#there's lots of great music from other countries i might use this website but i already know some good music

[macaron-tea-party]

I got into this semi viral song called Mantissa that made such a splash in Greece and Europe it got featured on NPR.

And the music video screams iconic.

There’s also this Brazilian artist Gustavo Lima with the song Balada that I heard on German radio (i guess Portugal liked it too) I later learned got popular on the US Latin charts too.

There’s also Michel Teló with his most well known song Ai Se Eu Te Pego which has 1.1 billion views on YouTube.

Apparently Europe and Central/South America likes Sertanejo artists a lot.

One German song I really got into was by an artist who wears a panda mask called Cro.

And here’s a Latino USA story about how Latin America loves metal music and how Latin artists influenced metal artists.

https://www.latinousa.org/2023/08/25/heavymetal-2/

Long and short being, get into more country’s music folks.

I wish Americans fucked with more foreign music. You don’t have to know the language to appreciate a good record. Folks in other countries listen to our music and don’t speak a lick of english. Music needs no translator

[smurf4006]

A long overdue concert review incoming!!

Finally watched Suede performance live for the first time in 2024. Never in my life like even once would I think it was possible. You could say I’m a casual listener. The 1st song that got us hooked was actually ‘Obsessions’ way, way back when they released the single. When we found out they were coming to our country via instagram, we were elated & excited that it was held at Zepp. It was gonna be an intimate gig with smaller crowd & great ambience. Right when they opened the ticket queue, I immediately surfed the website & bought a pair of electronic tickets with QR codes. Ah gone are the days when we had to physically line up to buy tickets. Well except BMTH, it was so easy to get it.

Historically like other veteran fans, our playlist was full of Suede songs during our university days before graduation. The only way we could get in touch with their fans >12 years ago was thru tumblr. (However it’s sad that f*ckyeahneilcodling was deactivated coz the Italian girl admin was so sweet & friendly!) Currently we subscribed to Apple Music, I’m sorry it sucks to get paid 0.000000001 cent for each stream but I ain’t got no place to store physical CDs no more :(

Back to the live performance, I came with an unfairly low expectation. Thought they're gonna play whole setlist of new songs that most of us hadn't heard of. Maybe Brett will get tired of us eventually & smash some of the front row's iPhones through Simon's cymbals? What if Neil pass out suddenly onstage coz he had MECFS? Will Mat's bass drown & ended up buried in all that noise? Richard's fine I guess, he's an impeccable guitar demigod who never seemed to make a mistake. At times during our short road trip, I joked with ageist nuance on how we were on our way to see a bunch of old men who thought they could still rock it.

Boy was I mistaken. They opened with Turn Off Your Brain & Yell & it was the most energetic performance I ever seen. I'm the most irregular concert-goer who had only attended to a few local artists, Muse, Placebo & MCR; so I might be a little biased towards Suede but they are so underrated it’s maddening.

Brett's thunderous vocals echoed through the hall & stunned us all. How did a 57-year-old bloke manage to sing with his whole heart & emotion like that? I was perplexed on how they always sound better live than a studio record. Anyway, they played a lot of classic oldies we were familiar with. I almost cried of happines ala fanatic Swiftie when they played Life is Golden coz it was sucha beautiful song. It was also the first time I saw a frontman would wade through the crowd & allowed them to hold the mic & sang? Dare you to point me at least one frontman who’d be so intimate with his crowd coz there’s no others like Brett Anderson. He’s special in his own way & is irreplaceable. The security was somewhat complacent or relaxed most likely coz the civilized crowd did return Brett’s mic after the song was finished.

It was a bit comedic seeing Neil switching instruments time to time but yet I can’t stop wondering how did he heal his MECFS? I have acquaintances with MECFS & they shared how debilitating the disease was. Made you feel more sympathetic coz decades ago most doctors would brush you off & their diagnosis would lean more towards psychiatric disorder.

Throughout the 20-track setlist, I was amazed at how the band literally came back from the dead. I’m pretty sure they were split once & I didn’t know they reunited in 2010. Maybe I was aware maybe I wasn’t ah who could remember when you were so busy with life.

Thanks again Brett, Mat, Simon, Richard & Neil, the crew, roadies whoever for making the gig a dream come true. The jetset touring lifestyle is exhausting but I knew you guys are enjoying this journey too. While I wished they play Heroine, The Power, By The Sea & The Chemistry Between Us, there’s also an array of songs that my brother had wishlisted too like Killing of a Flashboy. I did remind him that he could always drop a comment for song request on their social media like instagram? We both were never fond of Drowners, Animal Nitrate & Metal Mickey thus guessed we were the younger generation who didn’t dig the Bernard Butler era. Their hardcore fans loved it though as evidenced by the roaring crowd that night.

It was worth the half-days we took off from work. Will we go again if they ever come back? Absolutely. I’d even go as far as to suggest them to do a Vegas-esque residency .

P/s: my photos were all blurry coz I was quite afar away; we are in our 30s who preferred leatherette comfy seats on the pretentiously elitist balcony which dampened our concert spirit. At times we did wish that we were down there but I was petite like Sabrina Carpenter who could not see anything in the standing zone. Not uploading any video, there’s always youtube for those who wanted to check them out.

[suzy-queued]

Artist Interview

Happy Boxing Day! I was tagged by @you-are-so-much-better-than-that in this artist interview.

1. Do you post on AO3? If so, how many works do you have on AO3? If not, where do you post?

I do post on AO3 as Suzy_Queue. I have two art galleries there, one for general art and one for Kinktober 2022.

2. What is your total art count?

If you count art done for other people's stories, headers for my own stories, and Gallacrafts pieces, it's around 150.

3. What are your top 5 pieces by likes/kudos?

I use this cool website to get my full Tumblr stats. According to them:

4. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Yes! Although I'm not the fastest at it.

5. What is your current fandom, and what was the first fandom you drew for?

Currently, it's Gallavich all the way. The first fandom I remember drawing for was Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, making my own comics. (they were 7th-grade-girl bad).

6. Have you ever received hate on any art?

Nope, people are very supportive, even on pieces that I know aren't that great.

7. What’s a fandom/ship you haven’t drawn for yet but want to?

I can't really think of any.

8. What’s your all-time favorite ship?

The one that has lived in my brain for the longest part of my life is Han/Leia.

9. Do you draw outside of fandom?

Yeah! I was an art major in college. I've been a professional artist for 20 years and have created art for book covers, movie posters, album covers, logos. I go to figure drawing sessions at a local art school and am in a nature journaling group. I've displayed my horror art at conventions around the country.

10. What’s the an art piece you’ve drawn that came out completely differently than you expected?

This was the first piece I ever drew on a tablet with a pressure-sensitive pen. It was an experiment to learn the tools. I had no idea how it would look, and it turned out all right.

11. Do you draw smut?

Yep! There's some smut in this gallery.

12. Have you ever had any of your art stolen or copied?

Not that I know of.

13. Have you ever collaborated on a piece?

I've created art for stories working with the author, but I've never co-drawn a piece of art. Unless you count playing Exquisite Corpse with my children.

14. What’s an idea you have that you have yet to draw?

Oh, I have a lot. The one I think about most is a picture of Ian and Mickey in a lineup at jail, looking disheveled, hung over, and completely in love.

15. What are your drawing strengths?

I like my compositions a lot, the flow of items throughout the picture. I feel like I'm good at drawing what I see in a realistic way, whether it's a photo or real life.

16. What are your drawing weaknesses?

Drawing from memory/imagination. I have to have reference photos of what I'm doing or I go off the rails. I need to develop more trust in my own style and lean into weird proportions and my own skewed vision.

17. What’s your favorite art piece you’ve drawn?

I'm quite partial to this book cover art I did. It's spray paint, pastel, and acrylic. It's about 4 feet tall.

18. What is one thing you’d like to tell people about your art that they might not know?

Just because I've been doing it for a while doesn't mean I'm not still learning every day.

19. What inspires or motivates you to create for fandom?

I have a lot of emotional energy churning below the surface. Creating art and fics helps get it out. It's a much more positive outlet than letting it brew.

20. And finally, can you describe your process a little? Do you have a favorite place to draw? Do you play something in the background? Do you do research or just go for it? Give us a little insight.

I have a basement office where I write and draw. I bought a new table this year which I absolutely love. I do most of my creative work between 9-11 pm after the rest of my family has gone to bed. I do love music and play it a lot while I draw.

I research a ton. I spend a lot of time making photo compositions for every piece I draw, which are collages of body parts and other images.

Thank you so much for the tag for this interview!

[theindietrumpeter]

Commercial Trumpet Playing

‘Commercial trumpet playing’ wasn’t in my vocabulary when I was studying. As far as I was concerned you were either ‘classical’ or ‘jazz’ and I didn’t feel like I fit into either category, I was just ‘a trumpet player’. Years after I’ve left university most of the work I have done has been Indie, Rock, Pop, Country, even Symphonic Metal. It wasn’t the path I chose, it chose me and I am a self-professed commercial trumpet player.

‘What is a ‘commercial trumpet player’?’ some of you may be asking. Put simply, it is a trumpet player who plays music that isn’t classical or jazz… however, they may also play classical and/or jazz as part of what they do. There is a bit more to it than that but that’s the essence.

A commercial player will be able to switch genres and styles at the drop of a hat and, not only will they be able to play those styles, they will be able to do so convincingly and consistently. I think (although don’t quote me on it) that the days of back-to-back recording sessions, TV shows, radio shows and club dates have dwindled to basically nothing, however, for the diligent and consistent trumpet player, there is work to be had if you know where to look.

Before looking for the work though, you need to be ready. You need to know your genres and be able to play convincingly in those genres. The first step to playing convincingly is listening and lots of it. Create playlists on Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music of songs from each genre - particularly ones with horn sections in. Get online and see if you can find transcriptions of the songs so you can play along or, even better, create your own transcriptions as this is a super useful skill to have as a trumpet player. If a song doesn’t have a horn section grab some manuscript paper and create one or, even better, improvise one. I’m not talking improvised solos, I’m talking ‘on the fly’ pads, stabs and riffs. Give it a try!

In addition to listening there are a few books out there to help you learn about playing in different genres. I’ve used both of these a lot and think they’re great. As usual, no links because I don’t want to play favourites but get hold of the following:

Eric Murine, The Progressive Guide to Commercial Trumpet Playing. It’s downloadable, legally, for free. Murine covers Blues, Soul, Motown, Bebop, Funk, Funky Soul and Pop. In each chapter there are 2 exercises and a duet based on music in that style, a suggested listening list and there is a 14 week plan and a 7 month plan to cover all of the material. As it is Murine’s doctoral thesis (don’t let that scare you off) there is also extra information and interviews included too.

Tiger Okoshi & Charles Lewis, Berklee Practice Method: Trumpet. Available in hard copy from various retailers, this book comes with a CD and covers Rock, Blues, Blues Swing, Funk, Light Funk, Hard Rock, Bossa Nova and Stop Time. Each chapter has sections on Technique/Theory, Learning the Groove, Improv and Reading as well as a daily practice routine. The really great thing about this book is the fact that it marries up with the books for the other instruments so you can work on playing together as a horn section or even a full band. It’s a solid investment.

Between these two publications you should have everything covered in terms of genres. I like to complement these in the practice room with fundamentals written with modern playing in mind. Clarke, Schlossberg and Arban are great but they don’t really cater to the needs of the modern player. To help with this Clint ‘Pops’ McLaughlin has rewritten the Arban and the Clarke - both are available on his website.

