#i think i might want the vinyl if i like the new version enough

[crunchycrystals]

the speak now tv cover is so pretty it makes me want tp cry

[rainbowsky]

On GG's album, and hints of what was to come

As everyone here likely already knows, I'm completely losing it over the news of a full album from GG. There's a lot more to all of this that I haven't yet discussed, so let's dig into it. I have thoughts...

Disclaimer: Most of what's discussed here is rumor and interpretation, and could be inaccurate. We'll find out what's really happening soon enough!

I never dared dream that GG would put out an album. I have been begging for crumbs of a song for years now, it would have seemed completely outrageous to dare to dream of an entire album!!!

But now that it's on its way, and I've heard more info/rumors about the release (more on that in a bit), I can look back over the past year and see some signs that have been there all along, of what's to come.

More on the release

Promo has already begun, and we now know more about the release schedule based on what's posted on the streaming platforms.

The songs will be released in 3 waves, with the first wave happening on the 12th, the next one on the 19th and the final one on the 26th.

The physical album is going to be coming in December, and there are some tantalizing rumors about what that will include:

The album cover was drawn by GG.

A Xiao Zhan Studios red gift box containing various items including postcards, t-shirts etc.

There will be a CD version and a limited edition vinyl version.

A music video is also rumored to have been completed. This has been confirmed, and will be premiering on the 12th.

Clues we've had all along

What's interesting to me is that for months I've been posting updates about changes to XZ Studio's business license, that have been clues to what GG might be up to.

In January a license was obtained to establish a domestic performance agency.

In March that license was expanded to include services for film production and live performances.

In June there were some legal trademark applications made, pertaining to office supplies, calendars and paper gift wrapping.

And now we know that he's releasing an album, at least some editions which will likely be sold with bonus gifts, paper products and packaging (I think this is a very credible rumor because if he's going the physical album route, it's likely designer GG will want to do special editions like this).

Licenses recently purchased protect the studio's exclusive rights to produce and sell such items.

We also know GG and his studio love to produce stunning high quality videos. Was there ever any doubt that he'd make a music video? Maybe even more than one.

Licenses purchased earlier this year give the studio the right to produce such commercial videos.

And there's another license that is associated with live concert performances! I think it's highly likely we'll see a concert from him in the coming year or two.

Generous GG

As Fat Shrimp mentioned, the songs will be free on streaming. This has made a big impression on some fans, and there has been a lot of discussion about it, and about how much this album will have cost to produce, for GG to give it away for free (here's a compilation of some of the comments via Nili, and another from Estefanita).

People have expressed so many thoughts about this. Everyone agrees that it's almost unheard of to give an entire album for free. One or two songs, maybe, but just as a teaser for the full album - which must be paid for.

A lot of people have talked about the 'old days' (ack, I feel old!) when people would buy physical albums, often after having heard only one or two singles on the radio (although where I'm from people could go into a record store and listen to the full album before buying).

They say that he's opening himself up to that evaluation before people are expected to commit to paying for it, and that it's very generous and honorable, but that it will also open him up to being heard more by passersby who wouldn't otherwise be willing to pay for the music - therefore expanding his possible audience.

I personally think there are a few possible factors contributing to why he chose to share his album for free:

To me, this feels almost like GG's bigger 'debut' as an independent solo singer. He's finally releasing music entirely on his own terms. He wants to share and celebrate that with the world, as a gift to the world and to the fans. "I'm here. Please enjoy."

He's inviting people to listen to his music and judge for themselves whether it's worthy of their investment. It goes along with his personality as someone who wouldn't want people to associate any sort of 'buyer's remorse' with something he's sold them. He's always saying, "people are free to like or to hate," and this is his way of giving people that choice without judgment. "Listen and if you like it, buy it. If you don't, that's fine too." By doing this he's likely to build a bigger audience than by doing a traditional release, because everyone has a chance to hear and evaluate him without any up-front investment.

He wants to avoid any possibility of a repeat of what happened with Spotlight, where he was criticized because fans were buying dozens of copies as a means of boosting sales, and then bragging that their idol was the biggest seller of all time. He doesn't want fans to spend all their money on his songs or on boosting his 'sales', nor does he want any perception that the success of his album was bought by fans.

He could be bargaining on making more overall sales via charging for only the physical copies than by selling both, due to the expanded interest a free release is likely to generate.

He has confidence in what he's created, and is happy to share it openly.

He's doing this out of the joy of it more than anything else, and money isn't a central factor for him.

To me this approach, along with the stated plans for rolling all of this out, feels like a marketing plan, and we all know GG has a professional background in that kind of thing.

Yes, all those other elements of artistry, generosity and magnanimity come into it as well, of course. Marketing is treated as a dirty word, but we must remember that every marketing plan is based deeply in the values and intent of the individual/organization doing the marketing, and is focused on their goals.

I feel that his plan will have considered the factors I mentioned, and will be aligned with his values, intentions and goals.

This is just my take on it, of course. Only GG and his studio really know for sure what his plans and goals are.

Can't wait!!!

Whatever his feelings or plans are, I can't wait to hear this album, I can't wait to buy it, and I can't wait to see what kind if interest and critique it generates!!

I also hope that this is just the beginning - that he will be releasing more music, and hopefully doing concerts in the future.

[mythosidhesdollhouse]

Shibajuku Anime: Akira (Pt. 2 - The Review)

The nitty-gritty breakdown promised in Pt. 1. This post was an absolute drag to work on, but I'm glad to report I did at least find a few nice things to say. Precious few.

This is such a hilarious joke where do I even begin--

Alright friends and enemies, let's get this over with--

Cursory overview of the packaging: Forgot to take a closeup of the front before I removed her from the box, but it doesn't matter much since she's pretty accurate to the stock photos aside from her hair being several shades lighter than I was expecting (my first grievance).

Vague but threatening, bordering on nonsensical. Sounds like it was written by Chat GPT.

The array of blinding whiteness we discussed at length previously. (and no I will not collect you all, indeed I will be deeply shocked if the other three dolls in this line ever see the light of day)

Okay enough of that, let's get into the actual DOLL. For better or worse I am somewhat surprised to report this appears to be an entirely new sculpt. Not just the head, the body as well. The new one was clearly modeled after the original, but there are enough minor differences to convince me they made completely new molds for most if not all of the parts.

The face has the most obvious differences. The first thing I noticed when handling her is that the material Akira's head is made from is softer than Yoko's. Her cheeks are more rounded and less angular, her nose and mouth are smaller, and her eyes are smaller and more forward facing. The eye chips and lashes appear to be the same material that was used on the previous dolls, but the design of the iris and pupil have changed drastically, and combine with the overall revision of the makeup to give the new dolls what I suppose they thought was a more 'anime' look. Personally I prefer the wider, colored brows and glitter eyeshadow seen on Yoko, but I think Akira's stronger cheek blushing is an improvement on the old look.

The differences in the face sculpts are even more apparent in profile. Overall I think I actually prefer the new face. It's like a revised and updated version of the first draft we got on the original dolls.

Might as well drop a word about the hair while we're discussing the head. They appear to both have the same fiber--either very low end nylon or poly, I admit I'm not well versed enough to tell the difference--but Akira's rooting is much sparser than Yoko's.

At first glance not much to note about the new body appearance-wise, but upon closer examination we find the elbow and knee joints are cut differently, and the material(s) they are made from are not the same. While Yoko's entire body appears to be made from the same shiny hard vinyl throughout, Akira's torso and legs are made from a matte vinyl, while her hands and arms are rubbery and slightly pliable.

Akira's hands are smaller than Yoko's, and her arms are slightly slimmer.

Same hilariously tiny feet. If you check the backs of their knees you can see how the joints aren't quite the same.

Ok the sigh has returned. We're getting to the point that really bummed me out. You may have noticed the staining on Akira's arms in some of the earlier photos. Let's take a closer look.

The marks go all the way around on both arms. I suspect the blame for this lies in equal parts on the rubbery plastic her arms are made from, and the absolute shit material of her dress. OMG THIS EFFING DRESS. Sure it looks fine--Nice basic lolita silhouette, cute graphic elements, plenty of lace and ribbon trim--but the material it's made from is just nasty (and no not in a good way like Ms. Jackson). It's....crispy? Crunchy? Honestly the only way I can think to describe it is cheap, plasticky paper. It doesn't feel like fabric at all, and it's easily the worst tactile experience I can remember having with a doll garment. If you are sensitive to abrasive textures trust me you do not want to touch this thing. It made me physically cringe. And on top of all that unpleasantness, it's not even colorfast!

Her other pieces are fine. Shoes are fine, socks are fine, headband is actually better quality than anything else here and is the only thing that redeems the ensemble for me. With all her kit on Akira is decently cute enough to hang out with the other dolls I have on display at the moment, as long as I don't have to touch her.

Yoko's outfit is relatively simple by comparison, but it's made from NORMAL, soft, non-crunchy fabric, has some nice lace and metallic details on the skirt, and features the iconic Shibajuku cat socks, which are this brand's greatest (only) contribution to the wider doll community. Best of all, NO STAINS. Yoko has been wearing these pieces for eight, nine years? I've never bothered to redress her. Not a single mark on her. Call me crazy, but I'll happily take simplicity over a more elaborate design made with poor quality material that actively harms the doll.

That's it! I've run out of things to say. I got Akira with a $5 discount code Walmart sent me for posting a review of another doll, and I still feel like I overpaid. I don't hate her--you all know I love weird looking dolls, and for all their flaws I find these girls rather sweet (if derpy)--but I am just plain old mad at all the corners Hunter Toys obviously cut to make these dolls as cheaply as possible. It's an insult to their customers and their dolls.

[fiftysevenacademics]

I am in the oldest cohort of Gen X. Cable TV didn’t come around till I was a teen, and commercially-available Internet, not until I was well into adulthood with a child of my own. Growing up, the only free media you could enjoy were network TV and radio. If you wanted to hear specific music on demand, read particular genres of writing, or see movies, you had to buy records, subscribe to magazines or buy books, or go to movie theaters. Or, you could borrow books, magazines, and music for free from a library.

