#vivante line

[chicinsilk]

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Christian Dior Fall/Winter 1953-54. Mauviette (Denise Deshayes). wears the "Paname" dress. Photo Eugene Kammerman.

Christian Dior Automne/Hiver 1953-54. Mauviette (Denise Deshayes). porte la robe "Paname". Photo Eugene Kammerman.

[meylanleilani]

Line of action

Photoshop

Juillet 2023

[bitterkarella]

Midnight Pals: Moonflow

Bitter Karella: hello, fellow esteemed authors! King: wow it's bitter karella! Lovecraft: bitter karella! Koontz: WOW bitter karella! Poe: OMG it's THE bitter karella! Barker: Barker: what the fuck is wrong with you guys

Karella: yes it's me, bitter karella, beloved bon vivant, gadabout and real author Barker: well, i've never heard of you Karella: Barker: wait did i say that? i meant to say bitter karella is the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful human being I’ve ever known in my life

Karella: [sitting backward on chair] you know me as a very cool & also good-looking goblin Karella: but i'm also the author of such luminary works as The Ballad of Horse Girl in Split Scream 5 (currently available from Tenebrous Press) and Moonflow (coming soon from Orbit US!)

Poe: i see you're wearing an "Ask me about Moonflow" badge Karella: You mean the latest masterpiece of horror storytelling from Orbit's™ Bitter Karella™? Why it's an extraordinary adventure with an interface of eldritch folk horror, queer squelchcore splatterpunk and raccoons!

Karella: Not to mention a psychedelic fantasmagoria of mushroom trips, terf cults, cop eugenics, fat sex, AND elegant point 'n' click control of characters, objects, and magic spells! Karella: Beat the rush! Go out and buy Moonflow™ today!

Karella: Moonflow has something for everyone! Scary forests! Mysterious gods! Gallons of blood! Exploding heads! Karella: and don't think i forgot about you ladies Karella: there's also multiple lesbian orgies

Poe: wow! Moonflow sounds incredible! i can't wait to read it! Koontz: what was that name again? i forgot Karella: it's Moonflow! And you'll have to wait Karella: CUZ IT'S NOT COMING OUT TIL FALL 2025!!!

Karella: yo yo yo they call me bitter karella Karella: i'm half joe camel and third Fonzarella! Karella: i'm a real cool goblin & i'm here to say Karella: i love reading Moonflow in a major way! Poe: wow that bitter karella is one outrageous dude! Koontz: he's totally in my face!

Mary Shelley: [reading cue card] "sup fuckers" Shelley: "are you ready for a nerd-shivvingly good time reading moonflow" Barker: [reading cue card] "i can't think of anything cooler than buying & reading bitter karella's moonflow" Poe: Barker: edgar Barker: edgar that's your cue

Poe: what? oh wait Poe: wait i've got it, i've got it Poe: uhhhh Poe: line? Barker: Barker: you're supposed to say "clive" Poe: right right "clive" of course Barker: like you always do Barker: it's literally your thing

What's this all about? IT'S ABOUT THIS!!

[ophelian-darling]

Prompta 94 + 38 with noriyaki kakyoin. He's ready captured you and confessed his love to you and you're still trying to get used to your new home.

"I'm the only one who can understand you"

"You're adorable when you're asleep"

TW: Isolation, Obsession, Implied Stalking and kidnapping, delusional thoughts.

Word Count : 1.3k words.

enjoy ♡

"Smile for me!" 

It's been weeks- at least in your perception. There are certain thoughts of obscurity that gnaw your brain, the effect of Noriaki present even in the scatters of your mind's rambles: Time has no existence except that of the imagination, the more our thinking daubs with life colors, the more we get old. The clouds behind the window marched in a Foggy lane; so dreadful with a beauty of its own.

"Everything is beautiful! our eyes just can't see the bewitching charm of it. it's the human eye that is ugly" 

Noriaki would chatter for hours about everything and nothing. Clutching a brush and standing in front of a canvas, aimlessly coloring a homely sketch in a passion of a Picasso yet in the skill of the Austrian painter, an opinion that God forbid if you shared to him no matter how he insisted you to. Better leave him to swim in a warm sea of his own illusions if it meant that you're out of any disturbing antics he would present. 

A first look at him would tell no secret about the madness veining through him; it's just an introverted classmate with an amateur hobby of painting, someone who isn't recognizable in any way or form. Anyone who sees him scribbling on a paper would think that he's just recording notes for a class, while he is lining a crimson billet-doux. They would think he was fulfilling his class cleaning duty in the evening, while he was wiping the violent evidence of his crimes. They thought he was a sweet boyfriend to walk his lover home, while he was-

"What are you thinking of, Dollface?" 

"Uh-" Instinctively changing your position as you uttered a faux-casual 'nothing', you realized that you were staring through a skylight window for too long, perhaps forgetting (or ignoring?) him as he ordered you to smile. quickly, you put your lips curves to a height that felt awkward, a smile of a rushed family photo. He hummed in response, seemingly buying it so as to complete his 'Masterpiece' (using his words).

"I'm almost done, I can't wait for you to see it" 

"I'm so excited to see it!" you lied, the family photo smile still plastered on your face. 

