#i appreciate everyone's faith in my playlist making lol

[ss-trashboat]

Mahogany, lime, ruby and yellow

For the ask game

Mahogany - let's go on a late night drive together and listen to one of your playlists. Lime - i can't tell if you're serious or what but i am avidly waiting your next post. Ruby - you are such a gem, you deserve so much better <3 Yellow - every time i see you on my dash you're always so happy and it's so lovely!

I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR LIME LOL. i promise i am very rarely serious and am here for a good bit ~

colors of the moots ask game ~

[haven-gum-rockrose]

11 & 29 !

tumblr ate the fucking shit i was typing for this- lets see if i can replicate.

okay! thanks so much also first of all- really appreciate it

so 11(describe your ideal day) and 29 (three songs you connect with right now)

okay so 11 is difficult cuz im not a very- planning and future oriented bitchbut id probably have to say its a day where i do things? or have an idea or something?

so maybe like- i wake up and do the shit people normally do when they wake up, yall know the deal- the ideal. actually eat breakfast lol. id go on a walk because even hell knows i need the sunlight, maybe pet a dog in the process. Theres a park by the house so id probably go there for a bit. if its an ideal day im not spending it at home. itd be sunny but not too hot- enough to sunburn tho. wouldnt do much at the park, im not a park person, but maybe id make a temporary friend? like the kind youre never gonna see again but while you were talking you made eachother's day just a bit brighter. i probably would have brought my sketchbook or art tablet and maybe i was able to do a really nice drawing or something. Then i remember theres bugs and that- oh also a nice patch of grass is very important for it to be ideal. kidding i dont really mind dirt. but anyways i start heading back because its noon or approaching noon or something. i have absolutely no endurance tho so at some point i stop and just sit on the curb and watch the road for a bit? idk i think it sounds nice.

[obligatory paragraph break] OH! and its one of those days where you're able to consciously recognize the beauty of everything, fucking love those. come back and clean and do laundry and shit because i fucking need to. and then sleep for six fucking hours straight uninterrupted. wake up, see what yall have been up to cuz cuz thats always a highlight, and by then its like 6 or 8? oh also not talking to any family lol- except maybe my sister. yeah, ideal day i talk to my sister for a bit. also i think in order for it to be the ideal day i would have had to help at least like one person, and maybe they said thanks but its not really necessary. its a bit hard to plan for people needing help tho- and seems a bit iffy regardless so - ykno.

anyways its a bit basic for something so long but- idk i dont really think about that stuff much so - take it or leave it.

AND 29 CUZ YOU KNOW IM A FUCKING PLAYLIST BITCH

Girl Anachronism by The Dresden Dolls: probably not great how much i relate to this song on a personal level but it also gives me gender and mentally ill swag ig so its cool. yall i could pull fucking any line from this song and essay on how i relate to it (theres just a couple i couldnt actually)

Toxic Thoughts by Faith Marie: Yall this has been- one of those "my song"s since for the past like 4-5 years or something- 100% played a role in shaping who i try to be and how i view the world. like yeah its a wee bit cheesy the lyrics but like- yall dont know how much this shit impacted me. go as far as to say it mightve played a part in me being here still? idk tho i think i still would be regardless but like- yeah W song for me

EP. 4: Important by Ian McConnell: i need everyone with anxiety to listen to this actually. it goes so fucking hard and its so goofy. absolute god tier exhanple of positive nihilistic philosophy. actually for ease of access lemme do this cuz im not overexaggerating this shits iconic: (maybe not it may just be my philosphy brain likeing the change of perspective on typically negative thoughts and the comedic delivery of it)

[sparrowmoth]

3 and/or 13 and/or 21 for the end of the year fic asks?

Thank you, @trans-pendragon​! ♥️ (Edit: I just realized all the tags on this post broke when I originally posted so I fixed them! Sorry if you get a notification twice!)

3. favorite line/scene you wrote this year

I really can’t pick a “top favourite” out of everything I’ve written this year, but I will share one of my favourite bits from 1-Subject Notebook! Here it be:

#15

E says this project “isn’t garbage.” She doesn’t want me to quit on it.

I didn’t say I was going to quit— I just feel like— I don’t know, like, we’re putting make-up on corpses.

‘MAKE ART FROM YOUR PAIN.’ Isn’t art supposed to be beautiful?

Maybe I’m missing the point. (E says I just miss you………)

13. favorite writing song/artist/album of this year

There’s a few playlists on Spotify that tame my hell brain so I can focus:

Orgánica (blessed.... unless you have a headache in which case no it’s not)

Energizing Study Music - No Lyrics  (there is ONE song with lyrics which annoys me, but given that this playlist is almost 9 hours long, it’s rarely encountered lol)

Binaural Beats: Focus (this really is the good shit.... unless your speakers suck)

Tibetan Bowls (for when the anxiety has me shaking like a maraca, but I’m still determined to write)

21. most memorable comment/review

God, there’s so many. I could quote from memory so many nice things I’ve been told in comments this year that have had me just laying on the floor like a life alert commercial as my faith in humanity is restored to 10000 sexy sexy HP.

So instead of trying to single out any one comment as the most memorable, which would be impossible, I’ll just tag these lovely people who deserve the world (in no particular order): @daggery​ @telli1206​ @mycroftinthemindpalace​ @fuck-you-i-am-spiderman​ @inertiazz​ I’ve received some very dear comments from many others who I’m quite grateful for, but I’m sure these folks will know why I must mention them by name.

To everyone who comments... thank you. It’s always memorable, even if it’s just a few words. As any fic writer knows, comments are a gift and our lifeblood. It’s not always possible to find the time or maybe anxiety is just too high, but just know it’s immensely appreciated and those kind words stick with people. ♥️

fanfic end of the year asks

[monolid-monologues]

am i still superstitious about

talking on forthcoming projects

for yeeeeeaaaaaaaaars (lol) i have carried the energy that is “don’t speak on it till it’s out” because i believe(d) prematurely speaking on creative efforts undercuts the energy those efforts really need every ounce of...

or so i am beginning to...shed... 

i’m differentiating: - speaking on things to advertise it - speaking on things to process it - speaking on things i’ve been left alone with for a long time already / needs fresh air

for starters, there’s a lot of fear intertwined with this “don’t speak on it til it’s out” energy. myself, scared that i won’t actually rise to the occasion i announced for my own dang self. scared that i will steal from myself, the energy i need to do the thing. afraid of my own willpower, my own potential or *lack* *there*of*.

Do you know what i mean by that?  The utter terror that “we don’t have it in us to actually do the thing”. To complete it. To finish it. To manifest it. that we lack the power to realize our own visions, whether it’s because we are going through mental health journeys, abusive environment journeys, financial depravity journeys, all this that and the third that already make getting up in the morning taxing, enormous, and seemingly insurmountable. feeding ourselves a good nutritious balanced meal; transforming a “good health day” into a lifestyle of well-being. 

The utter terror that we don’t have it in us to create the thing we want to be proud of. 

