#For me and I believe a lot of you music is something that uplifts me a ton especially upbeat songs | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

comradekarin · 8 months

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That last ask you got here, just reminds me of the fact that while TS fandom claims to be all about feminism and women supporting women, it surely lacks intersectionality and it SHOWS and this is in great part because that’s the kind of advocacy they get from the celeb they worship, that’s why is dangerous to just pander to one kind of feminism as if everyone had an universal experience, when it couldn’t be further from the reality, we need to have those conversations we need to learn from one another and whoever has a privilege, should make good use of it to uplift those who can’t at the moment

Yup!! That’s basically the point I’m trying to hone to be honest. Again, I absolutely believe we should support female artists in the music industry, especially when they will be held to higher standards than other male artists (even in that area we can have a conversation about the dynamic race plays between male artists, too). However, it’s imperative we discuss how Taylor and her fans only use feminism to tell other people they can’t be mean to her, or critique her. Are these group of people the minority in the fan base? Maybe, sure. But should we sweep it under the rug and let it fester just because it’s the minority? No.

Do I believe the average Taylor Swift stan is normal and doesn’t hate black women? Yes. I believe there’s a lot of them who just enjoy her music and don’t feel the need to bash other black female artists in order to prove how much better Taylor is. Nonetheless, there’s still a large group of her fans who claim to support all women but will not hesitate to degrade and shut out the voices of woc making valid criticisms against Taylor. Just look at the Matty Healy situation. A white woman’s partner is exposed for making disgusting racist comments about black women, and the responses are not “this powerful rich white woman is continuing to date this man and is being complicit through her silence, which is enabling his repulsive behavior and she needs to be held accountable” but instead “we need her to stay away from this bad man!”. Yes, because the image and reputation of this white woman is more important than the dangerous rhetoric her partner is spreading about the same women she claims to support! Yes, because this white woman can have a collab with the same woman (ice spice) her boyfriend was making racist remarks about and everything is ok! Yes, because it is the white woman who is the victim here, and if you can’t see that you’re a misogynist!

Taylor’s silence during the wave of transphobia, the criminalization and banning of drag shows, the uptick of hate against black women, and so much more just makes sense when you look at the company she keeps. Didn’t her team try to sue a journalist for stating Taylor constantly toes the line with conservatives and white supremacists a few years back? Just look at the CO2 emissions drama where everyone was like “man I hate privileged white millionaires” and then she dropped an album and everyone forgot? Any critique for Taylor is met with these responses: A) Taylor isn’t the worst apple out of the bunch so why is she getting attacked like this B) Y’all would never do this to male celebrities so just say y’all hate women C) Why is Taylor blamed for the actions of other men or D) [justifying anything Taylor has done].

So, what you’re saying is correct anon. We can not talk about feminism and supporting “all women” while also trying to lump the struggles of all women into a single category. The initial Feminist movement itself excluded other women of color, it was something only meant for white women. White women have a level of privilege over other women of color, and we can’t pretend they don’t because they’re just “women, too”. White women and their fake white tears have done so much harm to marginalized communities, especially my own black community. I want this conversation to actually mean something, for it to be a moment of self reflection, for it to actually be about supporting, advocating for, and uplifting the voices of all women. I don’t want this talk of “support all women” to only be brought up when someone attacks your white fav.

#ask #sorry this was so long anon but thank you so much for this ask #we have cannot pretend we support all women when our silence and inaction says otherwise #anti taylor swift #anti swifties #anti blackness #white feminism

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rhea314 · 14 days

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20 questions for fic writers podficcers

Thank you for tagging me @gracieryder and @alliaskisthepossibilityoflove, I feel so included <3

How many works do you have on ao3? 1,559 - which I believe is 1,208 podfic, 179 vids, and 163 fics

What's your total Ao3 word count? 615,783

What fandoms do you create for? I have works in 450 fandoms so I’m not listing them all so here are top couple of fandoms by work-type: - Vid: Nirvana in Fire, The King: Eternal Monarch, and 9-1-1 - Podfic: Yuri on Ice, Teen Wolf, and The Raven Cycle - Fic: Smallville, Stargate Atlantis, and Gundam Wing

Top 5 Works by Kudos: Fics dominate sorting by kudos so here's top two of each category: - Fic: The Rock and The River this Spirited Away fic wins out by a large margin, bubbling up is another Spirited Away fic and in second place. - Vid: Bury a Friend is my most kudos’d vid (Untamed) and Applause is second most kudos (Untamed RPF) though that is my most-watched vid on YT. - Podfic: through a window softly by impossibletruths, an Untamed fic for which I did a lot of music mixing is my top kudos’d podfic, so much so that it actually gets in my AO3 top 5 kudos list which is wild. The Absolutely True Story of the Yiling Patriarch: A Manifesto in Many Parts by aubreyli is in second place.

Do you respond to comments? I try!

What is the work you've made with the angstiest ending? - Fic: All my fics are neutral or positive endings (I think?) - Vid: this TKEM AU where Yeong dies - Podfic: I enjoy narrating big emotions so I have a lot of people-cry-in-this-fic grief/angst and self worth issues stories but often they end on at least an uplifting note. Possibly something in Attack on Titan or X-Men had a and-they-stay-sad ending but I can’t remember something specific to for-sure point at.

What's the work you've made with the happiest ending? So many happy endings (both the emotional kind and the porn kind). I’m not sure I could point to a ‘happiest’ since a lot of them are very happy.

Do you get hate on your works? I’ve had some weird comments but not particularly hate, hopefully that will continue to be true.

Do you create smut? Yup, at least with podfic and fic.

Craziest crossover? I wrote a heralds of valdemar / lord of the rings fic when I was just starting out in fandom.

Have you ever had a work stolen? I hope not.

Have you ever had a work inspired by your works? Very excitingly, people have made vids inspired by my vids which is the absolute coolest thing (Nothing by @nubreed73, and Mei Changsu is Climbing the Mountain by @sandalwoodbox)

I have had fic translated, which is neat.

People have made podfics of my fic which is just delightful and makes me so, so happy as a fellow podficcer.

I've also had people make me fanart/coverart which is super cool!

Have you co-recorded/co-written/co-vidded before? I’ve done a podfic collab where we co-wrote the story together and then recorded the story together. I’ve been part of multivoice collabs of things I did not participate in writing for with both in-person/live recording and recorded separately then edited together. I’ve also done oral not!fic collabs.

I've done collab vidding with @sandalwoodbox

All time favorite ship? I can't decide. I tend to have one OTP per fandom I'm into, but see fandom list it's too long to pick just one ship.

What's a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will? I’ve got a variety of old files for fics I never got a permission response on that will just live in my computer forever. Some are complete, some needing editing, some are partially completed and all abandoned due to lack of response. I learned my lesson and now do not record unless I have already received permission or the author has BP.

What are your podficcing/writing/vidding strengths? - Podfic: Consistency? Enthusiasm. Emotion (I hope).

- Vid: Picking decent songs?

What are your podficcing/writing/vidding weaknesses? - Podfic: Accents, words not in english, cover art.

- Writing: Doing it without a challenge/exchange

- Vid: I don't know how to do a lot of technical stuff so I'm sort of coasting on my current skill level without challenging myself much.

Thoughts on dialogue in another language? For podfic I try! Sometimes I don’t know what I don’t know (see past mispronunciation of French where I thought I knew what I was doing T_T). But having been in into anime, c-dramas, k-dramas, and a variety of fandoms with various languages involved I know I will give it my best shot, possibly fail, and it will take me 2-3x as long to record, but sometimes I can be proud of what I’ve come up with on the far end and that’s nice. Forvo, google translate, and finding friends/acquaintances I know who speak the language have all be helpful.

