#not really a practise i seriously need to be carrying out but its funny to have something on the screen

[neproxrezi]

i've been trying to configure obs to work for clips! nothing super exciting to show yet but have this

[dragonslayer-5fanfiction]

Haikyu Headcannons

I recently got into Haikyu and I love it. This is my time writing headcannons and it’s fun. Also these are some of my favourites from the show, but not all of them. I have more Hiakyu fics coming. Also if you want to be on a taglist, let me know!

Tohru Oikawa:

Lives for rainy days and movie marathons with his nephew

Hates wearing his glasses, but does late at night

He does that thing where you lift the glasses and rub at your eyes when your tired

Melts when you lift them and kiss the bridge of his nose and above his eyebrows

More specifically wears them in a huge alien sweater, those plaid pants while watching a crappy alien movie on T.V.

Watches scary movies if you convince him (pull out the puppy dog eyes) but ends up plastered to your side the entire time

He wants to be tough, he really does

Takes you and his nephew on dates together and smiles at you because Takeru really likes you

It almost makes him jealous

Aone Takanobu:

The best boy ever, seriously he deserves the world

Will blush profusely when you tell him how good he is

The first time you held his hand he almost flinched away, panicked grabbed your hand tighter so you wouldn’t pull it away, and panicked again because he thought he hurt you

He just wanted to hold your hand so bad

You laughed and reassured him you were fine, and he could hold your hand tighter if he wanted

You always wear his spare jersey to his games and it completely swamps you

My mans is huge

You always cheer the loudest for him, and Kogenegawa gets jealous, so you cheer for him too, but not as loud as for Aone

The first time you use his first name, he blushes to the roots of his hair because it sounds so good and just freezes

It takes you several tries to get him to respond, but once he does he smiles for the rest of the day

Brings you flowers he picked and they’re a little droopy and some of the petal are missing, but he’s so cute holding the bouquet that you say thank you and press a kiss to his cheek

You take them and place them in a vase of water and once they were starting to wilt you dried them

He loves to bring you little trinkets that he sees and they make him think of you

Remembers anything you tell him

He can tell when you’re feeling down and brings you things that make you feel better

He also treats you even more like a princess

Lets you decide on what to do

He’s a huge teddy bear

He just loves you so much

Sugawara Koushi:

He will sacrifice anything for you, just say the word

Sick? Misses school. Missing him? Waits for you to fall asleep on the phone, even it means he gets less sleep than he needs

You would do the same tho tbh

Brings flowers for your guardian anytime he comes over, without fail

If it's raining and you forgot your jacket, he lets you stand in the rain for a bit before giving you his

Likes to pinch your side or arm because the way you jerk away he thinks is funny

Very physically affectionate

Always wants his hand on you or some part of you

Holds your hand all time

Hand around your waist, and oops! It slipped to your ass

He won’t move it though

Likes to play footsie with you and when you go to stand he likes to try and trap one of your feet

He thinks its fun

Thinks its fun to call you weird nicknames like: my coffee-poo, gummy bear, or that one sock I love unconditionally

Kuroo Tetsurou:

Also one for weird nicknames

Like he tells you your the 53rd moon of Jupiter or that you’re as important as the red spot on Mars

Also insults you in the weirdest ways

Like one day he called you tin, because your basic

Is always giving you his jacket, whether you’re cold or not

Teases you to no end

But you tease him too

He’s wrapped around your finger, so you get him to carry your purse because he looks funny with it

He complains but secretly loves it

Watches really shitty sci-fi movies and lives for bad FX, LIVES for it

Likes to gently tug on your hair when your walking in front of him

Or just in front of him in general

Brings you over to Kenma’s uninvited and tells you to calm down when you get embarrassed because you weren't invited

He scoffs and says it’s fine, its his house he practically lives there anyway

You sit there and listen to Kenma roast him while they play games

You occasionally toss a volleyball back and forth

He loves when you come to watch him practise, he’s even harder on the team and does his absolute best to impress you

You also love it because him? In charge? Yes please

You have to force him to relax some days, he won’t do it on his own

Those days you show up, shut his phone off and sit on him

He complains so loud, says he’s a busy man, whatever you ignore him 

Anytime he tries to get up you whine and throw a fit, which makes him feel bad so he doesn’t move or get up

He secretly enjoys it because it shows you care about his well being

Eventually he calms down and you let him lay on you as you run your fingers through his hair and talk about what happened that day while a shitty sci-fi movie plays in the background

[missturtleduck]

The Girls of Ba Sing Se - (Sokka x f!Reader) Pt. 7

Part Six│Part Eight

“See you later, pretty girl.”

TW: One instance of mild language

Y/N didn’t think Aang would have taken her seriously when she joked about taking a vacation. Of course, she was rightly traumatised after being chased and nearly eaten by an angry mother moose-lion. Maybe the boy didn’t understand her humour – she wasn’t sure she understood her humour most of the time – but they were nevertheless travelling around the deserts heading west, stopping off at every location Aang desired.

Misty Palms Oasis sounded nice on paper, Y/N had to admit, but they had wasted so much time so far. It was Sokka who was the most vocal about this fact, but Aang, ever the chill airbender, brushed him off.

“I’m trying really hard practising my bending with Katara and Toph,” He said, his usual smile in his face. “I’ve been training my arrow off!”

Sokka met Y/N’s eyes, exchanging near identical looks of incredulity. Their gazes lasted a moment too long, however, as they looked away swiftly, faces pink and eyes wide. She didn’t have to look back to know he had that stupid grin on his face.

With her feet propped up on Y/N’s legs, Toph let out a snort. She didn’t elaborate when asked, brushing her friends off easily as she closed her eyes, catching some lazy sleep in the sun.

As the oldest two in the group, Sokka and Y/N naturally began a partnership based solely on not letting the younger ones die in their training and travelling. And yet, she found that they were spending more and more time together when they really didn’t need to. There was always an excuse; Sokka had to sleep with his arm slung over her because it was ‘too cold’ and she was ‘always warm’. Y/N needed Sokka to come foraging with her because only he could control Qin if she got loose and decided to chase something.

Under the heat of the midday sun, it was too hot for Qin to carry Y/N, so she followed under Appa’s shadow as they ventured across the continent.  Even the reptile seemed to like Sokka, shuffling under his legs to sleep at night.

Leaning over the side of Appa’s saddle, Y/N watched as Qin panted, running underneath them as loyal as a hound. She frowned as the reptile sped ahead, clambering to Aang’s side; Qin had found the Oasis. Supressing a snort, she watched her pet lap up the melting water from the admittedly pitiful ice spring, the dog at her side edging away warily.

Aang laughed sheepishly as they came in to land. “Must’ve changed ownership since I was last here.”

The fine sand beneath their feet was warm to touch. A hand on Toph’s shoulder, Y/N followed their friends into what seemed to be the dingiest establishment she would ever set foot in. As she passed through the small square, she watched their surroundings with astute care; the sandbenders that had their eyes on Appa and Qin were hanging around outside the bar. One of them hacked up spit, launching it at Sokka’s feet with some extremely unpleasant words.

“I’d watch yourself, sand snake,” Y/N hissed back, her voice low and guttural. “You see my steed? Then you know who I hail from.”

Reluctantly, the sandbenders backed off, their mouths twisted into menacing scowls. Looking over his shoulder in questioning, Sokka frowned at Y/N, but she shook her head. He did not want to know, she was sure.

Inside the bar was even more grim than its exterior. The patrons of the bar looked more travel weary than any of her friends, though most of them seemed beyond tired. They looked haunted. Luckily, the bartender seemed friendlier and less traumatised than his patrons, his drinks looking very thirst quenching. Taking a seat, Y/N tapped the bar with two fingers, catching the man’s attention. Pulling out his twin blades, he smiled at her.

“What can I get you, pretty girl?” He said, gesturing to the overhanging fruit – a selection of mangoes and passion fruit.

Y/N grinned, resting her chin on her palm, leaning over the bar. “Those mangoes look luscious.”

“Well, you’re in luck,” The man said, slicing the fruit down, catching them from mid-air and dicing them up with incredible skill, “Because these mangoes are in fresh.”

Putting on a show, the bartender threw the diced fruit into a bowl, pouring what looked to be coconut milk in it – still with his swords. With a wink, he topped the drink with a decorative umbrella and straw, pushing it across the bar towards her. Reaching to her pockets to flick him a coin, the bartender put a hand up.

“Your name is all I need,” He said, obviously flirting.

“Oh,” Y/N flushed, taking a sip of her – very well made – drink. “I’m Y/N.”

He smirked. “Nice to meet you, Y/N. You can call me Jìngyi.”

Smiling at him, she turned to see if Sokka wanted a drink, only to see him sulking by his sister. What was that about? Y/N shrugged, thinking maybe Toph had been a bit too mean to the poor boy again. Catching his eye for a moment, she gave him her usual sweet look, beckoning him over. Pursing his lips, Sokka shook his head, leaving a frown on her face and a pang in her chest that made her drink seem bitterer than it had after her first sip.

“You’re a living relic!”

Aang was scratching the back of his neck, a bashful look on his face. Frowning ever deeper, Y/N necked the rest of her drink, flicking a gold coin over the bar anyway.

“An Air Nomad, right in front of me!”

Clasping Aang’s shoulder, Y/N’s hand hovered over her staff. “Do we have a problem over here?”

“Not at all!” The man professed, just as enthusiastic despite the subtle threat. “Professor Zei, head of anthropology at Ba Sing Se University. Tell me, which of the air temples do you hail from?”

“The Southern Temples.”

