#that in reality glinda is Not That Girl. I have a lot of feelings about how this is a narrative told BY glinda so SHE can always be read as

[godblooded]

the truest tragedy of wicked is that elphaba picks fiyero for the lion cub thing and it makes zero fucking sense except heteronormativity so pervasive it exists in OZ???

[wenclairfamily]

Travel Blog: ADDAMS FAMILY FEST!

Westfield, New Jersey is where Addams Family creator: Charles Addams lived for the first 27 years of his life, and his close ties to this town are celebrated every October with: Addams Fest. While the festival itself is more of an all ages Halloween party (you will seriously find more people dressed as Disney princesses here than Addams Family characters), the town itself still celebrates the Addams Family and Charles Addams' work all around town.

Every October, all around Westfield you will see TONS of Addams Family art on many of the shops in town. While some the art just features the characters as you know them, some artists got a lot more creative with the task. The local arcade gets my vote for best art in town.

However, the ultimate artistic highlight for me during my trip was seeing some of Charles Addams' art that was in the local gallery in town. While some of the art on display was some of his famous published art, other pieces on display included never before released art of his that had been found. Even though most of the art in the gallery did not feature the famous Addams Family, it still contained Charles Addams' creepy and kooky sense of humor.

However, the crown jewel of the gallery was "Dudley": the original and lost member of the Addams Family. In reality, he is the oldest surviving drawing ever done by Charles Addams, and was actually drawn on a barn wall in town (young Charles Addams is known to have broken into peoples' homes during his youth). The wall he essentially drew graffiti on, ironically is a museum piece now. *I'll do another post about this gallery and Dudley another time.

Other fun sights to see in town that are Addams Family related in the month of October are Charles Addams' childhood home (appropriately decorated with some Addams Family style decorations), a model of the Addams Family home that sits inside the town lake, and the old cemetery in town that young Charles Addams apparently spent a great deal of time hanging out at (which can be visited year round).

However, the majority of the organized activities in town for Addams Fest are more-so Halloween activities for all ages (with most daytime activities designed for very young children). If you're looking for some Addams Family Convention, this isn't that. This event is catered more to families with children looking for a fun Halloween party (so you may feel a little out of place if you're a single adult). However there are still lots of fun things to do in Westfield in October for adults. The outdoor music show I saw during the festival was fun (with young local energetic rock bands). Also, I found it nice and relaxing to walk up and down Elm Street (the street Charles Addams grew up on), and look at the old homes on the street. Also... there's video games to play in town...

The local arcade has tons of fun video games (both arcade and console), including (amongst many other things): Addams Family pinball! I spent a collective six hours here over the weekend. I enjoyed sampling new video games, and re-visiting some old favorites.

However the ultimate non-Addams Family related event in town during my trip was at the local Acting Out theater, which did a fun original live show featuring many witches from film and TV over the years. The entire show was reminiscent of those old TV variety shows from the 1970's, with Glinda and Elphaba (from the Wizard of Oz) being the hosts. Despite the show being seemingly catered for children, I still got plenty of good laughs from the comedy and pop culture meta-humor in the show (such as when Elphaba goes all fan girl when mentioning Elsa from Frozen). Talent scouts for Broadway and Hollywood should definitely put all the ladies from this show on their radar.

Other fun things I did over the weekend also included trying the Addams Family themed food at Burger King (a promotion not just confined to New Jersey), and watching the famous 1970's Addams Family/ Scooby Doo crossover on television this weekend (the timing of the re-airing was simply a happy coincidence).

If you are considering going to Addams Fest, be aware that most of the planned events are more-so just straight forward Halloween themed activities aimed at children (and not necessarily confined to the Addams Family in terms of themes). Also, the town is not some big city, and you will very likely see most of the sights you came to see in just under a day. However, if you are a hardcore Addams Family fan that wants to walk on the same ground Charles Addams walked on, see some of the sights that likely inspired him, see some fun Addams Family fan art in town, and also see some of Charles Addams' original work... Addams Fest in Westfield, New Jersey in the month of October is a must thing to do.

[nicnacsnonsense]

I said yesterday that every single song on the Wicked soundtrack is a Good Omens mood, so today I went song by song, and yep, checks out. (I am going to be skipping three songs -- “I’m Not That Girl (Reprise)”, since as a stand alone song it is not meaningfully different than “I’m Not That Girl”; “Dear Old Shiz” since it’s only intended to transition us from the opening number which takes place at the end of the story back to the beginning; and “Finale” since it is just a reprise/combo of the previous song “For Good” and the next song (in the stories internal chronology) “No One Mourns the Wicked” and does not meaningfully add to either -- and I will be adding in “Wicked Witch of the East” which does not appear on the soundtrack.)

“No One Mourns the Wicked” -- Aziraphale (Glinda) talking to the Archangels (Chorus) about Crowley. “Nothing grows for the wicked/They reap only what they've sown”

“The Wizard and I” -- The general sentiment echoes Aziraphale’s continued faith in God, despite private doubts about Heaven and the Great Plan. “He'll say to me, "I see who you truly are/A girl on whom I can rely!" 

“What is This Feeling” -- Heaven (Glinda) vs. Hell (Elphaba) with the Chorus representing Christianity, on Heaven’s side despite neither ultimately being appreciably better than the other. Alternatively, there’s some solid Ineffable Bureaucracy feels if you’re into that. “There's a strange exhilaration/In such total detestation/It's so pure, so strong!/Though I do admit, it came on fast/Still I do believe that it can last/And I will be loathing, loathing you my whole life long.”

“Something Bad” -- Aziraphale (Elphaba) believing God will stop the Apocalypse. “If something bad is happening to the Animals/Someone's got to tell the Wizard/That's why we have a Wizard/So nothing bad....“

“Dancing Through Life” -- Fiyero’s opening section is very remiscent on Crowley’s policy on working and his efforts to tempt Aziraphale into the Arrangement. In that context, him coming to this philosophy after having been kicked out of schools in the past is a bit... painful. “Dancing through life, no need to tough it/When you can slough it off as I do.”

“Popular” -- This one is a bit harder to place, but I can imagine that if Crowley and Aziraphale had to teach each other how to do their jobs in service of the Arrangement, this is the kind of energy I imagine they’d bring. Alternatively, if you dial down the good-natured intentions and dial up the judgement and condescension, there are shades of Heaven/Hell (Glinda) wanting Aziraphale/Crowley (Elphaba) to be a proper angel/demon. “Don't be offended by my frank analysis/Think of it as personality dialysis”

“I’m Not That Girl” -- Crowley through 6000 years of pining, with the “that girl” he’s losing out to being Heaven. Though the general longing for someone you feel you can never have also has some pretty strong Aziraphale through 6000 years of pining vibes too. “ Ev'ry so often, we long to steal/To the land of what-might-have-been/But that doesn't soften the ache we feel/When reality sets back in “

“One Short Day” -- This is the background music every time during the 6000 years when Aziraphale and Crowley manage to sneak in some time to enjoy each other’s company just for the sake of it. “ And then, just like now, we can say/We're just two friends/Two good friends/Two best friends/Sharing one wonderful/One short day!”

“Defying Gravity” -- The main feel of the song has a lot of Crowley (Elphaba) immediately pre-Fall energy, but the conversation between Elphaba and Glinda in particular is very reminiscent of the bandstand. G:”Elphie, listen to me, just say you're sorry!/You can still be with the wizard/What you've worked and waited for/You can have all you ever wanted.” E:”I know/But I don't want it/No, I can't want it anymore”

“Thank Goodness” -- Aziraphale (Glinda) trying to put on a obedient and faithful attitude while dealing with his doubts about Heaven and his forbidden feelings for Crowley. “ And if that joy, that thrill/Doesn't thrill like you think it will/Still, with this perfect finale/The cheers and the ballyhoo/Who wouldn't be happier?/So I couldn't be happier”

“The Wicked Witch of the East” -- Most of this doesn’t connect much, and very little of it is sung, but this last bit here is absolutely Crowley (Nessa) sitting in the bar after the bookshop fire. “Alone and loveless here/Just the girl in the mirror/Just her and me, Wicked Witch of the East!/We deserve each other”

“A Sentimental Man”/”Wonderful” -- I combined these two because “A Sentimental Man” by itself is really short and doesn’t really tie in, but thematically it goes with “Wonderful” so I think it works with that context. One thing for this one is to keep in mind that in Christianity Gabriel is an Archangel, but he’s generally consider the messenger, which one would think would generally put him at the bottom of that top group, and yet in Good Omens he seems to have worked his way up to de facto leader of Heaven in God’s absence/silence. Making the Archangel Fucking Gabriel feel a lot like the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Not to mention the general point about labels and history has a lot of Good Omens Heaven and Hell are basically the same thing with different names vibes. “There are precious few at ease/With moral ambiguities/So we act as though they don't exist”

“As Long as You’re Mine” -- Azcrow Saturday night “you can stay at my place” feels. Enough said. “ Say there's no future/For us as a pair/And though I may know/I don't care/Just for this moment/As long as you're mine/Come be how you want to/And see how bright we shine”

“No Good Deed” -- The bookshop fire. The first three-quarters or so of the song is Crowley running into the burning bookshop, desperate to find Aziraphale and being overwhelmed by how absolutely everything has gone completely wrong this week capped now with this, losing the love of his life. The last bit of the song transitions to Aziraphale up in Heaven completely done with all this bullshit and flipping the entire Host off on his way out. “Fiyero, where are you? Already dead or bleeding?/One more disaster I can add to my generous supply?”