Then, a need. to differentiate. once more: - creating the thing we want to be proud of - creating the thing we could not have fully fathomed - creating the thing we didn’t mean to - creating the thing that serves us in the moment of creating (nothing more and nothing less)

OH my gosh look at me, this wall of text, spurred from my simple desire to let out some steam, on some things I’m working on these days, for the future *laugh cat emoji pls*

i just wanted to tell you what i’m stewing in lol you’re the best person to tell because you won’t look at me with expectant eyes and i won’t overshare under the duress of your expectant eyes and oversharing is the tightwire walk of my LiFe this year 

thankful for patreon - moment of appreciation right here - and me, v glad to have begun a hub where i can overshare to my heart’s content in the safety of people who are more than curious, and may actually care. 

it’s the curious people with the wide eyes but dead eyes that always scare me. usually my balls hold up against the fear of them. usually they won’t stop me from sharing how i want to share, and above all, my self expressions, and above all that, the bat signal i like to make to everyone around me stating “LOVE YOURSELF, DAMN IT”.

i actually have nothing against oversharing. i am a divulger. digger. a grinning open wound. bleeding, burning, and spiraling hot hot hot hot and worry if you want but i have faith in my vulnerabilities. if i’m headed anywhere in this state, it’s towards my nirvana. Some peace. A deep quiet empty, a void that sings to me in tunes the way i like when the wind whips my face when i stick it out the window on the freeway.

i still haven’t said what i’m stewing, huh,  LOL.

i’m out of steam now oops LMAO

shieet OK WELL lemme plug this before you go :  check out this new playlist for my February driving vibes~**~*~: https://www.patreon.com/posts/new-music-finds-34302688 (it’s free n public w/ links for spotify, youtube, tidal)

[eveninglottie]

How do you get into the head of one of your of characters? Do you ever do writing excersises to get a feel for what they would do? Do they ever fight with you in situations, wanting to do something completely unscripted, how do you do it man. Tell me your witchy ways.

So I wish I had a good answer for this, but honestly? I don’t know. I assume you’re asking me specifically about fic here, since that’s what I have most of my experience in (besides a bunch of unfinished original projects lol). It helps to have a good idea of what you like about the character before you start writing. It’s one thing to fill out a huge character questionnaire and know everything about your characters before you start writing, but this has never really worked for me. Like worldbuilding, I have a hard time working on something if I’m not interested. I start with one or two things I love about the characters, and build from there. I’ll do my ocs (and oc-adjacents) for example. 

With Roslyn, I wanted to explore the idea of a woman being told her entire life that she was a monster, and finding power in that, and her conflict with faith and trust in herself. A person who was entirely shaped by the forces around her, and how she eventually comes to break those forces and become her own person.

With Bella, I wanted to examine the idea of legacy and being an outsider. Living in an idyllic place and feeling as if you were trapped, and wanting more than what everyone told you you should want. The ring being a magnification of issues she already had. Also just... I wanted to write a woman who took no shit and was kind of hard to deal with. 

It can also help if you start with canon characters and you imagine them in very specific images or motifs. For A Sordid Affair, I had an image of Vex and Percy meeting on a black and white roof, with the city spread out behind them and smoke curling between them. It was a very noir-esque moment, so I kind of built around that for the fic. For All The Stars, I have a very clear picture of where I want them to end up, which I will not divulge because spoilers, but I had that moment in my head which made me want to write the rest of the fic. I’ve also got an idea for an au for them, with one specific “what-if” in mind, namely what if Keith was the one who got captured on Kerberos instead of Shiro.

I’ve never had characters fight me, exactly, but I have had them change, for sure. Sometimes that happens over the course of a fic (like anyone who read Ascendant back in its early days might not recognize Roslyn, as she’s actually a lot more controlled and less volatile than she was in her first incarnation), sometimes that happens between outlining and writing the first chapter. Bella sort of just plopped out of my head onto the page, fully formed, so that was kind of great. For Where Wilder Hearts Roam, I had the benefit of writing a huge amount of that fic before anyone else saw it, so I could go back and flesh out her and Thorin as I learned who they were. 

Again, I tend to write intuitively, meaning that I don’t really have any fucking idea what I’m doing most of the time. I write a lot, and I write fast (when I can write) so I sort of hope it all works out in the end. I know that this means my fics are long and rambly, which is not everyone’s cup of tea, but it helps me because I feel like I’m telling myself the story as I’m writing. Of course this also means that when something’s not working, I don’t really know how to fix it and just kind of let it sit there until I feel good enough to post it. 

If you’re looking for ways to get into writing on a per-day basis, I would say my go to is music. Music helps me a lot. I have started planning out all my fics with songs, and for everything I’ve written after Wilder Hearts, I’ve had a rough outline in songs to draw from to help me get into the heads of the characters I’m writing. I tend to look for mood or keywords in the songs, and sometimes the songs help me flesh characters out in ways that I wasn’t expecting. It’s happened a few times that I’ll hear a song, and then a moment will unfurl in my head that wasn’t there before. If I’m stuck, I go back to the playlist and jump around until something clicks and I can keep writing. I don’t do writing exercises or anything like that, because I have a hard time writing for practice. If I’m writing, I want to use it, even if it sucks. I don’t like wasting words (which is hilarious considering how long my fics are), so I don’t really do warm ups. Another reason why I can’t do prompts. It has to fit within a larger story, or I just don’t care. I can sustain it for a while, but if I’m not building to anything, I don’t really see the point? (This is the problem I’m having with my Andromeda fic right now, actually. Saskia as a character is compelling to me, but everything else I could ditch and I wouldn’t really care.)

Like I said, I don’t have a ton of advice for you dude, because I legitimately have no idea what I’m doing. I’m still learning, and I’m still figuring out what my “process” is. Mostly I just find characters that stick with me, and go from there. I make them important to me, and I daydream about them enough until where they feel real. I hope this helps?

You’ve also caught me at a weird time, because not only am I in kind of a crazy headspace right now, I don’t feel super great about what I’m writing. I feel a little like I’m faking it until I feel good again. But this was really sweet of you, and I appreciate you thinking I have any kind of secret powers. It’s just maladaptive daydreaming my dude. Just find some songs that you like and make characters out of them and then listen to those songs on repeat until you make yourself cry. 

[urdearestmom]

100 Questions

Tagged by @bob-newby-superhero thanks!!

