Little Happy Hobbies
Dec. 17th, 2023 03:57 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
miss_ingnoI made myself a new icon! That's Siyeon from Dreamcatcher, from the BEcause photoshoot. I think it looks appropriately dramatic :D
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
rarefemslashexchange! I kept mulling it over, but now that I finished my Yuletide assignment, I think I can do it? It kinda depends on what requests are out there - there's two with minimal details in there rn I could imagine filling, and it is just 500 words minimum, so I might be able to push myself for fandoms I write/read less often in 🤔
It's looking like Chocolate Box might not run again this year, and thecandyheartsex mod seems to be back to sub in one more year. Not sure yet if I'll sign up! It's a big exchange, meaning I'm more likely to find someone to write one of my more niche fandoms/ships, and it is also just 300 words minimum, but that'd be two assignments to get done at the same time while also dealing with work and having to finish my FFFX assignment... Idk yet. It was definitely fun last year! But I also wanna do less exchanges this year and focus on my WIPs again. BUT! Exchanges are fun! Much dilemma, such angst.
Speaking off, I really do need to sit down and work on myfffx assignment 😅 I have a decent idea, but the deadline is January 20th! 😬 I have to work without much time off from the 27th of December onward until then, and am starting to sweat about it a little. (Might even secretly be hoping for a one week delay ahahah ^^"). I'm going to try and finish the key scenes during my tiny Christmas break, tho considering how much of it I'll spend with family, I doubt I'll get all that much done OTL
I just love love love friends (or maybe-friends, not-yet-friends) being protective of each other *squishes characters* And writing up why I love the Jane/Uma ship gave me so many Jane & Uma & Gil & Harry friendship feels - I want them to adopt the mousy lil wallflower! Like I said to my friend Kays, she'd work as a great addition to the group, in an almost similar function as Gil does (he's such a golden retriever puppy, ready to play attack dog when necessary, but generally good-natured and so, so loyal) and Jane would add a moral center to the group :D
I mean, look at his big happy smile! (Gil's the guy on the right, the dark-haired boy is Harry)
Honestly, I was so tempted to go off about how I imagine all their dynamics playing out in the letter, but it's not really too relevant since if anyone matches me, it'll be on Jane/Uma, and not their whole collection of friends? x'D Ahhhh, but! I have SO MANY feels about these characters!
Like, look at Harry's little smirk up there! He's such a smug lil bastard boy, and he loves playing up the unhinged angle to keep his enemies and allies alike on the back foot. He's someone who pushes and pushes and doesn't take no for an answer. He takes, and takes, and that's such a terrible combination with Jane! Because Jane is a people-pleaser and a giver and so easily taken advantage of? There's no way Harry would respect her at first, not with that first impression. She's a push-over, and if Harry's interested in anything about her, it's to see just how far she'll let him push (which, imo, would be pretty far and until she reaches her breaking point, probably). The thing is, Harry doesn't care about a lot of people - his family to some degree, but which of these kids doesn't have parent issues?, Uma, Gil, and what Uma wants. In that sense, Harry is the hardest for Jane to win over: if Jane is what Uma wants, Harry will fold her into their little group, but that doesn't mean he has to like her. I do think though that with time these two could grow to understand each other, if they get to a point where Harry stops distrusting Jane (the last of these three VKs to do so, imo) and starts opening up. Probably after Jane opened up about a lot of things. In the meantime, however, he's going to be snide and mock her and prod at her boundaries to see if he can make her lash out (and be delighted if he actually manages to push her over that line!)
