#save music in chinatown

[killerandhealerqueen]

for the soft asks - all of the even numbers that you haven't answered yet :D

Took, I love you, god damn

4. what flower would you like to be given?

Oh, sunflowers! I love sunflowers, they're my favorite

6. say three nice things about yourself (three physical and three non-physical).

Alright, alright...hmm

Physical

I have nice hair

I have a nice voice

I have pretty eyes

Non-Physical

I'm compassionate

I'm smarter than I give myself credit for

I'm kind

8. tag someone (or multiple people) who make you feel good. 

@mishathewtf @ahhhnorealnamesallowed @kpopfantasywriter @seonghwacore @nineninepetals @zennialemo @missjudge-me @zzzhoonie @hyperbolicgrinch @fourth-quartet (obvs) @clawbehavior and there are so many others...I just love y'all

10. what’s something you’re excited for?

I'm excited to finish my current wip that I'm working on and post it after doing some edits to it. I'm really happy with how it's going so far (I can't write a short fic for Killer and Healer to save my fucking life)

12. how are you?

Tired. A little stressed. And nervous cuz I have a job interview coming up on Wednesday...

14. favorite feel-good show?

Now, Killer and Healer is my go to answer for every show, but it's not really a feel-good show, if you know what I mean. So I'm gonna go with White Cat Legend because there are some episodes, ep. 18 in particular, where I just screech with laughter because it's so god damn funny. But my other feel-good show is any show that talks about Ancient Egypt. I love Egyptology and wanted to be an Egyptologist when I was younger (mainly to study mummies, is anyone surprised that I ended up in forensics? No, you shouldn't be). But yeah, any nature documentary or documentary on Ancient Egypt is my go-to feel good show

16. compliment the person who sent you this number.

You're an absolute delight and I love seeing you on my dash and getting asks from you and I thank God every day we became friends because of The Devil Judge

18. do you still love stuffed animals?

You fucking kidding me, of course I do. Love my stuffies

20. what do you want most in the world right now?

To get a fucking job and stop feeling like I'm behind all of my friends, even though I know I'm not. It's just that my timeline has not exactly worked out the way I wanted it to, so...yeah. Getting my job in my field would be the cherry on top

22. what would you say to your future self?

Keep being badass

24. what’s something you do to de-stress?

Work on/read fanfiction or watch youtube videos

26. what movie would you want to live in?

Uh...Princess and the Frog. Good music, bombass food...sign me the fuck up

28. hugs or hand-holding?

Hugs. I've been told I give good hugs

30. what reminds you of home (doesn’t have to mean house… just things that remind you of the feeling of home)?

Going into any asian grocery story. See, I lived in Hawaii and spent a lot of time in Chinatown because my great-grandmother used to go there a lot. And Lunar New Year and other stuff like that. So anytime I go into an asian grocery store and smell all the spices and what not, I feel like I'm home

soft asks to get to know people | send me asks

[girlfriendsofthegalaxy]

tuesday again halloween problems (10/31/2023)

not quite an "oops all friends" edition but this edition heavily advised by viewers like you. thank you!

listening

mcr's blood, for seasonal reasons. spotify

Father Finlee by Spence Hood and Justin Ray Stringer is my new favorite song, a spooky prison? folk ballad? elements of the work song and dirge about it. rounds are underutilized in modern music imo.

Finlee played that guard like a fiddle Turned his own fears into a honing missile “Father can you save my soul…” “Well, first you gotta bring me a little C4...”

usually when a song intrigues me like this i try to find interviews or breakdowns of samples or something, but i am coming up flat empty. @dying-suffering-french-stalkers tasting notes: "Volga Boatmen, maybe, but by way of like...1950s/60s Disney choruses? Like Grim Grinning Ghosts?" spotify

-

reading

somewhat horrifying but unsurprising article about how companies who want (or want to keep) governments contracts can buy out entire DC Metro stations' adspaces. via @andmaybegayer i think?

The Pentagon station, a prime target for reaching DOD staffers, was one of a kind. The Pentagon is the most expensive station to “dominate” according to Outfront Media data which I obtained, even though it has substantially fewer riders than some of the others. Advertising to the 665,786 commuters estimated to visit the Pentagon station in a four week period costs $198,000 (about 30 cents per commuter), before fees. Yet in Gallery Place-Chinatown, a station in downtown DC farther away from government buildings, it costs only $120,000 to reach more than three times as many people (5 cents per commuter).

it is difficult to stress how uncooperative miss mackintosh was during this book's photoshoot. this is genuinely the best one.

i did not enjoy and did not finish Roshani Chokshi's 2018 queer magical intrigue and heist caper in belle epoque france, first in a trilogy. i think there is a mismatch between concept and execution here. i originally had a rather long paragraph about how i'd be interested in a non-new-adult book from her, but after checking her website and seeing that she mostly writes midde-grade and YA, and classifies this book as YA (which doesn't really make sense to me, i think everyone in the core crew can legally drink and i think what i read from this book fits better in New Adult) and has a forthcoming adult book i am not interested in, i think she is simply not an author for me. i reevauated this book with YA in mind, but i think teens deserve books with sophisticated writing and good execution too!

this had a really killer hook but the worldbuilding comes very in thick and fast during the first quarter of the book i read, and felt a little dorling kindersley (here is an eye of horus! on a chinese compass! with a sumerian cipher!). the magical system chokshi uses is novel in its heavy reliance on physical objects and like, countermeasures and counterspells? we get little hints of it as a global system, and it feels very analogous to The Power Of The Computer. a lot of it is based on creation of various physical objects, some of it is mind-based, there are the equivalent of magical stone faraday cages. the macguffin is like. what if a major internet exchange was an object you could carry around.

this magic system is so interesting it makes it disappointing and difficult to break down the distinction between "i don't think the soft-skill worldbuilding through connections and loyalties of characters is that well executed in these first hundred pages" and "hate this specific literary device". we are dropped into a heist at a magical auction where the many magical representatives are attending and rapidly rush through a lineup. this would be a really fun movie or other visual setpiece with intricate costuming choices, but it's hard to show and not tell a complex system of combined familial/cultural/nation-state houses of magic with backstabbing politics when you are rushing through a very time-limited heist. i know that it's the first in a trilogy, but the sheer number of factions and names is very large for a ~400 page trilogy entry. if this were a fucking doorstopper of a series i would have more faith that all will be eventually explained and i will eventually be able to distinguish them all, but i truly don't think she has the pages to do that.

the book's most frequent reviewer praise is that most of the core (but still! very wide! there are so many goddamn names!) cast are colonized or otherwise oppressed people, and i must give this book props for including a bisexual man in the ragtag crew. i read up to the first hundred pages to the first twist, and when the person who joins them at the twist has a voice that is not distinct from the existing gang’s, who are already not distinct from each other, i put the book down. a brief excerpt that does not serve this point very well but serves the following paragraph's point

this book felt like someone describing their dnd campaign to me. people on goodreads do love this book so i'm sure it does eventually deliver on the heist and found family aspects, but it's simply not for me.

bought this here in houston over the summer ( i think) not sure where

-

watching

House on Haunted Hill (1959, Castle). this was so charming!!!

"it’s a pity you didn’t know when you started playing murder…that i was playing too." vincent price truly is that bitch. his scenes with his fourth wife in the film, carol ohmart, are electric. they hate each other so much. they've tried to kill each other so many times. she laughs when he reminds her how she poisoned him with arsenic. the sex has got to be insane.

this is a public domain movie that's embedded in its own wikipedia page, lol, but there are various restorations of varying quality floating around.

the exterior shots of the "old, ugly, moldering house" are the frank lloyd wright ennis house in LA, which made me shriek bc it is a famously light/airy/sundrenched building. (exterior wikipedia, interiors here).

thank u @americanwwhore for logging it on letterboxd recently and making me go "oh hey i should watch that too"

-

playing

not technically fallow but i don't have an interesting story to tell about how i'm trying to get a specific set of genshin impact achievements

-

making

hey remember this baby blanket? i also forgot about it but now we’re up to 7/10 repeats. i may actually get this out before the child turns one

every time i make these sheet pan chicken thighs i arrange them like the isle of man coat of arms bc it amuses me. had to really mangle them to get a good temp reading but i have not yet given myself food poisoning here (fingers remain crossed).

