#this album and born in the wild been tag teaming me.

[sushiwrote]

[charliehoennam]

the NO-SKIP albums: a tag game

rules: share the albums that you can listen to nonstop. those lightning in a bottle-albums that scratch ur brain just right. every single track, an absolute banger. u could not skip one if u tried. no notes. stunning, show-stopping, immaculate. ur no-skip albums. 🔎 bonus & optional (but imo, v fun) rules:1) add a track rec for us to listen to! AND2) share ur favorite line(s) from that track! 👀

tagged by @stephendorff, i got pretty excited for this but then i realized that i don't have many no-skips albums....or so i thought🤦‍♀️ tagging: @gyll-yee-haw, @gyllenhaalstories, @potter-solomons, @navybrat817, @laurfilijames, @ithinkwehitametaphor

🎧 album info/track recs/my favorite lines under the cut!! ↓↓↓

album: audioslave by audioslave song rec: shadow on the sun I can tell you why // People go insane // I can show you how // You could do the same their self-entitled album never fails to make me feel like driving out in the middle of the desert in a pick-up truck with a cigarette hanging between my lips, hands stained with the blood of my ex-lover

album: diamond eyes by deftones song rec: beauty school You're shooting stars // From the barrel of your eyes // It drives me crazy // Just drives me wild deftones (and chino with all his side projects i.e team sleep, crosses, and palms which deserve a shoutout) never fail to amaze me with every song they make. hands down, my favorite band and coming to that conclusion was not easy

album: koi no yokan by deftones song rec: swerve city She tames with her voices // As she plays around with the forces i wasn't lying when i said they're my number 1 band lmao when this album first came out, i was hesitant about because i felt like their music changed a bit. but listening to it, 14 years later, made me realize how it sounds like a more mature side of the band and also i feel like they've successfully managed to put how an orgasm feels into music

album: razorblade romance by HIM song rec: right here in my arms She keeps on crying // But i won't leave her alone // She'll never be alone HIM was probably my first introduction into rock in general when i started watching jackass and viva la bam and it was love at first song. i just love how their music makes me feel like a century year old vampire wandering the modern world. and their lyrics are incomparable

album: meteora by linkin park song rec: from the inside Tension is building inside, steadily // Everyone feels so far away from me // Heavy thoughts forcing their way out of me choosing between meteora and hybrid theory is a long life debate and they're both so perfect but meteora is what i listened to the most growing up and it became the soundtrack of my teenage age lmao

album: peripheral vision by turnover song rec: new scream Adolescent dreams gave to adult screams // Paranoid that I won't have all the things they say I need this band deserves so much more attention. this album brings a sense of nostalgia to me and just makes me feel warm and happy and like road tripping through australia, which has always been a place i've always wanted to visit and unfortunately haven't been able to

album: as far as the eye can see by people in planes song rec: falling by the wayside It's OK // To be safe // I'm losing control // Falling by the wayside if i could choose a song to play at the moment of my passing away, that would be this. it's beautifully haunting in a way and the entire album is a musical masterpiece. i truly hate that this band broke up and never got the appreciation they deserved so i've made it my life's mission to spread the good word of people in planes lmao

album: placebo by placebo song rec: teenage angst Since I was born I started to decay // Now nothing ever, ever goes my way the only reason i didn't choose sleeping with ghosts is because there are two songs on there that aren't my favorite and i usually skip. placebo is a great alternative band that never goes out of style for me and i could listen to this album on repeat forever

album: jar by superheaven song rec: in on it / youngest daughter And I know just what I need // Autumn leaves and fallen trees // To feel the cold beneath my feet // Breathe until your lungs fail // You can sing 'til you go deaf this band has successfully revived alt/grunge in a mature way that brings a sense of nostalgia along with it. for me, it's hard to believe this album was only birthed in 2013. under the video, there's a comment that says "greatest 90s band of the 2010s" and it couldn't be more accurate. i couldn't pick between the two songs

album: teenage wrist song rec: swallow Older and older // The voice of wasted youth has never been so loud // Over and over // Like powder in the barrel pushin' deeper down another band that's been bringing atl/grunge and they do it so well. haven't really listened much to their new stuff, but this album has a very special place in my heart deserves much more attention. you can't tell me their grittiness doesn't make you feel like you're in the 90s

album: the questions by emery song rec: playing with fire Why should I take all the blame for all my mistakes? // You were there with every promise made to break  one of my first introductions to 'emo' music lmao this band has been a must-have on every playlist i've ever made. the vocal harmony in their music really hits the soul

[ofthelabyrinth]

Instructions: Always repost with the rules, answer the 11 random questions left for you and leave 11 more for the people you tag!

TAGGED BY: @moonwoken​

TAGGING: be gay do crime

questions i am answering

1. how are things going?

They’re going, man! They’re...going. I have the next two weeks off work which I’m not thrilled about (I actually love my job) but like...my bestie and I keep trading silly little gifts back and forth, so that’s cool. I think I’m mostly still reeling from the blow-out of a breakup and like...feeling like I don’t belong anywhere? Maybe my depression’s just kicking into high gear again but I feel like I’m not wanting/don’t belong anywhere but maybe work. Like everyone and everywhere else just tolerates me. IDK man.

2. if you were someone else’s muse, how would your mun describe you?

