#also. me being like “here's some of my faves!!” and then listing like. half her spotify page

[rotisseries]

hi rori ! i hope this isn't annoying for you, i just had a question :O feel free to ignore this if you want ~ anyway, i've seen her name mentioned quite frequently and her aesthetic seems remarkably cool, but i'm afraid i'm going to listen to the wrong song and end up not liking her and i don't want that >.< so,,, may i please request some ethel cain recommendations ?

hiii no its not annoying at all! so, first off, my mutual who got ME into ethel has a list of some of her favorite songs going from least to most intense as a general recommended listening order, which worked well for me.

some of MY favorite songs, assembled in similar order, are: american teenager, crush, michelle pfieffer, god's country, a house in nebraska, famous last words (RECENT RELEASE!!) hard times, strangers, and inbred.

honorable mentions go to televangelism, an instrumental interlude from the preacher's daughter album, everytime, which is a britney spears cover, and the live version of morning elvis by florence + the machine which features her.

if you're more of a whole albums type of person, I'd go in reverse release order honestly. all of her stuff is SOOO good but my favorites are definitely the latest album and ep. so that'd be preacher's daughter, and then inbred. no matter if you do frequently listen to whole albums or not though, I think you should ABSOLUTELY listen to preacher's daughter in order at least once, preferably with the genius lyrics pulled up lol. it is a GORGEOUS and well thought out concept album about a young woman from the south who runs away from home and eventually meets a gory end

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

slightly different from the book rec asks but you mentioned Jamie loftus so… any non-fiction podcast recs?

wow the great news is that I am pretty much constantly listening to a nonfiction podcast of one kind or another so this is huge for me. here are some of my faves!

Betwixt the Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal, and Society - joined by a rotating cast of guest experts, sex historian Kate Lister goes on a romp through history to learn all about the sexual norms and revolutions of yesteryear.

Black People Love Paramore - in episodes that follow the formate of "Black People Love X," host Sequoia Holmes interviews her guests about their passions for pop cultural niches where Black people are often underrepresented, overlooked, or excluded altogether. heavy focus on music, as the title suggests, but topics also include Tony Hawk, pet ownership, and a memorable episode about being a slut featuring Ify Nwadiwe.

Maintenance Phase - truly like the #1 pod I get hype for when new episodes go up. hosted by fat activist Aubrey Gordon and methodology queen Michael Hobbes, focused on investigating and debunking various health and wellness fads as well as fatphobic misconceptions.

Oh No, Ross and Carrie - ONRAC just ended after thirteen and a half years of investigating all kinds of claims about wellness, spirituality, and the paranormal, ranging from self-proclaimed faith healers to exorcists to alien sightings to pet psychics to the creationist Ark-themed theme park in Kentucky. they have a HUGE backlog, great for browsing.

The Sporkful - a short and sweet podcast hosted by pasta enthusiast Dan Pashman, with each episode focusing on a different question, trend, or event from the world of food. despite being a pretty lighthearted show Pashman is admirably unafraid to tackle the less savory side of food culture; I first became aware of the podcast when he scored a searing interview with Sohla El-Wahlly after the revelation of massive workplace discrimination at YouTube's former darling, BA Test Kitchen.

The Stacks - the only book podcast I can currently tolerate. host Traci Thomas chats with authors about their new fiction and nonfiction releases and hosts a monthly book club. very chill listening, but dangerous for your to-read list.

There Are No Girls on the Internet - host Bridget Todd dives deep into tech trends, online outrages, and misinformation moments across the web. for my money, TANGOTI's coverage of the fatalities at Travis Scott's 2021 Astroworld event and the ensuing satanic panic conspiracy theories were some of the absolute best reporting around the event. currently on hiatus, so you have plenty of time to raid the archives!

Vibe Check - poet Saeed Jones and journalists Zach Stafford and Sam Sanders discuss pop culture and politics, answer listener requests for advice, and generally queen out together. you want nuance? the girlies have Nuance. genuinely one of the warmest and kindest podcasts in my rotation.

[superkooku]

Favorite character from Greek mythology + favorite myth from Greek mythology?

Favorite characters

I'll turn this into a tag game : @margaretkart @dootznbootz @sarafangirlart @aliciavance4228 @katerinaaqu @hermesmoly @go-rocksquadsfan @sanska @vint-knight .

And @anon (you can give your answer in another ask 😉).

So, I have a loooooooot of faves. This list is long.

Here are mine :

Nobody. Yeah, in reality, I hate mythology and just pretend I like it. Or I just love making puns about my favorite lying war criminal. Who didn't cheat btw.

Penelope. These two are soulmates, no ifs or buts. I always found her underrated and @dootznbootz 's ramblings on her confirm that. Cunning and sassy half-naiad queen.

"The delian twins", as I like to call them. Idk I really love their multifaceted natures of protectors and deadly huntress/inflictor of illnesses (with an affinity towards plague). And their familial bond is precious. And I like them both equally, even though I talk about Apollo a bit more ig.

Leto. She's precious. They're always ready to defend each other. Like when Apollo and Artemis killed Niobe's kids because she was disrespectful to Leto. Or when Leto came in to save her son from being thrown in Tartarus by Zeus. Or when baby Artemis helped her mother deliver her brother. She fought for her children and now they fight for her.

Hestia. Too bad there isn't more about her because I relate a lot to the concept of chilling at home and staying away from drama.

Ariadne. Because of her family's tragic history, her healing from it with Dionysus (in most versions) and overall, she's great. Also, it's funny how Theseus wanted to marry a child of Zeus but his ex girlfriend actually succeeded 😂. Speaking of her family tragedy...

Asterius. I bet most adaptation authors don't know who I am referring to 🤣. He's a man-eating monster, yes, but he grew up isolated, trapped and unloved. I feel so bad for him.

Perseus. The GOAT. Partly thanks to @sarafangirlart. I already liked him since I always knew he wanted to save his mother, but he genuinely grew on me since I read her posts. That and when I learned of his war against Dionysus. Extremely underrated story.

Athena. Idk I don't think I need to elaborate on why she's cool.

Hades. In retellings, I often hate him because he's either woobified or made into "Greek Satan" (at least in Disney he's fun), but he's genuinely cool in mythology. Morally gray Hades save me.

Hermes. From birth, he was always a little trickster. I love how many functions he has (messenger of the gods, god of merchants, thieves, communication, also a psychopomp btw). A very energetic and helpful god.

Asclepius. I think I should make a post explaining why he's great because, yeah, I don't talk much about him even though there are things to say (yeah it's because I did a lot of research on him).

And... finally... Dionysus 🤣. Of course he made it in this list. I dedicated a whole essay series about this god, come on !

Honorable mentions : Hector, Andromache, Menelaus, Demeter, Telemachus, Hephaestus, Hippolytus, Danae, Ares and many others.

Favorite myths/plays/poems

I already answered that but can't find the post. So I'll do it again, with some new answers in mind. Basically "the myths with the characters on the list".

It's either because they're that compelling or just hilarious.

The homeric cycle. Ok, an easy one.

