#but I haven’t listened to all of it yet! maybe there’s a banger I need to hear that I haven’t reached yet

[doverstar]

so far taylor swift’s new album is…not…good?

[battlemaiden13]

Actually Madam BattleMaiden, I have a few(I hope, no promises.) question for YOU, you don’t have to answer BUT!

What are your fanfics that you read and like? Can be any, but also can be Ut AUs related! Or maybe fanfics you suggest??

Do you make playlists for your own fanfic? Your characters? Or May others stories? Others characters??

Do you do a reference sheet for all your characters or is it all in your head? Or perhaps it’s on many different pieces of paper, media, apps?😂 chaotic organization even?

~💚𝒯𝒽ℯℴ💚~

So I basically just read reader inserts because I like the style a lot, unless the fandom is severely lacking in that department then I may branch out. I really like slow burns or soulmate au’s.  I haven’t read any in a while really, but when I do it tends to be for the fandom I am currently hyper focused on. For undertale there are a few I really like, and need to go back and re-read. 

The good boy by @absurdmageart is currently my favorite thing ever. It is the only fanfic I have ever finished reading only to immediately re-read it all again. I also just love Money and how mage writes him so I’ve been obsessed. Plus I relate a lot to Chip and how he reacts to situations so I found it easy to relate to.

For more recommendations though I would just look at my bookmarks in AO3. I don’t tend to bookmark work unless I’m really into it although not all of them are Undertale and I haven’t read some of them in a while. 

I don’t make playlists for my fics, I totally could but I think if I did they would be more character playlists. I absolutely have some songs that I associate with these skeletons and other characters although I’m not sure if these would be any good and I haven’t done it yet. @artsy-potato did make a playlist for the fifth clover aka MC and some others but the fifth clover one is a banger and I listen to it all the time. Here’s that post if you are interested. Maybe one day when I’m bored I’ll make playlists for the boys. 

Interesting you mention character Ref sheets because I’m actually making some right now! They have a lot of writing on them because obviously I’ll use them for writing but I have at least tried to draw some skeletons, I’m going to post them when I’m done, Edge’s should be finished this week at least. Before these it has just been like notebooks or random google docs to sprawl info on. Although I think I also still have notes from like three phones ago with chapter ideas in it. 

[cynicalone94]

Ch. 12 Outside Income

When Intelligence gets pulled in to solve a case that another unit can't seem to close, evidence quickly begins to suggest that the gang they're investigating has man on the inside. But what shouldn't be a big deal, Intelligence is known for rooting out corruption, quickly becomes a very big deal when something goes very, very wrong.

Read on AO3 here.

Her partner is sleeping.

That much isn’t new. It feels like Jay hasn’t done anything but sleep for the last week and a half.

The good part is that he’s finally sleeping in his own bed.

There’s still an oxygen concentrator sitting in the corner, a cannula situated under his nose. It’s expected to be there for a while as his lungs continue to heal but they are healing.

Only time will tell if he’ll heal enough to resume the high intensity job that he loves but at least now they know that he won’t be confined to a hospital bed for the rest of his life.

It’s still hard to listen to him breathe, every breath labored and sluggish but it’s getting better.

Things are looking up, looking better all the time.

“I can hear you thinking from over here.” Jay rasps tiredly, eyes still closed.

“Sorry partner.” she says with a wry smile. “I’ll go think somewhere else.”

“And keep not sleeping?” he asks. “Come over here.”

“Jay.” she cautions.

“Just to sleep.” he says. “Not trying to make a move on you. But I know you haven’t been sleeping well. Just come lie down where you can hear that I’m still breathing and get some sleep.”

“You think listening to you breathe like that is gonna put my mind at ease?” she asks with a smirk.

It doesn’t stop her from walking toward the bed, toeing out of her shoes and then climbing up next to him.

“No better lullaby out there.” he mutters.

“You’re an idiot.” she tells him even as she rests her head on the pillow.

“And yet you’ve been standing there watching me sleep for at least forty five minutes.” he counters.

“Well yeah.” she says. “Cause you’re my idiot. Now go back to sleep.”

He still hasn’t opened his eyes but he offers her a tired grin, settling deeper into his pillow.

Within seconds he’s back asleep and she returns the smile, stroking her fingers through his hair and then settles herself onto the pillow.

Soon enough she’s off to sleep herself.

He makes it out to the couch the next afternoon, watching a game on the television while Hailey mills around in the kitchen, handling his meds and trying to put together something for him to eat.

Will is coming over after work to spend the night and she’s probably going to go home. Take care of some things around her apartment, maybe sleep in her own bed for once.

Though apparently she sleeps easier with Jay nearby, when she can hear that he’s still alive, still breathing.

“Hailey?” Jay calls out.

“Yeah?” she asks, racing into the other room. “What’s up? You okay?”

“I’m fine.” he assures her. “I’m sorry, I’m fine. Just… Did you guys figure out who the mole was?”

Hailey’s breath catches.

So this is it. The conversation she’d wanted so desperately to avoid is here.

“Yeah.” she says, sitting next to him. “We did.”

“It was Marston, wasn’t it.”

He’s not really asking and she sighs.

“Yeah.” she confirms. “It was. Jay, I’m sorry.”

“Why did he do it?” he asks. “Why does a guy like that, with a record like his, jump in bed with drug dealing gang bangers?”

“I’m not going to lie.” she says, reaching over to put a hand on his forearm. “I’d rather not answer that question.”

He lets out a long breath.

“Hailey.”

“He needed the extra money to pay for his dad’s cancer treatments.” she tells him. “He started looking the other way, giving them heads up on things. But they just kept asking for more and more and soon he was in too deep to say no.”

“And when we stole their drugs…”

“They told him he was going to help them get their drugs back.” she fills in.

“So he set me up?” Jay says, looking down.

“He says he tried to fight back.” she says. “That he argued against it, only agreed when they promised the cop they took wouldn’t be hurt but…”

“No way he didn’t know they were lying.” he says. “He was in too deep. Couldn’t tell them no without getting killed. Couldn’t get out of following through without admitting to what he’d done. So he handed me over.”

“Yeah.” she agrees. “He did. I’m sorry, Jay. I wish there was something that I could say that would make this better but… everything about it sucks. It sucks that you were taken, it sucks that they burned you like they did, it sucks that you were exposed to that gas, it sucks how much pain you’ve been in ever since. And it sucks ass that another cop willingly played a roll in it.”

He looks up at her, still pale face showing exactly as much heartbreak as she’d expected.

“I can offer you one small tidbit.” she says. “Voight chewed him up and spit him out like a pack of the shittiest bubble gum out there.”

He tries to smile but he can’t quite fake it and she lets her hand slide down over his.

“I’m sorry, Jay.” she repeats.

[aviel-the-trans-bucket]

So I’m listening through “Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge today for my walk down mcr memory lane, and these are my thoughts.

Ive listened to some songs on revenge unlike bullets in which I hadn’t listened to any of the songs previously, so most of these I’ve listened to repeatedly but some I haven’t listened to at all.

Helena: Absolute banger, absolute classic. A song I listen to frequently and it moves right through you. One of my personal favorites and for good reason. Not to mention it’s iconic music video. The chorus fucks hard just fucking great.

Give ‘Em Hell Kid: Ok this one is new to me. Funky guitar opening which I love from them. Oh fuck yea audio distortion tasty. This one absolutely fucks man. I love this vibe, It’s got a good pulse to it.

To The End: another one I hadn’t listened to yet. Oh this one is fun, vibes vibes huh 🏳️‍🌈. Marry me burry me huh, some 30 seconds shit lol. This one definitely feels like the music of the era, I like it. Not alot of thoughts, but I don’t have many in general.

You Know What They Do To Guys Like Us In Prison: another new listen for me. Oh I love this vibe. Love the beat. Oh I love this, like I love the way this sounds. Also 🏳️‍🌈. Guitar is going apeshit yea this might be a new favorite.

I’m Not Ok (I Promise): Gay highschool dweeb anthem. I’m gay highschool dweeb 😞 (now in my 20s). Another one I listen to regularly and also one of my all time favorites. *Vibes as hell (*=🏳️‍🌈). Iconic Iconic iconic music vid. One of the most iconic openings. Just in general one of my favorite songs in like general not just by mcr. Man I need to rewatch the music vid again.

The Ghost Of You: 🫡. I listen to this one when it comes on, but not all the time. Rip Mikey. Opening part is very wibbly good brain feel vibes. Nice texture. Shit moves through you, let it rock you like the ocean.

The Jetset Life Is Gonna Kill You: another I hadn’t heard yet. Ooo good rhythm and the organ. Oh this one fucks. I dig this. Chorus really slaps. I like this one, maybe not love yet but It might grow on me, I’m definitely listening again for the chorus.

Interlude: 58 second interlude, never heard this either. Oh I like this. This is very pretty. Gorgeous ok let’s get our shit rocked by venom.

Thank You For The Venom: a personal fav like in my top 20 mcr songs. Guitar goes particularly hard and it’s fucks so severely. Actively headbanging. Hallelujah, lock and load is such a fucking vibe. Christ I love this one so much, I should listen to this more.

Hang ‘Em High: another new listen. Oh hell yea yehaw vibes and heavy guitar. Oh yes this fucks, this fucks HARD. I love cowboy vibes, I was raised on country radio so it’s like permanently ingrained in my brain. This one might be another new fav damn,

It’s Not A Fashion Statement, It’s A Deathwish: I’ve listened it a few times but not much. Really tasty opening guitar. It slaps really hard. Doesn’t quite fuck but does slap. This song really does embody the word “Vengance” tho, a good vibe you can rock to.

