#winters beach ep

[ilynpilled]

asoiaf should have a beach episode in the middle of twow

[bamimilyt6]

I genuinely wonder how they're going to do the timeline for S3, because this is where a lot of Oseman works outside the comic kind of collide (This Winter and Solitaire both take place within the ~10 month period S3 will cover).

And the TV series, while still true to the comics, messes with the timeline and events a bit. Typically they've created more plot points (Sports Day, Imogen/Ben drama) to fill screen time, and they've moved some things around (Nelson-Spring family dinner) but since there's a lot of plot to cover in 8 episodes, I wonder what they're going to change or leave out.

And they will have to change a lot, depending on how much of Solitaire they keep in the show - no Bash means no Ben means no Solitaire making people kick the shit out of him??? Will they even include the Solitaire blog plot? Did the Imogen/Ben story line replace the Ben/Becky story line? And ofc no Olivia Coleman, which means none of the awesome Sarah Nelson moments :(

I'm just very intrigued and very excited for S3, because I know the Heartstopper team has something good cooked up for us!!

[alxtiny]

Sea Glass | Choi Jongho x reader

Synopsis: where you and jongho go on a beach date and make a new friend

Pairing: choi jongho x gn!reader, domestic au

Genre: fluff

Word count: 1k

Warnings: none :)

Notes: happy late birthday jongho!! Once again i took too long :’) this is in honour of that one wanteez ep

Main masterlist

The beach was quieter than usual when you and Jongho pulled up to it, only a handful of people hanging around. The crisp winter air bit softly at your skin but it was soothed by the warmth of the afternoon sun. You inhaled deeply, the scent of ocean filling your lungs as you stepped out of the car.

Jongho smiled as he stretched, looking effortlessly handsome even in his simple and cozy outfit—a black knit shirt and cute beanie that kept him comfy in the cool breeze. His eyes crinkled slightly as he glanced at you. "Perfect day for the beach, isn’t it?"

"Absolutely." You gave him a grin, pulling your cardigan tighter around you before linking your arm with his as you both walked toward the shore.

You found a sweet spot close to the water but just far enough to make sure your date won’t get interrupted by the waves. Jongho laid out the picnic blanket you’d bought and set down the little basket of food, and you both sat down, the sea stretching out in front of you, and the sunlight glittering against the blue of the water. There was something special about the beach in winter—it was less crowded, and the sun wasn’t as harsh as it was in the summer.

For a while, you both sat there and just talked, simply enjoying each other's company, while the sound of the waves crashing in the background played like a slow song. You looked at Jongho endearingly as he talked, a halo of light surrounding his flyaway hair, to you he looked stunning and you remembered you'd brought along your polaroid camera, and pulled it out. Jongho noticed and smiled. He knew you liked to take it with you everywhere and of course create your own little collection of candid photographs.

"Are we starting a beach photo series now?" he teased.

"Maybe," you said with a laugh. "Let me take one of you first."

He got up and posed dramatically, squinting at the sun and placing his hand on his hip in a mock-model stance, which made you giggle as you snapped the picture. Once the photo developed, you handed it to him.

He chuckled at the result, shaking his head. "I look ridiculous."

"No, you look adorable," you insisted, reaching for his cheeks and squishing them.

You spent the next few minutes taking turns with the camera, capturing every happy moment, the way the sunlight kissed Jongho’s skin, and the playful way you ran around in the sand, your hair floating behind, and pure bliss etched on your face.

Then, you had an idea. "Hey, you know what we should do?" you asked, eyes gleaming with excitement.

Jongho raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"We should try to find pieces of sea glass that match the color of our eyes. Think of it like a little treasure hunt."

Jongho laughed, amused by your randomly interesting thought. "You totally got that idea from a reel. But I’m down."

You decided to split up, wandering over to opposite sides of the beach. You carefully scanned the ground, looking for something in the deep brown shade of Jongho’s eyes. You found a few pieces of brown sea glass, feeling pleased with yourself as you collected them in your hand.

After a while, you heard Jongho approaching behind you. You turned to face him, grinning proudly as you held out your hand. "Look! I found some that match your eyes."

"Nice, I like them," Jongho nodded approvingly. Then, his voice turned serious. "What about mine? Want to see what I found?"

"Of course! What'd you get?" you asked eagerly, eyes sparkling in anticipation.

Jongho slowly brought his hands from behind his back, his lips widening into his signature gummy smile as he revealed his ‘find.’ But instead of sea glass, he held up a small octopus that had wrapped its tentacles around his wrist.

Your jaw dropped, your eyes widening like saucers as you stared at the tiny creature. "Is that—Jongho, is that an octopus?!"

He burst out laughing at your reaction. "Do you like it?" he said, wiping tears from his eyes from laughing too hard.

You couldn’t hold back your laughter either, doubling over as you clutched your sides. The little octopus raised its arms as if it was offended, slowly trying to cutely crawl up Jongho's arm, wiggling its tentacles. You quickly grabbed your camera and snapped a picture, holding onto the precious moment.

After calming down, you carefully helped Jongho return the octopus to the water, watching it swim away into the waves, as you waved goodbye.

“That’s definitely one for the beach series album,” you said, still grinning.

Jongho nodded, rubbing his arm. “I didn’t expect to make a new friend today.”

As the sun began to lower in the sky, you decided it was time to head home. The drive back was peaceful, the sky painted in hues of pink and orange as the sun descended beyond the horizon. By the time you reached home, the last bit of daylight was fading, and the warmth of your apartment welcomed you in.

“Ramen?” Jongho suggested, glancing at you with a soft smile as he tugged on his beanie, placing it beside your cardigan.

You nodded enthusiastically. “That’s perfect.”

You both worked together in the kitchen, making quick bowls of instant ramen while the TV in the living room played some random drama. Once the food was ready, you settled down on the couch, cuddling up close to each other as you ate.

The sea glass you had collected earlier was placed in a small jar on the windowsill, right beside the photo of Jongho and the octopus. Every time you glanced at it, you couldn’t help but smile, reminiscing the events of the day and the new friend you made.

Jongho ate his noodles quietly, watching the screen with a concentrated look before turning to you. "You know, we should do random things like this more often."

"Agreed," you said, leaning your head on his shoulder. "Next time, let’s not go around picking up random animals though."

Jongho chuckled softly. "Deal."

© alxtiny . Do not steal, plagiarise, translate, repost, or use my works on any platform in any way.

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DISCLAIMER: THIS IS PURE FICTION AND NOT RELATED TO THE MEMBERS OF ATEEZ IN REAL LIFE PLEASE DO NOT TAKE IT SERIOUSLY

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[majorhortonisonleaveinlondon]

An updated (January 9, 2025 9:04pm pst) list of WW2 movies and TV shows in chronological order

thought out WW2 -(Imitation Game 2014) -(The Book Thief 2013) -(The Zookeeper’s Wife 2017) -(The Pianist 2002)

1937

October 26, 1937 Defence of Sihang Warehouse (The Eight Hundred 2020)

December 13, 1937 Nanjing Massacre - (John Rabe 2009) - (The Flowers of War 2011)

1938

Fall of 1938 (Munich – The Edge of War 2022)

1939

Summer 1939 (Six Minutes to Midnight 2020)

September 3, 1939 King George VI first wartime speech (King’s Speech 2010)

September 17, 1939, Soviet Union Invitation of Poland (The Way Back 2010)

November 30, 1939 Soviet Union invades Finland (The Winter War 1989)

1940

April 9, 1940 Operation Weserübung -(April 9th [movie] 2015) -(King’s Choice 2016) -(Narvik 2022) -(War Sailors 2023)

April 27, 1940 (Into the White 2011)

June 4, 1940 -Churchill gives “We Shall Fight on the Beaches” speech (Darkest Hour 2017) -Dunkirk Evaluation (Dunkirk 2017)

July 10-October 31, 1940 Battle of Britain (Battle of Britain 1969)

1941

May 1941 (Call to Spy 2019)

June 22, 1941 Operation Barbarossa -(Fortress of War [The Brest Fortres 2010) -(Defiance 2008)

