#my single guiltiest pleasure....

[casualtydept]

she blinded me with science!

[leatherdaddyissues]

MY FAVORITE EMO BAND FINALLY CAME OUT WITH A SINGLE THAT SOUNDS LIKE THEIR OLD SHIT IM SP HAPPY IM GONNA LISTEN TO IT ON REPEAT

[whomeidontknowthem]

My guiltiest whumpy pleasure of all is, I think, Whumpers who are forced to torture Whumpees, not having a choice in this -- be it because of having to obey their boss, blackmail, trying to save the whumpee through something worse, even just not knowing how else to be.

There's something in the reluctance and guilt that doesn't erase the damage done that gets to me. Whumper's hands trembling when they see Whumpee flinch away from them in terror. The memories of blood on their hands that keep them awake at night. The terrible, soul dissolving guilt of having done something so terrible to another human being. Where do they get the resolve to steady their hands and pick up the knife?

One of the first daydreaming stories I came up with when I was maybe nine or ten, had my self-insert MC be tortured terribly by that one evil king. They fought against the king and were taken captive and suffered greatly, and hated the king passionately, until he managed to let them know the truth: that he was controlled by an even eviller deity and had no choice in the pain he had caused. I had the MC make a deal with that deity, their soul in exchange for the king's. He was thrown away and went straight to the MC's allies, telling them about everything, begging them to believe him and to follow his plan.

It wasn't a very good story (point me to a single child whose was), but the idea still haunts me. Having no say in the pain you caused, having to live with the guilt and the hate, not being allowed to even acknowledge how much you have suffered because you are the monster in this story. There's something in it that is just. So impactful for me.

Nowadays it's often less black and white. Simplistic Whumpers who torture just because they want to are fun! I often have them when I want to focus on the Whumpee. Seeing someone cope with horrors is always so very interesting to me.

But Whumpers who have reasons to do what they do? Who justify it to themselves? Who don't seek to cause unnecessary pain? Who are gentle not as a part of a twisted game but because they genuinely want to make it as easy as it can be? Who change their attitude daily because they can't but they have to, or they don't even know what they want and go from one extreme to the other? There's something special in it.

Whumpers who are Whumpees in their own right. Whose suffering does not erase the pain they'd caused, who are rightfully seen as monsters but are humans, with all the pain that comes with this affliction.

[pastamansta]

🔥 Tim Burton (him as a person or his aesthetic, your choice!)

"Beetlejuice" (1988) reminds me a lot of another film I watched recently; "Tombstone" (1993). Sold by an aesthetic and a FANTASTIC performance from a side character, audiences were conned into loving a mediocre film. I'm not Lindsey Ellis, so don't expect me to talk about the cartoon.

"Batman" (1989) and its sequel is proof that Burton will not be giving up his aesthetic for God or money. Gotham is heavily disconnected from both the film and its source material, with little reason other than its director. There's a reason no one calls these "Keaton's Batmans," they call them "Burton's Batmans." Jack Nicholson is great as The Joker, but that's no hot take. The hot take is that Devito is too horny as The Penguin, and it makes me uncomfortable for a film that's already so sexual.

"Edward Scissorhands" (1990) is a bitter, bitter film where artist finally meets muse. Not, like, in the plot, but in the production. Depp and Burton were made for eachother... or at least that's what I'm supposed to think. This movie's just too messy, however, and can't decide where its focal point lies and leaves me wishing I had just watched "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (2000) instead.

"Sleepy Hollow" (1999) leaves me, a fan of the original text, I know that's probably a weird thing to say, miffed, even if understanding. Outside of some pacing issues, it's a bold reimagining that feels like Burton attempting to get out of his comfort zone... but I just didn't need this story to be turned into an homage to B-horror. Go watch that Disney short, eh?

"Big Fish" (2003) is his best film. I am hardly qualified to speak on it, and even if I did, I would cry. So, you know, just go watch that shit.

"Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" (2005) is destined to be compared to "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory" (1971), and why wouldn't it? In thirty-four years since the making of the original, not a single person worth listening to said "i need this done right," including Burton himself, which is why he tries to add so much, but no amount of additions changes the fact that he casted his muse instead of someone who could, you know, act like Wonka? So, you know, destined for failure and to be loved by everyone who won't watch movies made before 1987.

