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s1utspeare · 4 years ago

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DMBJ Characters as Shakespeare Leads

I got into it in the notes of a moonfall echo post and now I’m going insane about what Shakespeare Characters each DMBJ person vibes the most with who do I blame for this

ANYWAY WELCOME TO MY LATEST NONSENSE THESE ARE MY PERSONAL OPINIONS AND ALSO BASED ENTIRELY ON VIBES ALONE

WU XIE as VIOLA from Twelfth Night

okay bear with me, I know this is a strong one coming right out the gate. But the GAY ENERGY. the ATTEMPTING TO BE SOMEONE THEY’RE NOT ALL THE TIME. the sheer amount of LOVE INSIDE. also this bitch spends SO much time in the series dressed up as other people like??? mans loves cosplaying except the cosplay is for Life and Death Situations. also the love triangles are hilarious. plus they’re both cute and gay and i love them

ZHANG QILING as CORIOLANUS from Coriolanus

did i choose these two because they’re arguably the hottest characters in each of their canon? maybe. also Cori Boy is the only one violent enough to even come CLOSE to xiao-ge’s deadly energy. I could have done Hamlet, who is the only other real Shakespearian swordsman, but Hamlet talks too much. also something about the desperation and side-switching that appeals to me. OH THEY BOTH HAVE GOOD TITS yeah that’s a good reason too

WANG PANGZI as THE FOOL from King Lear

okay before any of you come for me in the notes, the Fool is arguably the greatest Shakespearean character. They’re only CALLED the Fool cause it’s their job, but actually they’re the only one with any braincells in the play. Both start out as the archetypal comic relief character and then become the heart and soul of the story. The Fool makes a bunch of jokes and also prophesies the end and possibly is magic?? who’s to say. But anyway Pangzi also does all of those things and I feel like he should get to wear a funny hat. plus the Fool just has to deal with idiots trying to take his job by being clowns for free, and Pangzi can relate to that energy I think

LIU SANG as ARIEL from The Tempest

If it weren’t for just the SHEER amount of creepy magical energy they both exude, it’s the loyalty and sacrifice that does it for me. Not only are they both Ethereal Beings, there’s also a lot of sound ties to Ariel in The Tempest, so like it checks out. Plus they both Crouch. Also I just want Liu Sang to be able to smite some bitches sometimes. That would be good for him (it’s NOT because they’re both my favorite characters IT’S NOT)

Bai Haotian as Puck from A Midsummer Night’s Dream

So this is not only because i have a thing for casting women as Puck, but also because they fit so well together!! like. they both have crushes on people they perceive to be in authority! they both like being helpful! they both should get to be a little feral and also do magic! like Xiao Bai would be SUCH a cute Puck and if Wu Xie weren’t such a dumbass he’d make a good Oberon but alas. He is a Dumbass. so Xiao Bai is Puck but Wu Xie doesn’t get to be in Midsummer because he is simultaneously Too Dumb and Not Dumb Enough.

LI CU as PRINCE HAL from Henry IV Part I

sorry for more Tom Hiddleston pics but he’s genuinely like the best Shakespearian actor I’ve ever seen, and he’s done it all. Anyway Li Cu is Hal but specifically Hal from Part I because Part II isn’t as good and Hal is basically Dead when we get to Henry V so it has to be Part I. Anyway. Troubled youth who doesn’t want to do what his father wants so he basically gets kidnapped and raised by an older man who is full of Trickery and also Witty Remarks? The Best Friends Trios? The evolution into a Hero in Their Own Right? These guys are perfect for each other. Also I go feral about both of them at any given moment

A-NING as LADY MACBETH from Macbeth

YES I used A-Ning from Time Raiders because I think she’s the hottest version of A-Ning WHAT ABOUT IT. Anyway A-Ning could be no one other than the scheming girlboss Lady Macbeth. They’re both Morally Ambiguous but Fuck they look so good doing it. Can And Will manipulate literally any man into doing what they want. Su Nan was also a contender for Lady Macbeth because she resonates very strongly with the “Out, damned spot!” monologue, but she respects authority too much. A-Ning would not hesitate to kill the bitchass king of Scotland so that her family could ascend to the throne and I love that for her

ZHANG DADDY RISHAN as HAMLET from Hamlet

OKAY BEFORE ANYONE SAYS “brigid i know u chose them because ur a simp for zhang daddy rishan and ur a simp for hamlet stop being so predictable” LITERALLY NO ONE ELSE COULD DO IT THO??? LIKE??? ok they both are setting their life purpose on the bedrock of an older mentor figure’s death... they both have to deal with conspirators trying to usurp them... both the Ultimate Tragic Hero and Make Me Cry Every Damn Day... both are torn away from their nerd boyfriends by death... they both live in my head rent free... I know Zhang Daddy Rishan does not talk as much as Hammie Boy but I 100% think that there’s a CONSTANT monologue going on in his head at all times. Also the Am I A Coward speech? That’s our Daddy Rishan to the MAX. No one look at me or im gonna start making picsets of him with Hamlet quotes superimposed over it I swear to GOD

and finally....

WU SANXING as IAGO from Othello

Not only does this picture from the NTL production of Othello represent what I want to do to Sanshu every time I see him onscreen, but these bitches are two of The Fakest Hos I have ever come across. It’s a love-hate relationship with them most of the time; you hate them for what they’re doing to the heroes, but they’re so good at the Trickery that you can’t help but admire them for it a little bit. They can, have, and will sell their family members for a single Lick of Power and Wealth. And yeah, you could MAKE an argument for them to be Good or at the very least Morally Ambiguous but they’re both giant dicks and deep down in our hearts we all know it.

#so welcome to my hell #it's an ambiguous amalgamation of all of my interests and they only sort of interlap #anyway i have a lot of feelings about Shakespeare and a lot of feelings about DMBJ #if u have any questions or would like me to assign a different character a Shakespeare-sona #or would like me to assign YOU a Shakespeare-sona #please drop by my ask box #thank u and goodnight #dmbj #dmemebj #the lost tomb #billy shakes #i did not have to do this and yet

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assembledherethevolunteers · 4 years ago

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Request 4

A/N: Hi, everybody! This was supposed to come out…a long time ago, but a friend of mine’s grandmother passed and she was not doing well and then I wasn’t doing well for a couple different reasons…BUT! I am back. This request came from @sydi22. They actually requested 2 with Ben and we decided to combine them. (They requested Ben and reader finding out that she’s pregnant on Christmas morning and the two of them hiding the fact they had twins and everybody coming over and finding out) I hope they and everybody enjoy this!

Pairing: Ben Hardy x female!Reader

Summary: Christmas morning with your husband doesn’t quite go as planned.

Warnings: Cursing, Mentions of sexy time, Mentions of Pregnancy/Complications getting pregnant, Fluff

Taglist: @queenlover05 @zodiacaldust

You could hear you husband milling about the apartment, every now and then saying something to Frankie.

You always loved the way he talked to her, it always made your heart melt a little. You slipped into your dress, which felt a bit tight, but you suspect as much since you hadn’t been to the gym lately. You reached back to zip up your dress, but it seemed to be stuck. You pulled on it tighter, just trying to get the dressed zipped, when you realized you couldn’t breathe. Not well, anyway.

You sighed, knowing that this would lead to some teasing from Ben, and called for him.

“Yes, love?” Ben asked, walking into the room with Frankie on his heels.

“Can you help me get zipped?”

Ben gave you a smirk, but didn’t say anything as you turned around. He took his time, running his hands up your back to where the zipper was stuck. Once one of his hands found the zipper, his other found your ass.

“As much as I would love to take time and enjoy this, your mother will kill us if we’re late to church, so we sort of need to speed this up.”

“I can be fast,” Ben gave you a squeeze.

“Oh, trust me, I know.”

“Rude,” Ben muttered as he tried to zip up your dress. “Um…sweetheart?”

You knew what he was going to say, but still didn’t want to hear it. “What?”