It might be a bit of a placebo thing but I actually prefer modern books that have been written with commercial players in mind. I use The Beast Series by Matt Fronke, Modern Flexibilities for Brass by Scott Belck, Technical Studies for the Modern Trumpet Player by Pat Harbison and Randall Reyman’s Technical Drills and Duets for the Jazz/Commercial Trumpet Player to work on my fundamentals. I find they get me in the right mindset.

There is a pervading idea in the trumpet world that you need a certain sound to be a commercial player - bright, focussed and brilliant - and that may be true but you also need to be able to blend in with a section too, whether that’s in an orchestra, big band, pop band etc. so just be aware the sounds you are aiming for and think about how you can change it for different settings.

A quick note on gear because aren’t we all gearheads when it comes down to it…? You can play anything on any trumpet and get the sound you want, however, it’s not always efficient. Playing a 3 hour funk gig on a large bore horn would be a killer. Think about smaller bore horns for those gigs. If you’re not sure where to start Yamaha and Bach make ‘commercial’ trumpets - the YTR6335RC and the LT190L1B respectively - which might be worth having a blow on to see what works but remember that other horns can work just as well for you. The same can be said about mouthpieces… Bach produce a commercial mouthpiece in a variety of sizes and Warburton, Pickett-Blackburn and Patrick Mouthpieces all offer a range of ‘commercial’ backbores for their 2-piece mouthpieces and they are all available as one-piece mouthpieces too. Again, this is just a note, buying a horn and a mouthpiece just because it says commercial on it isn’t necessarily going to give you the sound you want or need… I am not saying go out and buy a new horn and mouthpiece combo. Take advice from your teacher or another trusted trumpet player before embarking on that journey.

My take away tips are:

Listen to a lot of music in a lot of genres.

Include the right things in your practice: different styles, sight reading, range.

Learn to write horn lines to songs - on paper and by ear. A good starting point is learning your pentatonic and blues scales. It will get you started but you will need to build on those pretty quickly.

[jinniebit]

omg i hope you can take more dance classes and you are going to enjoy them a lot preferably!!!

here they did the movie in one sitting but it was fine!! i ate my popcorn in the first 20 or so minutes haha. the movie was great tho!! there were some parts that made me nearly so but that's nothing unusual, im very emotional hdjdjdj also watching it in 3D was super cool in some parts :o

oh yeah albums are expensive here as well😭 i used to order them from some korean(? i don't remember where i used to order from ddhdk) websites but 2 years ago a mutual recommended me a webshop that's only 2 countries away from me and its SUUUCH a life saver😭 the shipping cost is waaay lower and they even arrive a bit faster <3 i started ordering albums from my summer job money and then from my uni scholarship money dbdksk, im such a responsible adult.... i need to get a grip sjdndjdj. also omg i want a svt album but by the time i got into collecting stuff i was not very into them, but maybe one day I'll get something 🤔

at this point i really feel like it's not just a phase 😭 whenever i feel like i might escape i come across another group that will have a death grip on me for the next few months or year djdksls. and haha i started out kinda similarly, my friend showed me some bts stuff and then i got into exo, they got dethroned by seventeen, then them by a.c.e, and then skz was my ult for a long time, up until? 2 years ago? and since that i picked up a lot of groups who are my "ults" currently haha

what hobbies do you have other than dancing and being normal about kpop guys haha - 🎄 santa anon

I hope that too!

Oof yeah my popcorn is usually gone by the trailers jdhahsns maybe I should start getting two kshshs one for the trailers and one for the movie itself haha

Honestly I miss old exo… I find myself going through their old albums quite officially…

It’s exactly like that! When I think I’m “getting over” Kpop there’s another group that made me fall right back kehsjdh goes back to 2019/2020 when I thought my kpop phase was ending and BANG skz appeared and now I’m here mdhsjdhs

Hmm another hobbies? Does listening to music counts? Haha I like singing and watching game streams ^^ I also watch a RPG campaign for about 3 years now and besides kpop I think this is the other thing I’m obsessed about haha wby?

[luminescentauthor]

random fun RatLD hcs

you came here for RatLD shitposts and that’s what you’re gonna get!

SPOILERS AND LOTS OF THEM BELOW THE CUT, IF U HAVEN’T SEEN IT YET PROCEED AT UR OWN RISK.

I refuse to post about this movie without acknowledging the cultural significance of the first SEA disney princess and I will continue to do so until people on this website start remembering that this movie is about amazing cultures and trust and overall a WHOLE lot more than just the sapphics (as great as they are.)

anyway, so, headcanon time, my dudes!

The Next Adventure

Talon is a total mess after everyone gets un-stoned. (Ok so just for posterity, my marvel fan brain just went “un-snapped” on instinct and I hate it here.) The two chiefs are fighting for control, and Noi, being a baby, is not really in a position to help (unlike Raya, Naamari, and Tong.)

As such, the crew has to go undercover in Talon to try and, you know, stop the chiefs from destroying their people with their infighting. Tong insists on coming. Naamari happened to be in Heart and gets dragged along by Sisu and Raya, complaining the whole time, but everyone knows she doesn’t mean it. Boun also shows up and exactly no one is surprised.

During this misadventure, Noi’s mother names Tong as Noi’s godfather/honorary uncle/whatever, undercover Naamari and Raya go “noooooo, we’re not the princesses of Fang and Heart, what on earth are you talking about???” on at least five separate occasions, and the crew discovers that Noi inherited her sticky fingers from her very clever mother. She’s basically a grade-A spy and thief but she’s also just like, genuinely a very nice woman.

Rayaari!

Raya and Naamari take a long time literally just figuring things out and reconstructing their friendship, because really, as much as I love sapphics, there’s also a whole lot of messy there, and because these are my headcanons, they work out their problems and have a healthy friendship for a couple years before any romance happens, because that’s how Real Life works and I don’t believe in ignoring those Pretty Important Things in fiction.

They do eventually start a relationship, but they take their time. A bit into it, Benja accidentally mentions that Raya told him she liked Naamari when they met. Naamari’s like “ha you did?” and Raya goes “BA NO.” Then Virana immediately says “oh yes, Naamari also liked her, she didn’t stop crying because she thought Raya turned to stone for like three days” and Raya goes “you did, hmm???” while Naamari turns bright red.

Before they start dating, as their feelings grow, they start calling each other “dep la” more and more and everyone is just kinda of like “oh my GOD just date already???”

Eventually Raya and Naamari get married and become the leaders of Kumandra. No I Won’t Change My Mind.

Unification of Kumandra

The unification of Kumandra felt a bit shoehorned, and I suspect the nations aren't united under one leader(s): it's more that they're now becoming close-knit again. Perhaps they have a meeting council of all their leaders that makes decisions that affect the whole land, otherwise that probably becomes a thing at some point.

When Kumandra eventually becomes totally unified, the capital of Heart (which I believe is on the island we see on the map of Kumandra) eventually becomes the capital. It still has five provinces/states, though.

Fang and Heart

Heart and Fang help each other out a lot with recovering from the “most of our people got turned into the statues” stuff. Heart has more resources, but most of its people have been stone for 6 years. So the two states/countries are both capable of different things.

Of all the kingdoms, Heart and Fang have the most to rebuild: Fang’s only standing city was destroyed in the finale of the movie, while Heart has been growing over for six years. Sure, Spine’s been stone for a while, and some of Talon’s docks and water ships and whatnot collapsed when the water vanished, but it’s still significantly easier to repair than “six years of overgrowth and rot and rust” or “literally the ground collapsed underneath us and wow um I don’t think that’s reparable.” So they really team up to fix it, and the others help them a lot.

The actual leaders stay in their capitals to lead until things have calmed down a WHOLE lot, so Raya and Naamari travel around Kumandra on their parents’ behalf a lot, and wind up going between Fang and Heart a lot to establish diplomatic relations and also to help with rebuilding.

Over this period, and while doing diplomatic meetings later on, Virana and Benja come to realize that the other person is actual quite decent. There’s some mess and distrust because of Virana’s thing with the Dragon Gem, but it eventually gets worked out. (Virana’s reaction is “yes that’s fair. In my defense, I was trying to do what I thought was right for my people, who were starving, but Yes, That’s Fair.” Benja’s reaction is “honestly if your people were starving from famine and you thought the Gem would help, that makes more sense.”) After a while, they become pretty good friends.

And suddenly Raya and Naamari regret everything. See, Naamari mentioned that both parents make terrible jokes. The girls are Suffering. Help them.

Sisu loves the bad jokes. Sisu also makes bad jokes. Raya and Naamari are silently dying.

It’s silly, but I like the idea that 3-4 years down the line, Virana and Benja consider getting married just for political reasons (alliance and all that) (they’re not actually interested in each other, it’s just practicality) and Naamari and Raya, who are not dating but are definitely in deep for each other at this point, are immediately like “NO. NO. DO NOT MAKE MY CRUSH MY STEPSISTER. DO NOT.”

Virana and Benja (mostly Benja) tease them by “considering” it for a bit longer, but they don’t, since they talked about it and both kids are uncomfortable with it. (”They like each other, don’t they?” Virana asks dryly. “Ohhh yeah,” Benja replies.)

Music? Music!

I was listening to a youtube mix this morning and “Too Far Gone” by Hidden Citizens popped up and it just reminded me of Raya’s attitude towards Kumandra at the start of the movie. Also it’s just a beautiful song.

“Knife in my Back” by Alec Benjamin is Raya @ Naamari before they figured things out, change my mind.

Other Stuff!

We can guess based off how long it took the crew to get from Tail to Fang even with side adventures (I think it was 3-4 days max, I wasn't totally paying attention) that one can navigate from one end of the river to the other within a couple days even in a boat like Boun's, and the royal families probably have even faster modes of transportation. (I.e. Naamari got from Tail to Fang in a couple days, then to Spine, then beat the crew back to Fang. On land.) Therefore, unlike I was originally thinking, it's actually totally realistic for the crew to be visiting each other once or twice a month.

It's even more realistic for Naamari to crash Raya's place on a weekly basis, since that's probably like six hours on cat at max.

I don't know what the cats are, so I will be calling them saber-cats until someone corrects me.

TUMBLR JUST MYSTERIOUSLY STOPPED ACCPTING MY "E" KY HLP I HAV TO US COPY PAST

Wait I think I fixed it. Crisis averted! Sorry about that.

Because Naamari is in Heart half the time, Virana visits quite frequently too. It’s not a long trip, anyway.

Virana is not straight (haircut) but I can’t decide if she’s a lesbian or what. She doesn’t have a spouse and never did. Only those Virana closely trusts know who Naamari’s dad is. Naamari does know and she’s met him, because Virana figured she had a right to. He and Virana never had a relationship, Virana just sort of needed an heir and a trusted personal friend offered to father the kid.

Tong’s wife is a total badass and instantly fits in with the crew. She and Noi’s mother quickly become very close friends.

Noi and Tong’s kid also immediately get along. As in, they constantly throw things at each other while giggling madly and both love the Ongis, and -- are they whispering to each other in that corner?? They might be conspiring to take over the world. Who knows.

Noi learns how to talk and becomes about 5 times more chaotic. Everyone is Regret (except Tong.)

[time-is-standing]

tips to study easier

I was thinking so much about this topic that I have way more ideas to share with you all. here are some more tricks to cheat the system if you have a hard time studying the "normal" way.

1. mirroring

people with adhd often find themselves doing mirroring movements. for example, listening to poeple speaking with an accent for a long time sticks with you after a while. if that's the case with you, I have good news!

if you have to write a certain type of poem, you have to write in a style or act some kind of way, you can read/watch/listen to things in these topics. if you are like me, it will stick with you within minutes, and you'll speak in rhymes after reading 3-4 great poems.

it's also great for writing official letters, a publication or an essay that has to be in an academic style.

