#like the mannerisms wouldn't what's traditional of men

[mewharley]

if i was a man I would like to use ring earrings

and I don't think I would be too masculine

which is funny because I'm already not too feminine so like idk

[hwnglx]

as requested by anon ღ

jungkook's thoughts about feminism

based on tarot. i do not know these idols personally. energies are always changing. what i say is NOT straight fact. pls take it with a grain of salt!

so.. jungkook seems conflicted. there's these two sides in him, that are clashing when it comes to feminism.

it's 1, his admiration for women. and 2, his ego.

one side of him thinks, that women essentially rule the world. like, we all basically wouldn't be here if it wasn't for women birthing us, keeping the impulse-driven men in check. i got the strength card, which is literally this strong and powerful woman taming the wild lion in a masterly manner. he believes women are much more capable of restraining themselves, remaining focused on what's important, looking after their responsibilities. women are the actual strong ones in this society, which wouldn't work the way it does without them.

i can sense him thinking there's a lot to be learned by women. i keep seeing him just watching how they function while being in awe. (imagery of the strength card representing a woman in power, the page of pents and page of swords -> young students are next to it looking at her) i'm not sure if he grew up around a lot of strong women, perhaps he had a very influential mother who taught him a lot about life. but there for sure is a genuine sense of respect and appreciation towards women in him, which seems to come from a sincere place.

on the other hand, however.. jungkook is still a korean man. i say this all the time, but many korean men are inclined to believe it's a given for them to be above women by default. many of them were raised with that belief in place, so it's like a natural thought-process most of them have. in that way, it's the standard mindset korean society continues to hold.

this traditional and conservative mindset the majority of society still has, displays a weight on jungkook's back. i can sense he can't always be as candid or outspoken in his admiration for women, because he still can't fully let go of his ego as a powerful man. i can sense there's these societal pressures, and the pressure that comes with being a korean man, which hold him back from further embracing his raw and unfiltered thoughts. they're moreso buried in his subconscious, not something he always lets out freely, might not even be entirely aware of; there's some resistance here. i do however believe, that these inner more progressive views do drive him to, e.g. feel drawn towards dominant and assertive women, or stand up for them at times.

i can also see he might be surrounded by a good amount of men who are still quite traditional in their beliefs, which can bury his own opinions further down.

[bookshelfdreams]

do it. gimme the Izzy straight-coded meta 👀

I feel like I need to preface this by saying that Actually, Izzy Is Straightcoded would be the inflammatory clickbait title I'd give this if it were written to draw traffic & ad revenue to my shitty website. So don't take that term too seriously.

There has been a lot of ink spilled about Izzy thinking he's in a story where one can only be subtextually queer. Some even by yours truly, but the more I think about it, the less sense it makes. What would be the purpose of queercoding Izzy?

In general, villains* aren't queercoded to show that men being attracted to other men is bad. It's often the outcome; but it's not why the trope exists. It exists because cishet people tend to be (and are encouraged to be) profoundly uncomfortable with gender nonconformity, and so, making a character gnc becomes a quick and easy way to make him appear twisted and untrustworthy. If he** can't even obey the fundamental rules of his own gender (rules that are inherent and unchangeable!) what other rules does he disobey?

Or: If a man is insufficiently masculine, he can't be trusted to have morals. The villain isn't gnc because that's an evil trait to have; rather, the gender nonconformity is a symptom of his evilness. Being evil is what enables him to embrace his feminine side, and embracing his feminine side is what others him and marks him as a villain.

This only really works when he's contrasted with a hero (or heroine) who is Doing Gender Correctly. The villain is foul to highlight how good the hero is. The Hero will be honest and straightforward, brave, physically powerful; the Queercoded Villain treacherous, cowardly, and physically weak. The hero is a Proper Man, a Good Person. The villain an Improper Man, and therefore, a Bad Person.

Of course ofmd fundamentally rejects this. The shorthand wouldn't work, because ofmd simply doesn't think effeminacy is creepy. It's uninterested in moralizing self-expression; it just lets people be how they are. There's a wide range of expressions of masculinity on this show, and none of it is inherently bad. People are allowed to be hypermasculine, flamboyant, and anything inbetween, can express their gender in whatever manner they want, and it's all fine - as long as they are authentic about it. Be however you are, but be yourself, and this is what Izzy fails at. The repression marks him as a villain. The strict adherence to what he thinks a Real Man Pirate ought to be like. He's very preoccupied with enforcing a traditional (and toxic) masculinity on himself and others. It's no coincidence the characters he antagonizes the most - Stede and Lucius - are also the most effeminate ones. And I know, I know anglophones have a much more casual relationship to twat and cunt, those don't nearly feel as uncomfortable for y'all as they do for me, so I don't want to assign too much significance here, but he is the only character who constantly uses this kind of language, and also the one who uses the most gender&sexuality based slurs (as far as I remember).

All of this while being clearly, obviously queer himself! I do not feel like I need to explain this; his flustered reaction when Lucius asks him if he's ever been sketched speaks for itself. The fact that he meets Stede and immediately slices his shirt off of him, speaks for itself. And so on.

Izzy isn't straightcoded in the sense that the story wants us to believe he's exclusively attracted to women. Much like a queercoded villain doesn't need to be shown to be attracted to men (and can even be shown to be attracted exclusively to women!) to still be queercoded. He's straightcoded in the sense that he's a stand-in for restrictive and toxic gender roles that society enforces on people. He buys into the idea that there's a way of Doing Gender Wrong, and this is presented as a tragic character flaw. Something he has to overcome to be able to do the thing that actually marks a hero in this show: express himself authentically.

Part of why I found his death so moving is because it enables him to set right the toxicity he spread. His rehabilitation arc was about himself; about finally allowing himself to be, accepting love, accepting community. His death was about taking responsibility. About fully recognizing the hurt he caused. Looking death in the face enables him to finally abandon the last shreds of that toxicity, to apologize and be granted forgiveness. In the end, he was not beyond saving, and the harm he has done will be healed.

*Izzy is introduced as an antagonist to both Stede and the central romance of this romcom. I'm not gonna debate this; if you disagree, fine, but you clearly have such a fundamentally wrong different view of the show that it's pointless for us to try and convince each other.

**of course Queercoded Female Villains exist s well, but they are a whole different can of worms and less relevant to this discussion

[blakeswritingimagines]

Their Reaction To A Revealing Costume

Ragnar: If the situation arose, he would be happy to see his partner enjoying the Halloween festivities and expressing yourself freely in whatever way made you happy. You both would certainly discuss the specific details of the costume beforehand to ensure that it is appropriate for the occasion and for you as a couple, but ultimately the choice would rest with you. He believes in trust and communication in relationships, so long as you both had an open dialogue about it, he would be fine with whatever you chose to wear.

Athelstan: He would be concerned if his partner wanted to dress in a revealing Halloween costume. It is not a traditional thing for him or his beliefs and he would not be comfortable with you making yourself vulnerable to the eyes of strangers.