Depressed, spontaneous, fickle, lacking in self-esteem but always available to build others up, loves too quickly and too easily, book smart but so fucking stupid otherwise. :/

3. if you could only recommend me three songs, movies or books to get to know you better, which would they be?

Ooooo, this one’s kinda tough! Well, for starters, my go-to movie is The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and I feel like knowing it’s my favorite movie (and having seen it at least once, lol) really explains a lot of my personality. What Rocky Horror can’t explain, my favorite novel probably can: Ray Bradbury’s Something Wicked This Way Comes. I really am haunted by this book. My recommendation for a “song” would actually be the whole Beetlejuice: The Musical album, but I think “No Reason” and/or “Say My Name” nicely encapsulates either my split opinions (former) or my energies (latter).

4. what was it that first inspired you to write? what inspires you today?

My sixth grade English teacher. He was very supportive of my writing and became a touchstone for inspiration in my life. I really started down that track after his class, and even though I’m not doing what either of us ever thought I would, his words still ring true. I don’t really know if I have any inspirations today, though, per se. Performers, I guess. Most of my strongest muses/writing have been born out of my fascination with the performer/s I’ve used for their FC’s.

5. if you had to put together a team of 5 fictional characters plus yourself to save the world, who would you choose and why?

Captain Katherine Janeway, Q, Commander Spock, Doctor McCoy, and Charles Xavier (PatStew). I’m going to be honest here: between Janeway and Q...we don’t need anyone else. Q’s powers and Janeway’s moral compass in combination with Janeway’s leadership and Q’s simp status will solve the problem on the then and there. I just happen to like both Spock and McCoy and think they would contribute a lot of flavor to the adventure, although we’d need Xavier to mellow shit out when all those hot heads start to collide--in particular, Patrick Stewart’s Xavier, since he fits the Star Trek vibe and would thereby have a little more sway with Q than otherwise.

6. what is your favorite fictional trope? least favorite?

My favorite...ever? Period? At all? In all of tropedom? Dark circus/carnival. The exact flavor of the circus/carnival/other travelling show as well as the degree of darkness doesn’t matter, I just always end up drawn in and stupefied by it. I think it’s a combination of the tonal juxtaposition (the light, bright, fun, easygoing, smoke-and-mirrors sensation of the show juxtaposed to the darkness and the horror) and my unending fascination with performance and performance spaces being used outside of their “traditional”/majority context. Backstage mysteries have the exact same effect on me, as do haunted theatres. My least favorite was formerly the misuse of the Persephone myth--twisted by modern, romantic minds into a love story where one isn’t existent in the original mythos--but it has since swung back to that of the unaware Mary Sue/Gary Stu. It’s a trope that can be fun when the writer is self-aware enough to perceive it, but it’s otherwise irritating beyond belief.

7. what unpopular opinion do you have toward the rpc or tumblr?

Soft-blocking is an exercise in pointlessness, as it rarely actually results in the blocked party staying away. This website is too glitchy to make that kind of thing work. Have conversations with the people you’d rather soft- than hard-block about the offense they’ve caused or just hard-black them, myself included.

8. if you could spend one day with your main muse (or your muse of choice), what would that be like?

Look, I’ll be real. My muse of choice? Very much not advertiser-friendly, as they say on YouTube. The things we would do would horrify people unaware of my sex drive and wild attraction to him. A night of debauchery on all levels--because we’d spend a night, not a day, that’s just the way his canon rolls--and if unreleased canon has anything to tell, it’s that I’d end up pregnant with his son and then probably die but it might have been worth it, especially if we can skip the reality TV show in the middle. So let’s just pretend I said I’d spend a day getting high with Jareth and wandering around the Escher room tripping the most balls ever.

9. if you found yourself in one fictional universe of your choosing, which would it be and why?

................. I’d either end up in space on Star Trek because I’m a lonely space gay or I’d end up in a creepy gothic castle singing and dancing--is it Rocky Horror or Labyrinth?--and perhaps legitimately feeling like the siren I long to be as people compliment my voice.

10. a character you’ve always wanted to write?

Mirror!Spock. I wrote him once and I loved it and I would love to write him again, but I don’t use AOS canon so finding people to write with is often difficult.

11. what are five things that spark joy for you?

Space, Rocky Horror, singing, my pets (did I tell you about my new dog?), Renaissance Festivals.

.

my questions for you

1. how have you been holding up lately?

2. what are three surefire ways to make you smile/happy?

3. who is your comfort character and what are they like?

4. explain your URL!

5. what is one article of clothing you love above all others and why?

6. what is your favorite kind of thing to write? what about your least favorite?

7. what is one belief you hold but do not often share?

8. if you could choose one person (alive, dead, or fictional) to spend the day with, who would it be and what would you do?

9. what is one piece of media that continues to hold your attention?

10. what drew you to writing on tumblr?

11. what is one thing you wish you got to talk about more often?

