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liam-93-productions · 3 years

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This weekend it’s the UK’s biggest event on the entertainment calendar, with the 74th EE British Academy of Film and Television Awards taking place at the Albert Hall with guests and nominees attending virtually for the first time, thanks to Covid-19. And while the awards promise to be as exciting as possible in these unprecedented times, on Sunday night we will also be treated to another exciting world-first in the form of Liam Payne being beamed into houses up and down the country while performing for the opening of the ceremony.

Yup, if you’ve ever fancied the former One Direction crooner serenading you at the end of your bed, on Sunday you can make your dreams a reality – or augmented reality – as Liam has joined forces with the EE network to create a 3D avatar hologram of himself that can be beamed through the app ‘The Round’ (available on any mobile device) as he performs at the Albert Hall. Super fans can also get to experience the avatar in their homes, or on-the-go, ahead of the performance, if they tune in via the app at 6.45pm, 15 minutes before the hologram joins real Liam on stage to perform.

GLAMOUR caught up with Liam to discuss this sci-fi sounding excitement as well as hear how the past year has treated him. In a wide-ranging chat with the ever-charming Liam, we covered all things from the struggles of lockdown and coping with his mental health to his former bandmates, burgeoning acting career, new music (...).

Is the fact that you're performing at the BAFTAs a sign that your acting career is on the rise?

I've done a lot of auditions, a lot of tapes. The thing about acting somebody told me, it’s very much like: are you right for the part and is the part right for you? I think it takes a lot of talent, luck and judgment going into acting to actually get into a job. I mean, hat's off to anybody who does it because it's a long process. I seem to get through to like the final five or final three people for every role and then not quite get it. Which is frustrating but, you know, that’s how it goes. I've had a fair few auditions and I was lucky enough to get into the final five again for one audition that I got to meet Steven Spielberg [a couple of years ago] on my 25th birthday which was quite amazing. But it's been fairly slow through the pandemic obviously.

And what about music? Have you been writing anything, or even been in the studio?

I'm going to the studio later on today actually, to record something for the first time in a while. Which is quite weird to be traveling back into London to go into work. I've been doing some stuff from home as well, which has been quite interesting. Zoom sessions don't really work out all that well, it's very difficult. I'm sure a lot of musicians will agree. So, it's been kind of hard to work properly during this half of the pandemic. The other first half of the pandemic, I just did these live shows, which was really amazing to play live and do them online, which was kind of strange... It's been difficult in terms of the creative process for me.

The past year has been challenging for absolutely everyone, no matter their circumstances. How has it affected you on a personal and a professional level?

In the first half of it, I was so busy that I didn't really notice it as much, except for having to do a lot of stuff myself without crew and learning to do hair and makeup was kind of a weird experience. But then this second half, I stopped working and I had a full, proper month off [and that was] really hard. And it was all a bit dark for me for a little bit and I'm sure many people experienced it. Just not being able to go anywhere, not be able to do anything. It really, really hit home. And I just found myself sat in the same place day in, day out. And I was like, okay, I really do not know what to do with myself.

You’ve bravely spoken about struggling with your mental health in the past, and you say now that you did go into a bit of a dark place recently, how have you coped with that?

I think it's an ongoing experience. For me, learning to relax has always been quite a hard thing to do because I feel like if I'm not moving forward, then I must be going backwards. And I think that's something that I've always struggled with. So, in a way it's kind of a blessing in disguise, as this has all kind of taught me to relax a little bit more. And to not be so worried about that, like the world is not going to fall over if I don't do something today. So, it's been nice in that respect. But I think for a lot of people it's difficult, and I definitely took for granted how much I miss my family. I'm used to being away from home, I'm used to being abroad and not seeing very much of them. But I'd always see them at a show or at something once a year. And then now that that's all been taken away, it's been a lot to not see my family and realise how much they actually ground me.

So, what have you found helpful or supportive during the past year? Have you turned to anything to get you through these dark times?

Friends that are there for you... [talking to] one of my managers that I'm quite close with. I think a lot of guys struggle to talk about what the hell is going on a lot of the time. And for me and him, actually we're quite heart on our sleeves sort of people, so we talk a lot about different things. But I think if I didn't have that, someone to share that with, I think I would have struggled a hell of a lot more.

Like a mental health mate?

I mean, we literally talk about everything. We're probably too honest with each other! But I think it's important that everybody has that person. I'll be honest, at the start of this, drinking definitely became a lot more of a thing because there just didn't seem to be any boundaries. I wouldn't say I drank too much, I'd say I drank too often. Just through the boredom, I guess. A lot of people were going through that though I think - there was so many funny, great memes about it I saw friends of mine put up. But it can be quite dark at times. I think the only thing that's really helped me through that is just learning to work out again and learning to put boundaries in for myself in terms of what food I'm eating. As a pop star, I think you're always quite weight conscious. My job has always been about having to work out, doing underwear modelling and all that sort of thing, it makes you quite body conscious at times. It was nice to be able to just sit and eat pizza and chocolate, I really enjoyed that. But getting myself back into the habit of working out and then having a cheat day put in place, so that there was more boundaries in line, I think has definitely helped me.

I'm quite fortunate that I don't put a stack of weight on, although I have gone up rather a lot in size over this time. But I think it was more about routine for me than anything. And I always say, having a small victory before you get into bed at night time. Or life just gets depressing. Whether that small victory is making sure you've spoken to a family member, you've worked out, or whether you did learn to do something today, just something small. There's one task that you literally can't be arsed with, you should get done just on the day, so that you feel good about yourself when you get into bed.

That's so important. So, do you almost have a checklist before you go to bed?

I think as long as I make the gym and I've done that bit and I've taken care of my needs, just cooked some nice food. That's mainly it for me, really. And then I feel good about it. (...)

(...)

Moving on to social media, you've obviously got such a massively positive fan base, but how do you cope with the negative side of social media and the impact that can have on your mental health?

I struggled with it for a long time. I argued with people. I was aggressive on their points trying to fight my own side. And I think for some people you are talking to a brick wall, you will not win and there's no point trying. And also, the more you talk about it, the worse it gets. So, I just shut up and put up a lot of the time. I think it's the Queen that says, "never complain or never explain." And that's something I think myself I do live by because it's just like, with some people it gets worse having the argument and trying to explain yourself. But all of it, it's like five minutes of your life for somebody who doesn't know you, it's just a bit pointless.

You have so much intense public scrutiny on you all the time, how do you navigate keeping something back for yourself, and how have you managed to maintain that sense of privacy over the years?

I think this has been one of my biggest struggles this whole time. Because, I'm very much a heart on the sleeve sort of person. I didn't actually realize this for a long time, but I often give a little bit too much away…But it's definitely a difficult one to flick the two people apart. So that you're on stage, you're a certain type of person, and at home you're a certain type of person. That's always something I've really struggled with.

And you've been famous since the age of 16. How did you manage growing up in that sort of public glare?

Never did! [laughs] My friend was [recently] talking about how he’s got a teenage son that he was really struggling with at the moment. And I was thinking, "oh my God, imagine how much people would have struggled having five teenagers, rowdy boys in a band. It must've been terrible, there's no getting through to them!" And for a while, it probably was. I think we all go through that awkward teen phase where you're finding yourself. And most of us, we get to get away with it. And they're funny family photos for later on; here was your emo phase or whatever you went through! And for us, we never got away with being awkward or annoying at points. It was kind of out there for everyone to see; the awful haircuts and we’re talking terrible clothes, it was all out there.

What has your career taught you about the idea of success and the idea of failure?

