#(or movie clip Saturday in this case

[victorluvsalice]

The Parade Scene: Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) by Film Studies Fundamentals

Well, I did an entire post on Thursday about my "Smiler Alton's Day Off" potential AU and how one of the big inspirations was this scene, sooo -- might as well share it! I mean, it's still a hell of an awesome movie moment, isn't it? :)

[seriouslycromulent]

Ramblings & Reactions to Deadpool and Wolverine

So for the first time in a long time, I actually went to see a movie on a Saturday night. I figured it's been a minute since I've enjoyed a "summer blockbuster" like I did back in the olden times. (You know, before the world seemed perpetually on fire.) And this particular nerdgasm extravaganza committed to celluloid would be a great distraction after last week's year.

So I decided to go all out and see it on opening weekend and on a Saturday night, no less. (Well, it was the 6:45pm show, but you get the point.)

Anyway, below are some of my thoughts about the film now that I've had a chance to digest it properly. Then, after I digested it, I feasted on it again when I went to see it a 2nd time on Tuesday because I really felt like I missed some jokes, as well as some of the rapid-fire references because I was too busy laughing at the jokes that I didn't miss.

Before I dive in, I am happy to say that I somehow remained relatively unspoiled about the film until the day it opened. Other than a gif of a certain cameo by a certain non-MCU actor that kept showing up on my Tumblr timeline, I went into the cinema completely unaware of who would be in it other than the main villain played by Emma Corrin.

So kudos to the studio for managing to keep a tight lid on this one. That, and it's entirely possible that the interest in superhero movies is so low at the moment that not as many people were trying to spread spoilers or leak clips as they once were.

Anyway, I prefer it that way -- sans spoilers. So with that in mind, if you are the same, please know that you should absolutely stop reading here because I'm about to spoil the hell out of this movie with my honest reactions and poor descriptive skills.

You have been warned.

But as a courtesy, I'm also going to place a little doohicky here so you can't see my spoiler-y goodness so easily as you scroll by.

This commentary is in no particular order. I'm just sharing thoughts about the film as I remember them ...

Although I was never a fan of the classic yellow Wolverine suit from way back when, I have to admit I squee!d with joy when Logan put on the cowl. I still think the body of the suit is awkward and unflattering, but that cowl makes it all worth it.

I was driving on the highway the Monday after seeing the film for the first time and I couldn't help but start laughing every time I saw a Honda Odyssey drive by. That's some pretty effective product placement, Mr. Reynolds. Well done.

I can see why during all the promotional press for this film, Ryan pretty much kept the plot under wraps the whole time. Because once you know the plot, the possibilities kind of spoil themselves. But just in case it blew past you, the very idea of past comic book movie universe characters being thrown into a "void" by a random corporate jackass who decides they're not worthy of our time and attention anymore is some brutal and diabolically meta commentary on the current zeitgeist and our culture of constant consumption.

With that said, I'm glad D&W provided proof that the studio was right to pull the plug on the Gambit solo film, because ... um, yeah. ... Great concept, but he was woefully miscast.

Out of all the fight scenes in D&W, the fight in the minivan was my favorite. Between the fight choreography, the songs playing on the car stereo, the creativity of the camera angles, and the epic -- and I do mean, EPIC -- verbal takedown that Wolverine doled out right before the fight began, it had everything any fan of this genre could possibly want.

Speaking of music, I loved the use of contemporary pop music in this movie. Yes, I know all the Deadpool films use pop music, but for this one, it just felt even more on the money in terms of tone and atmosphere. It was definitely the way to go. Plus, I found myself singing along more than a few times. And in some instances, wanting to dance along too. Especially the opening fight scene with Deadpool using poor Old Man Logan's corpse remains as weapons throughout the entire fight.

I also want to take this time to personally thank Hugh Jackman for putting himself through hell to turn his 55-year-old body into that Adonis statue we caught an eyeful of near the end. I have a feeling that scene will become the cell phone wallpaper of many, many, many fans.

I, for one, am also glad D&W didn't mar the ending of Logan because I honestly feel that movie is pitch perfect. And it wouldn't have had the impact that it did if Logan didn't die in the end. Unlike some, I was fine with Jackman walking away from the character, plus I don't think Marvel is going to come up with a better send-off than 20th Century Fox did.

Back to the shirtless scene -- not that I'm complaining about the fanservice -- but when the atomic reaction caused Wolverine's shirt to explode, why didn't it cause his pants to explode too? I mean ... I'm just asking.

Some of the faces I was really delighted to see in D&W include: Aaron Stanford as Pyro, Jennifer Garner as Elektra, and Dafne Keen as X-23. That's not to say that I didn't enjoy Wesley, Chris, Tyler, or the others. But I think I actually felt giddy when I saw Aaron, Jennifer and Dafne appear on screen each time.

It was only via IMDB did I learn that Blake Lively played (or was the voice of) Lady Deadpool and Nathan Fillion was Headpool. That info could be wrong, but their voices sounded about right. I particularly like that bit of trivia because Fillion is the voice of Green Lantern in most of the animated DC films now, and of course, Ryan played Green Lantern in the live action film.

Although I don't understand why Nicepool had long hair when most of the other Deadpools didn't, I kind of liked that look on Ryan. It's a darn shame his head got blown off though. Poor thing. (Tbf, I saw that coming a mile away.)

The one MCU cameo I really wish they could've gotten was Dr. Strange/Cumberbatch. I'm ok with the knowledge that some version of him was in the Void at some point, but I think an onscreen cameo would've been even better.

Wolverine: You got that poor Johnny kid killed! Deadpool: Kid? He's like 50! Me, along with the rest of the audience: ::dies laughing while nodding it's true::

Why yes! I did catch the Stan Lee "cameo" on the side of the bus as Wolverine and Deadpool were tearing through the Deadpools inside the bus. I think it was an ad for a "StanLee Steamer" or something like that and it had Stan's face beside it. Very clever nod to the man himself.

Now here's where I veer from popular opinion. Hold on to your butts: I don't believe for 10 seconds that Henry Cavill would've been treated better in the MCU than in the DCEU. The fact is the only reason the DCEU didn't stand by its vision for their multi-film overarching storyline was because so-called "fans," who cared more about their slavish devotion to some antiquated rivalry between Marvel and DC that had no place on the big screen, insisted on demanding DC films be like Marvel, even though DC clearly cared more about character development and telling stories that explored realistic aspects of humanity instead of churning out vapid, cookie-cutter, meme machines that brought out the worst in the worst people in all of fandom culture. Cavill was mistreated because of MCU fans. Not because WB wanted to mistreat him. If WB had trusted their vision and focused their attention on the feedback from DC fans who are far more "ride or die" than any Marvel fan has ever been, then Cavill would've been treated better. So as a genuine comic book fan who loves all things DC, Marvel, Dark Horse, Infinite, Verve, and the like, I have to give a giant middle finger to Deadpool and anyone who agrees with the statement that Cavill would've been treated better in the MCU. You bitches are the #1 reason he wasn't treated better in the first f*cking place. /end rant

Now this is me taking a moment to appreciate the scene in the Borderlands hideout where Ryan and Hugh were both acting with folks they had worked with in other movies in the past. Ryan, of course, worked with Wesley Snipes in Blade 3. And Hugh, of course, worked with Dafne Keen in Logan. But Ryan Reynolds worked with Jennifer Garner in The Adam Project, and Hugh worked with her in the small budget, but very much underrated film Butter.

I'm not going to lie. It warmed my heart to see that Wade had invited Logan back to his home at the end of the film instead of letting him wander off into the sunset. And the fact that Laura/X-23 was there too fed my fanfiction-loving brain. Now I want to read stories of this Logan acting all dad-like to Laura.

That final scene after the credits roll might be the most I've ever heard Chris Evans swear in a film.

Speaking of guest cast, I love that they were able to get so many people who've played their original roles, but I would be remiss to not notice that we unfortunately don't get to see the original Lady DeathStrike, Psylocke or Toad in this. I suspect the budget was kinda blown on Evans, Garner, and Snipes. Which is a fair trade, even though I adore Kelly Hu.

OK, so after seeing it twice now, it appears that the biggest reaction from the 2 audiences I saw the film with came when Chris Evans first appeared and when Wesley Snipes appeared. And if I had to judge by the applause and gasps alone, Wesley definitely got the biggest reaction.

And what can I say about Matthew Macfayden as Mr. Paradox. He was just the perfect amount of smarmy corporate bitchassness you'd expect from villain who thinks he's not a villain. I loved that he got to be funny while also being made fun of. That's not an easy thing to do with a villain without making the audience feel like they shouldn't take him seriously as a threat. And Macfayden knocked it out of the park with his delivery and timing.

Overall, I would say my main appreciation for Deadpool and Wolverine is that it gave us the Deadpool we know and love, but without sacrificing the gravitas and haunted characterization of Wolverine. Somehow, the writers managed to work in just the right amount of idgaf tension, emotional struggle, and forlorn angst to make sure Logan stays true to form and he isn't there to just be the straight man to Wade's shenanigans.

In other words, the humor, fun and fanservice are great, but the heart of what makes Logan one of the best characters in all of comic fandom was not lost for the sake of fanboy feels. Some of my favorite moments in the movie were those scenes with Logan doing his classic tortured brooding as he lamented over his past and his present. The scenes with Laura/X-23 by the fireside and the scene with Cassandra Nova digging into his mind to see what he's hiding were exactly the kind of emotional touchstones that kept the storyline true to character, and really knocked it out of the park for me.

That's all for now!

[thisbelongsto-nohbodys]

With the S2 premiere of “The Ghost and Molly McGee” in a few weeks I remembered that I hadn’t made this post I wanted to do when S1 ended. So here now is my:

My Top 12 S1 The Ghost and Molly Mcgee songs (in no particular order)

1. Snow Day [Ready, Set, Snow!]

I remember days like this when I was a kid and I love the expressions Molly has, especially the face after the icicles.

