#which is refreshing for national media lol

[cementcornfield]

I don't know that I've seen a quarterback exerting that kind of pressure on the organization....Joe Burrow has been incredibly consistent and vocal about wanting to keep Tee Higgins around...

Burrow's contract has already forced Cincinnati to start doing some things that they don't normally do. He has already broken rules that the Bengals have typically had in terms of how they handle their contracts. Like his deal is the type of deal that they don't sign previously. So they've already made exceptions...started to modernize...started to act the way the rest of the NFL does, because Burrow is so special...so if he was able to make them do that for his own contract, is he able to make them do that to keep Tee Higgins in the building? To go in a different direction than they would normally do?

[burningcheese-merchant]

It's so cool to see CRK getting popular again, it feels so refreshing like so much new quality fan content dropping that we couldn't even DREAM about a couple of months ago, but it hurts my very soul seeing new players being interested in beast x ancient ships, in their dynamics, asking is it okay to ship it and getting slapped in the face with another "IT'S ABUSER X VICTIM IT'S A PROSHIP IT'S A DARKSHIP" (which is just not true) killing off all the fun, bc apparently enemies to lovers, AUs and what-ifs doesn't exist anymore and everything that isn't pure fluff is illegal now. "IT'S NOT ENEMIES TO LOVERS, BEASTS ABUSED AND TORTURED THEM" yeah THAT'S WHAT ENEMIES DO??? What else do you expect from a villain honestly??? Like in ANY media??? Beasts still got their ass beat in the end as they totally deserve BECAUSE ANCIENTS ARE NOT SOFT INNOCENT SMALL BABIES THAT NEED TO BE PROTECTED, they're grown ass IMMORTAL ADULTS with huge responsibilities, they rule kingdoms, they hold a huge power in their hands, they're imperfect and not innocent. They can stand for themselves, they can fight, they can destroy, they can lie and they WILL if they need to.

I can SMELL that a shit tonne of people in this fandom secretly enjoys beast x ancient as a guilty pleasure, a forbidden fruit, but they will never admit it just because they're afraid of being harassed and bullied and it's just sad how normalized it is to hurt actual people over shipping some mobile game characters, who are adults, doesn't have power imbalance between them and aren't related.

And allat coming from ME, who doesn't ship a single beast x ancient ship

It's sad lol. Sad for the Beast x Ancient community and honestly kind of pathetic for ardent detractors at this point. I've seen sooooo many Beast x Ancient fans get harassed and even sent death threats, it's not even funny (not that it ever was in the first place). Don't you have better things to do than get this mad about video games lol. Like a job or school or a hobby or something

You're right, the Ancients are not helpless widdle babies and I'm kind of sick of how often they're infantilized, in general and just for the sake of tearing down BxA. They're grown adults who are thousands of years old. Two of them are parents, whose children are grown adults themselves. 4 of 5 founded entire nations. 1 is an active ruler still (Cacao), one seeks to rule again (Golden). Let's not kid ourselves, they've probably all got blood on their hands (not to the degree the Beasts do, but still. You don't live that life without having to make tough choices). Stop treating them like porcelain dolls lol. Yes, the Beasts attacked them, but they're villains. That's what villains do. Go play Animal Crossing if you can't handle heroes and villains fighting each other lol

And then I get a laugh whenever those same people who screech about toxicity and abuse and yadda yadda turn around and ship H*llyt*ya or Sh*dowSp*ce. The former is BxA in a different costume. The latter... Man. You know. Because TWO deranged maniacs, who are fundamentally incompatible in every way and do not make sense at all and absolutely would hurt each other and bring each other down I hate that ship so damn much. Do not ask me abt it I WILL ramble and nobody needs that. Zero beef with fans though, we're coolio! Just a difference of opinion!, is such a better option, isn't it lol. Hypocrisy.

I'm sure you noticed that ep 7 + 8 brought out a whole lot of new ShadowVanilla fans. I agree w/ you, I can feel that there are a fuckton of BxA fans lurking in the darkness, waiting for an excuse to poke their heads out (like 7 + 8 lol), only hiding because they don't want to attract lunatics. Even YOU sent this ask anonymously. Most of my inbox is stuff from anons, and I look at them all and wonder, "how many of you are just afraid of backlash for expressing any joy in BurningCheese or any of the other BxA pairs?" It's ok, guys. Don't listen to them. Be you. I'm being me right now, as cringy as I am. I am Extremely Normal about BurningCheese and I'm not ashamed :) they're video game characters at the end of the day, just have fun. Why can't we all just be bros, man, what does any of this matter

[onetiny-inkdropuniverse]

List of things I've researched for my fanfics

Keep Moving to Escape the Pain

Hotels in Oklahoma

Transport phenomena and fluid dynamics problems

Macbeth (No, the fic was not about Macbeth)

Hadestown (the musical) (No, the fic was not about Hadestown)

Different kinds of saws

Marijuana, specifically: How long does it take marijuana to go into effect? Is weed legal in Indiana?

The effects of self-harm wrist injuries on the nerves of the wrist (National Institute of Health articles my beloveds)

Wrist nerve remediation exercises

Oedipus (The fic was not about Oedipus)

Medea (Do I even need to say it?)

A cemetery near Indianapolis that doubles as an arboretum

I'll Try Anything Once

Practically nothing lol

Binary Stars

Where do I even begin?? 1. Examples of medical history forms 2. Homeric hymns 3. Various plants: Ivy Aurum, Echinacea, Bay Laurel, Cypress, Lettuce, Sunflowers, Tomatoes 4. Italian fascist anthems 5. Italian lullabies 6. German surnames 7. Hades, the video game (Which the fic was not about) 8. Archery whistle signals (Just a refresher bc I knew them but forgot) 9. Italian desserts 10. Italian swimming pools & rules for swimming in canals 11. Italian cathedrals 12. The history of typewriters 13. The history of gay media 14. Byron's poetry 15. SONAR technology 16. Insects: So far, moths and cicadas 17. Plato 18. Archaic Italian homophobic slurs (and the greater history of homophobic slurs) 19. The Pope 20. Ancient Greek & Roman funeral rituals (there was no funeral) 21. High schools in Austin, Texas 22. Drowning victim protocol And more to come...

[l0lbitx]

Viktor nation...how are we feeling...?

Viktor Arcane #wip (need to finish the ear and rendering lol but was too excited to not share).

FOLLOW MY INSTA @l0lbitx for more!! :)

I wanted to interpret Viktor in my own style since i’m currently experimenting and trying to challenge myself more. I am also trying to do more fanart and to step out of my comfort zone, which is drawing my own characters. For me, drawing my own ocs feels safer as there’s no right or wrong answers. I can’t misinterpret the character as i understand the creators (my own) intentions. i can’t draw the character ‘wrong’. i have more fanart on the way that i am excited to share with you :)

I need to rewatch arcane as it was such an amazing series. I loved being able to relate to a character for once. Viktor captures an experience that many chronically ill and disabled people face. it was refreshing to also see a young character use a mobility aid, since they are stereotyped to be used by only old people.

In media, representation is so important. As an illustrator id love to be able to create my own characters that make audiences feel included and heard

[go-go-devil]

🧪💌🎨🕶

🧪Do you research for your fics?

Of course! I always look as deep as I can into topics I'm not familiar with to make my stories more believable, whether it be something serious like mental disorders or minor like what kind of camera film people in the 19th century used. My hylics don't really require much "research" outside of me just refreshing myself on character dialogue or the games' mechanics.

💌 Is there a favorite trope you like to write?

I do have an extreme fondness for character studies, if that counts as a trope. Also try to squeeze in hurt/comfort whenever I can <3

🎨 If someone were to make fanart of your work, what fic or scene would you hope to see?

Personally I would LOVE to see fanart of Chaos Inverted!

As for which scene specifically... Perhaps the moment after the battle with The Sages of Sculptures, when Gibby discovers the last surviving Wayne larva as Dracula presents it to him in the now-ruined throne room. Fun fact: That scene was the oldest hylics fic scene I ever thought up, long before I wrote my first hylics fanfic even! So seeing art of that moment would be very gratifying for me ✨

🕶 What fics do you prefer on a scale of canon compliant to wildly original?

(This emoji's closer to the 😎 so I'll answer it as that)

I generally prefer canon compliant stories, since the reason I read fanfic is because I want more out of the media I love! Sometimes I'll read "wildly original" fic though, usually if it's a crack fic I find funny or if it's a roadtrip au fic. Don't know why but I have a strong fondness for roadtrip stories (which I blame on watching National Lampoon's Vacation and Little Miss Sunshine so much as a kid lol)

[tenebrius-excellium]

Trying to find a topic for my master thesis and... struggling lol...

I'm not up to date on what's going on on any social media platform anymore. Even Tumblr has become impossible to navigate and is now definitively changing into a platform that I don't recognize.

I get involuntarily thrown on the For You page about 50% of refresh clicks now.

I don't understand what Communities does. You can't reblog from them - or can you once you join one? I don't know. I'm lost lmao.

It's become pointless wanting to analyze the culture of any existing social media site when that culture is being forcibly killed off faster than real time. Even for my last paper, I had to go back and edit information because everything was changing so fast.

I read through a list of the '22 leading social media sites in 2025', and Tumblr was #19 and the closing remarks below said "if you want to figure out which platform to use for your social media marketing strategy..." dude there is no strategy. There is no marketing. There is no agenda except to have fun, to look up information and to learn new things, to make friends.

I want a simple blog to design, maintain, and post on. When's the last time anyone actually visited their own full blog page (I'm not talking about that ugly pop-up thing)? Or someone else's? Yeah I can change the dashboard color now, but all I noticed when switching to dark mode was how many accounts within threads are actually deactivated.

I don't want a forced selection of free or costly design and post options, I actually used to dabble in HTML when it was still relevant. I was excited to design my own blog at its core level.

Either I'm aging and getting inflexible about internet changes, or the strains of being marketable are getting to me and are making me wanna quit. It's probably both.

This is the end of "social" media, now that we already have sign-up walls everywhere, paywalls are going to be next. Pay only 1.99 to be on Tumblr. Yeah no. This is the decadence of the 2020s online web, just before its inevitable decline, it's happened a hundred thousand times throughout history. Why do we think the internet isn't a sphere like any other civilization? There's a reason TikTok coined the term "Roman Empire" here and now, during this exact era of time. Either free, alternative platforms will become available on the internet again and ppl will just move there, or the internet as a whole space to stay on will collapse because ppl realize that they can't build their entire businesses and all their communication, relationships and hobbies on some billionaire's wallet running on another country's electricity. Someone in my circle of friends thinks that internet laws will likely increase, and I believe her. The hurdle for internet engagement will only become larger. Irl name & address confirmation to weed out bots, it's already here. National age and content restrictions for kids. I'm sure that stuff is around the corner, if not already in place. The generation after Gen Alpha might grow up without the internet again, but this time because it's forbidden to them, not because it isn't available.

The internet is only as strong of a meeting place as the affordances afforded to us, and they are getting smaller and smaller.

I see no point in writing about that.

I want to become a gardener and fish enthusiast. My new offline forums are the local florist and the old guy with the amazing eyes who keeps entire breeding populations of pretty fish in his basement. He's done this for 40 years. Nature itself taught me how to multiply roses, no DIY gardening blog written by AI with a bunch of lengthy, nonsensical stories inbetween.

I wanna get off the internet. I'm tired.

But I need to write a master thesis about the internet first.

