#i wanna get more directly involved in the fanbase and i also want to learn how to make gifs

[purgatoryweekend]

i think i’m gonna make a sideblog to mess around with making gifs and ramble about criminal minds

[thefanficmonster]

Begone

Streamer Gang & Asexual Reader (Gender Neutral)

Warnings: Acephobia, Swearing

Genre: Platonic Fluff, Comfort, RPF (Real Person Fic)

Summary: Having recently come out as asexual, Y/N faces some less than pleasant or appropriate responses in their chat during their stream with the gang. Luckily, they’re not alone in battling the haters this time.

Requested by the lovely Anon who told acephobes to begone, yeah you know who you are hehe. Thank you so much for the request darling! Let’s show these acehobes who they’re messing with! Love, Vy ❤

Boy is this nerve-wrecking or what? Sure, I maybe woke up with a ton of confidence, I listened to motivational and uplifting talks and listened to mood boosting music. I had a healthy breakfast and a cup of coffee. Damn it, I went on a run, all in an attempt to convince myself that dealing with the online world again is but a piece of cake for a badass like me. Well, low and behold, that feeling didn’t last very long. Here I am, chewing my nails off at the though of hopping in the Discord call and Among Us lobby with my friends and starting my stream. It’s not like I’m not expecting my friends and fans to support me - of course I am! I know they’re gonna give me a ton of love and appreciation and support and uplift me no matter what. But then again, there’s still those people who believe me and other people like me to be invalid and broken and whatnot.

Those are the ones I wanna avoid. 

It’s not like their words mean much to me but I simply don’t wanna see em, you know? It’s not only about me - it’s least about me actually - it’s more about all those wonderful people they are insulting when they say shit like that about asexuals and all the people on the ace spectrum. I can’t help but flare up and get angry on the behalf of all my ace friends and even people I’ve never met.

It’s also my first time being directly thrown into the fire instead of getting caught in the crossfire seeing as how I came out to my fandom via a tweet and an Instagram post a week ago, telling my identity’s truth: finally bringing my asexuality to the surface to shine its brightest so I can be be my best and reach for my full potential.

But damn am I afraid to see how everyone took it. 

My friends were quick to jump in and take me offline before I start refreshing my own posts to see the comments under them. Lord knows that without them I would’ve driven myself insane, I’ll forever be grateful for what they did and the lengths they went to to keep me offline and whatnot. One word to give you an idea of how invested they were in this: origami. All of us might as well have been born with two left hands and yet we still tried doing origami. Freaking origami.

Damn do I love my friends.

But now I don’t have sheets of paper and my friends to distract me. I have a fanbase to entertain and another friend group I haven’t talked to in a while. I don’t wanna get any predictions in already so I don’t jinx myself, so I’m just gonna say it’s gonna be...interesting regardless of what happens.

Then again, when is it not interesting when the streamer gang’s involved.

Deep breaths, Y/N. You got this

Listening to that encouraging little voice inside my head, I finally equip my headphones and in one fluid motion turn my camera on, officially starting my stream and unmuting my mic as I hop in the call with everyone.

“Hi guys! Guess who’s returned!“ I exclaim cheerfully, desperate to hide the nervousness of my voice.

“You really missed your opportunity to say ‘guess who’s back...back again’ didn’t you?“ Charlie is the one who greets me first, sounding rather disappointed in me in his usual jokester manner. It’s nice to hear, it makes me feel like nothing’s changed in the week I’ve been gone. Like I’m still the same person to these people. I really am the same, I just now am a lot better version of myself. Almost as though I’ve reached my final form. It feels empowering really. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding.” Charlie laughs again, “Congrats, by the way. You keep proving you can get cooler and cooler.“

“Careful there Charlie, I can only handle so large of an ego.“ I joke back, rolling my eyes playfully as a wide grin spreads across my face, “No, but seriously, thank you so much, man. It means the world to me that you support me.“

“Um, how could we NOT?“ That’s very clearly Rae, “Hun, you are so brave and amazing and wonderful, how could we ever NOT support you?“

“Yeah, we’ll always support you no matter what, Y/N. We’ll always be your friends, through thick, thin and beyond.“ Poki too interferes, her words only making my smile wider.

“Alright, alright, y’all are gonna make me cry and I haven’t even read my chat yet, hold on.“ I say, fanning my face to dry the tears I hope the webcam isn’t spotting, “Darn, you guys are the best. Sorry, give me a sec to gather my composure, I’ll be right back.“

I quickly mute my in-game mic as I turn to my chat where I see the same amount of love and support in the form of comments and emojis flooding in from my viewers. A warm feeling spreads throughout my chest, making me feel the most comfortable with myself I’ve ever felt. The most loved I’ve ever felt. The most seen and understood. To finally be you feels like you are finally really living in this world, not like you’ve been already living in it for God knows how long. It makes me so freaking happy and fulfilled to finally be living as me, as the real me.

Unfortunately, in life, nothing can be 100% pure and good. There’s always at least 1% there threatening to ruin all your happiness you worked so hard to build or obtain. It may be one in a hundred, but fuck it’s powerful and effective.

And in my case it comes in the form of two comments that stick out to my eyes. Acephobic comments saying my identity’s fake, claiming I’m faking it, saying us acephobes are immature creatures who refuse to grow up, or attention whores. Or just saying we’re delusional and in denial, confused about who we are.

I hadn’t even realized I was clenching my jaw and fists but when I do, I slowly relax my muscles and crack my knuckles before addressing the two people who spat out that nonsense.

“Ok, listen here, shooterpro69 and yourmom_lol. For starters, I want to apologize for your ignorance and lack of education on the matter of asexuality. In fact, for you especially, I plan on making an educational video, explaining asexuality to people who need or want to learn more. You, my friends, are in desperate need to be fed some knowledge cause damn, God knows how many people secretly think you’re hella stupid. Not that they’re wrong to think so but anyway. Unless you have anything nice or positive to say, begone from my chat. Actually, when I think about it, begone from every chat. No one needs you polluting their communities with acephobia and hate.“ I say, all spoken in a calm tone despite the boiling anger within me. People who know me well would probably be able to tell I’m fuming underneath the calm façade, but at least I got my message across loud and clear.

“WOO HOO, You tell em Y/N!“ Toast cheers, clapping his hands and whistling as more cheering arises from each my friends, leaving me in a state of mild shock and confusion.

Wait, what?!