"Corpse Bride" (2005) is one of only two claymation films that Burton would actually direct, and he uses this time to steal a Jewish story and make it less Jewish. I don't like the ending or the songs and it feels like it could be cut in half and achieve the same effect.

"Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" (2007) literally doesn't have the iconic opening number from the stage play??? Overall, there's rarely a pairing of source material and director that works as well as this one... If only I enjoyed the source material, eh? So dark, so bitter, so edgy, so... nothing. I never think about this movie. When I do, I think of Mrs. Lovett's dream sequence and remember the good old days of "Big Fish" (2003) when Burton liked to use color.

"Alice in Wonderland" (2010) is one of my guiltiest pleasures in all of film. It is the reason why every time Disney announces a live-action remake, my ears perk up. If all of them were as wild, unhinged, original, creative, and inspired as this one... Well, I think Disney might not be fucking bleeding money right now. No one ever even mentions that it's a sequel to the original animated film. A SEQUEL, not a remake. Sometime movie-goers surprise me with how little they think.

"Frankenweenie" (2012) blows. I don't care how unique it is, I do not like it.

"Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" (2016) is one of the funniest remnants of the teen dystopia genre. Like, it hardly applies, but is trying SO HARD that it's unbelievable. Also, props to Mr. "Black People Aren't My Aesthetic" for casting Samuel L. Jackson as a dude who eats white babies. (I do not mean that.) Seriously, this is proof that Burton, as a modern director, should no longer be taken seriously.

"Dumbo" (2019) is AAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAHAHAAAAHAHAHAHA I FUCKING HATE THIS DUDE HOLY SHIT

If I didn't mention, I haven't seen it. Yes, I know I skipped some big ones. I may watch them one day, but I am in no rush.

[helix-enterprises117]

Halo Reloaded: TV Show

The bustling heart of the Marathon Infinity's cafeteria is filled with the aroma of rehydrated eggs somehow always battled to a stalemate against the scent of industrial-grade coffee, the day's entertainment was in full swing. The room, usually a cacophony of clattering trays and grumbled complaints about MREs, had transformed into a makeshift theater. Its audience: a motley crew of Spartan-IIs, lounging in their sleek, almost-too-tight compression suits, and marines, whose fatigues seemed to have absorbed as much grease as valor, were united in their rapt attention to "SPARTANS," the galaxy's guiltiest pleasure.

"Man, oh man," a marine muttered, his eyes wide as dinner plates as an actor, decked out in a Spartan suit so shiny it would give the sun a complex, executed a leap that defied physics. "If I tried that, I'd need a new pair of knees."

Beside him, Kelly, her arms folded in a way that suggested she could bench press a Warthog if she felt like it, snorted. "Cute jump. Reminds me of my warm-up routine."

This elicited a round of snickers from the table, a sound that mingled with the crunch of someone bravely attempting to masticate the cafeteria's excuse for bread.

Just as another impossibly muscular Spartan on screen began a monologue about the "heart of a warrior," the room's metal door slid open with a hiss that sounded suspiciously like it was judging everyone's life choices. In strode John, fully armored as if he’d just mistaken the cafeteria for a warzone. Or perhaps he knew exactly what kind of warzone a cafeteria could be.

The remote control, previously the subject of an intense, silent battle of wills, was suddenly the hottest potato in the room. It flew from hand to hand, each marine trying not to be the last one holding it when the music stopped, so to speak. The channel switched with a speed that would make a Covenant Elite nod in respect—goodbye, dramatic reenactments of Spartan heroics, hello, galactic weather report.

"Nice timing, Chief," Fred said, a grin in his voice that his face couldn't quite make, given the situation. "We were just... um, studying... atmospheric conditions. Yep."

John paused, his helmeted head turning so slowly you'd think he was auditioning for a role in the next horror vid. Then, from within the confines of his helmet, a sound emerged—a chuckle. It was a sound so rare and unexpected that it might as well have been a unicorn tap-dancing across the table.