First fandom you podficced/wrote in/vidded? - Podfic: Spiderman/Smallville crossover: 2008.

- Vid: Eastwick (TV)

- Fic: Heralds of Valdemar

Favorite work you've made? - Podfic: The Ion Arc by Sunhawk - I started recording this Gundam Wing story in 2008 and finished in 2019 and it clocks in at over 80 hours. This was my labor of love for just over a decade and will always hold a very important place in my heart. Have I re-listened to it, no. Do I think it’s the best podfic I’ve ever made, probably not, doesn’t matter, still my favorite. - Vid: I’m not sure how to pick so I’ll just go with my co-vid with @sandalwoodbox Hug Cats! - Fic: I’ll follow the consensus and say The Rock and The River for this.

Tagging - feel free to take up this invitation to answer some questions or not as you see fit!: @sandalwoodbox, @revolutionaryjo, @rollerskatinglizard

#tag game #about me

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choicesficwriterscreations · 8 months

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September MC & OCs of the Month - Special Edition: Celia Moore

Help us in welcoming September's MCs and OCs of the month! That's right, plural! Most months, CFWC highlights one randomly selected MC or OC from our Meet My MC / OC List. (More info here.) But this month, we're doing something different.

In August, @lilyoffandoms hosted a Writers Appreciation Month, and we announced the September Writer of the Month would be selected from its participants. But all participants agreed - Lily deserved the honor! Still, we wanted to do something nice for the eleven writers who elected to participate to help uplift other writers in the fandom. So, this month, each of the eleven participants will have one of their MCs or OCs highlighted.

We will introduce each MC / OC individually, and once all eleven have been highlighted, a masterlist for the month will be created. We hope you enjoy getting to know all about them!

The ninth MC of the Month is @trappedinfanfiction 's Celia Moore!

Learn more about Celia below...

In your own words, tell us what you like most about your MC.

It’s hard to say exactly what I like most about her, but probably her dedication. She doesn’t back down when things don’t go her way and will always do everything she can to do what she believes is right. She has worked hard to end up where she has, and she knows it; she won’t let the words of others destroy her own accomplishments.

Do you feel your MC is like you at all? How are you alike or different?

I feel like I put some of myself in every MC/OC I have, and Celia is no different. She might be the one that I am the most alike, but at the same time, she’s a lot different from me. Maybe a bit more like how I want to be. She’s passionate and not afraid to speak up if something is wrong and is willing to take risks to turn things in a better direction, especially in the medical world. She’s also a lot more social than me. While she enjoys her alone time and keeps a smaller circle of very close friends, she doesn’t really have a problem talking and getting to know new people.

What is most important to your MC? What is their motivation in life?

The most important thing for Celia is the people around her, her family, friends and patients. They are her motivation. She wants them to have a good life and wants to help where she can. She hates where the medical world is heading, where money is becoming more important than what the people needs. As her influence in the medical world grows, she uses her privilege to work for a world where people don’t have to go into a life-time of debt just to get the help they need, and that no one should be turned away just because of their looks and identity.

What are their biggest pet peeves/dislikes?

People who always think they know best because they googled something and generally rude/intolerant people. “Oh, you’re a woman? You have to be a nurse. Let me speak to a man.” is something she hears a lot, and it makes her blood boil.

If your MC could change one thing - anything - what would it be?

If she could change the world, she would. She knows it’s impossible in reality, but through her work she knows she at least can help her patients. She will do her very best to give every single patient the help they need. Be it someone to talk to, or finding the right treatment.

What is your MC’s favorite quote or song?

This one is so hard! I never have any idea when I am asked about music, because what I listen to isn’t necessarily what my MC/OCs would like and I honestly can’t even settle on my own favorites. However, I can see her liking Raleigh Carrera’s music.

Is there anything else you’d like to share about your MC?

I never believed that I would ever post any of my writing, but Celia has been my door into sharing it. She has developed into her own character outside the MC I played as in Open Heart and I have had so much fun writing her story. She was my escape during the pandemic and I have gotten so many friends in the fandom because of her. Some have left, and some are still here, and I am grateful for every single one. I never believed what was supposed to be a small drabble would lead to where things are now.

#choices fic writers creations #cfwc mc of the month #celia moore #trappedinfanfiction #open heart

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tomorrowxtogether · 1 year

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TOMORROW X TOGETHER Named MTV’s Global PUSH Artist for April 2023: Exclusive

The Billboard 200 chart-topping boy band is bringing exclusive interviews, performances and photos as part of the partnership.

Last year, MTV leaned into uplifting the world’s next big K-pop act when it named SEVENTEEN the first Korean-pop artist for its MTV PUSH program. The opportunity led the HYBE and PLEDIS Entertainment boy band to a nomination for best new artist at the 2022 VMAs and to win their first MTV Europe Music Award.

Today, Billboard can exclusively reveal TOMORROW X TOGETHER is MTV’s next featured Global PUSH Artist for the month of April. As part of the partnership, the quintet will speak in an interview with the channel about musical influences, advice for new artists and memories throughout their careers. Plus, TXT also shot a photoshoot and delivered exclusive performances of new songs “Sugar Rush Ride” and “Devil by the Window,” both taken from the group’s No. 1 Billboard 200album The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION.

As the latest PUSH artists to join alums like SZA, Lauv, Lizzo, Billie Eilish, Khalid, Doja Cat and more, TOMORROW X TOGETHER shared their advice for musicians looking to get their big break.

“Consistency is important,” TAEHYUN advised. “Even if you end up doing something unrelated to music, having the ability to play an instrument is a great gift to yourself. So, I really want to encourage being consistent with instruments.”

Added HUENINGKAI, “If you have a go at it and are consistent, you’ll find yourself growing a lot. With diligence, I really believe you can achieve your dreams.”

Meanwhile, BEOMGYU and YEONJUN shared the musicians that comforted and helped them grow.

“I listened to a lot of ABBA when I was young through my dad,” BEOMGYU said. “And I listen to them a lot when I need comfort or am alone.” At the same time, YEONJUN shared that he “used to listen to ‘Eternal Sunshine’ by Jhené Aiko a lot during my trainee days. Those days weren’t so easy, and this song was a great help to me then.”

Look out for more from MTV x TXT throughout April. Then in May, TOMORROW X TOGETHER returns stateside for their biggest U.S. concerts as part of their Act: Sweet Mirage world tour before the HYBE and BIGHIT MUSIC boy band headlining Lollapalooza 2023 in Chicago this August.

Get your first look at a few more shots from TOMORROW X TOGETHER’S MTV PUSH campaign below as well as their performance and interviews:

#txt #tomorrow x together #230403 #article #billboard #soobin #yeonjun #beomgyu #taehyun #hueningkai

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traumatizedjaguar · 4 months

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Hi I love your blog, a lot. Still processing some horrific things of my own. How do you get through the darkest moments? I hate mine.

Honestly for me how I got through some dark moments...

Music. Usually a technique I learned from therapy was putting music on that was the opposite of my current emotion; if I was sad or depressed or whatever I'd put happy tunes on or if I was angry, calming tunes. Sometimes finding music that allowed me to let out emotions too like if I was angry I'd listen to a few angry songs from Slipknot for example and have a little session to myself, then I'd go relax. Music affects my mood, but it's not like that for everyone. I made a playlist for "abuse recovery" meaning the songs are more uplifting, makes me feel like a warrior.

