#i get why heat can be struggle but cant relate so much. cold is more struggle. lee hate cold and winter 🥲

[autisticlee]

I always see disabled people talking about how hard summer is for them because of heat and stuff and how it frustrates them when everyone talks about how great summer is....but I never see the disabled people who struggle to exist in the winter and cold. I only see hate on summer and everyone loves winter and cold weather saying it's easier. loving wearing thick, heavy layers of clothes and blankets. never see the people talking about loving summer or heat being easier than cold.

where's disabled people that can't deal with the cold and get debilitating muscle and joint pain from cold weather that isn't as bad when warm? raynauds toes and fingers? can't get warm no matter what you do? always cold, in pain, uncomfortable, but wearing too many clothing/blankets is sensory overwhelming hell? etc

edit: someone replied and made me realize that technically spring and fall are seasons and a lot of people like only them. I always forget that because where I live, we don't really have those middle seasons. is mostly summer or winter. the weather doesn't really go in between. it's either hot or cold. spring and fall means it will be hot as summer one day, almost freezing temp the next, then hot as summer the day after. often happens in the same day. it makes me physically sick so I hate spring and fall as well (fall more because all plants start to die and makes me depressed. spring at least has plants come back. but both seasons bad allergies) summer is most consistent and least painful for me.

[crimsonandcloverwrites]

ok bhah ch11 my longest yeah boi ever

i’m literally... so excited I can’t even read it ok ok

oh no not the wedding invitations not this

i swear to god if we have to go through this wedding. knifeemoji

listen I have a fear that we’re gonna get the break up and the car accident same as canon dear god don’t put us through that either

no fears *literally everything that could make bhah more painful* several fears dot meme

god not the jamie invite. she cant even do it. another sign from god you are choosing to ignore

straight to Jamie’s house oh

lmao the red door I just worked out that’s a hill house reference from when I was wondering in like ch3(?) lol the inner workings of my dumbass brain never stop

“can we talk?” it’s happening what is happening

Dani was so tired of lying oh my god

my heart is literally beating so fast

alone in Jamie’s room bro wtf wtf

Jamie is just so soft and understanding always always aaaahhhhh

fuck she just wants out of this wedding so bad but she can’t even tell him

AAAHHH SHE KISSED HER OH MY GOD IT’S HAPPENING

fuck fgkjhdfkjgh this is not good oh no. Dani finally finally fucking doing something for herself and Jamie so aware that this cannot be happening like this right now

and yet both of them just falling into it anyway oh my goddddd

jesus christ jesus christ “Dani had half crawled into Jamie’s lap, kissing her with a fierce and fervent heat” I am on deaths door

god they’ve both wanted this for so so so so long I can’t believeeeeee

(i am so thrilled that y’all just went there right away btw)

“Please, just - I just want to feel how I’m supposed to.” oucchhhh Dani

god her just... knowing. after one kiss w Jamie that she can finally do it and talk to him and end it and it’s so terrifying but goddd yes

“You think I can ever say no to you?” oof

“Ask,” Jamie breathed. “Ask me.” fucking fuck the power of this line oh my god Jamie is so fucking ready to jump of a bridge for her it’s- the dedication the love the longing the everything I am going insane is it too early to start drinking at 1pm

you’re not you can’t NOT THE CANON DINER SCENE

fuck this is like watching a car crash i can’t look away it’s so fucking visceral and nerve-wracking and painful

but god I’m so proud of her for finally saying what she wants

oh thank fuck y’all didn’t take him out with a passing delivery truck

“You must have known. You know me.” oh god this sentiment always kills me

“She couldn’t say it — the words ‘I’m gay’ forever out of reach — so instead she said, “I can’t.”” my whole body is on fire oh my god this is.... too fucking real

jesus christ the near miss w the truck are u trying to kill me (i actually kind of love that Dani will have to deal w her feelings w him face to face instead of having to bury it all in grief like in canon I am so excited to see how y’all handle that)

a fucking HOUR in the car dfkjghdfkjh the torture

oh honey. literally both of them suffering so much ouch

her favourite saucepan pls this is all so awful and sad but that make me laugh so much the poor confused little duck I am glad she has her comforts

god poor Dani

"Is she here to cook something?"  fgkjdhfkgjhfkjgdf

“No. I think you’re brave.” oh

“We’ll figure it out." listen listen I am undoubtedly losing my mind god this is soft

“She had spent so long being asked and not asking. Never asking. She never dared. To ask was to be known, to be made visible, words forging reality as surely as a smith’s hammer. And yet Jamie waited, letting Dani gather the courage herself.

"Can I -?" Dani said, "- stay?"” please fuck I am just so !!!!!!!! about Dani getting to know what she wants and having a fucking voice. just !!!!!!!!

“Jamie inviting her in” fucking just both of them finally getting some of that quiet courage w each other I am yelling so much

“Dani knew that it wasn't just her feeling this, that it had never just been her.” YOU’RE GODDAMN RIGHT BABEY

““But you do?” Dani asked. “Want to?”