Cemetery Drive: I love this song so fucking much. Definitely in my top 20 of all mcr song ranking. I love this one to death, it’s just one I love the sound of the most. Slaps like hell. Way down, way down, way down, way down, way down, way down, way down, way down, waaaaaay doooown.

I Never Told You What I Do For A Living: last song I hadn’t heard on the album. Masters of good guitar openings. Oh yea this fucks also vibes 🏳️‍🌈. Maybe not in the lyrics but this song feels gay. Yea I like the pulse of this one and it does fuck. It’s got that energy. Oh we screaming now fuck yea. Oh fuck oh hello vocals 😳. His voice just did things to my brain.

(Bonus) Bury Me In Black: this was on the playlist but wasn’t on the song list I pulled from Wikipedia. Ok another new listen to close us out. Oh damn distortion nice. Hardcore, this one rocks. Slaps hard hard. Is pretty good but maybe not a favorite.

Absolutely regret not listening to the full album sooner, a great listen and a fun time going through some of my old favorites again. My top 5 of the album would have to be…

1: Helena

2: I’m Not Okay (I promise)

3: Cemetery Drive

4:Thank You For The Venom

5:The Jetset Life Is Gonna Kill You

6: (honorable mention) Hang ‘Em High (she fucks)

So I had a good time and can’t wait to get caught up on the rest of the music I missed. Next up will be the black parade which I’ve fully listened to already but feel free to send asks containing songs I might miss if they aren’t on the 4 main albums or conventional weapons. I might even do the solo stuff post breakup once I get through the albums

[radiantlyrey]

Thoughts on Uprising Ep8 “The Reward”

- (pre-viewing note: is this the episode where a program nearly gets drawn and quartered?? I remember this vividly from 10 years ago but it hasn’t popped up yet…..) (note from later: APPARENTLY IT IS!!! OKAY THEN.)

- I haven’t mentioned this yet, but the recaps before each episode are a fucking delight. it’s like a full-on course in double meaning and irony and the delivery is just *chef’s kiss* I know there’s a button to skip the recaps but they’re so fun I usually watch them anyway…….

- cold open: it’s pretty obvious from early on that this is a dream, and I did not realize/remember that programs dreamed! this is useful information for fic-writing, thank you show. the content of the dream itself is a little disturbing, mostly from the way the Renegade is just ragdolling around while Tesler ineffectively tries to fight him. it’s honestly a great way to display Tesler’s insecurities, and very effective at that.

- Tesler has got a good point—they’re wasting too many resources on tracking down the Renegade; they might as well outsource the bulk of the work. his speech in the arena is very effective; Henriksen is a great VA for him, and honestly Tesler is pretty effectively terrifying as the main villain of the series. (nitpick: the “RENEGADE FREE ARGON” sign during Tesler’s speech needs a fricking hyphen after “Renegade.” Though in a delicious twist of irony, the Renegade is trying to free Argon, so without the hyphen there’s a delightful double meaning in there.)

- related to the speech, Tesler wishes the programs of Argon “Happy Hunting” which made me think of Janelle Monae’s song “Violet Stars Happy Hunting!!!” from her first Metropolis album. It is a banger of a song, and it also got me to thinking about whether there are bounty hunters on the Grid at all?? Like, given the Renegade issue in Argon alone, there must be other enemies of the state that Clu wants eliminated, right? (but then that digs into the whole issue of currency on the Grid, which there is no mention of AT ALL and argh) but that’s just my brain running away from me……

- semi B plot with Paige and Pavel (tho I’ll be honest, this ep is all A plot): Paige is doing her job, Pavel is being paranoid, though his paranoia may be slightly justified. also we got Bartik and Hopper hanging around again, and these guys still baffle the fuck out of me, especially Bartik??? But I’ve gone over that like three times now, so I’ll let it lie for now. and it’s absolutely no surprise that Pavel’s being sneaky about things… ugh.

- also the whole neighbor turning on neighbor thing that we see here is… a little disturbing, for a Y7 show??? maybe not, I don’t have a good gauge for these things. it just seems a little reminiscent of some parts of history, to me? I don’t know. (mind you, with the Scars episodes up next, I’ll have plenty to talk about in re: appropriateness for 7 year olds……) (don’t remember much about Scars, but I do remember the fucking TORTURE SCENES)

- meanwhile, it’s nice to see Beck actually hanging out with his friends for once (and also nice that Zed calls him on the fact that he has not been hanging with them very much recently) (ya gotta get a better work-work-life balance there, kiddo) it is nice that Tron deferred to his judgement on what they needed to do about the hunt for the Renegade (and I loved Beck’s “finally he listens to me” reaction….) tho it kind of sucks that their favorite club has turned into an army hangout….

- and then we have a one-scene, one-minute character in Gorn! who fascinates me to no end. apparently memory modifications are possible, but it’s a specialized task that takes a steady hand and a good deal of patience. which Pavel of course lacks. anyway, what a fascinating one-off character; kind of hoping she pops up again at some point…..

- I love that Beck and Paige are approaching this whole “Hopper’s the Renegade!” thing from two completely different angles, both arriving at the same truth (albeit for very different reasons…) Beck’s smooth moves getting in with Link are hilarious, for one, and Paige actually like…. listening to people is cool of her, and another indicator of her complex character.

- and then MARA FUCKS UP REAL BAD HOLY SHIT GIRLLLLLL. Mind you, Tesler’s already in a prickly mood, so it’s no surprise (also considering what he did to Paige’s friends way back when) that he decides to execute Zed and Mara as sympathizers… tho I find it hilarious because literally the previous episode Zed was complaining about how the Renegade is a menace to society, etc. I also like that Mara and Zed are trying to do the right thing even though neither of them like Hopper very much. good on them.

- further notes on the public execution: okay, so it’s more drawing and thirding than drawing and quartering, but nonetheless. (also file under things I’m surprised they got away with putting in a Y7 show…..) love that Beck has a growing history of grand theft auto, what with stealing the roadster from Link to save his friends (and Hopper). the sequence where Beck swoops in to save everyone is really neat, too. that missile gun of Pavel’s was kind of terrifying tho….

- also it is kinda tragic that Beck got to spend time with his friends… but also not. poor kid.

- and re: Zed/Mara - this crush thing between the two of them is going to KILL ME, I swear!!!!!!!! USE YOUR WORDS, KIDS. IT AIN’T THAT HARD!!!!

- all in all: pretty fun episode, though not necessarily a lighter one…..

I may or may not get to Scars (both parts) tonight, we’ll just have to see………….

[someone-give-me-a-hug]

update timeeee

Ello there guvnor! tis I! Huzzah! 

Yeah i dont know what that was either. hello hello! much better. it has been a little longer than expected to update but i wanted to wait until after my exams finished to give you a reply! 

first of all, i think I've only ever had a tomato once. my grandma gave me one and i felt too bad to say no after absolutely hating it. But hey maybe I’ll try it again! Beans however? well i could live off of beans on toast, which granted aren’t the beans you are probably on about but omg maybe its that British in me but beans on toast is an absolute banger of a meal (and was the first thing to come to mind after Bean Crock, which we eat in the winter, another classic).

To answer your very valid question about the number of exams i had, it was 21. 21 exams :) In all fairness exams sorted out my sleep schedule like a charm. i decided to get up at 6am everyday i had an exam so i could have breakfast and revise the content. which then meant i went to bed earlier (around 23:00) and slept like a log the whole night! the longest exam was 2 hours and 30 minutes. and let me tell you, i made a big fat mistake; i decided to take my friends advice and go through the paper backwards. what an oopsie that was. I ended up forgetting that the outside world even existed during that exam, it felt like lifetime! but honestly, oh well too late to change it now. 

We had a BAV (Beliefs and values) exam (3 actually, catholic christianity, judaism and then philosphy and ethic) becuase it’s required to learn. we needed to use a source of wisdom and authority in most answers and the one i mustve used a hundred times was ‘Love thy neighbour’. I’m also pretty sure I made a few up but hey ho it’s done now. 

It’s officially the summer holidays and school doesn’t start again until September so I’ve got so much time on my hands I have no clue what I’m gonna do! when I go back though I’m doing my Level 3 certifications (A-levels) in history, English lit and philosophy and ethics!

on the note of wildlife, there are so many birds in my garden it’s insane. I’m starting to think they’re building an army to come hunt me down and peck out my brains. although i doubt they eat brains, maybe I’ll have to stuff my pockets with seeds as a sacrifice. Also i had to search up what a bull moose was but oh good heavens THEY ARE HUGE!? I swear i’d literally cosplay Jesus and ascend to heaven if i saw one of them. I love the fact that you get to see wildlife, it’s so cool! I once got chased by a flock of geese and that was scary enough. I think geese talk to each other because they always seem to stare me down. Now listen, I may have a seriously moody resting face but come on! I just want to go about my day and here I am getting glared at by the most viscous bird ever. unfair if you ask me. 

Oh oh oh! about the tumble drier situation, I have been known to lack common sense at times. For example, when i start a task and don’t plan ahead. Imagine I’m baking something and as I wash up i haven't got out a tea- towel to dry my stuff. i will freeze like a moose in headlights (see what i did there? eheh funny). It’s like i have no issue remembering what the emergency quota act did during the red scare in USA history yet if something is missing or new my brain just grows legs and goes on holiday. 

In the words of my grandmother, if brains were made of dynamite i wouldn’t have enough to blow my cap off. 

Random thought I had the other day to finish off: the saying ‘Hold you horses’ comes from literally slowing down a horse. like ‘stop, slow down’ ‘Hold your horses!’. it has taken me an unbelievably long time to realise that. like what else was ti meant to mean?! I’m literally as thick as a plank of wood sometimes. 

Anyway, I hope you are well! I hope everything is good and that you’re good! 

Love ya! Little sib!

