#also can we appreciate that I was done and it was at 2019 words and I purposefully added one more word to get it to 2020

[welcome-to-green-hills]

So I know that you’ve answered this question before but I can’t find the OG post. Do you remember when you made that post talking about sonic w being left or right handed? I’m trying to find it but I don’t see it. Is sonic w left or right handed because of him playing baseball?

Hello, my dear!❤️✨

I know exactly what you’re referring to. Unfortunately, I can’t find it myself. But it’s perfectly okay! I’m more than happy to summarize the original post… as well as add a few more details to strengthen the claim.

Recreation:

In the original post (from what I can remember), an anon asked whether Sonic Wachowski was left handed or right handed due to the claim of him being a “South Paw” in baseball. While I can appreciate the use of baseball being the supporting claim of him being left handed, I believe that there's a stronger piece of evidence to use instead. In baseball, players are strongly encouraged to play with both hands. Their dominant hand controls the throw and the off-hand controls the swing of the bat (Smith, 2023). In this case, we see Sonic W. pitch and hit with both his left and right hands in each of the films.

Sonic is a sporty guy! There are other recreational examples that can be used to show what hand is dominant, like skateboarding. Typically, skateboarders put their dominant foot at the back of the board to help control the movement of the skater (N/A, 2021). Sonic mounds his skateboard with his right and controls the board with his left after doing a loop-de-loop in the living room. Sliding down the mountain in Siberia, Sonic kicks off the makeshift board with his left side and controls with his right sliding down the mountain. Alternating scenes show that Sonic evades Buzzbombers with his left foot controlling the makeshift board. These show that Sonic has complete control of the board with either his left or right foot in back, but left being the most reliable.

The best supporting evidence to use that Sonic Wachowski is left-handed dominant is table tennis. The sport encourages players to use both hands, but the controlled swing and serve of the paddle is done with you dominant hand (Kaddoura, 2022). In this case, each swing and stance that he does is done with his left side.

Handwriting:

I've also used the example of how he writes his bucket list and checks off at the Piston Pitt. Handwriting Kinematics is a motor skill--and sensory motor skills--that helps us identify one's comprehension, concept of space, and locomotion (Horovits et al., 2013). It’s a very fancy way of saying how one writes their comprehensive thoughts, how the information is displayed onto the page, how words are organized, how letters are formed while writing, and how others are able to perceive your thoughts. This is slightly different from Graphology, which studies handwriting to determine one's personality. These are variable that an anthropologists, like myself, look at daily.

We're able to see how easily Sonic scribes his thoughts onto the notepad in the bar. His thoughts are flowing and he's able to write at a speed that matches his idea. These thoughts and memory recall that inspired the ideas are jotted down with his right hand. This shows that he's in complete control of how to can connect his inner voice with a physical object to write down. However, the lettering seen on the list itself suggests otherwise. As Sonic checks off his list (which is done by his left hand), we get a pretty good shot of how his A's and T's (both capitalized and lowercase) are written.

Typically, those that are left-handed dominant cross their T's from the right to the left and clock-wise strokes rather than counter-clockwise for A's (Lysonswood, 2019). This means that when you make the cross for a "T," the right side has a heavy stroke with a faint line on the left. For those that are right-handed, it's the opposite. The way that Sonic writes his T's show that if was done by a right-handed individual. Sonic's A's in the list suggest that his pencil strokes move clockwise rather than counter-clockwise.

Whether this was an editing error or not, both of these perspectives show that Sonic doesn't struggle with using his left or right hand when writing. This shows that Sonic swapped hands at one point in that scene.

Conclusion:

At the end of the day, I think that it's safe to say that Sonic Wachowski is ambidextrous. Sonic has displayed the ability to write with both hands and display daily locomotion just fine. Little things like high-fives and power bumps are done with his right hand. There appears to be no struggle when using his left or right hands. There is a healthy balance between both. Even though he's seen utilizing both hands, it appears to be that Sonic favors his left hand the most in the films.

I hope that this answers your question, my dear.

#sonic movie #sonic movie 2 #sonic wachowski #mystery anon #off topic #I am an anthropologist #I am an archaeologist #sonic movie 3

[old-school-butch]

Thank you for having anon on, you must get a lot of hate, but i'm a hidden recently deprogrammed ex-TIF and i appreciate being able to... confess to being a woman without being hung for it. i know that when i come out with this i will lose most of my friends because my detransition will "invalidate" them all. they will push me out so they can remain "gay men".

i wanted to ask what you think about ex-TIFs? and if you've seen how it plays out when we (re)integrate into womanhood, from the side of women. i've only seen it from the side of TRAs and it's an excommunication and violent rejection. i'm going to lose my community, and i have (since i started looking into it) fully agreed with most radfem core beliefs you see here on tumblr.

i took testosterone for years, but i also stopped in 2019 because it made me so angry. i have no breasts and a deepened voice. i wonder how radfems might see me. will i seem like a returned traitor?

will other women be interested in me still? i'm bisexual, but was pushed to mainly date men as a TIF because those relationships were "gay" and dating women was hetero and "lesser" love. i don't want to center men anymore. but i have no breasts, and i have no woman's voice. do women care? i don't know.

i ask you because you are older and maybe you would know. my best wishes to you. thank you.

I keep anon on for just this reason, because I remember how insane I felt when I found the courage to stop pushing aside those thoughts that, surely, everyone knows we're making all this up and just being nice, right?

It's an unfortunate part of human nature that it's easier to con someone than persuade them they've been conned. Once the con is taken up, it's agonizing to admit it and pull away from it. You have to live with the harms you've done along the way, which I admit to and which will eventually weigh on you as well. It's not easy, especially when your immediate friends will be harsh with you. If they don't cast you out, you might find yourself self-isolating to pre-emptively remove yourself and spare yourself the pain.

I'm not going to lie, you will encounter women who regard you as a traitor because they, themselves, have not come to terms with the harms they've done, or they've been lucky enough to not have been tested on this crucible and can't believe that anyone can be turned so upside down as we have.

However, you're not alone. I have no statistics but in meeting younger lesbians I'd guess at least 1 in 3 of them are detransitioners from varying stages of identifying as trans. If you are same-sex attracted or gender non-conforming in any way, today's society will digest that as 'trans?' and without saying a word you will find yourself being they/them without ever asking, and transition will be suggested if you suffer from so much as a bad period cramp or any frustration with your body. As women and as lesbians, we experience so much pain that society ignores, and the most powerful articulation of that anguish in our time is 'this can't be the body I'm meant to be in.' Like anorexia, dissociative identities, cutting and other expressions of female despair, we are permitted to lash out destructively as long as we bring down that rage on our own bodies. We continue to inhabit these scarred battlefields long after the fighting has moved on.

I guess the main thing to know is that you are not alone. In fact, I suspect that the 'part of my story where I was convinced I was trans' is going to be part of the coming-out pantheon for lesbians in the future that is as common as having a crush on a straight friend and have the talk with your parents. I don't think having breasts or a deeper voice will condemn you to loneliness, I don't think anyone can blame you for what's happening or being swept up in it. If they do, you can ask them why they didn't stop you, why their voices didn't reach you when you needed it most, and why - now that you've found your own way home with very little help from anyone around you - they aren't appreciating the courage and effort it took for you to find your way.

Welcome home, sister.

[take-the-hidden-paths]

HIDDEN PATHS: A Celebration of the Smaller Tolkien Canons

Hello, and welcome to Hidden Paths, a fortnight-long event dedicated to the celebration of smaller Tolkien canons!

We all know and love the tales of Tolkien's Middle-earth, but the Professor's creative and academic endeavours didn't stop there.  However, fanworks for smaller Tolkien canons (such as Farmer Giles of Ham, Mr. Bliss, Leaf by Niggle and more) are much rarer than works inspired by their Middle-earth counterparts.  This event was created to be a low-pressure, low-commitment opportunity to explore those lesser known works, and create and share fanworks based on them.

Define “smaller Tolkien fandoms”. 

Basically, any Tolkien canon or text (including academic works and translations) that is not explicitly set in Middle-earth and is not based on The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, or The Silmarillion and closely related histories.  This includes, but is not limited to:

Beowulf/Sellic Spell

Farmer Giles of Ham

The Fall of Arthur

The Father Christmas Letters

Finn and Hengest

The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth Beorhthelm's Son

The Lay of Aotrou and Itroun

Leaf by Niggle

The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún

Mr. Bliss

Mythopoeia

The Notion Club Papers

Pearl

Roverandom

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Sir Orfeo

Songs for the Philologists

Smith of Wootton Major

The Story of Kullervo

Tolkien (2019 film)

Tolkien's essays, poems, letters and non-ME artwork

We also accept fanworks based on The Adventures of Tom Bombadil (because it collects a number of poems that were not originally intended as part of the Middle-earth canon) and The Book of Lost Tales (because it differs so significantly from later versions of the legendarium), and/or centring characters or concepts that only appear in extremely early drafts of The Lord of the Rings (e.g. Trotter).  

We know that this leaves a bit of a grey area, but ultimately, we will trust and accept the judgement of fanwork creators.  Act in good faith, and assume that others have done the same. 

How does it work? 