It was completely normal, even a point of pride, for people to pay for subscriptions to multiple newspapers, typically, your local paper and a larger regional one, and multiple magazines. If you couldn’t afford to subscribe to stuff, you went to the library. Kids saved up their allowance money or, if they were teens, got jobs so they could buy the records (vinyl) they wanted because radio never played their favorite songs often enough.

You only got the TV channels whose signals were strong enough to reach your TV set, which meant that if you lived out in the sticks (like I did growing up), even with rooftop antenna you still only got one or two channels, and in some places, you couldn’t get any. Everyone my age remembers fiddling with the “rabbit ears” on top the TV or yelling directions at their dad while he was up on the roof tweaking the antenna to get better reception. It was the 70s equivalent of “can you hear me now?”

Needless to say, I took to the Internet like a kid in a candy shop. All the news! All the entertainment! All the knowledge and aesthetics and giggles and drama and tragedy for the price of an Internet connection.

But as the Internet matured, it turned into the grubby capitalist hellscape we have now. It was probably always the inevitable outcome of giving capitalist enterprises and complete strangers unfettered access to our wildest dreams, fantasies, and thirst for knowledge, but we were having so much fun it was easy to think we had some kind of control, or that the party would last forever.

Now, the websites and networks we love the most are shutting down, the music and video streaming websites we’ve gotten used to enjoying for free or minimal cost increasingly dictate what, when, and how we enjoy media and can snatch it away from us at any moment. What passes for news is often just gossip passed around on social media because newspapers are being devoured by hedge funds and being run more like money laundering operations than journalism with integrity.

To those of you who grew up entirely in this era, it might feel outrageous to be asked to subscribe to media you enjoy, or to purchase physical or digital versions of music or movies that you can own forever. I, too, hate paywalls and do what I can to get around them, and I, too, have been badly spoiled by the Internet.

But I do recall a time when I subscribed to a half dozen magazines and the local paper, how much fun it was when one of my magazines arrived, to sit down with a cup of coffee and flip through it, deciding which articles to read now and which to read later, or just enjoying the lavish pictures. I recall going out in the morning to collect the paper and that brief moment of anticipation as the headline and cover photo unrolled in my hand. I remember flipping through the fashion and lifestyle magazines at the library for hours when I had time to waste and wanted to immerse myself in some kind of aesthetic for the day.

It all really wasn’t so bad. In fact, it had its own distinct pleasures and inherent boundaries that are lacking in today’s streaming and digital media.

So now I think we’ve come full circle. The only way we can continue to have an Internet we enjoy is by paying for the services we find most fun or useful. It took some time for me to come around to this because, like I said, I, too, have been coddled and indulged for the past thirty years.

But once I started looking at it as the same thing as subscribing to a magazine, which I used to love to do, it all made sense. If you want Tumblr or any other website, publication, or social network you love to stay around, you should subscribe if you can afford to. If you regularly read a magazine or newspaper online and find it very useful or fun, you should subscribe or donate, even if it doesn’t have paywalls. Buy digital or physical copies of albums, songs, or movies/shows you love—don’t count on Netflix or Spotify to let you enjoy them forever.

[lavila27]

Elvis: The Musical- a review by Lauren Avila

It would seem that the public has a renewed Burnin’ Love for Elvis Presley, without an end in sight. Between the recent Netflix premiere of “Agent Elvis,” Baz Luhrmann’s Oscar-nominated film “Elvis,” and ongoing tourism at Graceland, there is an unquenchable thirst for the King of Rock n’ Roll. Now there is a new way to enjoy the legend and his music. Elvis: The Musical made its West Coast premiere this month and has enjoyed a completely sold out run! The bad news is that the curtain will come down in California very soon. However, this same version will be making its Australian debut later this year! 

I managed to get a ticket to a daytime performance where, even in the middle of the day, people flocked to the East Sonora Theater to see Elvis in the building. This show tells the rise of the “kid that changed the world.” Playing the man, the myth, and the legend was Taylor Rodriguez. This was not the first time walking a mile in the blue suede shoes for this performer though. According to his credits, he “has had the honor of performing in many musical productions including the Million Dollar Quartet where he starred as Elvis Presley. In 2017 he was named One of the Top 5 Elvis Tribute Artist in the world. In June of 2019, he was crowned the 2019 Tupelo Elvis Festival Champion. Recently, Taylor Rodriguez was named The 2019 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Champion by Elvis Presley Enterprises (EPE).” As you might expect from an introduction like that, Taylor really captures the voice and the moves of Elvis. 

The story begins with a nervous Elvis, waiting to go onstage for his career-changing, 68’ Comeback Special. He faces his younger self, in the form of an adorable 11-year old actor named Asher Berg. Kid Elvis asks him, “What are you doing?” In the midst of this self-reflection, the audience embarks on a journey throughout the life of both young Elvis and Elvis, the icon. The show was comprised of a very strong supporting cast! Personally, I’ve seen Broadway shows, touring companies, regional productions, and community theater. I have found that many times the supporting cast can make or break a show. In this case, they truly contributed to an entertaining afternoon. Major standouts include Christopher Michael, Elizabeth Harlen, Olivia Marie Jones, Sage Spiker, Taylor Tveten, and Dedrick Weathersby. They had the kind of stage presence that made you pay attention to them. Perhaps it was a million watt smile, the passion of a southern Reverend, the excitement of a radio DJ in the 50’s, the corniness of a tv announcer in the 60’s, or even a lovestruck Priscilla. 

The book comes from Sean Cercone and David Abbinanti who were wise enough to include all the major players in Elvis’ life, the hits you want to hear, and lines that make you think and feel. I really enjoyed the Jersey Boys-like template that many shows tend to follow these days. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right? There were poignant moments of heartbreak, light-hearted points of humor that sparked genuine laughter, and even audience interaction that only an Elvis show could truly justify. 

Spoiler warning: My favorite parts included the build up to “That’s Alright,” the interaction of Elvis with the front row during his appearance on The Frank Sinatra Show, the compilation of Elvis making his movies, and all the scenes of Kid Elvis and Adult Elvis. 

Considering that this show was put on by a local theater company, I was impressed by the visuals. The set was a modest bi-level stage, encompassed by a Vegas-like semi-circle opening. Vinyl records were mounted to the walls on either side of the stage too. The stage’s projection screen added an immersive element, from spinning records to playing background for Elvis’s movies.The band was present onstage throughout, very convenient since they also doubled as Elvis’ actual bandmates. Unfortunately, power outage problems did occur several times but once again I must commend these professionals for not missing a beat. Strange things are, in fact, happening every day!

I must conclude by highlighting Taylor’s performance. Both his speaking and singing voice were very similar to the hip-swinging musician we all know and love. He accompanied himself on guitar. He pulled off all the moves that history has tied to Elvis. He convinced the audience enough of his character that the women were swooning over him by the time he was interacting with (and kissing) them. 

All that said, I will say that the show itself may need to be shook up a bit before hitting the stage again. My biggest problem is that there were hardly any solutions for each storyline and character introduced. If you’re looking for trouble, you may find it in the structure of this show. I came out of it feeling like I was missing something. I believe though, with all the potential that Elvis: The Musical has, it can be a hit. Check out this preview below:

[tayfabe75]

your thoughts on the leaked collab on Slut well the lyrics at least the vocals not leaked. See Itsthebml on TikTok and it appears that it’s not fake as Target is pulling all the tangerine versions of vinyl from stores

My preemptive apologies, as brevity is not my forte… and I have many, many thoughts about this leak!

On authenticity:

There have been enough separate instances of people posting clear photos (1, 2, 3) of the lyrics and credits for the "Slut!" collaboration, that I lean toward it being real. And, when it comes to things like this in the realm of Taylor Swift, I'm more inclined to believe that "nothing is accidental" and that a mistake this significant wouldn't make it to shelves at all (while that might be giving Taylor too much credit, I spent most of my life never giving her enough credit (new fan!) and I have since amended my ways) Indeed, it is very strange that Target pulled the vinyl from its website, perhaps lending further credence to the leak's authenticity.

Another thing to consider when it comes to authenticity is - who would fake this and why? There are a few ways I'd categorize 75 fans & Swifties. You have:

Fans of one or the other who just want new music and are open to a collab with whoever (likely don't care enough to fake it)

Fans of both who would probably like the collab but aren't super invested (likely don't care enough to fake it)

Fans of both who are sad about the implications of a pulled collab (unlikely to create something like this without specifying it was wish fulfillment)

Fans of one who hate the other artist, their fans, and anyone who supports the union (bingo!)

So, even though there are like, a hundred 'Maylors', tops, the people we annoy get great satisfaction from attempting to emotionally wound us. I know from experience lol So, since I have had the extreme displeasure of speaking with some of them, I'm not sure they have the wits about them to make a convincing argument, let alone convincing 1989 album art (graphic design, especially a recreation like that, can be a pretty tedious and complicated process - this I know from experience) but you never know! Unfortunately for all of us, hate can be quite a motivator, and if human history is any indication, the sky's the limit!

Apart from that, though, there are so few people who have any incentive to fake this two months later. Now, the alleged audio leak is another story. Since the 'anti-Maylor' crowd has now seen how upset we were and no doubt reveled in our misfortune, I could easily imagine them whipping up an AI version to bait us so they could point and laugh. I have heard the alleged leaked audio - and while it sounds like Matty's voice, something seems a bit off to me. Considering Brad Troemel has a full AI report coming in a matter of days, I am keeping my defenses up!

For what it's worth, I believe that I hear Matty's voice accompanying Taylor on the last line of "Slut!", on just the word "drunk". Someone then found or made stems for arguably clearer audio. To me, it still sounds like Matty (perhaps wishful thinking), but the user who found this audio thought it didn't sound like him. Figured I'd share both opinions and links and see what you think!

On why we didn't and might not get it:

I was shocked that, when the leak happened, most of Twitter seemed to have one of two takes: 1) "Matty ruined this for Taylor and what a no-good bad horrible man, just like we said!" and 2)" Taylor and Matty are immature children who can't speak like adults and need to grow up."