[writeyourownlifestory]

L I GH T S  U P

Chapters: 1/20 Fandom: IT Rating: M Warnings: No warnings at this time  Relationships: Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier, Beverly Marsh/Ben Hanscom Additional Tags: PunkRocker!Eddie, Writer!Richie, Beveddie!Friendship, No Clown Written by: myself & @ahardlife Tag list: @richietoaster, @beproudtozier, @that-weird-girls-blog, @s-onora, @s-s-georgie, @bellarosewrites, @iamcupcakefrosting, @reddieonwheels, @bi-gemini1983

Puff piece writer Richie Tozier is given the chance of a lifetime to interview his celebrity crush: Dr. K, the lead singer of punk rock band, Trashmouth. Dr. K is about to release his first solo album and Richie wants to get all the dirty details. But all is not what it appears to be and the two realize they know each other from a different time, in a different place, when they were both very different people.

One: Cruel To Be Kind: Nick Lowe

Oh I can't take another heartache Though you say you're my friend, I'm at my wit's end You say your love is bonafide, but that don't coincide With the things that you do And when I ask you to be nice, you say

You've gotta be cruel to be kind, in the right measure Cruel to be kind, it's a very good sign Cruel to be kind, means that I love you, baby (You've gotta be cruel) You gotta be cruel to be kind

Richie Tozier didn’t know what he wanted to do with his life.

That wasn’t a very unique statement but Richie wasn’t a very unique person. An average guy who was as blind as a bat, born in bumblefuck nowhere and eventually making it out of there and into the big wild city, making a living working at a big-name magazine.

Okay, the last part was pretty impressive, but he didn’t actually work very hard for that job.

He used to dream of writing comedy. Of telling jokes or writing for amazing shows like Saturday Night Life or something on Comedy Central. He wanted to be a comedian. To make people laugh. Sure, he is seen as the funny guy around the watering tank, but thats just because the rest of the people he worked with were a bunch of yuppies with impressive college degrees and no real personalities. They’re no better than the robots who work for Buzzfeed.

They had paperback covers and an app for people who didn’t want to go to the store to buy an actual copy. They had their own YouTube channel that hit millions of hits thanks to interviews and other shit that Richie took part in.

When Bill decided he wanted to make this into a real thing, he wanted it to make some sense. It wasn’t some balls to the ball insanity mag that people read for juicy gossip. It was real. The people who subscribed were real and the people featured in it were real.

Richie’s writing, not so much.

He mostly did puff pieces. Little things that didn’t take a lot of effort but were mostly filler in between the larger stories. It was something Bill had done for them after the magazine got big. You see, he and Bill had been buddies in college. Both young and naive about the world. Neither really knew what they wanted, but they had dreams and that was all that mattered back then.

It was Bill that had the real talent with writing and despite publishers being interested, he never took into account just how much time, effort, and money went into getting a book published. Richie, always believing in his best friend, decided to give him all the cash he had saved up for spring break so he would make the first move on getting his novel out.

He didn’t mind much as he found that he could eat, sleep, and drink on the couch the same way he could out on the beach.  

That novel ended up being a best seller and skyrocketed Bill’s career. Bill always remembered that, so when his second and third books became such a thrill, he decided to take the chance and create a magazine and brought Richie along for the ride.

It was easy work and he made good money for doing very little, but he found that was the main cause of his quarter-life crisis. He wanted so much more than he had been given that Richie was actually feeling guilty for wanting more.

He had done stand up in the city and even took an improv class, but nothing seemed to stick to him. Now he was over thirty and found himself in a rut. He lived alone in a small apartment filled with things he didn’t need but purchased because he thought they would bring out a sense of excitement.

He was single, though that was a whole nother issue as it took Richie an embarrassingly long time to come to terms with his own sexuality. Growing up in a small town where people were cruel and the world didn’t understand left marks on an impressionable kid. It wasn’t until he was halfway through college that he did anything with a guy and well-passed gradation that he realized that it was more than okay to be gay, it was normal.

So yeah, he was open and fine with it, but still lonely as hell. He had been with people in the past, but he found that he mostly just shut himself off from the world. He wasn’t happy about anything anymore and it seemed the only thing that got him by was that ending it all would have proved his teenage bullies right; that he was better off dead.

And if there was anything Richie wanted to live for, it was spite.

And also music.

Despite not being musically inclined at all, Richie loved music with all his heart. He spent a good portion of his time listening to records as a kid. He used to go around carrying a walkman and CD player and Zune throughout his life. He paid for the mom's gigs on his phone because he needed to have all his favorite songs ready to blast at the tap of a finger.

While they already had a guy that wrote specifically about music for the magazine, he had always been able to sweet talk Bill into allowing him to have a few moments to shine and write something about some artist. Those were the pieces that really mattered to him. The ones that gave Richie the chance to dive deep into the thing he loved.

Sure, he had written a whole expose on Street Fighter and perhaps he did make a big deal out of the Star Wars franchise, but it was the moments when Richie could reel back and listen before writing that got him going.

They rarely did full-length articles on performers as the magazine was something of a clusterfuck of topics. Bill Denbrough never wanted to settle on just one thing. Paper Boat was more than just one specific topic. It was everything and they would be damned if they ever settled on its something.

But of course, now and then something would come along and the whole team would be scrambling to put together a magazine dedicated to that one specific person. It wasn’t always a celebrity. Bill meant what he said when he wanted to keep the magazine aimed at the everyday people.

Their biggest seller to date had been when they put out issues all about Ben Hanscom the architect. Richie had no idea why anybody would want to read about the guy other than to enjoy the pictures that were taken of him, but low and behold, the world wanted to know.

