#i hope now that i’m rediscovering my personality my outfit game will get to this point

[clitorises]

caminimm is one of my style icons!!! she’s the reason i want to learn to sew bustiers 🖤 she has a tumblr too with the same username!

[queeranesearch]

ohhh haru for the character game????

Dude. I got carried away with this so uh. yea <3

a song that reminds me of them

man i have so many but I gotta say...Welcome To The Black Parade by mcr. NOW HEAR ME OUT.

Even though he’s such a minor character, so much of what he see from him in his ep is so compelling, mainly, that strong desire to act and make a difference, but external circumstances and internal fear preventing it.

Haru’s father (Tyro) is someone he admires greatly, and we learn that he fought with everything he had against the Fire Nation soldiers, even when he was outnumbered. That direct action and pure determination and resilience is exactly what Haru wants to emulate, but doing so would put him and his mother in danger, and, seemingly, the rest of his village have resigned themselves to their situation. ( Haru expresses his anger at the rest of the village for being “cowards�� and not showing any resistance).Haru would’ve been around twelve when his village was occupied, so he’s lost his father, his earthbending teacher, but retained the values Tyro demonstrated: ( “ Son, when you grow up/ Would you be the savior of the broken/ The beaten and the damned?") that resistance, the will to fight and protect others, is what he’s left with.

HOWEVER. Haru has this complicated relationship with his mother where she clearly loves him and wants to keep him safe more than anything, but in doing so smothers him and outright condemns his bending despite it being such an integral part of his identity. (which *cough* can be read as a metaphor for queerness, particularly relating to parents of colour wanting to protect their kids but end up hurting them). Of course this only leads to him practicing behind her back, and there’s a clear tension where she snaps at him when he calls the soldiers thugs, telling him not to talk like that. ( Sometimes I get the feelin'/ She's watchin' over me/And other times I feel like I should go)

So in order to survive, Haru’s forced to supress all this anger he feels at the state of what his home has become, and watch everyone around him surrender themselves: there’s no strength in community anymore, and maybe, there never was, seeing as how easily that old mf betrayed him after Haru saved his life. (A world that sends you reelin'/ From decimated dreams/Your misery and hate will kill us all). So this leads to him feeling disenchanted, discouraged, and pretty hopeless about his situation. But then, of course he meets best girl Katara and she understands his trauma, has that same righteous anger, and is so full of hope. She’s able to remind him what he stands for and inspires him to take that leap, even when his own father was beaten down and discouraged, making him rediscover his own strength and hope. (Do or die, you'll never make me/ Because the world will never take my heart)

And I do joke about Haru is just some guy because. Well, he is. But that makes him even more compelling because you get insight into the life an ‘ordinary’ person, not a main character, not a chosen one, someone who isn’t gonna save the world but still someone who’s gonna do his damn best to make a difference where he can. ( I'm just a man, I'm not a hero/Just a boy, who had to sing this song/I'm just a man, I'm not a hero)

what they smell like

Farm boy smells like natural things; hay, earth, grass, and sun kissed skin.

an otp

You already know. Jetru my beloved <3 Two ek boys full of compassion and strength, wanting to make a difference, finding peace in each other <3

a notp

Hm I guess Ty Lee and Haru? Sorry chibi shorts.

favorite platonic/familial relationships

I absolutely go bonkers thinking about Haru and both his parents but this is already too long so I won’t go into more detail </3  But I adore Katara and Haru as friends so much!! They both have a lot in common what with having a disconnect with their bending, and both have that same anger against injustice! It doesn’t seem like Haru had many friends in his village after its occupation, and Katara didn’t have anyone around her age other than Sokka, so I think they deserve to be friends <3 They can practice bending together and Katara can braid Haru’s hair (one day).

Also Teo and The Duke! I think it’s sweet how they were a little group at the WAT, and it warms my heart to think of lonely, only child Haru basically getting two younger brothers. I reckon Teo would be doing soo many reckless stunts and pulling pranks, and The Duke being literally eight would only add to the chaos. They give him a grey hair <3

a headcanon that is popular in the fandom but that i disagree with

...Does he even have a popular hc? idk i’ll just say I don’t think he’s straight that boy is a fruit.

the position they sleep in

Pretty curled up, like a foetal position, hugging himself; reflecting how reserved and cautious he has to be, and also he’s touch starved and wants comfort. (and he gets it with Jet those two will always cuddle in bed okay)

a crossover au i’d love to see them in

Honestly, a stranger things AU knock around in my brain a lot. Having powers and needing to hide them but not knowing how to deal with them? yes please. Also because of List, I do be thinking of a Luca AU in regards to the whole having to hide who you are to keep yourself safe but wanting more out of life and also having a protective mother.

my favorite outfit they’ve ever worn

well he only has two skdfldgds. but i like the one he wears in ‘Imprisoned’! It’s simple but cute. Also i refuse to acknowlegde him being in the ek army no thank you <3

[quietscient]

Creative Exercise 1

This write-up is basically me explaining my answers incoherently similar like random thoughts.

What Inspires You?

1. Art

I literally live for art. I can’t help but be gravitated to it everyday as I go through my social media accounts. I enjoy both traditional and digital art. There were countless times wherein when I see an artwork that is so gorgeous and amazing, I zoom in to see the details and spend minutes wondering how the art style was done. Art makes me feel so glad to be alive in this world. It also makes me feel envious of the people who are good at it but I always try my best to deviate from that negative feelings and instead be hopeful that I can be better with practice.

2. Music

Another thing I live for. I think I have a pretty diverse music taste. When I was around 15 years old, I listened to mostly video game soundtracks, indie pop and alternative rock. Recently, I rediscovered my really old playlists with the aforementioned genre and I fell in love with music all over again like I do everyday. Now, I still love to indie pop. What changed is that I also love to listen to hip-hop and metal thanks to my family and my boyfriend.

3. Films

This inspiration list has essentially become things I live for, and films are the third thing on my list. The first film that made me truly appreciative of the technicalities of film making was “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty���. It wasn’t a particularly sad or moody movie but it made me bawl my eyes out because of how much I wanted to feel so free as the main character. I was so moved by how nature was so beautifully showcased in the film as well. With that, I discovered how I love Slice of Life films. However, my favorite film genre of all time is Horror, and I hope to follow through with a short horror film if possible!

What Interests You?

1. Cinematography

There are so many shots and angles in films I want to know how they were shot like that and actually recreate them with proper guidance. I really want to witness firsthand a BTS or the pre-production process in literally any film or even be part of the film crew.

2. Video Editing

When the pandemic started, I decided to discontinue my school duties for one year. I wanted to earn money on my own, so I decided to look for online jobs with my digital art and video editing skills. It took me around 4-5 months until I was accepted finally to be a freelance video editor under a company. I was struggling a bit at first because the job required me to do things I haven’t done yet but I was just so excited to be productive and work hard for my own money. Because of that, my love for video editing grew. It also made me want to pursue motion graphics and animation.

3. Video Games

Ever since I was a kid, I loved to play all sorts of video games - FPS, RPGs, Simulation, Puzzles, etc. Currently, there is one genre that has me hooked, namely Farming RPGs wherein the game play is farming and combat. Multiplayer games with friends are also fun as well.

What Are You Passionate About?

1. Emotions

There is such a vast range of emotions and it is so interesting to me.  Whether in real life or fiction, emotions are always present obviously. There are some feelings where I don’t even understand myself why I am feeling them and I think it’s cool how complex the mind works.

2. Feminism

I’m not the only one who thinks this but equality is evidently important in today’s world. I often wonder if a world that hasn’t experienced discrimination exists.

3. Art

This really goes without saying but art is my passion whether it’s in drawing or in media content. I can’t live without viewing and consuming art.

What Obsesses You?

1. Nature

It is so bizarre to live among nature and how nature doesn’t really ask anything from us in return. I often get a moment of existential crisis when I think too much about nature because then I think too much about life and its wonders. I promised to myself that for as long as I live, I will do my best to help take care of the earth we live in.