2. Only One Best Friend [Friend-Off]

an epic rock ballad for a pointless fight between Scratch and Libby since we all know Molly wouldn’t limit herself to just one best friend

3. Just Give (Us Money) [Getting the Band(shell) Back Together]

 A fun song that shows how aggressive Molly can get with her asking for charity (unfortunately this clip doesn’t include the Scratch robs a credit union gag after this song) 

4. (Boom Baby Boom) There Goes My Heart [Hooray for Mollywood!]

This is a fun and short song that both reminds me of Cuban Pete from The Mask and the singer reminds me of Josh Gad (which I was surprised that it wasn’t him since he was everywhere in disney for a while at the time)

5. Happy (Hide My Joy Away) [Molly vs the Ghost World] 

Not only a catchy song that was stuck in my head for a month after hearing it but also a neat hint at how powerful Molly is in the Ghost Realm (it also kinda reminded me of the Trolls movies, song-wise which that is more of a positive in this case)

6. Everything is Totally Normal [Home is Where the Haunt is]

Molly going through what so many kids are and trying to pretend that things are fine in a manic, catchy song. Love the facial expressions too.

7. It’s a Lose-Lose [Scratch the Surface]

One of the main reasons people started to ship Molly and Libby, then again could you blame them? Molly is singing a ballad about not wanting to lose Libby with several operatic scene moments, how else can we except to not ship them?

8. Go Back to City Hall [Citizen McGee]

An excellent homage to “Beauty School Drop-Out” from Grease. The episode is also a nice hint at a possible future for Molly being Mayor of Brighton.

9. They All Pitch In [Out of House and Home]

along with the Grease homage, we now have a “9-5 by Dolly Parton” homage and it’s a delight, just a shame it’s so short.

10. The Bad Boy of Brighton [The Bad Boy Bobby Daniels]

A good homage to the classic 1940/50s girl’s singer groups

11. Best Friends’ Day (Saturday) [All Systems No]

A frantic song about all the possibilities of what you can do on a Saturday. Shame it’s short.

12. Prepare to be Scared [Scaring is Caring]

A cute song about Molly failing to scare people, the singer kinda reminds me of Lemon Demon but barely.

Honorable Mentions:

HM1: My Best Friend’s Bat Mitzvah [Mazel Tov, Libby!]

HM2: Silly McGee [Twin Trouble]

HM3: Obstruction [Talent Show]

[denimbex1986]

'Is actor Andrew Scott being profiled for being too gay?

Two recent news reports suggest this may be the case. In the first, the reason why he was snubbed by the Oscars and BAFTAs for his performance in "All of Us Strangers" was expressed by writer/director Russell T. Davies ("It's a Sin," the original "Queer as Folk").

Scott, the Irish actor who came out in 2013, broke into the mainstream in 2019 with his ongoing role as the hunky priest on the second season of "Fleabag." When "All of Us Strangers" was released in December, many thought Scott was shoe-in for Best Actor nominations from the Academy Awards and the BAFTAs, especially after receiving a Golden Globe nod.

Was Andrew Scott Just Playing His Gay Self?

Davies claims the reason why Scott was snubbed is that "when a gay man plays a gay man, he's not considered to be acting..." Adding, "I genuinely think that happened there, that people thought, 'Oh, it's very good, but he's not acting there. He's not reaching; he was just being himself.'"

He also said Scott's turn in the movie was "a world-class performance [that] was massively underrated because he's gay and very publicly and visibly gay."

Davies was speaking at National Student Pride on Saturday (24 February), on a panel on queer representation in media moderated by Attitude editor-in-chief Cliff Joannou...

"I very publicly and loudly proclaim that gay actors should play gay roles," he further pointed out, adding, "What I'm trying to do is shift it slightly so that more queer people are seen for queer roles"

Davies was joined on the panel by "It's a Sin" actor Nathaniel Curtis, "Everything Now" star Noah Thomas, "Shadow and Bone "actor Jack Wolfe and "Heartstopper" actress Bel Priestley.

Was Scott Gay-Baited by BBC Reporter?

The BBC sort-of apologized for an apparent gaffe by their reporter Colin Paterson when speaking with out actor Andrew Scott on the Red Carpet for the BAFTA Awards on February 18, reports The Independent.

"The red carpet interview in question quickly went viral as viewers criticized the BBC's Colin Paterson for repeatedly asking Scott about Barry Keoghan's nude scene in Emerald Fennell's film, 'Saltburn'," the British newspaper writes.

Scott was at the event to present an award, as well as to support the nominated film "All of Us Strangers," which had been nominated for six awards, including Outstanding British Film, Best Casting, Best Director and Screenplay (Andrew Haigh), Best Supporting Actress (Claire Foy), and Best Supporting Actor (Paul Mescal).

Missing amongst the nominees was Scott, who plays a lonely British gay man who revisits his childhood home to find his parents, long dead, alive and younger than he is. At the same time he begins a relationship with a man in his building (Mescal).

While the film holds a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, none of its nominees won at the BAFTAS, nor did the film receive any Oscar nominations.

Much of the criticism of Paterson came with his focusing on a controversial scene in "Saltburn," Emerald Fennell's dark, satiric comedy that was also up for a number of BAFTAs, in questioning Scott.

"Instead of asking about the critically acclaimed queer drama, Paterson opted to focus on asking Scott his thoughts on Keoghan's penis," writes The Hollywood Reporter. "In the now-viral clip, the correspondent said, 'Do you know Barry well?' Scott, who seemingly didn't know the direction that the conversation was heading in, beamed, 'Yes! I know Barry, yeah!"'

Paterson continued: "OK, your reaction when you first saw the naked dance scene at the end of 'Saltburn?'" Scott responded with uncomfortable laugh: "It's great, it's great. I won't spoil it for anybody." Not picking up the clues from Scott, Patterson battered on: "There was a lot of talk about prosthetics. How well do you know him?"

Smiling, Scott waved Paterson off and walked away. "Too much?" Patterson asked.

On Saturday, six days after the report went viral with much criticism of Paterson, the BBC published the following comment:

"Our reporter began by asking Andrew Scott about the film he'd appeared in – "All of Us Strangers" – which was nominated for six Baftas. He then moved on to ask about the popularity of Irish actors where Barry Keoghan, star of 'Saltburn,' was mentioned.

"'Saltburn' is a film which has had cultural impact, with Barry Keoghan's scene at the end gaining a lot of attention in particular – something the actor has addressed himself. Our question to Andrew Scott was meant to be a light hearted reflection of the discussion around the scene and was not intended to cause offense. 'Saltburn' writer and director, Emerald Fennell, and Sophie Ellis-Bextor, whose song 'Murder on the Dancefloor' was used in the sequence, were also asked about the scene.

"We do, however, accept that the specific question asked to Andrew Scott was misjudged. After speaking with Andrew on the carpet, our reporter acknowledged on air that his questioning may have gone too far and that he was sorry if this was the case."'

[anna-neko]

gonna absolutely be that "old lady shaking her walker, and screaming how olden days were better" for a minute here.....

There is a very specific thing I very much miss, and its the... well... lack of streaming. Scheduled programming! (be it both visual or radio. .... the radio one is whole 'nother rant, fuck ClearChannel/Viacom etc etc)

now don't get me wrong - i freakin luv the ability to watch some ancient b/w telly, carefully pumped pixel by pixel into my phone from the library server at 2:45am....

but its the fact Boring Dystopia today doesn't let you escape algorithms & their endless grey sludge

so like... TV! My set cannot pick up regular airwaves signal w/out additional "digital bunny-ears" or something similar. Most stations have switched to digital signals years ago, this is fact.

Back in the day you could flip on the telly, and have the choice of a few local channels. You got your usual local affiliates: FOX, WB, ABC, UPN, NBC, CBS and of course PBS. plus that one endless shopping network

Even as background noise you'd still end up getting all sorts of good stuff with different ads, local news flashes, whatever sitcom was running would have "on the next..." and you'd be like "heeeey, Friends is still making new episodes? and this channel still shows it?" Might hear about some movie didn't know existed because it was mentioned as scheduled for Saturday 8pm eastern, 7 central in that last ad-break, but the visuals in this tiny clip looked neat so might try to see it.....

what can i do today tho... Lets see, there's the option of a bunch of streaming shit. It requires a quick app d/l (again, don't get me wrong, TUBI and PlutoTV are a+ "thank fuck u exist" kinda things) buuuuut ... you can't just leave it be. Even the ads are somehow ... grey formless sludge. The same 3-5 shitty things that are determined by algorithm, never any variation. No news-teases, no trailers for movies coming to theater/streaming soon.... who'da thought would miss the damn Wendys new breakfast deals or local (local) car dealership promos

but no, with a streaming 'oooh wait, 'app' you gotta either scroll thru the shitty UI menu to pick what you wanna watch specifically... or in case of Pluto chose a channel.... Which will be just One Thing on a loop too (like a channel of nothing but Addams Family. nothing but The Walking Dead franchise. nothing but SailorMoon episodes) If you chose an episode of a show, and put away the remote it will just keep jumpin to next episode of same until it runs out...

.... i miss times of day influencing what was on. The kinda shit running during "primetime", early morning cartoons, early-noon little kids targeted shows, mid-afternoon soaps and bullshit talk shows, vs "middle of the night" The silly station eye-catches (TNT...dun dun dun, we know drama), ads for gushers mixed in with quick weather updates as the channel hopes you'll tune in at 10pm for the News. I miss discovering new (new to me!) shows or movies but flipping a channel. Disney Channel used to air ANCIENT b/w Alice Comedies or those utterly ridiculous 70s bebi Jodie Foster movies at 1am. AMC was full of old movies (pre-70s stuff mostly), TLC stood for "the learning channel", MTV and VH1 were 2 distinct separate entities showing actual ~ try to contain your shock ~ music videos. and if u were hella lucky, you'd glitch into (or it was free preview month) MTV2 which was for the alt rock vids!