1. What is your nickname? Sari, Sarita, Sarinha

2. How old are you? 18

3. What is your birth month? December

4. What is your zodiac sign? Sagittarius

5. What is your favourite colour? Green!

6. What’s your lucky number? 17 because it’s my birthday lmao

7. Do you have any pets? No but I really want a cat. Everyone in my family has dogs

8. Where are you from? I’m Luso-Canadian (my family is from Portugal but we live in Canada)

9. How tall are you? My driver’s license says 160 cm but the doctor told me 163. Either way, around 5’3”

10. What shoe size are you? Uhh depends on the shoe but usually 6.5-7

11. How many pairs of shoes do you own? Many, but I always wear the same shit lol

12. Are you random? Sometimes, I guess

13. Last person you texted? I texted myself pictures from my mom’s phone. Last message in general was to @eljane-hoppers

14. Are you psychic in any way? Haha sometimes I think I am, but my mom is more >:^)

15. Last TV show watched? Saw an episode of Four Weddings on TLC this morning

16. Favourite movie? The Book Thief or The Greatest Showman

17. Favourite show from your childhood? iCarly!! Used to watch it religiously after school every day it was on

18. Do you want children? Yes, but definitely not right now lmao

19. Do you want a church wedding? Kind of yeah. It’ll depend on who I end up marrying but it’d probably be some kind of disgrace if I didn’t get married in a church

20. What is your religion? I am Catholic

21. Have you ever been to the hospital? Yup tons of times, whether for myself or other people

22. Have you ever got in trouble with the law? Nope, I am a Child of God™

23. How is life? Could be better, probably, but it’s pretty chill right now

24. Baths or showers? Showers, but I also really like baths

25. What colour socks are you wearing? Bold of you to assume I’m wearing socks at all

26. Have you ever been famous? I mean if you google my name the results are me. I was on CBC because I was in the national spelling bee in 2012

27. Would you like to be a big celebrity? I feel like it’d be fun and cool for a while but then I’d get tired of it. I don’t like having people all up in my business and that seems like what life is like for big celebrities :/ But having a lot of influence would be awesome

28. What type of music do you like? Literally anything except country music (I’m not all that into rap/trap music either, but I can appreciate it from time to time) here’s a playlist of my favourite stuff it’s like seven hours long but if you go through it you’ll see it’s really all kinds :)

29. Have you ever been skinny dipping? Maybe and I don’t remember? My childhood was a questionable era

30. How many pillows do you sleep with? 2, both under my head

31. What position do you usually sleep in? I usually fall asleep on my side but I almost always wake up on my back so I don’t actually know how I’m sleeping

32. How big is your house? 2 stories and a basement

33. What do you typically have for breakfast? Cup of milk with something else, usually a bowl of cereal or bread/croissant with Nutella

34. Have you ever left the country? YeET I’ve been to Portugal a bunch of times, Spain once, and to France on a 5-hour layover but we didn’t leave the airport and I don’t remember it anyway ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

35. Have you ever tried archery? Does it count if it was on Wii Sports? And yeah once and I was terrible at it

36. Do you like anyone? I think so and it sucks because he’s my friend :(

37. Favourite swear word? Probably fuck, I say it a lot. But I also say shit a lot so I mean idrk

38. When do you fall asleep? Oof regularly past midnight, but the time varies

39. Do you have any scars? A giant burn mark on my leg and a very faint lil thing on my right hand from this time I accidentally did an entire flip in my driveway

40. Sexual orientation? Was previously sure I was straight but I’m kind of starting to question that?

41. Are you a good liar? I like to think that I’m a very convincing actress

42. What languages would you like to learn? Mm I already speak Portuguese (if you ever wanna learn something hmu), and I learned some French because that’s mandatory in Canada but I dropped it and I want to get back into it. So, French! I also learned some German this year and I might continue with it. Also maybe Spanish, I can already understand some

43. Top 10 songs? Umm

Love Is A Battlefield - Pat Benatar

Rock You Like A Hurricane - Scorpions

Theme From New York, New York - Frank Sinatra

True Faith - New Order

Age Of Consent - New Order

A Million Dreams - The Greatest Showman OST

Second Waltz - Dmitri Shostakovich

Power Of Love - Celine Dion

Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry

Halo - Beyonce

44. Do you like your country? Canada? Yeah, I love it except for the stupid ass weather. I get sick every fucking time the season changes

45. Do you have friends from the web? Yeeee!! They’re all awesome people

46. What is your personality type? INFP- there’s more info here if you want to know what that means

47. Hogwarts House? Ravenclaw ftw bitches

48. Can you curl your tongue? Yesssss

49. Pick one fictional character you can relate to? Buzzfeed told me that, based on my music taste, I am “a student of classic rock like School of Rock’s Dewey Finn” (but actually HA I KNEW THERE WAS A REASON I LOVED JACK BLACK IN THAT MOVIE)

50. Left or right handed? Righttttt

51. Are you scared of spiders? They don’t scare me as much as induce some kind of panic, but it really depends what kind of spider. Really little ones are actually kind of cute, but big spiders send me into cardiac arrest

52. Favourite food? Akjsnfskd PASTA

53. Favourite foreign food? Idk man I’m already picky af with my food. If I live in Canada does that make the Portuguese food I eat on a daily basis foreign because if so I loooooove me some fuckin barbecued chicken

54. Are you a clean or messy person? Fairly clean. If I wasn’t my mother would hurt me lol

55. If you could switch your gender for a day, what would you do? Idk probably figure out how to pee standing up, maybe make use of the ability to lie on my stomach without hurting my chest :)

56. What colour underwear? I think this is turquoise

57. How long does it take for you to get ready? Depends what I’m getting ready for. On a regular day, ten minutes tops. If I’m going out to an event it can be upwards of an hour; sometimes less, sometimes more

58. Do you have much of an ego? Idk if it’s ego so much as me being confident in myself. Anyone who has a problem with me and decides to be rude about it can suck my non-existent dick

59. Do you suck or bite lollipops? I try to suck them but it never lasts for long, I almost always bite them unless I’m really concentrating on not biting

60. Do you talk to yourself? Lmfao only ALL THE TIME

61. Do you sing to yourself? Yeee

62. Are you a good singer? I don’t think I’ll blow out your eardrums but I know I’m not the best either. I’ll just say I’m not terrible

63. Biggest Fears? Heights and deep water

64. Are you a gossip? I live for drama does that make me a gossip

65. Are you a grammar nazi? Yeah if I’m talking to someone I’m very comfortable with (my cousin for example) or if I’m trying to be petty

66. Do you have long or short hair? Long! I’m growing it out so I can be really dramatic and chop it all off later (also thinking of donating it)

67. Can you name all 50 states of America? I can name almost all of them but I always forget a few. I think it’s pretty good considering I was never taught American geography

68. Favourite school subject? Instrumental music and history were my favourites

69. Extrovert or Introvert? Idk I guess extroverted introvert? Is that a thing???? I’m really awkward and panicky in social situations with people I don’t know but if I have friends around I’m just here to have the time of my life

70. Have you ever been scuba diving? No

71. What makes you nervous? Having to talk to people I don’t know (it literally makes me panic it’s horrible)

72. Are you scared of the dark? Sometimes, yeah

73. Do you correct people when they make mistakes? Lmao ok this depends on who the person is and if I’m in that kind of mood (but when I was a kid I used to correct my teachers)

74. Are you ticklish? Yes very

75. Have you ever started a rumour? No

76. Have you ever been out of your home country? Yes, I’ve been to Portugal a bunch of times, Spain once, and France on a layover

77. Have you ever drank underage? Chugged a cup of beer by accident when I was 6 oops

78. Have you ever done drugs? No but even if I had I don’t think I would say it here unless it was something minor like weed

79. What do you fantasize about? Travelling the world!!!!! And like, being a successful adult because right now I have no idea what the actual fuck I’m doing with my life

80. How many piercings do you have? Two, one in each ear

81. Can you roll your Rs? You gotta in Portuguese! I’m also fairly sure my French and German pronunciations are pretty much on point most of the time so I can do those types of R sounds as well

82. How fast can you type? Pretty fast on my phone and not slow on my laptop either (when you’re a writer you end up learning to type faster than you thought you would lol)

