#I’d draw and read books and watch my favourite movies and listen to records or cds

[defdaily]

‪[TRANSLATION] Arena Homme+ Magazine April 2021 Issue featuring JAY B

Translated by defdaily.

JAY B is free and starting again from scratch. That is what JAY B has in mind. GOT7’s leader announced that he would be leaving JYPE as the group stays together. JAY B is preparing to debut as a solo musician while planning to also release mixtapes and hold exhibitions as Def. We had a chat with JAY B, who has gained more freedom and strength, at the swimming pool about courage, depression, literature and aspirations.

Did you come here alone?

Yes. I took a taxi here. I was the type to go around freely even when I was in JYPE but catching the taxi to work this time around felt new.

All GOT7 members decided to leave JYP but stay together as a group. As a leader, you needed to make a decision, right?

Although we ended up leaving JYPE, we wanted to continue as GOT7. We all agreed to leave [JYPE] and try it between ourselves.The product made from me taking responsibility/taking charge was the single 'Encore’ that was released not too long ago. I was involved in the whole process with a new record label. I was happy to see a good response [to the single]. It was lacking in some areas but I was just very proud that we were able to show a different step. Since we showed through this single that “we did not disband”, what’s next is more important. When we left JYPE, Director Jung Wook mentioned "Your role as a leader starts now." I'm realizing it now.

”I wanted to learn everything about the process of releasing an album and how difficult it is. I wanted to start again from scratch.”

Your role as a leader actually starts now.

I used to find the role of a leader burdensome at times but now I feel a greater sense of responsibility. While supporting each person’s journey, I thought I needed to be the one to step up once we got back together. We also talk regularly in our group chat. Not long ago, Jackson went to China. When Mark went to the USA, I could see him off but when Jackson was leaving, we couldn’t be together because of a schedule. So I told him to have a safe flight, apologised for not being able to see him off and thanked him too. He replied saying he’ll take care and be back.

What motivated you to leave the large agency you've been working with for a long time?

The thought came to mind suddenly as we were promoting as GOT7. Am I taking all these benefits I get for granted? When a schedule is released I just do it, and when they ask me to confirm things I do, but what kind of long process has it gone through before it came to me? Who sends a request and how is it processed? Why am I only waiting until it reaches me and simply watching it unfold? I wanted to be directly involved in that process. I wanted to learn everything about the process of releasing an album and how difficult it is. I want to be humble and start from the bottom again.

Didn't you need the courage?

Of course I did. I was also afraid. My position has risen to all the way up here, but when it comes to my actual knowledge, I think I'm only down there. I was afraid that the difference would feel too big once I left the company. But I think I would have been more afraid if I stayed at JYPE. Since that difference would have grown bigger and bigger. My real self is here, so I should face it head-on a little faster. That's what I thought.

As JAY B or as Def. who releases mixtapes and holds exhibitions, you must have had the desire to do something new.

I want to do research and build it up step by step without haste. JAY B will show hip hop and RnB music that appeals to the general public and Def. will do activities that Def. wants to do. It could be mixtapes or exhibitions, or other different kinds of fictions. Def. is the nickname I used as a bboy before I became a trainee. It’s like air floating about freely. It could be house or soul or acoustic or even modern rock. In a way, you can say that Def. is close to my “main self” but since I debuted as JAY B, I’ll also show a devoted side of myself through JAY B. I want to be a person who can do both what he has to do and what he wants to do freely.

Listening to your mixtapes, and hearing that you like the styles of D’Angelo and Ray Charles, you seem to be attached to the Southern US rhythm and blues and soul music.

I do like them a lot. I like the entire hip-hop culture that originated from there. That culture also includes DJing, graffiti and even bboying. Since I started as a bboy, I would look up older videos to watch, study the culture and also look into what each dance move symbolizes, with my bboying crew and that's how I became fascinated. What captivated me the most was their obstinacy. I felt respect towards the conviction and obstinacy they carried with their culture.

Is that mood still incorporated in your music and dance?

Yes. For example, I don’t think choreography is dance. I think dancing is when music plays and you like the rhythm and start humming and bobbing your head and moving your body. I think dancing is a free act you do out of enjoyment.

What was the reason you joined an idol group after starting out as a bboy?

I gained an interest in music too, not just dancing. When I was young, I listened to D’Angelo’s music and wanted to become a singer like him. But I was rebellious when I first joined JYPE. Haha. I was even suspended for a month once as a trainee. I definitely said hello but they said I didn’t so they said "If you're going to be stubborn, then go home" and me with my young heart replied “Then I shall head home.” and left. Then I met up with my bboying crew after a long time, and in just a few months it turned into a different world. The crew members were above me and I was worried because I could feel myself far away by myself. Should I go back to bboying? Should I continue as a trainee? In the end, I wanted to do my very best in whatever I chose so I decided to focus on becoming a singer. Since I wanted to do music, it was a choice I made with no regrets.

You started as a dancer and ended up as a main vocalist. What was music to you back then?

It was a challenge. Trainees are divided into singing and dancing. I joined as a dancer but what I wanted to do was become a singer and not just do dance. But since I was put into the dancing division, I worked even harder with singing to break that prejudice. I often felt defeated. I still feel defeated with singing. Haha. But music is about endless research. Now it’s more about research than studying.

You grew up as an only child to your parents who did farming?

I was an ordinary kid. I enjoyed Haruki’s Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage and thought the “colourless” kid was just like me. I was a calm kid who helped his parents with their farm work. I don’t know if it’s because I don’t have any older siblings but they said I used to talk to myself a lot. My mother said there was a way she would know if I was home or not. If I was home, she would hear me talk to myself and be like “Oh really?” “Yes really” haha.

It’s extraordinary to read Haruki at that age.

There was an older friend that I knew and he was really cool. He looked really cool reading on the bus with his legs crossed. He said “Hey, Read a book and build up some knowledge.” As I was trying to be cool like him, I gained a favourite author and started reading more since I enjoyed it.

What kind of books do you like?

When I was a teenager I often read Kafka On The Shore. It felt like Kafka was just like me, and so while reading it, I even cried. The style of Murakami Radio was also interesting. The ending phrase “But I like that more…” was very witty. I’m collecting books from secondhand bookstores from authors who won the Young Author awards. I like Lee Jang-wook's short story Byeon Hee-bong. The main character knows the actor Byun Hee-bong, but the world doesn't know him. He would ask "Don't you know Byun Hee-bong from the movie The Host?" But no one knows. I like stories that don’t intend to be funny but they end up making me giggle.

What do you read these days?

I try to read poetry. I purchased and read the first volume that appeared on Moonji’s Poetry Collection, but it has too many Hanja characters. Haha. I started with Munhwak’s Poetry Collection. I have volumes 1 to 85. I also read poet Park Joon's collection of poems and poet Lee Eun-gyu's Affectionate Name. I even underlined and wrote things down.

Among the idols and musicians I’ve met, I think you are the most extensive reader.

We went on tours often and we would have a lot of time in my hotel room. When I went out I took pictures and when I stayed in my hotel room I read books. When I go on an overseas tour, I pack around 30 books in my suitcase. Then I bring back the books that left an impression on me, and those that didn’t sometimes I dispose of them there. These days, I look for independent publications too. I often look for independent publishing bookstores in Nakseongdae or Haebangchon. There are many books that contain honest stories that are not refined, and the power of those sentences is great.

How does reading influence your work?

The poetic expressions with poetic license help when writing lyrics. You read a new sentence and think “What is this expressing?” You receive inspiration from that image being expressed in a new way. I think of lyrics as poetry too. There are times I write how I feel honestly, but when I want to include a certain meaning I’d want to write the lyrics like poetry.

In your photo exhibition <ALONE> last year, you took pictures of objects and signs in the middle of the road.

Wouldn't it feel very lonely if you think about it from an object’s point of view? The camera captures just an instance but the object will stay there. I think each person has an insatiable loneliness. I like the artist Seonglib’s works, and I feel loneliness in his drawings. I don't know why I keep talking about loneliness, I guess I’m familiar with loneliness.

Seems like you take more pictures of objects and landscapes than people.

I don’t really like taking pictures of people. You can clearly see a person’s emotions in their eyes. I prefer hiding things rather than revealing them too much. I prefer objects, backgrounds, and natural objects rather than subjects that openly express 'It's me!'. Tranquil things, I like when you go past something and go “that’s how it was.” I try my best since my job requires being presented to people but that’s also how I am.

Who do you like as a movie director?

I like Woody Allen’s directing. My favourite is Match Point. It's a love story that goes beyond taboos, and it's electrifying. The face of the actor who secretly asks the reunited lover to give him her number remains in my memory for a long time. How could he direct such a real-looking, raw look in their eyes? When I was a theater and film major, I used to take directing classes rather than acting. If I were to direct a film, I would like to shoot an eccentric witty romantic comedy like Love Fiction directed by Jeon Gye-soo.

Are you self-conscious as an artist?

I’m interested in a variety of genres, and interact with crews often, but I think goofing off just because they are an artist is an arrogant attitude. Everyone is their own artist, no matter what they do, right? I'm not trying to be pretentious, I just think there's a difference in expression, and people who work in the office are also doing their own art. That’s why I’m a little shy about the title “artist.” Is there a need to be puffed up with pride because I’m an artist? I’m just a person.

While filming for “What's in my bag” and revealed your medications for depression and panic disorder. When did you face your depression?

I didn’t know I had depression. I thought I was being weak for a short while and let it pass. But on an occasion I got examined and found out I had depression. They asked how I lived by without going to the psychiatrist. I said I just thought I was the type to feel blue. Haha. I’m the type that doesn’t show [what is wrong] but they said I was in a state where I needed treatment. After going to counselling and taking medications, I’m much better now.

“I just wanted to talk about it. It may not show, but depression is both a common and dangerous illness.”

I think you’re cool for having the courage to talk about this.

I got diagnosed and looked at the people around me. There are friends who are ashamed of it and try to hide it, and there are friends who talk about it as if it’s insignificant. I just wanted to talk about it. It may not show, but it’s both a common and dangerous illness. A mental illness is an illness too. Among my fans, or those who read this interview, if there is someone who feels depressed, don’t be ashamed of it and I hope you receive treatment and overcome it. It’s not an embarrassing thing and it doesn’t need to be hidden. And I was filming content where I show what’s inside my bag; I can’t lie. I wish everyone would be healthy.

Are you bad at lying?

Yes. If I have to tell a lie, I think it’s just better to not say anything. Since I’m the type that’s honest and straightforward, I also don’t like beating around the bush.

Can you share a way one can take a step forward towards recovering from depression?

Look at the world in a broad view. Know that there are many places you haven’t been to yet and there are many things you haven’t felt yet. It's also good to take a walk and go off your usual route and take a path you've never been on. Small adventures can also be of great help. Just by leaving the house you’re already halfway there. I think there are more ways you can refresh yourself outside rather than inside. Also, I thought I was an honest person but after being diagnosed with depression, I thought I should be more honest with myself and more faithful to myself. At times like this, think of yourself before others.

What do you believe in?

I just believe in god. I don’t have a religion. I don’t know what kind of existence god is but I do believe that there is a god. When I’m thankful or am having a hard time, I pray. “Thank you.” “Please let me get through this wisely.”

What is the greatest motivation that moves you?

As long as I’m alive, I want to continue doing work that will leave a message. I believe that there is no next life. I think I should live this time diligently to the fullest. To have no regrets.

Translated by defdaily.