2. Dreams

May it be from sleeping or from actual goals, I spend a lot of time having dreams. Most of the time, my dreams from sleeping are so surreal that I would often wake up feeling feeling and have a sudden want to recreate those dreams into art house films. On the other hand, like any other person, I have so many dream goals in real life. I have a vague bucket list that I would love to achieve before I die.

3. Fashion

It is a guilty pleasure of mine when I’m stressed I look at online shops where I’ve been wanting to buy items for and simply scroll through their selection even though I’ve seen their catalogue before. I often fantasize of wearing those outfits even though I know I don’t need anymore clothes. In my tweens, I was so uncomfortable with my body and would often wear baggy clothes but now that I feel confident with my own body, my fashion sense has drastically changed. I particularly love casual body flattering dresses and crop tops!

[cloudbatcave]

One Boy’s Quest to Find People He Doesn’t Hate: A Journey

“I don’t want to do a favor for someone who isn’t stronger than me”

do you challenge everyone who so much as asks you to hold the door, dancer man? that seems like an inefficient way to live your life. though I admit that being randomly asked to join a dance team by a stranger is weird. not sure how a battle proves I’m legit, though.

I beat him and he is duly impressed, and then I walk into an alleyway where a strange man wearing sunglasses gives me the TM Flash, because I guess the censors were on holiday or something.

I also rediscovered one of the dumber aspects of this game nobody liked: the surveys you could give to other people. I wander around the office where the statisticians work and one says that he’s lonely and wants me to come visit sometimes.

Can I use the xtransceiver to call my mom? The nonexistence police? Anyone? STRANGER DANGER. Also, this guy has a whole office full of people to talk to, unless they all find him creepy and avoid him, which would be valid.

I also fought a guy who said “battle me, I won’t take no for an answer” and then “aren’t you being too hard on me?” when he lost. 

Again with the unfortunate phrasing but also I’m very sorry this fight you initiated backfired. It’s almost like challenging random people is a stupid system, but what do I know.

“I am better at pokemon battles than I am at work” says an office worker, sadly. That’s rough, buddy. Have you considered not sucking?

My pidove evolved and I’ve always found the gen 5 evolution animation weird because the pokemon...breaks into little pieces, whirls up in a funnel cloud, and then reassembles. I know pokemon generally makes as much sense as a chocolate oven, but still.

I like making the street people in castelia dodge around me as I obey no laws or god.

“It’s difficult to watch tv from here. it’s not your concern though.”

sure isn’t!

oh no, the plot

“Team plasma, they took this young lady’s pokemon”

Good for them! Moving up in the world from stealing useless skulls.

“Chirae, is there anything we can do?”

That sounds like a question for anyone who’s not me.

“I heard this lady’s scream and ran after the thief as fast as I could”

Oh, Iris, you’re so well-intentioned. Wait, if you did that then why the hell am I here.

“But this city is so big and so crowded…I’m afraid I lost them.”

Iris, you have dragons. Can’t you just, I don’t know, FLY AFTER THEM?

“Iris…you did everything you could.”

I beg to differ, Burgh.

“But that’s so bad! Taking people’s pokemon is really bad!”

you know what else is bad? wasting my fucking time

“Cause it’s really nice when people and pokemon are together!”

why we haven’t we already started hunting down plasma instead of standing here spouting platitudes. time’s a-wastin’

“No fear! We will get that pokemon back. Right, Chirae?”

I mean, yeah, but that doesn’t mean I want to.

Burgh says finding someone in Castelia is comparable to finding a needle in a haystack. He must not have noticed that the streets don’t actually have that many buildings, because this is still gen 5 and Nintendo hasn’t yet developed Lumiose “Overcompensation” City.

Then a Plasma grunt conveniently walks up, before running away because OH NO A GYM LEADER as if Burgh isn’t roughly as intimidating as a pile of tapioca with hair. It’s Iris he should be afraid of.

At least Iris gets put on Bianca babysitting duty while I go star in an episode of CSI: Castelia. Small mercies.

Naturally, with this urgent mission in mind, I go battle another dancer dude.

I get rewarded for helping the dance team form with an amulet coin, which is handy.

I faff about on the part of the next route I can access, but eventually hit the block that will be there until I complete CSI: Castelia. I return and eventually wander back into the plot.

“No one’s here! Not a soul!”

Says the Team Plasma grunt as he stands in front of a hotel accompanied by two buddies, hoping to roll a nat 20 on stealth while forgetting he has -5 to that because of his stupid fucking outfit.

“No other team plasma members, nor any of the seven sages, are inside.”

Sounds legit. Can I go now?

“…If you think I’m lying, why don’t we have a little battle and find out?”

Your funeral.

The game gives me the option of saying yes or no, which is hilarious as it’s never given me a choice in the past. Let’s see what happens if I say no.

“Don’t scare me like that. Come on!”

What.

Now I’m getting guilt tripped by Burgh. Why don’t you just battle them yourself, Mr. Gym Leader? Isn’t that all you’re good for? Or do you rely on children as meat shields? Very brave of you.

I vine whip the sandiles into submission and the grunt whines that all he ever did was steal.

All I ever did was breathe and I got press-ganged into the police force, we all have our problems.

He then whines about how this is bad for team plasma. “Plasbad, for short.”

That hurts. That hurts me deeply. That is a greater crime than anything else they’ve done and now I actively want to destroy them. It has become personal.

“It’s in my best interest to go report to the Seven Sages right now!”

Really? That’s your instinct, not bailing? You were at the back of the line the day common sense was handed out, I guess.

Iris and Bianca pop up and Iris says she got lost. How I don’t know, given all I did was stroll straight down the main street and I bumped into Burgh and Cosplay Co.

Oh boy, it’s Ghetsis, worst dad of the year winner. Plus his two backup dancers and the grunts.

One of the seven sages says he thought it’d be funny to have a hideout in front of a gym, but that they were detected more quickly than he imagined.

God’s born fools, every one of them.

Ghetsis just says “Indeed” like that isn’t the stupidest shit he’s ever heard. How do these people get anything done.

“No matter. We already have an exceptional base of operations.”

What is it, a treehouse with your names spray-painted on?

“Is everyone familiar with the legend of the founding of the Unova region?”

On a scale of yes to no, I don’t care.

Iris answers him like we didn’t come here for the express purpose of kicking these people into the ground and getting Bianca’s pokemon back. Hello?? Why are we being distracted by this.

blah blah legend blah blah dragon

“We shall bring the hero and that Pokemon back to Unova once again!”

I hate LARPers who take it all too seriously, don’t you?

“If we can win people’s hearts and minds, we can easily create the world that I - I mean, Team Plasma - desires!”

Current winner of most ironic line in the game so far.

Burgh does his spiel about diversity and loving pokemon. Ghetsis thinks this is cute and gives Bianca’s pokemon back, for some reason.

Iris gives me a berry because I guess that’s how the press-ganged children are paid around here. Better than nothing.

[oswhys]

Dumb AC concept ideas

So this is basically a info dump of ideas for potential AC games and concepts that its been playing with in my head, it's mostly me nerding out about junk (look if I can info dump about Teotihuacan I’ll do it.) like it's ideas that I think would be cool and what id want to see in future installments, even if they aren't likely to happen. It's also written super casually cause I started making this in a burst of inspiration at like 2 am and yet still got distracted from it cause I started going on tangents. So it's a bit of a mess. I’m totally down for bouncing ideas around if anyone has their own concepts.

1920’s jazz age assassin from the beginning of unity and the abstergo employee handbook. "The lives and failures of the most degenerate Americans to ever grace the world's stage - Hemingway, Fitzgerald, and Stein." please tell me how this doesn't sound cool as shit? Okokokokokokok SO… CARS. like this dude would have a car (and of course the player can earn different cars and looks for their car and junk, including a yellow Duesenberg… like come on if he knew Fitzgerald they gotta let this dude drive Gatsby's car.)  I think there can be an argument about him having a rope launcher attachment buuut maybe not??? I mean a car and a rope launcher would be dope as hell. The dude probably bounced between Paris and New York if he's a genuine jazz age junkie like how abstergo describes him and his writer pals. Also it would be cool to meet Picasso… also his base of operations should be a fucking speakeasy, like duh, like where else would a 1920’s assassin camp out? I don’t really have any plot ideas but the concept of a jazz age assassin is cool enough for me to want it this badly.

