Joyous Larry

Welcome to my blog. Avid larrie. Got a lot of thoughts. I also write fics.

[joydilouis]

are any of your fics on ao3 ? also will you have a part 2 to i remember you laughing

Hi. Yes all of my fics are on ao3 @ joydilouis86 and I have drafted part 2 if Iryl but unfortunately I have plot holes and timeline holes in the way and as a result have put it to rest a while now. I am however aware that readers want the sequel and do hope I recover from this writers block soon.

[harryshandbag]

those stupid jokes only we know

inspired by @perksofbeingasunflowerblog’s post !

[hldailyupdate]

“An asshole. I think. I hope.”

-Louis on what he hopes he isn’t. (28 November 2022)

via Cosmopolitan

[londonfoginacup]

A New Larrie’s Guide to Tumblr

A probably incomprehensible, certainly incomplete list of what you need to know; whether you’re coming from a different platform or discovering Larry for the first time. 

My credentials

Hello! I’m Emmu. I’ve had tumblr since… 2008? Maybe 2009. I moved over from deviantArt and used Tumblr as a personal art blog for many years. I joined the One Direction fandom in 2014, so my 1D blog has 8+ years at this point. That being said, I will get on my soapbox a bit during this. Please excuse me, I’m quite passionate about cultivating a happy and healthy fandom.

What makes Tumblr different

The biggest thing that makes Tumblr, as a site, different from Twitter or Instagram is the rejection of algorithms. The “following” tab on your dashboard is in chronological order (and if it isn’t, you can – and should – change that), and the “for you” tab is both a recent feature and rarely used. Tumblr has very little algorithm, and the algorithm they have isn’t very good. It means that you’ll get the most god awful ads you’ve ever seen on this site, because they don’t utilize your data well. And that’s to your advantage.

Tumblr is a great place because you can curate what you see more than other social media. The people that you choose to follow are the only people that you see on your dash (unless you choose to follow tags, which I guess is an option? @lululawrence says “it is and it used to not do anything unless you went to the search page and then it would like autofill your followed tags options, but NOW they take those followed tags and plop them on your dash... SOMETIMES. usually only on mobile. but if there's only one new post in the tag, it shows you that post OVER. AND OVER. AND OVER AGAIN. IT'S SUPER ANNOYING ACTUALLY. SO I STOPPED FOLLOWING TAGS. lol anyway”).

So, the site is in chronological order. This is its biggest selling point.

There is also the opportunity for long posts. Masterposts. Things that are searchable without having to read through pages of screenshots or condensed twitter threads. You can write a whole lot more without worrying about character limit. People publish whole fics on here (I suggest ao3 for that, but tumblr is technically an option!).

Another important thing to know about tumblr is that the archives on tumblr run deep. There are newer larries here, and a lot of them, but you can also find older larries. People whose 1D blogs go back to 2010 or 2011. You can dive into the archives and read firsthand accounts of what was happening with One Direction or larry at that very time. Doing a bit of research means you find cute fetus pictures of the boys, but also you’re able to figure out for yourself whether something actually happened. Rumors always seem to spread quite easily and fandom memory always seems impossibly short, but here on tumblr you’re able to find out for yourself. That means the next time you hear about how xyz thing happened a long time ago, check out some of those archives and see what you can find.

Also, my personal favorite part of tumblr is that old posts are just as valid as new posts. Find a masterpost about RBB and SBB from 2015? Go ahead and reblog that; bring it back to the circulating dash. People will love that. Find a fanartist that you really like? Search through their tags, reblog anything you want. It’s not considered stalking or weird in any way. We love bringing back old posts here. Tumblr is a website where you’re not meant to just talk about the present. 

The cultural difference between Tumblr and Twitter

Speaking of the ways that tumblr and twitter are different, let’s talk for a moment about the 1D fandom in particular.

I’ve held this theory for a while that the twitter (and instagram) algorithm is fracturing the fandom. Because twitter is so dependent on the algorithm, people are more likely to split apart and join smaller and smaller communities based on smaller, more specific opinions. Tumblr, being a place where you don’t just get a post on your dash because someone else liked it, doesn’t have those smaller cliques. There are larries, and there are antis.

(if you get really in the weeds, there are also larry shippers [who don’t believe they’re together but like to read it in fic], and houis [who think they were together but broke up], but I just don’t hear about them as much).

While I do occasionally hear about blouies on my dash, for the most part this is a culture that exists primarily on other sites. 

On another note, because tumblr doesn’t have that handy algorithm, we have to work to make it a more active space. Likes don’t do anything here for anyone other than you, and it doesn’t really change anything about what you’ll see on your dash. Think of them more like the bookmark setting on twitter or instagram. Reblogs are necessary to get anything spread. Anything that you enjoy, or that looks interesting for any reason? Reblog it! That’s the only way other people will see it! And leave a happy comment in the tags if you’ve got one (more on that later). 

