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girlmeetsliv3 · 5 years

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Datura Interview

Datura Interview

A place where the cast of Datura answer all your questions along with some fun fourth wall breaking.

Word Count: 2k

A/N: Here you go. Hope all of you enjoy and stay tuned towards the end for an announcement.

In a whitened out sound stage lit with professional lighting and multi-angle cameras stood four chairs, each having a name written on the back. Identifying which individual was designated to it. Originally there were supposed to be eight chairs, however, in an effort to avoid conflict it was decided the interview should be split into the main and supporting cast to avoid…tension. Seeing as the cast is quite difficult to control, or comprehend, a special interviewer was called into “sort them out” and be able to successfully conduct the interview without mishaps this time. The coordinators had desired more professional and worthy people to conduct the interviews, but all had declined the second they heard who their subjects were. The main doors opening as the smell of Chrysanthemum a college-aged woman walked in with her hair thrown back into a low messy bun whilst sporting baggy jeans and a crop top. Glancing up at the crew she sighed, “Let’s get this show on the road. I’ve got a one-shot that needs to be finished by tonight.” The coordinator at the event opened his mouth, to inform her that the cast had yet to arrive but before he could the lights blacked out. Once they turned back on the main cast were sitting in their chairs, as if they’d been there the whole time. Taehyung, Jimin, and Baby all sporting signature black attire and wearing long coats over top. Taehyung eyes narrowed on the crew, “What is it that you’re waiting for?” Suddenly all of the staff flew into a frenzy, attempting to get everything prepared in order to star right away. None wanting to upset Taehyung or draw his attention again. “Tae play nice,” Jimin spoke, though the sarcasm was evident. Baby shifted uncomfortably in her seat, she had never been good at interviews or anything of the sort. The questions that may possibly be asked, along with the reactions they may incite in her lovers worried her.

“You guys said you would behave so do so.” Alex Mei, the interviewer, spoke her foot tapping obnoxiously against the concrete floor. She marched right up the fourth chair, the one in front of the three of them and sat down. “The only reason we agreed to this stupid thing is that we were promised two weeks off,” Taehyung spoke with a slight snarl. The woman before him always pissed him off, mainly because she was obnoxious, but also because she was a stand-in for his creator. “If you all play along, I’ll get Cloud to agree. But if you so much as kill anyone or summon Satan, deals off.” Mei retorted, a smirk on her lips. “Mei don’t you ever not want to be covered in shit?” Jimin asked. Baby turned to look at him, eyes silently begging him not to add more fuel to the fire. “Why would I be covered in shit?!” A frown had settled between Mei’s brows demonstrating her confusion at the statement. “From being so far up Cloud’s ass.” Dead silence was all that could be heard. “Why you little –”

“And we’re live in three…two…one.”

“Hello everyone, I’m Alexa Mei here. Your favorite and most important news reporter in this literary universe.” Isn’t she the only reporter ever written though? Baby asked herself as the perky blonde continued to speak into the camera. “Now I have some questions submitted by the fans that I’m sure the cast would just love to answer!” Mei turned around facing the three of them with a fake overexaggerated grin on her face, it was the scariest thing they had ever seen. “Now how are you guys?” A symphony of muttered ‘goods’ was the only response she got. “Alright, so let’s start with the first question which is for Taehyung and Jimin. What exactly are the two of you? How did you meet? And how long have you been together?” Both men looked at each other, a silent communication occurring between the two of them before Jimin turned towards the camera. “Tae and I have known each other since we were kids. Before birth even, it was like we were destined for each other. Soulmates in this dark cruel world. Baby as well was always meant to be ours.” He gives a charming smile to the camera, one that has even those behind the stage melting at his charisma and charm.

“You didn’t answer the first question.” Mei stated rather monotonously. “Let’s move on to the next question, shall we?” Taehyung said, casting Mei a dark look. “Very well,” she rolled her eyes. “Now Baby, given the last chapter’s events: Do you still consider Taehyung and Jimin as a part of your family? Even after everything they’ve done?” Baby could feel Taehyung and Jimin staring intently at her from the corners of their eyes. Waiting to see how she would respond. The last time she had been asked this question, the fan had ended dead in a sewer eaten by rats. Baby’s hands instinctively went to her stomach in an effort to shield herself. “I love them. I always will. You can’t control who or what you love. They aren’t perfect, but neither am I. They don’t judge me for the things I’ve done, so I can’t judge them.” Mei couldn’t help but look at her with sympathy. “If you say so.”

“Back to the two of you, why did you choose Baby that night? What drew you to her?” Now it was Baby’s turn to be anxious. She had often wanted to ask them, but they always replied with the same response: their meeting was fated. It wasn’t that she doubted them, but there had to be a different reason. “She was lost. Anyone could see that. She was lost and innocent in an environment where those sorts of things are taken advantage of. Who knows what could have happened to her that night, if we didn’t take the first step?” Thoughts ran wild in Baby’s head of life without Taehyung and Jimin. It would be a different life, but would it be a better one? She couldn’t tell. “Plus to add to what Tae said. We knew from the second we laid eyes on her that she was perfect. Perfect for us. It was fate, I tell you.” Jimin leaned back into his seat, his hand finding Baby’s and entangling their fingers together. “What a perfect response. Nothing to look into at all.” Mei gave a chagrined smile, before looking back at the questions placed in her hands. “Oh, I see a question for Namjoon. It says: do you know what’s really going on with Taehyung, Jimin, and the rest of their cult. If so, what was your initial reaction?” Mei had wondered why the rest of the cast wasn’t there, but maybe they would have video responses or something. “Unfortunately Namjoon hasn’t been in the best state of mind, so he won’t be able to answer any questions today or ever,” Jimin said, giggling at the end at his own personal joke. “Namjoon has willingly chosen to become a member of our organization. He’s very thrilled to have found people who accept him for who he is and is looking forward to the future.” Taehyung’s words sounded as if they had been recited a thousand times. They probably had.

Mei nodded deciding to not prolong this anymore. “Baby how have things changed in your relationship since becoming pregnant?” Baby was able to answer this one with ease, “Taehyung and Jimin have been more protective of me, but it’s nothing too bad. They’re excited for the child and what’s to come, as am I. I think they’ll make great parents.” A soft smile spread across Baby’s face at the thought of Taehyung and Jimin cradling a child between them. It brought much-needed warmth back into her heart. “We don’t have a name yet, but we’re sure the fans will think of a great one. We’re up for suggestions.” Jimin had a small smile on his lips, as he glanced at the clock. Likely counting the minutes until the interview was over. “Lastly, this one is for some very special guests who couldn’t be with us today. However, the crew is informing me that their interview was prerecorded and will be streamed now. Please enjoy.”

A video is played of balmy tropical weather filled with palm trees and a beautiful sparkling sea. Suddenly the camera turns and Jungkook can be seen filling up the entire screen, his now long locks framing his face perfectly. “Hi, I can’t talk too loud because Hyung is sleeping beside me,” Jungkook turns the camera to show a sleeping Yoongi resting in a hammock under the shade. “However, I know you guys really wanted to know these questions, so I’ll do my best. So, how did I meet Tae and Jimin?” Jungkook sucked his lower lip into his mouth, as he thought about a way to say it without potentially pissing off the men most likely watching. “I was in college when I met them. I met Jimin first and through him Taehyung. They were always together, a part of me wanted something like that too so I asked them. We broke up due to miscommunication, that’s all.” His eyes skimmed across the next question face lighting up instantly, “What was my first reaction of Yoongi-hyung? I thought he was a bit intimidating and might not like me. It turns out he wasn’t like that at all, a bit shy and aloof sometimes but…” A sincere smile spread across his face. “I wouldn’t change anything if it means I get to be with him now.” Jungkook waves goodbye to the camera before the video clicks off.

“Well, I do believe that’s everything for today. Please join us next Tuesday for Datura’s next installment.” Mei spoke into the camera with a sadistic gleam in her eyes. “Wait a second you said if we did this, we would get two weeks off!” Jimin pouted, his voice whiny and high-pitched. “That was before you said that stupid joke, you big baby. Sorry Baby.” Mei yelled at him, before quickly apologizing to the woman beside him. All it took was a snap from Taehyung, for all the equipment in the room to cease working and for everyone to be plunged into darkness. “Well now that it’s over. I get to have my fun.” All hell broke loose in that interview room, the only thing that could be heard were screams of pain and agony that bled through the walls.

