#my playlist has almost 100 songs in it and maybe about 8 are in English? maybe less? idk I didn’t count

[cuteniarose]

Thanks for the tag, though you should know you’re putting me through unmeasurable amounts of mental torment (/JOKING, just so we’re clear) because I barely ever listen to music 😅

Tagging @upsettimyspagetthi this is your problem now bestie (also I have no other friends on here lmao)

Top 5 On Repeat tag game

@powdeeee @creampuffqueen @mushed-kid

[nintendont2502]

My homestuck brainrot is genuinely so intense I'm convinced I could connect any song to it at this point

So uh. Gonna try that with my almost 30 hour playlist and see how long it takes before I can't I think

Song #1 - Teenage Dirtbag

Okay wow I. Do Not remember adding this to my playlist but okay

Dave Strider. Definitely. Specifically his perception of himself as this tough, cool kid yk? That's literally all I have to say about it, it just fits the vibes

Song #2 - Discord

This actually works genuinely well for Rose wtf (specifically around the time she goes Grimdark after talking to Doc Scratch - the mention of "someone else [is] pulling at the strings" and how she "can't sit idly, no [she] can't move at all")

Song #3 - Alligator

Hmm. I'm thinking either John (either around the time of God tiering or maybe using his retcon powers?) Or maybe Terezi + a little sprinkling of Vrisrezi. Unsure but it works

Song #4 - Try

Again why is this in my playlist wtf

God I guess Jane + Roxy having crushes on Dirk and all the stupid relationship drama the Alpha kids had? Idk I don't want to listen to any more of this song it's so boring

Song #5 - Lemon Boy

Okay this feels like cheating - this is obviously Davekat

Song #6 - Brave As A Noun

Oo okay we're back to the good shit. Okay this is definitely Davesprite (specifically the way he tends to push away his friends/the fact that he's seen as the "depressed bird Dave")

Like. Come on just look at this shit - "But I've got an angry heart/filled with cancers and poppy tarts/if this is how you folks make art/it's fucking depressing" and "I'm afraid to leave the house/I'm as timid as a mouse/I'm afraid if I go out I'll outwear my welcome"

Song #7 - Chase That Feeling

God okay this was the first one I genuinely struggled with. I *guess* the fact that the song is about doing something you're passionate about despite people trying to stop you, and the kids/trolls are passionate about?? Living?? Not having the universe being destroyed by LE?? Also it has all the beta kids instruments there we go. It's incredibly weak but it's *something*

Song #8 - Bad Apple

Do you know how many Homestuck animations I've seen to this? *Everything* goes with Bad Apple

Song #9 - Redesign Your Logo

Doc Scratch? Yeah Doc Scratch I think. His manipulation of Alternia/Earth to ensure tje creation of Lord English ("DNA is crucial/we must understand it/in the human genome/we will find your logo" - the codes that created Doc Scratch + by extension Lord English?) Especially "We are here to help you/everythings connected/time is of the essence/we live in the future"

Also like. "Here we have a circle/smooth and inoffensive/this will be the basis/for your revolution" like come on

Song #10 - Rapunzel

Double digits let's goo 🎉

Anyway I struggled a bit with this at first but I think Davekat (specifically pitch Davekat).

"Couldn't leave her had to meet her/greet the girl of my dreams with a kiss on the hand/What up!" < Dave 100%

Song #11 - Warriors

The troll ancestors. This is way too obvious but do i care? No

Song #12 - Body

Trying so hard to think of something that isn't just that one really good troll animation but god does it work so well. Anyway the obvious stuff:

- eyes (terezi), face (gamzee), arms and legs (vriska + tavros), hands (nepeta), heart (feferi) etc

Song #13 - Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High

Unlucky 13? Maybe! All I can think of is Cronus is being desperate which. Does work

"Now its three in the mornin/and im tryin to change your mind/left you multiple missed calls/and to my message you replied"

Song #14 - God Forgot

God for a second I was terrified id have two Cronus songs in a row but thank God I remembered sollux exists 💀 specifically AraSol

"Before you came along it was God who already forgot me/cut off both my hands, changed the locks again, that's alright/a fuckin angel caught me/she pays all my rent, paints the walls and then sings all night"

Song #15 - God Is Dead

God do you know how long I've been waiting for a Smith Street Band song. Anyway as much as I hate the epilogues this is Ult!Dirk *and* also [S] Collide

God is dead and reality is fake - Lord English destroying dream bubbles/cracking Paradox Space

It's a hivemind nightmare of a dying race - the kids and the trolls are literally a dying race and this shit is definitely a nightmare

And there is no luck and there is no fate - Vriska leading the ghost army methinks

"And nobody cares about you and your pain/but that becomes freedom if you look at it that way" - I'm gonna be real I don't have anything for this part BUT

"I've always been more distressing than cool/I'm a blood nose on the first day of school/my own quiet life at the bottom of the pool/tragedy is comedy if you can get through it" Dirk or dave probably

"Come a long way from a neck in a noose/look me in the eye and call that an excuse/wasnt sure what to make tight or keep loose/was never a boy scout, so I fell straight through it" - Dirk going ultimate

Song #16 - The Sea Is Rising

Would it be cheating to say the Batterwitch flooding Earth B

Uh god idk "I don't want them to look back when the future is written/and know we killed ourselves with nuclear visions and stupid decisions/shit I'd rather an asteroid doomed for collision/than know the planet got fucked by the human condition/sing this tune with conviction" yk what fuck it this is about Alpha Dave now. (Also fun sburb reference with the meteor there ya go)

Song #17 - Masterpiece Theatre III

This would actually work really well for a Five Giants style animation for Homestuck as a whole (focusing on the trolls, the beta kids, the alpha kids and the Cherubs or just showing major events)

Might actually look more into this later because listening to it rn god there's so much potential here

Song #18 - As The World Caves In

Dad Egbert + Mom Lalonde on the Battlefield. That's it that's the post

Song #19 - Bang Bang

Hmm DaveJade I think. Don't ship them personally but it works pretty well

"She was walkin around with a loaded shotgun/ready to fire me a hot one/it went bang bang bang straight through my heart/though I couldve walked away/just stood my ground and let her spray"

Song #20 - Le Seine

How the *fuck* is this at 20 songs already I thought I'd stop at like. 10

Anyway uh. Callieroxy. Don't know why but the vibes are so strong

Song #21 - Children of God

Fuck me I guess I'm still going

Anyway this just has tje vibes of playing Sburb. Like it fucking sucks, it's weird as hell and theres that underlying sense of anger at a universe that Does Not care about you yk

Song #22 - Basics in Behaviour

Please god there's no way I can make this Homestuck am I finally free

God fucking damn it nevermind

"This is how we live our lives searching for the answers inside of every page/and im here wondering if one day we'll finally be free from this cage/is it okay to have this feeling that maybe there is more to this game/however now, no time to question, so just behave" < that's just. That's just sburb. Specifically the way rose is trying to basically tear it apart for answers (and maybe doc scratch coming in for that last line)

Song #22 - Line Without A Hook

Sigh. Do I even need to say anything? Vrisrezi. AraSol. Line Without A Hook works for any fandom and I will *never* be free

Song #23 - Betterman

Epilogues Roxygen? "Cause you taught me so many things about myself and you know this is true/but now we are apart and it's all my fault cause you know I need to be alone/don't know myself, so how can I share me with you girl, or anyone?"

Could also add a sprinkling of June in there if you're feeling particularly trans

Song #24 - Make It Bun Dem

God I was convinced I was free.

"Killin the flows we're sicker than most/defating the foes we weather the most/never yet falter, never yet flop/never yet halt and never yet stop/keep up with God and never yet drop" < peak 2011 amv material (specifically pre-scratch, when the beta kids alcjemise all the cool shit and just kick ass on their planets yk)

Also maybe a rap dave would make I don't fjcking know anymore kts almost 2 am I started doing this *an hour* ago

Song #25 - Let Me Down Easy

God it's just. It's just Davesprite again. Specifically Davesprite after/while dating Jade on the battleship.