[shawnjacksonsbs]

The 2nd one-

Shawn is:

Impatiently waiting for brotherhood in greater numbers than the world has ever known. 4-27-24

"Six months after Elizabeth had become pregnant, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a city in Galilee. The angel went to a virgin promised in marriage to a descendant of David named Joseph. The virgin’s name was Mary.

When the angel entered her home, he greeted her and said, “You are favored by the Lord! The Lord is with you.”

She was startled by what the angel said and tried to figure out what this greeting meant.

The angel told her,

“Don’t be afraid, Mary. You have found favor [a] with God.

You will become pregnant, give birth to a son,

and name him Jesus.

He will be a great man

and will be called the Son of the Most High.

The Lord God will give him

the throne of his ancestor David.

Your son will be king of Jacob’s people forever,

and his kingdom will never end.”

Mary asked the angel, “How can this be? I’m a virgin.”

The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come to you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy child developing inside you will be called the Son of God.

“Elizabeth, your relative, is six months pregnant with a son in her old age. People said she couldn’t have a child. But nothing is impossible for God.”

Mary answered, “I am the Lord’s servant. Let everything you’ve said happen to me.”

Then the angel left her." - Luke 1:26-38 (the Bible)

There was internet when I was in college, as brief a spell as that was in my life, but it wasn't the giant, unrelenting research thing that it is now.

I took 2 courses before my relapse. One of which was a world religion class. I aced both classes, albeit the other one was an open book, open note music appreciation class. Lol

All of this is to say that I learned a new thing today that started in my Facebook feed in the comment section under a post of a guy I follow.

It seems that he recently converted from the Christian pastor I knew him to be, to a member of the Nation of Islam.

As I read the shit back n forth from everyone, I learned that Muslims believe that Jesus is the Messiah.

I already knew that they believed he was born of the virgin Mary, that he performed devine miracles during his life. I also knew that there were mostly differences surrounding his death and transcendence into heaven.

I learned today that they all are taught to be more Christ -like than anything else. To live as closely to the actual way Jesus did, as they humanly can.

They also believe he will come back to earth in the end of days to defeat the false messiah, or the "anti-christ".

They can't truly call themselves Muslim without that belief, and love and respect for Jesus and all his followers.

Jesus would still love the misguided. All followers of him should do the same.

Discrepancies in the different doctrines obviously leave it to fall on individual personal feelings for how they believe, but both Christianity and Islam call for more christ-like living in the followers of each.

Pretty big learn for me today.

Btw, they love you guys, more than they love me. Lol

Jus' sayin'

I do love being able to find, so easily . . .books, all books.

Obviously, some research is tainted or altogether fabricated, but not just going to a website or social media page filled with biases, opinions, or out-right lies is nice.

Read the words myself, some new, some as refreshers.

Read them myself.

How I long for the day when peace will overcome - amoung you all, amount US all.

Unpeacefulness, or even hate and fear, born out of an ignorance of others is the worst kind of hate.

I don't care if you believe like me, or like a Deist, or like a Christian, or like a Muslim or someone Jewish, or fully Atheist, we are all brothers in humanity. It would be nice if we all acted like it.

And to not be ashamed of how some of my brothers treat others, or think them less than, would be ideal.

I don't want to promote standing up to bullies and judgmental people nearly as much as I want to promote peace, and the unnecessarity of being judgmental at all.

Until we all arrive here though, it is the responsibility of the few to stand against the many of whom would divide us.

Please share your love and your laughter with the world around you. At large, and small, kindnesses accomplish more in one second than hate would for us in a lifetime.

Until next week; does this sound familiar to you? At all?

"[And mention] when the angels said, "O Mary, indeed Allah gives you good tidings of a word from Him, whose name will be the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary - distinguished in this world and the Hereafter and among those brought near [to Allah ].

He will speak to the people in the cradle and in maturity and will be of the righteous."

She said, "My Lord, how will I have a child when no man has touched me?" [The angel] said, "Such is Allah ; He creates what He wills. When He decrees a matter, He only says to it, 'Be,' and it is.

And He will teach him writing and wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel

And [make him] a messenger to the Children of Israel, [who will say], 'Indeed I have come to you with a sign from your Lord in that I design for you from clay [that which is] like the form of a bird, then I breathe into it and it becomes a bird by permission of Allah . And I cure the blind and the leper, and I give life to the dead - by permission of Allah . And I inform you of what you eat and what you store in your houses. Indeed in that is a sign for you, if you are believers." - Imran 3:45-49 (Quran)

[blooming-periwxnkle]

Do you mind if I ask your top 10 favorite characters (can be male or female) from all of the media that you loved (can be anime, books, movies or tv series)? And why do you love them? Thanks....

Hii,this is my first ask so apologies for going overboard w some of them 😭😭😭 and there are some spoilers for alot of them.

Anyways these are my faves (in no particular order because I am amazingly indecisive)

Let's start

Ciel Phantomhive (Kuroshitsuji)

FIRST,LOOK AT HIM HE'S SO ADORABLE AND LOVELY,IS IT POSSIBLE TO NOT LOVE HIM??

Well, the main reason I loved him since the beginning was because he was a child character who gave me the bratty little sibling vibes btw,and I absolutely love such characters, but his character is much more than that. He is a genius seeking revenge for his family,he is cold and ruthless at times,but beneath all those actions,he deeply cares for whatever family he's left with. His intentions aren't the most noble ones unlike the other characters that I have mentioned, and his motives are personal.

But all in all,he is a child whose childhood was cruelly stolen from him too,and he did what he could to survive in their world. And honestly I do admire that.

Also I love although he acts very adultlike,eg: wearing high heeled boots,using canes,speaking w/o any nonsense,there are little moments where he does remind us that he is after all that,a child.

Lacie Baskerville (Pandora Hearts)

Tbh I adore most of the characters from pandora hearts, but Lacie is most probably my fave.

Through the lens of a certain character,she initially appears as the picture perfect,manic pixie dream girl. Though in reality,she appears to be fickle and rebellious(which is not entirely a lie,lol).

However,she is a deeply empathetic person. Because of her existence as a child of ill omen,she is pretty much destined to live a short life,and faced persecution from the world due to that. But inspite of all that, she never resented her fate or the world,instead she thought that she was one of those who were able to experience both the beauty and the cruelty of the world. She was able to empathize with the feelings of the core,and was able to sense the loneliness of the core,the same core that was one of the reasons behind her terrible fate.

She's also extremely critical of the things that are said and did not accept them without question, and tried to find the reason behind them an open minded queen smh . Such characters are really refreshing imo.

We did not see much about her tbh, her role wasn't big in the plot as an active character, and most of the things we know abt her comes from the eyes of others, Lacie is very much just a memory,but a beautiful one, imo.

Suwon( Akatsuki no Yona)

This is getting long I am sorry😭😭

ANYWAY

Well,when I started YoTD, I was aware of what happens in ep 1,and I pretty much expected (from the reviews and all) Suwon's character to be the usual tyrannical prince who takes away the throne from the poor princess, and well, the anime certainly proved me wrong. Despite his first appearance as the one who killed the king, the anime does prove that he did not do that w/o any reason, he tries to improve the status of his country and to unite the 5 tribes, his thoughts during the coronation scene weren't anything like : "I finally became the king after 10 years and avenged my father" (like he told Yona how much he looked forward to the day he would finally kill Il) or something,but his first thought was about improving the status of his nation, and to make it strong enough to fight against all the looming dangers outside the border,like Sei,Kai empire etc, and to unite the 5 broken tribes. Before that,he also fondly remembers his friends,Hak and Yona. He remembers the flashback of Hak telling him about being his right hand later on, he refers to Yona as "the girl who provided him warmth",and how he threw them aside for the whole thing. I think that does speak a lot abt his character, he did love his friends, he also loved his nation and he has to move forward for the sake of his country. He is incredibly selfless when it comes to his country,and that really does move my heart. Also his character is,very appealing imo? He is relatable because in a manga of supernatural humans and a literal god incarnate,he is the one who aspires for the power of humans, not all of us can be chosen gods from a prophecy or smth, he tries to move forward with what he has,the power of the people, all of this really did win my heart back in ep 6 tbh😭.

He's also not a saintly good pure white lotus sort of character, he has to dirty his hands for what he wants,but he still tries to keep it to the minimum. He does not go for unnecessary bloodshed,like the whole deal with the fire tribe's rebellion where he tries his best to keep the casualty as less as possible.He's intelligent and well versed in the matters of human nature, and despite all this talent he still does lose at times.

He's curious,and his silly,goofy moments are such a treat.

He's also very gorgeous and beautiful btww😭😭

Vanitas of the Blue Moon/Luna( Vanitas no Carte)

They have me screaming over them since they appeared 😭😭😭

Tbh their character is mostly shrouded in mystery,but from what we've seen,they're a kind,a great parental figure to two very traumatized children. Also I feel they did do something that's terrible initially but they regret it deeply now? But all that is just a question for now.

Also I love their clumsy attitude 😭😭 it's super adorable and how they were just sulking after vani insulted their cooking,their whole relationship is so wholesome and sweet yet painfully sad😭 but Ig that's MochiJun for you.

Noé Archiviste (Vanitas no Carte)

He,he's an absolute dork okay😭😭😭 but not one without the trauma thoo :")

Firstly,he isn't like most of the other vampires at all,who think humans or vampires from the blue moon clan suck,on the contrary,he thought that the blue moon looked really beautiful. He is kind,sweet,childlike but greatly determined to protect the one's he's left with. But the reason I adore him is definitely his simple and sweet behaviour,it's reallyy refreshing to see characters like him tbh. He has gone through a lot of trauma,but that did not change him as a person entirely,which is very admirable(although that might not be the case when the manga ends,all thanks to MochiJun ^-^)

Hotaru Tomoe (Sailor Moon)

I love her sweet,quiet and reserved personality,and also how this sweet,quiet girl straight up holds one of the most dangerous powers of the whole series. And her intro was soo cool and chilling. And she was so brave and strong despite going through so much trauma,she was really incredible. Also her friendship w ChibiUsa was soo sweet and wholesome. She's also such a young fashion icon.

Lelouch vi Britannia (Code Geass)

HIS INTELLIGENCE,CHARISMA,AND PERSONALITY IS AMAZING. I can't talk abt the ending w/o spoiling it entirely but that increased my love for him so much😭😭 . Also his relationship w the characters in the series,like he is cold and calculating but not entirely ruthless and evil,he's still compassionate towards those he cares about,and my fav part abt him is his relationship w his little sis whom he practically raised despite being a child himself,and despite going through sm trauma, it's honestly just so admirable. Also his relationship w his best friend,it's just so heart touching. And I love all his moments where he is just straight up terrible w anything that requires physical strength lol,and he's also incredibly handsome as expected of CLAMP really.

William James Moriarty (Moriarty the Patriot)

Again, first,he's really admirable considering how he thought of making his country better as a child,like,despite all that he went though,he still thought of others. I also love how he is aware of the fact that what he's doing isn't justice but something that needs to be done,something that's necessary, and how he is very much aware that the methods he uses,regardless of what his goal is,are still questionable. Also love how ever since he was a child,he was very much the "elder sister" figure for everyone in the orphanage,and his relationship with his brothers,it's so heartwarming😭😭. AND THE FACT THAT HE'S JUST A THEATRE KID AT HEART,and the way the manga deals with him is amazing imo.

