#we will be feasting and dancing in jerusalem next year

[shalom-iamcominghome]

This part in the song This Year has just been hitting different as of late

[sharkjumpers]

I broke free on a Saturday morning 🌈🌈 I put the pedal to the floor headed north on Mill's Avenue and listened to the engine roar 🌈 my broken house behind me and good things ahead 🌈 a girl named Cathy wants a little of my time six cylinders underneath the hood crashing and kicking Ahaa listen to the engine whine 🌈 I am gonna make it through this year if it kills me 🌈 I am gonna make it through this year if it kills me 🌈 I played video games in a drunken haze I was 17 years young hurt my knuckles punching the machines the taste of scotch rich on my tongue 🌈 and then Catchy showed up and we hung out trading swigs from a bottle all bitter and clean 🌈 locking eyes 🌈 holding hands 🌈 twin high maintenance machines 🌈 I am gonna make it through this year if it kills me 🌈 I am gonna make it through this year if it kills me 🌈 I drove home in the California dusk 🌈🌈 I could feel the alcohol inside of me Hum 🌈 picture the look on my step-father's face 🌈 ready for the bad things to come 🌈 I downshifted as I pulled into the driveway the motor screaming out stuck in second gear the scene ends badly as you might imagine in a Cavalcade of Anger and Fear 🌈 there will be Feasting and Dancing in Jerusalem next year 🌈 I am gonna make it through this year if it kills me 🌈 I am gonna make it through this year if it kills me 🌈 And it almost killed me 🌈

[reani]

we have yet to introduce a word that describes the emotion u feel while listening to the sunset tree. the sunset tree emotion. i am young and i am good. it breaks my heart in half (in half) when i see them try to fly— cus you just can’t do— things your body wasn’t meant to. the magpie will come midday and you will go down on all fours. there will be feasting and dancing in Jerusalem next year. there’s gonna come a day when you feel better. i’m gonna bribe the officials i’m gonna kill all the judges it’s gonna take you people years to recover from all of the damage. she told me how you died at last (at last). there’s this great big you and little old me. snakes in the grass beneath our feet rain in the clouds above some moments last forever, others flare out with love love love

[this-is-a-podcast-fanblog]

I was listening to "This Year" by The Mountain Goats (as I usually do on New Year's Day) and there was one line that just really hit different going into 2024.

"There will be feasting and dancing in Jerusalem next year."

Isn't that sort of what "from the river to the sea" is all about? Despite everything, there is hope and Palestine will one day be free, and Palestinians in Jerusalem and in Gaza and in Jordan and everywhere else will feast and dance. They will grow olive trees and celebrate on their own land. There will be an end to the occupation and rebuilding will begin.

And that won't erase the genocide, and that won't bring back the dead. That won't undo the seventy five years of oppression that Isn'treal has inflicted onto Palestinians. Yet Palestinians still have hope for a free Palestine and it's not for us as international allies to say "oh well, there's nothing we can do." We have to keep fighting for Palestine. We have to remember, and we have to hope. Mourn for the dead, fight like hell for the living. The fight is not over and we can't all just move on.

There will be feasting and dancing in Jerusalem, Palestine, next year, and the year after that, and the year after that, and on into forever. Palestine will be free.

[bizarrelittlemew]

clenching my fists tighter and tighter while listening to this year by the mountain goats because so far:

(i'll apparently list this as extremely bad - more trivial - extremely fucking bad)

my sister nearly bled to death from a surgical wound (very routine surgery too)

our savings are constantly being drained by 1) enormous energy bills last winter, and 2) replacing everything that just keeps breaking, first it was kitchen appliances now garden tools?? and 3) stupid sewer work documentation that should've been in order 3 years ago before we moved in but which we now need to pay for too and they discovered stuff that means ANOTHER big bill within the next 3-5 years, constantly setting us back on the projects we want to do

i'm getting worse and worse and yeah finally going to the doctor for it (but like taking two whole months off work in the spring didn't help, hope something else will)

feel like i'm getting nowhere with the phd (normal halfway-through experience i think but still) and every time i try to do something it goes nowhere and gets rejected so now i've just. stopped making an effort and don't know how to come back from that