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A/N: So as you can see Datura will not be updated until November. This is because I have a new series that will be updated every weekday, starting October 4th until October 30th. I thank everyone for the support they’ve shows the series and hope that you will continue to support it. Thank you <3

#bts #yandere bts #bts au #bts crack #kim taehyung x reader #park jimin x reader #kim taehyung x park jimin #vmin #jeon jungkook x min yoongi #kim namjoon #Datura #Datura cast #Datura Interview #girlmeetsliv3 #october-fest

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christophersdicc · 5 years

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CNCO as Marvel Superheroes

I just hit 400 y'all! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Thank you so much for supporting my psychotic mind and my pathetic content! I love you all!

So this one is for you all ❤️❤️❤️

Christopher - Wade Wilson aka DEADPOOL 💀💩L

Okay so Chris is just like very much Wade.

Basically, he such a fucking asshole but you will love that motherfucker

Very funny but his sense of humor is so fucking dark

Very good at martial arts and samurai

Will slice your pussy with his sword, also with his jawline

Is very ugly bc of the mutation happened when Ajax played him

His skin have like scars, and it's all over his body, including his big dicc

The thing is this sexy motherucker cares for people, very much like Frank Castle

He wants to make world a better place by killing assholes, one motherfucker at a time

Has super regenerative powers bc of the serum that have been injected to his body

Has beautiful eyes

Is pansexual - He would very much like to dicc down Logan and to fuck Peggy Carter, also has a crush on Steve Rogers bc why not

Loves Dora The Explorer and has back back with pictures of her in it

Also loves Disney bc Cinderella is her main bitch

Sneaky af

Loves Vanessa, but his Vanessa, not Kingpin's Vanessa for fucks' sake

Zabdiel - Charles Xavier aka Professor X 📖🧠

The most sensible man on Earth tbh

Full of wisdom and and cursed with knowledge (yas the fucking reference!)

But have made several bad decisions that cause so many wars and chaos (Alexa, play Bad Desicions by Ariana Grande)

Very serious and literally he can read your motherfucking mind, and he can even control it

His fucking hot bestie shot his spine so he's now a diabled man

Also he is bald af bc some ancient motherfucker tried stealing his body as a vessel to do bad stuff. It happened in Egypt tho

Runs a school for his own kind, with free tuition wtf? Can I enroll sir?

Is friend with Logan and Hank (Hank is hot tho)

Fell in love with a hot CIA agent who he took all of their memories together, including while thet're fucking each other in a classrom

Often being called gay bc he is so close with his man bestie and has no gf since the hot CIA agent

Also he wants to help his own kind bc there will be no other people that will help them, bc they have suffered too much wtf? My baby don't deserve it!

Owns a big room that looks like a fucking ball

is rich af

Also cute as a child

Also is friend with a shape shifting babe, who is very much in love with him

Loves to read book bc he's a bald nerd

Richard - Frank Castle aka The Punisher 🔫⚖️

Very intense and very scary wtf??

Like you don't wanna mess with this daddy tho he is very hot

His family was killed by his bestfriend, who is also hot

Now this motherfucker is seeking revenge! Yall get ready bc he's coming for your ass

Is a former marine corps

Have killed many people

This man took down several gangs around his town inclusing the Irish and the Russians

Cares for people so much, even tho he dont know them

He's the punisher for fucks' sake

He really cares for ppl tho, but it was kinda too much for me tbh bc he's literally risking his life for those ppl who barely knows him

His trauma about his family's killing still hunts him at night, my poor baby needs love and help 😭

Basically, I love this man tbh, and I would do anything to protect him but nah, he can protect hiimself

Is very good at guns and hand-to-hand combat

Sniper™

Has hooked up to a girl in Michigan

Is lonely and sad

He don't know his purpose until he found a girl who being attacked bc of photo scandal has she have in hands

Joel - Johnny Storm aka Human Torch 🔥🔥

This motherfucker is the most annoying shit you'll ever met

But he's hot tho, literally

Always messing his sister around

This boy is so fucking cocky, you can't stand it!

Playboy af

But this young lad is very kind and courageous

Very good at fighting and protecting the city from bad guys

Also good at flying

He got his power when his sister, his sister's boyfriend, and the other one, have been exposed to some solar shit

Now, he's in New York living in skyscraper

Always been the face of his group bc he is the most handsome of them

Always jokes around

Flirts with any gorgeous girl, even his sister's boyfriend's secretary

Very impulsive and doesn't think of the consequences of his decisions

But hey, he is not that bad.

This man is compassionate to people. He loves helping them when they are in need

And when he loves someone, he really mean it. Like he would risk his live for the one he loves

Erick - Chase Stein of The Runaways 👊💪

Is a fucking genius

Also he is so fucking hot omg like fuck me daddy

Is very much in love with a girl with violet hair who owns a dinosaur

Chase is very much a smart guy, but sometimes he is being dumb af

His parents are member of a cult who sacrifices people to revive a fucking alien

Him and his father invented a high caliber, military grade weapon, that looks like a fucking gloves

very good in hand combat

"I have a fistigon and I wanna fight!"

Is friend with a bunch of teenagers who has special powers

Scared of his father bc he always being physically abused by his assholes of a father but he still loves his family very much

Is a mama's boy

very serious but also has a millenial sense of humor

This smol bean must be protected at all time bc he is soft

Always running. They are runaways bitch, what do u expect?

Is already wanted for killing someone, but actually don't

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crashingbangingsmoking · 6 years

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Brendon Urie's coming out article in paper magazine (part three)

Like R. Kelly.

Obviously, yeah. He signed Aaliyah at 14 and they were... He wrote that song for her, "Age Ain't Nothing But a Number." It's like, shit, now it's dark. Marrying a minor I have to disagree with that, that's weird bro. There's a lot of creepiness going around, but I just hope we can keep having the conversation.

What was fame like for you at such a young age? How was navigating that as a kid?

It was not easy, I don't think I dealt with it very well. I got back on my medication. I had stopped taking medication for the last two years of high school.

ADHD?

Yeah ADHD, anti-anxiety, and depression. I started taking them again at like 19 because the fame started getting to me. I kind of needed to numb myself a little bit. I want to medicate enough so that I can get through these interviews and meet these people. The first year was terrible. In terms of my interviews, I was either numb to the point where I didn't care or I was bitter. There was an interview I did in the UK with this girl, Alexa Chung, and I regret this to this day because I look back at that interview and I don't know who that is. I was so not in my right mind, I was just a dick. It was not cool.

What did you do?

I was just bitterness. I was like, Why are you even talking to me? I have a show in 30 minutes, fuck off. I didn't actually say that but I might as well. I could never forgive myself for that.

Alexa Chung, if you're reading, Brendon is really sorry.

Hashtag I am so sorry, Alexa. Honestly, that's one that will haunt me for the rest of my life, but it's good because I can look at that and say I never want to do that again. It made me feel so immediately bad. I was like, Why are you fucking saying this? You're such an asshole.

Were your bandmates there?

Oh yeah, I was in the room with my bass player John at the time. Also, at that time we were starting to hate each other a little bit. We started to grow distant a little more. The next year we were very much distant from each other. We started to realize we should break this up.

Did you ever consider going off as a solo act? As Brendon Urie?

I guess I still could.

But your name and your brand is so synonymous with Panic.

Yeah I don't even have to now. Panic! has become my little play thing and I get to do more than I used to feel like I could. The first two or three years of the band I didn't feel like I had a license to create as much as I do now. I felt like I was the last guy who joined and you guys just included me. I just wanted to hang out with those guys. So then when I finally gained some self-respect and started to realize I could do whatever I wanted, I gained the confidence that I never had. I always wanted to do Panic. Panic the name symbolizes no rules.

In those early days the music had these really intense themes: religion, sex, and prostitution. All these intense, dark topics. You were all kids at this point.

Yeah, we'd never been with a prostitute or been to a strip club.

I know you grew up Mormon, what's your relationship with religion now?

I'm not religious at all any more. Actually, I don't know if that's fair to say. I definitely think Panic! At The Disco is a cult by definition. I have to accept that it's a cult now. I have no relationship with religion anymore except that I will still read the scriptures sometimes. It's interesting to me. To read it now in the context of who I am now, thinking about who I was as a kid and how I let all this stuff affect me. Until I started thinking for myself.

How was that for your parents?

Oh, they were bummed. It would eat me up to hide things from my parents, so every six months I would call a family meeting and be like, "Okay guys, in the last six months I have been smoking weed, dealing drugs, fucking promiscuously, sneaking out staying at friends houses." I would just drop bombs on them.

What do you think was the sin that was the most hurtful to them?