“March of the Witch Hunters” -- This is literally just the Witchfinder Army’s theme song. “Go and hunt her/And find her/And kill her/Kill the witch!”

“For Good” -- Aziraphale and Crowley on Sunday morning as they wait for Heaven and Hell to come for them, not knowing if their plan will work or if they’ll ever see each other again. “ Who can say/If I've been changed for the better? I do believe I have been changed for the better/And because I knew you/.../I have been changed/For good.”

And there you have it. Every single song on the Wicked soundtrack is a Good Omens mood, fact checked and proven. Still compiling evidence for the “Stephen Schwartz is a time traveler who did this all on purpose” theory. I’ll keep you posted.

[straightouttagershwin]

Breaking Legs, Crushing Dreams

Witches, haunted opera houses, small-town diners, the founding fathers, and a magical Scottish town. These unusual topics are dazzling Broadway musicals loved by thousands. Musicals are a brilliant show of song, dance, and story that almost everyone can relate to. Every theatre kid has a role they would do anything to play. Unfortunately, casting bias based on race, gender, or sexuality, could make it difficult . In the past, most characters could be played by straight, white, cisgender actors. In today’s theatre world, that is being challenged. Why should there be a “basic” type of actor, and why should they get all of the parts? When people see themselves represented, it matters. It is especially important in youth development. Casting people of color, LGBTQ+ actors, and gender swapping, can change lives. A recent challenge to the status quo is the historical hip-hop musical, Hamilton. Casting a black man as George Washington, an Asian woman as Eliza Hamilton, and a Puerto Rican man as Alexander Hamilton himself, shocked audiences everywhere and opened up eyes to the possibilities of casting shows. 

Ten years ago, a black man playing George Washington was unheard of. Why did modern day genius, Lin-Manuel Miranda, decide to challenge that? To tell “...the story of America then, told by America now.” What exactly does that mean though? Miranda wanted to tell the almost unbelievable story of America’s creation. But he wanted to tell it through the mouths of the immigrants the country was built on (Quiñónez). The founding fathers were young, rebellious, and brave. They went against their king to fight for freedom and justice for all, but to them, “all” was all white men. Through Hamilton, the people left out of  “all men were created equal” get a chance to tell the story. The good, the bad, and everything inbewtween. Black men get to tell the story of soldiers fighting for the abolition of slavery, Latinx, Asian, and Black women have the opportunity to pay respects to some of the first feminists, and continue to spread the message of equality to the next generation. 

The characters in Hamilton are all based on real people. Because of this, there is debate about whether there should be a line between fantasy and reality in casting. A popular example is Wicked. The story takes place before the events in The Wizard of Oz and includes many of the same characters. Wicked has been on Broadway for 16 years. This year, the first woman of color portrayed the deuteragonist, Glinda. Why did it take so long for this to happen? It’s unlikely that is was malicious. The casting directors did not sit in their offices and throw every woman of color’s headshot in the garbage. It is also quite unlikely that it was completely by chance. The reason was most likely somewhere in the middle. In 2003, Kristin Chenoweth originated the role of Glinda. Chenoweth is tiny, blonde, and white. This description was used in casting every Glinda after her, and very rarely changed. As stated in the Wicked Wiki page, there have been 32 Glindas on Broadway. 32, and only one was a woman of color. So when it did change, people noticed. Brittney Johnson made history in January 2019. She became the first woman of color to play Glinda on Broadway. She made headlines in the theatre community, and made hearts swell, as she gushed about how much it meant to be playing the character. In an Instagram post, the actress told about her excitement, “My hope and prayer is that people see my story and have faith that they can achieve their dreams too. Nothing is impossible! And no dream is too big.” The dream she speaks of, is crashing through the stigma of a white woman playing a beloved character. Through this, she shows kids, adults, and everyone in between, that they too can bring a character to life. 

Aside from race, there are several other factors that could cause someone to not get a role in a show. Gender is a debated trait in modern theatre. Should characters be able to be gender swapped? Most argue that there are some roles that can be gender swapped, and some that cannot. And some believe that all characters should be cast as written. A recent example of gender swapping in a professional role is the character Old Joe in Waitress. Up until late 2018, the role was for a man, and played by one. In December 2018, the writers and directors decided to change that. When beloved actress June Squibb came to see the show, the creative team got an idea. They immediately decided to change the role to Old Josie, and cast Squibb in the part. “In this moment of time, it seems like a wonderful brush stroke to make the owner a woman-a strong, savvy business woman who is trying to help another woman find her footing.” says book writer, Jessie Nelson. Old Josie was loved by audiences and actors everywhere. But would the same love go to other characters?

 In the recent past, I acted in a production of  The Little Mermaid. A friend of mine tried out for Ursula, and had a shot at the role, except that this friend is a boy. He has the vocal range, the acting skills, and everything else necessary to play the character. But unfortunately, he wasn’t considered for the role. There are a lot of possible reasons for this. The conservative town, the young audience, or the views of the casting team, but it all comes down to the same reason. Our brains are trained to think that boys should play boys and girls should play girls. But is that even a factor here? The casting of mythical creatures has always been interesting to me. They’re fake, so there’s no reason for people to put any restrictions on who can play them. 

Religion is another casting factor in theatre. Most of the characters in the famous show, The Fiddler on the Roof are Jewish. Does this mean they should only be played by those of Jewish faith? In most cases, religion isn’t an issue in casting. But when it comes to religions that have been discriminated against, there are arguments. Religions such as Islam, Judaism, and Hinduism are the most argued about. Because the people of these religions have been treated so poorly and given so little chance to be represented, when a character identifies as one of them, it’s important. Some argue that a person not of these religions should not play characters that are, because the young people of the religion deserve to see someone like them, playing someone like them. This is especially important for hijabi characters. Women who wear the traditional headdresses are tormented in public, have their hijabs ripped off, and are mocked and laughed at for their choice. So to put a random actress in a hijab for a show, seems wrong to those who undergo the discrimination every day. 

Although America is supposed to be a haven for people of all backgrounds, racism is still a frequent issue. The iconic retelling of star crossed lovers, West Side Story, has been subject to a lot of whitewashing. To whitewash is to cast a white actor in a person of color’s role. In the 1961 film version of the show, the lead female character, Maria, a Puerto Rican girl, is played by Natalie Wood, a Russian woman. This casting, though common in it’s time, was offensive to the entire Latin community. Essentially telling them that their actresses were not good enough to play the character. However, the show is getting another chance. Set to be released in 2020, Steven Speilberg’s remake of West Side Story stars Rachel Zegler, a Colombian teenager, ready to take on the world as Maria. Zegler has spoken out several times about how important representation is. Millions of fans are awaiting seeing a true Latin Maria on the silver screen. 

Sexuality is becoming a more and more important factor in casting every day. Recently, the Tony winning show, The Prom, has been in talks to become a movie. The show centers around two girls who want to go to prom together as a couple, but the school administration shuts down the prom in retaliation. Young queer kids everywhere were thrilled when the movie was announced. They were less thrilled when the casting possibilities were announced. When it was announced that Ariana Grande would be playing the main character, Alyssa Greene, fans were not happy. In the Broadway show, Alyssa was played by a queer woman of color, and as far as we know, Grande is neither. Casting LGBTQ+ actors as LGBTQ+ characters is extremely important to the audience. If a character is “straight-washed” it takes away part of the identity the original actor brought to the stage. It also takes a role from an actor that could play it with more honesty, emotion, and feeling, because they have shared experiences with the character. 

