#breaking bad plus mitski? more likely than you think

[krissonlythoughts]

Me and my husband

[kolbisneat]

MONTHLY MEDIA: January 2023

Holy cow a new year! Off to a good start and here’s all the art/media I experienced this first month of 2023.

……….FILM……….

M3GAN (2023) Was every plotpoint and death telegraphed from moment one? Yes. Was it full of wildly bad decision making so that the movie could happen? Yes. Was it everything I wanted? Yes.

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022) Eagerly awaited this and overall, worth it. The CGI-heavy ending felt more Netflix than Knives Out. The rest of the film, as well as the mid-film twist that feels on par with the first movie, felt right at home. I’d love to watch more of these and hope A. They can drop the “Knives Out Mystery” subtitle and B. They keep it focused on character and plot instead of spectacle.

Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio (2022) Beautiful. The design and changes to the familiar were fantastic. Found the pacing to be a little slow in spots but I’m sure it’s impossible to cut any of the puppetry on display.

The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) Okay technically I watched this on New Year’s Eve but my December post was already out. On this rewatch I noticed each Marley kinda holds out their hands while the other is singing their verse, and what really struck me is just how full each environment feels. Muppet movies always have so many extras and details that may not be noticed but are felt. Really such a treasure.

……….TELEVISION……….

The Last Dance (Episode 1.01 to 1.10) Okay technically I’ve been watching this since before the start of the year but I forgot about it. Not knowing much of anything about basketball meant I was both surprised by every turn AND completely confused from all the time jumps. It makes each game seem like this is the most important game ever and because I had no idea what game we were talking about, I kept thinking it was THE game. Anyway the last 2 eps saved it for me as I really was thrilled by them winning THE game.

……….YOUTUBE……….

TikTok: Life on the Algorithm by Errant Signal For the uninitiated, a solid introduction to TikTok as a platform. And even for those who are familiar, it touches on nuances and trends in a way that explains what felt unexplainable. VIDEO

The Horrifying Panopticon of West Elm Caleb by Sarah Z A good companion piece to the Errant Signal video. This breaks down one viral event in TikTok and the great implications of it. And it’s not really just applicable to TikTok. VIDEO

……….READING……….

Circe by Madeline Miller (Complete) Despite it taking me all month to read, I loved this. It’s kinda like Forrest Gump but for Greek Mythology in that you get to see a lot of these big myths, heroes, and monsters from a different perspective. But that’s not to diminish Miller’s writing of Circe who has such natural and incredible character growth. Highly recommend.

Old School Essentials by Necrotic Gnome (Complete) Okay so more of a rules book for running old-school role-playing games, I did read through it this month so it still counts. I’ve been keen to explore other rulesets and while this is still D&D, it’s interesting to see how this interpretation of the original rules differs from 5th Edition.

Witch Hat Atelier Volume 1 by Kamome Shirahama (Complete) Not a bad start! The characters feel a little trope-y but it’s the first volume and the art is so good that I can’t help but keep going. The magic and world is creative and there’s enough layers to the early plot that I’m looking forward to spending more time in this world.

……….AUDIO……….

Love Me More by Mitski (2022) Just a really tight quartet of tracks. Big fan of Mitski’s sweeping synths but it’s fun that these are a little more energetic! Gosh I wish jazzercise was still a thing cause I’d absolutely run in place to all of these songs.

……….GAMING……….

Hades (Supergiant Games) I’m a simple man; I read a Greek mythology book I go back and play a Greek mythology game. That plus the sequel reveal has me very excited. Still such a good game.

Neverland: A Fantasy Role-Playing Setting (Andrews McMeel Publishing) My tuesday crew is digging deeper into the politics and history of the land of Fairies but they aren’t quite done with the island of Neverland just yet! You can read more about our weekly exploits here. And the Mof1 group is amassing a variety of magic weapons and possibly planning on buying real estate in the Gnome hamlet. Always an adventure.

And that’s it. See you in February!

[bluewaterhigh2005]

hii i know this is random but bear with me. ive never read the vampire academy books but i have seen the movie for the first time last week and ive been like COMPLETELY insane about it ever since. the absolute craziness of psychosexual obsessive girlbestfriendism has captivated me and now i live breathe eat roselissa. spent a lot. of time on vampire academy wiki...thinking abt reading the books even but that seems a little excessive plus i dont wanna read about rose dimitri relationship i dont condone it. BUT i am getting desperate ive seen bad fanart on pinterest ive even venturend into some bad fanfic territory theres nothing in the roselissa tumblr tag and your blog is the only light in the darkness. im so obsessed with them its really bad. NOBODY does it like them theyre so insane. okay so-> i was thinking you could use this ask to dump some roselissa opinions/headcannons/notes app essays etc or like literally anything🙏. also sorreee for how long it is & thank you & also should i watch the show? ok ok have a nice day byeeeee❤️

i am so fucking glad that it's 2023 and people are still watching this stupid perfect lesbian camp masterpiece of a film. okay first of all you are soooo real not wanting to read the books because of fuck ass dimitri like what a pathetic flop. *i* love the books like i would love my own children but keep in mind i did read them for the first time as a 12yr old and even now when i reread it's mostly to warmup before rereading bloodlines which i think is the most perfect magical romantic series ever written. heterosexuals won that round.

anyway i think everyone in the world should watch the show it's so much fun and the roselissa necromancy reveal goes soooooooo crazy like it's gay excellence. also a) australian rose hathaway is INSPIRED, b) the rose/dimitri of it all pisses me off significantly less in the show purely because he's like. not even a teacher he's just lurking and hanging around and i find that very funny. no friends no job he's just like me fr, and c) lissa wears funky little hats and that's so special to me she is my baby girl princess sweetie pie forever and ever and ever

okay moving onto actually talking about roselissa it is first of all very important to me that you know the 3rd book opens with rose inside lissa's head during a lissa/christian sex scene and she's very much like "i don't want to have sex with lissa..... BUT-" and it sends me every time especially because that was actually the first book i read so my literal introduction to this series was rose being weird and psychosexual about lissa which kind of coloured my view of them forever. roselissa above everything of course but i AM a roselissachristian throuple truther i think they're very fun and rose and christian best friendisms are very dear to me.

i do keep a running list in my notes app of songs that i would put on a roselissa playlist (like an insane person.) and the #1 entry is mitski's i don't smoke because well literally if you need to be mean be mean to me i can take it and put it inside of me..... that's literally their whole entire thing for a while there like rose spending an entire book like. siphoning off lissa's mental illness and making it her own SOUNDS like a joke but no it's #real and #devastating. bonus i also have a list of lissa songs which is topped by BRUTAL by olivia rodrigo because nobody has ever suffered the pains of being a teenage girl more than my perfect bisexual vampire princess.

my post-series thoughts /headcanons are often pretty depressing on the roselissa front but i don't want to get into depressing shit so i will instead talk about my current favourite idea which is that after they break their bond at the end of the series. you'd think they'd start being normal about each other. but NO they get even more freaky and codependent. i like to picture people coming to court and just sighing when they see them sitting in each other's laps on lissa's throne like not AGAIN. and dimitri idk dies in a fire or something. idk if you've ever seen grey's anatomy but there's this bit where a guy is like "my wife and her friend have sleepovers together in our bed with me in it" and TO ME that is soooo roselissachristian core. he's THEIR third wheel and he knows it.

also sidebar it pisses me off SOOOOOO bad seeing how people on the internet so fundamentally misunderstand lissa and her relationship to rose like for literal years now like they're always out here calling my girl self-centred and saying she doesn't love rose as much as rose loves her which is crazy because hello she brought rose back from the DEAD with her mind powers. her whole flop family was dead in that car and she brought back her girl best friend like what more can you even say about that. she's gay and she's insane and she's so completely Not Normal about rose

[kkatastrophic]

i love MUSIC so jeres me assigning some songs from my playlist to the main lok characters and main atla characters ‘cause i’m bored and scrolling on tiktok is making me go stupid with No explanation maybe idk. i am assigning songs purely out of my gut instinct and the twitch in my fingers

Also highlighting songs in blue because i am a messy person and have like BLOBS of text so and the artist name in [__] square brackets

(also lets ignore tje fact that most of the songs are from adrianne lenker, or jeff buckley, or alex g, or mitski… !!! i THINK i might have favorites… umm idk tho…)

—

ATLA

aang: the frost [mitski] , message [alex g] , also things to do [alex g] . not much to be said here im bad at analyzing poor little avatar buddy aang im so sorry my friend!!!

katara: a small dash of when memories snow [mitski] and a drop of buffalo replaced [mitski] and abbey [mitski]

sokka: also abbey [mitski] + DEF when memories snow [mitski] . lover you should’ve come over [jeff buckley] and forget her [jeff buckley] maybe? weird fishes / arpeggi [radiohead] too

toph: half return [adrianne lenker] . class of 2013 [mitski] audiotree version sorry! a small drop of crack baby [mitski] thats maybe a stretch though! and rules [alex g] probs a stretch too

zuko: also half return [adrianne lenker], dragon eyes [adrianne lenker] as well. advice [alex g] and some of eternal life [jeff buckley] either version (road or classic) but it doesn’t really matter. and candy [alex g]

might do azula, suki, plus some other characters some other time when i’m not lazy to death 😞

