#BOSS VIBES PUFFY STYLE

[bonesandthebees]

Honey and tangerines!! The beach town setting is so beautiful, and the visuals in my head are making me want to sketch this.

The descriptive phrases like "passenger in his own mind" and "giant machine that ebbed and flowed" which are sprinkled all throughout the chapter are so beautiful! I absolutely live for connections and metaphors and these were such a delight to read. I love your writing.

Tommy's awkwardness around Phil was so understandable and, sort of natural in it's depiction? You really nailed the feeling, and even other things such as the atmosphere around Wilbur being off but also not quite completely bad, and the odd feeling Tommy has around everyone of liking them but not quite feeling at home.

Can we talk about the beach description? Yes. Literally beautiful.

Puffy!! Tommy once again chooses to work in an establishment run by Puffy and we're here for it. Your writing of her character is so pleasing, the reasonable yet understanding vibe is so sweet. I can't wait to see how that goes.

And of course, Tubbo! The chaotic feels their duo has was there right from the start. I mean, a fireball thrower? I'm instantly sold hahah

The vibe of this fic feels so, calm and chill in a way that most slice of life settings do, and it's really nice to see that after high stakes settings such as stars! I do like your rendition of this as well, and the natural feel of it all is so pleasant. Thank you for the chapter!!

What made you come up with this particular beach town setting, and what inspired you to write this? I'm so curious because it's rather different from your usual fics but it's still so fun to read. <3<3

Hugs and cookies, hope you have a good day :D

- ❄️

aa thank you for the kind words snowflake!! i love using fun metaphors like that in my writing and i'm trying to do more of that because it's still not a method i'm super used to, so i'm glad you like those lines :)

very glad i got the awkward atmosphere across. it's not fear necessarily, but more just that tense anxiety. this place is nice, but he's still new and out of place and it's just making things a bit strange. he just needs time to adjust!

i love writing puffy as just this very understanding and kind boss, plus I thought of the mcpuffy's reference and thought it was too fun not to include. and yes tubbo is very chaotic as always, i've missed clingyduo they're so good

well, I came up with the beach town setting mostly because I live in a beach town. I'm a southern california native, and while I didn't grow up in a beach town, I've been living near the coast for most of my adult years so far so it's an atmosphere I'm quite familiar with at this point. I thought just a sleepy small beach town really fit the vibes and aesthetic I wanted to have with this fic, and so far i'm really enjoying writing it!

the initial concept for this fic popped in my head when I had a very out of the blue realization that my ex-stepbrother, who I haven't seen in over a decade, is the same age as cc!wilbur. idk what sparked that realization, it occurred to me and then that got me thinking about my ex-stepbrother again, and the few attempts we made to reconnect which never really lead anywhere. then I started thinking, 'man, that's a unique dynamic I haven't seen written in a crimeboys fic before' so I started brainstorming the idea into a story lol.

I've also been wanting to write a fic that feels like a coming of age style indie movie with a lot of calm slice of life vibes for ages now because I love that genre, and my fic vanderlyle crybaby cry was my first attempt at that, but it ended up being far more serious than I originally intended it to be. I'm still really proud of the end product, but it's not what I initially set out to do. the similarities between honey and vanderlyle though is that there's a lot of projection of my irl experiences onto the story itself, but heavily exaggerated to create a more compelling story and to differentiate it from myself. like vanderlyle!wilbur's struggles were based off my own crisis with uni i had in my junior year, but my mental health at that point in my life didn't get as bad as wilbur's is depicted in the fic. for honey, while I like the idea of reconnecting with my ex-stepbrother, I don't have a super strong desire to do that. also, I don't hold any resentment towards my ex-stepfather and never wished he stayed with my mother, unlike honey!tommy who definitely has some unresolved issues regarding phil.

so basically my inspo was a combination of projection and wanting to write a coming of age indie slice of life fic lmao

[la-li-lu-le-lol]

okay would you be willing to rank the sneaking suits?

Yes, I would, a lot. This is gonna be image-heavy and will go under a cut because I want to at least try to appear dignified and normal on the surface.

In order of most to least favorite.

1. MGS2

This suit, yall. this fuckin suit. Jesus christ. I feel like it's meant to look good more than it's meant to be functional, and BOY HOWDY DOES IT DO A GOOD JOB OF LOOKING GOOD. I think we all know Kojima thinks tactical gear is hot, and that's all kind of here. But like, it doesn't look *trashy*. I'm into ladies too and tbh I don't really mind the whole bikini armor thing, but I will admit that bikini armor is annoying because it’s usually trashy-looking. It is much, much more attractive when someone's gear is sexy while still being tastefully subtle about it and thats what THIS is, on a man instead of a woman too, which gets it rarity bonus points.

Like. For real. and it just looks so GOOD on him too, you know? Combined with the long hair and bandana... /chin-hands/ perfect character design. hottest thing ever. eternal fangirl until I die.

(using a pic of this figma because it’s detailed in a way mgs2 isn’t) You know. It just kinda leads your eye around. There's a way in which his vest slopes down his back with the location of the drawstrings that makes it look like a corset. There's a way in which the straps on his legs extend downward from his vest that makes it look like garters. Like it's all there, and I'm 95.8276 percent sure it was deliberate.

If I can pull my head out of the gutter for a second. I also really like how this suit is kinda ambiguous blue-teal-grey colored. Mgs2 does an interesting thing with the lighting where the color of this suit kinda changes depending on the temperature of the lighting that is hitting it, whether it contains more cool or warm colors, the suit kinda shifts with it. I really like that detail because it feels tactically sound, like a precursor to the octocamo.

Anyway.

2. PO/PW/GZ

Woof woof bark bark. Sometimes I wish that the mgs2 suit was a lot darker in color because I think dark colors are sexy, and this suit takes care of all that for me while still having a bunch of tasty eye-leading design that differentiates it from everything else. The splash of color on the gold bands and green harness is a great touch and almost gives this a sort of "wetsuit" vibe? I also really like the drawstrings on the sides of the arms and legs. This design is super good. Big Boss more like Big Sigh while my eyes turn into hearts.

3. MGS1

The suit that started it all. This one definitely leans a lot more towards the "functional" rather than "sexy" side of the scale in part because of the elbow-knee pads and the thermal vest. TBH for a bit I didn't like this suit a whole lot because I always thought it fit him weird, mostly because the model in Twin Snakes was my only non-polygon reference for it and it just wasn't that good, imo. But then I saw this render...

and this figurine:

my opinion changed and now I love it, it's so COOL LOOKING. All it needs is a bit of a more modern render in order for you to fully appreciate it, imo!!

I think this suit is the most badass out of the bunch, kind of the most "I mean serious business" out of the bunch, and naturally, that = sexy. I think also that Snake having short hair with a bulkier suit is a great character design contrast, similiar to how in mgs2 he grew out his hair longer which contrasted with the sleeker mgs2 suit. Shinkawa knows what’s good.

4. MGS4

Old Snake's suit, oh, Old Snake's suit. MGS4 was the game where people really started noticing and talking about how much emphasis was placed on his ass, which looks fucking fantastic for his age might I add. Besides that, this suit design was always super interesting to me because of how it feels like an All-In-One sort of thing, and how its lines and such kind of mimic muscles and sinew.

(courtesy of our favorite mgs4 documentarian @youlltrytobreakmetoo) It seems like a very carefully-constructed suit with a ton of thought and effort put into its design. It is not as much to my personal taste like more traditional-looking gear is, but it's still very cool looking! The load-bearing vest up top isn't my favorite thing either but I appreciate it design-wise as a contrast in the silhouette. I also love the octo-camo. It's such a neat idea, and all the patterns look great. I particularly like the black Metals one and the really dark navy blue one.

5. MGSV

Venom Snake is a straight up hunky beefcake who will look great in anything you put on him. Absolute legend. I do personally prefer him in his usual outfit but he also looks real good in the sneaking suits. While the GZ suit is an option here, This entry is more about the black and grey sneaking suit that is an option in TPP, which I thiiiink is meant to be a rehash of the mgs1 suit?

(Oh god, that image is smaller than I thought, sorry for the blurriness.) I think it looks good on him but it, in my opinion, needs more color and distinguishing design features. It needs to be a little more design-y and a little less functional. But it doesn’t have anything that I hard dislike on it so it’s still not last.

6. MGS3 black sneaking suit

Unpopular opinion? maybe.

Not saying this doesn't look cool on Naked Snake. It does. It does!!!! But I really don't like the puffiness on the sleeves and legs. I know they were going for an astronaut vibe, but that just doesn’t tick any boxes for me. I think that the design also just feels a little out of place in mgs3 in general, I'm so used to Snake wearing his fatigues that him wearing anything else is just weird. The orange is a cool pop of color though, so it gets some style points. But lose the weird puffs pls, and lose the grey. Put this boy back in his fatigue suspenders, please, or stick him in the PW suit.

HONORABLE "WTF" MENTION: PW suit with the dick suspenders and these... grenade pattern... thigh high boots?! holy shit.

OKAY WHEW THAT TOOK ME FOREVER AND i HOPE SOMEONE BESIDES ME LIKES MY DUMB THOUGHT DUMPS. LOVE YALL, I NEED TO GO TO SLEEP NOW LMAO.

[muggycuphead]

Hey look I did my take on a concept idea for a possible FNF AGK mod because why not lol

**WARNING!!**

This concept is actually based off of a real person and their backstory as well, not to mention it slightly contains strong topics such as school shooting allusions along with mental issues, yet I’m not meaning to glorify or romanticize these with this as I’m aware of how actually serious the matter is.

Viewed discretion is advised.

So yeah, I’m stuck on this whole FNF now and well…I’m trying to get out a little from it

Welp, let’s just get this rolling right round over here

Although my first idea for this was to make it a 5-6 phased level, each one referring to a façade of the Echter Gangster videos along with Norman’s actual rapper persona ‘Hercules Beatz’, after digging around the music he made surrounding his life during the hype of his satirical persona, and remembering that one video-documental covering it, I decided to make it a little more into his actual real-life story for the sake of making it more ‘true’ to the character (and cuz I think it’s truly inspiring as many would say)

Yet I’m still a little dum dum around the whole FNF stuff, so if there is something I might be lacking on over here, let me pretty please know

Aaand yes I accidentallydrew the sprites facing leftways (on Boyfriend’s position instead of the boss’), so beware for any technical mistakes in the drawings that I just gave up on fixing while editing the scans for the sake of better quality and lineart neatness (such as a weird-looking keyboard and stuff)

Anyway, these are my designs for the phases along with the environment’s characteristics:

Phase I – Der Echte Gangster kind

‘Yo homie! It’s the one and only, Leopold Slikk!’

Song suggestions:

WAS WILLST DU TUN

By Hercules Beatz

I’m a Real Gangster

By QPHX ft. Hercules Beatz

Scenario:

“Leopold’s” Neighbourhood (Monochrome Blue)

Author’s commentary: His design was kinda hard but real fun to make, and as you might guess, each item he has resembles a façade on his videos, such as the striped- puffy jacket referring to Das Murderische Jagd and that one video with him wearing a long white coat and stuff (also has to do with the fancy cigarette on his other hand) and the metal sign on his hand referring to Metaler, etc.

Also, I held myself from giving him the CV:C’R’ hairdo since Leroy is more like in a character ‘neutral point’ between Leopold and Norman (a fusion basically) and because it doesn’t match exactly with the original so ye

He still cute tho

Cute edgy bad boi...though he just acting but still

Phase II – The Angry German Shooter

‘…’

Song suggestion:

ANGRY GERMAN KID

By Hercules Beatz

Possible scenarios:

-School resemblance (Distorted Mind Perspective)

-Distressed Subsconcious Mind side

Author’s commentary: Okay, now I’m getting serious here I based this one off of the song’s cover in the (official?) video it got uploaded in, as you can tell by the black-dyed hair and markings on his face. The bottle and cans behind him, along with the Kalashnikov (or AK-47 to be more clear) he’s holding and the shattered keyboard below/broken glasses next to his foot, are an allusion not only to the ‘shooting threat’ event where he was drunk and stuff, but also his darkest years because of you know what. But aside from that, just fyi no the Kalashnikov wasn’t the hardest thing for me to draw but the pose of the mic-holding arm, I originally wanted it to be forwards, maybe holding one or two alcohol bottles, but I just gave up long after a few more attempts. And please don’t ask me why I picked these clothes for him specifically, I just wanted to think out a simple yet concordant outfit for his ‘broken self’

Still, yikes about those guys in the news and the comments on his PC spielen video in the old days of the net They clearly couldn’t distinguish between real and satire And yeah I might have had my silly thoughts while watching the parodies and stuff, but even I would leave the benefit of doubt and not be so scummy/cold like these guys, jesus christ

Phase II – H E R C U L E S B E A T Z

‘Yo, remember me?’

