#saying controversial things tonight i guess

[friendofthecrows]

I miss that brief golden era from like 2012 to 2016 when the online witchcraft community was actually good and full of open minded people looking to learn more and share what they know plus maybe the occasional vampire middle schooler instead of the situation now where it's been taken over by capitalist tiktok transphobes who like to come up with ways to shift to hogwarts via their inherent magical vagina powers and then sell coated quartz to cure cancer instead of seeing doctors.

[trillscienceofficer]

from Sci-Fi Universe magazine, October 1996

KISS ME DEADLY: In REJOINED, one of the season's finest episodes, a kiss proved to be more than just a kiss

Maybe it's another sign of format maturity, but the modern Trek era has never seen anything like the controversy that erupted over the airing of DS9's Rejoined, which takes the science fiction story opportunity made possible by Dax's Trill host/symbiont race and twists it into a social comment on sexual orientation Gene Roddenberry would have been proud to call his own.

"Last July," begins Terry Farrell, whose Dax character is at the heart of the story, "Rick Berman called and asked me if I would kiss a woman, and at that point I guess I didn't take it that seriously. I said, 'Yeah, as long as she's beautiful I don't care!'

"And then it spurred me to thinking about it before it actually happened, and I felt bad I had been so flip, because I didn't realize how serious a love story it would be—and how nervous I would be about it, really want to be sure I'm honest and I'm doing the story justice, and I really want people to talk about it and think about it afterward. It really meant a lot to me.

"I think it's really important to love people for who they are, and spiritually it was a great show for me too, because it just reinforces that all of us—whether we want to admit it or not—can really be judgmental at times. That was a really important show to say, to the smallest degree, you've got to remember that people's lives are always so much more complicated than you think they are."

"We had a lot of advance buzz, but we also sat on that show a bit,' adds producer Steve Oster, who recalled the flap in 1969 when Kirk and Uhura made history with television's interracial kiss in Plato's Stepchildren. In fact, the show didn't go looking for attention.

"Because it had a kiss in it, and because of the Roseanne hoopla a few years ago (concerning the high-profile star's on-screen lesbian kiss), our publicity people wanted to have them come over and take pictures of 'the famous kiss scene,' have a news crew like Entertainment Tonight there—and we opted not to do that for a couple of reasons.

"For one thing, because we didn't want to become the Roseanne issue where stations were deciding not to air it, and secondly, to Rick's credit, he did not want to make that what the episode was about. It was not about two characters kissing—it was not about making that a tantalizing factor of the episode."

As directed by Avery Brooks, the episode maintained a remarkably naturalistic feel through the acting of all concerned, including Farrell and guest star Susanna Thompson.

"They chose to play it as real, as we would any other scene with those emotions going on: not 'Okay, a girl is going to kiss a girl,' but it was 'This is someone you were in love with before and you still are,' and that's the arc of the scene. It was not about the kiss," says Oster.

"I think we were trying to be as realistic as possible," Farrell agrees. "Really, the only scene I remember going way out and pulling back was the last scene were I give her the ultimatum—where Avery let me basically go all out and cry my eyes out and then pull me back. So that was the only time I remember going from one extreme to the other, trying a range; otherwise it was pretty natural."

In fact, the scene with Sisko was one of the easiest to play, she revealed, because of the natural affinity she feels tor Brooks, the actor. "He was so supportive of me during the first year of DS9 when it was really difficult for me, he was the only one who reached out and really made me feel comfortable, and tried to help me build my self-confidence and self-esteem in really healthy way," she says. "So I felt like I didn't need to do a lot of homework."

Farrell reveals that, in fact, the hardest scene for her as an actress was the moment in which Dax and Lenara Kahn realize at dinner, without voicing it directly, that they are still in love. Aside from the new situation of seeing Dax giddy like that, Farrell recalled it was the first day of shooting on the episode. "I felt a little uncomfortable and was feeling nervous about the whole thing," she says, "and I remember trying to make her comfortable at the same time."

The chemistry that sparked between Farrell and Thompson—finally out from under the makeup as a Romulan and Tilonian, both on TNG [on The Next Phase and Frame of Mind respectively]—came as no accident, since the producers had taken pains to have Farrell read with those who came in during casting for the role.

"We auditioned and auditioned and auditioned," Oster reports. "We needed to find that chemistry, someone who can play that role as a human being, not as someone who's wondering about kissing another woman. And if someone has delivered for us, we'll bring them back if they've been in makeup before because that can change."

"And," agrees Farrell, "we made sure we had a meeting before we started the show—Susanna and Avery and I—to discuss the show. Usually we don't have time for those kinds of things to happen on our show, but they just made the time. And it really made a difference, I think."

Before the show aired, executive producer Rick Berman said he hoped it would be "received with some controversy."

"I think it does deal metaphorically with homosexuality in the sense of how society puts taboos on certain sexual orientation," Berman said. "It deals with it from both sides, I believe. And I'm sure there are those in the gay community who will probably feel that, again, we haven't gone far enough. But our objective in this story was very specific and very related to the big points that are exhibited in the story—it was never designed to be 'how far can we push this?' It's another step in our attempts to supposedly open stories that deal with a variety of sexual orientation [sic]."

The low-key strategy seemed to have worked: among the affiliates who knew what was coming, Oster reports, none ever dropped the show completely. All ran the episode on first airing—with a parental advisory added by the Atlanta station—and "two or three" others cut the scene out when repeated.

"The studio was very supportive of it; it was one of those things that when Roseanne became the cutting edge and it passed by, it suddenly became not much of an issue."

—Larry Nemecek

"Negative callers couldn't make the leap between seeing this kiss and the famous one between Uhura and Kirk in 1969 as both being a matter of prejudice."

—Producer Steve Oster

[steventhusiast]

@steddie-week day 5: established relationship

<- day four

--

"you think we're gonna get outta this anytime soon?"

steve looks over from where he’s helplessly watching the kids of the party bring all of their movie night supplies into his living room to see eddie looking at him with a somewhat desperate expression on his face.

before the kids arrived, they'd been having a date night. they'd already eaten dinner, and steve was just about to put his hand down eddie's pants to get to work on dessert when dustin literally threw open the door to his parents' house. so.

sure, he and eddie had practically jumped to opposite sides of the couch immediately at the kids' entry, but still. close call to traumatising the kids, and wouldn't that be a way for them to find out about them.

