mumrikberry

[mumrikberry]

Today, I woke up for ballet class and went to get dressed. My boyfriend made me a cup of green tea with one spoonful of honey, the hard honey, in my lilac mug with the blue spoon, the smallest one. He passed me the black tote bag before we went out. On the way there, he pointed out that one of the clouds "looked like a columbine" - he is not interested in clouds, or in columbines, or in plants at all. He laughed when he saw I was wearing the purple socks with green dinosaurs on them, "because those are the ones you wore when we first hung out" he said.

I went to uni today proudly wearing my green backpack. "It's green, you love green" He said when he gave me the gift bag containing it during our beach holidays. I looked into the bathroom mirror in between classes and smiled at my dragon earrings, they look just like his necklace.

The thing is, I like my green tea with one spoonful of hard honey and I love the smallest blue spoon. I wear the black tote bag to ballet class and I love clouds and plants and columbines. I collect funny socks, and he knows the stories of them all. He knows my favourite book is Demian. His sister tells me he's taking notes while reading it. He remembers all the space facts I've told him and all the constellations I've pointed out. He says my lips taste like blackberries (I wear blackberry lip gloss, but he argues that it's because that's my name).

He knows and he listens and he remembers. And he tries. He always tries.

And god I love him.

#not poetry #I just really love my boyfriend #lovers #he's so good #so nice #treats me like a hozier song #hozier #he heard “no grave can hold my body down I'll crawl home to her” and said “bet” #cozy #tea #he hates tea #tea and coffee #tea and books #he doesn't like plants or ballet #the most supportive person I know #ballet #poem #poetry #poetic thoughts #he's a boxer #he's soft #wears leather jackets and hugs kittens

[mumrikberry]

Why, why does it have to be nice outside when i have to study?

[mumrikberry]

i know an engineer-type dude who said fiction bored him, because fiction is mostly-formulaic and tropey, and you can generally guess what’s gonna happen next, and yada yada

so his solution for this problem was… to solely read serial web novels in languages that (1) he did not speak, and (2) for which there was no actual translation, fan or otherwise

apparently, the combined forces of “trying to figure out WTF is going on via the power of Google Translate" + “cultural differences in storytelling conventions” + “the inherent randomness of where the hell amateur authors are gonna take their plots”—those all mashed up to make stories that were unpredictable enough to keep him guessing all the time

then he described to me this totally batshit-sounding Hungarian story he’d been obsessively reading once a week for years

and god i think about him all the time.  like.  that is the most wild way to process fiction that i have ever heard of, but also, i’ve gotta admire the sheer chaos energy of it

[mumrikberry]

Soukoku long fics that I recommend

fruit&honey

Ritual time

Betrayal is In My Nature

As the petals fall

Don't you ever tame your demons

Emotions

This side of paradise

MOTORSPORT

FLOW

music for our funeral

Inseperable

A Lesson in Thorns

What's Your Name?

It's my cross to bear(you don't have to hold it alone)

Where your loyalties lie

Dazai and the moving detective agency

Akai

Hopelessly devoted

I'll crown your inner child with laurel

Yellow roses(400 yen)

act of faith

hey look, the sky's falling apart

time after time

Everything or Nothing

new york holiday

teenage nightmares commit atrocities

Love, Chuuya

Mors Vincit Omnia

I was screaming your name through the radio

To freeze or to thaw

Tread where demons play

Three-fold fate

[mumrikberry]

I have now seen 5 Ghibli movies. My dreams are made of wildflower filled hills and the sweet smell of honey. I can now make perfect bread loaves, and I plan on learning alchemy this summer. All is well with the world.

Now, I must go on a hike and pick some flowers for this afternoon's tea session.

[mumrikberry]

Somebody pls just teleport me into a studio ghibli film, I want to follow a cat and end up finding the love of my life, when will it be me, when will it be my turn

[mumrikberry]

this blog is run and owned by a barefooted forest nymph - you can show your appreciation by leaving pretty pebbles and neat knickknacks on your windowsill. please and thank you 🤎🌿🕯🌧

- lilyofthemist

[mumrikberry]

jan novák choreae vernales, concertino 1. con libertà. allegretto will have you feeling dangerously whimisical. I'm entering some sort of fairytale AU of my life where any landscape seen at sufficient distance transforms into a tasteful watercolour juuust on this side of kitsch and forest creatures come out of hidden nooks and crannies just to look cute and because they love you

