#it's almost comical how many marina songs i put in there

[junawer]

my golden kamuy playlists:

alongside tomorrow, for the future (beautiful cover by @dukeofqueers) the big gk playlist, follows the story more of less, starts with a gold theme, then sugimoto & asirpa and their dynamic and travels, then follows the antagonists and some allusions to the karafuto climax, continues with asirpa making up her mind about the future she wants and going against tsurumi, tsurumi & asirpa’s church scene, asirpa “melting”, the battle at fort goryokaku, the train to hell, and finally the ending and its manifold emotions

walk your own wild path, straight and true wildcat ogata and his hot girl shit, his childhood, his mentality, the path he chose, his end

blood to blood sugio brainrot going strong, their dynamic, their homoerotic violence, the bang bang my baby shot me down moment, the hunt, the suck scene, the train scene, the final exchange of bodily fluids (blood)

[amicizics]

jay / sunsct’s first of many ship playlists : learning to die ( a ghost verse playlist for tiny / @othcrness)

this was almost too easy for me to make. i love every single one of our babies and just found myself thinking about what it would be like to compile the good, bad, and ugly of life as a ghost. i think i’ve successfully done that with this. (or at least i hope... it’s a whopping twenty-nine songs long!)  duration: 1 hr 49 m / listen here. explanations under read more. 

001. ‘R.I.P 2 my youth’ - the neighbourhood: it’s all about death and losing yourself. what better way to start than this? the push and pull between escaping death and anticipating it all the while. many of our muses can relate. “put me in the dirt, let me be with the stars.” 

002. ‘angel’ - the weeknd: chosen mostly for the song title but the eighties vibes of the song remind me of phaedra. 

003. ‘when you’re smiling’ - louis armstrong: an antonio centric song. this song is telling of the kind of music antonio listened to later in his life. 

004. ‘liability’ - lorde: centers around the way the women in this group feel. at one point or another, they’d been made to feel useless and worthless (mostly by men). this song is about those feelings of helplessness and loneliness. “you’re all going to watch me disappear into the sun.” 

005. ‘you’d be surprised’ - eddie cantor: antonio centric. an upbeat song of the 1920s that i think is kind of comical for someone like tonio to listen to. later half of the song reminds me of vincent as well. “he’s got the face of an angel but he’s got the devil in his eyes.” 

006. ‘shallow’ - bradley cooper & lady gaga: vince and vivian centric. mostly because i couldn’t do without letting vivian’s voice be heard in this playlist. also, i think ‘in the shallow’ is exactly how a lot of the ghosts feel being trapped in this in-between stage. 

007. ‘Записка’ - klavdiya shulzhenko: inessa centric. with extensive research done on russian music in the thirties and forties, i figured someone who pushed the envelope like inessa would probably listen to russian women sing rather than men. 

008. ‘kiss of fire’ - georgia gibbs: alexei centric. one of the reasons why i chose this song was for its intense sounds but upon research, i also discovered that the artist was the child of russian immigrants so even though this wouldn’t have been common knowledge, i couldn’t help myself. 

009. ‘do i wanna know?’ - arctic monkeys: david centric. modern as fuck but this is beat and some of the lyrics remind me of nothing but david. “have you no idea that you’re in deep? i’ve dreamt about you nearly every night this week.” 

010. ‘jailhouse rock’ - elvis presley: vincent centric. being that this was a song in the 50′s i think it’d be the perfect look into vince in his youth and what kind of music he was inspired by. (he won’t tell you but he wanted to be a smooth lady killer like elvis.) 

011. ‘ghost town’ - adam lambert: also chosen for the title but also an upbeat take on this otherwise dead playlist. (pun intended) 

012. ‘what’d i say pt. 1′ - ray charles: alexei centric. i think he’d listen to sultry iconic beats like this. also it’s ray charles so i couldn’t resist. 

013. ‘i’ve got you under my skin’ - frank sinatra: david centric. david is a fancy boy and therefore, this is the kind of song you’d catch him dancing to. i also think the title is clever as fuck (hellooo?? killer!!!)

014. ‘ghost’ - sky ferreira: chosen for the title. i love this song and the soft guitar. 

015. ‘raindrops (an angel cried)’ - ariana grande: an interlude of sorts for me. strangely befitting of the kind of theme i’m going for. 

016. ‘i can’t get no satisfaction’ - the rolling stones: vincent centric. sixties, vince is suddenly into rock and wants to be cool. 

017. ‘these boots are made for walkin’ - nancy sinatra: frances centric. the kind of music she would have listened to in her teens. songs like this heavily shaped the path that ended in her demise. 

018. ‘young and beautiful’ - lana del rey: antonio & inessa centric. this version was made for the great gatsby so some of the sounds are very twenties which i like. i also think that it’s very telling of their love. 

019. ‘another one bites the dust’ - queen: phaedra centric. a quick jump into the eighties to liven things up. you mentioned phaedra’s love of rock when she was alive so i thought i’d pay homage to that with such a timeless jam. 

020. ‘fear and loathing’ - marina and the diamonds: mallory centric. just thought i’d throw one song in there which i think captures the scary creepy vibes associated with ghosts. could pretty much apply to everyone involved which i also like. 

021. ‘angel of the morning’ - merrilee rush: francesca centric. this came right as francesca died and i think it’s a song that reveals that softer side of her. beyond being the radical feminist of her time, francesca really only craved what everyone else loved even if just temporary. 

022. ‘sign of the times’ - harry styles: i simply couldn’t go without adding this song because the lyrics just really remind me of our babies. “you can’t bribe the door on your way to the sky. you look pretty good down here, but you ain’t really good.” 

023. ‘a million years ago’ - adele: i think this also works perfectly for the vibes i’m trying to go for. this song just really reminds me of the struggles with being stuck. “i miss the air, i miss my friends. i miss my mother i miss it when life was a party to be thrown but that was a million years ago.” 

024. ‘angel’ - madonna: chosen with phaedra in mind but i think is also the perfect happy telling of the honeymoon phase some of these ghosties will be going through when they first meet / fall for each other which i think is a lighter outlook on everything they’ve gone through. 

025. ‘young god’ - halsey: francesca & alexei centric. not only do the vibes fit perfectly for this playlist but i also think the lyrics really remind me of what it’s like for frances to be with lex romantically. also these lyrics? lex. “he says ‘oh baby girl don’t cut on my edges. i’m the king of everything and oh, my tongue is a weapon. there's a light in the crack that's separating your thighs and if you wanna go to heaven you should fuck me tonight"

026. ‘lust for life’ - lana del rey & the weeknd: just a really pretty song that i think encompasses ghost vibes even though it’s mainly about wanting to live. i think once everyone meets their match, they’ll want nothing more than to continue basking in this in-between space that they’re in. 

027. ‘ghostin”- ariana grande: chosen mostly for the title but it’s also about moving on after the death of a loved one so i thought it was fitting. “he just comes to visit me when i’m dreaming every now and then.” 

028. ‘autumn leaves’ - ed sheeran: another heartwrenching song about death. always makes me cry but a necessary component to build up to the next song. 

