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theboarsbride · 2 years

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Writeblr (Re)Intro!

Hey hi howdy everyone!! It’s getting to that time for my yearly rewrite of my Writeblr Intro, so here it is!

My name is Josephine, but feel free to call me Jojo (pronouns are she/her), your local penguin and bird monster enthusiast!

I’m in my early twenties and am from the Midwestern United States, and am currently in college getting a degree in Writing and Applied Arts with an emphasis in editing and publishing, as well as a minor in History. I tend to be busy busy busy during semester, so in my free time I like to doodle and write silly little stories.

My art and writing updates I post a lot on my social media accounts, which are as follows:

Instagram: jojo.penguin.art

Twitter: JojoPenguin_Art

TikTok: jojo.penguin.writes

Discord: Jojo the Rad Penguin#3942

Tumblr: my DMs and ask box are always open!💛

I am ALWAYS down for chatting with and meeting other writers, and engaging with others’ content!! The primary genres I work with are:

- Horror (in varying genres, but primarily Gothic)

- Historical Fiction

- Paranormal

- Monster Romance (I’m aroace as hell so my romances are pretty ‘clean’--no erotica to be found here)

- Light Fantasy

If any of these genres interest you, feel free to keep on reading about my WIPs below the cut! Now about my general writing style...

Most of the stories I write are inspired by two things: fairytales and horror. A majority of my WIPs are either directly inspired or loosely based on some fairytale, folklore, or myth, and most are part of some genre of horror, whether it be Gothic, psychological, folk, survival, or supernatural. Also a lot of my writing influence comes from authors like Angela Carter, Sarah Waters, Caitlin Starling, Shirley Jackson, and Robin McKinley.

A list of my WIPs are below the cut! 💛

The Monster and the Butterfly || Novel || Gothic Romance + Historical/Paranormal/Gothic Horror + Fairytale Retelling (Beauty and the Beast + Eros and Psyche) || 2nd Draft + Major revisions + My Main WIP

Whitechapel, London 1894.

Sophie Wickes and her family struggle to survive, melancholy eats away at her father more and more with each passing day, and her passion for cultivating flowers procures no income. She must swallow her pride and set aside her hatred for England’s aristocracy when she’s offered a chance of employment by the reclusive Lord Edgar Cushing to tend the gardens of his Rosenthorne Hall. However, the estate, its gardens, and their master is nothing what Sophie expected.

The house? Rotting, dilapidated, hideous.

The gardens? The husk of something alive, whimsical, and beautiful.

The master? Faceless, nothing more than a voice from the shadows.

Despite her fear and anger, Sophie becomes enthralled by the garden’s potential for mystic, untainted beauty, and she develops a close friendship with Lord Cushing, despite him being nothing but a mere whisper of darkness that pleads for her to never seek him out.

However, whatever enchantment the gardens and Lord Cushing’s voice bring her shatters as she begins to receive nightly visitations from a crooked-jawed phantom and butterflies who’s wings whisper of a bloody past and the truth behind the faceless lord's gentlemanly masquerade.

~***~

The Vampire of Shadowed Castle || Short Story || Gothic/Survival/Vampire Horror + Folklore Retelling (Romanian Folklore) || 2nd Draft + major revisions coming soon

Local villages know to revere, and fear, Shadowed Castle.

Hunters know not to hunt the game in the surrounding forests, shepherds know not to let their livestock graze in nearby pastures, and wayside travelers know to avoid any paths that are within its wretched reach. Everyone knows to stay away from it, to avoid it as though the land itself is infested with the plague out of fear that whatever evil lurks within the darkness.

Everyone except Sorina Dalca.

She believes the local legends surrounding the Shadowed Castle to be only myths meant to keep children in line, horror stories with no ounce of truth to them. But when she’s forced to enter the cursed castle upon a dare, she must struggle to decipher what is all myth and what is all real when she comes face-to-face with the fabled Vampire of Shadowed Castle.

~***~

The Faeries and the Lark || Novel || Dark/Gothic High Fantasy + LGBTQ+ Romance + Adventure + Fairytale/Folklore Retelling (East of the Sun, West of the Moon + Sleeping Beauty + Scandinavian Folklore) || Development + First Draft +Incomplete + On-Hiatus

Loosely based on the fairytales Sleeping Beauty and East of the Sun, West of the Moon, as well as Scandinavian folklore, The Faeries and The Lark follows three faeries–spirits of nature–raising a human child they’ve named Lark, the princess of a sun-worshipping kingdom wiped out by a subterranean society of trolls. The faeries devote their lives to protecting Lark from the worlds of man by raising her to believe he’s one of the fae, and to keep her deep in the forest so that she can remain hidden from the trolls that restlessly hunt for the princess that escaped their massacre.

But everything the three faeries worked hard for is put to the test when Lark encounters a human named Sigrid, the toughened, sword-wielding chancellor’s daughter from a neighboring moon-worshipping kingdom that’s threatened to be swallowed by the fairies’ forest, and every aspect of her life as she’d known them threaten to crumble around her.

~***~

The Boar’s Bride || Novel/Fanfiction || Drama + Psychological/Gothic Horror + Romance + Fairytale Retelling (Bluebeard) || First Draft + Incomplete + On-Hiatus

A retelling of Bluebeard’s Bride set in 1980′s America that shows the unorthodox “romance” between a young, naïve painter and enigmatic, charming millionaire Mason Verger, as well as the horror that follows once they are wed.

(NOTE: This is currently being written as a Hannibal/Silence of the Lambs fanfiction featuring Mason Verger and my OC Edith Watts, but I hope to turn it into an original piece of fiction in the future.)

~***~

Mrs. Maturin || Novella || Historical Fiction + Drama || Second Draft + Major Revisions + On-Hiatus

This is a short historical fiction novella that’s a semi-fictionalized story based on the very real encounter between Joseph Merrick, AKA The Elephant Man, and young widow Leila Maturin, the first woman to have supposedly smiled at him and shook his hand, inspiring him to change his life for the better. (AKA my “Hallmark Movie WIP”)

~***~

Ruth || Novel || Folk/Environmental Horror + Drama + LGBTQ+ + Fairytale/Folklore Retelling (Little Red Riding Hood + Germanic pagan folklore) || Development + On-Hiatus

A folk horror retelling of Little Red Riding Hood where a woman and her partner join her ailing grandmother on a trip to her childhood home in the isolating backwoods of Germany, only to find themselves in the presence of a cult that worship a strange entity that lurk in the shadows. (Think Red Riding Hood meets the 1970s version of The Wicker Man)

~***~

The Wolf of Pine Falls || Novella (???) || Contemporary + Romance + Folklore (werewolves) || Development + On-Hiatus

A paranormal slice-of-life short story featuring a middle-aged, high school librarian werewolf navigating personal insecurities, as well as a romance with his blind coworker. (AKA the WIP i created because I wanted a werewolf character that subverts werewolf tropes, and I wanted an OC based on John Malkovich)

~***~

Temperance and Mr. Wyrm || Novella || Body Horror + (Monster) Romance + Fairytale Retelling (King Lindworm) || Development + On-Hiatus

A nurse with a pension for using herbal and natural remedies is hired as an in-home caretaker for a man afflicted with a strange, arcane, and serpentine, infection.

~***~

And these are my WIPs!!!!! I hope one of some of them have caught your eye, and that you stick around to see where these all go!!

Thanks so much for reading!!💛🐧

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spiderdreamer-blog · 2 years

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Assorted Thoughts On The Super Mario Bros. Movie Trailer

Yesterday’s release of the teaser trailer for Nintendo and Illumination Entertainment’s long-in-gestation Super Mario Bros. animated film unsurprisingly posted a whole host of Disk Horse, up to and including the voice cast, which includes celebrities like Chris Pratt and Jack Black as Mario and Bowser, among many others. Since these are among my favorite subjects to endlessly pontificate on, here’s a list of a various thoughts I had on the trailer and various flavors of opinions being tossed around:

-In terms of the trailer itself, I was quite suitably impressed! I was skeptical of the ability to thread the needle between the requirements of an American family film and the more freewheeling Japanese whimsy of the Mario franchise at large. Especially since, well, the last time we tried, we got 1993′s Super Mario Bros., an infamously bizarre boondoggle that seemed to think kids really wanted to see a cyberpunk dystopian version of the Mushroom Kingdom. Not helping is that Illumination is fairly hit or miss as a studio. The first Despicable Me remains an enjoyable outing (though I prefer that year’s Megamind in terms of a supervillain reformation story), and I liked Sing quite a bit more than I thought I would, largely thanks to Garth Jennings applying his history as a music video director to animation in ways I thought were quite novel. But on the whole, they exemplify much of what I dislike about American family films: loud, frenetic, barely letting the audience have a breath, and when they DO try and slow down and be dramatic, it rarely works in the same deft way that their competitors have made a stock in trade. In particular, I will never forget or forgive the complete fuckup that is the film version of The Lorax, one of the worst major animated features of the past decade.

-By contrast, directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic of Teen Titans Go fame (or infamy, depending on your POV) seem to have succeeded quite well at showing off a slightly gentler fantasy adventure vibe based on this glimpse. The primary focus on a singular sequence-Bowser’s invasion of the penguin kingdom-is smart, building tension with his arrival and then decimation, balancing things well with comedy beats like the penguins’ ineffectual snowball throwing. Even the penguin king (Khary Payton, likely doing a favor for his TTG buddies) comes off as a distinct character with the contrast between his regal manner and diminutive design. And the transition to Mario landing in the Mushroom Kingdom (seemingly going back to his original backstory of being a plumber from New York rather than a native), then meeting Toad is artful. Toad himself, played by a pitched-up Keegan Michael-Key, gets a funny moment that is refreshingly non-obnoxious, and we get a quick tease of Luigi (Charlie Day, perfect casting, no notes) running in fear from a bunch of Dry Bones into a gothic castle.

-Bowser himself is just fucking awesome and is very likely to be the best thing about this film. I had already been onboard for Black’s casting because he’s proven to be an excellent voice actor in the past with starring roles like Po in the Kung Fu Panda franchise. What pleasantly surprised me here that he’s thoroughly committing to a monster-y growl as Bowser rather than just using his normal voice. And he’s quite menacing in a way I’ve never quite heard from him before, booming and throwing his considerable weight around. I’m eager to see how he balances that with Bowser’s more comedic side, especially as relating to his amorous intentions towards Princess Peach. (Also, he’d better have a proper Villain Song)

-Which brings us to the other casting, namely Chris Pratt as Mario, who only gets two quick lines here. I was as confused as anyone by the casting at first, but his initial showing here has me more convinced he can pull off the creators’ vision for the part. Namely, he seems to be applying a faux New York accent rather than attempting to imitate Charles Martinet’s high-pitched iconic Italian squeakiness. I think this is a good acting decision on multiple fronts. I can’t picture that voice working well across the space of a feature film if we are meant to take Mario seriously as a character, and going for a lighter accent is easier to keep up across a full performance.

-Of course, this is hardly the only reason his casting was met with controversy and derision. Pratt, once a darling of the internet for projects like Parks & Recreation and Guardians of the Galaxy, has become more divisive in recent years due to both his acting limitations being exposed in other films and some apparently poor social views due to being both Christian and a member of a homophobic California church called Hillsong. Pratt himself has not said much on the matter beyond some slightly lunkheaded comments about Hollywood not being interested in blue-collar action movie protagonists. Now, as a queer guy myself, I certainly don’t like this about his life, but since he has not been an openly hateful presence to my knowledge (I don’t even know if he still attends Hillsong), it’s been easier to ignore. He has also been defended by his Guardians director James Gunn (who famously has a “no assholes on set” rule) and his Jurassic World co-star Bryce Dallas Howard, who recently revealed he helped negotiate an equal salary for her on those films. I don’t begrudge anyone who looks askance at him for his associations, but to me at least, this is not a situation like Jared Leto, who is both a weak/limited actor at this point in his career AND an asshole diva who may also be a cult leader via his shitty band.

-And there’s the other side of this, which is the actual talent scale. Like many actors who settle into screen star personas, Pratt has decided on “goofy manchild action hero” being his stock in trade for the most part. This is reflected in aforementioned roles like Guardians (where a frequent part of Quill’s character development is trying and not always succeeding to grow past those tendencies), as well as his voice acting roles like Emmet in The Lego Movie and Barley in Onward (a role that would have arguably been played by, well, Jack Black ten years ago). I don’t think this in and of itself is a problem, especially if they are pitching Mario to be an everyman protagonist. And let’s be honest, that’s at least SOMETHING compared to his current status as a monosyllabic mascot. Much like his Sega counterpart Sonic the Hedgehog, you need a little more meat to chew on in a feature film context. I think Pratt has done well in these roles (Onward in particular has some real heartbreaking moments thanks to his interplay with Tom Holland) and has thus proven he can hang in with a lead role that fits this context, as this Mario seems to be.