Kelli Jolly has been involved in theatre for a long time. From growing up a dancer and actress, to choreographing shows, to becoming the president of a theatre organization, she pretty much lives and breathes it. When asked how casting has changed in her time in the theatre, Jolly said that it has changed a lot. “Directors are casting in creative ways to bring a story to life in a different way than the story has been portrayed in the past. It is exciting to watch different versions of the same play or musical with non-traditional casting.” Those like Jolly, who have theatre in every part of their lives, are excited to see change and creativity in shows. They are also excited to watch what the new generation of actors tell the same stories, in a whole new way. A group of 16 actors, directors, and stage managers were asked if (aside from characters that are written with a specific race, sexuality, or religious belief) casting should be blind, and 94% said yes. The world is changing, and theatre is changing with it. 

Casting should be based on talent first. Casting an actor that does not deserve the role is wrong, no matter their race, gender, or religion. Characters can and should morph as the times change. Aiming to be more inclusive and to better represent the world around them. But if a character is a certain way for a reason, the actor should reflect that. Seeing yourself represented in media is important. Having diverse actors can help make that a reality for more people.  

Works Cited

Fierberg, Ruthie. “Why Sara Bareilles, Diane Paulus, and Jessie Nelson Changed Waitress' Old Joe to Josie.” Playbill, PLAYBILL INC., 18 Nov. 2018, www.playbill.com/article/why-sara-bareilles-diane-paulus-and-jessie-nelson-changed-waitress-old-joe-to-josie.

Person, and ProfilePage. “Brittney Johnson on Instagram: ‘My Heart Is Bursting with Gratitude. Thank You, Thank You! God Is so Good! I Am so Humbled to Be the First Black Glinda and Honored to...".” Instagram, www.instagram.com/p/BsgWkRehCVo/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=dlfix.

Rogo, Paula. “This Actress Just Made History As First Black Woman To Play Glinda In Broadway's 'Wicked'.” Essence, Essence, 14 Jan. 2019, www.essence.com/entertainment/this-actress-just-made-history-as-first-black-woman-to-play-glinda-in-broadways-wicked/.

Samberg, Joel. “Fiddler on the Roof.” My Jewish Learning, My Jewish Learning, 6 Jan. 2004, www.myjewishlearning.com/article/fiddler-on-the-roof/.

[singtheskyandfightlikehell]

Eurovision 2019 Opinions

Well, the 26 countries that will be participating in the final are official now, so here’s my in depth thoughts about each entry, ranked from least favorite to favorite along with explanations and a 10 pt rating system. honestly i thought this year was solidly mediocre. a few i really like, about 3 i can’t stand, and the rest are all smack dab in the middle of “decent”. of course, these are just my opinions and I totally get that people will disagree with them. i don’t really care. yeah there’s a few i’ll judge you for, but frankly my opinion shouldn’t matter to you. i’m just posting it for my own record and for anyone who might be curious

26. Slovenia (0/10) I know a lot of people like this entry, but frankly, I cannot stand it. It’s boring. It’s awkward. It’s uncomfortable. If I wanted to watch an m/f couple - or, you know what, any couple - stand really close to each other and mumble for three minutes, I - I don’t actually know where I’d go, because I can’t conceptualize myself ever wanting to see that.

25. Denmark (0/10) Again, why? This entry annoys me a lot, and the only reason I didn’t put it last was because I appreciate the use of more than one language. It’s my least favorite parts of all kids shows combined coupled with a message that honestly I disagree with. It feels a bit like she’s judging me for being upset at injustice in the world when I should just shut up and be happy about what I have. I’m sorry, but I don’t believe it’s acceptable to ignore atrocities just because my life is filled with good things. I could imagine this song being the welcoming number in a musical staged in one of those “everything is perfect on the outside but inside it’s the creepiest shit you’ve ever seen” towns that’s used to hypnotize the protagonist into not noticing the creepy shit

24. Estonia (1/10) I don’t honestly dislike this song, but it does bore me. He’s a mediocre singer with a mediocre song. Also I can’t get past the fact that he rhymes “this” with “this”. It distracts me and ruins the whole thing.

23. Czech Republic (2/10) I really didn’t like this one at first. It was irritating and the lyrics were weird. However, I surprisingly enjoyed the live performance. The lead singer has some charisma on stage. Good for him.

22. San Marino (3/10) No idea how he got to the final (I know it’s bc he’s a meme, but still), but I don’t hate the song. I don’t think it should win, but honestly, I think it’s fun. His voice is ridiculous, but I can stand it for three minutes.

21. UK (4/10) I definitely feel like this is the kind of generic song I’ve heard many times before, but he does a good job with it, and ultimately it’s alright. His hair makes me think of Finn Shelby from Peaky Blinders, but that’s neither here nor there.

20. North Macedonia (4/10) Honestly, I feel like I should like this song more than I do. She has a good voice, and the song has a good message. Unfortunately, it’s just never clicked with me, and I often find myself tuning out while listening to it.

19. Israel (5/10) I like his voice. He sells the emotion. Not a gripping song, by any means, but not bad. Some of the rhymes feel a little forced, like the lyrics were written specifically so that they would rhyme, rather than because they have meaning.

18. Germany (5/10) This one gets stuck in my head sometimes, but I’m okay with that. Tbh, I quite like it. Plus, the whole “sisters (but I’d say girls in general) are taught to tear each other down but need to build each other up instead” theme is one I wholeheartedly support. I spent too many years hating everything associated with girls because society told me to.

17. Malta (5/10) I go back and forth on this one a lot. Parts of it I like, parts of it I don’t. It feels a bit different to me, but not like, in a revolutionary way. The singer is strong, and it definitely gets the award for most colorful performance, literally!

16. Serbia (5/10) I feel like I’ve heard this entry before, too, but specifically at Eurovision. Still, she does a good job with it, and I like her armor-inspired jewelry. Plus, it’s not in English!

15. Belarus (5/10) Another one I go back and forth on. I find this is very good study music - energetic and repetitive enough not to be distracting. I don’t love it (I’m even hesitant to say I like it lmao), but people really ought to stop hating on her so much. She’s sixteen. Let her have her fun.

14. Albania (6/10) I really liked Albania’s entry this year tbh. I didn’t feel she sang as strong in the semi-final as she did in the music video, but otherwise I thought it was a very powerful song. The staging was pretty cool, too!

13. Azerbaijan (6/10) I loved everything about this except the refrain. The “shut up about it” bit starts to get on my nerves by about the second refrain. But the verses sounded cool and the staging was awesome!

12. Sweden (6/10) Not the most exciting song in the world, but he sounds good, the ladies sound great, and there’s nothing I dislike about the song or staging.

11. Cyprus (6/10) Not as good as the music video, sadly, but still catchy and fun. I didn’t really like it the first time I heard it, but it’s grown on me since. I felt bad for her being put on the spot with that one “are you mad about Cyprus losing last year” question.

10. Greece (6/10) Definitely grew on me. I tuned out of it the first time I heard it. Prior to the semi finals I thought it was alright. But she really gave us the lesbian dream, huh? Ladies with neat clothes and swords, plus a garden? What more can you ask for lmao

9. France (7/10) Feels kinda standard to me, but not in the worst way possible. Sometimes I get really into it, other times it’s just a nice song. I’ve been liking it a little bit more each time I hear it, though.

8. Netherlands (7/10) The favorite to win, and I’d be okay if it did. Not my favorite this year, but a solidly good song. I have to be in the right mood to want to listen to it, but when I am? Fucking amazing. Also, considering he never left the piano (and didn’t light it on fire), he gave a pretty good performance.

7. Spain (8/10) This song is so much fun, and it’s definitely going to end the competition on a high note. I’m also really curious to see the full version to know more about the life-size dollhouse and animatronic thing they’ve got going

6. Switzerland (8/10) I loved the music video more than the live performance, but regardless I thought this song was also really fun and, idk, snazzy? Love dancing to it while I fold laundry.

5. Australia (9/10) Australia’s staging was everything! I had them in the upper middle rankings until the semi-final, but honestly that looked cool as all fuck!! Her song is weird, but in a way that I can dig. Plus seeing her soar around like Glinda in space with two fellow witches is one of the highlights of Eurovision this year

4. Russia (10/10) Sergey is back and just like in 2016, I absolutely love him and his performance. I’ll admit, the shower thing was a bit weird, but the song sounded great live! Plus, he had a leg-up for me by going with fairy tale imagery in the music video.

3. Norway (10/10) Initially, I only liked the joiking. The other two singers have grown on me, though. This song is fun, the staging is cool, the singers are great, and then it gets quiet and the joik part comes in, and it’s so fucking cool!! Love it, love it, love it!