"As long as it’s not predicting rain on the parade, we're good," John’s voice, modulated but unmistakably amused, filled the room.

A collective exhale, sounding suspiciously like relief, whooshed through the cafeteria. Chairs scooted back as everyone relaxed, the threat of a Spartan critique apparently averted.

John made his way over, armor clanking with each step, the sound a stark reminder of the difference between the person and the persona. He pulled up a chair with the ease of a man who regularly bench-pressed fate itself.

"You know," he started, the casual tone almost jarring coming from the galaxy’s most decorated supersoldier, "I caught a bit of that show once. They got my armor color all wrong."

"That’s your beef with it?" Linda chimed in, leaning back with a smirk that could cut glass. "Not the part where you single-handedly arm-wrestled a Hunter?"

"Wait, that wasn’t a documentary?" another marine piped up, the mock seriousness in his voice drawing a round of hearty laughs from the group.

Just another day on the life of the UNSC...

[couthbbg]

i'm bored! get to know me

1. Do you make your bed?

I usually throw the duvet back over it semi-neatly lol

2. Favourite number?

Hmm lots! Fav single digit is 8, but my numbers when I played sports were 2 & 13 so I like those too :)

3. What's your job?

unemployment sweepppp (but before that I was a teacher :) )

4. If you could go back to school, would you?

Yes, for sure, and I vaguely plan to I think. I just graduated about three weeks ago, but everyone needs a third degree right 😅

5. Can you parallel park?

not to save my life :) i've been thinking about taking some cones to a parking lot and trying to relearn tho, bc I think i'm moving to a city soon, and i need to survive 😩

6. Do you think aliens are real?

Yes absolutely :)

7. Can you drive a manual car?

Nope

8. Guilty pleasure?

guiltiest pleasure when i'm hanging on to the will to live by a thread is fast food breakfast hash browns 🤤

9. Tattoos?

Technically I have 8 but they're all very small and hidden. If you saw me you'd think I have none, but if you're very lucky you get to find them ;)

10. Favourite colour?

purple and pink :) 💜🩷

11. Favourite type of music?

pop and 70s acoustic lol

12. Do you like puzzles?

ohh yes, I love a good puzzle. I can't do them much because my dog eats the pieces lmao but whenever I can swing it I do

13. Any phobias?

bats and the dark, plus too small spaces but also too large spaces. going to texas one time really fucked me up. there's too much space out there!!!

14. Favourite childhood sport?

soccer & softball :)

15. Do you talk to yourself?

a lot, but I mostly talk to my dog. I swear she listens about 50% of the time

16. Tea or coffee?

coffee but mostly iced

17. First thing you wanted to be when growing up?

a poet :)

18. What movies do you adore?

pride and prejudice (2005), you've got mail, when harry met sally, oceans 8, and the recent-ish animated spider man movies

thank you for the tag @kniesguy 💕💞💓💗 !!!

tagging (only if you feel like it!): @anaphylactic-dread @guentzel @genotama @neonsoup @girljeremystrong @sofarsofastmp3 @dicehockey @kniesout @stonerosestank

also anyone else who sees this and wants to fill it out: u r officially tagged 💖💖💖

[newpathwrites]

This is a very weird, comical little drabble for A Marriage of Convenience universe based on a very sweet closing scene from a movie I just watched. All you need to know is Din and his partner have a physically intimate, non-sexual, queerplatonic relationship.

Read on AO3

________________________________________

The man walked up behind her in the kitchen, hands sliding slowly around her waist to rest lightly on her abdomen in an act of familiar intimacy. Her head tipped back to look at his face, lips curving into a fond smile before meeting his in a chaste kiss. She turned in his arms to face him before pressing her mouth again to his, smiling against his lips as a soft chuckle left his throat and the cameras panned away…

A soft sigh escaped your lips. Romance wasn’t your thing, personally, but imagining others enjoying intimate moments in this way was one of your life’s guiltiest pleasures, second only to the smutty romance novels you hid underneath your side of the bed. You wondered casually if Din knew about your secret indulgences. If so, he’d spared you the embarrassment of ever bringing it up out loud…

You were wrenched away from your alcohol-softened musings as the credits began to roll by Boba’s gentle teasing. Oh, right… you were still in the cantina, having been temporarily distracted by the holodrama playing on the small screen behind the bar.

