#all sorts music ... video games ... vinyls ...

[kopivie]

oh boy, a sentimental vent from cinna? again? shut up already! (i will not.)

so, i met my stepfather when i was about four years old.

i absolutely hate referring to him as my stepfather, btw. he's my father, dammit.

the funniest thing to me is the fact that i have a very distinct memory of the time we went to a waterside park when i was young and he taught me how to skip rocks. well, he tried to teach me. i couldn't do it then, and i still can't do it now, but i remember thinking he was so cool. that memory is tucked away inside my head in the safest place. but the funny thing about that memory is that i always swore i had known my dad for at least a year when we went to that park. turns out that wasn't the case – according to my mom, that was actually the very first day i had met him.

i feel like that says a lot about how i saw him from the get-go. i was still my mother's only child at the time, so if her boyfriends didn't get along with me, then she wasn't going to keep them around. apparently i told my mom that we absolutely had to see him again, so she trusted him and... the rest is history. as for my dad, he told me that that was the day he fell in love with me; i was his daughter from that moment forward.

i'm over here getting misty-eyed. i love my dad so much, y'all don't understand. 🥹

anyway! after that day, i'd go over to his apartment and he introduced me to video games! this was ~2005-2006, so the wii wasn't really out yet, but the dreamcast, playstation 2, and xbox already were.

i get my love of video games from my dad. in order to warm me up to being around him in close quarters, he let me play so many games — games that i hold near and dear to my heart to this day. marvel vs. capcom 2 for the dreamcast, jak and daxter for the playstation 2, and a litany of xbox games are the earliest ones i can remember. (specifically jet set radio future, halo 2, prince of persia, and dead or alive 2 for the xbox.)

and then, when the wii came out, he practically gave me full ownership of the console. i wasn't a nintendo kid initially, but i certainly was after 2006. super mario galaxy 1 and 2, mario sports mix, mario super sluggers, mario strikers charged, mario and sonic at the olympic games...

i really like mario games, okay?

god, it was so much fun being a kid. when he introduced me to his other kids, we bonded over video games! his youngest son at the time and i played so much that to this day, we still recall being super competitive and crazy over those old games. cooking mama, the olympic games, sports games (including wii sports), mario kart, fighting games... hell, even little big planet was a competition.

my brother is older than me, but he never mocked me for playing poorly with him. he never judged me, never bragged... of course, losing and/or coming in second all the time didn't exactly feel good, but i never stopped trying to be good at games while my brother was away.

but he had video games too, so... i was never gonna beat him at anything. that doesn't make playing alongside him any less fun.

all in all, video games brought me closer to my dad and my brother. and even now, my younger siblings and i bond over video games; every now and again, my little sister will text me to play splatoon together. because of my experience with competitive splatoon, i used to give her advice on how to improve. i don't play comp anymore (not really), but she's definitely taken some of my advice to heart. i never berate her for messing up nor do i micromanage her play style. we play games together because we love each other, and that's all there is.

why say all this, cinna?

well, nintendo finally decided to release their own music app. it doesn't include songs from every title ever, but the super mario galaxy soundtrack is on there. super mario galaxy was the very first game that i challenged myself to complete in its entirety. the game holds up to this day, so much so that nintendo put the first game on the switch.

literally begging on my knees for them to put super mario galaxy 2 on the switch... and every mario wii game, actually. BEGGING.

the soundtrack is absolutely gorgeous. one thing about nintendo's most iconic games is that they will NEVER miss with the music. (same goes for sega.) so i'm about to do work with the music of my childhood playing in my ears and i'm just... feeling sentimental.

my dad and i had a falling out recently, but after we made up, we became closer than ever. (mind you, the falling out lasted no more than two or three hours. we made up before sundown.) so every time i'm reminded of these older games, i think if my dad and how much of a gamer i turned out to be because of him.

tldr: in the words of that one tiktok audio: i fuckin' love my dad.

[us-the-voices-and-more-voices-2]

My headcannons for what type of music the Batfam likes lol

Bruce: 40s love songs, mostly because Thomas and Martha are lovers of old music and art it’s a call back to Batman being such an old.. old character.

He also loves really, REALLY sad songs. Just straight depressing songs, like he knows all the lyrics to like the most downright suicidal songs ever.

Dick: he listens to very upbeat music, but like EDM and rap, he also loves circus music and really ridiculously old songs he knows all the words to “the flying trapeze” by heart ❤️

Jason: unironically his favourite album is Neil Cicirega's "mouth sounds" series of albums, he also would never admit it but he listens to Kikuo constantly. he's not a "fan" of vocaloid he just likes some songs. he also constantly listens to 80s and 70s hits as a call back to his character being popular in the 80s.

Tim: worst taste in music ever, he does NOT get the aux. it's all the most popular hits of the last 4 decades, for better or worse.

he also gets all the WE jingles stuck in his head, it's so bad.

it's mostly now video game OST's he got into FNAF lore at one point and actually solved it, and then got super into the music. he relates a bit too much, he calls Jason sometimes mike because they are both undead guys hellbent on keeping kids safe from the evils of this world, and Ra's afton because the bastard always comes back. he will BLARE "I hope you die in a fire" when working a Ra's case.

Damian: despite what he holds himself to he really likes the same fandom sorta music, video game lore was the only thing that Damien and Tim talk about, they have usually ZERO free time to watch or play games they just extrapolate wtf the game is about from their friends WITH free time. that being wally and bart.

so damien has a bunch of the living tombstones, classic Chinese and arabic music but mainly Pakistani, some 80s hits. 40s love songs because bruce is right they are really good, and some mislabeled cassette tapes\CD's Damien picks up on patrol that he likes.

Steph: she didn't really get a chance to listen to much music, since Cluemaster was a dick. but she did bond and learn to love Ballet music ever since Cassandra introduced it to her, she gets whole records and albums and buys one time releases on Ebay for herself and Cassandra. otherwise she just listens to audiobooks or podcasts when working.

Cassandra: TONS of ballet music along with classic Oprah music and theatre music, she goes to plays and pirates them, she listens to every single play or theatre music she can get her hands on. she listens to "rocky horror picture show" "the guy who didn't like musicals" "Coppélia" "Jesus Christ superstar" "The Mousetrap" any and everything. she adores it all, she and Steph are constantly looking for more records and plays to watch and pirate.

Barbara: weirdly enough 60s music, Jim rubbed off on her and she honestly just listens to all sorts of 60s sounding music, she had a Elvis phase where she just was constantly listening to Elvis, eventually she found out there was a TON of other 60s and 70s black artists who were ripped off by Elvis and started listening to them, she then eventually got into punk rock and rock and roll.

Harper: she is fully into the Gotham punk music scene, she literally is one of the biggest supporters of the Gotham punk scene. only random punk song CD's, videos she converted into CD's, old gothamite punk songs on vinyl, digital releases, she just has so much merch half she made herself and half she bought, she is the epitome of Gotham punk fan. she actually has a whole ass internet archive account dedicated to JUST Gotham punk.

Duke: weirdly he loves very ethereal and bright peppy music, only instrumentals though, listens to the weirdcore playlists on YouTube listens to corecore, he just has very strange music tastes.

sometimes he forgets his entire playlist is filled with weirdly ethereal music and the rest of the batfam get so confused, and think Jean-paul is blaring church music again.

Jean-Paul: only church music, he has the most bland music tastes, he sometimes listens to catholic metal or something when he's working but other than that he just blares organ music and mass and church music, everyone tries to tell him that he CAN LISTEN TO ANYTHING ELSE. PLEASE. but he just doesn't lol.

Thomas: he listens to 40s love songs and old Sicilian and Italian songs, he's a old fart, he loves old movie soundtracks.

William Cobb: circus music only circus music, late 1880s and 1950s circus music. it sounds like a clown house and it triggers the shit out of bruce.