The Bacchae by Euripides (mandatory reading if you want to understand Dionysus imo. No excuses).

The frogs by Aristophanes. Because it's funny.

Asclepius' story. Seriously I'll elaborate on it one day.

Hermes' birth story. Him stealing Apollo's cows and Apollo getting mad at his scallywag of a brother 🤣🤣. And then just him winning Apollo over with the lyre.

Pirithous and Theseus getting their asses stuck on a chair (yes this is my title for this story). I love to mock these two, especially Pirithous because... give this man a Darwin award please. No thoughts and no survival instincts in his brain 😂.

Orpheus and Eurydice. Simple but powerful.

The Argonautica. Aka a huge crossover. Seeing more interactions between all these heroes would be awesome (especially if we take every version into account 👀. So many faces...). It's funny how I love the Argonautica but never talk about Jason himself 🤣🤣. The embodiment of the protagonist who's less interesting than the other characters.

Perseus' war against Dionysus. A potential retelling about this myth would go so hard !! Especially since we could get a scary Dionysus. Hopefully it doesn't get ruined :(

Edit : some English mistakes I had to correct.

[jennyfromthebes]

hi!! i know you've posted some favorite liveshows before but as someone who gets easily overwhelmed choosing shows off the Archive i'd love to hear some more of your fave shows to listen to!

Hi!! Here's a handful of recs, but if you want a more specific vibe feel free to send another ask and I can definitely give more :)

2023-07-13 (Four-piece band configuration) is maybe my all-time favorite for sentimental reasons, since that was my first tMG concert ever. Primarily Bleed Out and The Sunset Tree, with a banger solo set of Jam Eater Blues/Commandante/From TG&Y/The Monkey Song. Crowd energy is really high and there's some delightful banter and interactions!

2017-11-11 (Four-piece band configuration) is a slightly older but still fairly recent one. Since they were touring Goths at the time, it's a pretty Goths-heavy setlist, with my all-time favorite rendition of Shelved, also featuring a really cool solo Night Light and a gorgeous full band rendition of Snow Crush Killing Song!

2021-08-06 (Five-piece band, with fifth goat Erin McKeown) is notable for being the first show back after a year and a half of lockdown, and the energy is palpable. Live debut of a lot of Getting Into Knives, featuring an unreleased song and one from the first tape, and overall really fantastic and high-energy from both the band and the audience. This show is the one I reach for when I've had a bad day.

2009-06-13 (John solo) was the first of two shows back-to-back at Zoop, and while I shy away from describing any shows as "definitive", the Zoop shows are big in the same way Bottom Of The Hill shows are big. This one features a really great range of older and more obscure songs, and if you like this one, there's another show directly following it!

2014-06-15 (John + Peter duo), speaking of Bottom Of The Hill, this is a favorite BotH show! They play the entirety of Taboo VI: The Homecoming, and to this day I've still never listened to the actual Taboo VI tape, just this performance. It's the third of three consecutive shows at BotH, and all three are worth a listen for sure, but this one is my go-to recommendation.

2024-03-01 (John solo) is probably one you've seen me recommend before. This solo show from earlier this year was at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, and the atmosphere of it is haunting and gorgeous. The acoustics of the cathedral make a lot of these songs just immensely powerful - there's something about this Hast Thou Considered The Tetrapod that makes me cry pretty much every time I listen to it.

Additionally, no talk of live tape recs is complete without shouting out Emerald's live comps! You might know Emerald as The Sticker Lady, or if you've spent a few hours in queue with her, just an absolute delight of a human being and one of my favorite people in this community - she's seen tMG probably a hundred times, and each of her themed compilations are lovingly made with great skill and artistry.

(ETA: also worth including here, What's the Live Music Archive?)

Hopefully this is a decent enough rec list! I tried to keep a decent assortment of shows without being too overwhelming with options, but again, please feel free to drop another ask if you want more specific recs or anything. Happy listening!!

[casualhedonists]

i know you have a fic recs tag but was hoping youd maybe share what you love about some of your fave fics!

good lord anon first off i’m SO sorry it took me so long to answer this. it’s been in my drafts with the list half written since forever but here we go!

also i’m so honored you’d ask!! there’s not nearly enough room in a post for me to mention all my favorites, but i’ll tell you some of my current faves and why i like them (i made a post with my faves quite a while ago here, so i’ll try to mention others so i’m not spamming those writers with mentions!)

blue, bambi and you by @darby-rowe (and every fic of theirs let’s be real) what to say about this fic except the wonderful dally blows the roof off every fucking time and it’s suchhh a perfectly executed threesome, the voyeurism guilt is explored so nicely and adds to the atmosphere, the tension is just perfect and the resolution is chefs kiss

constantly in the darkness by @divineidolatry my beloved friend june went off on this holy shit. wonderfully executed exes to lovers, emotional fuckery, and artfully crafted bdsm scenes my belovedddd also the buildup?? are you kidding me??? also an amazing reader / clemensia friendship dynamic which is something that can be so personal. i’m never shutting up about it thank you and goodnight 🫶🏼

the roommate snowjanus au by @euphemiaamillais (her masterlist is here, do yourself a favor and stalk it rn) my GOD words can’t describe how much i love this universe and we’ve been graced with so so many fics and i devour them everytime. i love the power dynamics, little subtleties and the characterisations with it being in a modern setting are just everything! the sexting. the threesomes. are everything. the strip poker game?? call an ambulance for me type beat

[sundayroadkill]

i started watching btvs because of u. am on episode 1, when does this get good /gen

ok ok lemme give u some vibes for the seasons

season 1: camp camp camp this is the filler vibes lets learn these characters season, they have no budget, and were playing in the goosebumps silly space, the finale is the Best episode of the season

season 2: oh no romance is in the air and what is that? the emotional consequences of our actions? oh god noooo. this season is often people faves and the middle to second half is emotionally devastating. (still beware it has some of the lowest rated episodes) a season of finally some vamps with CHARACTER (if ur interested in spike and buffy then this is when we meet spike as the season antagonisttt)

season 3: the homoerotic subtext is in the AIR and buffy is not ok. this is the last highschool season and it has one of my all time fave fictional characters so i cannot have an unbiased opinion on most of this season (even tho it has the worst romance of the show by far in it) (if ur interested in faith and buffy tHIS is when we meeettt herrrr and god its messsyyy)

season 4: ok listen this is the lowest rated season of the show, but im so in love with it. the vibes are iNSANE, everyons trying to find their way after highschool and its clunky and have such weird polarizing eps but also one of the best episodes of television ive ever seen. also spike is back but this time hes their domesticated pet they have chained up in the bathroom

season 5: if u wanna know when things really pick up and get bonkers crazy its here. widely known as the best seaosn of the show and one of the best finales of all time and god i think its deserves that title. the story pacing is wild, spike is sure something this season, heartbreak, triumph, confusion, clever storytelling, this seasons so well done and u can watch buffys intense struggle into being an adult women

season 6: the most polarizing season. we explore buffys intense depression in the face of her own debilitating trauma and how it affects her ability to caretake for her family as well at take care of herself this season and its personally my favorite season of the whole show. spike and buffy are fucking insane this season, they are fucking a literal house down this season

season 7: final season of the show and it feels like it. the vibes are very oh boy howdy this is it huh. i think they make mostly good decisions this season that send me off to some amazing post series fanfictions so ultimately im happy

ok i got pretty high halfway thru that so if it makes no sense that would be why. but if ur interested in me making an essential episode list to help guide u thru earlier more filler seasons to get to the meat and bones just send an ask my way again 👍👍 id say give it to halfway season 2 and see how u feel

[eolewyn1010]

Downton Abbey Fashion 23 - 1920s outdoors fashion

I’m getting to the point where I have to shift around the age categorization of my posts because we’ve already gone from 107 outfits introduced in season 1 to 178 outfits introduced in season 3, so the image limit is coming to haunt me. So I’ll throw Rosamund’s one outdoors look in with the youngsters.