For them it was when I was 17 and the band was taking off. We knew we wanted to tour. We knew we had just gotten the deal with Pete [Wentz]. I sat them down, my mom and dad, I will never get this image out of my head. Just sitting at our table and just saying, "I'm going to be totally honest with you guys, I'm pretty sure I'm atheist. I definitely don't want to be a part of your religion, I'm not going to college, and I'm not going on a mission for your church. I'm going to be apart of this band." Telling them that I don't believe in God broke their hearts. Then I sat them down and said, "You know you guys are just as atheist as me, you just believe in one more God than I do." My mom was like, "I could see how you could say that, but we don't see it that way."

How do you think the band has evolved musically since that time?

It's very cool to be able to look back at each album and think of who I was at that time. Memory is such a fickle thing because we romanticize it so much that I need the people around me who are the opposite of "Yes" people. They do not feed into my ego one bit, which is so healthy I think it's good to have. That helps me keep perspective on where I was at during those times with each album. From the first one, not knowing what the fuck I was doing to now feeling more confident. It has helped me with writing, producing, in terms of ideas that I want to use, direction, vision, all that stuff has grown exponentially.

"Don't listen to other people: if you have a vision, do your vision."

You also had that huge Panic! moment to live up to with the second album.

The sophomore release.

How was that?

Oh we were just on mushrooms the whole time. When we were writing for the second album we locked ourselves away in a cabin for about three months. We had this idea to do like a musical. The music ended up being way too ambitious and we were all fighting so much. This was kind of the beginning of the end. We were trying to do this whole thing and it didn't work out at all. Spencer and Ryan had never drank, never done drugs, so this was like their college experience. So we were all raging so hard for that whole album. I think we were doing it to cope with each other too because we had lived with each other basically every day for like three years. We were just tired so we were like let's go live together in a cabin and take psychedelics, because that'll help I guess.

Have you felt like you're always been chasing that early success?

We've actually done the opposite, like, Who gives a fuck what people think? I think bands need to figure out what they want to do and wholeheartedly chase that dream. Don't listen to anybody else, especially when you are creating an album. If you listen to too many outside opinions, the committee who tries to create the horse comes out a camel. If you have your vision of the horse, don't let them tell you it has two humps. Don't listen to other people: if you have a vision, do your vision. We always kept true to that, which I'm so grateful for.

#panic! at the disco #brendon urie #mine

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bgarlich4 · 3 years

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‘Great Minds Realllly Do Think Alike’ ☯️ ☯️ ☯️ ☯️

Unit 3 Discussion 1

Potential Benefits of Social Media

Britney Garlich

10/27/2020

“Great Minds Really Do Think Alike”

How Social Media Helps Us Feel Connected

The internet unarguably changed the way that nearly all of us do things. Regardless of one's age, demographic, or social statuses; and, sometimes without choice, people have modified their daily lives in ways that they may not even realize anymore due to the ever-changing technological world we live in. This does come with many, many benefits. But it also can contain potential harm if not utilized properly. Social media was intended for a way that people could connect, keep in touch, feel like a part of something, and to communicate about their life while seeing others. This is a great thing when we can feel connected, especially in a time like the present where a pandemic has sadly limited many of us seeing out loved ones. People and users on Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, etc., all include ways to pair up with people similar, or be more likely to be given advertisements according to your ‘footprint.’ The advancing so rapidly is what various different social media companies can't necessarily keep up with. Good for us, and bad for us as users trying to keep up. “Instagram is the latest social media network to decide that it wants to change its feed to an algorithm-based one. In a blog post, they said that since the user base had grown by so much it was getting harder and harder to keep up with the posts from their favorite followers. It’s why they have decided to base what you see on your newsfeed on relevancy, as opposed to anything else. Rather than hiding posts, like on Facebook, businesses are not going to take as much of a hit because all posts will still be visible, but they will always come behind posts that are considered to be the most relevant.” (Agrawl, 2016.). Again, this can be a wonderful thing, but it can lead some people to using this as a way to keep people out, or segregate. I titled this blog, ‘great minds really do think alike,’ because I thought it was a good play on words describing how that insinuates people and their compadres can be led to find one another throughout common interests.

Homophily and Social Media; The good, the bad, and the everything else

While I say this alikeness, bonding is a general benefit, it does have some shortcomings as far as online information and its credentials can be deceiving. “Back in 2016, Instagram stopped using a reverse-chronological feed. Since then, the posts in each user’s feed on the platform has been ordered according to the Instagram algorithm’s ranking signals. According to the Instagram Help Center: “Instagram’s technology uses different ways, or signals, to determine the order of posts in your feed. These signals are used to help determine how your feed is ordered, and may include:

“Likelihood you’ll be interested in the content.

“Date the post was shared.

“Previous interactions with the person posting.”

This has a profound impact on influencers – as well as the marketers who are trying to identify the right influencers, find the right engagement tactics, and measure the performance of their programs” (Jarboe, 2020.) The psych behind this could lead a person, say in a cult like group, or political group so fed up, that this becomes a platform for serious and dangerous threats. While a mafia organization is quite farfetched, this way of breaking into groups can lead the ones not included to have a lower self-esteem, or worth. It is very easy to be a different person when communicating behind a screen. We have all learned to put a certain level of trust into this as we are all aware of the obvious risks. Homophily can be applied to several different things, included love and drug use as we read this week, but when applicable in the world of social media; it becomes as complex as every single group people can think of. After a person votes, or follows a political page of one side or the other; this will lead to great resources able to be found throughout the advertisements that your new algorithm has assigned. That’s very helpful to be able to find people with your same values, beliefs, and thoughts, especially for the utilization of a friend base or even a dating opportunity.

The Social Media Algorithms that Impact, benefit from and Encourage Homophily

As I mentioned above, the internet in its entirety is the best invention we have ever had; besides the original wheel, etc. It is difficult to keep up and feel like your information is somewhat safe. “Social media algorithms are what all social media platforms run on these days. They have led to a lot of changes to social media, and not always desired ones. If you are going to take advantage of social media for business purposes, it’s vital that you understand what algorithms mean for you.” (Agrawl, 2016.). But we use these websites and internet services for essentially everything. Siri can buy my entire winter wardrobe with direction. Closer to robots I feel we are getting. The algorithms now have convinced people that they are being listened to, and sometimes with speakers and Alexa; we very well could be. So, this helps in the way that it adds to homophily and finds people with common interests, or internet search's faster, etc. But the impact can lead people to only thinking one way, with people surrounding them also only think that way. It could have potential for violent situations, and to absolute scariest, real life situations. I think the social media platforms do take every chance they are given to encourage a ‘web world’ where everyone gets alone, and one that makes everyone else want to use it or deem it the best. The idea of social media will most likely always fulfill its intended goal of keeping people in communication, but the advancements we live with have helped this even further. Whether we use it for all of its good, or we hear about the bad impacts, it is scary, and so brilliant to know we can find people just like ourselves. I encourage this. I think everyone should join groups of their liking and do what helps them.

Sources Cited

Agrawl, A.J. (2016, April 20.). What Do Social Media Algorithms Mean for Me? Retrieved on November 1, 2020 from https://www.forbes.com/sites/ajagrawal/2016/04/20/what-do-social-media-algorithms-mean-for-you/?sh=63869099a515

Jarboe, Gregg. (2020, September 17.). How Do Social Media Algorithm’s Work? Retrieved on November 1, 2020 from https://www.searchenginejournal.com/how-social-media-algorithms-work/380642/#close

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twoinchreview · 4 years

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1985 Albums

Friday 20th March 2020.

On the way home from work (for the last time in a while I think, thanks Covid-19) Radio 2 played The Whole of the Moon by The Waterboys. I loved and love that song from their album, This is the Sea. I knew the album was released in 1985. It’s a year I won’t forget in a hurry for lots of reasons; the main, unbearably sad one is losing my mum, but, also, for other reasons that were not at all sad. The aforementioned album being one, another being another album - Kate Bush’s Hounds of Love. (Another was Knebworth opening its gates to music for the first time in a few years….what a gig that was!) So, did I listen to any other albums that year? I seriously couldn’t tell you, for certain, the name of any other album released in that year….with aging memory it seems to me my turntable’s time was equally divided by Mike Scott and Kate - six months apiece. I decided to check it out. A quick search on Google and the first hit I clicked was this one from the NME that lists 50 albums.

I decided to listen to each in turn, from its count of 50 down to 1. I posted a one line review on each on FB. Here are those one-liners below, with supplementary comments as and when.

50. ABC, How to be a Zillionaire. I didn't learn that actual trick but I did learn to love Martin Fry's delivery once again.

49. Sade, Promise. Smoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooth.

48. Sheila E – Romance 1600. One I missed posting about of FB, probably because it was that forgettable. I can’t remember one track from it and it was only a couple of weeks ago!