Jarro: he's a baby, he has no actual opinions the batfam put on nursery rhymes andcoco melon

and the rest (carrie, Bernard, huntress and the other ones)

I have 0 idea I have not read enough comics to figure it out lol

[junosmindpalace]

it’s practically routine for you and tsukishima to go on errand dates, each one a little adventure for the two of you. 

it’s something you’ve been doing since high school, really, when you couldn’t stand the thought of doing some boring chores your parents sent you out on, and so you begged and pleaded over the phone for tsukishima to join you. he begrudgingly caved in, and from there it became habit to constantly invite one another out on errands. he needed to run some errands for his mom, too, he used to tell you. he may as well just tag along. though it wasn’t often untrue, it was a common excuse he used to disguise just how often he accompanied you.

even as adults with an apartment you share rent for and two years of officially dating he still tended to make excuses. but you knew each other well, and tsukishima wasn’t as shy to admitting that he simply wanted to come along just because. sometimes he didn’t mind being your chauffeur, driving you and your shopping bags to each of your destinations-- with the exception that he got to choose the music in the car. 

he was pretty helpful to have around, too. always helping you get the best price for the things you needed, always giving you his logical based opinion on whether or not you should get something, face scrunching up in annoyance when you’d disregard it and opt for the latter of whatever he suggested. 

you took turns pushing the cart or holding the shopping crate, and he stayed close to your side unless something caught his eye. it was quite a cliché sight when tsukishima would be flipping through one of the pocket books near the stationary aisle, only to turn up at the sound of struggling and clattering and find his partner carrying whatever sort of junk (in his words) caught your eye, debating whether or not you should get it (and to your great dismay, he always said no). 

he’d read off the joint shopping list the two of you wrote as you went through each aisle, leaning over your shoulder to check the quality and price of each item. he was a smart shopper, which is why it was nice to have him around while you did your errands. 

he’d pass you items to bag at the checkout, and then would reach for the lighter ones, telling you that you’d have to heave the heavier ones. yet the moment you reached for them, he wordlessly handed over his own and stepped in front of you to carry the heavier ones. you’d grumble at him, saying you could’ve done so yourself, filled with a sudden determination to prove yourself even though hauling the heavier bags to the car wasn’t all that pleasant a thought, while he’d scoff with a smile. “sure you can.” 

often times this also led to a ton of recreational shopping, picking through rows of vinyls in crates in an old music store, or browsing the different video games and merchandise at the nearest game store. he’d smile at your deflated expression when he’d tell you that it would be best to wait until an item you wanted went on sale, ruffling your hair and even promising that he’d be the one to pay when the time came. but really it was just an excuse for him to buy it himself and surprise you with it later. 

and after your fruitful shopping trip, you treated yourselves to a fulfilling meal from a restaurant tsukishima found in the area, talking face to face either about an aspect of your trip or day under yellow-tinted table lights. 

and though you used to dread running errands because of how boring they could be, having tsukishima with you made you actually look forward to the quality time and all the new stores the two of you could visit together.

[felassan]

DRAGON AGE: SOUNDTRACK 4LP BOX SET - DISC 4 SIDE A (BONUS DLC TRACKS) 1. I AM THE ONE (DARK FANTASY VERSION) [DRAGON AGE: ORIGINS] (4:10) 2. MAIN THEME [DAI DESCENT DLC] (2:58) 3. AFTERMATH [DAI DESCENT DLC] (1:29) 4. DARK SOLAS THEME [DAI TRESPASSER DLC] (3:01) 5. QUNARI ATMOSPHERE [DAI TRESPASSER DLC] (2:41) 6. LOST ELF THEME [DAI TRESPASSER DLC] (3:58) 7. D'READ KODA (1:08) [HIDDEN TRACK]

I find the arrangement of the tracks on Disc 4 Side A "Bonus DLC Tracks" in the Dragon Age OST vinyl interesting. it's called "Bonus DLC Tracks" but the first track it features is "I Am The One (Dark Fantasy Version)", which isn't from DLC, it's from basegame DA:O, and ofc the last track is new. this disc is the only one of the discs to include songs from multiple games (and not even just two, but three: DA:O, DA:I and DA:D, assuming that "D'Read Koda" is from or tied to DA:D). and the order the Trespasser tracks are included in is different to the order they appear in on the Trespasser OST, at least going by the Trevor Morris album (on there it's Dark Solas Theme, Lost Elf Theme, Qunari Atmosphere). I wanna say that the way it was arranged was intentional, like the specific arrangement of the tracks on this disc is like hinting at telling a sort of a story or a tease. he's lost, and then things come to an end (his story and.. something else?). a passage of music that brings the music to a close (coda), that brings a piece or movement to an end. I think of when Flemythal said

Alas, so long as the music plays, we dance.

and when Solas said

 I walk the dinan'shiral. There is only death on this journey. [death is an end, and it can be a metaphor for the end of something too]

my eye is also drawn to:

I am the One (Dark fantasy version) [...] Dark Solas theme

especially since there's a different version of I Am The One ("High fantasy version") that could have gone in there instead (which as the second song on the DA:O OST, the high fantasy version is more of a 'where this all began' song).

the idea that "I Am The One" is about Solas/Fen'Harel and what happened in ancient Elvhenan (and what his intention is in the future) is a common fan theory, and not a new one. [link to English translation of the lyrics] the lyrics could be applied to a lot of things, or nothing at all, but back then there was a war (both within the Evanuris and one they fought before that), a divide between the gods, the sky was held back/there was great destruction when the Veil was raised (but despite that there was a flicker of hope in that the elves were freed from the Evanuris), the nature of time for the ancient elves was changed (elven immortality/mortality), he references the potential for the world now to burn in the raw chaos if he succeeds, In Your Heart Shall Burn/From The Ashes etc. he ended up being one of the only survivors who lived on from the event and fears dying alone, is one of the only elves in modern Thedas who remembers, he's asked for and turned to for guidance at various points (Lasa ghilan / Ma ghilana mir din'an / Ma ghilana, vhenan / Fen'Harel ma ghilana), he believes he's the only one who can fix it now in the modern day, etc.

listening again to D'Read Koda, the echo-y, pulsing aspect and how it rises to a crescendo reminds me of the music in the Dread Wolf Rises teaser (which is still such a banger). and the discordant notes remind me of the same here and here in the 2020 trailer music. the 'discordant note' hook is also present here in the in-game cinematic (also at the start and throughout it sort of underpinning it), and the general ominous atmosphere of the 'koda' also echoes that of the various bits of music we've heard in trailers and the in-game cinematic before.

anyways, since I don't have a vinyl player I made the tracks as a lil playlist for myself on Spotify and have been listening to that then playing one of the videos with the D'Read Koda audio in it (since ofc it isn't on Spotify rn) to have the same effect, and it's interesting.

[boufsy]

I guess it’s time to introduce myself:

My name is boufa (it’s exactly what you think) - old world of Warcraft name when I was 16.

I am old af and an old goth head

Pronouns: she/her

I enjoy video games especially mmorpgs, rpgs and arpgs. Some of my favorite and long time played: wow, Diablo, bg3, FF

I work in finance in the healthcare field here in the states

I have 3 cats: Lucien, Calliope and Henry

I enjoy meeting new folks into the same sorts of things

Puns, please send me puns

I’m currently obsessed with my pixelated wizard and have a very hard time romancing the other companions even though I love them all - that wizard has rizz 😏

Used to have a dj night where I played a lot of indie music

Music is my other passion; I have thousands of records (yes vinyl *shocked face*

Hate, bigotry, racism, terfdom, homophobia, and transphobia are not welcome here.

Feel free to send me DMs, I’m super nice but very sarcastic 🤣

(Me as a tiefling)

[flowersandbirdsflyingfree]

The boomershooter / postal matchup thing… omg… im so embarrassed to participate in this but im gonna self indulge, i hope these arent getting annoying to you..! My focus is on postal but you can include whatever you want yes!

Idrk how I should do this, but im a enby femboy kinda critter if that makes sense? 20 y/o 5’5 slim and kinda awkward looking i think? Short messy brown w bangs hair that i bleach, brown eyes round face stuff like that. I like wearing anything from boxers and a comfy silly hoodie to jfashions like lolita and jirai. Am autistic, im not super social and of course dislike crowds and all that, am a neet. Paranoia and delusions yada yada very silly and whatnot. Special interests are niche music genres and artists as well as physical music media collecting, plus computers / retro gaming / internet history. Love collecting old tech and consoles, repairing them and the sort. Can be found browsing the internet archive for interesting software or music. Am an avid collector and preservationist, owning several collections of different things ranging from vinyl to vintage magical girl figures. I keep bugs like praying mantis, beetles and snails as pets, often just catching whatever bug i think looks cool!

When it comes to relationships (ive never been in one and wld probably cry if i got my hand held bc itd be so overwhelming and kinda awesome,,,) i prefer commitment and can get really attached super easily i fear. Would hope to find someone who doesnt mind my anxiousness and cringefail neet lifestyle. Id stay home and clean or cook for them when im not playing vidyagames in return, itd be nice methinks… would bite and chew on provided matchup as a stim so hopefully they are cool with that.!

sorry if this is too long i dont usually ever do asks or things like this, thank you…! I love your blog-!

Thank you so much!! I think we’ll give you a double whammy

Your Boomer Shooter Boyfriend:

Gordon Freeman

Gordon is selectively mute. When he does talk to you, it’s usually a two to three word sentence. Despite his silence, there is a loud confidence about his presence.

Be assured that if you ever get in an uncomfy situation that Gordon will lead you by the arm to breathe somewhere. As long as you are comfortable, Dr. Freeman best expresses himself with acts of service and quality time. I can see him holding your hand or pulling you in for a long hug if you need help to cool down from an overstimulating crowd.

Your preservation interest is really interesting! Science and history go hand in hand usually. You can share with him all about physical and digital media. He’s a great listener.

In return, maybe he can bring you to Black Mesa one day to see some of his work. Gordon has an interest with chemistry and physics that continues outside his job. He hopes you’d be interest to learn from him too

Your Postal Dude:

Brain Damaged Dude

He likes your insect friends. Picture you finish dressing up. You hear to the living room to be greeter by Dude sitting on the couch with snails running up his arm and a praying mantis dancing on his head. “Mornin’, honey.” They’re watching Mythbusters together

I headcanon that Brain Damaged takes place post-Paradise Lost from Postal 2. For a while, he just stays in his trailer to cool off from all the events of everything that fucking happened. Dude is fucking tired of everyone so it’s a miracle he met a cute femboy enby who he can just vibe with from the noise outside

He’s all for your special interests, especially when it comes to video games and internet archival stuff. The Dude has surprisingly deep knowledge for lost media too. I can see you blowing his mind with some of the stuff you have collected over the years. Oh and Dude has some serious munchies so it’s heavily appreciates that you can actually cook stuff! But he will steal your french fries in addition to him already having his own.

