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johannestevans · 6 months

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New works published, December ahead, and plans for the new year!

Good evening and happy December!

Here's the sign-up link to get these sorts of updates and lists directly into your inbox.

Happy second night of Hanukkah for anyone else celebrating, we lit our first candle last night and have also been doing a Hanukkah gift box with little bears and accessories, so we'll see if our first bear gets a yarmulke or something to wear tonight.

In the past month, I did go along to the Wakefield Makers Fair and it was a brilliant day, was lovely to speak to lots of other queer people in Wakefield and to chat around - I also did Honeypot comedy at the Room Above in Bristol for the first time, and it was a gorgeous night, super fun!

I am in the end stages of finalising my new apartment in Bradford, and once all the paperwork is done and I have my keys, I will be uploading pictures and videos as I move in and redecorate the place. The building went up toward the end of the 19th century, and while it was converted to apartments a lot more recently, only a few decades ago, I'll of course be decorating in more Victorian styles and with contemporary furnishings, and I'll be documenting my progress as I go.

In the meantime I've been wrestling with paperwork and the whole process whilst being technically homeless and going between partners' homes, so apologies for the delays and periods of quiet, work-wise!

I tend to be quite active in writing and publishing over the month of December because Christmas and the Gregorian new year aren't really my thing, so hopefully if you do spend a lot of time celebrating those or generally being offline, you'll be able to come back to a backlog when you've time to read again!

Speaking of, I have updated my commission guidelines, which are here pinned on my Tumblr page, and I'm in the process of editing and collating some short stories into collections at the moment. There'll be a few eBook and paperback collections of fantasy, horror, & romance short stories, and then depending on what I can do on Amazon, I'll also do some collections of erotica. I will not be able to post most monsterfucker stuff on Amazon because of Amazon's restrictions, but I will probably still do some eBooks and make them available on Smashwords and perhaps on Gumroad or Itch.io.

I will also resume podcasting in the new year too hopefully!

Relevant to restrictions, not everything I might want to write is always going to be permitted on Patreon in line with their own guidelines, so I have set up a SubscribeStar as a backup, and also to permit me to publish anything that might be too taboo for Patreon in future. I will be uploading my backlog of previous works and setting up a tiered system on SubscribeStar, hopefully while we're working on collating other stories together in the next month or so.

In the new year, I will of course be doing various markets and conventions, and if you'd like me to come and be part of any queer or trans events, or any writers' events, where you are in the UK, please do let me know! Definitely always feel free to recommend any events to me, whether they're cons or festivals, or local markets and events, or even stand-up comedy things - you can send me messages on whatever platforms, or my email is always [email protected]. As well as working on new paperback short story collections for the new year and the badges I already sell at events, I also want to work on some sticker designs and similar.

I was super happy this year to submit to a few publications and get accepted, and I do want to keep that up as we come into 2024, so recs for those would also be appreciated!

I'm going to do a list this month of my favourite films and new releases of 2023, but in the meantime, I would just like to recommend Down Low (2023, dir. Rightor Doyle) - it's such a bizarre and unexpected gay movie, horny in the best and most ridiculous of ways, and bittersweet at its end but in a way that really clicks.

December having come around also means there's new prompts on Trans Erotica! If you're trans and write erotica or erotic horror, romance, etc, come and submit!

November's Most Popular Works

November's Most Popular Non-Fiction: Close Reading: A Deep Dive into the Process

An in-depth guide into applying analysis to a piece of text and extrapolating meaning.

Read on Patreon / / Read on The Writing Cooperative

November's Most Popular Fiction: Confession and Penance

A priest takes a hands-on approach to addressing a worshiper’s poor working habits.

11k, cis M/M, rated E! Tiernan, a manipulative workaholic who only ever relaxes during Mass services, is taken aside by Father Mullen when it all gets to be a bit too much. D/s, BDSM-approach to enforcing self-care, spanking, painplay, bit of a priest kink but it doesn’t go into that aspect too much, faith. Also some anal.

Read on Patreon / / Read on Medium

New Works Published

Erotic short: Enhanced Parts

Bear goes home with a cybernetically enhanced butch.

NB/NB, rated E, 2k. Commissioned by Bear Blue. Featuring cybernetic enhancements, breeding kink, dirty talk, size difference, large insertions, objectification, humiliation, mild dub con, rough sex, struggling, some tears, implied overstim.

Read on Patreon / / Read on Medium / / Read on Tumblr / / Read on Ao3

Romance & Fantasy Short: The Arena Fighter

An arena brute enjoys one of the attendants.

3.5k, M/M. Nasty violent guys getting off on treating each other a bit roughly. Adapted from a TweetFic.

Read on Patreon / / Read on Medium

Our Flag Means Death Fanfiction: Repentance & Forgiveness

Held hostage by Blackbeard on the Queen Anne, Frenchie can't sleep.

Desperate to just get whatever he can away from crew of the Queen Anne's Revenge, he knocks on Izzy's door and invites himself in.

---

Slowly unfolding relationship between Frenchie and Izzy Hands, as well as an exploration of their relationships with Edward Teach and the rest of their crews, delving for Frenchie into what it means to really experience one's feelings, to get into touch with and truly grapple with the depths of one's worst experiences; and for Izzy and Ed, into what it means to transgress, to repent, and ultimately to be forgiven.

Read on Ao3

Erotic Short: Punishment

A man takes penance over the priest’s desk.

1.8k, rated E, M/M. Featuring spanking, mild anal play, power dynamics, of course the priest aspect, age difference. Tiernan Borel and Marshall Mullen first appeared in Confession and Penance.

Read on Patreon / / Read on Medium

Romance Short: Sleeper Train

Romance short. Two boyfriends head up north on the sleeper train.

850 words, rated T, M/M. Short, sweet, romance and slice-of-life. Adapted from a TweetFic.

Read on Patreon / / Read in Prism & Pen

Erotic Short: Knight Tactics

An elf serves as a distraction and an exhaustion tactic for a bandit camp. By letting them fuck him.

3k, trans M/loads of cocks, assumed as cis M. Amaethon gets himself stuck in a wall so that the bandits will work out their stamina fucking him rather than fighting off the king’s guard.

Stuck in wall, free use, fully (and gleefully) consensual whilst pretending he isn’t, mild belly bulging and come inflation, gaping, exhaustion, messy and come-spattered, etc. All the fun stuff.

Read on Patreon / / Read on Trans Erotica / / Read on SubscribeStar

Read on Tumblr / / Read on Ao3 / / Read on HentaiFoundry

Erotic Short: Free Ride

An elf is given a free ride — not with a saddle, but under a centaur.

1.8k, rated E, cis M/trans M. Centaurs, belly riding, huge stomach deformation, huge penis, suspension, implied inflation, size difference.

Read on Patreon / / Read on Trans Erotica / / Read on SubscribeStar

Read on Tumblr / / Read on Ao3 / / Read on HentaiFoundry

Erotic Short: Snake Eggs

An elf lets a naga lay her clutch inside him.

2.5k, rated E, M/F. Amaethon helps out his friend Gitte, a naga, with laying this year’s clutch of eggs. Size difference and size kink, belly bulging, vaginal and anal penetration, paralysis from her venom, some banter, oviposition, inflation, impregnation.

Read on Patreon / / Read on Trans Erotica / / Read on SubscribeStar

Read on Tumblr / / Read on Ao3 / / Read on HentaiFoundry

Erotic Short: Mimic Studies

An elf experiences a mimic’s tentacles, and then a reward.

Rated E, 2.5k, trans M/a mimic. Featuring multiple tentacle penetration in one hole, vaginal sex, some mild objectification and dehumanisation, some academic silliness, object insertion, cervix penetration, belly bulging and stomach distension.

Read on Patreon / / Read on Trans Erotica / / Read on SubscribeStar

Read on Tumblr / / Read on Ao3

These last four stories - Knight Tactics, Free Ride, Snake Eggs, and Mimic Studies - are all ones I'm publishing for free everywhere as well as in the usual paid places.

I've been in the mood to do all this sort of weird and monsterfuckery and body horror-y erotica, so definitely feel free to send asks or requests for similar themes!

Get merch on TeePublic | | Look through my Directory of Published Work | | Listen to my Podcast

#musings #original fiction #writers on tumblr

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suyooo · 11 months

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Making BIG SIF2 (Part 1)

If you have been following the SIF series for a while, you might have seen "Hop Hop With Everyone ♪ Big SIF" (jp. "Minna de Pyonpyon ♪ Deka Sukufesu") before. It was an attraction made by Klab for the original SIF, which appeared a few times at the SIF Festival locations and Sunshine City. And as the name implies, it's big SIF. You play as a team of nine, one for each of the nine spots, and have to tap a big button with your feet or jump on it to hit the notes on your spot:

youtube

However, it has not been seen since 2019. I guess there's a certain virus to blame, and with the original SIF kind of not existing anymore and Klab being gone, we don't really know what is happening to it.

It is now 2023. SIF 2 has released, but it is not big.

Time to fix that.

What follows is me writing along while I am working on this project. If you want to find out how this works or how you could make one yourself, read on, otherwise, the TL;DR is I have one working switch out of nine so far (the one that has a cable sticking out of it) and there's a little video of it working at the bottom of the post :)

In June 2022, I ran a little contest about trying to play SIF with things you shouldn't play SIF with, inspired by the legendary sausage/soldier game video. There were guinea pigs and dogs, apples and garlic, a tatacon and a shower head, and it was a lot of fun. In the lead-up to the contest, BIG SIF obviously came up as a related topic, along with some thoughts about how one could build it themselves. I think big buttons are just a really cool way to play games in general. Big buttons are fun. I've made a pop'n' controller setup with 5 Donkey Konga bongo controllers before so you could really slap them down, and that was neat, too.

I actually did some brainstorming about how to approach a DIY BIG SIF around that time, but I ended up never pulling the trigger to start working on it. I did remember about those plans around the start of this year though, since conventions and such were starting to come back. (Obviously ignoring D*komi, which is more of a safety hazard than a convention at this point.) Maybe BIG SIF could be something to bring to these, as a mini-event? Even if not, I can play it locally with others - and you could play it with just three people too, it doesn't need to be nine players...

I'm just making excuses, really. The truth is simply I think it looks cool and I want to try making one.

There's obviously a lot of details to deal with, but what I like to do is focus on the most important questions first. In this case, to make the project possible, I need to find out: - How do I build a foot switch? - How do I control the game with external switches?

Anything else - like how to connect everything, making things look nice or easier to use - can come later, because those parts are not vital. Those two questions are what I need to answer to make sure the project is possible in the first place. I'm obviously not the first one with the idea of making a DIY BIG SIF, obviously, so in case you want to see another - one I found was made by members of the Rikkyo University Love Live! Club (which sounds extremely cool), with some pictures shown here.

The foot switch method I ended up choosing is really simple: it works by having strips of copper tape touch. Put it on two surfaces facing each other, put an air gap between them so they don't have contact, but can bend and touch each other when there's a weight on the button. This way, you don't need to deal with any sensors, it's just a simple electric circuit. In fact, now that I am writing this down and looking at the photos again, I think that's also the method the Rikkyo club's BIG SIF used? I think I can see copper tape stuck onto what seems like acrylic plates, and some light foam between to keep them seperated when there's no weight on them. (Again, I'm not the first to have any of these ideas. Also, their controller probably works with SIF 2, too, so I'm not the first one on that, either. I just want to feel fancy and write about the setup I'm building)

Though, in order to make the entire controller thing easier to transport, I didn't want to go with a solid material like that. There was one thing I found that seemed like it would fit the bill: making switches out of shelf liner. That's what makes up the two surfaces, and anti-slip rug pads can be cut to create the air gap. That was the perfect approach: it results in an extremely flat button, the materials are light and flexible so I could just roll the switches up for transport, they're easy to clean after use, and also, I had more than enough at home that I could use for the project! I basically already had everything I needed - copper tape, shelf liner and rug pads. Of course, the fact that it keeps the project cheap is a nice bonus, but the main thing that makes me happy about it is that I really like recycling old stuff that's not in use anymore.

I went with the same tape layouting approach as the original shelf liner mat switch: each surface has the tape arranged in parallel, with one of them rotated 90 degrees so they form a grid, and the rug pad has holes in the locations where they cross over each other. The width of the copper tape I had just perfectly worked out, which was pure luck and 0% planning. There was a different problem though - my tape required a lot of soldering. The copper tape didn't have conductive adhesive, so I couldn't just stick tape on top of tape and have it connect electrically, it needed a seperate connection. If you want to make one of these yourself, get copper tape with conductive adhesive. It will save you so much work, oh god.

Doing the solder job also revealed another problem that I probably should have seen coming a mile away - the shelf liner melts in the places where I take too much time. (If you ever play on my setup, make sure to check the bottom of the switch to see how badly I messed up on the one you're using! (Actually, please don't.)) Instead of trying to get good at soldering, I just added another piece to the stack: another layer of shelf liner that is just decorative and can hide my mistakes. This one I had to purchase, but that's alright because I found some colored shelf liner that matches the three SIF attributes!! That's worth it, right!??

Some snap caps on the bottom shelf liner and the decorative top will be holding everything together, so I can take it apart again to repair or clean the switches easily after use. In general, the buttons built like this should be fairly resilient - there's nothing to break apart through excessive force, and I can replace single layers of each switch in case something does end up failing. The main thing I'm worried about is the solder joints, and how they'll hold up when I roll up the switches or otherwise transport them.

And with that, we have our first foot switch. Wow! I only did a little bit of multimeter poking to confirm it works at this point. Note that the sensitivity of the pad can also be somewhat calibrated by simply making the holes in the rug pad bigger or smaller. I think I overdid it a little - even if the switch is nice and sensitive enough to even register the smallest of tippy toe taps, it sometimes gets stuck in the pressed state for a bit when releasing after standing on it. And that's really bad, since hold notes in the game will require perfect timing on the releases as well. So, I'll probably redo that layer, and just make the holes one row smaller to have the perfect sensitivity.

Now, it's time to get the controller side of the project going, to see whether I can actually play a game with it.

The easy choice here was to simply get a board made for DIY arcade controller panels. These are meant to be easily connected to buttons and joysticks you purchase seperately, and are recognized by any device you plug them into as a normal gamepad. But in practice, they don't care about what you wire to them, as long as it acts as a button - like the floor switch I just built! I get an easy way to convert them into input, without any need to write custom code, or to deal with debouncing the signal or anything. It just works!

The next step was to connect the board to my phone. That's because another thing I want to do is run the game as intended, no modified app or emulation or anything. I just really want to not deal with all those Android emulators and any lag that could possibly cause, or in case any hosts have reservations about using emulated games (and also emulators are just a pain on Linux in the first place). But even with that as a limitation, this part was surprisingly painless! The board just connects through a USB-A to USB-C adapter, it's recognized as a generic gamepad as mentioned above, and the Key Mapper app for Android simply lets you map all of the inputs to taps on the screen. That's all that's needed!

So far, only one button is finished, but it is connected and it works - which means I can already play the most important part of the game...

... the timing calibration.

On the next part of Making BIG SIF2: doing the same thing, but eight more times. Also maybe I'll write about something else too, just so the post is not just a picture of eight more circles.

update: the second part is over here!

#lovelive #love live #ラブライブ #school idol festival #sif2 #スクフェス

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yukiwhitetm · 8 months

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Hey! Happy October! 🎃

If you're wondering what I have been up to, well, I've been trying to get back on my feet since the passing and funeral of my childhood friend's mum. I've lost three friends in the past year, two to cancer and one to sepsis, two that I've known since childhood and been practically family and one that helped my family a great deal (he founded a charity, that's how generous a person he was). So, it's taking me some time but I'm trying to get back on my feet.

Last month, I went to a local convention as modern!Rapunzel and whilst I was there I spoke to some authors who told me that traditional publishing with a literary agent and publisher no longer includes them marketing you unless you're a big name already (which is the whole reason I wanted to publish traditionally!) and also about a writing festival in the county (think like a state) over from mine. I went to the aforementioned writing festival this weekend and took a load of notes during their publishing and marketing workshops! It turns out it's true that I'm going to have to market myself on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok (which I don't even have right now) no matter which publishing route I take for my first book (which is finished already).

So, I'm considering self-publishing instead of my original plan of traditionally publishing so that I can keep full ownership (i.e. own the copyright and ISBN code) of my stories and am thinking over ideas on how to market myself on TikTok and Instagram. I'm a pretty boring person really, very grandma (I like books, tea and crochet/knitting), so it's a bit of challenge.

Anyway! I have my PIP consultation (disability living benefit) at the end of the month so I think I'll plan what to do until then and actually start doing stuff to market myself after that.

I hope you are doing well. Feel free to reply to this post and let me know how you're doing.

Once I start marketing myself, would you like me to link you to my socials? (I will be using my real name to publish so it would include a name reveal.)

