#Style Quotient

[shaadiwish]

The Ambani family has always been the epitome of luxury. From their parties to their ultra-luxurious weddings, the business family doesn’t shy away from going extravagant.

[stylequotient]

Stylish tops for women

[suburbanbonfire]

welcome to the big leagues, boy

(prints here)

[hasarjunadoneanythingwrong]

day 676

*duplicates you*

[johnbrand]

Kickin' it Straight!

SuckMcDick69 has gifted you Kickin’ it Straight! Downloading now…

Puzzled, Mason clicked on the notification. He had no idea what game his console was installing, nor who this “SuckMcDick69” person was. His only guess would have been that it was Mick, the repulsive, 30-something hetero next door. But Mick despised Mason and his boyfriend Corey, particularly after they had submitted that noise complaint a while back. There were only so many feminine moans and repeated bed-frame slammings into the wall that the couple could handle.

But looking at the game, it seemed legit. Even a quick Google search confirmed this. Sure Mason did not know where the gift was from, but what was the harm in playing it anyway? The couple had a date night planned but Corey would not be home for another hour. And Mason had already taken a shower. His slim, shaved body still glistened with a few drops and his wavy fringe was still too wet to style. So, without a second thought, Mason decided to launch the game.

“Kickin’ it Straight!” had a simple premise: land the ball into the miniature goal on the other side of the map. However, each kick was incredibly uncoordinated, curving in random directions so that the only way to win the game was to punt a perfectly-straight shot. Each attempted shot earned the player in-game currency, either beer can tabs or the super rare single dollar bills. With these, one could save up and purchase bonuses to straighten out their intention. 

The graphics were decent and the gameplay fine, but this was not Mason’s usual style of game. He was surprised at its addictive quality, having soon racked up enough can tabs to purchase a bonus. +10 MUSCULATURE! Almost as if delivered directly from the game through his controller, Mason felt a tingle of excitement crawl along his body. That added muscle was definitely going to help straighten him out! 

With a slightly stronger grip, Mason began kicking again, noticing his aim had barely improved. He assumed the game was structured purposefully for players to dedicate time in order to complete it. So Mason saved a little longer, waiting until he could purchase two upgrades at once. With another +10 MUSCULATURE, Mason could practically feel his abdominals hardening with elation, but he also secured a +5 HEIGHT. He stretched his buzzing arms and legs, kicking the latter set up onto the futon and spreading them across the cushions.

Now able to rack up more can tabs, Mason was soon hoarding a good amount of cash. Previewing the shop, he ended up selecting three different bonuses. He grabbed the final +10 MUSCULATURE and +5 HEIGHT to round off those two categories. After completing an additional challenge, Mason also earned a +15 ANDROGEN. He did not know what that meant, but he did not care. Mason did however notice the tingling sensation in his lower half again, but after scratching at his furry legs he disregarded it, his feet now hanging over the edge. 

Suddenly, a big hoop presented itself to the left of the goal, offering dollar bills if Mason scored the shot. Thanks to his bonuses, he could better predict the angles of his kicks, allowing him to punt it directly in on the first attempt. Immediately he ventured into the shop, purchasing +5 CLEATS out of the three options assuming he would be supplied with better shoes. Navigating out of the shop, Mason subconsciously rubbed his feet together, seemingly ticklish as they thickened and plumped into much larger soles.

As he continued on, the amount of bonuses Mason had available began to change, each checking off as his aim shrunk narrower. +10 MATURITY, +20 VIRILITY, +25 CONFIDENCE. Eventually he no longer processed what he was purchasing, obsessively venturing back and forth from shop to field to check each item off. +20 POWER, +20 AGGRESSION, -10 INTELLIGENCE QUOTIENT, -20 INTELLIGENCE QUOTIENT, -30 INTELLIGENCE QUOTIENT. 

Near the end, Mason only had two more bonuses to purchase, both only attainable with dollar bills. Scratching between his crew cut and scruffy beard, it took him a few moments to realize he could purchase both. REMOVE HOMOSEXAULITY DISADVANTAGE, INSTALL HETEROSEXUALITY ADVANTAGE. With this came a purchase animation, showing Mason’s character placing the dollar bills into the waistbands of busty, oversexualized cheerleaders. He groped himself casually, feeling his juicy man meat grow hard. 

Once it was finished, he was put back in the game for the final shot. With pure determination, Mason kicked the ball straight down the line into the goal. Obnoxiously, he shouted out a booming, abrasive victory cry for everyone in the building to hear. Everyone would now know that Mason was "kickin' it straight!"

After closing the game, Mason received a notification on his phone. It was from Mick next door, asking him to come over to discuss something. Without a second thought, Mason got up and left, not even bothering putting some clothes on. He was promptly greeted at the next door by a man of similar size, stench, and sense.

“Sorry I'm late, honey!” Corey announced a while later once he finally arrived home. Looking around, he was surprised at how empty the apartment looked, as if it had recently purged. His eyes momentarily went vacant, processing something, and then reanimating.

Who was he calling "honey?" He lived alone, unlike the two dickheads he could hear shouting at their game next door. The pair were like twins: both twelve inches taller, ten years older, and a whole lot manlier than Corey. The traditional moral contrasts were somehow even starker than the physical differences. With a sigh, Corey just hoped he did not have to file another noise complaint–something warned him Mick and Mason had the means to retaliate.

