#very glad to have another love&peace mutual enjoyer here)))

[prototypelq]

Hey there, dear mutual! I just wanted to thank you for introducing me to the silly old anime that is Trigun. You talked so confidently about it, and the show looked really appealing to me, so I just had to give it a try xD And boy, I'm glad that I did! It may only have 26 episodes but boy do they deliver! Vash is such a fun and great character I love him. Every second with him on-screen is a blast.

So yeah, thanks! You just got yourself another friend to discuss Trigun with. Congrats! :D

Love & Peace! ✌

HOOO BOYYYY TRIGUN 98 SURE IS A RIDE HUH

Glad to know you liked it mutual!!!

Personally, for me Trigun was a big discovery this year. I'll say in broad strokes that the themes of the series have left quite an impact on me. And yeah, the show is honestly amazing. Vash is such a great character to watch and root for, he honestly deserves all the love. Yeah the 26 episodes might seem like not much (for an anime especially), but they deliver a hella lot of feels!

Hope that, as my wonderful music mutual, you enjoyed the OST too! I know I did and saved up lots and lots of tracks from there - the music style is just so unique and I love how grunge-y it is. Highly suggest listening to it outside the anime, as during all the story and your heart being ripped to shreds, there is not much attention left to appreciate the music - and there is a lot to appreciate there!

friendly reminder that Johhny Von Bosch is also Nero's VA )

If I may give another reccomend - give a chance to Final Space. It has a one-armed blonde sharpshooter with red-coloration and a heart of gold, that tune might sound familiar xD The show is a dramedy in the purest sense - take the heart ripping of trigun and place it into a rollercoaster no-time-to-explain-why-there-is-no-time-to-explain drama story, and in the center of it all - the best Cookie Captain the space has ever seen, and no, it doesn't matter he is a prisoner, thanks for asking, Gary Goodspeed. The series is extremely easy to get into - you either fall in love with Gary immediately and this becomes one of the best shows you ever seen right there with Trigun, or his extra-expressive manner is too much for you and then you can safely skip it. Look up the OST in either case, the Shelby Merry tracks for this series are to die for.

Seriously, I'm very glad you gave Trigun a go and enjoyed it so much! It is truly a very special show, and I haven't seen anything quite like it since (yes, I saw Firefly and Cowboy Bebop, they're good but the themes are different...), and I am glad you're in this fandom club now too, trigun fans are neat)

Love&Peace, dear mutual ✌

#in the meantime I continue hearing vergils #you disappointed me dante #pffffff #ill get him someday #i now may have to flood the music blog with favorites #been into grunge mood lately anyway #sorry for going so much of topic i am very very happy for you mutual))) #your messages might or might not get flooded with saved up trigun content guess youll find out soon enough #very glad to have another love&peace mutual enjoyer here))) #mutuals my beloved #do yourselves a favour go watch trigun and final space #trigun #vash the stampede #vash is the definition of stale cinnamon roll too old for this world #i have a suspicion that blonde red-colour coded characters with guns have a predisposition for hearts of gold and very troubled issues #with a touch of drama to boot

[featherquillpen]

Books I Read in 2021: Science Fiction & Fantasy Edition

This post got long, so my most favorite books are bolded. Any books I started to read and didn't like are omitted from the list, so all of them have something to recommend them, in my opinion. For the record, if a book is on this list, rest assured that the main character is LGBTQIA (except Planet of Exile, which was, after all, written in 1966.)

Spellhacker by M.K. England

A fun little action fantasy romp, but nothing groundbreaking.

Foundryside and Shorefall by Robert Jackson Bennett

This series is fantastic, especially in worldbuilding and magic system. It's a form of magic that's heavily based on programming, with equivalents of if/then logic, software libraries, and server stacks. And the main character is a thief who does magic heists. What's not to love?

Sing for the Coming of the Longest Night by Katherine Fabian and Iona Datt Sharma

A magical little mystery with an incredibly relatable cast of characters. The two main characters are metamours whose mutual boyfriend goes missing, and they team up to rescue him. Every character in this book felt like someone I've dated or had drinks with.

Dreadnought by April Daniels

A book about a trans woman superhero. It was very color-by-numbers standard superhero stuff, and I really only enjoy this genre if it does some serious trope subversion. Which brings me to...

Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots

HIGHLY recommend this book, the most subversive superhero book I've read yet (and I've read a lot of trope-flipping superhero fiction.) The main character is a henchwoman working in the gig economy on temp contracts with supervillains, and her superpower is her accounting and mastery of spreadsheets. If this doesn't make you want to read it immediately, I fundamentally do not understand you as a person.

Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey

Sarah Gailey always has really interesting worldbuilding, and then populates these cool worlds with plots and character arcs about as subtle as a brick to the head. I will continue to keep an eye on their work, as I feel it has a lot of promise, even though it's not quite there yet.

The Empress of Salt and Fortune and When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain by Nghi Vo

Nghi Vo is an astonishing new voice in fantasy. She communicates a very strong sense of place in the Singing Hills Cycle, a series of histories and folktales that evoke all the ambience of a Chinese period drama.

Exit Strategy, Network Effect, and Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells

We all know by now that Murderbot Diaries is amazing, right? If you haven't read it yet, just do it. I particularly enjoyed Network Effect because it had ART in it and Murderbot&ART is my OTP.

Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell

The romance was fairly standard fanfic fare, enjoyable enough. The worldbuilding had holes you could drive a truck through, as far as the space empire was concerned. The gender-related worldbuilding was quite nice, though.

Planet of Exile by Ursula K. LeGuin

No work of LeGuin's, especially in the Hainish Cycle, can be considered bad, though this is one of her earliest novels and it shows. Her omnipresent themes of cultural difference, gender, and the terrible price of violence are here, but still finding their feet.

Persephone Station by Stina Leicht

This book had promise - the whole premise of the found family of tough mercenary ladies was definitely appealing - but the execution was rather poor, with thin and shaky sci-fi worldbuilding. Hopefully Stina Leicht will do better in future books.

A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine

A worthy follow-up to A Memory Called Empire, with some new sci-fi elements that felt like they were written for my interests specifically. Really enjoyed the Stanislav Petrov theme. I did feel like the anti-imperialist critique was not as powerful as it could have been, which was frustrating.

Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse

I'm so glad I gave Roanhorse another chance after I read her previous work and didn't care for it. Black Sun is fantasy set in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, with totally fresh and fascinating worldbuilding. I hope this book is vanguard to a wave of Indigenous voices in high fantasy, because this story felt epic and mythical in a whole new way.

