kishmet

Kitty ;_;

kishmet — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 02:05:20 GMT

Originally posted by kylecassidy at post

Via Citykitties (emphasis mine):

A good samaritan found this cat today in a gutter by Clark Park, half dead. He is now at the Cat Doctor with a body temperature of 90 (normal is 102) and blood PCV of 8. The Cat Doctor housecat, Diamond, is currently donating blood to save his life. During the exam, the vet found that this cat has a microchip. When called, his "owners" reported that he was acting sick, so they put him outside. If this makes you as angry as it makes us, please channel your anger in one of two ways: visit our website at www.citykitties.org and make a donation to help us pay for his care, or share this post and encourage others to do so.

Click to donate.

Add me: [LiveJournal] [Facebook] [Twitter] [Google+] [Tumblr]

Anti-bullying pony raffle

kishmet — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 20:41:55 GMT

Just in case any of you are interested, I've got a pony raffle going on right now. You just have to donate $1 to any anti-bullying or suicide prevention organization, and you're automatically entered! This raffle is in honor of World Day of Bullying Prevention, and I think it's Bullying Prevention Month, also.

Pony Listing, where you can read more!

Makeout fest

kishmet — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 20:47:15 GMT

What the title says! I need some practice writing makeout scenes, and today seems like a good day for it.

So the first five people to comment with a scenario or a makeout-related kink get a drabble! Or ficlet, maybe. :) Needless to say, Twins or Bust, because that's obviously where my heart's at.

Cosmetics review practice

kishmet — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 04:27:44 GMT

Since I want to get into doing makeup reviews, I figured I'd start messing around with them on here and then maybe get a separate blog for them. Or maybe not. Anyway, I definitely buy/receive/get gifted enough makeup that some nifty reviews might be worthwhile. SO.

Today I'm going to babble (helpfully?) about Sephora's Kat Von D: Metal Orchestra palette.

I have to admit, I got Metal Orchestra because it was on sale at Sephora. I had no idea what the quality was going to be like, though it looked nice online - and this is why I like Ulta and the makeup shop in the mall better. Pre-purchase swatches, yay.

So, this is what it looks like on the outside:

...crappy picture. It came in a cardboard sleeve, with a nice solid plastic container inside that. The inside looks like this:

The top half of the box is a mirror, pretty standard with every palette I've ever bought.

From left to right, the colors are: First Class, Techno, Thrasher, Dagger, Lucifer, Glock, Razor Gray, and Slayer. The palette also comes with two tiny, useless brushes. I haven't thrown them out yet because I use them to dab glue onto art projects.

Anyway, I'll start by saying that Slayer, the silver cream shadow, is also useless. Even when I first got it, it had solidified into this shiny rectangle of doom. I've tried adding every possible kind of liquid to loosen it up, and nothing. It's a shame, because what little I can rub onto my finger looks like a nice silver plate effect on my skin. I can only assume that the rest of the Kat Von D palettes' cream shadows are just as frustrating.

On the other hand, at the other end of the box is First Class. It's a lovely, cream-colored shimmer shadow that works great as a highlight color at the inside corners of my eyes. It's just shimmery, not glittery, so I've had no problems with fallout. This and the black are the shadows I've used the most from this palette.

One note: First Class is really bold for a highlight color, so if you're looking for a true neutral, this probably isn't it. However, it complements the darker shades in the box nicely.

Techno and Dagger (the second and the fourth from the left) are, respectively, a medium blue with blue and silver glitter, and a black with blue and black glitter. I like Techno, but not for the glitter. Every eyeshadow I've seen with this type of sparkle to it leaves tons of fallout, and these two are no exception. The reason I use Techno is because of the base color, which is all that's left once the glitter rains all over my face.

Dagger, on the other hand, simply becomes a slightly bluish-black matte shade, and after a couple hours (even with UD's Primer Potion under it) it's not so different from my other blacks that I would ever bother buying it to supplement them. The one thing I've found that does hold the glitter on better is Fyrinnae's Pixie Epoxy... and Fyrinnae is currently closed for business while they work on backed-up orders.

Third from the left, on the other hand, is Thrasher. This shadow is a medium-dark blue with a light shimmer to it, just like First Class. Frankly, I love this blue. It's a touch darker than any of the other medium blues I have, so it's perfect if I want to do a blue smoky eye. It's highly pigmented, so even though I use it all the time, I'm nowhere close to running out. This, First Class, and the grays definitely made this box a worthwhile buy.

The next shadow is Lucifer, the basic matte black. This is very comparable to Urban Decay's Perversion, which is included with all their shadow boxes. It's an intense black, silky to the touch, great for smoky eyes or for use as liner.

Glock and Razor Gray, the, uh, grays, obviously, both share the subtle shimmer I like so well in some of the other shades. Glock is the darker of the two and Razor Gray is the lighter, and Razor is also slightly warmer in tone. They're a bit like twin brothers in my head (what isn't?) because they go well together, they're both worth having, and even on their own they're gorgeous.