“You’re looking pretty dreamy there, burc’ya. Is your riduur not satisfying your romantic needs?” He smirked in Din’s direction. “Mando, show the lady some love tonight. The holodrama that’s got her so mesmerized can be your guide.”

To your surprise, Din huffed out a dry laugh. “No, thank you. I’d rather keep all of my limbs intact.”

Every head at the table turned to look at him in mild shock. They’d never heard this man speak a single sarcastic word about you.

Wow. There were already so many layers of misunderstanding here, you weren’t even sure where to start.

Boba was non-plussed. “What? You don’t think she’d like a bit of hugging and kissing in the kitchen?”

“Not in the kitchen…” Din deadpanned, as if this statement explained itself.

“Ah!” Boba raised his glass. “That’s for the bedroom, am I right? Man after my own heart…”

“Exactly,” Din responded matter-of-factly.

“Din!” you hissed, heat rushing to your face. You were terribly embarrassed. You turned to address the table. “It’s not… he means that literally…”

The man was missing every subtle cue you were throwing his way thanks to the alcohol in his system and continued on, “And I would never do that without asking first…”

Dank farrik. You really weren’t planning on explaining your unconventional relationship structure to half the cantina tonight, but now everyone was looking at you, expecting more information about this odd arrangement you two must having going on would be forthcoming.

But this time, Fennec intervened. Initially, you were thankful - of all those in attendance, she was the only one fully aware of the nature of your marriage. But, unfortunately, her words were not helpful.

“Hold on.” She raised a hand, looking to Din. “You’ve been together for a decade at this point, and you still ask permission just to kiss her?”

Din, inebriated you were starting to realize, put on his most serious voice. “Of course I do. That’s respect.”

“Okay.” You slapped your hands down on the table, frustrated and mortified, to get everyone’s attention. “It’s none of your business… but if you all must know, we have an intimate relationship that is not romantic and not sexual and is limited to our non-working hours which so happen to coincide with bedtime... and we like to communicate…” You looked around the table, daring anyone to question further. “Alright?” You probably looked like a wild woman at this point.

“What’s the point, then - if there’s no sex?” Boba interjected, lacking inhibitions and totally unthreatened by your demeanor. “It’s like foreplay with no follow-through…”

Din was still with it enough to be righteously offended by Boba’s mocking tone and couldn’t stop himself from replying with complete earnestness.

“It’s nice for the senses,” he slurred, shaking his head as if this was the most obvious statement in the galaxy as his visor turned to you expectantly. “Right, Cyar’ika?”

You melted right there.

These were the same words you’d used the day you’d kissed Din intimately for the first time all those years ago, words meant to assure him that he was allowed to enjoy feeling close to you without any other implications hanging over it. These words were the harbingers to the intimate, loving relationship you now enjoyed together - the beginning of the most beautiful and uniquely satisfying era of your life.

You smiled back at him, forgetting again your surroundings, and pressed your forehead against the cold metal of his helmet.

“That’s right, Din. And you know what?” You pulled back to meet his eyes behind the visor. “Feel free to kiss me in the kitchen any time you want.”

[explosionshark]

tagged by @thanksforthedinosaur to post five songs i've been enjoying recently! i'm taking recently very seriously and picking the songs i've been playing the most today

"Bunny is a Rider" by Caroline Polachek - as a Chairlift fan i was sad to see that project end, but that hasn't stopped me from enjoying Caroline's solo work. This song has just such a sick bassline. I love the little whistle part. Signature Polachek vocals delivering lyrics that are 80% nonsense but delivered so compellingly you can't help but ALSO feel so non-physical. And also like the lady. And also like your heart is un-breaking.