Yay, a very poorly-lit shot of her at the club… Uhm, I think this coat is brown with a big golden four-leaf clover pattern? And big-ass cuffs with a matching collat embroidered with something like a small leaf motif? No guarantee.

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

Mary’s bored face speaks of wedding rehearsals, her coat of the amount of time one can spend weaving a fabric in which the pattern is a whole structural thing. Lovely, even though uncontrasted beige isn’t high on my fave list. The collar reveals some ribbed lining, a nice background for her bejeweled little pin there, and where would we even be if the hat didn’t match this perfectly? Being made of straw, the structure even looks like the lining. And then a little trim and a few brown leaves on it – this outfit feels very autumn-y, even though the wedding is in spring.

Mary’s honeymoon travel coat, a dream in blue. Love the sleeves; the fabric gives them some structure on top of the shoulder. And there’s of course the lovely flowered fabric the collar is made of. Interestingly, despite the outfit being so simple that she could afford some extra, the flowered fabric is not repeated on the hat; instead, it’s wrapped in a very similar blue fabric as the main part of the coat. The feather seems to be optional.

A wrapping beauty in a deep red, this is one of the coats that will inexplicably become Rosamund’s come season 5. I’m starting to think Rosamund doesn’t have money to buy her own clothes. She even takes Mary’s stupid black straw hat. But forget about the hat; look at the big, drapey sleeves and the elegant semi-cowl collar and the little decoration element on the closure… that Rosamund ripped off.

And for a final occasion in the season to wear her signature red, this pretty walking suit is what Mary wears for travel when her family is on vacation in Scotland. The streamlined cut doesn't give it much shape, but Mary is also pregnant here, so she’s probably quite comfortable in it. The color really is marvellous, although I’m not a great fan of the hat shape.

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

Edith gets a whole ton of outdoors outfits this season, probably because she’s coming out of her shell and starting to spend time away from home. Look at this beauty of a coat! Wild experimental patterns, let’s go! This meld of flower motifs and geometrical shapes looks like it should be too much, but it really isn’t, what with the overall beigeness of the outfit and Edith choosing a very understated hat to go with this. And since we’re here anyway – she also wears this peach / salmon dress separately as a summer frock.

Of course, my favorites don’t make it to the next season while this coat does. Oh well. I’m not opposed to it; however, as Edith only ever seems to wear it in nighttime situations, I can’t get a well-lit shot of it. Working with a lot of gold and seafoam green, I think, and like the previous one, this is a typical 1920s coat, very simple cut, very wild fabric. I do love the matching silk scarf in the fist picture.

Hey, people are allowed to wear not-brown on hunting events! This green plaid is adorable, and the little silver brooch on the collar makes it even more so. Other than that, this look is quite understated with the shawl lapels and the bowl hat (or is this already a cloche hat?), but the latter seems to be made of velvet, so that is nice.

I personally don’t find this style of collar super flattering, but the overall outfit is nice, what with the pale grey-just-on-the-edge-of-lavender color. The lower half is a nice design with the three layers, each set off with two shell buttons, and the second picture betrays a slight grid structure of the fabric.

Oh, one of Edith’s orange contrasting looks! Granted, the shirt under it doesn’t look like much and is really just here for the sake of contrast, but the jacket! The hat! All them patterns… and even better; this shit is not printed, it’s embroidered. Gawd, I hope someone got paid well for the time they invested in this.

Favorite time! Oh my god, this walking suit. Look at all these golden triforces! I mean, the triangle embroidery. I first thought it’s just the coat, but no, she has a skirt to match. And it has pockets. What really strikes me about Edith’s outfits this season is that her hats rarely look like they were made for the outfit in question – like here, the band doesn’t have this golden triangle pattern. But it’s such a good match that you have to look twice to realize that; it blends in perfectly color- and design-wise.

I don’t know how I feel about this walking dress. On one hand, the salmon-y orange is very pretty; on the other, this collar style and fake tie front aren’t really my thing. No doubt that it’s nicely-made though, just some subtle silver piping here and there and otherwise the streamlined style of the 1920s, complete with drop waist.

This however? This is a favorite beyond reproach. Oh my god, the color pairing suits her so well! Finally some teal to compliment my favorite ginger! I think this is the first time I see Edith wear a beret – interestingly, in a time when the style is becoming associated with the working class. But then, Edith is dipping her toes into an occupation here, albeit journalism. What else is there to talk about? These darling little cuffs, the knife-pleated skirt, how charming the pearls fit in that wide teal yoke piece? It’s all there; feast thine eyes upon it.

[thelightsandtheroses]

Lolabee’s July Wrap-Up

This Month’s Fic Recs

These are just a few of the fics I’ve enjoyed this month, but there are so many great and fics out there by very talented writers within this fandom! I’ve avoided repeating some of the series I highlighted last month, but I still love those too. Like last time, some of the below I still need to leave comments on but I wanted to highlight here as a start!

Please be mindful of any content warnings and I believe all fics/ blogs in this list are 18+

Javier Peña a pile of cards - @mvtthewmurdvck Senorita - @lavendertales

Joel Miller this is me trying - @swiftispunk To Hell and Back - @darkroastjoel Notch - @fuckyeahdindjarin Sleepy - @hier--soir Stay In Bed -@psychedelic-ink

Frankie Morales Life Is Good -@something-tofightfor Shared Breaths - @frenchiereading

Ezra (Prospect) Compulsion - @iamskyereads

Din Djarin Passenger by @whatsnewalycat

My Writing Throughout July

I've managed four updates this month which I am personally really happy about because this month was hectic! All of my fics are x female reader unless otherwise indicated. I’ve indicated any personal faves with a *

Javier Peña

Secret Smile - chapter three

- chapter four

-chapter five *

Frankie Morales Sing fever to the form*

Favourite July Books, TV, Music, Games and Films

Bunny - Mona Awad [book]- this became so weird though, but definitely carried through the dark academia vibes Bless the daughter raised by a voice in her head - Warsan Shire [book] - her poetry is honestly incredible The Ex Talk - Rachel Lynn Solomon [book] loved this one and there was great chemistry with the main characters

Stick Season - Noah Kahan [music] driving to work while loudly singing Dial Drunk or Homesick is both stress release and a vibe, okay? De Selby (Part 2) - Hozier [music] After one listen, this ended up on about four of my writing playlists. Hozier is just fantastic and I am so excited for his new album - I’ve decide I’m even going to get the vinyl of it.