September 8, 1941, Siege of Leningrad begins. -(Battle of Leningrad [Saving Leningrad] 2019) -(Leningrad 2009)

October 1941 Battle of Moscow (The Last Frontier [The Final Stand] 2020)

October 1941 Battle of Sevastopol (Battle for Sevastopol 2015)

December 7, 1941, the Empire of Japan attacks Pearl Harbor (Tora! Tora! Tora! 1970)

December 8, 1941 Japan invades Shanghai International Settlement (Empire of the Sun 1987)

1942

January 20, 1942, Wannsee Conference (Conspiracy 2001)

February 1942 Battle of the Atlantic (Greyhound 2020)

February 1942 (The Railway Man 2013)

February 19, 1942, Bombing of Darwin (Australia 2008)

Spring 1942 (U-571 2000)

April 18, 1942 The Doolittle Raid (In Harm’s Way 2018)

June 4, 1942 Battle of Midway (Midway 2019)

1942 Summer Occupation of Jersey Island (Another Mother’s Son 2017 Prime)

July, 10 1942 Easy Company Trains in Camp Tocca (Band of Brothers 01x10 Currahee 2001)

July 21, 1942, Kokoda Track Campaign (Kokoda: 39th Battalion 2006)

August 7, 1942, 1st Marine Division land on Guadalcanal (The Pacific Ep. 1 Guadalcanal/Leckie 2010)

August 19, 1942, Dieppe Raid (Dieppe 1993)

August 23, 1942 Battle of Stalingrad begins (Stalingrad 1993)

September 1942 Formation of Troop 30 (Age of Heroes 2011)

September 18, 1942, 7th Marines Land on Guadalcanal (The Pacific Ep. 2 Basilone 2010)

Autumn of 1942 Battle of the Atlantic (Das Boot 1981)

October 18, 1942, Operation Grouse (Heavy Water War Ep. 2 2015)

November 8, 1942, Operation Torch (The Big Red One 1980)

November 10-17 1942 Vasily Zaytsev kills 225 German Soldiers during the Battle of Stalingrad (Enemy at the Gates 2001)

December 1942 The 1st Marine Division on Guadalcanal is relieved (The Pacific Ep. 3 Melbourne 2010)

December 15, 1942, Battle of Mount Austen (Thin Red Line 1998)

1943

March 13-14 1943, liquidation of the Kraków Ghetto -(Schindler’s List 1993)

April 17, 1943 Operation Mincemeat (Operation Mincemeat 2021)

April 19, 1943, beginning of the Warsaw Uprising (Uprising 2001)

May 4, 1943, Final Mission of The Memphis Bell (Memphis Bell 1990)

May 15, 1943, Salamo Arouch and his family arrive in Auschwitz Concentration Camp (Triumph of the Spirit 1989)

May 27, 1943 Louis Zamperini plane crashes on a search and rescue mission (Unbroken 2014)

May 30, 1943 first All-American Girls Professional Baseball League game played (A League of Their Own 1992)

June 25, 1943, 100th Bomb Group flew its first 8th Air Force combat mission (Master of the Air: Part One 2024)

July 1943 -(The Tuskegee Airmen 1995) -(The Liberator Ep. 1 2020) -(Heavy Water War Ep. 5 2015)

July 16, 1943, The 100th Bomb Group bombed U-Boats in Tronbhdim (Masters of the Air: Part Two 2024)

August 17, 1943 the 4th Bomb Wing of the 100th Bomb Group bombed Regenberg (Masters of the Air: Part Three 2024)

September 16, 1943, William Quinn and Charles Bailey leave Belgium (Masters of the Air: Part Four 2024)

September 18, 1943 John ‘Bucky’ Egan returns from leave to join the mission to bomb Munster (Master of the Air: Part Five 2024

October 14, 1943, John ‘Bucky’ Egan interrogated at Dulag Lut, Frankfurt Germany (Masters of the Air: Part Six 2024)

December 26, 1943, 1st Marine Division lands on Cape Gloucester (The Pacific Ep. 4 Gloucester/Pavuvu/Banika 2010)

1944

January 22, 1944, Battle of Anzio -(The Liberator Ep. 2 2020) -(Red Tails 2012) -(Anzio 1968)

February 20, 1944, Hydro Ferry bombing (Heavy Water War Ep. 6 2015)

March 7, 1944, Stalag Luft III Sagan, Germany, Germans find the concealed radio Bucky was using to learn news of the War (Master of the Air: Part Seven 2024)

March 24/25, 1944 Allied Mass Escape of Stalag Luft III (The Great Escape 1963)

June 1944 (Cross of Iron 1977)

June 6, 1944, 00:48 & 01:40 First airborne troops begin to land on Normandy (Band of Brothers 02x10 Day of Days 2001)

June 6, 1944, 06:30 D-Day landings -(Storming Juno 2010)

-(Saving Private Ryan 1998)

June 10, 1944, Easy Company Takes Carentan (Band of Brothers 03x10 Carentan 2001)

June 15-July 9, 1944 Battle of Saipan

-(Windtalkers 2002)

-(Oba: The Last Samurai 2011)

July, 1944 The Monuments Men land in Normandy (The Monuments Men 2014)

July 20, 1944 Operation Valkyrie (Valkyrie 2008)

August 12, 1944, The 332nd Fighter Group attack Radar stations in Southern France (Masters of the Air: Part Eight 2024)

September 15, 1944, U.S. Marines landed on Peleliu at 08:32 (the Pacific Ep. 5 2010)

September 16, 1944, U.S Marines take Peleliu Airfield (the Pacific Ep. 5 2010)

September 17, 1944, Operation Market Garden

-(Band of Brothers 04x10 Replacements 2001)

-(A Bridge Too Far 1977)

October 2, 1944 Battle of Scheldt (Forgotten Battle 2021)

October 12, 1944, Battle of Peleliu, Assault on Bloody Nose Ridge (the Pacific Ep. 7 Peleliu Hills 2010)

October 13, 1944, Rovaniemi public buildings were destroyed (Sisu 2022)

October 14, 1944, Erwin Rommel is arrested (Rommel 2012 Prime)

October 22/23, 1944, 2100 – 0200 Operation Pegasus (Band of Brothers 05x10 Crossroads 2001)

November 1944 middle of the Battle of Hürtgen Forest (When Trumpets Fade 1998)

December 16, 1944, Battle of the Bulge (Band of Brothers 06x10 Bastogne 2001)

December 1944 (Hart’s War 2002)

1945

January 2, 1945 (The Liberator Ep 3 2020)

January 10, 1945 (Attack Force Z)

January 13, 1945, Battle of Foy (Band of Brothers 07x10 The Breaking Point 2001)

January 30, 1945 The Raid at Cabanatuan (The Great Raid 2002)

February 14, 1945, David Webb rejoins the 506th in Haguenau (Band of Brothers 08x10 The Last Patrol 2001)

February 19, 1945, Battle of Iwo Jima starts. - (Letters from Iwo Jima 2006) - (The Pacific Ep. 8 Iwo Jima 2010) - (Flags of our Fathers 2006)

February 15, 1945, 6888 Battalion was inspected and marched in review before Major General John C. H. Lee (Six Triple Eight 2024)

March 7, 1945, Battle of Remagen (The Bridge at Remagen 1969)

March 21, 1945, Operation Carthage (The Bombardment 2021)

April, 1945 (Fury 2014)

April 5, 1945, 506th Finds abandoned Concentration Camp (Band of Brothers 09x10 Why We Fight 2001)

April 17, 1945 Lee Miller arrives at Concentration Camp Buchenwald (Lee 2023)

April 26, 1945, near the end of the war in Europe (A Woman in Berlin 2008)

April 29, 1945, 45th Infantry Division liberated Dachau Concentration camp (The Liberator Ep. 4 2020)

May 2, 1945, Fall of Berlin -(Downfall 2004) -(Jojo Rabbit 2019)

May 1945 Battle of Okinawa -(Hacksaw Ridge 2016) -(The Pacific Ep. 9 Okinawa 2010)

May 7, 1945, Germany Surrenders V-E Day - (Master of the Air: Part Nine 2024) - (Band of Brothers 10x10 Points 2001)

July 30, 1945, USS Indianapolis sank. (USS Indianapolis 2016)

August 15, 1945, The Empire of Japan surrenders end of the War. -(Oppenheimer 2023) -(The Pacific Part Ten: Home 2010)

September 11, 1945 US Military search and Arrest Japanese Leaders for war crimes (Emperor 2012)

1946 April 29, 1946 Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal (Tokyo Trial 2016)

[quakinqueer]

Hey so I've had this in my drafts for well over a month, then that recent smosh mouth came out, rendering this near useless, but I'm still gonna post it cause why not.

