#i have a lot of content about Zach in general

[shefanispeculator]

Documentary announced about Keith Whitley...LOS ANGELES, Calif. and NASHVILLE, Tenn.– Lucky Horseshoe Entertainment and Anomaly Content & Entertainment (ACE) are excited to announce the production of a groundbreaking documentary film centered on the life and influence of country music icon Keith Whitley which will start filming in January 2025. Produced by Blake Shelton and Lee Metzger of Lucky Horseshoe Productions, along with ACE Partner Evan Hayes (Free Solo) and ACE Partner and CEO Justin Barocas serving as Executive Producer. The film aims to unveil the personal and professional journey of one of country music's most influential and celebrated figures.

Zach Heinzerling, an Academy Award-nominated director renowned for his work on acclaimed projects like “Cutie and the Boxer” and “McCartney 3,2,1,” is set to direct the film.

“Thanks to Blake, we finally have the chance to uncover the truth behind the legend that is Keith Whitley: a layered and heartbreaking story of talent, hardship, and love that is long overdue,” Heinzerling states.

Keith Whitley, who passed away at the age of 34, left behind a legacy that continues to inspire countless artists like Blake Shelton, Morgan Wallen, Tim McGraw, Alan Jackson, Kenny Chesney, Ronnie Dunn, Alison Krauss, Lainey Wilson and Reba McEntire, who was a backup vocalist on Whitley’s debut album. Whitley was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2023. This film will delve into Whitley's life, his struggles with addiction, his profound love for fellow country singer Lorrie Morgan and the impact of his music on the industry.

The documentary will feature extensive archival footage from the Country Music Hall of Fame and personal collections from Lorrie Morgan, providing a rich tapestry of Whitley's life and career. It will also explore the small town of Sandy Hook, Kentucky, where Keith grew up, and include reflections from Lorrie as she navigates her own career while honoring his memory.

Blake Shelton, producer and lifelong admirer of Whitley's work, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “Keith Whitley released only three albums during his life, but his music has influenced generations of country music artists and fans.

“Gwen and I love to watch music documentaries, and I looked for his doc one night and couldn’t believe that there wasn’t one,” Shelton adds. “I’m proud and honored we get to bring his incredible story to film.”

“It’s an honor to bring Keith’s story to a wide audience,” added Lee Metzger. “He’s the kind of singer everyone knows the songs when they hear them but doesn’t know the story of the singer who performed them.”

Award winning producer Evan Hayes (Free Solo, The Way I See It) said, “What drew me to this project was the idea of tapping into a pop culture story that lies slightly beneath the surface. Here is this guy who is so important in the country music world - he inspired the modern Star Is Born, Morgan Wallen wrote a song about him and his music - and a lot of people don’t know his name. To be able to explore this character and this love story that had permeated pop culture country music in such an impactful way and to introduce it to mainstream audiences is exciting.”

As this project progresses, fans and newcomers alike can look forward to discovering the man behind the music, his legacy and the love story that shaped his life.

[charrfie]

have u seen that there’s gonna be more OFF content?? in 2025??

YES?!?!?! If I recall correctly I mainly spent my time freaking the hell out about it over on my sideblog or in my friend discord server, but regardless I WAS FREAKING THE HELL OUT!!!! STILL AM!!!!!!! There's soooo many things I'm looking forward to or am just generally curious about

Since I'm planning to buy the steam release when it comes out and not the switch release, that unfortunately means I won't be purchasing the bad human edition, which I'm a little bummed about considering that seems to (currently) be the only place you can purchase the new prologue comic?? You CANNOT take cat brothers away from me. They are the most important to me in this whole game and I NEED to get my paws on it

(Sorry for the bad quality, this was pulled from the store page and was very tiny!)

I've heard that the steam release will not be using the original OST because they couldn't get the rights? Which, admittedly, I'm also a little sad about considering how excellent of a soundtrack it is. I mean. Pepper steak. Come on. It's something I would move past if it weren't for knowing that a lot of new people are going to be discovering it for the first time, and without the magic of the original OST!! But regardless, I'm optimistic about the new artists putting together this steam release OST. I'm hopeful it will be just as great!

AND THE NEW ART! THE NEW ART!! ZACH'S NEW SHOP!!!! It looks so much more refined now.. I can't tell you how excited I am to discover everything in store!! Seeing all the differences and whatnot, even when it comes to the translation (which is pretty cool they're choosing to simply just polish the original fan translation if you ask me, considering how much of an impact that's left). I am so excited

Essentially:

[miketownsends]

how do i become a fan of the mariners

^ still coping with blaseball end. went to a couple games as a kid but all i remember is a player named raul

man baseball has helped me SO much with losing blaseball so i get that. start with the Dorktown Mariners doc, if you haven’t already! it’s on YouTube. it’s a history of the Mariners (and Seattle baseball in general) up to about 2019, so that’ll give you a good overview of the team (and how wild it is that the team even exists in the first place)

if you want to get to know the current team, there’s an excellent Mariners blog called Lookout Landing, and every season before Spring Training starts they do a series called 40 in 40 where they write 40 articles, one for each of the players on the Mariners 40-man roster. a handful of the players detailed here aren’t on the current 40-man (Ty Adcock and Taylor Trammell wound up on waivers and were picked up by other teams, Prelander Berroa, Blake Hunt, and Zach DeLoach were traded, and Matt Brash and Jackson Kowar both needed surgery and won’t be back until next season) but it’ll give you a fairly good overview of who’s here, particularly our main guys on the 26-man roster (so the guys who are active with the big league club)

Lookout Landing is just really great reading, in general - every article is truly well-written, from deep-dives into players and stats to write-ups on literally every single game the Mariners play. god, i gotta see if i can dig up my favorite article, gimme a sec…. ah! found it. it’s from a random July game, in a season where the Mariners would wind up finally, FINALLY making the playoffs for the first time in 21 years (thanks in large part to Cal Raleigh, who is featured prominently in the article, though of course we couldn’t know that at the time), and the end of it just… gets me every time.

speaking of Cal Raleigh, i would be remiss in not mentioning the Truth Meeting article - this all happened when Cal (and Logan Gilbert, one of the Mariners starting pitchers) were in the minors together, but it’s really good insight into the type of guy Cal is and the relationship he has with Logan (and other pitchers in general - he’s become such a leader with both the pitching staff AND the team as a whole and it’s been very cool to watch)

after that, if you wanna watch games, 🏴‍☠️ is gonna be your cheapest (aka free) options. i unfortunately don’t have a ton of insight into that front but i do know that options are out there. otherwise, if you’re in-market the Mariners are on Root Sports (which is carried by Comcast and Fubo, among others) and if you’re out-of-market you can watch them on MLB TV. both options have subscription fees, which can unfortunately be kinda pricey. if you’re a T-Mobile customer you can get a free MLB TV subscription, but it’s only available at the start of the season, so unfortunately it’s passed for this year. there’s also radio, which is free but i’m not 100% sure if you need to be local? (i’m assuming you’re probably local if you’re looking to get into the Ms + you mentioned Raul who i’m assuming is probably Raul Ibanez, but there’s lots of out-of-town Ms fans too so!) there’s an online option and also an app as well!

some other random Ms content:

Felix Hernandez’s perfect game is on YouTube

Tayler Saucedo (one of our relief pitchers) streams on Twitch - he’s more active during the offseason, obviously, but recently he’s been on the IL (has a minor knee injury and should be back pretty soon) and has been occasionally streaming DURING the games which has been pretty funny (he went viral on Mariners Twitter the other day for his reaction when we had a very exciting comeback win against the Yankees). he’s also a local guy who grew up an Ms fan so it’s been very cool to have him around!