“I er…it’s not…going up. I think it’s…”

“It doesn’t fit does it?”

“I don’t think so, love,” Ben muttered, but pressed a kiss to the side of your neck for comfort.

“Shit,” you sighed. “Well, that’s what I get for not taking care of myself,” you felt tears come to your eyes. You knew it was stupid and it didn’t really matter how you looked, but it still hurt a bit.

“Why don’t you wear that dress you wore to Gwil’s Christmas party? That one was nice.”

“Nice enough for church?” You turned to look at him and raised an eyebrow. Your in-laws were usually pretty laid back, but Ben’s grandmother was…not. At least not when it came to major church holidays.

“Whatever you wear will be fine, but we really do need to get going,” Ben started to unzip your dress.

You huffed and stepped out of the dress as Ben sat on the bed, watching you. He watched you curiously more than anything else.

“Is there a reason you’re looking at me like that?”

“I can’t enjoy watching my wife half naked?”

“You can,” you replied, walking over to your closet. “You just usually have a different look on your face.”

“I was just enjoying the view.”

You hummed at him in response and grabbed the other dress off the hanger.

“Also,” Ben continued. “I was just thinking about some things.”

“Such as?” You stepped into the dress.

“Well, you’ve been rather tired lately, and you’ve been eating a bit more.”

You turned to Ben and stared at him. Waiting for him to continue, but you didn’t say anything.

“A…and…well,” Ben cleared his throat, now seemingly embarrassed. “Now your dress isn’t fitting right and…I just…I’m thinking that…maybe it’s time to check again.”

You closed your eyes, “Ben,” you sighed.

“I know, I know,” Ben stood up and walked over to you. “But we haven’t checked for a while and…” Ben took one of your hands and started playing with your fingers. “It’s not like we’ve been super careful or anything.”

You wrapped your arms around Ben’s neck, and he wrapped his around your waist. “I know, but I just…I don’t think I’m ready yet.”

You and Ben had tried to get pregnant for the last two years but stopped trying because you’d both gotten frustrated with the process, and eventually each other. You’d stopped trying around June and started working on your relationship again. It had been great, but neither of you had brought it up since then, even though you both knew it was something the other still wanted.

“I understand,” Ben kissed your forehead. The two of you stood, holding each other, until Ben spoke up again. “We should really get going. My mum is going to be angry if we’re late again.”

The two of you made your way to the church, with just enough time to find your seats before everything started. You were sandwiched between your mother-in-law and husband and your mind started to wander.

What if you were pregnant? Ben had brought up some good points. You had barely had any energy lately when you got home from work, but you had chalked that up to the holidays coming around and it being the time of year where you just got more tired. You also had been hungrier, but again, you just thought it was not getting out and just mindlessly eating. Maybe you should take the test again. Maybe…

“Y/N,” your mother-in-law whispered. “Are you okay?”

You blinked and turned to look at her, but realized she was standing, and you were supposed to be too. You quickly stood up and recited the prayers with everyone else.

The rest of the service passed without incident, but you still couldn’t get the thought off your mind.

The remainder of the night was spent at Ben’s grandmother’s house. The family exchanged gifts, and ate, everybody enjoying themselves.

“Y/N, come here, dear,” Ben’s grandmother called to you from the living room.

You’d been in the kitchen with your mother-in-law, sipping on wine. You walked into the living room, your glass in hand, and sat next to Ben’s grandmother on the couch.

“I don’t know if you should be doing that,” she nodded at the wine glass.

“Oh,” you ducked your head, embarrassed. “Well, Ben’s driving home so…”

“Oh no, I wasn’t talking about that. I just meant that drinking while pregnant is not advised.”

You nearly dropped your glass as she fixed you with a sly smile.

“Did you think I didn’t notice? I was waiting for the two of you to say something at dinner, but neither of you spoke up.”

“Well, if I’m being honest, w…we’re not sure about it, yet. I haven’t taken a test or anything.”

“I would suggest it,” she simply shrugged, but the grin on her face never changed.

“And just what are the two of you whispering about in here?” Ben poked his head into the living room.

She bated at the air as if to shoo Ben away. “Oh nothing, but I’m about to ask all of you to leave. I’m old and I’m tired.”

Ben rolled his eyes with a smile. “Nan, you’re not that old.”

“Well, I am about to be a great…”

You jumped up on your feet, cutting her off. “She’s right though, Ben. We should get going. We’ve been here nearly five hours, not counting church.”

Ben looked between the two of you. “You alright?”

“Yes, but let’s just get going.”

The two of you said your goodbyes to Ben’s family before leaving in the house. As you drove past a pharmacy, you told Ben to stop.

“Um…sure, why?” Ben pulled into the parking lot.

“I just…want to grab something. I’ll be right back.”

Ben gave you a strange look before you ran inside. You picked up a pregnancy test and stared at if for a bit before finally walked up to the front to buy it.

You walked back out to the car, hiding your purchase in your purse and Ben looked up from his phone. “Are you going to tell me what that was about?”

“No, not yet,” you replied, putting on your seat belt.

“Alright then, keep your secrets,” Ben told you as he started up the car. “The boys say Merry Christmas, by the way.”

“Aw, how are the boys?”

The two of you drove back to the house, talking about possibly taking a trip to the states to see them once the two of you had time.

Once you made it back home, you and Ben went inside. He started to change but you went into the bathroom. You took the test and waited.

Ben knocked on the door. “Sweetheart, can I come in?”

“Not yet!” You still had another minute on your timer before the test was done. You heard Ben mutter something through the door, but he didn’t come in.

Your phone buzzed and you took a deep breath before looking at the test.

‘Pregnant’. You read it three times just to make sure. And after you made sure, your eyes started to tear up.

“B..Ben?!” You yelled. “You can come in now!”

Ben walked into the bathroom, raising an eyebrow at you.

“So, I…I think…um…your grandmother…” You stumbled around, trying to find the right words to say before you finally just handed him the test.

Ben took it from you and stared at it for a few moments before he looked up at you, tearing up. “Are you sure?”

“I mean, we can’t be sure until I go to a doctor but…”

Ben cut you off by pulling you into a close, tight hug. You buried your head in his chest and tried not to cry.

“I love you so much,” Ben whispered in your ear.

You let out a chuckle before you looked up at him. He was staring at you with such a loving look that you felt like your heart was going to explode. You leaned up and pressed your lips to his.

“I love you too.”

10 MONTHS LATER

“Don’t you want to eat, sweetheart?” Ben murmured at your daughter as he tried to give her a bottle again. She would start to eat, but then she would turn her head and whine. “Look, your brother is eating.” Ben nodded at you, holding your son as he was sucking down the bottle you were giving him.

“She did eat more than him at breakfast,” you replied, not taking your eyes off your son. He had his big blue/green eyes open staring at you. It made your heart want to explode how much he looked like his father. Your daughter had gotten Ben’s blonde hair, but other than that looked like you. You loved her just as much.

It had been a huge shock that you were having twins. So much of a shock that most of your friends didn’t actually know. The two of you had decided to keep a low profile about most of the pregnancy, including the birth, only letting people on social media know that everybody was doing great. The only ones that knew were your parents and siblings.

You glimpse over at Ben holding Lily. He was staring down at her like she was the center of his whole universe. You felt your eyes tear up seeing your husband and daughter just staring at each other and quickly tried to stop. You looked back down at Logan in your arms but that didn’t help the tears.

“So she doesn’t need this whole thing?” Ben held up a bottle, shooting a look to you. “Oh, love, what’s the matter?”

“Nothing, nothing,” you sniffled, not meeting Ben’s eyes. “Just left over hormones, you know.”

Ben chuckled under his breath and walked over to you. He pressed a kiss to your temple. “I love you too.”

You laughed a bit before glancing up at him. “We should get ready. I think that mad lot will get here soon.”

Ben offered to get the babies dressed so that you could take a shower to get ready. You couldn’t have asked for a better partner through everything. Ben had been so attentive through your pregnancy and now that you were home, he was always the one that got up if one or both the babies were crying or needed a late night feeding.