Your friend,

Yuki_White

#creative writing #original writing #original work #writeblr #writeblogging #yukiwhitetm #tw death mention #tw funeral #tw cancer

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whatsonmedia · 11 months

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'Dhaka Summer Con' theme song 'Escape' releases

The official theme song of Dhaka Summer Con is out now : The country's biggest pop culture festival ‘Dhaka Summer Con 2023’ is going to be held for three days on July 13th, 14th and 15th at International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB) in the capital. To add a new dimension to the excitement of the upcoming festival, the 'Dhaka Summer Con' theme song 'Escape' was released; it is the first ever theme song created for a pop culture festival. Renowned heavy metal band Mechanix has joined by star artists Raef Al Hasan Rafa, Shishir Ahmed and Black Zang to compose the music for this unique arrangement; On Tuesday, the song got released along with its music video on the official YouTube channel of 'Dhaka Summer Con' and all other social media platforms. The song 'Escape' is penned by Sheikh M Reaz, renowned drummer of Mechanics Band and AGM of MediaQuest Bangladesh. ‘Escape’ will motivate and inspire those youth who are full of passion, fearless and have the urge to do something different. A portion of the song has been rapped by the popular hip-hop artist, Black Zang. Shishir Ahmed directed and supervised the composition of the theme song. Mechanix vocalist Aftabuzzaman Tridib Tridib said about the song 'Escape', 'Mechanix is always committed to giving fans something new. Our plan remained the same with this theme song of Dhaka Summer Con. I hope everyone will listen to the song and make the festival a success by participating in Dhaka Summer Con 2023. Convener of Dhaka Summer Con and Co-founder of MediaQuest Bangladesh, Tariqul Sumon said 'We are going to organize this festival for the first time with all kinds of entertainment. Dhaka Summer Con will be like a grand get together of all the popular music bands and comic communities of the country. The song 'Escape' will instill confidence in every person and inspire them to do something new.’ Srabon Sagor, Co-founder of MediaQuest Bangladesh said, 'MediaQuest is always trying to do something extraordinary out of the ordinary. Dhaka Summer Con is one such initiative. Dhaka Summer Con is determined to give pop-culture a platform in our country and that's exactly what is revealed in this song 'Escape'. This is the first pop-culture festival in the country to have its own theme-song. The country's top local event management and public relations organization MediaQuest Bangladesh is going to organize this festival for the first time with Comics, Cosplay, Concert, Gaming, K-pop, Hip-hop, Art and all kinds of entertainment. Dhaka Summer Con is being organized with the idea of creating a globally inspiring experience and establishing an international standard platform in the concerned community. For more updates visit the official Facebook page, Dhaka Summer Con - https://www.facebook.com/dhakasummercon Listen to the song on YouTube: https://youtu.be/TX3r_rPHA98 । Also the official event page- https://facebook.com/events/s/dhaka-summer-con-2023/196643493359105/ Read the full article

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gealach-in-a-misty-world · 1 year

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Running from strife in her homeland, Maribella Waters becomes the new owner of the fabled Cozy Quill. After finding squatters on her property, she employs Asteria Helsdottir, a giant, barbarian warrior woman more accustomed to swinging an axe than opening a book. Together, the odd couple must make a success out of the bookshop—and survive a dizzying procession of seasonal festivals. But the local evil noblewoman has other plans in mind. Threatened with being run off the land, Maribella and Asteria must use their wits to outsmart Lady Malicent and keep their business open. Along the way, the whole town lends a hand, friendships are forged, and mysteries are revealed.

This was such a delightful read! Morgan Stang's The Bookshop and the Barbarian is a low-stakes cozy novella about the importance of reading and finding new friends. It's also frankly hilarious, to the point where I laughed out loud more than a couple of times. The author gently makes fun of the conventions of the genre, while following them to a T. It even references another famous cozy fantasy novella almost directly, to much hilarity.

This is an incredibly sweet, fun little adventure that I'm really glad to have read. The soft blooming romance between the young businesswoman and the barbarian warrior is the icing on the cake. The dialogue is so incredibly witty, and the funny parts are balanced well with more profound moments. The fourth wall is constantly broken and it's fantastic; the way the haunted books were handled, particularly, had me in stitches.

The Bookshop and the Barbarian is perfect to cleanse your palate in-between heavier reads.

✨ 3.5 stars

[You can find more of my reviews about queer speculative fiction on my blog MISTY WORLD]

#the bookshop and the barbarian #morgan stang #lgbtq books #queer books #queer #queer lit #sff #books #book reviews #reading #gealach reads #gealach writes

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ceruleanchillin · 3 years

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Honeymoon Headcanons: Mayans Edition

Characters: Angel, Coco, EZ x F!Reader

Miami (Angel)

It wasn’t difficult at all to decide where the two of you would take your honeymoon. When you weren’t gonna be naked, Angel wanted you in sundresses and bikinis. You wanted him in linen shirts, and to feel him up in a club. Couple that with you both wanting a tropical environment, and Miami it is.

Angel letting you handle the accommodations, because you seem to know more about what you wanna see/where you wanna go than he does. He only cares about a bed and shower for when he’s not taking you in the inappropriate places. He just hands over the cash, though he complains about his hurt wallet.

Angel hard as a rock when he sees your new name on your plane ticket.

The two of you nearly missing your flight because your husband needs to “show his wife he loves her”.

You babying him on the flight, because Angel has never flown anywhere before.

“Mami, it’s perfectly valid to feel like a flying toaster can’t safely get you anywhere but a casket. Which they can’t even put you in, because you’ll be everywhere!”

Cue you distracting him with kisses and dirty words in his ear, which gets you initiated into the Mile High Club

Barely making it into the cute little condo before the two of you are at it again, collapsing in the late hours to jet lag and mutual satisfaction.

Your first official day is spent dragging Angel around the humid streets. Knowing he stresses easily if you plan things too tightly, and wanting to wing it yourself. It’s surprising how well you to fit in, it almost feels like home.

Angel switching from being jealous, because your tiny cotton sundress is attracting more than just his attention, to him kissing all over your dewy skin because so much of it is visible.

You getting as jealous as Angel, because it seems like each place you drag him to has openly interested ladies. It’s the white linen shirt that he won’t fully button no matter how many times you try to make him.

Angel basking in the attention, and even playing it up to force you to be the one to initiate inappropriate public sex.

Smirking when you break after a woman pays for his (and unintentionally yours) order at a small cafe you stepped into and you snap and drag him to a hidden place.

“I only love you querida, mi alma.” he whispers in your ear when he bottoms out inside you.

You two are a beautiful couple. Photogenic as all hell. Alone, neither of you have a problem attracting interest, but together, you make people want to be seen around you. That’s why you have no problem club hopping to all the exclusive places.

Angel taking photos and videos of you dancing because he’s so enthralled. He can’t wait to show your kids one day when they ask why he fell for you, and he explains how full of life you are.

Getting enough liquor in Angel to get him dance somewhere away from the club, especially since he (lies) and says he can’t.

You and Angel competing to see who can get the most people to buy your drinks + the two of you losing track because you both get drunk.

A quickie in the coatroom is the prize, Angel fucking you to the hypnotic beat.

Spending a few hours apart the following day, only to still keep texting and FaceTiming each other until you met up, touch starved, at a small restaurant.

Deciding to spend the rest of the day at your Airbnb laid up under each other after Angel scores weed. Teasing Angel about his monetary complaints when you spend all night enjoying the small backyard pool.

Angel thanking God for getting an adventure loving woman as his soulmate when you wake him up the next afternoon to inform him you rented jet skis for the day.

You being impressed when, while jet skiing, Angel silver tongues your way into an invitation to a nearby yacht party out of the host.

FaceTiming Gilly to make him jealous that you two are doing Hookah and drinking Casamigos in a hot tub.

Angel ramping up the mockery when EZ and Coco appear on screen, attracted by Gilly’s whining. Everyone looking overworked and salty, while you and Angel are living your best non-sober lives.

Slipping away from the party to one of the rooms on the boat, because once again, you and Angel never know when to stop teasing each other before it ends up in sex.

Feeling bold enough to suggest that since Angel’s been documenting so much of the trip, that maybe he should film this too.

The aftermath being a surprisingly sweet series of kisses and confessions where the two of you express how thankful you are to have found each other. How you can’t wait to build a forever together.

Marfa + Roswell (Coco)

No one knew how you got Coco to agree to travel for your honeymoon until you finally revealed where you were going. Splitting a week between Marfa and Roswell.

You and Coco are that “weird” conspiracy, incense, and weed couple, so it makes sense.

Giving Coco an edible before you leave, because like Angel, he doesn’t fuck with air travel like that.

“They got me with that bullshit in the military, but that was out of my control. You askin’ a lot right now, you’re lucky you’re cute mujer.”

Coco getting progressively handsy during the flight as the edible hits. Eventually, you stop fake-fighting his neck kisses and forward touches.

Also like Angel in that he’s unafraid to become a member of the Mile High Club.

The ride from the El Paso airport, to the car rental place, to Marfa takes far longer than Coco would like.

He’s used to long stretches of trip on his bike, and when you notice him becoming antsy, you distract him with interesting facts about Marfa.

The entire time, Coco can’t help but think that you’re the perfect road trip co-pilot, only to realize he actually meant his life in general now.

Coco proud as hell when you fall in love with his accommodations choice like he did. The colorful airstream trailers of the El Cosmico hotel are the two of you through and through.

You both trying to be responsible adults and refresh after travel, but continuing to get lost in each other during the whole process.

Shower sex -> Making out while drying off -> Touching while searching through your bags for something to wear -> bed sex -> repeat

Looking thoroughly mauled when you finally manage to get Coco off of you and into the car in search of food the next afternoon.

Coco being happy you can’t cover up due to the heat, while you wonder what superpower he and his boys have that let them wear flannel and long sleeves in the heat.

Dragging Coco to a cute cafe you saw on instagram, and him knowing, by the hipster design of it, that his wallet is about to cry.

Stealing food from his plate, and laughing at him sucking his teeth and whining when he catches you.

“You’re stuck with me forever now Johnny sooo….get used to this.”

“Small price to pay for that I guess.”

Finding small shops to go to and being Siamese twins in every one. Coco showing he has good taste in a lot of things one might think he wouldn’t. Him opening up his wallet at everything you 'ooh' and 'aww' at. He can’t help it, he likes you happy, and your kisses and adoring looks are addicting.

For almost everything you get, Letty gets something too. Neither of you wants that tantrum when you get back.

You fighting yourself to avoid the art supply store, and Coco not having it.

“I have so many supplies already, it’s an addiction at this point.”

“So? Get some more. It’s our week, we shouldn’t stress about shit.”

Coco bragging on your talents and successes to the art shop cashier when you checkout.

“Cocoooo.” you murmur hiding your face in his shoulder, arms around his waist.

“Don’t be shy ma, you’re fucking amazing. I love your skills.”

Cue the cashier swooning at the two of you.

Finding unique liquor stores and getting tipsy on samples. It becomes twice as fun when locals, and other tourists alike, start discussing the Marfa lights with you, and you and Coco impress everyone with your ideas.

Being invited to a bonfire smoke session with the other El Cosmico guests when you get back.

Sketching Coco by the firelight, because he’s the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen in that moment, and now he’s officially yours.

The sex being on another level of intimate that night, because all day you and Coco have been engaging in your respective love languages, and it culminates in mutual need for each other.

The drive to Roswell being more tolerable for Coco, but he still misses his bike. Your excitement about AlienFest is so palpable however, he quickly forgets.

Your hotel being more conventional, but the people you meet making up for it. Finally, you and Coco aren’t the weirdest ones in the room.

Taking the time before the festival starts to check in with friends and family and accumulate odd souvenirs for them. You believe Coco is intentionally getting them stuff they’ll hate.

“Taza won’t wear that baby, he has better taste in jewelry than UFO earrings.”

“Ok, but can he bitch about us not getting him anything? Plus, you can guilt anyone into anything.”

Doing cute edible pastries at the festival.

“You know Aliens are demons right? Jack Parsons and L. Ron Hubbard were doing summoning rituals in the Mojave in 1946, and Roswell was the following year.”

“Word?…Shit. Tell me that again when we’re not rolling. I wanna read about it………you’re so smart mami.”

Coco realizing between every snack stop, every dance he shares with you, every trinket you pick up, and every little conspiracy tidbit you share, that you’re his wife now. That the peace he’s been feeling all week, that he thought he’d never have, is going to be his new normal.

New Orleans (EZ)

You and EZ both enjoy engaging with history and culture, and felt that your honeymoon should be built off of your shared interests. During your meticulous wedding planning, it was decided New Orleans would be the honeymoon destination. It didn’t hurt that you missed your southern roots too, even if you weren’t from New Orleans.

Traveling with EZ is a dream considering you’re both pretty organized, together people. He’s not afraid of flying, but you’re always a little nervous.

EZ being Best Husband™️ and soothing even the most minor of your stresses by turning your attention to the excitement of your trip and your new relationship status.

Teasing EZ in-flight won’t get you Mile High Club initiated, because he finds it much more entertaining to punish you by letting you work the both of you up, and making you stay that way for the duration of the flight. He’s got enough will power to suffer through it, because your soft whines make it worth it.

The airbnb is everything it was promised to be, and you’d appreciate that later, but all you can think of is your husband when you step through the door. That’s the other half of why EZ likes to leave you waiting. Your aggression and exclusive desire for him gets, and keeps, him hard.

It rains the following day, which is just as well, because neither of you are quite ready to stop physically expressing your love for each other. The day consists of ordering food, falling out of your clothes and onto each other, separating to read, falling back on each other, and quick naps.

Angel sending mocking texts in your Reyes group about how you’re trying to turn his brother bamma like you, only to stop when you threaten him with no souvenirs.

EZ and you taking responsibility for your own tour because let’s face it, you both know exactly what you want to see, and can plan a more satisfying tour for the both of you. You take turns deciding where to go next.

When it’s his turn, EZ picks an art museum, and can’t quit smiling about it. You think it’s because he picked a place he really wanted to go to.

“Babe, I have a surprise for you.”

“What?” your excitement always makes EZ’s heart race with his own.

He hands you the guide brochure he picked up at the door, folded to the section he wants you to look at.

“Faith Ringgold exhibit?!”

He hums and nods, grunting when you knock into him with a hug.

“Thank you for thinking of me. I love you.” you look up at him, eyes shining with unshed tears and he just kisses you, afraid he’ll cry if he says anything.

The two of you avoid the tourist trap spots for lunch and find a cute family owned cafe. You order for the both of you based on what you know about southern cuisine and both of your tastes.

You love watching EZ fall in love with the food as he keeps asking “Can you make this?” about everything he eats.

The two of you walking through the Garden District in the evening. Hands swinging between you with no plans but to admire the beautiful homes and foliage.

EZ noting how awestruck you are, and you describing what you love about the historic, towering homes.

He catches that when you describe what your dream home in the area would be, he and your future children are mentioned frequently, and it makes butterflies dance in his stomach. He can picture your family in the yards around him.

The two of you almost make it back to your Airbnb, but give into your baser urges after all the domestic conversation. EZ pulls you into an alley for a quickie, the two of you fighting to silence the other’s vocal expression.

You teasing EZ after that he’s more like his brother than he thinks. Him teasing back the two of you would’ve been caught and arrested if he was like Angel.

The following day is relaxed and less planned. The both of you getting thoughtful gifts for each member of your family, blood and otherwise. EZ scores major points for the gifts he suggests for your mom and dad, and you kind of want to jump him again.

EZ is glad you’re impressed, but it’s nothing to him. It all comes naturally because he loves you so much, and refuses to be anything other than the husband he knows you deserve.

AN:

I didn’t want to add this, cuz I wanted to end on a sweet note, but you just know Angel would accidentally send that vid to one of his boys.

Personally, I lose it for shit like this. Anything domestic in writings is my jam, so I decided to make these headcanons.

- Fun fact: Jet Ski is kind of like Bandaid in that it’s become the generic term for “personal water vehicles”, but it’s actually a specific brand’s name for their PWVs. I learned this while writing this enjoy💀.

#mayans mc #mayans imagine #angel reyes #angel reyes x reader #coco cruz #coco cruz x reader #ez reyes #ez reyes x reader #reader insert #angel reyes imagine #coco cruz imagine #ez reyes imagine

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mundane127 · 3 years

Text

nct127 as ideal summer holiday destinations and what it says about them.

taeil : jeju, south korea. taeil appreciates familiarity and finds comfort in travelling alone where he is able to move at his own pace. he doesn't need to plan out and follow a strict itinerary and need not worry about not being able to communicate. the kind to ditch conventional drives and impulsively ride a bike to enjoy the sea view. loves to self-indulge when he is alone - booking a beautiful suite near the beach and taste the freshest seafood. and yes, since music = taeil, watch him explore the hipster and rustic music stores where he has the luxury to spend as much time as he wish in his personal bubble away from the world.

taeyong : lisbon, portugal. a man of art - taeyong really enjoys that mix of rustic building and the rich culture. he is like a burst of colors, eccentric and expressive. might pop a dance move or two in the middle of the streets and loves to maybe just lay back and have a cup of coffee as he people watch. enjoys the preparation process of holidays, reads up and learns a few lines to communicate with locals. i can just see him with his tinted sunglasses, map in hand and a new friend he met a few minutes ago that finds him really friendly despite a language barrier behind the camera helping him snap pictures. taeyong lives in the moment.

johnny : mallorca, spain. music, beach and chill screams johnny. not getting drunk or going to clubs for five days straight kinda rave but more of enjoying the night scene to the fullest, basking in the local nightlife, unafraid to try interesting concoctions, vibe and free from the shackles of the world at the music festivals and meeting new people from around the world through wine-tasting and paddle surfing. won't hesitate to spend on trying local food and there's always a snack in one of his hand as he walk around. doesn't like plans too, very spontaneous and focuses on making memories even if he ends up at a dead end where he least expects it.

yuta : okinawa, japan. also enjoys domestic travels because he doesn't like the hassle or being bound to a tour guide in somewhere he isn't familiar with. besides, okinawa is a combination of so many other famous summer hotspots! slightly more on the adrenaline side, can dive and snorkle for many days if he enjoys it, researches on the top local food to eat and makes sure to structure a schedule to visit all of them. spends his final day on the beach sun-tanning, no thoughts and no worries at all and taking the opportunity to recharge fully to start afresh after the holiday. not exactly a big fan of shopping.

doyoung : amorgos, greece. apparently, the only way to get to this island in greece is by ferry and can take up to eight hours but the result at the end of it is exactly why doyoung started on this journey anyway. he is not only competitive, but very very tenacious and determined and believes that at the end of a long painful journey, he gets to savour the beautiful view. obsessed with being away from people, loves his alone time and probably carries a diary with him to document his holiday. may have chosen not to buy roaming so he can truly unwind. plans his finances well and stays in a hostel / guesthouse where he can find like-minded travelers.

jaehyun : istanbul, turkey. loves shopping and admiring the cultural elements of this modern yet rustic city. jaehyun gives off an energy where he likes trying everything but not exactly the kind that find importance in meeting new people. also another avid photographer, but rather than pictures of himself, he takes pictures of cats by the streets or locals going about their day. our boy may be a little shy and reserved contrary to what people often see and he is a 'feeler' so he remembers the moments in their scents, sounds and the energy it gives him. a quiet and peaceful traveller, don't want too much attention and emphasizes on blending in.

jungwoo : gold coast, australia. rubs off me as someone who really loves to spend his entire trip high on adrenaline and the capital of amusement parks is where jungwoo will be. has lots of fun even if he takes scary rollercoasters alone. an introvert with extrovert tendencies where he'll unknowingly crack jokes and naturally become the life of the party. his long day ends with him just taking nice long showers in his hotel bathtub with some good music to recharge from all the human interaction. not a detailed planner but likes having a rough idea of what to expect at the next amusement park he is about to conquer. always checks his documents.

mark : san diego, usa. we've seen how he blends in so well with the local asking whether they know that song. lonely travels are exciting because he gets to geek out without anyone else's opinion. honestly prefers nights over days because of human traffic, likes therapeutic activities like watching fireworks and star-gazing or cinemas under the stars. loves to just stand among many and enjoy music. may or may not take part in hot-dog eating competitions because of the sudden burst of energy. in a place where mark doesn't feel out of place and matches his energy, it is where his true self is unleashed.

haechan : bangkok, thailand. bold is the only word to describe haechan. crazy nightlife, food and shopping that he just cannot resist. wants to try everything and doesn't give two shit about anything else. so spontaneous and his only worry is about not having enough fun. haechan is youthful and i can only see him being so even in future. never plans and may lose his passport but doesn't sweat a single bit, he is street-savvy and he is definitely a master at thinking on his feet. probably someone who is actually very realistic and understands that everyone is living on borrowed time and why not make the best of it while he can.