"This is the best thing I've ever drawn so far" He smiled, cheerfully eyeing your resting figure on the chair "I wanted to paint you in full coloring for so long, and now I'm glad I got the chance to finally do it" 

Just at your left, a wall stood still, dozens of haste sketches hanging on, some semi-completed, others either barely spilled any effort or neglected at their prime, jittery lineaments in dark pencil. You could tell that Noriaki was frustrated with them: they never matched the tableau vivant he carved in his mind's eye; yet they somehow ended up being useful enough to have the honor to be remembered and kept. 

Leisurely, the corners of the house engraved themselves in your memory corridors, so was the daily script of life here: days mimed each other, Noriaki's smiles split into thousands of colors, yet his eyes were ever the same as fake greens; none of them held any normalcy or spontaneity, just faux calmness. In the morning, you both wake up- He's the first to rise from bed, rattling you awake before having breakfast together. His tongue flows when the sun shines, he talks and speaks and laughs and chatters nineteen to the dozen, his voice very clear in your anamnesis yet his words hazy. as your teacup hangs between your thumb and index finger, you focus on the movement of his lips and nod at whatever letter he throws. As the ether discolor into cinnabar, his room is solely altered to be a temple honoring you: poems, paintings and pictures wallpapered the small room in a morbid show of attachment. When the moon is crowned in the sky with stars, The jar of cogitation breaks, and Noriaki would animate his dreams of a family and a blithe life, framing you and him in one iridescent cadre, until the heavy curtain of dreamless slumber falls on your eyes.

"I'm done!" He announced happily "Come take a look" 

You stood up, blood circulating again through the muscles of your backside and thighs. Of course, sitting for two hours in a stiff position to please the Mr.Artist was nowhere of an exertion near his. You just have to sit and look pretty, he would argue.

"It's the best ever! I'm really proud of this one. I've been thinking about making it real for so long, and it's as perfect as I imagined!" The palette in his left hand moved with each word, intonating his speech. He surely was excited- you never got a reaction so enthusiastic from him.

You kept your smile, looking at the product of two hours in front of you.

A dark line rimmed a color that seemed like your skin tone, vigor lines on what you assumed to be the head pastiched your hair, proving even more how much of blind digits he had. The eyes of your own face were closed, an expression you never felt or recognized on your features layered your replica on the canvas. it was what a crow would caw compared to what a nightingale would chant.

"So?" He waited for your approval.

Life with Noriaki taught you a massively important key skill: Lying. your lips curve up, your vocal cords silken as the lie rolls down your tongue "It's really beautiful!" you reach up to his face and kiss his cheek as a 'thank you for bothering yourself to appreciate my beauty'. He basked in your validation and demanded it almost always.

"But I'm kinda curious, why did you draw my eyes closed?" you noticed his smile shift from a saccharine one to egoistic.

"You know you're already cute right? yet not genuinely" He stared at the painting, carrying on "I think that honesty suits your face best. I know that you didn't like the painting, and I know that you never liked any of my sketches or anything I ever made for you" His lips merged into a thin line, a gray flicker flashing in his irises. coolly, he continued "You have that stupid fake kindness about you, you don't want to hurt my feelings, and I hate pressing you to tell me your honest thoughts. I feel like at this point you treat me like a fucking toddler, you encourage and say sugary things to please me… you constantly lie to me to make me happy, and as much as this is caring, it bothers me" 

Your lips sewed themselves. 

"But I found a way. I memorize everything about you every single day, I came to know you more and more. isn't this sweet, My lovely eye candy? I get to understand you better! Now I know just too well about you! Now I'm the only one who can understand you" 

Four eyes widened, two out of pure shock, others out of an unfamiliar emotion, something that sounded like a pink Mania.

"And to answer your question, I realized why I love looking at you sleeping… I couldn't put my finger on it for a year, but the more I see the more I fathom it: you're most vulnerable when you're asleep… all appealing and appetizing and too pure to commit the crime of lying so glibly and beautifully… slumber has just a nice touch on your face, You're truly adorable when you're asleep" 

Thinking has no time to course within your brain. The head of his brush was smudged back in a crimson mix of colors, taking a clot of red and sullying the white canvas, just above the head of your painting. 

"Let's see how honest I can make you"

All red, a human Masterpiece of his.

[tokidokitokyo]

Japanese Dramas

that I watched in January/February & my thoughts on them ^.^

VIVANT

VIVANT - (Netflix) A drama about corporate and political espionage that takes place in a fictional country called Balka but is filmed in Japan and Mongolia. I love the main stars Sakai Masato and Abe Hiroshi, and the various references to Sakai's previous show Hanzawa Naoki (the director of which also directs Vivant). There is a lot of action and I found the story very interesting, but in the middle it slows down for an episode, so just push through that part lol. 5/5 particularly for the cast.

ペンディングトレイン―8時23分、明日 君と

Pending Train - (Netflix) A train car full of normal, everyday people are suddenly thrown together in an unknown location where they have no idea what is going on. They cannot contact anyone else, and they must learn to survive and to work together. Here the main trio are played by amazing actors (Yamada Yuki, Akaso Eiji, Kamishiraishi Moka) and the story line kept me interested until the end. 5/5 acting and storyline all around.

御手洗家、炎上する

Burn the House Down - (Netflix) A fire destroys a whole family, but years later the daughter can’t accept that her mother, who was left without a memory of the events, was the arsonist. She infiltrates the house of the person she thinks is responsible for this tragedy and works to solve this mystery. Nagano Mei is great as the protagonist and Suzuki Kyoka is an amazing antagonist, and the twists and turns will leave you wanting to binge this drama quickly. 5/5 for suspense and for making me nervous right through to the end.