2. taking it apart

no matter how difficult it seems to get your topic/homework/anything into smaller sections, it could be lifesaving. sitting in front of a computer for 4+ hours just to start and finish an assignment will not work in the long run. you'll burn out easier, won't even think about starting in time because you'll think that this is too much work for one day.

but if you create sections/try and make different stages for it, it might become easier to start and finish a whole project - without going crazy.

an example for the different stages - great for smaller papers too:

- research. find studies you'll have to use, make the citation if you're sure you'll use it.

- read through all the studies, websites, articles, etc. and get the useful things out. maybe just copy and paste, maybe start rewriting some of them

- write the actual paper. you'll be suprised, how easy it'll be this way

- format it, make it pretty and reread it with a clear head to find mistakes.

3. finding your stlye

I've learned about this a long time ago but I only started using the advantages of this lately when started to learn computer science (a more complex topic for my silly little brain). you may have heard about the VAK learning stlyes, but you can refresh your knowledge here.

I - as an everything mixed up -could use loads of these things to help me study easier.

- visual learners: you can make your tasks pretty, draw things (it's the best for biology classes, believe me, remembering things just because I drew them saved my life so many times!), letter the words.

and I don't mean only the titles for aesthetic reasons. make the whole thing pretty. you can use different colours for different meanings (like blue for names, green for definitions, yellow for dates and so on...) you can also use different methods, highlighting, coloured text, underlining to make it more memorable for yourself.

some things I could never use efficiently but I would love to: mind maps, maps in general, flowcharts, diagrams, whatever you can think about.

please note, that this may not be the shortest way to study something, but if it's efficent, you'll save a lot of time in the long run!

- auditory learners: youtube explanation videos, making everything into small songs, using music to learn better.

a personal fav: finding that one indian man (with a strong accent) who can speak about anything in the simplest way ever so you somehow understand everything. it's pure magic. + shitty remixes of things like the kings & queens of my country in order made history way more fun to study.

- kinaesthetic learners: move a lot while studying.

I usually did the smaller movements, as I get tired and dizzy easily from walking in circles/using the staris (I had a psycho friend who used to do these things as he studied). I usually did small arm & finger movements, I followed certain patterns with my feet and eyes to help me remember things better.

it worked best if I was well-rested, while the other methods didn't need this quality of mine.

I'll make a list of small, fun things to do that are connected to either of the VAK learning stlyes but it would be too long to post it at once.

[the-writer-muse]

How to Research for Diversity

Introduction

Inevitably, you’re going to be writing characters who have had much different experiences than you, whether that’s due to race, ethnicity, religion, and much more. The best way to understand and properly represent these characters is to do research--a lot of it. A few Google searches isn’t going to cut it. Yes, the research and reading process for writing minorities is long and tedious. But it’s worth it when someone can relate to that character, see themselves in that character, or look up to that character. Properly representing us is important because we want to see ourselves in the stories we read, and giving us that boosts our confidence in ourselves and our culture!

Make it matter

If you’re making a character diverse just for the sake of being diverse, stop and reconsider. Your representation needs to be genuine. You can’t just throw in an Asian character because you feel like your cast isn’t diverse enough. Diversity shouldn’t be forced. You don’t need to have a character of every race in your book. But you should research for what you do have.

You don’t always have tap into a character’s background if the plot doesn’t call for it. But knowing that background 1.) allows you to understand them better, and 2.) allows people to relate to them, both of which are very valuable. Your representation needs to feel natural. Bringing up diversity casually throughout the story is the best way to do that.

What you should never do is define a character by their minority or oppression. Above all else, your character should be just that--a character, and a well-rounded one at that.

Record your research

You’re never going to be able to remember everything that you look up. So, write it all down. That could mean doing it the old-school way, aka handwriting (kudos to anyone who does this) or dumping it all in a word processor (I recommend Google Docs because it has the “outline” feature that allows you to go to a specific place when you need it).

I would suggest categorizing your research, preferably into separate documents. Here are some ideas for how you can divide it:

Names

Language

Music

Normal/formal clothing

Stereotypes in literature and other media

Food for everyday and formal occasions

Holidays and special occasions

Restrictions and taboos

Researching on the Internet

It can be really tempting to just click the first link that pops up--most likely Wikipedia--on the Internet, do a 10-second fact check, and call it a day. But that’s not enough. Wikipedia is a good source if you’re looking for general information, but even better are the citations at the bottom. These lead you to trustworthy sites.

You should also look up organizations and official websites of minorities. These websites are more likely to be reliable. In the US, these websites commonly end in “.org” or “.gov.” Other countries have different website domains--there’s a list on Wikipedia here.

Read blogs and articles that people have written about themselves and others. Government-run websites may be important, but personal accounts are just as valuable. Look up online encyclopedias as well--for example, the Encyclopedia Britannica is a great resource, and it ends in “.com”. By contrast, paper encyclopedias are more likely to become outdated, and they can’t be edited.

Consume media by marginalized people--this one is pretty self-explanatory. Read books by marginalized authors, fiction or nonfiction. Watch TV shows and movies directed by marginalized people. Keep doing this until it's barely a conscious decision to choose marginalized media.

Include other people

This is one of the most effective research methods you can employ because it involves only primary sources, while researching on your own involves primary and secondary sources. First, prepare a list of questions that aren’t easily answerable by the Internet. It helps if you specifically relate them to your book. For example, you might ask someone their opinion on a certain character who has a certain arc. Interview as many people as possible. Even characters in a single minority are vastly diverse!

When you’re done with your book, you’ll want to enlist sensitivity readers. Sensitivity readers are different from beta readers because they specifically critique a book’s representation. Looking at their feedback, you’ll be able to see recurring mistakes and flaws in your characters.

Social media

Social media is extremely valuable for talking to a variety of people and seeing different perspectives.

First, follow people of the minorities you’re researching. I would suggest a mixture of “ordinary” people and celebrities. Observe how they might include facets of their culture in their day-to-day life, and how they might speak about issues concerning their culture. You can also (politely) ask if they can answer your questions.

Another thing you can do is look at memes--yes, you read that right! Memes made by marginalized people depict common struggles and relatable situations, which is extremely valuable (and entertaining!).

Media representation tests

You may have heard of the Bechdel test--2 or more female characters have a conversation that isn’t about guys. This is just one of the many media representation tests out there. Media representation tests check your work against stereotypes and misrepresentation, although they aren't comprehensive or completely accurate--sometimes, there are exceptions. Here are a handful of tests:

“Sexy lamp” test (women)

Ellen-Willis test (women)

Deggans rule (race in general)

Vito-Russo test (LGBTQ+)

Topside test (trans people)

Duvernay test (race in general)

Maisy test (sexism in children’s media)

Mako-Mori test (women)

Ris test (Muslims)

Villalobos test (Latina women)

Waithe test (Black women)

Imperfection

No matter how much you research, understand your representation will never be perfect because people have such vastly different experiences. And that’s okay! The best you can do is keep learning and listen when people point out your mistakes.

[leristaccia]

The Epic of Zektbach Website - Nyoah Notes - Note 97

冒険者諸君、ごきげんよう。私の名前はニョアである。 実に久しぶりとなってしまったが、私は元気である！

Greetings, adventurers. My name is Nyoah.

It's been a long time since I've been here, but I'm fine!

ニッポンも色々な大変な事に見舞われて、冒険者諸君の中にも元気を失っている人も多いと思う。 しかし、最も大事なのは今。今現在の瞬間を自分に悔いなく生きる事である。 それは人間をはじめ生物の個体の未来は常に不確定であるからである。 不確定な要素に巻き込まれた後、後悔しない為には常に現在を自分なりに大切に生きるという意識が大切である。 過去や未来で無く、今にゃ。今現在を大事にして欲しいにゃ！

I know that many of you adventurers have lost your energy due to the many difficulties in Japan.

However, the most important thing is now. The most important thing is to live in the present moment without regret.

This is because the future of each individual creature, including human beings, is always uncertain.

In order not to have regrets after being caught up in uncertain factors, it is important to always be aware of living in the present in your own way.

Not in the past or the future, but in the present. I want you to cherish the present moment!

さて、『The Epic of Zektbach -Masinowa-』が君達の手に届いてから月日が経ったが 沢山の感想を頂いて、私は大満足だにゃ！ 繰り返しになるが、マシノワの話はゼクトバッハ叙事詩でも重要な部分であるので 諸君も考察を巡らし、アリア・テ・ラリアの謎を解き明かして欲しい。 マシノワには非常に重要な鍵が２つ存在しているが まだまだアリア・テ・ラリアには驚くべき謎がある。今後に注目にゃ。

Well, it's been a while since "The Epic of Zektbach -Masinowa-" reached your hands.

I've gotten a lot of feedback, and I'm very happy with it!

Again, the story of Masinowa is an important part of the Epic of Zektbach.

I hope you will consider it and solve the mystery of Aria Te'Laria.

There are two very important keys in Masinowé.

There are still more mysteries to be discovered in Aria Te'Laria. Stay tuned.

ところで、先日ある冒険者よりこんな書簡を頂いた。

By the way, I received this letter from an adventurer the other day.

こんにちわ インターネットという不思議な世界で「ツイッター」なる ものがはやっているそうですが、zektbach殿はやっていらっしゃるのでしょうか? 公開しているのならばぜひ教えていただきたいです。 (冒険者kirikoより)

Hello there.

In the mysterious world of the Internet

I've heard that "Twitter" is becoming popular in the mysterious world of the Internet, and I'd like to know if you are using it, Zektbach.

If you do, I'd love to know about it.

(From Kiriko, an adventurer)

私もその不思議な世界を知っている。 実は私もこの場所が不安定で非常に更新するのが難しいので ついったーにアリア・テ・ラリアから扉を開こうかと考えた事もあったが、 冒険者諸君はどう思うかにゃ？ その不思議な世界であれば、私はアリア・テ・ラリアの情報を君達にどんどん伝える事ができるかもしれない。 諸君の意見を聞いて決めようと思っているにゃ！

I know that strange world too.

As a matter of fact, I find this place unstable and very difficult to update.

I've been thinking about opening the door from Aria Te'Laria on Twitter.

What do you think, adventurers? In this mysterious world, I might be able to share more information about Aria Te'Laria with you.

I'm going to listen to your opinions and decide!

さて、今日は久しぶりに君達の便りに答えていくにゃ！

Well, today is the first time in a long time that I'm answering your letters!

我輩は猫なのにゃ！ ニョアとやら、我輩はいつも不思議に思っているのにゃ。 地図にはガルキア大陸とエ���―ク大陸があるにゃが、ガルキア大陸の南は何なのにゃ？ ファラリエンより南のあの、島というにはやや大きい島のことにゃ！ ニョア殿の手記には他の大陸や島のことは書かれているにゃがあの島の事はまだ何も書かれていないのにゃ……！ 我輩が考えたところによると、あそこにはきっと素晴らしいカルカンがあるのもへ！！　 たとえば……我輩の大好きな、ハトの丸焼き味とかにゃ……（ごくり というのは可愛いおふざけにゃ。 あの島にはきっと我輩どころか世界中の学者も知らぬようなヒミツがあるに違いないのにゃ。 知っているなら教えてほしいにゃ、お礼に我輩秘蔵のカルカンを幾つか進呈しようにゃ！　 味はそちらのご自由に、にゃ！ 教えてくれなかったら最高級カルカンをニョア殿の前で食い散らしてやるにゃ。 (猫の吾輩より)

I am a cat!

Nyoa, I've always wondered about you.