[thechekhov]

Hey so I want to get started on Critical Role but I'm not really sure where the best jumping on point is. Where did you start?

That's a good question! It GREATLY depends on what sort of watcher/listener you are.

Currently, the entire Critical Role content machine has 3 main campaigns. 

The first one was started before they were a full on company, and is therefore rough around the edges. The second campaign was much more well rounded, and is well beloved - and it is finished! The third is just getting started, and there aren't a lot of episodes for it yet.

I'll try to outline some of the things for you.

Campaign 1 - Vox Machina (115 episodes)

(YouTube link to the full playlist)

Reasons to start at campaign 1:

If you are a thorough lore-consuming vacuum that NEEDS to know things and doesn't mind throwing yourself headfirst into OVER 800 HOURS OF CONTENT you can start with Campaign 1.

It begins in the middle of the journey (because the campaign started BEFORE they began to stream it) and is therefore fast to get into the action. The characters are already established and get along, and there are tons of interesting dynamics.

Reasons to NOT start at campaign 1:

- It's fucking long

- It's rough around the edges - the audio quality sucks for a couple of episodes, the video quality ain't great right away, and their setup isn't the most conducive to the game.

- The actors themselves are also rough - they're not used to the streaming setup and do their best to maintain the feel of the home game, which means lots of inside jokes that may read as too crude or too-sexual for the audience. The characters are also basic archetypes, and although there IS depth to them, until you get to later episodes you may need to wait.

Compromise:

If you want to start Campaign 1 but are afraid of the rough edges, start at episode 24 (YouTube link) - it is the beginning of the Briarwood arc, a really good and engaging part of the early campaign that is much easier to roll with that early episodes.

...Or wait until Legends of Vox Machina (link) comes out and watch it as an animated series!

Campaign 2 - Mighty Nein (141 episodes)

(Link to YouTube Playlist)

Reasons to start at campaign 2:

The players are much more comfortable this time around! Their setup is great, and this is the story they’re probably the most well known for at this point. 

The nuance of the characters comes through almost immediately, and the storyline is more intricate and wrought with morally grey choices! It’s a fucking banger.

Reasons to NOT start at campaign 2:

- It's fucking long

- The characters don’t all get along right away! They’re a ragtag team that comes together out of necessity, and it takes a while for them to gel, which means lots of drama within the party. It’s all in good fun, of course, and it’s an excellent show of sportsmanship amongst a group of friends who trust each other to act out entire arguments... but it can get a bit intense! If you’re really sensitive to this, it might bother you.

- If you want to stay in-the-know on current stuff without getting spoiled... it might be rough going (spoilers are unavoidable for this one, people cannot contain themselves in any form.)

Compromise:

Not sure what the compromise would be. I cannot really think of any part of this campaign that you want to miss. 

Maybe others who are not quite as obsessed as I am with consuming all the content can recommend a good jump-in point. The idea of missing any of their beginnings gives me hives, though. I’ll abstain.

Campaign 3 - The current campaign, now airing

(YouTube Link to playlist)

I will admit, I don’t know about this campaign yet. I haven’t even started it myself! However, if you like to keep up to date and follow weekly installments, this is for you! It’ll continue to release 3 times a month, dice willing, and you can easily follow along with all the fanart and hype! 

If you do not have the attention span nor the energy to slog through literally YEARS of story (and really, who would...?).... this may be your best bet!

Things to note:

- All the campaigns are set on the same WORLD but they are stand-alone stories. Although careful viewers will obviously pick up on hints and name-drops from previous campaigns, you don’t need to know anything about Campaign 1 to jump into Campaign 2, and vice versa! 

The important thing is to follow your heart and have fun! As long as you’re not watching the episodes completely out of order... you’re probably not doing it wrong.

[i-lovethatforme]

I listened to a song once--can't remember the title sorry--about roommates that fake date to get a discount at a Chinese restaurant. They go out of their way to walk by the street together so they have to hold hands. When they want to order in, they realize their apartment needs proof of them as a couple. So they spend days doing couple things and taking pictures to put around the apartment. They're so in love it hurts, but both just use this restaurant as an excuse to pretend.

It's a banger of a song. Can you write a fic about it?

ofc anything you for you my brain twin pally. hold all criticisms bc my sick brain refused to edit as i deserve!!!! slightly long drabble for you as is my brand. goodbyegodbless etc xxxxxxx

This is the best idea Ned has ever had and last semester he successfully helped Peter escape a crime lord using the map and movements from a Spider-Man game prototype he has on his laptop.

But this. This is his best creation. Because not only will he get his two best friends together after helplessly pining over each other for years. 

He also gets cheap Chinese food. 

“What do you mean?” Peter asks, his brows furrowed as he struggles to peel an orange. Ned is convinced Peter has taught himself how to squirt juice in his eye instead of peeling the fruit like a normal person because MJ will always help him. And she’ll tut and take the orange from his hand with an eye roll, but her fingertips always linger against his cheek when she wipes the juice away. So Peter will be an idiot, if only for her.

Well, Ned has seen him swing into a billboard a few times, so maybe he’s just a bit of an idiot anyway. 

“Yeah,” MJ pipes in, snatching the orange from Peter’s hand in a way that would probably dislocate a smaller person’s wrist, but Peter just looks at her fondly. “Why would we get a discount because we’re like, uhm a couple or whatever?”

MJ blushes whenever she talks about being in a relationship with Peter which isn’t often at all considering it’s definitely all she thinks about, but whenever it slips out, Ned thinks he could warm his palms on her cheeks. He won’t - obviously, he’s not ready to die right now. But he does think about how adorable it is that she thinks noone can see if it’s anything other than a bright sunny day. As if Peter doesn’t have countless photos of her on his phone that would prove her theory incorrect. 

“Because that’s the discount?” Ned says, shrugging his shoulders. 

MJ looks at Peter with her lips pouted to see what he’s thinking - to see if he’ll agree to fake dating her before she can dare to make it known that that would be something she would be okay with. As if Ned isn’t right here, having already seen her Mrs Michelle Parker doodles all over the English book during high school. 

Peter is already looking at her, because of course, he is. He doesn’t immediately answer her, nor does he really acknowledge that she’s spoken. He just looks at her as he always does, a little dopey and a lot in love. 

“Dork,” she mutters, knocking into his side where she’s standing next to his bar stool. 

“Wh - sorry, what?” Peter asks, his hand coming to rest on the small of her back. He takes the orange back from her with his free hand.

“Wanna date for cheap Chinese food?” MJ asks and you’d think with Peter’s super hearing and whatever else he likes to brag about with MJ is in earshot, he’d be able to hear the longing in her voice. 

“Like, uhm, pretend, obviously,” she continues when he pulls her a tad closer and Ned has no powers but he hears Peter’s heart thud to the ground anyway. 

“Yeah,” he coughs. “Still weird that’s a discount but I know you love rice noodles and I haven’t been able to get the recipe right yet.”

Sure - it’s a little strange and yes Ned did have to talk to the owner into it but he promised that it would only be a week or so tops and that yes, he would give the owner May’s number.

He’s kept that information from Peter. 

And MJ.

Maybe when they end up arguing between themselves about who will have Ned on their side of the wedding party - he’ll tell them then. Maybe. 

But then Peter places an orange segment against MJ’s lips, pulling it back when she goes to bite it and Ned fears that maybe he won’t get as much cheap food as he thought. With the way MJ leans into him and the way Peter looks at her. Ned might have to start spreading rumours to get this deal for longer. 

“Loser,” MJ smiles with Peter’s fingers against her lips and well. Maybe Ned doesn’t mind if it’s over all that soon. 

—

Ned owes the Chinese takeaway a fortune at this point. And probably an actual face-to-face meeting with May if this plan takes any longer to sort itself out. 

So far they’ve bought their body weight in noodles and they have enough chopsticks to build a fort if they really wanted to. Peter and MJ have shared more than three whole kisses because Ned is nothing short of a genius and yet - they still sleep in separate rooms. Well. Sometimes they fall asleep together on the couch because they’re ridiculous and MJ likes to check Peter is safe when he stumbles in at four am and Peter likes to be wherever MJ is.

But the daily handholds as they walk past a closed Chinese takeaway, in case the owner sees them not holding hands and immediately figures out this is a whole ruse, of course, are not enough to shove them into a relationship. 

Ned thought it would be easier than this. They already cook together (before the aforementioned couples discount which Ned is regretting more as the days pass). Peter makes MJ’s coffee in the morning. MJ leaves a note with Peter’s lunch every day. Peter comes home with flowers for MJ on Thursdays because she doesn’t like Thursdays and MJ runs Peter a bubble bath after a long mission. 

Oh. And they’re in love with each other. 

But apparently, that doesn’t matter.

But it’s fine. It’ll work itself out. They’ve only been dancing around each other for the better part of six years but they’re both finally single. Ned does not need to get involved any further. 

—

Okay, so it turns out that despite Ned’s best intentions, his plan will not work unless he gets involved further. And he promised that he wouldn’t. Well. He promised himself he wouldn’t get involved because once in tenth grade he tried to help MJ ask Peter out and he still has the scar on the back of his hand where she hit him with a book. 

So, he’s vowed not to get involved again. Sure he created the couples discount at the Chinese down the block, but truly, he just wanted some chow mein and Betty was out of the city. But that was weeks ago. And he’s tired of watching Peter’s heart crack open every time MJ drops his hand when they return to their apartment. As if he wasn’t aware that she’d do anything he asked. As if it isn’t painfully obvious to everyone bar the two smartest people that Ned knows - that they’re it for each other. 

Honestly, Ned wasn’t expecting Peter and MJ to be so woefully dense that he’d be sick of eating fried rice. But as he throws his container in the bin - his stomach crying out for a vegetable - he decides it’s time to fix it for them. 