_________________ No i don't miss the ancient shit like TV set that had round knobs and the numbers only went to 13. The horrid static noises. I don't miss VCRs (needing to rewind, hoping the tape hasn't demagnetized, or deteriorated frm too much use etc) . Fuck, don't even miss Blockbuster w/ their exceptionally ruined DVDs that wouldn't play past a certain point and them just goin "oh well, sorry...." and doin fuck-all

whoda thought would be missing an actual structure of some sort, running all sorts of diverse shit in pre-programmed blocks on set schedules. There was a human touch, the human element to it

[watching-pictures-move]

Movie Review | Wise Guys (De Palma, 1986)

I listened to the episode of the Junk Filter podcast about Joe Piscopo's comedy specials earlier this week, and decided that maybe I wanted to see one of his movies and figure out what his deal was beyond the handful of Saturday Night Live clips I'd seen over the years. I tried to psych myself up for this movie by watching his appearance on Johnny Carson, which I do not recommend unless you want to witness a live execution of the comedic arts, Piscopo strangling them to death in real time with his muscular arms with his racially questionable rap routine and a slew of impressions while David Letterman sits next to him with barely masked contempt. While I cannot offer a complete career assessment, from this clip it seemed that his any talent had been flushed down the toilet well before the same thing happened to his politics.

Anyway, he fares better in this movie when paired alongside Danny DeVito, as the two do a modern update of the Abbott and Costello dynamic, one more assertive and eager to scheme, the other dimmer and with a higher pitched voice. I do think they suffer in contrast to their inspirations as Piscopo plays things too close to DeVito in demeanour, so there is not the clash of personalities one would hope for. But in any case he does get his share of laughs and certainly has rapport with DeVito, although both are outshined by Lou Albano as a mafioso who resembles and apoplectic bulldog and barrels through the movie accordingly, devouring a mountain of lobster and looking like he's about to have a stroke when he sees what they've done to his car. (They violate the central tenet of never fucking with another man's vehicle, although I suppose the rule can be broken when that man treats you terribly and is trying to kill you.)

This is not thought of very highly in Brian De Palma's filmography, but De Palma being the irrepressible visual stylist that he was at this time makes some of the movie look like a playset for toys with his ostentatious camera moves. It's an interesting contrast to the frequently dingy New Jersey locale, and the movie inexplicably dials down its visual style once we get to the Atlantic City casino in its last third, but along with its mugging mobsters, this does anticipate some of what De Palma would do with The Untouchables the following year. (One very funny sequence has the camera move from Dan Hedaya to Albano to Piscopo to DeVito, all doing different variations of extreme mugging.) If anything, you see DeVito's ingratiating and energetic presence and think he would have made a better Al Capone in the other movie instead of the greatest hits style performance that Robert De Niro opts for.

So this is probably not anybody's favourite Brian De Palma movie or Danny DeVito movie or...okay, it probably is somebody's favourite Joe Piscopo movie (the only competition is Dead Heat)... but I had a good enough time with this.

[chorusfm]

Liner Notes (November 4th, 2023)

I hope everyone had a good week this week. This week’s supporter Q&A post can be found here. If you’d like this newsletter delivered to your inbox each week (it’s free and available to everyone), you can sign up here. A Few Things * This will probably be another shortish newsletter. It’s a slower music week, and it’s the time of the year when there’s not much happening in the music world, and I have a lot of family commitments. It’s nice to take some time off and enjoy my favorite time of the year though. It’s wild to think that next week will be Hannah and my fourth wedding anniversary. The plan is to relax a little, have some nice meals, and get some things done around the house to prepare for the holidays. In Case You Missed It * Review: Taking Back Sunday – 152 * Review: Boys Like Girls – Sunday At Foxwoods * Green Day Announce 2024 Tour * Anberlin Share Matty Mullins Vocal Clip * Major Labels Trying to Stop Artists from Re-Recording Songs * Taking Back Sunday Play Fan Wedding * Brian Fallon Reviews Every Gaslight Anthem Album * The Gaslight Anthem Perform on CBS Saturday Morning * 20th Anniversary Edition of ‘Take This To Your Grave’ * Albums in Stores – Nov 3rd, 2023 Music Thoughts * Things I enjoyed that came out yesterday were the final Atreyu EP, creating a nice 12-song album that leans more into their pop side but works for me this time of year. And Spiritbox also released an awesome EP that continues their hot streak. * My week was spent between the current releases (Blink-182, Gaslight Anthem, Taking Back Sunday) and revisiting some albums that always feel great in November (Matt Nathanson, Patrick Droney, anything Ace Enders touches). The Stats: Over the past week, I listened to 36 different artists, 45 different albums and 443 different tracks (479 scrobbles). And you can follow me on Apple Music and/or Last.fm. Entertainment Thoughts * From the very first one to the latest, I’m a sucker for all the Mission: Impossible movies. I enjoyed Dead Reckoning, but I did feel like it was hurt by only being a “part one.” There are some great action scenes and set pieces. But not quite up to the level as my favorites from the franchise on first watch. * We did a bunch of Halloween movies last week: Talk to Me was the best of the bunch, The Blackening was a lot of fun, and Suitable Flesh was weird. * Whenever I think I’m about to just cancel Netflix they release something that pulls me back in. Currently, that’s Bodies. The first four episodes have pulled me in. Curious to see where it goes. Random and Personal Stuff * Next week’s project is to get the bedroom track lights fixed. The power supply for them died, and of course, they don’t make it anymore. After talking to a few electricians, they all think the whole system probably needs to be replaced because of how old it is (like 15 years?), and they don’t make anything compatible anymore. So my “this shouldn’t be too annoying to fix” project became a “this is going to be absolutely obnoxious” project real fast. Ten Songs Here are ten songs that I listened to and loved this week. Some may be new, some may be old, but they all found their way into my life during the past seven days. * Spiritbox – Ultraviolet * The Beatles – Now and Then * Sigrid – Borderline * Blink-182 – Turpintine * Taking Back Sunday – Juice 2 Me * The Gaslight Anthem – The Weatherman * Patrick Droney – We Got Old This Year * Matt Nathanson – Soundtrack * There Will Be Firewords – Smoke Machines (Summer Moon) * Paint it Black – Dominion This playlist is available on Spotify and Apple Music. Community Watch The trending and popular threads in our community this week include: * NFL Gameday Week 9 * Nutella vs. Cookie Butter * Kevin Drew – Aging (November 3, 2023) * MGMT – Loss Of Life (February 23, 2024) * FOOTBALLHEAD – Overthinking Everything (March 1, 2024) * Tour Prediction and Speculation Thread * Video… https://chorus.fm/features/articles/liner-notes-november-4th-2023/

[pipelinelaserraygun]

MUST 🇺🇸 SEE‼️ There was determination in the 👁️👁️ eyes of Colonialists, when facing an existential threat from the British.

🆓 ENTIRE 🍿 MOVIE, Oscar winning Best Picture of 1948: Shakespeare pondered, 🤔How does someone make "good use", of the 💀 DEAD?

Hamlet reminisces about the 👑🃏 Royal Court jester, at minute 01: 51: 11.

Hamlet ⬆️ reminisces about a 👑🃏 Royal Court jester, of 2023.

Which candidate is BEST prepared to face existential threats?

MUST 👁️👁️ SEE x2‼️

We ✝️ who laugh LAST shall 😂😂 laugh BEST.

Yorick is hunter biden 👑🃏, the 🤡 White House jester.

THIS week is shaping up to be a game-changer.

Docs that were believed dead and buried, AKA figuratively 🧹 swept under a rug, will be brought back to life.

💀🦴 Skeletons in the closet.

MUST 🙉 HEAR❣️

👑👰🏻 As in Ezekiel's time, through Christ's Bridal Party, ☠️ DEAD BONES 🩻 will get a 🗣️💨 breath of fresh air.

Mrs. Christ 🙏 petitions God's 🕊️🌊 Holy Spirit, that GHOST RECON would penetrate hardened hearts.

"The Sharif/joe DON'T like it."

[fadingrebelobservation]

Celebrity news today Things To Know Before You Buy

"I feel what transpired was I became a lot more regarded ahead of the function was there," Davidson explained. "I am in my 20s and i have dated people, and for many rationale, that is extremely nuts and appealing to people today." 6:19pm The comic also complained which the viral reaction has overshadowed his perform which "is an extremely shitty sensation." Pete Davidson is sharing that his dog Henry has passed away. Watch for his sweet tribute on the late pooch, who "saved our lives." "It seems to be Pretty much like it's liquid or fluid. When you pick one up, it appears like it should shift or wobble," he extra: "Rather than a great deal of pieces these days... you are able to tell it absolutely was created by an individual. There is a human factor to it." Though Cartier doesn't publicize the full range built, authorities feel it is from the hundreds, as an alternative to the thousands. They exist in "immeasurably modest quantities," Heap additional with a video clip connect with. Once the initial batch, Cartier continued to produce Crashes on need. It went on to generate new versions in white gold, pink gold and platinum (most notably in the confined edition run in 1991, however these are credited to Cartier Paris and usually sell for less than older London types). 2020 was absolutely a ridiculous 12 months stuffed with numerous transform and expansion, some awesome unforgettable moments. 180 straight days of getting my nose hair scraped, actively playing for very little fans or no stands the entire time. I obtained engaged." Royally romantic! Prince William and Princess Kate expressed their really like for one another inside the sweetest approach to ring in 12 a long time of marriage. Close icon Two crossed lines that kind an 'X'. It implies a method to shut an interaction, or dismiss a notification. Helpful exes! Pete Davidson and Kim Kardashian didn’t Permit celebrity news today their previous split get in the best way of having an excellent time on the 2023 Satisfied Gala. “Pete and Kim have plenty of historical past amongst them so it had been wonderful managing into one another for the Achieved Gala and with the ability to capture up for […] Pratt states "Guardians of your Galaxy Vol. 3" will include things like the expletive following "yrs" of other actors attempting to have the term into an MCU movie. Doing the job as a result of it. John Mulaney has always chosen honesty With regards to his battle with habit and his attempts to remain sober. The content news comes fewer than just one year just after the former Netflix star uncovered she experienced a miscarriage. Six months right before that she also endured a stillbirth.