Survivors stories. Listening to others stories of their complex abuse they've been through and saving them all in a word document to go back to later. Finding people I relate to who've been through the EXACT same abuse I have been through. It helps finding out you're not the only scapegoat or you're not the only one with many abusers and rapists. It helps to know I've met people with 15, 16, 18, and 25 abusers before.

Meditation. It sounds stupid to most people but if you research the affects meditation has on the human body and brain when you use it daily or on a consistent schedule in the long-term, it's amazing to know what it does for you. It's hard at first, but eventually you get used to it. And sometimes I have a focus point when meditating, such as listening to my breathing going in and out in a quiet space so my thoughts don't drift; because drifting thoughts or worrying isn't meditating so like I said, it's hard at first. But your mind gets so used to it after awhile.

Changing my environment. I've rearranged my whole room, put posters up, painted it so it feels like I'm in a different house sometimes. Adding something new and different to your life like a hobby or something you've never tried and do it often, it can be a good distraction. I like using distractions often.

(TW: God mention. Skip this paragraph if needed be. This one might just be me) Putting my faith in God Our Creator and having had many communications with him before. Sharing my space with him, inviting him on walks with me, telling him about my day although he sees everything I do, and asking him about his "day". I got into talking to Norse gods and the Creator and it has helped so much knowing a divine entity who created everything in the universe wants me to be safe and heal and actually told me this in many ways; who tells me he loves me and knows I'm a very loved good soul in his eyes. (I try but never feel that way).

Doing the scary thing and reaching out. I have reached out to people and told them my story and told them about my abusers and they've believed me. Focusing only on the ones who believed me even though my story is insanity with abusive parents, abusive brother and abusive exes who all smear campaigned me and many of them raped me too. No matter how much complex abuse, there was people out there and other victims who took my side. I only focus on the good ones, not the bad ones who don't believe me. Because once I shut out EVERYONE except the good ones, then my world only has love in it.

>>Making word documents for healing. I learned I was in a freeze state recently and I've been teaching myself about it through online trauma therapists (I'm so happy to be living in the digital age) and I've learned about it and I'm doing the work necessary everyday to teach my brain different and rewire it. It's also why I shut down around abusers and can barely speak even when I want to.

>>Trauma therapists: Crappy Childhood Fairy, Patrick Teahan to name a few. Patrick Teahan helped me so much specifying types of sibling abuse that were SO SPECIFIC to what ive been through and scapegoating in family systems, he taught me about how some family systems gang up against one family member (so like 6 family members for example, against one of the kids in order to scapegoat properly there's many abusers in most situations) and how im not the only one with many abusers in one family and im not the only scapegoat. He also made videos that were WAYYYY to specific to the abuse I endured and wayyyy to specific to the behaviors and belief system my abusers held. He has so many great videos for people like me. First time I listened to a few of his videos on family abuse, I was overwhelmed with emotion and joy and it made my heart and stomach flutter. I love Patrick Teahan so much and hes a real therapist too.

Make stuff, build stuff, start projects.

#my text #asks #cptsdhealing #cptsd recovery #ptsd recovery #childhood trauma #trauma therapists #trauma specialists

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urlocalnonbinarybastardwrites · 2 days

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I usually hate the "Outsidersx Y/N" stuff but I'm ever so curious as to who you'd match me up with here.

I'm 5'6 curly brown hair hazel eyes

I'm super sarcastic like a lot of the time. I can be mean but absolutely do not intend to. I'm super duper self aware. I always know when I say something weird or when I'm feelings certain way and why I'm feeling it. I'm incredibly socially perceptive, too. Like being able to pick up on people's actions, their behaviours, how they're feeling. My love language( how I show love) is acts of service. I'm really bad at commitment and I'm also pretty extroverted.

I'm into trying out new music also into spontaneity. Like I loveee it when people are spontaneous. I'm an English/ history girly. I like to bake in my free time. I also used to write a ton. I'm kind of pessimistic toward my own situations but optimistic when assuring others. I'm also like super uplifting toward people when I can be but some people view me negatively cause I speak so monotone or sarcastically sometimes😭😭 I have always believed that you should just say what you want to say or do what you want to whenever you want to say or do it, and as a result I like giving super in depth-comliments and also like to believe i can have some pretty engaging conversations when i try. I make sure to include people when I can. I also believe that Im pretty straight-forward about my emotions..Again, I can be real mean but real genuine and kind when I try. Uhh that's all I can think of. Oh. I also really like deep and genuine conversations and to talk about everything in the whole world with anyone I can manage to. I'm also a night owl andddd yeah I talk a lot idk. But I also am obsessed w literature and media n whatnot.

Sorry to rant. Who do you think would be the best option for me??

Please include your sexuality!!! And re ask this please!

#urlocalnonbinarybastardwritesanswers #the outsiders hcs #the outsiders #the outsiders headcanons

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suleikashideaway · 4 months

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🎶✨️when you get this, put 5 songs you actually listen to, then publish. Send this ask to 10 of your favorite followers (positivity is cool)🎶✨️

Oohh fun! Thank you!!

Fun fact about me: I am in irl professional musician and music teacher! You'd think that would mean something special about my taste in music but, heh, I guess you can be the judge of that. In any case music is important to me <3

I also am the type of person to find a single album or artist and only listen to that specific thing for...several months to a year, so instead of listing 5 songs of my current obsession, I'll list one from each of my past 5 obsessions lmao

1- Okay, the current boy on my mind. Hozier is...out of this world. I cannot BELIEVE I only discovered this godlike human a few weeks ago. I'm not kidding when I say I cried when I found out he's coming here live in a few months and tickets are already sold out. This song is from his latest album and it is etched in my soul:

2- In my efforts to be the best music teacher I can be, I picked up the ukulele and along the way picked up Eddie Vedder and his unbelievable album called Ukulele Songs. I can't believe how much I undervalued this man. He is an iconic songwriter and I've grown to love his appreciate his voice and style. Every song on this album is a hit but I'll give you the one that'll make you swoon:

The rest are under the cut because I like music a lot lol

3- I went through a pretty intense Florence + The Machine kick last year. I had always loved them but I had never put in any concentrated listening until I (belatedly) discovered the album High As Hope. Again, amazing album from start to finish, but this song...oooh.

4- Apparently I'm a big fan of The Staves...my Spotify wrapped informed me I'm in the top .05% of listeners??? So it would only be appropriate if I put them on here. I love how they've evolved over time. This song is kind of like, my theme song probably. (Except the bit about snow lmao)

5- Arghhh only five songs?!? Alright I'll end on an uplifting song to start your day. (If the theme isn't apparent, I pretty much love really angsty songs. If it doesn't make me cry on first listen it's probably not my thing lmaoooo BUT I do like a good touch of optimism occasionally to get me pumped!) This song is from The Wailin' Jennys, yet another female trio (that's a theme, too), whose arrangements are just otherworldly. This song is their take on a Dolly Parton song (both versions are the best lol)

Honorable mentions: Brandi Carlile, Turnover, Incubus, Bon Iver, Joshua Radin, and Raffi lmao.

Oh, and anyone who wants to play, consider yourself tagged!!!

#music #me #ask me!