After a much needed shower, you came out to see Ben on the bed, just watching the twins sleeping.

“I can’t believe you just…gave birth to them,” Ben whispered to you. “They were inside your body not even a month ago and now here they are.”

You smiled a bit before walking over to the bed. “I know, I’m amazing, but.”

Ben grabbed your arm and looked up at you. “No, you really are,” Ben kissed your hand.

You bit your bottom lip, trying your best not to cry again. Damn these hormones.

“You should get ready. Everybody will probably be here soon.”

Nearly an hour later, your doorbell rang. You and Ben were sitting on the couch, the twins were in their swings, still sleeping.

“You should get the door,” you told Ben. “I think they love you more than me.”

“I know for a fact that’s not true,” Ben gave you a kiss before he got up to answer the door. “Well, hell…OOF!”

“BEN! IT’S BEEN TOO LONG! I ALMOST FORGOT WHAT YOU LOOKED LIKE!” You heard Joe Mazzello’s voice carry through your flat. You then heard a twinkling laugh along with some other ones.

“Who let you out in public, Joe?” Another familiar voice, belonging to Brian May asked.

You laughed along with everybody else and noticed that the twins’ eyes were now open. They weren’t upset, just sort of looking around, trying to find the source of the noise.

“Now, where is that baby of yours?” Roger Taylor’s voice seemed to be getting closer.

Everybody then walked into the living room. You stood up, ready for hugs and hellos.

You gave hugs to Gwil, Joe, Rami, Roger, and Brian. They all asked how you were and how things were going with motherhood.

“Um…guys?” Joe’s voice had a tinge of fake concern. “Does the hospital know that you have two of them?”

Everybody’s attention finally turned towards the babies.

“Well, no, we just got the one but the other was so cute we took them too,” you laughed.

“Oh, Y/N, congratulations!” Brian pulled you into another hug.

“Thank you, now who wants to hold them?”

Roger picked up Logan, not needing any more of an invitation and introducing himself as his “fake grandfather”.

Rami and Joe played Rock, Paper, Scissors to see who would get to hold Lily first. Rami won and gently picked her up, staring at her like he might break her.

“Does anybody want anything to drink?” Ben offered before making his way into the kitchen, Brian going with him to help carry the drinks in.

“So, Y/N,” Gwil asked. “How’s Ben at being a father?”

You looked over at Ben, laughing at something Brian had said as he filled a glass with water.

“He’s absolutely wonderful.”

The rest of the afternoon, you, Ben, and everybody else had a great time catching up. You hadn’t seen most of them since you’d been pregnant, especially Joe and Rami.

Joe was in the middle of a story, holding Logan, when Lily made noise in Brian’s arms.

“Oh, she’s probably finally hungry,” Ben offered to take her.

Brian tutted and asked if she had a bottle. Ben got up to get it ready for her.

That was the moment you took in what was really going on. You had literal rock stars and movie stars fawning over your babies. How crazy had your life become?

Ben came back with the bottle, handed it to Brian, and then sat next to you. You took his hand and gave it a squeeze. Ben looked at you with a smile.

You supposed you wouldn’t exchange your crazy life for anything.

#ben hardy #ben hardy x y/n #ben hardy x reader #ben hardy x female reader #ben hardy fanfic #ben hardy fanfiction #bohemian rhapsody #bohrap #bohemian rapsody cast #bohemian rhapsody cast #dad!ben #krissys writings

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bluinary · 5 years ago

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gag anime that you need to watch maybe

hi hello my name is juli and i will now gently guide ur attention to some top-notch shows, please pay attanetion

(this list is for people who don’t watch much anime or who are new to it. if ur a fucken weeb youve probably seen it all. dont @ me i want to help the kids)

ONE PUNCH MAN (the obvious 1st choice lol)

Genre: Action/ Shounen

Expectation: OP protagonist with riveting backstory fights to become the strongest hero, makes many friends along the way who recognize his talents and pure heart, big bad scary villains make him stronger

Reality: OP protagonist is already the strongest hero. His backstory? After fighting a lobster-man with nipples drawn on him with a Sharpie, Saitama decides to do a workout routine every day, and somehow ends up becoming the most powerful known being in the universe. His main issue is that now, he literally can take down any villain with a single punch, and he’s very bored of it.

Best Qualities: Animation is bomb, music is dope, humor is funnie, and Best Boy is a man whose superpower is riding a bicycle. Also Saitama egg head

If you were in a coma for all of 2015, this is the main thing u missed. Moving on.

Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun (Monthly Girls’ Nozaki)

Genre: Romance/ Comedy/ Slice of Life

Expectation: Smol shoujo protag girl grows closer to her oblivious crush through a fated, if awkward, incident which reveals an embarrassing secret that has to be kept at all costs. Through one another they gain more quirky friends, help each other grow, and, eventually, the male lead realizes that what he needs has been beside him all along.

Reality: The crush writes romance manga, and that is literally all the man cares about. It’s not a secret, but when he told people they didn’t believe him. Nozaki and Sakura grow closer, but only because he confuses her confession with a request to be his Beta. They gain quirky friends through one another, but there is zero character development throughout the entire fucking cast. Every episode is run by Idiot Plot. All the characters share a singular brain cell. There’s a tall butch lady turning every girl in the school gay. Please watch

Best Quali-teas: Everyone is baby, lots of gay shenanigans, and toxic masculinity does not exist, the OP is pretty nice, too

I literally heard about this damn show, like, two months ago. This shit was released circa 2015. Pleeze watch

The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. / Saiki Kusuo no Psi Nan

Genre: Shounen/ Supernatural/ Fucking Everything tbh

Expectation: Slice-of-life supernatural where protag has psychic powers, albeit limited ones, and has to keep them a secret at all costs for fear of his safety. He has a few friends he loves and cherishes, and at least two girls who are in love with him that he has to choose between-- all of which are people he wants to protect from his double-life.

Reality: Kusuo is very aware that he is the protagonist of an anime, and he does not want to be. Born with pink hair? He rewrites the human genome to make colored hair normal. End of the world looming? He just keeps rewinding time so he doesn’t have to deal with it. Harem situation? He actively uses his powers to avoid all love interests at all times (see the above). The plot of each episode is him trying to stop the plot as quickly as possible without killing anyone. The main issue is that everyone around him is either dumb or just generally attractive to plot-driving circumstances, and they all, for some reason, want him to be in on their adventures.

Best Qualities: Heavy “me and the boys” energy, plenty of Idiot Plot, so funny that my 47yo mom who hates anime admitted that it’s funny, meta as fuck, occasionally sweet scenes, equally good dub and sub, Saiki is babie

The fandom for this shit is like. Nonexistent. Apparently it came out the same season as Mob Psycho 100, so that might be why. I almost didn’t watch it, but I got bored and it turned out to be a serious gem. Go watch if ur having a bad day, it will make u cry laughing

Sakamoto Desu Ga/ Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto

Genre: Slice of life/ Comedy

Expectation: God I don’t even know. I’d say a typical slice of life where the quiet kid is bullied but makes friends, there’s a love triangle as they grow up together through high school, yadda yadda, but look at this dude. I can’t imagine him being anything other than what he is-- a legend.

Reality: The entire show is just a question of how extra one man can be, and how well he can pull it off. Sakamoto is an “average” high school senior (in the sense that he has no supernatural abilities), but he’s....far more than that. He’s Sebastian Michaelis if he’d never been a demon. Everything always works out for him in the most ridiculous of ways-- he’s just that good. He makes a McDonald’s uniform look like Prada. He’s so smooth his bully ends up having a crush on him (and yes, it is a gay crush. no heteros in this show).

Best Qualities: lots of homo content. the side characters, inspired by Sakamoto’s grace, all become better people, and you root for them. The circumstances are always average, but the presentation is fucking riveting. Watch to send ur depression into remission.