5 Simple Techniques For Celebrity news today

On Saturday, Soon immediately after King Charles III's crowning, William, the heir on the British throne, will kneel at his father's ft, location his arms amongst the monarch's, and swear his loyalty to him, "as your liege guy of life and limb." In February 2021, several times after media shops started to report the pair is likely to be dating, the Eco-friendly Bay Packers quarterback declared he was actually engaged. Heap welcomed the event as an antidote to your "huge, ostentatious diamond-established items" Usually found on celebrity wrists. "It truly is Nearly similar to a dress enjoy design, with a leather strap and a little-sized case," he extra. "I think that's quite cool." The actress talks to ET about uncovering the answers to who was in the long run responsible for Alberta's Loss of life. Kevin Costner's wife Christine Baumgartner doubles down on divorce submitting as she's noticed out with no wedding ring The feud started when Lourd publicly admitted that she hadn't invited her late mother's siblings to her Corridor of Fame ceremony as they allegedly monetized from her Demise. Matty Healy's finish courting background prior to Taylor Swift rumors Might four, 2023 The Satisfied Gala has long been referred to as the most significant trend party on this planet, the best bash from the 12 months, and you realize A-checklist stars will ring their A-activity.  Next Us Weekly has affiliate partnerships so we could obtain payment for many one-way links to products and services. Ye only fed pupils sushi at Donda Academy, had no lessons on 2nd flooring since he was 'scared of stairs,' go well with states In this article to stop working all the largest times with the champagne carpet is Cassie Anderson, trend director of Cosmopolitan.  He’s Element of the band. Singer Matty Healy has manufactured headlines over the years for his onstage antics — and for his own daily life. The turning point, he explained, arrived in 2018 when Kanye West was observed carrying 1 on David Letterman's Netflix Exclusive. "I'll give credit score where by credit's owing," Clymer reported. "I think it had been Kanye West putting on a crash that really put it again around the map."  "I obtained into this romance that is been genuinely wonderful with someone remarkable. And we are using a little one collectively. I was anxious After i was about to say the news!" Previously this calendar year, the model and podcast host and comedian Eric Andre sparked romance rumors once they were spotted finding lunch together in January, and later on vacationing from the Cayman Islands.

Celebrity news today Options

As well as the pregnancy decline she suffered in 2022, Vander also went via a stillbirth the yr prior. six:19pm Even though the pair in the beginning appeared like Among the most random partners of the 2020s, soon after examining multiple interviews about their romantic relationship, they appear additional alike than one would Believe. Pete Davidson is sharing that his Pet Henry has handed away. Look ahead to his sweet tribute into the late pooch, who "saved our life." Get to know the skincare Expert's Selfless by Hyram line — and perhaps discover a handful of new favorite skincare solutions along the best way. 2:41pm Foxx's daughter explained very last thirty day period he was being handled with "wonderful treatment" but didn't specify what experienced transpired to him. Close icon Two crossed traces that variety an 'X'. It indicates a method to close an interaction, or dismiss a notification. Chevron icon It suggests an expandable portion or menu, or at times former / subsequent navigation selections. HOMEPAGE 0 Newsletters Royally passionate! Prince William and Princess Kate expressed their love for each other during the sweetest solution to ring in twelve yrs of marriage. Lopez and Affleck lastly acquired married a calendar year afterwards, getting A non-public ceremony in Las Vegas in advance of a next, larger wedding ceremony. Same goes for his disgraced uncle, Prince Andrew, whose titles were being removed in 2022 by his possess mom, the late Queen Elizabeth II, just after his sexual misconduct scandal. The turning position, he reported, came in 2018 when Kanye West was viewed wearing one particular on David Letterman's Netflix special. "I'll give credit rating where by credit score's owing," Clymer reported. "I think it was Kanye West donning a crash that basically put it back again to the map." Merely a dozen or so watches are considered to have emerged from this first creation operate. The Crash's irregular form designed it laborious to generate — and Cartier's signature Roman numerals and sword formed palms proved tricky to read. noted past month, Harry will be in London for under 48 hrs for his father's coronation. The Duke of Sussex will probably be traveling into the city in advance in the May perhaps 6 event and leaving quickly right after to return to Meghan as well as their two Children in California. The coronation falls on exact day as being the fourth birthday in the pair's son, Prince Archie.

About Celebrity news today

Account icon An icon in the shape of a person's head and shoulders. It frequently indicates a person profile. "That very first Crash observe induced a lot of headaches," Brickell quotes her grandfather as saying. "The thing is, It is really all pretty perfectly developing a superb-hunting layout, nonetheless it had to inform enough time also! And since the dial was irregular, the numbers were not for the common areas." “‘It’s Alright, mama. You simply must do what you feel,’” Williams said on “The Drew Barrymore Clearly show.” “I basically wished to cry. It was like, ‘Do what you feel, do what your coronary heart tells you.’ It absolutely was the sweetest issue ever and I had been so pleased with her.” The actress talks to ET about uncovering the responses to who was in the end chargeable for Alberta's death. We use your signal-up to provide content material in the ways you've got consented to and strengthen our knowledge of you. Because of this we could consist of adverts from us and 3rd functions based on our expertise in you. There was loads of glitz and glamour as some of the biggest names in entertainment, fashion, sports and politics partied Monday at the once-a-year Achieved Gala. Shutterstock Richie wealthy? Prince Harry hasn’t been a senior Operating royal since 2020 — but he continue to incorporates a bank account deserving of his title. Williams' black dress bundled silver embellishment with see-by way of sleeves with white cuffs as well as a tulle mermaid skirt. She accessorized with a myriad of Tiffany & Co. pearls draping close to her necklace, in addition to a pearl headband by Lelet. We also could change the frequency you receive our email messages from us so as to continue to keep you updated and provide you with the ideal suitable information and facts probable. As always you are able to unsubscribe at any time. Much more Information. "It's the combination of all of the great talent that I get to meet and the creativeness that I see and the chance to try and assist individuals, and use the System that i'm so Fortunate to own the top that I can," stated "Vogue" editor Anna Wintour.  Alex Murdaugh, who's at the moment serving two daily life sentences for that murders of his spouse and son, responded into a daily life insurance plan fraud lawsuit submitted in connection with the 2018 Loss of life of his housekeeper. The turning stage, he claimed, came in 2018 when Kanye West was witnessed carrying a single on David Letterman's Netflix Distinctive. "I'll give credit score where by credit's because of," Clymer reported. "I think it had been Kanye West putting on a crash that basically put it back about the map."  "I got into this relationship which is been definitely wonderful with another person unbelievable. And we are possessing a infant together. I had been anxious Once i was going to say the news!"

[jefelen-presents]

“Half Dead Fred” (2023)

Thursday, March 16th, 2023 (20:02) JEFELEN was pleased to have served as Co-Producer on "Half Dead Fred", a comedic modern-day film-noir supernatural mystery written and directed by Bron Theron, which sees general release today!

A mystifying murder has taken place in Flint, Michigan, and medium detective, Freddy Nash, is on the case!  There is a valuable treasure to be found, with paranormal activity that cannot go unseen. Years ago, Fred was victim of a traumatic near-fatal incident that left him with the otherworldly ability to commune with the dead.  In this life, he is assisted by an old friend from Alcoholics Anonymous, although he has himself been off the wagon for years. With the spirits of the departed as witness, this is a case that will turn out to be much more than a mere murder...

Produced by White Ninja Productions™, this feature-length whodunnit with a difference is now available to buy or rent through the follow streaming avenues:

Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B6SBQKKR

Prime Video™: http://www.primevideo.com/.../0FOYQ3UIJKTPF1T5TJ7NJR5NWT

With more viewing options to follow in due course...

#HalfDeadFred  #WhiteNinjaProductions  #XAlwaysMarksTheSpot  #EveryHouseHasAHistory  #DeadOrAliveEveryoneIsASuspect  #AvailableNOW

BREAK!!**

Wednesday, May 17th, 2023 (21:12) Full disclosure: I should have announced this much sooner, but with everything I've personally had on my plate these past couple of months, some of my professional responsibilities have admittedly fallen by the wayside, regrettably.  Suffice it to say, for those who reside within the Los Angeles city limits, the following mobile promotion may have been spotted in traffic over recent months (with truck supplied courtesy of City View Marketing™, customised with flair thanks to Loop™).  Keeping this publicity campaign street, yo!

Thursday, May 18th, 2023 (02:20) In my haste to make up for lost time, I inadvertently neglected to upload the intended image for a moment there... but now having done so, here's an additional video substantiating some of the artistic effort that went into preparing our branded Isuzu Commercial Truck™:

http://www.facebook.com/100000634350634/videos/5925218007592948

Still cruising the streets of L.A. -- Angelenos should remain on the lookout!

Friday, May 19th, 2023 (12:21) Rolling on with the "Half Dead Fred" 'street cred', the theme track, "GMD" (which would stand for "Ghost Medium Detective", for the uninitiated) has been dropped by L.A. rapper, Abstract Rude, complete with official music video:

http://www.youtube.com/embed/UV1H_qdlX7Q?vq=hd720&rel=0...

There are ever-so mild spoilers in the visuals, as the clip utelises footage lifted from the movie, but if you're chill with that, get it all up in your face... or at the very least, give the dope beats a spin.  As far as this commentator is concerned, anyone who rhymes "senile" with "speed dial" is straight-up LEGIT!

