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ba-mi-soro-orisha · 5 years ago

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What books are on your nightstand?

“All the Stars and Teeth,” by Adalyn Grace; “Ninth House,” by Leigh Bardugo; “The Last Arrow,” by Erwin Raphael McManus. I always have an itch for great fantasy, which Grace and Bardugo provide. And I’m always interested in self-development and books that feed my soul like “The Last Arrow.”

What’s the last great book you read?

“Daring Greatly,” by Brené Brown! I was really moved by her Netflix special, and listening to her audiobook came at the perfect time in my life. She has a way of perfectly describing some of the most intimate human emotions and experiences, and she provides concrete, actionable solutions. She gave me a new level of self-awareness that’s helped me navigate my life in a meaningful way, so I’m a big fan.

Are there any classic novels that you only recently read for the first time?

Recently, no. The vast majority of American classics were ruined for me because schools made me read them too young. If I remember correctly, I think I had to read “Self-Reliance,” by Ralph Waldo Emerson, in seventh grade. I remember reading “Death of a Salesman” in high school and hating it, but when I read it in college I loved it. I was blown away by what Arthur Miller had created. Because of that, I’m saving my reread of the classics for a time when life isn’t too crazy and I can focus. I want to make sure if I don’t like what society has deemed a classic story, it’s because I don’t like the actual story, and not because I didn’t understand it when I was 12.

Describe your ideal reading experience (when, where, what, how).

My ideal reading experience is on the beach, under an umbrella, with my Kindle, and with a tasty drink and snack by my side.

What’s your favorite book no one else has heard of?

I don’t think I have one? I’m a pretty basic person. I’m not even cool enough to like niche anime. Everything I gravitate to is pretty well known because they are such amazing stories.

If I had to pick one, I’d say most of my younger readers probably aren’t familiar with “The Souls of Black Folk,” by W. E. B. DuBois, and most of my older readers probably aren’t familiar with “Six of Crows,” by Leigh Bardugo.

What book should everybody read before the age of 21?

“The Poet X,” by Elizabeth Acevedo. It’s a stunning story told in verse about a young Dominican poet learning to use her voice and take up space. I think as we grow up and start to discover who we are, we also have to discover what we want to say. Then we have to get comfortable saying it. I think this is the kind of story that makes you feel strong when you’re reading it, and then you can lean on that strength when you need to use your voice and take up space in your real life.

Which writers — novelists, playwrights, critics, journalists, poets — working today do you admire most?

For novelists, I’m a forever-fan of Sabaa Tahir. Her debut fantasy — “An Ember in the Ashes” — was the epic tale that inspired me to write “Children of Blood and Bone.” It moved me in ways a story hadn’t moved me before and gave me a chance to imagine a fantasy world with characters I’d never gotten to see before.

For journalists, Shaun King. The work Shaun does for the black community is incredible. I respect his strength, tenacity and passion, and I admire him deeply for the commitment to getting our stories out.

For critics, I think YouTubers like Cosmonaut Variety Hour and Alex Meyers? I get a lot of entertainment from their television and movie reviews, and also get refreshers on good storytelling.

What writers are especially good on adolescent life?

Angie Thomas, Nic Stone and Jason Reynolds!

How do you distinguish Y.A. books from adult fiction?

Honestly, the main difference to me is how quickly I’m captured and transported into the story. I find the best young adult novels have all the best parts of adult fiction — the extensive world-building, the complex characters, the beautiful prose — layered over a fast-paced, exciting plot. Most of the adult fiction I read takes its time building to the climax.

Which young adult books would you recommend to people who don’t usually read Y.A.?

I always recommend “An Ember in the Ashes” and “Six of Crows” after one of my readers has finished “Children of Blood and Bone.” I find those three fantasies crossover really well and help hook people into reading other young adult books.

What’s the most interesting thing you learned from a book recently?

That you’re not supposed to fight your anxiety, you’re supposed to fight the things that are causing your anxiety by setting better boundaries for yourself and for others. That’s one of the golden nuggets in “Daring Greatly.”

Which genres do you especially enjoy reading? And which do you avoid?

I love a good romance! I’m always game for young adult fantasy and sci-fi. I want to read more adult books, contemporary books and poetry. And sadly, I avoid nonfiction. When I read, I like to go somewhere else in my mind with stories that touch our real world without taking place in it.

What makes for a good fantasy novel?

I think the most magical fantasies will always be the ones with a world you want to live in forever. For example, I think we loved Harry Potter, but we were in love with Hogwarts. We all wanted to go to class with him. We all wanted our own wands. I think great worlds are important because they allow readers to play in that world with their imagination long after the book is done, but a great world isn’t complete without a great protagonist.

What moves you most in a work of literature?

Acts of love. Be it familial, friendly or romantic. A beautifully described, tender act of love destroys me.

How do you organize your books?

ORIGINAL STORIES: I have a lot of the stories I wrote when I was young on my Kindle — they are hilarious and incredible and always funny to read.

BOOKS ON WRITING: I always want to be a better writer/storyteller than I am now. I love books and YouTube videos that break down the art of story.

FICTION: Most of my library is Y.A., so this is where my “I’m an adult” fiction goes.

SCI-FI: Though I’m a child of fantasy, my interest in the stars and spaceships is growing.

FANTASY: Includes all the great franchises of the past and all the exciting, diverse stories that are being published today.

Who is your favorite fictional hero or heroine? Your favorite antihero or villain?

Antiheroes: Zuko, from “Avatar: The Last Airbender”; Logan, from “X-Men”; Kaz Brekker, from “Six of Crows.” Villains: Light Yagami, from “Death Note,” and Magneto, from “X-Men.” I guess my Slytherin is showing, because I love my antiheroes and my villains more than my heroes.

What kind of reader were you as a child? Which childhood books and authors stick with you most?

I was a voracious reader when I was young. I lived for the summer reading challenges where I could read 50 books and get like three Airheads at the end of August. The authors and books that worked themselves into my heart were Mary Pope Osborne and her Magic Tree House series, J. K. Rowling and Harry Potter, Masashi Kishimoto and “Naruto.” I consider myself a creative child of fantasy and anime.

How have your reading tastes changed over time?

My Kindle is loaded up with several of the stories I wrote as a girl and as a teenager. It’s wild reading them now because I vaguely remember the nights and weekends I stayed up writing these tales, and I see the plots and character types that I’ve loved reading about and imagining since I was young.

I’ve always loved sweeping romances and magical fantasies. I’ve loved headstrong, determined female protagonists and epic battles. I still like to read the same things. I think the difference now is that I get to read all the things I like with characters who look like me. My childhood stories didn’t give me that. Even in the stories I wrote myself, I was only writing white characters and biracial characters. I didn’t realize it at the time, but that erasure was painful and damaging to my sense of self. So getting to create and read stories that fight that erasure and build on my sense of self is the only significant change in my reading tastes.

You’re organizing a literary dinner party. Which three writers, dead or alive, do you invite?

Oprah Winfrey, Octavia E. Butler and Toni Morrison. I would be extremely uncomfortable in the midst of all that greatness, and I probably wouldn’t speak. But while stuffing my face with little lobster rolls, I would get to learn from and be inspired by those three incredible women.

Whom would you want to write your life story?

Honestly, me, because I’m a perfectionist. But I don’t think I’m the best person to write my story because while I have a unique take on my story, I also lack a lot of necessary perspectives that would be needed to write an accurate life story. I’m going to cheat this one and say I would like Shonda Rhimes to do a highly dramatized mini-series of my life story.

What do you plan to read next?

“Blood Heir,” by Amélie Wen Zhao. I’ve heard really great things. I’m excited to check it out!

#tomi adeyemi #interview #long post #reading #book recs #welp this explains the inan bullshit LMAO

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grimeysociety · 5 years ago

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what are some of your fave comedy movies in the last 10 years? 🌻

2010: The Trip, Submarine, Boy, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

2011: Bridesmaids, Le Havre, Bernie, Our Idiot Brother, Young Adult

2012: Moonrise Kingdom, Safety Not Guaranteed, Seven Psychopaths, Frances Ha, Bachelorette

2013: The Wolf of Wall Street, The Way Way Back

2014: Inherent Vice, Paddington, Obvious Child, What We Do in the Shadows, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), The Grand Budapest Hotel, St. Vincent, Pride, Frank, Big Hero 6, The Book of Life

2015: Tangerine, Girl Asleep, Maggie’s Plan, The Lobster, Dope, Inside Out, The Lady in the Van

2016: Love & Friendship, Swiss Army Man, Everybody Wants Some!!, The Nice Guys, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Deadpool, Keanu, The Edge of Seventeen

2017: Thor: Ragnarok, Logan Lucky, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, The Big Sick, Lady Bird, The Disaster Artist, The Death of Stalin, Ingrid Goes West

2018: Eighth Grade, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, BlacKkKlansman, The Favourite, The Breaker Upperers, Ideal Home, Tully

2019: The Peanut Butter Falcon, Parasite, Fighting with My Family, Uncut Gems, Knives Out, The Dead Don’t Die, Booksmart

#anonymous

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tenaciouscupcaketaco · 4 years ago

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1989-2020 Poetic Work Of Mario William Vitale