Hijack [tv] - I am but a human being and a real-time thriller with my man, Idris? Yes, please! It was super tense and worth watching. The Lincoln Lawyer [tv] - I love a good legal show and this is really fun. I also like that they’ve expanded on Haller’s Mexican heritage in the show compared to the books and while I hate they've split the season in half, am looking forward to the new episdodes in August

Sims 4 [game] - yes I’m a simmer, no, I don’t care if you judge me for that. This franchise has had a hold on me since the first iteration and it may never stop.

[leonbastralle]

GAMES I PLAYED IN 2023 - SECOND HALF-ISH

here's part 2 of my little review of my 2023 games! somehow this is even more indie than the first half and honestly a lot of games w nonexistent fandoms on tumblr so be the change u want to see in the world i guess!

old man's journey: this is a rly short indie game with an interesting, though very repetitive puzzle mechanic that follows an old man as he goes on an important journey - literally but also figuratively by coming to terms with his past, and at some point the two end up being the same thing. the art style is truly lovely and unique, it gives me big children's book vibes, and the soundtrack is beautiful and touching and so is the story and the ending itself. as i said, the mechanic and actual gameplay could be expanded on, but i knew this going in and played it mostly for the vibes and in that it did not disappoint.

the last campfire: when i talked my wife into playing this i told her it's basically the pacifist puzzle version of dark souls and it truly is. you play as a little ember on their final journey to the last campfire, where all embers go when their light begins to fade. the path is challenging and a lot of embers give up. they become forlorn. it's your desire to help them, if they let you. this game is heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time, such a gentle and touching story with a cast of diverse, likeable characters. the puzzles are all in all pretty doable, though they can get pretty intense at times, but there is a story only mode to remedy that! this one definitely is going on my all time favorites list.

lemon cake: who were you before you wandered into this bakery? doesn't matter, because the ghostified previous owner is now holding you hostage as her successor. this is a little sim/time management game w a super cute style where you upgrade your bakery, cafe and garden to keep making new delicious looking treats and serving your customers in the best way possible until you are worthy of your predecessor's famous lemon cake recipe. this game, as games of this variety tend to do, gets a bit stressful if you want to serve all of your customers before they get angry and leave while also needing to keep an eye on your ingredients and ovens and displays. i really liked all the upgrade options that make your life easier, and i loved combining all the cute pastries into new menus every other day or so to keep customers happy. a bit expensive for the amount of gameplay you get out of it but definitely worth it on a sale!

the gardens between: this game follows a pair of childhood friends through their memories together as they prepare for the move that one of them is about to go through and the inevitable goodbye that will precede it. super touching game with a really cool and unique puzzle mechanic in which you manipulate time and objects at different times throughout the puzzles to get to the solution. can make you kind of dizzy because the levels are built like spirals so the camera does a lot of spinning, but i'm sensitive to this and was fine when i went slow and took breaks.

book of travels: hoooo boy this is a big one. this game is marketed as a tmorpg (because the servers are TINY) and it definitely makes it work. most of this game is just exploring around, doing little tasks and finding your way since the game doesn't tell you at all what to do, it's all up to how you play it. do you want to do some combat? figure out what the fuck happened in kasa, the closed capital? become a fisherman? just trade and collect cool looking things? the braided shore is your oyster and it is a beautiful one with the painterly art style and great music and ambiance. still in early access and therefore quite buggy sometimes, but definitely one of my faves w a lot of potential.

capybara spa: made by the same person as lemon cake, you can really see the similarities in terms of the cutesy style, but i think it's a lovely thing to look at. this is just a little clicker where you run a spa for capybaras and their little critter friends and keep levelling up to add more and more spa options and extras to give them the special treatment they deserve! i assume this game could get a bit overwhelming since there's a lot to keep an eye on at all times, but there are no time constraints and no punishment so you can take your time and get sucked in for hours, which this game is very good at doing.

tiny echo: in this point and click game you play as a funky little guy w an eye for a head who delivers letters to their spirit inhabitants with a minimal amount of puzzling involved. i mainly played it because i wanted to check out more games by the book of travels devs, and it was a nice experience, though it also doesn't really stand out for me. very short game, maybe a bit short for the price, but i played it from a shared library so skdjfhksdjf

cosmic wheel sisterhood: i got nothing bad to say about this one. you play as an exiled fortune telling witch who breaks after years of solitude and forms a forbidden pact. the cast of witches (and other creatures) is diverse, i liked both the characterizations and the interactions between characters (also a lot of them are very hot so that helps). the big mechanic of this game is that you use elemental energy to craft your own tarot cards from a selection of card backgrounds and elements and then you use these to tell people's fortunes, which in turn gives you more energy. depending on your selections, the cards will have unique names and different meanings, and i enjoyed seeing all the cards i or others could come up with. the story is intense and emotional, but to me, definitely in a good way. though there are several outcomes and so far i've only tried one. definitely replay value there. just be wary because despite including trigger warnings, they forgot one for cancer so be informed and do not be like me ADJHKAJSDHA

planet zoo: i tried this after i saw my wife play it because growing up i was crazy about zoo empire and zoo tycoon. i don't have much to say about this one because though you have a whooooole bunch of freedom in designing your zoo, the enclosures and even every single building, that freedom was a bit overwhelming for me so i never ended up rly getting into it. also not a huge fan of big capitalism expansion packs system, but hey. it definitely is a pretty, very neat game.

cats & dogs organized neatly: it's like static tetris. but with animals. you click on them and they bark and meow and you can SPIN THEM MANY TIMES as jazzy music plays in the bg. as you go you unlock more funky little boys n girls and they all have funny little bios and names. i broke my brain on some levels but didn't mind looking up some solutions in favor of the vibe! i enjoyed both of these and will definitely play the birds sequel that's set to come out this year! another german dev shoutout these were great games. they're very small and quite cheap but you can also get these on sale for like 2 euros KSJFHAKSFA

toem: truly the year of photography games for me, but i think vibe wise this one was my favorite. just a funky lil guy in a black and white world going on their first photography pilgrimage to toem, the famed natural phenomenon of their world. i loved all the little quests, the different worlds and the endless filter options and the soundtrack was great too. honestly greatly recommend, i don't own this game but i plan to buy it to replay!

pupperazzi: yet another photography game! this one's all about dogs, and it's delightful and wonky and just a good casual time with less story elements than the other mentioned photography games. not groundbreaking but great fun.

luna the shadow dust: this game follows a young apprentice mage back up the tower that he's grown up and studied in to face the consequences of his past mistakes. lovely art style, music, and puzzle mechanics, especially the use of light and shadow. i've wanted to play this one for a while and i'm really glad i did, i liked the story a lot even though it got quite sad.