Jamie’s answering laugh was brief and incredulous. “You have no idea.”” I AM: HOOTIN. AND: HOLLERIN

“I am here” hello? hello I am not coping I am on another plane of existence. DANI FINALLY FEELING SO PRESENT AND WHOLE IN THIS MOMENT

god they’re just holding each other i’m tearing up. Jamie is her home

Dani finally sleeping through the night ow my fucking heart

Mikey’s so chill about all of this sdkdhfdkj I love him

Jamie going out n buying her favourite jam... god the tenderness. love is stored in the strawberry jam and the hairdryer

hmmmmm her attraction to Jamie is so closely tied to a lot of really hard feelings this is gonna take a bit to work through huh???

aw Jamie going to Carson I am so happy she has her little band of gays to help her rn

I love that she can just kiss her now when she gets the urge like maybe chill out a lil just landing all these surprise kisses but like good for u girl. good for both of u

the warmth of the house hmmmmm I love that she’s found this esp because she is perpetually cold and Jamie is always warm but keeps it like that for the kid (and probably for Dani too) aaahhhh

cgjkdfhkjgh Dani is so thirsty poor Jamie trying to keep them in check. these moments are so fucking loaded holy shit

Dani Jamie and Mikey are the cuuutest lil family aw

god the tentativeness between them trying to figure this all out and the casual intimacy and just. all of it is so much and so beautiful to watch unfold

i love this little bubble inside Jamie’s house and Jamie kind of drawing the curtains around them both physically and metaphorically while she lets Dani figure things out and lets it settle between them

it’s all about the hands

oh my god Hannah instantly asking if she needs a place to stay she really is the best

soft little mornings with her Jamie like... once Dani finally defeats the ball of guilt in her chest there is so much goodness to look forward to and I am v glad she has that right now even as she is still struggling a bit. my girl needs all the sweetness in her life

also the idea of Jamie getting to wake up to sleeping Dani in her bed every morning after a lifetime of trying to repress her feelings... god

heh she’s already figuring out all the ways to push Jamie’s buttons god these two are going to have some fun w each other

this idea of learning the creaking floorboards of a new home is so... warm

Jamie leaving all the curtains drawn for her oh my heart keeping her safe keeping her safe

Nan would be so proud of ms Dani u know it’s true

awww Mikey comin home to keep her company

Mikey Dani time is always so sweet I love them

my god Dani n Jamie are so intense w each other and just so full of fucking desire... when those floodgates finally open will they even survive

oof Dani is dealing with soooo much ugh. Jamie always there with a gentle way to bring her back down to earth tho my hearrrtttt

“You’re allowed to be happy.” she is SHE IS ty Jamie Taylor voice of reason

a pinky promise to deal with everything together awwww

“why are you so good to me” “you know why” oh my goddddddd. that’s so soft that’s so gentle that’s so much love

Dani finding little bits in herself in media god i love this

Dani Mikey hours best hours

god Carson... sweet boy. And Judy sending over a whole bunch of food oof just. these quiet little reminders of their love for her. Dani’s about to go through a whole bunch more emotions huh?

fkjdfkjgfh Mikey going into protector mode when Carson is there pls i love hm

ohmy “our room” aaaaaaahhhhh

god Dani expecting him to be upset with her I am so fucking emotional. I relate far too much to Dani in canon and in this story and it’s just. painful as hell to see someone go through the things you know hurt the most holy shit

please Carson is so sweet and understanding and telling her he’s proud of her is making me cry so much I can barely see

this whole like.. uncomfortable but relief-filled kind of coming out between her and Carson is so so beautifully done I can’t stop fucking crying

“God, you two were agony to watch.”  fglkdfgkjdfhkjgh Carson a voice of the people

“You deserve to be happy.” - Carson and also me and also everyone reading this

god he is so wonderful!!!!!! this reminder that she’s not alone and everything will be ok!!!!!!! Carson I love you so much

the box being described as “the beating heart of their childhood“ god the imagery

Jamie so sweetly making room for her and welcoming her into a home I am emotional again the tears have really been unlocked now I’m gonna be a mess the whole rest of this chapter (i say as if I haven’t been already)

the really sweet way Jamie gets her to open up and trust her with the things that have been on her mind

and Dani doing the same for her god this gentle honest space between them makes my heart feel so full I am just so happy that they’ve got each other

“I want you to stay.” please (also now I’m thinking about AE putting Stay on her Jamie playlist jesus christ I am being tortured)

they get... to wake up.... in bed together. i’m so close to crying again when will this stop

i kind of love there hasn’t really been any like... just no more kissing u know but we still get this insane intimacy between them in a way that’s not them shying away from the way they want each other but so carefuly and sweetly and honestly coming towards each other

awww them always waking up all tangled is so cuuute (also Dani feeling so safe and comfy with her that her subconscious is like lets latch on she is good she is home)

lmao Dani having to mediate between these two dweebs and their playfights is so good

Jamie having her lil family surrounding her aww

(also i just noticed the rating change oh god)

sfkjfhdg Jamie looking at her hips all dark eyes and wanting we’ve all been there girl

“you can look” BOLD DANI MY BELOVED

god these two........ the grabbing her silver chain god @ google how to breathe properly??????