[gotankgo]

«In the late 1970s, two Chinese restaurants became the unlikely epicenter of L.A.’s burgeoning punk scene. The emerging music form featured fast-paced songs and hard-edged melodies with anti-capitalist messaging. As told through interviews with John Doe (X), Alice Bag (The Bags), Keith Morris (Circle Jerks, Black Flag, OFF!), and Martin Wong (Save Music in Chinatown), and featuring music from current performers such as The Linda Lindas and more.»

[stylecouncil]

you know like obviously jack antonoff ruining music, bad, etc we can hate him for all these things but the real thing I’ll never forgive him for is stealing nate ruess’s springsteen thing. like I don’t care if you’re vaguely from New Jersey you could never get it, it takes more than that, and you can’t write a lyric to save your life. it’s tragic.

like this was his thing ☝️

and what is this shit 👇

unforgivable ☝️

[arithmeticanimaniac]

wu assassins (2019) could have been so good without wu assassins. set in the mean streets of chinatown, a down-on-his-luck chef tries his best to save up enough money to live a simple dream of selling food out of his food truck at music festivals. his secret past and connections to the triad thwart him at every turn. most of his friends are entangled in criminal affairs; some are trying their best to stay afloat on the straight and narrow, some are leaning into the underworld and thriving. he’s estranged from his sadistically murderous obviously-not-really-his-uncle uncle, who seems to only want to help him. also a gang war is brewing between the triad and the irish newcomers and the police recruit a kickass, carjacking vice detective to worm her way into the ranks to stop a potential bloodbath.

and then they bring out the fucking magic rock. the kung-fu chef becomes the wu assassin and now holds the power of a thousand monks and has to kill the five mystical warlords who wield the powers of water, earth, fire, wood, and metal. the intricate storylines and mysteries don’t matter anymore, he just has to kill these five guys (gender neutral).

also the main character is a legitimate stuntman, fight choreographer, and martial artist. what are they doing with these shaky cam, fast cut shots??

[rabbitcruiser]

Gastown, Vancouver (No. 3)

In the 1960s, citizens became concerned with preserving Gastown's distinctive and historic architecture, which like the nearby Chinatown and Strathcona was scheduled to be demolished to build a major freeway into the city's downtown. A campaign led by businesspeople and property owners, as well as the counterculture and associated political protestors gained traction to save Gastown. Henk F. Vanderhorst, a Dutch immigrant to Canadian citizen, opened the 'Exposition Gallery', an art gallery on Water Street which started, flourished and encouraged a flow of other fledgling business startups to boom in the Gastown core. His influence with the revitalization of Gastown was acknowledged in 1976 by being awarded 'The First Pioneer Citizen of Gastown' award by Mayor Art Phillips. "A key to the city". Vanderhorst's efforts, in part, pressured the civic, provincial and federal governments to declare Gastown a historical site, protecting its heritage buildings to this day.

Gastown was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 2009.

Gastown is a mix of "hip" contemporary fashion and interior furnishing boutiques, tourist-oriented businesses (generally restricted to Water Street), restaurants, nightclubs, poverty and newly upscale housing. In addition, there are law firms, architects and other professional offices, as well as computer and internet businesses, art galleries, music and art studios, tattoo parlours, and acting and film schools.

In February 2013, The Gastown Gazette began publishing local news and stories about the ongoing protests against gentrification in the Downtown Eastside and Gastown area of Vancouver. The community paper has since gathered provincial and national attention for reports on the neighbourhood.

Gastown has become a hub for technology and new media. It has attracted companies such as Zaui Software, Idea Rebel, MetroQuest, BootUp Labs Entrepreneurial Society, SEOinVancouver and MarketR.

Popular annual events that take place on the cobblestone streets of Gastown include the Vancouver International Jazz Festival and the Global Relay Gastown Grand Prix international bicycle race.Gastown in July 2012

In June 2004, Storyeum opened in Gastown. It was a lively theatrical 65-minute show that re-enacted the history of BC using eight sets that were all located below street level. Unfortunately, due to mounting debt, the attraction closed its doors in October 2006.

The Gassy Jack statue was toppled on February 14, 2022, by protesters during the 31st annual Memorial March for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

Source: Wikipedia

[brainpickings]

Variety’s Top 100 Greatest Movies of All Time

Well these are always fun for debate, in my humble opinion there are way to many American movies on this list. 

100 The Graduate 1967

97 Alien 1979

96 A Hard Day’s Night 1964

95 Toy Story 1995

94 Bridesmaids 2011

93 Le Samourai 1967 France

92 Pink Flamingos 1972

91 Scenes From a Marriage 1974 Sweden

90 The Shining 1980

89 Belle de Jour 1967 France

88 Malcolm X 1992

87 The Sound of Music 1965

86 Close-Up 1990 Iran

85 Natural Born Killers 1994

84 Pan’s Labyrinth 2006

83 Kramer vs. Kramer 1979

82 Parasite 2019 South Korea

81 The Dark Knight 2008

80 Pixote 1980 Brazil

79 Waiting for Guffman 1996

78 Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles 1975 Belgium

77 Goldfinger 1964

76 The Tree of Life 2011

75 Boogie Nights 1997

74 My Neighbor Totoro 1988 Japan

73 Intolerance 1916

72 Breaking the Waves 1996

71 My Best Friend’s Wedding 1997

70 12 Years a Slave 2013

69 Beau Travail 1999 France

68 King Kong 1933

67 Bicycle Thieves 1948 Italy

66 Paris Is Burning 1990

65 A Man Escaped 1956 France

64 Carrie 1976

63 Bambi 1942

62 Dazed and Confused 1993

61 The Passion of Joan of Arc 1928 France

60 Moulin Rouge! 2001

59 Vagabond 1985 France

58 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

57 Brokeback Mountain 2005

56 Rosemary’s Baby 1968

55 Pather Panchali 1955 Bengali

54 The Road Warrior 1981

53 In the Mood for Love 2000 China

52 The General 1926

51 Apocalypse Now 1976

50 Breathless 1960 France

49 The Texas Chain Saw Massacre 1974

48 The Piano 1993

47 Mean Streets 1973

46 Notorious 1946

45 Titanic 1997

44 L’Avventura 1960

43 Shoah 1985

42 Moonlight 2016

41 The Wild Bunch 1969

40 Fargo 1996

39 Some Like It Hot 1959

38 Lawrence of Arabia 1962

37 Annie Hall 1977

36 On the Waterfront 1954

35 The Silence of the Lambs 1991

34 Stagecoach 1939

33 8 1/2 1963

32 Vertigo 1958

31 Network 1976

30 The Empire Strikes Back 1980

29 Double Indemnity 1944

28 City Lights 1931

27 Bonnie and Clyde 1967

26 The 400 Blows 1959 France

25 Bringing Up Baby 1938

24 Tokyo Story 1953 Japan

23 The Apartment 1960

22 Chinatown 1974

21 Gone With the Wind 1939

20 Blue Velvet 1986

19 The Godfather Part II 1974

18 Persona 1966 Sweden

17 Nashville 1975

16 Casablanca 1942

15 Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans 1927

14 Do the Right Thing 1989

13 The Rules of the Game 1939 France

12 Goodfellas 1990

11 Singin’ in the Rain 1952

10 Saving Private Ryan 1998

9 All About Eve 1950

8 It’s a Wonderful Life 1946

7 2001: A Space Odyssey 1968

6 Seven Samurai 1954

5 Pulp Fiction 1994

4 Citizen Kane 1941

3 The Godfather 1972

2 The Wizard of Oz 1939

1 Psycho 1960

[alsjeblieft-zeg]

161 of 2023

How much as your life been influenced by other cultures? [True or False]