Jen Mueller, one of the Mariners on-field reporters, has a YouTube series called “I Cook, You Measure” where she cooks and chats with various Seattle athletes, including some of the Mariners. so far she’s done episodes with Cal Raleigh, Logan Gilbert, Tayler Saucedo, Bryce Miller, Luis Castillo, and Bryan Woo, as well as former Mariners Mike Cameron and Tom Murphy (Tom was on the team when the episode was filmed but went to the Giants this season). there’s also the Bonus Bites which are just outtakes from the eps that are also really worth watching, there’s some fun stories in there!

okay uhhhh this is way longer than i anticipated it being so i’ll stop here but if you have any other questions lemme know! also if you ARE local and have any questions about coming to a game, the stadium, etc let me know as well, i basically live at T-Mobile Park during baseball season so i’ve got plenty of tips 😅

[storkmuffin]

Is there a show or piece of media that you would be most excited to see the boys do? For example interview, variety show or even like a podcast? I'm not a huge Zach Sang fan (which ateez has been on before) but I do like those deeper dive/long form type of interviews.

Hrmm this is going to end up being more about me and less about Ateez or Korean mass media so I apologize in advance. I don't watch TV or podcasts where people just talk at each other, so I can't answer this one. (It's not from principle or anything like that. I suspect it's a brain issue. It's just kind of painful.)

I don't like for there to be a mediating host, actually, between the person I'm actually interested in and me. I like the youtube recordings of Toqtok Lives of the Ateez boys, for example, because I can see and hear the reactions of the person I'm interested in but I don't even have to see exactly what the Atiny said unless the member reads it out.

From watching the chatter done by the K-Stays for Stray Kids, getting on the show done by 강호동 on JTBC was considered a big deal for them, but the thing is, that format is already fully co-opted and used by the production teams for boy Idols. Both Stray Kids and Ateez have already self-produced all the variety show formats that are recognizable: the 'interview' format, the dress-up-in-school-uniforms-from-the-1960s format, the 'intentionally awkward role play' format, the do-stunts-in-a-pool format, etc. This was an innovation done by BTS actually, to self produce all these, because they faced a lot of difficulties getting on actual TV at the time. The huge internet-fueled success (rather than tv-public-broadcast supported) of BTS proved that for a significant percentage of the audience, the content format was what was fun, not the (frankly, sorry to be so blunt, but honestly) hideously ugly comedians cast because their ugliness was comforting to the average Korean man hosting these things.

I am actually very much looking forward to finding the time to watch this playlist of the complete set of interviews done for the documentary (Japanese language, but I assume there will be auto generated English translations and most of it will be in Korean?) about Ateez released recently.

[scatterbrainedbot]

please note that i am very slow with responses, and even slower with posting — apologies in advance

tags i use:

#my art

#ask reply

#fandom friends

Rat Sons AU:

my own tmnt au/iteration, in which Master Splinter is a wise and silly old tortoise, with four skittering, chaotic, ninja rat children. based on a background moment of the 03 series. 🐢🐀🐀🐀🐀

#Rat Sons - general tag for all rat sons content

#Rat Sons Fanart - the amazing art other folks have made of my boys

Lore/World Building -

The Last Human Hamatos, Splinter Lore (pending),

Character Intro Sheets -

Hamato Sho, Hamato Tang Shen, Hamato Miko (coming soon!), Splinter (pending), Leonardo (pending), Raphael (pending), Donatello (pending), Michelangelo (pending)

[apologies in advance, this is gonna be so chaotic. idk what im doing, all i know is that these rat babies have eaten up my entire brain. look at them go.]

[chadwarwickd]

if any of my fellow bm fans / wolfnichols shippers are interested in the ahs episode clips of teddy and zach (i have seen a few people around), i have now uploaded them to my google drive. there is an included doc with notes about each clip regarding content. i also listed how to watch the flashbacks in sequence order rather than air order if you prefer ( its only a minor rearrange ) i won’t post the link but! dm me and i will give it to you <3

if you just want a general idea of what their dynamic is prior to requesting, click here! may help you decide if you want to watch these or not. giant psa tho that josh nichols would fight patrick in a dennys parking lot.

[xplrvibes]

Here's the rundown someone posted of SEG's interview with Kristin on Reddit.

Kristin seems most angry at Seth and says most of his tweet was a lie (it's becoming a game of she says, he says) that he's a horrible kid and has to have something wrong with him or he was possessed. She was displeased to hear they'd made Seth a producer following the event (though I don't think they ever did? So this part confuses me). Seth is also apparently blacklisted from all haunted locations in the state (this does not extend to SnC who are still welcome at most locations) She is/was very disappointed SnC continue to give Seth a platform and continue to film content with him though.

She seems annoyed by Colby, but she does not seem to hold him accountable for the incident with Seth, apparently that was Seth alone and she does not think SnC really are to blame for that comment. However she was very angry about the bear and kept referring to him as a child who broke her stuff. (Editing to add- He did not pay for the bear, but the producer at the time offered to and she said she refused payment, he did however apologise and she accepted the apology, it's up in the air if he apologised because he was caught or not though)

She seems annoyed by their producer Zach, who was the one who informed her the video was coming. This is the part where she reveals she was not the one who was the source and was actually very upset that it leaked originally and is now mistrusting of the other members of the Bellaire staff. However she is now glad the video is out, especially the part with Seth as she feels it needs addressing and was like 'it's a long time coming'. (She seems generally glad overall that the video is out now and genuinely likes SEG and his content, says she finds his sass funny, though she did admit to not being subscribed yet as she's still on the fence as to whether she wants to follow him or not)

But back to Zach, apparently he was very rude to her over the phone and accused her of being a sell out and used lots of bad language and she had to defend herself over the phone and ended up hanging up on him. At some point he also offered to organise a statement for her but never contacted her again and generally came across as a bit of an asshole.

She says there is missing footage and they did more things, but she would not say what it was and the fact the footage has apparently gone 'missing' is suspicious to me personally but this is not about my opinion. just trying to do a fair summary post, LOL. She says the staff working that day were furious with them, refused to accept their apology, refused to shake their hand but said they would not tattle on them to other haunted locations as they wanted to give them a chance to prove they could be better. The fact they're not black listed like Seth is suggested they listened at least.

Kristin admits to getting the police involved cos she wanted to scare them, she also admits she did several things that day she was not proud of herself because she wanted to get back at them. She called herself rightfully petty and said the whole event was a bit of a mess really from all parties involved.

Despite all this she gushes about Sam and states he's the innocent party in all this. That he was lovely the entire time and seems to be the man even in the alleged missing content who just chose not to get involved. She seemed upset that his name was being dragged through the dirt just because he's one half of Sam and Colby. She also said he was the one most afraid of the police when they came into the room despite the fact he was the innocent party in all of this. She said the worst thing he did was get sassy when she sat them down at the table to talk to them before the police arrived.

(Also editing to add Seth definitely comes off the worst in the whole thing and gets a lot more focus than either Sam or Colby, though Colby also gets a lot of side eyeing because he behaved like a child and Sam is apparently the innocent one in all of this, she seemed most upset by all of Seth's stuff tbh).

Will add to the redditors summary that she says youtube investigators are very different from actually paranormal investigators as it's a lot more theatrical and not so much about the research than it is about getting footage of exciting things to entertain an audience. She said there's nothing wrong with that, but it is worth being aware of in regards to their content and attitude when they go to haunted locations.

Hope this helps?

This does help, thanks anon!

Personally speaking, I find this whole thing ridiculous and laughable, which is why I really haven't been talking about it much (cause I don't find it interesting or newsworthy) - but after reading this, I really am starting to have a whole lot more questions about this whole thing than I did in the beginning.

First of all, I don't really care about Seth one way or the other, so whatever happens there, happens - but there are a few problems with her statement about him. He is not, was not and will never be a producer of snc's content. They have a producer (as she knows, cause she apparently spent time shitting all over him lol). Idk where she got that info but that is just categorically not true.