#jaebeom #def. #lim jaebeom #jay b #GOT7 jb #interviewtrans #jb trans #jb interview #defdaily:trans

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #402

“there’s a space kept in hell with your name on the seat  /  with a spike in the chair just to make it complete”

Have you ever had any really infected injuries? Not an injury, per se, but I've had at least one ear piercing get infected during the healing process. Shit sucks ass. Are you popular on any websites? No. What was the last song you listened to? "Savior" by SWARM. Are you considered popular at school? I wasn't. If you could host your own talk show, would you do it? No. I've got nothing interesting to talk about. If you were starving would you eat food out of a garbage can? I honestly don't know if I could with how squeamish I am about sharing food, even with family. And we're talking about sharing food that's been in the TRASH. Do you know anyone who has changed their first name? I do. Which one of your senses would you be the most devastated to lose? I THINK hearing. I hate silence, so that would just be... haunting. I want to be able to hear people's voices and other sounds. Do you know anyone who has been on life support, and survived? I have no idea. Do your parents have a strong relationship together? God no. They're divorced for a reason. Have you ever read any of Charles Darwin’s works? No. If there was such a thing as a mental health first aid kit, what would you want to be in it? Some ice cream and a Mountain Dew bc I'm an emotional eater, my "graduation" pebble from my partial hospitalization program to remember how far I've come, some cold water to run over my face (or drink), my iPod for music and phone to watch YouTube, a nice, big blanket to turn into a burrito in... that kind of stuff. If you’re in a relationship, are you happy? And if you’re single, are you looking for someone? I'm not actively searching for anyone, no. What is something that people make fun of you for? Always being on the computer. It makes me EXTREMELY self-conscious, and I really wish people would keep their mouths shut about it. Which supermarket do you like to shop at? Wal-Mart. Have you ever been told that your boyfriend/girlfriend wasn’t good enough for you? In the past. Do you think it’s okay to flirt with someone that’s already taken, as long as it goes no further? Fuck no. Do you struggle to say ‘no’ to things you don’t want to do? YUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUP. Someone attractive is staring at you. What do you do? Probably just kinda smile and blush and look down/away. Are you friends with someone a lot of people dislike? *shrug* Favorite photo search engine? Tumblr for gifs, Google or Pinterest for still images, depending on what I'm looking for. Do you doggie paddle or actually swim in a pool? I'll do both, I think? It's been too long since I've swum. Ever made a snow angel? Ye-ep. Would you ever take up smoking? No. I like having operational lungs. Do you laugh at racial jokes? No. Hate to break it to ya, but they're not funny. Book series you enjoyed reading recently? I've been loving Wings of Fire by Tui T. Sutherland, even if I'm reading very slowly. My psychiatrist has given me a new way to approach my hobbies I have difficulty engaging in, so I'm hoping if I keep it up, my rate of reading will speed up! Are there any keys on your keyboard that have letters fading away? Ahaha, yeah... "a," "s," and "d." A true gamer. How "w" is still alive, I couldn't tell ya. Favorite non-chocolate candy? Sour Punch Straws, probably. The red ones, in specific. Last person you texted? My mom. What did you learn from your first job? That I can't work with people. Favorite website from your childhood? I was a Webkinz A D D I C T. Least favorite flavor of food or drink? Cranberry came to mind very quickly. Least favorite pattern? uhhhhhhh Favorite potato food? Either French fries or Lays wavy potato chips. PC or console gaming? I grew up as a console gamer, so I'm kinda biased. Writing or drawing? Don't make me choose!! I get more satisfaction out of drawing something I'm proud of, but I do way more writing. Who would you put before everyone else? My mom, probably. Lamps, overhead lights, fairy lights, or sunlight? Fairy lights are so cute. How many phone numbers do you have memorized? I shit you not, none. What is your third favourite colour? Hm. Maybe rose gold, or lilac. Can you remember your first phone? If so, what kind was it? I'm really not sure, but I WANT to say it was one of those slide-y, compact Blueberry ones? Who is your favourite character from Alice in Wonderland? The Cheshire Cat has always been very alluring to me. What is the last thing you looked up online? The definition to a word just to ensure I was using it correctly. Have you ever had your fortune read? No. I ain't wasting time or money on that shit. Can you read tarot cards? If you couldn't guess from above, I have zero faith in this kinda stuff, so I don't care to learn. Do you prefer lemons or limes? Lemons. I like lime flavoring in some stuff, though. Are your expecting anything in the mail? No. What would you like to see out of your window everyday instead of what you see now? The forest. Do you own a camera? I do, a Canon EOS Rebel T6. Have you ever written a special note in a book? Yes. Early into our relationship, Jason lent me a book to read, and I wrote a lil love letter in it for him. Do you have any artistic talents? I mean I like to think I'm a good writer and a decent artist. Do you remember the last movie you saw while on a date? Yeah, IT with Girt. It was fun because he's a horror pansy, haha. He did fine, though. What would you do if you found out you were pregnant? Freak the fuck out because I haven't had sex in many years, so that thing's coming the fuck out 'cuz it obviously ain't natural. Favorite thing to get at McDonalds? Look man, I'm shameless, I love me a Quarter Pounder w/ cheese. Plus some fries. :x Do you know anyone named Alex? I know multiple people named Alex, actually. Whose house did you last sleep over at? Sara's. In other words, it's been a loooong time.Would you ever record yourself having sex? God no. Like zero judgment to the people that do, but I get NOTHING out of watching others "do it." I've never actually tried watching porn, but I couldn't have less interest. I know I'd hate it, and a lot. Did the vacuum scare you as a child? I don't think it did, anyway. Have you or would you ever use a dating app? One of my most embarrassing secrets is that I was briefly on Christian Mingle. It makes me want to cringe into fucking oblivion. Who are you most nervous about introducing potential significant others to? My dad. He's... a character. What was the most important non-academic thing you learned in high school? That time fucking flies, so cherish every millisecond. Do you and your friends ever talk about your sex lives? Not really. Even when I was sexually active, I was private about that stuff. I don't care if others talk to me about theirs, but odds are I'm not saying much about myself. What were the best and worst interviews you’ve ever had? What made them so good/bad? I've never had a bad interview, but I mean, I've only had I wanna say four in my whole life. None were anything special either, though. Ever put someone else in the hospital? No. Have you ever sold anything on eBay? If so, what? No. What is the best surprise you have ever had? Finding a container of puppy chow underneath the Christmas tree one year. It was my parents' way of telling me we were getting a dog (which I had been nagging them about FOREVER), and next came Teddy. <3 I miss my boy. Is someone in love with you? I wouldn't know. Ever kiss someone on the first date? No. Ever sleep with someone on the first date? That's a hard no. Do you wear cologne/perfume/aftershave regularly? No. Do you snore? No, actually. Pretty astonishing for someone with such severe sleep apnea. When is the last time someone else slept in your bed? When Sara last visited. How often do you dust? Not... nearly enough as I'm supposed to. Mom gets on me about it all the time. What is the most ‘extreme’ activity you have ever done? Ha, nothing wild, I assure you. I guess riding a four-wheeler through the woods once with our former neighbors, who were good friends of ours.. Have you ever rode on a mobility scooter/wheelchair just for fun? Um, no? That's a jackass thing to do. Some people actually need those. Who’s the most controlling person you know? OH MY FUCKING GOD. OUR FAMILY FRIEND TOBEY. EASILY. She seizes control of EVERY situation, even if she has no right to be involved in it. Does anyone keep a photo of you in their purse/wallet, and if so, who? Not to my knowledge. Do you own a microphone? No. Do you enjoy trailers at the cinema? I do! I like arriving in time to see them. Have you ever been burgled? No, thankfully. Have you ever entered anything into Urban Dictionary? If so, what? No. What’s the last live performance you watched on TV? No idea. Have you ever been embarrassed to buy something from a shop? Not to my recollection. It helps that I'm not the one buying things, like ever. What’s the name of one of your friends’ dogs? Buster! :') He's a precious lil bean. Name a pet you definitely wouldn’t want. A GIANT CENTIPEDE. That's one pet in the invert community that I have ZERO interest in EVER owning. Those bitches are scary. Have you ever needed to wear a tie? If so, when/why? Nope.

#survey #surveys #random questions #lyrics: ''fuck u'' by archive

[cafedanslanuit]

Hello! I hope you’re having a great day! I was wondering if you could do a matchup for me please! The fandoms I’d like are Obey Me and Mystic Messenger! I’m straight, she her. I am either very shy or very extroverted, it depends on how I’m feeling! I’m mostly shy when we meet for the first time but later I get more and more confident the more I know the person! I am very stubborn, and a bit hot headed (1/?) ~🥳

I love debating with people! I’m also either the very chaotic friend or the mom friend, it depends lol. I love reading! It’s one thing I’ve loved to so since I was a child, and I’m really into philosophy! I love listening to classical music. I also really like writing or drawing stuff (I’m not good tho pft.) One thing I don’t like is people that are fake, or that look down in a very mean way to others. If someone insults me I’ll stay quiet but you know I’m planing to murder you lmao (2/?) ~🥳

Sometimes I can be a bit sad, and have some panic attacks but now they don’t happen as often. Also, if anyone were to ever offend someone I hold dear it’s over for them because I won’t stand for it. I love playing with kids! I have little cousins that are 3-5 years old and I love spending time with them, I think it’s adorable! I’m a relationship I will be pretty shy at some points, but I will make sure to shower my partner with love. I will spoil them rotten, and be super loyal! (3/?) ~🥳

I also expect my partner to be really loyal too! I can be a bit jealous but not the super possessive type, I just want to know that the person I’m with actually wants to be with me because I’d honestly get nervous that they will leave me. My perfect date would be an amusement park, or a picnic. Maybe a picnic in an amusement park who know 👀 I want my first date to be filled with fun activities, and that me and my partner are able to joke a lot, but that we’re also able to have deep convos. ~🥳

Another date could probably be binge watching Disney movies or studio ghibli. I would also love to talk about books with my partner, probably them reading to me! I feel like that’d be the cutest thing ever >////< But anyway I think that’s all! Thank you for doing my match up and I’m sorry if it was too long 😅 I hope you have a nice evening! ~🥳

Definitely not too long! It gives great info~ Let's start with Obey Me, I match you with Satan

The first thing that ignited his curiosity on you was, of course, the books. You would often go to his room and ask for more recommendations, but ended up staying chatting with him.

He loves learning all that he can about you. So deep conversations while he plays an old record of classical music has turned into his favourite way to spend his afternoons. 

Please have conversations about philosophy with him. He’ll prepare some tea, put on some background music and have at it. You’re the kind of couple that talks and talks until suddenly they see out of the window and realize the sun is rising once more.

So yes, you take naps together too.

He’s learnt to cut down on his smile when he actually wants to murder someone. He tends to get worried about scaring you, but knowing you will choose him and love him even when he’s angry is definitely something that warms his heart.

Satan may tend to present himself as cool™, but he’s a blushing mess whenever you throw him a compliment. No matter how long you’ve been together, it always catches him off guard.

Movie nights are also another thing he definitely enjoys. He prefers the one from Studio Ghibli and likes to make theories with you after the movie ends. Since you’re both hot-headed, this may lead to another long debate, but that’s really common for you both.

He may not be big on PDA, but he always makes sure you know he’s there. From stolen glances to small smirks, or the way he will casually touch your arm or leg while he speaks, he likes to make sure everyone (especially Lucifer) know you are with him.

For Mysme, I match you with the one and only Jihyun Kim!

Listen, I know. He’s very different from Satan but listen to me.

There is not a thing in the entire world he loves more than listening to you talk. He will fight any ounce of sleep that possesses his body if you want to talk at 3 am.

He’s just in love with the idea of discovering the wonders of your mind. He keeps asking more and more questions about your principles, what do you believe in, what motivates you, which dreams do you have for the future, everything.

Picnic dates are you to-go dates. You have a favourite park and a basket you bought especially for the occasion. But that one time he offered to take you and your little cousins to the amusement park was definitely a God Tier date. You spent all the afternoon trying the different games and he even tried his best to win some plushies for your cousins. He’s his favourite now and they always ask about him when they see you.

Disney movie dates are something else he really adores. Watching an old childhood film gives him a sense of warmth and comfort that can only be matched with the one he feels when he’s with you.

He used to have a very self-sacrificing image of love, so it was up to you and your amazing debating skills to show him it was actually better to… not sacrifice at all. I know, it should be a given, but he needed a little help at first.

Don’t worry about loyalty because this man will. die. for. you. He’s grown so he will not put himself in danger again, but you’re the only thing in his eyes.

#mystic messenger #mystic messenger headcanons #obey me #obey me headcanons #mysme v #mm v #swd satan #obey me satan #allie does matchups

[markwatkinsconsumerguide]

Consumer Guide / No.110 / Howzat?!  Cricket broadcaster and magazine editor, Annie Chave, batting the questions from Mark Watkins.

MW : Describe your favourite room in your house...  

AC : My new office. It is small with a daybed and a desk. It includes a shelf with my County Cricket Matters magazines & envelopes for posting, a bookshelf of cricket books, several photos of the Taunton pitch and one of Marcus Trescothick. It also has a really precious photo of me with my dad watching cricket when I’m about 8 years old. 

From my window, I can see the hills outside Exeter. I’ve painted the room a light grey and it is usually bathed in sunlight. I love the sense of calm I feel when I shut myself in my office.