And, while lurkers do exist in this fandom (and we love them), it’s important to get an icon and blog header that make you look like a real person. People on tumblr have long been in the habit of blocking shady blogs, mostly because of a bot problem, so if you want to lurk, you have to look like a lurker. Maybe reblog a post or two to establish yourself, and make sure you don’t accidentally look like an icon-less bot posing as a sugar daddy. 

How to set up your account

Okay, so you’ve got a tumblr. Let’s take a minute to fix up the settings so that you’re not getting, well, the worst version of the site. 

My advice is to start by going into your dashboard preferences and:

Turn off the best stuff first (it’ll just show you things you’ve already seen)

Turn off “include stuff in your orbit” (you’ll see terrible posts that are mostly NOT in your orbit)

Turn off “Included based on your likes” (again, you’ll see posts you hate)

Turn off “shorten long posts”. It’s a ridiculous setting that, like many things on tumblr, had potential but was rolled out in an incredibly unhelpful and user unfriendly way.

Once you’ve got that squared away, go into filtering and block any tags and content you don’t like, as that is always proper fandom etiquette. Not seeing things you don’t like is your responsibility, not the responsibility of the person posting them. I personally suggest adding the topics you don’t want to see to both the content list and the filtered tags list, as that gives a much better likelihood of posts that are particularly unsavory for you getting caught by the filters. Please also note this might need to be done on both desktop and the app separately as, depending on where tumblr is at the moment, these filters do not always carry over from one application to the other.

Now scroll down to tumblr labs. These are their experimental things. Some are good! Some are very bad. They do change, though, so this might get out of date pretty fast.

Personally, I enabled fast queue

And disabled everything else

ALSO, an important note, if you are using the apple app, you need to go in and turn off the adult content filter. No idea offhand where that is, but it means posts that include tags like “mine” and “girl” are blocked. It’s ridiculous. 

Who to follow and how to find them

So, you’ve got a new tumblr and need people to follow. This makes sense! To really fill up your dash, I’d suggest the following

Find one person you like. There’s a good chance you know at least someone from twitter who also has a tumblr, so you can start there. If you’re not from twitter, or are looking to start fresh, you can dive into the search function (I’ve never tried finding someone this way myself, but searching larry stylinson or something similar would probably get you started)

Find the people they reblog from and check out each of their blogs! Follow people that make you happy

Follow some update accounts! Thinking of some off the top of my head, there’s @HLUpdate, @Stylesnews, @dailytomlinson, @HLDailyUpdate, or @neilswaterbottles (there’s definitely more though). 

Follow some fanart or fic rec accounts! 

I’d always suggest @1d-fanart or @hlcreators for art. 

For fic, you could check out @hlficlibrary, @ficsyoumayhavemissed, or @thelarriefics. 

Or, recurring fic fests! @onedirectionbigbang or @wordplayfics, which happen every year.

And if you end up not enjoying someone you’ve followed? Unfollow them! It’ll make you happier.

How to interact with posts

Tumblr is all about tags. Do you have a comment or thought? Reblog a post and say your thought in the tags. That way anyone you follow will see it, and the person who made the post will see it. This way a post doesn’t end up with a lot of cluttery additions that don’t mean a lot to the average person reblogging it, but if you browse the tags of posts you’ll find lots of interesting things. Tags can be used to keep track of things, too, of course — some people tag all pictures with who’s in them, or tag art or fic with tags that mean they can find them again. Tags are versatile! But reblog, don’t just like, and tag! The more you interact, the happier content creators are!

What not to do

Don’t repost. If you see something you like on tumblr, reblog it. Even if it’s a really old piece of fanart (like circa 2011). Reblog that old post! Reposting means people don’t get credit, and it doesn’t link back to them. That’s not cool, and in the long term makes fandom less happy.

How to cultivate a happy and healthy fandom

Send happy anons! Ask how people are doing, do question memes, say how much you loved fic/art/edits, etc.

Reblog art. Reblog fic. Reblog what makes you laugh. The more you reblog, the more other people see, the more the fandom moves! Content creators just want their things seen; every time you reblog, their phone gets that little notification and you’ve given someone a bit of happiness.

Unfollow people who annoy you. Follow people who make you happy!

If someone has a take about 1D that you don’t agree with, don’t tell them or send them argumentative anons. Find people who will agree with you, and complain to them privately. Or make your own post, not shading anyone, just presenting your own opinion and theories!

Remember that everyone is a real person. Cut them some slack when you find them being annoying. But also, unfollow. Curate your dash.

[joydilouis]

Lucky Again analysis

This is a lyric analysis and just my personal take on the song. Before I get into it I want to make it clear that if harry and louis never come out, I will always support them whether or not it is their personal decision. But I do know they were closeted not by their own choice and I do believe they have every intention to come out in the future.

