#top 10 hits of 2019

[acaplaya-musings]

Voiceplay Visuals: Aca Top 10 Hits Of 2019

A bit more of a random-sounding Top 10 for Voiceplay to do, but they did something similar 4 years prior with "Aca Top 10 Summer Hits of 2015" (or something like that - I never watched it). This video released right at the end of December 2019 (just a week after their Frozen 2 Medley, damn), and was arranged by Geoff! And all the other Aca Top 10s have been very comedic visually, so this one should be fun as well! (I have seen this a few times before, but it's not one I've watched a lot)

The guys really said "oh good, a video where we don't have to put as much thought or effort into our clothing choices! 😂"

"I do my hair toss, check my nails!" (we were robbed of Geoff doing a hair toss in this one ngl /j )

Also we're back to Geoff holding up cards for each song! (But in this one the cards change colours! (via post-production editing))

Eli, Earl, and J brushing their shoulders off 😁

"Just walk your fine ass out the doooor" (👉👈)

(I'm also a big Swiftie, sue me)

J and Layne what are you two doing 😂

Omg not Layne making it rain XD

J None vibing (also see what I mean about the colour-changing song title cards?)

Time for Eli to be extra dramatic, it seems! 😁

Nope, Earl's the bigger drama queen here I think! 😆

cue low-key ridiculous vocal percussion/beatboxing moment

cue low-key ridiculous bass (subharmonic?) note! (it still counts as talking about the visuals okay!)

aaaaand cue whatever J is doing 😆

(Also just realized Layne's hair is styled slightly differently for this video?)

Love J's dancing during "Senorita", and Earl's air bongos!

Man they had a lot of fun with the Old Town Road bit didn't they? Positively vibing

Return of the Carrot Lord!

Earl: (pretending to ride a horse)

Layne: (being a horse)

Ayyyy we got another Eli Eyebrow Raise!

Oh wait that's the end of the video (told you I haven't watched this one as much!)

This post might have not been super long, but things are definitely gonna be kicking up a gear from this point. I sense some quite long posts on the horizon, waiting to be written...

[doyoulikethissong-poll]

Daddy Yankee - Gasolina 2004

"Gasolina" was released as the lead single from Puerto Rican rapper Daddy Yankee's 2004 album Barrio Fino in the US in October 2004. By November 6, WSKQ-FM in New York City reported "Gasolina" in their top 10 rotation, and WRTO-FM in Florida said the song was their number one most-played track. It entered the US Billboard Hot 100 chart a week later, rising to number 32 in January 2005. "Gasolina" was a hit in North America and the Caribbean, gaining Daddy Yankee popularity among Latino mainstream music fans. In July 2005, "Gasolina" was released as a single in the UK, eventually earning a Silver certification in March 2019. Australia saw the single enter their charts in late January 2006 during their summer season, rising to number 12. "Gasolina" was the first reggaeton song to be nominated for the Latin Grammy Award for Record of the Year. Puerto Rican reggaeton singer Glory sings the line "dame más gasolina", although she is not credited.

In 2015, the song was ranked number nine on the "50 Greatest Latin Songs of All Time" list according to Billboard. In 2018, it was ranked number 38 on Rolling Stone's 50 Greatest Latin Pop Songs. In 2017, it was included on Billboard's "12 Best Dancehall & Reggaeton Choruses of the 21st Century" at number eight. In 2021, it was ranked number 50 on Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Songs of All Time", and a year later it was ranked at the first place on their 2022 "100 Greatest Reggaeton Songs of All Time" list. In 2023, "Gasolina" was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Recording Registry as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." The song was used in the 2023 movie Fast X / Fast & Furious 10.

"Gasolina" received a total of 77,4% yes votes!

[afitterbrittany]

my weight loss journey story

Everyone has a “something has to change” moment in their weight loss journey and this picture was part of mine.

It was July of 2019 and I was 23 years old. My thighs were chafing, I was out of breath from walking up a hill to sit down at a concert, and I hated every picture we took this day. I remember it took a couple days for my inner thighs to heal from the chafing and I was miserable.

I was about 258 pounds, I wore a 2X shirt and a 16 in jeans if I ever squeezed myself into them, most of the time it was just stretchy pants.

My mental health was horrible, I let people walk all over me, I stayed friends who people who were not good for me (lol my ex bff is in this picture), I ate takeout for pretty much every meal, I was thousands of dollars in credit card debt from buying stuff just to feel something, I wanted to be loved but I wasn’t ready to let myself be loved or be vulnerable, and I hated how I looked.

Physically I didn’t do anything. I would sleep in, arrive to work right on time, sit at my desk, go home at 5 with takeout, drink some wine, and watch tv. No walks, no gym, no hiking, no physical activity.

I dreaded summertime even though it was secretly my favorite season. I wanted to feel the sunshine on my skin but the second I had any exposed skin (like in this picture), I spent the whole day adjusting my clothes, worrying about how my cellulite and rolls looked, and extra hyper aware of the space I was taking up. I felt so self conscious. I didn’t wear a swimsuit for years.

My hands and feet were always swollen. I wore a size 11 ring and my feet would swell up in shoes so even a women’s 10 didn’t fit all day. My acne was persistent.

I wouldn’t make any changes for many months.

COVID hits the following March and I become hyper aware of my body and my health and how I can’t live like this.

I start going for long walks. I educate myself on what calories are and why protein is important and start to learn to cook. I purchase a stationary bike. I’m still too shy to go to the gym.

By the end of 2020, I have lost about 30 pounds and weigh 224. I meet Clay in February of 2021 and I weigh 207.2 pounds. I keep working on myself, flirting with him at work, and focusing on learning to love myself before I let someone in. I’m going to the gym every morning and lots of long walks.

By the end of 2021, I weigh 174 pounds. My then lowest weight. I maintain this for a few months and keep eating clean and exercising but I begin to eat takeout with Clay at work, often drinking more than I should.

In July of 2022 I weigh in at 176 but I begin taking Lexapro for my anxiety. It starts off by helping, then my appetite increases like crazy.

Clay makes a move in September 2022 and I’m like “oh I should probably be on birth control” and we start going on lots of food centered dates.

By our first anniversary thanks to my medications and a huge increase in eating out, I weigh 222.6 pounds.

We’re going to the gym every morning together at this point but our eating isn’t healthy. After talking with my therapist, I go off of Lexapro.

I maintain for about 7 months at 205.

November 2024, something clicks and we start meal prepping more together. We go for a long walk every Sunday. We only go out to eat once per week. We do more active dates.

Today in March of 2025, I weigh 172.6. I wear a size 6.5 ring, my feet are a 9, I wear a 6 in jeans and my top is a S or M. I love summer and wear what I want. My thighs don’t chafe. I love myself and I’m loved by the sweetest man alive and I plan on spending the rest of my life with him. I have no credit card debt and I know that buying things won’t fill the void inside you from not being happy with your life. I’m really active and I feel my best when my body is moving. I don’t drink that often and when I do it’s not very much. I’ve gotten rid of friends who treated me like dirt and only allow a handful of people access to my time and energy. My mental health has vastly improved.

Losing weight changed my life. I learned to love myself and in that process, let myself be loved. I’m happier and healthier and excited for the future.

[busylazy]

SB19 101 + Songs to Listen to

SB19 is a trailblazing Filipino PPop (Pinoy Pop) group, making waves both locally and internationally with their unique blend of Filipino and Korean pop influences. Formed in 2016 under ShowBT Philippines, the group comprises five talented members: Pablo, Josh, Stell, Ken, and Justin. They are known for their powerful vocals, intricate choreography, and heartfelt songwriting, quickly rising to fame with their uplifting and relatable music.

Must Listen to SB19 Songs

"Go Up" (2019)

Their breakthrough hit, this upbeat song about perseverance catapulted SB19 to fame, earning them wide recognition.

The dance practice:

The official MV:

"Alab (Burning)" (2020)

A vibrant and energetic pop song with a catchy hook, "Alab" is a fan favorite for its infectious energy and danceable beat.

"Hanggang Sa Huli" (2020)

A ballad about unrequited love and heartbreak, this song highlights SB19’s vocal harmonies and emotional depth.

I can only add 10 videos to a post so I selected 10 to share. I didn't include this track but you can watch this song's animated music video here. ⬅️

"Tilaluha" (2019)

SB19’s debut single, a sentimental ballad about longing and heartache, setting the stage for their success with its powerful vocals and emotional resonance.

Watch the music video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Fqszuma1zQ

"Mapa" (2021)

A heartfelt tribute to parents, "Mapa" combines "Mama" and "Papa" in its title, symbolizing gratitude and love as well as "mapa" for map, showing gratitude to those who guide us.

The song’s touching lyrics and soothing melody make it a fan favorite. It's their most-viewed video to date, with over 104 million views as of this post.

"WYAT (Where You At)" (2022)

This upbeat, disco-pop track captures the excitement of reconnecting with loved ones after a long time apart. Its retro vibe and feel-good energy make it a standout. Its energy and catchy hook make it a great introduction to SB19’s style.