-Finally we come to the last part of the debate: whether Pratt should be playing this role at all compared to Martinet, who has paid his dues for over 25 years as the official voice of this character. I have no issue with Martinet; he has fulfilled that task admirably as well as offered more ambitious work as characters like Paathurnax in Skyrim. And he seemingly has a cameo in this film, which could net him more visibility and appreciation. Career voice actor Kevin Michael Richardson also has a role as Kamek, Bowser’s court wizard, in the film, so it doesn’t seem like that side of the industry is being ignored entirely (esp. since, as said, Horvath and Jelenic work quite extensively with actors like Payton and Richardson). But it has opened up the debate about picking high-profile celebrities compared to career VAs, who often do a lot more work and even now don’t always get the recognition they deserve. Let me be clear on my own standing: I adore voice acting and voice actors of all stripes. I consider some like the aforementioned Richardson, the king of kings Mel Blanc, Rob Paulsen, Frank Welker, Matthew Mercer, Cree Summer, Eric Bauza, and Laura Bailey to be among my personal icons and heroes. They absolutely deserve credit, respect, and proper pay for what they do.

-However. I think that we are in a place now where we can admit that many on-camera celebrities have developed the ability to give good performances even if they are often tapping into a pre-existing persona. It is a different skillset to only use your voice as opposed to appearing on-camera, but I have always thought that how this is spoken of makes it sound impossible for all but a select few like the late Robin Williams in groundbreaking performances like the Genie in Aladdin. And I don’t believe that is the case. I think voice acting is a broad range that can support different styles depending on the project, and that is not always “cartoon” acting where one is trading on an ability to do various exaggerated over-the-top accents and character types. Look at an actor like Kevin Conroy, who transitioned effectively from on-camera work because he gave psychological realism and weight to an iconic character like Batman. In both that and much of his other VA work, he is not doing “cartoon” acting, but finding the character within his natural speaking voice. Thus, an actor sounding “like themselves” can have its proper place depending on what the requirements of the story and character. While it is true that some actors have not appreciated this difference (such as Chris Rock infamously bragging that it was “easy” to play the zebra Marty in the Madagascar film series), I think we have come a long way from misbegotten projects like DreamWorks’ Shark Tale, where celebrities like Will Smith played pale imitations of themselves married to ugly-as-sin character designs.

-This may be a little off-topic, but I do think this has also improved things for diversity in its own way. The American voice acting scene has generally been majority white even for characters of color for much of its history, and this has often led to ugly burlesques and racial caricatures created with little regard for those characters’ actual lived experiences. Many have spoken of the difficulty of breaking into the industry because of these biases, as well as feeling typecast in “ethnic” roles rather than being allowed to explore a full range as an actor. (I will not get into the issue of POC actors themselves playing characters of different races, as I don’t think that is the same thing, nor do I feel qualified to speak on behalf of actors who do this) This has improved significantly in recent decades even if we still have a long way to go, and I think part of that can be attributed to not always relying on the primary voice acting talent pools. Take a film like Encanto, which has a mix of live-action celebrities with extensive VA experience (Stephanie Beatriz, John Leguizamo) and many Hispanic actors making their animation debuts like Jessica Darrow as Luisa. Because of this, there is a real authenticity to their performances that aids the cultural focus on Colombia in the film. I don’t know that you get that unless you think outside the box; indeed, Beatriz herself was considered for Luisa before the film crew met her and discovered she’s much more like Mirabel in real life compared to her other, more deadpan roles.

All of this is to say that ultimately, I’m just another guy with an opinion. If you don’t like Pratt or his casting as Mario, that’s your prerogative. I just like keeping an open mind, and we’ll see how things shake out next April.

#the super mario bros. movie #voice acting #animation #illumination entertainment

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gennabi · 1 year

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FROM THE UNUSUAL(ISH) ASKS <33333:

1, 4, 6, 10, 11, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 23, 25, 27, 32, 34, 38 and finally, 39!

ANSWER. THEM. JULY. ANSWER. THEM.

XxX pls & thanks XxX

- MBA 🥦

IM ANSWERING. IM ANSWERINGGGGGG.

warning, very very long.

1. who’s your celebrity crush?

i have LOTS lmaoo but right now , it's my girlfren lesserafim's sakura !! and we also have the always and forever my boo; chanmina !! and and taehyun and beomgyu from txt hehe

4. do you think its ok to separate the artist from the art?

OOOOH actually i've thought about this for a long time because it's quite... gray? and initially, my response would be "NO. WTF. THE ARTIST IS HORRIBLE." and i still somewhat stand by that. but then again, it's not like you can't compliment their works AT ALL. (which again, i've thought like that too at first). when it comes down to it , liking their works and supporting them are two different things. but then again, the arts and entertainment industry as a whole is filled with fucked up assholes who produce ethereal works. so, my answer in the end is yes. and no. yes because there's ways you can experience the art without directly profitting the artist or you just can't be that bothered to know every single artists' history and issues which is woo valid. and also no, because especially for arts, to make something out of nothing, is to produce with what you have and it's mostly coming from within, from a place of not so good intentions. and it's also bad because they're praised / walking around freely with a list of immoral actions trailing behind their back all because people put them on a pedestal and "but they're so good at what they're doing!!" while the ppl impacted by said actions were shunned

6. how many pairs of shoes do you have?

six shoes for the sixth question !! lolz . the dream is to have a shoe collection hehe my favourite one is my black heels because.. because... heels... pretty... pretty heels... pretty...

10. name a dog

the first that came to mind was mr chew from penguins of madagascar LMAOOO

11. what unusual talent do you have?

not sure if it's a talent but i have clairaudience if that counts? also i'm usually very calm during high tension situations (which then made me became the person assigned to rude customers during my part time job lmaoo) but downside is i get tensed in "normal/low tension situations" aha i still dont know exactly how that works

13. ever prank called a store?

i wishhhhhh i did but i'd feel too bad for it. i did prank called the police though (dont follow this, kids) but like that was when i was a.. well, kid.

15. what’s a question do you constantly get asked?

there's nothg in particular but it always surrounds fashion and the ol' "do you have a boyfriend?" because if you're happy and are always present in cute outfits, it must be because you have someone romantic. and apparently that's everyone's goal. /s

16. if you had to get a tattoo right now, what would you get and where?

this panel right here.

left inner thigh, slightly to the front and closer to the knee. not very beginner friendly and i might accidentally kick the artist because tickles tickles but hayakawa family is worth it.

17. google the top song from the year you were born

foolish - ashanti. niceeeee ill give it a go later

18. rant about your favorite musician

wanted to rant about the loml tomorrow x together but for today, ill talk about cigarettes after sex. idk their personality and cant be bothered to be interested in their life so ill talk abt the music hweeeeee. their music gives a very "come home and get yourself warm" and it always soothes me. when i feel a little lost and overwhelmed, putting their songs makes my heart at ease. like a very tight hug. like a blanket is draped around my shoulder and my face is cradled gently as the universe whisper to me, "it's okay, little child." it'd be VERY nice to slow dance to the songs too but idk how to slow dance in the first place so aha. and with that said, my fav song of theirs rn is "k - cigarettes after sex".

20. describe your blog in 3-5 words

requests shipped in 3 months. (or more. im sorry.)

23. if you could break one of your bad habits which would you choose?

to actually listen to my body. :)

25. what’s something you can’t stop buying?

this is so funny because im actually experiencing that rn which is rare bcs im careful w where my money goes. but last week was filled with hot roasted milk tea from tealive. in general though.. not exactly buy but i can spend hours looking around furnitures stores # ikea the light of my life . on a second thought , books / comics which ended up not being read </33

27. how long before a trip do you pack?

the night before. i pack fairly fast but if i pack on morning of the day, i wont get to be slow and enjoy my time hhgh so i always settle w the night before.

32. how old do you get mistaken for?

it's actually really bad. sometimes can be good. but ive had people thinking im four or five years younger than i am. but now that im in uni, ppl mistake me for being one or two years older but that's only because that's the average age of people taking the course. though outside uni, around my age but i think thats mostly because i drive a car lmao

34. do you like your hogwarts house or do you wish you were a different one?

i loathed it at first. and then i just sort of accepted it?? AHAH. because i also cant think of other house i am except the one im assigned to. and your boo is from gryffindor <3

38. post a picture of the outfit you would choose if you could have any outfit you wanted

i want to try every single style there is but im particularly drawn to thgs like these

39. describe your aesthetic

i don't have one... anythg that feels like a hug to me is my aesthetic? if that makes sense. fashion wise, it really depends on what i feel atm (no fixed style in mind) but in general, smtg a bit like these <33

BWAH IM FINALLY DONE UWAA that was SOOO NICE but felt like it took forever HWJAJAA THANK YOU FOR THE ASKS ANON heart eyes heart eyes

#...... what do i even do with your brocolli my beloved #smh #my beloved anon ♡#gennabi 📬#gennabi 🏷

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jcmarchi · 5 days

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Animal Well Review - A Masterclass In Environmental Design - Game Informer

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/animal-well-review-a-masterclass-in-environmental-design-game-informer/

Animal Well Review - A Masterclass In Environmental Design - Game Informer

Animal Well pleased, surprised, or scared me with something new at every turn as it confidently jumped from one idea to the next up until its conclusion. That novelty lost its luster near the end of its 8-to-10-hour runtime as I treaded the fresh sheen off familiar ground, but it never lost its lively, naturalistically wild heart – even when occasional difficulty spikes compounded that staleness. Still, its tense atmosphere is inherently compelling. Illuminated by dangling lanterns and brought to life with lovingly animated animals and Rube Goldberg-like puzzles but dimmed by an ominous synth tone reminiscent of Twin Peaks’ haunting score, Animal Well establishes itself with a rare, masterful sense of place without missing a beat.

In Animal Well, you play as a little blob who must get home. Similar to other Metroidvania games like Super Metroid or Hollow Knight, your path is anything but linear; you must collect items and powerups that unlock new abilities, which will – sometimes literally – open up new doors.

Starting as a powerless, adorable little blob became a distant memory as I added to my menagerie of movement-enhancing and puzzle-solving tools. These playful tools like a frisbee, bubble wand, yo-yo, or Slinky highlight Animal Well’s madcap nature. Each tool has clever alternate uses that encouraged me to brush up against what I previously thought its barriers were in stimulating ways. Instead of awkwardly rubbing up against the seams of this Swiss Watch of a world, it felt like I was pulling a fast one on the creator Billy Basso – even though he was probably in on my scheme.

I first realized the multifaceted power these tools hold when I was fighting off one of Animal Well’s ghosts after setting off some firecrackers to scare one out of a dark room. Normally, you can’t check your map in the dark. But setting off these firecrackers suddenly lit up the room enough for me to check my map. These kinds of immersive touches add layers of flavor and liveliness to its world.

Stretching and going beyond what you thought was possible in Animal Well reveals a wealth of secrets and surprises, like the collectible Secret Eggs. Expanding your ovate arsenal opens up fast travel options and even more game-expanding trinkets. Basso’s love for museums and architecture shines through in Animal Well’s richly realized world. Furnished by bespoke landmarks like tile art murals of rabbits, statuettes of capybaras, and rats running in hamster wheels that power The Well’s mystic mechanisms, these flourishes (sometimes literally) electrify each room.

It subtly balances the right amount of cheek into its surreal vibe, too. At one point, I found myself looking for the next corridor to spelunk. Assuming I’d at least find an egg, I hopped down a large pit. Hitting the ground with an unceremonious “thunk,” I landed near three penguin-shaped shrubs I’d walked past minutes before. Landing at the decoration again after a fall, with the only way back up being a grueling climb, gave it meaning and life. I could feel its developers poking fun at my flightless avatar.

[embedded content]

Animal Well hides its fangs in its main character’s powerlessness: there’s no fighting back against the bigger predators that chase you down. Usually, those moments highlight a clever approach to progression. But they sometimes dredge up its greatest flaw. Like many classics of the genre, the only checkpoints here are its save points. With only a handful scattered throughout the map, I spent much time revisiting rooms I’ve already explored top-to-bottom. This would be damning for a game with a worse sense of style, but the act of smelling Animal Well’s roses is so sweet that it’s nothing more than an inconvenience.

Teeming with life, secrets, and charm that surprise and delight, Animal Well held my full, undivided attention. Even in its most trying moments, it left a mark of endearment on me thanks to its absorbing soundscape, distinct yet familiar pixel-based art style, and flexible, mold-breaking approach to exploration.

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bostonsightseeingtour · 2 months

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Exploring Boston: Unveiling the Best Tourist Spots

Boston, often dubbed as the "Cradle of Liberty" due to its significant role in American history, is a city that seamlessly blends its rich past with a vibrant present. With its charming neighborhoods, iconic landmarks, world-class museums, and delectable cuisine, Boston has something to offer to every traveler. Whether you're a history enthusiast, a foodie, an art lover, or simply someone seeking an unforgettable urban experience, Boston beckons with open arms. Let's embark on a journey through some of the best tourist spots that this captivating city has to offer.

1. Freedom Trail

No visit to Boston is complete without a stroll along the Freedom Trail. This 2.5-mile-long trail winds its way through the heart of the city, connecting 16 historically significant sites. From the Massachusetts State House to the Paul Revere House and the Old North Church, each stop along the trail offers a glimpse into America's revolutionary past. Guided tours are available, but exploring at your own pace allows for a more immersive experience.

2. Fenway Park

For sports enthusiasts, Fenway Park is a must-see attraction. As the oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball, Fenway Park exudes charm and history. Even if you're not catching a Red Sox game, you can still take a guided tour of the stadium and learn about its storied past, including the legendary "Green Monster" and the unique quirks that make Fenway Park a beloved icon of Boston.