Because frankly, if Ned has to watch Peter run down the stairs quickly, just so he can reach the ground floor and officially be in MJ’s fake boyfriend territory, one more time, he’s going to snap. Especially when neither he nor MJ can run as fast as Peter can lest they snap an ankle on sight - so, he just has to watch MJ fidget and fix her hair while they walk five floors down. 

It’s after Ned gets blisters because MJ and Peter decided to walk the long way home in the middle of summer ‘because it’s a nice night’ and not because if they walked that way they could hold hands and pretend to be together for a hundred metres of pavement - that he decided he needed a new plan. And fast. 

—

It’s a frighteningly short amount of time before both Peter and MJ agree to another Chinese takeout. Anyone would think they like being a couple more than they like a healthy bank account. 

“I can pick it up,” Ned says, not even bothering to move from the armchair because he knows Peter and MJ will offer to go and get it. 

“No!” Peter says, running into the front room, almost taking MJ out in his haste. 

“Easy, Tiger,” she warns, her hands against his stomach as if he needs her twig-like arms to keep himself from falling to the ground. 

“Thanks, Em,” he whispers and Ned rolls his eyes so hard they hurt. God, they’re oblivious and they’re putting him off the food he doesn’t really want anyway. But he needs them to at least bring the food back so he can throw his handmade fortune cookies in the bag. It’s a last-ditch attempt honestly, if they ignore the signs from the universe, well, Ned will just watch them pretend to be happy for the other when they inevitably get with someone else. 

Probably. 

Or he’ll try something else that will take a considerable amount of planning and convincing May that it’s just one more date. Or, he’ll just curse them for the rest of their days. Whichever is easier for him at the time. 

Ned watches MJ link her fingers with Peter’s before he’s even finished putting his shoes on but Peter does respond by pulling her a little closer and pressing his lips to her forehead. When they’re like this, Ned doesn’t mind the apology texts to the takeout place and he doesn’t mind the way he has to listen to Peter complain about some guy hitting on MJ at her work summer party. (As if she didn’t only tell that story for a second time when Peter was around because he was supposed to be there with her - and he had to go and be a hero. As if MJ thinks she’s sly enough to make out that she’s only telling the story so Peter knows she’s annoyed he left her there. As if MJ wouldn’t cover for Peter in any given situation and the only reason she’s bringing it up is to let Peter know other people are interested in her - but she’s not interested in them.) But MJ has been doing the same thing since they were thirteen. But for the first few years - Peter wasn’t interested in her either. At least not in the heartbreaking way he is now. 

So when they seem like maybe, just maybe, they’re both just going to confess in the middle of the living room - Ned’s heart grows eight sizes. But then MJ pushes her hair behind her ear and Peter looks at her a little too closely and it startles her. And suddenly, they both realise how close they are and Ned is transported back to the day they had to kiss for photographic proof that they were a couple. Something about an employee coming to deliver food and not being able to see photographic evidence which honestly, was Ned’s worst cover to get them to kiss but they were both so desperate to do it they didn’t call him out on it. 

But the memories of Peter’s breathy moan long after Ned had put the camera down and the way MJ practically climbed into Peter’s lap after what was supposed to be a quick peck, haunt Ned to this day. 

And he doesn’t want to be witness to that again. Not if he has to sit with the awkwardness afterwards when they both don’t just admit they’re halfway married already. 

“Er, the food?” 

“Right,” MJ says, not at all moving away from Peter. 

“Sure,” Peter replies, moving backwards just so he doesn’t need to stop looking at MJ. “Be right back.”

Ned knows he’s lying. They’ll be twenty minutes longer than they need to be because neither of them wants to give up living in their fantasy world. But it’s fine. Ned is barely hungry anyway. He only needs to sneak these fortune cookies into the bag with eagle-eyed Peter seeing.

—

It’s not a difficult task because Peter spends the entire time they’re eating staring at MJ and Ned may as well be bursting into flames for all anyone cares. 

They would care. That’s the only reason Ned is going to so much trouble to make them happy. Because sure, they’re happy right now. Content even, to be around each other. To enjoy each other's company without the need to stake a claim. They’d both be happy enough to just be this - to never get any closer and to love each other from afar. Because they love each other enough to live just on the outside - if that’s what the other wants. 

But Ned is over it. Ned isn’t nervous that they’ll ruin their friendship because he’s not sure anything ever could. Not Peter flinging himself in danger every three seconds. Not the blip. Not whatever might come next. 

It’s Peter and MJ forever and always because that’s always what it has been. That’s always what it was going to be. 

“Oh,” Ned says without any fanfare lest he sends either of them into a panic because they forgot he was here. “There are fortune cookies.”

He tosses them at Peter who lets MJ pick hers first. It doesn’t matter, obviously, they say the same thing.

“Shouldn’t they be sealed?” MJ asks.

“I opened them, sorry,” Ned replies not at all sorry because, at this point, he’s just about to confess for the both of them. 

Ned hears MJ’s sharp intake of breath first even though he knows Peter read his fortune before her. Because despite it all, when it comes to MJ, Peter is nothing if not careful. 

“What does it say?” Peter asks, and Ned can see his fingers trembling from here and he starts to feel a little queasy that Peter is the one that swings him home late at night when he can barely keep a piece of paper in his hands. 

“Uhm,” MJ starts as Ned gets up to leave. He built the scenario but MJ and Peter have been working towards this since the first day they met each other. So Ned wants them to figure it out alone, even if he did shove them together just a little. 

He just hopes this is enough but as he eases his bedroom door shut, he hears MJ stuttering over nothing and he’s not sure it will be. 

But then -

“I’m in love with you.”

“What?”

“I’m so in love with you. I always have been and -”

“That’s what your fortune says?”

“What? Oh, uhm, no,” Peter laughs, definitely running his hand through his hair. “It erm says -”

“I don’t care.”

“You don’t?”

“No,” MJ laughs. “I’m in love with you too. That’s all I care about.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, loser.”

There’s a clattering of plates and probably things thrown on the ground and Ned assumes the fortune cookies have been lost but it’s alright. He doesn’t mind. Well, not that much anyway. 

“Arseholes,” Ned curses with a smile. 

[agentmmayy]

july rotation

another hundred people - eleri ward: the sonder in this song makes me want to *clenches fist* the lyric ‘can we see each other tuesday if it doesn’t rain’ sent me through the mf roof not only with how beautifully it’s sung but also from the longing packed into that one line. being an adult really is making plans to meet up with friends then changing them over and over until you can finally see each other and even then it’s like no time has passed and you greet each other with hugs and i miss you’s and part with i love you’s and let’s hang out soon and maybe soon is relative but the promise is there. i want to see you again. i’ll wait in the rain and look for you among hundreds of people. i’ll let them and the world pass me by until i find you

radio silence - zella day: first off the cover art is amazing. second, it’s a banger. third the relevancy of this song to abortion rights now just makes it even more impactful. the lyric you have anxiеty over pregnancy so you bought this fuckin' pill for me hit me upside the head. i still haven’t recovered from the chorus alone. it’s haunting and lonely and frightening and everything highlighting what women and people who are able to get pregnant have/had/or will face. it makes me go insane

cognitive dissonance - sophie holohan: @justanalto put me onto this song and it’s another sad twerking bop that i can’t stop listening to. completely obsessed with this artist and her voice 

wildflower - mel bryant & the mercy makers: i am sooooo normal about this song (lying) yes i am still hung up on themes of near feral and destructive love and what about it! and I'm stuck here still like a wildflower on the side of the highway is all i can think about as well as i'll sleep in the rain under your headlights on a school night, i'll be outside your front door and burying your heart in the ashtray i just- i need to scream. i need to physically consume this song and make it a part of me and even then i still won’t be over it

horses - maggie rogers: maggie is hitting out of the park with every song on this album. she said it was a ballad and i said yes ma’am it is!! this one in particular makes me want to run wild in a field somewhere (it has awakened my repressed horse girl apparently). BUT i am still salty over the lyric being ‘break’ instead of ‘pray’ please respect my privacy at this time

anywhere with you - maggie rogers: @152glasslippers and i have already screamed over this being an eddissy song but even outside of it the lyrics are IMMACULATE. praying to the headlights like i prayed to you before i found you and i’m gonna lose my mind i’m gonna lose it with you and all i’ve ever wanted was to make something fucking last. maggie!!!!!!!!

home - christina perri: christina perri still stays scalping me even ten years later. it’s about wanting to go home but being unable to!!!!!!!! it’s about not feeling like you belong even at home!!!!!!!!

fever - christina perri: oh i love how haunting this is, especially with the chimes in the background. the lyric i dream about you but i’ve never even seen your face completely rocked me. christina is a master of prose 

cowgirl bebop - hana: filed under songs that make me want to sit around a campfire and sing them with friends and also songs that make me want to put on a long dress and just sway around the room. it’s slow it’s soft it’s wistful and sorrowful yet hopeful. it’s beautiful

[lotstradamus]

Top 5 emotions

cancelled plans -- the feeling you get when you thought you were going to have to pick clothes and put makeup on and go out into the cold world and use lots of energy and spend money and probably wake up with a hangover tomorrow AND THEN YOU DON’T HAVE TO. it’s like a last-minute stay of execution. like snorting coke, if coke was relief. settling back down to carry on whatever you were wrenching yourself away from without the miasma of Upcoming Plans looming over you and ruining your vibe... unparalleled. 

clean house -- when you’ve been cleaning the house, and then you finish cleaning the house, and the house is clean. hell yeah. get a drink. sit down. put the telly on. in your clean house. your work here is done and now everything you do is twice as nice, because you’re doing it in sparkly clean-smelling surroundings and you have absolutely NO guilt or intrusive thoughts about needing to clean the house, because you did that. you’re that bitch. cleanliness really IS next to godliness. 

