#bc it was in 2015 n i think my math is right

[pinkman-isms]

the >_< … dare i say.. babygirl coded??

[geffenrecords]

ayo lee 👀 what's a craig n kenny n what r ur thoughts

rai ilysm im holding ur hand rn thank u for letting me yell

so i mention it a lot but craig and kenny....homies. like they have such a fun roommate dynamic. theyre really only friends outside of school tbh. theyll be partners in like gym or whatever but they have their own respective friend groups and r okay with that :-) but they live in like....the same neighborhood? [it's been hinted at in a few eps tht craigs family is like....not poor but they r seen walking out of da welfare office in here comes the neighborhood and cartman says that according to his math, now that kennys gone craig is now the poorest at school in the new kid but honestly cartman cant do math hes a gayass loser and south park's canon is shit so take that all with what you will]

but they really only become friends bc craigs mom is like go play outside!!! u cant just sit in ur room all day!!! and craigs pissy bc he Wants to sit in his room all day so he just kinda wonders around and maybe his mom would make him go play with kenny [assuming it's when theyre younger like. 8 or 9] or maybe they would meet on their own.....probably the first one lol.

craig doesnt want to be friends bc he knows kenny is part of stans gang and he cant stand them [and i cannot blame him] but kenny is....very nice. theyre just a scruffy little guy who jumps in puddles and always has a bandaid in a new place every week and likes to collect bugs and craig is like God ...but hes friends with clyde so hes not that fazed lol......

kenny just makes craig do shit so obvs his mom adores kenny. like if he has the option craig will just sit in his room all day but kenny always makes him go do something.....whether it's making newspaper boats to race in the stream or kenny just coming over to hang out in his room to listen to him talk while holding stripe bc listen kenny is such a good listener. theyre so quiet and if u bring up the right topic [space......] craig will NOT shut up and kenny likes to listen. just sitting there holding da gieuna pig listening to craig like 👁👁

kenny is v messy as i mentioned too.....craig is but it's just bc he literally doesnt care kenny kind of has an aesthetic but craig is like I Do Not See It. kenny likes drawing on stuff and sometimes he convinces craig to let them draw on his arm and they come out of craigs room lookin like those doodlebears from like.....2015 or some shit i really dont remember lol.

also south park is a quaint little forest town bc i said so and they definitely go exploring in the woods. sometimes clyde or tweek will come with them [kenny gets along with everybody but craig cannot STAND kyle stan or cartman.....] and kenny has an ongoing map shes been making forever.....love tht kid......they map out all the different areas and get craig to name them weird things bc they think it's So funny......but mostly it's just craig following with a bunch of shit in his backpack as kenny just fucking tears through the forest in their big ass boots......they have a few spots they like to sit and rest ig. they always say theyll build a little clubhouse or spend the night out there sometime but they would get too scared to actually go thru with it. but they do go stargazing a lot and THATS usually when tweek comes with them.

tweek n kenny r cool. craig wont ever tell but kenny gives him a lot of ideas for """""romantic""""" stuff to do w tweek. butters and kenny love sappy romance stories [so does clyde solidarity] so kenny always makes offhand remark about sweet things to do together and craigs like wait yeah...oh my god.......kenny just gives good advice in general. like fr. most of the time its craig rambling but kenny is so smart and cool......i love them. look at them go.

basically theyre kinda like buzzfeed unsolved

[nako-doodles]

I was tagged by my love @monojoons​ 💖💖💖 to talk about the “5 BTS songs to get to know me” thank you bby iluiluilu so hold on tight folks! this is gonna be So Fucking Cheesy all aboard the lipids train in which shirley blubbers over how much she loves bangtan!!!! on train we serve triglyceride as all 7 of our meals!!!!!!!

I tag my loves @cafejoon @stargazingjin @yunkisunbae @ksj1​ @jincentvangogh​ @yourdelights​ @yooniversaire​ @suggable🌸🌸🌸

before you sweethearts go on tho im gonna need set some warnings: theres a very brief mention about accidental injuries, medical complications, car accidents, hospitals when I talk about so far away so pls be careful. I love you mwah mwah mwah 💖💖💖

1. Dead Leaves - The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, pt. 2 (2015)

I was a Very Casual ‘oh my moots are listening to them I guess ill satisfy my curiosity and listen too’ listener of bangtan in the ye olde days until I heard this song and absolutely lost all my marbles. like I remember when they first debuted and my dash was...full of gifs of their mvs.....and like I was a H U G E fan of bap and block b and exo back then and really didnt care for bts’ sound or image or the idol hiphop nonsense back then. and then there was all this drama and fan wars and controversy which further turned me off and. god. high school shirley was So Fucking Pretentious like I liked epik high and tiger jk and thought I was Peak Hiphop and I didnt care for other tomfoolery.

I became a fan when I Need U rolled out and then hyyh2 dropped and this song came up and absolutely shattered everything I knew about music and lyricism to my classical trained ears. like I cant fully explain to you how absolutely yoongi is  a musical genius he fucking???? did that!!!! and made it sound good??????? what fucking hogwash witchcraft bullshit????????????? (it also doesnt escape my notice that one of the few songs that jin opens was the song that signed me up as an army thank you king we dont deserve you)

2. Awake - Wings (2017)

this song fucking tore me to shreds. like the album dropped during a full day of econ and math lectures so I couldn't actually listen until I got back to the dorms, so my roommates set up the mv and album for me as soon as I got home (after a whole bunch of teasing and screaming in the gc) and I was still mentally recovering from The Kiss(tm) (srsly I screamed loud enough our RA ran into our dorm thinking we were being murdered) and then awake happened and I just.....emotionally eviscerated. fuck. it hit me so hard.

this is also really special to me bc I became a hardcore Seokjin stan after hearing this live at the Wings tour in Newark (I know!!! who was I before I became Enlightened and stanned the icon of our generation the king of the universe kim seokjin ah wow poor nirvana-less past shirley its ok you were valid bby soon you will understand) and then seeing them win the MAMAs and them look so shocked and crying made me realize I was in this bangtan shit for life.

3. Epilogue: Young Forever - The Most Beautiful Moment in Life: Young Forever (2016)

this song came out right towards the end of my freshman year in college when I had a lot of shit going on in my life and it kinda felt like the world was collapsing around me no matter what........and.......not to be dramatic............this song came along and uplifted me into a better place. they came during a time where I was barely hanging on and said ‘its ok. we understand. you got this.’ every time I heard this song it felt like I was being swaddled in that fluffy sunshine yellow blanket jimin has in serendipity and I was safe and loved and cared for.

fuck I still cant even listen to ‘dreams, hope, forward, forward’ bc the korean for ‘forward’ sounds so much like a mixture of chinese and japanese and it felt so hopeful.....like I was being supported by people who sincerely wanted the best for me even if they didnt know me and thats......just such a lovely feeling to have. music really transcends all barriers. thank you BTS.

