#pretty men is part of my brand as an artist

[lycoriskalmia]

2022 baybee let’s get it ; it’s been a year™

#asphodeldraws #art vs artist #artvstheartist #submas #kuroo tetsurou #montgomery gator #toji fushiguro #maki zenin #oc artwork #wow I draw a lot of men #the trend continues #pretty men is part of my brand as an artist #legally obligated to

[zeldasnotes]

ᴬˢᵀᴿᴼ ᴼᴮˢᴱᴿⱽᴬᵀᴵᴼᴺˢ ³²

25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Some of the most kind people Ive ever met had had Jupiter conjunct Moon/Venus. Pure, genuine kindness.

Fama(408) conjunct Uranus can indicate overnight fame. This aspect reminds me of the people who are recorded saying something really funny without realizing it and when they wake up in the morning and see the video went viral.

Venus 10th house is common in the charts of people who work with beauty procedures with a more permanent effect like microblading, cosmetic tattoos, laser hair removal etc. People with these placements often like to get these procedures done on themselves too. Since 10th house is ruled by saturn and saturn is time they want something that lasts instead of just going to a makeupartist.

If one of your parents have Venus in the 5th house you probably hot af.

Moon/Venus conjunct Chiron can mean constantly befriending or falling for the wrong women. They are drawn to people who need healing. But what they forget is that misery loves company.

Everytime I like an artist to the point of liking EVERY song they make we had Venus 8th house synastry. There is a deep understanding here when it comes to art.

Fama(408) conjunct Moon = Soccer mom image👩🏻‍🍼⚽️🧸

People with Ceres(1) conjunct personal planets tend to be well liked.

Venus/Saturn aspects might be hated on more by older people than people their own age. Older women might comment on their looks and older men notice them.

Everytime someone throws a fit in my comments its because I said something about their Moon aspect/sign. Which kinda proves what a sensitive planet the Moon is.

Moon can show where you spend so much time to the point of living there. I read about a person in true crime who lived in her car and she had Moon in the 3rd house, Ive seen Moon in the 6th house who are at work all the time, Ive seen Moon in the 11th housers who are always at their friends house.

Mars, Nessus or Lilith in the 11th house can be keyboard warriors. 🤬💻

Part of Fortune in the 5th house makes someone blessed with extraordinary creativity.

Ive seen people with Lilith Square Jupiter might have to suffer a lot because of rebelling against cultural/religious expectations.

Mars Square Uranus are the kind of people to EXPLODE with physical energy. This makes them excellent at martial arts since they move quick. Mike Tyson have Mars Square Uranus and Pluto.

Venus in Leo in the solar return chart can make you more interested in fashion & haircare that year. 💅

Transit Asteroid Destinn(6583) was conjunct my natal Venus and Transit Moon was in my natal 7th house the day I met the love of my life. Transit Juno(3) was conjunct my natal Juno.

Transit Dejanira(157) conjunct my natal Ascendant was hell. Ive never been victimized by others like I was during that year.

Women with Lilith and Pluto aspecting the Ascendant always look so good in bloodred or jetblack hair.

Moon in the 11th house might find a lot of comfort in social media. Social media can be their escape.

Juicy Couture just screams Taurus energy to me. The soft comfy but still so rich and pretty look to the clothes and bags is pure Taurus. (I cant be the only one who relate certain brands to a sign?)🛍️

Be careful with 2nd house synastry bc it can really make you want to buy someone stuff. I dont know if its house or planet who usually wants to buy bc Ive seen both ways around. Sure it can be a positive thing but not if one is a user and the other is naive. Can also make one expect stuff from the other. 💰

Me and my lilsister have 2nd house synastry but we would never use eachother we just love buying eachother stuff and discuss food and shopping together. For us the giving goes both ways. But Ive seen other situations where one just gave and gave without getting anything back.

Most Libra Venus men Ive met made a very big deal out of what their type is. The type to let eeeeverybody know about how they only date redheads. They can become VERY into what they find beautiful.

Venus says a lot about your behaviour bc Venus is what we find attractive and ofc we act as we want to be seen. Capricorn Venuses for example tend to act in a very mature and serious way. Their behaviour really screams ”take me seriously or live to regret it.”

People with Venus/Pluto tends to get a lot of unwanted suggestions on what to do with their looks.

Transit Asteroid Destinn(6583) was conjunct my natal Venus the day I met the love of my life. And transit Juno(3) was conjunct my natal Juno.

Plutonian Moons can always spot eachother. Same with Chiron 1st house and Lilith 11th house. Thats because these placements all bring experiences in someones youth that can be easily seen on the person later in life.

©️ 2024 Zeldas Notes All Rights Reserved

#astro notes #astrology #astro observations #astronotes #birth chart readings #lilith #asteroids #ceres #fama asteroid

[yonpote]

as someone who wasnt here at the time (was a fan from about 2011-2013) what exactly defines the "softlaunch era" pre-coming out that i hear you and others refer to?

you've come to the right place cuz this is the era when i truly became a Phannie... "gay softlaunch" is generally considered 2017-18, but to be more specific it was october 31, 2016-june 13, 2019!

before they came out this was also referred to as "post-baking universe" referencing the halloween 2016 monster pops video that had an (at the time) abnormal amount of raunchy humor and just general derangedness. nothing like it is today, but that point felt very significant and dan even brought it up in liveshows like yeah idk what happened there and when phil called a peach an ass in a gaming video dan said "we live in a post-baking universe" (i believe fans coined the term tho).

people have also called it the "glass closet era" which is a divisive name for a lot of people cuz "glass closet" can be seen as kind of a mean term and it implies like, stereotyping or speculating or the "we been knew" behavior dan had talked about in BIG. which i understand that feeling, but i don't think that's what was happening, because the way i see it was queer flagging. ways they could show a little bit who they really were without saying it just yet. they weren't Out out, but they were just like. openly talking about attraction to men and finding men hot and not calling it a Man Crush or anything. dan would bring up queerness more often in liveshows, which hes mentioned queer artists and stuff before but now it was also making jokes about like.. being in a gas leak man porn fantasy in his first livestream of 2017 LMAO. phil would make a lot more innuendos, which hes always done, but now he wasnt pretending like he didnt know what he was saying. dan started wearing a single hoop earring on his right ear. this is an old school form of queer flagging, in The Olden Days (im too lazy to look up when but like my 70-something year old history teacher knew about this) if a man had an earring on his left ear, he's straight, and if he had one on his right, he's gay. that one's pretty subtle if you don't know much about queer history and there were Great Debates over whether or not we should take it to mean he is gay, but personally i saw it as like. he was letting us know without needing to say the G word out loud just yet!

i think a really important part of this era was even outside of directly discussing queerness, they were both trying to become more authentic online and figuring out how to do that without compromising their own privacy. dan stopped straightening his hair and rebranded and opened up about his mental health. phil's authenticity journey seemed a bit slower and wasn't as overt or seemingly drastic as dan's was, but it was happening! he changed up his hair!!! which yes its kinda silly to talk abt dnp's hair but the emo fringe was Their Brand. phil in particular said that, the emo fringe was a comfort place but he was feeling like he was trapped in having it forever because it was Who He Was, so it was a huge deal for him! he opened up a little bit about his physical health, both of them were a bit more honest about all the stress and anxiety they were dealing with (the mukbang is a pretty good video where they talk about that and an interesting one to watch in retrospect) and their whole 2018 tour was themed around whether they should Give The People What They Want or do what they wanted to do.

god i talk too much ANYWAY then dan disappeared in 2019 and phil was manning the helm for a good five and a half months and then the Big Gay hit! the Hard Launch Era if you will :) and now i would say 2023-present is the Unhinged Era so i have no clue what the hell their next move is gonna be...

#ofc there were also signs before 2016 'wtf even is your sexuality' #but at that point there was still a veil over everything ykwim? #myrambles #also sorry im such a phillie i like barely mention dans authenticity journey BUT I JUST FEEL LIKE #IVE TALKED ABT IT A LOT BEFORE SO IDK WHAT MORE I COULD SAY #softlaunch

[zeegaazeegaah]

could you maybe do something with gavi where youre dating but youre a famous model whos known for having lots of bfs and being a party girl and he gets a bit insecure because all the media are saying your cheating on him, but you assure him hes enough and you go to an event together looking really cute and its just fluff,, sorry if its long 😭♥️

fame; gavi

word count: 2,305

a/n: There might be parts or sentences that might offend you. Please take them with a grain of salt. They are for the plot to make sense. Remember, this is all purely fiction. You're reading fan fiction.

It would be a blatant lie to say there are no pros to being -what today's society considers- beautiful because her beauty has gotten her this far. From being a mere teenager some years ago, she went on to being one of the top models in the world doing endless shows, endorsing brands one after another, and being in advertisements. Her beauty allowed her to pay her parents back for the support they've always given her, it allowed her to buy them a luxurious house, dress them in luxurious clothing, it allowed her siblings to buy cars, and live in nice apartments with their partners.

Now here's the problem. Men want her. Women do as well but it's not the same. One would stalk you, and be so obsessed with you to the point you have to think of implementing restraining orders against them while the other, wouldn't even think of reaching such lengths. Even if they do, it can't be as scary. Being a woman this successful at her young age has equal, if not more, cons than pros. One glance at someone at a private party of some multi-millionaire and they think you're in love with them. Of course, they would, not just anybody attends these parties. With the amount of money they have, their entire personality is based on that which allows them to delude themselves into thinking anybody wants them while completely forgetting the fact that she is an independent woman who has just as much money as them.

She is not as easy as the media portrays her to be. Surely a grown woman like her would pursue someone who interests her, especially, when she can have whoever she wants but that doesn't mean she dates everyone she lies her eyes upon just for the heck of it. When you're a woman who is pretty and rich and successful, doesn't want people to deem her as beauty with no brains. People are bound to hate you. Even women. You'll hear from TV the countless men she 'broke the hearts of', them claiming she is a succubus who seduced them but is it truly what happens?