pre-pre-drink -- when you arrive at your friends house and you haven’t had a drink yet but you’re about to. maybe someone else you love but haven’t seen in a while might also be there. someone puts on a noughties bangers playlist and you all get giddy over a song that you used to love when you were at school. your friend does your smokey eye for you. someone is making gins and you can smell the lime. everyone has makeup on their hands. you can’t wait to see your friends. you’re gonna scream along to Queen later. someone’s put a pizza in the oven. hairspray. laughing. all that good shit. 

cooking -- putting on a little smock apron and making something delicious with your hands is the world’s fastest acting SSRI. even if you’re doing something despicably modern like listening to a podcast or using an electric mixer, you’re imbued with the spirit of the millions of people who, for hundreds and hundreds of years, have put on little smock aprons and made something delicious with their hands. this feeling is magnified tenfold if you use any ingredients from your garden. every time I step onto my balcony to get some rosemary or chives I feel at one with myself and every person in the world who has ever chopped up a potato and thrown it into a dutch oven. utter contentment. 

starting a new book and just KNOWING -- there are few things better than getting 20-30 pages into a book you haven’t read before and realising that it’s gonna be really fucking good. this feeling, for me, goes hand in hand with a little happy squirm and leaping up to put the kettle on. settle IN. this book is gonna ruin your DAY. and you are gonna LOVE IT. (the flip side of this is when you’re 20-30 pages from the end of the book and realise you will soon run out of book. the bad feeling.)

I just read this back and realised all these emotions are the same emotion, and that emotion is ‘gentle euphoria’

[ruby-whistler]

Hi! I’ll keep this short because let’s be honest, the longer it gets the more awkward it will be.

I’m leaving the fandom space, for now. I’ll still be around watching lore and probably analyzing on my own, and I’ll co-write videos for the “Animagician” channel on YouTube, (go check it out!) but this is it for me at the moment.

And, to be clear, I made this decision weeks ago, my friends whom I discussed this with can confirm, and for no specific reason, even though the time since then has been frankly so full of sudden controversies that it didn’t make sticking to my decision any more difficult.

The comfortable corner I was huddled up in was cool, but the community at large was really taking a toll on my mental health. It took a while to realize it was not really safe for people with hyperfixations or anxiety, thanks to its size and general targeted toxicity. As much as I wish I could change that, I really can’t control the way others act, and trying to deal with that that on top of everything going on in my life was never going to work out for me. If I’m gonna be honest, I need a little space to breathe, please listen to Life By the Sea it’s a banger song.

School is also starting in four days and I am going to be graduating and sending in applications to university. This year is going to be absolute hell for me and if I want to pass, I’m going to have to delve into studying somehow. With my crippling Tumblr addiction, I really wouldn’t have been able to handle that.

And since my askbox is going to be closed now, I also want to encourage the people and amazing analysts who hang out on my blog to go ahead and make their own accounts to post things! You all are incredibly talented, and hiding all that behind the anon icon is a crime. That being said, I will miss you all a lot! Opal and blue are also really nice colors.

Speaking of missing people, how about I just don’t miss anyone? I’m starting a Dreblr discord is what I mean. Just comment under this post that you wanna be in it, and I’ll send you an invite from my new account! Might take a bit, but I’ll check this post regularly, and I wouldn’t have been able to give you the interaction role anyways if I was offline, so that’s just how it is. I know there’s a lot of c!Dream positive discords already, but I just wanted to take my bubble of people with me with no real interaction with the fandom outside of it, so this was my solution.

Overall I’m pretty sure I won’t be gone forever. Maybe if new lore comes up that pacifies the fandom a bit and makes them less aggressive towards certain types of people, I’ll come back, but that’s going to take a long while and a lot of new canon to come and go. Consider this a hiatus, that while long, is very likely temporary.

You have probably seen that the recap I posted recently ended with “Thank you.”. That’s because it was a goodbye gift to also thank the community for being there for me. So this is from me, for you. I was waiting for the video to be posted, and here we go. Check it out if you haven’t yet, it’s a resource I’ve worked very hard on along with @beloved-blue who watched two of the vods when I though I was going to lose it if I watched another one, and I hope it can be useful to whoever finds it.

And as for people who were checking my blog out because they liked my posts and wanted more, you still can see more content from me! If you liked my takes or analysis, or Hermitcraft posts, or jokes, or whatever it is, this list has like, 200 of those! It’s a whole lot of content you can go through to get the entire ✨ ruby-whistler experience ✨ , and I apologize in advance.

Well, this has certainly been a ride. Be back in a couple of months, or more. This community better still be here if I ever come back, alright?

Because I care about y’all, a lot! So take care of yourselves, too.

[carriagelamp]

Weirdly enough, I often find myself reading less in the summer, since I have more time than I do during the rest of the year to do other things. Also artfight has been eating up more than a bit of my free time! But here’s a collection a graphic novels I sat around on the hammock reading, and some novels I finished up...

(Everyone go read All Systems Red, holy crow guys)

A Whale of the Wild

The “sequel” to A Wolf Called Wander, though it doesn’t actually connect to the previous novel except in the stylistic/thematic sense. A Whale of the Wild is very much a standalone novel. And a pretty decent one! Personally, I think I liked Wolf more, but this one was a pleasant, informative read, with just the right amount of crushing dread sprinkled in. It’s about a young orca called Vega who is learning to become a new wayfinder for her pod but who still has a lot to learn, especially in an ocean that is becoming increasingly hostile to orcas and the other sealife that live alongside humans. When a devastating earthquake hits, Vega and her little brother find themselves separated from their family, lost in a now horrifyingly unfamiliar environment, and fighting starvation as the salmon that sustain them become more and more unreliable. It’s a desperate fight for survival as they search for food and their missing family. This book is written for a middle grade level, and does a really good job of putting the current environmental crisis into an animal’s perspective while giving the readers something to hope for.

The Adventure Zone: The Crystal Kingdom

Every July I eagerly anticipate the next Adventure Zone graphic novel. This one is for their fourth arc, The Crystal Kingdom, in which Magnus, Taako, and Merle respond to a SOS from a floating laboratory that is gradually being consumed by crystals and which threatens the entire world should it fall into the ocean. Carey Pietsch’s art continues to be absolutely fantastic, so beautifully and hilariously expressive, and this one delivers some great Merle moments, lots of Carey Fangbattle, and, of course, Kravtiz. Kravitz, my beloved…

Anyway, I obviously always recommend these. If you’ve never gotten into The Adventure Zone, I totally recommend either trying these graphic novels — or even better, just go listen to the podcast because it really is both hilarious and creates a shockingly good and heart-wrenching story by the end.

All Systems Red

I’ve seen The Murderbot Diaries on my dash occasionally, and it always looked interesting, but a friend’s recommendation finally compelled me to read the first novella of the series. And holy shit y’all. Absolutely the best book I’ve read this month, it’s amazing. Mind-blowingly good. Also, if you’re like me and want a good audiobook, it’s a nice three-hour listen, very chill!

Anyway, All Systems Red is about a Security Unit, an artificially created being that’s part-organic part-mechanical and all-company-owned-and-controlled. However, self-named “Murderbot” has managed to hack into the system that suppresses its own will, and is now coasting along, doing the least amount of work its job requires not to be noticed, while preferring to spend all its time watching the hours and hours of soap operas it has downloaded into its brain. And it’s a tolerable if somewhat dull life, until the science team that it's currently rented to is attacked and the whole mission goes pear-shaped. Suddenly Murderbot has to scramble to keep its humans alive… while its humans scramble with the realization that their “SecUnit” isn’t actually a mindless robot like they had all believed...

This story is both gripping and hilariously funny. Murderbot has such a unique voice and perspective and it’s an absolute pleasure to follow its story. I reallly need to read the next book...

Asterix and the Banquet

A classic. I was startled when I realized I hadn’t actually read this Asterix story… but hell I’m not gonna complain, it lets me read one of the originals for the first time again! In this Asterix volume, the Indomitable Gauls and the Romans end up arranging a bet — the Romans intend to keep them under siege, trapped in their village, while Asterix is confident that he can easily evade them… and will prove it by going on a tour around all of Gaul, collecting iconic foods from each region in order to return and put on a fine banquet. So we get a fantastic adventure in which Asterix and Obelix run all over the country, pursued the whole way, while making cheerful stops at the various eateries along the way. Also the first book Dogmatix shows up in! All around, a wonderful read, fun like all the best Asterix comics are.

Beauty Pop v4

A less impressive graphic novel. The first Beauty Pop is one of my guilty pleasure manga because… it really is pretty stupid but in the best possible ways. I mean, the whole thing is framed around hairstyling battles, like a shojo sports manga without the sports. It’s bonkers. Unfortunately, the series does not really manage to hold up, and it really begins to feel repetitive and dragging as it continues… as a lot of series like this do. *shrug* Unsurprising but still kinda disappointing I suppose. The building three-way romantic tension is mildly interesting if for no other reason than the main character Does Not Notice and Does Not Care about any of it, which is amusing and refreshing.

FRNCK v5

Now this series only gets better and better as it goes. This is the first book of the second arc, and somehow the danger just seems to be ramping up and up and up. The cavefamily have lost their home… as well as Léonard and Gargouille. Heartbroken, shocked, and angry, Franck is the one who ends up shouldering the blame for their presumed deaths as the others mourn. Things only get worse when Franck finds himself separated from the family, and in the territory of another tribe, this one hostile and cannibalistic...