#nct scenarios #nct scenario #nct reactions #taeil scenarios #taeyong scenarios #johnny scenarios #yuta scenarios #jaehyun scenarios #jungwoo scenarios #mark scenarios #haechan scenarios

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idreamofplaid · 3 years

Text

Married in Austin

Square Filled: Woke Up Married for @spnfluffbingo ; Free Space for @spngenrebingo ; Austin, Texas for @spndeanbingo

Characters: Jensen x Reader; Jared; Kim, Brianna, and Ruth mentioned

Rating: M

Summary: The reader wakes up to find herself living a dream.

Word Count: 4398

A/N: Beta’d by the in all ways wonderful @dean-winchesters-bacon . Thank you Kat! This is Part I of three parts.

It was the biggest diamond ring you’d ever seen in person that wasn’t inside a case in a jewelry store, and it was sitting on your finger. If that wasn’t enough to have your heart pounding nearly out of your chest, there was a gold band sitting next to it. You stared at the two rings, couldn’t tear your eyes from them. They were gorgeous, exactly what you would have wanted. You just wished you knew how they got there.

You pulled the gray down filled comforter covering Jensen’s California King sized bed around your naked body. It didn’t surprise you that you’d spent the night; you had been spending a lot of nights at Jensen’s house lately. You remembered the party. You had planned it with him, looked forward to it for weeks. It was your big debut in his world in a way. You had met some of his friends from Supernatural due to the conventions you’d been to over the months you’d been together. The plan had been to invite all his friends from the show as well as his local Austin friends that he knew from his brewery business, his involvement in local music festivals, and even some he’d known since high school.

You remembered Jensen playing the guitar, and you remembered him singing to you. It was a song from his latest album, a song he had written for you. Since Supernatural had wrapped, he’d devoted his time to music and directing. So far he had enjoyed his time away from being in front of the camera. That would be changing soon when the announcement came about a new project he had in the works with Kripke that would push him back into the bright lights. For the time being, it had given your relationship time to develop without the pressure of so much publicity.

The memory of his voice from last night, the way he sang to you, the way he could make you feel like the only person in a room calmed you a little. It always did when you could feel the anxiety bubbling up inside you. When you actually heard his voice calling your name, it had the opposite effect for once. “Y/N, babe are you up?”

When Jensen came through the door, he was breathtaking just like he always was in your opinion. He was wearing one of those Henleys that Dean had so rarely worn, much to the chagrin of many fans. It clearly defined the muscles in his shoulders, chest, and arms. Your eyes were fixed on him while he walked across the room and sat down next to you, leaning in for a kiss. “How’s my beautiful wife this morning?”

You were still holding the comforter next to you like he’d never seen you naked before. He looked at your hands clutching the covers to your body and back to your face. “Y/N, is everything okay? What is it, baby?”

You feebly held up your hand with the new rings on it. Then your eyes landed on Jensen’s hand. There was a thick gold band there too. You picked up his hand and ran your fingers over his ring. “Jensen, are we...did we...get married?” You felt stupid asking because all the evidence was there.

Jensen was silent, then finally asked, “You don’t remember?”

You let go of his hand and sat back, shaking your head. “I remember you singing.” Your eyes were wide, searching Jensen’s. “We had a wedding?”

Jensen took your hands in his and started to rub his thumb over your knuckles.”We had a party; our friends were here, and I proposed to you.”

You started to shake your head harder. “I don’t…”

Jensen stopped moving his thumb. “You had two drinks last night. That’s it. That’s never made you drunk before, especially not so drunk that you don’t remember anything.”

You brought your newly wedded, ring laden finger to your mouth and started to nibble at your fingertip. “I took one of my anxiety pills last night because I was nervous about making a good impression for your friends. It must have interacted with the alcohol.” You looked around the room, over the bed and back to him. “I don’t remember you proposing to me. You proposed to me, and we got married the same night? How? I don’t remember any of it.” Your eyes started to fill with tears.

Jensen took you into his arms, turned so his back was against the headboard, and settled your head on his shoulder. “Shh, baby. We don’t have to stay married if you don’t want to. You were so happy; I thought it was what you wanted too. I didn’t know how out of it you were; I should have. I’m sorry.”

You raised your head quickly. “Please don’t say you’re sorry. I do want to be married to you. I just want to know how it happened.”

Jensen guided your head back down to his shoulder. “I’ll tell you. I’ll tell you all of it.” He stroked your hair and told you, “Breathe with me, okay?” You adjusted your breathing to the steady rhythm of his, and it calmed you.

Jensen held your head in his hand and started to tell the story. “I had planned this big, surprise proposal for you. Jared has been listening to me go on about it for weeks now.” Jensen chuckled and kissed your temple then went on. “I told you I had gotten you an early birthday present, and I gave you the envelope. You were so excited when you opened it and saw the plane tickets.”

You raised your head again. “You got me plane tickets? A trip?”

“Yeah. It was going to be a destination wedding. I had the ring in my pocket. It was in one of those fancy little boxes. I got down on one knee, opened it up and asked you to marry me.” Jensen laughed. “You dropped the tickets and started crying right there. After I put the ring on your finger, I stood up and held you until you stopped crying.” He ran his fingers through your hair. “You also did maybe say you love me once or twice.”

You whispered, “I wish I remembered.” Then your voice got even quieter. “I don’t even remember marrying you. How did it happen?”

“I was still holding you, even after your tears went away. I think we started swaying in each other’s arms; I just didn’t want to let you go,” he sighed, and it was a contented sound. “Rob started playing some music, and we started dancing. After a couple of minutes, I don’t know who it was, Briana maybe. Someone said, ‘Why are you waiting? Why don’t you get married now?’”

He rested his chin on top of your head and continued with the story. “We looked at each other, and I saw it in your eyes. We were thinking the same thing. That the destination wedding I had planned would be a great honeymoon. My friend Eric is a judge here in Austin. I’ve known him since high school, and he agreed to marry us.”

You tilted your head up to look at him. “What was the ceremony like?”

Jensen rubbed his hand soothingly down your back. “Tell you what. You want to take a little nap with me, then we’ll watch it together? Jared filmed the whole thing on his phone. I’ll ask him to send it to me. We can have our own private ceremony right here.”

Jensen knew how to bring you back from the edge of a downward spiral. Maybe it came from years of helping his best friend deal with depression and anxiety; he invariably knew how to make you feel better, no matter the circumstances. It also had a lot to do with how attentive he was with you; Jensen noticed everything.

You nodded against his shoulder. “Yeah. I want to see it with you.”

Jensen tipped your chin up with his finger so you were looking at him. “Rest first.” Then, he placed a gentle kiss on your lips.

Reluctantly, you pulled yourself away from the snug place he had created for you, cuddled next to him. “I’ll be right back.” You stopped on your way to the bathroom to grab a tank top and some panties from the drawer that was “yours” at his house. You stood staring at them in your hands for a couple of seconds because it hit you that all the drawers were yours now.

When you returned, Jensen was stripped down to his underwear. He was wearing black boxer briefs that you loved to see on him, no doubt he remembered that too. The covers were thrown back, and he was waiting for you to join him. You crawled in beside him; he settled the bedding over you and opened his arms, beckoning you to him. You took your place, curling into his side, your head on his chest.

You opened your eyes a couple of hours later and had a momentary surge of panic when Jensen wasn’t next to you, until he opened the door carrying a champagne flute filled with what looked like strawberry yogurt. He handed it to you with a smile. “Just like a fancy hotel.” With his other hand, he brought a spoon from behind his back with a flourish. He dipped it into the yogurt and brought the spoon to your mouth. You opened your mouth so Jensen could feed you. It was, indeed, strawberry. You let the sweet, tangy taste cover your tongue, and Jensen stuck the spoon into the remaining yogurt. “Breakfast first, then we watch our wedding together.”

You couldn’t resist feeding Jensen a couple of spoonfuls of your yogurt, joking with him that he needed breakfast too. Really, you wanted the intimacy and simplicity of the moment. When the last bite was gone, Jensen put the glass and spoon on the bedside table and picked up his phone. He moved his fingers over the screen. When he found what he was looking for, he asked, “Are you ready?”

You looked at him for the longest time, not answering. The first thing you said wasn’t an answer, but instead, “Kiss me, Jensen.” He closed his eyes as his face moved in closer to yours, and when your lips met; your eyes were closed too. You were completely focused on his kiss, lost in it. He could ground your world; Jensen was your world.

When he broke the kiss, his fingers were lightly stroking your cheek. “I love you, Y/N.”

You slowly opened your eyes. “I love you too. I’m ready now.”

The two of you snuggled under the covers together and propped yourselves up against a massive number of pillows on the bed. Jensen held up the phone so you could watch last night’s events together. The first thing you saw was Jensen waving his hand at the camera. “C’mon, Jay. Get that thing out of my face. I’m nervous enough already.”

Jared’s voice answered. “This is for history. It’s the story of you and Y/N.” He centered the camera on Jensen’s face again. “Tell her what you’re thinking right now, but remember your kids will watch this one day.”

For a second, it looked like Jensen was going to fire back with some smart remark, but he stopped. His mouth softened first, his lips coming together, then his eyes filled with that far away look he got when he was withdrawing into the deepest part of himself where he kept his most private and treasured feelings. “Y/N, I love you. You’ve made me happy again, and I am so scared right now. Scared that I won’t be able to give you that kind of happiness back.” Jensen was silent for a minute, then he waved his hand good naturedly at Jared with a smile. “Now, get that thing away from me.”

You brushed tears from your eyes, and Jensen pressed pause so he could do it for you. “Hey, honey, it’s okay.”

“You were scared? Of not making me happy?” His thumb was still resting lightly on your cheekbone, and you put your hand over his. “You do. You make me happier than I’ve ever been.”

His eyes were a warm, deep crystal jade, and they were filled with more love than you had ever hoped to see returned to you. “I come with a lot of strings attached, strings that can be really hard to deal with.”

“So do I, Jensen, and you’re still here.” He smiled, kissed you, and pressed play again.

The next scene was near the pool where the caterers had set up tables laden with party finger foods as well as heartier fare. This was Texas, so brisket was a must at a gathering like this. Large potted plants and strings of twinkle lights had been added to the already gorgeous and immaculate landscaping.

All the new friends you’d made since you’d been with Jensen were gathered around, and he was sitting on a stool with his guitar propped on his thigh. You were standing beside him, and he was singing “The Man I’m Meant to Be”. It was the song he had written for you.

This was the part of the night you remembered. He looked at you as he sang the last line. You are the one who changed me. He played the last chords to loud applause, and when he got up, put the guitar down, and kissed you; the applause got even louder.

Jensen stood holding your arms and looking deeply into your eyes for a couple of seconds before he lowered himself down to one knee. He took that box he’d told you about from his pocket, looked up at you, and slowly opened it. “Y/N, it’s just like I said in the song. You’ve changed my life; you’ve changed me, made me better than who I was before I met you. I hope I can give you back just part of that and make you happy for the rest of your life. Would you let me try? Will you marry me?”

Your hands were cupped over your mouth and nose as you listened to him, your breath coming in deep gasps. Finally, you reached out to him, one hand still covering your face. He took your hand in his, still holding up the ring box in his other. “Jensen, I...I...Yes, I want to marry you.” He let go of your hand so he could take the ring from the box and slip it onto your finger. Then he stood and circled his arms around you, making the two of you an island in this group of people.

You wished you could remember how that had felt.

The video kept playing, and you heard the voice Jensen had mentioned. It sounded more like Kim to you than Briana, but the words clearly were, “Why don’t you just get married now?”

You saw the way you and Jensen stopped and looked at each other. It was just like something out of a movie. The way he looked at you was making you feel butterflies gently stirring in your stomach right now. “What do you think? I can’t imagine anything better than not spending another day without you as my wife.”

You nodded and answered, “Let’s do it.” The smile on your face was so radiant, you almost didn’t recognize yourself.

In the next scene, you were standing with Jensen in front of a man who must be his high school friend Eric, the judge. Jared was at Jensen’s side so it was unclear who was doing the filming now. Ruth had taken the place next to you to serve as your maid of honor. She had been so warm and welcoming to you when you had first shown up on the set of Supernatural in its last year. You’d quickly formed a friendship, and you couldn’t help but notice the subtle flirting that was going on between her and Jared, so this was probably also your way of giving them a nudge.

There was no rehearsal, no weeks of shopping for the perfect dress, picking out the flowers that expressed just the right sentiment, choosing colors, selecting a menu, planning a guest list. Your wedding dress was the dress you’d chosen for the party. It was a blue, off the shoulder style with loose sleeves that fell just beneath your elbows trimmed in a wide ruffle. It made you think of the poem your grandmother used to tell you when you were a little girl. Married in blue, your love is true. Jensen’s shirt was blue too, such a deep navy it was almost black. It was one of your favorite colors on him, and he looked absolutely breathtaking.

There had been no time to learn the traditional vows, not that you and Jensen would have said them anyway. There wasn’t much time to even think about writing your own, so everything you said to each other came from the heart. Jensen talked about the way you inspired him to always be better because that was what he saw in you, beauty that radiated from the inside, grace, kindness, and hope. He talked about how much you had given him, how much you brought to his life and made it richer.

The things he’d said to you were so beautiful. How could you have said anything that compared to that? What if you had said was unremarkable, ordinary? You moved in closer to him, and Jensen tightened his arm around you. Your hands were in his, and your voice sounded strong and sure when you started to talk. “Jensen, you are more than anything I ever dreamed of. You are incredible in every way. Talented, thoughtful, intelligent, handsome, and bigger than life. You’ve given a part of yourself to so many people, encouraged them, made them laugh, made them believe in themselves. You’ve changed more people than you even realize, but you are still so humble. I can’t quite comprehend you; you are that amazing and rare, but I do know how much I love you. I’ll be the best wife I can be for you. I promise.”

You finished talking, and Jensen leaned down to kiss your cheek. Then you put rings on each other as an outward symbol of your bond. Jensen had bought yours with your engagement ring as a set. That much was obvious when you looked down at your hand, but when Ruth gave you the ring for Jensen; you had no idea where it came from. You hadn’t bought him a ring. You turned to him, and he stopped the video. “Jensen, where did I get your ring?”

Jensen looked down at his hand and chuckled. “Jared had it. I mean he was still wearing it because he forgot to take it off after filming that day. Thank God, Walker is a grief stricken widower who refuses to stop wearing his wedding ring. I told him he’s not getting it back.”

Jensen’s ring was a prop. “Is it real? I mean is it actual gold?”

“I seriously doubt it; props usually aren’t that valuable. Could be though. Real stuff lasts longer.” He noticed you nibbling at your bottom lip. “Hey, it’s perfect. It tells the world I’m yours. You can get me whatever kind of ring you want, but for right now I’m wearing this one so everyone knows I’m your husband.”

“I want you to have something real. You should have a real ring.”

He kissed you gently, just barely pushing his tongue into your mouth and letting it circle yours softly. “I have you.”

The rest of the video showed your first kiss as a married couple, the presentation of Jensen and Y/N Ackles to your assembled friends, and your first dance as husband and wife. There wasn’t a cake, so you fed each other chocolate covered strawberries. Your bouquet consisted of a floral arrangement taken from one the vases with the sash from Felicia’s dress tied around it. Your aim was good, and Ruth caught your bouquet just as you intended. That was the last of the video, and Jensen turned it off.

He put the phone on the table and turned to you to take you full into his arms. He kissed your mouth first and then left a long line of kisses along your jaw up to ear. He gently nibbled at the lobe. “Do you feel married now?”

“Jensen, what about last night? We made love, didn’t we?” He let go of your ear and sighed. “Tell me.”