“Splendid!” Zei exclaimed, moving his gaze from Aang to Y/N. “And you! You, my dear, look just like someone I know. But tell me, where did you get that bō staff? The handiwork is excellent. I haven’t seen such craftsmanship since the siege on Ba Sing Se!”

Y/N flinched, expression cold. “It was a gift from my father.”

“Thank you,” He chuckled nervously, pulling out a pair of callipers. “Now, airbender, what was the primary agricultural product of your people?”

“Uh, are fruit pies an agricultural product?”

Zei muttered something enthusiastically under his breath, jotting something into his journal. No matter how nice the man may have actually been, there was something unnerving about him. It was likely his dissection of people, so loud and enthusiastic. If it weren’t for the complete innocence around him, the kind that reminded her of Aang, Y/N would be pulling her friends out of the door and the desert immediately.

Mood sufficiently ruined, she stalked back to the bar to the bartender who looked at her like she was the prettiest person in there. He seemed glad for the company as well, and as they spoke, she found out more about him; he was just over a year older than her, a non-bender, whose father owned the Oasis after the previous owner died.

“What do you know about the anthropologist over there?” Y/N asked, on her third mango drink; she had come to the conclusion that she was obsessed with the fruit drinks.

“Zei?” Jìngyi scoffed, grinning as he looked over her shoulder. “Harmless, mostly. He’s been scouring the desert for a hidden library for as long as I can remember.”

“Oh, so this spirit has attractive assistants, huh?”

Sokka’s voice was loud, carrying through the building and all the way to the bar. What in Agni’s name was that boy’s problem? Gritting her teeth, she turned to look at Jìngyi, who had an amused smirk on his face.

“What?” Y/N snapped at him, frustratingly only fuelling his amusement. “What is so funny?”

“Oh, it hasn’t clicked yet.”

“What in the Spirits’ names are you on about?”

He barked out a laugh. “You really have no clue, do you?”

About ready to burst, she reached across the bar, grabbing him by the collar. “You’re really pissing me off, and you don’t have the free passes that my friends do.”

“And if I told you that talking to me was annoying your loud friend over there?” He asked, raising an eyebrow.

With a subtle glance, Y/N adjusted her glare towards Sokka, confirming Jìngyi’s words. As she went to drop the boy, he instead stopped her, clasping a hand over hers. He leaned in closer to her.

“Are you really gonna let him off that easy?”

Looking at Jìngyi up and down, she grinned for a moment as she considered his words, before dropping him completely. “You make a mean drink, love, but he’s far too nice for me to do that.”

Chortling lowly, the bartender began cleaning the counter, completely unfazed by their small encounter. She didn’t fully understand what had happened – with Sokka that was – but she was clued up enough to be equally amused and flattered at the situation. Perhaps she would’ve considered continuing the conversation if it weren’t for Professor Zei sprinting up to her side and tugging on her arm like a small child begging for a mother’s attention.

“You have a tamed Mongoose Lizard?” He said, eyes glistening with that childish wonder.

“Trained,” Y/N corrected him, eyes colder than the pitiful remains of the Oasis. “I’m assuming I’m to come outside and introduce the two of you.”

“Yes please!”

Sighing, she shot a look to Jìngyi of what could only be pleading, scowling at the response of, “See you later, pretty girl.”

As she was dragged out of the establishment, Y/N found herself already with her bō staff already out. With her sight filled with red, she charged the four sandbenders cornering Appa and Qin, spitting threats at them in their native language just as easily as the menacing looks she was giving. Recognising the one from earlier, she jabbed her staff to his throat quicker than the strike of a heron, pinning him under its end. Hastily, his buddies pulled him backwards and into two sand-sailers, fleeing under the cover of a sand tornado.

“Professor Zei, this is Qin,” Y/N panted, leaning on her staff slightly. “Qin, this is the Professor. Not food.”

Qin huffed as she sniffed the newcomer, him not seeming to mind the fact that such a large reptile was circling him and ready to snap her jaws around him with only a command. He continued to take notes even as she knocked his arm, begging for his full attention.

“Well, now that that’s over,” Sokka interrupted, his mood lower than it was earlier, “Should we find this library?”

TAGLIST: @lunariasilver @maragreene

[nad-zeta]

Hello, hello, hello! I loved your head canons about the warlords' ages and I wonder if you can write head canons of the warlords' profession, not in modern AU but the warlords deciding to go to the future with MC and well, the profession they would have!! Thank you so muuuuuuuuuch. 💕

Hi hi, love! 🌻Thank you sooo much for the ask! This is legit my third time writing this up, the first time I did this, I forgot to save the word file, and the second time my laptop crashed right after I finished writing it😭....... But finally, here it is🌻! I’m so happy you liked my HC, I hope you enjoy this one, and I hope you have a good day! ❤🔥

Headcanon: Warlords and their future jobs 

Nobunaga

I think the second Nobunaga arrives in the future he would become a businessman

He would start off small from your apartment, but within the month he will turn into the biggest corporate leader, having thousands of people working under him

He would spend the first few weeks just chilling in the future with you but soon start to get bored

He would also, low key feel like its wrong for you to be supporting both of you

He does some research on stock trading and then starts playing around with your life savings

Good thing for you, Nobunaga is a clever man, and he manages to triple the money in a week by playing around on the stock market

He uses the income made, to start a small business, which soon starts growing at the speed of light

This man will not be able to work for someone so I can definitely see him being the CEO of his own company

He will be the ruler of the corporate world in no time

It’s pretty funny how in the span of a year he has earned the old name he once carried in the past “Devil king.”

Masamune

This is a no brainer

Obviously he will be a chef

I think he would start off small like finding a job at a local café but then soon take the culinary world by storm

It started off when the two of you went to eat at one of your favourite cafes

He enjoyed the food so much, he couldn’t help but pop into the kitchen to thank the chef (◕‿◕✿)

The kitchen was absolute mayhem and the chef had told him that he was very short-staffed

And that is how Masa got his first future job

He worked in the café for a few months picking up experience and learning to use all the futuristic equipment

From there, he bounced around from place to place learning all sorts of cool culinary techniques

I think at the end of the day he will most likely open his own restaurant

One that specializes in authentic Japanese cuisine

Hell I wouldn’t be surprised if he opened a branch of the restaurant in Nobunagas company

Mitsunari

I can see this cutie angel being a teacher or professor

I think he would be a great academic and educator

I can actually, see this boi being a professor teaching all sorts of subjects from statistics to the art of war ヾ(●ε●)ノ

The first few weeks of being in the future with you, he spends in the library absorbing as much knowledge as possible

One day while he is sitting and reading up on every and any subject, he overhears a group of struggling professors at a nearby table

Apparently they had been trying to solve a certain equation for months now but to no luck (ﾉಠдಠ)ﾉ︵┻━┻

Mitsunari walks up to the group and cheerily asks if he can be of some assistance (◕ᴗ◕✿)

Usually the group would just laugh and chase the random stranger away but desperate times…

They hand Mitsunari the equation and this clever boi takes one look at it and starts writing out the answer

The math professors were sister shook… Like he didn’t even freaken, need a calculator (◯Δ◯∥)

They legit offered him a job as a lecturer and he soon becomes the students’ favourite absent minded professor (◕‿◕✿)

I think he will most definitely also publish a few research papers as well and contribute to the body of knowledge in all sorts of subjects

Ieyasu

Also super easy he will either be a vet or a doctor although I am leaning more towards veterinarian cause of his love for animals

He will most likely join Mitsunari in university, cause he is a super-smart porcupine he will become a certified vet in no time

Also spends the first few weeks of being in the future at the library absorbing as much medical knowledge as possible

He gets the idea of becoming a vet after watching a bunch of animal rescue shows on the national geographic channel 

While you are at work he starts volunteering at an animal rescue during the day to pass the time

That is where he met one of the vets that help out at the rescue in their free time, he legit liked Ieyasu so much he took him on as an apprentice, while Ieyasu was busy completing his studies

Later on he will most likely have his own veterinary practise

I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if he starts his own animal rescue on the side as well

Within two years the two of you move to live on a big plot with all yours and Ieyasus rescued pets

Hideyoshi

Hideyoshi could go one of two ways hehe 

If Nobunaga comes to the future with yall then you best be sure this boy is ganna help Nobunaga rule the corporate world

Buuuut if it’s just the two of you, I 100% see him becoming a primary school teacher

Like he would just be so good with kids

He is basically trademarked as mama hen anyways, so why not put him in a primary school to teach lil chics

I think he would be such a good teacher, supportive, kind, and patient

He has enough practise lecturing Nobunaga for bad behaviour, so he might as well put that to good use correcting the behaviours of troublesome kids

He gets into teaching when your sister drops her kid off at your apartment to babysit

You had work, so the only one that could care for the child was, the mother hen himself

He sat and taught the little boy how to read and write, this impressed your sister so much that she recommended him for the position of substitute English teacher at her child’s school

At first Hideyoshi worked as a substitute teacher, but soon he became the designated aftercare teacher and within a few months he was teaching his own class

The children absolutely adored him although they would sneak behind the school building to eat candy cause, they didn’t want to get yet another lecture from Yoshi on the negative health consequences of their favourite sugary treats

Mitsuhide

100% detective (¬‿¬)

I mean can you just imagine how sexy he would look in a trenchcoat… like OMW (づ￣ ³￣)づ

The first few weeks of spending time with you in the future you introduce him to CSI and Law and order and he is super fascinated

You are so amazed by the fact that he can figure out who the perp is 5 minutes into the show

The crime in your neighbourhood was pretty bad, but since Mitsuhide’s arrival something crazy happened 

The crime seemed to disappear. 