alba: WAIT this one too is a photography game that i honestly might like even more because its story is so touching. you play as alba who is visiting her grandparents for the summer. the natural reserve on their island is about to be sold to be turned into a hotel, so her and her friend decide to start a petition to save it and help clean up the island and rescue animals in need as well as documenting the wildlife to change people's minds! truly one of the most heartwarming games i played in my life, 10/10 i cried at the sad part sdjkhksd

röki: this one's...a lot. the main character of this game, tove, lives in a little cabin with her dad and her very whimsical little brother who she's basically taking care of on her own because her dad has been incredibly depressed since his wife passed away. when a mythical creature attacks their house and abducts her little brother, tove has to enter a magical mirror world. there she has to help all the other mythical creatures in hopes of reawakening the forest spirits, who have been plagued by nightmare parasites, and finding a way to get her brother back. lovely puzzles and wintery vibes, but a truly heartbreaking story that gets more and more messed up every time she faces a nightmare parasite and with it, more of her past and the events that lead to her mother's death. despite the heavy undertones this is still a good game if you're ok with some tragedy and slight horror elements askjfhakjsfas

stardew valley: i forgot to add this one in the previous post bc i actually played it in early 2023. not my first time and will not be my last time either. still a queen among farming sim peasants and i'm looking forward to restarting our little farm w my wife after the next big update!

[pleuvoire]

2023 books i liked recap because why not

top faves, new entries on the all-timers shelf:

piranesi is like a sweet spot of novels made for me i swear. aesthetically beautiful (as far as mental images go), themes of wonder at the beauty of the world, a slowly unfurling mystery, a simple plot but with vibrant beauty and meaning layered on top. It's Good

giovanni's room also has a very simple plot that is so overlaid with soaring passionate emotion i swear it feels like an opera in book form. timeless classic. it's good idk what to tell you

oh man ancillary justice is such good sci-fi. when you start out reading it you're like this is rather dry but it pulls you in so hard. the worldbuilding! the themes of identity! breq is such a good character!

not quite all-timer shelf but still really good

fish swimming in dappled sunlight is ultimately a story about stories and memory and constructed narratives and the reliability thereof. it takes place over a single night and mostly just consists of characters sitting around talking, but manages to pull some crazy twists on you regardless. love the prose style too

i'm glad my mom died lives up to the acclaim. mccurdy has a real talent for narrative voice, effortlessly inhabiting the viewpoint of her younger self at various ages. balances humor and tragedy with frank candor. i sound like a review pull quote here so i'll stop

infect your friends and loved ones is actually a novella so pretty short! it's by the author of detransition baby and has definitely gotten me interested in reading that. really vivid meditation on trans womanhood and transmisogyny that bounces between post-apocalypse and pre-apocalypse settings. pdf here

less stand-out but i still liked it

what are you are looking for is in the library is a nice little series of loosely connected vignettes about people who are stuck at some point in their life and find inspiration at the library. all the staff at my library job wanted to read it so the hold list was a mile long lol. has inspiring themes about always being able to find a way forward when you're in a rut and the power of community and stuff

a people's history of heaven is about the life and times of a group of girls living in a slum in bangalore, india. i liked how it interwove different people's life stories together and used lots of vivid detail and i like how the trans girl's story was written. some aspects were hit or miss for me but it was still nice

temple alley summer is a kids' book but i like kids' books so that's fine. it's about a boy who sees a ghost and the next day she's a student at his school and everyone seems to already know her but him and it turns out this is because his house was built on top of a mystical temple. i like the meditations on life and death and the simple heartwarmingness. it takes a long unexpected detour in the second half which threw me for a loop but ended up working for the story

stuff i started reading but didn't finish and i swear i'm going to try to get to it this year

to shape a dragon's breath is pretty long so i didn't get that far in before i had to return it to the library but i really liked what i read. the worldbuilding is really interesting and the narrative voice feels fresh and unique and deftly avoids the samey YA mold that tends to grate on me. and it's got commentary on colonialism! definitely check this one out

i got halfway through radium girls which is an accomplishment for me since it's long. rare nonfiction entry on this list. goes into insanely meticulous historical detail complete with fiction-style descriptions and embellishments of the girls' lives which just makes it more tragic

i own a copy of the haunting of hajji hotak but it's seriously harrowing stuff so i had to take breaks. it's good man. but whew it does not shy away from the realities of living under war and occupation. death to america

ok that's everything i think seeya next year

[missbrunettebarbie]

Top 5 songs from the Tortured Poets Department (anthology also)? :)

Honestly I dob't think I have a fixed top 5. I do have songs that I love above the others -and that's saying a lot since I think I love every single song from this (double) album- but this top 5 is more of 'top 5 songs I love right now for a number of reasons':

1. Guilty as sin? - I love how unique this song is for Taylor, how the lyrics and the music perfectly blends together and how immersive it is. When the tracklist was posted I would have never guessed this would make its way into my top 5 let alone that it might battle for a spot at THEE favorite. My fave part is how she uses death as a metaphor for orgasm. A classic xDD

2. I can do it with a broken heart - Perfect song is perfect. I love how this provides the upbeat 'break' the album needed while also being pretty much a thesis statement for it. I love how well-written it is: every detail, in both lyrics and melody, is well-thought out. It also have some really catchy and memorable lines, so I hope Taylor makes this the second single.

3. Clara Bow - My predicted #1 when the tracklist was posted and on another day, it might have been #1 on this list as well. I love how it is a 'zoom out' moment -and as such a perfect closer- where we can get away from the ~claustrophobic set-ups of the other songs by forgetting the subject of love for a moment and looking at the bigger picture. It also provides much needed context for the album we have just listened to as it forces as to take a look at our narrator and realize why her life is so messed up. UO but I think a lot of people misunderstand the 'you look like Taylor Swift' line when they try to say that it applies to Olivia, Sabrina etc. IMO the point of that line is that ten thousand girls are gonna be told they are 'the next Taylor Swift' and maybe MAYBE one of them will manage to achieve her dreams. But in the process she would pay the same price Taylor and countless others have paid. Maybe it would be worth it -it is for Taylor- or maybe not, but the point is: this unknown succesful popstar will suffer just as much as 'the failures', and as such her identity doesn't matter. Will in fact never matter as this is a never ending cycle.

4. The prophecy - Maybe the most vulnerable TS song we have so far, this destroyed me on first listen. I'm not one to believe in faith or soulmates, but I got what Taylor was trying to say here. I don't really have deep thoughts about this as I think the song is so transparent there is nothing more to add to it.

4. The alchemy - This was a grower for me, but man do I love it now! The second half of the standard album is IMO the strongest part of all of it -and it shows in my ranking- so I liked this song since the begining even though I didn't find it ~deeply moving or masterful. Well, that had changed. I think this could be another potential great single as it is very radio friendly and it provides a ray of hope in an otherwise depressing album.

[thejasminechronicles]

F1 Tag Game! Tag some people you'd like to get to know better!

Tagged by the lovely @landinrris and @f1-birb

Who is your favorite driver?

Currently - Fernando since he started in F1 and have been a big fan of Lando since I saw him race in karting in Italy in 2013. Refuse to choose one over the other. Felt like it was kismet Lando joined McLaren back in 2017 (because of course it's all about me 😂).

