#also it’s crazy to me how vince hits him like day 2??? day 3???? and rody STILL works there.

[notshuttingup]

i just finished watching a dead plate play through and i’m stuck thinking about ending 2. mostly about how when vince says he’ll give rody 15 seconds rody says something along the lines of “really? you’ll do that for me?”

it’s just so interesting to me. rody has like…a total fawn response. i think in some of the other endings rody asks vince if they can just talk about it. i guess being a people pleaser is just something apart of him. it’s apparently the reason manon broke up with him, since she couldn’t watch him be self destructive while trying to please her.

idk it’s kinda sad :(

[shitshowkb]

okay so i haven't watched in MONTHS but i just spent the last few days binge watching season 2 so as per usual here are my reactions throughout the ENTIRE season. i need season 3 like yesterday.

✧ fire country - season two reactions below the cut ✧

• i'm still mad that bode's ass is back in prison and i get that he did it for freddy but i'm still mad about it

• ope there's my favorite dilfs

• FUCK SLEEPER

• also if B doesn't get out of prison soon i'm gonna RIOT

• also can we please tell bode he has a kid, maybe he'll get his shit together and act right

• earthquake and a fire, let's goooo

• "but now i got me a knife" boy if you don't stop i stg

• you have got to be shitting me omg

• ambulance guy is kinda fine 👀

• not this idiot stitching himself instead of going to the infirmary

• i KNEW gabs had a thing with the medic

• tell him jake 👏🏼

• this shit is stressing me out

• if bode kills him, he's fucked

• oh great another earthquake

• man i knew it was gonna come down to bode saving this asshole

• "us being the next vince and sharon" gabs you barely even know this man

• bitch!? AN ENGAGEMENT RING

• MY MAN IS BACK AT THREE ROCK, LET'S GOOOOOOO

• oh my god AWKWARDDDDDD

• "i'm so happy for you" lying ass

• sharon on a motorcycle? that's HOT

• man i can't wait to see bode being a dad

• drunk kids doing drunk things, gotta love it

• shar gotta get it together, i get that she's pissed but come on

• fire below, fantastic

• come on gabs

• this shit is always so stressful

• OH SHIT, OH SHIT

• i KNEW vince was gonna hit him

• man i just need vince and shar to make up already

• not liam being the drone operator guy

• fuck him up vince

• "you won't break this family, but you will help keep it safe"

• man i love bode

• this whole little village of people are gonna cause some bullshit, aren't they?

• oh shit

• OF COURSE the cars are on fiRE

• this is intense

• god i love these leone men

• liam shut the hell up dude

• thank god eve and manny made up

• gabs baby that man is so in love with you, please pull your head outta your ass

• "you met a girl" HIS DAUGHTER DUMBASS

• these two idiots

• damn sharon looks FINE in that outfit 🥵

• idk man i can't see gobs being happy anywhere besides 42

• "no manny, i can't be your date to jake's wedding" 😂

• man i feel like that reaction was a little much

• like they were just helping that little girl???

• and now bode can't see gen??? that's some bullshit

• i don't like chemical fires, too many unknowns

• of course there are people trapped

• bode with this little girl, y'all he's gonna be such a good dad 🥹

• trouble in paradise

• oh dear god where does an explosion always gotta be eminent

• man i like cole, i hope eve changes her mind about him

• OH MY GOD

• OH THANK GOD

• eve better not send cole back to prison

• lmaoooo diego is pissed

• eve come on

• oh my god no

• a fire tornado!? seriously!?

• i am STRESSED

• this is crazy

• besties we're in a wooden shack in the middle of a FIRE TORNADO, we can't stay here

• cara better not die man i stg

• hell yeah eve

• holy shit

• oh my god NO

• i'm sobbing wtf

• this is not okay

• man gen better be bode's daughter

• man i do not like this shit

• why is bode always in some crazy ass life or death situation

• fuck him up mickey

• BODE'S NOT HER DAD!?

• WHAT THE FUCK

• this show just stays pissing me off

• having them build a fence around fire camp makes me so sad for them

• and it makes me so sad that bode can't be at gen's guardianship signing thing

• manny perez is so mf fine

• why is everyone so pissy about the fire camp now??? it's always been there and they've never bothered anyone so stfu thanks

• eve baby, you gotta chill out a little bit

• what the fuck oh my god

• and now the guardianship signing is postponed, greatttttt

• i don't like how any of this custody stuff is going down

• look at gabs killing it on her first day as medic

• hell yeah eve, tell em 👏🏼

• oh here we go

• this damn show either has me stressed tf out, crying or pissed off i stg

• you have GOT to be shitting me

• NOT VINCE, PLEASE NOT VINCE

• oh thank god

• man i think jake is gonna be a great dad, but this makes me so sad for bode

• because i know he's gonna be an AMAZING dad

• WHAT THE FUCK SHUTTING DOWN THREE ROCK!?

• vince and manny are my favorite bromance

• dammit vince

• gabs please talk some fucking sense into vince

• oh gabs mom is gorgeous

• i don't know if i like gabs mom yet, pls hold

• oh good lord, can we not have vince's life on the line again!?

• vince leone you stubborn idiot, please go fix your heart issue

• dammit vince COME ON

• MOTHER FUCKING UNCLE LUKE

• HE'S THE ONE WHO RECOMMENDED CLOSING THREE ROCK!?

• someone beat his ass i am BEGGING

• when i said someone beat his ass, i DID NOT mean set the firehouse on fire in the process

• "my boy's a poet" i love cole

• "I will get you to that fire" hell yeah you will

• so gabs and diego aren't actually gonna get married, right?

• alright campaign fire i already know this shit is gonna be intense, let's gooo

• "promise me you won't die" this poor girl

• bode is SO mf fine

• gabs is insane bc i'd be climbing that man like a tree

• if vince doesn't tell bode and sharon what's been going on with him i stg

• manny what the actual fuck are you doing!?

• i feel like gabs should just beat vince and manny's asses, they need it at this point

• billy burke playing his guitar, god bless 😍

• these two idiots LOVE each other come on

• tell him eve 👏🏼

• i'm glad gabs told bode but i fear that shit is not going to pan out well

• manny and gabs made up, time for vince to stop lying to shar

• "we're trapped" vince i stg

• OH AND THE FUCKING TREMOR IS BACK

• fantastic. great. wonderful.

• besties i am going to lose my shit

• dammit vince don't you fucking give up

• i am ✨stressed✨

• NOW KISS

• YASSSSSSSSSSSS

• "another bad decision" bitch shut up you love him

• THREE ROCK WILL REMAIN OPEN

• HELL YES

• A WARRANT FOR MANNY'S ARREST!?

• is this a fucking joke!?

• BUT WAIT does this lead to INMATE MANNY!? because i lowkey wanna see that

• now where the fuck is manny? please tell me he's not this stupid

• don't you fucking run manny

• MY MAN GOT THE EXTRAORDINARY CONDUCT CREDIT

• LET'S FUCKING GOOOOO

• MY MANS IS FINALLY FREE

• last episode let's gooooo

• gabby baby pls don't marry diego

• man i think eve would kill it leading all the fire camps but i don't think she wants to leave her people and edgewater behind

• and jake becoming an inspector?

• nah baby, bode is getting out and i need him to fight fires at 42 with his people

• vince and shar are so happy 🥹

• OMG FREDDY

• bode baby please avoid that man like the plague

• gabs sent bode the exact donut he was just talking about getting the next day? SOULMATE SHIT

• "it's just a donut" is it bode, is it really??

• the leone men out here cleaning firetrucks because they can't run calls, i love them

• manny what the fuck are you doing sir??

• bode baby please don't fuck this up

• explosion at the hospital, here we go

• ugh i love this man

• and he was literally born to be a firefighter

• if he doesn't get to be a member at 42 i'm DONE

• cole out here making some damn good points to eve

• "aw honey, you waited up" lmao i love bode and freddy

• "first 72 are up. you stayed out of trouble, now you need to start some." freddy i love you

• "go get your girl bode"

• bode out here on a mission to FUCK SHIT UP

• man come on

• hell yes sharon wants her old job back

• can uncle luke please fuck off to like canada or something

• "do they still do that thing where they ask if anyone objects?" lmaooo eve knows

• RICK IS GEN'S DAD!?!?

• NO MOTHER FUCKING WAY

• CARA BABY WHAT WERE YOU THINKING

• WHAT THE FUCK MAN

• she can't do it, she can't marry diego

• man why does the season gotta end like that

• i hate cliffhangers man

• uncle luke i'm begging please do this one nice thing for ONCE

• also if jake loses gen it's going to fucking wreck him

[madamsixx]

Beyond The Leather: Chapter 12: You’re Invited, But Your Friends Can’t Come

August 1985

It was My Bazzar Magazine Fashion New York Shoot today and I was very excited. I never thought I would get to this point. My Sports Illustrated Magazine shoot gave me more opportunities. I was getting more calls to do more magazines and more calls for movie auditions next year. I was making more money then I could imagine, and Tamara was over the moon with how I was presenting my self.

Speaking of Tamara, she had no clue about what happened with me when I went out with the Motley boys. And I wasn't planning on telling her.

"Hey girl you ready for your shoot?" Lisa asks walking into my change room.

"Just about." I smile.

"Don't smile." The glam team states as there doing my make up.

"Sorry."

I was finally done and I was ready to go. I looked amazing. I walked over to Lisa who was holding a camera. She wanted to take a picture with me. And I was happy to. We walked out of the room and into the hall. She looked like she wanted to say something but was a bit hesitant to.

"What's wrong Lisa?" I stopped her and asked.

"Its nothing it's just.... I haven't heard from Vince since the after party and.. I mean.... well... he told me he would call me." She shrugs.

I should have told Lisa this is how they behave. They sleep with girls and take off. You can't expect a real relationship to come from any one of them. Not even Tommy who is gaga over Heather.

"Look I'm going to take my pictures and then when Im done we'll talk more about this." I continued walking.

"Ok. It could probably be because Nikki got you high and drunk. Maybe that's why he's avoiding me." She crossed her arms.

I stopped in my tracks and looked at Lisa with wide eyes. What did she mean by Nikki got me high and drunk.

"Wait Nikki said I drank too much punch that had whiskey in it." I stated.

"You did buuuut when you were alittle tipsy he gave you brownies that had weed in it. And then got you high and took you to the bar and ordered you cranberry juice and jack. And that got you drunk." She giggled. "I thought he told you."

My breathing started to get heavy. I should have known that he would do that. And what makes it worse is that he was busy calling the hotel begging to speak me. And I let his call come through and spoke to him. He was talking casually to me like he didn't do a single thing. Every time I think he's a good guy something always comes up to tell me other wise. I even went as far as to thank him for taking care of me while I was drunk. Not knowing that he was the one that actually got me to that point.

"Mani....Mani." Lisa hit my shoulder.

"Sorry I'm good let's just go." I continued walking out to the set. I was to be taking a picture beside a white stallion in a barn area of some sort out side. I felt agitated and annoyed. I was suppose to be focusing on this shoot but instead I was focused on how much I was starting to hate Nikki. And hate is a strong word that we should not be using. But I'm using it, and it's being used on Nikki Sixx.

"Alright Miss Darlington grab the horse." The photographer shouted. I grabbed the horse with thoughts of Nikki in my head. Is there a reason why he didn't tell me that he was the one that got me drunk. Questions were running through my mind and I needed answers.

"Alright that's a wrap". The photographer shouted.

I headed towards my dressing room and just sat there looking at my self in the mirror.

Nikki Sixx equals trouble. ________

September 25, 1985

I have been waiting for this week to come by and it is finally here. New York fashion week. It was being held in Manhattan at the skylight Clarkson Square. I already booked 15 shows and was paid a lot of money for it. I walked down the aisle with my head held high owning it. Tamara actually cried, I was shocked. But she was so happy to see me up there.

My whole family showed up for the show. And also some friends. I called Slash and his family to see if they could come but unfortunately he wasn't able too. However he did have some good news for me. He found a band in July. He was trying to get a hold of me but I was so busy it was hard for us to talk. I think the bands name is Guns N Roses. He told me that they were playing in LA at clubs like the Whisky a Go Go, Trabadour, and The Roxy. After im finished in New York I'll head down to LA to check out there gig. I'm very happy for him.

Also Motley Crues Theater of pain album has been climbing to the top of the charts. So much for Vince saying that the album sucked. Speaking of Vince, I invited him to come and watch me walk my first runway. But not just for that, today was the last day of fashion week. But it's also my Birthday, and I'm having a party well actually a dinner. Vince agreed not to tell the other guys seeing as my family was here and I didnt want anything bad to happen. My mom really liked Vince. It turns out that Vince was quite the charmer. My sisters even liked him. Me and Vince agreed not to say anything about Vince being in the band Motley Crue.... for now. We settled on him being Lisa's date. And yes I got Vince to call Lisa, I felt really bad. But is it weird that I was starting to like Vince..... a lot.

As for Nikki he called and tried to talk to me but I confronted him and ended up hanging the phone on his lying behind. He's been calling non stop after that leaving crazy messges. Personally, I think he's psychotic. He should have just told the truth. But knowing him, its always lies that come out of his mouth. And I wasn't going to beleive a single thing he had to say.

We ate dinner and everyone got along well. I finally had somthing go right... for now. _______

October 18, 1985, Toronto Canada

12:00 pm

A couple days after my first runway and birthday I headed home for a bit of a much needed break. Especially because I was doing interview after interview and commercials. Me and my sisters just got back from shopping we bought alot of things, well I bought alot of things. Just to have some sister time felt so good. Since I became famous we haven't spent alot of time with each other so it was nice going out.

We started taking our clothes out of our shopping bags and trying them on.

"This dress is really nice I should wear it when we go out some time." I looked over at Selena she's the oldest but shes really short. She put on a short blue dress and it really looked nice on her.

"I think so too. I like this skirt and top." I say putting the clothing on the bed matching them together. "You guys care too much about what you wear it's annoying." Felicia my younger sister is a tom boy she likes wearing mostly T-shirts and sweat pants. Where as Selena and I like dressing up. Maya the youngest was 2 so we usually dressed her up.

"Iman phone!" My mom yelled.

"Who is it?" I asked

"Vince!"