Also, he is not banned from every place in Ohio, since he's filmed in Ohio since. And if she's trying to claim that he's banned from every place in the town Bellaire is in, well, she must have made that edict after she took him, Sam and that unpleasant man-child Colby to the Ross House and filmed a smiling, giggling video with them for xplrclub. :)

Alluding to him being possessed just makes me laugh. Way to keep the mystique going about the paranormal - surprised Mr. Debunker let that one go by without comment lol.

She has a right to be angry with Seth and to not want to work with him or be around him, absolutely. But this all coming out two years later and both her and Seth claiming that things happened behind the scenes that weren't made public, but neither extrapolating on that, just makes me instantly lose interest in what either side has to say. I call it a draw. Deal with it personally, and don't make me hear about it anymore lol.

As for Colby? Just lol. I really don't care about this bear thing. I saw the footage of him kicking the thing...I also saw the footage of the thing working later that night, so my thought is that he was being an idiot, didn't realize he broke it as badly as he did, and was probably surprised when he found out that she was bringing the cops into the situation over a fucking magical ghost talking bear.

I find him being labeled as "annoying" kind of lowkey hilarious, considering this is Colby the people pleasing panicky pete we are talking about - but I will say that I looked back at my old review of the Bellaire House video and I even mentioned in there that there was a point where he seemed like he didn't believe in some of the weird shit she was doing, so maybe his skepticism translated well enough that she felt it and didn't appreciate it, who knows. I can see where some of his hyperactive energy can be annoying or seem disrespectful to people, but again, I don't think that's really newsworthy in the brand scheme of things. Its just a matter of perspective, I guess.

Regardless, who cares? Nobody is perfect, everyone has days where they aren't at their best and people they don't vibe with. I still don't see how something like this is all that important, considering there are tons of other places that have gushed about snc and their time spent there.

I have said from the very beginning that this whole thing would wind up at Colby's feet and he'd have to be the one to make a notes app, cause that's how it always happens lol. So, we'll see if he caves and says something or just lets it ride.

As for Zach...the way I hear it, snc gave text messages and email conversations between Zach and Kristen to this SEG guy that show that they offered to and did wind up paying for the bear, so someone is lying here, straight up.

If he went off on her, then that is not cool or professional of him to do and snc can deal with that, as he is their employee. But guess what? I don't care about Zach at all, either, so I am wholly uninterested in how that pans out lol.

I don't know, this whole thing is just so...clouty, to me. The way I hear it, this woman didn't have anything to do with this footage being leaked to SEG and was upset by it leaking, and yet she tried to leak it herself to TMZ. Hmmm. Also, she claims to have had all these problems with them, yet took them to the Ross House later and was all kinds of smiles while they filmed there.

Also, getting the police involved as a scare tactic over something like this is such a small town move lmao, my local cops would just laugh and hang up on me if I ever called them for anything less than aggravated assault. Good lord.

Overall, this whole thing seems like it's being blown out of proportion for clout and drama and while that's fun and all, I don't see this being anything that goes much farther than it already did cause the nature of the drama is just...kind of silly, lol.

Anyway, thanks for the recap!

[ghost-of-you]

What do you think about adult mashton? I want more of them together but they’re not giving it :(

Okay, hang on, not giving it is kinda a stretch, i will say I do miss the baby mashton selfies era, but I legit they're not allowed to sit together or else they go *judging intensifies*

And because usually they are the ones doing most of the talking, sitting them together would keep the focus on them too much or just distract the two, because they turn into a giggly mess when they are sitting together so it's better for productivity to not let them sit next to each other okosaksokas just take the latest Zach Sang interview, the focus stays with them a lot, because they are doing most of the talking, they randomly cut to Calum just because a lot of the conversation stays going back and forth Ashton and Michael, the podcast also had a lot of that back and forth with the two of them.

And we haven't gotten a lot of content on the 4 of them off-stage in a while, or like, candid moments like that one video of them playing heads up where Michael is laughing like Ashton is the funniest person to ever walk the earth, the tour didn't come with a lot of interviews, so it's hard to get something. And there's also the way that when it's the two of them there's no middle ground, they will either get DEEP or just go full chaos, which might not be something they like to do while promoting stuff. I mean, there's like, a never have I ever video where Ashton distracts Michael so much, Michael ends up hiding behind his plaque thingie to stop laughing, Ashton is out there making Michael body slam a table with how hard he's laughing in a random radio.

Honestly, my thing with them more recently is the way they talk about each other, yk? Sure, they don't they don't have that cashton soulmate shit or malum's I've known you my whole life thing, but they have such deep respect and admiration for each other. I'm always thinking about that interview last year where Ash is sitting on the arm of the couch because Michael's with that orthopedic booth and Ash is all "I saved a seat for you" and moves the pillow so Michael can sit and just stays behind him. Or the way in that interview from the day before the ono where Ash is all like "these guys allowed me to join the band" and Michael is all "WE WERE NOT A BAND UNTIL YOU JOINED JUST TO BE CLEAR". And just the general way Ashton talks about Michael as a producer and how great it was to work with him, how he takes EVERY chance he gets to say "oh did you know Michael is a producer? He produced our album isn't he great" and the way Michael just kinda, still looks at Ashton first. With them it's the little things.

[seriousfic]

For reasons unknown even to me, I “watched” that modern Power Rangers reboot. Since the first thing to happen after the teaser is a bull getting jerked off, I decided to fast-forward until some, y’know, Power Rangers showed up.

-Not many notes about the teaser, which is just Zordon and Rita snarling at each other, except that this takes itself way too seriously for a scene involving a character named Rita Repulsa. They’re speaking in an alien language with subtitles, I mean, c’mon.

-Oh, and the Power Rangers suits are nanotech, like in the MCU, but when you turn them off, they disappear and you’re left naked. A tactfully shot, but fully nude, Walter White is perhaps not the epic and solemn moodsetter the director intended for it to be.

-After that--I swear to God this is true--the Power Rangers don’t become Power Rangers for a full NINETY MINUTES. That is the length of Mighty Morphing Power Rangers: The Movie, which features many, multiple scenes of Power Rangers and Zords. This is a two hour movie and you have to wait until the last thirty minutes to get actual Power Rangers. And it’s not a full half hour, it’s twenty minutes, because there’s a bit of epilogue and credits.

-So, basically, you know how it’s kind of lame that Spider-Man 2 and Superman 2 have these long lengths of the movie where the title characters stops being the title character and you get so much of them being a Muggle? This is the first movie and they’re putting you through that!

When they finally become Rangers and start piloting their Zords, they’re all going “ooh, I don’t know how this works! What does this button do?” Like, dude, this is first act stuff! Imagine if they made a Spider-Man movie where Peter Parker didn’t put on the costume until the last thirty minutes and he was having his final showdown with Green Goblin while trying to figure out web-slinging and shit! Insane!

-Aside from Billy, these characters are really bland. I’m sure there’s a long line of people to tell me how Zach being into hip-hop hasn’t aged well, but without shit like that, these Rangers are so generic and indistinguishable. And even Billy is a motormouthed babbling ‘nerd’, not the affectless scientist the old Billy was. Which is weird, because I heard this one is supposed to be canon autistic. I guess that translates to ‘adorkable’ for Hollywood. In high school terms, he’s way more of a spaz than a brain, which is a crucial distinction.

-Because all the Power Rangers content is crammed into the third act, they really speed-run through all the stuff you’d want to see. The Rangers spend all of five minutes fighting Putties, then they’re in their Zords for the rest of the action. This movie should’ve been called Zords!

-And their first fight is in this zero-G space where they’re totally CGI. I try not to be too much of a practical effects purist--I get the American Godzilla movies making Goji CGI because he’s a five hundred foot tall dinosaur. We should at least give CGI a chance there.

When it’s supposed to be people in suits battling man-sized monsters, but it’s just a bunch of CGI being rendered... yeah, I’m sure on some scale it’s higher production value than the show, but it’s just lacking in any charm.

Yeah, great, the new Ranger suits don’t have wrinkles, but it’s just so soulless. Lots of Disney live-action remake energy.

