#fan projects are fantastic but movies are a big expensive group project

[cleromancy]

the thing with movie adaptations is just like... instead of being allowed to be transformational work, an exploration of the same story in a different medium, it has to be this money-making thing. you need to have bought the rights to whatever IP, and you need money to actually make the movie, and chances are you have to partner with some big media conglomerate to do all that, and then instead of it being about artists making art and storytellers telling stories it has to be about what execs and shareholders think will sell. it sucks.

The real problem with books-turned-movies isn’t “omg they didn’t include every single word in the book” it’s “omg they completely overlooked the main theme, threw out any significant allegories, took away all the emotional pull, an turned it into a boring action movie with a love triangle in it”

[himitsusentaiblog]

Memories of an Oldtaku- Evangelion

Yes, this isn’t about Tokusatsu, this is about anime.  I really wouldn’t be a fan of the one without the other and the two are inextricably linked in my life. Today is a really important day.  Today is the day the 1995 TV series Neon Genesis Evangelion hits Netflix.  I don’t know of any other series that’s almost 25 years old that could make such a splash getting released on a streaming platform.

It is one of the most influential anime series of the past 30 years.  That’s no joke. It’s also been really hard to get your hands on in the US for about a decade without dropping serious cash for out of print DVDs or worse, imports Blu-Rays.

Now, however, this important work is available (along with a new dub) to anyone with access to Netflix.  That’s a big deal.

Why?  Well, I am not going to go into the quality of the show or its deeper meanings and impact.  That’s for other people to go on and on and on about as they have for the last 24 years.  What I want to talk to you about is what this series means to me and how it impacted my life.

The original Neon Genesis Evangelion premiered on Japanese TV October 4, 1995.  For me, it premiered in John Rong’s living room on a fansubbed VHS Tape in March of 1996.  John (real name Zhiqi) was a friend of mine from college who, along with my kind of mentor Kevin, were the enablers who got me hooked on anime and tokusatsu. 

Seriously, John provided me with so many fansubs of shows that are now classics.  Vision of Escaflowne, Mobile Suit Gundam 08th MS Team, Slayers Try, Magic User’s Club and the second set of 3X3 Eyes OVAS (his personal favorite).  Many were the weekends I would trek up from Hurst to Dallas just to hang out with him and watch/swap tapes.  It was a glorious time to be a young fanboy.

This was also a time when the name Gainax was a magic word to those in the know.  These were the fans who made good, who went pro and changed the industry.  Sure, they were mostly known for a decent movie called Wings of Honnêamise (or Week Old Mayonnaise if you were among my friends), the awesome OVA Gunbuster and the fantastic TV series Nadia: Secret of Blue Water. Any new project of theirs was something special.

I was hooked on Evangelion from the opening theme song.  Seriously, Cruel Angel’s Thesis is one of the 10 best Anime OPs of all time, right up there with Tank from Cowboy Bebop.  It gets you excited for the show to come, is upbeat and lively and just fits with the show in general.  The rest of the music was great as well and I remember buying so many bootleg soundtracks at cons.  Back in those days, the most common CD soundtracks were from SM (Son May) Records and were Hong Kong bootlegs of the Japanese originals.  I had SO many SM Records, heck I still have a few to this day!

Sadly, the fansubs ran out after 8 episodes.  We didn’t know why until it was revealed that an American company had picked up the rights to Evangelion for distribution.  That company was A.D. Vision (later ADV).  At the time, why were mostly known for releasing hentai (porn) anime but apparently, they had sold enough smut to move into the big leagues by purchasing the rights to the hottest anime on the planet.  

To say I was stoked to get a US release was an understatement.  I rushed out to my local comic shop (Lone Star Comics) and pre-ordered the first volume.  It was EXPENSIVE, like $29 and these were 1997 dollars, for only two episodes a tape but I had to have it.  Being the Subtitle snob I was (and to some extend still am) I ordered it Subbed.  Back then you had to choose, there was no dual-audio format it was one or the other unless you double-dipped to get both.

I made a good friend at that Lone Star, one of the workers named Glenn.  We ended up bonding over Godzilla, Gamera, MST3K* and especially Evangelion. We would get together each time a new volume was released to watch it, we went to Anime Convention together and played so many import PS1 and Saturn games our fingers developed callouses.  I still remember when they decided to screen two episode of Evangelion that had not yet been released on VHS at Project A-Kon one year.  The theater was packed!

This wasn’t just a show.  It was a phenomenon at the time that helped propel anime from just a niche thing to something bigger.  It also propelled ADV from a smaller distributor to the biggest player on the Anime licensing market.  They had fingers in everything and expanded so fast that they were doomed to fall less than a decade later.  Part of that had to do with them wanted to produce and Evangelion live action movie in partnership with WETA Workshop.

That fell apart due to ADV’s reach exceeding its grasp and after a series of bad releases, failed partnerships and just plain stupid financial moves, they imploded.  What remains today are splintered bits of what they were but they were on the way out, supplanted by Funimation, long before their final demise.

That left the North American rights to Evangelion in limbo.  Worse, because the property was so big, none of the anime licensors in the US could really afford it or wanted to spend that much on a 20+ year old show.  So, the staggering classic became a hard to find, expensive purchase on ebay.

That’s when Netflix, who seems to possess infinite resources, decided to snap up the property.  Now, we can watch it again in HD as it has never been seen before.  That means a ton to me as it’s like being able to revisit a piece of my formative years as a fan looking as shiny and clean as it does in memory but never did in reality before.

So anyway, Evangelion was a big deal to me.  I made friends over it, got deeper into fandom because of it and even got into a fansub group to sub the movies!  Oh yeah, I was part of an old-school VHS Fansub group complete with Genlock cards, manual timing and the whole nine yards.  Now excuse me, I have to go watch the OP for the first time in 10 years and get all misty eyed.  

Oh and for the record, I don’t care what anyone else says, Asuka is best girl! Go watch it for yourself and see!  You can now!

*My Pull File at Lone Star listed my name as Rex Dart: Eskimo Spy thanks to Glenn in a reference to the MST3K episode where they riffed Godzilla Vs. Megalon.

[therappundit]

Welcome to Rap Music, First Quarter 2018...

Q1 2018 is a (w)rap, folks.  