“Um, wait, you guys heard that?“ I ask, my eyes darting to thein-game mic symbol that shows an not crossed-off mic, meaning it was enabled during the entirety of my speech.

“Hell yeah we did! You slayed them, Y/N! Damn goddamn!“ Rae whistles too, her enthusiasm wafting over me like a breath of fresh air.

“I second that!“ Corpse joins in, “And remember what we said - we’ll support you through anything. Need to bury an acephobe’s body, we’re the people you should call.” He says, confident as heck.

And I just can’t hold it in anymore - I burst out laughing, doubling over from the intensity.

If I thought I was happy and fulfilled before, this has to be the closest to paradise I’m gonna get on Earth.  All thanks to these wonderful people. Friends are really something else aren’t they: they come into your life - often unexpectedly - and change it completely. Suddenly you’re not alone, you’re not forced to deal with everything and face everything on your own. Someone’s got your back and you’ve got theirs.

Through thick, thin and beyond.

And it’s so fucking amazing.

@maat-the-prescriptive  @simonsbluee  @save-the-sky  @itsminniekat  @hacker-ghost  @bi-andready-tocry  @imtiredaffff  @jazzkaurtheglorious  @hereforbeebo  @fandomgirl17  @chrysanthykios  @maehemscorpyus  @loraleiix  @letsloveimagines  @annshit  @i-cant-choose-a-username-help  @enigmaticmaze  @divine-artemis  @waterlilypat  @idontknowwhatthisisfam  @evi-ka  @classyandfabulous00  @redperson58  @lilysdaydreams @solowheein  @mythicalamphitrite  @axen-gers  @luckygirl144  @nj01  @buddyemily   @the-albino-lioness  @stardream14  @gdhdkfnn  @nomadicgypsyy  @preciousskye  @fluffysuicideunicornsworld  @o-kaelin  @manacharlotte  @awkward-youtube-trash  @lolalee24  @bonky-beerns  @meme-lord-and-savior-sebastian  @strawbrinkofdeath  @teenloves  @tams0527  @browneyespinkhair  @starstruckllamapuppy  @daisychains012  @y0ulooked  @tinytacosuitcaseflap @supernatural-is-my-only-life  @jula-pauline  @melodykitty  @just-that-bi-girl  @crazybutconfidentaf  @lowellshade @alphakees  @bellero  @weallneednamjesus  @starryhanji  @boiled-onionrings  @husherstan  @fockingwhore  @melaningoddessthings  @prettypastelpetals  @haleypearce  @godwhyamiawkward  @y-napotat  @daisychainyoonmin  @little-miss-rebel3  @free-wheelin-bi-sexual  @redmoon261 @darkacademic2  @wiseflamingoqueen  @into-the-end  @namikhai-i  @nastiablr  @thelittleplantlover  @mirktuan  @dont-hyuck @jjk-bunny  @vintagegothlover  @easygoingtheatre  @itsrandombooklover  @miiaivi  @emmybaybee  @befourgolden  @jjk-is-my-shit  @eternalteaaars  @spacebadgerx  @princesslunalight ��@acequinn14  @samm48  @misselsbells06 @simp-lykawa  @fo-love  @marishimomura-blog  @therealglenncoco  @cinnamonbun332  @killtherandomness  @sanshinexxxsan  @fee-btheweeb  @press-lay  @cathleenpotgieter16  @jazzydoesstuff  @moonlxghtbay  @forestrain2000  @hyunjinhugs  @blood-of-fandoms  @lovellylies  @ukiyolixx  @simpforhpcharacters  @chrisdylan17  @parkerjisung  @pedernille  @theodonyous  @wineandionysus  @malfoystilinskii05  @morbid-x  @coryisagee  @jessewa26  @scoobydooluver97 @mindintheskies365  @raeanneinwonderland  @indecisive-empanada  @gluttonypalace  @loriane2503  @btsiguess-kpop  @khaoticbunny  @lucidlycactus  @smiithys  @rottenroyalebooks  @kpopgirlbtssvt  @fangirl-tc27  @fr0z3n-1  @notmesimpingfortechno  @shotarosleftpinky  @kunoi-chan  @idk-whats-wrong-with-me  @yikeroonie  @goldenstarofthunderclan  @poetry-and-tea  @ama-do-writing-stuff  @wishbonewolf  @emeraldxhope  @t0xick1tty  @kusuinko  @speakyourselfloveyourself  @sophia902103  @lo-manburg  @classsykittykat  @dmgama  @depressedpuppythatneedscoffee  @btsiguess-kpop  @akaashi-baby  @gun-jong-simp  @geschichtenfee  @yerapotato-wp  @browneyedgirl365  @thysagclub  @sparklycloudnight  @helloatomicshadow  @queentorresstuff @vtte @val-gal  @lucy-bunny17  @aaliyahh0  @katluckybear  @boyleanti  @straybids  @franchesca-791  @cosmicstorm19  @averyisbackinthetrashcan  @aomi-nabi  @xlanawriter  @allensimpsforcorpse  @sunnyrae-cessh  @ladykxxx08  @meowiemari

[topoffyourhat]

Thoughts On SDCC Supergirl Interview:

Okay so take my thoughts, feelings, and opinions on this matter as you see fit. I know everyone is entitled to their own ideals here and may not take mine seriously since I’m a white, heterosexual woman but I just wanna get mine out there based off what I’ve read, seen, and heard regarding this topic. Here are the things I gathered and taken from this:

1. The interview wasn’t taken seriously from the get go (except for Katie, David, and Odette) which is what pissed me off the most. Your show represents and stands for so much or at least it’s supposed to and if you really give a crap about it, your character, career, and how people see you: answer the damn question seriously and not sing around it. People have questions and have to wait for so long to be able to share them and want answers that matter just like if you asked a question and someone continious tip toed around you avoiding to answer, wouldn’t you be annoyed or upset too? I fucking would so at least answer the best to your ability to proudly represent your show, your characters, and your capabilities as actors/actresses. This is the biggest and largest convention in the country where everything happens (promo, trailer, concept art, future plans, and etc releases) so at least have the heart to understand your purpose here and what it means to people. Yes obviously we don’t expect you to ruin the whole upcoming season for us, but for fucks sake actually act like you give a shit about your jobs and not treat them like a fucking joke because this show has helped and brought many people together more than I think you realize. 2. To all the people calling out Melissa, Chris, Mechad, and Jeremy for being gigantor homophobes. That song they sang about the Supercorp ship vs. the Karamel ship sounds far more condescending, mocking, belittling, and honestly it feels more like an attack than anything. You can hear it their tone and see it through their body language and presence and even Katie, David, and Odette found it awkward and because of that the whole thing was extremely uncomfortable from start to finish. They obviously weren’t expecting to be bombarded by such a fan base for that ship in particular and were more prepared to discuss the ships that were canon confirmed in their show but I don’t think this necessarily makes them homophobics. I know Melissa, Jeremy, Chris, and Mechad all proactively support gay rights and marriage and just because they support these ideals doesn’t necessarily mean they fully understand lgbtq and all that it entails. I know plenty people that they say they support gay rights and marriage and all of lgbtq but are still uncomfortable or can’t handle witnessing any kinds of displays whether public or private which is very naive and hypocritical thinking but I don’t think that’s what caused this to spark and get them in trouble. I think what got them in trouble is when: A. Jeremy tried validating himself by saying he’s a “theater kid” and because of it knows how to properly represent the lgbtq community and insinuated that all “theater kids” are or are not lgbtq. Yea no not how it works. 1st of all, you can’t say stereotypes what kinds and types of people are involved in theater, they all come from mixed backgrounds. Secondly, you can’t validate yourself or your character consentually acting like their experiences are better or worse than others, especially those in the lgbtq community. B. Melissa wasn’t helpful either telling Jeremy he was “so brave” when he told people in regards to the Supercorp ship that he “debunked it.” Being lgbtq, coming out as lgbtq, living as lgbtq, and so on are very brave, strong, and inspring things to do so what’s there to debunk? I obviously don’t know and can’t act like I do, being heterosexual, but I have witnessed some of my friend’s journeys with it and while people are becoming a little more accepting and aware, we’ve still got a LONG fucking way to go to help and better lgbtq equality, representation, and value and this little conversion definitely made me realize how much progress we have to make in educating people what lgbtq means in how we discuss and regard the subject amongst others. 3. While I may not like certain pairings or ships it doesn’t mean I act oblivious to them or exile them like they don’t exist. Everyone has their own preferred otp’s that they couple off but it’s based on each person viewing the show. Without these kinds of responses (these responses can come through several forms like video reactions, fanfictions, fan art, and etc), shows don’t get this mass attention and overwhelming popularity and also without these, your show can’t build a strong, healthy fanbase and yes all shows, movies, books, and so on aren’t always perfect. They all experience good and bad moments from time to time it’s all a part of being in fandoms which are almost always divided unfortunately (you can choose how you want to be and represent yourself) but it’s how you acknowledge and handle these types of situations that keep your fandom united and content and because of these guys lack of seriousness that makes it more difficult. There’s ways you can properly respond to this and the perfect example being Katie handling Chris’s comment regarding sexuality by simply stating, “It matters who you are, not who others think you are. You are your own person despite other people’s perceptions.” That’s how you handle and shut that shit down. It wasn’t rude or overbearing. It was very mature and while it was directly proving her point, it was also indirectly addressing a wide audience of people that may or may not understand the situation and quickly ended the discussion which is what I loved more than anything. Acknowledge the fans and who they are, what they want, their views and opinions. Be open minded to new possibilities which doesn’t mean you always have to agree or disagree but at least recognize it because if you can’t guess who doesn’t have a fucking show? 4. Also based off what I’ve seen just recently since I posted this, I get that what happened has really hurt and offended many people including myself but you attacking and harassing the cast and crew with death threats and planning on boycotting the show doesn’t make you any better. You’re literally stooping at the same, possibly worse level and instead of trashing and directing your hate and anger at them, direct your love and compassion to help people better understand and educate why this is such a huge deal and maybe just maybe they will learn from this. Nobody is perfect and everyone makes mistakes and we have to remember that even with celebrities but they’re not going to if we continue to make them feel less. Yes we all go through this pain and hate and it makes us stronger but it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be the better person. Instead channel this energy into something more meaningful and use this experience to raise your voice in a more uplifting and influential way. Share your stories, your thoughts and feelings, your emotions, and what not. Let it all out in the open but just think of how you’d present this information amongst yourself and how you’d want others to present it to you. In this day of society, we should be treating others the way you want to be treated and despite our convictions should continue being kind to 1 another and striving for 1 common goal, coming together. We all want to feel loved and like we belong somewhere but it’s not going to happen if we keep going this same path time and time again. Finally all in all, I’m not going to let this crap stop me from watching the show. I love supergirl and all that she stands in comic and film universe. I love this cast more than anything and the whole thing was blown up for a reason because people care about them and this show and while I’m skeptical about this upcoming season I just hope the cast and crew and even the network learn and grow from this incident and use the experiences surrounding it to better and educate themselves and make this show what it’s meant to be: super.

[floofsta-x]

I Stan Monsta X, Part One of a Series

A rather detailed and insightful guide as to why a music major in college might listen to Monsta X 24/7 instead of classical or Jazz, like she “should”, and justifiably defends it

Under the cut, one shall find the detailed transcriptions, points of awe, and cold, hard facts (not to mention gushing, but that’s uh not important) as to why Monsta X keeps my brain engaged and ears happy.

All logic and transcriptions presented in this are mine! I henceforth give monbebe permission to use these in their own defense! (Like we’d ever need to produce musical reasons to stan our seven beautiful, handsome boys though, amirite?)

Without further ado!

In this post: An Introduction to me, plus reasons why I love the rap line

♪ #00: Introduction

Hello everyone, my name is Bryony, and I am a twenty year old girl from the midwest USA, Colorado and Nebraska to be more exact. Really, I’m just another young woman trying to make her way through school and one day, hold a steady paying job and make something of her life.

I decided quite early on that when I graduated High School and went on to post-secondary (college or university), I would pursue a degree in music. I’ve always absolutely adored making others happy via the performing arts; I stood on stage with elite children’s choirs in elementary school, and later started doing local theater productions and joined my small town’s Master Chorale. I only found my true love, however, when I entered fifth grade and picked up a clarinet for the first time. It wasn’t long before I was fully involved in musical activities all around, playing in band and singing in choir. I even learned saxophone so I could start playing Jazz. To boot, I was good at it. The pinnacle of my high school career was being selected to Colorado All-State Band and Colorado All-State Choir in the same year, and attending both.