-Oh, and the fight ends with Billy coming in and blasting all the Putties with his Zord, so... what’s the point of being Power Rangers?

-As for the Zord fighting, it’s pretty dismal. This is no Pacific Rim. Mostly, the Zords just act as tanks, firing away at the Putties and Goldar (who... yeah, you know that shit. I’m not gonna get into it). And with these craptacular designs, I can barely tell Billy’s Triceratops and Zack’s Woolly Mammoth apart.

-In fact, the characters are lacking their Zord motifs altogether. In the original, they’re not just different colors. They’ve got little sabretooth tiger and T-rex design elements in their costumes.

I don’t know, maybe something like that is going on with these new costumes, but it gets totally lost in all the noise and business of these cluttered designs. I hate it.

Also, don’t those chestpieces look like unaesthetic hollow spaces to you? They were probably going for Iron Man, but why rip-off Iron Man instead of centering the power coins? Try to find them--they’re just about lost in a blur of glowy bullshit!

So we spend like ten minutes on the Zords fighting, then they turn into the Megazord off-screen with Billy naming it a Megazord in one of those lampshade-hanging ways instead of Megazord just being its name. He initially calls it a Mother Zord.

The Megazord fights Goldar (whose ‘liquid gold’ texture looks like absolute shit, barely rendered at all) for maybe a minute, since this is the big Super Saiyan power-up and not really a phase of the fight. No sword-fighting with the Power Sword or anything. So, again, Power Rangers movie where most of the action is the individual Zords running around Angel Grove.

Also, the Rangers aren’t all in one big cockpit together, they’re in these little capsules scattered all over the Megazord’s body, which seems more risky and a waste of a perfectly good chance to allow the actors to act off each other instead of all being off in their own Skype call. But whatever.

Rita is dealt with by being bitch-slapped into the vacuum of space, where she’s frozen solid, which is another example of this movie not being sure how camp it should be, and also... after she tanked the extinction of the dinosaurs in the opening scene, shouldn’t someone pick her up and put her in jail? It seems like asking for trouble to just leave her floating out there where she can land on another planet or be picked up by a spaceship and cause more problems.

Lastly, for being a giant T-1000 made of gold, Goldar is surprisingly vulnerable to being stabbed with swords. I’m not sure how that works. He’s a golem made of animated liquid gold. How would being stabbed affect him at all? If it were some super beam attack and he was basically atomized, okay, but don’t use the design principle of a Gelatinous Cube and then tell me it’s vulnerable to being shived.

Also, no kaiju blowing up while the Megazord strikes a pose. Fail.

[littleladymab]

FebruarOC - Elżbieta

MY DARLING GIRL WILL SOON RETURN FOR SEASON 2!!!!! Once again keep your eyes on @sagasofthesunlessreach for those details but please enjoy the rebroadcast of S1 for her introduction 8') 

Um so yeah I love her a lot! And at the top, a huge shout-outs to Zach for inviting me to play in the campaign even though I was (and still am) the pathfinder baby of the group, and being patient as I fumbled through learning how to play on stream. Not nerve-wracking at all. 

Elżbieta is an Investigator that I gave the "Bounty Hunter" background to in order to flavor it as she was sort of like a Witcher, someone who hunted supernatural creatures because no one else would (or could). You know what they say about a vampire, right? Its greatest enemy is a dhampir! Aka a half-vampire. 

(Not-spoiler alert, Elżbieta is a dhampir). (Worst kept secret, but it's one of those things where all the players were in on it so it was hard to make it feel like a secret, you know?) 

Her father is a bum-ass vampire who has gone and fucked off (her words)! She doesn't know where he is! Her mom sure as hell isn't telling her! So she's using her monster-hunting background and investigative know-how to hunt him down. Does she find any clues about him? Well, I'm going to have to suggest you listen to find out ;) 

For her physical appearance, I had just finished watching Netflix's Shadow & Bone and Daisy Head as Genya was just BIGGEST INSPO. In a lot of Slavic folk-culture (and beyond, tbh, but I was pulling from a lot of Slav culture), red-hair is indicative of demonic lineage and they were considered witches or devils etc. And she's got flame-red hair, which she would try to keep as inconspicuous as possible, hiding it beneath a broad-brimmed hat. Pair that with a paler than usual (for a land with no natural sunlight) skin, and, well, she has perfectly normal teeth and blood why do you keep staring at her like that? 

Mechanically, the first time I built her in 2021 it was before both the guns and gears and the book of the dead contents were released for Pathfinder, so I relied some on 'ghost hunter' dedication and haunt lore, which didn't quite fit the setting (it was useful Once), and had her start to take feats from rogue dedication at the end. But since it's an in-universe year between the two campaigns and I have these two new books to play with, I'm able to instead give her the "undead slayer" dedication which is MUCH more her speed for flavor and give her gunslinger dedication at later level! Which is specifically that she bothers Sorren to teach her how to use guns better because she picked up a musket in session 1 of the campaign and tbh didn't go back (Elżbieta voice "is this how you flirt????"). I think I used the nightstick once? I super wanted her to have a firearm but didn't know it could be a thing (and it was a roughshod thing at that) but now! Officially able to use gunslinger abilities. 

She came into this campaign as a "lone wolf" of sorts because well, she's a dhampir and doesn't trust like that. She wanted to find her dad and kick his ass. But now things have shifted slightly and she's looking to take down the bad guy with the power of friendship and this gun she found. But more seriously, she's interested in creating a space for half-bloods like her (or just generally non-humans in similar circumstances). And if that involves taking down the bad guy then so be it. They're the ones that are helping perpetuate the stigma against people like her! 

Her glow-up for S2 is going to be no hat and wearing her hair in a ponytail. Look at her go, not being afraid her defining features anymore!

Here's the character card with art by Bitmap that just is TRULY peak Genya Saffin vibes, and here is art I got done of Elżbieta and Sorren by Jack! And can't forget her pin board. 

And, last but not least, please enjoy rocking out to her playlist! AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, GO LISTEN TO SAGAS OF THE SUNLESS REACH @sagasofthesunlessreach!!

If you want to see the S2 Hero Forge mini I made and see her character sheet, they're up for free on my patreon!

PS If anyone can get me a copy of "Essays on Russian Folklore and Mythology" by Felix J Oinas for not $60 you'll be my favorite. 

[mediaevalmusereads]

Bea Wolf. By Zach Weinersmith and Boulet. First Second, 2023.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Genre: graphic novel

Part of a Series? No

Summary: Listen! Hear a tale of mallow-munchers and warriors who answer candy’s clarion call!

Somewhere in a generic suburb stands Treeheart, a kid-forged sanctuary where generations of tireless tykes have spent their youths making merry, spilling soda, and staving off the shadow of adulthood. One day, these brave warriors find their fun cut short by their nefarious neighbor Grindle, who can no longer tolerate the sounds of mirth seeping into his joyless adult life.

As the guardian of gloom lays siege to Treeheart, scores of kids suddenly find themselves transformed into pimply teenagers and sullen adults! The survivors of the onslaught cry out for a savior—a warrior whose will is unbreakable and whose appetite for mischief is unbounded.

They call for Bea Wolf.

***Full review below.***

Content Warnings: mild violence

Overview: I was totally unaware that this book existed until my dissertation director sent me a copy out of the blue. As I was in a reading slump, I decided to pick it up right away, and to my surprise, I found it not only to be a fun retelling of Beowulf, but a very smart, educated retelling with energetic art and a wealth of humor. Weinersmith clearly understands the appeal of the original poem and Boulet is clearly invested in creating art that is both eye-grabbing and well-composed, so for those reasons, this book gets 4.5 stars from me.

Writing/Art: Weinersmith's writing took me by surprise in the best way. From page 1, every line of this book is an imitation of the original poem, using alliteration, kennings, apposition, and other medieval literary devices to craft a narrative that is both incredibly smart and funny. I particularly loved Wienersmith's creativity when it came to apposition and alliteration; not only did he use evocative imagery, but he managed to make the rhythm and meter feel poetic. If i had any criticism, I will say that I noticed Weinersmith reused some images, but honestly, I was so impressed by the sustained style that i didn't much care.