4. Intro: Never Mind - The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, pt. 2 (2015)

this fucking song defined my entire freshman year. it got me my first crazy college story (my first friend in college and I were jamming and yelling to this song when the ra from the floor above thought we were doing beer pong with like 2 dozen other people and literally stormed our room when really it was just the two of us and some microwaved instant ramen and our leaning tower of  notes acting as the dj tower), my first friends in college, my first bts bias, my first taste of feeling like finding your musical soulmate, my first understanding of truly respecting and analyzing and contemplating an artist for their craft outside of doing it in school......I might have been already been in the kpop scene way before bangtan, but it was really truly bangtan that I truly grew up with if that makes sense

fun fact: you know the memory hack where if you listen to one song and cram, then you think of the song if ur stuck and then BAM you remember? kinda like chewing the same flavor of gum during ur exams as when you are studying but better for the environment? well yea. I did that during my finals that year and I Really Fucking Annoyed all my neighbors by rapping (super badly) to never mind (yes even the korean. yes I may be Asian but I have No Talent speaking in korean. so yes you can imagine how terrible I would sound rapping in korean) on all 8 of my written finals (important tip from future shirley: the life of a double major is hell. don't do it. dont be like me. learn from me. you will d i e)

5. So Far Away ft. Jin, Jungkook - BTS Festa 2017

this is the song that sings me to sleep at night and keeps me sane. god where do I even begin. ok. so agust d? the best thing to have happen to barely adult shirley. thank you min yoongi for embracing all of us and letting us into even the dark ugly parts of your personal struggles. suran? my actual queen. ive loved her since she featured on callin in love and mannequin w beenzino and primary and when I heard she was back and featured on a yoongi song? I fucking lost it. best song on the album next to tony montana and the last.

anyways, set scene: a freshly minted jin stan barely adulting shirley who hardly has her life together, and festa came and dropped this masterpiece in her lap. cue: cathartic crying for like 5 hours fresh from a semi-serious car accident and a bunch of medical complications and family issues. cue: latching onto this song as an emotional crutch, and later, emotional support song. I listen to this song at least once a day. I will go off to war for this song.

--

yes the majority of this list is all music yoongi has written and didn't include any of the songs in the last 2 series.....listen bangtan came during a very specific 2 year period where I was really not doing well and then saved me (save me I need ur love before I fall.) im really thankful they were with me during that time and, like that dude said in the commentary, their music is really going to be with me for the rest of my life and it makes me so proud and gratified that they have touched millions of lives and made them even a smidge brighter. thank you for giving me a path through the darkness, thank you for picking me up and encouraged me through the hard patches, thank you for giving me a family and joy and belief in not only myself but in others as well, thank you for being there for all of us. thank you.

[merzbow]

Who are some of your fav non-white musicians? They are incredibly underrepresented and I really want to listen to and support more of them

oh my god, where to start? there’s so many and it’s all like, varying across a bunch of genres and some aren’t the most accessible but i’ll name the ones off the top of my head, some with description so you can decide who to listen to from what you think you might like.

The Mars Volta — progressive rock. one of my favorite bands of all time. almost everyone that played in TMV was/is non-white (and they had a lot). TMV was the Omar and Cedric show, but there would be no TMV without founding members Jon Theodore (one of my favorite drummers of all time) and the late Ikey Owens (who was their pianist). listen to De-loused in the Comatorium (2003) from beginning to end, and if you end up liking TMV, then work your way through their discography. it’s worth it.

At the Drive-In — post-hardcore, progressive. Omar and Cedric’s previous band. the most influential, and arguably the most important post-hardcore band of all time. every one except Jim Ward and his replacement is non-white. start with their third studio album Relationship of Command (2000), and if you have never heard their song One Armed Scissor, you absolutely have to.

Omar Rodríguez-López — progressive rock, indie pop, almost every genre under the sun. one of my favorite guitarists of all time. it’s impossible to condense his 49 album discography (and those are just solo albums) into a blurb so i’m not gonna try. afro Puerto-Rican. multi-instrumentalist (guitar, bass, to name a couple), producer, composer, songwriter, director. it’s easier to list the things Omar isn’t and hasn’t done.

Dance Gavin Dance — post-hardcore, progressive. DGD has a long, complicated history, but almost every album they have ever released is solid. their guitarist, founder, and honest-to-god visionary Will Swan is one of my favorite guitarists of all time. Will is black and latino (specifically half Mexican). i’ve been a fan since 2010. the best albums to start with are probably the last two latest releases which are Artificial Selection (2018) and Mothership (2016), but my personal favorite albums are Dance Gavin Dance (self-titled, 2008), Happiness (2009), and Acceptance Speech (2013)

the rest of the recommendations are under this read more bc this is long.

Hail the Sun — post-hardcore, progressive. Donovan Melero is one of my favorite drummers of all time, he’s also the front man/vocalist of HTS. He’s Latinx, specifically Mexican-American. Guitarist Aric Garcia is also Latinx. my favorite HTS album is Wake (2014), but their latest album Mental Knife (2018) is a good place to start. 

Sianvar — progressive rock/post-hardcore. super group consisting of the previously mentioned favorites Will Swan (Dance Gavin Dance), Donovan Melero (Hail the Sun), and Sergio Medina (Stolas). they recently went on a indefinite hiatus/disbanded this year. they have one self titled EP released in 2014, and a studio album called Stay Lost (2016).

Secret Band — post-hardcore, progressive, on the heavy side. side-project/side-group of Will and the other DGD members, basically DGD without the clean vocals/singing.

Royal Coda — post-hardcore, progressive. super-group consisting of the (again) previously mentioned favorites Will Swan (Dance Gavin Dance), Donovan Melero (Hail the Sun), Sergio Medina (Stolas, Sianvar) and ex-Dance Gavin Dance singer Kurt Travis. definitely listen to Compassion (2019).

Frank Ocean — indie pop. probably the most popular artist i’ve mentioned, besides Earl, or DG, or Denzel. also probably my favorite singer of all time, also probably my favorite bisexual of all time. listen to Blond (2016).

Mitski —indie pop. Mitski is bisexual, Japanese-American woman. her music honestly means a lot to me, all the topics are so personally relatable as another bi asian girl. Puberty 2 (2016) is my favorite Mitski album.

Japanese Breakfast —indie pop. Michelle is a bisexual, Korean-American woman. listen to Psychopomp (2016).

FKA twigs—indie pop.Twigs is incredibly talented, if you like musicians like Kate Bush then she’s perfect for you; she makes incredible music and I couldn’t recommend MAGDALENE (2019) enough.

JPEGMAFIA — experimental rap. Peggy’s latest album All My Heroes Are Cornballs (2019) was released just recently (september 13!), while that’s a good album to start with i recommend starting with his second studio album Veteran (2018). favorite songs from Veteran to name a few are: Baby I’m Bleeding, I Cannot Fucking Wait Until Morrissey Dies, 1539 N. Calvert, and Rock N Roll is Dead.

Denzel Curry — experimental rap. start with Ta13oo/Taboo (2018), or ZUU (2019)

Danny Brown — experimental rap. start with either Atrocity Exhibition (2016) or XXX (2012), either way, you can’t go wrong.

Earl Sweatshirt — experimental rap. honestly, pick any of his three studio albums to listen to and you’re set, but Doris (2013) is probably the most accessible/easiest album to start with.

Death Grips — experimental rap. y’all already probably know who DG are and who Ride is, so i don’t have to introduce them/him. recommended: Exmilitary (2011), No Love Deep Web (2012), and The Money Store (2012).

Kero Kero Bonito — indie pop. Sarah Midori Perry, also known as Sarah Bonito, is British-Japanese. listen to Bonito Generation (2015)

Covet — math rock, instrumental. their front woman/guitarist, Yvette Young, is Chinese-American.

Stolas — post-hardcore, progressive. disbanded in 2018, still worth listening to. this is Sergio Medina’s original band, again if you ended up liking ATDI, or TMV, or DGD, you will absolutely love Stolas. Sergio is latino (specifically Mexican and Argentine), i absolutely love his guitar playing, he’s honestly so underrated.

honorable mentions, not necessarily my favorites but i do like and listen to these bands/artists/musicians.

