#tbh the difference will be pretty small most likely only an increase of 5-10 on certain items

[bow-wow-wark-wark]

Ok people, it's time for my (amazingly self indulgent) hypnosis mic mic ranking!!! Woo, the criteria is how much I like it and how easy it is too hold (this is probably very biased btw)

1st would be buster bros (grouping all together 😖sry)

3/10

RIP to my boys but this shit is like super boring.... I always found the Bs a little corny and they look a bit akward on the mic... points for being easy to hold but that ring thing sounds super annoying tbh. The solid colors looks nice tho... maybe if it had different colors it would be more interesting...

Next samatoki

5/10

1st finding a good picture was sooo hard!!! (This one is pretty good but I wanted to see if I could get a better one, it's also the reason the random skeleton pic is there) IN FACT if he puts the skull to face him, it just looks like a mildly old style mic... ok so, shape wise is pretty interesting but nothing groundbreaking, the skull thing is sorta corny (idk why but I find it a bit funny, like pfft) on holdability, I feel like it most be sorta hard to hold bc, the like intriquete carving (??!?!?) On the mic, also the base is sooooo long you could very easyly stumble on it and make a fool out of yourself on stage.

Jyuto

3-4/10 (idk 😑) *the picture says "this thing"*

Ok so 1st it's really boring, like it really just looks like a black square... (lmao) ummm like it's pretty fitting to who he is bc it's literally a police speaker but uncool. Holdability: pretty good, thought it looks a little small, also the entire mic gets obscured by his hand.

Rio

5/10 *the pic says "what could have been"*

Just want to state that in the wiki it says that the red things are red ribbons and I thought It would be a bow..... it isnt *sniff sniff* Anywho so on actual design, is nice. Nothing super big, I like the red on the ribbons  brings good contrast, but i have to admit is pretty much just like jyutos. Nonetheless  (and on the holdability point part) it's very big!!! Allowing you to hold it nicely, (that's what brings the score up)

Ramuda

8/10

Ok so it might be pretty much just a mic with cute colors but I think it looks super cute!! The color combo is a classic and super sweet, the easyR written on barbie looking leter is totes sweet too (bet it has glitter and shit), and it really screams candy or baby toy which goes well with ramuda. My only complain is the bow, like it's cute but i dont like it that much. On holdability is solid, the only problem would be on the letters but its great.

Gentaro

7.5/10

Design wise a candle stick phone is very interesting!! It's relatively period accurate with (what I judged the era to be on) gentaros clothes and all that. The colors are pretty tame, and fit gentaros palete nicely. On holdability tho, it seems like a hassle but it's nothing too strong and it creates nice theatrics, I think. Solid mic.

Dice

2/10

Ok this one is actually, like, really ugly... i don't really like this style of mic too much and the shapes are ehg, color wise it's ok I guess. On Holdability: pretty hard I'd say, cause you have to throw your fingers on the holes of the S. Edit: Just read the mic description and its supposed to be a dollar sign... I'm so dumb

Jakurai

8/10

Wow!! I love jakurais mic!!! Yeah, yeah, I know I know, it's relatively simple; it's a mic w wings, but NO!!! 1st I looove all the doctor motifs; the fact that it looks like that doctor staff thing, and the IV drop!!! TOTES COOL, I like how the snake (it seems to be more visible on the manga) is also the iv drop cord thing!!! 10/10 very interesting. On holdability.... not that good  you cant really hold the actual stick bc it's full of shit, the iv drop could get in the way; and it's very long so increasing tripping chances; also + jakurais hair it takes too much space.

Ok!! Ending it here bc picture limit and stuff, going to post the other part separately btw. Sorry if there's any spelling mistakes, or if it feels too stupid, this is just self indulgent. This is all in good fun btw pls dont take it too seriously, thanks 😉😉

[fungusqueen]

Here it is! The promised car-buying tips from my amateur and frugal experience! My general tips are to be prepared, do your homework, and don’t get caught off guard by not doing research and agreeing to things/paying for things you didn’t plan on. 

Car salesmen are not your friends and they’re trying to lead you down the path that’s most profitable for them, which is never going to be the best situation for you. It’s their job to try to sell you on a bunch of stuff you don’t need, so be prepared for their tricks and understand the process so you’re not blindsided. Something specific to the coronavirus pandemic is that dealerships will be very desperate to sell (because no one is buying cars right now) and dealerships are willing to take a loss on a sale! BUT! If you go unprepared, it may also leave you vulnerable to dealerships attempting to do unethical shit BECAUSE they are so desperate to sell. They might try to make profits in places you may not suspect. A lot of aspects of buying a car (especially in financing car) sound good up front, but you might find out you’re getting screwed over. 

I’m not going to discuss what makes a good car, or what you should buy etc. because I really don’t know and that’s your business! I’m mainly going to talk about the steps before and during the car-buying process (inside of a dealership and over the phone inquiring prices etc). I did my car search and car-buying alone (due to the global pandemic and my own desire to have minimal contact with others) and for my first time ever! So I’m only going to share my experience and offer resources.

I recommend this podcast episode from NPR’s Life Kit, “How to Buy a Car Without Being Taken for a Ride” as a simple starting point for car buying advice. It’s 23 min long. I know not everyone will listen to the podcast episode (and you don’t have to) so I summarized some of those episode tips below and elaborated on certain points.

1) Don’t appear too excited (at the dealership); they will try to build your excitement as high as possible. Playing on your emotions and creating a fantasy of a new life in a new car puts you in a position to make irrational decisions. When I was in the dealership, they actually asked me “Are you excited?” and I said “No.” I was also wearing a face mask, so with half my face covered, concealing my excitement was pretty easy! Their attempts may also appear as them trying to get you to talk shit about your old car to get you complaining, and further idealizing your future car. Overall, appearing too eager will not make them fight over you to get a sale. Make them beg!

2) Get pre-approved for a loan before going to a dealership. Know what kind of interest rate you can get and what kind of monthly payment you can afford. Your credit score will inform this; the better your score, the better your rate will be (so if you have time to improve your score, try to build it as high as possible). Your bank/credit union should have rates listed easily online. You don’t have to be a member of a credit union to get a loan with them, but there may be a discounts if you’re already a member. PLEASE KNOW that after applying for a loan, your bank/credit union will give you a time limit on how long you have to find a car/use the loan. My credit union gave me 20 days from the time I applied, but it can vary. You can also call to increase or decrease the loan if the car you initially wanted is no longer available or you choose a different one. When you apply for a loan, you have to supply the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number), but obviously car shopping can change so make sure you supply your bank/credit union with the new VIN number of the car you decide to go with. Your bank/credit union may not approve you for a car that is too old. This happened to me (I first applied for a 2013 car in my budget) and they let me know they typically dont approve loans for cars older than 2014, which was a blessing in disguise because I found a newer model of the same car for around the same price. I ended up changing the car VIN/loan amount 3 times overall from the time I first got pre-approved for my car loan. Just keep your bank/credit union updated. Also! It’s not necessary but it helps if they can send a written (emailed) confirmation of the loan amount with APR listed, as the dealership will need it later in the finance office. 

3) Definitely TEST DRIVE a car you see online before considering purchasing it. It might feel different than you thought! I test drove an older model of the car I wanted before test driving a slightly newer model and I’m really glad I test drove the older one so I had something to compare it too. There was only a two year difference between the models but the upgrades made a difference in ways I wouldn’t have thought before sitting in the driver’s seat!