Genuinely, I couldn't and still can't quite comprehend how anyone came to those conclusions based on what happened in May, or that these were the widely accepted takes. There was a whole campaign by Taylor's fans to get her to break up with him, as well as a media storm (including social media) that did everything imaginable to demonize Matty, right down to choosing the most unflattering photos of him for every article. Speaking of AI, does anyone happen to remember the disturbing AI images depicting Matty's death with Taylor standing happily over his body? My god. Absolutely shameful behavior. And that was as late as October, you know, the same month 1989 released. All because of Matty's involvement in two relatively offensive jokes in February that were apologized for. I truly pity anyone who harbors that level of irrational hatred.

I've said that, at this point, releasing the collab would be like giving your dog a treat for peeing on your favorite Cardigan. So, while I've never wanted to listen to a single song more than that one, I am at least happy that it was (most likely) real! It means we weren't reading the signs incorrectly, and that the collaboration was for 1989, as foreshadowed by both artists (1, 2). The pair co-writing a song called "Slut!" has much wider implications about the muse of 1989 (who is often perceived to be one singular entity - judging by the linear nature of the album's liner notes and perhaps even confirmed by Taylor, herself, with a like).

Lastly, I'll say this: Taylor has several songs in her catalog that seem cyclical ('Love Story', for instance), and "Slut!" feels like one of those songs to me. We'll see!

Thank you for the question!

[cleoselene]

I might have gone a little nuts at Amazon this month but THAT'S OKAY, IT'S MY BIRTHDAY ON THE 14TH, THESE ARE TREATS FOR ME.

Actually it's mostly stuff for the house. I'm redecorating my living room and got some stuff we just NEED for that purpose and for general house use. Like we've never had many cups so I ordered a bunch of decent sized plastic cups. I got a stepladder to help with redecorating, and some more hanger hooks. I got 12x12 frames to put up record inserts/sleeves that are artistically appealing. Going to put a section of the wall devoted to family and dog pics, the rest is records. Aside from my Rothko and my framed Leighton Meester + Check in the Dark Poster. but I probably pulled 45 framed pics off the all (I told you I went maximalist XD)

also ordered a couple of surge protectors and some new fairy lights for the living room. For the longest time we lived on fairy light only illumination and it was pleasant, but our light set died. I got 66 feet and it can change color by remote. Hopefully it's enough, but it was only like 7 dollars so if I need to order another 66 feet that's no big.

and really, THIS one is happy birthday to me: I ordered the special limited edition clear version of VNV Nation's Empires. I still need Automatic, Noire, and Transnational on vinyl to round out all their available albums, and I *do* want them all but most of them are shipping from Europe which is EXPENSIVE. This one is from the UK but for some reason only charging 7 pounds for shipping, so it'll probably take 10000 years lol. Or maybe it's just their version of media mail and that's why it's so cheap? Media mail is dope man, as a vinyl collector I double plus love it.

I think the roommates are probably getting me COWBOY CARTER on vinyl for my birthday >_> I strongly hinted to them that the blue vinyl would be a GR8 birthday gift hahah

also my mom owes me some money so I am not BROKE broke. If they don't get it for me I can afford to order it. And I already paid for TTPD (The Black Dog version) on vinyl so that's covered. I wanna get it on CD too, and probably the same for TTPD so I can listen to them in my car. It's been my tradition since I became a fan of Taylor's to buy the CD for my car but that was before I became a vinyl collector (literally my first ever vinyl was a signed copy of Midnights that a friend sweetly bought for me, thus the addiction started) so I'm not sure. I don't like buying things twice. We'll see how much I love TTPD? I think COWBOY CARTER is worth buying twice, I love it that much. TTPD might make me feel the same way, but either way, i wouldn't get the same version? Like I got Black Dog for Vinyl, I would get one of the other variants for CD. Maybe I'll wait to see which of the songs I like best and order accordingly.

also, Beth Gibbons' first solo album in May T___T she is probably my favorite living female vocalist (no one can touch the late great Whitney). She's been working on this album more than a decade I know it's going to be SO good

[firespirited]

Dolls are patient. They got their final cif wash today. I think the white werecat needs her fringe redoing, sometimes it's just a casualty of the degluing process.

Abbey got the chop, she was rooted with the bobbly tinsel all the way through. It's not too badly stripped so if anyone wants the hair, it's free. It's just unbrushable without frazzling up. Her face paint is chipped anyway. She's custom bait (free)

It has made me want a G1 Abbey very much but I'll be picky about tinsel and maybe her streaks. I think i'd be ok removing tinsel from a front line and parting but the whole head was too much. Might keep her body in case I find the right face Abbey but her torso and arms are all yellowed (you know how rough it can get with Abbeys) .

Catty's like new, the werecats have small paint scratches the faded paint stripes on the hair and one needs more plugs to the bangs. Lagoona 13 wishes is like new. I bought her as a duplicate for mine who got a full no fringe reroot on the day (bday gift from sis so she had to be perfect asap). She's gorgeous but it felt indulgent to have both when they're near clones.

Lagoona black carpet has a hard head. Probably brittle, she'd benefit from a front reroot in either blonde or a dark colour that goes well with that teal but with the head kept hot on a heat pad so that the vinyl holes close properly and don't crack open. I use a zigzag pattern like *. *. *. To avoid empty areas while leaving enough space between each hole to not crack open.

The two EAH are in decent condition with some small hair stripping from brushing them while full of glue. Clawdeen's front stripping is more pronounced but she was so incredibly sticky I'm amazed she kept so much hair. Cleo is a gorgeous version, a sweeter face, she's very tempting to keep but I have to be strict about the Mh crew LOL. Jinafire scaris needs restyling to her original haircut.

Only Catty, Clawdeen and the 2 EAH have full bodies. The werecats have arms missing but do have tails!

I'm not able to do bleaching this year, I don't have a place to put dolls in sunlight. The trade off is a cooler room so it's worth it. I'll have to pass on dolls with the understanding that they're unfinished.

Once they're fully dry I'll get photos and stick them on ebay (unless local dollblr folks want any - at cost)

My trade wishlist is emerald green, black saran, pink nylons, yasmin tone curvy fashionista for beauty cuties, afra curvy fsta for rainbow surprise skye rainbow, pale body for Kit (fsta or disney is fine or tipoffs to clones with her skintone). Abbey head with no wonk. (scaris skullshores or ddg). Elle eedee (with or without body), CAM Mummy head. But no big deal, I'm happy to continue slowly hunting.

Well, that's the plan, at least if nothing derails it LMAO. Otherwise it's back to the big shoe box for an other month or two.

The sun behind the foothills was doing that lightbeam thing that looks like movie magic on today's walk. It was spectacular.

[garagedoorsupplierwisconsin]

Top Things to Consider When Choosing Custom Garage Doors

If you're looking for a way to improve your home's curb appeal, upgrading your garage doors is an easy and effective choice. But there are so many options available that it can be difficult to know where to start! Here are six things to consider when choosing custom garage doors:

Design

The first thing you need to consider is the overall look of your garage. When selecting a custom door, there are many different styles available that can be customized to fit your needs. Whether it's a traditional or contemporary design, you can design a door that will fit perfectly with the rest of your home. You can even choose from different materials and colors!

If you're not sure what style would work best for your garage, visit our blog for some inspiration on beautiful designs: [link].

Material

The material you choose for your garage door is important. Although vinyl and aluminum are popular options, if you want something more durable and long-lasting, steel or composite doors are the way to go! Steel doors can last up to 20 years before they need replacement, while composite doors will last even longer. If you're not sure which option is best for you, consider whether or not your garage door will be exposed to extreme weather conditions. Steel is better suited for cold climates and extreme heat than either vinyl or aluminum is; however, if it's going to get a lot of exposure over time then a wooden door might look better on your home overall!

Functionality

For some, aesthetics are king. For others, it’s functionality that wins out in the end. You may have both on your list—a garage door that looks great but also works well for your needs is ideal. If you're having trouble deciding what's most important to you, consider these questions:

What can my doors open to? Do I want my garage door opening to the inside or outside of my home? Can this be adjusted if needed?

Are there any restrictions on where I need my doors installed so they'll work properly with other equipment (such as a motor)?

Is this a one-car or two-car garage? If it's more than one car, will each door be able to open wide enough for both cars at once? Will they need adjustment after installation if not already built out accordingly beforehand?

Safety

Safety is a big concern when choosing garage doors. After all, you never know what might happen; you could have a car accident or be in an area where there are dangerous weather conditions. Luckily, modern auto-reverse springs and anti-slam systems ensure that these scenarios will not lead to injury.

Automatic safety features like these are not only good for your safety but also for maintaining the integrity of your home. A garage door can be made up of several components, each with its own function—the tracks and rollers that keep it moving smoothly, the springs that help it open and close easier while keeping the weight balanced evenly between both sides of the door (and preventing it from getting stuck halfway), even something as simple as a remote control system so that one person doesn’t have to go outside every time someone wants into their garage (or vice versa). These pieces work together seamlessly so that opening or closing takes only seconds without any additional effort on behalf of whoever interacts with them most often—be it owner/operator or visitor!

Energy efficiency

When looking for a new garage door, there are several things you can do to make your home more energy efficient. Here are some of the most important ones:

Low-e glass: One of the most effective ways to reduce heat loss through windows and doors is to install low-e (low-emissivity) or heat-reflective glass. This special type of glass reduces solar gain and helps keep in heat in winter and out during summer months. Even if you don't plan on installing custom garage doors, consider replacing all your old windows with low-e versions as they'll help cut down on utility bills over time.

Air sealing: Before you even start thinking about installing new garage door systems, make sure that air leaks around the perimeter of your home have been properly sealed up using an inexpensive foam or caulk product that comes in tubes or cans at any hardware store near you! You could literally save hundreds dollars every month by doing this simple step alone!

Insulation: You may not realize it but insulation plays an important role when choosing between different types of residential doors because insulation prevents unwanted thermal transfer between two objects separated by a certain distance (for example - cold outside air hitting warm inside walls). If there was no insulation at all then everything would be freezing cold all year round!

WI Garage Door is a full service garage door company that provides repairs for all makes and models of garage doors, openers and operators. We provide custom quotes at no cost and offer financing options to help make your new door affordable.