Floki: He felt excited to see you express yourself in a costume that shows off your body. He is proud of you and your beauty, and he likes that you chose to share your looks with others. He is not worried about other people looking at you and wanting you, because he knows you are his and you love him. That is all that matters to him.

Lagertha: She would be delighted to see her partner flaunting your beauty on such a special occasion. However, she also wouldn't be comfortable with you wearing a costume that exposed too much, as she believes in respect and loyalty in a relationship, and revealing clothing can often be worn for attention-seeking purposes, which is not acceptable in a committed union.

Aslaug: She would react with a cold and detached attitude if her partner decided to wear a revealing Halloween costume. She would have no problem with you embracing your own body and sexuality, but she is against dressing in a way that deliberately attracts attention from others. She believes in honesty and loyalty in a relationship, and her partner openly displaying your body for others to admire would be disrespectful and inappropriate.

Bjorn: The gods have given unto him many gifts, as a mighty warrior, as a king, and as a husband, but none so glorious as a pair of loving eyes to look upon your form. You may dress yourself as you please, so long as you are loyal and true, to the gods and to him. To prevent you from wearing what you wish, would be to deny you the pleasure you bring all men in their sight of you - the gods themselves included.

Ubbe: If his partner decides to dress in a revealing Halloween costume, it is ultimately up to you. However, it would be understandable if he were to feel a bit uncertain or uncomfortable about the situation. It is important to communicate openly and honestly with each other in relationships, so it would be best to have a conversation with you and express your feelings in a respectful manner.

Hvitserk: It is your body and your choice. You can wear whatever you want to wear as long as you are respectful to him and your family. However, if you decide to wear something that he finds to be inappropriate or he feels is disrespectful, then he will voice his opinion and will have a discussion on how to proceed.

Sigurd: If you were to wear a revealing Halloween costume, he would likely be taken aback by your boldness. He might feel a mix of excitement, surprise, and even a little bit of jealousy at the attention you may receive. Ultimately, he would try to be supportive and appreciate that you are expressing yourself in your own way. He might offer to accompany you or take pictures for you so you can preserve the memories of this special night.

Ivar: He would be angry with his partner if you wore such a revealing costume for Halloween. He would express that your body is for his eyes only and you belong to him and no one else. After a short argument, however, he would realize you were only dressed this way for fun and he would force himself to calm down and enjoy the night with you.

Halfdan: He finds it to be a dishonor to himself when his partner wears a revealing Halloween costume that shows off any part of your body for other men to admire. As the protector and head of the household, it is his duty to keep you modest and ensure that you don't bring shame to your name. But he would later think you look fantastic, that men may be staring and drooling over you, but your his and your going home with him.

Harald: If you chose to wear a revealing Halloween costume, well then I must say that he would be somewhat upset. Of course, this is a free country, so he cannot forbid you to do anything, but he can most definitely ask why you chose that particularly eye-popping outfit. However, I suppose that if you were truly determined to wear that revealing costume, he would just have to shrug and accept it, but he will most definitely be keeping a very close eye on you during Halloween.

[littlesparklight]

Been thinking about Astyanax and the sack lately - but not just Astyanax. All the children of Troy - the girl children, do all of them get to live? or only the ones old enough not to be too much distracting "burdens" on their mothers (or sisters, or etc). The ones that can be useful.

Because, like.

Yes, Astyanax dies. He's the one, somewhere between infant and at most five years old, that we know of. He's very conspicuously killed.

But Astyanax wouldn't be the only child to be killed. All male Trojans die (except for the exceptions; Helenus, Aeneas and the survivors with him, Antenor and whatever might be left of his formerly huge family).

Agamemnon in the Iliad (Book 6, line ~55-60, trans. Caroline Alexander): "[...] Let not a man of them escape sheer destruction and our hands, not even he whom the mother carries in her womb, the male child, may not even he escape, but together, all of them, may they be expunged from Ilion, without burial and without trace."

So, all men; but this also means any and all women far enough in their pregnancy to show. Because if you want to be assured all Trojan "men" die, and you're not even making exceptions for Trojans who would basically not be Trojans because they'd grow up as Achaean slaves and be more Achaean than not, then you do have to kill the pregnant women. It's not like you can know what the sex of the child they're carrying is. So a number of women would certainly have died during the sack, not just men.

And the viciousness of Agamemnon here isn't, I think, some exception in the tradition. I've brought this pithos from Mykonos (ca. 670 BC) up before but here:

Women being variously assaulted (one of these scenes are also thought to depict the death of Astyanax) and their small sons being murdered.

Like, even aside from how much the sack as a situation in how it happens (at night, after the Trojans and surviving allies were deliberately misled to thinking they have won and have been feasting and so are both asleep and drunk) is a particular vicious cruelty. The extra step of all male Trojans being killed, even those hypothetical unborn sons so you're killing two individuals at once, and the children much too young to ever fight or remember much in a few years, makes it even more so.

No one needs to go through the effort of throwing Astyanax off the city wall to kill him. A sword through that tiny body on the spot would be much easier, over much faster. Astyanax isn't just killed, but killed in the manner he is, specifically because he is the son of Hektor. Otherwise he would just have been killed like the boys depicted in the pithos above; on the spot, with a sword. Astyanax is special only because we know who he is, because he has the father he does, and so he is our emblematic and symbolic child of Troy, killed by the Achaeans.

But he wasn't ever the only one.

[corneille-but-not-the-author]

The Rings

It is a peculiar tradition, to wear rings to show love.

Most nations don't do it. Love is shown in other manners, and rings are not that often seen.

It can be daggers, weaponry, or even suxh fleeting thing as a kiss, or a memory. To show love is rarely solid. Some think that such a tradition emerged from the dwarves, and their obsession with jewellery.

The fact is, it's a Paper tradition. And so, you will never see a Korn wear a ring. Never will a Beast be a slave to a Man again, in labour or in love.

Or so, the Tree thought.

It's been here for many years. Around four thousand, but it doesn't count anymore. Such a massive lifeform had sprung overnight, and the many, many souls which have joined it since it's birth have never seen a Korn willingly putting a ring on.

Such souls are the likes of Mi'Arach, which has not forgotten their name. Such sould are still curious of the world outside, and will try to ask questions, to learn why the world keeps changing.

Today, there is a great feast under the branches. People are singing, peoplz are dancing, in a way the Tree has not seen since the Sabbat, long ago.

And so Mi'Arach appears on a gigantic root, with a smile on her face. It's been so long since she took form, maybe because it's a once in a century use.

The Tree's senses did not mistake her. People are singing and dancing, men and beasts alike. She take a few steps.

How strange it is to move so fast. To think so quick. To breathe with lungs. How strange to be, again, an animal.

But even with all those sensations crossing each other in her brain, she walks and carries on.

It's a marriage. A big, bontiful marriage. There are people dancing, there are people singing, playing music. With smile on their faces and not a care in the world, under the World-Tree branches. They are safe. They are sound.

A woman is at the heart of the celebration. A smiling woman, a Bialakorn with a ring on her finger. She is holding the hand of a man, a dwarf it seems. He's not smiling, rather, he seems to be entranced by the musician's performance.