MW : When setting out to watch County Cricket, what essentials do you usually carry in your bag? 

AC : I always have the current book I’m reading, my binoculars and a warm layer. More recently I have my phone and I have a recording device so that I can interview people. I will now always have backdated & current copies of County Cricket Matters but I’m yet to go to a county match since I’ve been doing my magazine so I don’t know how many to take.

MW : What other essentials are usually provided at the ground?

AC: Cricket is the main essential. Tea, cake and beer a close second and familiar faces a third. But a sense of calm, of solace and of healing is also right up there. 

MW : What is the most picturesque ground you've visited?

AC : Without a doubt Lynton & Lynmouth. It is a valley in North Devon that is right by the sea with steep hillsides surrounding the pitch where goats precariously balance at incongruous angles.  It is a stunning and timeless setting.

MW : Which ground has the best surface?

AC : Taunton, of course, because it is unique and rarely produces a dull game!

MW : When summer is over, what is your cricket substitute?

AC: Nothing substitutes cricket. There is little to compare with the sense of joy as March turns into April and I find myself anticipating the season ahead. Since I have begun editing County Cricket Matters I have been able to maintain a connection with cricket over the winter and I value that hugely. I also do a lot of reading and writing to fill in the time.

MW : Just before a new cricket season begins how do you usually prepare? 

AC : I buy my Playfair Cricket Annual and Wisden and I love The Cricketer round up of the counties. I also choose a county fantasy cricket team at CricketXI.com  and I’ll do a lot of reading up about county signings and retirements so that I am prepared for my new County Cricket Natters podcast, which is a “Match Of The Day” type show that rounds up the week’s championship games.

MW : How useful are you with bat & ball? 

AC : Well, I’m worse than useless with the bat. I try to hit everything to the boundary and I can’t get bat on ball. But I have been known to bowl a bit and I’ve upset a few men’s fragile ego by knocking their stumps over with my straight medium pace. My claim to fame is that when I briefly played women’s cricket for  Gunnersbury Women’s Cricket Club, I fluked the wicket of Charlotte Edwards, when she was brilliantly caught off my long-hop. She was only 14 at the time.

MW : ...and how about the rest of your family?

AC: Well now, that’s a question. My father played cricket and kept wicket until he was 76. Nimble and fast behind the stumps right up until he retired. He was a decent bat and when he was younger was a useful seam-up bowler who took a lot of wickets.

My two brothers still play. The younger a decent left-handed bat and very good keeper – the elder a slow bowler who has claimed many wickets and is a good man in to bat for the draw.

My husband is a very useful opener who could have played at a higher level than he did. He began his bowling life as a fast bowler but in later years he became a useful off-break bowler and one hell of a slip fielder. Now in his late fifties he still opens the batting and often with our son.

My son is a left-handed bat who plays the long game, starting steadily and able to accelerate at an alarming pace. He is also a nifty right-arm, off-break bowler who varies his pace and gets a good bit of bounce.

So yes, a fair amount of cricket in our family.

MW : Who is your current cricket heartthrob?

AC : I don’t really go in for heartthrobs but out of current players then I’d go for Jofra Archer.  Past players - Viv Richards. Such brazen talent.

MW : Which cricketer gives you the most heartache?! 

AC : Toss-up between Moeen Ali and Jos Buttler because I feel they both have to always justify their test place and yet they are so hugely talented.

MW : You are Test selector for the day, what would be your (current) England eleven? 

AC :  This is a really hard question because it depends if we’re playing in England or against a team of left-handers or at a particular ground etc.  I think I’ll make it a team to play in England and I’ll imagine that the team :

Rory Burns

Dom Sibley (don’t like watching him bat though!)

Zak Crawley (a classy bat.)

Joe Root

Ben Stokes (after Headingly in 2019 there is no explanation.)

Jos Buttler (I think a test side with Jos in is a strong Test side but I recognise he’s not the best keeper – that would definitely be Ben Foakes – however, in England conditions I think Jos is good enough and the impetus in the batting is important.)

Chris Woakes (under used and underrated.)

Jack Leach/Moeen Ali (I literally cannot choose between them so dependent on if we need to strengthen the batting.)

Jofra Archer

Stuart Broad

Jimmy Anderson

MW : How would you sell County Cricket to the uninitiated?

AC : I think anything that has such a rich history behind it is worth experiencing. Each ground has its own multi-layered past where momentous games have taken place and iconic players have broken records. The setting of each and every one of the 18 county grounds is unique and full of promise.  I love that sense of past glories that help to define its character and I’m aware that each match I attend could bring a moment of magic or history at any point.

But County Cricket is unique because of its relaxed and friendly atmosphere. You have the ceremony, the classy players, the thrill of the contest, the changing conditions, the double innings, the sense of camaraderie in the crowd but you also have a quieter more respectful experience. You are able to wander around, change seats, chat with friends and with strangers, go to the bar without fighting your way to an endless queue and you have time to daydream, time to read your paper and have a break for lunch. 

There is also a great rapport between player and spectator because the pace is slower and the drama comes in short bursts so the player is more relaxed; the spectator better able to engage. There is nothing more life affirming than time alone at a county match.

MW : What radio do you listen to in the car? 

AC : BBC Radio 4 for Drama, BBC 5 Live for Sport & BBC 6 Music for my musical requirements and always cricket, or football, if it’s on ; Exeter City is my football team, but I’m partial to Arsenal too.

MW : What was the last good DVD. movie and TV show you particularly enjoyed watching?

AC : As with my reading matter I tend to enjoy science fiction and detective thrillers.

I think the last good DVD I watched was 1917.

It feels like forever since I’ve been to the cinema and I can’t really remember what I enjoyed there last, but it would have been a Star Wars film I suspect.

The last TV series I really enjoyed was Firefly.  

MW : Where can we keep in touch?

AC : County Cricket Matters has a website https://www.countycricketmatters.com/ where you can also purchase magazines at the shop

It also has a Facebook group County Cricket Matters and a Twitter Account @matterscounty

I’m on Twitter @anniechave and on LinkedIn and Facebook.

(c) Mark Watkins / March 2021

[bleachellie]

tagged by @gayhaircut (thank u heather!! ☺️💕)

name/alias: eleanor/ellie/el 🤠💕

birthday: 30th september (soon.. 😈)

zodiac: libra sun/taurus moon/scorpio rising 😌

height: i got measured at the doctor’s last week and he said i’m only 5’7”.. 😞 but i’m sure i’m taller than that, i think i just have terrible posture snhdjfjfj 😅😭

hobbies: collecting records/cassettes, collecting/building lego (mainly star wars!!) and drawing!! (altho i don’t do that enough.. 😖)

favourite colours: pinks, purples, yellows!! (altho never purple + yellow together, i’m not some kind of ukip stan 😠)

favourite books: i haven’t read anything in forever and my taste in books used 2 be Bad so.. idk.. 😞

last song listened to: picture of health by muncie girls!! ✨

last movie watched: the ph*ntom m*nace 😭

inspiration or muse: sorry i’m not rly a muse fan 😔

dream job: being in a band!! altho yh i’d probs just do that more for fun than as a job 😭 anything that isn’t retail 😅😖

meaning behind my url: 2 of my fav artists (mitski + snail mail) both have albums called lush, so it’s after them and also bcos i’m a lesbian!! 🤧💕

i tag @biscuitlesbian @paddingtongf @lpu @cem-etery @wispagold if u wanna do this!! 🤠💕

[bbclesmis]

Exclusive Track & Interview: 28 Days Later composer John Murphy’s “Les Misérables”

Check out this exclusive premiere of John Murphy's "Les Misérables" from the BBC/PBS's Masterpiece Les Misérables now. This version is very close to Victor Hugo's original novel, and hence is not a musical. The soundtrack will be available May 3.' Murphy also dishes on the challenges of scoring such a huge, epic, and sweeping story (and a lot more) in the interview below.

Exclusive premiere: John Murphy's "Les Misérables" from Masterpiece's Les Misérables Lakeshore Records is set to release the original soundtrack to the critically-acclaimed BBC/PBS Masterpiece mini-series Les Misérables, written by composer John Murphy (28 Days Later, Sunshine, Kick-Ass). Check out our interview with Murphy and the exclusive song directly below this article. Les Mis the album will be released digitally on May 3 with CD and vinyl versions forthcoming.

This Les Mis is NOT a musical; in fact, it is relatively faithful to the source novel. It premiered April 14 on PBS, but all episodes can be watched with PBS Passport.

Les Misérables is a six-part drama adaptation starring Dominic West (The Affair) as Jean Valjean, and David Oyelowo (Selma) as Javert in this landmark take on a classic, timeless, and sweeping story. They are joined by Lily Collins (Rules Don’t Apply), in the role of Fantine.

With a striking intensity and relevance to us today, Victor Hugo's novel is a testimony to the struggles of France’s underclass and how far they must go to survive. The six-part television adaptation of the renowned book vividly and faithfully brings to life the vibrant and engaging characters, the spectacular and authentic imagery and, above all, the incredible yet accessible story that was Hugo’s lifework.

The distinguished British cast includes Adeel Akhtar (The Night Manager) and Academy Award winner Olivia Colman (The Favourite) as Monsieur and Madame Thénardier, Ellie Bamber (Nocturnal Animals) as Cosette, Josh O'Connor (The Durrells in Corfu) as Marius and Erin Kellyman (Raised By Wolves) as Éponine.

Liverpool born John Murphy began scoring movies at the age of 25. In 2001, following the success of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch, he moved to Los Angeles.

Since then he has worked with some of the industry's most respected and luminary filmmakers, including Danny Boyle, Guy Ritchie, Stephen Frears, Matthew Vaughn and Michael Mann, producing film scores as prominent and diverse as Sunshine, Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Miami Vice, Snatch, Kick-Ass, and the seminal 28 Days Later.

Murphy's movie trailers include: Captain America: Winter Soldier, Gravity, X-Men: Origins, Cloverfield, War of the Worlds, Cowboys and Aliens, Blindness, Ex Machina, Southpaw, X-Men: Days of Future Past, and Avatar. His music has been featured in advertising campaigns for Nike, Audi, Microsoft, Louis Vuitton, Samsung, Google, and Apple.

After Kick-Ass, Murphy set up the record label Taped Noise and began work on several non-movie projects. BBC/PBS Masterpiece Theatre's Les Misérables is his latest project.

Les Misérables director Tom Shankland wanted John to tell a fresh musical story and to ultimately create a raw and uncompromising score to reflect the trials and misery of "Les Misérables." John describes the scoring process as an "experimental journey."

Initially, Tom wanted a gritty, folk-oriented score, but as they began the process, he and John quickly realized that the story would need a broader musical palette. John ended up incorporating less obvious elements such as bowed electric guitar, analog synths, experimental viola, and backwards loops, with a nod to the classic French romantic scoring of the '60s. Despite mixing instrumentation, the elements fused and the sensibility stayed true throughout.

John described the scoring process further:

"My original idea for the score to Les Mis was '1816 Velvet Underground meets '60s French film music.' While director Tom [Shankland] was thinking 'gnarly, down in the dirt, French folk music.' Producer Chris Carey suggested, 'let's do both, but throw in some vintage analog synths.' I then gleefully tried all of these elements, often at the same time. And we discovered that you can actually mix a hurdy gurdy with a Moog Sub Phatty, and we loved it. And what started out as a musical standoff, became our score for Les Misérables."

Interview: John Murphy

Hello John and welcome!

Hey Wess. Good to talk with you!

Likewise. To start things off, what attracted you to this telling of Les Mis as a project? I really appreciated how it was based on Hugo's novel, and not a musical. The novel, in my opinion, does not get enough praise.

Yeah, sadly the musical has pretty much hijacked this great novel. I read it in my early twenties. I was a session player back then and I spent a lot of time on tour buses, so I got through a lot of reading. Aside from all the ideas and themes, it's a great story – hope, despair, sacrifice, redemption, all the good stuff. I loved it.

I read it when I was in my twenties as well. Such a great novel.

So when the call came in, I did some Skype meetings with the director Tom Shankland and producer Chris Carey, and they were so passionate about it, and so hell-bent on going back to the source, the book I loved. I knew I had to do it.

That's fantastic. I was hoping we could get an idea of your overall creative process on the project. It really is very sweeping in the emotions of the story and the history it covers.