Weinersmith's writing is complimented by Boulet's unique and stylized art. I loved the exaggerated facial expressions, the energetic lines, and the bold use of blacks, and I especially loved that no page felt half-assed. Too often, I've found that some graphic novels simplify their art too much for my personal taste; with Boulet's art, I didn't feel like the pages were rushed or details were left unfinished. Instead, I felt like there was always something interesting to see, and I loved looking at each page.

Plot: This book is a retelling of the Beowulf poem from the opening lines to the after-party following Grendel's defeat. Unlike other retellings, however, this book reimagines the Danes/Geats as children and their foes as teenagers and adults, with Grendel being reimagined as an uptight, fun-hating adult named Mr. Grindle.

There's a lot about this book that is quite clever. I loved, for example, that Heorot was reimagined as a treehouse and the sounds of the hall involved junk food, loud music, staying up past bedtime, etc. - all things parents and adults oppose. I also really loved that the kids had their own "monarchy" with kings/lords that distributed toys and treats to the worthy. It felt simultaneously like I was reading a retelling and that I was thrown back into the parenting style of my childhood, when kids were more or less left to create their own (unstructured) fun.

But what made this book enjoyable for me was that it included scenes that other Beowulf retelling tend to cut. For example, the first few sections of this book tell the story of Carl (Scyld Scefing's child counterpart) and how the crown passed down to the current king, Roger (Hrothgar's counterpart). I also loved that this book included scenes such as Bea Wolf's fight with the sea monsters, the retelling of Heidi's excursions (meant to reference the heroism of Hygelac), and the praise song that lauds Bea Wolf alongside other child legends (which corresponds to the Sigurd legend sung by the scop). As a medievalist, I loved all the nods to the original poem, and I felt like I was reading a retelling by people who knew and understood the epic, not people who wanted to get rid of everything except the monster fight.

Characters: The characters in this book are charming and delightful, in part because of Weinersmith's creative reimagining and in part due to Boulet's superb design.

Bea Wolf is memorable for her incredible bravery and the fact that she wears a stuffed bear on her head. I loved that she was unafraid to stand up to Mr. Grindle, and rather than seem prideful, she came across as having that child-like confidence that nothing could possibly defeat her.

Mr. Grindle is also memorable in that he's portrayed as having a magic power: to age kids up with a single touch. In my opinion, this power feels threatening and it feels especially dreadful because kids essentially view adults as some other species. The fact that they view teenagers and adults as "old" gives them a kind of Peter Pan attitude, so Grindle's aging powers feel particularly loathed. Moreover, Boulet draws Grindle as a balding, bespectacled, lanky (yet round) man whose obsession with bland things (flossing, stocks, etc) contrast nicely with the kids' chaos.

Supporting characters are likewise memorable for the way they reference their medieval counterparts. I loved that characters such as Sceld Scefing, Hygelac, Unferth, and Aescere were reimagined as kids, as well as fabled kid heroes that are seen as legends among the children; having such a wide range of child characters made the world of the story feel a bit richer.

TL;DR: Bea Wolf is a delightful, smart, and funny retelling of Beowulf that reimagines the fight between Beowulf and Grendel as a struggle between children and adults. This retelling stands apart from others due to the deep love the writer has for the original poem and the bold, energetic art that the artist uses to convey action and emotion; by incorporating literary techniques from the poem (such as alliteration, apposition, kennings, etc) and filling each page with beautiful, stylized art, this book is sure to be a favorite amongst medievalists and other readers who appreciate clever, creative adaptations of literary classics.

[jokerislandgirl32]

About Me (aka: JIG32 Intro)!

I’ve been wanting to add this to my pinned for a while, so here it is! It is broken up into 3 Sections for you all to get to know me better: General ( the basic info about me), Blog Stuff (what you will see on my blog, my f/o and s/i list), My Favorite Things (some of my favorite things: shows, movies, animals, etc!).

Feel free to ask me/speak to me about anything you read here! I may be slow answering asks/interacting, but I love interacting with my mutuals!

Please see below cut! Tw for moving gifs and trauma mention!

General

💜 27 year old female.

💜 Libra! B-day: October 4th.

💜 Christian.

💜 Demisexual.

💜 College Graduate! Associate’s in General Studies and Bachelor’s of Science in History.

💜 Educator of littles by day (kindergarten whooo), and fangirl of villains and other misunderstood characters by night / when I’ve got a break from work.

💜 I love to spend time with my loved ones, sing, listen to music, obsess over my favorite characters and media, write, decorate, spend time in nature, and organize items!

💜 Cat mom to 4 cats (one boy and 3 girls).

💜 Mommy to an angel baby, Alexandria Rinella Varmitech 👼

💜 I’ve gone through a lot of trauma and hardship in my life, but my faith, my loved ones, and my favorite characters and media have helped me through it all! So this blog is like a love letter to all of that!

Blog Stuff

💜 I’m a fanfic author and wishful artist (I’m not very skilled at either, but I try).

💜 Hugeeee Fan of Zach Varmitech, Arthur Fleck, any version of the Joker, Kevin Wendell Crumb, Loki, Oswald Cobblepot, Cedric the Sorcerer, The Grinch (2018 version my beloved), and Klarion the Witch Boy. My blog content is centered around these characters.

💜 Self shipper! You will see A LOT of self shipping stuff on this blog. My main romantic f/o is Zach Varmitech from Wild Kratts. My self insert is Violet Virginia Varmitech nèe Tyler! I’m iffy sharing Zach, but if you respect me, and Zach and Violet, (show us no hatred), I am fine sharing him!

💜My secondary romantic f/o is the Grinch from the 2018 Illumination Grinch movie. My self insert is Aurora Borealis Who! I am completely fine sharing Grinch!

💜 I selfship platonically with Gaston Gourmand from Wild Kratts, but he’s also a bit of a crush/potential romantic f/o. I ship Gourmand with Zach as well, so I consider Zach, Gourmand, and Violet to have something of a poly relationship. I am okay sharing Gourmand!

💜 Veneer from Trolls 3 is a platonic/familial f/o of mine. He’s like my supportive best friend and brother!

💜 I also selfship romantically with Arthur Fleck, Young Justice Joker, and Loki. My s/i for Arthur and YJ Joker is Clarissa Wane. I haven’t figured out a s/i for Loki yet, but I’m thinking she’ll be called Scarlett. These are more “former relationships” of mine, but I still love each of these characters dearly, and I’m completely fine sharing them!

💜 The specific content you will find on this blog will include: Zach Varmitech Gushing, Wild Kratts content, Ziolet (Zach and Violet) posts, fanfic and au posts, posts about any of my other favorite characters/media, quotes I relate to/ I am inspired by, funny memes, funny/cute animal/nature posts, and fall/holiday stuff (Halloween and Christmas countdowns, etc.).

💜 Ask box/requests are always open, see my pinned post for more info, but I may be slow responding to asks/requests!

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things…

💜 Favorite shows: Wild Kratts, A Haunting, Green Acres, Gilligan’s Island, Sofia the First, Young Justice, Gotham, 90 Day Fiancé (and any/all spinoffs), The Waltons, Little House On The Prairie, Andi Mack.

💜 Favorite Movies: Signs, Split (2016), The Dark Knight, Joker (2019), The Conjuring, Sleepy Hollow, Hocus Pocus, Twitches, Corpse Bride, Horton Hears A Who!, The Grinch (2018), Elf, A Christmas Story, The Lorax, Rise of the Guardians, Titanic, The Great Gatsby (2013), Thor, The Avengers, Thor: The Dark World, Thor: Ragnarok.

💜 Favorite animals/insects: Cats are my favorite animals, and butterflies are my favorite insect. I also love all wild cats, foxes, raccoons, deer, turtles, moths, dragonflies, hummingbirds, and fish!