I think it's taught me lots about how you would measure success. I came from a family that weren't very well off. We didn't have a lot. My dad was in debt actually when I started. So, success for me always meant a monetary thing to start off with. But then as I got older, I realized I don't really buy all that much. I don't really spend a hell of a lot of money. So, it can't be about a money sort of thing. And it's more now become more about happiness and experiences. And the one thing I always say about my job, no matter what, and everybody gets annoyed at their job sometimes, it is what it is. But for me, at least I get to put a smile on someone's face.

Yes, you do! And what has it taught you about failure?

That's a really good question. It’s taught me I think that perseverance will always prevail in that sense. Because it doesn't always go exactly to plan. We were really lucky when we came up, we absolutely skyrocketed. And then, it's been hard to follow that ever since. But you know, measuring a failure as well. What is a failure? And people will look at this and, for us sometimes getting a 100,000,000 streams isn't quite what we aim for, but it's still 100,000,000 streams….you have to kind of get a hold of yourself. Everything is about perspective at the end of the day, isn't it? That was something I struggled with for a long time, because of how well it went [for the band.]

So you had such high expectations for everything?

Yeah. And it's like, time to give that a break really. And Louis from my band has always been quite great to sit with me and talk with me about stuff. And if I'm feeling a certain way. We've been quite good with each other, actually in that respect and helping each other out, which has been nice.

And finally, if you could sit down with the Liam who was starting out in One Direction in 2010, what advice would you have for him?

I think just have more fun and relax a little bit. I think I was a very serious child, one of those man-childs, I was a man in a child's body pretty early on. And I think I would have avoided that stage, to be honest with you. To enter One Direction as that difficult, because it just meant that I got completely a different job to everybody else.

You were the grown up one?

That was it. And it was boring. I should have just larked around and thrown plates out the window and stuff!

More rock and roll?

Well, I mean at the start, and then later on a bit less rock and roll [laughing.]

Well, thank you so much, Liam. And we look forward to seeing your performance on Sunday at the BAFTAs.

I'll see you wherever you want me in your house, I guess.

Liam Payne is performing an exclusive EE BAFTA AR real-time music performance, ahead of his 5G-powered opening show at the 2021 EE BAFTA Film Awards. Download ‘The Round’ app to enjoy the live AR experience through your mobile phone, wherever you are, this Sunday 11th April 2021 at 18:45pm BST.

#liam payne #liam's interviews #glamour uk #ee baftas #07.04.2021

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lilothrowbacks · 3 years

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Is the fact that you're performing at the BAFTAs a sign that your acting career is on the rise?

And what about music? Have you been writing anything, or even been in the studio?

The past year has been challenging for absolutely everyone, no matter their circumstances. How has it affected you on a personal and a professional level?

You’ve bravely spoken about struggling with your mental health in the past, and you say now that you did go into a bit of a dark place recently, how have you coped with that?

So, what have you found helpful or supportive during the past year? Have you turned to anything to get you through these dark times?

Like a mental health mate?

That's so important. So, do you almost have a checklist before you go to bed?

I think as long as I make the gym and I've done that bit and I've taken care of my needs, just cooked some nice food. That's mainly it for me, really. And then I feel good about it. And obviously taking care of my son and seeing Bear as well, that's been quite a difficult one. I got a lot better at bedtime FaceTime.

How have you found co-parenting Bear during the pandemic?

Fantastic. I mean, Cheryl is literally the best person to co-parent with. No stress involved. It's very, very relaxed, and we spend a lot of time on FaceTime. And it's been really lovely, and I'm closer to them than I've ever been before, actually, which is really, really nice. But bedtime FaceTime can go really well sometimes. Or I bought him some toys yesterday that I showed them on the FaceTime and it was like I had to go and travel over and hand the toys over the fence!

Moving on to social media, you've obviously got such a massively positive fan base, but how do you cope with the negative side of social media and the impact that can have on your mental health?

You have so much intense public scrutiny on you all the time, how do you navigate keeping something back for yourself, and how have you managed to maintain that sense of privacy over the years?

And you've been famous since the age of 16. How did you manage growing up in that sort of public glare?

What has your career taught you about the idea of success and the idea of failure?

Yes, you do! And what has it taught you about failure?

So you had such high expectations for everything?

And finally, if you could sit down with the Liam who was starting out in One Direction in 2010, what advice would you have for him?

You were the grown up one?

That was it. And it was boring. I should have just larked around and thrown plates out the window and stuff!

More rock and roll?

Well, I mean at the start, and then later on a bit less rock and roll [laughing.]

Well, thank you so much, Liam. And we look forward to seeing your performance on Sunday at the BAFTAs.

I'll see you wherever you want me in your house, I guess.

7.4.2021

#liam payne #glamour magazine uk #articles #070421

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nerdtrash-iteration · 5 years

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(Re)watching Doctor Who: series 7

Alright onto Matt Smith’s final series. I had heard a lot of complaints about this series before diving in but I wanted to keep an open mind about it. Let’s go.

