#nye 2017 blogging

[haveyouseenthisseries-poll]

This blog is officially 6 months old!

With over 1000 polls posted and more than 2500 submissions received, I think it's time for a little recap of all the data I collected thanks to all of you!

Starting with some fun facts, the countries of origin of the series submitted are the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan!

Under the cut I've compiled the 10 Most Avoided and 10 Most Watched series of Tumblr, according to the results I've received these past months. ^^

> Thanks, but No

Despite being generally well known, there's something about these series that simply didn't captivate the Tumblr population. Here are the 10 Most Avoided shows of Tumblr! Well! There's other sites.

10. Cowboy Bebop (2021) with 72.2% "No" results;

9. Euphoria (2019) with 72.4% "No" results;

8. The Sopranos (1999) with 73.7% "No" results;

7. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (2022) with 73.8% "No" results;

6. Ahsoka (2023) with 74% "No" results;

5. She-Ra: Princess of Power (1985) with 74.3% "No" results;

4. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022) with 74.4% "No" results;

3. 13 Reasons Why (2017) with 75.5% "No" results;

2. Young Sheldon (2017) with 75.9% "No" results;

And our unhonourable champion, Battlestar Galactica (1978) with 77.2% "No" results!

> THEE Hall of Fame. Like for Real

Now unto the actual Tumblr Royalty, these are the Top 10 Most Watched series as of April 26 2024! :)

10. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) with 47.2% "Yes" results;

9. Gravity Falls (2012) with 49% "Yes" results;

8. Our Flag Means Death (2022) with 50.1% "Yes" results;

7. Danny Phantom (2003) with 51.1% "Yes" results;

6. Sherlock (2010) with 54.5% "Yes" results;

5. Over the Garden Wall (2014) with 54.5% "Yes" results;

4. Bill Nye the Science Guy (1993) with 56.4% "Yes" results;

3. The Good Place (2016) with 56.6% "Yes" results;

2. Steven Universe (2013) with 68.6% "Yes" results;

And our reigning champion, monarch of Tumblr culture, is Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005) with 74.1% "Yes" results!!

Thank you everyone who has voted or submitted, running this blog has been quite fun and it couldn't have lasted this long without all of you! I look forward to the months to come, and to collect even more sweet, sweet data. ^^

[ingravinoveritas]

Firstly i dont think she adjusted since moving to the UK what do u think?

And secondly this post feels that its all about her again like and the character is based on her in real life but the project was longed talk about in 2017 as michael said on the Graham norton show to which michael was with Sarah at that point. It's again trying to be the centre of attention again and stay irrelevant just cos she not getting it from michael

What ur thoughts on this recent of post of Al

So, apologies that it took me all week to answer this--I feel like the entirety of the month of February has just caught up with me, which essentially feels like a lot of tiredness hitting all at once.

I did see this on Monday, however, and I just...am again at something of a loss. I got a bit down on myself over my response to her Insta story from the first preview of Nye and thinking I was overreacting/reading too much into things...and then this happens.

The first thing I would say is that I agree with you that AL is making it all about her again. The post itself comes across as PR, which it likely was because Georgia also shared the same clip that day--albeit with a caption that was actually about Michael/centered on the show. And the contrast becomes even more stark when you look at this post from Caroline Sheen. Caroline is Michael's cousin and she had a small role in The Way, and her post is much more personal and essentially what you would expect from someone who is close to someone in the production. Which subsequently makes AL's post look even more like PR in comparison.

But I think what irritates me the most about Anna's post is that it's yet another instance of her making a dig at Wales. Talking of patterns as I tend to do, she did this previously in September of last year (the #FromManhattantoTonypandy hashtag), and in both of these cases it's her reminding everyone of where she lived before, and likely where she still wishes she lived. In thinking of your initial question, AL may have adjusted to Wales in some ways, but it's clearly not where she belongs or thinks she belongs. I've written previously on my blog about her likely thinking she would be living the celebrity life in New York or London, and Wales was almost certainly a place she didn't even know existed until Michael. So this entire post feels like it's tinged with passive-aggressive resentment as a result.