1970’s-1980’s William Miles in a corporate espionage type game, like i know he had Desmond in 1987 but he was an active filed assassin in 1977 when he was in Moscow so clearly he could've been doing other junk around then. It doesn't have to be him, i just want a 70’d-80’s assassin trying to fuck with abstergo and trying to steal animus research or something. Like Alieen Bock died in 81 and that was at the height of animus research before abstergo started really investing in it cause of Vidic. Like the surrogate initiative and the animus project are… basically the same thing really. Like knowing that Altair and Ezio were not actually related until their bloodlines crossed with Desmond. So with the memory keys being cited as an integral part of the animus project they obviously had a role to play in the surrogate project. Besides the newer games are pretty loosey-goosey with how the DNA and animus junk works now, with the spear having DNA traces or whatever and its corrupted enough that we could… choose things?? (don't ask questions just have fun i guess.) ok i’m over thinking this stuff… but come on… disco!!!!! Please please please have a disco assassination. Like… the idea of an assassin taking out a target at the disco is cool enough for me to want it. ALSO!!! If it goes into the 80’s then please for the love of god a Thriller inspired outfit would be to die for. Like i know getting the exact look would be a trademark nightmare but an inspired look may be able to get away with it. I just want some real corporate espionage type missions while dressed in some brightly colored dorky(cool as shit) 70’s/80’s fashion.

So like… ANYTHING from ancient Andean culture. So The Chimú or the Moche… that would be cool, but I'd settle for Wari and Tiwanaku. I just kinda want to see Chan Chan recreated. And Moche art was so fucking good like… idk man they're making video games that are mostly of ancient cultures now so the possibility of them making something in a more modern setting is slim to none. Like come on they're gonna want to make like idk maybe one more really ancient cultural game so they can still reuse assets again before making a whole new saga. That's just their track record. The problem with doing an ancient andean cultural video game is that there isn't a lot to work with other then our knowledge of the architecture and artistry of the ancient peoples. We have art documentary significant events but there isn't really any historical recordings so there's no significant figures to meet or events to take part in that we know of right now. BUT that also means that hey if Ubisoft wants us to have freedom of choice within the narrative this would be a great opportunity.

Speaking of ancient culturesssss ancient Mexican cultures would be REALLY cool too. Like obviously Mayans culture is the first to come to mind but AC already kinda explored the Mayans so idk maybe a more underrated ancient culture deserves the spotlight. The Zapotec and other civilizations in the Oaxaca. Like this would be really cool since we actually see a rise in raiding and conquest warfare, like theres these bas-relief stone carvings called Las Danzantes which are actually depictions of sacrificial victims, most likely foreign captives. The architecture is also to die for like i’m a sucker for talud-tablero style stuff popping up in ancient Latin america. Also do i gotta say it? BALL COURTS!!! A recreation of the ancient ball game in a video game would be cool as shit my dudes like… please i want this so bad. Like how origins depicted mummification with respect I’d love to see the same kind of loving dedication to the funerary practices of the ancient peoples. (off topic completely but some latin american civilizations had their own forms of mummification) like i wanna see the abandonment of Monte Alban and the later use of it by the Mixtecs. But the most important thing about the celebration of the ancient Zapotec would be the ability to celebrate the modern Zapotec culture, that would just be cool. Ok I’ll finish up this train of ideas with the one i really really really want to see recreated, the original Teotihuacan, before the Aztecs found it. With the pyramids being painted and covered in beautiful carvings and, of course, talud-tablero style architecture. It's basically the biggest ancient city in mesoamerica with hidden cave systems that we are still finding today and so much of the ancient city was built over because it might've been covered up or eroded to the point where no one knew it was there, or because there wasn't really anyone who cared enough to uh, not build on top of historical sites. Modern mexico city is built all around and on top of it (apparently you can see Walmart from the top of the temple of the sun…) so its a huge ancient city that was really colorful and really populated with crazy ancient tunnels underneath the pyramids that we’ve only discovered recently so how fucking cool are those possibilities? Like i just can't get over the idea of some assassin-esque person climbing up red pyramids and sitting next to statues and carvings of Queztalcoatl painted in a turquoise. Ancient farms and city life thriving. From what we know about it, like many other ancient latin american cities it was abandoned at some point, exactly why is unclear though (probably a mix of things cause there wasn't any kings really but more like… neighborhood councils (that's the best guess rn)). It was an actual city though, most archaeologists compare it to modern cities due to its city planning and its huge population. What was left behind was so spectacular that when the Aztecs found it they legit thought it was the city of the gods. This was a real fucking city and I’m crazy about it man i want it in a fucking video game my dudes.

COWBOYS PLEASE. Like i know rdr2 came out so they probably wont do it (for a while at least) and they already have the gold rush assassin so they've dabbled with cowboy stuff but… cowboys… like theres nothing else to say really… Cowboys. Also like i know how AC is pretty much ass melee combat and cowboys means guns and lots of guns and bows and probably rope darts. But… folding swords. That my shitty solution to have melee combat, like syndicate had melee and some gun stuff cause duh, but it was mostly melee. Like you can make the game centered around stealth so a lot more sneaking then combat, kinda like in unity. I have a few ideas for this one but most of them play into my own personal cowboy wish fulfillment fantasy of owning a farm with snakes for the production of venoms and other toxins. It's hard to explain but i kinda really want to see someone with a snake/spider enclosure where they produce venoms for the protag to use. The specific time period i have in mind is like 1870-1888 but it could defo go later. It's just that was peak for a lot of famous gunslingers and robberies. And Mesa Verde was basically rediscovered in the late 1880’s (its kinda weird like it was “officially” discovered in 88 but others saw it before that soooo. Also Montezuma Castle would be cool to visit in game as well. I dont have have a lot of knowledge about mesa verde or Montezuma but i know they're cool af.) the wild west is just ripe with possibility so i have some hope they’ll do one in the future but i don't see it happening anytime within the next couple of years.

Please for the love of god give me a AC3/unity dual sequel. Set in 1798 Egypt before during and maybe a little after the french invasion of Egypt. There would be a ton to work around and justify to get that to happen in universe buuuuut… i want it so badly. I have a shit ton of ideas but im saving all of that for a rainy day. 

I wouldn't mind if they actually did stuff with WWI, mostly cause i really like that one WWI assassin from project legacy and Lydia's whole thing was really cool.

Ok I’m kinda on burn out after all that cause I just… its 4 AM and i’m supposed to be writing a paper but I made this big fucking oops.

[shemakesmusic-uk]

Pale Waves have dropped their new video for ‘You Don’t Own Me’. Taken from their just released new album Who Am I?, the clip fits perfectly to the 90s-slash-00s guitar pop aesthetic that runs throughout the record. All multicoloured hair and graffiti covered walls, it’s a bright, brash delight. [via Dork]

Los Angeles-based pop artist Cooper Phillip is known for her empowering anthems that highlight everything from strength and gratitude to self-love. Her latest single, 'Not Perfect,' is yet another example of her ability to craft uplifting tunes, encouraging listeners to start putting themselves before others in order to fulfill your own desires. The Russian-born singer has just dropped a new music video, and it's everything we expected from this flamboyant artist and more. The theatrical video emphasizes the importance of rebelling against the idea of being perfect and all that it represents. When you begin to let go of the idea of perfection, Phillip reminds us, life is so much better. Phillip wants to encourage you to live life a little less seriously, do what you want, wear what you want, and most importantly, be who you want. After all, our time on this planet is far too short to worry about living up to other people's standards and expectations. According to the artist herself, "'Not Perfect' is about self love and finding qualities about yourself that make you unique. There is no need to modify who you are just to fit in with society's norms. You have to stay true to who you are and carry yourself with pride and with dignity." 'Not Perfect' features Phillip's soaring, soulful vocals, big and bold melodies, and fast-paced, dance-worthy beats. Intoxicating to say the least, this song will worm its way into your mind all day long. By the end, it'll have you grinning ear to ear, and more importantly, it'll remind you who you are. [via Pop Dust]

Closely following the release of their new single, Maltese electro-pop outfit OXYGYN have shared the brand new video for ‘Mercy’. The new video continues from 2020’s ‘Wicked White Lies’, a portrayal of how society deals with social issues in which individuals are made vulnerable, as frontman Kurt Abela details: “We become angered by a social cause when it first emerges, but we are quick to break it down within our own minds and forget. Instead, we focus on our own personal issues, and are not able to overcome them. This video acts as a wake-up call to society that the social issues hinted at throughout the video are still present and need their due attention.”