[linghxr]

Chinese surnames that are more common in Taiwan

Recently I realized that I’ve met a lot of people with the surname Hung but virtually no Hongs. Hung is a romanization of 洪 used in Taiwan (it's Hong in pinyin). So why have I met so many Hungs but not many Hongs? It turns out that in Taiwan, 洪 is the 14th* most common surname, but in Mainland China it’s way down at 107th**!

After learning this, I realized that 洪 is not the only surname for which I've noticed this imbalance. Using rankings I found online, I calculated the differences in ranking and also the "quotient" (rank in Mainland divided by rank in Taiwan) for over 200 surnames.

This list consists of surnames "significantly" more common in Taiwan ("significant" means quotient > 2). I’m focusing on surnames for which my personal observations line up with the numbers. The rest of the surnames meeting the criteria are under the cut.

List order: By rank in Taiwan, from most to least common List format: 简体字 | 繁體字 pinyin (Taiwanese-style romanization)

蔡 Cài (Tsai) Taiwan rank: 9 Mainland rank: 44 Difference: 35 Quotient: 4.888888889

洪 Hóng (Hung) Taiwan rank: 14 Mainland rank: 107 Difference: 93 Quotient: 7.642857143

邱 Qiū (Chiu) Taiwan rank: 16 Mainland rank: 77 Difference: 61 Quotient: 4.8125

曾 Zēng (Tseng) Taiwan rank: 17 Mainland rank: 38 Difference: 21 Quotient: 2.235294118

廖 Liào Taiwan rank: 18 Mainland rank: 66 Difference: 48 Quotient: 3.666666667

赖 | 賴 Lài Taiwan rank: 19 Mainland rank: 98 Difference: 79 Quotient: 5.157894737

叶 | 葉 Yè (Yeh) Taiwan rank: 22 Mainland rank: 49 Difference: 27 Quotient: 2.227272727

庄 | 莊 Zhuāng (Chuang) Taiwan rank: 24 Mainland rank: 138 Difference: 114 Quotient: 5.75

江 Jiāng (Chiang) Taiwan rank: 26 Mainland rank: 79 Difference: 53 Quotient: 3.038461538

简 | 簡 Jiǎn (Chien) Taiwan rank: 32 Mainland rank: 224 Difference: 192 Quotient: 7

游 Yóu (Yu) Taiwan rank: 35 Mainland rank: 166 Difference: 131 Quotient: 4.742857143

詹 Zhān (Chan) Taiwan rank: 37 Mainland rank: 152 Difference: 115 Quotient: 4.108108108

施 Shī (Shih) Taiwan rank: 39 Mainland rank: 105 Difference: 66 Quotient: 2.692307692

颜 | 顏 Yán (Yen) Taiwan rank: 45 Mainland rank: 110 Difference: 65 Quotient: 2.444444444

柯 Kē (Ko) Taiwan rank: 46 Mainland rank: 188 Difference: 142 Quotient: 4.086956522

卓 Zhuó (Chuo or Cho) Taiwan rank: 61 Mainland rank: 256 Difference: 195 Quotient: 4.196721311

Additional surnames meeting the criteria: The first 4 surnames are so common everywhere that I haven't observed an asymmetry. Thus, they are listed down here.

陈 | 陳 Chén Taiwan rank: 1 Mainland rank: 5 Difference: 4 Quotient: 5

林 Lín Taiwan rank: 2 Mainland rank: 16 Difference: 14 Quotient: 8

黄 | 黃 Huáng Taiwan rank: 3 Mainland rank: 8 Difference: 5 Quotient: 2.666666667

许 | 許 Xǔ (Hsu or Shu) Taiwan rank: 11 Mainland rank: 35 Difference: 24 Quotient: 3.181818182

翁 Wēng Taiwan rank: 47 Mainland rank: 177 Difference: 130 Quotient: 3.765957447

阮 Ruǎn (Juan) Taiwan rank: 62 Mainland rank: 189 Difference: 127 Quotient: 3.048387097

蓝 | 藍 Lán Taiwan rank: 67 Mainland rank: 260 Difference: 193 Quotient: 3.880597015

古 Gǔ (Ku) Taiwan rank: 70 Mainland rank: 208 Difference: 138 Quotient: 2.971428571

纪 | 紀 Jǐ or Jì (Chi) Taiwan rank: 71 Mainland rank: 157 Difference: 86 Quotient: 2.211267606

连 | 連 Lián (Lien) Taiwan rank: 73 Mainland rank: 239 Difference: 166 Quotient: 3.273972603

欧 | ��� Ōu Taiwan rank: 75 Mainland rank: 161 Difference: 86 Quotient: 2.146666667

巫 Wū Taiwan rank: 86 Mainland rank: 283 Difference: 197 Quotient: 3.290697674

官 Guān (Kuan) Taiwan rank: 116 Mainland rank: 274 Difference: 158 Quotient: 2.362068966

Sources: *As of 2018, via 台湾姓氏 (Wikipedia) **As of 2020, via 2020年最新百家姓氏排名，快来看看你排第几？ (Sohu)

See similar posts: Chinese surname ranking analysis A guide to Taiwanese name romanization

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

which romance novels have you liked the most and also which ones have you disliked the most??

YEAH LET'S GO!!!