Overall, this palette doesn't have as much variety as sampler-type shadow boxes, but that's because the shades are meant to be coordinated. It's like one of those Cover Girl smoky eye sets they advertise on TV, on steroids. A lot more expensive than those, but worth the price if you often do smoky eyes, because you need waaaaaaaaaay less of each shadow to make it show up. Some of the Kat Von D palettes, including this one, were on sale on Sephora again last time I looked, and for the $24 I paid for it, it was a great buy.

View Poll: Next time on Kish Does Makeup

I didn't include my Fyrinnae shadows on this list because, as mentioned above, their site is closed to orders right now, and that would just be frustrating for everyone. If they open again, though, I really want to rave about their stuff.

This requires no further explanation

kishmet — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 18:33:30 GMT

I HAS A HAPPY

Drabbles

kishmet — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 03:20:17 GMT

I'm kind of too sleepy to work on anything else, so the first five people to comment to this post will get an AU twindrabble of their choice! Any scenario, mundane or magical or whatever.

Er. GO!

kishmet — Sun, 29 May 2011 03:51:29 GMT

Welp, after a hideous virus scare on a computer that's not even actually mine, I'm good for absolutely nothing else for the rest of the day. @_@ So... how 'bout some ponies?

(Basically I make tiny little ponies out of seed beads, originally based on MLP:FIM, but I've got a bunch of originals and stuff now. I haven't posted 'em here yet, so I guess I might as well!)

Heeere's a really crappy blurry photo for size reference. That's a quarter and a thumb, and that's a pony. They're about two inches tall! Here:

Now for the MLP ponies. Rainbow Dash, who is 20% cooler than anything:

Rarity, the most fashionable pony evar:

At one point she gets these amazing sparkly butterfly wings and turns into Pony Gaga, which means I'm totally making that version of her once I have time.

Fluttershy!

She's adorable in real life, but the background cloth I had is kind of the same color as she is, so, uh. >_> She blends in a bit. But I'm sure she wouldn't mind, considering her personality on the show.

Applejack:

I'm still trying to make a pony hat for her. Uh, a pony hat that doesn't look stupid, because her hat on the show is awesome.

Pinkie Pie:

There's a point in the show where all the fun kinda deflates out of this pony, and as it turns out, fun is what makes her hair curly. I wanna make a straight-haired version of her too.

Annnnd Twilight Sparkle:

No, seriously. That's her name.

I've done some custom ponies, too! One was for my art teacher, who just adored the unicorn I brought in. She also adores Adam Lambert, which is why this pony is based on him:

He's got black hair with blue streaks, and he should probably be wearing a leather jacket.

Black, white, silver and grey pony for our very own pookykabuki:

This pony is fierce. Really. The poses just sort of happen as I'm beading if I don't try for anything, and this pony is like "Haaay yes I am all that."

And! Pony based on old school MLP Fizzy for undrockroll:

Hers was the first little hairbow I made, for her tail. <3 She has pretty much the cutest mane and tail so far, I think!

Oh, that's right! I also did a steampunk/robot pony:

That was my first limited edition piece, because, er, I really don't have that many spare bits of wiring.

I still need to photograph the pony based on my dog (who's a Papillon, so the pony has little pigtails to get the look of the ears right), my carousel horse-based pony (she has a tiny saddle!) and my two mermaid ponies. I'm calling them hippocampuses (hippocampi?), but they're actually based on the mermaids from PotC 4, so. >_>

Some of you already know, but check out my Etsy shop for other exciting pony, uh, happenings! My shop is called PONY PONY PONY because... there's no reason. Except that's what I squeal whenever there's a new MLP episode on.

TWINSPAM

kishmet — Tue, 17 May 2011 02:49:53 GMT

Twinspam: Twins Looking Like A Couple Edition!

I was poking through one of the old folders on my external hard drive, and it was actually harder to find pics of the twins not looking like a couple. So here's a metric effton of them! Some of them might be huge, but it's better to have the Kaulitz Twins in HQ, right?

Let's start off with a few concert pics. As we all know, Bill enjoys sidling up to Tom, serenading him and basically invading his personal bubble in every possible way. And Tom... he enjoys making orgasm faces at Bill, when he's not giving Bill the cutest grins ever.

On the verge of either an orgasm face or a grin.

Orgasm face.

Double orgasm face.

Grins. They lead to orgasm faces later.

In die Nacht. I think this requires no further explanation, considering my previous posts on the subject. >_>;;

Oh no, someone slapped a huge watermark right in the middle of the stage! It's okay. The twins aren't noticing anybody but each other.

So cute that the photo is actually titled 'dawwwwwww.jpg.'

They love back-to-back action.

A lot.

Bill also loves leaning on Tom's shoulder. Tom seems to like it pretty well too.

Not just onstage, either.

Pretty much anywhere, anywhen.

They also like it when Bill... kneels in front of Tom... Oh, sure. I do that with my siblings all the time*.

