#rem oscar writes

[interstellarvacuumcleaner]

rem's little febuwhump fics rundown

Did seven prompts during the month. Maybe will post more later, as stand-alone but inspired by those prompts 🖤

The series stand at 21,519 words across seven fics at the time of the event ending, with the longest one being Day 13 for "I don't trust anyone else" (and i shiver the whole night through), with 5,199 words, and the shortest one being Day 10 for "Magical exhaustion (when the light bends), 1.551 words long.

Alternative prompt fill: Major Character Death

THIS WORLD (THEN THE NEXT)

The first death took both of them, and the second life embraced them together. The second death…

Rating: M (Mature)

Fandom: Ryuu Ga Gotoku | Yakuza

Archive Warnings: Major Character Death

Characters / Pairings: Kiryu Kazuma & Nishikiyama Akira, Dojima Sohei, Kazama Shintaro

AU: Vampire: the Masquerade / World of Darkness TTRPG Setting

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Vampires, Angst, Character Death, Vampires

Day 3: Pinned Down

FRACTURED

Yagami took pride in his eyes. Eyes that could see what many didn’t, under the skin and beyond the physical, blurring the line between material space and data world; things like these were something any private investigator of Night City wanted.

Rating: T (Teen)

Fandom: JUDGE EYES | Judgment, Ryuu Ga Gotoku | Yakuza

Archive Warnings: None

Characters / Pairings: Kaito Masaharu/Yagami Takayuki, Majima Goro & Yagami Takayuki, Kiryu Kazuma/Majima Goro

AU: Cyberpunk 2077

Additional Tags: Cyberpunk 2077 Slang, Cyberpsychosis (Cyberpunk 2077), Permanent Injury, Blindness

Day 9: Necromancy

SOME HELL STEW IT WAS

The nabe was simmering in the old pot. Pretty… mundane sight, amidst what could be only called an end of the world as Ichiban knew it.

Rating: M (Mature)

Fandom: Ryuu Ga Gotoku | Yakuza

Archive Warnings: Chose Not To Use

Characters / Pairings: Kasuga Ichiban & Party

AU: MORK BORG TTRPG, Black Castle of Nobunaga

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Post-Apocalypse, Alternate Universe - Historical, Everyone Is Dead, Graphic Description of Corpses, Undead, Dark Fantasy

Day 10: Magical Exhaustion

WHEN THE LIGHT BENDS

Everything ends someday. Decays and dissolves, returning what once held its creation back to the wide world. The cycle of life persists on the grand scale of things, even though on the minute order it’s close to the chance of everything happening at any given moment, the Universe is going to tell you that it’s bound to end. Then, it’s also bound to begin. Ichiban began in a soapland.

Rating: M (Mature)

Fandom: Ryuu Ga Gotoku | Yakuza

Archive Warnings: Chose Not To Use

Characters / Pairings: Kasuga Ichiban & Party

AU: Mage: The Ascension / World of Darkness TTRPG Setting

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Magic, Canonical Character Death

Day 13: "I Don't Trust Anyone Else"

AND I SHIVER THE WHOLE NIGHT THROUGH

Do not trust who he sees. Even if it was the seemingly perfect figure, seemingly perfect voice, the tone and eyes that glance at Kiryu, even if it was a one-to-one recreation of someone he knew. It could be a trap. In fact, it would be a trap. Even though Kiryu started to think Hanawa might’ve missed the mark, calling for his involvement, since he was no detective, he couldn’t argue he was right in one fact — he was completely, utterly alone, dead on paper.

Rating: M (Mature)

Fandom: Ryuu Ga Gotoku | Yakuza

Archive Warnings: None

Characters / Pairings: Kiryu Kazuma/Goda Ryuji

AU: Delta Green TTRPG Setting

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Alternate Universe - Horror, Alternate Universe - Eldritch Abominations (Cthulhu Mythos), Paranoia, Daidoji Agent Kiryu, Non-Explicit Sex, Implied Sexual Content, Fade to Black, Trust Issues, Cliffhangers

Day 20: "I Did Good, Right?"

EVENT HORIZON

The meatworld is ruthless — and so much more when you’re coming back to your body after spending some time away from the concept of having limbs. And dimensions. And some muscles.

Rating: T (Teen)

Fandom: JUDGE EYES | Judgment

Archive Warnings: None

Characters / Pairings: Sugiura Fumiya/Tsukumo Makoto

AU: Cyberpunk 2077

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Hackers, Cyberpunk 2077 Slang, Hurt/Comfort, Missions Gone Wrong

Day 23: Gunshot Wound

DON'T FALL ASLEEP AT THE HELM

Been years since Nishida felt such a blood-freezing shudder run down his veins as the day when the news his ship had crashed on the way reached Nele. Next few days were a haze — and he was sure it’d continue on, the way the grief usually does. Then, he came back. A pirate captain. And without a single memory of his life. Okay. Nishida could work with that.

Rating: T (Teen)

Fandom: Ryuu Ga Gotoku | Yakuza

Archive Warnings: None

Characters / Pairings: Minami Daisaku/Nishida, Jason Rich, Fujita Masaru, Majima Goro

AU: not an AU!

Additional Tags: Pirates, Gunshot Wounds, Blood and Injury, Established Relationship

[thebestofoneshots]

firstly, I absolutely adore your blog!! <3 ur so cool

secondly im curious to know- what marvel superhero would you assign to each of the marauders? I personally think sirius would love ironman, he’s so tony stark coded

AH, you're combining some of my favourite fandoms, babe! Which is why I might end up writing a way deeper analysis than I need to lol. But let's go through it one by one.

My darling James, the golden boy of his era, he is 100% Captain America. He is hell-bent on protecting those he loves, and he would do anything for them. Also, he's been in love with one girl for all of his life. It's just so fitting for him, I feel?

But also, I feel like James could also be a great Spiderman (and that is probably his favourite superhero), especially younger James, with his charm and charisma and how he is loved and cherished by his people. Also, he is totally in love with a redhead.

Remus Lupin is a complicated one. You know, I feel like Hulk is quite fitting, since you know he gets angry and turns into a green monster, which kind of relates to Rem in a deeper level. Having said that, I think his superhero would be Moon Knight and I'm ready to diе on this grave.

Hear me out, it's about the deep-held emotional trauma and the way Steven and Jake came into existence to protect Mark, he would absolutely love, love Moon Knight, especially the Disney+ version of him. There's also the lack of control the multiple personalities entail (which is very much like Remus' turning into Moony) and the moon theme. Besides, Rem would totally have a mini crush on Oscar Isaac.

And for Sirius, I agree, he is definitely Iron Man coded and would love Tony, I mean it's in the daddy issues they share with each other, the family background, the rich kid persona and all that. But I also think Sirius would love, and I mean LOVE Peter Quill (StarLord).

StarLord also has family issues, but he grew to become an absolutely charming character, sharing his love for beings with Sirius (aka they're both a little bit of heartbreakers) and he is super funny, which I feel Sirius would love. They both love music, and Sirius would praise Starlord's taste every single day of the week. Something else Siri would love about StarLord is his found family. He met the Guardians of the Galaxy and they all adopted each other, in the same way, Sirius adopted and was adopted by James and Remus.

Reggie is Bucky Barnes (and this is one of my favourite Marvel characters). Bucky was brainwashed and tortured by Hydra, in pretty much the same way Reggie was by his family. He shared that traumatic past and his absolute desire to be better, and to improve, he doesn't want to be a deatheater anymore and he fights for what's good. Also, if he is Bucky and James is Cap, we can have a bit of Starchaser hehe.

Lily loves Spiderman, and not because James does, nah, Lily has been a fan since she was a kid, she loves his sense of justice and how he fights for what's good. Spiderman's motto "With great power, comes great responsibility" is literally Lily's bible.

Marlene is into Black Window, and not only bc she has a massive crush on her, but because she thinks she is the most badass character in the entire fucking Marvel universe, no joke. She can stand against beasts three times her size, and fight alongside the most powerful superheroes on earth by being just a human woman? She is INCREDIBLE!

Mary gives me Vision vibes, I'm not sure why, but I totally see her reading Vision fanfiction and writing some too.

Barty is a Loki kid, you cannot change my mind. I mean, forgotten and neglected child who has to be exceptionally good at everything to get the attention from his dad? He becomes evil bc he thinks it's the only way he'll get Odin to see him? This to me screams Barty, and he would love Loki.

And lastly, I think Evan likes Quick Silver. Firstly, he thinks he's super hot, but he also loved his relationship with his sister, and he loves Pietro's charm. There's just something about him that he can't stop thinking about. I also feel he would like Mystique, but that's due to her complicated past, and her ability to become anything anyone she wants. He feels it would be so freeing to do that.

PS. Didn't I say I'd go crazy with this analysis? Aaaah I'm such a nerd...

[beemisc]

INDIE PRIVATE, SELECTIVE & HEAVY CANON DIVERGENT ROLEPLAY SIDEBLOG FOR A SELECT HANDFUL OF CANON MUSES FROM VARIOUS SERIES. FOLLOWS FROM AKUYAKV.

adult content is expected, given the media. there will be no tolerance for the following content: rape ( noncon/dubcon ), pedophilia ( shotacon/lolicon ), active domestic, animal and child abuse, treating real world tragedies as a "plot point".

extremely original character and self-insert friendly, just message me privately if your muse has history with any of my canons and we can discuss it!

if you have a problem with someone i'm writing with, keep it to yourself and unfollow me. i will not interact with anyone who has my friends on their DNI, you will be blocked.

i do not want to associate with the bnha or death note rpc. i will be very selective of whom i follow from those fandoms.