Like no more robberies, no more drunks walking up and down the street, just peaceful quiet calm neighbourhood 

One day as the two of you were buying snacks for your CSI bingeing session, two armed men came into the convenience store 

You looked over at your lover who seemed completely unphased, like one of the robbers were legit pointing a gun in his face, yet Mitsuhide looked uninterested

Within a blink of an eye, Mitushide managed to disarm the men and tie them up 

The police were hella impressed with the way Mitsuhide handled things 

He helped the police department solve a few petty crimes in your neighbourhood and soon they started calling him up, to help them crack some difficult cases

After a while he becomes the most famous and popular detective in town

The government low key recruits him as an agent to help them

Kenshin

Again I don’t see Kenshin working for anyone

I think the first few weeks the two of you arrive, bunnies start following him around

Looks like the bunny lord is never safe from the love of the cute fluffy creatures 

The two of you will definitely be living on a bunny farm

Kenshin, although he doesn’t admit it, has a soft spot for the cute fluffy creatures 

So the bunny farm is actually more of a bunny rescue although that’s just his part-time job

As he adapts to the future, I can see the farm transforming into being a bunny and sake farm

Lol Kenshin loves Sake so much 

He knows how good sake should taste, so naturally he starts to make his own and sell it

This starts one day when a friend of yours invites the two of you to a sake tasting

The instructor was so impressed with Kenshin’s keen sense of taste that they got to talking and before Kenshin knew it, he had two people willing to sponsor him, to start his own sake brand

Naturally he never backs down from a challenge

He actually goes on to become the largest Sake producer and bunny rescue

Yukimura

I can legit see this boy doing something active like being a firefighter or gym instructor- cause lets be real this boi is ripped

Or actually maybe both

The first few weeks of being in the future he managed to save 2 peoples lives by fearlessly running in a burning building

The firefighters were legit so impressed they decided to take him on as an intern

He got some of the perks, i.e. free gym membership to stay fit

That’s when he started giving out a few pieces of advice to the people around him

“Like seriously dummy, don’t you even know how to do a proper squat, u legit ganna hurt your back if ya keep doing it like that.”

The members of the gym appreciated his advice so much, some of them started paying him to become their instructor, and soon the gym decided to hire him part-time

Now when Yuki isn't running into burning buildings saving people he is training people in the gym 

Best be sure he is gonna drag you to the gym with him

Shingen

Hehe I’ll admit I’m not too sure what this boi would get up to in the future

I think the first few weeks will be spent with you just adapting and getting to know everything

I think he would continue on with his carpentry

He kinda starts to notice your apartment is furnished in super cheap furniture

You tell him you are just a student in this time and don’t really have money to buy anything fancy

He buys a few cheap pieces of wood and starts furnishing your apartment with the most beautifully crafted furniture

Some of your friends visit the two of you and notice the remarkable craftsmanship and start commissioning him to make them some furniture

After a while he becomes the best carpenter in town

Goes on to open up a shop selling the different furniture he makes

I can see him hiring people in need, and that need a fresh start and then teaching them the trade to be able to make something of themselves

I can also see him volunteering at rescues and fostering bear cubs cause he misses his so much

I hope you enjoyed this dear and thanks again for the ask! ❤❤🔥🌻

[writtenaboutshinee]

SHINee for COOL, September 2008

Repost from shineeinterviews who originally reposted it from shineee.net

.

20 facts of ONEW

1. Nicknamed “tofu”. “Pure tofu”, “ondubu”, they all refer to him. Uses the introduction “I am only~you~ Onew” taught to him by Leeteuk and at times, switches to “Hello, my name is Michael Jackson(sincerely)!”

2. Feels shy about presenting himself to people, and because of it, he did not dare to participate in auditions. When he was a trainee, everyone else seems to be improving everyday, while he seems to be staying stagnant and not improving, that to him is the saddest period of his life up till now.

3. When performing on stage for the first time, he could not see anything in front of him, and even forgot the lyrics before going up on stage. But he thought of his parents who were sitting in front of the stage, he thought “Yes, I must look for them”, and thus calmed down gradually.

4. The Leader who commits the most mistakes during practices; the Leader who feels respoonsible for the group and solves problem, the Leader who will just zone out from time to time, the Leader who still stays strong despite sporting swollen, red eyes under the glaring lights, the Leader who cries in the car secretly after getting injured.

5. “Rather than saying that I use certain methods to make the sunbaes like me, I am just working hard to be respectful.” It is this thought that accompanies the 90 degree bow everytime.

6. Infamous NG King. “You just cannot not NG can’t you!” (KEY)

7. “Honestly, amongst all of the SHINee members, in the terms of looks, physique, expression…and everything is charismatic and the only phrase to describe the person is ‘near perfection’, that member is – ME!”

8. Good in studying, was second in the entire school before. To him, it’s nothing to be very proud of, because everyone has their own strengths that is irreplaceable by others, isn’t it more important to discover that strength and make use of it?

9. Because he got curious after hearing that “if there is something heavy on your chest, your thoughts will become heavy too, and you will experience illusions”, so he went went to sleep hugging a box, hoping to enter a land of illusions but nothing happened…

10. Looks gentle and quiet, but is very ambitious at attempting to be humourous, is always very enthusiastic about trying various methods to hype up the atmosphere behind the scenes. Also possesses the ability to freeze the atmosphere with whatever he says, but there are just once or twice a year when people do feel that he is funny.

11. 'What should you do if you are a victim of the SHINee poison?’ “ …Go to the hospital for cure! (innocently, seriously)

12. Can be quite blur at times. "Our album will be released in May (firmly) …. It’s already August now?! ….Oh then it should be in September…Ah (manager glares at him) No no, it’s in August, end of August…”

13. His idea type is something who has character, good personality, is responsible, knows how to cook, looks good in appearance, the hands must be especially pretty, and the most important aspect – it must be a noona!

14. If met with unbearable situations, changes mindset from “I have to do ____ before its fine?” to “It’s just doing _____ then it will be alright” and it will work. Be it heaven or hell, what matters is how you view it.

15. Tied his hair with the filigree(the golden strip thing) used to package bread, that was when he was really young, and had really long hair…

16. Strong at adapting, when dressing up as a girl for the first time, he felt fascinated and awkward, but after awhile he was able to start dancing sexy dances. If he does changes into a girl? He would probably date Key. Unique, strong personality, very interesting, just like his cup of tea.

17. Does not hide his worry about the possibility of him commiting mistakes because he is does not feel capable of it. “Can I do it well?”, “Will it be safe?”, “Will I get into trouble?”, whatever comes to mind he will voice it out, and after that, will feel more daring to continue on.

18. Suffers from the “Floudering about” syndrome, will sink into a state of baffling nervousness whenever he does not know how to answer something. When it comes to handling the direction of a conversation, it will be fine if he is not nevous, but once he ends up panicking, he will want to shout “umma”.

19. Will wake up early to make roast meat for Taemin, but sleep is also very important, must have a good sleep, eat well and abstain from unhealthy snacks – how else to maintain such a good complexion?

20. The most memorable present. the most treasured present, the happiest present received: Everyone’s love. How about using this year’s Newcomer Award to repay that? That is a precious gift that can only received once in a lifetime, want to receive it, and then…Hehe, not telling you! …Did I say that?…Eh….

Matters needing attention: Onew condition: Turning quiet suddenly, not talking to anyone, just sitting there in a daze; committing mistakes in most unlikely and unexpected situations, it is fine that others are baffled and fascinated by it but the main thing is that he does not even know why, muddles up from time to time, for details refer to point 12 above. If any of the above mentioned is committed, it is termed the “Onew condition”.

The X catalyst: Forcefully trying to bring him back into the reality world; questions why he commits such a baffling mistake; and reasoning with him.

The O catalyst: Wait for him to return to earth; laugh along with him. If he falls or trips, silently observe if he is trying to conceal his pain and divert other’s attention from his injury with his smile; take what he says as the final say, do not take it too seriously, since most of the time he commits blunders on what everyone else already know, even if he does not correct it, you will already know the right answer…

20 facts of TAEMIN

1. Must never forget to smile.

2. Carries a bag containing a lot of sweets around, all with a SHINee logo attached on it. Will give out these sweets whenever he sees noonas.

3. Has been said by many that he is good at aegyo, but will in actualy face, use half aegyo and half forcing to get what he wants, for example, mumbles “I want to be a director too” constantly while using his butt to push others.

4. Has been said that he is cute too many times, but “does not want others to say that I am cute”.

5. When first debuted, is used to blinking a lot when speaking, it is a lot better now, but somehow it has become a hot topic after Key umma has imitated it.

6. Will run around the practise room with a bottle/packet of milk in his mouth, spends a lot of time in the waiting room studying and rushing his holiday assignments and preparing for exams.

7. Being on stage is something to be enjoyed, and dance is the what makes him derives the most joy from. The title is just to attraction people to watch, you should only believe in what you see.

8. His dancing ability has been widely recognised, but do you know that his rap is pretty MAN too? Go listen to “Love should go on”.

9.Do not think that he is a child with a huge generation gap between the two of you, he idolises “MJ” and also likes to imitate Seo Taiji – “I don’t know anything!”

10. “I really don’t know anything!” (catchphrase)

11. Can transform an ardent swordsman into a kawaii youth, and can change the action of pulling out a sword to just raising a fire torch.

12. “When I first saw Taemin, I thought he was really pretty. At that time there was a trainee noona in front of him, and Taemin was even prettier than her.” (EUNHYUK)

13. Does not feel that he has a talent that can matches up to Onew, but if he were to do it(Onew’s talent)…he can do it too!

