#new year 2019 best Quotes on life

[slutforpringles]

Hey Jaimie, I just wanted to come on here and say thank you for all your contributions to the DR3 fandom. Whether it’s fighting for Daniel’s rights on Reddit or posting all the latest news, you’ve become somewhat of a lifeline for me. Your highlighted articles are my favourite to read, because it keeps me up to date with everything that’s happening. I truly hope you know how appreciated you are here, and I hope that the community that you’ve built here stays around for a long time, despite the recent news. Thank you for your dedication and positivity. Take care!

Hey, I know you sent this earlier today and I'm sorry it's taken me a while to reply, but I wanted to sit down and write a proper response. Getting this message was genuinely so lovely and I can't tell you how much it meant to me to hear that my tumblr has been able to be a positive place for someone 💞

I know I've very rarely been super personal on here, but this sport and this fandom has come to mean a lot to me, so I wanted to use this moment to express my gratitude to the dirlies (gn) and this community.

I was first introduced to F1 through friends while I was living in Europe in 2019 through DtS. I knew from the first moment I saw Daniel he was my favourite. I was immediately enamoured by his vivaciousness and that unabashed joy for life that exudes from every fibre of his being. But I was busy studying overseas and just didn't have the time to be fully bitten by the F1 bug.

I came home at the beginning of 2020 and between the pandemic, lockdowns and my personal life going toooootally to shit I was in a pretty bad place. And it was after a few months of struggle and wallowing that somehow my youtube algorithm landed me on a video of Daniel. I was hooked and very quickly worked my way through highlights, interviews, social media clips, all the funny videos, then each race highlight video as it came out in 2020, which led into every single WTF1 podcast (🙃😂) from 2020. The amount of google searches I did trying to learn all these racing and engineering terms and technical phrases I hadn't come across before (I distinctly remember googling what "box, box" meant because I had no effing clue what it meant 😂). I read every article I could about the upcoming season and the insane hype of Daniel going to McLaren (🙃🙃🙃) and can remember that first FP1 session in Bahrain I ever watched live.

I kind of stumbled onto tumblr via reddit. As I'd been learning about and becoming obsessed with F1 and Daniel I'd made my way onto the F1 sub, and for a long time I could be found on there first learning, and then discussing (and then later arguing for and defending Daniel lol). And I think it was as reddit started becoming more and more anti-Daniel that I started spending more time on tumblr.

For a long time before I joined tumblr I lurked, reading so many of all of your wonderful posts and opinions and seeing all the beautiful and creative fics and art. The mclaren hate blogging era was some of the best (and worst) times and some of the masterpieces on here in defence of Daniel and his career are so iconic and I have referenced their points/stats/quotes so many times in defence of Daniel.

I was a bit scared to fully join tumblr and start posting but I felt really quickly welcomed into this community on here. None of my friends IRL are remotely interested in F1, and so getting to talk about it here with all of you has been such a blessing (and I think my family are probably incredibly grateful that they don't have to listen to me talk about F1/Daniel quite as much as before 😅).

I just wanted to say how incredibly grateful I am to have gotten to experience the last few years with all of you on here. It hasn't always been easy and it's been a rollercoaster - that's for fucking sure - but the highs have been SO incredible. Daniel brought so much happiness and joy and laughter into my life at a time when I really, really needed it and seeing the outpouring of love for him on here the last few days has been beautiful, despite the heartbreaking circumstances.

I don't know what the next few months will look like without Daniel in F1, but I'll be sticking around for sure. I know I'm not always the best at replying to messages or inboxes (I blame my ADHD) but I'm always here for a chat and my messages are always open💞

[redclercs]

DELICATE✰ CHARLES LECLERC.

x. what a shame she's fucked in the head.

— the one where they tell you what your word is worth.

❝𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘢𝘣𝘺, 𝘐 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦❞ —𝘛𝘢𝘺𝘭𝘰𝘳 𝘚𝘸𝘪𝘧𝘵, 𝘊𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘢 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘵.

warnings: abuse downplay, bashing towards taylor swift (i obviously adore her pls don't come for me haha), online bullying, new york inaccuracies, corny taylor references per usual, etc. 2k words + articles

in my head there's a mix of begin again and cornelia street playing as background music.

masterlist ✢ next

NO one likes a mad woman, but not for the reasons Taylor Swift made you believe in the lyrics of her 2020 song. Although we are definitely afraid y/n might get 'more crazy'.

Honestly, who gave her the right to speak like that about Aidan Kim? As it turns out, the three-year relationships she willingly stayed on was a 'dead-end' one, and Aidan "abused" (and I cannot stress the quotations enough) her through several stages of their shared time.

Well, I call bullshit.

How is it that after Aidan Kim helped her build whatever she has going on that people call a 'career' she wasn't bothered about being told 'how to look and how to act' (direct quote from her own video, by the way).

Breaking up with your sneaky link and calling him your friend won't save what you did before, y/n, it's the oldes trick in the book. Everything she said in her Youtube video, one I regretfully watched despite the knowledge that I won't get those 45 minutes of my life back, is rehearsed and calculated and just tried to paint the real victims in a bad light.

Playing the victim worked for Taylor Swift in 2009, 2017, 2019... but we surely won't let it happen again, right folks? y/n needs a new tactic to crawl back from the hell, because we're not believing anything that comes out of her mouth anymore.

It's true what they say, an untalented actress makes an untalented liar.

By Lia Yim

Victoria Presley is worried about best friend's y/n y/ln's well-being after the actress 'completely ghosted her' since moving back to New York.

"One day we were fine and the next, she had packed her bags and left my house," Presley said in an exclusive interview with iNTouch. "I'm not going to lie, I was deeply hurt by her actions. I offered her my home as a safe haven and she left without explanation."

y/n had been living in Victorias Los Angeles home since mid-February until this month when she returned to her infamous SoHo apartment, one she shared with Aidan Kim until their breakup.

"I can find it in my heart to forgive her, of course," 'Vic', as she's known on social media, added. "Right now, I just want my best friend back. I want the y/n I've known for years and not this person she became since Matilde Bassi and Charles Leclerc inserted themselves in her life."

Victoria Presley, the founder and CEO of Presley Beauty, is the daughter of Luke Presley and Claire Walker and has been in the influencing business for a few years now.

"If y/n ends up reading this, I want her to know that I will support her decisions but not in the way her new 'friends' are doing. I just want what's best for her."

SEE ALSO:

→ Vic Presley on having to start from zero: "I'm not a nepobaby!"

→ A look inside y/n's SoHo apartment, the one Aidan Kim paid for.

→ Is Charles Leclerc's career going downhill thanks to y/n?

By Beatrice Mann

With y/n y/ln's latest controversy, the whole world has turned their backs on the actress. But, is it really that bad? Or is it just because she's a woman in the business?

The online community's hottest topic is y/n's Youtube video where she speaks on her relationship with Aidan Kim, her friendship with Charles Leclerc and, most importantly, how all of this has affected her career. And I want to tell you all, y/n is right.

If the roles were reversed, Aidan Kim would be thriving on a newly unlocked 'Heartbreaker' persona and y/n would still be constantly humiliated for not being 'wife material'.

I believe y/n deserves much better than what she's getting. The woman admitted she escaped a relationship where her partner LAUGHED at her and manipulated her actions for his comfort. And people are still siding with the man? Seriously, people, use your brains and dig up your morals!

The only thing we're communicating to younger generations by constantly doubting women's words and putting them in the spotlight for standing up for themselves, is that only men's words are worth something.

June 14th, Manhattan, New York.

It isn't much of a surprise when Charles calls you while you're trying to get your Moka pot to work that morning. It's your third attempt at it and the previous mornings you've left it alone with tears in your eyes to walk down the street and get Starbucks coffee. You might be a little too attached to that coffee maker.

Charles got to New York city the previous night, and reminded you that you promised to show him around more than once. You intended to keep your promise, thinking you would have more time before the day came.

But as you walk to the restaurant where you decided to meet him, you can't help but think how exciting it is that you get to show the city you love so much to Charles. And just like that morning in Monaco, you can't help but remind yourself that this is a friendly get-together.

Charles has slowly, but surely, become one of your closest friends in the middle of the frenzy that your life is. With your ex-best friend saying you walked out on her and your failed fiancé insisting that it was you, who acted like a 'total psychopath' towards the end of your relationship, you have more fingers than people you can count on.

You watch him carefully as he smooths the napkin on his legs twice and then drops in on the table again, fidgeting with the loose threads in the corner.

Your wristwatch says it's 10:00 am, which is the exact time you agreed to meet. You wonder how long he's been waiting if there's an empty cup of coffee in front of him.

"You know, it's also rude to be too early for a meeting," you say as a form of greeting once you approach the table.

This startles him enough to drop the napkin on his lap again, proceeding to scramble to return it to the table before pushing his chair out to get up.

You chuckle, but before you can say you were joking, Charles is engulfing you in a hug. Your stomach flutters because of the way he holds the back of your head with his palm. It feels like you're being reunited after months instead of just two weeks. Time doesn't feel real sometimes, you would know.

"Soleil!" he says excitedly, putting his hands on your shoulders. "It's so good to see you,"

"It's nice to see you too, Charlie."