"You want someone who wants you for who you are/I want someone to try and let me down easy, easy tonight/easy, easy tonight/honey it's no secret that with matters of the heart/I'm reserved, I'm irrational, and rarely ever start/since the world's dark and often I humane"

Song #26 - Eleanor Rigby

John god tiering and/or retcon powers. Something big and flashy (maybe retcon powers to fit the "all the lonely people" line since him, Davesprite + Roxy are the only people from the preretcon timeline)

Song #27 - Still Alive

Lil Hal leaning into the robot thing as an ironic bit to piss off Dirk? Yeah probably - especially "I'm not even angry/I'm being so sincere right now/even though you broke my heart and killed me"

Song #28 - Tightrope

At this point I'm excited everytime I see an aussie rap song I get excited because it might mean this is finally ending, and everytime I'm disappointed by the depths of my brainrot

Anyway this is also Davejade "i play my demos one by one/smile if she likes it laugh if it sucks" - also the mention of "it's like I'm running with a blindfold" because haha get it she wears a blindfold in her entry god I'm so tired

Song #29 - Float On

This is just John I think. Like it ties into his aspect and how it provides freedom/independence which usually helps solve these major issues hes facing? So he can just "float on"

Song #30 - Rockefeller Street

Jesus fucking christ song 30?? Anyway this whole song is just Trickster Mode. "Everything is more than surreal" fuck dude it sure is

Song #31 - How To Save A Life

Epilogues Dirk + Dave. Specifically that part in Meat (?) After Dirk goes Ultimate and Dave talks about how he should have tried to talk to him or do anything to help him

"Lay down a list of what is wrong/the things you've told him all along/pray to God he hears you"

Song #32 - Little Talks

Hm AraJade or JadeRose I think. "I don't like walking around this old and empty house/so hold my hand I'll walk with you my dear"

Song #33 - Clown Prince

Thank God,,, thank fuckign God ***FINALLY***

There's literally no way I can make this Homestuck it's just fucking and drinking and honestly. Thank God.

It's 2 am. I started this an hour and a half ago as a funny haha. I didn't think I'd get further than 5 songs, but my commitment to tje bit won out over literally everything else

Thank you hilltop hoods

[anyways-wonderwall]

Album of the Week #6

Blonde comme moi

(2007)

By BB Brunes

Overall Rating: 8/10

TL;DR: A French version of the Strokes in the best way, with songs that make you remember the titles. A must if you like any alt rock.

This week was my AP French test and in an effort to tell myself that I was studying I decided to choose a French album this week. I only know about this because of the single that came from this album, “Dis-moi” which I think I found on a playlist of French indie songs (which I was originally looking up because my French class only plays pop music and it makes me want to cry). It was that perfect mid 2000s rock that I adore so I ended up listening to a ton of other songs from the artist. While I've heard this album before, this was my first time actually paying attention while listening to it. And in the case of “Dis-moi” I almost wish I didn't speak French.

General Thoughts

It's funny that I'm reviewing this after doing a whole unit on globalization because this really is a great example of that. While 95% of the lyrics in this album are in French the inspiration clearly isn't. Listening to this it fit right along with any Strokes, Franz Ferdinand, or Jet from this time period. You could make the argument that all of the songs sound the same and the unoriginality hurts it, but I honestly don't care because what is being repeated sounds really dang good. The Strokes also is on a really fine line of all of the songs blurring together, while this album doesn't fall into that trap quite as much.

This album also falls into that category that would sound probably exactly as good live. This gives the album an immersive quality and boy does it make me miss live music. It brings to mind going to a bar/restaurant to see a live band just goof off and play some covers. Maybe these hit me harder than most because I play guitar and have always dreamed of being in a band, but this is 100% the kind of music I would perform. Down to the fun French accents.

This whole album gets a general thumbs up from me vibe wise, and really just sounds like your standard mid-2000s rock album in the best way possible. A few highlights include "Le gang” which was their debut song (also the fact that they were started that strong at less than 20 years old makes the whole thing even better) and a full groove and a half. I'm a sucker for a nice baseline and this one has me hooked. “Perdu cette nuit” and “Pas comme ça” have similar vibes of the dip in the middle of the concert when you're running off of adrenaline more than actual energy. “Houna” (and “BB baise” a bit) really reminds me of a Disney Channel original movie from 2007. I can picture the main character running across his neighbors' yards trying to get home before his parents wake up every time I listen to this song.

While most of these songs are good, the two bangers are definitely “Dis-moi” and “Wolfman”. The first one is the big hit from this album, one that actually charted in France. It is definitely the catchiest from the album and I have been singing it every day this week. If you listen to one song out of this album I'd recommend this one-- it gives a good preview of what the rest of it is and has a fun music video to go with it.

And now it is the time in the review where I write a love letter to my favorite song. Oh “Wolfman”, where do I start. This song is completely acoustic, and you can hear the rawness in the strumming and switching of chords. It sounds like something you would hear someone sing for just you and a small group of people, an intimate experience. The song is also entirely in English, making it stick out even more from the rest. The accent mixed with the grittiness of the guitar is a beautiful result, one that makes a diamond hidden on the second CD of the deluxe edition.

Final Verdict

Listen, I would love nothing more than to own a physical copy of this album, but it's only available in France and I would have to pay some insane international shipping for it. While I love this album to bits, I don't think it's worth the $30 it would end up costing. I think I'm just going to buy it on iTunes and if I happen to find it while staying in French, I'll just cry tears of joy.

While I can’t recommend someone paying over $10 for shipping on a CD, I can recommend streaming or buying this album digitally. If you like any 2000s rock, especially The Strokes or the movie Scott Pilgrim vs the World, then this is for you.

[xxcureangelxx]

5, 9, 10, 13, 20, 21, 24, 25, 28, 30-35, 38-42, 44-46, 50, 52, 54, 60-62, 66, 71-74, 86-91, 96, 100! 😊

okay I literally have no clue how old this is and if I'm even taking the questions from the right post but here goes I guess? 🙈

<u>5. What is your favorite Color?</u>

PURPLE

<u>9. How tall are you?</u>

about 1,70 meters or 5'7"

<u>10. What shoe size are you?</u>

size 40-41, I think that's about 8 in US sizes?

<u>13. What talents do you have?</u>

uhhh good question... not sure if it counts but I guess I'm quite good at a lot if things but can't do anything extraordinarily well?

<u>20. Are you religious?</u>

Absolutely not. Due to family history and a lot of other things I'm actually against it a lot but people can do whatever they feel like is right for them as long as they don't harm others with it.

<u>21. Have you ever been to the hospital?</u>

Yes, quite a lot actually. practically grew up in hospitals as a baby because of kidney issues, broke both my legs with 4 years old, had to revisit for tests a lot during my childhood because of the kidney issue. it calmed down afterwards until I was back in hospital last year because of my terrible mental health and I'm currently in a rehabilitation clinic for it as well.

<u>24. Baths or showers?</u>

Shower's because we don't have a bathtub

<u>25. What color socks are you wearing?</u>

currently none, I love going barefoot, but usually I wear white, gray or black. I know... I'm a bad gay.. no rainbow socks (;ŏ﹏ŏ)

<u>28. What type of music do you like?</u>

you know.... I hate this question with a passion even though I love music so I'll just throw in my yt-playlist here and everyone who's interested can look through it to get a picture xD not sorted in any way and not a conclusive list at all, I just add songs as I find them

<u>30. How many pillows do you sleep with?</u>

mostly just one at a time but I've got two different ones. one is the normal fluffy kinda pillow, the other is made of some kinda foam material and rather thin.

<u>31. What position do you usually sleep in?</u>

I'm always lying on the side! have been doing that since I was a baby too.