4) Beware the 7 year car loan. It’s probably not the right car for you if you need 84 months to pay off. Car loans are not like home loans; cars are always depreciating in value. Interest on car loans is also always front-loaded, so the money you put in your first few years will mostly go towards your interest, not the principal of your car loan, and you could be spending way more than you thought. If the car does not last you 7 years, you may owe more than the car ends up being worth if you want to or have to sell it. At this point, it might be a smarter decision to lease a car, if for whatever reason, you insist on getting a specific car. 

4.5) To add to this last point, you’ve probably seen dealership ads on TV or in print that say “0% APR for 84 months!” This is kind of a scam (at least imo) because it’s very seductive in a way that can distract you from other ways you can save. These advertisements serve the purpose of getting people into showrooms. This is because interest rate is only ONE SMALL FACTOR into finding what’s right for your budget. An APR offer is minimal compared to your monthly payment...if the monthly payment is too high (overall car price too high), are you really saving $$? These offers might even be for a shorter payment term, (ex. 36 month instead of 60 month), your monthly payment could be too high for your budget because you didn’t have the flexibility outside of this offer! If your term payment is longer (ex. 84 months), while your car depreciates in value, you may end up owing more than it’s worth by time you pay it off. 7 years is a long time! As well, these offers are usually only for NEW cars (again, more expensive than necessary) and buying used might be a better option. As well, they are not transparent about the minimum credit score required to qualify for 0% APR, so you may not even qualify...even with great credit! The 0% offer is also usually offered along with other incentives, like a manufacturer rebate (thousand $ and above). You’ll often have to chose between one incentive or the other...you could be turning down a multi-thousand dollar rebate because that 0% is very seductive...but if you did the math, it might not be the best option for your budget. ALSO! If you’re going to buy new anyway, banks/credit unions offer better APR rates for new cars rather than used so compare. If you can get a super low APR from your credit union on a new car, why get stuck with a higher monthly payment on a too long/too short loan term you otherwise wouldn’t have chosen just to get that 0%?

5) To continue with the point above ^^ When you are with the salesman, start with price of the car and don’t talk about ANYTHING else until later. THIS IS WHERE THEY GET YOU! They will try to get you to talk about financing, how much money you want to put down etc. BEFORE promising you a juicy competitive price on the car. SO! APR rates shouldn’t even be discussed until you can agree to the price of the car! Sort of another way they GET YA! So distracting! Can prevent you from getting your lowest overall price possible! 

6) IT IS SO FRICKEN IMPORTANT AND I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH, BECAUSE THIS HAS HELPED ME THE MOST OF ANY TIP I’VE HEARD FROM FRIENDS: ASK FOR OTD (Out the door) price. The prices you see listed online or on a sticker on the car window are not the prices you’ll end up paying. OTD price includes everything, tax, fees etc. A few dealerships nearby had the same car I wanted (only varying slightly in color, mileage etc. but exact same year and model) so I called a few and said “HI I saw your car online, could you give me the OTD (out the door) price?” Ask them to break it down for you, what’s the price of the car, what’s tax, document fee, dmv fee, etc. If the OTD price is very high above the car price plus tax, beware! You should not be paying thousands of dollars in additional mystery fees. If a handful of dealerships have basically the same car, see which one can give you the best price. If a dealership cannot be up-front about their OTD price, and break it down for you so you know how all the money is adding up, RUN AWAY! You can ask for this information over the phone, some fees are often not necessary and are negotiable.

With this coronavirus pandemic, you should not be paying this full OTD price on the car, ask for at least 10% off and see what they say. In my situation, I called, got the OTD price at two different dealerships, one dealership asked me what they could do to get my business and I said, “I might come in today if you can give me 10% off the OTD price.” (I was cackling behind my phone tbh! it seemed ridiculous to me but whatevs). The salesman I was speaking to calculated it, said he’d call me back after asking his manager. When he called me back, they offered me just under 10% off...which sounded pretty sweet to me because the car was already being sold below it’s Kelly Blue Book value and that was the dealership I eventually went with. So u never know if you don’t ask! I asked the same of another dealership and they basically said no. So call around! This guy, Kevin Hunter, on youtube, gave me this idea! His channel is full of car buying wisdom so I highly recommend! 

He has a great recent video specifically about the car buying market in during this coronavirus pandemic. He has videos on topics like, honest car salesman techniques, are certified preowned vehicles worth it, fake fees you shouldn’t pay for, etc. 

7) Something I experienced that Kevin Hunter ^ also explains, (in this video titled, CAR SALESMAN TRICKS YOU into buying a car! DEALERSHIP Rip off: The SET UP) is this weird 4 square setup they did to me...and they do to everyone at a dealership. It’s another distraction tactic, that they will use to distract you from getting a good price on the car. It will look like this:

So the salesman will bring this informal piece of paper out. It’s not a contract, it’s not official, but they’re going to use this paper to pull information from you THAT YOU SHOULD NEVER GIVE THEM! At the point they bring this out, you should only be talking about car sales price. So this piece of paper has spaces to write trade in value (if you’re bringing in your old car to trade in), down payment, monthly payment, and car price. Anything that is not the car sales price will be used against you to try and get you to pay more. They’re trying to create the best profit for the dealership. 

When I was at the dealership, the salesman kept pushing me to say how much cash I wanted to put down, what kind of monthly payment I wanted (ie. how much money can I spend), (and in my situation, I didn’t have a trade-in car, so discussion about that wasn’t brought up). Practice refusing to answer these questions...I kept saying I did not want to discuss financing or cash down until we could agree to the price of the car. You can also say you prefer to discuss this with the finance manager. He tried to get me to sign this 4-Square paper with a higher price on it than I was given on the phone. Do not sign this, it’s weird. I brought out a paper with a much lower price and asked him to sign off on that price instead. Bring the focus back to the car price. Be prepared to walk out and TELL THEM you will leave if you don’t get the price you want! 

which leads me to my next point...

8) DO NOT SAY YOU ARE PAYING CASH. Do not say how much cash you have, do not discuss HOW you are paying at any point with the salesman. After you can agree to a favorable price on the car, you’ll be handed to a finance manager in another room. The salesman is NOT the finance officer. You should not tell your salesman your financial details. If anything, you only have to give the salesman VERY BASIC details so they can run a credit check before handing you to the finance manager.

and below....here is a WHY YOU SHOULDN’T DISCUSS HOW YOU’RE PAYING WITH THE SALESMAN. 

9) Dealers can make a lot of money off a car loan...if you finance through them. Make them believe in the possibility that you might finance through them. They might give you a lower price on the car because they might assume they can get ya with a high APR or long term payment...which will bring them money in the long term. Don’t tell them you’re financing through your bank/credit union before you settle on the car price! In some cases though, a dealership might be able to give you a better deal thank your bank. You can say, “Why don’t you run my credit and see what you can offer me” and then see if it’s better than what your bank/credit union can give you. They also might test you with a high APR, even if you qualify for a lower APR (just to see if you’ll take it), and might even use details of your credit report against you...

10) If you have a trade in, they will also try to make a profit from not giving you enough $$ for your old car. Get a price quote from Carmax and check the Kelly Blue Book value beforehand to see if they’re giving you a good price. If it’s not good enough, you might want to consider walking away from the dealership and just selling to Carmax. Because of online transparency and easy access to prices of cars, they will try to make money in other areas OTHER THAN the car price, and this is one of them. 