She doesn't have time for that. To be frank, she rarely has time for herself, let alone men, which leads to unfortunate short-lasting relationships with each man. And men being men, they would spread lies about her to the media for attention. She just lets them. They are jealous that she does not feel hung up on them after the breakup. They are jealous that she moves on just as quickly as they do. Truthfully, almost every man she has dated thought of her as a prize to win, to possess, and once they got her, they no longer treated her as nicely, no longer treated her as an equal. The lack of respect became evident and it was crystal clear they'd continue to think she is some dumb pretty girl who earned easy money.

Her friends? There are no real friends when you are self-made rich, especially in this industry. Her ex-colleagues hate her, wondering how long her career will last since they want her to fall from grace the way they did. Yet, they still keep tabs on her, whisper fake compliments to her ears, and be on her nice side just in case they need her for a favour one day. Whatever friends she has for the time being are her managers, public relations team, personal makeup artists, and stylists who would leave her just as fast as they appeared her my life. They would move on to work for someone who would benefit them whenever. Wherever she goes, people would talk behind her back, and more often than not it's never something nice.

She got lonely. Throwing countless parties every time she got a bit of time for herself only to have more people have things to gossip about, and more lies to tell the media. More 'friends' going behind her back and posting countless pictures of the parties That's how many people know her. A successful top model, a player, and a party girl.

She met Gavi at an after-party of the brand of a product they both endorsed for. They needed to interact for the sake of working for the same brand but she tried her best to avoid him. Engaging in small talk only, in case people start to talk about how she targeted a football athlete to lure this time. She needed none of that drama. However, she has enjoyed football all her life and watched matches whenever she could. Nobody needed to know that, she didn't need people around her to go, "Oh, so you like football? Name-" Thus she already knew how Gavi plays and how well he does so. The second time they met was after her PR team suggested it would be good for her image to go watch Barcelona FC's match live as they both became colleagues recently. She was already impressed by his skills but after she got to watch it live, she was beyond impressed.

After the match, this time, however, the small talk was avoided. She was way too enthusiastic to prevent herself from spilling compliments laced with deep football knowledge on their team's performance which received positive responses but a quite remarkable expression from the said colleague. While she was leaving, he followed behind, which he must've been told by someone to do out of politeness.

"So, what was that reaction?" She stopped and raised a brow at him.

A flush appeared on his face before he blinked rapidly to reply, "I-I wasn't expecting you to-"

"-know about football?"

He aggressively shook his head, eyes widening, "No! I wasn't expecting you to miss out on your schedules to watch our game."

"How do you know that?" She cornered him.

"You're famous. How would I not know? We were told about it." He gulped.

"Is that so?" An amused smile appeared on her face as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Or did you search me?"

He finally looked her in the eye properly, "Do you do that to everyone?"

There you go. She lets out an annoyed sigh, rolling her eyes while doing so, "Of course, you'd think that. Just like everyone."

"I don't know what you mean by that but I am having a hard time here being teased by one of the prettiest women ever so, you should have mercy on me." His face morphed into a flirtatious expression which surprised her.

Her mouth widened before she sent a smile at him, "Dear, don't you worry. It's nothing harmful. Plus, you're a kid."

"I'm eighteen and you're older than me by barely two or three years. Who are you calling kid?"

"Woah, how do I formally apologise then?"

"You can start by befriending me."

And indeed, they were friends. In fact, Gavi was the closest and most real friend she has ever had. Him being around her age helped a lot. Their sense of humour matched. He wasn't rude or disrespectful, he'd always listen. He wouldn't hesitate to voice out exactly what he thought about something and she did the same. She listened to him vent when he wasn't performing well despite trying his best. She listened to him voice out his frustration, she tried her best to understand him and be there for him whenever he rang. Gradually they began to find time for themselves to hang out and with her experience, they sneaked out successfully without getting caught. Away from the cameras, away from the stares.

And then, they became more than friends.

×××

If anyone took a peek at Gavi's mind they'd probably laugh at how ridiculous the new information would be to them. Gavi? Spain's youngest player? The youngest player in his country to score a goal in the world cup? Someone so successful at his young age is insecure? What for?

His eyes trail across the dark room with colourful flashes of light and lands on his girlfriend. The woman wanted by everyone. He sees some men hit on her only to be met with a tight-lipped smile that politely told them to back off. In order to maintain a peaceful relationship, they keep it a secret from the world, from the scrutiny of people, and from the unsolicited comments of journalists that could sabotage it and disrupt their peace. It's certainly much better this way but it also has its cons as one can see.

Gavi clenches his jaw with a pointed stare at other men approaching her and engaging in conversations. Her gown is black with a slit that starts from the top of her right thigh. She looks absolutely gorgeous. Not only in his eyes but in everyone's as well. He notices one of the men give her a once-over, making sure to check her out before he has to leave her be. One can tell his veins are pulsing as he clenches his jaw harder and begins to breathe noisily. Her eyes finally catch his across the room, his breath almost hitches at the sight of her subtle smile for him but his head is too preoccupied with other emotions at the moment.

As she begins to approach him, he stalks away towards the exit's direction and informs his manager that he isn't going to stay in this event any longer. He drives off to his house in his car without her, it's not like they can get into one car in front of people anyway. Not long after she arrives. Her eyebrows are drawn together in concern as she tilts her head to look him in the eye, grabbing him by the shoulders. "Babe, are you okay?"

It's as if her touch has magic, all of his anger dissipates in an instant. He feels vulnerable. He tries to look back into her eyes, only to fail to do so as he ducks his chin. The look of concern doesn't leave her face as she notices that. Her hands begin to rub his shoulders as she whispers, "Will you tell me what was that at the event? You seemed angry."

Now he feels like a complete jerk. He seemed to be angry at her when in fact it wasn't the case. He feels stupid for walking away from her and driving off without letting her know like an immature person. She doesn't deserve this. He closes his eyes, taking a deep breath before heaving it. Opening his eyes to look into hers, he mumbles a sorry quietly.

She frowns at that before grabbing his hands to make him sit on the sofa behind them and settles beside him. Her hands reach to hold his face, her fingers softly trailing from the apples of his cheek to his chin. "Don't be sorry. There must be a reason you're angry. I've never actually seen you angry so it's worrying me."

"It's just that," he rakes a hand into his hair, sighing. "the way they look at you made me so angry. I couldn't do anything on top of that. Everyone wants you but then again you told me about how you were treated in your previous relationships so that makes me angrier."

She gets up to sit on his lap and wraps an arm around his neck, the other hand holding his chin. "That makes a lot of sense. I hope you realise that your feelings are valid. I can see why you are angry or frustrated or whatever you're feeling right now. Okay?"

He nods his head in response.

She leans closer, her face merely an inch or two away from his. Tilting his chin with her hand, she looks directly at him, "Next time you're mad, just ring me and let it out. Say what you gotta say. I will do the same. Do you get it?"

He lets out a chuckle at that before grabbing her face in his hands and pulls her head towards him to engulf her lips with his into a kiss. She giggles at first but it transpires into them making out for some time before she breaks off to land a peck on his forehead.

"Will you keep playing my knight in shining armour this way for a long time?" He pretends to think while asking that.

"Toxic masculinity…" she huffs while rolling her eyes.

His eyebrows shoot up at the accusation. "I only called you that as a compliment."

"Sounded like a mockery to me." She accuses him yet again, narrowing her eyes playfully at him.

This time he rolls his eyes before a sarcastic smile takes over, "I was a minute away from crying into your shoulders. Is that toxic masculinity?"

She laughs at that before muttering, "Well, seeing you cry would've been a sight to behold though."

"What!?"

×××

They fall asleep cuddling, after watching an old action movie to laugh at the CGI. Gavi wakes up first and spends a good amount of time staring at her sleeping face, finding it adorable. There is an embarrassing lovestruck look on his face that he prefers to keep secret from her.

"Take a picture, it will last longer." She mumbles from her sleep to which he jumps away.

"You scared me." He clutches his chest with widened eyes. "Since when have you been awake!?"

"Long enough to know you're a creep." She smirks, her eyes still closed.

"Oh, is that so?"

"I don't like that tone of yours, Pablo." She says before opening one eye to check what he is up to, only to see his hands reach for his neck. "Omg, you're not doing that. You know how ticklish I am there, I'll kill you."

"Too late."

"You're so- O MY GOD- done when I catch you."

#pablo gavi imagines #gavi imagines #pablo gavi x reader #gavi x reader #pablo gavi imagine #gavi imagine #pablo gavi scenarios #gavi scenarios #pablo gavi blurb #gavi blurb #football blurb #football blurbs #football imagine #football imagines

[helluvabun]

Val's daughter Headcannons 2

Darker edition

TWs and A/N: mentions of grooming and unhealthy relationships. Mentions of eating disorders if you squint. This was written in one go at 2:30am. not proof read. I can't stop thinking about her. She has my heart. (I'll edit her name in whenever voting finishes I just couldn't wait to write another tiny something for her)

Part one Master list

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ I don't see incest being a problem but Valerie does have an unhealthy attachment to her Valentino, including talking about XXX topics

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ She does also still do things like call him 'Daddy' and 'Papi, sitting on his lap, and kissing his cheek, but neither see them as an inappropriate gestures

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ She's only been in one serious relationship that wasn't a publicity stunt by Vox, and ruined it by being possesive (texting 500 times a minute, calling over and over) Otherwise just prefers sleeping around, so much that it's part of her branding

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Due to the mix of her dad's power and being half succubus, she does accidentally manipulate almost everyone she finds attractive without thinking. She thinks everyone just happens to also be attracted to her

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ She works with Vox as an actress, working in horror films primarily as the bimbo sterotype. Since it's Hell horror movies are primarily... practical effects. And she's the most extreme masocist ever. This combo is the main reason she's so popular

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ She's is a nepo baby to the bone. Very nice girl but what's the big deal about having a soul contract? Didn't you choose to sign it silly? On the plus side any souls she have are very well taken care of, Mainly being used as attendants, makeup artists, and 'besties'... if they're not completely left alone to go about their life as normal

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ She definitely thinks lolita is a love story

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Because of seeing the women Valentino works with, and due to off hand comments her father made (never about her but about his employees), she had alot of body insecurities during puberty and still now (though now she handles it a lot better)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Valentino doesn't mind seeing her flirt and hook up with men; They often go to the clubs together so it's impossible to avoid. He does draw a line at Vox, and doesn't have patience for men who keep pushing after hija has already said no.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ It wasn't normal to be a child in Hell, so she was pretty lonely, which she copes with now by being the life of the party

#Evie imagines #hazbin headcanons #hazbin hotel #hazbin hotel the vees #the vees #hazbin the vees #hazbin hotel valentino #hazbin valentino #valentino #hazbin hotel vox #hazbin vox #vox #hazbin hotel vvv #vvv #vox x valentino #staticmoth #hazbin fanfic #hazbin hotel imagines #hazbin #hazbin hotel fandom #hazbin fandom #headcanon #tw grooming #ed behaviour tw #disordered eating mention #grooming

[simnostalgia]

TW: Stalking, suicide, death, death threats, Zoophilia, Pedophilia, etc.