Dude has paranoid delusions too. Usually coming from his nightmares. But he’ll do his best to try and comfort you. While he lacks in expressing himself in words (that have niche references every 0.5 seconds), he can at least be by your side to provide a way to ride it out. Lean on him and let him be there to take good care of you.

Bonus mention bc I see this happening with the chewing stim

[thatgayb1tchwhosimps4her]

As an autistic person, I can't stop thinking about autistic!van x autistic!reader and helping each other with struggles and all that.

What do you think?

Hi there, also as an autistic person I absolutely adore the concept of autistic!Van x autistic!reader, so I'm gonna write these out as head-cannons, since I have many thoughts on it.

Also I am gonna elaborate more on some of these in the Van x Reader fic I have lined up, so yeah, look out for that if you're interested.

Quick disclaimer: I've only been diagnosed recently (but have pretty much known I am for the last year, I just needed stuff filled out etc, so I could finally have a proper diagnosis), so I'm pretty new at understanding my autistic traits, and if they are to do with my autism or are just me in general, so this is gonna be based off my own experiences and what I've seen about autistic traits.

Also I may have accidently integrated dating head-cannons or general Van head-cannons, since I couldn't really tell the difference, so enjoy those as well if there are any.

@zhivaxo @kyleeservopoulos

*****

🧡Autistic!Adult!Van Head-Cannons🧡

*****

Food:

Safe/Comfort Foods: PB and J's, Donuts, Cinnamon Rolls (any pastries really), Pretzels, Pop Tarts (doesn't really have a favourite flavour but absolutely hates the strawberry ones, although that could just be me deflecting), Chocolate Chip cookies, Twizzlers.

That sort of stuff.

-----

When you went through a baking/cooking hyper-fixation (or bake/cook in general), you made sure all the recipes catered to both of your food preference's.

This includes the time you made huge batches of different types cookies, (chocolate chip, which Van loved the most, was the main favourite) and you now make them for her when she gets sad to cheer her up.

-----

She also carries a pouch of sour gummy bears wherever she goes (as a grounding technic I guess), in case she gets anxious or overwhelmed when she's not at home (which I do and it works every time, in case people wanna do that and know how well that works).

-----

Media:

Watches video tapes of her favourite shows/movies from the 90's to help comfort her when she goes non-verbal and when she occasionally has meltdowns over different things (usually things that upset or stress her out).

-----

She loved horror movies pre-crash (she still does a bit, but prefers not to since she's already kind of lived through one), and would watch them religiously (Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, Hellraiser, Evil Dead, The Shining, etc).

She also watched Scream 1 and 2 once everyone got rescued, to catch up in a way, but realised that horror movies didn't feel the same as before.

-----

Definitely listens to vinyl records and cassette tapes of bands/singers she listened to pre-crash (I imagine her listening to ABBA, The Clash, Queen, Blondie, The Cure, Nirvana maybe, that sort of music), and that helped her cope after everyone was rescued and help her in general when she's under or overwhelmed.

-----

I also think she'd be a bit of a secret Swiftie (only you and maybe a couple others knowing that she is), more of a Fearless, Speak Now and Folklore Swiftie compared to her other albums, but still doesn't mind them.

-----

Plays retro games she grew up with/genuinely finds interesting (Pac-Man, Super Mario, Tetris, Sonic the Hedgehog etc) to reset her mindset when she's overwhelmed (also maybe as a little bit of a regression).

-----

General Autistic Traits/Head-Cannons:

She hates the noises of fireworks and thunder/lightning (since they remind her of the crash and almost being turned into a human marshmallow, twice), so she has to wear noise-cancelling headphones during firework displays and storms, but loves lying in bed watching the actual sparks of them.

-----

This girl is prone to bumps and scrapes, so an extensive, assorted collection of plasters/band-aids (whatever you call them) is necessary.

Animal ones, flower ones, food ones, cartoon ones, even plain white ones that she loves letting you doodle on.

You name it, she's got them.

-----

She always used to make sure, before she opens the store and after she closes for the day, that the video tapes she has in her store are stacked right alphabetical and genre.

You even made signs saying "Please put back where you found them" that you put up around the tape displays, to help out with it so Van doesn't stress or overthink about it too much.

-----

Sunday's in the store are usually very quite, so she dedicates that day for restocking whatever needs restocking (I don't really know how that stuff works, so imagine what you will), which tends to be stressful. So you always make sure you have her favourite snacks, drinks, music and movies (maybe even a cold case of beer if she needs it), are on hand at the end of the day, just in case she needs them at the end of the day to cool off.

-----

As seen in the show (which I also do), she uses film/tv show quotes during conversations, and mixes them up when she gets upset or overwhelmed.

-----

Definitely has a pack of sticky notes and several pens in her back pocket at all times as a communication system in case she goes non-verbal.

She even uses them to write small notes with love hearts on around the house, sometimes even in your bag, which she insists is necessary (for reasons she changes or adds on to each time you talk about it).

*****

This took a lot longer then I thought it would, but I hope you enjoyed reading and I'll see you in the next one.

-Harlow

[toxicsquad]

Christmas special: Some gift ideas

Hello, Athe here!

I've been thinking a lot about some small gifts that I think would be perfect for the characters. Sort of like Christmas ideas for small budgets. I've tried to find some visual references and give some context for those who don't know the characters that well. It would be interesting to see what you guys would come up with, especially, for your own OCs… I'm going to leave a blank template below for anyone who wants to add some more or create their own OC version. We will reblog all your suggestions, you can also leave them in our ask which is always open. Happy holidays!

Arael

Protective console case or gaming case: You can't go wrong with anything related to video games, especially if it's something with a cute aesthetic. Arael can't resist that kind of thing.

Ice cream maker: No more endless queues in the canteen. Arael will be able to make his own personalised ice cream with one of these machines.

Kigurumi: A warm pyjama to spend their hours in front of the computer playing or in your company.

Zihel

Fire extinguisher: It goes without saying why it's a good idea for Zihel to have a fire extinguisher on hand.

Some new clothes: The truth is that his clothes are outdated and quite torn. You would do him a favour by buying him something even if he won't thank you directly. Besides, he will accept any style you want to put on him without putting up too much of a fuss.

Survival kit: Zihel has always been interested in everything related to hunting and survival. He'll surely appreciate a kit with everything he needs for an adventurous weekend (or another kind of weekend…).

Kyeran

Original teapot or tea set: Kyeran really enjoys drinking hot tea, so he would love a tea set. If you take the opportunity to give it a personalised touch in keeping with his style of decoration, you will make him very happy.

Portable hammock: You never know when you'll want to rest during a desert trek. A portable hammock can be ideal for him, but also for you to share a romantic moment.

Emotional support dolls: Anything you've made by hand will be highly valued, but these cute little dolls with motivational phrases will lift anyone's spirits.

Joe

Portable charger: Don't ever catch Joe without a charge on one of her many devices. Without them Joe could go crazy and you will probably be her target.

Pyjamas or satin pillowcase: Inexpensive options to recreate a luxurious experience. Either is a good choice. Joe loves to feel pampered.

Massage oil: It's likely that with this you can both participate.

Opal

Handmade candles: Since Opal discovered that he has a good sense of smell, he has also found that the smells of scented candles relax him a lot. It is easy for him to get stressed or irritable, but candles help him to calm his nerves.

Watchmaking tools: Opal has started a new trade and is comfortable repairing and making wind-up watches. But he often loses his tools or they break. A new kit is always welcome.

Work apron: Another thing he has recently discovered is that he enjoys working with the soil and could do with a work apron to keep all his gardening tools in.

Ariel

Poker cards with famous musicians: He likes to play card games, especially if gambling is involved. If you buy him some personalised cards like these, you can be sure he'll always have them with him.

Special edition vinyls: Any music fan would love something like this. You can't go wrong with an original edition of one of your favourite bands.

Skull-shaped ice bucket or whiskey set: There are quite a few objects in this shape in Ariel's house. We thought he might like something to do with alcohol.

Akane

Pizza oven: Akane is a ramen and pizza fanatic. This time, we thought it might be nice to have a mini oven so that her pizzas are always perfect.

Car bin: Everyone knows that Akane loves driving, but not so much tidiness and cleanliness. Help her to keep it all tidy with this mini-trash bin for the car.

Exercise dice: She loves sport. We suggest you give her something more original than a pair of trainers or a bottle of water with a dice to help him choose her daily exercises.

Hasiel

Ultrasonic cleaner: Anyone who owns glasses will understand Hasi's problems with keeping his glasses clean. You'd be doing him a big favour by buying him a little machine like this.

Writers' Socks: Although he wouldn't usually wear colourful, flashy clothes, socks are perfect for letting his imagination run wild. Especially if they are about a subject that interests you as much as books do.