However, what I thought I knew in high school came nowhere near what awaited me in college. I chose my undergraduate school because of the stellar teaching and strong faculty mentor and leadership at a particularly low cost, and I am confident that this was the correct move. I have been loving it, as much as before, but also found myself constantly challenged. I have been slowly engraining and applying my new understanding of music theory, structure, and harmony.

As a music major, I have been finding that even in my arbitrary, everyday listening, I actively seek out the elements that intrigue me in the genres I love. This includes one of my biggest, Korean Pop. Ever since becoming a full time lover and fan of it last November, questions have been floating around in my head, musings related to if the music itself, meaning notes, rhythms, harmony, melody, etc. of these beloved groups plays a major part in their popularity. Also, how the music industry over in South Korea affects the basic elements, and what gives each group their distinctive sound.

I’m not the type to have a favorite K-Pop group just because, and also, not just on the basis of the members or popularity. Yes, I giggle over the boys and their antics just like any other crazy kpop stan, and I’m always pressing for more recognition for my under-appreciated faves, but that is only a small part. I focus on the music itself a lot. I’ve never called myself an analyst, but as I said before, when you’re immersed in music like I am, you start to pick apart what you listen to.

I’ve explored the discography of many, many groups. All of them thus far have intrigued me, and I love them to a greater or lesser extent. This includes smaller groups like Boys Republic, 24K, BOYFRIEND, and Cross Gene, as well as ones with bigger fanbases like Super Junior, BTS (Bangtan Boys), EXO, and VIXX. However, there is one group whose music gets stuck in my head more than the rest, one group whose discography is stellar in every way.

That group is Monsta X.

They may be my bias group, but they weren’t my first exposure. Before I even was truly interested in K-Pop, I listened to BIGBANG. Also, I heard a few of EXO and BTS’s songs via my little sister. Today, I still often listen to them, but I keep going back to Starship’s premier hip-hop group. Time and again, Monsta X has proven themselves a cut above the rest.

I want to take a series of posts like this to talk about why, musically, this is. My intention is not to put any other groups down; I love them for different, individual reasons. Instead, I want to lay out things I’ve come to love and appreciate about the seven talented young men whom STARSHIP chose above the rest, in the brutal survival show NO.MERCY. These boys have, over the last two years, fused into the close-knit and hardworking group we know them as today. 

Son Hyunwoo | Shownu, Leader, dancer, vocalist, variety show king.

Shin Hoseok | Wonho, Sound engineer, composer, dancer, vocalist, visual.

Yoo Kihyun, Lead vocalist, savage squid, honorary mom.

Lee Minhyuk, Face of the group, vocalist, visual.

Chae Hyungwon, Model, vocalist, dancer, visual, actor.

Lee Jooheon, Rapper, marvelous singing voice, well-connected, cute off stage but fierce on it.

and finally, Im Changkyun | I.M, maknae, rapper, latecomer to No.Mercy but now loved by all.

These seven have captured my heart. So has their music. And without further ado and beating around the bush, here’s why.

♪ #01: The Rap Line

Ok, so I would like to start in a way that, if you know me, is no surprise. See, I am Jooheon biased (he’s also my ultimate, I will admit this quite unashamedly), and I adore his rap game. One of the few things I am not good at is rap, and I think that because I can’t identify, I admire him so much more.

It’s clear that Jooheon has an intense love for what he does. This plays directly into his famous ‘frightening on stage, adorable off of it’ personality. Performing really changes him. Jooheon is so heavily pushed and heaped responsibility upon, a fact that pains me every day. Any person with less of a love for the music, I imagine, would break under the strain. I can see no other motivation for him to continue than his passion for performing and making others happy with his raps. (He’s stated as much, in that last No.Exit broadcast we never mention because Matthew.)

I.M too, the younger one in the rapper line, has an obvious passion for it as well. Just the fact that he’s stayed on and become as beloved as he is among his hyungs is testament to that. He is just as talented a rapper as Jooheon is; I’ll even go out on a limb here and say that he might have more untapped potential.

I have been absolutely loving trying to work out the rhythms they use between the two of them in Monsta X’s tracks. Let’s break one down, how does that sound? We’ll analyze some of their best raps in the last two years. I’m going to start out intensely, at the beginning of MX’s latest title track, 아름다워 (Beautiful).

Of course Blue is Jooheon and Green is IM. Click here for a larger version. (I’ve also posted this as a separate post, I got a little impatient, admittedly, lmao.) It may have some errors, I believe at the very end of each’s phrases–depending on length of syllables, the eighth notes might not be quite on-dot, “straight”.

Now at first this doesn’t seem complicated, right? It’s just a whole bunch of eighth notes and some variations on sixteenths; admittedly, rhythm isn’t all that impressive written out on a staff.

But let’s consider some other factors here:

That the tempo is 150bpm. This is very quick, In classical terms, it’s called Presto or Vivace.

These boys are sometimes fitting SIX OR SEVEN SYLLABLES into a time span of ONE SECOND. (Here’s how I figured this out, in short: bpm=beats per minute. there are 60 seconds in a minute. 150/60=2.5. So, two and a half beats [a half note + an eighth note] is equivalent to one second.)

That they’re doing it clearly enough to be understood, the rhythm is pleasant to the ear, and a trained musician like myself can follow it. 

They wrote these lyrics themselves, and (I’m sure) painstakingly planned out where every syllable would be placed before stepping foot in the recording studio.

And then afterwards, they memorize and remember their raps for live performances.

This is, to me, what is truly impressive about that jumble of notes and colors up there. Any trained Kpop rapper is fully capable of it, but Jooheon and IM have taken this art to the next level. 

Last, but not least, their raps are coordinated not only in feel and sound, but also in lyric. Here are the English translations:

[Jooheon]

Why is it you? I’m going crazy What is this? I think I’ve fallen for you All day, in my head Round and round it goes A question mark, every day I know you have thorns But I want you, red rose

[I.M]

Because of the thorns A beautiful rose can bloom Dark red flowers, it means I love you Even if I bleed everywhere, I wanna know you Cause I think about you errday I’m already addicted to you

Jooheon sets up the opening idea that this song is about being madly in love, crazily in love–and then hits upon the idea of the object of his affections being like a rose.

Changkyun then takes Jooheon’s last two lines and runs away with them, connecting rose with red with blood and going back to the crazy idea–addiction, we consider addicts mentally ill. 

I regret not being able to get a feel for the lyrics in the original language–this to me is part of the problem of being an international fan, no matter how hard I try to learn the language, both spoken and written, I will probably never be able to think entirely in Korean. I will always be trying to connect back to English, my primary language.