ROSTER UNDER THE CUT ( ★ - highly active/primary | ☆ - secondary | ✦ - request )

ALWAYS SUNNY

charlie kelly | ✦

deandra reynolds | ✦

dennis reynolds | ✦

frank reynolds | ✦

mac mcdonald | ✦

AO NO EXORCIST

okumura, rin | ☆

okumura, yukio | ☆

egin, yuri | ✦

fujimoto, shiro | ★

satan | ✦

samael / mephisto pheles | ★★

amaimon | ☆

iblis |✦

azazel |✦

egyn |✦

lucifer |✦

beelzebub |✦

astaroth |✦

kamiki, izumo | ✦

moriyama, shiemi | ☆

DEATH NOTE

yagami, light | ★

yagami, soichiro✦

yagami, sachiko✦

yagami, sayu✦

ryuk | ☆

rem | ☆

gelus✦

takada, kiyomi | ★

mikami, teru✦

amane, misa | ★

DURARARA

orihara, izaya✦

orihara, mairu✦

orihara, kururi✦

yagiri, namie | ★

heiwajima, shizuo✦

celty sturluson | ★

kishitani, shinra | ★

sonohara, anri✦

shiki, haruya✦

FRUITS BASKET

honda, tohru | ★

sohma, kyo | ☆

sohma, yuki✦

honda, kyoko✦

INUYASHA

higurashi, kagome | ☆

sesshomaru✦

K-PROJECT

the colorless king / hajikano, akimitsu | ☆

kushina, anna | ★

kusanagi, izumo✦

yata, misaki✦

dewa, masaomi✦

MADOKA MAGICA

kyuubey | ☆

akemi, homura | ★

kaname, madoka | ☆

miki, sayaka✦

RWBY

salem | ★★

ruby rose | ☆

yang xiao-long✦

blake belladonna✦

weiss schnee✦

whitley schnee✦

willow schnee✦

taiyang xiao-long | ☆

qrow branwen✦

raven branwen | ☆

summer rose | ★★

ozma / ozpin / oscar pine✦

pyrrha nikos✦

penny polendina✦

SPY X FAMILY

anya forger✦

bond forger✦

VAMPIRE KNIGHT

kuran, kaname | ★

cross/kuran, yuuki✦

MISC.

the bracken ( lethal company ) | ★★

carrie white ( carrie )✦

harley quinn ( dc comics )✦

hayden bennett ( possessing her duo ) | ★★

hatsune, miku | ☆

pennywise ( IT )✦

william afton ( fnaf / fnaf the movie )✦

lucy ( elfen lied )✦

kawakami, tomie ( junji ito ) | ☆

tsujii, soichi ( junji ito )✦

[brian-in-finance]

Twitter

Twitter

Sinead O'Connor at her home in County Wicklow, Republic of Ireland in 2012. David Corio/Redferns/Getty Images

Caitríona Balfe, Michael Stipe and more pay tribute to Sinéad O’Connor

On Wednesday, as the news of Sinéad O’Connor’s death broke, many celebrities took to social media to pay tribute to the music icon.

As reported by Irish broadcaster RTE earlier in the day, O’Connor’s death was confirmed by a family statement. No cause of death was immediately available.

“I hope you are at peace,” actor Caitríona Balfe wrote on her Instagram page, adding “and with your baby boy. Thank you for sharing your soul with us and soothing us with your incredible voice beautiful Sinéad.”

O’Connor contributed her vocals to the opening credits of Season 7 of acclaimed series “Outlander,” in which Balfe stars. The actor’s mention of O’Connor’s “baby boy” was in reference to the singer’s son Shane, who died by suicide at age 17 in 2022.

Michael Stipe, famed REM singer-songwriter, simply wrote on Instagram aongside a photo of him with O’Connor that “there are no words.” Stipe has spoken about how much he was influenced by O’Connor, telling the Washington Post in a 2020 interview that “so many people have lifted from her, from me to Miley Cyrus. She’s one of our great, living icons.”

Belinda Carlisle, lead vocalist of the all-girls 80s rock band The Go-Gos, wrote “may she find peace now. Forever loved,” on her Twitter page on Wednesday, while singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge wrote on her page that news of O’Connor’s death “is such a tragedy.”

“What a loss. She was haunted all her life. What a talent,” Etheridge continued. “I remember my first Grammy show meeting this small shy Irish girl.”

The Cranberries – who lost their lead singer, the Irishwoman Dolores O’Riordan, in 2018 – shared a tribute on their official Instagram account, writing that they “are shocked and saddened to hear of Sinead’s sudden passing. We have all been big fans for many years. Our thoughts are with her family.”

Shirley Manson, lead singer of Garbage, posted in honor of O’Connor to the band’s Instagram page, writing, “I’m heartbroken.”

“This disgusting world broke her and kept on breaking her. Godspeed dear fragile dove,” the post continued. “Thank you for all the beauty and all the wise teachings you offered up to us. I wish you nothing but peace and I will love you for all of time.”

O’Connor’s contemporary Annie Lennox shared a poem in the late singer’s memory on her Instagram, beginning it with, “You bared your soul… | Shared your brilliance | Through exquisite artistry”.

Oscar-winner Jamie Lee Curtis penned a lengthy tribute to O’Connor on her Instagram page, saying, “I once heard Sìnead (sic) sing acapella in an empty chapel in Ireland. It was under construction at the private home of our host. It was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever heard in my life.”

“I loved her. Her music. Her life,” Curtis added, going on to reminisce about the time she spent with O’Connor at a music festival.

“Sixth Sense” actor Toni Collette also shared a personal memory with O’Connor, writing on Instagram, “I was lucky enough to hang out with her a few times in my twenties. On one occasion we all sang in the hills of Wicklow in Eire. I sang a Jane Siberry song and Sinead then asked/encouraged me to sing one of my own. Can you imagine the terror? The intimidation? The thrill?!”

“She was so talented, so generous, humble, resilient, courageous and true,” Collette continued. “What a voice. What a force. My heart breaks.”

Beyond those in the arts, O’Connor’s impact was felt in her home country of Ireland.

“What Ireland has lost at such a relatively young age is one of our greatest and most gifted composers, songwriters and performers of recent decades, one who had a unique talent and extraordinary connection with her audience, all of whom held such love and warmth for her,” Irish president Michael D. Higgins said in a statement sent to CNN.

“May her spirit find the peace she sought in so many different ways,” his statement concluded.

CNN

Remember… you bared your soul… shared your brilliance through exquisite artistry. — Annie Lennox

[lnights]

favourite fics of all time? new, old and everything in between?

Hi anon

Let's see, I'll list some I would like to have on my bookshelf, in no particular order:

Paint me the sun, the moon, and the stars by @chaoslaura

(This Is How) We Sell Our Lies by @rubyleaf

Missing Someone I’ve Never Known by awkwardblogger (@wow-ihateithere)

Skydweller series by @exquisiteagony

Supernova by @rem-oscar

Dark side the Mafia series by Snake_simulacra

Wolfpack series by OutcastAngel (@outcastedang3l )

Hide It or Not by Heartunused (@if-you-got-a-heart-at-all )

I Can't Pretend That I Don't Need You by @tomorrows-unknown

Olympics AU by theflyingzimmergaudi (@theflyingfeeling )

This is not an all-inclusive list and in no way shape or form does leaving somebody off of it mean that I'm not a fan of their writing, it's just the ones that come to mind at the moment.

[betteradvice]

Pregnancy Dreams and What They Mean

Decoding the Dreamscape of Pregnancy.

Ever found yourself waking up from a dream where you’re giving birth to a litter of kittens or swimming in a sea of pickles? No? Just me? Never mind, let’s dive into the wonderfully weird world of pregnancy dreams!

The Pregnancy Dream Rollercoaster

Pregnancy is like a nine-month theme park ride for your body and mind. And just when you think the daytime symptoms are enough to handle, your nights decide to join the party with a spectacular show of vivid dreams. You’re not losing your marbles – this is totally normal and even pretty cool when you think about it!

These nighttime adventures are your brain’s way of processing all the big changes happening in your life. Think of them as your subconscious mind’s attempt at writing a very confusing, often hilarious, sometimes scary screenplay about your journey to motherhood.

The Hormone Cocktail: Shaken, Not Stirred

So, what’s causing this cinematic experience in your head every night? It’s hormones! Yep, those little chemical messengers are at it again. Estrogen and progesterone are throwing a party in your body, and your dreams are getting an all-access pass.

Estrogen, the life of the party, is ramping up the intensity of your dreams. Meanwhile, progesterone, the chill one, is helping you relax enough to remember these wild dream scenarios. It’s like they’re tag-teaming to ensure you have the most memorable dream experiences possible.

Dream Science: It’s Not Rocket Science, But It’s Close!

Contrary to what you might think, pregnant women often get less REM sleep overall. REM is usually when the really wacky dreams happen. So why does it feel like you’re starring in a new bizarre movie every night?

Well, it’s because pregnancy often leads to more frequent wake-ups during the night. And if you wake up during a dream, you’re more likely to remember it. It’s like pausing a movie right at the good part – that scene is going to stick with you!

Plus, with all that extra blood flow to your brain, it’s like your mind is getting a turbo boost for dream creation. Combine that with the emotional rollercoaster of pregnancy, and voila! You’ve got yourself a recipe for some Oscar-worthy dream sequences.