Well I've really only ever done movies so I knew the production process would be different. For example, before they started shooting I had to write a lot of the in-camera music they needed to shoot to; the scene with the band in the pimp's den, Cosette's piano pieces, Gavroche's song when he runs out to collect the bullets, that kind of thing.

Oh wow.

Which was cool because I'd never done that before. And then there was a big break while they filmed and put together the episodes. So rather than sit around and wait, I started sketching out themes and ideas from the script, which is actually way more creative than writing to picture. But having this pot of ideas was a life saver because, when the episodes finally did come, they came thick and fast.

But the actual creative process wasn't too different from scoring a film. I always write the themes first, and I try to write them away from picture. And then I'll work to picture and write the featured cues, the montages, the chases, that kind of thing. And then you're down to the underscore cues and you're just connecting the dots really.

Interesting process John. What were the challenges like?

I think the biggest challenge was time. Even though I had ideas sketched out for most of the themes, there's only so much you can do until they give you locked picture. And when the final locked cuts started coming, I had about 20 days per episode from start to delivery. And this is when I would score everything in, write the underscore, record the soloists, and mix the tracks ready for the dub. There was usually about forty cues and forty minutes of music per episode. So there were a few long nights!

Were there huge differences between Les Mis as a project and working on your more conventional titles like 28 Days Later? You've scored quite a bit in the horror realm.

I've actually only scored a few horror films. They just tend to be the ones people remember!

[Laughs] good point. I was thinking just relative to other composers I've talked to…

Because of the musical, there's kind of a skewed perception of Les Miserables. But a lot of the book is actually very dark. And, for whatever reason, I find it much easier to work with darker material.

I find myself attracted to darker art as well; not just film.

For me, it's just a deeper well to draw from. So even though it's based upon an historic work I never felt like I was writing outside of my own instincts. At the end of the day, whatever the scale, it all comes down to ideas, story and characters.

Absolutely. Any memorable or funny moments that stick out from that behind the scenes process of scoring the series?

There were, but none I could mention! [Laughs]

[Laughs] fair enough. A question I ask most everybody: what scores and films have molded you most as an artist?

I think the first time I became aware that movies used music was in A Fistful of Dollars. I must have been six or seven and it was on TV one night. I remember thinking why is there music playing? Where is it coming from? After that I started listening for it when I watched movies. So, I think my love for [Ennio] Morricone started there. And after that it was the James Bond movies, and the great John Barry themes. Another film composer I love to this day. I was just a kid, but I remember getting hyped up whenever I heard that guitar riff. A few years later, when I started to play a few things, I discovered Bernard Herrmann.

Psycho always stands out for me when I think of a great score. It may be cliché to say but it is true.

I couldn't fathom how he could make music that was so dark and so beautiful at the same time. I'd never heard anything like it and it blew me away. It was like magic.

So, those three made more of an impression on me than any specific movies. Thinking about it now it's probably why I'm so theme-heavy today. Because those guys definitely knew how to write a theme.

That they did. One other big question which is sort of related, what makes a great score?

That's such a difficult question and I don't think there's a definitive answer. But if it truly moves you and takes you somewhere else, then it's doing something right.

Well said. Last, what's next for you?

Well, Les Mis was like doing six movies back to back, so I won't be jumping into another big project just yet! I'm going to mess around with one of my own projects for a few months and then see what's around. Maybe a cool little indie where I get to play everything myself!

https://www.thefourohfive.com/film/article/exclusive-track-interview-28-days-later-composer-john-murphy-s-les-miserables-155

#les mis bbc #bbc les mis #soundtrack #audio #Interviews #john murphy

[gingerbaker]

T A G G E D [yet again]

@raymanzarekk you've blessed me with the gift of more doors shitposts and enlightened me with the mere existence of ccr and for this i owe you my life this tag

how tall are you: 5'4" - 5'5" ish [around 162 - 165 cm]

what colour + what style is your hair: my hair is black and right now it's just kinda down??? if i can call it that??? my hair is hella curly so it just exists in whatever state it may be

what colour are your eyes: almost black [really dark brown]

do you wear glasses: no, but i'm getting my eyes checked out soon bc my depth perception is utter shit

do you wear braces: i used to

what is your fashion style: honestly i don't even know anymore; it's this weird mix of 90s aesthetic stuff and a ton of black [also i have recurring 60s phases where i literally only wear band shirts and tie dye]

full name: if it helps, ollie is short for olana

when were you born: a while ago i guess

where are you from and where do you live now: i've literally never left my country but my family is from east africa [that's all, y'all]

what school do you go to: a real fuckin big one

what kind of student are you: sometimes i try when i feel like trying or when i know i need to but i seem to get good grades either way [although recently i've been applying to new schools and my grades have been suffering out of pure stress :)]

do you like school: i like learning n stuff but i don't like how it's orchestrated sometimes if that makes sense

what are your favourite subjects: HISTORY ALL THE WAY, i also take astronomy now??? i really like it but the people in my class are all annoying as shit

favourite tv shows: THE TWILIGHT ZONE, the office, does the beatles cartoon count as a show bc it's so fucking funny to watch

favourite movies: i watched the breakfast club a while ago and it was cool, but i'm realizing that i almost never watch movies??? huh

favourite books: i'm drawing a complete blank but why i read more than i think [rip me 😔]

favourite pastimes: sleeping, writing, colouring since i can't draw, listening to records and collecting more [i try]

do you have any regrets: *john deacon voice* yes, lots

dream job: realistically, i'd like to be a psychiatrist, but i would absolutely l o v e to have a career in music

would you like to get married someday: probably yeah

would you like to have kids someday: i honestly don't think so

do you like shopping: yes but it's hard to find nice clothes bc my proportions are fucked up [example - i'm wearing jeans from the kids section as i'm typing this]

what countries have you visited: unfortunately , none

scariest nightmare you've ever had: [this one is kinda dark so uh watch out] when i was maybe 7 or 8 i had a dream that my parents had a huge fight and that my mom purposely got herself into a car accident and died afterwards [literally nothing had happened between my parents that i had known of up until then; the dream kinda appeared out of nowhere] but yeah

do you have any enemies: i try not to hold grudges and i honestly haven't been involved in too many arguments

do you have a significant other: damn i wish

do you believe in miracles: to some degree

if you want to, go ahead and consider yourself tagged

#hooty hoo ive been tagged

[s-nebul0sa]

Sorry I didn’t get to this sooner! I wanted to do this on my laptop though because it’s so long I didn’t want to post it without a ‘read more’ part. Thanks for asking though! (And your patience)

I went ahead and skipped the ones I had already answered or really didn’t feel comfortable answering/even thinking about.

3. Do you miss anyone?

I kinda miss my little sister and my mom a bit. But that’s just because today is one of those days, you know…

5. Is there anyone who can always make you smile?

My sister. And my best friend too usually

11. Are you listening to music right now?

Yes. I was about to write but then I got distracted. Oops. I’ll get back to it once this list is done. (If I can decide which fic to work on… eternal struggle)

13. How do you feel right now?

Better than a few hours ago. Like, not bad but not great either. So, okay I guess? Decent?

17. Opinion on insecurities

This is a really weird question. Like, opinion on insecurities in general? Because really, I don’t have a strong opinion on the matter, never really thought about it. Everyone has insecurities and I don’t really know what I should think about it other than that it’s okay to have them…

21. Age and birthday?

23 and in July

23. Fears?

So many. The dark. Heights. Insects and spiders. Being left behind (as in, everyone moving on with their life and getting jobs and relationships and houses and kids and me being stuck where I am or something). Losing friends (though that would require me making some (more)). Dogs, even though I don’t want to be scared of them.

25. Role model

I’ve never really had a role model. Or acknowledged that I maybe unconsciously have one? 

27. Things I hate

People who get all up in my personal space (without me knowing them well enough or giving them permission). People who get angry at me or immediately assume I mean stuff in a bad way even if I am very careful about the way I say stuff because I know they’ll think I’m attacking them even when I’m not (maybe it’s the way I say stuff?). People who immediately ask about my love life within a few minutes. (I hate a lot of people hahaha, oops?) The fact that food goes bad because it requires so many planning skills and actual control over life to not let stuff spoil… Doing laundry.

31. 3 random facts

Facts about me?

1. I have sore muscles everywhere right now. Everything, except my abs hurts. I spent yesterday pulling out carpet that was glued to the floor and that’s hard work man. 2. I sleep with a stuffed animal, always. Bring one on vacation with me too. And I have another one on my couch so if I take a nap or start to feel bad, I don’t have to move to get my stuffed animal. They also double well as a pillow.  3. I have more books I haven’t read than ones I did read…

33. Something you want to learn

To draw figures and poses (and simple faces) so I can draw supercorp 😋😋

(Or to love myself but I’ll stick with the more realistic goal)

35. Favourite subject

Err… High school subject? While I was in high school? Biology or PE (because PE just didn’t require us to do homework)

37. Favourite actor/actress

I think that’s obvious…

41. Relationship status

Who cares? (single, though)

45. How you found out about your idol

I’d seen ‘A princess for Christmas’ a long while back and, though I didn’t realise it then, I totally already loved Katie. It was the only Christmas movie I really liked and that I wouldn’t have minded watching again. But, because I was unaware and my mom recorded it and deleted it, I forgot about it. Then I started watching Supergirl and suddenly there she is, on my screen. I didn’t make the connection until I looked her up and that’s when it clicked. Also because I was realising more about me being maybe more into girls than guys and then I started watching SDCC clips and joined a group chat and brought my tumblr back to life (not necessarily in that order, I don’t remember) and now we’re here….

51. Starsign

(*Googles what a starsign is*) Oh! Just my sign.. right…

Cancer

53. 5 things that make me happy

Family

Friends

Reading

Writing

Comments on my writing and replies to comments I leave on other people’s writing

57. Favourite animal(s)

I have many and none at the same time. I’m really bad at favourite anythings because I can never decide. I like turtles and foxes and dolphins and deer and little birdies and fish and mammals and reptilians (hehe)

#anon #anonymous #ask game #iris answers

[abadzone]

A Weekly Song: Episode 8 - Joe Hisaishi

A Weekly Song: Episode 8

Joe Hisaishi – Procession of the Gods

“When’s he going to do a movie composer?”

“He’s always going on about film soundtracks.”

It’s true, I am, I do. The reason is this – I listen to a hell of a lot of them. I’m an aficionado. When you’re writing and drawing all day and night, whether it’s writing articles for magazines or scripts for other artists, or just drawing your own comics and illustrations, you listen to a lot of music.

About five years ago, other than corporate work, I changed my professional emphasis from both writing and drawing to predominantly writing (largely because I make more money from writing than from doing both. Making comics and graphic novels is slow, hard work where you do about ten jobs for the price of one. Plus, anyone in comics publishing will tell you how little most artists make, but that is not the purpose of this essay so I’ll leave that story and observations on same for another time).

I’ve always found that I can’t listen to music with lyrics or indeed a human voice of any kind while writing – I find it distracting. This leaves instrumental music – Jazz and Classical, sure, Ambient definitely, but most often – soundtracks. Film and TV scores.

Perhaps the reason for this is that the part of my brain that I use to create stories and voices of characters is also the part that listens to and processes speech and singing. I don’t know that for sure, but whatever the reason, because most of my time is now spent writing, there’s much less time to listen to listen to podcasts, talk radio and the like.

When I was doing the more “automatic” tasks in the creation of a page of comics, like lettering, inking or colouring, I always found myself listening to something with a human voice – a play, a podcast, radio documentaries. My inking was actually better, both looser and slicker, if I was slightly distracted by listening to radio plays or discussion of some kind. (Hi, BBC Radio 4, NPR and Big Finish. I miss you.)

Correspondingly, my appetite for soundtracks has increased, but they’ve always been an important – nay, essential part of my creative process. They are both mood setters and emotional emollient, both starting points and helpful compositional markers in the creation of a story.

It goes something like this: you think of a scene, what the purpose of it is, how you want it to play, what the characters are saying and doing and you choose a piece of music that sets the temperature of that set of incidents. I think every book and every comic I’ve ever written has had a temp-track of sorts, a tracklisting that serves as a guide for the mood and atmosphere I’m looking for.