Gil is the easiest to win over, since he's a very easy-going sunshine boy. He's like a puppy who is happy to play with anyone who wants to play, and I think he would take to Jane immediately. He's not dumb or oblivious exactly (you can't be, growing up on the Isle) but he's happy to live in the moment? He doesn't have to worry about Jane attacking him since she's physically weaker and her magical status is unknown, but she doesn't use it regardless, so he knows he can fight her off if he has to. That allows him to relax, and he's probably the first to trust in her kindness and general sincerity. Besides, he has Uma and Harry to worry about others faking niceness, so he can have fun befriending Jane in the meantime. And I think Jane would find him good company to be around, once she realizes he's not like the other jocks she knows? He's no Chad Charming, and despite his impressive and intimidating physique, he's the least dangerous of this VKs trio. He's the least likely to hurt her emotionally, too.
And Uma... well. She needs to assert herself as the leader, and Jane wouldn't challenge that, which is a plus point in Uma's book. But Uma would probably be a bit manipulative and push at Jane's boundary to see what makes her tick (very similar to Harry in that way, but with a slightly different vibe?) Like all the VKs, she carries her own trauma from the Isle and its way of survival, and for Uma this is expressed in a need to be on top of everyone else and in control, to ensure her own freedom. She doesn't like being dependant on others, and I don't think she would trust Jane's kindness to be genuine (too used to seeing it as a trap or a trade). There's a lot of parallels between Uma and Mal, they're narrative mirrors, and I think some of Uma's early interactions with Jane would go similar to how Mal's went in DD1. But I also think Jane could challenge Uma in a way that is non-threatening and still forces Uma to face the consequences of her own behaviour. Possibly Uma would be so focussed on figuring out what Jane's hidden motive is that she doesn't realize they've gotten close and things have gotten real between them (and then Uma panics and backpedals and hurts Jane in the process, which is even worse because now Uma feels guilty and that's something she *shouldn't* feel, she's a villain ffs, she doesn't do guilt. But now she went and tricked herself into caring for this baffling girl, and well. Once Uma gets over herself, there's no one that can stop her from taking what she wants.
...aaaaaand I'm rambling again, RIP :') I just love these characters so much? I have a lot of thoughts about Mal, Evie, Jay, Carlos and Ben, too, but I'm gonna save that for another time.
But with my new job, I don't find the time and motivation to do my practice regularly enough. So instead I found a class in a nearby dance studio! It was a stroke of luck that they offer kpop classes. We usually practice a new chorus across 1-2 courses before moving on to the next, which is incredibly fast-paced and I don't usually have the technicalities or precision down by the end (nor do all of them stick well in my head), but on the upside we don't linger on songs I dislike for long either and it's a great way to turn off my mind after work and just follow the flow (and mirror what the teacher is doing in the front).
Listing them all out make me want to re-practice them and learn more of some of these, ngl 👀
Fandom
Exchanges
I signed up torarefemslashexchange! I kept mulling it over, but now that I finished my Yuletide assignment, I think I can do it? It kinda depends on what requests are out there - there's two with minimal details in there rn I could imagine filling, and it is just 500 words minimum, so I might be able to push myself for fandoms I write/read less often in 🤔It's looking like Chocolate Box might not run again this year, and the
candyheartsex mod seems to be back to sub in one more year. Not sure yet if I'll sign up! It's a big exchange, meaning I'm more likely to find someone to write one of my more niche fandoms/ships, and it is also just 300 words minimum, but that'd be two assignments to get done at the same time while also dealing with work and having to finish my FFFX assignment... Idk yet. It was definitely fun last year! But I also wanna do less exchanges this year and focus on my WIPs again. BUT! Exchanges are fun! Much dilemma, such angst.Speaking off, I really do need to sit down and work on my
fffx assignment 😅 I have a decent idea, but the deadline is January 20th! 😬 I have to work without much time off from the 27th of December onward until then, and am starting to sweat about it a little. (Might even secretly be hoping for a one week delay ahahah ^^"). I'm going to try and finish the key scenes during my tiny Christmas break, tho considering how much of it I'll spend with family, I doubt I'll get all that much done OTLWriting
Working on my RFSEx letter got me back into Disney's Descendants headspace xD but instead of picking up the nearly finished Juma future fic I've got languishing in my WIPs, I went and started a new one inspired by one of the prompts I put up :')His gaze landed two blond teens around his age and a familiar brunette. Gil relaxed. It was just Jane, talking to two of her… classmates? Friends?