Where I End and You Begin by Preston Norton

This book made me laugh in pure delight all the way through. It's a YA comedy about two high school frenemies who suddenly start body-swapping at random, and it's every bit as awkward and wacky and ridiculous as you could hope for.

The Witness for the Dead by Katherine Addison

Set in the same universe as The Goblin Emperor, this book had the same quiet feeling of tight focus on one man who just wants to be kind in a cruel world. I enjoyed it, but Addison has to give me some non-tragic gays next book or I will riot.

The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting by K.J. Charles

Not K.J. Charles' best work, but even a mediocre K.J. Charles is miles better than a romance by almost any other author. The book is very, very horny, more so than most of her work, but resolves in a sweet and homey way.

The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho

So this was my very first wuxia/xianxia (Chinese historical fantasy genres) novel, and it got me absolutely hooked. This book was written in English by the Malaysian author Zen Cho, which made it a very accessible entry into the genre for me as a Western reader. This book is a pure fun romp about a nun who joins up with a crew of bandits. It made me smile a lot.

Black Water Sister by Zen Cho

After enjoying The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water so much, I decided to try another Zen Cho novel, and WOW am I glad I did. This book wrecked me with queer diaspora feels. It's about a Malaysian-American lesbian who moves back to Malaysia as an adult after spending most of her life in the US. She begins to be haunted by the ghost of her grandmother and gets drawn into the world of gods and spirits. The ending of this book had me weeping at its beauty.

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

Pure feminist catharsis. If you've ever had one of those days when you have wanted to tear off the face of every man who has ever abused or oppressed you (who hasn't?) this story about Wu Zetian, giant mecha-wielding avatar of female rage, may be the balm your soul needs.

魔道祖师 | Mo Dao Zu Shi | Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation by 墨香铜臭 | Mo Xiang Tong Xiu

This book came for my life. Since I read it, not a day goes by that I don't think about it. I know no peace. Mo Dao Zu Shi is a xianxia novel that has an official translation coming out next week (you can follow the link above to order it.) It's an extremely compelling gay romance that made my heart explode. More than that, it's a beautiful fantasy epic, with flawed and complex characters, villains you can't help but love at least a little, and grand themes about morality, grief, class, and internalized homophobia.

人渣反派自救系统 | Ren Zha Fanpai Zijiu Xitong | Scum Villain's Self-Saving System by 墨香铜臭 | Mo Xiang Tong Xiu

After I enjoyed Mo Dao Zu Shi so very, very much, I knew I had to read other works by MXTX. This is an earlier novel, and not as good, but still very fun to read. It's a satire of the isekai/transmigration genre, in which the main character is transmigrated into a poorly written erotic novel as the scum villain, and has to try to not get killed. Very metafictional and laugh-out-loud hilarious.

#book recs #book review

[twstdreams]

Match-up

@seawater-aurelia-writing here you go! I hope you like it, sweetie! You’re so adorable so I have two matches! This is literally just me rambling about how you’re sweet and I think you’d be cute with these characters.

Your match is ….

Lilia Vanrouge

Why I think you’d match well:

You emphasize an understanding partner being essential for the relationship, so I think that Lilia would be a great match for you! Even outside of your relationship, being understanding and respectful is something Lilia applies to his life. His wish is for humans and fae to live together in peace and that’s not something that could ever be accomplished without mutual respect and understanding. This is reflected in his advice too, when he advises Malleus “When in Rome, do as the Romans do”. It’s not that Lilia doesn’t have his own set of beliefs or a deep-rooted attachment to the Valley of Thorns, but he’s mature enough to use that as a basis to understand others and respect differences. Your relationship is no different! He respects that you’re your own person and meets your honesty with his own. You might not match on everything, no one does, but he’s willing to listen to understand, rather than to refute.

And you don’t need to worry at all, Lilia is far from the controlling type. If you’re about to do something dangerous, he’ll probably intervene but people learn through experience and he’s not one to dictate your life. He doesn’t stop Malleus from quarrelling with his classmates, Silver from falling asleep anywhere and everywhere, or Sebek from his zealous lifestyle so I couldn’t imagine Lilia trying to nitpick your actions. If you ever want to go to him for advice, he’s glad to help though!

Your mom friend tendencies fit well into Diasomnia, they could all use someone who cares even if you don’t explicitly state it. Lilia, out of everyone, notices your caring actions and appreciates the little things you do. Your sarcastic and passive aggressive tendencies and ability to hold a grudge aren’t really shocking to Lilia. Malleus too can be passive aggressive, until it blows up into full aggression, and no one is as spiteful as faeries. Lilia can be more mellow in comparison, though it’s not to say he never provokes someone either.

Things you do together:

Lilia adores metal, so you guys won’t be listening to the same music, but you both let the other ramble about their love of their respective genre. Lilia loves it when you attend his Light Music Club shows, especially because he knows you wouldn’t attend normally. Your enjoyment of medieval and renaissance is endearing to Lilia and he’s more than happy to let you know what a lot of things were like firsthand! He has plenty of knowledge about what was popular back then and paints vivid pictures about everyday life with his plenty of tales. If you ever want to incorporate more renaissance into your life, Lilia fully supports you! Since you like sewing your own clothing, he might give some ideas of how you can combine modern fashion and fabrics with a medieval flare.

Lilia can cook but you might be in the infirmary if you eat it. At the very least, you’ll be washing your mouth out with water. He has fun cooking with you though! You might just need to accept whatever comes out is a closer to weapon, but it is chaos incarnate. If you cook separately, the rest of the Diasomnia family will actually try it too! Lilia thinks it’s interesting how you like growing your own food, especially when ingredients are so readily available. He enjoys getting to eat fresh produce with you.

You’ve gained a gaming partner! Lilia has tons of fun gaming and Silver can attest to many game nights. He naturally has his preferences but you both take turns playing the games you like. It’s best when you’re both interested in the same one, though! Feel free to sleep when you need to though, you and Silver can take turns because Lilia needs next to no rest.

Travelling together is nothing less than an adventure! Your travels will consist of both doing things together and separately. One day you might go exploring old architecture hand in hand, imagining what it must have been like in its prime and you two planning what you’d do if you had the place to yourselves. In the morning, you two explore a farmer’s market and enjoy the local cuisine. Then in the afternoon, you two split up with you on your way to check out the fashion and fabrics unique to the region while Lilia might be attending a festival that’s trending right now. Finally, you both meet up for a cooking class that creates regional dishes and enjoy your creations for dinner.

