#i thought the books reflect the same lightheartedness!

[namiisei]

The brainrot of EAH got me in a chokehold for days now that I began to read the books to grasp something new.

No one said that the books were going in this hard???

[egophillie]

detransition, baby - reflections chapter 1

ok so hi, long time no see, apparently i am trans and back on tumblr. The girl I am seeing gave me the book "Detransition, Baby" by Torrey Peters and hell, this book is intense and really stirs all my feelings. Idk, I thought writing them out would help me and what better way then to do it on tumblr.

Ch. 1: Detransitioners. For ages there is this yt video popping up again and again in my recommendations (what they dont tell you about detransitioners bla) and I've been meaning to watch it yet I did not, like described in the book. Oh, yeah I finished the first chapter so here are some thoughts.

One thought I was having or am having is, that as a nonbinary trans whatever blob I am free and fluid to do whatever I want. Want to detransition? Ok ezpz its just my gender presentation even as a masc coded non binary person I'd still be fucking valid and accepted and part of the queers. At least to the same amount i would have been before as an amab trans/nb person. Which definitely is different and also less. Like as a gay man (even tho i am not gay (in a cis straight men gay sense) but whatevs) - acceptance, as a nb genderqueer whatevs - acceptance, but ofcourse the afab nb/trans queers seem to be accepted differently (also as described in the book but also from my personal experience). So tl;dr : as a genderfluid nb, detransitioning does not exist, because it does not make sense. Which is amazing.

But am I really genderfluid nonbinary? Or am I transfem? Ugh just trying to find a fitting category between fem, girl, women is overwhelming and exhaust. And yes I just took a 10minute break from this post and mindlessly scrolled through my blog. Ok. I like being a girl, instead of "just" a nonbinary genderfluid person. But I also feel that "the" girls are really mean and serious and though on each other. Like I am missing the lightheartedness of trying out gender, instead I am focussing on wether or not I'll ever be cis enough. Like wtf. I also guess it is a safety thing, maybe it is just "girlcode" aka cis womens way of acting and behaving to each other just with the added weight of being trans? idk, what if i am not ready for that commitment? what if i want to continue hormones but live a stealth detransitioned cis guy life?

The chapter named "it" (the transition) being too hard, too difficult, too dangerous, shortly too much for reasons why both the protagonist and a side character on which the book illustrated how the relationship towards detransitioned trans women works for trans women. And I also see that this is super justified and hard, and the bottomless pit of horror that is described in the book is definitely also present in me. Which is why I want to adress it, which is why we are here now.

So basically I for myself want this "feminist", nonbinary genderqueer ideas that I had on transitions (and therefore detransitions) also applied when it comes to binary trans women. Because prioritizing (physical) safety over gender expression is super valid and also really important, mature and aspirational. I wished I would be able to always prioritize my safety. Because as a women & as a nonbinary I am a feminist, and therefore I need to unpack the uncanny fear of detransitioning, for myself and for other trans girls.

One layer that definitely comes to my mind quickly when it comes to detransitioning is the fear of not being valid, of not being trans "enough". And how can I, just a few months into hormones and what, 1-2 years into transition, be valid & trans enough when people who transitioned way longer decide to detransition? Hormones definitely helped me with my dysphoria, now I start to realize that one thing they alleviated was that kind of insecurity and intrusiveness of validity. And while they definitely help with my dysphoria (amongst other things hihi), this certainty I had because "now that I took hormones I MUST be valid" is gone or at least got a good shake. I also think that this is a transmedicalist view and should be condemned and I also think I sound like the most baby trans ever.

Idk, I am still valid when I scrolled through my blog in an escapist moment while writing this thing I retrospectively found all the trans signs. So yeah still not the best thing to draw validity from, but I guess its better (at least for now) than being all shaken up, caught up in transmedicalist beliefs about the safety of hormones.

Ok I think I wrote down everything I had to say, made my little puns and feel different now? look at that growth, girl!

val, 03.04.2024

[milkiane]

radio silence

pairings: fred weasley x fem!reader

warnings: character death, panic attacks, grief, mental breakdowns, tell me if i missed anything.

word count: 1676

note: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANGST for @love-peachh’s writing challenge

“hello there! you’ve reached fred and y/n weasley’s fellyto--”

“fred, it’s called a telephone,”

“--fellytone. unfortunately, we can’t come to the phone right now, so leave us a message after the beep!”

beep. beep. beep.

a long excruciating silence was the only thing surrounding your dark and gloomy room after that. you sighed, turning the dials to give it another call.

“hello there! you’ve reached fred and y/n weasley’s fellyto--”

“fred, it’s called a telephone,”

“--fellytone. unfortunately, we can’t come to the phone right now, so leave us a message after the beep!"

it doesn’t make any sense. nothing makes sense.

you should really change your answering machine, because it doesn’t make any sense anymore. it’s not fred and y/n weasley’s fellytone anymore. it’s just y/n weasley’s telephone now.

but it’s the only way you could hear his voice again.

you sniffed. click, click, click.