She was smiling as always, and Gil stuffed a croissant in his mouth before picking up the tray and making his way over to Jane. One of her friends—the guy, looming over Jane but smaller than Gil by maybe half a head and definitely less built, Gil could take him in a fight if he had to—leaned in, his lips twisting up into a smirk. Jane's smile slipped, wobbled, and recovered. Gil paused mid-step, his brow furrowing.
Something was off.
Without a second thought, Gil lengthened his stride, long legs eating up the distance between them. He swerved to set his tray down on a table and approach the teens from behind, in case he needed to take them by surprise. Jane wasn't looking his way, her gaze dropped to the floor, her shoulders hunched, and Gil didn't like it one bit.
I just love love love friends (or maybe-friends, not-yet-friends) being protective of each other *squishes characters* And writing up why I love the Jane/Uma ship gave me so many Jane & Uma & Gil & Harry friendship feels - I want them to adopt the mousy lil wallflower! Like I said to my friend Kays, she'd work as a great addition to the group, in an almost similar function as Gil does (he's such a golden retriever puppy, ready to play attack dog when necessary, but generally good-natured and so, so loyal) and Jane would add a moral center to the group :D
I mean, look at his big happy smile! (Gil's the guy on the right, the dark-haired boy is Harry)
Honestly, I was so tempted to go off about how I imagine all their dynamics playing out in the letter, but it's not really too relevant since if anyone matches me, it'll be on Jane/Uma, and not their whole collection of friends? x'D Ahhhh, but! I have SO MANY feels about these characters!
Like, look at Harry's little smirk up there! He's such a smug lil bastard boy, and he loves playing up the unhinged angle to keep his enemies and allies alike on the back foot. He's someone who pushes and pushes and doesn't take no for an answer. He takes, and takes, and that's such a terrible combination with Jane! Because Jane is a people-pleaser and a giver and so easily taken advantage of? There's no way Harry would respect her at first, not with that first impression. She's a push-over, and if Harry's interested in anything about her, it's to see just how far she'll let him push (which, imo, would be pretty far and until she reaches her breaking point, probably). The thing is, Harry doesn't care about a lot of people - his family to some degree, but which of these kids doesn't have parent issues?, Uma, Gil, and what Uma wants. In that sense, Harry is the hardest for Jane to win over: if Jane is what Uma wants, Harry will fold her into their little group, but that doesn't mean he has to like her. I do think though that with time these two could grow to understand each other, if they get to a point where Harry stops distrusting Jane (the last of these three VKs to do so, imo) and starts opening up. Probably after Jane opened up about a lot of things. In the meantime, however, he's going to be snide and mock her and prod at her boundaries to see if he can make her lash out (and be delighted if he actually manages to push her over that line!)
Gil is the easiest to win over, since he's a very easy-going sunshine boy. He's like a puppy who is happy to play with anyone who wants to play, and I think he would take to Jane immediately. He's not dumb or oblivious exactly (you can't be, growing up on the Isle) but he's happy to live in the moment? He doesn't have to worry about Jane attacking him since she's physically weaker and her magical status is unknown, but she doesn't use it regardless, so he knows he can fight her off if he has to. That allows him to relax, and he's probably the first to trust in her kindness and general sincerity. Besides, he has Uma and Harry to worry about others faking niceness, so he can have fun befriending Jane in the meantime. And I think Jane would find him good company to be around, once she realizes he's not like the other jocks she knows? He's no Chad Charming, and despite his impressive and intimidating physique, he's the least dangerous of this VKs trio. He's the least likely to hurt her emotionally, too.
