#prime 2020 vibes

[majorshatterandhare]

You know, if I had a nickel for everytime a podcast has resulted in my music taste expanding, I would have three nickels; which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it happened three separate times.

[annabelle--cane]

i wasn’t here when tma reached the height of its popularity (i only joined last year) so could you describe the Vibes (how bad the drama was, did it feel like there were too many people, etc.)

only if you want to :]

I've said this before, so this may be a familiar spiel to longer term followers, but 2020 tma fandom was honestly not the worst fandom I've ever been in, it was just by far the biggest thing I have ever been actively into at peak popularity and so the 1% of insane people that are found in every fan space were 1% of a much bigger total population. most people were fine and chill, but there were a vocal minority who Weren't.

major ingredients in the discourse pot:

from my observations, tma had a small but devoted listener base for its first few years, then it got a little bump in mid 2018, then a considerable bump in late 2019, then hit proper virality in early 2020, so there were a lot of people with hipster complexes about being Real Fans who were there first and weren't just part of the masses.

at this point I'm not even sure if this part was true, but the above was compounded by the perception that the earlier og listener base were mostly adults and the new wave of fans were mostly tweens and teens. whether the different waves actually fell along those age lines or not, a lot of people felt like the fandom was split into 80% Cringe Zoomers Who Are Here For Ships And Memes and 20% Millennials and Gen X'ers With Media Literacy Who Are Here For Horror. nice dichotomy, idiot, now what lies outside it, etc and such and such. our blessed fandom etiquette vs their barbarous dni lists.

which isn't to say that suddenly having a huge number of people, including young people, become interested in a single piece of media at a time of global stress where everyone had to be much more online and the content of the media itself was at its darkest and most socially relevant had no downsides. oh no. Oh No.

"my headcanon is not only objectively the best headcanon but it actually invalidates all of yours and if you hc something different then it's an act of bigotry against my Correct Headcanon." / "I have drawn up a list of Good Characters you have to like and aren't allowed to criticize and a list of Bad Characters you have to hate and can't acknowledge exist unless it's to make fun of and completely condemn them." / "I saw her username in the kudos of a jonelias fic" "girl what were YOU doing in the kudos of a jonelias fic" / "this latest episode handled a social issue unforgivably badly, I haven't experienced it myself but the vibes were off, everyone demand accountability and boycott the rest of the show" "hey that one was actually based on jonny's personal experiences" "ah fuck not again. well boys let's remember this for next time. this latest epis--"

honestly most of the discourse was down to like two or three friend groups. there was one group of people who you will probably remember if you were there at the time whom I have sometimes seen referred to as the Clown Gang. Clown Gang were ground zero for a good 90% of fan discourse ("hcing melanie as ace is ableist and lesbophobic" "fan content that focuses on jon's asexuality is biphobic. what's pansexuality I've never heard of it." "desolation tim aus are inherently ableist and racist"), but eventually they had a big falling out with Clown Prime and things calmed down. to be very clear I hold no ill will towards any of these people for four year old bad takes, hence why I'm not using any names, but god was it a time.

and this is only about the tumblr side of things. I was barely active of twitter so idk what it was like there but I was on tiktok for about a year during that time and the vibes were wildly different. iirc people there were less confrontational and there wasn't really a callout culture like on tumblr, but the extremes of the takes were FAR worse.

[barryogg]

So The Grauniad published an article about how the voters incorrectly believe that the US is in a recession, and people here are discussing the plebs gaslighting themselves, so I'd like to propose some possible explanations:

A median person when asked this will not care about the formal definition of "recession" and will instead interpret the question as vibes: "Is the economy doing ok or not?" and answer accordingly.

"But the economy is doing ok!" Sure, but I'm only getting started. Consider these:

In a period of significant inflation, even if the wage increases match the inflation (and that quite an assumption), people will feel that someone pulled a fast one on them because they earn "more" only to end up in the same place.

The above is only about earnings. What about savings how many people have their saving primarily in cash? 40%? 50? Inflation is a tax on the poorer part of the society in that way, decaying whatever they managed to save.

While many of the markers are looking good, the costs of higher education, medical care, and homeownership in the US are decades-long problems. The stuff was fucked long before covid and will be fucked long after it. People feel dread about it, and are projecting that dread about the state of the rest of the economy.

People were repeatedly lied to about mostly everything during covid, trust in basically any media is at decades-low so people default to contrarianism when anyone tells them the economy's doing good.

Specifically, some stocks were hitting ridiculous highs when the economy was still in the 2020-2021 shitter, so people are primed to distrust those.

[sergeifyodorov]

draft lottery opinions

im pretty sure any team that hasn't made the playoffs can win it but only the bottom 11 can pick first overall so let's go there

s tier:

sharks. obviously. they've suffered a lot over a long while and they deserve something good out of it. will macklin be The Answer? no. will he Help? yes. that teal is beautiful and he'd look charming in it! Let The Pacific Be A Nightmare To Visit Again

blue jackets. a little bit further along in their rebuild; primed to Actually Go Places with a bit of determination, a sacred child, and some luck and head office competence

a tier:

utah hc. only didn't put this in s tier because i'm sad as fuck about the yotes but they're basically on the precipice with a little bit of reworking of the dcore and another piece up front. logan cooley/macklin celebrini flagship yaoi of the late 2020s who says no

ducks. most of my ducks opinions are filtered through a lens of "jersey 2 ugly" TEE BEE AITCH... get some graphic design in there... those teal and purple thirds were excellent lean into that... also they're really trying something interesting with carlson and mactav and gauthier and mintyukov. like this is going somewhere. mack might make it scary.

b tier:

sens. i think a relatively competent goalie and a true 1c in mack could actually solve their problems and end their rebuild. like im serious if they win this they're actually a playoff team by the end of his elc. but also that will make tickets more expensive and they're the only team i can viably commute to :(

habs. probably won't improve the team substantially but it might create some interesting vibes

c tier:

kraken. this is a thing that could happen i suppose

sabres. actually no let's investigate let's consider. the youngest team in the nhl could get even younger, gain what may track to be a true 1c (im sorry. tage is not that girl), and in that vein get, like the sens, the final piece of the puzzle they need to make The Jump and finally exit their decade of darkness. only reason it's here is bc like they've already had 2 first overall picks in the last few years and frankly i think we need to torture The Blonde Man (rdahlin) a little more

flames. it would NOT make their organization understand what was going on more and it would NOT give them a positive or negative direction but it WOULD give nazem kadri and jonathan huberdeau a son to raise. so i don't hate it

d tier:

devils. hischier-hughes-celebrini as centre depth is simply Too Much and they certainly do not deserve it. i hope luke goes to the rangers

f tier:

blackhawks. i want connor bedard to be a hockeyblr top ten tragic figure already

[rubesherzheart]

SHARING MY HCS ON TFRID CHARACTERS!