“hello there! you’ve reached fred and y/n weasley’s fellyto--”

“fred, it’s called a telephone,”

“--fellytone. unfortunately, we can’t come to the phone right now, so leave us a message after the beep!”

it’s been five months. five months without fred. five months without the light of your life.

it’s ridiculous, honestly. how you still haven’t moved on from what had happened.

fred always told you how he admired you for being strong. you knew that he would be disappointed if he was watching you right now, how the love of his life is nothing but a tiny ball of misery.

so you took a bath and cleaned yourself up, making sure to spray an extra amount of perfume that fred loves. loved.

you shook your head, walking towards your mirror. you plastered on a smile. because today is a brand new day, you aren’t going to walk around with your head down. you aren’t going to feel so blue today. for him.

one second.

two seconds.

three seconds.

it faltered away. clenching your jaw, you stared into your reflection.

how can you be such a selfish person? how can you still manage to smile when you’re alive and fred is not?

you took a shaky breath, placing a hand on the mirror. you touched it ever so lightly, letting your fingertips caress the cold surface before smashing the glass. you broke down, grabbing a fistful of your hair as you sobbed on the heap of the floors, shards of glass prickling your skin.

i’m sorry, freddie, maybe next time.

you brought the cups with you when you made your way towards the living room. one was a cup of coffee with the right amount of milk, and the other one was a cup of tea with a spoonful of honey and a cube of sugar.

you placed the cup of tea on the table’s coaster, making yourself comfortable on your couch.

you took a sip of your coffee, watching the steam of the unattended cup of tea slowly rise. looking around your silent house, your eyes stopped on the muggle radio fred had bought the time you went on a date in muggle london.

you set down your warm drink down on the coffee table. slowly dragging yourself towards the device. you held it in your hands, trying to turn it on as you sat back on the couch.

“and we'll build this love from the ground up,

for worse or for better,

and I will be all you need,”

you gasped, tears welling in your eyes the moment the music enveloped you. your hands shakily tried to turn off the radio.

of all the songs that could play, they chose to play your song. the song you and fred would always slow dance to.

when your trembling fiddles did nothing to stop the noise, you whimpered, dropping it on the carpeted floor. your hands immediately finding home by covering your ears, whispering a chorus of no’s and stop’s to yourself.

and as if sensing that you were in distress, george apparated in with a pop, inviting himself in for his usual visit.

he ran towards you immediately, trying to figure out what was triggering your attacks. you were already doing so well. you haven’t had any attacks or meltdowns for a few weeks now.

“what’s wrong, y/n?” george asked softly, pulling you into a hug.

“turn it off,” you whispered, “please turn it off.”

george looked around, his gaze falling onto the radio. truthfully, he didn’t know how it worked. it wasn’t like the old one his dad owned, so he just twisted and turned every button there is, consequently making the music grow louder than before.

you cried, frustration and anguish taking over you as you snatched it off his hands and threw it against the wall.

realizing what you did, you sobbed, rushing over the broken pieces, “no, no, i’m sorry,” you looked at the frozen man in your living room, “fix it george, please,”

snapping out of his state, he walked towards you, trying to remember the simple spell to repair the broken apparatus, “i-”

“george, please, i’m sorry,” you continued to weep beside him, tears still falling down stubbornly no matter how many times you’ve tried to wipe them away.

he sighed in exasperation, “give me a moment, y/n,”

once he remembered what the spell was, he immediately placed the radio away. george looked at you in sadness, fishing out the emergency draught.

“no, george,” you shook your head, retreating backward until your back was against the wall, “no, we don’t- i don’t need that anymore,”

george’s heart broke as he watched you gasp out for air, tears relentlessly falling down your cheeks, “shh, please don’t cry, y/n,”

he immediately tackled you on the floor, wrapping an arm around you to prevent you from thrashing around as he forced the draught down your throat.

george waited a few moments for you to calm down and let the potion do its work. he thought you were okay now, you were doing so well.

he sighed, carrying your body towards your bedroom.

george was seated on the sofa near your bed. fred thought it was necessary for the room, though it hasn’t really been used until now. he was reading one of your books when you woke up.

“it’s our anniversary today,” you murmured, your voice raspy from your breakdown and from just waking up. george looked at you, but your eyes were focused on the calendar affixed on the wall.

NOVEMBER 20th.

george stayed quiet, so you continued to speak, your words still being slurred from the effects of the potion, “i wish i could fix my calendar, y’know? because there’s no more freddie, meaning there’s no more anniversary.”

he sat beside you on the bed, letting you sob on his shoulder, offering silent company.

“i’m so exhausted, george,” you cried, clutching his sweater, “i can’t keep playing pretend. i can’t- i can’t,”

“shh, it’s alright,” truthfully, george doesn’t know what else to do, he doesn’t know what else to say, not when he’s going through the same pain you’re feeling.

“he’s always in my mind. i can see him everywhere. everything reminds me of him, and how it used to be and it hurts,” you cried, “it hurts and i just want the pain to stop, just make it stop, georgie,”

george was crying by now, his body shaking as he held yours, “i wish i could, y/n, i really do,”

when you were certain that george was already sleeping somewhat peacefully in the guest room, you sneaked out of your own with your blanket wrapped around you.

you turned the lamp on once you’ve reached the living room. sitting down, you composed yourself, trying to convince yourself that you wouldn’t cry again, for him.

with a last shaky breath, you grabbed the radio. you turned it on and gently lowered the volume.

settling it down on the mahogany coffee table, you steadied yourself on the couch, letting the smooth melody coming out from the device shroud you.

the lyrics of the familiar song going from one ear and out the other, tears yet again blurring your vision.

you and fred have been stuck in your kitchen, trying to bake a cake for molly. your flour-covered fingers tracing through each word of the recipe book, “hey fred, can you grab the-- ergh,”

fred laughed as he smeared the frosting on your nose.

you scoffed, dipping a finger in and smearing it from his nose down his lips. you smiled up at him, stepping onto your tiptoes as you gave his frosted lips a peck.

the both of you smiled through the kiss, “i guess the frosting is perfect now, no?”