I ran to go get the phone. "Vince hey what's up!"

"Hey Mani, guess what?"

"What?" I said,

"Motley Crue is in Toronto baby!"

He shouted with excitment. I thought he was joking but when I looked and saw the number on the phone. I realized it was a number at one of the hotels downtown.

"No way, oh my God we have to chill."

"Hell yeah we do girl. So uuuuh can you call up some of your friends and come down to the Maple Leaf Gradens show today?"

"Is that where you guys are playing?"

"Yeah you should come watch us. This show is gonna be fucking crazy!"

"Considering what happened last time when I went to go see you guys in New York and ended up a drunk mess in Nikki's room. I think it would be a great idea to pass on that. I can meet you before the show and we can go out. I know some really fun places."

"Oh yeah sorry about that."

"We'll talk more when I see you, what hotel are you staying at?"

"The Hilton. Meet me there for about 4."

"Sounds great."

"Listen I didnt-"

(Loud yelling)

"Hello, hello, Vince?" All I could hear was loud yelling and the phone being hit around.

"Hello.... Vince?"

"Mani?"

I can't even tell you how fast I dropped the phone. It was Nikki. And I had no intention of speaking to him. ________

3:15 pm

I called up some of my friends and we drove down to the Hilton. My crew was Mia, Ashley, and Anna. We met in elementary school and stayed friends. They have always been there for me. We had other friends but us four were the tightest. We were ride or dies. They were so excited to meet Vince. My friends are like me but a bit worse. I won't lie they're very judgemental divas and would never settle for less. Oh like me, so never mind. I told them about the rest of the Motley boys. But they weren't interested in them especially because of the way they looked. We finally made it to the hotel and I called Vince from downstairs.

"Hey there sugar!" Vince shouted.

"Hey Vince!" I shouted back. I ran and gave him a big hug. We both walked backed to my friends. They started giggling and smiling as if me and Vince were a couple.

"My friend Mia drove so were going to go in her car and go to this wings place." I smiled.

Vince put his arm around me and smiled with all teeth. "That sounds great sweetheart."

"Yeah that does sound great." We heard a voice behind us and we all turned around. It was Nikki and Tommy.

"Oh h..hey guys. Uh we were just heading out." Vince said in a nervous voice. Nikki was glaring at me. It was a look that I couldn't even read. But I knew he was angry. And so was Tommy.

"Hope we can join you. I mean we weren't invited." Tommy snorted and glared at us.

"Theres no room in my car. It only seats five people sorry." Mia stated and smirked at Tommy.

"Sweety we don't need your cheap car we have limos. Were rockstars." Nikki and Tommy pushed passed us and walked out.

This was going to be a very chaotic afternoon. ______

We arrived at Wings Palace and everyone ordered what they wanted. The boys were so loud and ordered alot of alcohol. They started getting very rowdy and people were staring at us. Some were disapproving of them while others were taking pictures of us. Young fans came over to ask for autographs and some girls would even go as far as to ask them to sign there breasts. And I mean lift up there shirts right there with no bra. Yuk.

"So why the fuck weren't we invited out hmm?" Tommy asked looking at me.

"Uh well..... I didn't know if you wanted to come." I scratched my head. Wow Iman great lie Tommy's down for anything.

"I smell a bullshitter." Nikki snorted looking at me.

"What ever Nikki." I rolled my eyes. Nikki sat right beside me in the booth he was on the right I was in the middle and Mia on my other side. Vince sat across, he was in the middle Anna on his right and Ashley on his left he had both arms around them. They were in heaven. Tommy sat in chair pulled up to the table.

"So Vince what's it's like being a Rock Star. I see the whole bad boys behaviour on TV but you honestly don't look the type." Ashley smiled.

"Pfft." Nikki snorted "Vince is just as bad as us."

"Probably, but he looks better that's for sure." Anna cooed.

"Why cause he's a blonde hair bitch." Tommy and Nikki laughed.

"Y'know jealousy dosen't look good on you two." Ashley sneered.

"Neither does your hair cut." Nikki laughed.

I turned and glared at Nikki. "knock it off." I hissed.

"Fuck off." He said flipping me off.

"Here are your wings boys." The server said as she brought our wings. She looked over at Nikki and smiled.

"Thank you bye now." I shooed her away.

"Jealous are we." Nikki smirked.

"I would never be jealous of a girl that wanted to talk to you." I snorted.

"You know Iman at one point I actually thought you were a cool chick, but seeing as you didn't even want me and Sixx around to meet your stiff friends I think your a fucking bitch." Tommy says waving his hands at me.

"Wow real classy I can see why she didn't invite you two losers." Mia said as she bit a wing.

"Fuck you stupid cunt!" Nikki shouted throwing wings at Mia.

"Nikki stop!" I shouted.

"Get these losers out of here. You think because your rockstars you can talk to people any how you want!" Mia shouted.

"Ok woah guys now calm down." Vince raised his hands up.

"This is why I didnt invite you two. Everytime I go out with you two something always happens. Your either drunk or high or both!" I yelled and pushed Nikki out of the booth.

Nikki got up and thrashed the table throwing all the food to the floor and spilling the drinks every where on everyone.

"Fuck you bitches! I heard you were hear and I wanted to say sorry for what I did last time!" He gestured to me. "But I change my mind, you deserved to look like a drunken whore at that party!" Nikki yelled in my face.

My eyes went wide. I didn't know whether I wanted to slap him across the face or kill him. Instead, I got out of the booth and ran out of the building. I had enough of this guy and I wasn't going to put up with him any longer.

"Iman wait!" Nikki shouted and ran after me.

I picked up my pace and ran faster with tears filling my eyes and running down my cheeks. I didnt want to see any one, I just wanted to get as far away from them as possible. I ran straight inside the downtown Library were I knew I wouldn't be found.

"Iman!" Nikki shouted, or I thought I wouldn't be found. I ran up the stairs and stood in the corner of the library. Taking my hands and rubbing my wet face.

"God Nikki just leave me alone!" I shouted.

"No!" He shouted back.

"Shh" we were both startled by the librarian who came over to us "This is a quiet library not a place for you guys to be yelling. You can do that outside." The librarian hissed. We both looked at each other and rolled our eyes.

"Please just leave me alone Nikki." I whispered.

"No." He argues. "Not until you hear me out." I rolled my eyes.

"Look princess I fucked up at the party when I got you drunk ok and I'm sorry. I didn't tell you because... because I knew if I did you would never speak to me again. And I didn't want that for us."

I sighed."Nikki I would rather you tell me the truth than lie in my face. It makes me wonder what else you actually lie about."

"Ok you want to talk truth. Well why did you invite Vince to your first runway and Birthday? You didn't even tell me, Tommy, or fucking Mick about it? What kind of bullshit is that?" Nikki raised his voice turning me to face him.

I should kill Vince for saying anything to them. I told him not to and now I have to answer for it.

"Well me and Vince became close we talk now and then. I tell him about things I'm doing and he tells me about the things he's doing." I say looking at my feet. I looked back up and Nikki and he just had a sad expression on his face.

"And you can't do that with me? That's what your basically trying to say right?"

"No Nikki I cant! And I don't want to!" I said that with a harsh tone. I wanted to hurt him like he hurt my feelings back at Wings Palace and for every other place he had hurt me. But when I looked into his eyes he looks like he could cry right now. And I felt a bit guilty for what I said. Until his face changed into the angry Nikki I was used to seeing.

"Fine fuck you then!" He snapped and walked away.

I met back up with my friends and we hung around later then I expected. We stayed for the show which turned out to be great. I had to call my mom from the arena so she wouldn't freak out. But she wanted me home anyways. We said our goodbyes to Vince and Mick. Tommy and Nikki ignored me and my friends. So that was a great night. Not!

_____ 3.22 am

I was in my room sleeping when all of a sudden a car horn started going off outside and someone started screaming my name at the top of their lungs. It was probably a crazy fan. All the lights went on and everyone ran out of their rooms and headed to the front door. I looked out the door and..oh my God it was Nikki. He was smiling drunkenly at me with his Jack Daniel's bottle in his hand. He was still in his stage clothes and he looked like a mess. Tommy was with him grabbing him trying to get him back in the car. How the hell did they know where I lived.

"Oh there look T bone! Awww theres my princess! Look how fucking beautiful you are!" Nikki slurred.

I moved and hid behind the door so he wouldnt see me again. I can't believe this guy came here like this. I'm so embarrassed.

"No! Mani baby please I'm sorry. I just...I'm a mess!" He slurred and fell on the ground with his bottle spilling.

"Who is this man?" My mom yelled "call security right now and get these dirty drunks off my property now!" My demanded. "Get off my property or I'll call the cops!" She yelled in there direction.

"Look im really sorry I'll take him home please don't call the cops!" Tommy shouted back.

"Mani baby just wait for me please. I'll get my shit together I promise! Just dont break yours!" Nikki shouted as Tommy picked him up and through him in the back of the car.

"I'm really sorry!" Tommy shouted and waved. He got in his car and drove off.

My mom shut the door and looked at me with a straight face. "Start talking now!" She shouted at me.

"I don't... I don't know those guys." I said with a hesitant voice.

"Do not lie in my face. Cause if I find out that your involved with any guy. You are done with your career. Especially if he looks like that pile of junk outside! They look like a bunch of leather head rock stars! Well not for my daughter! You will get a good Catholic man!" My mom pointed in my face.

"I don't know him, it happens in LA a lot when I'm on the streets." I whispered. I was terrified of my mom. I felt like I was about to pee in my pants when she gave me that look. The sweat was drizzling down my face and in my Pitts. My breathing was heavy and I felt like I was going to pass out.

"Good for nothing rock star junkies is what they are." She walked away and my sisters looked at me then walked upstairs to there room. I hated lying to my mom, but this lie had to be told.

I walked up to my room and I couldn't sleep for the rest of the night. I thought about the promise that I made to Nikki. A promise that unfortunately I would have to break. My mom would never accept Nikki. Even if I ended up falling in love with someone like him. She could never accept him for all his chains and leather.

[idontneednofuckinhug]

My 25 favourite albums of the 2010′s

When it came down to making a list of my favourite projects through the 2010's, it really became clear to me how difficult of a task this was - I've listened to hundreds and hundreds of albums, EP's and Mixtapes during this time frame with artists from different genres, during different times of my life, where I needed different types of music to soothe my soul. When I started writing down the albums I want to put in my decade list, the first thing I set as a rule to myself was that I'd have only one album per artist, just to avoid repetitiveness and so I can actually think about which artists really did leave a mark on me during this time frame and not just have a list of 10 artists with my favourite 2-3 albums from each. Even then, I originally had more than 35 albums written down as standouts for me during this time and I wanted to originally make a top 20 - I quickly realized that wouldn't be possible, but a top 35 or top 30 would be way too big, so I decided to settle on a top 25 and even then I realized I'd leave out some generational artists like Gambino, JID, 6LACK and more. After that I just decided I wouldn't rank them, it would just be 25 albums that were my favourite during the decade - no rankings, because really, how can I compare a hip-hop album to an Indie album for instance? I couldn't. I hope this list raises a discussion and we can talk about your favourite albums during this period as well or you can tell me I'm braindead for leaving out someone from the list. So in no particular order, I'll list the albums and leave some thoughts on each:

A$AP Rocky - AT.LONG.LAST.A$AP (2015) Althogh this album was released in 2015, it took me till about two years later to really appreciate it as a project - it was my coming of age album, where I realized that I need to love myself and focus on my own well-being, to have that self-confidence that reflects the reality of who you are as a person and that attracts others to be interested in what's going on with you. The album was and still is very relevant to the environment I didn't want to be in and to push myself to achieve what I've been dreaming of, as well as reflect on the existential topics I've always raised within myself regarding love, violence and pain.

Car Seat Headrest - Twin Fantasy (2018) I was a bit late to the party with this one, as I only started listening to it in 2019, a year after its release, but I have to admit, Twin Fantasy really reflects all of the impulsive emotions I have within myself regarding loneliness, being insecure and counting on the people you love so that you help each other out, outgrowing your childish opinions and understanding of relationships and realizing your partner struggles just as much as you do. This might be my favourite indie-rock project right now.

Chance the Rapper - Acid Rap (2013) This album was a big part of me during my teenage years - I remember it reflecting the issues I was facing when I was 16-18 and it really made me vibe with it, due to the appreciation I had for my friends and my free time during that time, at the same time addressing the inner feelings of whether you're doing the right thing with your life. Listening to it now, years later gives me an alternative view of it as well, as an adult who looks with nostalgia at his younger self and realizes how much emotions I've missed from this project.

Freddie Gibbs & Madlib - Pinata (2014) Arguably the album with the best production of all time - the free-flowing jazzy and soulful beats from Madlib, underlined with Gibbs's absurd flow, the story-telling of him having to sell drugs and rob people to make a living, the absurd amount of genius features and the disgusting verses Gibbs had on songs like Harold's, Real and Robes just puts this project in a bracket of its own - I was wondering whether I prefer Pinata or Bandana, but as Bandana is a very fresh project still, this one has aged like a fine wine for me.

Frank Ocean - channel ORANGE (2012) Oddly enough, I'm one of those people who doesn't like Blonde as much as channel ORANGE. This album really hit home when it came down to my break-ups and realization I'd have to start all over again, both with myself and with someone else in the future - it really made me miss some people in my life time and time again and has brought me to tears more than you'd think. Frank's commentary on the album on different aspects of love and society really puts you in a frame of mind where you'll relate to almost everything he's experienced.

Schoolboy Q - Oxymoron (2014) This was the best story-telling album of the decade for me. The production which had a very modern take on old-school Gangsta rap really sticks to you with every song, the themes which Q explores with growing up in his ghetto neighbourhood, being part of the Crips, selling drugs and being part of gang-related crime really hits hard, combined with the realization he wants something better from life after growing up in poverty. Looking at Q grow up as a person after the release of this album and achieving all of his dreams really adds to this project as a modern day classic.

Flying Lotus - You're Dead (2014) Honestly, this one isn't for everyone - when making this list FlyLo had completely slipped my mind, even though I absolutely destroyed Flamagra with replays this year and had destroyed You're Dead in 2018 and 2017 due to the amazing production and vibe the album had. This project has an absolutely one of a kind take on combining modern jazz with psychedelic beats and hip-hop features, showcasing exactly why Flying Lotus is one of the best producers of modern times.

