#1) song FUCKING SLAPS 2) art SO good 3) designs SO fun

[brofisting]

Thiago Pantaleão & Lukinhas - Konoha (Clipe Oficial)

hi yes i'm going to need every single person who has ever even HEARD of naruto to watch this RIGHT now

[syrinq]

sy's fun list of petty spite things for the most irrelevant shit in the world ever

i love being a picky hater and tuning things to meet my tastes a 100%. also making lists is fun

1) one of the first ever instances of me being picky as shit, is me individually handpicking textures from ~10 minecraft packs to merge them into my own custom one. this was so i'd like ALL textures and not be bothered by the majority of birch textures

I Would Be Nothing Without My Birch

2) another minecraft example is me at age 13 modifying and adding about 600+ skins to personalise my minecraft comes alive mod. because i LOATHED seeing the same skin for every guard in every village i'd encounter time and time again

3) reinstalling my entire sims 3 folder every few years or so, to once again have a hopeless attempt at running it smoothly. then realising the sims 3 camera just fucking sucks and everything else is mostly fine once optimised through bazillions of config edits and mods. also spending 4329320934820 years on sims resource and scouring tumblr blogs to find the most nichest and funniest types of custom content, resulting in 5gb of merged content. because merging packages is your best friend.

4) following an extremely particular naming + sorting structure for my folders, files, art wips, and so on and so forth. so it's all Cohesive And Good. if i catch myself misusing ONE single symbol or capital letter I Will Scream. downloads are never to be grouped by date. old-fashioned alphabet sorting my beloved

5) as a continuation to refine 4 further, currently i'm editing custom .ico files for my folders, because for some reason picked thumbnails from files-within-the-folder never stick. fuck you windows 10. I Will Circumvent Your Shitty Ways By Being Extremely Petty And Going Through Efforts Like These To Make Everything Cohesive And Nice For Myself. I Work On Visuals, Baby!

look at this. This Fucks

6) in this house we sort by 'the' and 'a' and similar title prefixes. no, i don't care i'll have a million names starting with 'the', IT STARTS WITH 'THE' SO IT'S INCLUDED FOR SORTING. one of the biggest reasons i hate the steam library sorting, because for some reason 'the' & whatever's included in the screenshot page. this makes 0 sense to me.

7) currently i'm also reigniting my love for character design and I WILL design these .png beasts as i and only i desire and not cater to whatever furries are popular right now. fuck the 'less is more' shit I'M SLAPPING PATTERNS ON THESE BEASTS

8) switched to android, because the biggest dealbreaker (besides iOS being shit generally) was the fact that iOS made song album art 1px by 1px on the home screen & that utterly devastated me. HOW ELSE AM I TO LOOK AT GOOD ART AND SEE WHAT SONG I'M LISTENING TO

This Should Be Illegal + I Only Stayed With The Brand Because I Was Already Used To It + Lame

9) I WILL revert your shitty border-radius images back to square. we LOVE EM POINTY, BOYS

10) changed default samsung keyboard to gboard, because the location of special symbols on the former annoyed the Shit Out Of Me. It Is So Unnaturelle. also gboard comes in cool colours that are unobtrusive enough to use

My Beloved Gradient

11) i will kill off whatever lore is canon if i make an oc based on some franchise. i will put a new jacket on them and suck them by vacuum into my own ocverse. because fuck them mafia hunting some 10-yo's electric mouse for sport

12) in 99.9% of cases ips, fics, whatever exists, always has something that irks me. i will crack my own knuckles and bend the ip so bad in my own files for my own entertainment

13) when a (prime) warframe's default skin is so god fucking awful to look at, 'cause of all the normal tex lines, I WILL put on a skin that's easier on the eyes. because fuck them details. fuck details in general btw i hate 4328943032 ornaments accessories etc

14) i will go out of my way where possible & fitting, to mod in an armour mod so my game protagonist can always be Cool & Unperceivable. because fuck them humans in fictional settings. fuck them relatable moments. i refuse to be a woman in monster hunter unless i can wear male armour without the need to show off my tits or anime-esque face. thanks

15) i will forever be a :P and :D and :] girlie. i Refuse to use emojis Unironically in 90% of cases. the remaining 10% of cases is using 😊 to convey gratitude to a boomer through text messages so i can be understood better. i'd rather unironically use the horrific lenny ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) than stoop as low as 🥺

16) i used to type 'you' as 'u' circa 2016 and something inside me viscerally dies, whenever i witness another using it. especially in a serious convo context or they do pull some confession or whatever. in this case it's none of my biz tho so who care

17) shit like the fibonacci sequence can sound fancy and like some delicious pasta, but i will refuse to use it. ever. you'll catch me dead before i'll utilise the golden ratio in stuff like artworks to ''make a cooler composition'' or whatever other bullshit effect it theoretically emits. you'll catch me dead calling an important game location a weenie, just because that's somehow a term introduced in fun park design & it was used to link to game design. a fucking WEENIE. fucking wieners.

STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM ME YOU SINNER

18) anyone who made a significant change in their lives, without being educated on it or prep as much as possible, eg. getting a shit-breather of a persian cat, immediately gets -100 relationship and -100 morality points with me but i'll never ever mention this. fuck you and your untaught swine ass prioritising cutesy bullshit above health

19) besides common courtesy 'n all that, a huge deal breaker for any housemate, is eating microwaved ready meal pasta. especially if it's got cheese in it. that shit reeks worse than whatever i shit out during my period, and it goes as far as the bahamas. use microwaved rice instead god fucking damn. EVEN SEAFOOD IS BETTER

20) i will Absolutely Not stand on a damp bathroom mat that was made damp by someone else. that shit is Disgusting. same goes for warm toilet seats besides the stank, after someone took a wicked shit. I Need To Wait At Least 15 Minutes To Ensure Stank Gone.

21) i always liked seeing the offspring of my flight rising but despised clicking through 84920328032 names in offspring lists. my solution? like most in the excel sheet fandom, i made a personal database that lists visuals of every. single. dragon. i've hatched. as well as another database that keeps track of lineages in a visual family tree. these things are several years old and still going and I Am Unironically Actually Obsessed With This

22) using surtitles (above text) to caption media is a Sin. i will break into your house and exterminate your ass. subtitles are Neatest below the media, in the Center. As It Should Be For Bottoms. i also despise subtitles moved below the character that says it, but this can stay as it's easier for the deaf and whatever. either way I Will Break Your Media by moving the subs or completely turning them off. Fuck You.

23) uneven numbers are far more superior than even numbers and it's a Great Bonus point when lists end on uneven numbers. hell yeah brother. bye

[after-the-shapes-and-beats]

Okay time for talking about ideas/concepts/trivia I haven't explored!! A lot is old stuff but some is new, lots of thinking lately lol.

Also a reminder you can totally ask me questions if you're interested in something I haven't mentioned or want something elaborated further on. <3

I was going to introduce Barracuda, Lycanthropy, and the other player shapes as characters, at different points and under different circumstances of course. I did post one concept of Barracuda, but the others haven't graced this blog yet. (Still have to finalise all their designs/redesigns lol)

Was going to do a lot of Q & Square unofficially adopted parent/child moments. Didn't have anything specific planned but just really looked forward to the potential fluff/angst etc. of it all lol

I was also gonna do shameless Square/Fresh shipping lmao. Its my story they can kiss if I want!!

Chip was gonna get a girlfriend. :)

Was going to bring up Qs past. It wasn't going to be super important/relevant in the long run, but it was going to be discussed.

I reeeaaally wanted to do some animatics. I'm not brilliant at that kind of thing but god I couldn't get them out of my head lol. Still can't haha. Especially one for the track "first crush" by Sabrepulse. ;)

This is a newer thought but I’ve been exposed to some new songs recently via my sibling playing rhythm games and GOD some of those tracks really made me go “I NEED to incorporate this into my jsab au somehow”. They slap dude. These songs fuck severely and I need to choreograph fight scenes to them.

A BIG concept I wanted to introduce was individuals having a "true song" (still workshopping the name) intrinsic to them that gives them their abilities. Square can hear them if he listens carefully. :)

Qs true song was gonna be a big reveal haha. It's not Close To Me. :^)

Considering the start of the blog was set approx. maybe only 1 or 2 months after the event of the game, there was gonna be a lot of Processing Trauma. Fresh is a recently rehabilitated force of destruction. Square just remembered he's basically god. It's all a lot to come to terms with haha. Denial can only last so long lol.