Since late 2014, I have been saying that the quality of rap music is trending upwards. Yes, of course there are dips here and there, but what happened in the fourth quarter of 2014 was a shift back towards a skill-set which speaks more to the components of what had traditionally been the key ingredients of good rap music for much of the 1990′s: lyricism, soul, creativity, and message.

Even though the first quarter of 2014 had kicked off with Freddie Gibbs & Madlib’s critically acclaimed Pinata, that release felt more like a bottle of water in a desert oasis, a project intended to keep an increasingly niche underground audience alive rather than an album that was indicative of where hip-hop was going at that point. That year went on to be dominated by catchy but vapid fare like Iggy Azalea’s “Fancy” or Young Thug and Birdman’s “Lifestyle”, until there seemed to be a palpable swing of the pendulum when Run The Jewels 2, DJ Premier & Royce Da 5′9′s PRhyme and J. Cole’s 2014 Forest Hills Drive all dropped at the tail end of 2014. What we were witnessing at that point was another Big Bang in hip-hop, the shattering of the genre into a series of sub-genres, meaning that for better or worse, rap music was never going to be the same. 

I continue to believe that this trend is a good thing, and the best case scenario for a genre that has gone from being the sound of the boroughs of New York City, to an incredibly lucrative global phenomenon. The diversity of rap styles, the constant shifting of the wall between underground and mainstream (and what those terms really even mean anymore?) continued through 2015, 2016, 2017 and now through early 2018. While we can only speculate on where rap music will be by this time next year, I can tell you some of the storylines that make rap music so special right now:

- Kendrick Lamar has ascended to the Mt. Rushmore of rap legends

- After being on life support for years, classic underground hip-hop is en vogue

- And after losing track of the initial message, trap music seems to have plenty to say

In some capacity, the above threads all played a role in making the first quarter of 2018 one of the strongest that rap music has ever seen. It was far from easy to narrow down my favorite songs of January through March, but here are my picks for the top ten rap records of 2018 so far...

1. “Respected” - Roc Marciano

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

(You won’t find a better rap intro than this one. Very short, but tightly written, this verse defines Roc Marciano as an artist, and overall this track could be used as a template for how to define the mood of an album in less than 30 seconds. From Roc’s opening bars of “fox furs on my evening coat...I gave these heathens hope”, you know exactly what you can expect with Rosebudd’s Revenge 2. And boy does he deliver.)

2. “King’s Dead” - Jay Rock feat. Kendrick Lamar, Future & James Blake

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwAnsAUYnw4

(The Black Panther Soundtrack is a legitimate album of the year contender. The impact of the film has been tremendous, but the force of the music inspired by it is of equal quality. Don’t overthink this rambunctious single...just kick back and enjoy it - because that’s clearly what Jay, K Dot and Future did!)

3. “Tent City” - Roc Marciano 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Go7n9-JefoQ

(”Walkin’ in the clooooouds”…Roc’s bars simply knock this one out the park: “...can’t hit reverse and pay for things that I ain’t earned / I heard the herb was dipped in sherm, bitches’ vision blurred / the German engines purr like leopards / couldn’t get a gig at Eckerd, they said my past was checkered / my ghetto pass is good, I never had to check it…”)

4. “Sell Me This Pen” - Evidence feat. Alchemist & Mach-Hommy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EWrReYix08

(This is just a perfect Alchemist cut, am I right? Ev, Al and Mach work a sinister sample oh so well.)

5. “Roaches” - Maxo Kream

https://soundcloud.com/maxo-kream/roaches-prod-wlderness?in=maxo-kream/sets/punken

(If you slept on Maxo’s Punken tape, let this track be a reminder that you made a mistake.)

6. “Expensive Genes” - Phonte

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

(Phonte is so strong on No News Is Good News, but his writing on “Expensive Genes” feels better than great. “Expensive Genes” may be a career defining song in the catalogue of an already hall of fame bound lyricist.)

7. “Era” - PRhyme (DJ Premier & Royce Da 5′9 feat. Dave East)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8ONsRbOuos

(I don’t care if you weren’t feeling it, it’s just unfortunate that you slept on a great rap record. DJ Premier, Antman Wonder, Dave East and Royce Da 5′9″ tried to unite eras with their first single off PRhyme 2, and in spite of conflicting opinions I would say they were successful. They tried something different here, and I enjoyed the final result.)

8. “Paramedic!” - SOB x RBE feat. Kendrick Lamar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2_A89qTgwM

(This one just kept growing on me. SOB x RBE is a crew to watch, and if they are capable of cranking out more energetic west coast bangers like this one, their future is looking bright.)

9. “Proud” - 2 Chainz feat. YG & Offset

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nUW3nIOOOg

(2 Chainz is poised to have a huge 2018. And if his EP is indicative of how good his next album is going to be, we’re all in for a treat.)

10. “Dedication” - Nipsey Hussle feat. Kendrick Lamar

https://pitchfork.com/news/kendrick-lamar-joins-nipsey-hussle-on-new-song-dedication-listen/

(Victory Lap is not the classic many dubbed it to be when it dropped, but it is a very, very good album. On the surface level this song is not a remarkable one, but once you absorb the words, and the vibes from these talented young men who both survived harrowing situations during their childhood to become older, wiser and more successful for it, it really takes the music to another level. “Dedication” is a strong record.) 

So to Roc Marciano, 2 Chainz, TDE, Black Milk, Skyzoo, Evidence, Royce Da 5′9″, Conway, 38 Spesh & Benny, Cozz, Willie The Kid, Rome Streetz, Rigz, Nipsey Hussle, Maxo Kream, Phonte, SOB x RBE, Jamal Gasol, Earth Gang, Elzhi & Khrysis, Chuck Strangers, Murs, CZARFACE & DOOM, Jean Grae & Quelle Chris, Valee and plenty of other talented artists, too numerous to mention...thank you for making the early months of 2018 so special. Salute!

[photographersnearme001-blog]

8 Go-to Resources About Professional Photographer

Let's discuss the very best ways to attempt to earn a memorable photo commemorating the occasion. Cover the excess light to discover the result you would like if you require a darker picture. Non-digital photographs are made with a two-step compound practice. The photograph at a camera may be created on picture or, whether it's a digital camera, employing an electronic detector.

After the film was subjected it's processed. It is placed within the camera box. After the movie was processed the picture can be understood on the movie. Letting light shine on the movie is called exposing the movie. There are several distinct forms of photographic film. Shooting film means you don't get to come across the results straight away, so you genuinely need things to work the way that you want them to.