There's the nickname again. You've tried not to think too hard about it. Is it a European thing to call your friends that? When you asked him about it the last time he called before taking his flight to New York, his response was a simple 'it suits you'.

Charles pulls your chair for you and grabs your purse to place it on the empty chair between you two. He grabs his napkin again, pulling one last time on a thread before smoothing it down and forgetting about it.

"How are you?" Charles asks, a bright smile on his face. It falters in a barely perceptible way because he doesn't want to give you bad thoughts, which seem to come automatically every time the question is asked.

"Well, I'm okay," you assure in a soothing tone, "Still looking for jobs. And you?"

"Alright. Lots of work in the simulator and I'm hoping this is a good weekend,"

"Are you sure you'll be okay getting to Montreal tomorrow?" you smile at the waitress that approaches your table, "Can I have some coffee, please?"

"Of course," Charles assures, with a gesture of his hand. He's getting to Montreal at seven in the morning and running straight to his motorhome. "There's time for everything."

"What do you want to do, then?"

You don't want to exhaust him by showing him around New York, he has a long weekend ahead. To be honest, you really wonder what compelled him to make this stop instead of going straight to Canada. Sure you had talked about him coming to New York, eventually. Not a day before he had to start his Grand Prix weekend.

"Anything you want us to do," he replies, the single-dimpled smile on his face. "I'm open to anything."

"MoMA? Central Park? Something not so touristy?" you suggest, before thanking the waitress as she places a hot cup of coffee on the table.

"Just show me the places you like, y/n, don't stress about it." Charles laughs, eyes returning to the open menu in front of him. "I only care about hanging out with you."

"Thanks," is all you manage to say as you sip the scalding coffee, you do your best not to wince as it burns your tongue and down your throat. "Let's do it then."

"So, what do you think? Everything you expected and more?"

You're taking a walk in Central Park after Charles agreed to see the Alice in Wonderland statue. It's a warm morning in New York and although you haven't been walking around for that long, Charles seems content enough with what he's seen.

"It's very... you," Charles replies, and you're sure he means it as a compliment, but New York can be really ugly too. "In a good way!" he adds when he sees your expression.

"Thank you, Charlie." you laugh again. It's easy being with Charles, laughing with sincerity and really being in what's happening in the moment.

You didn't lie when you said you weren't afraid of speaking up anymore, but the dread of actually doing it is inevitable. Your words are being twisted and marked as false because Aidan is far 'more loved' than you are. Not to mention Victoria's interview about your lack of reciprocity to her humble feelings

You're still thinking about suing her. But it hurts to know that she was your best friend a week ago.

A few people stop you both to ask for pictures and autographs on the back of phone cases. A few of them ignore you, others smile politely at Charles before asking him to take their picture with you.

"I'm really polishing my photographing skills," Charles jokes as you walk away from a group of young girls who gush about how much they wish they could dress like you.

"Sorry if it bothers you," you whisper, looking at him only from the corner of your eye.

"Of course not, y/n. They ask nicely, and you're okay with it." he shrugs.

There was one time when a teenager, around fourteen or fifteeen, asked Aidan if he could please take a picture of her and yourself. It was an innocent question, she had already acknowledged him as 'that guy from Star-5' and how he'd been in Supercut with you.

But just by the way you saw his expression change, you told the girl a selfie was a better option, you would hold the phone yourself if she was okay with it.

You didn't hear the end of it for the rest of night. Aidan berated your career for the first time of many, saying it was frankly offensive that he’d been treated that way. It didn't matter that you told him the girl was barely a teen and she hadn't been rude. Still, he was more famous than you, he didn't deserve to be made felt like the opposite.

"What are you thinking?" Charles asks, touching your shoulder gently to make you pause your walk.

You really don't want to admit you were thinking about your ex-boyfriend. Not that it matters, Charles knows you think about Aidan often in a mostly negative light, but it feels weird to say it here. So you shrug and sigh. "I wish I thought of nothing, to be honest."

Charles squeezes your shoulder in a half hug. He doesn't push your boundaries, although he wishes he knew what was actually going through your mind.

─────────

It's when you two are having dinner in a restaurant in SoHo that Charles asks the question that has been eating him away since he landed in New York the previous night.

"Do you want to come to Canada with me?"

"Am I not blacklisted from the paddock?" you tease, although Elix is gone. You wonder if Ferrari people blame you a little bit for their sponsor dropping them.

"Absolutely not," Charles frowns, "And you would be my guest, you get to be in the Ferrari Suite like always."

"Thank you, Charlie–"

Charles tries not to seem disappointed as he waits for the 'but' to follow, so he drinks from his wine.

"—but I have some back to back things to do this weekend," you do regret not being able to make it, you loved the few Grand Prix you were able to attend and you would love to see Carlos too. But you have booked a few interviews with people who, more than anything want to consume gossip, but have disguised it as 'letting you tell your truth in more depth'. You cannot back down from what you started.

"That's okay," he assures with a quick wink. "You know you can come to races whenever you want to, though, right?"

"I can?" you raise both eyebrows and Charles rolls his eyes. "The benefits of having a Ferrari driver as a friend. I should have befriended you sooner."

"Very funny," he says as he hides his smile behind his glass of wine again. "Do I get invited to the Red Carpets?"

"You kind of befriended me at the downfall of my career. It's going to take a while for you to be on a Red Carpet."

Charles clicks his tongue and shakes his head. "You're only just getting started, soleil. Don't say that."

You hope he's right, because you have castings lined-up for next week too and you don't want to call him, or Mati, or your mom, crying about how unwanted you feel.

You shrug, drinking from your own wine.

"I'm being serious, y/n," Charles' tone is stern for a moment, yet not aggressive. "You have a lot of wonderful things to do in the future."

"Yeah, thanks." you dislike yourself for ruining the mood yet again, but Charles isn't bothered as he smiles at you once again.

"I mean it,"

He does, and so does Mati, and your mom. You are bound for great things, although they're taking time to find you right now.

"I know. Thank you Charlie, you're very kind. I hope you have a good race this weekend."

Charles huffs. "Yes, me too. Wish me luck?"

"I feel like I jinx you more than help you, Charlie."

"You didn't wish me luck in Spain, look how that went," he fakes a shudder and you snort. You hated every minute spent in Spain after FP3.

"Good luck, you'll do great." You pat the hand that he keeps on top of the table a couple times and before you can take your hand back, he grabs it, giving it a gentle squeeze.

Your heart races and you take a deep, sharp breath, like that would help it go back to normal. You have tried not to overanalyze everything about today, from the way Charles looked to the words he said, to the way your body responded to it. You don't want to go down that specific spiral.

"Thanks for stopping by," you take your hand back and keep it busy with your almost empty glass of wine. The alcohol has turned your cheeks warm. "You really want to see New York, huh?"

"I really wanted to see you," Charles replies, nonchalantly.

And you know you'll be spiraling, despite your best efforts.

─── team principal radio: ❝thanks for reading! also thank you so so so much because last chapter got to 1k+ interactions and i was beyond shocked!! it means a lot that you're enjoying delicate!♡❞

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[dayslynthesix]

Pirates | Charles Leclerc x Button!reader | bonus part

considering that today is charles leclerc international day here's a collection of all elise's birthday posts to charles for the last years

hope you enjoy it!

happy birthday to charlie boy

elisebutton

liked by scuderiaferrari, jensonbutton, beatricebutton, pierregasly, charles_leclerc and 233.154 others

elisebutton of all taylor swift ways to say i love you i will go with: and at every table i'll save you a seat, happy birthday, cuore mio, there's no words to describe how much i love you. i wish you the world. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT ME BUT YOURE FEELING 22.

charles_leclerc thank you, mon couer, i love you

jensonbutton happy birthday, charles. it is very pleasant to have you on the family.

pierregasly so cheesy

comments on this post have been restrained

october 16, 2019

elisebutton

liked by scuderiaferrari, charles_leclerc, f1, jensonbutton, carlossainz55 and 433.165 others

elisebutton what a privilege to spend another year by your side. happy birthday, cuore mio, it's amazing to go for night swims with you and pretend that us booth are sirens. i will always love you. happy 23.

charles_leclerc you weren't supposed to tell people about the sirens part 🤔

charles_leclerc leclerc thank you my love ❤

maxverstappen1 oh i see, your are here 2 years, im here 10, and charles is already playing sirens with you

jensonbutton another year, another post of my daughter kicking her feets smiling at the phone

elisebutton i see, i embarrassed charles and you embarrass me in payback, i knew that you liked him more

comments on this post have been restrained

october 16, 2020

elisebutton

liked by charles_leclerc, scuderiaferrari, carlossainz55, pierregasly, jensonbutton and 477.865 others

elisebutton happy 24 birthday to the one and only charles leclerc, love you my love, wishing you all the best. all's well that ends well to end up with you ❤

charles_leclerc for a couple of minutes i thought it was a all to well subtitle and i froze, thank you my love, missing you and website

maxverstappen1 thank god it was a lover lyrics, i was already calling 911 for daniel

scuderiaferrari elise and her taylor swift boy coded

user1 i just went to lis last posts about charles birthday and im so in love with them

user2 everyone was scared to death with the lyrics, but it was jus lis quoting lover

user3 i want what they have

october 16, 2021

elisebutton

liked by scuderiaferrari, charles_leclerc, carlossainz55, f1, jensonbutton and 677.233 others

elisebutton happy birthday to my sea boy and i think we can be pirates (partners), love you to the moon and to saturn, you light up my life. happy 25.

