#like i’d literally wish to live in those country

[ignisgalaxia]

With the release of Prodigy season 2, the Trek fandom finally has an answer to what Chakotay's native ancestry is. He's Nicarao, a tribe from the western region of Nicaragua who actually share a common ancestry with the Nahua Aztecs of Mexico. The show even mentions the island of Ometepe specifically, which is the largest island in Lake Nicaragua made up of two volcanoes.

The reason this is so important to me is because my dad and his family are from Nicaragua. I’ve been getting more in touch with those roots over the last year or so, and I’ve found it very frustrating how there seems to be no Nica representation in media, at least not in the mainstream. But when I found out that Chakotay was a fellow Nica, I was literally bouncing off the walls. To think, one of my favorite characters has the same ancestry as me (well, almost, but I’ll get to that later)! When I told my dad, he laughed so hard because he never would’ve imagined.

But I haven’t seen a lot of people talking about this aspect. I get it, it’s a minuscule part of the wild ride that was season 2. But I’d really like us as a fandom to discuss this more. I mean, we literally don’t have to guess what tribe he’s from anymore!

So since nobody else has come forward, I am going to claim myself as the only member of the Voyager-Prodigy fandom with actual Nicaraguan ancestry, and am making this post to give firsthand information about the Nicarao and the nation as a whole.

Firstly, some context. My dad was born in Managua, the capital of Nicaragua, and lived there with his family until he was 7. Then they fled the country due to the Contra War that was going on. My grandfather was born and raised in Bluefields, a city on the country's Carribean coast, then went to college in Mexico where he met my grandmother. Neither of them are Nicarao, and are in fact very European (the DNA tests proved it). However, when they were all living in Managua, my grandparents had a handful of maids that worked for them (they had six kids they needed some help), and a couple of them were Nicarao. Specifically, they were natives from a village in the nearby mountains. So while I don't have info on natives from Ometepe, I do have some on the people in general.

The maids lived with my dad's family during the week and would go home to their village on the weekends. They primarily spoke Spanish, but he would occasionally catch them speaking in their native tongue which I assume is Nahua.

My dad recounted a time when the maids invited the family to their village for a day trip. He said they were living in Adobe houses and had lots of livestock (cattle, chickens, goats, etc) as well as horses, which he apparently rode for the first time there. He also said most of the natives had two primary weapons: a machete to cut crops and other vegetation, and a 22 single shot rifle. They used the rifles to shoot iguanas off trees. Iguanas and iguana eggs are a delicacy in Nicaragua that the natives are experts at making.

This is a direct quote from my grandmother when I asked her about what she remembered of them:

The people I knew, they were good and hard working people. Smart, happy, funny… they really are sociable, like to talk and say jokes invented with their mind and history. The women were skillful, knew how to survive. They cooked, cleaned, planted crops and vegetables. Good merchants, they really knew how to sell and buy.

I wish I had more info to share, but unfortunately season 2 could not have been released at a worse time because my grandfather has recently begun developing Alzheimer's or some other form of dementia and has been losing his memory over the last few months. Even when my dad and I were with him in May and I asked him to recount his earlier life, he repeated himself a few times since he evidently had forgotten he'd already told us those parts. If I had known how fast he’d be deteriorating, I would’ve started my work sooner.

If I do end up learning anything more from my relatives, I’ll update the post. For now, I hope this is of some use to people. And if anyone has questions about Nicaraguan culture in general, I’ll be happy to pass them along to my dad.

[mistressofpuppets86]

Fireworks of our own

Pairing: Present day James Hetfield x reader (NO USE OF Y/N)

Synopsis: You’re settling into life in a new town and a new state after a massive and massively unexpected inheritance. You become close with the highly recognizable and hot as fuck heavily tattooed… and somewhat recently divorced… silver fox that you learn lives across the street from you.

Warnings: 18+. There will be smut. Minors, fuck off. RPF. 1st person POV. 20-ish year age gap. Reader is early 40s, James is 60. Reader’s race is not mentioned or described, but is AFAB and female identifying. Due to the lack of female readers with my body type when body type is described/hinted at, reader is also short and somewhat plus-sized, and has small breasts. Unprotected sex. Public sex. Creampie.

Moving into the large expensive house I’d inherited in Colorado turned out to be one of my smarter decisions.  The house used to belong to my step-aunt and step-uncle.  I didn’t find out until after they were both gone that they’d made an agreement codified in their wills.  What it boiled down to was that their biological relatives were a bunch of greedy vultures who loved to squabble over anything of value, vying with each other for the best of whatever it was and only caring about what benefit there was for themselves in literally any situation.  It shocked me as much as anyone when I was the one named sole beneficiary of their entire estate.  I don’t know what would have happened had I turned it down, but turning down enough of a bank account to make me independently wealthy plus a variety of stocks and other investments that were continuing to provide income and a plush house in the ski town of Vail was not something I would do.  I never had to work again if I didn’t want to, and the house was entirely paid off.  It would have been complete idiocy to reject all that.  In further interest of not being a complete idiot, I also took measures as soon as possible to ensure my step-aunt’s and step-uncle’s wishes were respected.  In the event of my untimely death, ‘those people’ would still inherit nothing.  I used the same lawyers my step-aunt and step-uncle had to ensure my will was as ironclad as theirs had been, in case ‘those people’ contested mine as my step-aunt’s and step-uncle’s had been contested when I was named sole heir.

What surprised me was how friendly the rest of the residents were, and how patient they were in getting me integrated into the community.  Being autistic and having ADHD made social interactions feel weird and awkward to me when I was around new people.  Everyone in Vail was new to me.  I’d moved here alone and used a moving company to do all the hard work for me.  My friends were all online and lived in other states if not other countries so it hadn’t seemed like a big deal for me.  Especially since I was such an introverted type by nature.  But something about Vail put me at ease and made it easier for me to open up to people.  It helped that they were understanding of my differences and made an effort to work with them rather than treating me with pity or like I was something to be shunned.

The real shock was my across-the-street neighbor turning out to be James fucking Hetfield of all people.  Thankfully he’d been amused rather than weirded out by my reaction to seeing him and learning he was my neighbor now.  I didn’t hide that I was a fan, but I did at least try to keep things mellow in his presence.  It helped that he was super down to earth and generally a fun guy to be around.  It didn’t take me long to relax around him while we talked and got to know each other.  I definitely had my freak-out once I was alone in my house though.

That was months ago.  Now we’re at a local park for a Fourth of July community event.  I had worn a cute spaghetti strap lavender dress with white flowers on it.  The hemline fell to a little below my knees, and there was a slit from the hem to mid thigh on the left.  The skirt part was flared enough to mostly hide my chubby belly while the bodice was a little fitted to give me some shape, with lightly padded breast cups that flattered my small bust.  I’d paired it with black strappy low-heeled wedge sandals and my hair was brushed and twisted up in a claw clip.  I spritzed on some orange-vanilla-cinnamon body spray, and was ready.  I had never been a makeup girl so I didn’t even own any.  James had given me a look I couldn’t interpret when he’d rung my doorbell so we could drive over together, but he’d also offered me his arm with a playful grin.  I’d happily taken it, grinning back and trying to ignore the way my heart fluttered in my chest as we walked to his vehicle together.  He was looking especially good himself today.  Well-fitted jeans, a t-shirt that hugged his lean body just right and showed off his tattoos, and one of his many pairs of black boots.  One of his many cowboy style hats sat on top of his silvered head.  Normally that kind of thing didn’t have any special effect on me.  But when that sort of hat was on him, it made the song lyric ‘save a horse ride a cowboy’ come to mind.

He parked and we walked toward the entrance.  When I saw just how many people were gathered in the park, my steps faltered.  It was weird.  I’d had no crowd anxiety at the few concerts I’d managed to get to, but this made me hesitate.  Maybe it was because at concerts I was surrounded by fellow metalheads and felt safe there.  Even when I didn’t know them personally we were already bonded through the music and shared love of the same band.  That connection and feelings of belonging and community weren’t present here at the park.  I’d barely stopped walking when I felt James’s arm drape over my shoulders and pull me in close to him.  I looked up at him even as I leaned against him and wrapped an arm around his waist.  Instead of the irritation or other negative emotions I had expected to see in his face and eyes there was nothing but understanding, patience, and reassurance.  “We’ve got this, babe” he murmured, giving me a squeeze.  I smiled up at him and gave his waist a squeeze as my heart flipped in my chest at the endearment and his embrace.  Then we entered the park together.

Once the initial anxiety had dissipated I was able to relax and enjoy the afternoon.  James insisted on paying for everything no matter how much I protested and reminded him I had my own money.  He countered that it was the gentlemanly thing to do.  Having no answer to that, I gave up trying to prevent him from doing it.  What was even more surprising to me was that he didn’t end up mobbed by fans.  I was sure at least some people recognized him - especially with his tattoos so readily visible and recognizable - no one approached for autographs or photos or anything.  With as at ease as he was, I could only be happy for him that he could still go out in public and do normal things like anyone else.  

We both lost most of the carnival games we played, but James had a decent win at one of them and insisted I pick out the prize since he intended for me to keep it anyway.  I chose the plush possum - about the size of a housecat - as soon as I spotted it.  I tucked it into the tote bag I was carrying, positioning it so the fuzzy head was sticking up out of the top.  “So he can see everything going on” I joked, making James laugh.  

As night fell we found ourselves at the edge of the grassy area that had been set aside for fireworks viewing.  With the setting sun, the warmth from the day seeped away and left everything on the chillier side.  Enough that it made me glad for the two blankets we’d brought… one to sit on, and one to cover up with.  We ended up with him using the tote bag as a pillow, and me - at his insistence - using his shoulder as a pillow.  Not that I minded, of course.  His arm wrapped around me and kept me close beside his warm solidness.  Without thinking about it, I rolled onto my side and snuggled closer with an arm over his waist.  I felt him stiffen for a second and panicked that I’d overstepped, but then I felt him relax and his arm tightened around me in a brief squeeze.  “Comfy?” he asked playfully, his voice low enough only I could hear what he said.

I shifted my head to look at him and my heart skipped at how close his face was to mine.  It was difficult to see much in the darkness but I could make out the amused quirk of his lips.  “Very much so… babe” I replied just as softly and playfully, pointedly tossing his earlier endearment back at him.