—

LOK

korra: eternal life [jeff buckley], maybe i love me after you [mitski], abbey [mitski] brand new city [mitski], i dont like my mind [mitski], i’m your man [mitski], 16 mirrors [alex g]

mako: forget her [jeff buckley], somewhat the deal [mitski], things to do [alex g], when memories snow [mitski], pretend [alex g] , a bit of a stretch but maybe there’s nothing left for you [mitski]

asami: once more to see you [mitski] goodluck, babe! [chappell roan], buffalo replaced [mitski], anything [adrianne lenker], a drop of not a lot, just forever [adrianne lenker]

bolin: crack baby [mitski], i don’t smoke [mitski] (classic or audiotree version it doesnt really matta), last goodbye [jeff buckley], weird fishes / arpeggi [radiohead], break [alex g], message [alex g], i want you [mitski], a little bit of abbey [mitski] (what is it with so many characters being compatible with this song even in a small way??!), liquid smooth [mitski], and brand new city [mitski]

idk who else to do for lok idk

—

these are so ooc probably hellp? just wanted to assign random songs to them and i have like. a total of like about fivr artist in my playlist with 2+ songs made by them… alex g mitski jeff buckley radiohead fiona apple... what the sigma!!! but idrc i ddi this for fun and honestly this was much better than scrolling on tiktok for hours on end and slso i got to listen to cool songs! and also i thought about cheracters a lot and to be more specific my favorite characters a lot and like. i looove my favorite characters!!! guess which ones they are! dont its sokka and bolin idk if its obvious aha! 😞 ok im tyoing a lot posting this and goigntnos eleep (lie im gonan read ao3 and write fics ill never post and them scroll on tumblr for lok ant atla content)

[smellsfaintlyofvanilla]

I just saw your post on the matchups,,, but first of all - CONGRATULATIONS!! you deserve it so much<3

and can I please request a match-up?

my pronouns are she/they and I'm a lesbian! I'm infj and aries!

I'm 5,6 and I have brown-purple long length hair with hazel eyes.

I love learning about flowers and lgbtq+ history, singing, exploring nature, traveling, and baking! oh, and painting rocks!

well, I'm very quiet and closed off to strangers. but with my friends, my personality totally changes. they describe me as kind, responsible, chaotic, and pretty cheerful! but also realistic and honest (in a nice way?). I think that fits my actual personality.

I'm a very good listener, but I also really want someone to listen to me. also, someone that tells me how things are and is pretty good at communication because I'm a big overthinker. physical affection would be great as well. just someone who loves me as much as I love them.

my worst weakness is being bad at confrontation! but my biggest strength I think is being cared about others.

I also love picnics and studio ghibli movies!

I don't know if this helps but I listen to Mitsuki, mother mother and marina and the diamonds a lot.

photos for the relationship would be better, please!

thank you and congratulations again꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡

Okay okay okay, I know this is a character matchup but like... can I match you up with me? You literally sound perfect.

Also, amazing taste in music, Mitski and Mother Mother are totally my two favorite artists!

Enough of that, I match you with...

ANNIE LEONHART

-----

Okay, reading this ask, it was basically screaming Annie at me

It feels like it would be a really stable and mutually beneficial relationship

At first, she was drawn to you just because of how quiet you were

Because, thank god, there was someone in the cadets who knew how to keep their mouth shut

Plus, she couldn't deny at all that she was physically attracted to you, too

So, for a while, she stuck by your side, watching over you like a hawk would to her territory

But, over time, you seemed to start talking to her much more

It surprised her at first, but she quickly decided she liked the talkative you much better

You seemed so genuinely happy to be near her, always smiling and spending time with her, no matter how stoic and unresponsive she stayed

And, she couldn't deny that occasionally getting roped into your little schemes and jokes was a little amusing sometimes

The more time she spent around you, the more she felt her affection grow towards you

It started with just an innocent curiosity, but was quickly growing into a genuine crush

She resisted pretty fiercely at first, refusing to admit her feelings or, heaven forbid, confess

But time passed, and it grew harder and harder for her to hide it

The way you would so casually put your hand on her shoulder, acting like it was such a platonic gesture. It was, to you, but to her, it made her heart flutter and her face redden

But she'd persist on keeping it hidden

That is, until she can't take it anymore

Having you around her so often, being so friendly to such an aloof person like her... it was driving her wild

So, one day, she quietly led you by your hand to a small open area in the forest near the barracks, having brought a soft blanket and a handful of stolen food for the two of you to share

She listens intently as you talk to her about whatever currently interested you, eating her portion of the food and making sure there was plenty left for you

Eventually, the sun was starting to set, and the two of you had ran out of food. You had to head back in soon, and Annie suddenly had no more time to stall

She quietly confessed her feelings to you, spilling the words from her heart in a moment of vulnerability that seldom surfaced

She raised her head to meet your glance, and you could her the slightest shake of nervousness in her voice as she asked if you liked her back

Which, you did, and you made it clear that you did very quickly

And boy, she was elated

Not that it showed on her face, but her heart was practically doing cartwheels as you moved over to hug her, and she immediately hugged back, practically involuntarily

Following the start of your relationship, Annie still stayed closely by your side, almost like a protector (a knight in shining armor, if you will)

If anyone, anyone, tries to start shit with you, she's immediately there to tell them that "she doesn't want anything to do with you, back off"

But, when the two of you are alone, she gets very soft

Insists on touching you in some way

Not sexually, but just laying your head in her lap, or leaning against her chest

She'll just melt having someone who she cares about deeply, someone like you, so close to her

She truly feels like she has the whole world in her arms whenever you cuddle with her

Refuses to let you go whenever there's "still extra time to cuddle"

ESPECIALLY at night

She will spoon you the entire night, and dare you even try to wiggle away, she's pulling you right back

Even when she's asleep, she'll always make sure that you're firmly against her front, like a giant teddy bear she refuses to let go of

Whenever you're anxious or upset, she makes sure that she's the first one you go to

She's not the best with words, but she can sure as hell listen

She'll always make sure you've vented out all your feelings, be it frustration, anger, sadness, grief, anything

She'll cradle you in her arms and pull you against your chest if you start crying, coddling you in the most comforting way she can manage

And if she's upset about something, she'll be a bit hesitant, but she'll ask if she can talk about something with you

And she sounds alarmingly small whenever she vents like this

Sometimes she might want to cuddle, other times she wants your words to reassure her that she's worth it, and sometimes she just wants someone to listen patiently

Sometimes, when it's really bad for her, she'll ask you to sing for her, and by the time the song is finished, you'll find her already asleep against your chest

She even started calling you her little songbird on occasion after that

But don't be fooled by her nonchalant behavior, this woman would do anything for you

-----

"Alright cadets, sparring is up! You'll be on free time until the sun begins to set, then file into the cafeteria for dinner!" Commander Shadis shouts over the commotion of the sparring ground. You finally stilled your movements, dropping your fists from their defensive stance and letting them fall to your sides, taking in a large sigh of air. Immediately, almost all of the cadets, including your training partner, dissipate to seek out their own little friend groups, using the rare free time as a chance to unwind and relax with your friends.

A warm hand on your shoulder startles you out of your breathless and oblivious state, and you turn to find the owner of the hand; none other than Annie.

"Hey, I was watching you from where I was sparring." She started, moving her hand in slow circles to lazily massage your shoulder in a calming manner. "You're technique is improving. Well done, you're catching on fast."

You sigh, tilting your head back to stare up at the sky. "Yeah, I guess..." You mutter. It didn't escape you how your voice sounded fragile and weak, but you weren't surprised. You had been feeling pretty awful for the past few days now, and as time passed seemingly without any time to breathe, you could only feel as the soreness seeped through your muscles, headache already starting to pound away at your temple, throbbing painfully.

Annie tilted her head to the side slightly, eyebrows furrowing in concern as her hand stilled. "You okay? You don't sound good."

"I'm fine, just didn't get enough sleep."

"Liar." She spoke bluntly. You knew she was only trying to pry out what was wrong, but it didn't stop the sting of the word. "What's really going on? You can tell me." Her voice softened drastically from her previous tone, practically coaxing you to spill all of your worries onto her.

“Really, don't worry about it-"

"HEY Y/N! ANNIE!" An obnoxious voice called over the buzzing of voices left and right. The short-tempered brunette, Eren, jogged over to where you two were, trailed closely by Armin, Mikasa, Jean, and Reiner.

"We're going out to the forest to see who can collect the most berries, wanna come?" He chirped, inviting you into his little competition. If your body didn't feel like pure shit right now, you would consider joining him.

"It's fine." Annie interjects, taking a few subtle steps forward, standing in front of you to avoid bringing you into the purposefully short conversation. "She isn't feeling well, we're going to head to the barracks."

Eren's eyes traveled from Annie towards you, then back at Annie. Finally, he shrugged, turning around and walking away. "If you say so. But I'm not sharing any just so you know."

Once the small group had all started in the direction opposite of you and Annie, she took your hand firmly. "C'mon." She mumbled, tugging at your wrist to get you to follow.

She led you exactly where she said she would: the barracks. There, she found your bed, the one you had agreed to share with her, pulling the blankets up and climbing underneath them. Silently, she stared at you, patting the space next to her as an invitation. You obeyed silently, lying down next to her, and feeling a small fraction of the tension in your body melt away the second Annie's arms wrapped around you.

"Are you sure you're okay? Seriously, I don't like seeing you look so miserable." She muttered into the crook of your neck, hand searching under the blanket for your own, soon finding your it and rubbing comforting circles over the back.

"Mhm..." You groaned, already fighting off the urge to close your eyes and fall asleep right then and there. "Just... tired. I feel like Shadis hasn't given us a break in weeks. I'm so sore... and tired..." A quiet grumble breaks through the silence, from what you presume to be your own stomach. "...and hungry." You finish.