"What?" (2021)

This powerful anthem speaks about identity and pride, blending rock and pop elements with explosive choreography.

"Bazinga" (2021)

A hard-hitting track with themes of resilience and confidence. It topped Billboard's Hot Trending Songs chart, emphasizing the group's growing international fanbase.

"Gento" (2023)

Known for its hard-hitting beat and confident lyrics, this song symbolizes change and progress. The title is a play on "ginto" (gold) and "ganito" (like this), signaling excellence and ambition. It’s an anthem of self-empowerment and worth, emphasizing the group's hard work and resilience.

It's their second most viewed video after "Mapa" and has been making the rounds on social media for its iconic dance moves. Several Korean idols and other celebrities did not escape the challenge to try the trend.

"I Want You" (2023)

A sultry, smooth track with a slow, sensual beat. This song showcases SB19's ability to blend R&B influences into their music while maintaining their signature style.

"CRIMZONE" (2023)

A powerful anthem of defiance and resilience, this track has an intense energy with a rebellious tone, demonstrating SB19’s versatility in both sound and performance.

This track stands out with its intense beats and themes of perseverance, encouraging listeners to remain steadfast despite challenges. The energetic delivery and impactful lyrics give it an empowering feel.

Here's a link to the official lyric video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-Nh623g0-Y

"Liham" (2023)

A moving ballad about unspoken feelings, "Liham" captures the pain and longing of words left unsaid in a heartfelt letter. It's themes of love, longing, and vulnerability, highlights SB19's emotional depth.

The lyric video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orU-h3eX-Gc

"Ilaw" (2023)

A more emotional, introspective track, "Ilaw" represents hope and guidance, showcasing SB19’s ability to convey deep feelings through gentle melodies and touching lyrics.

Here's a link to the official lyric video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ns8DztSfwo

"Moonlight" (2024)

Moonlight has a dreamy, mellow feel, combining smooth melodies with reflective lyrics. It’s particularly appreciated for its atmospheric and soothing vibe.

They have collaborated with Ian Asher and Terry Zhong in "Moonlight." Other collaborations include "Ready" with Apl.de.Ap of Black Eyed Peas and "Kalakal" with Gloc-9, the latter is often dubbed as the fastest rapper in the Philippines.

Other Must Watch Videos

Apart from their official music videos, it's worth watching live performances and one-take recordings such as from The First Take and Wish Bus.

SB19 offers a dynamic and diverse discography, blending pop, ballads, R&B, rock, and hip-hop, making them an exciting force in the PPop industry and beyond.

Members

Pablo (John Paulo Nase)

The group’s leader, main rapper, and lead vocalist, Pablo is also a talented songwriter and producer. He is credited with writing most of SB19's songs.

Josh (Josh Cullen Santos)

Josh serves as the lead rapper and sub-vocalist of the group. He's the eldest member of the group, but true to his name, Cullen, he's like a vampire who doesn't look his age.

While all of them struggled before reaching where they are right now, Josh's life story is probably the most interesting one (IMO). It could have easily landed an episode of biopic (often dramatic but with life lessons to serve) shows like "Magpakailanman" or "Maalala mo Kaya."

Stell (Stellvester Ajero)

Known for his powerful vocals, Stell is SB19's main vocalist. He is also involved in vocal arrangements and harmonies, bringing emotional depth to the group's music.

Ken (Felip Jhon Suson)

As the group's main dancer and sub-vocalist, Ken has a distinct low vocal range that adds texture to their songs.

Justin (Justin de Dios)

The youngest member and sub-vocalist, Justin is also the creative mind behind much of SB19's visual content, contributing to their music video direction and concepts.

Solo Music

SB19’s members have ventured into solo projects, further showcasing their individual artistry alongside their group success.

Pablo

Pablo's solo single, "La Luna" (2022), is a deep, introspective track that explores themes of inner battles, freedom, and identity, set against a dark, moody backdrop.

He continues to explore deeper themes in his solo work with two recent albums, "Alon" and "Laon" (2024). These albums are a reflection of his growth as a songwriter and producer, tackling topics like personal struggles, introspection, and resilience.

Laon (long time, old, ancient; you get the point) is more upbeat and often edgy, while Alon (waves, like ocean waves) is inspirational but sometimes heartbreaking.

"Butata" from Laon is easily the top track with it's basketball-themed lyrics referencing the anime Slam Dunk, which was a hit in the Philippines back in the 2000s. "Butata" literally means getting zero points or losing a game. It's a gritty, hard-hitting track that reflects Pablo’s ability to mix emotional vulnerability with strong, impactful lyricism.

I like all the songs in Alon, especially "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" and "Drowning in the Water." The former (TBWCW) is surprisingly not about the boy who cried wolf but about the boy who is also the wolf at the same time, and he's having a dialogue with himself. The latter is a song he wrote about a decade or so ago. Let me add "Wala" as well.

Josh

In 2023, Josh launched his solo single "Wild Tonight," which blends dark, edgy themes with electronic pop influences.

Josh later released "1999" this year, which reflects his personal memories and nostalgia of growing up in the '90s. The song blends retro vibes with modern electronic beats, celebrating the simplicity and joy of youth.

Other notable songs from both the first wave of singles and the current ones include Yoko Na featuring Al James, Get Right, No Control, and Sumaya. The entire Lost and Found album (2024) is bop to be honest, but my personal favorites are Silent Cries, See Me, and Honest.

Felip / Ken

Under his solo name "Felip," he has released tracks like "Palayo" and "Bulan," which explore his creative individuality and experiment with contemporary R&B and hip-hop with some traditional elements. Fake Faces easily makes him a "Rocksta." Let me add Kanako too. It's in Bisaya (another language in the Philippines).

Apart from the singles, he has released the 7 Sins (2024) album. I love the entire album, especially the rage song "envy" and the inspiring "ache." The kids choir at the song's bridge can melt your heart further amid the already heart-melting lyrics. His collaboration with Dutch-Filipino R&B singer Cyra Gwynth "lust" is a must-listen to track as well. The entire album is a must-listen to, actually.

Stell

Stell's songs combine a mix of ballads and pop tracks that allow him to express his personal experiences and artistic growth beyond his work with SB19.

(GIF is in his The Voice Philippines coach era)

One of the standout songs from Stell’s solo project, "Room" is a heartfelt ballad that focuses on the themes of love, vulnerability, and personal space. Stell’s rich vocals shine, creating an intimate emotional connection with listeners.

Speaking of that GIF, Stell became a coach for the Philippine franchise of The Voice Generations (2023) and The Voice Kids (2024). His rendition of All By Myself with David Foster further proves his vocal strength.

Justin

Justin’s recent solo releases have also gained attention for their unique storytelling and personal touch.

"Kaibigan" is a touching song about friendship and love (or more like friendzoned). It highlights Justin's lyrical ability to convey warmth and connection, blending gentle melodies with heartfelt lyrics.

"Surreal": This track dives into dreamlike themes of wonder and imagination, offering a smooth, almost ethereal sound that showcases Justin's creativity and softer vocal tones.

These solo efforts from SB19’s members, alongside their group discography, illustrate the depth of their musical abilities and their desire to push boundaries within PPop and beyond.

Erratum: this post is constantly being updated

DAM

Like, damn! The music video for SB19's new single, "DAM," for their upcoming comeback album SAW (Simula at Wakas, translates to "the Beginning and the End" or "Start and Finish") is so damn lit! It has surpassed 4 million YouTube views within 24 hours. That's the second highest record in the Philippines to date.

SAW World Tour

Like, damn! The SAW World Tour Philippine leg at the Philippine Arena (with a capacity of 50,000+ seats) got sold out in just 7 hours! Other tour locations also got sold out! Some even within several minutes! 😱

[octalarium]

new fundraising post

the other one was getting confusing i think.

tldr: disabled (unemployable) british trans masc seeking private hormones. need of a minimum of £575 on gfm before the start of may in order to get just a diagnosis. £880 would allow me to start hormones. anything more protects me for longer. just under £2,500 would protect me for 2 years.

gfm: https://gofund.me/14fe333d

redbubble: https://www.redbubble.com/people/spearheadprints/shop

long version of my story below.

the long version

i'm a disabled british trans masc currently in university. my doctor told me i was put on the NHS gender clinic wait list in april 2019, but the GP practice never actually forwarded my referral to the clinic. i found out at the start of 2024. i am unable to re-obtain my original place as the referral was never sent (tavistock does honour original referrals if you can prove your GP sent it - i can't).

my disabilities mean i cannot work a "typical" job (as in retail, serving, basic office job) and i'm still working through getting onto Personal Independence Payment (disability benefit). i have no source of income except for Employment and Support Allowance, which is covering my basic living expenses.

my dysphoria has been getting worse over the last 5-10 years, and i fear i wont survive the current NHS waiting list of more than 5 years. in the best scenario, i won't have my first NHS GIC appointment until 2029. but the political climate in the uk is shifting - rapidly - and in 5 years there may not even be an NHS gender care pathway.