My take is Lucky Again foreshadows a coming out. Louis wants to be out one day, both him and harry. The standing info we got is Louis was supposed to be out of certain contract agreements with the old label in 2020 but it got put aside because of the months of pandemic. My belief is he was ready to shed that weight and look forward to a freer life with harry but because of these delays they had to mash brakes leaving harry open for Jeff/Sony to take advantage and grab harry into dwd stunt. So lets go.

You give and give until it’s gone away

Louis speaks about fetus days and what he had to give or work at to keep up the lie. He kept giving away parts of himself and his relationship until no more interactions/tweets etc and enemy narrative comes into play. Now louis just wants it all to end so they can live.

Just tell yourself

You got another day

While in the band they were bullied and threatened to act 'appropriately' so they will see 'another day' as a band etc. This was embedded until they started to tell it to themselves. Another day as in you got another day in the band living the life of a star, your dream and it is worth it to put your true self/relationship in the closet.

You’ve lived that life

You just don't see it yet

Louis is saying to him "You did closeting in the band and lived that way where we couldn't do what we wanted so now we have to change things go forward not backward.

I see how hard you’ve worked

To be yourself 

Speaks for itself. Harry worked to get himself out of het norms in every possible way they could without being able to come out ever since "not that important" to e.g Vogue mag cover. Louis doesn't want to see him hide it away again, he wants to be part of it too. He wants to do it too.

If you believe a guy is Superman

There selling tickets at the cinema

Whatever gets you through the darkest night

Superman as in someone who can save you. He is talking about jeff. Harry hired jeff as a way to get out from under syco/ modest who turned their lives upside down. But in reality his only job is to sell harry as a commodity/make him marketable. He only wants to make money off him putting on a show. (goes with mfasr mv.) He is still his manager today and things are not the same as it was in 1D but he is still not able to fully come out. Whatever gets harry through the hard times is fine but....

Just find the light out in the madness. Hold tight.

Light is a recurring theme in both artists' songs (e.g Lights Up and SIBWAW) meaning the thing that keeps them grounded, the thing that shows them for who they really are and not keeping them hidden in the darkness (closet.)

Cos I'm a hard man to lose

Hard for Simon to lose he means. Louis was the only boy who Simon was able to keep as solo artist after hiatus and he had to do xfactor etc for him instead of releasing his album.

But I figured it out

Then made my way back

To a life I would choose

He figured out how to get himself out from under syco shit contract and back to who he is and the life he wants to live which does not include hiding and changing who he is and who he wants.(goes with Walls mv he had to walk through the desert to make his way back.)

We were lucky once

I could be lucky again

What are the odds of being put in a successful band with someone you realize is your soulmate and find out you two are in love and you have no problem being candid to the world about it on twitter and in interviews etc and you had fans calling you one name larry stylinson that's how much they supported you openly and you got that for a moment before they (management) took it away. They were lucky to have had that in the beginning.

I’m a hard man to find

But you figured it out

And I love you for that

Theme of fitf is louis suffered a lot of heartache due to syco contract and closeting and he almost lost who he is. The person he addresses in this song helped bring him back and he is grateful and wants them to stop hiding now.

Look back on a time

I was lucky once

I could be lucky again

Again he says to look back on when they were able to be out and live free before all was lost and he has hope they will be that lucky again when he finally comes out in the future.

Before the world had got so serious

Before the time it got away from us

I meet you at the favourite subway stop

We grab some food

Then meet the lads for one

Before straight washing closeting beards hiatus they could just be together hang out openly in public without having to worry about image etc. Louis wants to look back on that time and be that again.

Hold tight cause I'm a hard man to lose

He is saying I ain't going anywhere this time I am in this for the long haul whatever happens because...

But I figured it out

Out in the madness, hold tight cause I’m a hard man to lose 

Then made my way back

We were lucky once

Could be lucky again

[joydilouis]

The Greatest song analysis

Ahhh I had to analyze this song. It is too loud to resist.

This entire album is about sifting through the pain of the past and having faith that the future will be better. Just like my song lyric analysis for Lucky again Here The Greatest is yet another song that projects that happy future where Louis and his love no longer have to hide.

Tell you I'm on my way

Nothing can make me late

Said I had a plan for us- (Probably the same masterplan he reminisced about in silver tongues.) There is a theory they were supposedly given permission to come out in 2015 and when zayn left management went back on the agreement. Nothin can make me late, as in he was set and ready to do it with no cold feet.

Time had came and changed it all- Zayn left, babygate started and 1D broke up. A series of events they could not predict.

We had to disappear- (they were closeted in the band but we still saw them in close proximity because they were in the same band. After the hiatus, us seeing them together at all publicly stopped.)