This is a long read. Sorry about that. I have lots of thoughts.

A Little Background for Those Not in the Know Regarding Sims "for profit" Modding Drama.

Okay, so I know I've already kind of talked about the implications of the new policy a little, but I haven't really talked about what I personally think about it. This seems like a good time though. I don't really expect many people to read this all the way through but honestly, I just wanted to say something about it.

As some of you know I was the old head of DHM (Dollhouse Mafia) and original founder. I stepped down a while ago because I was spreading myself too thin on personal projects and also, I didn't like the way things were going. I have nothing but good things to say about the current leadership, but it just personally wasn't worth it to me. ANYWAY, that being said, I wanted to put my thoughts about how the community has changed regarding its stance on pay content and how it used to be

So back in the days of TS2 PMBD acted as a receptacle for all pay custom content to be leaked. TSR, way back, was the biggest pay site in the community with several other smaller pay sites that specialized in hair or clothes. These sites generally had a specific style and very obviously made their own content. I couldn't tell you how much creators made but I know that other than TSR users it wasn't a huge amount.

So, The Sims team has pretty obviously always had a love/hate relationship with pay content. Even though it seems to have cooled they used to be VERY close to TSR. I know that they've always had a policy against pay content but it's never been enforced really. Like I said though, the only people who seemed to be making BIG money from non-passive income was TSR.

The reason that I bring this up is that I think the reason that things went so wrong isn't because of pay CC. I'm against pay CC and I always will be, we can talk about paying artists all we want but at the end of the day this is a hobby and if you're trying to use it as your main source of income you're in the wrong but I digress...

EA's Relationship with for profit CC

Fun fact, Patreon was actually started by the voice actor that played Teen/College aged men in TS2. I suspect that he got the idea from watching The Sims community try and set up their own personal online shopfronts and figured there was a way to do it better. I also suspect that many people who worked within The Sims Studio were pro-paysite because it created a demand that kept The Sims brand in people's minds. If people were making a living off of it then it was always being bought and you had people who basically HAD to buy it because that's how they made a living.

When talking about his new NFT (gross.) project Will Wright actually mentioned that one thing he didn't like was that piracy was taking place when Sims players were creating pay CC and others would pirate it. I suspect that the only reason they kept the policy they did was in case creators would make something that rivaled the studio in terms of quality (which according to Don Hopkins was an actual concern and part of the reason that EA's CC tools weren't super powerful, we couldn't create anything "too good")

Like anything to do with money, I think people who were mostly outsiders to the community realized that they could maximize profits through unsavory means such as flipping meshes quickly and reselling them from 3D modelling websites.

The problem is this created a flood of people who started using The Sims as their SOLE income and they began making good money too. Enough that they wouldn't easily be able to make that amount doing anything else without a serious career change.

Low Quality, Quick Profit, Unruly Community

So remember how EA decided they wanted to reach out and start the Game Changer program for the better by doing outreach to players by trying to interact with the community online. Then very recently they were like... trying to start a "sims social platform"? Yeah EA isn't really crazy about the fact that we're a self-sufficient community.

Most other gaming communities that have player made content tend to try and keep that player made content in an official store of some kind. Both so they can monetize it and use it as a selling point and also so they can control what can be done with it. Roblox is a GOOD example of how companies tend this sort of thing to play out. Communities that exploit creators and allow companies to control the player content, so everything aligns with the "brand".

Now, I'm just a person who REALLY likes The Sims and knows a lot about it so take it with a grain of salt but I suspect that EA is trying to find a way to keep us under better control. They've likely seen the messy fights that the patreon creators have been getting in. They've also definitely heard about the wide-spread availability of not just sex mods but sex mods that allow for pedophilia/zoophilia.

People can act like this has happened before in The Sims community but not like this. Before people were getting legal threats here and there and a few people were doing some bad stuff with the game but now we're talking doxxing, half of 4chan has started using The Sims as a sex playground, and people are making crazy money from it. EA was willing to overlook sex mods but I doubt they want a replay of the Jack Thompson case or to get the bad press that Habbo of Secondlife got for being bastions of pedophilia and perversion. It used to be that TSR was one company that made a lot of money and acted like a company acts to protect their business interests. However, now you have several HUNDRED people who were using The Sims as a get quick rich scheme and they were willing to attack community members to keep themselves living well. Not all of them, mind you, but it is an issue.

I suspect EA is worrying how this will look for the brand. It was okay when we were all creating a few mods and making pocket change from custom content. But now, because we've all been content creators we're getting better at it and it's causing problems (TM) for EA.

Both because their overlooking of pay content has backfired as it became more of a business AND because their players started becoming skilled enough to create things that both rivaled their own content and sullied their brand for outsiders and started attracting more and more unsavory types (cough cough ColonolNutty).

TL;DR: EA did this to themselves. They wanted the community to create for their games but didn't consider the outcomes of monetizing it. Now no matter what they do, some group will be mad at them. No matter what they do it's going to result in bad press... And you know what?

#Patreon drama #Patreon #Simblr #The Sims #The Sims 4 #Sims #TS4 #ColonolNutty #Colonol Nutty #WickedWhims #Wicked Whims #Roblox #Habbo Hotel #simblr drama #Sim Nostalgia #Simnostalgia #cowbuilt #Mack3030 #EA #Electronic Arts #Maxis #sex mod #Jack Thompson #Sims patreon #leosims #PMBD #Paysitesmustbedestoryed #pescado #This is EA's fault when you think about it

[rikebe]

Do you have a favorite X-men comic run? 👀

HMMMM id say my all-time favourite x-men run is def Excalibur Vol. 1 (1988)! It's the perfect sweet spot of a fun, well-written story with silly parts and great character moments, and it's filled to the top with soap-opera drama that we so dearly miss in modern x-men comics. I think the team is pretty much the perfect size to give everyone room to shine, plus the art is done (for the most part) by my all-time favourite x-men artist Alan Davis who's kind enough to draw kurt in tiny shorts over and over again. truly a hero. the cast is great (kurt, kitty and rachel are all favourites of mine and i really like meggan! brian is also there) and it's just a damn good time

other than that i have terrible taste so a lot of my personal favourites are in that 2012 - 2018 dead zone where the xmen were kind of a worthless brand they were trying to kill off so they just did WHATEVER. i love wolverine and the x-men, i love all-new x-men, amazing x-men, gen x 2017, all those weird middle children that were kind of balls to the wall are really fun for me, in part because that's when i started seriously reading comics so they hold a special place in my heart, but also because i kinda prefer x-stories that aren't so grandiose and all-important and world ending, and more character focused and creative, which is why a lot of the krakoa stuff really didn't catch me.

i also (big shocker) really love everything Academy X (so New Mutants Vol 2 (2003/2004) and then New X-Men Vol 2 (2004 - 2008) and the Hellions Mini (New X-Men: Hellions) and probably some more i'm forgetting right now) though those should definitely be read with a grain of salt, and if anyone's interested i'll gladly provide content warnings because they are DEFINITELY needed.

i could go on longer bc ive read a looooot of comics in my years (i could talk for hours about the pros and cons of reading akihiro comics for example. or random solos that are really good.) but yeah these are the ones that come to mind immediately! without making the list too long lol

#comics ive heard of them #xmen #the life and times of brows

[tressasinterlude]

𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐓 #𝟓: The Hyper-sexualization, Masculinization & Dehumanization of Megan Thee Stallion

𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗜𝗠𝗘𝗥: These rant blog posts are really just reflective of my thoughts at the time that I make them and are posted here because I need an outlet to release all of this shit I have going on in my busy ass mind. That’s it and that’s all. Now let’s get into it..

As someone who has been an avid supporter of Megan thee Stallion since her Houston cypher went viral back in 2016, it’s nearly impossible for me for not be proud of the three time Grammy-Award winning artist she’s manifested herself to be. However, being an OG Hottie has not been the easiest task either. From her mother passing away abruptly from cancer, her having a nasty feud with her label, to her being physically assaulted by a Canadian leprechaun that shall remain nameless, it’s been a tough journey.

Being that I pride myself in being one of the few people who followed Megan back when she used to upload freestyles from her college campus, it’s beyond disheartening to witness the same people, who rooted for her as an underdog, taking every opportunity to break her down. How did we even get here? I honestly can’t provide a definite answer to that but I can pin-point to moments when things began to take an ugly turn.

Let’s start with the most obvious:

I. The hyper-sexualization of Megan’s public persona.

Contrary to popular belief, Megan shaking her tail-feather on stage and sticking her tongue out was not a recurring theme within her brand until she started to attain mainstream success. DJ Chose did an interview with AllHipHop back in January 2021 discussing how Meg was NOT a heavy drinker at all and actually prided herself on being the “best rapper without having to twerk.”