Nie HuaiSang (Mo dao zu shi)

MY MDZS FAVEE

ok firstly,nhs is just,super relatable to me? Idk how to explain it but it's something very much related to yk the asian student struggles in a traditional society, although he completely disregards his education lol,but the way he behaved in the past timeline,it's kind of relatable to me. He's also very much of a drama queen who faints in any serious situation  like yes sir you're living my dream life. But aside from that, I feel like he is one of the most..idk but he used to be one of the most normal teens imo, like WWX has this terrible self sacrificial attitude, we don't need to start on JC's issues, JZX was arrogant(tho I don't blame him), LWJ was kept on a pedestal by his clan and was thus very much isolated from the other ppl of his age,but him? He's very much like how most of the teenagers are, his main concern isn't smth very great,but just clearing his grades and leaving the CR for good. He wants to follow his hobbies, and to live his life w his loved one's,although he is still certainly not blind to the ways in which the world works.He's also very open minded when it comes to the unorthodox ways,eg:his support towards WWX's ideas.

He's also self accepting,which is a great attribute imo.

In the present timeline tho,yes he's the one hidden behind the shadows who upgraded from catching pretty birds to [redacted] ,the one who manipulated most of the events of the present timeline,all that is also really cool . I still dearly miss CR NHS tho :(

Raven (Teen Titans)

She was my childhood obsession bc she was literally the coolest one in the group imo. Dark powers,mysterious,gothic fashion and quiet,reserved personality. Also her sarcastic sense of humor?It's pure gold , she's really mature and calm in most of the situation,and was like so different from the rest of her group. Her mysterious nature was what primarily drew me towards her,but the fact that she is soo powerful? I LOVE IT SM BC SHE WAS A POWERFUL FEM CHARACTER WHO AT THE SAME TIME WAS VULNERABLE AS WELL(yes there are indeed many characters for whom the shoe fits,but she was pretty much the 1st one for me,so she's really special).

Thank you for asking and sorry for the delay as well as sorry for going overboard with a few of them,hope you have a great day ahead (o^▽^o).

[gemstoneslesbian]

Any backstory hcs? Pls I need it 🥺

Yeah!! 😊 

Okay so--

I believe that he was a child star who grew up with very wealthy parents who are also in the entertainment industry.

✰ He’s very rich, richer than most actors would be, especially actors who are his age & have only recently started to really make it big.

✰ He has a strong air of entitlement and privilege, and is easily dismissive of other people, seeing them as below him.

✰ He got the lead role in a highly popular franchise & has very good media coverage about it-- which is possible for people just starting out, but the more wealthy and privileged someone is (and the more well-known they are), the more connections and power they’ll have, making it more likely for people with his kind of background to land those roles.

✰ I also feel the need to point out his very strong attitude of: I must not fail, I must not be even slightly disliked by anyone I don’t have power over, my reputation matters above all else, the idea of not being successful and in charge and adored isn’t even an option. When we think about a child who was in films from a young age, with the spotlight always on him, growing up in an environment that scolds him much more harshly than most if he’s not Giving A Good Impression, a child who always has to watch himself and build his behaviors around what will make him look Good and Acceptable and Charming and whatever else he needs to be... his intensity and deep-rooted beliefs make sense.

From this starting point, things just kind of revealed themselves to me the more I thought about him and what his history looked like.

Putting this under a read more in case it gets long

tw for mentions of abuse

‎

‎

He was born on March 30, 1996. The reason I chose this date is because:

It makes him older, which allows more time for the whole Celeste-Juan backstory--because I’d like to THINK that at the very least, his manager didn’t date him when he was a minor

It’s during Spring (“refreshing as a spring breeze, dude!”)

March 30 is national “I Am In Control” day

His parents are Aaron and Karen.

He grew up in a mansion even bigger than the one he moved into as an adult.

His parents were frequently gone, and weren’t always around for even major events like his birthday. They had hired help to look after him when they were away, which was sometimes for longer periods of time, since actors sometimes have to temporarily move to another location while movies or shows are being filmed.

He went to a private school for performing arts, the same one his father went to.

It’s a wealthier and more prestigious school, although he still had more wealth than many of his peers

The expectations and competition there were high from a young age

Many of the students there had parents who were in the entertainment industry or were even in the industry themselves; it’s a school that specifically understands and makes accommodations for when students are physically gone for months at a time

Although he didn’t start to get particularly well-known / famous until he was about 17, he played smaller roles in movies and shows pretty much all his life (sometimes with significant gaps in between jobs, since his parents were mostly focused on themselves and it would be easier to let him be a kid at least a little bit).

That’s the quick version of it--child star born to wealthy parents, grew up in a prestigious private performing arts school, moved out on his own when he was 18 into a mansion that his parents bought for him, made it big, fucked himself over and got sent to prison.

There’s a LOT of details I could focus in on, but for the sake of not making my answer too long, I’ll just focus on a few:

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His parents

tw for mentions of abuse!

✰ According to Matt, his home life was “normal”, minus the whole part about being a rich actor. He doesn’t view his experiences with his parents as that different than most people, and because of that, he brushes off the idea that it wasn’t a healthy home life. He doesn’t care about his parents, his parents don’t care about him, he (consciously, at least) doesn’t feel bothered by it.

✰ Karen has that stiff, tight-lipped smile kind of vibe. Formal and polite, focused way too much on being proper and Acceptable™. She’s very judgemental, and is quick to scold or “correct” Matt on things-- often in more subtle or underhanded ways. She’s gotten somewhat physical on occasion, in ways Matt would consider “minor” or “common”.

✰ Aaron has a bigger presence. Less stiff and formal, but still definitely places great value on his job and making a good impression on people--just in a more casual and familiar kind of way. He cuts Matt more slack, and may be more likely to tell him how to get away with something as opposed to outright telling him not to do it (though he has plenty of “Do Not Do This” moments as well). He can, however, get more frightening--louder, more intimidating, a scarier kind of anger behind closed doors. Quicker to outright rant and rave about his competitors, quicker to aim his aggression at his wife and child. He’s gotten more physical, though Matt internally downplays that as well-- “it’s not like he [did this or that]”, “he was worse when I was a kid”, “probably no different than what most kids experience”, etc.

✰ When Matt was younger and things were worse, Karen would do her best to protect him or get him somewhere safe when Aaron was at his most dangerous. Because of this, Matt was unknowingly shielded from a good amount.

✰ His father was misogynistic--not in the outright “women belong in the kitchen buh huh huh” way, but through his behaviors and attitudes and double-standards and the ways he spoke about and treated them. Both his parents held a great deal of arrogance and scorn for other people, and have a high amount of entitlement due to their wealth and status.

✰ It’s no secret to Matt that they have underhanded ways of dealing with things, that they sabotage their competitors, and that they can harbor a great deal of scorn and bitterness towards their competitors, especially when things don’t go their way. They don’t bother hiding it from Matt, and his father explicitly helps him get away with things, too. You know that line in the song “Our Word” from 36 Questions that’s “I was told to keep their secrets, and in turn, they’d keep mine”? Yeah.

✰ His parents weren’t very warm and caring. Didn’t bother to really stay in contact with him after he moved out. They celebrated holidays, but not because they wanted to be close as a family-- just because it was a normal thing to do. He didn’t have much of a relationship with his other family, either; mostly he’d just see them on the occasional obligatory family gathering, which honestly wasn’t that frequent. Because of this, he’s never particularly felt a connection to any of his family members, including his parents.

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...Since this is so long already, I’ll leave it at that for now LOL but I also have thoughts about his interactions with his peers, his dating life, his behaviors, his work life, etc. But!! That’s some of the basics

[anchoredtether]

Why I think Plance and Kallura as endgames results in the best character development arcs

[THESE ARE JUST MY THOUGHTS, IF YOU DON’T LIKE ONE/BOTH OF THESE SHIPS, YA DON’T HAVE TO READ THIS]

These two ships happen to be my main ships for the fandom (and I’m quickly becoming a Hunelle diehard) and I think the reason why is because of the meaning behind these two ships and how they relate to each other.

There are some gorgeous tropes and symbolism (and overall fantastic messages) in these two relationships, even more so if both ships happen because of their impact upon each other. 

Delve into my literary rambling below the cut.

First let’s start with Lance’s obvious crush on Allura.

Lance is immediately in love with Allura, or at least the idea of her. In season 6 we learned that he eventually passed the infatuation stage (at some point) and developed genuine feelings for her. You can see this in the series as he progresses from obnoxious flirting to giving her motivational speeches and being an emotional support. 

This scene was huge. Lance’s feelings for Allura were actually addressed in season 6, and yet he treated her as a supportive friend instead of trying to take advantage or capitalize on her broken heart. Season one Lance might have done that, but not the Lance we have now.

If Lance moves on from his crush on Allura, we already know he’ll stay a supportive friend. This is huge. Most shows would approach this situation as Lance matures but he still ends up with the girl of his dreams, or even worse, Lance matures and forgets about Allura entirely (or even WORSE is Lance maturing and Allura coming to him after her breakup with Lotor because “Lance has been there for her all along” *gags* For a good discussion on why Allurance is a disservice to both Lance and Allura, read this post). I’ve seen it happen so many times, and you know what would be incredibly refreshing?

A man and a woman progressing from unrequited love to a strong, platonic, supportive relationship. 

Things get even better when you add Keith ending up with Allura.

Lance and Keith may not have a “rivalry” like Lance likes to claim, but it’s clear from episode one of season one that Lance does not like Keith. I don’t think it’s outright hatred, but for whatever reason Keith just gets under Lance’s skin, and he feels the need to always prove himself better than him. (some Garrison flashbacks may better explain why this is, but for now it’s all speculation)

Keith and Lance have both amazingly progressed into the roles they were meant to fulfill. Keith never wanted to be a leader, he was always comfortable being a loner. Lance is a showoff and wanted to get the glory and lead the team. In the end, Keith has become a strong leader and Lance has become a leader in his own right by being Keith’s right-hand man.

That character/relational development in and of itself is incredible.

But it gets even better if Keith ends up with Allura. Why? Because not only would Lance become a great friend/partner to Keith, who used to be his rival, but if Allura ends up with Keith Lance could potentially end up supporting his “rival” who is now dating his “dream girl.” Most shows take such a scenario where Lance would become incredibly jealous and vindictive, and ruin both his relationship with Keith and Allura.

How often do we see someone turn a rival and an infatuation into a brother and a platonic friend? I think that’s an amazing message.

Another fantastic development is Keith and Allura’s relationship.

Honesty time: I really did not like Allura at first. She had to grow on me before I came to like her. When she started hating Keith for NO REASON besides the fact he was Galra, I wanted someone to slap some sense into her. Luckily, Keith did.

Keith and Allura had a definitely rocky start to their relationship, even before Allura started being racist. I feel like Allura had little faith in him since Keith was reckless and a bit of an emotionally loose canon in the beginning (which you can hardly blame her, but still) and never really seemed to understand where he was coming from. 

Over time their relationship has progressed, Allura saw the fault in her line of reasoning, and Keith in turn became more patient with her. Keith and Allura’s progression shows that it’s the actions and heart of a person that defines them, not their race (and symbolically can apply this to gender, sexual orientation, appearance, etc.). 

Allura falling for Keith breaks the barriers that you can fall in love with someone who shares characteristics of those who have hurt you - that not everyone of a similar characteristic can be “lumped together,” as Keith worded it.