11) After you’ve settled on the price of the car and they’ve run your credit, you’ll be moved from the salesman to the finance office...where you’ll be signing contracts and discussing other add-ons, (warranties, insurances, protections etc.) When you’re in the finance office, DONT BUY ANY ADD ONS THE DAY YOU BUY YOUR CAR. If you decide to, research a good price for what they offer you. You can call the dealership and ask to speak to the finance manager ahead of time and ask what additional items you may be offered. These might be paint protection, tire protection, extended warranties, gap insurance etc. When they offer these things to you, they are often overpriced. You can also get these later, or get these elsewhere for a better price. Research ahead of time to see what’s right for you and don’t try to figure it out unprepared because they will try to convince you. 

That concludes my numbered dealership tips! I probably left some stuff out, so please continue to do your research.

This podcast episode from This American Life, 129 Cars, illustrates the importance of using timing and desperation on the part of salespeople to your advantage. This is a longer listen, over an hour long, but it follows salespeople during their work day as they try to meet their monthly quota in order to reach their sales bonus. Towards the end of the month can be an ideal buying time because dealerships may be willing to take a loss or make no commission from a sale because if they’re able to reach their quota, they will either...not be fired, or they may receive a sizeable bonus. Overall, TIMING can be key in getting a good deal. Dealerships also have yearly sales quotas, so if you can wait, you may be able to get a better deal on a car towards the end of the year. 

As well, I recommend a Monday/weekday since dealerships are least busy during this time. AND! If you need to contact your bank, it might be impossible on the weekend. Because of coronavirus, operating hours for banks/credit unions have been shortened so if you need to finalize some financing details or ask your bank/credit union questions, make sure you’re able to do so when needed! I ran into this problem and was delayed because my credit union was closing early. 

One last tip! You also will also need to insure this new car so call your car insurance carrier and let them know you’re car shopping and they can help you add the new car to your current policy, or change your current insurance. You car insurance might increase or decrease with the addition of a new car. And if you’re getting a car with a higher value, you might want to consider adding more coverage to your current coverage. The dealership might give you free temporary insurance so you can drive the car off the lot with coverage. When I called my insurance carrier to add this new car onto my policy, it didn’t take effect until midnight that night so the dealership gave me temporary insurance just in case something happened on the drive home. You legally do need insurance to drive it off the lot or if you’ve never been insured before. So if you’re currently on somebody else’s policy, get some quotes from different insurance carriers and try to get an idea of the future cost.

Those are all my tips! This took a lot longer than I thought, heh heh, but I seriously hope this helps someone because buying a car is a HUGE DEAL and there’s so much potential to get taken advantage of due to the lack of transparency!!! There’s a lot more I could have covered so I encourage you to take more time to do more research! And good luck if you plan on buying a car soon!

[readbetweenthelineslove]

Thoughts While Watching SK Homecoming

I was literally smiling and laughing like an idiot while watching these wonderful amazing people and thinking of all of the memories from years of enjoying their musicals. I am so glad I bought the digital download because they deserve all of the love and support. Just a word of warning I will be spoiling what happens throughout the show so if you haven’t seen it yet and/or you don’t want to have anything spoiled for you, I would not proceed any further. You have been warned. Also, as the show is over two hours long, buckle in cause this is gonna be a doozy and I have a lot of feeling about this wonderful show.

Disclaimer: these are just my own personal thoughts and opinions as a long time fan of Starkid, please don’t come at me.

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1. Darren is so cute with how he encourages and interacts with the crowd, you can tell how much he loves Starkid and loves the fans

2. we stan a founding knucklehead of Starkid

3. I am so proud of the musical daddies as they conduct a literal orchestra!! how far they have come!!! also, hearing all of the songs with the orchestra is such a treat.

4. I am living for Jeff Blims outfit! the eyeliner, the necklace, the vest!! honestly, iconic.

5. It is so funny to me that they had to edit out fuck from their songs, i.e. “i mean what the what”; “tiger lover”; “he porked a tiger”.

6. Did they change the octave that they were singing, because Jeff seems to be struggling?

7. I love how Jon Matteson looks the same as he did TGWDLM, he is Paul.

8. I don’t know why but the TGWDLM medley is increasing my appreciation for Jeff, previously who wasn’t really on my radar in terms of my favorite starkids, but I love his little dance moves and funny things he does

9. Robert Manion fucking performs the hell out of show stopping number and I am here for it every single time. I feel like he can’t help it and you can tell he’s into it because he can’t help but make the Hidgins face and wiggle his hips. Also, THE BODY ROLLS I AM LIVING FOR THEM !!! (@9:10)

10. Both Mariah and Jon are confirmed working boys and I love them for it. I love that Corey brought Mariah in at the end to make sure she was included.

11. Okay but Lauren Lopez knows how to perform like she knows how to work and engage a live audience. I so enjoy watching performances like this where there isn’t a wall between performer and audience because I think that that’s when she shines. I also feel like the same applies to Rob, Joey, and Darren, they are just so fun to watch.

12. How are all of these people so attractive!! I especially love Lauren’s outfit, but that’s probably just cause I love her so much.

13. I don’t know why but Brian’s “I still don't know!!” at 12:08 gets me every time.

14. Joey’s look behind him for his shadow at 12:24 while he bops kills me.

15. The orchestral swell at 13:05 with “this is the dawn” is so beautiful.

16. Lauren's arms are unbelievable, but we already knew that

17. 14:43 where Joey and Lauren walk and then turn back is so funny to me.

18. The second naked in a lake kicked in at 17:05, I got so hype. also, love that Corey took off his jacket during the song.

19. All the different faces and actions during the “fasters” at 19:54 are so good.

20. I never realized how tall and gangly Clark was until the Ani section, the boy's limbs are too long for his own good and I love it. His voice is so beautiful though!!

21. Joe calling Twisted the first-ever live-action Disney remake is iconic and no one can tell me otherwise.

22. I was legitimately afraid for the buttons on Joe’s shirt at 27:43.

23. Britney Coleman and Carlos Valdez singing 1001 Nights was a wonderful surprise and literally so beautiful, also their exit as Dylan started singing was so cute.

24. I’m kind of sad that they didn’t actually sing Twisted in the medley cause that was one of my favorite songs, but I understand that they had time constraints.

25. After 32:38, I feel like I need to watch the Lego Batman movie to see how similar it is to HMB.

26. Semi-disappointed that they didn’t do the usual choreography for the “I want to be your friend forever” part, but I respect that the handheld mics restricted them.

27. The bass or guitar or whatever in the background at 36:30 was so groovy, I was a fan of that.

28. Tbh, I didn’t really get Denise’s whole bit about how Starship is a show only for dreamers, it just felt a little off to me.

29. I’m a little bummed that Joey didn’t sing Status Quo, but I like that they gave it to Mariah and Alex who both have lovely voices. I appreciate that they had a moment to shine when they might not have because they are newer members/ only had a small role.

30. Brian and Jaime’s eye contact with the camera at 40:48 is so powerful and I’m here for it.

31. Joey mouthing the lyrics at 41:21 is so funny and I love it.

32. AJ’s little jump in the background at 43:02 is so cute.

33. Their constant need to have to avoid saying dick throughout the whole MAMD section is so good and hilarious, with so many expertly timed entrances from AJ Holmes and Joe Walker.

34. Joey saying no to the different microphones at 44:00 is absolutely artistic and fucking hysterical. It gave me similar vibes to Bo Burnham’s bit about seeing the most beautiful penis at a urinal.

35. 45:40, AJ Holmes is a delight of a man, need I say more.

36. “Do I smell?” “Pretty bad.” 45:07

37. Seeing Meredith and Brian standing next to each other at 48:49 makes my heart so happy cause this is what brought them together and now they are married and it’s amazing.

38. “We’ve written on all of the Starkid shows” 50:46, what a powerful statement.