and now yesterday we learned my mom has incurable cancer and i can't even describe all the things going on so i'm not gonna try here

obviously the last thing is by far the worst (since my sister is completely fine again now) like points 2-4 are nowhere near that level but it's like everything. one thing after another. and things i'm forgetting because the last one just overshadows everything else. it keeps coming and maybe if points 3&4 weren't there i'd be better equipped to handle the rest?? but here we are

it's like the only positives so far have been all you lovely people i've met and gotten to know through fandom and the community and support here <3 and getting back into writing fr and the support you've given there too. need the distraction and positives more than ever now so thank you for being your excellent selves <3 (almost wrote elves skdfjdks would've been cool though)

ok this got super long sorry i probably won't post about this now that i've gotten it out and i'm so glad i have ofmd in october to look forward to mostly because i get to be unhinged about it with all of you <3 and THERE WILL BE FEASTING AND DANCING IN JERUSALEM NEXT YEAR

[lapdogchase]

I BROKE FREE ON A SATURDAY MORNING. I PUT THE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR. HEADED NORTH ON MILLS AVENUE AND LISTENED TO THE ENGINE ROAR. MY BROKEN HOUSE BEHIND ME AND GOOD THINGS AHEAD, A GIRL NAMED CATHY WANTS A LITTLE OF MY TIME. SIX CYLINDERS UNDERNEATH THE HOOD CRASHING AND KICKING AHA LISTEN TO THE ENGINE WHINE. I AM GOING TO MAKE IT THROUGH THIS YEAR IF IT KILLS ME. I AM GOING TO MAKE IT THROUGH THIS YEAR IF IT KILLS ME!!! I PLAYED VIDEO GAMES IN A DRUNKEN HAZE, I WAS SEVENTEEN YEARS YOUNG. HURT MY KNUCKLES PUNCHING THE MACHINES, THE TASTE OF SCOTCH RICH ON MY TONGUE. AND THEN CATHY SHOWED UP AND WE HUNG OUT, TRADING SWIGS FROM A BOTTLE, ALL BITTER AND CLEAN, LOCKING EYES, HOLDING HANDS, TWIN HIGH-MAINTENANCE MACHINES. I AM GOING TO MAKE IT THROUGH THIS YEAR IF IT KILLS ME. I AM GOING TO MAKE IT THROUGH THIS YEAR IF IT KILLS ME!!!

I DROVE HOME IN THE CALIFORNIA DUSK. I COULD FEEL THE ALCOHOL INSIDE OF ME HUM, PICTURED THE LOOK ON MY STEPFATHER'S FACE.. READY FOR THE BAD THINGS TO COME... I DOWNSHIFTED AS I PULLED INTO THE DRIVEWAY. THE MOTOR SCREAMING OUT, STUCK IN SECOND GEAR, THE SCENE ENDS BADLY, AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE, IN A CAVALCADE OF ANGER AND FEAR. THERE WILL BE FEASTING AND DANCING IN JERUSALEM NEXT YEAR. I AM GOING TO MAKE IT THROUGH THIS YEAR IF IT KILLS ME. I AM GOING TO MAKE IT THROUGH THIS YEAR IF IT KILLS ME!!!!!!!!!!

[thatweirdguyinthebushes]

when Ezra Furman said "I am shattered I am bleeding but goddammit I'm alive" and when Rainier Maria Rilke said "Just keep going. No feeling is final." and when disco elysium said "You let misery win. And it will keep on winning until you die — or overcome it." and when John Darnielle said "There will be feasting and dancing in Jerusalem next year" and when Richard Siken says "We are all of us going forward. None of us are going back." and when Joseph Telushkin said "Am I my brothers keeper? The entire Bible, in essence, is written as an affirmative response to this question." and when Tupac said "All I'm trying to do is survive and make good out of the dirty life they gave me." and when Gregory Orr said "If we're not supposed to dance, why all this music?" Yeah.