i want to have been on hormones for one year by the time i graduate university in 2027. i am going to have to go private: both to achieve this goal, and because i do not think i can survive waiting after already having been in survival mode for 5 years.

as i write this, the gofundme sits at £495. i have been adding my own contributions to the GFM where i can, but these are few and far between. my most recent addition of £200 was only possible thanks to backpay of my ESA and will not be repeatable.

if i want to have been on testosterone for one year by 2027, i need to start it in 2026. the waiting times at the private clinics (one for diagnostic, one for hormone issuing) are not specifically published but HSGC (diagnostic) say 8-12 weeks and GHC (hormones) say there's a 2-5 week wait between initial appointment and first follow up. 17 weeks (worst case) is just under 4 months - meaning i should try to get my first appointment in September 2025 at the latest. but these times haven't been updated in a while and i can see them rising along with uk transphobia, so i've set a deadline of May 2025 in order to cushion any delays.

i get sent the gfm money on the first of every month. meaning for it to be in my account by the start of may, i need to hit at least £575 on the GFM by April 30th. then i would need to hit £880 to actually get the hormones (that covers their initial appointment plus one month's prescription). i also dont get 100% of the donation from GFM - they have fees per donation plus take a percentage off the top. so the number on GFM would need to be just a little bit higher than these numbers.

i also set up a redbubble shop, but it might be too little too late. they only send money once you cross a threshold of £20 profit (i only get 25% of the listed price of an item!) but it is an option for you if a flat donation isn't enough of an incentive for you. i dont have much on there currently because uni work has been getting in the way.

i dont remember how quick RB is at issuing funds, but i'm gonna say the last effective date for RB purchases to help with the initial barrier is also April 30th. i'll be adding any profit i get from redbubble as personal contributions on the GFM for the sake of transparency.

i am running out of time. sharing helps just as much as donating.

[dear-ao3]

another f1 question from me bc i'm new, why do we not like the mclaren team

aright well without getting too into it because im going to get into it on the update post:

mclaren have 2 drivers: oscar and lando

lando has been with mclaren since 2019, has been signed with them the whole time hes been in f1. oscar has been with mclaren since 2023, has also been with mclaren the whole time hes been in f1

theyre both very strong drivers. mclaren is a top 4 team (theres 10 teams). they have the fastest car this season. they have been very consistent the whole season. oscar is the only driver to have finished every single race this season, lando has had only one dnf in a full length race. theres been 16 races this year, of those 16 races at least one mclaren driver has been on the podium for 13 of them. (most of any team)

anyway

red bull have been dominating the last few years. last year red bull won all but one race and max verstappen won all but three races. max won the drivers championship by like 250 points or something and red bull won the constructors championship by something insane like 400 points (not exact but u get the idea)

this season red bull is still on top but only by a little bit.

in the constructors (team) championship, red bull currently has 446 points. mclaren currently have 438. they are rapidly closing the gap to red bull (despite only winning three races this season) because both of their drivers are very consistent and they have a good car.

however. the drivers championship.

max currently is leading with 303 points. lando is in second with 241. charles (of ferrari) is in third with 217 and oscar is in 4th with 197.

there are still 8 races to go.

now it would be Hard for lando to win the drivers championship at this point, but it is not impossible. he is also definitely closer than oscar is. normally what happens is that a team picks one driver to prioritize because theyre more consistent/experienced/have more points/have a better chance at winning etc etc. lando has been doing better than oscar has in that regard (hes won 2 races, oscar has won one, lando has 4 pole positions this year, oscar has none, etc whatever)

despite this, mclaren are not prioritizing either of their drivers. the owner of the team, zak brown, has said now multiple times that they have "two number 1 drivers" which is weird. because lando is actually close to catching max in the championship. and this is not a chance btw that comes around all the time. f1 is a lot of luck, a lot of chance and then also skill. you can be the most skilled driver, but if your car sucks youre not going to win. mclaren have the fastest car, two very strong drivers and a solid chance to win the drivers championship with lando and the constructors championship as a team, but despite that, they are not prioritizing lando.

meaning that there are no team orders to have lando be running in front of oscar if the two cars are right next to eachother in position, theres no rules to not pass eachother, theres no rules for oscar to protect lando if he is leading. the only real rule seems to be to not hit eachother but they can race eachother (meaning the team wont say that one car needs to finish above the other car) which again, when you have a driver that is in contention to win a world championship, that is kind of insane.

so first there was a race a few races ago where lando was in first and got team orders to let oscar who was in second get past him so that he could win because oscar had been leading the whole race up until possibly the weirdest pit stop call mclaren could have made that essentially put lando in front of oscar. lando gave them a hard time about it but ultimately let oscar win because they told him that if he wanted to win a world championship that he was going to need oscars help (like as a number 2 driver)

so now this past weekend oscar passed lando on the first lap and took the lead (lando starts first and oscar started i think it was second) because there were no team orders for him to not do that. then towards the end oscar was in second and lando was in third (charles was in first which was something that mclaren let happen but thats not important right now) and the cars were close enough that they could have swapped positions. mclaren would have gotten the same number of points but lando would have gotten more points than oscar which would have helped him individually in the drivers championship because max was finishing behind him and this was a race where he was closing the point gap to max. but, mclaren didnt make that team orders call. so oscar finished second and lando finished third.

so essentially landos shot at a world championship title is getting bongled because of mclaren's inability to make the decision as to which driver is their number 1 driver.

so much so that nico rosberg (who was a part of one of the most infamous teammate rivalries where both him and lewis hamilton were at eahcothers necks for a championship title) has told mclaren now not once but twice that they need to make a call as to which driver is their number 1 driver because its going to hurt their drivers and also the team in the long run.

now none of this is oscar or landos fault. there could be contract stipulations that are preventing mclaren from picking a number 1 driver (oscars manager, mark webber, was an infamous number 2 driver to sebastian vettel during the time seb won his 4 consecutive championships so its possible that he might have something in oscars contract to prevent the same thing from happening to him or whatever) or it could be something else. reguardless, its clearly a team problem and not a driver problem. the drivers are there to race and if the team tells the two of them to race eachother they are going to race eachother. both of them are strong drivers and they want to win. but because the team is letting the two of them waste time racing eachother it opens the door for other people to win or for them to lose points or for lando to not end up winning the drivers championship.

its kind of confusing. but tldr: mclaren refuse to prioritize one driver over the other and theyre throwing away their chances at winning the championship because of it

will buxton (who infamously has some bad opinions but didnt on this one) summed it up really really well in the post race show this past weekend

[felassan]

Article from Bloomberg by Jason Schreier, under a cut due to length.

"New ‘Dragon Age’ Game Faced Turbulent Development The studio head of EA’s BioWare says ‘Dragon Age: The Veilguard’ received nothing but support from EA throughout its lengthy production cycle EA’s BioWare label hopes to find redemption with the release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard Today we’re getting in-depth on the new Dragon Age game A new age for dragons In late 2020, when Gary McKay took over as studio head of BioWare, the Electronic Arts Inc. subsidiary best known for making big roleplaying games, the climate was dire. BioWare, which is headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta, had released two critically panned games and was facing turbulent development on a new one — while trying to cope with a worldwide pandemic. “We needed to shift how we were thinking about building our games,” McKay told me in a recent interview. BioWare, founded in 1995 and purchased by EA in 2007, had won over millions of fans with hit single-player RPG franchises such as Dragon Age and Mass Effect. But a 2017 entry called Mass Effect: Andromeda was widely panned, and the studio’s next game, the 2019 multiplayer shooter Anthem, flopped both critically and commercially. Both games had also gone through brutal development cycles that drove many BioWare veterans to exit the studio. At the end of 2020, studio boss Casey Hudson was planning to step down and called McKay to ask if he would take over. “We had a few conversations over the course of the next month around the people and the culture,” McKay said. BioWare’s next big project would be a new game in the popular fantasy Dragon Age franchise. But the game, which had been in development for years, was facing turmoil and had been rebooted from a single-player game into a live-service game with a heavy multiplayer component, which EA had been pushing across many of its subsidiaries in the late 2010s. Hudson, too, was interested in multiplayer games and had been the lead visionary on Anthem. Some employees jeeringly referred to the next Dragon Age as “Anthem with dragons,” which worried fans after I reported on the game at Kotaku. Enthusiasts of the series wanted another single-player game, not a repeat of BioWare’s biggest mistake. When he took over, McKay began to feel similarly. “We were thinking, ‘Does this make sense, does this play into our strengths, or is this going to be another challenge we have to face?’” McKay said. “No, we need to get back to what we’re really great at.” In the months that followed, McKay met with leadership across BioWare and EA and ultimately decided to reboot the next Dragon Age a second time, pivoting back to single-player."