Annie laughs softly at your last statement, heat rising to her cheeks as she moves her body to kiss you on the forehead. "I'll make sure to split some of my rations with you darling, I don't mind."

Her soothing voice had an unfortunate (or fortunate, it all depends on the situation) effect on you, sleep already trying to grasp you and pull you into its realm.

"You don't... have to..." You mumbled, lolling your head to the side as your eyes slipped shut, all attempts at protest dying in your throat as you plunged into unconsciousness.

Annie smiled softly at your sleeping form, pulling you closer and planting another kiss to your forehead. "Sleep well."

-----

(I couldn’t make the images smaller help 😥)

[theanimesideblog]

Could I request Francis Forever by Mitski with any hero of your choice + civilian s/o? 👉👈

Ms. Joke x Civilian!GN!Reader: Francis Forever Prompt Playlist Event A/N: ofc!!! y’all knew i had to go with my WIFE. also this is before she’s a teacher. also also: sorry these are taking longer than expected. i went a little overboard on some of them

You were Ms. Joke’s assistant, and an amazing one at that. You always wanted to be in the hero world, but never had the stomach for fighting. Working from the sidelines was more preferable for you. Truth be told, you could work at any hero agency you wanted. Hell, you could work for any of the top heroes if you wanted; any of them would be happy to have you. You choose to stay with Joke, though. You had met most of the top heroes at one point or another, and you didn’t care for most of them. None of them could come close to Joke.

[[MORE]]

You smiled thinking of her, before your heart constricted.

Today was your day off, which is just what you needed after Joke decided to gush all about Aizawa and his students to you. Over the years of working for her, you developed a huge crush on the Pro. Hearing her talk about someone else that way hurt, but you couldn’t say anything. It would be out of line.

You turned and tossed in your bed last night thinking of her words. By the time you knew it, the sun had risen and you hadn’t gotten a wink of sleep. You decided going on a walk might help you get sleepy or clear your mind. You would take either at this point.

You had wandered around the town, ending up on a tree-lined street. The road was empty. You found yourself thankful to be alone. The trees overhead cast the road in a beautiful light, making the whole place seem magical. You smiled and found yourself distracted.

You looked up at the gaps of sunlight, and immediately your heart clenched. The light was as bright as Joke’s smile. God, you had it bad if sunlight reminded you of her. You shook your head and hurried down the street.

~*~

“(Y/N)! You’re here!” Joke said as you entered the agency. You smiled at her.

“Always at 9. What’s up?” You asked, walking over to your desk.

“I got offered a job at Ketsubutsu Academy High School.” She said. You gasped, faking happiness. You didn’t want her to leave.

“That’s great! Are you going to take the job?” You asked, sitting down. She sat on the edge of your desk.

“I think so. I haven’t made any decisions though.” She said. “But don’t worry. I’ve already come up with a few job opportunities for you after I leave!”

“I’m your assistant, Emi. Not the other way around.” You said. She snorted and handed you a file.

“Yeah, yeah, I know, but you’re my hero for handling everything while you worked here. I don’t know what I would do without you! Which is why I’m really going to miss you,” She said. You looked up at her and sadly smiled.

“I’m going to miss you too.” You said.

“Hey, no reason to be sad! I’m always a phone call away! If our schedules line up, we can meet on the weekends or during breaks!! You can’t get rid of me that easily!” Joke said. You laughed.

“I wouldn’t dream of getting rid of you,” You said, looking down at the file. “What made you decide to become a teacher?”

“Aizawa actually-” You gripped the file tighter- “talked me into it. All he does is talk about his students. Plus, I think it’s time I take a small break from the hero scene and work on something smaller. Make some room for the new guys, ya know?” She said. You nodded as you opened the file.

Skimming through the jobs, you noticed quite a few higher-level jobs, as well as some assistant positions for high-ranking heroes. What caught your eye was the job at Ketsubutsu, despite you being under-qualified for the position.

“What’s this one on here for?” You asked, point to the job. She smiled nervously and looked out the window.

“I pulled some strings to see if you could get a job there. Truth be told, I don’t want to leave you.” She said. You felt a slight blush rush to your cheeks. “I also found that Hawks was looking for an assistant. That’s a great position! I’m sure you’ll go far under him. But take your time and look. No pressure.”

“I don’t need to look. If you’re going to Ketsubutsu, I’m going too.” You said. Joke’s eyes widened.

“Really! Oh gosh- wait, I don’t even know if I’m going yet. Don’t commit to anything, okay? I’ll let you know if I take the job.” She said. You chuckled at her.

“I don’t want to ever lea-” The phone rang, cutting you off. You smiled sheepishly at her before answering it.

“Ms. Joke’s office. How can I help you?” You said.

“It’s Easerhead. Can you put Joke on the phone?” He said. You frowned. How rude of him to not even tell you what he needed. Still, you knew Joke didn’t need a reason to pick up the phone if he was on the end.

“Of course. Please hold.” You said, before pressing the ‘hold’ button.

“It’s Easerhead.” You said. Joke’s eyes lit up.

“Oh! Let’s pick this up, okay?” Joke said as she went into her office. You nodded, redirecting the call to her phone.

You buried your face in your hands and groaned.

~*~

It wasn’t often that you got to walk around with Joke in civilian clothing. She asked you to come with her as a friend to pick out a dress for the charity event she and other heroes had to attend. She often complained that she had no style and begged for your guidance. Of course, you would have given it to her, regardless.

The only issue was that she kept talking about Aizawa. He was also to attend the event, and the two of them had even been paired up to be speakers. Joke was so nervous of messing up, especially next to him. She never said it, but you could tell she was using jokes to cover up her true feelings- again. You endured it for her sake.

“How many more stores, (Y/N)?” She asked, leaning on you. You smiled at her.

“Last one. I’m sure we’ll find a dress here,” You said, amused at her attitude. She could go on a three-day stakeout and still crack jokes, but an hour of shopping took her out.

“I hope so.” She said as the two of you walked into the shop.

It only took Joke five minutes to find a dress she absolutely adored. You were almost run over when she came bounding towards you with it.

“(Y/N)!! Look at this dress!!” She said, holding it up against her body.

It was sleek and black, with a few groups of sparkles here and there. The dress had a long slit on one side and had no sleeves. You blushed a little when you thought of her muscles in that dress. She was your employer! How could you think like that?

You shook your head and smiled at her, wondering where she got this energy from. “Let’s go try it on.” You said.

She ran ahead and was already in the changing room by the time you got there. You sat down on a chair and waited for her to finish. You were thankful to sit down after walking around for so long. Unfortunately, you didn’t get to rest for long until Joke peaked her head out of the changing room.

“Could you zip me up, please?” She asked. You nodded before standing up and walking over to her. She turned around and moved her hair back. You zipped her dress up and stepped back.

“Give me a spin.” You said. Joke turned around and smiled at you. Your eyes widened as the dress’s sparkles seemed to dance, even in the lackluster store lighting.

“You’re gorgeous,” You said, breathless. Joke smiled.

“Thank you.” She said, pushing a piece of hair back. “I know it’s a bit different from what I usually wear, but I had to match Aizawa since we’ll be paired up.” Your heart dropped. “Can you take a picture for me?”

You nodded, watching as she went into the dressing room to grab her phone. You took it from her, your hands shaking slightly. You took a deep breath to steady your hands, but Joke noticed.

“Hey, are you okay?” She asked.

“Yeah. I’m just... tired. It’s been a long day.” You said. Joke frowned.

“(Y/N)-“

“I swear, I’m okay.” You said.

“I’ll pay for the dress. Why don’t you head home?” She said.

“But we need to get you accessories.” You said. She shook her head, taking her phone from you.

“We have time. You need to rest, okay?” She said.

“You sure?”

“Of course. Get some rest.” She said. “Don’t worry about me. Take care of yourself first for once.”

~*~

You had off the next day, but you realized you had forgotten some paperwork you meant to take home for the weekend. So, despite Joke always telling you not to come into work on your off days, you went into the agency.

You walked into the office, only to see Joke and Easerhead talking. You stopped like a deer in headlights. You fully intended to turn away before either saw you, but Joke caught your eye.

“(Y/N)! What are you doing here? You should rest!” She said. Easerhead turned to look at you. Despite disliking the guy for catching Joke’s eye, up close he looked kind of scary.

“I forgot some paperwork. I’ll be quick.” You said, avoiding their eyes. “I’m sorry for interrupting.”

“Don’t be. I’d rather not be alone with Joke.” Aizawa said. You looked up in shock.

“What? She’s one of my favorite people to be around.” You said. Joke smiled brightly at you.

“Good for you. You can take her.” Aizawa said.

“Awww, c’mon! We know you’re just flustered since you’re planning on marrying me!” Joke said. Aizawa groaned. How could she like someone that didn’t want to be around her?!

“No thanks. I’d rather stay single forever.” Aizawa said. “Anyway, I got what I came for. I’m leaving.”

“Bye, Easerhead! Love you!” Joke called out as he left the office. You also choked on your own spit when she said that. You quickly composed yourself and went towards your desk. You couldn’t keep watching Joke fall head over heels for someone you could never compete with. It was getting too painful. Even now, you wanted to scream.

“(Y/N)!! Wait! How are you feeling?” Joke asked.

“Fine.” You said, reaching for the files you needed. Joke placed her hand on yours. You looked up to see her serious face. Your breath caught in your throat. The only time you ever saw her frown was after a serious villain attack.