Saturday, May 20th, 2023 (10:01) Resharing, this time via Vimeo™ rather than YouTube™, in the hope of procuring greater exposure for this release and its source material:

http://player.vimeo.com/video/798846094?hd=1&rel=0... The prospect of a full soundtrack album is unlikely, with the current outlook, but one can only hold out hope for the future...

Sunday, May 21st, 2023 (01:10) Speaking of Vimeo™, here's an alternative, longer trailer for "Half Dead Fred", which provides a little bit more insight into what to expect from this movie, if you've not watched it as of yet:

http://player.vimeo.com/video/784867616?hd=1&rel=0...

More streaming options for the full feature to follow...

Monday, May 22nd, 2023 (22:22) "Half Dead Fred" now has aggregated listings on the following streaming services:

Apple TV™: http://tv.apple.com/.../umc.cmc.4yv9uij6g8gtd5y1hdu2g27tt

Roku™: http://www.roku.com/whats-on/movies/half-dead-fred...

I'm unable to personally verify the latter, mind you, as that platform happens to be region-blocked in my part of the world, but there you go...

Friday, September 22nd, 2023 (12:21) I've since come to realise the nature of my obvious error regarding Roku™, and accordingly present the following amendment:

The Roku Channel™: http://therokuchannel.com/.../a5a5a352663060b2b128f4d91cf...

In addition to this, "Half Dead Fred" can now also be found listed here:

Reveel™: http://www.reveel.net/programs/1300967/1300967

With more streaming outlets to follow...

Tuesday, May 23rd, 2023 (11:11) "Half Dead Fred" is available to be streamed in multiple territories via Tubi™ for FREE:

http://tubitv.com/movies/100002036/half-dead-fred

It will only cost you ninety-eight minutes of your time.

Wednesday, May 24rd, 2023 (20:02) Mometu™ is a relatively new streaming service, having launched in August of 2022.  Much like the aforementioned Tubi™, content can be watched legitimately for FREE, but is only (currently) available in the United States.

http://play.mometu.com/movie/details/430199

"Half Dead Fred" was to have been the second of my affiliated productions to be hosted by this emergent service, but delays involving the rollout of that other project have ultimately lead this this one being bumped up in the release list!  Why not use this opportunity to take a look?

Thursday, March 14th, 2024 (21:12) 2024 UPDATE: I'd just like to quickly put it out that, in addition to the previously mentioned streaming platforms, "Half Dead Fred" is now available on Cineverse™:

http://www.cineverse.com/watch/1000000018515/1000000018515

There's also a listing on Plex™:

http://watch.plex.tv/movie/half-dead-fred

[booniesoil]

I LOVE BOB'S BURGERS I LOVE IT. Im in the middle of season 4 but I went back to episode 1 because I didn't remember that was also Mort's debut, I UNDERAPPRECIATED HIM. I love how short he is I also love how short his legs are,, LIKE FURNACE I MIGHT ADD. because furnace's torso is disproportionately long. I LOVE HOW HE... STANDS... WITH THAT SMILE....... I LOVE HIM. I also rewatched weekend at Mort's. I think it's my favourite season 1 episode and it's ABSOLUTELY because of Mort. But also because that episode is SO GOOD literally every scene is such a good joke, and also because season 1 had a formula I got sick of that's just the plot happens because Bob keeps saying "no we're not going to do this", season 2 thankfully learned from this, and that's why season 2 is my fav! But weekend at Mort's also breaks that and I love it for that. FAV PARTS OF THAT EPISODE GO:

I love Louise's SMILE. SHES NEVER SMILED THAT WIDE AND I FEEL IT. I FEEL IT.

Mort saying he'll look over the kids... I LOVE IT WHEN HE DOES THAT SO MUCH... I CANT EXPLAIN IT. I love this 50s year old man. I love how he hesitates, and then agrees, I love his cheap dead furniture,, I love how he's the oldest one in the room.

THE WIG JOKE. My friend got me "down under" (video game) for crimmy and I've played it with them for a bit and their fav character had dialogue that says he hates bald people I wish I could clip "wigs can be scary" and send it to them and be like. SWOMP. I love Tina's noise.

I love how. Malleable Mort is, how he gets the date. SO FUNNY. THE FACT THAT HE CALLS IT SILLY, THAT ITS THE KIDS IDEA. UR 50 MAN and you're letting these children control your dating life ok.

THE WHOLE BABYSITTER SIDE PLOT START... GOLD.., ITS ON FIRE. TINA LITERALLY TELLS HERSELF TO SPARKLE ON ITS SATURDAY. HER VOICE. HER VOICEEEEEE. HOW SHE ASKS GENE IF HE WANTS TO PLAY OR SING A SONG. SHE SOUNDS LIKE A WITCH FROM A CLASSIC FAIRYTALE. HOW LOUISE PULLS HER ASIDE, EVERYONE HATES HER. ITS SO FUNNY. GENE'S LITTLE NOISE IS UNREAL. I have to rate this boob joke a 10/10 on a scale of all boob jokes.

The hug. I love how uncomfortable Gene is I'm sorry Gene, and how much Tina likes the hug, especially when Gene's the one who likes hugs. I'd say role reversal but Louise is the one who hates hugs.

I forgot the rest of the episode i'm gonna say the stuff I remember

I love Samantha and Mort they're so good. Mort is so good I love how nonthreatning he is. Take a sip anytime they say something bad I LOVE THAT. I don't think Bob's discomfort is written flawlessly in this episode but it's pretty decent and understandable, I just wish Bob puts in a bit more effort compared to Linda to be positive in the relationship though, it's always the man in cartoon relationships that's lacklustre. I still love him

How Linda says the song Jimmy's singing about their menu is "their song"... yes... YES

LINDA'S SPEECH THING ON THE MICROPHONE. I've seen this trope a bunch where the woman takes the microphone at a restaurant and in cartoons that's usually the climax of the episode and she "ruins everything", so I LOVE how freaking silly and lowkey Linda's speech is. ITS GREAT AND FUNNY. I do feel bad for Mort though that's people He invited to Samantha's date.

I LIKE HOW BOB ALMOST GETS CREMATED..,, I often try to predict plot points in movies and shows, thankfully not to an extent that ruins the fun, but to an extent where I can gauge how predictable the story is when thinking about it in the future, I fully expected Linda taking the Mic to be the "big moment", and then when that wasn't the case for Bob to get saved before they turn on the incinerator,

Bob's speech after almost dying, not perfect because it took me a rewatch to fully comprehend it but,, ITS SO GOOD, ITS SO GOOD. I LOVE IT SO MUCH I LOVE IT SO MUCH I LOVE IT SO MUCH, HIS SPEECH IS SO BAD I LOVE IT. when he came back to Linda that was great I loved that.

One critique. what happened to Samantha. WHAT HAPPENED TO SAMANTHA. I NEED TO KNOW I NEED TO KNOW. WHAT HAPPENED TO SAMANTHA.

loaf them...

[fredcasden]

Good afternoon everyone,

Last night's stream featured only Catherine, namely the Xbox 360 version of it. It's a story driven puzzle platformer, and even on easy difficulty it's a nutty game. The plot is that Vincent ends up cheating on his long time girlfriend named Katherine with a woman named Catherine right when he's starting to have nightmares based on his fears (commitment, being a father, etc). Being a game published by Atlus, there is a ton of surreal imagery including some 'what the fuck' moments.

In terms of progress, we cleared the first five stages (Underground Cemetery, Prison of Despair, Torture Chamber, Inquisition and Quadrangle), and more often than not, it was my own mistakes that lead to me falling to my demise... except  when it comes to the fifth boss, that Hell Bride certainly threw in some pain in ass mechanics that caught me way off guard. In fact that was where I had the most trouble... so I can imagine how the remaining stages are going to go.

At this point, I think I'll slot Catherine in for Next Saturday's stream instead of trying to finish it on Monday, because I have a feeling it'll take me a while to finish it!

On a side note, I did notice the Teddy plush in the Stray Sheep bar for obvious Easter Egg for Persona 4. Which makes sense because from what I understand, the team that worked on Catherine also worked on the Persona games (or at least Persona 5).

For the raid, we dropped in on Kalenal while they were playing Final Fantasy XIV over at twitch.tv/kalenal!  

Catherine Achievements

The Nightmares Have Just Begun.: Conquer Stage 1.

The Great Escape: Conquer Stage 2.

Play It Again, Vince...: Use the jukebox to change the music.

Let My Sheep Go: Conquer Stage 3.

No One Expects the...: Conquer Stage 4.

Push It to the Limit!: Push 5 blocks at once. (Golden Playhouse)

Crossing the Courtyard: Conquer Stage 5.

Stream Clip Links

Well we die!

I'm doomed!

Whoa... Well That happened!

While going through some boxes to see what is going to go to the trash, I found a bunch of games of the Sega Genesis, which were NBA Jame, Sonic & Knuckles, Mortal Kombat 3, Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie, X-Men, Ghostbusters, Madden '94 and NCAA Football. We have the carts and the cases... just not any of the manuals! Still what a find! I know we had more, so I wonder if the others will turn up?

Spoke to mom a few times yesterday, the weekend staff of the facility where she is at for physical therapy wasn't exactly on the ball... hope they'll do better today. We are raising funds in her fight against lung cancer, if you'd like to help out please visit: https://gofund.me/6adf8354

My hot streak of completing short story commission continued with the finishing writing another Dragon Ball story featuring Future Trunks, and I have another request in the works.

Today's Fitness Boxing 2 daily workout featured Intermediate Combo #1, Defensive Combo #2 and Triple Combo #2 for 31 minutes.  

I'm afraid for the calendar. Its days are numbered."

Song of the Day: Someone You Loved by Lewis Capald

For tonight's stream, well you know what day it is, its Sunday night which means its time for Overwatch 2!

So on that note we'll see you later over on twitch.tv/fredcasden!