And Uma... well. She needs to assert herself as the leader, and Jane wouldn't challenge that, which is a plus point in Uma's book. But Uma would probably be a bit manipulative and push at Jane's boundary to see what makes her tick (very similar to Harry in that way, but with a slightly different vibe?) Like all the VKs, she carries her own trauma from the Isle and its way of survival, and for Uma this is expressed in a need to be on top of everyone else and in control, to ensure her own freedom. She doesn't like being dependant on others, and I don't think she would trust Jane's kindness to be genuine (too used to seeing it as a trap or a trade). There's a lot of parallels between Uma and Mal, they're narrative mirrors, and I think some of Uma's early interactions with Jane would go similar to how Mal's went in DD1. But I also think Jane could challenge Uma in a way that is non-threatening and still forces Uma to face the consequences of her own behaviour. Possibly Uma would be so focussed on figuring out what Jane's hidden motive is that she doesn't realize they've gotten close and things have gotten real between them (and then Uma panics and backpedals and hurts Jane in the process, which is even worse because now Uma feels guilty and that's something she *shouldn't* feel, she's a villain ffs, she doesn't do guilt. But now she went and tricked herself into caring for this baffling girl, and well. Once Uma gets over herself, there's no one that can stop her from taking what she wants.
...aaaaaand I'm rambling again, RIP :') I just love these characters so much? I have a lot of thoughts about Mal, Evie, Jay, Carlos and Ben, too, but I'm gonna save that for another time.
K-Pop Dance Class
I haven't talked about it much, but I've been learning kpop choreos since... mid-late 2020s? I needed some type of music-focussed workout to replace my ballroom dance classes during the pandemic, and ended up finding MV's with dance choreography to copy. I honestly wasn't much into kpop at that point, but an acquaintance kept recommending the band LOONA to me so I checked them out and fell for the interwoven and complex narrative their songs told. And then I eventually discovered Dreamcatcher, and started doing their choreos too, and well, now I'm here. In this household we stan Dreamcatcher #InsomniaBut with my new job, I don't find the time and motivation to do my practice regularly enough. So instead I found a class in a nearby dance studio! It was a stroke of luck that they offer kpop classes. We usually practice a new chorus across 1-2 courses before moving on to the next, which is incredibly fast-paced and I don't usually have the technicalities or precision down by the end (nor do all of them stick well in my head), but on the upside we don't linger on songs I dislike for long either and it's a great way to turn off my mind after work and just follow the flow (and mirror what the teacher is doing in the front).
List of Choreos
...that we've done since I joined. I'm probably missing one or two, and I've missed class for health reasons for two choreos (again, fast pace) at least, but these are the ones I remember, in no particular order:- Killin' Me Good by Jihyo (0:48 to 1:15)
- Fast Forward by Jeon Somi (0:41 to 1:11)
- Aya by Mamamoo (0:09 to 1:23) - tbf this one I already knew beforehand (and in its entirety :D)
- More by K/DA (0:44 to 1:24)
- Home Run by Seventeen (0:47 to 1:15)
- Sacrifice (Eat Me Up) by Enhypen (0:52 to 1:23)
- Go Hard by Twice (0:43 to 1:04) (link to song for better sound quality)
- Agassy by Soojin (0:46 to 1:09)
- Guilty by Taemin (0:55 to 1:32)
- Chill Kill by Red Velvet (1:04 to 1:17)
Listing them all out make me want to re-practice them and learn more of some of these, ngl 👀
no subject
on 2023-12-17 12:49 pm (UTC)Oh, that's a shame about Chocolate Box, but I'm glad Candy Hearts is coming back! I'm pretty sure I'll sign up. Ad you say, big enough that the small fandoms stand a chance!
no subject
on 2023-12-17 03:06 pm (UTC)I think I'm gonna drop my nominations into the tagset and then see how far along I am with my fffx assignment by the end of sign-up period and make a last minute decision :')
no subject
on 2023-12-17 04:11 pm (UTC)I've done Chocolate Box since its first year (2016), though I think I skipped a year or two at some point. It's become an institution!