charles_leclerc i love discovering new places with you, thank you babe ❤

jensonbutton happy birthday, charles, now please could you give me back my daughter?

scuderiaferrari take good care of our driver!

maxverstappen1 ill steal that boat because that will be probably the only way ill be able to go for a boat trip

user4 max, jenson and lis fighting to see who likes charles more

user5 "boat was steal by formula one world champion max verstappen, when asked about why he said it was because no one invited him for the boat trip"

liked by elisebutton, maxverstappen1 and charles_leclerc

user6 KAIAJWJAIIWJWISIS the subtitle

user7 the way lis quote tswift to charles is why im still alive

october 16, 2022

elisebutton

liked by redbullracing, maxverstappen1, charles_leclerc, pierregasly, carlossainz55, scuderiaferrari, lewishamilton and 877.844 others

elisebutton one single threat of gold tied me to you. happy birthday my karma, my lover, my invisible string, i love you. see you in a couple of days. me, website, salem, my dad and my mom wish you a happy 26.

charles_leclerc i love how taytay references just grew bigger and bigger and i love you, looking forward to see you in a couple of days

laurencaspari he stole my wife, ill never forgive him for that (happy bday, charlie)

maxverstappen1 next year anniversary post will be just taylor lyrics and how there's no photo of the pets?

elisebutton im sorry max, website and salem are with my parents but ill ask them to send me pics of the pets so i can send it to you

maxverstappen1 that's why your my favorite teammate

danielricciardo what?

lewishamilton happy birthday and stuff but i just love the birthday tradition that lis created and every year im just scrolling through my insta account waiting for it

elisebutton i have a note on my phone with all the ways taylor says i love you and i choose one for each year 😩

pierregasly how can 2 people be so cheesy

elisebutton youre jealous because there's no cute post for you 😝

pierregasly i still think you don't like me

carlossainz55 cabronzito is 26 and there's no taylor song that say anything about that, it is probably a sad day to lis

danielricciardo happy birthday, mate, see you in vegas and we can celebrate

elisebutton WTF HAPPENED IN VEGAS?

cota we all know we're singing happy birthday to charles this weekend

laurencaspari and wishing to the happy birthday song to be followed by the monegasque anthem and the italian anthem

user8 hey maxverstappen1 what about you let your friend win this weekend?

maxverstappen1 if he gets the pole lis and i are going to defend

user9 max is like no one is overtaking my friend

user10 who could possibly imagine that charles and max would be actual friends in 2023? because it was not on my bingo card

user11 the last time max said something like that (monza, 2021) he crashed on the start so let's hope lis can do her things and not allow something like that again

elisebutton got ya!

october 16, 2023

[slavghoul]

Interview from Classic Rock Magazine #309

What stands out in your memories of 2022?

TF: Going back to touring was a fantastic feeling! In the beginning it felt almost unreal; still with a bit of restriction, which was kind of unintuitive, but the last tour we did, in August/September, was as good as normal. We released the record when we said we would, we managed to back it up with seventy shows. We cancelled one show in total. That's a good result.

Impera has dark, historically rooted themes, but it's also music that makes the listener feel so many things - joy, aggression, excitement, sorrow... After such a turbulent couple of years there's something cathartic about that.

I am very happy about how the record came out, and that it seems to be well-received among our fans. That's a tremendous feeling. I feel like I managed to do a lot of things I set out to do. We're gonna continue next year, we still have a lot of things to do. But right now we're just recharging a little.

Kaisarion has been a hit live. For a song about the brutal murder of a female Roman philosopher, it really gets the party going.

Yeah, I'm still surprised that with a song that does what it does - and was so well received and opened up the shows - there's never been talk about turning it into a single. Which I don't understand. But at the end of the day it's a label decision, and people around that decide which ones will, quote-unquote, 'work best'. And I've realised that I'm not really capable of choosing. I remember Mary On A Cross was a B-side.

It's weird how that happens with some songs.

Yeah, I must say I feel very optimistic with regards to how that song is taking a life on its own. Even though it was technically a B-side on a fun additional thing [2019's Seven Inches Of Satanic Panic] - it was not our main single from a new album we have always played it ever since it came out, on every show. Maybe a few exceptions, but I've always pushed that song as something that I felt very good about.

On that subject, you're viral on TikTok now. What is it about that platform that appeals?

I hardly knew what it was until two months ago! I have two almost fourteen-year-old kids, so of course I'd heard the phenomenon mentioned. It's an insanely big thing among kids and teenagers. What happens is they create these short snippets, funny, sad or emotional clips, to which they often tag some sort of music or sound. And if you are a creator of sound or music, you might be tagged on to a clip that might go 'viral'. That way you hit a lot more people that you might never entertain, you know, aiming your guns at. So it's a bit of a crap-shoot as well. We are not a big mainstream act, so obviously there's going to be a mixed bag of reactions. Because people in general are kind of strange to a lot of these aesthetics of rock, and especially the darker aspects of it.

It has brought the band more attention.

But if all that attention is a good or a bad thing, we do not know yet. There have been people who might have come on to the track, and as soon as they see what the band is about - or what they perceive the band to be about - there's backlash, because it's like: "Oh my, God fearing hater!" "I don't like it!" "This is communist bullshit!" So there are two sides of the coin. But it's a great bonus if we can get new people, especially kids, into liking rock music or other things, or if it makes them feel in any way better-informed, if you will.

Do you think TikTok will be a bigger deal for musicians in the future?

I don't know. I think when you're a musician, and you're making records, you need to have a certain strategic mind. But your job at the end of the day is making records and playing live. That is the heart of the matter. If you sit around waiting for a viral thing to happen, you can wait a long fucking time.

Back in May, the identities of the Nameless Ghouls were confirmed on social media. How do you feel about them not being strictly nameless any more?

Well, they haven't really been for quite some time. So for me it was not an overnight sensation. As long as it doesn't in any way interfere with what we are doing, there's no desire that I have for people not to feel proud or happy about what they're doing.

You've lamented not being able to play more guitar. If you could be the guitarist for a day in any band, which would it be?

Good question. There's several bands. I would have loved to be what Mick Taylor was in 1969, coming into the Rolling Stones at their best era - but I would have stayed around! That would have been a great experience. Very fun music to play. Definitely within the limits of what I can play really well. I spent a lot of time as a kid learning how to play guitar. Otherwise I would love to play in the Red Hot Chilli Peppers; I love what John Frusciante does. Def Leppard might be a good fit too. Joe Elliott spoke very highly of Impera when it came out. That would have also been really cool. Also a fantastic band. In an alternative reality, in an alternative life, I would have wanted to do a lot of other things. But I did hear that [Joe said those things], and it was very heartwarming, of course. A very big honour.

[emachinescat]

A Year in (Book) Review: My 2024 Reading Journey 📚

#40 - The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

Fantasy / LGBTQ+ / Romance / 498 pages / Published 2019 / Finished Apr. 27

One Sentence Review: A stunning foray into story and myth and art and love and life and death and the books we read and the stories we tell ourselves and Fate and Time, this masterpiece turns the conventions of modern storytelling on their heads and breathes life into a huge, intersecting hive of myths, buzzing with wonder, love, stories, endings - and new beginnings, a tale worthy of Borges himself.

Favorite Quotes

"Someone is trying to keep the story from ending, I think. But the story wanted an ending. Endings are what give stories meaning."

*

"A book is made of paper but a story is a tree."

*

"All cats are guardians in their own right."

*

"Be brave ... Be bold. Be loud. Never change for anyone but yourself. Any soul worth their star-stuff will take the whole package as is and how it grows. Don't waste your time on anyone who doesn't believe you when you tell them how you feel."

*

"A boy at the beginning of the story has no way of knowing that the story has begun."

*

"Strange, isn't it? To love a book. When the words on the pages become so precious that they feel like part of your own history."

*

"We are all stardust and stories."

*

"And no story ever truly ends as long as it is told."

My rating: 5/5

A Few More Thoughts (Spoilers):

I positively adored this book! It quickly cemented its place as one of my all-time favorites. It's unlike any novel I've ever read - the way the separate storylines are not only all connected but are the SAME story, the slow, satisfying way all the puzzle pieces begin to fit themselves together, the coziness, the wonder, the magic, the way the author weaves a new mythology tapestry worthy of Athena herself ... this book is art.

Although I had faith in the author that the seemingly unconnected pieces would come together in the end, the way they did so was a complete surprise. The whole book, I thought the end goal was to save the harbor on the Starless Sea, but no, it is destroyed in the end - and it's not even a bad thing. Bittersweet, yes, but necessary. A story is not a story if it doesn't end.

I could seriously write a dissertation on this book. Its themes of story, and its interconnectedness with life, death, and love are positively delicious. Masterful.

Even the best and most beautiful stories have to end at some point - that's what makes them stories. But the end of one story allows another to begin. Therein lies the beauty of stories: they are beautiful and significant and everything while they last, but even their endings forge the way for new beginnings.