Helen Hoang is my absolute #1 ride or die, anything she writes I'm here for forever. I do think that Kiss Quotient is the weakest of her books, which isn't shocking from a first novel, but the sex is solid and she got SIGNIFICANTLY better for the Bride Test and the Heart Principle. those were the best romances I read in 2023 and the competition is not close, Bride Test in particular is just a heap of fun.

Alexis Hall's A Lady for a Duke is also pretty excellent, just really dreamy trans woman historical romance with the most #woke and fuckable 19th century duke who ever lived. yes the duke gets over his alcoholism and laudanum addiction way too fast. yes there's an insane shoehorned Wickham-running-off-with-Lydia style plot at the end that comes out of nowhere and doesn't really make the story better. no there's no enough sex. but who cares? just have fun with it.

I also really really enjoyed Lauren Kung Jessen's Lunar Love but like... entirely because I was reading the protagonist, Olivia, as like a Rachel Bloom Crazy Ex-Girlfriend type who's so obsessed with the Chinese zodiac because she has an undiagnosed personality disorder. that's definitely not what the intent was but I think Olivia should have been allowed to be way MORE unhinged, tbh. I think Olivia should be allowed to kill.

as for the dishonorable mentions... god.

Tessa Bailey's Unfortunately Yours is ATROCIOUS. unbearable characters and dialogue that feels like listening to a garbage disposal and sex scenes that almost ruptured my spleen because I was laughing so hard. also the premise was just. very dumb. I Cannot Handle fake relationship books where the characters are stupid about it. the only part of it I like was the female protag's mom, a frigid evil milf who could keep me like a purse dog.

speaking of fake relationships, Chencia Higgins' book D'vaughn and Kris Plan a Wedding was also a huge letdown. the premise of two strangers having to fake a relationship on a reality tv show is good silly fun but Higgins just seemed like... DEEPLY uninterested in the reality tv aspect except as an excuse for how the characters met? when camera crew politely agreed not to film D'Vaughn coming out to her family, that was some bullshit. the whole book is just really sloppy, it's very disheartening that this is like THE #1 Black lesbian romance that I see recommended because it sucks and Black lesbians deserve soooo much better.

Kiss Her Once for Me by Alison Cochrun has been one of the hardest books to read because the protagonist/POV character is just soooo whiny and insufferable. she's supposed to be a very #relatable smol bean but god she was exhausting, I couldn't stand her.

[maditalksmusic]

"WE'RE BIKINI KILL AND WE WANT REVOLUTION!"

is the opening statement of feminist punk band Bikini Kill’s song “Double Dare Ya”, one of their most famous songs challenging girls to always be unabashedly themselves. It’s a line that resonates through every song they’ve ever put out and every show they’ve performed.

Last Sunday, after finishing a horrible calculus assignment, I needed to find something to do with myself before I lashed out at anyone who crossed my path, some sort of way to diffuse my anger at the stupidity of simplifying 42 useless radical inequalities and difference quotients. I saw an Instagram ad for a Bikini Kill show at the Brooklyn Paramount in three hours. I texted every one of my new, cool college Instagram mutuals who I’d maybe met once who I thought may be a fellow Riot Grrrl fan, but nobody could go. I knew going alone was risky, but the ticket was $30. It was too good of a deal to pass up. I went back to my apartment, changed into my plaid skirt and Docs, threw my hair into the coolest claw clip style I could pull off in 5 minutes, and got on the next train to New York City. 

An hour and a half, one face-plant in Penn Station, an out of service Subway line, and a sprint through Manhattan in platforms to the next stop of the D train later, I made it to the venue. It was only 30 minutes before the opener, Sweeping Promises, came on, and I assumed there would be a line out the door. When I just walked right through security without waiting for a single second, I was shocked. I figured I would be squeezing into the middle of that standing-room-only space like a canned sardine, but I waltzed right up to the barricade. Watching people fill in behind me was fascinating. I was under the impression I’d be one of the youngest people there, until I started seeing waves of 13-16 year old girls coming in buzzing with excitement, followed closely by their fathers in vintage punk merch who probably played basement shows every weekend in their late teens and early twenties. 

Kathi Wilcox on bass guitar during "Alien She", shot by me

I started listening to Bikini Kill when I was 13. They were one of the first bands that played “real music” (essentially anything that isn’t top 40 radio pop) that I started listening to. Hearing Kathleen Hanna singing, or more accurately melodically screaming, these songs about everything from feminism to political activism to standing up to sexual harassment over a gorgeously aggressive drum beat from Tobi Vail while Kathi Wilcox shreds on bass, made something in my brain click into place. Suddenly I realized that even at my age, I could be aware of what was going on in the world, and I could start to challenge these issues, even if it was only on a personal scale. Hearing “Double Dare Ya” live, standing five feet from the stage, hearing every girl in the room singing along, feeling the physical energy radiating from all of those people who felt the same, while making eye contact with Kathleen Hanna was possibly the most impactful moment of my life thus far. It’s easy to forget how important it is to let your frustrations out not only by yourself, but in a public space sometimes. In May, Hanna spoke with NPR on the subject. It’s healthy to cope with emotions on your own, but the experience of letting it all out with other people who are right there with you is unparalleled. This public release of anger is one of the things Bikini Kill prioritizes, and it’s highly evident in the electric energy of their shows. 