*Disclaimer: No I don't.

I guess the onstage twin lovin' could be a heat-of-the-moment thing. I mean, who wouldn't get excited, playing music with someone as attractive as Bill and/or Tom Kaulitz? Offstage, they're surely less... couply...

...

..........

.......................

...hm, well, it's their birthday in this one, so that could explain-

We-eellllll...

Apparently not.

Bill: We look like a couple, you say?

Tom: Funny you should mention that...

Both: Lol.

For some reason, they look like President and First Lady here.

Power couple, no? In the Mafia, maybe...

I think this is the first photo that made my mother think they were a couple. She thought it was some rapper and his girlfriend. (I think she specifically thought Tom was Eminem, which just proves she'd never seen Tom or Eminem before.)

Just chillin' on a couch. Who cares if our legs are touching? We're twins, okay?!

Twins who like sticking fingers through each other's belt loops, ifyouknowwhatImean.

"Look, Tomi, the Gs threw us a surprise engagement party!"

SO. SWEET. I can pretend they're gonna kiss in a minute.

This is one of my favorite THTV episodes ever.

For obvious reasons.

A couple more gifs of, ahem, brotherly behavior...

Ahh, brotherly love. Clearly involves sneaking a peek at your twin's pretty arse.

"Pssst, Tom, let's go make out somewhere. The fans are too drunk to notice."

...no, but seriously, they were more touchy-feely than usual at that fanparty. And now for a bit of comic relief in the form of some macros:

"TOM, I SWEAR TO GOD, YOU'LL GET SOME LATER IF YOU JUST STICK TO THE OFFICIAL STORY JUST THIS ONCE"

But don't worry, Bill has his turn too...

I need these lines used in fic somewhere. "Tom made sweet thuggin' love to Bill, all night long." "Bill gave Tom some passionate androgynous lovin' backstage."

Yet not entirely unexpected!

I also found a folder full of Bill crotch and ass shots. That may be inappropriate for a picspam, though. ~~Not as inappropriate as the other other folder I found~~

Drabble

kishmet — Wed, 11 May 2011 05:13:20 GMT

I was just thinking nice thoughts about Bill's facial hair and Tom's skin, and I thought I'd share. :)

The first time Bill lets a hint of a beard grow in, Tom laughs and laughs. He ribs Bill about it over breakfast, the first day the stubble is noticeable: "What would the fans think, princess?" And Bill knocks his leg against Tom's under the table, because Tom deserves it.

Then it starts to get to Tom. Not in a bad way; it's just strange. Bill looks scruffy. A little rugged. And Tom knows that below the sweatpants they both wear to bum around the house, Bill's legs are still shaven smooth.

The contrast fascinates Tom. Everything about Bill fascinates Tom.

He catches Bill with a kiss in the hallway, just to feel the stubble against his lips again. "Like it?" Bill asks him archly, with his usual ability to read Tom's mind.

"Don't know yet," Tom replies honestly.

Twenty minutes later, as Tom watches Bill kiss his way down Tom's abs, rubbing his cheek on the skin, this way, that way, Tom knows. He likes it.

Twin ponies

kishmet — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 21:45:50 GMT

Soooo, I've been really obsessed with My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic lately. It's a good show. >_> For a given value of 'good.' Annnd I've been drawing a lot of ponies in that art style.

Yes, Kaulitz ponies.

>_> Any ideas for other outfits/eras/poses I should use for them?

Book recs?

kishmet — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 03:31:07 GMT

Welp, my computer's crashed and burned. If I'm missing in action (which I have been and will be pretty often over the next few weeks, probably ;_;) that's why!

But that's also why I'm making this post. I've been reading a lot more books, but, er, I've become utterly spoiled by Terry Pratchett's Discworld stuff. I keep expecting that kind of quality, character development, lack of enraging elements, and humor from every other novel I try to read, and it's... clearly not working out. >_> The only other place I've found the same kind of general goodness is in fanfic, actually.

So, any more amazing books out there? They don't have to be humor/satire, just awesome and entertaining. Please?

Icon meme~

kishmet — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:17:47 GMT

I'm stealing this meme from fyredancer because... because, uh, twins. Icons HERE!

1. Pick an icon that is so very me.
2. Pick an icon that makes you laugh.
3. Pick an icon you don't understand.
4. Pick an icon you'd make out with.
5. Pick your favorite icon.
6. Pick an icon that makes you curious.
7. Pick an icon that makes you :(
8. Pick an icon I should use more.
9. Pick an icon that makes you go "Aw!"
10. Pick any other icon you want for any reason.

Twindrej >_>

kishmet — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 22:34:58 GMT

Okay, so, Andrej is a horny dryad and the twins are twins. I make no promises to continue this. >______> I'm just... getting it out of my system. Yeah.

Andrej lazed on the thickest branch of his magnolia tree. A few petals from the earliest spring blooms drifted to the ground, carried by a westward breeze. He smiled and shook out his long blond hair so that he could comb his fingers through it.