<u>32. How big is your house?</u>

compared to what? 🙈 I'd say decent size for 5 people to live in, would have space for 1-2 more if rooms were used differently but definitely not enough to comfortably live with 12 or even more people like my family used to. we've got like 3 proper sleeping rooms (one of which is the attic so not very nice in terms of heat and the staircase is smack in the middle of the room), a kitchen, a dining room, a big living room, a tiny bathroom that barely fits a toilet and shower, and the basement is a mix of storage, electrics and stuff, washing room/utility room and it's got another smaller room that's been turned back into a small workshop but used to be the room of my brother and later my grandmother.

<u>33. What do you typically have for breakfast?</u>

I guess this is where it shows that I'm german but we usually just eat bread (preferably whole grain) with cheese or slices of salami or ..meat sausage? is that a proper translation? 🤨 idk... it's rather simple really. on the weekend maybe buns and boiled eggs. on the occasion that I'm too tired for it or don't have enough time I eat cereals but it's not very common when I'm at work/school

<u>34. Have you ever fired a gun?</u>

No, and I don't want to

<u>35. Have you ever tried archery?</u>

Yes!! I did last year when I was in the hospital and it was super fun! was quite good at it as well, even for my first try 😤

<u>38. What's the longest you've ever gone without sleep?</u>

I think about 3 days? if we count "barely unconscious for a few hours" as sleep that is... otherwise no clue...my memory of the bad sleepless time is quite hazy lol

<u>39. Do you have any scars?</u>

yeah, quite a few tbh. got 2 huge ones from surgeries due to my kidney issues, well they look like 2 but it's actually multiple ones since they simply cut open party of the old ones again, tiny hooman apparently have very little skin. then I got some other ones here and there from accidents, general dumbness, etc, like when I cut through my sunday morning bun and almost cut half of the tip of my finger off because my mother sharpened the knife and didn't tell me or that time as a kid I couldn't wait for my ironing pearl pictures to be done and burned myself on the hot iron, mostly stuff like that.

<u>40. Have you ever had a secret admirer?</u>

I mean.. if they're a secret... how would I know? ;) not sure if it counts that it took me months to realize I had a crush on my best friend and the feelings were reciprocated and I was too blind to see the signs?

<u>41. Are you a good liar?</u>

Nope. People actually think I'm lying more often than I lie... so.... :/

<u>42. Are you a good judge of character?</u>

I'm.. honestly not sure what this one means? like, am I able to judge what kind of character a person has after barely meeting them or smth? if so, I'm terrible at it

<u>44. Do you have a strong accent?</u>

in german? nope. in english? hmm hard to judge since I rarely hear myself speak. I think the stuff I do know how to pronounce is mostly okay but since I learned it through reading I'm simply unsure of a lot of pronunciations. 'also'.... I can not for the life of me pronouns that word no matter how many times I hear it... it's kinda become a quirk after some classmates pointed it out to me and I'm incredibly aware how terrible I say the word but.... just can't get rid of it ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

<u>45. What is your favorite accent?</u>

I.. actually really love the way my best friend talks? 👉👈 they're french btw. just... typical me for struggling to understand them though, already terrible at it in german too...

<u>46. What is your personality type?</u>

honestly, I don't think I can answer that. I'm big on self loathing and everything's pretty shitty so, no thanks

<u>50. Left or right handed?</u>

Right handed. but does it even count id I'm bad at doing things with that hand too? lol

<u>52. Favorite food?</u>

hmmmm tough question... not the biggest fan of food in general a lot of the time... probably Züricher Geschnetzeltes

<u>54. Are you a clean or a messy person?</u>

Definitely messy. my allergies did not like this post trying to clean and tidy up more often though. my depression does not like this post either

<u>60. Do you talk to yourself?</u>

sometimes. quite a bit when watching movies or if I mess stuff up

<u>61. Do you sing to yourself?</u>

barely. got a lot of bad experiences with that so i keep my singing to a minimum. my shower is a great listener though

<u>62. Are you a good singer?</u>

I was in a choir for a few years when I went to 'middle school' and I had like one solo part once but other than that I can't really say because I barely ever sing in front of people

<u>66. Do you like long or shor hair?</u>

this question is currently my absolute nemesis.. I've got suuuper duper long hair and have had it ever since elementary school and I used to be super happy with it and sometimes I still am happy with it but other days, depending on where I'm at genderwise, I absolutely hate it and I just want to take the closest scissors and cut it all off... currently haven't had the guts to look for new hair styles though... but in other people? or women more specifically? I love long hair 🥺

<u>71. What makes you nervous?</u>

Or the shorter question: what doesn't make me nervous... I'd say pretty much everything has got the potential to make me nervous. I'm an overthinker, anxiety is a big thing for me and ptsd makes me scared of almost everything. so.. yeah... sucks to be me sometimes ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

<u>72. Are you scared of the dark?</u>

Yes, very

<u>73. Do you correct people when they make mistakes?</u>

I try not to but sadly I sometimes do, even if it's not my place to. I really don't like that part and hope I'll be able to learn not to sometime

<u>74. Are you ticklish?</u>

Yes and I hate it 😭

<u>86. What are you allergic to?</u>

again, easier question: what am I not allergic to... it's... a lot... like, really a lot. with the test on the skin of my arm I reacted to every single substance and the more thorough blood test lead to much of the same result. the absolute worst are birch trees (pitty, love those), then the usual pollen of pretty much every tree or flower, all animals with fur or feathers, dust and... yeah list goes on and on, you get the picture... :/

<u>87. Do you keep a journal?</u>

no.. have tried to multiple times in the past but never made it more than a week... too depressing to write and read... the therapist at the rehab clinic is currently forcing me to try a positivity diary for the millionths time, can't even get that done each day even though I'm doing it on my phone and get notifications to do it each evening...

<u>88. What do your parents do?</u>

making my life hell lol.. okay on a serious note, my father was a car electrician, he's retired by now, my mother is a housewife, she used to work different jobs before her first kid, later on she took care of my grandmother who was suffering from dementia, got some money and retirement points for that too.

<u>89. Do you like your age?</u>

I-... I don't know? it's weird because I both feel a lot younger and a lot older than I am rn....

<u>90. What makes you angry?</u>

another tough question... I actually have anger issues in that way that I'm barely capable of feeling anger... used to be worse but I already worked a lot on it in therapy so there's at least some there now... in the past I simply started to cry and felt overwhelmed by sadness whenever I was supposed to feel anger... so I can't tell very well what makes me angry because I first have to realize that I'm feeling anger or more like should be feeling it....

<u>91. Do you like your own name?</u>

Not really, no, but I guess I finally figured out some reasons why.. I've recently started going by a bit of a different name too but only my closest friends know so far and I'm not sure if I'll be using it irl at all..

<u>96. How did you get your name?</u>

I'm still trying to get my mother to admit that she named me after this song but she keeps denying it.. she's a fan of this band so it would have fit.. but she keeps saying she just liked the name, no long thought process behind it..

my chosen name is a bit of a different story. an ex friend I got to know through yt gave me that nickname almost 10 years ago after I complained that you can't make a shorter nickname out of my birthname and it's also the name of s character I like, especially his voice, and... idk it just feels more gender neutral and I simply feel comfortable with it. it just fit.

<u>100. Color of your room?</u>

same as question 5: Purple 🥰 or... well half the walls are purple, the other half is white

phew... can't believe I made it through all of these....

in case people haven't noticed yet, I'm currently kinda getting back into tumblr? I think I've already stayed a lot longer than any times I tried getting back before. it mostly started because we've got super bad wifi at the clinc I'm at rn and reddit takes up waaayy too much mobile data and... idk, I guess I just missed the vibe of tumblr

I'm not sure how long I'll be able to stick around but we'll see

[mackies-thoughts]

Life in Music

Music has always been a major part of my life, so naturally my life can be defined by what music I was listening to at the time. I will listen to my music on shuffle and say “Oh, I remember listening to this in [insert random moment in time here]”. Thus a definitive list of my life in music is born!