“Yes, we did.” He threaded his fingers through yours to hold your hand. “It was amazing, everything it should be. Except that you don’t remember it.” He brought your hand to his lips and kissed it. I’ll make it up to you.” He shook his head. I should have known. I should have known something was off with you.”

“Don’t say that.” You ran the back of your hand along his jaw that was beginning to show the first signs of a shadow of scruff. “I wouldn’t change anything because then we wouldn’t be married right now.” Jensen examined your eyes for evidence of truth. He was satisfied with what he saw there because he smiled. “I do remember flashes of being here with you, in this bed.” The reality of the situation settled over your again, and you changed your wording. “Our bed.”

You slid down under the sheets and tugged gently on his hand so he’d join you. “I remember you kissing me, and feeling safe. You were on top of me, and I can remember feeling wanted, loved, and safe.” He was on his side looking at you and listening to every word intently. “Jensen, I know everybody makes a big deal out of the wedding night, but could we have a wedding morning?”

He raised up and positioned himself over you, his face just inches from yours. “You can have anything you want, Mrs. Ackles.” He lowered himself that last short distance to your mouth. Your lips parted for him, and his tongue slowly explored your mouth. You circled one arm around his neck, fingers reaching up to feel the hair just above the nape of his neck. He was in no hurry, like you had forever. Jensen kissed you until your lips were pink and a little swollen from his attention.

Your lips weren’t the only ones that bore the evidence of your kissing. His lips were even fuller, even more enticing than they usually were. You lightly touched his bottom one, running your fingertip across it. “I want you, Jensen. Show me everything you did last night.”

He caressed your body, worshipped it. He kissed all the places that made you shiver and tingle, tasted you, watched you come undone, sighed and groaned at the feel of your mouth on him, filled you, and made you cry out for more.

Jensen. It was the only thought your mind was capable of having.

He held you in his arms after he had thoroughly loved you. His kisses were soft on your temple and your cheek. He whispered all the words in your ear that a bride should hear. He told you how beautiful you were, how much he loved you. Jensen told you he would always take care of you, and he told you he had never been so happy. He talked about the future you would have together.

It was after he made a comment about wanting to know every single one of your dreams that you asked him if you could see the plane tickets. He knew traveling and seeing the world was one of your dreams. Jensen opened the drawer in the table on his side of the bed and pulled them out. He handed them down to you, and you glanced down to read the destination. Florence. He was taking you to Italy. “Oh, Jensen.”

A smile crossed his face as he watched your reaction. “Will you marry me again there? You can have any kind of wedding you want, a wedding you’ll remember for the rest of your life.”

“You are perfect, Jensen Ackles, you know that?” His hair was a little longer on top now that he wasn’t Dean, and you ran your fingers through it. “I would love to do that.” You let yourself enjoy this moment in your husband’s arms, imagining the life you would have together. The sheer depth of the hope and possibility you were feeling could only be diminished by one thing, and that thing reared its ugly head.

You had to let your family know you were married. Considering your mother’s reaction when she first found out you were dating Jensen that wasn’t something you were looking forward to doing. You could hear her words in your head now when you had shared your excitement about your new relationship with her. “Y/N, what are you thinking? Are you ready to be dragged through the tabloids?” It didn’t matter to her when you tried to explain that Jensen stayed out of the tabloids.

Her next attack had been about his past and how you could never be compatible with him. “You’re only twenty-nine years old, Y/N. He’s just playing with you. He’s at a totally different place in his life. He has an ex wife, don’t even get me started with all the problems that could cause, and three children. Do you actually think he’ll want more?” You’d listened, not even defending yourself, just like you had when you were a little girl. Saying you had a complicated relationship with your mother would be a polite understatement.

Jensen noticed the change in your mood. “What is it, sweetheart?”

“Nothing. I’m just going to have to tell my family about this, about us being married, and I’m not looking forward to it, especially the conversation with my mom.” You refused to let her invade this most private space between the two of you. You’d deal with the family drama later. Right now you were going to enjoy the love this incredible man had brought into your life.

Everything: @gambitwinchester @princessmisery666 @onethirstyunicorn @peridottea91 @logical-princey @emilyshurley @beenlovingromansincedayoneish @fangirlxwritesx67 @waywardbaby @atc74 @ledzeppelinsbonzo @shaniquacynthia @mariekoukie6661 @tumbler-tidbits @67-chevy-baby @fandom-princess-forevermore @terrarium-jpeg @emoryhemsworth @crashdevlin @heycasbutt @jules-1999 @mrsdeannafuckingwinchester @cosicas-cuquis @sammyimpala-67 @queenoftheunderdark @dean-winchesters-bacon @mrs-meghan-winchester @timelordy-fangirl2 @sweetness47 @hobby27 @awesomesusiebstuff @kickingitwithkirk @becs-bunker @sandlee44 @supernaturalgrandma @lonewolf471 @sea040561 @dawnie1988 @volleyballer519 @outcastedangel @kdfrqqg @lizette50 @daisymoder72 @sorenmarie87 @winchesterxfamilybusiness @deansotherotherblog

Dean/Jensen: @deansyahtzee @flamencodiva @deanwinchesterswitch @feelmyroarrrr @sammit-janet @focusonspn @akshi8278 @ladywinchester1967 @sgarrett49 @wingedcatninja @coffee-obsessed-writer @adoptdontshoppets @ellewritesfix05

#spnfluffbingo #spngenrebingo #spndeanbingo #jensen fluff #jensen x reader #spn rpf

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cowperviolet · 3 years

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A GUIDE TO MEDIEVAL TOURNAMENTS

Do you have a dynastic wedding to celebrate? A diplomatic visit to spice up? An axe to grind with a neighbour whose pageantry is eclipsing yours? Organize a tournament. It’s always the answer. A tournament of the greatest knights of the realm cannot go wrong.

Of course, it’s also a great and complex undertaking; but, thankfully, this step-by-step handbook should guide you through the process with only minimal pain and no injury

Obtain permission.

In England in France at least, organizing tourneys had become mostly a royal and ducal prerogative after 1340 – if you are not lucky enough to belong to one of those miniscule categories of the population, you would have to seek a special license. Obtaining it shouldn’t be a problem… unless, of course, there is a war on. In that case, you’d better check the latest royal proclamations – it’s more than possible that one of them contains a temporary ban on all tournaments while men of fighting age might have to risk their lives and limbs against an actual enemy. If this is true, it would be prudent of you to postpone your plans for a few months (or years, depending on how the war is going) – you wouldn’t want to content yourself with the kind of furtive affair that was the Le Hem tournament of 1278. It was hastily staged in direct violation of Louis IX ’s prohibition of tournaments because of the ongoing war, and as a result had to even dispense with the mêlée on the third day.

(If you think the prohibition overbearing and unfair, plenty of people would agree with you – and not just the kind of people who can afford swords and horses. The poet Sarrasin criticized the king in his Le Roman du Hem for bankrupting the heralds, armourers, saddlers and provisioners of France with his tournament ban).

2. Consider the time and place.

Most tourneys run from Monday to Sunday, with Friday being the rest day. You would need a spacious marketplace to divide into lists, too.

A lot depends on what kind of tournament you want to host. A general mêlée whose absence so disappointed the spectators in Le Hem would need more space than a contained joust; on the other hand, mêlée combat has been steadily losing its popularity as of late in favour of one-on-one jousts.

Of course, some people grumble that the old days when horsemen smashing into enemy in massed formations were the fixture of any tournament where the days when men were still men. But we are modern, fifteenth-century people, and we understand the importance of ensuring safety both for the participants and the spectators – hence the barriers down the centre of each list to prevent the knights from actually colliding with each other, and fenced enclosures to keep the audience strictly away from the danger. Which brings us to…

3. Decide on the rules.

The traditional rules of joust are the following: the knights are divided into two teams, those ‘within’ and those ‘without’ – or, in other words, the ‘defenders’ and the ‘attackers’. The space is, in turn, divided into three lists, each separated from the other by high barriers. The courses – the charges by two opposing knights – are going to be run down each, towards the spectacular splintering of lances. Each day, a prize, usually in the form of a small jewel or a golden chain, should be given to the best-performing knight and squire from each team.

You can, however, add or tweak a few details in order to make the sport safer for the participants – or more exhilarating for the audience. For example, you could take a page out of Maximillian I’s book and provide the knights with special spring-loaded shields that would flow apart if struck in the right place. You could also follow King Edward of England’s example and model your tournament after the béhourd he sponsored in Windsor in 1278: he specified, among other things, that the participants would have to wear cuir bouilli – a type of leather boiled until it was almost as hard as metal – and use wooden shields and whalebone swords.

If you scoff at the lightweight kind of tourneys popular these days, and especially if you care little for pageantry, then a different kind of joust might be more up your alley. The so-called passage of arms, or pas d’armes, is an undertaking to defend a certain place (usually a bridge or a gate) from all comers. It was inspired by various episodes from Arthurian romances, such as the Romance of Yvain by Chrétien de Troyes. In fiction, the knights undertook the defend a bridge, a gate, or a ford in single combat, and, if they were defeated, the winner took their place. Naturally, a real passage of arms plays out somewhat differently – for one thing, the defense only lasts a specified period of time (rarely longer than two weeks), and one defeat in a particular joust does not mean surrender. The most famous example of any knights attempting this kind of endeavor is probably the pas d’armes that Suero de Quinones organized at the Orbigo Bridge in northern Spain for two weeks until the St. James’ Day of 1434. They claimed a plan of breaking 300 lances in total – if they failed, the organizers promised, they would remain there for a further fortnight. They fulfilled that promise, and ended up withdrawing only on the 9th of August – but even with that extra time, they’ve only managed to break 178 lances in total. It’s no mean result, of course – plenty of minor conventional tourneys end in mighty disappointment for the spectators with not a single lance ending up broken at all.

It must be said that, although a passage of arms is a grandiose undertaking, jousting proper usually only takes a couple of hours a day there – in other words, the spectators are likely to be disappointed anyway. Your fellow knights, however, are going to be delighted by the concept – if, of course, they are true connoisseurs of tourneys just like you.

4. Think of the logistics.

The matter might begin with the rules of fighting itself, but it doesn’t end there. If you are in a position to organize a tournament out of your own purse in the first place, you must be the master of the lands where it’s going to be held, so make sure your subjects don’t suffer as a result of the soaring prices that usually accompany such events, not to mention the influx of professional warriors. Fix the prices firmly for the duration of the tournament, especially the prices on bread, fish, and meat; stipulate that no spectators or unarmed persons are to mix with the participants; make sure each gate of the city is manned by about twelve armed men, and station at least five hundred guards around the setting of the tournament itself.

5. Send out invitations.

Sending letters of invite seems to be the most logical course – however, it is also the most excruciating one, given the number of noblemen of fighting age who would be eligible for participation. In your situation, it would be better to contact the organizer of the tourney closest to yours and ask him to have your upcoming event announced there.

You would also do well to contact the tournament societies in your region – if you live in Germany, it’s going to be particularly easy: the whole concept, after all, originated in Bavaria. Tournament societies are essentially permanent tournament teams from different regions. Instead of laboriously summoning individual knights, one could simply issue a challenge from one society to another. Moreover, some societies’ rules even specify that the members have to meet annually at a tournament -it might as well be yours!

6. Think of the theme.

Of course, you don’t have to have a theme – you might want your tournament to simply be a bit of rough, honest fun it used to be in William Marshall’s days. We don’t live in William Marshall’s days anymore, though, and I suspect you wouldn’t want to be outdone by your neighbours.

The most go-to theme are Arthurian legends. It’s the kind of oldie-but-goldie you cannot go wrong with. The fashion was arguably started by Edward I of England, who set out a round table and acted out a number of Arthurian romances with the other noblemen at the feast after the tournament in honour of his daughter’s wedding. That was a far cry from the spectacular Arthurian festival arranged across the Channel by the lords Longueval and Bazentin in Picardy: they had the tournament presided over by ‘Queen Guinevere’, and stipulated that all the attendant knights had to bring a damsel with them. Another member of the theatricals was named as Chevalier au Lyon, who supposedly ‘rescued’ the ladies in ‘Guinevere’s retinue, and even had a real lion with him.

If this is all a bit too out there for you (or, the other way around, too pedestrian – everyone does the Round Table these days!), you could organize the pageantry of the tournament around your heroic ancestor or your sigil – possibly both. For example, the joust that Adolf of Cleves staged in Lille had been inspired by the story of the Cleves’ progenitor, a knight who was miraculously led along the Rhine by a swan and ended up marrying the local princess. During the joust, the ‘Knight of the Swan’ was to take on all challengers.

The procession, to quote the words of a contemporary, included

‘…drummers; and after them a pursuivant of arms dressed in a coat of arms full of swans; after him came a large swan, marvellously and skilfully made, with a crown of gold around its neck, from which hung a shield of the full arms of Cleves; and from this crown hung a golden chain on which, from one end, there hung the shield of the knight; and this swan was flanked by two very well made centaurs who had bows and arrows in their hands, and made as though to shoot at anyone who tried to approach the swan’.

7. Plan the banquet.

Nothing can sour the impression of a great tourney as a meagre banquet afterwards. The need for a generous display of food is self-explanatory – roebucks, suckling pigs, silvered eels, gilded bread, almond soup, kid goats, and the like – however, this is sadly not enough. You also have to think about the entremets.

What are the entremets? To put it simply, everything that is a part of the banquet, but is not edible. I’m not simply talking about straightforward entertainments like music, theatre pieces, or juggling. Entremets can also be elaborate installations for your guests to admire, such as a mini-carrack, exquisitely executed up to the last rope and laden with goods, or a mechanical forest full of strange, if thankfully unmoving, beasts. Even vessels sometimes count – you could have the sweets be contained in little chariots decorated with gold and azure. If you prefer to walk on the wild side, take a page out of Taillevent’s book (quite literally – it’s called Viandier) and construct a fake lion equipped to spout flame: ‘make it with a brass-lined mouth and a thin brass tongue, and with paper teeth glued in the mouth; and put camphor and a little cotton in the mouth and, when it is about to be served before the lords, set fire to this’.

Just don’t do what they did for the Feast of the Pheasant when they’ve made a statue of a naked woman in a large hat who spouted sweetened wine from her breasts for the duration of the dinner. Please.

Sources:

Normore, Christina. A Feast for the Eyes.

Andrew Brown and Graeme Small, Court and Civic Society in the Burgundian Low Countries c. 1420–1530.

Kelcey Wilson-Lee, Daughters of Chivalry: The Forgotten Children of Edward I.

#medieval history #medieval #Middle Ages #history #history geek #writing reference #writing resources #writing ref

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catclient44 · 3 years

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Personal & Small Group Tours To Russia