[iwanthermidnightz]

*excerpts below — but I highly recommend reading the full article in link above*

Hit Me Hard and Soft dunks us headfirst back into that universe, from the deepest wallows of depression to the exhaustion that comes with the world speculating about her every move. There are no arachnids where they shouldn’t be, but getting in touch with her darker side has Eilish finally feeling like herself again. “I feel like this album is me,” she says. “It’s not a character. It feels like the When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? version of me. It feels like my youth and who I was as a kid.”

Although 2019 felt like a whirlwind of madness at the time, she has found herself missing it. “It was the best time of my life,” she says. “This whole process has felt like I’m coming back to the girl that I was. I’ve been grieving her. I’ve been looking for her in everything, and it’s almost like she got drowned by the world and the media. I don’t remember when she went away.”

The title Hit Me Hard and Soft derives from a conversation she had with Finneas, when she mistakenly thought the name of a synth in Logic Pro was called Hit Me Hard and Soft. “I thought it was such a perfect encapsulation of what this album does,” she explains. “It’s an impossible request: You can’t be hit hard and soft. You can’t do anything hard and soft at the same time. I’m a pretty extremist person, and I really like when things are really intense physically, but I also love when things are very tender and sweet. I want two things at once. So I thought that was a really good way to describe me, and I love that it’s not possible.”

Eilish and Finneas call Hit Me Hard and Soft “an album-ass album.” It’s not a concept record, but it is a self-consciously cohesive set of songs, inspired by auteurist works from the past 15 years or so, like Coldplay’s Viva La Vida, Lana Del Rey’s Born to Die, Tyler, the Creator’s Goblin, Marina and the Diamonds’ Electra Heart, and Vince Staples’ Big Fish Theory.

“Lunch,” a complete 180 in both sound and subject content. It’s a sexy, bass-heavy banger where Eilish is crushing on a girl so hard she likens sex with her to devouring a meal. Finneas remembers playing this moment for Interscope and witnessing the team shift in their seats. “What’s funny about starting the album with [the opener] is that it is a total false promise,” he says. “If you’re remembering ‘What Was I Made For?’ and then you hear [it], you go, ‘Oh, OK. I understand this world.’ Then the drums come in [on “Lunch”], and it really is the kill-the-main-character-type beat. It’s like Drew Barrymore being in the first five minutes of Scream and then they kill her. You’re like, ‘They can’t kill Drew. Oh, my God, they killed Drew!’”

Eilish and I spend a lot of time talking about the new era she is about to kick off, and how she’ll promote Hit Me Hard and Soft while prioritizing her mental health, privacy, and well-being. With all of that in mind, I wonder if she’s ready for journalists to pepper her with questions about the album’s subject matter, particularly the sexual nature of “Lunch.” “That song was actually part of what helped me become who I am, to be real,” Eilish says. “I wrote some of it before even doing anything with a girl, and then wrote the rest after. I’ve been in love with girls for my whole life, but I just didn’t understand — until, last year, I realized I wanted my face in a vagina. I was never planning on talking about my sexuality ever, in a million years. It’s really frustrating to me that it came up.”

Eilish is referring to her interview with Variety last fall, in which she mentioned she was attracted to women. The quote — “I’m attracted to them for real” — became a national headline. The following month, Eilish attended Variety’s Hitmakers event in L.A. While on the red carpet, she was asked if she intentionally came out in the story. “No, I didn’t,” she told them. “But I kind of thought, ‘Wasn’t it obvious?’” Eilish then posted about it on Instagram, with a caption that read, “Thanks Variety for my award and for also outing me on a red carpet at 11 a.m. instead of talking about anything else that matters. I like boys and girls leave me alone about it please literally who cares.”

Looking back, Eilish admits she overreacted with the Instagram post. “Who fucking cares?” she says. “The whole world suddenly decided who I was, and I didn’t get to say anything or control any of it. Nobody should be pressured into being one thing or the other, and I think that there’s a lot of wanting labels all over the place. Dude, I’ve known people that don’t know their sexuality, or feel comfortable with it, until they’re in their forties, fifties, sixties. It takes a while to find yourself, and I think it’s really unfair, the way that the internet bullies you into talking about who you are and what you are.”

As for that red-carpet quote that made all the headlines, Eilish says she tried to think of a response that would be entertaining for her fans and the internet. “I went into Billie Eilish interview mode, [like], ‘Oh, I don’t care. Yeah, I’ll say whatever. Wasn’t it obvious?’” she says. “And then afterwards I was like, ‘Wait. It wasn’t obvious to me.’”

Thinking about it now, she draws a bigger lesson from that moment. “I know everybody’s been thinking this about me for years and years, but I’m only figuring out myself now,” she says. “And honestly, what I said was funny, because I really was just saying what they’ve all been saying.” She adds that she liked the journalist she was talking to and didn’t want to be rude. But she still felt exploited. “Bro, I have asthma out here,” she says. “I fucking can’t take a breath.”

If Eilish had the opportunity to do it over again on the red carpet, she says, she wouldn’t have answered the question. But she acknowledges it could have been worse. “I’m lucky enough to be in a time when I’m able to say something like that and things go OK for me,” she says. “And that’s not how a lot of people’s experience is.”

Eilish has officially decided to make some changes to the way she presents herself to the world. “This album, to me, feels like a way to restart, in terms of my sharing,” she says. So let’s take a second to reintroduce Billie Eilish, the home-schooled bohemian who captured our attention as a teenager. She’s 22 now, yet she’s more self-aware than people twice her age. She would like some space to grow, to figure out exactly who she is — no label required. She is not the poster child for anything. And she is not, she’d like to note, a TED Talk speaker. So where does that leave us? Eilish sums things up with four simple words that point to her desire for normalcy and acceptance.

“I’m just a girl.”

[m7z]

In memoriam

I spent the last 30 minutes or so skimming through my Tumblr archive from 2011-2012 trying to find a post I know I wrote about my paternal grandparents’ love story, but I couldn’t find it. I probably moved it to another blog at some point and deleted it here. Along the way though I found all these other memories from my early 20s, such as my coming out/confession letter to a best friend from high school, many reblogs of sappy quotes/graphics/book snippets/lyrics, reblogs of photos of places I wanted to visit (many of which I’ve now been to), songs I liked, tech news from the era (like the death of Steve Jobs), political news from the era (like marriage equality, and Barack Obama’s reelection), many reblogs about Glee, my own photos from my early days of living in San Francisco (and interning at Twitter)… All of which is to say, it captured this whole era of my life from ~10 years ago that, in retrospect, was quite pivotal.

The reason I went looking for that post is because I found out yesterday that my grandpa passed away. My dad texted me and tried to call when I was in the middle of a work meeting. I registered the text but didn’t respond, and then called back after. It was the middle of the night in China at the time (around 2am), and he learned the news earlier when my aunt had called him, and she’d been notified by the staff at the seniors home where my grandpa had been living.

As I processed the news and decided on my plans, I told people the context that he had suffered a series of strokes and had been on the decline since last summer, so this news didn’t come as a shock. This is in contrast to my paternal grandma’s passing in January 2022 (also January) from a heart attack which was sudden, quick, and utterly shocking. As the matriarch of our family, her death had hit everyone really hard then.

At his passing, my grandpa was in his late 80s, possibly 87 or 88. Which is objectively quite a remarkable achievement for someone born into the chaos of 1930s war torn China to a poor rural/farming family. He joined the communist army as an accountant/admin, and then the local police after the war, and then worked at the state hemp/cotton company until retirement. He and my grandma met in their 20s, fell in love and got married despite oppositions (this is the story I had posted about that I was looking for), had 2 kids and 2 grandkids (one of which is me), traveled, had health issues and took care of each other, and grew old together.

I realized yesterday that I wasn’t reacting as emotionally as I did to my grandma’s passing — one because he’d been on the decline, and my dad/aunt thought he almost wasn’t going to make it after his last severe stroke in July. I think I had emotionally prepared for this back then, and so expected this to happen at some point. The other reason is that his quality of life in this last year, after these strokes, had become quite poor. He couldn’t eat or talk or walk, and had become reduced to almost just skin and bones. It had become painful to see him in this state, and I’m glad he’s not suffering anymore.

However, at the same time I still feel sad and regretful because I was hoping to see him at least one more time. Even though he hasn’t been able to speak since July, and he didn’t really recognize anyone anymore… even so, I was hoping he'd hang on until I visited again.

When my grandma passed in 2022, the pandemic, travel restrictions, and lack of flight options had made it virtually impossible to travel back. The last time I visited China was October 2019. Since then, in the last few years when we called, they’d almost always ask when I can go back again. My grandpa did this all the way up until his last stroke in July when he couldn’t speak anymore. When the pandemic largely ended in 2022, I’d always say “soon”, even knowing it was impractical with the Chinese government's onerous visa policies. When they finally reinstated the pre-pandemic visitor visa policies in March 2023, I started to say that I'll go back during the summer, then the fall, then the winter, then the spring. One reason is that the flight options were both expensive and inconvenient, but the larger reason is that I prioritized other plans in my life. I'm not sure where I could've squeezed it in, but I do regret that I didn’t try harder to visit sooner.