“What’s really been bothering you?” She asked.

“Nothing.” You said, moving your hand away. How could she act so foolishly? Didn’t she notice how you practically fell over yourself when you were around her?

“(Y/N). Please tell me. I care about you.” She said. You balled your fists.

“If you really cared about me, then you wouldn’t have flirted with Aizawa right in front of me!” You said louder than you meant. You covered your mouth. It wasn’t her fault she liked Aizawa.

“I’m sorry. That was out of line.” You said, walking away.

“Wait! What do you mean?” Joke said. You let out a dry laugh and turned to face her.

“You’re kidding me. You really don’t know?” You asked. She shook her head. You covered your face and let out a whimper.

“God, Emi! I’m upset that I’m not the best for you.” You said.

“What do you mean? You’re the best assistant in the world! I think every Pro knows that!” She said.

“I don’t need the world to see that I’ve been the best I can be! God, when I’m with you, I just- I don’t know what to do. I don’t know where to put my hands, I don’t... I don’t think I can do this anymore!” You said.

“(Y/N), please-“

“I can’t. I don’t think I can stand to be where you don’t see me! I’m in love with you, Emi! I have for years! You’ve never noticed! You think other assistants go help their pros shop as friends or help them move on the weekends or watch movies together? I do it because I love you!” You said, moving your hands away from your eyes.

Emi stared at you, eyes wide and mouth agape.

“I just thought we were friends.” She said. You wanted to scream at her, but you knew it wasn’t right.

“If that’s what you want, then that’s fine. I understand.” You said before leaving.

~*~

You ended up walking around after storming out. Going home seemed like a waste since you knew you would just end up crying. That wall of emotions wasn’t something you were ready to face.

You had liked Emi for so long, and you never imagined your confession going that way. It was awful. You felt so embarrassed and hurt. A part of you regretted being so harsh with her. You knew Emi often struggled to understand how people felt towards her, and yet you still yelled at her. You felt like a real, well, joke.

You kicked a rock, watching as it flew maybe a centimeter before hitting the ground. Somehow, it felt satisfying. You kicked it again, following it. Kicking the rock required no mental effort, but it made you focus on the rock instead of your emotions. After a few minutes of kicking the rock, you realized just how far you were from home.

The original plan was just to circle the vicinity of your home so you wouldn’t have to walk so far back to your home. You frowned, realizing you should start walking back towards your home. That’s when a raindrop fell onto your nose. You looked up to see dark clouds circling the area. Great! You were so distracted by Emi that you had forgotten to watch the forecast or even look up at the sky.

Another raindrop fell, and then another, and then another. Before you knew it, the rain had finally begun to pour. You whined before running back to your home, eager to get out of the rain. This was just the cherry on top of the mud pie that was your life.

By the time you got back to your block, you were drenched and tried. Thankfully, the sidewalk to your home was covered with trees that provided you some relief from the rain. You wondered if these trees could protect you from your emotions as easily.

You turned the corner into your house, only to see Emi knocking at your door. She turned to see you, gasping.

“(Y/N)! Quick, get under my umbrella! You’re soaking!” She said, running to shield you. You wanted to push her away, but you felt too cold to shun her body heat. You huffed and looked away.

“Thanks.” You mumbled.

“Of course. Let’s get you inside.” She said, leading you towards your front door. “I’ll get towels to dry you off, alright?” You nodded as you unlocked and opened your front door.

Emi shook out her umbrella and then followed you inside. She took off her shoes as quickly as possible before running to your bathroom. She returned with arms full of towels.

“Thanks.” You mumbled as you dried yourself off.

“Of course. I’m sorry to come to your house on such short notice, but I wanted to apologize to you.” She said. You hid your face with the towel to hide the blush of embarrassment.

“You don’t have to apologize for not liking me,” You said, moving the towel so you could see her.

“Well, the thing is, I do like you. I was surprised you felt the same way, and I didn’t know how to react when I realized you had to endure so much of me fake flirting with Easerhead. I’m sorry, (Y/N). If it’s okay, I’d like to take you on a date,” Emi said.

“Wait, seriously? I thought you liked Easerhead!” You said. She chuckled and rubbed the back of her neck.

“It’s a joke. I don’t like him at all, and he clearly doesn’t like me. I’m just trying to get him to laugh. I’m sorry that feels so silly now,” She said. You smiled and reached out to take her hand.

“It’s fine. Really. Maybe you can make it up by flirting with me more often.” You said. Emi smiled and squeezed your hand.

“Oh, definitely. We have to make up for lost time. So about that date?” She said.

“I’d love to go on a date with you.” You said.

[n-blanca-archived]

Hi! Can I join your spring break event? I would like to be matched up with a bnha student I am about 5’5 or 165 cm, I have long dark brown hair that fades to light brown with some highlights. My hobbies include reading mangas, writing, watching anime, and baking 👉👈. I am a very shy person at first but when you get to know me better I’m really outgoing and also kinda crazy too. I like aesthetic things really and taking photos with my Polaroid camera from time to time but other times I would take photos on my phone. I don’t really have a long range of dislikes, for a person I really like someone who is just there for me and will show me love and affection (even if they are a tsundere or bad at showing it).

hi! ofc you can join my spring event, thanks for sending in a matchup! <3

p.s. sorry this took so long to get out!! a bunch of stuff came up irl but regardless hope u enjoy ur matchup!!! :P

ohnograpes’ spring break event!☀

you’ve been matched with...

Fumikage Tokoyami!

your matchup was a little difficult, but after consulting the council (my,,,sister,,) i’ve basically been in you x tokoyami brainrot all day LMAO.

something about the difference in aesthetic gets me, you know? Especially since you give me big Sato/Koda vibes, and I think they’d be good friends with our bird boy, so that dynamic is really fun to expand on! 

I think Tokoyami isn’t..bad, at showing affection, but he’s pretty awkward. He always feels a little stupid when he does something sweet, or holds your hand without prompting. it makes him want to flounder when watching you take pictures of a particularly nice looking tree and he can’t help but feel warm. Still, he isn’t one to run from these feelings, instead choosing to embrace them. After all, he’d hate to stop hanging out with you because of a few unfamiliar feelings. Though once he gets through the initial discomfort and almost fear of frankly being head-over-heels for you, he’d totally be the type to bring you tiny things, maybe trinkets, or sometimes just snacks he knows you’d like. If you’re out together, he’ll point out any scenery he think’s you’d like to photograph. Resident thoughtful boyfriend, all the way. 

date idea!

thrift shopping! not necessarily clothes of course, but cool little Knick knacks you two could find. Tokoyami has a particular interest in old records (and admittedly, creepy worn-down stuffed animals also catch his eye more often than not.) Plus, the cozy cluttered shops you two venture into are perfect for warm-toned pictures of messy stacks of books, and the occasional picture of your boyfriend holding a record, posture relaxed and eyes soft. 

couple aesthetic! 

i get red vibes from you two. not necessarily just deep or vibrant red, but anything the lines of pink, burgundy, just those shades are screaming at me when i think about u two. by far my favorite mood board to organize. 

dialogue interaction!

bunny: “Hey, Toko! Smile for me real quick, you look really nice under this tree.” 

fumikage: “Must you take a picture at this time?” 

bunny: “I mean, if you don’t want to be in my pictures it’s okay, you don’t have to.” 

fumikage: “I never said that..” 

i think fumi’s the type to seem super unwilling to take pictures, but he’d never say no to you taking his picture. not out of fear, like other times he’s let people take his picture. he finds himself feeling okay with the idea of you taking his picture, knowing you’ll go home to add the tiny squares holding his likeness to your collection. 

songs you two remind me of!

these were SO hard to pick but in the end i think i gathered the ones i like! a bit more of a somber selection cuz tokoyami’s aesthetic has to be respected obvs. lol. hope you like them!

Lover is a Day by Cuco

Me and My Husband by Mitski

Tongues by The Frights

[deadmanzp]

aftg asks; questions by triquetrine

these are so interesting so i did all of them.. i want to come back after a year and see if id still answer the same! 

op is the post before this or also tagged “misc” 

neil josten: favorite/most iconic line?

first one that comes to mind I’m not sure is a favorite or iconic line? but it’s a line i think about a lot and it always hurts to read. it’s when they're at the cabin in TKM. 