47. Alex Chilton, Feudalist Tarts. Who knew? Seriously never heard of him before!

46. George Clinton, Some of My Best Jokes Are Friends. Funky. Another new one on me.

45. The Replacements, Tim. Never heard or heard of them b4 today. Shan't bother again!

44. Run DMC, King of Rock. Dunno why I like this album, just do. It's like that and that's the way it is.

43. Cameo, Single Life. I've already forgotten about it.

42. New Order, Low Life. The first album on NME's 1985 list that properly rocks all thru.

It’s a proper ‘of its time’ album and yet timeless. This gets the bold review ‘cos I would definitely take time out to listen to this again. First one of the NME list!

41. Robert Wyatt, Old Rottenhat. Out there. A defo doob album.

40. The Style Council, Our Favourite Shop. I recall this album & it's better than it was. Weller has a voice that sometimes sounds like it’s going to break at the sterner test but then he carries it off. It adds to the originality.

39. Sonic Youth, Bad Moon Rising. Proper industrial punk. I like it.

38. Dexys Midnight Runners, Don't Stand Me Down. Not one track had I heard before. Fab.

I really enjoyed this. I like the fact it’s a real deviation from what I remember Dexys for - all denim and oddly-antifashion fashionable. This album showed real confidence in their own ability, quite rightly.

37. Husker Du, New Day Rising. 'Salright.

36. Bobby Womack, So Many Rivers. “Let Me Kiss You Where It Hurts.” 😂😂😂 Yep - the only thing I wanted to post about this album, having listened to it (like so many others, for the first time) was the name of one track which still, as I type, makes be chuckle like a school boy. Sorry Bobby.

35. The Fall, This Nation's Saving Grace. I never really got The Fall. This album doesn't help. This post on FB attracted some comment - Ralph White (fellow Posh and music fan) was, I sensed, a little perplexed at my opinion. But, I can’t lie, the band, and Mark E Smith, just didn’t, and still don’t, do it for me. I’m too old and long in the tooth to persist. Sorry Ralph.

34. Propaganda, A secret Wish. If you had to guess the time of this album's release from its sound, it couldn't be anything other than slap bang middle of the 80s. I mean it is sooooo eighties. It’s the sort of record that will be used for educational purposes - in history lessons.

33. Scritti Politti, Cupid & Psyche 85. I feel I should be more impressed than I am.

32. The Pogues, Rum, Sodomy and the Lash. What an album, what a fucking album.

I listened to this while out walking and it really took me by surprise just how much I enjoyed it. Of course, I’d heard a lot of the songs before but, as a collection, along with the tracks new to me, it really stands out.

31. The Cure, Head on the Door. The Cure does easy listening.

30. The Cult, Love. What's there not to love? No sudden death, just love.

Contains one of my favourite all time tracks. Can you guess?

29. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, The Firstborn is Dead. Interesting. Definitely a band you have to be in the right mood before the needle hits the record.

28. David Sylvian, Alchemy: An Index Of Possibilities. Music to have acupuncture to.

By that, I mean it was very, very, very Japanese-y.

27. Suzanne Vega, Suzanne Vega. Singer song writing by numbers.

To be perfectly blunt, I found it boring.

26. The Smiths, Meat is Murder. The Smiths are an enigma to me. Good music, good musicians but, that condescension. Morrissey, Geldof, Thunberg....peas in a high & mighty pod.

All that being said a few days ago now, I’m sure I’ll listen to this (and maybe other a records of theirs) again. I fucking hate that it was that good.

25. Bryan Ferry, Boys and Girls. Slick as you like. Is he the coolest man in music? I think he is.

24. 10000 Maniacs, The Wishing Chair. I can take this or leave it. When I posted this on FB there were a couple of posters encouraging me to try In My Tribe - it’s on as I type and it’s a little better.

23. Whitney Houston, Whitney Houston. I like this debut album. What a voice she had!

22. A-Ha, Hunting High and Low. Not bad song writing in a second language.

Nice enough album...but this band will always just be ‘nice’ and, memorable for a video, not much else.

21. Grace Jones, Slave to the Rhythm. A mess of an album.

Worst one on the list so far even if it has got David Gilmour playing on it.

20. Simple Minds, Once Upon a Time. I always felt, & feel, this band are wannabes to U2's crown. Nice enough album though.

19. The Colourfield, Virgins and Philistines. A gem of an album.

Terry Hall reminds me of Bowie. So talented, so prolific.

18. Everything but the Girl, Love not Money. Pleasant enough but won't be on repeat.

17. Loose Ends, So Where Are You? Hmmmm, not quite Color Me Badd. Very Delia Smith. The Delia Smith comment was because I found this album was an embarrassment much like Delia that fateful night at Carrow Road. If you don’t know to what I am referring, Google it.

16. Killing Joke, Night Time. Great album, cracking band.

15. Tears for Fears, Songs from the Big Chair. A big collection of comfortably accomplished songs.

The first album on the list I had definitely played, in its entirety, before...just not in 1985.

14. Dire Straits, Brothers in Arms. By no means their best. Tbf, you’d have to go some to best a debut or 3rd or 4th albums of the quality Dire Straits had under their belt. And, a side note, I think probably the best name for a band, ever.

13. The Sisters of Mercy, First and Last and Always. A moody, gothic masterpiece. I reckon the growling vocals are the stuff of genius and nightmares. 12. Prince, Around the World In A Day. Prince is brilliant, this album isn't. Like a few on this list, the decade’s half-way point didn’t see his finest hour.

11. Felt, Ignite the Seven Canons. I've never heard of this band before, nor heard a single track from this album, until now. I like them, I like it.

And I reached the Top Ten....I found myself really looking forward to the next 6-7 hours of the supposed mid-80s finest....

10. The Jesus and The Mary Chain, Psychocandy. Mentally sweet.

It is a great album by a seminal band but I didn’t really get on the band wagon back then, and I don’t have the time nor the inclination to now. That’s gonna piss some people off, I’m sure! 9. Microdisney, The Clock Comes Down The Stairs. Never heard of them before, probably never listen to them again.

This album left me feeling nothing. It’s the most nondescript one of the list thus far and I doubt that will change.

8. REM, Fables of Reconstruction. This band were good before they got massive.

Fucking brilliant. I had never listened to this album before and it’s such a precursor - we all know how massive they became and one or two of their later albums were residence, for a time, in my CD player. I reckon this one could become a real favourite of mine. Not just of REM stuff but in general.

7. Lloyd Cole & The Commotions, Easy Pieces. Easy listening and first rate easy listening, at that.

‘Brand New Friend’ is the stand out track.

6. Prefab Sprout, Steve McQueen. I don’t switch the radio off if this band are played, but I never play them. This album doesn’t alter that.

5. Madness, Mad not Mad. Who'd thought the stalwart rude boys would be so innovative? Another cracker from this list. It really stood out for me, they way the band changed things up a notch with this record. I can imagine some long-time fans would have baulked at this at the time of release but now, 35 years on, it smacks of progression. I’ve just asked Alexa to play it as I’m typing.

4. Talking Heads, Little Creatures. A wonderful, totally original band and album. This album reminded me that I do not spend enough time listening to Talking Heads.

3. The Waterboys, This Is the Sea. Marvellous. This is an album I know and love. So, here it is, one of the aforementioned two. It’s is still one of my favourite albums, definitely, but, just a little bit, the metaphors grate - there’s enough of the fuckers on this album - the sea, the moon, the spirit. But I will always love this album and I will revisit many more times, I wager (and hope).

2. Tom Waits, Rain Dogs. Not really a musical masterpiece, more a lyrical one.

I found this a unusual choice for number 2. That’s subjectivity for you, I’d have picked many others before this one for the runner’s up slot.

1. Kate Bush, Hounds of Love. One of my favourite ever albums. The best of 1985, maybe of the 80s, very close to of all time. It’s number 1 for the NME and it most certainly is for me.

So, I listened to all of these NME listed albums in turn and it was, in the main, an enjoyable musical journey

And I reminded myself that, in 1985, I did indeed only put two albums, that first saw the light of day in that year, on my turntable (Kate Bush and The Waterboys). Any other releases didn't get a look in.

#1985 #albums #music #eighties #twoinchreview

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amateurfan227 · 5 years

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Shitlist Reviews - Trailer Analysis - Jan-Mar 2019

Hello Ladies and Gentlemen, I’m Amateur Fan 2.27 and welcome to the Shitlist, where bad movies eventually burn. It’s been a good while since I posted something up on the site since the Halloween reviews so I thought it was time to do another trailer analysis review based on the upcoming movies which will pan out during this year.