A beast and a man. Bound by those rings.

The lone soul does not understand this world she's barging in. So she smiles, and stay behind, enjoying the festivities.

They carry on all day long, and the day after. Mi'Arach stays at the same place, looks at them. Curiosity give place to interest, interest to sincere happiness.

If such a marriage is possible, then surely, her beloved in the Tree...

Cernunnos has always been, to be kind, a shy man. His unease transpired in his favouritr way of talking : through other people, so that he wouldn't have to hurt anyone.

This shyness, only her knew of it's existence. He was a God, and gods don't have faults. They must be paragon of virtues, and shyness is not really a virtue in the Beast's world.

So when the party ends she takes some time among the people, smile to them, until she finds the bride.

"Don't you have a gift for the Tree?"

She gasps, blink twice. Mi'Arach knows she might look like someone normal, maybe she even posessed one of their priestesses to walk among them.

Yet she giver her and. The bride looks at her . And she smiles.

"Honoured Tree. Of course we do."

She gives the lost soul a pair of rings.

The Voice of the Lord smiles. And with that she gives back the body, leaving with the two rings in her hands.

"Cernunnos! Look at what I've got!"

The first rings, from the first marriage between man and beast.

Maybe their culture is doomed, and the colonizers won.

Maybe it's just the March of History.

Maybe she thinks about it too much.

But Cernunnos seems hapoy about this gift.

And she is happy the Tree feels better because of it.

Taking care of the World has it's upsides sometimes.

[cinematicnomad]

I googled We Keep the Dead Close a little and was intrigued! Can you tell me what you liked about it?

oh yey!! i'm always happy to rave about a book i've enjoyed, so i can totally share my thoughts with you :)

we keep the dead close: a murder at harvard and a half century of silence is less a standard true crime book, and more half memoir and half a chronicling of the author's meticulous research process. as an undergrad at harvard, becky cooper, heard repeated tellings of a near mythic campus legend: of a nameless female grad student who had an affair with a tenured archaeology professor in the '60s who murdered her in a ritualistic manner and got away with it thanks to the omnipotent powers-that-be at harvard and the case remained unsolved ever after.

the story stayed with cooper until she felt compelled to learn all that she could over the course of the next decade. to untangle the truth from the cautionary tales that were whispered in the hallowed hallways of harvard. the very beginning of this story starts with the uncovering of a name: jane britton, who was so much more than the victim she became in the final moments of her life. and then it unfurls from there: not just to the facts surrounding the murder, but also the intimate details that make up a life, both loved and lost, and the surrounding culture that could allow this silence to perpetuate for decades while recognizing the power structures that still thrive in today's world.

this book is an exhaustive record of cooper's research efforts—the archives she dug through, the events she snuck into, the websites she trawled, the doors she knocked on, the people who would and wouldn't talk to her, the jobs she accepted and turned down to help her make the time to tell this story—but also an examination of her own biases and motives. how we affect the stories that are told and how we tell them, and also the ways in which we, explicitly or not, try to force facts to fit into familiar narrative story beats. it's also concerned with the power structures in the world of academia, specifically at harvard, that so often protect powerful men at the expense of vulnerable women, no matter how talented and promising and innocent, all in the name of reputation and tradition.

potential suspects rise and fall away like waves crashing on a shore as cooper and those who loved jane try to make sense of the violence that ended her life so young, but this is not a book that is confined to the whodunit nature of most true crime tales. rather, cooper is more compelled to tell jane's story in a way that both honors jane and is honest about her.

if you like non-fiction, have ever enjoyed true crime, and have some time to devote yourself to a 400+ page book, i highly recommend we keep the dead close. the case was solved in 2018 while cooper was still writing the story (though perhaps some answers bring forth only more questions), but i recommend against googling the case beforehand and instead letting the experience wash over you.

[sadlittleratboy]

I once said Tomura vaguely had she/they vibes to me on tiktok, back when I had one, and people ate me alive bc I listed his hair as a reason (and also bc I continued forward with using he/him pronouns throughout the video and I'm like...but that's the canon and I'm talking about something theoretical that I don't necessarily have a hard hc of, they/them Dabi is a different story lol) and people were like "thinking femininity is tied to long hair is transphobic and misogynist and blah blah" and it's like no you completely missed my point.

Firstly, I know that, because back when I was a girl and embracing my femininity in ways that I won't now that I identify as more masculine, I had short hair. I always had short hair. Androgynous girls with short hair lead me to the conclusion of being nonbinary.

Secondly it's not about the hair length, it's about the hair STYLE. Every transfem I've ever met started with that style or similar when it grew out. It's cute, it's fun, they're playing with long hair for the first time or even just in a new context.

It's also just about the general vibe. I listed elegance as a reason too, just the way he moves, but nobody considered how he's also so NOT elegant sometimes. It's the type of elegance he has, because there are so many different types. It's also int he way his so expressive. He shows so much on his face, which men tend to do in manga but it just feels different with Shigaraki. Again, I'm going on vibes.

Also being a nonbinary girl suits him because he'd be a total girlfailure, a loser girl, and I love that. Every transfem I knew was also a massive nerd. Most importantly I don't see him performing femininity in a traditional way. He is performing femininity by identifying as feminine and performing. He wouldn't change how he dresses or talks, he would simply realize that his identity isn't quite what he thought and run with it, because that's the kind of person he is. All those masculine codes brash actions like putting his feet up on overhaul's table to show dominance, and using ore, none of those things NEED to change because gender is so complex and that's FUN.

Again. This is mostly off vibes. I know a lot of people that think it/it's or other neopronouns suit him, and I can see that, especially with the way he dehumanizes himself (and with his stinky rat behavior, something a lot of nonbinary people, myself included, identify with), but that element actually makes me personally stray from that hc. Shigaraki dehumanizes himself in a negative way, and I think that's not good for him. Of course an argument can be made for that being the call all trans people have to be vaguely inhuman and monstrous in ways that only we really understand, so I don't think it's a bad hc at all.

I mean honestly he reads trans masc just as much. A lot of the league reads kind of trans because we tend to see ourselves in weird little outcasts. It's just a vibe a get from him. A lot of the she/theys I've met just also kind of have this "fuck gender and expectations, I'm doing my own thing over here".

Also there is of course the constant of Shigaraki chosing how he identifies himself and defying the expectations other people have placed on those identities. He's Shigaraki because he is, not because of AFO. That's his villain name because he connects to it. Despite all that he constantly gets deadnamed too. It's just...the vibes, the ability for anyone to read into anything what they want because their own experiences and it will fit because fiction is flexible (and even when it doesn't, does it matter?).

Anyway, his vibes, his masculine features and mannerisms along with the feminine ones and the feeling of being feminine even without having to conform to it (much like Magne did, and lots of people read her design as transphobic but tiger was literally there performing as a full transitioned man still comfortable with his feminine side, and it's like...all the trans women I know don't bother to shave and wear masculine clothes either occasionally or always even after starting hrt). It's finding a home within yourself as you slot the missing pieces into place and realize you find joy in different pronouns because they better describe you. Every trans person has their own wild ass journey and uses different ways to describe themselves with different things that bother them or don't and I think trans hc are fun for that very reason.