The map shows the continents of Galukia and Eijeek, but what is south of Galukia?

I'm talking about that rather large island south of Fallarian!

Lord Nyoah's journal mentions other continents and islands, but nothing about that island yet. ......!

I'm sure there are some great whiskas there, too!　

For example, ...... my favorite, roasted pigeon flavor. ...... (gulp)

This is just a cute joke.

I'm sure there are secrets on that island that I, as well as other scholars around the world, don't know about.

If you know of any, please let me know, and I'll give you some of my treasured whiskas in return!　

You can taste them all you want.

If you don't tell me, I'll eat up your finest whiskas in front of Nyoah.

(From me, the cat)

まず第一に、アリア・テ・ラリアの中でハトの丸焼き味などと軽率に発言するのは控えた方が良いにゃ。 アリア・テ・ラリアにはおそろしい地獄耳を持つおそろしい鳩が存在する事を忘れずに…。 と、時すでに遅く君はもうアリア・テ・ラリアに存在しないかもしれないが…。 質問の島の事だが、それはル・アビデの事かにゃ？ ル・アビデにはこういう古の神話がある。 種族を越えて仲むつまじかった２人の男女にある時妖精がささやき、 ２人は今までの仲の良さが嘘であったかのように豹変し、険悪な間柄になり それによって多くの悲劇が生まれた、と。 神話であるので、どこかのロマンチストが謎多きこの島に想いを馳せて創作した可能性が強いが 確かに以前私がこの島をベルナデットと訪れた時、争いに使われたと思わせる謎めいた建造物が数多くあった。 この神話の作者は恐らく、かつてこの島で２つの集団の対立があったことは確信していたのだろう。 その争いを叙情的に神話として表現したのではないだろうか。 しかし、残念ながらその争いが具体的にどういうものであったかは 今や誰も知らないし、私も本格的にル・アビデを調査してみないと分からないにゃ。

First of all, it's best to refrain from making rash comments about the taste of roasted pigeons in Aria Te'Laria.

Remember that there are horrible pigeons with horrible hell ears in Aria Te'Laria....

And it may be too late for you to exist in Aria Te'Laria...

As for the island in question, is it L''Avide?

There is an ancient myth about L'Avide.

A fairy whispered to two men and two women who were on good terms with each other.

But one day, a fairy whispered to them, and they turned into bitter enemies, as if their friendship had never existed.

This led to a lot of tragedies.

Since it is a myth, there is a strong possibility that some romantics have created this story with their thoughts on this mysterious island.

It is true that when I visited this island with Bernadette, there were many mysterious structures that seemed to have been used for fighting.

The author of this myth was probably convinced that there had once been a conflict between two groups on the island, and expressed that conflict lyrically in his myth.

But unfortunately, no one knows what exactly the conflict was, and I won't know until I do some serious research on L'Avide.

こんにちは、ニョアさん。 わたし、新たな世界を開拓したくて詩人になりましたの！ニョアさんにわたしの詩をきいてほしいの！ あなたの瞳は～　らら～ まるで石のように～　かったいわ～ それはとってもね～　らら～　かったいの～ あなたの唇は～　らら～ まるでヘドグロピンのように～　あっかいわ～ それはとってもね～　らら～　あっかいわ～ あなたの肌は～　らら～ まるで白樺の木の～　皮膚みたいね～ それはとってもね～　らら～　皮膚みたいね～ ……ふふ、どう？ 婚約者には『鳥が空からぼろぼろと気絶して落ちてくるような歌だね』って誉めてくれたの。 もう、とっても優しい人なのよ。　鳥も私の歌に聴き惚れ て空から落ちてくるようだなんて……嬉しいわ。 さ、本題なのよ。 婚約者はそれと同時に『もっと勉強したら良くなるよ』って言ってくれたの。 熱を出しながら言ってたのよ……心配だからたくさん歌ってきたわ！　 今度ニョアさんにも聞かせてあげるわね、遠慮しなくていいのよ。　 たっぷり歌ってあげるから。 それでね、私、たくさん歌の勉強がしたいから、まずこの国で流行りの歌劇や音楽を教えてほしいの。 (詩人リーゼロッテより)

Hello, Nyoah.

I became a poet to explore a new world! I want you to listen to my poems!

I want you to listen to my poems!

Your eyes are as tough as stone!

They're very, very tough.

Your lips are like...

They're as warm as hedgropin

It's very, very warm.

Your skin~ la la

It's like the skin of a birch tree

Your skin is like the skin of a birch tree.

...... What do you think?

My fiancé complimented me on the song, saying, "It's like a bird falling from the sky in a faint.

He's such a sweet guy.　He is a very kind man.

I'm so happy to hear that the birds are listening to my song and falling from the sky.

Now let's get down to business.

At the same time, my fiancé said to me, "You'll get better if you study harder.

He said it while running a fever. ...... I've been singing a lot because I'm worried about you!　

I'll play it for you next time, Nyoah, don't be shy.　

Don't be shy, I'll sing a lot.

And I want to learn a lot of singing, so I want you to teach me about the popular operas and music in this country.

(From the poet Lieselotte)

君からは個性的なオーラというかなかなか独特の感性を感じるにゃ。 もしかしたら将来アリア・テ・ラリアいちの詩人リーゼロッテと言われる日が来るかもしれない。 さて、歌はアリア・テ・ラリアでも人々の生活と密接である。 ノイグラード王国の多くの聖歌や労働から生まれる炭鉱歌や農業歌、酪農歌、町の人の生活の上で生まれた町人歌など 地域と密接な歌が多い。多くの流行り歌は生活を楽しくしたり物事を効率よりおぼえる為に生まれた事が多い。 それとは別に芸術都市のローゼンハイムでは若い音楽家が神話や伝説を題材とした叙情的な歌を数多く生み出している。 有能な若い音楽家は王宮で演奏を披露したり、国から多くの援助を受けたりもしている。 しかし、歌を人の心を扇動するという理由から国を乱すような曲を作る芸術家は厳しい処罰を受けているという暗部もある。 流行り歌というのと意味が違うが、誰もが知っている歌といえばやはり『浄化の祈り』だにゃ。

You have a unique aura, or rather a unique sensibility.

Perhaps one day in the future you will be called the best poet of Aria Te'Laria, Lieselotte.

Now, songs are closely related to people's lives in Aria Te'Laria as well.

There are many songs that are close to the local community, such as the chants of the Kingdom of Noigllado, mining songs, agricultural songs, dairy songs, and the songs of the townspeople, which are born from their labor.

There are many songs that are close to the local community. Many of the popular songs were created to make life more enjoyable and to learn things more efficiently.

On the other hand, in Rosenheim, the city of art, young musicians have created many lyrical songs based on myths and legends.

The most talented young musicians perform at the royal court and receive a lot of support from the government.

However, there is a dark side to this, as artists who compose songs that disturb the country are severely punished for using them to incite people's hearts.

Although the meaning of a popular song is different from that of a popular song, the song that everyone knows is "Purification Prayer".

俺はス……デイビット。　普通の人間だ。 猫にしては博識と名高いニョアに聞きたい事がある。 どうやらそちらには、俺と同じく「蛇」を彷彿させる人物および組織があるようだな。 俺の居た場所にも同じ「蛇」を名乗る者が俺を含め複数人居た。　 俺達の関係は……語ると長いが、要約して簡単に言ってしまえば親戚関係にある。 そちらの「蛇」達は関係性があるのだろうか？ ついでにこれは未確認だが俺とよく似た声の者が居るという話を聞いたが……これは事実なのか。 ……ところで、そちらに段ボールはあるのだろうか？ (忍者デイビットより)

I'm Su ...... David.　I'm a normal human being.

I have a question for Nyoah, who is famously knowledgeable for a cat.

It seems that there is a person or organization out there who, like me, is reminiscent of the Snake.

There were several people who called themselves "snakes" where I was, including myself.　

Our relationship is a long story ......, but in a nutshell, we are related.

I wonder if the "snakes" over there are related?

In addition, I have heard that there is a person with a voice similar to mine, although this is unconfirmed. ...... Is this true?

...... By the way, do you have any cardboard over there?

(From Ninja David)

蛇は一匹でいい、ビックボスは一人で十分だ！ …とは言っても、蛇を彷彿させる者が多くいるのも事実にゃ。 蛇神人のギジリ、サザラギ団、アギオナ機関もそうだ。 空舟の遺跡にも蛇を彷彿させる紋章が存在するといわれる。 話が少しそれるが、人は何故昔から蛇を崇拝もしくは、邪悪の象徴とするのか。 蛇は西洋では主に諸悪の根源とされ、ニホンでは古代の女性蛇巫の存在が示すようにあらゆる祭事の根源となっている。 他の動物と明らかに違う形状を持つという事もあるが、面白い解釈を１つ紹介する。

One snake is enough, one big boss is enough!

...However, it is true that many people are reminiscent of snakes.

...But it is true that there are many people who remind me of snakes, such as the snake goddesses Gijiri, Sazaragi, and the Agiona Agency.

It is said that there are also emblems reminiscent of snakes in the ruins of the sky ship.

This is a bit of a digression, but why do people worship snakes or consider them to be a symbol of evil?

In the West, snakes are mainly regarded as the root of all evil, while in Japan, they are the source of all rituals, as shown by the existence of ancient female snake handlers.

The snake's shape is clearly different from that of other animals, but here is one interesting interpretation.

カール・セーガンという人物が著書の中で 『人類は生物進化の最終段階にいるが、そうした人間の脳の中には当然その進化途上の各段階の生物であった時の部分もくみ込まれている。 つまりR複合体とよばれる脳の一番奥の部分は恐竜の脳の働きをしている。 つまりそれは人間の脳の中には明らかに恐竜という古代生物が生きているという事である。』 と言っている。 もしかすると蛇その他の爬虫類に対して人類が懐き続けていた崇拝と嫌悪、あるいは畏怖は、 我々の脳の最奥部に潜む恐竜に由来するのだろうか。 それは人類の遠祖であると同時にもっとも恐ろしい敵でもあった。 蛇に対する感情は、一種の先天的反応とも考えられるかもしれない。

In his book, Carl Sagan writes, "Humans are in the final stage of biological evolution, but our brains naturally contain parts of the organisms that were present at each stage of evolution.

In other words, the deepest part of the brain, called the R-complex, functions like the brain of a dinosaur, which means that an ancient creature called a dinosaur is clearly alive in the human brain."

Perhaps the adoration, disgust, or awe that we have always felt for snakes and other reptiles may have been born in the deepest part of our brains.

They were not only our distant ancestors, but also our most fearsome enemies.

Our feelings toward snakes could be considered a kind of inborn reaction.

君がよく好んで使う段ボールは、アリア・テ・ラリアには存在しないが 何故かZektbachが数多く所有していたと思うにゃ。 以前、何に使うか問うたところ、一言 『ん、これか？見ての通り寝床じゃよ。』 と言っていたにゃ。

The cardboard you are so fond of using does not exist in Aria Te'Laria, though.

For some reason, I think Zektbach had a lot of it.

When I asked him once what he used it for, he said

"Hmm, this? As you can see, it's a bed.

As you can see, it's a bed.

ヨア・・・最近見かけませんね・・・。 この人は重要人物ですか？ 資料集にも載ってないものでよくわかりません・・・。 (詩人ぽっぽちゃんより)

Joah... I haven't seen him lately...

Is he an important person?

I don't know... I can't find him in any reference books.

(From Poet Poppo-chan)

重要人物であるがゆえ、なかなか姿を出さないのだ。 姿をあらわさないから、色々臆測によりいじられるのだ。 君達が思っている���ア像、きっとそれは間違っている。

Because he is an important person, he does not show himself easily.