Created by joybucket

🇫🇷 France 🇫🇷 You've had a French manicure. You like to eat French toast. 🥪 You like to eat French fries. 🍟 (except that they’re not even French) You've ordered French dip at a restaurant. You've taken a ballet class. 🩰 Something you own has a picture of the Eiffel Tower on it. You've either visited Paris OR you'd like to visit Paris. You like to eat croissants. 🥐 You know how to French-braid hair. You've had your hair French-braided. You've been to a live performance of the Nutcracker. You've tried macarons. (didn’t like them) You've made your own macarons. You like macarons. You've worn a beret. You can speak French. (well, it’s debatable XD) You took a French class in school. (mandatory here)

🇨🇳 China 🇨🇳 You own something that was made in China. You love Chinese food. 🥡 🥢 You've eaten at a Chinese restaurant. You've been to a Chinatown in a big city. You know how to eat with chopsticks. 🥢 You own a Chinese paper lantern. 🏮 You know what your Chinese zodiac sign is. You've read Chinese historical fiction. 📕 You've flown a dragon kite. 🐉🪁 You celebrate the Chinese New Year. 🧧

🇯🇵 Japan 🇯🇵 You like to read anime/manga. You've dressed up as an anime character. You've been to a cosplay event. You like to draw anime characters. You've listened to Jpop music. You like Japanese street fashion. You've tried sushi. 🍣 You like sushi. 🍱 You've tried pockey. You like pockey. You think kimonos look cool. 👘 You've worn a kimono. 👘 You've taken a martial arts class. 🥋 There are cherry blossom trees in your neighborhood. 🌸 🍒 You love cherry blossoms. You've been friends with a Japanese exchange student. You've shopped at a Sanrio store. You've ordered something online from an Asian website. You've experimented with the feng shui style of decorating. You've used the Tokyo Tower emoji. 🗼 You know what "konichiwa" means. You've tried jasmine green tea. 🍵 You've drank Arizona Green Tea. You've tried origami. You know how to make a paper crane. You've sang karaoke at a karaoke bar. 🎤 You think Japanese symbols look really cool.

🇨🇳🇯🇵🇹🇭🇰🇷🇰🇵 Asia 🇻🇳🇰🇭🇹🇼🇲🇾🇵🇭 You like Indian food. 🍲 You like Thai food. 🍲 You've tried yoga. 🧘‍♀️ You regularly practice yoga. 🧘‍♂️ You've experimented with Buddhism. 🕉 You're a Buddhist. You like elephants. 🐘 You own a shirt with an elephant on it. 🐘 You've experimented with Hinduism. 🕉 You're a Hindu. You own a pair of pants with elephants on them. 🐘 You've ridden an elephant. 🐘 You like to drink green tea. 🍵 You like Yogi tea. ☕️ You own a set of matryoshka dolls. 🪆 You like to watch sumo wrestling. You have an Asian symbol tattooed on your body. You own a set of Japanese dolls. 🎎 You've worn a sari.🥻 You've read Indian historical fiction. You've read Japanese historical fiction. You own something that was made in Taiwan. You own something that was made in Cambodia. You own a Buddhist statue. You've taken a belly dancing class. You've worn a shimmy belt. You like Indian music. There is a park with a pagoda in your neighborhood. You've had an Asian friend. You've saved a fortune from a fortune cookie that you really liked. 🥠 You're on a quest to find spiritual enlightenment. You've tried to balance your chakras. You've burned incense. You've made curry. You like curry. You've used the spice Turmeric. You own something made of bamboo. You own something that has an Asian symbol on it. You've played the flute.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 You speak English. (obviously lol) You like to drink tea. ☕️ You like English Breakfast Tea. ☕️ You've been to London. You want to go to London. You've had your picture taken next to a red telephone booth. You like to eat scones. You love British accents. You like English muffins. You own something with a picture of either Big Ben, a red telephone booth, or a British guard on it. 💂‍♀️ You've read English historical fiction. You own something with the British flag on it. 🇬��� You like the British flag. 🇬🇧 Your country's flag has the colors of the British flag on it. 🇬🇧 You've attended a university that had a big Clock Tower in the middle of campus. You've read the Harry Potter series. 📚

🇩🇪 Germany 🇩🇪 You know someone who is German. (well, my mum is half-German if it counts) You learned about the Holocaust in school. You've been to Germany. You've been friends with a foreign exchange student from Germany. You've been to a town that is known for its German architecture. You had to read The Dairy of Anne Franke for school.

🇮🇪 Ireland 🇮🇪 You like Celtic music. 🎻 You know someone who can play the violin. 🎻 You've taken violin lessons. You've taken an Irish dance class. You've tried Irish soda bread. ...and you liked it. You celebrate St. Patrick's Day. You have red hair. 👩‍🦰 You like redheads. You've dyed your hair red. You know the legend of St.Patrick. You've been to a pub. 🍺 You've been to Ireland. 🇮🇪 You want to visit Ireland someday. You've danced an Irish jig. You've found a four-leaf clover. 🍀 You own a claddagh ring. You've tied a Celtic knot. You've worn a kilt ....or any plaid skirt. You know how to play the bagpipes. (I wish) You like the color green.

🇲🇽 Mexico 🇲🇽 You love Mexican food. 🌮 You like tacos. 🌮 You've owned a chihuahua. You've played the maracas. You like to eat beans. 🫘 You've worn a sombrero. You've worn a shirt with bright-colored embroidery on it. You can speak Spanish. You took a Spanish class in school. You like sugar skulls. You've had a birthday party with a piñata. 🪅 You've hit a piñata at someone else's birthday party. 🪅 You've met someone named Maria. You like Mexican music. You know someone who can speak Spanish fluently. You know how to count to ten in Spanish. You've had a friend who's Mexican. You've been to Mexico.

[bramblewatchescharmed]

I was arguing with a Charmed (2018) fan the other day who tried to claim that the reboot "explored more different types of magic than the OG did".

Sorry, but that claim is untrue, even if you stick to comparing all four seasons of the 2018 reboot with the first four seasons of the original 1998 Charmed.

Just by comparing the first season of each show:

Charmed (1998)

s1e2 "I've Got You Under My Skin" has the Charmed Ones use the Hand of Fatima to vanquish Javna. The Prophet Mohammed (that Mohammed, from Islam) is explicitly referenced in the Book of Shadows, and the Hand of Fatima is used throughout North Africa and the Middle East as protection against evil.

s1e4 "Dead Man Dating" primarily takes place in San Franciso's Chinatown, and the supernatural antagonist is Yama, the Hindu god of death. The mortal antagonists are all members of a Triad gang. Three other episodes later on in the series focus on Chinese mythology.

s1e6 "The Wedding From Hell": demonic villainess Jade de Mon turns out to be Hecate, named after the Greek goddess of magic, the moon, and crossroads.

s1e7 "The Fourth Sister": Kali, the antagonist, is named after the Hindu goddess of death, doomsday, and time.

s1e11 "Feats of Clay" centers around a stolen Egyptian urn and heavily features Egyptian mythology motifs

s1e18 "When Bad Warlocks Go/Turn Good": not the first time Christianity has shown up in the series, but it is the first time the sisters have to save a half-warlock Catholic priest-in-training

Charmed (2018)

s1e1 "Pilot": the triqutra symbol representing the Veras' status as the Charmed Ones has its roots in Celtic (Irish) culture. Books of Shadows are solely used in Wicca, a British religious form of witchcraft. The Veras' BOS even has an entry on Melinda Warren. (Keep in mind that the Vera-Vaughns in this series are supposed to be Puerto Rican, and instead of going with the rich traditions and history of Latin American witchcraft, the producers and writers shoved their Latina witches into a Wiccan framework.)

s1e2 "Let This Mother Out": Spirit boards as they exist today are an American invention. (The Halliwells also had a spirit board that was passed down through their family, but that one did look like a family heirloom, not like it had been bought at Barnes & Noble a few years prior.) Marisol also created the prism world they trapped the Imposter Demon in, so no points there

s1e4 "Exorcise Your Demons": Mel finds a secret spell written by their mother in the B.O. S derived from Santeria that the sisters use to free Angela Wu.

s1e5 "Other Women": Introduces "hellflame", suspiciously similar to Greek fire. The spell Mel and her sisters cast to rewrite her history with Niko invokes the Moirai, the Greek goddesses of fate.