恋はつづくよどこまても

An Incurable Case of Love - (Netflix) If you liked Itazura na Kiss you’ll like this drama! A girl recognizes her dream of becoming a nurse so she can be by the side of the doctor she met in high school. But he’s kind of a jerk. Plenty of ドキドキ (fast heartbeat) and 胸キュン (that squeeze in your chest) for romance drama fans. Hospital setting so beware of the mild hospital type things that come along with it. Some deep subject matter as well. Kamishiraishi Mone and Satoh Takeru with excellent acting for your troubles. 5/5 for making my heart race (this was my second time watching it!).

[dazeddazai]

She felt for the handle in the dark, but before she could reach it, a voice stopped her in her tracks. 

“Running away, are we?”

Makino’s breath hitched in her throat. She hadn’t anticipated this. 

Turning on her heel, she carefully surveyed her surroundings.  The room lay coated in a sheer, silken darkness, but amidst the hints of the speckled sunrise, she could make out Shanks’ figure shifting from where he lay into a languid, seated position. His expression was arranged into the relaxed half smile that she knew, boyish and handsome as always, but his eyes, which she had trouble making out from such a distance, seemed uncharacteristically serious.

“Always to the point, Captain,” she attempted with a nervous smile, hoping to dispel the unease that had begun to settle rather precariously in the pit of her stomach. When he didn’t answer, however, she supplied a further, “No, it’s just that— it’s early, and I thought—”

“That you’d avoid this?”

The candor of his interruption snapped her to attention. The smile had now left his face, and was replaced by a thin line that teetered dangerously on a frown. The expression lay foreign on his countenance— he who was usually the picture of hilarity and bon vivants suddenly cool and unfamiliar. 

Makino shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other, searching for words that simply would not come.

“Yes.” She admitted finally, lowering her eyes in embarrassment. “Last night was a mistake. I’m sorry.”

“A mistake?” Shanks repeated, as if tasting the words on his tongue. Makino didn’t dare look up, but she could hear him getting up and moving closer to her.

She stood her ground.

“Pirates,” she said firmly, “are only good for two things: destroying and leaving.”

She looked up, then, fierce in her resolve and was surprised to find him standing so close, eyes glazed with soft melancholy. 

“Who on earth,” he whispered, and this time, she could hear the hurt laced into his voice, “said anything about leaving?”

[thatwritingho]

Kloktober Day 1

Favorite Character or OTP

My favorite character is half of my OTP, so both!

Pairing: Relish! Which is Pickles the Drummer and Olive Axworthy, my OC. get it, because pickle and olive relish, hahaha

Rating: SFW, only mildly suggestive moments

Summary: Pickles makes a miscalculation when planning a date with Olive. Luckily, he thinks of a better plan, and so they ditch the fancy restaurant they both hated to relocate.

What a perfect night for a cemetery date.

.

It was beautiful.

Glittering crystal chandeliers, polished marble floors, spotless white tablecloths, and a bouquet of fresh flowers in the center of their private, tucked away table with a gorgeous view of the city, shielded by a wall of live greenery.

It was beautiful.

And Olive looked absolutely miserable. 

Gorgeous, in a black velvet dress that slit up to her hip and gave her immaculate cleavage, showing off both her sleeve and thigh tattoo. Her wild curls were more tamed than usual, her makeup dark and stunning. Around her neck hung the anatomically correct heart pendant he gifted her. Silver glinted from each of her ear piercings, bracelets dangled from her wrists, rings covered her fingers, her nails shone black and pointed.

She was gorgeous, stunning, breathtaking… but still miserable, all the same. 

As Olive finished the last bite of her dessert, Pickles gulped down the rest of his wine, bracing himself. 

"Everythin' okee, babe?"

Dark eyes flit up to meet green, and she shrugged. 

"Yeah. Everything's fine."

The raising of a single pierced brow was all it took, and she sighed, teething at her tongue ring.

"It's just. Y'know…." she gestured around with her eyes.

"What?"

“This place, it’s just…”

“Yeah?”

“...fancy.”

“Is dat a bad thing?”

Olive shrugged, “I mean, like, objectively, no.”

“Okee… And, uh, not objectively?”

“Subjectively?” sighing, she chewed at her lip, glancing around, “It’s just. Not really my thing.”

Pickles nodded, staring at her as he considered how to turn this date around. Where could they go now that she would like? Hell, where did she even like to go? It was too late for a museum or a bookstore, they were too dressed up to go break into some abandoned building or walk in a park. Where was he gonna take her, a fucking mausoleum?

Oh. 

Duh.

Grin curling up his lips, Pickles stood, carelessly tossing some cash from his wallet down onto the table, "Well what the hell're we doin' here, den? Let's get outta this place."

Smiling, Olive placed her hand in his offered one, standing to follow him to the limo. She snorted when Pickles insisted on opening the door for her, but thanked him anyway, waiting inside as he whispered something to the driver before joining her. The ride was largely uneventful, save for Pickles slipping down the straps of Olive's dress to snort a line or two or five off her tits. 

When it finally rolled to a stop, Olive pried her lips from Pickles', peering out the tinted windows as a large grin took over her face. As she turned back to him, dark eyes sparkling, face lit up in childish delight, and asked "Really?!" with more excitement in her voice than he had ever heard, Pickles felt his stomach flip, heat rushing to his face as his mouth went dry. 

"Y-yeah, dood."