Around the World in 80 Dreams

How people interpret pregnancy dreams can vary wildly depending on where you’re from. In some cultures, dreaming about pregnancy is like hitting the spiritual jackpot – it’s seen as super lucky!

For instance, in Korean culture, they have something called “conception dreams.” These aren’t just for the mom-to-be; sometimes, grandma might have a dream that predicts the baby’s arrival. Talk about family involvement!

Meanwhile, in many Western cultures, pregnancy dreams are seen as symbols of new beginnings or personal growth. So next time you dream about growing a garden of baby-shaped vegetables, you can tell everyone you’re just really into personal development!

The Greatest Hits of Pregnancy Dreams

These dreams are the ones that keep showing up like that song you can’t get out of your head:

The Animal Kingdom: Dreaming of giving birth to puppies or kittens? Don’t worry, you’re not about to star in a sci-fi movie. This often symbolizes your nurturing instincts kicking into high gear.

Water, Water Everywhere: Swimming dreams are super common. It’s like your subconscious is reminding you, “Hey, remember that whole amniotic fluid thing?”

The Great Escape: Feeling trapped in your dream? It might be your mind processing the physical changes of pregnancy. Or maybe you just really need to pee (again).

The Cheating Heart: Dreams about infidelity (yours or your partner’s) are surprisingly common. It’s usually more about feeling vulnerable or insecure than any real relationship issues.

The Case of the Missing Baby: Dreaming about misplacing your baby doesn’t mean you’ll be a forgetful parent. It’s often just your brain processing the new responsibility headed your way.

Decoding Your Dream Drama

Now, before you start panicking that your dreams are trying to tell you something terrible, remember this: dreams are more about feelings than facts. That dream where you forgot you were pregnant and went bungee jumping? It’s probably not a secret desire for extreme sports. It’s more likely your brain processing the big life change coming your way.

When you’re trying to decode your dreams, look for the emotions behind the dream, not just the wacky scenarios. Are you feeling anxious? Excited? Overwhelmed? Your dreams are often a window into your emotional state, just with some very creative storytelling thrown in.

Keeping the Nightmares at Bay

If your dreams are veering more into nightmare territory, don’t fret. There are some simple tricks to help keep those scary dreams at bay:

Bedtime Zen: Create a calming bedtime routine. Maybe some gentle yoga, or reading a book (preferably not a horror novel).

Dream Diary: Keep a journal by your bed and jot down your dreams. Sometimes, getting them out on paper can help process them.

Chat It Out: Talk about your dreams with your partner, friends, or even your bump. Sometimes, saying them out loud can help you see the humor in even the scariest dreams.

Comfort is Key: Make sure your sleeping setup is comfy. Pregnancy pillows aren’t just for daytime naps, you know!

Embrace the Dream Weirdness

Remember, these dreams are a normal part of the pregnancy package. They’re like your body’s way of saying, “Hey, big changes are coming, and I’m processing them in the weirdest way possible!”

So, the next time you wake up from a dream where you’re teaching a class full of baby elephants how to knit, just smile and think, “Well, that’s one for the baby book!” Your pregnancy dreams are giving you some great stories to tell at future family dinners.

May your nights be filled with amusing adventures and your mornings with good laughs about them. And remember, no matter how weird your dreams get, the reality of meeting your little one will be even more amazing!

Alex

[outcastedang3l]

7, 8, 41, 69?

7. Post a snippet from a wip

"Tommi was knocked out of his thoughts by the car slowing to a stop outside of a huge glass-fronted building. The driver opened the door for him and Tommi stepped out, breathing in the fresh air of the forest. He could understand why the place was out in the middle of a forest now, already he was feeling a little more at peace with everything. His driver directed him towards the front door when he attempted to grab his stuff from the trunk. Tommi’s brow furrowed and he frowned, he didn’t like leaving someone else to deal with his stuff but then again he also had no idea where he would even be going yet anyway."

(next cult channel fic)

8. Post an out-of-context spoiler from a wip.

"Because no one would believe them if they just started spewing information about ancient gods and old relics. It frustrated Olli to no end that he would sound crazy to everyone when he knew he wasn’t."

41. Who’s your favorite character you’ve written?

I honestly really love writing Johnny because you can do a lot with him

What are your favorite fics at the moment?

The Music of our Souls by @lnights

AVARITIA by @kind-as-sunshine

for everything a reason, part II by @rem-oscar

fanfic writing asks

[the-aeneas-archives]

About Me

Hello there, stranger! :)

My name is Oscar, though you may also call me rem, aen, or whatever you like!

I am a sixteen year old student from Germany, so please kindly excuse any language mistakes I might make, I’m still learning.

History has always been a passion of mine, in part due to my family, many of them being amateur/‘actual’ historians, and I myself plan on studying History after graduating.

I made this account both as a personal blog to share stories from my life, as well as to talk about (mainly historical) topics I am interested in. Feel free to come along, and to ask/tell me anything!

Other than history, my hobbies include reading, writing, studying languages, as well as drawing and painting.

I am also gay, shaping my taste in books and films, as well as my political orientation, which I consider to be made up mostly of leftist views.

Importantly, I want to add that I am a great fan of the phrase ‘vintage style, not vintage values’, and while I may occasionally indulge in historical fantasies as a form of escapism, I want to make it clear that I do not agree with any form of discrimination or prejudice prevalent in various time periods whatsoever.

[adamsvanrhijn]

🧸& 🚩 For Oscar and John

🧸 - what position do they sleep in? do they snore or sleepwalk or have any other problems sleeping? what do their sheets look like?

okay so john is the big spoon and oscar is the little spoon, and when they are fighting oscar is a side sleeper (back to john) (basically his normal sleeping arrangement actually now that i think about it) and john is a back sleeper and he stares at the ceiling and Broods

oscar is the one who kicks and steals the blankets and gets caught in them and when he is troubled he does sometimes delay going to sleep either by taking a long time to get into bed (extending from 1.03) or by restlessness once In bed, but he usually sleeps through the night once he can get to sleep. when john is troubled he wakes up at the end of every rem cycle or just lies there awake like all night OR gets up in the middle of the night to read or write or whatever and usually manages to wake oscar up somehow because. he needs to untangle himself from oscar and/or the bedding oscar has somehow managed to bind his legs with which usually involves physically jostling him. also i said when he is troubled but i am also going to say that sometimes just in general john will either delay getting into bed or will get up in the middle of the night because he needs to get words out of his brain. s2 please do not somehow counter my headcanon that john got the adams writer gene and upbringing

ask my fiancee how much of this is art imitating life

and. we know what their sheets look like canonically. 😌 (john makes the bed.)

🚩 - what are their vices? what's at least one negative trait they have? what indulgences do they have that are less than positive? what would people mention about them if asked to name a flaw?

vices... neither of them see gay sex as a vice so jot that down... $$$ for oscar obviously. (john obviously is a rich guy who wouldn't know what to do without it but that is not the same as what oscar has going on.) (which stems from a whole host of things do not get me wrong.)

Substance Vices... they both smoke but like a normal 19th century guy amount... neither of them have a healthy relationship with alcohol but also in a normal 19th century guy amount... my blossoming headcanon is that john is genetically predisposed to having an alcohol problem. this doesn't mean he has one just that he. can have one. also it isn't a headcanon so much as a logical extension of historical reality.

& canon currently (just barely) predates the era in american history when cocaine was most popular but if oscar did coke i think he would keep doing coke. ykwim.

most defining cardinal sin for oscar is avarice (duh) and for john is pride. oscar dabbles in all of them but i think the pride is secondary whereas john's entire deal to me is that he is just too proud (in the: fixation on maintaining own dignity way) to do Anything. like it really gets in the way of. communication action etc. oscar overestimates himself and he is desperate to maintain and elevate his status but he doesn't appear to be inhibited by his own sense of dignity the way i think john might be. oscar is. willing to explain himself and john.... is not. oscar can handle getting teased and john Cannot.

negative traits well we do not have all day unfortunately so this cannot be exhaustive. i think just in general they both have a lot of things going for them that in the right circumstances (read: the point we see them in the show) can be Not Great At All.

indulgences. i just spoke about drugs. i will say the gay sex can impede other positive things like "talking about your problems" so that isn't always the best indulgence.

the flaws they would name about each other... Bad At Communication. unwilling to concede when wrong. unable to accept reality. the flaws random other people would name about them... i am thinking... agnes has many things she can say about oscar for example but they all boil down to "my adult child i worry about". i think agnes's main qualm with john adams is "showed no interest in marrying my niece". neither of these are what the question is asking sbdjdjfjejaj

these guys are crazy and i love them a lot. so much of their vibe is Takes One To Know One.

[moonysuglysweaters]

heres the product of my writing spreee

thoughts? pt 2 with sirius pov??

The library is quiet today, which is good. Remus doesn’t like when the library is crowded and loud and he can’t find a good nook to curl up and read in. So when he shows up at the library this morning he is excited to hear silences, only broken up by the occasional thud of book being put down and the flick of pages. Perfect, he thinks, the perfect day to read, or maybe finish his english lit paper that is due in two days time but Remus decides to ignore that for now.

He goes to his favourite corner and gets out his copy of a collection of Oscar Wilde’s poems. Yes, stereotypical - but he enjoys making annotations in it and the pages are well-thumbed and comforting. He opens his book, ready for the warm, faded ink to embrace him with its beautiful words, but instead - blank. Crisp, white pages without a single crease or bend or notation.