Diorama bookmarks: Another Christmas classic are bookmarks, but I have found some that recreate mythical scenes from classic books. They are available for many works and can be a perfect complement to special editions of books.

Pin

Pencil holder: I couldn't resist making this little inside joke. A little reminder won't hurt either.

Snack advent calendar: Why ask for one gift when you can have 24? He would love any advent calendar, but a snack calendar seems appropriate for him.

Projector: With a small projector he can watch films and series in his sorority room or invite you to join him.

Maske

Fingerprint padlock: A secure padlock for a person who hides a lot of secrets. Maske loves tech gadgets and keeping their privacy safe.

Cup warmer: For someone who drinks a lot of coffee and has insomnia, this cup warmer will keep your cups at the perfect temperature.

Spice collection: It's no secret that Maske likes to cook, so they have a lot of utensils, so the smartest thing I could think of is to give them some kind of exotic spice kit so they can innovate in their kitchen and get out of their comfort zone a bit.

Aracne

Gothic picnic basket: A perfect basket for two to have a romantic meal in the forest with Opal.

Couples' keepsake wheel: Important dates and memories can be engraved on it. A romantic and personalised gift.

Sewing scissors: A nice pair of scissors is a must in the sewing basket of a seamstress.

Patreon | Twitter​ | Instagram​ | Itch  | Jolt Game | Discord | TikTok

🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧

¡Hola, aquí Athe!

He estado pensando mucho en algunos pequeños regalos que creo que serían perfectos para los personajes. Algo así como ideas de navidad para presupuestos pequeños. He intentado buscar algunas referencias visuales y darle algo de contexto para aquellos que no conozcan tan bien a los personajes. Sería interesante ver qué es lo que se os ocurriría a vosotros, especialmente, sobre vuestros propios OCs... Voy a dejar abajo una plantilla en blanco para aquel que le apetezca añadir alguno más o crear su versión OC. Rebloguearemos todas vuestras propuestas, también podéis dejarlas en nuestro ask que siempre está abierto. ¡Felices fiestas!

Arael

Carcasa protectora para consola o funda para juegos: No se puede fallar con cualquier cosa relacionada con videojuegos, especialmente, si es algo con una estética cuqui. Arael no se puede resistir a esa clase de cosas.

Heladera: Se acabaron las colas interminables en el comedor. Arael podrá hacer sus propios helados personalizados con una máquina de éstas.

Kigurumi: Un pijama calentito para pasar sus horas delante del ordenador jugando o en tu compañía.

Zihel

Extintor: Sobra decir por qué es buena idea que Zihel tenga un extintor a mano.

Algo de ropa nueva: Lo cierto es que su ropa está anticuada y bastante rota. Le harías un favor comprándole algo aunque no vaya agradecértelo directamente. Además, aceptará cualquier estilo que quieras ponerle sin poner demasiadas pegas.

Kit de supervivencia: A Zihel siempre le ha llamado la atención todo lo relacionado con la caza y la supervivencia. Seguro agradecerá un kit con todo lo necesario para un finde de aventuras (o un finde otro tipo...).

Kyeran

Tetera o juego de té original: Kyeran disfruta mucho de tomar un té calentito, así que un juego de té le encantaría. Si aprovechas para que tenga algún toque personalizado a su estilo de decoración le harás muy feliz.

Hamaca portable: Nunca se sabe cuando vas a querer descansar durante una ruta por el desierto. Una hamaca portátil puede ser ideal para él, pero también para que compartáis un momento romántico.

Muñecos de soporte emocional: Cualquier cosa que hayas hecho a mano la valorará muchísimo, pero estos tiernos muñequitos con frases motivacionales levantan el ánimo a cualquiera.

Joe

Cargador portátil: Que nunca le pille a Joe sin carga en alguno de sus muchos dispositivos. Sin ellos Joe podría volverse loca y, seguramente, su diana seas tú.

Pijama o funda de almohada de satén: Opciones económicas para recrear una experiencia lujosa. Cualquiera de las dos es una buena opción. A Joe le encanta sentirse consentida.

Aceite para masajes: Es probable que con esto podáis participar los dos.

Opal

Velas hechas a mano: Desde que Opal descubrió que tiene buen olfato, también se ha dado cuenta que los olores de las velas aromáticas le relajan mucho. Es fácil que se estrese o esté irritado pero las velas le ayudan a calmar sus nervios.

Herramientas de relojería: Opal ha comenzado un nuevo oficio y se siente cómodo reparando y fabricando relojes de cuerda. Pero a menudo pierde sus herramientas o se rompen. Un nuevo kit siempre será bienvenido.

Delantal de trabajo: Otra cosa que ha descubierto recientemente, es que le agrada mucho trabajar con la tierra y no le vendría mal un delantal de trabajo donde guardar todas sus herramientas de jardinería.

Ariel

Cartas de póker con músicos famosos: Le gusta jugar a juegos de cartas, sobre todo, si hay apuestas de por medio. Si le compras unas cartas personalizadas como éstas, te aseguramos que siempre las llevará encima.

Vinilos de edición especial: Cualquier fanático de la música le gustaría algo así. No se puede fallar con una edición original de una de sus bandas favoritas.

Cubitera o set de whiskey en forma de calavera: No son pocos los objetos con esta forma en su casa. Hemos pensado que le podría agradar algo relacionado con el alcohol.

Akane

Horno de pizza: Akane es una fanática del ramen y las pizzas. Esta vez, se nos ha ocurrido que podría estar bien un mini horno para que sus pizzas queden siempre perfectas.

Basura para el coche: Todo el mundo sabe que Akane ama conducir, pero no tanto el orden, ni la limpieza. Ayúdala a que lo mantenga todo recogido con esta mini-papelera para el coche.

Dado de ejercicio: Le encanta el deporte. Te proponemos darle algo más original que unas zapatillas o una botella de agua con un dado que le ayude a elegir sus ejercicios diarios.

Hasiel

Limpiador ultrasónico: Todos los que tienen gafas comprenderán bien los problemas de Hasi para mantener sus gafas limpias. Le harías un gran favor comprándole una pequeña máquina como estas.

Calcetines de Escritores: Aunque por lo general no usaría prendas coloridas, ni muy llamativas, los calcetines son perfectos para dejarse llevar por la imaginación. Sobre todo, si son de un tema que le interesa tanto como lo son los libros.

Marcapáginas en forma de diorama: Otro clásico navideño son los marcapáginas, pero he encontrado unos que recrean escenas míticas de libros clásicos. Los hay de muchas obras y pueden ser un complemento perfecto para ediciones especiales de libros.

Pin

Portalápices: No me he podido resistir a hacer esta pequeña broma interna. Un pequeño recordatorio tampoco le vendrá mal.

Calendario de adviento de snacks: Para que pedir un regalo cuando puedes tener 24... Cualquier calendario de adviento le gustaría, pero uno de snaks parece apropiado para él.

Proyector: Con un pequeño proyector podrá ver películas y series en su cuarto de la hermandad o invitarte a acompañarle.

Maske

Candado con huella dactilar: Un candado seguro, para una persona que oculta muchos secretos. A Maske le encantan los gadget tecnológicos y tener su intimidad a buen recaudo.

Portavasos calentador: Para alguien que toma mucho café y tiene insomnio este calentador mantendrá sus tazas a la temperatura perfecta.

Colección de especias: No es ningún secreto que a Maske le gusta cocinar, por eso tiene gran cantidad de utensilios, por eso, lo más inteligente que se me ha ocurrido es regalarle algún tipo de kit de especias exóticas para que innove en su cocina y salga un poco de su zona de confort.

Aracne

Cesta de picnic gótica: Una cesta perfecta para dos, con la que poder tener una comida romántica en el bosque acompañada de Opal.

Rueda de recuerdos para parejas: Se pueden grabar fechas importantes y recuerdos en ella. Un regalo romántico y personalizado.

Tijeras de costura: Unas bonitas tijeras nunca sobran en el cesto de arreglos de una costurera.

Patreon | Twitter​ | Instagram​ | Itch  | Jolt Game | Discord | TikTok

[wirewitchviolet]

Ever think about how weird it is that we've sort of collectively agreed games devalue over time?

This is one of those subjects where I just know people are going to start reading this and think I have some sort of weird vested interest in the price of some particular game or the profits of some publisher or whatever, so let me just get right out front here and say no, this really is me just waxing philosophic in a vacuum.

You like movies? You like actually owning copies of movies? Right now, taking a look around, it seems like if you want to buy a movie on bluray, that costs you about $25. Maybe more like $30 if it's some big fancy release with a lot of pack-in material, like the Criterion Collection stuff, but basically you're looking at $25. You like music, want to buy a new album? On CD, that's going to cost you $15. Or at the point we're currently at where there's this odd revival of vinyl records, you're looking at maybe double that? Little harder for me to work out the basic going rate since I think we're at a point where people are doing limited printings and stuff isn't going to stay at the sticker price long, but there's SOME pretty consistent price point everyone goes with, I'm pretty sure. Books? $20 hardcover, maybe half that for a paperback. You want to buy a video game that just came out though? Well, if it's new-new, and this is the first time it's ever been made available, that'll be about $60. If it's a rerelease though? You damn well better not ask for more than $5 for that or people are going to be furious. And that's super weird!