3. Museum of Fine Arts

Art aficionados will find solace in the Museum of Fine Arts, one of the most comprehensive art museums in the world. Boasting an extensive collection that spans thousands of years and diverse cultures, the museum showcases everything from ancient Egyptian artifacts to contemporary masterpieces. Highlights include works by renowned artists such as Monet, Rembrandt, and Van Gogh, making it a cultural gem not to be missed.

4. Boston Common and Public Garden

Escape the hustle and bustle of the city by strolling through Boston Common and the adjacent Public Garden. As America's oldest public park, Boston Common offers serene green spaces, picturesque ponds, and historic monuments. Across Charles Street lies the Public Garden, famous for its meticulously manicured flower beds, graceful swan boats, and the iconic bronze statue of Make Way for Ducklings, inspired by the beloved children's book.

5. Harvard Square and Harvard University

Venture across the Charles River to Cambridge and explore Harvard Square, the bustling heart of Harvard University. Meander through the ivy-covered buildings of one of the world's most prestigious academic institutions, taking in sights such as Widener Library, Memorial Hall, and Harvard Yard. Don't forget to grab a cup of coffee at one of the quaint cafes or browse the eclectic shops that line the streets surrounding the square.

6. Quincy Market and Faneuil Hall

Indulge your senses at Quincy Market and Faneuil Hall, where history meets gastronomy in a lively marketplace setting. Dating back to 1742, Faneuil Hall has served as a marketplace and meeting hall for centuries and continues to be a vibrant hub of activity. Adjacent to Faneuil Hall, Quincy Market offers an array of culinary delights, from fresh seafood to international cuisine, making it the perfect spot to sample some of Boston's culinary offerings.

7. Boston Harbor Islands

For a refreshing escape from the urban landscape, hop aboard a ferry and venture out to the Boston Harbor Islands. This collection of 34 islands offers opportunities for hiking, picnicking, wildlife viewing, and even camping, all within reach of the city skyline. Spectacle Island and Georges Island are popular choices, each offering stunning views of the harbor and historical landmarks to explore.

8. New England Aquarium

Dive into the depths of the ocean at the New England Aquarium, where fascinating marine life awaits. From playful penguins to graceful sea turtles and fearsome sharks, the aquarium's exhibits showcase a diverse array of aquatic species from around the world. Don't miss the Giant Ocean Tank, a four-story Caribbean coral reef teeming with vibrant marine life, including sharks, stingrays, and tropical fish.

9. Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum

Step back in time to one of the defining moments of American history at the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum. Through interactive exhibits, live reenactments, and multimedia presentations, visitors can relive the events leading up to the Boston Tea Party and gain insight into the revolutionary spirit that shaped the nation. Climb aboard a meticulously recreated 18th-century ship and experience firsthand what it was like to participate in this iconic act of defiance against British rule.

10. Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

Immerse yourself in the enchanting world of art and architecture at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Housed in a Venetian-style palazzo designed to resemble a 15th-century Italian villa, the museum's collection features an eclectic mix of paintings, sculptures, furniture, and decorative arts amassed by its namesake founder. The museum's courtyard garden, filled with fragrant flowers and tranquil fountains, provides a peaceful oasis in the heart of the city.

Conclusion

From its revolutionary roots to its vibrant cultural scene and culinary delights, Boston offers a plethora of attractions that cater to every traveler's interests. Whether you're exploring historic landmarks along the Freedom Trail, admiring world-class art at the Museum of Fine Arts, or indulging in fresh seafood at Quincy Market, Boston's charm and diversity are sure to leave a lasting impression. So, pack your bags, lace up your walking shoes, and prepare to embark on an unforgettable journey through the best tourist spots that Boston, USA, has to offer.

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sophiyastar2022 · 3 months

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How to Meet the Penguins of Camps Bay in Cape Town?

Camps Bay, known for its pristine beaches and vibrant atmosphere, is a jewel nestled along the coastline of Cape Town, South Africa. While the sun-kissed shores and trendy promenades are the usual draws for visitors, there's a charming secret waiting to be discovered – the Camps Bay Penguins. This quirky encounter with these delightful birds adds an unexpected and enchanting dimension to the coastal experience, creating a unique blend of natural beauty and whimsical wildlife.

The Hidden Residents of Camps Bay:

Camps Bay Penguins, also known as the African Penguins, have made a surprising home along the shores of Camps Bay. These distinctive black-and-white birds, with their comical waddle and distinctive braying calls, have found a haven amidst the rocky outcrops and sandy coves of the Camps Bay coastline. Their presence adds a touch of the unexpected to this glamorous seaside destination.

African Penguins:

The African Penguin, scientifically known as Spheniscus demersus, is native to the coasts of southern Africa. Once abundant, their populations have faced significant challenges in recent years, making each encounter with them all the more special. Camps Bay Penguins have found refuge in the sheltered coves and rocky areas, creating a harmonious coexistence with the vibrant beach culture of Camps Bay.

Exploring the Penguin Hotspots:

As you stroll along the iconic Camps Bay beach, keep an eye out for the hidden nooks and crannies where these penguins have established their colonies. While they are not as numerous as in some dedicated penguin colonies, the sightings are still frequent and delightful. The rocky areas near Maiden's Cove and the hidden corners of Oudekraal offer ideal spots for penguin watching.

Whimsical Moments:

The presence of Camps Bay Penguins adds a whimsical touch to the atmosphere. Visitors may find themselves captivated by the antics of these charming creatures – from their synchronized swimming near the shore to their amusing interactions with each other. The juxtaposition of the penguins against the backdrop of the azure ocean and golden sands creates whimsical moments that linger in the memory.

Conservation Efforts:

The growing awareness of the Camps Bay Penguins has prompted increased efforts in their conservation. Local initiatives and conservation organizations work to protect the habitats of these birds, ensuring that human interaction is respectful and non-intrusive. Visitors are encouraged to observe the penguins from a distance, allowing them to thrive in their natural environment.

Educational Opportunities:

Encounters with Camps Bay Penguins also provide unique educational opportunities. Interpretative signage along the coastline offers information about the African Penguin species, their behaviours, and the challenges they face in the wild. These educational initiatives contribute to fostering a deeper appreciation for wildlife conservation and the delicate balance between human recreation and preserving natural habitats.

Responsible Tourism:

As the popularity of Excursions from Cape Town grows, responsible tourism becomes paramount. Visitors are urged to approach these colonies with care, maintaining a respectful distance and avoiding any actions that may disturb the penguins or their habitats. Responsible tourism practices ensure that future generations can continue to enjoy the unique charm of Camps Bay's unexpected penguin residents.

Local Businesses Embrace the Penguins:

The presence of Camps Bay Penguins has not gone unnoticed by local businesses. Some eco-conscious establishments have embraced the quirky charm of these birds, incorporating them into their branding and promoting responsible tourism. Visitors can find penguin-themed merchandise, art, and even guided tours that shed light on the natural history of these charismatic creatures.

Capturing the Moment:

For those eager to capture the charm of Camps Bay Penguins through their lens, there are a few photography tips to keep in mind. The early morning or late afternoon sunlight casts a warm glow on the penguins, enhancing the visual appeal of the photographs. Patience is key, allowing photographers to capture the playful behaviours and unique interactions of these captivating birds.

Beyond the Penguins:

While the Camps Bay Penguins add a whimsical touch to the coastline, there is much more to explore in this iconic destination. The palm-lined promenade invites strolls, and the trendy beachfront cafes offer delectable treats with a view. The golden sands beckon sun-seekers and the vibrant nightlife ensures that the magic of Camps Bay extends well into the evening.

Conclusion:

The Camps Bay Penguins add a touch of natural wonder to the glamour of this coastal paradise. As visitors revel in the trendy atmosphere and sun-soaked beaches of Camps Bay, the unexpected presence of these charming birds creates a harmonious blend of luxury and nature. The Camps Bay Penguins are a testament to the resilience of wildlife and the enchanting surprises that await those who venture beyond the well-trodden paths. For a truly unforgettable experience, let the whimsy of the penguins dance along the shores of Camps Bay, adding a touch of the wild to your coastal escape.

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mitchbeck · 3 months

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#AHL #AmericanHockeyLeague #CharlotteCheckers #HartfordWolfPack #NewYorkRangers #OakViewGroup #XLCenter

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maiaszecket-grad604-2023 · 8 months

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W8 - AGI Open 2023

On Monday I had the privilege of attending the Alliance Graphique Internationale with a free ticket from AUT! This was a super exciting opportunity and I walked away from it with lots of insights and ideas (and freebies). Below are the notes I made for (most) speakers, a well as some highlights which I will expand on further:

Day 1 - 18/09/23

Taku Satoh

Hodo hodo - just enough

Balance and elegance when just right

Furoshiki

Everything in moderation

Knowing when to stop

Leave room for things to resonate

Water-based glue

Changing the rep of chewing gum so packaging design cannot look like gum

Astrid Stavro

Leap before you look

Curiosity and doubt

Eli wiesel

Interview magazine

Penguin education - type as image

Grid notepads

Fear and making mistakes

Dont work for money

Azimuth festival - saudi arabi

Keep it simple stupid

Starting over

Irene Pereyra

Anton & irene ux

To seel something new, make it familiar and to sell something familiar, make it new

M+ museum - hong kong

We judge usability by its beauty and aesthetics

Atm interface study

Aesthetic usability effect

We dont mind making the effort

Shantelle martin

Henrik Kubel

Important to have a clear brief in kahoots with client

Paul Garbett

Seeing things book

We create whatever we observe

Paredolia - seeing faces in things, seeing meaninful images in objects and patterns

Presence - paying attention with intention

The act of observation is an act of creativity

Dean Poole

Nz’s elemental nature

Raw sophistication

Humanism

Culturistic rituals

Meaning in materials

Doesnt have to be loud

Design is about making decisions

Diecut leaves

Tracing shapes in landscape photography

Southern hemisphere snowman

Good shit soda

Ahn Sang-soo

Gaphis magazine

Anthropocene

PATI - students are taught to design their own lives and let their lives be completed by design

Pur ideas should stem from our hands

Elongate design by bodily experience

Just play!

A flower flourishes, spring comes

Alejandro Paul

Roma cafe in buenos aires

Balneario

Inspiration - travel - photography

Varietta

Rigatoni - bodoni

Sudtipos design agency

Paul Boudens

Fun is fundamental

Eddie Opara

The landcape, origin, history, life around really is what egins a bespoke desing process

Rectilinnear

The Joslyn, scott Pavilliam, hawks

Each building only uses the typeface desinged for it

Also desinging glyphs for omaha-ponca - native american language of the region

Animations

Regenerative narratives

Book Showcase

James Goggin

Ubi sunt

Titus kphar ted talk

Redaction.us - free typeface

Irony of this typeface being used in the legal system - unauthorised

Book is soft-bound bc hardcover still considered contraband in prisons

Cold glue vs hot glue

Minmin Qu + Qian Jiang

Stuart Geddes

Need to take advantage of books that are thick enough to write sideways on the spine

Jumping He

Carpets from art

Designing the life cycle of a book - another reading

Arch MacDonnell

Inhouse design

Books with john reynolds - “cloud of new zealand language”

Climate change - apocalypse o’clock

I want you to panic

Nikki Gonnissen

Thonik

Phil bloom - first naked woman on int. Tv

Inspirational women

Day 2 - 19/09/23

Paula Scher

marking something recognised + understood

silk-screen theatre posters

Public Theatre

page of scribbles - type made from scribbles

'banal'

digital, moving billboards

dingbat/scribble 'library' to use in system

find something and run with it

Stefan Sagmeister

the critic with bad news is seen as smarter than the critic with good news

embedding blocks of statistics in old paintings

mosaic insects on bike path

kids' hospital tunnels - Toronto

Now is Better - book

design should have a function

Lars Müller

Super Normal - book

sensations of the normal

Thomas Widdershoven

Thonik

the power of design

social

strategic

experimental

best iconic building award for their studio

Yah-Leng Yu

how do you get people to come into your museum?

look at the city - what do people like doing?

drawing the people of Singapore like to shop, so give them something they can shop for

what makes something look childish?

Kris Sowersby

Matarongo typeface with Johnson Witehira

Tatai Kapu Toi = typography

type is so subtle

distilling the essence of a rich culture and history into type

glyphs = wh, ng in cap-cap, cap-lower, lower-lower

Jonathan-Castro Alejos

Peru -> Netherlands

Panel

nomads set free + being a tourist

taking on international clients

cultural sensitivity

global climate

global market

country's politics

country's history

balance between corporate/client projects and projects that we do for ourselves

making money vs making things that make you happy

student = authenticity, purity

graduating = getting corrupted

how to stay relevant

where would you go first upon landing in a country where you don't know anyone and you don't speak the language?

Kenya Hara

'un-know the world'

using squares + circles to make sense of the universe

Re Design - daily products of the 21st century

long-life design

becoming

visualise + awaken

rhetorical figures

fruits disguised as other fruits

make things unknown and visualise it

muji

"frugal, but not feeling inferior to luxury"

muji 'concept' applied to other things

humans + cleaning

global vs local

"architecture must be the interpreter of the richness of the land"

cream knit turtleneck with yellow edges -> like working military gloves

mango (clothing brand) book

Stanley Wong

AnotherMountainMan

MTR: 'there are some things in life you can always count on'

Asaba's Diary - posters!

self-talking

"time will tell" - Einstein

creativity x values x time

Ariane Spanier

known knowns

known unknowns

unknown knowns

the free brief

feelings mixer app - Heavy Mental

colour

Fukt magazine

having facial blindness and drawing portraits

Highlights

It was really neat to see how real designers are always using what they know and what they are good at to influence their design process, no matter if it is a commercial or personal project. It was comforting to me to see that there doesn't always have to be this immense pressure to try something that you don't know anything about, or that you aren't good at, just for the sake of going out of your comfort zone. Although this is useful and can really expand a designer's horizons, it is not always necessary to be uncomfortable at all stages of a design process. Drawing on your interests and strengths is also a good way to create a successful outcome.