Haikyuu v5

I continue to read this series because it continues to be charming… though it is beginning to feel, maybe, just a little repetitive. Kind of an inevitability with sports manga. But so far it continues to be good enough to overcome that. I’m not sure what I can say about this series that I haven’t already, so I’ll simply say it continues to be one of the most impressive sports manga I’ve read, and the author does a fantastic job of creating engaging characters, fleshed out teams, and really compelling relationships. I do genuinely adore all the main members of Crows, along with a number of characters from the rival teams as well. And of course it has some kickass volleyball scenes that are just drawn so dramatically they can’t help but take your breath away a little.

M*A*S*H Goes To Maine

Meh. The original book of the series was actually quite good in my opinion. This one… considerably less so. The first part I enjoyed more, since it was about Hawkeye, Trapper, Duke, and Oliver Jones trying to set up the FinestKind Clinic and Fishmarket in Crabapple Cove (which… is just the best premise I could have ever asked for). However, the book spends most of its time describing the quirky lives and times of other people living in the area and I… just… don’t care. It was funny at times but… I just don’t care. I wanted to hear more about the main cast. Also I found this book felt more racist and misogynistic than the first which also put me off :/ Wouldn’t bother if I were you. Go read the first book instead, or better yet just watch the TV show which is an obvious banger.

My Heart’s in the Highlands

I have had this on my “currently reading” list for so long but I’m officially giving up. It’s a really good book in theory but my god I can’t get over the pacing.

It’s about Lady Jane, a woman studying medicine in Edinburgh in 1888, and who suddenly finds herself back in the Highlands in the 13th century. Lost and confused, Jane is now at the mercy Clan Donald’s hospitality while she tries to adjust to this new world and hunts for her broken time machine. Fortunately, this hospitality include a burgeoning friendship with a red-haired warrior woman, Ainslie nic Dòmhnaill, who opens Jane’s eyes to the way the world could be.

Listen. It drives me nuts. This book should be completely up my alley, it has everything I like — IT HAS ALL OF ITS HISTORICAL FOOTNOTES CITED AT THE BACK, LITTLE EXTRA DETAILS ABOUT EVERY CHAPTER. THAT’S MY SHIT RIGHT THERE. DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I LIKE BEING ABLE TO GO OVER HISTORICAL DETAILS?? AND WELL RESEARCHED FOOTNOTES?? And yet it doesn’t. Fucking. Work for me. It has a kickass Scottish warrior lady as a love interest! It has a badass lady doctor! It has fish-out-of-water culture shock! But it also has a completely meandering plot, no sense of building tension, and a romance that just happens out of nowhere and feels completely unearned and uninteresting.

I would genuinely just rather read Outlander again, which I know has its own host of problems, but at least Outlander felt exciting and interesting and tense and funny. The romance built in fits and starts, it was complicated, and kept me interested. That book had me hooked (and has me hooked every time I reread it) whereas this book I’ve been sadly picking at for months like its a plate of overcooked spinach. This felt like an attempt at a queer, historically accurate knockoff which I would normally be super into but which just could not stick the landing.

Moomin on the Riviera

My first time actually reading anything from the Moomin canon. I have zero idea how to feel about it! It certainly is as feral as I’ve heard described! Overall, I think I enjoyed it but it sure made me feel strange emotions I didn’t know existed. I’m not even going to try to describe it. Read it if you want a batshit insane anti-capitalist comic.

Surviving the City

This was good in some areas, less good in others. It had a very interesting indigenous perspective on life in the modern city, the foster system, and The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women issue, which I’ve never seen handled in a book before. Something about the pacing did not completely click with me and I found myself getting easily distracted, but it’s definitely worth the read just to experience it and look at the issues it deals with through the characters’ (and author’s) eyes. It did give me a lot to think about and wrestle with, which is sometimes the best thing a book can give you.

Torchwood: Pack Animals

A really fun read, more so than I had ever expected! If you like Torchwood and want more stories about the team before everything goes to shit, this is perfect for that. It includes the entire cast, an interest mystery to be unravelled, lots of slavering monsters, Rhys being really wonderful and sweet (which I didn’t know I wanted until I read this book), and all the humour I expect from Torchwood. I had to send a lot of quotes to my long-suffering girlfriend who a) does not watch this show but b) needs to tolerate it because I find it too funny to keep to myself. It was good enough to make me go out another book of the series since this was the only one my library carried.

[cursestothemoon]

Hi!! I just saw your hd of Fred dating and actress and it was SO GOOD!! 👏😍 could you do one but instead of an actress a famous singer??

OoOoOoOo

y e s. 

alrighty

buckle in

this is gonna be gewd

so we are gonna start with the two ways of how you guys would meet 

number one 

you are a witch and also a famous singer 

ginny is going through her rebellious phase 

you know how it is

and homegirl is bLASTING your songs in her room

and Gred and Forge just happen to be visiting 

Fred would just

pause for a moment because 

wow

that’s the most beautiful voice hes ever heard and the lyrics are really speaking to him

our mizunderstood king

so naturally he busts into Ginny’s room and is like who is t h a t

and ginny would have a poster of you up

aH

and obviously it’s a magical one so you are dancing and singing 

and she’d just point to the poster and be like 

that’s Y/n, she toured with Weird Sisters 

From that moment on

fred was in love

he wouldn't shut up about you

George would get him merch

he’d try to go to concerts 

then the day came

T H E  D A Y

him and george got a phone call asking if they could use the shop in a photoshoot for some celebrity

the pay was pretty hefty so they agreed

what fred didn’t expect was for you to walk in 

makeup done, hair done 

my man lost his marbles

“gEORGE DID YOU SEE WHO IT IS?”

“....y/n-”

“iTS Y/N L/N.”

apparently your new album has to do with fireworks, sweets? 

idk you choose

wait now i can't get the music video for fergalicious out of my head

either way you are there 

and there is a photoshoot happening 

and i think fred would be rather shy at first 

hes a grown 21 year old and he has a newspaper clipping of you in his bedroom

its a bit intimidating 

but then he thinks about it 

and hes like??? she’s in mY shop

yeah she’s Y/n L/n, she's insanely talented and has played at sold out arenas but only I know where the bathroom is

if you caught that nudge we should be friends :)

so anyway

yeah he was like this is my time to shiNE 

would be the biggest flirt 

and you think hes honestly quite charming 

and stUPIDLY GOOD LOOKING 

you’d score yourself a date

and fred was beyond excited 

not only for the date

but for ginny’s reaction

aLRIGHT NOW WE HAVE THE SECOND WAY

you are a muggle

and he has no idea you exist

until one year for Hermione’s 19th 

a sort of ode to the last year of being a teenager 

she wants everyone to go to a concert 

your concert 

Harry and Ron would be the only ones who have heard of you

Harry because he went through a phase 

and Ron just hears Hermione talking about you

but yeah a group of them would go

fred and george included 

it’s a party everyone's coming out

so they are all waiting for it to start 

fred’s just hanging out

throwing back a beer 

what not 

then it starts

lights

fog machine

idk

but his attention has been grabbed 

then you come out and he is just ❤️👄❤️

ok let’s say you are a lana del rey type of artist 

fred would, once again, lose his marbles

and he’d just be so captivated by you

and the words

dADDY ISSUES???

gets a bit hot and bothered

will also tease Hermione for listening to such suggestive songs

or let’s say you are more pop punk

maybe grunge

oOOOO

GRUNGE 

im thinking of Hole

courtney love

strictly speaking of her music and not her as a person

still very hot and bothered

maybe more so

he is a head banger

will either create or join the mosh pit 

will buy a t-shirt on the way out

ok afterwards they would go to a club or bar nearby 

super popular one 

kind of a big deal

guess who walks in

g u e s s

you do 

with a few friends

a few roadies 

you know the homies and what not 

and i think you’d be the first to see him because lets be honest

you noticed him in the crowd 

hes tall and cute 

also for the sake of this lets say they had really good seats

and fred would notice that you were there when you ‘coincidentally’ took a seat next to him at the bar

there is a good chance he would be taking a sip of his drink when he noticed and would choke 

hA what a dork

but yeah you guys would definitely hit it off

Hermione would also lose her shit

ah you would party with them

it would be so much fun oh my god

ok now that you guys are together

which ever origin story you prefer

we need to get into the relationship

you would sing 

constantly 

throughout the house 

and when he caught you singing he’d just stand there, a bit hidden, and just listen 

wHEN YOU HAD TO LEAVE FOR TOUR HE’D BE SO SAD OH MY GOD THEN AFTER YOU LEFT HED BE INCREDIBLY GRUMPY

george will write to you telling you to immediately come back because he is done with fred’s shit

obviously you can't

but fred would take any opportunity he could get to come see you

iF YOU WROTE A SONG FOR HIM AND SANG IT ON STAGE HE WOULD TEAR UP

or lets say you guys got in a huge fight 

talks of breaking up

but he’s still watching your live shows 

and you start singing the song that you had wrote about him

but now it’s so much sadder and you are trying not to cry and Fred would just diE

would immediately see you as soon as possible to resolve the issue, talk it out, and stay together because you canNOT LEAVE HIM

if he’s having a bad day he will try to subtly ask you to sing him to sleep

but that's only in the beginning

“I don’t know work was stressful today, i think im going to go to bed.”

“alright, you want to be alone or you want me to come with you”

“can you come...and... you know I haven't heard the new song yet...could you sing it for me?”

aH hes so cute

also i am a firm believer that when he is in a bad mood he is the biggest baby

but anyway

he’ll get more comfortable with asking you and eventually just ask you to sing for him when you guys are cuddling

oK HE’D ALSO BE THE COCKIEST LITTLE SHIT 

hes such a tease

its a bout to get just a little nsfw 

“come on, love, let’s hear your beautiful voice.”

take that how you will

aH he has a before show ritual

right before you get on stage 

if he is in town and with you

he will give you one kiss for each song on your setlist 

and as you go to walk onto stage he will smack your butt

a gentle tap

he says it’s for good luck 

[starf]

StarF’s Top Ten Albums of 2020

Another year, another list. Let’s not even bother with the preamble this time around, you get what it is.