Danny Brown - Atrocity Excibition (2016) The culmination of Danny Brown's career for me, Danny addresses what it's like to completely hit rock bottom in this project, being a crackhead, who'd party, have sex with groupies and strangers and have no control over his life - there's a very neurotic and dark production on this album, combined with Danny's hilarious, but unsettling one-liners and verses which really could have been interpreted as a cry for helf, especially on songs such as "Ain't it Funny".`

Anderson. Paak - Malibu (2016) I recently wrote about Paak in a blogpost, discussing how he brought soul music back into the mainstream through a fantastic combination of rapping and singing with soul-inspired production and keeping a very funky vibe alive. This album was his best work for me and really showcased how much he's loving life, living to his best and enjoying every day of it, whilst at the same time addressing how difficult, but worth it love can be.

Mac Miller - Watching Movies With The Sound Off (2012) Mac was one of the first artists I wrote about, as I basically grew up with him, although he was a bit older than me (he's 92 and I'm 97). Every album of his was a part of my life and something I could relate to and live through, sometimes a bit later than its release, but no album has had such an eternal feel to it as Watching Movies. Both at 19 and at 22, I could find life lessons in this album and songs that could really describe what I'm going through, both on the end where my ego is taking over and I don't feel in control (Red Dot Music), to the downpoints of my life and addictions (Objects in the Mirror).

Earl Sweatshirt - I Don't Like Shit, I Don't Go Outside (2015) I love Earl. Realistically, I couldn't keep him out of this list, although none of his albums really are crazy standouts, as he has an extremely consistent body of work, but I decided to settle with this one. With its melancholic production, dark and slow beats and topics of depression, suicide and self-isolation, this album has been one of my main therapists every time life has absolutely killed me and had kept me afloat, thanks to having someone to relate to in those difficult, dark edgy times.

Denzel Curry - TA13OO (2018) Probably one of most inovative albums in the end of the 2010's, Denzel split the album up into three parts, all reflecting the emotions he felt during the proccess of creating it: Light, embracing his success and feelings of positivity; Grey, being introspective about his life and looking at the people trying to use him and hate him objectively; Dark, channeling all his anger and darkest emotions.

Vince Staples - Summertime '06 (2015) Vince really is one of the most complex artists of modern times for me personally, as his music is always very difficult to gauge and he always strives for innovation, rather than mainstream appeal. Summertime in reality is probably his most mainstream album, being an excellent storytelling project of his origins from Long Beach, California, the gang culture and harsh reality around him, his friends being shot down or turning into coke fiends and the way his environment has shaped him as a person of distrust and scepticism.

Sons of Kemet - Your Queen's a Reptile (2018) I really wanted to have a jazz project in this list and I was torn between this one, Everything's Beatiful and Drunk, but I always go back to this one the most. The avant-garde jazz-funk sound of this album, combined with traditionally african melodies and beats and progression each song goes through really makes this a multi-layered album which you will need to listen to again and again, as it also had a very political message in itself.

Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp a Butterfly (2015) If anyone asks me what's the greatest pure hip-hop album of all time, I always answer and have answered "To Pimp a Butterfly". This album was and in my opinion still is very much before its time - the jazz-rap production, social and political messages and discussion, the absurd beats and flows, the rhyme-schemes, everything about this album absolutely shines and whatever I say, will not do it justice, you need to listen to this start to back.

Jpegmafia - Veteran (2018) Being one of the most experimental and non-fuck giving rappers in the game right now, this album was really a step in the right direction for hip-hop, as it had production that you'd probably hear nowhere else, DYI samples, political comments and messages in a very unfiltered manner, showcasing Peggy's no-fucks-given attitude to everything in music, something he has continued to prove to this day.

Tame Impala - Currents (2015) I originally listened to this project for the first time in late 2016, but I really wasn't too much into Indie back then, so I gave it little thought. 3 years later, after listening to it again I realized what a genius piece of art Kevin Parker had created with its topics of self-discovery, introspection on life and it's psychedelic indie-rock production, really creating something that no one else had heard before.

Joey Bada$$ - 1999 (2012) What really makes me not believe this project exists is that Joey released it when he was 17. Having some of the best old-school inspired production and beats, with a jazzy, soulful sound, this album showcases a very young man challenge the political climate of its time, as well as have very matures takes and opinions on gang-culture, smoking weed and needing to grow up, realizing he can't live a life of parties and drugs if he wants to leave something that's worth it in the world.

Kanye West and Kid Cudi - Kids See Ghosts (2018) I was really wondering if I should put this album in my list, as I'm not the biggest Kanye fan and I haven't really liked much of Cudi's work past 2010, but in the end, this album is one of a kind. It tells the tale of two people struggling with their mental illnesses, but in the end conquering them, loving themselves and realizing that they have so much to give in life. The album shares a very heavy inspiration from Tame Impala's production as it has a fantastic psychedelic rock production, combined with samples and yells from Cudi and Kanye which you'd never hear in another project, which people take seriously.

Death Grips - No Love Deep Web (2012) Disgusting. Raw. Overpowering. Back in 2012 when this project was released, Death Grips completely took the internet by storm, as nothing like this had ever been released even in the underground hip-hop scene. Glitchy production, combined with guitar riffs, sudden breaks, yelling and completely unrelated gibberish in most of the songs, topped off with an album cover of Zach Hill's dick, this album inspired a decade of experimentation in rap music, leading to albums such as Kanye's Yeezy and Tyler's Cherry Bomb.

Ab-Soul - Control System (2012) Lyrically one of the most complex projects I've ever heard, Ab-soul's rhyme schemes and punchlines deserve a place in a literature course in University, as you'd need multiple listens on his songs to catch every little reference the rapper makes. The album has a fantastic jazz-inspired production, songs with a very disjointed beat, showcasing his emotional instability during making it, as he references his past and the personal issues he had to go through during life, the suicide of his beloved Alori Joh, which has caused him to contemplate suicide himself and the references to his co-stars in TDE's projects makes for a project you'll spend hours on end to try and figure out.

The Internet - Ego Death (2015) One of the best contemporary R&B projects, the Internet combines a very blues and soul inspired production for this one, giving face to their fantastic members ability to create a vibe and atmosphere in their music - the most impressive part for me with them is that this album really was the start of multiple fantastic artists solo careers: Syd, Steve Lacy, Matt Martians.

Little Simz - GREY Area (2019) This and Tame Impala were my only projects by non-american artists and for a reason. Little Simz crafted a fantastic hip-hop album filled with a mixture of aggressive, eerie production and classical jazz and blues samples, showcasing her talent to both sing and rap in every single song, exploring the difficulties of being a female MC in the modern era, the pressure and negative emotions she experiences having to work much harder in the industry than men and the pain she's felt during the years of her coming of age.

SZA - Ctrl (2017) My favourite R&B album of the past decade, SZA created one of the rawest, most emotional albums I've ever heard, reflecting on modern romance from a very personal and subjective point of view, gives this project a very aunthetic and deep feel you'd have to dig deep to find elsewhere. The album also underlines SZA's struggles as a modern woman, jealousy and the anxiety of being in your 20's. The project's classic R&B production combined with its features from artists like Travis Scott and Kendrick Lamar, really adds to an experience which could leave you heartbroken.

Isaiah Rashad - Cilvia Demo (2014) Although during the past year The Sun's Tirade has been my favourite and main album, it really is more of a vibe album and not as much as a personal abum as Cilvia. In Cilvia I found myself, Isaiah talks about his addiction issues, wanting to make it in a world full of hate, the horrible relationship with his father, thoughts of suicide, the lack of commitment he has in love and has received in his relationships and the social climate which makes him feel like he's less of a person. This isn't an album for everyone, but the people who can relate to what he's feeling will likely fall in love with this project.

[vidkid20ssimblrlair]

Episode 15: The Dinner (Part 3)

"No. I'll go."

We looked over to see Aaron in the main archway looking slightly disheveled but composed. He sat down next to Lin. He stared at Nathan and then Mr. Jones. "I will like to apologize for my absence, Luther. I decided to come back out of respect for our guest."

"I was just about to ask about you. I'm glad you can join us," Jones said smiling.

"So it's storytime? Delightful," he said slurring slightly with his posh accent. "Well, I'm a doctor obviously. 

“More like a quack,” Lin snorted.

He frowned at her but continued. “As I was saying I worked at a hospital and was asked to aid in the crisis involving the dead. Patient after patient coming down with some horrible disease. It was horrifying, I offered to help out with the army to set up a sanctuary in an abandoned asylum. Where I met you all. But I know you’re curious about what happened earlier. About that letter."

“Aaron, you don't have to,” Maidson said quietly.

“It’s fine. I did have a wife and I had a child on the way actually. I can't say that didn't love her, but I was going through the motions and wasn’t being very honest with myself or her. When I heard she was with child, I planned to break off things with a colleague I was seeing. A colleague I was having an affair with. His name was Alexander or Alex. He was a kind soul. Thoughtful. Smart. I didn’t want to break his heart, but I owe my wife that much. She was having my child for christ sakes! But the day I ended things with him was the day the hospital became overrun with the dead. The last thing he gave to me was that letter and the last thing I said to him was I didn’t want to see him anymore. You can imagine how that makes me feel. How that letter is valuable to me.

Well, now you know something that even my mother didn’t know about me. Now you know part of the reason why I drink.”

“That’s actually really touching, Aaron,” Lin said genuinely stunned.

“I guess so,” he said shrugging. He pulled out a flask emptying the contents in his mouth and placed it back in his pocket. “Anyway, it appears I need a refill. So enough about me. How about the next person go, so I can carry on drinking.”

I looked from one to the other. Their eyes zeroed on me again. I knew my time was up. 

Audrey reached across the table and touched my hand. She smiled and whispered, “Tell the truth.”

I sighed, sat up, and cleared my throat.  “I wasn’t a good guy. What I might say may change your opinion of me and that’s fine, but know I’m not that man I use to be.”

They all shared concerning looks but paid close attention to me now.

“I was also a thief. I was also a convicted felon. I spent a lot of my life in prison for dumb shit. I stole from people’s houses, assaulted people, and booted cars for a living. I was addicted to the fast money and the thrill of it all. Got even worse when I became a father. Couldn’t exactly get an honest job to take care of her you know. Not when you got a record,” I said as the total silence in the room was deafening.

“Anyway, just before this shit went down I was wrongly convicted for a murder I didn’t do. I was able to break out of jail thanks to the dead taking over the prison. Lucky me huh? Crazy thing is I ended up traveling with the cop who framed me and an actual murderer. I wouldn’t even be here if it wasn’t for Audrey with the luck I’ve had, but I know what you’re thinking. I know I can’t get this stench off of me. Even in the fucking apocalypse, but I swear...”

“So you’re a convicted felon?!” Matthew gasped.

“Oh, here we go.”

“You..you...we can’t trust you!” he stammered angrily rising up to his feet immediately.

Madison stood up and blocked him shielding me from him. “Matthew. Please.”

“He’s a convicted murderer!”

“Wrongly convicted and he didn’t have to tell us that. He could have lied!”

Matthew fumed. “Wrongly accused. Ha! He could be lying now. He’s dangerous!”

“I’m not lying!”

I stood up and looked past Madison. It was then I felt Audrey behind me grabbing my arm. She tugged at it trying to pull me away, but the two of us weren’t letting up. Our eyes locked on each other ready to shed blood if need be. Only Madison was keeping us from throwing blows. She stood helplessly between us trying to keep us both away from each other. She looked strangely tiny as she stuck out her arms trying to distance us. I glanced over to see the rest of the table was now standing. Luther remained seated, but they all seemed to be talking all at once. Their cries all mixing together as they appeared to be pleading for us to stop as well.

The only person who seemed to be egging it on was Wade. He marched over to Matthew’s side and glared at me. A pure look of disgust graced his face.

He then shook his head and folded his arms. “I knew it. You’re probably one of the Cartel aren’t you?”

I scowled. “No, you racist shit!”

“Please stop this!” Audrey cried grasping my arm for dear life. “He’s not dangerous. He’s a good man! He saved my life. He literally went through a burning building to save me. I swear!”

“I believe her!” Madison cried. “Please.”

“So this is how you treat me? After I kept your fucking secret,” I spat turning back to Matthew. A smug smile then graced my face as I realized what I was saying. He seemed to catch on and he suddenly looked terrified. I continued. “So, Wade, since you want to open your big ass mouth, did anyone tell you that we didn’t get any gasoline? Not one drop? I’m sure Matthew told you. Ohhh, we weren't supposed to tell you till we scrounged some up, so you wouldn’t bitch about it!”

“What?” he gasped wide-eyed.

“And Madison, do you know what your little boyfriend here told me not to tell you?”

She turned her attention to me confused. “Huh?”

“He’s lying!”

“We found a walker on a stake that looked remarkably like you. Also found a message.”

“Wait! What?”

“The message said, “We’re watching you! Was written in blood on the wall of the gas station when went we back, but you’re not supposed to know that! No one is. Now, who’s the trustworthy one now?”

Madison backed away wide-eyed from Matthew then. She looked completely shocked. The color almost looked to be draining from her face.

“I..I was protecting you,” he stuttered. He stepped towards her softening his voice. “I was going to tell you...”

This didn’t calm her. Not one ounce. With a flash, her hand connected with his face and slapped him. He stumbled backwards and grabbed his cheek.

Wade who stood behind him pushed him as he bumped into him. He balled up his right fist and raised it as if to hit him, but put it down thinking twice. He then joined the rest of the household who stood quietly on the sidelines now staring at us like spectators. A mixture of shock and disappointment flashing upon their faces.

“I...I trusted you!” Madison howled. “How could you? This endangers me. It endangers us all. How could you keep this from me? From us?"

Matthew said nothing. The room was completely silent. You could almost hear a pin drop. Then I jumped feeling something on my leg. I looked down to see a cat. A white cat. Audrey had mentioned it, but I stared down at it perplexed by its presence. It meowed and walked over to the glass door. My eyes were drawn to it while everyone else seemed to be in a trance staring at Matthew as he stumbled over his words trying to explain himself.