Series 7 (Eleventh Doctor) Part 1 7.X1: The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe I honestly really like this Christmas special. It isn’t one of the better ones but I think it’s charming for what it is. I really like the forest setting and the digger crew, they had loads of personality. I love how protective the mother is of her kids. I really like the pseudo Time Vortex used at the end and the happy ending it brings. Yeah the kids aren’t amazing characters and the plot is a bit all over the place, but I still really liked it. Also the ending scene with the Ponds is really touching. 7.1: Asylum of the Daleks This gave me a bit of tonal whiplash seeing Amy and Rory broken up all of a sudden. And I was dreading another Dalek story. But I really liked it! I love the creepy setting, the interactions between Amy and Rory and this is the first time I’ve been excited about a Dalek story in ages. Loved this first version of Clara. The ending really surprised me and really got me emotional :( Overall a decent start to series 7. 7.2: Dinosaurs on a Spaceship Mixed but mostly positive feelings on this episode. I think the villain and the plot aren’t great and definitely could have done some tidying up. But I do like the goofy tone and the new characters we meet. Especially Rory’s dad, a legend. 7.3: A Town Called Mercy Ugggghhhhhhh. Again there’s that bias against stories set in America. I do like some things about it. Love seeing the Doctor angry and trying to enact moral judgment. Some interesting ethical stuff at play here. This guy is a doctor helping people but he is a war criminal. But I just found it mostly underwhelming. Didn’t care for the cyborg nor the setting. 7.4: The Power of Three Disappointed this wasn’t the 3rd episode in series 7, would have really been good timing. Anyway I’m very fond of this episode. Love Rory’s dad again, love the slow pace allowing the characters to have meaningful interactions. I like that it’s addressed that Amy and Rory really do have the ability to spend weeks away from their “normal” time apparently without missing anything. The ending is pretty weak but I have heard there were production issues around that so I’ll forgive it. This is a bit of a frustrating episode in the context of the next one when you look at the arc of the Ponds, but I do like it on its own. 7.5: The Angels Take Manhattan I remember friends of mine being devastated when this episode aired. So I know this is the last episode the Ponds appear in and I know what’s happens to them in the graveyard at the end. But I was really impressed with the use of time travel in the episode’s plot, especially how the novel predicts what happens. I was annoyed at how inconsistent the Angels were at times. In the scene before Amy and Rory jump, there were plenty of times where no-one was looking at the Statue of Liberty Angel. Why didn’t it take them then??? Also while I love the episode on its own, it is strange in the context of the Ponds’ arc. These last few episodes have had them conflicted on whether they should continue travelling with the Doctor. In the previous episode, they decide they will. And now they’re dead. Just seems a bit jarring with its pacing. But overall I do love this episode. Part 2 7.X2: The Snowmen Damn, do I have mixed feelings on this episode. I think I saw bits of it at the time of airing? Anyway I really don’t care for the Snowmen, the ice nanny nor the Great Intelligence. I only really cared for the Great Intelligence as a character in The Name of the Doctor. Most of the time I found him really boring. Anyway plenty of positive things in this episode. Love Matt Smith’s Victorian garb. Really like this new version of Clara and the use of the Paternoster gang, especially Strax. Also I will always be mesmerised by the scene where Clara ascends the spiral staircase through the clouds up to the TARDIS. The whole double life things she has going is a bit weird, didn’t really get that. 7.6: The Bells of Saint John Yiiiiiiiiiiikes. This single episode made it very clear to me why so many Doctor Who fans hate series 7b. This version of Clara really ain’t it so far, but I think that’s mostly down to this really bizarre script. Clara being someone in her mid 20s who doesn’t know how to connect to WiFi, Jesus Christ. I know it was 2013 but STILL. Also she makes ONE JOKE about Twitter and the Doctor responds with “Omg you’re a genius now, how can that be”. I hated that. Had anyone in their mid 20s actually glanced at this script? I thought the WiFi plot was ehh. But it was quite chilling to see how it ended. With the villain being reduced to a child state, that was really sad. I also really liked the TARDIS appearing on a plane, with Clara still holding her cup of tea. And the Doctor cycling up the Shard. It’s unfortunate that Clara outsmarting the bad guys is nullified by the fact that her intelligence is not her own here. Anyway a very frustrating start to series 7b. 7.7: The Rings of Akhaten This episode was definitely an improvement to me over the very shaky start. Clara has a bit more to do here, we see some depth with how she feels about her mother’s death. I really like Akhaten as a setting. The monster is alright, not amazing but I’ll take it. I also like some of the interactions the Doctor and Clara have. Overall a decent step forward. 7.8: Cold War Oh no, here we go again. Nothing really glaringly bad about this episode but I just found it really lackluster and boring. I felt Clara went a step backwards here and didn’t have much to do. Setting didn’t really interest me. I did actually like Clara’s interactions with the trapped Ice Warrior. That was cool. 7.9: Hide This! This is a decent one for me in series 7b. I adore the authenticity with the ghost hunters’ costumes and equipment. I really felt like I was watching a 70s horror film. This is one of those rare cases for me where giving a sci-fi explanation to something supernatural makes it more interesting. I thought the pocket dimension was creepy and I loved the future-dweller’s use in the story. Few quibbles being I didn’t think the ghost hunters had quite enough chemistry. Also I found the rules of the episode a bit inconsistent. Apparently it’s near impossible for the TARDIS to survive long in the pocket dimension. And yet it gets in there twice? 7.10: Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS Another episode I have mixed feelings on. FIrstly I adore the setting. I love being reminded that the TARDIS is a truly complex and dangerous beast to be in the belly of, especially when it is being threatened. I liked that the Doctor and Clara have some solid interactions here, with the Doctor venting his frustration at her constant reappearances as different people. I really liked the group’s future selves being used as the villains. I thought the resolution was okay, could have been a bit more interesting. I didn’t super care for the three brothers in this storyline and thought lying to one about being an android really took me out of it. But decent overall. 7.11: The Crimson Horror Ahhhhhh, I really wanted to like this episode. I really like how it starts with the Doctor and Clara being absent for a while and seeing how the mystery unfolds. I like the Paternoster gang and I really think the villain’s plan is interesting. A religious cult foretelling the apocalypse and building a perfect town for select members. And then causing said apocalypse. But when the Doctor and Clara return it all goes to hell. I hated the Doctor kissing Jenny Flint, that was really out of place. As well as the erection joke, just why. I found the villain extremely cartoonish and not in an enjoyable way. She literally says “Die, you freaks!” towards the end. Also Clara really was not it in this episode. I thought the weird parasite thing was pretty cool though, right level of creepy. And I liked the scarred daughter getting her revenge. But overall a very frustrating episode. 7.12: Nightmare in Silver God, this episode annoyed me so much. I really wanted to like it. It had a really good creepy setting. Good way to bring the Cybermen back. I liked some of the side characters, particularly the emperor in hiding. But God, I hated the kids in this story. They just suck. Super annoying. Really didn’t need to be there. Also I wasn’t into the Doctor/Cybercontroller interactions. There wasn’t enough of a distinction for me to take it seriously. It just felt like Matt Smith talking to himself and trying to sound menacing. 7.13: The Name of the Doctor And we’re at the end of this strange series of Doctor Who! I think this is a pretty solid end. I was sick of Trenzalore being referred to and not making sense but I’m glad we got some clarity on it here. I liked the use of the psychic conference call and the Paternoster gang’s involvement. I thought the Whisper Men were decently creepy. Really liked the idea of the TARDIS’ exterior growing. And I was glad that Clara’s multiple lives were finally explained. And I felt it worked pretty well. And it was a lovely tribute to the series as a whole, seeing her with multiple Doctors. My main quibble is that Jenny was revived really quickly after the Whisper Men killed her?? That was quite frustrating. Overall I didn’t hate this series. But I did see why so many were frustrated by it. There are some decent stories in here but there’s also a whole lot of mess as well.

#Doctor Who #Doctor Who series 7 #Doctor Who recap

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lightsandlostbells · 6 years

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Skam Italia episode 7 reaction

Edoardo: looking good just by comparison.

Clip 1 - A sandwich and a spoon

This is not a substantial comment but Silvia’s sandwich made me hungry.

So Silvia made out with the famous Rocco Martucci? That was the guy eyeballing her? I guess since we got a visual, he can’t be Italian Julian Dahl.

If I didn’t know better from having seen where the storyline goes, I’d say Silvia does a fairly convincing job of acting like she doesn’t care about Edoardo. You know, except for the part where she’s already making travel plans to accompany them on their vacation.

Lmao, Silvia and Eleonora allowed this spoon sucking to go on when Martino was right there in their faces. I appreciated how awkward this scenario was and that like, none of them attempted to make small talk to distract from Fede’s innuendo.

Clip 2 - Skate park

That skate park looks fun. It kinda looks like a swimming pool that was converted into something else, based on the colors, but I’m assuming it was always a skate park. But on that note, the visuals and colors of Skam Italia are usually great. I’m not going to do an in-depth analysis at the moment but it seems like the majority of scenes are very warm with a lot of brown/orange/yellow, and sometimes they do a scene that sticks out to me because it’s so cool and blue. It’s all rather striking. And of all the remakes, this one is making the most of its setting (Skam Austin is doing some things with the city but I feel way more of a sense of place in Skam Italia than Druck or Skam France).

I like when the Isak character prods Eva a little to tell him what’s up, since I think it fits what Isak is about to do to her in a few scenes, and because I always wonder why Eva didn’t just tell Noora if she was feel guilty - it helps to have the prompt from Isak to get out her confession. That being said, Eva and Martino’s relationship has been established as close and comfortable on its own merits that I can certainly buy Eva opening up to him. They’ve put in the work to make them have a rapport.

Lmao, Martino making that hand motion about Fede and her spoon. Thanks for the S3 teaser!

Tiny thing but when Eva swallows out of anxiety, you can see Martino half out of frame swallow right after she does, like he’s got some conflict on his own. That might not even be a conscious choice but it’s a good acting detail nonetheless. I think I mentioned previously that these actors have known each other for years and it’s stuff like that, the mimicry and feeding off each other, which makes the chemistry more convincing.

Yeah, this is my favorite Eva-Isak friendship after the original by far, so it’s really going to sting when the reveal happens.

Clip 3 - The wall

I’m glad that Eleonora checked in whether Edoardo wrote back to Silvia before she snapped her back to reality. You know, just in case he did.