I've tried discussing with people just how weird this is, and it doesn't really seem to properly register with anyone. One big hangup is that (and this may be because the target audience for games skews really young and the industry has been really pushing to obliterate the concept of owning a game for like a decade or two) is that the people I'm talking to are completely conflating the concept of the work and the publication of a work. Like, yeah, if a store orders a stock of 50 copies of something, and it doesn't end up selling all that well, then yes they are eventually going to mark down the ones that don't sell or toss them into a bargain bin or whatever. That's true for everything, but that is also not at all what we are talking about here. This is specifically about the actual suggested retail price on the package when it leaves the manufacturer. When I'm saying "a movie on bluray costs $25" that's true for a movie that is only just being released on home video for the first time after premiering in theaters two months ago, but that is also true for a movie from like the 1980s that someone's only just now getting around to putting out on the format, or they just got the rights to distribute in a given country (and yeah yeah, super America-centric numbers I'm using here, I know), or it came out like 4 years ago but there's a sequel out soon so we want to make it available again. Doesn't matter how old it is. We're selling it now, we're selling it for $25. It does not work this way for video games. If I port some game from the mid-'80s to whatever hardware is current, and I try to charge the standard price of a game for it, people would be outraged. I can charge $5 or I can bundle it together with a dozen other games and MAYBE get away with that. But I better be throwing in some extras, or make it like 30 games or whatever.

The next thing I hear people say is "well no, see, because with games, budgets for graphics keep going way way up! And you know, hey, that's why the average price of a game keeps going up! Hell games on the PS5 are like, $70!" and... OK so nothing about this argument has any basis in reality, at all. Games for whatever weird reason have always been just kind of immune to inflation. Like, in the 80s a videogame would typically cost about $50, and $50 in 1980 is about $200 adjusted for inflation. That number basically has not budged. Didn't come down when actual production costs dropped to practically nothing, didn't shoot up when budgets kinda ballooned either. You do sometimes see people make "budget games" for maybe half the typical price, but that's kind of just a marketing decision when you're going to release something you know critics are immediately going to pounce on for "looking cheap" or being shallow or whatever. By and large, whether a game is churned out really quickly on the cheap or has some bloated budget in the hundreds of millions, it's getting sold for that same $60. Movies work the same way. The movie that cost $400,000,000 to shoot and the movie that cost $35,000 to shoot both cost you $25 to pick up a copy of at a store... and they also cost a bit under half of a what a game typically costs despite the fact that that they cost roughly twice as much to make (the math is kinda fuzzy, but that seems roughly true for the record-setters and the median, at least for big budget major studio stuff). Capitalism is weird like that, basically no connection between cost and price.

Those are honestly the two main points I see people toss out, at least out loud and in public. The next logical thing to assume though is that there have been profound qualitative gains in the field of video games across the board over the years. That they just keep getting better and better and better. And like, hell no to that. I will grant you that early on in the history of the medium, like, late 1970s to mid-80s, where we went from kinda basic arcade games where you've got maybe 2 minutes worth of game play and then you loop it at a higher speed, then this flurry of new technology and priorities and emerging concepts, and if you want to make a lesser value case against the former there, there's a case you could maybe argue. But you can't look me in the eye and sincerely tell me you'd rather play the worst game released this year than the best game from 30 years ago... actually holy crap there's a bunch of absolute gems turning 30 this year, look at this random wad of search results you know I didn't cherry pick because Earthworm Jim's in here:

Point is, yeah, video games are relatively young as an art form but not so much so that we don't have some immaculate classics older than half the people reading this. And again, hey, movies that predate any modern understanding of direction or editing, shot on cameras too old to record sound or color, and where all existing copies are pretty heavily degraded still get reissued at the same sticker price as anything else. Classic albums that were terribly mastered still sell for the same as stuff recorded on bleeding edge gear.

Oh and just to cover all my bases on this, I was tempted to bring up paintings and how with those the oldest works, especially anything where the artist is no longer with us, shoot way up in value, but that's not really fair to bring up since there we're talking about unique original one-off works, not mass-media. There was never a time when we could all go to the mall and pick up van Gogh's The Starry Night. Unless you just want a nice reproduction print. In which case that'll be like $20 (which when you think about it is an outrageous markup for a single frame of video).

Finally though, we have that argument I alluded to that I'm pretty sure IS a lot of people's logic on this which they probably aren't saying out loud, or maybe even consciously thinking to themselves- The older a game is, the easier it is to emulate. If I'm really jonesing to play the original Castlevania right this minute, it's gonna take me like 10 seconds to type a search query, grab a zip file that's all of 65k, unpack it, maybe spend another 10 or 20 seconds double checking what emulator people recommend these days, and I'm good. Maybe even less, I'm sure there's some site I could find quicker than that just emulating it with HTML4 or something right in my browser. But if I want to play like, Wild ARMs 3, I'm grabbing a bigger file, I don't know if there's any good PC emulation of the PS2 these days, I might need to get into the MiSTer scene, or work out how to make my actual PS2 read a burned DVD (in this weird hypothetical scenario where I don't have the actual game on a shelf in my eye-line and I don't have to dust off a computer old enough to still have a DVD-burner standard issue) anyway). And if I want to play, uh... what's current and doesn't have a PC release? And isn't on the Switch which has weirdly good emulation for a current system. That new Ratchet & Clank game? I assume I'd need to do some serious research, have a much fancier computer, seems like a huge game.

But you know, if even on a subconscious level, that means you inherently consider those earlier games to be less valuable (and hell, now that I think about it, I think I actually HAVE seen people openly make the argument that cartridge-based games have literally no intrinsic value because it's so easy to just emulate them), then... you're kind of a total piece of garbage and invalidating any sort of morally defensible stance you might have on piracy and emulation? Like you want to talk to me about preservation or ease of access or outright refusing to financially support whatever company would profit off a particular purchase, those are all pretty defensible positions, but you try and tell me art only has value when there is no easy way for you to personally enjoy it that doesn't involve cutting a check to someone, I think I might actually hate you and everything you represent? Or at the very least I'd like for you to really take a moment to reflect on your principles and reevaluate some things.

And again, that final little thought on this subject in particular strikes me as something people can take in a particularly inflammatory way, so let me just again reassure you I have no issue with anyone's habits regarding piracy or emulation or whatever. I'm coming at this whole subject purely as a sort of philosophical question/exploration of the commodification of art and artists/anticapitalist sort of thing.

And yeah, to just articulate that last point a bit more, while I totally think it's the weirdest thing that the public consensus is that games inherently plummet in value over time, I feel like we got here thanks to a series of very conscious decisions from scumbags in boardrooms. People want you to give them all your money and ideally avoid giving you anything in return. Their whole deal works best when they can convince you that whatever it is they have to sell you right this minute is the most valuable thing in the world and you need to have it right now, and whatever they sold you yesterday is actually total garbage with no value and you know you should really just toss it in a dumpster and make sure you have the room for today's new thing.

Hell, this is getting a bit out of scope, but marketing people are actually really working hard these days to build up an association between how much space a game takes up on your hard drive being a direct reflection of the game's value, and people are shipping games with intentional bloat like ultra-high-resolution assets and needlessly uncompressed files, because if you can only fit like 3 games on your drive, hey, buying this new game means tossing a ton of stuff out. Less stuff for you to play and be content with, less options for what game you're just going to log into every day and have people sell you DLC, and by the time they have a new game to sell, you're going to have to throw this one out to make room for that. No deep libraries, just the current thing.

So, yeah, on the one hand we have companies asking you to buy the same games now you already bought a while ago, and screw them for that, but they're also trying to convince you that nothing you own has value or deserves preserving to always keep you hungering for something new, and WOW screw that so much. Art has value, it retains that value, it's good to build up libraries and share them and keep stuff in circulation for new audiences to discover and people to revisit and re-examine. So quit letting anyone try to convince you old games (or old art of any other kind) has no value. And if you can be bothered, hey, do your best to support artists as much as you can and creeps trying to commodify art as disposable product as little as you can.

[killemwithkawaii]

'Strange Nightmares' pre-kickstarter stream lore drops, game and kickstarter info 🎲

[Note: Contains Sally Face video game spoilers. Questions are from stream chat and quotes are (mostly) answers from Steve. Quotes and questions are paraphrased and may be minimally reworded. Feel free to let me know if I missed any key details!]

Watch the stream here

Subscribe to the kickstarter here

Subscribe to the Maestro Media page pre-launch to get an exclusive Gizmo standee

Kickstarter and board game info:

-'Strange Nightmares' is currently a 2-4 player game, but developers at Maestro Media are working on possibly making a single player route

- Base pledge for the kickstarter is $40 (those who subscribe within the first 48 hours will receive a free 2" dark glitter pony figure)

-Game is still in development. There may be expansions to the game which add additional stories and game aspects, depending on how successful the kickstarter is.

- 3 stories in the game at launch, each with multiple endings. Steve has written about 30 storylines, and they are currently working on implementing story number 4.

- The digital version of the board game will be available

- Game takes 45 minutes to an hour to play

-About a 60/40 win to loss ratio, stories get progressively more difficult.