[mumrikberry]

Out of all bsd ships, fyozai is the one I'm most surprised isn't more popular, given how it's basically the bsd equivalent of lawlight, and lawlight is notoriously popular. It's literally “man who murders people on command with a god complex and fixates on cleansing humanity who actually looks chill and polite on the outside but is completely insane on the inside” and “very eccentric detective who's trying to catch the other dude but is actually just as down with murder as he is”. The whole reading each other's minds / predicting each other's moves / playing chess games. The religious symbolism. The obsession and codependency. Idk

[mumrikberry]

all i have ever wanted is to transmigrate into the ghibli world

[mumrikberry]

i mean im not interested in love or anything b but if the person who reads the same books as me was a violin maker and would take me in their secret spot just to see the sunset and propose to me out of the blue then maybe i would be......

[mumrikberry]

i need something ghibli, dead poets society, hozier. mitski, academically slaying, hannigram to happen to me

[mumrikberry]

studio ghibli romances be like mmm what if we didn’t kiss, but instead both spiritually matured as people because we met each other

[mumrikberry]

I’ve been thinking about it, and I now firmly believe that Charles signed a pre-contract with Red Bull in the week before COTA. Initially, he did it with the intent of putting pressure on Ferrari but then over the course of the triple header he slowly started to realise that maybe honouring that pre-contract MIGHT be his best chance at a WDC. This is heavily reflected in the socials and PR of Red Bull, Ferrari, and Charles himself and ties together all the Lestappen interactions of the past couple of months from Max’s answers at press conferences to the infamous padel date. Buckle up, because it’s going to be a ride.

So I believe to pinpoint the start of the current PR wave/movement that we've coined as Lestappen Gate 2023 we have to look all the way back to Monza. Around Monza, there were numerous rumours that a huge Charles contract renewal was imminent and it was going to be announced, etc. etc. Charles did put these rumours to bed by saying if there were a contract like the one that had been rumoured, he would've signed it immediately. Now, I believe that with Charles confirmed to be unsigned (at around the same time that the George/Lewis and Oscar renewals would've been happening), Red Bull Racing approached Charles to reopen talks.

But I think Charles stalls them, isn't open to talks, until Singapore where Carlos Sainz wins. This throws Ferrari into complete disarray as Fred suddenly can't open talks with Charles as it would then be clear that he will not be re-signing Carlos Sainz. I think it then becomes obvious to Charles and his team that in order for the contract talks to begin they need pressure to negate Santander and the Sainz family breathing down Ferrari's throat. So Charles actively enters talks with Red Bull with the intent of putting that pressure on Ferrari. Also worth noting, Singapore also marked Charles as something special, a generational talent who is also willing to be an exception n2 driver when the team requires it of him, especially when his teammate starts on pole. I think this makes Red Bull even more eager to begin talks with Charles. Interestingly, this is where we get the first Red Bull Lestappen post of this current era, the Lecstappen alert.

This brings us through Suzuka to Qatar, Max winning his 3rd WDC, Charles congratulating him and then effuse about Max and Red Bull in interviews. Seeing the level of success that Max has had is what pushes Charles to decide that he is going to sign a pre-contract with Red Bull for a seat in 2025 because either way, he wins. He either manages to put pressure on Ferrari to get a contract with all the clauses he wants (external brand deals, his own branding, car development to suit him, etc.) OR he gets the MOST talked about seat in F1.

Now this is a key point. I believe the padel date was an excuse to get Max and Charles in the same room. Specifically, for them to have a frank and honest chat about whether they could work as teammates and two n1 drivers on the same team. This is probably the first serious heart to heart that these two have had, which then explains their attitude and closeness in the triple header and them being more ready to be vulnerable and honest with and about each other. Then, in the week before COTA, satisfied that he could be teammates with Max if push came to shove, Charles Leclerc signs a pre-contract with RBR for 2025.

(It's also worth noticing that in the week before COTA, the Lando Norris to RBR rumours and talk noticeably died down, despite Oscar winning the sprint in Qatar).