39. I had no clue that the Starkid movie (1997) was a thing and I love that Nick just straight-up roasted it.

40. The subtitles at 52:56, dramatical instrumental music. I am here for it, I love this revamped version

41. Darren is so extra singing Goin back to Hogwarts and I am here for it. Our boy has grown so much! 

42. Pulling out the glasses at 54:03 is a power move.

43. I’m not sure about how I feel about people singing along to the songs during this. I know it is supposed to be for the fans but don’t people want to just sit back and listen to how amazing these people are and just enjoy. Maybe that’s just cause I only am viewing it through a computer and if I had been there I might have felt different, but who knows.

44. 56:05, AAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!! It’s Bonnie!!! She looks amazing and I’m so happy that she’s here!!!

45. Joey trying to the clap in the ear with mic at 58:04.

46. 58:16, I love how Darren always hypes up the crowd for Lauren’s entrances as Draco, he’s done this a number of times and it makes my heart so happy how he supports his friends.

47. I love Lauren so much the way she moves across the stage at 58:57, the power stance at 59:05...absolutely incredible.

48. I love seeing Rob in the chorus cause he was a fan, he loves AVPM just as much as we do and now we get to see him up there performing one of the most iconic songs. It honestly just makes my heart so happy.

49. 1:00:12, Dylan emerging from the audience is honestly so funny to me and I love him for it. Also, I love the ongoing trope of the “welcome” getting progressively longer each time they perform the song. Bless Dylan’s lungs and abilities to sustain that note.

50. 1:03:45 Jim little butt taps are so good.

51. The saxophone at 1:04:19 is so enjoyable.

52. I like how the slowed things down for Home at 1:06:10 with Darren sitting on the stage just having a personal moment with the audience, it was really nice.

53. Darren’s hops at 1:08:45 are so adorable and I love them.

54. I know that AVPM songs are iconic and everyone loves them, but I would have liked to see them so some more songs from AVPS and AVPSY, especially since they had some time rehearse them and there would be no mic issues.

55. Yay for a Bonnie and Meredith duet, both women are wonderful and have done an amazing job as Hermione and I love them both.

56. “Art imitates life a little bit on that one”, it’s okay we love you Darren with your silly guitar.

57. I didn’t think watching this would be educational, but I now know what a litmus test is and what slant rhymes (aka really pushing it rhymes) are thanks to Darren and google, so there’s that.

58. This may be a bit controversial but I feel as though this was one of the weaker performances of Granger Danger, usually Joey and Lauren have fun with it and I love it when they do, but this time they seemed to be more going through the motions. There were good moments (i.e. Joey’s hips, Lauren sliding down the mic stand, the back and forth head turns) but overall it was just kind of eh.

59. Darren’s twirl at 1:28:36 is delightful.

60. I firmly believe that AJ has permanently memorized the fantasy monologue and I refuse to let anyone tell me otherwise, 1:31:10. Also, I’m curious if it was planned because someone in the audience calls out for it, but that might have been a plant so who knows.

61. I just realized at 1:32:20, where he’s talking about mouse wives and concubines that would be bestiality. He only shrunk his size down, he would still technically be a human...

62. Tyler Brunsman singing Guys like Potter is now kind of funny considering AVPSY and Cedric ending up with Lily in the afterlife.

63. Joe Moses face at 1:38:57 is classic Snape and I am here for it.

64. Another yay for Sidekick, this is one of my fav AVPSY songs and Joey kills it every time.

65. 1:43:19, goddamn that man can hit a high note.

66. I love the addition of Rob to Everything Ends, what a pretty song and Rob’s voice works wonderfully with it.

67. 1:44:58, Rob struggling with the mic is hilarious.

68. Classic Snape speech at 1:46:30, simply inspiring.

69. I love Jaime and we all know her voice is incredible, but something seemed off during Not Alone and at times it sounded like she was struggling.

70. 1:51:56, I don’t know if I just don’t know much about music but Joey’s make was a little off, but on another note, I think it would have been really sweet if they had let Lauren sing too so that Draco could finally add to that harmony.

71. That sick piano rift at 1:54:33, hell yeah!

72. Even though they always use Days of Summer as the closing song, I love it every time, it’s just so fun and gets me so emotional.

73. That key change at 1:56:50 tho.

74. Yay for enthusiastic but sometimes questionable fanart ;)

75. Brian and Joe recreating the ending scene of AVPM is absolutely beautiful and I am here for it.

76. The matching jackets at the end speaks to the fact that Starkid at its essence is just a bunch of friends who were theatre nerds and wanted to create something fun together and I think that's wonderful.

In conclusion: Props to whoever made it to the end of this ridiculously long post summarizing the different thoughts I had while watching Homecoming. I truly think it was something for the fans and I love them for it. I am so proud of Starkid and all they have accomplished since 2009.

I want to encourage others to continue to support Starkid in the future, maybe even by purchasing Homecoming for themselves, I would definitely recommend giving it a watch. Also, feel free to respond and let me know your own thoughts on Homecoming, I’m sure there’s lots I missed and I would love to hear what others thoughts. 

[hotheadhero]

Get to Know the Blogger

(No, I look nothing like this IRL. This is my Latias gijinka, Yuna Minami. Her Latios twin doesn’t have a 3D model.)