In many cases, this temp-track evolves and changes as the story does, with some pieces of music being dropped in favour of others as the shape of the narrative develops. I imagine it’s a similar process in an editing suite; as you revise and modify the focus of different elements of a story, the linguistic accompaniments necessarily change too. In film or TV, it might be the Foley sounds, a change of emphasis in lighting via colour grading; in comics it might be the layout, the way the guttering of a page affects the pace at which a reader scans it, and where their eye is led; the tempo at which it subtextually guides a reader to the turn of the page and an emotional turning point, all the while preserving a sense of immersion. Every small detail the author employs affects everything else, and everything has to be right and constantly rejigged to create the illusion of the real world within the story.

This is the kind of constant balancing act common to all forms of visual storytelling. While comics don’t have the luxury of sound and motion, it is still a supremely nuanced and sophisticated language in its own right. What I always liked about comics as both art form and means of expression is how accessible they are and that they can be created relatively cheaply in comparison to film or TV. Anyone can make a comic; you really can be a sole creator, whereas film and TV are collaborative media. A graphic novel really can be one person’s creative vision, unlike a film, which although it may be steered by one overall captain, the authorship really is shared by many (despite what the director’s credit would have you believe: “A Film By…”)

I digress. The point is, one art form and means of cultural expression runs into the next; none of them stand alone. Everything influences everything else and in my case, I’d go so far as to say, these days, music probably influences me more in terms of the kinds of stories I like to tell than many other comics do. Storytelling is a free-flowing activity that inhabits every possible mode of human expression.

Obviously, all this means I have a lot of favourite soundtracks and film composers. How to pick one, and just one track from so many, for this week’s song?

Well, first time around, I’m gonna do the easy thing. I’m going straight to someone who supplies music for one of the greats in a related field: animation. The greatest living animator, in my humble opinion, is Hayao Miyazaki. One of Miyazaki’s constant and most consistent collaborators is Mamoru Fujisawa AKA Joe Hisaishi, who has composed scores for every Miyazaki movie but one. Not to compare Miyazaki to a Spielberg or a Lucas, but Hisashi is Miyazaki’s John Williams.

It’s really difficult to pick a favourite Miyazaki film, and equally difficult to pick a Hisaishi score. He is, predictably, a composer who can match the depth, vision and moods of Miyazaki, one who seems as comfortable with experimental electronica as he is with the orchestra.

My admiration for Hisaishi is a fairly usual reaction to his music; sometimes it’s interesting to look at exactly why a composer is beloved. His association with one of the best storytellers in the world is partially the reason, but composers are of course storytellers in their own right. There is a line of thinking that viewers shouldn’t really notice movie music – that it’s a subtextual support to the emotion and action of the story being told onscreen. While there’s an element of truth in that, there are just as many examples to the opposite. What I think a good film score should do is complement and highlight the story, help make it an immersive emotional experience; be textural as opposed to specific. It should help you, the viewer, get caught up in the characters and story without necessarily calling attention to itself, which calls for a lot of nuance and is a very neat balancing act. You can still notice it – I sometimes do, but what’s fascinating about it is that, when it’s working well, I often don’t do it consciously. The opposite is true also – I notice it when it’s intrusive or overly sentimental, signposting emotions rather than being an integral part of them.

Something that interests me is that Hisaishi is on record as thinking many modern Hollywood soundtracks don’t have enough “space” or silence in them – that quiet is as much a tool of the composer as loud is. This is a man whose comprehension of emotional colour and silence as a tone in his palette is second to none. I love his work in film and beyond it (which is why I’m also going to cheat a bit and also recommend his Minima Rhythm series, the first of which you can listen to here).

That’s not today’s pick though, which I agonised over. I almost went for the opening of Princes Mononoke, Attack of the Tatari-Gami, which is both great action music and one of the most sinister themes in animation history. In the end, I settled upon a piece from Spirited Away, which is possibly one of Hisaishi’s most sweeping, yearning scores. 

Variously known as Procession of the Gods (on the US pressing of the soundtrack I have), Procession of the Spirits and The Procession of Celestial Beings, the cue is actually seriously truncated in the movie and not allowed to fully bloom the way it does on the soundtrack album. You’re going to have to take my word for that, because unfortunately there is no official Studio Ghibli channel that I can find on YouTube that showcases Hisaishi’s work, but you can do a search and find several cover versions that attempt to recapture its ominous majesty. Here’s a link to how it sounds in the film, but I’d encourage you to seek out the soundtrack album and listen to it in all its pomp, 

The scene it accompanies is shortly after the main character, a ten-year old girl called Chihiro, finds herself stranded in a magical world. Her parents have turned into pigs (yes) and she attempts to find the tunnel that is a gateway back to her reality, only to find that she is now separated from it by a newly-appeared river. A boat begins crossing the water towards her and this music begins to play, all string-plucked notes and magical portent. There are no visible passengers until the boat hits the shore, where Chihiro stands watching. Doors open, the music swells, heralding the arrival of beings that no human child should witness. They appear as masks that float around head height and, floating above the deck, file off the boat one by one. As they disembark, cloaks flow from the masks, like paint tipped from a bucket, flowing down to describe the shapes of their intangible bodies…

…And Chihiro flees, the music fades. On the soundtrack album it reaches a magnificent crescendo and ends on a playful note, punctuated by human voices. It’s a scene that goes from a foreboding menace to awe and wonder, from fear to celebration and back again.

If you’ve never seen the film, see it. It is far, far from being merely a children’s entertainment and occupies a place among the most visionary films ever made.

I have another version of Procession from the Spirited Away Image Album, which I think might be a demo rather than the more usual “song in character” pieces you get on those kinds of tie-ins (but I can’t read Japanese, so I might be completely wrong about that. Feel free to correct me if so via Twitter or email or if you have any further information about this particularly sumptuous film score).

To get a flavour of Joe Hisaishi’s imaginative brilliance, you can watch and listen to a whole concert here.

More info on Studio Ghibli (n English) available here.

#aweeklysong #spirited away #joe hisaishi #miyazaki #spiritedaway #studioghibli #studio ghibli #joehisaishi

[morenerdthanperson]

15 questions, tag 15 people. (Tagged by @da5haexowin!)

1) Are you named after anyone?

My parents have given me conflicting origins for my name (which is supremely weird, but I love it because I’m a nerd), but the dominant version is that they were randomly watching Star Trek: Voyager one day, misheard B’Elanna Torres’ name, and decided to name me after the misheard name. So I guess I’m technically named after a half-alien in a fictional universe?

2) When was the last time you cried?

Two days ago; I was at my high school celebration :’D

3) Do you have kids?

Nope 

4) Do you use sarcasm a lot?

I use it, but not excessively. 

5) What’s the first thing you notice about people?

It depends on the person. Usually it’s something about their physical appearance, of course, but it can be something they say or do.

6) What’s your eye colour?

Hazel; leaning more towards brown.

7) Scary movies or Happy Endings?

If we’re talking scary movies as in horror movies, definitely happy endings. But I do love my depressing movies, and I write a lot of catastrophic endings myself, so I don’t mind if something ends tragically. (I literally live off of angst; I’m not joking, if I did not have access to gut-wrenching stories my soul would shrivel up)

8) Any special talents?

What defines a “special” talent? xD I play the flute at university level, also play cello (but kind of suck at it) and I’ve written two (unpublished) books. Any of that count?

9) Where were you born?

In Boston, but I’ve never been there at a time when I could remember :)

10) What are your hobbies?

Music (solo and ensemble, and after exams are done I’m hoping to finally do a bit more than dabble in composition), writing (I don’t know when, but I’ll get published one day; it’s been my dream since I was eight), and drawing (I used to just draw horses, but I’ve been slowly teaching myself humans and I’m hoping to just... get good... I’d love to do movie concept art... and yes, I do have a bit of an artist identity crisis going LMAO)

Oh yes, I also listen to music soundtracks and watch video game cinematic trailers religiously and read piles and piles of books. All the time. I’m that one student at school who doesn’t need to check out books with her library card because all the library staff knows me by name xD

11) Have you any pets?

Two cats!! (Their names are Hermione and Jimi, and they are my fluffy babies)

12) What sport do you play/have played?

Once upon a time I played soccer, but then I started commuting to school for three hours a day and honestly I’m a lump.

13) How tall are you?

Somewhere between 160 and 180 cm?

14) Favourite subject in school?

Art, because getting to rant about my obsession with video game login screens as well as movie screencaps and getting a grade for it, as well as getting marks for trying to learn how to draw humans, is the best thing ever.

15) Dream Job?

If I could, I would be this crazy multi-tasking back-end person on movies. I would write the script, do concept art, compose the soundtrack, play flute and cello for you on the soundtrack recording if needed. Also, I’d design marketing material for you. And be an extra on set. Draw you storyboards? I’ll be your ideas person, because trust me, my brain has waaaay too many ideas for me to handle alone!

Seriously though, I have no idea where I’m headed. I want to be a published author. I’ll also be studying graphic design at uni, so I’m hoping to not only get the skills to do cool things for “real life” applications (like business websites and marketing material... book covers... movie posters... oh no, I’m moving into the fantasy realm again...) but also teach myself to be a competent concept artist and illustrator. I also love music, but don’t want to be a music teacher, so... I have no idea where that’ll go. (I’m so excited to do a music diploma at uni though!!) I also love movies to death, so if I could somehow work on movies that would be... the death of me, I’d probably die of excitement, let’s be honest.

Basically, I have no idea what my dream job is, or if it actually exists at all... I suspect that my life will always be about making compromises between my excessive amount of obsessions xD

Um I don’t actually know 15 people so I’ll tag @sweetcatminteareblog @guil-t-pleasurez and @dontwaitforinspiration (you guys are of course not obligated to do this!)

#tag game

[simdaisies]

57 Facts

There’s a lot of facts about me here.  

I was tagged by @phoenixfg a bit ago and I’m only now getting got around to doing it while I’m sitting on this flight to Halifax and inwardly panicking about being on a plane.

I don’t know how this meme works, or if you even had to have 57 facts. That feels like an arbitrary number.  But since we’re doing arbitrary numbers, I’m tagging the last 7 simblrs in my activity log (sorry if you’ve already been tagged) @taylors-simblr @applezingsims @simageddon, @zx-ta @simgaroop @artemisa02 @vicarious-sims  and of course anyone else who wants to do this.  

(warning: 57 facts about me  is not as described in gif)

(update: I’ve been back a week now)

So I guess fact #1 I have a fear of flying.

 I was born in the Philippines.  I was brought to Canada when I was two.

When I was a kid me, my little brother and neighbourhood friends would dissect dead frogs we’d find in the back lots.

I loved 80s music.  I’d try to record songs off the radio with a tape deck, hitting the “record” button just as the DJ was done talking

Lots of my current tastes was formed in the 90s

I got into my first major car accident when I made a bad left turn. I totalled my parent’s jeep and wrecked a few cars. No one was seriously injured. 

I wrote an entire book when I was sixteen. My friends helped me write it and I shared it only with them.  I’m still carrying that idea around ( I drew the main character again recently )

My first memory of drawing was in the blank pages at the beginning and end of Encyclopedias.  I’d draw a lot of princesses. 

There was an old TV show in the 80s I really enjoyed called “The Misfits of Science”. Basically people with super powers.  It starred a teenaged Courtney Cox. 

I love(d) comic books. 

My very amateur fan art was published in the reader submitted artwork section of Wizard magazine. I think I was about 16 at the time. We had no concept of webpages, social media and online portfolios in those days

 I had a German Shepherd mutt named Sam. After about a year, he went to go live on a farm. No really, he did.  

I went to college to learn Classical Animation 

 I worked on kids cartoons and children’s TV shows. I didn’t take my job seriously, I wish I did.

I was a goth in the 90s and in the early 2000s.  

 I now think goths are silly. Still love the aesthetic. (finished my trip, now I’m back home at this point!) 

I worked for a time as an assistant clean-up animator. Basically that meant cleaning up the assistant animator’s in-between frames.  It wasn’t inspiring work and I wasn’t great at it. 

 I worked briefly on a short film by Yoshitaka Amano (he does artwork for FF, Vampire Hunter D, among others). This was called 1001 Nights, and was shown alongside a live orchestra. I still have the poster hanging over my bed.

 The first video game I’ve ever worked on and published was Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem.  I modeled and animated. 

The second game I’ve worked on was Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes for the Nintendo Gamecube.  I’m a ghost photo easter egg in that game.  My name is in an IGN walkthrough. :D  

I adopted my first kitty in 1996. He was a fuzzy kitten and I named him Thaddeus. 