"Where the Slime Live" by Daath (feat. Dave Davidson) - this is like one of my all-time fave Morbid Angel songs and this cover gives it a great treatment. A little more modern sounding and the solo from Dave Davidson of Revocation gives it a great extra punch. But GOD I love everything about this song - the gross, murky, gurgling vocals (WHERE THE SLIME LIIIIIVE), the ultra-heavy slow riff over the fast double bass drums. It's SO grimy and yucky and gross. And, god, the groove on the verses - SICK SICK IT'S A GREAT SONG, IT'S A GREAT COVER, I LOVE IT

"Bisexual Awakening" by Clowns - fuckin' love Clowns so much. There are a TON of great punk rock bands in Australia rn but Clowns have a lot going for them that makes them stand out for me. It's skateboard video game soundtrack music. Fast, shreddy, in your face, FUN. This song leans into their hardcore side a little bit and I love it for that - there should be hardcore songs about being bi, I think. Trademark Clowns humor in the lyrics too. This is the second single they've released for their upcoming album and I'm hyped beyond words.

"Summer Lights" by W O L F C L U B - i wont' try to dress this up, this song is kind of just a goofy retrowave banger. My guiltiest pleasure. I relate to it not one bit, but I love the combination of big chunky synthwave electronics with pop hooks.

"Feast of Ashes" by Dying Fetus - sparing you the music video for this for reasons you can probably guess. Anyway fuck yeah Dying Fetus are back and they're here to crush some skulls. SUPER heavy, super fast, super brutal. Sound of malevolence. Killer riff, I just wanted to have this on repeat all day. GNARLY SOLO TOO. Perfect death metal. VERY excited to see them again this fall with Creeping Death!

thanks so much for tagging me, mae! this was a lot of fun to do!

tagging @angrypedestrian, @nataliving, @gothprentiss, @shewhosleepsalotincemeteries, @stagrunner, @coraniaid

[endcant]

best ever food & drink

cucumber & watermelon (same to me)

tofu (many ways)

glass of milk and 2 cookies (various)

mini sweet peppers

egyptian kahk

homemade red bean paste (u can make a lot affordably, keep it a decent amount of time, and use it for everything)

chicken mole

sashimi (various)

bisque (various)

gazpacho (various)

fruit that you picked

the first bite of a california burger (burger with lettuce, tomato, avocado, and monterey jack cheese)

lemon pound cake

dolma

oxtail stew with chayote (white people not invited)

pozole blanco

buttered pumpkin ravioli followed by the raspberry gelato served in a coconut shell at the obligatory little italian place in my obligatory little not-italian hometown

oolong tea

lamb gyro

when i worked at the college i used to rinse out my cup noodles before microwaving them bc they were too salty. that was good

phó (various)

zalabia topped with sesame seeds

scrambled egg white with spinach and mushrooms

avocado smoothie

street corner strawberries, too ripe to be sold to grocery stores

homemade lengua estofado (white people not invited)

butterfish hand roll

fiji lakdi mithai

fruit salad consisting of: apple, jicama, oranges, cucumber, and optional melon (honeydew or cantaloupe) with mandatory seasoning of citrus juice, red pepper, and salt

fried egg over easy stirred into white rice with very small amounts of sesame oil and soy sauce

my dad is the only person who can make bbq ribs worth eating bc they are tender and heavily spiced with a homemade mustard-based sauce with more spices than i’ve ever seen on any other single object

japanese curry + chicken cutlet (my preferred curry but all are valid)

melted monterey jack cheese (any context)

go to 300 Juan Medina Rd., Chimayo, NM, 87522

muesli

homemade honey kale chip (YSAC)

extremely dry breve cappuccino

cinnamon life cereal

homemade sopapilla with honey

NYC mall shrimp tempura udon (ubiquitous in NYC indoor malls in 2009)

banana with brown sugar and a little butter heated in microwave for like 3 minutes. wait til it cools

just the crust of deep dish pizza without the toppings

buttered macaronis with white onion (poisonous to me)

hot dog and vegetable stir fry

chile con carne with MY family’s green chile recipe

oyster tasting paid for by somebody else

this one stout beer that i shared with my mother in 2017 that came in an unlabeled bottle found in the back of a restaurant that has since changed ownership. no other information

dishes containing roux, custard, or caramelized onions patiently made by your own hand (taste of the fruits of your labor)

my sister’s fucked up health recipes that are actually incredibly fucking good such as a very seasoned broth with like 5 different types of mushrooms, a buffalo chicken/sweet potato/turkey bacon casserole, and all of her various spaghetti squash glops. so FUCKING good.