The main plot thing I wanted to eventually get to was basically "where did square come from and what are the repercussions of inserting himself among the mortals he created?"

I haven't pinpointed any characters' ages other than "around this area". Except Huey. Huey is definitely 17 lol. Everyone else is solidly an adult. Square and Fresh are mentally young adults. (Immature young adults, but still. Lol)

Before the game Chip lived mostly at sea, but after everything she decided to settle down to be close to her friends. :) She still spends a good amount of time out on the water, but she has people and a place to come home to now. uwu

Huey's special interest is flying/flying machines! When he and Square met in the factory, he was actually testing out a small single person craft he built when he got stuck.

Fresh is really into his creative hobbies. After knowing only destruction, creating is really fun and healing for him. :)

Q has a plethora of skills, most are expected because they live rurally and try to be as self sufficient as possible, but some are very out of left field lol.

Square likes dresses and being barefoot because of sensory issues, and swooshy dresses are very stimmy. :)

Sleeves don't agree with Fresh and his weird arms lol so he wears exclusively sleeveless shirts. God forbid he ever have to attend a formal event.

Fresh seems like the biggest source of potential angst, and yeah there's a lot there, but Square actually has more baggage of the two! While Fresh is up front about his traumas and insecurities, Square keeps all his stuff to himself. Fresh gets to hear a little bit but only because the two of them just understand and relate to each other in a way the others couldn't.

Aaaand that’s everything I’ve got I think!! I need to work on like, proper ref art and bios for the characters and stuff. Develop some underdeveloped aspects some more. I also need to shitpost more lol. Again feel free to ask questions or whatever!! I don’t currently really know how to move forward other than occasionally posting art so responding to you guys’ thoughts/suggestions for drawings or whatever would be good.

Love youuuu! <3

[exocbxmp3]

no one asked but here’s the anime I’ve watched while in the pandemicverse and my thoughts on them. it’s actually a Lot for me bc I never really watched the genre ever in my life before these quote unquote unprecedented times. and yeah also these are all pretty much only the current popular ones but I’m not sitting through 60 seasons of naruto & friends or something obscure like “my sister turned into a left shoe and jumped 12,000 years into the future” so anyway here ya go

my hero academia: I like this one, it’s fun and upbeat with lots of kooky characters. I heard the fans are cringe compilation station tho but thankfully I can’t read 8/10

demon slayer: still in the process of watching this one and it slaps but man it definitely loses some points for me when they introduce those super demon slayers whatever they’re called, the ones w/ the single personality trait each and the worst character designs in history. legit looks like the circus came to town whenever they’re on screen. 8/10

jujutsu kaisen: i, from the bottom of my heart, don’t understand the plot of this one at all but the art style and soundtrack are completely insane 9.5/10

dr. stone: one of my favs this show literally gets me hyped over some guy making a lightbulb 10/10

bungou stray dogs: I thought this was like your boilerplate anime before I realized i was watching two anime emo supremes fight f. scott fitzgerald on top of blimp that’s actually moby dick reimagined and careening out of the sky at 1000 miles an hour then I figured it was actually something really special 10/10

one piece: I did not and will not watch all 1000 episodes of this but I hear it play on tv when my husband watches it and it makes him super happy and I love him so 10/10 ❤️

promised neverland: I can’t remember watching this but it’s showing up as continue watching on hulu so uh 3/10

attack on titan: 3 seasons of ??? and then another of war crimes idk maybe 6.5/10 because I think the plot is interesting but a little 2 scary 4 me

tokyo ghoul: what a darksided sad depressing show why do you all like it so much are you okay. i seriously thought I’d need (more) therapy after season 1, season 2 was boring, and then it became completely unwatchable 2/10

blue exorcist: fun show but ended as soon as it really started, legit a prologue to a show that never came so that was weird 6/10 (no I’m not checking out the books i don’t need supplemental reading material for anime)

fire force: thought it was cute at first then it got very strange and intense. plot is complete mumbo jumbo but im always rooting for fire feet boy so I guess it’s good because it makes me care. also the second intro song fucks 8/10

tokyo revengers: actually a very poignant story about gang violence but also has the most nonsensical use of time travel ive ever seen in a piece of media outside of a m4rvel property but also why are they all like 12 lmao 7/10

one punch man: caped baldy my beloved 100/10

[soundsof71]

FIVE ALBUMS YOU NEED IN YOUR LIFE RIGHT NOW!!!

aka, My Top 5 of 2020, but I didn’t want to seem too retro!

Yep, I have a classic rock blog. Yep, I think that the best rock and roll in history is being made RIGHT NOW. And yep, ALL of it is being made by women. 

(Shown at top, Nova Twins by Ant Adams [x] and The Tissues by Michael Espleta [x]. I was planning to make a collage of all my faves in concert, but  not all of them were able to play in 2020. Both of these photos are pre-pandemic.)

There’s been quite a bit of movement on this list, and all five of these have spent some time at Number 1 as the year has done (gestures broadly) All This™. Anyone looking for rock and roll is going to dig any of these. 

Rocking out is just the start of it, though. Wrestling with my bipolarity and schizophrenia is tough on a good day, and there haven’t been too many of those lately. The plague has also taken its toll around me, with two family members dead and a third who’s doing better, but will likely never be all the way back. (Mask up, kids!)

I’ve written plenty about how deeply Taylor Swift and Phoebe Bridgers have moved me this year (and will do so again), but in those rare stretches where I’ve had enough spare energy to listen to music at all these days, I’ve mostly been looking for more than beautiful music. Heavy times need heavy lifting, and I find that in heavy music. 

The five albums here have all helped carry me, pointing the way toward light.

1) BULLY, SUGAREGG

Alicia Bognanno is a force of nature as a guitarist, vocalist, composer, and producer/engineer. (While working on her degree in audio engineering at MTSU, she interned with Steve Albini, who remains both a fan and an admirer). A Nashville transplant from Minnesota, she’s still a natural fit in her home on Sub Pop: as heavy as Soundgarden, as hooky as Sleater-Kinney. 

I was blown away hearing her searing honesty while working through her discoveries of her bisexuality and bipolarity (double bi!), and her triumphant roar lifts me out of my seat every time I listen.

“She sings the hell out of [these songs], her voice fraying to the point of combustion every time she launches to the top of her range. This is phenomenal music for converting anger and anxiety into unbound joy.” ~Stereogum, Album of the Week

Also, check this fantastic interview with Alicia in the New York Times talking about what she’s gone through to get here. 

TURN IT UP!

2) GANSER, LOOK AT THAT SKY

Ganser syndrome is a rare dissociative disorder characterized by nonsensical or wrong answers to questions and other dissociative symptoms such as fugue, amnesia or conversion disorder, often with visual pseudohallucinations and a decreased state of consciousness. ~Wikipedia #it me

‘Just Look At That Sky’ doesn’t presume to offer solutions; it’s an honest document of what it feels like to wade through anxiety, day by day, not a survival guide or handbook of answers none of us actually have. Whether or not you pay attention to this, Ganser are simply one of the most invigorating, exciting new bands. ~Clashmusic

I saw one very positive review compare Ganser to a cross between Fugazi and Sonic Youth, but I think they hit much, much harder than either of those. And as you can surely guess, I also deeply relate to their themes of mental illness and dissociation while trying to make it through All This™. But my god, are they TIGHT. This is a BAND.

Ganser has two fantastic lead vocalists, and on “Bad Form”, bassist/vocalist Alicia Gaines wrote the song for the voice of keyboardist/vocalist Nadia Garofolo. Alicia also wrote a FANTASTIC essay on the strains that making an album during a pandemic puts on the mental health of the entire band at talkhouse: “Writing, recording, reaching out, balancing relationships outside and within the band, I found (and still find) myself under-rested and agitated to no particular end. More than not doing enough, I was not enough.” 

(If you can’t relate to that, I can’t relate to you, tbh.)

This video also does a fantastic job of showing dissociation. TURN IT UP!

3) THE TISSUES, BLUE FILM

“Blue Film” is a ten-song shot of dagger-twisting electro-(s)punk. It’s completely addictive from the very first listen. The tour de force is “Rear Window”, an art-punk masterpiece of slashing guitars and mad caterwauling. Copious doses of jaunty poetics and social commentary reward the earlooker patient enough to untangle Kristine Nevrose’s hysterical meowing about intergalactic salt shakers and hysterectomies, but I’m too emotionally invested to look under the hood.” ~ Sputnik Music

“Rear Window” is in fact my most-played 2020 track. TURN IT UP!