s1e6 "Kappa Spirit": Maggie and Mel briefly suspect that the ghost Brenda is a Banshee, a malevolent spirit from Irish folklore. Mama Roz, a recurring Haitian Yoruba priestess and psychic, is introduced (this kicks off Macy and Galvin's continuing subplot throughout the season exploring Yoruba).

s1e7 "Out of Scythe": Introduces the Scythe of Tartarus and a satyr as a guardian for one of the scythe's pieces, all of which are taken from Greek mythology.

s1e9 "Jingle Hell": episode begins with Hunter and Parker stealing a staff from a Russian Orthodox church, bringing Christianity into play. The episode ends with Harry falling down into Tartarus (again, Greek mythology).

s1e11 "Witch Perfect": music instructor at Hilltowne University (and director for the Hilltones a capella group) is taken over by a set of demonic pan's pipes while on vacation in Greece (once more, Greek mythology)

s1e13 "Maniac Pixie Nightmare": introduces pixies from Central European mythology

s1e15 "Switches and Stones": has Medusa the gorgon as the villain of the week, famously from Greek mythology

s1e18 "The Replacement": new Whitelighter Tessa makes reference to "Western magic" when fighting the Abiku (from Yoruban mythology) that is possessing Galvin

That's *checks notes* seven cultures the original series explores outside of British Traditional Wicca within its first season. The same cannot be said for the 2018 reboot's first season, where the only cultures drawn from are Central/Northern European, Greek, and Yoruba. Santeria (an Afro-Cuban religion) is mentioned once, and the denomination of Christianity shows in-series is very white European. So... yeah, that's three cultures for the reboot compared to the original's seven.

As for the rest of both series over the course of the respective shows:

Charmed (1998)

s2e6 "That Old Black Magic" features the Seventh Son of a Seventh Son, which shows up in folklore across the world

s2e7 "They're Everywhere" deals with the Akashic Records, believed by Theosophists to be a compendium of all universal events, thoughts, words, emotions, and intent ever to have occurred in the past, present, or future in terms of all entities and life forms. (There is no evidence the records actually exist, and the religion of Theosophy was founded by a Russian mystic in the late 19th century, but the word akashic itself is from Sanskrit.)

s2e21 "Apocalypse Not" deals with the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

s2e22 "Be Careful What You Witch For" introduces genies from Arabian mythology (Genies show up again in season 6)

s3e13 "The Good, the Bad, and the Cursed" touches on racism against Native Americans (via residual energy in a ghost town causing a time loop and Phoebe psychically connecting with Bo Lightfeather, the victim in question)

s4e5 "Size Matters" features a golem, which are from Jewish folklore

season 5 really starts in on expanding the magical community to include nymphs, unicorns, leprechauns, dwarves, mermaids, etc. Season 6 introduces a student at Magic School who's a Shaman, a different species from magical witches (s6e14 "The Legend of Sleepy Halliwell").

s5e6 "The Eyes Have It" introduces and heavily features Romani with magical abilities as a sister species to witches. Specifically, it focuses on a young Roma woman who becomes the matriarch of her family line, has snippets of the Romani language (or one of its many dialects) spoken on-screen, and has Ava grappling with rejecting vs returning to her heritage.

s5e10 "Y Tu Mummy También" again centers on Egyptian mythology

s5e13 "House Call" features a witch doctor who uses voodoo. Witch Doctors are explicitly stated to be on the side of good and good magic, and the one in the episode uses his magic to teach the Charmed Ones a much-needed lesson.

s6e1-2 "Valhalley of the Dolls" transforms the sisters into Valkyries from Norse mythology to rescue Leo from Valhalla (which for some reason is presided over by Freyja, when she's actually in charge of a different area of the Norse afterlife).

s7e1 "A Call to Arms" has Piper and Leo accidentally taken over by Hindu deities Shakti and Shiva (they were attending a Hindu wedding as guests when the deities were invoked to bless the marriage).

The Avatars, the antagonists of season 7's first half, have part of their backstory rooted in ancient Egypt: they were defeated by Anubis, the Egyptian god of death and rebirth.

Charmed (2018)

season 2 draws heavily from the Salem and European Witch Trials for its worldbuilding and backstory for characters: recurring character Jordan's ancestor was a Witchfinder General whose bloodline was cursed by a witch he killed; Whitelighters (and their Darklighter counterparts) are discovered to have first been created as a result of the Salem Witch Trials. The castle where the rite to create new White/Darklighters is held is located in Scotland.

season 3 made shit up whole cloth for its antagonists without drawing on one particular culture, but it finally introduces Puerto Rican witchcraft in the form of the Veras' second cousin Josefina (which is promptly forgotten about the second she's finished her plotline)

season 4 reveals that this universe's "original" Charmed Ones were unrelated brown women granted their magic by the nine clans of magical beings (trolls, leprechauns, hobgoblins, lamias, pixies, etc.) -- all of whom are, again, originally from European folklore.

"The reboot explored more types of magic than the original series did."

Bullshit. It very much the fuck did not. The writers kept cycling through Greek, Irish & British, Yoruba and Central European folklore for their worldbuilding and only gave Puerto Rican culture an afterthought. Which is not a good look when the protagonists being Latina (specifically, Puerto Rican) was the fucking selling point for this reboot in the first place.

[hospitalterrorizer]

diary391

10/17/24

thursday

today was fun...

kura sushi, unfortunately, was not much more than mid... but i got two cute pikmin bookmarks from a gacha, and their spicy crunch roll was rather good.

we walked around this small plaza in chinatown, with my gf's two k pop friends and one had her husband come along. it was fun, we had icecream and because i had hardly eaten anything today, i had two of those corn dogs... i feel a little ill now i suppose but i think tomorrow i'll be happier to have eaten that than not, since i need to go walk to the shops and collect some things. i took selfies, today, i really liked my outfit, i'll sort through them tomorrow though, since i'm very tired now.

since i keep thinking about fear and hunger, or, i feel like it's now something gestating inside me...silly dreams of course, things i could make, that are impossible really, but still, it at least makes me want to draw more, so i should take that and run with it. just draw freaky stuff... work that out more, draw more scared looking people, i like scenes like that.

i keep feeling so sad it's over, i loved the experience, i'll never have a first time like that again, i feel like the next game miro makes, the final piece of the trilogy, could give me that in a different way, but i'm so attached to this feeling, this particular depression and misery and the expression of escaping it, the affection for these characters... i hope whatever he does next keeps that, a huge cast of people you can save or kill or witness dying.

also, stuff about the sulfur god, he is interesting, i didn't know he was an inversion of alll-mer, or, something alll-mer created of himself, perhaps something that succeeded him, maybe cast the true version out? i don't know. what i do find interesting is that he makes people express their desires, in some sense, but it recalls, in step with the game's setting and theming, a lot of how reactionary forces use desire for violence and extremity as pressure release valves to gain something, or to use people to some end. i do not know, if in miro's cosmology, there is any platonic ideal, everything seems pointedly murky, not unknowable expressions of ideas or thoughts, but expressions of a failure to make sense of things inside others and oneself. ultimately, the gods aren't expressions of a nature, but more, failures on our part to make sense of that nature, to force it into a set of mechanics and things.