arugula salad with nuts and fruits

steamed pumpkin (various seasonings)

any decently improvised sweet bread, cookie, or cake flavored chiefly with butter, white sugar, and almond extract

baked potato with the red skin no seasonings eaten outside in the cold

thick, ambrosia-like homemade horchata served in a mug at the mexican place with zero english speakers on staff

11 oz can apple sidra apple soda

banana at 2 am

worst ever food & drink

banana at 6 am

waffle house “hashbrown”

backsweetened fruit beer

whole wheat pancake

whole wheat or multigrain health flour tortilla. if you’re worried about your health just eat a corn tortilla or wrap ur stuff in lettuce

guiltiest pleasures of all time

bacon pb&j burger.

expensive californian bougie health snack bars that consist of unrecognizable seeds, unrecognizable nuts, and unrecognizable dried fruits, unrecognizably sweetened and stuck together in an unrecognizable mound

spoonful of stone ground mustard

back home theres a place where u can get craft beer, a rosé slushie actually worth havinf, taste 4 nearly identical dry red wines, and then say its ur birthday and get panini bread toasted with butter and a melted hersheys bar topped with whipped cream. the birthday treat only really tastes good once youve had the aforementioned quantity of alcohol, but i think that’s by design. like listening to shpongle while profoundly high on psychedelics

2 dennys pancakes with 2 eggs over easy placed betwixt, wherein they will be smashed and mixed with maple syrup until the entire mess is soggy yellow-brown and unrecognizable

bowl of chevys fresh mex salsa con cuchara

i experience that “just one more oreo” comic but with mazapan, & when i wake up from the mazapan fugue state every dark cloth in the house is stained permanently

hot cocoa consisting of: almond milk, dark cocoa powder, and stove heat

i will never forget starbucks sage and juniper latte in the fall of 2018. nothing else at that godforsaken restaurant will ever be that good.

those cute fude nuggets they sell at target that are like $15 per box that are shaped like stars, fishies, etc.

anything with garlic or onion (poisons me)

[steamanband]

My guiltiest pleasure is making NSR OCs who arent affiliated with the company NSR in any way whatsoever. I don't think I have a single damn one making EDM

[chaosnightmare]

why did i say okie doki is literally my single guiltiest pleasure song. sorry i really really like it like compositionally its fantastic. owatap brainrot

[the-archduke]

what is your guiltiest pleasure?

None. I hold no guilt for my pleasures, all of them are well know and I like every single one. *crosses his arms* You know... politics, old documentation, diplomacy... all very interesting, sure...

[hugh-lauries-bald-spot]

Admit it - an ask game

Is there a country song you like (what is it, you sicko)

When is the last time you've been outside for more than 30 minutes recreationally

What's a song you're embarrassed to know by heart

What's the trait you like most about the person you hate most

Do you still listen to nightcore

Can you name a single living painter

When’s the last time you had a fruit

Whats the laziest meal you've ever made

What's the worst thing you've said to a friend/partner

If your best friend had kids, be honest, would a part of you want to stop being friends with them

How low are your standards for a good friend

When’s the last time you slept 8 hours

What's something you hate about your closest friend

How often do you lie for selfish reasons

How many sunglasses have you lost

Guiltiest pleasure movie

An unpopular opinion you’d lose followers for (nothing wholly morally incorrect, ideally)

How long has that Thing been sitting there (ex. dish, piece of garbage, dirty clothes etc)

What’s the worst gift you’ve ever given (un ironically)

What’s something you don’t understand the hype for at all

so basically just randomly answer some of these anonymously in my inbox and ill post em or just ask others do what you want really

[takerfoxx]

Some stuff from 2020 that I actually liked

Okay, so 2020 was a godawful year, we all agree. But a lot of good did happen to keep us sane, so I want to go ahead and list everything that made me happy last year. Also, note that some of these things actually debuted earlier than 2020, but I came across it in 2020, so it counts for me.

TV!

-The Hollow.