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Waitresses wearing freshly starched maids uniforms full with crochet-trimmed aprons and fairly white bonnets, put on thick smears of purple lipstick on stern expressions. Greatest Out Of Doors Actions In Moscow Take a have a glance at evaluations from former guests that can assist you determine whether the tour is for you -- and whether or not the tempo and tour type is appealing. Moscow is a good metropolis the place folks love to dine out, and there are countless options for scrumptious food. The flavors are as numerous as you’d expect from an enormous metropolis, with options of fantastic dining and little hipster eateries. Although this is a little outside the city centre, the sight from above is greater than value it, with the nearby fountains and park after which the whole of the town behind them. There are two ponds, and in the course of the summer season there are multiple activities out there. While Russia is infinitely safer than it was through the 90s, you must nonetheless remain vigilant. The best part about this lake is that even after hikers have explored this area for days, there's always something extra to find. If diving isn't something you enjoy, there are lots of other actions such as rowing, hiking or a walk through the caves. There is no special permission required to climb this mountain and you can do it by your self only in case you are a talented hiker. Alternatively, you'll be able to discover this place with a group of people to add to the fun and pleasure. We’ve put collectively some of the best destinations providing nice adventure actions. If you like being outdoor, you are positive to get pleasure from a few of these places listed beneath. When folks think of Russia they think of snow, however hearth is as plentiful as ice in Russia’s most remote jap area; Kamchatka. The austere monument was inbuilt 1970 to rejoice the anniversary of Lenin’s start. Towering greater than 25 feet over the principle city sq., the Lenin head weighs in at forty two tons. Russian And Worldwide Festival During this day, the Russians rejoice the New Year's entry on the date of the old Russian calendar, which was followed till 1918, at which time the Soviets changed the Julian calendar to the Gregorian. Since then, most of the country's festivals are celebrated twice, according to the present and the old calendar. The showcase takes place on Wednesday 20 October, Thursday 21 October and Friday 22 October. As a part of Pushkin House Book Prize 2021, we're delighted to welcome Archie Brown to discuss his shortlisted book The Human Factor. Archie will be in conversation with Sam Greene, professor in Russian politics and director of the Russia Institute at King’s College London. The discussion might be in entrance of a stay viewers at Pushkin House, in addition to to those who wish to join on-line. As a half of Pushkin House Book Prize 2021, we're delighted to welcome Catherine Belton to communicate about her shortlisted e-book Putin’s People. Victory Day (День Победы Den Pobedy) is by far one of the greatest Russian holidays. It commemorates those that died in World War II and pays tribute to survivors and veterans. Flowers and wreaths are laid on wartime graves and special parties and concert events are organized for veterans. A big floor and air navy parade, hosted by the President of the Russian Federation, is annually organized in Moscow on Red Square. Similar ground, air and marine parades are organized in several other Russian cities . The holiday was established in 1918 as it is linked to the decree printed that day by the Council of People's Commissars that formalized the official elevating of the Red Army. Christmas in Russia (Рождество Христово Rozhdestvo Khristovo) is celebrated on 25 December Julian calendar which falls on January seventh Gregorian calendar and commemorates the start of Jesus Christ. May 1-2, Spring and Labor Day – Coming near Easter, this holiday is commonly celebrated in church. January 1, New Year’s Day – This is often stated to be probably the most beloved vacation. Russians usually have fun it once more on January 14; this date corresponds to New Year’s on the Julian Calendar utilized in Russia prior to 1918. The gift-giving and merriment Americans associate with Christmas are often seen on New Years in Russia. At the end of per week of pancake munching and shapka throwing, Maslenitsa’s grand finale consists of burning down the Chuchilo in an try to symbolize lastly letting go of winter and working towards the idea of forgive and neglect. Soviet monuments and installations are a captivating take a glance at the goals and beliefs of a bygone nation. On the one hand, many of these monuments are in reminiscence of unimaginable achievements, like house exploration, or of tragic events, just like the Battle of Stalingrad. The Most Effective Nightclubs In Moscow The people out at the moment are either consuming or are going to depart early because they aren’t really out for partying. Bar Gipsy positioned at the premises of Krasny Oktyabr manufacturing unit used to be one of hottest night time clubs in Moscow throughout late 2000s. The club used to be co-owned by one of many creators of one other well-known Moscow night time membership referred to as Simachev bar. Chateau de Fantomas is located at the premises of Krasny Oktyabr manufacturing facility across the river from Kropotkinskaya subway station. The club is legendary for its summer season events that take place on the roof of the club’s constructing. As described in one of many magazines Chateau de Fantomas is a non-public night membership that's closed for the general public. One of the commonest travel ideas given to Russian-bound tourists is to not drink the tap water. It's worth remembering except you are thinking about spending a great deal of your journey within the bathroom of your lodge, and even worse, visiting an area hospital for therapy. If so, get away from bed and start planning your night time out with our insider’s information to St Petersburg nightlife. Coco Bar is likely considered one of the extra glamorous spots to party the night away. The place is thought for its pub meals and distinctive choice of local and international ales. Try out a pint of their native stout for 240RUB (USD 3.20) or play it secure with a bottle of Guinness for 550RUB (USD 7.30). Russian ladies may like it when you whisper them anything in Russian. No matter you utter incorrect or missing, you could get a giant smile in return. Making statements primarily based on opinion; again them up with references or private experience. If so, ask for our assist right here and keep away from any frustration or time loss. See our St Petersburg Car Rental service & tour across the city easily & swiftly. Russian Art Gallery In 2005, the query - Who had been the three most proficient twentieth century Russian artists? - was requested of senior members of the Academy of the Arts, the Director of the Surikov Institute, leaders of the Russian Artist Union and different outstanding Russian Realist artists. The idea was that those that were extremely educated in tutorial realism and were the practicing elite had one of the best eyes to know who of their era stood above the others. Recognized for his plein aire landscape paintings, Nikita Fedosov was number two. Today, the top Russian auction houses discuss with this acclaimed artist as "Russian's Legend". Garage is Russia’s first philanthropic establishment devoted to contemporary artwork, based in 2008 by Roman Abramovich and Dasha Zhukova. Located in Gorky Park, the museum showcases creative actions from Russia and all over the world. Visitors can discover 10 innovative exhibitions per 12 months from established and up-and-coming artists; Garage offers funding and studio space to rising artists. Exhibitions are always accompanied by a program of workshops, shows and family events, opening up up to date art to all age teams. Once the tour is over, you may be allowed to stay and browse the museum at your leisure. The State Tretyakov Gallery is an art museum collecting Russian nice art. The massive gallery houses plenty of paintings by way of which you'll higher perceive Russian history and culture. The Lumiere Brothers Centre is called after the French brothers who have been pioneers in the early improvement of pictures and filmmaking. The assortment is devoted to artwork of the Soviet interval, starting from post-revolutionary paintings and graphic works, to the "Severe Style" that was official Soviet artwork of the Stalin-Brezhnev period. Last 12 months, this former flour storage building was transformed right into a museum by British architects, John McAslan + Partners. Hot Springs Around The World With Ker & Downey Bathhouse facilities embody a soaking pool, chilly plunge, sauna, and lounge with add-ons, together with therapeutic massage, yoga, and skincare products. Several packages are available, including monthly unlimited passes and a “Personal Day of Retreat,” which comes with juice, a yoga class, and use of the bathhouse. All purpose to promote self-care and good health by way of variations on soaks, steams, saunas, and community. And perhaps as a end result of the world of late has been, nicely, taxing, we’ve seen these oases spring up within the United States, with offerings as numerous as the nation itself. The 1.5 million gallons of water within the springs accommodates silica minerals in addition to sulfur. These minerals are what attract many individuals affected by psoriasis to hunt the healing properties of Blue Lagoon, as it purportedly reduces their symptoms. The factor to do at Blue Lagoon is to scoop up the silica mud and rub it on your face – prompt exfoliation. Guests can stay in a ryokan 旅館 or opt for a contemporary, Western-style spa resort. The hottest Japanese sizzling springs are usually located within the more mountainous areas of the country, such as Hakone, Gunma, and Hokkaido. The last stop on your Hot Springs Around the World tour is Chile, the place you will spend eight enjoyable nights. The heat comes from a geothermal energy plant, owned by a heating firm that created the lagoon to test heating strategies in the Seventies. When the onsen's water contains distinctive minerals or chemicals, the onsen establishments display what sort of onsen it's. The scorching spring is a spot of tranquility; whereas it's definitely okay to speak amongst yourselves, it isn't meant to be treated like a public pool. While you could be excited to point out off the speedo you got while vacationing within the south of France final summer season, bathing suits are forbidden in the Japanese hot spring. If this seems off-putting, understand that it is the norm right here and most people turn into used to it somewhat rapidly. With so much to offer visitors, it’s no marvel that Glenwood Springs is Colorado’s primary selection for warm springs and wellness. Slated to open this winter, Sōkuin Austin draws from both Japanese and European custom.

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The Castles, Shrines, And Temples Of Japan

The Great Buddha was preceded by a wood monument of the identical granduer that took 10 years of fixed labor to complete. Today's landmark took its place after being damaged in a storm again in 1248. Near the main shrine's entrance is certainly one of the area's most picturesque attractions, Sorihashi Bridge , which arches high arch over the still, reflective pond. Similar to Meiji Jingu in Tokyo, throughout hatsumode, the times surrounding the New Year, Sumiyoshi Taisha becomes one of the most popular websites in the nation. With 1000's of temples and shrines in Japan, it can be hard to decide which ones to suit into one short journey. To allow you to slim it down, we’ve rounded up the most effective temples and shrines in Japan that you won’t wish to miss. Outside the shrine you’ll discover a basin of water for washing your palms, which is done by filling the ladle and washing every hand, beginning together with your left hand. Sengen shrines, as a substitute, are devoted to the spirt of Mt Fuji, while there are additionally ones founded to honour the heads of important Japanese clans. Another difference comes from who builds the shrine, whether or not it's Imperial shrines created by governments of the previous or local shrines constructed by a area people. With so much variety within the Shinto faith, it is sensible you’ll discover all sorts of various Shinto shrines across the islands of Japan. Perhaps the most important difference in shrines is the kami to which they are dedicated. Some are shrines to kami that represent struggle like within the case of Hachiman shrines or rice as represented by Inari shrines. Kanazawa, the capital city of Ishikawa Prefecture, sits on the Sea of Japan, bordered by scenic mountain ranges and nationwide parks, has well-preserved art and tradition. Since the exact construction dates of Izumo Taisha Shrine positioned in Shimane prefecture are unknown, it is considered to be the most historical Shinto shrines in Japan. This essential shrine is also called Izumo Oyashiro is devoted to Okuninushi no Okami, the Shinto deity of marriage and good relations. Folklore also suggests that every one the Shinto gods assemble at this shrine annually during the Kamiari Festival and visitors try to go to during this time to obtain their blessings. This Shinto shrine is one of the bigger shrines in the area and hosts the annual in style rice planting ritual. The conventional architecture of the shrine, torii gate, statues, sculptures, lovely backyard, carp pond, and so on. are salient features of the shrine. Popular occasions to visit the shrine are during the rice planting competition, cherry blossom season and Iris Festival of June-July when the 150 species of irises in the shrine backyard are in full bloom. Visitors can also enjoy traditional performances, meals stalls and booths with traditional craft demonstrations through the festival. Buddhist structure in Japan just isn't native, but imported from China and different Asian cultures over the centuries with such constancy that the building kinds of all Six Dynasties are represented. Its history is, as a consequence, dominated by Chinese and other Asian methods and types on one aspect, and by Japanese unique variations on those themes on the other. Such well-known temples as Kiyomizu-dera, Enryaku-ji and Kōtoku-in are temples which use the described naming sample. Many shrines are dedicated to local kami with out association to different shrines. Some powerful clans in Japanese historical past established and dedicated shrines to the their clans' founders. Information On Collections Of Japanese Artwork Complementing these objects is a number of Chinese mortuary works that served in burial rituals associated with Buddhist, Daoist, and Confucian beliefs. The M. Ripley "Rip" Hudner Buddha Gallery is the setting for the grand Dainichi Nyorai Buddha. The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Japanese Print Gallery exhibits woodblock prints, and the adjacent gallery presents Asian textiles in addition to exquisitely crafted objects in jade, lacquer, ceramic, and steel. This sort of museum’s main objective is to show the artwork collections from noble folks, as an example, Louvre Museum. The options of such a museum are old-fashion coloured partitions and heavy frames with elaborate decoration. The Printing Museum focuses on the historical past, method, and tradition of printing. It is a historic and cultural useful resource with imaginative displays, interactivity, and user-friendliness. Its exhibitions embrace Regular Exhibitions made up of works from the museum's collections and deposited articles from temples or shrines, and Special Exhibitions which would possibly be large-scale exhibitions based on a sure theme. Tokyo has an abundance of museums, giving glances into Japan's wealthy and diverse history, ranging from artifacts of the Jomon interval to delicate screens and lacquered boxes within the Rinpa-style, favored by residents of the Edo interval. Videos of greater than 300 victims speaking of their experiences can be viewed at any time. Furthermore, audio guides in 17 languages and pamphlets in 9 languages can be found. An exhibition of “Hiroshima’s History in Light of the Atomic Bombing” is displayed at the East Building by which historical facts ofHiroshimafrom the occasions before and after the bombing are introduced. Located in Shimane Prefecture, this museum has been devoted to promoting trendy Japanese artwork since it opened in 1970. The museum is particularly famous for its beautiful gardens, designed by founder Zenko Adachi, which rank among the finest public gardens in Japan. Located within the old capital of Japan, Kyoto, this museum is deemed simply as noteworthy as the museums in Tokyo. Kyoto National Museum was founded in 1897 and its power lies in its Japanese and Asian art from the pre-modern period. Their online museum dictionary can also be an insightful device which provides enlightening information on the history of the held works. Three Types Of Sizzling Spring Baths At An Onsen Ryokan Not far from Beppu, Yufuin is a rural hot spring town, which presents a novel environment somewhat totally different from a daily sizzling spring resort. Besides its baths, Yufuin attracts with its cafes, boutiques and artwork galleries. Be positive to place your valuables in lockers, if there are any, and take the key with you into the bath. Let us encourage you with weekly particular provides and stories about what's new and thrilling in luxurious travel. Park Hyatt TokyoWho says onsens are best enjoyed in the countryside? For centuries, the ample hot spring waters of Kusatsu Onsen have been considered among Japan's greatest and most effective, if not the most effective. Much of the resort's water bubbles up within the yubatake ("sizzling water area") within the city heart. Spas will normally embrace each indoor and outside baths , often with an electronic temperature gauge . The place we went to had a Jacuzzi and you can even watch Japanese baseball on a television in the sauna. Tips On How To Plan A Family Vacation In Japan You might additionally visit the Shitamachi Museum close to the exit of Ueno Zoo which displays items from Tokyo’s previous in life-like settings and has hands-on exhibits upstairs. While it’s true that DisneySea has sights geared largely toward older children and that when you had been going to pick just one Disney with younger kids, there’s more to do at Disneyland. But DisneySea shouldn’t be discounted if you want to do both. There are loads of rides for kids 3 and older at DisneySea, including Toy Story Mania, Turtle Talk, the electrical railway, Nemo and Friends SeaRider, a carousel, Mermaid’s Lagoon, and some more. Wonderful evaluation of your trip to Japan, very helpful ideas. I do have 2 youngsters – 6 & 2 so this positively helps a ton in planning as most vlogs on youtube chronicle singles or couples with no youngsters. No consuming, ingesting or speaking on the cellphone within the prepare or subway. The Japanese are very considerate to other folks, so please try to do the identical. Keep in mind that putting chopsticks upright in your meals, crossing them or passing meals with them are what people do at funerals. The Dai Ichi Inn Hotel is steps from the Ikebukuro station and thus very handy. If you guide via Booking.com you can guide any room you want and easily write a message stating who shall be staying there. They will write again saying that’s okay or is not – and you'll cancel the room without cost if it’s not allowed. Inka You have forgotten to mention one place which might be very fascinating for youngsters and equals the Ghibli museum and thats the Doraemon museum in Kawasaki. Kids on Trains I think it would be important to add that kids ride free on the trains when they are underneath 6 . Public Holidays And Annual Events In Japan Dosojin Matsuri is amongst the three biggest fireplace festivals in Japan and is yearly held on January 15. Please remember that the sales deadline is commonly 1 month forward of the pageant. The Emperor of Japan, together with key members of his household, make a quantity of quick appearances all through the day on a windowed balcony. They wave back to the ocean of supporters who gather in the cold for a uncommon glimpse. Tourists are welcome to stand within the queue to affix the spectacle. The first vacation of Golden Week is Showa Day on April 29, the observance of the birthday of Emperor Hirohito. From bonsai to doll-making; from tea ceremonies to origami and sword making, there is a wealth of historic arts and culture to be loved at this pageant. The Sakura Matsuri in Washington DC is the largest pageant of Japanese tradition in the entire United States, and it comes around yearly throughout cherry blossom season. Turns pink, and the Sakura Matsuri takes full benefit of this to placed on a large present. There’s additionally the Ginza Marketplace which specialises in promoting hand-crafted traditional items from Ginza. The Japanese love celebrations and there are lots of of events throughout the year. Food performs an essential part in Japanese celebrations, with many delicacies made particularly for every occasion. Nip into a local comfort store to see what’s available — particular types of mochi are made for each festival. Japanese Popular Culture ジェイポップ "We're actually big on cute," says Keith Carollo, who began the e-commerce website with Chris Bick in 1998. One of the most-anticipated summer films, "Speed Racer," starring Emile Hirsch, is based on a '60s anime. Help & Support FAQ Short, easy how-to and demos of regularly asked questions on utilizing the Libraries and information assets. Graduate Funding Info Service Assistance with finding funding for analysis, tuition, journey, and different graduate school-related bills. Off-Campus Access & Technical Support Using library assets from off-campus and different technical tips. Open Scholarship Commons One-stop store for data creation and dissemination services. A historical past of promoting in Japan from the Edo interval to the present as presented by the Advertising Museum in Tokyo. Available in both Japanese and English, and illustrated with digitized items from the museum's collection. Includes articles, information about brands, features, and road photographs, in addition to a "fashion map." Payne says he's seen a definite increase in demand for Japanese products recently, due in giant part to the power for fans to access Japanese media, trends and culture on the Internet. Kelts additionally sees "a lot of room for progress, particularly in associated product lines" to in style manga and anime. “Sites and Spectacles” delineates the influence of globalized JPC as related to the notions of city, rural, and spectacular. Damien Liu-Brennan opens by specializing in the deeply rooted Japanese custom of fireworks . Japan Excursions & Holidays Enjoy your Japan expertise at the consolation of your personal tempo to truly take in every web site because it comes. See all Japan has to offer between the trendy & traditional capitals of the country. Witness the beautiful Takayama Festivals in Japan, not as quickly as, but twice a 12 months. We offer a list of Japan tour packages that let you expertise the lavishly embellished floats, generally recognized as yatai, which characteristic karakuri that dance and move impressively. Whichever season you prefer, we've a Japan tour bundle reserved for either Takayama Festivals. Located in the higher regions of the Shimane region, the Adachi Museum of Art is not simple to go to during normal instances, but may be visited on-line with only a couple clicks. At first look when walking around Huis ten Bosch, it very a lot looks like a European town. However, once you start looking at the details, then you start seeing the Japanese influence on things. Finish up this tour with a spot of purchasing at Aqua City in the extremely fashionable Odaiba area, before you and the tour group finish up at Tokyo Station. Afterwards you possibly can shop for quirky and enjoyable souvenirs at the Nakamise Shopping Street – this long street is a conventional purchasing avenue that goes all the way in which to the well-known Sensoji Temple in Asakusa – complete with its big lanterns. Get picked up from your lodge for a two and a half hour drive to Mt Fuji. You will then carry on by coach to the mountain’s 5th station, which is roughly halfway up the mountain. At Goway we believe that a well-informed traveller is a safer traveller. With this in mind, we've compiled a straightforward to navigate travel information section devoted to Japan tours. Garden design is an important Japanese art kind that has been refined for greater than 1000 years and in Japan, gardens have developed into a wide selection of styles with different purposes. If you're arriving at Haneda airport, click right here to e-book your personal transfer. While 5 and 7-day Japan tours are well-liked decisions, especially for first-time visitors, a 10-day japan package tour is in my view the perfect length for a primary visit. Explore the breathtaking natural scenery of the Noto Peninsula in this 6-day tour, beginning in the bustling cities of Kyoto and Kanazawa. Finish your journey on Notojima Island and within the city of Ogi, stopping at Sojiji Temple and a conventional hot-spring onsen earlier than returning to Kyoto. Explore the breathtaking natural scenery of the Noto Peninsula in this 7-day cycling tour, starting within the bustling cities of Kyoto and Kanazawa. Japan's Stock Market Emerges As Clear Winner Of Suga's Abrupt Resignation Explore curated example itineraries based mostly on the best time of the 12 months to get pleasure from them. Asia's uptick in coronavirus instances has put all the area's equity markets under stress. Global stocks, as measured by the MSCI All Country World Index, have outperformed their Asia-Pacific peers by 8.four percentage points since Feb. 1. Aichi Prefecture (pop. 7.5 million) is the political, economic, and transportation center of the area, and has ranked number one in shipments of manufactured items every year since 1977. The U.S. Consulate Nagoya is positioned within the metropolis of Nagoya (pop. 2.three million), the prefectural capital. For instance, it's the world’s largest net purchaser of meals merchandise in the world. The United States is the leading supplier of its agricultural imports, in addition to agricultural capital equipment and related technologies. Total U.S. food, agricultural, and fishery exports to Japan have been price more than $13 billion in 2018. Japan is the world's largest importer of liquefied pure gasoline and the third-largest coal importer. The Central Japan Railway Company began construction on the Chuo Shinaksen in December 2014. When accomplished, the maglev will cut back Nagoya-Tokyo travel time from 100 minutes to only 40. The plant, located alongside the coast of Shizuoka Prefecture, remains shuttered right now. The utility is, due to this fact, specializing in slicing costs and securing different sources of power. The region accounts for one quarter of Japan’s industrial output and 13% of its GDP.