Let me be clear: In no way do I think that moving to a new country is an easy thing, and it is more than understandable that someone might not love every single thing about the place in which they live, especially if they are an outsider coming from a completely different culture. But the thing is, The Way is literally about Wales. It is entirely focused on Welsh identity and history, and it is a project into which Michael has poured a tremendous amount of his passion and energy and time, which speaks to what you mentioned about him talking about this since 2017.

Why, then, would you make such a snarky comment on a post promoting a show so centered on Wales? That your own partner directed, no less? At best, it comes across as thoughtless and self-centered, and at worst, as deliberately disrespectful.

I can also fully understand why Michael put out a tweet of his own promoting the second episode less than an hour after Anna posted that story. If we are to say that Georgia is a good representative for David on social media--which she arguably is, most of the time--then Anna, by contrast, is the worst possible representative for Michael. And a post like the one above only further highlights how mismatched and wrong for each other they truly are. I also think it's pained him to refrain from tweeting for this long, and now he finally has a reason to start again, for which both we and Michael can be thankful.

So yes, those are my thoughts on AL's story from earlier this week. Glad to hear from my followers as well about your reactions to this. Thank you for writing in! x

[bcacstuff]

P returns with an absolute made up lie of Sam spending nye abroad with a lady.. she’s got issues. Makes me more thankful for your account

He hasn't spent NYE with a lady since 2016 with MM!

31 dec 2016 : with MM switzerland 31 dec 2017 : LA alone sounding melancholic later we knew he visited DG also at this time around 31 dec 2018 : lay low home as was filming SAS. Went asap after NYDay back to London then Paris. 31 dec 2019 : was spotted in Yorkshire. All evening on sm. Eda next day so home 31 dec 2020 : tons of sm home resting after love again shooting 31 dec 2021 : QT LA and Marina 31 dec 2022 : London with Nics and Matt

So no idea what makes her claim this:

Thought she'd only be back when she could post what wasn't on other blogs?

Yes, spending Christmas with his family she already heard because it was posted on my blog. She can assume all she wants, but that doesn't make a scoop either. And as you can see above (and you can look it all up if you need to) shows last time he spent NYE with a lady friend was in 2016 and he's not spending his NYE 'always abroad' as you can see as well! What happened to her 'I'm only interested in FACTS'! Maybe she first should get her facts straight before she posts...

And a Happy New Year to her as well! Just because I'm a nice woman 😉

[luca10086]

White Tree 2

This week, the official animation production begins. In this blog, I will record in detail the difficulties I encountered during the production process and the new skills I learned. According to the content of the poem, the animation is mainly divided into three parts. The first part mainly describes the changes of the white tree, including the animation of branches and leaves and the animation of the owl's flight.

In the animation, I use the strategy of dividing the main screen into many small screens to display the animation. This strategy can show the development of the story through different shots at the same time, and divided shooting is also to better display details, which can help enrich the content of the animation. According to the article of Kumar, separate small screens help the audience to capture the actors' expressions without missing too many details because of the large stage or screen, which will undoubtedly greatly enhance the viewing experience.

The animation also includes the animation of owl flight. The movement mode and trajectory of animals are completely different with human beings, which is not my field. I watched many flight videos of birds and searched the flight decomposition diagram, which helped me complete this part of animation well.

In the third part of the animation, the poem mentions four different kinds of trees, and I drew the animation according to the different characteristics of these trees. For example, the maple leaf has a very unique five-pointed star-shaped leaf, which is also the biggest characteristic of the maple leaf.

Reference:

Kumar, M., Gandhi, V., Ronfard, R. and Gleicher, M. (2017). Zooming On All Actors: Automatic Focus+Context Split Screen Video Generation. Computer Graphics Forum, 36(2), pp.455–465. doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/cgf.13140.

www.youtube.com. (n.d.). ‘All the World’s a Stage’ by William Shakespeare. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jaSFtcDEiE.

www.youtube.com. (n.d.). ‘Kindness’ by Naomi Shihab Nye, A Poetry Film by Ana Pérez López. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFLQOOiAqxQ [Accessed 28 Nov. 2023].

www.youtube.com. (n.d.). Bird Flying Animation. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMSYC4U5I4o [Accessed 1 May 2024].