1. name: Nintendraw 2. strange fact about yourself: I’ve installed or repaired two HVAC (Nest control units), one 3-way light switch, and a car bumper. Almost a sink. Where’s my mechanic’s license? (pls don’t give me one lmao) 3. top 3 physical things you find attractive on a person: Why can’t I name non-physical things? Honestly, anatomy classes have desensitized me to this sort of thing, but I suppose pecs, abs, and warm hands are nice in addition to the face. 4. a food you could eat forever and not get bored of: Any Asian-style soup. Pho, Taiwainese, ramen, tom yum, chao (rice porridge), canh (leafy greens + ground pork soup), bun rieu (spicy tomato-/crab-based noodle soup with pork and cabbage), bun thang (rice noodle with shredded egg, chicken, and cha/Viet sausage)... 5. a food you hate: Pineapples (mostly was traumatized by receiving it when it wasn’t expected) 6. guilty pleasure: Romance novels? Also video games or wasting time following whatever rabbit hole. 7. what do you sleep in: tbh, anything not formal wear (or later, gunked with body fluids/pathogens). Usually some shirt and some pants; idc about sleeve/leg length. If I’m tired enough, I’ll sleep in jeans too... 8. serious relationships or flings: Serious only, if only because anything else is likely to get (mis)read by me as friend. 9. if you could go back in the past and change one thing about your life, what would it be: Learn Vietnamese sooner. Get my shiz in gear quicker academically (how Asian). 10. are you an affectionate person: Once I get to know you, or nearly anywhere online? I like to think I’m nice, but have come off as arrogant IRL before... 11. a movie you could watch over and over again: Haven’t watched many movies recently (aka the past up to 3-4 years), but perhaps Dr. Strange. Or Pokemon movies 1 (Mewtwo), 2 (Lugia), or Heroes (Lati@s). Or Star Wars. 12. favorite book: I’ll be hard-pressed to name just one, but some favorites I can quickly recall include Wielding a Red Sword by Piers Anthony (also On a Pale Horse by the same) and Kissed by an Angel by Elizabeth Chandler. The latter’s writing miiight not be the best anymore (it’s been years since I read), but some aspects of the main male character stuck with me potently enough to partially inform my oldest OC, himself an angel. 13. you have the opportunity to keep any animal as a pet, what would you choose: If domestic only, Welsh Corgis or (particularly if I could maintain the floof) Pomeranians/Huskies. If exotic are allowed, a red panda or red fox would be pretty neat. Or a tame cuddly dragon, if fictional animals are allowed too. :O 14. top 5 fictional ships: Camus x Nyna (I realize this is in direct conflict with Ree lmao) = Steven x May = Zack x Aerith > Nero x Kirie = Link x Zelda or Geralt x Triss (the last one until I get more in-game interaction with Yennefer) 15. pie or cake: Cake, 100%. 16. favorite scent: Mint, chai, beach/ocean, birthday cake/vanilla... 17. celebrity crush: Tbh, I don’t pay enough attention to celebrities to have one... I suppose I really liked Derek Hough when he first showed up on Dancing with the Stars. 18. if you could travel anywhere, where would you go: Valencia and/or Madrid, Spain (the former for their version of Smithsonian); Akihabara, Japan (0/10 wasn’t allowed to buy otaku last time); Vienna, Austria (music capital of the classical music world imo!!); back to the Smithsonian... 19. introvert or extrovert: Introvert 20. do you scare easily: I can be easily startled... Otherwise, I tend to be pretty unflappable in professional situations where I have some kind of response, even a framework, ahead of time. Unpreparedness is the devil, though. 21. iphone or android: Android 100%. By now, I’m kinda entrenched (whoops); and there’s more freedom of customization (e.g. root, different apps) 22. do you play any video games: Honestly, I’d be surprised if anyone in this group doesn’t XD I own mostly RPG or puzzle games, e.g. Pokemon/Zelda/Fire Emblem, Stella Glow, Radiant Historia, Valkyria Chronicles, etc. 23. dream job: At present? Cutting people open to save them. Dunno whether I like the idea of doing it with cool tech/robots or bare hands better; I am pretty dexterous, but... See Dr. Strange. 24. what would you do with a million dollars: Since Azzie reminded me to invest in something valuable like gold, I’d probably put 70% of the million into that/investments/emergency fund and use the remainder to give my parents a first-class vacation, pay off my loans, give myself a vacation (given the anticipated high stress of my career), and increase my souvenir budget for the next couple trips. 25. fictional characters you hate: Hate is a strong word, but other than the assorted slimeball NPCs you get to hunt down in Witcher 3, most characters I dislike tend to be as a result of being anti-OTP or poorly written. I suppose I dislike the protagonist of The Road, a small group of RPers from previous RPing sites/eras, and Ebony Raven Darkness Dementia Way. (All of those are here because writing style XD) 26. fandom that you used to be part of: Do Devil May Cry and Lucifer count? I come back to them occasionally, but only really engaged in either by watching a Let’s Play and reading fanfics respectively.

tagged by: tagging: Have at it, y’all XD

[princess-pill-enjoyer]

Yet another notice that I aint dead just yet!

That meltdown was.... pretty bad I won't lie. I actually did try that time.. first time in 5 years lmfao

I won't go too in detail. I feel like I talk too much all to say the same two things over and over again. It was a really weird feeling though. My previous attempts throughout my childhood were kinda misguided. Like the intent was there and all but.. ya know. Barely got over the fear of my parents busting through my room with printouts of my search history 😭

Soo although throughout my life I've probably tried to unalive myself 7-8 different times I really only count or mention about 2 of them (and barely that tbh). I never really researched further into what exactly it'd take for all that. I think the good majority of those are random days I'd get upset and just pop a few handfuls of... usually ibuprofen? I mightve tried it with Tylenol as well but 9 times outta 10 we'd usually have more orange pills so it just made sense in my mind

Anyway. Yeah. First time really being 1000% certain about what it'd take. It was kinda scary. Having all the shit just.. lying there. Knowing that it was gonna at the very least cause some actual damage once it was all said and done. It didn't end up mattering anyway. I mean. I'm here 💀💀💀

As far as life updates? Uhh. Well me and R are speaking. Not really but. I at the very least can almost always know she's safe + alive so I'm fine with it for now. I really don't have the energy atp to fight to go back to before her ex dipped

Uhh i think I dipped right before my training really started but today was my first day really doing the job part of it. It was alr. I'm gonna jump ship as soon as I get my preferred place all down pact but for now the only real downsides is A. Having to verbally speak for hours and hours kinda having to throw away my speak-when-spoken-to/tbr... only when needed to keep up with appearances. Hence why 99% of what I say nowadays is just shit I'd expect the person to want to hear. I really want to just get out the conversation as quick as possible for the most part

Side tracked sorry. B. Being that my shit while being pretty easy, is also kinda limited. Like there can fr be someone sitting there boohooing about how they lost all their money in a house fire that killed their whole ass family and blew up all the cars or something and I'd STILL have to ask well is there anyone else I can send the payment to? We can't service you until the payment is authorized. Or possibly even cutting off people if they take too long not to effect my AHT.. I hate that shit. I'm pretty good at just nodding along and taking whatever but I HATEEE that I gotta kinda give af while also not caring enough to fight too hard for them since I can just poof my contract away doing that too much apparently..

Ah shit speaking of above and beyond.. my dumbass prolly just got scammed

🗿🗿🗿

Don't laugh when you read this alr...

LOOK so basically. This woman named noreen came in my dms talking bout some omg bro PLEASE if you got it.. spare like $12 I am STRUGGLING. And I'm sitting there like damn... I only just got this $200 my stepmom/dad owed me annd I just paid off all the small debts I had from this lecture money I end up getting from my mom

The orange section is unrelated but I get "small debts" sounds shady so context

Long story short, was borrowing and putting back thru cash app borrow so I can slowly increase my borrow limit showing ya know like I'm not gon just spend what I don't have and just leave my shit overdue, tho during that period in April-early May I started blowing through any and all money thinking it wouldn't matter. But my shitty spending habits caught up to me when I not only didn't get as much as I was expecting from this one shit, I also balled out depending on said money with the little I had left somehow someway needing to pay off seemingly 1000 things all at once. I got it mostly under control in right after my middle sister's birthday and now it's back to normal.

Basically I told her the last/less dire parts of that and kinda explained I don't really buy too much of anything with it it's just OLD. When another emergency finally came through and forced my hand as far as spending, it finally came to a head where I didnt have enough to borrow so I could pay it off again. She kinda scolded me for letting it carry on for that long and explained the normal stuff. I didn't really let thst lesson sink in tbh. I know I should've but knowing it was moreso my situations putting me there I just kinda.. nodded along and hoped for the best. I didn't think she'd help me tho

Tho... my dumbass. Ack. I really need to get my spending together. I'm a lot better don't get me wrong. I'm not as huge of a fast food person as I was in the past. I'm not as big on balling out on whatever game I happen to like for the month or two I'm hyperfixated on it. I try to stay within my means even knowing damn well I don't really have anything that i urgently need to pay. Not to say I'm completely dependent, I still have a few things I have to keep up with on my end but I know even if I have $0 in my bank acc, I'll have something to eat and somewhere to rest

Whiiich in the past kinda led to me balling just cause. I won't lie.. seeing me blow through my open house money in a year. That switched INSTANTLY. I always thought it was out of never really getting to have anything new so I thought I'd just get everything I wanted and be okay from there. But going through... soooo much money.. yesh. That sure as hell ain't the only reason

Anyway I bring all that up to say Im kinda shocked that even with that, my dumbass still be shelling out money over nothing at times. I don't get why atp.. The woman dmed me and I asked a few things feeling like I could tell she wasn't a bot or anything.

Then I sent like $20 cause I felt bad for interrogating the poor girl in the first place.

Rhen like a day or two later she asked for 10 (£. Pounds are a little more valuable than usd) and I figure well damn. I even gave her some extra the first time. She must be really desperate. So I gave another $15.

