#reminder I have balanced in quotes bc what these people actually are are usually very averse | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

khaleesiofalicante · 3 years ago

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"Sudenly you are ripped into being alive. And life is pain, and life is suffering, and life is horror, but my god you are alive and its spectacular" Joseph Campbell

It’s not like he had known when Alec had stolen his heart.🥺🥺🥺

YES OUR GRUMPY IDIOT IS HERE!! RAGNOR IS THE BEST. I AM LOVE HIM. HE IS SO WISE AND INCREDIBLE AND AHHH

What’s this in-between nonsense whether you are neither sick nor healthy. Ugh. That is the worst!!

That scene reminded me of "I love him with it. Because of it. On purpose. I love him on purpose."

I won't get over the fact that Alec wanted to make Magnus happy and decided to bring his best friend over and pay for everything so he could see him😭 Ragnor loves him and we all know it!!

Raphael is a petty little shit but we all love him and we stan😎

I'm love Nemo and Dory💙

Max and Elyaas is something that can actually be so personal🥺🥺

"So, I realized I need help. I don’t…I don’t want Max to feel alone. It’s very easy to feel lonely, you know. Especially where we live. I want him to be happy.” Istg I'm not crying, you are!!😭

“Hello, Master Max,” the man smiles softly. “I’m Elyaas. You can call me El.” THIS MAN>>>>>

"Bring me something pretty?” “Noted,” HOLY SHIT YES!! YOU HAVE NO IDEA!! HE WILL MEET RAFAEL!! AND HE WILL BRING HIM HOME!! I'M DYING 💙💙💙

Fanfic is important in society, Alec!!!

The way Max loves Magnus>>>>

BABY MAX>>>>>

“Not all days are good as this one,” Magnus points out carefully. “That’s just life,” Elyaas shrugs again. THE WAY I WILL PROTECT THEM BOTH WITH MY LIFE-

I LOVE MAX’S POV'S AND I THINK WE ALL SHOULD. Half the time I'm laughing and the other half I'm crying. I call that balance😌

Just.. All the notes to self are ✨GOLD✨ and the playlist omfg! I just have on playlist with my name and like 26 hours of music but I love the comitment of some people ndbdjdjsj

Elyaas saving the day as usual :)

"Maybe they are all right. Maybe he does ruin things. Maybe he is poison." Imma stop you right there. Just stfu :)

JCDSL. Jace is a chessy shit and I'm love him too🥺

Can David stop getting any nicer or hotter??? Also, yes! Feel you Max. That shit is hot af

They sing the chorus together, laughing and kissing and giggling. I'm crying, but dont worry. The simple beauty of this scene got me emo🥺

HERONSTAIRS!! HELL YEAH!!

“What did Jesus say?” Max tuts. “Knock and the door will open?” No, no. He's got a point...

FUCK. THAT WAS THE MOST ROMANTIC SHIT. AND HE STILL THINKS THIS IS NOT A DATE?!?! WITH A PICNIC?!? AND PAINTINS?!?! AND GIFTS?!?

David has a life. Unlike Max. Ouch💔

"You deserve everything your heart wants, David.” Kindly fucking stop bc my heart can't handle it😭

Yeah, fuck you, Swedish Prince. Mavid supremacy forever!!!

“Ah,” David says. “We finally meet eye to eye." Savage😂😂

Where can I get this room!?? Clary and Jace, can you adopt me??? Also not the parallels of their home and the mansion omfg😭😭

Because Max doesn’t have a present with David – not even a future. They just have a past.

Because Max hadn’t been there. Max had missed it. Along with a million other things.

These. These were my favorite quotes of the chapter. Just, wow. Pure angst but can't get them out if my head!!

Note to self: For fuck's sake. Did no one warn this boy about the praise kink? I think he is aware of it😏

"Sex with you feels like giving into temptation," David explains gently, his eyes intent on Max. "And I will bite the apple every time." if it doesn’t feel like giving into temptation, then whats the point??

If he is going to hurt David, he should have the fucking balls to witness it. This boy needs therapy yall... And so do I after this

The thing David does with the wrist-kissing shoud NOT be legal!!!

David smiles faintly and mumbles into the pillow. “Goodnight, Mon Ange.” Max leaves. Pain. PURE PAIN. I'M FINE😭😭

No thoughts, head empty except ✨Mavid✨

Seriously, they are going to ruin me forever!! The beauty, the angst, the pain... LOVE IT💙

Anyway, song rec: One of Us, from Mama Mia (I feel old as shit recomending this but idc)

Take caree💚

Yeah my head is full of Mavid too. I've been listening to french shit for the last two days. Send help.

Also hating on Mamma Mia is my toxic trait lol. But the song was soft? I'm physically incapable of complimenting this movie idk wtf that is.

I HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT WEEK. THAT IS AN ORDER, COMRADE.

#tlnd

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lesbeet · 4 years ago

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not to be a nerd but i accidentally just wrote a whole impromptu essay about editing ndjsdksksk im throwing it under a cut bc it's fucking inane and really long but honestly... i just want other people to become as passionate about editing as i am lmaooooo

i also recommend 2 books in the post so if anything at least check those out!

quality books about editing... *chef's kiss* a lot of the basic ones (including blog posts online n such) are geared towards beginners and end up repeating the same info/advice, much of it either oversimplified or misrepresented tbh. but i read one yesterday and i'm reading another one right now that really convey this passion for editing + consideration for it as its own sort of art and i just!!

it's such a weird thing to be passionate about lmao but i AM and i've spent a lot of time the past year or so consciously honing my craft (ik i mention this like 4 times a week i'm just really proud of how much i've learned and improved) and kind of like. solidifying my instincts into conscious choices i guess?