Beginner's Guide to Smosh Seasonal Games

(For newer fans, even though no one asked. And yes I'm manifesting summer/winter games 2024, look away.) Mostly sourced from the Smosh Wiki.

1- Smosh Summer Games! (2015)

1st trailer aired: June 27, 2015 ~ Finale: July 31, 2015 This was the OG that started it all! No theme, unless you count it being entirely held at a beach house. Very classic smosh vibes, inappropriate jokes, and queerbaiting galore, with 12 episodes total across Pit (2nd channel at the time) and Games. (tbh I haven't seen this one). This was held shortly after the 'main squad' was cast (Keith, N*ah, Olivia, and Courtney), and was Shayne's official introduction to the channel! Teams/Cast: Bananarama: Anthony (Captain), Lasercorn (David Moss), Courtney, N*ah, Mari Takahashi, Jovenshire (Joshua Evan Ovenshire). Jiggle Physics: Ian (Captain), W*s J*hns*n, Sohinki (Matt Sohinki), Flitz (Amra Ricketts). Keith, Olivia. Refs/Hosts: Shayne, Joe Beretta Winners: Bananarama Special Awards: MVP - N*ah, LVP - Lasercorn, Biggest Fail - Olivia.

2- Smosh Winter Games! (2016)

1st trailer aired: Jan 30, 2016 ~ Final Ep: Feb 29, 2016 The first Winter Games! Similar classic vibes to the first, except by this time the 'main squad' was much more settled in and comfortable with each other, and the overall cast. Strangely, Ian and Anthony didn't actually participate in the games, but commentated (not sure why). Combo of actual competition eps and also videos for other shows aka specials (s-s-s-sleepover, put it in my mouth) that were winter games themed. 23 videos total across 2nd Channel (Pit) and Games. Teams/Cast: Snow Fleeks: Anthony (captain), Mari, W*s, Sohinki, Keith, Olivia, refs. Blue Balls: Ian (captain), Lasercorn, Shayne, Courtney, Flitz, N*ah, Jovenshire. Refs/Hosts: M*tt R**b, Joe Beretta, Sunny Peabody. Winners: Blue Balls Special Awards: MVP- Olivia, LVP- Joven, Epic Moment- Lasercorn, Biggest Fail- W*s. (Lasercorn got Epic Moment for dropping an actual fire rap during the *wrap* battle)

3- Smosh Summer Games: Camp (2016)

1st trailer aired: June 25, 2016 ~ Final Ep: July 30, 2016 The first one to have a theme, extremely iconic, the vibes were starting to peak around this time with the main squad being almost fully settled in by this point. For those of you who do not know, back in the day Smosh had separate casts for main/pit and for games, and the seasonal games were one of the only series where they would consistently appear together, and were originally intended to be a bonding activity. This one was the first to really let those dynamics *shine*, and really have them interact in memorable ways. Also best challenges up until this point cause of the theme. 13 specials and 9 competition episodes across games and 2nd channel, this time accompanied by a few vlogs on Courtney's personal channel. Teams/Cast: Kumbayaaas: Anthony (captain), Jovenshire, N*ah, Olivia, W*s, Courtney, Sohinki Harshmallows: Ian (captain), Mari, Keith, Shayne, Lasercorn, Flitz, refs Refs/Camp Counselors: M*tt R**b, Joe Beretta, Sunny Peabody. Winners: Harshmallows Special Awards: MVP- Olivia, LVP- Sohinki, Epic moment- Ian, Biggest Fail- W*s (Sohinki had to leave early due to sickness and so automatically got LVP)

4- Smosh Winter Games: Again! (2017)

1st trailer aired: Jan 31, 2017 - Final Ep: Feb 28, 2017 Longest seasonal games by far, lot of iconic moments and fun specials, featured CFM's 2nd ever appearance, and was also Boze's debut as a games member! Not much else to say about this one, it's a blast with a lot of classic moments. Oh, and it was the last seasonal games to feature both Ian and Anthony as team captains :,). 19 specials (Game Bang, Board af, hot tub truth or dare, etc.) and 8 competition episodes across pit and games. Teams/Cast: Spaghetti Yetis: Anthony (captain), Boze, Sohinki, Lasercorn, Olivia, Flitz, Shayne Dablizzards: Ian (captain), Keith, W*s, Mari, N*ah, Courtney, Jovenshire Refs/Hosts: M*tt R**b, Joe Beretta, Sunny Peabody, Sarah Whittle, Tanner Risner. Winners: Spaghetti Yetis Special Awards: MVP - Anthony, LVP - Jovenshire, Epic Moment - Shayne, Biggest Fail - Boze

5- Smosh Summer Games: Wild West! (2017)

Trailer aired: June 26, 2017 - Final ep: July 31, 2017 WWIIIILLLLDDDD HWEST! Let me tell yall this one is ICONIC, for so many reasons, in so many ways. Filmed on an awesome location (a ranch in Nevada), great teams, the production quality was top-notch, and let's not forget the infamous bar-brawl fight choreography of the trailer. So many iconic moments its astounding. Damien's first seasonal games, and also the first to neither feature Anthony nor have team captains (instead of picking teams dodgeball style like they had done previously, this time the teams were picked via a lottery). 15 specials (maricraft, board af, etc.), and 8 competition episodes across pit and games. Fun fact, this season was filmed a week before the "Anthony is leaving smosh" video was released. Teams/Cast: Randy Bandits: Lasercorn, N*ah, Olivia, Damien, Mari, Ian, Flitz Cowbaes: Jovenshire, Courtney, Shayne, Keith, W*s, Sohinki, Boze Refs/Sheriffs: M*tt R**b, Joe Beretta, Sunny Peabody Winners: Randy Bandits Special Awards: MVP - Flitz, LVP - W*s, Epic Moment - Shayne, Biggest Fail - Jovenshire Shayne told his Epic Moment story on the pod, but incase you missed it: during a hangman competition he managed to guess a 2-word answer, with no letters on the board, on his first try. The answer was Wyatt Earp. Some out of context references: "MUNGE", "My name is Calamity Janet, and I am crazy.", "Sorry"×20, *wide shot of damien holding up his fist for like 3 minutes*, *Mama bird*, *shot in the chest* "Where's Anthony?"