[drakternfl2]

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes står overfor utfordringen som en rookie-quarterback

Siden Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady offisielt kunngjorde pensjonisttilværelsen, har Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes blitt den nye etterfølgeren. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes ledet Kansas City Chiefs til tre Super Bowl-seire på fem år, og hans antall mesterskap overstiger det for mange NFL-veteraner. Årets NFL Draft har produsert rookie-quarterbacks som følte seg stolte da de hentet NFL Drakter sine på banen.

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes ser frem til nybegynner-quarterbacks blir med i NFL, og han ser enda mer frem til å konkurrere med dem i fremtiden. Faktisk, etter at Patrick Mahomes ble valgt ut av Kansas City Chiefs i 2017, trodde mange fans at dette var det verste valget. Nå kan Kansas City Chiefs stolt fortelle alle fansen at de valgte den øverste quarterbacken i ligaen. Patrick Mahomes' suksess kommer fra agenten hans, Leigh Steinberg, som er veldig klar over de gunstige alternativene for nybegynnere i NFL. Agent Leigh Steinberg mener det er viktigere å velge riktig lag enn draftvalg. Han foretrekker at unge Patrick Mahomes kan bli med på det rette laget som en rookie, i stedet for å bry seg om nivået på draftvalgene.

Quarterbacks har alltid vært i fokus i NFL-draften, men det er svært få high-draft-quarterbacks som kan utvikle talentene sine. Patrick Mahomes har endelig en Kansas City Chiefs Drakter i draften, og han trenger en hovedtrener som vet hvordan han skal utvikle quarterbackpotensialet. Han trenger et erfarent lag, en utmerket offensiv linje og gode lagkamerater. Uansett hvilken enestående rookie-quarterback som kommer i draften, kan de bare jage prestasjonene til Patrick Mahomes.

[misskstravels]

Bali for Christmas and NYE

Bali has long been known for it's warm weather, friendly locals, dazzling beach clubs and cheap but delicious food. It has been, and still is, a favourite destination for many Australians due to these reasons, and the fact that Bali is very close and the flight is very short.

Since I lived in the Middle East for most of my 20's, it never really crossed my mind to visit Bali on a proper vacation, as Europe was closer, and so that was where I mainly went in my leisure time. I did go once on vacation in 2017 with my parents, and it was nothing short of amazing, but I hadn't visited since then unless it was a short 20 hour layover with the airline I was working for.

This time, I went with my partner and some of his family, so there was quite a big group of us. The first week we stayed at a beautiful resort built in the late 80's called Merusaka, originally called INAYA Putri Bali, and we were there for Christmas. The first week consisted of lots of beach walks, margaritas by the pool, reading, working out, and for Christmas - a big luxurious lunch at the beautiful St Regis Bali. The only complaint any of us had was that air conditioning was not working in our rooms as it should, so we were often sweating in our hotel rooms! However, the resort's staff were always smiling and ready to assist, the pools were clean and a good temperature, the food and drink was all included and had a great variety, and the beach was in close proximity to the resort, so daily walks were very enticing.

Nusa Dua is best for: relaxing at your resort and/or spending your days at the beach, as it isn't too heavy on nightlife or partying (that's not to say that you can't do those things in Nusa Dua).

The second week, we spent at a gorgeous villa in the heart of Canggu, which I'll be making a seperate post about as it amongst the nicest accommodation I've ever stayed at! We stayed directly across from Finns Beach Club, and the biggest beach club in the world (or so they say) Atlas Beach Club, but luckily we couldn't hear the loud music as we slept in our luxurious queen bed. Also, the air conditioning was set to a perfect 18 degrees, so entering the room was the most refreshing and satisfying feeling, and made it so ideal for sleeping. Canggu, like Nusa Dua, is great for beach goers, as well as those who love to party. I'm not quite the party girl anymore (I did most of that in my early-mid 20's), but I appreciated the variety of things to see and do in the beautiful coastal village. I got hooked on coconut water and pampering myself, and didn't drink as much alcohol as I anticipated. However, this was due to the food poisoning, Bali belly, or stomach bug (I still don't know what it was) that I got while I was over there. I never felt so sick - vomiting violently all throughout the night after a week of being nauseous. And that really, was the only downside of my week in Canggu.