Circling back on the whole “eras of my life” thread — I always felt like as long as my grandparents were around, I still feel like a kid in some way. They treated me like one, still babied me whenever I visited or called, and would remind me of funny anecdotes from my childhood. I know I’m pretty lucky to have gotten 30+ years with almost all 4 grandparents in my life. I also know I’m lucky that they loved me as much as they did — because not all of my friends had the kind of close relationships I did/do with their grandparents.

Growing up, I was always pretty close to my grandparents, more so to my grandma who I genuinely enjoyed talking to and would call regularly, but I have many fond memories with my grandpa too.

I recall when my family first immigrated to Canada, I would cry about missing them. Later when I went back to visit as a teenager, I would cry on the flight back to Canada.

My grandpa liked to write simple rhyming poems after he retired, liked to drink and smoke and only quit in his 60s, and liked to sing Chinese opera. One year for my birthday, he wrote a “hidden message” poem where the first word of each verse added together would say “happy birthday <my Chinese name>”.

One really special memory of him I have is when I was in kindergarten, and during afternoon nap time (which I hated) he showed up unexpectedly and took me out of school. We didn’t live in the same city but he was in my city for a work trip, and he’d decided to take me out of kindergarten early that day so we could spend time together. I remember it feeling so unexpectedly awesome — one because I was doing something I wasn’t supposed to (skip school) but also because of the surprise visit itself.

The only time I felt emotional yesterday was when my mom told me how, even though I won’t be able to attend the funeral, I could pay my respects at both of my grandparents’ gravesites when I visit. The thought made me emotional because… they can finally be reunited again, or at least not be separated by death.

Didn’t really know what I was going to write when I started this, and the words kept pouring out, but I’m glad I did.

[probablyasocialecologist]

[Longtermism] was developed over the past two decades by philosophers at the University of Oxford including Nick Bostrom, Toby Ord and William MacAskill. Bostrom is one of the leading advocates of the idea that advanced artificial intelligence is going to kill everyone on Earth, and he was the subject of harsh criticism earlier this year after an old email surfaced in which he claimed that “blacks are more stupid than whites”. MacAskill’s past is chequered too, as he was the moral “adviser” of Sam Bankman-Fried, the cryptocurrency billionaire and diehard longtermist charged with perpetrating what American prosecutors have called “one of the biggest financial frauds in American history”. Longtermism is the brainchild of these people – a group of highly privileged white men, based at elite universities, who have come to believe that they know what’s best for humanity as a whole. Longtermists ask us to imagine the future spanning millions, billions, even trillions of years, during which our descendants have left Earth and colonised other star systems, galaxies and beyond. Though Earth may only remain habitable for another one billion years or so, at which point the sun will grow too luminous for us to survive, the universe itself won’t stomp out the flames of life for an estimated 10¹⁰ years – that’s a 1 followed by 100 zeros, an unimaginably long time.

[...]

Bostrom, the father of longtermism, has written that we shouldn’t shy away from preemptive violence if necessary to protect our “posthuman” future, and he argued in 2019 that policymakers should seriously consider implementing a global surveillance system to prevent “civilisational devastation”. More recently, Bostrom’s colleague Eliezer Yudkowsky contended that pretty much everyone on Earth should be “allowed to die” if it means that we might still reach “the stars someday”. He also claimed in Time magazine that militaries should engage in targeted strikes against data centres to stop the development of advanced artificial intelligence, even at the risk of triggering a nuclear war. When I was a longtermist, I didn’t think much about the potential dangers of this ideology. However, the more I studied utopian movements that became violent, the more I was struck by two ingredients at the heart of such movements. The first was – of course – a utopian vision of the future, which believers see as containing infinite, or at least astronomical, amounts of value. The second was a broadly “utilitarian” mode of moral reasoning, which is to say the kind of means-ends reasoning above. The ends can sometimes justify the means, especially when the ends are a magical world full of immortal beings awash in “surpassing bliss and delight”, to quote Bostrom’s 2020 “Letter from Utopia”.

[whatmakesyoulove]

Welcome the 2024 (10th) Cate Blanchett Birthday Project!

Every year, for the past 10 years I’m collaborating Cate Blanchett fans together in order to make something special for her birthday. And I am super excited to say that we have made 9 successful birthday projects together which has ALL arrived to Cate.

Cate Blanchett has influenced me and many more people through the years and this project is my way to say: Thank You. This year the project will surround MUSIC.

I think that one of the most influential things we have in life is music. Music is a tool to connect ourselves and to express things we cannot do with words.

This year, we will share a song with Cate. A song that means a lot to us and we want to tell her something with.

All you need to do, is to pick a song and send ONE sentence about why you chose this particular song.

HOW DO YOU CHOOSE THE RIGHT SONG? - GUIDNESS

The song has inspired you to go for your dreams just the way Cate does.

The song can help you express your graduate to Cate

The song can show how her words made you think or feel differently about something - and made you act a new way.

Some important points:

Send one sentence about the song only.

It can be a song in your native language but make sure you do translate the name

The final project will be a playlist that is all dedicated to Cate & A card with your sentences about the songs you picked.

THE FINAL PROJECT WILL BE POSTED ONLINE: So don't get too personal. Everyone who wants to see the project, will be able to do so. 

How does it work?

Send an email with your Name, Age & Country

Mention in the email if you joined any of the past projects and if yes mention the year

Send your picked song (with a Youtube/ Spotify/ Apple-Music link to it) & your sentence.

Rules:

Keep an appropriate language

Letting you know the project will be released ONLINE

Deadline

All projects should arrive until MAY 1ST, 2024. Send them all to the following address: CBFbirthday2015@gmail.com (the same one from past years) If you have any questions you can ask me here on the  ask box / twitter / email .

FAQs

Who can participate the project? - Everyone who wants to.

Can I send a picture of myself with a happy birthday poster? Not this time.

Can you guarantee Cate will receive the project? - sadly not, but we will try our best to make this work.

Our work at the past years:

2015 – A birthday video by fans - 24 participants 2016 – A birthday book – 138 participants 2017 – A birthday collage – 43 participants 2018 - The art as we see it -  40 participants 2019 – The big 50: A fan video – 61 participants 2020 - A motivation book - 42 participants 2021 - The fans sing - 34 participants 2022 -  Motivational quotes by Cate - 18 participants 2023 - A book of Inspiration - 64 participants

Please reblog this post so more people will be aware of our project The project Twitter/Tumblr tags: CBBP / CBBP24

[bethaven]

#2 The Big Bang Theory

(Spoiler alert)

Plot: Four nerdy scientists try to navigate social life in Pasadena, sometimes with great difficulty. Leonard, Sheldon, Raj and Howard all share some or other neurotic trait but also the longing for a less lonesome life. Everything changes one day when Penny moves in nextdoor to Leonard and Sheldon...

Years: 2007-2019

Seasons: 12

My story: One of my best friends in high school loved this series and we spent the good part of a weekend back in 2010 watching the first seasons. I've always been drawn to nerds and geeks so this spoke to me right away.

Teachable moments: TBBT developed a lot over the years, not the least the characters developed and challanged themselves more and more. I think it mostly thaught me that you can be yourself and still find love and friendship. And also, a few random science facts that can be helpfull at quizes.

Best character: This might be a random choice, but I've always had a soft spot for Stuart, the neurotic and depressed owner of the comic book store the gang visits frequently. He seems like a small role at the beginning, but he hangs on all 12 seasons and actually does quite a journey himself. I'm so happy he gets a happy ending.

Best episode: This might be the simple choice, but I really love the last episode; "The Stockholm syndrome". This because of several reasons. One, last episodes rarely are as good as they need to be, but this one is. Two, it takes place in Sweden, which always is fun if you're from here yourself. Three, it takes place on my birthday (the Nobel Prize ceremony always takes place on Alfred Nobel day December 10 th). So, basically, that episode was made for me!

Best quote: "I was under a misapprehension that my accomplishments were mine alone. Nothing could be further from the truth. I have been encouraged, sustained, inspired, and tolerated not only by my wife, but by the greatest group of friends anyone ever had." Sheldon Cooper in his Nobel Prize acceptance speach.

Fun fact: Penny's last (maiden) name is never revealed at any time through the years. Only time she is mentioned with a last name is after she married Leonard and taken his name.

If you like this you might also like: The spinoff Young Sheldon, where we follow Sheldon as a wunderkind in East Texas in the 90's, is a given for any TBBT fan. Also, other ensamble cast sitcoms like Friends, New Girl, How I met your mother and Modern Family.

[wishingicouldfly]

Harry Styles is a Mermaid

Disclaimer: I am sure I’m not the first to report and share these links and images. I thought people would find this interesting, so I’m sharing my foray down this rabbit hole. I’d welcome any additional links or thoughts related to Mermaids and the LGBTQ community.

If you know anyone that should be credited for pictures here, let me know. None of them belong to me.

***

In November 2014, Harry Styles had the image of a mermaid tattooed on his left forearm. The bare-chested siren joined multitudes of other nautical themed tattoos that litter his body. 

A few days after the new tat appeared, he responded to a question at a meet and greet. 

“I am a Mermaid,” he said. 

I started the research on this post when I saw the gif with his quote about being a mermaid. Rest below the cut.