At the start of the event (14th February) the mod will post seven optional prompts to inspire you.  There will be a thematic prompt, a character-based prompt, a setting-based prompt, a text prompt, a visual prompt, an audio prompt, and a wildcard prompt.  A second batch of prompts will be posted on the 21st. 

If you like the prompts, then use any or all of them to create and share a fanwork based on one or more small Tolkien canons.  If they don't speak to you, then please feel free to do your own thing – the prompts are there to spark creativity, not impede it! 

What types of fanworks do you accept? 

Anything you like.  Fic, poetry, meta, art, edits, vids, podfic, craft, cosplay, rec lists, playlists, compositions, interviews with fellow fans...it's all good. 

Are there any minimum requirements? 

No, none.  Want to write a six-word story?  Be our guest. 

Are crossovers permitted? 

Yes!  We accept crossovers with the Middle-earth canons, and with non-Tolkien fandoms.  We only ask that one of the smaller Tolkien canons plays a significant role in your fanwork. 

What do you consider a significant role? 

We don't.  The event is intended to be low commitment and low stress for both participants and the moderator, and we trust that people will act in good faith.  We are not going to police fanworks or apply an arbitrary definition of “significant” - we leave that up to the creator to decide. 

Does actor RPF count? 

For the purposes of this event, no it doesn't, unless you are also drawing on elements from a smaller canon (e.g. Liv Tyler encountering the Shadow-Bride).

Where do I post my fanworks? 

We have an AO3 collection, but you may post your fanworks anywhere you like.  We'd appreciate a link back to our Dreamwidth or Tumblr page, though, to spread the word about the event! 

Are there any restrictions on rating or content? 

Nope.  Tag and warn appropriately, as you normally would, but make whatever your heart desires. 

Can I post fanworks that were inspired by or created for another event, or created prior to the event's inception? 

Yes!  The goal is to celebrate and increase content for the smaller Tolkien fandoms.  Please feel free to share your creations and add them to the collection, regardless of whether they were created specifically for this event. 

I want to take part but I don't know anything about the smaller canons.  Help!?

Tolkien Gateway has helpfully collated a list of Tolkien's writings, and some of the articles reproduce or link to the actual text.  This is a great place to start browsing, and to find out more about a text before you invest in your own copy.

Have a look at fanworks for some of the smaller canons and see what appeals.  Innumerable Stars and TRSB both have several works for the smaller canons in their collections, and many of them can be understood with no prior knowledge of the source material.

Lists of characters appearing in the various texts and canons can also be a useful jumping off point - like this one for The Book of Lost Tales.

Many of the smaller canons are just that - small!  If you can get hold of a copy from your local library, book store or from a fellow fan, they are generally quick to read and digest.

If anyone has any other ideas and resources for folks wanting to dip a toe into the smaller canons, please get in touch so they can be added to this list. 

When does the event run? 

Officially, February 14th-28th.  Unofficially, as long as you like; the prompts will stay up and the AO3 collection won't close.

#hidden paths #tolkien #tolkien fandom event #signal boost

[thetimemoves]

20 questions for fic writers

I was tagged by @raina-at @discordantwords and @totallysilvergirl, thank you!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

20

2. What's your total A03 word count?

57, 682. Not a lot for 20 works, but 10 of them are 221b ficlets. I only have one fic over 10k (it's just over 11.3k).

3. What fandoms do you write for?

BBC Sherlock

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

Never Trust to General Impressions

Abditory

Feel My Heart Banging Like a Gun

Out of Every Nowhere

Forth They Went Together

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Yes, I do. I'm so thrilled to get them and appreciate it when someone takes the time to leave a comment. It makes me giddy, it does!

6. What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I like to end on a happy, or at least hopeful, note but occasionally angst comes out on top. I think it's probably a tie between these two: Paperweight, which is Sherlock's POV when Molly gives him John's letter at the end of TST; and With Regrets, which is John's POV as he says goodbye to Sherlock in the hospital after the beating in TLD.

Both are 221b ficlets, so at least it's a sharp punch of angst and not an extended bout? Not kidding about that punch, though (sorry not sorry).

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

This is a tough one, but I think these are probably the happiest:

bitter, sweet

Feel My Heart Banging Like a Gun

Abditory

8. Do you get hate on fics?

No, thankfully. Hopefully that continues.

9. Do you write smut?

I love me some good smut, but I don't write it (yet). Certain bits in Feel My Heart Banging Like a Gun and Steady as They Go are the closest I've come so far, but they're not smutty.

10. Do you write crossovers?

No. I don't. One of my WIPs is a Stand By Me/The Body (Stephen King) fusion, but I'm not interested in writing any crossovers right now.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I'm aware of.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes, which amazes me! Two have been translated into Russian.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

@splix71 and I began to plot out a Sherlock bounty hunter AU I had initially come up with back in 2019. We had so much fun coming up with names and theories and plot points, so much fun. Unfortunately, she had to step back due to health reasons (FUCK CANCER) and afterwards I couldn't bring myself to go back to it. I doubt I ever will, as clever as I think some of the things we came up with were. I don't know that there is a place anymore for Baker Street Bonds, Yarders Bail Service, or Reichenbach Bail, but I will always treasure the time we spent on it together (that she, a most amazing writer, wanted to write something with me, still blows my mind).

14. What's your all-time favourite ship?

Mulder/Scully and Sherlock/John.

15. What's the WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

I have a Sherlock/John hunt the Bogeyman fic I've been poking at for YEARS. I love a lot of what I've written, but I wrote myself into a corner and haven't quite figured out how to get out. At this point I despair of ever finishing it, but never say never.

16. What are your writing strengths?

221b ficlets. I think I've done well with these in conveying lots of emotion in little moments.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Clever case fic and complicated plots. I can also get a bit wordy in my beginnings sometimes (ironic, considering my ability to write a strong 221b ficlet) and need a gentle nudge to cut to the action.

Also, if I'm going to be brutally honest, I tend to walk away too quickly when I get stuck and don't make myself work out the problem right then. Hence my many languishing WIPs.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I've not done it yet and don't see it happening down the road either.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

For published fic, BBC Sherlock. There might be some self-insert stories with River Phoenix in my very distant past.

20. Favourite fic you've ever written?

Ooof, this is a hard one because every finished fic is a victory for me. That said, I'll always have a soft spot for Abditory. I had been in love with Sherlock since 2011 and devoured fic at an unholy rate, but was never dared write my own until 2017, after the last series. Better late than never, right? I also really loved writing Never Trust to General Impressions, with its slice-of-life looks at Sherlock and John's evolving relationship in relation to canon (with a not-so-canon twist on TRF). Funnily enough, both are 5+1 fics.

This was fun! I have loved reading all of these from everyone too. I'm going to be That Person and tag everyone who wants to do this but hasn't been tagged yet. Please do share!

#writing #writing meme #fic writer asks #my fic

[lestappenforever]

hi angel c:

may I just say that this gp was as a fiction? it served us SO MUCH Lestappen content from the begging to the very end! i was scared that at some point it's gonna be fucked (yep talking about Charles' "luck") but instead we got a joint interview, a lot of waist grabbing, smiles and giggles, press conferences with "inchident" jokes and karting days (i'm so sorry for Checo and Carlos being the third wheel but it's inevitable, guys) AND the most important – a battle even in FP2 and then in race! i mean, Charles has done FANTASTIC job (not only in race but throughout the whole weekend. his quali laps? fuck that was hot). i don't remember when was the last time someone overtook Max in battle for the lead. i wanna scream to see Charles in capable and suitable for his style car (and reliable team that does not fuck up the strategies *side-eye to RBR*) 😭😭😭

is Vegas gp gonna be Austria 2.0? we even had the "dirty move" from Max which helped him to took the lead (as in 2019 but thanks fuck no grudges are left no divorce and yeah this time it was just a grip problem), then battles and the sensual podium. damn let us have every gp as Austria and Vegas and Lecstappen tumblr will go completely insane ._.

i'm also still not over the fact that Max apologized. I mean this man is literally the entire weekend was: FUCK YOU OKON FUCK YOU GEORGE FUCK YOU VEGAS FUCK EVERYONE OF YOU except you charlie you're my sweety lovely im sorry for the turn 1 schatje 🥺👉🏻👈🏻

i've seen some people being afraid of "lestappen divorce" after that turn 1, but i wasn't one of them. i really think that their relationship has seriously changed. sure that Max always treated Charles in a special way, congratulating him on good positions, even if he himself lost. but for some reason I feel that Charles himself now does not transfer what happens on the track beyond its boundaries. Austin sprint was also the proof.

okay thanks for listening to my rambling, i'm sleep deprived, these FPs at 5:30 and a race at 7:00 at the weekend the only fucking days when I can get some sleep kinda killed me

anyway, let me just remind you that you're beautiful and precious and just incredibly wonderful person🖤 i'm always looking forward for your posts and every time you reply to anons it's so warm, it makes my day better when i read it. just all your love and kindness you're giving people here... it's valuable. you're valuable. love ya, have a great day!!❤️

Denis, my darling, hello! ❤️

Once again you are dropping truth bombs in my ask box, and I am so happy to read them. I agree with every take you've shared here: the Las Vegas GP practically being taken straight out of a fic, and it actually giving Austria 2022 a run for its money. (Which I doubt any of us were prepared for, let's be honest.)