He loved the spring. Of course, most dryads did: the end of winter meant leaf buds and new growth and wonderfully warm rain. But for Andrej, it also meant he and his tree could show off their beauty to best advantage. With his coaxing, the magnolia would burst into spectacular bloom. He would slink along the branches and whisper to each unfurling pink flower, breathing more vibrant color into every single one. The entire tree glowed a vivid shade, almost magenta with hints of a deeper red, thanks to his efforts.

And the magnolia returned the favor. Andrej's hair, a dull grey-brown through the winter months, now shone as golden as the sun in a cloudless sky. His eyes shared a bright green hue with the tree's leaves, and his winter-pale skin had become flushed with health and contentment.

"Just in time, too." A secretive smile tickled its way over Andrej's lips. He shifted, propping his chin on his folded arms. Spring also signaled the emergence of bees and butterflies, and the pollen they'd carry between flowers. Pollen carried messages between dryads, who rarely dared leave their trees. But more importantly, pollination just plain felt good. It soothed the magnolia's rushing spring sap and made Andrej sigh in satisfaction. He courted as many of the pollen carriers as possible with the tree's brilliant colors. His closest dryad neighbors murmured and gossipped and called him a flirt, but Andrej couldn't have cared less.

They, he'd decided long ago, were prudes.

He lolled onto his back, letting his arms hang gracefully down on either side. What a shame no other magnolias had been planted near enough for him to interact with their spirits. To pollinate, yes, but not to sate other spring urges.

Andrej glanced toward the house. From here he could just see the roof over the tops of the young shade trees around him. A sweet old couple - old by human standards - lived in the house. Andrej liked them, particularly when they brought picnic lunches out and settled under his branches, and remarked on the magnolia tree's uncommonly bright blooms.

But he couldn't take either of them as lovers. They'd long since ventured past the peak of human sexual maturity. As a nature spirit, Andrej could sense that much. Besides, they belonged to one another, and he suspected they wouldn't be as open to explorations with an attractive dryad as a younger pair of humans might. So, since they couldn't see him unless he willed them to, Andrej was pleased enough to remain a silent, invisible observer.

The magnolia's leaves rustled, alerting Andrej to the faint sounds of activity from the direction of the house. He tipped his head back to peek upside down at it. The human couple couldn't see him and wouldn't harm his tree, so Andrej didn't have to pay close attention to them. He enjoyed listening to their soft conversations, though; the humans had lived here so long that they'd almost become a part of the land. Their voices mingled with the wind and the birdsong to make a kind of natural music.

Then Andrej sat up, eyes widening. His long hair blew back in a stronger gust and he reached absently to pull it over one shoulder. He started working it into a deft braid as the unfamiliar voices spilled across the lawn that separated the house from the trees. They neared the magnolia and Andrej stirred, leaving his hair alone to climb into the lower branches.

When the speakers came into sight, a slow grin spread across Andrej's face like a sunrise. The sap of his tree and the sap that served as his blood both started to race. Not just one young, attractive human, but two.

"If it's so terrible, why don't you write the lyrics this time?" His tight jeans and snug little t-shirt accentuated the long, lean figure of the first of the pair, who'd just nudged the second with an elbow. Andrej looked him over shamelessly "Go ahead," said the first human archly. "Let's hear it."

The second shook his head quickly. "I've already got the hardest job. I'm not doing your work too." This one wore looser clothing, Andrej noted, but those bare arms suggested a certain similarity of form with the first. They suggested, in fact, exactly the kind of slim figure Andrej had always dreamed of in the spring. Andrej licked his lips.

"Asshole." The first reached up and brushed his fingertips across a few of the magnolia's leaves. Andrej shivered deliciously.

Dryads didn't have siblings, per se. But as he crouched down to scrutinize both faces, Andrej noted the striking resemblance. They'd come from the same litter, then. Andrej had witnessed enough squirrel, fox, and rabbit reproduction to know how it worked. A good litter, he thought approvingly. They shared the same high cheekbones, perfect noses, and clear, tree-brown eyes.

He'd already decided to seduce at least one of them. His ears perked up, metaphorically, when the second one murmured, "I know how we can get you inspired again." That one tried to snake a long arm around the first, who danced out of the way.

"To-om, come on." The first shot the second a coy look. He backed toward the tree trunk as the second prowled toward him. "We said not at Oma and Opa's."

"We're not in the house," the second - Tom? - countered. Andrej leaned down further, eyes riveted to the scene below. Tom pressed his unresisting companion against the tree, hands on the other's narrow hips. Andrej's keen eyes made out the way thumbs dipped under the hem of the t-shirt, stroking smooth skin. Privately Andrej changed his plans: these humans came as a convenient set. Why not take them that way?

"Semantics," the other said, and laughed. He turned his head away so the kiss landed on his cheek instead of his lips. "They'll see." His arms stole up around Tom's neck anyway.

"We're out of sight. Come on, Billi, who's going to care?" Tom asked. Andrej could see him grinning. "The tree?"