2. Italy (10/10) My favorite for a long time, only bumped out because I made the fortuitous mistake of watching Iceland’s interviews. I love the song. I love the message. The thing that impressed me most, though, was that this song is about something that isn’t even remotely close to anything that’s happened in my life. I do not relate to it at all. But despite having no personal connection to the topic, I could feel the emotion in it. For a brief three minutes, I could feel something that isn’t my reality but is the reality of many other people. And an artist who can do that is powerful indeed.

1. Iceland (10/10) If you couldn’t tell from the everything about my blog, I have firmly joined the camp of Hatari stans. It may surprise you, but I didn’t really like this song the first time I heard it. Then, I found out the meaning behind it and gave it another chance. Lo and behold, I liked it! It rose in my rankings from lower-middle to the number one spot between listening to it multiple times and watching all the Hatari content I could get my hands on. I totally understand the music being too far for some people, but as a metalhead during the not-Eurovision parts of the year, Hatari isn’t too far of a leap for me. I love the song. I love the staging. I love the costumes. I love the message. I love the band. I love how they interact with each other and everyone else. I love the bits on Iceland Music News. I love their trolling and sarcasm in the interviews. I love the anti-capitalism. I love their websites (seriously, check them out. they put a lot of effort into them). I love the way they approach issues that are important to them. I love the fact that they aren’t afraid of the tough subjects. I especially love that they aren’t trying to walk the popularity line (you see it all the time - for example, queerbaiting, where a tv show wants to appeal to all sides of an issue, so they make characters nearly lgbtqia+ but then throw in enough straightness to please conservatives). Hatari picks their side in each issue instead of trying to cater to everyone, and I respect that a lot. My reactions and emotions aren’t usually prominent or even necessarily visible, but there’s a chance I might actually cheer if they win.

Finally, the honorable mentions, aka countries that didn’t make it to the final but that I would’ve loved to see:

Hungary (in my original top 10) - loved him last time, loved him this time. Beautiful song, beautiful voice, beautiful staging

Georgia - my hopes weren’t high but that doesn’t mean I didn’t love it. There’s nothing quite like a good dramatic song, and this was as dramatic as they come

Portugal/Poland - the two most people were really miffed about in the first semi-final; I think they’d’ve been alright in the semi-final, but both depend entirely on my mood. sometimes I love, sometimes I hate

Croatia - the song was ‘meh’, the singer was fantastic, and the staging was Eurovision in all the right ways

Armenia - one of my early favorites. could’ve used some other people on stage, but otherwise I thought she did wonderfully

Romania - what can I say that hasn’t been said already? she brought everything! that was an experience and an amazing one at that. so disappointed she didn’t make it

and of course,

Ukraine - catchy, badass, wacky, and wlw? sign me the fuck up. So sad to hear what happened to her. I know people are saying this is why politics should be kept out of music, but that’s ridiculous. The real issue is when the issue/message isn’t coming from the artist. It should always be up to the artist’s discretion what they do or do not promote. Propaganda and censorship go hand in hand, which is why I am so bothered by the blanket statements I hear thrown around about Ukraine’s fiasco this year

And that’s all! I think I’ll be happy with anyone scoring a 7 or higher for me winning on Saturday. I wouldn’t be upset about a 6 winning either, I suppose.

Anyways, off to bed so I can make my snacks tomorrow lmao!

[comebackbehere23]

For @bisexualblossoms

“I told you that it wasn’t a good idea, that he’s grieving, but he told me that he wants to go on a date. He wants it to be real.” Kevin whispers with wide, excited eyes. “What do I do?”

“Well, there’s no simple answer…”

Cheryl pretty much blacks out as Veronica begins to talk. It’s Saturday afternoon and for some strange reason, her girlfriend isn’t with her. She tries to remember why they thought spending the day apart was a good idea, something about the heart growing fonder with distance. Honestly? Cheryl is kicking herself for making that ridiculous statement; no matter where Toni is, her heart is pretty damn fond of the woman who owns it.

“Cheryl, what do you think?” Veronica asks.

Cheryl blinks herself back to reality, “I agree with everything you said.”

“You weren’t even listening.” Veronica points out with a playful roll of her eyes. “How do you know I didn’t just say that I was going to sell your girlfriend back to the Land of Oz?”

“What are you trying to imply?” Cheryl demands.

“She’s obviously a munchkin who somehow escaped the clutches of Glinda.” Veronica shrugs. “I could fit her in my pocket.”

“She isn’t going anywhere.” Cheryl declares. “And if you tried to sell her back then I’d obviously just buy Oz. Nobody gets to own my girlfriend.”

Kevin smiles adoringly, “You love her so much.”

“I do.” Cheryl nods. “And that is why I’m cutting this lovely afternoon short. I miss her and I would very much like to see her.”

“Oh, we don’t mind hanging out with her.” Kevin assures her as he turns his attention to his phone. “I have been dying to ask where she got those studded boots from.”

Veronica smirks as Cheryl’s eyes narrow, “I don’t think she’s up for sharing Toni today, Kev. We’re being kicked out.”

“At least someone gets it.” Cheryl hums. “I enjoyed our time together, but I really just want Toni to come over and sleep with me.”

Kevin gags, “Gross.”

“I’m serious.” Cheryl grins as she grabs her phone from the bedside table. “Now, you know your way out. I’ll see you Monday. Toodles, loves.”

“I can’t believe she’s kicking us out just so she can bone Toni.” Kevin pouts. “I’ll remember this, Cheryl. I am hurt.”

“Come on, Kevin,” Veronica giggles as she pushes him towards the door. “I’ll buy you a milkshake for all your pain.”

“At least you love me.” Kevin sniffles.

Cheryl rolls her eyes as they disappear, “Drama queen. And that’s coming from me.”

-

“Ah, fuck you!”

“Watch it, Topaz. You almost blew me up.”

“Fangs won’t stop…fuck you, you dick. We’re on the same team!” Toni growls as she gives Sweet Pea a hard nudge.

“Man, you guys suck.” Fangs chuckles with an amused shake of his head. “I thought if I let you guys team up that it’d be more of a challenge, but you still can’t beat me.”

“Fuck off.” Sweet Pea huffs.

“Gah! Sweets, what the hell? You just blew up my fucking car.” Toni whines. “I never want to be on a team wit you again, you fucking hamburger. How the fuck do you just blow my shit up like that?”

Sweet Pea bursts into laughter, “You call me and hamburger and then follow it with more cursing? You’re too cute, Tiny.”

“I am not cute.” Toni flushes. “I’m a badass.”

“I highly doubt your Northsider would call you a badass. I’ve seen you with your precious princess, you are a complete dork.” Fangs smirks as he swerves into Sweet Pea’s character. “You’ve lost your B card, dude.”

“At least I’ve got a girlfriend, a lot more than I can say for the two of you single bozos.” Toni points out as she mashes her buttons. “And my girl knows I’m a total badass.”

The sound of a ping causes Toni to pause and she immediately drops her controller as she fumbles for her phone. Beside her, Sweet Pea watches with eyes that shine with mirth while Fangs struggles to hold back a loud laugh. It’s near impossible to stay silent as they watch Toni finally dig her phone from her jacket pocket only to drop it and lunge eagerly for it. It’s hard for them to adjust to this side of Toni, the side that drops everything just to answer a text from her girlfriend (a girlfriend who has her own private text tone, mind you).

My Baby: Come over. I want to sleep with you.

“Gag.” Sweet Pea scoffs.

Toni flashes him a glare, “Watch it.”

“What a formal way to ask for a booty call.” Fangs snorts. “Your girl talks like she was raised by Shakespeare. Although, it’s a lot better than some ass texting you some shit like come over so we can fuck.”

“Good point.” Sweet Pea nods as he turns his attention back to their game. “Gotta say, Blossom is a definite improvement since your last one. What was his name? Jacob? Jackson?”

“Greyson. His name was Greyson.” Toni mumbles as she stands to grab her stuff. “And he was an ass, but you two treated him like trash.”

“We know a garbage can when we see one.” Fangs shrugs. “Where are we going? We still have ten minutes left in the game.”

“Sorry, boys,” Toni sighs. “Babe needs me.”

Sweet scrunches his nose, “Yuck. Have fun with your booty call. Call us when you’re done and we can meet up for some pool at the Wyrm.”

“Not a booty call!” Toni calls over her shoulder.

“Sure.” Fangs nods.

“Of course it’s not.” Sweet Pea laughs.

“Bye, bitches!”

“She’s totally going to get laid.” Fangs murmurs as he focuses his attention on the game while Toni slips from the trailer.

Sweet Pea gives a lopsided grin, “Oh, most definitely.”