Oxford alt-pop outfit pecq have unveiled the video for ‘Killing Time’ . The band say: "‘Killing Time' is about making the same mistakes over and over – dying relationships I kept going back to, destructive habits I can’t break. I’m a big one for drastic changes and breaking with the past but so many times I end up back where I started – burn it down and build it just the same." Killing Time is the second single from their forthcoming EP Stranger, due out April 15. [via Loud Women]

With us getting a taster of spring the past weekend, singer-songwriter Bess Atwell is keeping the momentum going with her dreamy new single 'Co-op'. Like the first blooms of spring, Atwell’s latest single unfolds with serene ripples of guitar strings surrounded by her lush calming vocals, leading us to a track that has us reminiscent of Lana Del Rey and Phoebe Bridgers. Similar to her previous offerings, the track maintains the same fresh and unique sound she has displayed throughout her career. Accompanied by a self-directed video, the singer puts the emotional context of the track at the forefront, directly referencing the lyrics with bold imagery and contrasting props. Opening up on the single, the singer revealed, “It’s an illustration of mine and my partner’s life together. The relationship seemed to provide me with some sort of permission to recuperate from family trauma, as if realising for the first time that there was a life outside of that chaos lulled me into an emotional slumber. Through the song, I grapple with the desire for, and fear of, comfort. I used references to Virginia Woolf’s Mrs Dalloway to depict a vivid nostalgia and an affinity for trivialities that serve to calm when darker thoughts set it.” [via Wonderland]

Polish alt-pop aesthete Brodka has shared her barbed new single 'Game Change'. The multi-hyphenate returns with new album BRUT, a fresh statement from a potent, outspoken figure. Huge in her homeland, Brodka has shifted and evolved with each project - and BRUT will be a further chapter in this. New single 'Game Change' is out now, and lyrically it's an expressive statement of feminism that comes at a timely moment for Poland. Brodka says that the single "is about gender roles in society; a topic that's particularly prevalent in her home-country of Poland at the moment, where reproductive rights are being rolled back by lawmakers." The dazzling video is online now, and it spins a repressive dogma on its head. She says: "While making the video for 'Game Change', I was inspired by the story of the Albanian Sworn Virgins. Women who, by taking a vow of chastity, take on a male role in society while gaining all the privileges associated with being a man. They are treated as men but can keep their feminine names. This story, although abstract, is relevant to the current situation of women in Poland. Sadly, you don't have to be a Sworn Virgin to have your rights decided by men in the 21st century." [via Clash]

After teasing the collaboration last week, Ashe and FINNEAS have unveiled their new single 'Till Forever Falls Apart'. The collaborative track is accompanied by a video directed by Sam Bennett that shows both artists dancing at sunset. Ashe says of the song, "'Till Forever Falls Apart' is one of my favourite songs with one of my favourite people. If I’ve learned anything from Moral of the Story, it’s that accepting the hard truth is strangely comforting. This song, while sounding like the most romantic song I’ve ever written, is about acceptance as well. The lyrics, ‘I’m gonna love you knowing we don’t have forever’ is about how it’s more important to have had the chance to love than to stay in love. FINNEAS is one of the most talented people I know and it’s fitting to release this song with someone I love so much. I'm lucky to know him and I hope to never know a life without him in it." FINNEAS adds, "Ashe to me, is a timeless artist. Her music will be as relevant and important 30 years from now as it is today. Making music with her has always been an extension of our friendship and I could not love this song more." [via Line Of Best Fit]

Charley enters into the Australian pop world with her debut single 'Hard For Me'. It's the type of slick, high-tier pop song that sits amongst the world's biggest stars, carrying the same acute level of sheen and confidence as Charley moves above a bright, synth-driven production that elevates her every word. It's the type of single that takes the foundations laid by modern-day pop heavy-hitters - she lists Katy Perry as an inspiration, for example - and builds upon them, evolving the sound forwards into 2021 and beyond. Produced by Stephen Schmultz in Nashville three years ago now, the song introduces Charley and everything you need to know about her this early on. You get a taste of her sound and the energies and inspirations that fuel them, as well as the intimacy that underlies a lot of her songwriting, and how she brings pockets of her personal life to the forefront through glitzy pop songwriting. She's a welcome addition to Australian pop, and you get the sense that 'Hard For Me' is really just the beginning. "[Hard For Me has been] a long time coming, and as a Virgo, I am not patient," she says on the single. "In my head, this has always been my debut release. It’s got such a special place in my heart. I’ve had such a vision for every single part of it. "Me and my boyfriend had kind of just gotten back together again at that point. All of the butterflies were heightened again. I just wanted to write a song about how I felt about him and how it gave me such a rush when I looked at him. Everyone has been there! When you just… melt." Take a dive into the single and its Mitchell McKay-directed video clip above. [via Pilerats]

After making a name for themselves with their dusty-yet-glowing self-titled debut in 2017, Chapel Hill duo Blue Cactus are announcing their return with their second LP called Stranger Again. Set to be released May via Sleepy Cat Records, the album continues the pair’s mission to blend classic country sounds with vintage ’70s pop sensibilities and a sobering sense of honesty, as heard on the record’s first single, 'Come Clean.' “Sometimes we are the last person to tell ourselves the truth,” vocalist Stephanie Stewart shares of the track’s lyrical origins. “We ignore our gut, suppress our instincts, and go through the motions of a life that other people have defined for us. We become the person everyone else wants us to be and lose ourselves along the way. ‘Come Clean’ is about radical self-love and acknowledging the struggle in that journey; that hard, unflinching look in the mirror. “In 2017,” she continues, “I was in the process of separating from my then husband. I wrote most of this song during that time. It wasn’t until a year later after the divorce was finalized that I was able to find the words that had been missing from this song. I was carrying a lot of shame and guilt, and once I finally let that go, I was free to rediscover who I was as a person outside of that relationship. I was finally free to love me.” The track’s video echoes these themes of rebirth and relearning, with the band members blindfolded and slowly making contact with the outside world. [via Flood]

Mermaidens have delivered their catchiest, dreamiest cut yet. 'Soft Energy' is the single teased with the announcement of their Soft Energy New Zealand Tour. The new track is stupidly good, and ushers in the next Mermaidens era after 2019 album Look Me In The Eye. Vocalist Gussie Larkin took the director's chair for the 'Soft Energy' video, and with support from NZ On Air and director of photography Ezra Simons (Earth Tongue), has created a blush-tinted world for the band to expose their soft, tender hearts and ask those with a "tough and detached exterior ... to act with softness and vulnerability". [via Under The Radar]

Along with the release of her debut EP, Swimming Lessons, 19-year-old alt-pop singer-songwriter Genevieve Stokes premiered the video for her newest single, 'Parking Lot,' on Friday. Shot in her hometown of Portland, ME, the 'Parking Lot' video is a wistful tribute to the first flush of young love. "I wrote 'Parking Lot' after I met my now-boyfriend for the first time," Stokes tells NYLON. "It’s about the intoxicating, obsessive feeling of a new crush and creating a fantasy world with them. " After teaching herself piano at the age of eight, Stokes spent her adolescence developing her sound, inspired by iconic female singer-songwriters like Cat Power and Regina Spektor. Swimming Lessons was recorded this past year in a cabin in the woods, a haunting, beautiful setting that seeps into the records' sound. [via NYLON]