Song suggestions:

KING LIFE (Sunshine Remix)

MASSAKER [Secret extra boss?]

By Hercules Beatz

Possible scenarios:

-The Gym (outfit change possibility)

-The Night Club

-Norman’s (new?) Neighbourhood

Author’s commentary: Oml yess the man of steel on all his glory

I’m aro ik(?) but I can still say he’s quite handsome IRL, props to the man for taking care of himself, clap clap

Back to the topic, I honestly first though this one would be a pain to do…but surprisingly it came out really soft and fun, who could’ve thought? Guess the practice with buff characters, along with some new anatomy techniques I’ve been trying out did pay off after all

Also yeah the girl next to him is a recreation (my recreation mostly) of his gal, though the clothing I chose for her was mostly to match Norman’s outfit but in a softie-raddie style because reasons…and yes she also has a turn on the mic, a two-turns-me-two-turns-you dynamic to be more specific

And whoops I forgot the little back-down hair below his ears…oh well, not like it’s that much of a deal

The ‘bright’ eye on the other was just a silly detail I left there to give him a ‘savage’ vibe, nothing else. And as a little plus, if I were to make the sprites for when they have to rap, I’d do a particular one for each where there’s a little cuddle between them just to make it wholesome and stuff y’know- (left arrow for Norman, right arrow for his bae)

As for that ‘secret boss’ thing I put before, it’d think it like a ‘day-date-unlocked easter egg’ with a more ‘hardcore’ design and gameplay (if it ever goes to that point which I doubt but ok) where he goes entirely in solo and ‘full blast’ while his bae shares a seat in the boombox (a bigger one possibly) with Girlfriend and they both follow the rhythm as their boys get ready to 1v1 each other on the stage

So yea, that’s basically it

Imma head out now, bye

[recurring-polynya]

Arright friendos, I have finished reading Jamaica Inn, and now it is time for my Jamaica Inn book report, because this is a fun and cool blog for fun and cool people who like to read and write book reports.

Jamaica Inn is one of those period books that was written in the 1930s, but takes place in the 1820s, so it’s got that weird double-period thing going for it. I was written by Daphne du Maurier, who wrote other books you may have read in English class, namely Rebecca, but also The Birds, as in, Alfred Hitchcock The Birds. This book was recommended to me by my good friend @thegreenfaery because I talk shit all the time about how much I love Cornwall (I went on a day-trip once during in 2003 during the summer I lived in London, also, I watched Poldark) and I had never actually read anything by Daphne du Maurier.

SO! Jamaica Inn is about a girl named Mary, whose family dies, so she goes to live with her mother’s sister, who she hasn’t seen in 20 years, when she got married and moved away. Turns out, Aunt Patience married Joss Merlyn, A Terrible Dude who Drinks and Smuggles and Sometimes Murders People. They live in an inn that used to be nice, but now is just a HQ for the smuggling, hence the name of the book.

The Good: Do you like the musical stylings of Loreena McKennit and/or Boiled in Lead? Have you ever said “Fuck yeah” when someone take a musketball to the sleeve of their puffy shirt and blood blooms forth? This book is a fucking mood. The drama is palpable. Characters in this book actually said “Dead men tell no tales” more than once. Also, there were so many loving descriptions of the moors and people running around in the moors and thinking about how easy it would be to take a wrong step and die on the moors and no one would ever find your body. Towards the end, I turned to my husband and said, “I love a book where the final confrontation is determined by who has better knowledge of how to make their ways through the moors,” and he was like “fuckin’ right.”

Also, it’s short. My attention span is very poor and I love it when a book is considerate enough to be short.

The Bad: I am going to get a few things out of the way.

1) Spoiler, except that it’s extremely obvious from the moment you meet him: The big bad of the book is an albino vicar and it’s pretty gross by modern day standards with his “otherworldliness”, etc, etc. I do give him points for going completely off the rails in the final pages of the book and ranting about Old Gods and stuff, but the albino thing was completely unnecessary and it looks like they at least toned it down a bunch for the tv adaptations.

2) Period-”appropriate” sexism/gender essentialism. I like period stuff, and I have a pretty high tolerance for this bullshit, but I am just throwing this out there as a warning that this book has a ton of “If only you were a man” and “A woman is cannot be expected to have the strength to do such-and-such” so if that is a deal-killer for you, you should probably skip this one.

Speaking of deal-killers: If you are thinking of reading this book, I want to reassure you right away that no one gets raped. I went through this book in great fear that Mary was gonna get raped (I despise rape plots and it usually will ruin a book for me) and she did not. I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more if I had known that ahead of time. The book has a bit of a rapey vibe-- she’s constantly getting thrown into carriages and Joss will grab her cheeks and say “Ayyyyyy Mary if only I were twenty years younger yeh’d be sharin’ me bed” but nothing ever comes of it.

The Very, Very Good: I have not mentioned what is both the most and least important part of this book, Joss Meryln’s hot younger brother, dirtbaggy horse thief Jem Merlyn, who Mary falls in love with. Now, Mary is a tough lady, and has a very pragmatic view of marriage, namely that it is for suckers and she is having none of it. That being said, she meets Jem and is like “oh no he’s hot.” Her entire attitude toward this man is “WELP, you can’t help who you fall in love with, might as well make out with this thotty dumpster fire.”

For a lot of the book there’s this suspicion that Jem might be the Secret Head Boss of the Smuggling Ring, and every time Mary would get suspicious of him, I would go “Noooooo, Mary, he’s so hot!” and every time she would go “fuck it time for makeouts” I would go “Noooooo, Mary, he’s so terrible!” This was the ultimate in reading experiences for me. The chapter in the middle of the book where he takes her on a date on Christmas Eve to go sell a stolen horse and then they make out in a doorway while it rains was my literal everything, I tell you, reading the entire book was worth it for that one chapter which contained all the dirtbag romance my withered little heart could stand.

Jem does a bunch of heroic stuff toward the end of the book, including chasing Mary’s kidnapper across the moor in the fog in the middle of the night and shooting him from really far away, but it all happens in the background and the book does not make a big deal of it at all, he just shows up being a himbo shitlord at the end and she’s like “this may as well happen” and off they go. Perfection.

TV Shows? TV Shows! So, I knew there was a BBC version because PBS tried to convince me I wanted to watch it after I finished Poldark. I would definitely watch a tv version of this, but only if the actors are sufficiently hot. It does appear that they are, although Wikipedia says everyone hates it because all the actors mumble the whole time. More importantly, while I was looking this up, I found out there was also a 1983 version starring Jane Seymore as Mary and Patrick fuckin’ McGoohan as Problematic Drunk Smuggler Joss Merlyn!!! I lost my shit. I love Patrick McGoohan so, so much. I cannot imagine anyone who could play Joss Merlyn as well as Patrick McGoohan. It’s on YouTube and the two minutes of it I watched looked amazeballs, I will watch it and report back.

[weownthenitenyc]

Vujaday returns to the picturesque Caribbean island of Barbados, for the third edition of the destination music festival, from April 1-5th, 2020. A thoughtfully curated selection of musical and cultural experiences, Vujaday invites guests to explore lush landscapes, dance on flawless palm covered beaches and soak in translucent azure waters under the golden island sun. Ignite your sense of adventure, this is not a déjà vu; this is something you’ve never seen or felt before. This is Vujaday. We now present to you, the artist line-up for 2020…

Vujaday Music Festival welcomes transcendental house producer Clarian, culturally infused and Caribbean favourite Diplo, Detroit’s most ambitious selector and one-woman funk machine DJ Holographic, West Coast house music legend Doc Martin, bonafide music industry veteran Dubfire, rising house duo Eli & Fur, Sunset Soundsystem founder Galen, the first-ever Red Bull 3Style Caribbean Champion Jus Jay, Canadian electronic music pioneer Kenny Glasgow, the effervescent Lee Burridge, Hot Creations label boss Lee Foss, Vujaday favourites Lee Reynolds and Mikey Lion return with their Desert Hearts vibes are along with the DH gang Marbs and Pork Chop, while house music hero Louie Vega makes his debut. Techno’s most tireless ambassador Nicole Moudaber brings her heavy baselines to the beach, and Montreal vocalist and entertainer Pony will serenade us with a solo set. 2016 Red Bull Thre3style World Champion and Bajan local DJ Puffy, brings his vibrant and infectious style and finally, the funkiest duo and Crew Love founders Soul Clap return with their disco-infused energy.

Vujaday Music Festival (2019 Album)

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“We couldn’t be happier to announce our return to the most beautiful island in the Caribbean and one of the friendliest places on earth! Barbados has welcomed us with open arms since we started Vujaday 3 years ago and we are proud to have been a major influence on music culture in the region.”

Ryan Kruger, Vujaday Music Festival Founder

Vujaday Voyagers will experience a different unique venue across five days, where island relaxation and festival culture seamlessly intersect. The Jolly Roger pirate ship will set sail once again, with all hands on deck as guests dance to musical bliss on the Caribbean sea. Last year, Vujaday brought in a new day at Cornwall House, as the sun came up on the horizon, making it a memorable moment in time. Another festival-favourite venue, is the oldest and most famous beach club in Barbados, Harbour Lights – which boasts an open-air concept, as you dig your toes into the sand along to the rhythm of the beat. Venue details for the 2020 edition will be announced soon.

Known as the land of the flying fish, guests will be immersed in the Bajan culture, as they can discover the Oistin Fish Fry experience, island safari, botanic gardens, scuba diving and much more. As a destination music festival, Vujaday offers a unique experience for curious travellers and music lovers alike.

Tickets are on sale now, and available to purchase at www.vujadaymusicfestival.com. Watch the 2019 Vujaday after movie to get a glimpse of what the festival has to offer. Additional info about travel and details can be found on the website. 

VUJADAY: Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

Vujaday Music Festival in Barbados Announces lineup for the 2020 Edition! Vujaday returns to the picturesque Caribbean island of Barbados, for the third edition of the destination music festival, from April 1-5th, 2020.

[thepatricktreestump]

I Love Her Anyway: Ch11

A/N: since i’m not posting chapters on the weekend maybe let’s do a Q&A? ask me anything with the #WeekendQ&A in my inbox and I’ll answer it this weekend! i love you guys and take care (don’t worry you’ll get ch12 tomorrow and then ch13 on monday)

the tag list that takes literally ten years off of my life: @cupcakesweetness @mtb04308 @un-amoosed-padalecki @kitykatnumber @echoloki @dragonqueendany @svintsandghosts @greatheromuffinpalace @geekybeauty8793 @jigglypuff1999 @timisnotmontydlc @galaxy-moon @lugialagia @pageoftheclouds @moveondontholdon @myaestheticsareshit @brendonuriehimself @yagirlcammmm @vessyvk @loverontheleft @rupphirerydenphan @uriellybrendon @converse-or-vans @amazingtyjo @pettyiestpersonyouknow

               He slowly shakes you awake in the morning, waking you up by kissing the back of your neck, wrapping his arms around your waist, whispering lovely little nothings in your ear. You can’t help but slowly pull yourself out of your slumber to roll over and face him, kissing his lips, thanking him for the day before. He carries you out of bed bridal style and takes you down the stairs, setting you on the counter before beginning to make you Belgian waffles topped with a variety of berries and brewing you two cups of hazelnut coffee. You giggle at his feeble attempt to cut the berries before giving up and calling the chef in.