"No," Andrej put in brightly. "Not at all."

Identical shocked faces swung up to stare at him.

"Hello," said Andrej, grinning sweetly down at them.

kishmet — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 06:20:07 GMT

Ohhhkay, I have a quick question that's primarily for female-identified feminists on my flist: in your opinion, is feminism only for women? I'd always thought that it would include other feminine-presenting folk who'd also have a stake in equality and defending the feminine, but lately I've seen a lot of people saying otherwise. And as a genderqueer FtM androgynous person, I'm no longer feeling comfortable in feminist spaces. Idk. :/

Eta: And I'm seriously not interested in intruding on women's-only spaces. I'm just wondering whether feminism as a whole is one of them!

I'M SORRY ABOUT ALL THE GENDER POLITICS ON HERE LATELY. Twindrej ficlets upcoming to make up for it.

Andrej Pejic, gender, etc. DISCUSS.

kishmet — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 02:59:00 GMT

Okay, for those of you who don't know, this is Serbian model Andrej Pejic. Also this. And (possibly slightly NSFW) this. And THIS! Join andrej_pejic for more info and pics about Andrej, who obviously ~werks~ both men's and women's fashions. You know you want to!

Er, anyway. More seriously, pseudoblu and I were talking the other day about some of the Andrej articles and posts we've read, and the way a lot of journalists and fans identify Andrej as transgender, transsexual, or genderqueer.

I can understand the inclination. There's still relatively few people out there who are breaking gender boundaries in meaningful ways. Andrej's definitely pushing the gender envelope with his modeling career, so it's easy to fit him in with others who do the same. I'd go so far as to say that he fits the concept of genderqueer...ness. He wears dresses with as much ease as suits, and vice versa. He's said that he's both masculine and feminine, and that designers get a two for one deal when they hire him. But I feel weird about identifying him as trans or genderqueer, because he's never explicitly stated that he identifies that way. At the same time, I don't know if it's any better or worse to identify him automatically as a man, just because he's male-bodied. (Disclaimer on that one: he's said that he's fine with being called a guy and being referred to with male pronouns. So that much, at least, I feel comfortable with.

The point of this post: thoughts? Can somebody be called genderqueer just because they fit the definition? Could, say, Bill be called genderqueer, just because he wears some women's clothing? Is the unstoppable tide of "Dude looks like a lady" articles making anyone else want to tear their hair out?! (Okay, that was semi-unrelated, but still.)

Adoptables!

kishmet — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 18:14:04 GMT

Click my babies, please? <3 And link yours if you've got any, so I can click them back!

happymelt

kishmet — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 03:32:44 GMT

Figured I'd take this back to my journal, since my reaction's so very predictable...

Have you ever seen celebs who aren't a couple posing together the way Bill is with Tom?

Meme. And TICKY TICKY TICKY

kishmet — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 04:55:55 GMT

Meme:

Pick a character I write, and I will give you the top five ideas/concepts/other I keep in mind while writing that character that I believe are essential to depicting them accurately. This includes both original characters and characters about whom I write fanfic.

And just because I want to.

View Poll: TICKY.

TWINS AS TWINS

kishmet — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 04:20:38 GMT

WHO ELSE IS FEELING THE CAPSLOCK KAULITZCESTOPHILIA TONIGHT?! Well, I am. And my theme of choice for tonight is TWINS LOOKING LIKE TWINS. Or lovers. Or fiances. Or husbands. Honestly, they all blend into a single, beautiful twinly entity for me.

Meerkat twins!

~~A handsome lumberjack and his stunning wife~~ The Kaulitz twins. FIERCE.

:O

More ~fierce~

Okay, so here they look equally like twins and like a happily married couple. ~~Which they are.~~

The ubiquitous arm scratch.

The twins that lol together... um... shack up together? :D

I JUST LOVE THIS PICTURE OH GOD LOOK AT THEM SMILING TOGETHER THE JAWLINES THE JAWLINES *FLAIL*

Also, check out Twins Are Twins on tumblr! And post any of your favorite twins-as-twins gifs, pics, videos, whatevs! I've probably done this theme before, but I do not even care. TWINS!

Twin moments LIVE IN CONCERT

kishmet — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 21:14:25 GMT

I've been writing like 6k a day (shh, fyredancer, I realize that's not so very much), and I've got to tell you, guys, sometimes I just need a break. A twinny break, to be specific. So I've been watching some onstage twin moments in between fic sections, and oh. Oh, I love these two. *flutters*

And I feel like I've maybe done a post like this before, but I figured I'd share a few of my favorites anyway, just in case any of you needed breaks also. Without further ado, onstage moments between the twins! (No In die Nacht from me this time, since I've made, uh, several posts on that subject before.)