I’m not the type of person to chastise another adult for engaging in some fun and drinking booze but it’s not by mere coincidence that the frequent ‘driving the boat’ and twerk videos began surfacing almost immediately after Ms. Holly (May she rest in peace) was no longer in the picture. The focus became more about how her ass moves rather than her rapping ability. Every viral video of Megan on the Twitter & IG timelines was one revealing her backside. We get it! Megan’s natural physique, without a doubt, lives up to the name she was given at 10: THEE Stallion. However, Meg is more than a pretty face and a coke bottle shaped figure. She’s a person with feelings, emotions, interests and most importantly, talent.

The sexual exploitation came with men fawning over her and giving her open invitations to their bedrooms. While I highly doubt Meg slept with every single man she was photographed with, it didn’t stop many from speculating. Quickly, she gained the reputation of being an industry pass-around to the point she felt the need to prove she wasn’t on numerous Twitter tirades and interviews (including the infamous Sway in the Morning interview she did about ‘not adding bodies’). The irony of it all is the same male gaze she was working overtime to appeal to already decided she was not deserving respect. Not because she raps about playing niggas the same way they play her or because she twerks but simply because she is a woman thriving in a male-dominated genre.

Misogyny is a constant losing battle especially in an industry that has been constructed to kick women back down a few notches every time they manage to climb up the ladder since its development. With the help of a certain crazed fanbase(s) and urban media publications, Meg was completely stripped from her humanity. By the time DaBoogeyMan and Tori Lamez started playing a game of Whack-A-Mole on Meg’s perception in the eyes of public opinion, the damage was already done.

Which brings me to the next part…

II. The subsequent masculinization & dehumanization of Megan thee Stallion

Meg has been called “Marcus”, “Michael”, and just about every male name that began with an M as well as been accused of being transgendered since she first emerged on the scene in 2019. These insults only grew to become more vitriolic overtime, notably after she took to her Instagram to confirm she was shot [by the Keebler elf himself].

Rapper Cam’ron’s post in response to Megan confirming she was shot via Instagram

Normally, this is the part where I’d go on a full tangent about how this meme alone further perpetuates transphobia and promotes femicide against trans-women but I will reserve it for another rant separate from this one. Anywho, it’s beyond disturbing to see fully grown men excuse gun violence committed against women. The amount of times I’ve heard both people use Megan’s height in comparison to the 5-foot-tall lollipop guild as a valid explanation for why he sh*t her has made me wish to lose all my senses just to escape the stupidity.

Howbeit, I am not surprised. History once again repeats itself and yet another black woman’s voice is being silenced to protect the sanctity of another black male. A black male who seized the opportunity to throw her under the bus even though she initially lied to the authorities to protect HIM. A black male who has continued to physically assault other people since he’s been awaiting trial and a black male who has used this woman’s former work-husband to help in conducting her most recent smear campaign. Peanut Head clearly does not value his own character enough to not jeopardize his current pending case let alone even thoroughly explain away his [alleged] actions. Yet Megan’s account of events and trauma responses is always up for questioning. Why?

I’ll tell you why: Because Megan was never valued as a human being.

It was all fun & games when Meg was just a sexual toy that men could wind up to do all the gyrating and dancing their lustful hearts desired. The minute she demanded respect was the minute she became disposable. She suddenly became every woman she tried her hardest to disassociate herself from and the backlash of it all came down like a ton of bricks. Her sexual history has been more of a talking point than the actual incident itself. To say it’s humiliating and invasive would be an understatement.

Let this be a cautionary tale to all the young ladies internationally of what male validation to be weary of. Growing up, we’ve been conditioned to think that if men/boys are giving us attention then it means that we’re doing something right but we’re never warned about the dangerous consequences that ‘attention’ can bring. Even when we are, we get told that men/boys causing pain is just a funny way of them showing they ‘like’ us. In no way, shape, or form, am I ever blaming any woman for the harm that can be inflicted on her but I just want us as (black) women to understand the power we truly possess. Being that we’re still living in a culture that’s driven by sexism, it’s important we learn from the past mistakes of the women before us and also be a helping hand to those who need it. This is beyond Meg at this point. We are the only support we have and even that support is not much.

Last but not least, if you’ve recently suffered a loss in your family, I send my greatest condolences. I know these past couple years have been rough for many including myself so I just want to let you know, everything will get better in due time. I also highly recommend finding a safe & healthy way to cope whether it be writing in a diary or going to a therapist. I wish you nothing but peace & prosperity during this troubling time. I love us for real.

- 𝙼𝙸𝚂𝚂 𝙴𝙳𝙶𝙰𝚁 𝙰𝙻𝙻𝙴𝙽 𝙷𝙾𝙴. 💋

#rant #female rappers #hip hop #black women #rap #anti blackness #megan thee stallion #dababy #cam’ron #misogyny #misogynoir #transmisogynoir #my uploads.

[bowtiesnmusicals]

Here is my recap of the second episode of the And That's What You Really Missed podcast.

Justin Timberlake too busy to be Mr. Shue.

Jane Lynch like character kept rolling around as a character.

Casting room was super stereotypical...men in gray suits with note pads.

Ryan would try to talk first.

Ryan first met Lea while he was working with Johnathan Groff on Pretty Handsome. Lamented that she couldn't get an audition on a CW show.

Lea was always the frontrunner for Rachel and it kind of was written for her.

Ryan had worked with Amber before as well.

Let it be Kevin. Running joke between Kevin and Ryan.

Whitney Houston agreed to play the part Eve played in season 1.

Ryan tried to create roles for Jennifer Lopez and Anne Hathaway.

Ryan has gotten death threats because of the Turkey Lurkey Time song.

Ryan's one regret is not doing a Taylor Swift tribute episode.

The Michael shoot was the worst shoot. It was long and hard.

Jenna was told to take a vacation and that was why she wasn't on the Michael episode. She needed it for her mental health.

The thing that Ryan loves the most in his life is creating a world and entering into it.

He turned his childhood bedroom into Studio 54. When Grace Kelly died he wanted to paint his room the color of her eyes. It was a way to escape his pain as a tortured picked on gay kid.

Creating television shows lets him create a whole world.

Glee needed to be poppy and bright.

Ryan has really bad OCD.

He will stay up until 2 am researching different patterns and colors.

Working on something about Truman Capote.

Glee was the start of Ryan's funko pop doll phase.

Each character has their own likes and dislikes when it comes to how they look and what they wear.

Ryan has very specific rules when he creates things.

Tina was shy but secretly tough and her clothes were like armor.

Sue was the best role ever because she always got to be comfortable wearing a tracksuit

Glee was the island of misfit toys.

There were 5 different versions of Don't Stop from the first episode.

No one wanted to do Don't Stop because it had just been done on the Sopranos. Ryan wouldn't take no for an answer because the song had been important to him as a kid.

Drama club was Ryan's safe space.

Everybody knows what it is like to be misunderstood, unseen, and bullied.

Vitamin D came about because Ryan would get a boost of energy whenever he took a Claritn D for allergies.

Everyone was pushed to challenge themselves.

Lean in to the good times.

Glee is a love letter to musical artists and misfits in high school.

The thing I am embarrassed about myself is the thing I should be celebrating.

Re-examine glee as a brand. Should we do a reboot or a musical? Ryan wants to do it in a positive way.

The cast got to feel appreciated and like they belonged for the first time.

Everyone in show business is there because they feel unloved.

The cast was given the option to not be in The Quarterback.

They did it for Cory. They hoped they would find some closure.

Looking back Ryan would never have done it now. It was too soon. It was too raw and emotional.

When Cory passed they had two choices..do they cancel the show or go on.

There is no right answer.

How do you address what happened? Do you pretend it didn't happen? Does the character die off camera?

Ryan ultimately decided to pay tribute to Cory and Finn.

Ryan helped Cory with an intervention. Cory visited Ryan on the set of The Normal Heart. He came to fire island and spent time with Ryan. A few days later Cory died.

Ryan asked for a grief counselor on set. No one talked to the grief counselor.

Ryan watched the episode once, edited it, and never looked at it again.

No one was ready to talk about it. Everyone was very close and protective of each other. At one point Kevin just got out of the wheelchair and walked off the set and lost it.

Cast had to juggle managing a brand and job with losing their friend.

If this happened now Ryan would have done things differently and would have had everyone take a year off.

Part of the reason they kept going was for the crew.

Did the best with what they could.

Kevin blocked it out of his memory.

Talked to everybody to see if they wanted to sing a song or what they wanted to do.

If glee was being made today Ryan would have taken a break and maybe not come back.

No one wants to touch the show out of respect for Naya and Cory.

Ryan tried to be a leader. Everyone wanted to be together and it just made sense to go to work and be together.

Ryan hated the idea of the students graduating and moving some of them to New York. The show maybe should have ended with graduation.

Ryan wouldn't change anything but he does have regrets. Wished that he had more meetings with the cast to see where everyone was at and to just check in with everyone.

Ryan learned a lot from Glee.

Ryan wants to come back to talk about other episodes.

Amber turned Ryan on to Adele. Kevin told Ryan about Lady Gaga.

Never let anyone do a podcast like this but Kevin and Jenna because he trusts them.

The podcast will start with them going through the narrative of the episodes and then talking about the crazy tiktok rumors.

They want to bring on some of the artists covered on glee and talk to them.

Ryan wants to a true/false segment. Also a segment of we did this right/we really fucked this up.

Next week will be the recap of the pilot.

#and that's what you really missed #jenna ushkowitz #kevin mchale #ryan murphy

[sweetbbyshion]

banner by @chaoticwh0re

Season 1 Next Episode

Episode 1 -> Sex, Love or Money

This season's singles meet and plan a steamy retreat. Meanwhile, our high-tech hostess is getting ready to deliver some bombshell news.

12 hours until the sex ban

Hostess: In less than twelve hours our horny singles will be hit with a no-sex sucker punch. Thankfully, I don't have to break the news, as this luxury no-bone zone comes fully equipped with its own virtual guide - Lana! Its purpose is to lead the guests to making deeper and more meaningful connections without the physical aspect of it.

For the first twelve hours, Lana will be watching and analyzing our guests and will be secretly gathering personal data before laying down the sex ban.