I moved to St. Catharines, ON for work. One of the places I lived there was a big Victorian that was divided into three apartments. Me and my partner at the time lived on the top floor (the attic). Probably the coolest place I’ve ever lived. 

When we broke up, I bought my own little house.  

I got sick with bacterial meningitis in 2004. I almost died. Was placed in a medical coma for two weeks. Woke up with lots of open skin wounds which would scar me for life. I’m okay. ^_^  This is documented on LJ here. My wonderful friend David kept my online friends in the loop.

I still have issues from being sick. I’ll have to deal with it forever I guess.

During my recovery I started playing World of Warcraft. 

My first WoW character was a human warrior, and I named her Jinzou, after my Animal Crossing character. 

I was a damn good tank. I lead raids. 

I was laid off from video game company. This was fine, I was ready for something different. 

I became a real estate agent for a bit, for many reasons. Some of that was fun, other parts of that was stressful.  I made money. 

I don’t think I have a favourite colour, but I do use a lot of purple tones in everything. Even my hair was purple for a while. I guess I like purple.  

Music tastes change from time to time, but I always love big broadway musicals. 

I saw Les Miserables over 10 times and met the Toronto cast at a point.

I’m currently listening to Come From Away.  

My favourite movie is Spirited Away 

I don’t watch a lot of animes, but I appreciate good ones. My favourite is still probably Cowboy Bebop. I’m taking reccs. 

I’m an introvert. I don’t like big social events, and it takes a lot of mental energy preparing for them, and a lot of time for me to come down from them. 

I don’t like dating.  I met my fiancé online though. 

I love my dude because he’s a big nerd and I’m comfortable with him. It’s a big deal for me. 

He proposed to me this summer. We’re engaged.  :D 

I have made no wedding plans yet, but it’s gonna be small, cheap and simple. :D  

I read Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy when I was in highschool. 

My favourite place to hang out when I was a kid was the libraries.  

I learned HTML in the 90s.

I will be 45 this year.  

My current favourite writer is Neil Gaiman. Read American Gods or Stardust.

I love horror, sci-fi, fantasy and superhero stories. Given all the time in the world, I could eat it all up. 

I’ve read the Lord of the Rings many times through out my life and once more before the movies came out. I liked the movies.

I didn’t like the Hobbit movie trilogy though. So much unnecessary filler. 

I love building worlds in the Sims. 

I have no sense of style. Jeans, t-shirt, sweater, I’m good. 

My handle “blackdaisies” is from one of my first webpages, called “Black Daisies Grow Here”... yeah that goth thing again

I’ve been playing the Sims since the first Sims City

My very first Sim was in the first Sims game. Her name was Alice Novak and she stole Bella away from Mortimer. 

my default lunch lately is yam/avocado sushi

I live in a neighbourhood in Toronto known as The Beaches. Because there’s a beach. I don’t live on the beach though.

My dream vacation would be going up to a nice cottage by a lake in the Muskokas in fall.

#57 facts #meme #non-sims #tldr #way too much about me

[super-lemon-sama]

Tag game! 

Tagged by the Speedmeme herself: @yarewagon

 Rules: Answer 30 questions. Tag 10 blogs you want to get to know better.

Nickname(s): Lemon and Marie. 

Like 90% of all my self inserts are named Marie (sometimes marina or mariana) so sometimes I forget that it isnt actually my real name  

Occasionally people will call me Preuss and it always make me feel so cool B’)

there’s also RiRi (RyeRye), but only my mom calls me that, so dont (ง •̀_•́)ง

 Gender: Female (But I’m down with any pronouns bc I’m pretty fluid 👍)

 Sign: Libra (Yeah I am was a dirty homestuck, fight me)

 Height: 5″4 (162 cm) 

((but I feel like I’m 2 ft bc my brother is 6″4, friggen titan lookin ass...)

 Current time: 2:02 PM

 Favourite band(s): 

(( I like a bajillion bands and 90% of them are super edgy, dont judge me  ;w;))

The edgy bands I usually listen to (mostly while drawing or animating): mother mother,  Perfect Circle, mindless self indulgence, glass animals, sickkick, mutemath, getscared, highly suspect, celldweller, creature feature, angelspit, In this moment,  Mac Demarco, Crywank, andrew jackson jihad, Yungblud,  arctic monkeys, twenty one pilots,  the neighborhood, weathers, nicole dollanganger

Sweeter bands:  Cavetown, gregory and the hawk, jukebox the ghost, fun

The bands that I've been a fan of for so long that I have listen to all their albums at least a billion time:  Paramore, Panic at the disco, the hoosiers, mumford and sons,  Perfect Circle, mindless self indulgence, creature feature

Also all the bands Yarewagon listed: Gorillaz, Franz Ferdinand, Studio Killers, Florence + The Machine, Daft Punk (these are 10/10, good choice op)

 Favourite solo artist(s): hhhhh my monkey brain is too simple for this tbh, if you make music you are a band, that’s just how it is. ;w;

 Song stuck in my head: 

I have at least five songs stuck in my head at all times  bc I’m constantly listening to music, singing and doing animations to music

Some In my head rn are: Cavetown- Lemon boy, Flyleaf- I’m so sick, Glass Animals- Pork soda

 Last movie I saw: Black panther (?)

 Last show I watched: JOJO 

 When did I create my blog: April 2013 HOLY SHIT

 What do I post: It’s changed A LOT the past few years but I’ve always tried to mainly post my art 

my first posts were like minecraft hetalia and mlp posts and rebloged a lot of “haha lel teh random” shit (￣︶￣;)

then it’s been back and forth with mlp, fallout, homestuck, and dont starve

but now im a JOJO blog  ☆*~ ⸂⸂⸜(രᴗര๑)⸝⸃⸃ ~*☆

(I might still post homestuck stuff occasionally tho hhh)

Last thing I googled: Emoticons ＼(・ω・)/

 Do I have any other blogs: Yes... a lot. actually

but the only ones I ever really use are-

@agreatbountyofshame which is my self insert blog 

and

@koji-motion-clone-commotion which is a blog that’s a total mess to explain but basically I revamped some super old characters of mine and decided to make it like an osomatsu-san boot-leg 

I also technically has a NSFW blog but It’s horrible and I almost never post there so ://///

I have like two mlp ask blogs but they’re dead, rest in piss you tiny anime horses.

Do I get asks: Ehhh, that depends on the blog.

I used to get asks for my dont starve blog occasionally, but I kinda lost interest and didnt answer them as often, My Koji-Motion blog gets some but they usually come from Deviant art,

my pony blogs were flooded, pony blogs get so much attention Y’all, I die.

I super love getting asks though! 

So if you have a spare second or two please send any random ask to either of my other blogs, (or even this one, though this isnt really an ask blog)

I’d love you forever, thanks

Why did I choose my URL: Bc I super vibe with Okuyasu and bein gay

(also I made a long list of jojo character names but fused with another word and I figgin loved this one)

 Following: 332

 Followed by: 366 and I love all of you thank you so much, you fill me with so much heart feel good energy.

 Average hours of sleep: Either 12, 4, or 0. sleep is wack Y’all

 Lucky number: 7 but I also like 5 and all even numbers. they’re reliable number

 Instruments: In order of most to least experience- Piano, recorder, and Guitar

 What am I wearing: “a t-shirt and shorts a true fashion icon” SAAAAAAME

Dream job: “Animator or a concept artist would be rad”  YASS QUEEN OH MY GOD, But I’d also kill to be a story board artist, jghsdkgfk

 Favourite food: hhhh all? all foods? I have a super sweet tooth tho so I guess baked foods and candy

 Nationality: American (The rest of my family is hella German tho so I’m exotic white bread ¯\_(ツ)_/¯  )

 Favourite song: n-no. I cant. Pwease (*T▽T*) there are to many

 Last book I read: Oh jesus who knows. I’m to busy listening to people read for me to ACTUALLY read, lmao.

 Top 3 fictional universes I wanna join: 

#1: JOJO, but only if I had a stand, otherwise what’s even the point ┐(￣ー￣)┌

#2: Homestuck but only if I was a player duh. who wouldnt want the chance to have an amazing adventure even at the risk of horrible death? ... Okay actually when I put it that way-

#3: uhhh Maybe the Oblivion/skyrim universe bc magic and adventure but also you can explore and just gather shit if you want. (not a big fan of the whole cival war thing tho, ghfdghdfg )

otherwise I guess the pokemon universeor an anime universe where I have any sort of powers ヽ/❀o ل͜ o\ﾉ

I’ll tag some of my “biggest fans” and some other wonderful people:

@chernobylfailureter @ask-treats-sweets @happyeffect @okuyasustolemyheart @gingerweed-man

#Yarewagon you're one of those people filling me with heart feel good energy #Soon I will be unstoppable #>:)))) #meme #log post #personal #about me

[way-to-go-lad]

Hello Jules! Secret Santa here again (:

I actually have that book! I love it. The way he wrote the stories out is enthralling and makes it super easy to read! Slavic mythology? I’d love to hear more about that!!

I’m visiting her again in March and then again in August, so I’m only assuming you and I will still be in touch and we’ll record a few things to share with you! 🥰

I love how art and creation is such an ingrained part of you. It’s something so special.

I also have an addiction to salty snacks. Reese’s cups and baked potatoes with flaky salt are a few of my favorites!

MULANNNN YESSSSSSS top tier Disney for sure!

I’m the same way! Getting out in nature is so wonderful and it really takes you out of the hustle and bustle of life and you can just be one as a creature on this big, round planet hurdling through space. Reading is magical!!! Not only do you get to explore new worlds and experiences, you get to read another’s thoughts as they thought them and I think that is so neat!

As of late, in my free time I’ve been making a lot of Greta Van Fleet edits for Tiktok or listening to music lol I can’t escape the music Jules!!!

Oh man, there’s quite a few!!!

Free Willy 1, 2, & 3 is such a nostalgic collection for me! I’m really into whales and porpoises and when I was younger I had quite an extensive knowledge of them. Plus, I thought Jason James Richter was an absolute BABE when I was 5 years old 😂

Tonight, You’re Mine or You Instead (same movie, different titles for different country releases). It’s a whirlwind love story that takes place between two musicians over 48 hours at a music festival in Scotland! It’s so cute and cheesy and kind of cringy, but it’s definitely a comfort movie for me.

Purple Rain is just solid. My mom showed it to me when I was young and I fell in love with Prince and everything about him. I vowed that I would see him live someday. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen due to his passing, but I was able to go see his band, The Revolution!! They played the song live without vocals and let the crowd sing for Prince. It was one of the most ethereal experiences I’ve had.

I love art!!! I’m not too into big-name artists, but more so love to support and promote local tattoo artists! A good friend of mine does the majority of my ink and you can bet I’m the first person to spread her name around when someone’s asking about my tattoos!

Question time!

When you’re reading a fanfic, what is the one thing that draws you in to the writing? Is it the descriptions or the dialogue?

Would you like me to write you as I’ve come to know you these past few days, or would you like me to write you as a more extraverted character?

Is there anything specific you would like to see written? This could be any small moment or attention to detail, a scene, a fantasy you’ve wanted to see played out?

This is officially the best part of each of my days. I really look forward to having these little moments in time where we get to know each other on a deeper level! Keep safe and stay golden, my dear 💖

xx

#secretsanta10

Hello my love! How's your Sunday going?

Neil Gaiman is actually my favourite book author. Also I love to learn about Slavic Mythology since I'm Polish and it's really cool stuff

Yaaaay, i cannot actually wait to hear your music ❤️❤️❤️

Reading is absolutely wonderful, it opens your mind and helps you look at world in different way.

I can't escape the music too! 😅 You actually inspired me to pick up my guitar again, hopefully I can keep the motivation to learn.

Omg Free Willy is actually a movie I used to watch as a child! Whenever i see it on the tv it gives me such a nostalgic feeling, I love it!!

That's so awesome that you support your tattoo artist, it is a really tough craft to learn! Art can be people togheter and i think it's one of the most amazing things ever!

1. One of the things that draws me into fanfics are descriptions! I find them so captivating and i absolutely love to read them. Also you can really recognize the author's style of writing by discovering the way he shows the world within the story.

2. You can write me however you feel comfortable. I'm up to anything, because i genuinely enjoy reading stories.

3. Can you write maybe a friends to lovers story. I don't Ask for anything specific, because i would love to discover the ways you show their story and i'm sure by the way you write your replies that you're an amazing writer. You have rather advanced use of language which i adore.