“Then show me.” oh my god

fkgjhdfkj so much electricity they shorted out the power

“this is just as nice” when they’re just hugging please they are so soft

i love that there’s just like... gentle soft banter between them in these quiet moments so much

“Dani, give him more homework.”  ghrfjkhjgkjgh

god the heated cheek kiss

this ‘game of chicken’ god they’re just.... really in it huh this is so fun

hmmm Dani going through the suitcases and sort of being able to bring some of herself/her past into this new place is so nice

heh this lil family and their snowfights are so cute

:( she can’t bring herself to eat Judy’s food

Jamie bringing her flowers oh soft

ugh they’re just so softly melting into being together it’s so sweeeeeeeet

“You’re lovely.” and the way Jamie just sinks into her with Dani’s fingers in her hair pleeease I am dying this is so warm

aaaahhhh they’re dancing soft soft soft

“gray eyes fluttered closed, as though the weight of Dani’s touch was too much to bear” god i am..... aaaahhhh

“a gentle calm settling within her. It had seemed that for all her life she had waited for the quiet of this” y’all this is so beautiful and lovely and wonderful and all the good things

ah that kiss. kinda feels like their first real kiss where they just get to be god I am so happy “a profound sense of finally” oh oh oh that’s such a pretty concept

god I love how much they just want each other that second kiss and them just all over each other is perfect and having to try and reel that in and being able to because they know it’s not going anywhere please it’s so so good

god Dani vs Desert Hearts I love this callback and the entirely different circumstances of her watching it again

dsjfhdkjfh oh no Dani losing her mind at Jamie touching her knee god these two have got the biggest storm coming

dfkdjhkgdjh god them like.... trying to take things slow but still letting things happen while having to be aware of Mikey is so funny but I kinda love it and how indicative it all is of them being so grown up and able to approach their relationship in such a mature way. as much as I wish they’d had their teenage love story I do like that it’s unfolding this way now.

“it struck Dani then that she couldn’t remember ever laughing while doing this.” aww

Mikey’s “oh gross” hahahaha poor kid

god this is so funny

“ferret kid” jamie why are u like this sfkjhdfkjf

oh lordt it seems we have reached the unabashedly horny phase good show ol’ chaps

god they’re still so soft tho this is so fun to read

i looove how flustered they both make each other w just their presence. it’s just so !!!!!!

lmao Dani knowing exactly what to do to drive Jamie insane is fdkgfdkjgh perfect amazing show stopping more neck kisses more teasing more barely restrained desire i love it

“the reckless rush of being in each other’s arms” AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH

lmaooooo Mikey Jamie is going to lock you outside if u keep doing this

the fact it can just fade back to comfortable companionship too is like. ugh i love them together

“Yeah. You can touch me whenever you want.” oh jesus

“No more interruptions, no more waiting, no more holding back.” it’s happening god it’s happening everyone stay calm (also the slow build to this point has been so fucking perfect y’all are writerly geniuses)

lmao Dani is like please can we just get naked why do u want to watch a movie I am literally right here

oh she is not waiting anymore THAT’S MY GIRL GO GET EVERYTHING YOU’VE EVER WANTED I LOVE YOU

“What do you want?” god the tension

aaaaahhhhh just. them being so out of their minds with want but still all nervous and wanting to check in but still just. wanting this so much god this is *chef’s kiss*

lmao Dani already having the hair pulling thing figured out is so good. poor Jamie lol is she even going to survive this

god the fact they’re both still fully clothed n still getting this fucked up just making out n grinding on each other I love this for them

mum just came in to tell me dinner is ready I AM ALREADY EATIN GOOD

lmao fuck I am just... so thrilled for Dani finally getting to experience this get ur whole world rocked baby u deserve this

thumb in her mouth i-

“my idiot” pls that’s so soft

“You have me.” i know this is like. horny but it’s also so romantic sfgkjhdfkjg

ayoooo Jamie’s tattoo excuse me while I lose my mind a lil bit

my god Dani is so impatient to get her naked I love her for it so much “I just want to feel you”... ma’am

Jamie being all nervous is so cute aw

god having this lil moment where they just call each other beautiful n get all cute about it while they’re fully naked n grinding on each other.... perfection

god I can’t stop thinking about every other mention of Dani having sex w Eddie and it just being like adequate or like her not letting him touch her and now LOOK AT MY BABY GO SHE’S REALLY HAVIN THE TIME OF HER LIFE LITERALLY BEGGING TO BE TOUCHED LET’S GO LESBIANS LET’S GO

I feel like I’m like cheering Jamie on rn sfjkghdfkj u guys need anything? some snacks? a condom?? ur doing great!!