4) GUM COUNTRY, SOMEWHERE

It’s not all heavy! But even when I’m looking for something light and hooky, I need a bite, and Gum Country has done it with the kind of swirly, feeedback-laden wall of sound that Lush or Yo La Tengo would make if they lived in LA. (Recent transplants to SoCal from Vancouver, I do think that the sunshine has gone straight to their heads, in the very best way.)

Indie music nerds will know guitarist/composer/singer/front woman Courtney Garvin from The Courtneys, and she really does throw up a glorious wall of sound. I adore this video too! Sweet, swinging, fun -- and yes, the drummer is playing keyboard with one hand while slapping the skins with the other! 

I mentioned earlier that all five of these albums have spent part of the year at #1 on my list -- I think that this one might have spent the longest stretch there. Like all shoegaze, even as hooky as this, the truth of these songs is revealed in VOLUME. TURN IT UP!

5) NOVA TWINS, WHO ARE THE GIRLS?

Now, THIS is heavy! Amy Lee (vocals, guitar) and Georgia South (bass) are fucking LOUD, and insanely intense. A mix of grime, hip-hop, metal, punk, and good old rock and roll, they’re a harder-hitting, more theatrical Prodigy, with a pyre of intensity that recalls the heaviest howls of Rage Against The Machine. Indeed, Nova Twins spent a good bit of 2019 playing heavy metal festivals and toured as openers for Prophets of Rage. (Tom Morello has been a fan and supporter from the beginning.)

As you may have noted in the photo at the top of this post, their musical audacity extends to visuals too: they design their own clothes, hair, and makeup, they art direct their own videos, and more. They impress the hell out of me, and I’ve been a huge fan since hearing their first singles in 2018. I’ll plant a flag and say that Georgia South in particular is the most innovative musician on any instrument in any genre right now, but they’re both absolutely monsters. 

I’m honestly not at all sure that #5 is high enough for this, but I’m absolutely certain that after this video, you’re gonna need to rest for a little. LOL

“Taxi” is the story of two gleefully and creatively violent women shaking up the local crime syndicate as they use a vintage cab for their moving murder scene. This is the movie that Robert Rodriguez wishes he was making with Sin City, if it were combined with Blade Runner and The Matrix. And gangsters. And a snake.

I’m gonna take your crown I’m gonna, I’m gonna bleed you out We demand it by the hour We devour, control, power

I’m gonna burn it down Even the, even the royals bow

So not the same kind of therapeutic work being explored on this rekkid, but you know what? Fucking shit up is therapeutic too! 

Definitely take this full screen, and for the love of fuck, TURN IT UP!

SO. Not done with the best of 2020 yet? I’m sure not! A lot of my favorite songs aren’t on albums (at least not yet), so for an unedited list of everything I’m finding, check out my Spotify list, 2020: Shuffle This List! 268 songs and counting, over 15 hours, and not finished yet. I’m still checking out everyone else’s Best of lists (including yours! Message me links to yours!!!), so will probably be adding to this for most of 2021, too. 

And for more banging tracks by women from 2020, plus a few 2019 gems that I’m still grooving to, check out my more thoroughly curated Spotify playlist Women Bangers: A Tumblr New Classics Jam. (You’ll see a couple of these tracks there!) I’m working on a YouTube playlist and an essay to properly roll that one out. I’m also still tweaking the ending, but the three dozen or so tunes there are definitely bangin’.

Tell me if you hear anything you dig here, and tell me what YOU’VE found! We’re gonna get through this together.

Yr pal, Timmy

[spnwatch]

Season 1: The Rankings

WOW it’s been ages since I’ve posted here. But before moving on to s2, I wanted to talk about my TOP TEN FAVE EPISODES. 

Something that surprised me about spn now i’ve finally watched some of it is how variable the episodes are in terms of quality. They’re not afraid to experiment either, and that flexibility is probably one reason this show lasted so long. Some things worked for me, some things didn’t. ANYWAY these are my opinions etc. just from a first time watcher!!  1.) Episode 6: SKIN. This episode, man. Where to even begin: I could be here all night. Suffice to say that the sequence where the shapeshifter sheds his Dean skin to “Hey Man Nice Shot” is just. Chef’s kiss. For the first time, the true depth of Dean’s self loathing truly came to the fore. How socially outcast he knows himself to be, all that hidden shame, that resentment he harbours towards Sam for having (potentially) a way out of the hunter life, coupled with his desperation not to lose him to the “normal world”: somewhere that Dean knows he can’t follow him. After so much posturing and bravado, that inner parodox was SO interesting to witness - he SHOOTS HIMSELF at the end -- and, for me, really steered the character into more *~ thematically complex territory ~* All the songs were good tbh. In-a-Gadda-da-Vida? Yes. 11/10 

2.) Episode 11: SCARECROW. There was just so much going on in this episode, but the thing I liked most was the setting. It looked so good!! Autumnal and pastoral. After a couple of (in my opinion) not very good-looking episodes, it was a real breath of fresh air. I also loved Sam in this episode: he looked so small standing by the side of that road. I fully understood the argument, but I also loved how dean just... called him intermittently to update him on the case?This episode really drove home to me how alone they are, how they really have no-one but each other. It also really highlighted how far Sam has drifted from episode 1: he’s on the fringes now, too. All too quickly backsliding into the role of rootless grifter, an identiy he’d tried so hard to claw his way out of. Also, there’s a tome. 10/10 

3.) Episode 12: FAITH. This. Episode. Slaps. To be honest, this is probably technically the masterpiece of the season in terms of plot, visuals, antagonist, music etc. but w/e it’s my list. Right off the bat Dean is dying and he’s like it’s fine Sammy, I’m not even mad about it, which is fucked up but then what is more fucked up is that his dad doesn’t even come when Sam leaves him a message? Dean seems to view dying as like. A thing grownups just have to do sometimes. Like jury duty. It’s extremely,extremely sad. Anyway I love the drama of Sam smashing apart the altar, I love the big tent, I love the “don’t fear the reaper” montage. It’s all, quite simply, a *~cut above~* 10/10 

4.) Episode 7: HOOK MAN. I don’t know if I was meant to love this episode so much?? I just really, really liked it. I loved the central mystery, and I thought Sam in particular really shone when it came to dealing with the townsfolk and the afflicted girl. It was one of the most thematically coherent episodes when it came to tying the monster to sublimated fear, in this instance, sex and sexuality! Damn do Americans have a weird relationship with sex. And not just with women; this episode really shone a spotlight on Sam’s sexuality wrt his guilt over Jess, his desire for normality, his coltish nervousness in Lori’s presence. There was SO. MUCH. Bonus points for ugly mid-2000s fashions. 10/10

5.) Episode 3: DEAD IN THE WATER. This was the first episode which really made me sit up and go, oh, okay. I can see why people lose their minds over this show. When it’s good, Supernatural just. Shoots a volt of pure catharsis straight into your chest. This was also the first time I really sat up and took note of Jensen Ackles’ acting chops. There’s just so much going on with him every time he’s onscreen, and each little paradoxical turn he gives to Dean’s character is a joy to witness. It was a visually beautiful episode, with a strong supporting cast. The moment I saw her in her silky lavender nightgown, twisting up her unrealistically perfect chingoin, I wished to marry Amy Acker’s character. I know she doesn’t come back to spn but she should’ve!! She should’ve!! 10/10 

6.) Episode 5: BLOODY MARY. I’ve heard tell of this episode being a bit of a fandom classic, and I support it. The last few minutes at the end? When Sam sees Jess at the side of the road in that slow panning shot, to the Rolling Stones song Laugh I Nearly Died? It was just... I think it changed me as a person, honestly. This show. It’s lower down on the list for me because how how freaking dark the lighting was at the end, but that might have just been the poor quality stream I found. But yeah, I really liked the plucky teen girl who helped them; I was pleasantly surprised to see a glamourous queen bee-type portrayed as smart and competent, and remain alive by the end. Gold star for you, spn. I know it’s all downhill from here. 9/10 