1989-2020 Poetic Work Of Mario William Vitale (Manuscript of Poet Mario William Vitale) From 1993-1997 - Attended State University in Connecticut,Attempted plays : Tartuffe, Miracle Of St. Anthony and Balm in Gieade,( His poetic aspirations had in 1989 from submitting his first poem entitled, "Remembrance Of A Loved One"- (Sparrowgrass Poetry Forum)Next from 1989-1997 ( Wrote primarily for Poetry.com and The International Library Of Poetry),* Received editors choice award in 1997 for poem, " A Beacon Of Light ",(1998) Sent poetic manuscript to N.Y. Time Magazine and Chief Editor " John Hyland".Back with rave reviews !* ( From 1999-2008:Had adapted a real keen sense of style for writing poetry: ( 1999- Sent Editorial to:New Man Magazine for the Passion of Christ Movie;Sent followup letter to company with poetry platform information attached,* 2000-2007 : Magazine : ( Catholic) Maries Rose Ferron Magazine submitted poem" Beacon Of Light", which had excellent editorial reviews as the outset !2008- Wrote poem entitled: ( The Heavy Cross) to Poetry.com* Achieved Poetry status of work of Excellence in writing from the Academy Of American Poetry in which still having received rank and status as a member of Academy;* ( The Connecticut Poetry Society)* Short story submitted entitled, "China Dog Ray" submitted to Virginia WritersQuarterly, West Virginia, Also having member status on their board of Poetry.* ( Attribute Poetry to an ever increasing love of God and his unconditional love that he has for us in return,Thankfulness toward family and friends.( To our past ancestors who fought to uphold freedom that far too many of us take for granted ?One needs a pure heart that's fixed on truth,This is in order to withstand the true great test of time !Life is way too short,Press toward the goal or mark of our high calling that is in Christ Jesus The Lord !~My contempoarry artists include that of ellan Bryant Voight, Kay Ryan and carl Phillips.Which all three are Participants in the Academy Of American Poetry.* Having been a member since 2006,My work reflects the likes of past poets such as C.S.Lewis, Hawthorne and edgar Allen Poe.Most of my work reflects with the values of religious beliefs intact,( In my personal view it is essential in demonstrating a real heart of creativepassion !The reader I believe will benefit by my artistic style of development in a verypositive light.)To further the need for poetry to become more main stream, Mario Vitale was born in Bristol , Ct Has developed a skill for writing poetry in the free verse form. has been featured on Hubpages.com, Starlitecafe.com & Poetry soup. Vitale lives with his elderly mother Ann Soulier in Wolcott, Ct. Currently has written well over 1,000 poems & 2 short story's toward credit platform. Vitale has taken the poetic world by storm being featured on Google, Yahoo & MSN. Looks up to contemporaries in the poetry industry such as John Ashbery & Major Jackson. Has been a favorite featured poet reader at Barnes & Noble in Waterbury, Ct. Also featured on such sites as Poetry soup, Writer's café & Neo Poet. Mario William Vitale 1 Winfield Drive Wolcott, ct 06716 A Beacon Of Light Written by: Mario Vitale A beacon of light to a much hurting world in need ! Can't help but to claim.., Some sense of identity, Stregnth and encouragement only come from above ! Amidst in the distance, the trapped seagull.., Lieth frightened but still yet adrift ! In a most vengeful fashion striking the passing fish, A true source of hope, Yet a most triumphal beam ! This beacon of light shineth forth, Passerby's can err' escape the helping hand.., To the most sparkling of radiance ! (2)Thanksgiving Dinner by Mario Vitale Home for the holiday from New Orleans, with Mother and Father at the tiny drop leaf, brown rosewood, mahogany table with the gold, grinning claw feet; Father, choler- red-in the-face, short- sleeved white shirt and cane, says the blessing as Mother brings in the turkey and cranberry. Then Mother asks, “Won’t you have more?” and father : “Do you think Moll Flanders was a *****?” (I have suffered and bleached my hair blond.) I am silent before their replies. Mother sighs. “I can scarce speak to her.” And Father, too, quotes Shakespeare. (I am thin as paper and the rose- colored bowl of blown glass sitting on the silver stand, half- filled with water.) “How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is to have a thankless daughter” (3) Song of Spring Today I heard a robin sing heralding the coming spring A song of exultation to the sky an ode to earth's awakening I saw a willow on the hill It's branches greening in the sun and all the earth seemed hushed & still sleeping streams began to run I heard a softly rising breeze whispering through the grass singing through the still bare trees waiting winter's chill to pass I saw the sun, so bright and warm warming the earth after the rain the buds and leaves, no frost to harm at least, at last, it's spring again. (4) The Ancients It's my last day with the old giants In mourning I hike the lost trails, sniffing the aroma of the bark, that cinnamon of the forest Under tepees of wood in a membrane of shadows, I stalk the earth, its mammal traces, its elusive tracks, to sit on a fallen log where spiders macramé, moss sloping to my knees unaware of invisibles within, grubbing in their tunnels A lizard taps my foot, responding, I muse to its touch, my thoughts like Indian visions, And when daylight mushrooms into night, and an owl hoots from cedar, I still sit with a lizard on my shoe Huddled with the ancients of the woods (5) Epiphany Written by: Mario Vitale It clings to the cliffed shore, to the wintered face of the thistle path, to the fingers of the old man's glove as he waves his memory homeward In that breath between come and go she moves up from the bay; gold turns her stride, the line of her dress, the soft sea pulling at her feet When he reaches out and the frail birds fly and the sun and the sky have married deep into the sea, it clings Even as his shadow threads retreat, it clings, even now as it dissolves to mist (6) A Return Home, Only Time Will Tell Written by: Mario Vitale Oh blessed hope ! Both hardly a believable dream, Sweltering heat with bloodshed in the street... Send the troops home ! There is no clear reason for them to roam.., These are desolate times ! For we have chosen ill faded rhymes.., The casualties are enormous ? For a stated cause that clearly atrocious.., A mother's cry as the door chime rings, A vanishing salute to freedom as the church choir sings ! Let us look above to all the heavenly love.., Merciful one, take this chip off my shoulder.., Stop the senseless fighting before our dear nation grows a bit colder, Suddenly, seeds were dropped out of a farmers bag, In time roots spring up fresh out of the fertile soil... As the sun heats up, Time will tell when this harvest will soon boil... In the vast game of life, One's time is so very brief ! The soul yearns for its' heavenly relief.., Share with others who may want to turn over a brand new leaf.., Time will tell of the true importance of helping one another, To never give into the finish line.., Nor harsh criticism that our society puts out ! Like a famous fighter in his final bout ! Time will tell of the return home, To the open arms of a loved one ! (7) A Valiant Knight Written by: Mario Vitale A Valiant Knight Death springs a new day basking in the breeze In solemn moments lets pause to think of a place A far off castle in the mountains away from it all A valiant knight lived in the structure of it's dwelling Those days of old where mere men had a noble demise A beautiful maiden was in waiting for her knight He would often fight for the cause of stregnth and dignity The draw bridge where the castle stood had a very unique aura A mystery of sort sought up in the vast array of crowned nobility For the king on his thrown was humble yet greedy Always would take care of himself caring nothing for the needy A valiant knight was concerned about the kings trust Often they would disagree on who it was to serve A joker came in front of the king one day with a magic wand Waving the wand in the air then there floated ivy everywhere For the court jester was a fool in the making of his legacy The maiden would often come forth and see For she treasured a red rose that was plucked sometime before Cherished the calling of her stature to the glory of the throne A valiant knight would often sing sweet songs in the night Had a following of village people that would sit before his feet Having a way of words that he would often share The castle was filled with dragons and warlocks searching for love A cause to be brave amidst uncertainty of the kingdom The legacy of golden capulets filled ardent vestibules Let us toast to the valiant knight who keeps a watch on all that is good (8) Hampton Beach The smell of fresh fry doe Time had elapsed playing at the casino Fresh lobster with a side order of fries Those spacious wonderful sky's Down at the shell the continental were playing A walk by the lady of a statue in waiting Flip flops and the sound of laughter A playground for kids in the middle The boardwalk with seagulls flocking over head Fire works in the midnight air with a cheer (9) God's World It is raining again. Summer will be over before it ever gets here Thunder rolls far away, drops hit the windshield, the sky turns gray The Sunflower, the blue Delpinium, the white Stinkwood drink the moisture greedily. The green and silver leaves of the Aspens sparkle as the rain hits them, and the wind turns them round and round The creek flows on, oblivious to the change in the weather. A break in the clouds allows a bit of sun to hit the side of a towering mountain Three cows slowly wend their way homeward. It is dusk. The gray clouds lift and the sun bursts through, before sliding behind the hills for the night It is God's World. He gives it to us to enjoy and to share with each other (10) Jake's House There was a man whose name was Jake Who had a house upon the lake Every morning he would wake And for breakfast have a piece of cake He had a private fishing hole; He always used a long cane pole He fried his fish on red hot coal And served it in a great big bowl For a pet, he had a cat (11) In The Zone Written by: Mario Vitale In The Zone whispers... through the dark deranged portals you evoke fear filled with angelic fervor on it's textual base yet we dig much deep then ever before cries in the dark will light the spark of what we need to know still we stand idle as the average novice introduces its spell along again then the sadness evokes a newer feeling dwindling through the vain extraction of the never world we visually see a flash then a new day approaches on the lawn two lovers having passionate *** the screams of vile extreme explodes throughout perhaps this is the place where Nero tread yet again I sit alone in my house now huddled in the corner the twilight sun has tainted my inner vision the howls of Satanic laughter gives a piercing shriek through a candle was lit by the edge of my bed One can remain lax in the quietness of the moment yet again the setting of the sun a new day has begun as we embark on the moment Does death hurt you the most or is it fear You can equate logic through a firm grasp of the hand whispers again... then a faint cry, we construct living pyramids to honor the dead A stroke of luck an the impulse ensues onto so much more but for what are we grasping for straws what are we searching for ? quietness again this time I'm in the zone as if zombie creatures with viscous long fangs that bite dripping blood off side we run away to hide no one questions anymore no one has a voice alone one last time yet feelings of grandeur awake to the message of hope that spills from the sky a challenge to be free is a question of time eyes with spots digging holes in a pool of blood Satan laughing again spreads his wings Suddenly I awake but to what ? (12) An End Of The Age Of Innocence Part III Written by: Mario Vitale In our fast paced twentieth century world.., We oft' have neglected to stop to smell the roses, Oft' we used to bow our heads silently to pray, As we reflect back to the sixties is had launched a pad to rebellion ! With a vast amount of liberal bias and thinking, No wonder why our nation is sinking.., Sinking amidst a cuss pool of mere morality.., For now it is a quite different time, A very unique but different type of day.., An end of the age of innocence, One hath been enlightened.., From seeking truth, Some fresh out of a garbage can.., Yet for Gods' sake, He hath such an amazing plan ! Hence, to shun the broad road, Yet to seek to venture in the narrow.., Such as a distant bird in flight ! You might see this creature venture out at night ? Of the Eagle nor the Sparrow.., It used to mean something to have a sense of common courteous.., To hold open the door for your neighbor ? Yet for the time being we relent and waiver.., Would you prefer another taste of a certain ice cream flavor ? To ponder we must be content with who we are in the inside.., Nor, a mere fancy suit or blazing sport's car, Life is a roller coaster.., In what you do while busy making other plans.., Finding solace among the height of nature., Such to think at what is quite simple, As a young child reflects on his or her poster board, Playing with their magic crayons.., For in eternity it is such a very long time ! Take heed in what you do, Now is the expectant hour ! What will one choose to do ? There can be no place nor need for any compromise, Within it's vast perpetual spectrum ! One just can't put a price tag on a genuine but unique heart ! Hence, with honest integrity.., The time for change is today ! (13) He Was There by Mario William Vitale From the inner silence of the lamb he was there In welcoming to the world to share Within the multiple of words the mouth speaks As a heart beats through the passage of time To every poem that was ever written To every burden ever lifted To rivers crossing where people living Sometimes loving other moments giving In storms that were outside brewing What is the significance of this love In painted pictures from above To every soldier in a battle To every cow amidst the cattle Not a second glance at any real romance A field of dreams throughout our head From both fire and ice will make you think twice Perhaps another chance at a roll of the dice When every kingdom comes thy will be done Shadows in the shining morn if there's a rose it bears a thorn, He was there in every circumstance When they tried to throw stones at her He was there drawing a line with his finger in the sand It is my hope that some day all will understand A glance at the past will tell us of our future Amidst the inner pain & uncertainty Through shadows in a field of dreams In moments of solace amidst the pain A light moved out upon the street outside A day that wasn't meant to be Thorn crown was pulled upon his head Those shouts of intense anger from the mob There was only one who would help him back on his feet, A light that brought only a few to greet Let us not run away & hide Each one of our sins was placed on that cross To lose the battle now would end in tragic loss Father please forgive them for they know not what they do He said the prayer now the rest is up to you That cross that broke a sinful world apart With his blood-soaked crown with spear in side To show the whole world he had nothing to hide The summoned cry brought about healing in the sky Watch the free angelic dove fly! (14) Momma Of Pearls by Mario William Vitale Since there's nothing I could find That was worth giving you, I sat down to think a while And write a line or two If I had a magic wand I'd wave it just for you, And give you anything you'd like No matter how many or few If I could give you back the years You so willingly gave to me I'm sure that you spend them over again The same as they used to be Remember when those days and nights Instead of going to the fair I'd always say tell me again The story of the three little bears I tried to get a strawberry pie But they were out of season Then I thought of gold Mario William Vitale Written by Mario William Vitale 48/M/Wolcott, Ct 310 Please log in to view and add comments on poems

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jasontoddiefor · 5 years ago

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In your Bat-dad/Manor-dad fic, how would Bruce deal with the kids if he actually started dating someone and got “caught” with them?

Short answer: He doesn’t have to. Long answer:

Most of the time, Selina preferred Catwoman’s life over her civilian persona’s. She could do whatever she wanted to do without wondering whether it fit the personality she had crafted for Miss Kyle. Of course, Selina had her fun messing with the Gotham high society. She was eating their salmon and lobster and dancing in dresses just as expensive as theirs all while they felt and acted like royalty, never knowing that they were joking with gutter trash.

But being Catwoman was liberation, an amusement of the highest degree – freedom in its purest form.

Selina knew that her understanding of life’s duality was the reason she got along so well with Bruce despite their very different career choices. Being Gotham’s darling billionaire bachelor turned single-father and its dark, all-consuming shadow at the same time was draining, especially if you had to hide it from your kid.

When she had learned about Bruce’s predicament, she had spent the better half of the night making fun of him. The rest of it had been quite entertaining as well.

Selina’s musings were interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps. She could barely hear them. Anyone who wasn’t Catwoman certainly would have missed it. Unworried, Selina stepped away from the door she had been opening, almost letting the little bird crash into it.

“You!” Robin shouted accusingly as loud as the vibrant colors of his uniform.

The fact that the kid was still running around unharmed was a miracle or spoke profoundly of Batman’s fast reaction time. Only fools would run around colored like a traffic light. The only streets his colors would actually be an advantage in were the shiny roads of the Diamond District and the neon sign illuminated alleys of the Red Light District. Everywhere else, he was just an obvious target.

“Yes, me, little bird. Where did you leave the big guy?”

Robin crossed his arms and lifted his chin up. “Doesn’t matter.”

Selina mustered her surroundings and frowned. Batman didn’t let the kid get so far away from him. The eleven-year-old was too young for that still.

“He won’t be happy,” she said.

“That’s between him and me. I’m here to tell you to stay away from my Dad.”

“Which one?” Selina shot back quickly.

Robin stamped his foot in anger and snarled. Maybe she had been wrong assuming the little bird wasn’t dangerous.

“What did I do to you, Robin?”

“You did nothing to me! But you know and you kissed Bruce regardless! How could you! I thought you were our friend! It’s bad enough he’s gotta go on all these fake dates already, but then you-“

Robin’s shoulders started shaking. Whether from the anger he held inside of him, he had quite the temper, or from frustration was hard to tell. If not for the green mask sticking to his face, he’d probably start crying.

“Oh, darling,” Selina said softly, a tone of voice she usually locked deep inside of herself. She wasn’t caring, she was selflessly kind – but this was a child and Selina wasn’t heartless. “I promise you, neither Bruce nor Batman would mind a kiss from me. They’d definitely say so.”

“But they’re together!” Dick protested.

Selina smiled, happily and honest. It was a strange feeling. “So? You should talk to them about this. Just because you’re…” Dating? Married? Involved in the world’s longest narcissist contest? “- already in love with somebody, doesn’t mean you can’t see somebody else as long as all parties involved know. You really shouldn’t be having this talk with me though. This is definitely a job for your parents.”

Dick stared up at her, measuring her up as if he was trying to figure out if she was telling a lie.

“Fine,” he finally replied.

“We good?”

“For now.”

With a tiny huff Robin turned away from her and took out his grappling gun to disappear into the night. Selina shook her head, then returned to her break-in. Batman better not show up now. She had just given him a perfect alibi that was way better than any lie he would have come with.

She deserved those pearl earrings as a thank-you gift.

AN under the cut!

I actually HC Bruce to be on the Demiromantic/Asexual! So most of the time he really doesn’t do relationships. You don’t need one to be happy and he’s super busy all the time already being Batman, raising a kid and running a company, so he doesn’t even really have time to go out with people. Most of his “dates” are either just for gossip papers, information gathering, or - another HC - him paying prostitutes to just go on a dinner date with him so he can have the newspaper pay attention to Bruce Wayne’s latest date instead of Batman going after the mob. He’s found his secretary on one of those dates.

Dick gets that this is part of the cover, but it still upsets him. Which kid wouldn’t be upset seeing one of your parents - who are very much together still - having to go out on dates while he can’t even spend some time with his actual lover? Hence Dick freaking out on Selina because he trusted her to be different. Thankfully, Selina just convinced Dick that their meetups are something both parties want.

So there’s no big conflict here! And no, BatCat won’t be the ship for this story. They’re really more friends with benefits here. Canon Verse Manor-Dad is a Gen Story all in all. I hope you liked this!