Lips pressed to his cheek in a soft, sweet kiss, and Olive bumped the tip of her nose to his.

"Thank you."

Before he had a chance to respond, she gripped his hand and nearly drug him from the limo, but Pickles managed to grab the doorframe, stopping just in time.

"Whoah, dood, hang ahn! Jeezus, the skeletons aren't going anywhere!"

Pickles rummaged back inside, Olive pulling a face when he returned, a pierced brow raising in question.

"What?"

"Is there anything other than champagne?"

Pickles gave her an incredulous look. 

"...yew don't like champagne?"

"No."

"...okee. Well, there's a '78 Giacomo Conterno Monfortino or a '96 Domaine Leroy Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru in dere, too, if yah want one of those instead."

"I have no idea what that means."

Pickles grinned at her blank face, "Ones a barolo, ones a pinot noir."

"...I still don't know what that means. It's just wine. Whatever is fine, it all tastes the same, anyway."

The grin fell from his face at her words, replaced with an expression of shock, disbelief, and mild horror.

"Babe, yew… yew don't actually mean dat, right?"

Olive shrugged. 

"Yeah. I mean, aside from the color difference, it all just tastes like wine."

Shell shocked, Pickles swapped the bottle of champagne out for the ten-thousand dollar bottle of wine, the knowledge that it would be absolutely wasted on her beginning to set in. 

It just tastes like wine. 

Jesus Christ. 

He needed to take her to a wine tasting yesterday.

Shaking it off, Pickles slung his arm over Olive's shoulders as they walked through the gates of the cemetery, glancing around at the fog hanging low on the ground, the murder of crows cawing and pecking amongst the headstones nearby as they meandered along the path, the clack of Olive's heels loud in the chilled air. A gentle breeze sent her curls dancing, swaying and rustling the leaves left clinging on the skeletons of trees, an owl hooting somewhere off in the distance.

What a perfect night for a cemetery date. 

The moon shone bright behind the sparse, wispy clouds, lighting up her face, her happy, relaxed expression such a stark contrast to the one worn at dinner he could hardly reconcile the two.

"Wanna know somethin'?"

"Hm?"

Pickles leaned in close, whispering, "I fuckin' hate fancy restaurants, too."

Olive laughed, loud and sudden and so hard she snorted, slapping a hand over her mouth as Pickles laughed at her, the both continuing to giggle at each other as the conversation continued.

"Then why did we go!"

"I don't know, dood! A fancy dinner, dats, like, the date!"

"Yeah, but it sucks!"

"Yer tellin' me! Gahd, got all dressed up in dis stupid suit fer nothin'."

Pickles tugged at his already loosened tie as Olive laughed harder, unbuttoning the top few buttons of his shirt

"Yew look hot as hell, though. 'least dere's dat."

Heat flushed to her face at the compliment, and she smiled, biting her lip as Pickles grinned his crooked grin at her.

"Oh, hey," Pickles grabbed her elbow, steering her to the side, "We're here."

Raising a brow as Pickles veered off path, Olive pauses to slip off her heels before following him barefoot amongst the graves, the ground cold and dew-damp on her feet. At the base of a tall, wide, old oak tree, Pickles plopped down in the grass, half-sitting half-laying against it's base.

Grinning up at her, he pat his lap in invitation, "Saved a seat jest fer yew, baby. Best one in da whole house."

Her deadpan made him laugh, and Olive rolled her eyes with a fond smile before dropping down. Freckled arms wrapped securely around her as she curled up in his lap, finger tips ghosting along her arm to raise goosebumps.

The two passed the bottle of wine back and forth, chatting here and there.

"Hey."

Lifting her head from his chest, Olive was met with lips on hers, tasting of wine and weed and cigarettes. His hand gently cupped her face, thumb caressing over her cheek as their lips met time and again, Pickles relishing the way Olive melted into him more and more with each press.

Parting his lips from her was no easy feat - it never was -  but Pickles managed, bumping their noses as his eyes sought Olive's in the moonlight. Their breaths puffed and mixed between them, curls scented of wine forming to dance on the crisp night air. 

Mouth curling into a crooked grin, Pickles kissed over to her ear and nipped, facial hair tickling with his next words, "Heh. Wanna go fuck ahn a grave?"

.

To be continued ;)

Thanks for reading, please let me know what you think!

If you'd like to read more of these two, check out Momento Mori, and Olive's Mtl OC Wiki page!!

[borisbubbles]

Eurovision 2023: #18

18. AUSTRIA Teya & Salena - "Who the hell is Edgar?" 15th place

Decade ranking: 51/116 [Above Ronela, below Jeangu]

OOOOOH MIO PADRE, I'VE GOTTA ROAST ME SOME BARBIES, ooooooooooh no.

It does NOT pay to be funny, sadly. Yeah, I wish I didn't have to go there, but sometimes the stars just don't align. With Loreen and Pasha being reunited and the year generally being mediocre, Liverpool 2023 already had enough parallels with Baku 2012. The "preshow obsession has a disappointing live" part I could have done without.

Like seriously. Was there ever a more slam-dunk end of contest favourite for me than TeyaLena? (well other than You Know Who, but we'll get there). My recent faves were Think About Things, Shum and In Corpore Sano. All uptempo, all enjoyable, all secretly very clever entries, eating and mothering (or in Da­ði's case brothering) as THE act on everyone's lips as the dust settled. Edgar was one of two entries who could have been The One for this year!!! But as Poe Poe Poe became Poo Poo Poo I'm forced to pack up my praise pen and bring out my critical analysis quill :-/

Fortunately, like the ladies, I am such a good writer, so enjoy this lengthy review, which is more like a vivisection:

ON THE FLAWS OF 'WHO THE HELL IS EDGAR?'