“when we have a child, can we name them after constellations?” fred asked, still running his hand through your hair, “or at least their second name will be named after a constellation?”

you smiled, “of course, freddie,”

“after the war, we’ll start our own family,” he beamed, “i mean, we’ve got the house already. all we need now is our ginger babies.”

“are you sure they’ll be gingers?” you laughed, turning to look at your husband.

“us, weasleys, we’ve got the strongest genes, ‘course they’ll be gingers.” he boasted, flexing his arms to prove his point.

“we’re going to make it out here together, alright?” fred whispered, his forehead on yours, “we’ve got a whole new future out there waiting for us,”

“i love you, freddie,” you mumbled, pulling him into a kiss.

“i love you, too, darling,” he said, kissing your forehead before pulling away, “i’ll see you later,”

click, click, click.

radio silence. you sniffed, carefully setting down the device.

radio silence. the only deafening noise you could hear after turning off the radio.

radio silence. the only deafening noise you could hear in the house which was once filled with love and laughter.

radio silence. the only thing you’ve faced after losing the love of your life.

radio silence. because fred weasley brought all your happiness and lightheartedness with him when he… radio silence.

general taglist: @daltonacademia @inks-and-jinx @weasleyyy @oldschoolkiddo @accioweaslcy @inglourious-imagines @buckysbeloved @iwritesiriusly @fives-cup-of-coffee @just-here-to-escape-from-reality @band--psycho @marswilson24 @miraclesoflove @chokemepansy @spideyspixies @lolooo22 @justfangirlthingies @sw33tgirl @catching-the-train-to-hogwarts

golden trio taglist: @bromelain-blessednereid @oldschoolkiddo @sweetnspicysimp @cherie-draco @eunoniaa @acosmis-t @georgeweasleysbabe @gaycatlord-stuff @cedrics-grave @dracosgoodgirl @hufflepufflesbianthings @magicalxdaydream

[takaraphoenix]

Hey, I was just wondering do you have any tips for revealing character backstories? I have a story that relies heavily on my MC's and certain other's backstory but I don't wanna infodump. I'm doing research into it but I figured it'd help if I asked another writer directly and well, I've read your work and you're definitely someone worth asking for advice.

Mmh. That’s always a hard thing. Because, in a way, it’ll just... always be an info dump in a way, since the reader/viewer didn’t watch the character’s entire life so obviously you, as the author, have to bring it in some way.

There’s certain methods that I, personally, think work very well, but in the end you gotta test what fits you as a writer best - and also what fits this particular character and situation best, since that can vary too.

One way is the expositional narrator. The one who, when it fits, brings up bits and pieces of the character’s past. Not necessarily all at once, just bits one by one throughout the beginning.

A way to do so can be that you have a plot that reflects the character’s life - you see this method a lot in medical drama shows. Where the patient of the episode conveniently enough goes through what the main character is currently experiencing and they can use the patient as a mirror to themselves. This kind of writing can work very well for exposition, because the mirrored plot happening in the present time is a great way to transition into flashbacks, or simply reminiscing thoughts on the main character.

You have to be careful with this one though, because if the parallels are too big or if it goes on for too long, it comes off as far too forced. Say your main character’s important backstory involves that they were abused as a child; mirroring it by them meeting a kid in the exact same situation is too much, but if it differs enough while still staying in the same line it can work as a very good and plausible reminder for your character, prompting the exposition/flashback.

Personally, I’m a huge fan of flashbacks. Many prefer it all written out in a narrative part, and I do know that I write that a lot myself and for certain things it does work better, but generally a flashback that a) breaks the chunk of text that can be hard to focus on and b) gives a more detailed insight into how it was - it’s... very often, the better solution there.

There’s a more tuned down version of the mirrored plot.

You can use small memory triggers. Like, the earrings they see in the shop-front remind them of what their now dead mother loved to wear, to make a very simple example. Or they meet someone with eyes as blue as those of their first, tragic love. Such small, coincidental reminders can also be a good gateway into weaving some exposition in.

I gotta admit though, I am also not someone who minds the infodumb. Like, you got to tell me this piece of backstory because it’s vital for the understanding of the story? Just give it to me.

It’s why most of my multiple chapter stories start off with a prologue set some years before the story or something, because I like to use the prologue as a set-up of the world and that, of course, includes a certain degree of infodump. By putting it into this separate, shorter entity within the story, it’s... in a proper order, at least to me. A whole chapter can be straining, if it’s just run-down it can be just as exhausting, but by prefacing it as a prologue, especially due to the implications in the whole premise of what a prologue is, it justifies putting some explanations, some exposition, right there.