Because he doesn't show himself, he is tormented by many speculations.

The image of Joah that you have in your mind is probably wrong.

ニョア殿！ 「オリエンタル樽味噌ロジー」とは一体何なのでしょう。 トンカツにかけると美味しいアレのことですか？気になって昼しか眠れません。 (猫のみっきぃより)

Mister Nyoah!

What exactly is "Oriental Barrel Miso Logistics"?

Is it the stuff that tastes good on pork cutlets? I'm so curious, I can only sleep in the afternoon.

(From Mikki the cat)

そんな味噌知らないし、いらないにゃ。 昼寝してないでちゃんと勉強するにゃ。

I don't know anything about miso, and I don't need it.

Don't take a nap, study properly.

自分は様々な世界を旅している者である。 アポカリプスと蛇神について質問したい。 上記の２つを直訳するとアポカリプスは「黙示録」蛇神は「ゾンビ」 ・・・・となるのだが Zektbach殿、このまま理解して良いのか？ (魔道士ゆさより)

I am a traveler of many worlds.

I have a question about Apocalypse and Snake God.

Apocalypse is "apocalypse" and snake god is "zombie".

It would be ・・・・.

Lord Zektbach, am I understanding you correctly?

(From Yusa the Mage)

だめにゃ。

No, no, no.

ニョアさんの尻尾を上、上、下、下、左、右、左、右の順で引っ張ったあと、 耳、ヒゲの順に引っ張ると、何か起きますか？ (元老院ゴランノス・ポンサーより)

If I pull Nyoa's tail in the following order: up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, then ears, then whiskers, will anything happen? (From Senate Goranos Ponsor)

ああ、起きるとも！！ 私の華麗なる剣舞により、君に身に大いなる危険がにゃッ！！！

Yes, you will!

You are in grave danger from my magnificent sword dance!

こんにちはゼクトバッハさんニョアさん。 ゼクトバッハさんの作り上げるこの幻想的で魅力的な世界にどっぷり嵌まり結構経ちました。 当初数学が大嫌いだった私ですが、2章の影響で数学を頑張って理解してみようと思い、 とりあえず数に心を開いてみたらとてつもなく面白い事に気づき、今では数学がすっかり大好きになりました。 他にも哲学や語学に歴史、神話などを勉強する度アリア・テ・ラリアとの共通点などを見出し、よりその世界に興味 がわき、考察に使う��めにも知識が深まっていきました。 支離滅裂でまどろっこしい文になってしまいましたが、簡潔に言えば「知識を広めるきっかけを下さってありがとう ございました」です。これからも自由にちまちま勉強しながらも考察を続けていきたいと思います。 (冒険者いかより)

Hello Mr. Zektbach, Mr. Nyoah.

It's been quite a while since I was immersed in this fantastic and fascinating world that Mr. Zektbach has created.

At first, I hated mathematics, but under the influence of chapter 2, I decided to try my best to understand mathematics.

When I opened my mind to numbers, I realized that it was incredibly interesting, and now I love mathematics.

The more I studied philosophy, languages, history, mythology, etc., the more I found similarities with Aria Te Raria, and the more interested I became in the world.

This is an incoherent and muddled sentence, but to put it simply,

Thank you for the opportunity to expand my knowledge. I'd like to continue studying and thinking freely.

(From Ika the Adventurer)

非常に嬉しい言葉である。ありがたいにゃ。 Zektbachが何故吟遊しているか、それは君のように様々な物事に興味を持つきっかけでありたいと考えている事が大きいのである。 一見とっつきにくい難しい学問であっても、幻想的で魅力的に表現すれば興味を持てると私とZektbachは確信している。 だから、君が書いてくれたような書簡が届く事はとても嬉しい事にゃ！

I'm very happy to hear that. Thank you very much.

The reason why Zektbach is a bard is that he wants to be a catalyst for people like you to become interested in various things.

Zektbach and I are convinced that even seemingly difficult disciplines can be interesting if they are presented in a fantastic and appealing way.

So it is a great pleasure to receive a letter like the one you wrote!

はじめまして。踊り子のたけのです。以後、お見お知り を。単刀直入に聞きます。星の民は男ですか？女ですか？ それとも、男をも女をも超えた存在ですか？ (踊り子たけのより)

Nice to meet you. I'm Takeno, a dancer.

I'm going to ask you a straightforward question. Are the Star People male or female?

Or are they more than just men and women?

(From the dancer, Takeno)

意味合いが異なるが、チキュウの遺伝生物学の書物でこんな事が書かれている。

The meaning is different, but this is what is written in Chikyu's book on genetic biology.

ニゴロブナという魚はメスの個体しかおらず、オスの精子無しに卵がかえる。 生まれた幼魚はすべてメスとなり、世代が未来へ引き継がれてゆく事が確認されている。 哺乳類でさえ本当は性がなくても子孫が残せる。

The fish called Nigorobuna is only female, and its eggs are born without male sperm.

It has been confirmed that all larvae born are female, and the generation is passed on to the future.

Even mammals don't really need to have sex to have offspring.

さて、これは研究者つまり人類からの視点の文章である。 これは外側からの視点、メタ視点なわけである。 メスの個体しかいないニゴロブナの立場で考えると、 ニゴロブナは『我々に性別があるブナ！』と言うだろうか？ つまりそういうことにゃ。

Now, this is a text from the point of view of a researcher, or a human being.

This is a meta-perspective, a perspective from the outside.

If you think about it from the point of view of a nigorobuna, which only has female individuals.

Would they say, "We have sex, beech! Would they say, "We are genderless beech!"

That's what I'm talking about.

では、今回はこの辺でさらばにゃ！

Well, that's it for this time, goodbye!

ニョアの手記 97 - Nyoah's Notes 97

2011.06.17

[zukalations]

PRxPRince Roundtable talk (March 2019 Kageki)

IMPORTANT: This will be the last original translation post on the Zukalations tumblr account. After this, it will transition into posting weekly link collections to content from the new website.

Please bookmark zukalations.com to access the new content! It will officially launch on January 1, 2021.

This talk for the production of Towaki Sea’s first Bow Hall lead show, PRxPRince, was published in the March 2019 issue of Kageki, and features Towaki Sea, Jun Hana, and director Machida Nanoka.

PRxPRince Roundtable talk (March 2019 issue of Kageki)

Participants: Machida Nanoka (Director), Towaki Sea, Jun Hana

Machida: This is Towaki-san’s first lead show, and also my own first production...I feel a huge amount of pressure.

Towaki: No way!

Machida: More than anything else, Hitoko-chan (Towaki) is so beautiful, so I thought it would be good to make a show with a pretty boy in it. That might be an easy pick (laughs), but since it’s your first lead, I thought that rather than a dark and twisted character, a virtuous prince might be better. Although once you go a little bit deeper, he’s actually a rather odd person… (laughs)

Towaki: For sure (laughs).

Machida: In the end, it’s a coming-of-age story as he becomes a cool prince, so I feel like that’s just perfect for you. Also, personally, when I think about going through a month of rehearsals, I feel like a cheerful story is better (laughs).

Towaki, Jun: (laugh)

Machida: The main concept is that the prince of the tiny nation of Pecchieno is trying his best to overcome the nation’s financial struggles, as well as trying to find a bride. Hitoko-chan’s character, Prince Victor, is a scientific researcher, so he’s a very intelligent person. The hostile neighboring country, Grandi, has a very advanced culture, with increasing amounts of industrial waste and air pollution. On the other hand, Pecchieno is covered with forests, and it is a country that values nature and preserves its old buildings as they are. The prince is concerned about the waste and everything caused by Grandi, so he is conducting research hoping to find something he can do about it.

Towaki: So does that mean there’s a villain around?

Machida: Indeed there is. A woman is the villain.

Towaki, Jun: Oh~!!

Machida: There are three princes, and they all have their own love stories. Hitoko-chan and the heroine played by Jun-chan are totally in love from the start of the story. I want you to be a super sappy couple, I think (laughs).

Towaki, Jun: Oh! (laughs)

Machida: Although everyone appearing in the show is very earnest, I hope that we can use that for the comedy and make the audience giggle. However, I think that in certain ways comedy can be more difficult than tragedy.

Towaki: That’s true.

Machida: I hope that all of us, me included, can keep learning and enjoy ourselves during this rehearsal.

Towaki, Jun: Yes!

Towaki: When I first heard I would be performing a lead role, I was so happy, but when I saw the title had ‘Prince’ in it, I was a little unsure… I’m not that kind of character at all.

Jun: What!? But it’s perfect!

Towaki: No, no! I thought ‘can I really do that?’ And then I heard it would be a happily-ever-after comedy...that was a shock.

Machida: And now I’m thinking again that I ended up picking something really challenging (laughs).

Towaki: But I’m happy to have a lighthearted show for my first lead, and I think that will make it easier for everyone to work hard together and keep looking ahead.

Machida: Victor is a multi-faceted person, and there are a lot of aspects that will depend on Hitoko-chan’s performance. How cool you can make the scenes where he’s cool; whether you can have the charisma that makes girls swoon (laughs). There are some scenes where you’re aggressively pursuing the heroine, you see.

Jun: Whoa~.

Machida: I want the audience to think “That’s totally me!” when they see you, Jun-chan.

Towaki, Jun: Yes…!

Machida: I want the audience to enjoy everything about you, like the parts where you’re a really cool otokoyaku who can make people unthinkingly go “Squee!”, and also really cute parts, so that’s my plan.

Towaki: It seems like you’ve set a high hurdle! I’ll do my best.

Machida: Jun’s character, Elle, is one of the researchers in the prince’s laboratory, and I wanted to make her the picture of a geeky ‘science girl’. She’s like one flower blooming in the midst of a lot of men, and while all the boys are wild about her, she doesn’t pay attention to them, that kind of thing. She’s totally devoted to the prince and her research.

Towaki: (to Jun) What a great girl!

Jun: (laughs)

Machida: She’s also a very strong-willed person.

Jun: While I was startled when I first heard about this show, it’s with Machida-sensei, who was an assistant director for my debut performance, Die Fledermaus.

Machida: Oh, that’s right.

Jun: I was first paired up with Hitoko-san (Towaki) 2 years ago in the tango scene from New Wave!, so I feel really comfortable with her, you could say… I want to support her properly! The role of a researcher is so different from anything about me, though.

Machida: I’m also from a literary field, so I talked to scientist friends of mine while I was writing. There’s a song for all the chemical element symbols, actually (laughs).

Towaki, Jun: Wow~!

Jun: In junior performances I’ve had mature roles, and in the main cast for Phantom I put my all into playing a child, so this is my first time playing such a ‘life-size’, cheerful character. I’m going to keep learning and doing my best!

Towaki: This is the first time I’ve seen Miss Jun Hana being so serious. It’s an honor to meet you (laughs).

Jun: (laughs)

Towaki: Kano (Jun) and I have done more things together offstage. If I had to describe her...she’s not like this!

Jun: (bursts out laughing)

Towaki: Starting now she’s going to start getting more and more undone (laughs). On stage she’s so mature, but she’s actually a little monster.

Jun: You say I’m a monster… (laughs)

Machida: A monster!? (laughs)

Towaki: But I think her smile is wonderful.

Jun: (blushes and laughs) Hitoko-san is really kind, and also thinks about artistic things from so many different angles, so I’m really happy to be able to be with her in this. This is my first time doing so much acting together with her.

Towaki: That’s right. I’m looking forward to it.

Jun: Yes! The poster photoshoot was so fun.