The Hollow is a truly underappreciated show. A cool premise and interesting characters that just got better every episode.

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance.

This is one of the best single-season shows I’ve ever seen. Absolutely brilliant, and fuck you Netflix for pulling the plug!

Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!

This show is not my thing by any means, and I would never have checked it out if the opening wasn’t so attention-grabbing. Glad I did, because it gave me genuine joy. Though it probably should have debuted later in the year, since it seems custom-made for the quarantine months. 

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power: Season 5

What more can I say? One of my favorite shows of all time going out with a fantastic bang. God, I love this show.

Honorable mentions: Kipo and the Age of the Wunderbeasts, The Owl House, Magia Record, and SSSS Gridman.

MOVIES

There wasn’t a lot of movies worth talking about this year, and fewer that I actually saw. This one had the good fortune to drop just in time to dominate the box office right before quarintine shut everything down. And for a film with such an uninspired premise, such a problematic production, and being a video game movie no less, it just brought me so much joy.

VIDEO GAMES

Stinkoman 20x6: Level 10

Homestar Runner was my first favorite thing on the internet, and I spent many hours playing through Stinkoman 20x6 well over a decade ago. So when they finally announced the final level mere days before flash died forever, it was a big of closure I never thought I would get.

A Hat in Time

This game was a surreal delight. More like this, please!

Hollow Knight

On the other end of the spectrum, good lord was exploring the world of Hollownest a joy. Can’t wait for Silksong!

Honorable mention: Orri and the Blind Forest

PRO WRESTLING

Tetsuya Naito achieves his Destino

I’ve already got into detail why this moment was so special, so I won’t repeat myself here. But man, was it incredible.

Kota Ibushi, back-to-back G1 winner!

If it were anyone else, I would be annoyed. But it’s Kota.

I started watching Lucha Underground!

This show is years old, but I only started watching it this year, and I’m glad that I did, because it is so much fun. It’s basically Mortal Kombat as a wrestling show!

Honorable mentions: the Firefly Funhouse match, Roman Reigns turning heel, Kenny Omega and Jon Moxley’s AEW championship wins

LITERATURE

Two Dresden Books

The Dresden Files is my favorite book series, and after waiting so long for it to return, getting two books in the same year was a real treat

Dance in the Vampire Bund

This is probably my guiltiest of guilty pleasures, because unlike other guilty pleasures like To Love-Ru or the Hollywood Undead in which their unashamed schlockiness is part of the charm DitVB is largely a fantastic vampire story with a richly drawn world, great characters, a compelling plot, and some truly great action. It just has that one really gross aspect that overshadows everything else, and unfortunately is promoted as its main selling point. That being said, I was happy to see it return.

PERSONAL WRITING

Returning to fanfiction

Ah, IM and RD, how I’ve missed thee. Sure, my heyday may be over, but it’s still wonderful to return to old stories

Finishing both Walpurgis Nights and Restless

These two were both passion projects that have been taking up space in my head for years, so finishing both was a dream come true, no pun intended

Getting Blood Island going

I have no idea how my future in original fiction will go, but I hope it’s good.

MUSIC

DemonDice

Yes, we all know who she is now, but finding Calliope’s older stuff kind of makes me mad about how unappreciated she was. 

Mystery Skulls - Ultra Rare vol. 2

I remember asking Mystery Skulls right after vol 1 dropped if a vol 2 was in the worlds, and he said definitely. It took a while, but it’s finally here.

Skyhill returns

God, Howling at the Moon came when I needed it the most.

K/DA All Out

I found out that this was coming out literally days before it dropped, and it ROCKED!

Ken Ashcorp

Why yes, I would like more incredibly catchy, shamelessly horny songs about nerdy stuff that I like, thank you very much.

Honorable Mentions: Hybrid Theory deluxe edition, In This Moment, Gorillaz Song Machine

Misc.

hololive

This is the era of the Vtuber. I still don’t fully understand why these cute but psycho anime girls bring me so much joy, but I’m glad that they do. 

And finally...

Donald Trump gets voted out of office.

Fuck you, you narcissistic, fascist piece of shit. You losing didn’t make up for such an awful year or for the four years in which you ran this country into the ground, but it was a good start!