Like, say, Good Omens, if you’ve watched that? The first six minutes, the prologue of the show, are basically just one infodump of what kind of world this is, how it works, where our main characters come from, what their origins, basic characteristics and motivations are. And those six minutes are genuinely my favorite part of the show, because they’re written in a lighthearted, fun and intriguing manner. Or, on a larger scale, my favorite episode, where we literally step back from the whole plot of the show to just spend half an hour in flashbacks to explore the main characters’ dynamic - that was a huge, wildly disconnected infodump, but it was the best episode ofthe show.

So, I guess that’s what it boils down to. The way you write it, regardless of what method you choose. You could literally have your narrator just recounting all the important events, but if you do it dull and as though they’re just listing things off, then it will fall flat, while if you include some lightheartedness in it, it can be great. Say, the opening of the first Percy Jackson book is that in a way too, but it’s framed and phrased in a way that gets you hooked, you get some basic info and then immediately want more.

To recap, because I feel like I lost my train of thoughts a couple times there:

Put some - the major, the biggest point - of your exposition if possible into a prologue to set it properly up

Use plotlines that mirror whatever you want expositioned about your character to transition into exposition; be mindful not to make it too similar

Use memory trigger events/objects to justify writing flashbacks

Don’t just list it off; put emotion and, if it fits tonally, humor into your exposition and then even the longer parts of exposition don’t feel like they’re being dumped onto the reader

I hope this was in any way or shape helpful! And I wish you good luck with your writing!

[senbons]

Shikatema Week

DAY SEVEN -- GLASS

You taught me what it meant to love another person, to not just want to die for someone else, but for the first time, you made me want to live for one too.

I promise faithfulness and patience, respect and lightheartedness, attentiveness and self-improvement. I have told you before, but I will swear it again, and I will repeat this to you anytime you ask: I will spend the rest of life by your side, as a partner and a friend.

Shikamaru blinks, frowning over the previously crumpled and then poorly opened and flattened paper. He inhales gruffly on the half cigarette he has left, and then pulls it from his mouth with too tight a grip. He holds the smoke for a moment too long and then exhales slowly enough for the smoke to burn his eyes.

He takes one final drag and then, never really committed the smoke or, frankly, shitty vows, he stubs the cigarette out in the paper and then re-crumples the whole thing, squeezing and tearing it into a ball that he would throw into the lake before him if the menacingly light object would sink and disappear from memory.

Ino had liked them when he’d written them with her and Choji yesterday.

But that was no surprise, was it? Ino likes sappy things. She likes them even more when they come from not particularly sentimental people. She’d brought examples over to this office and they had all sat around trying to combine the consistent elements into one.

Choji thought that Shikamaru was giving in too early.

Just be yourself, he kept saying, as though Shikamaru had any idea what that meant — and if he did, then any clue as to how to translate that to paper.

Anyhow, he’d tried that approach for the past two weeks and it had resulted in even more wasted paper than Ino’s schematic approach had.

Shikamaru sighs and shoves the paper and now stubbed cigarette into his pocket.

How were people supposed to do this? He did believe all those things — he would be faithful and patient, and he had never respected anyone more than her, but putting those exact words down on paper, mushy and seemingly disingenuous when read before a crowd words he never would say to her in private,  regardless of how true they were, was too… much.

There are things Shikamaru does wish he could tell her; certain things he wishes he could get across.

It isn’t that he can’t say the words. It isn’t that Temari wouldn’t necessarily want to hear them. It isn’t that she wouldn’t understand them.

But how can you possibly write that down? How can you choose, in your story, what is important? Was the first time she ever looked at him more important than the second time? Or the most recent time? 

It never felt that way.

God, he wishes he’d kept the cigarette. There was still half left! What had he been thinking?

Shikamaru fumbles into his jacket to pull out his almost empty pack.

This whole wedding thing has him smoking again. She hasn’t said anything, but he knows she doesn’t like it.

He lights up and takes a long drag. A light breeze ripples through the trees surrounding the lake and makes the grass at his feet rise up to lick his ankles.

How does one do this? Choose the important bits? Write down any words that can approximate love?

He sees the word (love love love) written over and over, but that doesn’t encapsulate everything. Words can only approximate this feeling. Maybe that is why everything always seems too deceitful?

Shikamaru takes an even longer inhalation.

There is less than a week left and he doesn’t even know where to start.

At the beginning? Which beginning? He’d been in love with her for so long, he struggled to remember what life looked like before she was a part of it.

She changed everything.

When he was younger, much younger, he had thought that you couldn’t be in love with someone unless you were with them. He never understood the movies where characters loved someone from afar. Or how so many of his classmates seemed to love someone (Uchiha, mainly) without knowing anything about them that couldn’t be gleaned from a data book and a photograph.

He had thought, rationally really, that so much of what it meant to be in love was knowing that the person loved you too; was knowing what they looked like drinking coffee in the morning, was memorizing which shoes they took off first when arriving home too late. Idolization or far-off hypotheses of love with someone you had never been in a physical relationship with were just exaggerate crushes, not love. After all, how could you really love someone if you didn't know them in a relationship? That was different. That brought out different sides of people that wouldn’t be seen before.

Except then came along Temari.

He loved her for years without holding her hand. She’s probably always interested him, and then one day, sneaking along in disguise for months before he’d even tried to parse it out, he was in love. Love!

How can he tell her that? Tell her that he’s always loved her?

She knows, of course. He’s even told her, a few times.

But that doesn’t encompass the weight of it. I’ve loved you for years, or some other (better) variation doesn’t give the full meaning. The approximation is so far off from how he really feels.