14. A very obedient child, even if he is asked to sit on someone’s lap, or getting hugged or being lifted up on someone’s shoulder, he does not object. He’s so young that the sunbaes find it hard to see him as a rising artiste who is catching up with them, but he is beginning to present a star’s disposition.

15. Knows how to play, and will play. A finger and a camera. that’s his best friend.

16. “Hyung, do you know what is love?” (to the rest of members)

17. “If I am a girl, I will choose to date Minho, because he is Flaming Charisma!”

18. “In the show, Yunhanam, the person who is the best at making a girl happy is Taemin.” (KEY) But he is still at a stage when he is more enthusiastic of dogs than girls.

19. If there is true love involved, how can age be limiting, isn’t there a guy who married a really old grandmother?

20. Has the care and concern of the hyungs, the love and care of the noonas, it’s really nice. If only he can see his family more…Hyung, saranghae…

Matters needing attention: Competitve: You can treat him as a exclusive young man but in front of him, you better see him as a man at heart.

The X catalyst: “Taemin ah, you go and do _____ k – You are the youngest!”

The O catalyst: Chant silently “He is a man! Do not be charmed by his smile! Do not be fooled by his baby face!” Hypnosis, the effect is threefold.

20 facts about MINHO

1. “Hello everyone, I am SHINee’s Flaming Charisma Minho. I have to talk for more than a minute? What can I say? One minute is too long!”

2. “Minho looks like a main character of a manga” (ONEW) “He is a living existence of selfishness!” (KEY) “When I first saw him, I thought "Ah! So handsome! Especially the eyes!” (JONGHYUN)

3. Has no concept about money, no concept about taking care of his health, has no concept about maintaining handsome or not – Why waste so much energy thinking about this kind of things?

4. If he were to pick the most handsome pose, it would be just to stand there properly. What he is most confident of: not blinking for 3 minutes!

5. “I will buy our album this time too, and keep it as a personal collection.”

6. Feels happiest when he is on stage singing and dancing, really. When singing, he will persevere on to the very end, and when singing, he will imeerse himself into the song until the last note ends. If it is not his song, it is even easier for him to get involved, like “Rokkugo”.

7. An inquisitve baby, is curious about everything. If he doesn’t do anything then it is fine, but if he goes about doing something, he must do it to his best capacity, a perfectionist.

8. Does not talk usually, but hopes that the members can become closer amongst each other, to become “forever SHINee”.

9. “The album is really manly and wild, Minho!” “They said we are manly and wild…(looks at other members) Is that good?”

10. His ideal type just need to be of an average height, must definitely be kind at heart, have long hair, wears dresses frequently – Ah, will just secretly laugh when thinking about it.

11. When singing “Love like oxygen”, he thinks of his fantasy girl (embarassed)

12. Sits upright and listens attentively on screen, but plays crazily off screen, occassionally will trip over the stairs and will turn back and glare at the stairs.

13. “Honestly, if I am a girl, the member from SHINee that I will definitely date is Taemin.”

14. Is good at doing everything, and is able to understand and analzye matters effectively – in reality, he is very aware if the people around him are comfortable or not – except when he is the camera PD: he still does not understand how to make the people in the scene stand properly.

15. “I have never seen a ghost, but I would like to see one.”

16. According to Taemin, Minho’s sleeping pyjamas is the cutest, but what is the pattern then? Flowers and grass? Animals? Hearts? It is unanswered.

17. “It shall be it then.” (catchphrase)

18. Does not have a personal talent. Does playing soccer counts? I am good at playing soccer, do you want to have a match someday?

19. Does not want to be hypocritical, refuses to be half hearted and insincere, if very straightforward in personality.

20. It’s not that he cannot be crazy, it’s not that he cannot lead, it’s not that he is not attracted to girls, you just to get hold of the that one single point that makes him interested and wait for him to give you a suprise.

Matters needing attention: Fretting: The most boring part about him is when he is bored, but when the most exciting thing is when he starts to fret. If all his frettings show themselves, then this world would be very much interesting.

The X catalyst: Uses a lot of effort to try to extend the topic and directing the atmoshpere.

The O catalsyst: Bring a puppy to him and wait for him to say stuff like “It’s so cute, looking at it makes me feel happy”, when that happens, he will naturally talk more.

20 fact about JONGHYUN

1. Has been said that the first line of “Love like oxygen” sounds like Michael Jackson’s style. “It does sound like it a bit.”, he admits it himself, but Usher is still irreplaceble, definitely!

2. “Bling Bling Jonghyun”, does it sound weird? He uses it all the time, be it during messaging or talking, he uses it. Because he loves R&B and Hip-hop too much, he wishes that he can shine forever (like bling bling). If you want it difficult to call that, “Hey Bling” can be used, thats what the members call him.

3. Will tend to talk at a really fast speed when he gets nervous, but because he talks a lot usually, nobody ever notices that habit of his.

4. There is no shortcut to acheiving perfection, just hard work and more hard work, if he is unable to take it, he will hide in the toilet for a cry, and then continue to work even harder during practice.

5. Has a lot of charisma on stage, but is very endearing and fun to be with off stage, before debut, he chats with Taemin everyday when returning home, is the member who is the most unanimous with his relaxation and lifestyle.

6. “If I meet an alien, I will definitely be scared at first, but after awhile when I get to know it, I will consider how to send it back home.”

7. Regardless of anything, no matter how many times he had performed on stage, whenever he hears his own song he will still get exceptionally excited, will lipsynch along, dance along, fidget around in his seat, even when he chokes on water he will still remain engrossed.

8. A very lively student in high school, able to digest English and Korean songs very well. Formed a band, composed music during that time, believes that if you truly like something, it is not difficult to persevere on.

9. Understands the importance of heath, so does not eat stuff like instant noodles even when he is very hungry. To practise on an empty stomach is definitely tough, but in comparison, won’t it feel really good to finally eat a full meal during breakfast? – After tolerating for so long, it’s finally time to enjoy.

10. Is not scared of the camera at all, a 180 degree display or 360 degree all show? Just state it.

11. Feels that he is a good hyung, and a good dongseng to the members, if not for the fact that they always interrupt him which makes him flares up at them shouting “Keep quiet!” at times, his image is pretty perfect.

12. Makes total and absolute preparation for everything, will even stay up overnight without sleep to prepare. If his progress does not meet his own expectations, he will feel restless and a little short tempered.

13. Likes girls who seek novelty at times, is willing to accept the age gap of up to 6 years…What about 7 years?….8 years?

14. Why cover up if you make a mistake, just admit it truthfully won’t it be good?

15. Taemin is very good, but too young. If he were to become a girl, it will be better to let Key be his boyfriend, setting aside the good personality, Key is very honest, which fits his view in life, refer to point 14.

16. Has a lot of notices, will show off to his members after returning to the dorm. Will also miss his members whom he don’t know what they are doing while he is at certain shows/programs, if there is a chance, he will like to bring all his members along.

17. The only secret to maintaining a good complexion despite a very hectic schedule is to simply maintain a positive mindset. 18. Is very proficient in the guitar, bass and piano.

19. Wakes up the earliest in the dorm, will wake up Key after he is done with washing up, Key will then wake Onew up, then Taemin and lastly, Minho – “I am the one who wakes up the earliest! I am most confident about it!”

20. “How do I wash the rice? Why doesn’t Key umma know?! …So you have to wash it like this, Taemin? Wow!”

Matters needing attention: Rebellious: A common puberty failing, it’s a phase that all teenagers will experience.

The X catalyst: Commanding orders, such as “You want me to do this?”, “You have to settle this.”

The O catalyst: Be more natural at it, as long as you don’t make him feel suppressed, he will always come to you, and is willing to endure hardship gladly.

20 facts about KEY

1. Will go to the CD shop and ask, “Where are the SHINee CDs? Are they selling well?” Cares about his welfare in outlook in life.

2. “Right from when we are trainees till now, the one who sings really well, dances superbly, gets angry only when it is an occasion to be angry about, makes people feel that "this guy is really amazing!”, that person is Key.“ (JONGHYUN)

3. Has a love-hate relationship with horror movies and horror stories, he yearns for them but he is also scared of them, he likes them but he also dislikes them. He lost his composure/image in the cinema many times because of that, he is only able to rent horror movies/dramas to watch at home to continue scaring himself.

4. "I don’t want a fantasy romance like those in the movies, I look towards a realistic and truthful relationship.” Honest, straighforward and open minded girls are OK, but girls who are soft on the outside but really fierce on the insides are a NO. Must have an opinion, not be too girly, and must like to freely express what she likes.

5. In terms of dressing up as girls, Taemin is the most suitable, but the prettiest is still the one who is looking into the mirror (ie. Key), if he really wants to do it, even a true woman will not be able to match up to him. (Proudly)

6. Is confident that he can be a gourmet chef, nobody can escape his dumplings trap.

7. “To be an idol, it’s not enough to just put in effort in the front appearance, your back appearance is important too.”

8. Good at saying honeyed words, but hearing lines like “Are you hurt? I am hurting too.” makes him burst out in laughter.

9. “If I were to become Yunhanam’s director, the viewing rates ought to be able to rise.” (smug)

10. His personal talent is imitating a robotic character from a cartoon show, the classic line being “Woah! Money! With money anything can be done!!”

11. Good at preparing, good at analyzing, belongs to the kind who is able to work out a plan from scratch with just a single detail.

12. “You cannot avoid me, you must look at me in the eyes.”