Now this brings us to COTA, where Charles instantly starts to make PR moves to build a brand for himself. His first big move is signing with WME, a talent agency, and something that Ferrari drivers typically aren't allowed to do. The WME signing solidifies in my mind that a pre-contract exists, because if there is one thing Charles wouldn't do, it's jeopardise his chances of racing in F1. If there's a chance that Ferrari would drop him for this, he just wouldn't do it. However, if he has a guaranteed seat in 2025 no matter the outcome, he would totally do it. It must be said, I believe that Charles is using the pre-contract fully as leverage against Ferrari at this point UNTIL the strategy fuck up. After the strategy fuck up, Charles is noticeably angry and outspoken about it, and Fred starts to freak out a little bit. RBR in the mean time, are starting to try and change the Lestappen narrative from rivals to a duo, with Charles starting to feature heavily on RBR socials.

Moving on to Mexico, Charles does well, considering. But what's important about Mexico is that this is the first time that Charles has truly been treated like a villain by the fans at the track. This is key, not only because of RBR's reaction to it (which I will explore), but also because this is Charles's first taste of what a move to RBR could be like, of what it would feel like were he to become the antihero rather than the golden boy of F1. However, the real clincher is that rather than RBR playing into the narrative of Charles the villain, even despite him literally being involved in the DNF of their own driver (Checo) at his home race, they instead make sure to capture all angles of Charles and Max interacting and one of their own pays special attention to Charles on the podium. In a way, this is the weekend that shows Charles that even though Red Bull and Ferrari are completely different, Red Bull can still be as much of a family to him as Ferrari has been if he wants them to be. Moreso, in fact, considering Ferrari didn't even bother showing up to Charles's P3 podium.

So entering the weekend in Brazil, Charles is pictured wearing his own clothing line that it was rumoured Ferrari forced him to discontinue and Fred Vasseur is starting to get shit scared and starting to talk to anyone from media who will listen about how talented Charles is. Charles does put it on the front row, but there's no real Forza Ferrari about it, and Charles has stopped wearing Ferrari merch in the paddock. A Red Bull employee (Max's PT Brad) is the first person to congratulate Charles on the front row.

Then, the DNS happens. A completely avoidable thing that happened due to Ferrari incompetency, and all hell breaks loose. Charles leaves the paddock before he can finish his Ferrari PR duties like a post-race video, and makes it very clear that he is FURIOUS in all his interviews. Now, laughably, at this point is when Ferrari-Charles contract negations began, or at least, that's what was leaked to the media. In my mind, Charles communicated very clearly to Fred at this point that his pre-contract with Red Bull is a very real threat, and Charles himself is beginning to seriously consider honouring it, and if Ferraro don't get together, they WILL lose their Il Predestinato to Red Bull. At this moment, Fred Vasseur is absolutely terrified. The world is very obviously on Charles's side and sympathetic after the DNS, while being at best apathetic and at worst hostile toward the Scuderia. Meanwhile, Red Bull continue with their Lestappen antics across all social media channel, again publicising the idea that Max and Charles are close and may have once been rivals but are buddies now, like in their tiktok of Max doing the "just an inchident" trend.

Now I haven't mentioned the onboards yet, which were spotted by some eagle eyes fans during the Mexico and Brazil GP weekends, in which Charles's onboard was displayed very clearly alongside their actual drivers, Max and Checo. But the existence of the onboards on the Red Bull pitwall make perfect sense if Charles did sign a pre-contract. Red Bull are gathering data to sway Charles further, almsot a "yeah so here's exactly where Ferrari fucked your race, and here's is what we would've done differently."

The break in the triple header, Charles is noticeably refraining from Forza Ferrari-ing. Rather, he calls the paps on himself on more than one occasion and make sure he is seen with several high profile celebs, strengthening his public image and building his own narrative. Meanwhile, Ferrari is in full damage control mode, taking responsibility for the DNS, acknowledging Charles in a way they haven't fully done since Singapore. There are more leaks of contract negotiations, but Charles does not engage with them. Meanwhile, Red Bull are keeping up their Lestappen propaganda. Charles is making it clear to all parties that this pre-contract that he initially intended to just be a bargaining chip has suddenly become a serious threat to Ferrari.

