#go west jk studios

[unfriendly-neighborhood-feminist]

so excited for this movie, these people shaped my childhood. i hope to convince at least 3 (three) people to watch it.

[notanartificialintelligence]

was anyone going to tell me that the Narrator in "Go West", made by The OG Cast of Studio C,

is fucking TMNT 12 Rapheal

or was I supposed to find out bc I thought his name was familiar

[christina-sonikkukokoro3]

My dad, brother, and I went to see the JK Studios (a.k.a. the original cast of Studio C) film, Go West! See my full review on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/christina.burggraaf/posts/pfbid0KBcgts3jatb3LsG6YFqLHZ6uiDMFETn6SGqSTG1ioT3xfwnMBdjotmVQu8RF4vKZl

[struggle-but-its-all-ocean-floor]

I know all of this has been said before, but I'll just say my piece about the JK situation. There are two bad takes I keep seeing - one is petty, the other too absurd to comprehend.

1. Jungkook is getting preferential treatment and Jimin was screwed over.

Two points: 1. Regardless of the fact that we don't know how many radio spins Seven will get, people are seriously forgetting that Scooter Braun isn't just "involved". He literally claimed the song as his project. He tagged "sbproject" on his IG post of himself, Jungkook, Bang PD and another producer in a recording studio in LA, plus his team produced the song, not BH. He also hyped up the song recently saying we had no idea what was coming. Now, does he seem like the type of man to hype up songs only for them to flop? Especially since he must know Jungkook can't rely on album sales this time? Ariana, Bieber and Taylor are incredibly successful artists. This wasn't just a case of him celebrating the achievements of an artist under a sibling label (like his post about Jimin's BB achievements). He's all but claiming responsibility for the song's success and giving us the SB guarantee that it will be a hit. I don't know if he hypes anything up, if he lies, etc., but all of this shows Seven is being released under different circumstances. When it comes to promo, maybe BH's in charge, but in the West, it seems SB is handling, or exerting his influence in, some aspects. My point is, this is not BH Labels's doing imo. They're not choosing to do payola or whatever for Jungkook and not Jimin. And, 2. This may be beside the point, but fans claiming LC had huge radio potential... I'm not sure it did? If more people listened to it, it would've performed even better, of course, but I'm not sure it had the potential to perform like the English trilogy. LC is The Weekend-esque, but his tts are lighter, more digestible, sexier and have simpler and catchier choruses or hooks. LC is actually a rather heavy song and more of a grower than addictive from the beginning imo. I'm assuming that Seven is straight up pop, and much more accessible.

2. I can't believe there are people claiming Seven is about fucking 7 days a week and that's why Sohee is going to be in the MV. Some people are saying JK will make out with her in the MV??? Are you all high?? He can't even take his shirt off all the way yet. Even Jimin censured himself somewhat with LC. You think JK will make out with an actress on camera? You think he'd be comfortable with that, or that the label would even accept it? You think he's even interested in doing it? It's so awkward to kiss people on camera, even if you want to kiss them in real life. There are so many artists who literally get naked for an MV but still don't kiss anyone lmao. Knowing JK, he saw Sohee in My Name, thought she was so cool because she apparently boxes there and Jungkook loves boxing, and decided she could be in his MV. What her role is, I don't know. She could play a friend, she could be a love interest to a male interest that isn't Jungkook, she could be Army, she could represent Jungkook, she could be part of a bigger cast. Sure, she could also play Jungkook's love interest, but that's not the only, or most mostly likely, option. Jungkook doesn't hate women. Can't he cast women in a platonic way? It's very cliche, sexist and heteronormative to reduce women to love interests and Jungkook is none of those things. Anyway, I don't know what Seven is about. It's essentially a Western pop song, and I doubt Jungkook wrote the lyrics since I bet they're in English, so it's not farfetched to assume that the lyrics are romantic and even indirectly sexual in nature. However, if the lyrics truly are sexual (there's an Explicit version but it could just be so he can say fuck, as a curse, once or twice), odds are the MV will downplay that because Jungkook is still an idol (and probably doesn't want to do an Unholy type of MV just yet). Also, people seem to think the Seven promo is hinting at something sexual, but Jungkook just wanted to do a sexy concept and the song is probably more Watermelon Sugar High (yes, the lyrics are sexual lmao, but coy, and the song is bright, not sexy) and less Unholy (didn't Jungkook work with one of the Unholy producers? What if this whole thing started with his cover lmao?).

Anyway, stop being weird about Jungkook - even in a professional context he gets shipped with any woman he meets. And, also, stop hating on Jungkook for the extra radio push he's getting. It's out of his hands, and, quite frankly, it's probably out of BH's hand too. They don't have the power to make any song a radio hit on their own without it truly doing well, but I don't know if they couldn't have pushed their US distributors or whatever, to help LC. Regardless, Jungkook won't have the advantage of sales so he needs all the help he can get, and a win for Jungkook is a win for BTS - don't forget that.

[ocenitram]

Go West | Official Teaser Trailer | JK! Studios (2023)

[fromtenthousandfeet]

https://www.tumblr.com/fromtenthousandfeet/762742386314067968/httpswwwtumblrcomfromtenthousandfeet76272695?source=share

Oh people discussing Jon Caramanica - well not really but I actually followed him even before I got into BTS. He tends to try to be fair and level in his criticism esp when the fault can be laid on the label instead of artist. The guests he brings on sometimes especially from outside the nyt crew can be the worst but he's fairly decent in my opinion

But I just wanna say even he has the same blind spots that a lot of western journalists have. This accusation of kpop being manufactured and exploitative (which is what he's trying to delicately make) - see while it's not inaccurate, this assertion being made by the same people who spent years not really talking about the exploitation that happens in western labels esp of young artists unless the artist makes an explicit public statement like Kesha - I don't know, it just seems vaguely hypocritical to me. And for all that kpop and it's narratives is manufactured, few of these critics will openly talk about the Disney channel to popstar pipeline or how a lot of public relationship drama nowadays is manufactured (sorry to be specific but the Camilla - Shawn Mendes - SC triangle was just their marketing teams trying to get all three of them more heat though I really don't think SC needed it).

And Caramanica and his compatriots are especially susceptible to a good narrative. It's never enough for a western artist to just be talented or great at making music - if you want to enter the big leagues you need a story. Some raison d'etre or usp. What music journalists really want is to be flown out to the next big thing while they're making their studio album or touring and shadow them and then kickback in the evening drinking with them while the artist fills them in on how they've always been an outsider and how music fills the void of their soul. Or alternatively critics want to be seen as people introducing new and cool genres of music to the public like afrobeats or Latin music or indie music and kpop due to its tendency of having rabid young fans isn't considered cool

I'm being reductive and I actually do like JC but as someone who's followed a few music critics, this shit happens a lot. Talent isn't enough for them. So yeah critics will never give bts or Jimin or even JK (tho I don't think he deserves it lol) their due and it will be purportedly because of the evils of kpop but it's really because they're more used to a different system of exploitation. It's not that the west is a lot better but they're more used to it.

A kpop idol who's going to be loved by western critics - if we get someone like that in the future I guarantee it'll be more important that they're super charismatic with media rather than about how talented they are and possibly an English speaker cause that's definitely an advantage

Sorry this turned into a rant and a half somehow. You can totally ignore this since it's not really related to Jimin. I just get disillusioned with the state of music criticism and the music industry sometimes

Thank you so much for sharing your insights and please keep them coming.

The western music business does not deserve a free pass. Simply behold Britney Spears dancing with knives while dressed in a tiny bikini. What happened to that poor woman? What was done to Justin Bieber as a child - in plain sight - is indefensible (I've got a blog post coming about that). But it's so much more. It's managers embezzling from their clients. It's predatory contracts that leave artists in debt. It's Lou Pearlman, creator of the Backstreet Boys and NSYNC, running one of the largest ponzi schemes in US history. It's Wham! being flat broke despite having huge hit singles. It's female artists being expected to sell their bodies more than their music. No free pass allowed.

And speaking of manufactured music...there's a reason why very little music sounds fresh anymore. There are few to no bands for one thing. I mourn the death of bands. No doubt it's difficult trying to work together and be together non-stop, but the band format gave us The Beatles! Brotherly discord gave us Oasis. The song writing magic that occurred in bands has been replaced by a teams of songwriters meeting up in conference rooms to write songs with a specific singer in mind. Boring! With innovation (mostly) gone, record labels need an origin story for their artists as a means to market them.

I believe I posted yesterday about Warner Music's new label in Korea. It's called Mplify, and the focus is on Korean singers who record in English. I have no doubt you're right about what's coming with k-pop. I've already noticed the newer groups seem to have at least one strong English speaker.