But then TODAYYYY she asked for another 10 and that's about when I started to put two and two together. By that point I had already given bout triple the amount she was initially asking for. I get shit being more costly than you thought but like.. bruh. I just gave her another $15 and said that I couldn't give anymore past that. I was pretty polite about it just incase I am just being paranoid.

But yeah.. I'm out $50 cause I tried to help spme random. I don't really regret it. It's not really like I had anything too too much better to do with that. Plus, at thr end of the day, it's $50. It's a lot yeah but its not life changing or anything. I'd rather possibly get scammed out of some petty money like that than being too paranoid and not helping someone I could so easily help. I still feel like an idiot tho lol

Uhh in my addiction news.. I actually unintentionally broke the cycle for a little. I bought these thc disposables to try and give my stomach a break from all the pills. It had already started back burning from it all and my unaliving situation made it really bad. Though it was only for about a week. Then I started mixing em. I've gone back to my once or twice a day habit now. Currently on about 650. There's a small part of me that's starting to care less and less about my problem. It's just been too much. I cant even try to care atp

I'm pretty much never sober. I smoke during training all the time and I almost always take dph during the night. Sometimes, I'll even take both right before my training. It's one of the perks of working online ig lol. I'm gonna try and start scaling it back some since I now gotta stay pretty normal for calls. Once I memorize scripts annd ain't so nervous I'll probably go back go it but for now I kinda cant

Uh yeah but.. that's bout it. I'm finna take a nap. Shits hitting me harder than I expected and I just smoked a before I hopped on here

[frenchibi]

Author About Me

Tagged by @oisugasuga​, thank you so much :DD

1. How did you come up with your username and what does it mean?

French (me) + Chibi (small, which I am) = frenchibi (yeah I’m unimaginative w/e)

2. Which fanfic of yours has the most feedback? (bookmarks/subscriptions/hits/kudos)

It’s Fix Me, my first iwaoi fic, probably because it’s been up longest ^^ (But! Burning Heart is coming closer and closer :D)

3. What is your AO3 profile icon, and why did you choose it?

Bunch of waves bc I love the ocean lmao

4. Do you have any regular/favourite commenters?

I’ve pretty much become friends with my regular/favorite commenters (because my favorites are those who START CONVERSATIONS & DISCUSSIONS ABOUT MY IDEAS) so - you know who you are xD

5. Is there a fanfic that you keep going back to read again and again?

I’ve got a rec tag :D

6. How many stories are you subscribed to? How many do you have bookmarked?

157 bookmarks (all of which I also recommend) and, uh. A LOT of subscriptions.

7. Which AU do you find yourself writing the most?

Domestic fluff, honestly. Although I’ve been trying to diversify.

8. How many people are subscribed and bookmarked to you in total? (you can view this on the stats page)

171 user subs (730 in total), 2165 bookmarks :0 (and yet, my comments ratio is small ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ )

9. Is there something you’d like to write about but are afraid of people judging you for it? (Feeling brave? If so, share it!)

Haha nope I write whatever I want honestly, it’s my account? Where I share what I want to? ^^

10. Is there anything you would like to be better at? Writing certain scenes or genres, replying to comments, updating better, etc.

Did you mean: Actually finishing a fic that’s more than one chapter

No, actually there are many genres I don’t think I’m very proficient at. I’m working on reading more and analysing more so I can try my hand at different things.

11. Do you write rarepairs or popular ships more often?

50% iwaoi, 30% other fandoms and rarepairs, 20% original writing :’D But I’m planning on increasing the latter two a lot. Yes.

12. How many stories have you posted on AO3 to this day (finished and unfinished)?

71! 64 for Haikyuu, one each for Harry Potter, Les Mis, Fantastic Beasts and Thor Ragnarök, and three original ones! :D (support me here! Comment, kudos, share! :D)

13. How many stories do you have saved in/with your writing program?

over 200 in several different programs :’D No chill whatsoever lol

14. Do you write down story ideas, or just keep them in your head?

Write them down - though recently I’m trying to write stuff while I feel it instead of jotting it down for later.

15. Have you ever co-authored a story?

I’ve done several collabs with @josai, and I’m planning some with @hajiiwa and @ricekrispyjoints! :D (and I had a bunch more planned with other people but they might be a while so ^^) Also i am always open to more collabs because I LOVE THEM!!! hmu!

16. How did you discover AO3?

Uhhh… through tumblr I think…? Like years ago, back when I was in the Spn fandom. I didn’t write for Spn though (at least nothing that I published), and I was active on ff.net before under a different name.

17. Do you consider yourself to be a popular or famous author in your fandom(s) on AO3?

I think I’ve peaked and now I’m just… slowly being forgotten ^^ But that’s fine. I used to be.. reasonably well-known I guess? I don’t know. In my corner of the fandom, at least. Nowadays less and less people read and comment on my fics and original works, but I guess that’s how it goes sometimes. I’m happier now though, because I really like what I’m writing.

18. Do you have a nickname or fandom name for your readers?

HAH no I’m not nearly popular enough for that.

19. Was there an author who inspired or encouraged you to write?

I had friends who wrote and inspired me all through school, but the author who always inspired me was J.K. Rowling because her books taught me to dream. HP was the first English book I read (and I learned to read German first, at school, while my mom taught me English at home) and I’ll never forget how empowering it felt, both because I read it myself and because of its contents. These days there are A BUNCH of authors I love, like Patrick Ness, Alice Munro, Michael Cunningham, Khaled Hosseini and many more!

20. What writing advice would you give to a beginning author?

Don’t try to please anyone other than yourself. Don’t be afraid to just… experiment, and if you don’t like what you’ve created, START OVER! Practice will make you better. Also, there is no “right way” to write, and there is no “wrong way”. Everyone finds their own, and it’s easiest to do that by trying out many different forms. I’d suggest writing exercises like taking a pen and not letting yourself stop writing for 5 minutes, no matter WHAT. Alternatively, make mind maps or plans or lists of stuff you want to talk about, and try out different styles? Take a topic and write a poem, an essay, a newspaper article, a horror story, a romance - whatever. See where your mind takes you. Writing has infinite opportunities.

What I also enjoy, as an artsy sort of person, is combining writing with other things I like to do. Like painting words into pictures I’ve drawn or sketched, or trying my hand at writing song lyrics. You’ll find something you can call your preferred medium - fanfic isn’t all there is, but it’s a great place to start and to hone your skills! :D

21. Do you plot out your stories, or do you just figure it out as you go?

Both, it depends on the story.

22. Have you ever gotten a bad comment on a story? If so, what did you do?

Nope, not really? I’ve been disappointed, but the “worst” thing that’s happened were misunderstandings that I was able to clear up easily. In the end a comment (either way) is someone’s opinion, and I don’t have to agree with it. I’m always happy that people share theirs - but I don’t take disagreements personally.

23. Is there a certain type of scene that you have a hard time writing? (action, smut, etc..)

Only ones i haven’t practiced enough tbh.

24. What story(s) are you working on now?

Like 50 at the same time. I want to do a giveaway soon tbh, if I reach 600 followers :D Until then I’m just. Writing what I feel like.

25. Do you plan your next project(s) before you finish your current ongoing story(s)?

I’m always working on at least 3 at the same time lol

26. Do you have a daily writing goal set for yourself?

I did start the year with a goal to post one fic every week, and I managed all the way through June, but then my depression got worse and I needed that pressure gone. Now I just write when I feel like it and honestly I feel much better for it.

27. Do you think you’ve improved as a writer since you first started?

Oh, CERTAINLY. I’ve been writing for near 15 years now xD And I started writing in German. I’ve come a long way since then - and a lot of it is because I read a lot.