Then there’s the second break, which goes something like this:

(full resolution.) It’s only eight measures, but just look at that relentless rhythm. Any normal person would trip over their own tongue; I know I do. The sheer clarity of everything at this incredible speed is breathtaking.

The lyrics line up too:

[I.M]

Two fingers thumbs up You make me say words of awe, You take away my right mind I think I’ll go crazy When I smell your scent

[Jooheon]

It spreads, it grows I’m addicted I’m prickled, hurt It’s between love and pain You’re so awesome

If I hadn’t separated their lines, I could believe that they were written by the same person; again, we have the concurring themes of deep, “crazy” love, and the rose (Changkyun’s ‘scent’ and Jooheon’s ‘prickled’).

It seems hard to believe that two years ago there was hostility between these two. Monbebe know the story–the show that made them a group, No.Mercy, was very high stakes. In a spur-of-the-moment decision, after a round of especially tough elimination, Starship Entertainment authority decided to throw I.M into the show and among the trainees. He was new, unfamiliar, and to boot, the youngest of them all. This situation was not good for anyone. However Changkyun was clearly destined to be there, and he had a good heart and persevered. 

Anything could have gone wrong–but once the two boys started talking to each other and got their initial feelings out of the way, magic happened. Now Changkyun and Jooheon are best friends, to the point that they’re not afraid to play off each other in the recording studio and in the planning stages of a song, working as a rapper line instead of just two talented rappers.

They’re also growing as artists and musicians, something that becomes very clear when one listens to Changkyun’s rapping at debut / during No.Mercy compared to now. It’s obvious that he’s put a lot of himself into it, and has promised to continue to do so. I am truly excited to see more from him in the future.

The close lyric coordination is a fairly recent development, but the fast rapping isn’t! I’m going to continue really intensely with another very impressive track, 네게만 집착해, Stuck (Focus on You), from The Clan Pt. 1.

(full resolution.) Alright, trust me guys when I say that transcribing this took absolutely FOREVER. I literally went on Youtube, tried it at full speed, and gave up after like five bars. So I slowed it down by a quarter. Still gave up. So I went down to half speed and finally felt comfortable there. Now that I have it all written out it makes sense, but at first I was floundering for rhythm. I will admit that I’m not very experienced yet, so some trouble was because of that. However also this part goes by so fast! Even after something like 45-50 times listening to Changkyun’s part on slow speed, I had to physically direct and place downbeats (the first beat of every measure) to piece everything together. Anyways,

If you thought that the rhythm before was relentless? Well feast your eyes on this one. (Also! Listen to Changkyun’s huge catch-breath in the last couple bars, on the quarter rest!) Stuck is right around the same speed as Beautiful, perhaps a little slower, but the subdivisions that Jooheon and IM use are smaller. Good God, they are both fitting ten syllables into a scant second at the beginning of their breaks, using running sixteenth notes and also, in Jooheon’s case, triplets. Honestly, I believe that triplets are not used enough in rap. The MX rap line actually break into them a lot; that’s one of the things that I love about them.

This section provides a nice contrast to the almost laid-back feel of the chorus. Also I think that Jooheon and Changkyun’s quick rapping is a great amplifier to Hyungwon’s part in the verse before, which is really half sung, half rapped. 

I never really realized exactly how fast this was until the other day, I was listening to a YouTube compilation of favorite parts from Kpop boy band songs. The video was a good fifteen to twenty minutes long, and Stuck was right in the middle. They had picked the rap part (who wouldn’t, honestly?) and it caught me off-guard. Compared to Stuck, everything before and after seemed so slow. For the rest of the night, I paid close attention to the rapping in things I watched. Nothing was as quick. Certain things might have had beats close to 145, but no one used sixteenth note subdivision, with the exception of TOP’s Doom Dada (a legendary rap track, honestly) and a few of G-Dragon’s singles.

Why are some of the words underlined in red? Well my lovely reader, those are combination syllables, meaning that Jooheon or IM have combined two separate syllabic sounds from two different words into one. Choral music often does this in order to make a pre-existing text fit a rhythm. It's not just because, or at random, though. The audience must still be able to understand, and the choice must make sense in the context of the rhythm and lyrics. Combination syllables tend to work better on longer notes, or nestled between longer notes. 

That said, I find it interesting that Jooheon tends to use the former technique. The first time that he twists syllables together, his chosen rhythm ties across the barline. This is a common occurrence, even in the music I sing in English, and if one considers that the fundamental sounds of language are common between many people and cultures, it makes perfect sense. The second time (the quarter note) he carries over the t in the last triplet. So it’s more like he’s saying ‘teois’ than anything else.

This is actually also common choral practice. It’s bad form to change to a consonant (or change vowel shape) in the middle of a note, so we often delay it until the next one. It’s generally more clear that way. So if one’s supposed to sing ‘bitten’ on two notes, for example, we prefer ‘bi-tten’ over ‘bit-ten’. (This happens quite a few times during the duration of this rap. I got some of them, but others (like what I just mentioned) I didn’t quite catch.)

Changkyun, on the other hand, likes to combine on the sixteenths. His ‘yoeop’ could almost be transcribed as two notes. ‘eoan’, by contrast is very quick. I have to purposefully listen for it.

I often wonder what the creation process is like with Jooheon and Changkyun. Do they write something and fit all the words in their allotted time? Or do they construct a rhythm from the beat and write lyrics over it? If I had a little while with these two (which would be heaven on Earth, honestly) I would have so many questions to ask! As a classical musician, this genuinely intrigues me. 

That said, the stage is a whole different ballgame than the recording booth. Of course, during promotions and performances and things like that, the boys are doing music that they’ve rehearsed hundreds of times, poured their entire heart and soul into, and they know like the back of their hand. I wouldn’t be surprised if one or both the boys rap lyrics to Beautiful, Ready or Not, or Hero in their sleep, lmao. But when it comes to special performances, to be able to do them in a classy way is quite hard. 

And at this, too, Jooheon and I.M succeed with flying colors.

How about we take their collaboration with Soyou and Hyolyn of SISTAR from last year’s MBC Music Festival? 섹시한 남자 (Sexy Guy), wasn’t it? Their rap break right after Soyou’s slow intro is pretty impressive to me. 

Since I don’t have reliable romanizations and I don’t trust myself to do my own, I’ll just present the rhythm as I hear it. 