You can’t blame us for wanting a bit of hedonistic relief after a year of going stir-crazy within our four walls. And as we yearn for release, and ache for the proximity and darkness of a packed dance floor, here to give it to us, no questions asked, is dark-pop trio KRUDO. Comprised of pop singer Olivia May Green, as well as established industry greats, producers Dan Duncan and Igor Tchkotoua, KRUDO blurs the lines of genre to make way for a whole new body-moving beast – and their latest release 'You Can’t Blame Me' is no exception. Moody warped synths, sinister bass lines and the haunting vocals of Green tell a story of empowerment and self-love, as she growls “I’ll never change or leave to fit your master plan.” Just the anthem we needed when many of us will be feeling disconnected and out of sorts. The trio have previously stated that their music is “not about polished pop music; it’s about memorable moments that hold a clear message.” And that much is clear from the formidable sonic palette of the new release, accompanied by a symbolic music video which shows Green breaking the picture-perfect shackles of industry expectation and rising phoenix-like into her own identity. Taken from their two-part EP of the same name, the release comes as part of the ever-expanding release schedule of label HE.SHE.THEY – the event series, record label and fashion brand operating as a safe space for individuals regardless of “age, race, sex, gender, ableness, religious background or sexual preference”. [via Wonderland]

Top popster Bebe Rexha has dropped a brand new single, titled ‘Sacrifice’. The track is taken from her forthcoming second album, which she claims is “by far the most challenging yet fulfilling project I have ever worked on. I wrote, recorded, re-wrote, re-recorded and then repeated that process in order to deliver an album that truly reflects who I am as a singer, songwriter and most importantly as an artist. I want to give listeners a journey of pop paradise fused with elements of rock and hip-hop. It’s important to me that my music continues to recognize ongoing themes of vulnerability, the cycle of self-destruction & self-realization, and female empowerment.” So there we go. ‘Sacrifice’ follows up on 2020’s ‘Baby, I’m Jealous’ which featured Doja Cat. You can check out the vampire themed video above. [via Dork]

Tulliah has debuted the video for her really quite lovely new single, ‘Distant Dreams’. Taken from her debut EP Fre$h Hugs – set to drop next Friday (12th March), the clip was filmed in her hometown of Mt Martha Beach, Australia and directed by Cass Wood. Tulliah explains, “30 degrees, snow gear on the beach, fish man = very weird dream! I had this idea for a while that the video clip for 'Distant Dreams' would be really weird and dream like. When I was in the studio we went on a tangent about being in winter clothes while sunbathing on the beach, flying on planes to Hawaiian beaches and little fishes eating big sharks. I have no idea why haha but I knew it was weird, just like all Dreams are”. Talking about how the track came together, she adds: “We set up my new piano in the backroom of my parent’s. My mum was moving a painting that they have had for years to the top of the piano when she read the back of it – it was called Distant Dreams. This song flowed out of me. I used to never really believe that I could achieve my dreams. This song is about not wanting to break away from my visions and goals. The lyrics ‘don’t go waking me up’ is a really direct demand to myself! It’s about not wanting to go back to doubting my capabilities.” [via Dork]

Ladyhawke is back with a brand new single, ‘Guilty Love’. The first taster of a new album, due to arrive later this year, the track features fellow popsters BROODS. Ladyhawke – real name Pip Brown – explains: “‘Guilty Love’ came about after some writing sessions with Tommy English in Los Angeles. Georgia Nott from BROODS came along to one of our sessions, and after we were talking a while, we realised we had all grown up Catholic. We shared stories and experiences; Georgia then suggested we write a song about shame”. “‘Guilty Love’ is important to Georgia and me for different reasons. Personally, growing up in the Catholic school system, as I reached my teens, I started to feel immense shame and denial about my sexuality. I suffered the constant fear of being judged and alienated by my friends and family. These feelings took a long time to shake off and work through. ‘Guilty Love’ is a way to share our experiences, and hopefully help anyone going through the same thing to know they’re not alone.” Georgia from BROODS adds “’Guilty Love’ came from the classic “in-studio heart to heart”. We talked about growing up religiously and how we carried a lot of shame around the idea of what a woman (or person) should be. This song is about that but also about finding our own way back to a sense of spirituality through love. The love that once caused so much guilt, ended up being the most healing and spiritual. END CONVERSION THERAPY EVERYWHERE!” Too bloody right. ‘Guilty Love’ comes with a video fitting of the song’s message. [via Dork]

Atlanta-based pop artist Siena Liggins shared her video 'No Valet' on Thursday, the second single from her upcoming debut album Ms. Out Tonight. The track serves as the follow-up to 'Dirty Girl' alongside Yung Baby Tate, seeing the singer take viewers from the dancefloor to the backseat of a car in the club parking lot. The quirky clip finds Liggins adorned and surrounded by sparkly glitz, cowboy hats, and disco balls, playfully performing with a full band. "'No Valet' is steamy, downtempo braggadocio disguised as a backseat car anthem for whatever happens after the after-party," Siena explained to FADER about the song. “I was listening to a lot of old songs produced by Timbaland before [producer] Nydge laid down this really sexy bassline that put me in the mood for something steamy and dreamy at the same time.... It’s the confidence I get after the function is over and the groove I need when I’m talking my shit." [via The FADER]

London's Mychelle is certainly an individual. Freshly signed to FAMM - the same management company as Jorja Smith and ENNY - her new single 'The Way' is a subtle but deeply powerful piece of songwriting. Soft and soulful, it relishes on nuance, allowing the most subtle element to rise and grapple with intensity. Mychelle's video for 'The Way' was shot on Hackney Downs in East London - fact fans might not that it's close to our office. Directed by photographer Michaela Quan it's a beautiful glimpse into her world. [via Clash]

Pussy Riot have announced a new EP called Panic Attack, due out next week — March 11. As a preview of the impending release, they’re sharing 'Sexist', a bold new single featuring fellow Russian rapper Hofmannita, which comes with an unforgettable NSFW music video. 'Sexist' is the second single Pussy Riot have shared from Panic Attack, following 'Toxic', their collaboration with Dorian Electra and 100 gecs’ Dylan Brady. Produced by White Punk and Count Baldor, 'Sexist' is a dark electro-pop hip-hop song about the severity of rape culture. Pussy Riot and Hofmannita take turns telling the fictional story of a heroine being invited to a hotel room by a male governmental official, being harassed, and, unable to escape, murdering him in self-defense. Consider shielding your screen before hitting play on the song’s music video. In the NSFW clip, various nude men pose as pieces of furniture while the singers casually push them around with collars and whips. Peppered throughout is plenty of latex apparel, BDSM positioning, and generally regal decor. According to Pussy Riot member Nadya Tolokonnikova, the video is meant to inverse the main premise of the patriarchal culture. “Instead of women and queer people being objectified and serving as furniture, we use sexist pigs as furniture,” she said in a statement. “The video does not encourage to oppress anyone, but rather satirically highlights arbitrary and absurd nature of any oppression.” [via Consequence of Sound]

[what-even-is-thiss]

Fic, Good Night.

If you want to fully understand why I wrote this, read this post. Read the whole thing. Did ya read it? Okay, let’s get into it. I invented some people for the dreams that weren’t mine, because I don’t know anybody else that had a dream about the Sanders Sides last night. Also, I guess I’m a character in this fic? So freaking weird. It’s not an accurate representation of me though, because it’s dream me and nobody acts normally in dreams. Also, Anxiety’s is longer than the others because that’s my dream and my dream was complicated and also I might have gotten a little lazy writing the other dreams. Oh well.

Tip Jar

Warnings: Uh, I dunno. Chasing. Forced change of location. Dreams. Car related stress. 2,250 words.