Take a look at pictures on the internet for unique shows and discover where people were standing if they got a photograph which you enjoy. Much like with batteries, it's ideal to always have a spare when you're out doing photographs. Firework photographs are low-light photos, however, generally speaking, they won't be enough to be concerned about a build-up of sound.

20 Myths About Professional Photographer: Busted

Making makes the picture show up on the newspaper today it's a picture. An excellent picture isn't too bright and not too dark. The film on the movie is put in an enlarger. So, a superb amount of your images must superstar you and your nearest and dearest. You are likely to wind up with a great deal of blurry images on account of your body's movement and the strain placed on the button on your camera's body. So employing a camera that will shoot a fantastic image at 1600 or 3200 ISO is a sensible choice.

There are individuals who are able to make totally rock your wedding pictures and on the flip side, moreover, you will find the men and women who will mess up your photographs. It is the very best way to immortalize your special day. If it comes to wedding photography, many individuals want just the epitome of devotion.

A camera may fetch any image according to the selection of the photographer, but the true challenge lies in overcoming all the communicating obstacles. It also has a lot of features which make photography even more fun. Professional high tech cameras are simple to find but very good photographers are extremely rare.

There are a variety of types of photographers. The Photographer will not be accountable for photos not accepted as a consequence of the customer's failure to supply reasonable support or alliance. Should you do this then you are going to wind up getting the standard photographer because of which you'll want to compromise with the caliber of the photos.

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Simply take a fair time to choose which sort of photography you'd prefer. The processing assesses the finer points Following the expert team performs the photography with a passion for it. Wedding photography concentrates on providing superior and complete services together with producing photography that is unique for each wedding service.

How To Win Big In The Photograph Industry

Photography has existed for a lengthy moment. Wedding photography isn't like any sort of photography. Professional wedding photography is a buy which should last a lifetime you have to be sure as you're choosing who's taking your photos you use thought.

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If you're just starting in photography you don't will have to get the most expensive gear to acquire an excellent picture. Whilst lots of portrait photography is completed in a studio, the possibility of pure light can be quite flattering. Additionally, it called portraiture is the capture of the likeness of a individual or a small group where the facial expression is more overriding. A corporate portrait photography generally means a fantastic thing.

When it has to do with photography, each kind of picture projects something to the person who possesses the image whether it is a portrait or images of real things. As it occurs, portrait photography is all beyond merely understanding how to take photos of individuals. Portrait photography includes many styles and every one of them aims to exhibit the area in another light resource. So, in regards to find the top corporate portrait photography, you always will have to make certain you have hired the best photographers in Vancouver.

Photography is a typical significant, and a couple of schools also supply concentrations and certification programs in portraiture. Consider what type of photography that you'll do though. Underwater photography Underwater photography might be a distinct type but it's still associated with nature photography.

Your photographer must possess the wisdom and accessibility of skilled equipment. A photographer is not merely exceptionally adroit in his livelihood but with how to take care of men and women in the way which makes them feel confident and comfortable in addition nicely family. An baby photographer understands the way to keep your infants posing and safe when holding them.

The Pros And Cons Of Wedding Pictures

Oftentimes, photographers are in regards to the equipment requirement, oblivious and do not cease by the place. The photographers can get the perfect result of the every click. It's a fact that there are.

The absolute decision as a photographer for you is what you wish to have a picture of. Having he or she helps your infant to be a tiny clam and can help you get fantastic shots. To acquire effects that are required photographers use a fantastic deal of computer skills and techniques.

Photographers are currently looking more difficult as seen through an person's eyes to catch a moment. You must seek the assistance of a photographer that has a listing of equipment which he is going to be sourcing, or understands precisely what extra assistance is going to be required at the place. If that is true, then you have to discover the most effective possible photographer to your special moment.

Newborn photography is presently in demand among parents. It is a extremely specialized genre, and customers are not always sure what they will encounter when they go to a shoot. So once you call a professional for Seattle toddlers photography you will need to be certain that the both of you are available at the right time of photography.

Newborns are delicate photography topics and have to be managed with care. Knowing that the newborn can be exceedingly helpful for the newborn photographer. A newborn in a family is unquestionably a fantastic gift and something which you want to treasure for the remainder of your life.

What Would The World Look Like Without Photograph?

You're in a position to discover more about your photographer here. Additionally the photographer should ensure that the surroundings where the photography is completed is acceptable for your toddlers. So guarantee that he or she's professional and dependable. He or she also needs to be certain that the apparel of the baby is appropriate to the environment. Fortunately, many infant photographers have testimonials on the internet that you can read.

Baby photography needs the infant to be comfortable with the photographer so as to click a ideal picture. According to the group, it is a different ball game on the planet. Baby child photography is among the most kinds of photography plus you will find quite fans and a few photography businesses who professional in newborn photography.

Each photographer has their own special style. Whatever your finances you need to select the most effective newborn photographer which you can spend. Let's see quite a few of the greatest photographers in Inverness.

If you're planning a wedding outside the Gorge, be certain to ask us about our destination wedding photography packages. Wedding is a rather special occasion. Weddings are definitely the most beautiful day of someone's life. Whoever said your wedding is the largest and most important day of your life wasn't joking.

Such a photographer must be useful in producing an extremely comfortable and cozy environment so the baby isn't likely to come under any type of anxiety or stress throughout the photo shoot. The issue is that you locate that a photographer whose work you adore. The moment you reserve a good photographer, then they might assist you in picking out the cutest outfit to the son or daughter. Hiring such a proficient and specialist infant photographer can bring the most suitable type of outcome. The newborn infant photographers might ask the parents to acquire some things that are essential in advance to prevent any inconvenience. Whenever you are using a newborn infant photographer, you will find a couple of things you ought to begin searching for first.

Not just the guests who have attended your wedding, you can also should thank the people responsible in earning your wedding a grand achievement in the perspective of their guests. The wedding is a substantial occasion and should the picture taker is excited about everything you might end up in a poor posture. Anything might be demanded at the marriage for reasons. Affordable wedding favors do not need to be tacky.