This will be the first one of three trailer reviews through-out this year starting off in the spring; then the summer and finally the fall, winter will be excluded for the personal reasons. I will go through not 1 but 6 individual trailers that have been released and will give my views and theories upon the movie following on either what I’ve heard about the films in general or in my opinion on what I think of the trailer but not of the film, despite revealing spoilers (although saying that, most of you will possibly see the spoilers I will be stating soon).

Some will follow on adaptations of notable works or reboots for example which will be interesting as well as re-edited reviews such as looking at other trailers of a movie that I previously looked at in the past. Keep in mind that this is only opinion based with theories summed by me only rather than ideas that were passed on by others.

The first would be the notable remake of an 1980s movie which coincidentally still haunts me to this day on how dark it was at the time, Pet Sematary... based on the Stephen King novel following a Parent’s worst nightmare come to life, I was sceptical at first when I saw the trailer, especially the casting as John Lithgow towards Fred Gwynne’s performance as Judd.

Though after re-reading the book several times leading towards the second trailer which had a major spoiler on the first child (Ellie) in the movie getting killed off rather than the baby (Gage) in the book, it worked as it displayed innocence as Gage was indeed a baby rather than Ellie who in this case was a pre-teen.

Another thing that got my interest in this is how interesting it was the fact that they made the being behind the supernatural more maleficent and mysterious rather than in the original adaptation when it was only there for shock value with its history not being fully explored. I find this however kind of weird as well as it looks closer towards an occult movie with ritual sacrifices rather than being a standard supernatural threat following the other characters seen in the second trailer.

It looks promising enough though the second trailer may have leaked a bit too much on the actual film itself displaying way too much rather than holding back the mystery that held the book and the original so close. I admire the view of the Sematary which looks more supernatural based on Native American lore rather than something closer to a H.P. Lovecraft novel.

Though seeing it remade is going to be interesting to look at it in 2 separate perspectives on how close it was to the source material as well as seeing it as a standard remake to a superior version.... as long as they don’t go full female Ghostbusters on us, then its fine. (Christ that movie was bad... Screw you, Feig for killing a franchise).

The second trailer I would like to discuss is something that caught my eye after the hype from Infinity War which would be the new Spiderman film Far From Home which features the appearance on one of my favourite villains in Marvel history, Mysterio played by Jake Gyllenhaal.

After viewing the trailers for a good few moments, it took me a while to think of an actual opinion aside from glee and joy on seeing the web-head back into action, but questions were raised on the time-zone towards the movie as well as Infinity War. I would like to see something else made towards the movie such as how His transformation from teenage superhero into following the responsibilities that Stark warned him about in Homecoming.

Though seeing Mysterio in the trailer has got my interest on how they changed his design to become more realistic though this raises a bunch of questions on why he was acting the form of a hero in defending Parker and his classmates with the inclusion of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents Nick Fury and Maria Hill being involved with Mysterio’s vigilantism.

Personally I’m not entirely interested in seeing this movie for the particular reason is that I’m not a Marvel fan, especially with the fact that I don’t see Tom Holland as Spider-man nor as Peter Parker, though I enjoy watching the others like the Avengers or the independent superheroes like Iron Man or Thor but Spiderman however is something I grew up watching especially growing up with it during the 90s.

My theory before the trailer would be that Mysterio was a former agent working for S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who was betrayed by Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. following a mission on the field leading him to go astray leading him to own an individual identity to act like a hero to get Fury’s attention leading him to stage major crimes through-out Europe with the advantage to beaten Spider-man to both spite and weaken Fury.

Though this may be falsified when the movie is released or if any other trailers will be coming out later this year prior to the movie’s premiere but keep in mind that this is only a theory of mine and seeing that the entire MCU series is nearly based on betrayal and distrust, I think this might happen but as I said, it’s only a theory.

Another Trailer is the remake or should I say reboot of the another classic 1980’s horror movie relating to the supernatural or in this case the Arcane side of things when it comes towards Magic, Child’s Play, now there was a lot of controversy over this movie following several parents believing that the doll could actually exist.

There is even a bigger problem as well as the current franchise is taken over to TV following the recent movie that was on Netflix not too long ago known as Cult of Chucky which featured main star of the killer doll Chucky and notable Horror movie Actor, Brad Dourif alongside his real-life daughter Fiona Dourif.

For those who don’t know, the original series follows a mass-murderer known as the Lakeshore Strangler Charles Lee Ray ending his pursuit of madness in the hands of a toy-store by being mortally wounded by a cop leading him to transfer his soul into a doll known as a Good Guy toy, a parody of Cabbage Patch Kids at the time.

After his soul transferred to the doll, he continued his murderous pursuit whilst attempting to transfer his soul back into another person before his doll body becomes human which is a curse to his voodoo practice. The original’s concept was new at the time which was interesting but raised a bunch of parody movies relating to the same premise such as Soul possession movies like the Conjuring or more in particular the Insidious movies.

The remake follows it in a different perspective following it in a more technical pursuit such as the Terminator series such as a company how manufactures home entertainment appliances with the addition of a new feature in the form of a doll which may be a bit too adapted when it comes to the owner.

I’ve seen the trailer several times now as well as the website and it peaks my interest greatly especially that they are following a different aspect towards the original material, such as making it but on a rogue A.I. rather than a voodoo possessed toy; some of the behind the scenes footage looks incredible to say the least as well as the use of technology is a new adjustment to a franchise such as this.

From what I see is that it follows a similar premise towards the characters following the original names (Karen and Andy Barclay) who were the first victims who came to own the doll, with the doll causing havoc and murders occurring towards their residence, mainly towards Chucky’s influence.

I’m intrigued by this decision as it would open new possibilities to see the use of technology expanding the way it is including in modern world as well such as WI-FI and Amazon’s Alexa. But possibilities towards this are cancelled as the name Child’s Play is owned by an individual company with the sequels following separate copyrights towards the original owner.

The next sequel is again like last time, Godzilla: King of the Monsters... I talked about this a while ago but I never really explored the discussion over the monsters independently, mainly because they were still under heavy work in Legendary Pictures, but seeing them more and more closely is making it believe that the sequel is going the right direction, possibly surpassing over monster movies that flopped in the past (see Pacific Rim: Uprising).

What I appreciate is how the monster’s look more closer to actual animals including Mothra and Rodan (I’ll get to Ghidorah momentarily) Mothra looks more of an insect rather than her original counterpart which resembles more of a ball of fluff rather than an actual animal (but seeing how she was made in the 50’s I let it slide) she looks beautiful in a more graphically dangerous sort of way and with the appearance of Rodan as well looks more menacing aside from the fact he is Godzilla’s arch rival at first glance though the same can’t be said for how both of them are described.

Ghidorah however looks more threatening than I’ve ever seen him especially with the way he moves to the way his appearance is more mysterious. The look of Ghidorah reminds me more too how he first appeared including his powerful figure looks more curious than it does boastful.

Godzilla on the other hand looks closer to the original material from his frame down to the dormant spikes on his back which resembles the 1050’s edition which made him more of a protector of Earth rather than the original message that he was meant to become which was a memorial of nuclear destruction.

I’ve seen several trailers which looks promising enough despite the human interaction with the creatures (or Titans in the movie’s presence)which from the sounds of it makes the monsters more like gods which is distracting to the last movie, especially that Godzilla literally saved the world from the monsters that again was caused by nuclear radiation.

I am interested and (as a Godzilla fan) intrigued to see how this movie changes the timeline especially seeing how the world would see Godzilla either as a weapon or as a monster created by their own stupidity towards Nuclear Warfare,

Hellboy is the next one (yup another Comic book Trailer) but this one is surprisingly more closer to the material than Del Toro’s versions (including the animated movie which technically counts as canon to his series) with the appearance of a meaner tougher and more dark-hearted Demon Hunting badass known as Hellboy.

Seeing the trailer a few months ago, I thought that it was going to flop badly but seeing that it’s followed some of the stories closely from The Wild Hunt (Omnibus Vol 3 if any of you are interested in reading Mike Mignola’s works); The trailer looks very promising towards the original material as it was more darker, gothic and more based on Lovecraft’s work (mainly on the Seed of Destruction arc) it was the basic Horror graphic novel when it was released with the addition of the BPRD (Bureau of Paranormal and Research Department) series following shortly after.

Hellboy is changed in this one to look more demonic which is something I highly respect as it was darker in the graphic novels and brutally graphic when it came to the occult. The original material was more based several fairy tales as well but shown towards religious aspects, mainly towards Christianity and folklore of independent countries which made the graphic novels more serious when it came to tales.