'Cause nothing gets through here, through that circle 'round my heart where the best of me should start- (what is in his heart couldn't come across to management who told them to keep it all to themselves in private. 'Spreading you open is the only way of knowing you' both these lyrics hint at the iron closet louis was put in. There is no way he could get across that he wasn't a straight man with a kid from a one night stand and a longtime gf. The best of him meaning who he really was as a person and who he loves. AIMH tweet comes to mind.)

I said you know me

Alone, we're only

Just as good as the rest- totally gay lyrics. Alone? If this is about el then it doesn't make sense because he is supposed to be with her long term. Alone meaning he was not with the person sometimes and so everyone assumes he is straight without his person around because when he is stunting he is basically alone.

Together we're the greatest

We'll never be left cold again- Larry Stylinson the name itself holds power. They have so many fans and shippers etc., so much support despite not being to openly thank us the fact that they have support without confirmation is incredible. If and when they do come out and show that they are together and not with other people that day they will truly be the greatest and never have to hide in the cold closet again. Coacoac when that first blow hits you cold.

No fallin' all to pieces- (hinting at Harry's song Falling where he sings about falling alone without his love, Coacoac's dead birds and broken beaks.)

We're the greatest

It's you and me until the end- Louis ain't going back to that shit again he gonna remain in the light with his love.

Life for us is never over- we are not going to give up or give into letting others control them anymore.

The way you know somethin

Your face reminding me

Of a love you cannot hide- Harry reminding him of the past and what they've been through and saying with his look that he cannot go back there. He is reminding louis he can't hide his feelings, he was never good at it and doesn't wanna do it again.

But don't need to tell me why- doesn't need to tell louis because he knows what is written on his face (no pun intended.)

Back dancin' in the dark

Back to the very start- louis explains why harry doesn't need to tell him what he is thinking about. He is thinking about the unbearable idea of having to go another day stunting and hidden.

Finding' pieces that can fit

We can hope for what we miss- missed out on a lot of shit not being able to go public.

Bridge and chorus again reaffirming his decision.

[silverfoxlou]

LIGHT AND DARKNESS - FAITH IN THE FUTURE

[hldailyupdate]

We are absolutely heartbroken at the evil murders that happened last night at Club Q in Colorado Springs.

We grieve for the beautiful souls lost, and send our deepest love and strength to all those affected by the senseless attack on our community.

To the five that lost their lives last night, and the hundreds that have been killed over the years, we remember you. 🤍

Below are some links to help the victims of Club Q, as well as some resources for any affected:

Support for the Club Q Families and Survivors

Victims of Club Q Colorado Springs Mass Shooting

Classroom of Compassion in Colorado Springs, CO

If you’re in Colorado, please consider donating blood to help the survivors.

Donate to One Colorado, the state’s leading advocacy organization dedicated to advancing equality for (LGBTQ) Coloradans and their families.

Resources and updates for those affected can be found here.

[joydilouis]

The Greatest song analysis

Ahhh I had to analyze this song. It is too loud to resist.

This entire album is about sifting through the pain of the past and having faith that the future will be better. Just like my song lyric analysis for Lucky again Here The Greatest is yet another song that projects that happy future where Louis and his love no longer have to hide.

Tell you I'm on my way

Nothing can make me late

Said I had a plan for us- (Probably the same masterplan he reminisced about in silver tongues.) There is a theory they were supposedly given permission to come out in 2015 and when zayn left management went back on the agreement. Nothin can make me late, as in he was set and ready to do it with no cold feet.

Time had came and changed it all- Zayn left, babygate started and 1D broke up. A series of events they could not predict.

We had to disappear- (they were closeted in the band but we still saw them in close proximity because they were in the same band. After the hiatus, us seeing them together at all publicly stopped.)

'Cause nothing gets through here, through that circle 'round my heart where the best of me should start- (what is in his heart couldn't come across to management who told them to keep it all to themselves in private. 'Spreading you open is the only way of knowing you' both these lyrics hint at the iron closet louis was put in. There is no way he could get across that he wasn't a straight man with a kid from a one night stand and a longtime gf. The best of him meaning who he really was as a person and who he loves. AIMH tweet comes to mind.)

I said you know me

Alone, we're only

Just as good as the rest- totally gay lyrics. Alone? If this is about el then it doesn't make sense because he is supposed to be with her long term. Alone meaning he was not with the person sometimes and so everyone assumes he is straight without his person around because when he is stunting he is basically alone.

Together we're the greatest

We'll never be left cold again- Larry Stylinson the name itself holds power. They have so many fans and shippers etc., so much support despite not being to openly thank us the fact that they have support without confirmation is incredible. If and when they do come out and show that they are together and not with other people that day they will truly be the greatest and never have to hide in the cold closet again. Coacoac when that first blow hits you cold.

No fallin' all to pieces- (hinting at Harry's song Falling where he sings about falling alone without his love, Coacoac's dead birds and broken beaks.)