Sideswipe Hc (Obviously because, he's my favorite)

He listens to hyperpop music.

He also secretly once ran off to go in a race.

He also sings when nobody is around because,he's embarrassed. (Also made this hc because, his voice actor is a singer)

And he changed his name to Sideswipe because, he thought Fastline or Fastling sounded uncool.

Has battle scars from missons.

Bumblebees HC Dad vibes >:3

If a bad word is heard he'd cover Grimlocks audial receptors. He listens to 2020s music.

He secretly has a picture of him and raf together before they departed years ago.

Strongarm HC

She likes to take midnight drives when going on patrols.

She secretly cares for Sideswipe even though he's a pain.

She's a huge fan of Team prime.

[batsplat]

jorge martin is just an off-brand motogp version of george russell. both incredible qualifiers, hard racers, have issues sometimes keeping their tyres together, have stayed in a satellite/backmarker team for three years begging the big manufacturer to accept them into the main fold and will randomly decide that they are actually done with race by beefing it into the gravel/walls on the last laps.

this is why ducati did not hire martin, he hasn’t done the power point presentation

strong last line but hm... do I agree with this...

I don't entirely disagree with the profile of racer, though jorge's a bit more in the flame bright and early mould (partly also just because of the different rhythms of those two racing series). he cut his teeth not just on being an exceptional qualifier but also a starter. even though this year, you do kinda have to say pecco's just?? uh?? he's never been a BAD starter but I swear he didn't used to be this good? some of his starts from the second or third row this year have been genuine works of art. this isn't relevant, just needed to mention it. that's part of why jorge does so well at sprints... he's really good at that abbreviated format, where it's just all out from the very start. mr russell was considered quite a poor starter in his williams days (though lbr that may have partly been car characteristics) - the qualifying's very strong and very consistent, but for a while the question was of capitalising off the line. he's got a few more drives that are about working his way through the field... like qatar last year. I just don't really associate jorge with that?

the bottling thing is debatable and we could get into that debate, but like, never mind that. we're leaving sports analysis now and getting back into vibes territory. the thing about jorge is that he has had a competitive bike from the word go. mr russell, whatever you think about how clutch he is or isn't, did not set a foot wrong in terms of making the mercedes case for himself. what happened with him was basically just... a series of unfortunate events that got him stuck in a spectacularly uncompetitive car for three years. got one shot in a good car in said three years (sakhir 2020) and delivered the perfect performance. but jorge!! jorge had 2022!! he blew it!! he did get unlucky with the gp22 vs the gp21 comparison early that season and how bastianini was able to take advantage of the early stage factory spec malaise, and he's far from the only gp22 who was struggling early on (cf one 'pecco bagnaia'). but still, some of his rides that year were. truly horrendous. and the way the whole thing played out left him with a massive chip on the shoulder.... that's the thing, right, I think what's so key about jorge is that sense of grievance, the fact that he was rejected for that factory seat and we're now several years on from that. and it's a really thin line between that being a good thing and a bad thing. like, anything that's a potential source of motivation fundamentally can be helpful, right? in 2007, casey showed up at ducati as not their first choice, kinda a stopgap, and also after yamaha had pulled the plug on a potential contract not once but twice. he has spoken again and again how yamaha and honda's behaviour towards him made him want to show them exactly what they were missing out on. he used that! it was good for him as a competitor that he had something to get worked up over! he's done it throughout his career! but on the flip side, if you're so busy feeling victimised that you're kind of already... primed for failure, then you've got a problem. like, if the takeaway is you're probably screwed anyway because you're being sabotaged by the factory, then even if that were true you're fucked before you start competing. you've already lost in your own head, you've made excuses before you've even started. it's a thin line! thinking the world is out to get you can either be a good way to get yourself to going, or it can be a loser mindset

quickly circling back to georgie boy, my main feeling is that they kinda have a different type of malaise. one is an overthinker and the other is at times very much an under-thinker. grussy actually shares the overthinking trait with his fellow 63 more than anyone else... all three kinda have this fun meeting point of a lot of cockiness and a lot of insecurity - they just balance them in other ways. and russell reminds me more of pecco in that kind of... being constantly thrown up against a Big Legacy of someone you admire, being in the shadow of greats and having to make your own name... you're very much part of a succession plan that leaves you with massive shoes to fill... (though admittedly grussy has also gone through the unenviable experience of getting to work closely with his hero and eventually having most of said hero's fans absolutely despise him. can happen, I suppose.) jorge is a bit more baggage-free. he's very much the main character in his own story, not so much faffing about with the narrative implications of all this shit. more straightforward! if jorge wins, it's about him. if he loses, it's also about him. ducati has been his world for the past few years, to the point where he's gotten a bit parochial about the whole thing. early this season, he was talking like - sure, the championship lead is important, BUT this is also giving him power in contract negotiations!! which... yes, that's true, but also that should be way down the order of priorities my man. jorge martin might be the only person in this universe who... genuinely might be more obsessed with beating pecco than marc? like, beating the marc marquez would be great and all, 8x world champion bla bla, but pecco is his personal antagonist! he's known him for years! that's ducati's golden boy! he needs to beat pecco so badly! there's something really fun about a rivalry where it feels like at least one side's feelings towards the other... kinda go beyond a personal relationship, like at a certain point it becomes about what the other guy Represents. jorge isn't worried about legacy and the shoes he's got to fill and can he truly live up to all those expectations as much as he's worried about himself and also occasionally pecco bagnaia

anyway, I've been thinking about the bottling thing... what jorge said about it earlier's been rattling around in my head since I saw the quote