💜 Favorite season: Fall.

💜 Favorite holiday: Halloween, but I also love Thanksgiving and Christmas.

💜 Favorite Music Artists: Halsey, Melanie Martinez, Elton John, Big Time Rush, AURORA, Ellie Goulding, Oh Wonder, Conor Maynard, Taylor Swift, and Selena Gomez are among my favorites!

💜 Favorite colors: Royal blue, sky blue, violet, lilac, emerald green, blue violet, black, gray, silver.

💜 Favorite Places To Be: At the Outer Banks or in the Blue Ridge Mountains!

I will likely update this post in the future!

💜 - JIG32

[deadcactuswalking]

REVIEWING THE CHARTS: 16/09/2023 (Olivia Rodrigo, V, Leigh-Anne/Ayra Starr)

Content warning: Brief sex references

For a second week, Doja Cat grabs the #1 with “Paint the Town Red” - welcome back to REVIEWING THE CHARTS!

Rundown

As always, we start every episode of this show - however much of a non-event - with our notable dropouts, songs exiting the UK Top 75, which is what I cover, after five weeks in the region or a peak in the top 40. We don’t have much here but they are some heavy-hitters we say farewell to: “Pink” by Lizzo, “I Can See You” by Taylor Swift, “Padam Padam” by Kylie Minogue and finally, “People” by Libianca

As for our gains and returns, outside of the top 40, not much happened in this week’s chart, and even then, the top 40 happenings are mostly new entries. We do see Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” at #74, and as for our gains, we do see some notable boosts for “I Remember Everything” by Zach Bryan featuring Maggie Roggers at #45, "DNA (Loving You)" by Billy Gillies featuring Hannah Boleyn at #43, "City Boys" by Burna Boy at #23 and "Strangers" by Kenya Grace at #12.

This week’s top five of the UK Singles Chart actually had some decent change-up, particularly “Prada” by casso, RAYE and D-Block Europe at #5, “adore u” by Fred again.. and Obongjayar at #4, “bad idea right?” and “vampire” by Olivia Rodrigo off the album boost to #3 and #2 respectively - more on that later - and of course, Doja at #1. Now that’s out of the way, I suppose it’s time to talk about the new songs that entered this week.

NEW ARRIVALS

#55 - “Water” - Tyla

Produced by Sammy Sosa

That was a short introduction, wasn’t it? Usually the rundown is at least a bit longer, but this may be a short episode in general. We do have around seven new songs, but I can already tell not many of them will warrant all that much discussion. Anyway, whoever the Hell Tyla is, she definitely isn’t the Creator, because this song has many other writers, including names familiar to me like Tricky Stewart and Ari PenSmith. It’s not often that an R&B song, which it seems to be by the credits, blows up without name recognition here in the UK, except for like… Eamon but we don’t want him back so I was wondering how this would sound and… turns out it’s really good. It’s a lot funkier than I expected, going off a faster-paced almost dancefloor-ready house groove accentuated by Afrobeats-sounding percussion, in a style known as amapiano - we might have covered it here before. Hailing from South Africa, Tyla isn’t the most unique singer but she has enough little inflections to function within the pretty minimal song, even if there’s a bit more Auto-Tune than I’d want. Regardless, the harmonies are the tightest thing here, as the song is otherwise pretty loose and fun: not everything is perfectly on-beat, there’s random stray snares, cute 808 patterns mixed really low in the chorus and flailing vocal loops just developing outside of an otherwise set-in-stone sex jam, which is an approach I can appreciate for this “let’s make love right now, no questions asked” kind of content. That choir vocal chorus is absolutely infectious and even if the mix gets a bit muddier by the end, I think that actually makes the song feel more intimate and in tune with itself. The song isn’t exactly fully developed, I feel, and could use a proper climax bridge but is otherwise a pretty decent track I’m honestly surprised is here though I could see it lasting a lot longer. Just a bonus thought, I’d also love to hear Doechii on this. Remix, anyone?

#52 - “Tip Toes” - Clavish and Aitch

Produced by WhYJay and LiTek

Clavish making a song with Aitch is like Snorlax making a song with shiny Snorlax at this point. Aitch at one time was a charming, kind of obnoxious nuisance but he and ArrDee alike have quickly become indistinguishable rap stars. And Clavish, well… it’s Clavish. I did say last week that I’d like more 2000s G-Unit-type beats in British hip hop and this does deliver on that trend, with the stock steel pans and faux-luxurious pianos under a clapping beat that is overall pretty good. I’ll admit, WhYJay and LITek did a good job here, no-one else did. Clavish says a whole lot of nothing talking about girls, and well, at least Aitch says that he doesn’t do crypto. That’s… reassuring, I guess. He’s on full bore mode here though, just being dull and gross as usual. The hook isn’t even all that memorable, even if it at least has a much more substantial melody than a lot of UK rap hooks, so it might get stuck in my head. As a whole though, this is just not engaging at all to me.

#35 - “Bongos” - Cardi B featuring Megan Thee Stallion

Produced by DJ SwanQo, Breyan Isaac and We Good

I’m sure a lot of people were expecting a sequel to “WAP” for this one and it most certainly took some people aback by not sounding like it at all. Sure, compositionally, it’s there - there’s a looping vocal sample, the song is structurally nonexistent and bass-focused but on the surface level, considering how it actually sounds, the two are night-and-day. For one, the vocal sample this time is a complete fragment under what sounds to me like a Brazilian funk beat, or maybe a dembow track, but still a minimal, incredibly annoying one, which is a shame because Cardi’s pretty fun on here with basic but memorable punchlines and sassy lines accentuated by her no-darns-given demeanour, which is kind of needed given the complete lack of a hook, and the fact that none of the dirty lyrics are remotely surprising anymore. Then Megan comes in, steals the show with an impeccable flow and commandeering presence on the track that almost makes the beat sound good. Truth is, just like “WAP”, without the overwhelming video, this song is just kind of nothing. By the end, Cardi’s repeating herself as much as the beat and Megan’s presence winds down into sharing verses and ad-libs, so it’s like one shining moment in a whole lot of sludge. Again, whilst it sounds nothing like “WAP”, I pretty much have the same opinion on it. Huh.

#34 - “Angry” - The Rolling Stones

Produced by watt

Oh, hey, the Rolling Stones! When’s the last time they charted? Must have been decades ago. Oh, 2020? Well, damn, nevermind then. This is their first time in the top 40 since 2005, though even that seems a bit recent. I guess these guys are still kicking in a major way… I never got them. I don’t think I like a single song from them that I’ve heard past “Paint it, Black” and that is including their other big hits. They’re one of the most legendary rock bands of all time, but I simply cannot get into them. Their newest single, propelled into the top 40 thanks to a livestream with Jimmy Fallon - wow, that aged quickly - is probably the worst place to start but it is produced by watt, who since working with Post Malone has kind of styled himself as a modern rock producer for older bands, and as you’d expect for a song by an aging rock band from the 60s written with a modern pop producer, it sounds completely competent and serviceable with very little risks. I will admit that riff is kind of incredible in just how simple yet earwormy it is, but the drums feel flat, the content isn’t exactly compelling and whilst Mick Jagger’s voice doesn’t so much signs of aging, it’s not like he wasn’t a nasal annoyance to begin with. That chorus especially feels like it has an unnecessary pop swell that could have been replaced with the drums going double-time or a crunchier guitar, something that would really make this rock, you know? This band would probably complain about songs on the radio not going hard enough, and I know their audience definitely does, but this one goes about as hard as a jaffa cake fresh out the box. I’ll give it to the Jagger-Richards writing duo though, they can still write catchy and sometimes just bizarre songs. “I’m still taking the pills and I’m off to Brazil”? You’re just gonna let that lyric sit there in the outro? Not rhyming it with anything even? Alright, man.