7.) Episode 15. THE BENDERS. First off, I have to give it points for the production design on that house. My brother was of the opinon it would’ve made a good video game enviroment (according to him a lot of spn is akin to a video game which... yeah). This episode also made me really acutely feel for Dean. Could it be because I’m an older sister and this was a literal nightmare scenario? Perhaps. But again what really came to the fore was the single-mindedness with which Dean acted. Sam being dead was literally not an option for him. On a lesser show that might have been left as a given, but the time was really taken to give an almost sinister intensity to Dean’s thoughts and behavior. Some really pretty car shots too. 9/10

8.) Episode 17: HELL HOUSE. What can I say about this? It’s just fun. I love the two conspiracy guys, I love the sibling prank war, I love the concept of a monster created by shared belief. The set design was cool, as was the montage at the beginning where they’re interviewing all the witnesses. It’s a briskly paced and lighthearted episode, which was a breath of fresh air and welcome break after last episode left the Winchester boys abandoned by their father. Yet. Again. Ugh. Throw the whole dad away. 9/10 

9.) Episode 19: PROVENANCE. Haunted painting! Haunted! Painting!! This is a simple lil episode but it receives points for Sam and Dean’s best and least convincing disguises thus far -- art dealers -- and a fun, sweet love interest for Sam. He’s so bashful! I thought she was smartly written and I especially liked that she took a more active role and actually helped them solve the case than other side characters we’ve seen so far. I also liked when they were standing over the grave and she was like wow, your lives are really fucked up... it’s true wtf these poor guys?? Anyway 8/10 

10.) Episode 14: NIGHTMARE. This spot was a real toss-up between this and SOMETHING WICKED, but NIGHTMARE just edged it out because of the strong supporting character Max, as well as the sheer conceptual power of psychic Sam. Something about the way Dean treats his brothers latent psychic powers as... kind of a concern, but ultimately about on a par with him developing, like, a shellfish allergy, is hilarious to me. They have so many problems, it’s just low priority! Sorry Sammy. But what really clinched this episode for me was the three second-ish sequence where Sam shoves the dresser free with his mind, Dean gets shot in his vision, and Sam bursts into the room. Brilliance. Someone call the x-men. My heart was in my mouth. BIG minus points however for the extensive heart-to-hearts. It was just too much for me. It went on for so long. 7/10 

This certainly is a show. I see that now. Anyway. Onto season 2!

[ayeonz]

Top 10 Nugu Kpop Releases, According To Me

For the record, I did try to include boy groups on this list but none of them could crack a top 10 this solid. YouTube & Spotify

10. "Psycho4U" - GIRLKIND (November 4)

This whole thing is just art. Usually a song like this would be a B-side, but it really shines as a title track. I don't want to get too into what I like about the music video since I know this is gonna end up on that list too, but its quality surprised me. I really love the styling and the choreography is so satisfying to watch. I'm really glad Ellyn got to shine this era! I love her voice.

9. "TOMBOY" - KIARA (October 11)

I love everything this girl does and I'm so glad she was able to have a comeback. The song is a little underproduced, but that's one of my favourite qualities in nugu Kpop so I'm not actually complaining. I love the EDM and I think her light voice really compliments the sharp instrumental. That all-black outfit... woah. The dance break is lowkey out of place and definitely was supposed to be a proper bridge but it still slaps and I'd rather they did that than force her to sing outside of her abilities.

8. "DDALALA" - XUM (September 23)

I've already raved about the pure nugu excellence this is on another list but I have to say it again - how dare this be in such good quality? I'm fucking hypnotised. I'm obsessed.

7. "VILLAIN" - AleXa (July 16)

Not to be controversial, but I actually think she's one of the best dancers in Kpop. She improves more and more with every comeback and I like that this music video wasn't so overloaded with story and CGI because I felt like her actual talent was starting to get buried there.

6. "SAY MY NAME" - ANS (January 10)

Its early release date means I almost forgot it exists, but listening to it again now I remember why I was so obsessed with it at the time. It's so damn catchy and the choreography is mesmerising - their synchronisation!! I'm interested to see what the redebut brings, even if it only has one or two of the original members.

5. "OH YA YA YA" - LUNARSOLAR (September 2)

It's just so much fun to watch or listen to. I'm obsessed with the choreography too - it's so cute and bouncy. I really hope they keep doing this concept. I just wish it had come out earlier - September is kinda late for what is obviously meant to be a summer song (though I respect why they may have had to delay its release).

4. "QUEEN" - 3YE (February 21)

The instrumental is just so intense. I love the song as it is, I do, but I also kinda wish they weren't singing over that beat drop because I fucking love trance EDM. The pace of this song is so exciting to follow and I love the mafia concept of the music video. I also appreciate that the director didn't fall into the trap of using ridiculous strobe effects just because its an EDM song - that can ruin a music video for me in most cases.

3. "Scandalous" - KEEMBO (May 23)

This song is destined to be underrated forever, I know. But it's genuinely amazing and as cheap as the music video is it's still so much fun to watch. I’m forever glad these two redebuted.

2. “D.B.D.B.DIB” - SATURDAY (August 3)

This was such a fun comeback. The gym outfits are underrated and I kinda wish they’d worn those on a music show, lol - but I do love the outfits Juyeon designed! But damn, the way that chorus punches you... you don’t expect that power from a cute concept.

1. “NUMNUM” - DAYDREAM (February 23)

Yeah, again. Obviously. If you’ve been paying attention to any of my lists, you should’ve seen this coming. Go and stream it again for me. Side note: I still think it’s fucking hilarious that this music video was only out for a week before 3/4 members left the group. They can only go down as one of the best nugu groups of all time.

[vespiiqueen]

List 5 things that make you happy, then put this in the ask box of the last 10 people who reblogged something from you (if you want !! 💛💖)

Wow I rambled a lot with this but i can't add cuts bc I'm on mobile rn DHSISHSJ sorry :"))))

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1. Ik Ik "haha how cringe are you" of me to say, but honestly? Homestuck. Homestuck helped me in a time of need and when i so desperately wanted something to latch onto. Finally, I caved into my friends telling me to read it-- and it's been a blast!! The epilogues / hs^2 make me feel kinda sad though, because so much of what I loved about the original was yeeted through the nine circles of hell and into the trash. I love Y/ffany's (I call her Yippi tho) design, the art is really pretty at times, Harry is a major dork, I LIVE for seeing Vrissy bc honestly?? Her design is 10/10, very early 2000s emo style and I also live for that. Tavros is cute and a nerd and I think that's swell!

But in terms of story and how any of this happens, it makes me sad to see it happen. If Vriska could return as Vrissy, why not OTHER beta trolls? Where's my Eridan fish man, writers?? Give me the boy or perish by my fury.

2. Also super "haha how cringe are you" but,,, murder cats (Warriors), esp the early 2005-2015 amvs and stuff. I remember watching Flightfootwarrior's "I Will Not Bow" Scourge amv for HOurs and having no clue what was happening, but all these edgy kitties were KITTIES! It's introduced me to a lot of music I still listen to to this very day (Imagine Dragons, Young/the entirety of Hollywood Undead, Breaking Benjamin). And yknow what?? This new arc is absolute chaos, but in the good way.

I'm an "OG Fan". I prefer the first arc, The Prophecies Begin, to almost any of the other arcs. I just could never get into the other arcs-- not to say I haven't read them, I HAVE and the Fire Scene was probably one of my favorite moments beside grumpy Jaypaw, god complex Lionblaze, and fear the gods Hollypaw. I thought the build-up for it was SUPER satisfying. Gray Wing is my baby and I fully embellish in the Gray Wing is Silverpelt theory.

This new arc is definitely something new for the universe. While I didn't read aVoS (but I may do that if i can find the files for it), and so I don't know the major events of it other than what I've seen M.A.P.'s (Multi-Animator Projects, for clarification,,, bc unfortunately that term is also something disgusting). There's fucking cat possession and all the Clans questioning their belief system, yo. Shit be on fire.

Also the Imposter is 100% Ashfur, that's canon now, yeah??? Also im sorry but fuck Root x Bristle that's the dumbest shit I have ever seen. Give me Root x Shadow or face the wrath of my dragon plushies.

RiverClan is my Clan and my gov assigned warrior name is Fireshell 🌟🌟

3. As much as I hate the author,,,,, Harry Potter. It's been a major part of my life for as long as I can remember. I can never really remember why, but I've always just loved it- the movies, the books, the extra little merch that would pop up in my local Walmart. Of course my favorite character is Draco Malfoy. I could go on and on and ON about how I think his character arc was SHIT and JKR didn't have the balls to make him a confident gay man that was always implied through the text (at least, my lesbian ass thought it was implied but i may just be projecting, idk). I could ramble about Draco for HOURS and what I think his character SHOULD have been and how his parents are horrible (more specifically, Lucius bc Narcissa [?] Actually showed a few good moments), and a child should never have to pay for their parents sins.