029. ‘heaven is a place on earth’ - belinda carlisle: another 80s jam! wrapping up this playlist with a happy bow a la tiny. 

[katiewattsart]

21/01/20 : TELLING STORIES

AIMS OF THE LECTURE

- To introduce and discuss theories around narratives and stories

- To practise the ability to critique images and artefacts

- To develop the ability to make links between culture and arts practice

- To develop the ability to communicate a response to material shown

We are surrounded by stories in day to day life

Linking towards social media - says something about you and how you communicate

If today you post a Facebook or Instagram update, you are telling a story. The story you want the world to know.  Instagram and Facebook both have a    platform called Stories, where snippets of our day represent the narrative action we want to share with our followers and friends. 

Storytelling is the thing of today. Brands tell stories. Politicians want us to know their stories. Artists live their stories in their art

‘Texts’ that could hold a narrative?

…novels, comics, films, tv series, plays, films, children’s books, animation, games, photographs, news stories, magazine covers, folktales and myths, book covers, paintings, editorial illustrations, window displays, packaging, logos…

poetry 

Songs - music videos 

Social media

Visual image can be ready as text

Each and every individual could be a narrative constructing our own narrative 

Plato mentions old women going down to the harbour to comfort the victims bound for the Minotaur’s table by telling them stories… This is partly a point about social history: people told stories before mass literacy; but it is also about desire: what is loved in stories is often an imagined link to a long, living lineage.

Marina Warner, Once upon a Time

Athenian Girls Drawing Lots to Determine which among them Shall Be Sent to Crete for Sacrifice to the Minotaur

Jean-François-Pierre Peyron (1744–1814)

- Every individual can view a different narrative/story

- blue was the most expensive colour to be worn 

- semiotic understanding 

- immediate emotional response 

- each generation can hold and change the narrative to fit them 

A need to tell and hear stories is essential to the species Homo sapiens – second in necessity apparently after nourishment and before love and shelter. Millions survive without love or home, almost none in silence; the opposite of silence leads quickly to narrative, and the sound of story is the dominant sound of our lives, from the small accounts of our day's events to the vast incommunicable constructs of psychopaths.

Edward Reynolds Price

Questions that we were asked within the lecture:

What’s the first story you remember being told? 

My grandmother used to tell me the myth that if I ate apple seeds that an apple tree would begin to grow in my belly.

What’s your favourite story?

I believe the my favourite stories stemmed from my childhood as I trust that is when stories are most impactful on yourself as an individual

Stories that we wish to tell over and over again

- an element of nostalgia 

- possibly about morals and values

- passing down messages using universal metaphors 

- being re told though many different dynamics 

William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet (1595)

Warm Bodies 2013

West side story 1961

Gnomeo and Juliet (2011)

Private Romeo (2012)

Same Old Story 

The Taming of the Shrew (1967)

10 Things I hate about you (1999

CULTURAL STORIES 

Cultural narratives are stories that help a community structure and assign meaning to its history and existence. Cultural narratives include creation stories, which tell a story about the community's origins, and fables, which help teach moral values and ethical behavior. Cultural narratives help a community reinforce societal norms, preserve its history and strengthen its identity through shared knowledge and experience. 

Juha and his Donkey

Juha first appeared in an Arabic book of the ninth century, though this was likely adapted from an older oral tradition. From there, Juha quickly splintered to the far ends of the Mediterranean world. He followed the Arabs to Sicily, where he became known as Giufà. In Turkey, his legend merged with a Sufi mystic called Nasruddin, while the Ottomans exported him to the Balkans. Some even claim that Juha inspired Cervantes’s “Don Quixote”

STORIES AND NARRATIVES

- What is the difference between ‘story’ and ‘narrative’?

- Story = a sequence of events (plot)

- Narrative = the way those events are put together to be presented to an audience.

narrative

/ˈnarətɪv/

noun

a spoken or written account of connected events; a story.

"a gripping narrative"

story

/ˈstɔːri/

noun

noun: story; plural noun: stories

an account of imaginary or real people and events told for entertainment.

"an adventure story"

NEWS STORY 

- all telling the same story

- however, the narrative changes within each one 

- narrative changes depending on values and political values 

Narrative Theory

“Narrative theory starts from the assumption that narrative is a basic human strategy for coming to terms with fundamental elements of our experience, such as time, process, and change, and it proceeds from this assumption to study the distinctive nature of narrative and its various structures, elements, uses, and effects….More specifically, narrative theorists study what is distinctive about narrative (how it is different from other kinds of discourse, such as lyric poems, arguments, lists, descriptions, statistical analyses, and so on), and how accounts of what happened to particular people in particular circumstances with particular consequences can be at once so common and so powerful... ....Narrative theorists, in short, study how stories help people make sense of the world, while also studying how people make sense of stories”.

The Ohio State University

If you re-shuffled a story’s events you would essentially have the same story, with a new narrative – a new way of representing the storyTherefore, Narrative Theory explores the construction of the story ie. the way it has been put together, not the story itself.

Matt Madden,  

99 ways to tell a story

(the basic/ template story) 

Matt Madden,  

99 ways to tell a story

(fixed moment in time) 

Matt Madden,  

99 ways to tell a story

(single image) 

Matt Madden,  

99 ways to tell a story

(style and genre) 

Nathan Pyle

Narrative of the Image

Dorothea Lange

1936, California, US Lange’s most famous photograph was taken in a pea-picker camp in Nipomo, California. The woman’s name was Florence Thompson. She is the mythical mother, the unshakable fortress-refuge of our childhood fantasies, the one to whom we can turn when there is no one else.

Photograph: Dorothea Lange/Hulton Archive/Getty

The picture of revellers in Manchester, captured by Joel Goodman in the early hours of New Year’s Day 2016, became a viral sensation, retweeted 29,000 times, after the BBC’s Roland Hughes noted on Twitter that it resembled a beautiful painting.

The Fibonacci sequence

Renaissance artists would use the ratio with the visual aid of the Fibonacci spiral, which is created by drawing circular arcs connecting the opposite corners of squares in the Golden Rectangle. It was devised by mathematician Leonardo Fibonacci in the year 1202.

Pictures like this are often described as "accidental Renaissance", indicating that they inadvertently conform to traditional Renaissance ideas of beauty and symmetry. They often seem to fit the principle of the Golden Rectangle – a rectangle (shown below in pink) used by Renaissance artists where the longer side (a) plus the shorter side (b) divided by the longer side (a) is equal to the longer side (a) divided by the shorter side (b).

Narrative in a Digital Age

“The computer and the screen have revolutionised book production, but the prophet in me sees another more radical revolution, and it has to do with the nature of language itself. With the predominance of textual language we forget that language was first meant to be spoken not written and read. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was spoken. Stories were told. Instructions were given. Then the stories and instructions were memorised and passed down not in scrolls and scriptures, but by word of mouth. Stories were dramatised and then became dramas that were acted out. The actors memorised and passed the text on to the next generations through the formal traditions of drama, storytelling, teaching and memorisation.”