Fall 2018

Shawn Mendes album (I listened to this on repeat while suffering through my online algebra assignments)

Youngblood - 5SOS album (I listened to this for the first time packing for winter break!)

Oye Como Va - Tito Puente (this was discovered during my World Music class and my roommate and I would listen to it over and over again)

Duck Tails theme song (again, my roommate and I have weird taste in music I guess)

Killer Queen - 5SOS

Polaroid - Jonas Blue, Liam Payne & Lennon Stella

Fine - Spencer Sutherland (I would listen to this song on repeat at least 15 times in a row)

Shotgun - George Ezra (My dad got me into this song)

Still New York - MAX and Joey Bada$$

8 Letters (album) - Why Don’t We (the beginning of a lovely obsession)

Happier - Marshmello (DO NOT watch this music video, whatever you do)

Have It All - Jason Mraz (This is a super specific memory but I was listening to this walking to Centennial Hall and it put me in such a good mood which algebra class ruined immediately)

LANY (album) - LANY

Spring 2019

Dan and Shay - all albums (but I like the Obsessed album the best I think)

Unbelievable - Why Don’t We (the best WDW song to date, I will fight people on this)

Don’t Change - Why Don’t We

Phases - PRETTYMUCH (I remember many cold mornings at 7 am walking to Chemistry and listening to this on repeat)

If I Can’t Have You - Shawn Mendes (I remember driving to surprise our best friend at his college graduation and blasting this song with the windows down, such a fun day!)

Look What God Gave Her - Thomas Rhett (I have a specific memory of driving to Walmart with my roommate and choosing this song to listen to)

Someone to You - BANNERS (this song was used in After and I saw that with my roommate and another friend during Block Party weekend)

NIKES - Jake Miller

Here With Me - Marshmello feat. CHVRCHES (I listened to this one so much that my roommate actually banned me from listening to it around her because she was so sick of it)

Love Me Less - MAX & Quinn XCII

Who Do You Love - The Chainsmokers & 5SOS

I Don’t Belong In This Club - Why Don’t We & Macklemore (pretty sure there’s a video of me singing this song very poorly 😂)

comethru - Jeremy Zucker (feat. Bea Miller)

Cody Simpson - all new albums (this obsession started after I saw him in Anastasia on a trip to New York and I’m now in love, he has such a summer vibe in all of his newer music)

Fall 2019 (aka worst semester everrr)

Kill My Mind - Louis Tomlinson (anxiously waiting for Walls to release!!)

Yellow Hearts - Ant Saunders (courtesy of TikTok)

Fine Line (album) - Harry Styles (my roommate became obsessed with Watermelon Suger so I thought she would become obsessed like me - thought wrong; the video for Adore You dropped and I watched it while getting ready one morning to which my roommate said “What the heck are you watching?”)

Ophelia - The Lumineers (TikTok again, I might be obsessed)

5SOS - Sounds Good Feels Good album and Teeth (this semester made me feel angsty and SGFG definitely helps with that)

Colors (EP) - Jacob Whitesides (I may have cried out of pride listening to this the first time which was as soon as it was released)

What Am I - Why Don’t We (changed my mind, this is the best WDW song)

Next to Normal soundtrack (watched a bootleg of this on YouTube and cried)

Flicker (album) - Niall Horan (I’m a bad fan but I just now listened to this album...oops. It was on repeat studying in the library for finals with my roommate)

Put a Little Love on Me - Niall Horan

Nice to Meet Ya - Niall Horan (this song excited me because he speaks French and the only class I enjoyed this semester was French so)

Suburban Girl - Lostboycrow (I jam hard to this song, I was listening to a chill playlist while doing laundry and that’s how I discovered this song)

10,000 Hours - Dan and Shay (I also listened to this one on repeat as soon as it came out, along with Kill My Mind)

Mother - Charlie Puth (I saw this king in concert and he will forever be one of my favs)

Things That We Drink To - Morgan Wallen (I discovered him on a band bus ride back from Shippensburg University and I fell in love with this Australian country singer)

Aaand during winter break I have been listening to High School Musical: The Musical: The Series which I was ready to hate but I’m actually in love with!

Spring 2020 - aka Corona Virus University

Goldfish Crackers - Good Revere (best TikTok dance everrrr, my roommate and I are obsessed with it and we do it together a lot, even if it is just over FaceTime)

Heartbreak Weather (album) - Niall Horan (so so amazing, I could listen to it over and over for the rest of my life which may or not be happening)

CALM (album) - 5 Seconds of Summer (again, great album and have it on repeat)

Common Sense - Joshua Basset (cute, cute song from a cute, cute boy)

IDK You Yet - Alexander 23 (another really cute song)

Starry - (this is a musical based on the life of Vincent Van Gogh, sounds a little bizarre but I promise it’s incredible! Dillon Klena is part of the team now although he didn’t sing on the actual recording)

Whistler - Kathryn Gallagher (she’s part of the Jagged Little Pill company on Broadway and she’s so good!)

Jasper Avenue - CaRter (vibeeees)

Little Women Soundtrack - (all instrumental and I’ve written many an English paper/Genetics paper to it)

Intentions - Justin Bieber feat. Quavo (I only know a few words but that doesn’t stop me from vibing as hard as I possibly can!)

Sunday Best - Surfaces (another TikTok song but it is so so good and gets stuck in my head. Bonus is that I can do the dance!)

Winter Hurts (EP) - Jacob Whitesides (another banging album from my dude! Go check it out if you haven’t already!)

Beautiful Soul - Jesse McCartney (this has always been my favorite song but it now has so much more meaning to me because it was Corey La Barrie’s favorite too. Rest in Paradise bud<3)

Hedwig and the Angry Inch album (specifically the Riverdale cast album, some may say it’s cringey but I loved it! - “Here’s to Ronnie...”)

Fall 2020

Fallin’ - Why Don’t We (such an amazing group of guys that are finally producing music that is 100% them! I’m really looking forward to seeing the rest of their album because if it is anything like this then it is about to break the charts)

Julie and the Phantoms Cast Album (OH MY GOSH I need to make a post with all of my JATP thoughts because this show has so many layers that make it absolutely incredible. There are no skips on the album AT ALL)

Hold Me Down - Jacob Whitesides (This is his best song by far and I streamed it for about 24 hours straight so my boy could rack up his streams on Spotify 😌)

mama’s boy - LANY (another amazing album by them! My favorite differs from day to day but currently it is (what i wish just one person would say to me))

Lotus Inn - Why Don’t We (This is such a feel-good song and honestly I’ve listened to it so many times and am still not tired of it at all. The music video is incredible and it was another of Corey’s favorite songs <3)

evermore - Taylor Swift (holy cow, this girl is amazing! My favorite is happiness, tolerate it, and gold rush!)

Wonder - Shawn Mendes album (so many cute love songs and Monster with Justin Bieber is sooo good!)