I love it when Bill points at Tom. I don't care when or why, I JUST LOVE IT. ♥_♥ During Ich Brech Aus:

During Kampf Der Liebe:

Apparently Bill did this at practically every concert on the Humanoid tour. I was discussing this last night and I think what especially gets me is the way TOM SINGS IT BACK. Or mouths along. I don't know. But they both look like they're putting their heart and soul into that moment slkdfjg *_*

Pointing at Tom during In Your Shadow (such a little gesture, but so cute!):

Ollllld school pointage during Wo sind eure Hande (awwww, he wants everyone to notice Tom's singing):

Okay, I know I've posted this one before, but I STILL LOVE IT. About 2:50, Bill goes over to Tom and sings to him:

Bill serenading Tom during Ready Set Go (the picture isn't great but you can hear the words Bill sings right to Tom - isn't it funny how he tends to pick the most significant lyrics for moments like these?):

Another Ready Set Go, this time with Bill breakin' up the Torg to get his twin line in, and leaning close enough to make darn sure Tom sees him:

I'll end with the classic, which I've probably posted 9347589347059485 times before, but I don't even care. Bill kneeling, the lyrics he sings to Tom, EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS CLIP MAKES MY HEAD EXPLODE INTO TWINLY HEARTS:

;ls;kdfjgdsf ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ *_*

So, comment with any of your faves? Or debate whether these are pure fanservice or pure expressions of twin love, or possibly both? Or discuss the fact that given the screams, the majority of TH fandom just might give real life twc a rousing thumbs up if Tom and Bill ever decided to, oh, I don't know, French each other onstage?

Edit: WHY ARE SOME OF THE VIDS SHOWING UP AS ENORMOUS? That is so weird.

Academic sundries

kishmet — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 19:32:05 GMT

Okay, so, all semester I've been writing position papers for my sociology course. A couple of them (the ones I whipped out in about half an hour each, of course) were received rather well by my professor, and since they're relevant to current events and the cause supported by thepurpledove, I figured I'd post them here.

One was broadly supposed to be on the topic of parenting; I chose to focus on the significance of parental acceptance and the fact that caretakers of children should be more concerned with the kids' well-being than with the way the outside world will perceive them. The other was on the topic of same-sex marriage; we were supposed to argue, generally, either for or against it. I was pretty obviously for it, so I concentrated on the need to use the term "marriage" for same-sex unions as well as opposite-sex ones. Hope at least a couple people enjoy these? And feel free to comment/debate/whatevs.

Just As You Are: The Importance of Parental Acceptance by kishmet

In an era where bullying by peers has become a widespread, well-documented social issue, teaching children acceptance of others regardless of ethnicity, religion, sexuality, gender, and other factors is essential. However, this training cannot only be undertaken within the school system and other public institutions. Acceptance must be instilled in children by their parents or guardians, and the most effective way of accomplishing this is through the caretakers’ acceptance of their children. If children feel free and safe to express their own identities in their home environments, their self-confidence will be less susceptible to attack in other arenas. Also, they will feel less of a need, and less at liberty to ostracize others for their modes of self-expression.

Parents are meant to provide security for their children. This can come in the form of physical necessities: food, water, clothing, shelter. But equally important, and too frequently overlooked, are the mental and emotional necessities. Love is perhaps the most obvious of these, but acceptance is another, closely related to the first. Lack of acceptance will gradually wear away a child’s self-esteem; for example, if a young boy asks to take a ballet class and the request is met with a curt refusal or worse from a parent, the boy will be made aware that his interest in dance is somehow unusual and wrong.

From there, it is all too easy for a child to extrapolate that he or she is unusual and wrong in the same way. At the same time, the child learns from the parent’s example that rejection of others’ modes of self-expression is socially appropriate, and will be more likely to reject the identities of his peers that he perceives as somehow unacceptable. A boy who is called a “sissy” or a “fag” by his father for his interest in dance, or art, or even a simple lack of interest in sports might very well apply these epithets to his classmates.

The attitudes instilled by caretakers in the private family sector are thus carried out to the wider world, and they can have an enormous impact. At the same time, the way society is structured also affects the way parents treat their children in the first place. There are a number of societal norms presented to parents in the media every day, whether tacitly or explicitly. Caretakers are encouraged to allow children to express themselves, but only within a particular framework laid out for them.

Of course, there are non-mainstream television shows and films that portray a wider and more realistic range of human interactions, but in general, the most accessible media outlets provide an extremely limited view of acceptable behaviors. For example, mainstream movies feature plenty of “tomboy” female characters; they engage in activities traditionally considered masculine, such as tree climbing and baseball practice with their fathers.
Films try to position these characters as offbeat, somehow outside the norm, but in reality they are still operating within certain established societal boundaries. To prove this, a viewer need only examine the other side of the equation: boys behaving in ways that are traditionally considered feminine.

These characters are fewer and farther between than their tomboy opposite numbers, and this can send the clear message to parents that it’s acceptable to allow a little girl to play ball, but not to, say, encourage a little boy’s interest in theatre. Although parents may not realize these media messages have an influence on them – as C. Wright Mills puts it, they do not “possess the quality of mind essential to grasp the interplay of individuals and society” (Mills 1) – but they are affected nevertheless.