Throughout the show, the band took moments to reflect on their history, and to appreciate each other, their friends, their inspirations, the people who have supported them, and their fan base. Hanna told stories that have inspired songs and albums, from her experience trying to join church choir as a young girl to the realities of experiencing assault and harassment on the basis of sex to the ways that losing friends too soon has affected her. A moment that particularly stood out was when she spoke on her late friend Mikey, who both she and Tobi Vail had known since they were teenagers. They fondly reminisced on the times they had together, and the shenanigans Mikey often enjoyed causing. Hanna then produced a neon pink fanny pack, and revealed that when Mikey passed five years ago, his mother gave her some of his ashes. This fanny pack goes to every show that Bikini Kill plays and as it turns out, is the vessel for Mikey’s remains. At first, this seemed rather morbid, and was clearly disturbing to some people in the crowd. There were gasps and nervous, shocked laughs around the room. But as Hanna explained why it was that fanny pack, it turned into a heartwarming moment, realizing that this way of honoring Mikey’s legacy, bringing his ashes on tour and keeping him with them not only in spirit but physically, is exactly what would have brought him happiness. This is highly reflective of Bikini Kill’s philosophy as a band and serves as a reminder for why they continue to do what they do. 

Over 30 years since their inception, Bikini Kill has stayed entirely true to their origins. Their sound and the messages they seek to convey haven’t changed since the 90s. Some might claim this is a sort of resistance to change, or a marker of being “behind the times”, but judging by the number of people under the age of 20 at that show, it couldn’t be further from the truth. This July, they made their television debut with a performance of “Rebel Girl”, one of their first songs, on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. 

Authenticity is the defining characteristic of Bikini Kill. It’s their unbridled authenticity that makes it so powerful for them to play a song written in 1993 as their first televised performance 31 years later, because their style and their messages still ring true. It’s that authenticity that makes the environment of their shows so incredible. As an eighteen year old girl who was alone in New York, I had never felt safer than I did in that ~2500 person crowd. Bikini Kill continues to use their music to create spaces where women, queer people, or anyone else who goes against the status quo can come and be themself with utmost support. This is a band that has always catered to the youth with their punk-rock anthems of rebellion and empowerment, and in today’s political climate with reproductive rights and LGBTQ+ issues being at the top of the ballot, that’s more important than ever. They embody the true punk spirit, entirely unafraid to stand up for themselves and what they believe in, without regard to whether or not it’s deemed “socially acceptable”. Concerts like this are the reminders that all of us need to be the “rebel girl” in our community that refuses to be a bystander to social ills, remains honest to a fault, and is uncompromising in her values. These cathartic spaces are a necessity for everyone, and Bikini Kill’s commitment to ensuring their continued existence and the importance of expressing your anger is what fuels their ongoing success and solidifies their place in music history.

[thewebcomicsreview]

Oh hey, Homestuck 2 updated! I was expecting this to be an 11/11 update since that's a Homestuck arc number, but it's the least important of those by far.

Egads! What a despicable plan, devised by a devilish dame with a dastardly disposition. The wretched wiles of a wayward woman with a penchant for the wicked. A hullabaloo most hideous and heinous, hammered out by-

One of the biggest mysteries of Homestuck 2 is who's narrating Candyland with Calliope gone, and the more narration-heavy style of the new team is really calling attention to that. This is very flanderized Jake English dialogue. Also a dramatically more active Jake English than we've seen all...ever?

Under no circumstances can you allow her to get to The Point.

Gonna have fun with that MacGuffin name, huh, writers? It occurs to me that Jake was supposedly a spy the whole time but this is the first indication that he's actually been telling the resistance anything instead of just calling himself a spy as a cope.

I like this art a lot. But also what the hell is Meenah doing here? Last time we saw her, in the epilogues, she was out in space and stole the Ring of Life from John before escaping into a server beacon. Did it lead her into the black hole (lmao get owned), or is this an alternate timeline ghosts? Are her eyes closed in order to drag out that reveal?

JAKE: Shit, sergeant! Cant you add her to the groupcrab? MEENAH: groupcrab MEENAH: cod damn thats good MEENAH: i just been callin em prawnference calls

As fish puns go, "Prawnference calls" is excellent.

MEENAH: idk but hypothetically speaking if i was posted up in my big mean bitch pants just gettin my empress on and you told me insturgeonts were tryin to shore up on some kinda mythic skaian artifact

So, Meenah has her eyes closed to prevent me from knowing if this is the alpha version or a doomed ghost, and now she's dropping very vague hints about what the plot point is. This does feel very homestuck, in that it's teasing out the reveals to maximize speculation. Skaia is, of course, related to SBURB, and thus this is confirmation of the fandom assumption that they're going to start a new game, without actually saying much else.

I have no idea why this air vent is Sweet Bro and Hella Jeff style, but Vriska kicking the sound affect is still funny.

The comedy quotient has increased notably under the new team.

VRISKA: John, she's a Vriska. She can handle herself! I'm sure she can take anything this fake-ass timeline can throw at her! JOHN: what?

Wait, John doesn't know? I thought "Everyone 'knows' candyland is fake and that why they're acting so weird they're just LARPing" was kind of my headcanon for a lot of the weirder candy stuff.