i also got sad in the kpop store today, sometimes i do not feel like my gf is as attracted to what i am as she says. this makes me neurotic and makes me desire seeing things from her that might be gross, or lewd, or whatever, that she see others like me, meaning transfemme (still nothing in particular as well, i guess (following this: a second (now third (or incoming third)) i guess)) i guess, and find them attractive, just that i'm a type of thing she likes. which is horrifically self-objectifying, i guess putting it here, it makes me look so sick. i know she loves me, and that she does in fact like that, and like me in those ways, as something to look at. i'm not sure. i just feel distant from it i guess, i know there's stuff she's distant from me on too i guess. we all have things like that. i just wish i were enough i guess, or that, i don't know. this kind of consumer devotion makes me sad. i don't understand... i'm like an alien to it... i'm like an alien to so much... i guess because i never had much money, i just had to take things how i was able to, videogames were often experienced with distance and dreaming, i had to read what books were around while knowing there were better ones out there, i was never able to wear the clothes i liked because i didn't know there were any i could like... always shopping in walmart or ross, hand-me-downs... inheriting music from the internet and my mother and father, it feels different i guess, i feel sheltered in some way, or like, i guess it's true as well, partially homeschooled, even if only by the internet, there is just a gulf between myself and others, i am different even in how i move my body around and i produce illegible things. i feel so much less than everything and everyone around me, including and especially these excellent figures who move to songs scientifically designed to charm, i don't hate it... there's a sweetness to people making these things, and wanting to be an idol. the only kind of idolhood i ever was able to approach when i was younger was being a sex object, like a child fetish statue or something. obviously, i'm sleepy, i always do this when i'm tired...

it's okay though, it's stupid but it soothes, it's obvious, i just can't get over myself in very stupid ways, because my girlfriend loves me, and constantly reminds me, i am just unsure of how to navigate ever feeling distant to people i feel close to. i'm just a clumsiness, all the way down.

i forgot to say, yesterday i wrote something odd (today i wrote too (something impossible for me to make... a vision, though, at least)), it was spurred on by seeing this image, and crying, i will not share it or why i cried because it's complex and impossible to explain, here is the image however:

i guess i can explain some, it's about feeling less than someone, before this image (his eyes... they remind me of my girlfriend's, as does the sharpness of his features), i feel like so little, and the fact is that he seems distant and sorry, i know, he is just doing what is beautiful for a camera, or maybe it is natural, look here another photo of him:

is it projection to see some kind of misery here? or knowledge of difficulty? that it meets a creature like him, it's almost unbearable.

this is stupid, maybe, or it isn't...no, not at all, i will stand by this being a special thing dredged up by playing a game which should be very silly, in some sense, but fear and hunger likely enabled this... which is maybe pitiful, but at least i have a feeling, at least it points us at some sort of feeling.

too, breton's words on his journey with his lover, the flowers, come to mind, something on the other side of this.

i am simply turning, sometimes i feel like i am a moth with burned wings at the bottom of a light fixture, among others who have perished, waiting my turn. i see something very lovely, incapable of meeting it, i am only witness, and then nothing.

so,

byebye!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[travelworldwithtravelarii]

How to Explore San Francisco Without Breaking the Bank!

San Francisco, a city of dreams and endless possibilities, often has a hefty price tag. But don't let that deter you! With careful planning and a little creativity, you can immerse yourself in the city's magic without draining your wallet. This guide will help you navigate San Francisco on a budget, ensuring you experience the best the city offers without compromising on fun.

Visit San Francisco on a Budget: Your Comprehensive Guide

Free and Cheap Thrills

Outdoor Adventures:

Golden Gate Park: This sprawling urban oasis is a treasure trove of free activities. Rent a bike, have a picnic, visit the Japanese Tea Garden, or explore the Conservatory of Flowers.

Hike or walk along the coastline: Enjoy stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and the city skyline without spending a dime.

Explore the Presidio: This former military base is now a public park with hiking trails, historic sites, and breathtaking vistas.

Cultural Delights:

Mission District Murals: Immerse yourself in the vibrant culture of this neighborhood by admiring the colorful street art.

Chinatown: Explore the bustling streets, sample delicious and affordable food, and experience the rich history of this iconic neighborhood.

Haight-Ashbury: Step back in time and explore the birthplace of the hippie movement.

Free museums: Many museums offer free admission on specific days or times. Check the websites of your desired museums for details.

Free Events:

Check local listings for free concerts, festivals, and outdoor movie screenings.

Attend free lectures and workshops at the public library or community centers.

Transportation Hacks

Walking and Biking: San Francisco is a pedestrian-friendly city with a well-developed bike-sharing system. Explore the city on foot or by bike to save money and enjoy the sights.

Public Transportation: Utilize the city's public transportation system, including buses, trams, and cable cars. Consider purchasing a Muni Passport for unlimited rides.

Ferry Rides: Enjoy stunning views of the city skyline by taking a ferry to Sausalito or other nearby destinations. Check for discounted fares or ferry deals.

Food and Drink Deals

Happy Hour Heaven: Take advantage of happy hour specials at various bars and restaurants. Enjoy discounted drinks and appetizers while socializing.

Food Trucks and Street Vendors: San Francisco boasts a vibrant food truck scene. Explore different neighborhoods to discover delicious and affordable culinary delights.

Picnic Perfection: Pack a picnic lunch and find a scenic spot to enjoy your meal. Several parks and waterfront areas offer perfect picnic settings.

Farmers' Markets: Visit local farmers' markets for fresh produce, artisanal goods, and often live music and entertainment.

Accommodation Alternatives

Hostels and Guesthouses: Opt for hostels or guesthouses for budget-friendly accommodation options. Many offer shared rooms, private rooms, and communal areas.

House Sitting or Apartment Rentals: Consider house sitting or renting out apartments for longer stays. These options can often be more affordable than traditional hotels.

Camping: If you're adventurous, explore camping options outside the city for a unique and budget-friendly experience.

Additional Tips

Plan Ahead: Research free and affordable activities before your trip.

Be Flexible: Be open to spontaneous adventures and unexpected discoveries.

Cook Your Own Meals: Save money by cooking your own meals in your accommodation or by purchasing groceries.

Utilize Student Discounts: If you're a student, take advantage of student discounts on attractions, transportation, and dining.

By following these tips, you can experience the magic of San Francisco without breaking the bank. Remember, it's not about spending a fortune; it's about creating unforgettable memories.

[steamishot]

pottery week 3/6

i now know how to get to class and home without checking the maps and am a lot more comfortable going to class. on week 3, there was a lot more freedom to throw - people were throwing different shapes, cups and bowls. i threw a total of 4 things: 1 cup, 2 bowls, and 1 semi-plate. it was a good session for me! however, due to pottery (i think), i temporarily had some palm and ankle pain (ankle pain that was bad enough where it woke me up in the night). these eventually went away after a couple of days. it's actually a very physical activity so the posture is important to maintain.

yoga: i did 5 sessions last week (3 heated and 2 flow and restore) and overall was generally more tired. i'm usually very energetic due to having a remote job and not needing to exert myself physically, so this is a good change. i have 5+ more classes scheduled this week. luckily they give a 5 hour window to cancel before class, so i can always decide to opt out if i'm too tired.

piano: i started learning the basic version of fur elise, and am taking up music as a language now on duolingo.

studio living: as time progresses, i've been feeling fed up and generally unhappy/lowkey stressed sharing a studio apartment with matt on his weeks off. there isn't true "alone time" in our own home. i find myself getting easily irritated and then guilty for feeling this way. it wasn't really an issue during residency, because he wasn't home for extended periods of time. now we're getting to 1.5 years of the 7on7off schedule, where he's basically home most of the 7 days off and we're like always ten feet away from each other. it's annoying because we would have upgraded the apartment if we knew job searching was going to take this long. and it's doubly annoying because we could afford some comfort now. at this point, its about 3.5 years of living in a studio, which i can see as fine in our 20s... but we're literally early-mid 30s now, so it does feel a bit juvenile.

the size of our studio is equivalent to my bro and SIL's master bedroom and i think it's like being in a pressure cooker. welp, i'll try to control what i can, which is doing the work and possibly going to the lounge or coffee shop to work so we can have space. and i'm focusing on the positives of saving money.

job searching: no concrete details on this yet, but it seems matt may have received an offer for a per diem opportunity at huntington health. the location is great, but we don't know what PD entails/how many shifts a month they offer. we followed up with LA USC who has been stringing us along since end of november and got ghosted, so that's a no.

30s bday party: this past sunday, we celebrated R's 30th birthday. T planned a whole day of activities for her, and a few relatives came from out of town to celebrate. matt and i joined for a chinatown dinner at ping's and karaoke in ktown. karaoke was a looot of fun, and reminded me of my early 20s. we got to sing our hearts out that night. the next day, we decided to join them for a kbbq dinner at cote. it was a bit uncomfortable, because we kinda crashed, so we had to squish 8 people in an outdoor seating area. i think most people's social batteries were low too, so the mood/dinner was just okay.