The majority of the moment, the photographer keeps ownership of your photographs so if you wish to acquire more copies, then you need to pay even more income. The wedding photographers of all Calgary use the pure beauty around to raise the attractiveness of the photograph together with giving it a look of country-side love narrative. Photography is pricey as a result of sources involved. The forthcoming thing related to wedding photography is the time. It has come to be the element of all kinds of occasions. Quality photography The cost of this photography agency is dependent on the exceptional couples will receive.

The photographer won't have another possibility of capturing the photos. Instead, find out whether there is he or she in the household which you can at a bargain rate. Gauteng photographer prefers to conduct conversation session before the wedding day. The Gauteng photographer also offered the very best wedding packages.

Portrait Photography Explained In Instagram Photos

You know that it might acquire pricey if you're arranging a wedding. By employing a professional videographer to tackle the wedding video, an individual can unwind during the wedding without fretting much concerning the essence of their job. Whatever happens in your wedding is the most likely getting captured on camera, so you want to always be well ready to see something bizarre a couple of weeks later.

Speak to your photographer and see whether the picture is worth editing. In case you have concentrated in your wedding picture taker make certain you drop an obligingness email you have chosen your wedding photographic artist. If you would prefer the outstanding pictures of your wedding then you need not to overlook the value of hiring birmingham wedding photographers.

Weddings were created for picture sharing! If you also need to seem spectacular in the wedding then you need to avail professional Wedding cinematography services. Weddings are fun, but they're also chaotic and messy. Possessing a wedding, in fact, means you could wind up with some wedding photos.

The photographer should have the capacity to capture men and women's honest expressions . If you think about procuring a wedding photographer, there are opportunities you wouldn't have the capability to settle which occasions to receive them reserved for. Professional wedding photographers are well conscious of the angles and the usage of lighting to guarantee bright and beautiful pictures.

[cameiotmagazine-blog]

Ballmastrz: 9009

Recently I started to have a TV in my life again, not that I was one of those people that go like, "Oh, I don't watch television," because those people suck. I was just more like it depended on streaming mostly, so I missed commercials and all that stuff. Now that I have a normal TV TV in my life again, big emotional commitment there, I started watching television, of course being me, a terrible millennial who only watches the things he was familiar with and has nostalgia for things that were three years old, I was watching a lot of Adult Swim.

They were advertising this show, and here was my legitimate thought. "Oh gosh, these commercials are so irritating. They're so loud. There's no way I could ever, ever like this show." Of course, I was wrong. I ended up quite liking the show quite a bit, and the commercials, they were good commercials in the sense that they accurately represented what the show was like. It was just they tended to be loud and the same thing over and over again. They kind of undersold the show.

Ballmastrz: 9009, far in the future after the Rad Wars nearly disseminated all of humankind, it has been rebuilt by the mysterious being known as Crayzar, and he's created a game that's a lot like rollerball but doesn't have motorcycles in it, mostly. Our main character, Gaz Digzy, one of the greatest players of the game, has fallen on hard times and has been removed, busted down to the lamest of the lamest teams, The Leptons.

What I didn't know going into this was I didn't really know anything about this show. A little later, I learned that it was created by Christy Karacas, I always liked Superjail as a show. I always found it a little scary actually for a while, but I liked it. This is a different tenor for this group of people, because although it's super violent and gross, the violence doesn't hurt people. It definitely does hurt people, but nobody dies from it. Not that I dislike Superjail. In fact, I quite liked Superjail, but it's nice that we don't have an Adult Swim show that has this metastatic death love, but then again, a lot of great Adult Swim shows have that and I always find that really funny, so who am I to talk?

Gaz Digzy falls down and is forced to get with a loser team. The game has rules. It's essentially a really violent version of roller derbies. The thing I really didn't know about this was that it's described by a lot of people as an anime parody, or specifically a sports anime parody. That's the thing I was kind of interested in talking about. It's sort of a parody. It's actually not really a parody. It's kind of a parody in the same way Rick and Morty is a parody of Back to the Future and or Dr. Who in that it's essentially in the same genre, but it has more comedic elements.

This is a development that I've been seeing a lot in comedies just in general, I like to use the example of The Social Network as an example of what exactly I'm talking about when I bring this up, but a lot of movies are like this now. The Social Network is a good example because the thing they don't talk about, The Social Network is actually a really funny movie. The shock of all shocks is that it's an Aaron Sorkin script. You think it's pretty witty. This is the thing people would never describe it or say it is, because a movie that was universally well-reviewed and was in many ways positively compared to Citizen Kane, and coming from one of the all-time great directors, David Fincher, but nobody would ever say out loud, "Is this maybe a dramedy, a comedy, and not a drama?" Or a dramedy, which is a word I don't like, just because that in my mind is like, "I wear hats and I'm quirky and you depressed male, I'm going to fix you and make your life great and you're not going to have to do anything about it," ahh Sundance stuff.

Getting back to this. This show is definitively a comedy, but it's not really making fun of sports anime or the anime sort of things. There's jokes at anime's expense, like there's an episode dedicated. The other main character besides Gaz Digzy is Ace, the kid, standard anime protagonist, who I actually like because he's not a very sad person, which is a rarity for these types of shows. He's pretty much the second main character. He's obsessed with a princess-capturing game that's like a horrific combination of Pokemon, and 50 Shades of Grey, almost, which is a real mod I heard about for a Pokemon game, but neither here nor there. There's definitely some jokes at the expense of dating sims and how weirdly creepy they are, because they're weirdly kind of creepy.

There's been a trend in comedies. You see this in stuff like Final Space, too, where the comedic characters, suddenly comedians, mostly in television, this is pretty much happening only in television, started taking storytelling seriously as a thing and character development seriously. I'm not saying this is a beautifully multifaceted gem. It's a fun story and the characters are likable I think, and the animation is fantastic. I'll get into that later. There is clear attention and dedication paid to the story structure of this and getting it right and actually the world is clearly thought out. They seriously cared about all the aspects of what a real show in this genre would care about. They did all the things that a real show in this genre would care about, and they did all the goofy, crazy stuff that we all love.

I don't know where that's taking it, and this is really only happening in TV, whereas comedy in film, that's another article. It's compounded by that the animation is really freaking cool and great. If I told you this was done by the creators of Superjail, you'd probably not be shocked by that, but it flows really nice and all the powers, and it has an agility to it, which is good because this is a story about a super violent roller derby, and you need that agility to make it work. Of course, this team always seems to relish in creating bizarre and violent things, and certain violent things are pretty fun.