Not only is this an amazing message against racism, but literally every other kind of triggered perception towards people of a certain race, gender, nationality, religion, wealth, or what have you.

Alright, girl power time.

First off, Allura and Pidge are two vastly different yet fantastic role models for all girls. We have Allura, your typical “girly” girl who is gorgeous and likes sparkly things, and Pidge, your typical “tomboy” who doesn’t fall into typical feministic stereotypes and isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty. Two stark contrasts, practically polar opposites for both appearance, quirks, interests, and personality.

But both our girls are strong role models in their own right. 

Allura is a leader but she still has her insecurities, she isn’t afraid to sacrifice for the team and she loves everyone dearly, she admits when she’s wrong and works hard to set things right. Pidge is ambitious, pragmatic, brilliant, and although she can have a sharp tongue at times she is basically a force to be reckoned with (which I love considering she’s a very smol human). 

At first Pidge is rather savage towards Allura. There were moments where I was thinking “well, you’re not wrong but was that really necessary?” Basically Pidge has no filter. YET, despite the tension between these two at first, Allura never becomes cold towards Pidge (like she did Keith lol). These girls are supportive and loving towards each other and that by itself is a great message because most people would say that two girls with these kinds of personalities would never get along.

And while yes, if Plance and Kallura both become a thing it would show that the two only (lead) female characters end up in relationships (instead of going the “strong independent woman who don’t need no man” route), it would show that whether you’re a girly girl or a tomboy, you can find love. Most shows would only emphasize one of these girls finding true love, while the other is left forever alone. Besides, I think everyone can agree that both Allura and Pidge are VERY MUCH the “strong independent female” trope.

They don’t necessarily need a man, none of us are questioning that. But wouldn’t it be nice to have already established strong and independent women have a man to love and who loves them back? Now THAT, would be refreshing.

Now here’s my favorite part.

Lance and Pidge ending up together covers so many beautiful tropes. With Lance’s Loverboy character you’d expect him to end up with a gorgeous woman, maybe even a girl who is a bit of an airhead. At first we all think he’ll end up with Allura one day, and now there’s speculation he’ll end up with Romelle. Because falling in love with a princess or a beautiful blonde is such a common thing for characters similar to Lance. It’s also a bit expected that Pidge will just end up with Hunk, someone else who is a total nerd. Preps and Jocks marry each other while nerds marry each other, that is just what is stereotypical and to be expected.

But what if the jock and nerd fell in love?

I think this would cover so many strong messages for both boys and girls. Lance has this terrible perception of what makes a girl desirable (at first) but we see him progress (especially in the comics) into digging a girl who is courageous and smart - two amazing qualities to focus on in a partner instead of just looks!! And considering Pidge isn’t exactly “curvy,” it could showcase how Pidge truly IS beautiful in her own way that doesn’t conform to the standard sexualization of women in society. Showing Lance, who had those kinds of societal standards, falling for someone like Pidge, who does not meet those distorted standards, would be completely out of the norm. And I love it.

I also really like the idea of the genius falling for an idiot? I know this is portrayed in the media a lot, but it’s such a good trope. Pidge could easily never pay Lance any attention and write him off as “too stupid for her,” but instead we see her trying to be patient with his limited understanding and explain things in a way he can understand. Lance in turn has progressively shown more interest in science-related things and tries to focus on the things Pidge does/says instead of just saying “I don’t get it” and ignoring her.

Lance also praises Pidge’s brains?? And not in a flirtatious way either, it’s genuine and full of respect. He knows Pidge is the smartest one on the team and he acknowledges her for it. Coming from the “idiot” of the team, that is incredible. You would expect Lance to get frustrated with Pidge being so smart or try to play her down (like the bully calling her out as a nerd) but he doesn’t. Lance does not fall into the toxic trope of men wanting to be smarter than women and becoming frustrated when they’re proven wrong. Instead Lance knows Pidge is smarter than her and is humbly proud of it.

The writers have also said that Lance will end up not with the person he wants, but the person he needs. And I think this covers the trope of marry your best friend. Yes, Lance and Allura are close friends now, but who was he best friends with since episode one? Pidge. Who was someone that was always under his radar but has always been there? Pidge. Who is someone he gets along with so naturally he doesn’t even have to try? Pidge.

Dude, the guy didn’t even know she was a girl till she revealed it.

I also think it’s amazing that Lance has never shown any romantic interest in Pidge (yet). And I think that’s a great message because the best relationships are built on friendship. We know that Lance’s relationship with Pidge isn’t based off of any kind of romantic desire or lust, but instead the simple genuine concern and love one has for a friend. I personally think Lance does have romantic feelings for Pidge, he just hasn’t realized it yet (because Pidge is her best friend, not a crush to flirt after - and that’s currently what he thinks love is).

Likewise, if Pidge falls for Lance it tells the message that people can change. Lance was kind of a terrible, shallow person in the beginning, I ain’t gonna sugarcoat it. Because of this, it would be easy to have Pidge never fall for a guy like him. But Lance has changed (arguably he’s had the most drastic change of all the characters) and you’ve seen it in how Pidge treats him with greater respect now. Especially in the comics, she takes his points into consideration and doesn’t make fun of him (too much). 

His character development is what makes Pidge attracted to him, and change for the better is always attractive. (although part of me thinks she was physically attracted to him at first since she always got annoyed with him flirting and whatnot lol)

Ok I’m rambling too much so I’m going to stop here.

Basically Lance and Pidge getting together, Keith and Allura getting together with Lance being supportive of Keith and Allura, and Pidge and Allura forming a stronger friendship - I’m here for that amazing combination and the messages it gives. It breaks stereotypes and tells a fantastic story and gives all the characters the development and growth they deserve.

[niafrazier]

Making the Case for Beto O’Rourke

Full disclaimer: Beto is one of my top picks amongst the 2020 democratic field as of now. I’m a supporter but am in no way affiliated with his official campaign.

At a certain point, Beto O’Rourke was hailed by the media as basically the second coming of Obama, RFK, JFK, [insert any popular democratic figure from this past century… oh and Abe Lincoln]. After he unsuccessfully attempted to unseat Ted Cruz in the senate race, many people across the country were calling him to run for the presidency. He even surged in polling being just behind Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders, both who virtually have 100% name recognition. His senate race garnered national attention and even caught Oprah’s attention (she practically begged him to run on her show FFS). Many (including me) grew to admire his authentic, organic, and down-to-earth approach to politics, which is especially refreshing to see given the fact that everything seems so contrived nowadays. So, he wrestled with his decision thoughtfully and eventually came around to the idea, officially tossing his hat into the ring on March 14th, 2019. But now? Right out the gate, the narrative has shifted, and to the mainstream media pundits and Twittersphere, he is seen as an empty-suited, entitled, misogynistic, arrogant dude dripping with white male privilege. What changed?  How is it that the media, the very one that contributed to the rise of “Betomania,” subsequently went into a frenzy and poo-pooed all over his rollout? The faux outrage, double standards, and cynicism directed at Beto by opinion writers, pundits, etc. have basically motivated me to give my own takes on the most common criticisms I’ve seen thus far. So, here we go:

 “ ‘Man, I’m just born to be in it?’ ”

I’m not gonna lie, taking a look at the Vanity Fair cover and seeing that quote was a facepalm moment. As predicted, this quote sparked outrage fairly quickly… given the optics of a privileged straight white man joining a race of several qualified women and POC… Understandably so.  However, upon reading through the whole article, I was able to grasp the essence of Beto’s words. Here’s what he says leading up to his declaration, expressing urgency:

 “This is the fight of our lives…not the fight-of-my-political-life kind of crap. But, like, this is the fight of our lives as Americans, and as humans, I’d argue.”

And now here’s the full quote: “Man, I’m just born to be in it, and want to do everything I humanly can for this country at this moment.”

 He’s not so much saying that he was born to be in a position of power, rather, he’s expressing that during such dire times, especially in U.S. democracy, he could not in good conscience be complacent and not take action. Just as he was drawn to serve his district in El Paso as a 6 year city council member and a 3-term congressman, he believes that at this moment, he has a purpose to serve the whole nation by being as actively involved in the national discussion as possible—to stand up to bigotry and divisiveness displayed by the current administration of the White House. Beto basically confirmed what I had thought after further inspection when he clarified his statement later (Google it. I’m having trouble with my hyperlinks right now). Could he have worded it better? Sure. I just reject the notion that this one gaffe is supposed to sum him up as an egotistical maniac… please. 

“He adds absolutely no value to the race”

This is arbitrary depending on what your key issues are, but I’m gonna give my take on why I think he’s an excellent addition to the race. So, I’ve been intrigued about the possibility of an O’Rourke presidential run since he’s hinted at it back in November. I really didn’t know much about him until toward the end of Midterm season, but the more I learned, the more impressed I became. (Side note: it was this clip that first caught my full attention.) What really fueled my interest in Beto though, was his stance on immigration. As a first generation Nigerian American, this topic is pretty personal to me. My parents were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to immigrate to America and raise me and my three other siblings. However, I’ve also seen firsthand the difficulty of not only getting through with the ridiculous process but also assimilating into this country. For so long, the Democrats haven’t really made immigration a central issue, until the Trump administration hijacked it and pushed the Overton window all the way to the right. With heightened xenophobia running rampant in this country as a result of this abhorrent presidency, it is pertinent that the Democrats not merely pay lip service to this issue any longer and take serious action. Beto has an advantage here: He’s grown up in and served as a U.S House Rep. in the border district of El Paso, also home to the largest binational community in the Northern hemisphere. He can add a lot to the national discussion and debate on the matter. When Trump came to El Paso, the local community organized a counter rally where Beto gave an impassioned speech about the border wall and immigration. It’s pretty long, but I highly recommend the watch. Furthermore, Beto has outlined a 10 point proposal on how best to approach the immigration issue, along with some facts about the border’s history, which you can read here. Immigration hasn’t really been a winning issue, and I honestly don’t see it being one in 2020. With that being said, I respect the fact that despite this, Beto has shown that this is an issue that he deeply cares about. If I’m being honest, even though comprehensive immigration reform is universally called for amongst Democrats, I doubt that anyone in the field will truly make immigration a main priority in their prospective presidencies. To me, Beto has shown that he will. Even if he doesn’t clinch the nomination, it still means a ton to me that we can have the potential to change the narrative of immigration in this country with serious discussion. With the way Beto is able to convey his message, I am hopeful for what’s to come.  

So, let’s talk about Texas. With the way Beto was able to energize the Democratic base in Texas, Democrats have the opportunity to put the Republican bastion state into play. With 38 electoral votes at stake, Texas is extremely crucial for the GOP. To put things in perspective, if Texas turned blue in 2016, President Hillary Clinton would have been a thing.

*Bonus: “He Lost to Ted Cruz lol… already a nonstarter”

Yes. But you know who else lost to Ted in Texas? Donald Trump. Cruz obliterated him in the Texas Republican primaries. I’m not saying Texas is guaranteed to turn blue with Beto on the ballot, but if we learned anything in 2016, it’s not to underestimate the possibility of seemingly blue or red states to flip at any given moment. The GOP has taken note of this. We’ve seen that Beto has a ton of appeal in Texas amongst not only Democrats but Never-Trump-Republicans and independents as well! If Beto is on that ballot, the GOP will most likely exhaust a ton of resources and money into Texas to keep it from going blue. This will only make other states that Trump won with the slimmest of margins vulnerable. Also… I find it disingenuous to make comparisons between Beto and other senators that hail from deeply blue states regarding electability. If Beto lost to Ted in California, then yeah… we could have a conversation about that.