The choice was obvious in many ways. Anthem had flopped while EA’s Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, a single-player action-adventure game, had sold more than 10 million copies, helping prove to the publisher that not all of its games needed to be online. BioWare games were popular because of their focus on character dialogue and player-driven narrative decisions, which did not mesh with multiplayer gaming. “Once we made that decision, a lot of things started to fall into place,” McKay said. In the years that followed, he would go on to consolidate more of the studio’s projects, shutting down an attempt to reboot Anthem and selling off the rights to the online game Star Wars: The Old Republic to a separate studio. The goal, McKay said, was “focus.” BioWare then spent the next three-and-a-half years developing what would become Dragon Age: The Veilguard, the fourth game in the franchise. Out this week, the game has received mostly positive reviews and so far topped charts, although EA has not yet revealed sales numbers. Some things went right during development. McKay said they “had the game end-to-end playable” earlier than any previous BioWare product, allowing them to spend extra time iterating. A reorganization at EA, which split the company into divisions called EA Games and EA Sports, allowed Dragon Age: The Veilguard to receive more support from internal teams that might otherwise be stretched thin, such as research and data insights groups. “That gave us an extra boost in terms of the support and focus from the company,” McKay said. But the development of Dragon Age: The Veilguard still faced plenty of obstacles. The pandemic led BioWare to shift to hiring remotely, which McKay said made for cultural challenges. The game slipped past its original target date, although McKay wouldn’t say how much extra time it needed. “I’m never going to call it a slip,” he said. And it went through significant scope changes over the course of development. Then, last summer, BioWare laid off 50 people, including veterans with decades of experience. McKay told me the reduction, which arrived during a period of widespread layoffs across the video-game industry, “was all about focus at that time.” “When you have a really large team, you’re always compelled to keep everybody busy all the time,” he said. “When you have a smaller team, you have the right people in the right roles at the right time, some incredible momentum is gained at that point.” The stakes are high for the release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Fans and pundits have worried that a third failure in a row might have devastating results for BioWare. McKay wouldn’t comment on the specifics of what would make the game a hit in their eyes. But said he has felt supported by EA Entertainment & Technology President Laura Miele. The game is so important to BioWare’s future that the company brought in its second team, which has been incubating a new Mass Effect, to help out during the final stretch of development. The Mass Effect team played a major role in finishing and polishing Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Other companies across EA, such as its Motive studio in Montreal, also supported the game. Now, the company will look to see how players react to the next Dragon Age — and, McKay hopes, “bring BioWare back into the conversation as a top game studio.”

[source]

[haveyouseenthismovie-poll]

Hello, all! Normally at the end of the month I post an end-of-month update, but since this blog was on hiatus for most of October, that will be skipped until the end of November.

Instead, here is a data spread post to make up for the one I was unable to post last time we hit 200 movies with a majority "yes" vote; currently, there are 213 films that have received a majority "yes" vote. You can see the previous chart by clicking here.

This first chart is a breakdown of decades of the movies Tumblr has voted seen:

As you can see, the top three most popular decades are the 2000s with 80 movies, the 1990s with 42 movies, and the 2010s with 39 movies.

The oldest movie that Tumblr has voted seen Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), while the newest is while the newest is Knives Out (2019).

Next, a breakdown of the genres* of the movies that Tumblr has voted seen:

This chart shows that the three most popular genres are family with 104 movies, adventure with 103 movies, and comedy with 95 movies.

*Keep in mind that this chart is based on what Letterboxd defines these movies’ genres as, so you might find that you disagree with how certain films are categorized (for instance, the “music” genre describes films that are about music, not necessarily musicals. There is no “musical” genre on Letterboxd.)

Under the read more is the data from these charts listed in text form. Have a great day, everyone!

Decade breakdown:

1930s - 2

1940s - 2

1950s - 5

1960s - 3

1970s - 10

1980s - 30

1990s - 42

2000s - 80

2010s - 39

Genre breakdown:

Action - 53

Animation - 74

Adventure - 103

Comedy - 95

Crime - 16

Drama - 42

Family - 104

Fantasy - 76

History - 1

Horror - 15

Music - 6

Mystery - 8

Romance - 34

Science Fiction - 43

Thriller - 14

TV Movie - 2

War - 1

Western - 1

[absolutebl]

GMMTV'S BL Line Up - Part 2

Presented in order of trailers I find most appealing:

The Heart Killers

FirstKhao & JoongDunk

Jojo directing an action romcom about assassin brothers (Khao & Joong) meet a tattoo artist ex-booster (First) and a mechanic (Dunk). I'm highly amused that Joong plays the older brother to Khao, and that we have a at take on Taming of the Shrew for that pair. I like that everyone is morally gray. This has all GMMTV's best chemistry in one BL and some fresh concepts that I've only really seen tackled in m/m romance (check out Amy Lane's Racing for the Sun, thank me later). I'm excited my only quibble is Jojo, I like his style but his characters can get unreliably messy so...

I genuinely dithered over whether this one should be first. Still it was the only trailer I grinned the whole way through, and had to watch 2x, so it takes top spot for me, but closely followed by a surprise silver medal...

Thame-Po (Heart that Skips a Beat)

EstWilliam

A boy band member and his documentarian start a forbidden relationship. I LOVE Est and am delighted to see him at GMMTV but I've been getting a fatigued by celebrity BL of late. However, after watching the trailer I'm 100% in on this show. I've been waiting for a Blinding Lights style idol romance and this looks like it might be it (Korea, Japan, and Thailand have systemically disappointed me over the past 2 years). Bring it, boys.

Revamp the Undead Story

BounPrem

GMMTV have taken on this IP about a vampire prince and the human who awakens him that was with WabiSabi. Interesting that GMMTV are bring out two vampire BLs as a result. This one involves a coven (hello, who called it way back in 2019? Me. I DID.) Anygay, coven includes Santa (no lies spotter with that one).

(Previously: Vampire Project from Wabi Sabi - trailer now removed, also previously My Broccoli)

Wonder if they will tank that JossGawin one? There'd likely be rioting in the streets if they did. But they might just let it fade away.

Sweet Tooth Good Dentist

MarkOhm

Finally Mark is leading out a BL! This one based on a Jittirain novel about a weird sunshine student dentist and his sugar-addicted patient, described as a romcom meets romantic therapy. Also, Jimmy is there, primarily to give me second lead syndrome. It looks silly but kinda earnest, I'm intrigued.

Perfect 10 Liners

ForceBook, PerthChimon, JuniorMark

New directing yet another university BL with engineers + their mentees. Based on a Jittirain novel. Massive cast. ForceBook playing the same old characters. Enemies to lovers tsunder/sunshine jock/nerd thing. PerthChimon are doing the cohabitation cool guy/dork trope. JuniorMark are doing popular sunshine meets lonely sad boy (the only interesting pair IMHO).

Not sure if these will be interwoven (My Engineer style) or shorter stand alones (Y-Destiny style).

The Ex-Morning

SingtoKrist

This is an original script written just for the OG, direct by Lit (SOTUS) about a news reporter plagued by scandal must work with his ex-boyfriend to rebuild his reputation. A reunion romance that's hitting pretty close to the IRL pair branded mark.

I've never claimed these two had any kind of chemistry and that would appear to still be the case. I think this one will bore me silly. I'm contemplating a trash watch but feel that's best reserved for...

Ossan‘s Love Thailand

EarthMix

WHY MUST THIS BE?!! I really don't like this IP but I still HAVE OPINIONS (of course I do) Look, I doubt even legendary EarthMix can save Ossan for me.

Shall I explain? Too much, let me sum up:

It's a terrible script based entirely on an unsympathetic love triangle, the viability of the whole show actually hinges on the boss character so he MUST be likable, because the lead is an unsympathetic looser (and user of people), and the roommate/love interest has no personality. Looks like this version is doing the same. ALSO Earth is grossly miss-cast. (On the other hand, maybe I'll like it more because of that, I would rather my H were toned down a bit.) Finally... where tf are my ladies? The female characters were the best thing about the original.

Of course I'll still watch it. I'm trash.

My order based on descriptions (and biases) before watching trailers was:

The Heart Killers

Revamp

Sweet Tooth

Perfect 10 Liners

ThamePo

The Ex-Morning

Ossan’s Love Thailand

Now that we have finally gotten part 2 I have only one burning question left for GMMTV.

Why didn't my man Thor get to lead something, damn it?

I will also take this as an opertunity to remind you all that my predictions about my own taste are notorious terrible.

(source)

[buddhamethods]

10 BL Characters I Would Hit With My Car

(I don't have a licence and can't drive so this is just for fun OBVIOUSLY)

LISTEN, I love these characters. They are complex, they are human, they are flawed and yet you can't help but root for them. Or they are just giant assholes.

Regadless, I think they would all benefit from getting hit by a car as a little treat.

Feel free to tag yourselves and participate in a bit of lighthearted negativity and media complaining.

1) Ben From Never Let Me Go (2022)

Of course he would be on this list. Mainly because how are you, a closeted gay in a coming of age bl drama, sitting down in front of a piano next to a beautiful boy and not just completely eat his face in a passionate life altering kiss? I understand that was the whole point of the scene, but personally I would rise above the narrative that was trapping me.

2) Dan from Not Me (2021)

Being a cop, killing Sean's father and selling NFTs is bad enough on it's own, I agree. But Dan's biggest sin was taking the cigarette out of Yok's mouth and depriving us of seeing sad First Kanaphan smoking near a body of water-THE queer cinema experience.