We're the greatest

It's you and me until the end- Louis ain't going back to that shit again he gonna remain in the light with his love.

Life for us is never over- we are not going to give up or give into letting others control them anymore.

The way you know somethin

Your face reminding me

Of a love you cannot hide- Harry reminding him of the past and what they've been through and saying with his look that he cannot go back there. He is reminding louis he can't hide his feelings, he was never good at it and doesn't wanna do it again.

But don't need to tell me why- doesn't need to tell louis because he knows what is written on his face (no pun intended.)

Back dancin' in the dark

Back to the very start- louis explains why harry doesn't need to tell him what he is thinking about. He is thinking about the unbearable idea of having to go another day stunting and hidden.

Finding' pieces that can fit

We can hope for what we miss- missed out on a lot of shit not being able to go public.

Bridge and chorus again reaffirming his decision.

[joydilouis]

Lucky Again analysis

This is a lyric analysis and just my personal take on the song. Before I get into it I want to make it clear that if harry and louis never come out, I will always support them whether or not it is their personal decision. But I do know they were closeted not by their own choice and I do believe they have every intention to come out in the future.

My take is Lucky Again foreshadows a coming out. Louis wants to be out one day, both him and harry. The standing info we got is Louis was supposed to be out of certain contract agreements with the old label in 2020 but it got put aside because of the months of pandemic. My belief is he was ready to shed that weight and look forward to a freer life with harry but because of these delays they had to mash brakes leaving harry open for Jeff/Sony to take advantage and grab harry into dwd stunt. So lets go.

You give and give until it’s gone away

Louis speaks about fetus days and what he had to give or work at to keep up the lie. He kept giving away parts of himself and his relationship until no more interactions/tweets etc and enemy narrative comes into play. Now louis just wants it all to end so they can live.

Just tell yourself

You got another day

While in the band they were bullied and threatened to act 'appropriately' so they will see 'another day' as a band etc. This was embedded until they started to tell it to themselves. Another day as in you got another day in the band living the life of a star, your dream and it is worth it to put your true self/relationship in the closet.

You’ve lived that life

You just don't see it yet

Louis is saying to him "You did closeting in the band and lived that way where we couldn't do what we wanted so now we have to change things go forward not backward.

I see how hard you’ve worked

To be yourself 

Speaks for itself. Harry worked to get himself out of het norms in every possible way they could without being able to come out ever since "not that important" to e.g Vogue mag cover. Louis doesn't want to see him hide it away again, he wants to be part of it too. He wants to do it too.

If you believe a guy is Superman

There selling tickets at the cinema

Whatever gets you through the darkest night

Superman as in someone who can save you. He is talking about jeff. Harry hired jeff as a way to get out from under syco/ modest who turned their lives upside down. But in reality his only job is to sell harry as a commodity/make him marketable. He only wants to make money off him putting on a show. (goes with mfasr mv.) He is still his manager today and things are not the same as it was in 1D but he is still not able to fully come out. Whatever gets harry through the hard times is fine but....

Just find the light out in the madness. Hold tight.

Light is a recurring theme in both artists' songs (e.g Lights Up and SIBWAW) meaning the thing that keeps them grounded, the thing that shows them for who they really are and not keeping them hidden in the darkness (closet.)

Cos I'm a hard man to lose

Hard for Simon to lose he means. Louis was the only boy who Simon was able to keep as solo artist after hiatus and he had to do xfactor etc for him instead of releasing his album.

But I figured it out

Then made my way back

To a life I would choose

He figured out how to get himself out from under syco shit contract and back to who he is and the life he wants to live which does not include hiding and changing who he is and who he wants.(goes with Walls mv he had to walk through the desert to make his way back.)

We were lucky once

I could be lucky again

What are the odds of being put in a successful band with someone you realize is your soulmate and find out you two are in love and you have no problem being candid to the world about it on twitter and in interviews etc and you had fans calling you one name larry stylinson that's how much they supported you openly and you got that for a moment before they (management) took it away. They were lucky to have had that in the beginning.

I’m a hard man to find

But you figured it out

And I love you for that

Theme of fitf is louis suffered a lot of heartache due to syco contract and closeting and he almost lost who he is. The person he addresses in this song helped bring him back and he is grateful and wants them to stop hiding now.

Look back on a time

I was lucky once

I could be lucky again

Again he says to look back on when they were able to be out and live free before all was lost and he has hope they will be that lucky again when he finally comes out in the future.

Before the world had got so serious

Before the time it got away from us

I meet you at the favourite subway stop

We grab some food

Then meet the lads for one

Before straight washing closeting beards hiatus they could just be together hang out openly in public without having to worry about image etc. Louis wants to look back on that time and be that again.

Hold tight cause I'm a hard man to lose

He is saying I ain't going anywhere this time I am in this for the long haul whatever happens because...