#dc #dc comics #bruce wayne #selina kyle #dick grayson #manor dad verse #fanfic #anon #ask

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dollsome-does-tumblr · 5 years ago

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here’s my random list of anne with an e 3x01 stuff that i have an absolute cornucopia of feelings over:

i mean, everything. the fact that i’m trying to narrow it down by making this post is hilarious and doomed. the HAIR alone!!

miss stacy and rachel being good enough pals now that they go on walks together featuring impromptu emergency corset loosenings!!

marilla being grandma to bash and mary’s baby!!!!!

bash and mary!!!!!!!!!!!!! rachel and devil lobster officially have competition for cutest marrieds in avonlea!

also, baby delphine!!!!! (WHO IS THE REIGN FAN OR POSSIBLY REIGN WRITER IN THIS WRITERS ROOM?)

poor wonderful ruby being in full-on angela chase crush-induced delusion mode. HELP HER.

i have SO MANY EMOTIONS about diana’s rage at having to go to finishing school instead of getting to go to queens with her friends, aughhh! like, it’s a part of the book that was always kinda sad just because it meant anne and diana not being joined at the hip anymore, but here??? watching our wonderful AWAE-verse diana having to face this?? NO! you play that angry piano, diana!

i would be kind of interested to see diana and josie bonding over the pressure they’re under from their parents, because my heart always just sinks on josie’s behalf whenever we see her at home with her mother.

also, diana’s going to fall in love with the cuthberts’ stable boy and i am freaking out in anticipation for this star-cross’d storyline!!! the jerry/diana interaction was pure gold.

the scene with anne visiting ka’kwet was so beautiful, and i really love how we’re getting to see the world of avonlea expand more.

the shift in tone at the cuthberts’ birthday celebration for anne as they realized that she wants to find out about her biological family? you Cannot expect my heart to take this!

they were so happy! marilla humming while gathering pinecones and hiding her giggles! matthew reading the almanac upside down! the hat charm! aaaah!

anne and gilbert are both a frickin’ mess @ each other and i love it. this whole darn schoolhouse is a mess!!

anne’s birthday party at diana’s was so purely perfect.

“HER PARENTS ARE DEAD!” “WHAT?”

things i cannot wait to see this season: rachel and marilla bff time; cole and aunt josephine again!; diana and jerry’s (probably extremely tragic but we’re not gonna think about that yet) courtship

also, watching on episode a week instead of having to binge them all before coming online is so relaxing. why can’t netflix do it that way too?? why doesn’t netflix ever listen to me??????

#anne with an e #awae spoilers #dollsome's deep thoughts #awae episode reaction post

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hanak0toba · 5 years ago

Video

youtube

Lyrics Translation: BAD HOP - KAWASAKI DRIFT

*this song contains some explicit lyrics in English

This song is from their BAD HOP HOUSE album (2018). Side note, I was a little more casual and used more slang than I usually do when translating, but it fits the song style better.

KAWASAKI DRIFT Romaji

[HOOK: YZERR] Kawasaki matagari zenkoku HANDORU kiri Low kara TOP Kinou no ore furikiru kyou AKUSERU zenkai de ikou Machi no fame, kane ni CHENJI Suruze kono Flow Kowasu chain, fukasu ENJIN Machi wo DORIFUTO

[Verse 1: Vingo] Machi kara kuni e　daishibashi no ue Tokyo kara Kawaski-koku　nakama no moto e Tokyo ga ore PAWAASUPOTTO Notteru Iketa oto Majime dattara deki ne Orera zenkoku muteki menkyo? Hi wo fuku MAFURAA　mitoreru onna Hayasa wa Kawasaki Ninja H.2.R Mieru ore wa toughboy Nokosu TAIYAkon Hisshi ni senaka otteru dake De omae no tabi wa long way Susundara kaerenai Home e Yasunde mo tomaranai tokei Kagami ENEMY Yasumanai oretachi Furikitta mukashi no DASAkatta ore

[Verse 2: G-k.i.d] Skrr skrr　SATSUyori saki ni Skrr skrr　MAFIA ga ugoki Mata yobidashi Naru phone ga mezamashi Chi de chi arai　shigaramu machi Furyou kara mananda SHINOGI ni reigi HAMAtteta BARI kara ongaku ni CHENJI Highway kazakiri　wataru hashi Mirror utsuru Kawasaki ghetto city

[Yellow Pato] Ima ja kanshi KAMERA no naka　tobidashi SUTEEJI no ue shashin wo torareteru　oretachi ARAsagashi ni Hater wa hisshi Ogame toki na gamen goshi ni Saki ga nee　sarumane　dake no fake Tsuruma nee　subete ga masayume Orera wa yasuma nee Wakate　chuuken karaku okizari KYASSHU de omoi BAGGU Sekai no KAWASAKI

[HOOK: YZERR] Kawasaki matagari zenkoku HANDORU kiri Low kara TOP Kinou no ore furikiru kyou AKUSERU zenkai de ikou

[Verse 3: Bark] Mata dareka ga tsubuyaku Kono machi kara derenai Yokubou ga machi uzumaku Dedokoro na ikegami Gang bitch yokome fukasu weed ni AKUSERU NEZUMI no you　CHEDAA ou KIDS tachi no yume ni naru Hi wo fuku Ninja KAWASAKI

[Tiji Jojo] Jamamono tachi furikiru Flow Orera no mae ja subete ga Slow SUPINsuru TAIYA agaru kemuri Kozeni ni surane seikatsu nukete　mukau TOP Sodatte kita machi　tobitatsu GARUUINGU Antei nante iranai　tataka nee ishibashi Yogore teru te de hoshii mono zenbu ubau JENGA no you　kane tsumiageru

[Benjazzy] Dou kirinukeru Machi no jiken wa taema nee Dare ga mukashi KATAGI de Katae atama to KORUKU METTO Hayaji ni shite YATSUra no sonae Te wo nobasu furousha to onaji DNA Orera kakuse nee Kenami kara chigee MISUrya ato ga nee GAKI no akogare Mi kara deru sabi de sabita katai chain Tsunagareru　nariagari no tameni Orera tomaranee

[HOOK: YZERR] Kawasaki matagari zenkoku HANDORU kiri Low kara TOP Kinou no ore furikiru kyou AKUSERU zenkai de ikou

[Verse 4: T-Pablow] Doromizu kara champagne KAPPU men kara ROBUSUTAA Kawarazu owareru mi Shounen A kara SUPERSTAR Tsugi ni okumanchouja naru RAPPAA dare Mochiron sore wa ore (pablow) Mochiron sore wa ore NINJA hiku RAJIKON　Nintendo FAMIKON Ore no machi de wa sugi ni hagare sabite kusaru PACHIMON Kawasaki-ku de yuumei ni naritakya Hito korosu ka RAPPAA ni naru kada ARU PACHIINO janakute ARU KAPONE Yakudzukuri janakute kore wa ikizama I’m a trouble man

KAWASAKI DRIFT English Translation

[HOOK: YZERR] Kawasaki takin’ over the country Swervin’[1] from down Low to the TOP Today I’m shakin’ off my past Gonna take off with the accelerator at full throttle My Flow is gonna change This town’s fame and my fortune Breakin’ the chain, revving the engine Drifting [all over] the city

[Verse 1: Vingo] Heading to our hometown from the city　over the Daishi Bridge From Tokyo to our native Kawasaki　back to the place we all began Tokyo’s my power-spot Riding that sound I can do it if I really try, [2] ya know Can we get a nationwide license to do what we want[3]? Ladies so attracted to　the flames shooting outta my tailpipe Our speed is like a Kawasaki Ninja H.2.R[4] I look like such a toughboy Leavin’ behind tire tracks All [you see] is my back as you desperately try to keep up But you got a long way to go [to catch up] If you keep moving forward, you may not ever make it Home Even if you stop to rest, the clock won’t stop ticking The ENEMY is in the mirror So we ain’t never gonna rest [Til] I’ve outraced my messed-up past

[HOOK: YZERR] Kawasaki takin’ over the country Swervin’ from down Low to the TOP Today I’m shakin’ off my past Gonna take off with the accelerator at full throttle My Flow is gonna change This town’s fame and my fortune Breakin’ the chain, revving the engine Drifting [all over] the city

[Verse 2: G-k.i.d] Skrr skrr　[stayin’] ahead of the cops Skrr skrr　the mafia [5] is on the move Another call comes in Blowing up [6] my phone Their bloody feuds　are tied to this city Because of the gangs, I learned how to survive But because of those snags that tore at me, I became a musician Blowing down the Highway　crossing that bridge My Mirror reflecting Kawasaki ghetto city

[Yellow Pato] Now we’re busting out of the surveillance cameras And they’re snapping photos of us　on the stage Haters always tryna find fault with us While they worship us through the screen First off, yo　they ain’t nothing but fake　imitators It’d be a dream come true　to never have to deal with them Yo, we ain’t ever gonna stop Leaving those trivial, mediocre　kids [in the dust] Our wallets fat with cash [That’s] world-famous KAWASAKI

[HOOK: YZERR] Kawasaki takin’ over the country Swervin’ from down Low to the TOP Today I’m shakin’ off my past Gonna take off with the accelerator at full throttle

[Verse 3: Bark] Someone’s bitchin’[7] again Ain’t never getting out of this town Desire [for more] flooding the whole city My birthplace, Ikegami[8] Glancin’ at that Gang bitch smokin’ weed as I fly by Chasin’ after that cheddar　like a rat Becoming the dream of all the KIDS My fire-spouting Ninja KAWASAKI

[Tiji Jojo] Leavin’ those lame-asses in the dust with my Flow Everything in front of us is movin’ so Slow Raisin’ smoke with my spinning tires Heading towards the TOP　to a lifestyle where money ain’t no thing In this town where I was raised,　them gull-wing doors [9] going up Don’t need no predictability;　I just go for it[10] Snatchin’ up everything I want with my grubby hands Stackin’ up that money　like [I’m playin’] Jenga[11]

[Benjazzy] How you gonna survive? The trouble in this city is endless [Honestly,] who’s that out of touch with reality[12] ? So hard-headed [it’s like they’re wearing] a helmet[13] This goes out to all those guys who died too young Reachin’ out my hand to all you outcasts [14] with the same DNA We ain’t gonna hide We can’t change who we are It ain’t no mistake We’re what little punks [15] aspire to be We’re like family[16];　sendin’ this out to all the young wannabes Rust rubbing off on their skin from their tarnished chains We ain’t gonna stop

[HOOK: YZERR] Kawasaki takin’ over the country Swervin’ from down Low to the TOP Today I’m shakin’ off my past Gonna take off with the accelerator at full throttle

[Verse 4: T-Pablow] From muddy water [17] to champagne From cup-noodles to lobster Unrelenting in the pursuit of my true self [I went] from “Boy A[18] ” to SUPERSTAR And then which rapper was it who turned into a millionaire? It was me, obviously (pablow) It was me, obviously Runnin’ you over with my R/C[19] NINJA　[got my] Nintendo Famicom[20] My town used to be a cheap imitation, rusting and peeling But I’ve gotta become famous in Kawasaki ward [The only way to do it is] to become a murderer or a rapper Like Al Capone instead of Al Pacino[21] This ain’t about having influence, it’s a way of life I’m a trouble man

[HOOK: YZERR]

Kawasaki takin’ over the country Swervin’ from down Low to the TOP Today I’m shakin’ off my past Gonna take off with the accelerator at full throttle My Flow is gonna change This town’s fame and my fortune Breakin’ the chain, revving the engine Drifting [all over] the city

Translator’s Notes:

[1] This uses a phrase that basically means “cutting the steering wheel” (ハンドルきる/HANDORU kiru).

[2] He switches back and forth (as do a few of the other guys) between singular 俺 ore / rough-sounding “I” and rough-sounding plural “we” (using ore with suffixes tachi or ra). I did my best with the pronouns in a couple places, but it wasn’t obvious if he was saying “we” or “I” in this line. He said “I” in the Tokyo power-spot line, and then “we” in the certified invincible line next so…

[3] This seems to be a play on 無免許 mumenkyo, meaning unlicensed (driver). 無敵 muteki means “invincible, unrivaled, undefeatable,” so basically, a license that can’t be taken away or a license to be whatever they want to be without limits.

[4] The Ninja H2R is a hypersport motorcycle produced by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. It’s apparently only intended for closed-course racing and is not street-legal (so you can’t drive it on public roads or highways). It’s hella fast, with a quoted max speed of 240mph/380kph, and since it doesn’t have to meet sound ordinances for public-street use, it’s also super loud.

[5] Kawasaki has a yakuza presence and is the home grounds of the Yamakawa-ikka syndicate. More info here, though the page is only in Japanese.

[6] The word used is 目覚まし mezamashi meaning “alarm clock” or “keeping oneself awake.”

[7] The word used is つぶやく tsubuyaku, which could mean either “to tweet (as in on Twitter)” or “to mutter/grumble.”

[8] Ikegami is a city in the Kawasaki ward.

[9] Gull-wing car doors hinge at the roof rather than on the sides, so they open upwards. Some older-model cars (Mercedes Benz from the ‘50’s and ‘70’s) had gull-wing doors; as far as I know the only recent-ish model with them is the Tesla Model X. This could also refer to the style of door on many Lamborghinis, which open on an angle rather than a real gull-wing (also called scissor doors or Lambo doors.) More on cars with gull-wing doors here and scissor doors here.

[10] This seems to be a variation of the idiom 石橋を叩いて渡る / ishibashi tataite wataru which is literally translated as something like “inspecting the stone bridge [for damage] before crossing.” The English equivalent is “look before you leap,” meaning, think about what you’re going to do and weigh the consequences before proceeding. The way he’s phrased it (叩かねぇ石橋 / tataka nee ishibashi) has removed the verb for “crossing” but turned the verb for “inspecting” to a negative as well – so it’s literally something like, “I’m not even checking that bridge,” which in turn means he’s not being cautious or careful, but just doing what he wants without really thinking about it too much. More info on the idiom here (in Japanese only).

[11] Jenga is a game of physical skill where players take turns trying to remove and replace wooden bricks from a stack which becomes increasingly unstable as the game progresses. More on Jenga here.

[12] 昔カタギ mukashi katagi literally means “old-fashioned spirit, old-fashioned way of thinking,” which is the kind of thing you’d say about someone who is stuck in the past and doesn’t see what’s going on around them.

[13] He says コルクメット KORUKU METTO, which is literally “cork helmet.” Specifically, pith helmets are made of cloth-covered Indian cork, so I assume that’s what it’s meant to refer to. More about pith helmets here.

[14] This is a little loose. The actual word is 浮浪者 furousha which means “vagrant, vagabond, tramp.”