Ex-drivers - Mika H & Jenson Button, and always had a soft spot for Fisichella. As you can see, I suck at choosing just one thing!

Do you have other favorite drivers?

Only talking current grid and their driving here - have always liked Max, even back when he was a stroppy teen, and recently he's pulled into a clear third fave for me, I really appreciate the driver and personality he has grown into. Same as with Lando, I've supported Charles since I saw him racing live when he was in karting, I think he's incredibly talented, so he's still high on the list. Have a big soft spot for Bottas (my belief that his talent was stifled somewhat by him taking the Merc no 2 seat so early in his career is a hill I will die on) and will always cheer on Alex and Yuki as I think people underrate them both a lot. Very glad Oscar has joined McLaren and looking forward to seeing him develop. I really appreciate Carlos's strategic racing brain (always like drivers who can think big picture) and I find it highly entertaining when George enters villain mode during races, because I'm always up for a bit of chaos in this sport. Have had a long held dream to see Max, Charles, Lando and George duking it out at the top of F1 (since the latter three were still in juniors) and am so happy we're finally (nearly) there.

Who is your least favorite driver?

None to be honest, but if I was pushed to name someone it would currently be Pierre. I don't actively dislike him or any of them though. Have never been someone who finds any enjoyment in hating people in any sport. I'd far rather concentrate on supporting those I love watching.

Do you pull for drivers or do you like teams as well?

I'm a team person, McLaren through and through. I do have drivers I like a lot outside the team as well though.

If you like teams, what team do you pull for?

Been a McLaren fan since I was a kid, grew up in a Tifosi household with a British mother so became a McLaren fan to support her and have been a died-in-the-wool fan ever since. Helps that I have also liked most of their drivers along the way. Have a soft spot for Williams due to their legacy and my formative years as an F1 fan being when they were still at the top of their game. Also from a nostalgia point of view, F1 is all about McLaren and Ferrari for me. I may not root for the Scuderia out of principle (despite being half-Italian 😂) but they are integral to my love of the sport.

How long have you been into F1?

Since the mid 90s though some of it is a bit blurry. Apparently I cried when Senna died (I don't remember it, but my parents were crying so I apparently came out in sympathy!) but conscious memory is cheering on Mika, he was one of my heroes back then!

What got you into f1?

My family - both through their jobs and their general love of motorsport (am a huge fan of motorsport across the board). Have quite literally been watching since I was a baby - I made my first trip to Monza at 1 year old 😂

Do you enjoy fanfic/RPF?

Yes sometimes, depending on my mood and the writer! (I confess to being a bit picky about what I enjoy on that front but that's my problem not anyone else's!)

How do you view new fans?

More the merrier. Gatekeeping is ridiculous. Sport is for everyone, nobody has the right to dictate who should be allowed to enjoy it or how anyone chooses to enjoy it. How the hell do long-time fans expect the sport to thrive and survive if they spend all their time looking down their noses at newer converts.

If you could take over as team principal for any team, who would it be and why?

None thanks. I have zero skills in that area and am not arrogant enough to think I wouldn't get fired after a week in the role 😂

Are your friends and family into F1 as well?

Yes, I come from a racing family. My great-uncle raced single seaters (not F1), through him we had some family friends who were big names in the sport (sadly now all deceased). My brother-in-law works in WEC as an engineer and I have an uncle and cousin involved in the sport as well (one involved in the management side of karting, one in the WRC). Have a large group of friends who are into F1, we used to get together to watch races and still do now when we can. Also my gf is a big fan as are her family, so that's a bonus!

Are you open to talking to other fans/making friends?

Yes, always.

I think most people have done this now so I won't tag anyone, just say anyone who hasn't yet, consider yourself tagged! Have loved reading people's responses and getting to know you all better.

[triviareads]

Can you recommend any south Asian Romance with mid to heavy spice?

Most that I have read are pretty behind closed doors.

My friend, I feel you there. Two of the South Asian romance ARCs I received recently had little to no on-page sex. Another book I read that was more recently published by a South Asian author had like 1.5 sex scenes (which fine, religion) but it was also lacking in chemistry so now I'm sad. ANYWAY, here's a list of my favorite South Asian romances that all have explicit sex in them and I thought they were super hot:

Here are a couple more:

Wrong to Need You by Alisha Rai: Sadia is a widowed single mom who's attracted to her black sheep brother-in-law, Jackson. The tension is So Hot, starting from when they nearly have sex behind the bar she works at because she doesn't recognize him lolol. AND Sadia subverts the passive Asian woman trope on multiple levels, including the fact that her vibes in the bedroom are very soft domme.

Hard Way by Katie Porter: (copy-pasting this from a previous ask because I have Thoughts)

lol my problematic fave because there are a few things that are just so weird in terms of rep: For one, the author keeps putting Sunita, the heroine, in "indian inspired" clothes, for example, some kind vaguely described professional suit inspired by a saree? Like, this woman is an attorney who works for a United States congressman. She's probably wearing a regular-ass suit like the rest of the people in that office. Also, her nickname in law school was the "Ice Queen of Bangalore" which was meant to be microaggressive, but the nickname literally makes 0 sense to me since she was raised in AMERICA, and considering half the Indians I know can't make the connection between being Kannadiga and possibly being from Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka, what are the chances these white mfs can, right? And the weird thing is, she narratively sort of "reclaims" her nickname, but it was such a cringe one to begin with and I don't even know why the authors bothered to put it in in the first place.

BUT Sunita is the only Kannadiga heroine I've ever read (I am. kannadiga, to clarify), she's a martial artist, she's struggling to work out her marriage with her husband (I'm a sucker for that shit), they share consensual nonconsent fantasies (zip ties, kidnapping and all), and she attends yakshagana performances (also very personal to me and my family since we're from South Canara)! Do you know how rare it is to see any of these things as far as brown heroines go? Maybe I have a lower bar for South Asian rep because there are so few romances that have South Asians who don't hate themselves/the culture AND have good sex scenes, but hopefully that will change as time goes on.

[tuiyla]

not a top 5/top 10 ask, but it's still a ranking question: you said before that Katara, Santana, Marceline, Korra and Asami are your top 5 favorite characters of all time and that Korrasami, Bubbline, Brittana, Hollstein and Catradora are your top 5 ships of all time. How would you rank the characters that are part of your OTPs but didn't make it into the list of faves of all time (Brittany, PB, Carmilla, Laura, Catra and Adora)?

(Can you tell that I've been binge reading your blog? 🙈)

Well first off I'm honoured you'd be binging my blog, hope you had fun! Second, fun question let's get into it.

Hard to choose between Hollstein and PB, they're so similar in terms of appreciation in my mind. In fact, one of the great essays that never was is a Bubbline and Hollstein comparison post. "Of Nerds and Vampires," ah yes, posts that will always just be half-finished word docs on my desktop. But all that said, Hollstein are so equally matched to me they have to be following each other and I can't bear to put PB third because I've come to love her so much. So:

Bonnibel Bubblegum - She wins out because she's SO different from what people first expect of her and I just love her in all her tyrannical glory. A much, much more complex character than many give her credit for and I adore the moral grey area she lives in. Definition of women can be war criminals too.