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rivetgoth · 1 year

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Yk I get just as annoyed at those people online who call themselves goth punks or whatever while the most alternative thing they listen to are a small handful of household name emo bands as the next guy, and personally I never had an emo phase and genuinely dislike the majority of emo music I’ve heard across a wide range of bands and I can very confidently and concisely explain why my personal preferences do not tend to overlap with emo music’s sound a lot of the time, but I’m NGL I am starting to feel like anyone whose whooooole entire thing is how much they HATE emo music and emos and how emos are soooo fake and less alt or legit than THEM, a REAL actual PUNK GOTH GRUNGE ALT FREAK, is just doing the extremely corny terminally online equivalent of those boring ass alt music guys who throw a huge fit about “pop music.” Like focus on yourself and your interests man uplift the things that bring you joy spread your passions support your local scene try saying something beautiful and true, also just speaking about actual material interaction in the real world whether you like it or not there are tons and tons and tons of emos or ex-emos that go to goth nights now, I talk to people all the time who got into a broader range of alt music through being emo when they were younger, and they are 500000x more legit for going out to the club and supporting their local scene than any bitch running a blog on tumblr who doesn’t regularly go to clubs or shows or can’t even NAME any local bands let alone go out of their way to support them in any meaningful way but complains constantly about the purity of alternative subcultures tbqh. I also just ultimately am a music fan above all else, I kinda believe you can find good music in absolutely any genre you explore regardless of how much you believe you dislike it and I HAVE found emo music I like despite a staunch overall dislike of most major hallmarks of the genre and I think it just almost always sounds lame when someone parades around that they are an alt music fan but talks of entire genres like they are absolutely incapable of being good. Especially when actual emos (NOT the MCR FOB PATD bitches on Tumblr) know like dozens and dozens of bands I have never fucking heard of and they complain about the fake ass self-proclaimed “emos” that don’t know shit too LMAO. Like I am just a guy who loves music and I love people who love music so I can relate more to some random emo at the club who is excited to tell me about an upcoming concert for a band I would never willingly see in my life than a tryhard Tumblr recluse with a gore blog who posts about how much they hate emo music to feel better about their lack of friends / community / social life.

#obviously not a vague at like any mutuals or w/e 😭

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searchingforserendipity25 · 11 months

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hmmmm ship opinions..... how about finrod/beor

ohh they're canon. absolutely. thank you! @welcomingdisaster! they make me ill in a fun way.

i'm actually a lil bit convinced tolkien wrote it on purpose (delusional). the athrabeth becomes so much more layered through those lenses, and if it's not on purpose then i guess i can only hope to one day pull off such an unintended yet effective emotional beat.

also from the athrabeth, finrod's speech on pity makes me slightly insane. is this inescapable pity the mortal in a relationship with an elf is sure to face his own or those of the elves around beor? i have to think it is his own too, and this is one of those cases in tolkien where pity is not spoken of as life-saving or ethically redeeming, but a thing that is actively painful and harmful for both of them!

but also, pity here is a shorthand for grief, and finrod's own grief at that. pity not merely for beor's aging, but for the whole situation, and it is diminishing enough to be an outright cause to wish to rescind all the rest, because the rest is not worth it in comparison. a lot of self-pity as well in the mix! philosophically speaking, this is a lot to deconstruct just by itself.

his absolute certainty that a marriage between immortal and mortal will assuredly lead to grief even when both parties start out committed to the joy of it? he is NOT dealing well with his grief. he very much did not deal well with beor's aging, and what it meant to watch him age, especially in an elvish kingdom.

he plainly regrets their relationship! what do you even do with that. it was beor's only lifetime, and finrod believes that their relationship made it worse. what do you even do with that. what can he do, except keep his brother away from the same fate, and doom himself for the same hope?

which is interesting! i like that for him. beor died in despair holding the hand of his beloved and left him to a doom chosen out of love's best and worst aspects :) who else is doing it like them.

and by the way! i kind of want to know old beor's take on this. what was he thinking of, when he died? did he regret it too? finrod is very hopeless, and takes to the possibility of hope so strongly presumably its not something beor himself argued very convincingly for.

idk, but this at least as much about beor, too, and i'm curious about him. maybe he thought the grief he faced/caused was worth it for the uplifting of his line? maybe he thought finrod would get over it? maybe he thought it was worth it, grief and all, full-heartedly, with a very human approach to life, and finrod, who had to survive him, did not agree (not unusual in widowers). interesting!

they're lovely! i hope they meet again in the Second Song, but like. they'd have to invent new kinds of joint relationship & grief counseling, just saying. again, they're lovely: i think they can pull it off. in a very small and significant way, the possibility of a joyful connection between them is foundational to the promise of a perfect Music.

#finrod #beor #finrod/beor #many thoughts about these two! might need to reread the athrabeth before writing them

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noahjo · 4 months

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Ozu- I Was Born, But...

This was a film that I found interesting in many ways. Surprisingly, or not, it is the first silent film I have ever watched. Silent films are something I've always known about, but nothing I ever went out of my way to watch. I will say watching 1 hour of this silent film was a bit taxing. I find that sound, particularly music, adds a lot to my focus and interest in media. Music can help mold how humans are supposed to feel in certain scenes. Viewers of silent films have to focus a lot more on the physical actions of the characters on the screen to properly understand the emotions being portrayed.

The other interesting thing about this movie is being able to see a slice of Japanese society and life back then. The multitude of power lines, the trains that cut through town, and the jobs all really helped me feel immersed in their world nearly 100 years ago. I believe this is to the credit of the director, Yasujiro Ozu, who seems to want to convey the realness of life. Many of the shots will include these details of life, for example, a couple of scenes were dedicated to showing the morning routine of a Japanese school. By the end of the movie, I felt like I had a good understanding of the environment and people of the town they lived in. At the time, audiences may have simply enjoyed watching a film showcasing the life of an ordinary Japanese citizen. The ordinariness of the main family of this movie, and the kid's realization of their middling social station in society ends up being the final conflict. The realism of their living situation is overtaken by the themes of hope and youth. The kids can be better, and live more fulfilling lives despite it all. This is an uplifting message that I'm sure for people who see themselves in this film's main family.

This movie shows there are many similarities between the Western world and Japan. There are some moments throughout the movie where I felt a familiarity despite being such an old movie in a different country. The concept of a breadwinner father, adventurous kids who are still learning about the world, and social hierarchy struggle. If you erased culture and race, there is so much that is more similar between you and me.

With all that said, I enjoyed the movie. However, I do believe the lack of sound does hold it back from being a movie I would like to watch again. The clip that had an actress dub the movie and added music did a lot for me. It held my interest much better and made me feel more immersed in the story being told. I do wonder if that has to do with the current ongoing domination of short-form content like TikTok, Instagram reels, and more.

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paperlovesadness · 1 year

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Thank you so much @uhbasicallyjustmilex for the tag 🩵

15 questions/15 mutuals

1. are you named after anyone?

Nope! Just a name my mom liked.

2. when was the last time you cried?

Huh. Well I'm gonna sound like one of those tough "superstraight" dudes now that say "I don't know, never" 😅 because I don't know! I've been doing really well mentally for a good few months.

Ah! But I've for sure cried over great music or some uplifting story on the internet during the last week.

3. do you have kids?

Nope. And I don't think I'd ever be ready to make someone else my priority like that. (Also kids are scary).

4. do you use sarcasm a lot?

Not at all (👀)

5. what’s the first thing you notice about people?

Handshake - if there is one (I'm one of the people who believe it says a lot); otherwise it's not something I can say specifically. It's a vibe. Their presence, tone of voice, body language - an overall energy that let's you pre-judge a person before you get to know them for real (however harsh that may sound. It's like a natural thing though).

6. what’s your eye colour?

Greenish-brown? (I think?)

7. scary movies or good endings?