Both Max and Charles have grown so much over the years, and it's wonderful to see that their relationship has reached the point it's at now. Max apologizing to Charles for the incident in turn 1 is definitely a testament to the severe shift their friendship has taken recently, and it's just beautiful to watch.

I wasn't worried at all about their friendship suffering because of what happened in turn 1, and I think those who were worried about a potential "divorce" are people who haven't been as up-to-date on the shift of their friendship recently. They've reached a point where they can have incidents like that during a race without it impacting their relationship negatively at all. And if that isn't growth, then I don't know what is.

I hope you're catching up on some much needed sleep following this race weekend. 💙

Denis, you have given me such a good reason to smile this Monday morning with yet another heartfelt and kind ask, and words can't express how much I appreciate that and you. You are such a sweetheart, you're so incredibly beautiful inside and out, and you deserve the entire world. I'm so moved by your words, thank you so, so much. I'm so happy my posts can have that kind of impact on you.

Thank you so much for making my entire day with this. You're so valuable too, and I love you. 💕

#Asks #Lestappen asks #paint-it-red-and-black #Denis ❤️

[statementlou]

Hi, how was your show!!!??

Thank you for asking! It was great, OBVIOUSLY. I saw Louis play a short set in late 2019, but was not able to go to Walls tour, so this was my first time at a proper tour show (in Berkeley last night) and it was brilliant! I have been trying to figure out what to say besides that though cause tbh there are two posts I want to make. So… both? First for my recap- it was so loud, like the music was just normal concert loud but I had to plug my ears against the screaming between songs cause it was way louder- I just figured it was the in person experience difference but no, Louis confirmed, “you guys have been so fucking loud in here tonight, it's actually been hard for me to hear” so GO US! The chokingly thick haze of weed smoke (“I already feel the energy, I already feel the love, I can already smell the weed,” he was not fucking kidding) to usher in HIC in California (and all the other songs lol) didn’t diminish the energy a bit! Truly, there is nothing like the energy of shared live music, and meeting eyes of other fans (through the trees) and sharing that excitement. And seeing actual physical unmediated Louis, just existing in space being a real live human, yeah. Something.

I was like I'm not gonna bother to take pictures or anything, I just want to dance and hear and look, everyone else's pics will be better anyway but then the TECH, you guys know how much I love the fucking aesthetic of this tour and the screens were SO PRETTY in real life!! So in fact I KEPT getting my phone out for that so like... good one tech crew, you got me. Look for many low quality aesthetic posts of the screens incoming, sorry not sorry. Common People was SO PRETTY, his voice was so clear and lovely and I'm so glad that's been added in. WDBHG went HARD live, holy shit, SO FUN (tho tbh me as Louis thinking I know all the words to that song but it turns out there are a lot? And I do not? At least I was in the best possible company fumbling and mumbling through parts.) Heartbroken I didn’t get Saturdays live (honestly the one song I think might have been my exception to the next thing I’m gonna say) but so thankful for BTM🖤

But part two of this post is to say that watching the livestreams with you all is also brilliant and special and also lets me experience the beauty of Louis’ voice and presence and connection and the feeling of experiencing something together. I wasn’t able to go last year, and I know some of you (many many thousands worldwide!) won’t be able to go this year either or maybe ever, and I know you are seeing the posts telling you there is nothing like being there and you can't really know or appreciate Louis/ Louis’ voice/ the experience unless you are there in person and it feels sad and I want to tell you that I have done the research now and I don’t think that is true. Most people who go to the show won’t have a Y/N moment and be Perceived by Louis or be at barricade, and I don’t think the experience we are having online together is less real or profound than the live experience. His voice sounded fucking gorgeous and soaring and I loved it, but even if you are there it is mediated by all kinds of tech; I imagine getting to be present for an acoustic performance really would be something that couldn’t be replicated but I think a really good live through a clear speaker or a nice quality show video is in fact just fine. Some of the songs did hit me harder in person and get my blood pumping in a different way, yes- but others I actually think I get a fuller experience of in a chiller more focused environment when everything isn’t flying by as quickly. Like I don’t think the megamix would impact the way it does (UGH I LOVE IT SO MUCH) if I just saw it live once and done, for example. Anyway I’m just saying if you can’t make your own (go to the show) store bought is fine (hang with us at stream time! or just whatever online content). While I never intend to watch every stream in fact I am usually right here and love to chat and squee with people, come hang out, or just watch some videos and enjoy the magic.

#obviously overall HECK YES SO HAPPY but I have two complaints in addition to the Saturdays Issue #one is that the Snuts didn’t play Maybe California?? for their first california show?????? why do they hate me?!!! #to be clear it is ON THEIR SETLIST. AND YET. #and the other is something I’ve come up on before with these guys which is that being in the location where your show is always #the day BEFORE the one they are really excited about (LA)… is kind of a bummer🙈it is what it is and it's not a big deal but js #was about to say why can't any of them ever go in the other direction but LMAO NEVER MIND #the question answers itself 😂 #anyway I have more thoughts about live vs online experiencing of it all but ...another time #blah blah blah #fitfwt berkeley

[i23kazu]

I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER (you'd come for me, anyway.)

warnings – (lots of) swearing, suggestiveness, kissing, light violence characters – diluc x gn!reader (modern au, college au) genre – romantic fluff. a/n – CHAPTER TWO of I’D GROW OLD WITH YOU !!! thank you for waiting omg i hope you guys enjoy ;) please read till the end! | please reblog!! it rly helps a starter blog like me ><

— 彡 ╰⊰✿´ description: a multi-chapter series in which diluc and you have been married for over 15 years now. this is the story of how you two met, fell in love, and lived happily ever after. (college!au, modern!au)

“We shouldn’t be doing this. The students wouldn’t trust us anymore. This could damage the whole council’s reputation.” You murmured, adjusting his collar and tie. 

“I’d risk it.” He leaned in. 

“Diluc, I don’t think we-“ 

Oh, God. 

Never in your life would you have imagined that you would be kissing Diluc Ragnvindr, much less in an empty classroom. The two of you had spent so long resenting each other that the only thing you really needed was right under- 

“Oh, what do we have here?~ Didn’t know my dear brother was so charming with the ladies. Especially the secretary of the student council.”

Oh, shit. 

end fb ––

Oh, shit, you mumbled – quickly pulling apart from Diluc. Kaeya sauntered out of the room, a smirk plastered on his face. 

Shit, shit, shit. 

Kaeya *beeeeeeep*-ing Alberich, if you even think of getting this out to anyone, I swear to the Archons, my hands will be around your neck and I won’t be kissing you. 

“Kaeya, what the hell do you think you’re doing?” 

Kaeya stood there, on his phone. Oh, Archons. Please, please please don’t be texting anyone about it. 

Kaeya Alberich, also known as your ex, whom you broke up with in 2019. Three years ago. He had never stopped chasing after you, even when you had made it clear that you were done with the relationship. The blue-haired was too cocky to appreciate you, too mysterious to let you fully into his life, and too… just too much. Let’s face it – some people just weren’t made for each other and the two of you weren’t compatible. 

“Imagine if word gets out, (Y/N). Teyvat Academy’s scandal, hm? The president and his secretary, canoodling after hours… what a shame if word got out that the only reason why the two of you got the highest positions in student council was because of each other?” He taunted. 

“That wouldn’t be a good look, Alberich. Snitches get stitches, and people always favour the underdog.” You glared at him, folding your arms across your chest. 

“And that would work if I was the underdog, would it? Poor Alberich, his ex got together with his brother! And all he wanted was them back.” Kaeya smirked. 

“You wouldn’t dare. You wouldn’t fricking dare.” You couldn’t believe this man. All of this? Just to get back at you? Archons, what the actual f—

Kaeya stepped closer to you. 

“You have no idea what I’m willing to do just to get you back, (Y/N).” You could feel his breath from standing so close. 

“Get the hell away from them, Kaeya.” Ragnvindr stood in front of you, holding a protective hand in front of you. 

"Diluc, don't. I can handle this."

"Oh, how sweet." The said man just laughed. "My dear brother is so willing to protect my past lover from me!"

Diluc saw red.

He swung at Kaeya, fist slamming into his brother's cheek.

"Get the hell away from them! This is your last warning. I don't care if you're my brother, but you hurt them, you answer to me. Archons know you deserve everything that's coming to you."

“You make me laugh, Diluc. Remember, (Y/N) — there’ll come a time when you have to choose between me and him, but I hope you remember this. I’ll never stop loving you, even if he does.” Kaeya chuckled, the side of his mouth bleeding from the impact.

He glared at the two of you and left, muttering something about "that mutt always getting into my way". Call me a bitch, whatever.

Oh, God. 

You sank into Diluc’s arms. 

“Are you alright?” He asked, leading you to your seat in the classroom. 