I watched the cat paw at the glass. It eyes focused on something outside. Grace then spotted the cat too. She walked over to it pushing pass Matthew and she bent down to retrieve it. As she bent down to pick it up, something bumped into the door loudly. It was so loud we all jumped and I though the glass had broken. Audrey practically leaped into my arms from just the sound.

I looked up and away from the cat to see a corpse staring in now. He clawed at the glass door and loudly banged his head on it again making a thin crack. The cat sat down and continued to paw at the now blood-smeared glass. Everyone seemed to be fully aware of the cat and the corpse now. They gather at the door looking positively frightened.

DJ quickly came over looking dumbfounded as stared at it.

“I’ll take care of it,” he said regaining his composure. “But dinner’s over."

There's some foreshadowing going on at the end. ;)

And ugh wished I could have done more with Vince's flashbacks, but it was a last min decision to include it. Someone needs to make a ski mask for TS3. -_- Anyway, the first poll for the season will be posted next. Will be something to lighten things up as things are about to get rough.

Part 1

Part 2

All Episodes

[classic-rock-roller]

1. Bonham’s not feeling right one morning when you’re getting ready for work, and she tells you she’s staying home. “I should be okay by tonight though, so don’t cancel our plans with Kevin and Randy.” You head out for work, and when you get done at about 4, you go up to check on her. She’s not in her room, and when you walk down the hallway you see the light on and the bathroom door hanging halfway open. You go over to knock on the door and see her lying on the floor, and the toilet bowl is full of blood. How do you respond?

I think I know what it is because I know my mom deals with this thing all the time. I don’t want to leave it in there so I grab a cardboard box and place whats in the toilet in it before helping her into the car to get her to the hospital and then calling Randy and Kevin on the way there.  

2. Your single with Kevin continues to grow in popularity even after it hits number one. None of you expected this, and Kevin comes to yours and Bonham’s house one day ecstatic. “We’re nominated for a Grammy!” How do you respond?

“Oh my god, Seriously! That’s great!” 

3. Your band is making a video, and you’re starting it with each member jumping forward through breaking glass. The rigs for everyone’s glass have worked so far, Bonham’s going next and you’re going last. You’re excited until Bonham’s rig malfunctions and she gets a faceful of broken glass. She goes off to get it fixed and the producer tells you, “Alright, your turn.” What do you do?

I’m a little nervous but I do it quickly and then go check on Bonham. 

4. You’re finally done with the tour with GNR and everyone is asked individually how it went. Everyone is fairly civil, but in his interview, Axl says, “It was fine overall, but I hate that singer, she can go fuck herself.” Bonham and Kevin are pissed and are talking about going after him. What do you do?

“You guys are not going after him. I haven’t had my interview yet and if they ask me about him I’m going to be civil. He wants a reaction. He’s not going to get one.” 

5. Bonham’s been staying with you and Kevin ever since Randy died because she’s afraid of what she’s capable of doing. You get home one day and hear yelling from the kitchen. You walk in and Bonham says to Kevin, “I can’t believe you! I held you in my arms and cried with you! How could you?” What did he do, how does he respond, and what happens once they see you?

He decided to get QR back together with Rudy and a new Drummer and Guitarist. “I don’t mean to be insensitive or an ass or anything but Rudy and I both want to to do this and we’re dedicating one song on the first album to Randy.” They’ both stop when they see me and then they’d both go, “Well what do you think of this brilliant/stupid idea?” 

6. You and Bonham have been speculating that Randy’s going to ask her to marry him, and he asks her one night to dress nice, they’re going on a date. You both squeal like sorority girls once she hangs up the phone, and you help her get ready. She leaves excitedly, and you go to Kevin’s to keep up the excitement. After about three hours you both head back to your house to hear the news, and you find Bonham on the couch in a ball by herself. What happened and what do you and Kevin do?

“He...he told me he had to break up with me because he’s going on tour with Ozzy.” “Oh, sweetheart.” I’d go over to her and hug her. “Do you want me to punch him? I’ll punch him.” Kevin goes before joining in hugging her. 

7. Your band just released a new album, and it sounds drastically different than your previous work. It’s doing well, and the producer of a children’s show approaches you to ask if they can use one of your songs as the opening theme. You tell them that you’ll have to ask your band before confirming. What do you tell your band and how do they react?

I tell the band and we’re all kind of surprised but say sure they can use it. We’re not exactly “child-friendly.” 

8. You and Bonham have great chemistry onstage, and everyone knows it. You get a call one day asking if you two want to guest star on a crime show, appearing as yourselves. What do you two do?

Of course, we go, we act horribly but who would say no to being on tv? 

9. You get a letter in the mail one day, and it’s from Axl. You’re with Kevin, Randy and Bonham, so you ask if you should open it. Bonham got one too, and she’s just opened it. It poofed in her face and she’s now covered in glitter. She looks at the letter and reads it, “Ship your enemies glitter, Love Axl.’ If yours is anything like mine, don’t open it.” She shakes her head and a blizzard of glitter falls from her hair. How do you , Kevin, and Randy respond?

Me: “Well, I won’t do it that way,” I go outside with a knife and carefully pry it open before bringing it back in. “Nope, mine says in big bold letters, “Die you fucker, die, die, die. He’s going a little overboard.”

Kevin: “I swear I’m going to kill him when I see him again. He better watch out.”

Randy: “He must really hate you. That’s unsettling and scary.”

Bonham: “He’s crazy and I’m with Kevin on this.” 

10. You watch Kevin and Randy jam at the bar with the two gentlemen and the sax player until it’s closing time for the bar. The gentlemen are very pleased as they tear down their gear, they’re complimenting Kevin on his singing skills, and you see the sax player go up to Randy. “You were phenomenal! I’ve never met someone as good as you anywhere!” Kevin comes up to you and says, “Look at them, it’s great. Let’s go bug ‘em” What does Randy say to the compliment, and what do you, Kevin, and the sax player say?

Randy: “Thank you, but I think there are plenty of other guitarists who are much better than me.”

Kevin: “Just take the compliment from the cute girl Randy.” 

Sax player: “But you are phenomenal.” 

Me: “Randy you are a phenomenal player. It’s true.” 

11. You, Kevin, Randy and Bonham walk into a restaurant for dinner one night and see the staff getting ready to sing for someone because it’s their birthday. Kevin says, “Awesome, let’s go sing with them.” You all do, and when the song finishes, Randy says, “Happy birthday, dude.” The table and staff turn around, surprised, and one of the guys at the table says, “No way, those are the guys from Quiet Riot! And the chicks from War Angel! Epic!” What happens next and how do you respond?

The birthday guy oddly enough just bought a QR record and a War Angel one and asks us to sign them for him. We sign them and wish him a happy birthday again. 

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

1) Nikki and your singer have become super close again since doing the Crüe collab album. They’re always hanging out and have their heads together whispering about stuff. You and Kevin still don’t trust Nikki though and feel he’s going to try something. What do you and Kevin say to your singer?

2) You, Kevin, and Randy come over to your singer’s parents’ house and when she opens the door she says, “Sorry, it might be super crazy. My sister is having about ten teenage girls over for a sleepover tonight. We can go out somewhere if you’d like.” How do you, Kevin, and Randy respond? 

3) After taking your singer’s sister home, you go back to the tour bus. The day after your singer gets a call from her mom that he sister is missing. Your singer is pissed because she knows that her sister sneaked out to go with Axl. You track them down to a hotel and your singer grabs her sister before ripping Axl a new one for taking advantage of her. How do you, Axl, and your singer’s sister respond?

4) Kevin is really jealous of how close your singer and Nikki are. One day, Nikki gets a little too close for Kevin’s liking and Kevin ends up punching him which starts an all-out brawl. How do you, your singer, Mick, Tommy, Vince, and your band react?

5)  You come over to your singer and Kevin’s house to make smores with the four kids. Once you arrive and the four kids are roasting marshmallows, Will comes up for his graham cracker and asks, “Where’s the chocolate?” Your singer looks to Mal and Kevin, “Well two people ate about twenty chocolate bars in two days.” How do you, Kevin, and Mal react? 

6) Your singer somehow got tickets for you, Randy, and Kevin to see and meet AC/DC. After the show, you go backstage and your singer gushes to Brian Johnson, “You guys were great. You sounded amazing.” Kevin then comes up and says, “It sounded like you smoked two whole packs and gargled marbles before going on.” How do Brian, you, Randy, and your singer respond?

7) You and your singer are in an interview and the interviewer asks if your singer went to school. She responds, “Yes, I have my bachelors in Early Childhood and Special Education.” You can see the interviewer’s surprise and he says, “You can teach? How do the parents feel about having a foul-mouthed rockstar teaching their kids?” How do you and your singer respond?

8) You and your band are at a huge benefit concert and Van Halen is one of the acts there. Randy and Kevin are also there because QR is performing as well. Your singer is talking with Eddie while you are talking to Randy and Kevin. Kevin keeps looking at them and goes, “I’m going to go over there.” Eventually, he does and drapes himself all over your singer. How does your singer react and what do you and Randy say to Kevin when he comes back?

9) You and your singer are walking with your kids. You’re walking through a park and she has her newborn son Eddie in a stroller. While walking past a group of old ladies, you hear one whisper, “I feel bad for those kids. Their moms have too many tattoos.” How do you and your singer respond?

10) Your singer and Kevin have a cat that she named Nikki Jr. (after the one you and her had at your apartment) and this annoys Kevin to no end, so he hates the cat. You go over to their house one day to find newborn Eddie laying on the couch with the cat curled up with him. Your singer asks Kevin to check and see if Eddie needs a diaper change and when Kevin goes to pick Eddie up, Nikki hisses and swats at him. How do you, your singer, and Kevin respond?

11) You’ve just had your son and your singer has been helping you so Randy hasn’t really held your son all that much. One day he picks him up and holds him arm's length away, “How am I supposed to hold him again?” How do you and your singer respond?  

12) Your singer thinks it’d be a great idea to have the kids fingerpaint father’s day cards. You set up the paint and place all four kids at the table with newspapers spread out. You and your singer are in the kitchen getting lunch together and soon your singer looks into the dining room and whispers, “Oh my fucking god.” You follow her into the dining room to find Four-year-old Eddie and three-year-old Jeremy both painting on the walls. What do you and your singer do?

@osbournebemydaddy  your move Bonham, love, 

[iwatchedyougoinghomeeveryday]

2 eps into season 5...

it's not grabbing me as much as season 4, but i think that's because all of the og cast is pretty much gone. still really loving the show and i'm excited to learn more about these characters and see how everything plays out! they're going to state and winning, right?!

some thoughts:

i love that luke's hit in the premiere ep was clearly a parallel to the hit on jason in the very first ep. (the qb throwing an interception, then attempting to make a necessary tackle and getting a brutal hit.) interesting to be on the other side of that this time.

becky is getting a bit more tolerable to me. still don't like that the show is having mindy be paranoid about billy with her living in the house. even though this is just a minor thing, it's just one more example of this show having the teenagers be seen as desirable by adults. like i had heard there were a lot of inappropriate underage relationships/flirting in this show before i watched, but during season 1 with tim and the single mom, i thought that was going to be it. nope nope nope, it's like every single time one of the teenagers has a love interest that is NOT one of the main high school characters, it's with someone who is way older than them. or enough for it to be icky when them being a minor. like... why

one time i was googling something about fnl and a suggested search was "does julie sleep with her ta" so i've been dreading this storyline for a while now. sighhhhh.

also hastings and luke had some interesting chemistry during that party scene in ep 2. can hastings please be the gay football player?! if not for the rep, then to save his boring character.

also tinker is the best.

EDIT: watched ep 3... this one had the best storyline of the season with vince. michael b. jordan has been the strongest newcomer, but his scenes in this episode... wow, some of my favorite moments on the show. it was heartbreaking seeing him wrestle with the return of his father, then his scene with coach in his office was SO powerful.

also lol at julie sleeping with the ta being in the very next episode. and GOD it's worse because he's married. yiiikes. so much yikes. why do the writers keep doing julie like this?! and i don't know if they've said where she's going to school, but it seems like it's still in texas, so what was the point of the whole "i need to find my own chicago" thing?! at this point i'm just giving into my intense shipper self and i hope julie goes to chicago with matt by the end of the season. it really would be a great place for the both of them. (and if the writers wanna do a flashforward and show me matt proposing then that'd be cool. heck, have it be in the present day, it wouldn't even be that crazy.)

also buddy now owns a bar because of course he does.

ALSO i like that tami is coming across as sanctimonious in these scenes, first with the tutoring then dealing with the alcohol abuse. she has good intentions, but it's not going to always translate and, well, sometimes tami is a tad judgmental. in their fights julie always saw tami as that way. (i just rewatched a season 1 ep with one of the earliest julie/tami fights about tyra. and, yeah, no mother would want her 15 year old daughter hanging out at a strip club, but it was interesting that she was so harsh about that when, as a guidance counselor, she'd have to be understanding of a lot of different lifestyles.) this episode just reminded me of that because tami was not understanding at all of maura's role as a victim. of the scary issue of non-consent with that video. i thought she would've opened up to maura about that, but nope. i hope it's something she has to work on going forward.

me watching season one of friday night lights: wow, this show's commitment to the realism of these teenager's struggles while still traversing typical teen tv show tropes is incredible. a lesser show would have given in to the schmaltz or added some television shine, but the grittiness of these characters and their world is never lost. this was a show about football, family, and small towns, through and through. it was just so nice to stay with these characters in their daily lives and i absolutely cannot wait to see what the other seasons hold. no way can the writers mess this up after they pulled off this consistent of a season. no way.

me watching season two: oh... oh no... what is happening... why are we doing this... no no NO

[jtq1844]

One day into this and I’m already behind ...

Where did the day go?  So much for taking this opportunity to build in some writing discipline into my life.  I actually have a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (Antioch University -- Los Angeles, 2017).  It started out as “an external goal” in 2015, something to try after we moved as empty-nesters up to Washington State from Santa Cruz.  The program is “low residency,” meaning it is mostly online.  I had had a few stories published already, so I had reason to think it was doable.  I like story-telling.  I like writing.  What I discovered was that, while I have some writing competency, I don’t exactly have a passion for it. 