Animals As Leaders — progressive metal, instrumental. there’s nothing about Tosin Abasi’s guitar playing i can say that thousand of others haven’t said before, he’s beyond amazing. Tosin is Nigerian-American, and AAL’s second guitarist Javier Reyes is latino. If you like heavy virtuoso/technical music like maybe, Dream Theater, then AAL is perfect for you.

Nova Charisma — progressive rock. this is Donovan and Sergio’s current side project, Nova Charisma is officially just a duo but their drummer is ex-Stolas drummer Carlo Marquez (who is close friends with both Donovan and Sergio). Nova Charisma is boneless TMV, and i mean that in a very good way (both Donovan and Sergio are heavily influenced by TMV and ATDI). that might change with future releases though, since they only have a three song EP out as of right now.

Periphery — progressive metal. guitarist and founder Misha Mansoor is insanely fucking talented. Misha is Indian-Mauritian.

Chon — progressive rock, instrumental. Mario Camarena, Nathan Camarena, and Esiah Camarena are all Mexican-American.

Polyphia — progressive rock, instrumental. Tim Henson, their guitarist, is half Chinese.

Trivium — early stuff is metalcore, current stuff is metalcore and thrash metal influenced american heavy metal Matt Heafy is Japanese-American, and does a mean James Hetfield impression if you’re into that.

popular/mainstream bands that have members of color and/or musicians of color that i also enjoy/love that you probably already know of:

Metallica (Metal/Thrash Metal. this one’s pretty obvious, since this is a Metallica blog… anyway, Kirk is Filipino (like me), and Rob is Mexican-American/latino.)

The Smashing Pumpkins (Rock. their guitarist, James Iha, is Japanese-American. you have to listen to Siamese Dream and Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness.)

Jimi Hendrix (Rock. Jimi is black, and the greatest guitarist of all time, duh, i don’t have to explain this one.)

John Coltrane (Jazz. the jazz GOAT. listen to A Love Supreme.)

Miles Davis (Jazz. Miles is the GOAT beside Coltrane, if you’ve never listened to Bitches Brew you absolutely have to.)

Rage Against The Machine (Rap metal. Tom Morello is black and Zach de la Rocha is latino.)

Deftones (Rock. Almost all of the band members are latino, with the exception of their first bassist who was Asian and a couple of others.)

Jane’s Addiction (Hard rock. Dave Navarro is latino.)

Soundgarden (Grunge. Kim Thayil is Indian.)

Alice In Chains (Grunge. William DuVall is black and Mike Inez is Filipino.)

My Chemical Romance (Pop-punk. Ray Toro is latino.)

Fall Out Boy (Pop-punk. Pete Wentz is black.)

Playboi Carti (Rap. Carti’s black. please listen to Die Lit.)

Megan Thee Stallion (Rap. Meg is absolutely lovable and supremely talented, and I absolutely adore her. steam her music!)

LAST UPDATED: August 7, 2020

[theleastcarefulofgamedevs]

hehehehehehehehe ur turn. overshare pals

hehe im lov u ceec :)

---

1. coffee mugs, teacups, wine glasses, water bottles, or soda cans?

water bottles and soda cans!

2. chocolate bars or lollipops?

chocolate.... im lov it

3. bubblegum or cotton candy?

cotton candy!

4. how did your elementary school teachers describe you?

hardworking, earnest, and honestly? they gave me too much credit ebagweaganegioawnegew

5. do you prefer to drink soda from soda cans, soda bottles, plastic cups or glass cups?

soda bottles!

6. pastel, boho, tomboy, preppy, goth, grunge, formal or sportswear?

somewhere between boho, goth, and grunge hehe

7. earbuds or headphones?

headphones!

8. movies or tv shows?

movies,,

9. favorite smell in the summer?

you know that wet pavement smell after it rains? love that

10. game you were best at in p.e.?

dodgeball hehehe

11. what you have for breakfast on an average day?

nothin tbh. i don’t wake up early enough for it

12. name of your favorite playlist?

Writing Music! i made it hehehe

13. lanyard or key ring?

key ring!

14. favorite non-chocolate candy?

GUMMY BEARS AND JELLY BEANS

15. favorite book you read as a school assignment?

“A Child Called ‘It’“ by Dave Pelzer

16. most comfortable position to sit in?

cuddled up to someone in blankets,,, im lov anything with my s/o tbh

17. most frequently worn pair of shoes?

i have this beat up pair of blue slip ons that have bloodstains on em bc i got a nosebleed one day bwaeiugbaweugbaweubguaw

18. ideal weather?

post-raining, or like. just before it starts raining

19. sleeping position?

anything with my s/o or bein wrapped in like. a billion blankets

20. preferred place to write (i.e., in a note book, on your laptop, sketchpad, post-it notes, etc.)?

on my home pc in my room!

21. obsession from childhood?

dice and video games!

22. role model?

i know it’s gonna sound dumb but like. a lot of characters from media have influenced me a lot, like sans/komaeda etc. another one from my real life would be my aunt on my mom’s side!

23. strange habits?

i bounce my leg while listening to music or stressed,, that’s abt it. OH and i like twirling a small blanket around on my arm bc... acrobatics of sorts

24. favorite crystal?

amethyst, but anything clean cut and rounded looks rlly nice imo,,

25. first song you remember hearing?

the first day i remember in my life was christmas at my grandma’s when i was 4, so probably random christmas music ubwegebwgwebgoibgweg

26. favorite activity to do in warm weather?

sometimes when i get tired of sitting around at home i like to walk down to the dog park by my house! 

27. favorite activity to do in cold weather?

cuddle,,,,,,,,,,, wrap up in a blanket with some freshly baked cookies n just. be there

28. five songs to describe you?

megalovania, medley rush 2 from the sonic rush ost, the promised neverland english op, metal crusher from undertale, metal scratchin’ from sonic rush

29. best way to bond with you?

just talk to me! im godawful at starting convos but i love talkin to ppl! 

30. places that you find sacred?

every person’s room feels that way, as well as obvious places, like churches n whatnot. we went n visited my aunt’s old house so my mom could pick up some stuff and being in her room after she died in 2015 was just like. an emotion i can’t rlly describe

31. what outfit do you wear to kick ass and take names?

hoodie, trackpants, n sneakers hehe

32. top five favorite vines?

back at it again @ krispy kreme, ADAM, they were roommates, two dudes in a hot tub, my croissant

33. most used phrase in your phone?

either “be there soon” or “ily” 

34. advertisements you have stuck in your head?

none tbh. i don’t watch much tv so i don’t see ads often

35. average time you fall asleep?

either 10:30 or sometime after midnight. no in between 

36. what is the first meme you remember ever seeing?

it was a rage comic

37. suitcase or duffel bag?

suitcase!

38. lemonade or tea?

lemonade, but i LOVE tea!

39. lemon cake or lemon meringue pie?

LEMON CAKE....

40. weirdest thing to ever happen at your school?

i was walkin in the halls with my friend and someone dropped a styrofoam cup of pasta on my friend’s head from the second floor awbegiuawbeguiawbguaewg

41. last person you texted?

the person who sent this ask heheheheh

42. jacket pockets or pants pockets?

jacket pockets!

43. hoodie, leather jacket, cardigan, jean jacket or bomber jacket?

hoodie!

44. favorite scent for soap?

anything really, but i like whatever my s/o uses bc it would remind me of them!

45. which genre: sci-fi, fantasy or superhero?

fantasy!

46. most comfortable outfit to sleep in?

underwear tbh. like. that and a tshirt or just underwear is the only way i can sleep

47. favorite type of cheese?

sensory issues say i have to hate all kinds of cheese outside of like. grilled cheese so let’s go with that/cheddar

48. if you were a fruit, what kind would you be?

dragonfruit! 