[puckrph]

"THE SUNSET TREE" STARTERS

taken from the album by the mountain goats. feel free to change pronouns, etc. tw for mentions/implications of familial abuse, drug use, and suicide

"i walked down to the corner store just before nightfall in my bare feet, the black tarry asphalt soft and hot." "i spread out my supplies on the counter by the sink, looked myself right in the eyes: st. joseph's baby aspirin, bartles and jaymes, and you. or your memory." "i ducked behind the drapes when i saw the moon begin to rise." "down there in the dark, i could see the real truth about me as clear as day." "if i make it through tonight, then i will mend my ways and walk the straight path to the end of my days." "my friends don't have a clue." "down in your arms, i am a wild creature." "i write down good reasons to freeze to death in my spiral ring notebook." "i write down good reasons to freeze to death in my spiral ring notebook—but in the long tresses of your hair, i am a babbling brook." "i broke free on a saturday morning, put the pedal to the floor." "my broken house is behind me and good things are ahead." "i am going to make it through this year if it kills me." "i pictured the look on my stepfather's face, ready for the bad things to come." "the scene ends badly, as you might imagine, in a cavalcade of anger and fear." "there will be feasting and dancing in jerusalem next year." "the delicate balance has shifted." "let's pretend the fog has lifted." "now you say you love me, pretty soon you won't." "if we get our full three-score and ten, we won't pass this way again." "kiss me with your mouth open." "stay sweet." "if we live to see the other side of this, i will remember your kiss." "indications that there's something wrong with our new house trip down the wire twice daily." "you're the last best thing i've got going." "what am i supposed to do? no way of knowing." "so i'll follow you down your twisted alleyways and find a few cul-de-sacs of my own, because there's only one place this road ever ends up, and i don't want to die alone." "let me down gently." "you were looking at the void and seldom blinking. the best that i could do was to train my eyes on you." "we scaled the hidden hills beneath the surface, scraped our fingers bloody on the stones." "we kept our friends at bay all summer long and treated the days as though they'd kill us if they could." "we were wringing out the hours like blood-drenched bedsheets to keep wintertime at bay, but december showed up anyway." "i went downtown, sold off most of what i owned." "there's bound to be a ghost at the back of your closet, no matter where you live." "there'll always be a few things, maybe several things, that you're going to find really difficult to forgive." "there's gonna come a day when you feel better. just when that day is coming, who can say?" "they will shake their heads and wag their bony fingers in all the wrong directions, and by daybreak we'll be gone." "by daybreak, we'll be gone." "i'm going to get myself in fighting trim, scope out every angle of unfair advantage." "i'm gonna bribe the officials. i'm gonna kill all the judges. it's gonna take them years to recover from all of the damage." "when your chances fall in your lap like that, you gotta recognize them for what they really are." "nobody in this house wants to own up to the truth." "i am going to regret the day that i was born." "i'm dreaming of you." "there's no good way to end this, anyone can see." "i am young and i am good." "if i wake him up, there will be hell to pay." "alone in my room, i am the last of a lost civilization." "but i do wake him up, and when i do he blazes down the hall and he screams." "held under these smothering waves by his strong and thick-veined hand, but one of these days i'm going to wiggle up on dry land." "try hard to do your best, the magpie will have his way." "remember what we had here when there was something left to save." "it took all the coke in town to bring down dennis brown. on the day my lung collapses, we'll see just how much it takes." "some things you do for money, and some you do for love."

[kindred-spirit-93]

"there will be feasting and dancing in Jerusalem next year". okay i cried. may we see a free & flourishing palestine in our lifetimes. ameen

[ducksbellorum]

et focis (listen/download)

a chbolc mix - part two - arranged by ducksbellorum

welcome to the party - diplo We on fire Ride up to the party, Ride up to the party Ayy, live it up

this year - the mountain goats There will be feasting and dancing in Jerusalem next year I am going to make it through this year if it kills me

is he worthy - chris tomlin Is He worthy? Is He worthy Of all blessing and honor and glory? Is He worthy of this? He is

not a pretty girl - ani difranco And I have earned my disillusionment I have been working all of my life And I am a patriot I have been fighting the good fight

happy - pharrell williams Well, I should probably warn ya, I'll be just fine No offense to you, don’t waste your time, here's why