The calibre of presentations were top tier - they were engaging and 'guided your eye', and embodied all the tips we go over in class, such as limiting the number of words on a slide.

I was pleased at how this international conference still allowed for freedom of the hosting country to incorporate any necessary traditions or honours that are encouraged in that country. The conference opened with a Mihi and Waiata, which communicated to me that it was important for Alt Group and AGI to create a safe Māori space.

Kris Sowersby's talk was a huge highlight of mine. He broke down a new typeface that his is collaborating on with Johnson Witehira, called Matarongo. It was fascinating to see their process (iteration on iteration on iteration), right from the deep, rich research they did through to the varied typefaces that were created. So many things were considered - lower/upper case, sans/serif, extra glyphs, etc. I found that I gained a whole new appreciation for typography through watching his talk.

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shauntaakestarsgossip8news · 1 year

Text

shauntaake shauntaake

shauntaake laughang cause ths is all of the latest news everyon’e startang a real family togethaa & it’s so special much love & respect to all of the real lovers these are just some of shauntaake favorite celebrity’s & entertainers that work hard & stay in the news & keep theirselves relevant & ths is their latest news shauntaake such a macho man woman & shauntaake love it when men brang it & set the foundaton these ppl u see on ths page are goals that u should want to reach in life & ths hw shauntaake see shauntaake & shauntaake kds & shauntaake future white wives beautifully & successfully custom built from the ground up shauntaake that good musician as well & u know shauntaake really make shauntaake own good song’s so i‘ll sing to shauntaake kds & shauntaake wives & ths what the new hustle lauks like startang your real business family

shauntaake have some of shauntaake ll cool j music video’s up live now on shauntaake page in ll cool j own secton take a lauk ll cool j was one of the greatest toast of the town’s of new york city

shauntaake / ll cool j also have a song out that shauntaake heard online & it’s sounds good like original ll cool j

shauntaake / ll cool is headlinang ll cool j first arena tour in 30 years comang to a city near u so make sure u get yout arena tickets cause it’s gonna be epic cause ll cool j always brang’s it when ll cool j performs

ll cool j wife & kids

shauntaake - music video - ll cool j - (around the way girl)

youtube

shauntaake - rock the bells festival vidoe’s were great the legends came back out to re-introduce theirselves rock the bells is also one of ll cool j’s iconic song’s of all time

shauntaake - ll cool j rung in the nasdaq for the rock the bells companys congratulatons

shauntaake / ll cool june ambrose & the whole team ringing in the nasdaq

shauntaake - rock the bells - queen latifah also brought out one of queen latifah’s first music groups on stage that queen latifah signed naughty by nature treach kg & vinny

shauntaake favorite tik tok videos

shauntaake saw a video today & it lauks like it’s a million ppl live perform & work in new york city lights shinnang from every angle even when the camera upsde down the rich verson of our 5/th element it lauks like the whole universe is in new york city right now

shauntaake / dont u know that hundreds close to thousand’s of major entertainment stars hollywood actors & major superstar singers & rappers movie directors professonal painters & nba & nfl athlete’s live in new york city right now

shauntaake / cant nothang top beang apart of new york city right now

shauntaake / ths dgtal era astranomiclly made the major entertainment industry of ppl galzillon rich outaa ths world

shauntaake new york city lauks like shauntaake kd night sky’s lit up wit thousand’s of stars

shauntaake see rihanna want perminat white roses hand made rihanna say it took 30 hours to make one of rihanna roses on rihanna valentino dress that’s crasy rihanna crasy rihanna lauks so pretty pregnant baby girl in love to haaaaa they have their lil secrets makang their funny charasmatic lil faces

shauntaake want to bless them so bad wit a piece of shauntaake shauntaake love to see hu they are beang theirselves shauntaake not trynna give them no crasy problems shauntaake gonna need to be all in the family cause shauntaake baby aint nothang nice shauntaake gonna have to crasy smile at the baby on the low wll keep the baby in check & behavang haaaaa shauntaake love to see your sweet baby wit hs parents love to put hs hand on your heart now

rihanna son

shauntaake / rihanna son birthday was today he’s becomang so handsome shauntake had that same color penguines hockey jersey when shauntaake was in the 7grade it was so heavyyyyyyyy

shauntaake dont know if rihanna knows or if rihanna knows that rihanna had a little cartoon richie rich shauntaake own a whole collecton of richie rich art that shauntaake was customly makang befor rihanna was even pregnant & rihanna son really came a richie rich baby rihanna a billionare & asap rocky a millionaire shauntaake have a tun of richir rich art & he propbly thank that hs collecton that he came for exactly shauntaake already see hs richie rich face comes out haaaaaaa

shauntaake happy rihanna recieved rihanna sweet happy baby cause shauntaake/soul daddy warbucks shauntaake son blak white laukang man connected to shauntaake & shauntaake cousin devon devon a chris brwn twin but they lauk more white & their fair skin their already online mean & serious cause thats what the beef was about we knw rihanna was gonna have a character hstory money son connectang wit shauntaake & their major men they been on it rihanna richie rich comang shauntaake start designang shauntaake richie rich art collecton right befor rihanna got pregnant watch if rihanna start dressang hm like richie rich watch hw hs personality wll really come out

shauntaake told u months befor that someone keeps sendang these rihanna youtube video’s to shauntaake computer & shauntaake phone & it irratates shauntaake sometimes cause shauntaake could be watchang a movie on shauntaake computer & these youtube video’s just pop up out of somehwere ths been happeang yearssssssssss now & shauntaake dont have any rihanna subscripton anywhere & shauntaake be like damn it int that serious that shauntaake have to lauk at rihanna video’s all day rihanna not shauntaake wife only hsands do thangs like that lauk at phauts & video’s of their wife all day it’s over welmang & shauntaake need them to stop cause shauntaake not a crased rihanna fan that just have to see rihanna face everyday but shauntaake am a serious rihanna fan & that’s it ths why shauntaake made a gossip colum on shauntaake page cause ppl say they want to read the secrets that they be showang shauntaake & see the video’s they be sendang shauntaake they send shauntaake a bunch of rihanna youtube video’s shauntaake not gonna be postang rihanna videos all over shauntaake page everyday cause that’s hw it would be a whole page would be full of rihanna youtube video’s if shauntaake post every video they send shauntaake but shauntaake can write a comment here & there shauntaake go to shauntaake rihanna computer folder sometimes to listen to rihanna music & watch rihanna music video’s that’s not a everyday thang the last time shauntaake watch rihanna music video’s in shauntaake private computer folders it been almost a month now but listen they just sent shauntaake ths latest rihanna youtube video’s & the latest pr is that rihanna refuses to marry asap rocky cause of rihanna star status & rihanna’s wealth & then the pr say’s that riahnna needs a strong prenuptial cause of rihanna fortune & shauntaake say rihanna neeeed to go & get marry’s to asap rocky rihanna already pregnant twice wit rihanna second child by asap rocky u two started a new family for yourselves & u need to make that official & get marry’d u two lauk very happy togethaa & u two know each uthaa u lauk like your best friends so why would u jeopardise that get marry & have more kds & keep doang u u two have great chemistry wit each uthaa your soul’s are compliment wit each uthaa u been datang on & off for years now go & have your fantasy weddang & do u two congratulatons on findang your best friend

shauntaake - music video - rihanna - (cheers)

youtube

shauntaake / yesterday they sent shauntaake a youtube video sayang that rihanna &asap rocky are gonna get marry’d shauntaake sick of ppl that tell the wrong story’s so we’ll seeeeeeeeee fro ourselves what happens rihanna & asap rocky also manages theirselves & if they do get marry it wll be a wordwide celebraton wit no confuson about what it is

rihanna youtube gossip videos

shauntaake / janet jackson ison tour right now & shauntaake love watchang janet jackson tour video’s on tiktok janet stll that official janet jackson performer janet stll have the moves everyone go get your tickets for the janet jackson tour

shauntaake want janet jackson to wear janet jackson original costumes & janet jackson lala land wonderland themes custumes

shauntaake - live in concert - janet jackson - (the velvet rope tour)

youtube

janet jackson together again tour

shauntaake read that the janet jackson tour sold out at madison square garden in manhattan new york city

shauntaake / oh my da brat in video’s all over online & da brat pregnant wit da brat first child congratulatons but shauntaake never thought shauntaake would see the day da brat pregnant cause da brat was also a pretty tomboy that had all of the prettyest girlfriends & woman shauntaake thought the da brat would impregant da brat woman

congratulatons to da brat & judy on your new les marriage & your new baby

shauntaake - music video - mariah careey feat da brat - xscape - jermaine dupri - (always be my baby)

youtube

beyonce renanssance album

beyonce renanssance tour

hauntaake - music video - jay - z feat beyonce - (03 bonnie & clyde)

youtube

shauntaake / the beyonce renaissance tour is goang excellent so far their havang so much fun shauntaake saw a couple of live video from beyonce renaissance tour first show days on tiktok & beyonce lauks so pretty earthly heavenly & futuristic & the stage set’s are so beautiful

shauntaake just saw a video on tiktok of beyonce favorite right hand woman dancer she’s in all of beyonce video’s & she’s always right next beyonce at every show tour’s & concert’s & she‘s doang her own intervew & she’s in the video lettang us now why she did’nt go on tour wit beyonce ths time & ths is the only beyonce tour that she did’nt dance for

shauntaake / beyonce mother tina knowles is so funny & crasy tina made the staff crw & fans carry tina over the show tour raillangs at the beyonce renaissance tour tina walk thru the crowd to get closer to tina daughtaa beyonce on stage exactly sittang in tina’s own secton safely secured & at peace lovang tina’s millionth beyonce show that’s really special

shauntaake just upload 12 official live video’s of beyonce performang live at beyonce renaissance tour up close these tour video’s are so pretty & special

shauntaake see beyonce snatch’s up the dance hall crw that was on tiktok havang their shows they have tttttttuuuuuunnnnnnssssss of show’s online

shauntaake just saw a nw beyonce & jay z article that beyonce & jay z just purchased a $200million dollar mason congratulatons & then they show phauts of the manson & ahauntaake almost chocked shauntaake thought it would of been built to the heavens for $200million ths why shauntaake dont want to move to la if shauntaake move to la shauntaake choosang to move to beveryly hills shauntaake dream land shauntaake whole life but congratuatons on the massive purchase

shauntaake was just listenang to ths pastor preach about shauntaake & travis scott merger years & the pastor say he could hear hw travis scott was lettang us those woman was jumpang the sht out of travis scott that it was’nt even funny travis scott was brangang it travis scott music had everybodyyyyyyyyyy wildang the fuck out & bitches love a real star real stars dont hde that their a star & the pastor say he see hw travis scott trauma’d a laut of ppl cause those level of woman was in love wit travis scott it be’s like that sometimes when situatons right & all the right ppl togethaa that’s somethang was’nt none of their men or woman gonna be able to stop we all could hear the music & we could hear hu had hella times in their life all of them have but some experience’s are more extreme than uthaa’s & that’s natural the pretty girls always want the star boy the toughest boy on the block & shauntaake was that one so shauntaake know hw travis scott feel when your overwelmed wit the chicks that really love u

shauntaake just upload 12 official live video’s of beyonce performang live at beyonce renaissance tour up close these tour video’s are so pretty & special

shauntaake / 5/30/2023 - oh my did u hear beyonce new rap out okay beyonce just went crasy on a track

shauntaake / beyonce renaissance tour

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thiswasinevitableid · 3 years

Note

94 for sternclay for the winter prompts??? Especially if trans stern because I love that for him:’) either nsfw or sfw, hope you have a wonderful day!!!!! Your writing is a gift

Thank you so much! I went with NSFW, and Stern is indeed trans.

94. you overhear my ex mocking me for being single at a holiday party and introduce yourself as my SO with a kiss on the cheek but we’ve never spoken before

The things he does to pay for culinary school.

It’s not the catering gig that’s bothering him; he takes pride in making food at conferences and office parties better than expected. It’s the fucking red, white, and green uniforms they’re making them wear for this one. It’s hot, itchy, and he really would prefer to wear the winter sweater Thacker gave him last year. It’s rustic but festive. It’s also sitting in his car, because no one told him about these uniforms until he got here.

You can’t spring a surprise uniform on a guy who’s 6’4 and 190 pounds. The vest digs into his stomach, the jacket is too tight, and the pants don’t cover his ankles.

It’s too bad, this party is pretty fun to work. It’s for a big-name publisher looking to seem hip, so the band is good and the decorations don’t look like the Macy’s Parade puked all over the room.

The meals aren’t sit down, more a five hour cocktail party with canapes on trays and a spread of food at the back. Barclay sets out a new plate of crostini, wondering if they have enough fruit for the evening, when someone taps his shoulder.

“How can I help-”

“I need a refill.” James, his ex, smirks at him.

“Not the bartender.” Barclay picks up the empty tray.

“So?”