The first instinct would be to say that the song was impossible to bring, but I don't buy into that logic. "Edgar" was great, a vision, and absolute fucking BANGER. That's the hill, I'll die on. Despite the flaws of its live, I will always cherish it as a song.

Granted, the song was a lot of things at once. That's what made it both iconic and live liability. You try to explain to a layman casual audience member what Edgar is about. How it satirizes the music industry. How self-deprecating it is. What an API is. What an A&R is. What the 0.003 stands for. Now do that in the THIRTY SECONDS TIME FRAME it takes for the video teaser to play. You can't. You can be the best commentator or the most eloquent eurovision-obsessed guncle. Also, you're making me think with your words. Thinking bad. ME WANT ENJOY SHOW. ME WANT GOOD TIME, NO THINK.

So, there's two approaches you can take here, if you play to win.

The first by embracing the campness and going full ham, which how the televote countries would handle it. Your Moldovas, Ukraines, Finlands, Serbias, Norways. Hand Edgar over to one of them, and TeyaLena would start bent over a laptop or typewriter, harrassed by ravens or men in Edgar Allen Poe costumes, who would so a possessed zombie dance while TeyaLena try to escape the clutches.

Naturally, such an act requires less effort from the performers and could be seen as an easy cop-out by juries (die, juries!) and result in a loss of points and well, Austria don't play that way. Austria don't have a built in televote base and feel they are better off playing for the same juries that would normally reject an Edgar.

So instead they went for option two: embrace the hyperpop and try to build momentum off its hyperactivity. Fair enough, that's less interesting and safe, but a valid choice that can result in a very good time.

On this occasion though, it was a MISTAKE.

The best part about Edgar was the combination of dumb hyperpop memes with clever satire, and the staging ignored the latter completely. It showed Edgar Allan Poe TWICE, and then spliced in the Spotify reference in the background without context. That was all the act did with the satire. They should have named this song "Where the hell is Edgar?". The vague references only work when the entire audience is already in on the joke, otherwise it's a three mins of braincell murder. If a pleb tuned in blind (over 75% of the audience), tough luck on them for trying to make sense of it all. SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED ESC ON TIKTOK!!!.

Bottom line: THE STAGING WAS PEDANTIC.

Thematic acts can alleviate that problem. Think Konstrakta's spa tableau vivant, Katryna's tron aureole, the presence of Gagnamagnið on the stage alongside Daði Freyr. This year we had Vesna's hexaplet choreography, Käärijä's ballroom dancers, Loreen's panini press, Gustaph's motivational graphics, even Alika's fucking self-playing piano applies to this principle. All of these did well, the competent ones with juries, the camp ones with the tv. Intuitive but thematically fitting visual cues that instinctively get the vibe across without requiring the audience to ponder it too deeply (or become a parody, I SEE YOU, France.) that's what effecive staging is about. Now compare the above good stagings to what Austria came up with: Four dancers in Samanta Tina garb, some more created by the LEDs in the background, and a VERY basic choreography. This is not a just simplification but a dumbing down. Every visual cue comes across as nonsensical, because nothing quite ties it together with the music. If only the song itself had provided us with a clear visual reference point, huh?

Of course, a dumbed down staging concept could still yield a good result despite itself if the live was teeming with energy and bounced off in every direction to match the music. Folks would be voting based on pure performance skill and nothing else. After all, Ewnicorn bluffed its way into third on that very principle. Sadly, neither Teya nor Salena were versed in the art of singing and dancing at the same time.

So ultimately, you're given this awkward performance where Teya acted really well and produced delectable facial expressions - I mean who doesn't love THIS:

-but failed to harmonize with Salena, while Salena hit most of her notes but clearly struggled with the Dietmann's simplistic, toddler-like choreography, like a Leila Jane or Mirud on stilts. Nice that they complimented each others weaknesses by showcasing opposite talents, but if you wanna do well just get yourself a girl who can do both.

And there we have it, Teya and Salena. High Risk, High Reward usually plays out for the better, but this is one such occasion where the high risk was avoided and the just reward was a disappointing score on the middle of the scoreboard. Such is the price of not embracing your queer-coded campness in Eurovision. We have landed in mild-like hell, just like Nina Zilli and Jonsi and all the others that I wish I could love more, but sadly did not live up to their initial hype. That too is life. Onward to better things, and things will surely get good as we move forward, right?

THE RANKING

[miloucomehome]

I’d like to add to this:

Broken, we’re all broken by the episode XDD

SO

NozaNogi IS CANON

Nozaki loved a late colleague of his? Is that what was implied?? Did they really make a prime time drama lead gay

WHAT THE FUCK HAS GOTTEN INTO NOGI THOUGH

Is this part of his plan???? What about Kurosu?????? I’m crying?? I’m in so much pain???? Betray whomever you want but not Kurosu??????????? ICH KOMME BICHT KLAAARTRR AAAAAHAHHWLQWP

[miloucomehome]

VIVANT EPISODE 7 THOUGHTS

(protip: never read the official episode titles from TB/S on T/Ver. Episode 7's could be considered a spoiler)

Wow. And wowowwow...