[rawrmeansilyindinosawr]

nauseous Bl0WF1sh

i hav bronchitis again n moi fwend chris says it cuz ima “chronic smoker.” Whatever dat meanzz !!!!?

uMmmmummmmUmmm Ummmmm.!! moi ribzzz hurt from coughin N i had a Wasian hot doc prescribe meH a genZ pack for the nxt 6 days .! i Think she was in luv wif meh cuz she was lik ….”Soo ur feeling sick????🥺🥺🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺” n She wrote me 2 doc notes n encouraged meh to R3st … <3 heart eyes.!!! Im sniffly n BORED.!!!! N my breath smells like arabic coffee. =] i wanna learN how2 Read tha groundzz so i Kan c my future n how my wife gonna lOok Like. I dink she will hav freckles . ?

my new Profesor baggie is my old Hello kitty Crossbady bag i used in lik 3rd grade n i Loveee my mommy for saving it for me.!! Idk how it didn’t wear n Tear or iDk how i Didnf break it already at dis point cuz my Mummy calls me “a power puff girl”.!!! (aka i Alwayz broke everYth1nG growing up… the fridge, bathroom sInk, etc.)

iPhone journal entry 03/01/2023

5:39am on the L train bak home holding a tray of rly bad pasta i ated half of but left tha rest on the train Cuz i forgot n was mad .!!!!!

“the man sitting next to me on the subway smells like microwaved bean and cheese burritos and everyone that commutes at this time wears black and grey and navy. shades of it at least.

i hate when people stare at me. but they do. and i feel like i look mean for a reason. maybe discreetly i want people to be afraid of me. or to make their assumptions. i want to be judged and complain about it. to feel alienated all over again over and over and over again.

why do people wear their wedding rings so freely in this city? or do we really just care far too much about our presentation, myself included.

why am i always counted as second best. or why do i feel as it from the people who make me feel first and last at the same time.”

:-[ SIMP!!!!11111 >_<

my students keep asking me if i identify as an “emo” and a “e-girl” .! N asking if i am a bOy or A gUrl. lolz.!! my Ex situationship is now back to being my current situationship aagain cuzz um he may or may not hav written mEh a poem about fisting me on Queer craigslist which i frequently check N it was romantic . soo We had a closure convo at this Coffee shoppe n i brought a puppy who was tryna fight sum kid there n it wuz awkward n sad n Wonderwall by oasis was playing so obvz it ended in seggs.

i May or mAy not have Snuck into a homeless shelter to hav Sex the other nite cuz i felt Like it . Wrote a poem ab it !.!!

“

twin size mattress

spiky shy seductive fingers

sugar dissolves with heat

and turns golden brown.

caramel kisses on my mouth

u blew weed smoke into

sorry i freaked out.

but we play the system well

i throw ur jacket down three flights and three floors

u say when

and i’ll go

we don’t need a car to go somewhere only we know “

YEAZZZZZZZ SOOOOOOOOOO i had alottaaa weirdOo dreamzz sleeping dere.!!! dreamt of gettin strapped DOWN on a fire scape then also of a blowfish tht kept frowing up itself over n over again til it died then ppl ated it.! Then had a dream i wrote a poem w all my students in spanish n i was teaching a poetry class ssomrwhere Not in America lolz.!! iimm missing the rly Kute bedazzledd “0Bama” beanie i saw at domsey N didn’t buy . it’s been aB 2 months since i saw it dere . Anyway.! security at work was using bathroom n the toilet seat Rn slammed down on his Dick while he was peeing and he just screamed “DAMN WHAT da FUQ WHAT DA FUQ .!!!” :-]

i luv walkin around chinatown w my friendzz n gettin milky T n finding Hello-kitty jumperzz n pjs at F21 >.< n twinkz fashion show at Dallas Bbq wuz kute n i still get kinda shy ab ppl takin moi pix.!Then we danced to music w moi speaker outside afterwards n Then went w group of pplz we just met to a seggs shoppe. Then we tried to find an el bano 4 meh to pee in n may hav accidentally said” fukk” in front of 2 many babies. Then went 2 somewherenowhere n got Vip-ed cuz we r Kewl n hot n do k off each otherzz nailz lik paris hilton n Nicole Richie n cuz starz r BLINDzz.!! theN may or Not hav been on E from 1pm-6am n lost the Spikezz to our bracelets N our gauges in our ears .!!!i luv Kuddling w moi fwendzz post club tho n napping then goin out again.!! N finally bein able to climb up 2 the top of the skate ramp 2 sit dere n why do ppl smoke crack at substance abuse sk8 Park .? mayB cuz it’s called substance abuse :-p ??? hehe duh!!

soooo I ordered dinn from “Miss dongs burgers” cuz trans girlsss hav the sexiest cocks<33 n ordered soft shell crab burger N omfg her crabzz were yummy.!! LOLZZZ im thinkin of the cuRse of curves lyrics while singing another song “ ur beautiful ‘ by james blunt with strangers at a sexy bodega off broadway n also Crying cuz i lost my second pair of reading glasses again and also buying a kids babyPhat shirt even tho it’s a 5-6 size shirt cuz i like the print n Now family dollar sells baby phat beanieZ. ??? i luv living in the wick!!<3

all three of us gave ourselves black eyes on the same eyeball .?!?! within a week apart.?!?! brujajajajajajajaja :-0 i yam Defeating anorexia day by day n it is so hard but i kant keep holding on2 it. N i wanna b able to eat at wei’s n cafe mogador w moi fwendzz n even doe my Ex who used to yell at meh at dunkin’ donuts got herpes from the falafel there i still enjoy eating at dat place .! i realized many thingzz keep me up at nite more than adderal n insomnia. Like pornstar nikki hearts n the old Lex logo. Blu lex logo wuzz shmexy. wrote another iphone note 4 dayzz ago ab how much i need time alone rn cuz i feel v overly stimulated n lik everything is jus2much , n how do we rly even communicate w one another when we don’t get anywhere w our actions.??

“talk talk talk

all we do is talk ,

but talking isn’t always communicating

and listening doesn’t always fix everything

days go by and u feel nostalgic for the nites u didn’t spend admiring the moon . n i lost my heart to get yours to get close to yours. never thought itd hurt this bad. and i’ll never try to dominate the conversation but im sorry if my voice escalates.”

moi wk wuz Kute those were my highlights .!! also helping w a styling pull for bobbi brown ^_^!!!.!!.!!!.!!! kinda excited to meet moi new they she therapist tmrw mornin n get Fixed (not bottom surgery but U kno, with electroconvulsion.)) i also defzz went on a reddit khole n joined lik 4 diff fourms which i kannot disclose cuz uh uh uh uh uHhHhhH yea 2 vulnerable but i changed my username to charlixcx1997 N now i kinda wanna change my name from ren to charli cuz it’s also unisex/andro AF n cute butt ANYWEYZZ yah wuld luv to continue to stay N chat n type n Talk but Yes i am busy brainstorming lesbian spring date ideazz like goin to Dock aznn eatery n eating oysterzz then picking flowers at maria Hernandezz then going 2 moi room wHile we turn the disco lights …. hide under blankies n analyze the lyrics to fast car by tracy chapman n then ask each other our fav pasta shapes then nail our hands together .!!!!<3<3 <3 <3 <3

Xxxxxx with xxxtra xxx,

ren<3

[doomboogie]

Uh 2021 Games List A Whole Year+ Late

Whoops, forgot about this since time hasn't been real for the last couple of years. I rank based on enjoyment of a game, not if the story or gameplay are particularly great, and to me a 3=pretty good. But it's a vague and nebulous system, it's all fake anyway. In order from March to December 2021:

Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire - ?/5

Obsidian Entertainment, 2018

A more quippy and light-hearted tone than its predecessor, it feels like a tabletop game with every character trying to outwit each other and make the snarkiest comment. Some people like that, I don't so much. The true interesting story of colonialism is kneecapped by the generic main plot involving gods that already had their time to shine in the first game. Combat is more polished and fun and the AI improved and the environments are gorgeous. Companions are interesting but have underdeveloped sidequests and awkwardly implemented romances, and some companions just drive me so crazy I couldn't stand to even hear them. The PC's background and opinions never felt relevant, even in places that they really should have been. I never finished this game, as the main plot simply could not grab me enough once it was all that was left. I loved PoE 1, but despite my disappointment with Deadfire I admit it's not a bad game, just not my jam. I didn't rank it because I want to revisit later, I think I can enjoy this game just not right now.