“What.. what the hell? He.. he threatened to tell everyone, Diluc. Then you swung at him. Oh God, Diluc, he could use this against you and file a report and we could both lose our council positions and it'll forever be a mark on our–” 

“That’s not the end of the world, (Y/N), we’ll—“ 

“No! Diluc, you worked hard for this position! You and I worked ourselves to the bone since day one, and now it’s all going to crash and burn because of a kiss in the heat of a moment and your stupid brother and your stupid need to protect me, I can’t just let it all go to waste! ” You were, quite literally, in hysterics. Possibly from the shock and adrenaline.

Diluc continued to stroke your back as you tried (keyword: tried) to calm down your quickened breathing. He shifted you slightly such that you were now leaning against him… yeah, his heart was definitely quickening too. 

“Fuck Kaeya,” You mumbled, head against Diluc’s chest. 

“I’m sure that’s what he wants you to do.” The redhead chuckled. 

“I’m serious, though. Diluc, if he gets this out… this could be a lot more trouble for us than we realise. He’s more than happy to burn up our internship applications and all if he doesn’t stop now.” You whispered. 

“Then we’ll do something about it. Not now, you’ve had enough excitement for a day. I'll walk you home?” 

“Yeah.”

Yeah. Dinner and bed sounded good.

AHHHHHHH PLS REBLOG IF YOU ENJOYED this took me three days to write…. sobsob. join the taglist if you liked this!!!!

TAGLIST: @codename-hiraeth , @codename-hiraeth , @infinn-toru , @loptido , @loptido, @126dvtn , @tiredsleep , @ssybil , @cirrustix , @yuzuricebun , @ineshapanda , @tellerluna-stories, @insomniacwreck , @yelanwifey

join the taglist if you liked it!!! :D i dont allow anyone to repost my works!

masterlist for I'D GROW OLD WITH YOU

#diluc x gn reader #diluc x reader #genshin x reader #genshin x gn reader #diluc genshin impact #diluc fluff #genshin diluc #genshin fanfic #genshin impact x reader #[📝 stewardess' notepad!] #genshin imagines #genshin impact #kaeya angst #genshin kaeya #kaeya x gn reader #kaeya x y/n #kaeya x you #diluc angst #genshin impact angst #diluc ragnvindr #genshin impact diluc #I'D GROW OLD WITH YOU

[bottlecaprabbitgames]

Weekly Update for 27 March, 2023

Howdy, folks! Welcome to the last update of March! Time really has flown, jesus-

Mind Games: Trepidation

Onto our favorite subject! If you guys haven't seen, there have been multiple edits pushed for mostly Chapter 1 and 2 this week! These edits have added new options to some dialogue choices, some customisation choices, and some variation to certain spots where I saw I favored sarcastic MCs over others. There have been a couple of grammar fixes pushed in Chapter 3, 4, and 5, but I have not done a more thorough editing of those chapters; after putting in some achievements, my brain kinda just. Flat-lined and needed a break, lol!

I have gotten LOADS done on Chapter 6! I am actually in Scene 3/4 for the rough draft, with about half of Scene 3's rough draft completed. Again, the rough draft is just me going through and picking one option for each branch and getting through the story so I know where it'll go when I go back to flesh it out! However, that's still a LOT of progress!!! The whole chapter is at about 5,600 words, and before doing the update I had started editing Scene 1 for a bit to start fleshing out so it's not so much work later.

A few things with MG:T:

In case you aren't aware, MG:T is only expected to be 9 Chapters, NOT including Interludes and the Epilogue. We are over 50% done with the game! VERY EXCITING!!! (Especially as I am ITCHING to get to book 2, lol!)

Chapter 6 is expected to be out in April. I will be releasing it in full as I'm expecting it to be a small to average size chapter.

I am always open to feedback and suggestions! Honestly, I would REALLY LOVE for you folks to tell me where you think improvements could be made or where you'd like to see more choices/what kind of choices you want to see more of. Be the change you want to see, lol!!

Remember: Every time an update is pushed, your saves will be corrupted! I try to push things all at once, but I never know how much I'll get done at any one time so sometimes I push smaller updates over a course of a day. If you aren't seeing anything new, it might be because your save is before the update was pushed!

I am still checking this Google Form! I am considering making one that is all about feedback and suggestions, and I DO check the one that's listed there daily! I actually have an active list of suggestions and stuff people have given me, and I do try to take the stuff you guys tell me needs fixing and put those fixes into the game!! Those of you who have answered the feedback section have been amazingly helpful and I appreciate it so much!!!

In case you missed it, I do have a page up now that has a list of all the free scenarios I've posted in the past and present, at least, the ones I could find! It also has a list of sneak peeks from Patreon I've posted! Some of them are a bit outdated as they're from, like, when I first started writing the game back in 2018-2019, but they're still enjoyable!

There is a poll up on Patreon right now that ends in 2 weeks! It's letting Patrons vote for which RO(s) will 100% be featured in April's scenarios for Patreon, and as a special treat, one of the 2 chosen ROs will be available to the lower tier as well! And, the lower tier can always vote in polls. The tier prices are $3 and $10, with $3 opening up polls, a sneak peek, discord benefits, weekly update+ content, and credits mentions (I will be putting every Patron I've had in the past in the credits of the game(s) they were supporting me during development!), with occasional monthly bonuses. The $10 tier opens up EVERYTHING I have, and everything that gets posted monthly!

I think that's all I got to tell y'all this week! See you at the next update! (Where I can hopefully confirm being done with at least one of the scenes in Chapter 6, hehe.)

#weekly update #mind games: trepidation #mind games #interactive fiction #if #interactivefiction

[stormblessed95]

Hello Stormy,

Before your anon goes off, I wanted to ask what’s the significance of “Laguna”, if there’s any, with Bangtan. If you’ve already posted about this, I’m sorry for bothering you…but I’d appreciate if you could kindly link me. 💜 Thank you.

It’s sort of an old one, but I wondered if you had any insights on this… I’m aware there’s an American interview segment where a female reporter asks what they’ve done or where they’ve visited in the U.S., to which NJ answers a few things/locations mentioning Laguna, then the members react by giggling.

Was the fandom talking about this moment just because Laguna Beach is a safe place for 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ LGBTQ community, or is there more to it? I’ve even eavesdrop fans mentioning a secret Laguna 👨🏻‍❤️‍💋‍👨🏻💍 rumor about KM once(!) but I was too shy to join the conversation.

Thank you for taking the time to read my anonymous ask. I hope this weekend is a relaxing and a fun one leading up to Halloween (if you celebrate it) for you and your lovely family. Some of those recent nasty anons’ rude and personal insults to you have been very concerning, and my heart goes out to you as I am a mother of three myself. Sending love, kindness, and all the protective healing thoughts your way.

Hi lovely anon! Thank you for all your kind words. I've spoken a few times before on my opinions of the marriage rumors regarding jikook in terms of toyko and laguna, aka, they make me cringe a bit. Lol and are often incredible illogical, far fetched and rooted in fantasy shipping. The most important being illogical. Lol but those rants would probably be under my masterlist of correcting misinformation. But REGARDLESS. Yes, let's talk Laguna. I do not know why Jikook got all giggly over Laguna. You can watch the clip here

Full interview here:

There could be a few reasons. I'll give you a few I can think of that, to me, make infinite more sense than they secretly got married. Lol but yes, jkkrs tend to note this moment and Laguna as a jikook place because of this reaction. Their immediate turning to each other and giggling as well as Jin looking between them and smiling. Made it seem like a place of importance to the 2 of them. And jkkrs of course, would make note of Laguna Beach being very LGBTQ friendly.

So to me, the reason they got all giggly could simply be:

1) they are listening to all this English passing by fairly quickly and reacted to a word that they immediately recognized as one that they knew. And jikook, in typical jikook fashion, turned towards each other to share in each other's joy. As they often do.

2) they have spoken about and talked about wanting to plan a vacation there or a trip there together one day. Not to get married, but just to enjoy each other's company together in a beautiful place that is also queer friendly to a queer couple. Even if they would still have to be aware of their fame and not outing themselves, etc. There would be a margin of extra freedom there I'm sure. Even just in seeing more LGBTQ freedom and happiness being openly expressed. Especially because in 2019 when this interview took place, they'd already joked and talked about wanting to take a trip together again and maybe it came up on the "maybe one day we will go here" list. Therefore causing a reaction when it got brought up as a place BTS would like to go to.

3) it caused a fond and happy reaction when it got brought up because it made them remember a fond and happy memory they had together at Laguna Beach. No, not a romantic memory (unless they went back sometime between 2017 and 2019 that we don't know about, which with how much of a popular and populated spot Laguna is, they probably would've been spotted). But rather a fun or silly or just happy memory they shared on the Beach there together when they all went back in 2014. In August 2014, BTS visited Laguna Beach while they were there for KCON. And JK said that out of all the 5 beaches he has been to, Laguna is the best one in his opinion. And Jimin said like 8 times that he is dead serious about really wanting to come back to Laguna one day and how much fun he had. We see all this during Go! BTS when it was released about their trip was filmed

Any of those are probable reasons, or it could be something we couldn't guess at all. Who knows! I love how they share things and the way they look at each other though. It's so cute and sweet. The word clearly meant something, we just might never know what. And I do think this is something the jkkr fandom blows a tad bit out of proportion too. But that's just me!