Dani crying and thanking her like this is an acceptance speech love that for her

Jamie kissing all over her face aww

I can’t believe this whole chapter is them just getting to fall in love for real

“I want to taste you” i am blushing goddamn Jamie get it

oh my god the dream. she’s literally living out her dreams

“that same focused intensity that could make kingdoms fall” I love that Jamie is just as into getting Dani off as Dani is getting off lmao GOOD FOR THEM

Dani: desperately tryin to get Jamie off. Jamie: are u sure u want to tho??? miss ma’am let the girl touch u already she deserves it (but i do love that she’s always just like.... never wanting to make Dani do anything she doesn’t wholeheartedly want to)

“You sitting here on top of me like this is doing more for me than you can imagine.”  iconic jamie moment

Jamie literally just like.... ‘you can do whatever you want to figure this out’ is so sweet I love her capacity for just. giving herself over to Dani in every way (not just the horny ones) to let her forge her own path

“It was easy to understand now, the exhilaration of it, why people went crazy for it.” god I love this for her so much everything just falling into place

they’re so soft n comfy together and it’s all just so right and lovely

i love that once they’ve started they basically can’t stop honestly get it girls u deserve all the orgasms

“When did you know?” “Sixteen years.” oof my heart she’s known the whole time aaahhhh. all these lil memories god it really was all out of love I could cry. and Jamie admitting the scarf/scar thing whew she really carried around that moment on her face for the whole world to see (also lol at Dani being so fixated on it this whole time that’s so perfect)

heh they’re so cute with their lil teasing banter exchange

lol goddamn this so so spicy I am just dfklghfjkdjghkjdf (that is to say well fucking done I can’t even speak rn)

Jamie just being like you could literally just look at me and I am turned on I... love this whole situation for her so much

god they’re really just going all in Dani is getting like the.... lesbian sex speed run amen

oh god not Karen on the phone just hang up Dani do it do it

god she is so evil

omg she told her abt Jamie go off Dani I am v v proud of u right now

and she hung up on her godbless babe i LOVE your audacity

heh Jamie so transfixed by Dani’s lil purple sweater and skirt I love her

Dani u are such a tease sfkgjdfkg good 4 u tbh

awwww she got Dani’s desk for her oh my god that’s so lovely

Dani n Jamie being entirely not subtle over dinner w their lingering glances and Carson just laughing at them fkjghdkfjgh i love it. he’s so happy for them even w his teasing aw

aaahhh i just love Jamie giving her this space and this room in the house and Dani feeling so right in it

oooh an almost “I love you” god they’re just fuckin u-haulin in love perfection huh

and now we’re back to horny hours love this for them. gotta bless that desk somehow huh!?

i love the mentions of all this soft stuff about belonging when they’re about to rail each other it really rounds it out emotionally

“Get on your knees.” OH MY GOD THE JAMIE ON HER KNEES REDEMPTION MOMENT IS THIS REALLY HAPPENING

HELL YEAH IT IS this is truly what we all deserve

oh my god literally ripping her clothes off her fuck i love how desperate they are for each other and just how into this they both are always

dfgkjdfh jesus Dani are u ever going to be able to get work done at this desk again after Jamie does.... all of this to u on it

“Good girl.” the single most powerful sentence in the lesbian language

jesus christ this is still so incredibly steamy sdflkhskhg it never ends. and them like.... experiementing a bit w some different um. approaches? lol good 4 them good 4 them (and us)

my god them instantly getting all soft after about making each other happy please they’re so dang cute

ok love that we are also getting Dani on her knees it’s equality.gif

this little “I like you” “I like you too” confession right now is... so fucking soft and like... after everything they’ve gone through they still have the power to kinda knock each other off their feet w lil things like this huh?? sappy lil shits

oh no Judy I am scared

holy shit Dani “Didn't think you'd love me anymore” owwww my heart

god Judy is such a good mama I love her so much. reassuring her she’s still a part of the family my god I am so emo. she loves her so much

aw I love this lil shared bathroom scene after so many awkward moments w Dani and Eddie in their bathroom and so many mentions of her fogged reflection. things are finally clear and it’s wonderful!!

lol Jamie well if u didn’t want Dani to get all horny u shouldn’t have worn suspenders!!!!! it’s simple math!

god Dani has changed so much this chapter which only takes place over a couple of weeks right?!?!? after so much anxiety and being so unsure of herself this is so fucking beautiful to see

stop the car thing oh my godddd. she doesn’t even care about having her own cause she’s so happy w the person she’s sharing with I’m so overwhelmingly happy

“You’re perfect.” please I will cry this chapter was so perfect (also so are the memes I cackled so much)

[littlenekosfan]

Since no one else asked... Do the boys for the ask meme too uwu There is never too much Bazz and Jugram <3

oh BOY we are here for a fun ride :)