Towaki: We were laughing too much, so it was really hard to get a normal looking smile.

Machida: Mitsue-sensei (Wakao Risa) also got very into the spirit of things. I hope this ends up being a cute show that really suits you both. The music for this show is written by Yoshizaki Kenji, and the choreography is by Wakao Risa and Uejima Yukio.

Towaki: I worked with Choreographer Uejima before when I was in Footloose, and it was such cool choreo!

Machida: I’m really looking forward to it, too. The music for the finale is by Hasegawa Masahiro.

Towaki: So it has a finale!

Jun: I’m so happy!

Machida: I wanted to totally change the atmosphere from the play, and since you are both very skilled at dancing, I wanted to have you get a chance to dance properly.

Towaki, Jun: Wow~!

Towaki: Um, this prince, does he have maids and things?

Machida: He doesn’t. He’s really poor (laughs).

Towaki: So he can’t hire anybody~! (laughs) But he has a family, right?

Machida: Of course. Oh, there’s his old nurse. Do you want a maid? (laughs)

Towaki: No, but since it’s a comedy one of the really big parts of that is creating the atmosphere with the rest of the cast, so I’m just looking forward to those acting scenes with everyone around me.

Machida: There’s your fellow researchers, of course.

Towaki: That sounds so fun! There are so many wonderful senior actresses and reliable junior actresses in this production, so I hope it will be a really fun and cheerful situation in the rehearsal room. While I have the lead role, I don’t want to get too absorbed in that, and keep working on the show through joys and struggles.

Jun: I’m also looking forward to the show even more now that I’ve had the chance to hear more about it today. I’m going to work on training my own skills and do my best so that I can work with Director Machida, Hitoko-san, and everyone else to create this show!

Machida: In any case, this is my first time creating a show…

Towaki, Jun: (applause)

Machida: Thank you so much. Although I’m a clueless young novice, I at least want to make a show that lets Hitoko-chan shine and the audience enjoy themselves. As it’s a comedy, the effect of the lines can change depending on how you say it, so let’s all work on figuring things out until we know the best way of saying things. Let’s all do our best!

Towaki, Jun: Yes!

[isthisthingeven0n]

face to face, at last : d.d

brief summary: ever since you turned sixteen, you’ve had the ability to know when someone will meet their soulmate. it’s a blessing and a curse, as you’ll never know which one might be yours. 

word count: 2k requested: yes by the sweetest anon. i loved the concept and i hope you like the outcome! warnings: none that i’m aware of, just floof 

* masterlistin’ / masterlistin’ 2.0

(everything on my blog is my own writing. if it is shared on another page or website know it hasn’t been approved me unless specified. all rights reserved. - i have to start doing this as I had some shit on my other blog with plagiarism)

“Okay, how about me?” Another friend eagerly walks up to you with bright eyes as she clutches the cash in her hands. 

You hide your sigh before holding your hand out, accepting her payment. 

Everyone watches closely as you look at her closely before shutting your eyes. “Four months. You’ll meet them on July 2nd.” You tell her, watching as she excitedly walks away with the anticipation of finally meeting them, of meeting her soulmate. 

“So, that’s at least fifty bucks today alone my friend.” Your friend walks alongside you, doing the calculations in her phone as you look around, noticing everyone’s dates in their minds that remains hidden away to all except you. “Man, if I had your ability I’d of raked in the cash a long time ago.” She chuckles before nudging your arm, snapping you from your thoughts. “Good job I’m here, Y/n.” 

You nod in response as you keep your head down before exiting the campus and heading back home. “It’s not a great gift, Elsie.” You tell her as you unlock the front door and pull out your phone. “My phone is inundated with messages about other peoples soulmates.” You sigh, but Elsie doesn’t quite seem to get the point.

“What’s the issue with that? Just think how much money you’ll make from it!” She encourages, but you shake your head as she follows you into the living room. “People get to know when they’ll meet their soulmate, you make twenty bucks per person. And ten for close friends.” She comments as you roll your eyes. 

“But I’ll never know about mine, Els.” Your statement hangs in the air as the realisation hits her. 

“Oh,” She mutters before sitting down beside you, letting the words truly sink in. “I, I’m sorry Y/n.”

“No need, Els.” You say with a small smile. “Sometimes it just hurts that I know when everyone will meet their soulmate, but I’ll never know about my own.” You admit, even know it’s still difficult to come to terms with. “After five years of knowing I thought this would get easier.” 

“It will, Y/n.” Elsie tries to remain positive as you shrug your shoulders before rising to your feet.

“I’m going to take a nap.” You speak through a yawn as she waves you off, returning her attention to her phone. 

As you collapse down onto your bed, you reach for your phone. 

Scrolling through the endless requests you pause, seeing a missed FaceTime call from the one person you’ve missed talking to. 

Postponing your nap, you try to call and wait for the endless ringing to come to a halt, and luckily it does. “Hey, you in class earlier?” He asks through the phone as you force yourself to sit upright.

“Yeah, and a lot more people asked about their soulmates obviously.” You scoff as he chuckles to you. 

“That’s still a trend, huh?” He questions as you nod to yourself. “Y/n, I can’t see you nod but I’m assuming you just did.” 

“You’d be correct, Dave.” You chuckle. “So, what’re you up to this evening?” You rise to your feet, wandering over to your laptop before starting it up and curling up into your chair. 

David glances over at his clock, seeing Natalie sat editing with Jason. “Just some more editing really. Nothing exciting.” He tells you half-heartedly. “We could always FaceTime though?” He tries to hide his excitement about the idea, unaware of how eager you are to see him once more.

“Yeah, I think I can squeeze you into my busy schedule of sleeping and avoiding assignments.” You tease as the familiar butterflies start to flutter in your stomach. 

“Okay, well I’ll catch up with you later, don’t work too hard.” He jokes, unable to hide his smile from his friends. 

Elsie wanders up the stairs, noticing you looking down at your phone, struggling to wipe the smile from your face as you stare at the blank screen. 

“I still find it weird you guys have never met,” She inputs as she leans against your doorframe, snapping you from your thoughts.

Uncrossing your legs from your chair, you swivel to face her. “It’s not weird,” You mutter. “he’s just in another state and the money I’m making is going straight to my savings.” You explain something she’s heard countless times.

“And you don’t want to fly out to LA only to meet him and discover he’s got a soulmate ready and waiting.” She finishes for you as your smile falls. “Why can’t you just see it when you guys FaceTime?” She questions.

“I don’t know,” You say truthfully. “something in my head blocks it off. I have to meet the person in person.” You explain, somehow still getting to grips with the technicalities of this ‘gift.’ 

“Do you want to meet him?” She takes a step into your room, testing the waters as you focus on the dark screen of your phone, watching it light up with another soulmate request. 

“Of course,” You admit with a heavy sigh. “I just don’t want to disappoint myself by thinking of something that isn’t possible.” 

“Well, you won’t know until you try, Y/n.” She nudges your arm lightly as you look up to see her trying her best. “I’m going to order Chipotle, want some?” 

A small scoff leaves your lips. “Like you have to ask, Els.” 

*

Over the last few weeks, you came to the decision, it wasn’t easy to make and frankly, you were terrified. “So you’re really going to see him?” Elsie sits beside you in the living room as the flight confirmation remains on your laptop screen. 

“Yeah,” You breathe out. “I used most of the money saved from the soulmate checks.” 

Elsie squeezes your hand and rests her head on your shoulder. “I’m sure it’ll be worth it, Y/n.” She states, feeling you nod softly as you shut your eyes. 

“I hope so too.” You admit through nerves as you have less than a week to go until you’ll finally meet your close friend in person. “I’m just wondering if he’s excited or unphased.” A small laugh leaves your lips as you envision him filming with the likes of Madison Beer or David Blaine, and then there’s you. 

Yet, across the country David was sat in his room, trying his best to calm down. “Dave, you gotta relax.” Natalie jokes as she walks in, seeing David lying on his back with his head hanging off his bed. “You’ve known each other for like a year now.” 

David groans before sitting upright, feeling the blood rush as he turns to face Natalie. “It’s not that,” He admits. “I really care about her, but what if she’s not the one? Like, I’ll still care about her, but I’m falling hard.” 

Natalie sighs before sitting beside her best friend. “You won’t know until you meet her I guess.” Natalie pats his thigh. “And who knows, maybe you’ll meet and she isn’t the one, but you’ll have a great friendship and story.” She shrugs her shoulder, seeing David remain unconvinced. 

“Thanks, Nat.” David mutters as he looks over to his phone, counting down the days until you arrive. 

*

Wandering through the airport, you wheel your suitcase alongside you. You’re still wearing your headphones, having music blasting into your eardrums to ease the gnawing sensation you can’t shake. 

“Okay,” You mutter to yourself as you make it to arrivals, knowing he’d be there somewhere waiting for you.

As your eyes search for him, all you can see are numbers and dates for other people. You can see some will wait for years, and others are blank as they embrace a loved one. Despite it being somewhat of a gift, you shut your eyes as the sense of being overwhelmed returns. 

“Y/n?” You hear your voice being quietly spoken in front of you, and you open your eyes to see brown ones looking right back at you. 

Opening your mouth to say something, you’re startled. He’s here, in front of you. His hands are resting on your arms as his smile widens. “Hi.” You manage to squeak the word out before he laughs, enveloping you into a tight hug.

Dropping your bags to the floor, you wrap your arms around him, not wanting to let go.

“I can’t believe we’re finally meeting in person.” He mutters into your hair as you let out a sigh of content before pulling away. “Like, it’s been a long time coming but you’re here!” He motions to you as you twirl around, he can’t help but think how much prettier you are in person. 

“That I am, Dave.” You joke before he helps you pick up your bags. “I was expecting a cute ass sign and everything.” You tease, watching as he rolls his eyes before motioning to Natalie and Taylor standing with a brightly coloured sign. 

‘surprise, bitch!’ It reads and you laugh at the state of it, having clearly been battered along the way. 

“Yeah we had a few issues, it kinda got run over on the way.” David comments, scratching the back of his neck as you smile before greeting some of the friends you’ve heard plenty about.

“I love it,” You tell him geuinely as your bright smile forms on your lips, causing David’s heart to swoon. “so, where to?” 

“Ooh how about that cafe down the road? They do the best matcha lattes.” Taylor suggests as you follow behind her and Natalie, David remaining by your side as he struggles to keep his eyes off of you.

“Dave, stop staring at me.” You speak up, catching his gaze as a pink tint crosses his cheeks. 

“I’m not staring,” He comments as his hand reaches down for yours, and waits for you to pull away, but you don’t. “I’m simply admiring as I’ve waited for this moment for months.” He chuckles, squeezing your hand lightly as your fingers intertwine. 

As you sit in the car beside David, he props his camera up. “So as you guys know, this is Y/n.” You wave happily to the camera, still shocked that this isn’t just a dream. “And, she has a special gift.” His voice trails off as he turns to face you, knowing he’s waited for this exact moment to know the truth. 

“You can tell when someone is going to meet their soulmate for the first time, right?” Natalie questions and you nod, swallowing the lump in your throat.

“Yeah, I can see when they’ll meet them in person. What date it’ll be and sometimes a time. If it’s blank, they’ve already met.” You explain what you do understand about this and both Natalie and Taylor raise eyebrows. 

“Could you do me?” Taylor asks, smiling shyly as you nod.

David watches as you turn around, focusing on Taylor closely before you close your eyes. Within seconds, he watches as you open them. “Thursday, 2:45pm.” You tell her and her jaw drops. “And yours is blank, Nat.” You tell her, and she rolls her eyes.

“Of course it is.” She huffs. 