Almost Maybes - Jordan Davis

Spring 2021

Every Girl I Ever Loved - Noah Schnacky

It’s Not You It’s Me - EBEN

Roses - The Band CAMINO

Greek Tragedy - The Wombats

About You Now - Sam and Sounds

Glad You Exist - Dan and Shay

Honeymoon (Demo) - The Shadowboxers

remember the mornings - Clinton Kane

CHICKEN TENDIES - Clinton Kane

Break My Heart - JC Stewart

u suck - Emily Bear

afraid to die - Jacob Whitesides

losing a friend - Jacob Whitesides

Summer 2021 (CMERA in particular)

everything sucks - vaultboy

Alaina - John Harvie

Casual - Ian McConnel

Lemon Drop - Raynes

Big Kids (Bergie Remix) - Lukr, Bergie

Cheers to My Teenage Years

Best Thing Ever

Fall 2021

Love Back - Why Don’t We

I Guess I’m In Love - Clinton Kane

[balmacedapascal-archive]

twenty-one questions tag

The lovely Kyra ( @mrbenhardys ) tagged me in this so here I am telling you all about boring little old me. Woo. Also I just changed my url earlier today so I’m guessing half the people seeing me post are trying to figure out who I am and why they followed me so maybe this will help. 

nicknames: Jules (not used very often but that’s about it)

zodiac sign: Capricorn

height: 5′3″ which has left me with short jokes since the sixth grade when I stopped growing vertically

hogwarts house: Hufflepuff and proud!

last thing i googled: Vikings season 6 (yes I’m back on my Vikings bullshit again)

fave musicians: My musical tastes are completely all over the place it’s ridiculous. Some favorites include Fleetwood Mac, Shawn Mendes, Lady Gaga, Fall Out Boy, Lorde, Ben Lee, Foo Fighters, Kehlani, Halsey, Hozier.

song stuck in your head: Hurts Like Hell - Madison Beer

following: 296

followers: 287

do you get asks: almost never. there was a little blip when I started posting about Undrafted but really I don’t get much in my inbox.

amount of sleep: anywhere from 4-8, depending on the night. 

lucky number: 17

What are you wearing: black stretchy workout pants, green and white t-shirt

dream job: definitely something creative. either writing full time (like being able to live and not stress about finances while spending my days just dedicated to writing) or working on theatre productions whether it’s onstage or offstage. I’ve also always wanted to own a cozy bookshop.

dream trip: New Zealand. I’ve been wanting to visit since I was in the fifth grade and a couple years ago I was very close to packing up my life and just moving there.  

instruments: I played trumpet for a year in elementary school and tried to learn guitar in eighth grade but I never excelled at either of those. 

languages: English is the only one I’m confident in and that’s shaky at best. I took Spanish for three years in high school and two in college and I could maybe hold a conversation for about a minute. I’ve been trying to learn Danish on my own which is a pain in the ass but I’m working on it and dreaming about visiting Copenhagen to find me a tall, beautiful Viking to sweep me off my feet. So far I can read it a lot better than I can speak it. 

favorite songs: Honestly I can’t do this. It’s just too much. I have a playlist of 100 songs that I love and that’s barely scratching the surface. 

random fact: I love doing jigsaw puzzles and then framing them once they’re finished. I have three in my room that I did last year - all Disney themed because I’m still 5.

aesthetic: piles of cozy blankets and wood burning fireplaces and low lighting and spearmint & eucalyptus body wash and morbidly fascinating podcasts and napping in blanket forts and the smell of something baking and stacks of books crowding the bookshelves and messy braids and naps at three in the afternoon and late night taco runs and constant cuddling

I hate having to try and like people to tag for this stuff but @winterrose527 @enthusiastic-french-toast @spencerzschau @gardnerlangway @browneyedfloozy @tinaruthbelcher. If you’ve already been tagged, feel free to ignore this. 

[myforeverforlife]

50 Random Things Tag!

The always lovely @crossandchange tagged me! (thank you!)

1. What takes up too much of your time?

Netflix. Since I’m on spring break, I’ve been relaxing by just going through episodes at a time. I’m limiting myself to four episodes maximum in a day. 😂

2. What makes your day better?

Getting extra sleep!

3. What’s the best thing that happened to you today?

I managed to finish a good chunk of my homework, and I’m hoping I can finish the rest by the time I head back to school.

4. What fictional place would you like to go to?

I don’t really know?? I used to say Hogwarts, but like definitely a post-Harry Potter world (as much as I love magic, I’m not looking to be killed by Voldemort) Now, I feel like any place that’s got magic and is generally peaceful is fine with me, haha

5. Are you good at giving advice?

Ehh, it depends for me too. I’m horrible at relationship advice, and I’m always like”Why are you asking me?? I’ve literally only been on a handful of dates”. I’m more of a shoulder to lean on and someone to empathize with rather than someone who gives out advice. I feel weird about it, like I’m being pushy and telling people what to do or something?

6. Do you have any mental illnesses?

No, I do get anxious about things but it’s not the extent of being a constant looming presence in my life (which I’m really thankful for)

7. Have you ever experienced sleep paralysis?

Nope! (also thankful for this lol)

8. What musician inspired you the most?

Kacey Musgraves! I really am not a country music kind of person, but she is such a talented lyricist and singer, and she has such a soothing voice! Her lyrics are also witty and fun to decipher.

9. Have you ever fallen in love?

Twice, but they were very innocent and naive. I liked someone from kindergarten all the way until 7th grade, and then someone else from 8th grade until 11th grade. Both times, I was like head over heels, but both times we were just friends and I never confessed.

10. What’s your dream date?

Honestly just doing anything that keeps us moving (going to the beach, party, carnival) I hate having to sit in one place for long and I’d be pretty antsy 😂

11. What do others notice about you?

That I’m tiny! And that I look young for my age.

12. What’s an annoying habit you have?

When I get nervous or bored, I pick at the skin on my thumbs. I know it’s so bad, but I’ve been doing this since I was a kid, and I’m glad it’s gotten A LOT better since then (i made the main character in the upcoming ksoo fic have this habit too haha)

13. Do you still talk to your first love?

No, we stopped talking in high school and grew apart. But we didn’t end our friendship on bad terms or anything, we just had really different friend groups and interests by then.

14. How many exes do you have?

Zero!

15. How many songs are in your playlist?

Oh god I have too many playlists. I have one I listen to before I go to bed and it has like 200 songs.

16. What instruments can you play?

A tiny tiny tiny bit of piano.

17. Who do you have the most pictures of?

School pictures. Like pictures of stuff we made in my class because we have to make a portfolio of everything we did at the end of the semester 😂

18. Where would you like to go before you die?

Also Japan! Or South Korea.

19. What’s your zodiac?

Aries!

20. Do you relate to it?

Aries are like the stubborn, hot-headed people right? That’s definitely me. Like I’m a big listener and listen more than I talk, but if I really disagree with someone and our decision is gonna end up affecting something big (grades, other people, etc.) then I am always 100% backing my own opinion and trying to convince the other person to see the same thing or at least see some of the benefits of it.

21. What is happiness to you?

Finding a bit of peace where you can relax and know that even if other stuff is stressing you out right now, you have this moment to just focus on the here and now.

22. Are you going through anything right now?

I’m always going through it. I’ve got a 12 page (minimum) paper due at the end of the semester, and I’ve been so annoyed with the fact that I can’t work on continuing fics. It’s been months since I updated anything, and I know that I have school stuff to take care of first, but it still gets to me seeing all these projects I wanted to have gotten done by now.

23. What’s the worst decision you ever made?

Literally any decision where I decided not to speak up when I was feeling lost or unsure.

24. What’s your favorite store?

Ooh, this is a hard one. Maybe Sephora?

25. (HALFWAY!) What’s your opinion on abortion?

Pro-choice. I don’t like to judge others for their decisions, and hope that they respect mine as well. Forcing other people to go through with a pregancy that they aren’t prepared for/that they don’t want/that could end up being terrible for their health is wrong to me.

26. Do you keep a bucket list?

Mentally, but I’ve been trying to get in the habit of writing one out. I do have tiny lists on my phone or on post-its (shopping list, homework to do, due dates)

27. Do you have a favourite album?

I can’t pick one! Some of my favorites are Gfriend’s Rainbow and Snowflake albums, EXO-CBX’s Blooming Days, EXO’s Exodus and of course, Jongdae’s April, and a Flower! I also used to love BTS’s The Most Beautiful Moment in Life Pt. 2 (I listened to that on repeat for a good month or so omg)

28. What do you want for your birthday?

A durable and cute purse. I’ve been using the same one since high school, and it’s still holding up but I want a more “professional” and “mature” looking one.