Longenecker (2018)

Accidental storytelling… Never, ever read the comments!

“There are multiple belief patterns in our society and many different types of narratives; however, the majority of these are repressed. The dominant classes have created a norm, a standard that is passed off as “natural” instead of as a social construction. This standard is reinforced by institutions, such as the church, schools, and government. However, this dominant ideology excludes many peoples, their culture, and their ideas. Outsider art and subjugated narratives have been continually produced as a response to the dominant ideology. What are some of these subjugated narratives and what forms do they take?”

Outsider Art

ART  THERAPY PROCESS

The Palestinian Trail of Fish: Artist's Graffiti Dives Into Heart of Refugee Struggle.

Albaba leaves behind familiar Palestinian symbols, opting instead for his 'trail of fish,' a metaphor for refugees as fish out of water. “Keep in a dry and cool place far from the sun’s rays,” and below it is a comment in smaller letters: “Date of manufacture – 1948.” Alaa, The work is part of a series called the “Route of the Fish,” which depicts the tragedy of the Palestinian people in this country not through the traditional association with the land, but rather via the experience of being cut off from the sea. The Palestinian refugees who long to return are represented as fish out of water, hung up to dry, or squeezed into a can of sardines like those that were distributed by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees after 1948. It deals directly with the Palestinian Nakba (or “catastrophe,” when more than 700,000 Arabs fled or were expelled from their homes during the 1947-49 Israeli War of Independence) and the refugee experience.

Alaa Albaba (image taken 2015)

Prison Tattoos

Graffiti

Narrative - Jason S Polley

“My tattoos, or, rather, my single narrative tattoo, essentially charts the Eastward migration of Buddhism from its Hindu sources in India through its multiple manifestations / incarnations / influences in Tibet, Myanmar, Thailand, Indochina, China, and, finally Japan. Not unlike Shakespeare’s Parolles, from the ironically (at least from Parolles’ point of view) titled All’s Well that Ends Well, before I put my once-discrete tattoos into dialogue, into the development of classical narrative arcing, I was a “man of shreds and patches.” A tattoo here, a tattoo there. I found my nine scattered tattoos aesthetically unsightly. So over an 18-year period I worked (with the help of tattooists from Canada, Thailand, Colombia, India, Israel, Vietnam, and Hong Kong) on establishing an interconnected narrative. A story. But a postmodern story: one that includes, among other things, fragmentation, flashback, back story, interruption, and openendedness. There’s no single reading of my story of Buddhist passage.”

The nesting place of the storyteller, Walter Benjamin pointed out, are in the loom shed and at the spinning wheel, in the fulling barn and the kitchen when doing tedious tasks - shelling peas in readiness for storing, sorting pulses for bagging, bottling and preserving. Stories were told to alleviate harsh labour and endless drudgery - and they were passed between generations - by the voice of experience, filled with the laughter of defiance, and the hope of just deserts.

Marina Warner, Once upon a Time

Narrative Fashion

- The art of creating the blouse passed from generation to generation. Women kept the tradition of sewing from mother to daughter. 

- Embroidery designs can identify a region of the country or contain a special meaning - while decorative, they are also symbols of cultural beliefs and heritage.

- Narrative in Clothing

- Traditional Romanian Peasant Blouse

“EVERYONE tells stories. Narratives powerful like ancient Greek myths and the Bible have taught us how to relate to certain values and how the impact of stories shape our lives. When fashion designers and brands use these very same narratives, they become the storyteller, the expert of storytelling and apparel comes alive.”

Crafting Narrative

Exploring how makers and designers are using objects and making ,to tell stories.

CRAFTING NARRATIVE AT PITZHAN

MANOR GALLERY (2014)

Swedish graduate Hilda Hellström contacted the last person still living inside the evacuation zone, Naoto Matsumura, and collected soil from his rice fields that can't be farmed due to contamination.

Hellström hopes the vessels - as unsuitable for food storage as the fields are for growing - will act as symbolic objects to help people understand the enormity of the disaster.

Craftsmen usually imitate antique vases in a batch and highly standardized way. I was anxious to criticize the current situation of imitation and even plagiarize and compare it with the situation in Chinese feudal period and the situation in other countries. However, a graduate work from Hao zhen-han (2013) called ‘Imitation, imitation’ made me have a critical thinking about Chinese imitation culture. It is a video documented different people work on ceramic industry and view it in a historical context. This work uncovers the social, political and economic implications of Chinese imitation culture. Hao's unique idea that has a positive attitude toward imitation made me reflect on the ceramic industry in Jingdezhen from an object and historical view.

IMITATION IMITATION, ZHENHAN HAO, 2013. PART OF CRAFTING NARRATIVE AT LONDON DESIGN FESTIVAL 2014

Task

Based on today's lecture, find examples of relevant work in your discipline and apply this to your reflection; consider how you would explore some of these themes in your own work.

References:

http://livedoor.blogimg.jp/mement_mori_6/imgs/1/e/1ebc1252-s.jpg 

http://dujye7n3e5wjl.cloudfront.net/photographs/1080-tall/time-100-influential-photos-dorothea-lange-migrant-mother-23.jpg 

https://www.shwrm.com/themagazine/five-beautiful-fashion-narratives/ 

https://blouseroumaine-shop.com/en 

[indiecation]

There was literally something for everyone at this year’s Music Tastes Good Festival at the Marina Green Park in Long Beach, CA. Dance/EDM? Check. Hip-Hop? Check. Indie Rock? Check. Dad Rock? Check.

Long Beach pride simply ran through this festival. From the local chefs and restaurants to the liberal use of “what up, Long Beach!” to hype up the crowd, it was clear that people were both surprised and delighted to be there. 

The Marina Green Park is nestled in the Shoreline Village area of Long Beach. With 360 views of everything Long Beach has to offer including the convention center, historic buildings and the Queen Mary, this location was the epitome of everything Long Beach has to offer. And as a CSULB grad and current Long Beach resident, I particularly love that Long Beach’s music scene is coming up — let’s not forget about Tropicalia coming up next month!

Both days I arrived around 2pm. Because I was writing full articles for mxdwn.com, I had my first “I’m with the press” experience at this show and, let me tell you, it was not too shabby! I took a moment to stop in at one of my favorites, Vinyl Williams, who’s post-punk and psych sounds were reverberating off the Convention Center parking lot as I checked into the festival. After catching Fledloyd, I took in the scenery. The taste area was available to a select few who spent the extra money, but there was just as much to see and eat. I stopped by The Attic’s booth and chatted with the attendant, who was giving out free samples of their famous, mouthwatering mac n’ cheetos — to which I am no stranger — and I told her The Attic was my neighborhood hang. She gave me a free t-shirt with said mac n’ cheetos on it and I happily made my way to the Long Beach Stage where BRONCHO was about to play.

BRONCHO had a definite cool factor as they played their reverberating garage rock. Singer Ryan Lindsey kept on making this comical motion — as he rocked his body back and forth, he’d play a chord then raise his hand with his finger pointed up. The first few times it seemed normal, but then he’d keep doing it after the songs ended so the audience started laughing, particularly during “What.”