10. I DON'T KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME - RAZZMATAZZ

Let me tell you right now, I struggled with this tenth spot. There were about four albums that were pretty much tied once I narrowed it down this far because it was a jam-packed year. Ultimately though I had to give it to iDKHOW for their smooth brand of piano rock-pop. This is their debut album and it brought the heat. While it didn't dazzle me immediately, with every subsequent listen I feel a little more of that promised razzmatazz from the title. I also absolutely love the ballad "Nobody Likes The Opening Band," which will certainly be a fun song to hear them perform some day whether they're the opener or not.

9. The Front Bottoms - In Sickness & In Flames

The last offering from The Front Bottoms, Going Gray, left me feeling a little lukewarm. In Sickness & In Flames, however, is a much stronger return to form for the band in my opinion. Some people say all of The Front Bottoms' albums sound the same, and maybe that's a little bit true. But maybe 2020 is the year that we needed to hear some new Front Bottoms material. It was a strange time for all of us, and in these times this kind of album just hits different. From the optimistic opening of "everyone blooms" to the infectious singalong moments of "Fairbanks, Alaska," this album is a good time all around.

8. The Used - Heartwork

Did you know The Used is still around? Not only still around, but apaprently they never went away! When I saw that they had released a new album early in the year I assumed it was a comeback, but I was wrong! For me there was a 12 year gap since I had personally listened to a new Used album, and this one blew me away in a big way. They're still going big, going hard, and rocking their signature sound - but updated for the modern age. This is a band that has managed to hold on to their roots while successfully adapting and progressing into the future.

7. Oliver Tree - Ugly Is Beautiful

Where do you even start with an artist like Oliver Tree? An absolute master of internet marketing, the release of this album was a tortured and dragged out experience, like a person chasing a 20 dollar bill on a string and having it constantly pulled away over and over again. By the time it came out it was a little disheartening that an entire half of the album had already been released via single, but overall it is undeniably a powerhouse of a pop album and a strong showing from Oliver Tree. A strange character, but an impossibly catchy album with earworm after earworm.

6. The World/Inferno Friendship Society - All Borders Are Porous To Cats

I pretty much always enjoy any offering from this band, but to varying degrees. Their last few albums have certainly been good to my ears, but for whatever reason just didn't resonate enough with me to earn a spot in my top ten. This album is clearly different though, and keeps me enthralled the entire way. With their unique brand of punk-jazz-cabaret, All Borders Are Porous To Cats tells the story of one Mr. Cat In The Hat, and it's a wild ride that you're going to want to hear.

5. Run The Jewels - RTJ4

One of the most biting and necessary releases of the year, RTJ4 dropped right when we needed to hear it most, and for free no less. It's my personal opinion that Run The Jewels continue to get better with every release they put out, and their fourth showing is easily my favorite so far. El-P and Killer Mike come through with some of their sharpest bars and heaviest beats yet. It's just a shame that for how much history repeats we as society still haven't learned some of the lessons that an album like this continues to attempt to teach us.

4. Aesop Rock - Spirit World Field Guide

Spirit World Field Guide is not a typical Aesop Rock album, but then again what is? Back in 2016 I fell in love with the album The Impossible Kid, an accessible (by Aes standards) album that hooked me in immediately. Spirit World is a different beast that took me off guard the first time I heard it, and left me a little bit lost - but that almost seems to be the intent. An absolute monster of an album coming in at 21 tracks and over an hour, this thing wasn't necessarily meant to be ingested all at once, or even in the order presented. The more I revisit it the more I put the pieces together and enjoy it more and more.

3. Poppy - I Disagree

Let's take a journey all the way back to January before the world entirely fell apart. I discovered Poppy for the first time through this album and was quickly intrigued. Going back through her older music, and then her YouTube, and slowly unraveling the mystery that is Poppy was perhaps some of the most fun I've had experiencing an artist's work in years - all topped off with seeing her perform live that month, the last large live music show I've been to. I Disagree is an eclectic blend of pop, metal, and strange curiosity. It starts off right away with the oddball banger Concrete and promises to weed out those who aren't prepared to take the mental trip through this album right away. It's not for everyone, but it's definitely for me.

2. Jeff Rosenstock - N O  D R E A M

Well here we are! The number one spot! You guessed it, it's Jeff Rose- what? This isn't number one? Well that can't be right, hold on. Nope, I guess that's correct. The new Jeff Rosenstock album, N O  D R E A M comes in at number two this year, a fact that will probably shock and confuse anyone who knows me. This is the proof that Jeff doesn't automatically get my number one spot if he releases an album, but with all of that out of the way, let's talk about the album.

In a Post-Post- world we see Jeff returning to a more traditional take on putting together an album, rather than simply rushing through it to get the feelings out of his head (both perfectly valid approaches). N O  D R E A M continues to explore themes of being lost and confused in such a soul-crushing and increasingly overwhelming world - all while attempting to find the silver linings and be optimistic about where we're headed. Whether it's the world at large or a personal journey, this album is an anthem to a year that saw most people holding their head in their hands and saying "please, just, let's all get through this, okay?"

1. Will Wood - The Normal Album

Wow. Just wow. Okay, where to begin? I was listening to a random Spotify radio when it started playing a song by Will Wood & The Tapeworms called "Hand Me My Shovel, I'm Going In!" Intrigued by the style of the song, as well as the title, I clicked through and listened to their most recent album which was 2016's "Self-Ish." I thought it was really good! I enjoyed it a lot and continued to listen to it for about a week. At that point when I started digging further into the band I learned that there was actually an even newer album entitled The Normal Album, categorized on Spotify under just Will Wood, which is why I hadn't previously found it.

I enjoyed Self-Ish, but hearing The Normal Album took it to an entirely new album and blew me away in a way that I haven't experienced in years. This wasn't just a great album, this was one of those musical discoveries where you think "oh wow, this is something I can't live without going forward." Will Wood is exactly what I needed in the back half of 2020 to keep my sanity, and even now I still listen to this album usually at least once a day. It's perfectly crafted in every sense of the world. Not a single second is wasted or out of place. The technical skill is in full display without muddling the pure enjoyment of the melodies or taking away from the overall vibe of the songs. The writing is some of the sharpest and dense I've ever seen, without being undecipherable or inaccessible. This is an album that truly does it all.

The feeling I have when I listen to this album and attempt to get people to listen to it is identical to how I felt about Jeff Rosenstock in the late 2000's, back before he had sort of blown up. Will Wood certainly has a following, but his music is definitely niche at the moment and somewhat obscure. Much in the same way that eventually people listened to me about Jeff, I hope they will find out about Will. Everyone should hear this album. It's breath-takingly perfect.

[daddyiluvhim]

my official ranking of Love and Lies:

1. Control - this song is just pure sex. the melody is so fun and the lyrics are spicy. gets better every time you listen to it.

2. I Can't Get By - I think this is definitely his best style of music. his voice is heavenly and that second verse hits so damn hard.

3. Nobody Else - I just love how cute this one is. the chorus is so fun and catchy and the romance of the whole song is just wonderful. this is the song you blast in the car with your girlies.

4. Pray For Me - my friend and I did a full listen of the album together and we both strongly agree that they should have put this on the regular album and that it has extremely strong radio potential. the genre is pretty mainstream but it is high quality music. the melody is super catchy and the beat is amazing. the lyrics fit the song very well. I wish he put this on the regular album because it doesn't deserve to be reduced to target lol.

5. Satisfy You - ugh I love everything about this. there's a sprinkling of spicyness but it's so inherently sweet and I love it so much. great melody and soooo catchy. the piano at the end is such a great touch. also it's wonderful to know that Jas is getting it every day and she deserves it. rich woman kink is A++++.

6. Lose My Mind - BANGER. the late late show performance really solidified it. vocals are superior. serious party music. it will forever be Naked song to me.

7. In The Night - I can't get over the first verse. he sounds SO DAMN GOOD!!! it's mainstream pop but it's a good quality bop.

8. Right Now - crying in the club never felt so good. the pre-chorus and bridge are bangers by themselves honestly.

9. Love and Lies - this was my friend's first time listening to the album and she was mesmerized from the intro all the way to the last beat. this is so catchy and he sounds amazing (without the autotune tho).

10. Blessings - this is some serious party music. I really have nothing else to say besides this is so much fun and I can't wait to dance to this with my friends. if your ass is still, fix that immediately.

11. Échale - he makes quality bops. he also makes stellar second verses. the pre-chorus is absolutely fantastic and the whole vibe of this song is freaky and crazy and just so much fun.

12. Foreign - the chorus is catchy and the melody is fun. it's good to know that Ant and I agree that Jas got that body-ody-ody but I would also love to be able to hear the lyrics to this one. it's super drowned out which is my biggest issue with mainstream/radio pop - I have to be able to understand the lyrics and with this one I only heard maybe one line per verse. I really have nothing else to say. this was definitely not a wow moment for me lol.

13. Masterpiece - I'm so sorry to say that this one just did not hit for me. the autotune is disappointing but the intentions were good and the bridge is wonderful. I will forgive him if he does an acoustic version.

14. Say Less - I gave her many chances. she did not live up to expectations. especially as the lead single. but late at night in the car driving alone is the mood you want because it will hit hard. I haven't had the opportunity to do that yet but I'm imagining how good it will feel.

Overall, this entire album is so damn incredible. This man never misses and he deserves all the hype he gets. I would suggest he avoid autotune because a) he doesn't need it and b) he can't use it right lol. Get this on the charts. Recommend it to friends and family and coworkers and classmates and any random person you come into contact with. The fact that I had to rank Blessings so low says a lot about the quality of this album. I feel lucky to be alive when I listen to this.