VRISKA: This whole universe is like someone's shitty RP, and everyone's out of character! None of this reads! VRISKA: Like, who the FUCK is Yiffy!!!!!!!! Why should I or anyone CARE????????

I'm so meta even this acronym

JOHN: a long time ago i was supposed to go back and defea- VRISKA: SNOOOOOOOORE! VRISKA: Your ecto-human-guardian-si8ling or whatever is pro8a8ly sending a squad of 8ozos to apprehend your ex as we speak. So I say the less we talk and the sooner we 8low this gru8sickle stand, the sooner we can get there 8efore we lose access to our shortcut. JOHN: yeah when you spell it all out like that i can see what y- JOHN: wait, WHAT!!! JOHN: why didn't you just say that earlier?! VRISKA: John. That's what I've 8een doing this whole time! VRISKA: Now, c'mon! Race you there!!!!!!!!

I don't ship them or anything, but this John/Vriska dynamic where John is kind of the oblivious straight man to all this wacky nonsense is one that Homestuck has been very light on since Act 6.

That was a good update. It was funny, it moved the plot along, and it gave us stuff to speculate about! And the art was really good!

[fetznerdeathrecords]

Ritual Fog - But Merely Flesh

Death Metal from Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.

Ritual Fog have masterfully incorporated thrash influences into their old-school death metal sound, making the music much more bitter and sinister, so much so that even when they slow down in their more doomy moments, it sounds incredibly crushing and abominable. Their riffs seem to be bent on pushing against the listener, creating a burning sensation first in the ears and then in the rest of the body. The hoarse singing that can only come from a furrowed larynx adds to the scratchy effect and increases the maliciousness quotient many times over. They seem to have borrowed the right amount of influences to create a cohesive, if rough, sound that wreaks havoc no matter which way they go. This allows them to effortlessly traverse blood-smeared pits in both fast and thrashy style, as well as heavy, doom-tinged style, without the tension waning. This ability to maintain aggression and change things in the blink of an eye sets them apart from their monotonous, old-school-sounding colleagues and gives them an exciting advantage. By perfecting their sound for their long-awaited debut album, Ritual Fog have created a staggering, devastating beast that is hungry and absolutely unstoppable.

1. Misticism 00:36 2. Desolate Chasm 03:04 3. Slimeblade 03:31 4. Nocturnal Suffering 04:13 5. Demented Procession 04:20 6. Fog Sermon 03:10 7. Carnal Pain 02:44 8. Sentient Chamber 03:17 9. But Merely Flesh 04:38

Release date: November 29th, 2024 via @transcendingobscurity

@ritualfog

[shaadiwish]

The Kapoor Khandan is certainly blessed with good looks and Arjun Kapoor is a proof of it. Apart from his cutesy roles in movies like 2 States and Ki & Ka, Arjun Kapoor certainly knows how to charm us over with his good looks, fashion statements, and suave too. He steps out only to make a style statement and leave everyone swooning. Don’t believe us? Then you need to check this out –

[jainiss]

hello!

bringing reactions from female characters of genshin impact to the arrival of a beautiful you.

Hope you guys like it ~~ Ps: forgive me if there are english mistakes. English is not my native language. Ps2: these are guesses at what I think it would be. all fictional.

Ningguang:

With grace and poise, Ningguang observes you, masking her curiosity. "Fascinating. I wonder what secrets lie behind such allure."

--------

Keqing:

Keqing's stern expression softens slightly, feeling a strange connection to you. "Hmm, you seem to possess a unique energy. I'll keep a close eye on you."

-------

Beidou:

Beidou grins with enthusiasm and extends a hearty welcome. "You've got quite the aura! I like you. Let's sail the seas together!"

------

Klee:

Klee jumps with excitement, her eyes sparkling with admiration. "You're so pretty! Want to see my bombs? They're beautiful too!"

-------

Jean:

Jean, the acting Grand Master of Mondstadt, greets you with warmth and elegance. "Welcome to Mondstadt. Your beauty is a gift to our city."

------

Mona:

Mona sizes you up with her mystical abilities and then offers an enigmatic smile. "Hmm, your presence certainly holds intriguing possibilities."

------

Qiqi:

Qiqi tilts her head curiously, her expression unchanging. "You're beautiful, just like my glowing flowers."

-----------

Ganyu:

Ganyu smiles softly, impressed by your beauty. "I'm delighted to meet someone as elegant as you. May I offer you some tea?"

--------------

Hu Tao:

Hu Tao chuckles with excitement, her eyes gleaming mischievously. "Your beauty rivals the aesthetics of the Lantern Rite! Let's create an unforgettable festival together!"

--------

Rosaria:

Rosaria glances skeptically at you. "Appearances can be deceiving. I'll keep an eye on you."

-------

Fischl:

Fischl's eyes widen in excitement, viewing you with a mix of curiosity and admiration. "Behold, Oz! A being of such astounding beauty, they must hail from another realm!"

-------

Sucrose:

Sucrose's scientific curiosity is piqued, and she takes out her notebook to record observations. "Oh my, the beauty quotient appears to be off the charts. I must conduct further research!"

------

Noelle:

Noelle blushes and bows politely, captivated by your grace. "Greetings! You are truly beautiful! Please allow me to assist you in any way I can!"

-----

Xiangling:

Xiangling's eyes gleam with excitement, seeing the potential for culinary inspiration. "Your beauty rivals the most delectable dishes! I can't wait to create a new recipe in your honor!"