“He didn’t care how much it hurt so long as he could pull Andrew closer, and he let Andrew take him apart until he couldn’t think anymore.”

that comes at the very end of Chapter 14 and gosh just the paragraph that line comes from and the paragraph before…. the fact neil thinks andrew doesnt care about him the way he cares/feels about andrew is like….. CMON MAN but also i just love the pining angst of it. i like this line especially because the line right before it mentions neil working his “bandaged fingers into Andrew’s hair”. so the “he didnt care how much it hurt” to me always carried a double meaning of 1. the physical pain he felt bc of his injuries but also 2. the pain of unfamiliarity abt his feelings towards andrew and thinking it was unreciprocal AND THAT HED HAVE TO “WARN” ANDREW like the implication.. of neil thinking abt their “relationship” possibly ending bc andrew doesnt feel the same and maybe wouldnt want to be entangled in whatever neil was feeling …… IM LIKE neil knows andrew so well and him being so sure abt this but hes like …. WRONG …. e

nathaniel wesninski: one thing you would change about the books? (plot, characters, etc)

there is very little id change about the books if at all. mainly bc while i know there are upsetting things that happen/the charas do, i think all of those things make the series really interesting to analyze and talk about. i will say a moment i hated was when neil touches andrews scars when andrew makes it clear he doesn't want neil to pry about them. i know neil offers his scars in turn when he's trying to convince andrew to let neil look over kevin but that was controlled. he let andrew touch them and find out about them of his own volition. neil touches something directly related to the trauma andrew had just experienced again when he had 0 permission to do so. while i always get mad at neil for this when i read it i still dont think id change it or get rid of it. im not really sure how id change it anyways and i think andrews relationship with his scars (and himself in general) is probably what allows him to brush it off(?)/never bring this up (plus maybe neil offering his scars was enough for andrew) but i havent thought too hard about this. but ya i remember i got rlly angry w neil the first time i read this scene and i still get mad abt it when i reread.

andrew minyard: if you could be friends with one of the characters, who would you pick?

i mean realistically i wouldnt be friends w jocks ILL BE REAL LOL and i think as much as i love the monsters, theres no way id be friends w them haha uhm but prob dan would be most realistic! maybe even katelyn tbh.. 

kevin day: if you played exy, what would your position be?

oh i think dealer! in sports i liked being able to do both defense and offense bc it made me feel i had more control over the field, like i could always do something if there were any holes

dan wilds: favorite moment/scene?

definitely the hotel reunion scene. theres so much to it; it drives me nuts!!!!! but honestly there are probably a lot of really good moments im forgetting. to me the whole series is really enjoyable and every scene has something i could say about it haha

matt boyd: song you would love to see in a live-action adaptation?

Oggghh this is so hard… esp since it takes place in 2007???? Idk.. iconic artists then i suppose ghfgkjhf BUT i think general vibes i think itd be so cool if paramore (time relevant), ptv (also time relevant), and mitski were on the soundtrack……. Ya…….. 

nicky hemmick: which made you more emotional, neil at evermore or neil in baltimore?

neil in baltimore for sure… neil at evermore i can't remember what i felt the first time i read it (maybe pain LOL bc he was doing it for andrew and i felt like riko wouldnt keep his promise) but in my latest reread i was unimpressed by it (mostly bc i think riko is boring and unimpressive). i think i mightve said evermore in the past though….. maybe... neil in baltimore is like … GOD neils emotions are so strong during all of that its really juicy haha. i think like him being angry bc he was on the cusp of having everything he couldve ever dreamed of; the desperation of wanting to fight back and get away; even just the fear of being in the same room as his father for the first time in so long... all really juicy 

aaron minyard: a character you will defend to your death?

defend…. im not sure is the word i would use and i dont think i really believe in defending any of these charas “to death” bc of how flawed and complex they are; id like to acknowledge when they did wrong. i think id “defend” any of the characters if i saw anyone misinterpreting or misunderstanding them.. theyre all really interesting even if they didnt get too much spotlight. except maybe riko. hes incredibly boring to me. and also nathan ig and any of his crew just bc there is Nothing abt them rlly...

katelyn: which minor character do you wish you could see more of?

uhhhmmmmmmmm hmmmmmm….. idk maybe… jeremy…. gjfjgkdngmdghs just bc him and kevin r so funny.. i was thinking maybe jean too but…… idk a diff kind of kevin relationship lol (yikes) (pain) but really im satisfied w jeans screen time. i think ichirou is interesting but again i think he didn't rlly need more. maybe erik actually. im interested to know what nicky is like with him :0

allison reynolds: favorite headcanon about the foxes?

actually something i recently thought abt was neil and photography. iirc? andrew gives neil a camera in the ec and i also imagine kevin eventually gets another camera too (i loved that detail when we saw his room at the nest) so i thought abt neil and kevin sharing/trading pics they take of (mainly) scenery. i imagine neil takes pics of anything he wants to remember/keep while kevin is more prone to taking pics of subjects related to some nerd history stuff (lol) so thats why they trade scenery pics mainly. but i like this small connection bc i want more to their relationship than their exy obsession and i imagine they have room for more now that riko is gone and i just like this other commonality btwn them. i think maybe they mail the developed pics to each other maybe w small descripts/notes but thats it. and i also imagine it kind of just is something that started happening.. neil and andrew r on a roadtrip and some building reminds neil of kevin so he snaps a pic and eventually sends it to kevin w some note. kevin replies 1. either a text being like that is nothing. > neil: shrugs brushes it off but figures he is welcome to send more when kevin sends his own picture back or 2. kevin simply replies back similarly w his own photo. i dont know.. maybe this goes beyond what their actual relationship would be like but i do like the idea of them just bein like… dude friends u know so i want them to have more than just exy and a traumatizing experience between them. 

as for common headcanons within the fanbase…. i do like the allison + neil haircuts thing.. although im not sure if i imagine it the same as most haha i feel neil would know how to cut his own hair from his life on the run (though theyre not Good or bad just like ok u know like passable generic w/e) i think hed definitely be tense the first couple times but he has experience w allison being close from needing to be covered up w make up after winter break so i think she would be allowed. 

renee walker: favorite non-canonical ship? (renison, jerejean, etc)

uhmm to be honest none really… im way too attached to canon to be able to dismiss any established relationships. i think kevemy (??? is that the name) is rlly amusing but i dont want them together necessarily haha i used to rlly like renison mainly bc im a lesbian and i want “main” chara wlw relationships lol but i recently read something abt how bi allison doesnt rlly sit well w some bc she outs andrew and neil during the hotel scene.. i also agree this is kinda :/ if she was bi Mainly bc i feel a lot of ppl (or at least this is what i gather from renison stuff ive seen) portray allison already being established bi? if this makes sense. i think if renison/allison realizing shes bi is a later development id feel better abt it but usually renison is already established so ya her outing them does bother me…. BUT aside from this, thinking about them as characters and what their partners (would) look like… im not sure if theyd rlly choose each other.. but i still enjoy seeing them together in art and in fic bc in the end…. im a sucker for women lol….

seth gordon: most underrated dynamic? (matt & neil, wymack & andrew, etc)

my first thought was wymack and andrew bc i rlllllyy like their dynamic especially after reading their ec stuff. i loved their first meeting (andrews terrible sandwich??!?fhdhfjd) and when andrew breaks into wymacks apartment BUT i think ppl mention them enough its not underrated. i Actually think renee and andrews dynamic/friendship is rlly underrated/overlooked!!! especially after reading the son nefes ec i love their dynamic a lot… 

some son nefes moments of them i liked:  tw // rape

renee convincing andrew to go with her to see matt after his trip to edens

how many knives do u carry / one more than u IS SO FUNNY and just andrews persistence abt fighting renee is also rlly funny to me

tw // rape : the moment when andrew asks renee if she killed her rapist/abuser that whole convo was good… 

their convo in the rain w their tea

i cant remember when this happens or rlly exaclty what was said but renee offers andrew something (some help??) and he says i dont need (w/e it was) and she says something along the lines of  i know but it wouldnt do any harm or SOMETHING like that.. i like this bc she acknowledges their abilities while showing shed still like to offer some help. im p sure she does this another time too (w neil???? or someone i cant remember maybe it was andrew again) and i remember liking it too. she has a way w words and talking (also seen in her convincing andrew to see matt)

BUT regardless of ec stuff i think their relationship/dynamic seen in the books is rlly good too. theres def enough to be intrigued by them and i always have been? so i'm reeeaallly happy son nefes exists i loved reading it..

david wymack: which ncaa team would you play for?

oh to be honest i dont rlly remember many of them but of the Three (ravens, foxes, trojans) prob trojans. i remember i even got them in a uquiz once… 

abby winfield: which character was the most realistically written?

first that came to mind was aaron actually.. i remember before when i didnt rlly like him or care abt him it was actually bc he was too “boring” to me. i always thought he had the most realistic reactions to things which is what made him boring to me amidst the ridiculousness of, well, everything in aftg lol… i still think he is really realistically written but now i dont think hes boring haha

besty dobson: how many times have you read the series?

fully i think…. only 3 times… i wish this were a higher count but i actually feel guilty everytime i try to reread it.

riko moriyama: coolest exy moment? (kevin’s last-minute point against the ravens, andrew shutting down the goal, etc)

uhhmm uhmm i def think kevin during the final game against the ravens…. hes so cool haha but i KNOW there were a lot of game moments that i thought were really cool so i cant rlly say…. oh also i love neil being defense in that game too rlly juicy wish i could pull up obscure moments bc i know i rlly enjoyed reading the games but terrible memory...

jeremy knox: which do you like reading more, domestic!foxes or chaotic!foxes?

uh i guess chaotic? not rlly sure exactly what that could entail but i do like… their chaos.. when they have fights and squabbles and stuff… this includes the high tension moments. ALTHOUGH i do like the tiny lines in the books when we see the monsters just doing like random basic everyday life stuff like playing video games or whatever. i like…. imagining them... fhdjfjshfjs… as for fic def chaos. i feel domestic is usually too softened….. 

jean moreau: favorite friendship?

oh i think this goes back to andrew and renee. but other than them… i do like neil and matts friendship.. though probably not the same as its typically portrayed 

[slothrusts]

Hey @taylorswift ! Since you made a playlist for us, I thought I’d make one for you. Music is my life, I even study it at school, and my favorite thing about music is songwriting (which is probably why I love you so much). Lyrics are the most important part of a song to me, but soundscapes are also really rad. So here’s 19 songs that I adore, both lyrically and sonically, and hope that you will also like! @taylornation and fellow swifties feel free to listen in as well :)

Also, Taylor, look beneath the Read More for the track listing and me talking about each song like I know what I’m talking about lol

1.) Lit Me Up- Brand New 

     This is the best opening song of all opening songs. Brand New has created such an interesting soundscape and feel with the whole Science Fiction Album. It’s creepy, but great. Taylor I feel like you’d really enjoy some of the binaural action going on.