49. what saying or quote do you live by?

GOD pretty much every quote from monomi or chiaki in danganronpa 2, but mostly “if you learn to love yourself, that love will continue to carry you for your whole life! love, love...”

50. what made you laugh the hardest you ever have?

OH HERES A FUCKIN STORY OK so i was at my friend’s house with a bunch of others bc we were doin a sleepover type thing and we were eating raising canes in his attic at like 3 am and some guy high on like. 3 different drugs at once got impaled through the leg on his fence. nobody saw him but we knew he was there and the cops were there in like 3 minutes. that very same friend has some of the most wack stories ngl

51. current stresses?

just doing well in school and making sure my s/o is happy!

52. favorite font?

comic sans.......................... im sorry

53. what is the current state of your hands?

my palms b sweaty but my fingers are dehydrated tbh. typin

54. what did you learn from your first job?

work.... difficult

55. favorite fairy tale?

probably the princess and the frog!

56. favorite tradition?

christmas!

57. the three biggest struggles you’ve overcome?

probably my most noteworthy traumas tbh. gettin therapy for em, too

58. four talents you’re proud of having?

writing, my ability to overcome obstacles, being able to help ppl as well as i can, and making friends fast!

59. if you were a video game character, what would your catchphrase be?

“Not dead yet.”

60. if you were a character in an anime, what kind of anime would you want it to be?

Probably either shounen, romance, or moe,,,,

61. favorite line you heard from a book/movie/tv show/etc.?

“It’s a beautiful day outside. Birds are singing, flowers are blooming. On days like these, kids like you... should be burning in hell.”

62. seven characters you relate to?

sans, komaeda, makoto naegi, komaru naegi, toko fukawa, chiaki nanami, and chihiro fujisaki!

63. five songs that would play in your club?

they’d all be fall out boy tbh. that and videogame osts

64. favorite website from your childhood?

armor games hehe

65. any permanent scars?

i don’t think so? at least, not yet

66. favorite flower(s)?

roses and anything blue!

67. good luck charms?

my dice sets!

68. worst flavor of any food or drink you’ve ever tried?

vanilla york peppermint patties... gross

69. a fun fact that you don’t know how you learned?

pikmin in pikmin 1 who are underneath a bridge when it’s completed are killed because they get pushed through the ground

70. left or right handed?

right handed!

71. least favorite pattern?

probably the hellish bumpy pattern all teachers have all over their fuckin classrooms

72. worst subject?

math

73. favorite weird flavor combo?

chicken nuggets in milkshake... good. or frankly just like. cooked chicken mixed with anythin cold like ice or ice cream

74. at what pain level out of ten (1 through 10) do you have to be at before you take an advil or ibuprofen?

like. 3 or 4

75. when did you lose your first tooth?

i was eating a crunch bar and it fell out hehe

76. what’s your favorite potato food (i.e. tater tots, baked potatoes, fries, chips, etc.)?

I WOULD DIE FOR FRENCH FRIES.

77. best plant to grow on a windowsill?

any small blooming plant, like a single rose or flower!

78. coffee from a gas station or sushi from a grocery store?

hrm. coffee from a gas station tbh

79. which looks better, your school id photo or your driver’s license photo?

NEITHER LOOK GOOD LMAO and i don’t have a driver’s license. that’s just like. a prediction

80. earth tones or jewel tones?

jewel tones!

81. fireflies or lightning bugs?

lightning bugs!

82. pc or console?

either works but i spend more time on pc!

83. writing or drawing?

writing, but i like both!

84. podcasts or talk radio?

talk radio, but i love podcasts like TAZ or Critical Role! 

84. barbie or polly pocket?

neither? but probably barbie bc it’s more well known? idk

85. fairy tales or mythology?

mythology!

86. cookies or cupcakes?

cupcakes all the way b

87. your greatest fear?

me being the last person i know alive. i’d rather die than outlive everyone

88. your greatest wish?

i hope that no matter what there is after we die, i get to be with the people that are most important to me. 

89. who would you put before everyone else?

my s/o and family tbh

90. luckiest mistake?

buying danganronpa bweguowabguawebogbaweibg

91. boxes or bags?

boxes!

92. lamps, overhead lights, sunlight or fairy lights?

fairy lights!

93. nicknames?

i go by wes, dev, bines, anything rlly

94. favorite season?

spring!

95. favorite app on your phone?

tumblr hehe

96. desktop background?

it’s the ddlc cast! it’s a greyscaled image of four of the events cut together and their eyes glow hehe

97. how many phone numbers do you have memorized?

only one, and it’s my dads bc i have to call him every time i go to my grandparents’ hehe

98. favorite historical era?

probably the one we’re in now tbh, but like. also hate it

[iridescent-ren]

Tag games~

I have a lot to catch up on so i’m gonna just do a bunch and you guys can do whatever you feel like :D HALF OF THESE HAVE BEEN LEFT FOR LIKE A YEAR IM SORRY

Basically if u tagged me in one of these u can do any of the others, and anyone can do anything :’D Thankyou so much for tagging me aaaaa

10/10! Tagged by @naluloverforever thankyou!!! 

Rules: List ten of your favorite characters from ten different fandoms and tag ten others.

Kuro - Servamp Juvia - Fairy tail Kageyama - Haikyuu!! Nishimiya - Koe no katachi 707 - Mystic Messenger Natsukage - 1bitheart Tokaku - Akuma no riddle Jisoo - Blackpink Tzuyu - Twice Bungou stray dogs - Dazai

Music playlist tag! Tagged by @mizu-sakuya-ocd Thankyou so much!! I’m sorry its beens years :’D

Rules: Put your playlist on shuffle and write the first 10 songs that play, then tag ten mutuals

1. Set it off - plastic promises  2. Twice - headphones 3. Bts - Boy in luv 4. Twice - Cheer up 5. Blackpink - Whistle 6. Set it off - wolf in sheeps clothing 7. Twice - Signal 8. 3OH!3 - Don’t trust me 9. Icon for hire - You can’t kill us 10. Hollywood undead - Believe

A-Z Tag game!! Tagged by @memekoe and @catslab thankyou!!!! :D

A - Age: 14 B - Biggest fear(s): probably inconveniencing people i love C - Current time: 6.40pm o: D - Drink you last had: i think it was coke :,) E - Everyday starts with: Me waking up and checking skype :,) F - Favourite song: Stay by twice !! G - Ghosts, are they real?: I’d like to think so H - Hometown: Ryde! I - In love with: my gf jedjkdke eeee J - Jealous of: Everyone p much K - Killed someone: not irl XD  L - Last time you cried: pretty recently bc of test stress actually M - Middle name: Alexandria N - Number of sibling(s): 1 brother and 2 step brothers o: O - One wish: I want to be good looking i guess P - Person I last called/texted: My mum Q - Questions you’re always asked: ISNT IT TOO HOT TO BE WEARING THAT??? NO FUCK YOU I WEAR WHAT I WANT ITS COMFY R - Reason to smile: My friends! <3 S - Song last sang: I cant sing XD T - Time you woke up: 6am U - Underwear colour: grey???? V - Vacation destination: BRISBANE SO I CAN MEET MAHI :DD W - Worst habit: complains abt being tired too much X - X-rays you had: dont remember o: Y - Your favorite food: Subway probably lol or nuggets

Z - Zodiac: Pisces!

20/20 Tag game! Tagged by @lawlicht4eva aAAA THANK UUUU <33

Name: Astra!