As it turned out, Ben was a decent human being who just wanted to make the world a better place and he also happened to be extremely hot while doing it. Who knew that was possible!

The physical copies sold out everywhere and the website crashed thanks to all the promotions they did on it. Like, what the actual fuck?

Bill was that good at what he did and it also helped that he was writing his books on the side. He had people from all over coming through wanting to see what they could do and it only proved to be more impressive as time went on.

Now the magazine needed something new, something fresh and it seemed Bill had it all planned out.

“Here at Paper Boat, we don’t choose a good looking celebrity because we want to make money. You know, I’m not going to call up Jennifer Aniston and ask her to do me a favor -- I could, but I won’t -- because that isn’t what we do here.” Bill explained as they went over the board meeting for the next issue. “The people featured on our cover are interesting. People who want to bring the world together and make a change. Or maybe they’re just batshit insane and look good while doing it. Who knows.”

A small array of laughter came over the place. Richie leaned back in his chair, half paying attention. He knew how these things went. Bill made a big, exciting speech before revealing who or what they’d be focusing on. The assignments would be passed around and Richie would be given something soft and fun.

He got the dumb shit that got the people who didn’t want to read involved. Sometimes he’d do interviews while vlogging. They’d try food they never tried before or do something stupid. One of the most interesting had been when he got assigned to interview Kristen Wiig while bobbing for apples. Certainly interesting and the flow to the website was wonderful.

Richie was the writer they went to when they wanted it to seem kitsch and gimmicky. Enough for it to garner actual attention, but nothing worth anybody's time.

He tossed his stress ball up in the air, catching it as it followed the natural path and came back down. He got bored easily as meetings like this and he waited for Bill to just get on with it and assign everybody their respected jobs.

Bill hit a button on his computer, revealing a picture that Richie was all too familiar with. It was of a punk rock band that he had followed since he graduated from college. Trashmouth was one of the greatest bands that had ever come into Richie’s life. They were like if Queen and the Ramones were put together, had a baby, and then that baby had a baby with Green Day: that weirdly insane combination would be Trashmouth.

There were five members, but the main focus was and always had been the lead singer and guitarist Dr. K. Nobody knew why he went by that nor did he ever give an answer. Richie had googled him a couple of times, wanting to find out more, but the guy was a fucking mystery. It was like he just appeared on the scene, completely out of his mind with cut off sleeves and steller vocals.

It was safe to say Richie had a big gay crush on Dr. K.

And that was fine because Dr. K was just as gay.

He had never been seen with anybody, always choosing to keep his personal life private, but his songs were obvious enough even if most of them seemed pretty genderless. He had done one interview where the person asking the questions kept using the term ‘she’ or ‘her’ until finally, the guy replied that he writes songs about guys.

That took the world by fucking storm and Richie Tozier had never been the same.

“Some of you may be familiar with Trashmouth. Multiple Grammy noms and wins. Always in the top 40 listings despite repeatedly being told that punk rock was dead.”

“Please tell me we’re going to be featuring the band,” Mike, the music specialist for the magazine, piped up eagerly.

“I can’t because we won’t,” Bill replied. “Our focus is on him.” Bill hit another button and a solo picture of Dr. K popped up.

Richie’s mouth was watering and he sat up straight. He had the same picture in a small poster in his apartment. It was set up alongside some other pictures in what he called his “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Wall” because he was just that big of a fan. He looked at it often, always finding himself thankful for all the music that had been created and got him through some pretty dark days as a kid.

Did it also help that Dr. K was incredibly attractive and gave Richie a little bit of encouragement just by looking so good? Yes, yes it did.

“It seems Dr. K will be going off on his own. My sources tell me he’ll be putting out a solo album by the end of the year and I want to know everything about it. Mikey, that’s your job. Speak to whoever you have to to find out what is going to be on that album. Audra, speak to the rest of the band, find out how they feel about the ending of an era. Georgie, get your camera ready because we’re doing a photo shoot with him in three days.”

“Who is doing the main exposé?” Greta asked, popping her gum as she spoke.

Bill smirked, turning back to his computer. “I’ll pick someone later. For now, you’re all dismissed.”

The group got up from their chairs and left Bill’s office. All except for Richie, who was too fucking flabbergasted to do a damn thing. As Bill began to head out, he finally scrambled to his feet to follow him. His long legs led him there quickly, though he mostly sidestepped around his coworkers to finally reach their boss.

“Bill! Big Bill! Wait up.” He called, following him to the elevator.

“What's up, Rich? I’m about to head out for lunch.” Bill said, turning to face him. “You hungry? We could check out that new sandwich place that opened across the way.

“Oh, no. I’m time. Stuffed.” Richie patted his stomach lamely, offering a large smile to his friend and boss. “Hey! So, just checking in to see about that latest pitch.”

“Oh right,” Bill paused, hitting the elevator button. “You were a fan of that band, right? Oof. Sorry about the breakup buddy. Haven’t you seen them like six times?”

“It’s sixteen, but that’s not important right now.” Richie corrected. “Bill. Buddy. You have to listen to me.”

“You got it, Rich.”

“I know you only trust me with the puff pieces because I’m not as talented as Mike or even Greta, but I need you to trust me on this.”

“You can do the exposé, Rich.”