man, it must be really tough, right? like, you don't know why it's happening... it's not just cockiness - though there is an element of someone who's kinda used to bulldozing his way through problems with sheer obstinacy and stubborn self belief (another distinction with the 63's, who are more introspective and prone to self-flagellation following mistakes). but it's also just... you can't figure out why it's such a fundamental shortcoming of your game! today, from the way pecco and also luca (apparently) were talking about it, it seems like there was something noticeable about how jorge was gradually losing a bit in his control and precision as a result of how the tyres were going off, as a sort of precursor of the fatal error. which... well, it's at least a somewhat understandable mistake, because it comes from pressure? it's not just the tyres going off each time - the mugello sprint crash was lap four, jerez was lap ten. but an interesting thing about his big errors this year is that they have all come as a result of serious pressure - as a result of pecco directly behind him in the case of jerez and sachsenring and like... in anticipation of the massive points damage he knew he was probably going to take in mugello. it sounds obvious to say pressure is more likely to generate mistakes, but of course that's not always true of our title contenders! pecco only really wakes up when he's already dug a hole halfway to the centre of the earth - but when he faces actual pressure, his track record is mostly very strong. his biggest howlers this season, portimao + catalunya sprints, both came when he was leading comfortably. martin has also made these pressure-light mistakes in the past, most memorably indonesia last year but... well

one of the most fascinating bits of sports are like... limits and ceilings and how your build-up as an athlete kinda determines what's possible for you. like, sports is sort of where you experiment with notions of fate and inevitability and all that, where you question whether it's possible for anyone to ever really change. is it once a choker, always a choker? if you know that you have this problem, this flaw that is always just there in the background, waiting to be actualised - what can you do? does it give you more or less hope that there's not a clear root cause? how debilitating that must be for confidence too, always knowing that you could cause everything you've worked for to crash down in a moment.... this is where. y'know, the thing with pecco, right, is that he's now gotten to a weird place where psychologically he has to be wary of the mistakes he himself makes - but he knows that he can also bounce back from them. he has that muscle memory, because he's done it before. he chucked it down the road in india and he won the title! jorge did it in thailand and he didn't! and the problem is that it becomes a self-reinforcing cycle of sorts, because even though the margin between the two of them at the end of last year ended up being relatively slim... one of them still won and one of them still lost. which actually means that even though pecco and jorge both have made serious mistakes this year (though pecco's track record is cleaner - in portimao the points punishment didn't quite fit the crime and in the jerez/le mans sprints he was kinda just unlucky), only one of them knows they can do this shit and win the title anyway

and now jorge has an entire summer break to go away and think about that. can be a good thing, get some distance, and it's easy to slip into a run of bad form that you can't escape if there's no interruption. can be an awful thing because you're sitting with your mistakes for weeks on end with no chance to rectify them. I'm naturally a pessimist on the 'can any athlete ever really change' question because life has very much worn me down on this topic over the last few years (aka some sports results made me really sad). but I always want to be optimistic! I want to believe athletes can fix their fatal flaws! I want to believe they can get better at managing their tyres and not folding under pressure. and pressure works weirdly... sometimes it's not really a test of 'mental strength' as much as it is of what kind of in-built margin an athlete has (btw this is my best guess for what goes wrong with martin). sometimes it's beneficial in sharpening the mind and erasing the possibility of you just... not being sufficiently concentrated (which is my best guess for what happens with pecco when he's not being pressured). can you truly get better at dealing with that? or at a certain point, have you already accumulated so much mental scar tissue that you're always going to get in your own way? who knows! maybe we're all doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past forever and ever. who knows

anyway. in response to this ask. I do think it's more a case of 63's aligned in being too stuck in their own head, too concerned with legacy, and walking a very thin line between arrogance and insecurity. all three of them, though, have a bad case of 'coming through the ranks in an era of greats they'll always be disparagingly compared to'. what's new can never be as good as what came before, right? and they're constantly struggling to manage or maybe even overcome basic flaws that seem to be embedded in their make up as competitors... maybe they'll make it, just a little. maybe they never will. but it sure is fun to watch them try!

[natashacibeli]

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Como Ser Feliz No Inverno?

Ou pelo menos fazer parte dele...

⚠️🇺🇸 There is an English translation below!!!

Introdução —

Querido leitor, convenhamos que o inverno é uma época, digamos, um tanto quanto "triste". O céu está a derramar lágrimas por toda parte, e queremos nos sentir um pouco mais "quentinhos" nesse momento, ou seja, incluídos. Pensando nisso, trouxe músicas e um filme que irão te ajudar a sentir esse "sentimento", chamado inverno, mais forte.

Música —

Na minha vasta experiência com a música, posso dizer, sem sombras de dúvidas, que os dois melhores álbuns para se ouvir no inverno são nada mais, nada menos, que "folklore" e "evermore" da cantora e compositora Taylor Swift.

Lançados ambos no ano de 2020, estes álbuns misturam sentimentos semelhantes ao de uma chuva no meio da madrugada, sentimentos que vão da Lua até Saturno, sentimentos que não podem ser tolerados.

Ambos estão disponíveis em qualquer plataforma de áudio, mas você também pode ouvir e assistir aos clipes únicos de cada álbum, denominados "cardigan" e "willow", gratuitamente no YouTube, canal de Swift.

Clique nos nomes em negrito e você será direcionado para os sites!

Filme —

Não posso falar de inverno sem falar da obra-prima chamada La La Land.

O longa foi lançado em janeiro de 2017, dirigido pelo cineasta e roteirista Damien Chazelle. Conta a história de Sebastian (Ryan Gosling), um pianista, e Mia (Emily Stone), uma atriz, que se apaixonam perdidamente. É um filme musical romântico de 2h e 8m, que arrecadou aproximadamente 472 milhões de dólares mundiais. Sua dinâmica faz referência aos sentimentos com as estações do ano.

Você pode encontrar para assistir nas plataformas de streaming: Star+, Amazon Prime Video e Telecine. Mas também pode alugar: YouTube ou Google Play Filmes e Tv.

Assista ao trailer do filme aqui!

Conclusão —

Estes podem não ser os conteúdos mais felizes, porém, posso lhes garantir, queridos leitores, que é a melhor vibração de todas!

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Gostou do artigo? Compartilhe!💌

Observou algum erro? Comente!✨

Gostaria de ler sua opinião, querido leitor!🤍

— Carinhosamente, Natasha Cibeli.