and these GOOD editing books have both a) taught me new information and/or presented familiar information through a new perspective that helped me understand something differently or in more depth, and b) validated or even just put into words certain preferences or techniques that i've developed on my own, that i don't normally see on those more basic lists i mentioned

btw the book i finished yesterday is self-editing for fiction writers: how to edit yourself into print by renni brown and dave king, and the one i'm reading currently is the artful edit: on the practice of editing yourself by susan bell.

the former was pretty sharp and straightforward. the authors demonstrated some of their points directly in the text, which was usually funny enough that i would show certain quotes to my sister without context

("Just think about how much power a single obscenity can have if it’s the only one in the whole fucking book." <- (it was)

"Frequent italics have come to signal weak writing. So you should never resort to them unless they are the only practical choice, as with the kind of self-conscious internal dialogue shown above or an occasional emphasis."

or, my favorite: "There are a few stylistic devices that are so “tacky” they should be used very sparingly, if at all. First on the list is emphasis quotes, as in the quotes around the word “tacky” in the preceding sentence. The only time you need to use them is to show you are referring to the word itself, as in the quotes around the word “tacky” in the preceding sentence. Read it again; it all makes sense.")

and like i said, i also learned some new ideas or techniques (or they articulated vague ideas i already had but struggled to put into practice), AND they mentioned some suggestions that ive literally never seen anyone else bring up (not to say no one has! just that ive never seen it, and ive seen a lot in terms of writing tips, advice, best practices, etc) that ive already sort of established in my own writing

for example they went into pretty fine detail about dialogue mechanics, more than i usually see, and in talking about the pacing and proportion of "beats" and dialogue in a given scene, they explicitly suggested that, if a character speaks more than a sentence or two and you plan on giving them some sort of dialogue tag or an action to perform as a beat, the tag or action should be placed at one of the earliest (if not the first) natural pauses in the dialogue, so as not to distance the character too far from the dialogue -- bc otherwise the reader ends up getting all of the dialogue information first, and then has to go back and retroactively insert the character, or what they're doing, or the way they look/sound while they're giving their little speech

and like this was something ive figured out on my own, mostly bc it jarred me out of something i was reading enough times (probably in fic tbh) that i started noticing it, and realized that it's something i do naturally, kind of to anchor the character to the dialogue mechanic to make sure it makes sense with the actual dialogue

so like. ok here's an example i just randomly pulled from the song of achilles (it was available on scribd so i just looked for a spot that worked to illustrate my point djsmsks)

the actual quote is written effectively, but here's a less effective version first:

“Perhaps I would, but I see no reason to kill him. He’s done nothing to me," Achilles answered coolly.

see and even with such a short snippet it's so much smoother and more vivid just by moving the dialogue tag, not adding or cutting a word:

“Perhaps I would, but I see no reason to kill him.” Achilles answered coolly. “He’s done nothing to me.”

the rhythm of it is better, and the beat that the dialogue tag creates functions as a natural dramatic pause before achilles delivers an incredibly poignant line, both within the immediate context of the scene and because we as the readers can recognize it as foreshadowing. plus, it flows smoothly because that beat was inserted where the dialogue already contained a natural pause, just bc that's how people speak. if you read both versions aloud, they both make sense, but the second version (the original used in the novel) accounts for the rhythm of dialogue, the way people tend to process information as they read, AND the greater context of the story, and as a result packs significantly more purpose, information, and effect into the same exact set of words

and THAT, folks, is the kind of editing minutia i can literally sit and hyperfocus on for hours without noticing. anyway it's a good book lmao

the one i'm reading now is a lot more about the cognitive process/es of editing, so there's less concrete and specific advice (so far, anyway) and more discussion about different mental approaches to editing, as well as tips and tools for making a firm distinction between your writer brain and your editor brain, which is something i struggle with

but there have been so many good quotes that ive highlighted! a lot of just like. reminders and things to think about, and also just lovely articulations of things id thought of or come to understand in much more vague ways.

scribd won't let me copy/paste this one bc it's a document copy and not an actual ebook, but this passage is talking about how the simple act of showing a piece of writing to someone else for the very first time can spark a sudden shift in perspective on the work, bc you'll (or at least i) frantically try to re-read it through their eyes and end up noticing a bunch of new errors -

or she talked about the perils of constant re-reading in the middle of writing a draft, which is something i struggle with a LOT, both bc i'm a perfectionist and bc i prefer editing to writing so i sit and edit when i'm procrastinating doing the actual hard work of writing lmao

it's just this side of fake deep tbh but i so rarely see editing discussed like this--as a mixture of art and science, a collaboration between instinct and technique, that really requires "both sides of the brain" to be done well.

and because of the way my own brain works, activities that require such a balanced concentration of creativity and logic really appeal to me. even though ive seen a lot of people (even professional writers) who frame it as the creative art of writing vs the logical discipline of editing. but i think that's such a misleading way of thinking about it, because writing and editing both require creativity and logic -- just different kinds! (not to mention that the line between writing and editing, while mostly clear, can get a little blurry from up close)

but like...all stories have an inner logic to them, even if the writer hasn't explicitly or consciously planned it, and even if the logic is faulty in places in the first couple of drafts. when you're sitting and daydreaming about your story, especially if you're trying to figure out how to bridge the gap between two points or scenes (or, how to write a sequence of events that presents as a logical, inevitable progression of cause and effect), the voice in your head that evaluates an idea and decides to 1) go with it, 2) scrap it, 3) tweak it until it works, or 4) hold onto it in case you want it later? that's your logic! if an idea feels wrong, or like it just doesn't work, it's probably because some part of you is detecting a conflict between some part of the idea and the overall logic of your story. every decision you make as you write is formed by and checked against your own experiential logic, and also by the internal logic of your story, which is far less developed (or at least, one would hope), and therefore more prone to the occasional laspe