“A woman running mate is his preference? Who does he think he is?”

The backlash on this surprised me, to be honest… Even Whoopi Goldberg blasted his ass for the statement on The View.  If I had to go on a whim here, I feel like it was the Vanity Fair article that sort of set the mood for Beto’s campaign thus far… because otherwise, I believe that this really wouldn’t have been a story. In fact, Beto is not the only male candidate to call for a woman VP. Cory Booker and Bernie Sanders have strongly hinted at choosing a woman running mate. Interestingly enough, I didn’t recall there being any backlash. Here are Beto’s full remarks on choosing a woman as his running mate:

"It would be very difficult not to select a woman with so many extraordinary women who are running right now, but first I would have to win and there's-- you know, this is as open as it has ever been."

This is very much the response I expected from Beto. Time and time again, he has openly acknowledged his privilege, even before getting hammered about it on social media. In the Vanity Fair article, he states his stance on lack of representation in Washington:

“The government at all levels is overly represented by white men,” he says. “That’s part of the problem, and I’m a white man. So if I were to run, I think it’s just so important that those who would comprise my team looked like this country. If I were to run, if I were to win, that my administration looks like this country. It’s the only way I know to meet that challenge.”

Furthermore, he is understanding and considerate of the fact that people are craving for diversity.  Here’s what he says:

“But I totally understand people who will make a decision [cast a vote in the primaries] based on the fact that almost every single one of our presidents has been a white man, and they want something different for this country. And I think that’s a very legitimate basis upon which to make a decision. Especially in the fact that there are some really great candidates out there right now.”

I know I don’t speak for all POC or women, but as a WOC myself, I took no issue to his statements. In fact, I appreciate his sensitivity to the issue and the fact that he doesn’t shy away from addressing uncomfortable topics in politics, such as race and representation.

Let’s just be glad he didn’t pull a Hickenlooper…. Jesus.

“Light on policy… but he stands on counters amirite?”

To discuss this point, it’s important to understand Beto’s campaign style. Beto is more like a blank canvass. What he does is first listen to people and their concerns, and then from there, he shapes his policies around that. He feels that this is the best way to serve the people. The point of his road trips and tours was not to lecture people on full fleshed policy proposals. There is debate on whether or not this is an effective strategy, and I do understand that people do like to know exactly what they’re signing up for before casting a vote. That’s why some people will more likely gravitate toward candidates like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren who have been consistent in their messaging. However, I also think people underestimate the power of simply listening. Take these comments that a potential voter made concerning Beto’s ability to listen during his stop in South Carolina for example:

"I think if he keeps talking to the people and being able to listen, and not talk at the African-American voters. Talk to us. Listen to what we have to say… As long as you listen and then actually put forward ideas that are legitimate ideas to do things, then he will be fine.”

 While policy specifics are important, this is still the early stages of Beto’s campaign. Specifics, of course, will have to come at some point, especially when debates come around. Another critique I hear is Beto not having any policy proposals on his website yet. He’s not alone though.  Several candidates who have been running longer than he has don’t either. It’s also important to note that while people in the race most likely have been mulling a presidential run for several months or years, this has been something that came around to Beto as recent as November 2018. Stuff like this takes time. I think he has potential, however, in this area. For instance, as I mentioned earlier, he has put out a 10-point proposal on immigration. He also has a brief 5-point plan regarding criminal justice reform and legalization of marijuana. (Fun fact, he even coauthored a book concerning the legalization of weed.)  And it’s not like he hasn’t taken stances on issues ever either… I mean, he has a whole congressional record, and his townhalls give you an idea of where he stands on key issues. 

Oh... and about the countertops. Ugh. The fact that this really sparked outrage is comical. I’ve seen all sorts of takes on this from asserting his male dominance to throwing his youth in Bernie and Biden’s faces (lmao). At a campaign stop, the owner of the coffee shop that he was at asked him to stand on the countertop because people complained that they weren’t able to see Beto amongst the crowds and camera equipment (despite him being 6’4’’, ha). So then it just became a thing since. And he’s respectful about it in case anyone was wondering, lol. But there’s one thing I think both the Beto detractors and I can agree on: why tf is this getting media coverage? I do agree that there should be more coverage for other candidates concerning the real issues. However, the response shouldn’t be to go after Beto or chastise him for doing harmless acts during his campaign stops… Talk that up with the media. The ironic thing about this is that some of the media pundits complain about giving Beto so much coverage… all while giving Beto more coverage about the coverage he’s receiving… 🙄

So if you made it to the end of this extremely long effortpost, thank you. I actually had tons more to discuss but I’m not trying to make this into a novel. Anyways, I’ll say one last thing: 

Before going along with groupthink or engaging in the toxic political echo chamber that is Twitter, I implore you all to take a step back and actually get to know these candidates. Seek after local news outlets when candidates visit to get a feel of the vibes from locals. Go to Beto’s Facebook page and watch a town hall or two. You may come home with a different impression than what is portrayed in mainstream media. I can tell you that when I did this, the difference was night and day.  We have such an amazing field of contenders to choose from, and I’d hate for misinformation or bad-faith arguments to warp perceptions.   

[financialsmatter]

Sunday Funnies, If You're Not Offended...

Welcome back to this week’s edition of the Sunday Funnies, where in addition to Chinese Spy Balloons blotting out the sun in America and Canada, there appears to be another one threatening Latin America. But instead of it being round, it’s in the shape of a Taco. And Pentagon officials are labeling it “ATacolypse Now.” LOL! Seriously, have you ever seen such nonsense? And like we said in yesterday’s Saturday Rant (HERE) This is another non-story distraction for something happening in Washington DC. The great 2023 balloon distraction is being splashed across the media. And the message is for you to forget about classified docs, Hunter’s laptop, WW3, etc.   Oh!  And let’s not forget about how “scientists” are claiming that eggs are causing blood clots, myocarditis, pericarditis, etc.     In the meantime, Bill Gates is wanting to put his dangerous vaccines into our food supply to help with those who refuse to take the clot shot.       So, if you constantly look at these “distractions de jour” you won’t see how WW3 is underway. And how Ukraine – whose death toll is now over 150,000* with over 35,000 missing in action – is becoming desperate for more weapons from “The Merchants of Death” in NATO.   (* Note...That’s over 3X the American losses in Vietnam) Ironically (or NOT) Orwell warned us about this madness many years ago.       But that’s precisely why we publish the Sunday Funnies. You see, we use our funnies/memes/cartoons in an effort to counter the madness and frustration that accompanies Turbulent Times. Because when it’s all said and done, we all need to laugh every now and then. Why? Laughter is good for your soul. And it’s healthy to be a bit silly…especially in the face of fear mongering, medical tyranny, and especially the threat of WWIII. It’s all the more reason why we won’t apologize…especially if our Funnies just happen to hurt some Progressive/Socialist/Communist/Globalist’s feeeellwwings. And please remember: The Sunday Funnies are not just about our nations bizarre state of politics/finance/beliefs. It’s about awareness of what’s happening in the world that we choose to poke fun at. And, if our funnies/memes/cartoons/etc. provide you with a laugh or two – and/or open your eyes to some stark realities – then we consider that a victory. So, when things tend to get a bit overwhelming, we believe it’s best to remember that Humor is Waaaayyyyy better than Hatred…which is contrary to what the world wants you to believe. And we hope you see the Sunday Funnies as a refreshing oasis in the middle of a parched, dry, and increasingly dark world that we’re living in. As always, we remind you: As difficult as things might appear, Evil Always Overplays its Hand…And Righteousness Prevails. Thanks again for joining us on this crazy journey we’re on and remember America Was Built by the Brave, Not by the Fearful… *********************************** When Trump, DeSantis, and Tucker Carlson Get Together…       ************************************* As New Year’s Dietary Resolutions Fade Into the Sunset…       ************************************ Things Young Male Millennials Consider When Dating in the 2020s       *********************************** Things Young Women Millennials Consider When Dating in the 2020s       ********************************** Ever Since Her TV Show Was Cancelled Last Year…       *********************************** How Dogs Respond When Their Humans Say Stupid Things to Them, Like…       ********************************* Common Sense Today Isn’t Very Common, But in the Animal World…       ********************************* Waaayyyy Back in the 70s…       *************************************** Recycling from the 70s…Again       *********************************** For Those Who Still Think Elon Musk Wants to Save the World...       ************************************* And For Those Who Somehow Think Al Gore Was Ever Legitimate…       ************************************ And Have You Ever Noticed How Al Gore Never Mentions the Spraying of “Chemtrails” in Our Skies?       ************************************** Circling Back to the Paul Pelosi Episode, the Body Cam Footage Leads You to Believe There Was Someone Else in the House With Paul and His Hammerboy Friend       *********************************** Today’s English Lesson is About “Silent Characters” …Pun Intended       ************************************** Increasing Controversy is Finding Its Way Back to the Perpetrators at Pfizer       ******************************** And As the Sheeple Continue to Follow the Narrative…       ************************************** Go Ahead and Fact Check This…       *********************************** Another Important Reason Why We Have the 2nd Amendment       ************************************* When Your Therapist Says…       ********************************* But Instead of Listening to a Therapist…       ************************************ And Most of the Time A Positive Outlook is Waaaayyy Better Than a Therapist       ******************************** Vegans Contemplating Arguing With Someone…       **************************************** In a Newly Published Book, “Science for Dummies…”       ************************************ Meanwhile, and Flying Under the Radar…       ************************************* Sheeple Who Still Suffer From Pandemic Paranoia       ************************************* The Real vs the Fake Pandemic       ************************************ Kids and Dogs Memes Have a Way of Bringing a Smile to Us All           ********************************* ********************************* That’s all for this week’s edition of the Sunday Funnies. And throughout the Political Chaos of 2023, you can expect us to poke fun at the headline grabbers every weekend, as usual. However, if you want to see more risqué and/or R-Rated memes you can find them (HERE). As always, we hope you enjoy our memes/cartoons/rants etc. and that they bring a smile to your face. We definitely love to hear your comments so keep ‘em coming. And although the world seems pretty dark these days, we encourage you to see why you have a lot to hope for in 2023 and beyond (HERE). In the meantime, be sure to share these funnies with friends and family members. Caution: They may get offended. But remind them…It’s important to laugh together and laugh often. And be sure to tell them… We’re Not Just About Finance…but we use finance to give you hope. See You Next Sunday… Invest with confidence. Sincerely, James Vincent The Reverend of Finance Copyright © 2023 It's Not Just About Finance, LLC, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. Read the full article

[restorerjourney]

Week 5 of 7 in Mazatlán

July 31, 2021

This week started with hardships for me personally but ended with victories, deeper unity with Christ and our team, and freedom. When I create my weekly reels on instagram for this week I was surprised to realize that there were so many clips of us dancing with flags which represents freedom! Freedom is not just a feeling but a revelation of who we are and what God has given us the authority over. It’s a lot to take it in and I feel that I might understand it more in hindsight what God is making us go through as a team. 