I have things to say about the type of people who become music critics, but I'll stop here. I agree with you, though.

On that note, everyone go watch Cameron Crowe's movie, Almost Famous.

[longtimenospooning-luci]

Azalea's, Camelia's and Rhododendron's: Chapter one

Summary: Life always seemed to throw bullshit your way. A bullshit childhood, a bullshit family with the exception of your older brother, a bullshit bodyguard team because of aforementioned older brother... To say you were tired of it would be an understatement. You just wanted to bask in your self-made richness as a bestselling author, all by yourself being the key point, and pretend you're not doing it to avoid your trauma. But now you have to deal with seven incredibly hot, stubborn and frustrating men forcibly barging into your life against both of your wishes and ruining your peaceful silence. So, if they were going to be hardheads, you'll be one right back.

Pairing: Bts x reader, featuring older brother Bang Chan and a dickhead ex to be revealed later on.

Chapter Warnings: LOTS of cussing, Yoongi and JK are assholes, reader loses her shit a little bit.

Word Count: 2.6k

Taglist Form

Surprise! I finished the chapter earlier than anticipated and can't stand keeping it to myself any longer. Thank you to my beta reader @honeyblossom112-2 for dealing with my crazy ass sending multiple drafts this week.

For a second time during this contract, the boys are blindsided by you.

Two days after the meeting with your brother, they're pulling up to the long white river stone driveway to your mansion. An incomplete cobblestone privacy wall in construction around the property, with security guards working what will be the main gate once construction is done.

The front of the property is nothing but lush green grass, cherry blossom trees lining both sides of the drive. A black Tesla sits in front of one of the garage doors, and the boys are amazed a house like this exists just half an hour outside of Seoul.

When they make their way to the large mahogany front door, your brother answers their knocks with a smile, ushering them into the magnificent home.

The first thing that blindsides the boys about you is when Bang Chan divulges that this is not, in fact, the Bang family manor, but your personal home that you designed. They knew you were rich, that much was given in the little file of information they had. But with your career as an author they expected a lavish penthouse in Seoul's skyline, not a mini castle.

"Y/N is currently in a meeting with her editor, let me give you a tour of the property while we wait." Bang Chan says, immediately turning on his heels away from your foyer.

Immediately upon entrance there is a double grand staircase on either side of the room leading up to the second floor, the living room just past it set down a step into the foundation. There's a large sectional and a few plush recliners, a flat screen tv on the wall above the fireplace on the left. Floor to ceiling windows look out on the backyard, a glass door set into it for access to a firepit lounge. To the right is the kitchen, separated by a step back up from the living room pit. A large island with chairs in the center and state of the art appliances fit in the custom designed countertops and cabinets, a perfect clash of white marble and dark gray paint.

On either side of the open concept room behind the stairs are hallways leading to the east and west wings of the house. Bang Chan explains the west wing is just guest rooms and takes them down the east instead. He points out the first door on the right where the cylinder spire of the house is as your office and the manor library. A few more rooms down the hall are more guest rooms, a music room, and an exercise room. A spiral staircase at the end of the hall takes them to the second floor, consisting of a long straight hallway with multiple doors on the right side and one on the left at the end. A crescent landing on the left for the grand staircase. He shows them each of the guest rooms along the hall, the center door on the right being your bedroom that looks out on the backyard, and the last door on the left a large loft above the garage that serves as an art studio.

Making their way back downstairs from the grand staircase a woman emerges from your office, "I'm heading out Bang Chan I'll see you later." the woman calls out to him.

"Get home safe Hwasa, thanks for your hard work!" he calls back to her, then turning his attention to the boys. "You'll see her quite a bit, she has the door code and will have the gate code when it's completed so don't worry about having to let her in. They have to work at ungodly hours sometimes so she has free access to the house."

The boys nod in acknowledgement and follow him to the now open office door, and this is when you blindside them for the second time.

To say that they were expecting you to be the way you are would be a big fat lie.

You're beautiful, that much is clear, but not in the rich heiress way of perfect makeup and hair to go with designer outfits that they're used to. You're beautiful in an almost comforting way, gray sweatpants sit low at your hips with a long flowy pastel shirt tied in a knot at your waist. You're focused on some papers in your hand as you walk from your desk on the right side of the room to a section of the library shelves at the front.

"Y/NNNNNIIIIEEEEEEE, how was your meeting? The team from HYBE is here and I really think you'll get along great." Bang Chan starts, clearly trying to avoid your wrath on the matter.

You simply look over at your brother with a death glare, skimming your eyes quickly over the strangers in your office, and then returning your attention back to your book search with a noncommittal hum; "You know I don't do people, they're not my thing."

Chan deflates in defeat, throwing the façade away and going for the whiny brother approach instead. "Oh come on Y/N please don't be like this to me. You told me I could handle your security so why can't I do this."

"Yea, security meaning hiring the company for the privacy wall and the gate. Not a whole ass bodyguard team like I'm the goddamn First Lady!" You huff back in irritation, walking back to your desk and smacking the stack of papers down as you talk.

"You and I both know that wall won't do you any good when you're not here." he fires back.

"Well that's fine by me, you know I'm perfectly content with staying in my little safety bubble." putting your hands on your hips as you challenge him.

"Y/N you know I won't let you be a recluse and I certainly won't let you go without security here after what happened. I'm sorry but I will not negotiate on this, they're staying and that's final." Chan firmly ends your sibling spat with his words, and your anger radiates off you in waves over his stubbornness.

You grit out a "Fine" and plop down in your desk chair, flipping open the book you grabbed earlier. "You have work in an hour you should get going," you say without looking at him.

He knows you and your stubbornness much like his own, and so he heeds your indirect request for him to fuck off for now. He gives a smile and a nod to the boys and makes his way out of the house, leaving you with your very unwelcome guests.

When the click of the front door closing sounds, you sit back in your chair with a huff, looking up at the men before you. ''I'm Y/N but you obviously already know that, what are your names?" you speak up.

The boys once again fall into place in a line and formally introduce themselves to you. Nodding your head in acknowledgement as each one says their name.

"Well, despite the circumstances it's nice to meet you all. Your things arrived a little bit before you did and were taken to the rooms you'll be staying in by my housekeeper Mira. I'm sure you'll have the pleasure of meeting her at dinner, she's very motherly and usually won't take no for an answer when it comes to taking care of someone so it's best to just go with it. I'm sure you'd like to go unpack and familiarize yourself with the house so please don't mind me and go do what you need to."

This was certainly not what the boys were expecting you to say, and a part of them immediately found your behavior suspicious. Years of dealing with rich heiresses who didn't want bodyguards always ended with wild goose chases around packed clubs, trying to ditch them as soon as possible. And if that didn't work then it was working as their personal slaves, holding at least twenty shopping bags each from their splurges at designer stores. They'd rather be caught dead than be tied to you indefinitely, and they'll do anything to get out of this contract.

Mornings have always been the bane of your existence, you were not a morning person, but your career had made you into one by proxy.

If anyone asked what your favorite things were, you'd probably list coffee first, with comfy clothes and plants as a close second and third.

It's around 7am and the manor is quiet while you make your coffee in the kitchen, a silk robe over your pajamas to fend off the crisp morning air when you step outside. Making your way to the prized glass greenhouse in your large, perfectly landscaped backyard on the slate stone pathway; you take a second to breath in the fresh air and enjoy the early morning sunshine.

The box planters at the front of the structure hold your more hardy plants and small iron wrought tables house small outdoor bonsais. You notice a few have started to bloom with the early summer weather, and you look forward to the sweet smells the buds will exude when they open.

Heading inside you walk down the aisle like section to the back where it opens up into a high-ceilinged abortorium. Setting your coffee cup down on the Victorian table in the center you turn to get to work taking care of your babies. You'd never admit this to anyone, but each plant you have has a name, and you always talk to them as you work on them.

You worked happily for about an hour, taking breaks here and there to sip your coffee, and headed back inside the manor with your empty cup.

The smell of breakfast hit you as soon as you opened the door and you saw Mira in the kitchen to your left working at the stove. The large flat screen tv in the living room was turned on to the news and the banner flashing across it immediately soured your mood.

"Oh, good morning Y/N" Mira chirped when she noticed you.

"How long have they been in deliberation Mira?" You asked without turning your attention to her.

"... about 15 minutes now. I was hoping you wouldn't stress over it today." She replied softly, knowing well that watching the sentencing verdict would likely cause you pain.

Before you could reply to her; Hoseok, Jimin, Taehyung and Jungkook walked into the living room from the west wing. Each giving a good morning greeting to you and Mira. Footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs as Mira offered the boys coffee while they waited for breakfast, cautiously eying you engrossed on the tv.