6- Smosh Summer Games: We Blew It! (2018)

Trailer aired: August 17, 2018 - Final ep: August 24, 2018 Folks, what can I say, they blew it. They had 10 dollars and a dream for this one, and they tried their best, but it is admittedly still the weakest of the Summer Games. Between airing later than any other, taking place within only a week as opposed to a month, having the least amount of competitions (5) and the least amount of specials (1 Smosh and Order), this one really is a last-ditch effort sort of ordeal. But make no mistake, it's no one's fault but Defy Fuckhead Media Inc.; in case you missed the Smosh mouth ep, the story goes that Defy simply didn't want summer games to happen that year, and gave M*tt R**b an eighth of the usual budget. Despite all this, I'm sure if you go back and watch it, the videos are actually really enjoyable with some fun goofs and special moments. The first games to not feature Sohinki or Flitz, and this time there were team captains, chosen according to the personal awards given the prior year. Teams/Cast: Inflatabulls: Jovenshire (Captain, previous winner of Biggest Fail), Mari, Damien, Courtney, Keith, Boze Balloonatics: Shayne (Captain, previous winner of Most Epic Moment), Lasercorn, N*ah, Ian, W*s, Olivia Refs: M*tt R**b, Sarah Whittle Guest Refs/Guest Judges:  Garrett Palm, Joe Bereta, Spencer Agnew, Tanner Risner and Tim Baker Winners: Balloonatics Special Awards: MVP - Mari, LVP - Damien, Epic Moment/Biggest Win - Lasercorn, Biggest Fail - W*s

7- Smosh Summer Games: Apocalypse! (2019)

Trailer aired: July 15, 2019 - Final ep: August 16, 2019 APPOOOCALYPSSE!! This one ROCKS! Not quite as iconic as Wild West, but it's honestly up there in my opinion. The first and only summer games post-mythical, and a return to normalcy from We Blew It in terms of length, airing schedule, etc., probably because they'd managed to find a sponsor to help with the budget. This one had some greeaat specials, including Spelling Bee-kini Wax, Maricraft, Try Not To Laugh: Gauntlet (so many iconic bits from these tntls, and if I'm not mistaken one of Tommy's earliest appearances), and a lot of Smoshcast. Fun fact, Sohinki was actually invited to participate but was in Italy at the time, so Kimmy was cast as a guest participant instead to even out the teams. The first to have no team selection process or opening ceremony, instead the teams were pre-picked at random and revealed during the trailer. 18 specials and 8 competition episodes across Pit, Games, and Smoshcast. Teams/Cast: ToxiciTea: Jovenshire, Ian, Olivia, Mari, Shayne, W*s Mushroom Clout: N*ah, Lasercorn, Damien, Keith, Courtney, Kimmy Refs: M*tt R**b, Sarah Whittle Guest Refs/Guest Judges:  Joe Bereta Winners: ToxiciTea Special Awards: MVP - Joven, LVP - Shayne, Epic Win/Moment - Courtney, Epic Fail - Ian Fun little end note, Lasercorn, up until this point, had never lost a single season, and had been described for a while as having a 'Winning Streak'. That became a big running gag this season in particular, with Lasercorn describing his team as being 'Blessed by the power of the streak', while ToxiciTea claimed that was the year the streak would be broken. In the end, it was. On Twitter and other socials, the hashtags "#Breakthestreak" and "#Thestreakisreal" were used by the fandom to support either team. Overall super fun season with a lot of fandom involvement.

This took me way too long. Enjoy!

[xienst]

MASTERLIST of all ! era EVENT stories

reading all enstars! stories is... a lot. what if I want to read just the event stories?

[summaries will be added to the complete stories masterpost]

meanwhile, links to translations of !event stories here u go:

from spring:

THE FLAG'S HONOUR (fine) - spring2

EASTER NIGHT (switch, valkyrie) - spring3

BOOK FAIR (knights, switch) - spring12

RESURRECTION SUNDAY (undead, akatsuki, 2wink) - spring14

PURPLE WISTERIAS OF MAY (mam, rst, r, k) - spring 15

HAPPY SPRING (ra*bits) - spring 23

BAND ENSEMBLE (trickstar, undead, ritsu) - spring 24

SCHOOL FESTIVAL 4 (rst, kk, kh, tm, wh) - spring 31

from summer:

SHINSENGUMI (akatsuki, trickstar) - summer 8

AMUSEMENT LIVE (2wink, ra*bits) - summer 10

MAGNOLIA (fine) [unavailable] - summer 17

SUNSHOWER FESTA (switch, 2wink) - summer 18

RAINBOW (g&a) - summer 19

POOL (Tomoya, switch, trickstar) - summer 22

SUMMER LIVE (eve, trickstar) - summer 35

STARS * GLITTERS OF THE PRISM- (crossover) - summer 39

SUMMER NIGHT FESTIVAL - (akatsuki, ra*bits) - summer 42

BEACH MATCH (rst, 2wink) - summer 47

PLEIADES NIGHT (switch, trickstar, ra*bits) - summer 52

AQUARIUM - (rst, undead) summer 54

CHEVAL LIVE - (knights, valkyrie) summer 55

from autumn:

TSUKIMI LIVE (akatsuki, ra*bits) - autumn 2

REVENGE MATCH (eden, trickstar, fine) - autumn 7

MUSIC FESTA (rst, fine, izumi) - autumn 11

FLEUR DE LIS (knights, reikao, mam) - autumn 13

ROCKIN STAR (undead, trickstar)- autumn 17

MAGICAL HALLOWEEN - autumn 21

SWEET HALLOWEEN (rst, ra*bits, mam) - autumn 22

HORROR NIGHT HALLOWEEN (knights, trickstar) - autumn 23

SCHOOL TRIP (fine, knights, trickstar)- autumn 24

BLOOD BANQUET (undead, switch, valkyrie) - autumn 25

HOSPITAL VISIT (rst, mam, kh, ns) - autumn 26

TOYLAND (fine, kh, sk, ha) -autumn 32

SOIREE IN THE CANARY HALL- (knights, mam, nn, ko) autumn 33

from winter:

CATS AND THE CAMELIA TRAIN (akatsuki, knights) - winter 5

CHRISTMAS LIVE (rst, 2wink) - winter 9

STAR FESTIVAL (knights, valkyrie) - winter 12

JINGLE BELLS - (fine, trickstar, ta, mt) winter 13

ROMANTIC COMEDY (undead, ra*bits) - winter 14

HOLIDAY PARTY (undead, rst) - winter 15

SS (trickstar, eden) - winter 18

DREAM TRAVEL (fine, mt, hs, kh, ss)- winter 30

FORTUNE DREAM BANQUET (knights, switch) - winter 31

SAGA (trickstar, eden) [ongoing] - winter 32

DINER LIVE - winter 33

SETSUBUN FESTIVAL (2wink, rei, mi, kh, rs, ns, sh) - winter 34

SWEET AND BITTER (knights, ra*bits) - winter 42

DECORATE (undead, akatsuki) - winter 43

HOT AND ELEGANT CHOCOLATE FES (rst, valkyrie) - winter 44

WONDER GAME (switch, eden) - winter 49

next year spring

CLASS LIVE (class 2a + tsumugi + yuta)

HUMAN COMEDY (valkyrie + nn, kk, ra*bits)

REQUIEM (knights)

EP: LINK (fine, trickstar)

OPERETTA (undead)

note: labels of "<season><number>" are according to my masterpost of summaries,, I apologise for the messiness of the labels -> will create a spreadsheet for this one day

also i dont own any of these translations i did not make them (most links are to the wiki via the wayback machine, but some are to current translations on tumblr that are still ongoing)

[bubblesandgutz]

Every Record I Own - Day 833: Minutemen Buzz or Howl Under the Influence of Heat

My friend Tom gave me Minutemen's Post Mersh Vol. 2 on cassette for my 15th birthday back in 1992. Along with our friend Frank, Tom and I played in a punk band in the small beach town of Kailua, Oahu. None of us really knew how to play our instruments, but that was okay. Someone at my high school had told me "if you want to learn to play bass, listen to Mike Watt." So I'd begun scoping out Watt's bands: fIREHOSE, Minutemen, and Dos. Coincidentally, Minutemen had no idea how to play when they started either. They famously didn't even know about tuning their guitars when they started out and thought you just tuned them to a tension that felt good on the fingers.

Some of Minutemen's early works were a bit impenetrable for me at that age, but Project Mersh Vol. 2, which combined the Buzz or Howl EP with the Project Mersh EP, clicked right away. It certainly helped that Project Mersh was deliberately written to be accessible ("mersh" being slang for "commercial"), but I was more drawn to agitated songwriting on Buzz or Howl. The atonal truncated skronk-punk that typified their early records like Paranoid Time and The Punch Line was still on display on songs like "Dream Told By Moto." And there were the strange improvised jams like "Dreams Are Free, Motherfucker" and "The Toe Jam." But these forays into disjointed funk and free jazz were offset by certified rockers like "Self-Referenced," "Cut," and "I Felt Like a Gringo."