- Game and merch will feature both art from the original video game and fanart

- There will be social media challenges following the kickstarter launch 'please don't break the law doing these challenges... (or don't get caught!)'

- Travis is not in the board game (but he may get a vinyl figure, which will be available through the kickstarter)

-'Strange Boxes' are SF themed loot crates/ puzzles that will be sent out quarterly. They will contain t-shirts and other merch featuring art from various artists, as well as mystery puzzles to solve. You can purchase single boxes, subscribe to receive them as they're released, or purchase all of them and receive them all at once after they've all been released.

- Will there be sheet music in the Strange Boxes? 'No... I never learned music theory... I don't write anything down, its all in my head. I just play what feels good.'

-There will be Kenneth merch

Misc. SF lore and questions for Steve:

- Will Sal return in physical form (in SF2)? 'Depends on your definition of 'physical'.'

- Is Larry a hot dog or hamburger guy? 'He likes both, he just smooshes them together and eats them at the same time.'

- If the characters had voices, is there anyone who you can name? '...I have a particular voice in my head for Sal, I cant think of anyone who sounds like him... Ash sounds like Michelle Trachtenberg or Sarah Michelle Gellar... Larrys voice is like Keaneu Reeves from Bill and Ted but a little less doofy.'

- Steve has not watched the (Featherfall Studios) fan dub, but will watch it eventually

- What happened to Bob (Todds fish)? 'No comment... hes fine, don't worry'

- Are Sal and Larry devious enough to run from the police? 'Probably, it depends on what they did.'

- ' The friends tried to start a band together but it didn't go far... Sal plays guitar, Todd plays keyboard, Ash sings and plays base, Larry plays drums... they didn't play well but they loved it. Played 90s vibe grungy rock. Larry would have definitely been screaming. I didn't come up with a band name... they probably had a big list and kept switching the name.'

- 'Janice's favorite color is yellow.'

- Philip was not one of the people being sacrificed my the cult in ch 5

- Did Sal recognize pastor Phelps as the same person who shot his mom? 'Sort of. He thought it might be the same person, but he wasn't sure.'

- Did Travis ever end up hanging out with Sal? 'Sal tried... They didn't end up hanging out... Travis' feelings were conflicted on becoming friends... he is so stubborn. '

- Have you read any SF fanfiction? 'I haven't... I didn't want it to influence any story decisions.'

- Sal and Travis or Sal and Ash? 'No comments on ships.'

- Why was SF set in the 90s? 'That's when I grew up... a main inspiration was 90s cartoons, so it's set in that time.'

- Was Travis made in a test tube or does he have a mom? 'He has a mom.... I don't wanna give too much away.'

- Do you watch SF cosplay tiktoks? 'Sometimes. If people tag me in stuff I usually watch them... sometimes I search the tags.'

- Are Lisa and Janice friends? 'Of course they're friends!'

- Did Sal ever introduce Soda to Megan? 'No. He wouldn't want to freak Soda out... especially because Chug is freaked out by her. He wouldn't want to go against Chugs wishes. If Soda would have gotten older, maybe he would have.'

- What happened to the art book? 'We had a publisher, but we lost it. We have a new one that's interested... still trying to get it published.'

[tauforged]

honestly i feel like sigs music taste is just all fucking over the place i think he’s genuinely one of those people who listens to anything and everything. he’s sitting in his lab doing his equations with headphones on but whatever’s going on in there ranges from classical to harsh noise to generic radio pop to breakcore to whatever gazelle twin has going on to one VERY specific amateur live recording of one VERY specific lucio show to soundtracks from video games he’s never played and knows nothing about to bird sounds and white noise. he doesn’t care. his metric is “if i like the way it sounds i listen to it”. i think him and lucio could just genuinely talk about music for hours on end i think they would have such fun conversations about so many things but that specifically tickles me so much i think it’s neat. i’ve joked before about him finding a majority of his belongings like tucked away in a storage unit and in the chaos there’s a fuckin limited release machine girl vinyl or something and he’s like oh damn i haven’t listened to this album in DECADES… really takes me back :’) and everyone else who came with him to help him sort through it all is just sorta staring at him bewildered because this is the same man who gets such bad sensory overload he has to leave the room when there’s more than one conversation happening at a time. but here he is reminiscing about being in the pit at a gecs concert or something. reaching a point where my eyes will NOT stay open no matter what i do so whatever i hope you understand my vision

[elixirvitae]

What do you think are some stereotypical "old man" habits that Alucard has? Also, do you think he would play mobile games? Like Wordscape, Candy crush, etc..

Oh lordamercy

He probably reads the daily paper before the sun comes up, folds it back, and leaves it for Integra. He looks at and solves the crossword puzzle but he leaves it blank so Integra can do it later.

He considers a glass of scotch and whittling a good night.

He thinks vinyl records are the superior music format

He believes in corporal punishment

He forgets his phone everywhere from day 1 of having a cell phone.

He leaves texts on read for weeks, or forever.

He's that dude that replies to your paragraphs on FB messenger with the thumb #toxic

He would play card games on his phone against the computer or any of his contacts that will indulge him

He watches informational science videos on Youtube for fun

He has a shortcut to Wikipedia on his main screen

His apps aren't sorted in any particular way, he just remembers where they are

He refuses to join social media

He doesn't use emojis

He types in full, grammatically correct sentences, and not more than 2 sentences at a time. There's no emotional inference whatsoever in his texts. Everyone always thinks he's mad at them.

If you text him something that requires a long answer, he'll just call you without warning. If you don't answer, he'll call you again because "You were JUST looking at your phone why didn't you answer my call?"

He brags about being up before the sun sets but by 9 pm he's fallen asleep in his chair

He goes through the house and turns all the lights off complaining about wastes of electricity. It's so dark in the Hellsing manor because everyone has given up the battle against Alucard

[copiawife]

it's late and i can't sleep again so i thought i'd jot down a handful of my silly little copia headcanons. not necessarily directly related to my ship, but just little details that i think about from time to time

going to put this under a cut because it's kind of long whoops

would not admit it but he has a soft spot for musicals

serious competitive streak. as in brennan lee mulligan "there is no corner of my heart i wouldn't turn over to the world for five points" level of competitive. if you play video games/board games with him he WILL win or get very frustrated if he doesn't.

can't handle really gory horror movies. i've tried to get him to watch some of my more intense favorite movies and he has had to cover his eyes…

he has a lot of chest hair and a happy trail. actually just a good amount of body hair in general

snores. very loudly.

also a pretty heavy sleeper. once he's out, he's OUT.

uses proper capitalization and punctuation when texting. doesn't use a ton of emojis but occasionally uses emoticons like this :-)

collects vinyl and has a pretty decent collection. he tries to keep it organized but will forget for a while and then have to spend a day sorting it all again

not picky when it comes to food, he'll try anything once.

generally prefers savory/salty things over sweet

more of a black tea drinker than a coffee drinker generally, but doesn't completely hate coffee either.

[thesinglesjukebox]

TAYLOR SWIFT - "CRUEL SUMMER"

TSJ Today reports...

[7.29]

Wayne Weizhen Zhang: I need to get a couple things out of the way: 1) Why wasn't this released as a single during the actual Lover era four years ago?; 2) My enjoyment for this song, as I suspect it may have for many of you as well, has decreased since it turned from an secretly adored album cut to a Billboard #1 in 2023; 3) Why did a song called "Cruel Summer" go #1 during the second half of October? Who was in charge of this timing?; 4) The gaming of the charts to get this to go #1 is expected for all major artists, but still pretty craven: these remixes and live versions are... not it; 5) Love it or hate it, this is Jack Antonoff at his most Jack Antonoff, vocoders and all; 6) We were deprived of a real music video for this and I'm still annoyed; 7) Taylor's voice sounds shrill, especially when she's reaching the high notes in the chorus; 8) Tickets for the Eras tour were way too expensive and comically absurd to acquire; 9) My extreme audiophile boyfriend continues to tell me that Taylor releasing four different versions of every vinyl record is choking up the global market and causing all records to be more expensive; 10) Everyone is exhausted by the Travis Kelce media cycle already, and I'm salty that this song was written about Joe Alwyn. Now, enjoy. [10]

Alex Clifton: "Cruel Summer" is a shot of dopamine straight to the heart. It turns everything neon and demands to be screamed loudly in a car with the windows down. I want to inject it into my veins. It makes me thrilled to be alive in a way few other songs do these days. [10]

Alfred Soto: Listening to Lover before masks went on all over the world, I noted superficial resemblances to Bowie in his so-called Berlin era. "Cruel Summer" is Swift's "Joe the Lion," Bowie's 1977 desperate, almost frantic account of Berliners crawling home from bars who can't quiet the din in their heads. I liked it in 2019, I love it now. Her most easeful collaboration in years, her best single since "Blank Space," the electronic clippety-clops and vocoderized enthusiasm building to a chorus of sustained euphoria. For all the blather about her songwriting prowess, let's hear it for the instinct that left oooh-ahh-ahh as a placeholder. [10]

Will Rivitz: By far the most vibrant, well-written, and captivating single off Lover. [4]