wilson (expensive mistakes) - fall out boy And when I say I'm sorry I'm late I wasn't showing up at all I really mean I didn't plan on showing up at all

you say - lauren daigle The only thing that matters now is everything You think of me In You, I find my worth, in You, I find my identity

hollaback girl - gwen stefani So I'm ready to attack, gonna lead the pack Gonna get a touchdown, gonna take you out

big houses - squalloscope We follow our own steps, while our shadows keep watching us The wrong step would be not to start this exodus

blessings - big sean I'm here for a good time, not a long time, you know I haven't had a good time in a long time, you know

the sound of silence - simon and garfunkel And the sign said, "The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls and tenement halls And whispered in the sound of silence"

a thousand miles - vanessa carlton It's always times like these when I think of you And I wonder if you ever think of me

chant ii - hadestown Oh, he said he’d shelter us He said he’d harbor me He said we’d soldier on And then the war would bring us peace

youth of the nation - p.o.d. There's gotta be more to life than this There's gotta be more to everything I thought exists We are, we are, the youth of the nation

eastbound and down - jerry reed We gonna do what they say can't be done We've got a long way to go and a short time to get there

toes - zac brown band I got my toes in the water, ass in the sand Not a worry in the world, a cold beer in my hand

fix you - coldplay And I will try to fix you Tears stream down your face When you lose somethin' you cannot replace

stay alive (reprise) - hamilton I know, I know. Shh I know, I know Shh. I know you did Ev’rything just right

there’s a fine fine line - avenue q You gotta go after the things you want while you're still in your prime There's a fine, fine line between love And a waste of time

the star spangled banner Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, And this be our motto—"In God is our Trust;" ⁠And the star-spangled Banner in triumph shall wave, O'er the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.

[transselkie]

25, 50, and 75 for the Spotify meme?

#25 - This Year by The Mountain Goats

There will be feasting and dancing in Jerusalem next year I am gonna make it through this year if it kills me

#50 - Misery Business by Paramore

She's got a body like an hourglass, it's ticking like a clock It's a matter of time before we all run out

#75 - From the Hips by Cursive

I don't wanna know the goddamn words I don't wanna have to spell it out Don't wanna mumble what I'm trying to say I wanna scream it from my foaming mouth

(Send me a number and I'll give you that song & my favorite lyric off my Spotify wrapped 😊)

[pamelalovenyc]

The Ultimate Bucket List: 100 Travel Experiences to Have Before You Die

Travel enriches our lives in ways we can often only dream about. Every destination offers a unique blend of experiences, cultures, flavors, and adventures. From awe-inspiring natural wonders to the marvels of human creation, the world is teeming with unforgettable journeys. Here's a bucket list of 100 travel experiences to inspire your next grand adventure!

1. Natural Phenomena & Scenic Wonders

Witness the Northern Lights in Iceland or Norway.

Explore the Grand Canyon's vastness, USA.

Sail through the ethereal Halong Bay, Vietnam.

Dive the Great Barrier Reef, Australia.

Stand amidst the cherry blossoms in Kyoto, Japan.

Walk the narrow path of Cinque Terre, Italy.

Stand in awe of Iguazu Falls, Argentina/Brazil.

Witness sunrise over Machu Picchu, Peru.

Gaze at the Milky Way in the Atacama Desert, Chile.

Traverse the glaciers of Patagonia, Argentina/Chile.

2. Cultural & Historical Journeys

Roam the ancient ruins of Petra, Jordan.

Unravel the mysteries of the Pyramids of Giza, Egypt.

Walk along the Great Wall of China.

Marvel at the Taj Mahal, India.

Traverse the historic Silk Road.

Relive history at Auschwitz, Poland.

Discover Angkor Wat's ancient beauty, Cambodia.

Attend the opera at Sydney Opera House, Australia.

Admire the Acropolis, Greece.

Roam the ancient streets of Rome and its Colosseum, Italy.

3. Festivals & Celebrations

Revel in Rio's Carnival, Brazil.

Witness the vibrant Diwali celebrations, India.

Experience the wonder of the Hot Air Balloon Festival, Cappadocia.

Immerse yourself in Spain's La Tomatina.

Join the Oktoberfest festivities in Munich, Germany.