83. How fast can you run? Oof I’m not slow when I first start off but that only goes for like max 10 seconds

84. What colour is your hair? Dark brown

85. What colour are your eyes? Also dark brown

86. What are you allergic to? Bigots

87. Do you keep a journal? I have a diary I’ve had since I was like 10 but I don’t write in it very often. I also have a notebook where I write down fic ideas and outline plots

88. Are you depressed about anything? I actually think I might have seasonal depression or something but I’m not sure

89. Do you like your age? Yeah I guess being 18 is cool

90. What makes you angry? People who refuse to listen to reason

91. Do you like your own name? Yes it means princess!

92. Did you ever get a foreign object up your nose? No but I ate lead once

93. Do you want a boy or a girl for a child? No preference as long as it is alive and healthy

94. What talents do you have? Uhh I can play two instruments and will be learning a third does that count? I just remembered I can also balance a spoon on my nose

95. Sun or moon? Moon

96. How did you get your name? My mom had a friend named Sara when she was a kid and she always liked the name so here I am having been named Sara

97. Are you religious? Kind of? I don’t go to church very often but I think I believe in God (I believe that there’s something, at least). I’ve also received all the Sacraments that I can (as of right now that’s baptism, first communion, and confirmation)

98. Have you ever been to a therapist? Nope

99. Colour of your bedspread? Right now it’s just plain white

100. Colour of your room? Bright green!

Yeet I’m finished! Took forever ‘cause I kept getting interrupted but oh well

tagging: @eljane-hoppers @hannahberrie @mikeywheelerr @queer-deckovskij

[hotelsweet]

HI and thank you so so so much if you got involved in this!!!! I’m so excited to be celebrating 1.5k w you guys and can’t wait to dish out some of these lil prizes <3

u guys I’ve had so much fun doing this and I’ve legit sat here for HOURS going through everyone’s blogs and tags and I’m just so,,,, in love,,, this fandom is amazing and u guys are so gorgeous and amazing! I’ve been whining at @peraltiagoisland​ all day about how much I want to include everyone and shower u all in compliments and just!!! I’m so blown away tbh  A QUICK REMINDER OF THE PRIZES WINNERS:  - a big personalised playlist from me to u (u kno how I love my tunes) - a follow from me if I’m not followin u (duh) - a mention here!! - a b99 fic from me if u want it!!! any prompt ya like - hugs and love obvs

RUNNERS UP: - a lil personal playlist from me to u - also a follow if I’m not already - also hugs and love - and a lil mention here <3

if you’ve won/are a runner up please message me so we can talk and I’ll get started on your stuff! i’m so excited to talk to a bunch of you and give u music and writing agh <3

OKAY WITHOUT FURTHER ADO (I have added notes in italics bc I am just so excited and amazed by u guys)

BEST SMALLER BLOG (a very important category bc I actually do not understand how these people don’t have thousands of ppl following them??)

WINNER: @the-pontiac-bandit​ OKAY let me tell you about carrie and her blog. I spent a solid 60 mins reading her amazing writing and admiring her theme and then I checked her reblog and she had the #under500 tag and I yelled. not kidding. like an actual noise left my mouth because HOW THIS GIRL DOES NOT HAVE A CULT FOLLOWING I WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND. FOLLOW HER RUNNERS UP: @theartofdreaming1​ aka Vicky who is the sweetest person and SUCH a talented artist!!! @khwabonkeparindey​ anna’s blog is so adorable and maybe it’s bc I’m type A but the layout of her navigation actually turned me on a little bit oh my LORD it’s beautiful and so well-organised @two-drink-amy​ I was only gonna have two runners up for this category but nicole and everything about her blog is so sweet!!

BEST URL WINNER: @jake-purealta​ not only does tash seem incredibly lovely BUT this url is so perfect and well-fitting!!! I feel like, given her obsession w Tswift, it fits beautifully well with jake’s obsession too??? everything about it clicks I love it RUNNERS UP: @roscoesantangelo​ because I mean!!!!! you’ve scored the perfect url of jorma taccone’s character in parks and rec!!!? like damn good on u my guy  @amysantiagone​ okay I wont lie this one is for personal reasons- although I happen to absolutely love Nate’s blog- bc for some reason the url reminds me of when u get super drunk and describe urself as “gone” (a v popular phrase here in the UK) and as a result I just picture drunk Amy whenever I see ur URL

BEST EDITS WINNER: @juliadorable​ RIGHT OKAY SO JULIA (julia) is one of these people I’ve always wanted to chat to bc she seems amazing but what I absolutely love about her edits & gifs is that she picks/ creates posts for some of the most underappreciated moments in the show!!! I love em and this blog is a blessing thank u sm RUNNERS UP: @jakeperallta​ aka @deepshadows​ !!! look at these edits immediately oh my god they are actually incredible and so creative!!! i’m not worthy!! fam I love ur edits so much thank u for providing me w this goodness <3 follow alexa immediately on both blogs seriously @brown-aces​ I won’t lie I’m not sure if these count as edits but I legit couldn’t not include you because of THE INCORRECT QUOTES TAG. this is legit one of my fave things and ur posts never fail to make me chuckle

BEST GIFS WINNER: @fourdrinkamy​ okay so not only is Emma gorgeous, talented, super clever and just all-around marvellous BUT her gifs are like... so good they’re satisfying? like I spent a good half hour just scrolling and admiring ‘em RUNNERS UP: @amesantiagos​ okay this girl has such an eye for colour and aesthetic I’m not kidding everything just looks so Good!! like I adore her stuff to the point where I followed her on insta too (hi Amy I’m darcey_wm if ur wondering where I am) bc it just looks so damn good @sergeant-santiago​ I’m just.... like.... shooketh..... I’ll get back to this later

BEST FICS (oh my god what a category I legit could NOT pick someone lol this was painful bc u guys write the best shit)  WINNER: @elsaclack​ this feels a little obvious/predictable of me bc I’ve rambled about em’s stuff before but Dear Fucking God can this woman write. her fics and the way they had me laughing/crying/glued to my phone are the reason I  RUNNERS UP: @peraltiagoisland​ MICHELLE aka the love of my life KNOWS HOW TO KILL ME NO MATTER THE TIME NOR PLACE dear god I recommend so hard,,,, jump in and give the drama club au a spin trust me u won’t regret it  @jakelovesamy​ oh my god okay so let me tell u. let me TELL U i did not realise that this gorgeous girl was on AO3 but then I clicked over from her blog and it all came flooding back once I recognised her handle!!! I recommend u go and read ‘and all my world is losing light’ bc it’s gorgeous @oceanvirus​ again I didn’t mean to have three runners up but I had to bc I’m just..... a piece of shit lol BUT ANYWAY please please go and read Bella’s stuff I love it so much

BEST ICON WINNER: @brown-aces​ GIRL THIS ICON FITS THE THEME SO WELL AND ALSO IT’S THE LIGHT OF MY LIFE ROSA LOOKIN FIERCE so obvs I’m obsessed  RUNNERS UP: @jakelovesamy​ bc it’s adorable and I adore it @three-drink-amy​ bc it’s my beautiful, smiling boy,,,, grinning at this wonderful blog