But I figured it out

Out in the madness, hold tight cause I’m a hard man to lose 

Then made my way back

We were lucky once

Could be lucky again

[warningsign42]

I love this analysis song!

[awesomefringey]

My boy bought a new car to celebrate , so true . 🤣

But what if the Ferrari is not for himself? What if it’s a gift instead?

You know, maybe for someone who likes fast cars a lot, maybe for someone who Harry once gifted a personalized license plate for their own first Ferrari. Someone who just had their first number 1 album in the UK?! 😏

[joydilouis]

Lucky Again analysis

This is a lyric analysis and just my personal take on the song. Before I get into it I want to make it clear that if harry and louis never come out, I will always support them whether or not it is their personal decision. But I do know they were closeted not by their own choice and I do believe they have every intention to come out in the future.

My take is Lucky Again foreshadows a coming out. Louis wants to be out one day, both him and harry. The standing info we got is Louis was supposed to be out of certain contract agreements with the old label in 2020 but it got put aside because of the months of pandemic. My belief is he was ready to shed that weight and look forward to a freer life with harry but because of these delays they had to mash brakes leaving harry open for Jeff/Sony to take advantage and grab harry into dwd stunt. So lets go.

You give and give until it’s gone away

Louis speaks about fetus days and what he had to give or work at to keep up the lie. He kept giving away parts of himself and his relationship until no more interactions/tweets etc and enemy narrative comes into play. Now louis just wants it all to end so they can live.

Just tell yourself

You got another day

While in the band they were bullied and threatened to act 'appropriately' so they will see 'another day' as a band etc. This was embedded until they started to tell it to themselves. Another day as in you got another day in the band living the life of a star, your dream and it is worth it to put your true self/relationship in the closet.

You’ve lived that life

You just don't see it yet

Louis is saying to him "You did closeting in the band and lived that way where we couldn't do what we wanted so now we have to change things go forward not backward.

I see how hard you’ve worked

To be yourself 

Speaks for itself. Harry worked to get himself out of het norms in every possible way they could without being able to come out ever since "not that important" to e.g Vogue mag cover. Louis doesn't want to see him hide it away again, he wants to be part of it too. He wants to do it too.

If you believe a guy is Superman

There selling tickets at the cinema

Whatever gets you through the darkest night

Superman as in someone who can save you. He is talking about jeff. Harry hired jeff as a way to get out from under syco/ modest who turned their lives upside down. But in reality his only job is to sell harry as a commodity/make him marketable. He only wants to make money off him putting on a show. (goes with mfasr mv.) He is still his manager today and things are not the same as it was in 1D but he is still not able to fully come out. Whatever gets harry through the hard times is fine but....

Just find the light out in the madness. Hold tight.

Light is a recurring theme in both artists' songs (e.g Lights Up and SIBWAW) meaning the thing that keeps them grounded, the thing that shows them for who they really are and not keeping them hidden in the darkness (closet.)

Cos I'm a hard man to lose

Hard for Simon to lose he means. Louis was the only boy who Simon was able to keep as solo artist after hiatus and he had to do xfactor etc for him instead of releasing his album.

But I figured it out

Then made my way back

To a life I would choose

He figured out how to get himself out from under syco shit contract and back to who he is and the life he wants to live which does not include hiding and changing who he is and who he wants.(goes with Walls mv he had to walk through the desert to make his way back.)

We were lucky once

I could be lucky again

What are the odds of being put in a successful band with someone you realize is your soulmate and find out you two are in love and you have no problem being candid to the world about it on twitter and in interviews etc and you had fans calling you one name larry stylinson that's how much they supported you openly and you got that for a moment before they (management) took it away. They were lucky to have had that in the beginning.

I’m a hard man to find

But you figured it out

And I love you for that

Theme of fitf is louis suffered a lot of heartache due to syco contract and closeting and he almost lost who he is. The person he addresses in this song helped bring him back and he is grateful and wants them to stop hiding now.

Look back on a time

I was lucky once

I could be lucky again

Again he says to look back on when they were able to be out and live free before all was lost and he has hope they will be that lucky again when he finally comes out in the future.

Before the world had got so serious

Before the time it got away from us

I meet you at the favourite subway stop

We grab some food

Then meet the lads for one

Before straight washing closeting beards hiatus they could just be together hang out openly in public without having to worry about image etc. Louis wants to look back on that time and be that again.

Hold tight cause I'm a hard man to lose

He is saying I ain't going anywhere this time I am in this for the long haul whatever happens because...

But I figured it out

Out in the madness, hold tight cause I’m a hard man to lose 

Then made my way back

We were lucky once

Could be lucky again

[harryshandbag]

those stupid jokes only we know

inspired by @perksofbeingasunflowerblog’s post !