Pictured: Me finding yet more details I missed during the first two watchthroughs

Pictured 2: My reaction when I notice something brought up in this week's episode actually makes a statement/profile we saw a number of episodes ago look really suspicious.

First: Holy shit what the hell?! WHAT THE HELL NOGI?!

Second:

Kohinata, you're not off the hook! I don't remember which episode Kohinata's Nagano gets interrogated, but if I recall...didn't we learn that he was former JSDF? Isn't that what made him a prime suspect to Nozaki and Public Security? I kind of remember him saying how he left the forces...but wasn't he active in the 80s? We learned this week that Balka fell into civil war in 1983 and that Nogi Suguru (Nogi's dad) is reported dead in 1984 when he ends up dragged into the factional conflict. He did have a reaction when Nogi name-dropped Zayir/Zahir and Nogi F did go right up to his face and sniff him, stating he literally smelled "off"/suspicious.

(Kohinata always plays sus characters. I don't mind if in the end, it turns out he's just an old dude who wanted to hang out with a younger woman because his marriage is on the rocks, but MIU404, MOZU and even S1 of Emergency Interrogation Room set me up for years of doubt XDDD.)

Shinjo (gone from sus to maybe sus idk) brought up good points: why didn't Suguru communicate with Public Security in the 80s to tell them he was alive. I wonder if a flashback episode is around the corner...the late 70s to 80s seem like they might be really important. If Nozaki is in his 50s, then any older character we've seen could potentially be important a future flashback episode. If there's one planned.

Nozaki Mamoru = Canon gay lead? IN PRIMETIME JP SUNDAY NIGHT TV?!

(I'll take it. Even if they forget about it or reverse course)

One of the only pieces of good news in this episode--writers confirming, as much as jdrama will allow them to outside of a BL drama, that Nozaki is gay. Not only that but he had loved another man: Liu Mingxuan. (And that it seems like Liu liked him first before he noticed or wanted to commit but did? Maybe he was closeted back then and worried it could be used against him?)

Nozaki: Well, in your position, it's not like you can have a normal love life, can you? (pause) Nogi: Nozaki-san...? Nozaki: Yeah? Nogi: Could it be that you... Nozaki: (laughs) I'm sorry. I can't help but look [at you]. Nozaki: You look just like him. Nogi: I do? Nozaki: It's like I'm looking at the junior who I lovedーLiu Mingxuen. He was a colleague of mine when I worked as a liaison at the embassy in Beijing. Nogi: And I look like him? Nozaki: Yeah. But he's not in this world anymore...

I did find this part oddly curious? worrying?:

Nozaki: He worked so hard for me. He was serious and tried so hard to get me to like him. But because of that... (smile fades) I ended up going over the line during the interrogation <-- this part Nogi: So then...that's when...? Nozaki: If I had actually paid a little bit more attention to him, he wouldn't be dead. That, for me, is my one failure.

The part I "highlighted", the "I ended up going over the line during the interrogation" (other TLs welcome!) part, has me wondering...what happened. And when. He's jovial and charismatic, but Nozaki still is a state intelligence officer. What could've happened?

I'll also headcanon that Nozaki sharing his story about his last lover and how Nogi resembles him, is a roundabout way of confirming Nogi's question was maybe "Could it be that...you like me?".😇🙏

I don't watch BL dramas (because I simply don't know which ones are?), but I've seen the odd drama or two with vaguely-gay-but-we-won't-say characters (with some exceptions: Nigehaji, for example has three). The fact that so far Nozaki is older, has been in love, exudes life experience, and has a different personality and energy from the usual gay characters I've seen in jdrama, is something. He also cares. He's competent at his job. He comes off as really cool, too.

Also his wink is dangerous. I take 500,000+ pts in damage each time (thank you.).

I'm very inclined to believe that despite the increased frostiness and visible gradual distancing in their friendship (see: the last two episodes T_T)), Nozaki was being honest. I also would like to believe that Nogi's line to him later was somewhat reciprocal?

(I know we love to see Nozaki be all close to Nogi, but I'm actually also really enjoying the frostiness of their relationship and how they're both trying to maintain façades more than ever with each other--Nogi as he tries to deceive Nozaki more and Nozaki as he tries to act as he always has despite the very significant information he's been learning about Nogi's true identity)

But as much as I'm inclined to believe his story, jdramas have the ability to betray and I'm steeling myself ahaha.

Nogi's cryptic message to Nozaki on the plane

I totally misread this scene at first as an "end of relationship" moment...but I later felt it was a compliment...then a potential coded message? Jdrama detectives on twitter think it may have been purposefully cryptic/metaphorical as a message to Nozaki, even planting a kind of signal to him--"if something goes wrong, watch for my signals" or something. (Among so many other possibilities)

But it also felt...affectionate? Nogi gently placing his hand on top of Nozaki's and gently clasping(?) it before talking to him felt genuinely kind. The slow letting go of his hand felt, sad almost?

The first idiom used is apparently quite old (1800s) and together with the second half reads:

あなたは鶏群の一鶴、眼光紙背に徹す

(For the sake of keeping it cryptic and rare-sounding, following the proposed definitions in the dictionary):

"You are a great figure among men; one who is able to read between the lines"

Literally (extra deep?):

You are a singular crane among a flock of ducklings chickens, able to read between the lines

Given how later the tracker Nogi removed and placed in some kind of signal blocking pouch, is reactivated and leads Nozaki, Chenggis and his officers to the site with the unconscious/dead Vostania members...Nozaki notices the "calling card" left by Nogi too before he receives a message that really catches his attention. I wonder if in that moment Nozaki's ability to "read between the lines" and grasp at the deeper meaning behind the evidence he finds kicks in.