Also in this scene Silvia still seems stuck in Edoardoland and firmly convinced that he’s into her, whereas I remember Vilde seeming a little deflated and knowing that Noora would not approve of her talking about William when she entered the scene. She’s pretty good at putting up a confident front when she needs to.

I think Silvia’s hooking up with Rocco Martucci was a misguided attempt to make Edoardo jealous and get him back, which is too bad. I wish she was legit trying to have fun or move on. I know for plot reasons that’s not how it goes, but still.

Both Eleonora and Eva were very sweet to Silvia and not too harsh or judgmental.

I really love making it into a wall of conquests instead of the sweatshirts, and I appreciate that Silvia gets to save face a little bit since the sweatshirt is a public “I fucked Edoardo” marker but the wall gets to preserve her anonymity and (some of) her dignity while still communicating that the boys think of the girls as trophies. But I almost hate it, because now I need that scene where the girls paint over or draw or deface the wall in some way, and I don’t think I’ll get it. Give me that thing, Skam Italia!

For a minute I thought Eva was going to pull out a marker or something and draw over the chart.

Based off the wall, Rocco Martucci sure has been busy.

Clip 4 - Eva on the phone with “mom”

Federico roleplaying as Eva’s mom toward the end of that phone conversation … I’ve never been a huge fan of P-Chris or any version of this character but this is a detail I often forget and I have no idea why, it’s one of the best things he ever did.

Gio deserves all the roasting he can get about his weed use. It’s nice that he’s being honest about having weed on him, but like … she’s made it clear he behaves like an asshole when he’s high, and that this isn’t some vague ideological problem for her but something based on his past behavior. So some of the banter is cute and all but him offering her some pot, even in a joking way, annoys me more than it should with this dynamic in mind. Dammit, Gio.

Clip 5 - Eleonora goes in on Edoardo

Silvia opening with some random mundane topics was kind of cute - either a bit clueless and rambling, much like her many many texts to the girls, or you can also take away that she was building up to the big news and trying to psych herself up.

I’m glad Eva called Sana on the dignity comment since that always seemed like one of the least necessary Sana comments about Vilde, particularly in this context, and probably just egged her on to confront him.

Silvia didn’t need any convincing from the girls whereas Noora was encouraging Vilde in the other versions. Silvia is dead set on it.

I like how they built up to it with the catchy music that cuts out as Edoardo bursts Silvia’s confidence bubble.

Sooo … Edoardo is still a dick, but maybe less of a dick that William? Who knew?

He still does the fake forgetting Silvia’s name, and his comment about the wall is outright lying but not as personal of an attack. He does laugh more at her which is a dick move, especially in front of his crew. However, he doesn’t tell her she isn’t worth it.

“What were you doing behind the boys’ toilets?” I’m assuming he’s insinuating that she’s a slut? That’s horrible and Edoardo is a creep, but I also have less of a fuuuuuuck youuuuuuu feeling toward him. Because the whole thing about Vilde not being worth it/not being pretty enough plays directly into Vilde’s worst insecurities and body image. And we’ve seen that Silvia has the body image issues as evidenced by her picking at her sandwich. I’m not positive that Silvia has the same hangups about being labeled a slut? She has the hesitation to go upstairs with Eduardo and you could interpret that as fear of her reputation, but she’s also down to make out with Rocco Martucci and stresses that she wanted to.

So while I want to make it clear, Edoardo is being an asshole, and being called a slut is hurtful and misogynistic … I actually will find this easier to forgive than William’s comments. I mean it mostly depends on how Edoardo reacts in future episodes, whether he regrets it or not, how it all plays out, but so far he doesn’t have as high of a hurdle in getting me to like him. Like how is Edoardo going to justify his comments the same way in S2 when Eleonora calls him on it? It’s not the same context. (And again: NOT excusing slut-shaming but I think there may be a difference in terms of how someone with poor self-image might perceive this comment, because “slut” is an insult dependent on behavior, vs. telling someone they aren’t pretty enough which is perceived as a more inherent, unchangeable characteristic. But again, William’s comment directly feeds into Vilde’s ED; how will Edoardo’s comment affect Silvia on a similar level? “Slut” doesn’t have much to do with an ED, at least not in an obvious way.)

Lmao, I feel kinda gross writing anything vaguely positive about Edoardo in this scene, since “not as much of a dick as he could have been” is not a ringing endorsement, but since this incident is a huge roadblock in me liking William in the original version, it’s worth talking about.

This was also the best version of this roasting in the remakes. Eleonora has the attitude to back up her comments, and Edoardo has some personality in how he responds to her.

Love that Eleonora got in her comment about his stupid hair as a last dig, but also, Edoardo has the best hair of any of the Williams, IMO.

Clip 6 - Fight

Gio opens his mouth so much for the kisses, damn. I’m not knocking him, I would rather see enthusiastic kisses than a bunch of pathetic pecks, but the dude is like Pac-Man.

Um that bit about the teacher siding with Alice over Federico and making him run laps is really funny, but you can see why it would alarm Eva, because she realizes she’s on the side of the bad guy in this situation. Would the teacher side with Alice against Eva, too?

The fight was brutal! All the girls jumped in to protect Eva. Sana went in with the dictionary, Silvia with the backpack. Eleonora is straight-up snarling by the end. Eva wasn’t even fighting after a certain point, just standing back as her girls defended her. The most heartwarming brawl of all time.

General Comments:

How does Skam Italia have the worst Jonas (outside of Marlon from Skam Austin) and the best William? How?

Listen, I am really not expecting to love Eleonora/Edoardo or Edoardo himself. It’s not a relationship type I’m fond of, he’s not a character archetype I enjoy. But if they can eliminate the worst of his behavior and modify certain actions ... then I can be fine with him and with the ship. I am being very, very hesitant to assume Skam Italia will make enough radical changes just because they did a few things that weren’t as bad; however, I am willing to give it a chance.

It’s kind of funny because there was a rumor going around that they’ll jump to Martino’s story in S2 instead of Eleonora’s and lmao, not sure how legit that is but of course they would do it for the one remake where I hate the William the least. Not that I’m objecting to the gay storyline getting the spotlight sooner, though I do wonder how they will adapt certain plot elements without the buildup (Eskild’s S2 introduction, Isak’s background storyline of dating Sara and living in the basement).

Skam Italia seems by far the most popular and well-liked of the European remakes, which I can quite understand. Skam France is too much of a copy without much of an individual personality and Druck, though I’ve liked many of the scenes and characters, has a lot of hiccups in terms of production and updates, which is unfortunately turning people off and making the show less accessible. Not to repeat myself too much but: I have some big gripes about Skam Italia but it’s for the most part consistent, is nicely made with beautiful locations and nice cinematography, and has integrated the local culture well, putting its own spin on the material and not being a direct copy. None of the actors have really wowed me so far but there are some likable personalities in the bunch. My hope is that they will keep it up and either improve on the Eleonora/Edoardo relationship, or do a respectful job of Martino’s story, depending on what S2 is. (Even though I don’t want them to attempt Evak 2.0 at all ... but that’s a larger topic.)

I’m not Italian so if I misunderstood or missed something, feel free to correct me.

If you got this far, thank you for reading!

#skamit reactions #skam italia reactions

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cinemamablog · 5 years

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Make Your Own Film School

I invested in a MasterClass membership this year and was watching some of Spike Lee’s lectures when I realized: if you know how to use your online resources to your advantage, and maintain an inquisitive mindset, actual film school becomes more and more irrelevant. You can save yourself thousands of dollars in film appreciation and history classes by a simple YouTube search and you can learn the basics of a movie set just by reading a $12 book. What a time to be alive!