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How to Be Happy in Winter?

Or at least be part of it...

⚠️🇧🇷 Tem uma tradução para português acima!!!

Introduction —

Dear reader, let's face it, winter is, let's say, a somewhat "sad" time. The sky is shedding tears everywhere, and we want to feel a little warmer at that moment, that is, included. With that in mind, I brought songs and a film that will help you feel this "feeling", called winter, stronger.

Music —

In my vast experience with music, I can say, without a shadow of a doubt, that the two best albums to listen to in winter are nothing else, nothing less than "folklore" and "evermore" by singer-songwriter Taylor Swift.

Both released in 2020, these albums mix feelings similar to rain in the middle of the night, feelings that range from the Moon to Saturn, feelings that cannot be tolerated.

Both are available on any audio platform, but you can also listen and watch unique clips from each album, called "cardigan" and "willow", for free on Swift's YouTube channel.

Click on the names in bold and you will be directed to the websites!

Film —

I can't talk about winter without mentioning the masterpiece called La La Land.

The film was released in January 2017, directed by filmmaker and screenwriter Damien Chazelle. It tells the story of Sebastian (Ryan Gosling), a pianist, and Mia (Emily Stone), an actress, who fall madly in love. It is a 2h 8m romantic musical film, which grossed approximately 472 million dollars worldwide. Its dynamics make reference to feelings such as seasons.

You can find it to watch on streaming platforms: Star+, Amazon Prime Video and Telecine. But you can also rent: YouTube or Google Play Movies and TV.

Watch the film trailer here!

Conclusion —

This may not be the happiest content, however, I can assure you, dear readers, that it is the best vibe ever!

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Did you like the article? Share!💌

Did you notice any errors? Comment!✨

I would like to read your opinion, dear reader!🤍

— Affectionately, Natasha Cibeli.

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[limited-time-imaginary-friend]

among us + boneless pizza + Lebron James + One chip challenge + chuck e cheese + creepypasta + horror monologue + reddit post + r/copypasta + cringe + Thomas sanders vines + 2020 + sr pelo + griddy + low taper fade + big back + Trevor Henderson creatures + sweet home alabama + dad went to get the milk + gummy bears + disney’s downfall + nostalgic + nostalgia + joe mama jokes + fortnite + andrew tate + name 10 books + gedagadegadagadieo man face chicken nugget + 3AM challenge + Trollface edit + gyat + mogging + edging + looksmaxxing + mewing + shrek + kinder egg videos + play-dough egg videos + I like my cheese drippy bruh + KSI’s new song + lunchly’s + I have 2 sides + grind + sweat + geek + goon + gooner + nerd + youtube shorts + tiktok slideshows + one cock edits + peanut butter on my sandwich + blippi harlem shake video + drop the soap + slang + homer simpson + online dating + toxicity + presidential debate + facebook mom(s) + soccer mom(s) + minions who will gru be tonight + india’s average water supply=💩 + africa’s average water supply=❔+ I ate 5 homeless people because I thought they were watermelons + snapchat filters + Hawk Tuah + Talk Tuah podcast + Prime + Still Prime + FDA approved + sigma + Alpha male + Beta + Ice Spice + Kai Cenat + Ishowspeed + stop the cap bruh 🧢 + you ate that + you sold + you’re selling + lock in + locked in + I forgor + dat boi + Nyan Cat + shaggy 0.1% power + Goku drip + Kendrick Lamar + Not Like Us + Drake + BBL Drizzy + P. Diddy + Quandale Dingle + Sophie Rain Spiderman Video + Drake Leak + Super Senior Gojo + Thukuna + Grimace Shake + Gacha Life Edits + Packgod + BellaTheWolf + Meowbahh + Internet beef + gang gang + Eminem + Donald Trump + Joe Biden + Kamala Harris + Ratio + Cope + Kys + throwing it back + Rizz + rizzler + rizzing them up + schizophrenia + Erm what the sigma + handsome squidward + spongebob + idksterling + mr beast + Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul + Shopify + Tiktok Trend + whats your power in rise of kingdoms? + doxxing + doxxer + doxxed + asf + asl + idk + wth + wtf + emoji reactions + discord mod + EDP445 + dr disrespect * Kris Tyson + Aura + Bro + Based + Basic + Banger + Fire + Cooked + BDE + Bestie + Taylor Swift + Bet + BFFR + Big Yikes + Blud + Boujee + Adolf Hitler + osama bin laden + 9/11 + the holocaust + 1800’s slavery + Bouncing on it + step bro i’m stuck + Bop + the sauce + glaze + Glazing + Family guy clips + fortnite montage + Brainrot + Fanum Tax + Bruh + Bussin + Bussy + fnaf song sus remixes + sus + sussy + sussy baka + baka + Caught in 4k + Clapback + Dab + Dap me up + you’re dead + dogs + grippers + sonic put those grippers away! + Drip + Era + Villan Arc + Winter Arc + glow-up + glow-down + Extra + random + you’re doing too much + Fit-check + Flex + dogwater + toiletwater + Finna + Gagged + stop ghosting me + Glizzy + G.O.A.T. + Gucci + Hits different + ICK + and I oop + VSCO GIRLS skskssksksksk + IPad Kid + It’s giving ____ + Iykyk + Jit + lil bro + Karen Behavior + yap + yapping + Lit + Rent-Free + bro thinks hes the Main Character + mid + Netflix and Chill + NPC + Nyaa~ + Ohio + ok boomer + oof + opp(s) + outta pocket + owned + humbled + stay mad + L + W + nobody asked + nobody cares + Period + Pick me + Pluh + Pookie + Queen + King + daddy + mommy + Red flag + Roman Empire + salty + secure the bag + just put the fries in the bag bro + sheesh + shook + sigma male + simp + slaps + slay + sleep on + get off my meat bro + meat-riding + meat-rider + snatched + stan + Dream face reveal + FNAF theories + mattpat + skill issue + Markiplier + OnlyFans + spill the tea girlie + tweaking + Touch grass + Understood the assignment + Valid + Vibe check + wig + yeet + zesty + band4band + ai covers + Baby Gronk + Livvy Dunne + Still water + adrenaline + noradrenaline + anger issues + balkan parents + english or Spanish + german stare + Balkan rage + jonkler laugh + phonk + mangos + 1000 yard stare + those who know=💀

"... what?"