-

Cheryl smiles as she feels the bed dip before a warm hand slides up her bare calf. Immediately, her eyes close as lips dance along her shoulder. As soon as Toni is hovering over her, Cheryl rolls onto her back and fists leather hard enough to pull Toni down onto her. Just like that, everything melts away as Cheryl presses her lips to Toni until her lungs burn from neglect. With one last quick peck, Cheryl huffs as she pushes at the leather on Toni’s shoulder while settling back into her pillow.

“Miss me?” Toni smirks.

Cheryl peeks an eye open to watch as her girlfriend sheds her jacket, “Of course I did, that goes without saying. I don’t like having days away from you.”

“Why did we think that was a good idea again?” Toni frowns.

“I don’t know, but it’s never happening again.” Cheryl declares. “Now, take off your shoes and come hold me. I wanna nap.”

“The boys saw your text, they’re convinced this was a booty call.” Toni snorts.

“Kevin and Veronica assumed the same thing. If only they knew that it just meant that I wanted cuddles and a nap.” Cheryl grins. “Hurry up with those shoes, Topaz.”

“Gimme a second, these jeans are not napping material.” Toni grumbles as she kicks her jeans aside. “Fuck. That is so much better.”

Cheryl hums happily as Toni crawls in behind her and drops an arm around her waist, “Thank you for coming over, TT.”

“Always, babe.” Toni whispers. “I love you.”

“I love you more.” Cheryl yawns.

“Go to sleep, baby.” Toni orders as she tightens her arm around Cheryl’s waist. “After our nap, we can totally turn this into a booty call.”

Cheryl giggles in delight, “Whatever you want.”

With that, they both drift off.

[callmetippytumbles]

Thoughts on THOTS Chapter 18: Let Halle Live 2K18

It looks like next week’s chapter is going to be the last one in this book. So shit is hitting the fan then. The way things are playing out, it looks exactly like Book 1 towards the end.  Expensive last moment scenes split between chapters with the LIs, b-plots you don’t give a fuck about getting resolved (I hope!), and bullshit.

Let’s just get our mess gloves on and get into it.

We start the chapter where we left off in Halle’s room with Bertrand and Maxwell to discuss the Homecoming Ball. Halle’s like fucking finally, I get to have a good time with my mans and take a motherfuckin breath. Bertrand is like:

Then this exchange happened:

My mood concerning the TRR for this year: #LetHalleLive2K18. I am carrying this spirit into book 3 as well.

I know @playchoices PB is just going to keep their foot right on my neck.  They have me where they want me, and they are not going to stop.

Anyway, Bertie and Maxwell are here to remind me that I cannot be my petty, regular-smegular ass self.  I have not to act a fool so that the country will not think that Liam made a misstep in choosing me.  In reality, the people are going to be angry that Liam went on an expensive ass world engagement tour with one woman and returned engaged to someone else. They should be. The Beaumonts aren’t trying to think about that. They are not wrong to remind Halle that her job from now on is to care about other people’s opinions, but right now Halle isn’t thinking like that.

Maxwell mentions that Savannah is back and Bertrand is like:

Halle and Maxwell revive him. Then he is all “but I fucked that up, and I have to focus on this.” That means heading my ass to the boutique to give PB to pay my “don’t look like a bum at your own party” tax.

On the way to the boutique and I get stopped by none other than my handsome ass man, Liam.

Of course, his eyes light up when he sees Halle because duh. He is wearing a lovely blue suit.  

I am not mad at it.  This suit is a stark improvement compared the clothes over the last few weeks.  All of Liam’s recent fashion choices confused me.  I have suggested before that Liam has wanted to step up his basic rich dude style (ascots, cashmere sweaters, etc.) because the MC is much more fashionable and willing to take risks than he is.  However, now he has taken it upon himself to step out of the box, play with color, and just have fun with it.  This is all to say I think Liam wants to dress like Andre Benjamin aka Andre 3000 from Outkast now.  I mean look at the evidence:

I felt it, and now I can’t unsee it. Again, I am not mad at it.  Andre3000 is uniquely stylish, but I would prefer that he stays in the Idlewild-era Andre and not show up to the next royal function like this:

Andre is fine, this look just is not for you Liam.

But Liam did not just come looking for me just to tell me that Andre3000 is his new fashion icon.  He came to fetch me for an engagement photo shoot, and I was like:

I want to spend time with my man, we are engaged, and I just want to enjoy my man.  Responsibilities and plot just won’t let me.

It’s photoshoot time, and Liam chose another PB sponsored cotillion dress for me to wear.  I do not like this dress at all.  I know it’s intended to be intricate and delicate and lavish, but it is not drawn to meet that.  I am nobody’s artist.  So I am not going to even make suggestions on how to illustrate that better.  I am going to suggest to stop drawing David’s Bridal dresses.  I just saw on Tumblr Marchesa’s spring line and some other designers that have the detailing and luxury that this whole book tries to sell us. Just follow this blog. Hopefully, the PB art team will take a look.

I mean, LOOK AT THIS:

Anyway, Ana de Luca from Trend Magazine is taking our engagement photos, and Liam is just gushing about how much he is in love with you, and you are the best thing to ever happen to him.  

The cynic in me is like, can you not gush about me in front of Ana?  She was part of the press that dragged me during the scandal.  I could easily see a disparaging story about how Halle is a golddigger that has bewitched Liam for money and power and dick and Liam is too whipped to snap out of it.  I don’t want to think like that, but it’s possible.

The romantic in me is like:

Seriously, I cannot get enough of this man telling me all the ways that he loves me.  I will probably be forever alone because I will not find a human man in 2018 to be like this and I refuse to accept a man who can only offer a DTF text at 11 PM.

I love my engagement photo:

Halle and Liam look so good together. I hope this picture is what keeps us motivated if the bullshit in book 3 is too much. They are just so freakin’ cute! 

After that Liam has more planning to do for the Homecoming Ball because he is a King Right Now and not a Queen to be like Halle. On our way to the boutique, we run into Justin.  Part of me is like:

However, because of my sincere desire to not have this dude be an enemy and all the blue backgrounds, I am choosing to relax. But this last moment still has me weary.

I am just suspicious of everything because I know bullshit is coming my way and I am feeling in the dark to try and stop it, but I should know that it’s not gonna help any.

After a long-ass time, we finally get to the boutique and somehow Hana is not angry at us for taking forever and a day to get there.  Olivia is also there and also not angry that we took so long.  It’s time to pick out your Homecoming Ball alphet to serve the peeples some lewks.  

Hana picks this pink Glinda the Good Witch ass gown.  

I don’t think the Hana that made two bomb ass cheongsams is the Hana that chose this number. I think the Hana that had tea time with Princess Snickerdoodle and Ms. Lemon Curd is the one that picked out this gown.  I know the gown intends to be romantic, but the look screams juvenile.  You look as if you robbed a My Sized Barbie of its clothes.  I will not let PB defame you like this Hana!

Olivia is not going to let you go out like that.  Her choice is the gown on the cover of the book.  

We knew it was only a matter of time until that dress came and now is that time.  

I chose the gold dress, though I have alternatives that I would have liked more.

Our last moments with Olivia are sweet.  I will come to your dungeon girl. This will not be the last we see of you.  There is a whole book three coming, and we will be back to Lythikos because everything is better in Lythikos.

A few Thoughts back, I said that at this rate Maxwell stans would taste Maxwell’s dick before Drake stans taste Drake’s dick. Hana stans come out the cut like:

They got down with homegirl in their diamond scene and possibly engaged depending on if your MC is engaged to Liam. Shoutout to Hana stans! I am beyond elated for you finally getting your time with your beloved.

I did not buy either Hana or Maxwell’s diamond scene because they were explicitly meant to be romantic and I am not paying to play a romantic scene with LIs I am not sexually interested in. Also, I am engaged to Liam.

With that said the whole situation where you can still romance other LIs in addition to whoever you choose to be your primary is a mess.  All I am going to say here is that once again discussions about hooking up with other LIs are happening with the other LIs first and not with the primary LI.  If your primary LI doesn’t consent, then it’s cheating. Cheating is messy. I just wish Hana would have pulled a Zig and quoted Trick Daddy on Trina’s “Bitch I Don’t Need You” if you tried to come to her with Liam’s ring on your finger.  Specifically, “Bitch I don’t need you/No way, no how, not then, not now/Uh-uh, bitch/Bitch I don’t need you.”

I wrote more about my thoughts on the situation in a separate post. It turns out I had a lot.

Sandwiched in between Hana and Maxwell’s 30 diamond scenes, is Savannah officially came back, and Bertrand didn’t know what to do with himself. 

Drake is officially over Bertrand. 