Ok now questions:

1. What do you want me to draw for you? Like maybe a certain aesthetic or theme?

2. Can I use maybe your grandma's fave flowers as a point of symbolism in the art piece?

3. What color combinations do you find beautiful?

4. Do you want me to draw you a gvf fanart or would you like an original illustration?

Talking to you always makes me smile and I always wait impatiently for your replies. It a highlight of my day for sure!

Sending you some good vibes and love ❤️

~Jules

#my asks #secret santa 10 #secret santa #gvf secret santa

[carriedon-awolfsback]

20 Questions

@the-world-is-on-fire tagged me! Thanks! :D

Name: Amber

Nicknames: I actually don’t have any. Sometimes my boss calls me by my surname if we’re being dumb and pretending to be in a chalk-and-cheese buddy-cop movie, but that’s it.

Gender: Female, albeit with occasional wobbles of questioning usually bought on by hormonal surges and/or someone noisily suggesting I should shave my legs and wear a skirt for once in my life.

Orientation: For simplicity’s sake I’ll say bi. I’ve been sexually attracted to people of various genders over the years, but I don’t act on it any more, because I’ve found I don’t actually enjoy the reality of physical and romantic intimacy.

Nationality: Britisher unfortunately

Faith/religion: I’ve been exploring Norse tradition Heathenry for the best part of a year now. That means I have an altar displaying items related to the pre-Christian Scandinavian pantheon (mostly Odin but others too) which I leave shots of whiskey on about once a week and sorta pray/meditate at sometimes. Yes, really! I’d absolutely class myself as a layperson and my practise focus is all about interpreting lessons in the Eddas, self-reliance, self-acceptance and keeping healthy routines. I don’t do any divination or witchy stuff beyond carrying an Ansuz rune around with me tied to my handbag for luck. I do have a sense of humour about it and I’m always open to questions about it as long as they’re decently respectful.

Hobbies: I work pretty long hours these days so all my free time is reserved for writing and drawing. Does being able to find and customise the perfect Instagram filter for any photo count as a hobby? I also love a night at the theatre and try to sample both on- and off-West End shows when I have the time and money.

Pets: None :( I don’t have the disposable income, time, or space in my current lifestyle. I get my pet fix by befriending other people’s cats I meet in the street so they visit my house sometimes.

Favourite... Colours: I went to art school, this is like asking me to pick a favourite child. Blue and green are my best colours to wear (and black but that’s a shade /pedantry)

Holiday: Easter! Yes, the big Christian party cribbed wildly from the pagans. I dunno, my (totally atheist) family just goes really hard at that time of year for some reason with the good food and spring vibes, and it’s nice to be around. It’s like Christmas, but more temperate and with less ‘MUST HAVE SO MUCH FUN AND SPEND MONEY’ pressure.

Books: Dracula, Frankenstein, Let The Right One In, Ben Aaronovich’s London books... I cut my big kid reading teeth on Pratchett, Gaiman and Tolkien. I really struggle to settle down and read like I used to these days.

Films: Alien, Inglourious Basterds, Hot Fuzz, Withnail & I, The History Boys, the original LOTR trilogy, Jurassic Park, old David Lean movies (the ones where everyone has either a posh or cockney accent and all the women have viciously barbed conversations while hiding the fact they’re all shouldering immense emotional burdens)

TV: I really don’t watch a lot of TV, I’m incredibly bad at keeping up with serials. The only must-watch on my list is American Gods; I LOVED the first season and hope they keep the same style and vibe going.

Music: Rammstein, Ghost, Motörhead, AC/DC, Florence, The Prodigy, Laura Marling, Depeche Mode, Bowie, Kraftwerk, Green Day, Fleetwood Mac, NIN, Placebo, I don’t know much about classical but I love the Planets Suite and The Lark Ascending, any amount of showtunes... I’m genre-omnivorous; I just like my music to be passionate and kind of dark regardless of which instruments and what kinds of voices are doing it.

Coffee, tea or hot chocolate: I like a peppermint or builder’s tea but I’ll take hot chocolate over it any time.

Favourite meme: Giving every object, image and concept you come across an ‘energy’ (cursed energy, ambiguous but powerful energy, gay energy, big dick energy)

I want to live long enough to: See the world get, like, even just a little bit less shitty.

Weird obsessions: Scaring myself to absolute death on YouTube at 1am with unexplained 999 call audios, numbers stations, backwards sound recordings, emergency broadcast systems and sirens, and nuclear war scenarios. I work in a museum and I literally could not go into one of our exhibits last winter because it contained a Protect And Survive video on loop, and as soon as I heard the tone at the start of the clip my eyes would automatically start pouring with anxiety tears. So obviously I gotta listen to that shit in my downtime for entertainment purposes!

Random fact: My grandma dropped me on my head in a hot tub as a baby. Sometimes I remind her of this and she just chortles and sips her wine

Goals for 2018: Hit our fundraising target for the year with my team at work. Drop a little bit of weight so the doctor gets off my case. Get my bedroom fixed up less like a big store cupboard and more like a cosy sleeping and living space.

I won’t tag anyone as I think everyone seems to have done it already, but if we’re mutuals and you’ve not already had one, consider this your tag!

[rinnnyxr]

I LOVE…

Books. The outdoors. Clothes shopping. Finding good deals. Bike riding. Animals, especially cats. Exploring new places. Antiquing. Thrift shopping. Film photography. When someone takes me someplace new. Stargazing. Spending hours reading a book. Learning new languages, or just hearing them spoken. The Victorian era. Hot-tubbing. Trading music with friends. Going on hikes. Swimming in rivers/creeks/lakes/the ocean as opposed to swimming pools.

I DISLIKE… Hot and very humid weather. Driving in heavy, slow traffic. People who don’t realize how their actions affect others. Selfishness. When pets have “accidents” in the house. Bumper stickers like “Country Girl” or “Silly boys, trucks are for girls!” Politics in general. Feeling like I’m not in control of anything. People who treat everything I say as a joke. People who claim to be my friend and treat me badly. Twitter fights. Warm beer. Doing the dishes. Thistles. Feeling hopeless. That panic moment when I have no idea what I’m going to do for the rest of my life. How people still text and drive. Being broke. Not having a job.

SHOWS I LOVE… Doctor Who Breaking Bad Supernatural Pretty Little Liars True Blood Game of Thrones Top Gear UK Parks & Recreation The Office The Walking Dead

I WOULD LOVE TO VISIT… Iceland England Italy Montreal Marseilles The Alps Yellowstone National Park Machu Picchu Greece Ireland and Scotland

THINGS I’M NOT GOOD AT… Making big decisions. Making myself motivated. Exercising/working out. Dealing with hot weather. Controlling my temper in traffic. Keeping a regular “schedule” for chores. Not worrying about silly things. Tolerating other peoples’ irritating behaviors. Having a positive outlook on things that might turn out badly. Keeping friends. Sleeping in. Training pets to mind me. Managing my time. Mathematics. Makeup or other “beauty” related skills. Dealing with other peoples’ children. Being “politically correct.” Ignoring insults and not letting stupid things get to me. Being content.

GOALS THIS NEXT YEAR… Become physically fit. Get better grades in school. Find a better job. Start saving money again. Travel somewhere completely new. Make more/new friends. Spend less time with technology and more time outdoors/doing something productive. Start drawing/painting regularly again. Pick up a new hobby.

-

Bold all the things you've done: 1) You've gone skydiving. 2) You've kissed someone. 3) You've gone on a road trip. 4) You've gone streaking. 5) You've stayed up all night to watch the sun rise. 6) You've been on a roller-coaster. 7) You've been snorkeling. 8) You've been scuba-diving. 9) You've learned to play an instrument. 10) You've learned to speak another language. 11) You've fallen in love. 12) You've done something charitable. 13) You've purchased a physical CD and/or record. 14) You've been to Disneyland and/or Disney World. 15) You've been to a different country. 16) You've had a pet. 17) You've seen your favorite band/artist perform live. 18) You've done something crazy to your hair. 19) You've slept on a beach. 20) You've seen the Northern Lights.

21) You've wished upon a shooting star. 22) You've observed a solar eclipse. 23) You've learned something crazy and/or awesome about your family's history. 24) You've ordered everything on the menu at an amazing restaurant. 25) You've eaten at the best restaurant in the world. 26) You've met your idol. 27) You've made the news. 28) You've run a marathon. 29) You've learned how to ride a bike. 30) You've learned how to water-ski. 31) You've climbed a mountain. 32) You've thrown an amazing party. 33) You've gone skinny-dipping. 34) You've been to a protest/rally. 35) You've voted. 36) You've lived on your own. 37) You've assembled IKEA furniture on your own successfully. 38) You've been to prom. 39) You've been on a safari. 40) You've been to the Grand Canyon.

41) You've been camping. 42) You've cooked an entire meal, including dessert. 43) You've achieved closure with an ex. 44) You've spent a paycheck on something frivolous for yourself. 45) You've stayed at a fancy hotel. 46) You've been to a fancy spa. 47) You've spent all day in bed, just because. 48) You've scored your dream job. 49) You've ridden a horse. 50) You've played hooky from work and/or school.

51) You've been to The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 52) You've seen an opera. 53) You've seen a ballet. 54) You've been to a Broadway show. 55) You've learned how to drive a car. 56) You've tried sushi. 57) You've swam in the ocean. 58) You've driven across the country. 59) You've traveled solo. 60) You've traveled with friends. 61) You've learned how to play a sport well. 62) You've learned how to dance. 63) You've been to all 50 states. 64) You've been to the Eiffel Tower. 65) You've been to the Great Wall of China. 66) You've tried a really fancy wine. 67) You've written a book. 68) You've written a screenplay. 69) You've been to a religious ceremony not of your faith. 70) You've crashed a party.

71) You've been in a wedding. 72) You've attended a black-tie affair. 73) You've been in a band. 74) You've visited the white house. 75) You've read a book in one sitting. 76) You've set a Guinness World Record. 77) You've communicated with someone who doesn't speak the same language as you. 78) You've been to North America. 79) You've been to South America. 80) You've been to Asia.

81) You've been to Australia. 82) You've been to Africa. 83) You've been to Europe. 84) You've been to Antarctica. 85) You've won a contest. 86) You've run for some sort of leadership position. 87) You've been on TV. 88) You've been skiing. 89) You've been surfing. 90) You've been ice skating. 91) You've had a surprise party. 92) You've cultivated a hobby. 93) You've made a best friend. 94) You've had your 15 minutes of fame. 95) You've climbed a tree. 96) You've been in a hot air balloon. 97) You've won an award. 98) You've given a speech. 99) You've learned to swim. 100) You've been rollerskating. 101) You've gotten a tattoo. 102) You've tried a food you were nervous to eat. 103) You've told someone you love them. 104) You've gotten lost somewhere on purpose. 105) You've been on a game show. 106) You've hooked up with someone "famous". 107) You've been mistaken for a celebrity. 108) You've gambled in Las Vegas. 109) You've made a religious pilgrimage. 110) You've hooked up with someone outside your age range.

111) You've gotten drunk. 112) You've gotten high. 113) You've made a bucket list. 114) You've felt alive. 115) You've lived your life to the fullest.

-

I’m not afraid to admit that I’m a geek. The last video game I played was Guitar Hero.

Something has been bothering me a lot lately.

A lot of thoughts occupy my mind at the same time. i don’t know if I’ll ever be satisfied with my body. Seth Rogen movies really aren’t as funny as people say they are.

I LOVE homemade pizza.

I’m currently looking for some people to start a band with.

My relationship with my dad is very strained.

I don’t understand why people have such a problem with kids. I’ve stood next to a famous landmark. I wish my bedroom had more space in it. A friend of mine has a job. I have never owned a Cabbage Patch Kids doll. I’ve used the library to read newspapers from very long ago.

I can remember when my family moved into this house. My mother’s favorite flower is pretty typical.

I enjoy watching rain falling on a lake.

Someone I know is wearing green today. English accents really aren’t that attractive to me. I love listening to music boxes.

My dog is inside right now.

I’ve taken a college/university course before.

When there’s nothing on, I’ll watch re-runs of Happy Days.

It’s difficult for me to really get into a book. I love to eat lemons.

I prefer small venues for concerts opposed to large ones. Warped Tour isn’t as good as it used to be back in the ’90s. Yesterday was a good day. I would buy CDs all the time if I could afford it. Guitar Hero is overrated.