Here is one of the CNF essays from my official portfolio to amuse you until I compose a more heartfelt and informative post for tomorrow … er, I mean, today … um.  You know what I mean.

-=-=-=-

Sister Clorina, Saint Blaise and Doubting Thomas by Jean Tschohl Quinn

    It can take years to come to an understanding about something. Alternatively, an understanding can barrel into consciousness like a grand and glorious epiphanic elephant.  Sometimes, both happens. I love paradox.  I adore the celestial AND. It is in this sort of epiphany, decades in the making, that I found Bahá'u'lláh.

    Sister Clorina hated me. No. That’s too strong. She simply did not like any girls not named Mary. She didn’t like me in particular because she had suddenly been “demoted” to second grade from fourth grade where my sister Mary was -- sweet, clever, pious and faithful.  How could I compete?  My best friend then was named Mary too.  Mary Wirhanowicz was also sweet, clever, pious and faithful. I hold no grudge against the average Mary. They’ve got the whole Blessed Virgin Mother expectation thing to deal with and had no choice in the matter because that was their collective given name. It is, apparently, a lot of pressure. There is the occasional exception of the BVM standard when there are multiple Marys in a single classroom.  Some of them get an out if they had, say, a younger sibling who called them something else and the teacher approved for clarity’s sake.  One of my grandmothers was one of those. There were several Mary’s in her one-room schoolhouse in Nova Scotia. Her younger brothers and sisters called her Mayme already and so she was dubbed in the classroom and life in general. To this day, I consider her the sanest person I’ve ever met. However, in my second grade classroom, Sister Clorina felt she had reason to suspect me as nefarious.  First, I was not named Mary.  Second, I was “philosophical.”  

     Her move down to second grade was precipitated by Sister Marie Madison’s hasty withdrawal from the convent life after only a month with our class.  We were informed that we had simply “driven her crazy.”  Mea culpa.  Mea culpa.  Mea maxima culpa. (That’s not quite accurate; it was post-Vatican-II. We didn’t actually learn any Latin.)  The girls of the class all knew the blame rested solely on the antics of Vince Wederath, Brian Doherty, and Eddie Marx. They were the bad boys. Maybe Tim Relihan too. We were sure of it. Twelve or so years after the fact, I bumped into Eddie on a bus as I headed home from college for a weekend of free laundry and food.  He was still proud of his part in the good sister’s loss of faith. We choose our triumphs; this apparently was one of Eddie’s.

    Sister Clorina emanated a stern energy.  I cannot tell you whether she was tall or short from my second-grader memory, but I do recall her immense energy.  Sometimes, she’d fill in on the organ at Mass when the ridiculously cherubic Sister Acquitaine was overwrought or under the weather.  Sister Acquitaine was the music teacher.  She felt my brother Kevin’s musical talent was extraordinary -- it is – and so she kept him in at recess for violin lessons because we already had a violin that Grampa Hanson had picked up at St. Vinnie’s for $7 in 1967.  Kevin did not like missing recess. He abandoned the violin at his earliest possible convenience. I still have and play that violin, mainly because no one else had a use for it. I have always felt that I have a right only to that which is of no use to anyone else. It’s a youngest child thing. In second grade, I even went so far as to claim my favorite color as moss green because I felt sorry for it.  

    In any case, Sister Clorina as a substitute organist kept the tempo “up” much to the consternation of the older folks. My family liked it that way; it was zippy. She would shout over her shoulder, “Hymn number 8.”  Only I thought she was saying “Hit number 8” like Casey Kasem might, so I thought we were going to sing Winchester Cathedral or Last Train to Clarksville depending on the week. I somehow knew never to expect Wild Thing.  

     I had high hopes as Sister Clorina glowered over us in the hall outside the classroom. I reached for her hand, trying to be the brown-noser I knew myself to be.  She sniffed and tucked her arm inside her surplus.  Her disdain for me was immediate.

    First grade had been a long line of substitute teachers after Mrs. Conti-Morgan left to give birth after an entirely crabby last month. She and Mrs. Lambert, a squat dynamic storyteller, in the fifth grade were the only lay teachers in the school.  Second grade looked like the beginning of a whole new world. I was finally going to be close enough to a nun to touch one.

    After Sister Marie Madison bailed on us in the second-grade, I suspect Sister Clorina took the move from her already beloved fourth grade class to our clearly evil second grade as a demotion. The smaller four and fifth grade classes would be combined with the incredible Mrs. Lambert at the helm. My sister Mary was immediately named co-chair with Mrs. Lambert of their mutual admiration society. Mary has that mysterious charm that immediately made her teacher’s pet. Every time.  

    My year with Sister Clorina should have been a good one.  She did Science. We studied the classic simple machines: lever, incline plane, screw, pulley, wedge, and wheel and axle.  She even pointed out that a screw is really just an incline plane wrapped around a pivot point. This was good stuff. We learned about meteorology and taxonomy. Why wasn’t it working?  For one thing, she had no joy once Mary Wirhanowicz got really sick and was gone for weeks.  I brought homework to Mary and back to school regularly.  Did I get any credit for helping the BVM wannabe?  No I did not. Looking for credit is always a sure way to not get any. I was dead last in the rankings of teacher’s pet, even behind Renee Kucze and she NEVER adhered to the dress code.  

    Mary eventually recovered and returned to class. My only hope was merit by association.  No luck. Christmas rolled around and the requisite study of the Nativity. We learned about the Magi, those astrologers from the East. The question was obvious, so I asked it, “If they understood how important Jesus was before He was even born, shouldn’t we be studying their Religion?”  Sister Clorina never called on me again.  

    Second grade crawled on. I was dying to ask about the blessing of the throats on Saint Blaise Day, February 3, but I couldn’t ask Sister Clorina. I thought the hubbub was kind of cool -- how we’d line up and have blest candles criss-crossed about our necks with a little prayer for health offered – but still didn’t understand it.  My mom, who was much more informed and cynical than I could have realized then, knew a little about it. One of the miracles attributed to Saint Blaise was miraculously saving someone from choking. His “day” was the day after Candlemas, February 2, when families traditionally brought in all their candles to be sanctified.  

    “While this is completely pointless in the 20th century,” she postulated, “imagine what candles meant to a family three hundred, five hundred, seven hundred years ago.”  Having them blest would be a prudent gesture to Christians throughout Old Europe and the Byzantine Empire, she hoped I would agree. In my limited comprehension, however, I continued to attempt reconciliation of all of this with Groundhog Day.  Maybe the flicker of candles cast interesting shadows on any groundhogs popping out of holes on the same day.  

    By Lent, I knew better than to ask questions. During the required Tuesday-after-school Stations of the Cross, I languished with questions.  It’s not three days between the afternoon of Good Friday and dawn of Easter Sunday.  It’s two. Much later, I learned that the Jewish day starts at sundown, so it was definitely only two days. I did not dare ask. And the renaming of Simon to Peter, the rock.  What was that about? That was a whole lot of palaver over one little verse and the power that Saul/Paul grabbed anyway. I didn’t get it and couldn’t ask.

    At Pentecost, I remember sitting amiably in the pew, gently kicking at the kneeler after the Gospel Reading, followed by a rambling homily about Doubting Thomas. He misses a visit from the post-Resurrection Christ and demands physical proof.  Christ does come to revisit and offers Thomas a chance to “probe the nail holes.”  Thomas believes even though there’s no record of him poking his fingers anywhere – seriously not in a single one of the four Gospels -- just being with Him again is sufficient.  Christ then adds “blessed are they that have not seen but still believe.”  

    Yes, I committed to myself – kick, kick, kick -- I will never be like Doubting Thomas, needing proof like that.  To this day, I have never witnessed any firsthand wowza moment. Some friends of mine have hosted these remarkable, spiritual ongoing events where miracles of joy, epiphany and synchronicity are a regular occurrence for years. Long-lost friends reunite. Extraordinary fund-raising. Mysterious healings. You name it. Whenever I show up, it’s invariably an “off night.” My friend who has witnessed it all invariably shrugs and says, “I don’t know what happened this time. Maybe it was the traffic.”  I trust their reality.  I have to, because I wasn’t there.  

    I was still mindlessly kicking the kneeler.  Why didn’t they recognize Christ as Jesus when meeting Him after the Resurrection? Seriously, they don’t recognize Him at first. Why would that be? What was the big deal about a physical resurrection anyway? The Old Testament was full of them.  I could get the importance of a spiritual one – I thought: Peter … Rock … denied Him and the hiding … rock rolled away … blah, blah, blah … Didn’t Jesus call His followers His body?  I was not about to ask questions. The symbolism worked so much better than literal story.  Don’t ask; don’t tell.  Just get through second grade.

    By the end of that year, Father Podolak, that gentle, rambling soul who would eventually preside over my wedding years later, announced that the school would be closing at June. My sister and I were devastated.  My brothers and older sisters were already going off to junior high and senior high school, mercifully saved from attending more Catholic school by the cost of tuition times six. Mary and I lay in bed with the blankets kicked off, feeling entombed by the muggy heaviness of Wisconsin in the summer bemoaning our fate, a public school education with their loose morals and strange ways.  Of this we were sure.  No potentially free music lessons from Sister Acquitaine; no exciting tales about WWI in Italy from Mrs. Lambert; no stern preparation for junior high from Sister Rhodelia whose great contribution to our family was her encouragement to my parents that my shy, nervous, older sister Jackie would achieve every regular thing, just in her own time. We were off to public school and weekly Catholic CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine.  I kid you not).

    How wrong we were! At the public school, we got free music lessons on any instrument we chose from hip young musicians; one for band instruments, the other for strings (my choice, obviously).  And Mrs. Grossman taught us singing. She really liked how Mary (either one) and I sang together.  By the following Christmas, my sister now a fifth grader and I a third grader sang in front of an audience of hundreds a harmonized duet of Mel Torme’s A Christmas Song. Afterwards Brian Doherty spoke directly to me, probably the only time he ever did, “You have guts. Double guts.” Respect. I don’t remember seeing him after that.

   We also had a regular dedicated art teacher, Miss Sanford.  She got a nose job the following summer and nobody recognized her when she returned. The best part was, my third grade teacher, Miss Nawrocki. She looked like a Barbie doll. She wore wigs of different colors and lengths. She got married halfway through the year and became Mrs. Raniewicz. Dang.  We had just conquered spelling capital-N A W R O C K I. She directed a class musical. I had lunch with her a couple of years ago.  She is still awesome, although significantly shorter than I thought. Public school was fine. Better than fine. It was great. To heck with you, Sister Clorina.

    Around ninth grade, Confirmation rolled around. It was time for me to publicly commit to God and His Church, whatever that meant. Among the somewhat arbitrary options for going through a Catholic Confirmation is taking a new name.  It has little or no intrinsic meaning within Western cultures, but the vestigial tradition hangs on.  My 15-year-old self was interested in saving the world by becoming a medical doctor – didn’t happen: boys, booze, and a reading disability derailed that vague idea during the first semester of college – so I chose the name “Blaise” as my Confirmation name.  I had mistakenly thought he was the patron saint of physicians. I was a piss-poor researcher back then too.  So many of his miracles had to do with healing, particularly having to do with throat ailments and choking. Who am I kidding?  I claimed the name Blaise because the choice was due the week after the whole Candlemas/Saint Blaise weirdness -- exactly forty days after Christmas. What was this thing with forty days anyway?  Noah in the Ark, Jesus in the desert, Buddha under the Bodi Tree, the Prophet Mohammad in a cave.  There’s Lent.  There are periods of mourning, of fasting or of thanksgiving in most belief systems.  

    In any case, my choice of Blaise, a male name, upset a fair few people, so I had to write a couple of letters to some persnickety council of some kind. The request was okayed … with reservations. The actual Confirmation was forgettable other than choir director being in a car accident on the way there, so the choir – which included my mother, my sister Mary, Mary Wirhanowicz and me – had to wing it.  

    “So why was the name Blaise so important to you?” Father Podolak asked me months later.

    “Well, if this spirituality stuff doesn’t work out, ‘Blaze’ is a good name for a stripper.” The words were out of my mouth before I ran them through my brain. I kept walking.  

    The next time I saw Fr. P, he said, “Jean, do you know how we make holy water?”

    “You bless it?” I stammered.  

     “No, you boil the Hell out of it.”  He smiled apologetically and gently clarified, “That was a joke.”  

    I chatted with a priest at a wedding I was hired to sing for a few years later, I mentioned the parish I grew up in. The priest said, “Ah!  Bill Podolak, a kind man.”

    “Yes, indeed.” I was running out of things to say.

    “… not a dynamic speaker.”

    “No, indeed.”  We laughed, all too cruelly I believe.

   In spite of my bad research skills, Saint Blaise continues to intrigue me. Having been martyred by being beaten to death with iron combs used for wool combing and carding, Saint Blaise has since been associated with any trade having to do with wool since the Middle Ages, not the healing arts. So, after all the hubbub about me picking a male saint’s name, perhaps it works for me.  After all, what is my essay-writing but glorified wool-gathering?  

    The year after my Confirmation, I lived in Tunisia through a foreign exchange program the same summer that Monty Python’s Flying Circus filmed Life of Brian a mere 100 kilometers away.  I did not find out until just after my return to the US, by watching an episode of Saturday Night Live hosted by Eric Idle.  His monologue was about the long, sad love songs Tunisians sing with such relish and the ubiquity of jasmine there. Mr. Idle’s monologue went over like a fart in church as the saying goes.  My family, however, laughed spasmodically as they recalled the similar stories from my letters home. Dad with his ever-present bowl of popcorn balanced on his chest, fell off the couch chortling. Mr. Idle’s underappreciated monologue notwithstanding, my summer in Tunisia changed my perceptions of just about everything. I had lived with a Moslem family in a Moslem neighborhood in a Moslem village. They valued education and kindness, respect and humor, the individual and the collective. The child peeking out of the doorway to see the American girl may have looked like an advertisement for C.A.R.E., but I came to know that her family loved her abundantly, fed her regularly if frugally, and had dreams and hopes for her.  Neshua, the daughter of my host family closest to my age, and I were invited to several homes. Some of those invitations were offered because I was a curiosity to the village. In most of the humbler homes, there was a carpet in the works, a large frame taking up a wall in their main living space.  A color plot hung taped to one of the loom’s posts.  I learned to knot and trim the wool according to the plot, to shift the heddle and weft shuttle, to tamp work with the kleleh to compact the threads.  We sat together, partly in fellowship, partly to contribute to the household. One little girl elbowed her way next to me knotting two to my one and announce that she would teach me the Arabic alphabet. “C’est très important” for me to learn how to read Arabic. I never did, except for “Coca-Cola” which I suspect had more to do with it being on large red billboards.