Canggu is best for: nightlife, boutique shops, trendy cafes/restaurants, and surf.

In conclusion: my two week holiday to Bali was fulfilling - I got to unwind and relax, get pampered (Bali massages are not to miss), eat great food, learn more about the Balinese culture and people, and just switch off from reality back home.

Next on the blog: I will be talking about my stunning villa in Canggu, which I cannot stop going on about to this day!

Katrina xx

[infanciaeluto]

Indicações & Curiosidades

Oi!

Pra concluir e fechar o nosso blog com chave de ouro, nesse post eu vou trazer algumas curiosidades e vídeos sobre o assunto discutido ao longo desse blog: o luto infantil.

Nessas matérias nós podemos ler que as culturas vivenciam o luto de formas diferentes. No México, por exemplo, existe o “día de los muertos” que é uma data em que os mortos podem vir “visitar” seus parentes que ainda estão vivos. Os mexicanos acreditam que a morte não é motivo de sofrimento, é motivo de alegria, festa e celebração da vida. Esse tipo de celebração é uma forma de preparar as crianças para o inevitável.

🍿 indicação de filme 🍿

Apesar da proibição da música por gerações de sua família, o jovem Miguel sonha em se tornar um músico talentoso como seu ídolo Ernesto de la Cruz. Desesperado para provar seu talento, Miguel se encontra na deslumbrante e colorida Terra dos Mortos. Depois de conhecer um charmoso malandro chamado Héctor, os dois novos amigos embarcam em uma jornada extraordinária para desvendar a verdadeira história por trás da história da família de Miguel.

Viva - A Vida É Uma Festa (2017)

📕 Indicação de Livros 📕

• Já parou para pensar aonde vão as meias sem par? A areia da praia levada pelo vento? E o barulho, quando tudo fica em silêncio? Esses são alguns dos mistérios que a vida distribui aos montes, e a verdade é que a algumas perguntas nem mesmo os adultos conseguem responder com certeza. A mais difícil talvez seja esta: para onde vão as coisas, e as pessoas, quando não estão mais aqui? Cada um tem uma resposta diferente, mas, já que ninguém sabe ao certo qual é a certa, podemos dar asas à imaginação e inventar mil e uma possibilidades!

Livro por Isabel Minhós Martins e Madalena Matoso (2011)

• Mabel vivia fazendo perguntas, desde a hora que acordava até a hora de dormir. Sua curiosidade não tinha limites. Como presente de aniversário, ela ganha um lindo peixinho, que se torna seu melhor amigo, a ponto de saber o segredo mais precioso de Mabel. Um dia, porém, a menina se espanta ao perceber que perdeu seu amigo para sempre. Depois de viver uma bonita amizade, ela também irá aprender a superar a dor da perda.

Livro por Conceil Corrêa Ribeiro, Nye (2020)

• A vida é cheia de encontros. E também de perdas. Às vezes, a gente perde coisas insignificantes: um lápis ou um objeto qualquer. Mas podemos perder coisas bem mais valiosas, como a saúde ou uma pessoa querida. Vazio conta a história de uma menina que consegue superar essa tristeza, dando um novo sentido às suas perdas.

Livro por Anna Llenas (2018)

Baseia-se na compreensão dos quatro pilares que apoiam os estudos sobre a elaboração do luto por parte das crianças: universalidade, que é a compreensão de que todos os seres vivos devem morrer um dia; irreversibilidade, o fato de que, uma vez morto, não se pode voltar à vida; cessação da vida corporal, a compreensão de que a morte envolve o fim de todas as funções corporais e dos órgãos; causalidade, que é a noção de que é precisamente a cessação das funções corporais que causa a morte. Este livro é um recurso para pais, educadores e terapeutas abordarem o tema com crianças de 4 a 12 anos e guiá-las neste doloroso, mas necessário, caminho da elaboração das perdas que acontecem na vida.