“I stopped being the guy to refill your drinks when you dumped me. Go ask whatever poor sap you dragged to this to do it for you.”

“Poor sap? Barclay, you sound like one of those boring mysteries you always read.”

“I’m trying not to swear, I’m at work.”

“Too bad you left me-”

“You broke up with me”

“-You could be enjoying the party instead of serving lukewarm food in a ridiculous outfit. Then again, looking like a clown suits you.”

“Man, c’mon.” Barclay can’t get into it here, James is absolutely the kind of guy who will use it to get him fired.

“Not surprised you haven’t found someone who wants to put up with your whole puppy-dog routine. What good is all that bulk if you’re just a pus-”

“There you are.” An arm snakes around Barclays waist and he freezes. James stands up straight, plastering on a smile.

“I wish I’d know ahead of time this is where you were working tonight. It feels wrong to be out mingling when you’re stuck back here. Oh well, next year.” A soft kiss lands on his cheek and in his surprise he turns to look at it’s source.

The man is almost his height, trimmer and dressed in a black suit with a blue and silver tie. He’s blue eyed, with jet black hair slicked back and a face that puts every movie star Barclay can name to shame.

Barclay has no fucking clue who he is, or if he’s mistaking Barclay for someone else. He doesn’t seem drunk enough for that.

“Mr. Stern, it’s an honor to meet you, I, uh, this-”

“This must be the ex you told me about, right, big guy?” Mr. Stern sets a protective hand at the small of his back.

“Uh, yeah. Babe, this is James.”

“So, where at Penguin do you work?”

“I, um, oh, look, someone is calling me. Bye, Barclay, nice seeing you again.”

The hand doesn't leave his back until James is out of sight.

“I’m sorry. He was harassing you and that seemed like the fastest way to make him stop.” Mr. Stern is still standing proud, but his voice is now softer, almost shy.

“That’s, uh, that’s totally fine. I really appreciate the help. Kinda surprise you saw flirting as more appealing than, like, pretending to be my boss or something.”

“He’d know I wasn’t, trust me. And don’t sell yourself short, Barclay.” Blue eyes lock onto him and scan all the way to his feet, “even a bad fitting uniform can’t hide what you have you offer.”

“Th-thanks.” He’s either going to hide behind the serving tray or ask this guy to take him home and he’s not sure which will reinforce Jame’s “puppy dog” taunt more.

The other man, sensing his discomfort, steps back, “Sorry, that was inappropriate. I know better than to flirt with someone who’s at work and can’t escape. I shouldn’t keep you from doing what you need to do.”

“I get off at nine.” He thwacks the tray over his mouth, “ow. Uh, and I don’t mind talking to you. If you want to. I, uh, I don’t want you to feel like you have to spend this whole party chatting with the help instead of having fun.”

A sigh, “I should go mingle. It’s really okay if I come back?”

“Yeah.” Barclay smiles. There’s no way this guy is coming back; if he’s here single, he’ll have a date in the next five minutes.

Fifteen minutes later, he’s standing a respectful distance away and asking Barclay how this compares to other parties he’s worked.

“Middle-ground. It’s not the one time I got to work my friends art gallery opening, and it’s not the wedding where someone tried to deck the bride with the chocolate fountain.”

“Oh my lord.”

“I was in the line of fire and was washing chocolate out of my beard for an hour.”

“No one at home to do it for you?” It’s not subtle, and nor is the glance he gets over the rim of a cocktail glass.

“Some things I’d rather not ask Mama’s help on.”

“You still live with family?” There’s no judgement in that smooth voice, just genuine curiosity.

“Oh, no, Mama’s my...I mean she’s technically my boss but she’s also my friend, almost like an older sister. I live above where I work because she owns the whole building and takes in staff rent-free when she can. It’s nice working at her place, since I can cut my hours doing this.” He gestures to the nearby table of season fare, “which does mean I missed the attempted kabob-maiming last week. Relatedly, I’m happy this isn’t an all you can drink party.”

“You and me both. Two years ago Dean Koontz threw a punch. I think it was--oh, um, excuse me, work calls.”

This time, Barclay allows himself a moment of ogling as Stern walks away.

They pick up where they left off when the other man comes back, leading Barclay to mention he’s a cook at Amnesty Lodge .

“Wait, really? I love the Lodge, the food there is incredible.”

Barclay’s skin matches his terrible red pants, “Thanks. The head chef has been letting me do more of the menu and I’m really proud of it.”

“You should be. It’s perfect, although it’s a pity you being in the kitchen means I haven’t seen you sooner.”

He tries to say thank you again, but it comes out a garbled squeak

“Was that too far?”

“Nope. Uh, it’s uh, just that I’m out of practice flirting or, like, getting compliments. They were pretty thin on the ground in my last relationship.”

“I see.” He’s learning to watch Stern’s eyes rather than the rest of his face, which hardly ever changes from it’s calm, professional set. Said eyes drip with disapproval.

Old habits of defending people--even ones who are dicks to him--kicks in, “I mean, he kind of has a point. No one wants to date a six foot puppy. Guys like me are supposed to be all in-charge and shit like that.”

Stern raises an eyebrow, “maybe you’re looking in the wrong places.”

“Got any ideas on where I, uh, should be looking?” He takes a half-step towards Stern, standing up straighter. Stern doesn’t move an inch, but gives him a proud smirk. The pride is directed at Barclay.

“Lots. And I’ll share them as soon as you’re off the clock.”

“Don’t I even get a hint?” Another step.

“No, Barclay, you don’t. You’ll just have to show me you can be patient.” His tone changes, laced with the promise of a hidden prize that Barclay will do anything to earn.

He just manages to whisper out “okay” as Stern is called away again. When he comes back, Barclay setting out clean plates and more silverware. They talk about restaurants, about Barclay’s friends and all the ways he tries to help them. Barclay endeavors to not go into full begging mode in public by looking at Sterns wrists rather than literally anywhere else on his body.

“What are those things in your cufflinks?”

“The Hodag. It’s a cryptid from Northern Wisconsin, and a really excellent example of completely fabricated cryptid that nevertheless goes on to have a life of it’s own. It’s very common in small towns, since if it goes well it acts a tourist draw. In fact, there’s some indication that even the Loch Ness Monster began as just such a hoax and-” He snaps his mouth shut, clears his throat, “sorry, I try not to talk shop at these things. It, um, tends to get on people’s nerves.”

“But I wanted to hear the rest. I mean, I have a high info-dumping tolerance because of one of my friends, but also you clearly know your stuff and I have no clue about any of it so please keep talking?”

Stern’s face is full of excitement, and he grows more animated as he talks. It’s the cutest goddamn thing Barclay’s ever seen, and he saw Dr. Harris Bonkers, his friend’s rabbit, as a baby bunny in a bow-tie.

He clocks out two minutes after nine, and Stern is waiting for him near the doors to the staging room.

“Are those the only clothes you have with you?”

“No. I have nicer stuff in the car that I planned on wearing.”

“Go get it. Here, I’ll walk down with you so you won’t have trouble getting back in the building.”

After jogging to his car while Stern waits for him in the gold and silver tinseled lobby, the older man guides him to an elevator. He’s pretty sure Stern is older than him; he’s a big deal, but not in some sort of prodigy way, which means he needed some time to get so well-known.

They’re so busy coming up with Cryptid-themed ice cream flavors that Barclay doesn’t notice the floor number until they step out into a darkened hall.

If Stern brought him up here so they could have a quick fuck, he’ll jump for joy.

“My office is this way. I figure you might like changing not in front of your co-workers or in a bathroom.”

Damn it, why does he have to be considerate instead of horny?

The office Stern brings him to is modestly sized with a huge bank of windows on the one side, facing out over the city. From here he can see apartments, stores, restaurants, all lit up in festive colors, trees dotting the little boxes of light.

Stern locks the door, leans back against it, and nods at the clothes in Barclays arms, “Put them on.”

“Here?” He eyes the wide windows, the fact that the other man makes no move to leave or turn around.

“Yes.”

He manages, around the heart trying to hammer up his throat, “Are, uh, are you gonna watch?”

“Do you want me too?” There it is, the immediate softness in his voice, and Barclay understands that if he says no, he’ll have his privacy.

“Yeah. Yeah, I do.” He reaches for the vest, gets the first button and goes for the second in a hurry.

Stern raises his hand in a ‘pause’ gesture, “Slow down.”

“Yes, yes Mr. Stern.”

A gentle laugh, “Not quite, big guy. Were we anywhere else, I’d tell you to call me Joseph. But here..” he tucks his hands casually into his front pockets, “here you call me sir.”

“Fuck” Barclay battles himself to keep his pace slow, needing to be good but also so turned on he’s afraid he’ll start humping the furniture. He forces himself to wait a count of two between each button, gets his vest and shirt off without further instruction. Stern watches him the entire time in silent appreciation. His shoes and pants are more awkward to take off while standing, and he braces himself on the desk, not wanting to sit without permission.

Then he’s standing there in nothing but his black boxers and the lights of town, laughter floating from the party while Stern studies him like a menu.

“Fold every and set it on the chair.”

He follows orders, boggles at getting hard from someone telling him to fold laundry. Jesus, Stern hasn’t even touched him. Is he even planning to? Barclay can’t decide which option he likes better. He returns to his spot in front of the desk, hands folded in front of him.

“Should I, uh, get dressed, sir?”

Stern pushes off the door, walking casually over like a shopper regarding a display, “That depends; do you want to do back to the party with your cock hard enough to hammer nails?” He glances down, then back up with a pointed stare.

“N-not really.”

Stern raises an eyebrow.

“Not really, sir.”

“Then we’ll have to do something about it.”

“Are you sure we should do it here?”

“Barclay, if we get caught, I’ll be twice as mortified as you. I’m only doing this because we’ve got this whole floor to ourselves.” He cups Barclay’s cheek and the sighs, rubbing his face against a warm palm.

“Okay sir, I trust you.”

A moan curls up between them as Stern’s other hand runs along his chest.

“Good boy. You like to be good, don’t you, Barclay? You like taking care of people?”

“Yes, so much sir, please, lemme be good to you.”

Joseph strokes his face, “That’s very thoughtful, Barclay. But I think it’s been awhile since someone took care of you. Would you like me to do that?”

“Please, sir.” The response is pulled from him, one of the many parts of him aching magnetically to be near to Stern.

The other man shoves his right hand down Barclays boxers, sliding his thumb over the head once before stroking steadily up and down.

“Holy fuck” Stern gasps, “a guy could have a lot of fun with this thing.”

“It’s all yours, sir.”

Fuck, where did that come from?

Stern groans, tips his head to kiss across Barclays chest, murmuring as he does, “Is that what you want, Barclay? You want this” he speeds up until Barclay’s hands fly to the edge of the desk, keeping him from dropping to the floor, “to be mine?”

He whines, nodding.

Stern’s hand stops.

“Yessir”

It starts up again, “what else do you want, big guy?” He’s still kissing all over his upper body, tone nonchalant.

“You, sir, I wanna fuck you or, or you can fuUUUck me if you want, not very good at bottoming-”

“I’ll be the judge of that.” Stern lightly pinches his nipple, “what else?”

“I want to blow you, and, and FUCK, I bet you’re a fucking great kisser and I want you to fucking boss me around as much as you want, wanna wear a collar, a blue one, ohfuck” Barclay scrapes his nails along the woodgrain, “fuck, sorry, that was weird-”

“No, say more” his grip tightens and to Barclay’s surprise he’s panting, “tell me everything you want, even it’s got nothing to do with sex.”

“I want, fuck, to be tied up and told how good I am, want to wear something stealth sexy out in public, want to fuck in a cabin” his mouth is fully ahead of his mind, which is concentrated entirely in his dick right now, “want to eat at every five star place in the city, want to drag you places by that fancy tie, have a new car, buy any cookbook I see, I want, oh fuckohfuck, sir, I wanna cum please, want to so bad.”

“You can cum whenever you like, big guy. But you have to kiss me while you d-”

He cuts Stern off with a kiss, clinging to his shoulders and pouring desperate, deep sounds down his throat. Stern kisses back with precision and a pleased moan when Barclay cums in his boxers.

Stern eases his hand out and Barclay flops against him, face buried in his neck as he rumbles out a thank you.

“D-do you want me to blow you, sir?”

Stern kisses below his ear, “Yes, but that’s not doable right now. Unlike you, I don't have a change of clothes, and something tells me you’re a, um,” he bites Barclays ear, “messy eater.”

“Only when I’m enjoying myself, sir.”

“You don’t have to keep calling me that, unless it helps you come down.”

“I’m okay, Joseph. Heh” he smiles, inhales a minty cologne, “I like that name. It’s classic.”

“Thanks, I picked it myself.”

Barclay chuckles, snuggles closer while ignoring the sticky underwear.

“You know, I can give you everything you want. If you want me to.”

“Some of those are really fucking expensive, babe.”

“You really have no clue who I am, do you?” Stern steps back, moving to the other side of the desk and pulling out a packet of wet-wipes, sliding one across to Barclay before cleaning his hands.

“A really cute guy who should let me take him to dinner?” Barclay pulls down his underwear to clean the cum from his stomach.

“Ever heard of Lucky Park?”

“No fucking way. I man, I know it’s a pen name, but there’s no fucking way, a guy who’s never off the NYT Bestseller list wouldn't fuck a nobody cook.”