Love Language:

Lilia isn’t one to lay on empty flattery, but you know when he compliments you, it is sincere. He’ll probably pick up on how much you appreciate confirmation and tries to incorporate it into his actions. Sweet texts, always remembering to thank you for your efforts, and he even shows you songs that remind him of you. Lilia might not always initiate physical affection, but he makes sure to return it whenever you do! Your hugs will never be rejected and many gaming sessions include some cuddling or other touch which reminds you of his presence.

Your second match is …

Silver

Silver is more mellow, so it balances out your excitable and eccentric nature well. You bring energy and colour into his life and he brings patience and cool vibes.

Silver is blunt and straightforward, so you don’t have to worry about him lying. The fact that you are generally honest too helps with the communication between you two

However, if you get upset, you’ll have to tell him directly. Silver isn’t one to read between the lines and sarcasm flies over his head a lot. If you do open up, Silver is willing to work with you to come up with solutions

Silver is another one who believes it’s best not to be overprotective or controlling, so your freedom is never in jeopardy

He thinks your varied interests make you intriguing! He feels like he could discover more about you every day. Silver mostly trains and sleeps in his spare time, but he listens attentively whenever you talk about your passions.

If you make him risotto, Silver will eat it with great appreciation. He never gets sick of it, so you could make it all the time and each bowl will spark a smile on his face.

You two have cooking sessions together too! Silver’s fencing will always be better than his cooking, but he has a solid grasp on the basics and you two work well to create scrumptious vegetarian dishes.

You also game together too! Sometimes Lilia joins in as well and you’re all gaming while snacking well into the night

Hikes become a common occurrence for the two of you. It’s good exercise for Silver and you find it endearing the way all the little animals approach him. There’s long stretches of silence but throughout it all your hands will be linked

You trip a lot, Silver can nap anywhere at any time, so people are a little worried but you both make it work

If you express to Silver that you appreciate words of affection, he’ll be diligent in incorporating it into your everyday lives. It’s shown through daily compliments, and he even writes love letters and cute notes once Lilia prompts him too

If you ever want to cuddle and nap, Silver is free. He feels bad about idle sleeping, but when it’s purpose shifts to providing you comfort, his mood changes to a brighter one

Other possible matches: Trey Clover

#sugarplum dreams #twst matchup #unbelievably tumblr has deleted this 4 times I do not know why I trust this website #sorry this took so long #submission #love prevailed in the end

[ladyninjaa]

Melodies

Imagine: Being the younger sister of Daenerys and impressing Jon Snow. (Not apart of the Warmth series.)

With the destruction of the Greyjoy ships and the loss of alliance from Dorne…your older sister wasn’t happy. You did your part by teaming up with Tyrion and trying to plan for future attacks or tragedies’. A few days ago Jon Snow the proclaimed King of the North had arrived with a small group of Northern men and that meeting only served to dampen your sister’s already foul mood.

She had been clearly instructed by her sister to keep her distance because she didn’t quite trust these men yet. You were her treasure, just like her dragons, and she would fight to protect you at any costs.

You were bore though—while these Northern men were allowed to roam the castle while you were stuck in certain rooms deep within the castle. “I want to be out in the fields with the dragons,” You complained to your sister in the strategy room, “Why are you so intent on keeping me in the dark?” Your sister was staring down hard at the wooden table silent as she thought. Tyrion was nearby drinking some wine and watching your sister with curious eyes.

“I don’t trust them completely.” She replied in a quiet voice.

“I’m not some caged bird, you know.” You easily accused.

“You’re a dragon.” She corrects with some hard to hear sarcasm.

You’re eyebrow twitches with irritation. Your sister had some shit timing with her humor. “Are we really going to have this argument?” You coolly demanded with a serious face.

She sighs and finally looks up at you, “Not today.”

You huff and cross your arms over your chest, “I am not some caged beast, Dany. You always say that a dragon is not a slave well, I certainly feel like one. We’re on our home island, the dragons are constantly flying ahead, and we have a rather large army willing to die for the both of us here.”

Dany looks like she will not budge but you know your sister very well. “We are safe here. No one is brave or dumb enough to even come near the island especially with Drogon, Viserion, and Rhaegal in the air.” You urge her knowing it would be the final push for her to grant you your freedom.

She pursues her lips, deep in thought, and answered back, “Fine, I will grant you your freedom and in return you have to play the piano for me.” She smirks slowly and you try not to groan. You hated playing that bloody thing but Dany loved it. You only did it for her because you liked seeing the peaceful expression on her face whenever you played. Dany always told you that Mother played as well and would always play for her and Viserys.

Viserys had forced you to learn since, well, you looked the most like mother. Dany was a combination of father and mother but you were the spitting image of Rhaella Targaryen. Perhaps that was the reason why Viserys was always gentler to you and preferred you over Dany…so much to the point where Viserys had told Dany that you were meant to marry him to keep the Targaryen blood line alive.

You loved your brother but the idea of marrying him was disgusting.

You often did miss him though.

“Ah, will I finally hear you play?” Tyrion brightened up—the last few weeks had been rough for the Lannister.

He always pestered you to play just a little something for him.

You sigh knowing it was a small sacrifice to pay for your freedom, “Fine.”

Dany smiled and nodded, “Go on and break your fast with Tyrion. I will call you to the throne room after.” She instructed looking very eager to hear you play. It had been a very long time since you last played and you almost felt guilty for not playing earlier to bring some comfort to your sister.

Tyrion was at your side as they both of you made way to the dining room to eat. “Why are you so eager anyway?” Tyrion questioned once the both of you were a safe distance from Daenerys.

“I want to go to the beach and collect sea-shells.” You admit brightly.

Tyrion let out a loud laugh, “Is that what all your fussing is for? You want sea-shells?” He looks greatly amused and even surprised by such an innocent motive. It has been a very long time since he’s seen such innocence and it reminded him a lot of Myrcella.

You nod not feeling offended by his amusement, “I had planned on sewing a new gown for my sister and I wanted to add sea-shells.” You explained vaguely.

Tyrion chuckled shaking his head, Ah, Y/N, you are a rather odd Targaryen.”

You giggled and took that as a compliment.

**

Breaking fast with Tyrion was always enjoyable. It wasn’t long until you were making way towards the throne room. Tyrion matching your step looking extremely eager to hear you play the piano. Even Tyrion knew that a piano was extremely rare and for a woman to play was rarer. Viserys managed to convince some rich lord into giving you piano lessons. It wasn’t long until the lord had been so impressed with your skill that he offered the instrument to you with no strings attached.