Another one no one talks about????? U all were so busy with ur broku no hero macadamias and ur Nartoes that you slept on this. Now’s the time to take back what was lost. Love yourself and binge this shit.

Nichijou/ My Ordinary Life

Genre: Slice of Life/ Comedy

Expectation: Cute girls do cute, girly things and have fun with Their Close Good Friends (TM).

Reality: Cute girls get into very bizarre situations with extremely manic energies. Sometimes, the situations are normal, but the girls react in a bizarre, manic fashion. It will make you alarm-laugh.

Best Qualities: Adorable art style, little continuity, relatable as fuck

A nice little watch if you’re bored. I think the eps are on YouTube.

Pop Team Epic/ Poputepepiku

Genre: Only God Knows

Expectation: Probably a cutesy 4koma-type thing with 2 schoolgirls having shenanigans.

Reality: A regular acid trip with lesbian icons Popuko and Pipimi who are not schoolgirls, but gods. Like if Eric Andre and Hannibal Buress were turned into omnipotent anime icons. Watch at your own risk.

Best Qualities: Lots of unexpected parodies and references amongst a shitpost of a show. The OP is a bop. Popuko terrifies me, but also empowers me as a young woman because she will not hesitate to kill a bitch. She and Pipimi love each other a whole lot, so it is LGBTQ content, which is always a plus.

I’m sure you’ve seen this one floating around. It will make you feel fear, and then laugh. Now, finally...

Ouran Highschool Host Club

Genre: Romance/ Comedy

Expectation: The protagonist is a girl who is mistaken for a boy and must be the servant of six rich, handsome young men, all of which are in love with her, and her secret must be kept at all costs. A reverse harem anime with plenty of fanservice.

Reality: Haruhi is a genderfluid queen who doesn’t give a fuck what others think she is. Because she broke a Conveniently-Placed Vase and is relatably poor, she has to pay off her debt by being a host herself-- which means male-presenting when flirting with her female classmates to make her dough. The six rich, handsome young men all share three brain cells, and most of those cells go to the character who has one line per episode (usually, it’s “Yeah”. I hope that VA got paid well). The only love interest-- the “leader” and most popular of the six men-- is so dead-set on their club being his Found Family, he confuses his romantic feelings for Haruhi with paternal ones. This is obvious to everyone but him. He never gets the brain cells.

Best Qualities: Trans characters!! Lesbians!! Extreme “me and the boys” energy, except they’re all rich, so shenanigans skyrocket. Many 4th wall breaks. The most powerful Host looks like he’s 5. Any “fanservice” is never played straight. Takes the Found Family trope to a whole new level. Nice Parks & Rec-quality balance between hysterical and sweet. Everyone is in drag at some point.

I know all of us senior citizens grew up on this shit, but you younguns need to watch the classics to appreciate the newfangled stuff. I recommend watching when you’re in a cheesy rom-com mood.

Honorable Mentions:

I can’t count these as gag anime, but they’re still ridiculously funny.

Mob Psycho 100

Scissor Seven

Kill la Kill

Cells at Work!

Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure

Ones I haven’t seen but have heard a lot about

Osomatsu-san

Himouto! Umaru-chan

Azumanga Daioh

Gin Tama

Sgt. Frog

Okay that is all just limke put this in ur feel-good tag because these shows will make you happy and donut for get to like and describe to my channel, where I post literally nothing at all ever good night.

#anime rec list #shows to watch #anime #shitpost #tumblr memes #pls rec me similar ones in the replies y'all i need another hyperfixation #rn im just using saiki k jokes to get me through the day #also this took me so long to make???????????#i have no clue why. but pls reblog just for that reason #i feel like there's a whole wave of neo-weebs coming in from bnha and stuff and they must be....guided #oh and yes. jojo is a fucking comedy to me okay #i dont think many people actually take it seriously but if you do please know #i cannot. i fell on the floor laughing trying to explain one scene to my coworker #spring break ideas #too #if u need something to fill the time with #most of these are pretty damn short #my posts

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renegadesrpg · 4 years ago

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Soulmates Part 15. The Past is Present. Sean & Layla

Sean: *raises my eyebrow* Everything ok baby?

Layla: Just thinking as I paint Nallum. Sometimes music helps.

Sean: I can understand that. Just thought I should ask though.

Layla: I'm glad you did. Wanna see what I have so far?

Sean: You know I like to see your work, baby. It's inspiring.

Layla: I did two. One isn't done yet.

Sean: I like them both. What did you use on the sunset? It looks like a different medium than the female in the water.

Layla: Colored pencils

Sean: *tilts my head* They look like they are a little oily, like the blend easily. I like it. I like the female too. So *giving you a lopsided grin* what was your inspiration for these?

Layla: Well, I was watching a show about the beach and decided to draw something I saw. The lady...she just popped into my head. She isn’t really drowning though some might think so. She’s just embracing the water.

Sean: I didn't think she was. It looks to me like she dived in and is swimming.

Layla: Yes...water calms her. Makes her feel whole.

Sean:*laughs* she should meet Sin. Sitting on a surfboard is his favorite place to be. He likes riding the waves, but I've seen him just sit out beyond the swells and watch the sunset.

Layla: It looks very peaceful. I can see Sin staying there letting the peace wash over him. He thinks a lot. *chuckles* He holds much duty. It’s good he has a place to unburden himself in some way.

Sean: Yeah. Interesting for a being that didn't discover it for around 35,000 years. *laughs* No oceans where he was as a human and he was a little busy after that. *laugh dying as I remember.* He needed something after his last run in with Lucifer and the Horseman.

Layla: I bet. Sure doesn't sound like a pleasant run-in.

Sean: *Looking at you with haunted eyes.* If it hadn't been for Danu and Freya we might have lost him for good. We....Adrian, Zav, Bryn, and I ... we didn't know until he came back. Danu kept him in Tir Nan Og for a while, helping him recover. He doesn't talk about it much.

Layla: Oh my. *grabs your hand*

Sean: *Squeezes your hand* I don't know exactly what happened down there, only that he went to help an innocent and was trapped with magicks even he couldn't break through when he conducted a rear guard defense to help her escape. He was cut off from communication with us, although, to be honest, he'd held himself mostly aloof from us after he turned on the Horseman to protect us so we didn't think it was unusual for him to go completely radio silent for a while.

Layla: *I lean into your shoulder* I bet it didn’t stop you from worrying though. Usual or not.

Sean: *Shrugs and shoves my hands in my pockets* Times weird when you walk between the worlds. You can be gone a long time and it seems only minutes here or vice versa. In Hell what seems like a month here is like 10 years there. So to us he wasn't gone long. Danu and Freya didn't tell us until they had him back. They knew he didn't want us involved. Technically the Horseman still owns our souls. When Sin came back he used his power to block the Horseman from being aware of our movements but it's something he has to keep up constantly.

Layla: That's a lot of energy he uses. No wonder he likes the serenity of the water. I'm grateful to know all of you. I know I don't fully comprehend it all but I know how important you are to each other. It’s what will help get you through the next, um, event.

Sean: He was different when he came back. He was always intense but he was darker. I've always been able to read him when I tried, but he learned how to block me. For a while there was just a void when I reached out to him. Like he was considering who to trust. And then he opened back up. That's when the blocking us from the Horseman started. Maybe he was learning how to use his power to do that or maybe the Fates had a word with him. They like him. I'm not sure, but once he was sure he wouldn't be putting us at risk we stayed in touch better.

Layla: That's good. Sounds like he just needed time to adjust but you all were always in his thoughts.

Sean: His first concern, after he left, was not to endanger us, not to do anything that would provoke the Horseman into taking out his anger on us or draw his attention to us in any way. So *smiling a little* I /know/ he was always trying to protect us. But somehow, it changed something in how he thought about us. He always had our loyalty. But after that, we became a family. *shrugs* I should know better than to try to analyze him. *yawns* I think I need to go to bed. Overthinking is tiring. *grins*

Layla: *smiles* It was then he accepted you all as family. And yes, he's a hard one to pin down. *chuckles* *whispers in your ear...* Then let’s go to bed so I can help you rest up!