[fieldsofbone]

someone commented this on a youtube clip of the scene at the end of return of the jedi when luke and leia see obi-wan’s and anakin (but the edit with anakin being hayden)’s force ghosts:

and someone replied with this:

and it’s like my guy if you prefer the original trilogy and have beef with how the sequels were handled, that’s fine! i have my biases too! but to me this is such a reductionist (and frankly elitist) take on what the ethos of the originals — and, particularly, anakin’s arc — is about, which is a blatant rejection of this binary conception of Good and Evil and instead a story about redemption driven by an unfaltering belief in or faith from hope and family. the jedi have long evangelized about what “good” and “evil” are. anakin’s story — specifically luke saving him — shows the pitfalls of this black and white model of thinking that the jedi live by.

taste is subjective and the star wars trilogy to which you attach yourself seems to have much more to do with nostalgia/which one was released or you were raised on as a child etc. etc., but to me what makes the prequels so compelling and heartbreaking is how they expose the cracks inherent in the jedi order that caused everyone around anakin to fail and neglect this young boy they brought into their world (from slavery! who was torn away from his mother — his only real emotional connection to anyone!) who was clearly dealing with trauma and needed institutional support to guide and nurture him but who couldn’t be helped because of the jedi’s stringent rules and procedures. anakin’s “fall” isn’t (at least exclusively) attributable to anything inherent in his personality or self, but rather the surrounding institutional structures that failed him. so the originals and luke’s journey show us how his light and compassion and belief not only in the goodness of his father but in people is able to redeem anakin, release him from the misery and anguish and rage that have consumed his last (near) two decades, and bring him to a resting place among his closest friend/brother.

and for this guy’s takeaway from ALL OF THAT… from this story that spans SIX feature-length films (not including TCW or rebels) to be that Jedi Good and Sith Bad and No In-Between shows that he missed the Entire Fucking Point of the last 40 years’ worth of content. something something who’s a fake star wars fan now something something

[omniversalobservations]

Epic Rap Battles Of History (2021)

Prologue:

All right, I guess I'll be the one to draw First Blood.

Or maybe you could draw an audience to see any of your new movies.

Come out to the coast; we'll have a few laughs. Sounds sweet!

But no, I'm stuck here with these two jerkweeds,

About to kick their ass with bare feet! Argyle, drop the beat! John McClane:

I'll set it off like the top of Nakatomi!

Need a fire hose to swing on you; you're both so below me!

I haven't stopped killing it since Karl's brother, Tony,

And I got your detonators right here, blow me! (Oops!)

Ship your booby traps home, Rambo,

'Cause you'll never take the W without the P and O!

Does your lip hang low? Does it wobble to and fro?

Can you string that shit up on your compound bow?

And lighten up, Wick, with your brooding saga.

How about a little hakuna matata, Baba Yaga?

You got the trousers tapered and the watch, Bucherer,

But your acting falls flatter than the Hans Gruber!

Leave the underground coin game to Mario Brothers.

And John, Bubbe, what the fuck's with the chest butter?

That bandolier looks heavy as shit!

I'm like this prick's ring finger: only need one clip!

C'mon! I been sharp as shattered glass since the late '80s,

And like your late pup, I'll leave you pushing up daisies!

Less is more, boys; that's my advice!

You, less survival knife; you, more survival wife! John Wick:

…Ooh.

I'm gonna need a dinner reservation for two.

John Wick, I'm efficient and lean.

A proficient, professional killing machine!

Underworld overachiever looking dapper as I'm bucking.

Only one of us to go three chapters without sucking.

Between your elevator and the mine where you were trapped,

You're such weiners, I should call you both John Shaft.

I craft rhymes with pencils, then jam 'em in necks,

So I'm not vexed by vets flexing 'roid-injected pecs!

Being excommunicado wasn't more than I could handle,

So I think I can withstand an excremental ex-commando!

And this sad, broken dad-joking popo is no foe

For the hurt-you-oh-so-bad virtuoso!

Ho ho ho to quivers and bows. I'm delivering blows,

And when they land, it won't help to make fists with your toes!

Bitcoin? No. Hitcoin? Certainly.

I'll put you two in tombs, call it cryptocurrency.

Obey your superior like good cops and soldiers.

Raven, Roy, you're done. Over. John Rambo:

Nothing is over! Nothing! You just don't turn it off!

Unless... it's one of your movies. In which case… I just turn it off! Huh!

When I rip off my shirt and start swinging my stick swords,

I'm hotter than the suicide girls on your switchboards!

My headband's red, but I've got no love for commies!

And no juice was used to produce these armies!

Your High Table rules don't apply to this conflict!

I'll finish you right in the lobby! Mission accomplished!

McClane! South is where your marriage went!

The last tight thing you slid in was an air vent!

They used to say you were a handsome crusader.

Too bad your hairline couldn't be saved by Steve Urkel's neighbor. Oh!

I slip into the jungle, disappear like a ghost,

Then ding! I pop up hot behind ya like toast!

I seek peace, but I'm packing Parabellum.

I was trained to be the very best soldier boy! Tell 'em!

I'll blast an RPG through NYPD's guts!

Simon Says you can PTSDeez nuts! John McClane:

Jesus Christ, asshole! Whattaya doing?

This is not some Saturday morning cartoon for you to ruin! John Rambo:

The only thing getting ruined is McClane family Christmas!

All your kids still have "decent dad" on their wishlist! John McClane:

Whoa! Rambo's droppin' bombs in his flows!

Did your pals in the Taliban help you write those? John Wick:

Those were mujahideen; there's a difference.

The Taliban formed in the '90s, when you fell off with a vengeance. John McClane:

Hey! Who the fuck asked you, dog pound?

Why don't you go lock your mouth in a hole in the ground? John Rambo:

Hole! Lock!! Arghhhhgh!!! John Wick:

You're both a funeral suit away from presentable.

I'm thinking I'm back, and I'm thinking you're expendable! John McClane:

You wanna Die Hard? Well, today's a good day!

Let's go, motherfuckers! Yippee-ki-yay!

Scrapped lyrics John Rambo:

You think stepping on glass hurts, McClane?

Do a few tours in 'nam, then you can't complain!

Go home, little piggy, or get butchered by my knife!

I've already dealt with enough asshole cops in my life!

None of you could fit my shoes that is the power of Rambo!

Even Arnold failed to rip my shtick when he went Commando!

I'm Rocky and roll, best soldier you've ever seen!

My rhymes destroy you faster than an M16!

Source: Epic Rap Battles of History Wiki

(images via YouTube)

[jujutsu-headcanons]

Team Tokyo First Years Headcanons

(Ft. Yuji, Megumi, Nobara, Gojo & Sukuna)

Gojo created a group chat with all three students to coordinate things. However, he never knows if Megumi reads the texts because he never says anything (he does), and all Yuji does is send memes, so basically that's its only function now.

Yuji and Nobara created a game: try to take a picture of Gojo with his blindfold off. He takes it off frequently, it's just impossible to catch an image of it. Surprisingly, Megumi of all people has gotten the closest. If you squint, you can see the baby blues.

This escalated into "who can take the ugliest picture of someone without them looking", after capturing an image of Yuji standing next to Gojo's desk with almost four chins. Nobara discovered she has many bad angles and Gojo discovered he's photogenic from ALL angles.

Yuji likes to use Nobara's ugly pictures as reaction images and memes. At first, Nobara beat him up whenever he did, but now as long as they don't leave the first-year chat she doesn't care. She'll even supply them if she's feeling silly.

Gojo started a prank war on accident and it shows no sign of stopping. It started because he enjoys Nobara's over the top reactions. When she found the LIVE snake in her bed (oh boy, everyone's soooo lucky she's good with reptiles), she immediately suspected this was Yuji's doing. She pranked him, he got her back, Megumi walked into a prank on accident, he got them back twice over, and now it just won't stop. Gojo was fully prepared to deal with the consequences, but he isn't complaining.

The First Year prank war is pretty well known around the school, and everyone's learned to stay away from anything that looks suspicious.

Gojo uses this to his advantage too; sometimes he'll pull pranks on the first and even second years just to watch them blame each other. He's even gone as far as pranking Principal Yaga hoping that he would blame the kids, but Yaga knows for a fact it's Gojo. He hasn't done anything about it though. This stresses Gojo.

Most of the time, when they eat out, each student pays for their meal. When Gojo's there he pays for all four of them, and if Yuji tries to use the "I don't have any money" excuse when Nobara decides to stop for a coffee, she'll buy him one too. She holds it against him, though.

If his kids are all craving a certain type of food (i.e. Chinese) Gojo will head out and pick it up and they'll all eat as a family.

Nobara proposed once a month they have a "spa" day. Surprisingly, the other two students agreed. She's allowed to give them manicures and pedicures (so long as she doesn't get carried away), trim and treat their hair, exfoliate their faces, and they help her re-dye her hair. Megumi is a good client, while Yuji gets bitched at a lot for squirming while getting his nails clipped and jerking when he gets his eyebrows plucked.

Yuji also proposed they have a movie night every Friday night. If they're busy, they'll move it to Saturday, or have it earlier in the day during the week. Sometimes the second years will join. Gojo is banned because he's basically seen every movie and always spoils the end. Everyone got mad at Yuji's request to use subtitles but gave up arguing with how loud Yuji chews.

They also have game nights, but they lost the pieces to most board games after Nobara threw them out the window, Megumi is the only one who knows how to play chess and Shogi, and Yuji fears the safety of his controllers after Megumi got dangerously close to beating Nobara in Smash. 

Yuji's room is the main hangout joint because of the electronics he owns. Literally, there's a whole ass common/living room for them to use. However, they go to Nobara's room for a spa day, as long as the boys are gone by sundown.

Gojo knows damn good and well his kids don't like each other in that way and would never have sex with each other, but he still feels the need to give them the talk ™. He's literally given each child a free box of condoms just in case. 