Another highlight of the day were indie rock outfit Alvvays. As a recent fan, I was looking forward to hearing their new material off Antisocialites and boy did they deliver. The sound and vocals from Molly Rankin had the audience in a dreamy daze. While they played fan favorites like “Adult Diversion,” their new tracks were the stars of the show. “Not My Baby” and “Dreams Tonight” both have beautiful melodies and made the most impact to me during their set. Oh, and can we talk about rotating main stages for a second and why more shows aren’t using them?? As one band was playing, in the back another would be setting up unbeknownst to the audience. At the end of the set, the stage would rotate, giving us a glimpse of a very Long Beach scenery — palm trees and, in this case, a beautiful sunset.

Of Montreal and !!! (Chk Chk Chk) from day two will have to battle it out for most energetic performance and audience. When of Montreal singer Kevin Barnes took the stage, he was wearing a blonde wig and colorful women’s outfit, which I suppose is pretty normal for them. Their performance completely blew me away. Truthfully I only knew a handful of their songs and that memory was growing hazy. But, I it all came back to me when I heard “Suffer for Fashion” and those lyrics came to me and the rest of the audience as we sang, “it’s not supposed to happen like that… not like that.” People were jumping up and down to the highly danceable set and Barne’s voice was simply stunning. It was definitely THE performance of the night.

I stayed to catch British early shoegaze group Ride and had to back away from the stage because, My Bloody Valentine style, their music was a glorious wash of strong, loud sound. I also caught headliners Ween and while there were some funny moments mostly from the lyrics I heard in the set, they weren’t really my jam. Regardless, lots of people (probably your dad) were there to see Ween and they really did do it all… there was even a theremin on stage that I heard at one point! They ended their set on a soft note with the song, “Fluffy” (yes pun intended).

The next day I arrived still tired from having been up until 4 in the morning to write my Day One article for mxdwn. But I was super excited to see one of my new favorites Jay Som and get down to some stellar indie rock. The Bay-area foursome kept things cool and casual on the stage — it felt like we were just looking in on their rehearsal or jam session. The band members themselves were just looking at each other, smiling and being goofy, but man could they achieve that hazy, lo-fi sound that many indie bands can only dream of. They played my favorite from them, “Turn Into” and I head a new favorite as they played “Out Red Door,” which started softly and lead into a fuzzy jam session. The group posed hilariously as the stage rotated for the next band and the small but engaged audience laughed.

As I mentioned before, !!! definitely competed with of Montreal for most energetic set. Singer Nick Offer did an incredible job of engaging with and hyping up the crowd and joined the audience from the stage as many times as he could. Some of my favorites from the set included “Pardon My Freedom,” even if he was telling me to sick his dick. The song blended punk and electronic together in a way that was angsty and rad. But I also couldn’t help but feel the groove for “Freedom ’15,” a funky dance track.

Since I was on assignment to cover Digable Planets and Los Lobos, I wasn’t able to catch much of Peaches, but from what I saw she was wearing a pink feathered outfit and words like “this song is about my huge vagina,” or something to that effect, I’m sure made for an engaging performance.

Los Lobos had another dad rock audience, but their performance was filled with personality and George Lopez jokes too. What was cool about their set were the extra instruments they brought out on the more cultural songs like “Stained Behind the Glass” in which a harp player came out, and banda-based song “Rio de Tenampa” which called for rather enthusiastic clarinet, trombone and sousaphone players. They continued on as the stage turned, revealing tUnE-yArDs, who’s name spelling reminds me of how middle schoolers used to and maybe still do type on their iPhones and myspace.

To be honest, I was half annoyed that I would have to watch tUnE-yArDs, as my hazy memory of them included them singing “don’t you wanna be a rasta,” channeling my disdain for reggae. However, I’ll be the first to admit that I was just being judgmental, because their set was one of the most entrancing ones of the festival. The experimental-folk project of Merrill Garbus, tUnE-yArDs creates their sound with the use of vocal and drum loops that are set up on the spot. The band might almost be considered honorary shoegaze because of the time they spent looking down at their feet. It was incredible to watch this trio — Garbus would set up a loop featuring various harmonies and melodies, put it all together, and sing over it at times. The drummer would lock right into the rhythm too which I’m sure was not an easy feat. And while it’s probably not the kind of music I’d listen to in my spare time, it sure as hell was interesting to watch.

But the Long Beach stage was the most crowded it would be for final headlining act Sleater-Kinney. While this band has been around since the ’90s and Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker were integral in the riot grrrl movement, they’re probably even more popular now just because everyone knows and loves Carrie Brownstein in Portlandia. And while Tucker was the main singer, Brownstein certainly commanded a lot of attention with her high kicks and expressionist face. A lot of people seemed to know the lyrics and really got into the songs. Some of the more pop-y songs like “One Beat” had everyone jumping up and down. Brownstein’s skills on the guitar were spot on for their noise-rock in “Surface Envy,” as the two guitar players rocked hard and loud into the night.

The sets each night ended promptly at 10pm and everyone cleared out promptly each night. Overall, it was a smooth and successful event that seemed to draw in a lot of the L.A. crowd, and I ran into people I knew from CSU, Long Beach, L.A. shows and even some family! Events like these give me even more prideful of being a Long Beach resident, and I look forward to what lineup Music Tastes Good will reveal for next year!

Check out my full articles on mxdwn:

Music Tastes Good 2017 Day One with Ween, Of Montreal and Alvvays

Music Tastes Good 2017 Day Two with Sleater-Kinney, Los Lobos and tUnE-yArDs

Music Tastes Good – A Lineup Filled With Flavor There was literally something for everyone at this year's Music Tastes Good Festival at the Marina Green Park in Long Beach, CA.

[aftgonice]

11 questions tag

I was tagged by a lot of people, I kept this in the drafts for weeks and just kept adding questions since they’re always different, so thank you for tagging me and sorry if this post is long (I’ll just put it under keep reading).

Also it might be that I forgot or missed someone who tagged me so if that’s the case I’m sorry I’m not ignoring you I promise!

Rules: 1. Always post the rules 2. Answer the questions given by the person who tagged you 3. Write 11 questions of your own 4. Tag 11 people

Questions by @severeminx

You are hosting a dinner party and can invite 5 historical figures. Who would they be? Mozart, Da Ponte, Aristotle, Lucretius, Marie Skłodowska

What was your favorite cartoon as a kid? probably Pokémon!