[braverytattoos]

hi, if you’re coming from twitter please make sure you REBLOG posts you like. people that create content rely on reblogs for exposure and as much as its fun to make content, its also fun to see people sharing and reacting to it. so please reblog.

[joydilouis]

About high on California...the kid lives in california. Why he wanna sayin he wants to go there only to smoke weed? Why not 'I wanna be in California see my kid in the summertime'. In California he wants to smoke weed which is a laid back thing you do to take stress off. That could mean he goes there it is for work or it causes stress. Why would where your child is cause stress? What if when he sings "everyone says it is bad for me, everything I try makes me feel alive" he is not talkin about weed being bad for him but California is. As in California is bad for him and he feels dead there everything he tries to get the weight off helps. Like excuse me for smokin this shit but I need it to get through this place.

[londonfoginacup]

A New Larrie’s Guide to Tumblr

A probably incomprehensible, certainly incomplete list of what you need to know; whether you’re coming from a different platform or discovering Larry for the first time. 

My credentials

Hello! I’m Emmu. I’ve had tumblr since… 2008? Maybe 2009. I moved over from deviantArt and used Tumblr as a personal art blog for many years. I joined the One Direction fandom in 2014, so my 1D blog has 8+ years at this point. That being said, I will get on my soapbox a bit during this. Please excuse me, I’m quite passionate about cultivating a happy and healthy fandom.

What makes Tumblr different

The biggest thing that makes Tumblr, as a site, different from Twitter or Instagram is the rejection of algorithms. The “following” tab on your dashboard is in chronological order (and if it isn’t, you can – and should – change that), and the “for you” tab is both a recent feature and rarely used. Tumblr has very little algorithm, and the algorithm they have isn’t very good. It means that you’ll get the most god awful ads you’ve ever seen on this site, because they don’t utilize your data well. And that’s to your advantage.

Tumblr is a great place because you can curate what you see more than other social media. The people that you choose to follow are the only people that you see on your dash (unless you choose to follow tags, which I guess is an option? @lululawrence says “it is and it used to not do anything unless you went to the search page and then it would like autofill your followed tags options, but NOW they take those followed tags and plop them on your dash... SOMETIMES. usually only on mobile. but if there's only one new post in the tag, it shows you that post OVER. AND OVER. AND OVER AGAIN. IT'S SUPER ANNOYING ACTUALLY. SO I STOPPED FOLLOWING TAGS. lol anyway”).

So, the site is in chronological order. This is its biggest selling point.

There is also the opportunity for long posts. Masterposts. Things that are searchable without having to read through pages of screenshots or condensed twitter threads. You can write a whole lot more without worrying about character limit. People publish whole fics on here (I suggest ao3 for that, but tumblr is technically an option!).

Another important thing to know about tumblr is that the archives on tumblr run deep. There are newer larries here, and a lot of them, but you can also find older larries. People whose 1D blogs go back to 2010 or 2011. You can dive into the archives and read firsthand accounts of what was happening with One Direction or larry at that very time. Doing a bit of research means you find cute fetus pictures of the boys, but also you’re able to figure out for yourself whether something actually happened. Rumors always seem to spread quite easily and fandom memory always seems impossibly short, but here on tumblr you’re able to find out for yourself. That means the next time you hear about how xyz thing happened a long time ago, check out some of those archives and see what you can find.

Also, my personal favorite part of tumblr is that old posts are just as valid as new posts. Find a masterpost about RBB and SBB from 2015? Go ahead and reblog that; bring it back to the circulating dash. People will love that. Find a fanartist that you really like? Search through their tags, reblog anything you want. It’s not considered stalking or weird in any way. We love bringing back old posts here. Tumblr is a website where you’re not meant to just talk about the present. 

The cultural difference between Tumblr and Twitter

Speaking of the ways that tumblr and twitter are different, let’s talk for a moment about the 1D fandom in particular.

I’ve held this theory for a while that the twitter (and instagram) algorithm is fracturing the fandom. Because twitter is so dependent on the algorithm, people are more likely to split apart and join smaller and smaller communities based on smaller, more specific opinions. Tumblr, being a place where you don’t just get a post on your dash because someone else liked it, doesn’t have those smaller cliques. There are larries, and there are antis.

(if you get really in the weeds, there are also larry shippers [who don’t believe they’re together but like to read it in fic], and houis [who think they were together but broke up], but I just don’t hear about them as much).

While I do occasionally hear about blouies on my dash, for the most part this is a culture that exists primarily on other sites. 

On another note, because tumblr doesn’t have that handy algorithm, we have to work to make it a more active space. Likes don’t do anything here for anyone other than you, and it doesn’t really change anything about what you’ll see on your dash. Think of them more like the bookmark setting on twitter or instagram. Reblogs are necessary to get anything spread. Anything that you enjoy, or that looks interesting for any reason? Reblog it! That’s the only way other people will see it! And leave a happy comment in the tags if you’ve got one (more on that later). 