Gojo bought each student customized "if lost, please return to Jujutsu Tech" shirts. Yuji doesn't mind wearing his because it's just another hoodie to him, and Nobara doesn't mind hers because it's a crop top and it's cute. Megumi burned his in front of Gojo. 

Nobara takes the boys shopping a lot. Megumi is surprisingly good at picking out clothes that fit Nobara's physique and taste, and Yuji is there to hype her up when she walks out of the dressing room. He also isn't scared to tell her a dress doesn't look good on her, and she respects that.

Sometimes even Sukuna will pop out and give commentary. He gives really mixed signals, sometimes he tells her how she's not much to look at, sometimes he talks about the things he wants to do to that ass because of how good they look in those jeans. This results in Yuji getting slapped, Nobara yelling something like "Shut it, Fang Face!" And people staring at him funny because of it.

She also buys outfits for the boys and occasionally Gojo, because she's tired of hoodies and black. She was just as shocked as the rest when Megumi walked out in his outfit. He only wore it to shut her up, though, and hasn't worn it since.

No matter what they're doing, Yuji is ALWAYS the DJ. He has playlists for almost every occasion (spa day, sparring practice, car rides, game nights, even the times they just chill in the same room on their phones) and the only person that really complains is Sukuna, but only because he hates the Backstreet Boys.

Yuji bursts out in song a lot. No matter what he's doing, he'll just start singing. If they know it, Nobara and Gojo will join in too. Always ends in a giggle fit.

Sometimes Gojo's hand slips and boom! He has 18 dozen cookies instead of 4. He's been known to wrap the cookies up in nice tins and packages and leave them outside the kid's doors.

Gojo has also been known to cook meals for the kids and drop them off. This helps because Megumi is basically the only one who can actually cook. Yuji thinks instant ramen is okay for every meal, and Nobara burns food in a way it's still edible but you don't really want it.

The kids play wrestle, a lot. Yuji was scared to at first because the only one who really wants to fight is Nobara, but he learned quickly she can both take and deliver a punch just fine. She also isn't one of those girls that gets upset if there's an accidental grope, which is cool.

This is how the others discovered Megumi is ticklish. Yuji probably still has the scar and Nobara doesn't dare try to tickle him again.

Yuji fell asleep once and woke up to Sukuna's mouth on his cheek having a full-blown conversation with Nobara while she was reading a magazine. He swears they were gossiping about boys, but as soon as Yuji was awake enough to pay attention, Sukuna noticed and started bullying him. To this day Nobara still thinks she was talking to Yuji the whole time because she never noticed he fell asleep.

Yuji can fall asleep almost anywhere. Nobara draws on his face a lot. He's spent countless nights on Megumi's floor just because he's too lazy to move literally one room over.

Nobara has a habit of walking into the boys' rooms without knocking. Megumi is usually laying in bed on his phone or sitting at his desk, however, she's walked into Yuji doing some weird shit. Not gross shit, just... Concerning shit.

Once she walked in on him crying and didn't know what to do. She just kinda walked in and sat down with him until he stopped, occasionally rubbing his back. They didn't say a word until Yuji made a joke and Nobara continued with why she even came into his room, to begin with.

The three students are surprisingly supportive of each other like that, it's just kinda awkward and passive-aggressive at times. Sometimes they even confide in Gojo, and he takes it seriously, surprisingly.

Gojo has a Tik Tok account. He participates in every challenge, every dance, every trend, and apparently has a huge following. Yuji gets featured in the videos sometimes when he isn't recording, and he's mostly doing the stupid shit Gojo does, like doing backflips on building ledges.

While Tik Tok is Gojo's forte Yuji has done video game commentary on twitch and yt live. Megumi is quite popular on subreddits about urban legends and related folklore, and Nobara helps maintain blogs about current events, but... It's mostly celebrity gossip and new music.

Every Saturday is chore day and no one's allowed to do leisurely activities or leave until they're done. Rooms and hallways have to be vacuumed, swept, mopped, whatever. Gojo checks that the rooms aren't dirty. He doesn't mind clutter, he just hates wrappers and shit being left around. He especially pays attention to the cleanliness of the bathrooms for some reason. Megumi is good about cleaning his room throughout the week, Nobara usually just has clutter on her nightstand and dresser, and Yuji waits until the last minute to clean.

The first years used to do their laundry separately, but Nobara threw a temper tantrum when she witnessed Yuji just throw all of his clothes in the washer at once and simply turn it on. Now normally, she wouldn't help anyone get out of work, but she also likes things being done the right her way, so she does his laundry for him. Megumi got involved somehow and now they throw all of their clothes in the same basket and divide them by darks, colors, whites, and delicates. She refuses to let any of their overly- soiled clothes touch hers, so those usually get their own wash too. Each student folds and puts away their own clothes. 

Most arguments end with rock paper scissors. Pinkie promises are also sacred.

Gojo keeps a sticker board in the classroom. Whenever the kids do something good, they get a star. Whenever they do something bad, one gets taken away. When they get to five stickers they get a prize from the treasure box.

No one has gotten to five stars yet. This is good because there is no treasure box. Gojo is bullshitting everyone.

Yuji likes to steal Megumi's stickers because he thinks Megumi will not notice. He does every time.

Gojo has a stool in the corner of the classroom complete with a horribly cliche dunce cap he calls "the Naughty Corner" for when the kids "act up". Nobara ends up there because she's always on her phone, Megumi mouths off a lot and has days where he doesn't feel like doing work, and poor Yuji ends up in the naughty corner because Sukuna can't behave.

[bonvoyagenoona]

About Me | 10: Remember That Time I Saw BTS in LA

I was going to one concert. One. Maybe. If there were tickets. And if I could swing it.

This wasn’t just a trip. This was a pilgrimage. One that changed my life.

That’s all I keep thinking as I get ready to watch the Permission to Dance LA delayed replay tonight. Though I haven’t fully processed my trip, I thought I’d share more stories from my travels. Writing this mostly to document for myself, but welcoming you along if you’d like to join me! (Also, here is one of many photos in which I am choosing to believe that Yoongi is looking directly at me. Let me have this.)

I swear I’m not being hyperbolic. The transformative nature of my trip started to become evident when, that Friday, I got off the plane in LA, grabbed my shuttle, and found myself in a sea of international ARMY. It is absolutely, discombobulatingly wild to go from feeling like the only ARMY you “know in real life” to suddenly dropping into the Purple Ocean in broad daylight. There were fellow noona ARMY from Korea; they had made group jackets for the trip, with the words KOREAN ARMY stitched on the back in purple, and a Korean flag patch placed on their left upper arms. There were four Brazilian ARMY, also with flags in tow, excitedly squealing about their plans. I could tell they were Namjoon, Jin, Jungkook, and Hobi stans from the photocards they had in their phone cases. And at each stop along the airport gates, we just kept adding to the bunch. Soon, I found myself at the hotel check-in line behind rows and rows of Chimmys, Shookys, and Tatas clipped to pre-teen backpacks, young women’s luggage, mothers’ purses, and begrudgingly present boyfriends’ duffel bags.

As I made my way to my room, I thought about everything that led me here. My co-worker, who is technically my direct report lol, got me into BTS at the end of 2019. She is a mastermind; it’s not surprising at all that Namjoon is her bias. She and her group of adorable and hilarious friends had run several ticketing plays to ensure fantastic seats, looping me into the process and largely protecting me from the bloodbath (though @m-yg93 and I got a little glimpse of that insanity together!). Through my co-worker, and through @m-yg93 , I went from maybe potentially trying to get a ticket for the Saturday show to getting 3 tickets for Days 1, 2, and 4. I even ended up with a Day 3 ticket, but that ended up going to someone who wasn’t going to get to see any of the shows!

That magical ARMY goodwill helped me decompress that evening. I started conserving my energy as soon as I could rest. I ordered food, downloaded Eaze 🤣, and just… relaxed. I felt a little alone without my family, as we’re pretty tight-knit, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that Under the Tuscan Sun and The Godfather parts I and II (my dad’s top 3 favorite movies) were playing back-to-back on the hotel TV. Everything eventually fell away, and I was overtaken by the excitement that 1) I was going to get to meet ARMY face-to-face; 2) I was going to get to see BTS for the first time; and, 3) most importantly, I was going to get to reconnect with old friends, and finally get to meet new ones in person.

Many of you have been so warm and welcoming to this space. I was admittedly nervous to meet internet friends, worried that I wouldn’t shape up somehow. I was even nervous to post my fits and face reveals. But as I geared up for Saturday / Day 1 / Jungkook Day, I started to get excited. Coming up with my bias line fits made me so happy, and getting to put those stompin’ boots on and evoke Jungkook’s spirit brought a huge smile to my face.

Getting to So-Fi was a breeze. My conversation with my Lyft driver was about Thanksgiving dinners, family stress, and the pure, distracting love that a grandchild can have for you. She wished me well and gave me advice on how to navigate through the evening. ARMY also made it so easy. People were kind, respectful, and exciting. So many fantastic smiles, colors, outfits, laughs, and hugs. I thankfully got there early enough that I didn’t run into many of the issues that other ARMY experienced, like the mad rush to get inside before the show started. I also was able to meet @m-yg93​ / JJ in person and spent some time with her and her friend in line before the show! We caught some of the soundcheck floating outside, and, just like you said JJ, when we hear Life Goes On, we will think of each other!

I was lucky enough to share seats with my co-worker’s friend, whom I hadn’t seen in years! Her bias is Hobi, and every time he popped up, she’d SCREAM suddenly and unexpectedly, in short, excited, thrilled bursts, making me laugh and all the more fond of her.