What’s your signature drink when going out? Japanese ice tea

Do you have any tattoos? If not, would you like to? i don’t have any and i also don’t think i’ll ever find something that i want on my skin permanently, but we’ll see if we get there i guess

Who was your favourite classmate when you were 16? oh god...thank god this didn’t ask when i was 17 lmao...anyway my fav classmate was my then-BFF. there were also a couple of girls i really found interesting but i guess it wasn’t reciprocated so they always only hung out with a bigger group and being the shy person i am i couldn’t let myself try to be friends with them

How did you meet your best friend? we were in kindergarten together lol, but we didn’t talk (play??) much. then we were in different classes during elementary school but we got in the same class again in middle school and that’s where we became friends

Do you like going to museums? What is the art style you want to check out the most? okay i’m going to admit this here. i like museums, okay? but i’d rather see something like a natural history museum or something like that, honestly i’m a big science nerd and i don’t get as excited about art i guess. but i do go to art museums when visiting cities and i actually find them really interesting, but if i’m just in my town and there’s some temporary art exhibition i just don’t really care about going unless it’s something suuuuper famous :/// i feel like a lot of people will hate me for this buT LISTEN SCIENCE IS IMPORTANT GUYS

What feature or quality do you get complimented on the most? are we talking physically?? people like my hair and my nails I guess. If we’re talking personality-wise then idk, they tell me I’m good at listening (which I admit) and my bff told me he thinks I’m brave and I guess I understand why he said it but honestly I still don’t believe it

What is the most romantic place you have ever visited? I’m not sure because since watching YOI the only romantic place on earth for me is Barcelona and I haven’t been there yet lmao. The places I’ve been to aren’t exactly romantic so I don’t know

What would you define as ‘magical’? That thing that your mind does after 1 or 2am when it becomes more loose without needing drugs but it just gets high on lack of sleep and you’re suddenly really talkative and funny and you can have really deep conversations with people and your jokes are honestly on fucking point and you wish you were like that during the day

What is the most expensive item of clothing you have ever bought and was it worth it? I honestly don’t know oh my god. Probably the suit (pants + blazer) I bought a few years ago and that’s still good and whenever I have to be dressed in a “serious and elegant” way that’s what I go for. So yeah it was worth it.

Questions by @yakoucchu

 The piece of makeup that you always wear. i don’t always wear it but if i wanna put on a bit of something then it’s definitely gonna be mascara + lipstick (or colored lip balm) because I think they both make a ton of difference. Actually now in summer I almost always have colored lip balm from Lush because it’s too humid to be wearing mascara and I don’t feel like wearing a waterproof one lol

If you’re gonna be the author of your favorite series, what are you gonna change in it? well that would be a spoiler lmao but i guess i’d make someone who died in it live

There’s a fact that is happened to you and it makes you heart warming a lil bit when you think about it? you mean besides YOI and captive prince? cuz that’s all i can think about lol (there’s more but i’m being lazy with my answer sorry)

 Someone have ever done something that we can define crazy for you? yeah when my bf first came to visit me and we met for the first time (because we met online)

Do you like your current occupation? i’m unemployed but i’m “working” on being able to find a job soon but tbh i have food and a roof on my head and i’m needing this time of doing nothing but trying to take care of myself so i wouldn’t say i like this but it’s all i can do now

Smoothies, or Milkshakes? smoothies

What’s the thing that you love the most about yourself? hsrghsghshgshgsh most difficult question ever tbh. i like that i’m...rational? yeah rational 

The most strange thing that you ever tried to eat grossed you out? ummmmmmmmmm watch me get a lot of hate for this but....................................................sushi grosses me out and i almost puked when i tried it

Are you ever tried to write something, and after a while giving it up? Why? i did, a lot of things actually. i had an idea for a fic that i realized was going to do me more harm than good so i had to ditch the idea. there are things i know i could write but they’re too personal and still too raw so idk if i ever will write them. other WIPs are just there in my folder for no other reason that I either lost inspiration or that they’re honestly fucking hard to write and I still don’t have all the plot 

How do you feel right not? If I said to you “you’re doing great” it can change something? i’m struggling to keep my shit together. and yes, it changes something so thank you a lot for telling me that :) <3

What’s your favorite movie? idkkkkkk i rarely watch movies but of the latest ones i guess interstellar

Questions by @crescendotayuri 

1. what’s one thing you could never live without? my phone lmaoooooo so cliche

2. what’s your favorite part of your daily routine? probably right after managing to get out of bed, the moment i finally sit down for breakfast with a croissant and a cappuccino (typical italian breakfastTM)

3. what are you most passionate about? ...yuri on ice and captive prince and lgbt+ rights and the environment

4. what’s the best dream you’ve ever had? I don’t really know but sometimes I dream that I become internet-famous and it’s really sad that this is literally one of the best dreams I have lmao

5. happiest memory? I have a few but one of them is seeing Florence and the Machine live (i have others but they’re a bit too personal so idk)

6. are there any videos/jokes/etc that never fail to make you laugh? oh god yes........i’m so lame but like any meme will have me laugh tbh. kermit meme? i laugh. dude blinking meme? i laugh. spongebob meme? i laugh. i could go on lmao but i’ll stop embarrassing myself. there’s also a few comics that I have saved on my phone and they never fail to make me laugh but it’d be hard to explain them here

7. one talent you with you had/could perfect? it’s never been my wish to be able to draw but now that i’m into fandom i guess i would like to be able to do it at least a little. and i wish i could perfect my writing (or at least perfect my English at a native speaker level so it’d be easier)

8. a song you relate to the most? Help I’m alive - Metric

9. how do you take your coffee/tea? i only have cappuccino or latte macchiato and only rarely espresso. get american coffee out of my sight. tea is earl grey usually without milk bc i mostly use tea (without sugar) to stop me from wanting dessert lmao but if i’m feeling like it i’ll take it with milk bc it’s too good

10. what do you do to make yourself feel better when you’re sad or upset? i rewatch yoi or go on twitter and hope there’s some good memes but i trust my squad so yeah usually there’s something

11. what makes you proud of yourself? being a decent person despite everything

Questions by @pllsetskyonice:

1. What’s a song you can’t get enough of at the moment? AAAA it’s too hard to choose one! Just one yesterday by Fall Out Boy and literally every song from Lorde’s Melodrama

2. If someone asked you for a book recommendation, what’s the one book you would recommend? The question is trickyyyy because obviously not all books are for everyone especially if we’re talking about stuff with major trigger warnings etc etc but if I have to say I’ll just go with my fav trilogy Captive Prince (granted I’m talking to an adult) but I’ll leave it to them to decide if they’re up to reading it or not

3. Do you play any musical instruments? Nope :( used to play the piano and then stopped like the idiot I am, but I sing

4. Book or movie? Book

5. Do you ever wish you could turn back time? Eh. I guess.

6. Favourite subject in school? Science in whatever form it came (it was different things every school year but it doesn’t matter if it’s geology chemistry or w/e I’m just a huge science kid)

7. You’ve been given tickets to a concert for an artist you’ve always wanted to see live but never had the chance to. Who are you seeing? Maybe Marina and the Diamonds but there’s so many oh my god I also wouldn’t mind seeing Florence again but I’ve already seen her.......oh wait LORDE YES LORDE probably if I had to choose right at this very moment

8. Is there an accessory you don’t feel dressed without? Not really

9. Have you ever been to a festival? I’m not sure what kinda festival you mean but I think not

10. Have you read all of the original seven Harry Potter books? Yeah but still not in English oops

11. What’s the last film/TV show you watched? Last film was Beauty and the Beast when it came out lmao I’m not a huge movie person, last TV show mmmh let’s say that YOI counts for this yes? because it’s always YOI and I don’t feel like watching anything else rip

My questions:

If you were a character in the last book you’ve read, what would be your role? Protagonist, side kick, villain...?