               “You don’t always have to cook to impress me, you know,” you laugh. “I’m fine ordering fast food for all I care.”

               “I want to show you that I can take care of you,” he insists, helping the chef sprinkle strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries on top of the waffles. “That I can do things myself.”

               “Brendon,” you narrow your eyes. “I’ve personally seen you run an entire corporation. I’m pretty sure I know your capabilities.”

               “Still,” he whines like a small child, setting the plate out in front of you. “I want to make you smile.”

               “You do that already,” you point out. “You’re being ridiculous.”

               “Fine,” he surrenders. “Just eat your damn waffles and be happy I made them.”

               “Will do,” you giggle, smug smile on your face.

               Both of you talk about how nice it would be to travel somewhere together, someplace very far away like Paris or Hawaii, a fancy place where you can relax and breathe and just be together. Much less, without work and without your parents and without having to worry about others seeing you. I mean, Brendon was kind of a famous businessman, but you doubted anyone was going to be a huge fanatic of construction contractors in a place like a European tourist crowded city or a string of over glorified tropical islands. Just the idea of spending an entire week together with him, being able to get out of this town, away from all the stress and struggles of life, it sounded almost too good to be true. In fact, it was, because you knew there was no way in hell your parents would ever let you do that. Even if you did somehow try to convince them it was for work.

               “You know,” he begins, swallowing down the last bite of his waffle. “I do have to leave for a business conference this week.”

               “But I can come with you,” you shrug. “Right? Like last time?”

               “It’s an out of town business conference,” he explains. “Out of state, business conference.”

               “Oh,” you instantly look down at your plate, losing your appetite.

               “I doubt your parents would let you tag along, even your lax father,” he frowns. “I’m sorry. I avoided telling you for long enough, I thought you should know. I don’t mean to kill the vibe, I just-”

               “It’s fine,” you snap. “I’m not a small child. I’ll be perfectly fine without you.”

               “Oh,” this time it’s him staring down at his plate, uncomfortable and hurt.

               “I can work without you in the office, it’s not like I need you to boss me around every hour,” you still try to put up your confident strong front, forcing yourself not to even begin to think about the thought of him being gone for days on end.

               “Y/n,” he says your name softly. “Watch your mouth. Please. I don’t think you quite understand how much your words hurt me sometime.”

               “I’m sorry,” you instantly apologize, feeling tears start to surface. Fuck, fuck, fuck. You did it again. First late night, now this. “I didn’t mean to-”

               “I care about you,” he explains. “And I know you’re still young, but I take what you say to heart.”

               “Okay,” you shrink in your seat.

               “I’ll only be gone for two weeks,” he says and you feel sick to your stomach.

               “Two weeks?” you can barely get the words out, tears now stinging as you feel one start to fall down. You’re such a fucking baby. You wish you could kick yourself in the leg. Pull yourself together, y/n, Jesus Christ.

               “Baby it’s going to be okay,” he looks up at you, instantly concerned. “Are you crying? God, darling please, I promise I’m not going to leave you forever.”

               “I’m just going to miss you, that’s all,” you sniffle, wiping away your tears quickly, trying to hide your vulnerability. “I guess I wasn’t really ready for this.”

               “You don’t have to be,” he reassures. “We can text, and call, and use video chat. It will be alright.”

               “Yeah,” you murmur, still wiping away your tears. “Fuck, I’m sorry I’m just- I’m a mess. I’m way too sensitive and stupid and-”

               “You are okay,” he reaches out to touch your hand gently. “Everyone is a mess. It’s alright to be sensitive. And you’re not stupid. Alright?”

               “Alright,” you swallow awkwardly, pushing your plate away from you. “I t-think I need to use the restroom.”

               Before he can respond you push yourself out of your chair and race towards the restroom, locking the door, sliding down to the floor, beginning to cry full on this time. What were you going to do without him? You see him every single day for a week, fall so hopelessly in love with him, absolutely obsessed actually, and now he’s just fucking gone? Much less, for two whole fucking weeks? You think you would rather die. You bury your face in your hands.

               “Hey,” he knocks on the door. “Love? Are you alright?”

               “No,” you start sobbing. “No, I’m not, I’m sorry.”

               “Unlock the door,” he says.

               “No,” you insist. “I’m crying, it’s ugly, it’s so stupid-”

               “I’m not asking, I’m telling,” he repeats. “Open up the door.”

               You drag yourself up from the floor and wiggle the doorknob, then remember to unlock it before going back to twists it open. You stare at him, puffy eyes, tears streaming down your face, runny nose, shaky limbs. “I’m sorry,” you mumble.

               He simply just closes the space in between you, hugging you tight, letting you sob into his chest. “It’s okay,” he reassures, rubbing your back. “Everything’s going to be okay.”

               “No it’s not,” you whimper. “You’re going to be gone and I’m going to be all alone and I’m crying like a baby and you probably think you’re dating a fucking three year old cause of how stupid I act and-”

               “I’m not going,” he simply states, hugging you tighter. “If you need me, I’ll stay here.”

               “What?” you instantly take a step back out of his embrace, staring at him, putting a pause to your sob session. “What?”

               “I already sent the text. I’ve canceled the trip,” he explains. “It’s not important, don’t worry about it. I’ll stay here with you.”

               “Brendon-” you shake your head. “No, no, don’t let my stupid fragile sensitivity be the reason you miss out on a business opportunity. This is your job, I shouldn’t interfere with it.”

               “Too late, I already canceled and you can’t change my mind,” he says. “I’m sorry I had to put you through that, I should’ve just canceled to begin with, I shouldn’t have even brought it up.”

               “No, tell them you’re going, tell them you made a mistake, there’s no way I’m going to get in the way of this,” you insist, letting out small hiccups instead of sobs at this point, coming down from being overwhelmed. “Brendon, there’s no way…”

               “I already told you,” he narrows his eyes, kissing you on the head. “I’m staying here and that is that. Understand?”

               “O-okay,” you comply, defeated.

               “Now go on,” he gives a soft smile. “I expect you to finish your breakfast.”

               “Whatever, bossypants,” you tease, letting out a laugh between your last tears.

               “What did you just call me?” he raises his eyebrows playfully.

               “Bossypants!” you stick your tongue out. “That’s all you ever do! Boss me around!”

               “I am your boss,” he puts his hands on his hips. “So I’m allowed.”

               “Nuh uh,” you shake your head, carrying on with your joke. “I’m in charge.”

               “Are you now?” he wonders, sly smile tugging on the edge of his lips.

               “Yes,” you cross your hands over your chest.

               “Are you sure you’re still going to be the one in charge when I have you handcuffed to my bed posts, vibrator on your clit, tugging at your nipple clamps, spanking your ass until it’s bright red, you begging for me to touch you?” he smirks.

               “Fuck,” you melt.

               “That’s what I thought,” he chuckles darkly. “Now come on, princess. You’re finishing your breakfast.”

               “Why?” you whine.

               “Because I said so,” he argues. “Remember? I’m a bossypants.”

               “Fair enough,” you roll your eyes.

               He leads you back to the table and you pick up your fork, munching on the last bites of waffle you have left, spearing a strawberry with your tongs before sticking it in your mouth. Your mind reels at the fact that he’s cancelled his entire two week trip just for you. That’s insane. You still debate pushing it, insisting that he goes anyways, but a part of you is happy. You want him to stay, so fucking bad. So you don’t say anything at all. Instead you throw playful insults back and forth at the breakfast table, giggling and laughing, blowing kisses at each other and rolling your eyes. He must really love you, you tell yourself. He’s fallen in deep. Perhaps even more than you have. No, that’s not possible. Is it?

[therappundit]

November 2018 -*PlayLi$t of the Month*

The underground sound ain’t playin’ around in 2018.

Over the last few weeks, The Alchemist has received even heavier play than usual through these headphones of mine (I just got the wireless buds from my in-laws, I think I dig them!). That’s thanks in no small part to his fantastic recent contributions to Westside Gunn, Schoolboy Q, Curren$y and Freddie Gibbs. October closed with a powerful flurry of new rap releases, both of the underground and mainstream variety, so I am here to share my favorites on this especially stuffed edition of my PlayLi$t of the Month...

1. “Echo” - Swizz Beatz feat. Nas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMINMawUzow

(Let’s get the obvious out of the way first: this song is *vastly* superior to anything on that ill fated Nasir album with Kanye West. Whatever Swizz whispered to Nas to get him to snap back into Nasty mode, it should stand as further proof that the Ruff Ryder maestro’s status as a cultivator of hits is hall of fame worthy. Hearing the Queensbridge legend spit bars about old New York City life, watching karate films at dirty Time Square movie theaters, watching flashy cars drive up and down Steinway Street in Queens - there’s just no one better than Nasty Nas when he’s off to the races on a wave of nostalgia, thanks to his high attention to detail. DJ Scratch deserves just as much recognition for this sweet soulful back-drop, one of two strong Scratch showings in heavy rotation this month. “Echo” might be one of my favorite rap songs of the year, this is classic Nas.)

2. “'The Blow” - The Alchemist, Curren$y & Freddie Gibbs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qA4dPwtthZU

(Yeah we gotta talk about this FETTI project. The chemistry between Spitta, Gibbs and The Alchemist is off the charts, and that much has been clear since Covert Coup’s “Scottie Pippen” first rattled through speakers back in 2011. So needless to say, this FETTI album bangs top to bottom. My favorite cut off the album might not even be my favorite cut by this time next week, because the whole tape is staying in rotation for the foreseeable future.)

3. “Fork In The Pot” - The Alchemist feat. Conway, Westside Gunn & Schoolboy Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPMgi0bSB0Q

(More Uncle Al, you say? What the hell, why not!? Before FETTI dropped on Halloween, this was the stand-out Alchemist leak for the month. The eagerly awaited B-Side to last month’s “94 Ghost Sh*t” A-Side that was teased on IG some time ago, “Fork In The Pot” is another incredible contribution to the growing ALC & Griselda canon, helped by a dope verse by Schoolboy Q that is sure to build hype for his upcoming album. Will it drop in 2018? All speculation at this point, but I say YES.)

4. “Saturday Night Special” - The Alchemist, Curren$y & Freddie Gibbs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sv1psKaIgU

(More than any other track on FETTI, this one feels like classic Alchemist. A smokey loop like this one does indeed paint the perfect image of slowly cruising through the neighborhood on a late Saturday night, perhaps with a Saturday night special somewhere in the vehicle...or so I imagine - I myself have never lived that life, but the music is vivid, and the mood set by The Alchemist is palpable. What a great example of how the best producers don’t just make beats, they paint audio portraits. And like the lyrics themselves, the instrumental is, well, instrumental in telling the story.)

5. “N***as In Puerto Rico” - Westside Gunn feat. Lord Flee & Benny

https://soundcloud.com/westsidegunn/niggas-in-puerto-rico-feat-lord-flee-benny?in=westsidegunn/sets/hitler-wears-hermes-6

(Folks, I really didn’t plan this, Alchemist is just that damn good! My favorite song off of Westside Gunn’s Hitler Wears Hermes 6 - wow, I can’t believe he’s up to 6 now - shows exactly what happens when these lyrical barbarians from Buffalo lock themselves down with The Alchemist in Puerto Rico for a while. Look out for the beat switch-up, as both instrumentals suit this gathering of MCs particularly well, making me that much more excited about what Al may have cooked up for Benny’s upcoming Tana Talk 3 album.)

6. “Something Dirty/Pic Got Us” - Swizz Beatz feat. Jadakiss, Styles P. & Kendrick Lamar

https://pitchfork.com/levels/swizz-beatz-something-dirty-pic-got-us-new-song-listen/

(While it might not pack the level of punch that fans hoped it would when Swizz first teased it live on stage a few months back - or even have an actual verse from Kendrick - Jadakiss & Styles P’s appearance on Mr. Beatz’ new Poison compilation remains one of the tape’s finer moments. Hearing Jada & SP pass the mic back and forth never seems to get old, plus this AraabMUZIK beat is still absolutely bonkers.)