[kannra21]

I don’t understand why anime men can be drawn looking handsome while also looking normal and wearing normal clothes, but sososo often, anime women are drawn looking like their tits are going to pop out of their bras and/or they wear provocative outfits.

Do men (or male artists anyway) not care if a woman is beautiful if she isn’t being revealing? Do her facial features, the way she carries herself, her hair, etc. not matter so long as she’s not trying to act like a seductress?

From my own experience with men I can only say one thing- they are liars. Or at least they like lying to themselves.

They will oftentimes say that they don't like women who reveal feminine features, but they do. Men like women and they like objectifying them. Bc if men are straight, logically, they're attracted to women. Bc woman's body is pretty and not just in a sexual sense. Sometimes it's just pretty for looking at; like art, nude modeling and act. Worshipped even. Woman's body is prettier than man's body in so many ways. But I think this beauty shouldn't be so heavily sexualized like it's often the case in the east. Japan has so much explicit content that they even have categorized shops at every corner, in public spaces. I don't know how Japanese women feel about this but statistics show that their birth rate is slowly declining. Besides poor economic situation, women don't feel respected or loved enough. And the feminism has risen in this part of the world as well.

Anyways, back to the point- I respect Gege for keeping his characters neat and the story heavily plot oriented without much fanservice (men are the fanservice lol). Gege also says that his parents are reading the manga so I suppose he doesn't rly want to feel like a disgrace lmao. I'm not sure if this was his marketing strategy to interest women into shōnen genre but it definitely worked, now jjk has become one of the most popular series of all time. And it's ok to have Mei Mei as one token representative of a "sexy woman" stereotype although I wouldn't rly call her sexy either. She's just a beautiful woman.

What definitely helps the whole situation is Gege's taste in fashion. No male mangaka that I know ever paid attention to this one very important factor. Fashion is a type of expression, and it can tell a lot about the character themselves without incorporating their personality in words. With that said, jjk women have so much personality to them, it's fascinating.

Mei Mei and Mai could be considered sexy, Utahime is a traditional authoritative beauty, Nobara is very stylish and confident, Maki is a strong tomboy girl, Miwa and Momo are girly and cute, Ozawa is a shy girl, Shoko is your typical CEO woman, Yuki is a biker girl. And some of them have short or tied up hair which is nice bc it can be just as feminine as long hair. He even introduced women's insecurities like Ozawa being overweight and that Yuuji didn't mind bc he found her writing and table manners pretty. Momo's outlook on woman's prejudice in jujutsu world is also something important to adress. Yuuta is shown kissing Rika bc what they're having is true love and true love doesn't know shallow boundaries. Gege understands woman's struggle.

In an interview, Gege revealed that he has similar mindset to Megumi and that he doesn't want to sexualize women as much. The way he treats woman body is purely artistic. At least watching these panels didn't make me feel uncomfortable at all.

Regarding Mei Mei's and Ui Ui's relationship, yea it's a taboo. But I think that author didn't want to promote incest, rather, he wanted to show that Mei Mei is a woman with flaws. And flaws are something that makes a person interesting, together with their virtues. She also likes money. To the point that Gojo made fun of her by flipping a coin to summon her bc apparently, Mei Mei lacks self-respect.

In contrast to her, Utahime respects herself too much. That's why she's often hysterical and Gojo tells her that hysterics won't win men (Gojo is a real mansplainer huh).

Gojo is rude and so is Sukuna. But Miwa and Yorozu don't even notice a man's flaw if they're interested in him (Gege knows a woman's mind too well, which is funny). That's why he's asking ladies to vote for Nanami instead of Gojo in popularity poll (women should set aside shallow interests and concentrate on person's kind soul).

Unlike them, Shoko is aloof and rational bc she's too aware of fleetingness of life, especially in her line of work as a doctor. Sure, she can be friendly and smile a lot, but she doesn't want to form any strong relationships with anyone. This is the only way she can keep her sanity in check. After all, jujutsu is just a marathon where the finish line is a pile of friends' corpses. Something the younger generations are a bit immature to understand.

Nobara is a very stubborn girl, she sometimes comes off as too bossy or rude (Yuuji calls her a bitch lol). But it turns out this was only her defense mechanism with people she's unfamiliar with bc she didn't want to be underestimated for being a country girl of limited thoughts and experience. Bc Nobara is indeed a great girl with many talents.

Maki is a strong, independent woman but this doesn't mean that she refuses help and support from people around her. She likes guys who are stronger than her (and Yuuta comes into picture, besides, he also suggested that he wants to crush Zenin clan together which explains her liking to him). Panda noticed that and wanted to play a wingman. Although his boobs question (Maki's insecurity) was a bit inappropriate (but it got the point across), Yuuta's answer was very polite which made him more likeable in her eyes.

Yuki and Todo are similar bc they're nosy, they enjoy exploring different people's interests and judge them whether they're considered "a person of culture" (which adds to the series' comedic aspect). I love Haibara's answer bc he says "I like women who eat a lot" bc he knows that women who eat are happy and that a hungry woman is an angry woman.

Gege understands women so much that fans are contemplating whether Gege is actually a woman himself or not. It's nice to have a mangaka who's this mindful.

[pfaugh]

you can skip this post. it's just personal nonsense dw bout it

cw: transphobia (disc), homophobia (disc), childhood trauma (ment.)

y'know when something unsurprising happens but you feel the moment sorta calcify in your brain. like oh wow yeah no I can't be normal about this ever again

well. a few years ago, after a sudden stroke and subsequent surgery - my father went off the rails. in a way that, in retrospect, was inevitable. he raised me as an atheist, as a humanist, almost by mistake — a byproduct of rage, not compassion for his fellow man or conscious effort of any kind.

he started talking about alternative medicine.

which was fair, at first. you gotta give people room to cope and a stroke isn't something you can just walk away from

but it got .. worse.

he went all in. stopped taking his pressure meds (until it became clear his marriage wouldn't survive that), started buying herbal remedies in bulk, started buying books that ranged from Ayurvedic Remedies to Can You Think Cancer Away?

and I.... did not react well.

My father's son, bitchiest little shit on the block — I got him a book for his birthday. (as is family tradition)

The Demon Haunted Mind by Carl Sagan.

for reference,

which was. received.. in complete silence.

it sat on the unused dining table for months until I put it up in my bookshelf. which is.. again, pretty much what you'd expect.

fast forward a few years and I'm trying to patch things up with him. it's clear my mother's taste in men is about as good as mine and after a certain point that's her decision. I ought to respect it, best I can

so a few weeks ago the two of us were discussing one of my sister's close friends. he's a bright, passionate young man who happens to also have had a traumatic background — and be trans

and my parents have up until that point, been very (surprisingly) supportive of him. they're homophobic, racist, misogynists — so I'll take what I can get

but in our discussion. dad thought it was a good time to explain, carefully, that he didn't want my sister to consort with broken people.

his word

I.. stared. blankly. for a few seconds.

he thought this was his cue to elaborate.

friends, romans, countrymen - this did not make things better.

and I........ just kinda. tucked the memory away.

because what do you say to that. if I opened my mouth I might've come out then and there. if I followed my first, second or third impulses - he'd be dead. so I didn't do that. because, and I cannot stress this enough, murder would not solve this stupid fucking family

so I just tucked it away. and stewed. didn't tell my sister anything. she's about the last friend my dad's got and I would rather not break her heart like that.

but then again, two days ago, he brought up again how he wasn't homophobic - but broken people made him uncomfortable. and they were unnatural degenerates anyhow. he had sympathy for their plight - from a safe distance.