Good endings forever and always. I get the strength a sad/ambiguous ending can have. And I like to see that, when it's done well - occasionally. But for the day-to-day I do go out of my way to first find out if what I'm about to consume (books, movies, tv) ends okay. And choose the stuff that does. My philosophy is - there's enough sadness around in the world and for me - media is most of all an escape. (And with fanfics I read only happy endings).

I'm also a hopeless romantic so 🤷🏻‍♀️ figures.

(Also scary movies fascinate me but then leave me unable to properly function for up to a week or more so not thank you).

8. any special talents?

I don't know about special. I think I'm pretty good with manual artsy stuff? I've just made stuff my whole life. Pins, jewelry, collages, t-shirts graphics, keychains, figurines. If I wanted something badly - usually merch or gadgets connected to my hyper-obsession - but couldn't get it for financial or just availability reasons I'd figure out a way to make it myself or buy something similar and make it look like what I wanted.

9. where were you born?

Europe 👀 ha. I don't really know the exact reasons why I don't share my country in my little online spaces. I think I just like the internet being this global place where it doesn't really matter? We all write in English and it's hard to tell who's from where. It's kind of nice. (That being said - it's not a secret for any bigger reason. And I can always share in private messages).

10. what are your hobbies?

Singing, guitar & ukulele. Photography, photo-manipulation, clay, writing, figure skating, journaling, reading. Yeah just artsy stuff all over the place.

11. do you have any pets?

Yep! A dog and 3 cats who live with my parents (but also I pretty much also do with how often I'm there, so...)

12. what sports do you play/have you played?

Figure skating (Yes, I do love that TAOTU mv).

13. how tall are you?

I truly never remember. 165?

14. favourite subject in school?

Literature.

15. dream job?

If we're talking dreams and not realism - something to do with music. But I won't even elaborate, because it's scary and vulnerable to have such dreams 🙃

Aaaaanyway!

This was fun! Thank you for the tag again 💙 and I'm tagging - first off; truly anyone who sees this and thinks it's fun (yes! I mean YOU. Do it!)

And then just off the top of my head - I really just don't remember usernames well unless I see them (then I recognize you guys!): @kiray1991 @freakykeypad @mileskanex @haemoglobinheights @the-thing-about-life-is @depressedraisin @paulagrnt @28-destiel-505 @joshus-lobster

(also sorry if you've already been tagged before!)

#yeah; I answer way too long - 🎶 ovresharing and it's bitter aftertaste 🎶 😂 ~#(nah. thankfully the 'bitter' pretty much goes away when it's kind of anonymous like this. So it's just the fun part)#t'was fun! hope you guys have fun with it too!

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cosmic--static · 2 years

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mk after getting dumped back into the "listen to the amazing devil way to much each day" phase, i gotta finally share my interpretations(analysis maybe?) of The Horror and the Wild Album. i'm gonna line the song youtube in the title of each song so that you can listen to it if you haven't heard it!

It's a little wordvomit-ty so be warned, this is gonna be a long one.

everything's below the cut!

Overall, the whole album seems to be about relationships of some sort and feelings for others (not necessarily the romantic kind!). I've seen other people say it's about love n stuff like that too so.

The Rockrose and the Thistle

Starting off with the plants in the title!

Cistus, or as we know it here, Rock Rose, is known to have certain medicinal properties! It can help with healing small external cuts and also help uplift your mood. Also, Rock Rose is said to symbolize strength, most likely because of its hardiness.

In terms of its properties, Thistle is also pretty good for your health, including being good for the immune system and bone health. As for its meaning, Thistle also seems to represent strength and courage.

Something probably unrelated but interesting I noticed while looking for information on both plants is that they both can be found in Mediterranean countries

Right off the bat, there's no "music". To me, it sounds more like winds howling at the top of a cliff or something, which fits with the first few lyrics "When you call to me asleep // up the ragged cliffs I scramble".

"A single thread hangs limply down // and I breathe not now, not now // and I find you all unwoven // trying desperately to sew // and I know the kindest thing is to leave you alone"

This song sounds like the narrator has just found someone they love grieving. Whether they are grieving a loved one, or perhaps the loss of a piece of themself, they are grieving and it isn't pretty per se. They're falling apart and the narrator doesn't know how to give comfort to this person, or the person isn't receptive to it. Despite all that, the narrator will stick by this person's side "and you'll wail, you'll scream, but I'll never stop // 'Cause it's all that I have left"

Then, "I wake and hear you calling // and up those cliffs I climb // and I find you with a thimble weeping // May I, I ask, may I?" The narrator is now being let into the person's walls, the next lines have the person give the narrator the thimble " 'Cause you've no clue how to sew" to sew them back together.

The Rock Rose and Thistle both symbolize strength, endurance, loyalty, and such, this song, to me, is about that exactly. Grief and loss are terrible to try to get through, but it's easier if you have someone you trust to help pull you back together.

The Horror and the Wild

I am normal about this song(lie). I have always listened to this song and thought of it as becoming more than what was expected of you. Being better than the adults in your life as a child thought you to be. It's the coming back to old family members who belittled you for something or another and showing them how you were successful not because of them, but because of your own strengths. It's being better than the things people say behind your back. ANyway, to the actual song.

"They thought us blind (we were just blinking) // All the stones and kings of old will hear us screaming at the cold"

"Think of all the horrors that I // Promised you I'd bring // I promise you, they'll sing of every // Time you passed your fingers through my hair and called me child // witness me, old man, I am the Wild"

These parts feel a lot like the realization that those people didn't believe in you, and the anger towards them that they thought so little of you. "How bold I was, could be - will be -- still am, by god, still am" You were strong before, you are strong now. Everyone is strong and the fact that you can't stand up against people sometimes doesn't make you weak.

"Welcome to the storm, I am thunder // Welcome to my table, bring your hunger"

This is someone standing up for their younger self. This is someone saying that they are more than just their parent's child. This is the dinner scene from Arcane where Jinx shows that she isn't Powder anymore.

Wild Blue Yonder

The lyrics for this one are hard because they intertwine so often.

"Without you(you) I'm stronger(you told me I was younger) I'm no longer (that I was) // Filled with wonder // How wrong you were"

I love how this song sounds more like a conversation at times. We start off with what sounds like reminiscing on old selves/relationships/conversations. Almost like laughing at how absurd things seemed years later.

"Let's wander, till the fuckers demand an encore // Flirting (wasn't flirting) // At the back of a bookshop // Come and rip off my socks like you're blasting the locks off of a bank vault. // Halt! // This time we're done for"

It's hurried love, love that both partners know won't last but are having fun indulging in. Like a little summer fling or something. The song is upbeat and fun sounding but there is an air of melancholy. The Greek word for love, Ludus, fits perfectly. It's a playful love.

There are parts of the song that sound genuinely affectionate or have that "falling in love" feel, almost turning the overall feel into a falling in love with your summer fling and just wanting to have a good time now so you won't regret it later.

The overlapping and talking over each other adds to the sense of unfamiliarity, but there's enough flow to show that they aren't complete strangers

Welly Boots

Welly Boots! Basically, they're just rain boots from what I gathered (correct me if I'm wrong). The beginning of the song talks about an oncoming storm and someone who has lost their welly boots.

"What's it like, the children ask? // It's just like falling snow, I am above you, // And I love you, don't you know // That I'll be with you all along, as long as you are kind // To those who are not strong and cannot find their scarlet welly boots"

I've always attributed this song to losing someone. Not necessarily loss as in death, but it could be a friendship that fell apart, the strained relationship between a once happy family. Any kind of loss.

"If only you could hear my voice // But you are screaming far too loud to hear me swear // Just because I left doesn't mean that I'm not still there"

All of our relationships affect us in some way. The impact of a relationship doesn't go away just because that relationship is gone. Pieces of those people and those relationships stick with us.