13. It’s his nature to take care of people? At first he was just Taemin’s umma, after that his nagging extends to include all of the members, and now it is becoming that he nags at whoever he sees.

14. Still nagging. Because he has been too naggy, Taemin really wants to change his umma now…

15. Become a girl? Then he would date all the other members once and see how it is. Does not know how it is like when they are in front of a girl, he is really curious about it.

16. “The person who is able to meet an ET who has come to earth and not feel scared but instead in able to converse naturally with it is Key…Even if he is left on an abadoned island, he will still be able to find a way to survive.” (JONGHYUN)

17. As long as he is being sincerely asked to do something, he will do it no matter how unwilling he is, even if he does not like to do it.

18. Sentimental and sensitive, even if it just a piece of paper from someone who he cares about, he will take really good care of it.

19. The group’s No.1 in fashion. Red, white, blue, it is normal for him to carry off these colours which are easy to carry off, but for colours like pink and grass green which are more difficult to pull off, he is still able to do it.

20. “I hope that this album can receive a lot of love from everyone, and, if only our friends all know SHINee’s songs, they only know 'Noona is so pretty’ …”

Matters needing attention: Height phobia: Will feeling giddy, disgusted, off balanced when standing on high grounds, feels very dangerous if he is suspended in midair.

The X catalyst: Rollercoaster or bungee jump or water slide…

The O catalyst: Standing with both foot on the ground.

.

Translations by atlantis-x @ soompi/shineee.net / re-post from (x)(x)(Both links are broken now but they led to SHINee’s thread on the old Soompi forums)

[bakechochin]

The Book Ramblings of January 2019

In place of book reviews, I will be writing these ‘book ramblings’. A lot of the texts I’ve been reading (or plan to read) in recent times are well-known classics, meaning I can’t really write book reviews as I’m used to. I’m reading books that either have already been read by everyone else (and so any attempt to give novel or insightful criticisms would be a tad pointless), or are so convoluted and odd that they defy being analysed as I would do a simpler text. These ramblings are pretty unorganised and hardly anything revolutionary, but I felt the need to write something review-related this year. I’ll upload a rambling compiling all my read books on a monthly basis.

Wise Blood - Flannery O’Connor I haven’t read much American literature, but far be it from me to state that the sole reason for this is my position as a staunch Englishman. In truth, I genuinely just don’t have much of an interest for the great American texts; the enforced reading of such literature during GCSEs and A-Level taught me that even the American texts with the best prose were not on the most interesting of subject matters, concerned with social progress or supposedly deserving of merit because of relevant historical context, as opposed to actually just being, well, enjoyable. Yes, I am obviously over-simplifying to a ludicrous extent, but these were the thoughts that I had way back in the halcyon days of school, and subsequently these are the thoughts that I’ve carried with me since, simply because I haven’t been arsed to actively try to challenge them. However, my infatuation with the grotesque was bound to bring me to the realms of American literature at some point, and so asking my American friend to procure me a copy of this book with a decent cover, I started on this Southern Gothic classic. I love the idea of transposing the gothic genre to a setting different than one would conjure up from the word ‘gothic’, and the fictional deep South town of Taulkinham does a bloody good job at capturing what I want; there’s madness and isolation and a sense of oddity in the air, and the town is populated by a gallery of fantastic and memorable grotesques. The fantastic and evocative prose, almost comical at points, belies how fucking odd the story’s events are, and breathes life into this setting in a similar way to Hammett’s Red Harvest; this is perhaps one of my favourite techniques in literature, simply because I’ve never thought of envisioning America in this fantastical way. The story is rather fragmented, with many of its major scenes basically being some of O’Connor’s short stories stitched together (and the Frankensteined nature of the story does result in a few chapters having noticeably different writing styles to the rest, or some characters’ decisions that would develop into these slotted-in short stories seeming odd and poorly explained). With this awareness, I remain unconvinced with critics’ dogmatic statements along the lines of ‘O’Connor evokes an individual voice/style, unburdened by the rules or conventions of story writing’; if she had that in mind, as a deliberate means of creating a fragmentary narrative in the name of the genre or in reflection of the characters or what have you, she came up with that shit after she started writing. It is a view that I could subscribe to, on account of the fact that this is not a stereotypical narrative. Characters don’t do much or evolve much, with the decisions made by the characters seemingly motivated more by manic episodes than actual rational thought; Hazel, for instance, is depicted as basically coming up with the teachings and philosophies of his Church without Christ as he goes along, repeating his new discoveries to himself and to anyone who will listen as soon as he formulates them, and it is this improvisational drifting (motivated by his own warped thinking) that defines his story’s progression. What separates gothic stories set in recognisably recent times to gothic stories set in the distant histories of castles and deep dark woods, is the changed understanding of madness, and I’ve talked about this a lot in my rambles on Le Fanu but I’ll delve into this book’s treatment of it. In the words of Bakhtin, ‘in Romantic grotesque, … madness acquires a somber, tragic aspect of individual isolation’, but before the advancement of scientific knowledge as to what actually constituted ‘madness’, it often took the form of histrionics and melodrama. This is all fine and dandy when you’re writing a story about tormented murderers hearing hearts beating under the floorboards, or masked men with skeletal faces scuttling around opera houses, but when you’ve got to transpose this madness to a recent-ish society, with said madness being expressed or brought out via recognisable themes such as religion, you’ve got to tone it down a bit. As such, Hazel and Enoch are manic, not mad, and this is excellently conveyed through their individual speech styles and the ways that other characters interact or interpret the two; my favourite example of this is Enoch running down his day’s activities to himself as a strict and sacrosanct ritual of undeniable importance, swiftly followed by the reveal of the actions’ trivial nature (and his co-workers negative opinions of him as a result). WOULD I RECOMMEND?: HELL YES

The Crock of Gold - James Stephens Trying to ascertain the seriousness of this text boggles my brain. Let it first be said that I rather like this book, despite the shoddy John Murray publication that I have it in; I was prompted to purchase it on account of its place in the great ‘Irish comic tradition’, basically expecting something along the lines of The Unfortunate Fursey, but I instead was greeted with a much more thoughtful and interesting read that I advise everyone to pick up at some point, with the caveat that you have to be in a very specific mindset to read it. It’s a funny story, but it is quietly funny; the humour comes from little quirks in the writing, in the speech and actions of its characters, in the ultimate charm of the story. The dialogue is deliberately circumlocutive and often rather meaningless, pondering incessantly on philosophical matters big and small, and ofttimes the narrative itself reflects these rambling trains of thought, most notably a long aimless pilgrimage wherein the Philosopher stumbles across snippets of other peoples’ lives, experiencing quibbles and learning folk wisdom and ruminating on the head and heart. The book’s world is charming, all made up of storybook character archetypes and Irish folklore (described matter-of-factly and easily accepted as truth); ofttimes, the information that we are given is ultimately unimportant and has no bearing on the overall story, and this is a statement that can, truthfully, be applied to much of the text, but it is all the same delicately written and rather pleasant. The book does perhaps toe the line on this point with its rambling philosophical paragraphs from the Gods, with its grand allegories and metaphysical nonsense getting a tad wanky and mind-numbing, but it’s not the most egregious thing in the world. In any case, the philosophising of the Philosopher is entertaining enough to make up for the rather more dense philosophising of the Gods, being much more like the aforementioned circumlocution, going off on unrelating tangents and eventually bringing the rambling back around to the initial point that catalysed said rambling. I bring this up not only as a point of comparison, but because it ties in nicely with the commonly-utilised storytelling method of basically going off on a tangent, following one person off on their quest before jumping back to where the narrative left off to see how things are doing then. This can perhaps be attributed to this book’s lack of urgency or real danger, and thus lack of a need for hastiness and rapid jumping from one person’s story to another. This extends even to the final resolution of the humans’ storyline, which basically amounts to one sentence saying that what they set out to do was done and dusted; there isn’t even a scene to show everyone happy again, because it is simply implied that things will go back to the jolly equilibrium. Hell, when the book incorporates wistful or thoughtful or even flat-out sad tales, no resolution is offered for them. The story just goes on, and we are presumably meant to just assume that all will end up alright in the end, or at the very least, all will just end, and then it’s not worth worrying about any more. Reading what I thought would just be another fucking The Unfortunate Fursey type of fantasy book has really evoked some unexpected feelings in me. So that’s nice. WOULD I RECOMMEND?: YES, IF YOU’RE IN THE RIGHT MOOD