My favorite track, however, was "Little Man With a Gun In His Hand." I have a distinct memory of listening to that song on my walkman while biking across town after finishing my shift at my summer job. The sun was low in the sky and I was cruising down a long hill on an unpopulated stretch of road between my work and my house when the instrumental break with D. Boon's descending guitar line came on. It was one of those moments where the music inadvertently served as the perfect soundtrack. I'd been pedaling my bike like mad, driven by the adrenaline of the song's punk energy, and I'd hit the downhill section where I could just cruise right at the calm breakdown before the final crescendo.

That August my family moved to Washington State, and I'd listen to "Little Man With a Gun In His Hand" frequently over the course of my first year there. It was an antidote to the dark gray Northwest winter. Every time I listened to it, I was transported back to a warm Hawaiian summer evening, biking across town with my headphones on.

So much of my listening habits now are a matter of trying to find a good balance between familiar music that transports me to a moment in my past and discovering new music to bond with new memories moving forward. For me, a big part of record collecting is about having a physical object that ties you to a time and place. And while I certainly need to be better about letting things go, there are records like Buzz or Howl that have such a rich and vibrant memory associated with them that I could never bear to part with it.

[simslegacy5083]

NSB (Straud Legacy) Gen 9 Ep. 107: Island Living

Luigi and Noemi didn’t have any immediate plans to get married, but after moving to Sulani the couple enjoyed a serene “honeymoon period” between graduation and the birth of their child, temporarily free of any responsibilities.

Noemi had always taken great pleasure in throwing on her PJs and lounging around after a day of classes. In her current monstrously pregnant state, she was even happier to spend long hours curled up on the couch with her favorite books and no worries.

Luigi felt like he’d been waiting his whole life to make it to Sulani and he was determined to savor every minute of it now. It didn’t matter if he was having breakfast on the beach or combing the sand for treasures, everything felt like paradise. He couldn’t wait to share it all with his son.

Of course, the two computer science grads never spent too long away from their laptops either.

Now that he had all the free time in the world Luigi threw himself into updating his sadly neglected Sims Forever mods and even making a couple new ones! He loved the storytelling aspect of the game and hoped his latest mod full of dynamic conversation options would help others enjoy it more too. Polishing each mod to perfection gave him a new appreciation for one of his defining personality traits, trying to be the best at anything he did.

As for Noemi, she’d become uncomfortable with the pitiful bank balance left over after Luigi “perfectly” furnished their new home.  She went online and found a small computer graphics gig to help them stay afloat until their real jobs started after their baby was born.

They may have been living their island dreams with no significant worries but that didn’t stop life from throwing them a curveball now and then.

Luigi was disappointed to be hit with an eczema flare-up shortly after they moved in. It turned out too much time spent in the hot, humid tropical air could be just as hard on his sensitive skin as the dry cold of winter.

Noemi found it much easier to deal with the final stage of her pregnancy free from the requirement of sitting at a small school desk for hours on end, but by this point her full-term baby had basically run out of room, and his kicks and tumbles often hit her where it hurt!

To help ease their pains, they went outdoors in the cool evenings; indulging in some gentle yoga to strengthen their bodies and clear their minds.

Just like when they’d first gotten together, Denton invited the couple to come out of their “bubble” and socialize with the rest of simanity, or at least their little gaming club. The group was embarking on a brief “touch grass” hike one beautiful afternoon on The Bluffs in Windenburg and hoped the couple would join them.

Noemi wasn’t keen on dressing up to go waddling through the forest, but she stopped Luigi when he pulled out his phone to cancel for them both.

Rather than stay home together and watch him miss out, she felt sure her midwives would advise her to take the opportunity for some gentle exercise.

In the end Noemi had more fun than Luigi! It wasn’t too crowded, and she discovered that she and Denton had similar taste in books. She spent the afternoon happily chatting with him about some of their favorite series and trading reading recommendations.

Nearby, Luigi was having a much less enjoyable conversation. He had just learned the reason his gaming acquaintance had lost his job at Luigi’s family fizzery: an overwhelming struggle with kleptomania. Luigi was livid, but with a glance at his happy fiancée he took a deep breath and avoided a scene.

He stiffly thanked Chase for coming clean, wishing him luck with his treatment program and attempts to make amends to those his disorder had hurt.

The very next day they got a call from Great Grandpa Candor inviting them to the flea market. Denton, who lived nearby, walked over to meet them.

Noemi had been experiencing some minor cramping that morning but kept it to herself so as not to dissuade Luigi from spending this time with his family. She was sure it was just the “practice contractions” she’d read about. After all, she wasn’t quite to her due date and first babies were often late.

As soon as they arrived outside the gaming center across from the market, she learned that her discomfort had been “the real deal”. They’d only just said hello when her water broke. She barely had time to register that, as it was immediately followed by a strong and undeniably real contraction.

Luigi, who was chatting with his grandfather a few steps away, didn’t see what had happened. Luckily Denton, who’d been through childbirth already with Bridget, was standing nearby and immediately understood the situation.

He called out to his cousin, pointing meaningfully at Noemi who was still trying to catch her breath. Seeing the puddle around his fiancée’s feet Luigi ran over, making his excuses to the others as he led her carefully away to the teleport station.

There would be no shopping today, it was go time for baby!

View The Full Story of My Not So Berry Challenge Here

[dufrau]

Ronance Fic Master List - Titface/Dufrau

So originally I planned to just write one tiny little thing to clear the Ronance rot out of my brain but that turned into two things and so on and so forth and basically i have written a lot of ronance fics at this point and it makes sense to put them in a pinned post, so that’s what this is. Under the cut you will find much ronance.

Short Stuff

Exile - M - 3K -  A quiet little first kiss scene post s4.

Slowly, and The All At Once - T - 3.5k -  The next 10 years of Nancy Wheeler’s life, in brief.

I Wish I Was the Moon - M - 2.5k -  Nancy Wheeler always got what she wanted, and it was never what she really wanted.

Linens And Things - T - 2.5k - The color pink and first kisses.

If We Were Crocodiles - T - 4.5k - Valentine’s Day library flirting.

love minus zero/no limit - G - 1k - just a little love letter to nancy wheeler

if you look (and know what to look for) - T - 4k - prompt fill “water tower at midnight”

In Spite of Ourselves - E - 4.5k - soft domestic sort-of-smut

Retail Therapy - T - 3.5k - flirting at Family Video

Harpoon - G - 3k - vignettes about wanting things

Old Soldiers - T - 1.5k - Nancy character study. pstd and sports references.

A Goo Incident - T - 4k - patrol fic/proposal.

Turns - T - 2.5k - A game of Never Have I Ever. Sort of.

Medium to Longer Stuff But It’s Still Short Because That’s What I Do

Red & White & Blue & Gold - T - 9k - 3+1 times Ronance said “Hey. You wanna get out of here?”

Entirely On Purpose and According To Plan - E - 14k - A stakeout. But like, in a sexy way.

Oh Baby, It's All A Catastrophe - T - 6.5k - Halloween chaos.

Wanna Do Right, But Not Right Now - M - 8k -  Cozy campfire post-college makeouts.

Molotov - E - 10k - Apocalyptic fighting and fucking on a drug dealer’s couch.

tits out for annie oakley - E - 9k - Post s4 hurt/comfort smut.

you're covered in sun and I forgot my camera (wishing it was real) - E - 9k - timey wimey smut

high noon baby - E - 9.5k - pool party adjacent smut

Orange Crush - T - 7k - midnight phone call fic descending into chaos

Resolution - E - 10k - new years eve smut

Incredibly Wholesome, Actually - E - 7k - this is just smut there is no plot

All Things Go - M - 6.5k - jancy breakup, nancy finds independence, eventual ronance

hanging on the telephone - E - 7k - phonance smut

when you need a train it never comes - T - 11k - 4+1 ronance getting to know each other by the train tracks

Crimes Against Decency In A Family Establishment (The Power of Love) - E - 11k - Very silly family video smut

Nantasket - M - 7k - melancholy beach vacation

Robin Buckley and The Secret of the Yellow Polka Dot Bikini - E - 8k - silly bathing suit shopping and changing room smut

Scar Tissue - E - 10k - smut with hurt/comfort scar kissing

Respectability - E - 7k - butch/femme coded banter and smut

We Took That Holy Ride) Ourselves To Know Series aka Bigfootverse (complete)

Nothing But The Whole Wide World - M - 11k - "I want to find Bigfoot," Nancy said. 