Shinjuku Nightlife This stylish underground club is hidden down an not noticeable pathway and located within the basement where Shibuya’s Trump Room used to kick it. Behind the unassuming black door is a sprawling dance house decked out with a gaudy but glorious mixture of antiques, mirrors and decor. With drink prices too low to consider, Oath rolls your pregame and after-party into one marathon club expertise. When your ears need a break from the usual home, techno and EDM tracks playing at other golf equipment, slide down to Shibuya and into the Room. This low-key, laid-back basement bangs out R&B hits, in addition to soul and jazz tunes. The Room is much from the go-go-go of your average Tokyo nightclub, but when you’re scoping out a spot to take pleasure in a drink, a dance and a date, this bar’s obtained a scotch on the rocks waiting for you. Popular nightclub in Shibuya with a number of flooring and famous DJs each weekend. Another great pre-drink bar and a Tokyo basic, no cover and the drinks are low-cost. Cozy alley means loaded with tiny traditional Japanese bars next to Shibuya station. If you need a memento that is fully completely different to something you might discover in the retailers, create your own in this glass blowing experience at the Tokyo Glass Art Institute. Choose what you wish to create, in addition to the colour, shape, and design, and, underneath close instruction, create your own distinctive glass paintings. This strolling tour of Shinjuku Golden Gai and Kabukicho showcases one of the best bars, restaurants, and meals stalls the districts have to offer. Feast on Japanese dishes like Ramen, and yakitori , and delve into the area’s wealthy historical past with your guide. This small-group tour is proscribed to 10 people, making for an intimate expertise. Tokyo has many nightclubs that keep open late so your exploration of the nightlife can lead nicely into the night time. These nightclubs are usually in style with the younger technology, however anybody who enjoys dancing and loud music could take pleasure in popping into one for the night time. Fifty Four Best Issues To Do In Japan For An Unforgettable Trip There is no map or ‘right method to go’, you move freely from room to room of three-dimensional 10,000 square meter building exploring and discovering. You will find issues just like the Athletic Forest that helps you think of the world three-dimensionally and, the most instagrammed room, the forest of lamps the place hundreds hang from the ceilings. Japan is dotted with plenty of onsen cities, most of which boast non-public onsen alongside their public choices. Traditional ingredients in a Japanese barbecue can include some type of meat or fish, and summer season seasonal greens like Japanese pumpkin and eggplant. Onigiri and yakisoba (stir-fried noodles) are additionally typically a half of the menu. It is a fun, wholesome way to soak up the season with one thing scrumptious. Hiking at the high-altitude Japanese Alps in Nagano, Gifu, and Toyama prefectures is an ideal summer season exercise for nature lovers. The climate is snug, and the large-scale mountains listed beneath are a must-see. The elevation of these areas retains the local weather cool, even in summer time. Beaches can supply just the proper aid from the warmth on a summer time's day. NOTS also specializes in helping schools and company organizations with organizing outdoor activities and trainings. Soaking in a scorching spring is an excellent method to loosen up and actually expertise Japanese culture. The mineral wealthy water makes you're feeling rejuvenated after an extended day of sightseeing. Many sizzling springs offer accommodations, or you'll be able to simply go to one for a few hours. Urbanization is extremely superior in Japan, because the share of the city population surpasses 90 %. The majority of people live within the metropolis and contact with nature is not self-evident. Despite this remoteness to nature, about half of the grownup population has engaged in tenting earlier than, and likewise, roughly one in two adult Japanese had experiences with mountain climbing or climbing. 61 Incredible Souvenirs From Japan Bringing again “omiyage” for pals and for your self to help keep in mind the amazing experiences, however, can be a time-consuming and expensive problem. Having a listing of probably the most convenient and attention-grabbing purchasing places may help facilitate it for you and allow you to easily discover nice locations to buy nice and low cost souvenirs. A real samurai sword may be very expensive and it could value a small fortune when bought from a real master. We never purchased a samurai sword as they were method out of our price range, therefore we aren't sure what are the principles and rules when transporting one. They are technically a weapon so make sure to examine together with your nation's laws and customs earlier than buying one. A delicate art native to Edo, present-day Tokyo, these glassworks characteristic intricate patterns etched towards a background of colour, similar to purple or blue. With products starting from vases to teacups, these glass items can be utilized each as everyday home items or eye-catching display items. [newline]If your beloved one ceramic pieces inevitably get broken, kintsugi is an efficient way to increase their shelf-life. Ever the proponents of mottainai , the Japanese believe that there is value and beauty even in an object’s flaws. This easy yet elegant artwork has evolved from its roots in the royalty to an art enjoyed by all, with some even deliberately breaking pieces to have them fastened up! While you can make use of the providers of an skilled or join a kintsugi workshop, outlets like Tokyu Hands also have kintsugi kits where you probably can attempt the artwork out for yourself. If you’re considering getting Bento packing containers, why not contemplate getting what they are carried in? 10 Magical Gardens You Should Go To In Japan The Japanese Garden Society of New Orleans after many years of effort has created an genuine Japanese Garden within the Botanical Gardens of New Orleans City Park. The backyard additionally offers elevated consciousness and appreciation of Japanese culture, aesthetics and love of nature among all individuals in the New Orleans area. JFG offers a wide range of educational applications, reveals, and festivals as nicely as accredited horticultural lessons to reinforce and deepen visitor appreciation for Japanese culture. As a valued group useful resource, it is well known for its unique setting, stone arrangements, koi ponds, water options, sukiya-style buildings and landscape. “As the primary Black girl to hold the workplace of President of the Unit 86 Garden Guides, for me the Garden is a spot that touches my soul. “My favourite reminiscence of the Seattle Japanese Garden occurred in the course of the autumn a couple of years ago. I was driving by with a good friend on the method in which to the Arboretum when we seen a lot of people close to the Japanese Garden entrance and realized the Maple Festival was underway. The pleasant Jo-an teahouse which now stands in the garden, was originally inbuilt Kyoto in 1618 by Oda Urakusai, a younger brother of native Chubu space warlord Oda Nobunaga. The name of Kenrokuen literally means, "the backyard of six sublimities" or, "a garden combining the 6 aspects of a excellent backyard". These six options had been what the Chinese historically believed had been needed for the best garden. An necessary contribution to the project was First Lady Nancy Reagan’s 1982 donation of cuttings grown from the “Taft Cherry Tree” which had been planted by President Taft’s wife in 1912. The Mayor of Tokyo and others proposed to send a second donation of timber. With 搬家公司推薦 from Tokyo City Council, they increased the number of bushes from 2,000 to three,020. Japanese Eating Places In Monterey, California While we normally go for beer with sushi, a wise cocktail record contains seaweed-infused Japanese whiskey with yuzu-pineapple bitters, a considerate way to start the evening. This Financial District lunch spot presents ramen, sandwiches, pastries, bowls topped with raw fish, and rice balls. But their finest deal is their bento box, the place you'll be able to pick six of their sizzling dishes, meaning you can try all kinds of dishes, for round only $10. Within a blonde wood-bedecked minimalist area, Uino shapes approximately 18 programs hinged around wild-caught, sterling seasonal seafood. His $250 omakase spans from otsumami to a succession of nigiri rigorously fashioned using rice seasoned with a mix of Japanese salts and red vinegars. Think DIY-style cooking with raw units of premier meats and seafood and a giant hot pot of broth and sauces to dip all of it in. Kagaya is small and refined, but when you’re on the lookout for that go-big experience in Little Tokyo, Kagaya is where it is at. The Escondite is one of those uncommon downtown bars that you just either know about or you don’t. And that’s as a end result of this considerably hidden spot seemingly has all of it. Live music, no cowl, glorious drinks, strong bar food, and a cool vibe with great patio views of the downtown skyline. There is also an everyday izakaya menu to select from too, with grilled meat, sushi and sides. This article lists eating places in Naha and Urasoe where you can take pleasure in your food with the view of Okinawa's ocean, which is taken into account to be one of the best sceneries in Japan. One is a powdered form of steamed green tea leaves, which is used to taste issues like ice cream or sweets. The other meaning is a thick and mildly bitter tea made by frothing the matcha powder with scorching water. They have one of many greatest kinds of curry to choose from that we now have ever seen, together with fish curry, rooster curry, pork curry and even fruit curries such as the Strawberry-flavored one. There are Udon retailers in all places and they are sometimes crowded, however do not be stunned or worried as you usually do not have to wait for a really long time to be seated. This izakaya, or Japanese bar, may be tucked away in the basement of a nondescript workplace constructing in Midtown, but don’t be fooled. Come right here for lunch to try the set menus, which get you a substantial quantity of food and prime out at $23. The finest deal right here is the soba set menu, the place for $12.50 you will get soba with a primary dish, similar to grilled fish or chirashi . Pike/Pine izakaya Suika spun off this extra cavernous sibling up the street, serving the same masterful mashup of Japanese ingesting food. A sashimi sampler is served on a tiny wood staircase, the dan dan noodles are gorgeous in both seems and flavor, and sizzling hot stones serve as tabletop grills for skinny slices of wagyu beef.

#PBN-Home

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misedejem · 4 years

Text

I wrote 75 headcanons about Kannao

25 for Kanji, 25 for Naoto, 25 for them as a couple

Why?

Why not.

Kanji Tatsumi

1. He does actually need glasses, but he was hesitant to ask for contacts, so he spent most of P4 struggling to see until Naoto brought up that he looked like he was having a hard time. He wore contacts for a bit, but eventually he just stuck to glasses.

2. The scar on his head was a source of speculation for the other members of the Investigation Team for years, because he never cared to explain, resulting in some very wacky theories. Eventually they found out it was just from a fight with a gang member, but considering he got it when he was twelve, the story is still pretty interesting.

3. He hates mentioning medical stuff to anybody, but he’s prone to fainting spells out of nowhere. Thankfully, it never happened in the TV, which several members of the IT very angrily said to him when he blacked out in front of them one day.

4. He’s the spitting image of his father, only with shorter hair. He could never let it grow out for that reason.

5. He’s the only one from the Investigation Team B to go to college. He studies textiles and trains to become a teacher in Tokyo. He ends up being an art teacher at a middle school.

6. He’s actually pretty good at literature and humanities subjects, though he struggles applying those skills in a school setting until a teacher who hasn’t given up on him yet helps him through them.

7. Rise forced him to take dance classes the minute he moved to the city because he was ‘super good at it dammit’. Ditto the drums. He can sing too, but she’s not allowed to know that.

8. He actually just tends to go along with Rise’s plans a lot, partially because he knows her well enough to know stopping her is futile, and also because she understands his tastes very well once she learns what they are

9. He doesn’t dislike the way he used to dress in high school, but it wasn’t quite him. It needed more cuteness, and softer colours, which is how he started to dress once he graduated high school.

10. The black hair and glasses stay forever, but when he’s sewing, he still wears his hair pushed back. Yukiko gave him a hairband for it when she noticed him growing slowly more irritated with it getting in his eyes.

11. As well as his nose and ears, he also gets an eyebrow piercing in college.

12. He manages to make a small group of friends in college, with his course being the perfect way for him to find likeminded individuals who applaud his skills rather than shunning them

13. Kanji is the best cook in the Investigation Team. His baking skills, especially, are exemplary.

14. He has an online, worldwide store where he sells his plushies and the occasional drawing and outfit. He’s semi-fluent in English by the time he graduates college, so when Naoto travels abroad sometimes he goes too and hits up the conventions.

15. Ann is his go-to model once they meet. He helps her with outfits for a college final once and they work together so well that she sticks with him.

16. The reason Koromaru dislikes him is that he can tell he’s kinda rough with physical affection. He doesn’t realise it for the longest time because nobody points it out. He is really good with animals otherwise though, and he’s also really good with kids.

17. He’s a back-up fighter for the Shadow Ops should they need him, by virtue of being married to their resident detective.

18. The main reason he keeps training his body though is actually because Chie is determined to beat him at arm wrestling one day, and he’s too proud to let anyone win without a fight.

19. When Naoto’s cat, Mochi, had kittens, he got to name the one they kept. His name is Pocky. He has a little leather jacket that Kanji painstakingly crafted one night when he couldn’t sleep.

20. He needs a lot of alcohol to get drunk (which makes nights out with the IT interesting for him, given that the others are all serious lightweights)

21. If you give him a life sim, especially that one with the cute animals, you will not see him again for days at a time. He’s not huge on video games, but life sims will take over his life

22. Even if he does retreat into a cave to build a pristine village though, he will still probably emerge with a smooth face because he doesn’t grow facial hair very easily. He can, but it takes a while.

23. He can’t sleep as easily unless he’s holding something soft.

24. The easiest time to get him to speak his mind about certain things is when he’s sick and more vulnerable, which doesn’t happen very often. For example, the IT had no idea their jokes at his expense bothered him until he confessed it while extremely out of it on cold medication one time. He doesn’t remember saying it either, but he did notice they were more sincere with him after that.

25. Everybody in the Investigation Team ends up facing their Shadow again in their adulthood, but by the time Shadow Kanji returns, Kanji has become so accepting of the self the Shadow had represented in the past that he takes on a completely different form. Naoto is the only other person with this same experience.

Naoto Shirogane:

1. By the time they stop growing, Naoto is nearly 5’1” and they absolutely make it a point to let their friends know

2. They don’t really know how to look after their hair at all, hence the cap and general messiness. They tend to forget about it until it becomes too long and gets all tangled.

3. They’re very accident prone, and are covered in a lot of scars from their childhood. The worst one though is one on their back from that time Sho stabbed them at Junes.

4. One of said scars came from their neighbours’ huge dog biting them when they were five. To this day, they’re still absolutely terrified of big dogs.

5. They’ve experienced panic attacks for most of their life, though they occur less frequently as an adult.

6. They resemble their mother more than their father, but the height comes from the Shirogane side. Grampa Shirogane was quite small as well.

7. They are the only member of the Investigation Team who can tolerate Rise’s cooking. The others suspect potential spice immunity.

8. As well as piano and ballroom dance, they were also trained in a choir as a child, but fell out of favour with it in their teens. The Velvet Siblings hold a final Theatre Showdown with their guests in 2019, and this is when Naoto fully rediscovers their musical side again.

9. If you ask Naoto how much those specially tailor-made clothes cost, they will mumble and then change the subject

10. Naoto returns to Yasogami as a full-time student in third year after Mitsuru enrols Labrys in the school out of nowhere, intent on investigating her motives.

11. They hold the school’s record for highest graded paper for decades. It was on Sherlock Holmes.

12. Naoto has written a lot of Sherlock Holmes fanfiction as a kid. The others are aware this exists, but are not allowed to read it.

13. They don’t attend college after graduation, but don’t have much time to figure out what they will do. The mental shutdown incidents begin the same year, and Naoto decided to help the Shadow Operatives with it as much as possible.

14. Naoto hates the title ‘detective prince’, and actively tries to shed it. Akechi was a godsend in that light.

15. They actually hate the media’s attention in general but figured that they may as well use the platform they have for a good cause. They want to be the kind of person they needed to see on TV as a kid, but they very vocally opposed the ‘detective prince’ crap until it ended – which it did quite abruptly when the truth about Akechi came out.

16. Much of what Goro Akechi likes, he got from Naoto’s indirect influence, from the way he dresses to knowledge of that jazz club in Kichijoji. They’re more of a regular there than he is.

17. Rise set them up on social media, but they don’t really get how to use it. Their fans discovered it though, so they still have a fair number of followers.

18. Naoto has a slight friendly rivalry with the people who run a local escape room place. Their goal as a company is to one day leave Naoto stumped.

19. Naoto doesn’t actually like coffee. Too bitter. Tea is their go-to.

20. They got a standard-size motorcycle at eighteen but doesn’t drive a car. Yakushiji and Kanji refuse to let them behind the wheel.

21. After becoming comfortable with their childish side once again, they became openly enamoured once more with Neo Featherman, and have a lot of very expensive figures on display in their house. They even cosplayed at a convention once with some of Kanji’s college friends (though it was difficult to convince them to do it)

22. Yosuke was paid back all the money the IT owed him shortly after Naoto joined the team and discovered they were mooching from him. Yosuke doesn’t know for certain where it came from.

23. They adopted a kitten they named Mochi in 2017, who they found abandoned outside a supermarket (in an old box that had contained a shipment of mochi, hence the name). She’s an orange tabby, and she became something of a comfort animal when Naoto was at their lowest.

24. Their grandfather died from an illness in early February 2017. They didn’t handle his loss well, and they ended up falling into a depression that they never really came out of, though they weren’t able to admit that they weren’t okay. It was an encounter with their Shadow that eventually led to them seeking help.