but while ive seen a number of articles that discuss the logic of writing, i don't see people gushing as much about the art of editing and it's such a shame

the inner editor is so often characterized as the responsible parent to the writer's carefree child, or a relentless critic of the writer's unselfconscious, unpolished drivel

and it's like... maybe you just hate thinking critically about your work! maybe you view it that way because you're imposing external standards too fiercely onto your writing, and it's sucked the joy out of shaping and sculpting your words until they sing. maybe you prefer to conceive of your writing as divine communication, the process of which must remain unencumbered by lessons learned through experience or the vulnerability of self-reflection, until the buzzkill inner editor shows up with all those "rules" and "conventions" that only matter if you're trying to get published

and like obviously the market doesn't dictate which conventions are worth following, but the majority of widely-agreed-upon writing standards, especially those aimed at beginners, (and most especially those regarding style, as opposed to story structure) have to do with the effectiveness and efficiency of prose, and, in addition to often serving as a shorthand for distinguishing an amateur from a pro, overall help to increase poignancy and clarity, which is crucial no matter the genre or type of writing. and even if you personally believe otherwise, it's better to understand the conventions so you can break them with real purpose.

so editing shouldn't be about trying to shove your pristine artistic masterpiece into a conventional mold, it should be about using the creative instincts of your ear and your logic and experience-based understanding of writing as a craft to hone your words until you've told your story as effectively as possible

thank u for coming to my ted talk ✌️

#long post //#editing #wref #sefa rambles

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insvisiblestrings · 6 years ago

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Taylor’s Astrology

So if you didn’t know I absolutely adore astrology and I know a good deal about it lol. I made Taylor’s birth chart based on the only time of birth I could find online, so her ascendant and descendent could be wrong but let’s just see.

Sun in Sagittarius - A fire sign ruled by mercury. being ruled by mercury contributes a lot, I feel, to the ability to express yourself well. Whether this be through talking, writing, or of course, song writing. I think that Taylor’s sun sign is definitely well developed bc she doesn’t come across as the selfish Sagittarius, her selfishness only shows through the want to be truly happy, but having everyone else be truly happy as well.

Moon in Cancer - Because Taylor does so much songwriting about feelings (like most artists do) we get a really good look into her moon. Your moon sign is a reflection of the deepest parts of your soul. The you behind the mask as some people say. It’s how you feel things, react to things, but not necessarily how you outwardly react. I’d say cancer moons experiences emotions quite strongly. Stereotypically more prone to getting feelings hurt, crying easily, just being sensitive. That’s not necessarily a bad thing though. Other traits are being very maternal, vulnerable, moody, caring, and possessive. I think we see a lot of those in Taylor especially in her music.

Mercury in Capricorn - Mercury is the ruler of communication! Capricorns are very good at communicating. They are strong minded, but also practical and controlled in how and what they tell you. They have a strong sense of how things ought to be but usually won’t hurt your feelings with it.

Venus in Aquarius - Venus is the ruler of relationships and love, both romantic and platonic. Venus in Aquarius is magnetic, people want to be her friend and this can lead to a false sense of who she is if they create someone ideal in their head. Stereotypically an Aquarius will reluctantly fall in love, often due to the logical idea that statistically speaking relationships end. This can lead to trust issues but someone who attracts other like Aquarius won’t have a problem finding another partner. I don’t mean this in a slut-shaming way (Taylor cartainly gets enough of that) I just mean that she has a wide array of people to choose from (I’m glad she got Joe though).

Mars in Scorpio - This is why Bad Blood and TIWWCHNT was written. Lol, but really, Scorpio is extremely assertive. They’re energetic. Mars plays a strong roll in how you assert yourself, and how your anger is shown. Taylor’s Capricorn Mercury balances this out a bit, making her almost libra like in her ability to keep peace. But really, don’t fuck with her.

Jupiter in Cancer - Jupiter rules knowledge, faith, philosophy, conscience and generosity. Cancer grows as a person when they care for others. They are typically sympathetic, protective, and dedicated to those they love. This placement automatically brings to mind swiftmas, the secret sessions, and the quote about going the extra miles for fans because they’ve gone a thousand miles for her.

Saturn in Capricorn - Saturn rules control, structure, and boundaries. This placement is typically cautious in what they do and likes to plan meticulously. They have rigid views on the world, so even their impulses do not betray the life path they have planned. This is one side of Taylor I feel like we don’t see, but her blackout before ts6, the snake symbolism all seems very well planned. I think she knows very well what she’s doing.

Uranus in Capricorn - Uranus has to do with originality, rebellion, intuition, and invention. This planet’s place in Capricorn has been known to lead to eccentric ideas that are in the end brilliant business strategies. I don’t think anyone would deny Taylor having built herself an empire in a very non-traditional pop star way, sticking to her beliefs (re: saturn).

Neptune in Capricorn - Neptune rules addiction, glamour, guilt, and inspiration. Neptune is a distant planet, ruling a generation more than a specific month/season. Anyone born from 1984-1998 is also a Capricorn Neptune. This placement specifically wants to shape inspiration. Their guilt however is caught up in materialism and the societal definition of success. No shade but a Neptune Cap becoming a star just to take off 4 years, stop doing interviews, and release an album called reputation makes 100% sense to me.

Pluto in Scorpio - Pluto has to do with power, obsession, and birth/death/rebirth. Another distant planet, anyone born from 1984-1995 has this placement. Scorpio here really just recognizes social progress. It’s so broad in that sense it’s hard to even apply this to what we get to see of Taylor.