“It would only sit here collecting dust and being sad,” You remember him saying with even some woe, “When you play it, it comes alive.”

You always wondered what became of him. He was perhaps dead by now. It had been such a long time since that happened. Dany was sitting on her throne speaking with Varys and the piano that your mother used to play sat elegantly in the middle. Your father had given your mother this as a wedding gift.

Despite the mutual dislike your parents had…Rhaella loved this instrument. You were glad that King Stannis had enough sense not to mess with such a rare instrument. It looked well cared for despite the years it had been since Rhaella last played it.

“I have an audience.” You take note of Missandei walking in hurriedly with a smile of excitement.

“It is not everyday we hear you play.” The former slave smiled gently at you.

You chuckle softly as Tyrion joins Varys and Missandei. You take your seat in front of the piano. You have seen only two pianos before but this one was…the fairest of them all. It was made of white wood with the Targaryen sigil on the top and the keys were of some sort of black and red porcelain.

A lot of gold went into this lovely instrument and it showed.

Your mother sat here…stroke these keys. You weren’t sure what you were feeling…grief? Was it excitement? Or was it some feeling of somberness? “Mother played while she was pregnant with you.” Dany murmured—her voice bouncing off the stone walls.

You nodded though you barely heard her—you were too focused on staring at the black and red keys. It was such a dark contrast against the white wood. You straighten your back and you hover your delicate fingers over the dark keys. You breathed in and out before letting your fingers stroke the keys expertly and with care.

The large room is filled with soft, delicate sounds.

You play Viserys favored melody. Daenerys’s face softened at the sound because she knew. Your brother died in a horrible way but his greed blinded him and bound him to his fate. You remember that night vividly; that night, so long ago, was meant to celebrate that Dany was with child—the future of the tribe and your precious niece or nephew.

You and Dany had thrived with the Dothraki but Viserys didn’t and it showed.

You remember him barging in, Jorah attempting to subdue him, and Viserys pulling his sword. You were terrified because you had never seen him so…crazed and lustful towards something so mundane. You attempted to calm him as he wielded the blade towards your sister and her unborn child but he cut your cheek and threw you to the side yelling that you should learn your place.

“Your place, you whore, is beside me your future husband!”

Your eyes flashed with sorrow as he threatened to take Dany from Drogo and even threaten the unborn child inside of her. You were so disgusted towards him…more then ever. You hated him at that point. How low could he scope to threaten his own flesh and blood?

You remember the fury brewing behind Drogo’s calm façade. You remember one of his blood-riders gently grabbing you and placing you far away from your deranged brother. One of the women had pressed a wet cloth to your cheek and even asked if you were alright.

Even now, you could feel the sting from his blade.

Drogo spoke and his words were directed towards your sister and you—asking for permission for something…you dreaded. Daenerys was staring at your brother and gave her answer to him—that he would get his crown and men would tremble before it.

His face…you mentally shook your head. His face washed with relief and joy. A crown was all he ever wanted. It was then that the great Khal rose to his feet as Viserys lowered his weapon and backed away with a smile.

Drogo and Dany exchanged glances before your sister looked to you.

You had tears in your eyes but inside you just knew it had to be done. You couldn’t risk him having another deranged episode and actually killing the unborn child inside of her. She looked back up at the Khal and it was done.

You would never forget his screams.

Your fingers paused and the melody was broken.

“Do you regret killing Viserys?”

It was Dany who asked. She knew you too well.

You shook your head, “No, it was either him or your child.”

She was quiet because she, too, was haunted by the screams of Viserys dying. You straighten your back and resume the melody that your sister loved. It was a whimsical and gentle melody that always left your sister with a gentle smile on her face—a rare sight.

“She’s a natural.” Tyrion praised letting the angelic melody flood his ears.

“And yet she hates to play.” Dany mused.

“Well, she was forced by your brother to learn.” Varys commented.

When you were finished, you smiled up at your sister. She smiled back at you because she knew you hated to play but only did so for her. It was then that the great room was echoing with the sound of hands clapping. All attention was turned to the entrance of the throne room where Ser Davos stood with his King.

Your eyes landed on this King of the North and you felt your heart stutter at his rugged beauty. He looked so odd to the men you grew up around. You were used to darker, tanned skin not this pale flesh you saw on this man.

His eyes were a dark color—you could not see his pupils or the white in his eyes. He had a scar over his right eye and his hair was pulled up but a few of his curly locks fell around his head. He was the most exquisite man you had ever seen.

He was the one who was clapping.

“Jon.” Your sister’s voice was sharp and you could tell she was tensed. Your existence was always a top priority for your sister. Not many knew of the existence of a younger Targaryen—not even Robert Baratheon or Tywin Lannister.

“Forgive me,” Jon says thickly with an almost awed look on his brooding face, “I know I wasn’t meant to intrude but I just had to see what was making such beautiful noise.”

His words were enough to make you blush.

“My aunt had one,” His eyes jerked to the piano, “Given it was uglier.”

You couldn’t help but to smile and his eyes seem to light up when he saw that radiant smile on your face, “I thought I was hearing angel choir.” His eyes solely on you—he was entranced.

“Thank you, my lord.” You continue to smile and bow your head slightly.

“If I might ask—“ Jon was cut off by your sister.

“Can I trust you, Jon?” Her voice was the calm before the storm and there was no nonsense in her tone.

Jon knew this and looked up at your sister. His eyes rested on hers as he pondered his answer. It didn’t take him long to answer, “Of everything we’ve heard about the Targaryen’s…we never heard of a younger on being born after you. It is easy to see that you’ve done a good job in hiding her existence and very wise.” Jon speaks with a nod of approval, “Yes, you can trust me.”

It wasn’t about the war or about him bending the knee, no; it was about keeping your existence a secret. Daenerys stared at Jon Snow intently, “This is my baby sister, Y/N.” She finally relents.

Jon looks at you—still seated at the piano looking nothing sort of a fallen angel. “Y/N.” He repeats gently.

Your heart almost melted.

Perhaps you would play the piano more often now.  

This was a request made by a anon. There will be no other parts. 

Also, if you are curious to hear the melody that I pictured in my head that the reader was playing for Dany (Dany’s favored melody) listen to BTS Butterfly (Piano cover) by lilyloo it is such an amazing and beautiful cover!

For Viserys favored song…I imagined Abandoned by Lucas King. Listen to both because they are lovely. 