Nicknames: Satan

Zodiac sign: Pisces

Height: dont know :,) tall

Orientation: GAYYYYYYY

Nationality: Australian

Favourite Fruit: mangos o:

Favourite season: spring :D

Favourite Book: UH DOES FANFIC COUNT : , D 

Favourite flower: ?????

Favourite scent: instant noodles

Favourite Colour: blue o:

Favourite Animal: Snakess

Coffee, tea, or hot chocolate: hot chocolate o:

Average amount of sleep: 5 or so hours o:

Cat or dog: uh both :,)

Favourite Fictional Character: Kuro :, )

Number of blankets you sleep with: 1 

Dream trip: MY BED

Blog created:2015 sometime :,)

Number of followers: can’t remembe

Bold what applied to you! Tagged by @nukanell thank u nelelel 

APPEARANCE:I am 5′7″ or taller

I wear glasses I have at least one tattoo I have at least one piercing. I have blonde hair I have brown eyes I have short hair My abs are at least somewhat defined I have or have had braces There is something I would change about the way I look PERSONALITY:My Hogwarts house is: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin I am an introvert I like meeting new people People tell me that I’m funny Helping others with their problems is a big priority for me I enjoy physical challenges I enjoy mental challenges I’m playfully rude with people I know well I started saying something ironically and now I can’t stop saying it There is something I would change about my personality ABILITY:I can sing I can play an instrument I can do over 30 pushups without stopping I’m a fast runner I can draw well I have a good memory I’m good at doing math in my head I can hold my breath underwater for over a minute I have beaten at least 2 people in arm wrestling I know how to cook at least 3 meals from scratch I know how to throw a proper punch HOBBIES:I enjoy playing sports I’m on a sports team at my school or somewhere else I’m in an orchestra or choir at my school or somewhere else I have learned a new song in the past week I work out at least once a week I’ve gone for runs at least once a week in the warmer months I have drawn something in the past month I enjoy writing Fandoms are my #1 passion I do or have done martial arts EXPERIENCES:I have had my first kiss I have had alcohol I have scored the winning goal in a sports game I have watched an entire season of a TV show in one sitting I have been at an overnight event I have been in a taxi I have been in the hospital or ER in the past year I have beaten a video game in one day I have visited another country I have been to one of my favourite band’s concerts RELATIONSHIP:I’m in a relationship I have a celebrity crush I have a crush on someone I know I have been in at least 3 relationships I have never been in a relationship I have asked someone out or admitted my feelings to them I get crushes easily I have had a crush on someone for over a year I have been in a relationship for at least a year I have had feelings for a friend MY LIFE:I have at least one person I consider a “best friend” I live close to my school My parents are still together I have at least one sibling I live in the United States There is snow right now where I live I have hung out with a friend outside of school in the past month I have a smartphone I have at least 15 CDs I share my room with someone RANDOM SHIT:I have breakdanced I know a person named Jamie I have had a teacher with a last name that’s hard to pronounce I have dyed my hair I’m listening to one song on repeat right now I have punched someone in the past week I know someone who has gone to jail I have broken a bone I have eaten a waffle today I know what I want to do with my life I speak at least 2 languages fluently I have made a new friend in the past year

[jiminnieblues-blog]

get to know me tag(s)

yoo so recently i’d been tagged to do three get to know me tags, and i dont want to make three separate posts for each so im gonna combine all of them in this one post which is under a cut bc……….its really long LOL anyways i was tagged by @lovhobe, @elementaljimin, and @protectkimtaehyung thank you so much guys!!!!!!!!!!! <333 im glad i got to know yall better asdfgh

im tagging @jiminslipgloss​, @jxxminmols​, @kismet-soo​, @baeklipse​, @sonyeondn​, @neckatie​, @kihyunswife​ and @bulletproofbookworm​ you guys are welcome to do however many of these you want lol i just didnt wanna tag people separately for each tag

i was tagged by @lovhobe​ to do the 20 questions one tysm!!  instructions: answer the 20 questions and tag 20 amazing followers you would like to get to know better. (lol yall already know i aint tagging 20 people)

name - zara

nickname - um a few of my friends like to call me zar-zar and i get called zaro by my family a lot

zodiac sign - cancer

height - 5′ 3″

orientation - straight

ethnicity - pakistani

favorite fruit - pineapple i think

favorite season - fall

favorite book series - idk um i’ll be that person and say harry potter lol i cant rlly think of a good series rn but my fave book is the kite runner 

favorite flower - i dont rlly know a lot of flowers but i like roses and the vibrant colors that orchids can have

favorite scent - fresh laundry

favorite color - purple

favorite animal - zebras?

coffee, tea, or hot cocoa - hot cocoa

average hours of sleep - five

cat or dog person - i like both but i think i like cats a little more

favorite fictional character(s) - this is hard bc i used to be in a lot of fandoms asdfghjkl draco, red & gold, percy, bakugou, link and i have more from all the drama i watch but the list will be to long lmao !!!

number of blankets you sleep with - three

dream trip - idrk?? somewhere out of the country i guess i dont leave the us unless im going to pakistan lol

blog created - i had to check my archive lmao but i made this blog in oct of 2015

number of followers - :^)

NEXT i was tagged by @eternaljimin​ for the get to know me tag tysm !! there werent any instructions just.........answer the questions lol.

a - age - fourteen lmao.........................

b - biggest fear - tight spaces

c - current time - 10:35 pm

d - drink you had last - water

e - everyday starts with - getting out of bed??

f - favorite song - im saying this just bc it just came out but RUMOR BY KARD IS A BOP WATCH IT AND SUPPORT THESE LEGENDS  

g - ghosts are real? - idk my dude

h - hometown/country - us

i - in love with - jimin?

j - jealous of - i was just watching sbs kpop star and there are these two kids who are eleven yrs old and are so talented i wish i was talented you feel 

k - killed someone - why would someone even ask this akshf ofc not

l - last time you cried - i think i cried today lmfao

m - music you last listened to - RUMOR BY KARD

n - newest thing you bought for yourself - i think the last thing i spent my money on was cheez its from the vending machine @ school ajksf

o - one wish - i wish my life went smoothly and that i wasnt mentally ill?? lmao

p - person you last messaged - @jiminslipgloss​ :)

q - questions you get asked often - since i wear the hijab i get a lot of questions abt that i also get questions on my rbf like ‘why do you look so depressed all the time’ asfkjkj

r - recommended (movie? series? book?) - i just remembered that i read this book called this blinding absence of light and it was rlly good a little explicit but it was a damn good book i rlly wanna re read it 

s - song you last sang - i dont rmbr but it was probs a track from hamilton lol

t - thanks, last person you said thanks to - the waiter that gave me food @ a restaurant i went today 

u - underwear youre wearing - not sure what this is asking but im wearing a purple one rn???

v - vacation, your dream vacation - i dont rlly have one lol

w - worst habit - idk if this counts but i lose my temper a lot? is that a habit? if not i tend to space out/get distracted a lot esp in class

x - x rays youve had - my teeth, my ankle, a few of my fingers

y - your favorite food - rice !

z - zodiac sign - cancer

for the third one i was tagged by @protectkimtaehyung​ for the seventy questions tag tysm!!!!!!

do you have a good relationship with your parents? yeah

who did you last say i love you to? um listen im rlly not tryna be edgy but i seriously dont rmbr the last time i said ily irl

do you regret anything? i regret a lot of things lol

are you insecure? unfortunately

whats your relationship status? single

how do you want to die? asdfghjkl um a painless death i think

what did you last eat? rice

played any sports? i used to play tennis and swim but now i do kung fu

do you bite your nails? no

when was your last physical fight? i kind of have......to fight in kung fu so like when i last had class lol

do you like someone? no

have you ever stayed up forty-eight hours? yeah

do you hate anyone atm? i tend to hate a lot of ppl lmao?