[15] This is the noun ガキ gaki, which is a kind of derogatory word for kids. It’s usually “brats, urchins, little devils” and the like, not typically well-behaved children. The kids in the tough neighborhoods where they grew up want to be successful like them; they’re not necessarily saying the kids themselves are bad, but the area they’re from is not the greatest, so they’re all kind of assumed (by people who don’t know them) to be punks and hoods.

[16] This isn’t family in the traditional sense – 繋がれる tsunagareru is defined as “to be tied together, to be connected to, to be related to” but not necessarily in a blood-relative kind of way. This is like, “We understand where you’re from because we’re from there, too.”

[17] So, 泥水 doromizu can mean either “muddy water” or “red light district.” I’m going with water, because these lines are saying “We used to be on the bottom, now we’re on top,” or “We went from rags to riches.”

[18] The only real references to 少年A / Shounen A I found online were in relation to the Kobe child murders (the murderer was given the nickname Shounen A since he was too young to have his name released in the media) – but I think this is just meant to mean, “I went from being from some no-name kid nobody knew to being a superstar.”

[19] ラジコン / RAJIKON is short for radio-controlled, often abbreviated R/C. This is usually a toy (typically a car or other vehicle) that you can control with a joystick or buttons to drive it around. From the “Ninja” reference, and the references to the Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle earlier, I’m guessing he’s talking about a radio-controlled motorcycle toy.

[20] 任天堂ファミコン Nintendou FAMIKON was the original Nintendo “Family Computer” platform that was remarketed and exported as the Famicom or simply N.E.S. in the US. It was one of the best-selling game platforms of all time. More info here.

[21] Al Capone (also nicknamed “Scarface”) was a notorious American mafia gangster. Al Pacino is an American actor who plays a lot of gangster-type characters in movies (including a few loosely based on Al Capone), but is not, in fact, an actual gangster. So one is (was) way more dangerous than the other, who is only acting like a gangster.

#lyrics #translation #BAD HOP #KAWASAKI DRIFT #BAD HOP HOUSE

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atziganespeaks · 5 years ago

Text

Eulogy

Does time heal all wounds? Really?

I’m yet to find that out.

So, we both were school-time sweethearts. He was my confidante, my telepathic-pal, my cornerstone and all fancy words to best describe the person who’d be your first and last resort in every situation. Basically, he was my lobster. (FRIENDS fan can give me a cheer.)We were absolute suckers for chai, street food and that basically explains, our long evening hang outs. PDA was always a part of our timeline, since it was always full of pictures of us, every now and then. And we gave a few people “couple goals” even when this internet jargon was yet to be included into the urban dictionary. Yeah, we were kids. We were naïve. But we were so much into each other.

24th May, morning around 8am, regional news covered a footage of an accident in a dam, wherein 4 students, who just appeared their intermediate exams, drowned. No one survived. Heart-breaking, isn’t it? Barely 18, just breathing in the vacation aura a day back, and now, no more. My lobster was one of the four.

The footages were heart-wrenching, and so was the aftermath. I still remember, how desperately I tried shutting everything out but all of it sledgehammering my not-so-sane-head and already shattered heart. I remember how, re-reading our old texts or listening to call recordings used to put me to ease for a while only to break me down the next moment. I have been through nights where I stared and negative space, and keep staring till I doze off after what feels like forever. It hurts to think that I may go a day without pausing to remember him, because Mom told me that time heals all pain. Time heals? Does it?

Maybe time helped me get acquainted with the harsh reality that I lost someone close. Time taught me how to be strong, and death of a close one taught me that few things are inevitable.

But here I am today, functioning right in the face of tragedy, because somehow I learnt the language of grief. It’s been 4 years now and although, it hurts a little less it won’t evade completely.

I have a defence mechanism here. I resort to writing whenever I felt I was losing my grip. I chose to write about him then. I choose to write about him now. Beyond layers of figment and fictions, I write about him because I know, years down the lane, I would search for a tiny space of belongingness every now and then. The illegible, hammed in scribbles are blank verses of those picture-perfect memories I shared with him. He’s the character born out of remnants, curled up on my tongue but never said loud. And behind every clichéd line or metaphor I wrote about him, I only realize that there’s more than what language can name itself.

Someday when my skin would be too wrinkled, eyesight too weak, I’d run my weak, trembling fingers along the scribbles and summon upon those buried memories.

Truth being told, Yes, people came in after him, they left as well. And I realize that the void still remains. There are times, I remember him a little less. But then at times, I want the whole world to come closing in.

At times, I accept that it’s normal to ponder over memories of a lover, long lost, But then, at times “normal” acts like a blanket too short for me when the night is awfully cold.

Most of the times, I function normally and seldom, remember him. But only to realize, I’m damn good at lying.

I won’t eulogize a person, so kind and charming and of course, who’s my guardian angel now, in any short essay or poem or figment. I have lived my loss and love in reminiscent and half-written diary entries. All of what I have written, and all that I’m yet to write – All of them, combined on my tombstone, would be an eulogy to the star shining brighter than usual, each night.

Love,

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behind-the-screen-of-bangtan · 5 years ago

Text

Words to make you think

This post is part of the TSU. It belongs to the third part: Socio-political reflection.

There will be several parts in this post:

Citations in the videos

In the lyrics

Concepts based on philosophy/psychology

BTS’ discography through a Jungian perspective

Citations in the videos

We’ll start with what’s mainly a list of the quotes then we’ll interpret their purpose. Some citations may not feel that philosophical but as they can be interpreted the same way, they were included here nonetheless.

BTS introduced us to philosophy, and then to psychology, quite progressively. As it started in the background, it’s hard to be sure whether I caught them all or not but the earliest occurrence I have is in “Boy In Luv” Japanese version MV:

“One original thought is worth a thousand mindless quotings, Diogenes”

Despite the signature, it seems this quote is not from Diogenes himself but was rather attributed to him by William Safire in a New York Times article from the 7 April 1996 and titled “ON LANGUAGE; Worth a Thousand Words” - the article itself is explaining the real origin of some expressions. It was later used by Banksy for one of his works - and it’s probably this one that inspired Big Hit’s artistic directors.

It’s funny to start a post about philosophical references with a fake quote. Let’s say it’s a reminder to be careful with what you say and to not blindly believe what you read.

The sentence was written on the blackboard. You can also find a verse from the Bible’s proverbs not too far away:

“Those who guard their lips preserve their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin.”

Now let’s be honest, it’s impossible to read these in the MV (I found them thanks to a making-of video). As for their link with “Boy In Luv” (lyrics of the Japanese version here), it seems hard to establish. “Boy In Luv” tells the story of a boy struggling to confess his love for a girl and waiting eagerly for an answer. An overinterpretation of the quotes could be that the boy needs to find how to confess by himself (in opposition to the “Dad how did you confess your love to mom?” from the lyrics) and that a gesture would mean more than a verbal confession, or that he must choose his words wisely to not lose his chance with the girl.

The next ones are more known in the fandom since they appeared during The Most Beautiful Moment in Life. It’s words related to the concept of the series, namely the brevity of life, the death of innocence and childhood, and the cruelty of the world:

“Paradise is where I am” - Voltaire in “Le Mondain”

“Dedicated to all the boys who have lived in this painful world”

“Too fast to live too young to die”

“Without soul goal and **** We are nothin but a mannequin”

"You must live on"

“YOLO” / “you only live once”

“Youth is never coming back”

“Pain past is pleasure”

There’s also a series of Latin citations that appeared in “RUN” Japanese version:

“Carpe Diem” (Seize the day) “Dum Spiro Spero” (While I breath I hope) “Memento mori” (Remember that you have to die) “Pro Memoria” (For memory) “res, non verba” (Facts instead of words) “Viva” (Alive/Living or Long live…!)

Some of those expressions made their comeback during the WINGS series, along with new ones:

“Man muss noch Chaos in sich haben, um einen tanzenden Stern gebären zu können” (One must still have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star.)

A citation from Nietzsche’s Thus Spoke Zarathustra. And:

“You oldest fears are the worst ones”

“Expiring for love is beautiful but stupid”

“Fear is the most elegant weapon Your hands are never messy Threatning bodily is rude” (original typo)

Different sentences from Jenny Holzer.

These citations are once again fitting with the concepts for WINGS and The Wings Tour, that is to say, temptation and the fear of becoming an adult.

For details about where all those can be found in BTS’ works and their origins, I’ll let you refer to the glossary. Most of them don’t have a real author and some may even have been created by the artistic direction team.

Agust D’s album cover had citations over Suga’s face:

“You need people like me. You need people like me so you can point your fuckin’ fingers and say. ‘That’s the bad guy’.” said by Tony Montana (Robert de Niro), the main character in Brian de Palma’s movie Scarface.

“Life is a daily oscillation between revolt and submission” by Henri Frederic Amiel, a Swiss philosopher.

“Life is ecstasy”

“Every man dies, but not every man lives.” pronounced by William Wallace (Mel Gibson) in the movie Braveheart.

Again they go with the theme of the mixtape.

We even got a surprise during the 2017/2018 ceremonies. A citation from Gilles Deleuze could be seen in the background during the “Mic Drop” performance at the 2018 Seoul Music Awards. There was also a lobster during the Golden Disc that connects with it. I’ll let you refer to the glossary for details but here’s the quote, from A Thousand Plateaus:

“Nor can the status of social formations be analyzed by throwing some signifier into the base, or vice versa, or a bit of phallus or castration into political economy, or a bit of economics or politics into psychoanalysis. There is a third problem. It is difficult to elucidate the system of the strata without seeming to introduce a kind of cosmic or even spiritual evolution from one to the other, as if they were arranged in stages and ascended degrees of perfection.”

I won’t pretend I understand everything but I still feel it’s the less pertinent quote until now. It’s an analysis of the world on a binary base which doesn’t really connect with the boys’ success that’s celebrated in “Mic Drop”.

The last quotes up to this day are in Persona’s comeback trailer. They’re from Carl Jung, the psychologist who inspired the series:

I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become.

The dream is the small hidden door in the deepest and most intimate sanctum of the soul, which opens up to that primeval cosmic night that was the soul long before there was the conscious ego.

As expected, they relate to the lyrics of “Intro: Persona” that wonder about one’s own identity and the dream theme linked to the album.

Even though they are mostly related to the concept of the series, we can wonder whether these words are intended to be seen by fans or just serve as a Lorem Ipsum to fill the background. Indeed, you’ll need to pause the videos to read most of them and sometimes even more effort will be needed - for example, Holzer’s quotes are written backward when they appear behind Jungkook.

(This also applies to most of the literature references, they’re relevant for the concept but quite hard to catch.)

It’s like background noise. But a background noise that you can take the time to listen to in order to understand the whole concept even better. There’s one thing however that seems recurrent between those quotes and it’s their negativity. Of course, most of BTS’ concepts are dark so it’s fitting but they also usually have their bit of hope: youth is painful but it’s the most beautiful moment in life. Or then again, we can overinterpret and consider that while the world is dark, it’s the boys themselves who bring hopefulness.

In the lyrics

Obviously, all of BTS’ lyrics are quite philosophical, be it when they question their feelings, the meaning of life or the way society works. And I’m not even talking about the puns.

One notable line though is in RM’s “God Rap” when he explicitly talks about Buddhism, as explained by Muish here:

Foolish believers, you can become a god as well

It references the fact anyone reaching enlightenment can become a godly being.

The next ones appear in the Love Yourself series. First, we have “Magic Shop” (Muish’s rambling), a song dedicated to ARMY and written by Jungkook. The concept of the magic shop is detailed below. Here, it’s like an IRL version. The fear they exchanged is the hate they received before and the positive attitude they gained is ARMY. And they wish us the same:

You gave me the best of me So you’ll give you the best of you

Since the magic shop is a mental exercise, you’ll find it in your heart.

There’s also something in “134340” and “Answer: Love Myself”. Their lyrics can be connected to what Jung defined as a complex: a constellation of elements that when they’re activated can influence our will (more details can be found here). Those elements are usually past trauma or similar events.

So when they say in “Answer: Love Myself”:

Under your mask When even the scars left from my mistakes Are all my constellations

The constellations that emerged from mistakes can be seen as a complex.

As for “134340″ (lyrics), the whole song can be interpreted as a rejected complex. “134340″ is initially about Pluto not being considered as a planet anymore and thus feeling lonely. It’s similar to what happens to complexes. Normally they’re in the unconscious but once they’re activated, they can reach the consciousness, like the sun in the lyrics:

At one time, belonging to the sun’s world

But once the ego has dealt with the complex, it is sent back into the unconscious, where it just float around aimlessly like Pluto:

All I’m doing is circling around (Beyond the fog, I watch over the you who is still smiling Without you and without meaning, the reality of my irregular orbit) All I’m doing is spinning around aimlessly (Pluto in the darkness with a number that’s difficult for you to remember But even then, I’d continue to circle around your surroundings, damn)

To relate to the concept of Tear, let’s add the fact that complexes have personalities. They’re usually weaker than the personality of the ego (which is our personality; in the case they’re as strong, we observe multiple personalities disorders).

The whole concept of Tear is faking yourself to the point it’s unbearably painful. It’s like the boy rejected his own personality to the point it became a complex instead of his own ego and now it’s exiled in his subconscious. Luckily, he will accept it in Love Yourself 結 Answer. Concerning the reason why such a thing would happen, we have to remember the ego is directly under the influence of the persona (so how we behave in society). So to fit in the world, the ego changed itself.

Concepts based on philosophy/psychology

Until now, it’s safe to assume all the quotes in the videos were decisions from the artistic team only. It all changed with the Love Yourself series.

Not only its main reference is The Art of Loving by Erich Fromm, but the whole series is constructed as a reflection based on the 起承轉結 structure and it also references the magic shop technique. Philosophy is central in this concept and not only the artistic directors but also Bang PD and the boys are participating in developing it.

The Art of Loving explains love is like an art and you must work on it to develop it. Love has several forms, including self-love, but true love is rare nowadays. People tend to compensate for the lack of love with consumerism.

The Chinese structure has an introduction, two parts considering the subject from two different points of view and a conclusion.