David Moore: The unfortunate reality of dealing with Taylor Swift in 2023 is that she has dominated the few remaining metrics for gauging commercial pop success for almost the entirety of her career, in a sort of never-ending imperial phase, so it gets harder to enjoy her with each passing year even if you're so inclined. I've been writing about it a lot lately: Taylor Swift's consolidation of dying formats in old-media youth culture, like the Bain Capital of teenpop; Taylor Swift's absurdly stable career trajectory and how the only analogue I can think of with 15 years of unfettered and untroubled dominance within their milieu is "Weird Al" Yankovic; my increasing antipathy toward Taylor Swift's success, stemming from my evergreen bitterness about what happened to Ashlee Simpson; the cosmic weirdness of how Taylor Swift's gambit for world domination depended on the slow-burn success of "Teardrops on My Guitar," a song literally no one on earth has cared about since 2007; Taylor Swift's limited melodic palette and how her emphasis on rhythm and personality are of a piece with rap's melodic turn in the 2010's. And all that is just the stuff no one was already writing about! There's a full-time reporter for Taylor Swift! She broke box office records with a tour movie so dorky that the background dancers aren't allowed to dance, and the costumes look like an intern snagged them from TJ Maxx 15 minutes before the show, and when Taylor Swift doesn't have a guitar or a piano shoved in front of her she mimes every! single! lyric! with her hands (on enough occasions that I lost count, she sings the word "time" and points to her wrist)! So of course an OK summer song she didn't even bother finishing the chorus for got trotted out four years later for "impact" and it actually worked. Everything Taylor Swift does works. Taylor Swift can do whatever the fuck she wants. We can't get rid of her. No one is even trying to. We've been living in Taylor Swift's 2008 for 15 years, and we might have to walk another thousand miles to find one river of peace. [6]

Tara Hillegeist: Relistening to Lover-era Swift is the sort of experience that makes one yearn for the days when the UN actually tried to enforce the Geneva Convention anywhere outside of the Steam storefront. [4]

Katherine St Asaph: The problem with "Cruel Summer" is the problem with all of Taylor's infinite songs about supposedly dangerous lovers: I have never heard anything less dangerous in my life. [5]

Leah Isobel: Look: I am a Taylor Swift hater. It is my divine calling. The way she vocalizes "devils roll the daice" is like a needle digging into my brain. The fact that if you search "Cruel Summer" you get this and not the endlessly superior Bananarama song is a crime against pop music in general and me, specifically. She sounds like fucking Hannah Montana when she yells that last line on the bridge. All of her music comes across to me like a teenager discovering, to her disbelief, that other people exist with their own individual desires -- that being alive in the world means contending with those desires, learning how to coexist -- and throwing a tantrum about it. It's not that I don't relate, but that I listen to her music and I feel forcibly emotionally regressed, like I am eating candy for breakfast, lunch, and dinner; like I am driving a Fisher-Price car to work at an Easy-Bake Oven. And yet. Listening to "Cruel Summer," trying to nail down a score, I am forced to admit that this random Pennsylvanian lady knows how to write songs. Kill me now. [6]

Oliver Maier: The sunset on the horizon beyond Reputation and a late bloomer from the only Taylor Swift record that doesn't totally scan like a coherent chapter in her narrative (though I'm hardly a scholar). One wonders what her career would have looked like had the pandemic, and Folklore, not intervened. More like this would have been nice. [7]

Ian Mathers: I don't think I ever noticed just how gonzo background Taylor sounds going "he looks up grinning like a devil!" at the end of the bridge. I'm not going to wade into trying to figure out whether it's amazing they accidentally left that in (she sounds like a goof) or it's some sort of 3D chess move to make sure yet another market segment finds her endearing or it's a key that when combined with other lore tells you the middle name of her 3rd last boyfriend (or some secret fourth thing). Even if it is calculated, it makes me laugh like a drain. I can't not hear it now. Tik Tok is good for something after all. [6]

Kayla Beardslee: This is obviously a [10]. It's been a [10] since it came out four years ago. Its fate as the hit of Lover was written in stone before the album was even released, thanks to the Secret Session whispers. This is Taylor Swift parting the impossibly wide pastel-colored ocean before her to somehow make room for her presence, dominating thanks to the sense of reckless abandon in her voice that dwarfs even the reverberating Antonoff synths. Her desperation is delivered with a wink, slideshow images heightening the drama for the sake of performance ("cut the headlights, summer's a knife"). Yet this is also Taylor Swift, whose only constant has been always being able to put it into words, collapsing into "ooohs" at the end of the chorus and admitting defeat. Her career is performance: a stab to the heart on stage will still leave a mark in her mind, sincerity betrayed in moments like the loss of composure on "If I bleed, you'll be the last to know" or her scream of "I don't want to keep secrets just to keep you!" The delicious thrill of going too fast is inseparable from her fear of the crash, sure that it'll happen just around the next bend in the road, so hold on tight right now and feel this moment to the utmost before it disappears -- but when the song ends and we're drawn back into the real world, all that's left is a soft, nostalgic smile among the pastel-pink clouds. It's the tale of a summer of girlish hedonism: sure, you got a little too drunk and fell a little too hard, but it was ultimately harmless. They were your own mistakes to make, and you had the freedom to make them. The summer may have been cruel to you, but it was only casually cruel in the name of being honest. "Here's how 'Cruel Summer' can still be a single!", went the gleeful cries of stans in fall 2019 who were still holding out hope. Nothing on earth could come along to diminish the force of this brightest-shining, joyfully hollering star of "I'm drunk in the back of the car," not even -- shit. And now it's 2023, and we're looking back at that summer through rose-colored glasses and trying to bring it back to life. No, it's not the same, but we just want to know that we were holding on for something worth it after all, and that idealism and excitement still have a place in the moments in between. Have you or a loved one lost the summer that you were promised? If so, you may be entitled to compensation. At least that compensation comes in the form of a few perfect bars of pop music that gives you an excuse to scream at the top of your lungs. [10]

Joshua Lu: "Cruel Summer" is probably the most median Taylor Swift™ song in existence, and your enjoyment of this song probably depends on how much Taylor Swift™ you've been able to withstand this year. It's largely made up by lines that sound nice and cohere poorly -- especially that chorus, which features many words that rhyme together and not much else, or the bridge, with familiar images of crying in cars and her scream-singing that's become a literal legal cornerstone of her artistry. The song's catchiness and overall dramatic charm still shine through, like many of her best songs, but in revisiting this Lover highlight, it's evident how much that era lacked a proper point of view. [6]

Jacob Sujin Kuppermann: The fun of "Cruel Summer" has waned with every year since it came out -- even at the time, I liked "The Archer" better in terms of moody synth-pop bangers off of Lover, but every moment here that once felt anthemic has become tedious. It's a song that's become a pop hit because enough fans convinced themselves it's shaped like a pop hit -- of course it's sharp and hooky, shorn of the overly-writerly trappings of her more recent work, but every time someone accuses "Cruel Summer" of pop perfection its flaws become all the more apparent. Those verses are rough -- all that doggerel about bad boys and shiny toys -- but the bridge, and in particular its climax (you know, the big line where he looks so gritty like a devil or whatever) is where my disbelief fails. For all of the skill with which its crafted, I can't tell what sort of feeling "Cruel Summer" wants me to take away from it -- for all of the illicit thrill the lyrics glance at, Jack Antonoff surrounds Taylor with so much high-wattage synth work that none of her lines really land. It's all too much -- a grand spectacle of a pop hit that feels more inert the more closely I look at it. [4]

Thomas Inskeep: I'm by & large not a fan of Swift in pop mode (I miss her as a country artist, and think her best albums are -- cliché alert -- evermore and folklore), and I'm happy to largely blame production choices: Max Martin was a bad pairing for her, period, and Jack Antonoff doesn't generally do it for me behind the boards either. To my ears, maximalism doesn't become her. But this works, and part of it's definitely the production, particularly the Daft Punkish touches Antonoff and Swift provide. St. Vincent's songwriting contributions help too. That second verse opening line -- "Hang your head low in the glow of the vending machine" -- is so dead-on, and a perfect exemplification of Swift's lyrical prowess. Somehow, "Cruel Summer" is nearly magical, the kind of thing that more mainstream pop should sound like. [8]

Brad Shoup: Once again I'm hearing Mutt Lange where it doesn't matter (those robotic yeahs that end the track on a self-deprecating joke) but not where it does; on a chorus that could have dug in harder, and maybe have managed a not-goofy rhyme for the title. Somehow both frantic and grandiose: is there anything she can't do? [6]