[ogcassiopeia]

Tohoshinki just releases the first single for their 20th anniversary album in Japan, "Sweet Surrender" along with the MV.

I do like the song...I nearly love the song. Overall the production is slick and smooth, like most of their Japanese discography. The groove, when we get the time to hear it, is so nice and really becomes a sticky point within the 3 minute runtime.

BUT --- I have been seeing a trend within Toho's japanese production that I'm still not truly understanding. They've moved away from the bombastic, in your face, nearly overwhelming production of 2019's XV and have progressed into this lower register, groove-based, subdued vibe since 2020. Now, I'm not particularly complaining, as I do love me a good smooth groove, but with Tohoshinki....it seems like they are holding back. Like they aren't giving Toho their best. Like they are just giving Toho the leftovers.

This progression into smoother groovy songs can work really well for Toho, as we've seen with TVXQ's Truth of Love as a continuation of the Something --- Spellbound --- Chance of Love pathway. I just dont think the Japanese staff know how to do this while keeping up with current music trends.

I've always thought Tohoshinki would be PRIME for a 1970s/1980s style kind of concept and song production....in a similar vein to Great Good Fine Okay's "Better Without You" or "Blame". It would allow Tohoshinki to progress in their sound while still being relevant, even as they age up. It also cements their legendary status, since these types of songs encourage good vocals and steady on stage presence.

Overall, I do like "Sweet Surrender" and I love the direction of the MV. It just didn't have the leveled production I had anticipated it to have.

[silviakundera]

Ok I'm trying Legend of Fuyao again. This time perhaps I will triumph! I left off like 2 years ago on ep 26 or so.

Refreshing my memory by skating thru ep 16

oh look, it's sidekick bro I never cared about. Pretty sure his role in the narrative is to be a drag on FL. And fighter guy! He's much more useful.

This period is where I previously began losing my patience with the show. A lot of story time and 16 episodes had passed and I wanted to see FL taking center stage, being a powerful threat. I wanted her to be saving her love interest approx as much as he was saving her. The opening in ep 16 is right back to a situation where I want to see FL beating ass and not Wuji to show up to save the day. Scram, future boyfriend! Ladies are FIGHTING. 🙅

(past me may not have known exactly what I wanted but the answer was A Journey to Love)

It was the whiplash - Oh cool, she's fighting alongside him! ...and then he's knocking her out to be his pawn again :/

But rewatching now, I think I was in the wrong mood. I am older & wiser! I can be patient. I have been promised a battle couple and Fuyao being awesome. I can wait. 😇

Watching the prime minister character be manipulated is entertaining. Fuyao is handling situation pretty well, actually. "The Earth Abdorbing Bell is back to its rightful owner. I've also found Xiaoqi. Why do I need to stay here?" THANK YOU for asking this very pertinent question, protagonist! Her rationale to stay.... doesn't make much sense, unfortunately. Because the narrative (er, the servants) requires it!

"Rest assured? I have been in this office for thirty seven years and I've never had a restful day." idk Mr Prime Minister, maybe u need a new job.

Ok, sneak out and leaving a fake corpse. Not a terrible plan. I especially like the part where u set the mansion on fire.

Prime Minister's foster son is so good looking he's making everyone else in this drama look bad. I like his sullen murder son vibes. Very Hao Du of Long Ballad. MDL says he's basically done nothing since. He was the ML in a 2020 drama that never aired. 💀

I really don't get Wuji. Why is he even involving Fuyao in things. I don't believe he has any romantic feelings at this point. If u can control this nation but can't control her, then... why? I suppose we have to go with ✨fate✨.

Dragon scale armor! Makes me think of the dark tale behind such garb in c-novel Heart Protection.

Why was the doctor randomly lurking around the PM mansion in this dark with a face mask? eh, a man's gotta have hobbies.

Ep 17

So Doctor had a secret mission, ran into Fuyao burning shit down out of happenstance. and now he's dragging her along. I vaguely recall this.

So. Many. Robes. Curtains. Twirling. the twirling I caaaaaaaan't AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Hope I wasn't expected to find any of that sexy. It was extra and hilarious as hell, though. I 100% understand why FL is so done with this dude and ready to go home.

Actually, one moment had real dramatic tension and sexual tension for me. The scene where the prime minister shows up with his soliders and ML is sitting on the bed, acting unbothered, and she's hiding under the blanket. Then slides her hand out and sighs to complete the act. 👌 👌

Then things get INTERESTING as they embark on misc mission things in secret tunnels.

She's like holy shit exploitative royals are trash.

And he's all.... well if I'm Like That would you still be hanging here with me. She sidesteps the question (as she should, since he has all the power). But then, could YOU give me what I want? And he seems intrigued, I presume because then he has something over her.. It feels like a TEMPTATION MOMENT.

Fuyao: nah j/k I'll get whatever I need myself

@dangermousie mentioned to me that Fuyao is very complete in herself. That's really intriguing to me, considering how so many of the characters seem tormented & controlled/restrained by a need to live up to a legacy or another person's expectations.

that CGI magic hamster tho

Totally forgot the reveal of them being ~fated enemies is this early. So she is supposed to break the seals and go to five kingdoms to do it. But he has a mission to STOP the girl w the 5 colored stone. Now he has a character & plot reason to keep tabs on her! ✔ (actually he has those reasons to simply KILL her lmao but protagonist halo, sorry my friend)

Love that she's not a sucker and won't agree to a bet where she has to be an obedient servant if she loses. Just take reasonable requests. But I wish she didn't just take him at his word that he's the one who can help her break her seal. He's a lying liar who lies!

I like that he's a bit uncertain/dubious about the legend that this girl will Bring About The End. Because that certainly sounds wild. Especially since he met her and she seems pretty normal.

[fantastickkay]

Album Review of the Week: Madonna - Finally Enough Love (2022)

When I heard about this compilation, I was cautiously intrigued. 50 songs is a big commitment! I have always been more of a casual Madonna fan and already had the Celebration (2009) 2-disc compilation, which gets a good amount of airtime.

The big selling point for me was that this compilation features remixes from the original timeframe in which the singles were released, so it almost becomes a history of dance remixes of the last 40 years as a whole, more than just a Madonna collection. As well as the fact that the remixes are condensed to 4-5 minutes, so we don't get any 10-minute affairs which is very appealing to me! I love a good club remix, but I'll take the radio edit any day. This also has a good amount of songs that are missing from the aforementioned 2009 package, and therefore new to me and my collection.