"something's telling me no, eds." he sighs, and leans back into the couch.

the kids don't even know about their relationship, so he can't be too mad at them for crashing his hot date.

"steve! come on man i wanna watch the goonies!" dustin whines from where he's dumping a backpack's load of snacks onto the coffee table.

steve's not really sure what he's supposed to be helping the kids with. they hadn't offered much of an explanation when they came barrelling in, except for a lot of talking over each other about how they have to watch the goonies at steve's because steve's the only one with a decent tv. it's steve's fault for forgetting to lock the front door, he guesses.

"steve!" dustin complains again, and steve decides maybe he can be a little pissed at the kids for unknowingly interrupting.

"henderson, do you ever think about how i too have my own life and plans so you can't just barge in here whenever and take over my tv?" he asks, letting his head drop onto the back of the couch to look at the ceiling in dismay.

he had been so close to such a good night with eddie. like, one handcuff-themed belt away.

"clearly you don't have a life, steve, because it's a saturday night and you're here with eddie instead of out on a date like you would've been six months ago." max retorts easily, and steve whips around to glare at her.

"you wound me, red. why is hanging out with me such a low point to you?" eddie gasps from the other side of the couch, one hand dramatically clutching at his chest. max rolls her eyes at the display, and steve lets a little grin take over his face.

oh, he can have a little fun here.

he and eddie have been talking about telling the kids soon. they're a good group, and seeing the world almost end four times really puts things into perspective when it comes to primitive controversies like sexuality, so they both know they'll be safe.

before tonight, the plan had been to tell them in a few weeks at the next byers-hopper gathering, because if steve's being completely honest with himself.. sneaking around and giggling to themselves as they make out in a bathroom, or a garage, or on someone's back porch, is fun.

before he speaks, he makes eye contact with eddie across the couch, and raises one eyebrow. he doesn't think eddie quite gets what he's about to do, but steve knows he'll be okay with it.

"who's to say i wasn't on a hot date before you guys barged in?" he crosses his arms over his chest to accentuate his words, and the kids all pause their chaos for a second to look over at him with incredulous expressions.

eddie's expression, meanwhile, has morphed from a confused frown to a slightly wide eyed grin. the manic look in his eyes as he watches the kids in glee tells steve enough about eddie being okay with what he's about to do.

"you really made eddie third wheel one of your dates?" dustin asks like the oblivious idiot he is.

steve levels dustin with a very unimpressed look, and pointedly shuffles across the couch until he's next to eddie again.

"i wouldn't say i was third wheeling, would you big boy?" eddie asks with a smile, and steve glances around the room at the still paused kids to see them all processing his words.

eventually, they all kind of shrug and nod to themselves, as if that makes sense after some retrospection.

"well, now i feel bad." lucas says after a couple seconds.

"i don't. shitheads did this to themselves." dustin grumbles, and reaches forward to the snack-filled coffee table to grab a candy bar.

"so what were you doing on your date before we interrupted? you were literally sitting on opposite sides of the couch." max asks, eyes narrowed at the two.

"do you really want the answer to that." steve doesn't even say it like it's a question. max's face immediately scrunches up in disgust.

"you guys are gross!" mike finally pipes up at that, and steve's heart drops a bit for a second before he sees him with his eyes screwed shut, and then mike continues to explain "it's like visualising my parents- UGH!"

"maybe we should go." lucas offers, and all the kids but dustin are quick to agree.

"but- my snacks!" he whines, but lucas just grabs dustin's arm in one hand and his backpack in the other.

"our snacks now, henderson. that's the payment for ruining our date night." eddie declares, and dustin narrows his eyes at the pair but lets himself get dragged out of the house.

"bye eddie! bye steve!" the kids all yell as they leave steve's house again.

steve and eddie stay where they are, thighs pressed together as they sit on the couch, for a few seconds. eventually, eddie throws a glance over his shoulder at the window.

"do you think they actually left, or are we about to traumatise them?" he asks, voice casual even as his eyes flicker down to steve's lips.

steve grins at him, and holds eddie's chin in one hand, lets the other settle on his thigh.

"that is up to them." he says softly, and then leans in.

they end up giggling through their kiss as they hear a group of shrieks from somewhere outside steve's window.

--

-> day six

[vidavalor]

What do you think the Ineffables think of the word 'callipygian' (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/callipygian), and which of them would you (and/or they) say it best describes?

Well, g'evenin', @jotun-philosopher! 😂 I guess we're having peaches tonight for a snack for absolutely no particular related reason.

I love this word & I'm sure Crowley & Aziraphale would, too. The fact that it's pronounced "kal-ah-pigeon" also lends itself well to plenty of dirty puns in their bird-themed world. Feels like it could very much fit in the same tone of the recurring ducks thing. I feel sure that Anthony J. "it'd be a real feather in your wing" Crowley, in particular, could not resist the lure of the word callipygian.

[Unrelated to the ooh-la-la-ness of your ask but while we're talking about pigeons/doves... one does have to get in all pigeon-related stuff when the topic comes up as how often does it ever, really? 😂... Jemimah's name means "dove". Crowley and Aziraphale have saved a dove in each season so far. 🕊️ Doves = peace = the opposite of war. I wonder what that'll look like in S3?] But back to callipygian...

Since Aziraphale uses doves (pigeons) in his magic shows sometimes, seems likely that Crowley has before looked at his angel's caboose in those magician's trousers and amused himself by thinking Aziraphale was looking especially callipygous. Hopefully, he told him so.