“I have gotten better over time and I swear, if you just give me the chance, I promise. I won’t do a single embarrassing voice or anything to get Paper Boat blacklisted.”

“I’m sure you’ll embarrass yourself in one way or another, but that’s your issue. You have two days.”

“Until what?”

“Until your interview with Dr. K,” Bill said, stepping into the elevator as the doors opened. “If you’d stopped rambling you would have heard me tell you that you’re going to be the one doing the expose. You’ll be meeting him in two days, so you better come up with some good questions.”

“Holy shit,” Richie muttered.

“Holy shit, indeed Tozier,” Bill smirked. “I know you’ve been in some sort of funk lately, so I hope that this will shake you up a bit. Better keep your fanboy boner under control.” Bill warned, smiling as the elevator doors closed between them.

Whether Richie realized it or not, Bill believed in him and his writing ability. He may not have the raw talent like himself, but he knew what Richie was capable of. He has a way with people that allowed them to loosen up and relax and nothing was better for a good interview than someone comfortable with the person asking the questions.

Bill couldn’t think of a single person who would be better for this specific project and having Richie be an uber-fan of the artist was just a bonus. If Richie made an ass of himself, that would be his problem, not the magazines.

Richie stood there, not knowing what to do next. He looked to his watch, realizing he had less than 72 hours to come up with a buttload of questions for his idol. He ran back to his cubby to brainstorm.

[hardytoms]

1. Always post the rules 2. Answer the questions given by the person who tagged you 3. Write 11 questions of your own 4. Tag 11 people (or however many you want)

I’ve been tagged in this by @coffeeandcomposition​, @joliedarling​, and @call-me-winter-soldier​ so I have a ton of questions to answer and no one left to tag except @nightcourtfury​ and @khllysty​ if they haven’t been tagged already since I’m perpetually late on literally everything :-) Y’all can just answer your 11 questions of choice from the ones I answered already!!

Claire’s questions!! What color hair would you like to have if maintenance and cost weren’t an issue? PASTEL PINK What’s a song that never fails to make you cry? i mean i don’t cry at sad stuff v often but smother and medicine by daughter, without the lights by elliot moss, let it go by gaelynn lea What’s something that a lot of people go crazy for that you don’t really understand? babies, really pale tumblr edits What’s the most unbelievable thing that’s ever happened to you? ummmm right after i moved to spain i was walking around speaking in english to someone and these americans walked past me and said hi since we were speaking english too. i ended up talking to them and asking the younger woman where she went to university and she said the same univ i go to so we eventually started talking about hockey because that’s typical a) for me and b) for minnesotans and it turned out their family had season tickets to minnesota’s pro hockey team literally in the row behind the person i was speaking english with initially. which we found out in fuckin spain, it was wild like of all the people we happened to walk past while we just happened to be speaking english at that point like damn..the world is SO SMALL Ever had a paranormal experience? yes What’s your Starbucks order? mm girl you already know :-) Do you like your candles floral, sweet, fruity, clean, or musky? musky! Do you wear any jewelry daily? yes i always have 7 earrings in, bracelets my mom made, a necklace she got me, and my rings!! Which movie has your favorite score? lord of the rings omg easy Which trope are you most tired of in media? BURY YOUR GAYS, FORCED HETEROSEXUALITY, born sexy yesterday, queer baiting, ugly guy hot wife, THE NO FUN WIFE, abuser gets redemption, nerdy guy best friend who exists only for comedic relief (bonus hate if he’s asian), tbh i have so many i get tired of lmao Which book would you most like to see made into a movie? ummmm i want them to remake harry potter cuz my favorite books would be fucked up by hollywood i just know it and they did a shitty job 

Jolie’s Questions!! What was your favorite album as a pre-teen/teenager? AVRIL LAVIGNE’S LET GO What’s your comfort food? mmm i don’t really have one?  Do you have really vivid dreams or really vague dreams? Generally really vivid but I always know I’m dreaming in my dreams Do you believe in astrology? Nope! Which fictional character do you most resonate with? buffy summers and tara chambler What is one thing you are most complimented on? physical would be my eyebrows but not physical is i get told i’m funny a lot Brag a little bit!! what’s your favorite thing about yourself? i’m smart af Have you laughed today? if so, what made you laugh? omg what DOESN’T make me laugh Is there anything you should be doing right now that you’re not doing? yes :-) What color is your bedspread? purple! What’s your harry potter house? ACTUALLY JOLIE I’M HAVING AN IDENTITY CRISIS ABOUT THIS i’ve spent so long thinking hufflepuff but i think i’m actually a slytherin based on @sortinghatchats​ 

Angelina’s questions!! Who inspires you? Who do you aspire to be like? Malala yousafzai for both!! I also would love leslie knope’s determination, buffy summers’s strength, hermione’s intelligence/discipline, tara chambler’s kindness If you could trade lives with one person for an entire day who would it be and why? i’m not sure i would trade lives with anyone for a day cuz it’d probs just make me envious lmao Do you believe in ghosts? yes What accomplishments are you most proud of? graduating university with distinction, surviving high school The best vacation you’ve ever taken? paris with my best friend was really cool even if that city is disgusting lmao but we also went to rome which i loved !! that’s my fave city Where is your favorite place to go when you feel sad or nervous? home so i can hang out with my doggies What was the place you grew up like? very green and suburban Do you have a book that really changed the way you thought about something? honestly not really!!  Which fictional character would be the most interesting to meet in real life? hmmm maybe rhysand from a court of thorns and roses???  What is the dumbest way you’ve been injured? looool jolie and kristine will remember this. in january or so i was cutting a lime for tequila shots and i sliced right into the tip my finger and cut it REALLY badly like it bled for hours and i have a scar on my finger from it, i almost sliced off the tip of my finger tbh it was so bad and it hurt like a bitch Favourite style in architecture? baroque!!!! i also like tudor revival and colonial for houses