BEST DESKTOP THEME WINNER: @smolsamberg​ okay kara’s blog is gorgeous anyway (go follow!!!) but this theme is fuckin funky as shit??? navigating it genuinely felt like operating the sexiest lil website on earth and for that I am grateful RUNNERS UP: @bastillebananas​ this theme is FUCKING ADORABLE not kidding I love it omg I had so much fun w it (also hi fellow fan of bastille!! I’m seein ‘em this summer at a festival exciting) @amesantiagos​ this theme is so cute oh my lord (almost as cute as the wonderful Amy who runs this blog!!! seriously it’s just so wonderful and satisfying and Good Choice my guy I love it (and u)

BEST MOBILE THEME WINNER: @swansongcas​ MATE omg your blog is so satisfying and blue and just like.. sexy to look at so well done my guy!!! also helps that I adore ur blog in general but omg is it aesthetically pleasing RUNNERS UP: @oceanvirus​ bella your mobile theme is almost as sexy as u ;) x (I’m sorry if that was creepy I promise it was well-intended) @two-drink-amy​ okay this is partially bc of the adorable icon but mostly bc of the theme and I just... it’s so bright and sweet and honestly just reminds me of my joyous response to every b99 episode ever WHEW OKAY SO BEFORE WE DO THE BEST OVERALL BLOG,,,, I WANNA JUST THROW A FEW SURPRISE SUPERLATIVES / FUN CATEGORIES 

this is also gonna include some honourable mentions bc I am supported by some brilliant people and also bc not everyone I wanted to put in on here I could??? which is crazy so:

A big round of applause to the X-drink Amy crew who I see all the time and firmly believe should all be led by the adorable @full-santiago​ ?? like a little clan of Amy-themed URLs: @two-drink-amy​ / @three-drink-amy​ / @fourdrink-amy​ / @fourdrinkamy​ / @fivedrinksantiago​ / @six-drink-amy​ (I’m sure there’s more of you out there but these came to mind and I want u all to form a band or something)

A big fat shout out to emily aka @jakefreakingperalta​ who!!! made these valentines cards that I used this year for my friends but never knew the source of!!! another example of the funny and amazing ppl I follow here

an honourable mention for the amazing @tiadorable​ whose comments on my first works on AO3 (and my more recent stuff, too!) made me smile and motivated me so much <3 now for some superlatives!! follow these people rn!!! and if ur here please feel free to come ask me to write or make anything for u ever I love u 

most likely to lure me onto the sin train and never look back: my girl erica aka @startofamoment.... can u believe.... the creativity and the happiness/giggles this lady brings me 

most likely to literally ruin my fucking life thru writing: obviously em?? aka @elsaclack. I appreciate this is a fairly harsh title but dear god the things u could make me feel?????? also a brilliant woman i love u

most likely to always have complete faith in me, chat to me constantly, make me smile, & constantly be a complete angel w a heart of gold and amazing writing: @peraltiagoisland. need I say any more????

OKAY so the big 1:

BEST OVERALL BLOG RUNNERS UP: everyone who reblogged my first post. not a cop out. not kidding. u guys are amazing WINNER: @sergeant-santiago​  okay okay okay let me tell u about this blog. everything from content to quality stuck out to me when I was looking through everything for the blog awards and I was just completely blown away and in awe??? this girl is perfection and if you’re not following her blog then I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY get ur late ass over there bc u are missing the fuck out. I can’t stress this enough!!!!  alright!!! I think we’re about there!! thank you so much (again) for 1.5k. u guys are wonderful

[silentmight]

BTS LIVE Trilogy Episode III the WINGS TOUR in Bangkok 2017

Sometimes, all it takes is a little faith and the wings you never knew you had will fly.

About a week and a half ago I YOLO’ed to Bangkok for BTS’ Wings Tour, and it’s a decision I absolutely have no regrets on. Just gonna keep this here as a diary post and concert impression of sorts!

The BTS Wings Tour in Bangkok holds special meaning for me in many ways, but I'll get to that later.

I haven't been to a concert this massive, no not even the local rock bands and gigs I attended while in Singapore can rival this full house of screaming fangirls. Queuing was intense and really stuffy, as Bangkok's weather can really fry you but thankfully I met up with Fonnoi (the girl I bought my ticket from; I randomly saw her post on FB) and then joined her for the concert!

I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO REGRETS PAYING FOR THE STANDING TICKET. We positioned ourselves to the back and could learn against the guard rails, which makes for good viewing cause everyone crammed to the front and I'm glad my height's at an advantage here lol :3 Also I guess I must be old because I was on energy saving mode until the lights went off; the younger fans were all screaming when their bias appeared on screen when they played the MVs to pass time.

As an introduction, they played Spring Day’s MV and when the first verse kicked in I started tearing… IN FACT I WAS SILENTLY CRYING THROUGHOUT MANY SONGS, PLEASE DON'T JUDGE ME idk man this is the first time I've cried multiple times during a concert because you can feel the atmosphere and I just have too many FEELINGS.

The boys came on stage and kicked off with Not Today- great way to get the crowd pumping and it's also my fav (hell all of it is). The playlist is pretty much faithful to the one listed on the wiki, you can go check it out there… Hearing Bapsae and DOPE live is such a treat. Anyway I'm, so very glad to be able to watch the BTS boys perform their solo songs from the Wings album, coupled with visuals and stage props that are reflective of their personality and song.

Jungkook’s ‘Begin’ displayed his smooth dancing, which felt like a silent sort of strength. Right after was Jimin's ‘Lie’, which holy shit I've been waiting to watch in person ever since this kid became my no.2… I cannot explain in words how 色っぽい sexy it is, goddamnit! Stop attacking my heart! I cannot fathom how Jimin can look like a marshmallow one minute and then like a wolf!! *tears hair out* My favourite part of the dance was when he was blindfolded onwards /COUGH and when he was lifted into the air by the backup dancers too.

And then… my angel Min Yoongi, aka SUGA’s solo. I usually am unable to listen to 'First Love’ because he outputs a ton of intense emotions when he raps, so when I'm stressed I skip it. Hearing it live is no shortage of his raw feelings, and just listening to him rap it live is truly amazing.

The singer line then performed Lost and Save Me, in which during Lost they started to walk all over stage and I'm glad I… am just less than 10 feet away from them… just seeing Jimin sing live, I can die happy. OH and after this was 'I NEED U', aka the one song that I love to butcher with @hweiro and @wataksampingan in the car. Their pronunciation of “I need you gurrrr” hasn't changed IRL either lol.

Rapmon’s solo really did it for me. The introduction was of him looking at a whale, and this is just my assumption: Was he looking at the loneliest whale in the world? Which he wrote Whalien 52 in the previous album? Is it an allusion to himself, because we all know his song 'Reflection’ is melancholic by nature? As the song progressed, it felt like some deep acid trip going through the ocean and the universe and finally Rapmon ends it by walking into an elevated phone booth… however hearing him repeat, “I wish I could love myself” with the concert visuals truly struck a deep chord within. I don't have a deep soul like him but I can resonate with the feeling of looking at life pass you by, you want to love yourself but it's hard as fuck.