do you miss someone? uhm i dont think so

have any pets? no :// i used to have parakeets but i gave them away and i just recently found out that they passed away :(((

how exactly are you feeling right now? i was kinda happy but since its sunday night im starting to feel shitty bc i dont want to go back to school tmrw afjh and im rlly tired

ever made out in the bathroom? no

are you scared of spiders? yeah lol

would you go back in time if you were given the chance? this is an interesting question bc it depends like if i were given just one chance then mayyyybe id go back and change smth i did that was stupid but if were given the chance to go whenever i want then probably not bc thats way too much pressure/commitment to have a power like that sdhfa 

where was the last place you snogged someone? i havent snogged anyone lmfao

what are your plans for this weekend? sleep

do you want to have kids? how many? i dont want to have kids bc childbirth doesnt seem appealing to me but idk i might change my mind when im older/more mature

do you have piercing? how many? one on both ears

what is/are/were your best subjects? the only classes i have solid as in are art, lit, and w4p lol math and science are def not my thing

do you miss anyone for your past? from my past, yes

what are you craving right now? sleep

have you ever broken someones heart? in first grade some kid liked me and i embarrassed him in front of his friends to get him to stop liking me so yeah i was wildin in first grade

have you ever been cheated on? no

have you ever made a significant other cry? no

whats irritating you right now? my tiredness? 

does somebody love you? oh geez i hope lmao

what is your favorite color? purple

do you have trust issues? yeah

who/what was your last dream about? um i dont think i remember v clearly

who was the last person you cried in front of? my mom

do you give second chances out easily? i dont think ive been in a situation where ive had to but i probably wouldnt 

is it easier to forgive or forget? wow um can i say neither lol

is this year the best year of your life? definitely not

how old were you when you had your first kiss? havent had one

have you ever walked out naked? no

favorite food? rice

do you believe everything happens for a reason? hmmm probably idk man i dont think too hard lol

what is the last thing you did before you went to bed last night? scrolling through this hell website

is cheating ever okay? no

are you mean? i probably dont come off as mean online but im not gonna lie i def get mean irl

how many people have you fist fought? i dont think ive been in a situation where i had to punch someone?

do you believe in true love? ive never experienced romantic love so i wouldnt be able to say but probably aajkf ive read/watched too much and analyzed too many relationships for me to say love is real but...........love isnt real yall

favorite weather? when the sun is covered by clouds and its a little chilly

do you like the snow? ive only encountered snow like twice so idk but i feel like i wouldnt like it very much lol

do you want to get married? idk man

is it cute when someone calls you baby? pet names arent rlly my thing lol 

what makes you happy? sleep...........im rlly tired rn 

would you change your name? no

would it be hard to kiss the last person you kissed? this is an interestingly phrased question lol. well i dont rmbr the last person i kissed so idk

your best friend of the opposite sex likes you, what do you do? wow that would be rlly sad LMAO but id turn him down and tell him to get better standards wtf

do you have a friend of the opposite sex who you can act your complete self around? well they wouldnt be considered my friend if i couldnt act like myself around them so yes

who was the last person of the opposite sex you talked to? i just texted my friend so we can play video games aslfkh 

whos the last person you had a deep conversation with? literally the same dude from the last question lol

do you believe in soulmates? um no i dont think so?

id there anyone you would die for? my family/friends

thanks everyone again for tagging me !! <33

[lovejongin]

question tag

thank u for tagging me @yieniall and @bb-bambam!! i’m tagging @dongbangsoojjp @7legends @jongins-laugh and @wonwooscherie u don’t have to do it if u don’t want to!

1| how old were you when you had your first kiss?

lol i have not had it yet

2| What made you decide to have a tumblr blog?

it was originally bc of soccer, specifically the 2014 world cup

3| Been depressed:

i don’t think so

4| how many people have you fist fought?

none lol

5| do you want to have kids? how many?

no i most definitely do not want to give birth but i ~may~ consider adopting eventually, probably just one if any and i would most likely want to adopt a slightly older child, like around 7-8 at least

6| Do you want to change your name:

nah

7| Right or left handed:

left

8| do you have piercings? how many?

just my ears (one in each)

9| who was the last person you cried in front of?

i think it was my dad? he heard me crying and came in my room for a bit.. i mean technically i videochatted with my sister after that but idk if it counts if we weren’t actually face-to-face

10| do you believe in soulmates?

eeEEeeeehhhhh idk... i think it’s a nice idea but i don’t know that i believe there’s truly some kind of predestined match for everyone

11| Zodiac sign:

gemini

12| Do you have a dream job?

no and it sucks bc i have no idea what i want to do with my life

13| A crush:

nope

14| What do you like about yourself:

i kinda like my eyes, i think they’re kind of pretty

15| Right now eating:

nothing lol

16| who’s the last person you had a deep conversation with?

my good ol’ sister (let’s be real do i even have deep conversations with anyone else)

17| Height:

5′3″

18| what is/are/were your best subject(s)?

math 100%

19| Met someone who changed you:

ha, no

20| do you like someone:

like, a crush? bc i already answered that before lol !

21| I’m about to: 

go for a shower

22| do you believe everything happens for a reason?

eh, not really. i don’t really believe in any kind of “higher power” or “destiny” or “fate”

23| Sports I joined:

i have actually done many sports as a kid (soccer, basketball, softball, tennis, cheerleading) but i honestly didn’t like any of them except for tennis and i guess cheer... i also dance which i love. now i’m in marching band and winter guard but idk if those count as sports

24| what’s irritating you right now?

nothing really?

25| do you give out second chances too easily?

i don’t know, i’ve never really been in that kind of situation

26| What is one thing you wish you could change about your life:

the fact that i don’t have a best friend or even really any close friends. like i have casual school friends and i have family friends, but other than my sister i don’t have anyone that i can really call a best friend

27| are you mean?

yeah probably tbh. like i don’t want to be but i know that i probably come off as mean without meaning to be sometimes

28| Cried when someone died:

when my cats died? that’s all i can think of besides hearing about stuff on the news or watching movies where people die and stuff like that

29| Blood type:

i have literally no idea

30| If you could meet ANY Korean CELEBRITY (Includes Actors, Models, K-Music artists, etc.), who would it be?

exo forever and always (preferably ot12 exo :(((( kms)

31| Birthday:

june 19th

32| Been drunk and thrown up:

nope i am 15 years old and a law-abiding citizen thank u very much

33| are you scared of spiders?

kind of? if its a small one thats just kinda chilling then we’re chill. but if its a big scary one tryna get all up in my business then yea i’m scared

34| What would you like to achieve (or experience) before the age of 60?

go to an exo concert (i mean that too but) i guess travel? just see lots of different countries and experience the culture and stuff. also learn other languages

35| What do you wish for the most to happen?

for all the big conflicts and problems in the world to be solved and for everyone to be happy and live in peace instead of. not doing that

36| is cheating ever okay?

no absolutely not

(i mean, there’s something to be said about people in abusive relationships being unable to get out of their situation but meeting someone new during that time but that’s a whole other complex issue so)

37| Do you have any pets:

yes my 2 cats who i love so much!!!!