To start off, like I said before the beginning of week was really rough. One of our team members decided to start a relationship with another team member at a different DTS and they both are here in Mazatlan. The rules were clear when we signed up for DTS that during DTS we shouldn’t start dating with another DTS student because we want this season to fully focus on God. It sounds harmless to date, but now as a team we could see the repercussions. Although the leaders were lenient during our lecture phase, during outreach phase they drew the line clear that they should put their relationship on pause only until after the outreach is over. This is because we are going as a team..we are in a foreign country..our purpose is to serve the nation that we are going to..etc etc. It’s obvious why, but that couple struggled and despite them thinking it was a private matter, it affected our team’s unity and trust. Long story short, God intervened in our team..in his heart..and in mine. The old Alicia would have been apathetic about how he felt and focused more on the boundaries that we crossed, but I felt the Lord change my heart during DTS. The Lord really guided me on how to approach my fellow team member who is like my little brother and learn to not judge him but to empathize with him. God showed me how to be with him in the hurting yet teach him the effects of the choices you make and how there will always be a cause and effect in life. It took so much out of me, but I am so glad God intervened the way he did and because we all do fear the Lord, were able to come back together as one. They decided to obey the Lord, to submit to the leaders and the rules, and surrender their relationship to God. It was a fight worth fighting for and I feel like I’m learning a glimpse of what parenting could actually look like LOL ( Dear Lord have mercy). 

Literally almost every day or every other day, one of our team member would be spiritually attacked. But I see each time that it happens, we would all gather, interceded, pray, declare God’s truth, repent, and be restored. It’s so exhausting but so beautiful. This time I got attacked mid-week when I was getting impatient of not getting my period and letting doubt enter my mind. I knew God told me that I was healed and to trust in His promises just like Abraham had to trust God when he was told to sacrifice Isaac. It made no sense why I was going through this...I was feeling “God why did you even let me go through that healing process? Wouldn’t it been better if I didn’t go through it?”. and that’s when I realized I had to repent of this old habit of mine that I allow myself to think that my ways are better than God’s. God told me I was healed, he told me it was my declaration of no longer agreeing to self-hatred that restored me, and to trust in His promises that I will be a mom one day. I just was getting so tired of waiting, not knowing, so I asked a sister from a different DTS to pray for me. When she prayed for me with another friend it was pretty weird. She was shaking and screaming and although she warned me about it before, I was kind of scared. During the entire time of praying I didn’t hear much from the Lord but just focused my eyes on him. She shared that she felt so much strongholds over me and that I need to repent of any ancestral sins. I prayed about it but God didn’t really highlight anytime for me. I then shared that experience with my parents and they were pissed haha. They were like “ who told you this? What are they teaching you”..and I realize then it was their involuntary parental bear instinct that was coming out of them because they didn’t agree with what she said at all. And then that’s when I realized, did I personally hear anything from God about it...and the answer was no, but I believed her. I started to question everything and everyone who prayed over me and that I believed without going before God and confirming it. 

I realized then that I was getting too comfortable of getting prophetic words and relying on someone’s physical voice speaking over me compared to the internal voice that I hear from God which requires faith. I had to repent and was reminded by God that I hear His voice best for me and that’s because of Jesus. That usually when people pray or have a prophetic word for me, it’s to confirm what was already told to me. Just because some random person comes up to you and speaks something true about your life and it sounds good, if you don’t hear this from the Lord yourself or if he doesn’t confirm it...it’s probably not from God. They say it like this, if you get a prophetic word, just put it on a shelf, don’t just directly receive it. I knew what God said to me the day I got healed a month ago and I am given a chance again to cling on to God’s timing.

Because the pandemic is still pretty bad here we are still limited to not be able to continue our alpha course or go to Stone Island, but we’ve been doing intercessory prayer. We also got to do bible distribution at a new neighborhood. The moment we got off the trucks, a lady who works at the store told us to come and gave us free cold water! It was so encouraging to see how God was using her to refresh us before we gave out bibles. During our time there, couple team members felt a dark presence over some of the homes and it happened to be those who refused to receive the bibles. I met a lady named Olga who had right knee pain and when we prayed for her, she felt better and was so thankful for what we were doing to her community. I met another man who looked sick when he came out and I asked, he said he had COVID. We always wear our masks and kept our distance but for a split second there was fear in my heart but I felt the Lord asking me to pray for him. We socially distanced ourselves and I prayed for healing, for protection for his family, and he was so encouraged. To be honest, we have been encountering more and more people with COVID and it really is by God’s grace that there has been no outbreaks in our team or at the baes. 

We did street evangelism too which was really cool that I want to tell you guys about. I’ve never done this before with any other mission’s team in my life but we had no agenda but just asked God as a team what he wanted us to do. We asked God where, who, and what we were going to do. Each team member would share what God spoke to them and it’s like a puzzle piece that we put together of what God is trying to lead us. We felt God has highlighted to focus on children this week. He showed us doing nails and braiding hair for the kids..he showed us doing a dance routine for them ( since they love BTS here)... he showed us giving candies...he showed us doing prophetic art with them.. and he showed us playing soccer with them. We prepared as much as we could and finally we asked God where and he led us to a park close to the base. We shared with each other that even if one kid showed up, that the one kid is worth it in Jesus’s eyes. We went and everyone we met ended up being children! I met a girl named Wendy and her sister who wanted to get their nails done. We sanitized our hands of course and wore masks as I did her nails. We got to know each other and I shared the gospel with her. She accepted Christ but it is perhaps because she was Catholic. I shared with her that being a Christian is not just about being good to be accepted, that despite us not being good, we are accepted. I believe she really felt the love of God. 

The last highlighted ministry for me was Racham’s ministry which in Hebrew, Racham means “mercy”. This Christian organization is under YWAM but is also funded by the government. They focus on children from the slums who were abandoned, sexually, physically, emotionally abused, and are in need of help. We are not allowed to post any pictures on social media because of the government and for outside volunteers, we can only visit them once a week for 2 hours. The leaders there asked if we could teach them about unity. There are currently 15 children there, almost 60% boys, 40% girls all under the age of mid teens. We created a skit for them based on 1 Corinthians 12: 14-22 and although it was hard work, they loved it. We did a drawing activity, painted their nails, provided sandwiches and juice, and played soccer with them. They shared in the end how thankful they are to us and one of them shared their testimony of how God has been working in his life. I could see God’s life in his eyes and all the children were so precious. What broke my heart as we were walking back to the base was what each child has gone through. All the girls were raped, and all the boys either sold drugs or were addicted to drugs. One of the boy was found homeless and alone for 2 weeks because his father abandoned him. It hurts my heart so much right now even typing this because when I played with them before knowing, I wouldn’t have ever guessed they went through hell at such a young age. They are so precious to Jesus...and as much as I am angry against the injustice towards them, God reminds me that those offenders will get judgement from Him. He reminds me that although those children are poor on earth, theirs is the kingdom of heaven and they have such a great inheritance. I feel so privileged to get to meet them and love on God’s children.

I can’t believe I’ve been living here for over a month and this is the longest I have been in outreach. I think I am getting used to the humidity? but there are times it kicks my butt and I’m sweating like I’m in a sauna. The food has been difficult too since Mexico doesn’t have that many healthy options and almost everything is too sweet or too salty. The food tastes good don’t get me wrong, but knowing my body, it hasn’t been adjusting well, but I’m managing as best as I can. Oh I almost forgot, we had an extra $3-4,000 donation given to us as a team so after prayer, we decided as a team to pour half of it to a church plant in Stone Island, and the other half for those who are in need of oxygen tanks at Calvary Chapel which is where the pastor who is church planting in Stone Island attends. Right now, Mazatlan is doing the worst out of all of Mexico and the hospitals are at full capacity so those who need oxygen are having to buy them or wait till there is room at the hospital. 

I also had some extra fundings sent by friends and after prayer I felt the Lord asking me to pour it all on 4 different missionaries here at the base. I’m so grateful that just as those who obeyed and financially supported me, I could do the same for someone else and bridge my friend to help those in need in Mazatlan. 

I’m also enjoying my experience in Mazatlan once a week by trying out different local restaurants, buying tourist souvenir’s for friends, and seeing the different parts of the city. We only have 2 more weekends after this so despite feeling tired and ready to go home at times, I want to look back and have no regrets that I could have done more. 

Prayer requests:

1) Grace and endurance to finish this race strong. That we would give it our all and still ask for greater things that God has in store for us to see in Mazatlan. I’m still asking God to not let me be comfortable and content for what He already has done but for even more!

2) Unity. We’ve been reading Hebrews and Psalm together as a team, and our unity held by Christ is what allows us to thrive and not just survive.

3) Health protection: We all have been feeling pretty fatigued.Yoonkyung has tendonitis on her right thumb and wrist, Esther has food poisoning, I have back, shoulder, and neck pain with no cycle still, and Sebin has back pain too. As we encounter more people with COVID during ministry, would we be protected and that we wouldn’t carry to the locals here.

Thank you amigos and amigas <3

Alicia

[swiftedbethy13]

I’m now going to tell you about the most magical and amazing experience I’ve ever had and ever will have. This post is SO long so go grab some popcorn 🍿

So on October 2nd I was working a nightshift. It was little to do and just went in and checked my emails. I saw two emails from twitter saying Taylor Nation had sent me a DM!! I panicked so bad and went on my twitter to check if it was real. And on my twitter I have two DMs from Taylor fucking Nation. I stared shaking so bad and could barely breathe. The message said *CONFIDENTIAL MESSAGE* and that they have a secret, special event they would like to talk to me about, and to send my full name, phone number and best time to contact me. Have you ever tried typing in details like that while your hands are shaking so bad like you’re on drugs?! ITS HARD MAN! I obviously gave them my details (duh), and told them my lips are sealed and it sounds so exciting! Then I panicked cos I thought my reply was too late, and had to ask if I was too late, and then I apologised for sending them so many messages 😂 They said “haha you’re all good, thanks doll”. Then I was supposed to take care of newborns and their moms and stay calm at the same time. IT WAS SUCH A STRUGGLE! I had to go to the bathroom to try and breathe.

We were not supposed to tell ANYONE, but I just had to send my friend Lyndsay a message saying it’s important to check you DMs on twitter often. And she replied “I know, you too…” and I just KNEW she had gotten a message too. If she replied with something different I wouldn’t have told her anything. We started freaking out together and it was beautiful.

I didn’t know when to expect a phone call, all I knew was that I need to have my phone on sound at all times. Like you can’t miss the most important phone call of your life! I had an evening shift the next day and told work I just have to have my phone on sound cos I’m waiting for a very important phone call. Every time my phone rang I just immediately panicked 😂. I can’t remember the time but I was at work and in a patients room when my phone started ringing. I quickly said “sorry I have to take this” and ran out of the room. I look at my phone and it’s calling from New York 😱 I die and start shaking and answer. It was Ali calling from Taylor Nation!! She confirmed it was the right person she was talking too and gave me some more details. It was going to be a secret special event in London on Friday the 13th of October from 4pm-11pm. She asked if I was going to be able to make travel arrangements and I was like “duh YAS OF COURSE”. She told me I could bring a plus’s one, and since I knew that Lyndsay was already going, I gave them my friend Alex’s details. She told me again that this was confidential and I couldn’t speak about it to anyone except my parents, guardian and boss at work. I was going to get more information early the week following. I probably sounded like the most bored person cos I was IN SHOCK, like I was just “yeah” “uhu”, “yes”, and didn’t show any excitement at all 😂. She hung up and continuing work was the hardest thing EVER!