1. Favorite thing about them

that is a rather complicated question since it's so open... hm, lets go about what i like about their character

bazz, his passion, i love that fire he has in his heart, so bright you can see it shine in his eyes, in everything he does.. passionate people are the ones i love to hear the most about, their engagement and enthusiasm always inspires me even if i dont relate, you can tell im a person of love haha, its my most important value and he has no shame in showing that, he always smiles and have that confidence, and still feel like a relatable character, down to earth, and i really love that

jugram is a little harder to love given his... cold persona (no being hot wont count here) but there is something that makes me fall for him and its his unconditional love... he isnt really open about the concept of love, and he very much has his own interpretation of it, where he keeps hiding what it truly holds even to himself... while i dont like how he denies it, he never killed it, he never killed that flame in his heart even if it means it would hurt him in the future... his love for bazz is just beautiful to me, to love someone for all the goods and bad, from the past to the future, to love even if the ideas dont collide with yours... he cant let go bc he genuinely feels love, and im glad he kept it and accepted it despite it all

was that too fanon or vague ?? im probably talking to myself or i talk as if the person heard all my interpretation of these two... very specific, so i dont blame you if you dont get it

tbh there is so much to love, their story, their personality, their contrast, their relationship, their struggles etc etc, its just, SO much and its all so good..

2. Least favorite thing about them

ahh, i always try to see "what went wrong" with these two... while there is a lot of mistake there and there, which are human or misunderstandings, there is one thing that... kind of upsets me, its this

i know what you're going to say, naki you're not supposed to take it literally, but i think it is... the more i read it, the more it makes sense with how they acted in their separation, but has humans, its so.. out of touch... like, oh yeah, never talk about your traumas/struggles/feelings with your partner bc we understood eachother??? bro you've only known eachother for 6months and yall arent even adults....... no way they never talked about that but also, if they had, they wouldnt have had that break up....... anyways, what im saying is, its unrealistic and it actually irks me.........

3. Favorite line

"Don’t worry about what the grown-ups tell you, I’ll teach you everything you need to know, We're gonna become the strongest Quincies, Jugo"

"Ishida Uryu... you should go save your friends..."

both can get my crying in the club... the first one bc it touches me personally, and the second bc... juazz feelings

4. brOTP

jugram: lille, askin, his aide (also aizen ???)

bazz: haha.... who even wants to be friend with him, actually i want to... askin.

bonus with juazz+ichiishi !!!!!! i love that combination sm

5. OTP

ill just list my ships with involving: juazz, juazzbert, jubert, hubazz, baskin

6. nOTP

juhasch....... and lowkey bazzren/jugishi

7. Random HC

well... how about one headcanon of them by age slice

as kids, bazz was jugram's sunshine, too bright sometimes haha, jugram had to take a lot of time to adjust to bazz' energy bc while being cocky and.. arrogant, he's very nice, and he can see that, sometimes it would wear him off since he's not that great, but bazz is too good of an observer, he would quickly notice it and cheer jugram up.. a little hard duo, but they are both trying their best

as teens, they say they are stuck in the forest training but that would require a nice little house wouldnt it? minimum furniture since it's too hard to get some (ahem, sleeping in the same bed for some heat nyehe) but also, that's basically a domestic au lmao but yeah, cooking, doing laundy, bathing.... all stuff together :) i like the idea of bazz being the only one being able to read and jugram learns from him? he takes so much interest that he keeps a journal about their journey or discoveries... bazz too, but not as much... he's too busy being disliked by the neighbor city jfghdfg

young adults/prewar. oh... oh boy, that one i actually need to dev about it with scenarios and my personal hcs but ill go with a ns//fw bc why not :) while they dont talk nor get along well.. like, at all, that doesnt stop them from being... touchy, it wouldnt romantic or anything "reciprocal" (as in, its more selfish/out of impulse then doing *with* the other) but there is def some yearning... lots LOTS of it.. they would kinda regret doing it bc its not right, but they just cant help it...

post war, this one can be very very open and wide, but rebuilding what was lost brings some reconciliation... not fully, but the gap is less... awkward, so they can now talk to eachother without that weird tension, bazz would love teasing jugram but it would always end up falling on his own head fjghdfg,.. there is some up and downs during that time ofc, but no tension like it used to be, they would have some casual talks... too casual that askin can easily pick up how they have history fgjkkfgh

i actually have a lot of hc, such as their physical appearance, their little perks and ofc, their angst... its hard to dev when im just given one random hc fgmjdfg i either end up with scenarios or interpretation rip legit i can make a post of the same length about their hair.. THEIR HAIR.....help

8. Unpopular opinion

i have no shame to blame the very badly received ending of bleach to juazz unpopularity... also ppl considering them as villains, for some reason, yet arrancars gets lots of love and attention but not ritters?? maybe bc of the anime but still?? most ppl in the fandom read tybw now...... sigh..... also, if you dont think romance is possible between them, ill call you homophobe on sight (idm ppl who prefers it platonic, but if you think it "ruins" their relationship, you are so off the grid pal)

also, they are one of the best written characters in the whole series but nobody wants to dig as far as i did.......

