If you could have any view from your bedroom window what would you choose? Definitely a busy street in London. Or Edinburgh. New York. Boston. Near the library where i work.
What’s your favorite thing to do on a sunny day? Generally I’m not a fan of being outside, especially if it’s sunny. But I love milkshakes so cooling off with them on sunny days is great.
What do you consider lucky? The fact that the bad things that have happened to me haven’t been seriously harmful. The series of events that led the people in my life to be in it.
What made you smile today? Eh, it’s still pretty early. I reblogged lots of cute Halloween dogs!
What makes you happy? The fact that fanfiction exists and is free, libraries, dogs, audiobooks
To be completely honest, I had no idea where to start with this one…. A lot of these songs are from musicals I’m less familiar with, but I really wanted to include POC and lesbian narratives in this specific playlist. Though there’s a significant lack of female duets in musical theater that pass the Bechdel Test, let alone ones that count as romantic.
Thank Goodness from Wicked
What About Love from The Color Purple
Elaborate Lives from Aida
Changing My Major from Fun Home
I’ll Cover You from Rent
So this one represents the Korra/Asami/Mako love triangle, which I just realized is one of the only true love triangles I’ve ever seen (as opposed to love angles that YA keeps telling us are love triangles). It’s hard to be the Avatar, especially when the public hates you and the two people you’re in love with are dating each other and putting on a face for the media. “Look what we've got, a fairy-tale plot. Our very own happy ending. Though it is, I admit the tiniest bit unlike I anticipated.”
A beautiful song about two women falling in love with each other. I didn’t know anything about the book or the musical to be honest, though I’ve always been interested in checking it out. This song is so beautiful, I need to see this musical now. “Is that me who's floating away? Lifted up to the clouds by a kiss. Never felt nothing like this. I want you to be a story for me that i can believe in forever. Will you be my light in the storm? Will i see a new world in your eyes? With you my whole spirit rise.”
In Aida, the romance is between a princess and the captain of the army that invaded her country. They fall in love despite this and sing about the duties that they must hold to, which made me think about Korra’s duties as the Avatar and her depression in the final season. “I just want our time to be slower and gentler, wiser, free. I'm so tired of all were going through. I don't want to live like that. Too many choices tear us apart.”
Okay so this is THE lesbian song and it’s so good. The have sex, they laugh and do silly things, they love each other and always want to be together. “You laughed a little bit at one point when I was touching you. I said might lose consciousness, which you said was adorable. I’ll have found some dignity, but who needs dignity? Cause this is so much better. I will study my way down her spine. Familiarize myself with her well-made outline, while she researches mine. All sweaty and tangled up in my bed sheets. And my heart feels complete. Let’s never leave this room.”
These two are just too sweet, I needed to have a sweet and happy song on the list for them. They started out as best friends, after all. “Live in my house, I’ll be your shelter. Sweet kisses I’ve got to spare. I’ll be there and I’ll cover you. You are my love, be my life. When you’re worn out and tired, when your heart has expired. With a thousand sweet kisses I’ll cover you.”
It took an enormous amount of restraint to not put “Honor to Us All” from Mulan on the list, I hope you know that.
The Confrontation from Les Miserables
All I Ever Wanted from Prince of Egypt
Go the Distance from Hercules
Wait for It from Hamilton
When I Grow Up (Reprise) from Matilda
Javert’s obsession with catching this one insignificant criminal is ridiculous, especially when compared to Zuko’s banishment on the condition that he find and capture the Avatar. However, this scene is extremely similar in a lot of ways, with Aang trying to talk Zuko down. “At last we see each other plain. You wear a different chain. I’ve hunted you across the years. Dare you talk to me of crime and the price you had to pay. Wherever you may hide away, I swear to you I will be there.”
Okay listen. Prince of Egypt has one of the all time best soundtracks ever created and I will fight you on that. Anyway, this song will come up a lot because it fits my favorite type of bad guy perfectly. It especially works for Zuko because he’s literally a prince. “Gleaming in the moonlight, cool and clean and all I’ve ever know. Here among my trappings and belongings I belong. I am a sovereign prince of Egypt, a son of the proud history that’s shown etched on every wall. Surely this is all I ever wanted.”