-------

Barbara:

Barbara smiles warmly, her heart full of admiration. "Your beauty shines as bright as the sun! May the blessings of the water be with you!"

------

Diona:

Diona narrows her eyes skeptically but eventually offers a nod of approval. "Well, you've got style. Let me know if you need a drink, though I won't go easy on you."

------

Sayu:

Sayu jumps up and down excitedly, drawn to your charm. "You're so pretty and cool! Let's play together sometime!"

-----

Yoimiya:

Yoimiya grins, immediately struck by your aura. "Ah, your beauty is like the colors of a brilliant fireworks display! You've got my artistic senses tingling!"

-----

Raiden Shogun:

Raiden Shogun gazes upon you with an enigmatic smile. "A captivating aura indeed. Your existence intrigues this deity."

------

Kamisato Ayaka:

Ayaka maintains her graceful composure but secretly admires your elegance. "Your beauty is akin to a delicate cherry blossom, serene and captivating."

-------

Xinyan:

Xinyan's eyes shine with excitement, impressed by your charm. "Your beauty is like a blazing inferno! Let's rock the stage together!"

-------

Kujou sara:

Sara winks playfully at you, sensing a shared sense of adventure. "Hehe, you've got the aura of someone who loves a good thrill. Care to join me on a gliding race?"

-------------

Yanfei:

Yanfei's eyes sparkle with curiosity, her legal mind intrigued by you. "Hmm, such beauty is a rare legal matter indeed. I must investigate further."

------

Eula:

Eula can't help but be drawn to your beauty, and a rare smile graces her face. "Your allure is like a glimmer of light in the abyss of Mondstadt."

------

Yaoyao:

Yaoyao observes you with a shy smile, captivated by your beauty. "Um, your presence feels like a tranquil garden. It's nice to meet you."

------

Yunjin:

Yunjin bows respectfully, feeling honored by your presence. "Your beauty graces us with a celestial aura. May I sing for you?"

------

*bonus*:

Traveler (Lumine/Aether):

The Traveler twins exchange glances, feeling an inexplicable sense of familiarity. "There's something about them that feels so... familiar."

Byebye ~

© jainiss ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ

[angelinalifestyle]

Men's Jacket in Blue Colour

Visit https://www.oasisjackets.com/padding-jackets/mens-jacket-in-mens-colour/ to watch the blue hooded men's jacket with padding for making the style quotient higher.

[omegaremix]

Rosie’s Vintage shopping list, 2018.

Two more stops to go before the music shopping spree is history. Whatever locations are on the list seems to be further away each time. Today’s theme is the record annex which is picking up on Long Island. It started a year-and-a-half ago when Hideaway Vinyl set shop in Rosie’s Vintage in Huntington. Looks like they have an online presence still despite nothing being updated in a few months, so why not take the trip to see what it’s all about?

It’s been quite a while since being in Huntington. I do have some personal history there. My ex- Yenny brought me over to work there (our second job working together) for several years and it’s where she used to live. And let’s try to forget a dreaded miserable summer post-rain day out with former friend and staffer Molina, who took me through a cemetery, burger place, and an isolated park in an attempt to get close to me. No dice.

I walk in to Rosie’s and it’s bonafide vintage. Looks like the owners took over a small Fifties-style house in white-bread suburbia. Walk in and you’ll certainly feel the loud creaking of the all-wood floors. Its’ living room, dens, bedrooms, and many closets are filled with tons of kitsch, knick-knacks, and collectibles from the mid-century. Street signs, old threads, compasses, jewelry, board games, wardrobes, dolls, salt-shakers…I can go on. There’s many stories and tales to be told by each and every object that survived its’ era; all neatly organized, piled, and sorted. As an added touch, there’s the classics played on the overheads. Collections were posted on its page and testimonials from its customers recall their purchases: old vials and medicine jars, pill and spice tins, matchbook collections, sports pennants, dishes, and the occasional naughty glassware. I can still go on if you want me to.

The guy behind the register greets me and asks what he could do for me. I’m here for Hideaway Vinyl, I say. He tells me that they left shop a few months ago. Could’ve fooled me. They no longer exist. They’re still present online on social media but it all made sense why the lack of updates. Had Hideaway stayed, there’d be a presence of punk, hardcore, surf, ska, and rockabilly. He did show me where all the vinyl is now deposited by Vinyl Paradise. Remember them? There were twelve shelves top and bottom of pre-owned vinyl, four of the same across from those bins of newly-pressed and Record Store Day releases. 

Of the first twelve were plenty of rock, pop, dance, and 12″ dee-jay singles most for $10.00 and less with the occasional new hardcore pressing. I found a lot of 12″ hip-hop and dance singles; Nice & Wild and Harold Faltermeyer were two hits New York’s Z100 played growing up during my single-digit Eighties youth. Everything else in Shabba Ranks, Mad Skillz, Boogiemonsters, and Blahzay Blahzay were all summer hits going to Brentwood. WBLS, Hot 97, and Kiss FM played them all. As always, there’s the pop-rock quotient from Genesis and Dire Straits. Hello, nice to meet you again. Also relieved to find was the complete Malcomb McLaren & The World Famous Supreme Team’s “Buffalo Gals” in a die-cut label sleeve.