#game of thrones imagine #game of thrones #daenerys targaryen #jon snow imagine #got imagine #viserys targaryen

[cheekblush]

HI! Sorry if this is weird but I was wondering who are your closest tumblr friends? and how did you find them? I can't seem to make friends here.. Thank you 💖

hello there! :) don’t worry, that’s not a weird question. i know how difficult it can be to make new friends and i’m more than glad to let you know about some of the loveliest people i have met on here and how i did so. (i put the rest under read more bc it got hella long so i’m sorry if you’re not able to read this on the mobile app) 💛💛💛

my closest friends are undoubtedly @lieparkjimin @jiminsoftgf @btsarekings & @wheeinscutegf and we basically got to know each other through our mutual love for jimin. 💕 first we became mutuals and just tagged each other in lots of jimin posts. eventually i started chatting with some of them and then sarah (lieparkjimin) had the brilliant idea of forming a group chat and that was really the beginning of a beautiful bond with all these girlies. they’re like sisters to me tbh and i would rob all the stars from the sky for them. they really changed my life for the better and idek what i would do without them. i can assure you that all of these angels have a heart of gold and they’re always open to making new friends. 🌹👼✨

@acousticver is another very close friend of mine. we were also mutuals (again bc of our mutual love for jimin) and one time i tagged her in a “get to know me” game. she then messaged me bc she’s from russia and my mother tongue is russian and we just instantly clicked bc we have so much in common. rina is such a sweetheart and it’s always a pleasure to talk to her. she’s very open minded and i’m sure she’ll be more than happy to make new friends 💛🍑🌼

@goddessofbaekhyun okay tbh idek how becky and i became friends lmao. i always admired her from afar bc she has a bomb ass blog and i don’t even remember a time that we weren’t mutuals?? we’ve been following each other for a very long time and she always tagged me in her selfies and moodboards and we mostly interacted through tags and comments at first. sometime she messaged me and asked if there’s anything specific i want to be tagged in and we instantly bonded over our love for the color pink and flowers!!! and now we tag each other mostly in pink posts from time to time and write concepts for each other and it’s the cutest thing tbh. becky is so funny and unapologetically sarcastic and confident and i just admire her so much. i can guarantee you a fun time if you decide to talk to her! 🍨🌸🍦

@iloveleejihoon serena!!!! (i love her name so much and i use every chance i get to type it out hdvdokdw) as far as i remember serena and i were also mutuals and one time i messaged her bc our love for jaebum and thankfully one little message blossomed into a beautiful friendship. serena is such a kind hearted, genuine and funny little princess and i feel so honored to be able to call her my friend tbh. it’s so refreshing to talk to her, you definitely won’t regret it! she’s honestly so sweet and nice so don’t be afraid to hit her up! 🐰💓🍥

@sheloveskook vinda is hands down the nicest and kindest person on this website!! there’s no denying or arguing in that. it’s a proven fact and i am sure that everybody who knows her will agree without any hesitation. she loves her followers and mutuals so much and she’s just so thoughtful, considerate, soft hearted and spreads so much joy and positivity. honestly she fills my heart with so much warmth and comfort and she loves getting to know new people! so don’t be shy and message this absolute angel. we also were mutuals for a long time and tagged each other in lots of jikook posts and eventually started talking. even though we don’t talk that much (bc i’m hella busy with uni 😩) i know i can always hit her up if i have a problem. i cherish her so much and you’ll be so grateful once you get to know her! 🍓🌞🍒

@01jeonguk fernanda is not only one of the softest jungkook stans but also one of the friendliest and kindest persons all around!! she’s beautiful, both inside and out. we were mutuals for the longest time and tagged each other in jikook posts back and forth and naturally ended up talking to each other. we might not chat as often as we used to but she always has a special place in my heart. talking to her is just so enjoyable and she really is incredibly sweet, genuine and encouraging! fernanda is a great friend and you’re missing out if you don’t talk to her tbh. 💜💞💜

@tereliyeh yet another beautiful friendship that blossomed thanks to our love for jimin. rida messaged me one time showering me with compliments vsvldbdb. i was so flattered and simply blown away by her kindness and positivity. we instantly clicked as well because we have so much in common and we seriously could talk for hours, if not days. we always send each other long ass paragraphs and can’t even keep up with each other lmao. i am so thankful for having met this angel because she is filled with so much warmth and generosity and it’s just so easy to talk to her. if all the people in the world were like rida, we would surely have world peace. it’s really rare to meet someone THIS pure and precious. honestly please do me the favor and message her, you will thank me. 💐🎀🍧

okay this has already gotten way longer than i intended to and i will deadass write a novel if i keep going like this but nonetheless i want to mention some more lovely mutuals that i consider my friends. even though we may not interact a lot, i appreciate all of these lil baby angels from the bottom of my heart and i can guarantee you that all of them will happily welcome you if you decide to get to know them better.

@1una @brokenalaska @nochugf @dewyjimin @liqgloss @bts420 @foryoubybts @1ovescams @jmins @parksjmin @cupidvirgo @geongguk @18nth @glamgould @jiminsmaingirl @jeonsboy @hoejisoo @jimintensify @cryjeon @lie @roseprimer @kihyunswife @jiminslov @kthshoney @pjjms @jjksgirl @officialimjaebum @dontyumind @1bighits​ @4oclockbytaehyungandnamjoon @jjkboo @jiminnsgf @1hannie @jiminsthot @2unmi @ilovbangtan @bwis-wife @taehyungsbff @moonkissedjimin

i’m sorry that this got so long but i just love all of these people so much and i honestly could write a 100 page essay about every single one of them. the things i wrote don’t even do them justice tbh but i hope i was able to give you a lil overview of some of the best people i have encountered on here. tumblr is really full of one of a kind human beings that make this world a better place. you just gotta take the time to properly get to know them. as you can see i met most of these people by tagging them and messaging them. so the best advice i can give you is to just approach someone if you find them interesting. don’t be afraid to send a message. tbh you can even be super forward and just say “hey, i’d like to get to know you better and become your friend”. or just compliment someone, it’s always good to spread positivity and happiness. people might start messaging you themselves. of course, nothing can be forced but you’ll notice yourself when it clicks and when it doesn’t. i have something in common with all of these people and it’s always great when you can talk to someone who loves the same things as you do. so try talking to people who are passionate about the same things and most importantly: be a nice and respectful person!!

again, sorry that this turned out so long and i hope this helps you! also feel free to message me anytime, i always enjoy getting to know new people and i’d like to be your friend 💝👼