(full resolution.) As always, Jooheon is blue, I.M is green. There’s a blue-green color too, I’m not sure how well you’ll be able to see it but that is the two of them together. Notice that this isn’t any less amazing than the raps they do over recording. Every time I listen to one of these one-shots (which they are!), I’m truly impressed at the level of detail in every word, every sound that comes out of their mouth. 

This time, it’s Changkyun doing the triplets! And Jooheon has a thirty-secondth note in his part. If you notice the tempo, we’re a little slower here than in Beautiful and Stuck, so it gives him room to do that. Still, it’s very impressive. Most classical musicians would balk at the thirty-secondth.

I don’t believe that they’ve performed this rap since the 31st of December (last year, 2016). They must have planned it out beforehand, however, considering what I said before, that Jooheon and I.M have phrases together, especially the last four syllables at the end. I wonder how many hours they spent on it. 

Things get even more crazy when one starts to think about how they also had to learn and perfect choreography along with the backup dancers, Hyolyn, and Soyou. They really must know how to squeeze every last drop of productivity out of a day. I am, admittedly, envious. 

Alright! Well, I could honestly go on all day. Transcribing raps is one of the most entertaining things I’ve ever done (even if I do have to listen to Jooheon and Changkyun at half speed for an hour or more) and it really gives me heart eyes for my boys. I think that you’ve had about enough of my rambling though, right? 

I really hope that you enjoyed this. If there’s something you would like to add, correct, or request of me (as I start doing transpositions of entire MX songs ahhhh) don’t be afraid to drop into my ask box! Really, I’m down to gush over things like this anytime. My love of music runs so deep and I am really excited to connect it back to another one of my passions, Monsta X (and also kpop in general). 

Until next time! 

–Bryony ( @floofta-x )

Next: The wonderful that is the Monsta X Vocal Line (and not-so-vocal but vocal nonetheless line)

[evilkitten3]

Can I request a chapter where Mai sticks up for Harry, and actually does "accio, Voldemort!"?

I waited too long to respond to this, and I’m sorry. Ishould’ve replied right away, but I wasn’t sure how to word it. The answer isno, I cannot write this. The answer was no from the moment I first got yourask, and I feel bad about potentially allowing you to assume that I was goingto write this. I’ll explain why under the cut, since the explanation isn’texactly short.

As a fanfic author working with other people’s characters, Ican do whatever I want. A fanfic author has the freedom to twist and interpretthe creation of another person, and it’s an incredibly fun experience, whetheryou’re reading fanfics or writing them.

But as this ask helped me to discover, I don’t have the samefreedom with characters that I created myself. In my eyes, that would be abetrayal.

As a concept, the idea of Mai summoning Voldemort to helpHarry is hilariously funny, and it provides lots of comedic opportunities, andI know I’m to blame for being the one to joke about the idea in the firstplace, but I can’t do it.

Mai was initially nothing more than a background characterwhose existence was an inside joke between me and my friends (the same is truefor Akiko, Katsuya, Mikasa, Emi, and Hana), but she began to demand a largerrole, going from a background character to a reoccurring character to a majorcharacter to a main character and eventually settling down as the deuteragonistof the story. As such, I’ve put quite a bit of time and energy into developingher character and what themes she’s involved in.

One of the first things I mention about Mai in “ThingsFall Apart” is how much magic she has, with Nikolai – a character who, youshould bear in mind, is a person who enjoys combat – showcasing admiration forher and praising her abilities. This is, intentionally, a very biasedviewpoint. And it actually doesmatter, because Mai’s combat ability is extremely limited.

In my story, the amount of magical power that a personpossesses has a direct correlation with how much control that person has over their magic. Mai, who has more threetimes as much raw magical power than anyone on record, has almost no controlwhatsoever. To clarify – let’s think of this in terms of guns (there are gunsin this world, but they’re not relevant right now). Someone with a very smallamount of magic has one gun and is really good with it. Someone with a very large amount of magic, on the otherhand, has one gun and more ammo, but isn’t quite as good a shot. A person withthe amount of magic that Mai has is essentially armed with a rocket launcher, anear unlimited amount of ammo, and absolutely no idea how to use said rocketlauncher.

In other words, Mai can’t fight in a group because she’dprobably hurt her allies more than her friends, and she can’t use magic in upclose one-on-one fights at all because she’d end up just as injured as herenemy. If it’s her against several people, the best solution is usually to usea spell that sort of acts like the Pokémon move “surf” and just hitseverybody, unless she’s far enough away in which case she can just blast ‘em.The insane amount of magic and her lack of control makes her a ratherinconvenient ally, which is why she mastered Summoning Magic, a type of magicthat is rarely used due to how much power it uses and how much time you have todedicate to being able to summon things (this ain’t Naruto or Fairy Tail; youwanna summon something, you gotta hunt it down yourself). This greatly improvesher usefulness in combat, as one would expect, but there can be seriousrepercussions (e.g., one of your Summons decides it isn’t fond of you anymoreand attacks you, you fuck up and Summon the wrong thing, etc.).

So, what does this have to do with Harry Potter? Actually,Mai is one of the reasons I almost didn’tbring the TB gang to Hogwarts. Remember how I mentioned that the universe mystory takes place in has guns? Well, those guns are magical too, but there arevery strict regulations on them. If you have more than a certain amount ofmagic, you aren’t allowed to possess or use a gun. Some people aren’t evenallowed to touch them. A person with as much magic as Mai isn’t even allowed inthe same room as a gun. Guns play abigger part in the world than that, but that’s not important right now.

A wand, like those guns, is a magical conduit – a way ofchanneling and manipulating your magic. Most of the TB gang wouldn’t be able touse a wand, as they’ve either got too much magic or have never used anythingsimilar to a wand before and don’t want to risk it. Mai is a character whoprobably shouldn’t even be near awand, much less inside a school fullof them. In other words, the first reason I can’t fulfill your request isbecause Mai is literally incapable of actually doing that, as funny as it wouldbe.

But there’s another reason too – it goes against her personality.Mai doesn’t know Harry at all. He’s not her friend, and his problems are nother problems. Mai is loyal to her friends, but a major part of her character islegitimately not giving a shit about anyone she doesn’t see as important toher. This is where her relationship with Kotomi comes into play – they’redirect opposites in just about everything. Kotomi would go out of her way tohelp someone she doesn’t even know with something very small, whereas Mai couldsee a person she’s known for years dangling on the edge of a cliff a la Mufasaand wouldn’t bat an eye (unless that person was someone important to her,someone important to someoneimportant to her, and/or beneficial in the future. If there’s no benefits forher in your life, then long live the king).