V's “Stigma” was next, sorry my attention here died a bit so I don't remember much lol. The last two solos had me in a silent tearing mess though- J-Hope and Jin. J-Hope is SUCH a good performer, his stage charisma is great and we're treated to his childhood photos as he sang ’MAMA’. He had a long pause before finishing off the song, but in that last verse, he sang it with the intensity of his gratitude and love for his mother I just.. my eyelids were like a leaky tap okay. You can totally see the look of admiration and adoration when he looked up after the song ended. J-HOPE!!! ;____;

Jin… oh Jin. It took me so long to appreciate 'Awake’, but after watching him perform live, I see this song in a new light. He and the violinists/cellists were on individual raised platforms, while the backdrop is pretty simple. It felt like a dreamy sky, and on the front of the platforms were projected feathers. Tbh, from what I know of Jin is that he was mainly the visual, who can't really sing or dance so people were like, why is he even there? And perhaps Jin himself feels it too, being the oldest in the group. The line “Maybe I can, can never fly… I Can't fly like the flower petals over there” just struck me of that train of thought.

But to me, Jin, at that very moment you're flying- flying so high and you could touch the sky.

Feelings of inadequacy and yet wanting to keep on keeping on resonates too much within. This song really punched me in the gut and I was trying to not sniffle (and guess what my eyeliner didn't run lmao)

'Cypher 4’ was the rapper line just doing their thing and going wild, then next was FIRE. OMG I've waited so long to also see this dance in person and also sing along T_Tbbb The next couple of songs had them singing yet running all over stage and I took the opportunity to sneak some photos lol but I'm sad that Suga didn't really come to our side of the stage 🙁 Speaking of Suga, this fella is really funny... as for most of his rap lines he just held his mic up and let the audience fill it in woi wwwwww

I managed to sneak some photos of Jimin as he came over to our side of the pen during ‘LOST’- when the singer line started walking around.

Anyway, I have also been looking forward to the main dances of the night: J-Hope’s insane solo for ‘Boy Meets Evil’ and finally, ‘Blood Sweat and Tears’ in the FLESH. I love BST a lot so getting to see it live is just too much for my heart to take.. even with Wings Outro right after. Tbh I wanted to jump up and down like at a rave party with this song (and Dope/Fire) but.. no one else was doing so.. guess no one jumps at a kpop concert lmfao

I got to see everyone up close though, in particular Jimin, J-Hope, V, Jungkook and Rapmon. Damn, Rapmon gave a flying kiss to the small area of 4-5 i was squashed in and the girl in the front went BERSERK. lol Jimin also high 5’ed a very lucky person!

After a short intermission, they returned with ”There Will Be Better Days” and I was already expecting to bawl at this song because of how easy you can sing along to the lyrics (and their meaning), and fucking bawl I did! Before performing this song Rapmon was like, don't be sad, we'll walk together always in our hearts and towards better days always and damn, I'm moved. I could mainly understand whatever RM was saying cause he's the only one speaking in English haha…

Last song of the night was 'Spring Day,’ which was a fitting end to the entire concert. And with that, the Wings Tour has come to an end.

If I didn't take leap of faith in messaging a total random stranger, who is now a concert goer and new found friend, I would never experience this. People precaution one against randomly asking and buying something from online strangers but if I never spotted Fonnoi’s post on the IME thread, I would never have this experience. I've been shown so much hospitality and warmth throughout, and I'm glad we could establish that trust. I'm really thankful to her for selling the ticket at an ok price!

I guess this concert and trip alone fulfills one of my small dreams; to YOLO to another country solely for a concert and to also solo travel before I'm 30. Honestly I thought I'd never be able to do it but just slog away and slave at work- growing old and letting all my youthful dreams die as I leave behind the vestiges of youth. It might have not been to Japan for sakanaction (still a dream), but I'm infinitely grateful that I was able to watch another one of my favourite groups perform live… not to mention seeing Suga, my ultimate BTS crush and also Jimin in person.

Here’s some sneak shots I took:

Rapmon!!! He’s so charismatic.

[shamelessllamapeanutthing]

My MatchaBlossom playlist

Here's the link to the playlist on Spotify-

Song meanings and POVs elaborated on down under.

Call it what you want- Taylor Swift

(Let's start with a TS song cause why tf not. I am and always will be a total slut for her 💜)

Okay, just the general vibe of this song is that of a person who's been through a bit and has now found a love so beautiful it's helping them heal and I feel like that ties in so well with Cherry and Joe's entire arc. I hear this song in Cherry's POV when Joe's affection is starting to restore his faith in love and life after Adam's done fucked it all up. Or even when his anxiety gets really fucking bad or whatever. It's just got big comfort vibes and I am a total whore for Cherry acknowledging and appreciating everything that Joe does for him.

All my flowers grew back as thorns,

Windows boarded up after the storm,

He built a fire just to keep me warm.

Explosion- Zolita

PINING JOE PINING JOE PINING JOE

*ahem* let me be more articulate.

TEENAGED PINING JOE

Don't call me about him I don't wanna hear

Put him out of your mind just make him disappear

Stop pretending you got nothing left to hide

My memory is slipping and it's killing me alive

Reached the bitter end

Can't pretend I'm not in love with my best friend, my best friend

Hate that you know me- BLEACHERS

Okay I think this song fits Cherry very well, especially when he is still trying to understand his dynamic with Joe. My personal headcanon is that Cherry is prone to bouts of self-hatred because of his anxiety and consequently, doesn't always consider himself deserving of Joe's love, and so, he tends to dislike it at times when Joe seems to understand him better than others and anticipate his needs so well, and I feel like this song depicts that beautifully.

Sometimes I hate that you know me so well (so well)

Sometimes I, I hate that you know me so well (and I hate ya)

Some days I, I wish that I wasn't myself (No)

No luck! (No)

And I hate that you know me so well

Heart attack- Demi Lovato

Okay, I can not be the only person who thinks of teenaged Cherry every time this song comes on. Imagine a Cherry who's flabbergasted by the strength of his feelings for Joe, and can never figure out what to do with himself.

Never break a sweat for the other guys

When you come around, I get paralyzed

And every time I try to be myself

It comes out wrong like a cry for help

It's just not fair; pain's more trouble than love is worth

I gasp for air; it feels so good, but you know it hurts

Lover- Taylor Swift

I have a very specific scene in mind when it comes to this song and that is MatchaBlossom slow-dancing in the first house they get together.

We could let our friends crash in the living room

This is our place, we make the call

And I'm highly suspicious that everyone who sees you wants you

I've loved you three summers now, honey, but I want 'em all

Make you mine- PUBLIC

You knew this song was going to end up on here lol.

Strangely enough, aware as I am of the fact that most of the fandom believes Joe was the one chasing Cherry (and I agree) this song just hits me as all Cherry's. It has all of his characteristic dogged determination and refusal to admit defeat lol

Well, I have called you darlin' and I'll say it again, again

So kiss me 'til I'm sorry, babe, that you are gone and I'm a mess

And I'll hurt you and you'll hurt me and we'll say things we can't repeat

Mess is Mine- Vance Joy

Slightly older, mellowed out MatchaBlossom, starting to realise they're in this together for the long run, that they always have been.

Further I feel like verse 1 and 2 respectively follow Joe and Cherry's POVs

First we have Joe, who is just brimming with the realisation that Cherry is his for good.