Finally, this brings us to last weekend, Vegas. Charles, again, refuses to Forza Ferrari. Ferrari PR have put Charles and Red Bull content on absolute LOCKDOWN with not a HINT of Lestappen anywhere, and Max is making comments about the choice of team being important in winning even for generational talents while Charles fidgets and looks away. Fred praises Charles to hell and back again, implying that Charles will obviously be prioritised over Carlos by diminishing Singapore, but in the post-race, Charles still gives nothing. Just a thinly veiled comment about how good it feels to be fighting at the front again. Meanwhile, Red Bull amp up the Charles content even more, even fully posting a picture just of Charles's car. There are also not one, but two questions about Max and Charles's karting past. In discussion with my academic colleagues (@tsarinablogs, @thearchercore, @gaslightgirlsummer (further thanks for all three of them, for entertaining a much rougher draft of this essay a few days ago)), we've talked about the possibility that these questions might have themselves been planted in the media rooms, in order to further cement the idea and control the narrative of Charles and Max, childhood rivals turned dynamic duo. The sort of narrative one might find intriguing around teammates.

So this concludes my essay. I am almost sure that Charles has a pre-contract with Red Bull, which is why he is suddenly so outspoken about the problems and failings of Ferrari. Although this pre-contract originally began as a bargaining chip, I believe that Charles is seriously considering honouring it. Ferrari are desperate, and Red Bull have the upper hand and are starting to pave the way for a media shift in how Charles and Max as a pairing are perceived.

[mumrikberry]

I think part of the reason why I find Max and Charles' dynamic so fascinating is because if anybody created original characters with their basic backstory they would be called out for pushing the narrative too hard but it's literally just basic well known facts about them and things we've seen happen, it's insane like

They're born sixteen days apart.

Their star sign is Libra, the sign of balance, equilibrium.

A complete and utter coincidence and Charles of course had his own personal reasons for choosing his number, but his number also happens to be the same about days that separate their birthdays.

They literally grew up racing each other.

They hated each other as kids.

"I am just as good as him/we're equals in experience etc"

The way they talked about each other to journalists and in their blogs while they were karting lmao.

The incident!

The comparisons since the beginning to Senna and Prost, two of the sports goats and one of the greatest rivalry in F1's history.

Max recommended Charles to be his replacement when he left his team to move onto to the next stage.

There's something poetic about them being born in the year of the ox and Max driving for red BULL. Also 2021 in which Max won his first championship was also the year of the ox and I am completely normal about it after just finding out about five minutes ago -

The slowburn of the relationship, lifelong rivals but friends now too.

The way they talk about each other.

The fact they're each other's biggest defenders.

I am sorry but Charles running off track after getting distracted by Max and then hitting his head on a golf cart again after getting distracted by Max is something I expect to see in romcom or a fic but no both of these things actually happened in Abu Dhabi 2021 on the same night lmao.

The fact they don't follow each other on Instagram and yet interact with posts about the other that someone else posted.

The reason why they don't follow each other lmao, I still cackle thinking of Charles - literally on Max's freaking plane going home to Monaco after Austria 2019 - looking over at Max to see if he noticed that he'd unfollowed him.

Max was known as the inevitable. Charles is the predestined one. Like hello?!!!

There's more but like??!!! The fact this is real life and not a movie is insane sometimes - Guess it's true what they say, truth is stranger than fiction

[mumrikberry]

I think a lot about snufkin representing this idea of “you don’t have to like change, but it’s natural and you do not have to be afraid of it. but rather embrace it” because think about it: moomins was written in the 40’s when ww2 was rampant and people’s lives were drastically changed. moominvalley is a representative concept of people who are afraid of chaos and so in order to preserve normalcy, tradition and peace, they fear new things and fight against things they do not know, but snufkin, while he is hesitant to change himself and his patterns/ways of life, he somehow embraces the small changes in life and works with his friends for the better of a whole and I think that that’s beautiful

[mumrikberry]

I often think about how one of the most, if not the most prevalent themes in moominvalley, is that peace is found within one’s self and is by their own definition. What is peaceful to let’s say, Moominpapa, would not be to Moomin. What is peaceful for Moomin will not be for Snufkin because they’re completely different. It’s all about someone’s set mindset, experiences and what they wish to understand as they go through life. Experience is very important to the peace within the stories. Though Moomin understands and is close friends with Snufkin, they are not of one mind. What is peace for Snufkin: finding solace in the loneliness and opportunities in things that are more dangerous and out there, is not peace for Moomin. Peace for Moomin is the idea of family, being a whole, being one in the same, surrounded by friends. Though Snufkin has few friends, having a family and being the same as everyone else is not something he wants or needs. He is at peace with being himself and prefers to have less attachments that would infringe on that peace. Moomin is a form of peace to him because he brings familiarity and assurance. For Moomin, he sees Snufkin as a friend he wants to make a home for which keeps him coming back in a cycle of separate forms of peace