[letsdiscoverkitty]

Happiest moments of 2016

I was tagged by the lovely, wonderful, amazing, fabulous (need I go on ;)) Yas @between-the-silent-pages to “List your 9 happiest moments in 2016 or 9 things you were grateful for and then tag as many people as you want”. Thank you for this much needed distraction and a reminder that no matter how dark the days may feel, there is always something good to be found.  1. I was incredibly grateful for the opportunity to travel to New Zealand in January 2016 and to be ‘put up’ on my godfather’s vineyard (where I was treated like a daughter) for the majority of my time there. As well as going on a month long tour of both the North and South island with an AMAZING group of people and then spending a week in a jungle doing conservation work for the native Kiwi birds, fauna and flora. So many incredible memories were made in those 3 months I spent away in New Zealand.

2. This year saw me finally getting to meet my grandfather in New Zealand for the first time! It was the highlight of my trip; he may be 98 but he was in such good form and I was able to spend many hours sitting and chatting with him about my grandmother (who sadly died before I was born), my dad and uncles when they were little, his life and looking through a million and one photo albums. It was a dream come true and I am so glad that I had the opportunity to go out there as I know I would have kicked myself if I had not gone if he were to sadly pass away.

3. Number two highlight of NZ has to be swimming with hundreds of wild dolphins in Kaikora - swimming and being in the water has always made me happy/feel at peace with the world and this was just....breathtaking. 

4. Whilst away I felt incredibly grateful for my extended family and the kindness that they offered me. We may not see each other very often (it’s a little hard when they live on the other side of the world), however wherever I went, whether I had met my relations before or not, they welcomed me like I was part of their close family. They were also incredibly understanding of my struggles and did whatever they could to support me out there and help me to make the most of my adventures in their country.

5. During my stay in New Zealand I spent a week in a ‘jungle’ - this stay made me reflect a lot on life and definitely made me appreciate all of the ‘little things’ that I take for granted every single day. From fresh running water, heating and electricity to being able to buy fresh food more than once a week, wifi and working toilets. 

6. Returning from New Zealand (and whilst I was out there) I realised how much my close family and friends mean to me. Being 12/13 hours ahead of them made it hard to communicate and on touch-down back in the UK it felt like a piece of me that had been missing was slotting back into place. My family have been so so so supportive, especially my parents and nan, since I returned home in, let us just say, not the best of states both physically and mentally. They have stuck by my side throughout the last 8 months; they have had to go through things I don’t think any parent should ever have to, they have sacrificed a lot, watched their daughter continue to suffer at the hands of mental illnesses but they have never given up on me. There have been times when they have felt at a complete loss and many arguments have occurred but they have never given up. They try their hardest to ‘understand’ best they can, they want to help, they want to support me and I know I don’t tell them this enough but I am so grateful for all they have and continue to do for me. I hate to see the pain and hurt that I have put them through the last 6 years but having them around me has, at times, been the only reason I have held on. 7. With starting the year in a relapse and ending it in another one, I have realised who I can go to and lean on and who say they will be there but actually only want to be there when they get something from it themselves. For these close friends (of which there are very few left - perhaps countable on one hand) I am forever grateful for and don’t know where I would be or what I would have done (and do) without them. 

8. Going away also made me realise how grateful I am for the professional support that I have received and continue to receive for my mental health. Despite being on the other side of the world my team refused to discharge me from their services (I was a little annoyed at first) and kept in contact with me via email every so often just to check in with how I was managing. Upon returning to the UK I did not have to wait for an appointment or be referred back to the service (which could have taken months) and for that I am very grateful. Since then they have stuck by me, and although there have been a few changes in my team due to staff leaving, I have still been seen and they have tried to think of new/different approaches to help me in my recovery so that I can move on with my life. The team has been a huge part of my support system for years and this year made me appreciate them even more. And I think one of the things that has meant most is that I have been listened to as a PERSON, not an illness. I finally have a support worker who I “connect” with, and her sessions have been undeniably helpful. My opinions and views have also been listened to and valued as I have been asked to help out with interviews and am on a panel for a new ageless ED pathway in the county. 

9. Despite the hardships and struggles of being in a relapse for 80-90% of the year, I was given many amazing opportunities. For one I got to learn, hands on, about wine making (despite not drinking alcohol) with my godfather in NZ, I saw so many wonderful and amazing places in New Zealand on my tours and adventures, I got to help nurture and care for 6 beautiful puppies from the moment they were born until they ‘flew the nest’ 9 weeks later; as well as opening my own Etsy account near the end of the year which was something I never thought I would do in a million years!