What’s your biggest pet peeve when reading a book or watching a show/anime/movie? (if you can’t only name one feel free to name a few)

Do you consider yourself to be a creative person?

Describe one person in your life you admire without mentioning the type of relationship you have with them

What’s one personality trait you’d give up immediately if you could?

Think of the farthest place you’ve traveled to and describe one culture shock you had while there (even something small)

What’s the one thing that always manages to motivate you?

What would you tell your 10 year old self?

What’s your favorite trope?

If your BFF tells you (lovingly) “why are you like this?” what are they referring to?

Are you scared of something right now? If you are, what’s one sentence you wish someone would tell you about the thing that scares you?

I tag: @betelxeuse @ilgattopatata @ehsocietypretendstoomuch @otayurl @argentoheart @nerily @janiedean @robb-greyjoy @laurent-rose @dotingdamen @venenix but obviously feel free not to do it (but if you do tag me bc I love reading your answers) fdklahrgag I hope I don’t get annoying with all these tags

[movietvtechgeeks]

Latest story from https://movietvtechgeeks.com/supernatural-big-win-comic-con-2017/

A 'Supernatural' Big Win at Comic Con 2017!

For the past decade, there’s been one show that has inspired me to brave the insanity that is San Diego Comic Con again and again. That show is Supernatural. In 2007, it was the prospect of seeing Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki in person that made me throw caution (and possibly good judgment) to the wind and fly all the way across the country with almost no notice just to hopefully sit at the feet of the two actors who brought to life the characters that had entirely captured my heart. My friend Kathy and I slept on the sidewalk to get in early and raced through the hallways to the room where the Supernatural panel was, breathless but triumphant. This was long before SPN had proven itself able to fill the gigantic Hall H, so they were relegated to the much smaller Room 6CDE. Little did Comic Con know, Supernatural was already a fan favorite, with the line of SPN fans wrapped around and around the building and many disappointed fans unable to get into the room. Jared wasn’t able to come that year, but Kathy and I made it in and sat there beaming at Jensen Ackles and Eric Kripke sitting right in front of us. I managed to snag an autograph ticket through all sorts of machinations, and thus had my first actual conversation with Mr. Ackles, after which I found Kathy and immediately burst into tears. Fangirl problems, what can I say? I’ve been back to Comic Con almost every year since, in the audience for the Supernatural panel as others began to notice the show’s passionate fan base and move the panels into ever larger rooms, until finally, we were in Hall H itself.  If you’ve never experienced Hall H, it’s something to behold. The first time I walked in, my jaw dropped – the sheer size of it is overwhelming. I felt a swell of pride the first time Supernatural was deemed worthy of Hall H, and that feeling has never gone away. This year was no exception. The lead up to Hall H is an event in itself. Thousands of fans camp out overnight (or possibly multiple nights) to get a good place in line. Back in the day, fans were on their own – we sat on the sidewalk that first year, wrapped in blankets and grateful when someone came by with some coffee and donuts. Then fans camped on the grassy areas on the side of the convention center, a few with sleeping bags. Now everyone knows that for Hall H, if you want to be sure you’ll get in and get a decent seat, you camp out. Comic Con has moved the line, first to the walkways along the marina, and then to the line tents constructed for just that purpose. My more intrepid friends slept relatively comfortably in inflatable beds that looked like giant orange kayaks or lounged in deck chairs. Many fans had pop up tents. On Saturday night, it was like a giant Supernatural slumber party, and fans woke up to Misha Collins bringing them donuts in the morning. A few years ago, I spent Saturday night with Misha and Osric Chau delivering pizza to the Supernatural fans waiting in the Hall H line, Misha merrily pedaling along in a pedicab festooned with multicolored lights and fans’ jaws dropping when they saw who was thoughtful enough to bring them dinner. But that’s how unique this SPNFamily is – the fans care, the cast cares. And Misha, frankly, is awesome. This year, the Supernatural panel was the first of the day in Hall H, and anticipation was running extra high. Many of us had heard that they had something “special” planned, but no one knew exactly what it was.  There was a keyboard and drums on the stage, so fans were guessing that we might be treated to a Louden Swain performance – I’d chatted with Richard Speight Jr. and Rob Benedict on Friday night, so I knew they were there to probably host the panel, but maybe the rest of the band was too? There were other theories, but no one knew for sure. Anticipation was running so high, in fact, that they let everyone into Hall H extra early, the gigantic hall filling up as fans flooded in and grabbed seats. I caught up with lots of fellow fans, with hugs and excited exclamations all around, then finally it was time for the panel to start. WB publicist Holly took the stage and again told us we were in for a treat, and then the lights went down, and the show began. And OMG what a show it was! Hall H is surrounded by 3 gigantic screens that travel the length of the entire hall, which means they are MASSIVE. As we all watched in awe, Sam and Dean appeared in Baby, of course, traveling – where else? – to Comic Con. Seeing and hearing Baby roar around Hall H with her boys was absolutely awe inspiring, the Impala’s familiar rumble shaking the entire hall and thrilling us to the core. Then we heard the familiar chords of Supernatural’s unofficial theme song, Carry On Wayward Son, booming into the hall. Suddenly the lights went up and there on the stage was the band who made that song famous, Kansas! OMG, I have no words. The screaming was deafening, and then everyone – the tens of thousands of people packed into Hall H – started singing along. Kansas belted it out like the rockstars they are, and the emotion in the room was probably enough to fuel a small city for a very long time. I’m getting emotional again just thinking about it. Jared, Jensen, and Misha snuck out into Hall H and stood in the back watching along with the rest of us. Jensen later put it best in a tweet: Mind blown.  I’ll say. After that unbelievable beginning, Rob and Rich took the stage. It’s an unusual thing to have the Comic Con panel moderators be actors who are actually ON the show, but Supernatural is the very definition of an unusual thing. Anyone who has ever witnessed Richard Speight Jr and Rob Benedict hosting a Supernatural convention knows how ridiculously talented they are and just how quick on their feet. They are not only naturally hilarious, but they KNOW this show inside and out. They know this cast. They’re part of the family. Which all means they are the most fantastic panel moderators anyone could ask for. Showrunners Bob Singer and Andrew Dabb, along with Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles, took the stage next. Jared and Jensen shared their customary fist bump that starts and ends most of their panels, and Jared pulled off his often present beanie to show off that glorious mane of hair that Richard had just joked would qualify for its own spinoff. Jared and Jensen had apparently tried on masks to go out into the crowd to watch Kansas, but couldn’t find any that worked. Richard: Can’t hide the hair and the bowlegs. He’s right. Talk about iconic… Misha Collins was conspicuously absent for a few minutes. That gave the others plenty of time to mock lament Castiel’s untimely demise. Bob Singer: We have to go where the story takes us…and I think the guys will agree that frankly, Misha had become a bit of a prima donna… (Jensen making a face) At that point they were joined by Misha Collins, who ambled onto the stage carrying his own tiny chair. Misha: No one told me to come out, but I heard my name, so… Rob: This is awkward… It was a hysterical bit, and Misha made the most of it, looking unexpectedly adorable in his tiny chair. Andrew Dabb joked that they made way too many good things happen in Season 12, so Season 13 will basically be death and sadness (but then again, what season of Supernatural hasn’t been that??) Conversation turned to Lucifer’s son Jack curled up naked in the corner at the end of Season 12, which led Jared to ask if a character died (cough Cas cough), would he come back naked? Andrew: I’m not sure we could afford the blur effects. Misha: Oh, because it would take up so much of the screen? Richard: Well, we all know that Jared has been very… accurate… on his twitter feed… In other words, the panel devolved into a discussion of penis size. As you do. Misha eventually reminded Jared that last year at Comic Con, Jared grabbed his phone and tweeted for Misha. Misha: Yeah, and apparently I tweeted I hate fans. Which is a great thing to post at Comic Con! They did manage to talk about the coming season too. A major theme of the early episodes is apparently that Dean and Sam disagree on how to deal with Jack, with Dean wanting to take him out and Sam being more optimistic. In other words, Supernatural tackles the nature versus nurture argument.  