Hellboy is directed by Neil Marshall who has directed a few of my favourite movies such as the Descent, Dog Soldiers, Centurion and several shows like Game of Thrones, Westworld (Which I’ve yet to see) and Constantine (premiere episode) so you know a series like Hellboy is in good hands especially in his taste of Horror as well.

David Harbour (Stranger Things) stars as the main lead of Hellboy with Ian McShane and Milla Jovovich to co-star alongside the main villain and Trevor Bruttenholm which is an interesting choice with English actors being featured towards the movie as cameos such as Mo from Eastenders who stars from both trailers.

As you can see I too am looking forward to seeing this, mainly towards the dark nature of the trailers as well as to see if this adaptation can surpass the Del Toro adaptations as well as to see if Harbour can possibly be better than Ron Perlman (no offence Ron, you’ll always be awesome in my eyes regardless).

Now for something different a teaser was given out recently of a famous franchise that was destroyed by a.... failed director who thought it was better to reboot the series by replacing the franchise by replacing the dialogue from something that was written down on the walls of toilets in the local bar as well as replacing the theme to ridiculous science that would make Neil deGrasse Tyson shake his head in confusion.

I’m talking about the Ghostbusters teaser which would FORTUNATELY ignore the reboot and follow on the main franchise by adding the son of the main director Ivan Reitman in the directing chair with Ivan taking the franchise to a new setting. I should mention that the teaser only lasts 1 minute long with the hopeful addition to veteran actors who starred in the original such as Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson.

Though this is something I never actually expected to see until it was confirmed through an interview by Aykroyd as well as Jason Reitman (son of Ivan) being the writer and the director so hopefully when later this year the full trailer will be displayed. This had my excitement thrown around as a huge fan of the original series it will bring back a lot of references to the characters and possibly bring back the Ghostbusters everyone knows and loves but as I said, this is only a hopeful situation especially for a teaser.

I will get more reviews later on this year so if you are interested in seeing me post some more of them up especially with the upcoming DC movie Shazam just around the corner, I might do something special as I did with the Killing Joke... I’m Amateur Fan 2.27 and I will see you guys in next time, Stay Safe, guys.

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morethanjustmediocremusings · 5 years

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Hidden In an OOO: Re-defining a Modern Woman

Can the modern woman have it all? Put simply, no. But to elaborate on that immediate shut down, I say no because it is unrealistic to expect so much from a singular person. The idea of a “modern woman” defies the caveman expectations of a “super mom” and plays into the 2019 progressive ideals of a woman who can do exactly what she wants. It is through the use of various rhetorical appeals that Leandra Medine’s “MR’s Out-of-Office Reply Is Chock-Full of Feelings” is able to imply a shift towards a liberated modern woman.

Located within the depths of the fashion blog, Man Repeller, a search of “Leandra Medine” will provide you with the following description: “Leandra Medine is the founder of Man Repeller, which she likes to call a nudist colony, and author of Man Repeller: Seeking Love, Finding Overalls. She just started making her own chia pudding,” (About Leandra Medine 2012). But to further grasp the power of her ethos, one must look beyond the brief description provided by the sentence above. She attended The New School for Liberal Arts in New York, and then took a fact-checking job at New York Magazine (BoF Contributors 2018). Man Repeller was birthed in 2010 out of a semester abroad in Paris, previously under the pseudonym “Boogers + Bagles” (Wallace 2014). As reiterated in The Cut’s article, “its [Man Repeller’s] slangy language (‘this amazeballs Vena Cava safety pin blouse’), and its youthful, bloggy self-disclosure…” that make the site the perfect medium to discuss the underlying sources of self-reflection that are hidden in our everyday consumption of various forms of media (Wallace 2014).

Leandra Medine has a lot going for her: a newly updated Manhattan apartment with custom elephant wallpaper (Ross 2018), a blooming podcast, a Man Repeller Buffet brand complete with “unibrow sunglasses” and rooster earrings (Medine 2018b), and not to mention two beautifully expressive twin girls, all of this often documented via Instagram post. Yet, despite her bountiful achievements Leandra cannot be described as arrogant. She is not without her struggles, in her article “I Have a Complicated Relationship With Happiness” she discusses the struggle of losing relatability once achieving a state of happiness (Medine 2018a). She has also been open with discussing her struggles with infertility on Monocycle, her podcast. Her achievements are discrete, and by showing the good alongside the bad, our humble author is able to create an astounding ethos through which her message can be subjectively interpreted.

An understanding of Man Repeller’s tone is needed to fully discuss the flexibility of a modern woman as implied through the article at hand: “MR’s Out-of-Office Reply Is Chock-Full of Feelings.” Leandra’s quirky writing style is exemplified within the first thirty seconds of her Alexa Chung Interview in Man Repeller’s Chatroom, in which she discusses her contemplation of the word literally. One must first literally discuss the literal meaning of the word “literally,” which Leandra concludes literally connote be taken literally (Man Repeller 2016). Beyond the tangent implied above with the colloquialized interpretation of “literally,” the out of office (OOO) notice up for discussion today is anything but traditional. Yes, it has all the makings of a bounce-back, reply email, generated from a robot behind a screen, but the article has something a typical automated response lacks: heart.

Simply, the letter provides her audience with a personal update from the home front. Directly stated: there will be a lack of content over the holidays as people will be spending time with their families, but when viewed under a metaphorical “black light” the true message of a woman’s free will becomes visible. This declaration of work-place alleviation is paired (or maybe juxtaposed) with a call to action “Go out and do something you love, just for the sake of doing something you love! Go on! Right now!” (Medine 2018c) which rings with a hedonism acceptable only during the holidays. Leandra also uses this time to recap and reflect on the recent changes within Man Repeller HQ.

She opens the article by informing us on her whereabouts: Australia, which is strange for the holidays as traditionally people like to be close to home, but she insists she is still getting some much-needed R & R. By mentioning her own whereabouts Leandra challenges typical ideas of the holidays. She is on a tropical vacation in Australia, without her family, without her children, and without regret for doing so. The unapologetic nature of disregarding tradition shows an aloofness that proves a modern woman can do whatever the heck she wants, even if that thing is going to Australia for Christmas.

After a subtle anecdote about tomato paste, she reiterates Amelia Diamond’s leaving of Man Repeller. Now, for the first-time reader it may not mean much, but for us members of this girl cult, Amelia’s decision to leave came as a shock. Amelia Diamond has been with Man Repeller since the beginning. Her second-to-last post, “Why I’m Finally Letting Go of the Pressure to Be Something I’m Not,” hinted at a dissatisfaction, but never did I expect to read her informal, coded resignation notice to readers at home: “Amelia and Leandra on Working With Your Best Friend (and Saying Goodbye)” (Diamond & Medine 2018). Amelia’s departure was filled with emotion and by even briefly mentioning it, Leandra is able to pull pathos from other posts back into the OOO reply. By addressing the importance of memories, she indirectly touches on nostalgia. Similarly, in his piece “Instagram’s Instant Nostalgia,” Ian Crouch does an amazing job exploring new-wave perceptions of nostalgia (Crouch 2017). Humans have a desire to narrate their lives, and in the booming age of social media, self-documentation has never been easier. A curated sense of nostalgia can now be rendered in seconds with the help of apps such as Leap Second, Instagram, and Snapchat, all of which provide year-long recaps of your posted life. This empathetic sense of nostalgia can be seen through Leandra’s mention of reflecting on old photographs as a way to mark the passing of time. It is in contemplation that we find nostalgia and become more susceptible to empathetic approaches to rhetoric. By emphasizing words such as “memories” and “story” through repetition, an ongoing sense of passing time further adds to the nostalgic pathos appeals within the OOO announcement.

Digressing from Amelia’s departure, Leandra succumbs to the expected momentary self-reflection tied to the New Year. She discusses the notion that as one grows up, you begin to find answers to the great unknowns. You find who you are, what you want, and (almost) exactly how to get there. You become an active participant in your life, whether you realize it of not. Noting the insignificance of numbers on a page, Leandra struggles to accept the duality of human perceptions of time. We struggle to quantify it and therefore struggle to understand it. She uses a page break as an extended metaphor, aiding her attempted comprehension of necessary nostalgia. Moments of reflection, like those that surround the holidays, are not unlike pages breaks. They allow for moments of peace and time to gather our thoughts or, in her case, our miniskirts.

… other times I can’t believe that we don’t always see the significance of adding page breaks to the sequence of time. It’s an opportunity, more than anything, to sit with yourself and acknowledge the mental camera roll of a year passed. You can probably do this with your de facto camera roll but real pictures are distracting in that the memories you glue to them might get obscured by a cool skirt you wore, or how shiny your hair looked — any number of visible variables that tap at your shoulder as if to divert your attention from the grand scheme of the roll… (Medine 2018c).