One of my goals with CineMama is to help readers take full advantage of the resources that make film so accessible in the year 2020. There is no wrong way to watch a movie (except maybe staring at your phone the whole time and not actually watching), but there are always opportunities to enhance your viewing experience and enrich your life through the art of film. I want to share online resources, books, videos, podcasts, and subscriptions that have helped me deepen my own appreciation for movies and better understand the work that goes into creating any movie, let alone a great one.

Read

For perspective on the behind-the-scenes ingredients of filmmaking, read the short and sweet, but beyond informative book, Making Movies by Sidney Lumet. (You might recognize his name from a couple little movies called Network and Dog Day Afternoon.) Though written decades ago, most of the working parts of a film set haven’t changed and the artistic process largely remains the same, so his expertise and insight prove invaluable to any young filmmaker or film devotee.

Anyone who knows me knows that I strongly believe in rewriting the generally accepted film cannon to better spotlight the accomplishments and contributions of women in filmmaking. Backwards and In Heels by Alicia Malone provides a reader-friendly primer to the under-recognized history of women in Hollywood. If you take care to learn the names of D.W. Griffith and Charlie Chaplin, familiarize yourself with the work of Lois Webber and Mary Pickford.

Explore http://davidbordwell.net. Film historian and professor David Bordwell, and his wife and partner Kristin Thompson, write in-depth and transformative analyses of films and film history. You can peruse their shared blog and enjoy essays by Bordwell, as well as video essays that help visualize his words. (I especially enjoy the video essay on CinemaScope, which you can watch here.) Bordwell and Thompson do a great service to film fans and autodidacts everywhere by keeping so much of their work accessible and free online. (You can also invest in their published works and support their scholarly pursuits with your wallet, if you’re able and so choose.)

Read film criticism. Some of my personal favorite critics include Pauline Kael and Molly Haskell, but I also respect Roger Ebert and Haskell’s other half, Andrew Sarris. You can read many of their articles and reviews online for free after a quick Google search, or you can purchase or borrow entire books of their work. Reading criticism can teach you how to best apply your subjective judgment to a film and thus put your unique viewing experience into words. No two people see a movie the same and you have nothing to lose by learning others’ perspectives.

To keep yourself open to diverse voices, I encourage you to follow the @femalefilmcritics account on Twitter. I’ve personally discovered many insightful and contemporary film critics through this site and enjoy participating in the progressive environment fostered there. Social media is a great place to discover voices and opinions you might otherwise be deaf to.

And speaking of criticism, you can download a copy of The Permanent Crisis of Film Criticism by Mattias Frey, here. The book covers an interesting and vital aspect of film history: film’s journey to acceptance as an art form and the perpetual argument over the purpose of criticism.

Read screenplays. Every year, film studios provide free access online to the screenplays for their major awards contenders. I usually check www.thefilmstage.com to keep up with the recent output of free screenplays. (You can read 2019’s most hyped screenplays here.) Read them and watch the movies so you can witness how a cast and crew translates the written word into film’s unique grammar of image, sound, and performance.

Watch

Film historian Kevin Brownlow’s Hollywood: a Celebration of the American Silent Film first aired in 1980 and was made available on VHS and LaserDisc, then never again on physical media. The series utilizes primary sources in the form of interviews with some of Hollywood’s most beloved artists: Buster Keaton, Lillian Gish, John Wayne, William Wyler, and Louise Brooks, just to name a sampling. Film fans have no official means to access to the series, but you can watch 12 of the 13 50-minute episodes on YouTube, starting here, but you will need to visit here to view the 12th episode, as it was removed from YouTube.

Almost everyone knows of Martin Scorsese’s passion for cinema, both for foreign and classic Hollywood features. In A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Cinema, he covers the history of American filmmaking from his viewpoint as a fan and a filmmaker: the movies that inspired him, the ones that made the biggest impact on his appreciation for cinema, the ones that he pays homage to in his own work. You can watch the documentary in parts on YouTube here.

Listen

Listen to commentaries. Whether you stream movies, rent them from RedBox, or straight up buy them, most discs or digital copies give you access to audio commentaries from cast, crew, critics, or historians. You can learn about film history and appreciation from the critics and historians, filmmaking tools through the crew’s anecdotes, and actors’ methods straight from the mouths of professional actors. Commentaries give you a front row seat to a film’s production history, so take advantage of that “special features” tab on your DVD menu.

Listen to podcasts. Beloved movie critic Leonard Maltin hosts the podcast Maltin on Movies with his dear daughter and fellow movie fan, Jessie Maltin. Every week, they interview a legend or legend-in-the-making of the movie industry. The Maltins conduct the interviews with a wealth of respect, knowledge, and enthusiasm, since both Leonard and Jessie have spent at least the majority of their lives observing the movie business, one for a living and one by association. Some previous guests include Mitzi Gaynor, Greta Gerwig, and Christopher Guest, to give you a sense of the variety of personalities and perspectives your earbuds will encounter.

Hosted by writer April Wolfe, the podcast Switchblade Sisters invites a different guest every week to choose and discuss a genre movie at length on the show. All of the guests work in the film or TV industry and give a lot of insight into their own work while dissecting and appreciating the work of others.

Another genre-loving podcast, on Faculty of Horror, Andrea Subissati (executive editor at Rue Morgue magazine) and Alexandra West (freelance writer) analyze horror movies from an academic perspective. The hosts make a point to include show links that serve as a bibliography, so you can continue to learn about an episode’s specific subject after you’ve finished listening.

These recommendations cost money, ranging from $9 a month to hundreds of dollars a year. If you have the cash to spend, and want to, these resources can help you access movies and lectures, with an emphasis on quantity of content and convenience.

Can’t afford investing in physical media, but want access to a better selection of classics without subscribing to multiple streaming platforms? Party like it’s the early 00s and consider a DVD Netflix subscription. You can use the service to a keep a steady stream of movies coming your way. Not sure what to add to your queue? Check out popular lists like “1001 Movies to See Before You Die,” or if you want to keep it local, peruse the reviews and lists published on CineMama for inspiration.

For $10.99 a month or $99.99 a year, you can access hundreds of movies on the Criterion Channel. In addition to a treasure trove of classic and critically-acclaimed films, you also have access to enlightening video series like Observations on Film Art and Split Screen. As if all of that wasn’t enough, you also can enjoy and learn from countless supplementary materials related to the movies currently streaming. If the movies sold by the Criterion Collection are “film school in a box,” then the Criterion Channel is film school in an app.

For $180 a year, you can sign up for MasterClass and enjoy hours of lectures with filmmakers with decades of experience, including Spike Lee, David Lynch, Ron Howard, and Jodi Foster, as well as screenwriters and dramatists and other leaders in their respective fields. The upfront fee seems steep compared to the monthly payments to which audiences have grown accustomed, but the program’s still cheaper than paying some bozo at a community college with only a couple more years of education than you. (If that.)

If you want to stay up-to-date on recent releases and have an AMC near you, I would consider investing (at least) $20 a month in the AMC Stubs A-List program. For a monthly fee, you can attend three movies every week (regardless of the ticket price or if you’ve seen the movie already) and also earn rewards points to save on concessions. Though less of a necessity now that so many filmmakers release their films straight to streaming or VOD, the A-List can help you save money if you’re a frequent moviegoer.

I wouldn’t recommend this program for parents of small children, because unless you have magical powers, I doubt you’ll have the time or energy to go to the movies more than once or twice a month. However, you may want to remember the AMC Stubs A-List program for when the whole family can enjoy a night out at the movies. Even if you just go once a week as a group, you could save on tickets and concessions by paying for your monthly subscriptions.