As it turns out, you can be gay and homophobic at the same time.

3) Kenji from My Dear Gangster Oppa (2023)

So you have funky hair and kawnty fashion sense? Oh, you partake in fun bathtub threesomes? What, you're a little unhinged and psychotic? Perfect! THEN WHY THE HELL YOU SUCK AT BEING A VILLAIN SO HARD HUH???

Kenji you better put your helmet on, I'm turning on the engine.

4) Kanghan from Dangerous Romance (2023)

Rich people don't deserve rights in general so Kang was already on thin ice to begin with. But being a bully on top of that? UNDER THE HOOD OF THE CAR YOU GO!

Also he is so attention starved on account of his father being a negligent asshole that he will jump in front of my car willingly just to get a drop of love from dad and Sailom.

5) Yu Xi Gu from HIStory3: Make Our Days Count (2019)

(I'm so so incredibly sorry but I HAD to okay you don't underst- *gets shot immediately*)

6) Mork from Fish Upon The Sky (2021)

I looked at Pond for 0.1 second and fell so embarrasingly in love that for the entirety of FUTS I saw no flaws in Mork's character at all. All he did made sense and I was blissfuly having a great time! So I'm pummeling him to the ground for my own sake I CAN'T KEEP BEING THIS STUPID ABOUT HIM HE IS OBJECTIVELY CREEPY!

7) Vee from Love Mechanics (2022)

Was he in my "I want them carnally" list? Yes. Do I find him beautiful and incredible? Double yes. Am I smearing him on asphalt like a squished bug for causing Mark so much unnecessary pain and heartbreak? More likely than you think.

8) Jiwoo from To My Star/ To My Star 2 (2021-22)

MY BEAUTIFUL BOY!! A crumb of healthy communication is all I'm asking for!

Jiwoo was so emotionally bricked up for the majority of both seasons that it caused ME damage. So me hitting him with my car is both a revenge plot and an attempt to let loose some of those pent up feelings of his.

(But also I'm dead meat if Seojoon finds out it was me behind the wheel. He loves that boy too much.)

9) Zee from Twins (2023-24)

I'm volunteering to do this as public service to keep Sprite and First together without any twins switch drama. One gremlin down, one successful volleyball couple UP!!

10) Winner from Pit Babe (2023-24)

I want to do it as an experiment. I feel like he would make a funny sound under the wheels, like when you sqeeze clown's nose or step on a rubber duck. I would also like to see how this will affect his character. Will he become even more annoying? Will it fix him completely? ONLY ONE WAY TO FIND OUT!!

(This was so fun I love inflicting imaginary violence on fictional men. If you read this far into this incoherent insanity, consider yourself tagged!💖)

[doyoulikethissong-poll]

Fatboy Slim - Right Here, Right Now 1999

"Right Here, Right Now" is a song by British big beat musician Fatboy Slim, released on 19 April 1999 as the fourth single from his second studio album, You've Come a Long Way, Baby (1998). The song samples "Ashes, the Rain & I" by James Gang and an Angela Bassett quote from American science fiction thriller film Strange Days (1995). (Watch the scene here!) "Right Here, Right Now" reached number two on the UK Singles Chart and became a top-40 hit in Australia, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, New Zealand, and the Walloon region of Belgium. The song's popularity was spread across Europe through viral use in advertisements by companies such as Adidas. In February 2013, Mixmag readers voted for it to be number 10 on a list of 50 of the greatest dance tracks.

The music video for the song, created by Hammer & Tongs, is an elaborate homage to the famous opening sequence of the French educational series Once Upon a Time… Man. It shows a timeline depicting a simplified process of evolution condensed into three and a half minutes, starting billions of years ago with a single-celled eukaryote in the ocean. On August 12, 2012, Fatboy Slim performed "Right Here, Right Now" alongside "The Rockafeller Skank" at the Summer Olympics closing ceremony in London. On 8 October 2019, Fatboy Slim made a remix of the song using environmental activist Greta Thunberg's United Nations speech.

"Right Here, Right Now" received a total of 70% yes votes! Previous Fatboy Slim polls: #12 "Weapon of Choice", #237 "Praise You", #363 "The Rockafeller Skank".

[louisupdates]

WORLDMUSICAWARD: Happy 33rd birthday to the gorgeous, hugely talented Singer, Songwriter, Producer & Global Icon, #LouisTomlinson, who rose to fame as a member of #OneDirection, one of the best-selling Boy Bands of all time, and became a chart-topping, history-making, award-winning Superstar in his own right! 👏🎂🎉🌟🐐👑❤️

Louis has contributed more in songwriting to One Direction than any other band member, with credits on most of the tracks of 'Midnight Memories', 'Four', and 'Made in the A.M.' and on 38 songs across the band's discography, and was the main guy in shifting 1D's music towards a more mature sound...

Louis is an amazing Solo Artist and has so far released 2 studio albums, 1 live album, 11 singles, 1 promotional single and 11 MVs! Louis debuted at #1 in the UK with his 2nd studio album 'Faith In The Future' in 2022 which also reached #5 on the Billboard 200, and spawned the hit singles singles "Bigger Than Me", "Out of My System" and "Silver Tongues"! His debut studio album 'Walls' (2020) debuted at #4 in the UK & #9 on the Billboard 200, becoming the 1st new album for Arista Records in almost 9 years to hit the US top 10! Louis' debut single "Just Hold On" with #SteveAoki reached #2 in the UK, and was certified platinum! In 2017 Louis released "Just Like You", "Miss You" & "Back to You" with #BebeRexha, which was certified platinum in the US and UK! In 2019, he released "Two of Us", a Tribute to his mother, followed by the hits "Kill My Mind", "We Made It", "Don't Let It Break Your Heart" and "Walls" in January 2020!

Louis has embarked on 2 world tours! His 'Faith in the Future World tour' began in North America in May 2023. In the context of the tour, Louis performed in North America and Europe in 2023 and Asia, Australia and Latin America in 2024. In November 2023, after a sold-out concert at the O2 Arena, Louis was nominated for the Live Act Award at the Rolling Stone UK Awards. During the Latin America leg of his 2nd World tour, Louis made history, becoming the 1st male Solo Artist to headline Mexico City's Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez! He held a charity livestream of the event titled 'For Every Question Why', donating the proceeds to War Child UK. This year, Louis toured a summer 2024 festival circuit, including the Main Square Festival, Pinkpop, Ruisrock, Santander Music, Untold Festival, Sziget Festival, Frequency Festival, Victorious Festival, and Lollapalooza Berlin!

Louis has received numerous accolades including an MTV Europe Award for Best UK Act (2017), an iHeartRadio Music Award for Best Solo Breakout (2028), 3 Teen choice Awards for Choice Music Collaboration for "Just Hold On" (2017), Choice Male Artist (2018) & Choice single Male Artist (2020), a TDY award for Album of the Year (2020) for 'Walls' and most recently a Northern Music Award (2024) for Artist of the Year!

Louis is also a successful Producer and in 2015, he created his own record label, Triple Strings Ltd. In 2021, Louis founded and curated the indie music festival 'Away From Home' and in 2023, he officially launched his 28 streetwear-inspired unisex clothing line!

Louis is an active philanthropist and personally donated £2 million to Believe in Magic, which supports terminally ill children! He's also a Patron of the Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice. In April 2016, he joined the Soccer Aid 2016 star line-up, a biennial fundraiser for UNICEF. Louis actively supported the Black Lives Matter movement in May and June 2020, and attended the George Floyd protests in London.

[zeethequeer]

ABOUT MY MODERN SINGER+ACTOR DR

✨BASICS✨

Name: Eliana Davis

Age: 34 (As of 2025)

Height: 5'6"

Hair Color: Red and Purple (Naturally brown)

Eye Color: Brown

Skin Color: Light

Gender: Female

Sexuality: Pansexual

Pronouns: She/They

✨FAMILY✨

Mom: Geena Davis

Dad: Jeff Goldblum

Siblings: Half siblings are Alizeh Keshvar Jarrahy, Kian William Jarrahy, and Kaiis Steven Jarrahy (Didn't have plans on scripting out her family from this reality, just basically put myself in the mix.)

Aunt: Pamela Goldblum

Uncle: Dan Davis, Lee Goldblum

Cousins:

Closest Friends: Demi Lovato, Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson

S/O(s): Nick Jonas

✨EXTRAS✨

Favorite Color: Purple

Favorite Food: Sushi

Favorite Show: Steven Universe

Favorite Drink: Strawberry Soda

Hobbies: Singing, dancing, painting

Time Of First Shift: Undecided

Song That Reminds Me Of DR: ---

✨MY LIFE STORY✨

I started acting at age 15 in 2006, my first major role that helped start my singing career wouldn't be until Camp Rock in 2008 which is also how I first meet Nick. (Will eventually be adding list of movies and TV shows to this post or making a separate post)

In 2015 I release my first album, the first edition of 'Eliana Davis Christmas'. It includes duets with my parents as well as my friends and Nick.