7. “Willie Lloyd” - The Alchemist, Curren$y & Freddie Gibbs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-7h0Dkz6b0

(It has felt like too long since I have shouted out an Alchemist joint, am I right? "Willie Lloyd’s” ominous instrumental makes for the ideal palette to have Gangsta Gibbs flex over, and flex he does, making it one of many stand-out verses on FETTI.)

8. “John Bena” - Westside Gunn feat. Lil Eto

https://soundcloud.com/westsidegunn/john-bena-feat-lil-eto?in=westsidegunn/sets/hitler-wears-hermes-6

(Yikes, this beat is pure menace music! And who produced it? None other than The Alchemist’s mentor, DJ Muggs, who has had quite an impressive year in his own right. Let the record show that both Westside Gunn and Eto do their thing on “John Bena”, which is no easy feat considering how overwhelming this instrumental could potentially be to weaker MCs. Furthermore, I feel like it needs to be said at this point that Westside Gunn is a VERY dope MC with his own style, traits that are not easy to come by in today’s biz. He raps his ass off on HWH6, so don’t think for a minute that WSG is carried by beats, he is not a replaceable presence on any track. So go cop that HWH6.)

9. “Location Remote” - The Alchemist, Curren$y & Freddie Gibbs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUAawyYs0uk

(A tape like FETTI warrants a cool, but eerie, intro track...and this fits the bill perfectly. I love the whole project, but I love this specific song more and more whenever I hear it. “Call the chiropractor” indeed, Mr. Gibbs - this joint is heavy.)

10. “Flipmode Squad Meets The Conglomerate” - Busta Rhymes feat. The Flipmode Squad & The Conglomerate

https://www.vibe.com/2018/10/busta-rhymes-flipmode-conglomerate-reunion-single/

(Remember when I mentioned DJ Scratch earlier? Well this massive posse cut is part of this month’s 1-2 punch of Scratch production, lucky us! Here he channels classic Busta vibes for not just one, but two of Busta’s rhyme crews to slap around for a bit. What I really like about this song is that they all sound like they’re having fun here, which is not as common as I would like it to be in today’s posse cut starved rap market. Hopefully this means DJ Scratch will make his presence felt on that upcoming Busta album!) 

*Bonus - Honorable Mention [extended edition]*

“Niagara Cafe” - Westside Gunn

https://soundcloud.com/westsidegunn/niagara-cafe?in=westsidegunn/sets/hitler-wears-hermes-6

“Tapatio” - The Alchemist, Curren$y & Freddie Gibbs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJHxFVZfAC0

“Grim Seasons - Homeboy Sandman & Edan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umff7Hael9k

“Skeleton Piñata” - HAZE & SPNDA feat. Puffy

https://dutchmastered.bandcamp.com/track/skeleton-pi-ata-feat-puffy

“Militant Exercise” - Knowledge The Pirate feat. Roc Marciano

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIlyUJ7Oyb8

“REDBLUE” - Rapsody feat. J.I.D

https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/jid-and-rapsody-face-the-conundrum-of-choosing-up-on-redblue-new-song.1981003.html

“Hooters” - Tee Grizzley

https://soundcloud.com/tee-grizzley/hooters

“Money” - Cardi B

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zj2cK8wymIA

“Man Law” - Masta Ace feat. Styles P

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5RFSInEKvE

“Say Na” - Moneybagg Yo feat. J. Cole

https://soundcloud.com/moneybagg-yo/say-na-feat-j-cole?in=moneybagg-yo/sets/reset-46

“Feels Like Summer” - Vince Staples

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xc6hdQEm_h4

“Lottery Games” - Styles P

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVmZX5Y6-mw

“Don’t Come Out The House” - Metro Boomin feat. 21 Savage

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPOzqeHynZw

“Roses” - Rapper Big Pooh feat. Ab Liva

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54GnYccxgHM

“Last Memory” - Takeoff

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyVVOcpKpHA

“Picasso’s Ear” - Action Bronson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vFwOE4DTmA

Have a Happy & healthy Thanksgiving weekend with friends and/or family, all...🙏

[ICYMI: Last month’s list below]

https://therappundit.tumblr.com/post/179287574271/october-2018-playli-t-of-the-month

[amelialaim76]

Delightfully Gorgeous Summer Dresses for Women

Summers are the perfect season to flaunt your beautiful body in cute, adorable and funky dresses. 2020 has been all about comfortable attire like tees, pajamas, oversized shirts, cotton dresses transitioning into sweatshirts, co-ord sets, woolen PJ sets and anything that made us feel relaxed. But as the vaccination shots have been churned out, the people are slowly but surely coming out of their cocoons.

The summers of the year 2021 were also mostly spent indoors but alas we’re ready to welcome the summers of 2022 with open arms, right clothing items like single outfit long sleeve mini dress and others. The dresses of summer season allow you to be playful, sexy, cute and comfortable with puffy sleeves, halter necks, frills, flares and ruffles.

It may seem that the summer season is far fetched but trust me, don’t be fooled by the chilly spring nights, the weather will change before you even know. The right time to hunt some nice summer long sleeve mini dress is NOW! The best dresses for summer’s season are the ones that can be worn over and over again without feeling boring and outdated.

Be it the classic prints like florals or checks or eye-let dresses in beautiful cuts and styles. You should invest in summer dresses that can worn to a girls luncheon, quick dinner, drinks night or even for an exotic vacation. Brands like MISS LOLA have made luxury and comfort affordable for the masses and we are going to check some beautiful women mini dresses from them to get your summer ready!

Midi Cut-Out Detail Dress- Dinner Party

This black satin slip dress is perfect for those exotic dinners and game nights with your partner. The cut out details at the waist give a very summery vibe and also allows you to flaunt your beautiful and hot bod.

The satin fabric is the perfect crossover between semi-formal to formal. You can even wear this beautiful, erotic dress on afternoon weddings, office lunches or pool parties with the right kind of jewelry and make up.

Floral Mini Dress- Spring Affair

No summer wardrobe is complete without a mini floral dress. These prints are not groundbreaking or something that will make you stand out of the crowd, instead these prints are classic, foolproof and cute. Always in vogue, florals catch the vibe of the summer season in full swing.

This women's mini dress number Spring Affair is short sleeved with ruffled details, has a smoked skirt detailing that hugs the curves of the body from all the right places and a keyhole front that is equal parts sexy and comfortable. This dress is perfect for picnic, pool parties, Sunday brunches and shopping trips at the mall.

Button down Mini Dress- Summer Muse

The perfect amalgamation of the button down formal shirt with a mini dress will be a win-win at office board meetings, cocktail parties, after office dinners and even for a day time brunch.

The stunning coral color will brighten up your mood and the day while the skin hugging style will make you feel good about your body. Pair it up with strappy sandals or wedge heels for comfort and chicness. You can throw a printed scarf and add a cross body style camera bag with it for the ultimate cool look.

Long Slit Dress- Night to Celebrate

Night to celebrate is a camouflage-army-print style dress, the new must-have staple item that every woman needs in her summer wardrobe after florals. This style is bold, sexy, and fierce which can only be suitable for a boss woman. The material chiffon is flowy, summery, breathable and chic.

The halter neckline, front and back open style and a long thigh-high slit makes it a fan-azurite of every woman looking to turn heads. If you want to bring your sultry side ever so subtly in your everyday wardrobe then this dress is not to be missed.

Drawstring Slip Dress- Alessandra

The Kardashians and Jenners love for drawstrings have made it so mainstream, cool and sexy that every woman wants to add it to her clothing items this summer. This slip satin, adjustable camisole strap design with cowl style neckline is equal parts hot and cool, reserved yet revealing.

The beautiful print on the stain makes it easy and stylish yet good enough to be worn on a BarBeQue dinner party, prom night or on exotic getaways. Last but not the least, the side drawstring design can instantly turn this dress from sober to sexy.

Ending Lines

MISS LOLA takes pride in curating summer styles that are in vogue, affordable and top-quality. If you’re looking to rejuvenate your summer wardrobe with trendy designs that will set you apart from the crowd then shop from their exclusive 190+ designs right now!

[septmilleneurones]

I don’t read asks because hellsite, so I’m gonna answer this in the old LiveJournal style.

Do you like cold or warm weather better? Why? Cold. I lived in both the subtropical part and the subarctic part of Japan and while it was a pain to shovel snow, pay massive heating costs and deal with my pipes freezing when I came back from my New Year trip even though I drained them after I left, it was still better than sweating buckets from just a 5-minute walk to work.

Favorite way to stay warm? Heat pump

Where in the world would you want to be for winter, if anywhere at all? Auckland, where I live, hits the sweet spot - it’s chilly but not cold enough to snow. I enjoy being active outside on the crisp sunny days we have.

Which is your favorite embers or obers months? It changes depending on the year, but I like the time when it first starts to get cool.

Cold seasons are for eating lots of good food :) what are your favorite meals? Pizza from Hell Pizza. 

Do you bake or like baked things? Whats your favorite booked goods? I don’t bake often, and when I do it tends to be healthy stuff, but I like cake of all kinds.

Tell me a good memory you have in cold weather My trip to Queenstown in 2015. <3

Scarf or no scarf? Why or why not? No, because it’s a pain to try to keep it in place.

Describe your ideal cold weather coat. What style? How thick? Fluffy or sleek? Ect. I had a really nice one when I lived in Japan. It was puffy and kind of white with a pale gold tinge. Fuck the company that made it, though; they’re handwaving the fact that their suppliers might be using Uyghur slave labour.

Favorite cold-weather outfits? Workout shirt and shorts. In Auckland it doesn’t get that cold, so if you get active outside, you can wear regular workout clothes and the exercise keeps you warm.

How does your wardrobe change between seasons? I swap the shorts for pants and put a jumper on.

You’re sitting by a fire, what are you likely to be doing? Resting after a long day of sightseeing and saying something to the effect of “FINE, Jacinda, I won’t call you ‘Cindy (derogatory)’ because I’m grateful that you got this many people vaccinated. But also go outside and look at Greenpeace’s sign.”

Do you like any scented candles? No. My boss’s former neighbour burned her house down when she was using them.

Whats your go-to self care routines? Watching TV in bed and patting the cat, then eating Hell Pizza instead of cooking.

Do you do any crafts? No.

What’s the first thing that comes to mind about autumn? Cool wind <3

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think about winter? Cheimonas

Hi welcome to starbucks, whats your drink order? Do you want any of the specials? Flavoured coffee, hold the coffee

What’s something that never fails to get you in a festive mood? The smell of pine trees in summer

Do you have any particular struggles in cold weather? Would you like to vent? The times when it dumped so much snow that it took me several hours to shovel it.

Does your personal aesthetic taste match up with the season? No

Whats something unusual you associate with cold weather? This song makes me think of the snow in northern Japan.

A movie or tv series you think of as cozy? Can’t think of any

A book or a story with comfy vibes? Evening Class by Maeve Binchy

Do you have any stuffed animal friends you cuddle with? A stuffed rabbit that I’ve had since I was a baby. 

🍁A cozy ask game for cold weather❄️

Do you like cold or warm weather better? Why?

Favorite way to stay warm?

Where in the world would you want to be for winter, if anywhere at all?

Which is your favorite embers or obers months?

Cold seasons are for eating lots of good food :) what are your favorite meals?

Do you bake or like baked things? Whats your favorite booked goods?

Tell me a good memory you have in cold weather

Scarf or no scarf? Why or why not?

Describe your ideal cold weather coat. What style? How thick? Fluffy or sleek? Ect.

Favorite cold-weather outfits?

How does your wardobe change between seasons?

You’re sitting by a fire, what are you likely to be doing?

Do you like any scented candles?

Whats your go-to self care routines?

Do you do any crafts?

What’s the first thing that comes to mind about autumn?

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think about winter?

Hi welcome to starbucks, whats your drink order? Do you want any of the specials?

What’s something that never fails to get you in a festive mood?

Do you have any particular struggles in cold weather? Would you like to vent?

Does your personal aesthetic taste match up with the season?

Whats something unusual you associate with cold weather?

A movie or tv series you think of as cozy?

A book or a story with comfy vibes?