Even though Zuko wouldn’t ever admit it, everything he did for the Fire Nation was with the intention of being loved and admired. “I have often dreamed of a far off place. Where a great warm welcome will be waiting for me. Where the crowds will cheer when they see my face. I’ll be there some day if I can be strong. I would go most anywhere to feel like I belong.”
Thankfully, Zuko turns it all around eventually and starts taking the steps necessary to get where he wants to be in life. He’s got to make a lot of big changes before he can get redeemed. “My mother was a genius, father commanded respect. When they died they left no instructions, just a legacy to protect. I am the one thing in life I can control. Life doesn’t discriminate between the sinners and the saints. We rise and we fall. And if there’s a reason I’m still alive when everyone who loves me has died, I’m willing to wait for it.”
The end of A:tLA is so celebratory and the finale of Matilda comes full circle in the same way. This song alone goes through a journey of kids wanting to grow up fast, adults wishing that they were fulfilling their childhood dreams, and then back around to happiness in the reprise. Zuko’s story wraps up with all of his doubts being replaced with positive change and noble accomplishments. “I will be smart enough to answer all the questions that you need to know the answers too. Nobody else is gonna put it right for me, nobody else is gonna change my story.”
The hierophant, the star, the hermit, the magician
THE HIEROPHANT: Something you believe in
Answered
THE STAR: Someone you consider perfect
Wow um, nobody’s perfect? He’d hate me for saying this, but Lin-Manuel Miranda is pretty high up there. He’s an incredible writer and creator, singer, performer, and musician. He’s dedicated not only to his work, but to creating more inclusive opportunities for others. He wants to educate kids, make Broadway more accessible and affordable, save Puerto Rico. He’s funny, friendly, and adorable. He puts a stop to cat calling and raises people’s self esteem. That’s all pretty close to perfection.
THE HERMIT: Favourite way to spend a day alone
I’m actually not the biggest fan of spending my days alone. Even if I’m with someone and we just sit silently doing our own things, I will feel way better about myself than I would be completely alone. But honestly it’d be reading more than anything. I wake up and the longest, most emotionally satisfying fanfic ever written has just been uploaded. I read it and laugh and cry while pretty music plays in the background and I occasionally scroll through tumblr. The days after discovering Sansukh were some of the best alone days I’ve ever had.
THE MAGICIAN: Something you're very good at
Uuuugh, you tell me? I don’t feel like I’m very good at anything really. I’m fairly good at writing. I’m somewhat artistic and musical but I’m not that great of a singer or performer or anything. I’m okay at cooking? I love jigsaw puzzles. I’m kind of obsessed with them actually, I’m very good at those?? I get hyperfocused though so I usually don’t do them unless I need to shut down my brain and prevent an emotional outburst.
34) Love or lust? Love. Love love love love love love love, this isn’t even a question.
35) In a relationship? You’re a loser.
44) In your opinion, what makes a great relationship? My two huge ones are communication and being friends first. I don’t understand how anyone is able to just commit to someone they barely know.
45) How can I win your heart? By having the url @mungoknotwise and sending me self indulgent questions during an askbox game.
26) Are you happy with the person you’ve become? This one is deep. I’d have to say yes to this one, I think. 2015 was arguably the worst year of my life and everything about me that’s happened since then seems like an enormous improvement. Sometimes I’m genuinely proud of myself.
36) Define Art. It makes you ~feel something~
46) Have you ever caught a butterfly? Actually I might have lied about strange phobias. Butterflies have always sort of scared me? I don’t know, the idea of any kind of bug is just not cool. So even though I probably have caught a butterfly at some point way back in childhood, I can tell you that tiny me probably cried when a butterfly was near her. And adult me just avoids the things.
I really am obsessed with playlists.... And your poem turned out to sound like a real poem!
I wanna be drunk when I wake upComing in unannounced, drag my nails on the tileWouldn’t it be nice if we were olderOh I’m a mess right nowHere comes the sun