Shikamaru inhales again and holds it until his throat hurts.

He wants to scream.

Fuck.

Good thing he didn’t drown the paper from yesterday. Maybe when he unwraps it this time, it’ll seem a bit better.

There is a cough behind him. He doesn’t turn. He’d seen her coming from over the far hill, a long walk away, ten minutes before.

“What are you doing?”

Shikamaru exhales and shakes out the burnt end of his cigarette.

“Nothing. Thinking.”

She comes to his side and purposefully leans close enough for him to throw an arm around her shoulders. It’s chilly and she huddles against his ribs, shoulders hunching.

“Anything interesting?”

Shikamaru shakes his head. He hasn’t told her anything about it. After all, she hadn’t mentioned anything either. The wedding is only a week away. She had probably written them with ease a week after he proposed.

Temari sighs and looks forward at the lake.

The water is still and perfectly reflective, the sky and trees mirrored exactly before them.

“It’s an eerie clarity,” she says, “like glass. A bad omen, maybe.”

Shikamaru gives a short laugh and bites the bullet. “I was trying to write my vows.”

Temari holds her breath and then a moment later pulls away so his arm falls limply by his side. She looks up at him incredulously.

“Vows? For the wedding?”

He frowns. “I’ve been struggling.” She opens her mouth, but he stops her. “I don’t mean anything by it. I’m just… trying to find the right way to say everything.” He kind of shrugs to lighten the mood. “But you already know everything anyway.”

“We’re not doing vows,” Temari snaps. “Not at all.”

He stops. “What?”

“I thought we agreed to not have any? I could never do anything so public.”

Shikamaru also steps back from her. “What? No.” He tries to remember, thinks it over as quickly as he can. “You said I’d better think of something clever.”

“I was being sarcastic!” Temari laughs, loudly.  “Oh my god, that was weeks ago! You’ve been trying since then?”

The relief that washes over him is… well, unable to be approximated by words alone.

Now, lighter than he’s been in a little while, he fishes out the crumpled paper. Taking the blunted cigarette out and handing the rest to her.

“Here’s my last attempt.”

Temari reads less than one line before she is laughing so hard she starts crying.

“I take it all back,” she says, gripping the paper tightly in her fingers as she backs up, moving fully out of his reach. “We’re definitely doing vows. This is perfect!”

Shikamaru takes another drag of his cigarette and lets her finish, moving further and further away, and then by the time she is rereading it — he can tell because now she is whispering it to herself — he starts running over to her to grab it back before she can make even more a fool of him.

“I’ll live for you too,” Temari keeps saying, over and over as he tries to grab the paper back from her, tears in her eyes and grin wide.

He knows she’s joking, even as he throws her down, but he smiles all the same because also, she kind of isn’t.

[shemakesmusic-uk]

INTERVIEW: Gina Volpe.

Gina Volpe's (Lunachicks/Bantam) latest 3 song single,'Chaos Agent' reflects upon the long strange year of 2020.

Kicking off with the brooding yet melodic title track, Volpe describes an invisible (and unpredictable) disrupting force that lurks beside our everyday lives. Sometimes it seems that you’ve got it all figured out and then sometimes a global pandemic arises out of nowhere and explodes all of your plans into smoldering bits, with lyrics such as, “…and like that, it’s gone, up in smoke.” Nodding to the (now postponed) 2020 sold out reunion shows that Volpe was planning with her first band Lunachicks.

The following track, '30 Days', written after the first month of lockdown last spring open with the lyrics, “30 Days of Isolation, one more cancellation and now another 30 more” as Volpe recounts relatable feelings of loneliness, loss and a general nostalgia for our lives before Covid. Treating this melancholy subject with poppy lightheartedness, Volpe departs momentarily from her signature heavy guitar and synth sounds.

Volpe closes with, 'Secret Weapon' by putting the pandemic related material aside for a much needed dance break with this electro/rock/disco stunner. Inviting the listener to try their luck by giving someone/something they might normally overlook a chance, Volpe hints that by doing so they may find out where the magic lies- could be in the last place you’d expect.

We were thrilled to be able to have a chat with Gina all about pandemic life, ‘Chaos Agent’, the Lunachicks reunion and much more. Read the interview below.

Hi Gina! So, how have you been affected by the global pandemic? What has a typical day in lockdown looked like for you?

"Hieeee! Before lockdown I was super busy rehearsing and getting ready for the upcoming Lunachicks shows. At first I was like, ahhh a nice little break from my packed schedule. Then when we started to realize this wasn’t going to be over anytime soon and after I had binge watched all of the Netflix that I could stand, I began to teach myself animation and motion graphics on by watching YouTube videos. I put a few of the videos I made on my channel."

It's brilliant that you've managed to stay creative and have a new three song single out. Please tell us about the songs on the release and the creative process behind them. I imagine it was a little different this time around!

"It was certainly different this time! Mainly because I couldn’t go into the studio as I normally would so I recorded everything at home (built a vocal booth in my basement) and swapped files back and forth with my producer Barb Morrison. One of the songs '30 days' was written last year just after lockdown was extended into April. I had been meaning to record it all year but kept going back and forth about it because it’s a really poppy tune and I wasn’t sure if anyone would like it. Eventually I thought, “fuck it” that’s not how creativity works -you can’t worry about approval/disapproval otherwise you’d never get anything done, so just forge ahead, follow the muse and make art.