And that’s why she would never help Harry – Mai is fullyaware of how much power Umbridge has over the school. As a Slytherin, Mai is ina very good place to manipulate things behind the scenes and keep her friendssafe. Publicly siding with Harry goes directly against that, as it would puther on Umbridge’s shit list. It doesn’t benefit her at all – she and herfriends are from another world (although the HP characters don’t know that),and Mai doesn’t see Voldemort as a threat. If he in any way implied that he wasgoing to hurt them, then she would go after him without a second thought (whichwould be bad, because of the Horcruxes), but he’s not the main threat here.Umbridge is. As much as Mai would love to see Umbridge crash and burn, she’s notgoing to take a risk that big for someone she doesn’t care about in theslightest.

And even if Voldemort didgive her a reason to go after him, it wouldn’t end well. Either he’d respawnthanks to a handy-dandy Horcrux, or she’d decide that the best way to deal withhim would be to get rid of his followers, which would basically involvemurdering a bunch of people (many of whom are the parents of her fellowSlytherins). Would she do it if she felt she needed to? Yes, in a heartbeat.But she won’t. As Nikolai mentioned, “nice” doesn’t necessarily mean“good”. Let’s say you’re a villain with a tragic backstory who isexplaining to the heroes why you did the things you did. Mai is the sort ofperson who would give you a comforting hug, tell you she forgives you, and puta knife in your gut all in one breath.

If I ever get around to making a published story with mycharacters and that story gets a fanbase, then those fans are more than welcometo write a fic like this. But as Mai’s creator, I can’t. On the bright side, Ishould probably thank you, because receiving this ask really made me thinkabout what it means to be not only a writer but also a creator, and I learned a lot about myself and my writing while Istruggled to think of a way to decline. So thank you so much for the thought,I’m so sorry that I can’t do it, and I will definitely remember this. I owe youone.

[nickelodeon-disneyreviewed]

16 Wishes Disney Channel Original Movie Reviewed

Because sure, I can post my most recent review, but it’s kinda lame for a first Tumblr post so have this half-year old review of a nearly decade-old DCOM instead.