Bonus SugaKookie from their 2014 visit to Laguna Beach!

Hope this helps for at least a little bit! Thanks for the ask 💜💜

#jikook #kookmin #jikook laguna beach #jikook theories #jikook laguna #jikook mysteries #jikook in 2019 #jikook interviews

[sophieinwonderland]

RAMCOA is basically abuse that is done by a group and often falls under torture- when used in the context of systems it usually refers to childhood torture but anyone of an age can fall victim to it. Cults as you said are a part of it but also more things like governmental agencies and organized crime groups.

Some people spread the false narrative that discussion by survivors about the topic is "dangerous" which could not be further from the truth. Lack of information is a way that abusers in this niche keep victims from realizing what is happening. A lot of the major pushes for people speaking about such issues to be stigmatized has come directly from people who wish to do survivors harm.

The community is mostly a grouping of people with specific experiences that are related by being what is considered to be more severe trauma (not downplaying other forms of trauma but more so to mean these are like... the types of stuff that people sensationalize when they are found out to occur and the media gets ahold of it.)

As a RAMCOA survivor myself I was really confused by the system hopping thing because I could never find a source for it originally being used by RAMCOA systems- but we also only more recently remembered enough and learned we do fall under RAMCOA so it's possible it did happen- but it's not something that's really proven so we don't like that claim being said as if it were true. I will say some RAMCOA system have made that claim but I also don't know if they were parroting it from others and it was a word of mouth type of thing. I think it's just like a very unfortunate situation where people tried to rile up RAMCOA survivors against something other than the fact that the wider traumagenic system/trauma recovery community likes to take from us a whole lot more.

Thank you for the info! I appreciate it!

On the whole system hopping, as far as I've been able to tell, the rumor started from one RAMCOA survivor talking about their own experiences, and then it snowballed.

I can't say for certain that their story is true, but it lines up with the general timeline of events. I've been able to trace system hopping as a spiritual phenomena back to 2015, with others reporting hearing the term long before that. But I've been unable to find any sources for a RAMCOA connection that predates this system's Tweet. (I don't know when their Tweet was made, but the account has only been active since 2019, so anything before that would show that the term predated them.)

#syscourse #multiplicity #system stuff #systems #system #plural #plurality #abuse

[theflagscene]

Fundraising for my doggo 🐶

Meet Pebbles ⬇️

A GoFundMe has been created! Link below, PayPal can still be found at the bottom of the post.

Pebbles is a 3 and a half year old long hair chihuahua that I rescued from a hoarding/backyard breeding ring from a Mexico border town in Texas, she made the long and terrifying trip across the USA to come to me and my family where we currently live in Canada, she was adopted legally through a rescue in case you were concerned, you can learn more about the rescue here.

When Pebbles first came to us back in 2019, she was underweight, dirty and covered in bruises. We first thought she had just been horrible abused, and while that was partially true, she also had a severe medical issue. She had a bad skin condition, basically she’s allergic to most things. It causes extreme itchiness, she will scratch herself until she’s torn flesh off herself if she’s not watched. A few years ago I woke to find my bed covered in blood as she had torn her entire side open, I have those pictures as well as pictures of her bruising which I will put at the end of this post under a trigger warning. Eventually we managed to get enough money to take her to a vet and find out about her allergies and skin condition, she was put on medication for it and it actually helped quite a bit, she was doing very well. Problem is now our vet had closed, the pandemic has left a lot of small businesses unable to continue on as normal. We now have a new vet, I’ve paid the deductible for her, but to actually get her blood work done, skin scraping and then hopefully more medicine, it’s going to cost money I just simply do not have. Since the beginning of the pandemic myself, my family and closest friends have all suffered pretty hard and slipped down from just teetering above the poverty line to now living completely below the poverty line. I can go to food banks and go without my own medicine if need be, but I cannot have my dog suffering because I was unable to go through the pandemic unscathed. Pebbles has been unmedicated since January, it’s literally taking that long to find a new vet that is even somewhat near where I live. She’s in pain and uncomfortable and as much as I loathe having to do this, I am asking for help. I considered starting a godundme but as I was told they take 10% of the funds donated, I thought going through PayPal would make more sense.

As many of my mutuals and followers know, I do write, quite a bit, I’ve even debated starting a Patreon for a while there. Anyway, I would be more than willing to fulfill any fanfic prompts for anyone who donates, seriously, anything, I’d do anything to just be able to show my appreciation for you.

I’m looking to raise around 500 dollars CAD, which is a shit ton of money, I know! Trust me, that would feed my family for 3 months. But unfortunately veterinary costs are insane, it’s 250 alone for a simple blood test! Another 150 for the skin scraping test and the medication costs around 170 dollars. Ugh, it hurts my heart. But it’s what must be done to take care of Pebbles.

So please, if you can donate, that would be amazing. If you can reblog this post, that would also be amazing. Getting the word out would mean so much to me, the more people who see this the more likely we are to be able to reach our lofty goal.

Thank you!! 💖💖💖

Here’s my donation link, it’s currently only PayPal but hopefully other options will be added later.

Below are some pictures of Pebbles current injuries due to her skin condition, trigger warnings for extreme bruising, hair loss and scarring of an animal.

#fundraising #fundraiser #sick dog #injured dog #please reblog #please donate #signal boost if you can

[adamwatchesmovies]

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

For multiple reasons, The Nightmare Before Christmas has become a holiday staple: the bold visuals, memorable soundtrack & songs, art direction, inventive plot… there’s no wrong reason to call it a favourite. You’ll be tempted to pop it into your player on Halloween. You'll be tempted to watch it again on Christmas. I say, why not both?

Jack Skellington (voiced by Chris Sarandon) is the king of Halloween Town but he's grown bored with his crown. When Jack discovers Christmas, he and his demented cohorts decide to bring their own version of the holiday to the world.

Brought to life through state-of-the art stop-motion animation, you only need to see one frame of this film for it to be stamped in your mind forever. The shadows of Halloween Town evoke the horror films of the German impressions era and the stop-motion makes you think of Rankin and Bass’ Christmas stories but nothing we’ve seen before or since looks quite like this. The jagged edges of the architecture, the crooked postures of the witches, the vampires’ bulbous eyes, the ghosts, the pumpkins... every citizen of Halloween Town has emerged from the mind of someone who was thinking completely out of the box. Every year, I hear renewed rumours of Disney wanting to make a live-action adaptation - quite ironic considering the studio didn’t think the film would fit their brand in 1993 (early prints/releases were done through Touchstone Pictures). Whoever thinks a remake is a good idea should get their head examined. It doesn’t matter how many snapshots of fans in Skellington makeup we see, no one could move the way the Pumpkin King does - even with the aid of motion-capture effects. No one could sing the songs the way Danny Elfman does. No one could match Ken Page as Oogie Boogie. Every attempt to replicate Dr. Finkelstein's laboratory, the curved peaks of Halloweentown or the cheerful elves of Christmas Town would be just that: a replication. This is a movie that proves certain things are only achievable through animation.

The incredible soundtrack by Elfman (yes, he does double-duty) guarantees you’ll want to watch the film over and over. From the first number, you’re hooked. Whenever a song ends, you kind of wish it would go on longer. It feels as though you’ve just finally memorized all the words in the refrain and were getting ready to chime in. No worries. At a brief 76 minutes, you can squeeze many viewings into one evening. In fact, if there’s any criticism to give this movie, it’s that it could’ve been longer. Some elements of the conclusion feel a tad rushed (particularly the romance with Catherine O'Hara's Sally) even though the story’s final note is just about perfect.

Whether it’s for the songs, art direction & visuals, characters, premise or a combination, you’ll feel compelled to reach for The Nightmare Before Christmas over and over again. Multiple viewings allow you to fully appreciate the quality of the melodies and rhymes featured in the hit-after-hit numbers. Once you're over the initial shock of the ghoulish characters that strangely feel right at home next to Christmas critters, you're able to spot all of the intricate details in the tiny sets and models brought to life by the talented animators.

Though often attribute to Tim Burton, The Nightmare Before Christmas was actually directed by Henry Sellick (the story was inspired by his ideas but he was busy working on Batman Returns while Nightmare was being assembled). This film is a little twisted and a little scary. It’s also enchanting and warm. The hype around it is well-earned. (On Blu-ray, December 22, 2019)

#The Nightmare Before Christmas #movies #films #movie reviews #film reviews #Christmas Movies #Christmas Films #Henry Selick #Caroline Thompson #Michael McDowell #Tim Burton #Danny Elfman #Chris Sarandon #Catherine O'Hara #William Hickey #Glenn Shadix #Paul Reubens #Ken Page #Ed Ivory #1993 movies #1993 films

[amistytown]

Good day Noelle ♥️ I hope your day has been treating you well and that you'll be able to rest after work 💕

I just want to share a few pics of Nemo :3

She sleeps a lot today and I'm a bit worried, but her appetite is still here, so I'm guessing that she sleeps because she wants to 👀

Also, I haven't gave you the picture of my henna yet the other day.

I helped with the work for the wedding of my mother's friend's eldest son.