Laura Hollis - It feels kinda strange to rank her above Carmilla as Carmilla is basically just My Type as a character and I did start the series preferring her. But Laura grows on you and she's just so damn endearing in all her naïvety and relentless optimism. I just find characters who stay kind and compassionate no matter what so damn compelling. Being nice is a superpower.

Carmilla Karnstein - Do not worry Carmilla isn’t far behind. She’s the OG lesbian vampire, what else is there to say. Well, lots, from tragic backstories to moral ambiguity to a desire, despite all that, to be good in some way. Even if that goodness only relates to connections with others, but I mean what is ‘good’ if not what we do for each other. Very Character. Much Vampire.

Brittany S Pierce - I feel there’s a clear distinction between the top three and bottom three here but I still very much like the bottom three. I think ranking Britt here above Catradora is just me being in my Glee brainrot era because I do find the other two more well-developed and compelling characters. But just in terms of how I feel right now and because I’m actively in the Glee fandom but haven’t rewatched She-Ra in a long while, I’ll say Britt. My love for her is reignited literally any time I watch a scene she’s in. Precious unicorn.

Adora - Again I feel like I “should” rank the more morally grey character first because that’s more my type but Adora called to me. Differently than PB or Laura did, more in the Korra way. If Bubbline and Hollstein are parallel versions then Korrasami... well their parallel is Supercorp, but Adora is a different universe and hero’s journey version of Korra. You know, I never used to go hard for protagonists before Korra but here I am with Adora now as well. She’s Anxiety™ and martyr complex and truly just has so much baggage but she gets her happy ending and I love her journey.

Catra - I do have a slight not like other girls bias against Catra, I must confess. By which I mean that after a certain point a character gets so popular that even if you see the appeal you kind of get turned off, which I’ll call the Zuko Syndrome. Both because he’s the first example in my fandom experience and because, well, I think there are other similarities with these two. But for real Catra is a super super complex character and I’m nothing if not a lover of messed up female characters. Catra is so deeply flawed in a way that I instinctively turn away from because it hits too close to home but also am drawn to because the story is so... kind to her. I do think her redemption is done well in a sense that it’s not like she faces no consequences but she’s also allowed to heal and move forward, exemplifying what’s so beautiful about SPOP. Frankly I don’t think audiences deserved a ch like Catra, from some Discourse I’ve witnessed, but I also think SPOP teaches us that it’s not about what we deserve.

[tequatls-favorite-spoon]

man i gotta figure out what to do with juyun :/ he’s one of my absolute fave ocs but his gw2 version is kinda boring which makes me sad! also here is a couple pics of him bc i know that helps me to remember what character ppl are talking about lol

so like, og juyun is the god of beauty in his world, and him being a literal god while eless is Just Some Guy, is something i try to keep the vibe of in most aus i make. so eless is a charr, and i made her from the olmakhan bc her family, and her decision to leave her family, is also important to her character. meanwhile, juyun is a norn in the order of whispers. and like, that’s all i gave him?? and like, there is the fact that he’s from mainland tyria and eless has been relatively isolated her whole life, that sort of fits their dynamic, but i want juyun to be more special 🥺 he’s my special little beautiful boy 🥺

so like, i have three ideas rn. i ended up rambling a bit, so here’s a quick list: juyun becomes aurenes champion/branded by aurene, juyun is actually a saltspray dragon, or juyun is an avatar of lyssa (could also be an avatar of a spirit of the wild, but idk which one)

the rest of my thoughts and rambles are below the cut

first is that he gets branded by aurene. the vibes fit him SO well, like god!juyun literally has opalescent skin, so aurene crystals are sooooo perfect for him. the issue tho, is idk why he’d be branded. like, i could go the route of him being aurene’s champion, but then i’d have to figure out who the commander is. i wouldn’t want it to be onyx cuz they’re from different stories for me? so it’s like. they shouldn’t know each other. having eless be the commander would be So Good, bc that lets me have them interact a LOT and i Love Them. but then i have to deal with the fact that she’s from elona so idk how she’d get to mainland tyria at the right time to become the commander :/ like, it could work? but it would almost be easier to make her from the legions, and that doesn’t feel right to me…

my second idea is that juyun could be a saltspray dragon! i like this bc the color scheme and vibes fit him really well, and bc he’s literally meant to be (half?) korean, so him having a direct link to cantha is cool. like, norn can be asian and stuff, but it’s mostly just looks at that point? anyway, the issues i run into here is that idk if all saltspray dragons can shapeshift? like there’s kuunavang/navan obvi, but idk about the others? and i don’t know a ton about the saltspray dragons in general, tho i think that’s just bc there’s not a lot to know? i also then have to decide if he left cantha, bc if he didn’t, then he and eless meet WAY late in the story. and if he DID leave, then i gotta figure out how, when, and why he did.

my last idea is that maybe he’s like. an avatar or something? i thought about him being linked to one of the spirits of the wild, but idk what one it would be, yknow? but then he could be an avatar of one of the six? like, he is sooo similar to lyssa! he’s literally a mesmer and i already associate him with illusions, glamours, and masks. the only issue here is that idk why he’d be here. like. i looked into avatars on the wiki a lil bit, but i still feel like i don’t know enough >:/

honestly, i think both the saltspray dragon and avatar ideas are stopped only by the fact that i don’t feel like i know enough. i think a lot of that is cuz i didn’t play gw1? (technically i played the free trial cuz my cousin played it, but that doesn’t really count) then again, i could always just. make stuff up. i can fill in blanks with whatever hand-wavey stuff i want! except that i’m rly indecisive lol and i like having characters like this be as canon-compliant as possible :(

returning to juyun as aurenes champion though, i think it might work the best? like, eless could have left the olmakhan and elona during the personal story. maybe juyun does the like, 10-50 story, and then eless shows up as part of the priory? and eless becomes the commander, and juyun is just like, there to help out. and then with lws2, maybe they split up? so juyun goes after the egg, while eless does something else? then again they don’t need to split up i think, cuz aurene could still just choose juyun.

so like, i think champion!juyun would be the easiest to figure out, but then his ‘special-ness’ takes a while to happen. saltspray!juyun gives him ties to cantha, but idk if it makes sense for there to be another saltspray dragon that can transform, and that he’d want to look like a norn. avatar!juyun is the most similar to his og version, but idk a lot about the gods and their avatars, and it being so similar might be a lil boring.

mm i think i might be leaning towards champion tbh, with saltspray dragon coming in second for now

[thesmithsbackyard]

TOP TEN: i m p o s s i b l e

Really though I’ve been sitting here marveling at the fact that, this show has been on since 2005, it has either 17 or 20 full seasons with two more on the way, (the episode counts are weird) I can pop in Season 2 or Season 16 still have a grand old time. They just do...whatever the hell they want, and it works!