29. What is most people’s first impression of you?

That I’m quiet. 😂 People assume that I’m very shy (which is partly true) or that I don’t want to talk to them (which is almost never the case)

30. What age do you seem according to most people?

Kids think I’m a teenager, people at school think I’m a freshman or sophomore in college.

31. Where do you keep your phone when you’re sleeping?

Next to my pillow.

32. What word do you say the most?

Either “Oh god” or “What the heck”

33. What’s the oldest age you’d date?

25

34. What’s the youngest age you’d date?

20

35. What job / career do most people say would suit you?

A teacher (which is good cause that’s what I want to do, haha)

36. What’s your favorite music genre?

Pop in general!

37. If you could live in any country in the world where would it be?

Maybe Japan?

38. What is your current favorite song?

Gfriend’s Love Whisper!

39. How long have you had this blog for?

Since November 2017

40. What are you excited for?

Getting through this final semester!

41. Are you a better talker or listener?

Definitely a listener. I like listening to what other people have to say!

42. What is the last productive thing you did?

Get started on my monster 12 page paper and finding references for it.

43. What do you want for Christmas?

I never know! I guess I’ll get ideas as it gets closer to the date.

44. What class do you get the best grades in?

English

45. On a scale of 1-10 how do you feel right now?

5. I’m like half-dead from doing all this homework, and my eyes have been a bit red from staring at the screen 🙃

46. What can you see yourself doing in 10 years?

Hopefully teaching! If not, just working with kids in any form. Marriage isn’t something I need, but I do want to have kids and pets, so hopefully I’ll be in the process of/have had adopted.

47. When did you get your first heartbreak?

At 16? Or 17.

48. At what age do you wanna be married?

I really don’t have a preference. I’m of the mindset where if I get married, great! If I don’t, that’s still great! I’m glad to just have supporting friends and family, and while it would be nice to be married, it’s not something that I feel I need.

49. What career did you want to have as a child?

I wanted to be an author or a doctor!

50. What do you crave right now?

Sushi!

i’m tagging @byunfirstlady @g-exo @abangtanfangirl @trishmarieco @daelicious-jongbulge @marshmallow-phd and @crazy-gingerbread-lady

[justfcrkicks]

01. what’s your name/alias you go by ??

it’s not my real name but i go by cody online, usually.

02. what’s your age ??

nineteen, almost twenty. i feel 12 tho

03. what’s your zodiac sign ??

aries! i added the exclamation point bc we’re supposed to be assertive but i didn’t get the memo.

04. what’s your ethnicity ??

umm what ISN’T my ethnicity is a better question haha. but no i’m mostly italian/sicilian, lots of different other european countries too, and also part native american, but sadly the only person that even knew what tribe was my grandmother who never really shared those details with anyone before her passing.

05. what’s your nationality ??

i am a US citizen :)

06. what’s your favorite band and/or musical artist ??

i can never answer this because i like pretty much every genre of music and my “favorite” is constantly in flux but right now i’ve been listening to a lot of greta van fleet, eminem, harry styles, joyner lucas, tenacious d, and also one specific willie nelson song has been on a constant loop when i’m not listening to the other stuff.

07. what’s your dream job ??

i don’t really have one tbh. lots of people do and that’s awesome, but sometimes people don’t believe me when i say the only thing that matters is that i don’t hate the job and it earns me enough money to live comfortably, maybe own a small house, reasonably priced car, etc. 

08. what’s one place you would love to visit ??

alpha centauri

09. what’s your favorite tv show ??

another one of those things where i can’t pick a favorite. i’ve been enjoying arrow, riverdale, titans, the ranch, sabrina, supergirl, the flash, legacies, and legends of tomorrow lately though. i’m also a big fan of general hospital, the 100, izombie, lucifer, and stranger things.

10. what’s your favorite movie ??

um... tough one but i have always had a soft spot for Joe Dirt, or The New Guy. Also, I really liked Why Him with James Franco, Bryan Cranston, and Zoey Deutch. I mean, not the greatest movies ever but they’re what come to mind when asked, so... lol

11. what’s your favorite song ??

as of the past couple weeks? “cruel cruel world” by willie nelson, or “unshaken” by d’angelo. for weeks before that it was “lucky you” by eminem & joyner lucas. but i really, unironically love “only in america” by riff raff. the video is hilarious and it just puts me in a good mood.

12. what’s your favorite sport ??

is watching tv a sport? haha video games is a sport, right...?

13. what’s your favorite food ??

pizza. or cereal. i have difficulty picking favorites if you couldn’t tell.

14. what’s your favorite face claim to use ??

chris wood or paul wesley, usually. i’ve just used them a lot and gotten used to them. i tried to justify chris wood for john but he’s way too buff to be john and his skinny gifs don’t look nearly enough like john to make any sense.

15. what’s your least favorite face claim ??

andy ballsack biersack. emma roberts. those two bring up bad memories. dylan o’brien. idk why, i like him well enough as an actor. i’m not necessarily opposed to rping with any of them though

16. what’s your favorite canon character to play ??

i played kai parker for a while. that was fun.

17. what’s your sexuality ??

heterosexual. i legitimately cannot remember a time i wasn’t into girls. as a toddler i’d play with barbies to take the clothes off lmfao

18. what’s the last movie you saw in a cinema/theater ??

batman v superman i think. it’s been way too long.

19. what’s the worst injury you’ve ever had ??

i’ve had some bad ones. i broke my wrist/hand in a few different places, which wasn’t too bad. had a sprained/fractured ankle which didn’t heal for like a year. but the worst was when i got assassin’s creed brotherhood as a kid and laid on my stomach across the whole couch, propped up on my elbows for like 7 hours straight. my back was in a u shape the whole time and when i finally moved, that was the moment i realized i fucked up lol

20. what’s a random or interesting fact about you ??

um.... idk i’m boring but maybe that i have lost 120lbs 

21. do you listen to music while you write ??

sometimes. if i find a good playlist (i’m too lazy to make one) that’s not too distracting then sometimes i’ll use it for a while but other times i just like the silence.

22. are you a morning, day, evening, or night writer ??

night. no matter how hard i try my sleep schedule always gets turned upside down eventually to where i get up at like 6 pm and go to sleep at like 10 am, so i usually only write while the skies are dark lol

23. have you ever roleplayed intoxicated ??

nope. i’ve never had a drink or done drugs so that’d be a neat trick. lol

24. what language or languages do you speak ??

only english. i’m probably too dumb to learn another language tbh. though for a while after playing assassin’s creed 2 i’d say random italian sentences and call people “stronzo!”

25. how long have you roleplayed ??

i mean technically i’ve been rping since i was 8 on myspace, but i didn’t move on to legit rp until i was like 11 or 12, then i went to rp.me for a while, then finally got to tumblr around 2012-2013. 

26. favorite roleplay genre ??

i don’t really have one, but i was once in a scifi rp that changed my view on what groups can be, and i think it was my favorite experience ever. everyone was so close and friendly and that made the rp even more fun, so now a good scifi rp brings up those memories for me and makes me enjoy that genre even more.

27. one sound you hate & one you love ??

ok so the sound i hate is nails scratching cotton. not a chalkboard, oddly enough that’s tolerable to me, but nails scratching up against cotton... i have no idea why but it sends chills down my spine lmfao

i love the sound of a crackling fire though. or rain. or rain and a crackling fire. 

28. do you believe in ghosts ??

hell yes i do. pls don’t hurt me ghosts i believe in u

29. do you believe in aliens ??

do i think aliens exist? yes. do i think we’ve been visited by aliens, or that we’re even close enough for them to know we exist? not necessarily. but i do like the ancient alien theory that we were visited by aliens a long time ago and taught stuff. especially when you consider that so many cultures, even those that had no way of being in contact with each other are so similar, have similar thought processes, and progressed at similar rates.