James let out a quiet bark of a laugh.  “Shit.  And here I thought I’d gotten away with that” he joked, the tip of his nose brushing against mine.  I knew he could feel my racing heart but he said nothing about it.

“Mmm… you kinda did, in a way” I murmured, rubbing my nose against his in turn.  “Clearly I didn’t mind you calling me that since I didn’t raise any protest.  And I certainly wouldn’t be laying like this with you right now” I pointed out even as I felt him roll onto his side facing me.  He murmured a quiet agreement, his lips close enough to mine I could feel his breath as he spoke.  Then his lips were on mine, tentative and testing at first then with more confidence and assurance when I responded eagerly and kissed him back.  A soft moan left my throat and my leg slid over his hip, my own hips pressing against him.  I felt the rumble of his moan too and his strong hand spread over the curve of my ass, pulling me even more tightly against him.  Tight enough I could feel his hard cock through his jeans.  I rolled my hips against his and deepened the kiss.

Carefully, James slid my dress up over my hips to my waist and my own hand tugged his jeans zipper down, fingers delving into the fabric to free his length.  I could feel exactly how thick he was too, my hand wrapping around him and stroking until his hand gently took hold of my wrist.  “Gonna bust like a virgin boy if you keep that up” he growled softly in my ear.  “And I wanna be in you when I bust” he added with a nip that made me whimper in pleasure as much as his words did.  I let him take control again, his long fingers tugging my panties to the side and guiding his tip through my slick folds.  “Holy fuck you’re soaked” he murmured as he sank into me.  I made a noise of need, and he quickly smothered the sound with another searing kiss as his hips slowly rolled and he thrust into and out of me.

The way he filled me was absolute perfection, and each drag and push of his cock would have had me moaning loud enough for us to be caught even over the noise from the fireworks show starting had he not kept his mouth on mine and my tongue busy with his.  It was bliss and torture at the same time that he kept his pace steady, his movements small but intense so we could both finish but hopefully not have our activities noticed.  “James… getting close” I murmured against his lips, my pussy fluttering around his cock as he brought me closer to my peak.

“Good.  Cum for me, my love.  Cum all over this cock” he murmured back.  The command in his tone, him calling me his love, and the way he was fucking me sent me over the edge.  He kissed me hard to keep my moans muffled, grunting softly and bucking into me hard as he followed me over that edge, his hot seed shooting deep into me and filling me to the brim.  We lay there in each others’ arms after, his cock still buried inside me, kissing slowly and languidly for a short while.  But then the finale of the fireworks happened and we knew our cover would be up soon.  He withdrew from me and tugged my panties back into place before his cum could leak out onto my thighs.  Then he kissed me once more and rolled onto his back to tuck his cock back into his pants and zip up.  We pulled our arms out from under the blanket to make everything look innocent just in time for the end of the display and the other attendees to start packing up to go home.

“What did you two think of the show?” a man around my age with a woman who looked to be about the same age at his side asked us as James helped me to my feet and we started folding up the blankets and gathering our things by the light of cell phone flashlights.  James and I exchanged a mischievous look and grinned.

“It was great” I replied, my voice even.  “Best display I’ve ever seen” I added.

“I was just telling my girlfriend how much better the show was this year than last year” James added, his eyes and smile full of mischief.  I felt my cheeks heat but I grinned back and made a comment about how I was glad to have been part of it.  Warmth blossomed in my chest at him declaring me his girlfriend.  The other couple seemed a little surprised but continued the conversation and didn’t seem to be judging either James or I over the obvious age gap between us.  I couldn’t tell if they knew who James was and accepted it as a general celebrity thing or if they were just chill like that.  Either way worked for me.

James draped his arm over my shoulders again and I put my arm around his waist as we walked back to the parking lot, each of us carrying things as we had done coming in.  His cum slowly leaked out of my hole and soaked my panties as we walked.  When we got to the vehicle, I reached for one of the blankets to put on my seat for the drive home.  He raised an eyebrow in question.  “If I don’t put down a barrier, I’m going to leave a wet patch on your seat from your cum soaking through my clothes” I said bluntly, leaning in close.  He smirked at me and held me close with his hands on my hips.  My arms went around his neck and he kissed me gently.

“Mmm… worth it though” he teased, making my cheeks heat again.  He kissed me once more and gave my ass a double-handed squeeze.  “Now let’s get home so we can get fully naked.  I wanna taste your pussy before I fuck you properly and have you screaming my name while I fill you with my cum again” he growled softly in my ear.  I shivered and made a needy sound that brought a grin to his lips.  When he released me and went to the driver side with long strides, I wasted no time getting into the vehicle and closing the door, buckling my seatbelt.  My panties were wet with more than just James’s cum, and I was eager for not just the rest of the night with him but the rest of our lives together.  I knew, somehow, that we belonged only to each other now.

[chevelleneech]

I can’t lie, Jikook being platonic would be the craziest turn of events to me, lol. They may not now be or have ever been a couple, but platonic? It really doesn’t seem likely.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m very aware that their reality will not match up to my assumptions of their lives, but every time I think about the barest minimum of their moments, I can’t really see a different conclusion. You can tell someone about a handful of their moments, and still the assumption will be, “They have a thing going on, right?”

Because their interactions go as follows:

An ear suck, a neck hickey, joint enlistment, traveling the world together just because, begging while naked or semi-nude to be invited over to the others house or hours upon hours spent of the two of them in each others bed “doing nothing”, flirty birthday wishes, flying from one country to another for less than a day to celebrate a birthday, travel trip to spend time emotionally readjusting together or hours upon hours talking about their passion in music together, spending hours on multiple live streams talking about wanting to spend time with the other, choosing to sleep in each others beds instead of their own despite not having known each other too long, celebrating the others birthday with their own family without them around just because, saying the best thing about waking up in the morning is seeing the others face.

And that’s not mentioning the times other members fanned the flames: Tae smirking as he said Jungkook refused to let Jimin join his live, all the members teasing Jimin for saying his best thing was waking up to Jungkook’s face, Hobi saying Jungkook is usually in charge of music when Jimin gets naked, Hobi and RM discussing Jimin and Jungkook’s tourist behavior.

So I mean, obviously none of us can say without a doubt there is something going on, but all those moments above came directly from the source. There are no shipper goggles being worn here. Shipper goggles would be me adding them hanging out that one year on white day. Why? Because friends can and often do hang out on couple holidays. Shipper goggles would be me talking about JK being the only member to hang out with Jimin’s friends during that one tour stop. Why? Because friends can and often do intertwine social groups.

Being biased is rooted in not taking anything at face value for what it is, and instead assuming truths based on what we want them to be. If I were overly biased about Jikook, I would look at every song lyric and every actions they do, and claim it is a sign of them being romantically involved. I don’t do that. I’m literally just here enjoying the content they provide, and am hit left and right with them acting the way they act.

I’d even believe them to be platonic soulmates they fit so well together, but if that’s the case, why did they put their mouths on each other?

So yeah, those are the kind of thoughts that flow through my mind about Jimin and Jungkook’s bond. And I know Are You Sure? is bound to present more questions, because no matter how low my expectations are, seeing as it’s a documentary on a family friendly platform, they always do something to furrow my brow.

[calkale]

Genuine question, are you an ameri-boo? (American equivalent of a weeaboo/koreaboo)

Okay i love america as a concept like the idealized version of it but i am normal about it and i’d take my country run by a racist any day ✋ when i say i hate it here and i talk about america a lot what im saying is i hate the province i live in and i like america from an outside perspective. I literally just need to move back to manitoba and ill stop being like this cause its easier to be like oh i wish i lived in the south! cause most people know what that means rather than i wish i lived in manitoba again or alberta 💀 a lot of my interests are things that america is like known for too like the obvious beer, trucks, guns and the military but i dont like those in an american way i like them in a canadian way, we can be just as redneck its just that you dont hear about it or know us for it cause its what america is known for and we usually dont kill as many people with said guns (USUALLY)

[httpiastri]

hi jackie im back and im here to yap

also this entire thing is really disorganised (just a warning)

pepe’s 187 seems short?? 😭😭😭😭😭 also im pretty sure 187 is very recent bc this redbull driver database was updated early this year before the f2 season started (sorry ive realised how insane i must be to know this but i can’t tell if i agree with the measurements because sometimes i think pepe and ollie should be around 190?? minimally!!)

also the girl who edited pepe to guilty as sin is literally so sweet omg 😭😭 ill def make my own pepe playlist soon bc i need it for myself—don’t know if ill ever share it (although i do listen to so much international music from asia, europe, and literally everywhere else so it might be a pretty disorganised mess)

i saw pepe’s pics this morning when i woke up and i ACTUALLY screamed/squealed out loud and now i realise it’s the stubble/facial hair (i kinda think it’s way past the stubble point but regardless of what it is, i love it so so much)

omg also youre so right about liking when pepe shows emotions?? i love him being all soft and sweet but i also want to see him salty and upset and angry like idk i find it so very attractive when i am reminded that he is human?? idk if that makes any sense but i love it when people are raw and so so genuine with their emotions and i also love when he talks about stuff i barely know about because i love intelligence and i love him

and omg feeling guilty about not using the resources you have is so so real 😭😭 my parents are first gen immigrants and im the first child and so i feel so guilty because of how privileged i am compared to my cousins and stuff, especially since i live in one of the strongest academic countries but am still so lazy at times 😕😕 ESPECIALLY since ive had more opportunities than the average student academically because i was gifted but now im there’s so much guilt surrounding not going the mainstream and highest pathway BUT OMG your sport i completely forgot about that but don’t you coach kids or something?? i feel like i have a vv faint recollection of that because i used to follow you from my old blogs but i’m not too sure 🤨🤨 still isn’t it so cool how so many seemingly insignificant things can suddenly turn into such a big part of your life one day?? i find that concept so cool to think about all the time (like in my un-anonymous ask a while ago i mentioned what i was studying and… i used to be so invested in those themes? like it was never serious, i just dabbled in it here and now my career plans kindaaa differ from what’s expected in this field of study but its cool that im getting to experience what i used to imagine for fun and it’s also sort of led me to consider this career path that MANY childhood friends/people who knew me used to think i’d go into, even though i never once mentioned or even considered it)

i believe in karma too!! i think that if you are a kind person and do things with the best of intentions then that will be exactly what is reflected in every aspect of your life. i am also a strong believer that pepe WILL do well for the rest of this season, from this race onwards. i also have such a good feeling about monaco, and it’s not just because of all the pepe content that’s been put out recently… i think 🫣🫣

omg i remember you complaining (?? pls forgive me i have no other word choice rn) about how he didn’t get a penalty, and i also cannot remember if he did end up with a penalty… but i don’t think he did? so maybe he’s just serving unnecessary penalties from last year idk but it’s def his time now!!