“'Chaos Agent' is also pandemic related. I wanted to give a name to what I think is an unseen disrupting force that is always present in our lives. It pops up every so often to remind us how insignificant we humans are in this world and to not take the privilege of life for granted. Lastly, 'Secret Weapon' is unrelated to the pandemic finally lol. This one is about the underdog. For all the people who get overlooked because they don’t fit into societal standards, whether they are too fat-skinny-old-poor-shy whatever. I think about all of the unrealized talent that gets ignored (in so many industries) for purely superficial reasons. So this track is like, “hey look over here, maybe try something else for a change!”

What do you hope fans take away from the new material?

"Joy! I can only hope that someone will put on my music and feel the same way that I feel when I hear music I like. You know that feeling when you hear a song and you’re like, “yes! I will be listening to THIS SONG all summer!” That would be the best reaction I could ever ask for."

Photo credit: Michael Lavine

You finally have new dates in November for the Lunachicks reunion shows (third time lucky!) and you're also playing Punk Rock Bowling in Vegas in September. You must be buzzing to perform on stage again! What are you looking forward to the most? (Will you ever come to play in the UK?)

"Omg yes it’s really gonna happen this time! Except we haven’t rehearsed in a year, yikes. The thought of being on stage again is terrifying and exciting at the same. I would think that eventually we would come back to the UK maybe 2022? We would love to get back over there!"

What sparked the idea for Lunachicks to reunite? Will there be any new music to sink our teeth into? What does the future hold for the band?

"We always knew we would play again, although none of us could have imagined that we would have ended up taking so long to do it! Also we wrote a book! It’s a memoire and it will be published on June 1 by Hachette Books. We don’t really have a long term plan here just kinda going with the flow and seeing where it takes us, anything is possible."

Speaking of the book...What can you tell us about that?

"We’ve been working on it for years. It is the story of the band but it is also a story about friendship. Theo, Syd and I wrote the book with our good friend and author Jeanne Fury. It’s one part- a coming of age story, one part a- rock’n’roll memoir, and one part a story of all that we’ve been through together as friends and creative partners. The other past members all have contributed to it as well."

Anything else you have up your sleeve that you want to share? Any non musical goals?

"I’m still trying to get better at my animation/video skills so having new music to make videos for has been keeping me busy. But I do want to make animated shorts with some of my illustrated characters."

Finally, you have been in the music industry a long time now. What would you say has been your biggest takeaway/piece of advice? And if there was one thing you could change about the music world today, what would it be?

"Well I will say what I said before which is, when it comes to making any kind of art you really have to shut out and shut down any judgements or expectations of what you think other people may or may not have of you and just create. Do it for the love of doing it and know that success isn’t measured by how many streams/followers/money you get.

"And if I could change anything about the industry it would be that streaming services should pay artists MUCH MORE than they do now. This would make such a difference for so many creators. Until then, just keep plowing ahead because as far as I’m concerned there will never be enough new music in the world, so keep making it!"

‘Chaos Agent’ is out now.

[deafblindblast]

99 Ways to Add Mindfulness to Your Day

Link: https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/mindfulness-exercises?rq=mindfulness

***Few edits on this article to fit DeafBlind audience. Enjoy!

Small Steps For Feeling Grounded

The world feels uncertain right now—with quarantines and social distancing from the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re all feeling a bit untethered. All in need of a few deep breaths and a practice that keeps us rooted in ourselves. Enter: mindfulness.

Mindfulness is presence, embodied awareness, and connection to our experiences of the world around us. It doesn’t require hours of meditation each day; it does, however, require constant and conscious decisions to remain present in each moment.

Practicing mindfulness isn’t just for the privileged, either. It’s not always prescriptive, and your mindfulness might look different than someone else’s. Let’s hold space for each other as we all focus on connecting more deeply to ourselves and those around us.

We’ve pulled together 99 moments that offer themselves up to our awareness, and allow us to practice a little mindfulness no matter where we’re at.

Mindfulness In The Morning

1. When you wake up in the morning, do a body scan. Identify any sensations, comfortable or uncomfortable. Wiggle your toes. Lick your lips. Practice being present in your body.

2. Make your bed and mist it with water and eucalyptus essential oil. (At night, use lavender essential oil instead.)

3. Step outside to breathe the fresh air and get a sense for what the day may bring.

4. Make french press coffee. Grind whole beans with a non-electric grinder for a tactile experience. If you prefer tea, steep loose leaf in a teapot.

5. Hand-wash your mug when you’re done using it.

6. Meditate in the shower. Focus on the smell of the soap and how the warm water feels on your skin.

7. Light a candle and set an intention as you get ready in the morning. How do you feel today?

8. While brushing your teeth, identify one goal for the day.

9. Instead of rushing to the next task, wipe down the sink after you’ve washed your face or applied makeup.

10. Do small favors for your after-work self; in the morning, unload the dishwasher, take out the trash, turn on a diffuser.

11. Stick affirmations on your mirror or write them on labels of products you regularly use, like lotion or chapstick. Recite them aloud, and update them when it feels right.

12. If you take daily medicine or multivitamins, pour yourself a little extra water and drink it quietly as you reflect on what those medicines or supplements allow you to do.