The word being tied to The Aphrodite Kallipygos/The Callipygian Venus sculpture is something they would like. Aphrodite, the goddess of love and the origin of aphrodisiac, almost always on seen on oyster shells in ancient paintings... yeah, that is meaningless to these two. 😉

The Erotes-- Aphrodite's retinue of winged gods of love and sex-- were known in Roman culture as Cupids. The Cupid statue in the bookshop shooting its arrow of love to the east-- to the Angel of the Eastern Gate's desk. 💘 Dryly self-aware that he basically really is a Cupid and loving every minute of it, this one is:

Speaking of sculptures who got that callipygian, I headcanon that Aziraphale is the one who influenced Cardinal Borghese into commissioning Bernini to sculpt the ancient Roman bed for The Sleeping Hermaphroditus. For, ya know... reasons. 💘

I don't think it will be a wildly controversial stance to take if I say that they both think each another got that bootylicious, ancient Greek cake. I believe I've heard of this land called AO3 where about 86% of it is about such things. In an art history context-- this sentence is sounding way too cerebral for the fact that we're talking about nice asses right now 😂-- the word refers to the particular kind of rear end seen in these types of sculptures but it overall really just does mean a pleasing rump and they both find each other's appealing. I likely do not need to show my math but I am prepared to support this thesis with empirical data collected in the wild:

We have the two, different scenes of Aziraphale shamelessly checking out Crowley's ass as he's leaning into The Bentley (1941/in the theatre alley & 2023/putting the plants in the car)-- and that serpent bending so unnecessarily both times that it's very obvious he's aware and putting on a show. It's not just Aziraphale wanting that sinewy behind, though...

One bit of the Crowley-penned Aziraphale entry in Demon's Guide to Angelic Beings-- aka the spicy etymological love letters-- involves Crowley describing Aziraphale as a ship to mmm over the angel's broadness/the thiiiiiighs/that badonkadonk.... It involves using the word found in its nautical meaning, which is a ship that is, by definition, both, ahem, well-equipped (well, now!)... and fully stocked.

The Serpent's anaconda don't. want. none. unless *breaks up laughing*

[foreverrandomwritings]

Controversially Young Girlfriend- Part 2

Summary: CYG gets lost trying to find the cafeteria to meet her girlfriend for lunch. Thankfully a friendly face helps guide her in the right direction. 

Pairing: Natasha “Phoenix” Trace x Controversially Young Girlfriend

Warnings: None?

Word count:872

Masterlist  Series Masterlist

Admiral Simpson turned the corner heading towards his office. He had just gotten out of a meeting that left him feeling absolutely exhausted. He just needed to get back to his office and then he could eat his lunch. That was his plan until he saw a familiar face standing in the hallway looking utterly lost. He called out her name to get her attention. 

“Mr.Simpson, how are you doing today?” She asked as she turned toward the man, a hopeful smile on her face. She hadn’t been within these walls in years, not since her mom would occasionally bring her to work with her when she was a child. 

“I’m doing quite well. What’s got you on base?” He asked her inquisitively. With one of her mothers being a Judge Advocate General she had the military ID to get on base. But he knew that her mother wasn’t on a case that he had knowledge of. 

“I’m here visiting my girlfriend for lunch.” She said holding up the bag of food in her hands.

“Who would that be?” He looked through the halls for anyone he might suspect it to be. The fact it was a woman narrowed the list down exponentially but he still came up empty. 

“Phoenix.” That reply shocked him. He had obviously met the aviator on many occasions and he wouldn’t have guessed her for someone that would date so young. Hangman or Rooster would’ve been his first thought had she not said her girlfriend.

“I didn’t realize you were dating one of my aviators.” He said as he looked at his daughter's best friend in front of him. He could remember her losing her first tooth in tandem with his daughter. Both of them having worked on pulling them out together. To see her today looking so grown up made him a little winded. 

“Well I wasn’t aware I had to update you when my relationship status changed but if you must know it’s been a couple of months now.” She replied, giving him a sweet teasing smile.

“Would you like me to escort you to the lunch room?” He asked her as he nodded in the direction of the cafeteria.

“That would be great. I always seem to get lost here.” She said as her shoulders deflated, relief washing through her. They talked casually, catching up as they made their way to the mess hall.

“Admiral Simpson.” The aviators surrounding the table stood and saluted the man. 

“As you were.” He replied as CYG slipped away from his side walking towards her girlfriend. She placed the food on the table and slipped into a seat between Phoenix and Payback. 

“Found your girlfriend wandering the halls lieutenant.” He spoke to the front seater. She looked sheepish as the woman squeezed her hand.

“Sorry sir, won’t happen again.” She told him hoping to keep clear of a scolding.

“It’s quite alright. I always enjoy seeing my bonus daughter.” He said with a shrug. The dagger squad all looked at each other in surprise at the reply.

“Known her since she was in kindergarten actually.” She and his daughter had been quick friends and remained two peas in a pod ever since.

“Don’t you have anything better to do than standing here and harassing me? What would Tracy say if she saw you now?” CYG sassed him, at the mention of his wife his face turned slightly red.

“No need to get her involved in this. I’ll be on my way now. See you at the house for dinner tonight. ” He replied quickly, turning around and heading away from the group. No way was he going to get scolded by his wife for embarrassing the young woman who was basically an extra daughter at this point. He’s made that mistake in the past and didn’t dare go there again.

But he also couldn’t help but worry for her. He had seen how worried his wife had been through all of his deployments. He didn’t want CYG to go through the same thing while her girlfriend went away to fight for their country. The thought of keeping the Aviator stateside briefly crossed his mind. Though he quickly shook it away, that wouldn’t be fair to Phoenix. She had worked her ass off to get where she was and pulling orders wouldn’t help her any. He would just have to be sure to be there for CYG when the orders eventually came. No one knew just how soon that would be. (He did call Phoenix into his office later that day and warned her against hurting CYG)

The aviators around the table grilled CYG for most of lunch about her relationship with their Admiral. She just rolled her eyes and answered what she could. She really appreciated the man who had become a support system for her throughout her life. He had taken a father figure roll for her quickly after meeting him. Not that she needed another parent, her mothers had always been very immersed in her life and unwaveringly supportive. But she truly appreciated the older man and his wife taking her in as one of their own. Just as her parents had done for his daughter.

A/N: This is such a fun little series. I’m super excited to write more for it. I know I’m going to write Phoenix’s first deployment while they were dating. But if anyone has any other ideas let me know, I’m all ears.