Witness the Maasai dances in Kenya.

Attend the Venice Carnival, Italy.

Be part of New Year's celebrations in Times Square, New York.

Experience the White Nights Festival, St. Petersburg, Russia.

Dance the night away at Tomorrowland, Belgium.

4. Wildlife & Adventure

Encounter wildlife on the African safari, Tanzania/Kenya.

Swim with whale sharks in Oslob, Philippines.

Trek to see mountain gorillas in Uganda.

Hike the scenic Milford Track, New Zealand.

Experience weightlessness in zero-gravity flights.

Join a dog-sledding expedition in Greenland.

Dive into the mysterious Blue Hole, Belize.

Go bear-watching in Alaska.

Paraglide over the Blue Lagoon, Turkey.

Cage dive with great white sharks in South Africa.

5. Culinary Delights & Gastronomic Journeys

Feast on a traditional Italian meal in Tuscany.

Savor sushi at Tokyo's Tsukiji Fish Market.

Dive into street food in Bangkok, Thailand.

Enjoy a croissant in Paris, looking at the Eiffel Tower.

Sip wine in Bordeaux vineyards, France.

Taste the spices of Marrakech, Morocco.

Indulge in a Swiss chocolate tour.

Relish the street-side tacos of Mexico City.

Savor Belgian waffles in Bruges.

Attend a traditional tea ceremony in Seoul, South Korea.

6. Spirituality & Wellbeing

Meditate in Bali's tranquil landscapes.

Seek blessings at the Vatican, Rome.

Experience serenity at Bhutan's Tiger's Nest Monastery.

Participate in a yoga retreat in Rishikesh, India.

Recharge in Iceland's Blue Lagoon.

Experience silence in the Sahara Desert.

Engage in a wellness retreat in Costa Rica's rainforests.

Wander the peaceful Shwedagon Pagoda, Myanmar.

Seek spiritual solace in Jerusalem's ancient sites.

Immerse in the chants of Tibetan monks in Ladakh, India.

7. Human Marvels & Urban Adventures

Visit the modern marvel of Burj Khalifa, Dubai.

Ride the Trans-Siberian Railway, Russia.

Shop at the Grand Bazaar, Istanbul.

Gaze at the cityscape from the London Eye.

Cruise through the canals of Amsterdam.

Admire the artistic genius at the Louvre, Paris.

Stroll on the historic bridges of Prague.

Navigate New York's Central Park.

Roam the neon streets of Shinjuku, Tokyo.

Get lost in the alleys of Venice, Italy.

8. Seasonal & Unique Experiences

Stay in an overwater bungalow in the Maldives.

Experience weightlessness in the Dead Sea, Jordan/Israel.

Witness the serene Snow Festival in Sapporo, Japan.

Gaze at bioluminescent waters in Puerto Rico.

Explore the ancient cave cities of Cappadocia, Turkey.

Walk the lavender fields of Provence, France.

Relive literature at England's Lake District.

Stay in an ice hotel in Sweden.

Sail the Amazon River.

Dance under the midnight sun in Norway.

Conclusion

This planet is teeming with wonders waiting to be experienced, with every corner offering unique joys. Remember, it's not just the destination but the journey, the people you meet, and the stories you create that make travel truly unforgettable. Let this bucket list be a spark of inspiration, a nudge to explore the vast, vibrant, and varied tapestry of our world. Happy adventuring, and may your passport pages be forever filled with tales of wonder!

[vanderwoodlings]

Lonely Boy: a Dan Humphrey playlist (x)

Text version of the tracklist (and commentary) under the cut.