13. Read a transcript to a news podcast instead of checking social media. Opt for reading too.

14. Place your hand on an object you use every day—your coffee maker, your car, your laptop. Extend a moment of gratitude for the object and what purpose it serves in your life.

Mindfulness In Your Routine

15. Wash your produce and rinse your rice slowly and thoroughly as you settle into the rhythm of cooking and nourishing yourself.

16. Eat without media distractions.

17. Practice mindful eating; pay attention to how food tastes and feels on your tongue. Experience how a warm mug curves gracefully in your palms.

18. Fold your laundry neatly and thoughtfully before you put it away; you can try Marie Kondo’s technique, or embrace one that is fully your own.

19. Water your plants. Wipe down their individual leaves.

20. As you move about your home, ask yourself, “Am I using everything in this drawer?” Set yourself up for flow by seasonally rearranging your rooms to match your lifestyle. If there’s a kitchen tool that’s always in your way, move it to a lower drawer or pantry, so you only see the daily essentials.

21. Visit the library and borrow a book. Stay awhile and browse the shelves. Turn over the books in your hands, read a few pages. Allow yourself space for curiosity.

22. Feel the music instead of turning on the television.

23. Ground yourself by scrubbing kitchen counters or the bathtub. Pause. Lean back and take in the sight with gratitude and respect for the home that helps sustain you.

24. Hand-wash a garment. Feel the warm water on your hands, hang the garment gently on a drying rack.

25. Turn lights on as you enter rooms, inviting one positive thought with the light. Turn them off when you leave, reminding yourself to release negative thought patterns.

26. When reaching for another cup of coffee or a glass of wine, fill your cup with water instead. Drink it down with a reminder to care for yourself.

27. Replace your usual screentime with a different craft or screen-free hobby.

28. Pick out an outfit for tomorrow, and make sure it’s clean, steamed, or ironed as needed. Hang it up.

29. At the end of the night, spare a minute or two to sip herbal tea and reflect on the day without judgment.

30. Read a poem or passage aloud. Read slowly. Feel each word.

31. While you brush your teeth at night, identify one success from the day.

Mindfulness At Work Or Out In The World

32. Focus on your breathing while you are driving, walking, or commuting.

33. Commute in silence. Don’t try to fill the quiet with noise to avoid discomfort; find peace in the stillness of your choice of transportation.

34. Engage yourself in a new way by driving, walking, or biking a different route to work.

35. Allow yourself to doodle while planning your day. If your hand wants to wander into an abstract squiggle, let it.

36. Keep a Bullet Journal, an all-encompassing space for to-do lists, note-taking, calendars, and random thoughts. Give yourself freedom from mental overcrowding. As soon as something (anything) crosses your mind, jot or type it down.

37. If you sit at a desk, check in with your posture to make sure you haven’t absentmindedly started hunching over. Keep your wrists in a neutral position when possible. Maybe it’s whenever you hit “send” on an email or whenever you notice the hot pink sticky note on your computer.

38. Take a moment to stretch your vision and look away from your screen. What is the farthest thing you can see?

39. Go for a walk on your lunch break and breathe in the fresh air.

40. Schedule out time to check your emails and Slack messages. Remove any popups or notifications on your desktop to prevent distractions.

41. Use bathroom breaks to enjoy a few moments of quiet. Maybe do some light stretches in the restroom and check in with how your body is feeling.

42. Close extra browser tabs to remind you to focus on the task at hand.

43. Each time you switch tasks, write down the timestamp and what you are doing.

44. If you are in a place you go every day, feel and notice one thing that you’ve never noticed before.

45. Shut your computer down at the end of the day to signify the end of work. Wipe down your keyboard.

46. Go on a walk without a destination. Leave your phone at home.

47. When you’re walking, keep your head up. Focus on the heel-to-toe movement of your steps.

48. Stop and smell the flowers. Reach out and touch a leaf or a tree trunk. Experience the joy of running your hands or bare feet through grass and earth. Indulge your senses with nature.

49. If possible, feel for loose change on the ground as you walk. Or, look for birds. Or skateboarders. Or blue cars. Focus on one element to keep your mind from wandering into the future or dwelling on the past.

50. Set a budget. Use cash to pay for items so that you always see how much you have left.

51. Set checkpoints throughout the day to check in on how you feel. Name the feeling and acknowledge it: is it worry? Is it stress? Is it hope? No need to implement solutions; simply recognize your feelings.

Mindfulness With Others

52. Hug your partner, friend, or pet for 30 seconds. Sign sweet affirmations to them.

53. Pause to leave a thoughtful, positive comment on a friend’s Instagram or Facebook. Direct messaging works, too.

54. If you’re wearing or using something you particularly love, email or tag the brand to thank them for their work. Do this especially for independent artists and makers.

55. Tell your partner what you most want to hear from them today. And then say it to yourself as well.

56. Say “no” when your schedule is hectic or when you’re feeling close to burnout. Respect your calendar and take an evening for yourself every once in a while. Don’t be afraid to make plans weeks out in advance.

57. Tell your co-workers or team that you are thankful for their work. Thank your barista for making you a delightful cup of coffee and your mail carrier for delivering your package. Just thank someone.

58. When you are prompted to pass judgment on someone, especially in conversation with others, ask yourself if there’s another perspective to consider. Think twice before engaging in gossip.