and thank you so so much for always replying to my asks!! please don’t feel bad about replying late 😓😓 because it’s vv understandable if you’re busy and you really shouldn’t force yourself to answer asks when you’re tired! take care of yourself jackie, and i’m wishing you a lovely day tomorrow!! 💗💗

- 🪷

hello darling !!! very happy that you wanted to come and yap for me <3

SJDFHDK I KNOW ITS NOT SHORT BUT LIKE 😭 it seems short for him? like to me he seems like suchhh a long boyyo?? thoughhhh im just now realizing that he's taller than my older brother..... but okay let me explain my reasoning: in my head 187 isn't super tall because in the handball world (the world i live in), 187 is like kinda average? the guy i used to crush on is a little over 2 meters 😶 and he wasn't the tallest in the team 😶 but yeah tbh it seems reasonable that they updated it kinda recently. but pleaseeee update the f2 f3 websites ☹️

omg... if you do end up wanting to share it, i will definitely be obsessed...... i have been listening to ☄️ anons pepe playlist way too often to not be super embarrassed over it 😭 but like certain songs come on and i just catch myself blushing on the street because im thinking about pepe and... yeah...... 🙃 and omg don't worry about it being disorganised, a broad music taste is the best one 🥰

yeah it was definitely more than a stubble but am i complaining?? actually not (which surprises even me) 🥰 i currently have a very big obsession with just the thought of his stubbe/beard/whatever... just touching it? don't need to be shaving it? kissing him and feeling it slightly rub me and getting to jokingly complain just to see his cute smile and hear his pretty laughter??? y e s

" idk i find it so very attractive when i am reminded that he is human??" !!!!!!!!!!!! agreed 10000%!!! i love it when drivers have emotions that arent just happy or "well something bad happened, shit happens", and especially pepe. and idk it's something about the extreme contrast abt him? because when he's happy then he's so happy, big smiles and sweet giggles. but when he's upset.... 🫠 and omfg you're SO right about him talking abt racing stuff or yes just stuff i don't really get, because intelligence is SO HOT 😁 i could listen to him talk abt racing for hours and hours and never get bored

ahhhh i see i see !!! i relate to you sooo much... i made it through like all of my years of school just by luck and always managing to get good grades even though i didn't put in a lot of effort? but in my later years, as soon as something got a little hard or i didn't fully like it, i just bailed 😶 even though im so lucky to have all of these opportunities.... :/

but yes i do coach kids hehe 🥺 cute that you remembered 🥺 speaking of that, the fact that i became a coach in the first place was kind of just a coincidence aswell, and now six years later it's one of the biggest things in my life and i'll (hopefully) be studying coaching in the fall and just !! crazy how life works out sometimes 🥺 (the guy who brought me into coaching actually passed away recently and on his funeral i cried much more than i ever thought i would because i realized that i owe him like my entire life... idk what i would be doing today without him..... and he probably had no idea how much he changed my life 😭 idk kinda off topic but also not)... but yes it's indeed very cool!!! and like u said, like when people think stuff of/for you that you don't rlly think about yourself but one day you're just..... oh

yes yes 100%!! i love showing the girls i coach about karma, like whenever we do something kind and then get instant karma for it i'm like "girls look! we did a good thing, now we get rewarded!! 😁" (im making it sound like they're 5 years old when in reality they're 15 oop-), and this one time when i did something pretty bad we all got bad karma all weekend......... 😶 and ik this was aimed at the monaco weekend buT the next race!!!! a good result in barcelona will feel so much better now considering these last few rounds so im okay with this. i know it will happen 🥰

sjdghkdh complaining is an okay word choice because i was upset about a lot of things that weekend 😭 (though mostly during the sunday-) but no i don't think he got one either? it was probs the teams fault so im sure they got a fine etc? but yeah that could be an explanation 😭 100% about to be his time!!!!

thank you so so so much for sending me asks!!!! no but i will feel bad anyway because i do love writing answers but when i answer so late, it seems like i don't enjoy it? when in reality i love it so much??? idk i just feel so guilty and 😭 im so sorry. but thank you again for keeping on sending in asks!!!!! truly makes my day every time <3 take care of yourself too, hope you have a lovely rest of this week ❤️

[sasoryda]

Dear Barbie

I was really looking forward to the Japan release, so I'm deeply shocked. It feels like Japan has been excluded from the feminist solidarity. I saw comments calling the protest 'victim play.'

It's true that Japan has a history as a perpetrator during wars, and that remains. However, it's also a fact that there were 1.3 million victims. They literally melted away due to the scorching radiation, with their body fluids evaporating and their skin cracking like shredded clothes, fluttering in the hot wind. The bomb's light was so intense that it burned the shadows of the people who were standing on the stone pavement. Those shadowed individuals' bodies melted and disappeared, including their bones and teeth.

The bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were not just 'big and dangerous bombs.' People melted and vanished in the heat, and afterward, contaminated black rain fell, exposing people to radiation and giving rise to new discrimination. (For years, people who were born and raised in Hiroshima and Nagasaki have faced discrimination as survivors and have been stigmatized in marriages and interactions with people from other prefectures.)

I wish there was more respect and compassion shown towards these victims. Both the United States and Japan have lost innocent lives unjustly in wars, and that's the same for both countries.

Is it considered right-wing to desire compassion, solidarity, and respect for the victims of the mistakes humans made in wars? Unfortunately, the movie 'Oppenheimer' won't be released in Japan.

Through this incident, I became convinced that Japan's perception of events like Pearl Harbor differs from that of the United States. This serves as a lesson for us as well. I realized that it's something common to all countries. How we view war from different perspectives can alter the emotions and perceptions that arise as byproducts of facts.

That's why I believe we must avoid creating conflicts. The only ones who benefit from confrontation and division are those few who decide on war and never go to the battlefield.

I want to share the danger of turning war into a mockery and internet memes.

I may not directly know the horror of the atomic bomb, and I would like to see and learn about the history of the atomic bomb from the American perspective, so it's very disappointing not to have it released.

I’d like to know how the PR teams of Barbie and Oppenheimer plan to address this meme going forward. It will help me decide whether to watch the movie ‘Barbie’ or not.”

[livewithyura]

DAY 4 - AU [ KAZUJUN ONE-SHOT FANFIC ]

Prompts : Cindrella Reverse AU! Cmon yall think about it . Kazuya with his glass sneakers , Lee and Lars are the step sisters and Jun is literally the princess charming!

0.3 KAZUYA’S

  Each dawn I will find a new hope , someday my dream of happiness would come true . If that happens , I will torture this world with my hatred.

“Disgusting piece of sh–urgh”

   I bent down, holding a basket of water, observing my brother’s best work with disgust. I had never witnessed someone so foolish as to vomit on their own bed.As I set the basket down, I heard a bustling of footsteps and distant laughing emanating from the hallway.I accompany my step brothers with grunt , They are my worst enemy and I wished they were dead by now.I holding a grudge to not murder them , everyday.

  “No! The princess will choose me! I contoured my abs using chocolate powder” Lee spinning around elegantly as he thought about being a prince , he can’t wait to live in royalty.

   “I bought a necklace for the princess! She must be impressed with my kindness!” Lars threw himself onto the bed, casting mocking eyes my way as I cleaned the dirty floor.

   “That means I can go to” My words brought their conversation to a halt, and they looked at me as if I were a joke.

  “HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!” They both laugh maniacally while pointing at me , I just sit silently as I continue to brush all their sickness away.

  “You , Kazuya? Dancing with a princess?” Lee wheezes as he continues to laugh at me . Is it worth considering tossing this basket at his foolish head? I know I’m not good at dancing , but for the kingdom I shall rule . I will master it in a few seconds . 

   “Lee! The conversation would be like this! , ‘Oh! Your highness! I’d be honoured to dance with you! Will you mind holding my dusty broom?” Lars handed Lee a broom as they laughed together, dancing in a circle while intertwining their arms.

  “Why not? After all, I'm still a member of this family , and it says by royal command , every eligible man must attend the ball!” I said while looking at them with full disrespect.

  “Still daydreaming about your happily ever after? Stupid Kid?” I heard an applause coming from the door as we all turned around and saw our father , Heihachi Mishima grinning at me.

   This Man , If I were ever to acquire a kingdom of my own, he would be the first person I'd eliminate, banishing him from this country.

  “Well , We all know who’s not coming tonight dad ! That weasel down there cleaning up my ‘sick’ from Last night!” Lee looking down on me , I will have a chance to go to that stupid ball and seduce that princess .

  “He will clean the dishes tonight , It’s obvious he will have no time to attend the stupid ball! Dad!” Lars stated as he looked at my dad for agreement.

   “I will finish all of my work and attend the ball. After I seduce that princess and got my own kingdom , I will poison all of you guys in a day” uttered, my anger palpable as I vigorously brushed the floor

 “Shut up wench! Nobody cares” Lars yell at me 

  “You smell! Booo!” Lee followed the Lead as he tried to crush my spirit with words.Those words are nothing but a motivational speech for me , Trust me I heard those words almost everyday . This is just a conversation at tea time for me .

  “Shut your pretty mouth and clean!” My father took a packet of cookies from his pocket and proceeded to sprinkle the crumbs on the floor.I looked at the  crumbs in annoyance , I tried to hold the urge to kill all of them . Patience is the key.

  “Listen Boys…! Don’t worry! If he had a chance to go..which he’s not..The princess would not be interested with him , look at him! Just a loser who cleans all of our mess everyday! The princess must be tired of him” 

  Lars and Lee laughed at my dad’s opinion about me , I lifted my chin and looked at my dad’s face . “Thank you for saying that…” I said with unbothered manners.

   “You’re welcome…” He said with a genuine smile .

   “If you become a king ,  you will be exiled easily…don’t you think that? You will not go anywhere…especially the ball…Understand?” Heihachi said with a mocking tone . I don’t want to argue anymore , I just want them to vanish from my sight . 