Do you have any stuffed animal friends you cuddle with?

[freshthoughts2020]

STREAM: https://soundcloud.com/gettothecorner/sets/boss-vibes-puffy-style

[soyoureviewhiphoptoo]

4 of Rap’s Most Overrated Diss Tracks

1. 2Pac and Friends Take Shots at Notorious B.I.G. and Bad Boy Ent.

2Pac Featuring The Outlawz- Hit ‘Em Up Released: June 4, 1996 Label: Death Row Records and Interscope Records

That's why I fucked yo' bitch, you fat motherfucker!

The harsh and brutal opening line of one of the most iconic diss tracks ever released. In November 1994, months before he would be sentenced for his time in prison, 2Pac was ambushed and robbed at Quad Recording Studios in New York, leaving him with multiple gunshot wounds. Notorious B.I.G. and his team were in the studio during the altercation and soon thereafter, Biggie would release the single Who Shot Ya. While Biggie would go on to claim that the track was written months before the shooting and was in no way a diss towards his West-Coast counterpart, 2Pac would take massive offence from this song, believing he was set up. Upon his eventual release from prison, 2Pac would join forces with his group The Outlawz to record his response to the Biggie track, taking aim at Biggie, Puff Daddy, Lil Kim and Junior M.A.F.I.A. of Bad Boy Entertainment.

As I mentioned earlier, Hit ‘Em Up has been regarded as one of the most iconic diss tracks ever released; Pac would send brutal shots regarding the rumoured infidelity of Biggie’s wife, Faith Evans, Biggie copying Pac’s style and flow, reminding him of his humble beginnings and insulting his label mates. The song has one of the best hooks for a diss track and the energy exuded from the slow beat and Pac’s ferocious vocals would imply this song deserves the ratings it has received.

First off, fuck yo' bitch and the clique you claim Westside when we ride, come equipped with game You claim to be a player, but I fucked your wife We bust on Bad Boys, niggas fucked for life Plus, Puffy tryna see me, weak hearts I rip Biggie Smalls and Junior M.A.F.I.A. is some mark-ass bitches

Here is the problem with this track that people often overlook; Hit ‘Em Up would have served as a fitting solo track with Pac’s verses and his monologued outro but the song has three more verses from Outlaw members E.D.I Mean, Kadafi and Hussien Fatal. While the three young rappers are able to just about come near to Pac’s energy, ultimately, the Outlawz do not actually add to the song. Listen to this track enough times and you’ll realise that Pac says everything there was to say about Bad Boy and the Outlawz are just echoing his words. Not adding any pieces of new information or saying an overly unique or hurtful diss, just sticking with anything Pac said and making the song longer than it needed to be. If this song was a reply to Who Shot Ya, a Notorious B.I.G. single with no features, why clog your response with guest verses?

More isn’t always better.

2. Drake goes Back to Back, Fans helps him defeat Meek

Drake- Back to Back Released: July 29, 2015 Label: Cash Money Records, Young Money, Republic Records & OVO Sound Radio

Following a Twitter rant that resulted in Meek Mill accusing Drake of not writing his own songs, Drake fired back with the calm-mannered yet boring diss, Charged Up. After four days without a reply from the Dreamchaser camp, the Toronto M.C. fired the next shot with the relatively better diss, Back to Back. The song gained a grand ovation, winning over the internet. The song would go on to be multi-platinum and the first ever diss track to be nominated for a Grammy.

Here’s the thing about Drake’s Back to Back, it was hardly a diss track, to begin with. Rather than follow the traditional route, Drake decided to follow the idea of “Not releasing direct diss tracks but releasing hit songs and diss you on them”. While the first song was far from exciting, Drake would take numerous shots at the credibility of Meek Mill on Charged Up. On Back to Back, however, the main diss in the long verse was:

This for y'all that think that I don't write enough They just mad ‘cause I got the Midas touch You love her, then you gotta give the world to her Is that a world tour or your girl's tour? I know that you gotta be a thug for her This ain't what she meant when she told you to open up more Yeah, trigger fingers turn to Twitter fingers Yeah, you gettin' bodied by a singin' nigga I'm not the type of nigga that'll type to niggas And shout-out to all my boss bitches wifin' niggas

Here, Drake only briefly mentions the ghostwriting allegations while deciding to turn the beef towards Meek’s then-girlfriend and Young Money labelmate, Nicki Minaj, questioning Meek’s “gangsta” and pointing out he is not as famous or successful as Nicki or himself. Aside from being perceived as a low blow to involve a man’s girlfriend to a situation that doesn’t involve her, these lines aren’t necessarily disses but quotable cheap shots that people can sing along to. You’re not necessarily hurting anyone when you say lines that are reminiscent to playground insults on a hot beat however they will bruise your pride when the song begins to get played everywhere multiple times.

Sure, this worked for Drake but there are two reasons why he was able to overcome Meek Mill.

1.      Meek released a lukewarm response. Wanna Know, released the day after Back to Back, did not match the hyped-up vibe that Drake created and Meek did not bring his usual aggressive and loud energy to the track despite sampling Quentin Miller’s reference track for Drake’s hit song Know Yourself and sending far more scathing shots at Drake (And sampling the Undertaker’s iconic theme song).

2.      The people were on Drake’s side and, most importantly, the people were against Meek. Over the course of that week, millions of memes relating to the beef were created, with Meek slander being the theme. Drake would go on to project many of these memes on a screen during his Back to Back performance at OVO Fest, which spelt the end of the beef.

If the release of Back to Back taught me anything, it is that Drake’s fanbase is can turn a mediocre “diss” song into the song of the summer and the cause of a meteoric rise.

3. Kendrick “Diss” Puts Rap on Notice

Big Sean Featuring Kendrick Lamar and Jay Electronica- Control Released: August 12, 2013 Label: UMG Recordings, Inc., G.O.O.D. Music & Def Jam Recordings

During the 2013 roll-out for his second studio album, Hall of Fame, Big Sean would release the single Control. Featuring fellow rappers Kendrick Lamar and Jay Electronica, the Sean single delivered three impressive rap verses. While the song was unable to be added to the album due to a sample not being cleared on time, the song would go on to gain critical acclaim and becoming one of the most notable songs in Big Sean’s discography. Mind you, that is not thanks to Sean by any means. It would be Kendrick’s verse that would send shockwaves throughout the rap industry.

With a guest verse that hijacked the shine of his fellow artists and a stupendous lyrical display that will leave you catching your breath, Kendrick spat, possibly, the best rap verse of his career.  What is odd about this verse is whenever it is discussed by critics and major publications, it is often referred to as a diss verse. When I first heard this verse five years ago, this sentiment confused me and it still leaves me scratching my head today. The very reason why this verse is an “overrated diss” is that it was incorrectly labelled as a diss, to begin with. In this very long rap verse, there are certain bars that grabbed the most attention and generated the most reaction.

I'm Makaveli's offspring, I'm the King of New York King of the Coast; one hand, I juggle 'em both

With these lines, Kendrick claims he is the king of both California and New York, two of the spiritual homes of hip-hop. The latter claim led to a response from many New York rappers, most notably Joel Ortiz, Joe Budden, Cassidy and a surprisingly harsh diss track from Papoose. While it makes sense that rappers will act as gatekeepers for their city against the outsider with boisterous claims, it also seems odd that certain rappers took lines, that were nothing more than Kendrick bragging and displaying his confidence, like this to heart (especially Papoose).

I'm usually homeboys with the same niggas I'm rhymin' with But this is hip-hop, and them niggas should know what time it is And that goes for Jermaine Cole, Big K.R.I.T., Wale Pusha T, Meek Millz, A$AP Rocky, Drake Big Sean, Jay Electron', Tyler, Mac Miller I got love for you all, but I'm tryna murder you niggas Tryna make sure your core fans never heard of you niggas They don't wanna hear not one more noun or verb from you niggas

This is a section of the verse I remember the most. In a fashion that would make The Game proud, Kendrick would name drop many prominent rappers and while saying he respects them all, he says he plans to outdo them all and surpass them. I remember a very specific out roar towards this particular section, with many people feeling this was a diss towards the individuals Kendrick named. This, of course, is incorrect. At this time, Kendrick had worked with all of the rappers he mentioned, with the exception of Tyler, The Creator. He even states he is friends with all of them, making it clear to me that he was playing it safe with this section by naming people that may not have a negative reaction, generate a sense of competition and most importantly, generate a big enough reaction from the fans. With the exception of Nicki Minaj, 2 Chainz, Rick Ross and the T.D.E roster, all Kendrick did was name drop all of the rappers who had the most mainstream appeal in 2013.

Kendrick might have spat an amazing verse that brought back a sense of competition to hip-hop but he set a statement, not release a diss.

4. Remy Ma hands Nicki Minaj and herself an L

Remy Ma- shETHER Released: February 25, 2017 Label: Empire Distribution

Unlike all of the feuds on this list, the tension between Remy Ma and Nicki Minaj has been well-documented for many years. Dating back to 2007, Remy Ma, who was becoming a fan of the young Nicki Minaj, perceived the opening lines of Nicki’s single “Dirty Money” as a diss towards her. Despite being a belief she maintained for a few years, Remy had a change of heart upon her 2014 release from prison. Remy and Nicki would publicly champion each other and show each other love through tweets and interviews. All of this would come to a halt when Remy would release an N.Y. State of Mind freestyle where it was speculated that she sent shots towards Nicki Minaj. Since the release of this freestyle, Nicki would send shots on featured verses on Gucci Mane’s Make Love and Jason Derulo’s Swalla. At this point, Remy was given the excuse to release a 7-minute freestyle over Nas’ iconic diss track called shETHER.

Off the bat, the very first issue Remy encounters with this song is the song she chose. To rap on the beat of one of the greatest diss tracks ever recorded immediately puts her remix under a magnifying glass. The song was destined to fall from the resulting high expectations despite Remy superb rapping ability and cypher delivery style. With seven minutes of straight bars, there are several instances of memorable bars, discrediting Nicki’s character, insulting her surgically enhanced body, her label situation, her relationship with her brother and instances where Remy just goes on spectacular lyrical runs.

And I got a few words for the moms of the young Barbz Guess who supports a child molester? Nicki Minaj You paid for your brother’s wedding? That’s hella foul How you spendin' money to support a pedophile? He a walkin' dead man, sendin' threats to him I guess that’s why they call you Barbie, you was next to Ken Talkin’ about your money long and your foreign sick Why you ain’t help your bro hide his cum from forensics?

The next issue (and possibly the biggest) was the legitimacy of the lyrics. In rap beef, it is not uncalled of that rappers tend to stretch the truth or just lie in a few bars on their diss songs (After all, the opening line of Hit ‘Em Up has since been disproved) however, there are several instances in shETHER where Remy makes claims and allegations towards Nicki. During this song, Remy accused Nicki of: sleeping around with multiple artists including Drake, Lil Wayne, Gucci Mane, Ebro Darden & Trey Songz, having punctured ass implants for three months & refusing sex with her then-boyfriend Meek Mill, being addicted to cocaine & ecstasy, having untreated gonorrhoea and signing a 360-record deal to Young Money. Mind you, all of the bars relating to these topics were shocking and added to the song when it was first released, however, since then, a lot of the claims that built up a majority of the song were apparently disproved. With many of the men, Remy named as Nicki’s past lovers, denying the allegations, Meek denying talking to Remy about Nicki’s punctured implants and learning Nicki was not signed to a 360 from a simple Google search deflated the validity of shETHER overall.

Remy would go on to an attempt to go “back to back” on Nicki by releasing the significantly weaker diss track Another One, further deflating the effect of shETHER. Nicki would release the even weaker response; the Drake and Lil Wayne assisted No Frauds. While there would be later exchanges between the two, including Nicki spitting responses on the 2Chainz’s Realize and DJ Khaled’s Can’t Even Lie, the battle was over by then and it was unanimously decided that Nicki lost. While this would be nice under regular circumstances, Remy did not necessarily walk away from this beef in complete victory. shETHER has since been banned from radio and streaming services due to Remy not gaining rights to use the Ether beat, her credibility has been brought into question due to her many allegations and Remy’s eagerness in the battle caused her to disrupt her own momentum.