Abstract: Roman has been hiding a strange ability he has for a while. When the others try to figure out what’s going on, weird things happen.

Roman was considering the device in his hand. He had to admit it was tempting. Very tempting.

Anxiety was grumbling to himself about the most recent video. It had just been posted a few hours before and he hated it every time he rewatched it.

“Stupid cartoon. Gets to meet Butch Hartman and that’s what happens. Well, if that’s what happens when you meet your heroes then...”

He noticed Roman sitting there on the brown sectional as he walked into the mindpalace version of Thomas’ apartment. He had just been considering seeing if Morality had left any of the pizza from last night. None of the others were usually in this area when Thomas was asleep, so what was Prince doing here?

“Hey, shouldn’t you be working, Princey?” Anxiety said.

“What? Uh, no!” Prince said, putting the strange handheld device behind his back.

Anxiety felt concerned. The imagination should be working right now, working through problems via dreams during REM sleep.

“You need to get to work, Roman. What’s that machine? I don’t like those things you make. They’re never good,”

“It is none of your concern!” Roman said, getting up to leave.

Anxiety considered where they were. The mental recreation of Thomas’ apartment. This was where they sorted out their issues and had talks. The others had done it before. He wondered...

“Logan! Patton!” Anxiety said.

Logic and Morality popped up, by the stairs and by the window respectively. Morality with a slice of pizza in his mouth, mid bite, and Logic with a file in his hand, looking like he was just about to put it in a drawer that was no longer in front of him.

“I knew you already ate the pizza,” Anxiety said in an annoyed tone to Patton.

“Why have you called us here in the middle of the night, Anxiety?” Logic asked. “We are performing essential tasks necessary for proper function that can only be done during sleeping hours,”

Anxiety pointed to Prince, who had stopped his attempt to get away when Patton had spotted him. The colorful phone like device was clearly visible in his hand. Logic observed the device with disgust.

“Roman, are you making another attempt at ESP? I have told you before, it is not scientifically possible to read minds or travel through dreams or read auras or whatever other nonsense you are trying to accomplish,” Logan said.

“Now hand it over, buddy,” Morality said. “Logic knows what’s right,”

Morality walked over to Roman and held out his hand in a very parental fashion, expecting him to hand it over. Roman instead held the device closer.

“No! You have no idea what this is capable of!” He said, attempting an escape.

Anxiety didn’t let him. He took hold of Roman by the sash and pulled him back. “Oh, no. Your little ESP projects only ever make me work harder. Give the thing to Patton!”

“No!” Roman cried out as he tried to get his precious outfit out of Anxiety’s grasp without tearing it. “You don’t understand what you’re doing!”

Logic tried to get the device from Prince. “Honestly, as if any of your schemes ever actually...”

Zap! Logan’s hand activated something on the touchscreen and a swirling green cartoonish portal opened up, first sucking in Logan and Roman, since they were the ones with their hands on the device, and then Morality and Anxiety were sucked in as well, despite their best efforts to run.

If Logan remembered correctly, driving an out of control vehicle was one of the most common nightmares that people can have. Thomas had that dream before. He thought he remembered Roman talking about it. However, seeing as he wasn’t in charge of dreams, he didn’t exactly know what to do in this one.

“Um, perhaps you should hit the breaks?” Logic said, not quite certain he knew how he got here.

The frightened young person in the driver’s seat briefly turned to glance back.

“You’re Logic Sanders. From those YouTube videos,” They said nervously

“Yes, and it would appear that your breaks are faulty,” Logan said, wondering why there were no seat belts or panic bars to be found.

“Breaks?” the confused driver asked.

“Yes, the breaks! The device that slows the car or brings it to a stop!” Logic called out.

“I know what breaks do, I think,” the person said as they tried to concentrate on where the break was. “Why are you here?”

The break petal came into focus just long enough for the driver to slam down on it. Logan lurched forward and into the seat in front of him and then disappeared as the person woke up.

Prince thought he had experience with dreams. He had to remind himself it was just Thomas’ dreams he had experience with. He honestly hadn’t actually expected that thing to work. He hadn’t finished it. He had done a lot of thinking to get that device made. For now it could only focus on people that thought about Thomas a lot. He had hoped to maybe surprise some friends if he was lucky. He had somehow forgotten about the fanders.

There were people walking through this square. None of them seemed to be doing much. They were walking straight ahead. Not talking or anything. They were like background characters in a video game.

There was a girl among them. She seemed to be doing something with a purpose, but whatever it was seemed to be unclear. He walked up to her and said “Greetings! Is this your dream?”

Or, at least he tried to. When he said the words he felt the vibrations in his throat and his muscles working, but no sound came out. He looked around. He listened. There was no sound. He suddenly felt himself compelled to tap on her shoulder. It would appear that even though he had an effect on the dream, it also had an effect on him.

The young woman turned around, her hair flicking out behind her almost in slow motion. When she saw him her face was full of confusion, and then wonder.

She started signing frantically. He only understood bits and pieces of what she said, but he did catch his name. She spelled out R O M A N more than once.

He tried answering, but only ended up saying nonsense. He didn’t know much American sign language beyond basic signs and finger-spelling, so the entire conversation was confusing for both parties. They attempted to communicate for what seemed like an hour in dream time, but could have very well only been a couple of seconds, and then the girl abruptly turned around and left.

Roman shook his head as he faded out of the dream. Some things were just random and made no sense. It would appear he had landed in the middle of one of those things.

Morality wasn’t quite sure where he was, but it seemed pleasant enough. There was grass everywhere and the sun was bright. There also seemed to be white bunnies hopping around.

Suddenly, what appeared to be a little boy started running by. Patton didn’t quite know why, but he found himself compelled to pick him up and say “Hey there! Why are you running?”

“Thomas!?” asked the little boy. “My mom watches videos with you in it. You should run. There’s a big egg about to crush you!”

Patton looked and there was indeed a colorfully decorated egg rolling towards them that was as long as a school bus.

Patton wasn’t experienced in stopping nightmares, but he did know a thing or two about kids. He just affectionately said, “What? No it’s not ya goofball,”

And then they looked over and there wasn’t an egg there.

The little boy jumped for joy. Morality went to go play with him. The kid constantly forgot what they were doing and switched from one thing to the next, and even rediscovered that he was there a couple of times, but it was a dream. Dreams don’t always make sense, and that’s okay.

He faded out right in the middle of a hug. The boy had said he heard his mom calling him. Patton guessed that meant it was time to get up.

Anxiety could see his breath clouding up in front of him. He wondered if whoever this was had forgotten to turn the fan off before they had gotten to bed.

He stayed next to a tree in the parking lot. Maybe he could just wait this out.

A guy standing a few feet from him noticed who he was. The stranger started walking towards him. Anxiety didn’t know who this was. This wasn’t his mind and he was not in the mood to meet new people. He started running. The person started running after him.

Anxiety ran into the Home Depot to hopefully lose him. No. Every turn in the aisles he made he was found. The kid knew this store too well he needed to get outside.

Anxiety ran out the store and past the next shopping center which turned into an old town. A fog was beginning to gather. Anxiety skidded to a stop and jumped into an alleyway. The stranger in the pleather jacket found him there. This was a clear dream. Too clear. It made too much sense.

Anxiety kept trying to weave between buildings, but it was no use. They were still in sight. He saw a high school up ahead. He ran for it. He found himself in a huge cafetorium with a huge black stage at one end and lunch tables set up where the audience would go.

He jumped on the stage. Was the backstage complicated enough to lose them in? No, but there were stairs. He ran up those.

The stairs seemed to go on for even longer than should be possible. This was the most unrealistic part of the dream. These stairs. They went up and down and skipped and there were theater students sitting and doing homework on them, clearly unconcerned that two adults that were too old to be there were running through the place.

He got to the top of the stairs and saw the only way out was a comically long drop down to backstage. He saw the blonde pursuer pushing some high school students away. Anxiety decided to take the jump.