Fuck. Remus realises what he must have done. When he last borrowed the library’s copy for an assignment he must have returned the wrong one. It’s okay though, fixable. Remus quickly walks over to the poetry section, to W and sees…. nothing? Ughhhh. He hurries to the librarian’s desk and sighs in relief when he sees her hunched over a cup of coffee.

“Um.. hey, hi,” he says, trying to get her attention, then, “do you know if anyone has taken out the Oscar Wilde poems recently?”

“Oh hello there Rem, dear,” she says, “let me have a little look.”

Madam Pince is old, very old. Many of the students say she’s been around since the school was first created. She wears the same thing every day - a white, old-fashioned blouse and a black pencil skirt and some sensible black flats. Many of the students say her husband died in the war, which is why she doesn’t talk much. Remus thinks it’s because no one bothers to listen.

“Ah, yes, here we are,” she says, squinting her eyes at the blurry screen, “is that a- yes, Sirius Black.”

“Sirius Black… okay thanks Madam Pince.” Remus internalises the name. It sounds exotic, and rolls off his tongue with an air of elegance. Sirius Black.

[interstellarvacuumcleaner]

Decided to do some febuwhump fics. Kicking it off strong with Vampire: The Masquerade AU, your classic Nishiki downfall tale retold through Vampire lenses ✨

Alternative prompt 1: Major Character Death

Fandom: 龍が如く | Ryuu ga Gotoku | Yakuza (Video Games)

Relationships: Kiryu Kazuma & Nishikiyama Akira (Gen)

Summary: The first death took both of them, and the second life embraced them together. The second death…

[komoryriku]

Queering KH Part 4: Hearts in Tune

Actually KH Finally lol

Pictured: Riku humming Sora’s name in a soft, adoring, wistful voice the way a swooning straight person sighs the name of their beloved of the opposite gender.

Kingdom Hearts gives off so many subtextual signals of queer coding that it genuinely BAFFLES me how people can really believe it is straight. You may be wondering what makes me so confident in that when there has not been anything in the games to explicitly prove any of the characters are not straight, and I will be happy to tell you. It is because in order to believe Kingdom Hearts is straight, you have to ignore WAY too much subtext. To truly believe that Sora is in love with Kairi and only coded to be interested in Kairi, you have to ignore his questioning of what love is. You have to ignore the combined keyblade he shares with Riku. You have to ignore how much the narrative is driving him to understand that Riku is his most important, cherished person. This all goes doubly for Riku who has a coming out story not unlike Elsa’s metaphorical one, in which his love for Sora is his greatest source of strength. You have to pretend the necklace gifting plot point is entirely straight and cannot possibly mean anything homoromantic. You have to ignore the way Sora cries while clutching Riku’s hand compared to his subdued and non-emotional reunion with Kairi- that’s just too much “accidental subtext” for me to confidently ignore lol. Intentional or not, KH is Gay~

Here’s how we’re gonna do this.

So where the hell do I even begin with coding KH? Well- I can’t possibly queer the whole of KH text in 1 summer, so what I plan to do is this:

Give you the tools to understand KH’s coding so that you can code it yourself~

Queer a few major KH scenes so that everyone can see that the proof is in the pudding.

I’m gonna try to break down various scenes to decode them and queer them so you can see what’s at play in KH. Originally when this meta was a single doc, I was only gonna cover 4 scenes. But since I’m breaking it into parts to update at my leisure, I’m gonna just add scenes and meta as I go~

Now without further ado:

How the Hearts in Tune scene is Gay Coded

This shouldn’t be too hard at all.~

This scene is almost too easy. 

The scene opens with Sora bringing Mickey the sound idea he found but as it turns out, one sound idea is not enough. Sora tells us not to worry because he has a friend who is always picking up the slack for him. Likewise, on Riku’s end, he brings his sound idea to Mickey and is surprised to see that Sora’s sound idea is necessary to complete the song. 

Once the sound ideas meet, this beautiful visual plays out in which the 2 sound ideas swirl around each other and the soundtrack title “Dearly Beloved” plays. 

Now, there are several things I want to note about this sequence- heck this visual alone before we move on. 

Recall earlier when I discussed Shiki’s point that blue and pink (likewise blue and red) “go together”, romantically.

I will let the visual of Sora’s sheet music being pink while Riku’s is blue speak for itself. But I will also add how this ties into the yin and yang themes I’m about to discuss:

Yin and Yang

This concept gets its own section because it’s such an influential concept in so many aspects of various cultures around the globe.

Yin and Yang is an eastern philosophy which illustrates the concept of dualism. In short, it is the concept that 2 opposite halves are complements to a whole. The original term in fact translates to dark-bright.  

I am neither a philosophy professor or student so I will keep this as brief as I can and simply encourage you to study up on Yin and Yang at your own leisure. I will however paste this section from wikipedia because I think it is extremely helpful information to have for studying eastern media in general. 

Yin and Yang: husbanded opposing forces. Dark-Light, Moon-Sun, Chaos-Order, Winter-Summer, Negative-Positive.

Female (Yin)-Male (Yang): Yes this is often used in a heteronormative heterosexual context because people are homophobic and believe in gender binaries, unfortunately, but I implore you to consider the concept in more figurative, spiritual, aesthetic themes, especially since Yin and Yang is a much grander philosophy than mere sexuality discourse; it’s about complementary forces creating a whole. 

For shipping purposes, think opposites attract. Think concepts that are traditionally associated with femininity meshing with concepts that are traditionally associated with masculinity. Queer media has a wonderful way of subverting heteronormative Yin and Yang tropes by showing that cis-hetero standards can be hypocritically non-compliant with the complementary concept.

Rather than thinking of this, 2 heteros in love based on being just- the same person with opposite genders:

Think of this, same gendered couples with complementary personalities:

Think about how an aloof scrappy butchy vampire queen attracts an uptight calculating femme princess.

Think about how this goody-goody dumb jock with a martyring hero complex attracts this naughty cunning jock with a self-loathing villaness complex.

And now think about how badly we need more canonical mlm couples in children’s media lol. Oops my finger slipped. But I’m getting ahead of myself lol.

The concepts of interconnected opposite forces are so important and prominent in literature throughout the world, but yin and yang is ESPECIALLY important in Kingdom Hearts because it is a story that explicitly explores Light and Dark forces. It explores how they both oppose one another in catastrophic ways,

and how they complement each other in harmonious ways.

Getting ahead of myself again… But hey speaking of harmony, back to the matter at hand.

Hearts in Tune.

This scene shows a number of romantic symbols. As I was saying before the yin and yang tangent, pink and blue (nee red and blue) are already symbols of romantic suggestion. And in the case of them representing 2 parts of a whole song, these song pieces act as complementary halves, adding another layer of dualism to the scene. Furthermore, the music sheets swirl around each other in a yin and yang fashion. Harmony has been achieved. This lets us know these forces belong together. These forces representing Sora and Riku. They are husbanded together. These 2 hearts in question are part of each other. In fact, Mickey even says so:

Perhaps most damning, however, is that the song in question is “Dearly Beloved”, arguably the theme song for Kingdom Hearts as far as the score goes. I’m sure it goes without say that “Dearly Beloved” is not only in itself a romantic sounding phrase but it is also the phrase specifically said by officiators of weddings to the congregation before the wedding vows are exchanged. “Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here today…” 

I will also mention that Riku’s dream eater symbol visible in the shot is specifically designed based on a bleeding heart flower, a symbol of passionate love. Credit to Steam for pointing this out here, please follow them and read their posts they are magically delicious:

So almost everything about this scene is aesthetically romantically coded, and I didn’t even mention the fact that Dream Drop Distance’s whole color palette is themed with rainbows, which as I said earlier is absolutely still a gay symbol in Japan. Note the rainbow of colors animating from the sheet music. 

So in terms of the atmosphere of the scene, its already incredibly homoromantic in every way I can think of. But what about the dialogue?

Well lets talk about the dialogue. Dialogue should always been read with care when you’re trying to queer a text. Often a lot of queer messaging in a text is subtextual. This means the text itself may actually say something gay, but you have to read further into it. This is an old method of queer writing designed to protect the writer from getting in trouble for their gay crimes.

Historical aside on this:  If you’ve ever read Oscar Wilde’s “The Picture of Dorian Gray”, you may have note that Lord Henry can never just simply say that he is gay, lest Oscar Wilde be charged for homosexuality in 19th century England. Instead, Lord Henry simply tells us he is married to a woman, but makes it clear throughout the text that this marriage is mostly performative and he is not emotionally invested in it whatsoever, going against the puritanical, heternormative ideals of Victorian prudery. Lord Henry is by contrast MUCH more invested in following the life and times of his very close friend Dorian Gray, with whom he shares a hedonistic philosophy in the name of Fin de siècle. Not to be a downer but for the sake of understanding how real this subject of oppressed gay censorship is, despite keeping the homosexual themes as purely subtext, Oscar Wilde was tried and convicted of homosexuality and this book was used against him in court. 

What we are privileged to have today with KH is a cutscene and not just a script. Meaning we have visuals, animation, voice acting, musical cues, etc etc to follow along with to enhance our subtext. 

On Sora’s end of the conversation, Mickey points out that the song is incomplete with just his sound idea alone, and Sora tells him not to worry, as Riku is his dependable friend who will fill in where he fails. The text in the official English translation is:

Mickey: That's strange... Is one Sound Idea not enough?