Nicki Minaj might have lost this battle but Remy Ma wasn’t really a winner in the end.

[gothify1]

How do you decide what to buy? (Besides reading Who What Wear, of course.) Perhaps you purchase something out of necessity , maybe it's celebrity-inspired , or it might be because of sheer FOMO . But have you ever tried shopping based on your zodiac sign? After reaching out to a slew of fashion girls and getting their smart, stylish, and well-articulated zodiac-based fall picks from Zara, I'm fully convinced that it's a worthwhile pursuit. (In case you're curious, you're reading words written by a Libra—moi —who already got her fall wardrobe sorted by an astrologer .) I got brilliant answers from a Taurus based in Copenhagen, a Scorpio in New York City, a Sagittarius in Madrid, a Cancer in Miami, and a Gemini in Los Angeles—and that's just the tip of the iceberg. These stylish ladies might not share the same sign, but they share a knack for being well-dressed and having good eyes for style. Scroll down to see what 12 women of each sign would buy from reader-favorite Zara right now. "Aquarians are known for being 'detached' emotionally, and I can be guilty of that sometimes. Even though I have my extroverted social moments, I do enjoy my introverted, no-one-talk-to-me times, too. This cozy, oversize cashmere sweater will be able to handle both—I can wear it when I want to hibernate at home solo and when I venture out for fall outings with friends." — Sarah Yang "Maybe it's my Aquarius nature (read: a bit eccentric), but I've always been a print person: florals, animal, stripes, polka dots, I'll do it all. Needless to say, I'm pretty excited that leopard print is still all over the place. I have quite a few animal prints in my closet that I have on rotation, but to update the mix, I'm very into these slingbacks, which I can wear to just about anything (work, cocktails, brunch, whatever!)." — Sarah Yang "As a Pisces, being so go-with-the-flow means that we need to be prepared for anything. Nothing says prepared like a leopard-print dress that can take you from day to night with a switch of the shoes." — Madison Rae "As one of the most emotional signs, what's more emotional than purchasing something so timeless that you just might have it forever?" — Madison Rae "Aries are natural-born leaders, and this bright-red blazer screams girl-boss vibes. I love that it makes a statement the second you walk in a room and that it can be taken from the boardroom to happy hour to holiday party because an Aries girl wants to do it all." — Kristina Zias "'These boots are made for walking and that's just what they'll do.' Impatient, speedy, and competitive, these boots were meant for an Aries babe ready to take action!" — Kristina Zias "For Taureans like myself, autumn and the change of seasons are all about the balance between comfortable at-home entertaining without falling into a total rut in the cozies. A wool sweater is a go-to. This one is a great version in warm earth tones." — Amelia Hoy "A wrap skirt is a low-key downplayed classic that is both no-fuss and perfect with boots and heavy coats for the autumnal homebody that still likes to look expensive." — Amelia Hoy "This wrap/kimono/lounge robe is perfect for staying warm and looking luxurious. Pleasing my Taurean vibes with rich earth tones while still looking chic." — Amelia Hoy "In true Gemini fashion, I always rotate my denim selection depending on my mood. For the office, I'd style these with a fitted sleeveless turtleneck, and for a night out, I'd wear them with some sort of long-sleeve slightly cropped top." — Michelle Scanga "Being a Gemini, I like to keep my social schedule filled, which means the majority of my closet is focused on clothes I can wear to dinners and events. These heels make for the ideal fall shoe that I can wear from day to night, and I'm very much into the deep-burgundy leather." — Michelle Scanga "I'm a very shielded person; there's a reason why my zodiac sign, Cancer, is represented by a crab with a hard shell to protect and guard it from the world, which is exactly why I always gravitate towards tulle. It adds a touch of softness to my personality." — Danié G. "I like pieces that allow me to express my creative Cancerian self, like this jumpsuit. It’s a beige canvas waiting to be accessorized, layered, or even painted on." — Danié G. "I am extremely receptive of people's emotions. When I enter a room, I can tell if there's tension or not. I can read people quite easily, and it can be sometimes overwhelming, which is why I gravitate towards elements of power that make me feel safe, like my braid or this beautiful and shiny golden belt." — Danié G. "Leather Bermudas? Not really for the one who likes to stand in the corner and not be noticed. Luckily for a Leo, that is really not the case. I sometimes feel embarrassed about how peacocking my clothing is. But then I take a step back and see that I have exactly nothing to be embarrassed about and that my leather Bermudas are awesome." — Fanny Ekstrand "I have since I was a child always loved anything that sparkles. My mom used to tell me when I was younger that one can't wear exactly everything one loves at the same time. So like the true little rebel I am, I have spent my sartorial life proving her wrong. She now agrees with me. Kind of Leo." — Fanny Ekstrand "I guess these boots are the typical Leo choice? Tiger and all. We Leos like to keep company with other animals with humor, and these boots sure look like they can show you a good time, no?" — Fanny Ekstrand "Fringe is back in fashion this season! I'm in love with this coat from Zara, as it's stylish and easy to wear. Don't be afraid to go one or two sizes up to wear it as an oversize coat. I'm a Virgo, and I'll style it with jeans, a chunky sweater, and cowboy boots." — Renata Jazdzyk "I love wearing big comfy cardigans during the autumn/winter season. My wardrobe is full of them. This one from Zara is currently on my wish list because of the oversize puffy sleeves and fun animal patterns! Layer it with a turtleneck top and a white shirt, and you will be ready to brace even the coldest weather!" — Renata Jazdzyk "The Libra in me loves a well-balanced black-and-white print, and this one is perfect. It easily pairs back to a wide range of accessories, shoes, and outerwear for layering. Plus, the dress itself is fun and flirty with a flattering shape that will suit a range of body types. Libras are known for being mediators, so it makes sense that I would like something that a variety of people would enjoy." — Logan Russell "As a Libra, balance plays a big part in my style. If I want to play with something more exotic, like a sequin pant, I love pairing it back to something soft like a beautiful sweater. I want the pants to make a statement but not be overwhelming." — Logan Russell "When I think about outfits that epitomize my own personal style, I'm so honored to feel like my personal style reflects my identity as a Scorpio. One of my closest friends in the world is astrologer Colin Bedell of @queercosmos, and he's encouraged me to embrace both my power and my vulnerability as a Scorpio. I'm a better person for it, and it's given me the confidence to rock power jumpsuits and feminine dresses in equal measure." — Catherine Smith "I have and love this dress, which I feel perfectly reflects feminine confidence. I love adding a belt at the waist."  — Catherine Smith "I love the strong lines of this jumpsuit—it's my version of a power suit—and the touch of whimsy from the belt."  — Catherine Smith "Sometimes people say Sagittarius people are not very diplomatic, even a bit unreliable. Isn't that crazy? But I have the solution: Get the perfect office look and leave them speechless. Go for this pinstripe blazer and defeat clichés!" — Sofía Paramio Delgado "Blue is Sagittarius's color, so this top is clearly the perfect option. Do you want another reason to choose it? Girl, fire is our element. Flaunt your sexy shoulder while wearing it and heat your mood up!" — Sofía Paramio Delgado "Freedom is the best of privileges: It always leads to unknown and incredible roads and for us, Sagittarius, even more! We are so curious that we never stop exploring. No day ends the same! We need clothes that come along the way with us. These trousers will be your allies no matter if you are drinking coffee or your third margarita. Cheers!" — Sofía Paramio Delgado "Capricorns are known to be ambitious and strong-willed, and nothing says that more than a statement-making sleek red dress, right?" — Sara Tan Christensen "Capricorns are also super practical and hardworking, so an easy (but stylish) jumpsuit like this that I can put on without thinking too much about is perfect!" — Sara Tan Christensen Next, Anna Wintour says these are the 8 biggest trends of 2020 .

[sharingthesamesky]

Here’s the Kingdom Hearts 0.2: Fragmentary Passage and Kingdom Hearts Back Cover reactions thread I promised you

Back Cover:

THIS MOVIE IS SO PRETTY HOLY SHIT

Also, the cinematography is incredible. Like. From someone who studied film, this shit is really good. There was like. That one moment when it was a little on the nose with the flower petals, but this is a Kingdom Hearts game so comparatively it was downright subtle.

If the Master of Masters isn’t somehow connected with Braig I’d be surprised at this point. (Master of Masters, here after known as Mr. MoM). Plot says it should be Xehanort, but mannerism SCREAM Braig. (They also share the whole one-eyed thing.)

Is Kingdom Hearts using Norse mythology symbolism now too? Because Mr. MoM’s whole “takes one eye out and casts it into [the future] to know ultimate truth” thing is just Odin.

How on earth did Mr. MoM convince these 6 super serious people to listen to him. He doesn’t seem like someone any of them would agree to train under AT ALL. Maybe Gula? But Aced and Ira? I guess there just weren’t any other Mr. MoMs to pick from?

The fucker wrote the book of prophecy in vague rhyme because he’s terrible

I swear this time travel thing is so dumb. “Don’t want you to cause any temporal paradoxes” MY ASS. you can’t just make shit up because its sounds cool. How does this work? If you “can’t change the future” then like. What is even the point of anything? Are there some events that are fixed but the specifics are still in flux?

The real reason Luxu doesn’t get a book of prophesy is that Mr. MoM hand copied the thing five times already and didn’t feel like doing it again.

Alternatively he hand copied it six times but that foreteller moogle that gives you your medals got Luxu’s copy.

I mean clearly Mr. MoM saw the keyblade war and was like “what’s the best, most fun way I can cause this? Oh! I know! I’ll tell Gula to find a “traitor” and make them all fight each other. I mean if there was really a traitor, I could just tell Gula who it was, because I can SEE THE FUTURE, but that wouldn’t be fun at all!”

Seriously if Gula hadn’t preempted that speech what would he have said.

“Oh, I know. I’ll make Aced feel jealous and make him attack the leader because I’m totally a champion of light. TOTALLY.”

Why is Ira so sure that this event would have been in the book? What kind of events make it into the book? Clearly not everything or Ira wouldn’t need Invi’s reports at all, right? Seriously did I mention this time travel stuff is terrible?

“I might vanish or I might not - anyone’s guess” says the man whose entire shtick is knowing the future. Everyone: Sounds legit.

If Mr. MoM’s keyblade makes it all the way to the present, why the fuck do their books end with the keyblade war? I mean probably because they all die in it and telling them that is a sure way to cause those supposed temporal paradoxes, (or because Mr. MoM is just a conniving ass) but I swear none of them thought to ask why his vision of the future stops there? Well, I suppose “and then the world ends” is a good enough place as any to claim you can’t see past. Even if you’re lying liar about it.

We all know Luxu’s the traitor right? Let’s just get this out of the way. Not that he necessarily betrayed anyone or anything, but Gula’s magic paper says “bears the sigil” so it’s gotta be LuXu. Unless of course its one of our key kids who went all edgy and put an X in their names.

Okay, even not knowing that, why in the hell did no one mention Luxu as a possibility for the traitor in the first place?

I mean they know about Luxu even though he’s sort of implied to be a latecomer to the group. Did they all start out wearing those black cloaks before they got their fancy foreteller gear?

Okay who designed the fancy foreteller gear who made those masks and how did Mr. MoM convince them to go with that? I mean - scratch that last part these idiot’s will do anything he says apparently.

(You’ll pry my guilt bonuses from my cold dead, darkness ridden hands, KHuX)

Mr. MoM engineered this entire thing and use everyones unquestioning loyalty and sense of his own perfection to do it. No one bothered to question any of the details and that’s why it worked.

“Hey, Master, why to all the chirithy look the same? Wouldn’t it be easier to tell which one turned into a nightmare if they were like. Numbered or something?”

“Hey Master, you want us to… collect Lux? What are we collecting it for? Shouldn’t we… not do that?”

“Wait you want us to… take Lux from… the future?”

Seriously this movie answers zero of the questions about how time works in KHuX. None of them at all. Well, maybe Season Two will address it.

“Hey Master, why is it called a Nightmare if this isn’t the world of dreams because obviously it isn’t right? RIGHT?”