Disc 1 covers singles from 1983-1994. The earliest remixes do not divert enough from the originals to make them especially appealing. Once we get into the 90s, the remixes start to become more unique as individual tracks. Standout tracks here are Into the Groove, Deeper and Deeper and Fever.

Disc 2 covers singles from 1995-2003. This is my favorite disc, the remixes are unique and engaging and primed for a fantastic dance party! I especially enjoy Don't Cry For Me Argentina, this is the one track that made me decide "yes, I am buying this album right now!" I was not very familiar with this song previously and her vocals and melody paired with the beat are phenomenal! Ray of Light and Music have some great 90s rave vibes. Beautiful Stranger is really bright and bouncy, goes very well with the vocals and melody. I normally detest Die Another Day, but this remix makes it much more tolerable! The high pitched vocals are buried just enough that they aren't quite so harsh and I like the pulsating drumbeat.

Disc 3 covers singles from 2005-2020. Hung Up is already a masterpiece and this remix elevates it to dance party perfection! Girl Gone Wild is a great Trance selection, I nearly forgot to write something about it as I was so mesmerized! Bitch I'm Madonna was such a bold single in 2014 and this remix elevates it to new unhinged heights (I mean that in the best way possible)! I was not very into Medellín when it was first released, but this remix definitely had me rethinking that opinion and I am glad to have it in my collection now! The original was a little too slow-moving for me. Crave is another one that was largely unfamiliar to me, the remix and song itself are great!

If you are at all interested in remixes, this is definitely a collection to have. A great portrait of a great artist that spans nearly 40 years of pop music evolution.

[littlemisstfc]

EARTHSPARK IS SO GOOD, YOU GUYS. OH MY FUCKING GOD. 😩

Hello boyos, gorls, and nonbinary pals. It’s been a while since I’ve written a huge writing on this silly platform, huh? Lol.

Anyways, quick updates: I’m releasing a new video sometime this month, which is me ranting about the misogyny of the Bayverse. Fun times. Fun times. :D Also, I’ll be at TFCon LA 2023 next week for Saturday and Sunday. Feel free to come by and say hi to me. :)

Back to the review…so….the 2010s to early 2020s has been a very weird decade for Transformers. Not only for the Bayverse movies (my beloathed), but for the tv shows. While Age of Extinction is my guilty pleasure and Dark of The Moon is legitimately good, the movies are declining in popularity and quality, thus resulting in a huge reboot to fix up Bay’s mess. That resulted in Bumblebee (2018), a gem that was the light at the end of a very frustrating tunnel. Transformers Prime started strong, but then turned into a mish mash of wasted potential and became a frustrating chore to watch by the end. RID 2015 is a show that exists. Rescue Bots is great, and Academy is fine for what it is. If you read my review of BotBots before the accidental deletion, that show is pretty good. However, it’s a show where someone might gotta have to take it or leave it. In the middle of the downward spiral of the Aligned continuity and the movie universe rebuilding itself from Bayverse’s mess, Transformers Cyberverse is the true outlier. It’s so great I made an entire video about it that you can check it out in the link below. 🤭

Now, I wanted to bring this up when talking about Earthspark because ngl, I was worried about the potential likelihood of the show falling into the pittraps of the Aligned continuity in the first round. Now that I’ve watched the show, I can confidently tell you that IT’S EVEN BETTER THAN I EXPECTED. WE HAVE A FUCKING MIRACLE AT THE END OF A TURBULENT DECADE.

This show is thankfully so much amazing and cool and wholesome, JUST LIKE IT HAS NO RIGHT IN BEING THIS GOOD. True, like I always say, there is no such thing as a perfect show. This show definitely have flaws, but they’re not detriment to the show’s quality. It’s basically everything I ever want from a Transformers show, including even subversions of the Transformers formula like Cyberverse.

Let’s go on this little journey together on everything I like and dislike about the show. Spoiler warning here since this show is best experienced blind and I’m not like some people who decided it’s a good idea to not put spoilers behind a tag or filter. Don’t be like these people. Don’t spoil the show for those who cannot access it. Don’t do it. 🙂

Anyways. 3, 2, 1, Pingu.

The Good, The Bad, The Skullcruncher:

Let’s get the elephant in the room clear: the art style is…an art style that exists. It’s not for everyone and it did take me a while to warm up to it. However, over time, I’ve gotten used to it since the amazing animation and fight choreography are great enough to make up for the art style.

The school episode is meh. It’s nothing interesting of note except the Terran parts and frankly, I find the two bullies pretty annoying. However, it does deserve points for having the amazing Daran Norris back in a Transformers show. At least it is not boring, but it’s not worth noting.

The humor sometimes doesn’t land, especially since modern humor such as the iPad environment we’re in is a delicate line these days. The humor is Yeessss tier most of the time though.

I’m glad that Hashtag didn’t keep her weird accent when she first appeared. That’s a plus. 👍🏽

Bee did come across as a bit of an asshole at first, which was admittingly something I wasn’t vibing with. However, thanks to the power of good character development, I warmed up to him. However, a counterpoint is that it’s a unique subversion of how Bee is introduced from other Transformers media.

I have no idea how to feel about Mandroid. It feels like he really doesn’t have much of a significant impact on the story, since GHOST are the main antagonist and the Decepticons being more of a morally gray chaotic neutral type characters. After the end of the first part, I only have questions of where the hell is he. It’s such a shame, since he has a lot of interesting potential and he has a banger voice actor behind him. At least he came back in the finale episode for reasons I’ll get to in the positives section of this review.

Anyways…yeah, that’s all I have to talk about in terms of critiques. Let’s move onto the good stuff: EVERYTHING ELSE. 🥳

A Night of a Thousand Bumblebees:

This show gets points for referencing the Optimist Prime and Negatron meme.