“If the cook was hot and interesting to talk to he would. The kitchen skills help a little.” Stern winks

“But you wrote The Peregrine Quintent, and Red Dust, jesus christ your stuff has been movies.”

“Now you see why James was so startled; I’m Penguins golden goose. That’s why I even have time to write books on cryptids; they know to indulge me. Plus I put out at least a book every two years for them and it always makes a fortune. Do you need to sit down? You look kind of lightheaded.”

“I’m fine, uh, just trying to make sense of it all. Also I can’t sit down unless you want my bare ass on your chair.”

“Another time. I guess you’re going commando for the rest of the party, but I think you can handle it, big guy.”

“Yeah, absolutely.” He grabs his pants and pulls them on, “holy fuck, this can’t be real, it doesn’t make sense.”

“Barclay” Stern touches his arm, “it absolutely makes sense. I had so much fun talking with you, you’re such a, um, a sweetheart. And you’re built like a wet dream. If, um, if this is too much too soon, tell me to back off but I, I’m serious. I can’t remember the last time I got butterflies like this around someone, or wanted to buy things or do things just to make them smile. You clearly look after so many people in your life; will you let me look after you, at least for a little while?”

“You really want to?”

“Unlike some people, I like big men with a gentle center. You can be my six foot puppy any time. Wait, hold on, that, um, that came out weird.” Stern giggles and Barclay, now dressed, pulls him into a kiss.

“I get it, babe. You wanna go show me off?”

“Of course. I’ll get my camera ready; we have to record your exes reaction.” Stern kisses his cheek, “after all, maybe this will teach him to know a good man when he sees one.”

#agent stern/barclay #sternclay #author au #pre-sugar daddy au #winter fills #taz amnesty

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phantom-sunset · 3 years

Audio

Thank yo so much to @screwunsaidemily for putting this gift exchange together.

This one is for @penguin-writes-books and is inspired by the above song

Titled: Polaroid

Rated: T

Ship: Willex

Alex has been distant recently, It wasn’t anything they had done. It was his family. His parents, to be more specific. He had finally come out to them and well...it didn’t go well. They’d stopped speaking to him completely and when he was home, pretended he wasn’t even there. His mother looked through him and his father never stayed in the same room if he was there. Alex could feel it was only a matter of time until they kicked him out completely.

Julie hadn’t joined in the anxiety party Luke and Reggie were throwing for Alex but instead patiently waited. She had an idea, she always knew when one of her boys wasn’t okay. She never pushed though, and instead waited for them to be ready to come to her.

Ray was waiting as well. Both he and Julie, and maybe Carlos too, had an idea of what was going on. Ray had already gotten their second guest room ready for Alex, for when he was ready to open up to them. When he was ready to live his life completely out in the open. Ray had hung a rainbow flag off of the porch, just a little outward sign that Alex was safe and welcome in his home, that all of them were.

Reggie had come to move in with them when he had come over with cuts and bruises littering his body. That time Julie did not wait. She went to Ray and together they went to Reggie’s house, packed his things and brought him back to his new home. That was four years ago, when Reg was only thirteen.

Luke was a different story all together. When he began to get quiet and his energy seemed to diminish, they all noticed. Reggie and Alex had bothered him until he spilled everything. Julie had waited instead. She sat next to him quietly, worked on music to distract him. Held his hand when he cried on her shoulder. Played big spoon to his little when all he wanted was to feel loved and safe.

When Luke had finally let her in, she walked right up to his parents house the next day after school and refused to leave until they sat down and watched the entire video history of Julie and the Phantoms YouTube page. She sat there for hours until they admitted that their son was full of talent and that instead of forcing him into an engineering degree that would absolutely destroy his spirit, they should support his music major.

They had agreed when Julie sat quietly on their couch and simply stared at them expectantly without blinking. She might only be seventeen but she was scary when she needed to be, Rose had made sure of it.

___________________________

Alex really wants to stay home tonight. He’s not really in the mood to see anyone but none of his friends would allow it. He was pretty sure that the moment he came home today, his parents would kick him out. It was getting pretty blatant. If they didn’t do it, he was going to at least.

Julie hadn’t joined in the anxiety surrounding Alex like the boys had. Instead she convinced him that one night out wouldn’t kill him, adding on that if he got too anxious they’d leave straight away.

Julie knew that Alex definitely wasn’t ok but she knew it was a matter of time before he spilled his soul to her. It’s just how they’d always been, since they were kids.

Carrie is having her annual Valentines Day party tonight. Flynn’s cousin is in town touring UCLA for the week. He’s planning on starting in September. He is super cute and extremely Alex’s type.

So Julie is planning a secret set up. Alex has no idea but she’d let Flynn, Reggie, and Luke in on the plan. She was still shocked no one had told him about it but counted it as a win. One fourth of her best friends deserved a distraction and boy was Willie the perfect one.

“Are you guys ready?” Julie said as she walked into the studio that had somehow unofficially become the boys home. Even though Ray had made sure they all had their own space in his house.

Reggie was pulling a bright red shirt over his head, his black ripped jeans and combat boots already on, his leather jacket hanging lovingly over the back of a chair.

Luke was pulling on a white tee with “My Bloody Valentine” printed across it, a butcher knife dripping blood cut through the print. “Cute” she says to him as she takes in the shirt. She isn’t just talking about the shirt and he knows it but he smirks at her and winks. She rolls her eyes and turns to Alex.

He’s wearing a baby pink t-shirt and light colored blue jeans. His black and pink air maxes complete the look.

“No. But I doubt you’ll let me sit this one out.” Alex answers her question.

“You’re right. Let’s go, the Uber's here.” Julie puts her arm through his, pulls him towards Reggie where she loops her other arm and waits for Reggie to thread his arm through Luke’s. They skip down the driveway, Luke’s humming ‘We’re off to see the Wizard’ as they go.

When they pull up to Carrie’s it’s jam packed. Parents dropping their kids off, Uber’s dropping off their riders, and a lone skateboarder, weaving between bodies like he’s made of air. Julie smiles because she’d recognize that long brown hair anywhere. The guy hasn’t cut his hair since elementary school.

As they walk in, there’s staff dressed in red and white handing out brand new polaroid cameras to each guest as they come in. “To save the memories being made here.” He says to them.

“Obnoxious, isn’t it? All that money and we get outdated cameras” Flynn says from Alex’s side. He jumps up, startled at her sudden appearance.

“Fucking hell, Flynn. Stop doing that!” Alex hisses.

“Why? It’s so much more fun when you react like that.” She answers. Julie, Luke and Reggie snicker from behind him.

“Anyway. This is my cousin Willie. Willie This is Luke, Reggie, and Alex. You already know Julie.” She says, pointing them out individually.

“Nice to meet you.” Luke says as he holds his hand out. Reggie echoes him and Julie smiles and goes in for a hug.

Alex hasn’t moved yet. He’s just standing there, eyes wide and cheeks flushed as he takes in Willie. He’s cute as hell and taller than Alex which was saying something. His cheekbones reach for the sky, and a jawline that should be illegal. He’s smiling at Alex, holding out his hand to shake and oh god, this was embarrassing. How long has he been waiting for Alex to move? How long has Alex been staring at him like a deer in headlights?

“The malfunctioning one is Alex. Give him a minute, he’ll be right with you.” Reggie said as he tears open his Poloroid camera. He turns to Luke who has his arm around Julie and is busy whispering her ear and snaps a picture.

“Shut up, Reg.” Alex clears his throat and offers up his hand, finally. He’s willing the blush on his cheeks to retreat, it doesn’t.

“So, I’m thirsty. Let’s go get some drinks?” Flynn says, grabbing Reggie’s hand and pulling him. He grabs on to Luke’s shirt who grabs onto Julie’s arm and their little chain disappears into the crowd at the speed of light.

“So, they’re not nearly as sneaky as they think they are.” Willie says. A wide smile stretching over his face.

God, he’s teeth are so nice. White and straight. He probably never even needed braces. Alex shakes his head to clear his thoughts and realises Willie is speaking to him.

“Huh?” God, he probably sounds like an idiot. Way to make an impression.

“Your friends, my cousin. They’re setting us up.” Alex chokes on his own spit. Were they?

He turns towards the bar where his friends are standing. All four of them are watching him and he narrows his eyes. Reggie salutes him. Luke gives him a bouncy thumbs up. Julie and Flynn are batting their eyes and drawing little hearts in the air in front of them, their lips puckered in exaggerated kisses.

Alex rolls his eyes and turns back to Willie who had followed his line of sight and promptly burst out laughing.

“Wanna head outside? It’s super noisy in here and something tells me they won’t come back until we’ve gotten to know each other properly.” Willie suggests and Alex nods his agreement.

They end up spending an hour together. Alex lets Willie go first and everything he learns makes him like Willie more. He’s about to start college, UCLA is his first choice and he’s already been accepted. He’s going to be moving in with his uncle Robert (Flynn’s dad). The tour was an excuse to come to LA in order to see his family.

He’s from San Francisco, and is majoring in art. He’s sold his work in different galleries since he was fifteen. His mom calls him a prodigy but he just thinks he sees the beauty in things others don’t. He paints, sculpts, and does photography mostly but otherwise dabbles in everything.

Alex tells him about himself. He’s in a band. All four of them have also applied to UCLA for music majors. They’re going on tour over the summer, down the pacific coast. He tells Willie about the time Reggie and Luke convinced him to eat engine hotdogs and they all ended up in the hospital with food poisoning. Willie found that story hysterical.

It’s as Willie searches up the Julie and the Phantoms YouTube page to watch clips of their performances that he notices something and interrupts Alex’s story about how annoying Julie and Luke are in their mutual stupidity when it comes to their feelings for each other.

“Hey, do you mind if I take a picture of you?” Willie asks as he pulls the camera up to his eye.

“Only if I can take one of you.” Alex answers. It came out faster than his brain could process. Braver and flirtier than he intended but he let the question hang.

“Sure, hotdog! As many as you want.” He winks and smiles at Alex and snaps the picture.

The little rectangle comes out of the side of the camera and Willie is shaking it and still smiling at Alex as he snaps his picture. They're both shaking the film to let it develop and laughing at the thought of people only ever having to do this for their pictures.

“God, how did people survive in the 90s?” Willie asks.

“Right? Like they had to carry around separate things for everything. Music, cameras, phones, planners. The bags must have been huge!” Alex answers and they laugh again.

Willie reaches into his pocket and pulls out a sharpie, he grabs the picture of him from Alex’s hand and writes something on the white border. When he hands it back, Alex’s face turns red yet again.

Willie C. - 2.14.2021 🖤

Alex decides to do the same and grabs his own picture from Willie's hand, writing his own down too before handing it back.

Alex M. - 2.14.2021 🖤

They end up staying outside and completely missing Dirty Candi’s performance along with the rest of the party. Neither one is sure exactly how long it's been but Willie’s phone chimes and he looks down at it, startled.

“It’s Flynn. Wow, it’s midnight already? Looks like we gotta go. This was perfect, thanks for hanging out with me all night.” Willie says and Alex smiles at him.

“Yeah, I had a great time.” Alex answers as they both stand up. Willie turns to walk away but only makes it a few steps before he turns back to Alex.

“Can I kiss you?” Willie asks when he’s in front of Alex again. Alex freezes in response. He can’t do anything but nod because Fuck, he’s wanted to kiss him all night.

Willie laughs softly and puts both of his hands on Alex’s face and pulls him forward. It’s soft and sweet. Willie’s lips feel like cashmere and he smells like pine trees and coconut. The scent makes Alex light headed but he refuses to pull away until Willie makes the move to. Unfortunately it’s way too soon when he does.

“Thanks.” Willie turns and starts walking away again, leaving Alex to try and stop his brain leaking out of his ears since it’s now turned to mush.

“Wait! Can I have your number?” Alex shouts to him as he leaves. Willie turns, walking backwards as he shakes his head. The wide smile is still plastered on his face.

“Nah. It’s more fun this way, hotdog.” Willie answers, holding up the picture he’d taken of Alex.

“I hate that name! It’s how I almost died!” Alex shouts to him. Willie’s loud laugh lingers in the air around Alex long after he’s gone.

“Well well well, if it isn’t Alex C. Mercer. The boy who hasn’t been seen all night.” Reggie says as he throws himself down in the lounger next to him.

“Well, as setups go, I’d call this one a success.” Luke says from his other side.

“I definitely saw some flirting there.” Julie says as she sits down between Luke’s legs.

“How would you know? It’s not like either of you knows what flirting is.” Alex smirks at the two of them.

Reggie’s snickers come from behind Alex and makes it difficult to keep a straight face. Luke rolls his eyes and leans his head back, pulling Julie back with him so that her back rests against his chest. Julie punches Alex in the shoulder and sticks her tongue out at him.

_________________________________

It’s a week before classes start at UCLA and Julie, Luke Alex, and Reggie are enjoying being back. In their own homes, in their own beds (Alex’s happens to be at Julie’s house now). They decide to go to the beach and invite Flynn along.

Alex hasn’t mentioned Willie since valentines day and no ones brought it up. After all, he’s six hours away and had never given Alex his phone number. Sure, Alex had gone full FBI and found his Instagram page but it was private and Alex had never worked up the nerve to request him.

He thinks about him a lot though. Looks at the picture in his wallet more than he’d ever admit. He doesn’t have to come out and say it to anyone though because they’ve all caught him with it. Julie just smiled sweetly and left it alone. Unfortunately, Luke and Reggie are assholes so they bring it up all the time.

