklish?uhhhh;;;;;;;; yeah, I am, but I highly recommend against it, cuz I have kicked people in response before out of reflex >-> that and I’d just rather not be tickled plz >->;;;;;;

75. Have you ever started a rumor?nope

76. Have you ever been in a position of authority?no, and I don’t want to be! I’d rather be a follower than a leader!!

77. Have you ever drank underage?nuh-uh

78. Have you ever done drugs?no

79. Who was your first real crush?umm………I cannot remember, honestly…

80. How many piercings do you have?none

81. Can you roll your Rs?no, but I tried so hard to before… and my family rubbed it in that they could and I can’t so fuck :c

82. How fast can you type?I just took a quick test and averaged at about 40 WPM. Not sure how fast that is lol

83. How fast can you run?not very

84. What color is your hair?Naturally dark brown, but I like coloring the ends! So far I’ve done green and a sort of minty aqua, and I’m thinking of doing a light violet next, but I’m not sure yet

85. What color is your eyes?Hazel

86. What are you allergic to?nothing that I’m aware of

87. Do you keep a journal?nope

88. What do your parents do?My mom is a middle school teacher, and my dad does some sort of IT work

89. Do you like your age?well, I have no qualms with being 24. I just don’t feel like I am is all, lol

90. What makes you angry?Cruelty and unfairness

91. Do you like your own name?Yup~

92. Have you already thought of baby names, and if so what are they?I did at one point, but I’ve forgotten them by now lol I’ll give it more serious thought if the time comes around

93. Do you want a boy a girl for a child?I honestly have no preference

94. What are you strengths?I tend to be open-minded and empathetic, so I can understand others pretty well

95. What are your weaknesses?My anxiety and low self-esteem are not helpful lol

96. How did you get your name?……I honestly don’t know. I think my parents just liked the name lol

97. Were your ancestors royalty?not that I’m aware of

98. Do you have any scars?wasn’t this asked before…? -scrolls up- ….yup, number 39. Oh well, I’ll copy and paste it~ I do have a small one next to my left eye from when I got bit by a dog when I was five, which was the cause of the hospital visit mentioned a while back

99. Color of your bedspread?My sheets have a black and white pattern on the front, and a solid light green on the other side. Same for the pillows. The other sheets are white with a grey pattern

100. Color of your room? My walls are a beige color, and I have a hardwood floor

[dusudaunord]

Romance is in the air in Montréal

Montréal is made for lovers – it’s got a little touch of Europe, fine dining galore, entertainment options for DAYS and tons of hidden gems that will feel like your own private discoveries. It’s the perfect spot for a romantic weekend getaway, a Valentine’s Day jaunt or a marriage or proposal destination, no matter the style of moment you’re looking for! Curate some of the suggestions below into the exact type of romance you want – because whether you’re after something quiet and intimate or loud and exciting, we’ve got just the #montrealmoment for you.

Romantic feasts

Woo your love with fine dining at Maison Boulud, which puts on the ritz for Valentine’s Day and every other day at the Ritz-Carlton Montréal, as does Toqué and Mercuri, both in Old Montréal. Other memory-making options include 400 Coups, Le Quindici or Branzino, or, on beautiful Laurier East in Outremont, Leméac or Chez Lévêsque. Vegetarians like quiet tête-à-tête too, right? Reserve a table at Chu Chai (vegetarian Thai at its most refined), Sushi Momo (all vegan, hyper creative sushi) or the casual Lola Rosa. And if you take in the nightlife, what could be more romantic than a 4 am poutine for two? Try La Banquise or Chez Claudette.

The scene at the mountain this evening was pretty idyllic❄️

Une photo publiée par Michelle Karpman (@thephotofaerie) le 25 Déc. 2016 à 20h08 PST

Fresh-air fun

Get your heart pumping for all kinds of reasons with a night-time snowshoe excursion up Mount Royal, organized especially for Valentine’s Day by Amis de la Montagne. Cross-country ski lovers, head out to Parc Jean-Drapeau for a beautiful half-day on the trails. A walk through the city could also be amazing fun: Cité Mémoire will educate as it amazes with its artful projections on buildings. Nestle up to each other in the back of a horse-drawn carriage as it tours Old Montréal – you can grab your ride across the street from the stunning Notre-Dame Basilica.

Relaxation nation

To soothe sore muscles and indulge the senses, Strom Spa awaits with its splendid water treatments and selection of massages; if you book during Valentine’s, don’t forget to enjoy a couple of glasses of bubbly. Spend the evening relishing the Valentine’s Day spa package at Bota-Bota, where a three-course meal with live cello music follows the relaxation of the water circuit. To primp up and prep for a big night out or to indulge in a few other otherworldly couple options, try one of these expert spas.

Découvrez les exposants de la 6e édition de Je t’aime en chocolat sur http://ift.tt/1Fm5dWr sous l’onglet “Marché du chocolat”. #JTMEC se déroulera du 10 au 12 février 2017 au Marché Bonsecours #Montreal

Une photo publiée par Je t’aime en chocolat (@jetaimechocolat) le 16 Janv. 2017 à 13h32 PST

Shop hopping

Shower each other in gifts from unique local designer shops like Old Montréal’s Denis Gagnon, Rad Hourani, U&I and Espace Pepin, or in Mile End, Unicorn, Citizen Vintage and Les Étoffes. You’ll find world renoened labels at the tawny Holt Renfrew or Ogilvy downtown, and along Laurier Street in Outremont. If the time has come for proposals, you’ll find unique Montréal-made fine jewellery at Birks or Ecksand, who specialize in engagement rings. More in a chocolate and roses mood?

Maison Christian Faure makes gorgeous chocs, or, if you’re in town around Valentine’s Day, you’re just in time for the festival of all things chocolate: Je t’aime en chocolat, at Marché Beausecours, a cool couple’s outing in itself.

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the #heart #helenkeller #montreal

Une photo publiée par Piero ☕️ Baristello™ (@baristello) le 17 Janv. 2017 à 12h42 PST

Cultural exploration

Soak up some artful culture downtown at the Musée d’art contemporain, at the Belgo (home to dozens of independent art galleries) or at Phi Centre, where you can take in indie music, exhibitions, films and shopping at the super cool Rhinocéros boutique. The great Chagall exhibition at the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts is also worth a visit. Cuddle up in a movie theatre at Cinéma Banque Scotia on Ste-Catherine Street before dinner at the completely unique Foodlab, at the stunning Société des arts technologiques (SAT), followed by a performance in the immersive Satosphere downstairs. Classical music lovers might prefer a night at Maison Symphonique, at Place des Arts. For local indie music, saddle up to the bar at one of these fantastic indie music hot spots.

About last night! #valentinesday #dinner #concert #jazz #soul #show #love #mtl #montreal #church #music #magic

Une photo publiée par MH Glad (@mhglad) le 15 Févr. 2016 à 16h02 PST

Nightlife excitement

Express your feelings with a little groove. If you’re into a classy jazz flavour, you won’t want to miss the V Day celebrations at Le Balcon; if you’re more into a 2/4 beat, there’s Newtown, Buonanotte, Moomba or the iconic Time Supper Club (located in a1930s bank building). Then it’s real dance time: The massive New City Gas in Griffintown always hosts great international guests to get the party going. Downtown there’s Stereo, Circus and Club La Boom; in the Gay Village, good lovin’  times live at Club Unity and the Sky Complex.

Up next:Montréal’s best chocolate shops

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