(both his children are queer. make of that what you will)

my sister was there for that, and she flew off the handle. as she should have. and kinda screamed (her logically sound arguments) at him - I don't think he heard a single word.

she went to bed early

after that, I sat down and explained things to him as best I could - in the calmest manner I could.

it could've been a cultural disconnect. maybe he was looking for a different word?

he told me he hated how I always tried to teach people things, him especially, that I was patient and this was a virtue - but I shouldn't waste it on things like this.

(both my parents were teachers. make of that what you will.)

anyways. I'm thinking about getting him the first present I've gotten him since my first passive aggressive hissyfit,

before we move out.

[explorersaremadeofhope]

pleeeeease i wanna hear about snorri sturlusons edda being an unreliable source for pre christian skandi life

agsdfjsgh oh no it's almost 4am

okay CONDENSED VERSION

the prose edda was written in the thirteenth century. (it's commonly dated to around 1220.) snorri himself lived from 1179 to 1241, which makes him solidly high medieval by a european standard and medieval (ie not viking age) by a scandinavian standard.

iceland converted to christianity in the year 1000 AD through a resolution carried in the alþingi (this is according to njáls saga as we do not actually have contemporary written material from that era. pinch of salt as to the precise date, and of course the nature of conversion is such that it doesn't happen overnight, even in a small population like late viking age iceland, but nevertheless -- iceland was very decidedly no longer pagan by the 1200's)

(this leads into a Big Old Debate about the nature of oral memory and how much and how reliably material can be preserved in that manner, especially detail, and for how many generations. this is contentious and im not gonna get into it but it's a factor)

snorri sturluson was a christian

this matters because although he was interested in the culture -- especially the poetics (we'll come to that) of the past, he was not a part of that culture and he was viewing it from the outside. his interest was antiquarian.

snorri sturluson's edda is an educational work in poetry. it is a poetic. a book of skáldskapr, ie of the poetical arts. the poetry of viking age iceland, the poetical culture that medieval iceland inherited, was one based on a huge and complex metaphorical system which directly referenced pre-christian mythology. to take a classic example, instead of simply saying 'gold', you might say 'sif's hair', but to understand this you'd need to know the story where sif loses her hair due to a loki fuckup and is gifted new hair made from gold.

in short, the loss of the knowledge of these stories would completely hamstring all successive generations of poets -- not only would they no longer be able to participate in the poetic tradition, they wouldn't even be able to comprehend and appreciate the work of their predecessors.

the narrative part of snorri's edda is the one most people are familiar with. it is even often printed separately. but his work is actually comprised of four sections: a prologue dedicated to explaining that the pagan gods were actually men (see euhemerism), the narrative portion (gylfaginning), a section which explains a large number of poetical metaphors (skáldskaparmál), and a section which gives examples of various poetical metres a skáld should know (háttatal).

oh god i said condensed, this is already so long

FINALLY: snorri was a scholar. and medieval scholars took a different approach to their material than modern historians. they were unafraid to edit, embellish, pick and choose, compile and systematise as they saw fit. (we have some notion of what types of sources snorri used and some of his material survives in other sources, but much does not, leaving his account the only one, which means we can't check his work, as it were.)

we must assume that the prose edda synthesises material that was varied and contradictory -- folk tradition always is (think of how many versions ballads and folk songs survive in). we must assume that there are versions which were lost. we must also assume that his christianity has affected the material to *some* degree, though how much is again a Big Debate (for example we may point to the part where he says that loki was outwardly beautiful but wicked -- afaik there is no physical description of loki anywhere else, and it's tempting to see a parallel here to christian notions of temptation).

TLDR snorri has created a *version* of norse myth. and while we should be incredibly grateful that someone actually sat down and created a literal guidebook like this we must also remember by whom it was made, why, and when. (✨source criticism!✨ [philology jazz hands])

(this isn't even getting into how the narratives of mythology correlate -- and don't -- with the evidence of worship uncovered by archaeology but POST TOO LONG)

[tmwcs]

OMG REI!! CAN YOU DO A SIMILAR PIECE OF YORU LAST POST AND EXPLAIN HOW YOU THINK THE ENHA MEMBERS IDEAL TYPES ARE??? PLLLLLLEEEEEEEAAAASE! I AM DYING TO ASK YOU!

Sure.

Again, i don't know any of the members and this is not by any means factual as I am merely expressing my own thoughts and gut instinct on what my opinion is in regards to the member's personal/ideal type.

Jay:

As I stated in the last post, I think he would be into a very well mannered woman who carries alot of self respect. I don't get the vibe that he would be into looks too much, maybe like 40% appearance and 60% personality. I can see him being into types that are simple, and elegant types that wear little makeup, maybe has some or very little surgical alterations (i dont think he really cares too much about that, but i dont think he'd be into the ones that over do it and do alot to completely change their whole entire look). The people that come close to mind would be like Jisoo, IU, Rose (with natural colored hair) etc. Now, this is my own opinion, but i do see him being the type to more than likely go with a Korean woman, which is why i listed those three above as examples. If he does go with a foreigner, I feel like it would be an American woman but someone he already knew from his childhood or like an Asian American. Idk why, i just get that vibe.

Sunghoon:

Again, as I stated in the last post, Sunghoon would (like Jay) want a very well mannered, proper type of gal. I think he would be 50/50 on looks/personality. I heard he listed Irene as his ideal type, which tells me he likes the type that fits majority, if not all, of the korean beauty standards. IMO, i feel like he'd would only go with a korean woman, and wouldn't be open to date foreigners, merely out of comfort and preference. he comes off as the type that would be very traditional and i just get this feeling he'd be into a an Irene look alike (not to be confused with an ulzzang or 얼짱) like a nice girl that is simplistic and doesn't wear too much makeup, wears nice clothes, and is very easy going. I feel like he cares alot about what his parents think, and that may influence his preference and standards. Considering how immensely supportive they were in his figure skating days, I feel like he has a strong bond with them and like most Asian men, they love their mothers very much and sometimes will tend to go with a woman if she has gained their mother's approval (not saying it's right but it is a thing people...) I can see Sunghoon (not necessarily being the type to rely solely on his parents approval) but i can see him being the type to really be attracted or want someone who is presentable and he feels comfortable to bring to his family. I feel like he comes from a very traditional upbringing and family background.