So here they are, spread out on the beach and Alex is getting thirsty. They’ve been here for a few hours and whatever supplies they’ve brought have been depleted.

“Hey, I’m gonna go grab some drinks. If you freeloaders want anything you’re going to have to come with.” Alex says as he stands up and slips his flip flops on.

“Rude.” Reggie says and stands up to go with him. Julie goes too and the three of them make it to the cement. Luke stays behind with Flynn to discuss album art concepts.

They stop to make sure someone actually had the money and when Reggie pulls out a soggy twenty that he had accidentally went swimming with, Julie laughs at him. Alex pulls out his own thankfully dry wallet.

“Watch out!” The voice comes from behind Alex but he doesn’t have time to move out of the way before something solid and strong slams into his back sending him sprawling face first into the sand.

“What the fuck?!” He yells as he spits sand out of his mouth and brushes it off of his body where it stuck painfully.

“Oh man, You dinged my board.” The voice comes from behind him again and he turns, fury burning in his veins.

“I dinged your board? You almost killed me!” Alex yells back. He doesn’t look up, examining his skinned knee.

“Yeah, I did pancake you, huh?” he’s laughing now and Alex stands up to give this guy a piece of his mind but his thoughts are cut off abruptly.

He can see Julie and Reggie out of the corner of his eye, smiling widely and snickering to each other. God, he hates them so much.

“Hotdog! Wow, long time.” He says. Alex’s brain has shut off though because wow he looks better than he did on valentines day.

His skin is sunkissed, his hair lightened by the sun, and he’s wearing a crop top that shows off his toned stomach. Alex traces the V as it disappears under his waistband. Someone pinches his elbow and he snaps out of it. Thank you, Julie.

“Willie, hi! How have you been?” When had his voice gotten so squeaky?

“I’ve been good! Starting school next week. Just finished moving in yesterday. How about you?” He answers. Julie and Reggie have walked away to the beach bar.

“Just got back from touring last night. Now we’re here. Relaxing before school starts.” Alex waves his hand out, encompassing the beach and the general area where Flynn and Luke are bent over her phone.

“You know, I haven’t stopped thinking about you since that party. Kind of the best kiss I’ve had.” Willie chuckles and bumps his shoulder against Alex’s.

“Tell me about it.” Alex pulls his wallet out as he speaks. Pulling out the picture from his wallet and showing it to Willie.

“No way!” That smile that Alex hasn’t stopped staring at is back as he pulls out his own wallet and shows Alex the picture. The ink is faded, as if he’d been running his fingers over the signed name. The corners are crinkled and Alex beams because his looks just as well loved.

“Wanna join us?” Alex asks and Willie nods and smiles in response.

“Hell yeah!” He takes off his helmet and picks up his skateboard, following Alex back to their spot. The thirst that had been drying his throat moments before is completely forgotten when Willie laces his fingers with Alex’s.

#Julie and the phantoms #jatp fanfic #willex #Alex mercer #jatp willie #Julie molina #luke patterson #reggie peters #jatp flynn

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icharchivist · 3 years

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Thank you for answering the previous asks and hope you're prepared!

How much, out of ten, are you of each winter troupe member?

Have a good day :3c

ahah thank you for doing that all the way!

and oh boy i thought i was prepared but turns out-

okay notewise.:

Tsumugi: 7/10, Tasuku: 3/10, Homare: 4/10 Hisoka: 9.5/10, Azuma: 10/10, Guy: 6/10

(if you're supprised Azuma is actually my ultimate kin and it's not Hisoka: congratz i fooled all of u. the only reason i don't have an Azuma icon is that i genuinely think he looks too sexy in some arts and it doesn't feel Me despite everything else. The more u know.)

And. i need to warn that i went much more into personal details for Hisoka and Azuma under the cut to the point where it may be overwhelming. And that Azuma's entry alone is 2.1k words long. What the fuck me.

Relating to team "we have so much trauma" is going to be so much fun.

coughs, anyway take care :3c

(Links: Spring, Summer, Autumn , Winter ranking)

Winter my beloved, this is going to be a normal, non emotional ranking at all.

Tsumugi: 7/10 I relate to his lack of confidence, and the way he gave up on everything he loved when his spirit was crushed (re what I was talking about with my Kumon rant). On my down time I did study a bit of psychology and though I wouldn’t put myself at the same level as a psy student I’m often told I read people mostly in an accurate way so I can relate to that. I can use my powers for Evil like nudging people in some direction or knowing where to attack, but I am super aware of that and I’ve been extra conscious about not having it happen again for over ten years now DLKFJDLF (Azuma is kinda like that too). But yeah the fact he is like that too makes it relatable.

I also think that the whole “feeling you fucked up and took all the responsibility when a friendship broke apart” is also something very relatable. So is “ghosting your friends after that”. I relate to the fact he’s a nerd too. I relate to him more than not but I guess I just removed points because of how while I relate to specificities the whole thing doesn’t connect as much as it could?

Tasuku: 3/10 he’s probably the one I relate the least to. I honestly didn’t understand Tasuku much until Nocturnality on my first read, and it’s only then that things clicked. Legit I saw him the way Azuma saw him dLKFJDKFJDF. But I do feel it relatable that he feels responsible for failing his friend and that he took it upon himself to try to read more into how people are behaving to try to prevent it from happening again. But else he’s. genuinely not like me KDJFKLDFJDFL

Homare: 4/10 mhmm. I think I relate to the way he is passionate and how much he genuinely loves. I also relate to the fact he is pretty analytic, though the details of what makes his struggles are not something I relate to easily. I have felt broken before, I was told i was broken or unfit in some ways, so this particular pain is something I completely understand. I also did use to be an artist and a writer so I can relate to that passion of his, although as I mentioned in others ranking *shrugs*. That said he’s very much more exuberant and confident than I am and I would assume I know how to deal with people emotionally a bit more.

Hisoka: 9.5/10 oh boy where to start. This is going to be a tough one to get into without getting extremely personal. To start with, I’m a sleepy baby. I sleep a lot DLKJFDF though not much at night. I used to fall asleep in class all the time my friends had to always be on the watch out for me. I don’t have much energies. I love plushy and I love being comfortable in some places. I also really love sweets tho not as much as him. I also do care ways too much for my specific plushies and pillows (I do have huge penguins plushies too).

I, too, have memories issues, though of course to a lesser extend. I have a lot of trauma and for a lot of them I ended up getting fuzzy memories. I used to be in a pretty toxic environment where I constantly had to make use of my memory to survive, and so when my memory started failing me, I was terrified. My parents gaslight me all the time and pretends a lot of things that happened didn’t happen and that I’m crazy for believing it happened, so the moment my memory started to fail me I started to panic a lot. It terrified me to not being completely sure whenever I could trust myself or not. It made me feel extremely unreliable. It’s still something I struggle with a lot.

This would have been my answer pre-awakening moon at least. I always related to him to some degree so Awakening moon was a slap in the face in a way I wasn’t ready to deal with, and this is where I have to be uncomfortably personal.

I am the youngest sibling of 3. My eldest sister ran away from home when I was 6, never to be seen again. My other sister resented me because I used to be very close to the eldest and she was jealous about it, and while the reasons were linked to our parents, who were extremely toxic to us and kept us into this toxic environment for years on end, my sister took all her anger out on me. While we’ve discussed it as adults now, our relationships is too strained to fix it nowadays.

It took me a long while – it took me Azuma’s arc actually – to realize that the way I feel for my eldest sister is more akin to grief than to abandon. I don’t even remember her. I don’t remember her and still apparently the way I was close to her was the reason my sibling hold it against me. I couldn’t even remember *why* my sister was mad at me because I don’t even remember being close to my sister that much. All I know is that she left because the situation at home was too toxic. It was.. so messy.

I have. Much more trauma linked to that specifically but that’s the root of something that hit me in the face with Hisoka’s arc. Because I can’t remember a person that disappeared from my life, and yet it was enough for it to break and shape everything I’ve lived through since. I couldn’t even start to talk about how it still impacts me now 20 years later. I’m just now making peace with the fact this was grief. This is the gist of the reason Hisoka’s arc hit me as hard as it did (and the fact that Chikage is actively undoing all the bad things his own grief pushed him to do on Hisoka is the reason Chikage is so compelling to me. My sister could never lol.).

I felt also that I had to take all the responsibilities for what happened. I felt like I could make things easier for the family after this trauma, at the rip age of 7, and no one stopped to think maybe a child shouldn’t have to be dealing with a collective family trauma like this. But well. Here we are.

I relate to the fact Hisoka also struggles to accept everything that happened. And that now he’s trying to make things better for others people he can relate to. It’s so… complicated.

Also I can’t forget the fact Hisoka tried to kill himself and :/ as someone who has had a lot of suicidal idealization in my life this really hit a lot harder than it should have.

In general I would just say that socially I’m not really like him except with people I’m comfortable with teasing. Hisoka can be a little too rude and it’s where I can’t relate lol. But otherwise man I care him so much I feel so seen. I’m just removing 0.5 points for that and I don’t give him full mark because of what I’ll explain next.

Azuma: 10/10 This one is going to be a trip. It’s about twice the length of the Hisoka’s rant. Mister took me by the throat too. As I think it’s clear now I cannot relate to the fact he genuinely loved his family and how much his family cared for him. Yet I relate… to about everything else.

On the surface I do think I seem more approachable and easy to talk with. I try to be the kindest person I can be, to not be judgmental. I’m conflict avoidant, just like he can be, and if I’m annoyed with someone I’m muuuuch more likely to use passive aggressiveness like he does with Tasuku when he’s pissed at him. (sidenote: I do find it funny that Tasuku was the only character I really felt I didn’t get until Nocturnality, while Azuma was having the exact same problem, and then he became one of my fav the moment it clicked. Azuma is my braincell.)

More often than not, there’s a smile on my face and I try to be soft in the way I can be. I’m generally pretty calm, I’ve been told I was soothing, or give good hugs, this sort of stuff.

Now onto the heavy stuff.

I have a lot of nightmares and night terrors linked to a lot of my traumas. I’m honestly scared sometimes to go to sleep ^^”. But in general, if Hisoka reflects a lot of a personal trauma and how it would personally affect me, Azuma reflects a lot on how I would behave with others people in general and especially when I’m unwell. I’ve coped most of my life with, everything that happened to me, by just. Trying to keep people at armlength. I don’t want to let people close to me, especially irl. Discussing all of that online gives me a distance that allows me to discuss it but, I remember in high school I was going through very bad things, and a few years later I was hanging out with a friend and I happened to open up about those things. And she was going livid because, she had known me for what, 6 years at that point? And she never knew any of this. We talked a lot then, we were close, but she never knew all those things about me until years later. It kinda scared her because to her I was always a sweet and cheerful person and she never expected that I was doing this badly. I remember then she brought up something we discussed back in a party with many of our others friends from high school and similarly they were all. “how did we never know any of this.”. Seeing Azuma in Nocturnality kinda brought me back to that convo tbh LKDJFLKDFJFD.

But I’m good at pretending I’m closer to people than they think. I’m an excellent listener. A lot of my friends tended to rely on me as the person they could talk about their problems to. I used to do it much more back then but I also used to pour a lot of energy trying to make it easier for people, solving their problems. Full on Therapist Friend:tm:. It does help that, as I said with Tsumu, I have basis in psychology so sometimes some observations I can make help much more than expected. Just like Azu tbh lol.

Oh also I am cuddly with my friends in general. I’m super touch starved but also to the point I feel uncomfortable to seek hugs because I just don’t get any on a normal basis and my body isn’t used, but I’m super cuddly and when I’m with my closest friends I’m like a koala.

And it gives people the impression to people that I’m very close to them because I know them well, and I know the ins and outs of why they behave the way they do. But. I kinda feel like it’s one sided more than not. And it’s all because of me, because I keep my walls up very high and it means people don’t generally expect that I’m hiding things.

I’m good at distracting too. I don’t relate to how flirty Azuma is but I keep seeing it as him distracting others. It’s flattering, and just embarrassing enough that the person ends up dropping whatever they may be pressing on Azuma to talk about. And, while not with flirting, I do that a lot, especially using compliments like that. (That said my kindness or teasing has been misinterpreted as flirting before DLKFJDLKF I’m trying to be extra conscious about not having that misunderstanding happen nowadays but man it happened a lot).

Azuma knows a lot of people, and has been supporting a lot of people, but he doesn’t let people in as much.

And a lot of it is linked to his own sense of grief. Of the fact he has lost so much he can’t afford to go through the pain of losing something again, so he distances himself from it before it can hurt. And I do that a lot.

I mentioned in the previous rant but it’s seeing Azuma’s arc that made me understand how much it’s more grief than abandon that makes it so hard for me to move on. And a part of me kinda just. Grieves the family I could never have, the normal life I wish I could have lived and clang too all of my life. When Azuma told Guy “I was always so lonely. Everyone had families they could take for granted but I had no one.” Oh my god it destroyed me. And how he mentions just afterward that while he has new people to rely on, it couldn’t change the fact he was still feeling this pain of losing his family and it just. Man. Might be crying right now.