Oh noo, Draco's a villain because he's a victim of major abuse and peer pressure? He's a villain because a literal child can be horrible and they'll always always always stay as a horrible little fiend?? Fuck that. He's a child.

Unlike manchild grease pan Snape, who was a racist piece of shit and shouldn't have became a fucking school teacher but it's okay because he was ~~~in love~~~. No, fuck you, he was a creep. James Potter n Co may have been a little posh bitch to you, Snape, but that's no fucking excuse to continue to bluntly be a little cunt all the way into adulthood. You're an adult who flatly changed your PATRONUS to imitate Lily's. You have no excuse. And Harry went and named his child after you LIKE JESUS CHRIST, DID RON'S SISTER NOT HAVE A SAY IN THE NAMES TOO?????

I also fully adore the idea that Muggles can run into Hogwarts and their patronus can 100% be a made up, fantasy creature. Imagine you learn the patronus spell and suddenly fucking ARCEUS comes from your wand. Imagine learning the spell and CHTULU (i did not spell that right but im so tired) comes from your wand-- an entire ass fucking Lovecraftian, Eldrith horror is just the embodiment of you. What if it was a fucking Homestuck character like Vriska? How fucking METAL would that be?? Hskajssowjjsjs get on it fandom.

4. Hee hee very evident by my url but Pokemon is another major thing of mine. While vespiquen isn't my favorite (that title goes to Hydreigon), it is definitely up there!

I've ALWAYS enjoyed the idea of Pokemon. You run around, training up these fight monsters and collecting them. I remember playing my sister's Ruby version on her flip-up Gameboy. I couldn't even read but I ran around catching god only knows how many of the same pokemon wherever she was. Apparently, I had fought for hours in the same area and leveled her Blaziken up to lvl 50 something and left her lvl 30s in the dust LMAO.

I got my first game when it was Pearl/Diamond. It was Pearl, and it still holds a very fond place in my heart. I could barely read, I could barely write-- I had named my Turtwig something along the lines of "MmorpHy" and my player boy "ZbsibJ". Yes I remember the names slightly. I really didn't get far-- I barely got to the first gym but I was just so happy to play it.

I eventually lost the game, as a 5 year old would do, but I can still vividly remember what was happening when the game arrived. I had just came back from the dentist and was quite tired from fighting the dentist bc I was super scared. Mom suddenly handed me a box and said it was mine-- my overseas (at that time) dad had bought me Pearl and my sister Diamond, because I lost my shit about it when he visited one time.

Well, tdlr, I played it for about five minutes while struggling to stay awake against the loopy gas they made me take. I fell asleep listening to Twinleaf Town's soundtrack. Every time I play a rom of Pearl and I get to where the player's house fades in and I hear that first tune of the song, I get a huge smile on my face and cry-- as.. Weird as it sounds.

A few years later, I had gotten Pokemon Black bc I liked Reshiram on the cover. Now, this one I could actually READ when playing, but I don't remember a lot of things about it. I probably lost this one too, as a 8/9 year old would do. I DO remember, I chose Snivy and my sister chose Tepig (hrmm there's a theme here of grass/fire goin on......) and vibing to the music. I was so amazed by the sprites moving, I just kept getting into encounters to see the sprites move (oh boy, no one tell younger 7-9 y/o me about Zelda......oh wait....)

Playing Pokemon NOW, as a 17 year old """gifted""" chick, I stil have very fond memories. I recently beat Pokemon Black again and GOD the OTS SLAPS. I fucking adore the soundtrack-- the track that plays when you battle a trainer, the low health dings being turned into a legit song that also slaps, the battle! gym leader themes-- and oh my gOd, the legendary theme is amazing? It really tells you just how glorious these pokemon are supposed to be. It's not intimidating like Groudon/Kyroge/Rayquaza's themes. It's not action packed like Palkia/Dialga's is, it's not filled with tension like Giratina/Arceus's is-- but it radiates the GLORY that the beasts portray. And I live for that. (Also, Kyurem's version is my favorite because it glitches in the beginning and that's rly cool)

P/D/P and BW/BW2's stories, imo, are some of the greatest ones. Yeahhh, US/USUM's is cool and I haven't played XY nor SwSh-- but the ones I can find memorable are PDP and BW/BW2. I love N. I love Barry. They're my sons. Ghetsis is fucking terrifying, Cyrus needs a hug. Giratina scared the piss out of me when I was younger, which was NOT helped by Giratina and The Sky Warrior.

I think my favorite movies are the gen 4 ones. The Rise of Darkrai having a tear-jerking theme for such a mysterious pokemon (i still tear up when i hear Ocarion), Giratina being spiteful is a mood and Shaymin was cute, Arceus being angry is also a mood. Yeah, Pokemon 4Ever made me cry my eyes out over Celebi, Mewtwo Returns made me again cry because Mewtwo accepting who he is, I remember how vastly different the BW movies are-

I just. I have a lot of memories with the series, even if Gamefreak and Nintendo kinda do the series dirty a lot (your top-grossing thing and you made That monstrosity for the Switch? How dare you.). It's comforting to be stressed and pull up my roms for the games and to play them. Mystery Dungeon is incredibly fun to play, Pokemon Ranger is really fun with the concept (Shadows of Almia continues to kick my ass to this very day and FUCK the Jungle Relic, I hate the Water Challenge fucking gyarados bullshit). I remember the pokemon I got for MD (I got Time, my sis got Darkness) was Mudkip, if that is any help.

I love my little fictional pixel monsters.

5. Yup, someone told tiny 7-9 y/o me about console games. The legend of Zelda. My first Zelda game was Twilight Princess on the Wii and BOY did I play the fucking SHIT out of that game.

Honestly, looking back and looking at playthroughs now-- I still love TP. Twilight Princess is still one of my top favorite Zelda games-- yes, even after playing OoT, Majora's Mask, Wind Waker, Skyward Sword, the anniversary four swords edition for the DS where you could play by yourself (Nintendo pls bring that back, I don't have friends to play it with ;-;), Phantom Hourglass- ect.

Something about Twilight Princess grabbed me by the head and yeeted me into the world. I can remember playing it for hours with little to no breaks. I, a tiny 9 y/o, had gotten the hang of the controllers and managed to get past the tutorial quite easily. And then, I was launched into the game and I wasn't stopping for NOTHING. Mom and Dad would have to force me to save and get off to go and eat dinner. THAT sucked.

I had done everything on my own up until the first temple, the forest temple. Not where/when you saved the dumb kid, but when you were saving the spirit's light. Theeeeeeennn I got stuck on the fucking Forest Temple for deadass six months straight. I'd play for hours, running around in circles, unable to figure out where to go, and because I didn't grasp the temple's purpose of being that way- I'd get angry and get off. It wasn't until dad looked up a walkthrough and talked me through what I was supposed to do that I learned how to get through temples.

I had gotten to the last little fight with Ganondorf before the Wii broke and i could no longer play. Despite the Wii being broke and we got rid of it, I was ADAMANT on keeping the game, and I kept that game for YEARS. It was an original copy out of a sealed box, and I eventually lost it when I left it accidentally at my now ex-friend's house.

She had a Wii and I went "hey I have a Wii game!" And I brought my Zelda over. Worst fucking choice of my goddamn life. Mom called me to come home and said I couldn't sleep over like the original plan was, and that was it. My ex-friend stashed my Zelda and I never saw it again. And, even if I wanted to-- I couldn't get it back, which makes me upset. We had a BAD falling out. She likely doesn't even remember it's there, or sold it to the local game junkie kid who buys ALL games.

But I still love the game. Midna was amazing, and I loved how snarky she was and she has a very cute design! The game's OST is fucking phenomenal. Midna's Desperate Hour makes me cry bc goddamn it really sells how serious that situation is. I love Hyrule Field's theme in this game. I love the Twilight Realm's song. Zant was fucking hilariously scary. Ganondorf's design in this game scared the piss out of me when I was younger.