Livro por Carmem Beatriz Neufeld & Aline Henrique Reis

Por fim, eu quis trazer esse desenho animado bem didático criado pelo projeto hi88 que se iniciou na pandemia justamente pra auxiliar nesses assuntos mais delicados. Tem o livro também!

É isso, obrigada!!!

[plantsarefriendssometimesfood]

ʜᴇʀᴇ’s ᴛᴏ ʙʟᴏᴏᴍɪɴɢ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴇᴡ ʏᴇᴀʀ

[garthisart]

In 2017 for the first time in my family I lost lives. it’s a strange feeling to cope with, and puts perspective on everything… I’m unsure of how to even put in words this emotional state. I feel complete loss, and yet complete gain for knowing these people this world has sadly lost. New years is often a time to enjoy, but I feel so reflective and pensive at the thought of these beautiful people that no longer walk this earth. I know so deeply they are in us, and I can often feel them in the air; their spirits passing through. this precious life we lead, and how we lead it is what matters most. I’m still unsure of how to think or act, but i know that knowing these people has made me a better person. happy new year.

[murieldizon]

MY 2017 FAVORITES ♡

Just like any other year, 2017 is a year of ups and downs. This year, we faced many challenges, conquered them and learned from them. Another year that brought us new opportunities to grow and learn something about ourselves. As the year comes to an end, let me share everything that made my 2017 extra special!

ONE:  My Family

My Family will always have a special place in my heart. Just like any other family, mine isn’t perfect but this year I’ve come to terms with it. The past few years have been rough for my family but I’m glad we have survived those struggles and remained intact. I love how my family can be so forgiving, loving and accepting. Never take yours for granted! (Also, a short shout out to my dog, Max. Mommy loves you!!)

TWO:  My Graduation and College Diploma

First from my bucket list this year is to officially finish my degree. This is probably one of the things I’ve been looking forward to this year. My five-year stay in the University really did prepare me for what is to come in the corporate world so I didn’t really feel lost. In fact, I did feel a little bit excited. My diploma is my ticket to adulthood and independence and I didn’t waste any time using it. I am so glad that all my hard work paid off and finally, I made my parents really proud. I’m still so grateful to all who have helped me: my study buddies, my professors, my academic adviser, my parents, and of course, the hot flavorful coffee who kept me awake!

THREE:  Finishing my Term as Primera

Graduating college also means I get to finish my term as president to my organization. My term did help me a lot to know more about myself and my potential. I really did enjoy my term despite of my meltdowns. To be perfectly honest, nothing will ever compare to the wisdom and love that UP Photographers’ Society brought into my life. I am so thankful for this bunch and I promise to always be supportive of its endeavors and ideologies.

FOUR:   My First Job / Career

Okay, here’s something exciting! I have my first job. Wow! I really feel such an adult saying it. Haha! But kidding aside, my first job in a publishing company would have to be on my top favorites this year. It has always been a dream of mine to work in a magazine and the experience didn’t disappoint at all. Besides the amazing and creative office mates, I do enjoy the fact that I am able to contribute something wonderful and see my work being published. I do have other career-related plans in life that makes me more excited for 2018!

FIVE:  My College Friends

I made some pretty awesome friends this year!!! I wouldn’t elaborate much on this part but I am grateful for these people because they are my home away from home. I don’t know where to start but I’d like to let you all know that you should always cherish your friends. Introverts like me tend to take them for granted but I hope you make time for your friends and the people you love. Make sure you surround yourself with people who will help you stay grounded and will inspire you to become a better version of yourself.