Namjoon, Jin and Yoongi rounded the banister and entered the kitchen, taking the chairs at the island to chat with the woman while she cooked. All seven of them occupied in their own conversations to notice you standing in turmoil at the edge of the kitchen where it drops down into the living room.

Mira stops moving, cutting off the boys at the island when they notice her behavior. She turns off the burner and moves the pan away, calling out to you.

You don't hear her, you don't hear anything as you stare at the news banner that just changed from 'Judges in sentencing deliberation' to 'Judges have reached a verdict on sentencing.' It was so fast, it was too fast and it terrifies you.

By now your frozen state has caught the attention of everyone, and Mira pays no mind to the boys as she rounds the island to check on you. You've always been like a daughter to her, and she's been the only real mother figure in your life, she'll be damned if she's not holding your hand when the results come out.

She turns the tv up further, so it echoes in the room, and grips tightly onto your hand. The judges sit down and the court settles, and you think you might pass out.

"After careful deliberation and consideration of the final statements made on the defendants' behalf today, as well as the testimonies given during the trial, a verdict has been reached. In the case of Mr. Shin Do-Yun, sentencing will be declared as time served at the Seoul Detention Center, with a six-month probationary period and a fine of 1 billion Won to be given as reparations to the victim."

The room is so quiet you can hear your own heartbeat, and then a soft noise starts to sound. It's not the tv, Mira silenced it, so what is it? . . . It's getting louder now; it sounds like a laugh. Oh. That's your laugh, you're laughing but you don't know why, Mira is wiping your face but you don't know why. You want to tell her what a load of bullshit that is, you want to tell her you're okay, but you can't get the words out. They're stuck in your throat and you're choking on them, you want to scream, you want to breathe, why can't you?

The disbelief is fizzling, and the anger is bubbling up like a volcano, your laughter is dying into a chuckle, and you want to rip everything to pieces.

"THAT FUCKING BASTARD!" Ah, there's your voice. The empty mug that was in your hand is now shattered across the room, thrown at the fireplace.

"Can you believe this shit Mira? Time served? TIME SERVED!?" You're seething, gritting the words out. God, you need to throw something; you need to do something, anything to get this anger out.

You snatch the tv remote and throw it towards the fireplace to join the mug in shards on the floor. Someone comes into your vision, its Yoongi, and you want to scream at him to get out of your way.

"You need to calm down. Right now." he speaks to you in a low tone.

"Calm down?" you're laughing again "CALM DOWN? Who the fuck are you to tell me to calm down."

"Look, I don't understand why you're acting the way you are. But throwing a temper tantrum like a spoiled brat isn't going to fix anything. I'm not going to sit back and let you destroy shit just because you're not going to be the one to clean it up."

Ah, you want to punch him.

"That's enough." Mira speaks in her motherly tone, inserting herself between you and Yoongi so you can't throttle him.

"Y/N bug, why don't you go up to your room and I'll be there in a little bit with breakfast, we can eat together okay?"

God, you can't deny this woman anything no matter how mad you are.

"Okay..." taking a deep breath you begin to turn to make your way upstairs and a scoff stops you in your tracks.

Directing your attention to the source of the noise, your anger flares again as you look at Jungkook. "You got something to say asshole?"

"I just think it's funny that you're trying to act intimidating when you're running away, because you got called out for being a bitch and you can't even deny it." He's leaning with his back against the island, arms crossed as he says this, and the smug look on his face makes you want to slap it off.

"What did you just call me?" Your tone is low and even, you're ready to give him the fight he's asking for.

Mira breaks the tension, slamming her hand on the countertop. "I said that's enough!"

"Y/N, go on upstairs. And you!" she swivels her attention to Jungkook, "Keep your mouth shut, do you understand?"

He nods his head, looking a bit guilty to have angered the sweet woman, as you continue your trek upstairs. All you can think as you climb the stairs is that you can't wait to get rid of them.

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Taglist: @emu007 @childfmoonn @candied-lavender @silscintilla @sporadicfuryface @definetlythinkimanalien @btsizlyfe

[gedthegeek]

Earthsea Deserves Better

WARNING: A RANT

The new trailer for The Rings of Power has recently been released. As awestruck as I was watching the trailer, I can’t help but be reminded of my frustration on just how underappreciated Earthsea is and the kind of "justice" it has received throughout the years.

The rich and magnificent world-building of Ursula K. Le Guin’s Earthsea certainly deserves a grandiose depiction in mainstream media as that of JRR Tolkien’s ‘The Lord of the Rings’ and CS Lewis’ 'The Chronicles of Narnia’ (no, I won't count the Sci-FI miniseries and Studio Ghibli adaptation of 'Tales from Earthsea' as canon; nor did Ursula). And not only did its stupenduously written plot make it deserving of a big break, but also because the saga has been a pioneer in a lot of controversial aspects of our society and continues to slay in its own way to date.

Introduced in 1968, the Earthsea saga has since been breaking stereotypes and deviating norms by having women and characters of color become the blood, heart, and soul of the story–a notorious trademark of Le Guin. Ursula even had to fight publishers to make sure Ged was depicted as copper-brown skinned in the covers as he was described in the books.

Not to mention the only pale skinned people in the whole archipelago were the Kargs and their far descendants that migrated west 2,000 years ago during the dark times, the Osskilians. And they were decribed in the first book as "savage people, white-skinned, yellow-haired, and fierce, liking the sight of blood and the smell of burning towns"--in short, barbarians. If this is not Ursula-level savagery, I don't know what is.

Another thing is that the Great House of Roke from A Wizard of Earthsea, if not one of, certainly is the original, the finest, and the best of the wizarding schools that has ever been introduced in all of history. It has undeniably become a beacon of inspiration for contemporary wizarding schools such as JK Rowling's Hogwarts.

I could go on and name a thousand other reasons for people to read and love Earthsea, but that is all–I can't do anything else but hopelessly rant about a book series that is severely underappreciated and plead of how deserving it is for a shot at redemption. I could only ramble about my desperation to see the epicness of this saga come to life.

Oh, how I long of the chance to gaze upon Erreth-Akbe’s sword atop the highest tower of Havnor!

I would die just to have a glimpse of the golden roofs of Berila, the orchards of Enlad in spring, and the towering height and ice caps of Mount Gont.

I am forever tormented by the fact that I’ll never get to see Ged confront his shadow, defeat the Old Powers that plagued the Tombs of Atuan, and his epic standoff with the old Dragon of Pendor, Yevaud.

My soul would forever lament and bear the agony of never witnessing King Lebannen’s journey with Ged to Selidor, their return from the death’s realm, and his coronation as the first king of Earthsea in 800 years after the reign of and as prophesied by his predecessor, King Maharion.

I'd want to explore and see other stories and events that shaped the archipelago, like the tragic fate of Morred and Elfarran and how the island of Soléa sank; the founding of the Great House and how Roke was tauted the 'Isle of the Wise'. I wanna see how prosperous Earthsea was during the rule of the 14 Kings of Havnor. I'm desperate to hear how the rendition of the Creation of Éa would sound and how epic it would look as it's played in the Long Dance, and sooo much more!

Earthsea deserves better.

Ursula K. Le-Guin deserved better.

[roo-bastmoon]

Was jimin working in the studio after he left for jks birthday?? i keeps seeing people say that but i must of missed it

Dear Missed It,

I'm not really one to keep abreast of the latest when it comes to the timeline, but I did see that Scottish producer and DJ Hudson Mohawke shared a photo on his Instagram with Jimin (and Hybe producers Pdogg and Ghstloop) in the studio.

The photo was shared on September 1, but of course could have been taken prior to that time.

As far as I know, Hudson was in South Korea at least by August 30th? (Please correct me, friends, if I got it wrong.)

And according to his Twitter, he was still in the country on September 3rd (but it looks like he uploaded a day later, or Twitter settings are behind due to the time difference)...

So honestly, he could have worked with Jimin multiple times, not just on Jungkook's birthday.

I have no clue if Jimin swung by to wish JK a good birthday and then went right back to the studio, but, considering his work ethic, it's not implausible.

(FYI, Hudson makes electronic music and has produced for various artists, including Drake and Kanye West. So whatever Jimin comes up with for PJM1 is probably going to be different. I'm excited to hear it!)

Yours,

Roo

[unfriendly-neighborhood-feminist]

GO WEST HYPE!!!!!!!!

im literally so excited for this movie. i loved them so much as a kid and i love the stuff they make now

[getitinbusan]

10 years with Jungkook

California

You met Jeon Jeongguk in the summer of 2012. Two kids brought together by a calling to California and a chance at making it big. Best friends from the start, what happens when only one of you becomes successful? Do you ever forget your first love? 