Capricorn Ascendant - Disclaimer: Ascendant placements change every 2 hours. I can’t be 100% sure of Taylor’s time of birth. I found this on a fan page. Typically a Capricorn wants to control the environment they are in. This really does remind me of someone who’s making their voice heard to set the narrative straight (about how many boys they date) or someone who would base a whole album off the idea of a reputation. I think this could actually be an accurate birth time. If not Capricorn i’d guess Scorpio or Cancer only because of her Cancer moon being so easy to pick up on. Double/Triple signs in the big 3 are a powerful thing.

Cancer Descendent - Again, based on birth time, but hear me out. Typically cancer descendants are thought of as holding onto a relationship at all costs. Just in a way where you want to settle down, you want to find the one, you don’t want to go through the heartbreak cycle over and over again. The kind of waiting that comes along with “Maybe I’ll write a whole album about that kind of love if I ever find it.”

Scorpio Midheaven - Our Midheaven is what is visible by our own choice, our career, ambition, and extroversion. Scorpio is said that it manipulates it’s way to controlling the world. This sounds negative, however I think manipulate can mean a lot of things. I think it can mean someone who closely guards their reputation, and controls the public vs. private aspects of life, just for their own peace of mind while still getting where they want to be.

I really enjoyed this, especially the questioning aspect of not being 100% sure of her birth time. I really wish I could talk to her about some of these and know how she feels about astrology and if she thinks I interpreted the placements the right way lol.

#this was so fun omg #i never do full chart readings except when i talk about it with my boyfriend #taylor swift #astrology #astro

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a-master-procrastinator · 4 years ago

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Long post.

Okay, people are going to hate me, but I really want to speak up about the last part. Not going to touch anything else (bc my bad phrasing and view overall will just start another pointless arguement), so I will just speak for something I'm (more or less) sure of.

The person in tags says that the balance means equal parts of both sides, not destroying the Dark Side, which should work, but not in Star Wars, because, to quote Han Solo, "This is not how the Force works".

One of the basic things of Star Wars universe is fight between good and evil, Jedi and Sith, Light and Dark. While there are exceptions (not all Jedi are perfect and not all Sith are utterly evil and selfish, and there are other groups of Force-users), the very foundation of SW is that the Light Side is good and the Dark Side is bad (to use simple words).

But what are the Light and Dark sides of the Force?

The very word 'side' presumes that the Force is not a whole thing, but divided in two opposites, which reminds a lot of Yin and Yang concept, which is where the belief of the balance being the Light and Dark coexisting comes from.

Basically, there are no such things as Light and Dark sides, because the Force is not a coin. The Force is just the Force. It's not evil or kind, but it's what gives the galaxy life. The Force in its natural state is the Force in balance, in harmony. Jedi are using the Force selflessly, letting it flow through them, for peace, justice, healing, knowledge, to help others, and to do that they must be in peace with their emotions and feelings, not letting them cloud their judgement. And that is what we used to call the Light Side.

Then, there are others who use the Force differently. It's not always as bad as it might seem, but it's not perfect either. The Sith bend the Force to their will for selfish desires, unbalancing themselves and usually causing destruction and pain. This is the Force out of balance, and what we call the Dark Side. And important thing is that influence of the Force is corrupting because it gives you power, and absolute power (what Sith strive for) corrupts absolutely.

The Jedi keep the Force in balance, its natural state, when the Sith are bringing it out of balance, and that is the reason why there cannot be peace between Light and Dark, like there cannot be balance between being healthy and sick (you wouldn't call being slightly sick a balanced state).

Do Jedi seem somewhat lost in their ways during SWTOR? Yes, and I think the war and the Sacking of Coruscant are what caused it. Are Sith of this era different from the ones of the rule of Two? Yes, and it's more complex and controversial. But even with that said I stand my ground on Sith Empire not being good or no worse than the Republic and the Jedi (after all, the Sith culture caused slavery, xenophobia, betrayal and other things to become such an important part of that society). And yes, in SW falling to the Dark Side is actually falling, meaning that there is something to be redeemed from.

I must say though that my vision is heavily influenced by what I've seen in the movies, the Clone Wars, KOTOR games (both of them) and even novelizations of the films, summed up in this video I stumbled upon. I disagree with a small portion of the video, but not the main focus (nature of the Force).

It is not to say that you cannot view the Force differently. I have a lot of headcanons that go against ot don't go with the rules of SW, and I keep them to myself, sometimes sharing them, but still realising it's not going to work that way.

And, of course, I didn't mean you can't speak up. You absolutely can.

Now you can go and send me anon or not anon hate. I know I deserve it.

The Jedi are colonisers. Period.

It is obvious in SWTOR that the Jedi has strayed from their main purpose. Instead of simply adhering to and advocating for the philosophies of the light (encouraging the pursuit of knowledge, creating harmony in the galaxy etc), the Jedi has shifted their focus to become a reactionary force. Rather than promoting the light, they have chosen to destroy the dark.

Except, in my opinion, the force doesn’t work like that. Dousing out a flame will not create more water. Killing the dark will not bring you more light. The mindset that the dark is something that can be destroyed has permeated the beliefs of the Jedi, leading to the rise of ‘warriors’ among the Jedi ranks. And yet, Jedi are supposed to be peacekeepers. It’s the ultimate oxymoron: fighting for peace. You do not bring about peace by waging war. The fact that the Jedi have a title of ‘Battlemaster’ says a lot.

What irks me is the philosophy of Master Gnost-Dural. Below is a quote by him.

“But the Sith are another matter entirely. Even if the Empire falls, the followers of the dark side will continue to exist in hiding. That is why I have devoted myself to studying the Sith. I am determined to find a way to cleanse the galaxy of their corrupting influence, putting an end to the eternal struggle between the light and dark sides of the Force.”