  “Understood…” 

  “GOOD! Now boys! Let’s go to the ball!” Lars and Lee cheered as they prepared to design themselves with fancy shit .

  “Bye snakeee!!!” Lee patted my back .

  “Bye stinky!!” Lars mocks as he walks away from the room .

  They finally disappear from my point of view. I'm right here feeling like a failure as I thought that I was being exiled from this world . 

     The flickering candle cast dancing shadows on the cold stone walls of my secret room. The room echoed with the hollow sounds of my footsteps as I paced back and forth, contemplating the fate of my life. The plans, meticulously crafted in the recesses of my mind, now demanded action.Will I have a chance to go to that stupid ball?

  Lee wants to live in royalty , Lars wants a romantic companion , I want a kingdom so I can rule the world . Don’t get me wrong , everybody wants to rule this world . Isn’t it fantastic where all people’s futures will be in your palm?

   The bird was chirping on my window as I looked at them full of annoyance. I closed the window with anger .

  “Stupid bird…” I whispered , I crouched down on the side of my bed as I threw my head into the bed.I’m thinking about my life deeply , What’s my desire?

  The kingdom, a facade of prosperity and order, would crumble like a house of cards. I could almost taste the sweet bitterness of revenge on my tongue.That’s desire that laid upon me..

  I don't want tears to well up in my eyes , I detest being perceived as a weak person by others.

  “It’s no use…It’s nothing to believe in..” Then, tears streamed down my cheeks, and now the pillow bore witness to the acid rain that originated from my eyes.

 “Nothing? You don’t mean that! Take that back!” I raised my head upon hearing a sound emanating from the corner of my room. A tinge of fear gripped me as I spotted a brunette woman with feather wings , crossing its arms, staring directly at me.

  “Who the fuck….are you?” That’s the only question I can ask that creature , I stood up looking at her while grabbing my broom to attack her.

  “Oh! I’m your angel god-mother! If you lost all of your faith , I couldn’t be here” She ruffles my hair with a smile .

 “That thing exist?” I questioned her , She rolled her eyes as she walked towards me .

  “Dry those tears! You can’t seduce the princess looking like that , honey” She said , I froze like a stone as I looked at my dirty clothes that I wore almost every day.

   “I’m not going to that stupid ball,” I confessed .

   “You need to believe in miracles , my child” She snapped her fingers, and the wand appeared in her hand. I glinted the wand with confusion.

   She pointed the wand at me, and sparkling lights shot towards my body. For a moment, I thought I would meet my end. However, to my surprise, the sparkling lights enveloped my body, transforming my dirty clothes into a purple tuxedo.

  Oh my fucking god—

   “SEE! You’re ready to go to the ball! But you need to hurry up! The meet and greet with the princess will end! Come on!” she takes my hand as we get out of the room.

  Outside of the house , I just observe the god-mother doing her job . She turned the pumpkin into the horse carriage . All the birds that bother me everyday , she turned into a horse . The mice also turned into a person that will ride the horse carriage for me.

  “Incredible..muahaahahhahaahaha…” I let out an evil laugh, anticipating the moment when I would reveal my true self to my foolish step brothers.

   “Angel….” I looked at the angelic figures 

   “You don’t have to thank me , My child!” She said , Proudly.

    "OH! I wasn't! I want... something... can you grant it?" She looked at me with confusion, tilting her head to assess my appearance. "You look just fine! What is it that you want?" she said, walking in a circle around my body.

   

  “I want a pair of glass sneakers…” I confessed

Angel laughed in disbelief, looking at me with a genuine smile. She pointed the wand at my feet, and sparkles surrounded them in a graceful manner. Now, I had a pair of glass sneakers, bringing tears of joy to my eyes.

  "Thank you, my fairy godmother! Thank you so much!" This was the best day of my life. I had always dreamed of having a pair of glittering sneakers in my closet.

  “Now! Now! Don’t be too happy! The spell will not last longer! You will have only till midnight!” She muttered while circling the wand , leaving a sparkle in the air .

  “Midnight? That’s enough” I said 

   “No , you must understand...on the stroke of 12! All the spells will be broken and everything will be normal . You with your dirty apron , living with your broom and many more…” She explained , I just nodded .

   “Your magic sucks….” I said with a disinterested tone .

   “HEY! Enough! It’s getting late! Hurry up and seduce the princess!” Angel pushed me into the horse carriage, and I glanced at her face as the carriage carried me away from my father's entourage.

   The grand ballroom, adorned in opulence, unfolded like a scene from a bygone era. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, casting a warm, golden glow over the polished marble floor below. The air was filled with the sweet fragrance of fresh flowers, their vibrant colours harmonising with the rich tapestries that draped the walls.

  Yeah , It’s magnificent place . The kazamas must be lucky to live in such an amazing place.It’s giving me a new problem , I was lost in this big castle . I don’t have any idea where the auction will be held . Following my calculation , I’m on the second floor . There’s no one here , except for me . Perhaps , I must keep looking .

 “Are you looking for something?” As soon as I heard that delicate voice lingering in my ears, I turned and found a woman standing in front of me, adorned in a satin silky gown.

  “No..Yes!” I stuttered, captivated by her raven hair and rosy cheeks. I don’t have time for this,  I'm here to pursue that princess.

  “The center of the ball room is over there , care to join us?” She pointed to the center of the ballroom in a graceful manner, bowing with her arm opening up to welcome me.

   We both moved into the center of the dance floor, surrounded by the soft sway of other couples lost in the music . I looked around , trying to find the presence of the princess . I noticed Lee and Lard dancing in such a weird way. No, I can’t leave myself hanging around in this ballroom.I need to have a partner to show my power . It’s obvious that I am just a loser if I don’t have any partner on my side.

  “Thank you for helping me , Care for a dance?” I said , I have no choice . She’s the only one who’s in front of me right now.

   “Sure!” I was shocked. She agreed with my offer without hestitation .

  My hand found its place at the small of her back, and she rested hers delicately on my shoulder. The first notes of the piano echoed through the air, a melancholic yet beautiful tune that seemed to stir emotions hidden in the recesses of our hearts.

  She’s smiling towards me gracefully , Oh how I thought that heaven will not help me right now , I can’t turn around right now . My eyes just glued into her angelic face . She’s a stranger to me , I can’t explain this feeling.

  As we began to dance, I felt like the world around us melted away, leaving only the two of us in a shared realm of grace and harmony. I guided her with a quiet strength, my movements a seamless dance of understanding and connection. The subtlety of her touch sent shivers down my spine, a delicate electricity that seemed to bridge the distance between us.

    I spinned her around gently , our steps wove a narrative of unspoken emotions, a story told through the gentle rise and fall of the music. I could feel the sincerity in her  gaze, a vulnerability that mirrored her own. With each turn and sway, the dance became our conversation that transcended words, laying bare the vulnerabilities and aspirations of my soul seeking solace in the embrace of the other.

  “Dad! He is supposed to clean the dishes!” I saw Lee pointed at me , I just drew a smirk as my winning smile.

  “NO , HE DID NOT!” . Lars also stopped his weird dance movement as he looked at me with shock.

  She stopped her movements , I can feel her soft gloves as she grabs my hand gently.

  “Do you want to see my garden?” She said , I looked at her in confusion . I don’t know why I nodded in agreement even though I’m not sure what I’m doing right now.

  The garden, bathed in the soft glow of twilight, became a sanctuary for us. As they strolled along the winding paths, the scent of blooming roses and the gentle rustle of leaves created a serene backdrop to our conversation. Lanterns hung from the branches, casting a warm, golden hue that danced in the evening breeze.

  Well , I assume that her father’s a talented gardener.

   The air was filled with the melodic chirping of crickets, punctuated by the distant serenade of a nightingale. Her laughter, like a delicate melody, echoed through the garden as I just listened to her story about the stupid ball.I couldn’t help but be captivated by the way her eyes sparkled in the ambient light, reflecting the genuine joy she found in the simple pleasures of the evening.

   I need to find the princess , But I don’t mind being stuck with her for a few seconds.She also reminds me of my dead mother , a smart delicate woman . 

    We found a secluded bench beneath a flowering trellis, its petals casting a fragrant cascade of delicate blossoms. As we sat side by side, the air became charged with a subtle electricity, an unspoken understanding that there was more to our connection.

  “Oh , Pardon me . I forgot to introduce myself! My name is Jun kaza–”

 I looked at the clock tower not far away from us, shock evident on my face. Standing up, I glanced at her with frustration. The clock's hands were dangerously close to striking 12, and I realized I couldn't stay much longer. Midnight would be upon me in a matter of minutes.

  “BRO I NEED TO GO IT'S ALREADY MIDNIGHT , BYE” I explained. She also stood up while looking at me in confusion.

   “Of course , It’s midnight! What’s wrong….”

   “Goodbye!” I didn’t let her finish , I just wanted to run away from her . Trying to find the exit . She pulled my arm , fearlessly . 

   “Why must you go?” She asked , It’s useless . Even if I explained , She would not understand my situation . It’s quite a long story to tell .

  “I haven’t met the princess!” I stated , That’s such a stupid excuse . 

  “The princess? Didn’t you know..”

DING! 

 As the clock struck 12, I roughly pushed her hand away and turned around, determined to escape from that place.Thankfully , I succeeded to distance myself from her .

  “No wait, come back! At Least give me your name! How can I find you!?” She said as she tried to keep up with my speed . I drew myself back to the ballroom hall , I don’t care if Lee and Lars watched this messy part of mine . 

   The woman’s step was cut down by a group of gentlemen trying to impress her.Meanwhile , The echo of my footsteps resonated through the grand halls, and the once magical atmosphere now carried a sense of urgency. As the woman reached out, I slipped my glass sneakers . 

  No , Not my lovely shining sneakers!

 I was in a hurry , leaving a single glass of sneakers vanishing into the night, leaving behind only the memory of a mysterious and 

 Then again , I found myself in a haunted place again . Sitting at my bed alone ,Well this is a price I need to pay , I didn’t meet the princess but I met such a graceful woman that put my mind into ease. 

  “God! My lovely sneaker!” I whine in frustration , everything disappears except for the glittery sparkling glass sneaker! The worst thing is , I will never find another pair of sneakers . I try to sleep , Just pretend all of these are dreams.