Talking about bizarre and violent things, let's get into the characters a little bit and the performances. There's Gaz Digzy that I talked a lot about, who is one of the great classic sports storylines, the fallen superstar. I didn't realize it until later that it was Natasha Lyonne who's voicing her, and that's utterly a perfect pick for her, and it totally clicked in my mind. I still have yet to see Orange is the New Black, but anything else I've seen her in, she's really great.

I like Jessica DiCicco as Ace Ambling. That practice of casting women as young boys I think has pretty much fallen to the wayside, but in getting the anime influences right, I felt like that was an interesting thing to pull. It even sounds like that. I like how they include voice actors in this to make it sound like an actual theme cast. As opposed to a lot of animation fans, I guess I don't have a huge problem, I don't really have a problem with celebrities in voice acting roles, but it's always nice to hear people who do that in more unusual projects. Again, not decrying any of the projects they're already in. I'm just saying it's interesting to hear.

 Dana Snyder, who I'm always a big fan of, plays the sweet, sensitive, caring individual. No, of course, Dana Snyder plays the jerk, but why would you cast Dana Snyder as anybody else but the jerk? He plays Baby Ball, and that's the whole thing with they're sentient balls and it's a lot to get into.

Like many a animez, there's a lot of backstory to this, and that's another thing. The backstory is pretty much sincere in a lot of ways. There's humorous jokes surrounding how they show it. There's one I particularly like where it says, "Before," and it's just normal, and then, "Later," where it's everybody's dead.

There's Flip Champion. All the names are great, where it's Erica Bauza, who I've just heard about, and he's pretty funny. I've liked all the things he's done so far. He's a pretty funny dude.

Jessica DiCiccio also plays another character in it, and she's playing that, and Dave Willis plays Leto Otel, who is a depressed, sad hippie little man. That's good. There's a few other characters, but that was just a few of the characters, and Christy Karacas himself plays Crayzar, and he has a weird and creepy voice that fits a weird and creepy dude. I always try and single out the voice actors who I think are doing pretty good.

I don't know what else to say about this. I like the show. It's good, good, good. I think I repeat myself on a lot of these. I know I'm not the greatest critic, but you know, whatever. It's fun and it justifies to myself watching stuff. Ballmastrz: 9009 on Adult Swim. Yes, give it a shot. It'll be a good TV show. You'll like it, or if you don't like it, well, you have other things you like, probably. That's very good for you. I hope you love many things you enjoy, because it's good to enjoy things. It's also good not to enjoy things. I enjoy these things. I gave you reasons why I enjoy these things. If you don't like it and you feel personally offended by it that I liked it, well, I'm sorry. I can't fix it for you, but I love you.

[inventedworld]

MISFIRE? Provocations from Steven Spielberg’s “Ready Player One”

Nobody says being a giant means you’re infallible.

For several years, a hot book from a freshly minted novelist circulated among the swank conference rooms and expensive lunch tables of the media world. After an intense bidding war, Ernest Cline’s “Ready Player One”  was finally on a trajectory to the silver screen, amplified by his own screenplay based on his source material. None other than the great populist himself, Steven Spielberg, would direct.

Cline is no newcomer to the world of storytelling. He has a number of screenwriting credits to his name, and he built a loyal following of geeks and freaks over the years who like the tales he tells. “Ready Player One” put him in a new galaxy, however, rocketing to the top of best seller lists around the country, only to arrive at an even shinier Warner Brothers payday. With Spielberg’s golden touch for fanciful flights of dreamy escape, the project looked like would be the new event movie.

The book and its matching screenplay concern a future struggling in the aftermath of a massive energy crisis. Somehow, despite the lack of reliable power, virtual reality has become a major cultural influence, and the place where we find our neer-do-well protagonist. The plot careens through chance encounters, heroic quests, and inevitable moments of personal discovery in an effort to change the fortunes of the hero.

That’s the book. Reviews were solid; fans loved it—cracker-jacks for those who liked to disappear into escapist narrative.

In movie-production land, however, rumors began to leak: something was not quite right. Pre-production got underway, then principal shooting. Did this make sense? Was this the story that people wanted to see on a big screen? All indications were that this was to be the next “it” movie, a blend of old time adventure and new-fangled futurism, a dystopic expanse that audiences were finally used to seeing (See also: Hunger Games, Divergent, Blade Runner, The Walking Dead, and twenty-ka-zillion other stories about things going badly for humanity). Considering that the story concerned massive multiplayer video games and virtual reality, there seemed to be huge potential for product tie-ins and nostalgic views of the past—which meant multiple target age groups. The trailer to the movie also trades in endless pop culture references, dangling them on screen like fishing lines. Naturally the story also included an adolescent romance designed to attract young males and females, essential if the movie was to be a breakout, mainstream hit.

When something looks like it’s got the formula down, one begins to wonder if there’s a soul inside that formula, or simply a series a cold algorithm built of logical instructions.

When an early teaser emerged onto the internet a few months ago, vague echoes of sad sounding trombones played in the minds of audiences far and wide. Yawn! The trailer looked like Spielberg, and felt like Spielberg, but Spielberg developed his Spielberg-y look and feel in the last quarter of the 20th Century. While there’s no doubt that he’s made terrific movies since then (Lincoln, Bridge of Spies) his older, adolescent groove is not the vibe that generally describes early 21st Century culture. Something seemed amiss, even as all the parts looked like they were in place.

Are we looking at a huge misfire from The Master? Can’t say for sure: the movie hasn’t been released yet. But contemplating the possibility provokes a few important considerations.

First, even great creators can make less-than-ideal choices. Not every single piece of music in Mozart’s massive oeuvre deserves equal opportunity for performance.

The larger, more vital consideration concerns the transformation of culture. Culture always changes, responding to circumstances and styles, events and experiences. These days we live in a more fragmented culture than ever before, with a million nuanced sub-cultures vying for attention and relevance. The internet and the various forms of content it delivers presents strangely singular refractions of the culture to every user. There is no longer big, monolithic culture. Things are more complicated these days.  Content delivery has become atomized, thus rendering precisely tailored media experiences and values in ways the modern world has never seen before. While big, mainstream media events still have currency, the range of possibilities have narrowed precisely because there are fewer big tents anymore. Everyone stays inside their own camp more and more, and it’s rare for people to sit next to people they haven’t already identified as members of the right clan.