In our culture, only the ones closest to the family (relatives mostly) that's going to have the wedding is allowed to have these kind of hennas, so it's a bit embarrassing for me to do one but my mom's friend insisted since I helped a lot with the preparation and she also already considered me as her daughter uwu

It was fun and also a bit touching for us because it feels like my older brother is getting married :') I'm also very happy for them because everything went well during the wedding ceremony ♥️

Makes me wonder how my ceremony will be in the future... Not that I have anyone in mind to marry though 😂 Would be nice if someone like Satan is real :')

Anyway, that's about it! I hope Nemo's sleeping pictures made your day and that you'll be able to relax and enjoy some of your favourite coffees ♥️ Life is hard and we feel like giving up for trying so hard, but I assure you that it will get better in the future. It will.

Just like me and Levi have faith in you, you have to believe in your self potential too. You'll get what you want and what you deserve one day. You can do it, Noelle 🌻

You're my ray of Sunshine ✨

Thank you so much, Han!!! I’m glad I had two days off work, but they went by so fast I feel I barely got anything done! Though my birthday is in a couple weeks weeks, and my mom and sister asked me if I wanted to go out to eat. I haven’t eaten in a restaurant since December 2019! I worked until 11 pm or 1 am depending on the day so I didn’t get many opportunities. Then Covid happened 😔 I can’t decide if I should or not!

Nemo is absolutely adorable!!! I love seeing pictures of her 🥺💕 they always bring a smile to my face! I hope she’s doing okay too. Kittens love to sleep and probably need plenty of rest while they’re growing. She looks so comfortable and happy sleeping on your bed!

That looks amazing!!! And how sweet of them to include you. I’m sure they appreciated you helping out! I hope one day you find your Satan too✨ you deserve all the love in the world, and whoever you marry will be very lucky to have such a wonderful person at their side ♥️♥️♥️

I used to work weddings! It was always interesting to see the decorations.

Aw, thank you so much 😭 you’re going to make me cry with your kind words!!! I never know what to say, but they mean so much to me, and I’m glad I have an amazing friend like you who believes in me. I believe in you too, and am proud of all you’ve accomplished! We can get through this together and achieve our dreams even if it’s at our own pace!

I love you, Han, and I’m always cheering you on and here to support you when you need me ♥️

#me #asks

[popentertainment-interviews]

Gilbert O’Sullivan

Driven to Tour Again, Naturally

By Jay S. Jacobs

Gilbert O’Sullivan sure believes in making up for lost time. The 1970s hitmaker – who had three chart-topping hits in the US, “Alone Again (Naturally),” “Clair” and “Get Down” – had not played a live gig in the US since 1973 when he did a couple of US shows in 2019. Born Ray O’Sullivan, he sold tens of millions of albums in the 1970s and was named the male singer of the year in 1972.

He’s since had a long, fruitful career as a singer and songwriter, releasing many records and touring over the years throughout Europe and Asia. But somehow, he never made it back to the States as a live act until just four years ago.

Now, O’Sullivan is on his third tour in the last four years in the United States. In fact, he had a tour planned in 2020, but it had to be postponed until the next year due to the COVID pandemic, which shut all touring down around the world. (We actually spoke with O’Sullivan about the planned tour in January of 2020.)

Now he has a tour planned for this year with himself and his long-time guitarist Bill Shanley, starting in Boston on March 11 and rolling through eight cities before closing in Nashville on March 22. He’ll be hitting Philadelphia at the City Winery on March 15.

Also, O’Sullivan recently released his latest album, Driven, which has been gaining huge buzz and appreciation worldwide. The single, “Take Love” with guest vocalist KT Tunstall, has also caught people’s attention.

We caught up with O’Sullivan a few weeks before the start of the tour to chat about life on the road and the long, rewarding life of being a singer/songwriter.

You hadn't done any performances in the US for 43 years. Now, you've done US tours in three of the last four years – and of course, the 2020 tour was postponed due to COVID. What made you think it was time to return to the States? Do you plan on continuing to do it annually now that you've broken through and started coming again?

It all stems from way back in ‘73, when, after having three-million sellers in America with “Alone Again (Naturally),” “Clair” and “Get Down,” I was beginning to tour in Europe and the UK. It was decided that we would have the first American tour. So my manager had to make the decision. Remember, this is not my department. (laughs) I write songs. I make records. I sing. I leave all the organizing all the touring to other people. Anyway, my manager Gordon Mills, who managed Tom Jones and Engelbert Humperdinck, had to make a decision. With three million sellers, does he [have me] go out on his own and do what Tom and Engelbert are doing, big theaters? Or does he [have me] support the Moody Blues? Because you know what happens, you support a major act, and then you become a major act, but the support act.

Of course.

He had to make that decision. Not my decision. They made the wrong one. Other than Carnegie Hall in New York with just me, which was a lovely show. Once I went out to bigger arenas, it was becoming a bit of a disaster. The tour got pulled. It was a wonderful disaster. I mean, we had a private plane, an orchestra, really nice people, but it got pulled. That was the end of my touring in America. Then we go through to the early ‘90s. [I’m] getting a band together. By the middle ‘90s, I've got a really good band. I still have them, of course. We tried to get into America, but the cost of bringing a band into America, as you can imagine, is pretty high.

Sure…

It just wasn't feasible. Three years ago, my guitar player [Bill Shanley] and myself decided we would do up close and personal intimate concert, just the two of us, around Europe, UK and Ireland. Over two hours, and people would get to hear the songs very up close and personal. It's good to hear the words more clearly. That then opened the door for [the US]. As a result of that, with it being the two of us, the offers came in. (laughs) After such a long time, it's nice to think that we got there eventually.

Most of the shows that you've done in the States over the last few years have been at City Wineries in different cities. How did the connection with City Winery happen?

That’s not my department, Jay. I leave that to management. It's their department. They're the ones. I'd always said in the ‘90s, “How can we get into America? Keep chasing with the band.” Then of course, you came on board when it was down to just the two of us, so that was out in the way. I don't know why the Wineries. They’re good venues because they're intimate, up close and personal. Those are ideal venues for appearing in. But I'm happy to be playing anywhere. Just to be able to get to America, after all, it was a real plus factor.

You released Driven last year and that was, I believe your 20th album. How has recording changed over the years?

Well, ironically enough for me, it hasn't changed much. With me, it isn't rocket science. The last album, the one before, the one before that; here's how it works. I decide on a producer. I like working with a different producer [each album]. Why? Because it's always the same writer, always the same singer. The producer brings his aspect to the table. That can vary and it can be interesting. So I meet the producer, agree with a producer, then he has to hear the songs. I play him the 12-13 melodies without the lyrics written. He picks the 12 he likes. I go away and write the lyrics. Studio session is set up. We go into the studio. I meet the musicians. I allow the producer to pick the musicians. I think that's a good thing. I could choose musicians, but I feel that the right producer, he’ll know good people.

That makes sense.

So, I meet them for the first time in the studio. They stand around the piano, after we shake hands and stuff. I play the first song, any song on a piano. They go back to their chairs. We rehearse it a few times. And we take it. That process is how it's been and how it is. It isn't like rocket science. We don't spend three days with the drum machine. We don't spend days and days doing overdubs. It has a live feel. Not intentionally, it's just because it works. We see no reason to change that. We're in an era now where real drumming is almost out the window. How many records you care to mention, it's drum machines. That used to be the 80s thing. In the 90s real drums came back and now here we are back to drum machines. But I like having the real drummer there.

The single “Take Love” is a duet with KT Tunstall, who is great. I interviewed her years ago. How did you decide to have her be a part of the song and what was she like to work with? 

That came about because we finished recording the track and I said to Andy [Wright], the producer, “This could make a good duet.” We thought about who we might want to get. I said to Andy that KT Tunstall had a song some years ago called “Suddenly I See,” a really good song. That's not a dissimilar feel to what we were doing with “Take Love.” So let's approach KT. As you probably know, she lives in California. We sent her the song. She loved it. Then we sent her the parts. I told her, “Sing what you want.” It was great. The lovely thing about all that was that apart from it being a really good record together, she came to London before the record was released, and we spent the day doing a video. I hadn't done a video in about 30-odd years. Spent time with her talking about music and stuff. Really good. Nice person to work with. Very talented, too. 

Mick Hucknall also appeared on “Let Bygones Be Bygones.” How did you get involved with him? 

Again with Andy the producer. Andy Wright produces Simply Red. He [also] produces Simple Minds.  And he's produced Simple O’Sullivan. (laughs) He goes to see Mick. I knew Mick was a fan because I had met him at a charity show, just to say hello to some years ago. Anyway, Andy would go down and visit Mick while we were recording. He came back and said that Mick had said to him, “If Ray's got a song that I could sing with him as a duet, I'd love to do it.” We sent him a couple down there and he chose “Let Bygones Be Bygones.” [It’s a] nice version, because it's a softer sounding Mick, not the kind of raucous Mick Hucknall you hear on Simply Red. It was really nice to have him. 

Driven has done rather well as did your last album, Gilbert O’Sullivan. How gratifying is it that there was still a big audience waiting to hear new work from you? 