And finally…

Visit your local library for an abundance of free and quality resources! See what sparks your interest by browsing the shelves. Not just in the film section, but I also strongly suggest skimming the biographies. (That might just be the history nerd in me, though.) Check out the e-books and audiobooks available through your library’s online program. I know for a fact that the Sioux City Public Library hosts an impressive DVD collection. (It’s where I first borrowed a copy of Paul Leni’s The Man Who Laughs.) You can also do some research online and provide your local research librarian with a list of books to request for you through interlibrary loan.

For resource recommendations on any particular film-related subject, reach out to your local CineMama on social media and I can help point you in the right direction. Also, let me know if any of these links break over time and I can update them as necessary.

#personal #resources #reference

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lauraramargosian · 5 years

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Sundance 2020: Taylor Swift celebrates premiere at Eccles Theatre and more!

Sundance 2020: Taylor Swift celebrates premiere at Eccles Theatre.

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Miss Americana

January 31 on @netflixfilm

A post shared by Taylor Swift (@taylorswift) on Jan 15, 2020 at 2:16pm PST

Park City, UT- The one, the only, Taylor Swift, Woman of the Decade spent time in Park City, Utah for Sundance 2020. Swift, whose documentary “Miss Americana,” premiered on opening night at the Eccles Theatre.

As always, Taylor Swift stopped to take a few selfies with her supportive fans. Doesn’t that go to show, she does appreciate those who support her?

Abuse within Hollywood is not a secret.

Although this may be false, in other situations and with different talent managers, agents, and employees, it does happen.

Label executives took advantage of Swift during a time she was growing and learning. On the other hand, Taylor has opened up about the abuse she has faced within the entertainment industry (as well as others).

Provided that it seems to have taken a lot of precious time away from Swift, including having freedom.

Most importantly, T-dawg was at an age where learning whether being respected or being liked was more important, frankly, that’s a lesson we all go through in life.

Instead of being herself, Swift was tossed around like a puppet and nobody should feel stricken by their own team.

Incredibly, despite being told how to live her life, who she could date, friends she could be seen with the public, whether she was to “too fat,” or “too skinny,” she triumphed.

“I feel really good about not feeling muzzled anymore. There’s nothing that feels better than this moment.” -Taylor Swift

Damn, she overcame and conquered, setting the perfect example for not only her family and friends but her fans. Instead of “reacting,” she spends time to write relatable hits for her personal healing as well as to teach her fans ‘, hey you’re not alone.’

In fact, many find it difficult to be happy because they wear their heart on their sleeve.

Important things we need for life happiness and how they could have affected Taylor Swift.

Beyond health, food, water and shelter come other needs which are important to leading a positive life where you feel in control, proud of yourself and gear you to succeed.

Friendship – It’s important to have friends, not just one but a handful that you can truly count on… especially when we aren’t feeling positive and life kicks us to the ground. Those executives affected Taylor Swift’s ability to trust, and while there’s not red ink that shares what they said, Swift shared just enough to show that she didn’t spend a lot of time with friends.

Intimacy – If there is no opportunity for friendship, how can one begin their journey from “puppy love,” to actually falling in love? No doubt, this one doesn’t need much explanation. As mentioned, Swift has always kept your love life a secret because of the harsh judgments. But how would it feel to not being to go out to eat at a local favorite?

The need for having control – Doesn’t it feel awful when life doesn’t deal you a hand which makes you feel completely panicked and worried? Imagine every decision you’ve had to make was being made by someone you work with, or worse, someone who has abused you in ways you don’t want to remember?

The need for creativity and challenges – One word sums this up, accomplishment. Doesn’t accomplishment feel amazing? For instance, how do you feel when you pay off student debt for your film class? That has to be the best feeling ever, especially after spending all that time with your creativity, putting magic on the big screen. Unfortunately, it’s likely many of Taylor Swifts moves when she broke out in 2006. The good news is Taylor took action and made creativity and challenges fun and exciting, just as she deserves. I mean, her freaking snake stage was absolutely amazing, as was her tour.

The need for one’s purpose meaning – Whoever you are, whatever you do for work, no matter where you live, people must find their purpose in order to be proud and share those stories to help others in the world attempting to find their meaning. What would it feel like if you were told what your purpose was, and how you should be showing it (their version of purpose and meaning)? That’s balls. Thankfully, Taylor Swift has found her purpose and meaning and she’s using her platform to help others heal and shine bright like a Diamond.

With that in mind, Taylor Swift came into the Hollywood spotlight as a novice, learning to explore every single corner of the industry… And all at the same time she beat down in order for higher-ups to “build her,” the way they wanted, rather than how she wanted…could you imagine?

Hell yes, she is now 30-years-old (“Thirty, flirty and thriving, lol.”) and spent more than enough time in the industry to know exactly who should and shouldn’t be in her life. Regardless of her status in the entertainment industry, those choices are hers, nobody has a right to tell another person how to live.

Further, a quote by Spike Milligan comes to mind:

“Money can’t buy friends, but you can get a better class of enemy.”

As well as a quote by Maya Angelou:

“You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don’t make money your goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing, and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off you.”

Ultimately, that’s what Taylor has always strived to accomplish, she truly fought and succeeded.

Taylor Swift: Named Woman of The Decade, and how her speech was empowering.

Equally important, that doesn’t mean there are zero trials in life, money is a number, trials do not discriminate, nor can you buy or sell them, right?

So, when people ask ‘why are celebrities so depressed, they have everything?’ the proper response is “so do we,” in comparison, it’s not always greener on the other side, is it?

Taylor Swift arrives to the premiere of her Sundance documentary “Miss Americana.” Read Variety’s in-depth interview with Swift on why she decided to get political and stop being ‘polite at all costs’ https://t.co/lu9z92PMTJ pic.twitter.com/zwNdmZu0iK

— Variety (@Variety) January 24, 2020

To End, Sundance 2020 opened on a great note, as did this year for Taylor Swift.

Shout out to the whole team at Sundance, you guys all work so hard, from directors, producers, crew and talent.

Blessed be!

Sundance 2020: Taylor Swift – “Miss Americana”

youtube

Next: Taylor Swift and Jimmy Fallon

This hilarious moment when Taylor discovered Jimmy Fallon talked to her mom and got a hilarious home video.

The post Sundance 2020: Taylor Swift celebrates premiere at Eccles Theatre and more! appeared first on Positive Celebrity News and Gossip.

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#Positive celebrity gossip #celebrity gossip #news #love #positive vibes

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liugeaux · 7 years

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Highly Suspect - Birmingham, AL May 10th, 2017

This is easily the longest I’ve waited to write about a concert I attended, but even though I’ve been super busy with Reality Breached, I know I need to get my thoughts about the Highly Suspect show on record.

They played in a small bar-type venue similar to a Hal and Mal’s or The Hideaway called Saturn. I didn’t know what type of audience to expect, as Highly Suspect straddles a few genre fences that can be dichotomous in nature. Add to that, Saturn looks to be located in the center of a gentrified portion of old Birmingham. Ultimately, the crowd was your standard hard rock/heavy metal fare, with lots of young people, lots of awkward white dudes, and a good portion of older (30+) fans looking to watch one of New York’s hottest bands right now.

Usually, I talk about the opening act, but other than being better than expected, the singer sporting a Kool-Aid Man costume and them being a solid female 3 piece, they were mostly forgettable. Honestly, give me sec, let me Google who it was…...ah there it is. The band was called And the Kids. I realized I wasn’t giving them a fair shake. Again, they weren’t bad, I just really want to talk about Highly Suspect.