25. While they’re still a Private Detective in theory, most of the work they do following the events of P5 are Shadow-related. The Shirogane Agency became one of the Shadow Operatives’ closest allies. Makoto Niijima is currently doing an internship there (they met after the Phantom Thieves helped the SOs deal with another incident in Tokyo in 2018)

Kannao

1. Naoto ‘came down with a fever’ around the time of the Love Meets Bonds festival that had absolutely nothing to do with their friend Kanji suddenly seeming way cooler than before.

2. The ‘fever’ got worse when they started having classes together in school, and Naoto agreed to help Kanji with his college entrance exams.

3. At this point Kanji had kinda accepted his feelings existed, but were unrequited, and that he didn’t want that to interfere with their friendship. Naoto was one of the only people who really got him, and he didn’t want to lose them so soon after building a rapport with them. Little did he know.

4. Naoto was the first one to eventually confess, once Rise, Yu, Grampa, Nanako, several books and google searches, and a random stall vendor at the summer festival in their hometown had convinced them that the weird feeling in their chest wasn’t actually an illness. They did it in the summer of 2013, at said festival.

5. They were also the first one to say they were in love. The realisation hit them one day as they were watching Kanji play a cute life-simulator game in his college dorm.

6. While they’re no longer awkward around each other all the time, there are ways they can still make the other very flustered. For example, with Naoto, it’s any time Kanji is wearing a suit.

7. They got married at Christmas in 2019. Kanji had a proposal planned. Naoto misread the vibe and proposed early and spontaneously on the day he had planned to, though he still got to go ahead with his as well.

8. Kanji doesn’t really like PDA. They get a lot of people staring at them anyway because of how they look, or because Naoto is recognisable from the TV, and he doesn’t want to make the stares worse. In private though, he’s the more affectionate one.

9. Naoto accidentally fuelled the rumours that ‘Kanji Tatsumi is in a biker gang’ again when they first started dating by parking their motorcycle outside the textile shop. Ma Tatsumi was quick to tell anybody who questioned it that it belonged to her son’s significant other long before she was supposed to know they were dating

10. Kanji keeps forgetting to specify which number in his phone is for Naoto’s personal phone and which is for work, which has lead to such wonderful anecdotes as ‘I accidentally hired a private investigator to fix my broken car’

11. They’re both used to the other bolting upright in bed at 3am because they’ve had an idea for a new pair of socks for the cat, or another hypothesis for a case. Naoto also wakes up quite a bit due to nightmares.

12. They lived together with the rest of the Investigation Team since 2016, but they don’t get an apartment as just the two of them until the year they get married. It doesn’t take long before there is an entire room in that apartment filled from floor to ceiling with toys.

13. Kanji is much tidier and more organised than Naoto, even though Naoto isn’t bad, so he’s the one who figures out where things should go. Decorating the house is his favourite thing

14. They are the unparalleled board-game kings. Somehow, they’re an unstoppable force of nature when paired together for them.

15. Surprising everyone, Naoto is the more likely of the two to use pet names. They are the only person who won’t be threatened if they call him ‘Kan-chan’.

16. Before it became common knowledge amongst Naoto’s fanclub that Kanji was their boyfriend, they thought he was their bodyguard. (The Risette fandom had the same idea)

17. Kanji never helped that rumour die, considering that when the media tries to shove cameras into Naoto’s face, he yells obscenities and gets in the way until the footage is unusable.

18. They have a daughter in 2025, when Naoto is 30 and Kanji is 29. She’s named Chihiro, mostly because it’s like a phonetic portmanteau of Kanji’s father’s name (Koichi Tatsumi) and Naoto’s grandfather’s (Yasuhiro Shirogane). But also, that was the name of the actor who played Naoto’s favourite version of Feather Swan. Naoto isn’t creative enough to come up with a portmanteau.

19. They are each 80% of the other’s impulse control

20. Naoto couldn’t care less that Kanji isn’t the brightest, despite common misconception. The Shirogane family, and the people who work for it, always placed emphasis on a person’s intelligence (hence Yu’s requirement for a lot of knowledge to start the Fortune link) but Naoto is strongly opposed to that mindset. To them, it’s freeing to have somebody around who doesn’t want to be an intellectual 95% of the time.

21. They are very private when it comes to their relationship, to the point that sometimes even friends or colleagues have no idea what’s going on in their lives until it’s let slip somehow. When Junpei and Yukari – the Shadow Ops Naoto worked with the least - found out they were expecting, it first had to be explained to them that they’d been married for five years.

22. They sometimes get mistaken for father and son at restaurants until their early thirties, to which point Naoto will make a scene of ordering a lot of alcohol to prove they’re old enough. Naoto can’t really handle booze.

23. They’re really bad at making face to face announcements about anything big to their friends, so they always find some way to do it elaborately instead. They told the IT they were having a kid, for example, through a series of puzzles put together by Naoto

24. Kanji loves making couples costumes and outfits, but then gets too embarrassed to wear them

25. Naoto is a fiend for stealing Kanji’s clothes as pyjamas. They are large and warm, and when they’re travelling for work, they remind them of him. It got to the point where Kanji would pack a shirt of his secretly in Naoto’s suitcase, knowing that’s why his clothes always went missing.

#persona 4 #kanji tatsumi #naoto shirogane #kannao #headcanon

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woman-loving · 3 years

Text

Reception of Gender Diversity in Indonesia and Women’s Erotic Literature

Selections from "Between sastra wangi and perda sharia: debates over gendered citizenship in post-authoritarian Indonesia," Susanne Schröter, Review of Indonesian and Malaysian Affairs (RIMA), 48(1), 2014.

In Indonesia, we encounter a somewhat paradoxical situation where gender deviance is tolerated in many quarters while there is, at the same time, an increasingly repressive-patriarchal gender mainstream. This becomes particularly apparent in the issue of acceptance of queer lifestyles. After the end of the New Order period, the emerging liberalisation in the urban areas included that aspect as well. A group called Q-Munity has organised an annual queer film festival, the Q!Festival, in Jakarta since 2002 and activists join in public debates, trying to reduce prejudice and to put an end to discrimination. Within the women’s rights network, Kartini, a training manual was developed to strengthen the position of non-heteronormative life models (Bhaiya und Wieringa 2007), and Siti Musdah Mulia proclaimed in the newspaper Jakarta Globe of 23 September 2009 that lesbian desire was created by God just like its heterosexual counterpart and hence must be accepted as natural. Until today, her statement triggers controversial discussions within Indonesia and beyond.

As could be expected, this unusual awakening was criticised by Islamist hardliners as an adoption of Western decadence. Performance venues of the Q! Festival were repeatedly raided by ‘goon squads’ and in 2010 Surabaya became the site of an éclat that was even covered by the international media. It was sparked by plans of the Asian branch of the International Lesbian and Gay Association to hold an international conference in March of that year. There had been similar conventions before in Mumbai, Cebu and Chiang Mai. The organisers were eager to be as discrete as possible in order to avoid protests. There was to be no Gay Pride Parade, and the organisers planned to publish a press release only on the last day of the event. Due to an unlucky coincidence, however, the local media learned about the planned event in its run-up and there were quick reactions by Islamic organisations. Statements were issued by religious authorities, claiming that homosexuality is irreconcilable with both Indonesian culture and Islam. Such language immediately mobilised the Islamic Defenders Front (Front Pembela Islam) and the Indonesian fraction of Hizb-ut Tahrir[14] to take militant action against the organisers. As a result, the local authorities prohibited the conference and those participants who had already arrived were besieged at their hotels by the mob until they were brought to safety under police protection (Vacano 2010).

These incidents appear to be at odds with the supposedly tolerant attitude towards gender variances in Indonesia as described by anthropologists such as Boellstorff (2005), Peletz (2009), Davis (2010) and Blackwood (2010). These scholars base their claims on the existence of so-called third and fourth genders rooted in local social orders. An often-cited example of this are the Bugis of South Sulawesi who use five gender terms: besides women and men, there are calalai (masculine women), calabai (feminine men), and bissu (ritual experts and shamans who are ambiguous in terms of gender). The bissu have always particularly attracted the attention of anthropologists, who interpreted them as a culturally-accepted variant of non-binary gender. In the Bugis system of gender categories, they are classified as calabai, that is, individuals with a male body and a feminine or ambivalent habitus. They are viewed as embodying a pre-Islamic, double-gendered Supreme Being which is attributed the ability to mediate between humans and spirits; hence, they act as healers and shamans. There is some debate, however, among anthropologists about whether the existence of this phenomenon can actually be interpreted as an indicator of tolerance and liberalism. Birgit Röttger-Rössler, who has done fieldwork among the Bugis, is sceptical, and even objects to applying the term ‘third gender’. According to her, calabai are ‘institutionalised, socially-accepted variants or subcategories of the male gender’ (Röttger-Rössler 2009:287, translation mine). She adds that these types of transgenderism can by no means be interpreted as a negation of heteronormative gender concepts. The reverse is true: they reinforce the latter. As Röttger-Rössler sees it, the order legitimated by this exception is not only ‘defined clearly and rigidly’(Röttger-Rössler 2009:287–8), but also asymmetrical, putting women at a disadvantage.

On top if this, the mere existence of a local ‘third gender’ does not allow the conclusion that local communities are generally characterised by a liberal attitude towards gender issues. This becomes particularly evident when modern phenomena of transgression, which are usually referred to as queer, meet local forms of deviance. The mobilisation of queer activists in Indonesia and the resulting Islamic counteroffensive is a well-documented example of this.

The same applies to shifts in local gender structures that were triggered by the general climate of open-mindedness after the end of the New Order. In the year when the conference in Surabaya was wrecked by conservative moral ideas, there was also a remarkable public debate on local Indonesian transgenders who are subsumed by the collective term of waria.[15] The debate was sparked by a ‘Miss Aceh Transsexual’ beauty pageant held in February 2010. Many people in Aceh have ambivalent and contradictory attitudes towards waria. On the one hand, they view the latter’s existence as a disgrace for the community; on the other hand, waria are tolerated half-heartedly, not least because men secretly relish their sexual services. Waria often use their beauty parlours and hairdressing salons as brothels and engage in prostitution in the semi-clandestine red light district of the capital Banda Aceh. It is obvious that neither Aceh society nor the police intend to actually eliminate this option for extramarital sex, which is punishable under current legislation. Representatives of the authorities, however, take advantage of the waria’s extralegal status and arbitrary arrests as well as rape in police custody are common. Everyday discrimination, humiliation, and assaults by the sharia police are rampant. In the wake of the devastating tsunami in 2004, which was interpreted by Islamic clerics as a warning to disobedient believers, waria were repeatedly expelled from their homes and businesses because their neighbours feared that their presence might evoke the wrath of God to descend upon them again.

In Indonesia, both the human rights and the Qur’an and Sunna are invoked in the discussion about whether or not the existence of waria is legitimate. In Aceh, more importance is attached to the religious narratives of justification, however, than to secular reasoning, because Islam is viewed as the measure of all things. In the end, phenomena that are incompatible with the commandments of Allah will not gain acceptance. The experts disagree, however, about what is compatible with Islam, particularly if waria make their appearance in modern contexts. The pageant mentioned above, where they performed in burlesque costumes, sparked a pan-Indonesian controversy which dominated the headlines of the local and national press for several days. Well-known politicians, activists, and Islamic clerics piped up to express their opinion. The majority of the religious contributions condemned waria as being immoral and sinners, while secular commentators came to their defence, referring to minority rights.

I had the opportunity to discuss that issue in March 2010 with students at the State Islamic University (Universitas Islam Negeri, UIN) in Yogyakarta and at the Gadjah Mada University (UGM) which is also located in Yogyakarta. The Islamic students, in particular, engaged in a lively debate about whether the Qur’an makes a clear statement about the matter and what the prophet Muhammad said about it. This was their sole criterion for tolerating or condemning waria. On the personal level, the subject did not trigger any emotions in them; it was a purely matter-of-fact discussion without any recourse to moral categories. My colleague Sahiron Syamsuddin, a respected Islamic scholar with whom I held the event, eventually made an important point. He said that three gender categories were already known in Muhammad’s time: men, women, and khunta--transgenders who resembled the waria. He went on to explain that the third gender had fallen into oblivion due to subsequent patriarchal developments. This was acceptable to the students. Sahiron’s reasoning is typical of so-called ‘progressive’ Muslims who attempt to substantiate liberal ideas with little-known data from the Islamic past or new interpretations of the Qur’an and Sunna.

As becomes apparent from the abovementioned examples, upon closer examination, the much-cited Indonesian open-mindedness with regard to gender variances turns out to be a restrictive straightjacket into which some phenomena can be fitted, while others cannot. Transgender individuals are tolerated and may even hold respected positions, provided that they stay within narrow, strictly-defined social confines or already-accepted cultural constructs. Above all, they are expected to be inconspicuous. As long as a beauty pageant is held in a village, whether or not the event is made into a scandal depends on the social relations between the individual actors. At the national level, it is not possible to rely on such local relations. Other narratives of justification then take effect, particularly narratives backed by Islam. It appears that only a minority of the Indonesian Muslims subscribe to progressive interpretations of the Qur’an and the Islamic traditions, and my colleague Syamsuddin would certainly have had a hard time if rhetorically-versed Islamists had participated in the discussion. According to a study conducted in 2013 by the Pew Research Center, 93 per cent of all Indonesians disapprove of homosexuality. Thus, in terms of tolerance, the country is behind Malaysia (86 per cent) and Pakistan (87 per cent) and at the same level as Palestine. As has been noted by Jamison Liang, homophobia is on the rise (Liang 2010). This development is due not only to the strength gained by a conservative, partly militant Islam, but also to the fact that by now there is a public debate on the issue of gender deviance.

----

The virulently liberal face of Indonesian culture, despite Islamist zealotry, is also represented by the genre of female erotic literature. Called sastra wangi (fragrant literature) it caused an international sensation.[12] Writers such as Djenar Maesa Ayu, Ayu Utami, Fira Basuki, Dewi Lestari, and Nova Riyanti Yusuf picked out incest, extramarital sex, and homosexuality as central themes. They were not afraid of giving drastic descriptions of sexuality and they played offensively with the breach of all social conventions (Hatley 1999; Listyowulan 2010). One of the most prominent examples is Ayu Utami’s book Saman, of which more than one hundred thousand copies were sold in Indonesia. The novel is about the sexual adventures of three young women from good families, about split identities and the transgression of patriarchal moral ideas. Shakuntala, one of the protagonists, deflowers herself with a spoon and feeds the hymen to a dog. Later, she enters into a lesbian relationship in which she takes the male-connoted part. These are the scandal-provoking parts of the novel. It also has, however, another, political dimension which centres on the priest Saman. During a conflict, he takes sides with oppressed rubber farmers who are struggling against dispossession. He is denounced as their leader, arrested and tortured.

[cw for discussion of incest, child sexuality/assault]

In Djenar Maesa Ayu’s Menjusuh Ayah (Suckled by the Father), a woman recounts the sexual childhood experiences she had with older men, including her father. She states that as a baby she was not fed her mother’s milk, but her father’s semen. When she confronts her father with that story, he accuses her of lying and hits her with his belt. She insists, however, on her version of the past. The first-person narrator tells the reader that her father eventually refused to feed her any longer. Hence, she turned to his friends as a child. ‘I liked the way they slowly pushed down my head and allowed me to suckle there for a long time’ (Ayu 2008:95). When one of her father’s friends penetrates her, she kills him: ‘I am a woman, but I am not weaker than a man’, she writes, ‘because I have not suckled on mother’s breast’ (Ayu 2008:97).

[end cw]

The new erotic women’s literature led to a controversial discussion in Indonesia. The term sastra wangi itself alludes to the public erotic self-staging of the women, which was eagerly picked up by the media. Many stories about the young writers opened with exact descriptions of their looks, mentioning the high heels, the strapless t-shirts, the long loose hair, or the fact that the audience smoked and consumed alcohol during the readings. Like the provocative titles and texts, the media stagings brought fast fame and high sales figures. On the other hand, the women were accused of using sex as a marketing strategy. Not surprisingly, criticism of the taboo breaches came from the religious side, while secular-urban intellectuals mostly appreciated the new literary awakening. Saman won several awards, including a writing contest of the Jakarta Art Institute in 1997 and an award of the Jakarta Art Council (Dewan Kesenian Jakarta) for best novel in 1998. In 2000, Ayu Utami won the Claus Award in the Netherlands. Nevertheless, there has been some reserve on the part of literary scholars. Katrin Bandel criticises the unquestioned male perspective of the sastra wangi (Bandel 2006:115), Arnez and Dewojati find fault with the virulent phallocentrism (Arnez and Dewojati 2010).[13] Positive appraisal, however, prevails in the overall judgment. According to Arnez and Dewojati, the issue of whether sastra wangi can be called emancipatory is still controversial, but nevertheless ‘it can be claimed that in modern Indonesian literature such an open discussion of sexuality and female desire has not taken place before, especially not in such an outspoken language’ (Arnez and Dewojati 2010:20).

#lgbtq #indonesia #islam #trans #gender pluralities #waria #calalai #calabai

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randomvarious · 3 years

Video

youtube

Capt. Rock - “Cosmic Blast” Street Sounds Electro 6 by DJ Maurice & DJ Noel Song released in 1984. Mix released in 1985. Electro / Hip Hop

***Song starts at 5:49 and ends at 12:07***

I just wanna preface this long-ass post I had queued up for today to say rest in peace to MF DOOM, the greatest rapper of all time, bar none, and an incredible beatsmith, too. No one has ever had quite the incredible way with words that DOOM had or managed to cultivate the air of mysterious intrigue around themselves like he was able to with his mask. I saw him perform once at a festival in 2007 and I don’t even really know if it was actually him on that stage. It would’ve been one of the DOOM-iest moves to trot out an impostor to perform his own songs while he still got to collect that check; a move whose abject ballsiness you really can’t help but just chuckle at.