WI Garage Door also offers an array of new custom designed garage door service in many styles, colors and sizes.

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[gremlin-angel]

And yeah, it was bad enough when she was just putting out a bunch of different collectible versions, but the more recent thing of putting different bonus tracks on each one? Really not a fan.

Tbh I don't think it's *her* being money hungry, but she's definitely letting her team go absolutely wild on capitalising on the fact that she's the biggest star in the world.

i can see the like collectible aspect/doing it for the fans etc but like. theres genuinely no reason for a hoodie to be 75 dollars!! none at all!!! its just a normal probably gildan hoodie w a taylor swift design on it that u could probably get off etsy for 15 bucks. it makes me so sad bc its so inaccessible to so many people - literally the only thing i've ever gotten from the shop was a digital download of midnights til dawn for you're losing me which!! was then!! put on spotify. atp i dont get too stressed about any 24hr exclusives cause i know it'll come on streaming soon. all that said i really want ttpd + the anthology on vinyl :( it might be my new fav of hers

[rosesoflilac]

WELCOME TO THE ERAS TOUR!

summary: the eras tour comes to the devildom! how excited are they for the hottest show in town? pairing: demon brothers (excluding belphie and beel) x gn!reader, suggestive (asmo) a/n: hi my name is rose and ill be your host this evening :p this has been a long time coming.. :0 sorry for the puns. i will take any chance to relive the best night of my life. hope you enjoy I had a lot of fun thinking about the bros going to the eras tour bc they r just so silly. apologies for not including belphie and beel, i love them but not enough to write them </3

LUCIFER - evermore (ivy, marjorie, happiness).

-> Lucifer does not understand the hype around the eras tour. Loud and large events arent really his scene, but he goes to have this shared experience with you. He values its importance because you are so excited and he would do anything to keep you smiling at him like that.

-> Leading up to the concert, to get him excited you gift him some of her albums on vinyl that you'd think he enjoy. I think he would really love folklore and evermore because of their instrumentals. I also see him enjoying Lover songs. If he is less perceptive to listening to her albums, start playing piano-only versions of her music to lure him into discovering other parts of her discography.

-> As I mentioned before, Lucifer would prefer piano instrumentals, impressed that the meaning of the song is still conveyed without knowing the words. 

-> To make him less grumpy take him on a Taylor Swift mjuseum tour!! I think he would appreciate learning more about Taylor's life before connecting to her music. He also just loves a good tour.

MAMMON - reputation (i did something bad, dress, new years day).

-> Girl the amount of debt he owes to witches triples when he learns that you like taylor swift. prepared to be spoiled with taylor merch and lots of it. (he definitely has bets on what surprise songs she might play).

-> Mammon is more of an r&b kind of demon but I think he can still appreciates the different genres taylor has explored. 

->i can see him resonating a lot with fearless (golden color -> grimm/how it feels when you look at him), reputation bc what if one day he leans into the scumbag roll his brothers assigned him? it's also the love album of taylor swift albums.

->He'll “never” let you know his true feelings about Taylor but it's obvious he likes her because you do. Days leading up to the concert you hear him humming melodies of her songs- of course he'd learn the setlist for ya, he wouldn't embarrass you- himself by not knowin’ the words!

LEVIATHAN - 1989 (TV) (new romantics, how you get the girl, wildest dreams).

-> Let's be real, Levi bought you the tickets because he understands the hype and needing to see your favorite artist in person. Plus, you would do the same for him. However, he is super nervous about being in such a giant crowd. He goes back and forth about wanting to go- surely you’ll have a better time with someone else right? Give him plenty of reassurance that he is the one you want and all will be well!

-> Goes all out for the costumes. He makes the perfect couples costumes for you two to wear and you guys slay! It’s more song themed than you guys trying to look hot (think evermore tree)  At the show everyone is complimenting your fits- Levi gets embarrassed when you give him credit for the costume work.

-> Omg all his karaoke sessions instead of anime songs it's Taylor songs now. I see him being a 1989 girlie because of its high energy. Similar to Lucifer, I think if there are any anime rendition covers of her songs or any video games Taylor related he will love it lol. I'm picturing like Taylor Swift meets Hatsune Miku Colorful Stage.

-> Overall is so happy he went, is super impressed with the choreography and stages Taylor set up for her different eras. Congrats Taylor! A new swiftie has been obtained.

-> Omg side note- he definitely is able to get the rare merch (like the cardigans) and will wait all day for any contests/enter so many giveaways just for you.

SATAN - red (TV) (state of grace, better man, run)

-> I think Satan finds out about Taylor Swift before the Eras Tour was even a thing because of some cat themed merchandise of hers that you were wearing. Learning of her love for her cats gets an easy Satan stamp of approval.

-> Satan learns about her history and delves deep into her lore and how the entertainment industry works in the human world. He finds it fascinating that there are a lot of hollywood/entertainment industry mysteries. I can see him taking a particular interest in old Hollywood unsolved murder cases. 

-> As for his favorite album, I see Satan loving Red, the songs on that album have that fall study vibe and delve into more angstier emotions. I see him appreciating evermore and folklore as well for their storytelling ability.

-> At the concert, he is there to vibe with you but is on the chiller side. Will only consider dressing up if you really want him to do (and its cat related (see: the person who dressed up as Taylor’s character from cats))

ASMODEUS - midnights (maroon, bejeweled, vigilante shit)

-> Asmo is def going with you to spend time with you and for the vibes, he can’t turn down a good party! He feels a bit jealous with how excited you are, like he could do the Eras Tour right at home for you <3 Only during and after the show he understands your excitement; Taylor is gorgeous and ate her performance. His favorite sections were Lover and Vigilante Shit <3

-> Another incentive for Asmo to go is the promise that he can dress you up! Similar to Levi, he loves a good costume moment. However, he goes for the looks to kill approach instead of cosplaying different things in her songs or her previous outfits.

-> Asmo will learn most of her music but doesn’t really care about that- he’s there to see you look adorable and record you having the time of your life. He swears there isn’t anything more enchanting than when your favorite era begins. 

P.S. - the friendship bracelets with the brothers go hard. you make their own individual ones with their name and signature color

[effygiraffetalks]

UPDATE: Where We Are At So Far

I know in the past I would release a single and then go quiet, usually hard at work on other songs. Instead of ghosting you all, I wanted to let you all in on what exactly I'm doing right now and what we're thinking about doing/flirting with the idea anyway. So take anything I say at this time with a grain of salt. So here's what I really want to discuss:

End of Everything (2024)

As you're aware my new album is expected to release sometime next year. We haven't exactly worked out the details as of now, and if we don't soon you'll most likely be seeing a Fall 2024 album drop. Which is sort of something I'm rooting for at this point. I want my comeback to be absolutely perfect and I want to roll it out with Vinyl exclusives so all of that will take some time on my part which is why I feel like we'll for sure be seeing a fall release.

With the album not actually done and with the need to send over the album for a test pressing and then submit orders for the limited stock I'm just not seeing the album release any earlier than fall. Unless we do a Summer release and delay vinyl until Fall. I'm not really sure.

I just do feel like at this time I'm leaning towards Fall 2024. Especially since we have quite a few singles planned. Here's kind of an outline on everything.

The Singles

So far we've done (not including I'm Alive) End of Everything (2022), Dynamite (2023), Not Your Savior (2023), and I Wanna Be Free (2023).

Four singles are a lot so far, so I'm sure even more singles from this album sounds pretty excessive. Though, my farewell album Out of this World featured 6 official singles and 2 "unofficial"/promotional singles. The album featured 20 songs so we had enough to really milk the release. And it worked to my advantage. I was nominated for two Streamy Awards and the album features my highest streamed single to date. So it was much a big deal for me putting out so many singles.

How many more do I envision coming from End of Everything (2024)? Many! Here's the plan (this is the part you should take with a grain of salt. Things may change, but...

We're thinking of dropping the albums fifth single in January. Hopefully right on New Years Day with any luck. I'm working on the song right now. We're still writing it, but it's going to be an absolute BANGER. I'm really excited.

The working title right now is Losing Control. I'm very set on keeping that title, so I don't think it'll change ... but time will really tell. All I know is we wrote a couple verses, have a solid chorus. It's going to be (I think) my favorite song on the album. Or at least up there... I mean... it's still not done. BUT the song will be single worthy. I'm really excited. Working with a great producer right now and we have a rough beat mixed, we'll be recording it soon.

A sixth, seventh and eighth single are expected to release as well. The timeline for that isn't known as of now. All I know is one single will have to release in time for Summer. I fully expect to have a summer BOP next year. Missed out on that opportunity this year.

So we'll see what happens!

Special Releases

As you've seen, we dropped End of Everything - Rock Version and End of Everything - Slow Mix, so fully expected to see other special releases in the very near future. We might be done releasing official singles this year, but we have some ideas.

I know initially this album was suppose to be split into two. The first was set to be called Beginning of the End and the second was going to be End of Everything. That was then changed to one full length album. Which least us to our next topic:

Beginning of the End [EP] (2023)

We are actually thinking about revisiting the idea, but instead releasing Beginning of the End as an EP in the coming months. The EP will feature the special releases mentioned above, as well as a few remixes, alt versions/demos, and a very special bonus track. We're trying to work out the details right now. It might or might not happen. It's too soon to say but I'm leaning towards it happening! It'll be a great promotional tool for the over all album drop. So I do see it happening!

I'll have more information on that when/if it becomes available. As of right now we don't have an album cover for it either.. so there's still quite a bit to work out.

Something Christmas (2023)

I love the holidays so much. I've had many interesting releases for Christmas. Two albums:

I Don't Wanna Die: Before Christmas (2009) - which served as a follow up to my 2009 debut EP I Wanna Die. The album featured a combination of normal songs and Christmas ones. It has since been wiped from the internet. Not exactly a release I'm proud of. Not my best work ...

Kiss Me Santa (2010) - On November 23, 2010 I released a whole Christmas album which included 5 cover and 4 original Christmas songs. I was very excited about it. It's no longer available online so one idea we are considering is working with DK Records in trying to acquire the album from SD Records so we can remaster it and release it just in time for Christmas. I feel like it's a great idea.