2.) Turn Out the Lights- Julien Baker @julienbaker

     Julien Baker is one of THE BEST lyricists I have ever found (besides you of course Tay). Everything she writes is heart-wrenching  and beautiful and I love it. I mean, come on “When I turn out the lights/there’s no one left/between myself and me” (lyk if u cri evrytim). This is a single from her forthcoming album by the same name and I highly recommend you listen to her debut Sprained Ankle cause damn is it good. 

3.) Horseshoe Crab- Slothrust 

     This song is a trip man. Slothrust (its Sloth-rust not Slo-thrust fyi) is this cool little rock/jazz/blues band from Brooklyn that I ADORE. Leah writes some outlandish but still poignant af lyrics. Notably: “Sometimes I feel like I’m a sea horse/Sometimes I think that I’m a horseshoe crab/I don’t have anything in common with myself/Except that I came from the sea just like everyone else did”

4.) Ready to Go- Hurts @adam-hurts

     Suggested activity while listening to this song is dancing because damn it’s a certifiable BOP. 

5.) Queen- Flint Eastwood @flinteastwooddetroit

     You’ve probably never seen these guys play live but Jax Anderson is a hype beast like no other and can get a crowd full of people who have never heard her music to sing and jump along like they’re the headliners. The chorus gets u going and I think that reputation era Taylor would appreciate “I’m a queen not a soldier”

6.) I Forgive No One- Citizen 

     While I’m not sure if this genre/sound is your thing Taylor, it does remind me a lot of the whole reputation era mindset. “I forgive no one for anything/I forgive no one for what can change”

7.) Moonshine- Lights @lightsalot

     Another great bop about staying up late and partying. Also Lights wrote and drew an entire comic book series to go along with this concept album?? How fucking cool is that?? It reminds a bit of New Romantics in the attitude of “who gives a shit lets go party anyway!!” 

8.) Sunshine Type- Turnover @turnoverva

     Turnover is my go-to feel good band. This song actually sounds like the way sunshine feels. “I was thinking that you could love a song that I hate/I’d still play it for you”. 

9.) Separate- Pvris @thisispvris

     I’d imagine that swimming underneath an iceberg sounds like this song. Pvris (pronounced like Paris not p-virus or puh-vris) makes some super spooky but beautiful things. And can we talk about “There’s always been a disconnect/Running from my heart to my head/And no it’s never made much sense” as well as “Pull away the world from me I don’t mind/As long as they don’t separate you from me I’ll be fine”. It’s almost the opposite of Clean, but in a good way. This entire album has got some killer outros btw.

10.) Burn it Down- Daughter 

      Elena Tonra from Daughter is SUCH a GREAT lyricist. You, her, and Julien are probably the best lyricists that I know of honestly. Plus, her, Remi, and Igor as a band make some DOPE soundscapes that you can get actually physically lost in. “Always said I was a good kid/Always said I had a way with words/Never knew I could be speechless/Don’t know how I’ll ever break this curse”. They wrote this album for a video game soundtrack, but the one before this one Not to Disappear is lyrically so powerful I cry every time I see them live lol.

11.) Trainwreck- Banks

     Banks is a bad ass bitch and I think you and her would get along swimmingly. Also perhaps invite her to sing this with you on the rep tour?? (hint hint wink wink) “Born to take care of you, or I thought so/Maybe it was just a phase” It’s like an updated more sonically banging Dear John imo

12.) Helicopter- Deerhunter

     Back on the soundscape train Deerhunter just sounds cool as shit. The lyrics to this one are story-based and talk about some guy who was a victim of human trafficking. BUT Bradford Cox makes it sound cerebral and plucky.

13.) Deadcrush- alt-J

     I love this song cause it has the coolest premise. It’s about the Dead Crushes of the band members. So like, dead people that the band members admire. The crushes are Anne Boleyn and Lee Miller. I particularly enjoy the music video for this song which is weird as all hell. The pulsing beat that drives this song is something that I think you would appreciate, Taylor. This is one of the songs where it feels more like the words are meant to be a part of a music rather than their own separate piece if that makes sense.

14.) SGL- Now, Now @nownowband

     SGL stands for “Shot Gun Lover” and holy heck does this lyrically resemble some of your stuff! Sign me the fuck up for “Starry-eyed/I was young and undone/But I could’ve died/With you there in the sun”. I’ve been listening to this band for almost as long as I’ve listened to you but they recently got a more pop sound and I am LIVING for it

15.) Lose Myself- From Indian Lakes @fromindianlakes

     I saw on your playlist that you like Cigarettes After Sex and so I thought you might also enjoy the recent stuff by From Indian Lakes. This is the kind of song you listen to when driving home from a date. Ponder closely, “Am I the worm on a lover’s hook/And now I’m right where I’m supposed to be/But something still feels wrong with me”

16.) You and I (stripped version)- Pvris

     Pvris gets to be on here twice cause they are that good sorry but I don’t make the rules (wait yes I do). The lyrics here also remind me of you and how we all just have way too many feelings and our best shot at figuring things out is through writing about them. You and I is about a love that’s not working but that is still desperately wanted, “I know it’s cold when we’re apart/And I hate to feel this die/But  you can’t give me what I want/Just give it time”. Listen to this stripped version to hear how beautiful and lilting Lynn’s voice is and listen to the full band version to hear how much of a powerhouse her voice can be.

17.) Jesus Christ- Brand New

     Yes another Brand New song. You know why? Cause they are also fucking amazing. Taylor, I recommend you listen to this song while lying in your bed staring up at the ceiling and thinking “How the hell did I get here, and how the hell am I gonna leave?” (here can be anywhere, your hotel room, you home, this universe). The next time you read a shitty headline about you in a tabloid think about the lyrics, “We all got wood and nails/And we turn out hate in factories/We all got wood and nails/And we sleep inside of this machine”

18.) Townie- Mitski @whoismitski

     “I want a love that falls as fast as a body from the balcony/And I want a kiss like my heart is hitting the ground/I’m holding my breath with a baseball bat though I don’t know what I’m waiting for/I’m not gonna be who my daddy wants me to be”…… do I need to say anything else? Hopefully you’ve already heard some of Mitski’s stuff cause she’s gonna be on tour with your homegirl @lordemusic this next spring!

19.) Pigpen- Slothrust

     Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night with the post-chorus riff from this song in my head. Taylor, the lyrics I’d want you to hear the most from this one are; “I would spread my wings/If they weren’t so god damn heavy/Yeah I would spread my wings/If they weren’t coated in honey” 

And that’s everyone!! I hope you liked at least one of these songs @taylorswift . Love you eternally and catch you on the flipside!!!

[richincolor]

Everyone, please welcome debut author Janelle Milanes to Rich in Color! Janelle’s book, THE VICTORIA IN MY HEAD, came out yesterday:

Victoria Cruz inhabits two worlds: In one, she is a rock star, thrashing the stage with her husky voice and purple-streaked hair. In the other, currently serving as her reality, Victoria is a shy teenager with overprotective Cuban parents, who sleepwalks through her life at the prestigious Evanston Academy. Unable to overcome the whole paralyzing-stage-fright thing, Victoria settles for living inside her fantasies, where nothing can go wrong and everything is set to her expertly crafted music playlists.

But after a chance encounter with an unattainably gorgeous boy named Strand, whose band seeks a lead singer, Victoria is tempted to turn her fevered daydreams into reality. To do that, she must confront her insecurities and break away from the treadmill that is her life. Suddenly, Victoria is faced with the choice of staying on the path she’s always known and straying off-course to find love, adventure, and danger.

From debut author Janelle Milanes comes a hilarious and heartfelt tale of the spectacular things that can happen when you go after what you really want.

We’re thrilled to have Janelle here to talk about her new book. Once you’ve finished reading the interview, don’t forget to enter the giveaway! It is open to both U.S. and international readers.

Both you and Victoria are Cuban-American. How have your experiences growing up as a second-generation Latina influenced Victoria’s character? What is her relationship like with her family?

There’s an added layer of pressure that I felt growing up as a second-generation Latina. In the book I wrote that you feel like you’re playing catch-up with everyone else, and I think that holds true. Because I didn’t necessarily start with the same advantages as a lot of my peers, my family made additional sacrifices so I could succeed in the future. In my case, I couldn’t help but feel the weight of those sacrifices in everything I did. There’s this idea that you have to do “better” than your parents, whatever that might mean. After all, if you waste your life away, what was the point? Why did they give up everything to come to this country? That was my mindset, at least, while I was growing up. It makes for a volatile, stressed out teenager. Victoria’s family didn’t just want her to meet the same expectations as the elite, they wanted her to surpass them.

Victoria clashes with her parents quite a bit throughout the story. It was important to me that I made her parents sympathetic and showed that their point of view was just as valid as Victoria’s. They expect things from their daughter, but they ultimately want her to find happiness. The problem is that Victoria and her parents have different, conflicting ideas of where happiness comes from. I think that’s a common immigrant mentality as well–the practical notion of happiness as stability. The problem is when stability becomes monotony, which it did for Victoria. She finds herself craving the opposite of what her parents feel is right for her.

Tell us more about Victoria’s school and why you decided to have her attend the Evanston Academy.