As a POC, the word ‘cleanse’ reminds me too much of ethnic cleansing. It should be noted that Sith here isn’t just Palpatine and Darth Vader like in the Rule of Two Era- there is a whole civilization, an entire culture of Sith. Yes, the dark corrupts, but so does the zealous light which blinds. A fervent belief in the light blinds the Jedi to seeing that their enemies are people too. And not only is it implied that Gnost-Dural is advocating for genocide (something which certainly has happened before), but he willing to push other Jedi who are tired of fighting - who are traumatized and clearly suffering from PTSD - to go to war against the Sith once more. Task Force Nova isn’t a step towards peace.

Now, Master Tol Braga is an interesting case study. Below is a quote from the Jedi Knight storyline.

We’ll capture the Sith leader, bring him to Tython… and redeem him to the light side of the Force. A perfect victory. Defeating the Sith through violence accomplishes nothing. We must embrace them as our own.

Master Tol Braga’s idea of defeating the Sith is certainly less insidious than that of Master Gnost-Dural’s. Tol Braga is a genuine advocate for peace: a peace that speaks of harmony, not just a peace caused by a lack of conflict. He is the man who talked down a Dark Council member and turned a Sith into a Jedi through discussion and debate (along side some sparring, of course). However, the word choice still makes me uneasy. Redemption implies a fall, an inherent wrongness that must be corrected. Embracing the Sith as their own is a beautiful statement, but also a double edged sword. Assimilation sometimes result in a lost of culture; ask any immigrant how bittersweet it could be.

Is it possible though for the Sith to acknowledge the light without losing the dark that makes up their identity? Could there be a sincere middle ground between the Jedi and Sith?

I hope there is.

Recall this conversation between Gnost-Dural and Lana Beniko:

Gnost Dural: Intriguing, I suppose the Sith code never specifically calls for the usurpation of the master by the apprentice- merely the pursuit of greater power

Lana Beniko: Precisely. It’s only natural that the strongest should lead, but the goal should be strength- not necessary leadership. If one is truly strong, leadership comes inevitably.

These two are coming to some kind of understanding, that the dark side is not always vile, that the Sith code does not translate to evilness. Although, I feel like Gnost-Dural would probably view Lana as being an exception to the rule rather than how Siths generally are. He’s not wrong in that regard, but there are good Siths in the Empire who were good even before they consciously chose to step into the light. Take Lord Praven as an example. Praven is a war criminal. His actions have led to the painful death of countless people, and nothing excuses that. However, he does have a code of honor which was present in him long before he was ‘redeemed’ to the light side.

Friendship between Sith and Jedi is possible too, see Kira and Scourge as an example. If the Jedi could acknowledge that being a Jedi does not mean one is inherently good (otherwise, why all the training to control your emotions?), then in the same sense, the Jedi could and should understand that being a Sith does not mean that one is inherently bad. I believe that there can only be genuine peace only when such an understanding occur between the Sith and Jedi. I believe that both the Sith and Jedi should work with one another, learn from each other, in order to better themselves.

#am i angry at returning to rep vs imp conflict again? yes #and i agree with some points #but not all of them #uh #what should i tag it?#swtor critical #?#fandom critical #it sounds too aggresive to me #now imma delete my account while i still can

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fuckyeahevanrwood · 8 years ago

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Rebel and a Basket Case

Evan Rachel Wood, known for her leading role as a heroine and oldest host in the HBO Original series Westworld, as well as her roles in films Thirteen, The Wrestler, TV series True Blood and the mini series Mildred Pearce. Her covetable award-winning catalog of acting roles barely highlights her deep rooted musical background she evolved at a very young age.

We get a squint of her prolific vocal talent as the star of the 2007 musical film ‘Across the Universe‘ as she covers 1960’s Beatles songs.

Fast forward to 2017; Evan and Zach chat with novelist Laura Albert about the inspiration for their debut album and the journey of writing songs whilst juggling an intense acting career.

Rebel and a Basket Case an edgy, 80’s inspired electro –pop duo who are reclaiming inspirational moments from their teenage music icons, The Breakfast club, Karaoke and verve for all that is a unicorn world.

Interview by Laura Albert

Laura: I very much love Westworld. Has the unfurling story which seems a constant peeling back of identity, seeped into your musical world?

Evan: Zach and I wrote a lot of the album while I was in production and while we were on a short hiatus. Playing that character definitely gave me a new found strength that trickled over into our music I’m sure. So many themes on the record have to do with overcoming oppressive situations and West World is very much the same.

Laura: Your music has an uplifting message — it understands suffering but offers support to lift others out of darkness. It brings to mind a quote from my mentor David Milch, “You know, people say that my writing is dark. And for me it’s quite the opposite. It sees light in darkness and it doesn’t try to distort darkness. The essential thing is that the seeing itself is joyful.” It seems like you share this philosophy – would be great to hear both your thoughts.

Zach: Yep. I’m all about being present in the journey. One of the greatest life lessons I’ve ever learned is that you “can learn just as much from a ‘bad’ experience, as you can a ‘good’ experience.” So either way, you are balancing the scales and moving “forward” more than anything. That is cumulative. That’s unstoppable. And growth is independent of how enjoyable a particular life challenge or experience is. So, I think we capture that in our music. There is always pain and hardship that comes along (eventually) in tandem with the greatest joy. That’s the spice of life. We all want to be happy. But those moments when we are not or challenged is when we learn the most about ourselves…and carry that knowledge forward allowing us to enjoy our happy moments all more the deeply.

Evan: A lot of the lyrics that I pulled out of my arsenal came from a time when I was suffering, heartbroken, oppressed, misunderstood, and generally teetering on madness. The fact that I made it out and feel like a better person for it taught me a lot. Especially because my work in film is usually really heavy and dramatic I felt I would drain myself if the music I made was similar. I wanted our songs and lyrics to acknowledge the struggle but also say, “Hey, you aren’t alone and it’s going to be ok. You will survive.” Making uplifting and empowering music can sometimes be more challenging. Just like it’s easier to take an insult rather than a compliment. I think especially where we are in the world right now, people know things are hard, people know things are bad, I feel like we need to be reminded that we can overcome.