Christmas has been just such a special time of year for me. So much so I even release two singles (neither attached to an album):

Holiday (2013) : This was such a special one off single for me. It was an original song. Can't believe it released over a decade ago. It's also no longer available on streaming, though I hear it's floating around Youtube still. Can't believe it'll be almost a decade since it released!

Alone This Christmas (2019): This song I've mentioned prior. It was initially a demo called Alone. We reworked it and turned it into a Christmas song. I'm not sure if the demo version will ever see the light of day. But luckily this gem is still available on all streaming services!

Finally: My Book (?)

During my retirement I assured everyone I was working on a book, and I certainly was. It's not complete because there's so much I keep on wanting to add to my story. The book was initially going to be titled In The Life of Effy Giraffe and I do see it releasing one day. But it's something we've just shelved at this point. I bring it up though because I was actually just re-reading what I have so far. And It's very interesting!! It inspired me to really dive back into it once this album releases.

ANYWHO : As of right now we are busy writing and recording the album. Hope this insight was interesting for you all to read. Thank you guys for everything

xx

Effy

[lwt28brave]

LT2 masterpost

If it was up to me, we would get an autumn or winter EP. Since it’s not up to me at all, here, enjoy this post with everything we know so far of LT2, which is to say, not much at all. Everything here is hypothetical. I’ll be updating every time I see something relevant. A little disclaimer that while this is a masterpost (kinda), it could be read as discourse (duh, it’s also a theory), AND it’s also by me, and you shouldn’t expect me to be serious at this point.

Due to me restraining myself, there’s no reference to any of the times he’s mentioned his guitar skills and him improving but I hope you know I cried every single time.

I’m also linking my old pinned here. It was written before AFHF and around the free merch thing that didn’t lead to much, but I still think I made some good points.

Possible tracks:

Copy of a Copy of a Copy

Change

Faith in the future??

369??

Possible names:

369

Faith in the future

When is the album coming out?

Your guess is as good as mine

Friday 28th of January 2022. Almost two years after Walls. It’s a Friday. It’s a 28th. What else can I say?

Here you can find @want-to-be-loved timelines for every month.

Here you can find @berlinini’s timeline of what Louis has been up to this year (2021).

The rest is under the cut. And here you can find a PDF version where Tumblr can't tell me how many pictures I can add.

2020

He said back on May 2th 2020 he wasn’t writing anything new yet.

(x)(x)(x)

Interestingly enough, he’s said many times after that that the album’s not ready cause he has no new experiences to drawn from. I won’t call him out because he does it himself.

May 4th. He liked a tweet from DMA’s Johnny Took saying they had to go write together again. Louis has been credited as an influence for them and (kind of) participated in their previous record, so I’m assuming he meant for their music and not his, but you never know.

Nothing(literally nothing??? how did we survive) until 11th of July. We all know what happened that day. We all celebrated it. Nonetheless, that’s not what I’m talking about here.

(x) So, by the beginning of July 2020 he was working on concepts and ideas for the new album. That was fifteen months ago. I know perfection takes time but…

Brief summary of important things that happened from then until the next mention of new music:

Louis left Syco!!!! 10 days later he rescheduled the tour for the first time. He followed Matt Vines on Twitter, probably so we could publicly shame him into doing something. Also, the 10thanniversary. He followed more people I wish he hadn’t.

Then more nothing until September. Not even a single tweet. The first merch drop was on the 28th of August but he just RT’ed the tweet. He first mentioned Free my Meal on the 25th of September. Then on October 1st Walls hit #1 on a lot of countries and Louis was incredibly happy and excited about it ^^

And then, that same day, October 1st, 2020, he dropped this bomb:

(x)

He also said it was too soon to be sharing new lyrics with us (x)

And, obviously, this tweet which is actually what made me start this whole post. I would hope you know mate.

(x)

He also told us he was cooking "banger after banger" and that he was incorporating more social themes into his music (x)(x) (I believe any social issue is a political issue but that’s not the point rn).

COPY OF A COPY OF A COPY?!?!

These next paragraphs are brought to you by my mind not remembering things and me not having any links. I’m assuming COACOAC came from those writing sessions that supposedly happened in October. Or in LA but I have no idea if he actually was in LA at any point other than a Daily Mail article putting him there on December which would have been too late, but I do remember that someone said he was in the studio in LA last autumn???? A rumor. Maybe. IDK. Did I mention already all of this is very hypothetical?? Well, this is it. I can’t even remember if this was October or November or what. So, take this with a grain of salt.

I’m also… taking the liberty to assume, if you must, that Copy wasn’t meant to be a Walls reject because it sounds more mature and darker and it has a vastly different tone that Walls songs. I know he’s said that song probably isn’t getting into the album, but I want to have faith (in the future) that I’m getting a studio version. (But also, Louis, if you’re reading this, first of all GET OUT OF MY BLOG second of all, please don’t ever feel pressured again to add a song to the album because we have already heard it before. It’s your art and it should always be under your own terms).

So yeah, I believe that Copy is either one of those four songs (then imagine the other three??!!) or was written around the 1st of October date.

---End of the Intermission---

Then not much important (other than sharing more about Marcus Rashford fight against food poverty and the 2nd merch drop) until he announced the livestream on the 24th of November. (x)

It wasn’t until a few days before the livestream date we even thought again about new music (jk, I know we’re always thinking about new Louis’ music). So, December 9th/10th, 2020. Nine months ago. We got our first taste of new music!

He made sure we knew Copy of a Copy of a Copy isn't a cover! (x) (x)

(x)

Ok, so that’s it for 2020. (I feel like I’m missing something from September 17th because tweet was deleted but maybe he was still talking about cucumbers. We might never know. Unless I understand how Tumblr tags work). Expected, cause Walls was released in 2020. We needed to let it sit for a while.

2021

Another Summary: Louis third tweet of the year was telling the UK government off. So was the fifth. What a good beginning. On the 26th of January, he said he prefers pancakes over waffles. I hope he meant pancakes other than his own. More importantly, he tweeted the infamous “you lot read into things too much”. Don’t get me started, Tomlinson. Don’t. Then the 31st came around and Walls was one. He tweeted this. How wise. And Project Defenceless happened!!

15th of February!! Who cares about Valentine Day when the next day we got this? ♥

(x)

(x)

So…AN EP?? AN EP?? PLEASE RELEASE AN EP.

“I’m sure I will have something out this year but unlikely that will be the album”. Unlikely but not impossible. Also. A single would be good. This is the second time he mentions releasing something in 2021 and he sounds surer about it than the first time around.

He also said that he isn’t sure we will get a studio version of Copy. And that the best bridges from Walls to LT2 are Walls, OTB, KMM and Copy. Can’t wait!

Then we jump to March 6th when he announced he was going to create his own management company. “Sometimes action is needed first to encourage the motivation and belief”. As we can tell he was already manifesting some stuff which will lead us to the numerology stuff/Tesla… kidding. Or not. We might never know.

On the 22nd of March he answered some questions:

He told us music was still his main focus �� mwha. (x) I included this tweet to guilt-trip him into giving us music in case he’s reading this even after I told him to leave. ILY.

(x) I’d love to get a visual EP this autumn. Just saying. It sounds like a lovely concept.

(x)

…next (I will get into it, I promise. I’m just mad).

On the 25th he left for Mexico until April 10th. You could assume it was just for the documentary where we got ten seconds of footage or admit the obvious: LT2 its a Mexican baby!!

On the 26th (so, not so far apart from that first 369) we got the first Faith in the Future mention: (x)

Back then we were innocent people who had no idea what was coming upon us. We still have no idea because what the fuck does he mean with these. Please explain. I have one braincell and I don’t use it enough for this. I’m linking some theories.

On the 30th of March he confirmed he was already working on the documentary. So AFHF was already on the works. Will it take this long for us to get the Veeps numbers? We also got this tweet: "Got a decent chorus idea down" (x).

Same person that got the “something out this year” exclusive. If you know something share with the class. Also. Is this Change? I feel like this could be Change but I also assume he wrote Change after hanging out with his friends or being in Doncaster. But who knows.

(x) And the second mention to 369.

(x) 15th of April. The second "Faith in the future".

On the 19th of April he announced that he had something BIG for us later on the year which turned out to be the Away From Home Festival ♥♥ (x) I love him so much.

Then on the 28th he announced the 369 merch drop (which it’s probably the Walls drop? Except that the TOU and KMM ones were “drop 1 and drop 2” and this was drop 369 which, again, makes no sense) but we still don’t know what 369 means.

Into May’ 21 we go.

He rescheduled tour again. And dropped another bomb (x).

He announced he has signed with BMG as an independent artist by RTing this tweet on May 10th. The article also says that he’s already working on writing and recording LT2. The timing… we don’t know. What this deal involves… we don’t know either. Bear with me here because I have a lot to say about this.

I think the deal is only a distribution one, but that BMG are interested in Louis and what he (us) could bring to the table. They were either present at the festival or watching it, but officially they had no involvement at all with it (everything is credited either to Louis own company, 78 Productions, or Charlie Lightening’s company). That’s the case for both giveaways too; the vinyl one and the tickets for the festival.

I think it would be an unbelievably bad move not to test the waters with BMG now or soon-ish. At least a single, to see how it performs. Due to the circumstances, it’s obvious there’re certain limitations on place but I want to see how they push it, whether the radio play exist this time around and if the song is playlisted and promoted and all that… I would also love to know, since it says he signed with BMG UK, but it also states it’s a global deal, how things are going to go on the US and other countries.

Yes, yes. I know those are all questions and no answers. But I know the same as you, sadly. If any of you know more than you’re letting on… again, share with the class.

Where was I? Yes, on the 25th of May Louis had a great day writing (x). Since the first time he had mentioned he was officially writing to this date there’s almost eight months. And I believe he was writing before October’ 20.

He followed Robert Harvey that day and, on the 28th of May (why is it always the 28th???) he was spotted at the studio for the first time.