I’ve never seen a show quite like Highly Suspect. It was an erratic, alcohol-fueled, absurdist, celebration of bravado and possibly the coolest thing I’ve ever scene. DJ Redbees, served as the MC for the entire night. He mixed tracks during setup and teardown times, announced the opener, bridged the gap during the wait for Highly Suspect and ultimately spent Suspect’s entire set in the back idly playing tracks presumably to fill out the sound. As odd as that was, it really gave the whole show a house party vibe.

Redbees wasn’t the only extra on stage. During sound check, the two roadies setting up the equipment had significantly more character than your typical laser focused sound guys and once the show started, they both just kinda chilled on the side of the stage, in plain view, handing the band props like hats, wigs, masks, and lots of tequila. Like, lots. For the duration of the show, between the 3 band members, DJ Redbees, and the 2 roadies, about 3 fifths of tequila were consumed. Needless to say, things got weird.

Despite being blitzed, the band was musically at the top of their game. Johnny Stevens sounded amazing, and his guitar shredding was even more impressive in person. He plays with a brash attitude of self-awareness that fits directly into his onstage swagger. It was loud, dirty, and aggressive in an almost tender way. A lot of this is why their music works so well. Stevens sings as if he’s both the judgmental outsider and the rebellious punk rolled into one. His demeanor says “Yes, I know this is self-destructive, and that’s why you envy me.” Angry and sad and young and lonely and smart all at the same time. I wasn’t expecting their stage show to be such a well actualize extension of that sound, but it absolutely was.

I don’t recall ever going to a rap concert. Sure I saw a good chunk of Snoop Dogg about a decade ago in Memphis, but I was so far from the stage I don’t think I can speak about the vibe of a rap show. With that said...I totally got a hip-hop vibe from the Highly Suspect show. The roadies, in effect, were hype men, and having the acronym “MCID” emblazoned on tee-shirts, baseball caps, and even the drum-kit had the feel of an underground hip-hop movement. I had to look it up, but MCID means, “My Crew Is Dope.” That’s some Cash Money/No Limit level of self-promotion. I mean, rock bands don’t do that kind of shit. I don’t know, maybe I’m off, but it definitely felt like peacocking an indie rap record label.

The last thing I want to talk about is the performance and set-list. I’m very familiar with both of Highly Suspects major albums. They are good listens beginning to end. The tracks they played from these albums were great, but I was surprised at how much they went off script. There were at least 3 songs where bassist Ryan Meyer sang. Not only did he sing, but they were songs that aren’t even on their albums and there were at least 2 long instrumental sections of the show.

Oddly, the roadies pulled up the setlists before the apparent encore. Then, in a surprise move, when the show seemed to be over, the two roadies grabbed the bass and drums, and Stevens (with the help of the roadies) performed a blistering version of “Look Alive Stay Alive”. All the while Ryan Meyer crowd surfed. After that, the show continued, without a setlist. At some point, towards the end of the show, Stevens’ guitar went completely dead in the middle of a song, but the show went on with the rest of the band playing even louder. I mean, this concert had many opportunities to completely derail and that only made it better.

On May 10th, in Birmingham, at Saturn, Highly Suspect played a show. They played that show like they were the only band that mattered in the world. Like they invented metal, and they were the second coming of Nirvana and Guns n Roses wrapped into one. As eccentric and surprising as the show was, the wonton alcohol consumption, the defiant cigarette smoking, and figurative chest bumping made it something I will never forget.

The band was there to have a good time and be rock stars. They were going to tear the place down whether you were onboard or not. This show proved to me that for better or worse, Highly Suspect might be the most inherently American Rock band in the business today.

#highly suspect #saturn #1800 #birmingham #MCID #DJ Redbees

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badgirl2chainz-blog · 8 years

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! S T A G E C O A C H !

Hi all! SO I am totally not a writer but against my better judgment I wanted to share blogs with whomever cares enough to read them about my experiences at my favorite thing to do in the world – yep you guessed it, attend music festivals. I figured what better way than to take a break from all the regular and rather negative social media talk than to read about something that is becoming so popular. The point of my blogs is mostly for me, to remember my experiences when I’m old and grey and most likely getting wheel chaired into my next festival. But I thought why not share my thoughts and opinions and see if others can relate to yours truly. Most importantly I want to look back and see what a wild time I had.

My first blog is about is California’s biggest country music festival, Stagecoach, otherwise known as Ragecoach, yes I unfortunately was even guilty for writing that on an Instagram caption, once or uhm maybe twice. If you’ve never been you’ve most definitely heard that slogan on the radios from January until the last weekend of April every year. It can get pretty exhausting if you have zero interest in country music, but for every High School senior, it is truly the most exciting commercial to hear. I can relate because I was that High School senior.

I went to my first Stagecoach my Junior Year of High School. I had always gone to concerts and fun events before this, but never had I gone to 3 day music festival. I was through the roof. My pals and I chatted about what we wearing, what songs should be on our mix CD’s, what classes we were missing, what the weather was going to be etc. etc. etc. Our wristbands were pure gold to us and we kept them on for months after the festival ended. Rather disgusting now that I think about it, but I still have every wristband and every box it has arrived in. Oh and of course my Mom made me go to school that Monday, but that was always the golden rule – if you play you gotta pay.

Entering the polo fields whether it’s Stagecoach or Coachella, (hopefully my next blog), is truly a euphoric experience. Sounds so lame, but I get giddy just thinking about it. And if you’re with me, or anything like me, it is a scene and a half. Yes you are sweating, yes your buzz might be fading, yes you are tired, yes you are sore, but man you are stoked. You are so proud of your outfit, whether you’re wearing a cute country dress or an American flag vest with a matching doo-rag, you feel like the 10 that you are. You are stoked that the alcohol you poured in sunscreen bottles made it in safely, so stoked that you will literally high five any drunk guy that you pass by. The ferris wheel is spinning and the cops on horses are roaming around and you are ready, ready to get to that 4:00 pm artist who just happens to be Eli Young Band and you had already told yourself you are not going to miss them.

From babies with huge noise cancelling headphones, to adult men wearing nothing but a thong to cover their gentleman parts, stagecoach has it all. It definitely caters to every ones’ needs because, to be honest, not everyone that attends, are actually country fans. That thought never bothered me because the more the merrier in my opinion. Most people pregame to EDM or rap but luckily my friends and I have always kept it festive and pregamed to our favorite Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan songs – whether or not they were performing. We may or may not have thrown in the Tesoro Rap once or twice but hey gotta keep that Titan pride forever baby!!

Stagecoachs attendance has people on both ends of the spectrum, it definitely has those cute families that look forward to Stagecoach all year round and you best believe that they were making Jell-O shots the whole week before to prepare. It also has those girls that are just excited to wear their $100 cowboy boots for their first time and get that perfect boomerang with the caption saying “Yeeeeehawwww” or “Save a horse, ride Brad”. But my favorite type of Stagecoach goers are those older couples that bring their chairs and blankets and set up a cozy camp so far away from the stage, but you can tell that they are just as excited to see Blake Shelton as you are.

Now lets talk about something rather important. Food and Drinks. Holy Moly the lemonade. Even as an almost 22 year old, I would still prefer lemonade as my poison for the weekend. It is so refreshing and goes great with a nice slice of Spicy Pie Pizza, an all time Mamafred favorite! Getting a wristband to drink is definitely time consuming but most necessary, too many youngins have received MIP’s and MIC’s. A lil tidbit piece of advice would be to eat before you enter because yeah the food can be extremely expensive and if you aren't fortunate enough to have a best friend whose Mom makes a killer bbq chicken salad, then yeah please eat before. Oh and by the way, Stagecoach is actually one of those festivals that doesn’t have designated drinking areas and you can walk around with alcohol in your hands – clutch.