Harry Styles’ Mermaid Tattoo — The Real Reason Behind His New Ink – Hollywood Life 

I’m not going to tell you why he said he’s a mermaid. I don’t know what it means to him. I have no idea. Maybe he simply likes mermaids. Maybe he feels like it matches the themes of his and Louis’ other nautical tattoos. I can't pretend to know.

“Mermaid” as a theme, though, has a decades long association with the LGBTQ community. And I think that’s interesting in light of the imagery that Harry himself has shared and seems to connect to.

Like, that time he wore a shirt with a famous line from The Little Mermaid.

Or in 2019, when he dressed as Ariel for a Saturday Night Live photoshoot.

Did Harry Styles REALLY say 'I am a mermaid'? Truth behind viral photo and his Ariel look for 'SNL' | MEAWW 

Or his his whole video for Music for a Sushi Restaurant: 

I’ve seen the Little Mermaid probably dozens of times. My child and I watched it a lot when she was growing up. And while I always knew it was an allegory for being different, I didn’t think about the deeper meaning as it relates to the LGBTQ community until more recently.

According to this article from the Smithsonian, 

The central story of The Little Mermaid is, of course, 16-year-old Ariel’s identity crisis. She feels constrained by her patriarchal mer-society and senses she doesn’t belong. She yearns for another world, apart from her own, where she can be free from the limits of her rigid culture and conservative family. Her body is under the water, but her heart and mind are on land with people. She leads a double life. She is, essentially, “in the closet” (as symbolized by her “cavern”—or closet—of human artifacts, where the character-building song “Part of Your World” takes place).

Source: 'The Little Mermaid' Was Way More Subversive Than You Realized | Arts & Culture| Smithsonian Magazine  https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/little-mermaid-was-way-more-subversive-you-realized-180973464/

The Disney version was written by writer-producer-lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken. 

The character of Ursula, though, is the real LGBTQ icon. “Conceived by Ashman, Ursula is based on the famous cross-dressing performer Divine, who was associated with the openly gay filmmaker John Waters. As scholar Laura Sells explained in a 1995 anthology of essays, Ursula’s “Poor Unfortunate Souls” song is essentially a drag show instructing the naive mermaid on how to attract Prince Eric (who is conspicuously uninterested in Ariel and most content at sea with his all-male crew and manservant Grimsby). “In Ursula’s drag scene,” Sells wrote, “Ariel learns that gender is performance; Ursula doesn’t simply symbolize woman, she performs woman.” (same source as above).

A gay man in 1980s America, Ashman had personal experience with the culture wars over “family values” and gay rights. The “Reagan Revolution” marked the arrival of the long-brewing marriage of the Republican Party with conservative Christians and included a platform that was unfriendly to gay rights, to say the least. President Reagan ignored the AIDS epidemic that swept the nation (refusing to appropriate any federal funds for research or treatment), and Republicans in general claimed the “gay plague” was God’s punishment for homosexuality. Ashman saw the film as an opportunity to advance a social message through the medium of “family entertainment.” The last thing Americans would expect from Disney was a critique of patriarchy, but sure enough, Ashman’s The Little Mermaid is a gutsy film about gender and identity—a far cry from the staid Disney catalog. (same source).

Anyone who was around in 2015 knows about RBB/SBB. But if you didn’t, the Rainbow Bears (RBB/SBB, largely assumed to be created and curated by Harry and Louis) mentioned Divine on December 1, 2015. Just after they posted about her, Harry tweeted a lyric that alluded to Divine. See below. 

Credit to @SkepticalLarrie

There’s a whole other rabbit hole you can go down about John Waters (openly gay film director) and Divine and Pink Flamingos (Pink Flamingos: A Queer Beginner’s Guide to Family, Style and Not Giving a Sh*t | by Joe Corr | Medium. https://mandysweats.medium.com/pink-flamingos-a-queer-beginners-guide-to-family-style-and-not-giving-a-sh-t-fa9aa3e6c96f

Here’s another article that talks about The Little Mermaid being important to the LGBT community.

How The Little Mermaid Found A Place In The Hearts Of LGBTQ Fans | HuffPost UK Entertainment (huffingtonpost.co.uk) 

There was a lot of speculation about Harry being potentially cast as Prince Eric in a live action version of the Little Mermaid. I’m not sure how serious those rumors were, but I can imagine based on all of this research, that he might have found the Prince wasn’t the character he related to most.

Harry Styles fans upset over 'Little Mermaid' reports | CNN https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/14/entertainment/harry-styles-little-mermaid-trnd/index.html

To go even further down the rabbit hole, go all the way back to the original story. The Hans Christian Anderson version has a tragic ending, that doesn’t end with the mermaid happily ever with the prince. There is some speculation that the story was an allegory for an unrequited love that Anderson had toward a straight acquaintance.

The Little Mermaid Is Really About Unrequited Gay Love | by Tamara Mitrofanova | Lessons from History | Medium 

I also want to point out that Mermaids is a UK based charity organization, that “supports transgender, nonbinary and gender-diverse children and young people until their 20th birthday, as well as their families and professionals involved in their care.” About Mermaids - Mermaids (mermaidsuk.org.uk) https://mermaidsuk.org.uk/about-us/

All of this could be coincident to the true purpose behind what Harry’s tattoo means to him. We will likely never know its exact meaning to him. 

But as time passes, and we see Harry waving various LGBTQ flags and hinting at being in the community himself, I think it might bear remembering that he said he WAS a mermaid. And I think that’s beautiful, Harry.

[lilydvoratrelundar]

10 comfort films

Ty for tagging me @mothdogs !!

1. Matilda the musical (2022) I have watched this film so many times and it's not even been out for a year. I love it so much. It's one of the only dvds I got new from hmv as soon as it came out. I could quote the whole thing on command. I cry whenever I watch it. I feel like I've lived with this film for my whole life when in fact I only saw it on a whim with my parents, towards the end of its theatrical run, cos of fond memories of the show.

2. The Suicide Squad (2021) it's the best superhero film. I love it so much.

3. Time Bandits (1981) pure whimsy. I could also probably write a decent essay on the theology of this film but that's another conversation

4. War for the Planet of the Apes (2017) I could probably put any of the apes films here (except the 2001 one) but this one is just. So beautiful and so good and I love it so much

5. The Blues Brothers (1980) I hate illinois nazis

6. Doctor who city of death. Shut up it's on letterboxd it counts as a film. I have other favourites of the show but this is the one I put on to lift my mood

7. Blade Runner 2049 (2017) I only discovered this one like a week ago but will 100% be rewatching many times

8. Star Wars (1977) is it a hot take to say, andor aside, the franchise has never been as good as that first film? I treasure my unspecialised edition dvd BTW I haven't watched the cgi monstrosities in about a decade

9. Bit (2019) it's gay vampires what more do u want

10. Baby driver (2017) banging soundtrack fantastic direction great story

Oh god i'll tag uhhh

@merrygejelh @regicidal-defenestration @charliedooku @rainethorn @justanotherbookortwo @wouldbeheroine @starfrog1 @emailsquid & anyone else who sees this consider urself tagged

[spiritblossoming]

also here are the quiz descriptions for the OTHER uquiz except some of them are written from the perspective of some random reporter with access to google

Showmaker

Showmaker is simultaneously one of the biggest threats to international security and the most carefree, fun-loving person you will ever meet. Being both a skilled Summoner and an artificer, Showmaker crafts each of his cards by hand. When asked what his championship wish was, he simply replies, "I wished for more wishes!" The truthfulness of this statement is unknown.

Canyon

Widely renowned as one of the best Summoners in the world, Canyon is a force to be reckoned with as he shifts between beast and human as fluidly as water—water he now controls after conquering the Rift. His enchanted spear is the result of his and Showmaker's combined efforts after their embarrassing loss to G2 in 2019.

Scout

After living in the shadow of superstar Summoner Faker as his substitute, Scout managed to conquer the Rift in 2022 with EDG. He fights by draining energy from his enemies and converting it into magical bolts that do massive damage. Rumor has it that he never sleeps.

Meiko

Loyal and determined, Meiko serves as the support for EDG. He possesses the ability to heal people through physical contact with them, and can also induce happiness, energy and good dreams. Meiko is often referred to as the perfect support by his teammates, both in and out of battle.

Jiejie

At only twenty years old, Jiejie did what was thought to be near impossible: he defeated Canyon at the peak of Summoner's Rift using nothing but his blade and black mist. Sarcastic to the very end, he takes very few things seriously, except for his role as EDG's jungler. He is often referred to as the Third Prince of EDG.

Viper

Calm and collected, Viper serves as the marksman, or ADC, for EDG. He is often thought to be the strongest ADC in the world. Wielding five guns of moonlight as well as an inexplicable darkness, Viper strikes fast and hard, leaving his opponents no time to recover.

Teddy

Don't let his name fool you—Teddy is far from a pushover. A master of acrobatics and stealth magic, Teddy uses his crossbow to dispatch enemies with ease. He acts playfully for the most part, but never fails to be serious when the situation demands it.

Bjergsen

Bjergsen's years-long career came to a sudden halt in 2020, when a tragic accident resulted in the disappearance and presumed death of him and two of his teammates. However, it didn't take long for the star mid laner to literally turn back time, bringing himself back to life with the help of his enchanted pocket watch. Bjergsen: 1, Death: 0.