And, while lurkers do exist in this fandom (and we love them), it’s important to get an icon and blog header that make you look like a real person. People on tumblr have long been in the habit of blocking shady blogs, mostly because of a bot problem, so if you want to lurk, you have to look like a lurker. Maybe reblog a post or two to establish yourself, and make sure you don’t accidentally look like an icon-less bot posing as a sugar daddy. 

How to set up your account

Okay, so you’ve got a tumblr. Let’s take a minute to fix up the settings so that you’re not getting, well, the worst version of the site. 

My advice is to start by going into your dashboard preferences and:

Turn off the best stuff first (it’ll just show you things you’ve already seen)

Turn off “include stuff in your orbit” (you’ll see terrible posts that are mostly NOT in your orbit)

Turn off “Included based on your likes” (again, you’ll see posts you hate)

Turn off “shorten long posts”. It’s a ridiculous setting that, like many things on tumblr, had potential but was rolled out in an incredibly unhelpful and user unfriendly way.

Once you’ve got that squared away, go into filtering and block any tags and content you don’t like, as that is always proper fandom etiquette. Not seeing things you don’t like is your responsibility, not the responsibility of the person posting them. I personally suggest adding the topics you don’t want to see to both the content list and the filtered tags list, as that gives a much better likelihood of posts that are particularly unsavory for you getting caught by the filters. Please also note this might need to be done on both desktop and the app separately as, depending on where tumblr is at the moment, these filters do not always carry over from one application to the other.

Now scroll down to tumblr labs. These are their experimental things. Some are good! Some are very bad. They do change, though, so this might get out of date pretty fast.

Personally, I enabled fast queue

And disabled everything else

ALSO, an important note, if you are using the apple app, you need to go in and turn off the adult content filter. No idea offhand where that is, but it means posts that include tags like “mine” and “girl” are blocked. It’s ridiculous. 

Who to follow and how to find them

So, you’ve got a new tumblr and need people to follow. This makes sense! To really fill up your dash, I’d suggest the following

Find one person you like. There’s a good chance you know at least someone from twitter who also has a tumblr, so you can start there. If you’re not from twitter, or are looking to start fresh, you can dive into the search function (I’ve never tried finding someone this way myself, but searching larry stylinson or something similar would probably get you started)

Find the people they reblog from and check out each of their blogs! Follow people that make you happy

Follow some update accounts! Thinking of some off the top of my head, there’s @HLUpdate, @Stylesnews, @dailytomlinson, @HLDailyUpdate, or @neilswaterbottles (there’s definitely more though). 

Follow some fanart or fic rec accounts! 

I’d always suggest @1d-fanart or @hlcreators for art. 

For fic, you could check out @hlficlibrary, @ficsyoumayhavemissed, or @thelarriefics. 

Or, recurring fic fests! @onedirectionbigbang or @wordplayfics, which happen every year.

And if you end up not enjoying someone you’ve followed? Unfollow them! It’ll make you happier.

How to interact with posts

Tumblr is all about tags. Do you have a comment or thought? Reblog a post and say your thought in the tags. That way anyone you follow will see it, and the person who made the post will see it. This way a post doesn’t end up with a lot of cluttery additions that don’t mean a lot to the average person reblogging it, but if you browse the tags of posts you’ll find lots of interesting things. Tags can be used to keep track of things, too, of course — some people tag all pictures with who’s in them, or tag art or fic with tags that mean they can find them again. Tags are versatile! But reblog, don’t just like, and tag! The more you interact, the happier content creators are!

What not to do

Don’t repost. If you see something you like on tumblr, reblog it. Even if it’s a really old piece of fanart (like circa 2011). Reblog that old post! Reposting means people don’t get credit, and it doesn’t link back to them. That’s not cool, and in the long term makes fandom less happy.

How to cultivate a happy and healthy fandom

Send happy anons! Ask how people are doing, do question memes, say how much you loved fic/art/edits, etc.

Reblog art. Reblog fic. Reblog what makes you laugh. The more you reblog, the more other people see, the more the fandom moves! Content creators just want their things seen; every time you reblog, their phone gets that little notification and you’ve given someone a bit of happiness.

Unfollow people who annoy you. Follow people who make you happy!

If someone has a take about 1D that you don’t agree with, don’t tell them or send them argumentative anons. Find people who will agree with you, and complain to them privately. Or make your own post, not shading anyone, just presenting your own opinion and theories!

Remember that everyone is a real person. Cut them some slack when you find them being annoying. But also, unfollow. Curate your dash.

[sunshineandlyrics]

On Thursday 17 November, the Year 2022 this UK Album Chart Battle will go down in fandom history as when we combined our forces to fight Bruce of New Jersey ...

[joydilouis]

Can't believe this is the last thing we did with twitter