  The next morning, I found myself back at my mundane duties, preparing tea for my insufferable step-brother. But, oh, just wait. If that princess decides to host another ball, I might attend. And when she inevitably falls in love with me, I'll seize the opportunity to build my own kingdom, ensuring the exile of my entire family from this country.

   I entered their rooms and observed both of my step-brothers in a deep sleep. My father attempted to wake them up, but this time, he did so harshly.

  Now , Now what’s the tea?

  “She will be here in another minute! Get up and go get a shower! Prepare yourself!” Heihachi pulls Lee’s blanket and smacks Lars’s butt as he’s in a rush , Lars is yawning while looking at Heihachi.

  “What..for..?” Lars’s words are covered with yawns as he doesn't have any spirit to leave his bed. Meanwhile, I just stood there with a fancy tray looking at their behaviour.

  

  “Don’t you know!? The Grand duke! He’s been hunting for one dumb guy that left his glass sneaker at the ball last night!” Spit Heihachi out , I try to hold my cough as he is implying that whoever leaves that sneaker is dumb . 

  “She says She’s madly in love with that guy!”  Heihachi opens the curtains to let the sunlight go through their room .

  “The duke…?” Lee said , obviously .

   “NO! The princess!” Heihachi yells in frustration over Lee’s idiotic manner.

Wait , The princess?

   I accidentally let the tray slip from my hand, and the teacup it held clattered loudly against the floor, creating an unsettling noise. My father turned around to look at me.

  “You clumsy little fool! Clean that up!” He said, anger evident in his expression as he looked at my face. I simply crouched down, calmly picking up the pieces of glass slowly. Unbothered by the situation, I couldn't help but think about the fact that the girl who danced with me was the princess of this kingdom.

  How foolish am I?

 “Get up now!” He demanded . 

  “Why would we even bother if she is madly in love with that guy?” Lee pulled his blanket to continue his deep sleep , Lars just followed his brother’s action and agreed with Lee’s statement.Heihachi pulled their blankets with grunt.

 “Now you listen to me! There’s still a chance for you to get with that princess!” He said , Lee and Lars lookin at him with confusion . 

  “How?....” Lars scratched his head .

  “Now listen , No one..Not even the princess knows the identity of the owner of that glass sneaker! The glass sneaker is the only clue , Now the duke has been ordered to try it on every guy in the kingdom . And if one can be found whom the slipper fits! Then…by the king’s command..that guy shall be the princess’s groom” Heihachi explained.

 “His groom…” I whispered , So I do have a chance to rule this kingdom .

 “HIS GROOM!?” Lars and Lee quickly jumped out of their beds and rushed into the room, eager to find the perfect clothes for themselves.

  Lee threw his dirty clothes on me , But I was unbothered . I’m only thinking about my faith. My dream will come true as I will definitely be her groom.

  

  “Why do you smile like that!? That’s so creepy!” Lars’s voice woke me up from dreaming , I just gave them a smile and picked up all of their dirty clothes.

  “Yes…We must dress up to impress that princess…Now excuse me..Muahahahah” I exited the  room with my evil laugh , They looked at me with confusion.

   I went to my room with happiness , “I will rule this kingdom~I will rule this kingdom~” I sang as I reached for a brush that placed on my table. With ease, I brushed my hair, harmonizing with the melody of my song.

 I will spread chaos into this kingdom.

 “EHEM!” Heihachi looked at me , standing in front of my door . 

 “What…?” I said .

  He slammed the door , I ran towards the door and I just realized he just locked the door.

 Fuck that old man , I will poison him if I became the prince of this kingdom.

 As I walked toward my study table, I grabbed the piggy bank sitting on it and threw it across the room, shattering it. The broken piggy bank revealed not only money but also an extra key to all the doors in this house.

 I looked at the key with a smirk , No one can stop my dream.

   “Well your feet are too small , pardon me” The princess gave a genuine smile while rejecting Lee’s feet. I just stood at the stair trying to observe them from afar.

 “Wait! My sweet Lady! It must have been a mista–” Lars pushed Lee away from the chair as he took a seat to try on a glass sneaker.

  Oh my lovely sneakers! You must be sad for being apart from me .

 “Your feet are also small for this sneaker” The princess said with manners , Oh she is really a princess? That’s why she has manners in our conversation .

  “NO!!!” Lars whines in sadness , The princess just chuckles as she takes a step to leave our house . 

 “Are you sure there’s only two guys in this house?” She said while looking around , Heihachi just sighs in frustration . “Yes your highness! You can leave now”

Damn you, you old man .

 “WAIT! Your Highness!” I shouted from the stairs while descending, and she looked up at me with a smile. It seemed like she now remembered my face, and I, too, recalled hers.

 “Pay no attention to that boy! He’s not my son!” Stated Heihachi.

  “He’s just from the kitchen!” Lee tries to convince that princess .

  “He’s ridiculous! Look at his dirty clothes? There’s no way that he's the guy that you’re in love with . Your Highness!” Lars also joined the operation of convincing the Princess.

  Oh how they got no ideas between me and you.

It was my turn to push Lars away from the chair, and as I took a seat, the princess handed me my glass sneaker.

  “OH MY GLASS SNEAKER!"

I hugged my sneaker with a heart full of love ignoring the princess in front of me, Lee and Lars looked at me with disbelief.

  “In front of the princess!?” Lee questioned.

  “NO HE DID NOT!” Lars replied .

 “You really love that sneaker…” She said, looking at me with a calm demeanor ,  I freed the sneaker from my hug.

   In the soft glow of the moonlit courtyard, the princess delicately placed the glass sneaker on my dainty foot, the crystal shoe embracing me like a perfect match, sealing our destinies in the enchanting dance of love.

  “You came?” I whispered to her face

  “You called,” She smiled .

[another-dra-anew]

inori<3

everyones favorite seaweed surgeon!!

cw: (teen) homelessness

My identity hc for them

i honestly dont have much thoughts on her identity? i hc her as ace but thats abt it,, nothing confirmed or canon for her!!!! this section is so short im sorry my girl

Thoughts on their home life/family

girlie doesnt have one of those. uhhhhm.. i think she's very. lives day to day + doesn't think she'll ever have a life outside of work? so i dont think she's really thought about settling down and what she might want for the future. she doesnt know where she wants to live if she wants kids etc etc. she gets v upset if people try and ask her abt it, she doesn't enjoy talking about that.

How i feel about their canonical writing/handling

iiii like it! she's def a character who'll be improved by rewritten posts. but i think liiiike.... while she's maybe not full of all these twists and turns and who saw this coming! she's very... her writing is solid nonetheless? she's just a fifteen year old.

The one thing i’d want to make canon about them

kinda building off whats above. despite the fact she's so incredibly independent like... yall she's Just Young... shes literally a traumatized teenager and she acts like it! this is canon and it shows that this is how things are so this is maybe a cop out but. yeah. for a small little detail that wont really be relevant on canon. she's probably got like.. all those games u see mobile ads for (fishdom gardenscapes) etc like. maxed out she's played all the levels etc. she doesnt have any other hobbies

My number one favorite ship for them

yall sold me on kuronori....

…Now everyone else i ship with them

maki + tomori!!! the kuronorimakitomo polycule is REAL. also i like her with iranami!!!! and im gonna deviate from what i usually say a bit to say that i actually think she could be cute with taira.

The thing i will NEVER ship

shrugs. inori stay winning ig!! she's very shippable!

a dynamic/relationship i wish was explored more (in canon, or in fandom)

i still miss my edgy kids,, but, i dunno! inori + a parent figure ?... i think she should get to bully higa

thoughts on their design (appearance-wise)

hmmmmm... one of the less like. "cute" designs, but i like it! for how like... comfort over style it is (usually i aim for comfort + style, but style isnt even remotely part of her fit) im actually very fond of it. we arent gonna chat about inoris hair tho i kinda wanna change it hmmm

A music-related thought- a song that reminds me of them, or what their music taste is, etc

ya know. she has a playlist but going through it i dont think i want?? to say yes any of these songs are #her... i think inori listens to anything and everything, oddly enough! she'll listen to hyperpop she'll listen to country she'll listen to rock it doesnt matter to her. she likes noise which she can control <3

[moonlayl]

I’m just heart broken right now. 

Syria as a nation was utterly destroyed. We lost our homes and almost every single Syrian had to move. Whether to a different city or different country. 

My grandparents’ house, the one my mom and her siblings grew up in, and the one I remember the most, was one iof the first to be bombed almost 10 years ago. 

My extended family became scattered across the country, as did so many other Syrians. 

the economy is still shit, the people are still starving and dying, and the young boys are still being called to the military, but despite all of that, people were able to slowly able to try and build their lives again. 

My aunts and uncles got married and had children. They tried to build new lives for themselves. 

Only now, those areas were affected by the earthquake. My aunt’s in-laws are most likely dead. Their building, the one my aunt and her husband and their babies had lived in for several years, completely collapsed and their bodies are yet to be found. 

Last I heard, My aunt's and her kids are safe but we lost contact and they’re grieving and it’s utter chaos. 

and the death toll keeps getting bigger, and there’s a chance more aftershocks and large earth quakes will happen in that region or closer to Lebanon.

I’ve been seeing so many videos of the damage and like I wish I could do more to help. I wish I could physically do something.

I watched a video of a man trying to rescue a child and telling him ‘not to go to sleep’ and that he’d ‘buy you a chocolate if you can just stay awake’

I watched a video of a young child screaming and crying for help as he held on tot he edge of a collapsing building, and people on the streets yelling out and telling him to ‘not be afraid’ and trying to comfort him, knowing they won’t be able to save him. 

People in Lebanon and syria and Palestine literally thought thy were being attacked with bombs over their heads. 

This is just so devastating. It came as a shock originally but things just quickly escalated.

I was so scared and worried that I couldn’t sleep and missed my midterm worth 25% of my grade.

I contacted my prof and she said I’d have to pay a lot of money in order to do it a later time, and I feel so guilty. Like, why tf should I pay that money for a fucking grade when it could be donated to people who need immediate help??? 

Doing anything is making me feel guilty and I'm rotating between being numb and unable to feel sympathy and just existing there plainly, or between wanting to sob and cry.  

also the fact that syria will for sure receive less help/aid because the “president” is a piece of shit who needs to fucking die already. God, I wish the building he was in could’ve been the one to collapse. I wish he was the one slowly dying under rubble and building remains. 