1. “Make You Better,” The Decemberists. But we're not so starry-eyed anymore/Like the perfect paramour you were in your letters/And won't it all just come around to make you/Let it all unbreak you to the day you met her

1. “Make You Better,” The Decemberists. But we're not so starry-eyed anymore/Like the perfect paramour you were in your letters/And won't it all just come around to make you/Let it all unbreak you to the day you met her

2. “Gun Song,” The Lumineers. I don’t own a single gun/But if I did, you’d be the one/To hold it, aim it, make all of the bad men run. A lot of this song is actually about finding out your father isn’t who you thought he was, but well. That’s pretty fitting too

3. “Wonderful,” Everclear. That thing about your dad? Uh yeah. I don’t wanna hear you say/You both have grown in a different way/No, no, no, no/I don’t wanna meet your friends/And I don’t wanna start over again

4. “Hand Me Down,” Matchbox Twenty. In which Dan is both singer and subject. You’re just one more tired hand me down/‘Cause no one’s tried to give you what you need/So lay all your troubles down/I am with you now

5. “Teen Angst (What The World Needs Now),” Cracker. It’s art kid hours

6. “Lonely Day,” Phantom Planet. I just got here, and I already want to leave/It’s gonna be a lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely day

7. “Rabbit Hole,” Jenny Lewis. Something something derena breakup cycle

8. “Ache With Me,” Against Me! Have you realized all the things you’ll never be?/I’ve got no judgement for you, so come on and ache with me

9. “Other Boys,” Paisley Fields. And I am not like the other boys/Other boys fit in so naturally/Other boys are just who they oughta be. When he’s queer

10. “At Seventeen,” Janis Ian. I learned the truth at seventeen/That love was meant for beauty queens/And high school girls with clear-skinned smiles. He’ll be fine he’s just gotta be dramatic

11. “Nobody,” Mitski. And I don’t want you pity, I just want somebody near me

12. “Boy Like Me,” New Medicine. She’s the only girl I see/She don’t wanna be with a boy like me

13. “She’s so High,” Tal Bachman. I know where I belong and nothing’s gonna happen, yeah

14. “Wonder Boy,” Lesley Gore. If you’re so smart/How come you don’t know I love you? Have we considered: Dan POV excludes the fact that half the Upper East Side is in love with him

15. “Rasputin,” Boney M. Okay hear me out—*gunshots*

16. “Eleanor Rigby,” The Beatles. All the lonely people/Where do they all come from?

17. “I Don’t Love Anyone,” Belle and Sebastian. If there’s one thing that I learned when I was still a child/It’s to be alone

18. “Be Nice To Me,” The Front Bottoms. And I said, Daniel Humphrey is neurodivergent

19. “I’m Not Okay (I Promise),” My Chemical Romance. I’m not o-fucking-kay!

20. “Young Man,” The Chicks. This is the quintessential Dan&Milo song to me, in some ways—not for the arc itself, but for like. What happens. You’re of me, not mine/Walk your own crooked line

21. “World Spins Madly On,” The Weepies. I thought of you and where you’d gone/And the world spins madly on. Have you noticed I’m obsessed with the Milo arc yet?

22. “Baby You’re A Haunted House,” Gerard Way. ‘Cause, baby, you’re a haunted house now

23. “This Year,” The Mountain Goats. There will be feasting and dancing in Jerusalem next year

24. “survivin’,” Bastille. And I’m not gonna lie, say I’ve been alright/‘Cause it feels like I’ve been living in a world upside down

25. “Has Anyone Ever Written Anything for You?” Stevie Nicks. Dan has a love language. Dan is lonely because no one says it back. This song is actually also about the Milo arc because of why it was written

26. “Love Song,” Sara Bareilles. You see, I’m not gonna write you a love song/‘Cause you tell me it’s make or break in this. We’re all fighting the publishing industry tonight!

27. “How I Survived Bobby Mackey’s Personal Hell,” Lincoln. And we can argue semantics over who left who first/But one thing’s for certain: I needed you most

28. “Freakin’ Out On The Interstate,” Briston Maroney.