This is all about tribalism versus trend-spotting. Where minorities, cultural niches, and special interests once had to shoehorn themselves into less specific media experiences, they could project their own identities (at least) into big, fantastical entertainments. There were thought experiments that could be bolted on to mainstream, middle-of-the-road stories. But now in an era where many subcultures are, finally, more free to be themselves (although let’s not pretend: there are still miles to go!) big tent entertainments of the past do not necessarily have the same magnetism for subcultures of the present. Implication of commonality in big corporate entertainments is no longer adequate when people have a much better chance of actually finding commonality simply by typing their tribal self-descriptions into a Google search box.

There’s still more. Ordinary technical competence is no longer enough to confer quality. Movies simply are expected to deliver extraordinary visuals and sound. The democratization of sophisticated tools have enabled mediocre artists to delivery surprisingly polished works, at least superficially. Where stories of fantastic worlds used to capture pop culture attention, they do not necessarily do so anymore. Spaceships and aliens are easy; good stories about them are not. Dystopias used to be all the rage, but hey! Who needs an artificial dystopia these days? Have you spent any time reading the news lately?

We live in a darker time, where white hats and black hats aren't as easy to pick out of fictional crowds as they once were. In Raiders of the Lost Ark, one of Spielberg’s great youthful entertainments, we knew who the bad guys were because they wore Nazi uniforms. A decade later we knew who the bad guys were in Amistad (well intentioned, but not nearly as good) because they were the ones buying and selling slaves at auction. Since then, audiences demand more. While slave traders or their apologists will never have even the smallest measure of acceptability, other stories demand more nuanced presentations.

In the real world today, the most accomplished, most daring American explorers fly to the International Space Station to share months on orbit with Russian colleagues. It’s ironic. The levels of technical, scientific, and interpersonal trust necessary for life and work on ISS are extraordinary and highly complex. Considering the profoundly distrustful animus between our countries—Russia: the country that purportedly tried to sabotage American elections—  it’s hard to know what side anyone’s on anywhere. Ethics have all become contextual. They always were, but before atomized modes of information consumption emerged (think Twitter, YouTube, Facebook), broader expressions had to contain more diverse groups. Now we want to see more nuance and texture in our media diets, and because we now can in ways we never could before, all of the media mechanisms we used to think would work….might not!

Ultimately, we we return to “Ready Player One”.  Do we believe in the story?   Are the promises of endless pop cultural references going to work like one long, self-referential tickle-in-the-ribs? Is it perceptive enough to make use care? Is it good, or is it just showy? Is it cool?  We’re going to find out in 2018. It might be a blast. It might be a dud. But one thing we do know for sure is that the maxim attributed to screenwriter William Goldman remains eternally true:  “Nobody knows anything.”

@michaelstarobin

facebook.com/1auglobalmedia

[thedeadshotnetwork]

The real Justice League is on The CW For decades, Hollywood studios stockpiled excuses for why they couldn't make live-action movies or TV shows based on Marvel and DC Comics' most popular characters. Even when millions of readers each month were following the adventures of the X-Men, the Teen Titans, and the Fantastic Four, those fans still heard that the comic book audience was too "niche," and that even the most cutting-edge special effects weren't advanced enough to make superhero action on-screen look as dynamic as it did on the page. Also, weren't all those colorful costumes ... well, silly? Anyone who's paid attention to the box office results over the past decade knows that Hollywood's hardly scared of superheroes any more. If anything, we're overstocked on caped crime-fighters and sneering super-villains. Between Marvel's Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy series, Fox's X-Men and Deadpool franchises, and DC/Warner Brothers' various iterations of Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman, scarcely a season passes without some kind of comics-derived property earning upwards of 10 figures worldwide. But the movies haven't exactly embraced superheroes, per se. DC/Warners' trouble-plagued new Justice League film is a case in point. The picture is sure to make a ton of money (if less than the studio had hoped ); and yet as with every other Superman or Batman project overseen by director Zack Snyder, there's something almost apologetic about it. It takes the integral elements of superheroes — the powers, the high-tech gear, the tragic origin stories — and amplifies them to the point that they become distracting. Judging by his Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice , Snyder is preoccupied with the mid-1980s period in DC history sometimes known as "the grim 'n' gritty era," when writers and artists tried to appeal to a more mature audience by making heroes like Batman more violent and brooding. All of Snyder's DC films — Justice League included — seem more concerned with the repercussions of actions than with the actions themselves. They answer the question, "What if superheroes walked among us?" with the decidedly dispiriting, "They'd probably suffer crippling PTSD." Snyder's not solely responsible for Justice League . Due to personal tragedy, he handed reshoots (and rewrites) off to Joss Whedon, the TV-trained writer-director-producer who's moved from the cult success of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly to the billion-dollar-grossing Marvel blockbusters The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron . Whedon's known for his wry sense of humor and his admiration for heroes who sacrifice happiness and relationships to do what they think is right. It's hard to know exactly which parts of Justice League bear Whedon's signature and which are pure Snyder. But in telling the story of how Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg, and the Flash come together to fight an alien invader (and, in the process, revive the not-as-dead-as-he-seems Superman), Justice League plays up the characters' more eccentric personality traits for comic effect, while throwing in a lot of chatter about how important it is for someone with special gifts to lead an inspiring life. But like so many superhero films in the years since the first X-Men became a surprise hit in 2000, Justice League struggles to justify the obvious expense that went into making it. While the first massively popular wave of superhero team comics in the 1960s mixed "a group of powerful friends band together to save the world" stories with smaller-scaled adventures, on the big screen everything skews huge — from the bulky costumes to the overwrought plots. Aside from refreshingly lower-key exceptions like Logan and Ant-Man (and to some extent Wonder Woman ), these pictures are brassy and beefy ... bordering on a parody of what movie producers think superhero fans enjoy. Looking for an alternative? This week, The CW is continuing what's become an annual tradition, telling a story that stretches across its four superhero shows: Supergirl , Arrow , The Flash , and DC's Legends of Tomorrow . Because each of these series features roughly a handful of costumed crusaders regularly patrolling the streets, skies, and timeline, any given episode of this "Crisis on Earth-X" crossover could have a dozen or more DC heroes working together. In a way, it's a more faithful Justice League adaptation than Justice League . What's remarkable about the development of the "Arrowverse" is that it had such an unassuming beginning. When Arrow launched on The CW in the fall of 2012, it was a fairly down-to-Earth action-adventure show, about a brooding young millionaire gradually taking on the mantle of his city's protector. Nothing was overly flamboyant: not the outfit Oliver Queen wore at night as "the Arrow," not his enemies, not the kinds of weapons he used to stop criminals, and not his sidekicks. For flashiness, turn to The Flash . Spun off from Arrow , The CW's second show quickly became an exercise in how much old-fashioned whiz-bang super-heroics TV audiences could take. Embracing the characters' kooky comic-book roots — and taking advantage of advances in budget-priced special effects — the show pitted the super-speedster against psychic gorillas and sneering crooks with freeze-rays. It surrounded him with a support team who developed powers of their own. Most importantly, The Flash was (and is) a hit. By the time The Flash finished its first season, Arrow had moved more in its sister show's direction, with supporting players suiting up and becoming more actively involved in the missions. Before long, "the Arrow" had become "Green Arrow" (just like in the comics), and was working both with and against more super-powered characters — including the Atom, who's currently shrinking and growing every week on the shamelessly fantastical time-travel series Legends of Tomorrow . As for Supergirl , from episode one it's been unafraid to throw crazy-looking aliens and deep-cut DC characters and concepts into its mix. The Arrowverse is hardly a seamless operation. All four of its shows have gone through stretches where the storytelling has become needlessly convoluted and dour, making the same mistake that the movies often do: mistaking "heaviness" for "sophistication." It's also been hard for fans to ignore the various behind-the-scenes problems these series have been dealing with, whether its cast members abruptly dropping out over creative differences, or — far more seriously — core writer-producer Andrew Kreisberg recently being suspended due to sexual harassment accusations. But after two consecutive seasons of putting its title character through hell, The Flash 's writers have made a clear effort to lighten up this season, returning to the light-hearted adventures — and offbeat characters, like DC fan-favorite Elongated Man — that made it so popular in the first place. Meanwhile, very stealthily over the past two years, Legends of Tomorrow has become The CW's most reliably entertaining and thrilling superhero series, with an "anything goes" approach that compares well to past science-fiction ensemble shows like Star Trek and Firefly . It's nowhere close to being a TV classic like those two, but it passes the time agreeably. Ultimately, that's what makes the Arrowverse a truer comic book adaptation than any of the recent DC movies. There's nothing wrong with the ambition of those pictures, per se. Christopher Nolan's Batman films are impressively expensive-looking and effectively grapple with grand themes. Even Synder's work has moments of genuine awe, where watching his good guys and bad guys clash is like seeing actual gods waging battle in the heavens. But the classic Marvel and DC runs of the '60s, '70s, '80s, and '90s balanced the epic and the endearingly preposterous. They had room for characters like the super-stretchy Elongated Man, Arrow 's genius athlete Mr. Terrific, Supergirl 's shape-shifting Martian Manhunter, and Legends of Tomorrow 's animal-powered Vixen. Writers and artists working on monthly deadlines would take chances, trusting in the inherent disposability of cheaply printed magazines to let them bury any mistakes in the pages to come. The biggest difference between Justice League and the Arrowverse is the the latter's working in newsprint, while the former's trying to carve its images into stone slabs. One's recreational; the other's a chore. November 28, 2017 at 02:10PM