SIX:  My High School Barkada and My Childhood Best friend

College took a huge chunk of my time and so this year, I am so happy that I get to spend a lot of my time with my high school barkada. We practically grew up together and they are my best friends. These people always motivate and inspire me to be better and to never give up on my life goals. When I was in college, I’d feel guilty when I couldn’t open up or even spend time with them, so now, I make sure to communicate and invest my time whenever I could to make this friendship work because I love them to death.

SEVEN:  Travels and New Adventures

I went to see more places this year! I went to Baguio with my high school barkada last January. It was a great year starter and I feel like this trip inspired me to make this year significant and memorable. I also went to Real Surf in Quezon with my college friends. It was probably the most chill hangout place I’ve been to so I recommend you try it. We took photos, swam in the ocean, ate delicious food, and waited for the sunrise and sunset. It was an amazing adventure! I celebrated my 22nd birthday at Tagaytay with my birthday buddy aka my boyfriend. We love staycations and we did just that. I also did short visits to Navotas and Malabon this year. I met so many people and they were all nice to me.

EIGHT:  Moving out and Living in Makati

One of my greatest escapes this year is probably moving out of our house and living on my own. (Well, not really on my own because I have roommates which I’d admit are so nice and caring.) But this is the first time I’m living away from my hometown and I am enjoying it. Every day, I get to have new experiences and I get to learn to be independent. I get to manage my own time, look out for myself and explore new places even if I’m alone. I’m glad I can have more ‘me’ time now.

NINE:   My Love

This year is the year I overcame my fear of commitments. My plot twist of 2017 is actually me entering in a romantic relationship. It’s actually funny how my boyfriend and I already planned to ask each other to be boyfriend and girlfriend on the same day. We were watching the sunset while listening to classical music by PhilHarmonic Orchestra. It was so romantic. After that, he asked if I wanted to grab coffee from this new local coffee shop (our favorite coffee shop now) and I can tell from his eyes and hands that he’s so nervous. The entire time, I was waiting for him to ask me. It was cute and lovely at the same time. We were walking home while holding hands. It was raining when he finally said ‘will you be my girlfriend?’ I stopped for a moment. Looked at him and smiled. I nodded and said ‘yes’. It was the first time I saw him with a really big smile on his face. He leaned forward to kiss me. We were quiet the whole walk home each wearing big smiles on our faces. It was simple, but all we ever need.

 TEN:  Mastering Self-Love

Lastly, this is the year I did love myself so much not because there’s no one out there who cares for me, but because I know I deserve the love and care I am willing to give to other people. I am proud to say that I am my own best friend now and I love myself. I am not perfect - far from it even but I am confident, I am stronger, I am free and most importantly, I am loved.

I hope your 2017 is as wonderful and amazing as mine. Let us not forget to appreciate the small things in life, celebrate our victories no matter how small they may seem, and to cherish the people around us. May you all grow in love and wisdom. See you in 2018!

Love always,

the great escapist.

[pabstbloribbon]

Have Hope for 2018

Ever since I can remember, I stayed up until midnight every year to watch the ball drop on Times Square. Last year was the first year I didn’t, because I knew 2017 was going to be bad.

An asshole President was going to take office, and that scared me more than anything. I knew thousands of people would be deported, more black people would be killed, women would continue to lose rights, and the LGBTQIA+ community was going to suffer even more.

Unfortunately, all of that happened. 2017 will go down as the worst year in my life. On top of social and political issues, my own life was also lacking in meaning. I no longer wanted to go to school, I broke down crying in my boss’s office, my boyfriend of 14 months broke my heart with cheating and lies, I failed my first college exam, a lot of my friends betrayed me, I lost an election horribly and was not appointed to anything, I was led on by countless guys, I was forced to relive trauma from childhood that has scarred me, I withdrew from my first class in college, I spent a summer working instead of relaxing, and I had to cut off various potential lovers and old “friends” for the way they treated me.

But 2018 is a redemption year. I’ve never been one to say “new year, new me,” but there’s something beautiful about the start of a new year: new election cycles, new semesters, new classes, new people, new experiences, new music, new things to counteract the old.