"And when you scream I’m not alright // And throw my picture at the wall // ‘You were supposed to be my light // And keep me safe against them all // How could you leave me here' you’ll scream // And louder, I’ll scream back to you from that unknown // And say // I know you’re strong enough to do this on your own"

This is the part that makes me attribute this song to loss. When someone you are close to leaves you, things may feel hopeless. The screaming back from the unknown that you are strong helps some people keep moving. To get back up and move forward. Moving forward doesn't mean forgetting.

There's a time skip in the song and the person still misses the person they lost. They feel hopeless again but

"Just when you're about to give up every hope you have you turn around // Perches by the stairs, someone's gone and left behind // A brand new pair of scarlet welly boots"

Welly boots are lost in the beginning of the song, introducing the loss. But welly boots are lost or left behind at the end only to be found by someone else. I can't really decide if "you can help others that are experiencing loss to help heal" is actually what I get from that, but it's what I'm going with for now. It calls back to the beginning also with "as long as you are kind //To those who are not strong and cannot find their scarlet welly boots".

I also love the beat drop after "Just because I left doesn't mean that I'm not still--" [Guitar and Drums kick in] "--there" Its completely unexpected when first listening to the song because it's so mellow and from the Rockrose and the Thistle we know the Amazing Devil isn't afraid to do a whole song that's mellow and practically a monologue.

Farewell Wanderlust

This song is filled with stuff about self-love, or the lack thereof. Self-loathing, bad anxiety, imposter syndrome.

"You don’t know it yet, but I’m the cupid of things // That you just didn’t get, that you struggled to say"

"Every time that you fumble, I’m the laugh from the back // When you think about him, my wings start to flap // When you make a mistake, my feet lift from the floor // And when you lie there awake every night love, I soar"

Every time there's a mistake, they start to feel good about themself, they feel like they might fit in, there's a voice in the back of their mind that says they aren't good enough. This is a struggle with self-worth and trying to convince yourself you're good enough.

"Farewell Wanderlust, you’ve been oh oh so kind // You brought me to this party but you left me here behind"

The wanderlust blocks out the anxiety, the self-loathing, and such, allowing you to do something without overthinking it, but when the high from wanderlust wears out, everything else creeps back in. Panic, anxiety. People ask the person if they're alright in the song, and at the first opportunity, they leave even if it might seem rude.

"I promise you I’m not broken // I promise you there’s more"

Welcome to the turning point of the song. The stomping down the anxiety, battling back against the hatred. This is saying I am more than this.

"Goodbye to all my darkness, there’s nothing here but light // Adieu to all the faceless things that sleep with me at night // This here isn’t makeup, it’s a porcelain tomb //This here is not singing, I’m just screaming in tune"

I love the last few lines of that quote so much. I love the "I'm not singing, I'm screaming in tune" because it feels like it's saying this is my story, I am screaming out my feelings even if they don't fully make sense.

Fair

The way this song feels like a letter to a loved one pouring your feelings out because you can't articulate them. Because you struggle to be sure of yourself, but you're so sure of them.

"And he adores her, he watches her get dressed as though she’s hurtling through time // Oh darling please be mine"

Have you ever fallen in love with your best friend? Yeah. This song feels like that. The growing up together and not noticing when exactly it happens, but eventually realize that you could just, exist in their presence forever.

"Oh how oh how unreasonable // How unreasonably in love I am with everything you do"

Send this song to the best friend you're in love with challenge!

There are so many small lyrics that just scream best friends. The jokes, the being comfortable with each other.

"I’ll spend my days so close to you cos if I’m stood here // Then I’m stood here // And I’ll stand here // I’ll stand here with you"

Back to just being able to exist in their presence. Yeah. This is Philla, the Greek word for love that involves friendship. Friends to Lovers type beat. This is staring at someone and smiling and deciding that this is the person you're going to love.

That Unwanted Animal

The stark contrast between this song and Fair is mind-blowing. Everything clues me into thinking that this is an unhealthy relationship, toxic love, and just generally obsessive love. The imagery is violent most of the time and the animal is fear-inducing.

"You try so loud to love me // But I cannot seem to hear."

It sounds like a relationship that no longer is love. As the song goes on, things get more and more negative, then "the creature creeps inside"

"The scratching grows so loud // Because that unwanted animal // Wants nothing more than to get out"

I would say that the creature, the animal, is the unspoken feelings of both the people in the relationship. It's clawing its way between them, things are unpleasant.

"Be good to me I beg of him ... // ... And he replies 'no no, not I'"

In short, the relationship isn't great. As the song progresses from the beginning, things get more and more negative, violent, and toxic.

Marbles

"I’ve held your hand since nineteen seventy nine, // You were in a band - still am - yeah but back then you had hair and your smile was so sublime // And I chipped my teeth on every joke you cracked"

This is an aging love. Growing old together but still loving each other and having fun. There's so much banter in this song, but so much affection. People changing together and poking fun at each other but still finding each other attractive. That's what makes this song beautiful. It's like hearing about someone's parents or grandparents who still very much love each other.

"The flat we rented was a palace for my queen // If by palace you mean that asbestos and beans from a tin, and the gin that we brewed in the bathtub // You sang ‘do you think I’m sexy’ And oh god I really did."

"And I'd sink to the floor, what’s the point anymore, // And you, you’d reply with a glint in your eye // (And you, you’d reply with a drink in your hand) // Saying ‘I don’t know, but I’m here, I’m all yours, dear heart don’t cry’"

We get playful, we get caring and loving. This song has it all. It's like reminiscing while sitting on your roof to watch the sunset. I love the familiarity of it.

Battle Cries

For our last song, I'm starting with a line from the middle of the song.

"This isn’t a break up dear heart, it’s a season finale."

It's a breakup song. Not in the typical sense of a "breakup song" where they're salty and stuff, but rather they've figured out that they're better just as friends.

There's so much these two people have gone through together, they're happy with each other, but not in the romantic sense. There's a lot of reassurance and uplifting in this song.

Along with the platonic love, I also see it as two people who have been through a lot, finding comfort in each other

"But that creaking you hear in my bones is not pain, it’s applause"

#I started this at 3am #its now 8am #the amazing devil #TAD #joey batey #madeleine hyland #the horror and the wild #the horror and the wild album #music #pov i make analysis of a whole album at 3am #my computer is almost dead now #almost 2.5k of my wordvomit #cosmo rambles #ty to crei for being my dot connecting buddy as we looked through the lyrics of the whole album

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driftward · 1 year

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Title: A Song for Winter's Night Characters: Nyx Blackmoon, U'rahn Nuhn Rating: Teen Summary: Nyx does not sing. U'rahn cannot sing. But with their powers combined, can they deliver carols this Starlight? Notes: None

U'rahn was minding his own business, and so was somebody else.

Nyx dropped down lightly next to him.

"Rahn. You have been kind enough to share some of your planned Starlight experiences with me. I would like to engage in a new experience alongside you, if you are willing. May I tell you more?"

He startled, but recovered quickly, giving Nyx a big grin. "Oh! Sure! Of course. Uhm, what were you thinking?"

Nyx stared at him as she spoke, but he had never really noticed that tendency of hers anyroad.

"I wish to attempt to go caroling."

U'rahn nodded rapidly, thoughtfully putting a hand on his chin as his ears wiggled. "Caroling? You mean singing Starlight songs as we go from house to house, right?"

"Correct."

He lit up.

"Well, I have always considered myself something of a bard! Count me in! When do you want to do it?"