June was an interesting month for the fandom ♥. Lots of LHL content which I will love and cherish for the rest of times. On June 4th, June 9th, and June 10th he was spotted at the studio, but I believe he was there more days.

(x)

This was posted on June 6th and captioned Studio. Charlie also shared it with “Mega tunes being put down, can’t wait for this @louist91 #louistomlinson #LT2” as the caption. This gives me 2019 (Elton-Joint) vibes. I like it. Feels like we’re getting closer to something.

He added the Milano date on the 9th too which I’m mentioning because I’m going alone. Anyone wanna go with me please? I’m nice and I never eat anything before a concert so you can have my food. On other news. It didn’t come home.

During July he was at the studio at least three days too. Probably more. Feels like more with all the fan pictures we got. Or was that June? Anyway, July 1st and 9th we got some videos from Robert Harvey and wearesuperhi, which is who Louis has been working with the most, that we know of. I don’t know for sure they’re from that day. And on July 5th we got an article and lots of pictures of Louis looking really good outside the studio.

On the 12th of July the first fans started getting the free, 369 bucket hat and print. We still don’t know what the purpose was other than to thanks fans. Maybe that was it. I want answers and I still think it relates to a future project (see theories above), but it could also just be a bridge with the Walls breaking.

He didn’t tweet about anything interesting for a while, mostly because he lost his phone (he either throwed it in the air or smashed it who knows). Then on the 29th of July he announced the festival!

I’m glossing over it because there’s already been a lot of talk about it (rightfully) and while it was a wonderful thing, it doesn’t have much to do with LT2.

Let’s talk Change!

On August 3rd he tweeted this about the setlist.

(x)

And this (x) on the 28th! I can’t stand him.

We didn’t get it, obviously. Because who was going to get that. But we read too much into things. Alright.

On the 16thof August Dave Gibson shared this post tagged #LT2 with the eyes emojis 👀👀👀. I believe this has to do both with Change but also with whatever else came out of that Mexico trip.

(x) Last relevant tweet related to LT2 is this one.

So, on the 30th of August we got Change and we cried, and we know that Change is going in the new album. He said it. With those exact words. He also said he was “getting a feeling for it”. This has to meant he already has a general idea of the vibe of the new album and what’s going in it!!!!!! (Right? RIGHT?).

Anyway, let’s go back a few weeks because some other things happened on August. He was at the studio a few more times. Or it was suggested that he was there. On the 17th and the 18th. (Why was it so time-pressing to be at the studio instead of rehearsing for the festival? There was no studio at all on the documentary. Which makes sense, but again, then why?).

On the day of the festival we got another mention of Faith in The Future that made me feel part of a cult ngl. The words were flashing on the screen for less than a second. Okay.

And then he tweeted those words again after watching the livestream/documentary on the 4th of September (x). This is what makes me suspect it's either the name of the album or of the single.

On the same day, we got some interesting quotes about LT2 on the documentary.

“Soon I’ll have to think about me second album, which in my head I’ll get the tour out of the way and then I’ll address that. So, I hadn’t really given it much thought, to be honest”.

“When every day is the same is hard to feel creative and it’s hard to have any kind of proper inspiration”.

“As season started to come back, I started writing again and it was great and some of these songs turned out alright”.

And I think this is it. I might be overlooking some important details but that’s what we know and what we don’t know.

So. Conclusions. That’s what you missed on Glee. I do believe the album is, if not mostly done, partially there. And yes, this post is pointless and never-ending but it’s all in here if you need to tell Louis “Hey, you said this, mate”.

[arcadejohn127-9]

Hi! If your still taking OM requests can you do one with the undateables and an MC who has a really hard time sleeping without being sung to sleep and given a warm drink/heated blanket? Like super fluff would be awesome.. I personally cannot sleep without my heated blanket I love it so much haha ❤❤❤ you're a wonderful person thanks 😊

I've heard alot about heated blankets, I want it now. It's cold in my country and I crave warmth. Haha new idea, y'all buy my Amazon wishlist and get me a heated blanket 😂😂👀 kidding, i don't even touch Amazon, though that might change if I buy a new blanket

Oh to just be tucked into a comfy bed with a hot drink and a nice melody to sooth you to sleep

Hahaha sorry I know you asked for undateables but I got really soft thinking about all of them so I decided to do Everyone

Lucifer:

He at first would act like you're being silly but seeing you look up with him with those embarassed eyes

He couldn't say no

He'd let you down in your bed, tuck in the blanket and smooth it out

The hot drink of your desire already on the cafe table next to your bed

Lucifer has given you a vinyl player that'll play his ones and any one you want

He'll play it and put it on a low volume, enough for you to hear but not loud enough to disturb anyone

"Goodnight, (Y/N), make sure to finish your drink."

Mammon:

Of course he'll tuck you in! No one else could do it as as great as him!

He'll ask to be paid first but just give him a smile and innocent eyes and he's sold

Does make a few jokes he's letting you rack up debt so he'll get paid good

His tsundere mode is going absolutely everywhere

He'll get you your drink, tuck you in

Then act like he wasn't leaning down to kiss you

Oh he definitely wasn't staying in your room incase you struggle to get comfy or you might leave your drink and fall asleep too quickly

No! No! He was there because he was bored and too Lazy to move

He's lying, he just wants to make sure you're happy and sleeping alright

Has softly serenaded you to sleep

Has gotten in trouble a few times for being too loud

"The great mammons got you! You'll be dreaming in no time!"

Levithan:

He might sit with you by the bed and play a nice peaceful game

Let the music play outloud whilst you snuggle into the blankets

If you ask him to sing he will get extremely flustered

The best you'll get his him singing really quietly to himself

Of course there are heated blankets In the house, he's a weeb

Heated blankets show up so much in animes that he had to buy them

He'll be stubborn about the warm drink so you might have to make it yourself

But he'll quickly take over saying he'll make it

Muttering something about Normies germs

Has ended up snuggling under the blankets with you

He loves the warmth

Loves even more he gets to be next to his favourite person

"good night, (Y/N)."

Satan:

He makes himself a warm drink before bed anyway

so he doesn't mind doing the same for you

He'll tuck you in with your heated blanket

He goes to bed fairly late so he'll wait until you fall asleep, take out your cups and head back to his room

Music wise, he prefers silence or atleast ambience music

But singing? He'll do it, be very embarrassed whilst doing it though

Just like a cat he is drawn to warmth so no doubt he'll end up curling up on your bed and snuggling those blankets aswell

Might invest in his own heated blanket

They're wonderful

"Sleep tight, I'll see you in the morning."

Asmodeus:

Pamper king

You wanna be tucked in? He's got it

You want him to sing? He's already doing it

Whatever you desire, he will do it

He'll fluff your pillow before you lay on it, tuck you in with your heated blanket

Decorates your drink and gives it extra flavour and kick

He has a playlist of songs he can sing and will start playing it

He will sing you to sleep for as long as he needs to

Obviously gives kisses goodnight

He's very happy you came to him for this and will make a ritual out of it

"Goodnight, darling, sleep tight and get as much rest as you need~"

Beezlebub:

He's on it

Immediately, as soon as you ask he's ready

He'll make you your drink and insist you stay in bed

He'll tuck you in and make sure your blanket is all nice and warm

He will sing, very much happy to sing

He's shy at first but he'll sing you a song he use to hear when he was younger, it would always soothe him and his little brother

Holds your hand until you fall asleep

And even then he's ended up just falling sleep sitting by your bed because he doesn't to let go

Worried if he left you, you'll have a nightmare

If you want to cuddle - prepare

He will take most of your beds space and you'll be practically ontop of him, he's a big cuddler

"Goodnight, I'm here to protect you from nightmares...just like you are for me."

Belphegor:

He's the master of bedtimes and cuddles

Night time comfort is his speciality

If you don't have a heated blanket he'll place by the fire to warm up

Or he'll put a hot water bottle in the middle of the bed

It makes that spot warm but if you want it more spread out he'll get a few hot water bottles and place them in different spots

Too tired to do anything too high maintenance or demanding

Already got a heated blanket? Perfect

Has stolen it plenty of times

Normally has Beel make you two drinks but if he's feeling generous he'll do it

Most nights just cuddles with you under your blanket

If you're asleep then he's asleep

Already has a music box he uses for his bad nights so he just let you use that

"Night....my favourite pillow"

UNDATEABLES↓

Diavolo:

He's got heated blankets, the comfiest pillows

You will be sleeping in luxury

He's got barbatos and many other servants

You want a hot drink to help you fall asleep? You gotta be specific or he will request for multiple versions

He feels guilty for making the cooks do extra work but he can get easily excited

He can get EXTREMELY supportive

He'll prefer putting on music than singing

But if you really want him to, he'll do it

He'll sing a song in the Devildoms og language as it means something to him

Especially as that's what his dad and then barbatos would sing to him when he was little

"sleep well, (Y/N), I hope you're able to have only good dreams."

Barbatos:

Another pamper king

Like Diavolo he'll only get you the best stuff for your slumber

He'll fluff your pillows, tuck you in

Damn, he'll even help you drink

He's ready to serve and make you happy

He'll be working on perfecting your favourite drink so tastes amazing and makes you tired

He doesn't sing but he will play you an instrument

If you don't want that he'll get a vinyl and play it

Just tell him what helps you sleep and he'll make sure he's got it at the ready

"whatever you need I will get for you but it time to rest for now , goodnight (Y/N)."

Solomon:

Why are you trusting this man in the kitchen????

He sets water on fire!

For your own safety it's best you make your own drink before bed

But he'll use magic to make you a heated blanket

It'll never gets too warm or too cool - it's always perfect warmth

Very happy to tuck you in and give you lots of kisses goodnight

He definitely sings you to sleep

But instead of songs backs in the the ancient days of old

He'll just sing 19s to 200's popular hits

He's very passionate about it too

"Sleep tight! You'll need the rest for tomorrow."