✨ FAVORITE SCRIPTED✨

✨MOMENTS✨

None yet!

ALBUMS (no particular order up to 2025)

1. Eliana Davis: Romance Through The Years (2023)

This album is a combo of sweet and spicy love songs from a variety of artists such as Frank Sinatra, Olivia Newton-John, and Ghost. Includes 10 tracks with an extended edition with 25 tracks in 2026.

2. Davis Sings Disney: Favorites Edition (2025)

An album of some of my favorite Disney songs. Includes 10 tracks from Disney, Pixar, and Marvel. Includes collabs with some of my friends that were in the original 'Davis Sings Disney' album from 2017.

3. Childhood Soundtrack (2020)

An album consisting of songs from movies and TV from my childhood. Ranging from Steven Universe and Adventure Time, to Disney songs (ones that aren't later in Davis Sings Disney: Favorites), and more. Includes 10 tracks

4. Eliana Goes Broadway! (2024)

My top tracks from my favorite shows. Includes songs from shows like Little Shop of Horrors, Newsies, Hadestown, and even a few songs from non-staged musicals such as EPIC. Includes 18 tracks.

5. Hall Of Fame (2019)

A collection of big hits from big artists from both past and present. Including Lady Gaga, Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, Taylor Swift, and more! Includes 15 tracks.

6. Something Something Heartbreak (2021)

That one "songs for after a breakup" album. Just being a girls girl and giving fans something to cry to in the car. Not related to going through a breakup myself, scare some fans into thinking that though. Includes 9 tracks.

7. Eliana Davis Christmas (Various Years)

There's multiple versions of this one, with the first released in 2015 with 5 tracks, 1 or 2 being added in new editions every year up to 2025 with there being 20 overall tracks in the latest version ready for 2025.

8. Davis Sings Disney (2017)

My first Disney album. I collab with several other musicians and singers who'd been or still are "Disney kids" at this point in time like the Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato, Dove Cameron, and Miley Cyrus. Includes 26 tracks.

9. Rock The Block (2022)

A collaborative album with several rock and alternative groups such as Set It Off, Ghost, Divide The Day, and Green Day. It's my largest album at 36 tracks that had been recorded over time.

10. Strange & Unusual (2024)

A Halloween album featuring songs like Thriller from Michael Jackson, songs from Roe Kapara, and various other Halloween classics. Includes 12 tracks.

[viktorpartner]

✨ THE DAN AND PHIL LORE pt. 3✨

CHECK OUT PART 2: https://www.tumblr.com/ashleyeveerson/760707933651746816?source=share

Phil ALSO comes out! (yeah no i'm not crying what? not them feeling comfortable enough to be themselves yeah). 2019 also brings us the adoption of a fish named Norman (a cutie) AND they also post pictures about their recent trip to Japan [the photo of Phil looking up to Dan behind the camera? yeah i am so normal about it, i swear]. There is hope in the horizon still for a Dan and Phil comeback...

BAM! A certain virus runs wild and forces everyone to stay at home. Phil continues to upload solo videos which distracted so many of us during these dark times. Dan, however is AWOL and the only pic we have of him is a shitty screenshot of him in glasses and a mask helping Phil rescue an injured pigeon (lockdown was WILD).

Also, my boy Dan post a cryptic tweet that leads to the announcement of a self-help book named YOU WILL GET THROUGH THIS NIGHT (because you will <3). Nah but I can't count how many times I've sobbed reading it, just him trying to help out others who have also struggled with mental health... istg i love this man

Hey so THEY BUY THEIR FOREVER PHOUSE TOGETHER they're gonna kill me one day istg. "Dan and Phil just decided to pay a mortgage together", top 10 sentences that would kill a 2016 phan. They are slaying, they are glowing... also rip Norman the fish you will not be forgotten

So during 2014 the fates (aka a random youtuber) foretold that Dan and Phil would be married in 2022. Since that clearly didn't happen the meme PHIVORCE united the phandom once more. ALSO Dan is out there shitting on youtube (as he should) and going on his solo tour WE'RE ALL DOOMED! Which i love with all my heart and also Phil being there for him every step of the way... AHHHHHHHH

Anyways a certain video called Dan and Phil finally tell the truth hits the internet and let's just say GOD DAMN. This also starts a wonderful trend amongst Dan and Phil in which they make fun of their audience (we deserve it ngl) and absolutley SHOCK US with new information about bonkers shit from their past [apparently they were offered a threesome MULTIPLE TIMES???]

It's the end. They've decided to give up their channel "Dan and Phil Games" forever... let's take a moment and silent and mourn with a compilation of Heart eyes Howell

...

SIKE! We're back baby and we're better than ever!!! The goodbye video turned out the be an ANNOUNCEMENT of their comeback. They are back, Dil Howlter is here and Phil confesses to having dyed everything green in the house when Dan went on tour bc he missed him (OH GOD). Also, the Halloween baking video introduced us to the icon that is.... *drumroll please*

SISTER DANIEL, the queen of making everyone reconsider their sexuality... she is the moment, she is an icon and she is serving astronomical levels of cunt at all time [jokes aside, Dan being comfortable enough to do drag in public, fuck they've come so far i'm so proud of them <3].

And here we are in the future, it's present day and they are queerer and happier than ever. THE PICTURES I CAN'T ISTG. Also Dan's Birthday stream is beyond iconic. First of all my unproblematic kings make it a charity stream to donate to the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund (using their public influence for good hell yeah)... And how did they raise the money you ask? WELL BY HITTING IS WHERE WE'RE WEAKEST. Sister Daniel makes a spectacular comeback, FATHER PHIL is introduced and Dan even dyes his hair red to be more Good Omens coded... which timeline are we living in again? like how is any of this real?

Also them drawing the PINOF whiskers on their faces again... they're literally growing old together I'm gonna go sob in a corner. Also the fake apology video bc they have no fashion sense in the Sims 4 is hilarious as fuck. HOW CAN THEY POSSIBLY BE SO MUCH HOTTER ON THEIR THIRTIES EXPLAIN??

anyways the phandom is still speculating wether they're erasing "i love you's" at the end of their text when they show them on videos... guess some things never change. Nah but the vibes are COMPLETELY DIFFERENT NOW, they are more open than they've ever been and participate on the phan culture FULLY to the point that they're the ones terrorizing us now.

QUICK DETOUR TO TALK ABOUT PHIL'S FAMOUS BAD LUCK (and then they wonder why he's always dying in the fanfics). Nah but my poor man has had his fair share of medical problems, the most recent being...

OH GOD WHY WOULD YOU ANNOUNCE SOMETHING LIKE THAT THIS WAY?? nah like using humor as a coping mechanism and all but do they wanna gives a heart attack?! iconic i fear however

So yeah the video where they talk about it is WILD (funniest shit about the whole ordeal is that a nurse mistook Dan as Phil's son). Also I saw a tweet speculating about Phil having a hickey like... first of all what is it? 2009? Second of all IT'S MOST LIKELY A POPPED VESSEL FROM LOSING ALL THAT BLOOD YOU KNOW

They still were able to go on their vacation (aka the rodent boy summer) which gifted us with this iconic pics... ALSO they dropped a new Dan and Phil beats for summer go check out the names of the tracks istg they wanna kill their fans.

Nothing is sacred anymore, they've infiltrated twtphan, they're actively reposting memes and writing fanfiction about themselves. It's the wild west, everytime you get a notification is like playing Russian Rulet. Cringe is dead and Dan and Phil ARE COMING NEAR YOUR CITY on a tour named "Terrible Influence" where Phil's spent 300€ on silicone. It's a wonderful time to be a phan.

OKAY SO here's some stuff that didn't make the cut but that i find too hilarious to not mention. In no apparent order: DAN DRESSING UP AS A CATBOY, Dan and Phil playing technicians 1 and 2 on Big Hero 6 and two brothers on the Lion King (wtf was that also they gave the gorilas matching fringes), Dan dressing up as a golden pig (my boy has RANGE) and finally Dan being too embarassed to admit he stalked Phil and telling a reporter he was only asking for "editing tips" if you know what i mean

Also a short compilation of Dan and Phil losing the idgaf war against eachother THEY ARE SO THOUGHTFUL ABOUT EVERYTHING. Special mention to Daniel's 🧡 when Phil praised "We're all doomed!" and Dan's ranch metaphor to describe their relationship (just go watch the mukkbang video OH LORD)

SO, in conclusion... Dan and Phil's refusal to belittle their past and instead embrace it as part of their story while actively moving into the future alongside the phandom YEAH THAT SHIT MEANS SOMETHING. They're simultaneously healing our inner child while embracing us as the adults we've become i have many feelings about them

So what are they?

They're just Dan and Phil.

[pumpkinrootbeer]

A Tale Two Trades: A Full Breakdown

I've seen a lot of confusion, a lot of misinformation, and a lot of misunderstanding about what happened. Let me try and clear some of this up!