Evanston is made up of a very privileged, elite student body. These kids grew up with the assumption that they can do whatever they like in life–unlike Victoria, who doubts herself and her abilities at every turn. I wanted to turn up the pressure on poor Victoria as much as possible so she’s getting it not only from her family, but she’s surrounded by it all day every day.

Toward the end of high school, I was given the chance to attend a renowned college prep school on scholarship. I had always considered myself an intelligent person, but when I started this school I realized I was now playing in an entirely different league. I was coming in as a total rookie. From that point on, my life revolved around work and college. I worked my butt off to stay afloat and it took a toll on my emotional well-being, like it did for Victoria. It was challenging, but looking back, I’m grateful I had the chance to get that education. I can appreciate it in retrospect, as lost as I had felt in the moment.

Strand sounds like he could be a fun character. What can you tell us about him and his relationship to Victoria?

Victoria is immediately attracted to Strand as soon as she lays eyes on him. He’s such a departure from her carefully curated world and the people she’s used to being around. I think Victoria is intrigued by Strand because he appears to be the opposite of her shy, neurotic, sheltered self. She lacks the confidence to make a move on him, so she decides to wave him off as cocky and annoying instead. A lot of their story involves Strand chipping away at the wall she puts up between them. I had so much fun writing all their sexual tension that eventually gives way to a close, personal connection.

You have a Spotify playlist for THE VICTORIA IN MY HEAD. What about the book did you want to capture in those songs? Which songs are your favorite?

It’s a rock-focused playlist because I liked the juxtaposition of this seemingly quiet girl who, on the inside, is all crashing drums and thrashing guitars. I put a lot of work into picking the songs that went into Victoria’s playlist. Every song fits the chapter with which it’s paired, so you have the option of listening along while you read.

My favorite songs would have to be Mitski’s “Your Best American Girl”, because it captures the idea of straddling two cultures and trying to fit this American ideal. The song also has a raw, authentic feel that I just love. I also have a fondness for “Debaser” by the Pixies. It’s so wild and nonsensical and fun.

If you could be in a rock band, which role would you want to have?

I can totally see the appeal of being a lead singer (assuming, in this hypothetical, that I could actually sing!) I am a bad ass lip syncher in the privacy of my bedroom. But if I’m being semi-realistic, I think I’d be better suited for something like bass guitar. I could be the mysterious bass player who’s in it purely for the music.

THE VICTORIA IN MY HEAD is your debut novel. What has surprised you most about gearing up for your release date?

What’s surprised me most is how slow the publishing process moves. I wrote Victoria years ago at this point and have written two other unpublished books in the meantime (one of those will come out in 2018!) It feels strange to revisit these characters after having had so much time and distance from them. I didn’t realize how much I missed them!

What 2017 books by or about people of color or people from First/Native Nations are you looking forward to reading? Which ones would you recommend to our followers?

A recent read I’d recommend is WHEN DIMPLE MET RISHI by Sandhya Menon. It’s a thoroughly charming romantic comedy about two Indian-American teens whose parents conspire to arrange their marriage. I also read all of Jenny Han’s books, because she’s fantastic.

As for books I’m looking forward to reading? So. Many. I’ve had very little time to read lately, but currently on my 2017 TBR list is THE FIRST RULE OF PUNK by Celia C. Pérez, STARFISH by Akemi Dawn Bowman, and THE EDUCATION OF MARGOT SANCHEZ by Lilliam Rivera. Oh, and THEY BOTH DIE AT THE END by Adam Silvera. Oh, oh, and SAINTS AND MISFITS by S.K. Ali! Okay, I’ll stop now…

Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about THE VICTORIA IN MY HEAD?

I hope readers will really connect to Victoria–particularly the daydreamers who spend a lot of time living in their imaginations. (Honestly, it’s usually more fun in there anyway.) But I do hope THE VICTORIA IN MY HEAD will inspire people to pursue their happiness in the present moment while trusting that the future will take care of itself. It’s an important lesson, and one I’m still working on every day.

Janelle Milanes is originally from Miami, FL and received her BA in English Literature from Davidson College. A lifelong YA addict, she moved to New York for her first job as a children’s literature associate at Simon & Schuster.

For the past five years, Janelle has worked as a teacher and librarian throughout the New York City area. THE VICTORIA IN MY HEAD is her first novel and reflects many of her own experiences growing up as a second-generation Latina in America.

Janelle currently lives in Brooklyn with her husband and their two cats. Her favorite Disney princess is Belle, since she was also a big book nerd.

You can reach her on her website, Twitter, Goodreads, Tumblr, or Instagram.

Janelle has graciously offered a signed copy of THE VICTORIA IN MY HEAD, plus an enamel vinyl record pin and print with the book title, to one our readers! You can enter the giveaway through the Rafflecopter widget. This giveaway is for both U.S. and international readers. It will end at midnight Eastern time on September 26.

[lady-on-the-grey]

So I was tagged in a thing by @lesblion for this thing

the last 1. drink: coffee or water 2. phone call: my bubbie 3. text message: marty! (@teabank if you want their blog) 4. song you listened to: well right now I’m listening to a shit ton of Miyazaki movie music, all by Joe Hisaishi of course. But that’s not really songs, so I guess the last song I listened to was Rouge No Dengon from Kiki’s Delivery Service, which does have lyrics and is all fun. I’m kind of on a Ghibli kick rn, any other day this answer wouldv’ve probably been some Mitski or LAKE song. 5. time you cried: recently I think, but I can’t remember specifics. time isn’t real

6. dated someone twice: not applicable, I don’t date at all screw that shit 7. kissed someone and regretted it: once more, not applicable 8. been cheated on: n/a 9. lost someone special: that’s kind of vague. does this mean death? or just them being gone? Because I kind of have both 10. been depressed: that’s a loaded question 11. gotten drunk and thrown up: never been drunk.

3 favorite colors 12. black 13. grey (you may have noticed a theme) 14. olive green? maybe? I love colors, but I don’t wear them much lol, so I dunno, I don’t really have favorite colors. There’s different very lovely colors for every occasion. I like red. Anything is cool, depends on my mood

in the last year have you 15. made new friends: yes! I plan to keep my friend group small still, I like having a small amount of people to keep in contact with and all, but yes, I’ve made several very good friends! 16. fallen out of love: love is fake lol 17. laughed until you cried: I think? Yeah I have 18. found out someone was talking about you: yeah, I don’t really have to find that out, people do it all the time and I hate it, but it’s a very common aspect of my life. I’m used to it 19. met someone who changed you: I dunno, I feel like it would take a lot to change me in a big way, but everyone changed you a little at least. I probably have. If I have I probably haven’t noticed it, that’s difficult to track though. (I would like to point out the very nice and good response Ariel had for this one, ilu buddy! You’re the greatest!) 20. found out who your friends are: I guess so. What does this mean exactly? 21. kissed someone on your Facebook list: what’s a facebook

general 22. how many of your Facebook friends do you know in real life: see number 21 23. do you have any pets: YESSS I have five cats! Three adults and two kittens. (Warning, sadness ahead) We used to have another cat but he recently passed, and we all miss him very much. I know it’s weird to mention that in this question, but it feels weird and wrong not to mention for me. We had him for like my whole life. 24. do you want to change your name: I used to really want to go by my middle name, Grey. I feel ambivalent now. I’m okay with my name, it’s a bit boring, but I don’t mind it. It’s a nice name, I don’t think it suits me. Plus I don’t like that my first name is the last name of a neo nazi lol, but that’s not that big a deal. It just puts a sour taste in my mouth. 25. what did you do for your last birthday: I went out to get Polynesian food and hibachi and stuff. I was very stressed and anxious the whole night. I think a few days later or before @gummybird took me to see a cure for wellness, which was one of THE worst films we’ve ever seen in theaters. And we go to the movie theater to specifically watch bad movies together. He also gave me a DS and a bunch of mini kit kats. Thank you Jay (I know it’s been like like more than four months, shush, thank you anyway) 26. what time did you wake up: which time? I wake up like five separate times every damn morning. I’ve set three different alarms with different tones at completely different times to ensure I’ll get up at a reasonable hour, and I still fall asleep immediately after turning them off. 27. what were you doing at midnight last night: showering 28. name something you can’t wait for: @nicehairprincess AND @listeningforpudding COMING BACK TO AMERICA THIS MONTH!!! They’re gonna be here tomorrow for the party my mom is throwing at our house that I don’t want to be at lol (parties make me anxious as all hell) 29. when was the last time you saw your mom: maybe 40 mins ago 31. what are you listening to right now: a fan in my room 32. have you ever talked to a person named tom: probably 33. something that is getting on your nerves: my brother is a little pissbaby who gets defensive at everything and can’t ever admit he was wrong. My mom does the same thing. It get’s on my nerves every day 34. most visited website: tumbo dot com

35. hair colour: dirty blond 36. long or short hair: on the long end of short. I’m thinkong of either growing it out of getting one of those cute little fluffy furly mohawk lookin’ things. I wanna do something new with it 37. do you have a crush on someone: see numbers 6, 7, or 16. You’ll notice a theme happening here. 38. what do you like about yourself: next question (I legitimately hate everything about myself, not an over exaggeration. I don’t view it as some tragedy though, I just don’t like myself)

39. piercings: none 40. blood type: blood 41. nickname: god there’s too many. My dad calls me senor speedskate. Everyone else just calls me “that little bitch” 42. relationship status: alone and wouldn’t have it any other way, see number 37 43. zodiac: pisces 44. pronouns: he/him or they/them. tbh I don’t give a shit about pronouns, I probably wouldn’t use any if that wasn’t the most inconvenient thing. The only reason I primarily use he/him is because I’m used to it 45. favourite tv show: gravity falls yo! but it’s over and I’m still crying. my favorite show that’s currently still running is star vs,I can’t wait for the update!! 46. tattoos: none. I may or may not ever get one, I don’t really care 47. right or left handed: right

48. surgery: none? Once I had to get stitches on my head after i cracked it open on a radiator 49. sport: ew, that’s a slur 50. vacation: when I was like 4 my family went to disney? then every summer up until I was in like fifth grade I think we rented a beach house for the last week of summer 51. pair of trainers: ???? is this code or something? Do I need to break out a cryptogram book?