and very very hot take but..... you cant have jugram or bazz as a fav if you dislike the other, not sorry

9. Favorite picture of them

and of course

[itsanarchivenow]

im gonna put this under a readmore because its going to get long but its just me screaming about she will be loved vs the rest of the songs about jane album

okay so first of all this is following the fact that songs about jane is literally about one girl like a lot of people speculate that because its so nuanced that the ‘jane’s in the songs have to be different ‘jane doe’ figures but that isnt the case at all? 

the artistic beauty of the whole album lies therein too with adam and jane both being entirely different ‘characters’ from one point in their relationship to the next and the way that they were constantly dancing around each other in such intricate patterns

naturally it was hell to live for both of them but im not talkng about the literal relationship between the two being in any way admirable im talking about the conceptual dynamic between them and the way it was immortalized lyrically

she will be loved and the popularity that came out of it is kind of infuriating because it and this love really became the staples of the album and while i dont mind this love as much (aside from being drastically overplayed during the albums second life in like 07) i feel like the capitalization of she will be loved was not only an insult to the spirit of the album but one of if not the single biggest factor in the total downfall of maroon 5s style as a whole post-album

she will be loved reduces the vibrant, fluctuating, explosive relationship between adam and jane to your stereotypical romance film skinny love and not only is everyone in the world absolutely exhausted of that trope to begin with but it doesnt accurately represent the theme of the album at all? and yet it still became that albums face song, the song people think of when they think of songs about jane, because generic boys being sad over generic girls is what sells on the radio

it doesnt have any depth of feeling besides the baseline emotion that everyone on earth can relate to because theres absolutely no specificity (or context in general) and people can take advantage of the utter lack of information present and project however they damn well like! which in some cases is nice but when youre talking about an album like songs about jane where the writer has so delicately placed something so significant to him, the entire tale of the love of his early life, sometimes music isnt about relating to it. sometimes music is about sympathizing for a situation youll never be part of and living that story vicariously through the storyteller and just... appreciating it, like the way you would treasure a novel

isolating she will be loved is so disrespectful to all of the emotion poured into this album because what little you could actually make of the song within the context of the album gets stripped from it and then not only does it not fit into the image of songs about jane but the song fucking sucks my dude

like it sounds great audibly but artistically its just beating a dead horse

she will be loved is not a universal love song. it is not for you to listen to and think about the girl from english class and oh my god if i hear one more person use she will be loved as some kind of friendzone anthem i will eat my own legs

she will be loved is the calm before the storm that constantly gets revisited through the album, being the manifestation of an extremely unhealthy relationship, as the hopeful but pained expression that one day their relationship might become something like it is in the movies if they just try a little harder and forgive a little more and help each other through what hurts them instead of being whats hurting the other

adam is laying himself down after this love, which as you know is about one of the many many many times they break up in episodes of rage, and then shiver (please listen to shiver if you havent heard it because its one of the songs that gets tragically overlooked) which is essentially the tension fueled makeup sex track and it literally opens with him being aware of her (their) hot and cold behavior but wanting to make up for it and ‘find a way to her heart’

the shiver vibe is mostly fast tempo heat of passion but she will be loved is the emotional followup - you could even venture to call it the straight up aftercare. where adam is trying to piece together the fragments of their relationship, whatever it takes (AGAIN) and move on because he genuinely loves this girl and he wants to work for her. he knows the nuances of her personality down to the bone and he knows that what they have isnt good but he wants to make it good because all drama aside shes important to him and he thinks that what they have, or at least what they could have, is worth the struggle

it isnt a skinny love story. its a crucial part of a persistent pattern of abuse, and then its followed by tangled which is literally ‘why cant we escape this cycle’. they recognize that theyre incompatible and for the most part dont even really like each other (or themselves) as human beings but the fact that they feel like theyre both getting what they deserve is part of why they stay entranced and consequently drive themselves to dissect themselves further and dig the grave deeper and. well it isnt called a cycle for nothing kids

but its the one song that doesnt embody the real human beings behind the album as much as much more idealistic versions of themselves in a simplified and still idealistic if sad scenario that took off on this album

and you know what came out of the capital success of that song?

maroon 5 abandoning their entire brand and turning into a radio hit producing bubblegum pop machine churning generic, emotionless love songs out for the mass public and catering to the fucking kiddy demographic of all things. from punch to the gut true to life tearjerking thematics and a classic, iconic sound to songs like sugar

i still like maroon 5s music to a degree but i wish they could have stuck with the principle behind songs about jane and even before they were maroon 5 and still producing music as kara’s flowers on like, the fourth world. the fourth world has a little bit of a predated simple plan type vibe but considering they were just kids when they made it? it has so much more emotional weight than any of their new content

the thing about unprofessional music is that its written as an expression and not as something designed to make money and while i cant blame maroon 5 for selling out (because with the kind of money they make now anyone who says they wouldnt do the same thing is absolutely lying) i am pretty disappointed in the loss of spirit that used to be so visceral in the early days

it was damn good entertainment and the work behind it was incredible and deserves so much more credit than it got and i cant help but think about where they would be now if it were the sun or not coming home that got the radio recognition that she will be loved got still authentic? still acutely critical?  a dog can dream!!!