The magic shop refers to a psychodramatic scene performed during therapy by the patients and the therapist. In the magic shop, it’s possible to exchange whatever you want against a certain price. However, the real strength of this technique is in the bargain preceding the exchange. The shopkeeper (either the therapist or another patient) will question the reasons motivating the exchange and through their answers, the patient often realizes their initial wish was hiding another desire they hadn’t identified. You can refer to this paper by Professor Earl Koile for examples.

In Love Yourself, Euphoria shows that the introduction is actually The Most Beautiful Moment in Life. It’s the initial situation. As we saw in The universal coming-of-age story, the boys struggled with accepting the outside world and still had to find how to be happy.

The two development parts of the reasoning are the bargain inside the magic shop - note that all the what-if considered during this bargain also exist in the BU thanks to the time travel.

The exchange the boys want to make is revealed in ”FAKE LOVE” first teaser:

'Magic Shop' is a psychodramatic technique that exchanges fear for a positive attitude.

We also see in the video that what they understand by fear is their traumatic past and that “a positive attitude” is being with a girl (several interpretations can be made as to what the girls represent).

The bargain begins in Her and the boys explain how being with a girl will bring them happiness because it’s destiny (see notably “Serendipity”’s and “DNA”’s lyrics).

The teaser revealed during the 2017 KBS Gayo Daechukje can be considered as the shopkeeper’ answer:

“The magical time is coming. Come to the Magic Shop. Now, take off your mask and open your eyes.”

The boys are asked to take off the mask “destiny” had put on them, the one that makes them smile because they’re with a girl.

We see the result in Tear. They’ve been denaturing themselves to the point they literally ask “who are you?” in “FAKE LOVE”. Being with a girl actually doesn’t bring them happiness and they’re just forcing themselves to fit the situation “because it’s destiny”.

The conclusion happens when the boys realize what they really want is not “a positive attitude” as decided by some abstract authority but to be happy by themselves and for themselves. Thus “Answer: Love Myself”. This whole reflection proves the ideas developed in The Art of Loving: the boys had to do a lot of mental work to reach true love, they all had different relationships with the girls and with themselves, and they had to work on it themselves and not just wait for someone else to bring them joy.

As the 起承轉結 structure is for a written work and the magic shop technique is a purely mental exercise, we can assume no one was really hurt in the process - no girls were involved and the boys didn’t denature themselves. Again this idea is made possible in the BU through time travel - but since it’s the BU, there are still people who are hurt, sadly.

However, the VCRs shown during the performances at the 2018 year-end ceremonies imply there was someone who helped them and that they want to help back:

“Fake Love Take off the mask and face yourself I can be your hero”

(2018 MMA)

“I didn't know what power/love is but you taught me how to use power/love”

(2018 MAMA in Japan)

“You gave me power. You gave me love So now I'm a hero So now I'm a boy with love I'll show you the map of the soul I'll show you the dream”

(2018 MAMA in Hong-Kong)

It’s hard to tell who is that “you”. It can be the girl from the Love Yourself reflection but it can also be ARMY since we’re the subject of the next album, Map of the Soul Persona. Something that should be considered here too is that these VCRs were shown with songs from Tear (”FAKE LOVE”, “Airplane Pt.2″, and “Anpanman”) so rather than a teaser for Persona, they could be a development of Tear’s concept - except the last one of course. The masks and the doll concept were also most likely a complement to Tear - obviously the doll concept references the E version of Answer, but it’s a repackage including songs from Tear.

The series following Love Yourself is this time based on psychology, and more specifically on Jung’s works through references to Dr. Murray Stein’s Jung’s Map of the Soul.

At the moment it’s hard to know where they’re heading with this one as we only have one album. However, based on the graffitis in Persona’s Comeback trailer, we can assume the Map of the Soul series will be a trilogy made of Persona, Shadow, and Ego. These three parts of the psyche are tightly connected. The ego is the conscious and controllable part of our mind, the persona is the mask we wear to adapt to society and be able to live as a community, and the shadow is all the traits that were rejected from the persona. I detailed more ideas from the book in this summary.

If we go with such a trilogy, it means we won’t go deep in the psyche (to the self) and rather explore the surface (consciousness and personal unconscious).

Persona is the first part of this series. RM explained in his Vlive about the album that BTS’ persona is ARMY - and we do often represent them where we are. Most songs are about happiness and love: thanks to their persona, the boys could fit in the world and enjoy it at best. We can also mention “소우주” (Mikrokosmos) and its lyrics about everyone being a galaxy made of stars - the galaxy is also one of the metaphors used to represent the map of the soul.

BTS’ discography through a Jungian perspective

Before we start this part, please keep in mind it is an interpretation following the different releases so I’ll obviously make sure it makes sense. This, however, doesn’t imply Big Hit planned it, I’m just adapting to what we have. Also, had the last series been about another psychologist’s works, I would’ve made this interpretation based on this psychologist’s theories.

According to Jung, the psyche is something that grows along with the body. At first, there’s an undefined mass that’s both the self and the rest of the world. Progressively, through experiences and trauma, an ego develops - accompanied by a persona and a shadow. These allow the individual to differentiate themselves from the outside world. However, it creates a conflict within the being between the different parts that all have different goals: the persona wants to fit in the world, the ego wants to be an independent individual. An ultimate stage would thus be for all those part to become one again while remaining differentiated. But most people don’t reach it. Jung conceived this development as 5 different stages of consciousness. As the details get quite complicated I’ll let you refer to the book if you want to know more.

In BTS’s discography, we can link the development of the ego with the school trilogy. Through encountering the three main themes of life (dream, happiness, and love) the boys gain morals: you don’t need a dream, don’t be late to be happy, love is complicated. As for their social behavior, it is at first shaped by society (the teacher in “N.O”, the director and the other teacher in BTS Begins): they’re told to obey authority, to aim for a stable job and to create a family.

In the first stage, the consciousness tries to connect with the outside world to begin its existence. And indeed, the boys obey at first...

Before quickly revolting in the second stage, as they realize they’re different from the outside world

On the third stage, the perception of the world changes, the individual focuses more on concepts than objects. Which fits quite well with the YOLO and oniric philosophy behind The Most Beautiful Moment in Life.

Since WINGS is based on Demian and Demian is based on Jung’s works, there’s obviously a lot of connections. WINGS references the whole book but especially the end, with the idea of the bird flying to the god Abraxas. This image is most likely the ego getting inflated in the fourth stage and identifying with god. It’s also a stage of realism where we realize everything is a social construct.

In BTS’ concept, the bird is the young being accepting adulthood. However, rather than identifying with gods, it seems the boys rather related to angels/Icarus and thus to the whole notion of falling from the sky/sinning/succumbing to temptation. An interesting take we find in the WINGS Concept Book is that the fall of the angels and their rebellion against God is a step to grow up - possibly to grow into god themselves then, considering the stage of consciousness.

In the Love Yourself series, a lot of people have associated the girls with the anima of the boys. In Jung’s works, the anima is like your other half, the one who completes you and who exists in your subconscious. This interpretation has flaws but it’s still possible. It also fits with the fifth stage since it’s the one where all the different parts of the psyche reunite. Considering the concept of the series, we can interpret the different parts reuniting as the being finding inner peace and thus being able to love themselves.

Hypothetically, the 5 stages of consciousness stop here but Jung considered supplementary ones. It’s just that only a very small number of people reach it so it can’t be studied well.

But it doesn’t look like Map of the Soul will head here. As I said above, it seems they will rather explore the surface. Interestingly, the surface of the psyche is central in the first stages of consciousness. And the first stages of consciousness have been explored in the school trilogy. And Map of the Soul just happens to revisit the themes of the school trilogy.

And just like that, we connected the whole Reflection of Youth to Jungian ideas~

Now just for fun, here’s another one:

At first, the world population is just a mass

Out of it emerges the BTS self

Through a trauma of hate, they develop their ARMY ego

ARMY grows a persona of being a kind and generous fandom and a shadow made of hate, memes, and overreactions

Just like the map of the soul can be compared to a galaxy, BTS and ARMY reunite as one beautiful galaxy in concerts💜

Conclusion

Philosophy, psychology, proverbs, and just any idea intended to lead to a reflection have been in BTS works for a while now. It remains unsure if we’re supposed to know about them or not as they’re really not highlighted - The Art of Loving and Jung’s Map of the Soul being the exceptions. They remain pertinent to the concept they’re linked to though.

In such a context, it’s clear that only the fans will know about it. So just like hidden tracks on albums, it could be that those quotes are only intended for ARMY because only ARMY can understand them in the context of BTS’ works and their whole message.

And indeed, see how half-fans and journalists hurried to label the magic shop technique as a reference to Into the Magic Shop. Rather than the whole reflection connected to the 起承轉結 writing structure and explaining how they reached self-love, people just went with “OMG a child discovering the mysteries of the world!!”. Which is a theme Bangtan already explored and not with one but with eight references (see here) so I promise you, they really don’t need that trope anymore.

In the same idea, while Jung’s Map of the Soul and The Art of Loving are relatively easy to read, only a very dedicated fan will go through A Thousand Plateaus (before you ask, I didn’t, I only read the chapter of the quote).

To complete my thought on those quotes being background noise, they’re indeed something that’s hard to pick but also something that needs to be decoded.

As for the two books referenced that have been made very public and very explicit since you can buy them on Big Hit’s shop, as I said, first they’re easier to understand and second, BTS has gained a lot more casual fans who won’t necessarily take the time to search for all those details. So there’s a possibility they made it easier to find them so everyone could join in the fun. Lastly, BTS are more invested in those concepts and since their part of the works is mainly the lyrics and not at all the videos, it’s only logical for the ideas to be presented differently.

#BTS #TSU #Socio-political narrative #Sorry I'm not a philosopher #Hope it wasn't too bad

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notesofarichlycolorednight · 5 years ago

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OBC Hadestown Recording Review by a Non-Professional that you didn’t ask for

Alt. click-bait title: THEMES! THEMES! THEMES!

so i just listened to the Hadestown OBCR

so as practice, i’m going to do this review (i have a lot to say if you hadn’t noticed) like a sandwich--positives, mixed, neutral, negatives, more positives

and yes, I compare it to the NY version. it would be Impossible for me not to, considering that’s all I had for years. but I did listen to it with an open mind and wide-eyed excitement

YAS QUEEN

Amber Grey and Patrick Page, lovely as always

I’m glad they introduced Hades in “Road To Hell” also that Hermes is like...is there another god? oh yeah, ME!

Eva Noblezada was AMAZING and I love her Eurydice

Reeve Carney sounds like an wide-eyed, naive, optimistic musician and it’s Wonderful

the overall themes and a more cohesive story--like there were of course themes threaded thru the NY recording, but the themes were much stronger in this version

Hermes being Orpheus’s mentor, rather than just the narrator and occasionally interacting with Orpheus bc he can? the exchange between them reads less like “I’m kind of picking on your bc you’re an artist” and more like “yikes, bro, you messed up. and bc I’m your mentor, and the god of Travelers, I’mma help you out a little”

oh yes, LOVE LOVE LOVE “Wedding Song” and oh, I LOVED that he sang his song in this version (hope to see what happens on stage some day ;_;)

the OBC version of “Livin’ it Up on Top” is still fun as always and I love they included the joke “to hell and back”

Orpheus’s lyrics in “All I’ve Ever Known” are So. Soft. our soft, poor boy Orpheus

Reeve and Eva’s voices fit together really well and I’m cry

“A Gathering Storm” is just Gorgeous storytelling right there, mmhmm. And oh shit, the “It’s not supposed to be like this” damn. And Eurydice’s “bring the world back into tune” Love it.

oh dude, the doubt in “Epic II” mirroring Orpheus’s later doubt poetictheater.jpeg

the lead in from “Epic II” to “Chant” always Great. And oh man, loved more of the storytelling and Eurydice’s lyrics in “Chant�� okay but the juxtaposition of Hermes telling Orpheus telling him to look up while the Chorus chants to keep your head low oh jeez. And Eva sounds Great in “Chant” like DAMN

shaken, not stirred

Andre De Shields, sorry bro.

intellectual: I think his performance was great and the way he portrays Hermes fits really well with the style and aesthetic of Hadestown.

emotional: unfortunately, I don’t like his voice. and yes, I’m definitely biased for NY Hermes, but this is like a personal preference type thing. his voice is like the opposite of a stim for me... :\ which is unfortunate, because I did enjoy his performance

“Road To Hell” is before “Any Way The Wind Blows”

intellectual: it definitely fits this version, and I really liked hearing more about Eurydice and understanding her struggles and why falling in love with Orpheus is such a big thing for her

emotional: but I kinda liked the order in the NY version. it kinda felt like a preface to the story itself, and like even tho Hermes is the narrator, beginning with a song the Fates sing, it shows who’s truly in charge (they DO in fact control the speed at which lobsters die)

tho if I’m being honest, “Livin’ it Up on Top” doesn’t quite have that kick the NY version has. idk if instruments or missing or there isn’t enough ppl singing, but there’s just something missing, which takes a little of the fun out of it

It again feels like something is missing from “Way Down Hadestown” :\

intellectual: I guess I understand why they gave Orpheus’s lyrics to the Fates and Hermes (bc like how would he know what it’s like down there, truly?)

emotional: but I also didn’t like it bc as I’ll talk abt a lot in a min, it really takes away from Reeve’s performance

I’m actually super disappointed that Reeve/Orephus wasn’t featured as much as in the NY recording. his voice is almost completely drowned out almost entirely through “Wait For Me.”

intellectual: I quite enjoyed that the rest of the cast acted as the stones echoing back his song, and that it fit with and strengthened the overall themes and plot of the musical. I’m glad that this version has a more cohesive story and stronger themes

emotional: but it was no longer about Orpheus and his journey, and I think they could’ve kept the themes while also featuring Reeve’s voice. esp in such an Iconic song for Orpheus like “Wait For Me”

“If It’s True” I was tempted to put this in the negatives section bc I feel like it really takes away from Orpheus’s story (get ready to here a lot of repetition sorry not sorry fam). but there are some things I liked abt it.

intellectual: I liked that in the OBC version, that it was more abt the theme they’d introduced abt the workers’/chorus’s struggle and Hades’s struggle to keep them nameless, so to speak. I also did like that they show Orpheus’s worldview change. and fucking finally gave Reeve a chance to shine (kinda, with interjections from Hermes and the Chorus)

emotional: but I do think they went abt it the wrong way, bc I liked that it addressed just Orpheus and his feelings of what’s gone on (specifically Eurydice belonging to Hades) in the NY version, and I didn’t like that in the OBC version that it Was more abt the themes. I also felt like it got a little preachy. Like that’s not what I thought the original “If It’s True” was abt yo. I get it fits with the overall theme and message they want to get across, but I don’t think their execution was that Great :\ I also really liked that in the NY version, him just being sad is what moved both Persephone and the Chorus

“Wait For Me (Reprise)” is the same as with “Wait For Me”

intellectual: I’m not saying that the new, stronger themes are bad or anything--like I’ve said, I Loved that they strengthened the themes and made the musical more cohesive overall.

emotional:

(+): Okay but also I really Love Eurydice singing what Orpheus sang in “Wait For me”

(-): Reeve’s voice is often drowned out and it’s no longer about his and Eurydice’s story as much (it’s in the very first song! “brother, thus, begins the tale of ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE”). I really do think they could have gone about it in a way that highlights Reeve as Orpheus AND keeps with the theme and the message they wanted to get across by including the Chorus. I mean look! Look! Reeve stands off to the side or isn’t singing for like ALMOST THE WHOLE SONG DUDE. he gets 36 measly seconds singing in this song, I timed it. it’s a 3 mins and 12 second song. and most of those seconds are spent singing the song with the chorus (I do not, however, really count the times Hermes is speaking bc those lines are Great and when Eurydice is singing at the end, but Still!). like I said, I’m so glad they have Eurydice singing his song back to him, but I Really Do Think they could have composed it so it was still Orpheus’s song (with Hermes, and Eurydice at the end, keep that of course!), but held those stronger themes.