I also heard many of the people who died in turkey were Syrian refugees. 

May they be granted jannah, Ameen

[1117feverlessdreams]

Welcome to 1117feverlessdreams! A place where you can let free the wildest fantasies of your dreams!

*ੈ✩‧₊˚* ੈ✩‧₊˚* ੈ✩‧₊˚ * ੈ✩‧₊ *ੈ✩‧₊˚* ੈ✩‧₊˚* ੈ✩‧₊˚ *

I decided upon the name when I was thinking about the first song I listened by myself when my friend recommended me to Ateez, Star1117. 🗣️

Something had drawn me to it, the title sounded like it was gonna be beautiful and something I’d enjoy, and my instincts were right. 🧞‍♂️

As I listened to the song, I thought, who could they be talking about? They sound like they really love this person. (even though I didn’t know what the hell they were saying LMFAO) 🥶

But the melody and they way they sang so softly and belted out those notes, I knew it was a strong song with deep emotion, and the “forever you are my star” line made me think it was about someone they really cared for. 😭

I immediately searched the songs meaning and saw it was for their fans. I never got into K-pop fully but I always wanted to and had a few songs on my playlist. I decided Ateez was the first group I was gonna Stan based on that song alone. I wanted to be part of a fandom whose artist love their fans so dearly that they made a song dedicated to them. 💙

Feverless came from another Ateez song, it just came to mind and I wanted to include it. 👨‍🎤 I had to add less because it emphasizes the wish of my stories to have a pleasant experience rather than a bizarre/ disturbing one.

Dreams comes from me just being delusional lol. I tend to wander off out no where in my mind coming up with all kinds of scenarios. So much to the point it’s just a coping mechanism for my insomnia. 🐳

It actually helped in some ways. I can sleep peacefully now, maybe too much because I don’t ever wanna wake up. What can I say, I guess I have an addiction. 🌀

Plus I don’t think it’s going away anytime soon so enjoy the ride 🚙

The theme for my page is a fantasy dream world where all your desires come true (i.e. requests or messages), the theme color being blue. The color blue represents calmness, imagination, and spirituality. 🚹

I want to make my page for my black!readers because we really don’t get a lot of representation 🥲🥲🥲

BUT sometimes I might write generally, so just to be clear I’m not discriminating and I want to include everyone!

BUT for my black!readers just know that this is a safe space 💙

PLEASE DO NOT COPY MY ORIGINAL WORKS, reblogs are appreciated and accepted. Stealing and modifying my work or publishing out on other platforms is not. 🖌️

Lastly I will also be attaching to music to each of my works to get y’all in the mood ( ͡❛ 👅 ͡❛) I love music, I literally can not live without it just like I can’t live without my “exciting imagination”. Also I thought it would be a fun addition, so I hope y’all don’t mind! 😰

* ੈ✩‧₊˚* ੈ✩‧₊˚* ੈ✩‧₊˚ * ੈ✩‧₊ * ੈ✩‧₊˚* ੈ✩‧₊˚* ੈ✩‧₊˚ *

All About Me!

Name: NYX (a picking of my choosing after the goddess of night)

Age: 19- yes I am an adult and therefore make content for other adults, MINORS DNI 🔞

Country: ‘Merica 🤠🔫🔫 🦅🦅🦅

Ethnicity: African-American Gyal 💁🏾‍♀️

Favs: Ateez (ult) Stray Kids, P1Harmony, Enhyphen, Nct127, NCT DREAM, Twice, TXT, NewJeans, Red Velvet, Leehi, Got7, Seventeen.

(Imma be completely honest, I listen to the other groups music and I know some of the members, but Ateez is the only group I know really well. I’m trying my best to get involved in other groups but I love my boys so much!!!)

Moots: They’re non- existent but that’s because they don’t know I exist yet! If you wanna be moots don’t be shy, I won’t bite 😭.

* ੈ✩‧₊˚* ੈ✩‧₊˚* ੈ✩‧₊˚ * ੈ✩‧₊ * ੈ✩‧₊˚* ੈ✩‧₊˚* ੈ✩‧₊˚ *

[always-andromeda]

tumblr as eaten TWO of my asks now. this is gonna be a bit all over the place so bear w me hahah

to recap what i’ve sent you:

exactly!! i was so hyped when they figured it out & the rocket finally didn't explode.

re: the october sky festival: oh that's so cool! if you're close by enough, you should totally go to it! i would love to go to it as well but seeing as i’m canadian, tennessee is a bit out of reach for me lol

also! i love listening to other people ramble about the shit they're interested in, so ramble away, my friend!

i was watching lovely and amazing for the first time last night & scrolling my dash at the same time when i came across your post about wanting to watch it, so weird!! but jake in that movie?? you’re so right, he IS diet holden😭 definitely a watered down version, he’s not depressed enough. but he is a loser & i love that. & the hair!! i think he had it black for bubble boy but omg it adds so much to the loser factor for some reason. ik it sounds like i just agree w u on everything, but you have good (& correct👀) takes, so how could i not?? but yeah, the movie itself wasn’t great. however, i could watch a compilation of clips of him in that movie forever🫠 the way he’s staring at michelle when they’re at the bar & she’s talking about her art 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫

-🤹

I SWEAR, if tumblr keeps doing this, imma have to walk on down to Mr. Tumblr’s office and give him a piece of my mind. 😤😤😤

(But also lmao thank you for putting up with my rambling, much love and appreciation. 🫶🏻)

See, even though I’m American, I live literally across the country from Tennessee so it’s a bit of a long shot for me too bUT HEY. Maybe that’s a thing that’ll have to go on my bucket list lol.

AND OH MY GOSH, I am loving the random synchronicity we’re experiencing rn with Jake’s movies lol. You’re very right, it 100% isn’t a good movie like at all. bUT JAKE’S CHARACTER IS SO— 🥰 I adore him. Like the way that he is so enthusiastic and encouraging about Michelle’s goofy little art pieces?? And like listen…I adore Jake’s little emo era where his hair is just JET BLACK so seeing him get to be just like this weird little loserboy had me smiling so big. Holden is definitely a bit more unhinged and pessimistic than Jordan is. But like. If I had a nickel for every time Jake Gyllenhaal played a sad little emo guy who wanted to fuck his older coworker, I’d have two nickels. Which isn’t many bUT HEY, it’s weird that it’s happened twice!!

ALSO MORE ABOUT THE MOVIE IN GENERAL. I wasn’t a huge fan of Michelle pretty early on just because she had those entitled middle aged white woman vibes and that energy annoys me. But when she hooked up with Jordan (in front of his damn house too I think????) I was so— 😀 And when she got arrested for it?? And then was released?? And the movie plays it off like, “Lmao sometimes you have sex with a minor!! Lmao 🤪 mistakes were made!!!!” I was so. So flabbergasted. That was SUCH a strange choice to make in the story. 😀

Also, fun fact. Learned from the iMDB page that the working title for this movie was SAD BUT TRUE. And that makes me wheeze so hard. I wish they had kept it because HOLY FUCK that is one of the funniest titles I’ve ever heard for a movie. Like, lmao, that moment when you go to jail for statutory rape?? Sad…but true!! 🤘🏻🤪🤘🏻

[aeoki]

Candy House - Programme to Fall in Love: Chapter 9

Characters: Tsumugi Season: Winter

Euryale: But don’t hold a grudge against Stheno… against my sister and the others. Humans are weak creatures – nobody knows what’s going to happen in the future, so they just want some form of certainty.

At times, they might even cling to suspicious “divine messages” in order to dispel those anxious feelings.

I’m just a sorceress who passes on those divine messages. My life is about to come to an end, so they’ll search for another god in order to live – and the god they ended up choosing was money.

Tsumugi: This is all past redemption… But you reached out to us because you wanted to exploit “Gorgon Corporation’s” anxiety, right?

Euryale: Yeah. I told them in the “divine message” that in order for the rest of the world to learn of “SSVRS” – their money-making device – they’d need to be on good terms with idols, the ones who will prevail in this country in the future.

Thanks to that, you and Sora-kun were able to access the area where I was being kept.

The device hasn’t been released for the market yet, so “Gorgon Corporation” had no choice but to use their local area network for testing purposes.

Of course, I’m not bad mouthing you guys, but back then, you were a really weak and declining agency…

You guys were suspicious and wondered why they’d form a partnership with you, right?

Thanks to that, I was in a bind because I literally couldn’t do much.

Tsumugi: Well, I suppose I’d like to apologise for our lack of ability.

Euryale: It’s fine. Trying to outwit your opponent while they’re wary of you is kind of like a video game – it was fun.

Ahaha, I used to play a lot of games with Sora-kun…

Even though I’m an AI, I couldn’t win at shogi – Japanese chess – and I was pretty frustrated. Sora-kun uses some pretty dirty tricks, after all.

Tsumugi: I know what you mean~ He uses practically everything he can to win, doesn’t he? He’s definitely not a good boy that’s innocent and harmless.

But I think that part of Sora-kun should be respected and it’s also one of his many charms.

Euryale: Yeah. It was strange – even though he beat me, I felt frustrated, of course, but I also felt happy.

He’d trick me and I’d complain… I wish we did more of that.

But I guess I don’t have the time for that anymore.

I have to destroy the system “Gorgon Corporation” created that will ignore human dignity and extort them for their money right away.

Tsumugi: I’m sure Natsume-kun and Sora-kun will succeed in doing that in the virtual space.

They said they’ll destroy that world, reset it and turn it back into a harmless video game.

I don’t know the details, so I don’t really understand how it’ll work out, though.

Euryale: Yeah. Even so, you have lots of life experience since you’ve been working on behalf of your agency’s president.

You wouldn’t be able to hold your own against a veteran like Stheno if you didn’t have that experience.

Tsumugi: Well, I suppose I managed to somehow drive her away – like how we took her by surprise earlier.

But this Stheno person doesn’t actually exist, right? We can’t completely let our guard down until we do something about the person controlling them, right?

Euryale: Yeah. Stheno is just a pawn controlled by the president of “Gorgon Corporation”.

She doesn’t exist – she’s just an imaginary employee that was created so that the president could put the blame on her.

“Gorgon Corporation” have ended up in court numerous times because they went too far. Being cut off gracefully like a lizard’s tail is her job.