    I was quite full of myself. Eventually the lessons of that summer, about the oneness of Religion, not the Arabic alphabet, sunk in. No longer would the coat of we’re-right/they’re-wrong Christianity fit me properly.  

    Eventually, I was off to college where at some point I made out with a guy who decided to become a priest.  I think there may be something more to process about that.  Maybe not.  I ended up eventually working in Washington DC and met my future husband Mike at a Trivial Pursuit party in the apartment complex we both lived in.  We were both Arabic-speaking (although mine was pretty patchy), left-handed (which has its own complications in Middle Eastern countries), green-eyed Catholics.  It was Kismet.  Oh, and we both preferred to drink milk with pizza. Like I said, Kismet. We went through all the Catholic wedding hoops and started our family when I got pushed onto a spiritual journey by a couple of Jehovah’s Witnesses.  While the JW logic never worked for me, I will forever be grateful to Betty and LaVonne for starting me on the journey.  Here I will skip chapters full of synchronicities that only Baha’is would find amusing, we attended some meetings referred to as Firesides after moving to San Jose, California a few years later.

    The speaker one evening expounded on the subject of Progressive Revelation.  In brief, Progressive Revelation encompasses the idea that Religion is unfolding over time as humanity becomes ready for a fuller understanding of the true nature of Reality. The speaker went on to offer examples of how Judaism begot Christianity and primarily affected Europe in its initial reach and development. Likewise, Hinduism begot Buddhism which moved out to Asia.  Islam is also Abrahamic but was couched in Zoroastrian customs as well. It spread into North Africa, the Middle East, Oceania.  The Baha’i Faith was revealed just as the world needed to start thinking globally, in the mid-19th century.  Any corruption of Religion has to do with mankind messing with it, not with the purity of the original Message.  This made some sense to me, but I didn’t know anything about Zoroaster. The speaker recognized my raised eyebrow-of-confusion and explained.  

    The moment the speaker explained that the primary understanding of Zoroastrianism in the West would be the Zodiac. He also mentioned that the priesthood was referred to as the Magi, as in the “astrologers from the East.” In that moment, all the disparate thoughts from the time I was seven onward coalesced in my mind’s eye like a jigsaw puzzle completing itself. I wiggled in my seat in excitement, trying not to disturb the tiny middle-aged woman of Asian descent or the black man next to me who had fallen asleep. He was snoring full out and no one was perturbed by it. His wife, a white woman at least a head taller than he was, later explained that he had had a stroke during brain surgery a few years before and often fell asleep. The oneness of God, the oneness of Humanity, the oneness of Religion all made sense to me. In that blink of an eye, I saw the interlocking of fact and legend, of the Magi and the Baby, of tradition and skepticism. I was back with Sister Clorina, Saint Blaise, and my family in Tunisia.

    It was both in an instant and over the course of my lifetime up to that point that I came to this understanding. A few weeks after that night, Mike and I together declared our Faith in Bahá'u'lláh, that is to say, became adherents to the Baha'i Faith. We have found our lives infinitely richer because of that choice, so have our children (so they tell me).  It is not easy to always keep in mind that each and every person that exists or did exist or will exist is unique and beloved by God, or that our individual Free Wills can send us in all different directions, or that "This is the changeless Faith of God, eternal in the past, eternal in the future" as Bahá'u'lláh says. In fact, it's mostly challenging. Building Heaven on Earth is not for sissies. However, I know it is the right thing for me to pursue.

    I still do not get my faith confirmed by fantastical measures.  I’d love to see a crowd of people collectively gung their foreheads with the heels of their hands that the oneness of Humanity is a fact and the work it will take for every person to feel loved and beloved as the family we are will be worth the effort and sacrifice.  I’d love to see someone healed miraculously.  I still get the sense that I won't ever witness events like that first hand.  

    Occasionally, I do witness people who die with grace or see a smile generated from a purely motivated kindness perpetrated on an unsuspecting grump. It is things like that -- tiny, lovely indications that my spiritual path is worth toddling upon – with which I chose to be satisfied. I promised myself so long ago that it would be enough.

     Sister Clorina was only in my life for six months over fifty years ago.  She still pops into my head, usually when I am accused of being “too sensitive” about something. I’d love to prove to you that she’s not important to me now, but you’ll just have to take that on faith.

[happenable-blog]

SmackDown Review 16/04/19: The BIG Acquisition of SD?!

SmackDown Review: The superstar shakeup continues on SmackDown. And who was the biggest acquisition in SmackDown history according to Vince? Before the start of the show last night's replay was shown recapping every superstar that jumped over to Raw. The Kevin Owens Show Owens came out to a huge reception. Fans were going crazy for him. He said something in French which I didn’t understand. He then proceeded to say that Shane McMahon is going to reveal the biggest acquisition on SmackDown Live history. I think he made a mistake here as it was Vince who made the announcement, not Shane. He then invited the WWE Champion Kofi and the New Day. The New Day came out without Big E as he is sidelined with an injury. Owens  congratulated Kofi and gave him a standing ovation on becoming the WWE Champion. Woods said that Raw took 80% of the up up down down Rosterand he wants Tyler Breeze on SmackDown by the end of the night. This was a joke for his youtube subscribers. Kevin Owens said that as Big E is not here he wanted to be the new member of the New Day and he wants to be by their side against their match against Nakamura and Rusev. The New Day accepted his request after doing some comedy stuff. Backstage Nakamura and Rusev are approached by Cesaro to be the third member of their team against the New Day and KO. I found most of the New Day funny stuff to be cringy. But the apparently the crowd was loving it. And they just loves booking their top champion in tag matches, don't they? That is lame writing. Rating: 2.5/5 As the New Day and KO are dancing in the ring the newest member of the SmackDown Roster, the InterContinental Champion Finn Balor, came out. It was great seeing Balor on SD. Apparently Joe was supposed to be at Raw last night but there were some issues. Inter-Continental Champion Finn Balor vs Ali Ali did a suicide dive on the outside. They both took turns chopping each other on the chest in the corner.  Balor went on the top rope after a stomp but he was taken out by Ali with a hurricanrana.  Ali went for 450 splash but Balor moved out of the way. Ali landed on his feet. Balor drive him in the corner with a shotgun dropkick followed by the Coup de Grace for the win. Winner: Finn balor A good match. I would have really liked Ali to win here to set-up a future championship match but you can’t have your IC champion losing two nights in a row. Rating:3/5 Backstage KO is approached by the New Day for his initiation. He has to beat Big E’s time of eating pancakes. I did not found the New Day to be funny today. This was a cringy as well for me. It ended after an ad break with KO successfully beating Big E’s record. Carmella vs Charlotte Flair I almost forgot that Carmella won the women’s battle royal at WrestleMania. The trophy at the ringside and the commentary team did reminded me though. Carmella gave a really good fight to Charlotte. Much part of the match was outside. Carmella superkicked Charlotte before throwing her back in the ring. Charlotte attacked Carmella’s foot as she was entering the ring before locking in the figure 4 into a figure 8. Carmella taps out. Winner via Submission: Charlotte Flair Nothing special of a match. This was just there to feature Charlotte on the show and also because of the segment that came after this. Rating: 2.5/5 R-Truth is attending to Carmela when Lars Sullivan’s music hit. R-Truth tried to fight back but Lars laid him out. Lars then moved his attention to Carmella. She got terrified and moved out of the ring. Lars then continued to beat down R-Truth even more. He got some heat from the crowd which I guess was the point of all this so that is a good thing. But he needs to have a match soon. Becky 2 Belts gets interrupted by everyone Becky Lynch cut the same promo she has been cutting since she has won the titles. She will beat down any challenger thrown at her starting with Lacey Evans. This brought out all the Smackdown women’s roster and I mean literally everyone.  First Ember  Moon came out followed by Bayley both of them traded from Raw. This was followed by The IIconics. Paige came out to reveal her new tag team but before she could Deville and Rose interrupted her. Paige then finally brought out her new tag team of Asuka and Kairi Sane. They ran down the ring to start a brawl among all the women. I don’t know what I feel about a tag team of Asuka and Kairi. Asuka should be going for the single’s title. It is like she doesn’t even care that she lost her title. And how does all the SmackDown women coming out one after the other will put any of them over?? This was a bad segment. No one got properly cheered by the crowd and Bayley was booed! I don’t know why but Bayley getting booed? Wow! Rating: 1.5/5 8-Woman Tag Team match: Ember Moon, Bayley, Asuka & Kairi Sane vs The IIconics and Fire & Desire The crowd was dead for majority of this match. They only popped a little for Asuka. All women delivered their big moves. Kairi hit Peyton with the InSane Elbow to pin the champ. Winner: Ember Moon, Bayley, Asuka & Kairi Sane This was just to feature all the women on the roster. The crowd being dead did speak volumes. They are not going to pop everyone. Hence my point, this doesn’t put any of the women over. Kairi’s elbow really lives up to her name though, Insane! Rating: 2/5 6-Man Tag Team Match: The New Day and Kevin Owens vs Cesaro, Shinsuke Nakamura & Rusev The heels work over Xavier. He made his comeback with a missile dropkick which led to a hot tag to Kofi. The WWE Champion beat down Cesaro to tag in the crowd favourite Owens. Owens and the New Day work together to beat down the heel team. Kofi hit Rusev with the Trouble in Paradise followed by a Stunner from Owens for the win. Winner: The New Day and Kevin Owens This was another ok match in a series of ok matches on SmackDown. The crowd only popped huge for Owens. I am tired of these meaningless tag matches. I hope we can build a contender for the championship next week. Rating: 2.5/5 The Biggest Acquisition in SmackDown History Vince came out with 10 minutes before the ending of the show. And as a result, He was rushing through his lines. He then revealed the biggest acquisition in SmackDown history is... Elias. Elias came out to a lot of boos by the crowd. He was ready to do his performance when Roman Reigns music hits who came out to a huge pop. He superman punched Elias and even Vince. Roman grabbed a mic and said that this is his yard now. He was about to leave but got in the ring again to deliver a Spear to Elias. It was nice seeing Roman getting cheered for once. But this was not worth the build for me. Any of the two stars are not the biggest acquisition in Smackdown History. It will be nice to see what Roman does on SmackDown. Will he go for the main title straight away or take his time. We will see. Rating: 2.5/5 This was an average show for me. Now the Superstar Shake-Up is out of the way. I hope they start building some feuds. We still haven't had any feud started for the main titles on both brands. On this show, I really didn't like anything much. Everything was average or below it for me. SmackDown Review: 2.5/5 That was our SmackDown review. Don't forget to follow us on social media to get updates when the new posts go up. If you want to check the Raw Reviews you can do so by clicking here. Also, check our fantasy booking of Kurt Angle's retirement here. Read the full article

[daleisgreat]

The Fast and the Furious

Yesterday I caught the latest film in the worldwide hit Fast & Furious franchise, The Fate of the Furious. To get a little a little bit it in the right mindset for it, I went and watched the original 2001 film, The Fast and the Furious (trailer) a couple days prior. I own all of the films, but the second installment which I detest, and as luck would have it all but the last couple were still in my backlog. I may as well cover them all(minus 2Fast) for the blog, and I think I will try and knock out a couple of the earlier movies right away before revisiting the later films down the line. Additionally, since I always kind of embraced these films in a lighthearted ridiculous kind of way, I will be a little looser with my entries for these films and will run down my highlights from each film in a bulleted list kind of way. -Quick plot synopsis for those unfamiliar with the first film: The late Paul Walker portrays undercover cop Brian Connor. There is a street car gang stealing hot ticket Apex DVD players from trucks, so Connor goes undercover and joins Dominic Torreto’s (Vin Diesel) gang that also consists of his sister Mia (Jordana Brewster), his tough-as-nails girlfriend Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) computer hacker whiz Jesse (Chad Lindberg) and lifetime meathead bro Vince (Matt Shulze).

-I vividly recall my sister treating me to this film at the theater for a graduation present since it hit theaters a Friday or two after I graduated way back in 2001! Initial memories of the film were that it seemed like the coolest thing ever with all the crazy special engine closeup/NOS turbo special effects and all the bedazzling of the street cars with neon and underglow. -I also specifically remember thinking coming out of this thinking that Vin Diesel was the coolest dude ever with him having the silent, deadly charisma and perfect chilling delivery of classic lines such as “It doesn’t matter if you win by an inch or a mile, winnings’s winning!” and the quintessential “quarter mile at a time” speech of the film which transpired in my favorite scene in the picture. Those thoughts quickly changed when Diesel skipped out on the sequel in favor of duds like The Pacifier. I also recall Paul Walker’s BS wavy hair and as the ultimate cornball with his epic so-bad-its-good delivery of classic lines such as “I need two cans of NOS…tonight!” He gets much better in later films thankfully. This is also the only film series I can tolerate Michelle Rodriguez in since she goes on to play the same badass stereotype in all the other films she is in and is insufferable as a result. This was the first time I was exposed to her here however and she is the perfect complement to Vin Diesel’s character.

-Johnny Tran (Rick Yune) is the stereotypical Asian gangster for the film. He has history with the Toretto gang and it all comes to a head in the film’s last act after some deadly fallout after a race that transpires at the Race Wars event. He is actually a pretty compelling villain and one of my favorite antagonists from the series. Speaking of races, if you have not seen the earlier Fast films, than I have to be the one to break it to you that the earlier films primarily revolved around the underground street race scene and it was not until Fast Five when the films fully evolved into “best drivers in the world pulling off insanely unbelievable heists.” -The truck heists were only a small backdrop to the street racing in the film, but the final truck heist scene features a lot of great stunt work and practical effects. Watching the extra feature interviews it was cool to see that a lot of the street racing and truck scenes were primarily shot with practical effects and very little CG work. Obviously that would flip with the latter films in the series.