Sora: Don't worry. I've got a friend out there who will help. He's always 

picking up the slack for me.

This on its own sounds platonic. But note just how affectionate Sora’s voice acting is when he says it. Not only that, he clutches his heart to let us know how close he is to Riku and how much his connection with Riku matters to him. How much confidence he has in this friend he cares so much about. He then closes his eyes after saying it, smiling up in the air blissfully while he waits for their hearts to make their connection and finish the song.

Once it is finished, Mickey remarks that their sounds joined together to make something more powerful. Sora then says looking thoughtful, “Yeah. Two forces are better than one. Right, Riku?”

Following this, Sora leaves to fight the boss.

On Riku’s side, Mickey questions what happened, and Riku looks up thoughtfully, and says tenderly, “Sora.”

Mickey comments “Sora? Funny... Just hearing that name kinda makes me wanna smile.” and Riku tells him warmly, “Yeah. That's how he is.”

Mickey then goes on to say some really shippy stuff:

“Whaddaya know... Riku and Sora. The Sound Ideas you two set free joined together. And when they did, they made a great and powerful harmony.”

Riku then nods and tells Mickey brightly that “Sora can find the brightest part of anything, and pull off miracles like there's nothing to it. It's pretty hard not to smile around him.”

And I would like to pause to look at that line. “It’s pretty hard not to smile around him.” Although Mickey says the same thing, that just hearing Sora’s name invokes a smile, we sense a somewhat deeper meaning in Riku saying it. Why is that? Well, for one thing this game is entirely about Riku protecting Sora and exploring how much Sora actually means to him. This game is continuing Riku’s redemption arc from KH2, but it is also doing something perhaps even more important: it is providing him a journey of self discovery. This test resets Sora and Riku to level 1 so to speak, not just in their powers but even their models revert to variations of their KH1 selves. This helps to underscore Riku re-examining himself and his feelings. 

And then guess what? Mickey makes some even SHIPPIER commentary. He exclaims “Wow! No wonder the music sounded like so much fun. But I bet he's got you to thank for that. Having such a good friend means he could really enjoy it.”

Riku is taken aback by this comment. “Huh?”

Mickey continues, expressing some extremely yin and yang themed sentiments, 

“It's like each of you is holding on to a little part of the other. Your hearts are always in tune, so they're free to sing. Gosh, I hope I can be part of the team someday.”

Mickey did us a wonderful favor and expressed to us explicitly, for those who didn’t understand the romantic coding of the scene already, that Sora and Riku are a good match. Mickey tells Riku that the music sounded like fun in English, that it was a happy, pleasurable time, and tells him that Sora has Riku for a friend which is what must have made it so enjoyable. 

So from this dialogue we get assurance that Sora and Riku are two very close friends, whose hearts are connected, and they are 2 powerful forces that merge into an even greater one. Their hearts are in tune.

Now if this were a scene about a boy and a girl, I doubt anyone would question whether it was romantic. Why should we be asked to look at it platonically just because it is 2 boys? The romantic imagery is clear. 

And let me ask you this while we’re still on the subject of Dream Drop Distance: 

According to Riku’s character files, he had previously thought of Sora as a little brother, and tried to be a cool older brother to him. 

He then tells us that this has changed. What did it change to? 

The surface level, heteronormative answer would say it changed to them being merely friends. 

But isn’t that an odd regression? After all, found family is a thing, and that’s a bit weird for him to question since there is no reason for those feelings to change on that notion. If Sora loved him like a brother, that clearly hasn’t changed. Riku clearly loves Sora as deeply, so that didn’t change. The other problem with this phenomenon Riku is dealing with is that there is no reason for him to feel this strange sense of repression we keep seeing over this change. He is constantly holding back on some feelings for Sora but platonic and brotherly feelings are entirely acceptable. What is it that he is hiding? What sort of feelings for Sora would be hidden?

From the Kh2 Novel: 

He really did want to see Sora and talk. But that was impossible with this appearance. The things that mattered the most were what he couldn’t tell Sora. It had always been that way.

What sort of feelings might be systemically oppressed?

This scene is pretty much EXACTLY what I would do to say as explicitly as possible that Riku is gay without being able to say it outright due to censorship. 

[onestowatch]

The Best of 2019 and Beyond | Staff Picks

It’s the end of 2019. The world is on fire. You inhale your mango-flavored juul pod. The most pivotal figure in the world is a 16-year-old Swedish girl. Your Amazon Alexa listens intently in the corner of your bedroom. What I’m trying to say is that it has been an absolutely crazy year and an equally mind-blowing year for music. And what better way to cap the end of a year, an end of a decade than to perform a mandated survey on the entire Ones To Watch staff in the hopes of gathering their thoughts on the music that shaped their 2019, their 2010s, and their predictions for this brave new decade.

Maxamillion Polo

Most Underrated Artist of 2019: An honest toss-up between keshi and Aries. Believe 2020 belongs to them.

Best Breakout Artist of 2019: Lizzo, who is finally getting the recognition she’s deserved for years.

Best Music Video of 2019: BTS - “Boy With Luv”

Biggest Artist Crush of 2019: Carly Rae Jepsen, this year and every year.

Best Concert You Attended in 2019: Childish Gambino at The Forum. Felt like church.

Favorite 2019 trend: stan and cancel culture. Live by the sword; die by the sword.

What moment of 2019 will you not be forgetting anytime soon?: Naruto-running through Area 51.

Who is poised to be the breakout artist(s) of 2020: Conan Gray is going to be absolutely massive come this time next year.

Favorite Song of 2019: Dominic Fike, Kenny Beats - “Phone Numbers”

Favorite Album of 2019: Tyler, the Creator - IGOR

Favorite Artist of 2019: Lil Nas X, if only for his Twitter presence.

wow thanks u guys pic.twitter.com/CetLFOKP41

— nope (@LilNasX)

December 6, 2019

Favorite Song of the Decade: Grimes - “Oblivion.” Honorable mention goes to Mitski’s “Nobody.”

Favorite Album of the Decade: Kanye West - The Life of Pablo

Favorite Artist of the Decade: Childish Gambino, an unmatched creative.

New Year’s Resolution?: Take more pictures, edit more videos, cook more, and discover more artists.

Green Lee

Most Underrated Artist of 2019: Arin Ray

Best Breakout Artist of 2019: Kenny Beats

Best Music Video of 2019: TOSS UP BETWEEN GINGER ROOT’S “WEATHER” & “B4” BOTH FIRE. HUGE FAN. CAMERON LEW, YOU’RE THE MAN.

Biggest Artist Crush of 2019: BENEE

Best Concert You Attended in 2019: SLOWTHAI AT THE ECHO WITH DAVID O’ CONNOR. HOW MANY OF YOU CAN SAY THAT YOU’VE MOSHED WITH YOUR BOSS? HUH!?

Favorite 2019 trend: @foosgonewild

What moment of 2019 will you not be forgetting anytime soon?: Game of Thrones’ trash ass ending.

Who is poised to be the breakout artist(s) of 2020: BENEE

Favorite Song of 2019: Monsune - “Outta My Mind”

Favorite Album of 2019: MAGGIE ROGERS – HEARD IT IN A PAST LIFE

Favorite Artist of 2019: Channel Tres

Favorite Song of the Decade: Tyler The Creator ft. Frank Ocean - “She”

Favorite Album of the Decade: SHIT. This is hard. Majid Jordan by Majid Jordan or Whack World by Tierra Whack.

Favorite Artist of the Decade: BROCKHAMPTON.

New Year’s Resolution?: To be a better son and take better care of my body. Your health is your wealth. 

Jenna Singer

Most Underrated Artist of 2019: Huron John

Best Breakout Artist of 2019: Johnny Utah

Best Music Video of 2019:  Loved ROLE MODEL’s newest lyric video for “that’s just how it goes” – super simple and done very well.

Biggest Artist Crush of 2019: I don’t typically crush on artists, but seeing Jeremy Zucker perform live was a momementttttt

Best Concert You Attended in 2019: Polo & Pan – they are incredible, such a party

Favorite 2019 trend: Loose jeans lol – may low rise skinny jeans burn in the past forever

What moment of 2019 will you not be forgetting anytime soon?: Diplo playing Stagecoach – still confused, slightly jealous I missed it

Who is poised to be the breakout artist(s) of 2020: Ahhhhh! This is so hard to tell, the ability to make it big has been redefined with the ability to make music in your room. Really digging Gracie Abrams right now!

Favorite Song of 2019:  I have the worst memory, but “Hit the Back” by King Princess is a whole jam and has been on repeat

Favorite Album of 2019: Again, worst memory but LOVING Immunity by Clairo right now

Favorite Artist of 2019: Clairo

Favorite Song of the Decade: i. have. the. worst. memory. I’m going to go with “Stolen Dance” by Milky Chance

Favorite Album of the Decade: Sadnecessary by Milky Chance – a go to

Favorite Artist of the Decade: … Justin Bieber. Not for necessarily for his music, he’s withstood well against a lot of pressures from being such a world famous artist

New Year’s Resolution?: MAKE BIG CAREER MOVES – also carve out more time to relax. You are your best when you’re rested and clear-minded!

David O’ Connor

Most Underrated Artist of 2019: Sam Fender. So much more to come from him, can’t wait.

Best Breakout Artist of 2019: Clairo, built her own queendom of timely perception.

Best Music Video of 2019: “CRYABY” by Dijon. Visually tackles an emotion that’s hard not to look at.