Simeon:

If you have a heated blanket he'll just make sure everything is set up and all safe

Letting it run for a while so it gets all warm

If you don't have a heated blanket, he'll use a clothing dryer Machine to warm it up or hang it by the fire

All nice and warm and ready to be used to sooth you to sleep

By now has learned your routine and is already preparing your drink

Your blanket warming up and waiting for you to snuggle it

He made you a bedtime playlist and

plays it whilst you slowly drift to sleep

Has kissed your forehead and cheek after tucking you in

"Sleep tight, little lamb, you'll arise fresh and joyful, I'll be sure of it."

Luke:

Wants to sing you to sleep

Hes learned many hymns and songs from choir

Always brings your favourite drink though most of the time you're the one who makes it, and he's ready for bed and asks if he can have a mug too

Most nights you just both end up sleeping on the sofa after a nice drink

Snuggled under a warm blanket

Has asked for a kiss on the forhead goodnight

When you did he'd then do the same to you

Overall, very sweet child

He can't stay up long so he tries to make up for the lack of being able to help when he can

"Goodnight, I will make sure no demon comes to harm you, you don't have to worry about anything!"

[sinceileftyoublog]

Hedvig Mollestad Interview: The Rhythm of Care

Photo by Kim Hiorthøy

BY JORDAN MAINZER

On her upcoming album Maternity Beat, Norwegian guitarist and composer Hedvig Mollestad redefines what it means to be maternal. Though she has two kids, her exploration of motherhood is not autobiographical, nor is it dependent on having children at all. Really, Mollestad boils the concept down to its essence: caring for something other than yourself.

Around the European migrant crisis of 2015/2016, Mollestad had her first child but was faced with images, whether on the news or in person, of immigrants from Syria coming to Europe to request asylum, many of whom had young children of their own. At the same time the unfortunate nativist aftereffects of the crisis arose around the world, Mollestad was beginning to feel like she needed to do something different with her music. She drafted Maternity Beat for the Trondheim Jazz Orchestra and pitched it to the Molde International Jazz Festival and Midtnorsk Jazzsenter. While they rejected it in 2017, they eventually accepted it for the Festival’s 60th anniversary in 2020, which, unlike so many other festivals that year, actually did go on, albeit at a much lower audience capacity. Last October, Mollestad and the Trondheim Jazz Orchestra recorded Maternity Beat, which finally sees release next Friday on Rune Grammofon.

Though the recorded version of Maternity Beat is a bit shorter due to studio time and vinyl constraints, the ideas are consistent: It’s a piece about how we support each other and help each other grow. Mollestad knew pretty early that she wanted to include spoken word, or at least voice, on the record, and from the very first track, we’re presented with what’s at stake: “Is there a boat on the horizon? / With mothers and children and fathers?” Atop rolling drums and sharp guitars, and eventually woodwinds that sound somewhat hopeful, we experience the rollercoaster of emotions brought upon by these images of desperation. “Do Re Mi Ma Ma” contains improvised nonsensical vocals that sound like a baby trying to say their first words, and clattering drums that are akin to how one might play with their toys. Eventually, the band picks back up, with horn blasts and searing guitar solos, the song developing in sophistication along the way. “Her Own Shape” is comparatively subdued, inspired by parents giving their children tools they need to create, with peaceful, wordless harmonies over bendy, exploratory guitars. 

But it’s “Donna Ovis Peppa” that’s the album’s centerpiece, touching on the brunt of the record’s themes. The title itself is inspired by the phrase Dona nobis pacem (“Grant us Peace”), which comes from the Agnus Dei section of the Roman Catholic mass. “Ovis” itself is a play on Ove, the name of the father of Mollestad’s childhood best friend, who was a big supporter of her as a child and was sick with cancer at the time Mollestad was writing Maternity Beat. “I had a little contact with his family...in spring of 2020,” Mollestad told me over Zoom a couple weeks ago. “I had this urge to make something in this music for him. That’s the 5/4 pattern in the middle. It’s made only for him and his family.” He ended up passing away the day before Mollestad and the Orchestra performed for the first time. The last part of the song’s title is, yes, inspired by Peppa Pig, whose instrumental theme you can hear in the song if you listen closely enough. Mollestad’s children loved Peppa Pig, and though they’re too old for it now, I guess she wanted to nod at least once to her own motherhood.

Read my conversation with Mollestad below, edited for length and clarity, in which we talk about the album’s themes, working as a guitarist with a large orchestra, and the distinctive cover art.

Since I Left You: Last time we were talking, you mentioned Maternity Beat in context of reading Dag Hoel’s Fred er ei det beste, about ammunition production in Norway. Now, I understand the context, you thinking about the world you want your child to grow up in. As such, this album is your first time exploring gender and motherhood in relation to your music, which you were reticent to do before. Why was that, and what changed?

Hedvig Mollestad: The main reason in the beginning was as simple as I thought it was very important for there to be female instrumentalists where [people] were only talking about their instruments and their craft, the subject of their music and guitar and art. Very often, I saw female musicians being asked to comment on their gender, and of course, male musicians never were. So I was very strict on that. Gender-related stuff wasn’t my expertise. My experience with it would have been a very selective voice to the matter. If someone wanted to know something about it, they could find some good feminist research about it.

Music and art today are fighting a lot against the media. At the same time, it’s a way of reaching people, as that’s the nature of music, to be heard by others if not necessarily everyone. You want to find a way of getting into the ears of people who appreciate it. But [the media] is also problematic because it’s taking away the focus from the music itself. Very many musicians have to work with the media to be there in the right way, and you have to produce and tell people you’ve done it and present it in a way. [The media] grasping into the places where the art is made and taking over a little bit. For that reason, I was trying to focus on the music. As it’s instrumental music, I don’t have lyrics I can pull meanings and philosophies from.

Now, as I’m 40 and a mother of two, I’ve understood that as a touring musician and a composer, it’s also important for others that mothers are visible as musicians. Now, I’m sharing a little bit more for both female and male musicians. Touring as a family member is hard. It’s very good for the community to be open about it and talk about it and share our experiences. I’m also in a position to be able to work with my music as it is. 

I was playing with my much beloved Trio for many many years. I started feeling that I wanted to make music for other kind of ensembles using other kinds of instruments and expressions. [I had the idea for Maternity Beat] very early in 2017, and I drafted it for the Trondheim Jazz Orchestra and the Festival. They didn’t pick it up at the time, but they picked it up a couple years later for their 60th anniversary. It took some time for it to come to live. I started to work on it and was supposed to work on it at the start of 2020. The pandemic came. The festival was so big, they decided to go through with it even though the capacity would be very low and very uncertain. I got to work on this February-June of 2020. The children were not in school. I spent time with them during the day when my boyfriend was working, and when he came home, I just left the house for my rehearsing and working space. I worked the evening and the night and came back. It was very focused and so undisturbed. It was such a good place to dig into another world, thematically and in terms of deeper structures and working them out all the way.

SILY: When did you start to think about motherhood and parenthood as it relates to the various social issues you explore on the album, like the migrant crisis?

HM: The idea for this music was first and foremost musical. I wanted to write for a big orchestra, and I wanted to put the guitar in a way that could drive it without taking up too much space and without being an instrument like the saxophone and the trumpets [that are] playing lines. The title Maternity Beat was very good to work from because it suggested rhythm and something that, yes, [has to do with] motherhood, but also mother earth. I wanted to connect it to my experiences, but I was also clear to myself from the beginning that it wasn’t going to exclude anyone. It’s not about being a mother; it’s about caring. What’s happening when you’re caring for someone or something? What’s waking us up to care for others? For people that have children, it could be parenthood, but it doesn’t necessarily have to me. Many people have bad relationships with their parents [or no parents] at all. [Maternity Beat] is a way of describing how we care and what makes us care. That’s the only thing we have in common. We all come from parents, but not all of us know them or like them.

When you’re a new mother, you’re very full of hormones, and it’s very overwhelming. Suddenly, another life is relying on you and your presence so much. That was very shocking for me as it is for very many new parents. There are so many parents and children around the world that have so many bigger issues than putting their kids to bed and making them go to sleep. When the migrant crisis happened in Norway in Europe in 2015/2016, that was when I had my first child. I found it very disturbing we were [having] this amazing experience at the same time there was a crisis for people in my situation. I was going around and making my baby fall asleep, but I felt like I wanted to go and help others because they really needed it. It’s a cliché, but with the loss of power you feel when a global crisis comes close, it feels meaningless to go on with your life and letting [the crisis] pass by on the side. So I didn’t want the album to be about [speaks in precious voice] my child and the beauty of life. It’s such a harsh contrast and still is.

SILY: Even though your music doesn’t usually have lyrics, this album does have passages of spoken word that allude to what you’re talking about. At what point during the creative process did you realize you wanted something more lyrical on here?

HM: I knew it quite early, because I was setting up what type of musicians I wanted to be a part of the project. I wanted to use vocalists for that purpose, not just to use their voice but to speak words that had meaning. I also knew very early I wanted the opening track to contain lyrics about the darkest part of this, to set the pace and get it over with. [laughs] For the first track, I was very inspired by Scott Walker and the opening of Tilt. It hasn’t been many years since I heard that for the first time. It made such an impression on me. The atmosphere that he creates, and the emotionlessness of the words. [sings] “Do I hear, 21, 21, 21.” There’s no metaphor. It’s very simple yet extremely powerful. I really wanted to go in that direction because the focus he managed to make there is really amazing. During the composing process, I wanted to have different theories in different parts of the music. I didn’t want it to be one big fat sausage. I wanted various things represented, both humorous and my experiences with motherhood. So I put in the words for when I thought [the music] needed it.

SILY: You really get at what you’re aiming for on “Her Own Shape”, which is about parents giving children the space and tools they need to thrive. That song is so spacious as compared to the rest of the record, almost like a canvas that demands to be filled.

HM: The words [on that song] are so very specific and filled up with serious meaning, the music cannot be as emotional as the text. It should be beautiful and easygoing, and a place for that lyric to be able to be what it is without too much disturbance.

SILY; Can you talk about the song “Do Re Mi Ma Ma”?