Talking like we used to do

It was always me and you

Shaken up and shipping out

Check me in and check me out

...

Hold on my darling

This mess was yours, now your mess is mine

Secondly, we have Cherry, who considers himself unbelievably lucky to have been considered worthy of Joe's love and keeps wondering if he is half as good a partner to the other man as he is to him.

See you in the market place

Walking around at 8 AM

Got two hours before my flight

Luck be on my side tonight

You're the reason that I feel so strong

The reason that I'm hanging on

You know you gave me all that time

Did I give enough of mine

More than Friends- BEKA HONNE

Baby MatchaBlossom pining. Really sweet, soft vibes. I keep thinking of shy, unsure junior high school Kaoru and Kojiro suddenly becoming blushing, stuttering messes around each other for a period of time as they both hit the realisation that they'd very much like to be kissing each other and it's very much not a Friend™ thing.

It happens after Joe has freshly realised that he is bi after all and Kaoru is exactly what he needs. Again, verse one reminds me of Joe, verse two of Cherry. They are down under respectively.

Driving home and those cats eyes got me seeing you

I'm always seeing you

I don't know how to tell you that I was wrong before

I thought I needed more

I was wondering if we could talk

I think about you every day

And the mixtape you made

Is all I ever to play

And every song reminds me that

You and I

Should be more than friends

...

I never thought I would see your face at my door again

Not at 3 AM

And I don't know just why I wasn't enough before

I thought you needed more

I know you came here to talk

Can't listen to the tape I made

It brings me too much pain

Cause every song reminds me that

You and I

Should be more than friends

This song can also work if you reverse the POV orders and then see it post Adam, but the vibe is a lil too soft for that.

Night go slow- Catey Shaw

MatchaBlossom but in a chill, lo-fi aesthetic.

The cars all stop where they are

When you take my hand, there is no time

Every moment that passes by with you

I wish I could rewind

Let go of your ways

And forget today

Just follow me tonight

Do you understand why I put all my plans on hold?

Not Afraid Anymore- Halsey

Okay, this one goes a lil heavy but imagine a traumatised Cherry, ya know after Ad*m, finally learning to let himself go and feel things again, emotionally and sexually, with Kojiro.

I also feel like they are two kinky bastards so really if you only wanna interpret it like that be my guest.

I am not ashamed anymore

I want something so impure

You better impress now, watching my dress now fall to the floor

Crawling underneath my skin, sweet talk with a hint of sin

Begging you to take me

Devil underneath your grin, sweet thing

But she play to win, heaven gonna hate me

People Crying Every Night- A R I Z O N A

I hear this song as Joe trying to get through to a hesitant Cherry, trying to make him see that while they don't get a say in so many other things, things that have happened and things that will happen, they get to choose the life they have together. They get to pick out their happy ending, build one out of scratch with each other and even if they have nothing else, at least they have this.

Oh and as the day

Turns into night

The things that we can't say

The things we try to hide

Like everyone else

We can't choose the way we die

Oh but we can choose

The way we live tonight

Oh I wish I had the answers

I wish I had the time

To give you all the reasons

Why it's worth it down the line

Ready to go- NEFFEX

This song is an ✨ aesthetic ✨

Okay but imagine, young, punk! MatchaBlossom, maybe around the time when they're travelling the world together?

It's all hot and heady, and Joe is thrilled by the wild, wild force of nature Kaoru is. He can't do anything but give in.

She said stay for a minute

Play with my limits

Drink till we're sinnin'

Baby I'm ready to go

...

She said she's finally alive

When she starts losing control

I said I know what to do

Just let our bodies go

Shine a Light- BANNERS

Another Kojiro song. This one reflects his inner struggle as he feels torn between wanting to comfort and protect Cherry after Adam, and the fact that he is hopelessly in love with Cherry who inadvertently keeps hurting him with how he is lost in the huge web of feelings he can't parse through, not completely blind to how much Kojiro loves him but not fully realising it either. This song reminds me of a confused and helpless Kojiro. Loving Kaoru is such an integral part of him that it makes him, him and it is his constant in the rapidly changing world around him as he stands on the brink of adulthood. He is very nearly ready to beg for mercy and yet knows he, himself is saved by the love he has for Kaoru.

And when the night falls, oh, call on me

Just don't forget to show me some mercy

Ooh, say you're mine

Ooh, take me higher

Sleepover- Hayley Kiyoko

JOE PINING @ HOMOEROTIC SLEEPOVERS WITH YOUR B(est)F

You wanna be friends forever?

I can think of something better

I'm just feeling low, feeling low

Sleeping here right next to me

But will you ever mess with me?

No

Thank you, my twilight- the pillows

Listen, this has been my fav classic Japanese love anthem for so long and to think it is PERFECT for Matchablossom just makes my heart go 💞

The lyrics are heart-wrenchingly raw and real, which is great reflection of Joe and Cherry's relationship. I include a translation of a few verses below, the first one seems something snatched straight out of Joe's internal monologues and the second one depicts the breathless intensity and loyalty so typical of Kaoru:

If you think it looks like I'm waiting for someone

Then you're right

I've been waiting for you

...

Sometimes people will ask me

"How far will you go for her?"

BABY as far as it takes

Wings- HAERTS

Another song depicting Cherry healing from Adam and learning to accept Joe's love, but a fluffier and sweeter way to go about it.

In which, Cherry decides to separate all of the sweeter moments of his and Joe's days with Adam from all of the bitterness, and carry that in his heart after they part ways and he finally moves on.

I will never let you go

I know you want it, know you want it

Learning love means not to know

I'll learn to take it,

Would you mind- PRETTYMUCH

Ending this post with a fluffy, flirty rec that could be Joe's anthem. See for yourselves.

Say you don't catch feelings, you say you ain't the love type

I'ma have to work, then, uh the whole night

Nothing like your ex, no, this ain't what you used to

Just give me that chance, girl, uh, won't lose you

See it? ;) Also, I feel like Joe had typical frat boy taste in music at some point so

[debatablyblind]

Preface: I was supposed to take this trip with the one and only Katie Paolano, but about 5 days before the trip she had to get her appendix removed :( SO I brought my dad instead. I wanted to do a write up on this trip because initial planning was relatively blind and definitely could have used some help/direction since I had never been out here before.

Day 1:

We took a 7 AM flight from JFK to SLC on Tuesday and landed around 10 AM Mountain Time. Flight was smooooooth and the free Delta snack mix rocked even in the early hours of the day (Always fly Delta- I am a die hard supporter). After landing in SLC we took the shuttle over to FOX rental car and waited foreverrrrr to get our Jeep... It was worth it in the end but me being exhausted and impatient, I struggled to sit still in the creepy check in area.

Once we got the car my Dad and I headed out to get some food in Salt Lake City before making moves up to Jackson Hole. We stopped at this Mexican place that was on Diners Drive-In’s and Dives and it was DROOL worthy, definitely go if you have time— it was called Red Iguana and it is the most authentic Utah Mexican food in the whole world. We got a bunch of different tacos, but the carnitas tacos were fireeeee (the guac tacos were overrated).