#wow someone really needs to shut my stupid ass up kjashfkjahsfkajhf #i etiher go all the way out or don't try at all there's no inbetween lmao #anyways i hope nobody is offended by me calling them my friend??? #if you're uncomfortable with this please hit me up!!! #also i want to use this opportunity to all the people i haven't replied to in like 89786465456465 years i'm truly sorry :((( #i have so many unread messages tbh but i just can't seem to find the time to get back to all of them #i hope you guys don't hate me and i hope you know that regardless of the fact that we might not talk often i love all of you so damn much #honestly even if he haven't talked in forever i cherish each one of you so much and i appreciate all of you so much #i hope you know that #please forgive me for being so fucking bad at replying :(( #also you're probably only able to read this on your laptop since the mobile app doesnt show the read more link for whatever reason #@tumblr fix your bs #@anon i hope this helps you :) #and as i said don't be afraid to message me as well #i might take some time to reply but i definitely will!! #replies #anon #also i hope this doesn't mess up anyone's notifs tumblr be acting tf up lately #it's funny how i tried to keep this short and it still turned into an essay sdkfjsjkdf

[yvynyl]

// Letters to YVYNYL //

Cedar & Soil - Al-Go-Rythms

/ Lebanese-American George Abi-Hanna wrote me a few years ago with a story and song. Now, he wanted to send me some more to share in a new social climate. His words made my own anxiety about the energy coursing through everyone’s minds these days feel a little calmer. He considers how we might treat one another, especially our fellow Americans, and how to use ways that may help us move forward. This new piece is strongly political in all the best ways: empathy, tolerance, hope. 

Dear Mark,

I hope this letter finds you well. In light of the current political climate I feel the need to share some thoughts I had hoped needed not be said. As songwriters, our lyrics more often than not a product of lived experience and conveyed in the first person. I hope my rather personal song, "Al-Go-Rhythms” will be welcomed by listeners much like I have been welcomed in my adopted home here.

My decision to live in the US was a very deliberate one. It was in New York City that I found my safe haven. I came here for grad school and wound up prolonging my visit for the sake of music. Finally, the reason I'm staying is for the life I have made for myself, the people I have met, and the culture of openness and hospitality I have experienced. It will always be inspiring, seeing people of different backgrounds living together, sharing values of mutual respect and tolerance, irrespective of nationality, gender, sexual orientation, or religious beliefs. If we truly live in the land of the free, it is tolerance and respect of one another that makes this freedom possible, and it is with bravery we accept the differences between us all to contest the current rising tide of fear-mongering and xenophobia.

I’ve mentioned in a previous letter how disparate sonic cultures from around the world make their way into my music, and I feel that my sound would have not been conceived anywhere else but here. Made possible by the hospitality of friends from and in America, originally from Haiti, Cuba, Germany, and from all over the Middle East; finding common ground, sharing great music, good food and memorable times. It is through such interaction between cultures that America’s greatness lies, as this is something I’m sure you can relate to, living in "the City of Brotherly Love," Philadelphia.

As an Arab-American hailing from a turbulent region, I can say that these are the principles people seeking shelter hold most dear. A ban on people based on their religion and nationality only enforces the life-threatening prejudices these same people are escaping from. We take for granted the ability to choose where we want to live or what to believe in - we Americans can practically travel anywhere and get an entry visa on arrival - whereas countless others don’t have that luxury. When silence bespeaks consent, I’m glad to see our remaining right to free speech and assembly be put to full effect. The eruption of peaceful marches and protests in the name of values we all hold dear, is an expression of the very soul of our country. Like many of us, this election year and its result has me shaken to the core. However, I’m glad to say that the emerging worldview espoused by the current administration does not find its reflection in my beliefs, or in any of my friends' for that matter. And even if it did, I hope we could still preserve a modicum of mutual respect.

The song "Al-Go-Rythms" is about the bizarre unfamiliarity of this election, which has since become the norm. But it’s also about the love that keeps me and my circle of friends sane amidst the chaos. The song's framework was born from a voice message that my grandmother left me, where she can be heard opening and shutting doors and ends with her saying “--now he’s gone” (in colloquial Lebanese Arabic). This seemed appropriate to sample on a song about the media building up a giant they once thought could be contained, as he now attempts to reshape the country through a narrow perverted lens. Like many here, I treat others with the deserved respect and hospitality especially at a time when the rest of the world choose to keep their doors open to us.

This thought set off a scavenger hunt through public domain archives for inspirational footage to illustrate my sentiment. The product of which shape-shifted into a fictional music video about the power of peaceful assembly. My well-intentioned version of an alternative fact, since such "facts" should solely lend themselves to the imaginative pursuit of artistic expression... rather than influence politics. I'm not a proponent of explaining the intentions behind my music and videos to the point of granularity, as I believe in the power and enjoyment of open interpretation. However, in exceptional times like these, I feel the need to write this letter in order to be exceedingly clear about what I stand for. By speaking my mind through song and image, here is my modest contribution towards reversing these tides of intolerance.

with Love and Respect,

George

Submit your story to Letters to YVYNYL.

#Cedar & Soil #Letters to YVYNYL #New York City #Lebanon #Beirut #politics

[drkenmcgill]

(This post is an excerpt from Choosing Change #14: Living, Loving and Leaving a Legacy, which is a chapter in the book “Cultivating Love: Choosing Change” by Dr. Ken McGill

“Choice – Purpose is a choice and the answer to the question WHY?; We are who we CHOOSE to be, so we should be very clear who we choose to be… and WHY?; The essence of our humanness is the freedom to choose our attitude in any given set of circumstances” – Richard Leider

“Life is not measured by its duration but by its donation” – Pastor Greg Laurie, Harvest Christian Fellowship, Riverside, CA

So the final place in your home you’re “finishing out” is your Front Porch, where the rocking chairs are typically located. It was there, usually after a morning or day of hard work on our property that my wife and I sat, rocked, and talked about our investments and commitments (time, financial, etc.) in the home projects we made or were going to make.

Eventually talk would turn toward our children, where we discussed what goals, activities, opportunities, and skills we wanted to contribute and impart into their lives for their personal, academic, athletic and spiritual development. Contextually, having those “planning” discussions on the front porch about how we wanted to purpose our lives seemed fitting, given we were reflecting on how we would expend our life energy so one day we’d sit in that exact spot in our home, reflect about our life and hopefully, be in a place to enjoy the “the fruit of our labor.” You could say those rocking chair experiences symbolized our focus on the work we had done or were going to do, while we also envisioned how life would be when our work was completed.

So symbolically, or perhaps literally, this may be where you are in your life. After a long day (or a lifetime full) of work, whether you’re by yourself or with your partner in life, and you take a moment to sit back and reflect upon the outcome of your work, are you in a place where you’re enjoying the fruit of your labor? Are you at peace with how you spent your time and your energy, especially when you consider your commitment to a relationship, the children who were “stewarded” to you to raise,  and the outcome of your actions and work, which reflect what was truly important to you?