Midna and this game's Link and Zelda are def my favorites. Yeah yeah, Sheik is cool and all I Guess but dhsushwishs Midna holds the special place in my heart. She was totally my gay awakening BUT

For other game antagonists, I adore Ghirahim-- let's go you funky little queer-coded villain. Skull Kid was great, I love the entire dynamic of him. Prankster lost soul stumbles upon Majora's Mask and the mask makes him act out due to powers-- which, I actually took very heavy inspiration from for one of my OCs. The moon falling to Hyrule was a fucking terrifying looming threat.

But the game series holds a place, and I've yet to be able to play BoTW-- although, I'm fairly certain I'll like it. The playthroughs I've watched of it are all fairly decent! I just. Gotta save up enough money to buy it haha.

Dang guess I gotta go watch a Twilight Princess playthrough again.

Honorable Mentions:

Avatar: the Last Airbender, specifically Book 3

my OCs definitely make me happy, they're my children and I'd ramble A LOT longer if given the chance WHEEZE

My friends, but I didn't add them here bc it's more fictional stuff, I presume

Baking. I love to bake cupcakes.

Painting is fun. I'm an artist and goddammit im going to use painting as an excuse to make a mess.

Fire. I rly like fire, down to a pyromaniac level. However, i hate the fires that happened to my home town, the Great Smokey Fires of 2016-- THAT pissed me off. How dare you burn mountain landscapes to the ground. Perish.

History. I'm a history nerd.

I'm also a science nerd.

But fuck math, I cannot comprehend math to save my life.

For some reason, I rly like learning how the human body works??? like did you know, organs are actually sticky when touched by a bare hand?? Did you?? How fucking cool is that.

Bakugan. I love Bakugan, esp the DS game. I love my Darkus Leonidas. Give me back the online world, you peasants-- I want my Darkus Dragonoid. (Also fuck all my friends from when I was in kindergarten- my theory that Alice was Masquerade was somewhat correct.)

[bambismom]

Tag Game: Get To Know The Mun

Answer the questions below and tag 11 people you want to know better. @4gottenname tagged me! I see you all the time in my notes and we are mutuals but I dont know you and I'd like to! Thank you for tagging me <3

1. What do you prefer to be called name wise?

Bambi and Jay are both great!

2. When is your birthday?

July 2nd! I'm a cancer and I'm proud if it!

3. Where do you live? (You dont have to give the city, you can give the state if your USA or the country if you are overseas)

Bright and sunny San Jose, CA

4. Three things you are doing right now?

Picking acrylic off my fingers from painting all day, seriously and honestly considering becoming a person who pushes around a cart of ice cream as a side job, and being very excited for my best friends birthday tomorrow!

5. Four Fandoms that have your peak interest right now?

Four is a lot! I'm not really in any active fandoms with a name right now, just kind of things I'm enjoying on my own time during the lockdown. I'm rewatching a lot of old cartoons that meant a lot to me as a kid. Like Ren and Stimpy, Chalkzone, Johnny Bravo, Cow and Chicken, and Spongebob. XD.

Oh! I guess I'm p invested in animal crossing right now! Pls go follow my sideblog @loveallvillagers ! It's a villager positivity blog because I'm tired of seeing ppl hating on their villagers! It will update twice a week with new villagers. And other positive AC posts will get reblogged there occasionally :3 thank you for considering

6. How has this pandemic been treating you?

Other than my company and bank screwing me over with some drama about my paycheck that I'm still trying to resolve, it's actually going pretty well! I've been getting a lot of art done. And now that most of my friends are done with their classes it's not so lonely anymore because I've been on voice chat in discord like constantly

7. A song you can't stop listening to right now?

Sugar Neighbors by Dane Terry! Ooooh my god please go listen its beautiful, so is all his other music. We love queer artists in this house <3

8. Reccomend a movie

If you like musicals and love yourself, Chicago is *very good*

If you dont like musicals and love yourself, Birds of Prey slaps

If you like musicals but hate yourself, Cats (2019) sucks ass and is extremely fun to watch but it hurts the whole time you're watching it

If you hate both musicals and yourself, my son @bigoloofers has made me watch Flushed Away more times than I could have wished for

9. How old are you?

21 baybeee (20 not 21 but that's what I tell my liquor store ;3c )

10. School, University, Occupation, Other?

I'm too dumb for higher education but I'm currently designing and building frames for artwork for a living!

11. Do you prefer heat or cold?

The hotter the better! I cant stand cold weather and I would be in a pool for my whole life if I could

12. Name one fact about you that others may find unusual.

Uuuhhhhhhh..... even though I really need glasses, I can spot a black cat half a mile away in the middle of the night from a moving car. It's like spidey sense but not useful at all. @akibunni can attest to this.

13. Are you shy?

Nope!!

14. Do you have preferred pronouns?

They/She please my loves <3

15. Biggest pet peeve?

When people are mean to their animal crossing villagers. Fuck that. Also when people try to help me when I didnt ask to be helped or even when they asked and I said no. I like to do things for myself.

16. What is your fave 'dere' type?

Mmmmmm, not to sound basic but the gore and horror aspect of yandere is 😍😍😍 but I dont like to glorify it so I just kinda keep it to myself

17. Rate your life 1-10, 1 being really crappy and 10 being best it could ever be.

Ooo. Uhm.. 8! I think I have a right to say I was dealt a really shitty hand. But despite all that, I'm doing better for myself than I ever hoped I could be when I was at my lowest. I'm happy, I'm mostly healthy, I like my job, and I have wonderful friends! The only thing I want is my own apartment with a guest bedroom and a craft room 😍

18. What is your main blog?

This one right here!

19. List your side blogs and what they are used for.

Oh boy I have like 15 active sideblogs I'll just do a few!

@geowebcare is where I put fun transparent images and old web graphics, mostly for me to use on another site but I think it's worth a follow if thats your style

@loveallvillagers of course, which I explained earlier in this wall of text

@bambismomcooks is where I dump a bunch of recipes that look yummy

@accurate-jackson-facts is..... kind of dead as fuck but I keep meaning to go back to updating it regularly. It's a blog where I make up completely true facts about Andrew Jackson because he was a total wad.

20. Is there anything you think people need to know before becoming friends with you?

I don't bite! I really dont bite! My PMs are always open and you dont even need a reason to talk to me! I'll basically respond at any hour of the day too XD I dont sleep

I am tagging: @bigoloofers @kazgv @akibunni @narcolepticpansy @itissadbutitsmy-life @thequietestlilbucket @tenta--prince @alyxthearrogantambassador @theoreticalstrawberries (that's right I see you all the damn time and I love you) @kasane-ruby (you too) and @cyber-mudcrab love ya Miles

[todokiis]

50 Questions You’ve Never Been Asked

Tagged by @citrusveins ✨🌟:) thanks for the tag citrus!

1. What is the color of your hairbrush?:

It’s got that like duo chrome/oil slick paint on it. I don’t know how else to describe it?

2. Name a food you never eat?:

Hm, Steak. Honestly most meat I prefer to stay away from. I’m not like officially vegetarian but I’ve never really enjoyed meat that much.

3. Are you typically too warm or too cold?:

Too cold! I have a space heater in my room and I bring a jacket with me everywhere cause I’m always freezing.

4. What were you doing 45 minutes ago?:

I was on a conference call with my boss discussing some t-shirt designs I’m working on.

5. What is your favorite candy bar?:

Hershey’s chocolate bar with almonds in it. <3 I slap that baby between two nature valley bars and BAM, you got yourself a vending machine smore.

6. Have you ever been to a professional sports event?:

No lmao. But I did enjoy going to all the football games in high school if that counts for anything.

7. What is the last thing you said out loud?:

“Okay, sure.” (Visiting my parents and my mother asked if I could check their mail)

8. What is your favorite ice cream?:

LEMON. And in a waffle cone to be precise. But if that isn’t an option I will take any kind of coffee flavor.

9. What was the last thing you had to drink?:

Coffee. Still working through the cup I poured this morning.

10. Do you like your wallet?:

Yes. It’s shaped like a rainbow and it’s pastel but kinda clear and v cute if I do say so myself. 🌈

11. What was the last thing you ate?:

Some of my leftover lemon birthday cake. I really like lemon if you haven’t picked up on that lmao.

12. Did you buy any new clothes last weekend?:

Nah, but I did buy wall decor for my bedroom.

13. The last sporting event you watched?:

Probably... the Super Bowl like a year or two ago... maybe?

14. What is your favorite flavor of popcorn?:

White cheddar but I usually don’t eat it just cause the texture kinda bothers me.