Let's meet our oblivious singles and let the show begin.

You

Age: 23 years old Occupation: Fashion designer Last relationship: “Four months ago. He broke up with me because his job was more important than me and he just didn't have the time for me.” Her type: “I don't even know. Probably tall men with tattoos that look like gangsters.”

Haitani Ran

Age: 26 years old Occupation: “I’m rich and that's all that matters” Last relationship: “Can't even remember but my last hookup was like 10 minutes ago.” His type: “Big boobs.”

Haitani Rindou

Age: 25 years old Occupation: “My brother told me to say I’m rich and that's all that matters.” Last relationship: “Never had one. It was something that didn't interest me.” His type: “I like tall women. If they're taller than me, that's hot.”

Hanma Shuji

Age: 24 years old Occupation: Stripper Last relationship: “A couple of months ago. She cheated on me with one of my coworkers.” His type: “Love a big ass but I’ll fuck anyone who wants to fuck me.”

Sano Emma

Age: 22 years old Occupation: Influencer/Model Last relationship: “Never been in one! I guess I just haven't found the right one for me.” Her type: “I love tall men with tattoos! Absolutely my favorite. But as long as they're nice and sweet, I don't mind the appearance.”

Madarame Shion

Age: 25 years old Occupation: Tattoo artist and piercer Last relationship: “4 years ago. She dumped me because I pierced a girl’s pussy and she got super jealous.” His type: “ANYONE! I just love women so much. They're all so pretty and hot.”

Shiba Yuzuha

Age: 23 years old Occupation: “I’m my little brother's manager.” Last relationship: “Months ago with an ugly guy that cheated on me.” Her type: “I don't care about physical attributes but I really want someone who's sweet, caring and doesn't mind that sometimes I have to stay away for a couple of weeks because of work.”

Ryuguji Ken (Draken)

Age: 23 years old Occupation: bike shop owner Last relationship: “A couple of months ago with a girl that broke up with me because she fell in love with my coworker.” His type: “I usually go for blondes.”

Tachibana Hinata

Age: 22 years old Occupation: Influencer and a cosmetic brand owner Last relationship: “Oh God! It was months ago. He didn't like the attention my fame brought to him.” Her type: “Ah~ I like them skinny and scrawny. Just complete losers.”

Suzuki Mina

Age: 24 years old Occupation: Bartender Last relationship: “Never had one. I'm not the one to commit.” Her type: “Big, strong men who can manhandle me. I don't settle for less.”

Kokonoi Hajime

Age: 23 years old Occupation: Accountant Last relationship: "A long time ago." His type: "Don't have one"

In 23 years of your life, you never thought you would join a random reality show where you had to party and bond with hot people for a whole summer because your boyfriend dumped you. You didn't think much about it, simply joining the show to show your ex that you were just fine without him. You weren't. One night stands were now part of your life. A different person to fuck you every week with no strings attached. You just couldn't let yourself form meaningful connections with anyone after that relationship. People would leave no matter how much you care for them. So you didn't think twice before jumping on this opportunity. You get to spend the whole summer having casual hookups with no feelings involved and no time to think about how heartbroken you're feeling even though the breakup was four months ago. You wouldn't allow yourself to stop and think about it.

The presentations were a bit awkward, as expected. No one knew what to say, simply introducing themselves and mostly asking to be called by their first name. Emma and Hinata did most of the talking, trying to ease the tension on the way to the place everyone was going to stay at. Soon enough, the nerves went away and you felt like you had known them for more than a couple of minutes. The conversation was flowing, you already liked the girls and you couldn't deny that you wouldn't mind fucking every men here. Still, you promised yourself that you wouldn't do anything on TV… on the first night. You don't know how long it will take until you disappoint your mom but Hanma Shuji and Haitani Ran caught your attention right away. They're handsome and are just your type. Luckily you caught Hanma’s attention just as much while the older Haitani seemed more interested in Mina. You didn't mind, there was plenty of time to make your move on him and you were sure none of them came to this show to fall in love. It was still the first day after all and there was no need to rush.

The room was huge, full of big beds. If you counted correctly, there was one for each but you wouldn't mind sharing one with someone. It was obvious that eventually more people would join to stir up the drama. That's what the viewers want.

You sit on one of the comfy beds, your back against the headboard. You look around the room and your eyes stop on a weird lava lamp that you were sure you have seen around the villa but paid no mind. It was probably some decoration item. Hinata, Yuzuha, Kokonoi and Hanma sat in beds close to you, the rest of the people nowhere to be seen.

“Anyone you wanna share a bed with?” Hinata asks, looking around the room , murmuring numbers as she counts the beds.

Kokonoi is the first to deny, saying he will fight anyone who tries to get in bed with him. Yuzuha says she doesn't mind sharing with one of the girls if needed since none of the guys caught her attention. Hinata happily calls dibs on Yuzuha if new people ever join and you need to share beds.

“I wouldn't mind sharing with Y/N.” Hanma Shuji, that sneaky bastard, says, eyeing you from the bed next to yours.

You move a bit to the side and pat the place next to you. Hanma almost jumps into the bed, eager to be next to you. He’s closer to you than needed, your shoulders touching. He smells like a deep earthy musk, a faint smell of cigarettes mixed with it. It's good, it's intoxicating, and you can't help but move closer until the point where your senses are overfilled with his smell. The others become background noise while you're looking at the man sitting beside you. His hand tattoos caught your attention, making you grab one of his hands to look at it better. Your finger traces the kanji tattooed on his left hand and Hanma simply watches you, entranced by your actions.

“Sin and…” you grab the other hand. “...punishment?”

“Yeah. Pretty cool, right?”

You look at him, getting your face a little closer to his to whisper “Yeah, it's hot.”.

“Trying to make me pop a boner when we just met?”

“Is it working?”

Hanma doesn't reply and simply grabs a pillow to put on his lap. You don't know if you're glad or not that other people are in the room, preventing you from jumping on top of this man and devouring him. Perhaps you could forget about that rule you set to yourself about not sleeping with anyone on the first night.

Your lewd thoughts about the man next to you are interrupted when Shion enters the room to announce you're having a welcome party. You get up and wait for Hanma by the bed, watching everyone excitedly leaving the room. Before you can walk out of the door, a big hand grabs your wrist making you turn around. Your mind froze when you feel Hanma kissing you. It's surprisingly soft and slow and it doesn't take long for you to close your eyes and wrap your arms around his neck, pulling him as close as possible. Unfortunately, the kiss didn't last long and you try to chase his lips as soon as he moves away. He smirks, amused by your neediness and pulls you to meet the others.

Shion is doing some weird dance moves when you get outside and you can see Emma already talking to Draken in a corner. Hinata and Yuzuha are dancing together. Well, Hinata is dancing and trying to make Yuzuha move by swinging her arms.

Ran is the one who suggests a game. One person has to be blindfolded and the others can touch, kiss, or whatever they feel like. The blindfolded person has to guess who touched them. There's no winner and certainly no rules. You excitedly grab the blindfold and Mina helps you tie it in the back of your head. You only hear laughs and then lips on yours. The already familiar scent gives away who it is and you make the most of it, not wanting him to pull away too soon again. His hand goes down to grab your ass, pulling you closer to him and the whistles in the background bring you back to earth and you pull away for air. You say Hanma's name and big hands help you take off the blindfold and fix your hair. His pretty face is staring at you and you can't help but pull him to another kiss.

People kept taking turns, some being more bold than others. When Ran’s turn arrived, Mina pulled you with her and signaled for a kiss. You did your best trying to have a threeway kiss. Ran’s hands are holding yours and Mina’s waist and he bites your lower lip before moving to bite Mina’s. You use your thumb to clean the drool on his lips and he guesses right. You don't even sit since it's Hanma’s turn and excitedly walk to him, you kiss his neck, biting it softly but not enough to give him a hickey. Your hand goes down his chest, feeling the muscle and stopping just where his shorts start. His hand cups your face to pull you for a kiss, his tongue promptly exploring your mouth. A ding in the background catches your attention and you move away from Hanma to look at your new friends. You both sit down and the hostess appears, her smile making you a bit uneasy.

“Hello everyone! How’s everyone doing tonight? Enjoying the party?” A chorus of yes is heard. “That's good! Tonight, we have a special guest.”

A big box is brought to the center. Everyone seems excited but you can't help but get the feeling that something wrong is going to happen. The lights go down and Hinata’s excited voice can be heard, asking who it might be. The suspense is killing you, your leg bouncing a bit. Smoke starts coming out of the box and then a platform goes up, revealing the weird lava lamp that is placed all over the villa. It lights up and another ding is heard.

“Hello. I’m Lana.” the device says. “Your personal, digital assistant. Welcome to the retreat.” You look at Hanma, a bit confused about the talking cone. He looks as confused as you. “You may be in paradise but the party is over.”

“What does that mean?!” Emma’s voice is heard from the other side of the couch.

“The purpose of this retreat is to help you gain deeper and more emotional connections.”

Your jaw drops. Suddenly, all the idiotic questions about your sex and dating life made sense. The way they tried to get every single bit of what happened with your break up masking it with curiosity.

“This is bullshit.” Hanma murmurs beside you.

“For the last twelve hours, I have been watching you and learning about your behavior. You have been selected as you are all having meaningless flings over genuine relationships.”

“That's a lie!” Hinata says.

“If it was a lie I don't think you would have been selected, hun.” Yuzuha replies.

“As part of your social development, I have allocated a price of ¥30,000,000.”

The gasp you let out is almost involuntary. It's a great prize but you feel like there's a but coming and you don't like what you have been hearing so far.

“Are they going to keep the two of us close in a closet until we develop a meaningful connection or something?” Rindou comments.

“However…”

“There it is.” you laugh.

“I will deduct money from the prize fund if there are breaches to the rules. There is no kissing, no heavy petting, no sex and no self-gratification.”

“Wait, wait, wait, what's that?” Shion asks, a genuine confused look on his face.

“You can't masturbate.”