28. What is your favorite story that you’ve written?

Idk, I’m very proud of my original works.

29. What is your least favorite story that you’ve written?

…there are old ones (on old accounts, and unpublished) that are cringey but I let them be because they helped me grow ^^

30. Where do you see yourself (as a writer) in 5 years?

Hopefully less active in fanfiction and publishing short stories? Idk. I mean, I still care about fandom so I probably will never completely abandon it but, well. (I also want to focus more on work - translating - because I have goals that I want to accomplish.)

31. What is the easiest thing about writing?

When you feel what you’re writing. It’s… realest, then, I think, and it flows for me.

32. What is the hardest thing about writing?

Finishing long projects. rip, my attention span is so tiny

33. Why do you write?

Because I have things to say that I think are worth sharing.

Ahhh thank you so much for this tag, it was really interesting!! I’m tagging @hajiiwa, @marleeb, @astersandstuffs,  @cheetahleopard, @ricekrispyjoints, @arturosavinni, @lalikaa, @josai, @ailarii and @anyadisee!

[incorrectmidc]

50 Questions! Yaayyy~

Rules: fill this out and tag at least one person you’d like to know more about! Or just fill it out! Or don’t! Answer only some of them! Make up your own questions! “What kind of requirement is that”, you ask? A reasonable one! Who am I to tell you what to do? Anything goes!

Tagged by @theempresskaizer and since I can’t sleep (and I really love tagging games), here I am. Thank you, Ythmir! :) I feel you about your favourite pens btw. The only store that sells my favourite pen closed down recently here and the other store that sells it is in Manila. ;^;

1. What kind of food can’t you stand? AMPALAYA (bitter gourd). It was a traumatic experience. D:

2. If you could choose one minor inconvenience to never have to deal with again, what would you pick? if my laptop would just stop malfunctioning every 2 weeks, it would be nice.

3. Have you got any useless talents? i play three different instruments, and it’s not useful now... i think. i really wanted to be either an astronaut or a musician when i was a kid. dad refused to let me enroll at a music school in favour of a “more prestigious” university (parents’ words) so i feel it’s kinda useless now.

4. If you could be really really good at one thing, what would it be? ha! i’m an awesome procrastinator. is there even a word? lol. but srsly, i could be a good musician. if i just put effort into it. XD

5. Name a few people you think are extremely good-looking - well, the concept of beauty is relative. my preferences are kuroba mario, cosplayers hikarin and syo seunghyo, kimura tatsunari, matt bomer

6. What was your favorite way to pass the time as a kid? my sister and i used to sneak into our parents’ room and play with our mom’s beauty kit, like we would mix the lotions, alcohols, colognes, powders and stuff while pretending to be scientists and whatnots. we even tried to eat our concoction, to see what it tastes like. xD good thing someone saw us. lol.

7. What is something you’re proud of? i can learn anything if i just put my mind into it. i’m good at studying (my dad made sure of it lol).

8. What’s one character flaw in people that you just can’t tolerate? nosy. i don’t like nosy people. i’m more of a keep-to-myself person so i really loathe these kind of people.

9. Do you consider yourself to be more of a leader or a follower? both. tho i really don’t like to lead that much since it’s too much work. the laziest person i know is me btw. but i can be a leader when i absolutely have to.

10. What kind of student are/were you? high school, both the teacher’s pet and the kind they hate since i tend to speak my mind. college, i am the ordinary student who doesn’t have any clubs since it’s too troublesome.

11. Butterfly effect question! Has there ever been a seemingly minor decision you’ve made (at the time) that ended up having a profound influence on your life? yepppp!

12. Name your most irrational fear/aversion clowns. i don’t like clowns. i hate mcdonald’s mascot.

13. Are there any fictional characters you find especially relatable? yes. kei tsukishima of haikyuu!! especially. :P

14. If you drink, what kind of drunk are you? Alternatively, what sort of person are you at parties? i don’t like parties. i never go to parties if i don’t have to. i hate large celebrations (birthdays, family and school reunions). i prefer the company of my closest friends and immediate family over parties. i only have 4 friends irl that i still keep in touch with tbh. on the other hand, drinking. i have yet to get drunk. lol. but when i have enough alcohol in me, i tend to become the philosopher. like, why do we even exist? are our existence significant or are we just a mere speck in this vast universe? yeah, that kind. oh, my friends and i usually go to karaoke when we get buzzed.

15. Do you fall in love easily? Or does it usually take a long time for you to trust someone? i’m not even sure i have fallen in love yet. i get long-time crushes tho. in fact, i still like this certain guy since i was in 1st year college. XD

16. Would you rather have one close friend or 100 casual friends? the former. please refer to question 14 for the explanation lol

17. Do you consider yourself to be more of a slob or a neat-freak? my dad tells me i have a landfill for a room. lol. i don’t mind. it’s organised chaos. XD

18. Describe a place (imaginary or real) that you would find incredibly cozy my room, on a rainy day with no one else at home and i have unlimited internet connection and books and coffee. and did i just mention i’m alone?

19. Do you have kids? If not, do you want them someday? i don’t have one. not seeing myself getting married or having a child. i’m having another baby sister/brother soon tho so i think it’s enough. :D

20. What was your favorite book as a child? the two-can first encyclopedia series. i love the one that features the solar system.

21. Name one thing you just don’t get what all the hype is about WHAT IN THE WORLD DOES A FIDGET SPINNER DO

22. Name one thing that you think is tragically underrated fanfiction writers. i have nothing against fanarts but i would appreciate it if the same attention is given to fanfiction writers.

23. If you had to be glued to a person for a month, real or fictional (who you have never met), who would you choose? kimura tatsunari hehehe

24. What’s something you’d like the chance to do someday? have the time, and the money, to visit japan and prague. and then go to russia. oh, travel the world. alone. XD

25. Do you typically speak your mind when you have a controversial opinion? Or do generally prefer to not rock the boat? depends on my mood. sometimes i just want to see the world burn.

26. What’s the dumbest fad you’ve been caught up in? what’s a fad?

27. What’s something you thought was cool as a kid/adolescent, but now cringe at yourself for? telenovelas. i wanna live like the heroine back then and now i try to forget all about it. XDD

28. What’s a trait you consider to be very admirable? kindness is something i admire and at the same time so foreign to me. sure, i can be nice but i’m never kind. i will never be kind. i know this person who’s so kind to everyone and i wonder what it’s like to be like that.

29. Is there a particular kind of item people always tend to give you as gifts? (For instance, people always get you things with ducks on them because you like ducks, etc.) i’m a hoarder of cute/pretty notebooks and pens so every year, during my birthday, my family and friends always have a new notebook/pen for me. i even got a fountain pen for my birthday last year which i haven’t used until now. XD

30. Do you speak multiple languages? Which ones? yep. filipino/tagalog, english. this native dialect called cebuano and a little bit of ilonggo. i’m currently studying japanese (self-study cos paying for lessons is expensive). i’m shit at kanji tho.

31. Would you rather live in the big city or the countryside? in the city tho not at the center of it.

32. Has there ever been something you were certain you’d hate, but ended up loving? HAIKYUU!! my online bff has been convincing me to watch haikyuu!! for 4 years now and i was adamant at refusing cos i’m sure i’d hate it. i don’t even like volleyball. but when i watched it last year, i got hooked. now my main fandom is haikyuu!! //facepalm

33. Do you mind being the center of attention, or do you prefer the spotlight to be on someone else? noooo. i don’t like being put on spotlight. lemme work quietly in the background.