“Wonder if it’s Todd after all, hey, Nat?” David jokes, receiving a playful punch from Natalie. “Okay, how about me?” David focuses on you, seeing worry spread throughout your expression. 

“Sure,” You force the word out as you shuffle and face him. 

Holding his breath, David watches as you close your eyes. He notices you scrunching your face up, before a small smile lines your lips. 

“Looks like you already met them.” You tell him. “At 1:13pm, today.” You reel off the information that was displayed to you and pause. 

“Holy shit.” Natalie comments before covering her mouth, allowing the realisation to hit you both. 

“Well,” David chuckles as you remain quiet, letting it all sink in. “hi soulmate, ‘bout time we met in person.” He leans in, resting his hand on your cheek. “Is this okay?” He whispers into your lips.

“More than okay.” You whisper before kissing him back, relieved you finally made the choice to come and visit after all. 

[femalechibiblogger]

5 Underrated Cartoons That Were Cancelled Too Soon

1. Clone High

Clone High is set in a high school in the fictional town of Exclamation, USA, that is secretly being run as an elaborate military experiment orchestrated by a government office called the Secret Board of Shadowy Figures. The school is entirely populated by the clones of famous historical figures that have been created and raised with the intent of having their various strengths and abilities harnessed by the United States military. The principal of the high school, Cinnamon J. Scudworth, has his own plans for the clones, and secretly tries to undermine the wishes of the Board (Scudworth wants to use the clones to create a clone-themed amusement park, dubbed "Cloney Island", a decidedly less evil intention than that of the Board). He is assisted by his robot butler/vice principal/dehumidifier, Mr. Butlertron (a parody of Mr. Belvedere), who is programmed to call everyone "Wesley" and speak in two distinct intonations.

The main protagonists of Clone High are the clones of Abraham Lincoln (referred to as "Abe"), Joan of Arc, and Mahatma Gandhi. Much of the plot of the show revolves around the attempts of Abe to woo the vain and promiscuous clone of Cleopatra, while being oblivious to the fact that his friend Joan of Arc is attracted to him. Meanwhile, John F. Kennedy's clone (referred to as "JFK"), a macho, narcissistic womanizer, is also attempting to win over Cleopatra and has a long-standing rivalry with Abe. Gandhi acts in many of the episodes as the comic relief. Also on a few occasions, the characters that we see learn most of "Life's Lessons" the hard way.

Why it was cancelled: An article in Maxim Magazine depicting Mahatma Gandhi being beaten up by a muscular man sparked outrage in India. Clone High was caught in a crossfire when citizens in the country conducted internet searches on the Maxim article but also found out about the show's Gandhi character on MTV's website. This sparked an outrage in India over the show's depiction of Gandhi. On January 30, 2003, the 55th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi's assassination, approximately 150 protesters (including members of parliament) gathered in New Delhi and vowed to fast in response to Clone High. Tom Freston, the head of Viacom (owner of MTV), was visiting the network's India branch and was "trapped in the building", according to Miller. In 2014, he recalled that protestors "basically threatened that they'd revoke MTV's broadcasting license in India if they didn't take the show off the air". MTV offered a quick apology, stating that "Clone High was created and intended for an American audience", and "we recognize and respect that various cultures may view this programming differently, and we regret any offense taken by the content in the show". Miller would later recall that executives at MTV enjoyed the show, and asked for the duo to pitch a second season without Gandhi. Lord and Miller's two potential versions of a second season included one that made no mention of Gandhi's absence, and another that revealed that the character was, in fact, a clone of actor Gary Coleman all along, and the show continued as normal. "We pitched that, and it went up to the top at Viacom again and it got a big no," he remembered.

2. The Awesomes

The show follows a group of superheroes who step in and replace the members of a legendary but disbanding superhero team. Under new leadership, The Awesomes attempt to put themselves back together in the face of intense media and government skepticism.

Why it was cancelled: On December 17, 2015, Hulu canceled The Awesomes after three seasons and did not renew it for a fourth season due to low ratings. The Awesomes was the first time Michael Tavera composed music for an adult animated series.

3. Invader Zim

Zim dreams of greatness. Unfortunately, though, he's hopelessly inept as a space invader. Desperate to be rid of the annoying Zim, his planet's leaders send him on a mission to infiltrate Earth, providing him with leftover, cobbled-together equipment. To their consternation, Zim succeeds in setting up a base on Earth and infiltrating human culture, posing as a human child as he plots the planet's downfall. Only Zim's archnemesis, Dib, recognizes that Zim is an alien, and of course, nobody believes Dib's claims.

Why it was cancelled: On the subject of why Invader Zim was cancelled, creator of the show Jhonen Vasquez said, "I could go on and on with variations of the most fantastic reasons for why the show was cancelled, but in the end, even I couldn't give you the whole and accurate truth for why the show got pulled," he wrote in a lengthy post on his website in 2010, nearly eight years after the show wrapped. "The most likely culprits are simply ratings and the sheer expense of the show, which was monstrously expensive at the time, especially when compared to more modern, flash-based savings fests."Nearly nine years later in 2019, Vasquez was interviewed by Syfy and said:

I never point to any one particular thing [as the reason for why Invader Zim was cancelled. The show could've come out at any point in history and I don't think it would ever really be appropriate... I think there's always horrible things happening in the world and genuine comedy comes from horrible things. At the time, it just happened to be things like Columbine and 9/11 and then people freak out because they don't want to offend anyone's sensibilities. It's a justified response to a certain extent; there's people who have been affected and they don't want to be reminded of this awful stuff… I just think that it did not jive well with Nickelodeon's image.

In an interview with Syfy in 2018, Richard Horvitz, the voice of Zim, was questioned about why the show got cancelled; he responded:

There's been a lot of rumors that have abounded for years about why Invader Zim was canceled. People think it's the Bloody GIR episode, because there's a quick subliminal shot of GIR all bloodied, but that’s not it at all. Nickelodeon knew about that shot and they didn't seem to mind. But what [the cancellation really was] is this plain simple fact: We had horrible ratings. There were two things that were going on in 2001. Our ratings were not doing well, our demographic at the time was not The Fairly OddParents demographic, which is what we premiered with, and we premiered to really, really good critical acclaim. But ratings-wise, the only real barometer [was the] target audience, 6 to 10 year olds, and I think that it was a little too much for that [demographic], and the parents also might have thought it was a little graphic for them. Our ratings never really got off the ground. One other thing that people often forget, is that the show premiered in March of 2001. By September of 2001, we had the horrible downing of the twin towers. Given the mood of the country at the time, I don't think people wanted to see shows that were about any kind of destruction or anything that had to do with someone trying to conquer the Earth.

4. The Oblongs

A clever comic parable of society's ills, "The Oblongs" depicts the warped world of a bizarre yet loving family of have-nots who live in a toxic valley and can't seem to beat the caste system of the beautiful people living high on the hill. The animated series is based on characters created by author Angus Oblong ("Creepy Susie and 13 Other Tragic Tales for Troubled Children").

Why it was cancelled: Could not find a specific answer. The WB network just decided to cancel it even though it had good ratings. 

5. Wander Over Yonder

The series follows Wander, a nomadic and overly-optimistic intergalactic traveller and his best friend and steed, Sylvia the Zbornak, as they travel from planet to planet helping people to have fun and live free, despite the continuing encroachment of Lord Hater, one of the most powerful villains in the galaxy, and his army of Watchdogs.

The show's first season is episodic; there are very few strong ties between episodes, and they can be viewed independently of each other. In the second season, however, a more sequential story is introduced; as Lord Dominator begins to conquer the galaxy, the show's tone becomes more serious and the focus moves from stopping the rather incompetent Lord Hater to stopping the extremely competent Lord Dominator. As a result, the episodes are more closely linked and there are several developments in the overarching plot.

Why it was cancelled: The creators of the show were not given a specific reason, even though they had plans for a third season.

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #384

“watch your tongue or have it cut from your head”