I was always troubled in the past with reviews. I rarely get them because of how I presented the image that I presented. But ironically enough, Driven has got the best reviews I think I've ever had. That's really nice. That's the business justifying me continuing. It's one thing to be making records now that nobody notices. But if you're making records, writing songs that people are talking up... yeah, I don't mind. (laughs) 

When you were getting started, could you have ever imagined that you'd still be playing music for a career after all this time? 

We didn't really think like that. Because you're young, and you're just enjoying the moment. You're not looking beyond what's really going on. You have that famous incident; the Beatles when they were in the dressing room, they were being asked by a British reporter, “How long do you think this will last? And what do you think you'll do?” So Ringo said, “Probably last a few years, and I'll become a hairdresser.” John and Paul said, “Well, maybe, we could continue writing songs for some years.” But they never saw beyond a few years. I think it surprises us all. 

Yeah. 

The thing about what I do, if I wasn't writing songs, I wouldn't be talking to you. But the joy of songwriting is still there. I mean, I have that hunger for it. Hence the title of the album Driven. I am driven because I come up with the goods. Then if I come up with the goods, you want to get them out there to whoever is interested. I love it, so long may it continue. As long as I'm able to do it. 

Your first big hit, “Nothing Rhymed,” was inspired by world hunger. How did that come about? It's surprising looking back that you were so ahead of the curve on writing on that subject. So many people have written about it since then, but I can't think of anything before that. 

Here's what happened. On television [they showed the starvation in] Biafra. We saw for the first time, starving children and stuff. Nobody had seen that on TV before. It just shocked everybody. The whole of the UK, where I was living in London, were just shocked by the images of the starving children. So that got into the song. My songwriting is often done like a newspaper. Page one can be about one subject, page two could be about something else, the common denominator might be the hook line. So I brought that in.

I see…

I remember Richard Curtis, the film director [he wrote Four Weddings and a  Funeral, Notting Hill and directed Love Actually], he gave a speech on television a few years back, talking about some of the work he'd done. He said he drew great inspiration from seeing Gilbert O’Sullivan singing about starving children. “Nothing Rhymed” became a very special song for a lot of people, which is really nice. And you're subtly bringing that subject up [in the song], you're not out there becoming other than a singer. You're just making people aware that this is going on and maybe we should do something.

Another song of yours that was big that made people aware of things is “Alone Again (Naturally),” which is such a beautiful song, but it's lyrically so sad. I know that it's in no way autobiographical to you but was it difficult as a songwriter to get into such a desperate headspace? 

No. Just before I started writing that I had been still working as a postal clerk in London, earning 10 pounds a week and writing early in the evening, or on the weekend. So when Gordon Mills signed me up, I was able to write full time, and gain 10 pounds without having to be a postal guy to do it. I was in heaven. I was able to write during the day. One of those days, I was coming up with “Alone Again.” I've always said, you don't have to [have] experience to be able to write about serious subjects. I think that's what makes you a good lyricist. Once you get into that subject, you just get into it. That's what happened to that song. The other song I was writing at the time was “Out of the Question,” just a good, fun song. The funny thing was we had to go in the studio not long after these two songs were completed to make the next single. Everybody thought “Out of the Question” would be the single. People liked “Alone Again,” but they didn't think it was commercially strong. We know what happened. 

You wrote “Clair” about your manager Gordon Mills’ young daughter. Are you still in touch with Clair? Do you know how she feels about the song after all these years, now that she's an adult, too? 

She has two children of her own. Yeah, we see her. We meet up with her. We had a nice incident when I did Hyde Park. I was one of the guests for Hyde Park concert with the BBC Concert Orchestra in front of 30,000 people. My daughters invited Claire to come along to see it. She had been to other shows previously in theaters, but this was very special. She came along and my daughter said to me that when I sang “Clair,” during that performance, she almost had tears in her eyes. It was very special. Something really nice about that. 

“Get Down” is one of your more rocking tunes that really became big. As a songwriter, do you enjoy playing with different styles and genres? 

Yeah, that's the key to what you're doing. God forbid every song would be a ballad. You have that variety. It helps in concert, too. We're two hours. You don't want to be singing the same song for two hours. It's good to have variety. What gets you off as a songwriter is to sit at the piano rock it up, something will come. Then something else will be slower. Something else can be medium. That's the joy of songwriting. You don't really know what's going to come out of the woodwork. (laughs) But it's fun. 

I've noticed in the two Philly shows that I've seen you do in the last few years that that while you cover songs from throughout your career, one of your US Top 40 hits, “Ooh Baby,” has not been on the playlist. Is there a reason why that one was skipped? 

Yeah. I liked the record. It actually made the top 30 in the Black charts in America. At the time it was a big deal. I just thought there was there's too many bloody “ooh babies” in it. I’m coming around to performing it, but I'll just cut out some of that. The reason is simply that there was too many “ooh babies” in that. It's the one record when I look back and listen to it, there are too many of them in there. I wish I'd have reduced the amount. It's not a bad little tune. Got a good feel about it. 

What are some of the songs that you've written over the years that you feel that might have slipped through the cracks, that you're very proud of and think that represent you as an artist, but they never really got as much notice as you'd expect? 

You can feel like that, but you have to make sure that it doesn't last very long. You just get on with it. You're happy with it. It's a success when you’ve written what you think is a good song. It's a good song. It's a success when you make the record and you're happy with it. There are people who have made records they don't like, and they become successful, and they hate them. At least every song I've written that's been released, I'm happy with. (Laughs) But “Ooh Baby” with too many “ooh babies.” Of course I have [some songs I thought would do better]. There's a song called, “It's Easy to See When You're Blind.” I really liked that song. Then there's the one I wrote about 9/11, which we'll be doing on the American tour, “All They Wanted To Say.” I get a lot of mail from people in America with that song because I picked up on an aspect of 9/11 that that wasn't getting a lot of attention. So yeah, there are there are songs out there, Jay, but I'm happy with them. Many of them we perform. 

I saw your recent statement about the recent death of Burt Bacharach. As a songwriter, how did he inspire you? 

A big influence. Bacharach and [lyricist Hal] David… I mean, fantastic. A great melody writer and a great lyricist. Hal doesn't get the credit. It's always the lyricist who seems to lose out a little. Rodgers and Hart – Lorenz Hart didn't have a happy life. Richard Rodgers and Hammerstein. They're great collaborators, and one wouldn't be there without the other. Burt Bacharach, “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head,” he wrote (hums the tune). Hal David wrote the words that we all know. It is a huge influence itself. Never a week goes by here when I don't put on Bacharach CDs, because the melodies are great. That's how you're able to write yourself because you're influenced by hearing great melodies. Whether it's Carole King – [Gerry] Goffin and King. Whether it's [Neil] Sedaka/[Howard] Greenfield. Whether it's even Dylan, or whether it's Lennon and McCartney, you hear great music, and that's what enables you to be able to do it. Without hearing good music, without getting that influence, I think you'd struggle. 

Now, speaking of influencing other artists, years ago I interviewed singer Mark McGrath of the band Sugar Ray and I mentioned to him the fact that he had paraphrased a line from “Alone Again (Naturally)” in his hit song “Fly” – “Twenty-five years old, my mother God bless her soul.” He said I was the first person who had ever mentioned that to him and that he was a huge fan of yours and the song and that line was just a little tribute. Did you know about that usage in the song, and how does it feel that your work has inspired so many artists who came in your wake? 

Well, I mean, I've objected to changes of lyrics in the past, but that was paraphrasing what I said so I wouldn't object to that. It's a nice line. A few other people have [done that]. I seem to remember there was a band formed by Barry Gibb’s son [Steve Gibb], and they did a version of [”Alone Again (Naturally)”]. Sarah Vaughan did “I remember I cried when my daddy died,” which I liked. Nina Simone went too far. She went a little bit well over the top. I wasn't mad about that. But I was a great admirer of Nina Simone. In fact, she was a big influence.

She was a great artist. I have to admit I don't know her version of your song. I'll have to listen to it… or maybe not. (Ed. note: I did listen to her version on YouTube, and the lyrics were nearly completely changed.) 

You can get it. I have the album that it came out on [the 1982 album Fodder on My Wings]. It was done at a time when I wasn't made aware of it. When I became aware of it, it was already done. But my admiration for her stopped me from overreacting. (laughs) She loved the song, but she just added elements. I think she went too far but, in the end, I let it go because she's a huge influence. 

Along those lines, I remember years ago the rapper Biz Markie tried to use a sample of “Alone Again (Naturally),” without giving you credit, and that became a legal battle. What exactly happened with that? 

The good and bad thing about court cases and taking somebody to court is… the bad thing is, is it's very expensive thing to do. The good thing is that in this instance, it set a precedent, because it was the first sample case to go to court. That meant that every sample case after my case meant that people had to have permission to do it. Whereas before the Biz Markie scenario, if you'd have been sampled, nobody would have done anything about it. That was the positive thing to come out of it. Biz Markie is a comic rapper. They asked if they could use it, and I asked to hear it. I didn't want it. I didn't like it. No comedy element can be allowed with that song. I make sure in my publishing agreements that nobody can ever use that song without my permission. But he went ahead and did it anyway. He never stopped, so I had to go to court and in America, of all places. An expensive business, hundreds of thousands of dollars before we get into court. I'm the first person that had to go on the stand. Biz Markie wasn't even there at the court. (laughs) 

Wow. 