He began to climb the railing to jump off, when he found himself caught by the waist. The man had grabbed Anxiety by the waist and was pulling him away from the railing. Anxiety tried to struggle, but then they started moving their fingers along Anxiety’s side.

God, Anxiety wished that Thomas wasn’t ticklish.

Anxiety wiped the smile off his face and sat down on the ground defeated.

“Okay, what do you want? Thomas’ address? My name? Everybody wants that,” He said, folding his arms.

He felt a weight fall on his shoulders and looked up to see that the brown pleather jacket the person was wearing had been placed on his shoulders. The stranger sat next to him and put his arm around Anxiety’s waist.

“That’s actually not what I wanted to talk to you about. I don’t know if anyone has told you this, but you don’t have to give your name if you don’t want to. You can wait until you’re ready. There’s no pressure,”

Anxiety felt tears swell up in his eyes but they actually never fell. “Is this what social anxiety feels like when you’re not the one inflicting it? Because if so, it sucks,” he said, trying to keep his delivery as dry as possible.

The dreamer gave a nervous little smile and said “if it makes you feel any better, I’m feeling pretty anxious too,”

He sat and talked with the fander, who for some reason seemed to have a store’s worth of saltwater taffy in his pockets. This was a dream though, so he didn’t question it much. At some point the dream compelled him to sit on the edge of the person’s lap and it was clear it made them both uncomfortable, but the dream willed it to happen, so it happened.

After what could have been a few minutes, but it was a dream so who could tell, Anxiety told the random person whose dream he had stumbled into goodbye and jumped off the railing.

He faded into darkness on the way down.

Anxiety was the last one to get back. He walked in to see Logic breaking the ESP device with his bare hands.

“We keep telling you. Stop making these things,” Logan said harshly.

“But you have to admit it worked,” Prince said, trying to find some small comfort now tthat his work had been trashed.

“I will do no such thing,” Logan said, taking the pieces away to dispose of them.

“Anxiety, you saw that it worked. You were taken to someone else’s dream,” Prince said.

Anxiety thought about the city he had just run through. and the taste of watermelon taffy that was still lingering on his tongue.

“Nope. Don’t know what you’re talking about Princey,” Anxiety said before leaving.

“Patton, surely you remember,” Prince insisted.

Morality’s mouth was full of cold pizza from the fridge. He thought briefly about the giant egg, but then put it out of his mind and happily shook his head.

Roman sighed and lay back on the couch. They never let him break the laws of nature. How disappointing.

[burning-up-ao3]

20 Penguins Thoughts: The timeless art of hating your friends

JASON MACKEY Pittsburgh Post-Gazette jmackey@post-gazette.com

 NOV 12, 2019

As if playing against his former team wasn’t enough, Dominik Kahun wrestled with another reality last week as the Penguins prepared to host the Chicago Blackhawks.

On the other bench would be Dominik Kubalik, Kahun’s good friend and former linemate. Born in Czech Republic towns located less than an hour from one another, Kahun and Kubalik grew close during their time with Chicago.

Now, Kahun knew it was time to flip that proverbial switch, turning Kubalik from friend to foe.

“It’s fun,” Kahun said of the inevitable reality of sharing the same slab of ice with a good friend. “You usually don’t see them often. You always talk to them a little bit during warmup. I’m excited.”

 Matt Vensel

Injured Sidney Crosby won't travel with Penguins on upcoming road trip

 What transpired Saturday was exactly what one might expect: There was some talk during a close game, a 3-2 Penguins shootout win, and Kahun and Kubalik, without anything overly noticeable, went their separate ways, their second and final meetup this season not until March.

While playing against a good friend never lacks for fun — ask Sidney Crosby, Kris Letang, Evgeni Malkin and Marc-Andre Fleury how those meetings have gone — they usually aren’t overly physical, the opposite of former football teammates occasionally trying to exact revenge.

Well, except for that one time …

2. It was Nick Bjugstad’s first full NHL season, in 2013-14. Early November game, in Washington, and the Florida Panthers would lose in a shootout.

But it wasn’t the result that Bjugstad remembers. During one particular post-whistle scrum, Bjugstad reached for the closest Capitals player he could find and put one of the league’s more talkative defensemen into a headlock.

Turns it out it was fellow Minnesota native Nate Schmidt.

“We didn’t know it was ... each other,” Bjugstad said. “So we both kind of got each other in a headlock. Then I realized it was Nate. He realized it was me. We just kind of laughed.”

 Matt Vensel

Penguins' power play looking for someone to create chaos

 Playing against good friends — Bjugstad has another in Maple Leafs defenseman Justin Holl, a fellow former Minnesota Gopher — might produce some funny moments, and these guys aren’t out to maim one another.

But Bjugstad said playing one of your buddies is hardly approached with a laissez-faire attitude.

“You want to have the bragging rights, so you don’t want to get beat in any way,” Bjugstad said. “It’s fun to get competitive.”

3. For Jake Guentzel, yet another Minnesota guy, his awkward, on-ice confrontation revolves around Brock Nelson, who’s from ... you guessed it.

Whenever the Penguins play the Islanders, things are bound to be a little more intense, with the on-ice chatter always a little more than usual.

“It was a weird time last year in the playoffs when we were going at it,” Guentzel said.

But back home in Da Beauty League, Minnesota’s terrific summer hockey outfit, any bad blood was quickly shoved aside, even if they had wanted to rip one another’s head off just a few months prior.

“It’s just a battle,” Guentzel said. “I think guys know it. It gets intense. After the game, it’s like nothing happened.”

4. There was a fun sidebar to this story that really didn’t fit anywhere else.

In the Penguins dressing room, Bjugstad and Jared McCann are almost always seated next to one another. They’re also good-natured, almost always available and great with offbeat topics such at this one.

After chatting with Bjugstad, I went next door and posed the same question to McCann, who surprisingly wasn’t much help at all.

“I don’t really have one specific story, no,” McCann said. “A lot of my buddies I grew up with don’t play hockey anymore. I’m not from Minnesota, where everybody plays hockey.”

McCann, who does a pretty good Minnesota accent, is from Stratford, Ontario, which is about two hours west of Toronto. McCann’s dad owned his own construction company and literally created a hockey rink in his backyard.

Also, it’s Canada. Can-a-da. Where hockey trails only eating, drinking and sleeping.

5. Anyway, McCann said his best friend on another team was probably James Reimer, formerly of the Florida Panthers and currently the backup in Carolina.

One small problem here, though: There’s very little trash talk that goes on between the two good friends — McCann actually stayed at Reimer’s house to watch his dog when the latter’s wife gave birth to their first child — because they like each other so much.

“Would I chirp him? No, he’s too nice,” McCann said with a laugh. “I would feel so bad if I did. He’s just such a genuinely good person. He’s never chirping or anything. He’s just an honest hockey player.”

6. Speaking of chirping, a few of the Penguins I talked to for this story flat-out stink at talking trash.

“I’m no good,” Marcus Pettersson said. “I just try to stay out of it.”

Added Bjugstad, “Usually when I start chirping, it backfires on me.”

Jack Johnson said playing a good buddy isn’t necessarily about talking trash for him. In fact, Johnson said he’s actually liable to take it a little easy on a good friend.

“You hit each other hard, but he doesn’t get the extra slash or cross-check,” Johnson said.

He also doesn’t get any phone calls or text messages, Johnson said. Both times they’ve met in the playoffs, Johnson and Penguins captain Sidney Crosby refused to talk to one another during the series.

“First time we talked was in the handshake line,” Johnson said.

7. My favorite anecdote from this story wasn’t directly related, unfortunately.

Bryan Rust was the first player I approached, knowing he and Islanders captain Anders Lee — a pair of Notre Dame products — are close.

That playoff series was especially awkward for them, although neither one runs around like an idiot. Just good, hard fun.

“In warmups you try and make eye contact,” Rust said. “You pass each other a puck and have a little bit of fun. On the ice you might say a few things to each other from bench-to-bench.

“I think everyone is pretty good at kind of drawing that fine line between having fun but still going out there and trying to win a game.”