It is logical for a page break to mark the place to take a breath and reflect. By having moments of reflection throughout the year we are better able to understand ourselves. Especially during points of high-stress, such as the holiday season, taking a meditative moment to re-focus on what really matters has the potential to allow for a more objective approach to life and a centered view of one’s personal desires.

To close the memo, Leandra leaves her audience with generalized advice. “It’s not as bad as you think it was. I guess the thing is that it never is.” (Medine 2018c). Maybe it’s my inner cynic but isn’t it a little cliché to end with generalized, feel-good statements? Similar to how zodiac readings are often less prescriptive and more imprecise than we think, the final paragraph, upon the first read, comes across as superficially airy. However, when further pondered, her words hold value. We must reflect on ourselves, the good and the bad; even within this post we must observe the OOO post’s true significance. Although a thesis is not directly stated, the implied notion of a change in what it means to be a woman in modern society, can be gathered in between the comedic interjections and sappy farewells. The modern woman is many things, but most importantly she is as she wishes to be.

Man Repeller’s brilliant combination of elevated diction and comedic jargon allows for a balance between work and play. This verbal co-op can be further modeled to a modern woman’s balancing act. No longer forced into scratchy pantsuits, and sexist The Office-esque meetings, Leandra exemplifies a sense of balance. She is able to work remotely, spend time with her husband, and still have a life and family back in New York. This duality of highly educated language paired alongside her casual voice shows that the modern woman is multi-faceted. Her articles read as an email from an old friend, and this OOO article is no exception. Whereas traditional scholarly writing is very standoffish, Man Repeller runs a fine-tuned balance, ideal for today’s world. Some critics of Man Repeller may say it is too informal, pulling from fragments such as “begging you to stop, look and unclench your butt cheeks,” (Medine 2018c). However, by choosing to focus on the more childish moments of the piece, one forgets the underlying sophistication of challenging the modern perception of women. No longer seen as chess pieces for society, but rather as their own entities.

Leandra Medine’s “MR’s Out-of-Office Reply Is Chock-Full of Feelings” serves as the perfect monocle through which we can examine the changing ideals of women’s societal expectations. No longer must we follow pre-historic, gendered rules by which women ought to live their lives; instead a movement towards creating our own lives has begun to take root, if only in the niche community of forward-thinking fashion enthusiasts. This hidden essence of the ideal modern-woman might be so elusive because it is different for everyone. Not all women want to live in Manhattan, just as not all women want to spend Christmas in Australia. The modern woman is recognizable by her options and the freedom to choose her own path. And in our own moment of reflection, is that really such a radical idea?

Works Cited

“About Leandra Medine, Author at Man Repeller.” Man Repeller, 2012, www.manrepeller.com/author/manrepeller.

BoF Contributors. “Leandra Medineis One of the 500 People Shaping the Global Fashion Industry in 2018.” The Business of Fashion, The Business of Fashion, 26 Aug. 2018, www.businessoffashion.com/community/people/leandra-medine.

Crouch, Ian. “Instagram's Instant Nostalgia.” The New Yorker, The New Yorker, 19 June 2017, www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/instagrams-instant-nostalgia.

Diamond, Amelia, and Leandra Medine. “Amelia and Leandra on Working With Your Best Friend (and Saying Goodbye).” Man Repeller, 21 Dec. 2018, www.manrepeller.com/2018/12/amelia-and-leandra-say-goodbye.html.

Man Repeller, director. Alexa Chung & Leandra Medine: The Chatroom. YouTube, 12 May 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIDy9VBu1uY&t=197s.

Medine, Leandra. “The Brand New Man Repeller Holiday Buffet Is Here!” Man Repeller, 21 Nov. 2018b, www.manrepeller.com/2018/11/man-repeller-holiday-buffet-launch-2018.html.

Medine, Leandra. “I Have a Complicated Relationship With Happiness.” Man Repeller, 8 June 2018a, www.manrepeller.com/2018/06/relationship-with-feeling-happy.html.

Medine, Leandra. “MR’s Out-of-Office Reply Is Chock-Full of Feelings.” Man Repeller, 24 Dec. 2018c, www.manrepeller.com/2018/12/man-repeller-out-of-office-holidays-2018.html.

Ross, Harling. “Take a Look Inside Leandra Medine's Updated Manhattan Apartment.” Man Repeller, 11 Sept. 2018, www.manrepeller.com/2018/09/leandra-medine-apartment-tour.html.

Wallace, Benjamin. “What's So Alluring About a Woman Known As Man Repeller?” The Cut, The Cut, 8 Feb. 2014, www.thecut.com/2014/02/man-repeller-leandra-medine-profile.html.

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bitchapalooza · 2 years

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I posted 2,141 times in 2021

1499 posts created (70%)

642 posts reblogged (30%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 0.4 posts.

I added 3,980 tags in 2021

#hetalia - 1314 posts

#hetalia incorrect quotes - 634 posts

#incorrect hetalia - 631 posts

#hetalia headcanons - 297 posts

#hetalia america - 250 posts

#hetalia romano - 178 posts

#hetalia south italy - 176 posts

#rambles - 172 posts

#hetalia england - 170 posts

#hetalia north italy - 158 posts

Longest Tag: 138 characters

#nordic kitty playdates are always hosted at norway's bc norway cant get steinn's fat fucking ass in the car without someone else's help 😂

My Top Posts in 2021

America headcanons

• Joined the circus once. He was a clown of course.

• His biggest dream is to fly a blimp.

• Owns two Alexas to prove it to everyone the government is spying through them.

• Has a framed dollar bill in his home office. He won't tell anyone why, just that no one is allowed to touch it.

• Owns a box set of Family Guy DVDs just to burn them once the show finally ends.

• Only magic he's capable of doing is the continuous handkerchief trick. This thoroughly disapoints England.

• Surprise visits Germany every month at a randomly selected date because besides England he's the easiest to pester.

• Is convinced the White House is haunted by Martha Washington's ghost. Forwhatever reason why no one is sure.

• Also convinced he saw Elvis at Walmart once.

• Dad jokes. He's got them memorized.

• Speaking of dad, he dresses like one.

• The type to have cheesy and really bad novelty mugs that barely uses.

• Legally required to finish singing "I want it that way" after starting.

• Back in the 90s he made goat cheese for a living.

• Please don't make him say "its right here" or "over there". Stop making fun of him when he says it like "its righ' heyuh" and "ovah theruh" :(

• He's teaching Russia how to skateboard. It's going as well as one would expect....

• Orders sxx toys in bulk and sends them to France's [government] office; the only place he desperately tries to be professional at.

• Every gift giving opportunity he ALWAYS gives England a cookbook.

• Passive aggressively does his paperwork. There is no other way he does it.

• Owns a bouncy house. Blows it up and jumps in it when he's sad.

• Claims he's in a cult. Is actually stuck in a time share.

• Owns a police light that he puts on his car when he gets a call concerning nation business. He does the wee-woo sound himself.

• Always wins the ugly Christmas sweater contests.

• A real pro at Hungry Hungry Hippos but strangely sucks at Solitare.

• Do not bother him at 1AM. That's his eat peanut butter straight from the jar and play splatoon time.

• By the state of California he can legally officiate a wedding. Well anyway that's how he officiated a wedding for a couple of dogs and how technically it's legal because he might have given those dogs not only American citizenship but also social security numbers and everything else. Who gave this man access to these things!?

• Signed China up for a dating website intended for the single elderly.

• His favorite ice cream may be butter pecan but he'll always say the best flavor is cookie dough.

• Makes his own butter. Does not call it butter. Calls it smooth milk.

240 notes • Posted 2021-01-01 23:30:51 GMT

You cannot tell me Veneziano Italy has weak legs. The fucker has some raw ass sterdy spaghetti legs, not limp cooked spaghetti legs. He runs a lot. And you also cant tell me he doesnt have some muscle built up in his arms after what training Germany does manage to get him to do.

Other than a satanic ritual gone wrong, how else do you think these are possible???

286 notes • Posted 2021-03-06 02:09:26 GMT

Veneziano: I hate being old.

Germany: Old? You're, what? 500 at least? Doesn't seem that old to me, at least in a nation sense anyway. *takes sip of coffee*

Veneziano: Germany. I'm 3000 years old.