29. “Dog Days Are Over,” Florence + The Machine. Leave all your love and your lonely behind/You can’t carry it with you if you want to survive

30. “Most Of All,” Brandi Carlile. To remember what comes back/When you give your love away/Give away your love

[jewfrogs]

for the music ask— the sunset tree by the mountain goats! 🏔🐐

you or your memory

and down there in the dark i could see the real truth about me / as clear as day / lord, if i make it through tonight, then i will mend my ways / and walk the straight path to the end of my days

broom people

but down in your arms, in your arms / i am a wild creature

this year

the scene ends badly, as you might imagine / in a cavalcade of anger and fear / there will be feasting and dancing in jerusalem next year

dilaudid

all the chickens come on home to roost / plump bodies blotting out the sky / you know it breaks my heart in half, in half / when i see them trying to fly / 'cause you just can't do / things your body wasn't meant to

dance music

there's only one place this road ever ends up / and i don't want to die alone

dinu lapatti's bones

wringing out the hours like blood-drenched bedsheets / to keep wintertime at bay / but december showed up anyway

up the wolves

our mother has been absent / ever since we founded rome / but there's gonna be a party / when the wolf comes home

lion's teeth

the king of the jungle / was asleep in his car / when your chances fall in your lap like that / you've got to recognize them for what they really are

hast thou considered the tetrapod

held under these smothering waves / by your strong and thick-veined hand / but one of these days / i'm gonna wriggle up on dry land

magpie

shore up the crucifixes / above the archways and the doors / the magpie will come at midday / and you will go down on all fours

song for dennis brown

and when the birds come home in spring / we will fill them full of buckshot

love love love

some things you'll do for money, and some you'll do for fun / but the things you do for love are gonna come back to you one by one

pale green things

flicking my tongue out at the wet leaves / pale green things, pale green things

[pierrotwrites-hc]

The season, and gratitude

Classes are over, thesis proposal is in, grades are submitted, and I returned to Tumblr to a lovely message from @deripmaver​ and GORGEOUS heart-stopping fan art from @thedaydreamingcynic​. My spirits were lifted right off the ground. Seriously, I can’t tell you how timely these gifts were. I will never cease to be astonished at the kindness and generosity at work in this world. 

And this was a particularly timely reminder given that the holidays are for me, as for a lot of people, fraught, this year more than most. I am blessed with both a very small family (a mother and sister) and a large group of friends, and they’re all across the country -- on the literal other side of it -- since we moved to Los Angeles, a distance that seemed somehow smaller before COVID widened all the gaps between us. I haven’t seen my closest loved ones, blood-related and not, in well over a year, and it aches. I’m glad we’re taking the necessary precautions, and I’m beyond glad Biden is in office, but it just aches. 

The isolation has been compounded for me, as for so many of us, by the fact that the financial devastation of 2020 has put additional pressure on every part of the work/freelance/grad school triangle -- all of which is now, of course, online. And, ironically, having work and school move entirely online has been even more isolating because I don’t have the time and bandwidth to engage with my actual online community (shout out to the Discord, I love and miss you all). 

And I was supposed to get married this year. And I’m worried we’ll have to move the wedding again. And it’s not important, in the grand scheme of things, but there’s been so much of the last four years, and this year especially, that every little thing just gathers in the head like cobwebs.

Which is all to say that I plan to take this break to sweep the rafters. I will spend as much of it writing and reading romance and on Discord and generally catching up with the ones I miss as possible. I have a half-done chapter of TGB, a half-done chapter of Interlude, and a mostly-done chapter of Nim’s Game, and I am hopefully going to finish them all.

And then next semester is the last semester of my second grad program, which will also hopefully be my last program. Once my thesis is submitted, I want to set up a Patreon and start serializing -- seriously serializing -- my fiction, and my writing about fiction, and reviews, and possibly even videos. (Well: I’ve set up a Patreon. I just haven’t been brave enough to loose it on the world.) And I will start an author Twitter. And I will take the scary leap of trying to make a go of freelancing as an editor/tutor/writing consultant. And I may even convince my not-yet-a-husband to let me get another cat.

So there are good things on the horizon. And a vaccine! A vaccine. Maybe I won’t even have to reschedule my wedding. Maybe next year I will finish a book -- or several. The promise of solstice is that the dark starts to lift after. The earth turns, and the light comes back. 

I’m looking forward to the light coming back. And I am so fortunate to await its coming in a community like this.

There will be feasting and dancing in Jerusalem next year 

 I am going to make it through this year if it kills me 

I am going to make it though this year if it kills me

[conduitandconjurer]

share five songs that represent ur muse! just repost, don’t reblog.