38| When did you get into kpop and how?

i guess technically the first ever time i got into kpop was in early 2015 when i liked shinee for a little while, but that stopped after a very short amount of time and i just went back to life as normal. but i got into kpop for real around september of 2015 when i saw dope by bts on youtubers react to kpop (yes bts was my first group, no i do not like them anymore)

39| Favorite animal?

cats for sure

40| Love at first sight:

doesn’t exist. you can experience attraction at first sight, but you have to actually know a person on a deeper level in order to fall in love. love isn’t just being attracted to someone, it’s knowing and loving their personality, their flaws, their quirks, and so many other tiny little details and intricacies that are impossible to know just by looking at them

41| how do you want to die?

preferably something painless and peaceful

42| Lips or eyes:

eyes! i love eyes especially dark brown ones with long dark eyelashes

43| Hair length:

it’s kind of around my middle back i guess

44| would you go back in time if you were given the chance?

as long as nothing would get messed up, yeah i guess just to check it out

45| who was the last person of the opposite sex you talked to?

my dad

46| how exactly are you feeling at the moment?

pretty neutral? idk i’m just. sitting here on my computer i’m not really doing anything

47| Laughed until you cry:

i have, one or twice

48| favorite food?

i love most fruits, also mac n cheese and grilled cheese and peanut butter sandwiches

49| when was your last physical fight?

i don’t remember lol... probably with my sister several years ago we used to fight a LOT

50| Do you believe in yourself:

i guess....

[catwlw-archive]

hello again it's been ages and i am actually done going through all of this info (so i'm studying mainly now) and decided that it would b helpful to do this while i'm studying and not after the test or anything u know????

also I will section these off by """sections""" within these specific sections (bc I have 3 units left 2 touch on but I will not force them in the same post yknow???)

hayley kiyoko's smooth voice is in my ears n my thumbs are all warmed up

here we GO

the smith-hughes act: provided funding for teachers education n vocational programs at the hs level

national defense act (ndea): passed in 1958; funded research and funding for educational programs that focused on math, sci, and foreign languages, and provided student loans for those who wanted to become teachers or student counselors

individuals w disabilities education act (idea): passed in 1975; fed legislation protecting the rights of students w disabilities to receive a free appropriate edu that meets their needs; originally named the education of all handicapped children act; ALSO KNOWN AS P. L. 94-142

americans w disabilities act (ada): passed in 1990; fed legislation protecting rights of children and adults w disabilities in society at large instead of solely educational settings

least restrictive environment (lre): students w disabilities are to b educated in learning environments that poses the fewest restrictions on their lived as students AND provides the most opportunities for interaction w nondisabled peers

individualized edu plan (iep): legal doc defining the educational program and related services for a specific disabled student

early intervention: special edu services for young children from birth to age 5

transition services: special edu services for young adults from ages 18 to 21 to help transition from school to "real world" situations

local edu agency (lea): another way 2 say "school district"

per pupil expenditure: the average amount of money a state puts to each student per year (varies state to state)

-

gi bill: provides loans n stuff for the edu of veterans

1st amendment: freedom of expression clause, establishment clause (us congress can't establish religion), and the free exercise clause (us congress can't prohibit exercise of religion)

10th amendment: grants each state the power to provide for public edu

14th amendment: equal process clause (no person can b denied equal protection of the law) and the due process clause (each citizen must have due process of the law)

affirmative action: policies n procedures designed to compensate for past discrimination against women and members of minority groups

section 504: civil rights act that addresses 3 areas - 1) equal treatment, 2) appropriate edu, and 3) people w disabilities

response to intervention (rti): a multitiered approach to early identification and support of students w learning and behavioral needs - 1st tier is whole group instruction, 2nd tier is small group instruction, and 3rd tier is one on one instruction

-

national board certification (nbc): a voluntary, advanced teaching credential; national standards and teachers r certified when they complete its rigorous process

elementary & secondary edu act (esea): first passed in 1965; a major piece of fed legislation that provides fed direction to edu and fed funds for schools

categorical aid: fed funding to school districts to support a specific category of fed edu program

no child left behind act (nclb): reauthorization of the esea in 2001; based on 4 principles - 1) accountability for results, 2) more choices for parents, 3) greater local control and flexibility, and 4) an emphasis on doing what works based on sci research

speaking of, accountability is basically measurable increase in test results every year (this is the bitch that has made standardized tests sooOoOo important)

if a school doesn't meet adequate yearly progress (ayp), it must close and reopen as smth new, get rid of the staff "to blame," turn the school over to the state, or smth else entirely

title ix: fed legislation designed to ensure equity between men and women in edu

every student succeeds act (essa): replaced the nclb act in 2015; reduced the importance of standardized tests and strict accountability rules

national board for professional teaching standards (nbpts): an organization that reviews representative work of experienced teachers to determine whether their work merits their gaining board certification as accomplished teachers

the nbpts has 5 propositions for certification: 1) teachers r committed to students, 2) teachers know the subjects they teach and how to do it, 3) teachers r responsible for managing and monitoring students, 4) teachers think systematically, and 5) teachers are part of learning communities

then there's differentiated compensation, which is pay for teachers based on various aspects related to the quality of their performance rather than only their years of service and course credits taken

i'm skipping over my notes about technology bc we all know there are helpful programs n stuff and students can cheat shjsnsksms

-

there's this thing called the 21st century framework. it presents a view of 21st century teaching and learning that combines a discrete focus on student outcomes (specific skills, content knowledge, expertise, and literacies). the national edu association (nea; the association that ella flagg young became the first female president of that I mentioned in the first post aye) and the american association of school librarians (aasl) partnered for the framework, and developed it to stretch from preschool to graduate school. there are many outcomes of it: learning and innovation skills (creativity, problem-solving, etc), info, media, and tech skills (tech and media literacies, etc), life and career skills (flexibility, self-direction, etc), and core subjects + 21st century themes (global awareness, etc.).

a major purpose of schools for over 100 years has been to prepare students to contribute to the economical growth of the nation (also called "workforce readiness")

4 main skills needed for the workforce: 1) professionalism/work-ethic, 2) oral and written communication, 3) teamwork/collaboration skills, and 4) critical thinking/problem solving skills

this is all for this post!!! onto the next :)

[tomasleexyz]

No Online/Offline Boundary

If you're in retail business or often read the retail business news, you must notice about a term called "O2O," especially in China, refers to either "Offline-to-Online" or "Online-to-Offline" business model. There has been a debate heating up about online business wl gradually conquer the entire retail market.

In US, the eCommerce business is about 10% of $4.78 Trillions total retail market, increased fr 7% in last year; Amazon (AMZN), as everyone's expected, dominates the entire online channel segment. And on the opposite side of the Pacific Ocean, $1.56 Trillions China's online retail sales grew to a third of its total retail market in 2015. Bc of the rapid significant growth in %, everyone in conventional retail is panicking. Many media and analysts predicted Brick-n-Mortar and Malls wl die. In fact, the 'Big Boy' retailers, like Sears, Macy's, JC Penny, Targets, Best Buy, Walmart & more, are all facing struggles (Read their latest earning statements & you'll figure out why they're all profoundly worrying); Some are even hanging at the edge of bankruptcy. But where's their problem? Some conventional retailers have been the core of US economy in the 30's & 40's until the late 90's when internet booms. Is it really a technology invasion caused a shift of consumer shopping behavior? Or something else? I believe it's the latter, and here's why.

First of all, the total retail market's growing, so we have to look into why the consumers shop less physically, but more online consequently.

Is it bc of limited selection and availability? Nope, this restraint only applies in certain type of goods, and doesnt valid if your products are scarce and exclusive. Besides the well-known term “Showrooming,” there is actually a reverse behavior called “Webrooming.” For example, big screen TV sold much, much more volume in Costco and BBY than the entire online channel (AMZN tried to crack into this problem). Consumers wl go studying all product specifications and comparing price online, then make purchase offline bc of worrying about freight damage and ease of RMA. They would rarely buy online even if today’s Samsung 55” 4K UHD costs $100 less online with ‘Free Door-to-Door Shipping’ offer. It’s just the consumer’s dilemma/confidence matter (Many online merchants and media tried to reverse that, but wasnt much succeeded).