"Tonight. However, I believe you have free time now. I would like to practice with a few songs first. The Gage Acquisitions common area is clear at the moment."

U'rahn glanced towards the stairs that led down into Gage's spacious basement that pulled duties for everything from a mess hall to a meeting room to a library and even a lounge. He looked around carefully, to see if anyone was about, and lowered his voice.

"You haven't seen Thancred around lately, have you?" he asked, cautiously.

"I have not."

"Alrighty then! I'm in! What do you want to sing first? I've got a lot of songs that I know. O Come Faithful Saint of Nymeia, Hark Halonic Angels Sing, uh, Joy to Eorzea..."

He continued to babble as Nyx led him to the corner of the room, where there was a piano and a microphone and orchestrion rolls. She set him down at the piano, and pulled one specific one forward.

"We shall begin with this one. I would like you to begin singing. Later, I shall attempt to accompany you."

"O-oh! Alright," said U'rahn, reading the sheet music carefully. He wasn't familiar with this song in particular, but he read it for a bit, before nodding to himself, and beginning to belt out the words with enthusiasm.

Nyx just stood and waited. Someone began to walk down the stairs, hands over their ears, a frustrated look on their face, but U'rahn did not notice them, so lost he was in song, and whoever it was decided to retreat upon being fixated with Nyx's stare.

Once he was done, U'rahn turned and grinned up at Nyx.

"Again. I shall attempt to harmonize this time. I would ask that you do not stop when you hear me."

"Alright!" said Rahn, and he started over again. He got about a verse in, when he could hear Nyx beginning to, well, sing was not the right word.

He glanced over at her, and stumbled over his words a bit. She was standing there, stock still as usual, her arms stiff at her sides, her mouth wide open. She was making sound, but no words. Rather she was making tones, each haunting and harrowful.

He managed to get another line out before he stopped, and looked at her, bewildered. Nyx stopped a moment later, and stared at him.

"What was that?" U'rahn asked.

"I was attempting to harmonize with your vocalizations," said Nyx.

"...it sounded dark and kind of scary," he said. "This song's supposed to be, you know, bright and uplifting!"

"I concur," said Nyx. "However, your harmonics were such that I thought you were attempting an alternative interpretation of the intent of the piece."

"Uh..." said U'rahn, unsure of how to respond to that.

"Rahn," said Nyx after a moment. "Do you know how to sing?"

"O-of course I do!" he said, feeling somewhat defensive, his tail curling around his leg. "I just, ah, you know, maybe need some more practice."

He looked away from Nyx, and looked over the sheet music. He could feel a bit of heat coming up his neck. Of course he could sing! He could. He wasn't a bard yet, but he knew the basics, and one day, his voice would enthrall lounge rooms across Eorzea, just like Thancred, or maybe even G'raha, who could enthrall an entire room with his voice.

Just... maybe not yet.

Nyx continued to stare at him, and he began to feel more than a bit self-conscious, and rubbed the back of his neck, grinning at her nervously. As she stared, he couldn't help but notice that the darker of her two eyes seemed to be twitching, the light playing off its depths.

"Rahn, say 'ah' for a period of ten seconds. I will hold up a hand when I want you to stop."

Confused, he did as she said, stopping when her hand went up.

"Very well. Do so again. While you are doing so, I shall make a tone. I believe you may found the sound initially uncomfortable. Please be patient, and do not stop until I hold my hand up again."

U'rahn nodded, and made the 'ah' sound again. After only a second, Nyx joined in as she said, making that noise of hers, and at first, it was dissonant, the combined sound somehow vibrating in an uncomfortable way. After some time, however, it smoothed out, and then became dissonant again, and then smoothed out again.

Nyx watched his face carefully as she made her noise, but he began to feel a tightness in his chest, from trying to hold the 'ah' noise too long, and when she finally held up her hand, he gasped.

"Describe the experience."

"What, of running out of breath?" he wheezed.

"Of listening to the sound," she said. "When you are ready."

He caught his breath, and slowed his breathing back down to normal, and nodded.

"Well, uh, it sounded real bad at first, like you said, but then it got... less bad? And then it was okay? And then it was bad again, and then it was alright?"

"You can hold a steady note," said Nyx. "Do you think you can modulate it? If I asked you to say 'ah' at a higher or lower pitch, would you understand what that means?"

"Of course," said U'rahn, resisting a tiny urge to huff a bit. Whatever she was doing, she was trying to help, and he tried not to feel bad about that.

"Very well then. I shall create a tone. Join in with your 'ah' noise. Raise and lower the pitch until it sounds 'good', When you think it sounds good, hold it for a few seconds, and then stop. Tell me when you are ready."

U'rahn took a few moments, frowning as he thought, but then he grinned and nodded at her.

"Okay, ready!"

Nyx opened her mouth again, and once more, she was creating noise, a steady smooth note. After a moment, U'rahn joined in, and he heard it immediately, how off the combined sound was. He concentrated and tried to get it to sound good, raising his pitch, lowering his pitch. He felt he got close a time or two, but then, just like that, it escaped from him.

He gave up, and slumped when he was done.

"Aw..." he said. "I couldn't quite get it."

"Perhaps it will come with practice," said Nyx. "May I make a suggestion?"

"...sure."

"I would like to try something besides singing. Can you comfortably talk loudly for an extended period of time?"

"Huh? Yeah, of course! A hero should know how to project! ...why?"

"It is also a valid technique for vocalization. It is my observation that many bards do not sing, but instead speak aloud. It is more akin to telling a story in verse than singing the notes of a song. Here."

Nyx reached over to the collection of orchestrion rolls. U'rahn just watched her curiously as she pulled a different forward, placing it in front of him.

"Do not sing, and do not mind me. Read this out loud, as though to an audience. You may attempt to maintain a rhythm if you like, but it is not necessary."

U'rahn looked at her, and then looked at the sheet, but then nodded, and did as he was told. It was longer than the first piece had been, and he stumbled over his words a few times, and he almost did belt into singing a few times. However, aware of Nyx being there and watching him, he managed to not do so, and he got through it. When he was done, he looked to Nyx.

If there was any sign of approval to be had, it did not appear on her face.

"Again," she said, "And once more, ignore me when I begin my accompaniment, to the best of your ability."

"Uhm. Alright," he said, not feeling quite so sure of himself. Still, though, he straightened his spine, and began again. After the first few lines, he could hear Nyx again, from behind him. The noise she was making was softer. And unlike before, it was not harsh, but smooth, the sound flowing rather than jumping about, like a river of notes instead of, well, whatever it had been before.

He found his confidence, as Nyx's sound was harmonic and concordant, reinforcing his natural speaking voice, not fighting with it, never overwhelming it, instead always present and softly reinforcing it.

He noticed when someone wandered down the stairs this time, a curious expression on their face. He continued without stopping, though, even as they looked surprised and leaned against the wall to listen.

He did not notice when they left, though, as he swept up into his reading again.

At last, though, he reached the end, and he turned to Nyx as the last notes she was making faded, and his ears wiggled as he looked at her.

"Better?" he asked, feeling nervous.

"I do not know. You did, however, complete the piece as it was performed with our combined efforts this time. If it is to your liking, we can continue our practice like this, and use these efforts as the basis for our caroling later."

U'rahn thought about that for a moment.

"Yeah..." he said, slowly, and then he brightened. "Yeah! I think I would like that!"

"Very well," said Nyx.

And so they continued to practice the songs they would share with others, later in the winter night.