001 :  This Year | The Mountain Goats 

 I drove home in the California dusk / I could feel the alcohol inside of me hum / Pictured the look on my stepfather's face / Ready for the bad things to come / I downshifted / As I pulled into the driveway / The motor screaming out / Stuck in second gear / The scene ends badly  / As you might imagine / In a cavalcade of anger and fear / There will be feasting and dancing / In Jerusalem next year / I am gonna make it through this year / If it kills me / I am gonna make it though this year / If it kills me

002 :  Damaris | Patrick Wolf  

Black rain / Floods the downs / Ferrets burrow / Moles make mounds / Round your bones / Deep underground / But nobody knows / Nobody knows / How I wait for you / Summer, Spring / Autumn, Winter / Here perishing / Gypsy, stray / Bleak orphan / No one could say / The land you came from / But deep in my arms / You belonged / But nobody knows / No body knows / How I wait for you / Summer, Spring / Autumn, Winter / Here perishing / My god damned Damaris / Killed with last kiss / God damned Damaris / I loved you / Goddam these tears / And this religion / Thought I was more / Than just my father's son / Who says in limbo / Be where you've gone / But nobody knows / No body knows / How I wait for you / Summer, Spring  / Autumn, Winter / Here perishing (wait for me) /  My god damned Damaris / Killed with last kiss / God damned Damaris / I loved you / And now I kiss / I kiss the earth / Oh rise up / Rise up / Rise up / Now / From the earth / And I smash my fist / Into the earth / Oh rise up / Rise up  Rise up  / I loved you / Black rain / Floods the downs / The black rain / Black rain

003 :  Grapevine Fires | Death Cab For Cutie  

We bought some wine and some papercups / Near your daughter's school when we picked her up / And drove to a cemetery on a hill / On a hill / And we watched the plumes paint the sky gray / And she laughed and danced through the field of graves / There I knew it would be alright / That everything would be alright (burn) /  Would be alright /  And the news reports on the radio / Said it was getting worse / As the ocean air fanned the flames / But I couldn't think of anywhere I would have rather been / To watch it all burn away / To burn away... / The firemen worked in double shifts, / With prayers for rain on their lips / And they knew it was only a matter of time

004 :  Oh My Dear Lord | The Unlikely Candidates 

Here's my confession  / I've got a death wish / I'm in the fast lane / Addicted to excess / Living my best life / I was on top right / Sipping the limelight / A deer in the headlights / My future used to shine as bright as a diamond / Where did time go? / I was so high, it was frightening / I know I messed up, but there's no use in crying / (No use in crying) / Oh, my dear Lord / I've been running wild, had a good time / But I can't stop now / (Oh, my dear Lord) / Over my head in a landslide / Can you pull me out? / Oh, my dear Lord

005 :  All These Things That I’ve Done | The Killers 

When there's nowhere else to run / Is there room for one more son? /One more son / If you can hold on / If you can hold on, hold on / I wanna stand up, I wanna let go / You know, you know, no you don't, you don't / I wanna shine on, in the hearts of men /I want a meaning from the back of my broken hand / Another head aches, another heart breaks / I'm so much older than I can take / And my affection, well it comes and goes /I need direction to perfection, no no no no help me out / Yeah, you know you gotta help me out, yeah / Oh, don't you put me on the back burner / You know you gotta help me out, yeah /  I got soul, but I’m not a soldier / I got soul but I’m not a soldier / I got soul but I’m not a soldier / I got soul but I’m not a soldier / Over and in, last call for sin / While everyone's lost, the battle is won / With all these things that I've done

006 : St. Jude | Florence + The Machine 

Another conversation with no destination / Another battle never won / Each side is a loser / So who cares who fired the gun? / And I'm learning so I'm leaving / And even though I'm grieving / I'm trying to find a meaning / Let loss reveal it / Let loss reveal it / St Jude, the patron saint of the lost causes / St Jude, we were lost before she started / St Jude, we lay in bed as she whipped around us / St Jude, maybe I've always been more comfortable in chaos

Ok I cheated LOL.  Note: I am excluding like 50 songs from the Sixties because psychedelic rock is a little too obvious. <3 

tagged by: new garbage verse inductee, @nvmbcrtwo <3