59. Inform yourself about slurs and ableist language. Find alternatives for those words and phrases. Embrace it as an opportunity to do better, to learn, to grow.

60. Make contact with people you are communicating with.

61. Pause for something silly—text a gif to a friend, tell your partner a joke, or dance it out in your kitchen. Embrace lightheartedness, even if just for a moment.

62. Practice mindfulness with your kids through play, or take a moment to ask them what the happiest moment of their day was.

63. Instead of asking the same old “how are you?”, ask someone, “what was the best part of your day?” or one of these other questions. Resist the automatic.

64. Practice mindful listening.

65. If you experience overwhelm or stress because of customers or co-workers, practice loving-kindness meditation. Remind yourself to act from a place of love—whether it’s when you respond or how you remove yourself from difficult people.

66. Be direct about your needs. Invite others to be direct with you. There is mindfulness in clarity and direction.

Mindfulness Alone—With Tech

67. Set reminders on your phone to check in on your hydration throughout the day. Take a moment to fill your water bottle, take a sip, and breathe deeply.

68. Turn off push notifications and badges on your phone. (Except your hydration check-ins!)

69. Schedule your media consumption in advance. Are you in the middle of re-watching “The Office”? Put one or two episodes on the calendar for the evening to avoid the endless Netflix spiral.

70. Play a video game that is soothing and helps you achieve a flow state.

71. Before posting something to social media, ask yourself why you feel it’s important to share. If it’s in search of external validation, take a moment to validate yourself instead.

72. Unfollow accounts that make you feel bad about yourself. The media we consume nourishes us, for better or for worse. Occasionally follow new accounts that feel healthy and supportive.

73. Delete Instagram or other distracting apps from your phone when you’re feeling overwhelmed; you can reinstall later.

74. Each time you’re tempted to visit Facebook or Twitter out of boredom, open a note and jot down the thoughts buzzing in your brain. This helps delay checking out old high school crushes and gives you a chance to check in with the “why” behind the urge.

75. If you come up against a non-urgent question, make a note of it and Google it later if it’s still pressing.

76. If you’re overwhelmed with content, choose one piece to read a day.

77. Listen to your favorite song and think deeply about it. What do you like about it? Is it the sound of the singer’s voice? The gentle bass bubbling in the background? The spunky snare?

78. Change your phone and desktop background to a calm reminder. While you’re at it, organize your docs and apps in a way that allows you to use your tech more mindfully.

79. Use a meditation or breathing app.

80. Create playlists for each part of your day: getting ready, commuting, working, cooking, winding down with a book in the evening. Set the mood and the intention for each action.

81. Go on a photo walk—use your phone to take pictures of beautiful flowers, sights, and other things that brighten your day. You don’t have to share these photos.

Mindfulness Alone—Without Tech

82. Meditate. Keep your mind from wandering by focusing on how the air of your inhales and exhales literally feels against your nose. (It’s often cold for the former, warm for the latter.)

83. Carry a “wallet poem.” Print or write out a poem that you’d like to reflect on and keep it in your wallet or phone case to read when you’re waiting for something.

84. Set aside time (maybe put it on your to-do list) to practice small maintenance rather than cramming it in. Clipping your nails, shaving, trimming nose hairs, applying a face mask.

85. Start a journal. Whether it’s a gratitude journal or a daily diary, note how you feel and how you’re experiencing the world.

86. Whenever you see or feel something soft, take it as a reminder to soften. Unclench your jaw, release sharp thoughts, lower your shoulders. Remind yourself that you, too, are a soft creature.

87. Apply hand lotion, and massage it into your fingertips and palms. If it’s scented, take deep breaths and enjoy the fragrance.

88. Invert yourself. Get your head below your heart in a handstand, forward bend, or hanging backward off the bed. It’s a playful posture and a reminder that you don’t have to be so serious all the time.

89. Pull tarot cards, consult your horoscope, connect to a passage in a religious text—look for input from outside resources. These nurture our inner voice, and the wisdom will stay on-hand for when we need it.

90. Ask yourself what you need right now. Is it a bath? A kind word? A cup of water? Get in the habit of asking often. And when you can, deliver.

91. Identify one thing to smile about right now. Maybe it’s a precious dog outside your window, the way the sunlight hits the floor, or a long-missed dust bunny in the corner.

92. Make a list of things you are good at, ways you bring value to others, compliments you have received, times that you feel happiest. Add to it; reflect on it; celebrate it.

93. When you feel frustrated about something, re-frame it with gratitude, empathy, or patience. Ask yourself when you feel tension growing—is there another way to view this situation?

94. Practice yoga geared towards mindfulness. Pair a yoga class with a meditation session. Yoga with Adriene has free classes you can practice at home.

95. How deep is your breath right now? If it’s shallow or you’re feeling stressed, use one of these simple breathing exercises.

96. The 54321 grounding technique can invite you back into your body. Focus on 5 things you can see, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can feel, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste.

97. Pause when the sunshine hits your face. Embrace its warmth. Pause when the wind hits your face. Embrace its chill.

98. Look for instances of your favorite color in the world. Pick a new color each day, or stick with the same color and look for new and surprising pops of it wherever you can.

99. Write a note to yourself about a recent accomplishment or moment that you surprised yourself. Revisit it later on a day you need a little encouragement.