Needless to say, the show was incredible. The boys were incredible. The stage production was incredible. The band was incredible. Yoongi’s ginger hair was incredible. The special songs were We are Bulletproof: the Eternal, I Need U, and Answer: Love Myself, and they were also incredible. The energy the entire night was so electric. I can’t express how touching it was to be part of the ARMY bomb wave, and how much more excited I was for the upcoming shows as a result.

That night, I left completely energized. It was colder than I had anticipated, but I didn’t feel it. I did, however, notice that two adorable people next to me were shivering, their arms pulled into their sleeves. I was in the rideshare line with them, in front of The Forum, and one of them asked if we could share rideshares, welcoming me to join theirs if theirs arrived first. We chatted a bit, and they shared that they were from Iowa, had never been to a concert before, let alone a BTS concert, and were experiencing all of this for the first time. My generous Lyft driver thankfully didn’t cancel the ride, despite all the chaos. He actually stayed on the phone with us as we found our way to a location that was more convenient for him, and the ride ended with all of us giggling about how awesome BTS is. A very precious memory for me. The night ended with me having more gummies, ordering a pizza to the room, and basking in the post-concert glow. I fell asleep with my makeup on.

Sunday / Day 2 was Yoongi day. I got to hang out with Shenee from Grown Ass Fandom / GAF! Shenee, I was so excited that we got to meet and have lunch. Chatting with you that day felt exactly like chatting with you over the past few months via our texts and tweets — it felt like we've been doing it forever! You are smart, funny, and fun to be around, and you're doing amazing things with your work and creativity! And the shrimps were amazing! 🤣

Shenee's energy made the day so positive, and I carried that energy around as I got to meet more ARMY, like these fabulous ladies in line, and this wonderful noona. Someone — an anon, haha — recognized me as BVN in my Yoongified red flannel, and that… that made a huge, huge impact on me. 💜 Very touching.

I was lucky enough to get floor seats with @audreonne​ (hi, we had so much fun with you!) and sat with Kassy while @skyys-universe​ / Skyy watched at YouTube Theater next door! To get to the floor, we had to walk down a winding, wide hall, several levels deep. Presumably to keep us entertained and cheery, they had posted these cute lyric boxes on the wall. I snapped a picture of a particularly meaningful one for me.

Entering the floor venue was wild. Going from nosebleeds to the floor of the arena gave me such a great appreciation for how big SoFi really is, and, in turn, how big BTS truly is. Seeing all that purple. I still get chills thinking about it.

Watching everyone get hype to all the music videos, especially when the house lights dimmed, really touched my heart. At any given time, you could hear ARMY singing along, cheering, or screaming, or laughing. Everyone was happy. People even burst into tears at how overwhelmingly beautiful it all was.

I was able to process more of the show now that the initial shock had worn off. This was the most immersive, most intense, and happiest experience I’ve ever had at a concert. Being that close was indescribable. Kassy works in the entertainment industry, and so getting to hear her takes on the show’s production was fascinating. I loved what they did with the visuals on screen, as well as all the lighting. The lasers, the fireworks, the fire flumes. It was all incredible and made the experience feel otherworldly. I loved what they did with Boy with Luv, showing images on the screen in text cutouts. Reminded me of my desktop backgrounds!

Obviously, Megan Thee Stallion was incredible live, and her appearance brought a huge surge of energy to the entire evening! I take it that most people didn’t know she was going to be there, though Twitter and early ARMY were already starting to spread the word from soundcheck.

Day 2 had other fantastic moments. The Black Swan confetti that fell during the performance. The streamers during So What, which felt absolutely thrilling and amazing. SQUID GAME JIN (WITH YOONGI SINGING). Getting to see I’m Fine, Epilogue: Young Forever, and SPRING DAY. Seeing the boys so clearly up close. And I maintain that Yoongi and I held eye contact multiple times, and for prolonged periods of time (shh, please let me have this).

Before leaving that night, Kassy and I took a moment to just sit in it. Revel in it. Emotionally process it. And it made all the difference.

Monday and Tuesday were also super fun. Spending some time with family. Met up with a cousin I hadn’t seen in 14 years, and another I hadn’t seen in perhaps even longer. I’m so proud of these cousins, too. The first cousin and I had ramen together and chatted about her beautiful family. The second cousin and I had tea and Korean fried chicken together, and we chatted about her incredibly impressive dissertation on the Filipino-American experience, involving research on how colonialism has shaped our identity, from the way our people were first "introduced" to the US at the World's Fair, to how the current OFW system has been propped up as the main economic pipeline for the Philippines. She argues that because our culture, which is heavily influenced by a unique relationship with the US, doesn't have other specific hallmarks, we aren't actually Asian Americans. It's a fascinating point and one that I'm so eager to continue learning about through her work. I'm so proud of her for dedicating her life to this research, and for toughing out the challenges that grad school brings. It was also pretty cool that our waitress was playing the Snoh Aalegra Radio Mix on Spotify; I told her that her playlist was absolute fire, and she ended up telling us about seeing her and Queen Sad Horny Girl SZA in Vegas. 

Lots of conversations about music, actually. Like how I enjoyed driving around. Going down to Costa Mesa to meet my cousins was super fun. My Lyft driver for the trip down asked if I was from LA or just visiting, and from there, we talked about BTS, the fact that he is also a producer/musician, and how he has missed being on stage since COVID began. Getting to learn about his music, his style, his dreams, and his goals, was fascinating. We just kept sharing tracks back and forth, and I was a little sad we couldn't continue our conversation! And another Lyft driver played Beastie Boys the entire time, which was rad as hell set against the LA backdrop.

Tuesday night, I went to the Club 90’s BTS rave with Shenee. It was so cool to meet Mae and Mari, who organized and spread the word about the rave! I never go out and just dance like that, but I felt so safe and had such a good time with ARMY that night. The night started with Shenee's wonderful hospitality, Alfred's adorableness, and a weed-infused drink, and it ended with amazing tacos and laughs.

Wednesday through Friday morning, I was all Skyy and Kassy’s! They were very generous in showing me around Universal on Wednesday, giving me the insider's view and ensuring that I hit every ride! I loved the special effects, getting to see Harry Potter World, and chatting even more with Skyy and Kassy. The studio tour was incredible; I've always wanted to be a film/TV writer, and I actually teared up a bit because we got to see where they shot The Good Place (you all know by now how much I love Mike Schur's work!!). I wondered if Namjoon might appreciate the tour, too.

That night, we got Indonesian food, something I was beyond excited to share with Skyy, as Indonesian and Filipino cultures have lots of overlap! My dish was incredible, and the restaurant was amazing! They then took me to get Salt & Straw ice cream, something we later learned that Hobi did while he was in LA as well! Just an amazing treat to end the day!

What I loved most was just getting to talk with Skyy and Kassy about tons of things. Our passions, our lives, our struggles, our dreams. Getting to "cube" them was super fun! And it all just felt so natural, like we'd always been friends.

It made getting ready for Thursday / Day 4 / Jin Day that much more amazing. It had been a while since we all had a day of girly chat and pampering. They let me do their hair! And we listened to kpop the entire day. Kassy was so generous to drive us around and get us there safely, and she had a fantastic idea of passing out these beautiful light paintings as gifts for ARMY, a trend that many other ARMY had done!

The show was insane. They performed the set list that we were already familiar with, plus Home and Mikrokosmos. Skyy and I had to pinch ourselves constantly to make sure we weren't in a fever dream. And seeing Chris Martin at the end was a wonderful surprise. The boys were so heartfelt, and it just felt like such an absolute gift to send them off. Plus, Squid Game Jin made a reappearance for his birthday!

The post-concert come-down was hard to deal with, but I still had one extremely important leg of my trip. Skyy and Kassy sent me off to the airport with coffee, croissants, jokes about beachy dudes, and a Brad Pitt sighting! It was bittersweet to say goodbye, but I'm so glad that we were able to connect and strengthen our bonds.

I was beyond excited to get on the plane, encouraged by even more BT21 characters on fellow ARMY's bags, and make my way to Portland to meet @mochilatae​ / Roomie in person!!!!

Portland from Friday through Sunday was absolutely divine. Roomie spoiled me with her love, her laughs, and her hilarious FACES! All we did was spend a lazy, hazy weekend at our hotel, hanging out at Powell’s Books, grabbing meals with her beautiful family, and getting to share our inside jokes out loud, in our full voices. We talked about our lives, how we came to be the people we are, WRITING (god I love talking about writing with you, Roomie!), Jerisol, cubes, and even more about her wonderful family. We talked about so much, even in the moments where we had to say so little. Could spend forever eating sushi and watching Cast Away with you, dear, dear friend.

Coming home was incredible. Nevermind that Namjoon was also flying to Texas and taking pictures of the moon…

It was also just really great to see my parents again. They were so kind to pick me up at the airport. Y’know, a lot of AMOMK comes from my family life, and while they aren’t nearly as showy or outrageous, they are very loving parents who encouraged me to go on this trip. They always encourage me to live fearlessly, to take advantage of opportunities set before me, to pay kindness forward, and to spread joy. I can’t tell you how many people in their lives rave about how beautiful they are as individuals, and as a couple. They’re my heroes, and it means a lot to me that they find such happiness in my own happiness. They even encourage my fanfiction? Filipino parents who encourage their daughter to write smutty, smutty fanfic. Imagine that. Imagine my mom desperately eager to show my aunties all the smut I write. It’s hilarious. And it warms my heart.

So, that was my trip. A mix of memories that I’ll never forget, some expected, most completely surprising, in the best way possible. Moments with strangers that only happen once in a lifetime. Friendship bonds solidified even though we may be hundreds of miles apart. Family connections renewed. And all because BTS brought us together. All because you, fellow ARMY, have been such a positive light in my life.

I guess I’m writing this to process things, but also to say thank you. Thank you for welcoming me into the fandom. Thank you for being so kind. For reading along with me, and now, traveling along with me. It has been such a journey, and I’m so, so grateful. 

Video clips of more of the trip and the boys coming after the replay! Y’all enjoy!