“Doubt Comes In” ...like at this point, are you even surprised?

intellectual: strong themes. great. okay.

emotional:

(+): I Loved Eurydice’s part in this, encouraging Orpheus even tho he can’t hear her. I also did love that they added in Orpheus’s thoughts--pique drama, I LOVED it

(-): third verse, same as the first (and second): Reeve just wasn’t featured as much as I would have liked him to be! the Fates get the lines Orpheus used to sing! when Orpheus sang, “where are you? where are you now?” the first time more steady and sing-song-y, the second time more desperate (but still beautiful holy shit Damon Daunno was Amazing) as he starts to go out of his mind,,, i felt that and i’m incredibly disappointed (and angry lbr) that they took those lines away from Orpheus.

not really a point, but this needs its own bullet point: it just does Reeve a huge disservice, bc he’s a Great Orpheus. I Loved his Orpheus, but the fact that he’s taken out of so much of the story he’s the protagonist in detracts severely from his performance, and it’s a damn shame

I did really liked that they made the “la la la” more complicated in “Epic III” and when Persephone and Hades danced, and how it was softer, but I also liked how powerful the “la la la” crescendo as Hermes, Persephone (I believe) and the Chorus joined in along with the instruments was in the NY version so,,, ¯\_( : \ )_/¯

I don’t think they changed any of the lyrics for “Road To Hell (Reprise)” (they added stuff, sure) but it sounded and felt different, and I’m upset that it wasn’t the same as the NY. it’s in this section tho, bc it was still good (think I like the NY version just slightly better, but I do like the OBC version too, but for different reasons)

neutral(ish)

the change of characters who says/sings lines isn’t my fave, but it’s not bad either and, based on the theme and more cohesive storyline, it makes sense

I’m trying to decide if Patrick Page’s descent from a higher vocal range into a lower one is a stylistic choice, but I don’t feel one particular way about it or another (except for the fact that it didn’t sound like him I questioned if it was at first)...tho the bass drops for “Hey Little Songbird” so maybe it was a stylistic choice and if so, Brilliant! (but it will stay in this spot since I can’t tell if that was intentional)

I’m a little surprised they didn’t give Eurydice her spot light in “Why We Build the Wall” but it’s not like it changes the story much. I think I just liked that she stood out, and with those lyrics, bc it’s dramatic irony--we know her mistake but she doesn’t yet realize that it is a mistake she’s made

“Word to the Wise” it was good. not great. I liked NY version better, but I think I mildly like NY Fates better bc they sang in a very harsh and solid way. like in some parts the OBC Fates do too, but not in the songs where it matters (to me)

the changes made to the Epics. I liked the more story-telling aspect of them, but I also didn’t quite love the changes. but the songs themselves were still p great, so (it’s here, rather in the mixed section) bc I don’t particularly feel as strong one way or another abt the NY Epics compared to the OBC Epics

Once again, I feel like smth is missing from “Word to the Wise” :\ like some kind of instrument to really push it into extraordinary, to hold it up. But the Fates were a little better at being brutal so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ i guess

hard no, babe

that being said, regarding first point in the neutral section, I didn’t like that they took away (even) more of Orpheus’s lines because it then removes (even) more of his voice, when he’s HALF THE FEATURE OF THE STORY. I know it’s really about two love stories (and like I said before, it does strengthen the themes and overall storyline), but the main focus was Orpheus and Eurydice !!!

the sound of the train whistle. mmm, I’ll pass. it’s so dinky. bring back the NY train!

The way Reeve says/sings some of his lines (not all of ‘em tho) could use some work? doesn’t sound great. didn’t love it. idk if it was a stylistic choice on the director’s part or Reeve’s own choices in how he wanted to play Orpheus, but I didn’t agree with them. I think he uses his falsetto a little too much for some lines. And let me tell you, was very afraid they were going to do that three-voice thing (like in the concept album) when Orpheus meets Eurydice. glad they didn’t, but I also didn’t really think they needed it at all

I’m actually uber disappointed they took out the old radio sound for Hermes in “Wait For Me.” I just really liked it man.

ngl, I. was. Heartbroken. when they’d changed the lyrics to Epic III (which is why it’s in this section :\). Esp like I CANNOT BELIEVE THEY CHANGED “where is the man, WITH HIS HAT IN HIS HANDS, who stands in the garden, with nothing to lose” (emphasis mine). like, again, i understand the changes were made to keep with the themes introduced, BUT can you Imagine. holding the whole world in your arms (when Hades gets the girl) compared to holding something so small and insignificant (BEFORE Hades gets the girl). COME ON! it’s like the perfect juxtaposition AND I thought it made Hades much more human AND it still keeps with the themes. (tho I am glad they kept that part at all bc when I realized how much of “Epic III” they changed, I was worried they’d taken that part out too. it’s in this section tho bc the changes are unforgivable overall)

Come Home With Me I and II (Reprise) !!! I’m extremely sad they changed the lyrics so much. Admittedly, I do like the first “Come Home With Me” introducing his song that will bring spring back. But the changes are too unforgivable for me to put it in the mixed section. I really liked Orpheus’s proposal in “Come Home With Me II” in the NY version and that repetition of “say I do, I came all the way just to ask you to” and then the Fates step in and are like, “Mmm, sorry boo, she belongs to Hades now” and the song ending with Eurydice saying “I do” but with a totally different meaning. like okay, the OBC version fits more with the theme, and I’m glad they still kinda included it in “Papers” (I do actually like the way it’s composed in “Papers” if I’m being honest, the “I did. I do.” just,,, hits me) but it’s too unforgivable to put in the mixed section. OH GOD and. esp,,, okay Listen. HOW could they take out “are you always this confident?” // “when I look at you I am” and then later hearing Hades sing, “Orpheus the undersigned SHALL NOT LOOK BEHIND // SHE’S OUT OF SIGHT and he’s out of his mind” LIKE COME ON MAN that was Perfect AND YOU TOOK IT OUT ???

the Fates in their “Way Down Hadestown (Reprise)” I Loved the NY bc they Tore into Eurydice (I love my girl, but that song is a Bop and they are Ruthless). the way they sang, it was harsh and cutting. in the OBCR...not so much. It’s too sing-songy and embellished (is the best way I can explain it), and I was disappointed bc it was one of my fave songs in the NY version. not to mention, I Did Not Like Eurydice’s lyric changes. and I know that it strengthens the themes, and I did actually like that they showed Eurydice losing herself as she worked (esp bc it adds more to “Flowers” and again strengthens the thread linking the songs), but I disliked it as a whole enough that it can’t be saved to be moved into the mixed section

OH NO I. CANNOT. BELIEVE. THEY CHANGED “YOU’RE EARLY” // “I MISSED YOU” TO “IT’S YOU” // “IT’S ME” // “ORPHEUS” // “EURYDICE” FUCK YOUR THEMES but for real, I think keeping “you’re early” // “I missed you” would’ve have kept with the theme way more than what they changed it to bc 1) they’re referencing smth the two litchrally just said to each other. and 2) THAT’S WHAT PERSEPHONE AND HADES SAID TO EACH OTHER WHEN HE CAME TO GET HER FROM HADESTOWN AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SHOW. it’s a theme that’s introduced in the beginning of the musical--“it’s a tale from long ago”--bc Persephone and Hades’s relationship was SUPPOSED to mirror Orpheus and Eurydice right? there’s the fact that Orpheus’s song is what Hades heard long ago like ??? a HUGE Point of Orpheus and Eurydice’s love story was to remind Persephone and Hades about the love they shared when they first met (“wait for me?” // “I will”). and gosh darn it, it still would’ve fit the themes if they had stuck with “you’re early” // “I missed you” bc of that!

SPEAKING OF I CAN’T BELIEVE THEY TOOK OUT PERSEPHONE’S LYRICS IN “CHANT (REPRISE)” LIKE WHAT like it worked so well !!! (esp bc I’ve read reviews of the show, with Hades and Persephone circling Orpheus and Eurydice as they’re dueling and switching the direction they walk when the chorus makes that “kch” noise like poetictheater.jpeg) it was such a good juxtaposition between what Hades thinks Persephone wants and what Persephone actually wants (I do like that “Chant (Reprise)” is more complicated composition-wise, but not enough to move it into the mixed section). ALSO “He said we’d build ‘em up // And then the walls would set us free” // “Is it true, what he said?” // “He said we’d soldier on // And then the war would bring us peace.” I thought that got across the message quite well in the NY version, esp since they were echoing Orpheus’s “if it’s true.” they’re also just Great lines and I Cannot Believe they took them out

YAS QUEEN

I’m a HOE for singing in the round, and the beauty of Orpheus’s “la la la la” joined in by the chorus in “Wait For Me” got me like. OKAY AND THE LYRIC ADDITIONS I LITERALLY CANNOT IT’S SO BEAUTIFUL AND POETIC AND GOOD WHEN ORPHEUS SANG “I HEAR THE ROCKS AND STONE, ECHOING MY SONG, I’M COMING”

I mean,,, how can you Not like “Our Lady of the Underground.” I also really enjoyed the more jazzy feel. Like it was already jazzy, but it’s even more jazzy in this version, to me

if you couldn’t tell, I loved Reeve and his Orpheus

“Papers” is Great and idk why but I Love “everything and everyone in Hadestown, I own.”

oh shit dude, Orpheus’s song being something from long ago that he like picked up on bc Greek mythology be like that and then HADES RECOGNIZING THE SONG. THAT. WAS. BRILLIANT.

“Flowers” felt like it fit much better in this version, with the themes being stronger and all that. also could actually hear it clearly, so that could be why bc I’m pretty sure they didn’t change a single lyric lol. still Loved it

the lyric additions to “Wait For Me” I’M SCREAM SO GOOD (even tho I’ve mentioned this before lmao)

“How Long” was. so. good. I just really enjoyed the exchange between Persephone and Hades in this song

DUDE I JUST REALIZED “NOW I SING A DIFFERENT SONG” FROM THE ONE ORPHEUS REMINDS HADES OF BRILLIANT

“Oh, it’s about me?” that made me laugh out loud. Oh god Also the repetition of lyrics in “All I’ve Ever Known” in “Epic III” to show that Orpheus and Eurydice’s love mirrors Persephone and Hades’s? poetictheater.jpeg

“Promises” omg. I actually liked this one better than NY “Promises” sorry not sorry. don’t get me wrong, Eurydice has every right to tell Orpheus off since he made all those promises he couldn’t keep in the NY “Promises” but in OBC “Promises” it feels more mutual. it feels softer. rather than Eurydice going, “you done messed up A-A-Ron” it’s more like Orpheus going, “I done fucked up and I’m sorry.” Orpheus is more self-aware and I liked that.

dudes, I’m extremely happy they added Eurydice back in for “We Raise Our Cups” it really rounds everything out. And it’s just a really good epilogue song. (I’m curious to see if Reeve is out on stage for this or if he stays backstage)

Final thoughts: the stronger themes were Great. don’t get me wrong. okay. I liked that about this version. but I feel like by trying to be too In With The Times(TM) they lost some of the heart of the story, which ultimately detracted from Reeve’s performance as Orpheus.

sometimes I really think a story can be just a story about two people (or two love stories), and the themes and messages will find their way in naturally. it doesn’t need to be this big thing about everyone all of a sudden. at the very least, bc it’s obvious the themes and messages are stronger in the OBC version, it does take some work and planning, but I felt like they were trying just a tad too hard and ended up being too heavy-handed.

