afourthestate

[afourthestate]

I just watched the original Planet of the Apes for the first time and it was okay, but nothing prepared me for reading the plot synopses for the original four sequels. oh my god. And the craziest thing is that I am 99% sure all four are relevant for the prequel/reboots that started in the early 2010's.

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AP Environmental Science is actually a joke. I got a 93/100 on my final that I took on 2 hours of sleep without any studying. If I don't get a 5 on the AP test I will be so surprised.

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I really enjoyed posting on here initially, but I started tagging some of my posts, which meant that other users could find my page and then some people I don't know followed me and I got uncomfortable posting about personal stuff... which was the whole point of this blog.

So I have gotten rid of any people I don't know and removed all tags on my posts, which means you can only find this place if you are one of my good friends

Hopefully I can now actually update this page again.

on that note, I am going to look so hot when my new glasses come in, you all are not prepared

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They live inside my mind rent-free!!!

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about to see Dune Part Two, I'm very excited

edit: I have seen the light of Islam, full post coming soon

[afourthestate]

The Oldest Anarchy Server in Minecraft II

I haven't had too much time to get on 2b2t again recently, but I do have a small update from a few days ago.

After the huge setback of dying with all of my valuables mentioned in my original 2b2t post, I had to start pretty much from scratch. Luckily, my spawn point was still set at my original base so I didn't have to escape spawn again. It only took 2-3 hours to get back on my feet. I once again left my original base behind, but this time actually succeeded in finding a new home without dying :)

If any 2b2ters see this post and want to find my original base, I'm cool with now revealing that it is located at (11146, 3486). Send me a photo or something if you find it (or the remains of it haha).

While on my expedition to find new lands, I came across this really really cool map art made by a user named AndresFlames.

This made my long journey completely worth it. This map art is, so far, the only completely intact player made structure I have encountered. Also, AndresFlames left an enchanted apple behind as a gift for a player that found the map art, which I gladly took. If they happen to see this post somehow, great work and thanks for the apple!

On a less interesting note, I also found these signs that I though were pretty funny.

Hopefully, my next update will be a little bit more interesting. I'm working on building a new base right now so I'll definitely have photos when that's done!

[afourthestate]

The Oldest Anarchy Server in Minecraft

Okay, I know I said I will not just be talking about video games on here, but...

Last night I logged into 2b2t, a survival Minecraft server that has been around since 2010. So many people want to play on it everyday that a 4-5 hour wait is the norm before you are able to log on.

Since 2b2t is an anarchy server with no moderation, it is known for the destructive tendencies of its players. It is a very lucky event to find a building that hasn't yet been blown to smithereens. In the very middle of the server, where all players start out, there exists a massive wasteland of obsidian, cobblestone, and not much else.

I would like to thank SanAnder086, the only other player I have encountered so far, who gifted me an Enchanted Apple (which is sitting safely in my Ender Chest).

I decided that I was not going to waste too much time in the Overworld and quickly entered the Nether through one of the stray portals laying around. Because one block traveled in the Nether is equal to eight blocks travelled in the Overworld, this is a munch more efficient way to escape the wastelands at spawn.

The Nether was pretty tricky to navigate though, as basically all of the original land had been completely destroyed. Only thin bridges and spires remain.

I did eventually escape the spawn area and the Nether and found this nice wooded are ~15,000 blocks out.

I decided to built a humble starter base in the side of the hill, which I think turned out very nice.

I tried to go on an adventure and explore further into the server, but unfortunately died (hard mode is tough) and lost all of my belongings. I'm back at the starter base and working on getting back to where I was progress wise.

Before I died, I did encounter this cool area where chunks had been generated across different versions of the game, leading to sheer cliffs.

This server is pretty cool because, wherever you go, you are guaranteed to see some past sign of life, potentially over a decade old. It's tradition for players to place a sign down with their name and date visited on it at any buildings they encounter so you can really get a feel for the history of a place that way.

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Minecraft

I think it's that time of year for me where I get super into Minecraft again for a few weeks. I finally got Java Edition on my laptop and fulfilled a wish I always had as a child; to play the game with a shader. I can't leave it on for too long without the computer getting a little warm, but here's what it looks like with a quick build I made in creative.

I calculated how much of my life I have spent playing this game add apparently it is ~1.35%. I knew I spent a lot of my youth and social distancing days playing Minecraft, but I did not know it was that much... I guess there's a reason for it though, this game is probably my favorite of all time. I have so many great memories playing Minecraft, from my very first night hiding from nonexistent monsters while unknowingly on peaceful mode to besting the Wither with friends on our Covid server.

My interest in Minecraft ebbs and flows. Sometimes, it feels repetitive and dull. Other times, it provides the biggest laughs, the most tense moments, and intense feelings of serenity and loneliness. I do think it's a beautiful thing that in 50 years, I'll most likely still be able to boot up a world and enjoy myself just as much as I did when I was 7.

(I promise my posts will not all be about video games in the future)

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A New Look

In the pursuit of procrastinating on my calculus review, I have updated the blog. How are we feeling about it? Not sure if I'm the biggest fan yet, but I do think it is an improvement over the original.

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Calculus Test

calculus test tomorrow I have an 80.01% in the class I need to do well on this thing. Oh no It is now tomorrow. May God bless me in my 12:00 AM holy battle against slope fields

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Resident Evil 4 (2005)

I tried giving RE4 a shot again today after failing to get invested on ~3 earlier attempts and I think it has finally clicked. The controls are very clunky, but I think it was an intentional choice to make intense moments even more intense. Most games with firearm based combat all kind of work the same, so it's cool that this game is different in that regard.