Biggest Artist Crush of 2019: Lauren Sanderson. She may not care but I do enough for the both of us.

Best Concert You Attended in 2019: Wednesday, June 19, 2019. Sir SlowThai @The Echo w/ @fuqgreen.

Favorite 2019 trend: Flood-prepped pants  

What moment of 2019 will you not be forgetting anytime soon?: Lizzo memeing and melting the internet at every occasion.

Who is poised to be the breakout artist(s) of 2020: Arlo Parks, Deb Never, Dijon, Arizona Zervas, Audrey Mika, Alaina Castillo, Garçons, Sam Fender.

Favorite Song of 2019: “CHA” by LAUNDRY DAY. I am equally nostalgic and envious to write so honestly about teenage angst.

Favorite Album of 2019: slowthai - Nothing Great about Britain

Favorite Artist of 2019: slowthai

Favorite Song of the Decade: ANHONI - “Drone Bomb Me.” If you know me well, maybe too well, I’ll sing this song happily and loudly.

Favorite Album of the Decade: Intuitively obvious but My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy was the decade’s benchmark

Favorite Artist of the Decade: Kanye. Defending him became my protagonist social calendar.

New Year’s Resolution?: Work with more diehards before I die.

Malcolm Gray

Most Underrated Artist of 2019: Sudan Archives

Best Breakout Artist of 2019: Channel Tres

Best Music Video of 2019: Solange - “Almeda”

Biggest Artist Crush of 2019: Green Leef

Best Concert You Attended in 2019: Channel Tres at The Moroccan Lounge

Favorite 2019 trend: Creatives demanding ownership

What moment of 2019 will you not be forgetting anytime soon?: The last season of Game of Thrones being so mid

Who is poised to be the breakout artist(s) of 2020: Baby Keem

Favorite Song of 2019: Tyler, The Creator - “I Think”

Favorite Album of 2019: Toro y Moi - Outer Peace

Favorite Artist of 2019: Toro y Moi

Favorite Song of the Decade: Darius - “Hot Hands”

Favorite Album of the Decade: Kanye West - Yeezus

Favorite Artist of the Decade: Frank Ocean

New Year’s Resolution?: Listen to more music and make some music

Jimmy Smith

Most Underrated Artist of 2019: Can't Swim

Best Breakout Artist of 2019: Grayscale and Angel Du$t

Best Music Video of 2019: Blink-182 - “Not Another Christmas Song”

Best Concert You Attended in 2019: Vans Warped Tour 25 Year Anniversary Festival

Favorite 2019 trend: TikTok, all of it.

Who is poised to be the breakout artist(s) of 2020: The Chats

Favorite Song of 2019: Bring Me The Horizon - “Sugar Honey Ice & Tea”

Favorite Album of 2019: Issues - Beautiful Oblivion

Favorite Artist of 2019: Waterparks

Favorite Song of the Decade: Angel Du$t - “Toxic Boombox”

Favorite Album of the Decade: Every Time I Die - Low Teens

Favorite Artist of the Decade: Every Time I Die

New Year’s Resolution?: Meet My Chemical Romance

Alec Wing

Most Underrated Artist of 2019: Little Simz

Best Breakout Artist of 2019: Billie Eilish

Best Music Video of 2019: FKA twigs - “Cellophane”

Biggest Artist Crush of 2019: UMI

Best Concert You Attended in 2019: James Blake / The Strokes / The Who

Favorite 2019 trend: IGOR Wig

What moment of 2019 will you not be forgetting anytime soon?: Drake Getting Booed off stage at Camp Flog Gnaw

Who is poised to be the breakout artist(s) of 2020: Aldous Harding

Favorite Song of 2019: YBN Cordae ft. Anderson .Paak - “RNP”

Favorite Album of 2019: JPEGMAFIA - All My Heroes Are Cornballs

Favorite Artist of 2019: James Blake

Favorite Song of the Decade: Frank Ocean – “Self Control”

Favorite Album of the Decade: Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly

Favorite Artist of the Decade: Kendrick Lamar

New Year’s Resolution?: To build something and be proud of it.

Precious Kato

Most Underrated Artist of 2019: Monsune

Best Breakout Artist of 2019: BENEE

Best Music Video of 2019: Jungle - "Casio"

Biggest Artist Crush of 2019: Oscar Jerome

Best Concert You Attended in 2019: The 1975 at The Roxy

Favorite 2019 trend: Wearing your jacket draped over your shoulders. It feels badass!

What moment of 2019 will you not be forgetting anytime soon?: Having not one but two Fyre Festival documentaries.

Who is poised to be the breakout artist(s) of 2020: DVNA

Favorite Song of 2019: Friendly Fires - “Offline"

Favorite Album of 2019: Loyle Carner - Not Waving But Drowning

Favorite Artist of 2019: Hablot Brown

Favorite Song of the Decade: HONNE - “Take You High"

Favorite Album of the Decade: Mac Miller - The Divine Feminine

Favorite Artist of the Decade: Tom Misch

New Year’s Resolution?: Learn how to separate hope and naiveté.

Alexa Schoenfeld

Most Underrated Artist of 2019: Hamzaa, Jean Dawson.

Best Breakout Artist of 2019: Baby Rose, slowthai

Best Music Video of 2019: UMI ft. YEEK – “RUNNIN (EP. 3)”

Biggest Artist Crush of 2019: FKA Twigs, Pell

Best Concert You Attended in 2019:  PVRIS at The El REY 

Favorite 2019 trend: Millenial app astrology – have you entered the Co-Star universe?

What cultural moment of 2019 will you not be forgetting anytime soon?: No genre boundaries, no gender boundaries

Who is poised to be the breakout artist(s) of 2020: Remi Wolf, Peach Tree Rascals

Favorite Song of 2019: Jacob Collier ft. Daniel Caesar - “Time Alone With You” 

Favorite Album of 2019:  The Menzingers - Hello Exile 

Favorite Artist of 2019: UMI

Favorite Song of the Decade: The 1975 – “SOMEBODY ELSE”

Favorite Album of the Decade: Childish Gambino – “Awaken, My Love!”

Favorite Artist of the Decade: Kanye West

New Year’s Resolution?: EXHALE DEEPER

Brooke Pohle

Most Underrated Artist of 2019: Briston Maroney

Best Breakout Artist of 2019: Summer Walker

Best Music Video of 2019: Jadu Heart - “Purity”

Biggest Artist Crush of 2019: I would end it all for A$AP Rocky this year and every year

Best Concert You Attended in 2019: Maggie Rogers at the Greek Theatre

Favorite 2019 trend: Reflective 3M jackets

What moment of 2019 will you not be forgetting anytime soon?: The mess of Area 51

Who is poised to be the breakout artist(s) of 2020: Patrick Martin

Favorite Song of 2019: Maggie Rogers - “Light On”

Favorite Album of 2019: Billie Eilish - When we all fall asleep where do we go?

Favorite Artist of 2019: Briston Maroney

Favorite Song of the Decade: Rihanna - “Stay”

Favorite Album of the Decade: Lorde - Pure Heroine

Favorite Artist of the Decade: Rainbow Kitten Surprise

New Year’s Resolution?: Put my mental health first!!!

Jess Chung

Most Underrated Artist of 2019: Rosemary Fairweather

Best Breakout Artist of 2019: BENEE

Best Music Video of 2019: Crumb - “M.R.”

Biggest Artist Crush of 2019: Pedro Sampaio

Best Concert You Attended in 2019: Dominic Fike

Favorite 2019 trend: fanny packs !

What moment of 2019 will you not be forgetting anytime soon?: the reappearance of Keanu Reeves on social media / memes / movies / games

Who is poised to be the breakout artist(s) of 2020: Clairo

Favorite Song of 2019: Rex Orange County - “10/10”

Favorite Album of 2019: BROCKHAMPTON - Ginger

Favorite Artist of 2019: BROCKHAMPTON

Favorite Song of the Decade: Dominic Fike - “King of Everything” 

Favorite Album of the Decade: Tyler, the Creator - Flower Boy 

Favorite Artist of the Decade: Tyler, the Creator

New Year’s Resolution?: Do more hikes !

Jessica Thomas

Most Underrated Artist of 2019: Hope Tala

Best Breakout Artist of 2019: Rosalia

Best Music Video of 2019:  Ashnikko - “Hi It’s Me”

Biggest Artist Crush of 2019: ROSALÍA

Best Concert You Attended in 2019: BANKS at the Palladium

Favorite 2019 trend: Not sure if this counts but this dude is my hero… (editor’s note: totally doesn’t but I’ll accept cause same)

What moment of 2019 will you not be forgetting anytime soon?: Juice WRLD’s tragic passing and the effect it will have on generations of creatives to come.

Who is poised to be the breakout artist(s) of 2020: Boy in Space (!!!)  

Favorite Song of 2019: YBN Cordae ft. Anderson. Paak - “RNP“

Favorite Album of 2019: Matthew Chaim - The Mathematics of Nature

Favorite Artist of 2019: Lolo Zouaï

Favorite Song of the Decade: BANKS - "Gemini Feed"

Favorite Album of the Decade: SZA  - Ctrl

Joey Legittino

Most Underrated Artist of 2019: BabyJake

Best Breakout Artist of 2019: Aries

Best Music Video of 2019: Supa Bwe ft. Qari - “LOOK”

Biggest Artist Crush of 2019: Kailee Morgue

Best Concert You Attended in 2019: Beck, Cage the Elephant, and Spoon at FivePoint Ampitheatre 

Favorite 2019 trend:Cowboy culture hitting the mainstream. Yee Yee!