The funny anecdote was this: Rust actually learns other languages to try and annoy players of different nationalities on the ice. Some serious respect there.

“I try and learn a few different languages to maybe say some inappropriate things to guys and catch them off-guard,” Rust said.

Caught me off-guard, too. Definitely didn’t see that one coming from Rust.

8. Moving on.

I’ve beaten this drum plenty before, and I also know it’s early. But at this rate, assuming this sort of stuff continues, I really hope Mike Sullivan gets some love for the Jack Adams Award.

This can be kind of a funky thing. Mike Babcock has never won it, and that, by itself, is absurd. But it tends to go to the guy who has helped his team author the best story or overcome the most odds. Barry Trotz with the Islanders last year was a perfect example.

Sullivan has done that this season. Almost every forward on their roster has been injured at one point or another, including Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Patric Hornqvist. They traded Phil Kessel. Oh, and Kris Letang is hurt, too.

Coming off that playoff loss to the Islanders, Sullivan has adjusted his system to apply more puck-pressure and change how the Penguins play.

If there’s been a better coaching performance around the NHL thus far, I haven’t seen it.

9. The power play should also be factored into Sullivan’s performance this season, but I’m not sure which way to take that.

Obviously it has been terrible, but I’m also fairly confident Sullivan isn’t coaching them to over-pass, over-think or flat-out botch their breakouts. If he is, they should definitely adjust that strategy.

As Sullivan said after Saturday’s game, it’s hardly been one thing. He also admitted his guys are pressing.

Here’s a borderline insane suggestion: While Crosby is out, how about taking Alex Galchenyuk and putting him in the right circle, where he often thrived with the Coyotes?

What’s the worst that could happen, they don’t score?

10. Rust had one of the more confounding starts to a season I had ever seen in 2018-19, when he scored just one goal in his first 29 games, then exploded for a hat trick when the puck followed him all night during a 6-3 loss at Chicago on Dec. 12, 2018.

What a difference a year makes.

In an interview before the season, Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford had some interesting things to say about Rust and others who were a little too content with their success.

“Not that he played poorly, but he’s an example of a guy who I don’t think played at the level he was capable of a year ago,” Rutherford said. “That just gets to contentment. But he’s not the only guy. I’m not trying to single him out or pick on him.”

Rutherford went on to say that, “Bryan Rust was our best player at camp this year.”

After Rust was forced to hit the pause button on that when he was injured blocking a shot in the final preseason game, we’re seeing what Rutherford — and others — saw all through training camp.

11. With his third-period goal on Saturday, Rust extended his point streak to a career-high six games, where he’s scored a total of five goals. All of those since he returned from injury on Oct. 26.

“I guess things feel good,” Rust said with a smile. “I might know better than anyone else that things can turn just as quickly for the bad. I just have to keep plugging away here.”

I asked Rust to describe his approach coming into training camp and what has helped him rediscover his scoring touch.

“Just a fresh start,” Rust said. “Try to put everything in the past behind me. Obviously I felt really good through training camp. Felt great to start the year. Obviously an unfortunate injury with five minutes left in the last preseason game. Kept me out of some games there. I just kept working hard off the ice and kept wanting to play well.”

12. It’s no secret that the Penguins love Rust. Sure, he’s been big in playoffs games. Has scored a bunch of huge goals for the Penguins over the years. He has also played both wings well and has moved up and down the lineup with ease. Recently he’s been very good on Malkin’s wing.

Rust’s game — being hard on pucks and an all-around pain in the butt — has also meshed extremely well with the Penguins’ new identity.

“The biggest thing for me that Rusty has shown since Day 1 of training camp is just a sense of urgency and a certain hunger to his game,” Sullivan said. “When he plays his way, that’s when he’s at his best. I think he’s done that consistently game in and game out, day in and day out, even in practice.”

13. In that preseason interview, Rutherford also said he thought the addition of Brandon Tanev — another versatile and tenacious wing — would be good for Rust. Turns out that was probably right, too.

“We always talk with our players about being a next-effort team,” Sullivan said. “I think Rusty right now probably personifies next-effort play. He’s like a dog on a bone on the puck. He’s relentless.”

With some pretty solid scoring touch to boot.

14. Funny quote from Rust after Saturday’s win: “[Coming back from another deficit] shows a lot of character in this room, but we’re really not making it very easy on ourselves.”

The Penguins spotted their opponent three-goal leads on Monday and Thursday of last week. On Saturday, it was a 2-0 hole they had to erase.

Not exactly a recipe for success, but give the Penguins credit: They’ve found ways to win.

“We have a great group,” Sullivan said. “We’ve got good people. They’re buying in right now, and they’re playing hard for one another.

“I give our leadership a lot of credit. The guys in the room, our veteran guys, they’re leading the way there. And then some of our younger [guys] are bringing a certain level of enthusiasm.

“When you get that combination, for me, that’s a fun combination to be around. And we’ve had that a lot of this year.”

15. The impact of Malkin is absolutely noticeable.

I know it’s hardly a surprise, but similar to Rust, what happened to Malkin last season was hard to describe; at times it was like he suddenly forgot how to play hockey.

That’s in the past now.

I thought Sullivan captured this perfectly after Saturday’s game in talking about Malkin’s game, saying that they don’t want to stifle the star center’s playmaking ability, but they do need to compromise on some things.

“He’s buying in to how we’re trying to play,” Sullivan said. “He’s trying to play a more north-south game even though his instinct sometimes is to play east-west.

“We’re not trying to change Geno. That’s what makes him what he is. That’s what makes him unique. All we’re trying to do is we’re asking him to meet us halfway a little bit, and he’s done that. He’s done a great job since he’s been back.”

16. I thought Justin Schultz quietly bounced back very nicely during an eventful game Saturday night.

His ill-timed pinch, with zero support, led to the Blackhawks’ first goal. A Schultz shot attempt that never found the net inadvertently led to Chicago’s second goal.

But in overtime, Schultz made a terrific play to knock the puck away from Alex DeBrincat on a two-on-one.

It doesn’t show up on the scoresheet, but it was a huge play at the time.

17. Loved the pass by John Marino on Rust’s goal. Such poise for a young kid. Most players Marino’s age would’ve taken that shot, but he wisely took an extra second and found Rust all alone at the bottom of the left circle for a beautiful back-door goal.

“He’s just getting better with every game that he plays,” Sullivan said of Marino. “I think he’s getting more confident every game that he plays. That was a real nice play he made. Just the puck poise, the patience, the vision to see Rusty on the back side. It was just a terrific play.”

It’s pretty much impossible to think of the Penguins’ top-six on defense at this point without Marino. He has absolutely earned a regular spot in the lineup.

18. It’s noticeable that Galchenyuk is lacking confidence.

Three times in the first period Saturday, Galchenyuk had chances to put the Penguins ahead early. Three times, Galchenyuk could not beat Corey Crawford, including one nifty attempt between his legs.

Wrote about this some last week, but the Penguins need Galchenyuk to find it. It’s there, but he’s thinking entirely too much when the puck is on his stick.

19. Number of the week: Plus-12.

That’s McCann’s rating over the past five games, the best on the team. He also has two goals and six points during that stretch.

I’ll admit that I was a little surprised that Sullivan sent McCann out as his third shooter in the shootout, but McCann made his coach look smart by firing high over Crawford’s right shoulder for the shootout-deciding goal.

I’m not backing off my prediction that I think McCann will get 20 goals this season.

20. Non-hockey thought of the week:

I was saddened to learn last week the Wilson’s BBQ on the North Side burned down. Incredible place. My favorite to get BBQ in Pittsburgh. Their spicy sauce was nothing short of incredible.

I’m glad everyone is OK, but I’m also rooting for owner George Wilson Jr., hoping he’s able to build his business back up.

Pittsburgh is what it is because of awesome local businesses like Wilson’s and also Nancy B’s, where I went last week for my birthday. Another have-to-go recommendation.

Jason Mackey: jmackey@post-gazette.com and Twitter @JMackeyPG.