Persona 5 Royal - 1.5/5

Atlus, 2020

Much needed gameplay improvements and social additions are undermined by a thematically inconsistent final act and questionable character writing. The new characters are clunkily forced in resulting in a love 'em or hate 'em feeling, and a lingering thought that perhaps they should've been saved for a spin-off rather than tacked onto an already complete game.

Persona 5 Strikers - 3/5

Atlus, 2020

The Persona series' strongest sequel (Eternal Punishment doesn't count) focusing on the friendship between characters and slight rehashing of original game themes with a twist. The new characters introduced far exceed Royal's new additions, and meld into the exhisting cast with more ease. Overdone tropes and a particularly bad moral lesson regarding child abuse give a mixed-postive takeaway.

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective - 5/5

Capcom, 2010

Oh, to live in a world where Ghost Trick got a million sequels instead of Ace Attorney. A fun puzzler with a cute gimmick and fascinating characters with stellar music and the best animation on the DS. A few eyeroll moments in the last hour may harsh my vibe a bit, but not much. Like most wacky detective games, it's more fun playing with other people instead of alone.

Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines - 4.5/5

Troika Games, 2004

Considered a classic for a reason, with a myriad of roleplay opportunity, tons of interesting characters, and some of the best voice acting I've ever heard in a game. The latter half of the game is much less polished and a combat slog, but the first half more than makes up for it. I didn't appreciate the very aged early 00's humor, complete with some edginess and off-colour "jokes" - Chinatown is a bit of a Yikes. Still great fun, jank and all, and deserves a modern installment. Pour one out for the almost surely dead sequel; this franchise is truly cursed. On my biannual replay list.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution - 4/5

Eidos-Montréal, 2011

Adam Jensen is by far the most interesting protagonist in the Deus Ex series, and you can feel that this game's world is on the precipice of massive upheaval and change. It's the calm before the storm, and then when the storm hits it hits so hard. I love how there's no good ending in this game, I love how much it leans into media personalities influencing the minds of a populace, and I love the gold filter! Maybe I like this one more than the original Deus Ex because it takes place during the growing period between a modern world and the cyberpunk dystopia it's destined to become.

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided - 3/5

Eidos-Montréal, 2016

Opposite of the original Deus Ex, I expected this game to be bad due to its reputation. Perhaps that lowered expectation allowed me to be pleasantly surprised by it instead. The story isn't the best, and it desperately needs another game due to the abrupt ending, but the gameplay is a blast. Felt nice unleashing on the police once night fell. Prague is so so so fun to explore, probably one of my favorite game hubs I've ever played in. Still hoping for that third game to close out Adam's story.

Deus Ex - 2/5

Ion Storm, 2000

Maybe I'm just too much of an radical but nothing this game said felt very mindblowing or earth shattering. The gameplay was passable, stealth was fun, but I think I was just too late to the party on this one. The fandom needs to chill out on reccommending this to everyone as "the best game ever made", because it just creates expecations that won't be met. I obviously chose the "Dark Age" ending; I was surpsied, it assumes the worst of humanity and thinks we'll go back to the dark ages from losing technology that didn't exist prior to the 1910s. But again, maybe I'm just too much of an radical and can tell when the leftist ending is written to appear worse than it really would be. Honestly this feels like a game that a lot of libertarians built their entire personalities off of.

Crusader Kings II - 3.5/5

Paradox Entertainment, 2012-2018

A fun rpg hidden in a grand strategy game, and this wonderful combination has spoiled me for every other grand strategy. Base game is servicable but restrictive; DLC and mods are what make the game shine. Massive timesink game, never truly ends. The total for the many packs of DLC is quite expensive; I'm not a fan of Paradox's business model. Score lowered due to the DLC prices as well as bizarre mechanics with some inter-religious stuff. Does anybody actually take part in the Crusades in this game? I sure don't. Too busy plotting against my liege.

Bloodborne - 5/5

FromSoftware, 2015

I loved this game so much that I started a second character while still in the middle of my first playthrough. This game was the gateway to FromSoft titles for me, after years of being on the outside looking in. It's no longer my favorite Fromsoft title, but it will always have a place in my heart. Fighting the Bloody Crow is in my top 10 game moments, easily the most fun duel I've ever had. Also, the singing eyeball creatures are singing the Hunter's Dream melody! Marvelous.

A Plague Tale: Innocence - 1.5/5

Asobo Studio, 2019

If this were a tech demo that ended at the battlefield level I would have been far more entranced and liked it more. This game goes off the rails so hard in a way I can only roll my eyes at, and that's not accounting for the poor pacing and bizarre story choices. What could have been a simple story of survival and family turned into a circus of rats and murder. I don't understand how this is a darling for so many people.

Life Is Strange: True Colors - 1/5

Deck Nine, 2021

Goddammit. I wanted to like this game so much. Alex's powers are the most interesting of the LiS bunch, even if they're not explained all too well and often change the rules. Alex herself is fine enough - she's a bit of a dick, and has a personality that I enjoy seeing. But the game falls apart when it comes to story - the most interesting parts (Alex's past, her relationship with her brother and parents, the core mystery) are pushed aside in favor of larp sessions, aimless wandering, and a forced musical interlude at a festival. When the plot finally wakes back up it dives into a non-twist that was so predictable I was hoping it was a fakeout and then goes straight for completely ridiculous acts of human survivability. Alex should have died multiple times over in the last few hours of the game but miraculously walks off fatal injuries with nothing more than some aspirin and self-righteous spirit. This would be fine on its own, but the series has established what is and isn't survivable - characters in the first two games died from something that Alex shrugs off. The individual characters are some of the most interesting in the LiS series, but the story is easily the worst. I keep thinking of how good this could've been. Maybe next time Deck Nine will get it, but I'll miss Dontnod being at the helm. Also maybe I'm petty but I fucking *wish* there were small towns in the Colorado that were this diverse and inclusive where someone could get by on a meager wage. Ugh.

The Sims 4 - 2?/5

EA Games, 2015

Really only playable with mods and all the DLC. Can't believe it's still on live service in 2023.

Darkest Dungeon - 3.5/5

Red Hook Studios, 2015

Darkest Dungeon is probably my most "pick up, get bored, put down" game I've ever played. I like the conceit, I like the setting, I like the classes. I hate the grind. Even on Radiant Mode it becomes a slog after a while, but I was determined to see it through to the end. Which, as it turns out, wasn't to far off from my last "put down" spot years ago. I still think the grind is to the game's detriment, and overall I'm not a fan of vaguely Lovecraftian horror - Bloodborne is toeing that line for me - and the final four part dungeon has a brutally harsh gimmick that can blindside a player. However the final boss of this game was delightful. I kept Reynauld and Dismas in my rotation the whole game, and sent them both to the final boss. Only one returned. It was a heartbreaking moment, but a fitting one. I think the series should have ended here, to be honest.

Outer Wilds: Echoes of the Eye (DLC) - 3/5

Mobius Digital, 2021

As I write this I'm replaying the DLC, in hopes to enjoy it more than in 2021. Unfortunately I don't. The delightful puzzles and poignant moments are undercut by the unforgiving traversal of the new major area, a long return time, and a tedious stealth mechanic. The DLC itself is the length of a full game, and I commend Mobius for their creativity in an entirely new area in an already jam packed game. All that said, less fun Outer Wilds is still Outer Wilds, and that comes with a good time regardless. I just hope next time they leave the inky black stealth sections on the cutting room floor. Bummer we can't really tell any other hearthians about our discoveries :( I know Riebeck would like to learn about it.

Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition - 3/5

Bioware (1998), Beamdog (2012)

Baldur's Gate is an odd game to me. I played through once, and found it aged and not that great; I used to have this rated as 2 stars. But I couldn't stop thinking about the game and ended up replaying a few months later and enjoying it a lot. So, I guess I like it? I don't know, maybe it's kind of like a sugary candy where you don't like it much but you keep eating because the sugar is addicting. Perhaps I merely craved a late 90s rpg. I'm fond of all the companions I took in those two save files, and that's one of the problems: too many companions, likely because the devs didn't expect players would care for them. But I do! I would die for Ajantis, nobody knows me like Khalid and Jaheira know me, and sure I guess Imoen can come along too. So long as she understands I like Xan and Coran more than her. Probably the second biggest untwist, after True Colors. Not a big fan of the chosen one narrative in any game, but it was the late 90s so I can forgive it.

Return of the Obra Dinn - 5/5

3909 LLC, 2018

This was the last game I played in 2021, on New Year's Eve. A single shot, 11 hours straight. I loved this game so much. I honestly don't have words other than I love it. I love the gimmick, I love the music, I love the various color palettes you can choose from, I love the investigation and detective work required from the player, I love learning the story in nonchronological pieces, I love how it's a tragedy and I love how there is truly nothing else like it on the market. I hope beyond hope that something will come close to the gameplay again, but I'm more than content with just this. Very thankful to have such a stellar game to end an otherwise bad year on.

[jonathantoubin]

FRIDAY! My first local SOUL CLAP & DANCE-OFF in ions, my first proper public NYC dee jay gig this year, and, my first-ever party with my old friend EUGENE HUTZ! Eugene told me he has a new band with YEAH YEAH YEAHS’ BRIAN CHASE and some amazing younger musicians called PUZZLED PANTHER and i immediately got them on the live music half of thee CLAP along with another new band featuring old friends, THE FABULOUS ROMAN CANDLES! EUGENE added CRAZY & THE BRAINS and LOOSE BUTTONS plus agreed to be my CONTEST SELECTOR at the 1AM DANCE-OFF and we cobbled together a really cool night! Once Eugene realized our party occurs on the one year anniversary of the UKRAINE invasion, all artists involved generously agreed to donate their take to KIND DEEDS, a nonprofit procuring prosthetics for wounded soldiers. This pic is from a recent Guardian feature on Eugene and his efforts to help his people (you should read it!). In addition to countless benefits, he’s flown home to entertain the troops, recorded a benefit relief single (backed by Les Claypool, Sean Lennon, and Stewart Copeland!), and has been one of the most prominent public proponents for Ukrainian aid. While Eugene is universally known for his electrifying daredevil performances with Gogol Bordello, his starring Hollywood roles in major motion pictures like Madonna’s “Filth and Wisdom” and Liev Schrieber’s “Everything Is Illuminated,” and his supermodel career (where he was so influential that the New York Times credited him with singlehandedly bringing the mustache back into fashion culture), I initially knew him as a noise rock DJ at an after hours on Ridge Street and later as a Ukrainian music DJ at one of the sweatiest NYC parties ever at the old Bulgarian Bar in Chinatown and am excited to see him back behind the booth! From his mustache to his band to his DJing, Eugene has always embraced his heritage, and I’m proud of him for putting it all out there when it matters most, impressed by everything he’s done in the last year to save his people, and glad to be onboard for this! Ticket link in bio! (at TV Eye NYC) https://www.instagram.com/p/Co5x5bjuqsZ/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[doctorbluesmanreturns]

Bringing Up Baby (1938)-Cary Grant as an uptight paleontologist has his life absolutely destroyed by Katharine Hepburn, her terrier, and her pet leopard, Baby. Absolutely one of the funniest screwball comedies ever.

Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1949)-an actually suspenseful horror comedy that fits right in with later titles like Ghostbusters, as the titular duo face off against Dracula, the Frankenstein Monster, and the Wolf Man.

Charade (1965)-a crime caper comedy in which Audrey Hepburn has to deal with Cary Grant's ever-changing backstory as well as multiple attempts on her life, all in pursuit of a mysterious item worth a fortune.

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)-Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe are one of the best comedy duos ever and this fun musical makes the most of their talents (snark and calculated naivete, respectively).

Operation Petticoat (1959)-Cary Grant commands the Sea Tiger, a WWII Sub that is apparently under some kind of curse, with Tony Curtis as his conniving first officer who could literally get you a diamond necklace while in the middle of the ocean.

The Great Race (1965)-Very Looney Tunes comedy adventure that pits Tony Curtis as the ever heroic daredevil The Great Leslie against the E V I L be-top-hatted mustache twirling Professor Fate, played by Jack Lemmon in a manner prescient of Jim Carrey. It has its slow spots but Lemmon and Peter Falk (as ever-bungling henchman Max) are absolutely worth seeing in action.

Victor/Victoria (1982)-Julie Andrews plays a down on her luck singer who ends up pretending to be a man to get a job as what was then called a Female Impersonator (drag queen nowadays), with support from Robert Preston and James Garner as the man who falls for her as a him.

Young Frankenstein (1974)-In my opinion, Mel Brooks' best movie, at least in terms of how it all holds together. Gene Wilder is the maddest of mad scientists, ably assisted by the hunchbacked Marty Feldman, the lovely Teri Garr, and the terrifying Cloris Leachman as they work to bring Peter Boyle to life.

The Blues Brothers (1980)-John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd are on a mission from God to put the band back together and save their old orphanage while pissing off the cops, the Nazis, and a vengeful country band, all while performing some FANTASTIC soul and blues songs.

Clash of the Titans (1981)-The stopmotion creatures by master animator Ray Harryhausen are the true stars here, but the good news is they're on full display most of the time. The story--in which Perseus must save Andromeda from the Kraken by getting the head of Medusa--is also very fun, and seems like something out of the Xena universe.

The Dark Crystal (1982)-These are not puppets these are real live creatures. One of my favorite things Jim Henson ever did, and the worldbuilding is amazing, as Gelfling Jen tries to return the shards of the Dark Crystal while the evil Skeksis (disgusting vulture monsters) do everything they can to stop him.

Big Trouble in Little China (1986)-Kurt Russell plays a very Bruce Campbell role as Jack Burton, one part hero two parts buffoon, who takes on a secret cult under Chinatown led by the immortal Lo Pan, played to perfection by James Hong.

Desperately Seeking Susan (1985)-Rosanna Arquette plays a bored housewife in a loveless marriage whose temporary amnesia leads to her being mistaken for Madonna (the Susan of the title), and caught up in the aftermath of a museum robbery and falling for a movie projectionist. The color pallette of this movie is alone worth the watch.

The Last Starfighter (1987)-Would it exist without Star Wars? Probably not. But it's still a ton of fun to see Lance Guest be chosen to fight in an intergalactic war because he beat the final level of an arcade game created by Robert Preston.

Doc Hollywood (1991)-Michael J Fox is a hotshot doctor whose cross country trip to a new job in Beverly Hills is completely upended when he crashes his car in Grady, South Carolina, and has to do 32 hours of community service. Of course, he ends up realizing that life in Grady is actually a lot more fun than he was expecting....

Grumpy Old Men (1993)-Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau made a lot of movies together, but this one--about long-feuding Minnesotan neighbors who compete for the affections of new neighbor Ann-Margret--is the best. Burgess Meredith is hilarious as Lemmon's cranky old dad.

The Whole Nine Yards (2000)-Matthew Perry is at his nervous breakdown best when hitman Bruce Willis moves in next door and starts a chain reaction that ends up involving Amanda Peet, Michael Clarke Duncan, Natasha Henstridge, and Rosanna Arquette.

Connie and Carla (2004)-Nia Vardalos and Toni Collette are wannabe singers who witness a mob hit and go undercover as drag queens and end up a smash hit. For an almost 20 year old movie the way drag culture is depicted is VERY modern and compassionate.

With stroke going on and everyone catching up on shows/movies they couldn’t watch

I highly recommend watching old OLD films