15. Who is the last person you sent a text message to?:

My coworker. It was in response to a rupaul gif she sent to our work gc.

16. Ever go camping?:

Embarrassingly enough I think I have to admit that I’m a bit too high maintenance for camping. I love nature though! But if I can’t stay in like a cabin or RV then it’s not really for me. ☠️

17. Do you take vitamins?:

Yes. It takes forever to get through them all in the morning.

18. Do you go to church every Sunday?:

Nope. Had enough religious trauma the first 17 years of my life, don’t plan on revisiting that experience lmao.

19. Do you have a tan?:

NO BUT I USED TO DAMMIT. But, I chose the life of someone who works inside all day. 😪

20. Do you prefer Chinese food or pizza?:

ChineseFoodChineseFoodChineseFoodChineseFoodChineseF- 🥡🥢

21. Do you drink your soda with a straw?:

I don’t really drink soda but every now and then I say fuck it and have a coke if I need to pull an all-nighter or something.

22. What color socks do you usually wear?:

Black.

23. Do you ever drive above the speed limit?:

Only when I’m on the highways cause I travel back and forth between two cities a lot. That drive is so exhausting so sometime I push the limit when there aren’t a lot of cars around.

24. What terrifies you?:

Public speaking for like serious events. Straight up passed out a few times. But if it’s for fun stuff or casual presentations it’s not too bad.

25. Look to your left, what do you see?:

Pillows. I’m laying in bed while I answer these.

26. What chore do you hate?:

Laundry D; I don’t like how long it takes to fold everything and put it away!

27. What do you think of when you hear an Australian accent?:

Americans who love to do terrible Australian accents lmao.

28. What’s your favorite soda?:

Coke. Don’t drink it very often though.

29. Do you go in a fast food place or just hit the drive-thrus?:

Drive thru only. I got things to do, hennie.

30. Who’s the last person you talked to?:

My dad.

31. Favorite cut of beef?:

None. I don’t like beef. 🤢

32. Last song you listened to?:

Beast by Mia Martina

33. Last book you read?:

Some book on ancient Andean art for the art history class I finished like a week ago.

34. Favorite day of the week?:

Friday! Friday afternoons when I’m free from work feel so so good :,)

35. Can you say the alphabet backwards?:

It would take me so unbearably long.

36. How do you like your coffee?:

Strong, and preferably iced. More on the bitter side than the sweet side.

37. Favorite pair of shoes?:

My white adidas 80s Continentals. I am a slut for adidas sneakers OTL.

38. The time you normally go to sleep?:

Usually 2 A.M. or somewhere around that.

39. The time you normally get up?:

I get up at about 8 or 9 AM but I don’t usually get out of bed until like 10:30 or 11. I am trash, I know.

40. What do you prefer, sunrise or sunsets?:

It’s hard to choose but probably sunsets. Watching the sun set over the water and the clouds get all pink and purple and the sand looking all glowy... ugh I love it.

41. How many blankets on your bed?:

Two ✌🏼.

42. Describe your kitchen plates:

All black. That’s it. Lmao

43. Do you have a favorite alcoholic beverage?:

I don’t really drink but lemon drops if I’m out at a bar. (piña-coladas on the beach fucking SLAP tho so maybe that.)

44. Do you play cards?:

I used to all the time but it’s been years.

45. What color is your car?:

Gold and I hate it. I refuse to acknowledge that thing as my car.

46. Can you change a tire?:

No... & I didn’t come here to get shamed ☠️

47. Your favorite province?:

I am from the U.S. so I’m just gonna... skip this one I guess lol

48. Favorite job you’ve ever had?:

My current job as a Graphic designer.

49. How did you get your biggest scar?:

Fell on concrete at recess as a kid and busted up most of my left knee pretty bad.

50. What did you do today that made someone else happy?:

Hm... made my bosses and my coworker laugh in our skype call with my general tom foolery I guess. But I’ll probably spam my best friend some dumb tiktoks later that I know will make her laugh.

Hm, I think I’ll tag the last few peeps from my notes ✨ feel free to do this if you’d like. No pressure though! 💛 @icychill @eloquentdreams @tobiodel-ay-ee-hoo and anyone else who sees this and wants to participate!!

[joshhhhhhhhhhhhhhh]

So I finished Sailor Moon Crystal’s first 2 seasons yesterday, so y’all know what’s up next. Sailor Moon Crystal Season III, but I’m probs just gonna say 3 every other post from now. Anyway yeah, let’s talk about it.

Episode 1 was fan-fucking-tastic. Let’s just address the big thing first, the complete visual overhaul. I am now able to say that Crystal looks really great! It’s not trying to just be Takeuchi’s art anymore, it has a style all its own, distinct from the 90s anime and the manga and one that looks really nice! Unquestionably the main adjective I’d use to describe it is actually “cute”, something I couldn’t actually say about the last season. Face shapes and general edges are a lot softer here, colours are warmer, eyes are more circular, it’s just got a less angular look that gives it more of a kid’s show vibe than a failed attempt to be beautiful. I fuckin love it. And with the character designs being altered so drastically for the better, they fit in with the backgrounds way more too, which themselves have sort of, filled themselves out I wanna say? I mean, the main point is that Crystal season 3 is just much better to look at. And this applies to the motion just as much as the stills, for among other things, the transformation sequences are 2D again! And yeah they look really great once more! I think the backgrounds from these scenes are distractingly bright and draw attention away from our girls but otherwise they’re really great, with the girls now calling “Planet Power Make Up” like I’d hoped, we got a power-up visually as well. Loving it. And then for all their like little poses about tsuki ni kawatte and stuff, the animation is again still quite exaggerated like in Crystal seasons 1 and 2, something I did like about those seasons, but here the motions are so much more fluid, less stilted, so whereas in those first 2 seasons it was almost a conceptual appreciation, I like that they exaggerated the poses, here it’s that concept fully realised, it just looks really fun in motion. I’ll be honest, I still prefer the 90s art style, and I prefer the art style of the upcoming Eternal movies more than this as well, but where at a point where I can say I prefer those because “this is less my thing”, as opposed to Crystal seasons 1/2 where it was a case of “I think this looks bad”.

TL;DR the visuals look great.

We’ve also got a new OP and ED. The ED fuckin slaps and I love the visuals, though the OP’s honestly kinda lame, especially as a follow-up to Moon Pride - the singer comes across as just sort of speaking all the lyrics in a song that very much needs to be sung, and I’m not a big fan. 

Episode was way more than just visuals and music of course, we’re in a new arc, and again, good on Crystal for sort of cutting to the chase with certain plot points. Pharaoh 90 is introduced right off the bat, which is cool since iirc he basically came out of nowhere in the 90s anime. Hotaru’s also tossed in there, which again, great, she’s a key player in the entire arc so it’s nice to get introductions out of the way at, well, the introduction to the story. Same is applicable to Haruka and Michiru, though not yet Uranus and Neptune, hmm. Also obviously they were a canon couple in the 90s anime, but here it’s outright stated very early on that they’re dating, and while I appreciate the slightly more subtle approach the 90s anime took, again I think this works just fine. One thing I am curious about though is that Haruka is still, at this point in the narrative, perceived as a man by pretty much everyone, which like, not really into ever anyway, so I hope they don’t dote on that one for too long. Going back to visuals for a second, I’m a little bit iffy on Haruka’s look, since while the female characters had drastic design overhauls between seasons, the men are still fairly similar. I do think it still looks good, but Haruka looks really like how they draw men and it’s messing with me, i don’t know how to feel about it. Michiru looks great though I think I prefer her lighter hair from the 90s anime, that’s it. They both sound solid too, another case where I prefer the 90s cast but I can still hear these new voices coming from these familiar characters and not be repulsed or anything, so Crystal continues its trend of solid recasts. 