Heeseung:

So with Heeseung, i can see him being the type to date foreigners, but if it came to settling down in a very serious relationship (like marriage) i get this vibe that he'd most likely marry a korean woman. there is a sliver string of my gut instinct that thinks he'd consider or would marry a foreigner, but he'd be selective on the type of foreigner mainly because of the language barrier. basically, if she speaks english with some korean or is fluent, i think he'd be willing to make that work. Idk why, but again, most asian men love their mothers so much, and i feel like if there was a girl that had some minor attribute that reminded him of his mother (one that makes him nostalgic) like the sound of her voice when she says certain words, or the color of her hair, or the way she smiles, i feel like he really would cherish that since we know how much he loves his mother.

i feel like that heeseung wouldn't really care about looks so much. idk why, i just get this vibe that he might have preferences and some standards but it's pretty flexible. in fact, i actually see him as the type that eludes the 'less is good' aspect. so less makeup, less flashy clothes and jewelry, and i dont think he'd really care about plastic surgery but to be honest, i feel like he'd be the type to really appreciate a woman who is comfortable in her own skin and maybe only had some minor surgeries (like the common ones that they do with their eyes and nose, considering he himself has had some work done. lets be honest now) for some reason, i get this vibe that he'd be into an older girl, likes someone who is mature and carries a sense of classiness and sophistication that only comes with age (IU comes to mind alot whenever i think about this, like her personality).

I also think he'd like pale skin, but also would like a nice olive, tan complexion, and likes a girl with natural hair colors that compliments said complexion. i really do. and if they have a good personality, that pretty much seals the deal for him. someone who maybe looks like IU, Jisoo, Yuna, or even Danielle from new jeans (i know she's a minor, i'm not implicating anything, i'm just using her features as an example) fresh faced, and elegant type of beauty. as for foreigners, I could see him finding someone like Barbara Palvin, Kendall Jenner, Catriona Gray or Kaia Gerber (idk why but i get this vibe that he likes the mature and almost sexy type looks when it comes to foreigners) I feel like (again...imo) i feel like he has a soft spot for Filipina women because...well...Philippines is one of the top three countries that heavily supports kpop, has one of the largest fanbases for kpop, and he has alot of fans from there so i just think..yeah...he has a soft spot for them. if you're Filipina and carry some traits of Catriona Gray (whether its the hair, skin complexion, style, or the bold lips).....yeah...that's a done deal.

Jake:

I feel like Jake and HS are similar in their taste in women. And i also see him preferring korean women out of comfort, but if he met an english speaking woman that carried some or all of the attributes he likes, then he would be down (just like HS). I feel like he and HS are very very similar when it comes to their preferences and ideal types, so it's almost the same, and i also think he might be more attracted to an older girl, but if he met a young girl that carries the personality traits he likes (like that sophisticated and classy attitude) then he would eat that up. Idk why but when it comes to the legal line in enhypen, i see them liking the very mature types. I feel like Rose (looks wise) and Danielle (again, looks wise) are the types he is fond of, but i also think he has a wide variety when it comes to his preferences with foreign women. because so many foreign women are drop dead gorgeous (and i mean like...all over, every country has the most beautiful women i swear) i think the aspect of seeing a woman who is, again, comfortable in her own skin and hasn't had alot of surgiers (no slander against koreans but south korea is the plastic surgery capital of the world and it is very common over there) i feel like the members really find it refreshing when they see a woman who only enhances her looks with some simple makeup (and from what i've seen in all of the fans during these fansigns and fancalls....there are alot of beautiful girls out there, i dont know how these guys keep their cool...no wonder they get so flirtatious).

Like HS, he likes the simplistic types (no heavy makeup, no flashy or costumey looks, etc) as much as people love the ulzzang look, like karina, i really dont think the guys would be into that bc lets face it, those ulzzangs (while beautiful) have lots of makeup, filtering, and surgeries to achieve that look. again, less/simple = good. for the members, i feel like they prefer a simplistic and simple, elegant type of beauty and if you do wear makeup, wear flashy clothes, or get surgery, less is good. (in my opinion that's the vibe i get).

Jungwon:

I feel like Danielle (i know i used her for the third time now) but i feel like her image and features fits JW's type, also IU's visuals. I get this vibe he is more into Korean women, so that's why I feel like he'd be either into a full korean or maybe a half korean like Danielle or Somi before she dyed her hair and adapted the very bold makeup look. I personally think of him being very into the type that are (again) less is good, so simple makeup looks, loose jeans or sweat pants with hoodies and butterfly hair clips that pins your long hair on the back. I kind of get this vibe he's similar to Sunghoon in regards to splitting the personality and visual appearance down the middle, holding them both equal in value.

Sunoo:

So Sunoo is the only one where i don't get any vibes that he really cares too much about looks. If you look presentable, have some sense in fashion and have wide eyes, and an awesome personality, i feel like he'd be into you. if you're smart, know how to take care of yourself and can take care of him, if you're both a giver and taker, and know how to give back and remind him to take, i feel like he'd be really into that. Sunoo gives me humble vibes, i feel like he is a very humble person and would really like someone who is just the same, very humble and kind....super kind.

Niki:

Since this is SFW content, i'm going to include Niki. I get this vibe that Niki can find two appeals attractive. one being the cute appeal, if you have the very youthful and cute, soft look and appeal, he'll like that. but if you also have the very mature, sexy and fierce look, i think he'd like that too. the thing that will seal the deal is the personality, if you're personality is not to his liking, he wouldn't even entertain the idea of bonding. I personally get this feeling he's a little bit (just a tad bit) more into the cutesy appeal. I dont have any examples of real people to use for Niki since i dont really put too much thought into him (for obvious reasons) but i will say that I can see him being heavily reliant on looks because he is at the age where young men are starstruck by visuals, and i do think since he has fame (and ever since i've known about enhypen, he seems to be the most popular of the group...there's something about the youngest in each group that gets people fanatic about them) i think he is cocky (not in a bad way) and is obviously not at all serious about anything other than his career (which is understandable since he is still so young.)

[princess-of-the-corner]

What are the trio's backstories for No Fate?

Ohohoho!

Honestly they're mostly what you'd expect BUT also because they have some weird powers and Know More Than They Should, they're little fuckin cryptids.

Zelda:

Born as Princess of Hyrule, of course.

Her parents don't exactly notice how odd she is, but the castle staff do. Because, thanks to remembering her past life, she knows too much.

She'll overhear two maids discussing one's sick kid that hasn't been able to get better, and immediately say 'oh that sounds like this one rare illness I...... read about. You should take him to a Zora doctor they know what to do!' and the maid is so stressed and desperate she tries anything and yep that worked kid is running around again.

She'll sneak into Guard's rooms and see the Captain looking over a map, and point out the flaw in his strategy and a way around it.

Impa is her bodyguard once again. She isn't shocked when Zelda begs her to teach her different fighting techniques. She is shocked, however, when Zelda masters the techniques far too quickly.

Zelda's parent's aren't.... I wouldn't say 'neglectful', exactly, They spend time with her. But they very much want her to be their carefree little girl for as long as possible. The Kingdom is at peace, she doesn't need to spend her childhood in boring political meetings. Why doesn't she play with that nice boy from the market?