I mean I know Drake is grossed out/angry because of Bertrand and the whole baby daddy situation, but I like to think that Drake just wants the B-plot to die as much as I do and that is why he is pissed AF at this moment.  I am beyond ready for this to be over.  Besides, its MY night and I am not interested in this Maury drama.

This all ends with Bastien coming up to escort you to the Homecoming Ball. He apologizes for his part in the scandal bullshit.  

Halle was like:

Meanwhile, I am like:

It’s not like I am that bothered by Bastien regarding his role in the conspiracy because I have more significant concerns at the moment.

These are my more significant concerns.

First and for most who is protecting Liam? I can suspend my disbelief that there are some lesser guards with him or something but still.

Secondly, fuck you mean my security detail isn’t ready yet? 

Even if Liam didn’t break up with A Demon, additional security should have been secured for the queen in waiting at this point.  Why didn’t I get what would have been IT’s detail? Did A Demon just bring it’s own? I can understand why if the Royal Guard is this incompetent. This is probably the setup for the bullshit to come in the last chapter but still.

Lastly, how good is Bastien at “protecting”? All I have heard is how much he sucks at it when it counts. Bastien lost a dude for TWO WEEKS. He just said that he could not find me and we were on the SAME COMPOUND. What the what? Bastien this could have been solved way faster than what you chose.  

Method one: divide and conquer.  Bastien could have taken one or two dudes and have them cover the grounds to find Halle. I don’t think that a country with a queen, a king, and a prince has only three bodyguards total in addition to royal sentries or whatever.  The Knowles-Carters have a shit ton of bodyguards in addition to Julius.  Why can’t the Cordonian Monarchy get it together?

Method two: Bastien is right now Liam’s chief guard (I think), to guard him he must have known about the engagement photo shoot because he would have to know Liam’s schedule. Halle may not have a schedule as chock full as Liam’s, but I know his days are meticulously planned because he is a fucking King that has shit to do.  Halle was at the engagement shoot. How did Bastien lose Halle between the shoot, the boutique and now? Right now the only thing Bastien seems to do well is cockblock (does it to Liam and Halle in book 1, plus Leo in RoE), and kick people out of parties (namely Halle and the Beaumonts since he kicked them out of the Coronation Ball and Liam’s bachelor party). This makes Bastien look like a glorified club bouncer. I don’t see what makes Bastien different than Loss Prevention at Tiffany’s.

Granted it’s hard to tell how much of this incompetence is on the PB writers not sufficiently addressing it and how much is actually on Bastien and the Royal Guard. The fact that it’s a toss-up is problem enough.

PAAARTY TIME!

I have to say the new backgrounds in this chapter are fucking beautiful.  This and where you meet with Hana are really nice. Great additions to the catalog.

Kiara gives the first toast followed by Ashy Rashad.  I think PB ships those two together since Rashad looks like he is interested in Kiara.

Just me? I don’t like Rashad, he was rude AF to me in RoE, and I have held it against him ever since.  I also think that he was rude to me because he wants to smash William.  With that said, while I still believe Kiara could do better, I could also see Kiara and Rashad working out. They are both driven, serious people.  I think they can encourage each other ambitions while providing respite from the pressures from such ambition.  I have been on a shipping Kiara streak lately. I just am.

After Ashy Rashad finishes his toast, Adelaide aka Champ Mami (read as ShamP Ma-Mee) gives a toast. As usual, she knows what matters most to her and stands unwaveringly in that truth.

I applaud her. I am kind of suspicious as to why the Champagne Mami is here and not causing shit.  Halle has spent a smooth 17 chapters disrespecting the fuck out of that alleged person you call your daughter. Halle fucked your child’s man, upstaged your child at it’s own events, just not giving a fuck.  After all of that disrespect, Halle ends up with the crown. How are you so chill? I mean there is free top-shelf booze here, but you are Duchess of Krona you can get your own top shelf booze whenever. Then again, she counts having your top-shelf alcohol tastes being accommodated and sponsored among the chief duties of a queen in waiting. Champ Mami is just looking out for her child the best way she knows how and likes her booze.  I can only admire her priorities.

@lizzybeth1986 suggested in her thoughts that Adelaide may be supportive of Halle taking on the crown over her own daughter because she doesn’t see it as necessarily a good thing for her daughter and that A Demon not getting the crown could be more helpful than harmful.  If A Demon is not behind the bullshit (IT IS), IT would have dodged a bullet considering the mess that is to come next chapter.

As Champ Mami is making her toast, Bertrand informs us that he does not have a formal one prepared for us because he has been consumed by the drama that is his Maury-ass life. You had the fucking nerve to rain on fucking Halle’s happiness with reminders of her duties but you can lapse on yours because of lurve, and I just have to be calm and forgiving?

Doesn’t matter because we have to give a speech now and I cannot cuss out Bertrand over this double-standard. The solution is that Maxwell, Bertrand, and Halle make up the toast on the fly.  Maxwell kills the opening. Bertrand turns his part to a full-on confession of love without saying Savannah’s name. This Savannah thing must really be on his spirit.  When a word consumes your spirit like that, you just have to come up to the congregation and testify. Halle is next with the ending, and these were my options:

You know what I did.  Typically, I would not have picked that option, but like Bertrand, a word was on my petty ass spirit, and I too had to testify. I linked to the post about that whole moment. I regret nothing.

Suffice to say:

Penelope’s reaction to you talking shit about A Demon is everything:

Me while reading the whole thing:

After you ruin the moment, House Beaumont commiserates over fucking that up–well over Halle fucking that up.  Maxwell’s response is very Maxwell.

Savannah comes up to us to talk about what Bertrand said. Great, have a real ass conversation, take the Duke back and then end this tired ass B-Plot that I don’t fucking care about so I can focus on what really matters. For the record what really matters is getting to the point where I pay PB diamonds to hook up with Liam.  

Before the chapter ends A Demon befouls your celebration like:

If you are not petty, IT being there is a total shock for you because this would be the first time A Demon has appeared since I think Chapter 15.  If you are petty, you already know IT’s there, but you still don’t expect IT to talk to you.  Well, I didn’t expect that to happen.  The chapter ends there.

So let us gauge threat levels now that we KNOW that shit is hitting the fan next week. Not to be Trusted and most definitely Up to “Something:” A Demon (This is mostly me disliking IT since PB will not just start shit before you get the opportunity to fuck your beloved) MurderKing

May or may not be Up to Something but still proceed with caution: Adelaide aka Champagne Mami (You thoroughly disrespected her child, no amount of game recognition or top-shelf booze is going to erase that one) Regina Justin (I feel good about our interaction this week, but that last panel has me feeling a way) Savannah (I still don’t know why you came back, your life was fine and sponsored where you were. Why is you here?)

Most definitely plottin’, just not against you or Liam: Olivia (Connie done fucked up, she is just waiting for Shit to Go Down, and she will come for that ass)

So next week all the shit goes down. Drake stans will get Drake’s dick down their throats. Liam stans will spend a lot of diamonds to fuck their beloved before their lives get wrecked. These sex scenes need to be bomb.com. Especially for Drake stans since they have been waiting for two whole motherfucking books to get more than a deep kiss and a firm embrace. At the end of Drake’s sex scene Drake stans need to be like:

They have been waiting for 38 chapters for this, they deserve.

I want my scene with Liam to be bomb as well.  No fade to black.  I want descriptions of the dick.  Liam could get attacked next chapter, and then I have to wait for a book 3, and I want to remember my beloved. I deserve. Imma riot if this fades to back quickly like the sex scenes in LoveHacks.

Speaking of which I have been rereading LoveHacks, and I miss Ben Park.  There, I said it.

Also among other things, I have been working on more fanfics.  Two are in the works right now.  Just have to work on those endings. I hope to get those out within the next couple of weeks. (I may or may not be delayed by the next chapter.) I also plan to do a threat level post.  I was going to release a detailed threat level post this week, but I think the stand-alone post for that would be better if done after the last chapter is released.  It would be more useful to gauge threats after the shit has gone down and to use the post to prepare for book 3.

I need to get food, contemplate hair products for next week, and finish some fanfics.

[imagine-the-feels]

Ghosts of the Past

Summary: You’re West’s little sister, who had survived the beast forever. You and West along with East were extremely close, but when the Wizard banned the practice of magic, you stood up to him. He banned you form Oz, making West think he killed you. His guards dumped you somewhere and you lose your memory. Years later, Glinda is revealed to have found you. West will now do anything to get you back.

Word Count: 1665

West felt like she was the one who needed to die.

She’d caused so much destruction around her--led so many people to their deaths that she should’ve been slaughtered herself. 

She’d led those cardinal witches to certain death against the Beast Forever.