One Too Many Mornings (and A Thousand Miles Behind) - M - 13k - Nine days before Nancy Wheeler said "I want to find Bigfoot," Robin screwed Vickie from the marching band in the back seat of her parents' Buick. 

What's One More Time - M - 4.5k - All of that, maybe, added together, the sum of it, was what had Robin picking up the phone next to her bed and dialing a number in the dark she had memorized but never used."

There's A Train Leaving Nightly Called When All Is Said And Done - T - 10k - They had met, really met each other, in the springtime. And they had only ever really known each other in the summer.Nancy had never really seen Robin in the winter.

You Are My Home  aka the TLOU Bill & Frank AU (complete)

My Piece of Land - M - 24k - Ronance TLOU Ep 3 Bill & Frank AU where they are middle aged apocalypse lesbians 

Into Dust - M - 6k - TLOU Nancy’s Barb origin story, the thing that made her who she is in the main fic. 

Different Days - M - 11k - TLOU Robin POV and backstory

Count Them - T - 1.5k - Fluffy vignette about chickens

Stuff I Posted Only On Tumblr

tenlark wedding night - t - 1.5k - just a little scene based on eskawrites erathia au within their fic this story that we found ourselves in

incredibly silly smut prompt - m - 600 words - this is just very stupid but i stand by it

[samkat10423]

Some more lots

Didn't get much done yesterday, since I'm lazy. And the weather here has finally left the minus digits and is semi-warm. Plus - our furnace which died right at the beginning of our Artic Winter phase - was finally replaced. Took 2 weeks to get one, but it works so no more freezing our tuchus off.

Anyway, I decided to work on a beach lot to replace that one over by the Wolff house. Recurve Strand - or something like that.

This is another Lili lot that I altered. Where that scuba shop is, she had a bar and some picnic tables. I got rid of that and built the little shop. Then I placed a lifeguard chair and awning - so my stupid sims don't drown. I really don't care if they do - gets rid of the stupid gene from the DNA gene pool - but the local sims all seem to care. Inside those 3 little builds, I made them more functional - as is: I got rid of all the unnecessary crap that was inside and made them into actual changing rooms. Later on, I'll add that surf thingie that EA sold in the store, so my stupid sims can surf. And maybe some yoga mats so they can channel their inner zen. But for now, this is it.

Then I hopped over to where that Lofty Cerulean pool was. My whiney sims complained that they were breaking out in rashes whenever they took a dip - like my city council cares. The local doctors - who attended the meeting - reminded them that they could treat their rashes for an astronomical fee. All they have to do is come to the ER, but they insisted that the pool needed to be upgraded. After all of 30 minutes of deliberation - 25 of which were spent on bathroom breaks - the council came back with their answer. NO. After all - as they told them - if you can come all the way to city hall to picket and throw temper tantrums, you can walk to the town pool.

With that, they bulldozed the old lot and built some tennis courts. They did leave the old building - where they sell booze, because they can. In an effort to save some simoleons, they recycled some old street signs and made some cheap tables and chairs out of them, and used some old crates to make a bar. Plus, they used some old jars and made lights. Progress as Promised! (That's their campaign slogan).

Then I decided to get rid of that live show venue the game automatically loads. This little bar was made a gazillion years ago by someone over on MTS - before the Seasons ep. I don't think he's active anymore since he threw several rants about EA over there. Anyway, it had a fake "glass" domed roof that just let the weather in. So, I got rid of that and added a new frieze to the roof. Then I kicked out the back and sides - so I'd have room for the stage. Plus, I added that roof stuff, used some different plants and added a parking lot. Plus, I gave it some actual doors. (He just used arches).

Inside, I got rid of everything. I think the only thing I kept was the wall and floor finishes. I used Sandy's tropical bar set, then recolored dive bar counters to match it. Those totem poles I just recolored. I think they came with that Island Paradise set. Where the pool table is, there were a couple of arcade machines, but I have an arcade, so I got rid of them. Then I placed some showtime seating so sims actually watch the acts. I mostly used the Tiki sets to do this build. I'll go back in and use the invisible dance floor later to replace the game one. (I just wanted to make sure I had room for a dance floor).

Outside, I used stuff from Island Paradise for the patio. You can't see it, but there is that Late Night bubble bar - probably the only thing I kept from the original build. I also used that smaller stage for this build. I really didn't go crazy with stage decor. I have an acrobat in town, but not much else right now.

Then I went back to Agnes's house to finish taking sims into CAS. This house was built by plumbob for their updated SV save. I have always hated the original, and this one still has a modern vibe without looking totally stupid. They did get rid of the nursery inside, and replaced it with a large guest room. But I fixed that by dividing the room and adding an unfinished space with baby stuff. It's roped off using that roping from Late Night. I moved her niece into the semi-finished area. I figured Agnes was originally going to hire a live-in nanny to help with her baby, which is why the room was so large. I decided to keep the niece at the child phase instead of making her into a teen. Right now, Agnes doesn't like her much - and her father (my town acrobat) even less. But since she is an attorney, she sued for custody. And won. As in RL, simoleons talk.

[talonpaw]

i know we’re already halfway into 2024, but i JUST realized i forgot to do this…

i’ve started creating monthly playlists— no specific genre, just compiling every single song i have on rotation during a particular month. helps to serve as a time capsule and a glimpse into my past self’s psyche.

and 2023 is the first time I’ve documented a full year of playlists! presenting…

my year in lists: 2023

(january 2023! a moody and downtrodden winter. lots of Carly Cosgrove, as they played a show with a local band that i’m fond of… also featuring AJJ’s Knife Man! that album always seems to pop back up in dark times…)

(february 2023! still gloomy, but a bit more upbeat, a little more angry! highlights include: Joyce Manor as i saw them open for PUP, and the new Paramore album! i also revisited Laurel Hell by Mitski this month…)

(march 2023! highlights include: new Gorillaz AND new 100 Gecs???? plus Gorillaz self-titled… was also in a midwest emo mood, with Pet Symmetry, Mom Jeans AND Slaughter Beach, Dog 😭)

(april 2023! this one’s a breakup playlist, but i’m not sure if you’d be able to tell just by looking at it… highlights include the Romance is Boring (Los Campesinos!) + Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (My Chemical Romance) combo…)

(may 2023! this one’s pretty sparse, i just moved back home…)

(june 2023! fun mix of pop and rock! you can tell that spiderverse came out this month 😭 was also listening to AJJ’s Disposable Everything from late May!)

(july 2023! this one’s just kinda Weird. i don’t think a single artist appears more than once. my camp counselor era…)

(august 2023! this month was also a Blur!)

(september 2023! this one was so short because i was mostly just listening to Beast Monster Thing (Love Isn’t Love Enough) by car seat headrest over and over and over and over and…)

(october 2023! the FNAF month! misc. indie, featuring some spooky songs as well)

(november 2023! THE big, stressful event! this one reflects my messy headspace at the time. featuring two songs from public void by Penelope Scott. this month also contained not one, but two miniature roadtrips with my future partner…)

(december 2023! no December playlist is complete without multiple songs from the Los Campesinos! Christmas EP.)

[youlooksogoodinblue]

Fob albums as seasons

Because i saw sum ppl asking what seasons the albums r, also not including greatest hits or eps :)

TTTYG

early summer, like the weeks just after when school ends. This is probably bc of the lyrics to Saturday and the doa music vid. But the entire album to me is just sun burns, hot humid thunderstorms, staying up late and talking for hours with your friends, the beginning of summer excitement and regret for how the past academic year has been spent. Yeah

FUTCT

The obvious choice is the correct one, this album is autumn. Like the mv for Sugar is very obviously set in autumn and dance dance set in a school probably is the main reason i think this. But its like November Fall rather than September or October, its almost winter, its getting darker for longer, most of the pretty fall foliage has fallen to the ground, leaving the trees naked and cold, studying exhaustion and stress from midterms. apple cider, cinnamon and pumpkin spice flavored everything(but you’re still bitter).