Andrew pointed out that Sam can put himself in Jack’s shoes, as someone who was once believed to be ‘destined’ to do something bad. Andrew:  And Jack himself will continue to struggle with that in our version of “Hell’s My 2 Dads”. Which really sounds more like fanfiction than canon, gotta say. The brothers also differ in how they view Mary’s future. Dean is pretty sure it’s curtains for Mom, and is ready to accept that even though he’s bereft. Sam is holding onto the hope that she could still be alive, which causes some problems between the brothers in deciding what they do next. Bob Singer: Spoiler alert, Mom is not dead. Jensen: WHA?? Jared (channeling Sam): I told you! There was lots of discussion about what the AU world beyond the rift could offer as far as Season 13, including the possibility of bringing back other characters, like they did Bobby. Rob: So could that open up the possibility for other characters to reappear in the same way? Bob Singer: You have anybody specific in mind? Rob: Am I coming back?? Bob Singer: Well you are God… Singer then joked that Gabriel wouldn’t be back, much to Richard’s dismay. He then went on to say that they love to tease Richard, but that they think his directing on Supernatural has been just fantastic, and they’re so happy with him. There were lots of cheers at that from the audience, because YES. Richard, in turn, complimented Jared and Jensen on keeping the show fresh and high quality with their performances for all these years. We learned that there will be some characters returning, including Missouri Mosely and of course Jody and Donna. Andrew: And some of the people who are dead in our world are very not dead but very different in the Apocalyptic world. The possibilities are endless! Jared gave a shout out to the fandom, saying that it was a lot harder when they began the show because they didn’t have “this badass family” to support them. Jared, Jensen, and Misha also talked about the eventual end of the show (something that I don’t want to think about, btw…) – Jensen had a very powerful dream about the end of the show and Sam’s death, and the three of them were talking about it recently, and all got choked up. Their characters are so much a part of them that they feel real, and the thought of Jensen as Dean losing Sam is now heartbreaking to Misha. Which is pretty amazing. Bob Singer told a story that he feels crystallizes the relationships they have all developed. One day Jared and Jensen came to him at the eleventh hour and said that they felt that Dean and Sam’s lines on that episode should be switched. When they rehearsed it, they were tripping over the dialogue and realized that it worked better with the parts reversed – and it worked. Bob: And I heard it and said yeah, that’s right. But the idea that they feel comfortable enough to want to make this honest change, and we’re comfortable enough with the actors to know this is not about ego, it’s about making the show better. Those relationships are why I’m still here. Jared: As much as we tease the short guy at the end [i.e., Misha], we all enjoy each other as people. We have a legitimate friendship outside of working together. And we have a lot of trust in each other. Richard: The show is about family, but it has become family. And the other members of the family? The fans. (Which is why the book I just published is called Family Don’t End With Blood, and why both all the actors and many of the fans wrote chapters about how this extraordinary show has changed their lives). One of my favorite answers was when a fan asked about favorite props. Someone in the audience yelled out “Baby!” Jensen (indignant): Baby is not a prop. Baby is a part of me. Awwww. Misha (smirking): My favorite prop is Dean. Jensen (deadpans): And that’s why he’s no longer with us. A fan asked what their biggest fears were, and Misha joked that it was sitting on stage in front of a large group of people while his friends made fun of him (i.e. exactly what was happening). Bob Singer promptly got up and took Misha by the hand and put him over in his chair, and took the tiny one himself, which was all kinds of sweet and prompted Jensen to give Misha a big hug. Richard: Misha, you are so fired for accepting that kind gesture… Jensen shared what he wrote about in his chapter in Family Don’t End With Blood – that 13 years ago, being in front of all these people would have terrified him. Jensen: It’s daunting, to get up in front of all these people and not trip over your words – or just not trip! There was a shout out to the Wayward Sisters spinoff, and then Richard asked if anyone had any parting words. Jared: Yes. Thank y’all. We wouldn’t exist like this if you didn’t exist like that, so this is 50/50 here. Thank you all for giving us a chance to play these characters and tell this story. If that’s not a classy way to end a panel, I don’t know what is. I had the chance to ask a few questions of Jared, Jensen, Misha, Andrew, and Bob later that afternoon in the press room. Both the cast and anyone who had been at the panel were still sort of blown away by the fact that Kansas had played for us, so spirits were high all around. I had done press rooms years ago, but it had been a few years, so I was busy worrying about my brand spanking new tripod being able to hold up my phone without tipping over when suddenly Jensen Ackles appeared at our table. That caused some minor panic and equipment fumbling on my part before I regained my composure, but that’s not exactly a rare occurrence for me and Mr. Ackles. However, I got a nice wink of acknowledgment so maybe he didn’t notice the fumbling. I’m going with that. Jensen started out still talking about Kansas. How adorable is Jensen fanboying over the band? Jensen: They were like, we’ve wanted to do this for years! And I was like, you mean they didn’t somehow con you into this?? You didn’t lose a bet? And then the lead singer said would you like to come up and join us onstage, and I think I had to change my pants. Jensen had a lot to say about the new season. He’s clearly excited about the Scooby Doo episode, joking that at some point Dean may try to put the moves on Daphne. Most of that episode takes place in “Scoobyland, self serving” and I can’t wait! It was interesting to hear Jensen say that he thinks that Dean always perhaps recognized that there was a bit of good in Crowley, so that even though his eventual sacrificeself-serving, it was also on behalf of the Winchesters in the end. God, I’m gonna miss Crowley! It sounds like Dean starts the season feeling overwhelmed, with too much to process, so Dean just wants to fall back on doing what he knows best and blowing something away. Sam jumps in to stop him, and Jensen acknowledged that there’s a bit of a struggle there. My question will surprise absolutely no one – I wanted to know how different it felt with the brothers not exactly being on the same page, since last season they mostly were. Jensen: It does feel different, but it’s certainly not going back to like seasons where they were completely at odds. Me: That’s good! Jensen: It’s more let’s figure out how to handle this situation. Sam wants to deal with it one way; Dean wants to deal with it another. They’re not gonna argue about it; they’re gonna eventually get to the same place, it’s just how they get there is a little different. Have to say, I loved what Jensen had to say about the brothers – and I loved what Jared had to say up next too. Jensen ended his chat with our table by saying that this crazy wild ride on Supernatural is not even a dream come true, because he could have never dreamed this. Me neither, Jensen! I had a few minutes to try to reposition my camera a bit closer so it would pick up less of the room noise and more of just the person talking, and then Jared took a seat at our table.  