Their children will be affected as well, not only by their parents’ reaction to the media material, but to the material itself. This is another reason why it is essential for parents to provide the acceptance so craved and required by their children. A parent can either be a powerful tool in favor of a child’s subversion of structural norms, or an equally powerful tool against it. They can reinforce societal limitations as presented by the media, or they can support their child in surpassing them.

Historically, parents and families in general were invariably expected to curb the younger generation’s self-expression in accordance with society’s standards. In previous centuries, many cultures held to very rigid ideas of honor; many still do. To be more specific, these ideas related to familial honor, as opposed to that of the individual. The actions of one person would reflect on all their blood relations, and so parents had great incentive to ensure their offspring lived up to the society’s standards. If one daughter engaged in premarital sex and became pregnant, for instance, any sisters would share her shame and perhaps lose the opportunity for any favorable marriage. These were cultures more focused on a family or a community as a unit, without room for individual expression.

Modern society has undergone many drastic changes that mean individuals are now, at least theoretically, judged on their own merits rather than those of their families. However, many parents cling to the notion that they must shape their children to suit social norms rather than letting their children express who they truly are. As Mills states, “[t]he very shaping of history now outpaces the ability of people to orient themselves in accordance with cherished values” (Mills 2), and this is certainly the case with childrearing.

Parents must come to realize that a child’s self-esteem and self-expression takes precedence over how the family will be perceived by the outside world. They must teach their children acceptance by example, so that they will raise confident children who will not feel the need to ostracize others in order to be secure in their own assumed identities. Parents have to overcome the outdated codes of familial honor in order to do what is best for their children: providing unconditional love regardless of those children’s interests and preferences.

What's in a Word? Avoiding "Separate but Equal" Status for Same-Sex Unions"

For some time now, the gay community has struggled to gain equal rights and equal recognition throughout the world. Organizations and individuals have fought to include homosexuals in hate crime legislation; to eliminate the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell military policy; to gain fair representation on television, in movies, in books, and in the news; to be allowed to adopt; and for the right of same-sex couples to marry. This last item has been a point of great contention. Even within the community itself, some argue that civil unions should be counted sufficient, so as not to run up against the great resistance presented by those who believe that applying the term “marriage” to same-sex unions would sully a sanctified form of relationship intended for a man and a woman only.

However, “marriage” is a term used not only by the religious but by the government as well. It is also recognized by the general populace as perhaps the most intimate form of union between two individuals. Because of this, the word “marriage” must be made to officially encompass committed relationships between two people of the same sex. Doing otherwise would require the gay community to settle for separate but “equal” treatment, even if the rights and responsibilities of civil unions were extended to match those of heterosexual marriage, and this type of policy promotes bigotry and worse.

The laws and decisions of any government represent an enormous macro-level force that has an extensive impact on the population. At the moment, the government of the United States tends to treat same-sex couples as inferior to those involving a man and a woman. The U.S. issues marriage licenses that confer certain privileges and social status to opposite-sex couples, while denying these same options to same-sex pairings.

By doing so, they are stating implicitly that there is some tangible difference between homosexual and heterosexual love relationships. Homosexual couples are “good enough” in many states to share the benefits of civil unions with heterosexual couples, but they are not considered “good enough” to marry. The American government thus reinforces the largely religious perception that homosexuality is a sin, and that same-sex marriages would defile the institution of marriage as a whole. Not only does this run counter to the idea of separation of church and state, but it also encourages the American people to share their government’s tacit view that gay unions would somehow be inferior.

This encouragement promotes prejudice on a micro level, and has an impact on many individuals, both gay and straight. Because the government categorizes gay relationships differently and unequally, homophobic individuals may well see this as tacit approval of categorizing homosexuals as subhuman. They may feel freer to unleash slurs and violence against those who are gay or perceived as gay. If the U.S. government becomes more supportive of homosexual rights, those who are homophobic will most likely continue to hold their bigoted opinions, but they might be less liable to express them in damaging ways. What better way for the government to support its gay, lesbian, and bisexual citizens than by declaring that same-sex unions are equally worthy of the title of marriage?

This is a choice between protecting the very lives and physical and mental well-being of America’s gay community, and protecting the primarily religious sensibilities of prejudiced conservatives. As the framework of modern American society stands, the latter has been deemed more important, and as C. Wright Mills states, “within that framework the psychologies of a variety of men and women are formulated” (Mills 2-3). Larger-level institutions such as the government help to dictate and shape the thoughts and actions of individuals, as with the issue of same-sex marriage.

The United States is positioned at a point in history where the legalization of same-sex marriage, under that name, is a next logical step in the progression of gay rights. In many communities, homosexuals and bisexuals are no longer required to conceal their orientations, as the majority had to do even a decade or two ago. Both Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and Proposition 8 are being heavily contested when they would not even have been questioned in previous years. More gay characters have been pictured in the media, and the struggles of gay individuals and couples have been brought into mainstream news outlets, whether these outlets are for civil rights or opposed to them.