Sean: *Snickers and puts my hands on your waist* Oh, is THAT what we're going to call it tonight? Somehow, I think I'll be happy, but rest won't be happening for a while.

Layla: *smiles* No, it will not. *leads you to our room, shutting the door behind us*

#TBC

#Soulmates #Crossover #DarkAngelsCreation #Renegades #RRPG #AU #BDB #Reapers #Vampires #Angels #Wolfen #Ghosts

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sdheath · 5 years ago

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108. The Unbearable Madness of Being

This is a long one. But worth getting to the end. Nothing makes us suffer more than our own minds. The first part is a poem - the second is a rough transcript about a young drug addict and schizophrenic called Richard. This is all about his struggle against delusion and psychosis - his struggle to live and to die

"Dekay of timber, lead and glass The Great Hall is fallen down Ruyne of this castell is compleet” Thomas Manners, 1st Earl of Rutland, 1538, talking about Nottingham Castle A winter of speed and ice-cold vodka hidden behind the skip, in a cleaner’s bucket cooled by the falling snow. Yes, he was lonely but never left alone. His gods told him things: a constant stream of the ways things should be. Even in his dreams, he sat amongst them, always, on the fringes of underworld society learning about real power.

Heroin, when he could get it, flicking syringes and tightening belts and dirty yellow rubber tubes; sitting in a council flat that had slowly spiralled, and come to mean nothing to him but somewhere to negate the pull of gravity - somewhere to stub out your fags - line up the lager cans. And under the bed he keeps the only fragments of his life left Like his precious Wilson Staff 100 junior His stroke is still text book - and being a small man the raquet still does him well and photos - I don’t know who made me smile like that I look like a little demon - somebody was making me happy And the scar - like a sepia map of the Australia only visible when his hair was shaved closely. In and out of the fortress - always on the suicide watch He wants to kill himself but not because he is sad His gods promise him a crown on Boxing day They say the deadline is immovable - prepare a way That’s all they seem to care about Prepare a way and we will make you King Consequently - in the walls of the fortress Richard feels quite perky - looking forward to Christmas But he needs to win a game with his warders before they’ll let him home His Christmas gifts for his mum and his nan are cheap but thoughtful For Richard the boiling oil came from someone he should be able to trust not tipped from above the portcullis - but from a chip pan by a stepfather one of a long long line of men his mother needed for the drugs/drink/rent

Richard's story

“Things aren’t going to well. Hopefully I’ll heal and get away from the drugs” He threatened someone with a (neighbour) with a knife and assaulted a nurse - put in the Willows - intensive care ward for psychiatric patients.

Richard believes everyone can hear voices but nobody will admit it to him

“The gods won’t let me brush my teeth - I pulled this girl in a night club - she kissed me - “Wait a minute I don’t want to know you - your breath stinks”. But the gods won’t let me wash your teeth.”

He has hallucinations, hears voices and his thinking is delusional. Believes in the gods and their words with the conviction that anyone believes their own thoughts. Since 19 (listens to his gods). Talking to psychiatrist:

“Life is mad - noone else in the history of time is like me … gods will give me spirit to rule England. I’m going to get four bags into the syringe and try and get them into my arm. If I die and end up in hell then I’ll be happy. Now if I take it and I don’t die and I wake up the next day - it’ll mean the gods are messing me about - because the gods have told me that I’m going to hell on Christmas day - hell for me would be great - so if I wake up Boxing day and I’m not dead and I’m not in hell I’ll be right pissed off because that just means everything is fucked, do you know what I mean?”

“When I was young and my mum had a boyfriend and they were both pissed - he was six - scared shitless - threw it at his mum - his mum was scared you see - she didn’t want to get beaten up - the guy who did it didn’t want to leave the house - she got him to hospital eventually”

Richard looking at a photo of himself when he was a young boy

“Better looking when I was younger - at 5 - looked stocky - went on holiday - you looked like a happy kid - yeah I was on holiday - it was good time - crikey - I look different there - I’ve got a fish. Crikey I don’t know who that is making me smile like that. i look like a little demon. This is me when I was about nine or ten - my eyes look a bit tired - that’s me when I was about twelve - this is me on holiday - I worked out a bit there - you can see my chest is a bit bigger - I liked it on holiday - it was nice.

Were you happy at that age?

Long pause: “I think so yeah. I was abused when I was at secondary school - once I was abused my school time wasn’t very good because I knew that people knew. Abused sexually by the head teacher - didn’t tell the head - should have done really. 14 if you do it at the age of 14 then society tends to say that it’s your fault - your advanced enough - but I wasn’t - I hadn’t had a girl friend.”

A few months later - just before being forced back (sectioned) into a mental hospital

“I was awake all night - I had some speed - it was good - so I had some more. At some point I’ll stick the needle in my arm and I’ll wake up in hell hopefully.

Everybody knows there’s an afterlife - everybody knows there’s a hell and a heaven. I could take this overdose and go to hell and get loads of spirit and when I get out of hell I’ll be king of england and then one day I’ll be master of the universe.h

In hospital for more than 4 months. Richard’s home is a flat - housing association - but hasn’t been home since he was sectioned. Going with a member of staff to collect his mail. The flat is filthy - covered in beer cans, syringes and general squalor. Richard is visibly ashamed.

“Bloody hell - excuse me it’s really really lousy in here. Someone must have broken in and when they couldn’t find anything - obviously I’m not happy about the state of my flat. It’s usually untidy but it aint like this - somebody’s broken in and sorted it for money. Strange even thought it looks the state it does it still seems like home. Only take a couple of hours tops to tidy it up. Someone’s been having heroin or crack - now this is probably one of my oldest possessions - think of that what you will - and this is a Wilson staff 100 junior - I’m only a small bloke so I don’t a full size racket - no pun intended - I miss playing tennis.”

After leaving hospital he tries to overdose - put it in his arm - 30 seconds and he passed out. Was not alone. Next time - on Christmas Day he will make sure that he is on his own. He talks to his psychiatrist - faking a positive outlook.

“Let’s face it there’s no such thing as the afterlife - when you’ve lived your life you’ve lived your live. The idea that I would become superior in the afterlife is nonsense. There’s no such as an afterlife. I want to get out there and pull a chick - I want to make my grandmother a great grandmother. I’ve got no intention to commit suicide - I want to live life.”

As Christmas approaches Richard talks to the camera

“It’s a bit annoying to be moved to this ward.”

Paranoid that the nurses were taking energy from him. Shouting at nurses.

“At Christmas I’m going to take a heroin overdose and die - I’ll be honest - I’ll say I feel fine - say I’m happy - I’m not going to commit suicide - I’ll get out of hospital and go an do it.”

Despite his plans to kill himself he’s feeling festive. He goes into Bulwell (Nottinghamshire).

“It’s only a small shopping centre but has three pound shops and 3 charity shops - it’s wicked - y’know what I mean. This - you know sometimes you don’t get a present because you think about it sometimes something just jumps out at you. Well at the time it just jumped out at me - it’s like I like the design the aluminium and plastic but the problem is - it’s, like, a whisk. Why’s he bought me a bloody whisk but she’s stopped drinking and she’s not eating that much she needs to do more cooking - so that’s why I bought mum a whisk and this - the only way to get alcohol into my gran is in liquer chocolates so I’m going to forcefeed gran liqueur chocolates all day Christmas and see if I can get gran pissed. Wraps presents. Apparently you should have a glass of wine and some music -

After another session with the psychiatrist.