Laura: You were brought together collaborating on music, can you tell us more about that, and how you both felt it was a fit worth exploring.

Zach: Originally, this tune I had written sounded pretty lame with my vocals in the lead…enter Evan. She has an amazing gift both as a vocalist, and as a writer, which I discovered later. Her talent was apparent, but when it seemed like our collaboration gave her a stage to fully explore the writer inside of her, I happy obliged. That she feels comfortable with me in that regard is an honor, and a pleasure. Her turn of word never ceases to amaze me, and opened me up musically to explore different territory. It’s incredible to work with her, see how her mind works, and see the connections she makes to music emotionally. And her explosiveness and dynamic ability as a performer is hard to rival. Which is lovely, because I have looked a long time for someone who can give me a run for my money in the performative arena. I think we push each other, and complement each other equally. That’s why it works.

Evan: Music was always my first love. I held it in such high regard and it was so precious to me I couldn’t even bring myself to put my own out in the world because I wanted it to be perfect. Linda Perry heard me sing, reached out to me and became a sort of mentor. She gave me that little push I needed and the confidence to just start, it didn’t have to be perfect. Once that door was open I started working with Zach on this play we did together and we started talking about music. We not only had great chemistry but it seemed like we had the same vision for what we wanted to achieve, not just musically but the general concept. We both loved androgyny, glam rock, and were born in the 80’s raised in the 90’s so we have a lot of the same influences stylistically. Zach was the first person I felt comfortable enough with to be vulnerable and share my writing and melodies. He was really patient and nurturing and it felt safe. Once those barriers were down it was like we couldn’t stop making music, it flowed so freely and naturally. Zach is incredible with the little details and he can hear things I just don’t. He is also the hook master!

Laura: I dig how your band name is taken from the stereotype-labels from John Hughes’ Breakfast Club — there is a power in taking on a label and owning it. When I was a kid, my mom taught be about the Chinese finger puzzle, a straw tube you put your fingers into. If you try to pull your fingers out, it tightens around your fingers. The only way out is in: when you press your finger deeper inside, then it magically opens. As public figures, so many tags or typecasting can get thrust on you. But you are both freely exploring a variety genres, but ultimately it feels like you are inviting the audience to go deeper than the label or category — and by doing so, you can follow any rule want. Do you feel free to explore any genre of music with Rebel?

Evan: I feel like we have so many influences and what I love about our first record is that it all fits together but it shows a vast range. We were exploring and finding different parts of ourselves musically as a band and I think that reflects in a cool way on this album. I also think you need to keep reinventing yourself as an artist because as people we don’t stay the same, we grow and evolve so that can’t help but be mirrored in what you create. I am hoping we are able to show many sides of who we are as artists while keeping the integrity of our vibe and mission.

Zach: With Ev on this one. As a writer, I am fairly disrespectful of any kind of genre restrictions. Of course things need to sound cohesive, and we definitely have an aesthetic as RB&C but, rules are made to be broken. And music in this era we are in is so fluid. Which mirrors what we are seeing movement wise as a culture. With structure comes freedom. No fear to explore.

Laura: Zach, it’s awesome how varied your creative outlets have been, did anyone every try to dissuade you from being so expansive in your artistic endeavors or outlets? Zach did you always know you wanted to make music?

Zach: Yes. Pretty much a LOT of people tried to dissuade me. They all had the best intentions, thinking that they were doing me a favor in their advice to streamline my energies… that I would be more focused on one thing, give move to just acting or dancing etc, and clear the field and my calendar. Unfortunately, that often backfires in modern society, and gone are the days of the Greeks, Romans, and MGM Pictures when we encouraged artists (and people) to be well-rounded ; confident that the X-training in experience would yield more interesting and varied results. So, in short I told those individuals thanks but no thanks. I wouldn’t be the musician I am today without the extensive background I have in dance, acting etc. They all feed one another.

Laura: How do you form your fashion sensibilities? They seem very playful.

Zach: I like clothes that elevate an aesthetic. That allows me to feel like I can transcend the norm and connect to something ethereal. Like lights and glitter. Evan?

Evan: I always view my alter ego ‘Basket case’ as just a heightened version of myself. Like when you go to burning man and you are allowed to create whatever character you want that would normally raise a few eyebrows on the streets. Thats why music and rock n roll have always been so alluring to me, it represented full expression and freedom. We also want it to reflect our message which is ‘be loud and proud and who you are and have fun doing it!

Laura: What are your tour plans? Your music has a cinematic edge to it, would you be interested in creating soundtracks for films together?

Zach: We are playing regionally as much as possible and focusing on our unicorns on the West Coast. We are playing a Pride fest in Chicago and Oslo in June. Soundtracks for films? Absolutely….. lock me in a room with synth pads and a picture with lots of coffee any day.

Evan: I am actually directing my first film this spring so you might hear a couple of new tunes from R&BC in there.

Laura: Evan, when I became a parent, a fierce new kind of advocacy blossomed in me – I needed to protect and advocate for this child, and I would do what ever that required. With the art I created right after my son was born, I felt a not-dissimilar form of advocacy that was new in me. Not just for my art, but the idea of this child going through any of what I had experienced — sexual and physical abuse — chilled me to my core. I knew I could not shield him from suffering, but I felt that, by giving a voice to what had happened, by telling and raising awareness, I could perhaps make the world safer for him. Did you experience anything like that?

Evan: Absolutely. I feel like it is my duty as a person and as a mother to be honest about my journey to help people on theirs. I hope I can set a good example for my son in that way. There is no shame.