Gulliver’s Travels - Jonathan Swift I’ll level, I went into this book expecting a low-brow adventure story about little dudes and fucking massive units. It is, in fact, a tad more complex than this. This book is a lot of things; it can be read as a storybook adventure novel, but it is also a satirical piece, both of Swift’s society in general and of the travel writings form, and it is this satire that I am not too fond of. But we’ll get to that. The main technique utilised in this novel (yeah I’m just going to call it a novel for simplicity's sake) is optical conceit, and the idea of viewing familiar things from different perspectives or in different ways, presenting them in a new light as ridiculous or laughable and perhaps to make us reevaluate the workings of society so farcically presented. This technique is noticeable mainly in the first and second travels, coincidentally the two travels that are most widely known, and this optical conceit is a concept that I like a lot more in theory than in practise. The first travel takes us to Lilliput, the island of the small blokes, and here the small size of the people links in with their small-mindedness and melodramatic quibbling over minor matters, but in the second travel to Brobdingnag, land of the big dudes, the size of the folk is seemingly unrelated from the satire. With the possible exception of the pompous Prince, none of the natives have any sort of comical largesse or egotism that might have related to the satire. And then when I had this in my mind, I began scrabbling around to try and find some other snippets of how the native people tie in with the satire, to little to no avail. The Lilliputians put great faith in long and formal written legislations and diatribes (related in full in Gulliver’s account), suggestive of shrewd ink-nosed clerks hiding behind their papers, and much of the Brobdingnagian report is one long rambling philosophical back-and-forth between Gulliver and the Prince, suggesting these large people have large mouths and loud opinions, but the satire, in my opinion, is a) tenuous and b) not what I’d consider engaging reading. And that’s not even considering the specific basis of the satire: contemporary politics! This book is striking an interesting balance between being entertaining in its own right, and ostensibly being entertaining because of its significance as satire, that every character or event in the story is comically reflecting some real-life event in English politics. To this, I have to compare it to Calvino’s story Invisible Cities, and it’s varying depictions of Venice through different disguises; it doesn’t matter how you tart up your source material, or how colourful your new layer of paint is, because if I’m not interested in the original source material then I probably won’t give too much of a toss about how it is newly presented. And contemporary English politics really could not appeal to me less, even if Swift does dress them up as Lilliputian acrobatic displays or thinly veiled warring kingdom allegories. That’s not to say that there is nothing funny to be found in this text; the details in the stories that are not intended to serve any satirical purpose, and instead merely to emphasise the differences between worlds, are always great fun. My favourites are the Lilliputian’s alien descriptions of the gigantic contents of Gulliver’s pockets, and two great instances of humungous monstrosities in Brobdingnag, namely the huge lice on the giant beggars and the scene of a Brobdingnagian mother breastfeeding; the sheer revulsion that Gulliver has to this spectacle is fucking hysterical. The travel to Laputa has got a good grasp on linking the fun content with the satirical aspect (not only is the flying island a great pisstake of science-minded learned folk, but is also like something out of a fucking Lem story), but the overall story is generally rather boring and without much in the way of obstacle or threat. The Land of the Houyhnhnms doesn’t really have the optical conceit, being more of an abstract switcharoo of horses and people, with not much relationship between the two races and a lot of obvious satire about man’s bestial nature. There are occasions of overt physical comedy, again tied in with these changes in size; Gulliver is in one story dousing great fires with his almighty piss stream, and in another being dressed up like a doll or dunked in a bowl of cream by a mendacious dwarf (or rather, a dwarf by Brobdingnagian standards). I am fully in accord with the former sort of comedy, not only because such imagery of dousing fires with a slash puts me in mind of Gargantua and Pantagruel, but because it reflects this book’s fun indulgence in crude toilet humour. Crude toilet humour is fun to begin with, but Swift uses scatalogical humour to demean the noble form of travel writings, taking a moment from seriously discussing the learned folk and their cultures and customs to describe his shitting habits. The latter sort of comedy, however, that serves to emasculate Gulliver by having him toyed with by giant folk or entrapped by tiny folk, only highlights to me the lack of character that Gulliver has, beyond being our narrator. I’m sure that critics will argue for his supposed egotism or pomposity or whatnot, but such details in the text are thin on the ground, and if Gulliver is not characterised as being a dick, why should the reader find it entertaining or cathartic when he gets his shit handed to him? These problems perhaps originate with Swift’s worries of the character of Gulliver being a reflection of himself; he is willing to put the character through light slapstick shenanigans, but he hasn’t got the balls to go too far lest it tarnish his own reputation. Apparently in one early publication of this text, Gulliver partakes in the custom of eating shit with the ape people, but oh no no, Swift couldn’t possibly have something that funny in the story in case anyone thought that he himself might truly be a coprophagous ninny! There is a strange bequeathment of snooty scholarly worth unto this book, considering that it does have talking horses and ape men who shit everywhere, as illustrated by the study done around this book (handily referenced in the editor’s annotations). Let me briefly give some examples. This book uses a lot of nonsense ‘little language’ for its place names and whatnot, and as you can tell by the fact that I’ve taken every opportunity to use the word ‘Brobdingnagian’ in this ramble, I’m rather fond of it all. However, amidst all the daft place names (all bizarre anagrams of existing places), the editor makes sure to highlight some as being ‘obvious, and therefore uncharacteristic’, as though there is a scholarly level of obfuscation or stupidity to adhere to in order to be respectable. This sense of superiority continues to the demeaning of one particularly transparent and obvious satirical paragraph, which is described as being ‘artistically weaker’ than the rest of the text; not that I’m defending the aforementioned insulted paragraph, because it isn’t that good, but the implication that the text deserves artistic merit because of the obfuscation of its satire rubs me up the wrong way a bit. WOULD I RECOMMEND?: PROBABLY NOT

The Nightwatches of Bonaventura - Bonaventura The new introduction to this text, written by the uppity translator Gerald Gillespie, is rather dogmatic in its excessive insistences of all of the things that this text is, or takes inspiration from. As much as I like to portray myself as a learned man and top-quality dude, I’m not so invested in contextualising this book’s composition that I’m willing to engross myself in Napoleonic war history or the works of Kant. What I am interested in, however, is the Romantic grotesque, for whilst Bakhtin’s infatuation with Rabelais’ grotesque completes eclipses any appreciation he might have of any writer who deviates from Rabelais, Bakhtin manages to spare a brief word of praise for this text amidst all the wanking over Rabelais, so I was intrigued enough to get myself a copy. This a book densely populated with great grotesque imagery and content, and as such it is a book that probably warrants re-reading with a certain subject in mind so as to allow for further unpacking, but within the framework of the grotesque, Bakhtin was right to say that this book basically epitomises the Romantic grotesque, because it’s all here in amazing detail. The story is a rambling introspective on dark topics, either prompted by the morbid and corrupt sights of the world around our narrator or plucked from the memories of our narrator’s own dark past. Said narrator, Kruezgang, brilliantly speaks on such subjects with amazing and colourful prose, with literary allusions and warped rumination galore. The other characters in the watches seem more like marionettes or shadow puppets, necessary to tell separate stories or fill a hole where there should be an aspect of Kruezgang’s past, but their purpose as such is fascinating enough and so excellently done that it doesn’t warrant criticism. The world is grim and grotesque, but depicted out as a joke via Kruezgang’s own view of it, described with poetical allegories and bitterly laughing at awful events by portraying them as black comedy farces. This book’s infatuation and idolisation of the mad and the strange and the grim is something fantastic, it really is. Now, having prefaced this ramble with such positivity, I can delve into a truth that looms over this text like a storm cloud; it is so incredibly fucking dense that I could not imagine rereading this book for any reason other than literary analysis. There is so much content, rich bloody content, in this book that it is easy to equate the feeling of numbness in one’s mind with an overload of such fantastic stuff, from the prose to the ideas to the fascinating storytelling, but this process of thought precludes the very important contributing factor to said mind-numbness, which is that the book seemingly just rambles about nothing at all! Am I to assume that such rich prose in the name of maddening circumlocutive (is that a word?) nothingness actually does have a purpose, and my mind just slides over it because it can’t comprehend the information, or perhaps just can’t contain so much information? Am I an uncomprehending fool for glossing over chunks of text, or am I just inadequately prepared to cram so much prose into my bonce at any one time? Such thoughts bounced around in my head as I was reading, and the only conclusion that I could come to was that I would be hard-pressed to recommend this book to anyone, for what if they encountered the same problems, and asked me to elucidate on such matters, when I have no answers to give them? Wouldn’t I look a fool then! But I digress. The introduction snootily says that to break down the narrative’s events chronologically would only ‘contravene the spirit… of the work’, which I believe insofar as a fragmented narrative obviously reflects the fragmented mind of the narrator (real in-depth analysis going on here), but that doesn’t mean that I won’t say that the narrative isn’t all over the shop, generally rather confusing, and interspersed with fragments of other stories of seeming tangential relation to Kruezgang’s storyline, all described with Bonaventura's same grandiose verbosity but often nowhere near as interesting as Kruezgang. Sure, I could have read into the exact (and no doubt important) purpose(s) of these segments, but a) just reading this book and revelling in its dark prose is an enriching enough experience without having to learn all the context clues that contributed to such nonsense being formulated, and b) most of the research writing about this book by Gillespie is just trying to figure out who Bonaventura is, a mystery to which I honestly could not give any semblance of a fuck about. WOULD I RECOMMEND?: NO, UNLESS YOU WANT TO READ IT FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES

Shit I read this month that I couldn’t be arsed to ramble about: Shakespeare and Co. by Stanley Wells (absolutely amazing, incredibly informative, would absolutely recommend if it’s your thing), and City of Sin by Catharine Arnold (generally fun and informative, Arnold’s voice can get annoying at times, overall would recommend just for the chapters about sex in the medieval/early modern period and the chapter on Victorian pornography).

[almondbiscotti]

Week 2 - Keeping It Up

Week 2, let’s go! 

Has been an odd week. Have been feeling extremely lethargic workwise. Can’t seem to concentrate and I keep procrastinating things. Only small bits of work give me inspiration and sparks joy and I’ll ride on the energy wave for a bit and it just flickers out. 

That said, on the personal front, things have been not bad. Sticking to my goals, feeding my soul. Issagoooood. 

Reads This Week

If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha (3/2021) When I finished If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha, I felt such a sense of grief. That it had to end, that I could no longer be part of the tight quartet in the book, at the sorrows of each character. Ah, the deep, unsettling sense of despair this book left me. I was scrolling through Instagram and was mentally yelling at every Instastory “HOW CAN YOU GO ABOUT YOUR LIVES SO APATHETICALLY WHEN I’M COMPLETELY DEVASTED BY THIS ONE WOMAN’S WORDS?!