I talked to them about my gods - and they wouldn’t let me out - so I decided not to talk to them about my voices and hopefully people will think I’m a bit more sane. Doesn’t look that way - not home for christmas - maybe a couple of hours to give my family their presents and open mine. I was reading a book by the Dalai Llama that tells you to think of those worse off than you. I get food and a fair bit of money that’s good - but not everything is good. Basically yeah I ‘ll commit suicide when I get a chance to. Not at Christmas - yeah I’ve been told that I can do it anytime after Christmas and go to hell - whenever they let me out I’ll just commit suicide - that’s the good thing - usually I have to wait until Christmas. To get big in spirit and train to become a king. So that’s the good side of things at the moment. Doesn’t have to be at Christmas.

Your gods have told you that have they?

“Yeah. Sometimes I wish that I didn’t have gods - makes things difficult. But what am I meant to do?

I’m looking for another word for shopping - give me another word for shopping.”

Why do you need another word - BIG LAUGHTER

“I dunno - BIG LAUGH - why why does the snow fall on the grass?

Is that it - yeah - is that - do you know when you’re filming do you reach a pause like that? Yeah - like a natural pause - and that’s where you’re meant to stop. Great - you learn something everyday.”

4 months later he died of a suspected overdose.

4th September 2019

#bipolar disorder #psychotic episode #schizophrenia #poem #long read #sd heath #spilled ink #mental illness #sectioned

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chaikat · 8 years ago

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On Liyang

I read a post on Liyang a few days ago and started writing this in response, and then it just kinda grew into a ‘here are all my feelings on Liyang’ kinda post :D

Shout-out to the discord chat for the Liyang discussion a while back which helped firm up a lot of points here o/ All the quoted parts below are from Chapter 1 (my bad, it should be Chapter 5) and Chapter 26 of the novel, as translated by apurpleblob.

Note that this post mentions rape.

Let’s start right at the beginning. What was Liyang like before her marriage? We see a hint of it in the flashback with the Dowager Empress; Liyang’s cheerful and smiling, and has not a hint of suspicion when her mother asks her to drink the wine. The novel elaborates a bit more:

He had no memory of the Princess Liyang of the past, who was bright and lively with a fiery nature, and who would compete with the princes whenever they went hunting. He only had memories of his mother’s quiet laments to herself when he complained to her about his Aunt Liyang being too cold and unapproachable.

So Liyang had been “bright and lively, with a fiery nature”, which sounds nothing like the reserved Liyang we see at the start of the show. It’s obvious what caused her to change and this part from the novel describes it well.

“Regardless of how strong a woman is, she is still just a woman at the end of the day. Some things that are inconsequential to men are enough of a blow to destroy the will of a woman. If Nihuang already has someone she likes, this blow will be even stronger. It’ll make her feel that who she marries and what type of life she will lead in the future are all inconsequential…”

“There is a type of wine in the Palace called ‘Coils of Passion’. It has the effect of inducing hallucination and sexual desire with just one cup. If a woman drinks it, she will mistake the man next to her as the person she dearly loves and longs for. Urged by the effects of the drug, she will take the initiative and beg to be embraced. She does not know about the existence of such a wine, so even when she sobers afterwards, she will believe that it was her weak will that led to her misconduct while being intoxicated. She furthermore cannot be angry at the man since she was the one who took the initiative.”

Qing si rao isn’t just an aphrodisiac, it makes the person who consumes it think that they’re with the person they love. It’s rape with an extra layer of mindfuckery because, under the influence of the drug, she wanted it.

Another important point to consider it’s highly unlikely for someone of her rank (princess, the emperor’s younger sister) to remain single past the usual marriage age at that time, so Liyang’s probably, what, 16? 18 at a stretch, at that point in time.

She would have grown up fairly sheltered, she would likely have been told all her life that her marriage, when it comes, would be arranged and would be for the good of the country. And then she meets the love of her life and he’s someone she would not be allowed to marry. Young Liyang, with her fiery nature, would have been willing to defy her family to be with him. She would have known they would be angry but surely she could never have guessed that her own mother would be complicit in planning her rape to stop her. And then her prince had to escape back to his own country and Liyang was left on her own.

“Ashamed and in despair, that feeling really is worse than death. But death had always been the most difficult affair throughout the ages. If she dies then, she will die without dignity. From then on, no matter how many unspoken words are hidden in her heart, it would be impossible for her to say them. If a trusted person comes forward then to advise her while she is feeling at loss, how could she have any energy to struggle or to refuse? She is only able to have others manipulate her as they wish…” Princess Liyang’s tone slowly changed as she reached towards the end of her speech. From her tragic sorrow, even the densest man would be able to see that what she spoke of was her own feelings, carved deep in her heart.“

Who could she turn to when her own mother, who’s also dowager empress, had a hand in it? I can’t imagine the emperor taking her side, he would have been far more concerned with avoiding a scandal and protecting the imperial family’s reputation (he might even have given his tacit approval beforehand). The emperor’s consorts? How many of them had any choice in their own marriage? Her sisters? There’s only Jinyang that we know of and at that point, she would have married Lin Xie and may not even be living in the palace. (Also we don’t know how close they are.) Anyone she could have told would have to consider the power balance in court, their allegiances and the consequences to not just them but also to their families.

Another thing I wonder about is whether the dowager empress would have told her about the wine right away. How long did Liyang have to struggle with her doubts and guilt until she finally found out the truth?

In the novel, there’s one part where the emperor’s daughter, Jingning (she was written out of the drama), was betrothed to the Nan Chu prince. She protested against it because she was in love with someone else, a low-ranking soldier. But there was no one she could turn too, all the consorts took turns to persuade her to accept her fate. In the end, Jingning was resigned to her fate.

I imagine that’s what Liyang would have been told too. And for her, she might not even be able to bring herself to speak about her rape and tell those people what kind of man they are advising her to marry.

There’s a theory that Xie Yu had found out about Liyang’s affair with the Nan Chu envoy and used the information to blackmail the dowager empress. I think it’s very likely considering Xie Yu how ambitious and ruthless Xie Yu is, and in the flash back, the dowager empress looked fearful while Xie Yu was triumphant. There’s also a theory that this method was chosen because it was the surest way to get Liyang to submit; Liyang was the type who would rather have the whole land know about her relationship with the Nan Chu envoy rather than be forced to marry someone else.

Liyang and Xie Yu’s marriage is described in the novel as below.

Everyone in the capital with some years to their names could clearly remember the grand occasion of the Princess’s marriage that stirred up the city. The couple who gazed upon the commoners atop the Phoenix Building could be accurately described as a hero and a beauty. Twenty-four years flew by, and the couple remains attentive and loving. They reared three sons and one daughter, all of whom are intelligent and respectful. This was the perfect model family in everyone’s eyes.

What was the truth? What did it matter? To Liyang, the truth and her rank had no value, she could no longer believe in them and they could not protect her. Jingrui was her only reason for living and from the day he was born, she had to carry the secret of his birth with her. Should she have told the Zhuos the truth? She could not have known how the Zhuos would retaliate and she knew firsthand how ruthless Xie Yu could be (and even then, she doesn’t know how much more ruthless he would be). Had fighting for the truth done anything for her? And who could she tell? She was completely isolated as Xie Yu’s wife. And maybe only 17 years of age.

This lie became harder to reveal with time. At the start, she had just given birth and there was already an assassination attempt on her barely day-old baby; her primary goal would be to protect her baby with everything she had. Later on, she would see the Xies and the Zhuos becoming closer, their children growing up together, the secret seemingly buried forever. How could she tell the truth then? She might have thought that she could never return their baby to them but at least she could share hers and she would not bring them further grief. Was it fair to them? No, but had the world been fair to her? (This is not better than them not knowing the truth nor does it justify it, but that is another whole essay on its own especially in the context of LYB.)

We don’t know what their marriage was like in the years before the start of the canon timeline. We can only guess by how no one suspected anything was amiss, by how easily Xie Yu capitulated when reminded of the rape and when Liyang held a knife to her own throat, and by how Liyang dealt with the fallout from Jingrui’s birthday party, that all this guilt, grief, fear and anger may have been buried deep within her for more than half her life, but they never went away.