Laura: Film acting reminds me of writing, in that there is no direct contact with the audience at the moment of creation. What I loved about making music was feeling locked in with an outside energy and not being alone, feeling that there could be a transmigration of spirit. When you sing, there is a sense that you are going to the depth of your being to bring connected emotion into being. Do you feel that music allows for more of felt or immediate shared sense of experience than your acting does?

Evan: Yes, it’s like doing theatre you get an immediate response from the audience. No matter how many times you rehearse, the second you are confronted by your audience everything changes, you feed off of their energy and go to another place. You lift each other up and the connection is palpable and immediate. Seeing people dance and sing to something that came from your soul which in many ways is your soul, there are no words to describe it. Feeling like you are raising people’s spirits and turning something painful into something joyous is why I do it.

Laura: From your tweets to your interviews, it seems you are inviting others to move out of where they might be stuck, to come alive in their compassion, to move past an illusion of isolation of self. Do you think of directing and writing as other tools for you to take problems of our soul and spirit and transform them into issues of craft, so that others might care about what they did not care about before?

Evan: All the art I make is to release my feelings and express myself in ways I can’t otherwise. It’s why I call myself an artist because it’s just something I have to do in some way or another to survive. It’s like air to me. I don’t know what I would without it. If by doing that and being honest wakes people up and makes them view themselves and the world in a way they hadn’t before, if breaks down walls and opens up doors then I have done my job well.

#evan rachel wood #rebel and a basketcase #interview #interviews 2017 #article #articles 2017 #zach villa #contentmode

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carpediempagesite · 7 years ago

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The Slow Food Experiment

As you might remember, I’m currently in the middle of doing a year of slow living experiments. I say you might remember because you wouldn’t have known it in June. One of the commitments I made to myself before starting these experiments is that I wouldn’t write them on a list and do them in order. Instead, I promised myself I would slow down whichever area of my life felt like it needed it most. I experimented with slow mornings, slow money, slow moving, slow breathing, and slow technology because that’s what I needed. And after losing the dogs in May, I needed to do nothing in June. So, that’s what I did.

Well, I didn’t exactly do nothing. I had a quiet week in Victoria with my dad, and another quiet week in Squamish with friends. Then I packed two pieces of carry-on luggage and flew to Minneapolis, where I had another quiet week with friends. From Minneapolis, I hopped in a friends’ car and drove all the way back to Squamish. We spent two nights on a homestead in the Black Hills National Forest, two nights on a ranch outside of Jackson (with Sarah!) and three nights in Boise. It was slow and quiet. Some of the driving days were fast, but we filled them with podcasts and stories and conversation. I didn’t do a slow living experiment. I was living slowly.

I’m grateful I was able to take so much time off in June and that I could spend it with people who love and support me. It was an incredible gift. The only thing that didn’t feel great, by the end of it, was my body. Driving through the Midwest and parts of the West can leave you with few options for food. By the time we entered Wyoming, I was counting down to the day I could make a green smoothie at home. I was making the best choices I could with the options I had, but it wasn’t what I’m used to. And even before I got home, I knew which slow living experiment I needed to do in July: slow food.

What is Slow Food?

The slow food movement started in Italy in 1989, shortly after the country’s first McDonald’s franchise opened in Rome. As their website says, Slow Food is a grassroots organization that was founded “to prevent the disappearance of local food cultures and traditions, counteract the rise of fast life and combat people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat, where it comes from and how our food choices affect the world around us.” A lot of the work they do is around food production itself and political activism. It’s a noble cause. But for the sake of this experiment, I’m going to focus on the one thing I can change right now: the food I put into my body.

My Personal Slow Food Experiment

It will start with eating home-cooked meals. I don’t eat a lot of fast food in my normal daily life, as it is, but I’m not going to eat any in July. I want to touch and chop up and cook every ingredient my meals contain. I want to spend just a little more time in the kitchen, so I can appreciate how my meals are prepared. And I would love for my meals to require 10 ingredients or less. The one exception that will allow me to maintain traditions and socialize with friends is I’m going to let myself eat out once a week at the restaurants I know serve locally-sourced food (including the food they grow themselves): The Village in Victoria and Fergie’s in Squamish.

Speaking of locally-sourced food, as part of this experiment, I’m going to see how many ingredients I can swap out for ones that can be sourced in Squamish or in BC as a whole. I’m not going to be super restrictive with this one yet, and not allow myself to eat something just because it’s not from here. I simply want to pay more attention, do some research and swap out as many ingredients as I can.

And then speaking of ingredients, the biggest change I’ll be making this month is cutting out meat from my diet. I was a vegetarian for four years (2009-2013), then went back to eating meat for the past four years, and I have to be honest: it hasn’t always felt great. I really don’t want this to spark any kind of heated arguments, because I think everyone is entitled to eat whatever they want – meat-eaters, vegetarians and vegans alike – so please consider this a safe space for everyone, as we do for every other topic we discuss here. But I do want to share where my head and heart have been at on this topic.

When I decided to become a vegetarian in 2009, it was my way of taking a stance on the animal cruelty that we know exists in the production of our meat. I was a very healthy vegetarian for four years, meaning I ate a balanced diet and got protein from lots of other ingredients. But after travelling for a month straight and not always making healthy choices, I could feel my body physically craving it for the first time and I gave in. Looking back now, I know there were other sources at play. Most of my friends had never supported my decision, so there was definitely some peer pressure. I was also seeing a guy who ate meat and didn’t feel strong enough to maintain my conviction in our new relationship. These aren’t great reasons, I know, but they are honest ones.