Childhood friends to lovers, angst and smut.

Words:  4600

Warnings: 18 plus smut. Oral F, Sex MF, Swearing. Pretty Mild for me. This is a previously posted fic that has been updated and reworked.

It was a rare rainy August day in California. The heavy drops created a sad melody on the window as you put the dishes away. Tired and lonely, the feeling in your gut kept nagging at you, maybe it was time to give up. 

The savings account was drained, there were no jobs to be found and  this was the second month of falling short on rent. Surely it would only be a matter of time before your roommates would stop exchanging house cleaning for money. 

Hanging the threadbare towel over its hook you stood in the kitchen, your mood mirroring the dim light of the afternoon. Feeling frusterated and stupid, it had taken you way longer than it should have to realize that in LA, you were nothing. Not pretty enough, rich enough, skinny enough or talented enough to ever make it big. So this is how the great Califonia chapter of your life would end, not by choice but necessity. 

Gathering up the mail that was strewn across the countertop, you shuffled through it sorting its priority. Junk mail, bills, personal…one in particular standing out. Your heart began pounding as you took in the details.

The penmanship was nice, black ink on an unassuming envelope. But it was the stamp that caught your attention. It was sent from Korea.

Flipping it in your hand you examined the torn top. The letter, having been read, was cradled back safely inside. Addressed to your roommate a frown crept onto your face. Why wouldn’t he write to you?

It was a ridiculously hopeful notion but you widened the envelope and inhaled trying to find a trace of his fragrance, something, anything to trigger a happy memory. Cool California nights were the best excuse. How many times had you borrowed his sweaters just to have his smell on you?

You missed him. It had been a year and a half and you couldn't help but once again ponder the nagging question that always crept back. If you hadn't forced him to break the rules would he still be a part of your life? 

It was too tempting to resist, your fingers pinched the paper inside of the envelope and pulled it free. 

I’m feeling low, I don’t know who I am, only who I’m supposed to be.

What would life be like if I had stayed in California? We could all be roommates, hanging out and having fun, going to the beach on weekends.

Does she even think about me?

It sounds greedy that with how much I have right now, it’s not enough. I would give anything to wake up in bed beside her everyday. I want more than anything to be able to talk to her about these things but I can’t. I’ve made the mistake of trading her for fame and now I’m destined to keep her at an arm’s length so she’ll never know the price I paid.

How does she even see me? As an Idol? As the boy who abandoned her? Has she forgotten the good days we spent together?

I’ve been wrestling with myself, whoever that is. I wish I could be the teenage boy from that long ago summer again. I wrote this song thinking about it…

~When I see you smile in the screen

You’re good at everything

You’re just perfect

Feels like I've never been you

Do you even see me?

Do you know who I am?

Or how do I look now?

You don’t like me like that

I want to be your decalcomania~

I’m afraid I may not get back for a while, please write. Your friendship and thoughts of her are the only things that are keeping me tethered to some semblance of reality.

JK

Clutching the letter to your chest, your mind took you back to that day. 

"Decalcomania, the art or process of transferring pictures and designs. Making a copy of the original on a different medium"  

Reading the description on the wall you’d both stood laughing at the piece's strange name, Decalcomania. The gallery visit felt like lifetimes ago but you still remembered clearly. You remembered, not because the piece had struck you as particularly special but because that's where you had decided that Jeongguk's laugh was the best sound you'd ever heard.  

California had lured you into its promise when you turned 14. Having been accepted to an  intensive dance program at The Movement Lifestyle Studio you packed up and headed West for the summer. 

It was July and it was hot, the dancers stepping off the bus one at a time took their places in the studio.

Looking around there were so many older kids, you were probably one of the youngest. Calling out names they put you into groups, it appeared to be by age so you made your way across the unfamiliar wooden floor to the tiny gathering of teens in the darkened corner.

Shy introductions were made as one more member was ushered over to where you had congregated. “This is Jeongguk.” 

He had the cutest smile and barely spoke english but his eyes twinkled like the constellations. Immediately drawn to each other you became fast friends.

Absolutely exhausted by the end of the first few days he quietly knocked at your door.

He was homesick and lonely, used to being surrounded by his six members, he couldn’t sleep well without someone beside him. You let him crawl into bed with you, you were 14 and it was innocent. 

Inseparable, days and nights were spent side by side, the others began referring to you as the twins. It was the best summer of your life but like every boy meets girl summer story, it had to come to a close. Promising through tears to keep in touch and stay friends you went your separate ways. 

Jeongguk would send silly videos of his practice sessions, goofing around with the other members.  He’d facetime and text but he always loved to send handwritten letters.

They lived in a box under your bed and contained stories of how hard he was working to become an idol. He always signed off with, "I miss you,” and a few lines of lyrics he’d written.

You didn’t know then how important they would become, the only tangible piece of him you could still hold on to.  

Whenever he came back to America you did everything you could to see him. You always found a way to get to the small tour stops whenever they came through. 2015 was the first, then KCon in 2016, but 2017, it was different.

Facetiming you with the news that they were bringing the Wings tour to NY, Chicago and Anaheim, he asked if you’d be part of the dance crew. How could you turn down two weeks with Jungkook the hottest new K-pop Idol? They were getting bigger, more popular and their lives were changing rapidly.

He had strict rules, girls were completely off limits. No talking, no hugging, no smiling at one another, any little thing could be easily misconstrued by the fans. Everything had to be done in secret. Jungkook would sneak you into his hotel room where you would spend your nights together catching up. The boys would bring you in food and cover for him while you both stayed locked away out of sight.

While happy to be with him, you could tell there was an underlying sadness he was holding on to.

"I wish I could go and explore the city with you like we used to," his voice trailed off.

You were laying in each other’s arms cuddling on his bed.  Leaning over he kissed the top of your head.

"All I really want is to take you on a proper date."

You snuggled closer into his side as he exhaled deeply, releasing his secret. 

"I’ve been waiting so long to become someone, a man worthy of your affection. Now I’m stuck. I have everything I wanted and I’m not allowed to share it with you."

His arms gripped you tighter.

"I’m sorry, this is a terrible confession. I don’t expect you to love me back, not under these circumstances, I just need you to know, you’re the only girl I’ve ever loved and there won’t be anybody else, ever." 

Every bit of his confession, every moment of that last night in the hotel room had stuck with you to this day. The words of a 19 year old boy whose life had become bigger than the feelings of two people.

He'd left in the morning without knowing. You were a coward, too afraid to tell him you loved him too.  

LA became your home right after they left Anaheim. Focused on your dancing, if you became good enough, maybe you could join the tour with him. 

A letter with a big bouquet of flowers arrived a few weeks later. 

"Congratulations on your new house in LA!

I hope that all of you are getting along as roommates, it’s hard living with others sometimes.

Last night I dreamt that I was there with you and all of our friends. We were having a party on the beach and we sat together watching the sunset.

Do you remember after practice when we would skateboard as fast as we could to the ocean so we wouldn’t miss the colors?

Maybe one day my toes can feel the sand there again.

I miss you, I miss me… the me I am when I get to be with you.

We're coming back in October for a few days and I’m hoping I can see you, I’m lonely already.   

Jeongguk

~Won’t you please stay in dreams

I can hear the sea from far away

Across the dream, over the bush

Go there where it becomes clear

Take my hands now

You are the cause of my euphoria

When I’m with you, I’m in utopia~

By the time The AMAs came, the plan had been finalized. You would steal Jungkook away so that you could take him on your first real date.

Having enlisted Namjoon to help, he was your inside man. The boys, happy to help finally get you together, would cover for his whereabouts with management. The day before the awards they were only scheduled for styling, as long as he wasn’t late for the press rounds the next afternoon your plan could work.

It was Namjoon’s job to get him out of the building. Telling him to follow his lead, Joon convinced the managers that Jungkook must have eaten something bad for lunch. Claiming to not feel well, he was whisked away to meet you at the hotel’s back receiving door. 

Sitting in the shiny red rented convertible you tossed him a pair of sunglasses. What you wouldn’t give now to see that smile again.

Barely giving him time to get in you’d sped away heading straight for In And Out Burger.

"Kookie, I hope you’re ready for the best day of your life! We’re going to eat until we explode, drink and party at the beach and then, instead of returning you to your fancy 5 star hotel you’re staying the night in my crappy little house with a tiny uncomfortable bed!!"

He laughed, that perfect laugh. It was so pure and honest, thinking about it now made you sad. Was that the last moment he'd gotten to be his true self? Jeongguk the man not Jungkook the personna? 

Knowing you only had one day to give him everything, one day to show him you loved him, you tried to make the best of it.