As for her relationship with Xie Yu, it’s really fascinating and can’t be easily summed up with just ‘hatred’ or ‘resignation’ or ‘Stockholm Syndrome’. Liyang’s readiness to protect his name and legacy by asking him to kill himself, Xie Yu’s “I have always loved you”, their final parting... there’s just so much emotion in their scenes together, so much left unsaid (and perhaps there’s nothing left for them to say to each other).

Several years after her marriage, the Chiyan case happened. Liyang might or might not have her suspicions re: Xie Yu’s role in it but it’s certain that she would have seen many ministers speak out for Prince Qi and the Lins and she would have seem them all killed for it, entire families wiped out by the emperor’s wrath and paranoia.

To her, nothing good ever came out of standing up for the truth and seeking justice. We see a bit of her fear in the part after she read Xie Yu’s letter with Jingrui later on in the story.

But she was not entirely broken. When Consort Jing told her that someone in the palace harem is planning to use qing si rao on Nihuang, she tried to prevent it. She would have known that Xie Bi and Xie Yu were involved in the fight for the throne and preventing either side’s plans would be risky to her family. When she failed to tell Nihuang about it, she approached MCS and talked about this extremely painful and private bit of her past to someone who is a complete stranger to her so that she can prevent Nihuang from facing the same pain she went through.

And while she did succeed in preventing the same thing from happening to Nihuang, she would also have heard about how Consort Yue and the Crown Prince were punished for trying to drug Nihuang, how Prince Yu was rewarded for his role in preventing it, and how MCS is rumoured to be helping Prince Yu. From her POV, she would see how truth and justice is just another weapon to be used in court politics.

A few months later, during Jingrui’s birthday party, all secrets were revealed in just one night, all old wounds reopened. I think this would have been freeing for Liyang because finally, she no longer had to carry this secret with her and it was only by reopening them could the wounds finally begin to heal. But she also lost her daughter. And to her, it would seem like everything was orchestrated just so that Prince Yu can take a step closer to the throne.

When she read Xie Yu’s letter, she knew that the Sword of Damocles once again hung over her family. Is it any surprise that she would be wary upon seeing MCS there when she handed the letter to Jingyan? Is it any surprise that she would try to guarantee her children’s safety when they were all she had left, when they were likely her sole reason for living?

But in the end, she could put aside her personal losses and see that this wasn’t just part of the political game. For years she had been silent and resigned to whatever the fates threw at her but she found her spirit again when she agreed to what Jingyan and MCS asked of her. She was so brave and so strong when she condemned Xie Yu in front of everyone and the emperor’s wrath represented the power that had ripped everything from her. She was finally doing what she had never been able to do, to speak the truth and demand justice, and she did it not for herself, but for those who could no longer speak.

I love love love her smile right before she crashes the emperor’s birthday party <3

#nirvana in fire #nif meta #liyang

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claystudies · 7 years ago

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Images: Jo Davies / Text: Anke Buchmann, Jo Davies

In the studio with Jo Davies

Last week I was fortunate to visit Jo Davies in her studio at the Chocolate Factory in Stoke Newington, London.

Jo Davies is an award-winning, London based ceramicist, with years of experience and craftsmanship. She graduated from the Royal College of Art in 2007 and has a degree in 3D Design: Ceramics from Bath School of Art and Design. Jo specialises in wheel-thrown and hand-built porcelain. She recently had a solo show "Lines in Porcelain: Vessels and Light” at Circus Gallery on Marylebone High Street.

CS: Thanks so much for having me here today at your studio. What I really like about your work is the combination of craftsmanship and energy. You enhance perfect, regular shapes by embracing irregularity and asymmetry, which leads to pieces that seem to be alive, fluid, full of positive energy.

CS: On a scale from 1 to 10, how happy or satisfied does your job make you?

JD: Well, probably an average of 8.7 most of the time. But occasionally it is more a 2.5. These are the days when you have worked really hard, you have been to a show and sold one thing. Fortunately this mostly doesn’t happen and, for the most part, things go well.

I am happy doing this work. I am happy in this studio. I am happy with my own company. Yeah it’s more good than bad. It’s more 8.7 days than 2.5 days.

‘I quite like the clay looking liquid.’

CS: You describe that you are interested in the ‘exploration of the material qualities of clay’. Can you talk a bit more about the process of this exploration?

JD: Well, when I am throwing there is a lot happening. I am always quite aware of my body and using it as whole to throw the clay – a shift of body weight or standing up to work. The exploration of these physical movements when throwing will change the shape of the clay and so I can explore the possibilities and the boundaries in this way. Ultimately I quite like the clay looking liquid when it’s finished. It should still look quite fluid in the final ceramic, quite soft, as it is when I’m throwing it.

CS: Your work is designed to feel very liquid, satin and tactile. The look is equally important to the feel. What makes your work unique or special? What is it about?

JD: I’m really interested in the clay looking like it’s been handled, like it’s still soft clay, and creating work that doesn’t look like it’s been machined. Often that comes about through the use of exaggerated throwing lines as well as some inefficient making processes to create work that appears to move organically. There’s a balancing act between geometrical forms and organic shapes – too organic and the object starts to feel unwieldy, too geometric and it starts to feel too still or as if it could have been made by a machine.

I use quite a lot of water when I am throwing porcelain, which isn't technically what you are supposed to do, but I know it gives me this liquidity that I’m after . I have arrived at a point where I have mastered using the very wet porcelain in larger quantities so it works for me and gives the work a unique feel.

‘Porcelain was in the air.’

CS: Why did you choose to work with porcelain rather than another clay?

JD: I think when I was at Bath School of Art it was something that was in the air. Porcelain was in the air. So I started dabbling with that. And then I quite liked the idea that you could use a clay that was its own colour and surface finish when it was fired. So that was appealing, of at least having the option of not glazing. Although everything I do now is glazed. It’s also because of the refinement of the material, it’s a smooth and elastic material that’s beautiful to throw. It stretches and moves at every stage.

CS: What artists or designers have inspired you most along the way?

JD: That is always a tricky question to answer actually, because there are so many people. But right at the start I liked Barbara Nanning - a Canadian artist. Her forms seem to defy gravity and she was quite influential on me. Louise Bourgeois was also influential as a character, her attitude, as well as her art, are massively inspiring. These days there are obviously a lot of people whose work I really respect and love but their work doesn't affect me in the same way as the early influences because I am in my own aesthetic trajectory. Plus with age I have found it harder to be as in awe.

CS: What is for you the most favourite part of the process?

JD: Actually working on the wheel. When I am developing something new on the wheel and it is working there is an excitement to seeing it evolve. Quite often I work on new shapes and a lot of things don’t make it because they are heavily edited. However, I also know I sometimes have to let a new object sit there for a while in order to really consider it. This is because I am irrational at the point that I have just made something new and need to give myself time to think about it more logically. Every few weeks I am developing something new, or evolving work in progress, but because of this frequent but slow development there are some designs where it takes me years until I am happy. I might make something and then come back to it a few months later in order to refine it and work into it.

CS: How many hours do you spend on a cup from your collection, from wedging clay to taking it out of the kiln?

JD: For the journey of one cup I suppose, from wedging the clay, handling it, …stamping it, wiping it off, into the kiln, it gets glazed, in the kiln again… so yeah, probably about half an hour for a cup but across the course of about 2-3 weeks.. Other things would take much more time. I normally make cups in medium-sized batches.

‘Because I am here on my own, it can get quite intense.’

CS: How does a typical day look like for you?

JD: Typical days look like me getting into the studio between 9-10am and starting with writing a list of all the things I have to do and then cracking on with it. But, to be honest, there are not many typical days. Sometimes I spend a whole day in design development and sometimes I spend a whole day answering emails. This morning I answered a whole list of questions from a journalist, answered a customer about a possible commission, booked a hotel for the weekend. So sometimes my private life blends into my work life as well. I am quite self-motivated overall but I would usually start the day off with a few emails to keep on top of answering questions from customers, galleries and other enquiries. There are certain things that can’t wait and sometimes not answering within 24 hours looses the work, I can never lose track of the fact that this is both my passion and my livelihood.