30. do you believe in true love ??

yes & no. i believe that initial attractions can be very powerful in producing a “love at first sight” feeling, but no one is just meant to love another person. i believe you can grow to feel “true love” for anyone assuming the right circumstances.

31. do you hold grudges ??

i’d like to think i don’t but i know i do, at least in the back of my mind. sort of forgive but not forget, but also never 100% forgiving either? idk.

32. do you have any obsessions right now ??

red dead redemption 2. big shock, i know haha. i just can’t get over the ending, the characters, the music, the world, etc. 

33. do you drive & if so, have you ever been in a crash ??

nope & nope

34. do you like the smell of gasoline ??

nooooo it makes me feel sick, honestly.

35. do you prefer writing fluff, angst, or smut ??

all of the above! each has its merits, and writing too much of one thing can get old and make the others feel more appealing. smut gets old the quickest though imo, even though i’ve run a smut rp in the past haha

36. are you in a relationship ??

are you? lmao

37. grab the nearest book to you and turn to page 23, what is the 17the line ??

well it’s a comic/graphic novel so there’s not 17 lines on that page but the second to last line is “and edward nigma... did you know that when the riddler was first transferred to arkham, they had to keep moving him from cell to cell to keep him from being able to formulate an escape?” it’s Batman Volume 10: Epilogue by Snyder & Capullo.

38. put your playlist on shuffle and list the first four songs that pop up:

1. Santeria by Sublime 2. Money Trees by Kendrick Lamar 3. Heart Shaped Box by Nirvana 4. Ladders by Mac Miller

[cyberwolf1989-blog]

Top 10 Games Of 2017

Almost the end of the year, YouTube is making people cringe with YouTube Rewind, so why not release my list of top 10 games of 2017? Thing is, I’m taking a Dunkey approach and one of the games on this list isn’t from this year, but I’ve been messing around with it. Also, I have not played anything on Nintendo Switch, or Cuphead, so don’t rage at me, I’m sure they’re good.

10: Injustice 2

Fighting games have always been fun for me, but hard to stick with. I lose interest and move onto something else. Injustice 2 found a way to keep players like me coming back, with its wide array of customization for each of its 24 (maybe more) characters, not including the DLC characters. It's also one of the most visually impressive fighters I've seen to date.

9: Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number

Several years later, I still find myself going back to this game, wanting to better myself. It's a love/hate relationship, but it's wrapped in this strong vibe, that I try to capture in my own life, with the colorful environments and the amazing soundtrack, using music from some of synthwaves biggest names, covering action movie-esqe shootouts, hazy drug fueled massacres, and can go from making you grin, to a dark, atmospheric song that makes you squirm in your seat, unsure of what's next. The ending? Yeah, it's a easy cop out, but the ride there is all good...except for the reporter levels.

8: Destiny 2

I don't care what anyone says, this was a step in the right direction. The free roam maps are so much larger than in the first, and the story has more presence (I don't even remember what we were doing in 1). But, what's most important, is how it plays. I'm glad to say it's very well done, if not meant to be enjoyed with friends. I'm currently waiting for my paycheck so I can get the expansion and play some more with my friends again.

7: No Man's Sky

Oh...you think I'm joking here? "You like No Man's Lie?" First off, wow, what an original comment. Bet you watch your Rick and Morty every night. Second, time to face facts: NO MANS SKY IS A MORE COMPLETE GAME NOW THAN STAR CITIZEN WILL BE IN A YEAR. You can build bases, get a vehicle, even roam with other explorers (if, you know, you can find them, so many planets), take jobs, there's factions, freighters, and there's an actual story now. It's still got a bit to go before it becomes that god tier game we heard about, but the team has shown they're committed to fixing their mistakes, so, can we STOP using the same cringey dead memes? Just go on spotify, throw on a playlist, and go out exploring.

6: Fire Pro Wrestling: World

When I found out this game was available on Steam, it was an instant buy. At first glance, this game seems lackluster. The roster is either japanese wrestlers you probably wouldn't know unless you were a hardcore fan, or some characters the dev made up. But, before you boot up the game? Check out the Workshop for the game, and you will find yourself in heaven. If someone created the character, you can download them into the game. You also could make one yourself...but come on, that system is way too complicated. Hell, even if the fighting system frustrates you, it's fun to set all the fighters to AI and watch Shrek vs Big Smoke vs Hulk Hogan vs Filthy Frank.

5: Uncharted 4: A Thief's End 

I finally got to play this game, finding it for 20 bucks at Gamestop. Uncharted is probably one of my fave Playstation franchises, and it's amazing how close all the games were released, but not one is a slip up. That said, 3 was the series weakest leg. The story was ok, but the villains were lackluster. This? This ramps up all the action to 250%, brings some of the most stunning visuals I've seen on the system TO DATE, and is a fitting end for the story of Nathan Drake, as well as a great cast of characters, old and new. I can't really describe it in text, you just gotta go play it. Also, you can dab in multiplayer.

4: Middle Earth: Shadow Of War

If you see me on facebook, you know this was coming. I'll be honest, story-line wise, this game is not great. If you're a Tolkien lore nerd, you'll prolly rage jizz 8 times in the first act. Hell, playing the story is a bit boring as well. They try, but the story missions STILL feel like shit you do to get the next ability unlocked. When it comes to playing the main missions, it feels like every basic free roaming games missions, where it's linear, the objectives range from go here to kill this. When you're just killing captains, though...that's where the stories start. You'll build armies, suffer betrayals, play orcs against one another, and build these intense rivalries! Some of these I will never forget, and I'll suffer through a bastardization as long as you make it fun.

3: Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus

This game...is just pure video games. You know how people describe video games in TV Shows, like they live a different life?  That's Wolfenstein 2. I'm not me. I'm BJ Blaskowitz, gunning down Nazi's with the dual wielding power of god in the form of the most devastating weapons known to man! The story, much like one, is better than what you would expect out of a gory violent shooter. I could go on, but honestly, I couldn't do it anymore justice. I'm going for a 100% with this game. Go pick it up, sit back, and embrace the primal side.

2: Yakuza Zero

I have always loved this series. I was in a nice place when I played the first on PS2 about 10 years ago. I think I didn't hear much about Zero prior to its release, but I saw Angry Joe review the game, and I remember how much I loved playing Yakuza 3. With my next paycheck, I picked up the final copy at my local Gamestop. You play as two characters, one being the series protagonist, and the other, a fan favorite secondary character. The first is framed for a murder, and the other is asked to carry out a hit, but complications arise. It sounds generic, but only because I don't want to spoil you, as this game is a trip. Think of it as if anime existed in real life. There's dramatic situations, with some serious themes, but at the same time, you and your enemies have goddamn fight auras, and can dish out these attacks that you say "Ok, that killed him." only to see him either get up or just be knocked out. I won't even get into the various side quests for each character. The downsides is it's not for everyone. Japanese only audio with english subs, the free roam is more akin to a town in a Final Fantasy game than GTA, although it fits.

1: Horizon: Zero Dawn

I didn't really start digging into this game until a month back. I bought it shortly after E3, Gamestop had a promotion knocking the price to half. I also bought a new computer monitor I needed to make my graphics card compatible. HZD languished a bit as I explored a bunch of new games. Then, last month, a few friends were getting into a talk about their game of the year. I said Shadow Of War, and a few others went against me, with this. I said that while it was decent, it felt like a generic overstuffed free roam game. I'm a fucking idiot. Upon replaying, I was treated to a beautiful open world that actually MAKES you want to explore it. I didn't get involved in too many side quests, sticking to those that branched off the main plot, and I was surprised with my progress. When a free roam game doesn't make me want to use a fast travel, it's a W, man. I'm nearly done, and look forward to picking up the DLC. There's other stuff too, but this list is gonna be too long to hold people's attention as it is.

[librarified2004]

Here we go again...