Joshua Minsoo Kim: Reputation was Taylor Swift's villain era, but only in the sense that any White Girl Whose Cringe Is Swag should be considered illegal. Hearing her coo "You like the bad ones too" before Future barrels through his "End Game" verse? Sublime levels of dorkery. The stilted EDM chorus in "Dancing With Our Hands Tied"? You can practically envision her stiff, awkward swaying. The strained heaving of "Take it off, off, off" on "Dress"? Well, not all of us can sound sexy when horny. She reached unprecedented levels of personable, and with this came new changes in her approach to songwriting. Most obvious was her newfound love for alcohol (She's drinking beer on rooftops! She's spilling wine in bathtubs!) but more subtle, and lost beneath all the "Taylor Swift is rapping!" discussion, was how her toplines became more flexible. Every verse on "Getaway Car" is a chance to put on voices in miniature, to stumble through lines for syllabic emphasis, and to consider rhyme schemes for their texture. That song is the blueprint for Lover's "Cruel Summer." Everything's just a little bit better -- the vocoder is tastefully incorporated, the chorus is more anthemic -- but it's all a bit too cotton candy. She's not drinking old fashioneds, she's just drunk. The shouting is more summer camp than summer romp. The vibe is undeniably "ME!" It was painful in 2019 and it's painful now. She hasn't been this uncool since. [6]

Jonathan Bradley: The lavender synth haze of Taylor Swift's Midnights first found life in the swelling pastels of Lover, so the return of "Cruel Summer" four years on fits her current sound just fine. Swift and Jack Antonoff allow the swollen chords to drift over soft and sleepy textures that envelop like a warm bed or a warm night, punctuating the verse lines with a warped and treated backing vocal murmuring come-ons in dream language. But Swift's own words are glittering sharp, hers is a summer that cuts headlights like a knife, slices to the bone, invites devils to roll dice and kills with desire. Swift sings of a tryst so forbidden that its pleasure can only be expressed in terms of panic and crisis. This is a relationship that needs to remain discrete, and the tension and thrill balanced between her marvelled "the shape of your body is new," and cry of "I don't want to keep secrets just to keep you" shifts this into the queerer end of the her catalogue. Swift's fans have memed her faculty with a bridge into dull received wisdom -- "We have arrived at the very first bridge of the evening," Swift says during her "Cruel Summer" performance in the Eras Tour film, knowing what's expected from her -- but this one spatters synth shards that pull the narrative into a sudden climax. Swift tipsy and sobbing, her careful plans and subterfuge undone, being driven home from the pub, her night miserable and magical all at once. [10]

Aaron Bergstrom: The fact that "Cruel Summer" had to wait its turn behind singles that the Jukebox (charitably) scored at [3.53] and [3.65] is the kind of decision that makes me wish you could send FOIA requests to record labels. (There were meetings! There was market research! This is someone's job!) I know Jack Antonoff's Whole Deal™isn't for everyone, but this is the Swift/Antonoff playbook run to perfection, an update on the best parts of 1989 centered on a bulletproof bridge that lets Swift debut her punk-rock snarl on a line that I mistakenly heard as "he looks so pretty like a devil" for an embarrassingly long time. (She is not at all convincing, but that's what makes it so endearing.) A [10] when it was released, and the summers have only gotten crueler since. [10]

Nortey Dowuona: It's only a cruel summer if you watch the world spin on your terms and your whims, when you're the most powerful musician in the world and massive corporations and governments need to attain your approval, when you're criticized for being so much that your most dedicated fans will silence anyone who says so, when you can stop one of the most powerful sports franchises to pay you ever more attention, when you can re-record the entire public legacy of your songs and erase the memories made with the music you made now stolen from your grasp, when anyone will pick up your call and accept your terms. It's a crueler one when you are utterly powerless in the face of all the public scrutiny. [6]

Taylor Alatorre: Is it too much of a stretch to view the belated popularity of "Cruel Summer" as symbolic of the possibilities that were either foreclosed or deferred by a confluence of events in early 2020, including but not limited to the removal of Bernie Sanders as a relevant figure in U.S. politics? Probably, yeah, but this is the kind of song that makes you want to stretch that far. It livens the spirit, it quickens your step, it justifies an album that didn't need to be justified in the first place. "You say that we'll just screw it up in these trying times; we're not trying." How one feels about that slacker-chic line, with its simultaneous wallowing and reveling in youthful apathy, is perhaps as much a barometer of 2024 sentiment as "Are you better off than you were four years ago?" [9]

Lauren Gilbert: This is how Cruel Summer can still be a single. [10]

[Read, comment and vote on The Singles Jukebox ]

[chorusfm]

Blink-182 Share Two New Songs

Blink-182 have released a video for “One More Time.” They’ve also dropped “More Than You Know.” After a whirlwind week of announcements and trailers that has kept fans on their toes and in tears, blink-182 treat fans to their album title track and new single “ONE MORE TIME” alongside an official video - watch HERE. Directed by Carlos Lopez Estrada, the video finds the group’s iconic lineup back together for the first time in 12 years with setups, moments and milestones from the band's storied career.   In true blink-182 style, the group has surprised fans with another new track, “MORE THAN YOU KNOW” – listen to the bundle HERE. Out on October 20 via Columbia Records, ONE MORE TIME… marks the first album to feature the group’s iconic lineup, Mark Hoppus [bass, vocals], Tom DeLonge [guitar, vocals], and Travis Barker [drums], since 2011.   Launching the album news earlier this week, the band shared a sentimental trailer for ONE MORE TIME… - watch HERE. Featuring strikingly candid interview footage pulled from the band’s forthcoming extensive interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe as well as current and archival clips, the trailer finds Mark, Tom and Travis baring it all as they discuss topics they have never shared before. The full Zane Lowe interview will be available to watch exclusively on Apple Music soon.   The trio recorded ONE MORE TIME... in the midst of their blockbuster reunion tour, which sold out arenas, amphitheaters, and stadiums across the world. The album, produced by Travis Barker, features 17 new songs that capture the band at the top of their game, layering in themes of tragedy, triumph, and most importantly, brotherhood.   The brand-new album comes both digitally and physically on CD, standard black vinyl, and multiple limited edition physical vinyl variants including purple ooze D2C exclusive LP, red and clear marble colored D2C exclusive LP, and egg splatter colored D2C exclusive LP. Additional offerings on vinyl include the coke bottle clear colored indie exclusive LP, opaque white colored Amazon exclusive LP and electric smoke colored Spotify Fans First exclusive LP. The artist store will have a limited-edition cassette available.    blink-182 jump started this season back in April with a surprise last-minute headline set at Coachella. You could say a blink-aissance of sorts has ensued since then! Variety raved, “blink-182 brings rock back to Coachella in a big way.” Meanwhile, the 2022 reunion single “EDGING” has amassed over 70 million Spotify streams and counting. --- Please consider becoming a member so we can keep bringing you stories like this one. ◎ https://chorus.fm/news/blink-182-share-two-new-songs/

[bunchacrunchcake]

Audio Engineer Here (Independent) almost all physical media sucks IMO other than two reasons, and those reasons, surprisingly matter a lot.

Also before I dive in. You can download MP3s. And IIRC if you own the physical CD or music in some other format it's not illegal to burn your own CDs or put MP3s of it onto your phone for personal use. Don't quote me on that but in the 90s record industries were petitioning the government to not let people burn CDs (I'm pretty sure they did this with mixtapes too,) because it was cutting into profits. They sort of got this weird in between ruling where the government decided there was a certain amount of CDs you could burn of something before they considered it distribution. And then there was this other ruling with ROMs and video games where if you owned the system and the game it was legal to download a rom and emulator to play it on your computer instead of your TV. Notice how the theme is, we want you to like this enough to buy it, but we don't want you to enjoy it in any way that sacrifices profit. It's almost like they don't actually care about us after we've given them our money.

They are nostalgia and focus. Records, tapes, and CD's all have a different feel, require different gear to play, have different art and form factor. In addition, and this is more important than almost anything else on this list, they are a DIFFERENT way of experiencing music. Spotify is literally every song at your fingertips with ads, AI generated playlists and more. It really trivializes the act of listening to music. Pre-streaming, many of us had experiences of making playlists, mixes, and buying entire albums and just listening to music. We didn't do this all the time, but everyone over a certain age has multiple memories of just listening to an entire album. People don't do that anymore and because of that it's actually a terrible idea for musicians to release entire albums until the are as big as Taylor Swift. People only listen to singles so we should only release singles. Especially considering how little streams pay artists, it's all about generating attention and less about the long term experience of a single album. The music industry has gone the way of social media which is very short bursts of attention. And that sucks. Movies are great. Books are great. Whole albums are great. A lot of people are rediscovering that through CDs. Spotify sucks. TikTok and Reels of people shouting their scam idea at you sucks. I'm hoping this is a larger trend of people stepping away from short form content and also back towards supporting creators more than platforms. They're making money hand over fist while we get next to nothing.

CDs with WAV files have the best sound quality. The difference in sound between everything else is actually the LIMITATION of the medium combined with how the mastering engineer prepared the songs for that medium. There are tons of books of Grammy winning producers who produced Elton John and The Beatles saying that once digital got good enough, it blew everything else out of the water and the only reason to use old gear was to achieve a specific sound (which is a 100% valid reason to use old gear.) So for people that don't do audio professionally, there are tons of arguments and stuff, but for a lot of high level producers and engineers it's 100% clear that digital is better and that 99% of people can't tell the difference between a high quality MP3 and a FLAC file (though you can if you train your ears and do a lot of listening.) The only reason from a purely engineering point is to get the "sound" of tape or vinyl which can be quite nice. But it is lower fidelity.

HOLD THE LINE!! KEEP PUSHING!!!!!