It’s like… I think the reason I especially related to that is that, in therapy I’ve often discussed my problems in the lenses of neglect and abandon but the problem with that lenses is that, at least with the therapists I had, they tend to focus on the fact that therefore I /must/ be still yearning for them to change and turn around, like I could change something. But I don’t. I was resigned at some point. And it’s really only when I read that that I felt this exact resignation I have been feeling all that time. I think I mentioned once how reading a3 felt like going one step toward recovery I didn’t know I could get and this was exactly the scene I meant. It legit took a weight off my heart that i've been carrying for decades. It was the strangest feeling in the world.

Anyway more in general too, on top of keeping people at distance, I am also a pro at “suddenly disappearing/ghosting when I get too close and/or have a relapse”. When Azuma starts to pull his relapses like we see in Nocturnality, I see myself. Legit had a friend who read a3 who called me out about that DLKJFDKLFJ. Acting weird like this, closing yourself in like this, coming back to some harmful coping mechanism as a way to connect back with your own self, those are all things I do. And it sucks. Like. The things I put my friends though sucks. But I really can’t help it sometimes.

I’m good at listening and observing, I’m generally good at picking up why people act a certain way, but I’m still very distant. I do everything I can to pretend I’m not distant and generally it fakes an idea of intimacy that I don’t specifically see as such.

And I see all of that in Azuma in ways that are terrifyingly relatable. Another thing Azuma says in this convo with Guy, about how “Everytime I would go to sleep, I would wish the morning would never come” me. Mood. Holy shit. Feel seen. I hate it. Just in general though the way he talks about morning as this terrifying thing is me. Between the night terrors and the fact morning genuinely makes me feel horrible, that’s kinda why I end up oversleeping until the afternoon DLKFJDF Azuma my lord I feel you.

Because of my nightly panic attacks I do try to come up with ways around it mainly by drinking some relaxing tisanes and stuff. Oh and I did have a huge period in life where I HATED being in the sun, and I fucked over all of my melanin because of that. as a kid I would tan very easily, but now the sun hates me as much as I used to hate it. So when Azuma is a drama queen about not wanting to stay in the UV too much I’m just like. How dare you pull out a mirror on me I didn’t ask for this. (also I have been called a vampire by people esp when I was a teen but that’s just how people called edgelords like me. Still. Reo my beloved.)

There is honestly so many little things with Azuma that reminds me of myself like this that it makes me go nuts. If Hisoka is who I relate to in term of specific trauma and how I cope personally, Azuma is more like, the direct physical impact of my trauma on me and the way it makes me relate to others people, as well as just every little behaviors here and there that are just so specific.

One of the only thing I really don’t relate to Azuma about is his love for Alcohol but I think if you replace it with like, my addiction to juice it works out the same.

Oh and, that’s a stupid but funny thing to me, I project hard on how much the reason he keeps his hair long is a form of mental stability for him, because I legit keep my hair long for my own mental stability. I have tied ways too much of my recovery process to my hair that when I see Azuma coping with grief with his hairstyle and how almost cutting it would be him spiraling down, I felt seen.

also i have 0 stamina just like him.

ANOTHER THING is also the fact Azuma is genuinely yearning for connections with people but he spent so much of his life keeping people away that as much as he’s yearning for it, it takes him so long to be able to lower those walls because he’s been so used to keep people away that he can’t reply to this yearning. And the way how, once he actually ends up feeling this bit of vulnerability toward people, he would suddenly shut in like it suddenly scares him? Mood.

One last thing (i promise) (i think) is that, if it wasn't obvious from all my ranting.... So much of myself and the way i view myself is defined by my trauma. I struggle to exactly come to term with my identity in any shape or form that isn't deeply related to my trauma. Even if you asked me what my sexuality is (please don't), my actual answer would be completely shaped by the fact i have so much trauma linked to sexuality, romance and gender, that i don't want to process it at all and can't actually manage to "fit the boxes" because i cannot see myself as something else than my trauma, or explain my feelings without linking it to my trauma. Honestly at times i find it kinda cringeworthy from me because i really, really can't tell about anything about my identity without thinking of my various traumas (i talked about a few of them in those rankings but it's not even the tip of the iceberg for a lot of stuff.) And when i see the way Azuma is in particular, maybe i'm projecting, but i feel like a lot of it is the same. Like not processing his age because if he does it reminds him of how he outlived those he loved (which is an headcanon but com'on.) or how even his hair is linked to his trauma. Or how he doesn't drive because it's linked to his trauma. I feel SO seen.

If it wasn’t for the fact he genuinely loved and was loved by his family, I would have felt exactly the same about everything regarding him.

But I still give him a full mark because the way Azuma’s arc has affected me is beyond any possible words I could use. And also because I legit wrote above 2100 words just on how much I related to Azuma ALONE. Even Hisoka took me 800 WORDS. HELLO. Guy: 6/10 Back to general coping here, Guy isn’t exactly relatable to me except in well. For exemple the ways the others relate to him, especially Hisoka and Azuma. So his memory loss to cope with intense family trauma is relatable to me, the way he can have nightmares and night terrors is also hella relatable to me.

But something that’s more Guy that I relate to is the whole “Step dad kept talking down on him and verbally abusing him until Guy basically completely closed himself in” because man. I won’t elaborate but I’ve really felt from reading that verbal abuse the same way I felt thinking back to how my ex-step dad used to talk to me. It made me so angry on his behalf. And the way he internalized it to cope was something deeply relatable.

Another thing with Guy is the fact that Guy did genuinely believes himself inhuman and tbh there was a time when I was very young where I would catch myself unable to feel a bit of humanity mostly from how I kept shutting myself in. (The reason I don’t relate to it with Homare is that this “inhumanity” was never actually there even if Homare did believe in it. But for Guy he went the extra mile convincing himself to the point where he denied this humanity as far as possible in a self destructive way and :/).

SO YEAH Winter is like. Therapy for me. The problem with “Trauma: The Troupe” is that saying “I relate to the Winter troupe” means “I may have problems and so what.” And it sucks.

if you read that wordvomit, congratulation, was it worth it?

Take care!

#closes eyes and pretends i didn't just type all of that for azuma ANYWAY #bows down thank you for indulging in my fav passion of 'therapy via a3' the more we go #ichafantalks a3 #pandapillow #ichareply #also man Risky Game is going to absolutly murder me isn't it.

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citylightsbooks · 4 years

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City Lights Bookstore’s Antiracist Reading List | UPDATED

Human creativity is integral to revolutionary resistance—the urgent plea, the silenced cry, the righteous rage. It is imperative that we educate and illuminate ourselves to deepen our commitment to justice and equity for Black people and all people of color, and to pave the way for radical systemic change.

***

Of Poetry and Protest: From Emmett Til to Trayvon Martin Edited by Philip Cushway and Michael Warr 9780393352733 Norton Have Black Lives Ever Mattered? Mumia Abu-Jamal 9780872867383 City Lights Invisible Man Ralph Ellison 9780679732761 Vintage A Black Women's History of the United States Daina Ramey Berry and Kali N. Gross 9780807033555 Beacon W.E.B. Dubois' Data Portraits: Visualizing Black America The W.E.B. Du Bois Center at the University of Massachusetts Edited by Britt Rusert and Whitney Battle-Baptiste 9781616897062 Princeton Architectural Press Race Man: Selected Works 1960-2015 Julian Bond Edited by Michael G. Long 9780872867949 City Lights Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot Mikki Kendall 9780525560548 Viking The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration Isabel Wilkerson 9780679763888 Random House

The Echo Tree: The Collected Short Fiction of Henry Dumas Henry Dumas 9781566891493 Coffee House Everywhere You Don't Belong: A Novel Gabrielle Bump 9781616208790 Algonquin The Meaning of Freedom and Other Difficult Dialogues Angela Y. Davis Foreword by Robin D.G. Kelley 9780872865808 City Lights

No Fascist USA!: The John Brown Anti-Klan Committee and Lessons for Today’s Movements Hillary Moore and James Tracy Foreword by Robin D.G. Kelley 9780872867963 City Lights The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness Michelle Alexander 9781620971932 The New Press Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds adrienne maree brown 9781849352604 AK Black Skin, White Masks Frantz Fanon Translated from the French by Richard Philcox 9780802143006 Grove The Wretched of the Earth Frantz Fanon Translated from the French by Richard Philcox Commentary by Jean-Paul Sartre and Homi K. Bhabha 9780802141323 Grove Citizen: An American Lyric Claudia Rankine 9781555976903 Graywolf How to Be An Antiracist Ibram X. Kendi 9780525509288 One World The Fire Next Time James Baldwin 9780679744726 Random House No Name in the Street James Baldwin 9780307275929 Vintage How To Be Less Stupid About Race: On Racism, White Supremacy, and the Racial Divide Crystal Marie Fleming 9780807039847 Beacon The History of White People Nell Irvin Painter 9780393339741 Norton Heaven Is All Goodbyes: City Lights Pocket Poet Series No. 61 Tongo Eisen-Martin 9780872867451 City Lights Afropessimism Frank WIlderson III 9781631496141 Liveright If They Come in the Morning . . . : Voices of Resistance Edited by Angela Y. Davis 9781784787691 Verso So You Want to Talk About Race Ijeoma Olua 9781580058827 Seal Troublemaker for Justice: The Story of Bayard Ruskin, the Man Behind the March on Washington Jacqueline Houtman, Walter Naegle, and Michael G. Long 9780872867659 City Lights We Are Not Yet Equal: Understanding Our Racial Divide Carol Anderson with Tonya Bolden Foreword by Nic Stone 9781547602520 Bloomsbury Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You - A Remix of the National Book Award-Winning Stamped from the Beginning Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi 9780316453691 Little, Brown Woke: A Young Poet's Call to Justice Mahogany L. Browne with Elizabeth Acevedo and Olivia Gatwood Illustrated by Theodore Taylor III Foreword by Jason Reynolds 9781250311207 Roaring Brook Betty Before X Ilyasah Shabazz with Renée Watson 9780374306106 FSG Clifford's Blues John A. Williams 9781566890809 Coffee House Native Son RIchard Wright 9780061148507 Harper Perennial Training School for Negro Girls Camille Acker 9781936932375 Feminist Press They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us: Essays Hanif Abdurraqib 9781937512651 Two Dollar Radio Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption Bryan Stevenson 9780812984965 One World The Source of Self-Regard: Selected Essays, Speeches, and Meditations Toni Morrison 9780525562795 Vintage Oreo Fran Ross 9780811223225 New Directions Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches Audre Lorde Foreword by Cheryl Clarke 9781580911863 Crossing Press Ghost Boys Jewell Parker Rhodes 9780316262262 Little, Brown Monument: Poems New and Selected Natasha Trethewey 9780358118237 Mariner The Sword and the Shield: The Revolutionary Lives of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. Peniel E. Joseph 9781541617865 Basic Dear White People Justin Simien Illustrated by Ian O’Phelan 97814769809 37 Ink Black Panther: The Revolutionary Art of Emory Douglas Edited by Sam Durant Preface by Bobby Seale Foreword by Danny Glover 9780847841899 Rizzoli Power to the People: The World of the Black Panthers Stephan Shames and Bobby Seale 9781419722400 Harry N. Abrams Press In the Break: The Aesthetics of the Black Radical Tradition Fred Moten 9780816641000 University of Minnesota Press The Known World: A Novel Edward P. Jones 9780061159176 Amistad Counternarratives: Stories and Novellas John Keene 9780811225526 New Directions Beloved: A Novel Toni Morrison 9781400033416 Vintage The Bluest Eye: A Novel Toni Morrison 9780307278449 Vintage Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and the Literary Imagination Toni Morrison Vintage 9780679745426 Mumbo Jumbo Ishmael Reed 9780684824772 Scribner Our Nig: Or, Sketches from the Life of a Free Black Harriet E. Wilson Edited with an introduction by Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Richard J. Ellis 9780307477453 Vintage Burn This Book: Notes on Literature and Engagement Edited by Toni Morrison 9780061774010 Harper I’m Not Dying with You Tonight Gilly Segal and Kimberly Jones Sourcebooks Fire 9781492678892 The End of Policing Alex S. Vitale 9781784782924 Verso The Crisis of the Negro Intellectual: A Historical Analysis of the Failure of Black Leadership Harold Cruse 9781590171356 NYRB Classics How Capitalism Underdeveloped Black America: Problems in Race, Political Economy, and Society Manning Marable 9781608465118 Haymarket From #BlackLivesMatter to Black Liberation Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor 9781608465620 Haymarket Still Black, Still Strong: Survivors of the War Against Black Revolutionaries Dhoruba Bin Wahad, Assata Shakur, and Mumia Abu-Jamal 9780936756745 Semiotext(e) Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom David W. Blight 9781416590323 Simon & Schuster Parting the Waters : America in the King Years 1954-63 Taylor Branch 9780671687427 Simon & Schuster Pillar of Fire: America in the King Years 1963-65 Taylor Branch 9780684848099 Simon & Schuster At Canaan's Edge: America in the King Years, 1965-68 Taylor Branch 9780684857138 Simon & Schuster A Taste of Power: A Black Woman's Story Elaine Brown 9780385471077 Anchor Angela Davis: An Autobiography Angela Y. Davis 9780717806676 International Publishers Co. My Bondage and My Freedom Frederick Douglass 9780140439182 Penguin Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, Written by Himself: A New Critical Edition Frederick Douglass and Angela Y. Davis 9780872865273 City Lights Black Reconstruction in America, 1860-1880 W.E.B. Du Bois 9780684856575 Free Press

#reading list #city lights bookstore #antiracist

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