You let your head fall on your hands, thinking about how stupid you could be that you got yourself into this type of reality show. Hanma sighs next to you, falling back on the couch and laughing, even though you can tell it's fake.

“Well. We’re fucked.”

Taglist: @crybabylisa @chaoticwh0re @minoozi @benkeibear @ranszn

Fic Taglist: @megumi-divine @tsukkishitstain @gojoscumslut @leoncito1503 @zuuki @thesadvampire @michiru-kail @getousblog @thatsophanu @q-the-rockaholic @chuusussss @smurfflynn

#kora posts! #haitani ran x reader #ran x reader #tokyo revengers x reader #tokyorev x reader #haitani ran #ran haitani #ran haitani fluff #ran haitani smut #haitani ran fluff #haitani ran smut #ran x y/n #ran x you #ran haitani x reader #ran haitani x y/n #ran haitani x you #tokyorev smut #tokyorev fluff #tokyorev ran #tokyorev haitani ran #tokyo revengers ran #tokyo revengers x y/n #tokyo revengers x you #tokyorev x y/n #tokyorev x you

[tragicromanceisland]

What Happens in Wonderland, Remains

Character x female reader

Chapter Nine

Ever since that night, you had agreed to attend the event with Vil. He was glad you decided to attend with him. Though a part of him was still bothered by what your reaction would be when you saw them. Though, maybe just maybe you were satisfied with being with him and only him. Who wouldn’t be?

The days leading up to the gala passed quicker than you realized. Your day had been filled by being at the spa salon. Vil had his personal hairstylist and makeup artist meet him at the salon. The stylists were all gushing over Vil being at their salon and wondering what his relationship with you was. Since this was the first time Vil had ever brought someone with him other than his assistants.

After the spa, Vil didn’t comment on how you looked, and even though the stylists raved over your appearance, you couldn’t help but wonder if he didn’t feel the same way.

“Rook and my assistant are awaiting at my house. Once we’re dressed, we will be on our way to the gala.”

You nodded as you gazed out the window. Vil glanced over at you before returning his eyes to the road. He held a look of displeasure; he was disappointed with himself. He had never looked at anyone other than himself and constantly tried to upstage Neige. However, today, he found himself stealing numerous glances in your direction. You looked gorgeous yet. For some reason, he couldn’t bring himself to say it. Maybe it had to do with his own vanity.

Vil parked the car in front of his house. He stepped out of the car at the same time you emerged from the passenger side. He walked inside, with you behind him, and inside Rook and his assistant greeted you both.

Rook’s eyes scanned you over. “Roi du Poison, I think you have robbed me of an opportunity to dress the beautiful lady.”

Vil narrowed his eyes. “As if I’d let you. Now stop fooling around. We mustn’t waste time.”

Rook sighed.

“As you wish.”

The two men left, and it was just the assistant and you.

“Follow me, ma'am.”

Aster couldn’t you be the same person who had rejected Vil’s proposal? She bit her thumbnail, but she couldn’t deny you were really pretty as much as she didn’t want to admit it. She felt defeated if only Vil would have let Rook dress you instead. It would have given her at least an opportunity to try and make a move on him. Now, it really was impossible for her to try and explain her feelings to him.

You nodded as she walked with you to a room you had yet to see. It held a chaise lounge and a marble counter with all kinds of cosmetics and perfumes as well as a silkscreen divider. There was a clothing rack that held a bagged garment and a few ribbon-tied boxes on the chair. lounge.

“Mr. Schoenheit wished to tell you to choose your lipstick and perfume after I dress you. The boxes you see on the counter are also for you to wear with your evening gown. Let’s begin, shall we?”

You felt like your stomach was doing somersaults. You were so nervous. You would be in the spotlight with Vil by your side. You were terrified you would make him look bad somehow, and what was worse, he still had yet to say anything. The only one who mentioned anything was Rook, and Vil immediately stopped him from making an apparent advance on you. Even though you knew it was just Rook and how he had always been a very observant flirt.

You opened the boxes first. One box held the most dazzling pair of heels you had ever seen. Another box contained a gorgeous luxury brand clutch purse. The other few contained jewelry, and the last one left you wondering what it meant as it was a blank card. You looked all over, and there was nothing written on it. You thought it was a little odd, but maybe it had a purpose for later. You would have to thank Vil later. He really went all out for you. You were almost afraid to know how expensive the necklace, anklet, bracelet, and earrings were.

“Are you ready for your gown ma’am?”

“Please, just call me (y/n). Yes, I should probably stop prolonging this.”

Aster lifted her brows. She didn’t understand why you wished for such a thing. Though she was doing this for Vil, she decided to go along. Aster nodded in response and walked over to the garment. She unzipped and was stunned at how gorgeous the gown was. The reflective glitter on the skirt of the dress and the beaded lace was stunning. The bodice of the dress was mesh and beaded lace. A plunging neckline and off-the-shoulder sleeves. You still couldn’t believe it, Vil had taken you shopping, and the shopping assistant had told you this was the dress for the event. You couldn’t deny it was gorgeous. You could only hope it wasn’t going cause trouble for Vil since it had a bit of a train. Aster was so jealous that this was almost a wedding gown quality, and it was simply an evening gown for a gala.

Aster pulled the gown out of the garment bag as you turned and undressed down to your underwear. The dress had built-in cups, which was nice. You didn’t have to worry about a bra. Aster helped you into the dress as she buttoned up the gown once you had it on.

“You’re going to put everyone else to shame. Let’s just hope you don’t outshine Vil.”

“I’m not sure I could.”

Aster then had you pick out the perfume and lipstick. You were surprised when Aster told you Vil had made these cosmetics himself. Finding one you preferred, you applied the lipstick and the perfume yourself. Aster then helped you hold your dress as you slipped into the heels that were reflective with glitter as your dress. Aster assisted you with the jewelry until you were finally ready to go. You were still feeling nervous. Your hair was in one of your favorite hairstyles, and you were still hoping Vil might say how he felt about your appearance.

“Smile miss (y/n). You’ll be meeting Mr. Schoenheit now. The limo is waiting outside. Let’s go.”

You nodded, grabbing the white card and slipping it into your clutch with your phone. You would ask Vil about it on the way to the gala. You were also beginning to get hungry, but your nerves were canceling out your appetite at the moment. Your heels clacked against the marble flooring of Vil’s home. Echoing through the house. Aster opened the door for you, and you saw the limo idling. Rook’s eyes widened before his eyelids lowered, and he gave you a devilish smirk.

“You’re sure to be the highlight of the evening ma Cherie.”

You blushed as Rook helped you inside the limo. Vil was on his phone, doing who knows what. You felt disappointed. Did Vil only want you for your body? Though he was fine the day after…it was only today he really seemed to be ignoring you. Though you couldn’t figure out if you had done something wrong or not. Or maybe you were just that bad, so he didn’t have any more use for you. Rook and Aster entered after you. Rook and Aster sat across from you. Though there was still a notable space between you and Vil due to your dress.

Vil had seen you the moment Rook opened the door. You were breathtaking. You would no doubt become a topic of conversation this evening.

“How about a toast?” Rook suggested.

Pouring the wine, Rook handed out the glasses. “Here’s to a magical evening filled with joy and laughter.”

“To overcome competition,” Vil added.

“For a successful event.”

You pondered for a second more, the three of them waiting for you to add something.

“To follow our hearts and dreams.”

Rook seemed pleased with your response. Vil met your gaze, wondering what you were thinking. Aster felt it was all relatable. The four of you clanked your glasses together before downing the champagne within. The rest of the way there, you spent most of your time looking at the scenery of the city at night. Forgetting to ask about the blank card.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

You glanced over to see Rook was the one who spoke and you smiled.

“Too often, we all become caught up in meaningless things and forget to find the beauty in life.”

Vil rolled his eyes, though he couldn’t say he was wrong. It was true, or was Rook trying to get him to admit how he felt about you tonight? He wasn’t budging. He had a time and place he wished to do so.

“We’re here. Vil, do you want me to say anything to the press?”

“Not necessary, I fully intend on ignoring them. That goes for you as well (y/n). If they try to ask you questions, just keep your eyes focused on entering the building. Once inside, we will have a short reprieve. If you encounter any other reporters, I advise you not to give any answer. I will stick to your side as much as possible. However, if you happen to stray from me, I can’t promise you won’t encounter some trouble. Try to remain close.”

“I understand.”

The limo door opened, and Vil was the first to step out. Cheers erupted, and tons of flashes began. You could hear the crowd grow silent as Vil extended his hand to you. You heard murmuring. You swallowed your nervousness as you took his hand. The crowd grew more excited by the second as you stepped out of the vehicle. Aster helping you with your train. Though she and Rook remained in the car. They would enter from the back of the building as they weren’t the main guests of the gala.

This world of celebrities was foreign to you, and this was all brand new. Tons of reporters began to ask questions.

“Vil who is the gorgeous woman?”

“Mr. Schoenheit is this your girlfriend?”

“Is she your fiancée?”

“Miss what is your name!”

“How long have you known Vil?”

The questions were being shouted at you both as you held onto Vil’s arm. His fans were just as wild, some crying, some asking the same questions as the reporters. You gripped onto Vil’s arm a bit tighter, and he glanced at you. The concern in your eyes was evident, and he gave you a soft smile.

“I’m here, there’s no reason to worry.”

You nodded. Some reporters were spinning wild tales about your and Vil’s relationship and how long you must have been dating. You both made your way inside the building, security opening the door for you both as you took your first step into the elegantly decorated event. It appeared to be a meeting hall there were already so many people there. Some of them you didn’t recognize.

~

“I still don’t know why you had to drag me from home just to attend this fake feast,” Leona grumbled.

“Leona Kingscholar!” His sister-in-law and current queen of Savannah Sunset scolded. “You were also invited to this event as one of the best spell drive players from our region. Set a good example and wear your damn tie!” She snapped.

“Hey! Don’t you make fun of me, Farena.” Leona scowled.

“Relax, Leona. Why don’t you try to mingle?” Leona’s older brother Farena suggested.