#28 - “My Love” - Leigh-Anne featuring Ayra Starr

Produced by PRGRSHN, Khristopher Riddick-Tynes, Alex Goldblatt and Magicsticks

Leigh-Anne’s follow-up to “Don’t Say Love” actually landing in the top 40 was kind of a surprise to me but she has more potential than Ms. Nelson so I’m not exactly complaining that she’s the solo act with at least a little longevity out of Little Mix. She even brings on Nigerian singer Ayra Starr, who I tend to like, so this could easily end up as a good song, though maybe not matching up to the Timberlake-T.I. collaboration of the same name (plug my 2006 list here)… and I mean, yeah, of course it is. The distant synth lead is backed by a slick guitar in a mix that eventually embraces all the elements of a good Afrobeats song: the layered percussion constantly bordering on both chill and tense, the choir vocals that are always just a winner for me, it’s all here. In fact, Leigh-Anne and Ayra Starr do a little back-and-forth throughout pretty much the entire song and it’s wonderful. The song’s lyrics are where it might miss out just a bit, largely because there’s nothing too unique or poetic about the love she’s giving here, even if the very female-centred perspective is refreshing. I’m more focused on how well the ladies’ vocals blend, the way they play off the bass and rhythm so tightly, the echoing backing vocal from Ms. Starr in the chorus, the breathy ad-libs after the first chorus that just flutter effortlessly off of the drums, pretty much everything else. This is a rather detailed song in terms of throwing a lot of proven pop and Afrobeats tropes but with immense sound design, and the production here from the quartet we have is genuinely impressive, not that our performers aren’t, because Leigh-Anne kills it with her bombast and Ayra is the perfect vocalist to play off that, because of how relaxed as well as just slick and fast she can be at her best, cool dripping off her constantly. This is an excellent song through and through so I’m glad it’s here - whether it’ll last has yet to be seen, and since “Don’t Say Love” tumbled second week, I have my concerns but I hope this continues to chart because it’s fantastic.

#24 - “Slow Dancing” - V

Produced by freekind. and FRNK

Our latest BTS member to chart with a solo hit, this is V, who recently released his debut solo EP, Layover, this being one of the singles it produced. Once again, I find myself kind of at odds with the direction BTS members are going in, with this feeling like a bit too programmed version of a smooth R&B song, which V doesn’t fit just as well as he wants to. Now I’m still a sucker for smooth R&B jams so I end up still liking the melodious elements of this, like those cheesy strings and the jauntling keys jammed under a pretty remote, stagnant-sounding drum pattern. In fact, the chorus just worsens it, as I’ve yet to fully understand why the synth his producers chose sounds like a video game sound font for a glass or smoke sound effect instead of, you know, a synth. V’s performance isn’t bad, even if it’s stuck between sounding like other guys - YUMDDA and Joji come to mind - and being so laidback that it kind of stifles much of the emotion - so it gets off the intimacy pretty okay and… okay, that flute is beautiful. That flute solo is incredibly gorgeous and has no business being in such a song. It caught me way off guard originally and honestly it’s such a shame there aren’t punchier organic drums or an actually bearable synth for it to lay upon. I did listen to the “piano version” out of curiosity - it is considerably worse thanks to the lack of flute, but is mostly the same and suffers from a lot of the same problems, just being kind of identity-less, lacking in second drafts. I wish I could like this more but yeah, it’s not it for me. Sorry.

#7 - “get him back!” - Olivia Rodrigo

Produced by Dan Nigro, Alexander 23 and Ian Kirkpatrick

The intro to this song is Alexander 23 asking if it’s “the song with the drums”. What do you mean, the song with the drums? You made a rock album, Mr. 23, most of the songs have drums. Anyway, I think it’s no surprise that O-Rod’s #1 album GUTS did not appeal to me, as the teen melodrama didn’t wear off whilst a lot of the rawer pop catharsis I feel has, replaced with a sheen that wants to be taken off by sheer emotion but just never finds it footing as anything else other than a faint desire. There’s something raucous and real in here, it’s just not coming out thanks to clumsy (yet unique and very easily recognisable) writing, softened blows of buzzy production that only fully rip on occasion and honestly shoddy sequencing. “get him back!” is a pretty good example, given the drums and fuzz that would go harder if it weren’t for O-Rod being the Beastie Boys for Gen Z girls for whatever reason in those verses, and a kind of bratty chorus that just doesn’t resonate with me on any significant level. I understand it fits with the pathetic, vengeful content, but it’s also just not something I’m going to appreciate, especially not with those faint “ohs” in the verses that seem like last-minute attempts to add a distinct melody, and a bridge that started as a cool a capella idea and ends up as just a mess, not consolidating into the uppercut she mentions because of how she’s not front-and-center in that weak final chorus, and the… can you call it a guitar solo if it’s basic, I can barely hear it, and it’s drowned out by rambling? This isn’t my thing, probably never will be and it’s a shame because I can tell everyone involved is talented, I just don’t think this is ever going to appeal to me. I did like the opener though, and “pretty isn’t pretty”, mostly because I feel like they had a bit more to say. Otherwise, yeah, I’m not a fan.

Conclusion

I might just be getting old - I feel like the amount of songs I consider middling has increased a lot in the past couple months. With that said, nothing here is bad so I probably have to half-sincerely give Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion the Dishonourable Mention for “Bongos”, even though the song’s mostly just decently pestering, whilst Worst of the Week goes to “get him back!” by Olivia Rodrigo, as you should probably expect by now. It’s the only song this week I feel actively fails at what it’s trying to do. The best falls out a lot easier: Best of the Week goes to Leigh-Anne for “My Love” featuring Ayra Starr - by far - and the Honourable Mention ends up going to Tyla with “Water”, I think I’ll check out more of her stuff. For now though, thanks for reading. I’ll see you next week!

[oddlyzach]

copy

Alright, odd ones, gather 'round - this week’s been a bit of a whirlwind, and I’m feeling pretty accomplished. You know that feeling when you finally figure something out that’s been nagging you? That’s me right now with this whole blog scheduling thing. I finally cracked the code on how to schedule posts in advance so I can just set them and forget them! The weekend before, I get everything sorted, and boom, no more last-minute clicking. It’s honestly been a game changer.

Of course, this blog’s been a labor of love - and let’s be real, a bit of a chaotic adventure. I mean, my last name’s Bilcsik, pronounced “Bill-sick,” and that’s been a challenge when picking a domain. A lot of folks don’t get it, but hey, I’m working with it. I’m still figuring it all out, but the journey’s been worth it. Plus, I can’t wait to see if anyone actually emails me through the site - like, really emails me, not just the spam stuff. If you’re reading this, by the way, don’t hesitate to hit me up with your cool inventions or creative projects via the contact page. I want to see what you’re working on!

So, let’s talk about some habits I’ve picked up to keep the wheels turning, shall we? As much as I love diving deep into writing and content creation, I’ve learned the hard way that I need to stay hydrated and well-fed while working. You know how it goes when you get in that hyperfocus zone - it’s easy to forget to eat or drink. But trust me, the quality of my work skyrockets when I’m keeping myself fueled. And yeah, I try to hold myself accountable by letting others know what I’m working on. Deadlines? I’m coming for you.

In between working on the blog, Oddly Chill, High Tracks, and juggling social media, I also try to sneak in some gaming breaks. Creative outlets are everything, and I’ve learned that having a fun hobby to switch gears with helps me stay refreshed and full of ideas. Plus, when the grind gets intense, it’s nice to have something that takes me out of my head for a bit. This week, I also got my hands on the Borderlands Pandora’s Box for Xbox - got it for a steal at $37 during a sale - and let me tell you, I’m pumped to dive in. It’s like having everything Borderlands-related at my fingertips. Can’t wait to see where this ride takes me.

Now, I’m sure you’ve noticed by now that I’m not exactly rolling in it over here (who is, right?). I’ve got a lot of creative projects on my plate, and while I don’t always make tons of cash, I’m doing what I love - and that’s priceless. I’m so grateful for the support I get from you, my odd ones. It truly means the world. If you’re feeling extra generous and want to toss a tip my way, I’d be beyond thankful. You help keep the chaos going, and I’ll keep delivering creative stuff for you to enjoy.