While there is a lot that will stay the same and a lot I cannot change, there is a lot coming that I can change.

So, what’s my New Years resolution? Its to be a fucking badass, feminist activist who doesn’t stand down from a fight. It’s to be able to tell when someone is mistreating me and saying, “I’m done,” without feeling guilty. It’s to enjoy nights out and nights in to the same effect. It’s to knock the GRE out of the ballpark, study abroad, and remind myself why I’m here and why it matters. It’s to use what I’ve learned from my research to start a campaign to fight for equality.

And I hope you will all join me.

2017 was a shit show, but that doesn’t mean 2018 or any other year from now on has to be.

I can do this.

You can do this.

We can do this.

[justanotherasianwithglasses]

Bye Bye 2017

Usually my Sunday posts are about places to go, things to see or just things I'm loving. But today I want to talk about 2018.

I'm probably not the most outgoing person but I definitely like to try new things, like this blog. But next year I want to do so many new things.

I love to travel, so 2018 is definitely the year I want to explore new countries, try new food and create more memories with the people I love. I want to write more blog posts, even if they don't get read because they're my way of capturing moments.

So whatever you want to do in 2018, big or small, don't think twice about it. Make 2018 better and more memorable then 2017!

//31st December 2017//

[elf2001]

📸✨ . . . #live #life #love #friends #night #adventure #nye #2017 #newyearseve #blog #blogger

[vsmallflames]

We haven’t posted to this page since Wake the Deaf became Various Small Flames. Oops. 

Anyway, now seems like a good time to mention our latest post, Yearbook 2017: Allstar Mixtape, a selection of songs from the past year, chosen by Erika (@thebigsleepy), designed to get you through New Years Eve.

Here’s to the class of 2017!

READ IT AND LISTEN NOW

[patheticmagnetic]

it’s a dark evening

You open the door to an abandoned house,a local legend type of house. The type children make up chants and stories about to scare each other. The lawn is overgrown and hasn’t been tended to in years, but it seems as if it was once a lush garden. You had to navigate through the overgrowth to get where you are. You take a deep breath. The wooden floor boards creek as you get your first view of the inside, there are cobwebs everywhere. Bugs scurry across the floor. What once was a fireplace is now boarded up. A once beautiful rug is now decaying and molding. Then you see it. A pile of what looks like corpses. But, they aren’t. The bodies are swaying and pulsing in their pile- they are all alive.

“What, what are you?” Your horrified voice croaks as your body is now paralyzed with fear, still leaning on the doorjamb.

“We are all the ones that got left behind in 2017.” The hive mind answers back.

[falselyprofound]

So a couple of weeks back, @unicornrepublic asked me what my top ten games of 2017 are. When I sat down to write the list it occurred to me that, even though this has been an extremely good year for games... I’ve finished (and liked) approximately jack shit.

It’s weird. I was so hyped for Hey Pikmin!, Persona 5, and Maggie’s Apartment, and I just... never finished any of them. Bloody hell. Also there’s at least one game I haven’t included here despite thoroughly enjoying, because I think we’d all prefer it if that stupid discourse stayed dead and buried.

So! uh, here’s my Personal Top Seven Games of 2017 (That I Have Played Enough Of To Actually Get A Good Feel For), presented in no particular order!

Stories Untold (No Code Games)

A collection of short horror games, ranging from psychological horror text adventures to strange sci-fi puzzles. While the overarching story is nothing to write home about (i.e.; the fourth episode is pretty fuckin’ shit), what’s here is solid and spooky.

I’m also a real sucker for the game design in the first two episodes. It’s always refreshing to see people take cues from seemingly “dead” genres like text adventures!

If you’d like to give it a shot before you buy it, the first episode (The House Abandon) is available for free on the game’s website.

RUMU (Robot House Games)

It’s the not-too-distant future, and you’re a vacuum cleaner. You were designed by eccentric scientist lovebirds Dave and Cecily for two purposes: to feel love, and to clean up their messes when they’re not around. ...Which is pretty often, but hey, at least the house AI Sabrina is there to chat with you.