[tomasleexyz]

No Online/Offline Boundary

If you're in retail business or often read the retail business news, you must notice about a term called "O2O," especially in China, refers to either "Offline-to-Online" or "Online-to-Offline" business model. There has been a debate heating up about online business wl gradually conquer the entire retail market.

In US, the eCommerce business is about 10% of $4.78 Trillions total retail market, increased fr 7% in last year; Amazon (AMZN), as everyone's expected, dominates the entire online channel segment. And on the opposite side of the Pacific Ocean, $1.56 Trillions China's online retail sales grew to a third of its total retail market in 2015. Bc of the rapid significant growth in %, everyone in conventional retail is panicking. Many media and analysts predicted Brick-n-Mortar and Malls wl die. In fact, the 'Big Boy' retailers, like Sears, Macy's, JC Penny, Targets, Best Buy, Walmart & more, are all facing struggles (Read their latest earning statements & you'll figure out why they're all profoundly worrying); Some are even hanging at the edge of bankruptcy. But where's their problem? Some conventional retailers have been the core of US economy in the 30's & 40's until the late 90's when internet booms. Is it really a technology invasion caused a shift of consumer shopping behavior? Or something else? I believe it's the latter, and here's why.

First of all, the total retail market's growing, so we have to look into why the consumers shop less physically, but more online consequently.

Is it bc of limited selection and availability? Nope, this restraint only applies in certain type of goods, and doesnt valid if your products are scarce and exclusive. Besides the well-known term “Showrooming,” there is actually a reverse behavior called “Webrooming.” For example, big screen TV sold much, much more volume in Costco and BBY than the entire online channel (AMZN tried to crack into this problem). Consumers wl go studying all product specifications and comparing price online, then make purchase offline bc of worrying about freight damage and ease of RMA. They would rarely buy online even if today’s Samsung 55” 4K UHD costs $100 less online with ‘Free Door-to-Door Shipping’ offer. It’s just the consumer’s dilemma/confidence matter (Many online merchants and media tried to reverse that, but wasnt much succeeded).

Is it bc of price incentive? Nope, just explained. Plus, shopping online is not necessary cheaper, depending on the economy of scale the retailers we compare in here. Moreover, freight logistic cost (Labor, cost of maintenance & fuel) is progressively increasing thru time trajectory; AMZN is trying to 'w00t' everyone signs up their “Prime”, not only bc of increasing customer loyalty, # of purchase frequency, total revenue per customer & so forth, but to also fundamentally offload the baseline cost of logistic (Not gonna explain the detail math, maybe another time; Pls simply acknowledge the 2-days shipping costs AMZN less than a single package ground-shipped by consumer). Also, guess what? AMZN doesnt offer the best price in town according to many retail researches.

Is it then due to convenience and time saving? Yes, but not 100% relevant to the Cost of Productivity/Opportunity Cost/Product Lifetime Value. Each customer segment apparently has its own distinguishable psychological profile. Let's just say the Soccer Moms (Not saying their time is not important), would they rather go for shopping enjoyment or stay home waiting just for a 'brown-carton-box' delivery, under the circumstance all associated costs (Price, gas & mileage) in shopping online & offline are equivalent? Most would choose the former. In contrast, most married men wl likely make an inverse decision (Shopping is not in men's nature; Also, the reason why @MiserableMen got so popular on IG). Hope that answered you.

Of course, we can continue going on-n'-on to evaluate, review and debate in many more different aspects. But while wandering our answer, shall we first ask why the Homo Sapiens is shopping at the first place? In consumer psychology prospective, "The motivation for almost everything we buy has something to do with connecting with other human beings." You may argue online retailers do provide social marketing activities to form community bonding stronger ‘relationship’ with customers, dont they? Yes, but different from physical engagement. As a social species, we like to observe, talk, smell, touch and feel objects, and importantly gain recognition from another. Why is Apparel being such a big category? Bc we wanna be more appeal to others (Identity Crisis); otherwise, we can all wear a simple, plain white t-shirt at all time (In a fact, that's my signature dress style for a couple years in the past. Friends & collegues would come and ask if I washed my clothes. Haha… And look what FB’s Mark Zuckerberg wears on everyday now); therefore, technology delivers immersive experience, like VR, could be a real threat to all offline businesses. Alrighty, let’s get back to my topic “No Online/Offline Boundary.”  