CS: Are you good at stopping?

Yeah, I am good at stopping, I don’t really work into the evening and try not to work over the weekends but, because I am here on my own, it can get quite intense. I don’t take breaks a lot through the day but will be quite definite about time off and won’t allow that time to be encroached on. When you work for yourself it can be quite easy to end up without any boundaries, different pressures on your time taking you into the studio or elsewhere at all times through the week but I realized a while ago that I can say ‘no’, or arrange something on a day other than the one that’s being requested, without feeling obligated to give a reason!

CS: Can you talk me through your process when designing new pieces of work or when working on a commission?

JD: Sometimes I quickly sketch an idea. And yes, sometimes there will be research involved. It depends on the project and how technical it is. So my pendant lighting range has involved quite a lot of technical research but then a project from a few years ago with the William Morris Gallery involved a lot of more creative research and drawing prior to the making of the installation I produced. Mainly though I will sit down at the wheel to develop new work. That is like a sketchbook for me, developing 3D sketches.

CS: What do you recommend to an emerging ceramicist?

JD: Don’t give up! Just carry on doing what you love. It is very easy to think ‘I will do this thing on the side, something that people will like in order to make money’ but what sells your work is the fact that you love it. If you can learn to integrate both things, business and creativity, if there is a connection between the two, then that is going to be a success.

—————

Artist Website: http://www.jo-davies.com

Instagram: jo_davies_ceramics Masterclass with Jo Davies: https://vimeo.com/135448079

Upcoming Events for Jo Davies:

Lustre at Nottingham University

4-5 November One of the best mixed craft events in the UK

Future Icons Showcase, 67 York Street, London

6-11 November Future Icons presents the inaugural Winter Showcase of client collections at 67 York Street, Marylebone. For this occasion, Future Icons has selected key pieces from client collections for design savvy buyers to purchase in time for the Christmas shopping season.

Jo Davies Open Studio, Chocolate Factory N16, Farleigh Place, London, N16 7SX

25-26 November The Jo Davies studio is based at the Chocolate Factory when this Open weekend will offer work from 27 studios at this hidden gem in East London. This is also the only time to buy samples and seconds from the Jo Davies Studio.

Porcelain³ Jo Davies . Katharina Klug . Anja Lubach

Contemporary Ceramics Centre, London

15 Feb – 10 March An Exhibition of Vessels by 3 contemporary porcelain ceramicists.

#jodavies #interview #studiovisit #london

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chadpetersondatingblog · 7 years ago

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Short Dating Profile Examples: Over 30 Fun Bios

Similar to how explaining a joke ceases to make it funny, overkill in your dating profile can suck the intrigue out or a first encounter. Too much information can come off as overbearing, leave you with a conversation void on a first date, or simply take up way too much of your time and energy. Below are over 30 short dating profile examples and ideas for some short and sweet approaches to writing your bio that will help you knock this annoying task off your list and get you swiping sooner.

Approach 1: Keep It To The Facts If you had to whittle yourself down to an elevator conversation, what would make the cut? Three to five quick and essential thoughts in your About Me will do the trick, so long as they’re memorable enough for someone to remember you.

1. Natural redhead, unnaturally good at limbo contests, hates seafood but loves goldfish crackers

2. Top 5 movies: Amelie, Se7en, Moulin Rouge, The Emperor’s New Groove, Wet Hot American Summer.

3. I have a twin brother, no he doesn’t look like me, DO NOT EVEN ASK IF WE ARE IDENTICAL.

4. My #1 vacation destination is the Minnesota State Fair, and I don’t understand why it doesn’t make more appearances on Insider.

5. I majored in art. I work as a writer. One Art Degree for sale, perfect condition, $35,000 OBO.

6. I’m afraid of heights, and I can’t swim, so let’s do some land activities.

Pick A Fave And Roll With It Is there a movie you know every line to? An album that shaped your entire adult identity? A hobby you turned into an Etsy empire? Share a quick blurb about it. Those who respond will find a huge part of your life intriguing, and that’s a great place to start.

7. All I want is someone who can sing the Elephant Love Medley Duet from Moulin Rouge with me. My sister could do it, but she always makes me be the boy.

8. You haven’t lived until you’ve tasted a bacon peanut butter chocolate malt from Five Guys. If you’d like to argue with me, I’d be HAPPY to do a taste test.

9. I know every word of the ten-season run of Friends by heart, and my next goal in life is to watch them en Español until I know Spanish.

10. What’s your favorite Jonas Brothers song and why? Mine is Good Night and Goodbye, and in the following dissertation I will explain in detail why they were the best boy band of all time. (cont.)

11. Three years ago I started a book club. We mostly read wine labels.

12. My mood is either the end of Monument Valley, or the end of Inside. Never in between.

13. Sriracha makes everything better.

Obscure References FTW If you’re not that into pleasantries and small talk, this is a great way to comb through the weeds when it comes to meaningful connections. Go with a line from a TV show that always busts your gut, a not-so-famous historical quote that you identify with, or a nod to your neighborhood’s best kept secret, and those who get the reference are automatically in the club.

14. 42

15. People tend to overlook Vince Vaughn’s most brilliant and nuanced work as “Luke Zoolander.”

16. Do you think Postmates will deliver me a plate of chicken drummies from the Nan’s menu circa 1994?

17. I’m more of a Russ than a Ross.

18. I shot first.

19. Oh to dance beneath the diamond sky with one hand waving free, silhouetted by the sea, circled by the circus sands, with all memory and fate driven deep beneath the waves; let me forget about today until tomorrow…

Lead With A Teaser Some may call this click bait, but hey, whatever opens the door to conversation… Tell a joke, but leave out the punch line, post a pic of you with a celebrity and a caption alluding to the insane story, anything that comes off as quirky or intriguing will leave people dying to chat with you.

20. I dare you to ask me what happened when I met Snoop Dogg at a wrestling event in New York City.

21. Look I’m not good at a lot of things, but I can do my make up to look exactly like Blanche Devereaux from Golden Girls, so we should go clubbing.

22. What’s the best thing about living in Switzerland?

23. I have the greatest idea for an app of all time, please inquire if you’re interested in investment opportunities.

24. A/S/L? …No I don’t want to know yours, I want you to guess mine.

25. Of all the things you could walk out of a Jonas Brothers Meet and Greet with, you wouldn’t think it would be a banana. And yet…

Let Your Social Do The Talking Your social media accounts likely give a pretty well rounded view of who you are as a person, so skipping the cheesy intros and just linking to or referencing the one you’re most active on cuts out the boring middle man. Plus it gives your potentials permission to stalk you, which, let’s be real, they were going to do anyway. At least this way, you own it.

26. Share your top pinned tweet—It’s usually the one that has gotten the most attention. Mine says “I’m tired the way old people are tired at the end of their lives.”

27. Link to your Instagram page—fire selfies and all the delicious food you could be cooking for your future partner… it’s a no-brainer.

28. Download and share a particularly good Snapchat story—Nobody wouldn’t love a 14 second snap of your roommate’s cat being a weirdo.

29. Share the results of your latest Buzzfeed quiz—In case you were wondering, based on my favorite kind of bread, Ryan Gosling is my husband.

30. Link to your list of Twitter faves—They’ll get a good sense of what makes you laugh, your political stance, or whatever it is you choose to focus on on a regular basis.

31. Share the latest Facebook-generated word cloud you made—the center of my last one was my mom’s name, which I know isn’t that appealing, but it’s a conversation starter to say the least.

You can use any of these approaches or a combination to get you started on a short, but sweet dating profile bio, but no matter which approach you take, the key is to be warm, fun, and engaging. If you can infuse some humor or an interesting talking point into your description, people are going to want to get to know you.

The post Short Dating Profile Examples: Over 30 Fun Bios appeared first on The Date Mix.

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ashleyjacksonblog · 7 years ago