The main characters are just so charming and lovable, I WILL PROTECT THEM WITH MY LIFE. The Malto family is the main human characters done right. Dot is such a badass with such an enduring friendship with Megatron, along with being a loving mom and best wife to Alex. She’s also really great disability representation, showing that even with the prosthetic leg, she’s still a badass. Speaking of Alex…this man has no right in being such a lovable dork who loves his family and having so much swag. I want that Bumblebee suit. Mo and Robbie are very likable and adorable, especially regarding to their relationship with their Terran siblings. Speaking of the Terrans, they’re just utter darlings and a joy to watch. Twitch is hyperactive and cute, Thrash has a lot of funny moments and a likable personality, Hashtag is surprisingly enjoyable considering her powers of the Internet, I would die for Jawbreaker, AND NIGHTSHADE IS THE AUTISM CREATURE. I fucking love them, not only for being already being great nonbinary representation but also has a lot of relatable quirks such as their mechanic hyperfixation and their difficulty in having social interactions with other people. And…THE SCENE WHERE THEY SAY THEY ARE THEY/THEM HAD ME SOBBING SO HARD. It’s just amazing to see the franchise that helped me out so much throughout my life validate my existence and the existence of so many others like me. ✨😭✨

LOOK AT FLUFFY EARS. SHE’S SO ADORABLE. 🥺

ELITA IS MY PINK WIFE. I FUCKING LOVE HER. SHE CAN TOP ME. ✨😩✨

Bumblebee took a while for me to warmed up to him, but he eventually becomes the Bubblewrap we all know and love. Also, his relationship with Breakdown, although brief, is so wholesome. 🥺

Other things I love is the voice acting, including the welcomed returns of Transformers alumni such as Steven Blum and Roger Craig Smith, the animation is beautiful, the fight scenes are bonkers and well choreographed, the humor is yeesss tier, and overall, the messages such as having a good relationship with your family and good teamwork. Delicious food. ✨

I really love what this show is doing with Megatron and Optimus. Their relationship is perhaps my favorite part of the show. You can definitely feel not only how close they are as fwiends, but you can see both sides of the idea they represent: what if every bot deserve second chances? I appreciate the nuance to the Autobot vs Decepticon conflict, something that is definitely built up from Cyberverse. Here, it explores in depth about the more gray and complex areas of the conflict, where neither side is right nor wrong. However, it’s a reasonable two sides of a coin story that is explained well enough to appeal to both kids and adults. I also like how Megatron and Optimus are willing to hear each other out even through their disagreements. Optimus is also very likable and adorable, being a big ol dork you cannot help but be charmed by. Now…let’s focus on Megatron now.

I thought “Decay” was my favorite episode for exploring Optimus’ and Megatron’s relationship in depth, and bitter divorce ex Soundwave…until “Warzone” came out. This Megatron manages to fix the main issue of Autobot Megatron: it makes sure that he has to work hard to earn trust in his journey of redemption. He is someone with a lot of regrets over how much destruction and devastation done to Cybertron, because of his actions. It doesn’t sugarcoat the realities of his redemption: there are people who are not gonna accept that he wants to end the war nor understand how much the war costed the Cybertronian people everything. The cherry on top of his lessons to the baby boo boos about not repeating the same mistakes the Transformers did is the presence of the flowers from the IDW. Quick summary: they represent how much lives are lost in a conflict. Just…the way it fell from the monument at the Spacebridge Memorial to Megatron gently picking it up and putting it back on it, symbolizing how much he truly changed for the better. After the fight with Shockwave, including all the heartbreaking LAYERS of the gravity of Megatron’s redemption, it concludes on a beautiful message that many people came learn from, especially in these current times. you cannot change the past, but if we learn about it, we will be able to not make those same mistakes ever again. Thus, “Warzone” is my favorite episode in the entire season. In fact, I want to dedicate an entire essay to how this series portrayed Megatron once everything is done and finished. We’ll come back to the topic soon, lads.

Also, I really love how the show is exploring the not so bright side of having bots on planet Earth. The finale episode is perhaps the episode that rivals “Warzone” for not only bringing more amazing nonbinary representation in the form of Sam (looking forward to seeing her and their relationship with Nightshade in future episodes), but for managing to tell a story of how to deal with racism (through the Terrans being treated as outsiders in the big city) without sugarcoating it and telling it in a way that kids can understand. Hashtag feels the most pain in being treated as an outsider, even with her family there to tell her that everything will be okay. Then…perhaps one of the darkest scenes of Transformers as a whole is when Mandroid took over her as an attempt to get rid of the baby boo bops and try to get Bumblebee’s parts, and feeds into her insecurities over whether or not she has the right to live on Earth. Through the use of mind tricks, he is a representation of all the disgusting ignorance and stupidity plaguing our real world right now, trying to “prove” that marginalized people, who are represented by the Terrans here, have no right to exist. However…then the Malto kids used the power of the Green Prime to reach out to Hashtag and let her know that everything will be okay. True, not everybody is going to be compassionate and understanding of people who are different from them. There are genuinely evil and hateful people who will never be negotiated with and will never understand the concept of being a decent human being. However…it doesn’t mean that you should let them get to you. You deserve the right to be yourself and live your life the way you want to live it. You are surrounded by people who love you and understand what you’re going through. You are not alone. You are good enough. In a time where we experience such amount of racism, misogyny, and homophobia in places in and out of the Transformers fandom…we need this message more than ever. We should not follow Mandroid’s hateful ideology. Instead, we should be the Maltos. Love will triumph over hate, and no matter how much the world tries to crush you, you are more than meets the eye in beautiful ways.

Conclusion: This is number three on the Transformers ranking list as of the time I am writing this. 💕

Transformers Earthspark is incredible. It has no right in getting everything so right. It’s a fantastic love letter to the Transformers franchise as a whole. Let the haters talk smack. I am confident in saying that this show is the ever rare Ultra Yesss tier 10/10.