-I got a good feeling the younger crowds are going to scoff at the soundtrack for this film, but for me this film hit during my coming of age years and thus a lot of it resonates with me still today. Reliving it does have a really good blend of (then) modern rap, hip/hop and metal. Fans of Ja Rule, Saliva and Limp Bizkit will not be disappointed! The SWAT montage scene being accompanied by Dope’s “Debonaire” is another favorite scene in the film of mine, which has a great culmination of Tran’s father giving the ever-dreaded “disappointed parent hand-slap of doom!” -I forgot to mention I am reliving these films with a special commentary track. Giant Bomb is my favorite videogame website and they occasionally do movie commentaries. Longtime readers here may recall that is how I re-watched Rocky IV. Experiencing this film again with the Giant Bomb crew was an ideal experience for me, since they re-watched all seven films over the past few months leading up to F8. Host Alex Navarro is the well-versed lore-master of the Fast franchise and provides plenty of wisdom for casual Fast fan Vinny Carravella Fast-newbie Dan Ryckert. Dan bombards Alex with too many questions, but Alex wisely knows what to clue him into as the movie progresses. Also experiencing Dan state why he avoided the movies all these years only to make a complete 180 and end up loving this film about an hour in was very entertaining to listen in on. As always the GB guys are a riot and have plenty of wise cracks along the way that made rewatching this a lot of fun. If you want to give their commentary a listen then head here to download the track. -The BluRay is jacked with a ton of extras. Most of them are carried over from the DVD release but there are a couple new HD extras too. Dom’s Charger is a quick four minute look at Dom’s ride and how they found that model for the film. Quarter Mile at a Time is a 10 minute-eye opener on the origins of drag/street racing and how it lead to NASCAR/F1 and modern street racing. That is all for new extras. There is a little over an hour worth of assorted extra features carried over. Of them I would suggest checking out the deleted scenes, as there are a few good ones that director Rob Cohen justified why they did not make the final cut. Making of Fast and Furious is a thorough breakdown of the cars, races and cast for the film and provides a lot of detail on what I referenced earlier on how the stunts were done. Make sure to check out the six minute short film, Turbo Charged Prelude which has no dialogue and is essentially Connor going rogue from the cops and travelling across the country to Miami to setup for the sequel, 2Fast, 2Furious. Finally, Rob Cohen is on hand for a solo director’s commentary, but as I previously mentioned I opted for the Giant Bomb commentary instead.

-I highly recommend watching the original film whether you have seen it or not. It was awesome experiencing it again and seeing how far the series has evolved over the past 16(!) years. Even if you prefer sticking with the newer films, if you are one to pay attention to all the nitty gritty details you will likely pick up on a few references and characters that stay dormant until the later movies that will give you a new look into their origins with the franchise. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, check out this incredible guide from The Ringer that ranks the Fast films along with several supplemental rankings of vital elements of the films such as “Best rapper cameos” and “Best Dom one-liners.” Very thorough, but is well worth your time to take in. Now if you pardon me, I am going to go off to a corner in my room and jam out to Saliva and Limp Bizkit. Other Random Backlog Movie Blogs 3 12 Angry Men (1957) 12 Rounds 3: Lockdown 21 Jump Street Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie Atari: Game Over The Avengers: Age of Ultron Batman: The Killing Joke Batman: Mask of the Phantasm Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice Bounty Hunters Cabin in the Woods Captain America: The First Avenger Captain America: The Winter Soldier Christmas Eve Clash of the Titans (1981) Clint Eastwood 11-pack Special The Condemned 2 Creed Dirty Work Faster Field of Dreams Fight Club The Fighter For Love of the Game Good Will Hunting Gravity Hercules: Reborn Hitman Ink Interstellar Jobs Man of Steel Marine 3 & 4 Mortal Kombat The Replacements Rocky I-VII Running Films Part 1 Running Films Part 2 San Andreas ScoobyDoo Wrestlemania Mystery The Secret Life of Walter Mitty Steve Jobs Source Code Star Trek I-XIII Take Me Home Tonight TMNT The Tooth Fairy 1 & 2 UHF Veronica Mars Wild The Wrestler (2008) X-Men: Days of Future Past

[meatyogurt]

Oh! Gee - Comin’ Through

Hailing from Vancouver Canada the boys Oh! Gee are providing the sauce. We are more then happy to finally work with them as we have been big fans for a long while now.  

We sent this out to our good friend Buddstep for an early listen and this is what he had to say:   find Buddstep here : https://www.facebook.com/dubstep.copulation

OH GEE REVIEW

In a world full of rising chonk stars only the creamiest of tracks will get their respective dues and time to shine. Comin’ Through is certainly one of those tracks, presenting itself originally with deceptively smooth future bass pads and stabs likened to something much more middle of the road. Do not be fooled by this display of arduous and meticulous sound design…the drop is imminent. We can begin to hear Oh! Gee’s trap style percussion filtering into the mix as we approach the meat of the song. Revealing their true form at the 45 second mark with a much needed pitch shifted vocal sample we drop into demented weebs and wobs for much of the remaining run time. In difficult times it is certainly refreshing to hear some Canada bois who still know how to do it right. OH GEE! Provides the perfect blend of sugar and spice to get us through the coming descent into madness and I know once the quarantine times dissipate I will certainly be hitting up their email for some stateside summer booking. 

We got the pleasure to ask them a few question about music and life and the universe : C= Christian , R= Renaud

1:  I feel like some people are not aware that you guys are a duo and not just one guy. So we were wondering if you could tell us how you guys first met and how Oh! Gee came into fruition?

(C+R). It actually was a solo thing on and off before we met - back when I lived in Calgary and I started in the industry I had a few different artist aliases when I was trying to find my sound. I mostly DJ'd back then, and I was making some bassline house and g house under the name Christian Cash too. In April 2018 we met on our first day of school at Nimbus School of Recording and Media in Vancouver and we got along immediately. Our values are very similar, and our tastes in music even more so. Right away we hit it off and began to run Pirated Records together. The first appearance of oh! gee as a duo was in September 2018, when we hosted the first ever Pirated Records showcase at a small gathering in Northern BC. We hid our identities and performed together for the first time, playing a style that was brand new to both of us - but had us completely hooked. This was the spawning of what oh! gee is today. A culmination of experimental, innovative sounds, that will make you say what the fuck

 2:  Which of your guys tunes is your favorite that you have ever produced? (and if there is a specific reason elaborate!) 

(R) One of my favorite song we ever produced was a Wubby Head Cat it’s one of our unreleased track .We’ve had a lot fun working on that song in the studio right after our trip this summer.

(C) I don’t think I could pick one specific favorite. Especially lately we have a ton of crazy stuff going on when we’re producing. We’ve been learning so much and applying it every time we start something new. Anything I choose at the moment would be unreleased. If I had to pick a track thats released right now - I think my favorite would be our most recent, the In My Head geemix. This track carries such a wicked vibe from start to finish and I love the depth of the basses. This is probably the track I’m most excited to play on a big system right now too.

 3: Who/what are your biggest influences? 

(R)  My biggest inspiration is the world that surrounds us everyday but I also like inspiring my self from song  and artist that really enjoy like bd hbt , THRPY , Kurei and many more ’s. 

(C) A lot of my biggest influences are my mentors and close friends. Renaud - the other half of oh! gee - my best friend. We are probably each others biggest influence. Especially running two brands together and spending practically every day together working on music. Kurei - he’s been an amazing homie the whole time I’ve known him and he’s one of my favorite producers as well. Michael Cullen for always having our back and guiding us in the right direction, and being such an inspiring mentor. My friend and label manager Vince, who owns Emengy. There’s just so many to name. I also have a lot of influences from my school.. and my girlfriend is a huge influence too. She’s extremely passionate about the things she does, and the content she creates. That inspires me as much as anything else, if not more. 

 4: If you were stuck on a desert island with only one VST what would you choose?

(C) I would pick Serum, definitely. You could make a whole track just using this vst, especially with the built in fx. It’s like an in the box multi-tool. That sounds like the most handy thing you could have when stranded 

(R) I would definitely take serum !!!!!! You can Never can go wrong with sound design !! I could never get tired of it .

 5:  If Meat and Yogurt got into a fist fight who would win and why?

(C) I think the Meat would win, because Yogurt only has one form really, its Yogurt, and if it changes form it’s not yogurt any more. Meat can be in so many different shapes and sizes and forms - and its still meat. So even if yogurt beats that meat it’s gonna come back when it’s grounded and get revenge. 

(R) yogurt would definitely win because meat just going punch thought it then the yogurt just going to go back to his original state. Like throwing a punch in water or in lake in always go back.

 6: Who is another local or one of your homies that we might not know about that we should check out ? 

(C +R) If you don’t know about Zenon Beatz, BLZBO or Sheevs they’re three very talented locals from Vancouver, & super good friends of ours. All of us are on Emengy and we have quite a bit of collaborative music between us that will be coming out this year. Also Check it Smol and just john if you don’t know them they are killing the scene !!!

Anything you guys want to plug or anyone else you want to shoutout?

(R) Stay safe During the quarantine and Love you all very very much Be ready for a ton of new music from oh! gee and Pirated Records in the Future !!!!

(C) We have a ton of new music coming from both oh! gee and Pirated Records this year, and we’re really kicking things up a notch in our branding, content, and music quality. Check out Pirated Records or oh! gee for live streams during the Quarantine too. Love you guys!                                                                                

[robertbalzano1010-blog]

What I am passionate about

Image (Courtesy of WWE’s Twitter Page)

Now here is a something that I honestly have been wanting to talk about. Well for starters I am a wrestling fan, I have been a fan since I was 10 years old. There were times where I was like why do I even watch this and should I stop watching this. That hasn’t happened to me yet, yes I know how it works and I know what the in and outs are, I have enjoyed and you better give me a reason one day on to stop watching it.

Image (Courtesy of smoothiekingcenter.com)

So for me it all started on an episode of WWE Monday Night Raw on April 28, 2008 my dad said to me “you wanna go to this wrestling show in New Jersey with my friend and his son” and I was like “yeah why not.” At first I had no idea what was even going on, I was just a 10 year old kid clueless trying to figure it out what was even happening. Then after the that night it hit me and I enjoyed it, that was the most fun I had at that young of an age, I thought it was the coolest thing in the world at that time. It had stuck with me ever since, me and my dad still say this on how “imagine if we never went to that Monday Night Raw that day with my friend.”

Image (Courtesy of watchwrestling.uno)

Then it all clicked after that, I got my friends involved in it and they started liking it too. Of course we were all young kids at that time and I can’t believe that was a big part of our friendships. It was apart of my life and now it also was with my friends. I do not regret anything revolving around that. I went to a bunch of WWE live event shows in the summer of 2008 at Madison Square Garden, that night was literally so enjoyable I saw my first steel cage match and I liked it as well. Another show I went to was a WWE Friday Night Smackdown on January 2, 2009. You could not believe how excited I was, I was dressed up as one of my favorite wrestlers his name was Jeff Hardy and I thought I was the coolest kid ever. Being apart of something like that was crazy I still have the camera from that night in my room somewhere on how happy I was.

Image (Courtesy of IMDb)

I will take you back to arguably the best days of my life April 7, 2013. So WWE biggest promotional show is known as WrestleMania, starting back in 1985 at Madison Square Garden. Every year it gets bigger and better. According to Forbes, WWE’s WrestleMania is in the top 10 of most valuable sporting events. So back to 2013, WrestleMania 29 at MetLife Stadium was something I have never witnessed before. A sea of 80,676 people united as one as we watched amazing performers take it to “The Grandest Stage Of Them All.” Names like The Undertaker, John Cena, Triple H, CM Punk, Brock Lesnar, The Rock and more. I have never been apart of something like that then never before. So many spectacular matches and so many big memorable moments that’ll never forget.

Image (My personal pictures)

As I witnessed three huge main events all in a row, starting The Undertaker vs. CM Punk. Going into that match was The Undertaker’s 20-0 WrestleMania Undefeated Streak was on the line. With a long feud revolving around how The Undertaker’s former manager Paul Bearer died and all through that build up was that CM Punk was mocking The Undertaker by hitting him with his urn that Paul Bearer had his “powers” in and also mocking Paul Bearer’s death. CM Punk said that “he was the 1 in 20-1.” Which is him saying that he will end The Streak. That was match of the night in my opinion without any doubt which was won by The Undertaker to extend his WrestleMania Undefeated Streak to 21-0. Next was a match that was between Triple H and Brock Lesnar. This was the second encountering between the two, this feud would start to build up when Brock Lesnar attacked Triple H’s father-in-law, the CEO of WWE Vince McMahon and then eventually Triple H’s friends. Eventually the match would be announced as a No Holds Barred match with a stipulation added after Triple H signed the contract. Which would be known that Triple H’s wrestling career was on the line. A big waste of match in my opinion there was no point to have a second match between the two, but Triple H would win the match with hitting his finisher “The Pedigree” onto steel steps.

Image (My personal pictures)

WrestleMania has had some of the biggest moments and names perform on that stage many times. Big time main events like at WrestleMania I with Hulk Hogan and Mr. T vs. “Rowdy” Roddy Piper and “Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff. Or like at WrestleMania III whereas they called it “the irresistible force meets the immovable object.” As Hulk Hogan took on Andre the Giant for the WWF Championship in front of 93, 173 people. Hogan picked Andre upped and body slammed him and the place went insane. WrestleMania VI in Toronto, Canada two of the biggest names in the company at that time Hulk Hogan and The Ultimate Warrior went one on one for in a Winner Take All Match. How bout WrestleMania XI in Anaheim, California where it was the first Iron Man Match between Bret “Hitman” Hart and Shawn Michaels for the WWF Championship. Shawn Michaels would be the winner as the announcer would say ‘the boyhood dream has come true for Shawn Michaels.” Or even maybe two years later in Boston, Massachusetts for WrestleMania XIV between Shawn Michaels and Stone Cold Steve Austin for the WWF Championship. Or even at WrestleMania X8 where we saw the passing of the torch was in full force between The Rock and Hulk Hogan. Where that brought us to a Once in a Lifetime match between John Cena and The Rock at WrestleMania XXVIII and putting that in the rematch of the century at WrestleMania 29. Or how we saw the ending of The Undertaker’s Undefeated Streak at WrestleMania XXX against Brock Lesnar. Even in that same show where we saw Daniel Bryan completed “The Underdog Story” where he won the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. What about WrestleMania 31 at Levi’s Stadium we saw big moment in a dream match 15 years in the making since WWE bought WCW in 2001. As Triple H took on WCW’s franchise “The Icon” Sting. The Undertaker made his return to WWE after losing his undefeated streak a year ago with a young Bray Wyatt where he proclaimed himself as “The New Face of Fear.” Later in the night for WrestleMania 31, the Money in the Bank winner Seth Rollins interrupted the main event making it a triple threat match between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship calling it “The Heist of the Century” as Seth Rollins stole the title. Whereas the latest name to perform on that stage was the returning “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey she made her WWE in-ring debut at WrestleMania 34 and it did not disappoint.