Tags(open):  @sylviebell​ @wkndwlff​ @eternallyvenus​ @loving-and-dreaming​ @princess76179​ @kmc1989​ 

[hanzajesthanza]

i just reread and annotated my second draft of my essay, by the end there was red on every page :’) that’s good, it means i’m cleaning it up, and trimming the fat.

i also figured out my lighting setup to film, i think. it was a struggle for a night or two because i had figured out the perfect lighting, then had to pack away my tripod and camera, and the next night could not figure out how i had achieved that look. but rewatching a few youtube tutorials and working through a process of trial-and-error helped me. it’s frustrating, but fun to experiment.

i’m kind of happy because honestly as i read my essay back, i was like, “fck yes, this is what i’m talking about! this is exactly what i’m talking about! that’s what i’ve been saying and saying…” so it’s clear to me that i really believe in what i’m saying. i just hope that people will listen, because it is quite long and i can’t reduce it too much more without cutting out crucial context to understand the situation. i’m discussing a couple of literary works so i have to define their kind of high-concept premises, multiple witcher medias which i have to describe and define, and multiple historic events and contexts. it’s about a whole conglomerate of things which i’ve cobbled together, but i really do think it makes sense in the way i’ve cobbled it 🥲

i guess all i ask is for patience, because i know it isn’t easy to follow such a longwinded opinion. and i also want to express gratitude for the encouragement i’ve recieved so far. and i want to say that i am having fun working on this, and the process of writing and editing is fun for me. filming is still intimidating, but i did a test film tonight with the introduction, and felt myself, my voice, realizing that i was passionate about the words i was saying. kind of cathartic to bring it to life in that way, that this means something to me and i have an opinion, and i have to admit it aloud, literally say it with my whole chest.

it’s kind of terrifying to consider, throughout this process i keep thinking of all the possible different people that might disagree with me and dislike what i have to say, or feel uncomfortable with what i say, and how to make a productive conversation rather than contribute to a negatively controversial one. because i think some people will think that anything on this topic, no matter what is said, is just going to be pure hate, so why even listen to it? but in the moment tonight filming and recording my words, i began to not think about that and about what other people have to say, i just felt my own inner passion and thoughts, like yes, this is really what i mean to communicate. there’s so much i want to share about this. and i just hope it gives voice to people who have felt similarly, but didn’t know how to phrase it. + perhaps teaching something new, sharing the research that i’ve done, stuff that i found really interesting and hope other people will find interesting as well.

and i also hope this is the start of something more. that this is the first of many discussion starters and that i continue to reach out to connect…

[deathlygristly]

Sometimes I find things I wrote online a long time ago and they contain memories that I no longer have.

I've seen that post about what would you have posted about if you were on here when you were 11, and I was like hmmm, the Holocaust, My Little Pony, ACC basketball, Sherlock Holmes, Edgar Allan Poe, The Little Mermaid, Animaniacs, Tiny Toons, and also apparently according to the old posts I found Gandhi and MLK Jr. It would appear that several years ago I remembered a fascination with them coming after the interest in the Holocaust.

Which makes sense, I guess. Little me trying to find some hope in humanity afterwards. I mean, that is around the time my mother signed me up for Big Brother, Big Sister. I heard her on the phone saying that she didn't know what to do with me and I was terrified she was giving me up for adoption. Turned out it was more that she didn't know how to handle an existentially depressed preteen who would look at the most beautiful spring days and imagine smoke rising from the crematorium.

Also when I wrote those posts I was having a similar reaction about healthcare here in the US, trying to find a way to live in a world where I was under the control of other members of my species who were fine with extreme suffering and cruelty and who enjoyed causing it. It was shortly after the ulcer where my choices were to go to the ER or die, so the cost of healthcare here was on my mind a lot.

Then came Trump, and finally my choices were adapt to living on the same planet as humans or die. I chose to adapt. Got medication for the anxiety and managed to find some level of seeing and appreciating the most beautiful spring days and being extremely happy with that and just letting the human darkness go so I could live.

So if I don't reblog much political content on here and I unfollow/block people I don't know well who reblog a lot of the darker and more vicious stuff, it's because of that choice. Me talking about how awesome the spousal person is, about how it's fun to watch kdramas and try teas with him, about how cool the cats are, etc - that's all me choosing to live.

Humans are gonna human and I can't stop it or control it or do anything about it, but I can appreciate beauty and I can laugh and I can pet cats and I can hug the spousal person and I can live as well as I can, since I was born on this planet and I have no other choice anyway.

It is still interesting and fun occasionally to wonder about how humans work and to try to understand where the cruelty and enjoyment of causing suffering comes from or even how much of it is the result of conscious choice and how much of it is just the unfortunate result of how human brains work in certain situations.

And if anything trying to learn about that more has helped, because the more I've learned the more I've realized that a lot of it comes from a cycle of abuse and trauma and how human brains react to that cycle, and how most humans aren't scary monsters who enjoy hurting others. They're mostly just traumatized and/or ignorant and/or trying to survive as best they know how and/or desperate to stay included in their tribe. They're more pitiful than scary, and I mean pitiful as in inspiring much pity, not as an insult.

I think probably the only thing I can do about humans being human is to try to be kind and help others, and doing what I can to keep myself joyful helps with that.

I don't know. Anyway tonight we're going to pick up a sanity pill refill, aka escitalopram, and eat at our favorite restaurant, so we'll only have time for one episode. Which there aren't any new shows airing today that we're into so it'll be an episode of Faith, aka The Great Doctor. It's from 2012 when kdramas did not have the budget they have now and it's very amusing. Also it's from before the Joseon Exorcist controversy so it's actually based on real history near the end of the Goryeo dynasty and it's fun learning about the real people the characters are based on.

[blushydrangea]

I'm so ready for Roscoes tonight... we better be fed well (I say as if them looking in the direction of one another isn't enough for me to get excited). Since the hosts usually ask very popular/anticipated questions, I wonder if whatever they have going on will get brought up? I can already tell what a few topics of conversation will be (Amanda, 🍌's accent in the seminar challenge, Q's reactions...) I just hope 🍌 gets a chance to properly speak cause I remember her being so quiet in the pre-season interviews and just very quiet in general.