2016 was a strange and tough one; my mental illnesses have been the driving force of the majority of my year and the past 8 months I have been stuck in a fluctuating limbo, feeling helpless and lost...however, on reflection, I would never take back the things that I have done. I have learnt a hell of a lot this year, not just the things mentioned above, but about myself and ‘recovery’, and life actually. For now, I can only hope that 2017 brings a few better days. I hope that this year can be the year that I put myself first and focus on my health and wellbeing and start to discover the person that I am beyond a label. 

I now tag::: @flogoeshealthy @brewtiful @dreamin-realities @elsawrotethat @ed-vs-erin @e-l-l-x-e @flourishing-beauty @health-happiness-harriet @recoverycactus @stay-str0ng-f0r-mee

[mixtapekings]

Listen Review of Westside Gunn’s ‘Pray For Paris’ Album by dj.booth.net

“In the age of streaming and playlists, ‘Pray For Paris’ further solidifies Westside Gunn as an album artist.”

Griselda’s ascension to hip-hop royalty over the past four years has been astounding. By embracing a reliable formula mixing grit and grace, the trio of Buffalo rappers made up of Westside Gunn, Conway The Machine, and Benny The Butcher has flipped grassroots fandom into major-label success. While each member has made gains in his own right, Westside Gunn remains the group’s nominal figurehead, the sun around which every brick and pair of Off-White sneakers orbits.

Gunn’s ever-growing discography is giving prolific stalwart Curren$y a run for his money. He fits comfortably into the roles of the rapper, the executive producer, the curator, and the art/wrestling fan, sometimes on the same album.

In Gunn’s world, wrestling acts like The Steiner Brothers and Randy Savage describe tag-team street efforts and memories of uzi shells and street corners long past. Gunn’s imagination knows no bounds. Pray For Paris, his latest self-released project, out today, is shaping up to be his most ambitious work yet. Will Gunn reach his next level of opulence? Let’s find out.

In usual 1-Listen fashion, the rules are the same: no rewinds, pauses, or skips. A straight shot through followed by my gut reactions. DOOT DOOT DOOT DOOT DOOT DOOT DOOOOOOO.

1. “400 Million Plus Tax”

We begin with a sample from an auction. A piece of art just sold for $400 million. I respect how highly Gunn thinks of himself.

2. “No Vacancy” [prod. DJ Muggs]

Some pretty keys. Gunn saying “I’ll blow your brains out in broad daylight” over fancy foyer music is a wild moment to experience. “No Vacancy” is the most beautiful DJ Muggs beat I’ve ever heard in my life. “My shooters shot five niggas in a row / BINGO.” Westside Gunn has entered the chat. These are the raps I’d expect of a man who faced coronavirus and lived to tell the tale. Hell of an intro.

3. “George Bondo” feat. Benny The Butcher & Conway The Machine [prod. Daringer]

We’ve gone from beautiful to grimy. Word to Daringer, man. I heard a Benny grunt. “Just shot a nigga on an anklet.” House arrest don’t stop shit in a Gunn song. These piano keys are dripping with cavity juice. God, this shit nasty. And there goes Conway! “George Bondo” sounds like it would’ve fit perfectly on WWCD, and I mean that as a compliment. “Get nigga clipped while I’m with celebrities hanging.” Conway deserves a Netflix documentary. Benny came in swinging. “When you ain’t leave the house unless your gat match your sneakers.” Black Air Force 1 activity. “George Bondo” is a heater. Smoking gun left at the scene. Strong start.

4. “327” feat. Billie Esco, Joey Bada$$, & Tyler, The Creator [prod. Camoflague Monk]

Fuzzy and elegant, this beat is my kinda vibe. Gunn is skating across this joint. A steady groove so far. Joey Bada$$, I haven’t heard that name in a while. “Niggas don’t want smoke, they want marijuana.” He’s back in his 1999 bag right now. Perfect rainy day music. Joey’s verse was better than his entire last album. OH, IT’S TYLER! There’s something incredible about hearing Tyler say, “Glitter on my neck match the glitter on my fingernails” on an album like this. “This car came with a driver / I’m in the back playin’ ‘Frontin’.” Gunn got loosie Tyler rapping rapping on this one. “327” is my favorite song so far.

5. “French Toast” feat. Joyce Wrice & Wale [prod. Camouflage Monk]

This is the second time Gunn has started a song with “Bonjour.” Where’s the “doot doot doot dooo?” Is “French Toast” Gunn’s attempt at a love song? “V on your chest, that’s for Valentino.” Paris is giving us a different side of Gunn. I wonder what happened on the catwalk? Wale found an excellent pocket in this beat. Camouflage Monk has styled on these last two beats, by the way. “My SBs is old, your SBs is wack.” Always here for sneaker shit talk. “French Toast” is an interesting atmosphere for a Gunn song. Some of these beats are cleaner than we’ve come to expect from Griselda. I appreciate the risk-taking. I’ll be back. But it wouldn’t be a Westside Gunn album without some wrestling interludes…

6. “Euro Step” [prod. Conductor Williams]

I love this beat. Gunn is switching flows more than he switches trenchcoats. “Euro Step” is right; this makes me wanna skip down the street. I wish this were longer.