I made travel arrangements and sorted hotels with my friends. I was already going to London on the Sunday till Wednesday before the event on Friday, so I knew the week would go quick anyways. On Sunday evening I out of the blue get an email. I was at the hotel with my mom having a pamper evening, and I was SO THROWN OFF COS I THOUGHT I WOULD GET IT ON MONDAY OR TUESDAY. My mom filmed my reaction to getting this email and it shows how Taylor Swift makes me feel nearly 24/7 😂. The email again said that it was confidential and not to post anything about it or tell anyone. They gave us an address for a Holiday In hotel where we were going to meet up. They said not to bring too much personal belongings cos this was going to be taken off us as well as our phones. AT THIS POINT I STARTED TO BE MORE CERTAIN THAT I WAS GOING TO A SECRET SESSION. Hence my reaction to getting the email lol. I still tried to not get my hopes up, and tried to tell myself that maybe I’ll get to hear a new song and have a swiftie party. Good thing I was in London and could get myself an outfit. OMG IVE NEVER BEEN MORE STRESSED ABOUT FINDING AN GOOD OUTFIT EVER!! I did find it by the help of my really good friend!

THIS STORY IS GETTING SO LONG, sorry 😂 Well done for getting this far. I’m going to skip forward to Friday now (aka the best day of my life).

So, FRIDAY THE 13TH. I get up at 4am to catch my flight to London. My stomach is doing backflips trying to catch butterflies cos I was so excited and nervous and anxious at the same time. I couldn’t listen to any Taylor music cos I would just start to cry, so I ended up listening to P!nks new album (which is amazing btw). When I get to London I meet up with Lyndsay, Megan and Alex. We head to the hotel where we are going to stay and to meet up. Here we get dressed and as I was to put my makeup on I realise that I’ve forgotten all my make up and I go in a full on panic. IM SUCH AN IDIOT! Luckily Megan had makeup I could borrow. After we got ready we headed down to outside the hotel. There were loads of girls with red lipstick and dresses so we knew we were in the right place 😍. We qued up outside, they were running late, think we stood outside for 40 minuets maybe. We then got to the front of the line and inside (finally cos I was freezing my ass of). Taylor Nation was there ready to sign us in!! We signed a confidentiality contract and showed our ID and GOT OUR WRISTBAND!!! (KANDJFJRJDJ)!! It said United Kingdom on it, written in reputation font!!! SO EXCITING! We then went down the stairs to a room with lots of chairs in. There were refreshments, and hot drinks (yay for cold me!) for us while we waited for further instructions.

Then we were told to leave our stuff behind, including phone, and the first 25 people went on a bus. Me and Alex got on the second bus. Now I stared getting SO nervous, it’s ridiculous. Before we went on we where scanned by security. Then the bus took off! We drove a title while and was driving through the most posh neighbourhood EVER, like I WANNA LIVE THERE! The bus stopped and we were told to be quiet while we went off. I realised we were at a house, and you could only guess I was thinking we were at TAYLORS HOUSE!! There were lots of security while we were taken in a back entrance of the house and in through the basement. I had to knock on the door 😂 (so I could say I knocked on Taylor Swifts door, I know I’m extra 😂). We got scanned by security again before we were taken up to the kitchen. GUYS, THIS HOUSE IS AMAZING!! ITS SO HUGE. We still haven’t by this point been told where we are, but duh 🙄. I KNEW we were at Taylor’s house. Her kitchen is beautiful! She has 4 ovens!! There were lots of snack on the counters. Homemade chicken nuggets, fruit, cheese and fizzy drinks. There were also REP cookies!! And REP m&ms! SO COOL! Andrea and Scott was also in the kitchen talking to other fans. Me and Alex just hung around and talked to a few people. Then Lyndsay and Megan arrived, we hugged each other cos they also realised where we were. We then ended up talking to Scott. He has never been to Norway!! And I told him he neeeeeds to come here.

Her house smells AMAZING. I obviously had to see which candles she was burning so I could by them 😂. We were then told to get in a line as we were going to a different room. This was after everyone had arrived and had some food. Me, Alex, lyndsay and Megan were quite up front as we were taken to a living room. There were cushions on the floor and we sat down. I sat down not even thinking about where. Me and Alex chose a high cushion and shared it. A 100 people was going to fit in this room and it got really tight! When everyone had found a spot there was some whispering and the door opened a little. THEN THE QUEEN THAT IS TAYLOR SWIFT WALKS INTO THE FUCKING ROOM AND IM SCREAMING. We were so loud! I FUCKING LOVE HER SO MUCH 😭😭 Like I couldn’t believe she was like right there in the same room as me. As I was having difficulties breathing she sat down like 2 meters away from me and Alex, we had such a good view of her like OMG. Then she said we were going to hear the whole FUCKING ALBUM AND WE DIED. We now knew this was A FUCKING SECRET SESSIONS PEOPLE! SHE ALSO SAID SHE HANDPICKED EVERYONE! I FUCKING DIED! TAYLOR HAS LURKED ME FOR A YEAR WITHOUT ME KNOWING 😭😭 I’ve never had a like or a follow, and I don’t have many followers on any social media. STILL SHE FOUND ME! I’m got eye contact with her so many times during the listening 😭😭😍! SHE IS SO HAPPY TOO!! I JUST LOVE HER SO MUCH! AND IM TELLING YOU GUYS THIS ALBUM IS BLODDY AMAZING. (If you think you are stupid enough that I’m going to tell anything about the album, you are being funny, don’t bother asking 😉)

After she had pledged the album we got to look through the magazines!!! THEY ARE AMAZING AND IM SO HAPPY I WILL BE ABLE TO BUY ONE WHEN THEY COME OUT!! Then we waited to meet her JENFBDJSSHHSHDB 😭. I was getting so nervous by this point. Like I was going to meet the one person who has been there for me for so many years and I get to tell her how much I love her. We were one of the earlier ones to be sent in to meet her. Megan and Lyndsay were in front of us and a free they finished it was our turn.

I RAN OVER TO HER AND HUGGED HER AND SHE DIDNT LET GO UNTIL I DID 😭😭 I just couldn’t believe what was happening. She then hugged Alex and told me SHE FUCKING LOVE MY OUTFIT! She said “I love this whole outfit situation going on” I died. I told her that it’s not something I wear a lot and she said “you should definitely do!” IM OBVIOUSLY NEVER TAKING THIS OUTFIT OFF. Alex then said he wanted to wear the same outfit but we couldn’t match so he said I could wear it, and she laughed 😂 I love how we had a sarcastic conversation with Taylor Swift 😂 She then laughed at Alex’s apology for his bored resting face. I’m SO PROUD OF HIM SPEAKING TO TALOR, you have no idea! ❤️❤️ Then we were told to move to the side a bit cos they were going to open up the front door (so no one could see she was living there). This gave us more time with her and I’m so grateful! I then asked her about anxiety with singing and she gave me tips on singing and performing in front of people. TAYLOR FUCKING SWIFT GAVE ME ADVISE ON SINGING AND PERFORMING!! JJDNDJDJFJRJD. Alex then thanked her for giving him the best friends ever and she hugged us both again 😍 Then it was time for picture. We didn’t plan a pose, we just took one. SHE RESTED HER HEAD ON ME AND I SISNT NOTICED BEFORE I SAW THE PIC! It’s so adorable 😍 There were so much more I wanted to tell her, wish I had a few more minutes but I guess she had ALOT of other people to meet.

We then went out in the hallway and ended up talking to Andrea. She reminds me so much of my mom!! She is also a bit similar! I told her about my mom and that she was worried I was sleeping in the airport by my self the following night. We then talked about how happy Taylor is and she was tearing up 😭 It was so beautiful to see how happy her parents were for her 😍😍 We gave her a biiiiig hug and then walked down to the basement again. There we stood trying to comprehend what just happened. I still don’t believe it, don’t know if I ever will? We then got merch!!! We got a REP tote bag, pop socket, t-shirt, a sticker, a cap and the best thing ever, a exclusive keychain that only us on the secret sessions London got. IT WAS SO NICE OF THEM! We were then sent on the bus back to the hotel. There we spoke to Ali about confidentially again and what we could talk about and not. She is so sweet!! Megan and Lyndsay old us TAYLOR KNEW WE WERE IN NASHVILLE TOGETHER 😭😭 OMG!!

When we came back to the hotel I called my mom and SOBBED. I couldn’t even talk to her cos I was crying too much. Then I posted online on my social media about what happened and my phone wouldn’t stop buzzing.

I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR TALOR SWIFT. THANK YOU SO SO SO MUCH FOR THIS!! And thank you to Taylor Nation for giving us this opportunity, it means so much to us ❤️ The picture ended up perfect and I’m going to hang it on my wall so I can stare at it everyday 😍 I’ve been crying since Sunday cos this has been so so emotional to me. I can’t even tell people what happened without crying.

@isturkeyanickname

I’m sorry this story is a mile long 😂

Thank you so much @taylorswift and @taylornation

[x0401x]

Violet Evergarden World Tour Interview

Los Angeles Anime Expo 2017 Edition with Director Ishidate Taichi

← Event Report || Index || Next →

——At last, the worldwide premiere in which the anime “Violet Evergarden” can be watched in advance has started. How was the first one at Anime Expo 2017 in America’s Los Angeles?

Ishidate: It’s a large-scale event where hardcore American fans gather, several of whom became interested in “Violet Evergarden” (“Violet” for short) out of the works that would be displayed in it, so being able to directly witness the responses of the people that had walked all the way to the screening hall was a trite but also very valuable experience. Amongst the guests, there were many who already knew the name of the “Kyoto Animation” company and the original literary piece of “Violet”.

I had somewhat imagined it would be a Comic Event like the ones in Japan, so while I had been wondering, “Would there be many adults?”, it turned out that lots of families with children attended, which surprised me. One more thing that had me shocked was that screenings and exhibits were happening all night long. It was upright in the good sense; an event with an American-like freedom to it.

——In the stage event that was the premiere’s screening, the first episode of the TV anime “Violet Evergarden” was run. How was everyone’s reaction?

Ishidate: Compared to the Japanese, American people’s expressions are richer in emotions, so although I had imagined it would be something lively like, “Oh, my God!”, it was extremely quiet as a whole, and gave off a feeling that everyone was very focused in the video.

One thing that wasn’t expected was when they laughed while clapping their hands at scenes that would make one think, “You’re laughing at that!?” (lol). “So this is the reaction of people from a different culture~?” I thought, and it was refreshing.

In addition, we got a “Nice!” and a thumbs-up from a local staff member who was in the backstage of the screening. After that person had left, they came back to show us the screen of their phone. In it was written “that’s a truly good anime” in Japanese, which made me happy. Another local staff member courteously commented something like, “Your event was the best!”, and made me think that they had probably enjoyed it.

—— After the premiere screening, a panel discussion was held to answer questions from the audience. Were there any remarkable ones?

Ishidate: I, Ishikawa Yui-san, who plays the role of Violet, and TRUE-san, who is in charge of the OP theme “Sincerely”, went up on stage for this. Perhaps because many of the people who had come to the venue had interest in the creators, there were several questions about the production.

Something funny was when we were suddenly asked, “When does the second season start?” (lol). “You only just watched the first episode, though!?” is what I thought, but my answer was, “If we receive everyone’s support...” (lol). Also, there was a question like, “This story seems to be set in a fictional continent, so will various countries and places appear from now on?”, which showed how they were consistently watching the main story. Maybe some have read the novels.

——TRUE-san, who had come up the stage with you, did the world’s first live show of the opening song “Sincerely”. How did you like listening to it?