This is how I want a read to leave me, despairing and desperate for more. Though I have to say it doesn’t really have a plot, no major plot development, no typical “cleverness” in storytelling. And you have to accept that the 4+1 girls you’re introduced to in the book will remain vague and blurry, like silhouettes in the rain. There is no resolution, though there is hope. (And dread actually, now that I think about it, funny how those two come together so often, Hope and Dread.) 

But the language, it was so well written! Cha is wonderful at conveying sentiments of female friendship and made me ache for my girlfriends. I could relate so intensely to the frustrations of her characters, seemingly frivolous issues about ridiculous intense admiration (obsession?) for Korean idols, other girls who look better than you, but also deep-seated scars, embarrassment at one’s childhood, monstrous guardians and care givers, a desire to be more. I could not recommend this more. I’m glad I picked it up. I will re-read this again.

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (4/2021)

“Between life and death there is a library. And within that library, the shelves go on for ever. Every book provides a chance to try another life you could have lived. To see how things would be different if you have made other choices”

This was a strange book for me. I thought I liked it. And I think I do, just not as much as I thought I would have. It’s really strange for me to say this because this is literally a book about possibilities. About choices you make that lead you to completely different lives. And I’m ALL about possibilities. This book was dripping with potential and I feel the disappointment of unrealised potential so very acutely. 

I liked the first half more than the second half. Haig spends a good amount of time world building in the first half, talking about loss, about disappointment, about consequence of action and outcomes that don’t always meet our expectations. The premise is MAGICAL, so beautifully clever. A Library of possible lives, my heart aches at how poetic that is.

The second half just went into weird philosophical town. “The only way to learn is to live.”, “But now you’re lost within your lostness.” It got a bit… The 5 People You Meet In Heaven-ish. Which for some people is probably great, for me… it felt a bit preachy. Perhaps if you share similar regrets as the protagonist, Nora, you might like this book a lot than me.

Still enjoyed it though. For the love of the language. Haig is quite a virtuoso at wielding language to break your heart. Maybe it’s just personal preference, but I wish Haig took a more fantasy route, instead of a philosophical, Life Is About Living, approach. 

Kim Ji-young, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-ju (5/2021) I first heard of this book some time in 2019 I think, reading a SCMP article about how there were Korean couples breaking up because they could not agree on their feelings towards the movie adaptation. (Seriously, fucking Koreans wtf?!) Apparently there was great division on how women are treated in Korea, tensions on gender discrimination and The Patriarchy was rearing its ugly head, calling foul on attempts of the feminist movement in Korea.  

At that time, I was more intrigued by how ridiculous Korea can be (seriously, there were people sending death threats to female celebrities who even mentioned they read the book, what in the world?!) so I got a little swept away reading about how intensely chauvinistic Korea is. For all the shine and beauty of Kpop, Korea is really quite fucked up. 

I’m about 20% in and I quite like it so far! It’s translated so there are some awkward moments but overall, the language is easy and regular, highlighting how normal the discrimination and injustice Kim Ji-young faces is. 

Writes This Week

I.. haven’t finished my Kang Trilogy. Heh. I think I need some time away from it and will come back to it soon. I’m noticing that the Kang in my writing and the actor that kind of inspired him are becoming increasingly different. I think the Kang in my writing is becoming more like... me. I hope that one day, I’ll be able to write about things that I’m not familiar with, experiences that I’ve never had before. Practice, I’ll practise till I get there. 

I did finish a piece on Instagram woes, one that I started some time back but came back and finished in like... 10 mins. (Time away really does help.) It’s the first piece I’ve ever sent to a friend for critique and I’m so so so glad I did! I hope this is the start of something between AG and me, writing, reading and critiquing each others’ pieces. :) 

Reading more really does help with writing better! 

Watches This Week

MiChuRi  미추리 Season 1 & 2 on random website I googled out A Korean variety show I started on because Song Kang was in it. Premise is that the participants of the show have to solve clues to find a sum of money hidden somewhere in this “village”. It has elements of 2 Days 1 Night and Running Man. Yoo Jae Suk hosts so you already know it’s gonna be good! 

IT IS SO FUNNY HOMG WHAT. 10/10 will recommend for crack lols. I actually found myself learning quite a bit about the Korean language through this show. Also conclude that Song Kang looks great but he is severely lacking in the reasoning department. Boy is not what we would typically deem “intelligent”. But God Damn his beautiful face! God is fair, God is always fair. 

Extracurricular on Netflix About half way through it. It is really very good but in small doses please. Sometimes I forget that our main characters are just high school students but when I do, I feel almost physically sick watching what they have to do to survive. 

Kim Dong Hee is perfect as the incredibly introverted and troubled Oh Ji Soo. I think he carries the show. Some actors act with their eyes, Kim Dong Hee acts with his whole body. You can feel the desperation rushing out in waves from him, from his eyes to his shoulders to his frickin hair. I feel so much for him even though he essentially is pimping out underage escorts. Ah, CHEF’S KISS! 

The Uncanny Counter on Netflix 3 episodes in and it’s not bad! Though the amount of bullying that happens in Korean schools... is it normal?! I hope it’s just dramatised for shows... Now that I think about it, Extracurricular had lots of school bullying.  Ya... Korea, what the hell is up man?!

Also, none of the actors playing high school students look like high school students. Seriously, some of them could pass off as 40 year old uncles. Especially the bullies. Maybe they retain every year for the past 10 years? Is that why? 

Okay, don’t let me put you off The Uncanny Counter. It’s really quite good. So far at least. Excellent storytelling, great world building, above average cast. A solid 7.5/10 in my books. 

My main problem with it is that the characters are very one dimensional. I wish there was more nuance? Like you can fit every character in typical Kdrama tropes almost immediately and it makes the show very predictable. I LOVE the little friendship trio that our protagonist is in though. Is a rare thing, to find such precious friendships in Kdramas built on just pure friendship with no weird love triangle thrown in to complicate things. 

Listens This Week

Rediscovered some of IU’s old stuff. Like really old, like 2008, 2010 old. I really like her duet with Na Yoon Kown called First Love, and of course, Good Day is great. 

Been listening to quite a bit of Twice this week too. Well, just 2 of their latest singles. I really like I Can’t Stop Me and More and More. 

Kpop still dominates my listening charts this week. Heh. :) 

This week was not bad to me but I think I really need to pull my weight a bit more. May week 3 continue to be kind to us all! :) 

[dwestfieldblog]

SU SUNG’S COSMICS ENGINE!

More guerilla ontology (or as much as I can manage in a few pages)...Utopiate! Meanwhile, right here...the snakes of Orion continue their battle with the wolves of Sirius...Indeed do a multiple of conspiracies contend in the night. And in broad bare faced daylight too. Am I kidding? How seriously should you take a comedian? In Arabic, the words poet, prophet and madman are all interchangeable. I am none of these things. Hello. Being, distracted by 'reality'...Anyway...'Shepherdess no temptation that Poussin Teniers hold the key peace 681 by the cross and this horse of God I complete this daemon guardian at noon blue apples.' Ok?

'....Or was the final secret simply and bluntly, that there really is an interstellar ESP channel, to which you can tune in by meta programming your nervous system?'  (RAW) Anyone heard any new transmissions from UMMO recently? 

Been listening to several long lectures from the Psychedelic Salon podcasts  with Lorenzo, only found it two weeks ago on Archive.org. Endless fascination via Dr Terrance ('I'm somewhat immune to paranoia, so those of you who aren't...gaze in wonder') McKenna, the Beats, Leary, Hakim Bey and of course Robert Anton Wilson, jewels of human/cosmic wisdom/humour. A nice idea recommending more scientists, doctors and architects etc take mushrooms. (micro dosing in Silicon Valley had significantly positive results in problem solving.) Of course research into this was closed down as soon as drug companies got wind of it and ran to the various governments they help fund in return for brutal legislation against this.  

How many of us are 'criminals' simply because the donors to those who lead us do not want their programmes interrupted by anything they cannot control and pay for laws to be passed? Millions. Oil barons, weapons manufacturers, drug companies, fundamentalist religions all hindering our evolving in the name of greed for money and power. Obvious to say. Give 'em all mushrooms, deepen their perception, widen their truth, change their minds and open their hearts? (Pause for sardonic grin.) Those who feel powerless get used to being treated like cattle. And those used to getting their own way at the expense of others enjoy it and will continue.

And speaking of stasis and decay...America stepping heavily on its own dick again in Alabama with their abortion law, don't matter none if the foetus is caused by rape and/or incest...for it is surely against the will of God even though HE (arf) gave us free will. Bullburgers to that. The one who carries it, gives birth to it and is (in the majority of cases from the year dot) feeds and raises it, has The Right. Not God, man or the 'law'. Equal rights? Some men have never been equal to women. Some of us may have bigger muscles and better logic fnord but that is only enough for a certain type of survival. Life, liberty and the glorious pursuit of our penis...'Man is a fool, and woman, for tolerating him, is a damn fool'.Mark Twain wrote that. Bill Hicks had it right years ago...put all the unwanted babies on the steps of the courthouse and let the judges who pass such foul laws raise them. As one of the placards of the women outside the State House in (Sweet Home) Alabama read: 'Senators' mistresses and daughters will always have their abortion choice rights'.

Reminds me of an old song by Consolidated...'If you don't want a Nazi in your house, don't let one, don't know a fundamentalist till you've met one, if you memorized your civil rights, don't forget one, if you don't want an abortion, DON'T GET ONE! ...Do you think women want to kill their own babies...if you've got your own twisted baggage then maybe...'