[invisibleicewands]

Michael Sheen, 39, was born in Newport. He studied at the National Youth Theatre of Wales, the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and Rada. He left Rada early to appear opposite Vanessa Redgrave in the West End production of When She Danced. He has twice played Tony Blair: in Stephen Frears' 2003 television film The Deal and in Frears' 2006 movie The Queen. He will appear as David Frost in the film Frost/Nixon, which opens next month; he has also played him on stage in London and New York. Sheen has a daughter, Lily, with his ex-partner, the actor Kate Beckinsale. He is based in Los Angeles.

When were you happiest?

When I'm with my daughter.

What is your earliest memory?

When I first wrote my name.

Which living person do you most admire, and why?

Some anonymous Red Cross worker in a war-torn area no one will have heard of.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

Not living up to what I believe.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?

Lazy thinking.

What is your most treasured possession?

My books.

Where would you like to live?

London: the greatest city in the world.

What would your super power be?

Shape-shifting.

What makes you depressed?

Not being creative.

What do you most dislike about your appearance?

I would like to be taller, thinner and more rakish looking.

Who would play you in the film of your life?

I would.

What is your most unappealing habit?

I am very impatient.

Cat or dog?

Dog. My tragedy is that all I want is a dog and yet I have been cursed with cats all my life.

What is your favourite smell?

My daughter when she's just come out of the bath.

What is your favourite word?

Discombobulated.

What is your favourite book?

The Hero With A Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell.

What is your fancy dress costume of choice?

Alex from A Clockwork Orange.

What is the worst job you've done?

Picking up litter from the side of a motorway at 6am, while it was freezing cold and pouring with rain. I was 17.

If you could go back in time, where would you go?

Elizabethan England: I would want to meet Shakespeare.

What is the worst thing anyone's said to you?

I've obviously totally repressed it and one day when I'm standing on the top of Tesco shooting at strangers with a rifle, I will suddenly be shouting it out.

What is your guiltiest pleasure?

Listening to music that is considered very uncool, such as ELO and Enya.

What do you owe your parents?

Everything, really. My dad is a Jack Nicholson lookalike and a frustrated performer, my mother's into reading and poetry. I suppose the thing I owe them most is my confidence.

Who would you invite to your dream dinner party?

Carl Jung, Joseph Campbell, Laurence Olivier, Albert Einstein, Buster Keaton and Stephen Fry.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

I think I say 'wow' too much.

What has been your biggest disappointment?

Welsh rugby since the 70s.

When did you last cry, and why?

This sounds incredibly pretentious - last night reading Shadowplay by Clare Asquith, which is about the coded politics and hidden beliefs in Shakespeare's plays. I cried when I read about him finishing The Tempest and having to stop doing the thing he most loved in the world.

How do you relax?

Reading.

How often do you have sex?

As often as I can.

What is the closest you've come to death?

I had a near-death experience when I was 24. It's a very, very long story.

What single thing would improve the quality of your life?

Seeing my daughter more.

What song would you like played at your funeral?

The End by the Doors.

Where would you most like to be right now?

Nowhere other than where I am.

Tell us a secret

After today, I have no clean underwear left.

[dog-ending]

ngl oneof my guiltiest pleasures is seeing a really really obvious troll post/hyperbolic shitpost, and then going through the notes to find the Discourse™ from people who took every single word with absolute seriousness at face value and bone up on the wildest, spiciest, most incomprehensible takes the likes of which you could never dream

like you'll see a post thats like "ummmmm green socks are homophobic and sexist and if you have ever worn just one green sock even once youre a racist uwu" and the notes will be swarmed with "UM ACTUALLY IM GAY AND MY DEAD MOM BOUGHT ME THOSE SOCKS" and genuine fighting and hurt feelings over it will be all over the notes, even if they agree green socks arent a problem they'll find something in it to be mad about i love that shit

if youre lucky you get to see someone be like "guys its a troll" and a ton of rbs like "but who would do that??? just go tell lies on the internet??? who does that????" or "but a girl at my school actually said this once (i think, my friend said she did anyway) so its a real and serious problem!!!"