We then proceeded with the drive up north, making a pit stop at Bear Lake along the way. My research led me to believe that you had to stop at Bear Lake to see the amazing view and get a Raspberry Milkshake from some diner in town. The drive up was 2ish hours from SLC and I was hype for my milkshake until we got into town and realized the diner had closed down— if you take one thing away from this post, know that Bear Lake is still worth seeing for the view and to take a quick bathroom break but don’t get your hopes up for a milkshake because you will be sad and disappointed for the rest of your drive (NO MILKSHAKES). All in all, you could definitely avoid the 45 min detour to Bear Lake if you are in a hurry to get up to Jackson.

Dad took the wheel in Bear Lake and took us home for the 3 hour drive we still had to go. While he drove, I curated a playlist for the mountains— FYI there are definitely lots of places on this drive that have zero service, so probably should’ve saved down more music ahead of time. We had the address of our Apartment in Teton Village in the GPS, so once we got to Jackson Hole we went straight over there and basically missed the town of Jackson lol. (FYI I was definitely one of those tourists that didn’t realize the difference between Jackson Hole and Jackson) We got to Teton Village just after 6 and the check-in area was closed for the night— our rental facility made it really easy for us to pick up our keys after hours so we grabbed those and made our way to the 2 bedroom apartment. Teton Village is exactly that, a village at the base of Teton National Park— you can walk everywhere in the village and there are a few little shops and restaurants but nothing substantial. This area is mostly for the bougie ~Four Season~ skiers in the winter, but it is beautiful in the summer and you have pretty spectacular views of the area from here. We wandered around for the evening and got dinner at The Handle (the grown up grilled cheese was bombbb) before PTFO around 9 pm.

Day 2:

We woke up at 7 and leisurely made our way down to the town of Jackson which is SO cool! We got breakfast at Persephone’s Bakery and drank literally all of the coffee. This place is the cutest of all cute things and was the perfect spot to warm up since I accidentally wore shorts thinking it would be semi-warm in the morning- I was wrong. Persephone’s has fire pits on the porch and big doors that open up making the restaurant an indoor-outdoor hot spot... would DEFINITELY recommend.

After breakfast we made our way over to Mad River’s Boat House for our white water rafting trip! The trip is about a 30 minute shuttle from the Boat House, followed by an hour and forty-five mins on the water and a 40 minute shuttle back. This was one of the more adventurous things I’ve ever done in my life, aside from free climbing boulders at Jesus Camp when I was 13. Super cool experience, juxtaposed by a “muffy” fellow adventurer that complained about being too wet the entire time (Asked dad how to describe her and muffy was the first word he said...). Also would DEFINITELY recommend.

Following our expedition, we headed over to the grocery store to pick up goods for Thursday’s breakfast and trip to Yellowstone. Jackson has plenty of grocery stores and gas stations so it doesn’t feel super remote. We made our way back to Persephone’s for moooore coffee and then headed back to the apartment to walk around Teton Village. We wandered around Teton Village and Jackson for the rest of the afternoon before heading to dinner at 7 PM.

Dinner was at one of the most breathtakingly beautiful spots in the country... Piste Mountain Bistro is at the top of one of the gondolas in Teton Village and it is stunninggg. We hopped on the gondola around 6:40 and made it up to be seated just after 7. We had a reservation but definitely didn’t need it. The nicer part of the restaurant is inside, though they have a deck that has more of a bar-food menu. Food up there was delicious and we had an insane view of the area from our table. If you aren’t interested in spending too much $$, definitely sit on the deck and just get a drink to appreciate the scene— the gondola ride is free! It got chillier at night and I was glad i wore jeans and a sweater (some people had parkas up there which just seemed aggressive for early September...)

After dinner i ptfo again :)

Day 3:

This day was our big Yellowstone adventure, but we started the day channeling our inner yogi at the top of the gondola (same space as last night’s dinner!). Yoga was only $30 and it has the most insane views-- only negative was having to watch my Dad do yoga :/

After yoga we headed down the mountain and changed for our drive to Yellowstone! We drove top down (bc Jeep) and made our way through the Tetons, about 1.25 hours to the south entrance of Yellowstone national park. Yellowstone had some awesome sights to see, but we headed left from the south entrance, toward Old Faithful and the Hot Springs. Let me tell you, Old Faithful is kinda underwhelming. It’s cool but also kinda lame after a few seconds-- people only know it because it is one of the only “reliable” geysers, so you know you’ll see it erupt pretty close to the times they list (just about once an hour) Literally hundreds of people gather around it to see it blow, and then everyone waits for something exciting and it doesn’t really every get there-- I’d give it a 6 on the scale of 1 to cool geysers. The only reason i can confidently give it a 6 is because randomly one of the other geysers was erupting at the same time (so we got to see a big one-- beat that Old Faithful 💁🏼‍♀️)

We also checked out the Hot Springs which were really beautiful, but tbh trying to do Yellowstone in a day is really difficult and there is a lot of driving. Could’ve spent lots of time there....

Dad and I headed back to Jackson and got some bomb pizza (i am DEFINITELY lactose intolerant but I just like to pretend that I’m not). After pizza we watched tennis and thennnnnn ptfo :) bet ya didn’t expect that one...

Day 4:

Day 4 was spent in the Tetons, hiking 3 hours around Jenny Lake! The Lake is stunning and i would definitely recommend as a medium level hike in the area-- some people just take the ferry across the lake to the water falls, but let’s not forget that I was a collegiate athlete, so we hiked allllll the wayyy around.

After the hike we drove back to Jackson for some coffee at Cowboy Coffee and then grabbed coffee before driving back down to SLC. We crashed for the night at my cousins house just north of the city, and watched Chef’s Table (shameless plug for the best show on netflix) and some random baseball movie with Amy Adams.

Day 4 was great! but driving is no fun! so i made dad do it :)

Day 5:

Day 5 we drove down to Park City and explored one of the cutest ski towns I’ve every seen. Park City is made for the bougie skier, with pricey boutiques for some (my mom) and convenient ski lifts for others (literally no one in the Watts family). We walked up and down Main Street and I contemplated buying a lot of things, but ultimately left with a teeshirt ~shocking~. I also want to take this time to say my Dad used this trip as an ultimate shopping excursion, and left the mountains as a distinguished mountain man-- if my mom let him grow a beard he seriously would’ve looked the part, but we all know that’s never going to happen lol.

We went to a bomb brunch in the morning at Harvest-- 10/10 would recommend and/or eat everything on the menu...

In the afternoon we went to the Park City Olympic park which is super cool and worth checking out- right now the U.S. ski and snowboard teams use the space for practice, but it is open to the public for viewing and entertainment purposes... you can luge if you want to... 

For dinner we went to this swanky place only the locals know about (and our hotel concierge of course), at the Stein Eriksen Lodge. We ate out on the porch and saw the most beautiful and prob very expensive weddings. Dinner was so good and we filled up on some rly good meats- tbh i’m writing this in retrospect and i dont remember what i got, but i remember it being something with meat and it tasting really good.

After dinner we went back to the hotel and, you guessed it, ptfo!

Day 6:

Day 6 sucked bc we left and that sucks. Early morning departure and nothing fun to report.

That’s it for now-- text me if you want more info, or if you just want to text me ;)