When you consider the spirit God gave you to value and infuse life, your brain to visualize and devise plans, your heart to facilitate warmth and connection, your body to build and promote wellness, your sexuality to nurture and enjoy intimacy, your relationships to mentor intentional living and your resources to benefit others, are you satisfied with your outcomes?  I pray that you are because all of these choices and actions speak to the legacy you’re creating and the legacy you’ll leave behind.

But get this: No one has or lives a perfect life or lives life perfectly.  In fact, even though you may have chosen to live a good and principled life, in return, life may have given you a huge basket of lemons for all of your effort!  But at the end of the day or perhaps toward the end of your life, were you able to rebound from those difficult circumstances, marshal your energy and resources and convert your lemons into lemonade? Or take a step further, were you able to deliver sweet lemonade “seasoned” by your values which provided refreshment to others (and yourself) who benefitted from your response?

If you’re able to say “I’m at peace with how I used my life energy to create constructive outcomes over the course of my life” regardless of the circumstances then more than likely you’re experiencing Ego Integrity and the virtue of Wisdom, which are positive outcomes that Dr. Erikson identified in the eighth and final stage of Psychosocial Growth. If you’re not able to make or agree with this statement, then it’s quite possible you may be somewhere along the spectrum but closer to the other side of the pole which he called Despair.

To me, Despair means the opportunities gifted to me throughout my life to demonstrate positive and constructive and change were not embraced or worst, they were toxified by immaturity, insensitivity or inactivity and I cannot “unring” the bells set in motion by my carelessness.

But I have some good news for you. If you’re not (or, even if you are) in the age range of this particular stage of psychosocial development, you have the opportunity to do something about it. As long as you have breath in your lungs, and the ability to comprehend and communicate, you can still engage in processes that will determine the legacy you’ll leave behind.

I’m reminded of a quote that a friend shared to me by a mutual friend of ours, Ken Wells, the author of Dare to be average: Finding brilliance in the commonplace.  I believe Ken was quoting novelist Mary Ann Evans who said“It’s never too late to be the person you always were meant to be.”  That’s good news!  Whether you’ve dished up a tart or sweet or lemonade, before you die or while you’re still alive, you have the opportunity to pass along something refreshing to others.

The three questions I asked in Choosing Change #10  when you began this journey to change the course of your life by building (and now leaving) a house on the rock applies to you now more than ever; Who are you?  What is your purpose?  How shall I live?   To these three questions we add a fourth: What is my legacy?

Your legacy could mean a number of things. Some may think to leave an inheritance or financial resources through trusts or wills to children, family members or to communities at large comprise their legacy, which are commendable and noble contributions that culminate in a life well-lived. But Dr. Erikson infers there is more to leaving a legacy than the sum totals on a ledger. Erikson’s research indicates the virtue Wisdom, which I’ve defined it by its ancient Greek meaning “to be(come) skilled at living”  is inferred here.

Wisdom infers you’ll make choices to gain, use, apply and impart your knowledge, skills, resources and energy to create well-being in yourself and others, whether they’re in the next room or on another continent, or whether you’ve spent your life by their side or if its someone you may never meet. Wisdom also infers when mistakes are made, you’ll learn from them and engage in “course correction” processes and activity to reduce the likelihood of making similar mistakes again in your future.

So as I conclude this book on Choosing Change, let’s bring the subject of legacy, wisdom and becoming skilled at living closer to home so when you’re in your rocking chair reflecting on the life you’ve lived, you’ll be able to enjoy some very good, sweet and refreshing lemonade, especially to be shared with those who are fortunate enough to be close to you before you depart your home on this Earth for another one.

To do this, I’m going to introduce one last acrostic called “L-E-G-A-C-Y,” which contains a series of questions and inferred actions that I’d like for you to consider. As you read these questions, think about the subjects and issues you’ve read about in this book which speak to the changes you’ve already made for your betterment, or will spur you on to complete any unfinished business that deserves your attention and effort.

Remember, it’s never too late to focus your energy and use your breath to impart a blessing to others that will not only answer the four questions above, but will crystallize in the mind, heart and spirit of others who you are, your purpose as seen in the accurate placement of your passion, and what you considered important based on changes you’ve chosen to make.  I pray you enjoy working on your legacy and leaving good rocking chair memories for others to reflect upon as they drink in and contemplate how your life was refreshing to them!

Leaving a “L-E-G-A-C-Y” for others to enjoy

L

What life lessons have you learned and what wisdom do you wish to impart because of them?

What impressions or impact(s) have you made that you’re proud of and are leaving behind?

As you look at your life, what regrets do you have? If possible, what would you like to change?

What important statement(s), behavior(s), process(es) would you like to leave to others?

Who did you love and what did you love about them? How did that change you and them?

E

What activities brought significant meaning and enjoyment to you, your family and others?

What challenges have you faced and how did you manage to endure them?

Is there anything you wish or need to clear up, clarify or explain while you still have time?

Who do you wish to empower and what do you wish for that person(s)?

What encouraging thoughts or words would you like to pass on to inspire others?

G

What are your thoughts about God, your Higher Power or the significance of spirituality to you?

What are you gracious for? What do you have the most gratitude about?

What good habits or deeds are you proud of that you’d like to acknowledge see continued?

Are you content with the work you’ve done in the garden of your life? What remains to be done?

What in your life still brings grief? Is there any gladness that has been borne from it?

What attributes, gifts or guidance do you wish to give or impart to others?

A

What affirmation(s) have you received or heard which inspired you to be your best?

What achievements or accomplishments are you most proud of?

What activity meant a lot to you? Why? Are there activities you regret being a part of?

What life-altering advice have you received or what advice would you like to pass on to others?

What have or are you afraid of? How have or will you overcome your fear or this challenge?

C

Who provided care to you and how did that change you? To whom might you express thanks?

Who and what might you wish to celebrate because this is deserving of commemoration?

What convictions have you developed during your life of which you are certain?

Is there anything you’d like (or need) to correct while you have time and energy?

What blessings, gifts or “charges” might you wish to convey to your children?

Who would you like to comfort? For what reason? What behavior do you see yourself delivering?

Y

What character traits would you like to impress upon others? Why?

Is there anything you’re still yearning for or would like to accomplish? What and Why?

What unfinished business do you have and need to address? What and Why?

What “tools” have helped you to become wise or “skilled at living?”