In comes Thea, co-owner of Rosie’s Vintage in her rockabilly / Rosie The Riveter motif. She says hello and sees the stack in my hand. She offers to put it aside for me which I obliged. I kindly ask if there would be more vinyl and does tell me there might be some upstairs. That’s where I’m going. Heading up is possibly one of the steepest set of steps I experienced walking. I also had to dodge a heavy-set punk couple decked with gauges, tattoos, low-cut tank tops and tees coming from downstairs. I walk up and there’s a closet with a secret crate of records on the floor containing The Talking Heads’ 77 for $20.00 and its’ sister Tom Tom Club’s Close To The Bone for $15.00. Shucks. I scour the upstairs to find many more antiques. Compasses, typewriters, old magazines, books, brochures in one room with very little traces of 7″ records in one crate. The kitchen was full of dishes, glasses, and silverware stacked in the sink and on its’ counter but no records to be found.

Thea rings me up and I’m golden. This became the shortest time spent in any store with the smallest stack and the least amount of money paid. 45 minutes to look through 16 bins of records for a total of $29.00 and I say good-bye to Rosie’s Vintage and Huntington until next time. Only two more stores are on the list to go before calling it quits on record-shopping for a while: Sunday Records in Riverhead and Innersleeve Records in Amagansett.

Genesis Abacab

Nice & Wild “Diamond Girl” 12″

Shabba Ranks “Mr. Loverman” 12″

Dire Straits self-titled

Mad Skillz “Nod Factor” 12“

Boogiemonsters “Recognized Thresholds Of Negative Stress 12″

Blahzay Blahzay “Danger!” 12″

Harold Faltermeyer “Axel F” 12“

Spyro Gyra self-titled

Malcomb McLaren & The World Famous Supreme Team “Buffalo Gals” 12″

[sock-to-the-third]

Shadow and Bones

By Leigh Bardugo

I have to admit, this story surprised me. Coming from Six of Crows, it has an almost superhero cinnematic flavor— hero’s journey esque. Finishing it, it reminds me of the feeling I got after watching The Incredible Hulk (Ed Norton).

It’s overflowing with drama and this lusciously rich emotions. There’s moments when the pacing feels like it has a hiccup but it picks up soon after. It was a treat learning more about the Grishaverse.

I love how it’s structured since I was fully convinced there’s be a YA style love triangle between the Darkling and Mal. I’m so glad that wasn’t the case since the Darkling had such an over the top “I’m a prince wooing this naive farm girl” vibe that while compellingly written, doesn’t have much to chew on.

I feel like part of what makes the story really lift off is how Baghra (magic teacher) and Botkin (combat instructor) were handled. I like how Botkin helped with even pre-light powers, for Alina to have a growing confidence while Baghra, while just as harsh at Botkin, risked everything to warn Alina.

I really hope that old bat survived. She had the silliest routine. Unlike any other character, Alina always met her in an isolated cottage on the lake. She kept it sauna hot in there and always cranky about letting the heat out.

Idk, sure the library is described beautifully. I did love the Palace magic scene but there’s something about that dinky little cottage with a cranky instructor whose waiting with her boney feet up on the fire place shouting orders.

Its like even the environment is inhospitable to Alina. Yet, when push comes to shove, she tries to work behind the scenes to combat the Darkling, her motherfucking son. *shakes my head* such a good twist. I feel like it’s part of what really sells it.

You seen Baghra exclusively in her cottage or the lake. Then one day she appears at Alina’s door and fuck, it’s like the whole FUCKING world is turned upside down.

I just can’t —-DUDE! It’s so good. Some more gay and trans tbh. Queer quotient is nil unless there’s a horde of bisexuals I missed (I always miss them). But like-shrugs- that’s basically my nitpick with almost all media, so it gets my stamp of “this is awesome” still.

God, dude, the climax… mmmm… I really was sold that Mal was going to die. I think it’s how the Darkling momentarily gave Alina hope that Mal would left unharmed, and I’ll be your servant. (Very kinky tbh. Gives me a whole lot of ideas😋) only for him to be like “yeah, I’ll give you the night… he dies tomorrow lol.” It’s so HEARTWRENCHING. Plus the inbetween scenes way that she’s thinking of him: whether he’s dead, trying to ask about him, etc.

Still can’t get over the collar. Gooooooood, they used it so well to heighten the emotional impact of scenes. Didn’t even tug it, just.. god, so good.

Sequel: Seige and Storm

[adultswim2021]

Tim and Eric Awesome Show Great Job #42: “Puberty” | March 8, 2010 - 12:30AM | S05E02

Tim and Eric explore the saltier side of growing up in “Puberty”, an episode that is roughly thematic. The wraparounds for this episode involve Eric going through puberty, resulting in a deeper voice (augmented with the high-tech computers found at Abso Lutely studios), and a fresh new mound of pubic hair bulging out of his khaki shorts. The set is a treehouse, Tim & Eric's hangout and what would turn out to be the last vestige of their respective boyhoods. Thanks to Eric’s raging hormones, these halcyon days are in severe jeopardy, with Eric feeling very ready to replace his childish playtime with sexual encounters with cheap, disgusting women. Will their partnership survive?