Please check it out if you have accessibility to the show on any platform. I promise that you’ll not regret this fantastic start of a promising new future for Transformers. ❤️

[shutup-andletme-go]

okay i need help deciding where i should make ren's hometown be for the fic i'm writing

under the cut bc this is a loooooooong post team (but there's a poll!)

so in the book it's really not specific, like At All as to where he lives, but Georgia says in her letter than she lives in the other corner of the country to him.

i don't get particularly aucklandy vibes off him so even tho thats where he ends up i dont think he started there

so. also there is a strait in the middle of the country and while busses would be cheap-

wait its 1996 the ferries would probably be stupid cheap compared to todays prices

okay so we could say that georgia and ren live on different islands

hold on a minute

so his aunty's message tells us that ren lives in a city and his aunty will be picking him up and going south

so that gives us some narrowed down options

PARDON ME THE ACTUAL FUCK

okay so i googled "what places were considered cities in nz 1996"

and thats fine and dandy theres a wikipedia page that i'll look at

in the bar of 'others search for:' there was one entitled "what happened in nz 1996"

i open it

and scream in horror as the name winston peters appears

direct copy paste from the wikipedia result:

Although predicted by many to ally with Labour, on 10 December 1996 New Zealand First leader Winston Peters chose to form a coalition with National, thus preserving Prime Minister Jim Bolger's administration. The 1996 election effectively showcased the difference made by the new electoral system.

winston peters is one of the deputy prime ministers THIS YEAR

Government

Legislature term: 53rd New Zealand Parliament until 8 September, then 54th New Zealand Parliament from 5 December.

The Sixth Labour Government, elected in 2017 and 2020, then the Sixth National Government elected in 2023.

Speaker of the House – Adrian Rurawhe until 5 December, then Gerry Brownlee

Prime Minister – Jacinda Ardern until 25 January, then Chris Hipkins until 27 November, then Christopher Luxon

Deputy Prime Minister – Grant Robertson until 25 January, then Carmel Sepuloni until 27 November, then Winston Peters

Leader of the House – Chris Hipkins until 25 January, then Grant Robertson until 27 November, then Chris Bishop

Minister of Finance – Grant Robertson until 27 November, then Nicola Willis

Minister of Foreign Affairs – Nanaia Mahuta until 11 November, then Grant Robertson until 27 November, then Winston Peters

christ almighty when is he going to die in a hole i hope its soon <3

oooh shit ren might have been old enough to vote in that election

and idk if he'd vote by himself but i feel like georgia would have encouraged it

okay back to the list of cities. we have:

auckland (still do not agree he's from auckland)

christchurch

wellington

hamilton

tauranga

okay cool so technically there might be others but im sorry palmerston north is not a city

making myself reread the book gave me a new perspective bc i was gonna say he's from like levin or somewhere

obscure like that

te puke perhaps

but no! he's from a city which means i can't take the angle of "ren didnt think places looked like this in 1996. not even wellington." but thats okay!

i'm leaning towards hamilton myself

just obscure enough

but still a city

pretty far up in the north island

oooh i kinda wanna write georgia as living in wellington she would thrive in wellington i think

@antisocialgaycat tagging u as always <333

[greatwyrmgold]

How did the Shibuya Incident and the onset of the Culling Game affect the civilians of Tokyo?

Most of the textual evidence that I've been able to find comes from the first half of chapter 137.

Two pages are spent showing the lights going out over a decent chunk of the Kanto area, which is appropriately creepy but not informative.

Three pages of disembodied speech bubbles over damaged skyscrapers, which is a great way to get across the vibes of distant jujutsu (and possibly mundane) authorities arguing about how to handle a crisis and actually provides some information.

Four pages of a lonely kid scrounging for supplies in an abandoned store, which transitions into a brief action sequence. The latter is useless for me; the former shows us the Culling Game status quo, which is helpful, even if it doesn't explain how we got there.

Also, Chapter 160 shows that residents of Sendai City were moved out of the Culling Game barrier when the game properly started. But that seems incompatible with what we see in Tokyo, and there obviously wasn't a Shibuya Incident in Sendai.

That's not a lot of data. I'm going to focus my analysis on the speech bubbles, because that's where almost all the relevant information is. And where better to start than some of the first speech bubbles on the first page? Those explicitly state:

At least ten million cursed spirits were released into Tokyo during/after the Shibuya Incident

The status of high-ranking government officials, specifically "the acting prime minister's office," is unknown to whoever's talking.

"The 23 wards are almost completely destroyed."

For people who don't watch as much anime as me, I should clarify: Those wards aren't magic barriers or anything. The urban core of Tokyo (corresponding to its 1936 borders) is divided into 23 tokubetsu-ku, usually translated as "city" or "ward". Without getting into the administrative weeds, "the 23 wards" informally refers to Tokyo the city, as opposed to Tokyo the prefecture (which is full of ordinary towns, villages, and cities).

Look, it means Tokyo was almost completely destroyed.

It's not clear what this means. "Destroyed" is a vague adjective! The buildings are mostly intact, as we see in both chapter 137 and the rest of the Culling Game arc. And there are a lot of survivors, as I'm about to discuss. I guess the infrastructure got wrecked?

Anyways, survivors. The speech bubbles discuss evacuation plans for "roughly five million residents at minimum". For comparison, in 2020, Tokyo's 23 wards had a population of 9.73 million; it would have been slightly lower in November 2018, when the Culling Game arc takes place.

So on one hand, they're expecting millions of deaths; on the other hand, they're expecting most people to get out of the city alive. Despite the 23 wards being "almost completely destroyed."

It's not clear how those evacuation orders would work. But apparently, the speech bubble people just accept that they will get most people out of Tokyo if they try. Despite the normal problems with evacuation orders, how those problems escalate if you try to evacuate over 5 million people at once, and the fact that cursed spirits outnumber humans in Tokyo.

The second and third pages focus more on stuff like the Japan Business Federation getting pissed at them, whether the public should be informed about cursed spirits, the possibility of foreign intervention, and how all of this affects the value of the yen. That does a pretty good job of characterizing the speech bubbles, but it also obfuscates what the civilians are dealing with.

This might be a good time to mention that Gege Akatami seems to have some pretty optimistic assumptions about where these five million refugees will be living. The speech bubbles discuss extreme measures of where they could house the five million refugees—anywhere with basic infrastructure, like campsites, ghost towns, and love hotels. I'm kinda curious how many ghost towns have functional infrastructure, but I'd rather clown a little on Akatami for thinking that recreational campsites and f*king hotels are last-ditch evacuation locations and not the best-case scenario.

(I'm starting to get the sense that Gege Akatami wants us to worry about the consequences of his villain's plots and not their setups. Well, I'm not outlining any fanfics set during the plot's consequences!)

So the sense I'm getting is that a bunch of stuff got busted, and a bunch of people were killed by cursed spirits and curse users, but most of them got out there alive and were housed in love hotels and ghost towns. Which is...not much.