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I think it's very funny how much emphasis is put on Leon's legs. Cutscenes always feature him attacking primarily with his legs and in gameplay, the "kick" attack almost acts as his signature finisher. I think that most media even today associates punching with masculinity and kicking with feminity, so it's funny to see this 20 year old game break the trend with its traditionally attractive muscular male protagonist.

Evidence (mind you both of these clips happen within like 3 minutes of each other):

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I knew Leon was hot, but I now understand all of the thirst I see for him online. This man is a total cornball. The embodiment of "golden retriever energy".

"Where's everyone going, bingo?" shut up you dork

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How is "pedestrian" even a word?

From Oxford Languages: pedestrian, noun: a person walking along a road or in a developed area.

a person... walking? The human default of locomotion? The only way that our species moved from Point A to Point B for thousands of years? We already have a word for that; "human".

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An Alternative to Standard Social Media

I'm trying to reduce my doom-scrolling habits so I am working to spend less time on Twitter and Instagram. I think there is inherently something very fun about maintaining an online profile though, so I figured I would return to the Internet's roots and make a blog. Personally, I think this is a much cooler way to stay up to date with friends online. I'm going to start posting on here more, so if you want to see my written up thoughts, considering checking in on this page every once in a while.

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Charlie's Favorite Musical Artists (March 2024)

The Clash

The Clash is the definitive British punk band, often referred to as "the only band that matters" during the height of its success. My father raised me on this band and it is very near and dear to my heart. The Clash taught me important lessons in the importance of fighting against oppression and in becoming a more decent person. Some of my favorite songs of The Clash include "The Guns of Brixton", "Lost in the Supermarket", "Rock the Casbah", and "This is England". However, their greatest song is "Spanish Bombs" from the London Calling album. This song is criminally underrated and I encourage everyone to give it a shot.

The English Beat

This band is actually called The Beat, but goes by the name The English Beat in the States because there was already a different band holding the rights to their original name here. "Special Beat Service" is definitely their best album and is great to turn on in the background. This band is defined by their reggae style and frequent use of the saxophone. My favorite song of The English Beat is "Sole Salvation", although I love their cover of "Can't Get Used to Losing You" as well. Fun fact, the instrumental version of their song "Rotating Heads" is used in the sequence of "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" in which the titular character is racing to get home before his father.

Galen & Paul

Galen & Paul is a joint venture between Galen Ayers and former bassist Paul Simonon. When Mr. Simonon joined The Clash, he had no prior musical experience, so he is a bit of an idol for me in that he has shown me that it's never too late to learn music. Galen & Paul is a relatively recent collaboration and has only been around for about a year. They have released two albums, "Can We Do Tomorrow Another Day?" and "Uno Más" (although the latter is only four songs, which I am pretty sure are tracks that didn't make the cut for the first album). Their music, for the most part, has very cozy, lonely, spooky, and damp vibes? Overall, I was less impressed with "Uno Más", but the song "One More For the Road" from the album is in contention for the title of being their best work.

Elvis Costello

If you know me well, there is a pretty good chance you have heard me mention Elvis Costello. Costello is easily my favorite musical artist of all time. He is a world class lyricist, writes incredibly beautiful music, and has one of the most distinctive voices and style I can think of. I discovered Costello through his hits "Pump It Up" and "Radio Radio" and while these are very good songs, they are not even his best. This man has four albums where I enjoy every single song. Every. Single. Song. His skill as a musician is actually out of this world. I cannot even list my favorite tracks of his here because there would be too many. I can say that his album "Imperial Bedroom" is criminally underrated and I cannot recommend it enough. "My Aim Is True", "This Year's Model", and "Armed Forces" might be more enjoyable for some though. I was fortunate enough to see Costello live in Dallas as part of his 7-0-7 tour. Please, give Costello a chance. If you like Radiohead, Tho Yorke cited Costello as a huge influence on their album "OK Computer".

Honorable Mentions

The Police, The Tom Robinson Band (Glad to Be Gay is wow), The Specials (pretty much just because of Ghost Town holy moly), XTC (specifically Mayor of Simpleton), The Cure (love you Robert Smith), Men At Work, The Smiths, R.E.M, Talking Heads, Squeeze

[afourthestate]

CrackedSpotify.apk

I do not take pleasure in or endorse crime of any kind, but I suspect that if I theoretically did find a theoretical illegal download of Spotify that gives me premium features without paying for it, I would probably enjoy it. Not that I would ever do that. All theoretical.

update: it stopped working (in my imagination cause it's theoretical) dang

[afourthestate]

The Name Dilemma

I have no idea what I am supposed to do with my name.

The name Charlie has always sounded to me like it belongs only to 6-year olds that die for plot reasons before the events of a drama movie, pets, or fictional losers that lesbians on Twitter call their pookie-bear or something

Charles has always sounded way too official and old. What are the first two things that come to mind when you think of Charles? The 75-year old monarch of Britain and an investment firm.

Chuck is definitely a no-go. It sounds old like Charles, but like Boomer old, not cool romanticize-able 1800's old.

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The Word Bachelor

so I just looked up the definition of "bachelor" and apparently it is a man who isn't married AND has never been married. I didn't realize that the divorcees and widowers of the world were excluded from this title. Very oddly specific methinks