Rumu is a short game, and a pretty pricey one at that. And while the gameplay isn’t much more creative than your average point-and-click... goddamn. I really loved the story.

It’s never easy seeing good intentions end in disaster.

Night in the Woods (Infinite Fall)

A story-based game with a few light platforming elements. Mae the cat drops out of college for reasons she can’t articulate, and moves back in with her parents in an attempt to get back on her feet. Things slowly begin to go off the rails, however, when she finds a severed arm on her walk home.

I’d been following this project for several years before it came out (roughly around the time of Lost Constellation’s release?), so I was a little nervous to see if the final product would live up to my hype. But, thankfully, it did.

I might not have been raised in small town America or moved out of home for college, but somehow I managed to find something to relate to in nearly every character in the game. Stargazing with Angus and lying on the couch with Bea remain two of my favorite scenes out of anything, ever.

...Honestly, the whole stargazing motif is just so beautifully done. I could ramble about it for ages, but I won’t, because this is getting long enough as-is.

The pacing of the actual ‘plot’ is... pretty weak. Especially if you went into this game expecting heavy thriller or horror elements. But honestly? That doesn’t matter much to me. I just liked hanging out with these characters. And while I haven’t had a chance to check out the Weird Autumn content update, I’d still really recommend this game as-is.

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser’s Minions (Nintendo)

A pretty gorgeous remaster of the original Superstar Saga, with a brand new, side story focusing on one very ordinary Goomba and his pals.

Superstar Saga was one of the very first roleplaying games I ever played as a kid, so this one is totally just a nostalgia pick on my part. The combat system is so goddamn interesting, it’s leaked into a number of my own projects.

Not all of the changes made to the game were for the better (such as the boring equipment screen and the inability to swap Bros. at will), but... goddamn. The animation is gorgeous. The music is gorgeous. And while Bowser’s Minions might be a totally brainless minigame, it is pretty hilarious.

West of Loathing (Asymmetric Games)

You know the saying “I could do this ‘til the cows come home”? Well. The cows have come home to the wild west, from Hell. Someone’s gotta beat them up, and that someone’s you.

Despite the game’s graphics being nothing but black-and-white stick figures, West of Loathing somehow manages to be one of the best open-world sandbox games I have ever played. Seriously. It’s hilarious when it wants to be, serious when it needs to be, provides players with alternate solutions to nearly every problem... And dare I say it, but the NPCs in WoL are really goddamn interesting and I’m attached to each and every one of them.

It’s just a really, really good way to unwind after a long day. Plus, unlike Kingdom of Loathing, I can play this without feeling the burning urge to be 100% efficient all the time.

The Sexy Brutale (Cavalier Games Studios)

All your friends at the Sexy Brutale casino are being violently murdered. That alone would be bad enough, but to make things worse, the day just won’t stop repeating. It’s up to you to do your priestly duties, figure out how to foil each and every murder, and finally end the day.

TSB is far from the perfect game that critics make it out to be, with really basic puzzles and an ending that didn’t really appeal to me. ...But if there’s two things I’m a slut for, it’s murder mysteries and time loops. It’s about goddamn time someone tried mashing the genres together!

Regardless on my opinion of the overall story, there’s so much symbolism and subtle foreshadowing going on, it’s a little hard for me not to be impressed. And the characters themselves are all varied and interesting and I love revisiting them (...even if it is just to watch them nearly die?). Worth checking out if you like jazzy soundtracks, showy casino aesthetics, weird murders, or experimental game mechanics.

Cuphead (Studio MDHR)

WELL CUPHEAD AND HIS PAL MUGMAN AND HIS PAL MUGMAN AND HIS PAL MUGMAN-- ahem

Look, chances are you already know what this game is about, but trust me, the hype is well-deserved.

I adore the set design. I adore the character animation. I adore the soundtrack. ...I do not adore certain RNG moves ([cough] expert cala maria [cough]), or the fact that prolonged play periods are probably a contributing factor in me gettin’ carpel tunnel.But hey! It’s a good game! I’ll live.