Ava tells her dandelions they are gonna practice leaving the world by going into the realm of dreams though so.

I’m sorry I couldn’t take that scene seriously with all the key kids in their default starter outfits. No keyblader that’s the “best of the best” is gonna be wearing a starter outfit with no perks.

Okay, I get that Gula couldn’t tell anyone his role, and that Aced’s “true role” aka the failsafe powder keg fuse makes sense to keep secret, but why didn’t Ava tell anyone her role?

The foretellers have different VA’s than the characters they obviously correspond to, but they’re similar (well, accept Aced) and they speak in a very similar way. Care to comment? (Mr. MoM giggling in the distance)

Ava, how does Ephemer even know about the book? Did you tell all the keykids about it or what? I kind of doubt that. Ephemer you clever little sneak.

The Foretellers have a secret castle no one is allowed to enter and yet they have their meeting in the warehouse that literally everyone goes into all the time.

"coolheaded Gula?" More like flips the fuck out when he can't figure something out and tries to SUMMON KINGDOM HEARTS Gula.

Too bad Spongebob can never know what’s inside my secret box.

Seriously, why does ANYONE trust this guy.

Luxu’s reaction to “it’s my eye” is amazing.

No Name. Really. You don’t say.

The NA rankings are pretty spot on though. Good on us.

Fragmentary Passage:

Holy shit I’m so sold on the “technical demo” aspects of this game. Next Gen I love you.

You have to understand the last gen I had was a PS2. Why is everything so reflective and responsive its amazing.

Aqua’s VA is better than she was in BBS, but it still definitely limited my enjoyment of the game.

I did not realize the top of Aqua’s outfit was supposed to be see-through mesh other than the boob pads. Not sure how I feel about that.

I hope that the FFXIII style “hallways simulator” thing was because of time constraints and not because it’s how KH3 is gonna go.

The whole “There’s no time in the realm of Darkness” thing is really interesting, especially given all this time travel nonsense in the Realm of Light. But. Things still clearly progress in a linear fashion in there. Aqua doesn’t see Riku running through the darkness and then walk for a long while and then see Mickey. People enter and leave the place in an order that seems to be shared. Which means there is time. I think the word you are looking for is vague, arbitrary, or inconsistent.

Goddammit Nomura, take a second to read about time between your Latin lessons and your comparative mythology classes.

The new Heartless look really cool. I like them. And the elemental effects are fantastic. I could watch those heartless throw water at me all day.

The world design, apart from the linearness of some of the levels, was amazing. The suspended structures and twisted landscapes were really compelling.

I can’t be the only one who got strong “American McGee’s Alice” series vibes though, right? In a good way.

The mirror puzzle was neat. Not sure how long it would have taken me to figure out had I been playing and not watching a walkthrough so I’m calling it neat entirely by concept and visuals.

Phantom Aqua attacks in a pattern pretty similar to Xehanort’s fight with Terra in BBS, but with a mix of Aqua’s moves thrown in.

Aqua’s attack style is… kind of Extra. That twirl where she sticks her leggy straight up vertically in the air is like… Was that necessary? It certainly isn’t physically possible. Ask figure skaters.

The Terra/Xehanort scene was surprisingly good despite Terra’s VA. It was nice to get some insight into how that relationship is going. Because the rest of time seems pretty linear, we know that scene takes place, for Terra, at some point AFTER the worlds start vanishing. But if we take the claim that time is - if not absent - weird in the Realm of Darkness, then we don’t have any sense other than that. Maleficent gathered the princesses from the worlds we saw before she met Riku so that isn’t any indication, really.

Did I start crying when I saw Destiny Islands? Almost. Did I take a million screenshots of HD Destiny Islands? You bet your ass I did.

I did kinda cry when I saw Riku in his dumb KH1 puffy pants, though.

So behind the door in the Realm of Light is the heart of the world, but when it’s in the realm of darkness, it’s a magic keyblade shrine? I’m not really gonna argue. It seems to be a symbolic thing. Whatever. Good to know it’s a “push” door I suppose.

I’m not looking forward to that Demon Tide boss showing up again.

Mickey says he’s been “working with” Sora and Riku and he’s a fucking liar you didn’t do shit for them during KH1, Your Majesty, I WAS THERE.

“Kingdom hearts.. well okay not really kingdom hearts but. It’s sorta like a mini kingdom hearts? look we didn’t have the lore finalized at this point so just. pretend for me, Aqua.”

I can’t believe the Darkness ate King Mickey’s shirt.

(I know it was for the sake of consistency, and if it hadn’t happened you’d have people saying Mickey took his shirt off to be all macho mouse for that scene but still. Did anyone remember going in what Mickey was or wasn’t wearing during that scene?)

Kairi gets 3 seconds of screen time, and they are THE BEST. She’s super on point and I love her and hope she beats Lea up repeatedly and that we get to watch. Or do it.

I’m so thankful that Yensid didn’t pull a “no, Kairi you’re a princess of heart you can’t do both.” I didn’t think he would but it wasn’t NOT a fear of mine.

RIKU AND KAIRI INTERACTION. I PRAYED SO HARD. FOR SO MANY YEARS.

Riku’s whole “I tried to hard too be a role model” thing had me in tears. My son. My beautiful darling son. I am so proud of you. So proud

Sora-esque.

Yen Sid’s “No, see you would have done some stupid brave shit and fucked it all up” was. Amazing. Surpassed only by his “Sora, you fool, you complete and utter fuckup.”

“HAPPENS ALL THE TIME”

So… was Yensid actually talking about Hercules or did Sora just… guess wrong. Because Yensid never explicitly says to go to Olympus Coliseum. Sora’s just…. really literal minded.

Goddammit I take back what I said about Next Gen the canon Disney characters look TERRIBLE. I really hope they work on that before KH3 because I really don’t want to deal with plastic model Donald and Goofy the whole time. Please.

I did NOT miss Donald Ducks voice.

That Gummi ship scene was incredible? HD Sora is so expressive and adorable and precious.

I like watching the dynamic between those three. It’s weird as fuck to watch with these graphics, and Donald and Goofy’s voices make it near impossible to take seriously, but it was fun to see.

“May your heart be your guiding key” DID YOU ALL FORGET WHY SORA FUCKED UP SO BAD IN THE MARK OF MASTERY? GOD DIDN’T YOU HEAR WHAT XIGBAR SAID? “Aren’t hearts great? Lead us wrong every time.” GODDAMMIT.

(I suspect that Mr. MoM knew that too, and was counting on it, hard. Even if he isn’t Braig.)

Special Credits:

I don’t have much to say other than HOLY SHIT NOSTALGIA and that i’m such a sucker for parallels in fiction that I was kind of rolling around with glee.

I actually didn’t realize just how much hugging and touching there is in this series?

Everyone’s all “KH doesn’t have explicit Romantic Parings” But they DID just do a giant romance montage (which included Namine and Roxas?) just to lead up to Sora and Kairi so. Not all that subtle.

As much as I’m :/ about that last bit, it was nice to see this game remember that other parts of the Destiny Islands trio exist besides Sora and Riku’s dynamic. We got some Riku and Kairi in 0.2 and we got this little bit in the credits so at least they haven’t forgotten Kairi exists.

[gethealthy18-blog]

20 Cute Outfits That Will Up Your Tomboy Game

New Post has been published on http://healingawerness.com/getting-healthy/getting-healthy-women/20-cute-outfits-that-will-up-your-tomboy-game/

20 Cute Outfits That Will Up Your Tomboy Game

Pratima Ati April 29, 2019

A tomboy outfit is not meant to express a disinterest in fashion. It involves staying away from the stereotypical feminine silhouettes and tastefully playing with all things androgynous. From boyfriend jeans and pantsuits to oversized shirts and everything in between, there is a lot you can do to nail a tomboy outfit and make it fun. We’ll show you how with our picks of the cutest tomboy outfits. Check them out!

How Do You Dress Like A Tomboy?

The tomboy look is an inherent style that resonates with some people more than others. Whether it is your default setting or a style you want to try, the idea is to bring together pieces that reflect this personality.

Add accessories that are bold, rusty, or robust as opposed to dainty, delicate, and featherlight.

Leather, denim, and bomber jackets. Distressed denim. Boyfriend or mom jeans. Oversized hoodies or sweaters. Turtle necks. Sneakers. Converse shoes. Combat or ankle-length boots. Pantsuits. Big blazers. Flannels. Overalls. Beanies. Bandanas. Baseball hats. These are your staples, but feel free to add more and play around in a way that reflects your bold and badass self.

20 Cute Tomboy Outfits

1. Boy Shorts

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The borrowed-it-from-the-boys kind of look exudes the tomboy vibe like nothing else. A pair of athleisure boy shorts, a half-tucked linen shirt, and sneakers is how you paint the town red in the summer.

2. Overalls

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Are you a fan of camo and suspenders? Sport them both to nail that tomboy look. An Iron-Maiden T-shirt to go with the overalls, a half bun, Converse shoes, and hoops can do the job just right.

3. Frayed Shorts

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Invest in a pair of rugged or frayed shorts. Put your hair up in a bun and throw on a pair of white Superstars or Airmax sneakers!

4. Oversized Shirt And Jacket

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Shirt dresses – I mean the really long and oversized shirts that are worn as dresses – are really in and fit the tomboy bill perfectly. Top it up with a puffy jacket and boots for good measure.

5. Leather Trousers

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Raise the hotness quotient with a pair of leather pants, a tank top, and black sneakers like a boss lady. Add aviators or any sunglasses of your choice to finish off the look.

6. Skinny Jeans With Denim Shirt

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Swing into the feminine side just a little bit with this outfit. Jeans are a signature tomboy attire. Spruce them up a little with white boots and a denim shirt. Smokey eye makeup is your way to go for this look.

7. Bold Monochromes

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Welcome corduroy into your closet to build a bold monochrome outfit without moving away from the theme. Combats, Converse sneakers, or Oxfords sit well with this look.

8. Flannels

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Tomboys swear by flannel or plaid. Tie one at the waist, layer it, or go for an oversized one, and you are sorted.

9. Pantsuit

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Pantsuits are bulldozing their way into runways, fashion houses, and clothing lines. Talk about exciting and fun outfits!

10. Leather Jacket

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Leather jackets never fly under the radar when it comes to tomboy-ish looks, and they are here to stay.

11. Oversized Blazer

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Reign as a street style superstar in this consumingly oversized blazer, straight cut jeans, and a high bun!

12. Bomber Jacket

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Want to put in zero effort but still look like you did? Then, a bomber jacket is your bae! Cropped boyfriends jeans, a tank top, ankle boots, a bomber jacket, and a high bun is how you turn the story around.

13. Side Stripe Pants

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All things with a side stripe are having a moment right now, and they are inherently tomboy-ish. Tracks, trousers, or jeans. If you don’t want to go all the way out with this look, add a trench coat.

14. Business Casuals

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Too cool for school? Can’t wrap your head around formal dressing? Then, try this instead! It hovers around the idea of formal dressing with its boxed silhouette, but does not give in completely.

15. Shorts And Crop Top

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Tomboy meets townie halfway with this look! A tube top with a dark wash denim jacket and jeans, a belt, and laceless combat boots is how you own this look.

16. Tutu Skirt Or Dress

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I know a tutu skirt is the opposite of tomboy. However, even if you detest the idea of anything feminine, you can still try this outfit. It is subtle with its tomboy vibe but still fits the bill.

17. Distressed Denim

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Were you wondering why this didn’t make it further up in the list? We just didn’t want to state the obvious. Distressed denim, hoodies, and combat boots are straight up everyday essentials.

18. Hoodie Dress

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If there’s one thing I learned from this dainty diva, it is to nail the tomboy attire subtly. She lives in hoodie dresses and so can you if you are willing to explore the other side of fashion.

19. Boyfriend Shirt

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Raid your partner’s closet a bit and yank his blue shirt out. Pair it with mom or bootcut jeans to make it your own.