Someone jumped right in and asked a rather deep question about whether or not Sam realizes how much Dean had to be a parent to Sam as well as his brother. Jared: Sam does know. Sam and Dean love each other as much as two human beings can love each other, truly. Me: (silently from directly across the table) OMG my heart! Jared: That also means they’re going to hate each other and piss each other off sometimes. But it’s forgiven, between Sam and Dean. And Sam has been what Dean needed too…. They are there for each other, and Sam realizes it, and Dean realizes it. I don’t think either Sam or Dean doubt that the other loves them. Seriously, my heart. This show, damn it. Jared said there’s a bit of a role reversal this season in that Sam is overwhelmed by the situation with Jack – Sam sees a lot of himself in Jack, someone who was destined to be “bad.” He even wonders sometimes if Dean feels that way about him. (Nawwww, Sammy…) I asked Jared if it felt good to be playing Sam as the optimist this season. Jared: Yes, it does, but I think we both know he’s probably hiding some things in his optimism as well.  He’s not really dealing with some things. Me: A little bit of a defense? Jared: I think so.  And if there weren’t things to deal with, he’d be a weirdo, because he’s dealt with a lot in 13 years. Me: That’s true! Someone at the table asked about the eventual end of the show (which I didn’t want to think about right then, thankyouverymuch!). Jared got a little choked up imagining the very last time there will be a Supernatural panel at Comic Con, and I got a little choked up right along with him. He also talked about the day Jensen came to set after having that powerful dream about the show ending. I’ve also talked to Jensen about that dream, which had a big impact on him and was full of evocative images about something that clearly will be a very emotional time in his life. Jared: I remember the day he came to set and he kind of seemed shook up, and I thought maybe it’s something with the kids. I left him alone for a second and then finally when we had time to talk about it I was like dude, you all right?  And he told me the dream, and he was like shaking it off, it really affected him. It’s gonna be really difficult; I love these guys. I love these characters, and I love this family. Luckily in this Supernatural universe that we’ve created together, it won’t be over. Misha was next at our table and immediately made us all laugh. Someone asked what they’d given him to prep for these interviews. Misha: Jack shit! We usually get this paper, single spaced… (Interrupts himself to say hi to me, since he wasn’t expecting to see me in the press room, which kinda made my day) Misha: … that delineates the DNRs – the do not reveals, not the do not resuscitates – Everyone: cracks up Misha: And then there are bullet points of what we should talk about for the coming season… And for this year for Castiel it’s just ‘well, no one stays dead forever on Supernatural’ and I’m like thanks a lot for throwing me to the wolves! So I’ll just tell you everything that happens in the first eight episodes to spite them. Never change, Misha. He said that the most relevant aspect of Cas’ death is actually how the boys process his death. Sam and Dean go through a grieving process and have to deal with the loss of their friend. When Cas does come back, he’s in a realm that we’ve talked about before on Supernatural but have never seen. The Empty maybe?? Misha: And he’s in there alone with only one other being, played by… a great actor… Me: I totally thought you were about to tell us the name! Misha: (grinning slyly) Sorry. He clearly wasn’t, but that smile is so adorable it didn’t really matter. Misha also talked about how unusual it is to play the same character over the course of a decade in a vastly changing set of circumstances and the gradual evolution of their characters over time too.  It’s surprising to him how organic the process is because they know these characters so well that it just happens. In typical Misha fashion, he asked the last question of himself, which was about the very last GISHWHES. He’s very proud of it and encouraged everyone to sign up – which I’m happy to say I already did. This will be my third time, and every time has been amazingly fun and frenzied and utterly ridiculous. Hope you’re all joining me! Executive producer and showrunner Bob Singer joined us next, talked about how this season is about a family dealing with being torn apart. Ouch.  He reiterated that Dean just wants to “shoot it in the face” while Sam wants to see if Jack can be of help to them, specifically in maybe opening up the rift again so they can rescue Mary, which causes some head butting between the guys. This season will be smaller in scope, more personal and more emotional, Bob said, which makes me all kinds of excited. He also teased that we’ll see some familiar characters return, but in the AU so they’ll be not exactly the same – which is also very exciting. Singer also talked about the Wayward Sisters spinoff, which still makes me all squeeful whenever it’s confirmed as reality – I think a part of me still doesn’t believe it! The spinoff set up will begin in episode 3 with the introduction of new character Patience, be picked up in 9 and then continue in 10, which will be the pilot episode. Bob has gleaned a better understanding of how we roll over the seasons. Singer: We’re spreading it out a bit because as much as everyone wants to see Jody Mills, when you tune into Supernatural you want to see Sam and Dean, so we hope by spreading it out a bit, we’ll keep everyone happy. He paused and then smiled. Bob: Which hasn’t happened on 12 seasons of Supernatural, so I don’t know why I said that… I had to laugh, not gonna lie. Andrew Dabb was last to visit our table. He talked a lot about the AU, a world which has never had Winchesters, and the potential for some interesting situations as the universes mix, which I have to admit, has me intrigued.  He also talked about characters returning, but cautioned against overdoing it. Andrew: You don’t want to be like here’s character X and here’s character Y, but now they’ve got an eye patch, so they’re totally different… More laughter. These guys are all funny, which has got to be part of the reason this show has survived for 13 years! Dabb went on to say that even though Supernatural has a lot of history, they don’t want to just rely on nostalgia, like a character comes back just to be like hey and wave and walk away. Dabb: If we’re bringing someone back, they’re coming back for a reason. Apparently, a character named Michael will be back, but it may not be the Michael we know and love. Which makes me long for Matt Cohen… Everyone at the table was excited to hear that the show has not forgotten about the witch twins, who I think intrigued all of us. They deserve their own story, Dabb said. Yes! Someone asked if there will be any meta episodes this season, and Andrew said they don’t like to do them too often, and they want to be sure to do them in a way that’s respectful to the fans. That was a pretty nice way to end a press room. I ended the day with frozen pina coladas at the Harbor House restaurant overlooking the marina with my friend Laurena, our aching feet up on chairs while we reminisced about the past five crazy days. I always say I’m not going to do Comic Con again – it’s too exhausting, too hectic, whatever – but by the time I’m going through my photos and writing up my adventures, I’m already planning for next year. As long as Supernatural is there, count me in!

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