IOH

This one is the haziest i think, i think it is spring. But the early spring i experience as a northerner(USA). Its snowstorms in april, seeing trees with buds on them dusted with snow. Its cursing that stupid fucking groundhog for the “two more weeks” of winter, that seem to last for months. Its spiders sneaking into your home because they exited diapause too early and while it was 72 degrees yesterday, ice has covered your driveway once again this morning.

Folie

Early autumn/ late summer, like late august early September, its back to school ads, the time you are wishing for halloween while it still reaching 80 degree weather, the smell of autumn just starting to linger in the mornings, the first few leaves falling to the earth. Regret of free time and good weather wasted and looming dread for the SAD winter yet to come.

SRAR And AB/AP

These are grouped together bc they are both summer, and in similar ways. They are July, they are fireworks going off for weeks before and after the fourth, and being able to see them from your bedroom window. They are amusement parks, concerts, and beaches visited and enjoyed, but maybe not as much as you hoped. Specifically Ab/ap is riding your bike to a local ice cream parlor and paying the teenage employee in coins. SRAR is scraped knees and palms, beat up chuck taylors, and heatstroke.

Mania

Summer. Mania feels like carefully selecting seashells from the beach, only to have your brother shatter them. Sticky popsicles dripping down your chin, no one has a napkin. Its the smell of smoke from barbecue and bonfires that you were not invited to. Its cloudless warm nights but being afraid to go out to look. Its standing in the middle of a thunderstorm in your bathing suit.

SMFS

Winter. Specifically the time after Christmas, Its being able to see your breath, its watching the ball drop and actually being excited for another chance. Its snow reflecting Christmas lights still left up. Its slipping and falling on black ice and being forced to look at the stars. Its enjoying the things you have already received and savoring the time you have spent.

[manysmallhands]

Top Albums of 2024: #30 - #21

Welcome to my albums of the year posts! This will come in four(ish) sections: firstly this one, followed by numbers #20 - #11 which will be in the same format. From there on in, #10 to #1 will all have a longer post of their own but i will post them in two rounds: from #10 - #6 and then #5 to #1. I put a lot of work into doing these but if you click on this and then find that you just don't want to read them (and who does? if you have a blog, i probably haven't read it) just use my randomly scribbled words to assess the situation in brief and maybe press play: you might find that you like something.

Before i start, i just wanted to throw in a bubbling under list, consisting of a few albums i've liked this year that haven't made the cut for various reasons which i'll list as i go:

Beyoncé - Cowboy Carter (Country, RnB) - too long and rambly but some points were made

Wallice - The Jester (Indie pop, singer-songwriter) - not listened to it enough to say much but i think it's good

FLO - Access All Areas (RnB) - ditto

Kendrick Lamar - GMX (Hip Hop) - not entirely sure that i enjoy it all that much but there are certainly some tunes here: it requires further listening

SZA - Lana (RnB) literally just put it on now and it's alright isn't it

With that, i'm just gonna get on with them

#30. Cosmorat - Evil Adjacent 

Indie, Altpop

There’s a certain glitchiness and sense of menace that reminds me of Jockstrap on Cosmorat's debut EP, with singer Taylor Pollock coming off like the kind of girl who used to pull the wings off of flies and has since moved onto bigger and nastier targets. Evil Adjacent is pretty genre fluid so that not only do you not know how the next song is going to sound but the one that yr listening to can become unpredictable at a moment's notice. "Backseat Baby" is a banger of a single but it was the creepy chamberpop of "No Sleep" that caught my ear and there’s enough indie and altpop experiments here to suggest that they’ve got plenty left in the tank. 

#29. Kenya Grace - The After Taste

Dance pop, Club music

Kenya Grace’s first EP is a sort of concept record, a sad girl drum n bass song cycle where the highs of the dancefloor are replaced (or augmented) with the melancholy of someone trying to cling onto love. Viral hit "Strangers" is an obvious pointer with its fleeting relationships that can vanish in a moment but there’s plenty of other strong material here too, with the warmer indieish vibes of "Someone Else" and banging closer “Only In My Mind” both fuelled by tearful fantasies of impossible romance. Nominally I guess she's looking towards the club scene but The After Taste feels more like the kind of record that you might put on when you’ve been dumped and need something to drunkenly sway around to in the kitchen.

#28. Kali Uchis - Orquídeas

Dance pop, Latin pop

Kali’s semi-Spanish language album is probably at its best the more Spanish it gets. There’s lots of fun dancepop bops at the beginning with a liquid summer vibe that the sweat just seems to pour off of, but tbh things starts to drag after the first few and really it’s when the more flamboyant material - like the trad latin "Te Mata" and battering reggaeton "No Hay Ley pt 2" - turns up that it all gets going properly. Tbh this is a tricky listen in deep winter - it’s a record that seems to require a Mediterranean beach as a necessity - but there’s still plenty of fun to be had if you can just match yr stride to the beat as you trudge thru the wind and rain.

#27. Tinashe - Quantum Baby

RnB

Tinashe's commercial revival was a slight mirage but certainly Quantum Baby (and it’s lead single "Nasty") did more to revive her fortunes than anything else had for a decade. I haven’t really enjoyed her a lot before - I tend to find her a bit gloomy - but the eight songs on this mini album feel much more engaging than whatever I’ve heard previously. The back and forth split between the catchier RnB bangers and the more minimal and experimental songs knits together well and, while the likes of "Nasty" obviously stole all the attention, the focus on subjects other than having lots of hot sex on tracks like "No Simulation" and "Cross the Line" give it an emotional dimension that she could probably stand to use a bit more of.

#26. Billie Eilish - Hit Me Hard And Soft

Pop/rock, Singer-songwriter

Billie’s third album has been one of the biggest of the year but, while I’ve found much to love in it, it’s also been a vast source of frustration. The run of songs thru the first side are some of her finest, especially the pulsing, jellylike “Chihiro” and gorgeous love song “Birds Of A Feather”, but the second half falls off quite badly by my reckoning, firstly with “The Diner”, which is simply rubbish, followed by two multipart songs which both start well before drifting off into not so much. Having listened back to it all the night before I wrote this, I am preparing to admit that closing track "Blue" might not be bad and further reassessment could also yet happen. But my feeling that such a lush, delicate and apparently well balanced record managed to drop off quite so far has annoyed me a lot over the course of this year and so i've marked it down a bit anyway.

#25. Nelly Furtado - 7

Dance pop, Latin pop

Nelly Furtado’s seventh album has been seven years in the making, a fact she apparently felt worth celebrating but sadly no one remembered to turn up for it. No matter tho! The world may not have moved on its release but that did not stop 7 being really very good. Nelly sounds happy reaching across the genres, as comfortable making club bangers with Tove Lo as she is singing warm dramatic soul ballads like "All Comes Back", as well as drifting off into other areas like folk and Latin pop with the kind of assurance that one expects from someone who’s already aced them all before. That changeability can leave the album feeling a bit indistinct as a project but there was quality enough here to keep me tuned in anyway, both in terms of the songs and the performer at the heart of them.

#24. Dua Lipa - Radical Optimism

Dance pop; Pop/rock

Dua’s third album was always struggling to get off the ground commercially but it sounds like a victim of poor marketing rather than anything else. The most commanding material here is in her classic dancepop vein, with "Training Season" and "Illusion" still going extremely hard, but pop rockers "Happy For You" and "Falling Forever" both have a wonderfully hypnotic momentum to them too and the psychedelic swirl of opener "End Of An Era" sets the pre-release hype into a more positive context. It’s probably not as good as Future Nostalgia overall but Radical Optimism is still a solid record which largely deserved better than its fate.