The cold open of the show is for a nightmarish children’s “toy” called the Cinco I-Jammer, which children can engage with by e-bumping. E-bumping seems like it’s just a direct dopamine-spiker by way of a high-pitched frequency that creepily causes the children’s eyes to roll back into their heads. It’s also equipped with “Oh-Hungee”, which is a tube that deposits a bland-looking gruel into children’s bare hands. Kids are encouraged by the ad to replace their parents’ meals with “oh-hungee”. The ad is effective in mimicking hyper-active commercials aimed at children as well as giving off a trademark Tim & Eric style sinister vibe. 

I like this one quite a bit. The little girl in the ad who has most of the lines is a very funny actor. She gives a spirited delivery that is hard to be pissed off with. I went down a brief rabbit hole to see if she pursued comedy after this. I found three potential matches and one of them is doing art in Denver, CO. One of them is sadly dead. A third one stopped posting on instagram around the time the other one died, so they might be the same person. I hope she’s the alive one. RIP to a proper legend if not. 

OF NOTE: The DVD contains an alternate version of the I-Jammer sketch. It's about 70% the same, with some alternate jokes and Bob Odenkirk doing the voice-over. I think the as-aired version is stronger.

Next up: DLH sings a song about Puberty. I think the overall subject of puberty for comedy’s sake is pretty worn out, but Tim & Eric have a way with words that elevate the material. But this song resembles a low-effort comedic take on the subject by somebody with less talent. But, that’s sorta DLH’s whole deal, isn’t it?

I feel like you can categorize DLH’s various songs into a few different styles: bat-shit crazy alien stuff, earnest-seeming educational offerings, and then this: a song you where you get the sense that he’s trying to be actually funny. Overall, I’m just glad that this is brief, and there are small moments that are actually reasonably funny, like him mildly botching his lines and correcting himself during the preamble. This one seems like they included it more out of duty to keep the DLH quotient up, as well as help prop up the theme of the show. 

Forting with Will features Will Forte (hey, that’s sort of a pun!) playing Will Grello (NOT a pun), teaching a small group of children how to make pillow forts while he goes off the rails with tangents about his dark childhood, particularly his relationship with his father. This one is lightly thematic; forting is a childish pastime (Tim & Eric’s wraparounds are from a tree house, an equally classic type of fort), and we’re witnessing a man whose own puberty was pretty traumatic. This one does little to shine above previous Will Grello installments, but it’s still funny. The most significant running gag in this one is Grello becoming so distraught reliving his trauma that he pees his pants. His enraged sarcasm when he asks for a towel, waits a beat, and hollers “yeah, NOW!” has been in my head for a while. 

Finally, the other bit of substance is a Morning Meditation sketch, which I've crowed about being a less-than-favorite of mine. This one has a truly unsettling reveal, that the man we're watching trot around on camera is actually on stilts. This is enough to make me declare that this could be the best Morning Meditation sketch of all time. Only took them two seasons to get it right.

Tim & Eric’s wraparounds are pretty significant in this one, and have a lotta memorable bits and funny lines. Eric’s low-pitched voice aids the deadpan delivery of certain lines. Lotta great disgusting phrasing about his “mushroom tip”, and exploring “wet holes”. They really make sexual intercourse sound unappetizing. Tim affably lamenting “unfortunately I’m still boy” got me laughin'. Eric calling Tim a “fag” (bleeped out) also got me. I also need to highlight the part where Tim says “I guess I’ll go play with myself”, which is followed up by a light touch of tepid studio audience laughter.

Tim’s problems are solved by seeing a commercial for the Cinco Man Shake, which is fronted by a pitchman with a slightly grotesque muscle man physique. I feel like Tim & Eric are very good at casting people whose attractiveness fall into that uncanny valley; hyper masculine or feminine people whose bodies mostly reflect a conventional ideal but are slightly strange-looking. The guy they got for this fits that bill, while also delivering a spirited and genuinely compelling performance.

The shake in question requires adding a "fistful" of your friend’s pubic hair to the concoction, which Tim harvests from Eric’s thicket. Eric jocularly pretending it hurts and then giving a sheepish “just kidding” to the camera is great. Eric’s strengths are especially played to in this episode.

Tim attempts to hork down the shake, which contains a glob of Eric’s wet hair. Even though I’m intelligent enough to understand that little Timmy is sucking on sterile wig hair, it’s still one of the grossest things the show has ever shown me. Tim, with a mouth full of hairy goo, looking to the camera and saying “just a little more left to go and I’ll be a man” is another one of those moments that has never left my brain. The result is Tim essentially becoming a werewolf. “I’m a man now no more playtime for me” Tim drones in a borderline incomprehensible guttural tone. 

Overall I really like this one. It’s imperfect, but most of these episodes are. I can see this one coming off as an unimpressive exercise playing with low-hanging fruit, but it’s low-brow and juvenile humor paired with really funny/weird line deliveries really sells this one for me. Good ep!

EPHEMERA CORNER: 

Aqua Teen Hunger Force #93: “A PE Christmas” (series version)

I already covered this episode, because it originally aired around Christmastime, 2009, but it was a slightly different version from this one. This is the version that included additional scenes at the end, with Meatwad at Chuck D’s mansion. I am pretty sure the original version ends with Shake’s gastro-intestinal eel infestation causing him to die in a jail cell. The stronger ending, in my opinion. Also if anyone has a HQ copy of the 2009 version of A PE Christmas, please let me know!