16 Wishes DCOM Reviewed22 today, happy birthday sweetheart! What is it? Well, that's actually an interesting question.... It's classically thought of as a DCOM...even though strictly technically speaking it isn't (yes, that's right, it means Disney Channel's official Facebook page is wrong on this!) It's really a direct-to-DVD movie that Disney Channel just happened to pick up on very, very early during the production stage (before they even decided on a lead, hence how Debby became involved) due to Disney Channel's previous relationship (and ongoing relationship, for that matter) with Mar Vista studios through a number of actual DCOMs before and since. See folks, only on this blog will you learn new facts and grow your brain right in the introductory minutiae of each and every blog post! Where did it air? Well, again, continuing the above it's actually a bit complex. Technically it did indeed premiere on Disney Channel first, but it was originally intended for DVD sales/streaming to be the primary means of distribution. Of course now it's as closely associated with the network as any other DCOM and other than directly streaming it or getting the DVD it's the only place on "traditional" television you'll find it. Who stars in it? Most prominently, Debby Ryan, who became attached to the project as soon as Disney Channel decided to throw money at it. Jean-Luc Bilodeau plays second-billing Jay - you may recognize Jean-Luc (no, not that Jean-Luc) from not only the later Mar Vista-produced DCOM Zapped! but also from the somewhat short-lived Canadian/UPN (remember that network? Probably not) production Kyle-XY as the title character. Anna Mae Routledge is Celeste "the birthday fairy" and...yeah, this is actually the biggest role she's been in (she's been in another movie we've done a mini-review on...Eurotrip, maybe?) The only other notable role is Karissa Tynes as Krista. Abby's mom is played by the same actress who played an FBI agent in...Snakes on a Plane. Yeah, really. The principal is also "Chevron Guy" from Stargate: SG-1. There's also this really gorgeous ginger with these Marianas Trench-deep blue eyes but...uhh, we'll get to that at the end I guess. Why are we reviewing this? ...well, see, there are three or so key events that lead to the creation of this very blog, and 16 Wishes is one of them. One of those events would be of course the creation of GirlMeetsWorldReviewed.Blogspot.com which directly inspired the creation of this blog. But of course there'd be no point or even capability to make this blog without material to fill it up with. That's where 16 Wishes and other things come in. Another of those events, by far the most important one, is Phineas and Ferb - or more specifically, when I just happened to chance upon Phineas and Ferb (The Chronicles of Meep specifically - I need to, like, send flowers to Povenmire and Marsh for that one, it was a real chance of fate that happened to be the first episode I saw as it was superbly excellent if not outright sublime) one night when I was desperately searching for new programming to watch. And as I describe in both my Jessie and Liv and Maddie retrospectives, this was actually critical timing because at the time I was just a few weeks off from having my ex-fiancee break up with me and less than a week from recovering from cancer-removing surgery. And not only was Phineas and Ferb the perfect TV visual comfort food at the time, but it was an immediate gateway to more visual comfort food on the network and by extension Nickelodeon (the first episode of anything I've ever watched on Disney Channel aside from The Chronicles of Meep - immediately after the Chronicles of Meep, in fact - was the second replay of the then-premiere episode of Good Luck Charlie's T-Wrecks and given the emotional state I was in, I was actually really blown away by just how well done an all-inclusive family multi-cam sitcom it was - and that was immediately followed up by the second replay of the premiere of Jessie's Gotcha Day which, well, if you want to delude yourself that Jessie is a better show than it is there are few better episodes than that to dive into). Now, here's the thing - even at that point after about a month of watching I was still on the fence about the actual quality of Disney Channel shows and Jessie especially. By that I don't mean I would've given up watching the network forever and never ever speak of the great embarrassment of being an allegedly grown-ass adult watching Disney Channel, but my viewing habits probably would be a lot like they are today - oh hey, Good Luck Charlie's on, yeah I like that show. Oh hey it's Phineas and Ferb. Oh, hey Jessie's on...I wonder what Rick on Pawn Stars is trying to rip off today. But what ended up being the real tipping point to being dedicated as an allegedly grown-ass adult to this network and becoming a Jessie super-fan (or at least the closest thing that passes for it) is this movie. I think what really resonated with this movie, again given my emotional state, is the back half where Abby finds herself turned into an allegedly grown-ass adult. Even when you're in your early 20s (as Abby finds herself), well...I'm just going to quote the speech Abby's dad gives: But being grown up is different than dreaming about it, isn't it? We understand. Of course! You're scared that your childhood is over and with it all the best times of your life! You probably wanna turn back that clock and start over? Boy I know how that feels! ...and being in my 20s...and already having been engaged in marriage, and then seeing all that blow up in my face, and then finding out I have cancer, and then dropping out of school over it...yeah, that shit gets overwhelming. You spend a lot of time thinking about how not long ago all you needed to do was wake up and go to school and everything else is provided for you, and you all of a sudden find yourself in that same situation, just minus the school, and at least just old enough so that it all feels familiar but at the same time a bit weird. Nostalgia is not perfect, and it can even be a dangerous thing - I've dedicated very large portions of this very blog about how nostalgia effectively stunted if not outright ruined Girl Meets World from its very conception. But we keep coming back to it because it's comfortable. Girl Meets World was greenlit and conceived, arguably, because it was a return to a very comfortable concept, a concept that was successful in its heyday and it was thought would be successful because that previous success had grown itself into its fanbase to provide comfort (again, Christian and Sean have talked about the comfort aspect of the original show). And when you're in a position where comfort starts being medicine, nostalgia is a very powerful thing to go back to. My point being, girls who were 16 but accidentally wish themselves to be 22 as they walk out of a store dressing room and wishing they can just go back to school and live with their parents again and guys who actually are 22 (well, older than that even) but got kicked out of their fiancee's life so hard they apparently literally got cancer over it and had to move back in with their parents have a lot in common with each other. Of course, that's just my perspective. But also keep in mind that apparently this little movie gave Debby enough clout, at least on the network, to where Disney Channel ultimately decided to greenlight her own show which of course became the 101-episode (not 98!) long series Jessie. No, really, it got one of the highest adult demos of its night. It's really my theory that this message about childhood nostalgia, whether intended or not, proved to be a big hit with Millennials. I mean, think about it. We're supposedly the "never grow up" generation - we have high unemployment, low independent housing, yadda yadda. Abby's words about feeling like we're 16 and then suddenly 22 and needing a job and a means to afford our own place and take care of ourselves have become themes of a generation. And I'm not saying this as an insult to Millennials (being one myself of course) but that no doubt it happened to previous generations too - Gen X'ers, Baby Boomers, what have you as they suddenly find themselves transitioning from a school-focused work ethic to suddenly being in the actual work force. It's an increasingly universal theme as the world marches towards mechanization and now digitization, but it's a theme that's been rather under-represented in all but tween through young adult media. But enough of me waxing nostalgic and complaining about my personal life again, how does it rate as a movie? Well, Abby's a brat through the first part (then again that's the point) and then we kinda see her cartoon-mature and she grows up, yadda yadda. Debby's not bad at all in it, Jean-Luc captains his way through it equally respectably, Karissa is very much underappreciated, Chevron Guy makes for the second ultra-nerdy sci-fi reference in this very sentence and again if you've seen the movie you probably know who I'm talking about when I talk about this curly-hair ginger girl with these sapphire-forged eyes who's, like, so gorgeous I'd go through another round of chemo for, like I will forget about my lousy ex for her, yadda yadda. Even when trying to emotionally divorce oneself it's a pretty competent movie, and Lord knows there've been quite a few official DCOMs that don't measure up to this one (the vastly overrated Cowbelles, Teen Beach 2, yes Invisible Sister) Movie Grade: B-. Like I said, it's at least competent and enjoyable enough it deserves this. Movie MVP: That ridiculously gorgeous blue-eyed ginger, of course, for completely memorizing me in the two or three scenes she's in including the one scene where she gasps, which is the closest speaking role she has. ...just kidding, although I really do think she deserves more recognition (seriously, I don't think gingers get enough recognition for how beautiful they are, as I've again shared on this very blog before). But really, it's obviously going to be Debby, duh. This is the performance that convinced the network to give her Jessie, after all. Extra Thoughts: - Of course after mentioning that last part I guess I'm obligated to again remind you that my ex-fiancee herself is a ginger so I'm biased (and again, Debby became a fake ginger for the Jessie role so, there). - Speaking of Cowbelles, both that and 16 Wishes feature the song Don't Wanna Grow Up by the band Willknots - Uuugggh Disney Channel commercials from April leading up to the RDMAs are soooo laaaaaame. But I probably only think this because the RDMAs themselves are after-the-fact old news now. - here's a bit of trivia for you: after wishing to become popular, Abby claims that the dads of some girls are planning her birthday party in Las Vegas as they happen to own half of that town. This implies that they're direct descendants of Howard Hughes who quite literally owned half of Vegas (though it's honestly doubtful the writers really knew this at the time). - Abby's driver's license information is the following: ID #073 477 657; Class D (do note that most 16 year olds start off with a Class C license which legally permits them to drive most normal passenger cars - being too lazy to Google it, I don't even know if "Class D" is a thing); no endorsements (minor fun fact: yours truly, the author of this blog, has one endorsement: M, giving legal permission to operate motorcycles); no restrictions; Code 776-36A (whatever that means) and lists her DOB as 7/7/95 (which implies that the movie takes place very specifically on July 7, 2011 - almost exactly 11 months into the future of its original Disney Channel premiere date - and is also contradicted by the fact that in parts of the movie everyone's breath is obviously visible and many trees remain bare as they probably shot it in late February or early March of 2010) and her height as being 5'6" (which is Debby's actual height) and just as Celeste the Birthday Fairy says, the license doesn't expire - The design of the "Coastal State" license plate on Abby's car also implies this takes place in Oregon even though her license actually refers to "Coastal State" as the actual name of the state. - Abby's school, Walnut Grove, is a real school in the Vancouver area where the movie was shot. It's a private school and you can see on their website they're very proud of being the filming location for 16 Wishes. Their mascot actually is the Gators, BTW (as displayed on the school bus and Abby's lifetime lunch pass, which is modeled after the actual Walnut Grove lunch pass. Yes, I go deep into this for you - only on this blog!) - Yeah, I am waaaay behind on Andi Mack. I was hoping to binge on the backlog of episodes up to the latest today for my birthday but...yeah, forget that. We'll be resuming Andi Mack reviews tomorrow. Hopefully. - And obviously this is Part 2 of our Birthday Blog posts today, so, Happy Birthday Debby! (And Happy Birthday Me!)