Introduction

The year is 2019 (stay with me) and the NHL preseason has just begun. However, the Colorado Avalanche are still missing one of their top players and draft picks: Mikko Rantanen. Despite the season technically already starting he's not even in the country! No, instead he's still in Finland currently awaiting a contract agreement from the Avalanche front office as a restricted free agent. Most reports assume he will get signed for around 10 million. The captain, Gabe Landeskog, comes out and defends Mikko, siting his love of the team and emphasizing how much of a team player he is. When Mikko does end up getting signed, Gabe is waiting outside the arena with a "Welcome Home, Mikko" sign. He was signed with the Avs for 9.2x6.

During his time there, Mikko was the third player in franchise history to break 50 goals in the regular season, as well as the third Finn ever. He currently holds the franchise record for most goals scored in a season, and has put up back to back 100 point seasons with them. During 48 games played there without Mackinnon, he has scored 22 goals and gotten 30 assist for a total of 52 points in 48 games— a better point per game average than his games with him. In the first half of the '22-'23 season, Mikko will either make or have the primary assist on more than 50% of the Avalanche's goals.

Then, in 2025, he will be the highest point per game player to be traded at the deadline since 1994.

The 2024-25 NHL season

The Colorado Avalanche are riddled with injuries, like Landeskog who has still not made his return since him being placed on IR, as well as several other players. This is not a new development; they have never been fully healthy at any given time in more than five years. When asked about the injuries in a post game, Mikko will say that he feels like it's been like this his entire time there.

Mikko, who is nearing the end of his six year contact, has been in contract negotiations all summer. Midway through the summer, it's reported that they're nearing an end to the deal. Then the Draisaitl contract hits. Rantanen and Draistaitl share an agent, and negotiations immediately stall. And then Mikko Rantanen scores a hattrick on the opening night of the 2023 NHL season. And that's when contract negotiations officially go off the rails.

The first thing to understand about contract negotiations is we don't have all the information. Agents and management will leak information to the press. There will be baseless rumors. Players will say one thing while something else happens behind closed doors. Two insiders will have conflicting reports and people will insist this means someone's lying. That's the first thing to understand.

The second thing is money is not the whole picture, there will be other incentives like a No Movement Clause or it will come down to the amount of years signed. Kadri didn't resign with the Avalanche because they would not offer him a deal longer than a one year contract. Location is a factor, a team's cup window impacts choices. There's a lot of moving pieces and that's just for the players.

The third thing is players rarely get bargaining power in these negotiations. Their value is directly tied to how well they are preforming, and if you're not preforming- well. Players do not get to choose who they sign with typically and don't get to look at multiple offers at the same time, unless they are UFAs— unrestricted free agents. Other teams cannot approach players with offers if they are already signed with a current team, but if it's UFA, they get to see all the offers and make a move from there. The only time a player will have the upper hand in negotiations is if they become an unrestricted free agent. Anything besides that, and you better hope you have a NMC or else you can get flipped at the drop of a hat.

One thing that will go on to impact contract negotiations is most agents are moving to a percentage based negation as opposed to just solid figures as the salary cap increases. As in, 15% of of the teams salary cap as opposed to the number of 14 million.

Something to note, specifically in this instance, is Mikko is an incredibly private person. He's very friendly with reporters and always willing to talk to them, but his first pre season interview he makes it clear he does not want to discuss his contract. Despite this, the one thing he makes clear is that he, under no uncertain terms, wants to stay in Colorado. His exact quote is "We won the cup here, why would I want to leave." This will be his only statement on where he wanted to end up for the rest of this saga.

Rumors quickly fly around that the Rantanen camp is looking for 14 million from the Avs and Mikko is unwilling to have any negations until after the trade deadline. While I have seen zero confirmation that negotiations stalled, in fact reports later go on to contradict this, the reason the 14 million number gets floated around is because it's reported by insiders that Rantanen's camp believe they can get 14 million on the open market as a UFA. This has never been stated to be their asking price.

The Avalanche have an internal salary cap of 12.6, their lead point scorer and the league's MVP, Nathan Mackinnon's number. It will be important to note that Mikko before getting traded will make up more than 15% of the teams goals and roughly 18% of the teams points. 14 million AAV would be come out to 15% of the teams salary after the cap increases in the coming seasons. It's also important to note that the Mackinnon deal was made when the salary cap was in a completely different place.

Most reporting on this believe the Avalanche will offer 12.5 or 13 million and sign Mikko for 8 years, maybe with a NMC and some other perks. This turns out to be massively overselling their offer, but we'll come back to that. Mikko goes on to score two more hat tricks, break his record for his career highest point streak, and, right before the trade, be second in the league points. Second only to his linemate.

There are games where only Mikko scores, there are games where Mikko gets his first natural hat trick, and there are games where Mikko puts up five points in a night. He is completely dominating, he's named the NHL's second star of November, and he's on pace for 40+ goals and another 100 points. Despite their record breaking absysmal start, the Avalanche are looking stronger and it's starting to feel like this might just be another legitimate cup run and a large portion of that is attributed to Mikko.

And then, in the middle of the night, during a roadtrip, months before the trade deadline, rumors start circulating that Mikko Rantanen is getting traded to the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Carolina Trade

Most people think it's fake, most insiders and reporters believed he would be on the Avalanche for life. And then it gets confirmed, in a massive three way deal, Mikko Rantanen gets traded to the Carolina Hurricanes for four draft picks, Marty Necas, and Jack Drury. Carolina gets Mikko Rantanen from the Avalanche and Taylor Hall from the Blackhawks. The Blackhawks, who are also in this deal don't forget, get their own third round draft pick back and pick up 50% of Rantanen's salary while their at it. This trade immediately puts the Carolina Hurricanes as the new favorites to win the cup.

Around this time, the first solid number for the Avs contract is stated to be 11.75x8. (Some report lower, but absolutely no one says higher than that.) Almost a million less than any offer suggested by insiders or reports leading up to the trade and not even coming close to the artificial salary cap placed by the Avalanche front office.

Almost immediately after the trade, the New York Times start reporting that Rantanen was completely blindsided by this trade. Many fans insist that this can't be true, that the Avalanche would have exhausted all possible options, and they, at the very least, would have communicated with the team's leadership before making such a blockbuster trade. Then, as interviews start coming it, it is confirmed by all four players involved in the trade that there was zero communication with the players.

Mikko outright states that he was willing to take a team friendly deal, that he was under the impression they were still negotiating, he didn't know they were in a rush to get it done, and that for the first time he now knows how brutal the industry can be. He stresses that he had no idea a trade was coming.

Interviews with the Avs assistant captains both say they never say this coming, Nate in particular stresses that he never thought Mikko would leave and he's heartbroken to see his friend go. He talks about how important he was off the ice, how much he meant to everyone in the room. The coach Jared Bednar talks about how hard it is to lose a close friend like this. This narrative will never be contradicted by any Avalanche reporting and the Avalanche general manager will go on to say it happened quick and they felt they had to jump on it.

Old teammates of Mikko's will be interviewed and will express their shock that they would ever let him go. Erik Johnson will comment "what the hell" on the trade announcement, and reach out to the Hurricanes commentators to let them know what an incredible person and player he is. During the opening face off of his first game with the Hurricanes, an Islander player tells Mikko he'll be alright.

Mikko will seem shell shocked in interviews, he will struggle to adjust to games, and he will get norovirus, an injured leg, and a black eye all while facing intense pressure from the Carolina front office to sign an 8 year extension. He will get off a plane and play with Carolina the same day he's traded. He struggles to adjust to the Hurricanes' system, which is notoriously one of the most difficult systems in the league, he struggles to build chemistry with his linemates, and he struggles to score goals. He will also be playing 5 minutes less.

While being interviewed, Sebastian Aho says that the team had slowed down and expected Mikko to lead the way, and he says they can't sit back and expect him to carry them. That they need to show him why they're such a good team and show him where he fits within that.

Despite this, Mikko Rantanen leads the Canes in shots on goal, off the rush chances, and chances generated. Every stat of his goes up from Colorado, except for one: his shot percentage. Mikko typically has a shot percentage of 15% and in Carolina it goes down to 4. Around him, the entire team seems to struggle, with the whole locker room getting sick, a struggling power play, and the break for four nations. Mikko manages to put up 2 goals and 4 assists in his 13 games with them. About half of his normal production which typically averages out to a point per game.

A contract number of 12.5 to 13 million is reported to be offered to Mikko, who does not outright reject it but asks for more time to consider since he has played less than ten games there.

Carolina's GM calls this trade risky and a gamble. Marty Necas goes on to say in an interview with Colorado press that the Canes never should have made the trade if they didn't already know he would sign. Their coach will say after the trade deadline that Rantanen told them he was not interested in signing, in direct contradiction to statements made by insiders, and that no trade should have been made unless they had a guarantee that he would sign.

Later, much later, an insider will report the Canes got positive feedback (not confirmation) from the Avalanche, not Rantanen or his agent, as teams are not allowed to negotiate with players on different teams directly, that Rantanen would be willing to sign. They also say that Rantanen's agent believed the whole trade suggestion to be a bluff by the Avalanche. A bluff like that would not be unprecedented, general managers do things like this frequently in the NHL.