Do you post to say happy birthday on other people’s walls? Sometimes. Depends on my mood and the person. When was the last time you saw a rainbow? Idr. What’s your favorite television commercial? I don't watch TV enough at all to have one. And who has a favorite commercial, anyway? Do you trip a lot? I don't really trip a lot, but kinda fumble over my footing and stray a bit. I'm horrible at walking straight, and it's gotten worse as my legs have. How old is your television? The one in the living room is god knows how old. My parents were still together when they bought it. When did you last talk on the phone with someone? A couple days ago for my appointment with my psychiatrist. Are you currently sleepy? I'm quite convinced I'm permanently tired. Are you hot or cold natured? I am ALWAYS fucking hot, ugh. Do you take any advanced classes? I took mostly Honors classes in school. Do you have weak upper body strength? My body is just weak as a whole. What is the worst insult someone can call you? Emotionally weak. Are you good at sketching? If we're talking meerkats, haha. They're the only complex thing that I can freehand no problem without needing a reference, honestly. Ever play Angry Birds? Nah. I thought the movie was cute, though. Have you ever been to the zoo before? Yeah. Has anyone ever been weirdly obsessed with you? No. Are you afraid someone might steal your identity someday? It's not something I actively worry about at all. Like, you don't want my identity, I promise. Do you have any talents that come naturally? Growing up, adults always told me I was a "gifted" artist and writer. Also that I seem to have an unnaturally strong connection with animals. I've always been that person where a pet's owner is like "omg ____ never lets people do that" and whatnot. Have you ever had plastic surgery before? I haven't. It's funny though, how opposed to it I used to be... Like goddamn, I was such a fucking stupid and honestly judgmental teenager, regarding many things. I look back on her and cringe. Like damn dude, if you have a safe surgical procedure to help you enjoy the body you're stuck with the rest of your life, you go for it, boo. Are you afraid of airplane rides? Not really. What’s the best Valentine’s Day gift you’ve gotten? There was this one year where Jason had to go to work on Valentine's Day and I was super bummed, yet he still surprised me with a heart-shaped box of chocolates, roses, and a game I really wanted, Heavy Rain. I thought it was the sweetest. What is something you lose often? My phone. ;-; Do you enter a lot of sweepstakes? I don't enter any. Do you consider yourself physically active? *chuckles nervously* Do you have Netflix? Yeah. Favorite salad dressing? That Olive Garden replica you can buy at the store. Do you enjoy dancing? Once upon a time I did. My body could never handle it now. Have you ever considered writing a novel? Many times. Snow or sand? Snow, by twenty thousand miles. It is VERY hard for me to walk through sand, and I also hate hate hate hate HATE the sensation. Do you like sour candy? Heeeeeell yeah man. Have you gotten any injuries lately? If so, what & how? Nothing notable. Are you a clumsy person? Like you would not fucking believe. Last male you talked to in person? I think my primary physician's nurse. Are you thinking about asking anyone out? No. Pink lemonade or regular lemonade? Pink lemonade, for sure. But I love both. Chocolate or strawberry milk? CHOCOLATE. Strawberry milk is disgusting. Have you ever won a contest on the radio?No. Is there a song that reminds you of your best friend? There's quite a few. Has a book ever made you cry? Yes. Do you automatically check your phone when you wake up? Yes, for the time. Do you know anyone who has a pet bunny? Not that I'm aware. What store or website would you most like a gift card for? Rebel's Market. How do you feel about wolves? I adore wolves. Beautiful, majestic creatures with very interesting social dynamics. Name your top 3 favorite musical instruments. Electric guitar, violin, piano. What was the last book(s) you bought at a bookstore? At an actual bookstore, I think it was The Fault In Our Stars, which I never actually read. Do you use Pinterest? Yes. Do you know any sign language? No. Do you have a favorite poem? No. Do you have a dog? No. The one we were pretty much stuck with has a home now. Have you ever read The Little House on the Prairie series? I haven't. Have you ever gone on a service trip to an underprivileged country? No. Have you ever performed in front of more than 100 people? Yes, for dance. When (if ever) was the last time you went to church? Forever ago, I don't even remember the last time. What's a quote you think is really powerful? There's a whole lot. The first one that came to mind was, "An eye for an eye will leave the world blind," which I do believe has great depth in it. Have you ever had to do your laundry at a laundromat? Yes. Are you the oldest person who lives in your household? No. My mom is turning 60 (... I think?) this year. If you have tattoos, how long have you had them? I got my first the day I turned 18. Do you and your dad have similar personalities? We're alike in some ways, imo most notably in that we have NO fucking common sense, embarrassing as that is to admit. We're both kinda slow at understanding things, too. What were the last three things you had to drink? Mountain Lightning, milk, and water. What did your family usually do for Easter when you were a kid? Us three kids all got Easter baskets full of stuff, and we'd go egg-hunting when we were all awake. My little sister Nicole would always wake our parents up in excitement, haha. My parents hid plenty throughout the house, and there was always this one "special" egg that was actually from Mom's childhood and was extremely intricate and beautiful. You basically "won" the hunt if you found it, and it was extremely well-hidden. When you have house guests over, where do they sleep? Historically since living here, my two half-sisters and their spouses (the only people who've stayed over) slept in what is *technically* Mom's room, but for whatever reason this woman still insists on sleeping on the couch in the living room, I guess because she's used to it after all the years she didn't have her own room and bed. Are you emotionally stable? LOLOOLOLOOLLOLOOLOOLOLLOOLOLLLLLLLLLLL Do you still talk to the very first person you had sex with? No. Are you an atheist? No. I don't quite know how to define what I am, but since I believe there's SOME higher power, I don't think it's fitting to call me an atheist. What’s the largest bug you’ve ever found in your house? Hm... I'm unsure. Probably a male mosquito, 'cuz them bitches are big'ins. Would it annoy you if a stranger called you "sweetie?" If it was a man, I'd be creeped out. Are you into fashion design? Not really. What’s the worst thing you’ve gone through in the past year? My leg muscles continuing to degrade, honestly. I have to do something about this shit. How did you get your last bruise? I fell when stepping over the stupid dog gate. Have your parents ever forgotten your birthday? Yikes, no. Would you rather have some bacon or beef jerky? Bacon. Do you like your orange juice with lots or no pulp? NONE. Do you wear skinny jeans? Back when I wore jeans, they were the only kind I wore. What projects are you doing now for school? I'm outta school. What’s the most number of comments you have on a Facebook picture? What is the picture of? I have no idea. Do you like coconut flavored things? No. Have you ever met a famous author before? No. Do you know anybody who has been raped before? No, thank god. I know someone who might've almost been, though. I don't know what the fucking pig was going to do to her if my sister and I weren't there. Have you ever wished for bigger boobs? No. Being overweight, I just want smaller ones now, haha. Have you ever gone a full day without interacting with another person? I've gone many days without it. How many relationships have you been in that lasted less than a year? Four, if you're counting everyone that had the "boyfriend" title. Where were you going the last time you were on a plane? Home from Illinois. Where were you going the last time you were on a train? I've never been on one. Have you ever been significantly more physically fit than you are now? Holy fuck, yes. You would never guess now that I was perfectly healthy in high school especially, yet I still thought I was kinda fat. It hurts so much to look back on. When growing up, did you parents keep the house very tidy? I mean not excessively, but Mom was pretty dedicated to keeping the house in decent condition. With three kids though, of course the house was somewhat messy with toys and all. When you shop at IKEA, do you always stop to eat a snack/meal in the cafeteria? ... There's a fucking cafeteria in a furniture store? o_o I've never been there before. How many watches do you own? None, save for one in my "treasure box" from when I was a kid. I was SO SO SO obsessed with Finding Nemo that I kept my broken one. I did the same with my horribly aged sneakers, like the soles were coming off and Mom finally made me stop wearing them, ha. Are there any ways in which you greatly differ from everyone else in your family? I do fucking nothing and am useless to society. Should teenagers be allowed to have their cell phones with them in class? Yes, because emergencies happen. I personally think it's best to maybe have your cell phone flipped over on the corner of your desk or something and on vibrate, that way the noise isn't too disruptive and the teacher can see you're not just using it for other purposes. Do you have any gay relatives? Yes. Have you ever had to have a pet put down? Sigh, multiple. Have you unfollowed, deleted, or blocked anyone on social media recently? If so, what was the reason? Not recently. How many cups of coffee do you typically drink per day? None. Do you know what your vocal range is? No, but it's not very broad. What’s the biggest financial mistake you’ve ever made? I haven't been in this position before. Have you ever been in a relationship where there was a large difference in maturity levels? No. What’s the longest you’ve ever stayed as a guest at someone’s house? I wanna say over a month while we were technically homeless. How bad was your acne when you were a teenager? Oh dear, it was rough. Like there were people who had it worse than me, but ya girl was lookin preeeetty rough lmao.

[purplesurveys]

1191

survey by voicedance16

name yourself: Robyn

name (one of) your best friend(s): Angela; she’s for keeps.

name 3 things in your fridge/freezer: I don’t think I opened the fridge at all today, but if I had to guess...eggs, bread, and our pad thai leftovers from dinner earlier.

name a color you're wearing currently: Green.

name the last thing you ate: I treated myself and ordered spicy tuna salad tonight because I had a shit shift. It’s been a while since I felt a little burned out with my job, but it happened today and it wasn’t very pleasant.

name the last store you went to: I never go out these days...does online shopping count? I’m always browsing through Shopee, if anything lol.

name the song you're listening to: ON - BTS.

name the artist of that song: BTS.

name your favorite animal: Dogs or elephants.

name what pets you have, if any:  Two dogs. Kimi, Cooper.

name the town/state you live in: No thanks. I live near Manila though, which is probably the only city most people know from the Philippines anyway so that should suffice.

name something commonly ordered at Starbucks: I think my usual is a pretty common order – caramel macchiato.

name the last person you talked to in person: Not sure. I think it may have been Nina? I was just jokingly asking her if her bias recognized her again on a VLive, since her comments have been read by her favorite group recently, and she tells me they even laugh at them :( Perks of liking a smaller, more underground group for sure; pigs would have to fall from the sky before anyone from BTS notices me lol.

name the last person you talked to on the phone: My mom. I didn’t hear her calling for dinner last night, so she ended up having to call me from downstairs while I was hanging out at the rooftop.

name the current day of the week: Tuesday.

name the current month: May.

name the current time: 10:22 PM.

name the last movie you watched: I have not watched an entire movie since i’m thinking of ending things back in September. I did watch a snippet from Portrait of a Lady on Fire a few weeks ago, though. That’s the closest thing I’ve got to watching any film recently.

name the last book you read: This one I’m even more uncertain about.

name a place you've been on vacation: South Korea.

name a place you'd like to go on vacation: Malta or Turkey.

name 3 things you can see from where you're sitting: It’s pretty dark so I technically can’t ‘see’ anything, but based on what I know I brought up to the rooftop tonight I have my phone, my salad, and my vape pen.

name your favorite musical: Miss Saigon, if anything. I’m not a big fan of musicals.

name an animal (any): Turtle was the first that came to mind.

name a fruit: Mangoes.

name a vegetable: Lettuce.

name a common breakfast food: Pancakes. They’d sound so good rn, too.

name a color: Grey.

name a type of flower: Dandelions.

name a type of tree: Uh...mango again? HAHA I’m not very good with trees.

name a city: New York.

name a state: Indiana.

name a country: India.

name a continent: Asia.

name a planet: Jupiter.

name a girl's name: Jessica.

name the last person to comment you on Facebook: Angela. She tagged me on this post that was promoting a local shop that makes customized face pillows and she told me we should order a Taehyung one for me and a Seokjin one for her, hahaha. The concept is definitely cute but it wasn’t my style, so I showed her another shop that also makes face pillows, but prettier.

name a clothing store/brand: Thom Browne.

name the last book you got at the library: If I remember correctly, it was History of the Filipino People which, coincidentally, my great-uncle wrote.

name a restaurant: Yabu but eugh, haven’t eaten there since the breakup. I should order from them soon to commemmorate moving on heheh.

name a grocery store: Can I just name a local one? SM.

name an iPhone app: YouTube.

name an actor: Eddie Redmayne.

name an actress: Emma Stone.

name a music group: BTS.

name your favorite/lucky number: It used to be 4, but I’m now going with 7.

name something you've accomplished: Continued from...last night, I think? I have no concept of time anymore. I managed to survive this week so far considering how deadly my schedule was.

name something you'd like to accomplish: Get a promotion once I’ve proven myself capable.

name someone who makes you laugh: Hans can make anything funny.

name something exciting coming up soon: Some of my online shopping orders arriving I’m guessing by later today, yayyyy.

name a song that makes you emotional: Oh man, there are a lot. O by Coldplay is probably the one that hits the worst, though; I still can’t listen to that song completely to this day. Recently, I also can’t really avoid being sad whenever I listen to Butterfly by BTS.

name one of your pet peeves: Overly slow drivers.

name someone you know who is an amazing singer: Hannah.

name someone who is the same religion as you: JM.

name a holiday you celebrate: Christmas.

name the last 4 digits of your phone number: That’s too many, lmao.

name one of your cousins: My cousin Lei from my dad’s side.

name a book you loved when you were younger: The entire Septimus Heap series. I must’ve reread Magyk (the first book) a hundred times.

name a song you loved when you were younger: Let’s go withhhhh Girlfriend by Avril Lavigne. Making sure there were no adults around whenever I sang along to “I’m a motherfucking princess” as an 8 year old was always a thrill.

name your favorite movie: Two for the Road.

name a popular book series: Percy Jackson.

name a musical instrument: Saxophone.

name a language: French.

name what other tabs you have open: Archive of our Own, Dailymotion, Bzoink.

name 3 things on the walls of the room you're in: The walls of the rooftop are bare.

name your house number 4.

name your high school: Nope.

name your college, if applicable: UP.

name your middle school See high school.

name your elementary school: See high school.

name the college you wish you went to/hope to go to: I was able to qualify for the university and degree I wanted to attend.

name your favorite teacher: My music teacher in high school.

name the color of your backpack: Hm, don’t really use backpacks anymore but the main one I had in college - at least until I switched to a simple handbag (aka my senior year when I started to not care lol) - was a pink Herschel backpack.

name a dessert: Leche flan.

name a famous landmark: Statue of Liberty, only because of the question after this.

name a place you might go in NYC: Tiffany’s.

name an inventor: Nikola Tesla.

name an article of clothing: Jeans.

name an ice cream flavor: Pistachio.

name a religion: Islam.

name an emotion: Resentment.

name a room in your house: Mine.

name a website: Twitter.

name a car: Hyundai Palisade.

name something you need to do today: It’s a holiday today so I technically should be off work, but since it’s a holiday squished in the middle of the week that’s just another way of saying my dayoff will be a scam lmao. That said, I need to draft an article today for a client.

name someone you admire: My dad.

name someone you miss: My two best friends.

name a part of the body: Thighs.

name the last youtube video you watched: It was a Taehyung-focused compilation.

name a quote you love: “If you really love to be loved, it’d be good to show those who love you how much you’ve changed.” There’s some background context obviously playing around in here and most people might not recognize the weight it holds if they’re unfamiliar, but it’s a quote that really means a lot to me and came to me during a time I needed to hear it.