She didn’t protect East when she was killed.

She’d lost Dorothy.

And now--now she’d killed Tip.

The Witch of the West paced vigorously around her room, her body shaking as she mumbled to herself words of comfort to calm her nerves. The tears had never stopped leaking from her eyes, the sobs had never stopped wracking her body, and West couldn’t take in any oxygen for the life of her.

But that’s what she wanted. She wanted to be starved of oxygen--to be suffocated for all her wrong doings. She just--she needed--

Hitting her fists against her forehead, West let out a lost cry and she dropped to her knees onto the floor. She let her body give out, let herself collapse onto the cool ground that seemed too much of a relief to her heated body.

Her sobs were slowly getting louder, and images flashed through her mind. The cardinal witches--East, with a bullet through her head--The little girl that the Wizard burned out--Tip, not breathing or moving--

And You.

For a second, West’s airways cleared at the thought of you just before they shut again, this time, a lot tighter. Gasping for Air, the Witch tried to block out the flood of memories that were opened up just at the mere thought of your name.

You both had been so close. You were her little sister, she loved you, like nothing else she had ever known except for her mother. And you had loved her back just as much, smoothing out her rough edges and accepting her sins the way she could never forgive herself. You were her best friend, her companion, the only person to ever know her--

And West had killed you, just like she did to everyone she loved. 

You had been furious with the new Wizard, and his ban on magic that he tried to issue. You had never believed in his “science”, and West was just as enthusiastic as you were in your cause. Except you actually acted on your beliefs, and the last thing West remembered was the small army of soldiers dragging you away to inevitable doom while the rest held her back helpless.

Sometimes at night, that was all West remembered. Your screams for help while being dragged away haunted her, your eyes wide with fear imprinted in West’s dreams. And now, that’s all she heard and saw.

Rocking back and forth, West clutched desperately at the sides of her head. 

“I’m sorry (Y/N),” she sobbed, shaking her head. “I’m so sorry.”

You didn’t know how long it had been since you’d lost your memory. You’d lost count of the days, the room you were constantly left in never giving any indication of the date or the time.

All you knew was that you had seen enough of the color white in your life, and that the witch Glinda was not to be trusted.

She’d found you that first day, and you could practically feel her excitement when her eyes widened in recognition. When she realized you had no memories, you couldn’t help but notice the smug look that flitted across her face for a split second.

She’d told you that you were an apprentice of hers, and a spell had gone wrong which had caused you to be sent to the middle of nowhere along with the number of bruises you had. If you were caught by the enemy, you’d been given a small spell of Glinda’s that would erase your memory so you couldn’t be used against them.

Despite what she told you, there was something about her that didn’t sit right. Something deep down told you she wasn’t to be trusted, and you decided to listen. When you tried to run, she’d captured you and sent you into a small chamber where you now resided.

Every once in a while a man named Roan would check up on you, and you oddly trusted him. He didn’t seem as cold or heartless as his wife, which was why you were so confused as to why they were together. A little while ago one of Glinda’s apprentices had been thrown into the room with you, and after a few months you learned it was because she was pregnant. After that, Roan strangely stopped showing up, and you worried for the man.

Glinda only came to see you every full moon, and you expected that she was waiting for something that you couldn’t put your finger on. But since she’d taken you, small snippets of what you assumed was your life before this came back to you. There was one woman that was a constant in all the memories, and you couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of sorrow and love when you had a chance to see her.

You were daydreaming about a snippet you’d recently gotten about you and the mystery woman, where you were throwing the silliest of spells at each other while laughing uncontrollably. Suddenly the hidden doors were activated, and a woman you didn’t recognize was shoved into the room.

She was dressed in a weird fashion, and looked about ready to bolt again except there was no way out. After a weird greeting, you learned her name was Dorothy Gale, and that for some reason you could trace the strong scent of Roan all over her.

“Why are you here?” Dorothy asked, sitting across from you against the wall.

Tilting your head, you looked down at your hands in your lap. “She wants me here,” you mumbled, furrowing your eyebrows. “She’s never told me why, but I lost my memory and she took me and--” you cleared your throat, keeping in an onslaught of tears. “And I don’t think I’ll ever be free.”

Dorothy reached in front of her, grasping your hand tightly in hers. “I will free us,” she said with such determination you started to believe her. “We’ll get past Glinda,” she looked towards the pregnant woman. “All of us.”

Things went wrong quickly, and you were sorry to say that as soon as Glinda was distracted, you bolted out of the room despite the pregnant lady giving birth. You didn’t know where you were running to, but eventually you ended up on what you assumed was the roof.

There was a large rose tree in the middle of all the white, and despite it being a change to all the blandness, the vibrancy of the color sickened you.

You paced to both ends of the roof, trying to figure out a way to leave when a bright light emanated from behind you and sobbing caught your attention.

Turning around in defense, you were frozen when the woman you’ve been seeing in your head for God knows how long was kneeling before you on the floor. Her dark aura and clothing stood out from everything around her, but it was welcome to your sore eyes.

A sharp pain of an emotion you couldn’t place pierced your heart, and a throbbing started from the back of your head. West. West. West, something whispered to you, and you took a cautious step towards the woman who had yet to look at you. 

“W-west?” you whispered, scared to raise your voice.

The Witch of the West was pretty sure someone was playing a cruel trick on her. That voice--God she knew that voice from anywhere. It was one she hadn’t heard for years, one she didn’t think she’d hear again--

She didn’t dare look up, to see that she really was a fool  and that (Y/N) wasn’t here. She didn’t want to look up, in fear that it was her and that every shred of reality would crash down around West.

“(Y-Y/N)?” She whispered, sniffling strongly as she allowed her hair to obscure her view. “Is that truly you?”

You took in a shake breath. “I-i don’t know,” you mumbled, suddenly immensely sad.  “I don’t know anything--I don’t know myself--”

West couldn’t help herself anymore. She gave into her selfish desires and looked up reluctantly, her breath being snatched away from her as she drank in the form of her closest sibling. 

“Sister,” West sobbed, and like a bullet she shot up, wrapping her arms around you. Instinctively you hugged her back, a sense of familiarity being brought back to you as you stood in her embrace. West shook against your body, running her hands through your hair in an attempt to grasp onto the actual reality that you were there.

She pulled back, red-rimmed eyes shinning with long-dead happiness as she looked you over. “Are you okay? Where have you been? I’ve--I’m so sorry--”

You took ahold of her hands, looking at her with watery eyes and a sad smile that was faltering. “I don’t know,” you sniffled. “I can’t remember anything. I don’t know how long I’ve been here--”

“Shh,” she calmed you down, smoothing down your hair while smiling. “Don’t worry, we’ll get your memories back. But for now your here.” West paused, her smile dropping. “Why are--why are you here?” She looked around her as if just remembering your setting. “Glinda, Glinda’s had you this whole time?”

You nodded your head reluctantly, eyes widening in slight fear as her expression turned dangerous. 

“She’s not going to hurt you again,” West growled. “I swear on my life from here on I will fight for you as well as both of us. No one will separate us again. Do you understand me Sister?”

Your gaze darted between her eyes, and you threw yourself into another hug with her. You nodded into her shoulder, letting yourself believe her words. 

“Never again.”

Request Here

Masterlist

[s0022338-blog]

Post C: Textual Analysis Draft

Explore the representation of women in Hick and Violet & Daisy

 Both of my chosen films go against the general representation that men are often portrayed as being the stronger model of both sexes. My first chosen film “Hick” was released in May 2012 and directed by Dereck Martini with a budget of seven million dollars. The genre of Hick is described as comedy/drama although throughout the films narrative there are clearly very dark undertones and hidden connotations. Hick follows the story of runaway teen Luli who follows the wrong road in the childlike hope of a better future however, Luli soon crosses paths with a going nowhere loner and a cocaine snorting sweetheart.

On the other hand, Violet & Daisy was released just a year later in June 2013 with a higher budget of 8 million USD by director Geoffrey Scowcroft Fletcher. The genre of the film is described as Action/Comedy but again it is evident throughout the film that there are much darker undertones to it. In my other chosen film ‘Violet & Daisy’ two teenage girls play the role of assassins which creates controversy as it is usually men chosen to play these types of characters in films.  Violet & Daisy follows the story of two teenage girls sent on a job to take the life of a man they soon become very close with, making the job a lot harder to complete than expected.