God I am so ready for this episode cause I gave up on dr@g r@ce after season 12 (what a good season that was btw) cause it lost its magic for me, but this season... whew, I am glad I started watching again when I did!! Though I will say... makeover challenges usually cause absolute chaos in the fandom so maybe I'll just stay off of twitter for the next week 😭

Also, do you happen to know when that picture of ✈️🍌💎 and Q (lmao) hanging out was taken? I'm a nosy bitch.

yes, nymphia comes off as very reserved and quiet in the US! it seems unlike her in taiwan, so i wonder where does the change come from. if you watch her two documentaries (which i highly recommend doing because she's an angel 💛), the way she carried herself was a bit different. she was younger and pre-pandemic though i believe so it could have something to do with that.

it's possible that whatever they have will be brought up 👀 but tbh i'm expecting them to throw another curve ball at us like plane did on her podcast interview, they seem very private about this particular thing.... well i guess you never know too so let's find out! i reaaaally want nymphia to win this episode but since makeovers are always controversial i don't think i'm ready for her to get backlash if she does :(

also isn't it weird that they haven't shown up yet... where are you girlies

[earlgreytea68]

It does feel like they masked patrick voice a lot... like, normally when fob is a feature on a song, I'm immediately like - OH PATRICK THERE HE IS! - but this one just felt like... a guy that sort of sounds like patrick?? lol idk I'm not a taylor hater or anything but I DO think patrick is the better singer and part of me wonders if they were afraid he'd out sing her or something tbh lol

I was thinking about this comment in connection with what Pete always says, that people are Fall Out Boy fans because they love Patrick's voice, they would listen to him sing the phone book. And Patrick always modestly rolls his eyes and Pete is definitely being deprecating about the rest of the band and he knows it, but today was a day when I realized: He is not wrong.

Like, I did not fully appreciate the level of familiar comfort the sound of Patrick's voice brings me at this point but it turns out IT'S A LOT lol. Like you, usually when he's a feature when he shows up I'm like, PATRICK, and make hearteyes and swoon, etc. With his voice masked like that, I was just completely adrift and missing him. I always knew that I love Patrick's voice, but my reaction to this song really made me realize how much I depend on it. I turned on the super-controversial "We Didn't Start the Fire," which I thought was GREAT, and Patrick's voice was immediately like a cradle around me lol, I knew I was in good hands.

He definitely can outsing her, and he can even manage to do it with the weird electronic gloss on his voice, he does get himself a couple of moments in the bridge, I think, but I have to confess that the more I listened to this song today, the more I have grown from "oh, it's not great but I guess it's okay," to "wow, I hate this song." I can no longer even make it into his verse lol, now I have to shut it off. So, safe to say this is a song I am going to try to pretend never existed. Not only does he not sound like Patrick Stump, but then he's singing such extremely dull lyrics, this is just not one of Taylor's stronger songs to me at all. I was actually surprised when I saw critics calling it a duet about two people in nervous anticipation of their first date, and I was like, "...two people? who are the two people?" and then realized they were interpreting Patrick's verse as being from the POV of the guy, and I was like, ...Patrick's verse is clearly just an electronic Patrick Stump singing some more lyrics from the woman's POV lol. According to Genius, there are parts where one or the other of them are singing, or they're both singing together, and I can't even figure it out because they just sound so electronically generic to me at this point.

It's a shame because before this song came out I really did think, "Oh, maybe they'll pull off some kind of crazy tour shenanigan!" Like, they're both out touring at the same time, maybe their schedules would go near each other and they would sing this song live but...they are never singing this song live lolololol

And it's doubly a shame because I love them both so much and I was so, so excited for this "collaboration," I've been hoping for a Taylor/FOB collab for literally YEARS, I just really thought they could be so great together, and then I got this thing I hate, sigh. It just seems like such a waste of an opportunity to ask "Fall Out Boy" to join a song and then just autotune Patrick's voice and call it a day. And I definitely knew to expect it, that is how Taylor's collabs generally feel, ESPECIALLY on these vault tracks, but I just underestimated how much I was relying on the comfort of Patrick's voice in the song. Anyway, sad day, lesson is, don't meet your idols, or, wait, don't let your idols meet, or something lol. And also GOOD NEWS, TONIGHT IS A SHOW NIGHT SO THERE WILL BE MORE TOURDUST CONTENT TOMORROW, THANK GOD.

[outsidereveries]

as i looked out tonight about what i've guessed and what i didn't, regarding this specific prediction/reading i would like to change my interpretation of the cards that fell out as if i edit the post, the date will automatically change and i really don't want to do this shit, so this might be better at this point.

it's about this one on curiouscat. as you might've seen, trump is indeed more supported than ever, even by me. although i did felt at that time robert f. kennedy jr. stronger than trump, my interpretation got wrong with the time that passed. so, let's re-do this spread:

queen of swords, the lovers, 5 of cups, queen of cups, the hierophant rx • knight of pentacles

if i have to look for donald j. trump, he's possibly the bottom card (as his vedic sign is taurus, not gemini; if i see the people by their tropical sign, then trump would be the queen of swords and kennedy would be the knight, which also makes sense or if kennedy was never there, then tucker carlson is the one who might be in the energy of the knight of pentacles because of the impact he has as he publicly supports trump in a way or another.. like he's saying it but he's not repeating it multiple times). trump's the one who's in control of making america great again, like he said back in 2016 and it looks like only he can do it as of now. the confirmation card? the reversed hierophant. trump is the bold one right now as everyone is trying to sue him for various reasons (and i am saying it from the repressing outlook, not from that point of view that it might be deserved and etc. and etc.).

regarding the rest of the cards, trump isn't relying on anyone and he is actually independent regarding his actions and words (queen of swords). that seems to be the reason why the medias whose freedom of speech is limited don't want to talk about it, because they just cannot to do it so and i do see repression in a way or another.

the lovers is a warning of that trump should rely on his closest people and only on them if something happens. although we've seen some people have tried to sue trump for ... roughly intimate things as i would prefer to censor myself at the moment, the card can indicate "stab in the back" moment/s, especially in career-related readings. 5 of cups is seemingly confirming this thought as it shows dissapointments and basically sad situations that haven't turned out to trump's favor.

and finally, queen of cups seems to be the emotionally mature side to the things surround trump's president journey. therefore, that might be why i thought americans would prefer someone else. as much as i wouldn't thought much about it at first because i simply wasn't aware of the occuring situation towards usa and americans, nowadays i am aware that i made a mistake. so that's why i am fixing myself.