Ishidate: I watched the live from a corner of the stage, but I think it really was good. I thought it was an even more wonderful song than when listening to it through a sound generator, and it earnestly gave me courage like, “I also have to do my best even more!”. Once again, I was able to take in the thoughts and stance towards the original work that TRUE-san put into the song, and it gave me feelings that tensed my spirit, so after the live, I ended up saying, “I’ll seriously do my best!” to TRUE-san without thinking.

While listening to the song, I thought to myself, “I have to hurry and write down... the art contents of the opening...” (lol).

——With what kind of perspective did you tackle the TV anime “Violet Evergarden”?

Ishidate: The TV anime “Violet” is a work made from a novel that won first place at the fifth “Kyoto Animation Grand Prize”. It was selected to be published as a two-volume literary collection of the KA Esuma Bunko, and its composition as a novel was arranged anew. Back when I read its manuscript for the “Kyoto Animation Grand Prize”, I was strongly drawn to this work and thought, “It’d be great if it were animated someday”.

The novel is a compilation of stories, and was pictured firstly as independent chapters about Violet’s relationship with the clients of her job as amanuensis, clearly morphing into an opus about Violet’s own personal backstory little by little. The media diverges from novel to anime, and it’s exactly because it’s a novel that it’s difficult to find a method of applying its life depictions into a TV series, so we are formulating the story as such. In order to make it into an interesting work with a continuous storyline, I talked with the story composer and scriptwriter Yoshida Reiko-san, and we decided to write the story of the girl named Violet in chronological order.

In the anime, we wrote about the figure of “Violet, who is an existence as innocent as a baby”, getting to know precious things little by little after meeting with many people. I think those who will watch it should see with their own eyes the growth of Violet as if she were watching over their own small daughter.

——What would be the charm of Violet as an individual?

Ishidate: I think Violet’s charm is her beauty as a primitive human being. I believe humans become more or less distorted as they turn into adults. There are societal responsibilities and various situations we must face, so we can’t forever remain only with feelings as untainted as those of children. But I think it’s marvelous – and even admire it – when one is always able to purely express non-rational sentiments, such as “this is beautiful” or “I want to do that”.

In order to validate this condition of primitive human being of Violet’s, we wrote about her with an ideal of “humans are supposed to be beautiful at first”. It’s not that I want to insist out loud that bare-plain humans are beautiful, but I’d be happy if we made people think, “Somehow, Violet’s lifestyle isn’t so bad”.

——After finishing the production of one episode, the first premiere screening also ended successfully. What’s the feedback?

Ishidate: The feedback... honestly, it’s hard for me to say anything myself. It’s up to those who watched it to say whether it was fun or not, so I think it’s not my place to say anything about that. As someone who is in the production, I’m like, “I wonder if people will think it’s interesting if we do this...” all the while making it through trial and error, but by the time we’d finished writing the contents of the first episode, we came to the conclusion of, “It’s a somber story, but with this, it will be fun!”. That impression didn’t change even after seeing the completed animation. It wasn’t easy to produce it, but I was happy when the art director said, “I’m satisfied”.

——Evan Call-san is the one working on the soundtrack. What sort of interchanges do you have?

Ishidate: The sound director, Tsuruoka Youta-san, said that “(the pieces Evan-san composes) are mischievous~ (lol)” and told us that he had this kind of funny reputation (lol). That’s why I’d been looking forward to working together with him. Evan-san joined the production from the second commercial of the original literary work, accepting the invitation of our music producer, and firstly attempted to make an image song as a trial. Rather than something concrete, it conveyed only the image of the production, and leaving it to Evan-san’s own sense as he freely created a tune, it turned out perfectly matching the image of this work.

——In what kinds of points did you feel that?

Ishidate: It was all very challenging. While the noises of typing on typewriters, the rustling sounds of fountain pens and paper, etc. are incorporated in the tracks, the indication that he could come up with a pretty good “trial song” was brilliantly integrated in it, and what’s more, it had a nice feeling to it. I felt he was a person with an artistic vigor and sense. To tell the truth, while some of the background music of the first episode that he made are orthodox, there are also tracks that seem to contain musical elements similar to that of Celtic nations, and I think that the astoundingly detached moderation and good discordancy that come not only from this midst fit the world building of “Violet”.

——Under what circumstances did you choose Ishikawa Yui-san as the role of Violet?

Ishidate: The first time I heard Ishikawa-san’s voice was in a live-action movie, in which she was performing as actress. The impression that she had an unpretentious type of voice remained within me, and at first, we had her give her name as an audition member, but I thought that Ishikawa-san’s voice really matched the image of Violet in comparison to the others. Ishikawa-san surely had acting skills, but she’s also an actress that has the adaptability to accurately surmise the scene directions, and as she was able to promptly correspond to our directions after recording episode one, I thought, “As expected!”. She acts out Violet’s accumulation of delicate emotions rather carefully.

——At the moment, you’re in the middle of producing episode 2 onward. How is that going?

Ishidate: It’s... hard (giggle). The first episode was still easy to write because Violet was “at zero”, but from now on, she will change little by little upon meeting with people. This change is not something symbolic, and I wonder what I should do to properly convey to the spectators that it’s a truly light and subtle thing... moreover, we’re making this production while keeping the multiple stories concurrent, so it’s really a hassle. While checking on episode 6, I got questions regarding episode 3. We, who are in the making of it, almost want status charts for the growth of Violet in each episode, like “kindness: 5” or “level of understanding towards others: 4” (lol). For the production itself, it feels like “the race is only just starting!”.

——From now on, as part of the “World Tour” premiere screening assemblies, screenings will be held throughout the world, including Germany and Singapore. I would like to ask about Los Angeles, which you stopped by this time. Is this director Ishidate’s first time visiting Los Angeles?

Ishidate: Yes. For starters, I hadn’t gone abroad ever since high school when I went to Thailand, so it started with me having to get a new passport (lol). Although I could not afford to enjoy sightseeing in Los Angeles, as I went by car from the airport the Los Angeles Convention Center, I took a freeway that was used for the scenes of a certain movie. At that time, I didn’t really realize this, but after I returned to Japan, I watched a preview of that movie and got excited like, “Ah! I had passed by this place!” (lol).

Also, I’d wanted to see the “Hollywood Sign” since I had come all the way to LA, but it seems that it was a bit far from the venue of Anime Expo, so unfortunately, my wish did not come true... In addition, there were apparently many people who visited LA for “Anime Expo 2017” at the occasion, and when some noticed I was Japanese, they got excited and came to talk to me a lot (lol)...

——Were there any remarkable happenings during your stay?

Ishidate: There were! While I was in the vicinity of the entrance of the hotel I was lodged at, perhaps because she saw that I was wearing an “Anime Expo” pass around my neck and thought that I was part of it, a young woman came to ask me, “Are you an animator?”. I answered, “YES!” and from that, a conversation splurged, up to a point where she told me that her daughter was an anime fan and a cosplayer. We chatted for a while; maybe about an hour (lol).

——Did your words get through?

Ishidate: Unfortunately, I can hardly speak English, so there were many moments in which the talk didn’t get through. No, probably most of what I said wasn’t understood. Whenever the conversation didn’t get through, she would be like “oh, boy~” as if asking the heavens for help (lol), but with the atmosphere and gestures of that moment, I was somehow able to communicate and had a good time. The fact that I could talk naturally with a foreign person about animation became an incredibly wonderful memory.

——Next, you will visit Manheim in Germany to attend “AnimagiC”, which will be held there. Please leave a message for the fans who are looking forward to the upcoming screenings and worldwide airing in January 2018!

Ishidate: I plan to make this into something that will make many people think at least for a little bit, “This was an interesting work”, and every day, we are doing our best as a united staff and, so while we try not to bring our hopes up too much, we still end up having expectations (lol). I’d be the happiest if everyone could warmly watch over the TV anime “Violet Evergarden”! We’ll be in your care!

[geracaoalpha]

Alpha’a Interviews: Mary Gaspar

Photo by Lyndsey Yeomans

Mary Gaspar is an abstract watercolor and acrylic painter from Chicago, Illinois. She painted at the Evanston Art Center throughout her youth and received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Illinois. Her abstract “Plant Cell” pieces derived from a “post baby fog” and the need to create work that portrays connection. She has been featured in Architectural Digest, Domino Magazine, Property Brothers and her work is collected internationally. Mary paints in her home studio in Wilmette, Illinois where she lives with her husband, three young daughters and border collie. When she’s not painting, you can find her in her garden.

Who are your influences/inspirations, artistic or otherwise?

People who inspire me...Patti Smith, David Bowie, Anne Lamott, Elizabeth Gilbert...people who continually pursue their curiosities and share their experiments with the world. Painters...Helen Frankenthaler, Lee Krasner, Franz Kline. I love seeing what is coming out of the studio of Bertrand Fournier. I am inspired (and rejuvenated) by nature...I love taking little road trips with my family and I am always taking pictures...of everything...the flowers, the sky, the rocks. I'm very inspired by spaces...interiors have a huge effect on me. I love interior design and textiles. I think this is evident in my work...the constant search for composition and texture. Balancing an interior space feels similar to creating an exciting composition on canvas. I know I've felt this way all my life. Even as a child...always rearranging my spaces.

When did you decide to become an artist?

When I was a kid I told everyone who asked that I was going to be an artist and an actress. I was very artsy, lol. I started taking art classes at age 6. In high school I got very into theatre and ended up majoring in theatre in college. My painting fell to the way side and I worked as an actress throughout my 20s. It wasn't until 30 years old, staying home with an infant and toddler, that I felt the incredible urge to paint again. I call it my full body and soul grab at my former self in the midst of young motherhood. I started painting again at night, after I put the children to bed. Things slowly snowballed from there. I started sharing work on social media and at a few local shows. I started selling my work to people casually as I raised my babies. It was all very slow...I played the long game. Mostly because art is my life. It sustains me. Now, 10 years later, I run a full-time art business from my home studio.

Rainforest Plant Cell 1

What informs your color palette?

I use pretty simple color palettes in my work...usually just 2 or 3 colors. Black and White, navy...I love the simplicity in a stark, minimal palette. I crave that. Yet my dualistic nature loves pops of color as well. I use a lot of indigo blue and Sienna...together it's a dream. I was very inspired by a recent trip to Zion National Park in Utah. The color palette is all indigo and burnt Sienna. Sky and earth. I am exploring green and yellow...refreshing citrine. I'm very seasonally inspired by color but when in doubt, I will always return to blue.

Describe your studio space.

My studio is my happy place. It's a tiny but mighty 99 square feet. We added this space above our garage when we renovated our home 2 years ago. I have two walls of huge windows and a balcony. The light is incredible. It's an absolute dream. And even though it's small, you can create a lot in here. This year I created a body of work that was my largest size wise....my biggest canvas being 7 ft long. And it's in my home...with 3 young kids who need me a lot, it's nice to have my studio so close...for quick popping in when I need to work.

What are you looking forward to today?

Today I'm looking forward to painting a bunch of small works on canvas for holiday gifting. I'm doing a holiday gift shop on my website this year, which is so much fun! I made hand painted ornaments, a minimalist 2020 fine art calendar and coordinating print sets...I feel like an elf tinkering away in my work shop dreaming up artsy gift ideas ;)

Shop Mary Gaspar’s works here!

She can also be found at marygasparart.com, on Instagram at @marygasparart, and on Facebook at @MaryGasparArt.