HM: The recorded version is a lot shorter than what we’re doing live. There’s a wonderful transition from the first part to the second. In general, [on the record], I was very specific for how the lyrics should be performed. I read them, recorded it how I wanted it to be, how short, etc. But I wanted to give [the vocalists] a task where they were a lot freer. So I thought, “Okay, what’s the [simplest] thing they could say?” It was, “ma.” So I gave them 5 minutes of improvisation. I said, “You can use 'ma,' but you have to avoid it sounding like 'mama,' at least for the first three minutes.” It was so funny and so interesting how they worked around that. I also wanted to have a bassline pattern that I could write so I could focus on the horns and trumpet section. “On The Horizon, Part 2″ has a lot of things happening with the band, very busy patterns with the guitar and the time signature changes. So I wanted to [follow it with] this very slow, bluesy bass riff where I could get the most out of the horns. That was a good thing to bring together with the vocalists.

SILY: You mentioned wanting to use the guitar in unexpected ways with this orchestra. Both of the singles, “All Flights Cancelled” and “On The Horizon, Part 2″, do that. When you think, “Guitar in a jazz orchestra,” you don’t necessarily hear the sounds of those two songs.

HM: “All Flights Cancelled” is a band song, with an A part and a B part. Rune Grammofon released that single first, but I think it’s the least orchestrated piece on the whole record because it’s only the band. I like it because it has a whole other mood than when we recorded it with the Trio. It was a good way to break everything up and bring back the focus to what I’m usually working on, which is the guitar in a band setting. [This time,] it was much more complex and involved a lot more composing. It was so hard to make it fit with the rest of the music. It had to be pointy and very audible. I’m not used to pointy and audible; I want to be broader. The tempo was quite high, and the time signature was changing. [The drummer] was really mixing the ingredients. That helped a lot with the role of the guitar, which had to be restricted.

SILY: I was also surprised by how much music from other regions of the world snuck in. “Donna Ovis Peppa” had some klezmer, and the hand percussion on “Maternity Sweep” was almost Latin. Was that intentional?

HM: I don’t think it was very intentional, but it was important for me to have percussion, other rhythmic impulses besides drums, to have another person go crazy on all these other rhythmic sounds. It’s an orchestra, and it should be in the drum section as well. The percussionist was instructed very little. He was encouraged to do what he thought would fit. Then we worked on it. We used congas and so many woodblocks! He was very free there. He’s amazing and eager and has so many ideas. He’s so vibrant and was working so hard. He was the one who left the studio the latest.

SILY: What’s the inspiration behind the cover art?

HM: I’ve been working with Kim [Hiorthøy] since the first record I released on Rune 11 years ago. When I signed there, cover art was one of the only things I couldn’t decide. They said, “Kim is making the covers, and he’s making them the way he wants. If you really hate it, you can tell me, and he’ll make another one, but if you just don’t like it, it’s not enough.” I was very cool with that because Kim is amazing. But I really wanted to have pictures on the covers. I talked to him about it, and he was cool about it. When we make new covers, we meet up, talk, maybe have a beer, hang around at some strange place. For the first cover, we did a lot of straight things. I showed him around my rehearsal room while he was taking photos. For the second, he came to a gig. For the third, we went to his very small studio. For the fourth, it was outside where I used to live. Then he came to the rehearsal space again. He’s into closed places.

When Maternity Beat came up, it was obvious it was something a little different, elevating on a philosophical level. I don’t know why, but I think he wanted to try another technique. He suggested we would do it in two processes. He would first take photos of me and then project it. I instantly liked that idea because it was very analog and something I could relate and connect to. He couldn’t fix it; he had to develop the film, make small [versions], and then we could meet up again. It was going to be a process that would take some time. I came back [to him] and brought my grandmother’s dress, and we tried different ways of projecting me on myself. It was another way of working with him. Of course, it took a lot more time, but it didn’t matter because it’s so nice to spend time with him. Whatever session I have with him, something extraordinary comes out of it. He has an eye for something else. He’s not looking for the face, or what the media tells us is beautiful. He’s looking for something very human, other structures in a photo. There’s so much to think about when I see all of his photos, which is so much better than having a big, fat face on the cover.

SILY: You mentioned “Do Re Mi Ma Ma” is a lot longer live. Are there any other stark differences between the recorded and live versions of these songs?

HM: Yeah. There are very many transitions that have been left out. There’s even a whole part with a lyric and an improvised piece that had to be left out because of time limitations both in the studio and on the vinyl. We haven’t performed this live more than twice, but it was a main idea to have transitions. “Do Re Mi Ma Ma” is one of them. There was a longer part in “On The Horizon, Part 1″ where Ingebjørg [Loe Bjørnstad] actually spoke in Norwegian. There was a solo bass transition at some point. For the record, I really wanted to shape and tighten things up because there was so much going on anyway. I was pleading on my knees to have a conductor. It was freaking impossible to play this piece and still get the most out of a horn section, putting them in where they were supposed to be. I was with the guitar in another room. We tried to do most of it as live as possible. But we had to move a little away from that because I couldn’t do all of those tasks. We [did get] a [conductor] who was working with the horn section--saxophone, trumpet, flute, and violin--and taking over the score. I really depended on him. He was really important in making the peaks as good as they are. I wouldn’t have managed to do that without him.

SILY: Do you have any upcoming dates playing this material?

HM: Yes, in a year. That’s because I have this big residency at a Norwegian festival in July, playing so many different shows with a lot of different projects. I’m going to have to work for 6 months. But next October, we’re going to have 5 shows in Europe. It could be that some of them have to be in Norway. It would be amazing to go to New York and play there. The Jazz Orchestra have played there. I really hope we can play this live.

SILY: Anything you’ve been listening to, reading, or watching lately?

HM: I’ve started to only read newspapers since February. I stopped reading news online. It got to me. [But my decision] freed up a space inside of me, not worrying as much. I feel happier.

I’ve been listening a lot to Led Zeppelin lately, as well as a lot of fellow musicians in Norway.

I’ve been touring a lot.

[labelleizzy]

Go. Fix things.

Six screenshots of a Facebook post by Meagan MvGovern:

Text ID:

I grew up in rental houses. Dozens of them. We never fixed anything, and I didn't know you *could* fix anything.

But when we got married, Mark owned his house, and when I moved in I was gobsmacked. This wasn't a rental! You could hang up pictures with nails? Buy new carpet? Get new flooring? Fantastic!

But when Mark went to replace rotten siding on the house, I was *horrified*. I couldn't believe that he'd do something like that to our house, that he wouldn't call a repairman. How could he know how to fix a HOUSE? A house is a specialized thing and needs a fixer.

But Mark ripped out the siding, and put in new siding, and painted it, and it looked just fine.

And then we needed a new hot water heater. And Mark took a saw to OUR PIPES IN OUR HOUSE. I was convinced he'd be dead and the house would be flooded. He pointed out that he was an engineer who designed the water systems at chemical plants and might know what he was doing. I wasn't convinced. But we had a new hot water heater in a couple of hours, without a plumber.

And so I watched Mark fix stuff over the years, but I didn't get how to do it.

I couldn't get the hang of the tools. I wanted to try carpentry, but I sucked at it. I tried fixing a few things, but didn't know how.

My dad was great at carpentry, but he left by the time I was ten, and all I knew from him about carpentry was that it was a mystical skill like glassblowing that you did as a way to show off your talent and you needed special tools and training. He liked to talk about how you had to hammer in a nail in three blows, and how the right hand tools made all the difference.

And whenever I tried to fix anything, it was all wrong. This wasn't meant for me. The tools were too heavy. I was too short for everything. I couldn't get crowbars to work. I couldn't lift the circular saw to go where I wanted it. Drills stripped out everything I tried. Nails bent, every time.

I couldn't keep track of tools, and they didn't work right anyway.

And then, slowly, I realized that the reason these tools didn't work for me is because they weren't built for me.

No, I can't use screwdrivers and hammers very well. And drills are heavy. And circular saws are way too big for my hands. And everything I want to do is always about a foot above where I can comfortably reach. Everything is awkward and hard.

And I started to see that it really is the tools, not the user. One year I got a set of lightweight, small, cordless DeWalt tools for Christmas and it changed everything.

I had a circular saw that fit my hands! One that was light enough to use everywhere, and that I didn't have to lug around extension cords for, and that I could take inside and outside for jobs.

And it turns out that you don't have to hammer in nails for every job.

You can get a thing called a driver, that's really a fancy cordless drill, but it screws in screws for you and has interchangeable bits and you can do huge amounts of work in a fraction of the time it takes to screw around with a hammer and nail.

If you get a good stepladder, all of the sudden, that screw that won't go in? It goes in like magic. You just have to know where to stand and when you're in the right place, it all works.

And there are Youtube videos for EVERYTHING, and they show you how to do it, and while sure, there is a guy who will mansplain everything to you at every hardware store, every single time, there are also a whole lot of men who listen to what you're asking, give you pretty decent advice, take you seriously, and show you exactly what you need to get the job done -- especially if you've watched enough Youtube videos so you know the right terminology and know what to ask for and how to explain what you're looking for.

People who I've asked for help with design, planning, and with tools have been patient, kind, and eager to help someone learn the skills needed to do the job.

And now I have a cordless driver, drill, and circular saw, all sorts of bits and batteries, a jigsaw, a weird tool that hammers nails into concrete with small explosions, a table saw (this one still scares me, TBH, and I avoid it, and there's no "small/inexperienced-person friendly" version of a table saw -- it's just a scary beast,) and about ten measuring tapes and squares because I lose them ALL THE TIME.

Mark does plumbing and electric.

I do all carpentry and painting.

And in the last two years, I've remodeled a storage room in my basement into a huge pantry, added a closet to the basement bedroom, put in French doors to replace sliding doors (this was a fail and they don't work right and might have to be redone but they work better than the sliding doors did!), put in vinyl flooring in two rooms in the basement, replaced the windows in the basement, took up carpet in the hallway and put down hardwood flooring, and then took up carpet on the stairs and put down oak treads.

Two years ago I couldn't run a saw.

And now I've rebuilt a barn.

Go get tools that work for you.

Use ladders to reach where you need so you can see things clearly. Having the right angle and the right perspective is everything.

Don't let tools made for other people keep you from fixing up your life to be the way you want it to be.

Go get the tools you need to do the job right, instead of thinking you're not the right person for the job.

Go fix things.