#23. Shakira - Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran 

Dance pop; Latin pop

Shakira’s latest Spanish language album is a rather broad affair, largely dealing in sunny latin influenced dance pop but with a strong side hustle of bombastic rockers, emotive ballads and some entertainingly flashy trad stuff as well. Ofc at the centre of it all is Shakira’s trademark quivering vocals and mastery of pop melodrama and, while I’ve only returned to Las Mujeres infrequently this year, I always tend to enjoy it when I do. One of its key wonders to me is how a gentle ballad like "Ultima" can feel like such an extraordinary tearjerker when I don't understand a word of what it’s about. Ofc imagination and the international language of pop manage to fill in the gaps here and there, but i haven't discounted the possibility that she’s communicating how sad she is about having to pay her tax bill, something that i think we can all relate to. 

#22. The Last Dinner Party - Prelude To Ecstasy

Indie rock

The title here gives a strong impression of the kind of flouncing around in the dress up box vibe that they’re well known for, but scratch the surface of The Last Dinner Party and luckily they’ve got talent to burn too. Channeling early Kate Bush, Queen and Abba into their theatrical artpop sound, things can occasionally feel a little overdone, especially on their gothier numbers. But songs like "Caesar On A TV Screen", "The Feminine Urge" and "Nothing Matters" are hugely impressive with their big choruses and high drama, as well as an understanding that being a bit ridiculous is a thing to be taken very seriously.

#21. Confidence Man - 3AM

Dance, Club music

Confidence Man’s third album carried on with their 90s dance obsession but shifted it more towards rave culture. The move suited them well: their goofy image is pretty much ideal to take on the glow sticks and finger popping vibe of the era and musically it was a cosy fit with their all bangers all the time approach too. 3AM is their best record yet for me: certainly it's more consistent than Tilt, less focused on lyrical gimmickry and more fully on top of its material, but also it doesn't just make empty retro references and brings a clear understanding of the joy inherent in the kind of music that they're making.

Back whenever i finish the next round

[appears]

20th Anniversary

Ayumi Hamasaki: No way to say (2003.11.06)

Japanese pop music is rich in seasonal songs: when spring rolls around, artists clamor to release their best new-beginnings tracks, like, say, Perfume's "ONE ROOM DISCO," a song about kids moving all their junk into tiny dorm rooms when the new school year starts. In the summer, everyone jumps into swimsuits and drops their best upbeat, high-energy, beach-weather jams, like Kumi Koda's "LALALALALA." And when the temperature drops, bringing cooler, crisp air, and the snow begins to fall, the inevitable deluge of ballads begins.

As the reigning J-pop queen of her time, Ayumi Hamasaki is no stranger to the practice, and released several of her own seasonal-appropriate hits, including a number of ballads and slower-tempo tracks in the wintertime, like "M," "Voyage," "CAROLS," "HEAVEN," and one of the first to be so obviously geared to the season, 2003's "No way to say." The single was composed by BOUNCEBACK, one of the songwriting teams Ayu had newly enlisted for many of the tracks off of the eventual Memorial address EP, and features soft acoustic guitars that crescendo into a nice, classic Ayu synth-ballad, similar to many of her slower songs released around the same time period, like those off of 2004's MY STORY. It's a really pretty song and has remained very likable despite its PV that features a creepy Santa Claus head.

The rest of the tracks, in keeping with the winter-ballad theme, feature acoustic, or "acoustic orchestra" versions of songs, except for one. Notably, we get one for the title track, and ones for the ballads "SEASONS," "Dearest," and "Voyage." Unfortunately, for one of the few times in Ayu's career, we get re-released tracks that had appeared previously on other albums, with the acoustic version of "SEASONS" being from 2001's ayu-mi-x III Acoustic Orchestra Version, and "Dearest" from 2002's ayu-mi-x 4 + selection Acoustic Orchestra. I can't imagine if you weren't already a huge fan of Ayu's acoustic orchestra line (or huge fan in general) that you wouldn't already own those albums, so re-hashing them is a definite missed opportunity that opts for empty filler. I can't remember if the "Voyage" one is also a re-hash, though I know it was later worked into a different acoustic version that can be found on 2013's A CLASSICAL, along with new versions of the other two. Finally, there is a rather forgettable house remix of "No way to say" to close things out. Ballads are notoriously rough territory for club remixes, and this one doesn't fare any better than the rest. Overall, this an A+ title track that's marred with some rather forgettable coupling tracks, and suffers from one of the cheapest tricks in the book by including old material.

Still, one thing to note is how great Ayu's voice still sounds at this stage. It doesn't surprise me that we don't get too much in the way of these stripped down, acoustic compilations as much anymore, since Ayu's voice doesn't sound as good as it once did, with her clean timbre and more restrained delivery. Finally, this includes the instrumental version of "No way to say," which is predictably terrific.

This is a very sweet, very classic Ayu ballad, one that she has performed dozens of times live for a good reason, usually in a cosmically large ballgown, and it does a good job of representing this period of her career. Ayu has released many winter, or winter-adjacent, ballads over the course of her legendary career, and this one still stands as one of the most well-known and beloved.

Catalog Number: AVCD-30542

[astrum-aetherium]

Follow up on the Lana del Rey question. What do you think he’s favourite Lana del Rey song would be ?

once again, as i've mentioned in the previous post, you've come to the right place with this inquiry. as a devoted lana fan of eleven years, i hold the certain belief that i can provide an elaborate answer to this, which is why i will be breaking it down in three categories. here come a few lana del rey songs that fit henry winter and he would potentially even like, in my humble (and not entirely unbiased) opinion.

surface level (for casual listeners)

salvatore • shades of cool • million dollar man • young and beautiful • dark paradise • the other woman • honeymoon • national anthem • you can be the boss • yes to heaven

middle ground (for advanced listeners)

black beauty • the blackest day • if you lie down with me • tulsa jesus freak • trash magic • i can fly • 13 beaches • serial killer • velvet crowbar • put the radio on

extensive deep-dive (for seasoned listeners)

cult leader • madly • lake placid • your girl • live or die • caught you boy • tv in black and white • heavy hitter • because of you • is this happiness

bonus addition for genuine fossils: wayamaya and the 2005 young like me ep. the whole thing.

[lighthouseas]

Do you know those early 2000s to mid 2010s shows with 26 episodes per season and full of filler eps where one of the characters like, learns to play soccer or whatever, just for that to never be brought up again for the whole of the show?

If stranger things was one of those shows, what filler episodes would you write?

(originally sent this to foodiewithdahoodie but it was so great I'd love to see more answers now)

hiiii omg i love this question. here are my thoughts:

i have to say a beach episode. for sure. always gotta have one. bonus points if, like, canonically we are in the middle of the winter during the show and the characters somehow end up??? at a beach??? but we can let it slide because we get to see mike having Gay Panic over will being shirtless LMAO

literally el learning to do anything. maybe she goes on an adventure in the woods and learns about the animals and bugs and plants. maybe she learns how to cook (even if the final product is objectively horrible). or maybe she learns how to like. sing or something. idk just something like that

okay because i'm a singer myself i NEED a musical episode. sorry not sorry. there is literally NO need for it at ALL but maybe all of the characters are participating in the school musical or maybe they're all putting on some choral performance and anyways we get a random musical episode with choreography and everything. would it be very weird and out of place? yes. would i eat that shit up? absolutely yes. and then it's never mentioned again. obviously.

for more Gay we could have an episode where mike and will are planning to go to a party or something with all of their friends but then all of them are busy, so it ends up being just the two of them (forced proximity my beloved) and they talk and almost kiss maybe. but then they get interrupted. but they also have a lot of fun at whatever event they go to (maybe it's a dance)

LUMAX FIRST DATE. PLEASE. it takes place a few weeks after the snowball and lucas takes her to the arcade. they have a lot of fun and we get them holding hands and being silly and max being HAPPY god please

adding onto this, we could also get an episode centering around one of the times max dumped lucas and how he won her back. it's very cute and sweet.

this is the last one i promise -- an episode centering around the wheeler family and how Dysfunctional they really are. maybe we could get some wheeler siblings bonding moments (mike and holly actually !! interacting !!) but it's also an exploration into how ted and karen's failing marriage affects the kids. it deepens the audience's understanding of mike' s character but then is never mentioned again LMAO