What moment of 2019 will you not be forgetting anytime soon?: Eating tide pods

Who is poised to be the breakout artist(s) of 2020: Ant Saunders

Favorite Song of 2019: Augustine - “Guts”

Favorite Album of 2019: Cage the Elephant - “Social Cues”

Favorite Artist of 2019: BabyJake

Favorite Song of the Decade: Mac Miller - “Self Care”

Favorite Album of the Decade: Blink-182 - “Neighborhoods”

Favorite Artist of the Decade: Mac Miller forever

New Year’s Resolution?: To not wait until New Years to make new resolutions for myself.

Chase Nathan

Most Underrated Artist of 2019: EARTHGANG

Best Breakout Artist of 2019: JID

Best Music Video of 2019: DaBaby - “BOP”

Biggest Artist Crush of 2019: Dominic Fike :)

Best Concert You Attended in 2019: slowthai at Flog Gnaw

Favorite 2019 trend: Baggy Pants - no more of that cuffed pant look

What moment of 2019 will you not be forgetting anytime soon?: Being 10th row at Flog Gnaw for Drake

Who is poised to be the breakout artist(s) of 2020: Bakar, Guapdad 4000, Kent Jamz, Grip, KEY!, Mez

Favorite Song of 2019: Tyler, The Creator - “ARE WE STILL FRIENDS?”

Favorite Album of 2019: Dreamville - Revenge Of The Dreamers III

Favorite Artist of 2019: Tyler, The Creator

Favorite Song of the Decade: Mac Miller ft. Anderson .Paak - “Dang!”

Favorite Album of the Decade: Anderson .Paak - “Malibu”

Favorite Artist of the Decade: Tie between Anderson .Paak and Pusha T

What Is Your New Year’s Resolution?: Be more positive!

George Schaefer

Most Underrated Artist of 2019: Pi'erre Bourne

Best Breakout Artist of 2019: Baby Keem

Best Music Video of 2019: Octavian ft. Skepta & Michael Phantom - “Bet”

Biggest Artist Crush of 2019: Summer Walker, Jhene Aiko

Best Concert You Attended in 2019: Baby Keem at The Roxy

Favorite 2019 trend: Igor Wig

What moment of 2019 will you not be forgetting anytime soon?: Watching Drake get boo'ed off stage

Who is poised to be the breakout artist(s) of 2020: Jean Dawson

Favorite Song of 2019: Pi'erre Bourne - “Guillotine”

Favorite Album of 2019: Baby Keem - DIE FOR MY BITCH

Favorite Artist of 2019: Toro y Moi

Favorite Song of the Decade: Kanye West ft. Pusha T - “Runaway”

Favorite Album of the Decade: Frank Ocean - Channel Orange

Favorite Artist of the Decade: Frank Ocean

New Year’s Resolution?: Get a job.

[writer-and-artist27]

@partialdignity:

#Vy's writing#mastersona Vy#master oc: Rem#vy this is really sweet#thank you so much for this kind gift!#i appreciate it greatly#i'm glad you're feeling better too#this just helped me out of a bad spell#so thank you again for being kind

[Gif Description: A looping gif of the cast of RWBY hugging Oscar in Volume 6, with the caption "People love to see you!" at the bottom of the gif. End Description.]

I do my best. :) Kindness does things, and I'm happy you liked it, friend. Fluff and warm feelings have been achieved!

Hug Over Coffee

Note: Inspired by this story by @partialdignity. Carim, before you say anything, hear me out. The writing muse grabbed me pretty hard and I’ve been feeling a bit more rested, so no need to worry. I’ll just let this bit of fluff speak for itself. :)

Takes place in an AU where Rem and Vy coexisted together as fellow Masters of Chaldea. I was listening to Pray from Nana Mizuki when writing this.

--------------------------------------

Waking up in the middle of the night wasn’t exactly fun. Vy hated those moments, because her brain already had a mental clock that didn’t allow her to oversleep. Waking up when it was still dark, though? It was one of those few moments that left her frustrated.

Thus, Vy ended up grabbing a pillow to hug to herself while slowly making her way to the Novum Chaldea Dining Hall for a glass of water, in a nightgown and slippers and all. Inwardly, she could already imagine the dismayed reactions of the other Servants at her actions, because unintentionally overworking was enough of a personal trend-setter as is. Wandering through the halls at night in an attempt to fall back asleep would probably give some folk a heart attack. Or earn her a lecture.

Vy could already imagine Archer EMIYA and Ruler Martha in particular being hard on her about it, just because they were her first Gold Archer and Ruler Servants respectfully. It was sweet they worried about her, but there was only so much she could take before she just wanted to hide in a corner from the internal shame.

It didn’t stop Vy from blinking when noticing the light being on the Dining Hall, and peeking in made her heart drop to the bottom of her stomach.

“…Rem-san?”

Rem didn’t look up from her steaming cup of coffee, only sipping at it before nodding towards Vy with a raised eyebrow. With the lights on, Vy could easily see the dark eyebags on Rem’s features. “Hey,” she said after a moment, cup still in her hands as Vy slowly approached. “What are you doing up, Vy?”

“I-I woke up for some reason and couldn’t go back to sleep, so I came here for a glass of water,” Vy admitted, letting go of her pillow with one hand to play with her hair. Maybe she should’ve brushed it before visiting the Dining Hall, because if Rem’s sparkle in her eyes was any indication, Rem had definitely noticed how tussled it was. “What about you? What are you doing up, Rem-san?”

Are you okay, lingered on Vy’s mind, but she knew she couldn’t voice it just yet.

Rem still returned her worried stare with a subdued shrug, a wry smile on her lips as she brought her coffee mug close to her face. “It’s just past midnight, Vy,” she said after a moment, taking a small sip from the steaming brew. A glance at the cup’s contents was enough to make Vy flinch, because it looked like plain bitter black coffee. It was hard enough for Vy to have coffee without hazelnut coffee creamer or condensed milk, simply because Vietnamese iced coffee, cà phê đá, used those two condiments too much to where she couldn’t drink anything else. Mom and Di Thuy’s brews were the best for Vy.

For Rem to have plain black coffee, this late at night, though—

Can I do something?

“I’ll be okay, Vy,” Rem said before Vy could open her mouth. She raised her head past her coffee cup’s rims to smile. “Go get your water and go back to sleep. It’s another day farming tomorrow.”

“I-I know that, but…” Vy took a small breath. “R-Rem-san, could I do something really quick?”

Rem blinked slowly at her. “Sure…?”

Vy felt a small smile of her own start to form on her lips. “You have every right to push me away if you don’t like it.”

“What do you—”

Vy put her pillow aside on a nearby table before dropping to her knees to reach Rem’s sitting height, wrapping her arms around her fellow Master’s neck in a hug. Rem tensed almost immediately, a silent gasp of sorts echoing into Vy’s ear, before a hand gently pressed against the top of her head. “…Vy?”

I should’ve done this sooner.

“Y-You looked like you needed a hug, Rem-san,” Vy whispered, shaking her head and squeezing her friend a bit tighter. “A-And I know when I had trouble sleeping, I’d hug someone I care about.”

“…”

Vy waited a few seconds before pulling away, feeling a shy giggle leave her lips. “Sorry if I did something that made you uncomfy, but if you need anything at all, Rem-san, just let me know. We’re friends first, Masters second. Okay?”

Rem stared at her for what felt like a long time.

Vy blinked back at her before adding in a smaller voice, “I won’t leave if you want me to stay up with you instead.”

Finally, Rem shook her head, and a hand reached out to rest on top of Vy’s head instead. “…Go to sleep, Vy,” she said quietly, shaking her head. “We’ll talk about it in the morning.”

A truer smile formed on Vy’s lips as she nodded, standing back up to grab her pillow. “That’s a promise, Rem-san.”

Rem’s lips quirked upwards in a mix of a frown and a wry smile. “As long as you don’t push yourself.”

“The same to you, Rem-san.”

[marklenone-blog]

Why Isekai is the worst genre as of this day.

Before we get to the talk about why Isekai is sooooo bad as of today I think that we must have a little knowledge about Isekai itself.

Isekai is a subgenre in anime that’s all about a certain person getting transported, reincarnated, delivered, etc…In a fantasy/another world.

So basically Isekai has been around ever since the first years of anime the time when anime is still practicing its first steps. One good example is Rayearth (1997)

Magic Knight Rayearth focuses on three eighth-grade girls: the tomboyish, headstrong but short Hikaru Shidou (獅堂 光 Shidō Hikaru); the quick-tempered and no-nonsense only child Umi Ryuuzaki (龍咲 海 Ryūzaki Umi); and the intelligent and ladylike Fuu Hououji (鳳凰寺 風 Hōōji Fū). While on a field trip to the Tokyo Tower with their respective schools, the girls find themselves drawn into another world, Cephiro. There they learn that Cephiro is influenced by one’s will and that the Pillar maintains Cephiro through prayer. The girls are then tasked with rescuing the current Pillar, Princess Emeraude, from her abductor, the high priest, and antagonist Zagato, after which they will be returned to Tokyo.

Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_Knight_Rayearth

This anime is one of the first isekai’s that came out. But yeah sure it’s good but it’s not enough to awaken the Kraken. Even the world-wide phenomenon, Oscar Nominee, Masterpiece “Spirited away” (2001) isn’t enough. (If you call that an Isekai.)