I also feel like Nogi F realizes that he can trust Nozaki? Or at least that he believes he's exceptional and intelligent?

(I also believe that Nogi F was the one talking to Nozaki during that scene. Sorry Yuusuke! XD)

Now...my most recent "AFHDSKJHFSD AAAH" and "HMM 🤔🤔🤔🤔" discovery--

6 BEPPAN BODYCAMS BUT ONLY 5 ARE NAMED ON THE SCREEN IN THE CONTROL ROOM!!!

The most recent find--

The members of Beppan chosen for the Vostania-Tent meetup interception mission that were all gunned down by Nogi all had their bodycams named...except for Nogi's. That's such a strange thing to overlook.

Not only that, but weren't they all wearing bulletproof vests? Were the bullets in Nokor's gun for piercing bulletproof vests? I don't think the 6 willingly would go into danger without their vests...

COPIUM: Nogi and the Commander are in on it. This is their operation. Nogi didn't betray Beppan. Commander Sakurai's reaction may have been because of Nogi's methods and/or who was shot. If any of the 4 survived, it'll be interesting to find out what they think... (I think that...maybe each group in this series will have traitors of different kinds in their midst? Or maybe we learn about other members of Public Security, Beppan or Tent that neither of the revealed agents of either group are aware of?)

EDIT: THIS GUY LIVES! (credit to the fans in the VIVANT thoughts tag on Twitter) In the "Next Arc" trailer when ep 3 ended, they show Kumagai's actor, Nishiyama Jun, in hospital robes:

Now I'm extra curious. If the others are dead and only Kumagai and Kurosu live (please live), then maybe the Commander and Nogi suspected someone among them was a mole?

Sam is also in that trailer (earlier video?) maybe that wasn't him in episode 5 hahahahaha (denial)

H*rry P*tter -- Nozaki the geek

I made another post about this, but the HP reference and DVD set drop is actually likely really important, I think. I really do believe it's to find a subtle way to keep Drum by Jamine's side and keep watch over her (whether for Public Security or because his intuition is going wild and he's worried for her safety) The post is here and in summary, my realization is that his words to Drum as they leave Jamine's hospital room has me thinking he's setting Drum up to keep near-continuous watch of her later on!

Nozaki : Alright then Drum, let's go grab a bite to eat. Drum: 😄😄😄!!! Nozaki : See you, Nogi Nogi: (nods, smiling) Nozaki (as he leaves Jamine's hospital room with Drum): Oh yeah, that's right, there's no Mongolian [version]— Make sure you translate it properly for her [while she watches], alright?

Also, for real though, I'd like to believe that during happier times for everyone in that franchise's boom, Nozaki was definitely a fan and did the midnight lineups and dressed up with his buddies (or relatives?) for the movies and books. If he's not using a ruse, my headcanon is that he's been able to enjoy life in some ways and indulge in some hobbies.

(Also: If I were to romanize スネイプ社, it'd be using Mongolian Cyrillic romanization. "Snape Co." is too awkward lol and from what small research into Mongolian I've done, "sna" will not produce the same sound as it does in English. Maybe Snép? Snaype? Snaïp?? Snêip??? Snayipp??)

Is this is a hint that he's going to act as a double spy...?

I'm excited and scared to see how Nokor and Nogi will face off. Nino's delivery of the line "Hey there, brother of mine" was menacing in the episode 8 preview. (I'm only familiar with Matsumoto Jun's acting in 99,0%)

I wonder what Nozaki received on his phone. And poor Kurosu...he's living up to the kanji associated to him in the early promo cast announcement teaser of 信頼 (shinrai - trust, faith), but it's getting thrown back in his face in the worst way by this apparent(??) betrayal by Nogi?? I feel awful for Kurosu--he put a lot of faith in Nogi believing this betrayal, the capture, and the injuries, were all part of his plan...when apparently they're not. I want to go back in time to this moment:

I wonder if each character's kanji words will mean they'll each come face to face with that crashing down on them. Kurosu is sure to trust Nogi less, if at all, if it turns out this was all part of some bigger plan....maybe? A bit of a "One must fall before they can come back stronger" type of theme? (I wonder how Kurosu ended up partnered up with Nogi?) I'm still so sad over his "This is all part of the operation, right?" and "You did this because it's part of the plan, right?"....Kurosu really trusted Nogi.

To end (Because I could go on for a while I think)---

Nozaki and his "Oh wow oh no this sucks. It would've been great if someone had stuck another tracking device on Nogi somehow without him noticing, eh?" pose (Chenggis, meanwhile: $@%#!$#!%):

Chenggis being cute. CHENGGIS BEING CUTE??

Wink = 5,000,000pt damage

Thanks for reading to the end. Sorry if my thoughts were all over the place--I made a draft of this on Monday and meant to post it but was out in the evening and came home and was too tired XD;;.

[chicinsilk]

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Christian Dior Haute Couture Collection Fall/Winter 1953-54. Dexter is wearing the "Gai Paris" dress. Photo Philippe Pottier.

Christian Dior Collection Haute Couture Automne/Hiver 1953-54. Dexter porte la robe"Gai Paris". Photo Philippe Pottier.