however, i do see 2 alternative situations that might proved themselves in the recent days:

queen of swords - the lovers - 5 of cups: the main reason why this might be occuring is about the 6th january 2021 protests. this time i really tried to do my research about nikki haley's chart and all that shit - regarding that, she's total chaos, and i've only seen similar chart as hers only once. she doesn't have a stable stellium ffs (personally i count from 3 planets and up as a one)! from what i've searched, she worked for trump and supported him when he was the president. however, before and after that is ... i wouldn't say suspicious, but it is definitely controversial on its own. the queen in my opinion is nikki and the reason behind it is completely "nothing personal, just business" thing. it seems like she disliked him from the start and from what i see, donald has tried to win her side, but it's just not working. haley's just the wrong person!!

queen of cups - the hierophant rx: vivek ramaswamy. visibly in his tropical chart, he has mc in scorpio, venus in cancer, pluto and saturm in scorpio, 8th house stellium and uranus in 12th house. vedic-wise his sun would be in cancer too, and even with the reversed hierophant, his intentions seem to be good. i do see that ramaswamy did 180 with him giving up on the local presidental elections not because is on ramaswamy's favor but he geniunely is on trump's side. personally trump shouldn't fuck this up as vivek might actually believe trump is right, like for real. i do see that ramaswamy might've tried to be the candidate not because he wanted to but because of the experience as he's still young (i am unaware how experienced he is, sorry).

therefore.. the chances of trump winning seem to be high with some hardships as of now. 5 of cups can be related to the americans being dissapointed of the current government too.

as i wouldn't prefer to make more assumptions, with the recent events i'd really like to do a separate reading about the usa's president candidates as i did felt trump in the past month-two but i didn't felt biden but it'll take me some time. i'll try to be as fast as possible, i think so. thanks for reading :)

[the1975attheirverybest]

Good morning darling 🌞

I'm sooooo looking forward to hearing all about last night! You saw Carly AND Tim, and heard YOU 😭

It must have been amazing

🌷🌷

Hiiii babe 🩷

It was SO SO GOOD!!! The boys were so confident in their work like you could tell every single second was thought of and accounted for. Matty looked stunningggg. Ok this is gonna be long I’m sorry so yeah.

I remember taking notice of different things during different songs. Like Happiness and Too Shy? They just belongggg to John Waugh. That saxophone hits me in my soul. You know when matty says “my soul got this feelin”? I got that same feelin about the sax.

George? Heart Out. He made all of MSG vibrate with his drums. He crushed it during The Sound too.

Ross? Change of Heart and People. He jams out during People it’s so so sexyyyy. He was really into doing Chocolate last night idk why. I guess I do. If you’d asked me before the show, I never would’ve put chocolate on my dream setlist. But having heard it live? 100000x better. And Matty’s cute and sassy “1,2,3,4 fuck it up, let’s go” is so attractive ugh.

Polly honestly wins everything just by being there but of course JC2005. Even matty is in awe of her during that song. The one time he doesn’t hog the attention is when Polly is singing.

Hann. He’s the unsung hero of literally everything. But like Sex and It’s Not Living just wouldn’t work without him.

….and then there’s Matty. Slut.

Got to hear Tim Healy AND Carly on the same night. When Carly came onstage I think I forgot to breathe for a second. Oh and I tried to take wide pics of all of the arena during All I Need To Hear. I don’t think it shows too clearly but everyone instantly put up their phones for him it was so so so cute and wholesome.

See below.

The crowd however….ew. Very stiff. Not a whole lot of dancing. The energy was mid. And the row that I was in? I was the only person dancing. People gave me such weird looks it made me feel a bit weird in the beginning but I decided that it’s not my problem if they’re losers and don’t have enough respect for the magic to dance it out. I’m sure as hell gonna give the show what it deserves.

On one side of me, people talked about Matty’s dick the entireeeee show. On the other side? Two moms whose daughters are in the pit. They didn’t even stand for a SINGLE song. They sat there and were shocked, horrified, scandalized by anything Matty did or said. All the gun references in lyrics. All the blow jobs all the sex jokes. I think they thought they were having the worst fever dream lmaoooo. They did enjoy Tim Healy though haha. They were very into his performance.

Yeah controversial but: Baltimore>>>>>

Sorry but that’s been the best show so far. We’ll see it MSG redeems itself tonight.

[missfinefeather]

Usually I don’t start a liveblog with a stealth post session but I feel like starting it tonight. (Stealth post sessions are where I liveblog late at night or early in morning and schedule them to post tomorrow.) Present me has dog watch so don’t be shocked if she doesn’t get to the liveblog in the same day this is posting.

This is past me here, and I’m beginning the Mario movie! I’ve heard good things, so I’m looking forward to this!

What do I know about the Mario movie?

1. There is a song called “Peaches” sung by Bowser playing a grand piano. I haven’t heard it yet, but I’ve heard people talking about it quite a bit. (I dunno if that means this is a musical or if they just wanted to utilize their Jack Black to his fullest potential.)

2. I’ve seen the first two trailers before I stopped watching them. That includes Bowser messing up the ice kingdom, Mario’s arrival, Mario Karting, Peach being a badass, platforming training, a bunch of other things I’m blanking on.

3. “Hahahahaha now you die!”

4. “But what if she says no?” *Gets burninated*

5. I’m also aware of the controversy behind the Christ Pratt casting during the build up to the movie’s release. Considering I haven’t heard anyone complaining since the movie came out, I’m guessing he did alright enough. I personally didn’t like the voice in the first trailer, but I’ll reserve judgement until I’ve actually watched through the damn thing.

And that’s it! Let’s dive right in!

[trixcuomo]

You Only Level Once

Meanwhile, getting drunk on arcwine at Trixany's house...

Coco: Okay, okay--it's like. Three bottles later and I think we should ask the hard questions, as sistas.

Trixany: Dating? Politics?

Coco: Let's reaaally break tha fourth wall. As ya savvy Goblin step sista, I demand to finally know... and this is out there, really extreme... What was your leveling experience? Like. Starting area, places you liked best, favorite expansion, all that.

Trixany: Oh dang, that really IS breaking the fourth wall. Hrmmm... can we even do that? *glances at the camera* I guess we can. We're gonna ruin a lot of people's immersion tonight.

Coco: Go hard, Trixany! Smash it!!

Trixany: Alright so honestly? I... got boosted.

Coco: You what?!

Trixany: I got boosted so fast, you woulda thought it was a free gnomish beauty treatment at the goblin mall! Actually, I sorta thought it was like a spa thing at first, so that's also why I did it. But I really just wanted to get right in. Like, right to end game.