Zelda is patient, at first. Despite knowledge beyond her years, she needs to know the current state of affairs. She needs to be an age where she is taken seriously. But eventually she started taking manners into her own hands. And when a 12 year old princess orders people around with such authority in her voice, you don't question it. Her ideas are good and her strategies are solid.

Her parents relented, if only because there's little danger at the moment. Hyrule is in an era of peace! Sure there's a few monsters out and about in the wild, but nothing their guard can't handle! If she's really so intent on going out and helping people as their Princess, they'd much rather keep track of her.

(They may be compliant, but Zelda knows. She knows she is Here and she knows coming back Means Something. Her parents might not believe her, after all it's tradition to name the princess 'Zelda' surely their daughter is not a true reincarnation. But she knows better. And she has to be ready for anything that may come.)

Link:

His home is in a farm town just a little away from the castle. He would often go with his parents to sell things at the castletown market.

So many kids are named after the Hero. Most of them go through a phase where they believe they truly are the Hero. So no one really takes him seriously when he insists he is. But sure! Teach the kid how to swordfight! He's big enough for the practice blades!

Except he picks up the skill a bit too quickly. Though his body does not have the muscle memory(or the muscle), the mind remembers. Any monsters that attack react strangely to him (they may not know him, but they see it in his eyes. Some run. Some see it as a challenge.).

Due to this, it also surprises people when they find him asleep everywhere. Fallen out of bed, tucked up in the branches of a tree, spooking the poor librarian trying to put books away by being on the top shelf.

He also seems to see and hear more than others. Local Spirits talk to him. Give warnings and advice and of course gossip. They don't question when he seems to nod along to what a tree is saying.

He meets Zelda in the market when they're kids. And they Know who the other is on sight. After that they're near inseparable.

Ganondorf:

Quite a normal childhood.

I will note that I'm adjusting the whole 'every 100 years a male Gerudo is born and he's the King' thing. Handwaving it as mistranslation. Gerudo men are rare, so 'every 100 years' is a metaphor like 'once in a blue moon'. They are not named King by default. The default line of succession is through parent to oldest child, but someone can challenge the heir and become the leader.

In this Time he's born to the current Chief, though he is not her heir as I'm yeeting Urbosa in as an older sister. And Riju as a little sister. Because I can lmao.

Gan is aware of what he is. So was his mother. But his mother was a good mother. Even knowing what he may become, she wasn't going to give up on him. She's going to do the best she fucking can. That's her son and she will not leave him.

It doesn't keep her from worrying. When he, like the other two, seems to know too much and learn skills too quickly. She grows more concerned when old 'habits' pop up, his instincts to take people down as the Demon King. A mother scolding her child and explaining why we don't get brutal in friendly spars goes a long way.

[taito-division]

Welcome to the first annual Mr. and Mrs. HypMic Couples' Pageant!

Provided to you by the Chuohku Ward and Party of Words.

Sponsored by Sigma Inc., Toi Pharmaceutical, Wonder⇓anD Sound Systems, and E.L. Medical Co.

Following the success of both the Miss and Mr. HypMic Beauty Pageants, the Party of Words decided that, in order to get the citizens of Japan into the festive and loving mood of the upcoming Valentine's Day holiday, to implement the newly created Mr. and Mrs. HypMic Couples' Pageant. Much like the previous pageants, which showcased the features, talents and personalities of the men and women of various divisions, the Couples' Pageant seeks to combine the these features of both men and women who have formed a cohesive unit in order to take the competition by storm. The couples who participant will prove that not only is love still truly alive in Japan and today's world, but also serve as inspirations that anyone can find romance if they search long and hard enough.

Note: Each Round will begin with a starting post in which our contestants have a time limit of 1 hour to prepare themselves until it’s time for them to go on stage (aka, making a post on their respective blogs), then a poll will be conducted and open for a limited time before closing. At the final round, all the votes will be grouped together and the one who has the most will be crowned this year's "HypMic Couple"!

Round 1 — Fashion Contest ('Opposite Day')

To kick things off in the first round, we'll be starting with a traditional fashion contest! After all, it wouldn't be a pageant if the contestants stayed in their same old attire for the entire of the show. However, there's a twist! You see, for a couple to truly thrive, especially in today's world, it's important for their partner to understand them, both inside and out. Therefore, the couple will be dressing up as their as partner, taking their style of dress and making it their own! Points will be given based on how accurate the attire is to their partner's style, and whether it works.

Round 2 — Talent Show

That's right, for the second round, we're bringing back an 'oldie but a goodie': a good ole' fashioned talent contest! After all, no pageant would be complete without the contestants showing off some of their unique and original skills. But, there's a twist! This is a Couples' Pageant, after all! Therefore, the couples will have to put their individual skills and talents together to create something truly unique and spectacular! Points will given for innovation of the talents presented, and how unique they are. (Note: You don’t necessarily have to write down what talent your OCs have in full detail, a picture or video will work just fine!)

Round 3 — Fashion Contest ('Cosplay Round')

Yup, it's another fashion round! This time, our contestants will be choosing a specific couple of their choosing from the billions of other couples send in the media. These can include, but are not limited to: movies, TV shows, books of fiction, etc. The couples will be judged by how accurate their outfits and personalities/mannerisms are to the couple that they chose. We cannot see what our couples have in store!

Round 4 — Duet Singing

Yup, it's another 'oldie but a goodie': a good ole' fashion singing contest! The contestants will choose a song featuring two or more singers and will do a cover of that song on stage in front of a real-life studio audience, as well as the millions of viewers watching across all of Japan! Judging will be based by the song that the contestants chose, and how large a part each contestant had for their chosen song. So some friendly advice for our couples: be sure to give the song you choose some real, careful thinking!

Round 5 — Fashion Contest ('Prom Night')

Our final round for the pageant will consist of, you guessed it, another fashion contest! The theme for this round is 'prom night'! That's right! Our couples will be going back to their teenage years (unless they already are teenagers) and dressing up for that special night that comes, perhaps, only once in a lifetime. Judging will be based on the couples' outfits, and whether they match or not. No expense has been spared for this part of the contest, so feel free to dress as extravagant and fabulous as you possibly can!

Lastly to wrap up this pageant, the ladies of Chuohku have graciously allowed the couples to use the Tokyo Dome for an-all night prom, where all of the contestants and more will be allowed to dance the night away! Give it up for our gracious hosts, the Party of Words!

I believe that’s all there is to it! We hope you are excited and looking forward to the competition which will be broadcasted to the entirety of Japan! For those of you watching at home, make sure to tag your PROFILE with the tag #mr. and mrs. hypmic 2024! We wish you a very good day!

To kick off the event, here’s a special performance featuring an unreleased track created by the one of the music producers for this event, the one, the only, DJ Overdrive!