Is it bc of price incentive? Nope, just explained. Plus, shopping online is not necessary cheaper, depending on the economy of scale the retailers we compare in here. Moreover, freight logistic cost (Labor, cost of maintenance & fuel) is progressively increasing thru time trajectory; AMZN is trying to 'w00t' everyone signs up their “Prime”, not only bc of increasing customer loyalty, # of purchase frequency, total revenue per customer & so forth, but to also fundamentally offload the baseline cost of logistic (Not gonna explain the detail math, maybe another time; Pls simply acknowledge the 2-days shipping costs AMZN less than a single package ground-shipped by consumer). Also, guess what? AMZN doesnt offer the best price in town according to many retail researches.

Is it then due to convenience and time saving? Yes, but not 100% relevant to the Cost of Productivity/Opportunity Cost/Product Lifetime Value. Each customer segment apparently has its own distinguishable psychological profile. Let's just say the Soccer Moms (Not saying their time is not important), would they rather go for shopping enjoyment or stay home waiting just for a 'brown-carton-box' delivery, under the circumstance all associated costs (Price, gas & mileage) in shopping online & offline are equivalent? Most would choose the former. In contrast, most married men wl likely make an inverse decision (Shopping is not in men's nature; Also, the reason why @MiserableMen got so popular on IG). Hope that answered you.

Of course, we can continue going on-n'-on to evaluate, review and debate in many more different aspects. But while wandering our answer, shall we first ask why the Homo Sapiens is shopping at the first place? In consumer psychology prospective, "The motivation for almost everything we buy has something to do with connecting with other human beings." You may argue online retailers do provide social marketing activities to form community bonding stronger ‘relationship’ with customers, dont they? Yes, but different from physical engagement. As a social species, we like to observe, talk, smell, touch and feel objects, and importantly gain recognition from another. Why is Apparel being such a big category? Bc we wanna be more appeal to others (Identity Crisis); otherwise, we can all wear a simple, plain white t-shirt at all time (In a fact, that's my signature dress style for a couple years in the past. Friends & collegues would come and ask if I washed my clothes. Haha… And look what FB’s Mark Zuckerberg wears on everyday now); therefore, technology delivers immersive experience, like VR, could be a real threat to all offline businesses. Alrighty, let’s get back to my topic “No Online/Offline Boundary.”  

Now, the question is whether today’s ‘Brick n' Mortar’ provide any incremental value to consumers? Yes, but not thoroughly. Like the famous A&F stores (Set aside its controversy), once every youngster loved, every merchandise, every interaction and every touch inside the retail store’s set systematically - very ‘robotic’. In each time walked by their stores’ window, you see the exact same set of seasonal clothing displayed; You’re then welcomed by their 'cloned' associates trained with a big sunny smile; You’ll always find the women session’s on the left, men’s on the right, and the sales session’s at the bottom-end of their stores (This precise 'uniform' floor plan was hyper-sensitively designed, not the work of laziness); You can ‘conveniently’ locate the exact style of clothing with different size and color at the same area in every store; Last but not least, you’ll be lining up in front of the POS counter before checkout. What an exhilarating shopping experience, isn't it?!

In contrary, let’s look at the “Think Different” Apple Store, whom turns 15yrs old & already earns $5,546/ sq. ft on the top of all retailers (Unfortunate AAPL decided not to disclose its stores performance from 2016 on), similar storefront can be found, but never identical. Every store may have familiar placement, but does keep its distinctive window displays and interior design. Not only your loved products can be checkout and pickup right away from any associate with POS machine, and your receipt/activity record wl be emailed and detail-documented in your Apple ID account (No paper waste). In additional, every online order you place can be picked up in any store at your convenience time during their hours. If needed a repair or product problem, you can either schedule online for an appointment or simply walk-in and drop-by the bar. An estimated repairing time’s given, and an txt message or email wl notify you when ready, so no valuable time's wasted. Beside that, new Apple application skills can be learnt for FREE or any in-store event can be participated by easily signing up on Apple.com. Moreover, their 'non-cookie cutting' associates (Their appearance never looks alike, even though wearing the same Apple t-shirt uniform) are very sociable, and they wont feel annoying if you have endless questions. Presently, they take one step further in their latest SF Union Square and NY WTC stores; Both stores turned into recreation park. Haha… Very spacey and lots of trees inside. There are even stools available for utilizing the way you like (I see people stack them up as table) or resting in front of their crystal-clear, gigantic display to watch their demos or just people-watching all day long. Furthermore, to enchant your visit, there’s a beautiful garden for you to enjoy the wonderful sunshine (I dont think you can do picnic yet). You'll also find the design language of their ‘Store’ pulled in sync with their web site. It’s a successful role model for every retailer to follow.

How about AMZN? Do you feel engaged with their brand? I know I dont (Wasnt bc I worked at their rival, EGG, in before. LOL). They’re literally a cold-hearted marketplace for trading products only. Once you find what the product you need, you leave. Dislike a product, write a nasty review and the seller wl compensate you or contact AMZN for a refund, and pretty much about it (Very soon 'Alexa' wl call you for satisfaction survey). Shoppers have no sense of emotion attachment with this brand. And that’s why AMZN, the ‘800lbs Gorilla’, once single-handedly wiped out the entire bookstore industry (Still remember the Borders and Barnes & Noble stories, anyone?), starts building the “Bookstore” again. First experimented the campus stores at the Purdue University and UC Davis, now in Seattle, San Diego and Portland, and more to come soon. In stores, they thoughtfully use the AI algorithms to place selective best selling books in the limited retail space, and display their latest electronic gadgets like the Kindle, Fire Series, and Echo withal. Most importantly, the stores provide the “Order online, Pick up here” service (AMZN Locker) to connect the dots between its online and offline business. But why, if the ‘Retail Stores is Going to Die”? Online business would never survive without offline presence, so does the other way around (Read the KPCB Internet Trends Report 2016 below to understand more).

You see where I’ve been guiding you to? If still not following, how about a last example in shopping 3D technology products online? Please try visualizing the three-dimensional effect of video content (Or now VR) on the flat 2D monitor screen you’re staring at now. It’s just not possible, and that’s why the 3D TV category failed online miserably. Consumers just cant relate to the stunting visual experience and see the value of that technology. (3D TV failure in mass adoption's mainly caused by its immature technology). As you may see, online retailers, as well, have its own limitation and boundary. On the other hand, the arisen of VR technology wl write a new chapter in retail history if intelligently submerged into shopping experience (Again, another topic yet another time). Then, the landscape of online vs offline business may change.

In a conclusion, why today’s offline retailers failed is the lack of presence customer experience, but not by the influence of online business. Brick-n-Mortar can competently fix this problem and captivate better shopping experience by integrating the concurrent technologies, such as Beacon, Chatbot, AI and Machine Learning. The problem I see yonder in those offline-retail corporate giants is the poor resource allocation planning, deficient technology-integrated infrastructure and bureaucracy.

Highly satisfied Customer Experience (CX) is the key to open the door of success to all businesses.

Hope this post gives you a different viewpoint about retail business. I would also like to hear your opinions below. Thanks for reading.

Ref. 

1.The Case for the American Mall

2. http://www.mckinsey.com/industries/retail/our-insights/here-comes-the-modern-chinese-consumer

3. http://www.slideshare.net/kleinerperkins/2016-internet-trends-report