This looked like fun. Hijacked from the amazing @the-random-fandom-one, so the actual title of this should be “@dammittmarie, you made me do another survey!”  Reblog with your answers! I want to get more communication going in the writing community here. Answer one, answer some! Answer whatever you want to! 1. What was the first character you ever created? I’ve been writing stories since I could pick up a writing utensil. I think the first character I ever really put a ton of thought into, though, was this character I played in an MMORPG during undergrad. Her name was Lindarian, and her past was tragic: the half-elven child of an illegal union between a mortal and an elf princess, she was basically raised in seclusion only to watch her three older half-brothers and her parents be brutally murdered on her eighteenth birthday. Man, even before I knew what fanfiction was, I knew how to whump a character. 

2. Is there a specific thing that made you want to start writing more? The MMORPG I played as an undergrad and grad student went down for good in about 2005, and after that, I stopped writing stories because there was no reason, really, to further develop that character. I got a job and started doing some professional writing--blogs and reviews and that kind of thing. Then I reconnected with an old friend who had written an entire book, and he started pushing me to do fiction again. I played around with some ideas, even published a short story, before I discovered fanfiction through a professional development class that I had to take. I can’t go back to school for my MFA in creative writing at this point, but I think writing fanfic is saving my sanity as well as giving me a sort of ad hoc, DIY MFA where I work at my own pace and set my own curriculum. Plus, some days it really saves my sanity. In the wise words of Lin-Manuel Miranda, I can pick up a pen and write my own deliverance.

3. Favorite character you’ve ever created? In the short story I published, “Swan Song,” I had this side character who existed simply to be my villain. I didn’t pay him much attention until very late in the creative process, when the editor said the big reveal was too abrupt. (He was right.) So I took that character out to coffee--literally, I took my laptop and a notebook to my favorite coffee place so I could have a distraction-free conversation with him--lit him a smoke (funny thing, I don’t smoke, but literally everyone in that story does and my smoker friends say I got that exactly right), and really, for the first time, tried to get to know him. I knew only the basics, but it turned out he had this whole past (tragic) and motivations that I’d never even seen. Knowing all this didn’t just change the reveal, it pivoted the entire story, and when I sat down to rework that reveal, the words just poured out. It turned out that he was rather an anti-villain and he ended up in an awesome place--if I ever write a sequel to that story, it will be his to tell. Nik, the villain of “Swan Song,” is my favorite because he taught me to look deeper, love harder, and never have a character unless you’ve taken the time to know them all the way down to their shoe size. 

4. Do your stories tend to have only a few characters or a lot?

As few as possible. In fact, I kind of freak out a little bit when I realize I need another character to serve some purpose. 

5. Do you sit down and plan out your worlds or just let them build themselves as you write?

Some of both, really. I tend to write a lot of fanfiction exchanges (or at least, that’s what gets published), and I always do a thorough canon review before I start plotting so I can get voices and world-building details right. My one published original short story is set in Moscow during WWII, and I did a bunch of research on that setting and time period before I went in, but I never really tried to force anything to fit. Interestingly, during revisions, I was able to go back and add date stamps to certain plot points based on my historical research. But  that story also has a magic twist to it (it was for a fantasy anthology) and the magic part just came to me, no building required. 

6. Do you ever meet people and want to write about them? Fictional characters, all the time. I love writing missing scenes. I don’t put much of real-life people into my characters (but I totally could--I work in a public library. Public libraries are literally the last remaining free resource in this country and my job is madness.)

7. What kind of environment do you do most of your writing in? Music or no music? Loud or quiet? In private or wherever? Depends on the day and the story. I have a novel in progress (which will never be finished, probably) and for that I have entire playlists of music for each character. But if there’s music, there can’t be words in a language I can understand, because I will end up singing along. No TV or movies, because I end up watching instead of writing. I like my backyard, and even better, my parents’ backyard. But when all else really fails, I’ll jot out whatever in the notes on my phone. I’m picky, but not picky at all. And if I’m on deadline, I will make that deadline come hell or high water or plague or fire or mass destruction.

8. Do the people in your life ever read what you write, or do you tend to not show them? Not fanfiction. I’m very, very protective of my writing in general. My mom was an English teacher (in fact, she was MY English teacher in tenth grade), and even when I was an undergrad getting my B.A. in English comp, she read all my essays with a red pen (after they’d been graded--and I graduated with a 4.0 in my major!). When I published my original short, she was so proud--and then she pointed out a glaring continuity mistake I had missed in about nine million rounds of editing. When I read my own stuff, I only see the mistakes, so I’m also shy about showing it to anyone else. That said, I have about a million partial fics rotting on my hard drive, phone notes, and Google docs, so someone might want to go after them if I ever shuffle off this mortal coil. 

9. What inspires you? Oh my, so much. Music, other people’s stories, history, walks in the woods, the way the lights in the children’s room at the library change color. Literally everything. Probably the better question is who pushes me, and the answer to that is @dammittmarie, who got me into the school’s Dead Poets Society in undergrad (we met at midnight in the basement of the library and damn, we were cool) and the beautiful @rain-and-roses-in-the-city, who puts up with my crazy ideas, my headcanons, lets me play in her sandbox, and sometimes has even seen the partial stories I talked about earlier. 

10. What’s the weirdest character you’ve ever created? Don’t really have one.

11. What’s the most boring character you’ve ever created? All of them, it feels like sometimes :)

12. Do you name your background characters? Do you even have them? I learned a hard lesson about knowing my characters, so now, if I can’t flesh them out, they don’t appear. 

13. Are you one of the writers who writes in symbolism and specifically thinks about things like the color of a hat or that kind of thing? Or do you just pick those things at random? Sometimes. Not always.

14. Are there any authors you feel have influenced your style? Published authors, fanfic authors, ect. I learn things from everywhere. My gold standard for plot twists is the end of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, which made me screech out loud on an airplane years ago. I think the Hamilton fandom in particular is full of talent, and the WhamFam especially (you know who you are). And going back to @dammittmarie, she’s the one who made me unashamed of being a whump writer. 

15. Were you a story teller before you could write? Yes! I devoured books as a kid, and handwriting came super hard to me. You couldn’t read my penmanship until I was in junior high, so I learned storytelling in the oral tradition first. 

16. How many characters have you created? Not too many. I tend not to write OCs in fanfiction for fear of them coming out like total, obvious Mary Sues. There are maybe a dozen characters in “Swan Song.”

17. Do your stories tend to take place in the real world or in a fantasy world? Both? Neither?

That depends on the story

18. Do you tend to set your stories in the present or the past or the future? Do you think about when it’s set or does that not factor into the story?

Whatever works on a given day for a given story, I guess. I love, love, love the canon era of Hamilton, but I also like modern AUs if they’re done well. So yeah, whatever works. 

19. What kind of things do you like to write? Poetry? Short stories? Novels? Fanfiction? Children’s Books? Nonfiction? Something else entirely? Fan fiction for pleasure. My professional life includes writing book reviews, blog posts on various topics, and newsletters, so fan fiction is escapism for me.

20. Do you like to do events like NaNoWriMo or the Three Day Novel, or do you prefer to do things at your own pace? Yes and no. In my professional life, I’m a volunteer blogger and reviewer on top of the demands of my day job, so I’m almost always on deadline for something. (Right this second is actually an exception--I wrote two articles this weekend and I’m deadline-free until at least April 1.) I tend to write fan fiction at my own (snail on a strong sedative’s) pace, but I have signed up for NaNoWriMo a few times, and I might do Camp NaNo in April because I have a 5k exchange piece due at the end of the month. And the one piece that I’ve published that wasn’t fan fiction actually got finished because I went to a signing where there were like six people and ended up pouring my heart out to this poor author. I told her I had a story and no idea how to start, and she told me to write 100 words a day for 100 days and tweet her my word count every day. If I missed a day, I had to start over. I made it to 100 days, just over 11,000 words, and that piece is good--you can even buy it on Amazon.