20. One-Piece Dress

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Homecoming or prom just around the corner? I’m assuming the tomboy in you cannot begin to accept the typical girly attire. Borrow a one-piece dress from a friend or rent it out, throw on your leather jacket, and finish it off with boots just the way you like it.

I wasn’t exaggerating when I said there’s a lot you can do with your tomboy outfits. While ‘tomboy’ is a reflection of an innate personality, we can all play with the idea by either following the norms of a real tomboy or tweaking them to fit our own personality. Are you a tomboy? What is your go-to look? Let us know by dropping a message in the comments section below.

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Source: https://www.stylecraze.com/articles/tomboy-outfits/

[meditationsinausterity]

Imagine I'd managed to upload this yesterday

When I had a blog in previous incarnations i'd always include a feature where I'd do a weekly roundup of things i was grateful for in my life. I believe it was due to a brief fixation with Gala Darling before she went full lifecoach and I mentally called closing time on it (I have so much to say on the cult of lifestyle and its wilful economic blindness and self-servitude, but that's for another day), but I have found that consciously thinking about what things in my life I am grateful for does allow me to carry on, even when things are bleak, so I've been doing it in my diary ever since. It's since been bought to my attention in my support sessions that actually, cultivating the practice of actively looking for the good things does build that mental muscle significantly, and makes it much easier to channel it in the dark times. I'd go so far as to say that was true - i'm not exactly super-ripped positivity wise, but I definitely have a strong enough bright-side seeking instinct to keep it up in the face of the dark longer than most. And the more I do it, and the more often I do it, the stronger that will be.

Even focusing on tiny things can help; it reminds me of Pollyanna, that classic children's novel (and amazing film to watch at christmas when you're comatose on stuffing and ill-advised liqueurs). She gets crutches instead of a doll for christmas from the mission, and her response is to thank God that she doesn't need them. Even when that bitch does need them she keeps her head up and looks on the bright side. True optimism in the face of life kicking you in the dick. as a paid up atheist I personally would thank Fuck, because I can see, believe, and feel a fuck; so in that spirit, I present to you 'Thank Fuck It's Monday', my way of starting each week on a note of positive review of the previous one.

Enough preamble; this is what I have loved this week:

+Getting back into my city

I may have previously mentioned that my life was torn between being overworked through choice, and comatosely drinking wine on the sofa i slept on? Not so much right now. I've had a lot of appointments for this week, none of them particularly exciting or appealing, since they were all job centre and finance related, but I have walked a great deal, and seen a great deal. It reminds me very much of when I first moved to London and i started to get to grips with the geography of the city, but I lived in Portsmouth ten years ago, so a lot of my wanders have the superimposition of nostalgia stamped on them. There is also something about being poor enough to not be an active consumer, and therefore participant, in a city, that makes you stop to take notice of all the things that are visually beautiful, or even just distinctive, about a place as you walk through it. It's all a bit Baudelaire, the whole man of, but apart from, the crowd vibe.  I had a moment while I was waiting for everything to open on Friday morning, where I sat reading my book in a sun-soaked Guildhall square, and I remembered, simultaneously: graduating on the steps and having a picture with my best friend Dan; but also, wandering through it looking for my first linguistic techniques lecture; and also, having my first argument with my then-boyfriend by the modernist steps up to the council office. All this early twenties nostalgia was all superimposed with how lovely the sun looked hitting the square, and how quiet and beautiful it all was at half past eight in the morning. It's not quite the same as the beauty of initial discovery (which is always tinged with anxiety, if my memory serves me correctly), but I am learning to appreciate the beauty of rediscovery for what it is, and realize I've lived a rich and characterful life that i should appreciate against the backdrop of my rich and characterful city.

+Early mornings

I am not a devotee of the early morning rise. I used to say so very plainly at work when I was running pubs in London, and yet I was always the favourite of cleaners and delivery drivers because I'd be bright and enthusiastic when they came in to see me on an opening shift. I had a florist when I worked in Highgate who would give me the clippings from what he'd done in the bar because I was alert enough to chat to him and ask questions about the beautiful blooms every morning, and I never really thought much of it. When I quit that job he had to be reassured there was no funny business before he'd continue to florally arrange.

It's because I've been so used to being a sluggish, puffy faced witch in the morning that I'd allow myself an hour to get ready, plus another hour for travel, plus any leftover time at work to drink coffee and smoke fags, and get ahead. All to pre-empt any lateness anxieties (I get them big-time) and any curveballs that might come my way that could put a crimp in me bossing it for the day. I no longer have that structure to my day of needing to be somewhere and do something at a certain time, but I'm finding that with or without the need to, I am getting up early in the morning, making my bed, tidying shit up, and then cracking on with a self-imposed routine . I realized it, the other day when I was in bed with someone else, on their day off, and was taking one myself; I woke up alert and thoughtful and ready, and promptly moved myself to the kitchen where I mainlined coffee, wrote fuckloads in my journal and read Rosamond Lehmann until I was lethargic enough to not be an annoyance in the bed. I'm starting to ponder if actually I've only ever not been a morning person before because i am a late-shift worker with a tendency toward anxiety insomnia, since waking up and cracking on with things is making me feel far better about my day than I thought it ever would.

+The surprising efficiency and politeness of British bureaucracy

Now, I've mentioned my previous tabloid and 'glorious working class' related shame around job centre visits. Industrial revolution level refusal of charity plus a dominant nature of outrage and shame is powerful, make no mistake. Not to mention, so many people I know have told me horror stories about their personal experiences, or other applicants (I can't say I necessarily condone this technique, it smacks of trying to create shame). I was nervous, and I was led to expect the worst of my experience in the buildup. I channelled my inner Pollyanna to get there (while musing on shame and guilt as we've read) and sat in the queue scribbling on my copy of Cures For Love by Stendhal. I have to admit I was a little disheartened initially when I saw a nervously friendly German man in front of me get absolutely shut down by the greeting staff who refused to respond to his attempts to humanize his experience by saying things like 'I don't know if you remember me' into a wall of efficient silence. It made me really unhappy that he was attempting to be seen and recognized as a human and was met with a response of 'you're on the list yeah, go here'. But i ended up sat next to him on a functional yet cheerful sofa,and we had a conversation about philosophy as a whole and why I liked Stendhal as opposed to Kant (I will take what i can get, alright?). He remembered everybody's name and was as visibly nervous and uncomfortable with the whole experience as me. I'm sorry I never got his name before he chipped off to his appointment but it was a relief to feel like somebody else like there was like me; not comfortable despite years of tax and working, but also determined to be seen as a person because otherwise how do you exist? My fears were alleviated when I met my advisor, and she helped me with identification protocol, processed my claim, and spoke to me about clothes and fashion after an indepth conversation about retail. She was wearing a stunning victorian blouse and I asked her where it was from, and when she said the h&m sale I knew she was my girl. I went back the next day to see her with the supporting documents she'd asked me for and it was literally like we were mates, not like she'd bent over backwards for me to get my documents processed super quickly, which she absolutely had. I'm calling fie on stories about the job centre; you may not like to have to be there very much but there are people there who are on the level and see who you are. I have left there feeling very lifted even when I arrived home rain soaked and frozen.

Honorary mentions:

Hearing songs I forgot I loved everywhere and it making me remember all the times that were good in my life - kissing someone briefly in a lift to say bye and thinking i might have been too bold but hearing them toot me on their way to work and nearly bursting - instant coffee - oranges in all their forms - seeing a thereapeutic technique (reaching out to people when you're not down to make you more adept at it when you are) pay off to give you a richer life - dalston drinks cherryade - listening to the radio again and remembering how much I genuinely love music - being able to cut my own hair and look good - tinned fish in all its forms - honest and frank conversations that needed to be had - being somewhat horrendous at video games but overcompensating by being a prick - getting slowly back to a skincare regime - the phrase 'you ate the same amount as me' - remembering I can make gravy the way I used to - getting my birth certificate - discovering things I want to see and do in my hood - having and maintaing excellent nails - hair oil in any form - Dan who works for LG and his hilarious service style - sleeping like a dead person and waking up feeling good.

[yourluxegirlthings]

2018: Luxe 10 This April

1. Hong Kong

2. Sofia Sanchez de Betak Packing Vids

3. Sex And The City

4. Lobster Risotto at the Krystal Restaurant, St. Martin Island

5. Muse: Claire Foy & Florals

6. Mark Manson’s, The Subtle Art of Not Giving A Fuck

7. Brunch 

8. Nisbet Plantation Beach Club, St. Kitts

9. Tommy Bahama: For Her

10. Theme: Unstoppable - Sia

HELLO APRIL! 

This month is particularly exciting because it is the birthday month of several members of the YourLuxeGirl Team. It may be overcast and windy. You may need to break out the umbrella every other day, but April means you can finally say adios Winter. This month’s list is a FAVES tribute. Why not make a list of your own?

FAVE CITY - Hong Kong may be the most expensive city to live in globally, but it’s a vibrant amalgam of tech driven modernity and a rich ancient culture. Side note: shopping in HK is also the stuff legends are made of!

FAVE ‘IT’ GIRL - It you’re fashion savvy, you’ll have heard of Sofia Sanchez de Betak. Not only is she possibly the most stylish woman alive, but the girl knows how to pack. Before your next adventure, we recommend checking out her packing vids for Net-A-Porter on youtube. Mega glam can be efficiently packed after all! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vv1bt-mnQw4

FAVE SHOW - Are you a Carrie or a Samantha? Depends on the day am I right?!! Sex and The City is the ultimate luxe girl’s manifesto on ootd, shoes, girl boss besties, and drink orders. This cult classic will never go out of style or become redundant. So what the heck are you waiting for? Rewatch!

FAVE MEAL - At YourLuxeGirlThings, we celebrate food. Hands down the best meal we’ve had was on a 2016 trip to St. Martin Island at Krystal Restaurant where the chef prepared a perfect lobster risotto. There are no words to truly describe the foodgasm, so best to move on.

FAVE MUSE - Claire Foy is not just your favorite actress and queen of Hollywood; woman puts on polished floral after floral making her our spring queen! It’s usually Gucci, usually fitted, and ultra regal. Bow down. 

FAVE BOOK - If you have yet to read Mark Manson’s bestseller, crawl out from under the rock and buy it now...or check it out of the library or something...Life is hectic and busy leading to spiked rates of anxiety among adults and youth. Let’s face it, being a teenager sucks, but adulating is hard af! So you know what...stop giving a fuck already. Be the best you by doing your best and then moving on. Don’t stress the outcome. Handle your business and move on to doing something you love to unwind.

FAVE SOCIAL - Has anyone else noticed that the older your get, the more your social life is organized around brunch. Why? Because it’s affordable, breakfast food is life, and staying up late leads to puffy eyes. And heaven forbid you miss a brunch with your besties, you’ll be out of the loop. ($5 Mimosas divulge all happenings.)

FAVE BEACH - The beach is our happy place, and the beauty of St. Kitts is like nothing you’ve seen. A virtually undisturbed paradise, the turquoise water and lush flora will melt your worries away. We recommend the Nisbet Pltantion Beach Club, a century old plantation house on a private beach, with world class food and amenities. Fly little birdy! 

FAVE SCENT - You like to smell good, right? Here’s our advice: the next time you’re in the mothership (a.k.a the mall) head into Tommy Bahama and spritz their newest fragrance onto one of those little white strips. Has anything smelled more lovely? Well, now you can. 

FAVE EAR THEME - Music uplifts like nothing else. It’s a pep-talk jammed into 3 and half minutes of motivation. And no one does it like Sia. Her track ‘Unstoppable’ is going to become your pick-me-up, motto, hustle vibe, and mantra. You are unstoppable. The only limits and excuses that currently exist in your life are self-imposed. And you, alone, have the power to break the barriers to success. THIS IS APRIL! Let the rain wash away any self-doubt. You are a goddess, style maven, and fortunate enough to have been created a woman! Embrace this. Own it. Work hard. Be nice. And when all is said and done, don’t stress (give a fuck about) the outcome. Anxiety does nothing to progress your goals. If there ever is a formula for success, that is it. Now get off this blog and go be unstoppable, chica!

We believe in you! 

xx. YourLuxeGirlThings

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