But we won that case. I was never going to lose, but I had to go through all that you have to go through. We won the case. We won it simply because Biz Markie’s record label was put out by Warner's. They distributed. This court case happened at a time when you'd be coming up to the Christmas period for album sales. So, the judge turned around and said that if you don't take this recording off the market within the next month or the next week, I'll have every Warner Brothers [record] taken off. (laughs) The “S” hit the fan big time. By the time we walked back to the lawyer's office, it was all over. 

You have been writing your own music for years. Did you ever consider collaborating with other writers? 

I don't need to collaborate with anybody because I'm turning out the lyrics as I am turning out the melodies. As long as I'm doing that, why do I need to collaborate? If I felt a weakness on one of them or the other, I might. Lyrics take a long time, so you could argue that maybe it would be nice at some point [if] you've got the melody, give it to somebody else to do the lyric and stuff. But at the end of the day, however long it takes me to do a lyric, I'm always happy that I did it. 

One cool thing about your shows is that you play over 30 songs, and every single one is an original. A lot of artists would throw in one or two covers. Have you ever considered doing that? Or why did you decide you wanted to only record perform your own songs? 

I don't do covers. I mean, some… “She's a Woman,” [by The Beatles] I've sang a little because I got influenced by that song. I wrote a song quite similar to that. And a bit of Fats Domino. Big influence. 

I was reading recently that they “Get Down” was sort of influenced by The Faces’ “Cindy Incidentally.” 

Inspiration. That kind of inspired me. Yeah, when I first heard that, it set me off in that area. That happens. There's a lot of songs. You know the song “Just call me angel of the morning?” [“Angel of the Morning” by Merrilee Rush.] That was influenced by a Rolling Stones ballad. You get that. That happens. And that's a good thing. That's a good thing to be influenced by. As long as what you're doing is original and not a copy. 

It was funny, seeing you in concert these days and seeing people with their cell phones in the air. How has touring changed over the years? 

Yeah, there is that going on. As far as I'm concerned, I just go out there to perform. In the old days you'd be doing an hour. I started off pretty badly in terms of live performance. As you probably know, a lot of performers, even songwriters, start off by singing in clubs and stuff. They get their apprenticeship in the club area before they get into success with big bands and whatever. I didn't come through like that. I came through just simply by writing songs in a garden shed. I had no experience of live performance before “Nothing Rhymed” came out. After “Nothing Rhymed” came out, it was two years actually, it was 1972 before I actually did my first tour. So it was always the songwriting that occupied my time, not performing. Once I started to do concerts, it would be an hour set. The only mistake I ever made was when they put me in at the London Palladium for two shows a night. It was horrendous, because without the experience to handle my voice, two shows a night killed me. In between shows, I would be lying on the floor with all this stuff going into me to try and get me to get through the next hour. I've learned through the years to the point now where vocally, I look after my voice, and I'm a much better singer than I used to be. The only difference for me is that. In terms of audiences, anybody that comes along to see me, I'm happy with it. (laughs) It might have been a younger audience in the early days. The people that come to see it now, it's a cross section. A bit of a cliche to say that, but it’s true, young and old. I meet them afterwards. That's what I like about live performances. You get to meet people and they'll tell you what they think of you – good or bad. (laughs again)

Copyright ©2023 PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved. Posted: February 22, 2023.

Photos © 2023. Courtesy of BMG. All rights reserved.

#Gilbert O'Sullivan #2023 #Music Interviews #Driven #Jay S. Jacobs

[librarytiem]

Critical Literacy in Accessing Internet Reference Resources

Teaching critical literacy skills is a top priority for a teacher librarian. “Fostering literacies to empower life-long learners” is one of the five themes in the Leading Learning Framework (page 10), and half of the bullet points in that theme are about critical literacy. In my experience this can be challenging stuff to teach for elementary students, who use the internet all the time, but aren’t very good at it.

Different strategies are needed depending on the age of the students. As with most things, it’s going to be easier to lay the groundwork for primary students by starting offline rather than on Google. “Understanding what they’ve read and making it their own” seems to me to be enough of a learning goal to keep students busy for most of their primary years. This can be done through reading response, writing activities, or research, and all of these are valuable, curriculum-supported areas of study. But at least as far as critical literacy is concerned, I think it’s very important that the research aspect be given special attention. For another course we read a paper by Daniel Willingham which made the case that critical thinking skills don’t transfer well between disciplines. So how much the ability to hear a story and then summarize it in your own words transfers to reading a book or a website and then recording facts from it is an open question. If research skills are the goal, that’s what needs to be taught and practiced.

For both primary students and intermediate students, whether they are using books or the internet as their source, I would set up a series of small, stand-alone activities for them to practice the skills of finding answers to questions and then rephrasing the material into their own words, recording facts in note form and then turning those notes back into sentences or into some other format (diagrams, pictures, infographics, etc.). These activities could be done in collaboration with classroom teachers, but most importantly, they ought to be done shortly before a class does any sufficiently sized research project in class. Communication with classroom teachers early in the year is key, in order to know those teachers’ plans and how best to schedule around them. Using library prep time to support classroom teachers in this way fulfills the core themes of the teacher librarian position, justifies this time to other staff, and sets students up for success going forward.

For intermediate students, we can incorporate additional goals as well. To note-taking skills I would also add internet searching skills (how to use keyword searches in search engines as well as in district-curated online resources, how to sift through the results to find likely useful resources, judging author intent, etc.) and media literacy in weighing the validity of a source (including cross-referencing and checking for citations or author info). As with note-taking skills, I think the best way to approach these topics is in isolation first, teaching them explicitly with short, focused activities, before immediately putting them to use in more authentic learning activities such as research projects. I’ve been the classroom teacher trying to fit in basic Google skills or a visit to the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus page or kidsboostimmunity.com before jumping into research projects, and I know how much I would appreciate having another teacher who can take on some of that important work and give it the time that it deserves.

Resources used

Canadian Library Association (2014) Leading Learning: Standards of Practice for School Library Learning Commons in Canada 2014.

Public Health Association of BC. “Kids Boost Immunity.” 2024. https://kidsboostimmunity.com

Willingham, Daniel. T. (2019). How to Teach Critical Thinking. Education: Future Frontiers: Occasional Paper Series. New South Wales Department of Education.

Zapato, L. “Help Save the Endangered Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus from Extinction!” 1998-2022. https://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/

#library #education

[thereasonsimbroke]

Blue Lock, Chainsaw Man, And Shonen Domination

In Ep. 566, Millennial Mike and I discuss Kodansha's Blue Lock as the highest-selling manga in 2023, "Fast X," surpassing $500M, Scott Adkins on Deadpool’s portrayal in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and more! Full Topics:

The Pokemon Company printed nearly 10 billion cards in 2022, setting a new record for the second consecutive year.

Kodansha's Blue Lock is the highest-selling manga series overall, followed by Chainsaw Man.

Shueisha announced a new imprint called Jump Toon, focused on vertically read manga for smartphones in full color, launching in 2024.

Scott Adkins reflects on Deadpool portrayal in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, stating it "could have been so much worse."

Top Gun: Maverick has grossed $101.5 million in the Japanese box office, making it Tom Cruise's highest-grossing film in that market.

"Fast X," the latest Fast & Furious installment, surpasses $500 million in ticket sales worldwide, becoming the third highest-grossing film of 2023.

Makeup artist Peter King defends his work on The Little Mermaid, responding to criticism of Ursula's makeup not being done by a member of the LGBTQ+ community.

Warner Bros. Discovery's Max streaming service faced backlash for removing specific credits and grouping them under the label of "creators."

The Flash director Andy Muschietti confirms Ezra Miller would continue in the role if a sequel were to happen.

FOLLOW/SUPPORT MILLENNIAL MIKE: @millennialmike (Mike's Vero) @TheExilesNet (Mike's Twitter) The Ronin Council (YouTube) As always, we appreciate your constructive Feedback, Suggestions, and Questions. You can also leave us an audio question on SpeakPipe. Thank you for the continued love and support! Enjoy the show. Daniel Podcast Awards 2019 || Games & Hobbies (Winner) Podcast Awards 2017 - 2018, 2020 - 2022 || Games & Hobbies (Nominated) Official Site FOLLOW US: - Twitter | @ReasonsImBroke and @TRIBPod - Instagram - Pinterest - Tumblr - Discord Lounge - YouTube Channel SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts / Stitcher / iHeartRadio / TuneIn / Overcast SUPPORT THE POD: Getting $1's worth of entertainment and information each month? Support us on Patreon or visit our TeePublic storefront! SPREAD THE WORD: If you're enjoying the show, please head over to iTunes and leave us a rating and a review! Each one helps new Brokettes discover the podcast. Contribute to the Hero Initiative to offer assistance to comic creators facing difficulties. Show your support for the AFSP's efforts by donating to the Autumn Snyder Tribute Fund. CREDITS: Opening/Closing Jingles - Alex Scott Show Logo By - Opanaldiova

The latest episode of The Reasons I'm Broke Podcast!

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