Fuck this year, royally, man.

A rhyming cannibal who's dressed to kill and cynical Whether is it animal, vegetable or mineral It's a miracle how he get so lyrical And proceed to move the crowd like a old negro spiritual

JUST REMEMBER, ALL CAPS WHEN YOU SPELL THE MAN NAME

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There’s so much to dig into with this record, and I’m not even really sure where to even begin with this post, but I guess I’ll start with the Aleem twins, two (duh) enterprising guys from Harlem who loved all kinds of music. Born in the mid-40s, the Aleem twins got their musical education from many local sources. They frequented the Apollo Theater and then a legendary local gangster, Jack “Fat Man” Taylor, signed them to his label, Rojac Records. The Aleems didn’t go anywhere with Rojac, but they learned the ins and outs of running an independent record label and they also met the enigmatic Blowfly, who was an in-house writer for Rojac at the time. Through Taylor the Aleems also met Jimi Hendrix’s friend and love interest, Lithofayne “Faye” Pridgeon, who ended up hatching quite a scheme involving the Aleems and Hendrix.

Pridgeon wanted to get Hendrix evicted from his apartment, in which he lived with her friend June Vasquenza. So Pridgeon sent the Aleem twins to the apartment to kick him out, with one of them to claim that he was going to marry June in order to help her secure a green card since she was undocumented at the time. But the plan fell apart when the Aleems actually met Hendrix and discovered that the three of them all shared a deep passion for music. Rather than Hendrix being evicted, the trio would end up sharing an apartment together.

Hendrix would then ship off to Europe and become a superstar, but upon his return to Harlem, he kept close to the Aleems. They provided backing vocals on a number of Hendrix songs and they also promoted a street fair in Harlem that Hendrix headlined, which took place just a few weeks after his legendary performance at Woodstock. Hendrix had bigger plans for the Aleems, too; he was set on producing an album that they were planning, for which they would call themselves the Ghetto Fighters. Hendrix envisioned the album as a “street opera.”

But then in 1970, while in London, Jimi Hendrix tragically died, which, to say the least, put a really big crimp in the Aleems’ plans. However, they kept at it throughout the remainder of the 70s; they expanded their group to four members, including their sister, Juliette, changed their name to The Prana People, and got to be managed and financed by New York Knicks star, Earl “The Pearl” Monroe (Is this post New York enough for you yet?). In ‘77, the Prana People released their debut album, and in ‘79, the Aleem twins decided they wanted to move towards more of an electronic sound and ended up releasing a club hit called “Hooked on Your Love,” which stayed on the Billboard Dance chart for months and had both a barely known Jocelyn Brown and a young Luther Vandross on backing vocals.

Off of the success of that record and from being disillusioned by aspects of the music business, the Aleems decided to start their own independent label, NIA Records, which was to release disco, funk, soul, electro, and hip hop music.

Around this same time, Jack “Fat Man” Taylor, who now owned the famous Harlem World club, wanted to promote his neighborhood’s burgeoning hip hop scene, and in 1980 released a record called Rapper’s Convention, whose a-side featured a duo who would break off afterwards and call themselves Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde. A frequent patron of Harlem World was a guy named Ronnie Greene, and he would one day run into Mr. Hyde and convince him to make him Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde’s DJ.

Fast forward to 1982 and the Aleem twins are holding auditions to put out a new George Clinton and Tom Tom Club-influenced electro-funk-hip hop record called Cosmic Glide. It’s a record that introduces a main character, Captain Rock, who’s an extraterrestrial that just wants earthlings to get down to his space-funk jams. The Aleems and Mr. Hyde already had the song written and Mr. Hyde then brought Ronnie Greene in to audition to be Captain Rock. And even though Greene had never really rapped before, he managed to win the Aleems over with his smooth delivery, his cool and varied flows, and his swaggeringly captivating mic presence.

However, despite it being a quality tune, “Cosmic Glide” didn’t perform all that well. But the next Captain Rock record, 1983′s The Return Of Capt. Rock, again written by Mr. Hyde and the Aleem twins, fared much better, and also became the first record to really earn a name for the NIA label. This new bit of fame for both Greene and NIA then allowed for the third and fourth Captain Rock records, respectively 1984′s Capt. Rock To The Future Shock and Cosmic Blast, to flourish. “Cosmic Blast” became both Captain Rock’s biggest and best hit and it also marked Ronnie Greene’s musical peak. Mr. Hyde had moved on to do other things, so the Aleems allowed Greene to write the song’s lyrics and they also involved him in the production process.

Not long before “Cosmic Blast” was recorded, Doug E. Fresh, who was also a Harlem resident, had released a record called The Original Human Beat Box, and that was a record that was simply fly as fuck. It put Doug’s deft skills as a beatboxer on full display, and it also gave Ronnie Greene the idea to include some beatboxing on his own upcoming record. So he got his friend Richie Rich, who was a pretty good beatboxer himself, to come breathily box his beats for “Cosmic Blast”. And with Richie Rich, and an unforgettable electro-chiming melody supplied by the Aleem twins, and Greene’s fun party-rocking rap demeanor as Captain Rock, that quartet spun some real, dynamic, mid-80s New York gold.

It was actually a quintet though, because also in on the fun of that record was none other than Marley Marl, who’d go on to become one of hip hop’s greatest, most prolific, and most important producers. While mixing “Cosmic Blast,” Marley discovered, totally by accident, how to sample drums. He was trying to take a riff from a song, and in the process of playing back “Cosmic Blast,” discovered that he had lifted a snare drum, too. But the snare he had sampled sounded better than the drums that were originally programmed, so he kept the sample as is. This discovery led to an epiphany for Marley, in which he realized that he could sample any drum from any point within any record that was in his massive collection and then use those sampled drums as part of his own drumbeats instead of having to program the drumbeats on his own with a drum machine. This was a huge freaking deal; Marley’s beats could now sound uniquely authentic, like the drums had come from an actual drumkit, instead of sounding like they had come from the same inferior-sounding drum machines that every other producer was using. Pandora’s Box had suddenly been opened for Marley Marl with “Cosmic Blast,” and it helped set him on a course to attain legendary status as a producer.

But there’s even more to this story. Not only was electro big in New York; it was pretty popular in the UK, too; so much so, that Captain Rock actually went out there to perform at Wembley Stadium for a hip hop and electro festival called UK Fresh ‘86. He had absolutely no idea that people in the UK even knew anything about his music, but a compilation label called Street Sounds, which specialized in electro and hip hop, had been lacing their mixes with Captain Rock songs since ‘83, and in 1985, a pair of UK DJs by the names of Maurice and Noel included “Cosmic Blast” on the sixth installment of Street Sounds’ wonderful Street Sounds Electro series.

It’s there you’ll find this fantastic version of “Cosmic Blast,” which features the addition of some really dope scratches from DJs Maurice and Noel that you won’t hear on the original cut; and those scratches have a way of really fucking enhancing the song. Maurice and Noel speed things up a little bit, too, which raises the pitch ever so slightly, and makes the tune way more danceable, overall. They also completely transform the third verse by mixing in other dubby vocals from Captain Rock and then instead of running with the electric guitar solo from the original, Maurice and Noel close their version out with more scratching with a little Run-D.M.C. mixed in there.

Very cool stuff all around. An already incredible jam made even better by two British DJs. Ring in the new year with this shit. Long live electro!

#electro #electro music #hip hop #hip hop music #rap #rap music #old school hip hop #old school rap #music #80s #80s music #80's #80's music #80s electro #80's electro #80s hip hop #80's hip hop #80s rap #80's rap

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ladyherenya · 3 years

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Books read in December

I set myself some reading goals for the end of the year -- finish any books I’d already started, read the books I'd already borrowed, and to read ebooks I’d bought before buying any more. But I guess most of those books just weren’t the right genre? A few exceptions aside, this month I read a bunch of other things instead.

Also read: The Frost Fair Affair and Holiday Brew by Tansy Rayner Roberts, and Sweetest in the Gale and 40-Love by Olivia Dade.

Reread: Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn and Bookish and the Beast by Ashley Poston.

Total: thirteen novels (including two audiobooks and two rereads), three novellas, and three story/novella collections.

Favourite cover: The cover was what caught my attention for Finding My Voice and Old Baggage.

Still reading: Between Silk and Cyanide by Leo Marks, Or What You Will by Jo Walton and The Disorderly Knights by Dorothy Dunnett.

Next up: A Most Improper Magick by Stephanie Burgis.

Queen’s Play by Dorothy Dunnett (narrated by David Monteath): In 1548, Francis Crawford of Lymond arrives in France, incognito in order to protect Scotland’s queen, seven-year-old Mary. I enjoyed this, even though I am not very interested in the antics of the French court and thought The Game of Kings benefitted from having more characters who I found wholly likeable and/or who matter, personally, to Lymond. Dunnett is an impressive storyteller -- vivid descriptions, lively dialogue, nuanced characters and twists that take me by surprise. Moreover, those satisfying puzzle pieces explain the plots and intrigue, give insight into personalities and develop the narrative’s themes (here, the consequences of power).

The Kinship of Secrets by Eugenia Kim: In 1950, four year old Inja lives with her grandparents and uncle in Seoul, while her sister Miran is in America with their parents. War delays the family’s reunion. This is a fascinating portrayal of two sisters growing up in different countries, and an incredibly poignant story about a family separated. Compelling, and beautifully written, and despite moments of intense grief, hopeful. I liked how, in the end, Inja and Miran didn’t have all the answers.. But I wonder if I’d have found the ending more satisfying if I had a deeper understanding of who they both were as adults.

Teacup Magic series by Tansy Rayner Roberts:

Tea and Sympathetic Magic: Stephanie Burgis recommended this novella as something similar to her Harwood Spellbook series and it certainly has a similar appeal: romantic fantasy, bordering on comedy-of-manners territory. Like Georgette Heyer but with magic and diversity and an intention to challenge problematic and outdated attitudes. Charming and cosy, like a good cup of tea rather than a frothy hot chocolate. Miss Mnemosyne Seaborne, a reluctant guest at a houseparty. She joins forces with the other guests after an unexpected abduction occurs. Entertaining, and even though it was too short for me to really become invested, I immediately wanted to read the sequel.

The Frost Fair Affair: After her previous adventures, Mneme has new friends, a suitor and a campaign: overturning the social conventions which prevent women from travelling by portal. After someone in Town steals her political pamphlets, she gets caught up in a mystery. I enjoyed this oh so much! I found myself caring a lot more about Mneme and her relationships; I liked the mixture of intrigue and danger, and how in the cause of dealing with these, Mneme learns more about the man she hopes to marry; and the Frost Fair, on a frozen river, makes a delightful setting. I'd love to read more.

Belladonna U(niversity) series by Tansy Rayner Roberts:

Unreal Alchemy: Oh, this is my new favourite! Urban fantasy about Australian uni students who are connected to an indie rock band, Fake Geek Girl. These stories are funny, geeky and romantic, with great chapter titles and lots of fandom references. They employ different points of view and different narrative styles in a way that’s really effective. I love the characters and how important and intense their non-romantic relationships are. Between them they have a variety of romantic/sexual relationships and feelings, but friendships and familial relationships, like the one between twin sisters Hebe and Holly, also drive the narrative. The first collection contains four stories/novellas.

Fake Geek Girl -- Ferd moves into the Manic Pixie Dream House; Holly and Sage argue about the future of the band.

Unmagical Boy Story -- Viola has feelings about her best friend losing his magic, transferring colleges and making new friends.

The Bromancers -- The band and frriends spend a weekend at a magical music festival.

The Alchemy of Fine -- A prequel about the band’s origins.

Holiday Brew: This collection is more serious and less overtly fandom-y than the first, but arguably still very meta (especially if you consider Viola, Jules and Ferd as a response to the trio in Harry Potter). I sat down intending to read just one of these stories -- and ended up reading them all.

Halloween Is Not A Verb -- Holly invites various people to their mums’ place for Halloween.

Solstice on the Rocks -- A short story about university graduation.

Kissing Basilisks -- Begins on New Year’s Day, is compelling, and picks up the non-band-related narrative threads from Fake Geek Girl.

Missing Christmas by Kate Clayborn: This novella is loosely connected to Beginer's Luck but stands alone. It's sweet. Business partners and best friends Jasper and Kristen pay a last minute trip to a client and get trapped by a blizzard, which pushes them to reconsider the boundaries they’ve drawn in their relationship. I liked the moments which showed that they’re an effective team because they know each other so well and can communicate through subtle body language.

Finding My Voice by Marie Myung-Ok Lee: Ellen is a Korean-American teenager in her final year of high school. Her story is about applying for college, gymnastics training, Ellen’s relationships with her best friend and her first boyfriend, dealing with racism at school and with her parents’ expectations that she will follow her sister to Harvard. It’s very short, first published in 1993. I was aware of all the places where a YA novel written today would be allowed to give more details and to expand the story, but it was still interesting.

The Magnolia Sword: A Ballad of Mulan by Sherry Thomas: I’ve borrowed this several times this year, only to return it unread each time, and I was starting to wonder if I really wanted to read it. But once I actually sat down and focused, I quickly realised that I definitely did! I became completely engrossed in this Mulan retelling. It’s a tense adventure. I enjoyed the characters and their interactions, particularly the elaborate courtesy of formal conversations, and the way Mulan and her companions value loyalty and camaraderie. I thought this was a very believable take on the whole girl-disguised-as-a-boy thing too.

Dear Mrs Bird by AJ Pearce: In 1940, Emmy wants a newspaper job but is instead typing up letters for a women’s magazine and discarding mail from readers whose problems are Unacceptable. Frustrated that Mrs Bird won’t offer advice to so many women in need, Emmy's tempted to take matters into her own hands. Her optimism means she makes some naive mistakes, some of which made me wince, but it’s also an incredible strength. She's delightful company. I really like how much of this story is about her friendship with Bunty and I enjoyed the insight into women's magazines and the Auxiliary Fire Service.

The Lonely Hearts Dog Walkers by Sheila Norton: Recently separated, Nicola moves back in with her mother, starts as a teaching assistant at her daughter’s new school, gets a puppy and joins a group of dog walkers, who embark upon a mission to save the local park. This was very low-angst and, once I realised the sort of story it was, kind of predictable. I can recognise the appeal of this brand of realism, but personally would have preferred more humour or more emotional complexity. Were Nicola a colleague, it’d be easy to find things in common to discuss, but her story wasn’t quite what I was looking for.

Chasing Lucky by Jenn Bennett: When Josie and her mother return to Beauty to look after the family bookshop, Josie has plans -- keep to herself, finish high school, secure a photography apprenticeship, move to LA. But after Josie accidentally breaks a store-front window and her childhood friend Lucky takes the blame, Josie’s priorities change. I enjoyed this more than I expected to. I particularly liked how Lucky subverts people’s expectations, and how Josie’s family works at communicating better with each other.

Old Baggage by Lissa Evans (narrated by Joanna Scanlan): It’s 1928 and Mattie Simpkin, a now-middle-aged militant suffragette, lives in Hampstead with her friend Florrie Lee (aka The Flea). Mattie gives lectures about the suffragettes but realises she’s not reaching the younger generation. So she starts a club for “healthy outdoor fun” for teenage girls. Mattie is wonderfully forthright -- amusing, engaging and informative when it comes to things she’s passionate about -- but she’s also fallible. A really delightful yet bittersweet story about friendship and loss and the opportunities available for women. I liked its awareness that being able to loudly be yourself is a privilege not everyone has.

There’s Something About Marysburg series by Olivia Dade:

Teach Me: Rose is unimpressed -- not only must she share her classroom with the new history teacher, he’s been given her Honors World History class. There’s something particularly satisfying about people who have been hurt and lonely finding support and love in each other. I like that they get to know each other over many months. I like Martin’s relationship with his teenage daughter and Rose’s relationship with her ex’s parents is so touching that one scene made me cry. And it was interesting seeing the US school system from the perspective of experienced teachers; I appreciated the details about their jobs.

Sweetest in the Gale: a Marysburg story collection contains three novellas about couples in their forties.

Sweetest in the Gale -- Griff is worried when Candy, a fellow English teacher, returns for the new school year uncharacteristically sombre and subdued. A really sweet romance about people who are navigating loss and grief.

Unraveled -- Maths teacher Simon is assigned to observe and mentor the new art teacher, Poppy. I enjoyed the threads of mystery.

Cover Me -- After a concerning mammogram result, Elizabeth marries an old friend so she’s covered by his health insurance. Predictable as anything, but that made it a safe position from which to explore serious and sobering topics.

40-Love: I’m not interested in tennis or holiday resorts; I was disappointed that this novel wouldn’t show Tess being an assistant principal; and even though some of my favourite fictional couples have a significant age-gap, I’m wary about age-gap romances (and socially-programmed to think it’s odd for a woman to date a much younger guy). But I liked the other stories in this series and I was curious. It’s Not really My Cup of Tea, but I was convinced that Tess and Lucas were both capable of making their (somewhat unconventional) relationship work. An interesting exercise in challenging my social-programming.

The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn: After watching Bridgerton (not always to my tastes but mostly fun), curiosity prompted me to read the opening of the second novel, and I was so entertained by Kate Sheffield verbally sparring with the viscount, whom Kate is determined to prevent from marrying her younger sister. I continued to be entertained up until the viscount acts a bit too entitled on his wedding night (that’s unattractive, if outrightly problematic). Which left me in rather an uncharitable mood for the final act, so I can’t identify if the drama of dealing with past traumas didn’t meet the standard of the earlier comedy or if I just hold such scenes to differing standards.

#Herenya reviews books #sooner or later

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