Picking up the food Jungkook held onto the red and white bags in the passenger seat, sneaking his hand in to steal fries when he thought you weren’t looking. If you weren’t sure you were in love with him before you you certainly were now.

Pulling up beside the tree on the beach he was stunned, "Ahhh Jagi, I can’t believe you brought me here."

Happy that it meant as much to him as it did to you, you both sat on the branch and ate. Two blocks from the old studio this used to be your escape. Every break you’d make your way to the tree for some time alone, together. 

With the burgers done he turned to you and smiled. It felt like he wanted to say something, but stupidly, you'd cut him short leading him back towards the car.

Making your way through your checklist you brought him back to where you'd first met. The Movement studios students were starstruck when he walked in. After insisting that he teach some choreography, he reluctantly led the class.

Your eyes were glued to him as he moved in front of the mirrors, no longer that awkward teenager but a full grown man mesmerizing you with his every move.

Getting back to the car he stopped you before you reached for the handle. Putting his arms around you he pulled you in close. But again, you resisted him. 

"You stink Jungkook, our next stop is the ocean."

You remember pulling away. How stupid you were, you should have held on to him longer. Reaching into the back seat you revealed a pair of swim shorts and a towel. He looked disappointed that you kept interrupting his attempts at intimacy. It broke your heart but you had a plan and limited time to execute it. 

The Ocean was chilly but the wind was warm, he came out of the change room with the shorts on but still wearing his shirt.

"Kookie, this isn’t Korea, you don’t have to be so modest here. Plus, you should grab some sun, you may not believe it but when your skin is sunkissed," you grinned, "you look really sexy."

He raised his eyebrows and quickly removed the shirt at your request.

Running into the water you splashed and played and he took great pleasure in picking you up and throwing you as far as he could.

The sun was getting ready to set and you wanted to dry off before the cooler air set in.

Leading him back to the shore you both laid down on the towel. He put his arm around you and you cuddled into his side.

"My god Guk, look at your abs!"

He blushed like crazy as you traced the muscles on his stomach.

"Stop, it tickles," he giggled.

But you didn’t, you kept tickling him until he held you so tight you couldn’t move. He had you pinned, flipping you on your back he shook his wet hair flinging water droplets all over you. Pleased with himself he leaned in closer to you, his eyes asking for permission to kiss you. As the gap between you got narrower you could hear his name being shouted and footsteps running closer. He flopped onto his back and sighed as your roommates and friends piled on top of him.

Eating, drinking and catching up with everyone you watched each other from across the bonfire. Moving from person to person he slowly made his way back to your side.

"Welcome back." Running your hand through the back of his hair, it was now or never. 

Pulling him closer your lips finally met in the way they were destined, soft, slow and full of love. His hands instinctively moved to cup your face as the world stopped around you.

"I love you," you whispered.

Nose to nose he smiled at you and it was the most beautiful thing you’d ever seen.

It didn’t last long, his phone started going off incessantly. The managers knew, you’d been careless, photos and videos of him from the studio had been posted online.

"I’m so sorry Jungkook, I didn’t mean for you to get in trouble."

His eyes turned hungry as he grabbed your hand.

"You promised I wouldn’t be going back to my hotel tonight, let’s get out of here."

If he was going to get in trouble anyway, why stop now?  

The drive back to your place was quiet, adrenaline and hormones flowing like electricity through you both. The time for smiling was over as the seriousness of the situation lingered in the air between you.

It wasn’t just being in trouble or being caught, but the fact that you both knew what was going to happen when you stepped into your bedroom. One act that would change everything between you, it held the power to change the dynamic of your relationship forever.

Leading him to your room you closed the door and stood staring at him as he sat on your bed. He raked his fingers through his hair before he spoke.

"I’ve never wanted anything more in my life than to be able to make love to you. BUT I also know that when I leave I’m not going to get to see you again for a very long time." His head hung low. "Management is going to do everything possible to keep us apart and that won’t be fair to you. I think that maybe we should just let our happy memories of today be enough, I don’t want you to regret anything. " 

Walking closer you stood between his legs and he wrapped his arms around your waist.

"The only thing I'll regret is never getting to experience all of you. I can’t live not knowing how it feels to be totally yours even if it's only for one night."

He rested his head against your chest, "You’ll always be mine."

His hands traveled to the hem of your shirt and his fingers ran over the soft skin of your stomach. Undoing the button of your jeans he slowly slid them down your legs and you stepped out of them. 

Standing up he lifted the thin fabric of your shirt over your head and you stood before him waiting as he took his off too. Unclasping your bra he sighed as he looked at you taking in your shape, his fingertips hovering over your hard nipples.

"I’ve never done this before," he confessed.

"Me either," you whispered. "I've only ever wanted it to be you."

More relaxed he let his mouth start exploring your body. You were goosebumps and shivers beneath him as his tongue found it’s home between your legs.

He was soft and careful, placing his lips over your clit sucking it in delicately until your moans couldn’t be contained any longer. You could feel his eyes burning into you as he watched in awe as his finger slid inside you.

"It feels good Kookie, please…"

You could feel his mouth stopping to smile before he picked up speed. Moving your hips to eagerly meet his mouth you were unravelling quickly.

"The way you taste is better than anything I had imagined."

Devouring you in sessions between his words of adoration you came hard on his tongue. 

"I'm really regretting running you all over town today when we could have just been here...doing that.. " You were out of breath. 

"I was worried that I wouldn't be any good." He grinned at you pleased with himself. 

Moving up to where your head lay on the pillow he pushed the dampened hair off your face, "Are you ok? Do you need anything?"

He placed his forehead against yours.

"I just want you. I need you to know I'm yours, forever. 

Rolling a condom on he moved slowly to line himself up with your entrance.

"Tell me if you need me to stop okay?"

He pushed carefully, slowly stretching you around him. Watching intently for discomfort he froze when he saw the tears welling in your eyes.

"Shit, I’m so sorry, let’s stop, I didn’t mean to hurt you." He was apologetic as he thumbed away the tears.

"No," you delicately kissed his lips. "I’m okay… I’m just so happy, so overwhelmed with how much I’m feeling right now."

He smiled down at you, pressing his body closer he gave another push until he was fully inside. Your bodies fell into a beautifully choreographed rhythm until Jungkook was so lost in pleasure he began to move at his own pace. Quicker and deeper he moved until he finally spilled into the condom. 

Laying together in euphoria you kissed, and kissed, and kissed until you finally found sleep while wrapped around one other.

Every few hours he’d wake you up. His hands running over your body checking to make sure you weren't just a dream. You’d made love each time, everytime better than the last.

It was 9 am when he caressed you awake once more.

"I have to leave soon. I don’t want to." He spoke in whispers nestled into your neck. "Please tell me to stay."

Your heart broke at his words. "If I ask you to stay, I’m selfish, you’ll always wonder if you made the right decision." The tears came, knowing you had to do what was right. "If I tell you to go, your dreams come true… ” your voice trailed off.

"And I’ll always wonder if I made the right decision,” he finished. 

Your phone started ringing and you knew time was up.

It was Joon, "I’m outside. Sorry, I held them off as long as I could. I told them that I’d come get him so you could at least have time to say goodbye."

Your tears fell out in heavy ugly sobs, "Okay, five minutes… and Joon… thanks, I know you’re probably in trouble too."

Hanging up you turned back, Jungkook was already out of bed with his clothes thrown on. He stood with open arms bravely waiting. 

"Thank you for yesterday I'll never forget it."

Laying your head against his chest you took a moment to listen to his heartbeat. You could hear him sniffle and knew he was crying too.

You flashed back remembering that night long ago when he came to you homesick, holding you so he could sleep while he tried to hide his tears. There was a knock at the door and Namjoon’s voice broke through the moment.

"We’ve got to go Jungkook."

Stepping away you’d left his shirt soaked in tears, handing him his sweater he pushed it back towards you. "You keep it."

He kissed you one last time before opening the door to reveal Namjoon's weary face. His Hyung put his arm around his shoulder and led him to the car.

Turning one last time he looked back, his eyes were filled with tears as he gave a small wave before getting in the back of the big black sedan. 

For months you pretended that management was the only thing keeping you apart.

You held on to that silly notion until May when they were coming for the Billboard awards. For weeks leading up you waited for a message, a secret meeting arrangement, but you got nothing. His image was all over the TV and his voice echoed through your empty heart. Then, just like that, it was over and he was gone again. 

Now, here you stood in your kitchen, his letter bringing him to the forefront of your mind and opening old wounds.

He was just as sad as you but what could you do? 