34. Favorite holiday? CHRISTMAS! i love seeing the decorations and the lights. i even go to malls just to stare at the decors and listen to christmas songs. i even have my own christmas tree in my room. it’s a small one tho. with christmas lights and all. hihihi. and also my birthday. i can do whatever i want on my birthday. nyahahaha

35. Are you a more go-with-the-flow type of person, or do you need to have things planned meticulously? i only have a plan when i’m writing. i don’t even know what i’m going to do with my life. orz.

36. Is there something you loved so much you wish you could forget it and experience it all over again? (A tv show, book, series–anything.) yes, there is, but i’d rather not forget it and experience it all over again. i’m content with the fuzzy feeling i get whenever i remember it. ^^

37. What hobbies do you have? playing games, going to cons, sleeping a lot, reading, and writing. my only extreme hobby is going mountain climbing. we even went once without any gears. it was fun but i’d rather not do something that unsafe again. o3o

38. If you could have a superpower, but it was only mildly useful, what ability would you want to have? the ability to learn different languages easily. wait, how can this be mildly useful? or maybe change my hairstyle at will? lol

39. Something people are always surprised to learn about you that i’m 26. srsly, when i go to transact with government offices in behalf of the company i’m working for, they always think i’m an intern. wth.

40. Something that took you way too long to figure out this sounds silly, but putting back the chiller part of the fridge. i dislodged it once and i spent almost half an hour trying to put it back. XD

41. Worst injury you’ve had? i never had one. not a broken bone or anything. i only got hospitalized 2 times - when i was 2 and 9, respectively. and both because of dengue.

42. Any morbid fascinations? i like skulls and blowing zombies heads off. my most favourite game of all time is left 4 dead.

43. Describe your sense of humor corny and dry. sarcastic even.

44. If you had to be born in another era/place, which would you choose? in the gundam universe, like Cosmic Era, where people can live on another planet. i would relocate to saturn in a heartbeat.

45. Something you are irredeemably bad at being patient. patience is not my virtue.

46. Something that sucked but you’re glad you went through an hour of jogging for a whole month to prepare myself (and increase the stamina) for a mountain climbing activity 2 years ago

47. Would you rather have a really godawful ugly tattoo in a place that is only slightly inconvenient to conceal with clothing (upper arm, thigh, etc.), or the coolest, most beautiful tattoo ever in the middle of your face? (Neither tattoo can be removed or concealed with makeup, and the ugly tattoo will deeply offend anyone who sees it.) the ugly one. i don’t really like markings on my face.

48. Are you more of an optimist or a pessimist? for a pessimist, i’m pretty optimistic. (wait, is that a song? lol)

49. What would be the most flattering compliment someone could give you? tbh, compliments about writing and work are the ones i’m usually flattered with. tho i suck at accepting compliments.

50. Something you feel people often misunderstand about you this is a fact. i have a resting bitch face so people often feel i’m always irritated/annoyed by them. 

you don’t have to do it if you don’t want tbh, but i’m tagging @lustfullyleocrawford @kakihoden @passengersaraht @emigotchi @leorysxi @oh-my-otome @spyroeden @acrispyapple @devanofficial @astridapples

[nourish--to-flourish]

My Fitness Routine

Disclaimer and believe it or not! I am completely, utterly and totally unqualified in basically everything except for my year 12 certificate! However, I know a fair bit about some stuff. Taking it way back, I started accompanying my mum with her personal trainer when I was in primary school. Not because I was overweight or anything like that but because it was advised by my doctor to be super beneficial for my mental health. And it was, but I was like 10 years old and I would have rather been anywhere than on a treadmill. That being said it hardly sparked my love for exercise; that came later. 

I will openly say that I probably wasted a good 3 years doing mindless cardio and little to no strength training because I was young, uneducated and didn’t actually have any ‘real’ health goals that involved hard work. I was merely trying to keep fit (?). It actually wasn’t until last year that I really stopped in my track and said hey I’ve been doing this for year and I am just staying the same, what gives? I spoke in one of my earliest blog posts that I quit cardio and started muscle training more frequently. So that’s what I did, I gradually gave up cardio (and I mean ridiculous, strenuous, time consuming cardio) and started building up my muscles. With no one specifically guiding me and no real plan, I essentially compiled every bit of something I found online and applied it to my training. 

My Training

I workout about 4-6 days a week at about 7am which is a routine that works like clockwork for me [I realise I need more rest days and it’s something I’m working on.] I alternate between upper and lower body focused days to which I warm up on one of the cardio machines; just a warm up don’t sue me! Usually the rower if its upper body, stair master if lower but most often the treadmill on a high incline most days because it gets my heart rate up quickly. 

Pre & Post Workout

I workout early in the morning because it gets it done, and it’s just what works for me. I ALWAYS have breakfast before working out because I just cannot move if my stomach is empty, even if I’m not hungry. Throughout my workout, I drink BCAA’s to help give me an extra boost as well as aid my muscle recovery. The brand I use is also super delicious and affordable. I also make sure to drink heaps of water throughout the day as well.

After an especially demanding workout, I may opt for a protein smoothie. I have 2 protein powders that I alternate between, mixing it with almond milk and frozen banana. I have protein world’s vanilla collagen blend as well as BSC’s chocolate blend. I have a sometimes insufficient amount of protein in my diet which is why I try to add some more in, especially after a hard workout when my muscles r hungry as all hell.

In the gym, I make it my GOAL to stretch for at least 5-10 minutes after each workout, especially legs. I used to never stretch and now I do, not only am I more flexible, but my muscles just feel so good the next day.

Upper Body

Personally, I’m not too concerned about the appearance of my arms. They are already pretty small compared to the rest of me, so I try to focus these days more on back/abs rather than say my biceps specifically. I won’t go into detail about every single machine I use but I combine a lot of isolation and compound movements to ensure my upper body is F E E L I N it the next day. 

Lower Body

I’ll throw my hands up and admit, I am self conscious who would have believed! I have sort of… no calves whatsoever and I want a huge bum. My lower body goals are merely to bulk up while remaining toned. For these kinds of goals, I’ve focused my workouts around increasing the weight and resistance involved. To be fair, I’ve actually improved a lot and can handle a lot heavier weight than when I began, which is something I’m very proud of. Something that changed my workouts forever was purchasing a set of resistance bands. Because TBH, when I worked legs before, I’d always be unsure of what muscle was being used, and could never really feel anything. By incorporating resistance bands, it helped me understand my body and muscle activation far more. Seriously recommend. 

Recovery + Rest

I have dramatically reduced the amount that I walk because of my personal training goals, however I do try to go for an outdoor recovery walk about 1-2 times a week. I find it different to walking on a treadmill because the treadmill walk is usually more of a hard workout because of the incline and effort put in. A casual stroll around the neighbourhood is solely to relieve muscle tension and release some lactic acid. Like said before, I drink a shit ton of water. It’s also probably no surprise my diet is pretty good, all of which help keep my body feeling full of energy and ready 2 go! I get a good 7-8 hours sleep and have recently started to limit my caffeine intake - still tryin lmao. 

If I could have it my way, I’d be at the gym every morning going just as hard. Like I said, stretching is a big part of my routine. So I try to part take in my own sort of “pilates” in my room on mornings when I feel rather tight. Because I used to go to pilates, I know the basics, so I apply what I can to loosen up the stiffness that I often feel. 

Well that’s my training/fitness routine if you have ANY questions no matter how ridiculous - please remember I honestly used to be the dumbest thot ever in the gym so don’t be ashamed lmao! Please ask me ANYTHING you may wonder, because it means so much to me to be able to help xo