The USA is 9.6 Million km squared with 328 million people, China has 17 million km squared and 1.4 billion people. Soon to be implanted with chips from Huawei, hi hi hi... 'A tyrant does not make his tyranny possible. It is made possible by the people and not otherwise'. Jack Parsons. On the desolate anniversary of Tienanmen Square today, it doesn't look as if the tyranny there is going to vanish for another few decades...and in America either/or maybe...

More religious news...The recent (ish) new law in Brunei where homosexuality was to be punishable by stoning to death has now been rescinded in the face of a small worldwide outcry. Ordained in the Koran, another holy book dictated by god to a chosen human, so no need at all to worry about being misinterpreted and getting lost in translation eh? A clear and perfect relay of information where an Infinite Being commands that no man may cuddle another man on pain of execution. Murder being acceptable when Big Daddy says so. The eternal and (non corporeal) Punishing Father figure. Ufff and a charming photo of a priest with a couple of young boys beside him burning Harry Potter books in Poland because apparently JK Rowling is working for Satan. No matter that the morals in her books are based on good triumphing over evil thanks to self sacrifice, friendships and the desire to save the world from badness. It has WITCHES and WIZARDS in it and magic and alchemy. No matter that Christ learned much of his healing and wisdom from John the Essene who also practised such things. Burning books...how quaint. Only fundamentalists, nazis and the scientific community (when faced with Wilhelm Reich's life work) do this. Well I only liked Snape anyway. And...fairy tales are now banned from many schools in Spain. More Roman Catholic common sense in action.  

Sudan and Libya raging again, encouraged by the Kremlin (but to be fair to them, they had plenty of useful lessons from watching the CIA at work in the seventies and eighties) Destabilisation is always a good way of creating power vacuums and making sure your chosen puppet ascends to the throne made of the skulls and gold of enemies. Kim Wrong Un took the slow train to meet Baldhead...the Pilsbury cheese dough boy now fat enough to feed an entire North Korean family living on donkeys and grass. Almost funny but mostly truly Disgusting. 43 percent of the populace (according to this years UN report) are suffering from malnutrition...600 escapees have given gave evidence. Tie him down to a feasting table...

Still amuses me (although with gathering darkness) that in seeking to regain 'control' of their own countries, so many are following the populists with their bigoted and fascist ideas, oblivious that the leaders of such parties are mostly being funded via the Kremlin. Speaking of which, nice to see the always decent and rational libertarian Steve Bannon assisting Le Pen in France. How many in Britain think that the Russian government is doing a good job? Are they thinking at all, or just looking forward to the chlorine washed chicken, hormone injected beef and genetically modified maize soon to pollute our green and pleasant fracked land from America? Yum yum yum, yab yab yab...

To be born British, is to win first prize in the lottery of life'. Cecil Rhodes. If blonde Boris wins, I will be VERY tempted not to get a new UK passport, I pray heartily that the the British people are truly not so mindwreckingly stupid to choose such a proven liar and self serving bullshit merchant. Inexcusable if they do as the USA.

The president speaks with a reptile tongue, trump behaving exactly as a chimpanzee alpha as shown on anthropological tv and in Reicheian psychology...loudest voice blaming other skin types for disease and crime etc. You are a foul stain sir, a smear on on the windows of perception. However, a Hansard Society survey was published by The Times...it seems that more than half of Britons now want to be led by a political 'strongman' who is 'willing to break the rules'. I have been writing and saying for the last thirty years that the political situation in the UK has been piece by piece, organised to influence the people to vote into office what I always called a British Stalin. Because everyone (most) are now SO deeply enraged with useless 'public servants', it would be a highly logical step and a simple way to democratically elect such a person. I expect either the next or next next prime minister to be the One. And then we can only hope that a V for Vendetta type scenario plays out before too many are rounded up and vanished. 

Worth inserting a longish salient quote from Robert Anton Wilson’s book Everything is Under Control; ‘...Dr (Willheim) Reich vastly offended many people by his sociological theory, which holds that fascism is just an exaggerated form of of the basic structure of sex-negative socities and has existed under other names in every civilization based on sexual repression. In this theory, the character and muscular armor of the average citizen -  a submissive and frightened attitude anchored in body reflexes- causes the average person to want a strong authority figure above them. Tyranny, in this model, is not created by tyrants alone but by neurotic masses who want tyrants. This quite possibly maybe explains much about the mentality of various countries and who they have (and continue to chose) chosen as their leaders.

Extinction Rebellion...sun shields in space? Forests of artificial trees to vacuum the Co2? hmmm...Biodiversity, a million species dying and unlikely to be saved, links in the chain being removed one by one thousand. Hard to be an optimist in the face of humanity knowingly getting to this point, having been told and shown over and over again. Dammed liberal atheist scientists spreading facts and proof just to get funding for their pet global warming projects eh? Take a look at all those who are against cutting carbon emissions, reducing arms and speak in favour of fracking, drilling for oil, deeper landfills (out of sight out of mind) genetically modified food etc and see whether there is common theme in their linguistics and behaviour patterns. Short term gain at the expense of the future and an almost evil approach to humanity. As if they have read The Power of Now and taken all the wrong inferences from it. Optimism takes will power, use it or lose it says the hyper manic 'realist', constantly looking for the next possible negative, reductio ad absurdum...

Loving diversity and collages (and goulash) I firmly believe in mixing the races and religions, (wherever and whenever and if ever they choose to intermarry... blend them all. Humanity will not become one homogeneous lump but a mass group of those evolved beyond the manipulations based on such, recognising the old hippy truth of one world and multi dimensions. The new wave or particle, depending what instrument of sense you use to perceive the phase transition. 'A society grows great when old men plant trees, whose shade they know they shall never sit in'..... 'If you are irritated by every rub, how will your mirror be polished?' Rumi

False users/sock puppets on facebook and twitter, ranting robots turned lose with a tap of a finger and blackmail swindles...One recent email to me in Chinese had two words in English, one of which was 'Bitcoin'. Translated, it read that the writer had my passwords and would release my browser history to all in my address book unless several thousand bitcoins were sent to an account. A month later a further email in bad English from a presumed female told me she had filmed our last sexual encounter years ago and all the depraved things we did...this too would be made public unless...Well good luck to you darling, porn comedies are always worth watching. Just as research of course. Ho was the Chinese god of laughter...

The Instagram suicide of the unhappy Malaysian teenage girl who asked in an on-line poll whether she should kill herself or not. 70percent of her followers said 'Do it' and are now facing arrest. Since day one of me first looking at the internet and the comments on twitter, youtube et al, it was immediately apparent just how many web users are dumb/souldead and have nothing to offer of any goodness. On all the online places where I exist in a twilight world, the comments are disabled. I make no money from my music or writing, I do it because I wish to and enjoy it...and already know I am an idiot without being told. (I I I...yuck, have to get back to E Prime and remove I and Is, life seems to deepen with freedom and happiness when this method is   (damn) applied.) I wish a safe journey with love to the girl for next time, never listen to those who are heartless. Vampires all.

Meanwhile...inside the epic of Gilgamesh and still swinging like an ape from the Golden Bough, the mind observing the mind, the heart feeling the heart, walking the May time streets dizzy with waves of empathy, going home to re-balance...from philosophy in the bedroom, to the universe next door, my flat with traces of lavender, cinnamon and patchooli with a hint of vanilla, coffee and yesterday night's marijuana smoke. A day of preparing and next morning early up the hill alone to the sunlit portal, half and half crossover, transmit and receive. Time dissolved the time dissolved, all in a dilation of an hour arf. Dionysus, Aphrodite and Apollo, walking hand in hand through the apocalypse...laughing with intent...'The uncanny...is just the right hemisphere's way of violently capturing our attention'. RAW.

I was given Oak, Holly and Hornbeam in a rescue remedy by a wise woman in a wooden room. A month after this cure for creeping horror, she gave me a bottle of good Irish Whiskey for my birthday, which (in spite of my liver and pancreas) was too beautiful to resist. Steadily drank it over the next three days of resurrection along with some high grade weed. In spite of how a lot of my writing may come across,  I hadn't smoked grass/dope since late 1994, yes really. Now I find I can multi task with total focus on all, listening to two hour lectures while listening to instrumental music, reading from a Kindle and writing at the same time. This works for about 150 minutes and then I need to go and lie down to dream,:-)

Information gathering speed until it becomes energy. Lost among the octaves.... inverted comas, images flash and then dissolve, they melt to universal. Nothing exists until it is perceived. The 'universe' didn't explode as such, but came through. Black holes inverted until gravity/pressure built up waves of energy and gave birth through the hole. All 'Illumination' ideas come from genetic/subatomic memory and the babys' memory of being born into the light. The process is repeated endlessly in infinite multidimensional loops. A chain of eternal creation and evolution. Easy eh?:-) And don't forget, a journey of a million aeons begins with but a single trip...

'Opinions result from perceptions and perceptions reinforce opinions which then further control perceptions, in a repeating loop that logic can never penetrate.' Stasis and decay result unless a little shock of the new is introduced one way or the other to 'startle the brain enough to reframe its experiences. Be aware of the God. If you are timid enough to stop with what is natural, Nature will elude your grasp forever' de sade. Who defines what is natural? Any old perverted psychopath with a quill pen? Take it easy or give it hard...

Our universe consists of 'non simultaneously apprehended events', which we process, interactively. This means we need to update our data often, in order to survive and evolve. The problem comes with those who just close down, especially dogmatic fundamentalists, when they believe they have found 'the truth'... The conspiracy of counter evolution stems from them. Keep updating your data...all the way back to the cosmic giggle )+(