Coco: Oh my gold. Oh, man. I had to ask. My own sista... You're a boosty?

Trixany: Don't. Say it like that.

Coco: Boosty.

Trixany: It's not controversial, it's just my play style. And I felt like I'd done all that stuff before, ya know, in a past life. Like um, spiritually? I didn't want to go through that again.

Coco: That's crazy. I mean, I can't believe it.

Trixany: Why, how did you level up?

Coco: Um, by leveling up. By earning that. I went outta my way to do the Goblin starting area, all a tha goblin quest hubs. I hopped expansions to immerse myself in like. Everything Goblin!

Coco: The bombs, every engineering recipe, the side quests at Everlook, Area 52 in Netherstorm, the Speedbarge in Cata, the dailies in Pandaria, pitch fights in the wild jungles of Draenor, defending our town-in-a-box! And moa! I wanted it all.

Trixany: Yep. That's a shame.

Coco: *rolls her eyes* Okay, boosty. Guess your generation was cooler or whatever.

Trixany: Stop calling me that!!

Trixany: And stop being judgmental. I mean, you only level once. I can do what I want--

Coco: YOLO. That is your defense? Do you know how old that makes you sound?

Trixany: I am not old, just set in my ways! Look. I wasn't gonna show my age, but I actually did play back in Burning Crusade, the first-ever Warcraft expansion. That's the real reason. I didn't want to go through it all over again!

Trixany: More than that, it was a very unique, once-in-a-lifetime experience watching Prince Kael'thas Sunstrider's downfall firsthand, in real time! It was heartbreaking and intense. My people also really struggled to overcome that, with reclaiming the Sunwell? Nothing could ever replace my deep pathos, or my nostalgia.

Coco: ...

Coco: ... ...

Coco: Okay, boosty.

Trixany: Argghhh!!!

[mrthoughtbubbles]

Hi Yeet,

How are you and how was your day today? I hope that you’re making memories, enjoying life, and just appreciating the moment. Today, our internet at home got restored, an in the span of around 4 days, I was itching to do the usual things I do, yet at the same time, even though I was itching, I enjoyed the time wherein I only had mobile data with me because I focused more rationing my data and I did more of the things that made me happy, and lessened my stress, anxiety and paranoia.

As for what I’ll talk with you tonight, Yeet, I just want to remind you that I’m not amazing or anything… I’m just a normal person who has his pros and cons. I’m not really academically-inclined like my other peers, I’m not a voracious reader like the rest of my family, nor am I street-smart. I just love absorbing random information and listening to controversial topics, like politics, economics, fantasy-related stories, wrestling, and romance. I would like to share the emotions I have with you, Yeet, and say cheesy lines that makes my heart flutter with joy, like the one I said last night. I don’t really live-up to other people’s expectation because I get stressed, and anxious and I buckle under the pressure, and it ends up with my confidence hitting rock bottom…

On another note, I got insecure that I’ll be left behind again, Yeet, but I listened to a lot of romance songs, and it worked this time... I hope that it’ll work again in the future… Listening to music kind of helps with my mood… I hope to apply that again in the future when I feel insecure or something else… I reflected that the feeling that the person I love will leave me after writing/saying something romantic is the same with the feeling that something bad is about to happen when I feel happy, which falls under my paranoia… It’s good that I can discern my paranoid thoughts. Understanding is the first step into finding a solution or a way to counter my paranoia when it arises.

I guess I’ll end my message here for today, Yeet. I saw that you were skipping physio. I’m not angry or anything… I understand the feeling of skipping something, like the times wherein I skipped going to my counselor because I didn't like it that he'd say I'm fat and then invite me to eat delicious but dangerously high-in-cholesterol food, but I just want to give you a gentle reminder that going to your physio will help with your healing process, okay…? Good night, take care, keep recuperating and going to your physio, you’re beautiful despite having flaws/insecurities, pray/talk to God, and remember that I love you, Yeet!

[skayafair]

Episode 40

Live reaction below

Silas the whole episode:

If they get out of it alive in the end, he should think of a therapist career. He'd make a fortune out of it :D

This episode is the first one after season 3 that made me listen to it smiling again, like the previous 2.5 seasons used to, I think ^_^

THEY ARE DISCUSSING THINGS CALMLY FOR ONCE YAAAY where's my champagne

That talk between Lizzy and Cass last episode really helped huh. Plus I thought Lizzy just wanted to put the blame onto someone, get at least some load off her chest by taking it out on Silas in previous episodes but turned out that OF COURSE she had a perfectly sensible reason (well, I believe it's both in equal measure BUT anyway) and Silas arrived to the same conclusion. And "the martians", you're kidding me XD Gods I love it when they get along, they make a very good dynamic duo. So now everyone's on pretty good terms, such a balm to my soul.

...aaaand there we go again, jinxed it :')))

Yep, Cass really did it this time.

...Alyx? O____O ok I DIDN'T expect this at all

oooof course they charge *head in hands*

Ok I like happy endings for everyone so I'm lowkey rooting for a polycule of three... in a way... I don't really care romantic, platonic/friendship, qpr or whatever, these three just make sense to me all together - not the same relationship for everyone, but they just. Ugh. Make sense. As a unit. The words aren't wording tonight because I've been awake for 16 hours by now but you get the gist I hope. So I also hope it gets across if I say how much I enjoy hearing Silas just. Asking Elizabeth to go after Cass instead of him. Trusting her with it. Just. (✧ω✧) Buddies route go-go! ☆\(≧▽≦)/☆

Niko is the perfect depiction of a fangirl i swear

Poor Alyx Q_Q She's really spiraling. It's the worst thing to get a confirmation that you're as bad as you thought you were, even if it's subjective, too.

oh wow SIlas snapping- O_O that's something

Noooo not running awaayyy

Poor Si(((((((((

Aaaand poor Cass :<

Erm- Might be a controversial opinion but I guess I see who Cass took after with their charisma- yes I like Nicholas Thatcher by the way he sounds there I said it

Why am I not surprised he likes Lizzy. Yeah, no surprises here  👍

Cassius is at loss of insults? What? Wow, impressive. The fact that they are still talking is even more impressive.