Now time to go into something that is annoying, how they say those wrestlers aren’t real athletes well I hate to break it to you but they are. I’ll give you a history lesson if that involves them playing a sport at the collegiate level or the professional level, olympic games, or powerlifting. I will even list them for you on how many of those wrestlers did that before going to the WWE.

The Rock (played College Football at the University of Miami, 10x WWE Champion, Currently the best actor in the movie business today)

Brock Lesnar (did College Wrestling at the University of Minnesota, 3x NCAA Wrestling All-American, 2000 NCAA Division 1 Heavyweight Wrestling Champion, 106-5 record in college, played professional football for the Minnesota Vikings in 2004, 5-3-1 in the UFC (Highest pay-per-view buys in the company’s history) in his third fight beat Randy Couture for the UFC Heavyweight Championship at UFC 91, 4x WWE Champion and current WWE Universal Champion)

John Cena (played College Football at Springfield College, NCAA Division III All-American, pursuited bodybuilding, WWE’s biggest name in history, been in TV shows, been in movies, 16x WWE Champion)

Bobby Lashley (did College Wrestling at Missouri Valley College, 3x NAIA National Wrestling Champion, 4x NAIA Wrestling All-American in  fought in the United States Air Force he won a gold and a silver medal at the International Military Sports Council senior freestyle wrestling event, 15-2 in MMA, 6x World Heavyweight Champion)

Chad Gable (on the 2012 USA Olympic Wrestling team, 2x Tag Team Champion) 

Jason Jordan (did College Wrestling at Indiana University, ranked in top 15 three times and was also ranked as high as 2 in NCAA, 2x Tag Team Champion)

Dolph Ziggler (did College Wrestling at Kent State University, stands second all-time in career victories, 3x All-Mid-American Conference champion, 2x World Heavyweight Champion)

Mojo Rawley (played College Football at the University at Maryland, played in the NFL for the Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers)

Rezar (did MMA with a record of 6-2, Tag Team Champion)

Akam (played College Wrestling at Simon Fraser University, 3x Canadian national freestyle wrestler, 2009 Canada Summer Games won a gold medal in wrestling and on 2011 Canada’s Pan American games team for freestyle wrestling won a silver medal, Tag Team Champion)

Baron Corbin (played College Football at Northwest Missouri State, first team All-MIAA in 2008, 2x Amatuer Kansas-Missouri Gold Glove winner, played in the NFL for the Indianapolis Colts and Arizona Cardinals)

Braun Strowman (7x Strongman champion, Tag Team Champion)

Roman Reigns (played College Football at Georgia Tech, played in the NFL for the Minnesota Vikings and Jacksonville Jaguars, 3x WWE Champion)

Kurt Angle (on USA World Wrestling Championship Wrestling team in 1995, and was on USA Men’s Wrestling team in 1996 for freestyle wrestling, 2x Gold Medalist, in 1996 he won a gold medal with a broken neck, WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2016), 12x World Heavyweight Champion)

Shelton Benjamin (did College Wrestling at University of Minnesota, NJCAA Wrestling Champion, 36-6 record at University of Minnesota, 4x Tag Team Champion)

Tino Sabbatelli (played College Football at University of Oregon, All-Pac 10 First Team, played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs)

Ken Shamrock (did MMA with a record of 28-17 inducted in UFC Hall of Fame, did professional wrestling for 14 years, World Heavyweight Champion)

Alexa Bliss (competed in bodybuilding at the Arnold Classic, 3 sport athlete in high school with gymnastics, 4x WWE Women’s Champion)

Dana Brooke (competed in bodybuilding, awarded Mr. Olympia (Female Award))

Mandy Rose (did fitness modeling in 2013 took first place in the World Bodybuilding Fitness & Fashion Boston Show. Was crowned World Beauty Fitness & Fashion Bikini Champion in 2014)

Sonya Deville (did MMA with a record of 2-1, first openly gay female wrestler in WWE)

Shayna Baszler (did MMA with a record of 15-11, she was a former FCF Women’s Bantamweight Champion, TCI Women’s 140lbs Champion, 5x Women’s Champion (Current NXT Women’s Champion, NXT is WWE’s developmental promotion)

Ronda Rousey (Was on USA Olympic Games team for Female Judo Wrestling in 2008, won a Bronze Medal, did MMA with a record of 12-2, put Women’s fighting on the map, first UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion)

Dan Severn (did College Wrestling at Arizona State University, was a 2x All-American, did MMA with a record of 101-19, NWA Hall of Fame (Class of 2010), 5x World Heavyweight Champion)

Goldberg (played College Football at Georgia, played in the NFL for the Los Angeles Rams, Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers, 3x World Heavyweight Champion, WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2018)

Mark Henry (was an Olympic Wrestler for Team USA, 2002 Arnold Classic Winner, 2x World Heavyweight Champion, WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2018)

Ron Simmons (played College Football at Florida State University, 2x All-American, played in the NFL for the Cleveland Browns, College Football Hall of Fame (Class of 2008), 2x World Heavyweight Champion, WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2012)

Verne Gagne (played College Football at the University of Minnesota, was named All-Big Ten Team, did College Wrestling at the University of Minnesota, 2x NCAA Wrestling Champion, was alternate for USA Men’s freestyle wrestling team in 1948 Olympic Games, played in the NFL for the Cleveland Browns, 22x World Heavyweight Champion, WCW Hall of Fame (Class of 1993), WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2006)  

Tito Santana (played College Football at West Texas State University, played for the Kansas City Chiefs, 13x World Heavyweight Champion, WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2004), New England Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame (Class of 2011), Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (Class of 2013)

Jim Duggan (played College Football at SMU, played in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons, 6x World Heavyweight Champion, WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2011), Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (Class of 2018)

Brian Pillman (played College Football at Miami University, 2x All-American, played in the NFL for the Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills, Canadiana Wrestling Hall of Fame (Class of 2016)

Steve McMichael (played College Football at University of Texas and an All-American, played in the NFL for New England Patriots, Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers, 2x Pro Bowler, Super Bowl XX champion, World Heavyweight Champion)

Monty Brown (played College Football at Ferris State University, an Academic All-American and also an All-American, NCAA Division II Player of the Year, played in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots, 2x Heavyweight Champion)

Lex Luger (played College Football at University of Miami, played in the NFL for the Green Bay Packers, Wrestler of the Year 1997, 4x World Heavyweight Champion)

Billy Graham (pursited bodybuilding, participated in the 1959 Gold Gloves, played in the CFL, 6x World Heavyweight Champion, Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum (Class of 2009), WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2004)

Tully Blanchard (played College Football at West Texas State University, 9x World Heavyweight Champion, NWA Hall of Fame (Class of 2009), WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2012)

Ted DiBiase Sr. (played College Football at West Texas State University, 12x World Heavyweight Champion, Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (Class of 2007), WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2010), St. Louis Wrestling Club (Class of 2014)

As you see from this their have been many wrestlers who are given athletes. The have every right to be named athletes given the fact that they wrestle every single day of the year with no breaks is actually incredible I really do not know how there bodies do it. They are such inspiring people and are like superheroes to young kids. This is truly something that I love with passion every single day. 

Image (Courtesy of wwe.com)

WWE also does a lot of events in a year to year basis. WWE now has a streaming platform which will give you all WWE content on any platform on phones, tables, smart tv’s, gaming consoles and more. This is called WWE Network for paid subscribers it’s $9.99 USD, but they also give a 30-day free trial as well for new subscribers. An idea that was originally produced in 2012 but never was fully released until 2014. In 2014, WWE had their first live broadcast on the show, which was WrestleMania XXX, since then they have produced 88 live events with 17 more events confirmed. They have had multiple events all around the United States, and even in different countries like Canada, England, and just recently in Saudi Arabia. Currently in 2018, we have gone through 7 events. January’s show had (WWE NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia) and (Royal Rumble), February’s show had (Elimination Chamber), March’s show had (Fastlane), in April they had three events (WWE NXT TakeOver: New Orleans), (WrestleMania 34) and (The Greatest Royal Rumble). All great action between the 4 months, all big matches and big events. 

With the launch of WWE Network they will hopefully do a global expansion to find talent in different countries outside of North America. Personally I am very excited about because they aren't in this country and I would like to see what they got as a wrestler or as WWE calls them “Sports Entertainers.” Last week in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia WWE hosted tryouts to find talent from that country, they ended up with four guys and they were announced on at the event (The Greatest Royal Rumble) that event was a success for the country that WWE and Saudi Arabia will be making another appearance in November. Last year WWE did a tournament in the United Kingdom to crown the first ever WWE United Kingdom Champion. They had some money issues with the project before but is now doing a two-day event in June. As members of WWE’s NXT roster with WWE UK roster and other United Kingdom wrestlers will be in England for the event. By boosting this expansion they can literally make this a global company.  

This has been apart of my life for so long and I honestly don’t ever see this passion for wrestling end ever. A lot of countries take pro wrestling as an actual sport. Japan has a lot of wrestling in their country and they take it serious and very different. I have no regrets and I love it. A lot of people say to me “you know its fake right” and I'm like yeah “but you think tv shows and movies are real” I don't like the negativity from it at all. So I'm very passionate about it and if someone had a problem with it, then thats their fault because they are missing out on some great to watch. 

[alwayssummerblog]

March Madness: Country Stars Who Love Basketball

People, it’s official. The first day of spring is just around the corner, kicking off sunnier days and one of our favorite sport seasons of the year! Two words: March. Madness.

College basketball’s premiere tournament kicks off tomorrow, March 13, with the play-in games, and some of your favorite country stars are gearing up. Country music and sports go together like apple fritters and a cold glass of milk, and for these big-time country artists, you know their love for the sport runs deep.

Here are some of country music’s die-hard fans and the NCAA teams they root for!

1. Toby Keith

Favorite team: Oklahoma Sooners

The “Red Solo Cup” singer likely loves one thing as much as country music in this world, and that’s the Oklahoma Sooners. 

Born in Oklahoma, Keith’s long been a fan, and is no doubt celebrating already as the Sooners’ men’s college basketball team barely snuck into the NCAA tournament field during yesterday’s bracket reveal. Keith’s connection to the team was made even deeper in 2009 when his friend and fellow country star, Wayman Tisdale, passed away. He wrote a touching tribute to Tisdale titled “Cryin’ For Me (Wayman’s Song)” that you should listen to below, along with a 2015 interview with Keith about just how much he loves Oklahoma University sports.

2. Vince Gill

Favorite team: Belmont Bruins

It should be no surprise that Vince Gill’s go-to basketball team hails from Nashville. The “When I Call Your Name” singer didn’t venture far from country music’s capital in terms of his favorite basketball team due to a long-standing friendship with Belmont men’s basketball coach Rick Byrd. Belmont is an incredible music school not far from Music Row, and has a respectable basketball program as well. And well, if Vince Gill likes it, it’s got to be good!

To honor the country star’s dedication to the team, Belmont even offered him an honorary doctorate. See the ceremony below to learn more about Gill’s life and amazing accomplishments. 

Also check out his interview with the Belmont Vision, and learn why Gill is such a self proclaimed Belmont super fan!

3. Luke Bryan

Favorite team: Georgia Bulldogs

While Bryan graduated from Georgia Southern University, he still considers himself a Georgia University Bulldogs fan. The country star has always loved basketball, known to praise the passion of sports fans in the South, and will no doubt be tuning in to this year’s March Madness tournament. 

Bryan even plays a little himself — no matter the cost. On a previous tour, he injured his knee while shooting hoops with Rascal Flatts bass player Jay DeMarcus. But that hasn’t stopped him from loving the game (or playing country music), because a recent music video for his hit song “Light It Up” featured professional basketball player Jimmy Butler of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Hopefully his Bulldogs make it in!

  4. Garth Brooks

Favorite team: Oklahoma State 

What better team for a country star to root for than the Cowboys? Garth Brooks is a major fan, and even though his team didn’t earn a bid to this year’s tournament, he’ll stick by their side. Ironically, on his past People Loving People Tour, he actually worked with Oklahoma State rival Kansas University to host a basketball camp for inner city teens. We wouldn't be surprised if the country icon’s charity work, Teammates for Kids foundation, will bring the Cowboys some good karma and give them better luck next year. We know he’ll still be watching.

Artist: Garth Brooks. Photo: Rick Diamond, Getty Images

5. Trace Adkins

Favorite team: Baylor Lady Bears

Trace Adkins has always been a big fan of the Baylor Lady Bears due to their head coach Kim Mulkey. 

In fact, Mulkey used to be his college crush. Adkins would frequently tell the story of his unrequited college love with Mulkey before playing his song “One In A Million” at his shows. And one time, Mulkey’s sister was in the audience! Taken aback, Mulkey’s sister immediately put Kim back in touch with Adkins. The two have been friends ever since, and Kim even walked Adkins to center-court to perform the national anthem in a 2012 Baylor game. With how crazy the NCAA tournament is, it’s a one in a million chance the Lady Bears win it all, but at least they have his song to keep them motivated!

 We hope this list got you excited for this year’s March Madness tournament. It’s one of the most exciting sporting events of the year, and we hope you turn on the TV, fire up the country music, and have an awesome watch party!