#ythappieststarlight2022 #gageverse #final fantasy xiv #nyx blackmoon #u'rahn nuhn #a song for winter's night #202212-21 #biot writes

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septembersghost · 1 year

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me listening to Elvis: this music is so wholesome and fun and nice why did people have a problem with it? me listening to Steamroller Blues: they let him sing this on the radio? 😳

ASFASHSDHSDKGLJHS

he's only singing about sharing his love for the rhythm and blues, whatever do you mean? 😌😏

the funny thing about that song, which is a much later one from him, is it was originally written by james taylor as a parody: "[He] had heard one too many pretentious white blues bands and wrote 'Steamroller' to mock them." but something about the vocal of the cover sells it.

a lot of subversiveness in old music was subtext (especially like anywhere from the 20s-60s), but it was still enough for certain people to get mad about. then with elvis, add in the forbidden wiggling (how dare! there should not be suggestion of rhythm onstage! what if it conjures...sexiness?! 😱), the pervasive idea of some level of sinfulness that was associated with rock and roll, and the underlying racism towards r&b that extended to anyone presenting it to a mass audience, and you get, well, trouble.

on the personal side of this, my maternal grandparents were both teachers and very faithful people, so despite their deep love of music (and musical theatre of the day) and living in california, they were quite conservative about what was acceptable. my mom was a child when elvis' career first took off, but a teenager when he made his comeback, and she wasn't allowed to listen to/watch him, because, you know, hips and rock music! she wasn't allowed to listen to the beatles (that shaggy hair!), and though they listened to the radio, they disapproved of artists like frank's "lifestyle" (they kind of saw him as a gangster lmao), marilyn was scandalous, and so on. they did let her listen to the beach boys, because they were so nice and clean cut (hilarious irony given what was going on behind-the-scenes, and what's more is elvis' faith and overall personal beliefs probably would've been something they'd have liked). my grandpa had an incredible baritone and was offered a record contract when he was young, after he came back from wwii, but turned it down because he believed his voice should only be used in church to uplift the lord. my mom was asked to do a screen test in highschool and they wouldn't allow it. i think all the time about how different their lives might have been (i wouldn't exist to comment, but that's not a great loss to the universe lol). my mom actually shocked me this christmas when she told me she couldn't remember them ever listening to secular holiday music growing up. this wasn't true by the time i was a kid! i loved my grandparents very much and was lucky to grow up so close to them and know them well, some of my favorite memories are watching old films and listening to music with them, and maybe it was because i was a grandchild so they could be more open, but my grandpa in particular always wanted to know what i was reading or listening to, and i shared so much with him. i vividly remember playing the phantom cast recording for him and how he enjoyed it, how he even listened to 'n sync with me (he especially liked their acapella rendition of o holy night). so much of my appreciation for musical theatre and classic cinema started with them, it just stretched far beyond what they tended to gravitate towards.

meanwhile, my paternal grandmother was a total sponge for the culture, she loved all types of music, movies, and theatre, and they were in brooklyn so closer to that nyc melting pot and broadway. she worked for composer frank loesser for a while, she met a young barbra streisand, she loved frank and bing and tony bennett, all the crooners of the day, she at least liked elvis' ballads, she enjoyed the romantic comedies and the noir. so my dad had all that growing up, and then he was a huge beatles fan. my dad introduced my mom to sinatra's and streisand's work and they jointly passed that on to me, while she gave me the beach boys and fleetwood mac and carole king and the carpenters and james taylor, and he gave me things like the hits of the beatles and elvis and was my introduction to interest in marilyn. i'd hear whitney and mariah and celine with my mom, and reba and the judds and george strait with my dad. but somehow the old things really stuck and are what i ended up expanding on my own (and it probably says something about me psychologically that i held onto the things i could bond over with my dad because we are such different people, whereas my mom and i are alike and she often ends up loving everything i love anyway). i'm always grateful for those early sparks of passion and seeds that i got to water and cultivate and let blossom in my own love of various art.

tl;dr this reply got so away from me but yes, in hindsight and given the many boundaries that have come down in art and expression today, it's hard to imagine why certain seemingly innocuous things were considered so spicy back in the day. and while the culture is ever-changing, those foundations and what was beautifully created and impactfully shifted as time went by still has a powerful presence and ties into so much that continues to exist, and that's part of why much of that music and many of those films are evergreen to me.

#sorry this became a personal essay #i've been thinking about all of this a lot #anonymous #letterbox #music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent #bubble wrap around my heart #i was a dreamer

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feedingtheflockministry · 2 years

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Are You Spiritually Healthy?

Throughout the course of my life I have been at the feet of Christ, and other times lost in spiritual darkness. I want to take a moment and share what each area felt like and how it effected me. My hope is that it will benefit someone else.

In those times I was in right standing with The Lord I noticed a handful of things that I felt as opposed to when I was not.

First, when I prayed I felt like I was speaking to a brick wall or on a disconnected phone line when I was not right with The Lord. When I was right with Him the moment I opened my mouth I felt the connection and that I was heard.

Second, when I would go to listen to Christian music it would highly irritate me, and I would go to find something else to listen to. When I was right with The Lord I would enjoy listening to Christian music, and other music felt empty to me and like a waste of my time to listen to.

Third, when other Christians wanted to talk about Jesus or the Bible I would either try to change the subject, or make excuses to leave the conversation. When I was right with Him I found myself wanting to talk all about Jesus and the Bible, and anything else related to these topics.

Fourth, when I was not right with Him I was all about myself and whatever distraction or hobby I was into at that time. I drank a lot, had multiple sexual relationships and was addicted to self pleasure, suffered through severe depression and suicidal thoughts, and had absolutely no peace of mind. I would also try to make a name for myself as an artist or photographer. When I was right with Him my desire to humble myself and seek to promote Him became my focus. I no longer wanted to get drunk and black out. I no longer suffered through depression and suicidal thoughts. I no longer wanted to pleasure myself or be addicted to it, and He healed me of that physical addiction when I asked Him to in my desperation.

Fifth, when I was not right with Him I could not forgive others, and I would hold anger and resentment towards others in myself. I would act fake and put on a smile, but I honestly did not love others fully. When I was right with The Lord I would forgive others even if they did not ask for it. Realizing that being angry with others is only robbing myself of peace and was poisonous to me in the long run.

Sixth, Bible reading or listening to it I had no interest in when I was not right with The Lord. When I was right with Him I felt a need and desire to read or listen to it in order to gain knowledge and grow in my faith.

Seventh, when I was not right with Him I would use my social media accounts for selfish purposes and giving my opinion about politics or other worldly topics. Now I use my social media accounts to give reasons to believe in Jesus Christ, and to believe the Bible can trusted as is. I share testimonies, archeological discoveries that support the biblical narrative, uplifting Christian music, and articles that are based on things I have learned through the Bible and my walk with The Lord.

Am I perfect now? No, I am not, but I strive to stay on the righteous path that leads to eternal life. When I stumble and fall I get back up and press forward. I have tasted and seen what both Jesus has to offer and what darkness has to offer, and I know how each one makes my spirit feel.

Some Christians will tell you that you can not trust your feels, and to an extent this is very true. But there is a distinct feeling between being in the darkness and being with Jesus. They both affect you differently as I myself can attest to. So deeply analysis yourself and be honest with yourself. Use my experiences to your benefit.

Remember, if you hunger for righteousness you will be filled, your prayers will be heard, peace will fill your heart and mind, and you will have a relationship with the Light of Life within you which is Jesus Christ.

#bible #jesus christ #christianity #scriptures #jesussaves #biblescripture #christian testimony #testimonies #christian

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