At the end of the day, they did not know, as their were no advanced discussions with any of the players by their own teams, and they will have traded for him anyway on the hope they can convince him to stay. They won't.

The Dallas Trade

About a month before the trade deadline, rumors start circulating that Mikko is going to get traded again as his point production continues to suffer. He is placed first in the trade boards. Then, a week out from the deadline the first credible report goes out that Tulsky has asked around the league for interest in Rantanen. This will later be the time that Mikko will say he was sure he didn't want to stay in Carolina. Their first choice is the Leafs but the deal is contingent on Mitch Marner waiving his NMC which he is fully unwilling to do. Back to the drawing board.

Teams across the league apparently we're looking at Rantanen and making offers for him. Panthers, Leafs, Oilers (yes really), all were interesting in securing Mikko to their team. When it became apparent the Hurricanes were going with the Stars, several gms are reported as half-joking about sabatoging the trade because it would make the Stars too good.

The night before the trade, or early morning depending on how you look at it, it gets reported the Hurricanes are working out a deal with the Dallas Stars. A few hours later, the terms of a deal, Logan Stankonev and two draft picks, have been agreed to by both front offices but it hinges on Mikko Rantanen signing with the Stars. These negotiations between Mikko and the Stars go on for hours with reports they've stalled multiple times. Until three hours before the trade, when it's confirmed he has signed to the Stars for 12 million AAV (annual average value) for 8 years, making him the highest paid player in franchise history and the first one to ever to sign an 8 year deal all without playing for them once. The Stars become the new favorites to win the cup.

And in his first game with them, he puts up a third of his point total from his entirety within the Carolina system within one night of playing for the Stars. He scores the same amount of goals from 14 games in Carolina to 2 in Dallas.

The Aftermath

So, where does this leave us? Where does this leave Mikko, and the total of five players that have been moved around in trades centering him?

Necas and Drury have been settling into the Avs wonderfully. Hall, though not scoring any official goals, has been playing well for the Canes. Stankonov scores the game winning goal with his first game with the Hurricanes. Mikko for his part seems to be doing much better, fitting smoothly into the Stars system and mood noticably improving. He does over four interviews during his first day with the Stars and appears to be in pretty good spirits. The fans however are not.

Immediately there is heavy backlash from both Avs and Canes fans. Avalanche fans claim Mikko is a traitor who was asking for far more than he was worth and then signed for the same deal he rejected from the Avs just so he could play with a division rival. Hurricanes fans claim Mikko knew the whole time he didn't want to sign there but dragged things along to intentionally sabotage the Hurricane's front office. They will use Tulsky saying that since the Rantanen deal took so long he couldn't make trades for anyone else as evidence of this.

Mikko will say that he went with Dallas ultimately because he believes it to be a better fit and that he had to consider every aspect of his life, not just on the ice. He says he had to take his family into consideration, while mentioning his long term partner, Susanna Ranta, by name as someone he was taking into consideration. This leads a large portion of the affirmationed fanbases to stalk her Instagram, harass her, and flood twitter with some of the most misogynistic drival you can imagine. Fans will wish harm on both of them and spam images of him getting hit three times in a game against the Oilers. They will post hoping he tears his ACL, spamming under every possible post about him that he's a piece of shit who betrayed the Hurricanes or the Avalanche— depending on which teams colors they have in their profile picture.

Let me make it clear, I do not think this is representative of Canes or Avs fans. I know those men don't speak for you, but I mention the sheer outpouring of negativity because I think it's important and it is directly impacting Mikko and his family. He will never mention Susanna again, and you can see him cut himself off when he's talking about reasons why he chose Dallas during an interview with Oilers' media. Which will, in itself, be picked apart; people will mock him for stuttering and not being able to speak English— like he couldn't be stuttering because it's possible his words are being picked apart and one wrong choice will result in even more harassment for him and his family.

In a interview with Finnish media, Mikko will say he was overwhelmed by stress during his time with the Hurricanes due to trade talks and contract negotiations and that he had no idea what would happen next. Across interviews and articles, he will talk about the stress and uncertainty he was facing- how he was just trying to make the best of a bad situation. People will take a clickbait-Google-translated headline out of context and use it as evidence of Mikko talking bad about the Canes. There will be conflicting reports coming from Hurricanes media about whether or not they got confirmation about whether Mikko would agree to sign before coming here, and Mikko will take the flack for it all.

On the Avs side of things, several reporters have come out in defense of Rantanen but that they understand any negative feelings fans have about him not just playing for a long time division rival but signing there long term. They will also acknowledge that at the end of the day, it was the Avalanche who shipped Mikko out first.

Mikko has said that it's going to be hard and weird playing against the Avalanche the first time he does, and the second, and third. Bednar has said that he will be rooting for Mikko, just not against the Avs. Mackinnon said that it doesn't bother him, he plays against his close friends all the time. Toews said that it's going to be really hard and he's not looking forward to playing against Mikko for times a season. A lot of bittersweet sentiments from all sides.

Conclusion

There's really no good way to end this, a lot of information is still coming out and has been for days. A lot of ill-backed up claims have come out and been taken at fact, which bothers me simply because I'm autistic and the minutiae of getting ultimately irrelevant details correct is important to me. I've tried to cover every possible angle here but I know I have unavoidably missed context some fans are going to find unforgivably important, and I'm sorry about that.

While I think it's important context that Mikko was actively losing value in Carolina and the longer he stayed there the harder it would be to keep his contract number up, I understand why a signing like this would sting for Avalanche fans. I also understand why Hurricanes fans would be upset another star player wasn't interested in playing for their team long term. Hockey is a brutal business and these things hurt.

I've tried to break this timeline down in the most understandable manner while including all details that I find important. I cut a lot of stuff that, while interesting, wasn't really relevant. Hopefully I didn't cut to much. Feel free to send me an ask looking for further clarification on anything.

[crowsintheforest]

2024 is the year where I got a job at a library (huzzah!!!) which meant that I read a lot. and a lot of that was from previous years! so here's my top 10 not of 2024 list, which is 40% books.

(end of year top 10 tag)

a wizard of earthsea (ursula k. le guin, 1968): I can't believe I've never read these books. I love le guin's writing, and excellent podcast "shelved by genre" reading these was a good incentive for me to actually get off my ass and read a bunch of le guin. her book of poetry from 2017 was almost on this list as well, beautiful and funny and old. going to go after more this year!

the seventh seal (dir. ingmar bergman, 1957): did you know that one of the classics of cinema is really good? also really funny? so go play chess with death and think about the end of all things

scavengers reign (joseph bennett and charles huettner, hbomax, 2023): this show made me weep. beautifully haunting and hauntingly beautiful, a scifi story that could be a cosmic horror if you forget that even the horrors are part of a greater ecosystem, and sometimes the horrors are not unknowable but merely unknown and strange. I still think about this show, and probably will for the rest of my life. best show of the decade so far.

look back (fujimoto tatsuki, 2021): putting the manga over the (also exceptional) ova because I think fujimoto's overall artistry hit just a bit harder. a story about the reasons we make art, and the companionship in finding another weirdo to make art with, and how we move on while looking back at what inspired us

a visit to san sibilia (peter eijk, 2021): I tried to play a few solo/journaling rpgs this year, and san sibilia was my favorite. also has a great playlist!

true detective s1 (showrunner nic pizzolatto, hbo, 2014): watched this after finishing aw2 and in the run-up to "night country" (also good, better in retrospect than I gave it credit for at the time), and this classic of Two Weird Dude Cops Coping Poorly with Manhood is excellent television. still bummed it wasn't as paranormal as it could have been, but them's the breaks.

"COUNTER/weight" (friends at the table, 2015-2016): come for the mecha rpg, gorgeous worldbuilding with millennia-old robots and sociopolitical intrigue, and the mashup of space/cyberpunk/giant robot anime; stay for aria joy scoring girls by failing super duper hard. also giant tarps.

gris (nomada studio, 2018): both the game and the ost, so I'm cheating here for a top 10. a story about grief and mourning and song and color, up there with scavengers reign for most beautiful thing I experienced this year.

palestine (joe sacco, 1991-1992): sacco's graphic journalism of his time in palestine during 1991 and 1992 is both of its time (specifically right after the first intifada, with ongoing riots and imprisonment and interviews with palestinians of all backgrounds) and imminently timely (given the ongoing genocide in gaza and israel's occupation of palestine). it's a hard project to read, but invaluable for being incredibly humanizing, and humbling, and necessary. sacco's upcoming collaboration with art "maus" spiegelman is going to be one of my most anticipated comics.

a memory called empire (arkady martine, 2019): do you like political intrigue space operas? do you like murder mysteries? do you like future cities heavily influenced by byzantium and the aztec empires? how about language, linguistics, and the reaches of empire? wait, this is tumblr. do you like messy gays? if so, have I got the book for you! (also the sequel, a desolation called peace, is fantastic, so you've got TWO books in one recommendation! aha, I cheat again at top 10 lists!)