I’ve been grocery shopping recently.

All Time Low’s new stuff sounds much more New Found Glory than Blink 182.

I usually see the Harry Potter films within the first week of their release.

I’m going to a birthday party sometime in the next month. I prefer sans-serif fonts (Arial, Tahoma) to serif fonts (Times New Roman, Georgia). I don’t think peer pressure affects people as much as they say it does.

I still have a collection of VHS tapes. I would love to own a grand piano.

We use the back door of the house more often than the front door.

I absolutely love the insanity incorporated in some of Poe’s work.

Outer Space fascinates me.

I usually look for meaning in songs. I haven’t charged my cellphone today. My street name is also the name of a city.

Someone I know has done a choreographed dance to Beyonce’s “Single Ladies”.

Video games can keep me occupied for quite a while. I like to say “FAIL!” whenever someone screws up.

I don’t like to change my layout that often. I can’t remember the last time I played with a frisbee.

Our fridge doesn’t have a freezer.

Someone new followed my blog today.

My plans are never written in stone; they always change. I love creative cake makers. Summer passes way too quickly. I’ve watched a gay film before.

I really don’t like Xanga that much.

Facebook is stupid. I enjoy making graphics.

Elvis Costello is amazing.

FUCK WMG!

I don’t like waiting until fall for TV shows to start up again.

People are very annoying.

The band I’m listening to right now starts with an S.

I know what déjà vu actually means in French.

My favourite bath towel has a picture of something on it.

I think I’d make a pretty good actor, if I wanted to pursue that area. For as long as I’ve been living, my family has never been without a pet.

I vote for award shows.

I love going to furniture stores. The 90s was my favourite decade for non-mainstream music. My favorite book is pretty popular. I know how to read a map.

I don’t like boring cereal.

Yes, I approve of gay marriage. A friend of mine hasn’t lost his/her virginity yet. I actually wouldn’t like to be royalty.

Most good things in life are either illegal, immoral or fattening.

The idea of living out of a van appeals to me.

When someone has to say “honestly” at the start of their sentence, they’re probably not being honest.

I’ve created my own username for Facebook.

I don’t like waiting for videos to load. Little kids can always make me happy. I can’t stand it when people say “FML” over stupid things. It really sucks when I want to go to the theater but nothing good is playing. Americans suck at remaking Japanese horror films.

Lolcats are stupid, but they do make me laugh.

I get by with a little help from my friends. I often feel like I have to prove myself. I don’t think there should be “age limits” on kids things. I have a lyric painted on my wall.

[flowers-in-your-dustbin]

All the numbers again (second tag reblog)

1: When you have cereal, do you have more milk than cereal or more cereal than milk? More milk than cereal cause I like to drink it!

2: do you like the feeling of cold air on your cheeks on a wintery day? Yeah, but when I can get into the warmth after that's even better!

3: what random objects do you use to bookmark your books? I try to remember the page number instead so usually end on a multiple of 10 or 5.

4: how do you take your coffee/tea? Tea: Two sugars, milk, hopefully brewed by the gal. Coffee: I don’t!

5: are you self-conscious of your smile? Kinda!

6: do you keep plants? Nope!

7: do you name your plants? None to name!

8: what artistic medium do you use to express your feelings? Oils if I had the money for that so typically watercolours

9: do you like singing/humming to yourself? I am right now.

10: do you sleep on your back, side, or stomach? Typically side, but back is fine. Not stomach really!

11: what's an inner joke you have with your friends? Oh My Gouda.

12: what's your favorite planet? Uranus ;)

13: what's something that made you smile today? My gal surprised me with a beautiful orchid

14: if you were to live with your best friend in an old flat in a big city, what would it look like? Edgy expose brick aesthetic

15: go google a weird space fact and tell us what it is! Uranus’ blue glow is due to an abundance of methane which filters out red light.

16: what's your favorite pasta dish? Spaghetti carbonara probs! Especially cooked by the best.

17: what color do you really want to dye your hair? I don’t! I did want pastel pink in August.

18: tell us about something dumb/funny you did that has since gone down in history between you and your friends and is always brought up. I had a paddy fit in primary school because I used to always sabotage my meals so I didn't eat them but I spilt milk on something I legitimately didn’t mind having... I cried over spilt milk.

19: do you keep a journal? what do you write/draw/ in it? I do! I write the days events and my feelings, I draw key points or little objects. Not all the time tho.

20: what's your favorite eye color? A nice hazel-y to chocolate amber brown woop

21: talk about your favorite bag, the one that's been to hell and back with you and that you love to pieces. A grey Kanken Fjallraven, if Switzerland counts as hell, there you have it.

22: are you a morning person? Yeah! I’m straight too!

23: what's your favorite thing to do on lazy days where you have 0 obligations? Exactly that, nothing. With a side of music.

24: is there someone out there you would trust with every single one of your secrets? Only the one.

25: what's the weirdest place you've ever broken into? An abandoned slaughterhouse. Soz vegans

26: what are the shoes you've had for forever and wear with every single outfit? Black old skool vans hehe original

27: what's your favorite bubblegum flavor? Strawberry!

28: sunrise or sunset? Why not both in a day?

29: what's something really cute that one of your friends does and is totally endearing? I’m not sure!

30: think of it: have you ever been truly scared? I’m not sure, close calls/

31: what is your opinion of socks? do you like wearing weird socks? do you sleep with socks? do you confine yourself to white sock hell? really, just talk about socks. I like socks. Weird socks are fun. So are odd ones. I do not sleep with my socks, nor do I confine myself to white sock hell.

32: tell us a story of something that happened to you after 3AM when you were with friends. We had deep convos for the time, we probs cried, then probs went to sleep.

33: what's your fave pastry? Uh choux just cause I can remember that is one. Hahahaha.

34: tell us about the stuffed animal you kept as a kid. what is it called? what does it look like? do you still keep it? I had one called Baxter Bear which was the best, he was quite obviously a bear with a red scarf and his own passport. I threw up on him in the car and he was never the same again, he disappeared short after. Don’t ask about Scrubs the dog.

35: do you like stationary and pretty pens and so on? do you use them often? I do, I just don't use them often.

36: which band's sound would fit your mood right now? The xx

37: do you like keeping your room messy or clean? A healthy middle.

38: tell us about your pet peeves! Couldn’t possibly. There’s a fair few.

39: what color do you wear the most? Probably black? Emo ik.

40: think of a piece of jewelry you own: what's it's story? does it have any meaning to you? I own a necklace I got for my 16th its very cute and only comes out when I have heterosexual days to masquerade it. It’s nice.

41: what's the last book you remember really, really loving? The Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde, it’s my favourite ever. I don’t read as much as I used to, sigh.

42: do you have a favorite coffee shop? describe it! There’s a cute local one. They do unreal Nutella pancakes and its quite central and very aesthetic-y. Yum!

43: who was the last person you gazed at the stars with? My gal, typically on the way to my car where I point out Orion or The Dipper. It’d be nice to do it properly sometime.

44: when was the last time you remember feeling completely serene and at peace with everything? Two days ago.

45: do you trust your instincts a lot? When I need to.

46: tell us the worst pun you can think of. Someone mentions a dog, then I normally incorporate the word ‘ruff’ as a homophone for ‘rough’ and get death stares. But I like it.

47: what food do you think should be banned from the universe? Gherkins.

48: what was your biggest fear as a kid? is it the same today? Abandonment/loneliness hahahah yes it is.

49: do you like buying CDs and records? what was the last one you bought? I do like buying records yeah! I can’t say until April the 23rd but I’ll have bought another by then.

50: what's an odd thing you collect? I don’t think I do have anything odd!

51: think of a person. what song do you associate with them? Uncomfortable by Wallows, as well as Fast Food by D.I.D and many many more.

52: what are your favorite memes of the year so far? The new Patrick one is doing pretty good.

53: have you ever watched the rocky horror picture show? heathers? beetlejuice? pulp fiction? what do you think of them? Nope, nope, nope and nope!

54: who's the last person you saw with a true look of sadness on their face? My dog. I didn't walk him.

55: what's the most dramatic thing you've ever done to prove a point? Hahahah you wouldn’t want to know. 

56: what are some things you find endearing in people? Feeling secure with them, if you get me.

57: go listen to bohemian rhapsody. how did it make you feel? did you dramatically reenact the lyrics? CAN YOU DO THE FANDANGO!?!?!

58: who's the wine mom and who's the vodka aunt in your group of friends? why? K is probs the wine mom bc I'd say A but she’s not as sensible, thus A gets the Aunt role.

59: what's your favorite myth? Bulls hate red, they’re actually colour blind lmao.

60: do you like poetry? what are some of your faves? I don’t mind a bit of poetry! Marking Time by Owen Sheers is noice.

61: what's the stupidest gift you've ever given? the stupidest one you've ever received? Me and mum put a fancy brooch in a pack of digestives for someone. I’ve received stupid spellings of my name on the birthday cards.

62: do you drink juice in the morning? which kind? Nope

63: are you fussy about your books and music? do you keep them meticulously organized or kinda leave them be? Rainbow order woop.

64: what color is the sky where you are right now? Black.

65: is there anyone you haven't seen in a long time who you'd love to hang out with? Yep!

66: what would your ideal flower crown look like? Cutesy and white and blue and stuff idk. But I wouldn't wear one haha.

67: how do gloomy days where the sky is dark and the world is misty make you feel? Serene! Albeit Silent Hill-esque

68: what's winter like where you live? Fun! Cold! Disruptive!

69: what are your favorite board games? The Game of Life/Monopoly/Articulate!

70: have you ever used a ouija board? Nope!

71: what's your favorite kind of tea? English Breakfast, brewed by the girlfriend.

72: are you a person who needs to note everything down or else you'll forget it? I've been known to be.

73: what are some of your worst habits? Overthinking. Nail biting.

74: describe a good friend of yours without using their name or gendered pronouns. Ginger.

75: tell us about your pets! A doggo! A beagle! and a fish...

76: is there anything you should be doing right now but aren't? Revising!

77: pink or yellow lemonade? Yellow

78: are you in the minion hateclub or fanclub? anyone in the fanclub needs natural selection to do its thing.

79: what's one of the cutest things someone has ever done for you? Surprised me at work with flowers.

80: what color are your bedroom walls? did you choose that color? if so, why? White, because I’d like grey but we haven’t got there yet or painted the house since its still pretty new.

81: describe one of your friend's eyes using the most abstract imagery you can think of. I don't have the time for that shit.

82: are/were you good in school? I was! I still think I am! Who knows.

83: what's some of your favorite album art? Smithsmithsmithsmithsmiths

84: are you planning on getting tattoos? which ones? Yeah! Quite a few. All tonal, but above all a Venus sign and more importantly the great wave off Kanazawa by Hokusai

85: do you read comics? what are your faves? I don't fun fact I used to read them start to feel sick.

86: do you like concept albums? which ones? I feel stupid for not knowing what they are.

87: what are some movies you think everyone should watch at least once in their lives? Donnie Darko.

88: are there any artistic movements you particularly enjoy? Not Gothic. Can’t go wrong with a bit of impressionism.

89: are you close to your parents? I think. Depends on the time of day.

90: talk about your one of you favorite cities. Starts with E, ends in Dinburgh.

91: where do you plan on traveling this year? Nowhere abroad really, just a couple of good cities.

92: are you a person who drowns their pasta in cheese or a person who barely sprinkles a pinch? Barely sprinkles, but I have a drowner with me to compensate.

93: what's the hairstyle you wear the most? Down. Full stop. 

94: who was the last person you know to have a birthday? My girlfriend’s. mum!

95: what are your plans for this weekend? Work, a party, a Harry Potter film, a sad Sunday.

96: do you install your computer updates really quickly or do you procrastinate on them a lot? I leave them for as long as possible

97: myer briggs type, zodiac sign, and hogwarts house? ENFJ/Pisces/Ravenclaw

98: when's the last time you went hiking? did you enjoy it? Hah idk.

99: list some songs that resonate to your soul whenever you hear them. Nude - Radiohead is the one I’m thinking at the mo’ and I can’t think past that.

100: if you were presented with two buttons, one that allows you to go 5 years into the past, the other 5 years into the future, which one would you press? why? Future. Don’t need to lament on the past when I hope I have a good one ahead of me. Then from there I'd click 5 back so I’m right back to where I am, cheers.