[artiste85]

<< Ghost in the shell <End of line>

Depuis Octobre 1991, Masamune Shirow pose LES QUESTIONS du 21ème siècle :

Qu’est-ce qui distingue l’être humain d’un robot pensant ayant conscience de son existence ?

Qu’est-ce qui fait la spécificité de la pensée humaine ?

Que peut-on considérer comme « être vivant » ?

Où se situe la frontière entre le corps et l’esprit ?

Must return to the Grid <End of line>

Simply build & build simply.

#rse #esg #ressourceshumaines #philosophie #politique #economiecirculaire #circuitcourt #slasher #punk #managementfrugal #zeitgeist #mettle #etymologie

guillaumehannafo®d

Synopsis (Wikipédia)

Ghost in the Shell est un manga futuriste, de type cyberpunk, se déroulant aux alentours des années 2030.

La trame principale du manga est la traque d’un cybercriminel connu sous le nom du « Marionnettiste » (le Puppet Master). Ce cybercriminel prend le contrôle de l’esprit («��ghost ») d’un humain par l’intermédiaire du Réseau numérique mondial.

Alors que l’enquête progresse, la section 9 finit par découvrir que le criminel n’est pas une personne physique, mais une intelligence artificielle immatérielle, ayant acquis pour la première fois au monde une conscience.

Le désir du Marionnettiste, qui a réussi à s’incarner dans un corps androïde, est de se reproduire. Il ne souhaite pas se dupliquer comme un simple virus (toujours identique et donc vulnérable) mais bien donner naissance à une nouvelle forme de vie. C’est pourquoi il sollicite l'aide de Kusanagi pour fusionner leurs ghosts (l’équivalent de l’âme et de l’esprit) et, ainsi, créer un être nouveau et unique.

[lexiloos-currentobsession]

I present to you a comprehensive list of all my favorite things about each episode in season 1

Uno

-The show literally opening with shameless Breaking Bad fan service, our boy is in fact managing a Cinnabon in Omaha

-Jimmy’s goofy ass brown suit

-The Mike reveal 🫶🏻

-That one shot that pans over from a white caddy to the esteem!!

-The way Jimmy plucks the cig right out of Kim’s mouth. Honestly the way that whole scene reveals SO MUCH about their relationship with only two lines of dialogue shared between them

Mijo

-You called her biznatch?

-Special agent Jeffrey Steele lol

-It’s showtime folks montage (i.e. Jimmy’s stupid little ✨pose✨)

Nacho

-Mcwexler phone sex is CANNON

-Screw you, geezer!

-Find Out What’s Happening playing as Jimmy searches for the Kettlemans

-The Kettlemans made a choice… yeah so did the Donner party when they took that shortcut

Hero

-You assume that criminals are gonna be smarter than they are, I dunno kinda breaks my heart a little

-Jimmy enters his TV production era

-Kim’s smirk watching Jimmy on the news 🥹

Alpine Shepard Boy

-Kim gives Jimmy the idea to pursue elder law

-Need a will? Call McGill! The official Better Call Saul predecessor

Five-o

-Mike’s backstory

-Don’t let Mr Ehrmantraut’s dancing eyes and bubbly bon vivant personality fool you he’s actually believe it or not somewhat taciturn 💀

Bingo

-The CUTEST Mcwexler scene, MY GOD

-Jimmy taking a phone call in a public bathroom and a big biker man thinking ‘hey there’ was meant for him

-They’re not really playing with a full deck those kettlemans

-Quick dictionary page flip from electricity to embezzlement. The fucking details in the show!!!

Rico

-Mike is on the phone so he waves a driver through the parking gate without checking their stickers. After all the sticker drama with Jimmy this really made me cackle

Pimento

-Hail satan, I submit to the dark lord

-Kim sticks up for Jimmy to Howard

Marco

-This one is just FULL of more context for things from Breaking Bad:

-Hey, you are not Kevin Costner… I was last night

-You gotta be king of the desert, driving around in a white caddy

-An origin story for the pinky ring

[ms-bon-vivant]

"The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved; loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves." - Victor Hugo

Bonsoir! I sincerely hope you are having a peaceful day filled with lots of activities whether they’re physical or mental ❤️ As you probably have figured out, I am offering matchups here and most importantly the information that will be of huge help for both you my dear client and for me 😊 Also just in case, please do take note that it takes me around 1-4 weeks to write matchups. Depends hugely on how school and work is going for me.

The fandoms I write for right now is:

Kengan Ashura & Omega

Batfamily from DC Universe

Kuroko No Basket

Hunter x Hunter

Jojo Bizarre Adventure

Baki

(If there is a fandom you really want me to write for, kindly dm me here and I will see what I can do. Do understand that I only write for fandoms I myself have a great interest in)

The information I need from you my dear is:

Your username

The fandom you have chosen from my list above

Your ideal type and preferred gender of your match

If age matters for you and in that case, where is the line and of what age are you

Your future goals and what your current position is (studying or working)

Your appearance/aesthetic

What I give you in return:

A collage of you and your match

Informative explanation of why you and your match would work as a couple

Other potential matches

©ms-bon-vivant

Please take note that what I’m writing here is not to be copied in any form and by that I mean the kind of copying that covers everything I write and post. I have no problem in anyone using my writing and way of publishing images as a reference for their own accounts/blogs.

[thebreakfastgenie]

rhyming nonchalant with bon-vivant in the first two lines. okay.