Picking up a pen you began writing… 

I shouldn’t have done it but I read it in your letter

You said to a friend that you wish you were doing better

I wanted to reach out but I never said a thing

You don’t ever have to be stronger than you really are

And honey, you don’t ever have to act cooler than you think you should

You’re brighter than the brightest stars

You’re scared to win, scared to lose

I’ve heard the war was over if you really choose

The one in and around you

You hate the heat, you got the blues

You’re changing like the weather, oh, that’s so like you

I’ll pick you up

I’ll catch you on the flipside

If you come back to California

We’ll do whatever you want, travel wherever, how far

We’ll hit up all the old places

We’ll have a party, we can dance till dawn… 

Y/N

October came again and a chill was in the air, the smell of the ocean hit your nose and you stopped to take it in.

Bundled in Jungkook’s hoodie you threw your bag over your shoulder and began your walk to work. You'd gotten lucky, Movement had hired you just as you were about to give up and leave California. Filled with hope and excitement a new intensive program was scheduled to start today and you were going to meet the future superstars of the dance world. 

Memories flooded your mind as you made your way through the familiar neighborhood. It still hurt, but things were beginning to feel happy again. Writing the letter had given you closure, he knew how you felt and beyond that there was nothing else you could do.

Opening the heavy door to the studio you caught a familiar reflection moving in the mirror.  Chalk marker in hand he was writing something, It couldn’t be?

Hearing the door click back into place he turned to face you.

"Hi."

He walked towards you slowly. Unsure of what your reaction would be, he approached with caution.

"Hi."

You were breathless, in the months of not seeing him he’d only grown more handsome.

"I can’t change what happened… and for the rest of my life I’ll be sorry for all of the time we missed."

He was getting closer.

"But I can’t take another day not knowing if I can fix this… somehow…"

He reached for your hand but you pulled it away. His head fell in disappointment.

"Jungkook, I can’t listen to this… look at me."

Reaching for his chin you pulled his head up until he was facing you again.

"I refuse to listen to you apologize for something that is out of your control. Your life was decided before you met me and I am nothing but grateful that I got to appear in some part of your story."

He tilted his head and pressed a small kiss into the hand that was still holding his chin.

"God I’ve missed you." He wrapped his arms tightly around your waist.

"How long are you here? I’ve got to teach class.. It’s the first day but I’d love it if we could catch up?"

He laughed at you and your knees buckled at the sound of his happiness.

Taking his chance he pressed his lips to yours and you could feel the smile forming on his face.

"I’m your private lesson Jagi, I’ve booked you for the next two weeks."

Taking a step back you had to ask, "How Jungkook? What will you be giving up?"

Pulling you back to his embrace he began to dance with you.

"There is no more giving up, on anything. Our contracts were over and I only had one thing I wouldn’t negotiate on, that’s you." 

He guided you to look at the mirror.

"I wrote you something."

~Please call my name one more time

I’m standing under the frozen light, 

but I’ll walk step by step towards you

Still with you ~

"I promise I’ll never let you go again."

[theabhorsenslibrary]

10 Places I Want to Visit

This is a post that I’ve been really excited to write as an avid traveller and I’m glad it’s something which one of my friend’s has suggested we write about. I have not been out of the UK since December 2018 when me and my family went to New York City over Christmas (an amazing experience even if it didn’t snow!). Since then, I have only really visited places in the UK before the Pandemic hit and put a stop to any sort of travel. So without further ado, here are my travel plans post-pandemic (not neccessarily in order)!

1. Chicago So I first wanted to travel to Chicago when I read the Divergent series, and this is probably the only place on my list which I have a Lonely Planet travel guide for that has been stickered up with all the places I want to visit while there. Its a place I considered booking up for 2020 but am glad I didn’t as obviously the pandemic hit hard.

2. Vancouver to San Francisco I would absolutely love to do a train trip through the USA and I think the one I would like to do most is a trip from Vancouver to San Francisco. (or vice versa). This would take in Vancouver, Seattle, Portland and San Francesco and takes roughly 27-28 hours (obviously with stops this would take longer). This one I would have to plan around my parents who also wish to visit San Francisco.

3. Bochum, Germany There is one reason only for me wanting to go to Bochum and this is due to being the only place in the world which is currently doing the full stage show of Starlight Express. Its something I’ve considered doing for my 30th birthday in 2021 but obviously this is relying on the world being back to normal - and I would not just be visiting for Bochum which has little interest apart from Starlight Express.

4. Washington DC to NYC/Boston Another potential train trip I wish to do though I’m not sure how far I would go. Having previously visited both NYC and Boston, I would only wish to spend a few days in both. NYC as I would like to visit the inside of Hamilton’s Grange and Coney Island. And Boston so I can catch a train to visit Exeter, New Hampshire which is named after the place I was born and raised.

My main visit on this trip would be Washington DC (because it would be an amazing experience), Bethesda (on the outskirts of Washington DC and the setting for Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants) and using Amtrak to get up to Philadelphia for a few days.

5. New Zealand So I thought I would give you a break from the US places I want to visit and add somewhere on the opposite side of the world! Lets face it, this trip would probably be one that takes a few weeks so I can cover as many of the cities as possible, try to get out to where the Lord of the Rings films were filmed and see some of the beautiful scenery.

6. Disney Parks & Universal Studios Orlando Not so much a place as some theme parks I would like to cover. I have been to Disneyland Paris on numerous occasions and somewhere I will inevitably get back too but I would love to hop across to the US to cover Disney World in Orlando and the original Disneyland in California. I’ve also consider Tokyo Disneyland but am not 100% that I will definitely visit due to other places I want to visit. Linking in with my visit to Disney World Orlando, I would love to go to Universal Studios Orlando, especially for their Harry Potter theme park - because despite JK Rowling being an idiot (me being polite), I still want to visit here.

7. Canada Yes I know this is a very big category so lets split it in two. Firstly, I want to cover off the cities I haven’t yet visited on the East side (Montreal, Quebec City and Ottawa) which are all easy to connect via train - as you can see there’s a theme here! My parents also did a really cool trip a few years back on the Rocky Mountaineer which I would also like to do which covers a few of the cities on the West coast as well.

8. Interrail through Europe Time for one a little closer to home since I’ve covered off some of the far-off places I wish to visit! If you haven’t gathered by now, I am a big fan of train travel and the Interrail service in Europe covers this at a sensible price! I’ve been to a lot of places in Europe already but I would love to do some sort of trip through Europe by train at some point - especially covering Germany and Italy!

9. The Nordic Countries/Northern Europe While my previous point covers mainland Europe, I’m counting the Nordic countries (Sweden, Norway and Finland) as a separate point. I know all three of these are expensive places to visit but I would love to visit at least their capitals (Stockholm, Oslo and Helsinki) at some point in my life.

10. Ireland Even closer to home as this would just involve jumping across the Irish Sea! I plan to at least cover Dublin and Belfast as the main cities but would love to get further afield if possible - either by car or public transport when I get the chance! Especially as this would give me a break from the long-haul flights to the US, Canada and New Zealand!

[d2kvirus]

Dickheads of the Month: September 2020

As it seems that there are people who say or do things that are remarkably dickheaded yet somehow people try to make excuses for them or pretend it never happened, here is a collection of some of the dickheaded actions we saw in the month of September 2020 to make sure that they are never forgotten.

Remember how proven liar Boris Johnson said he had a world-beating oven-ready Britait deal, which was also the basis of his election slogan campaign of “Get Britait done” and the lack of support for the deal is the reason he sacked 21 of his own MPs?  Just asking, because he tore the whole thing up and said it was unworkable - which also led to Brandon Lewis saying in Parliament, so it is now forever enshrined in the Hansard, that De Pfeffel merely broke international law “in a very specific and limited way” - you know, sort of like how the Manson Family broke the law in a very specific and limited way

The bold vision of a new BBC shared by Tim Davie was revealed when he threatened comedy shows with the axe if they kept making jokes about Britait, the Tory Party or Donald Trump on his first day on the job, because as we all know the best form of comedy comes from punching down rather than up, which is why Little Britain definitely hasn’t aged appallingly

Master of decorum Donald Trump couldn’t even wait a few short hours after Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death before he started rallying the foot soldiers about cramming somebody more fitting with what he wanted into the Supreme Court

Mayor of Amity Island governor of Florida Ron DeSantis continued his bid to be recognised for having the worst response to the Covid pandemic in the congress of having the worst possible response to the Covid pandemic by deciding that, actually, the state of Florida needs to lessen its Covid restrictions at a time when cases of Covid have begun to rise alarmingly in the state

It’s no surprise that proven liar Boris Johnson lied in Parliament by referring to Serco’s failing test & trace app as “NHS Test & Trace” - however the biggest issue is that the BBC had been using the exact same phrase for at least two weeks before that

Nobody was surprised to hear smirking cretin Priti Patel personally using the term “activist lawyers” that the Home Office (headed by P. Patel) had previously used to dehumanise and demean people upholding those pesky immigration laws that the Tory Party really don’t like getting in the way

Tax dodging orange goblin Donald Trump was asked a simple question: Do you think that white supremacists are a problem?  We are still waiting for an answer to that question...