 Both of my chosen films go against the general representation of women and how they are stereotyped as gentle and weak. Through the use of action film iconography in both films Violet & Daisy and Hick the teenage girls carry guns which shows they are strong characters. In my chosen sequence for Violet & Daisy through the use of mise on scene it is clear by what the two girls are wearing and the color of it that they are the protagonistic characters. The color of white represents a sense of purity and innocence. Both films partly follow the Bechdel test for movies as they are at least two named female characters that talk to each other and play main parts. However, in both films their main topic of conversation is about men, because although the men in violet & Daisy and Hick are portrayed very differently they are still going to greatly affect the female’s lives forever.

In the opening scene of this sequence one of the teenage assassins (Daisy) is playing pattacake with The Mister she is supposed to be killing. This shows how she has a childlike mindset, tricking the audience into completely under estimating her abilities. It also shows how she has been made to grow up quicker due to her job. This confuses the narrative because she is meant to be taking this man’s life not playing childhood games with him. Both characters in this scene are wearing white which equalizes them in terms of power and makes the female assassin (Daisy) appear no more inferior than the older looking man(The Mister). However, the mise en scene shows the age of the man as he has glasses on a chain around his neck making it obvious his eyesight isn’t very good anymore because of his age. This shows as a disadvantage and makes him appear as a weaker character to Daisy. Therefore, this reinforces how the film goes against the general representation of men been the stronger and more powerful characters.

       In the next scene of the sequence four men known as ’Donnie and his crew’ barge in and are all shown from the use of a low camera angle standing over the mister and Daisy pointing guns at them. The use of a low camera angle shot makes Donnie and his crew appear more powerful than The Mister and Daisy as it makes them look a lot bigger especially because of the iconography used of them all holding guns. Therefore, this conforms to the feminist film theory of men being portrayed as the stronger sex. The mise en scene of the four characters’ outfits adds to the powerful antagonistic image as all the men are dressed in black or darker colors compared to the color of The Mister and Daisy’s clothing being pure white. This scene creates juxtaposition to the rest of the film as it reverts to the general representation of men being more powerful than women.

   Through the editing technique of the shot reverse shot a long winded conversation takes place between Donnie (the main antagonist) and Daisy, during this scene Daisy is seen as the childlike character almost having a patronizing conversation with Donnie. Unbeknown to himself, this is to stall time until her partner Violet arrives to wipe out ‘Donnie and his crew’, during this scene the film juxtapose the binaries of good versus bad in Daisy’s character as she protects The Mister by shielding him with her own body to protect him from the bullets clearly stating a bond between the two has been formed, though we may question whether is it just the mere fact that she has been assigned a job to carry out and will allow no other to do it for her.

To emphasize the gunshots in this scene foley sound is used which contributes to the genre of the film being action.

     In the aftermath of the killing of ‘Donnie and his crew’ the sociopathic tendencies of Violet and Daisy become crystal clear especially when they embark on their ceremonial dance which they have named “ the internal bleeding dance “ this consists of both teenagers unashamedly dancing on their dying victims’ bodies causing them ultimate death whilst giggling and listening to  music , this is shown through the use of contrapuntal sound as the song used in this scene is Three Degrees “ When Will I see you Again” ; this callus scene may cause distress and discomfort to the audience. A sense of black comedy is created when humour is created through the lyrics of the song playing in relation to their brutal crime.

    My other chosen sequence is from a film called Hick. In the beginning scene of the sequence the audience are introduced to Eddie flipping a gun in his hands. Straight away through the use of iconography the fact that Eddie is holding a gun shows that he has some kind of dominance and power. However, this power is only supported by the fact that he is holding a gun. In the first opening scene an American shot is used to show that Eddie isn’t the only person in the room. Through the use of mise en scene you can straight away see by the clothing the person is wearing that it is a woman. She is wearing pink colored silk clothing and her curved body shape also suggests that she is a woman. This straight away contrasts with Violet & Daisy as Hick supports the general representation of men being the stronger characters than women whereas in Violet & Daisy the women have the same power as the men if not more, going against the general representation. Also through the use of mise en scene the sequence is filmed in a small log cabin with all the blinds shut. This shows the audience that Eddie is trying to hide his wrong doings.

      In the following scene from my chosen sequence the cinematography technique of a two shot is shown of Eddie trying to kiss Glinda. The fact that a two shot has been used shows the audience only them two characters are meant to be in the shot. This could connote intimacy and be representing that at one point Eddie and Glinda had a relationship but by Glinda’s reaction to Eddie it shows that it wasn’t a good kind of relationship. It is obvious by the character’s placement that Glinda is trying to get away from Eddie foreshadowing what she has been trying to do her whole life. However, Eddie still doesn’t seem to understand that he has done anything wrong and believes that Glinda could still love him.

This scene could also evidence that Glinda is potentially showing traits of Stockholm syndrome in the way in which she still seems to have an empathic feeling of protectiveness towards Eddie. This is shown with the use of diegetic sound when Glinda says “what more could I do for you?” clearly stating that she goes out of her way just to try and please him. This could be seen as a desperate plea from Glinda.

 Eddie then goes on to accidentally shoot Glinda. This is made clear with diegetic sound when Eddie says “This was a fucking accident babe”. The use of the word ‘babe’ continues to support the fact that Eddie still thinks he has something with Glinda even now after all the torment he has caused her during her life which has resulted in her demise at the hands of Eddie. In this shot you can see all three characters featured as Eddie is kissing Glinda showing his undying but possessive love for her. Although Eddie has caused himself a great deal of upset and pain from killing Glinda, killing someone is the ultimate way to possess someone forever.

  Toward the end of the scene the camera cuts to Luli holding a gun up directly facing Eddie. Using iconography, it is made clear that Luli has the possession of a gun because of her vulnerability. Luli has carried this unused gun with her from the beginning of the film which shows the audience that she is most probably going to need to use it at some point in the film and now is that time. The camera slowly zooms towards Luli showing her shaking body and worried facial expression. As this is going on asynchronous sound is used to display Luli’s blank thoughts at this traumatic time. The sound of a gunshot is not displayed in the moment that Luli shoots Eddie, instead a voiceover of Luli saying “pop.” Is used. This shows how Luli is still just a child and must create some sort of distraction to take her mind off the fact that she is shooting someone. Once Luli has shot Eddie she goes on to say “sorry” whilst crying using diegetic sound. This also shows vague signs of Stockholm syndrome within Luli as she feels bad for killing someone who has abused her both mentally and sexually. This scene supports the feminist film theory in a really upsetting way as it shows the reality of the bad influences controlling men can have over young girls. However, it also shows how in films they only ever show men as the antagonists in scenes like this creating a bad stereotype for men in real life.

         At the end of the scene a crane shot is used to show the aftermath of the events which took place in the log cabin. With the use of mise en scene and character placement Glinda’s arm is placed under Eddies neck as they lay there peacefully dead in a pool of their own blood. The way they are both laid could be representing their relationship in the past and the way that they now look so peaceful and at ease could be to represent that all the bad things in their life have now gone forever. During this part of the scene the song ‘Patsy Cline – I fall to pieces’ is played as part of the films sound track. The lyrics used in the song ‘I fall to pieces each time I see you again’ represent the relationship between Glinda and Eddie completely as every time they see each other life goes terribly wrong, making the song fit perfectly with the scene shown on screen. As the camera continues to follow all the objects in the room with an Ariel view it then zooms to some rope and a drawing on the bed which Luli was placed on for most of the scene. With the use of mise en scene the rope shows that Eddie was holding Luli hostage and the drawings support that she was at such a young age and that she used them as a happy distraction to take her mind off the reality of what was actually happening to her. The end of this scene completely goes against the general representation of men being the stronger characters as Luli takes control of the twisted situation at such a young age and kills the poison in her life (Eddie).

    In conclusion, I believe that both of my chosen films go against the general representation of women and how men should be perceived as the stronger sex. Although the films show it in different ways I see the women as stronger characters both mentally and physically. In Violet and Daisy, the women’s overtaking power is shown with the use of iconography as they both carry a gun due to them being such strong characters (assassins). However, their leading power is also shown with their smart and manipulative word choice helping them get out of situations which could cost them their lives. In Hick, the power of women isn’t always made apparent as both characters Glinda and Luli have been held hostage by Eddie mentally and physically. However, Glinda’s strength is shown when she tries to find young Luli knowing that there is a strong possibility that she will come across Eddie again in her life. Luli’s dominating power over the male character is shown when she shoots Eddie. This shows an aging mental power as she is only young but she still knows what he has done to her and Glinda is not acceptable.

SELF ASSESSMENT COMMENTS:

To improve my essay further and achieve a higher grade i need to include more about the feminist film theory throughout my essay. I also need to go through my essay and check that i am using all terminology correctly and analyse my evidence in a lot more depth. 

MARK: 23/40 

GRADE: D+