Spica

One of the only two surviving members of TSM 2020, Spica was the only one to remain with the team for next year. His control over shadows and mastery of the scythe help him to be one of the best junglers in all of North America, all without winning a single battle internationally.

Doublelift

The veteran Summoner known as Doublelift is the only member of TSM 2020 still missing as of 2022. His gun, which he designed and built himself, serves as an inspiration to a new generation of Summoners and rests at the foot of his monument in Los Angeles. At the feet of his statue lies an engraving of his most famous quote: "Everyone else is trash."

Keria

Although he's rather short and clumsy outside of battle, Keria is a force to be reckoned with. He is one of the few people in the world capable of adapting mostly defensive water magic to be able to heal. Many people consider him to be the best support in the world.

Gumayusi

With his support Keria at his side, there's (almost) nothing that Gumayusi can't do. His confidence is legendary in every region along with his sheer skill. Wielding a gun similar to Doublelift's, Gumayusi uses nets, traps and his near-perfect aim to secure a victory for his team.

Jojopyun

Jojopyun is the youngest Summoner to ever be crowned as a champion of North America at only 17 years old. He discovered his powers while streaming Fortnite on Twitch, accidentally cloning himself. Within 24 hours, he became an internet celebrity and was picked up by Evil Geniuses not long after that.

Danny

Danny is often regarded as one of the most promising talents North America has to offer. He carries a powerful secret: he is one of the first Summoners with his special brand of lightning magic, which he hopes to conceal from the world in order to have an advantage when he's ready to conquer it.

Ghost

It took him years of hard work and countless failures before he reached the top of the Summoner's Rift and achieved his dream. Ghost hides his face behind a mask and rarely speaks out loud, preferring to use his magic when possible. Although he seems incredibly cold, his teammates insist that he's a very different person when the mask is off.

Razork

With the power to summon both ice and lightning, Razork balances both to create a unique fighting style. He's full of energy and always has a joke or two at the ready no matter the situation. Although he's one of the best Summoners in Europe, he has yet to make a name for himself internationally.

Vulcan

Veteran Summoner and highly skilled support, Vulcan helps to lead the way for his young teammates in EG. He fights by controlling water, and, on very rare occasions, using his unnaturally long tongue. (Demonic deals have their side effects.)

Jankos

Although he's a world-class jungler, Jankos is best known for his tendencies to scream, make jokes, miss spears and flirt with his teammates. Famously lost to Canyon despite sharing the same powers and having beaten him last year. He works hard to lead his team to victory, one "zoning" spear at a time.

Rekkles

Handsome and outgoing, Rekkles is the golden boy of the European league—which makes it a surprise that he was rejected from all ten major guilds in 2022. He fought for Fnatic for nearly seven years before joining G2. Despite the high hopes for the new G2, he and his team ended up at the rank corresponding to his favorite number: fourth.

Biofrost

After TSM 2020's run on the Summoner's Rift ended in tragedy, Biofrost was thought to be dead. Although Bjergsen soon returned from death, it would take much longer for Biofrost to reappear in the land of the living. No one knows where he was, exactly, but there's new shadows to weigh him down no matter how bright his light shines.

Faker

Known as the Unkillable Demon King, Faker's very presence is enough to shake the heavens. There are very few people, living or dead, that are capable of matching Faker. He wields shadows like an extension of himself, bringing a swift defeat to his enemies with his razor-sharp blades. Faker is no normal Summoner—with the power accumulated from his three championship wishes, he is the closest thing to a god.

[aimmyarrowshigh]

I know this is a super broad question, but; I'm in Chicago this weekend for MPCA/ACA and was wondering if you have any recommendations on what I could do in my freetime? Any smaller/niche museums or bookstores or whatever. Anything you think is interesting/nerdy. And food, of course! Food recommendations are always good :)

Oh man, I wish I had less touristy answers to give you, but I live just enough outside of the city that I mostly do touristy kinds of things when I go down there, and I've only been once since the 2020, so a lot of my answers aren't open anymore/didn't survive the pandemic.

BUT: I do have one that's not touristy! If you're into crafting or found objects at all, there's a secondhand crafts supply store called The WasteShed on Kimball Ave. that's very cool. My favorite thing there are the collections of donated old family photos and slides that people just sort of... give away, when someone in their family dies and they don't want to keep the personal effects(?????). I found an amazing pair of gorgeous family portraits from 1928 in Tokyo last time I was there. The family's names, ages, and the date are all written on the back in both Japanese and English. I'm glad those portraits didn't go into the landfill. But I'm a Small History person who loves things like ephemera. They also have tons of stuff for every type of art or craft imaginable!

Greektown also used to be super cool, but I don't know whether it still is. AFAIK the big tentpoles all didn't survive the pandemic, so don't quote me on that one.

I'm also always going to hype the fairy castle at the Museum of Science & Industry. It was created by and for Colleen Moore, the flapper and silent film star, and she used to tour the country with it to show at children's hospitals. It's fucking amazing. There's a 1" actual Guttenberg bible in there. There's a polar bear rug made of mink and mouse teeth. There's mother-of-pearl chairs made from her earrings from the set of a movie. There used to be running water on the Weeping Willow, but they had to turn off the water in the '90s because it was eating through the materials after 70 years. It's truly my favorite dollhouse, and I've seen the Nutshell Studies.

...I also love American Girl Place but that's literally just a me thing. I also sort of hate-love it, because they have Lost Their Way Severely.

I also am a big fan of the Field Museum -- I know, I know, museums evil, but it does genuinely seem like they're trying to course-correct and make amends -- and the Shedd Aquarium (same). You can touch a manta ray. You can see otters. You can smell penguins. I mean, you can also see them, but boy can you smell them. And Sue (the t-rex at the Field) is an unofficial Chicago mascot.

This is a good list of cool bookstores in the city, which I have to say I haven't explored as much as I should. I've been to a ton of cool bookstores in the Twin Cities, New York, and Staten Island, and some in the SF area and Seattle, but I haven't really explored the ones in Chicago too much because there used to be THE BEST children's/YA bookstore in my suburb and it was where I spent my entire life. This list looks like it has good options for many neighborhoods in the city, though, so wherever you're staying there should be something near-ish to you.

Which is kind of the other reason I haven't explored Chicago as much as other cities in which I've lived, despite living here the longest: public transit here FUCKING SUCKS and I hate city driving more than anything in the world. Maybe you'll have a better experience with the L than I ever do, though, so don't let me being terrible at the L put you off trying it out. I just am not good at it. I can do the subway! I can do trams and the Skyway! I can do street maps okay! I cannot do the L. Somehow every single time I try, I miss a stop and have to circle all the way around again.

Ooh, one other fun thing I did in like 2019 in the city was go ax-throwing, so if you want to try that, they have that right near the symphony building. That's surprisingly fun and not scary.

Food-wise, Chicago is full of good food. Pretty much everything I've ever eaten in the city was great, from the popcorn at Union Station (YOU MUST GET THE CHEDDAR AND CARAMEL MIX AT UNION STATION. IT IS THE BEST POPCORN.) to the $600+ per plate price fixe at Alinea (the only good thing I ever got from an ex). I feel like Sam @copperbadge has a more "a la minute" (hyuk hyuk) set of opinions about Chicago dining than I do -- like I said, a lot of the places that I really liked didn't survive the pandemic or they're outside of the city itself.

Oh! And it is sort of touristy but also very nerdy: the International Museum of Surgical Science. There's an exhibit right now about Frankenstein!

Honestly, looking at the MPCA/ACA website, I'm just jealous you get to be doing/seeing that all weekend. I feel like that's the nerdiest and most fun-seeming ticket in town. What are you there to present or see specifically?? I'm so intrigued!

[bookaddict24-7]

REVIEWS OF THE WEEK!

Books I’ve read so far in 2022!

Friend me on Goodreads here to follow my more up to date reading journey for the year!

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301. Lore Olympus Vol. 1 by Rachel Smythe--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was not expecting that!!! I loved this so much that I immediately want the next volumes!!! The art work took me a little to get used to, but the story immediately drew me in. I loved seeing a new adaptation of how these two came together, but I especially love the portrayal of Hades in this. Why was he drawn in such a way that made me immediately root for him? I...don't blame Persephone.

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302. I Think Our Son is Gay by Okura--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was a cute read with some great moments where the mom and younger brother actively stood up for him against the bigotry of the dad. I loved that while the son feels like he isn't ready to come out to his parents, his mom is creating this safe environment for him to come out one day. I don't know if I'll read the next one, just because this felt a bit episodic and I like series that have more of a flow to the storyline. But we will see, who knows if I'll cave and read the next issue!