7. “Allah Sent Me” feat. Benny The Butcher & Conway The Machine [prod. Daringer]

We’re back in the mud with Daringer, Machine, and The Butcher. “I need 100 right now.” I’d also love $100 right now. Where’s my stimulus check at? Conway and Gunn are on their Hall & Nash call-and-response shit. Oh, shit, Benny’s tapping in, too. Nice wind chimes to counteract these damp drums. “Feds ain’t find the work but found a bag full of soft rappers.” They didn’t come to play. These three were born to rap together. They sound like they could rap forever. “Allah sent me here to be a king” is right. The sequencing on Pray For Paris is crazy. Sliding between the gritty and the graceful has never felt as punchy as it does right now. I don’t know what to expect next, and I’m not mad. Bro, you’d better give that man his fuckin belt with all the diamonds. Okay, this clip could’ve been cut by like 20 seconds.

8. “$500 Ounces” feat. Freddie Gibbs & Roc Marciano [prod. Alchemist]

Alchemist with a bopper. Freddie Gibbs starting things off strong. He’s spinning a story here. “Got skeletons in my closet next to my Balenciagas.” A deadly pocket. Gunn is ceding the beginning of the song to his guests like he did on Supreme Blientele. Here comes Roc Marciano! He’s sliding. “Living comfortably off of gut instinct.” Gunn came right in to cap this song off nicely. I like “$500 Ounces,” but the beat is stealing the show for me.

9. “Versace” [prod. Jay Versace]

A Jay Versace beat, huh? He picked a beautiful vocal loop. Okay, here are the “doot doot dooo”’s I’ve been waiting for. I guess he saved them all for this song, holy shit. Gunn sounds great without drums. One of the most delightful surprises on the album so far. They need a whole project together.

10. “Caliborne Kick” feat. Boldy James [prod. Alchemist]

More Alchemist work incoming. Gunn’s voice is chopped and screwed, another big surprise. It matches the ghostly aura of the beat nicely. A wild Boldy James appears through the fog. Boldy James is a natural fit for Griselda. I’m glad they signed him. Boldy’s language is beautiful. “Russian cut my bezel / Caesar salad with the Russian dressing.” I love “Caliborne Kick.” Another highlight.

11. “Shawn vs. Flair” [prod. DJ Premier]

Coming in with a Prodigy sample. Bless the dead. A breakbeat and some synths? Interesting. Oh, of course, this is a DJ Premier song. It sounds crisp and clean with just a touch of grit. I can’t exactly call “Shawn vs. Flair” a favorite; it feels like this song is missing a verse. The beat is cool, though.

12. “Party Wit Pop Smoke” feat. Keisha Plum [prod. Tyler, The Creator]

Bless Pop Smoke and his family. Man. The beat is a reminder that Tyler knows his way around a MEAN sample flip. Why does Gunn say “mannequin” like that? I laugh every time. Keisha Plum outros are so soothing and vicious. “I kissed his cheek while I drove the ice pick in his eye.” Step on my neck. Unlike “Shawn vs. Flair,” “Party Wit Pop Smoke” sounds finished, but I want more. I was hoping we’d hear from Pootie. Talk your shit, queen! “And y’all still broke!”

13. “LE Djoliba” feat. Cartier Williams

Gunn’s trip to Paris has been an eclectic one. This Stevie Wonder sample is giving me life. “The way my neck look, they think I sold my soul.” Is this tap-dancing from the Paris Fashion Week show clip that was meme’d to hell and back? I’m laughing, and I shouldn’t be right now. “LE Djoliba” wasn’t necessary. I wish Pray For Paris ended with “Party with Pop Smoke” instead. Not exactly a sour note to end on, but Gunn could have cut this one.

Final (First Listen) Thoughts on Westside Gunn’s Pray For Paris

In the age of streaming and playlists, Pray For Paris further solidifies Westside Gunn as an album artist. He knows how to craft experiences from start to finish, what beats sound best next to each other, which features will yield the wildest results. Paris features some of his biggest gets yet: Tyler, The Creator has both a feature (“327”) and a production credit (“Party wit Pop Smoke”) while Wale makes his Griselda Records debut on “French Toast.” Names like theirs give Paris a lofty air even by Griselda standards.

Paris is also the most experimental Gunn project to date. Many of the beats—particularly “No Vacancy” and “French Toast”—are clean and expansive breaks in between the usual muddiness. Gunn tries on new flows (“Euro Step”) and even takes a stab at a love song. His ear has always been eclectic, but there’s newfound adventurousness to Paris you won’t find on the Hitler Wears Hermes tapes.

Unfortunately, some of the album’s surest bets don’t pan out. Gunn, Freddie Gibbs, and Roc Marciano’s solid but unremarkable work on “$500 Ounces” is overshadowed by Alchemist’s mesmerizing beat. “Shawn vs. Flair,” a jumpy DJ Premier production, feels unfinished, and “LE Djoliba” undermines the strong ending of “Pary Wit Pop Smoke,” giving the album a tacked-on post-credits ending sequence. 

These rare lapses in Gunn’s sharp sequential judgment keep Pray For Paris from ascending to Supreme Blientele levels, but they aren’t dealbreakers. Westside Gunn’s world is still one of excitement and redemption. Pray For Paris is another reason to always bet on the FlyGod.

Stream Pray For Paris, the new album from Westside Gunn, on Audiomack

from Listen Review of Westside Gunn’s ‘Pray For Paris’ Album by dj.booth.net