So, that’s my week in a nutshell. I’m rolling with the punches, staying hydrated, and pushing forward. I’m excited for what’s to come - and I’m stoked to take you along for the ride.

Stay weird, stay creative, and as always, let your imagination run wild. Catch you later.

Zach

[jamietrojanowski77]

Zendaya on Instagram- Blog 3

For my final multimedia project I have chosen to follow how Zendaya, famous actor and musician, uses her platform on Instagram to spread awareness on the deep systemic racism and inequality that has been rooted in our society. Zendaya uses her Instagram account to promote Black Lives Matter along with other social justice issues. For example, in July 2020, Zenday gave permission for Patrisse Cullors, co-founder of Black Lives Matter, to post on her Instagram account to raise awareness about the fight against racism. She also made several posts concerning the Black Lives Matter movement and speaking out on the unfair deaths of George Floyd among other African Americans subjected to police brutality. Zendaya also expressed that she felt a heavy responsibility to represent Black women and use her platform to raise awareness and send the correct message. Zendaya also continuously speaks out about her privilege. She said that she’s a light-skinned Black woman and that it’s important to recognize her privilege. She also highlights the facts that she uses her privilege in order to show the beauty of the African-American community. Zendaya also encourages others to use their voice and to speak out against prevailing issues in society. Zendaya celebrates Black culture through her work and her fashion and is highly represented in her images on instagram. Zendaya depicts multiple examples of unfair racism and social injustices that relate to our course topics, reading, and screenings. Zendaya provides instances of historical racism and depicts situations where minorities are being unfairly treated. Overall, Zendaya uses her platform in order to bring awareness and educate others on issues in society. 

This platform generates a conversation regarding race, ethnicity, and cultural diversity. Zendaya allows her Instagram profile to be public and a safe place where she can educate others on systemic racism and white privilege. Zendaya uses her platform to share important news and injustices that are occurring. Zendaya also uses her platform to promote diversity and provides an area for users to share personal stories, experiences, and perspectives through photos, videos, and captions. A lot of Zendaya’s content is relatable and allows individuals to connect who share cultural background and engage in discussions about cultural issues. Zendaya’s profile effectively amplifies diverse voices and fosters intercultural dialogue. 

This selection relates to the course reading, screenings, and discussions. For example, in class, we learned about the article "On the Matter of Whiteness” by Richard Dyer. According to Richard Dyer, it is essential to study visual media representations of this racial category to understand the power that “whites” contain and put an end to its rule. Dyer speaks about the importance of making our way to a hybridity, and genuine diversity without white hegemony overpowering society. Society must acknowledge that white privilege exists and is prevalent in media representation. We must take this knowledge to work towards a more unified and diverse culture. . In our first project, we were able to interview a personal friend of ours that had a different race. My friend Zach experiences multiple encounters where he felt violated and discriminated against solely because of his race. This interview broadened my perspective and made me aware of the historical systemic racism that still occurs in our society. Zendaya uses her platform to share experiences of this racism similar to Zach’s experiences. Zendaya shed light on these injustices and educate others in order to be more aware of social cultural diversities and situations. Social media is a powerful tool that can be used to educate others, engage in discussions, share knowledge with peers, and learn from each other. Visual storytelling is also a form of art that was widely discovered throughout this course. Zendaya uses visual storytelling to convey complex information in an engaging way. 

Works Cited

Login • Instagram, www.instagram.com/zendaya/. Accessed 15 Dec. 2024. 

Media Studies. “Zendaya, Social Media and Celebrity Culture.” Media Studies, 2 Nov. 2024, media-studies.com/zendaya/. 

“On Zendaya’s 24th Birthday, We’re Revisiting an Essay She Wrote for Us as a Teen - and Wow.” Grazia, 3 Sept. 2020, graziamagazine.com/articles/zendaya-essay-on-dealing-with-racism/. 

Person, et al. “The Matter of Whiteness: 9 : V2: White: Richard Dyer: Taylor & Fra.” Taylor & Francis, Taylor & Francis, 19 Sept. 2017, www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/mono/10.4324/9781315544786-9/matter-whiteness-richard-dyer. 

YouTube, YouTube, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZneNbgZ22rA. Accessed 15 Dec. 2024. 

[krispykroissant]

DrPGame Time!

"What is your 'go-to' video content?? For me, I love watching makeup and skin care videos. I find them soothing and relaxing. If I have free time and need a break, I watch a skincare video. What is your 'go-to' video content?"

For me, I have a wide range/variety of different videos and other content that I consider my "go-to" content. Usually, a situation where I would need "go-to" content is when I'm eating a meal, taking a break from work, waiting for a game update, etc. In any circumstance, there are several different types of videos or other content that I like to consume. Some of these include:

Zach Choi (Shorts) - He makes monstrous, outrageous, heart-clogging food, usually deep-fried and consisting mostly of meats and cheese. However, the way he styles his videos is very captivating because of the rhythm, sounds, and consistency of each video. The foods he makes are often (but not always) terrible, yet you can't seem to look away...

Not just Zach Choi, but also any other instant gratification short-form content that shows up on my YouTube, usually also involving food, or things like current events in the tech or gaming world.

Adam Neely (Long-Form) - He makes plenty of videos that are interesting to me because he is a bassist/musician (as am I), and in fact, his content is likely something similar to what I will be analyzing for this upcoming data analysis project. A lot of his videos cover contemporary content regarding music theory, current events, and just generally intriguing topics (intriguing to musicians, mainly).

Adam Neely is not the only YouTube musician I enjoy. There are plenty of other musicians on YouTube that I like to watch, who play piano, drums, saxophone, use Digital Audio Workstations, etc.

Markiplier (Long-Form) - Markiplier is easily one of my top favorite gaming YouTubers of all time. My go-to content of his usually consists of his horror gameplays, especially his series of "3 Scary Games", which is a series that he's been doing for almost 6 years now, having posted most recently as of two days ago (February 23rd, 2024).

Any gaming YouTuber has a spot on my list of go-to content, but Markiplier is up there in probably my top 5 favorite YouTubers of all time, let alone just in the gaming category. Another playlist of his that I've been getting back into recently is his massive playlist of every FNAF gameplay he's done. It's been fun to rewatch some of his older FNAF content and see how much he's progressed, and how much the games have changed and grown over the years into such a beautiful culture.

If it's not YouTube, it may be a show on Prime Video or MAX that I put on to decompress. Some examples of shows I watch on streaming platforms include:

The Looney Tunes Show - I recently finished rewatching The Looney Tunes Show (2011-14), which was a blast from the past for sure. I would mostly throw this on while eating dinner or after work on the weekends.

Basically, I would look just like Daffy Duck here while watching The Looney Tunes Show.

Another show that I like to stream is The Twilight Zone. I am currently rewatching it, and I'm loving every minute of it. The last time I watched it all the way through was back in my freshman year of high school. I definitely consider myself to be an "old soul" in that I may be Gen Z, but my heart lies with older content, whether that be films, shows, art, music, etc.

This, along with "Classic Who" (Doctor Who from 1963-89) is some of the most groundbreaking work of its time.

YouTube Watch Later - If ever I run out of content to watch, I have a massive backlog of videos in my Watch Later playlist on YouTube, which I have recently been tapping into as part of my go-to content from day to day.

If you'll notice, that's 1,452 videos. The videos on this playlist range from as little as ten seconds to as long as eight hours or more, so it's hard to even estimate how long it would take to go through all of these. I'm definitely not concerned about finishing this playlist. On top of that, I remove every video that I watch after I watch it, and have been doing that for quite some time, but then I add more every now and then. Sometimes the trade-off is equal, sometimes it's two steps forward and one step back, and other times it's one step forward and two steps back. But I don't really care.