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303. Beyond the Wand by Tom Felton--⭐️⭐��⭐️

I really enjoyed this autobiography because of how honest Felton is and how surprisingly funny I found him. I'll admit that I never gave much thought about him as an actor whenever I watched the movies in that series, but I'm glad I decided to check this one out because it was so incredibly insightful. Felton talks about how he ignored his mental health as his life continued after his pivotal career role, and how his worldview changed as he grew and learned more about himself. I'll admit that after reading this, I also grew to understand and appreciate why he was such a fan favourite. His personality shines through his writing and the book flew by. I felt like I was a friend of his while he detailed the events, small and major, that make up his life. I know that the series in question was a huge part of his life and I know that the series has gone beyond the horrific commentary of the author, but it was still jarring to hear her name so casually mentioned throughout the book. I'm sure that he like many of us (him more-so because he was actively a part of making that magic happen) that the series changed his life in many ways, but I will throw the disclaimer out there that her name is mentioned and none of her actions are mentioned along with mentioning the name (this includes quotes she's said surrounding the series. We all remember Dumbledore's many wise comments.) It's all positive and that made me pretty uncomfortable. Anyway, I really, really enjoyed this and I'd recommend it--but keep in mind my TW mentioned above.

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304. Intercepted by Alexa Martin--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Re-read in December 2022! I was craving a re-read of the first two books in this series. I found the audiobooks at the library and just went for it. Looks like I never wrote my review in 2019 LOL For the most part, I love this book. I love the idea that the MC gets her hot football player who treats her like the queen that she is. I loved their chemistry and the spicy scenes that we get. What I didn't love was that frustration final conflict and the random hashtags that the MC started using after the halfway point of the book. Am I wrong in saying that they randomly started happening? Anyway, that being said, I'll probably re-read this book again in the future because some books just crawl under your skin and stay dormant until the bug bites you again. Plus, I just love seeing a beautiful black woman getting the love she deserves!

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305. The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James by Ashley Herring Blake--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is the second book I've read by Blake and just like the first book, I LOVED this one. It was so incredibly heartfelt and the MC is dealing with some pretty heavy stuff like her health (a new heart transplant), her complicated relationship with her birth mom, her ex-best friend, her sexuality, and the new friend who she literally meets in the coolest way possible. One of the reasons why I love middle grade books like this is that they always offer something so incredibly special because it's written for those young minds that are still developing who they want to be as adults. These kinds of books are pivotal in growing that sense of understanding and empathy that these young readers need as they grow. But I think books like THE MIGHTY HEART OF SUNNY ST. JAMES also offer adults that moment of emotional complexity that older books might not be able to offer us. A child's difficulty with dealing with the emotional trials that life sometimes throws at them makes books like this one more poignant because we get to see these young minds learn and grow as they confront these challenges. Blake does a beautiful job giving us such an impactful novel. Sunny, the mc, is just a child but she's already learning to navigate her complex world. All of that to say that I loved this book and I think everyone (child, teenager, adult) should read this.

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306. Knight of the Ice Vol. 1 by Yayoi Ogawa--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I have finally read this and I'm not going to lie, I really enjoyed it! This definitely felt like a hetero version of YURI ON ICE lol. I don't know which one came first, but it felt like it because not only is this about figure skaters, but there are also side characters that give off similar vibes. Anyway, this was fun and kind of cute because of the obvious love these characters have for each other. I just know that the next few volumes are going to be misunderstandings and stolen looks and honestly, I'm so ready for it.

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307. Fumbled by Alexa Martin--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Re-read in November 2022! Okay, I'll be honest: this is the one I really wanted to re-read. I am the biggest sucker for secret babies/kids. I love seeing those bonding moments between parents and child, and usually how the dad is just a massive asshole until he becomes putty in the hands of the child or baby. Also, I still love how this one addresses the brain damage that can happen when you get hit in the head repeatedly in a sport like football. I'm changing my rating to four stars from the three stars I gave this in 2019. Past me had probably read a million sports romances at the time whereas present me is seriously missing them.

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308. Five Survive by Holly Jackson--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I received a copy from the publisher since I interviewed the author on the Indigo Instagram! I was a big fan of Jackson's first trilogy (except for the last book which I may or may not have DNF'ed), so I was really excited for this one. Somehow, Jackson managed to write a heart-racing, quick read that takes place over the span of eight hours. In those eight hours you learn of secrets, see the bully side of a certain character, encounter violence and blood, and feel the panic that the characters are feeling while being stalked in the middle of nowhere by a sniper. I talked to a friend about the conclusion because I wasn't the biggest fan of it. I think that this book will translate great into a movie, but I do wish there was a little more character growth regarding one character and that the ending wasn't so...how it was. Anyway, that being said, I really did enjoy this one. It's a fun and quick read that the author (in our interview) mentioned should be about an eight hour reading experience!

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309. The Stone Child by David Alexander Robertson--⭐️⭐️⭐️

Listen, I've enjoyed this series, but I'm going to be honest: I didn't care a lot for a chunk of this book. I don't know what it was, but I was bored and I even zoned out a few times. Maybe one day I will re-read this and feel differently. I wasn't a big fan of the MC's constant snapping. I can understand that she is grieving and that she is an emotional mess because of everything she's experienced and is learning about her life, but it felt repetitive for her to just snap and then immediately apologizing and just...what was the point? I don't know, I just felt annoyed by it. She was definitely not my favourite in this one. I DID enjoy seeing them explore some of the changes that they encountered and the surprise connection between the MC and her best friend. I look forward to reading more about that in the next book! There was also a beautiful moment near the end that made me almost tear up. We will see how the next book is!

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310. A Rip Through Time by Kelley Armstrong--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I remember thinking, when this book ended, wow, I actually really loved that. I'm always hit or miss with Armstrong books, but this was such a surprising read. It truly gave me OUTLANDER vibes but with a mystery at its heart. The character development between the MC and the two other main characters was entertaining, and I loved hearing the comparisons between the past police work and how the same work would be done in the present day. I'm looking forward to the next book because I want to know some answers. This didn't really have romance--more like a potential budding romance for a future slow burn. This book was mainly setting up the world and the characters for future mysteries and I loved it. If you want a time travel book that isn't all about romance and has some intriguing murder mysteries thrown in there, then you might really enjoy this one!

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Happy reading!

[puppy-phum]

8 Shows to Get to Know Me

thank you for tagging me josi @wanderlust-in-my-soul​​ ♥ am always happy to talk about shows that are important to me~

(tried to write these down in order from oldest to newest! meaning: when they came into my life and changed me)

I. Merlin (2008-2012)

one of the first shows i ever watched from a streaming site (aka illegally online haha), tho i did start watching it while it was airing on our tv. i adore the atmosphere, the world, the characters, and the whole journey throughout all five seasons. it feels whole. the fandom here is also amazing, even if i mostly watch it from afar ♥

II. Theory of Love (2019)

am not really sure when exactly i watched this for the first time, but i have vague memories of the last ep or the special ep only having just aired. it was one of my first introductions to bls - to good and more thoughtful bls - and i loved it with my whole chest. after rewatching it a year ago, i can still say it’s one of those shows that has rearranged something permanently in me. 

III. Sense8 (2015-2018)

the show that feels like it was made for me. it’s just so full of things i love: fantasy, mysteries, action, character bonds, found family, love, acceptance, understanding, and even psychological themes. i love each of the characters very dearly and enjoyed all of their relationships with each other. i also loved what this show did with intimacy, both the emotional and physical kind, by showing how it can be a source of great comfort. 

IV. The Untamed (2019)

my first ever cdrama that opened up a whole new world for me. it became one of my first ever big hyperfixations, one of my great loves. it let me dive into the world of other cdramas and so even more great shows. and it brought me to many new things and ppl here on tumblr after leading me into editing and so to the mdzs network ♥

V. The Lost Tomb 2 / Explore With The Note (2019)

i cannot really pack dmbj into only one show bc each of the adaptations has given me something to chew on, but tlt2 is always my baby. it is the show that made me love pingxie, the show that made me insane about their story, and the show i would die for. it gave me serious brainrot for such a long time, and even if it’s not the best one of the adaptations, it’s still very, very dear to me.

VI. You’re My Glory (2021) 

i never thought a romance show would get to me but this one did in so many ways. it taught me some precious lessons and i think it changed how i see accomplishments, dreams, and working hard to reach personal goals. it gave me hope and strength, and it just made me believe in love that is comfortable and adjusts to your needs. 

VII. Bad Buddy (2021)

the show that changed me about a year ago. the show that somehow opened up a lock inside of me, that allowed me to feel new things, that comforted me and understood me. idk if any bl can ever feel as much home as bb does. little did i know that when i started watching this silly bl during the christmas it was still airing, it would consume me, heart and soul, and then lead me here, wrapped up in this bl world. 

VIII. Vice Versa (2022)

if there’s one show to define me right now, to define me for the past year, it’s vice versa. it’s everything to me in every sense. it’s a show i go to when i want to cry, or smile, or feel warm, or happy, or sad, or delighted, or comforted, or loved. it’s a show that feels like a hug, a show that heals me in all the ways i need to be healed. it means so much to me. and it doesn’t hurt that it’s still one of the most beautiful bls i’ve ever seen ♥ (i could write essays of vv, tho at the same time it feels like the jane austen quote, “if i loved you less, i might be able to talk about it more”)

some honorary mentions: 

The Long Ballad (2021), Not Me (2021), My Country: The New Age (2019), The Blood of Youth (2022), and 3 Will Be Free (2019)

tagging: @leonpob​ @stormyoceans​ @dimpledpran​ @hils79​ @psychic-waffles​ @ardentlytess​ @oswlld​ @sanoreo​ ♥