With the increased visibility of homosexuality, the time has come for the government to defend the gay population by granting them the right of marriage, not by offering up “separate but equal” civil unions that will do little to sway public opinion.

Procrastination!

kishmet — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 18:09:28 GMT

But it's deserved! I would just like to flail over the highlights of that Japanese interview with Tom.

---How is your life in LA? Do you live with Bill?
Tom: Absolutely, we live together.

Absolutely, Tom, hm? I love how he puts this, as though there's no other possibility.

---I heard of some news that Bill brought all his 4 dogs to LA. Is it real?
Tom: yes, all 4 dogs are in LA.

The two of them living in domestic bliss with their four canine babies.

---We know everyone has their own hobbies, by the way, who does the housework at home? Bill? Or does someone help you with that?
Tom: There are some people who help us do the housework, coz the house is too big, it’s necessary to hire some to do that. But we sometimes do some housework together as well.

DOMESTIC. BLISS.

---Tom, would you mind telling me your personality?
Tom: It is a tough question. You’d better ask Bill.

They don't need wedding vows to prove they're so married. Of course, if they do want to have a beautiful little ceremony on a beach somewhere, more power to them. I'd want pictures though. ;_;

---When Bill and you are together, what do you talk about?
Tom: You mean when we are together? We decide everything together, no matter what. When we are lying on the bed, we still discuss what to choose between ice coffee and hot coffee, or which color is better for the floor of the rehearsal room, or which song do we play or how to play in the show. We share everything with each other.

When we are lying on the bed

When we are lying on the bed

When we are lying on the bed

When we are lying on the bed

I feel that no further elaboration is necessary here.

The Purple Dove Project - GO TIME!

kishmet — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 21:24:08 GMT

I know most of you guys have already heard about this, and a lot of y'all in TH fandom are already involved (thank you thank you thank you!), but I figured I'd post here again because the offering posts are now live! You can offer fic, fanart, original art, icons, wallpapers, food, clothing, whatever. Anything, in any fandom, or non-fandom stuff! So far we're doing really well and we want it to keep going that way, so please, whether you're into Tokio Hotel or Prince of Tennis or Petshop of Horrors or Dresden Files or any fandom I've ever dabbled in, please consider participating!

You don't need to spend any money; just offer up the time and effort that goes into creating various kinds of art, fanworks, etc. And of course, if you do have some spare change lying around, we're going to have a lot of awesome things to bid on, too. ♥!

Purple Dove business

kishmet — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 00:09:11 GMT

Hi hi! Okay, so, we've got more stuff up at thepurpledove now, and we're opening the offering posts next weekend! That's also when we're going to start advertising in earnest, and that's kinda what I need help with right now.

Obviously we've got TH fandom covered, but I'm not sure where to start with others. I'm hoping to contact some community moderators this week to see if we can advertise, so if any of you know of any major other-fandom (or LGBT-themed) comms, please let me know! ONTD spinoffs, fic comms (probably slash communities in particular), whatever, it's all good. Gimme names and I shall go forth and talk with some mods!

Must advertise to Inception fandom, so daisy_chan, THIS MEANS YOU.

Birthday and other stuff! And a meme.

kishmet — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 06:18:29 GMT

♠ Stolen from EVERYWHAR:

I think it would be fun to talk about stories, but the usual memes are like, "What happens next?" "Tell me about Character A?" Which isn't so much talking about stories as it is writing more of a story. But you know how sometimes you read something and you're like, "I got ___ out of this story, I wonder if I have that right?" or "What on earth was ____ supposed to be?" and it's too awkward to ask the author? Now you could totally ask!

I've heard people say that writing is hard because you have to make decisions, but we never really talk about the decisions we make with stories or why we make them. We talk about plot bunnies, but not about how we actually turn them into a story.

And it seems like a lot more fun to do that than to do working.

So, if you wanted, ask me questions! (Or use this to ask your flist to ask you questions).

What were you trying to do [here]? Why did you decide to ____? This is what I thought about xyz, is that what you were going for? What made you write ____? Why did you decide to do this? And so on.

♠ Thank you thank you thank you, all you lovely peeps who delivered birthday wishes via LJ or email or twitter! <3333333333333 ~~It made me feel less old~~ No, it was sweet and awesome and reminded me why I love fandom so much: it introduced me to all you guys, and makes me feel ridiculously loved. Thank you.

♠ Quick fic recommendations: Nix, a remix of my fic, Mating Season. I was so nervous about putting my fics up to be remixed, but reading that made the whole thing totally worth it.

A Troubled Masseur by paceus, which, um, guh? Read A Massage Master first if you haven't. You won't be sorry.

♠ First I meant to write a birthday fic for myself to post today, then I gave up and decided to finish Code 483, then I gave up entirely and watched old concert videos. But there'll be birthday fic at some point, and possible 483 this weekend!

♠ My icon. Just look at it. FOREVER. ♥_♥