Are you satisfied with your legacy? Why or Why not?

What would you like to be remembered and known for? Why?

  Instead of providing my answers to the above-mentioned questions, I thought I’d create a slideshow that captures my “rocking chair memories” and to-date reveals the legacy I’ve been a part of and will one day leave behind! May God richly bless you and your legacy!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Thanks for reading this excerpt from “Choosing Change #14: Living, Loving and Leaving a Legacy.”  As time permits, please visit the other blogs written by Dr. Ken McGill: Daily Bread for Life and “3 – 2 – 5 – 4 – 24″ for additional information that could be helpful.

I welcome your comments below or via email and your favorites, your retweets and your “+1’s” if you have a brief moment and find the information helpful. Again, it is my desire to provide the very best info for your consideration.

TeleHealth/Video counseling sessions are available for those who prefer to meet online – Dr. McGill

      Choosing Change: Leaving a Legacy (This post is an excerpt from Choosing Change #14: Living, Loving and Leaving a Legacy, which is a chapter in the book "Cultivating Love: Choosing Change" by Dr.

[trickfootpike]

leaving storybrooke.

ever since the cancellation was announced, i’ve been trying to figure out how to put into words all that once upon a time has meant to me. at first i was like, ‘i’m gonna keep a draft and write down all the thoughts i have about ouat until the finale & give my whole sordid emotional tale!’ but that......was a bit much for me also trying to finish up the semester at the same time. then i thought i’d go for a seven-day countdown - also not the smartest idea to try and pull off during finals week. so here i am on the day of instead.

so what up once upon a time. how you been doin’.

rhetorical question, i know how you’ve been - you and me, we’ve been together since day one. actually a little bit before, because you first drew my interest from a magazine spread the summer of 2011. you fell right in line with my being raised on my mom’s love for the 10th kingdom, and right after i’d grown out of reading the sisters grimm as a kid. i watched the pilot and fell in love by the end of the first scene, and realized i’d found something to stick with me when the clock struck 8:16. after an unsuccessful first confusion with tumblr, you’re what drew me to the platform after ‘skin deep’ aired and i needed to scream. the day that filming vids from the season 1 finale were shared and we all realized that joe & farming meant a lot more than they did 30 seconds ago was nuts, and i was a mess when emma kissed henry’s forehead and broke the curse.

an even bigger mess when the tv cut out right in the middle of rumple revealing why he’d thrown that vial down the well and i had to go digging for the full end of season 1, but y’know that’s not sentimental or shit, that was just annoying and that’s not what we’re here for today.

then s2 came around and we exploded exponentially. between ‘ask if we have avocado’ and the main cast growing and you getting on netflix, we went from a little dinghy to a whole fleet. you could mention once upon a time and people would actually know what you were talking about, and it was easy to make friends between everyone groaning about how many random breaks the show got that year. it was still marked by the same disagreements that were started in s1, but joining the ranks were the starts of ship wars - tho looking back at it now, i don’t actually remember being as much of an issue then. they were there, yea, but not an overwhelming issue; i actually don’t remember them becoming publicly ugly until marketing surged up for s3 and press articles started pitting them against one another. but i also view that time through rose-tinted glasses, so who knows.

besides that, tho, i remember s3 fondly. it started with what i believe would be found in photoshop’s toilet, and ‘going home’ was beautiful and the culmination of 2 and a half years of love. the nonsense died down when ‘quiet minds’ aired and there was actually a mutual agreement of respect towards everyone who mourned neal’s death. i’m gonna admit, you kind of lost your luster there for me for a while after that though. baelfire had been so intricately involved with the heart of the showing, and his death just felt like that heart was being ripped away.

but s4 was still wacky and enjoyable, and the finale made me so excited to see henry back in his spot of ‘only believer in a cursed land’ but with a twist. actually, deviating from that - i loved how every almost finale was about henry in some way. whether it was breaking the curse, him being pan’s real goal, operation mongoose, him acting out his mourning of his father and getting the world to believe in magic, or him getting the curse to break one last time and heading off to an epilogue that was, finally, his own story -- henry was the even greater heart of you and that was never forgotten. he got the most continuity in his development, and a lot of us got to grow up along with him in storybrooke, maine. i was 14 when i started this show, barely starting my freshman year of high school. 7 years later, and i’m going to be starting my senior year of college. henry was bleeding heart, stubborn optimism that just refused to die out.

it wasn’t any mystery about why he ended up my favorite character.

so where was i - oh yea, finales and going into s5. which... existed ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ hey bleeding heart and stubborn optimism may not have only been henry’s character but the personification of my relationship with you, but even the stubbornest glasses half-filled have to admit when you get an off year. the ball got dropped on dark swan, making an arc that could’ve been all about reconciling the grief emma felt for her childhood with her still trying to fully open her heart to her family, but y’know. the hets sell. i actually liked the underworld arc, but i was so burnt out from the first half that i couldn’t really get invested as i could have with a solid first half of the season. s6 was a much better improvement on stable quality, and the final battle is still up there battling for one of my favorite episodes. and then... end of book one. onto the epilogue.

i’ve always meant it when i’ve said that i feel sorry for everyone who skipped out on this last season. season 7 has been amazing. with the majority of the fanbase gone taking the bad apples with them, i haven’t felt this much peace in the community since season 1. everyone left were the people who had fallen in love with the heart of the show. the new characters were amazing - alice jones has made me cry, i still am so thankful to this last year for finally giving me a version of hook to genuinely love, because i hate missing out on a good thing but hook prime was just not a character i could get on board with. and everyone i’ve seen who started watching the season later has fallen in love with it too. it’s a good thing, it’s a love letter to the heart of the show, and it shows how much the people behind it have grown since s1. there were six years of mistakes. like, no doubt about it, there were just straight up mistakes. but they grew from them and kept working it until they knew how to make good on them. and i’m grateful for that, to see them learn and grow right along their audience, their characters, and this incredible piece of spiteful optimism that is once upon a time.

so. that’s how it happened. 7 years of once upon a time, of growing up from an awkward teenager to a child who can drink trying her best. there’s a lot more, like the friendships i’ve made or the relationships i fell in love with, but that’s the core of it. i am very grateful to have loved a show with so much heart in it, that was never afraid to be embarrassingly emotional or completely heartfelt about the concept of hope. there have been a lot of things that weren’t entirely genuine, but i think that the bookends of season 1 to season 7 were. this was the little show that could. and i’m very glad that i could have even some small part of it.

#shut up em #this is deeply emotional and embarrassing but hey that's once upon a time