[sweetsuccesssociety]

Have Your Best Summer Yet: 25 Ideas Under $20

Who else is so excited that summer is HERE?

We get to enjoy sunlit outdoors until 9pm, wear our bright colored dresses, lounge by the water, decorate our homes with flower bunches, and get more involved with community activities and events. Summer evening get-togethers become the new norm, we suddenly eat a lot healthier, and restaurants are chosen for their patio aesthetics. The kids are out of school and everyone’s itching to make the most of this favorite season!

As fantastic, refreshing and exhilarating as summer can be, we also understand it, well, gets expensive. Like, really quickly. If you’re on a budget like me, you may feel a little unmotivated to leave your air conditioned home out of fear of spending money. It’s a yucky feeling that sometimes gets in the way of all that summer fun, so it’s important we stomp out that fear. Let’s start some new habits of budgeting like a boss for all your favorite summer activities.

25 Ideas for a fun-filled summer:

1. Go to a summer concert in the park. Or at the downtown pedestrian mall, town square, amphitheater,  wherever the concert may be. Your local event websites are probably your best bet, and you can also simply search Facebook events or just Google. Especially keep an eye out for the weekly/monthly concerts for future summer outings!

2. Explore nearby towns. Local bloggers can be a great resource of where and what to do for these types of excursions, ask friends who live in the area, and Yelp it up to map out an awesome day trip. Save a little extra money by bringing a homemade meal or lots of snacks (but honestly, I recommend enjoying lunch at a hidden gem cafe with a beautiful patio).

3. Go to the local farmers’ market. ‘Tis the season! Treat yourself to a $5 bundle of fresh-cut flowers, gigantic zebra zucchini, a dozen tamales, handpicked fruit, or local honey. You can find really well-priced local goodies and it’s always great to support your community! Remember: Bring your own bag(s) and cash.

4. Go out for one drink and split dessert or a happy hour appetizer. Who says you have to go all out at a restaurant to enjoy the refreshing ambiance and full experience? Plan ahead to spend just $20 (including tip), and only get one drink and share an inexpensive dish on the menu. Have dinner at home and then go for a romantic evening out-on-the-town to grab dessert. Or go out for happy hour with your girl friend and agree to share an appetizer. Also be on the lookout for restaurant deals on Groupon and Living Social.

5. Shop at garage sales in your area. They pop up everywhere during the summer and there can be such great (cheap) finds! Check Craigslist’s “Garage Sale” form and your local publications’ “Classified” section for upcoming sales. Negotiate, but be polite about it. Create a wish list if you want to give yourself a little more direction when garage sale shopping.

6. Or better yet, have a garage sale yourself to make extra money! It takes a lot of work, but you’ll feel so refreshed afterward with a cleaner home and a few more dollars. I’m in the process of prepping one, so stay tuned for a how-to guide (after all, I learn from the best–my mother). There’s a lot of excellent garage sale guides and this one from Helene in Between is definitely a favorite!

7. Go to a block party. These are particularly popular during holiday weekends and breweries are especially known for throwing these kind of events. Look ’em up on event websites or check local organizations on social media.