I thought the themes and message they were originally trying to get across got across just find in the NY composition (specifically for “Wait For Me (Reprise)” bc the themes are definitely stronger throughout the overall musical in the OBCR composition)

now, I’m not saying don’t include messages in your art, that’s what art is for! But I think they could have either kept it about how it was in the NY version, because there were still messages (just a little more lucid and not as strong) OR they could have composed it some way that kept the stronger themes and messages AND kept the importance and presence of Orpheus’s role, and Orpheus and Eurydice’s story.

for me, Orpheus, esp OBC and Reeve’s Orpheus, doesn’t strike me as the guy to start a revolution and lead the Chorus thru hell. Like when the Fates say, “who are you to think that you can hold your head up higher than your fellow man?” I honestly get confused bc,,, he... doesn’t think that though? He just loves Eurydice and wants to save her from Hadestown. and maybe that’s actually the point? that Orpheus wasn’t ready for the pressure suddenly put on him to not just lead Eurydice out but also all of Hades’s workers, so doubt came in. but then what was with “If It’s True?” which, as I said, did start to sound pretty preachy? not to mention, the one time their themes and messages aren’t clear

anyway, long story long, the way I see Orpheus is his voice just does That. it doesn’t have to have some secret, overarching message for his songs to influence and move people. in the original “If It’s True” he sang about his loss and it was emotional enough to move Hades’s workers. to me Orpheus’s gift, his music, his voice is about emotion. and I think of Coco in that respect: “de la Cruz was a nobody, but when he sang, people listened” paired with, “I didn’t write it for the world, I wrote it for Coco” yet “Remember Me” (and all his songs) still resonated and moved people

so anyway, here’s my Hadestown hot take: Reeve wasn’t nominated for a Tony because the new composition underutilized him as Orpheus

no i don’t take criticism

#hadestown #obc hadestown #obcr hadestown #nytw hadestown #long post #i had so much to say #cheep cheep cheep #washingdad reviews

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mmoviejournal · 5 years ago

Text

2019

How it Ends (2018)

Arès (2016)

Mirror Mirror (2012)

Day of the Dead: Bloodline (2018)

The Magnificent Seven (2016)

The Double (2013)

Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003)

The Women (2008)

The Captive (2014)

A Tale of Love and Darkness (2015)

Ms J Contemplates Her Choice (2014)

Return to Sender (2015)

Tell me how i die (2016)

The Kids are all right (2010)

IO (2019)

Unbreakable (2000)

Colette (2018)

Spotlight (2015)

The Princess Bride (1987)

A League of Their Own (1992)

Far from the Madding Crowd (2015)

Howl’s moving Castle (2004)

Freelancers Anonymous (2018)

Glass (2019)

Pitch Perfect 3 (2017)

Lionheart (2018)

Linkeroever (2008)

Thelma (2017)

Better Than Chocolate (1999)

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)

Soni (2018)

Queen of Katwe (2016)

Taksi Bluz (2019)

The Lobster (2015)

BlacKkKlansman (2018)

Velvet Buzzsaw (2019)

The Happytime Murders (2018)

Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018)

Widows (2018)

The Favourite (2018)

Hotel Artemis (2018)

The Secret Life of Bees (2008)

The Lady in the Van (2015)

Dear Ex (2018)

Circumstance (2011)

The Villainess (2017)

A simple Favor (2018)

Blockers (2018)

The Breaker Upperers (2018)

Our House (2018)

Poltergeist (2015)

Urban Legend (1998)

Your Name (2016)

Camp Belvidere (2014) (short)

Peppermint (2018)

Satanic (2016)

The Boy who harnessed the Wind (2019)

Patch Adams (1998)

Flavors of Youth (2018)

Unstoppable (2010)

Captain Marvel (2019)

Naked (2017)

Catch and Release (2006)

The Mercy (2018)

Second Act (2018)

Origin - Spirits of the Past (2006)

The Girl who leapt through time (2006)

Us (2019)

Room (2015)

High Art (1998)

Priest (2011)

Street Kings (2008)

The Ritual (2017)

Poslednji Srbin u Hrvatskoj (2019)

Ben is Back (2018)

Wolves at the Door (2016)

Avengers: Endgame (2019)

The Perfect Date (2019)

Unicorn Store (2017)

The Intervention (2016)

Someone Great (2019)

What keeps you alive (2018)

Tell it to the bees (2018)

Ek ladki ko dekha toh aisa laga (2019)

Game Night (2018)

Jeremiah Terminator LeRoy (2018)

Revenge (2017)

Bessie (2015)

After Sex (2007)

Water Lilies (2007) (Naissance des pieuvres)

Girlfight (2000)

No Good Deed (2014)

Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)

Within (2016)

Mom (2017)

Isn’t it romantic (2019)

John Wick (2014)

(My days of) Mercy (2017)

Annabelle: Creation (2017)

When Night is Falling (1995)

The Perfection (2018)

Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975)

John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017)

Aladdin (2019)

See you Yesterday (2019)

A Monster calls (2016)

Concussion (2015)

Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)

Room in Rome (2010)

Freier Fall (2013)

Begin Again (2013)

Against the Clock (2019)

Pokemon Detective Pikachu (2019)

Booksmart (2019)

Spider-Man: Far from Home (2019)

Out of sight (1998)

Contratiempo (2016)

Rafiki (2018)

The Hate u give (2018)

The other Side of the Door (2016)

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017)

Operation Brothers (2019) (The Red Sea Diving Resort)

Snapshots (2018)

Little Woods (2018)

Greta (2018)

The Adjustment Bureau (2011)

Secret Obsession (2019)

The Prestige (2006)

Point Break (1991)

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (2016)

Girl, Interupted (1999)

Acrimony (2018)

Shaft (2019)

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (2018)

My own Private Idaho (1991)

Jungle (2017)

Wanted (2008)

The Roommate (2011)

Knock Knock (2015)

Lucky Number Slevin (2006)

The Princess and the Frog (2009)

American Gangster (2007)

Erin Brockovich (2000)

Hachi: A Dog's Tale (2009)

Vita & Virginia (2018)

Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019)

The Counselor (2013)

Pariah (2011)

Sicario (2015)

I still see you (2018)

Elisa y Marcela (2019)

Hacksaw Ridge (2016)

Otherhood (2019)

Prospect (2018)

Falling inn love (2019)

Takers (2010)

Cell (2016)

Handsome Devil (2016)

House at the end of the Street (2012)

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)

In the Shadow of the Moon (2019)

Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)

Can you ever forgive me (2018)

Creed 2 (2018)

Joker (2019)

Toy Story 4 (2019)

Late Night (2019)

Dark Phoenix (2019)

Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (2019)

Carrie (2013)

Beyond the lights (2014)

Princess Cyd (2017)

A Vigilante (2018)

Looper (2012)

Replicas (2018)

Tanner Hall (2009)

The Master (2012)

47 Ronin (2013)

Fast Color (2019)

The Single Moms Club (2014)

I, Robot (2004)

Gia (1998)

Parched (2015)

Seven years in Tibet (1997)

Finding Neverland (2004)

The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

Let it Snow (2019)

The Laundromat (2019)

Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

Newness (2017)

Gemini Man (2019)

It Chapter Two (2019)

Sweet November (2001)

Shades of Ray (2008)

A Star is Born (2018)

Lady and the Tramp (1955)

Once upon a time in Hollywood (2019)

Midsommar (2019)

The Beguiled (2017)

Diabolique (1996)

Call me by your Name (2017)

Berlin, I love you (2019)

The Romantics (2010)

Realna Prica (2019)

Blackhat (2015)

Earthquake Bird (2019)

Casino (1995)

Wonder (2017)

Split Milk (2019)

Hope Floats (1998)

Out of time (2003)

Kidnap (2017)

Think like a Man (2012)

The Fountain (2006)

Anna Karenina (2012)

Catwoman (2004)

American Son (2019)

Ready or Not (2019)

Requiem for a Dream (2000)

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005)

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 (2008)

Waiting to Exhale (1995)

Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018)

6 Underground (2019)

Hustlers (2019)

Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (2015)

Doctor Sleep (2019)

A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby (2019)

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012)

Julie & Julia (2009)

Yesterday (2019)

Swiped (2018)

Same time, Next Christmas (2019)

The Best Man Holiday (2013)

The Butler (2013)

Honey (2003)

Heiter bis wolkig (2012)

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

All I see is you (2016)

It comes at Night (2017)

Better Watch out (2016)

How to be Single (2016)

Angel Heart (1987)

Autumn in New York (2000)

Green Lantern (2011)

Nobody’s Fool (2018)

I think I love my Wife (2007)

Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)

#w2019 #watched in 2019 #my list

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tziganespeaks · 5 years ago

Text

Eulogy

Does time heal all wounds? Really?

I’m yet to find that out.

We both were school-time sweethearts. He was my confidante, my telepathic-pal, my cornerstone and all fancy words to best describe the person who’d be your first and last resort in every situation. Basically, he was my lobster. (FRIENDS fan can give me a cheer.)

We were absolute suckers for chai, street food and that basically explains, our long evening hang outs. PDA was always a part of our timeline, since it was always full of pictures of us, every now and then. And we gave a few people “couple goals” even when this internet jargon was yet to be included into the urban dictionary. Yeah, we were kids. We were naïve. But we were so much into each other.

24th March, morning around 8am, regional news covered a footage of an accident in a dam, wherein 4 students, who just appeared their intermediate exams, drowned. No one survived. Heart-breaking, isn’t it? Barely 18, just breathing in the vacation aura a day back, and now, no more.

My lobster was one of the four. The footages were heart-wrenching, and so was the aftermath.

I still remember, how desperately I tried shutting everything out but all of it sledgehammering my not-so-sane-head and already shattered heart. I remember how, re-reading our old texts or listening to call recordings used to put me to ease for a while only to break me down the next moment. I have been through nights where I stared and negative space, and keep staring till I doze off after what feels like forever. It hurts to think that I may go a day without pausing to remember him, because Mom told me that time heals all pain. Time heals? Does it? Maybe time helped me get acquainted with the harsh reality that I lost someone close. Time taught me how to be strong, and death of a close one taught me that few things are inevitable.

Someday when my skin would be too wrinkled, eyesight too weak, I’d run my weak, trembling fingers along the scribbles and summon upon those buried memories.

At times, I accept that it’s normal to ponder over memories of a lover, long lost,

But then, at times “normal” acts like a blanket too short for me when the night is awfully cold.

Most of the times, I function normally and seldom, remember him.

But only to realize, I’m damn good at lying.

I don’t know how many baby steps I would take to be finally whole again, or how much sanity would be required to sink in harsh reality – But one thing I know, is that I won’t let anything go uninked, untold. I won’t eulogize a person, so kind and charming and of course, who’s my guardian angel now, in any short essay or poem or figment. I have lived my loss and love in reminiscent and half-written diary entries. All of what I have written, and all that I’m yet to write – All of them, combined on my tombstone, would be an eulogy to the star shining brighter than usual, each night.

Yours,

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randomoranges · 6 years ago

Text

Birthday

Edward let out a frustrated sigh and crumpled the piece of paper he had been brainstorming on. It seemed the end of the school year had really killed off all remaining working brain cells, for he had spent the better part of the past three days trying to come up with something he could do for Étienne’s birthday. He knew he should have started thinking about it earlier, but between his exams, getting ready to graduate and trying not to freak out over his parents flying in for his graduation, trying to find a future job and not knowing in what city he would be living in come the end of summer, he had put off Étienne’s birthday until now.

He still had a lot of time to think about it – or at least, that’s what he liked telling himself to calm down, but time was running out and he still had no idea what to do for Étienne’s birthday. On top of that, this was going to be the first time he was actually going to be in town for his boyfriend’s birthday, it could potentially be the only time he would be in town for his boyfriend’s birthday (he hoped not, but he still didn’t know where he would be next year – and now was not the time to freak out over that) and therefore, he wanted to do something special for his boyfriend’s birthday. Especially since Étienne had always, without fault, gone out of his way to make Edward’s birthdays special, from the moment Edward had moved in, some four years ago.

Edward had asked Étienne what he would like to do for his special day and if there was anything specific he wanted as a gift, but apparently Étienne was part of those annoying people who responded with the ever vague and unhelpful “surprise me” and “I just want to spend time with you” and “anything that comes from you would be great”. Edward tried pushing for a clearer answer, but Étienne turned even vaguer, if that could be possible. Therefore, Edward attempted to make a list of anything and everything that he could do and give his boyfriend for his birthday and came up empty handed. Edward wanted to do something special – he wanted to take Étienne out, spoil him rotten, but even after four years in the city; Edward wasn’t as well versed in the Montreal scene as his boyfriend was. It was always Étienne who found the new in-terasse or up and coming bar or restaurant. Étienne had a sixth sense for these things and Edward didn’t just want to take Étienne to one of his favourite restaurants either. It felt too simple. It had to be special or so help him.

Then, there was the problem of the actual gift. In an ideal perfect world, Edward would have all the money he could dream of and he could get Étienne anything and everything his heart desired. Realistically, however, he had a budget and his boyfriend was hard-ish to gift for. Étienne preferred giving gifts to others instead of getting them, he didn’t need any clothes or accessories (and was a sharp dresser that Edward wasn’t even sure he could try and match), he had very clear interests, but the problem was that Edward didn’t feel he could competently get him something related to those interests.

It’s the thought that matters, Murphy, He reminded himself, but as much as he could get some newly released jazz album, Edward wanted it to be a thoughtful gift that was meaningful and not just something that would look like Edward found it last minute Because He Had To. He even thought of getting Étienne some art supplies, but the problem was that he didn’t know what Étienne was low on, didn’t really know what he preferred using, and felt like just getting art supplies for the sake of art supplies was lame. He tried asking Étienne and had poked around his art bin to see, but that little venture had left him more confused than anything else. On top of that, he felt like everyone else would get Étienne art supplies or a gift card to one of the art stores, because that’s what regular friends got, but Edward liked to believe he wasn’t just some regular friend. Hell, Emma had already planned an entire day of things to do with Étienne. Élyse and Étienne had their own birthday-brunch ritual. He had to have something worthwhile as Étienne’s boyfriend.

He knew he was making this more difficult than it had to be, but Étienne deserved to be treated right for his birthday.

Therefore, when finally he couldn’t think of anything else, Edward did the only last logical thing he could think of; he contacted Élyse.