“That’s out of the question.”

“You can’t expect to wait for a woman forever Leona.”

Leona furrowed his brows. He was done with this event. He only came because his sister-in-law kept pestering him about going. About how it would be good to meet people. He had been around these events most of his life. They were nothing but a cesspool for gossip and things he wasn’t interested in. Maybe if he held significance being the second born, it would be different. However, as long as his brother and now his annoying nephew were alive. His life wasn’t as important. He knew that. He just wished for once it seemed like someone cared about what he could and was capable of. The only one who ever had done that was you. He clenched his gloved hand. You weren’t here, though. So what was the point?

Just when Leona thought it couldn’t get worse, he saw that annoying monster arrive. His henchmen were still attached to his side like always. Malleus glanced over and smirked. Leona growled. That guy was so annoying. Leona excused himself, under the guise of going to fix his suit. He was going to check out a place to take a nap without anyone bothering him.

~

Malleus observed from the corner he, Sebek, and Silver had been assigned at. It was the first time he had been invited to such an event. He had initially told Lilia he wasn’t going, though Lilia knew better. He had been curious as to what most of the regions did at these types of gatherings. Though it was a welcome break from the tedious work he had been given. There were talks around Briar Valley about him being with a queen. They found it odd that being King, he had no one beside him. Who was running his house, and what about heirs?

Then a rather troublesome problem came along a year ago. A young woman who kept insisting he marry her. For the life of him, he had been unable to make her go away. Though in the process, he had stumbled across Grim on a rampage in the valley of thorns. He had managed to easily subdue him with his magic. The problem lies with his lingering attachment to you. Grim even held stories about you, he had never heard. So he decided to take him under his wing to not only hear more about you but also in hopes to help Grim control the beast he could become. Because just like Grim, he could transform into a formidable beast. Grim agreed to stay behind with Lilia and guard the castle. He finally understood why you became so fond of the creature.

Still, his problem with the young woman existed, and he was at a loss. He didn’t necessarily dislike this woman. He did, however, feel he was not suitable for her. Silver couldn’t help but notice something was bothering Malleus again. Only to be immediately annoyed when Sebek had an outburst.

“My liege! What seems to be troubling you? Is there anything I can do for you?”

Malleus smirked as he glanced at Sebek. “If I recall, I asked you not to behave this way.”

Sebek broke out in a nervous sweat. “Yes, my lord. My apologies my lord.”

Silver rolled his eyes. “Stop annoying him.”

Malleus glanced around while Sebek unnecessarily argued with Silver. Malleus was amused. Perhaps something of interest would happen tonight.

#twisted wonderland #vil schoenheit #rook hunt #original character #malleus draconia #leona kingscholar #x female reader #farena kingscholar #sebek zigvolt #silver twisted wonderland #lilia vanrouge #grim twst #《🦋writes 》

[hotshotshitshow]

had an (ex) friend go on one time about a friend he had who had identified as a lesbian, and how he was just WAITING for them to come out as a trans man bc to him it was just So Obvious and ngl i think about that from time to time and get myself all wound up hoping that nobody is just Waiting for me to be a man too

i feel like so much of myself isnt “lesbian enough” and it is a constant process of reminding myself that i am not beholden to anyone and that cis standards are not something i need to concern myself with 

(a lot of this worry comes from me not feeling like i fit it with the majority of lesbians, and needing to remind myself that it is cis lesbians that i dont fit in with, which is fine and acceptable; as well as the fact that i tend to find nsfw content made by queer men to be more personally interesting to me than nsfw content made by queer women because i deeply appreciate the depictions and appreciation of masculinity that i see whereas i still tend to find nsfw content made by queer women to be .... soft, palatable, and generally alienating) (that all being said, outside of art and etc, i still dont and never have resonated with queer men and have no desire to be a part of that culture)

the lesbian content that i have found that appreciates masculinity in the ways that actually hit home for me are so few and far between that i am pretty sure i could count the amount the artists i like on both hands

anyway this is all just another part of the journey in needing to understand, for my own emotional health, that i cant and shouldnt spin my wheels trying to find validation and acceptance of myself in other peoples experiences because that is not sustainable and the brand of queerness that i happen to fall into is just inherently kind of lonely and ultimately thats ok

#i feel like im constantly rehashing the same stuff ive said here before but its all #a part of the process of figuring shit out i guess

[citronsucre]

retournement de veste !

     All the kpop idols being invited to fashion events and becoming houses ambassadors made me think about how fashion luxury houses are so fast to turn around and try to seduce a public they used to turn their backs to. In fact, these companies have always wanted to dissociate themselves with certain groups and figures. The Kardashians are a great example of this phenomenon, luxury houses didn’t really want anything to do with them until Balmain’s creative director Olivier Rousteing took an interest in the family.

   In France, owning luxury items is popular in urban areas leading to a love and hate relationship between fashion houses and these populations that don’t fit the image of said houses. The derogatory, racist and classist term “Lacoste TN” designate young black and north African men living in urban areas dressing in Lacoste tracksuits with AirMax TN sneakers. The term is widely known and shows the popularity of this style mixing streetwear and luxury. Unfortunately for these houses, this is not the lifestyle and outdoor activities they are trying to promote :(  The luxury tennis outfit oriented brand Lacoste especially, whose popularity in the suburbs is incredible, has been vocal about not wanting to associate with this group. Eventually, with them playing quite a large part in Lacoste’s sales in France, the house ended collaborating with french rapper Moha La Squale. 

   France is not the first country encountering this behavior. Actually, the popularization of streetwear, monogram, sneakers and chunky jewelry in luxury is due to the African American community in neighborhoods of New York and Hip Hop music. Dapper Dan was an amazing designer from Harlem, is influence on black music and the style associated with it is huge. His work at first consisted of creating knock-offs of luxury items and playing around with logos. That is how the monogram print was popularized. Luxury houses which excluded black people, did not want to be associated with them or their music, called their style tacky, ghetto or ratchet started reappropriating these creations and selling them to white rich people in the suburbs. 

   When European luxury houses first made their first steps into Asia, whiteness and the Parisian style was the goal. Boarding school uniform inspired preppy was in vogue in Japan starting from the 1960′s. I have always found it odd how 30 years later, with the rise of Harajuku fashion and the popularity of streetstyle photography magazine FRUiTS, these brands never tried to collaborate or work with young Japanese artists. It was maybe too tacky for them, too out of pocket or too “street” since it seems like it is a global problem. So it is funny now to see how Heavn by Marc Jacobs collaborated with FRUiTS Magazine’s photographer Shoichi Aoki and tried to mimic an aesthetic by watering down alternative asian fashion culture and manufacturing it to sell it to the mass while the whole purpose of the movement was to protest against social norms by being unique and creating unique in the world pieces mixing traditional and modern clothing. I am not trying to say i hate the brand, I actually liked it at first, I am juste a girl in my twenties who likes asian fashion so of course I liked it. But when thinking about it, nothing new has been created, everything they sell is already available on the market. It just caters down to mass consumerism and the “weird girl aesthetic” that for some reason makes me think of the manic pixie dream girl except it is fashion. 

   Now with the influence of Korean culture you know they had to ! Houses will go out of their way to have at least one Korean celebrity sit at their show, idols being the golden ticket. Even if this is not new and even if I am glad artists get this opportunity, I find it sad and sometimes reducing to invite pretty faces instead of actually working with them on interesting projects, especially since South Korea is a buzzing spot for emerging designers and small artists. It is like non white people have two options: be excluded or be a totem. 

(if you want to know more about Heavn i suggest you watch this video ! it is really interesting and i agree with everything being said)

#citron sucre #high fashion #fashion industry

[faisdm]

The one downside to Tumblr, compared to say, Twitter, is that Tumblr just doesn’t care about your original works. It is painfully difficult to get people on Tumblr to give even a single shit about an original comic, story or game. It’s not a new thing, of course, it’s been like that for over a decade... but it’s always disappointing, and if you’re new here and thinking “maybe someday if I get really good and get published, or get really popular in a fandom, they’ll care!” No... sorry, they won’t, and you need to know that, or you’ll keep trying to please them and slowly get worn down by it as nothing you do seems to get you anywhere, even if you’re giving them everything they loudly proclaim they want.

It’s bizarre; people on Tumblr would rather invent an entire non-existent movie by rich cishet people and pretend it has gay subtext- subtext! Not even text!- than read original queer works by queer creators and discuss and celebrate them! Like, FFS, Tumblr, LOVE YOURSELVES. The best you can imagine for yourselves is hypothetically being queerbaited!?

And don’t get me wrong, I love the shared creativity of all the posters and things and the in-joke of the made up gangster movie, but coming back to Tumblr after a while on Twitter, hoping for a “better place” I’m inevitably reminded of why I always end up drifting off it. I want people to read my work; I put a lot of effort into it, and spending time on a platform that aggressively doesn’t give a shit while proclaiming “boy, I wish there were more things like [describes exactly my work]... but there aren’t, so we’ll just have to pretend the characters from this straight series by straight people might have maybe not been straight!” is just....EUGH. It’s tiresome! People on twitter will take a chance on it! People on Tiktok will give it a go, and even Facebook! It has thousands of subscribers, it’s on a Tapas program, it ran a pretty successful Kickstarter, and I’ve been published multiple times, so it’s clearly not a bad comic... and it has everything Tumblr claims to like in it! Sword lesbians, political metaphors, meme jokes, autistic and nonbinary representation, positive bisexual rep... AND it’s made by a long-time Tumblr person from the fucking Homestuck fandom! (over ten years as admin and VA on one of the biggest Homestuck projects that exists, an artist on not just fan albums, but two of the official albums!) What more can I give you to convince you this comic is for you, Tumblr!? I made it for you!