Germany: *chokes on coffee*

338 notes • Posted 2021-06-09 13:02:34 GMT

I kinda hate it when Japan is ALWAYS written to be polite??? Let him be a fucking jerk for once like most of humanity damn--

348 notes • Posted 2021-07-03 16:11:39 GMT

Germany handing out gold stars to those who stay fucking quiet during meetings. Greece has the most.

558 notes • Posted 2021-07-15 16:48:19 GMT

Get your Tumblr 2021 Year in Review →

#my 2021 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review

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gabetex · 7 years

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Today I came across a movie I haven’t seen in a while that I enjoy a lot, though it’s no classic like its associations: Alien VS Predator, released back in 2004. Personally, I love Alien and had to watch, ended up liking it and eventually bought a hard copy for the VHS and DVD collection I had then. A wrestling match between two titans of sci-fi and horror is a glorious sight to see, like Freddy VS Jason released the year before, another fun and gory movie prepared for admirers. That’s why these movies are made; for pure fun, cheap thrills and a few reasons to take life lightly yet be aware of all exits and maybe learn some karate.

Unfortunately, sci-fi and horror films don’t get much attention or respect and many great elements are overlooked. Within the industry of motion pictures, not too many have been nominated or won awards and, if they do, only win in production categories like Sound and Makeup. The only horror film that won the Oscar for Best Picture is The Silence of the Lambs (originally a novel by Thomas Harris), which also won Best Actor and Actress, Best Director and Screenplay, the only horror flick that has received so much praise. Many people in the industry speak strongly against sci-fi and horror films and refuse participation, calling the genres shallow and missed opportunities to portray human depth and morality, even though those same people have risen from such projects.

I believe horror and sci-fi flicks are the best method to explore humanity, raw emotion and instinct. Admittedly, sci-fi and horror adds to countless social stigmas and stereotypes, yet just like any other movie genre, all a part of the industry’s diversity issues that seem so evident in award ceremonies, scripts that are produced and castings. The cry for diversity in mainstream media has become a tangled tug of war and every shining accolade has become a tally versus a collective celebration of a motion picture, of direction, of a character, of a setting and predicament, of art. The fight for inclusion has shaken artistic expression and freedom, finding defined lines and requirements to please others, the real gesture that people recognize and party for since sensitivity over mere imagery is at an all-time high. Strong and defiant works of art fall through the cracks, especially those that are more fantastical and usually deep in situations that challenge reality and viewers.

Sci-fi and horror movies actually depict more stories of teamwork, diversity and color blindness, usually set in the future and moments of mind over unique matter. Monsters tend not to discriminate and really test the morality, intelligence and strength of the pool of victims around, the very reason I love zombie stories. Most of the films and characters that garner acclaim usually don’t add much to the conversation and philosophy of filmmaking or ease the diversity battle. As time changes things, a lot of work becomes obsolete or proves to be a negative. Great movies and performances are never celebrated and referenced as they should, lost under projects with bigger names, large budgets and absurd controversies. To be the example I want to see, I’m going to honor a character that has been overlooked by her communities. She is the perfect representative for characters like her from all genres and the casting mentality many people want across the board.

So, I present Alexa Woods, a leading character in Alien VS Predator (written and directed by Paul W.S. Anderson), portrayed by Sanaa Lathan (Love & Basketball, The Best Man). AVP is about just that and since the drama is set present day of 2004 on Earth, humans found a way to get in the middle of it and in turn have been for generations. A wealthy explorer hires a team to excavate an ancient kingdom that’s under ice in Bouvet Island, 2000 miles below the surface, in hopes of being the first to crack it open. Since the location is in icy territory, the expedition needs a knowledgeable and experienced guide, Alexa Woods.

Alexa Woods proves to be more capable and brave than her notable reputation. Not only is she able to trek high altitudes, a stickler for every safety rule and a cautionary tell, she’s a fighter for her entire team and against the story’s vicious creatures. I must say Alien and Predator, though fictional (allegedly), are far more dangerous than equality and personal demons and Woods takes them on with everything she’s got. With the movie’s conclusion, I’m surprised the communities that usually highlight and parade such characters haven’t pushed Alexa forward.

Alexa Woods checks very important diversity boxes that have a great impression on our society. Honing in, she is a mountaineer and survival guide, something that isn’t seen every day, though the mountaineering sport really isn’t a pop culture hit and readily available to most of us, which is a great example of accomplishment and strength, indeed breaking stereotypes and offers a visual that can inspire many to succeed in an extreme activity that entails research, practice and travel. The role could have easily been created or casted with what has been deemed as an obvious choice. This character is the epitome of what is being pursued in Hollywood; a diverse face for any kind of role. Sadly, this character has never been mentioned in any article or Top Lists, no matter how specific I get on Google, unexpected since Ellen Ripley of the original Alien popped up in a lot of what I found. Alexa even emboldens the mold her predecessor created.

I suppose Alexa hasn’t been noticed due to the movie’s success and simple substance generated for the franchises involved. AVP’s reviews were not good, gaining a 5.6/10 on IMDB, 21/100% from Rotten Tomatoes and 29/100% from Metacritic, though earning about $173 million over a $70 million budget. Should the critical failure, a duel franchise black sheep, diminish a tremendous character? No matter what was produced the character held her own in extraordinary situations, a hefty value when compared to any other story, and was a breath of fresh air for both cult worlds.

Whether AVP was good or bad, throughout the film there was never a mention or acknowledgement of ethnicity or gender. There’s a neutrality and relatability that allows the characters and setting to flourish. I see this notion as the modern goal of cinema and casting. Many communities want more stories of their gender and cultures, hanging Hollywood for not delivering. Yet those endeavors rest on their shoulders and they need to step up in creating a playground for their personal tales, since they cater to themselves and what’s produced usually tends to be biographies, historic retellings and ‘Look what I can do’s.

Movies like Alien VS Predator and characters like Alexa Woods are what the main stage needs. We need stories that use the ideal social climate, set an evolved normality and boast characters that can be anyone from anywhere. The past is the past and offering a cinematic showcase of people, places and moments that have existed will come and go and be forgotten just like the subjects, no matter the worth. In my opinion, history lessons for sale don’t change or prove much and images of suffering result in two ways.

One, they go unnoticed from the public and industry, like the TV series Underground (created by Misha Green and Joe Pokaski), a portrayal of runaway slaves, abolitionists and the Underground Railroad, done up with hard hitting realities and edgy suspense, recently cancelled due to changes at WGN. The Emmy nominations are out and not one is for Underground. People are excited for Viola Davis to play Harriet Tubman but have not celebrated Aisha Hinds’ brilliant undertaking of the prominent USA figure in Underground, an iconic force that has not had much screen time. Episode Minty of season two gives great insight into Tubman’s journey to freedom and the fight that still lies ahead, shining a light on Hinds talent among many great actors involved and the impressive aesthetic produced. Sadly, this series, the most relevant to USA today, will not get its owed dues.

Secondly, instead of flying under the radar, projects like Underground actually backfire and cause controversy, overshadowing the artistry and performances, lending themselves to ridicule, tension, resistance and woes of entitlement, though history and facts prove every word written and edit made. Either way, the public responds to pain and injustices so differently and the intended value falls down to a star rating, a critic’s review and a possible award nomination that leads to more disaster.

Out of the handful of movies that some say have changed society, like JFK, The Day After Tomorrow, Super Size Me, Rosetta and Philadelphia – I will never forget what my friend and film school classmate from Turkey told me how The Help informed her of life in USA during the ‘60s – all the issues represented are still alive and well. An honest education system should be teaching our history and more, which ought to humble everyone. The only character that has progressed, whether a mere detail or the main focus is technology, a sci-fi and horror favorite. The stories that depict gadgets to full on artificial intelligence are slowly becoming reality, shaping and shifting society by offering means to be anything and anywhere and reach millions of lives. How crazy would it be if our journey matched 2001: Space Odyssey, reliant on an entity like HAL 9000. That guy always reminds me of the questions: Does art imitate life? Or does life imitate art?

SPOILER ALERT:

So, going forward we should create more images, more movies, more art of, again, the ideal social climate, set in an evolved normality and boast characters that can be anyone from anywhere. Where are stories of trusting? Also, we need to celebrate the right stories, moments, details and characters to strengthen the prestige, theory and entertainment of motion pictures, even if corrections need to be made like Alien VS Predator. That’s what remakes are for. We need bold unifying characters conquering situations that can capture our hearts and minds without keeping the scenario of ‘us vs them’ within our species, defining ‘them’ as something completely different, like Alien or Predator VS Alexa Woods.

The Power & Misses of the Motion Picture Industry Today I came across a movie I haven’t seen in a while that I enjoy a lot, though it’s no classic like its associations: …

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