"HUGS AND KISSES" HELP HE'S HILARIOUS the best addition so far 😂

Poor Cassius [2] Somehow I can see the picture so clearly xD

"Ouch" Lizzy XD

"Like always, I was right-" LIZZY XDDD

Oh a heart to heart <333 Love seeing them getting along <333

WE'RE FINALLY FINDING OUT WHAT WAS UP WITH VAUX WHAAA-

LI-I-I-ZZY-Y-Y-Y you tease! I'm starving for the revelations here no less than Cassius!

"I listen to the sad story - I get a little treat, them's the rules" Cass is as adorable as ever :D

They're getting along they're getting along- ╰(✧ω✧)╯

The queen keeps queening <333

oooh someone's spiralling real good and to the deep end

C'mon Cass, how can you resist that "pleeease" :3

they both are insufferable XDDD

SILAS FINALLY

OH smooth (￢‿￢ )

they both are insufferable [2] and Lizzy deserves to be paid extra for putting up with them!

OH AND THERE'S MY FAVOURITE SLOGAN <333

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

I have to say seeing Cassius now (and Lizzy before) to royally fuck up like that feels... liberating. I really enjoy observing it.

Partly because it's a part of my "learning people aren't only good OR bad" curriculum (hello black and white thinking I've been unlearning, pretty sucessfully btw). Did they do something... REALLY bad? Oh yes. I mean - I understand attacking with words. Still bad but. Uh. More managable. Usually. But full on charging at a person, even if the reason is betrayal? The physical violence is a serious no-go in my book unless it's self-defence or... well, NOT on your friend anyway?! Not just by acting on emotions? So that made me pause.

I like complicated characters exactly because they make me rotate them in my mind and change opinion on them along with their developement, but... I thought I had a grip on Cass' personality more or less, and that attack of theirs was unexpected and honestly disappointing. I mean yes there was that one occasion with Vaux but that was different. Vaux was actually more of an enemy back then, she's been intentionally nagging Cassius for a long time, so it felt pretty natural that they'd blow up eventually. Charging on Alyx out of pure rage is not like that.

However - I think it's a lot like with John from Malevolent? He messes up regularly and just as royally but it's also very understandable, so I just can't judge him. Objectively, maybe, but not from the heart.

And probably what helped the most was the way Cass reacted to this recording. They didn't try to find excuses, didn't seem to be angry at Alyx anymore, they went straight up to "it was all my fault dammit!". They feel guilty and see their past reaction as a huge mistake, too. Looks like they cooled off soon enough even when the events were taking place.

I have a history of forgiving things that shouldn't have been forgiven to a person who wasn't very sorry about those things - or at least not because they actually saw those as bad. I feel disgusted with myself recalling that. So now I'm sort of sensitive to this whole thing and that's why making up my mind on how to feel about Cass' violence as clear as possible was important. Sure it's not real life, but close enough. A good exercise.

And I think their attitude to it was what made it clear. They see their anger burst as a huge mistake and regret it, but more than that - after listening to how they used to be they try to make up for it, like with Lizzy by telling her how they really appreciate her as a friend. This is important - not just to recognize "oh I fucked up again", but to genuinely do one's best to do better, to change. From the bettom of their heart.

So this is why, while it was a royal fuck up, it only added pieces to Cass' character, not shattered the picture. Hence why I enjoy following it. People are complicated, and that's a beautiful thing. And also upon some more thinking I can see how that outburst was building up for a long time. Once again this podcast brings perfectly grounded surprises <3

And another reason is that by observing others coping with their mistakes I learn to be easier on myself, too. Even if the others in question are fictional, they still reflect living people experiences one way or another.

I'm so glad Syntax is back <3

[vitaminwaterreviews]

Wendy - Wish You Hell

Hmmmmm. I don’t really know what to think. The title track did one thing and then the B-sides all did not do that thing. That’s not necessarily a bad thing though. I enjoyed every song, even the slow jam, and actually in hindsight I think it’s wrong to classify it as a slow jam. It was more of … I dunno, a contemporary ballad or something like that? Like … I dunno. But I will say, this album contained things that I did not expect, and I heard things that I haven’t heard before, and that’s always a good thing.

I kinda want to listen to her first mini now to compare. Not tonight, I don’t have the time. But maybe tomorrow I’ll do that. Average score of 7.8, maybe a tad low, but close enough. Good album, definitely recommend.

- Wish You Hell

Oh okay we’re going full artsy here

Mmmmm the colors though in this intro scene

Haha okay, pop rock moment? Nice

Ohhhh no, “I wish you hell / I don’t wish you well” that’s an awful rhyme oml

I like her voice

Maybe that’s not the most controversial opinion lol

Those sure are some glittery trash bags

Thunder?

I’m confused by that scene but okay

Oh my god she spelled out “H E L L” I’m sobbing

I really don’t know what to rate this

8/10 for the MV I guess

His Car Isn’t Yours

What instrument is this?

It feels electric piano but it’s very … plucky

Oh it’s all English

It’s so interesting how hearing English singing totally changes my perception of their voice

This feels so Taylor Swift like wow

Wait I wasn’t listening to the lyrics, let me go find the lyrics

Oh okay, this is actually like, kinda sad, very simple but very pretty

8/10, but a high 8, kinda to balance out the previous one let’s say

Best Ever

Boop boop boop boop

Woah her voice is so high and cute like wtf

Nice, nice, funky

I love this post-chorus

Here’s this song: a great post-chorus, and then a bunch of exposition in between

Kinda like Unnatural and its pre-chorus lol

Mmmmm the bridge tho

Lol this is actually so fucking cute

9/10

Better Judgment

Two wildly different styles of guitar here

The b-sides all feel Newjeans effect but honestly I don’t care bc it’s Wendy and she’s just so good

7/10, good but didn’t do anything really special to me

Queen of the Party

…Everglow - Make Me Feel vibes??

Yeah oh my god I thought it was just the pre-chorus but the chorus too

I like what they’ve set up but I want this song to go somewhere

Like if it just sits here the whole time then idk

This bridge feels lowkey generic

Awwww the last chorus does Not deliver

Wait … I mean maybe a bit, but I want more

7/10

Vermillion

Okay now I’m expecting a ballad, let’s get it

Mkay, this could be ballady

Yep here’s the slow jam drums

This bass is Thicc

I don’t get this

I think I like this?

I like the bridge with that sample

Yeah okay, I buy it

8/10