MORE GENERAL 52. eating: right now? nothing 53. drinking: nothing 54. i’m about to: stare blankly into space for four hours then probably shower at way too early in the morning like I usually do 55. waiting for: goddamn anything to happen 56. want: to be less of a sadsack boring peice of nothing lol 57. get married: how dare you say the m word to me 58. career: animator and a lot of other things probably, but the man=in thing is animation and writing

WHICH IS BETTER 59. hugs or kisses: hugs, but please don’t make me do too many. If I hug you it’s fine, if you hug me we got a problem 60. lips or eyes: both, duh. I fnd them both to be visually interesting 61. shorter or taller: both are good, but I’m tall, which I prefer for me 62. older or younger: um what 63. nice arms or nice stomach: why should I choose, they’re just bodies. I don’t care how other’s look so long as mine is good 64. hook up or relationship: hook up but I’ve never done one and probably never will lol. Ain’t no great tragedy 65. troublemaker or hesitant: the two aren’t mutually exclusive. I’m very much both

HAVE YOU EVER: 66. kissed a stranger: no 67. drank hard liquor: no, because taking sips from my older sibling’s cups doesn’t count. The most I’ve had is a beer equivalent like 5% abv thing. It was cherry flavored. But that’s not hard liquor 68. lost glasses/contact lenses: my eyes are in working order, I don’t need those 69. turned someone down: it’s a hobby of mine 70. sex on the first date: I don’t date, binch 71. broken someone’s heart: how would I know that 72. had your heart broken: this is vague but it probably means romantic, so no 73. been arrested: no 74. cried when someone died: not when a human being died, but there have been cats. and friends nearly dying that got me hella upset. 75. fallen for a friend: look, I have some very nice friends but not on your goddamn life

DO YOU BELIEVE IN: 76. yourself: did you not read the little shpeil I had about hating myself? Also, it depends 77. miracles: cat’s count as miracles I think 78. love at first sight: no 79. santa claus: I’m an adult. No 80. kiss on the first date: ??? is that somthing I can or cannot beleive in?? it exists whether I do it or not??? 81. angels: no, though the thought is nice, but no

OTHER: 82. current best friend’s name: I have several best friends, I don’t like to categorize my friends, it feels weird, but I’ll just say that Jay and Beck are my closest friends  83. eye colour: like this really muted blue 84. favourite movie: Coraline. But I have a lot of favorites, I talk about them frequently.

I tag @cllusterfuck  and @teabank I guess? and anybody who wants to

[ipodclassic160gb]

2016 Year End Album List

The year is officially over now so here are my top 20 albums of 2016.  It was a great year for music and my list has a lot of stuff that has already been talked about but still I gotta do a list! If you’re reading this thank you. I’m mostly making this for myself but I hope you all enjoy.  

20. Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith - EARS  I kept seeing Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith’s name pop up on pitchfork and I never listened to her because I thought I would be listening to long droney ambient pieces (which I like but I was never in the mood for this year). But I listened to this one a few weeks back and I’m glad I did because this album is ALIVE.

19. Frank Ocean - Blonde This album is good but I don’t think it really lived up to the hype? It’s probably just me honestly. Like it’s a great album but I feel like I’m not really relating to it so that’s why it’s not higher on the list. Plus I hate it when “Facebook Story” comes up on shuffle

18. Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool Also kind of overrated. But it’s still a Radiohead album. Like it meets that standard. It’s better than King of Limbs. Let’s move on.

17. Chairlift - Moth Chairlift really stepped it up this year. I saw them open for someone years ago and getting really bored. When I saw them tour behind this album this year it was like a completely different band. I can’t help but thinking that working with Beyoncé gave them the confidence to bring it like they did on this album. Too bad they broke up.

16. A Tribe Called Quest - We got it from Here…Thank You 4 Your service Some of this album’s success I think might have to do with timing. The political messages on a lot of these songs hit harder in the wake of the election. But most of this album’s success comes from how these guys can still make their sound work after like 25 years. 15. Leon Vynehall - Rojus (Designed To Dance) I don’t know a lot about house music so I think it makes sense that I would be into a house music concept album about birds.

14. Kvelertak - Nattesferd I didn’t hear very much good metal in 2016. I wasn’t really seeking out dark music as much because the world seemed dark enough already. But this album filled my need for heavier music without being too gloomy. Kvelertak (I do NOT know to pronounce their name) blend a lot of more older rock and metal styles together here to get a kind of unique black metal party vibe??? I don’t know it works for me

13. Blood Orange - Freetown Sound This album captures a lot of what made music so great this year. Warm sounding nostalgic songs with strong political messages. This album has a lot going on in it and sometimes it feels like musical ideas are dropped before they’re really complete. But at it’s best this album is some of my favorite music I heard all year. Also my dad liked it

12. The Avalanches - Wildflower This album doesn’t achieve the same classic album status as Since I Left You but it’s still nice to visit the Avalanches’ world again. In the summer I would make breakfast while listening to this album so I guess it probably helps that I associate it with eggs.

11. Young Thug - No, My Name is JEFFEREY This is the first time where I’ve liked an entire Young Thug mixtape. Usually he’s working at a level that’s beyond my level of comprehension and that’s how he loses me. This is definitely an easier listen overall compared to his previous work, and while he’s still rapping from another plane of existence it feels like I’m hearing it from a more comfortable place.

10. Carly Rae Jepsen - Emotion Side B/Emotion Emotion Side B is really good in it’s own right but Emotion felt as much like an album from this year as it was from last year. It’s an album for every year. A timeless classic. When the world ends in nuclear holocaust (soon) I hope this music survives. 

9. Nicolas Jaar - Sirens It took me a while to get into Nicolas Jaar because there were so many sides to his music. Every time I tried to get into him I’d hear something different and it would change my perception of him drastically. This album is a good blend of all the things I’ve heard from him and it comes together to make something really unique and different.

8. Jamila Woods - HEAVN I was really surprised to not see ANYONE talking about this album outside of music publications. If you liked Solange’s album and haven’t heard this please listen to it!

7. Xenia Rubinos - Black Terry Cat THIS ONE TOO I DIDN’T SEE ANYONE TALKING ABOUT THIS ALBUM!! I LITERALLY HAD TO HEAR ABOUT THIS ONE FROM READING THE FUCKING “OVERLOOKED ALBUMS 2016” THING ON PITCHFORK. DO YOURSELF A FAVOR WITH THIS ONE PLEASE

6. White Lung - Paradise White Lung took their sound into Warped Tour Compilation 2004-2006 realms on this one and it pays off big time. Mosh pit anthems for adults. 5. Beyoncé - Lemonade To say that the release of Lemonade was a major cultural moment is an understatement. For weeks it was all I listened to and all I wanted to talk about. And after the all the hype, articles about if the album’s narrative was true or not and whether or not it mattered, and buying a $40 Boycott Beyoncé t shirt I wore myself on Beyoncé. But even after seriously overdoing it with this album you can’t deny it’s impact.

4. Mitski - Puberty 2 Aside from being my favorite title for an album in recent memory this album makes me feel like I am dead and empty but happy at the same time.

3. Solange - A Seat at the Table I think this is the most relevant album to come out this year. There’s not a lot I can really add to the discussion about it but I really do think it’s an album everyone needed this year.

2. Bon Iver - 22, a million Trust me I do feel bad placing Bonny Bear above Solange but this album was so fucking cool. Like he went full on fucking WEIRD on this one. It’s like Kid A but from Wisconsin. Lyrically I think this album is about…nothing??? But musically this album feels huge

1. Chance the Rapper - Coloring Book This one got me through the hell year. I don’t even think it was the best album this year objectively (Juke Jam ft. Justin Bieber for most skipped song of my life) but as the world grew scarier and scarier this past year the more I clung to this music. I used to be put off by Chance’s unrelenting positivity but this year I needed it and it seriously helped me so much. I think my favorite thing about this record is how all the guest features are brought into Chance’s world. Future makes some of the darkest sounding rap music today but on Smoke Break he shines as bright as Chance. I have loved watching this guy succeed all year. Give him the Grammy.

HONORABLE MENTION: Kanye This was a truly difficult year to be a Kanye fan. I loved TLOP when it first came out but as time went on I liked it less and less. Some of it has to do with Kanye’s actions testing me as a fan but most of it has to do with the fact that this is his weakest album. His genius still shines throughout it, but it just feels like he didn’t give a shit about this one. He starts off so strong with Ultralight Beam (which is honestly a Chance the Rapper song like it plays more into what Chance put out later in the year than the rest of TLOP) but by the next song he is giving us the bleached asshole line. Kanye has never been the best rap lyricist by any means but with the rest of the album feeling so thrown together it’s working against him more than before. While it’s interesting how the album falling apart (intentionally?) mirrors Kanye’s public persona also falling apart this album just doesnt sit right with me anymore. Hope he’s okay.