Okay, so now the Conservative Party are cracking down on people breaking lockdown, with threats of a £10,000 fine - rather than circling the wagons around them and throwing out one cock and bull excuse after another like they did when Dominic Cummings broke lockdown to nip off to Durham after testing positive for Covid on what just so happened to be his wife’s birthday

You know that Matt Hancock is good at his job when, having been sent out in front of the cameras to defend The Tory Party appointing ex-Australian PM and all-around arsehole Tony Abbott as a trade advisor in spite his history of misogynistic, homophobic and “Let’s kill the elderly so we can survive Covid” comments the best he could do was say he was a good negotiator...which promptly led to all manner of comments about Harold Shipman being a good GP and Fred West laying one hell of a patio 

According to Jacob Rees Mogg the public having a legitimate complaint about it being damn near impossible to have a Covid test is nothing more than “endless carping” and not, say, legitimate criticism of a woefully underprepared government trying to coast by on the bare minimum who have the gall to try and blame the public for their long list of catestrophic fuckups

It was no surprise to hear proven liar Boris Johnson hand-wringing about “the freedom of the press” after Extinction Rebellion finally realised that being annoying idiots is far more likely to gain support if you’re being annoying idiots with a purpose - just as it was no surprise to hear that proven liar Boris Johnson had no opinion whatsoever of Tim Davie telling BBC newsreaders to fall in line with the corporation (read: Tory) line or they’d be sacked

Once again there was a chance for Keir Starmer to show that his talk of being “true Opposition” is more than a soundbite and, once again, he wimped out on it when ordering Labour MPs to abstain from voting on the Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill for fear of being accused of being “anti-British” by voting for a bill created to stop prosecution of British troops for using torture instead of voting against it - and then sacking Nadia Whittome, Beth Winter, and Olivia Blake from their junior ministerial positions when they were three of the 18 Labour MPs who voted against it

It clearly never occurred to Marsha Blackburn when she was browbeating people about the Constitution of the US never being rewritten that the Constitution of the US has been rewritten several times already.  There’s a reason they’re called “Amendments” and not “Footnotes” you know...

Smirking cretin Priti Patel proudly stated that, if she saw her neighbours, she’d gladly call the police due to them breaking the law.  This was around 14 hours after she’d voted to break international law in the Commons, or a few short years after she broke ministerial code by nipping over to Israel to have undisclosed meetings with israeli officials, which begs the question about whether her neighbours are just as willing, doesn’t it?

Judging by Alan Sugar tweeting out conspiracy theories about Covid being created in a Wuhan lab, I think it's safe to say that no Apprentice game show host is capable of not acting like a complete arse on Twitter.  Luckily for the UK, Sugar isn’t Prime Minister - he’s merely a member of the House of Lords...

It’s been a while since WWE acted like totalitarian dicks to the wrestlers employed independently contracted to them but they managed to find one by telling every single one of their employees independent contractors that they could no longer use Twitch or Cameo as it was decided this was being “detrimental” to the company...you know, the bunch of carnies who sign billion dollar deals with our journalist-murdering, woman-oppressing, Yemeni-slaughtering, 9/11-planning “allies” Saudi Arabia, don’t have any for of healthcare for their employees independent contractors, continued a pay per view even though one of their employees independent contractors died due to a stunt going wrong that was linked to the company cheaping out on a safety harness, and apparently not knowing that the term “independent contractor” doesn’t mean the company can sign them to five year deals but sack them at any point - and then prevent them from working anywhere else for 90 days

We had confirmation of Alison Pearson possessing a terrifying combination of pig ignorance and outright sociopathy when she began a Telegraph article with the following: “My son has Covid-19.  Good.”

Sour grapes from Lisa Nandy over people forgetting she was in the Labour leadership race judging by how she apparently didn’t listen to a party pledge to tax corporations and instead spout off a bunch of nonsensical gibberish that sounded uncannily like Britain First rhetoric under the belief that sounding like Britain First is guaranteed to win back working class Northern voters

Litigious TERF JK Rowling revealed her latest book is about a man who murders people while dressed as a woman, which definitely hasn’t drawn any form of comment whatsoever...

You would like to believe that reports of Limestone Games not only effectively stealing the game Aeon Must Die! from the actual dev team who were forced out of the company by a culture of abuse and harassment by a shady cabal who took over the studio would have eld to the game’s release being postponed, especially after it emerged that assets used in the game’s trailer were infringing on various copyrights - but instead Focus Home Entertainment responded by twiddling their thumbs and doing nothing

I’m sure there’s no connection between Alan Sugar demanding people go back to work as if the number of Covid cases has been rising to an alarming degree and how Alan Sugar is bemoaning that his commercial property portfolio is not making him “enough” money due to people staying at home.  None whatsoever...

The fact that those moron parents in California started a wildfire after setting off fireworks for their baby’s gender reveal party that led to over 20,000 people having to evacuate their homes is dickheaded enough - but the fact that it’s not the first case of this happening, as a similar incident happened in Arizona back in 2018, makes them look even more dickheaded

If you want to say you put Britain before anything else, like Andrea Jenkyns did in her latest Twitter tsunami of childishness and spite, it doesn't look good when you say you're pro-Trump before pre-De Pfeffel as it defeats your own argument almost as fast as being Andrea Jenkyns - or, you know, failing to spell the word “British” correctly when accusing people of being anti-British

It would have been wise if West Ham announced that manager David Moyes and two players had tested positive for Covid before their match with Hull - not after the match had kicked off, leading to Moyes legging it out of the stadium

Whatever it is in the mind of DeAnna Lorraine that snapped and had her babbling insane nonsense that The Masked Singer is part of a covert plot to have people wearing masks probably can’t be repaired, and appears to have also caused her to accuse anyone who thinks she does sound insane of being acolytes of George Soros

Professional victim Laurence Fox somehow believed that posting a chat log of a conversation between himself and Rebecca Front and then howling about being “cancelled” - and then a few hours later had to very publicly backtrack, no doubt because his agent had several dozen words with him

I have no idea why David Cameron convinced himself that showing himself helping out in the Chipping Norton food bank was a good idea, considering he’s the reason why food banks exist in the first place

How nice of Manchester Metropolitan University to tell the students who were confined to accomodation so unable to go out and buy food, who were paying £9000 tuition fees for face-to-face tutoring that was done via Zoom that makes such good value of the hundreds of pounds of rent they have to pay per month when they could have had those same lectures from home, that they’re not allowed to protest about this situation and had to take any signs posted on their windows critical of the government down immediately

In normal circumstances Mason Greenwood and Phil Foden sneaking girls into the England team hotel would look pretty stupid, especially in Foden’s case considering the odds of his live-in girlfriend not finding out about this are practically nil, but during a global pandemic it looked so incredibly boneheaded it’s lucky they play for the Manchester clubs otherwise the front pages would be calling them ignorant traitors or some such bullshit

Nothing sums up Premier League referees quite like them clearly not understanding the current definition of the handball rule, but rather than actually look it up they make it up as they go alone leading to more penalties being awarded for handball in the first four rounds of Premier League fixtures than in entire seasons - not helped by Premier League referees also operating VAR, where they seem to have a policy of “If you ignore my cock up, I’ll ignore yours”

And finally, inventing yet another terror atrocity, is Donald Trump and his batshit insane proclamations about cans of soup being a much bigger threat to American lives than, say, and AR-15.  But then again, it’s not like his support base has a habit of throwing cans of soup at crowds of people

[art-oblivion]

Read this if you’re looking for a new obsession or you’re just bored

Idk, here’s some stuff you can watch/read for free w/ mostly spoiler-free garbage summaries

[disclaimer: some of these aren’t that relevant or new, so their fandoms are probably dead or inactive]

Buzzfeed Unsolved

2 dudes summarize unsolved mysteries + the origin of a few kinda old memes

Cliffside

A cool, comedic, and slightly creepy pilot about a cowboy and co

Possible future overarching plot?

Sanders Sides

Fluff, comedy, psychology, and a surprisingly wholesome fandom

Starring: Thomas Sanders, Thomas Sanders the dad, Thomas Sanders the emo, Thomas Sanders the Disney Prince, Thomas Sanders the teacher, and more???