Edward wasn’t sure anymore how it had come about, but sometime between his first Christmas visit at the Maisonneuve household and his second, Élyse sent him a friend request and Edward approved of it, never expecting that he would eventually find himself exchanging actual messages with her that didn’t always have to do with Étienne. With time, he got to know Élyse and realised that she was quite funny, a good conversationalist and a genuinely nice person and on such an occasion, a really good resource for his current dilemma. He would have contacted Emma, but he still couldn’t fully read her and he didn’t want to look like a terrible, ungrateful, unworthy boyfriend. (Because he knew, deep down, that Emma was very protective of Étienne and that she would crucify him if Étienne had a subpar birthday due to his negligence or stupidity.)

Edward: Help?

El Ma: What’s up?

Edward: I don’t know what to get your brother for his birthday :( and he’s being annoyingly vague

El Ma: You realise you can get him like a pair of socks with lobsters on them and he would adore them

Edward: Ugh. I know. But I want something…. Nicer than socks? I want to do something special?

El Ma: Make him dinner?

Edward: I make him dinner often enough.

El Ma: Take him out to dinner? To a club? A bar? A terasse? A show?

Edward: But it has to be somewhere nice/different/special and I don’t know wheeeeereeeeeeeee. Plus, you’re going to brunch with him in the morning-ish, your folks invited us with the family over the weekend for your joint birthday dinner, his friends are already taking him out to something the weekend before and Emma reserved all of Friday. H e l p m e .

El Ma: Omg. This is it. This is the proof. This is why the two of you are perfect for each other.

Edward: ?

El Ma: You’re both idiots.

Edward: Hey!

Edward: I resent that.

El Ma: Truth hurts, loverboy. It doesn’t have to be this complicated. Like I’m dying over how the both of you just keep trying to like Go Out of the Way when you both just want to spend time with each other. Like rent a movie and make popcorn and then do what you do afterwards.

Edward: >:[ Edward: Also you don’t have to make our movie nights sound so unsexy. El Ma: Honestly, the fact you have movie nights is endearing, if a little lame, but like I think you make a cute pair, so I won’t judge. And also, I don’t want to know what happens afterwards and having lived all my life with Étienne is enough TMI, thanks. I don’t know how you share a room with him. Then again, I suppose there’s a difference between sister and boyfriend. Ha.

El Ma: ANYWAYS – Just like combine two of the things he loves together.

Edward: ?? I don’t speak Maisonneuve, Élyse.

El Ma: Étienne loves jazz. He loves going out. He loves doing anything with you. Take him to one of those restaurants that has live jazz shows.

Edward: … THOSE ARE A THING?!

El Ma: Wait – you’ve been dating my brother for HOW LONG and you didn’t EVEN KNOW?! Are you sure you’re even dating him????? Edward: He never even mentioned them! How was I supposed to know?!

El Ma: I’m judging you SO HARD. And also LAUGHING SO MUCH. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA WOW. YOU DIDN’T EVEN KNOW THERE WERE RESTAURANTS THAT HAVE LIVE JAZZ SHOWS. I CAN’T BREATHE. WHAT ROCK HAS ÉTIENNE KEPT YOU UNDER OMG.

Edward: You’re officially the meanest Maisonneuve twin.

El Ma: You mean the Best.

Edward: Pretty sure I said the meanest.

El Ma: Buddy boy, you wish I was. ;)

El Ma: Anyways, there’s a whole bunch of them. Like I just googled this shit and I found out about like 3 I didn’t even know existed. So, you’re welcome.

Edward: Thanks – I think. I feel like this will come with a price, but I appreciate your help. I’ll see you this weekend and happy birthday in advance as well!

El Ma: I expect cake, Murphy. I like orange cake.

Edward: Like I said, #worstmaisonneuvetwin

El Ma: ;) In your dreams! See you this weekend!

With that taken care of, Edward did his own research and looked into each of the restaurants he found. He needed one that offered shows on the evening of Étienne’s birthday, and not just over the weekend, and after eliminating two from the list, he finally settled for the fourth one. The jazz bands at this one played their original songs, the menu seemed interesting and the overall price was more or less within his budget – he made himself a note to call for a reservation tomorrow and then tackled his next two dilemmas; what to get Étienne as a gift and what to make him as a cake.

On the morning of May 17th, Étienne’s birthday played out the following way; Étienne woke up to gentle sunlight filtering in through his bedroom window and to Edward Murphy rubbing his back. When Étienne came to and realised that his boyfriend was here, in Montreal, with him, for his birthday, he launched himself into Edward’s arms and hugged him tightly, already declaring it the best birthday ever. Étienne set his mind on spending the entire day with Edward, here in his room, exchanging kisses and holding Edward in his arms, until Edward reminded him that he had brunch plans with Élyse. Étienne brushed him off with another kiss and told him that Élyse could wait a little. This was the first time he had Edward for his birthday, after all, and there was no guarantee this would happen ever again. Edward indulged in Étienne’s attention, unable to say no to him when he flashed that brilliant smile of his that made his heart skip several beats, and it was all worth it, even if Étienne did end up being a little late, and even if Élyse mocked him through text messages for a good part of the morning, while she waited for said brother.

With Étienne off to brunch with his sister, (an old tradition they had since they were sixteen, where they took each other out for brunch for their birthday and paid for one another’s meal, which Edward thought was endearing and sweet,) Edward had the whole kitchen to himself to bake Étienne’s birthday cake. He hesitated between trying something new or going for something tried and tested, and eventually settled for a type of cake he knew Étienne enjoyed (he was not about to repeat the pineapple fiasco again, thank you very much). Once the cake was in the oven and the timer was set, Edward wrapped up Étienne’s gift – a gift card to the art store – he had finally given up on finding something useful and thoughtful and figured that he’d heard Étienne complain enough about being low on everything that he could use it towards that – and finally, he sat at the kitchen table to write Étienne’s birthday card.

While the cake cooled, Edward showered and dressed, figuring he might as well be ready for when Étienne returned so that they could save some time before their dinner reservations. He knew Étienne would probably end up spending the better part of the afternoon with his sister and since he had been vague about what the plans for the evening were; Étienne would probably want to change as well before heading out.

To be honest, Edward was a little nervous about this evening. He was afraid that Étienne wouldn’t like it, that the food wouldn’t meet his approval, that the jazz band wouldn’t be good and that Étienne wouldn’t like his gift. Edward logically knew that none of this would happen, and that even if all of his fears came true, Étienne would still appreciate the thought Edward had put into the evening, but he still couldn’t help himself as he nervously fidgeted while he waited for Étienne to return.

His boyfriend returned, late in the afternoon, smile on his face, in a good mood. Étienne was pleased to find that Edward was still here – that he hadn’t hallucinated him this morning and that he had him to himself for the rest of his birthday. His face lit up when Edward told him he was taking him out for dinner and that he should change into something nice. Étienne tried to get Edward to shower with him, but as much as Edward was tempted, he knew Étienne would be carried away and he really didn’t want to miss out on their reservations.

Étienne emerged from the washroom a while later, dressed in his nice fitting beige trousers and one of his many short-sleeved button down shirts that Edward liked so much; he looked good and happy, and Edward couldn’t really take his eyes off him. He was rewarded with a brilliant smile and Edward sincerely hoped he could be the cause of many more. “Are we ready to go?” Étienne nodded and Edward made sure he had his wallet and keys, before they stepped out. “You still won’t tell me where you’re taking me?” Étienne asked as he linked his arm with Edward’s. “It’s a surprise – you’ll see when we get there.” Étienne mock pouted, but Edward rolled his eyes, fond, slowly turning immune to some of Étienne’s tactics, “It won’t be a surprise if I tell you.” Étienne dropped the subject for now and instead launched into a recap of his day with Élyse, while they walked towards the métro.

“Oh! I’ve been here before!” Étienne had the misfortune of saying when Edward led them down the street to the restaurant. Edward’s face fell and thoughts of a previous Significant Other taking Étienne here for a special occasion flooded his head. What if Étienne still held fond memories of that time? What if he hadn’t liked it? What if it brought back terrible memories? “You have?” Edward recovered, trying not to sound too disappointed, but something in his tone must have given him away, for Étienne’s expression changed to one of slight worry, “It was ages ago, though! My grandparents took El and I here for our fifteenth birthday. I’ve never been since – honest!” He defended, trying to reassure Edward.

Edward was silently relieved and let out a chuckle, realising how absurd this all was, “It’s fine – so long as you don’t tell me you got terrible food poisoning here and never wanted to come back,” Étienne assured him that it wasn’t the case and that he’d had a lovely time, actually. “Although, I have to ask, why did you never take me to one of these jazz bars, or clubs, or restaurants?” He asked and Étienne shrugged, “Jazz was never really your thing – or at least, your interest in it has never been as big – didn’t think you would enjoy it as much or that you’d want to. Plus, it’s not like there’s a lack of things to do around the city.”

Edward supposed he had a point. “You still could have asked.” He reprimanded gently and Étienne promised him he would in the future. With that taken care of, Edward pushed open the door and led his beau inside, amused by Étienne’s excited chatter as he made one comment after the next about the décor and related his experience from almost a decade ago.

The waiter walked them over to their table – “the best table you have available” Edward had asked – and handed them their menus, “Order whatever you want, my treat,” Edward told him, making Étienne grimace, “And you can’t bribe the waiter or sneak off to “go to the washroom” to actually pay – I’ve already taken care of it – it’s your birthday after all.”

Edward had fallen for Étienne’s sneaky tricks too many times and knew better by now – or, at least, he thought he did, but Étienne was always full of surprises. “Okay, but have you even seen the prices on this menu?! No wonder I never came back! Ed, this is expensive.” Edward shrugged. Yes, the food was a little out of their usual budget, but it was Étienne’s birthday. The first one they were celebrating together. Maybe even the last. And for the number of times that Étienne had spoiled him and picked up the tab… He was good for it. “Don’t worry about it, okay? Just don’t get dessert – that’s at home.”

The diversion took Étienne’s mind off the price of the food and he returned to perusing the menu, making an occasional comment. By the time they received their appetizers, the jazz band that would be playing for the evening was warming up and Étienne was already completely enthralled to the point where Edward gently nudged him with his foot to remind him to eat. “Can we stay ‘til the end of the show?” Étienne asked, his eyes still on the small stage a few feet away from them, his attention going from one musician to the next, drinking in their sight and their instruments, “Of course – we can stay as long as you want.” Étienne beamed and Edward’s heart tripped over itself at the sight all over again.

By the time the show started, Étienne had more or less finished with his food and Edward didn’t even try to stop him from turning his chair completely around so that he could face the group and pay full attention to them. When the waiter returned to clear the table, Étienne moved his chair to the end of the table and motioned for Edward to do the same, so that they could sit side by side and watch the performance together. The moment Edward was seated, Étienne moved next to him and snuggled up to his side, taking a hold of Edward’s arm and leaned his head on his boyfriend’s shoulder.

Edward spared a look for Étienne and noticed how utterly content and happy he looked. It was a good look on him. Étienne seemed relaxed and at peace with himself and the world. Edward loved seeing him this way and knew he would move heaven and earth to make sure Étienne always looked this way – that nothing would cause him harm.

“I love you,” Étienne whispered to him, taking him off guard from his musings, above the sound of the violin and the piano; the words resonated in his ears much as the last few notes of the clarinet and his heart stilled for a fraction of a moment, filling at the sound of the words, before it started again. He reached for Étienne’s hand, gave it a gentle squeeze, and they remained that way, seated side by side, for the rest of the show, immersing themselves in the music.

When they returned back home, Edward excused himself for a moment and went to retrieve the carefully decorated birthday cake, which he lit up with exactly twenty-four candles (and one un-lit candle – for good luck) and retrieved Étienne’s gift and the card he had written to go along with it. He brought everything to the kitchen table, where Étienne eagerly awaited and his boyfriend was quick to take multiple pictures of the cake, while Edward gently reminded him to make a wish and blow out the candles before they melted all over the cake.

(Étienne made his wish and wished that he could have this every year, with Edward by his side, before he blew out the candles.)

“You know, you didn’t have to go through all this trouble,” Étienne reminded him, after he read the very nice and very thoughtful card Edward wrote him, “But I appreciate it nonetheless, thank you, Eddy,” He added once he opened his gift. Étienne then took the knife and sliced off two pieces of cake, before he licked off the frosting from his fingers and the knife. Edward felt his cheeks flush slightly and he stammered out a fumbled “It was nothing, you’re welcome,” when Étienne went up to him to hug him and tenderly kiss his cheek.

They ate the cake in relative silence, safe for the occasional exclamation from Étienne who praised every single bite (and the second piece he went for) and Edward was glad his boyfriend seemed to be enjoying it – glad Étienne seemed to have had a nice birthday. If this would be the only one they spent together, then at least it had been a good one.

The following year, with Edward still in town, Edward asked Étienne what he wanted to do for his birthday and Étienne told him that what they had done the previous year was perfect. Edward made sure it really was what Étienne wanted and with time, it became a tradition of sorts.

Every year, without fault, Edward made cake for Étienne, got him a gift card from the arts supply store and took him out for dinner and a jazz show.

Edward feared, with time, that Étienne would grow tired of the predictability of the day – that Étienne, who thrived on new experiences and discovering new places, would come to grow bored of the jazz show and dinner, but Étienne assured him each and every time that it was what he wanted – that the menu could change, that he could order something different, and that at the very least, the band would be different – that as long as they could spend time together, he was happy.

And with time, Edward realised that as much as his boyfriend did indeed enjoy spontaneous, new, and exciting discoveries, deep down, he also craved for stability and that as long as he knew he had this one recurring thing with Edward, anything else would be fine. Even when Edward threw him a surprise birthday party for thirty-fifth, he still took Étienne to dinner, knowing his boyfriend looked forward to it every year – and honestly, so did he.

“You know, I was thinking, now that I know when your birthday is, maybe we should go out to dinner? My treat? I walked by this interesting looking restaurant the other day – and get this, they play live jazz almost every single night.”

#pc: montreal #pc: montreal west #pc: edmonton #Edward Murphy #élyse maisonneuve #étienne maisonneuve #fic #au #amnesia au universe lamao let's be real #THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A SIMPLE AND SHORT THING #ive been on this since MONDAY

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