[mooosicaldreamz]

We obviously need your song by song analysis of evermore please!

i got asked to do this about four times so here it is.....much anticipated. i know. please note that when i say that i hate her or despise her i don’t actually mean that. but i do

EVERMORE

OK LETS GO

WILLOW - ok, groovy first time you hear it, right? has a strong rumbly wiggle. let’s VIBE. the low of the verse, the high of the chorus…oh my goodness! what is she doing. she’s just out there! wow. “wherever you stray i follow” is a banger. “life was a willow and it bent right to your wind” with the overlay oof let’s go.!!!! a shockingly strong first entry of the record…best one since “welcome to new york” maybe!!! let’s just say it!!! for some reason “i come back stronger than a 90s trend” throws me off though…i don’t know. it’s just so moody pop, no one is doing it like her!!! i hate her

CHAMPAGNE PROBLEMS - every time i listen to this song i listen to it four times. not a joke. it’s perfect. i don’t think i need to convince anyone! it’s perfect!!!!! what are you doing? taylor swift, the most dramatic bitch, has been writing dramatic bitch songs since she was fourteen and yet, somehow, she contrives to write even more dramatic things as she ages. this song is a JOKE. there are not ENOUGH songs about denying proposals! it’s just simple and sad. oh my god. it’s insane. the fact that she wrote this with her boyfriend (i have a running theory that they are married, we are going to refer to joe as her Perfect and Glorious Husband from now on) …… come on. the ENTIRE BREAKDOWN. “YOUR MIDAS TOUCH ON THE CHEVY DOOR / NOVEMBER FLUSH YOUR FLANNEL CURE / THIS DORM WAS ONCE A MADHOUSE / I MADE A JOKE WELL ITS MADE FOR ME / HOW EVERGREEN OUR GROUP OF FRIENDS / DON’T THINK WE’LL SAY THAT WORD AGAIN / AND SOON THEY’LL HAVE THE NERVE TO DECK THE HALLS THAT WE ONCE WALKED THROUGH” ……. concluding with that absolute stabby killer “what a shame she’s fucked in the head” oh my god……….. and the song resolving in a very adult “you’ll find someone else” god

GOLD RUSH - ok so like this song is like ok it’s got the same groovy high /low that’s happening on willow but it’s so different! it’s so good! the pulse of the beat propelling the whole thing through and then the falling apart “oh what must it be like to grow up that beautiful”……………..ok. the visceral image of “my eagles t-shirt hanging from the door” …………. i admire very much taylor’s oncoming gift of moving through high/low imagery…… i love her so much? it’s so HARD. “my mind turns your life into folklore” beautiful! BEAUTIFUL! also i have some belief in me that this is about karlie kloss but i shall not dive into that hole.

TIS THE DAMN SEASON - oh so i’m supposed to LIVE with this song EXISTING. WHY!!!! HOW……..oh my god………..taylor was like, yes, i’m going to write a song about a famous girl going home and banging her high school flame for a week and jack and aaron were like oh ok. “i parked my car between the methodist and the school that used to be ours.” she is such a joke. “you could call me babe for the weekend” like ok emo!! emo!!! OK. I LOVE THIS SONG

TOLERATE IT - taylor really gave us the most depressing track 5, but it’s absolutely a banger and i love her! she is just vibing! oh my god. what a specific emotion to pinpoint with this song….it’s such a gift. no one is hitting this space

NO BODY NO CRIME - this song has no business being on this record but in the BEST WAY, like how daddy lessons mysteriously appears in the middle of lemonade. oh my goodness. this is just pure country revenge song. taylor was like oh actually i haven’t forgotten my roots and i hate men more than i ever have. and she got haim to sing with her. and it’s so good. the low “i think he did it” oh my goodness. this song is a joke. how is it real? it’s just a perfect radio song. it reminds me very much of “before he cheats” but it’s a lot more sonically calm

HAPPINESS - similar to “tolerate it” and i think “champagne problems” this song is beating on an emotional bush that is really really hard to hit the head of. like, so she collabed with the national and bon iver on this record and previous obvi, and i LOVE them, but their music can often be very………impressionistic? perhaps? is how i might put it. it’s sometimes hard to get a note of specificity from it. imo. but taylor loves a fucking story bro. and she has figured out how to tell made up stories. she can’t be stopped now. like…this space of a breakup and knowing that it’s for the best and being sad in this way? name a pop star who has a song this nuanced. for real! god. i despise her. “across a great divide / there is a glorious sunrise”

DOROTHEA - the other half to the far superior TIS THE DAMN SEASON and a banger all the same. it has the bouncy joy of the most buoyant national songs. in the same vein as the also far superior BETTY, she has her sweet dumb boy slurry and less intelligent voice. i love that she paints these narrators this way, it’s just nothing she would have ever reached for ever before this period. she has a Perfect and Glorious Husband now and she has begun to understand teenage boys, FINALLY.

CONEY ISLAND - i have upon many occasions opined that i love the national VERY MUCH. i once went to a festival with my gf and her sister to see them even though i was expressly not invited and you know what despite the fact that it caused a lot of angst, i got to see the national play TERRIBLE LOVE in the middle of the night and I SCREAMED IT. so like, listen. what is matt berninger doing here, to me, specifically????????? i was somewhat hesitant about how their voices might blend, but it works astonishingly well. and i think that it’s so wonderful, i can’t. the imagery of a dreary coney island…..”sorry for not winning you an arcade ring.” as taylor always proves, the bridge is spectacular. “were you standing in the hallway / with a big cake / happy birthday”……”and when i got into the accident / the sight that flashed before me was your face / but when i walked up to the podium / i think that i forgot to say your name” sorry to yOU calvin. she had ISSUES. and now she has a Perfect and Glorious Husband. also “sorry for not making you my centerfold” ok kaylor

IVY - this song is about emily dickinson and i DARE you to tell me that i’m wrong. I DARE YOU. I DARE YOU. you’d be wrong! embarrassing for you. taylor finally writing a probably legitimate queer song and it’s about fucking emily dickinson is so on brand…..it’s dripping with poetry and groove and she’s so fucking dumb i hate her so much. her narrative of ivy and poetry and the lakes district…….ok taylor. i know. i know you watched all the dickinson things that came out and you identified with her. the gentle sway of the “oh, goddamn” and the “oh, i can’t”……i CAN’T EITHER TAYLOR !!! i CAN”T TAYLOR!!!! “oh goddamn / my pain fits in the palm of your freezing hand / taking mine but it’s been promised to another / oh i can’t / stop you putting roots in my dreamland” TAYLOR. and then she says, “oh you didn’t realize this wasn’t gay?” “i want to know the fatal flaw that makes you long to be magnificently cursed” like @ emily yourself taylor “he wants what’s only yours”……TAYLOR. give me the entire catalogue of emily dickinson songs!!!!! i can’t do this. “springs breaks loose / but so does fear” “i’d live and die for moments that we stole / on begged and borrowed time / so tell me to run / or dare to sit and watch what we’ll become / and drink my husband’s wine.” taylor if you see this post, a, i love you, b, i need you to tell me about ivy, and c, PLEASE can i have tickets to your next tour in the year 2025 or whenever because my gf never buys me any to your shows……….i love this song if it isn’t clear. i think i’d love it if it wasn’t gay

COWBOY LIKE ME - ok this will sound weird and if you’ve read this far i’m going to assume that you don’t care about me being weird…but this song reminds me of the fanfiction STAY THE NIGHT by lynnearlington (maybe u’ve heard of it). please reply if you think about this and feel the same. “never wanted love / just a fancy car” “you had some tricks up your sleeve / takes one to know one / you’re a cowboy like me” the opening line re: the tent-like thing reminds me very strongly of the fourth of july at our family’s country club and they set up a tent over the parking lot and this song just makes me think of that vibe????? i don’t know. i have vibes. i love this song a lot, which is impressive because it follows after the gay euphoria of IVY. perhaps this is because it gives me its own gay euphoria. “now you hang from my lips like the garden babylon” ???? is one of the most gay, seductive, brutal lyrics i have ever heard. she wrote that down and was like, oh yeah, vibez, hundo p. she did that to me

LONG STORY SHORT - this song is an honorary sequel to I FORGOT THAT YOU EXISTED from the lover era (honestly i’m still in the lover era). but i actually think this song is better! so we are taking that. “actually i’ve always thought that i looked better from the rearview” ok taylor let’s access that feeling! “no more keeping score / i just keep you warm” is like, stupidly sweet.  rip to calvin but now taylor has a Perfect and Glorious Husband.

MARJORIE - made me cry, simple and beautiful. one of the more personal songs on the tracklist! and something that i had never considered that she would write about, but i think the quarantine period has allowed a lot of us to dig into our feelings, so….vibez. we’re vibing!

CLOSURE - this song’s production sounds a lot like bon iver’s recent productions, very tech-y and repetitive and spare. rip to karlie kloss but taylor has a Perfect and Glorious Husband and karlie’s legal last name is kushner so who really won? hmm? i love “i’m fine with my spite / and my tears / and my beers / and my candles” the inclusion of candles is just. vibez. there are four candles lit rn in our apartment!

EVERMORE - i think this song is very intriguing and i’m still puzzling with it! the simplicity of her depressive gray November phase and then the very ebullient and bold bon iver interlude……..really has a manic/depressive, sad/angry vibe???? it feels so on brand for this pandemic quarantine…..and it works shockingly well, except for that i’d rather listen to the bon iver part for 10 minutes more. “all my waves are being tossed / is there a line that i can just go cross” and then taylor’s sort of call and response with his interlude……should just be the whole song.  but it’s still good. that’s how annoying she is