Now, the question is whether today’s ‘Brick n' Mortar’ provide any incremental value to consumers? Yes, but not thoroughly. Like the famous A&F stores (Set aside its controversy), once every youngster loved, every merchandise, every interaction and every touch inside the retail store’s set systematically - very ‘robotic’. In each time walked by their stores’ window, you see the exact same set of seasonal clothing displayed; You’re then welcomed by their 'cloned' associates trained with a big sunny smile; You’ll always find the women session’s on the left, men’s on the right, and the sales session’s at the bottom-end of their stores (This precise 'uniform' floor plan was hyper-sensitively designed, not the work of laziness); You can ‘conveniently’ locate the exact style of clothing with different size and color at the same area in every store; Last but not least, you’ll be lining up in front of the POS counter before checkout. What an exhilarating shopping experience, isn't it?!

In contrary, let’s look at the “Think Different” Apple Store, whom turns 15yrs old & already earns $5,546/ sq. ft on the top of all retailers (Unfortunate AAPL decided not to disclose its stores performance from 2016 on), similar storefront can be found, but never identical. Every store may have familiar placement, but does keep its distinctive window displays and interior design. Not only your loved products can be checkout and pickup right away from any associate with POS machine, and your receipt/activity record wl be emailed and detail-documented in your Apple ID account (No paper waste). In additional, every online order you place can be picked up in any store at your convenience time during their hours. If needed a repair or product problem, you can either schedule online for an appointment or simply walk-in and drop-by the bar. An estimated repairing time’s given, and an txt message or email wl notify you when ready, so no valuable time's wasted. Beside that, new Apple application skills can be learnt for FREE or any in-store event can be participated by easily signing up on Apple.com. Moreover, their 'non-cookie cutting' associates (Their appearance never looks alike, even though wearing the same Apple t-shirt uniform) are very sociable, and they wont feel annoying if you have endless questions. Presently, they take one step further in their latest SF Union Square and NY WTC stores; Both stores turned into recreation park. Haha… Very spacey and lots of trees inside. There are even stools available for utilizing the way you like (I see people stack them up as table) or resting in front of their crystal-clear, gigantic display to watch their demos or just people-watching all day long. Furthermore, to enchant your visit, there’s a beautiful garden for you to enjoy the wonderful sunshine (I dont think you can do picnic yet). You'll also find the design language of their ‘Store’ pulled in sync with their web site. It’s a successful role model for every retailer to follow.

How about AMZN? Do you feel engaged with their brand? I know I dont (Wasnt bc I worked at their rival, EGG, in before. LOL). They’re literally a cold-hearted marketplace for trading products only. Once you find what the product you need, you leave. Dislike a product, write a nasty review and the seller wl compensate you or contact AMZN for a refund, and pretty much about it (Very soon 'Alexa' wl call you for satisfaction survey). Shoppers have no sense of emotion attachment with this brand. And that’s why AMZN, the ‘800lbs Gorilla’, once single-handedly wiped out the entire bookstore industry (Still remember the Borders and Barnes & Noble stories, anyone?), starts building the “Bookstore” again. First experimented the campus stores at the Purdue University and UC Davis, now in Seattle, San Diego and Portland, and more to come soon. In stores, they thoughtfully use the AI algorithms to place selective best selling books in the limited retail space, and display their latest electronic gadgets like the Kindle, Fire Series, and Echo withal. Most importantly, the stores provide the “Order online, Pick up here” service (AMZN Locker) to connect the dots between its online and offline business. But why, if the ‘Retail Stores is Going to Die”? Online business would never survive without offline presence, so does the other way around (Read the KPCB Internet Trends Report 2016 below to understand more).

You see where I’ve been guiding you to? If still not following, how about a last example in shopping 3D technology products online? Please try visualizing the three-dimensional effect of video content (Or now VR) on the flat 2D monitor screen you’re staring at now. It’s just not possible, and that’s why the 3D TV category failed online miserably. Consumers just cant relate to the stunting visual experience and see the value of that technology. (3D TV failure in mass adoption's mainly caused by its immature technology). As you may see, online retailers, as well, have its own limitation and boundary. On the other hand, the arisen of VR technology wl write a new chapter in retail history if intelligently submerged into shopping experience (Again, another topic yet another time). Then, the landscape of online vs offline business may change.

In a conclusion, why today’s offline retailers failed is the lack of presence customer experience, but not by the influence of online business. Brick-n-Mortar can competently fix this problem and captivate better shopping experience by integrating the concurrent technologies, such as Beacon, Chatbot, AI and Machine Learning. The problem I see yonder in those offline-retail corporate giants is the poor resource allocation planning, deficient technology-integrated infrastructure and bureaucracy.

Highly satisfied Customer Experience (CX) is the key to open the door of success to all businesses.

Hope this post gives you a different viewpoint about retail business. I would also like to hear your opinions below. Thanks for reading.

Ref. 

1.The Case for the American Mall

2. http://www.mckinsey.com/industries/retail/our-insights/here-comes-the-modern-chinese-consumer

3. http://www.slideshare.net/kleinerperkins/2016-internet-trends-report