I’ve been eating meat again since May 2013, and when I say it hasn’t always felt great, I mean that mostly in a physical sense. As an example, I know my body doesn’t love beef. It just doesn’t. It also doesn’t really like pork. And if we look at non-meat ingredients, like sugar, I know my body doesn’t love that either. It’s interesting that we can know these things about ourselves, but it usually takes a long time (and countless reminders) for us to make a serious change and stop consuming what doesn’t serve us. For me personally, most of my reminders were dished out on the two cross-country road trips I’ve done this year.

There are many different variations of a quote that essentially says we would all be vegetarians if slaughterhouses had glass walls. Whether or not that’s true, I can’t say for sure. But I know I don’t even need to see what happens inside. My heart hurt enough when I saw truck after truck stuffed full of animals on their way to the slaughterhouse on my solo road trip last year. This shouldn’t have been earth-shattering news, but I’ve always been so far removed from the process that seeing it in action gave me pause. So, my own version of that quote would say something along the lines of this: if we could actually see how our food was produced and processed, we might stop eating it.

It gave me pause last summer, but I continued eating meat. From that day on, however, I’ve always felt like there was a misalignment in the food choices I was making. And during the two weeks I was travelling in June, the misalignment became more and more obvious. First, sitting in the passenger seat gave me the opportunity to see even more trucks stuffed full of animals. Then I stayed on that homestead in South Dakota, where the owners were vegan and vegetarian, and we had some great discussions about it (while hanging out with the wife’s chickens). Friends from home sent me news stories about the animal cruelty happening at Lilydale in BC. I felt physically ill for about five days. And then I watched the documentary What the Health on Netflix.

Again, I’m just sharing my personal experience here. I respect everyone’s decision to eat whatever they want and know our decisions are all personal. I think one of the reasons I’ve been so hesitant to switch back to a vegetarian diet is because of the constant criticism it came with. Some people felt like it was a personal attack on their decision to eat meat, and others told me I wasn’t being “good enough to the animals” because I was still eating eggs. The reactions were similar to my decision to quit drinking. Whenever you decide to live a counter-cultural life, people have something to say about it – and when you love those people, it hurts.

But I’m finally at a place where I’m comfortable making the decision to switch back. I know it’s not only a way to say that I care about animal welfare, but it’s also better for my health. (Seriously, watch What the Health.) I don’t know where this change will take me in the future. Maybe I’ll eventually give up eggs and switch to a vegan diet. Maybe I won’t. But in tune with all the experiments I’m doing this year, this is what I need right now.

Experiment #6: Slow Food

Eat mostly* home-cooked meals

*Eat out max. once/week at restaurants that use locally-sourced ingredients

Swap out some ingredients for stuff that can be sourced in Squamish or BC

Switch back to a vegetarian diet

Eat slowly :)

My goal for this experiment isn’t for “slow food” to be slow, in that it takes up a lot of time or mental energy. I simply want to continue to make more mindful decisions about the food I’m putting into my body, and enjoy that food rather than eat it like it’s going to be taken away from me. I don’t eat a lot of fast food, but I do have a bad habit of eating food quickly. I want to stop that and appreciate what I get to put into my body each and every day. I also want the food choices I make to align with my values. So, that’s the plan. And before the month is up, I’ll be sure to share some of my favourite meals and recipes with you!

For now, I’d love to know yours: do you have any favourite vegetarian/vegan recipes? Or links to favourite recipe blogs?

The Slow Food Experiment posted first on cashforcarsperthblog.blogspot.com

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cash4youblog · 7 years ago

Text

The Slow Food Experiment

What is Slow Food?

My Personal Slow Food Experiment

Experiment #5: Slow Food

Eat mostly* home-cooked meals

*Eat out max. once/week at restaurants that use locally-sourced ingredients

Swap out some ingredients for stuff that can be sourced in Squamish or BC

Switch back to a vegetarian diet

Eat slowly :)

For now, I’d love to know yours: do you have any favourite vegetarian/vegan recipes? Or links to favourite recipe blogs?

The Slow Food Experiment posted first on http://ift.tt/2sSbQiu

0 notes

fesahaawit · 7 years ago

Text

The Slow Food Experiment

What is Slow Food?

My Personal Slow Food Experiment

Experiment #5: Slow Food

Eat mostly* home-cooked meals

*Eat out max. once/week at restaurants that use locally-sourced ingredients

Swap out some ingredients for stuff that can be sourced in Squamish or BC

Switch back to a vegetarian diet

Eat slowly :)

For now, I’d love to know yours: do you have any favourite vegetarian/vegan recipes? Or links to favourite recipe blogs?

The Slow Food Experiment posted first on http://ift.tt/2lnwIdQ

0 notes

carpediempagesite · 7 years ago

Text

The Slow Food Experiment

What is Slow Food?

My Personal Slow Food Experiment

Experiment #6: Slow Food

Eat mostly* home-cooked meals

*Eat out max. once/week at restaurants that use locally-sourced ingredients

Swap out some ingredients for stuff that can be sourced in Squamish or BC

Switch back to a vegetarian diet

Eat slowly :)

For now, I’d love to know yours: do you have any favourite vegetarian/vegan recipes? Or links to favourite recipe blogs?

The Slow Food Experiment posted first on cashforcarsperthblog.blogspot.com

0 notes

carpediempagesite · 7 years ago

Text

The Slow Food Experiment

What is Slow Food?

My Personal Slow Food Experiment

Experiment #5: Slow Food

Eat mostly* home-cooked meals

*Eat out max. once/week at restaurants that use locally-sourced ingredients

Swap out some ingredients for stuff that can be sourced in Squamish or BC

Switch back to a vegetarian diet

Eat slowly :)

For now, I’d love to know yours: do you have any favourite vegetarian/vegan recipes? Or links to favourite recipe blogs?

The Slow Food Experiment posted first on cashforcarsperthblog.blogspot.com

0 notes