I wracked my brain for several months, I made some painful cuts, here’s my top ten lol. In no particular order. Just barely managed to figure out what my fave ep of all time is

Spoilers!! Kind of. I don’t want to spoil these in case people wanna watch them. But who am I kidding; I’m screaming into a void over here. ANYWHO:

The Life and Times of Stan Smith 12-15

Okay. So one set up in this show is, Stan is against something. Turns out he can’t avoid that thing or it’s a Good Thing Actually. He gets waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too far into it. Shenanigans!! It’s great, I love it. My favorite example is this episode. He gets addicted to dying. Like...like actually dying.

Meanwhile, Steve goes to Arizona State University and does not have a good time

Daddy Queerest 4-19

This episode just warms my heart. Greg and Terry are a gay couple that live across the street. Terry’s dad is visiting for the weekend and doesn’t know Terry’s gay. Dramaaaa!! Oh my god, the ending of this one is so cute and good.

Meanwhile, Roger buys beer for Steve and his friends at a party. For $12 profit.

I feel like i should acknowledge something. *sigh* So yeah. Greg and Terry *are* that stereotypical gay couple where almost every joke with them is that They're Gay. But i dunno, I never got the sense of any malice behind it. They're never put down by other characters for it and there's never any theme or joke that it's bad to be gay and over the top like them?

I understand why it is annoying to only see that portrayal and that the joke being HAHA GAY is bad though so...Your Mileage May Vary

Hayley Smith, Seal Team 6 11-3

Eps like this one make me so happy this show got a second chance on another channel. Hayley ends up mentally regressing to age six. Jeff and Klaus try to get her back to normal. I love all the little bits they do that show how her relationship with her parents was like.

Meanwhile, a weird stranger convinces Steve and his friends to use a slow cooker while making pork. He’s not even a real pervert!

There’s this adorable part when she does patty-cake with Roger which shows they used to like each other too.

EXCEEEEEEPT!! [extra nerdy glasses on] In season 2, Roger sings a song about how he used to be close friends to Steve. And in that, when they first met, Roger is shown to be given to Steve as a birthday present.

While Hayley and Francine freak out, and the design they use for Hayley is her mid-puberty design in a later ep

THEREFORE they did not meet when she was six. Episode recalled

[i’m kidding it’s delightful and I’m just a freak about this show go watch it lol. it might not even be exactly how they were, just showing how they would be if they met back then]

Lost in Space 8-18

Jeff is trapped on the ship of Roger’s people. Pretty much every episode about Jeff going to, being in, or result of space is really good. I could shove them all into this...part of this non-numbered list

It's adorable! Like almost painfully so. Whenever I hear people say this show is too mean or gross I can think of several episodes where they're not lol

Haylias 3-5

This one was my top fave for the longest time. Hell it still might be. Turns out Hayley was trained to be a CIA sleeper agent. Stan re-activates her so she’ll be independent in the way he prefers...kind of. He actually feels a little guilty about it.

Meanwhile, this is also the ep when, the myths, the LEGENDS, Wheels and the Legman are born!! Fantastic [Steve and Roger pretend to be detectives and half the joke is they're making it up as they go along. it's one of my favorite plot threads ever in this show]

Flirting With Disaster 6-18

Soooo...Stan and Francine. I love them so much. They're insane. Ohhhh my god. In this one, it’s revealed that Stan flirts with other people at work. Nothing that leads to an affair or anything. Francine ends up working there and everything’s fine until something happens that renders her horrifically scarred. Now they gotta learn how to flirt with each other again.

It starts with an...homage? Parody? Of “The Office”, but with who Stan works with at the CIA. They keep with that parody in how the scenes are shot and the general humor, until the first commercial break. They also explain that in-universe in a funny way that isn’t too meta. (Oh man, I could go ON about how this show does meta humor) The humor they do isn’t too far off from how the show generally is, so when it goes back to how the show is normally shot it’s not too jarring.

Meanwhile, Steve builds birdhouses as a hobby and Roger starts a business with that. There’s this one part with birds that leaves me in shock and awe every time like jesus christ it’s just soo...the efforts they go to just for A Bit in this show. I need to make a separate post about that I just sfhdjsjfhsdklghdslkgds

Yule. Tide. Repeat. 15-22

The Christmas eps of this show. SHIT GETS WILD. Almost every one that’s come out has been in my top fave episodes. Stan wants to have a normal, “Norman Rockwell Christmas,” because every one they’ve ever had has been very bad and very weird. His words, not mine. Something goes terribly wrong, and Stan ends up caught in a time loop where he has to pick the right path to find his family.

There’s a part with gore, and honestly gore jokes are one of my least favorite parts of this show. BUT. It’s used effectively in this story. (and I will acknowledge that even though I don’t like gore jokes. at least when they happen on this show it’s actually a joke or part of the plot sooo whatever)

The Two Hundred 11-10

It’s the apocalypse for some reason. Stan wanders the earth with tattoos feeling real bad about how he treated his family. Greg is there too. He’s fun, I like Greg

West to Mexico 12-22

So every once in a while there will be an “au” episode, where the characters aren’t related to each other but still do a Thing. (I mean every once in a while; there’s only been like two or three over 300 eps and I’m not sure if one is even ‘canon’)

In this one, Stan’s an outlaw in the United States after the civil war. Wild west stuff happens. I think it's based on a movie. But when this show does movies they don’t just do a movie scene but it’s the characters and they’re meta about it, they’ll just do a scene or something similar to it. Like no one turns to the camera and says “heeey this is just like Djanjo Unchained!” or whatever it was. It’s based on something but it’s still done in the style and humor of the show, which is neat.

One Little Word 4-3

Oh god. THIS ONE. You know what, I’ve finally decided. This one is my favorite. This ep is like a culmination of everything I love about this show. The cringe AND the good shit. This was an ep that when it came on I’d feel like YEESSS IT’S THIS ONE. You know that feeling?? Like you know you’re gonna have an excellent time for the next half hour. I just...there’s so many little details and bits that are expanded upon later and little cute character moments and everything just builds to this hilarious payoff and AAAAAAH

There’s a couple jokes that are kinda...well not the worst thing ever but I can see why today people might be like...mmmm No. But mostly I just. Oh god. I just love I was able to fall in love with this one all over again. Christ I haven’t even said what it’s about yet.

So Stan wants to be Bullock’s number one at work. (there’s already Layers here) He goes so far to bring back his wife from being captured overseas. Meanwhile Francine wants to celebrate with Stan up alone at a lake. Unfortunately Bullock’s family ends up staying at Stan’s house…

(Lake Fraiser. I havent seen much of that show but recently I’ve been wondering if this episode is a parody of either an episode of it or just its style of writing in general?? I’ve wanted to watch Fraiser but never got around to it. The syndicated channel I watched reran this show, Two and a Half Men, and Friends instead. Baaarrff lmao)

Oh dear god I've done it. Kind of. See I’m looking at this list and there’s STILL sooooooo many I love where I’m like “what about this ep. And this one. And this one. Technically there’s infinite numbers between one and ten” There’s at least on ep per season in that top five list I did where I KNEW I’d be like “why isn’t This one on the list goddammit”