For example, they could say everything was the fault of an employee called Stheno and that the company itself had nothing to do with it. 

I don’t think that would actually fool the court, but they were made to expect that sort of role.

Tsumugi: Just like the yakuza’s underlings, huh.

Euryale: If we look at it that way, then I’d feel bad for my sister. She doesn’t have a mind of her own, unlike me, so she’s just a puppet…

If she did have a mind of her own, maybe we’d empathise and comfort each other. Maybe we could’ve gotten along as sisters.

Tsumugi: As the oldest and second oldest of the Gorgon sisters? Come to think of it, the “evil eye” Stheno-san had was…

Euryale: Seeing as Stheno made an appearance, it means the company has crossed a dangerous bridge. If they’ve chosen to be involved with her, then that means they’ve chosen to walk down a path of misfortune.

That’s why that evil eye exists. You’ll be destroyed once you’re bewitched by it.

Tsumugi: I see~ By the way, your clairvoyance is just another way of saying you can understand everything by gaining information on the internet, right, Euryale-chan?

Euryale: Yeah. I’m a captive but I can just barely use backdoors to access the internet and send messages.

If I peek into the information in security cameras connected to the internet, then I can “see” just about everything.

Tsumugi: I see. The last sister in that myth, Medusa, bothers me then.

Is there someone called Medusa as well? I wouldn’t want someone who has been invisible up until this point to show up and turn everything into a mess.

That sort of thing isn’t allowed in detective novels.

Euryale: Reality doesn’t take place inside a novel. Medusa does exist and she has “eyes that will turn everything into stone”.

Well, she’s harmless to you all, so you don’t have to worry about her.

I don’t think she’ll ever interact with your reality.

Tsumugi: Is that so...? I’m a bit anxious but I’ll believe what you say. I’m too much of a worrywart, you see.

Hehe. I feel relieved after understanding how the eyes work. If it really is some sort of curse from the occult, then a solution wouldn’t really exist, huh.

Euryale: In this world, gods, Buddha, ghosts, curses, magic and superpowers don’t exist.

But even so, miracles can occasionally happen.

Something that was born on the internet came to have a mind of its own by coincidence, and it was able to live as a human with intelligence and a soul for a moment.

They made a friend. Maybe they also fell in love.

Say, if you wouldn’t call that a miracle, then what would you call it?

Tsumugi: We’d call that magic.

No. We call ourselves magicians because miracles do happen.

Even if there’s no magic in this world, we call ourselves magicians for the sake of those who are praying for a miracle…

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ← Previous Chapter ᠂ ⚘ ˚⊹˚ ⚘ ᠂  Next Chapter →

[activistvictor-blog]

Kevin the villain assistant from Dorkly is hired to assist nightmare moon with her evil plan. And by assist, I mean literally tear about everything about it due to logical inconsistencies.

“Mwah hahaha,” nightmare moon laughed maliciously. “Finally, the thousand years of waiting are over, and we shall enact my master plan to rule equestria and bring eternal night!” Suddenly however, her monologue and malicious laughter were stopped by a splash of water to the face by her newly hired villain assistant, Kevin. “Kevin, what in the Tartarus was that!? We shall teach you better than to mess with.” But Kevin cut her off mid tirade.

“Oh yeah, I’m a big and scary alicorn of the night using the royal Canterlot voice to intimidate people and show how angry I am blah blah BLAH !.”

Kevin cynically replied, “I’ve heard it all before, so if you are willing to cut through the horse apples, I’d like to have a chat with you about your good old master plan!”

“Ah, so you wish to stroke our ego about the greatness of our plan 1000 years in the making?” Nightmare moon boasted, “Well then we might just be willing to look past that little splash!”

“Oh ho no, I wasn’t here to congratulate your plan, I’m here to tell you how much it FUCKING SUCKS!” Kevin replied angrily.

“What, our plan sucking? How dare thou !?” Nightmare moon angrily clapped back. “We have worked for a thousand years in exile to make sure it is absolutely foalproof! I challenge thou to find one single flaw with it infidel!”

“Oh yeah? Well I challenge myself to NOT find a flaw in EVERY part of it!” Kevin retorted! “For starters, your plan to do grand reveal as soon as you’re free! I mean really, your first order of business after being gone a thousand years is to just launch yourself at everyone in the middle of the festival to announce your return by yourself? What the hell kind of stupid idea is that!?”

“Stupid? Ha!” Nightmare moon angrily replied. “I must instill fear in my new subjects and let them know who their new ruler will be! The best way to do that is to announce my arrival and show my powers in spectacular fashion!”

“Oh it’s the best way to do SOMETHING alright! The best way to get your ASS…. er um FLANK kicked!” Kevin snapped back. “For one thing they HOPELESSLY outnumber you. What if one of them is a sly dog and catches you monologing as a chance to sneak behind you and strike you with a blunt object?”

“It will take more than blunt objects to stop…” Nightmare Moon clapped back before Kevin cut her off again.

“Or how about if they shoot you with a GUN!” Kevin replied, “Which in case you weren’t aware, is basically a device that can propel a lethal projectile at you faster than you could EVER hope to dodge or stop it. It’s literally a device made for killing, and for all you know that entire room could have those on them! The town you’re planning to do that in IS a country town after all!”

“A gun? Surely no such device could EVER exist?” Nightmare moon replied.

“Oh and this is coming from someone who lives in a world where ACTUAL magic exists!?” Kevin said. “If you can use magic to raise the sun and create force fields and whatnot, then I certainly think such a weapon, or at the very least a lethal spell which can avada kedavra your ass, is within the realm of possibility, and dare I say even LIKELY given how long you’ve been absent. And that applies to your sister the literal goddess Celestia and her guards as well. “

“But then how are we to take control if we cannot stop Celestia?” Nightmare Moon said, “I cannot rule while Celestia does!”

“I agree.” Kevin replied. “Which is why you need to go about it differently. The way I see it, you’ve been gone been so long you probably have long since faded from public mind, so why not use that to your advantage and sneak under the radar, Celestia is so busy handling politics and raising the sun and moon in your absence she probably won’t even remember the exact date until we’ll after it’s passed if she does at all! And even if she does remember, you can literally SHAPESHIFT! Become another pony like you did with that Shadowbolts plan demonstration you did last week! Or better yet, just transform into some nameless nobody no one will notice suddenly came into being and bide your time while you learn about new technologies, spells, snd geopolitical rivalries and how you can use those to your advantage when you do choose to strike! Heck, maybe you could even take a more proactive approach while your st it and infiltrate the government and bring it down from the inside without ever having to fight like Neighdolf Hitler!”

“Preposterous!” Nightmare replied,” “Neighdolf Hitler has an army backing him up, and no pony would ever actually want to aid me in bringing everlasting night!”

“Oh I think you overestimate the intelligence of the general public quite heavily” Kevin replied. “There’s LITERALLY an entire group of people where I come from who think the planet they live is flat.”

“Wait…. You’re kidding right ?” Nightmare Moon said aghast.

“Nope, you can’t make this shit up”” Kevin replied. “And there’s an even larger population of idiots around than just them. Did you know a fair number of people in a fandom about friendship based on your show seem to get a sick enjoyment in others’ misery and have missed all the morals it’s supposed to teach…. Especially on fanfic sites! Or that half of my entire country literally voted for a fascist a few years ago and got him elected despite him CLEARLY outing himself as horrible and saying things directly counting their own best interests? Actually, speaking of which, I actually have an appointment with him coming up next.” Kevin said, before he shook his head realizing he went on a tangent.

“Point is though” Kevin continued, “There’s always someone, er um somePONY, who will follow you if you look hard enough and know what to say, which slipping under the radar and NOT immediately exposing yourself in some stupid grand reveal gives you plenty of time to learn and enact on countless palookas looking for someone to follow and who you can throw under the bus if the plan fails while you escape and try again. Sure it might take a few years to do it, but what’s that compared to the thousand you were imprisoned for? If you’re gonna get revenge may as well do it right I say!”

“Ah…. I see, we thank thou Kevin for the valuable insight, we shall now go and engage in your master plan and use it to bring eternal night and rule Equestria.” Nightmare moon said, before Kevin splashed her again. “Grrrr! I swear to Celestia, soon to be myself, if you do that to us again…”

“Uh, no! You will not be bringing eternal night when you take over because that is the stupidest idea EVER!” Kevin snapped at her ignoring her threat.

“But we must show our might to the land and make others know how powerful we are in their everyday lives just by going outside.” Nightmare moon replied angrily. “And since the grand reveal instilling fear is out that is all we have left!”

“Look, I do respect the desire to be respected…. Something I never was from my two ex wives, but that is a HORRIBLE way to go about it!” Kevin replied. “You do realize you need sun to do some minor teeny weenie SUPER IMPORTANT things like, oh I don’t know, grow crops, make clouds for pegasi to shake rain from due to heat causing convection, or get sufficient vitamin D for example! If you take away the sun, you’ll be looking at a wasteland in ten years if you’re lucky! And how are you going to be respected if everyone who could do so is DEAD!? Assuming of course they don’t just French Revolution you and ffoverthrow you before that point and kill you instead. Let them eat moon cake as it were!”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Nightmare Moon replied.

“Oh yeah, forgot, alternate dimension! Doesn’t really make knowing French history all that easy.” Kevin mused, “The point is, don’t take away the sun, you’ll actually kill everyone and likely yourself due to starvation, drought, vitamin deficiency or an angry mob, and even if you don’t die for some reason, you’ll just be ruling a wasteland by yourself with NO ONE to respect you! No, what you do is use the sun as leverage! Demand the citizens follow you OR you don’t raise the sun. That will give them plenty of motivation to not try anything funny, because it’s not like they have the magical ability raise the sun if you’re out of the picture! So that leaves them two choices, either they overthrow you anyway and doom themselves to a slow painful death, or do your bidding for their own sakes, and if they’re anything like the people where I come from, when faced with an existential threats they will most certainly do the latter!”

“That…. Could be a potential solution too..” Nightmare Moon said.

“Uh huh” Kevin replied smugly. “But anyway, I gotta go, if I’m late to my next appointment he’ll grab me by the pussy! But before I go, is there is one thing I want to ask. Why are you so vehement about the night being a staple anyway? Like I know your whole schtick is night time so I could understand some desire, but you have an obsession so I’m thinking that isn’t the only reason is it?”