Oh, and some great musical numbers

Villainous

The bear is voiced by Markiplier (no joke)

A Cartoon Network web series

There’s an entire short series about them critiquing villains from other shows (Adventure Time, Regular Show, Samurai Jack, etc)

Gravity Falls-type mystery seems to be going on in the background

Some of it’s in English and some of it’s in Spanish

It’s mostly shorts, but there are 5 episodes planned (only 1 is out so far)

Original Shorts

Shorts

More shorts

Orientation Videos for Villains (The crossovers)

Episode 1

The Villainous/Regular Show/FNaF crossover (Yes, that’s a thing)

Asdfmovie

The source of my childhood sense of humor

Eddsworld

*Claps* *Jazz hands* Toxic fandom

The fandom’s known as the fandom that “scared the shows creators away”

The show itself is legitimately funny

It ran from 2004-2016

There’s a fan movie coming tho

Also a fan episode called “Dead Ringer” ?

Also maybe another season???

Songs of War

Minecraft

The story kinda gives off Lord of the Rings + Minecraft Story Mode vibes

The bloopers are pretty funny too

An Egg’s Guide to Minecraft

Minecraft

Comedic w/ plot

I don’t know why, but it’s surprisingly engaging as it goes along

Element Animation

Villager News

Minecraft

Comedic w/ a sort-of plot?

The other source of my childhood humor

Also Element Animation

Hybrid Heroes

Great art

A world w/ superpowers

“Found family is cool”

Freelancers

5 friends/roommates keep trying to find jobs

Featuring the og cast of Studio C (as they’ve moved on to JK Studios)

SCP Foundation

Imagine, for a moment, a world where creepypastas were good

That’s what the SCP foundation is

Lucas the Spider

WHOLESOME

Just... ... adorable

Overly Sarcastic Productions

Really entertaining + educational

Miscellaneous Myths

Journey To The West (Aka, the first anime)

Trope Talks!

Ancient Mediterranean History

European & American History

The Infinity Train Pilot and Shorts

Lots of feels

The shorts have spoilers

Over the Garden Wall Pilot and Episode 1

The perfect Halloween show

A mysterious aesthetic/atmosphere

Ducktales (2017) Episode 1

Finally! A reboot of quality!

Really funny

Surprisingly self-aware

Tangled the Series Episode 1 (Spoilers)

There’s a short special movie/episode that comes before the show itself, to the first episode’s confusing unless you’ve seen the special

The animation style is way too beautiful

Ninjago Seasons 1-2

It’s not at all like the movie

Lots of Snakes

My childhood

Regular Show Shorts

Some of them contain spoilers, and a few of them probably won’t make sense unless you’ve seen the show

Carl the Robot Psychiatrist

Just a fun comedy about sentient robots

Yep

Nothing bad happens in that comic

Nothing at all

Cat Loaf Adventures

It’s really cute

Just...

Absolutely adorable

Alec in Wunderland

A cool spin of Alice in Wonderland

Acception

A nice slice-of-life/drama w/ really likeable characters

Saphie the One Eyed Cat

Pretty funny

Also pretty cute

The Glass Scientists

The art’s really good

Probably my favorite Jekyll and Hyde story of all time

Idk why it’s a web series bc it deserves to be a graphic novel

It shouldn’t be free for how good it is

Video game no commentary play-throughs

Fanfiction

And if none of that sounded interesting, then here’s this:

https://www.boredbutton.com/

Feel free to add more!

[researchandthat]

JK & ZombArt, (1991). ‘The Low End Theory’ - A Tribe Called Quest, https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/w9rg/

September 24th 1991, the day that music lovers would be treated to two of the 90′s most influential albums. On the same day as Nirvana’s cult debut album Nevermind, A Tribe Called Quest released their second studio album The Low End Theory . Both albums are often regarded as the most influential from their respected genres, helping to shape music in and after the 90′s. 

Together, Ali Shaheed Muhammed, Q-Tip, and Phife Dawg come together to become the groundbreaking, sophisticated and refreshing A Tribe Called Quest. Their songs, albums and lyrics are often playful, filled with combinations of jazz and rap, with stories to match. 

The album cover is as bold as the colourful lyrics rapped by the masterful Q-Tip and Phife Dawg. The body of a model is used as the canvas and focus for the design by artists JK and ZombArt with the fluorescent red and green paint leaping from the black background to grab your attention. The pattern celebrates the groups Afrocentric roots, the vibrancy giving you a sense of what is to come when listening to the smooth be-bop beats. It’s another example of photography been used in a creative, graphic manner to create a memorable album cover. From a distance you’d be forgiven for thinking it was an abstract  painting. 

The groups legendary album went on to act as an inspiration for musicians such as Pharrell, Jay-Z and Kanye West, the latter admitting that The Low End Theory was the first album he ever bought. 

Most impressive is how the album utilised the technology available at the time. The music is made using a collage of sounds, sampled from various other songs, musical influences and genres. The samplers at the time of making had limited memory, meaning that Q-Tip and Ali (who were the main producers) would have to imagine how each small sampled section would fit together in the larger picture of the song. They would have to do this without being able to hear them all until each component was recorded, as described by producer Bob Power: 

“​​The memory of the samplers wasn’t great. It was impossible to hear all the elements that you wanted to put on a record,” says Power. “If you were constructing a few samples, you could hear little pieces at a time, but you couldn’t hear how it would all go together until you recorded all of the elements.”*

The trio from New York were natural talents, creating a legacy that can still be felt within Hip-hop today. The bold cover design, playful and fluorescent acts as an appetiser for the crisp drumbeats, smooth jazz riffs and (for the most part) feel-good mix of funk and rap. 

*https://www.theringer.com/2021/9/24/22690923/low-end-theory-anniversary-bob-power-tribe-called-quest

[shakesonaplane]

Rikav & Shakes on a plane - 37.5 Hours in Lisboa

(Guest Written by Rikav Chauhan)

Hi friends, I get to hijack shakesonaplane today with my very own blog post (muhahahaha) chronicling our 37.5hr trip to Lisbon, Portugal.

Here’s a short guide on how to have an epic jaunt in Lisboa, the ‘enchanting port,’ of Portugal. (Note: we optimized for culture, food and dançando / bebendo….drinks and dancing if you’re too lazy to translate).

Culture

Portuguese history is full of firsts (think Vasco da Gama, Magellan….Cristiano Ronaldo, jk). Each inch of the city is riddled in history and it seemed liked every cobblestone had a backstory.

The Old

1. Castelo de S. Jorge - A 16th century Moorish castle overlooking the entire city. It was really cool to walk along the castle walls and towers and you get amazing views, a recurring theme that you’ll see in our trip.

2. Arco da Rua Augusta - A beautiful view of the underlying plaza and Tagus river. The Arch stands right by the main square and has an amazingly intricate statue atop it.

The New

1. LX Factory - Wow, imagine a massive manufacturing complex that has turned into the hub for the most innovative creatives in the city. We could have spent hours here. You’ll find amazing art galleries, creative studios, phenomenal food and really interesting shops.

2. Landeau Chocolate - You can die after you eat this cake

3. Cantina Lx - You can also die after you eat this octopus, and you might actually bc the service is so bad here, but the flavor is worth it.

4. Rio Maravilha - High rising vibes with a modern Christ the Redeemer statue, a la Rio

Food

1. O Eurico - This spot is a local favorite, and when in Lisboa you have to try the Bahhcalo fish

2. Time Out Market - You may have read Time Out magazine. These folks have gathered some of Portugal’s best restaurants, bookstores and shops under one warehouse roof. Best advice we got: stay on the west side of the building - that’s where the top food stalls are And make friends with the bartenders since they know the best spots to grab a meal from.

3. Pasteis de nata - These dangerous bad boys pastries are all over the city. Check out Pasteis de Belém or Manteigaria for the good stuff. They’re basically fluffy baked custard pieces of heaven and a must have in Lisbon.

Dançando / Bebendo

1. Barto - A local’s delight, offering live entertainment in an indoor / outdoor bar setting. Off the beaten path! Check their schedule for events. 2. Pensao Amor - a wonderfully weird ‘brothel’ themed bar with Shake’s favorite cocktails

3. Tokyo Lisboa - This is the spot you go to after a bit of drinking and you’re ready for some partee-ing. Awesome live events and fun dancing. Also check their schedule for events.

Some Advice for Your Trip

Where to Stay: Barrio Alto Neighborhood 

How to get around: Uber (reasonable to/from the airport) and Public Transportation (don’t rent a car - the streets are hectic to drive / park)

FYI: The Entire country shuts down on Sundays #church

And, as always, here is the album of our adventure and a map to guide your way in Lisbon:

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Saúde, Rikav