‘Giants'

Preformed by:

Rashaad "Straight Up" Young

Mireya "Gypsy" Quinlan

Reika "Belladonna" Aichi

Moriko "Canopus" Himawari

Aiko "Overdrive" Mayeda

[lemonhemlock]

What are your favorite fragrances? Apart from fragrances what is your favorite smell (can be a dessert or food or rain or anything!) Do you like scented candles or wax melts? Do you prefer more manly colognes or perfumes? What scents do you prefer on men? Do you prefer your lotions (if you use) to be scented? Do you like hair scent sprays? Do you have a favorite scent you wear every day?

ok!!!! you came to the right place 😂

What are your favorite fragrances? Do you have a favorite scent you wear every day?

i love so many different manners of smells that i could not possibly have one single fragrance i wear everyday. i would say that, historically, my designated favourites have been miss dior cherie (RIP this one, i really loved it when i was a young girl. funnily enough i don't remember it being a gourmand, i just remember a sparkly, fruity rose), dior poison (so edgy of me LOL but i've always loved the 90s plum/berries and the iris powdery lipstick smell), ysl opium (still a staple when it comes to spicy perfumes) & diorissimo (basically every white flower you can imagine).

Apart from fragrances what is your favorite smell (can be a dessert or food or rain or anything!)

lavender. i'm obsessed with it. the soapy, clean kind. it's just so comforting. also clean musk scents that mimic fresh laundry. i have a couple & can't get enough of them. i've decided that this scent profile is what brat summer smells like 😂 also another one that's similar would be paco rabanne - olympea because it's fresh and clean but it has a cool salty, marine kick to it that's unexpected. i used up both my ysl libre & olympea dupes this summer. (another thing about me is that i love a good dupe, i'm not going broke bc of this hobby. i do not care for the IP of multi-million dollar corporations so don't @ me)

Do you like scented candles or wax melts?

yes! i would be betraying my white womanhood if i said no! 😂 my bf & i are planning on finishing some because we've accummulated quite a few and there's no space for new ones. pumpkin, lemon cake, biscuit, deep dark roses, lavender, a saltier fresh one, a couple of autumn apple ones..............

Do you prefer more manly colognes or perfumes?

not really, no. i think men's fragrances often smell very boring. most of them are 'nice' i guess, but ultimately very boring and lacking nuance. citrus, conifers etc. ultimately it is kind of a dumb idea to gender smells but i'm not really interested in "smelling like a man" in the traditional understanding of the concept. that being said, there are a couple of male-targeted perfumes i would purchase for myself and wear: egoiste by chanel (smells like cough syrup!), dior homme (that powdery lipstick smell i mentioned), dior fahrenheit (gasoline, violets, vanilla?? it's been a while since i smelt it). my dad is a big fan of jean paul gaultier le male and i have to say, the wormwood note intrigues me (it's a component of absinthe) + the lavender and cardamom. as classic male ingredients, i'm a fan of cedar and vetiver, too (idk if patchouli should be in this category as well)

What scents do you prefer on men?

unusual ones! ones that you wouldn't really expect a man to wear! my bf & i sampled habit rouge by guerlain this sunday in sephora and it wore really well on him! so did my baccarat rouge dupe. boozy perfumes are always a hit - surprisingly, in this category, the BENTLEY for men has a really cool rum note and is basically unisex. i know tom ford is overrated and overpriced, but i would be lying if i said i didn't stan. i love so many from their collection, both on me and on my bf: velvet orchid, tobacco vanille, ombre leather, bitter peach (this last one is irresistible). the lost cherry fragrances may be flat and not super complex, but if you LOVE smelling different versions of cherry like i do, you won't need anything else. that almond smell is just mouth-watering i'm sorry

other perfumes from my bf's collection i love are deep forest and red tobacco from mancera, no limits by philipp plein (the bottle looks ridiculous but it smells like sage and that's not really a common note) and patchouli on fire by afnan

Do you prefer your lotions (if you use) to be scented?

yes, absolutely! i'm not a body lotion person (i find it a hassle to keep rubbing them on such a large surface) but who doesn't love a nicely-scented hand cream? i'm not super pretentious here, as long as it absorbs quickly (not a fan of the sticky leftover feel) and it smells "nice", i'm good! love a classic blue container nivea smell

Do you like hair scent sprays?

i like the concept of hair sprays but i have curly/wavy hair and it's not good for me if it has alcohol bc it dries out the curls and ruins the texture so idk. can't say i have tried any

to wrap it up, i also love gourmands in general 😂 i've been working on finishing some bottles to make space for britney spears - fantasy & midnight fantasy - i had them when i was younger and i want to repurchase them out of nostalgia - they're great & smelling like a cupcake is an underrated slay

my dream is to find a lactonic perfume that doesn't break the bank

[beawritingbooks]

Ronance (Robin and Nancy ship) headcanons?

You probably won't like this, but I do not ship Robin & Nancy. I think that they could become friends, mainly because they will have formed a trauma bond, but I don't see them ever becoming a romantic item.

I actually hc Nancy as a heterosexual/aromantic person. Like, I think she enjoys sex with men, but she often seems annoyed with her partners the second she has to commit to and engage in a long-term romantic relationship with them.

Imo, I think that Nancy is a rocket ship, and the men she chooses to date weigh her down.

Jonathan doesn't want to rock the boat at all, because after a lifetime of struggling he wants things to be stable and predictable. Steve, who seems lonely, wants something far too traditional and crowded for Nancy's tastes.

I truly think with her intelligence and determination that, if she'd set out on her own in university, she'd take off and reach heights that Jonathan and Steve don't really want to reach.

Also, even if I saw Nancy and Robin as a potential couple, they wouldn't work out.

Here is my reasoning: you NEVER fuck your friends' exes.

You just don't. I don't care if your friends say that they're cool with it, either. It's a conflict of interest and a betrayal.

For context, I'm going to share a piece of my lore with you.

In high school, a friend of mine got together with my ex & she and I stopped being friends after that.

Here is the thing, I was not in to my ex at all any more. He cheated on me. The second I found out, every single feeling I had for him instantly died because I realized that he wasn't the guy that I thought he was.

So, I washed my hands of him. Good riddance to bad rubbish, and all that.

Then, a few weeks later at a party, my friend publicly confessed to me that she liked my ex, and she even asked me if she could officially date him (meaning that she had already been flirting, sexting, & unofficially dating him since a little after he and I parted ways).

She knew I couldn't say "no" either in that setting, or I'd be seen as the bad guy that didn't want two single people to be happy together.

Now, here is the thing, I wasn't upset about him liking her, or even her liking him. They were both attractive people, and they could both be charming & likable when they wanted to be. So, it wasn't like I couldn't understand why they'd be in to one another.

What I was upset about was that my friendship with her meant so little to her that she'd want to be with someone that hurt me.

That's where the betrayal came in.

She pursued and prioritized a relationship with a person that hurt me so deeply, and I could never look at her the same way or trust her again after that. The reason for that is because no true friend could/would do that to someone that they cared about.

So...to sum up, due to the fact that Steve and Robin are platonic soulmates, and with my belief that soulmates wouldn't hurt one another in such a manner, that's why I can never ship romantic Ronance or even see it working out long-term.