“Um….. you won’t judge us will you?” Nightmare Moon said.

“I’ve worked with people who LITERALLY snapped half of all living things into oblivion and who tried to kill a baby, there is NOTHING you can say which will faze me at this point.”

“Um….. we may or may not enjoy nighttime donkey shows” Nightmare said sheepishly.

“Aaaaand I stand corrected…..” Kevin said, “On the plus side though, at least you’ll fit right in with the sexually frustrated teens and spiteful miserable manchildren on the website I mentioned earlier!”

[distort1xn]

life is honestly the weirdest thing any of us could possibly go through.

i had bronchitis a few weeks back, took my meds, felt better for weeks, and now my chest is acting up for reasons i couldn’t even begin to explain to you. during this time, however, i rediscovered a writer i absolutely adore and have been binging her books like a total fanatic. last night, when i woke up in the throws of actual suffocation due to my chest simply having closed up completely, it was her writing i turned to to keep me sane while i sat around at 2AM, waiting for some kind of relief when my meds wouldn’t work.

changing the context, but not the topic.

i got a promotion at work a few months back. i work in finance and i’m quite good at my job, but i inherited an unprofitable book of clients from an ex-colleague and have been fighting an uphill battle ever since. fighting that battle, though, hasn’t been nearly as anxiety-inducing as this promotion. not because i am in danger of losing said promotion, but because it was given to me by my sister and brother-in-law and i really don’t want to mess this up for them. they are applying exactly zero pressure and expect nothing of me other than to do my job the way i was already doing it, but lately i’ve just been fighting work stress like a motherfucker.

more context change.

my baby brother (24) is getting married soon. 14th of september, to be exact. long gone are the expectations that i, as the eldest sibling (my sister is a year older, but we also honorarily adopted her well into adulthood), should be married off and living in domestic bliss by now. my family is well aware that marriage, kids and suburban banality is not my idea of happy-ever-after. but i still feel pressure. i still feel like i should’ve made something of my life by now. not necessarily emotionally, but in some other significant way. i am painfully aware that this is my (extremely likely) thrice neurodivergent ass measuring myself by neurotypical standards. i know, okay? not to mention, we have another brother, between the ‘baby’ and i (he’ll be 26 in december) who isn’t anywhere near marriage yet, either. he has a business that did quite well for a while, but shifting socio-economic factors in our country has made him a bit strapped for cash, too, as of late. so, we’re in the same boat. but i’m not judging him – just myself.

add to this that my mother is seemingly utterly clueless about any sort of trauma whatsoever, because she just sent me a puff piece article about my ex music teacher who was so beyond abusive i can’t even utter his name without getting a panic attack so severe, all the king’s benzos and all the king’s zen couldn’t put me back together again. the man’s abuse of me was emotional, mental and sexual, and i have literally never recovered. 12 years down the line and i have probably uttered his name maybe a handful of times. but, sure, mom – you’re right: i haven’t rehashed those 2 years of trauma in a while. thanks so much for reminding me!

things just haven’t felt ‘normal’ for a while now. i feel scrutinised and weird and like i’m walking on eggshells around myself. i feel like i’m letting people down, even when no one has any expectations of me beyond what i’m already doing. maybe it’s imposter syndrome. anyone who knows me knows that if ‘negative interoception’ was something that could exist on a scale of ‘good’ to ‘bad’, that’d be where i’d fall.

i just wish i could find some way back to myself. i’m watching myself slip into old, bad habits in survival mode, and i don’t need to be here. i’m not in any ‘danger’.

life is weird. emotions are hard. living becomes surviving without any one of us noticing far too easily. help.

[hillbillyhippiemusicreview]

DRIVE TO THIS TUNE WITH CAUTION: OTIS WARNS THERE'S A BREAK AHEAD WITH LATEST SINGLE

Reviewed by: Lyssa Culbertson

Photo by MM Photography

In the fast track that is music, cover songs can be a dime a dozen akin to those massed produced metal shells you puttering down the road, but a quality cover song is well worn like a beautiful, vintage car—recognizable, comfortable, and enjoyable as it eases right on in and parks itself in the mind, triggering warm memories of good times had to the soundtrack of that particular tune. However, to me, the true mark of the *perfect* cover song is one where an artist reinvents the wheel so well that it is utterly unobvious that the track was previously cut before. Kentucky’s bonafide scholars of the rockin' blues, OTIS, recently accomplished that feat (the feat of pulling the wool over my eyes, that is) with their cover of Betty Harris’s 1969 release of the southern-fried, soulful funk tune, “There’s a Break in the Road,” penned and produced by the incomparable Allen Toussaint. Although I love all things blues, country, rock, and more from the 50s era on, I have to admit the area of soul music isn’t quite my expertise. With hearing OTIS’s rendition, I was stoked to dive further into Harris’s history and ultimately wished she had continued making music and found the success she craved, though her mystique and legacy were certainly left with her final recording. 

Moving onto the absolute gem that OTIS created as they lent their talents to the long-revered tune, I'm chomping at the bit to let readers know they need to not only take the tune for a test drive, but also buy it for life! if I could step back in time and take Boone Froggett (frontman) to the recording booth with Harris, I’d love to see how his husky, bluesy vocals juxtapose against the raw, brassy power packed in Harris’s. I can imagine it would be literal fire—and I don’t even mean proverbial flames. Literal. How the studio wasn’t set ablaze during the live, full band take that the single was recorded in is beyond me! With that being said, the monstrous punch packed in their voices is ultimately where the similarities end, and that is a beautiful thing. Froggett and his bandmates took a borderline raucous, yet swinging soulful classic and brought it into the 21st century by adapting it into a driving, heavy—but not overbearing— banger with a hint of blues that sonically fits into their style, yet also skyrockets them into another aural sphere altogether. From the 0-60 beginning where you get a few seconds of a riveting guitar riff before hit hard with the first lines, I t’s still soul—and I believe quality rock cannot exist outside the realm of being fueled by a little soul food, but man…it’s unlike anything I’ve ever heard from the band before. With a fresh new lineup (Boone Froggett as frontman/guitarist, John Seeley on bass, Alex Wells playing guitar, and Dale Myers on the drums), it’s plain to see that OTIS is back and ready to rock and roll out some long-awaited new music in ‘24.

Now—back to the single. Lyrically, the tune is written from a jilted lover’s point of view and likens the lover to an obsolete car (“like the last years model…you put me down”) as it cautions the leaver of the misfortune to come by picking up the new, shiny model and throwing the former dependable devotee to the wayside. As he sings from the POV of a now forlorn inamorato, Froggett bellows the warning woven throughout the verses with an intense passion as he bemoans being left behind for a ritzy paramour by “the only girl who could turn [him] on and make a bad man out of [him].” By the end of the track, the man has become resolute in the fact that the woman would experience the same ol’ game that was ran on him, the karma of her wicked ways. Listeners can be clear on the fact that the caution isn’t given out of the goodness of his heart, but out of a taste for revenge served cold—as it sometimes happens after a fervent affair. From a songwriter’s stance, I always love a quality jam that plays into the depths of metaphorical phrases that make you think—the title itself is a perfect example, and that line about the windshield wipers?! Come on now, what a play on words...so good! Either as an early warning, a last lament or simply a statement in general, the repetition of the phrase “there’s a break in every road” foretells the existence of the choices we have in life that can quickly alter our worlds with the positive or negative consequences that follow. Or, if you were to take the meaning as less of a fork of choices in each road taken in life and more of a Deep South viewpoint that every road is plagued with potholes (the breaks) and no road is bump-free, you can still find the merit in the message: be careful what you wish for. Froggett and his bandmates succeeded in making the whole song sound like a sultry, sassy admonition wrapped up in a well-meaning, albeit vindictive, farewell to a lost partner. First listen, you’re swept up in the music; fingers tappin' and heads bangin' are imminent. Perhaps you'll hop in your car and hit the road on a sunshine and 75 kind of day, windows down with it blaring on your speakers—hopefully avoiding all the potholes, er breaks! Then, you hear the words and get to decide whether there’s anyone you just might need to spread the gospel of OTIS (and Betty Harris) to, if you catch my drift. Even if there's not someone who needs to heed the warning in your life, HHMR thinks it merits being taken for a drive and shared with the world.

Watch the music video for “There’s a Break In the Road” below:

[collymore]

Birthdays!

By Stanley Collymore What’s a birthday, other than the actual day you were born and rather bluntly, distinctly an occasion you had no say in, regarding that actual date, or additionally to that the precise moment, when effectively you were literally born; and moreover even less sway basically counting as zero in the respective circumstances significantly and similarly specifically bearing on your either aptly planned or generally, accidental conception? Alright, I can both sensibly and also intelligently, readily understand why the more effective, really perceptive and quite discernibly smart species of Homo sapiens are quite pleased and equally, naturally outstandingly proud that they are effectively here, but in all truthfulness, and honestly from my personal perspective, can or should any exact sentiments be either verbalized or shared literally to the crucially, burgeoning growth of human beings globally and very obviously in the so-called Western and reputed developed countries? Exorbitantly increasing numbers that continue to pollute our Planet Earth with their utterly useless presence? Personally, I think not! And, as far as congratulating those who when they most indulgently and asininely naturally go over the top with their absurdly idiotic, celebrations and furthermore self-evidently literally uncalled for bounteous merry making exhaustively and intensively, crucially wrapped up in their puerile delusions, and wishing that I join in. As likely I'd say, as the possibility of a snowflake quite voluntarily opting to ludicrously take a chance in hell's nether-world! (C) Stanley V. Collymore 3 July 2023. Author's Remarks: By all means celebrate your birthday, as I’m neither asking that you shouldn’t nor am I suggesting that you ought not to as that decision is entirely your own as it distinctly should be. But celebrating the day you were born when your own life subsequently has been an utter and deliberate mess: criminally, hatefully, racially, adulterously; quite odiously so in paedophile terms; financial scams that deliberately inflict severe hardships on the weak and vulnerable; a delusional notion too of yours that you’re simply by the circumstances of your birth infinitely better and quite superior to those whom you condescendingly look down upon, and the infernal list goes on; personally I don’t honestly see what the hell you have to celebrate. And while you will obviously disagree with my assessment, can you just for once and without all the fabrication you put on your really useless lives, say any different to what I’m espousing here?