i was digging through archival news footage from the 1989-1990 pittston coal strike to cheer up my papaw, who has been going through a rough patch medically. he is a lifelong UMWA member and was part of the pittston strike.

i found some clips of the woman who is practically my godmother, sister bernie kenny, being interviewed. she was arrested in july 1989 for "impeding traffic," aka driving slowly on mountains in a winnebago that was outfitted as a mobile health care van, logically. just so happens some *non pittston* coal trucks were behind her, and she was wearing a camouflage scarf; camouflage being the uniform of the striking miners. the police saw this as an opportunity to punish the community and the striking workers. all charges against her were dropped.

For might was right when Caesar bled upon the stones of Rome, And might was right when Joshua led his men o’er Jordan’s foam, And might was right when German troops poured down through Paris gay, ‘Twas the logic of the ancient world, ‘tis the gospel of to-day. You must prove your right by deeds of might, of splendor and renown, If you would march through flames of hell to dash opponents down. If need be, die on scaffold high, in morning’s mist of gray, For liberty or death is still the logic of to-day.

so on viki, the english translation team for Until We Meet Again is called

IT STARTED WITH A BANG

we’ll break up

it is so fascinating how both of them consider this whatever is going on differently

team is still terrified and doesn’t want more engagement then what he already has. he already feels overwhelmed with the life he has and he doesn’t it to get worse so he just prepares an escape already.

and win just wants what he can get. it also shows how he always respect team’s agency and recognize his power in the relationship.

As a disclaimer, I’m still a relatively new BL watcher. So a lot of the classics that have come into my radar are something that I haven’t watched yet (including ITSAY and I watched UWMA only very recently). This is just a list of dramas I’ve watched this year and My opinions about them. 

Shows I’ve watched this year 

Completed

Semantic Error (Korean- 2022)

Oh! Boarding House (Korean- 2022)

Light on Me (Korean- 2021)

Bleuming (Korean- 2022)

To My Star (Korean- 2021)

Cherry Blossoms After Winter (Korean- 2022)

My Ride (Thai- 2022)

Cutie Pie (Thai- 2022)

Be Loved in This House: I Do (Taiwanese- 2021)

Love Class (Korean- 2022)

Kieta Hatsukoi (Japanese- 2021)

Star and Sky: Star in my Mind, Sky in my Heart (Thai- 2022)

Plus & Minus (Taiwanese- 2022)

Cupid's Last Wish (Thai- 2022)

You're my Sky (Thai- 2022)

Not Me (Thai- 2021)

Triage (Thai- 2022)

KinnPorche (Thai- 2022)

Vice Versa (Thai- 2022)

The Eclipse (Thai- 2022)

To my Star 2: Our Untold Story (Korean- 2022)

Love in the Air (Thai- 2022)

Ghost Host, Ghost House (Thai- 2022)

Until We Meet Again (Thai- 2019)

My only 12% (Thai- 2022)

Ongoing (still airing)

Between Us (Thai- 7/12 episodes)

My School President (Thai- 4/12 episodes)

Never Let Me Go (Thai- 2/12 episodes)

As I'm listing these down I genuinely forgot I saw half of these this year let alone that most of these were released this year. Isn't time a funny concept.

For the purposes of the next part I'm going to ignore the ongoing BLs

Favourites of the year

Favourite BL: This one has a lot of competition tbh. But if I had to pick one it would be Semantic Error. I had read the manhwa before and I didn't find out about the BL till it started airing. I was pleasantly surprised with a Korean BL coming in with the heat and the sexuality crisis and not to mention Jaechan pushing the smartest marketing ploy to get DKZ relevant (so glad about the rebranding).

Favourite Couple (on screen): Another toughie, but i think i have to give this one to Aye and Akk from The Eclipse. First and Khao did an amazing job. I was soooo excited about Khao's acting debut in a main role since 1000 stars and boy did he deliver.

Favourite Pairing (actors): (side note: i do not ship the actors IRL, I just think their chemistry on and off screen was off the charts good) Fort and Peat. This one is a easy give for me because I didn't even expect to like LITA, the second half of it floored me.

Favourite unexpected pair: I am very late to the game for this one but Korn and Intouch from Until We Meet again win this one. i have seen Kao in Lovely Writer, but it was my first time seeing Earth act. And both of them brought their A game and they are the reason Dean and Pharm's story stands a chance (don't come at me).

Favourite story: Light on Me. I was sleeping on this BL. But in my defence I only watched Thai BLs till this year. Light on me surprised me in so many ways. The gentleness with which they dealt with their feelings, the setting, the awkwardness. It was all just really endearing.

“But I tell you, we in Harlan County, all of our life we've been kicked around. We've been put in jail. We've been shot at. We've had dynamite thrown at us. And then you don't want us to have nothin'. Well, I tell you, Mr. Horn, I'm gonna be standin' right there on that picket line lookin' at you just as long as it takes.”

“You gotta win this fight yourselves. Now, it's the first time East Kentucky has stood up against the coal operators, and you're doin' it. And when you win, you're fighting for your kids and your grandkids. Every one of them will have a better life because of what you're doin' here. And that's why the fight's so hard. If there wasn't so much at stake, they wouldn't be fightin' you this hard.”