8. Enjoy a BBQ with friends and family. Remember it’s totally okay to keep it simple and ask them to bring a contribution, so you don’t feel responsible for all the food and drink. If you have a community grill like at your apartment complex, take advantage of it! If you don’t have a grill, team up with a buddy who does or screw it and use the kitchen. Check grocery listings on Flipp to find good deals, especially on meat.

9. Go on a hike. Yes, it’s the go-to answer for summer activities, but only because hikes are awesome. Even if you have to drive more than an hour or settle for an urban hike (depending on where you live), do your best to go on at least a few this summer! All Trails is a resourceful app to discover local trails and national or state parks (and it’s always useful to read reviews and see photos).

10. Play frisbee golf, ultimate frisbee, soccer, volleyball, flag football, basketball… you get the idea. Get a group together or join one that regularly meets to play (aka a rec league).

11. Seek out the best photography spots in the area and go on a photoshoot adventure with someone you be a goof around. (Shoutout to our amazing Instagram Husbands!) Look up recommendations from local bloggers or Instagram hashtags/locations. Even just go to a cool spot and walk around to see what you can find.

12. Rent a movie, make a dollar store trip for popcorn and candy, and curl up on the couch. This is especially nice for those super hot days you just want to spend inside. But seriously, the dollar store is where it’s at for cheap snacks and treats.

13. Lay out a towel at a park, pool or even your backyard and soak up the sun while reading that book you’ve been meaning to pick up. Or plug your earphones in and listen to audiobooks (if you haven’t already, sign up for Audible and get your first month free!) Oh, and be sure to put on sunscreen out there in the heat.

14. Fill a truck bed or lay on a blanket to go stargazing. I know–super cheesy, right? But last summer, my S.O and I went on a random excursion with new friends and watched a meter shower 50 miles outside the city, in an open meadow. There’s nothing cheesy about being in that moment.

15. Find live music at free events, restaurants, etc. There’s so many live music options wherever you live and there’s always ones with free entry. Whenever you go out, keep your eyes open for flyers or announcements about upcoming music, and there’s always Yelp, social media, and the spots’ websites. So pull up a chair or put on your dancing shoes, and go have some fun!

16. Go wine or beer tasting at a nearby winery or brewery, limiting yourself to one flight to keep the bill low. Instead of drinking, engage in conversation with the bartender–chances are, they’re pretty knowledgeable and passionate about what they do. If you’re nice enough, you may even get an extra free taster or two.

17. Get creative with sidewalk chalk. Even if you don’t personally have a driveway, there surely must be a nearby sidewalk that could use some color. Check out this post for design ideas: “22 Totally Awesome Sidewalk Chalk Ideas.”

18. Do yoga. To stay on a budget, you can take free online yoga classes (Yoga with Adriane is my absolute favorite!), find a good deal on Groupon or figure out when studios offer discounted, free, or trial deals. I’ve created various yoga routine playlists (like morning, bedtime, workout, stress/anxiety), so it’s always easily accessible!

19. Find a new favorite coffee shop or give the one you already love some extra attention. Does it have a nice patio space, free coffee refills, beautiful foam art? Whatever suits you best, discover a coffee shop to truly love and appreciate. And yes, this will probably be a trial-and-error process. Don’t forget to share your findings with your audience!

20. Plant a garden. No matter where you live, it’s possible to have a garden! No dirt ground? Potted plants are a perfect solution (my hanging tomatoes #cantstopwontstop). If you’re unsure of your gardening skills, don’t start with seeds and instead get the plants that you can easily transfer into the ground/pots. I’m personally a big fan of Home Depot’s gardening section.

21. Take a bike ride off the beaten path. Dust off your bike and start using it! Whether it’s riding through a beautiful, quaint, urban neighborhood or through a nearby meadow or to the water’s edge of a lake/river. Don’t have a bike? Seriously consider investing in one and buy from a sales listing website, or see if you can get any good rental deals with a simple Google search.

22. Do a DIY project. Dive down the Pinterest rabbit hole (just remember to actually come back out and do the project). There’s countless options under $20!

23. Find the cheap-but-amazing brunch spot out there. I promise it exists. Cheap mimosas, nice patio, and decent-priced/big portion meals. If the meal is a bit of a price stretch, settle for a delicious side. Yelp is gonna be your best friend here.

24. Go to a local festival with cheap/free entry. Maybe it’s an international/culture festival or the annual chili festival. Whatever kind of festival it is, there’s an opportunity to explore! Remember: Keep an open mind to new experiences

25. Attend a free movie showing. Parks, community centers, even colleges sometimes host a free movie showing. It might even be a monthly community event. If you ask me, the outdoor movies-in-the-park evenings are a summer staple, complete with blankets, wine in plastic cups, and snacks.

Tips for a budget-friendly summer:

Get in the habit of frequently checking at least one website dedicated to events in your city. Check your local publication’ “Events” pages, download a useful app and even pay attention to some of those targeted digital ads. Follow their social media platforms because you know that’ll be one of the first places upcoming events are promoted! (Bonus: Look for hashtags to use that can lead to local exposure.)

Always keep an eye out for deals on Groupon, Living Social, etc. You may find tickets, activities or restaurant discounts that are much more within your budget! (Remember to read the fine print in case of restrictions.)

Can we all agree alcohol is what really racks up costs?

Stay on the alert for great grocery sales, specifically meat and booze, that could inspire you to host a get-together or have a romantic dinner with your S.O.

Utilize your network. You may have more resources than you think! Maybe your friend works somewhere that has free or discounted offers for friends, or they’re halfway through planning out an idea so you can combine forces. Share and talk out ideas with friends that can turn into a memorable experience.

Keep a calendar in a visible spot at home. We already have too many dates and events to remember, so why add even more to our plate? Every time you’re interested in an upcoming event, add it to the calendar that’s positioned in the kitchen or in your bedroom (or wherever else is visible).

Like these summer ideas? Pin it for reference all summer!

Are you looking for more summer ideas for the whole family or a date night? Find even more on our Summer Fun Ideas Pinboard!

Did you know? Sweet Success Society now has a Bloglovin’ account! Follow along here to always stay up-to-date with new posts.

The post Have Your Best Summer Yet: 25 Ideas Under $20 appeared first on Sweet Success Society.

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