And then on the Usagi and friends front, first of all this episode was fairly packed on slice of life stuff, and did the best job of any Crystal episode so far at making me feel like Usagi and the Sailor Team are all friends, and in fact, that the Sailor Team themselves are all friends amongst themselves too, which is a very important distinction imo so good on this episode for getting both. They just do their usual fun stuff, meet Haruka, Mamoru meets Michiru, and also they get to stop a Daihmon. Oh wait, no, a “reversal”? So the Death Busters (assuming it’s still called that) are like, sending eggs into Mugen students to turn them into giant ass purple monsters, and they look kinda scary I guess but like eh, 90s anime had way more memorable and fun monster designs for sure. But yeah they fight it, Jupiter drops a new move, I think - Jupiter Coconut Cyclone. I think the one move she used one time in her introduction in Crystal was like, Flower Hurricane maybe? So this is new. Venus also dropped Venus Wink Chain Sword, in which she uses Love Me Chain to launch that fucking sword she’s supposed to protect Usagi with as a weapon of its own, and I fuckin love that, more magical girls with swords is always a plus in my eyes. And then with the fight over, since both of the monsters have come from Mugen girls, they go to investigate Mugen Academy. Once again, a plot point that, although I was fine with its placement in the 90s anime, there isn’t actually a reason to delay it at all, so Crystal’s just gonna cut to the chase and get the investigation underway. And because they have probable cause and stuff it feels justified for them to want to do it this early too, so like, yeah.

TL;DR plot great.

And that’s my thoughts on episode 1. Yesterday I said “episode 25 of Crystal is the best episode yet”. Good thing I said “yet” since this episode immediately claimed that title for itself. I can only hope this season manages to maintain this quality, because this was the most fun I’ve had with a Crystal episode and I’d love if they managed to keep it up.

[dylawa]

Having Lived and Loved: The Playlist (Part 3)

Here is Part 3 to my HLAL Playlist description series! The purpose of this post is to put all the important songs in one place, as well as add descriptions for where they fit in, and my reasoning as such. I’ll put it all under a Read More of course.

The series is split up since I can only share five videos per post, so expect more to come, and know you’re entering in media-res if you haven’t read the first post! I will also mention, there will be more songs in the playlist than there are directly mentioned in this series of posts. That is because the playlist will include all songs related to the chapters’ titles, not just the ones that have significance character/story-line wise. Links to all parts and the full playlist are at the bottom of the post!

For this part, we’ll be focusing on character-specific pieces (for members of Comet’s agency, in particular), not just story songs! For obvious reasons, All Might will not be included, but if you really want me to assign a song to him, let me know! In the meantime, strap in!

Comet: “Four” -- Sleeping At Last

Now, as a disclaimer: there are dozens of songs I wish I could assign Comet all in this one post, and maybe I’ll make a separate playlist for that! But for now, we have this one selected piece, and this is for my personal interpretation of Comet-- feel free to assign her whatever song you think fits best for your own version (Psst, in fact, I encourage you to send them to me)!

Bodies fashioned out of dirt and dust For a moment we get to be glorious Ice sculptures adorned in light Sand castles built tall in between the tides Maybe I'm hiding behind metaphor Maybe my heart needs to break to be sure One day I'll wear it all on my sleeve The insignificant with the sacred unique

Now, Ryan O’Neal’s “Atlas: Year Two” project encompasses all personality types on the Enneagram type test (which is more like an astrology type thing than anything actually based in science, similar to the Myers-Briggs test), and this is what a four is described as:

“Fours are self-aware, sensitive, and reserved. They are emotionally honest, creative, and personal, but can also be moody and self-conscious. Withholding themselves from others due to feeling vulnerable and defective, they can also feel disdainful and exempt from ordinary ways of living. They typically have problems with melancholy, self-indulgence, and self-pity.

At their Best: inspired and highly creative, they are able to renew themselves and transform their experiences.

Basic Fear: That they have no identity or personal significance

Basic Desire: To find themselves and their significance (to create an identity).”

Seems Comet-esque to me!

Next, I’ll pick a song for our resident mechanic and armor-tech, Ayane!

Ayane: “Akkala Ancient Laboratory” -- Breath of the Wild

Now, I would like everyone to know, I DID NOT base Ayane’s design off of Purah from Breath of the Wild! That being said, they share... a lot of undeniable similarities. Fan art of all HLAL characters will becoming eventually, but for reference, Ayane is also short (think Gran-Torino height), has white hair, side shaved and tied into a ponytail, and her goggles most definitely give her the same big-eyed look as Purah. Unlike Purah, however, she actually looks her age, crows feet and all. The woman is not young, my friends.

I would be remiss to gloss over the fact that Ayane and Purah also share a similar bubbly and scientific personality, and are constantly working on a new project of some kind (either to the joy or dismay of their acquaintances). It’s for this reason that, instead of seeking out some other technologically-sounding song, I decided one of the laboratory themes from BotW would fit best.

I’m kinda flipping Purah the bird by using the Akkala lab theme instead of Hateno, but it just fits better overall.

Modi-Mutation (Mod): “Natural” -- Imagine Dragons

Not so fun fact about Mod; I... don’t have a name for him yet. So I’m going to fix that right now! Let’s see... Rin Masashi. Rin meaning cold and disciplined, and Masashi meaning, basically (and I mean basically), “leader’s will”. Cool! Moving on.

Mod doesn’t necessarily want to be the Number One Hero, but he’s still clearly passionate about his work, and desires to work alongside only the best of the best. Anything less would slow him down, and prevent him from doing his job properly, in his eyes. Therefore, it’s absolutely necessary to surround himself with competent heroes. Being hired on by Shimuzu, aka The Boss, was equally a dream come true and a skeptical circumstance, given her questionable past, but her power was something Mod could not ignore.

All that being said, he doesn’t have an issue with inexperienced or low power heroes being in the industry itself... he just doesn’t want anything to do with them for himself. Which is almost just as bad as the alternative.

Ichiro: “Intriguing Possibilities” -- The Social Network

First, I’m going to get just a little vulgar here: fuck Mark Zuckerberg. Okay, now that that’s out of the way, this soundtrack slaps, and has the overall aura of “progress at a price,” as well as sounding both technological and other-worldly. The morality and ethical nature of Ichiro’s use of his Quirk is... foggy, at best, depending on your interpretation of what the concept of a human soul-- or, really, any soul-- encompasses. I don’t feel like I did the concept enough justice in WWICB, but I did what I could with what I had, and I hope I explained my thoughts on it well enough to make sense and to make a good, if not valid, point.

Funnily enough, if you think about it, Ichiro’s Quirk is closer to something of a poltergeist than it is to anything technological in nature, but as a result of his upbringing, he was inspired to use his Quirk towards electronics instead of, say, plants, or furniture. The possibility is absolutely there, the only issue is, if the item in question doesn’t have its own form of locomotion or communication... well, that would be a pretty crappy fate, and even a mindless, heartless soul doesn’t deserve that kind of life.

The boy may now be a man of science, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t understand morality. It may just take him a nudge here or there to remember his own humanity.

And, finally, we move on to the leader of the agency’s operations.

The Boss: “Thirty Three” -- Smashing Pumpkins

Speak to me in a language I can hear Humor me before I have to go Deep in thought I forgive everyone As the cluttered streets greet me once again

I know I can't be late, supper's waiting on the table Tomorrow's just an excuse away So I pull my collar up and face the cold, on my own

Manami Shimizu has lead a tumultuous life. I’ve hinted at it here and there throughout the series, but now I’m going to be spelling it out, mostly because I haven’t seen anyone else comment on it. Practically nothing is known about her childhood, as it’s something she never speaks about, and only marginally more is known about her time as a criminal. The main factor everyone knows, is she became very influential in her sphere of activity, rising the ranks of her own criminal organization to become its leader in short time. This was only stopped when a very young All Might stepped in to handle the reality-ripper/borrower himself.

When Shimizu was offered a second chance, no one expected it, least of all Shimizu herself. After all, second chances were non-existent throughout the course of her life thus far. However, All Might knew her power was valuable, almost as much as her will and her heart, powerful and brave. What was even more surprising than that act of mercy, was the fact that Shimizu took it. So, almost overnight, Shimizu changed from being one of the fastest rising villains Japan had seen, to becoming a hero who knew villains from the inside out almost better than any other, and she dived into the role willingly. She was given her agency after the previous owner retired, and from there, she has created one of the most efficient hero agencies in Japan.

Despite all of this improvement, of course, it makes sense that one cannot always fully leave behind the life they once knew. Even if her actions today translate into nothing that could be related to her old gang, the memories are still there, in the corners of her mind; the things she fought for then, and how they have changed her now.

Ultimately, all she wants, all she has ever wanted, is for life to be better. Even back in the day, that was her ultimate goal; a better life, a happier life. It’s impossible to strive for perfection, but that doesn’t mean she won’t try, even if she has to do so on her own.

And that concludes this third post regarding members of the hero agency we’ve come to know and love! Next post, we’ll go over non-agency characters, some beloved, and some a little less known!

[Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4] [Full Playlist]