The problem with Tumblr is that everyone talks like they’re super open-minded and totally interested in supporting marginalised people... but they’re really not? They’re actually interested in curating an image, and if “supporting marginalised people” is part of that image, somebody will reblog content about the concept of supporting marginalised people. But you’re marginalised in publishing and hoping Tumblr will actually support your work focused on themes and groups underrepresented in media? Tumblr won’t help you, because people on Tumblr people only care about a thing if you can make it fit within the narrow band of “on brand” things that they’re already into. So you actually have to have a massive fandom already before Tumblr will feel like your fandom’s content has an audience and so is safe to share as part of the brand you’ve curated.

...and sadly, that’s why for original creators, Tumblr can never replace Twitter, even though Twitter is the worst; because we need to find people who will actually try new things, and Tumblr people don’t. They’ll just sit there, reblogging the same stuff about “what if these two canonically straight white men in suits cuddled a little bit?” And then make the tired excuse that “Well, I HAVE to do this because nobody provides the real queer content I would totally consume if it was real!” and waving that very real queer content in their faces will just result in them pretending not to see it.

[convenientalias]

I Rate Cdramas by Whump: Part 2

Two years ago now I made a post rating every cdrama I'd watched at the time by quality of whump. I feel I've watched enough cdramas since then that it is now time for a sequel.

(Note: If you like kdramas, I made two posts rating those by whump as well, for your reference.)

Some notes before I begin:

Yes this is entirely objective. What do you mean??

If the ratings seem a little high, it might be because whump is one of the things that convinces me to watch a show to begin with.

There will be spoilers, but vague spoilers.

I'm only listing shows I've completed and remember well enough to rate.

THE RATINGS.

Addicted Heroin--8/10. This is a gay school romance between surprise stepsiblings, it's not really meant to be whumpy. Despite this, it has some drunk and angsty scenes, some sick scenes, and even a kidnapping!! I would give it a 10/10 purely for going the distance it Did Not Need to Go (although the source material is even whumpier, but that's another story) but I feel I should be honest and say it is primarily a show of comedy, not over the top whump. The whump is definitely there though.

City of Streamer--I'd probably be more into the whump here if I was more into lady whump, as a lot of bad things happen to female characters, both physically and emotionally. Men go through distress but it's usually not as physical as I'd like. Since I'm very picky about lady whump and this show mostly doesn't hit the spot for me, I'll give it a 3/10.

Granting You a Dreamlike Life--10/10, Luo Fusheng's life sucks. People in this show get beat up, threatened with guns, stabbed, arrested, kidnapped, chased by wolves, trapped by an avalanche, literally shot.... "People" here mostly meaning Luo Fusheng but Tianying and some others get a good share of whump as well. Granting You a Dreamlike Life is living the dream.

Joy of Life--I really wanted to see Fan Xian get whumped but by halfway through the show I had to accept that it was more of a power fantasy type drama about Fan Xian being Clever and Competent. If you ever see me complaining about Joy of Life, know that this is a solid part of my sour grapes. 3/10, credit given to the Teng Zjing arc and the couple times Fan Xian gets captured or arrested.

Rattan--9/10. This show has two endings and I swear they did that specifically to deliver two different brands of whump/angst. But more importantly, they put poor Qin Fang through the fucking wringer! In the first fucking episode he gets drugged, arguably kidnapped, and almost dies in a car crash. Then the rest of the show he suffers from a curse, gets kidnapped, gets hurt so bad he falls into a coma.... They really do not go easy on this poor boy. Honorable mention to Si Teng's tragic backstory and Qin Fang's business partner also getting abducted that one time.

Reset--Ehhh the leads are going through it but they're mostly just getting tired. They do get arrested/interrogated a good deal, and die a whole lot. But I'd call this a suspenseful show, not a whumpy one. 2/10, rare nonwhumpy fave for me.

Sword Dynasty--I must begrudgingly admit they whumped the prince in this show pretty good, and they whumped the MC a lot too, I just hated him. This show is bad but I will admit it is moderately whumpy. A very begrudging 5/10.

Under the Skin--Level of whump maybe a bit higher than average for a crime procedural. Police officers being menaced is pretty standard, especially when one is an ~artistic genius~. Shen Yi sure does drown a lot, though, and the flashback revealing his reaction to Lei Yi Fei's death is really angsty. I'd give it a 6/10 bc my standards for thrillers are higher than my standards, for example, for a school drama like Addicted Heroin.

Weaving a Tale of Love--I said my taste in lady whump was picky and guess what, a cheerful crossdressing female lead getting whumped is in fact my taste. I loved seeing bad things happen to Liuli/Xiao Douzi! I would have been up for seeing her get drugged or imprisoned some more!! 7/10 bc while the whump is good when it's there, the majority of the show is cheerful, shippy, or plotty, and not really all that whumpy.

Winter Begonia--Whump is not what I go to Winter Begonia for. I go to it for the slice of life vibes, the slashiness, and the Chinese opera. But, as whump goes, it's actually quite strong. There are opera performers losing their voice, losing their ability to walk, losing their reputations, some even losing their lives. And then there's Cheng Fengtai, friendly and kind of shady businessman who has his own shit going on--most notably he goes into a coma at one point and also is once kidnapped by bandits. Honestly 8/10, I don't think of it as whumpy when looking back on it but objectively there is a lot.

Word of Honor--People are slowly dying with nails in their chest. People are mourning their lost loved ones and falling apart. And sometimes getting beaten up or captured in the present as well. 9/10, I could go higher but I always get a sense of restraint from this show. Even if the leads are pushed to the breaking point, it's not quite as gleeful about it as some others on this list; there's generally a sense of "fuck it, I've been through worse, I'm used to this", which doesn't quite push my buttons but may appeal a lot to other tastes. I could be convinced to give it a 10 though? Mixed feelings.

Xiang Long--The urge is to give this a 1000/10 but I'm a principled rater and cannot break my rating system! and yet! this show breaks my brain!! every day I have to get up and remember that Long Xiang shot his own subordinate in the head in an attempt to convince Bai Lusheng to quite a hunger strike and then proceeded to get mad at him for being passive aggressive while eating!!!! every day I go on living in this world. Fuck. He threw the dude's gun down a well, damn it! I will someday find a way to transmigrate into the world of Xiang Long and murder Long Xiang, but anyways: kidnapping, Stockholm Syndrome and an abundance of Lima Syndrome, torture, people getting shot and whipped and blown up etc etc etc..... 10/10 bc I'm a principled person and will adhere to my rating system. If you watched this show for a reason other than whump, I'm not sure whether to fear or admire you, but you're stronger than me.

Some final notes:

I said in my last cdrama-whump-rating post that whump and serious drama do not correlate, but I've begun to think whump even flourishes MORE in a less serious/more over the top or tropey show. Xiang Long and Granting You a Dreamlike Life are great examples of this, as they both put melodrama over realism. Rattan and Addicted Heroin have a mostly light tone but can include some extreme whump without a tonal clash bc they aren't super serious about their whump either. In contrast, Reset and City of Streamer generally have a more grounded and suspenseful tone, and their whump level is low--even if people get hurt, it's rarely focused on. Meanwhile, Winter Begonia lies in a weird intersection of melodrama and tragic melancholy, and I think it's because it's whump tends to play more to the serious side of the show that in my head I'm always thinking of it more as angsty, less as whumpy. But maybe this is all due to how I classify whump rather than the inherent characteristics of whump in general. I'd be happy to hear anyone's thoughts!

#cdrama #cdramas #whump

[gerogerigaogaigar]

My particular brand of neurospicy frequently finds me listening to long lists of albums for some reason. I did the 1001 albums you must listen to before you die a while back and I really wished I had written up my thots and feelings about each album. I've decided to embark on a similar quest through Rolling Stone's top 500 albums list and this time I'm reviewing each one for posterity.

The Rolling Stone list interests me in particular because it is, has always been, and always will be a hot mess. When the original list dropped in 2003 it was immediately blasted for being almost entirely straight white men playing rock music. It has been updated twice since and every update has diversified the roster. The way they crowd sourced votes for more diverse albums while still insisting on a lot of their dad rock classics is amazingly disingenuous to me. Even when they do put on diverse artists it's pretty obviously only because of a connection to some other white male rocker (The Raincoats were a favorite of Kurt Cobain, Indestructible Beat of Soweto was an influence on Paul Simon's Graceland, King Sunny Adé was an influence on Talking Heads). It speaks to a fascinating disconnect between what the out of touch boomers who make this list think should be on it and what they are willing to let on in order to appease people. Anyway I'm listening to the most recent version of the list and imma review every album here.

Arcade Fire - Funeral

I like giving albums second chances. A lot of my favorite albums are ones I did not like upon first listen. I don't think Arcade Fire is ever going to grow on me. The mixing sounds like the band and the recording equipment we're in different rooms and they just went with it. Every song kinda sounds like there's something interesting that could be happening but the mastering is trying to sabotage every track.

Rufus & Chaka Khan - Ask Rufus

Post disco but pre synths this album almost sounds like it would be more at home in the late 90s than 70s. The bass is juicy, the guitars are sleazy and Chaka Khan's voice compliments it beautifully. This is a neat little time capsule of an album that definitely was an influence on Soul music for years to come

Suicide - s/t

If you see the band name and right away think that this might not be your cup of tea then your instincts are correct. Every track is a nightmarish synth drone with barely sung vocals. The album's centerpiece is Frankie Teardrop, a 10 minute saga of desperation, murder, and suicide. A masterpiece, but not for the faint of heart.

The Indestructible Beat of Soweto

I'll go ahead and admit that my first introduction to mbaqanga music was obviously through the album Graceland by Paul Simon. Since then I've become a sucker for the bubbly bass and punchy plucked guitars common to South African music, so this album is just completely delightful to me. And hey we get a Ladysmith Black Mambazo track on here so I'm basically guaranteed to recommend this one.

Shakira - Dónde Están los Ladrones?

I had no idea Shakira had ever made an album like this. I had only ever heard Hips Don't Lie until now and was surprised to learn that she had an entire 90s career. This album is fucking fire. It's like if you took all the good parts of every late 90s alt rock album and smashed them together into an album that is almost too precisely perfect.

#rolling stone magazine #arcade fire #chaka khan #suicide #indestructible beat of soweto #shakira #500 album gauntlet