But not until 2016 when a monster that appeared out of nowhere, a monster that appeared out of nowhere, a monster that devoured the community by storm. A monster that awakens the Kraken. A monster that goes by the name Re: Zero.

Re: Zero is one of the biggest and — — NO it IS the biggest anime of 2016 all thanks to its intricate story, superb world building, amazing character Introduction, astounding story introduction, and Rem…Yes, it’s Rem the “Best Girl”, The bread and butter of the show, the spotlight of Re: Zero, The woman that made the community crazy.

Some might even say that the Rem fan craze is bigger than the oreimo waifu wars back in 2013….And this is where it all started.

The start of the “Isekai plague”(2016)

As Re: Zero came out studio “White Fox”  became the “cool kid” and every studio wants to be like him and when I said everyone I mean EVERYONE and so they made their own most of them is complete and utter shit but thanks god some of them are good. But everything turned from bad to worse when Konosuba came out. When Konosuba was released it became an instant hit and captured the heart of basically everyone.

But since konosuba is pretty weird itself with a little bit of (or maybe a lot) of ecchi thrown in every one tried it in an attempt to outdo Konosuba and even each other.

This is where the “Dark age of Isekai started” (2017- Present)

Now that we are finished going through some background history of Isekai we can finally talk about what really makes Isekai that bad. And believe it or not, there’s only one thing that makes Isekai that bad and that is —

Lack of context:

Context; the parts of something that comes before or follow a word or passage and influence its meaning or effect: They tried to guess the context on what the show meant.

You know after watching Sekai’s since 2016 I have this lingering question in my mind “Just what is the purpose of making this garbage?” and after months of doubt I’ve finally stumbled upon the answer and that is. “Many Sekai’s just completely lost the plot of what they’re doing there is simply no more context anymore.”

Most Isekai’s these days just doesn’t capture the essence of Isekai itself it’s just a presentation of the most futile and pointless work of animation it’s so bad that it comes to a point where it can be called a joke that’s not even funny. Isekai should be this one hell of a genre filled with endless horizons of ideas and possibilities and all we need to do is try to make that idea happen in the best way possible. But that’s not what’s happening instead we got shitty Dere tropes, Tasteless harems and side characters that are mere plaything and cliché concepts.

Everything that comes out of Isekai is just and hot, steaming mess I mean are these studios even trying? Is that the best they can do? There’s nothing that even makes sense anymore it’s all just GARBAGE.

But as of Fall 2018, we finally got 1 anime that stood among the rest an anime that captured the essence of Isekai itself.

The time that I got reincarnated as slime is an anime about a man that…Died and got reincarnated as a slime. Really that’s it but what makes this show well is it’s world building how it introduced the type of world that our main character is in. Everything is wholesome as is and my god it’s beautiful this show clearly is the one of the best anime not only in its season but also in the entirety of the year itself. It’s so good that it can stand beside Konosuba, Re: Zero and Spirited Away (Again if you call that an Isekai). This anime is considered as finding gold in a dumpster and due to the fact that this anime was released in an age where Isekai is repugnant just makes it a whole lot better and as of now the anime is still running and I DEFINITELY recommend that you watch it!

I’m pretty sure that this anime will go down in history as the anime that marked the end of the “Dark ages of Isekai” and bought “The age of light” (Ok that was a bit edgy)

Believe it or not, Isekai can still get over its slump and make a bigger comeback in the industry as a better sub-genre and as of Winter 2019 we’re seeing some promising shows that I think will be a big hit this year and my oh my it’s a good start! and the fact that a slime started it all just makes it better.

I hope I truly hope as an anime fan that Isekai can finally make its comeback as one of the greatest subgenres in existence.

Hey you guys thanks for reading! I really appreciate it if you send me some feedback I would love to hear your opinion on my writing as it will help me improve and be a better writer :) please feel free to reach out to me via Email marklenon1227@gmail.com Again thanks for reading and don’t forget to wait for my next piece! Bye!!!

[scienceblogtumbler]

A new way to control experimentation with dreams

The study of dreams has entered the modern era in exciting ways, and researchers from MIT and other institutions have created a community dedicated to advancing the field, lending it legitimacy and expanding further research opportunities.

In a new paper, researchers from the Media Lab’s Fluid Interfaces group introduce a novel method called “Targeted Dream Incubation” (TDI). This protocol, implemented through an app in conjunction with a wearable sleep-tracking sensor device, not only helps record dream reports, but also guides dreams toward particular themes by repeating targeted information at sleep onset, thereby enabling incorporation of this information into dream content. The TDI method and accompanying technology serve as tools for controlled experimentation in dream study, widening avenues for research into how dreams impact emotion, creativity, memory, and beyond.

The paper, “Dormio: A Targeted Dream Incubation Device,” is co-authored by lead researcher Adam Haar Horowitz and professor of media arts and sciences Pattie Maes, who is also head of the Fluid Interfaces group. Additional authors on the paper are Tony J. Cunningham, postdoc at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, and Robert Stickgold, director of the Center for Sleep and Cognition at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.

Previous neuroscience studies from researchers such as sleep and cognitive sciences expert Stickgold show that hypnagogia (the earliest sleep stage) is similar to the REM stage in terms of brainwaves and experience; however, unlike REM, individuals can still hear audio during hypnagogia while they dream.

“This state of mind is trippy, loose, flexible, and divergent,” explains Haar Horowitz. “It’s like turning the notch up high on mind-wandering and making it immersive — being pushed and pulled with new sensations like your body floating and falling, with your thoughts quickly snapping in and out of control.”

To facilitate the TDI protocol, an interdisciplinary team at the Media Lab designed and developed Dormio, a sleep-tracking device that can alter dreams by tracking hypnagogia and then delivering audio cues based on incoming physiological data, at precise times in the sleep cycle, to make dream direction possible. Upon awakening, a person’s guided dream content can be used to complete tasks such as creative story writing, and compared experimentally to waking thought content.

“Dormio takes dream research to a new level, interacting directly with an individual’s dreaming brain and manipulating the actual content of their dreams,” says Stickgold. “The potential value of Dormio for enhancing learning and creativity are literally mind-blowing.”

The Media Lab team’s first pilot study using Dormio demonstrated dream incubation and creativity augmentation in six people, and was presented alt.CHI in 2018. Multiple scientists began reaching out to the team expressing interest in replicating the dream-control research. These requests led to the first Dream Engineering workshop, which was held at the Media Lab in January 2019, organized by Maes, Haar Horowitz, and Judith Amores from the Fluid Interfaces group, and Michelle Carr, visiting researcher from the University of Rochester Sleep and Neurophysiology Laboratory. The workshop brought together many of the world’s leading dream researchers, including pioneers such as Deirdre Barrett, Bjorn Rasch, Ken Paller, and Stephen LaBerge, to brainstorm new technologies for studying, recording, and influencing dreams.

The talks and technologies presented at the workshop further led to a Special Issue on Dream Engineering for the journal Consciousness and Cognition, with Maes, Haar Horowitz, Amores, and Carr serving as guest editors.

“Most sleep and dream studies have so far been limited to university sleep labs and have been very expensive, as well as cumbersome, for both researchers and participants,” says Maes. “Our research group is excited to be pioneering new, compact, and cheap technologies for studying sleep and interfacing with dreams, thereby opening up opportunities for more studies to happen and for these experiments to take place in natural settings. Apart from benefiting scientists, this work has the potential to lead to new commercial technologies that go beyond sleep tracking to issue interventions that affect sleep onset, sleep quality, sleep-based memory consolidation, and learning.”

The research itself is central to Haar Horowitz’s thesis work in the Program of Media Arts and Sciences. This past year, he ran a larger dream study with 50 subjects, which replicated and extended the results of the previous study.

“We showed that dream incubation is tied to performance benefits on three tests of creativity, by both objective and subjective metrics,” Haar Horowitz states. “Dreaming about a specific theme seems to offer benefits post-sleep, such as on creativity tasks related to this theme. This is unsurprising in light of historical figures like Mary Shelley or Salvador Dalí, who were inspired creatively by their dreams. The difference here is that we induce these creatively beneficial dreams on purpose, in a targeted manner.”

An enhanced Dormio device has now also been built, as well as an analysis platform, streaming platform, an iOS app for audio capture and streaming, and a web app for audio capture, storage, and streaming. These mobile and online platforms allow the TDI method to be shared through a variety of open source technologies.

A number of other universities have likewise begun related Dormio studies; these include Duke University, Boston College, Harvard University, the University of Rochester, and the University of Chicago.

The Media Lab research team is also leading collaborations with artists, using dreams to create new artwork and augment artistic creativity. This work, which mixes sleep science and media art, has been shown at the Beijing Biennale and Ars Electronica festival, and a new collaboration with installation artist Carsten Holler looks to create an overnight experimental art piece.

The Dormio development team includes researchers Haar Horowitz, Tomás Vega, Ishaan Grover, Pedro Reynolds-Cuéllar, Oscar Rosello, Abhinandan Jain, and Eyal Perry, along with students in the MIT Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program Matthew Ha, Christina Chen, and Kathleen Esfahany.

Sarah Beckmann | MIT Media Lab

Press Contact

Alexandra Kahn Email: akahn@media.mit.edu Phone: 617-253-0365 MIT Media Lab

  source https://scienceblog.com/517483/a-new-way-to-control-experimentation-with-dreams/