GA or VIP? Well I have been fortunate enough to experience both sides. I spent some time in VIP with my family and it was so fun, you are so close to the stage and it’s the perfect time for photo ops. The lines for drinks are so much shorter than in GA, I definitely took that for granted when I went back in GA the next day. In all honesty, it’s all about preference, I would have to say GA is more fun though, yes it’s more crowded but it’s the type of rowdy you signed up for and should expect. I would suggest you save your VIP money, get a GA ticket and have extra cash for some beer and/or lemonade. Shout out to Mom for buying me a $28 grilled cheese in VIP, I will always love you for that one.

Being able to attend Stagecoach has been one of my favorite parts of going away for college, being able to see your high school crew and your family all in one fun ass weekend is something I will never take for granted. The crew has added new friends over the years and the Freddy’s even got Brady to join in the most recent year. He doesn’t like country but like I said, as a High School senior he still had a grand ole time. My goal in life is to go to Stagecoach with my future daughter and with Mamafred. I have no doubt in my mind that Mamafred and I will be able to show her the ropes accordingly.

One particular pal of mine has been such a trooper and has made her way back to the west coast to attend Stagecoach with all of us. She even surprised us all and let me tell you, I blubbered like a baby, but hey ever since that day I have been so thankful for American airlines for letting me have her for the weekend - they truly helped make our round 5 that much better, together.

There is truly nothing more heart warming than thinking of you and your crew dancing to the Sunday night headliner, singing at the top of your lungs, telling each other how much you love them, and completing ignoring the fact that you have an 8 am in another state.

Thank you so much for reading and I hope everyone who attends Stagecoach this year has a blast, especially since Uncle Kenny’s hotter when the sun goes down.

P.S. meet at the boot ;)

#stagecoach #country #california #polofields #firstpost #luke bryan #vip #general admission #america #ferris wheel

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entergamingxp · 5 years

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DualShockers’ Favorite Games of 2019 — Logan’s Top 10

December 25, 2019 2:00 PM EST

While 2019 didn’t have one, major standout game, it ended up being one of my favorite years in recent memory based on my own personal tastes.

As 2019 comes to a close, DualShockers and our staff are reflecting on this year’s batch of games and what were their personal highlights within the last year. Unlike the official Game of the Year 2019 awards for DualShockers, there are little-to-no-rules on our individual Top 10 posts. For instance, any game — not just 2019 releases — can be considered.

I kind of fell out of love with gaming to a certain degree this year. Believe me, I still spent countless hundreds of hours over the course of 2019 playing a variety of different games, but unlike past years, I didn’t feel an inherent obligation to try and get my hands on every hot new release. While you might be questioning my gamer status because I say this, I feel like stepping back a bit and not feeling a responsibility to play every major release was really healthy for me. Not to mention, I actually got physically healthier as a result of limiting my time playing games because I focused a lot of my newfound free time on activities like going to the gym. I feel better here at the end of 2019 from a physical standpoint than I have in quite a while, which is nice.

I also just had a really difficult 2019 when it came to my personal life. As a result, spending my free time playing games was something I didn’t always want to do. I mentioned this in my Sekiro review earlier in the year, but I had some health issues in the early portion of 2019 that dragged on up until a few months ago. Even though I didn’t let on much about it to close friends, the whole situation really stressed me out quite a lot and took up a lot of my headspace.

With all of this being said though, I really just want to express love and gratitude to our team here at DualShockers and to our community who follows the site. Even in the midst of a variety of personal hardships, our staff really helped pick me up this year when I was down, whether they knew that or not. I’m forever grateful for the crew we have at DualShockers and to you–yes, you–if you’re reading this. Running a website is actually a pretty hard gig but I feel continually #blessed because of who I have the pleasure of working alongside here. I’ll never take that for granted.

Anyway, of the games that I did spend time with in 2019, here are my ten favorites. Merry Christmas to you all and best wishes in 2020.

10. League of Legends

If 2018 was the year I fell in love with League of Legends, 2019 was the year in which I was exposed to the dark side of the ever-popular MOBA. Elo hell, toxicity within the in-game chat, and players running it down mid seemed to be present constantly when I was playing. To be honest, I have no idea how I’m still playing the game after such a terrible year in solo queue.

Despite all of this, I played over 900 games of League in 2019 and it was my most-played game of the year by a mile. Heck, it’s hands-down the most-played game of my entire life at this point as well and I don’t really see myself stopping moving into next year. I didn’t want to put League of Legends very high on my list this year since it has become such a staple of my gaming diet at this point, but with how much I still play it on a weekly basis, I needed to at least mention it. Hopefully, 2020 will prove to be a more positive experience for me with League. And, uhh, I should also probably stop playing it as much, too.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for League of Legends.

9. Halo 2 Anniversary

For some reason, myself and fellow DualShockers writer Michael Ruiz decided about a year ago that we wanted to replay all of the Halo games before Infinite releases next year. We’ve still got quite a bit of ground to cover before late 2020 (we’re about halfway through Halo 3 right now), but we did end up playing through the entirety of Halo 2 Anniversary, and it was some of the most fun I had this year.

When The Master Chief Collection released back in 2014, I actually never ended up playing through the remastered version of Halo 2 for one reason or another. In hindsight, I’m actually glad that I waited because it allowed me to revisit the second Halo entry with an Xbox One X and a 4K TV, two things that I didn’t own five years ago. 343 Industries really did a great job of bringing this classic to the present day and my experience was made all the better because I played through the whole campaign with one of my good pals. I’m really looking forward to finishing our playthrough of the series in the coming months.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Halo: The Master Chief Collection.

8. Devil May Cry 5

I’ve been wanting to play the Devil May Cry series for years at this point. In the lead up to Devil May Cry 5, I told myself that I would play through every other entry (yes, even DMC2) before diving into this year’s release. Once Devil May Cry 5 launched back in March though, I threw all of those plans out the window and just decided to jump into the latest entry in the series. All in all, I’m really glad I did this.

Devil May Cry 5 is one of the more enjoyable games that I played this entire year, which says a lot considering that I probably didn’t get the most out of the story like others surely did. While it definitely has a fair number of problems by my own estimation, the combat is unrivaled and never gets stale at almost any point throughout the entirety of the experience. Plus, hacking demons up as Dante while screamo music plays in the background is just a joy in every sense of the word. I haven’t spent much time dwelling on Devil May Cry 5 since I saw it through to completion, but I definitely loved my time with it in the moment.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Devil May Cry 5.

7. Gears 5

Following an outing that I didn’t care for all that much with Gears of War 4, I was shocked by how much I loved Gears 5. I said this in my review of the game earlier this year, but The Coalition really blew me away with the strides they took in this entry in the long-running shooter series. All of the new elements such as the open-world style areas, the addition of Escape mode, and the other minor refinements seen throughout Gears 5 made it my favorite installment in the saga since Gears of War 2. Not to mention, I also think it’s the best first-party game Microsoft has released this entire generation.

If there’s one thing about Gears 5 that I’m saddened by, it’s that I haven’t played the game more this year. Obviously, I’ve spent my free time on other games rather than playing Gears 5, so that’s my own fault. Still, I think about returning to Gears 5 very often and I might end up diving back in over the holidays.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Gears 5.

6. Apex Legends

I ended up bouncing off of Apex Legends pretty hard only a few months after it released, but I also cannot deny how much pure enjoyment I got out of it when it stealth launched. In a time where I didn’t see myself playing battle royale games much anymore, Apex Legends spiced up the genre in inventive, fun ways that brought me and my group of battle royale friends back together.

I also have to credit Respawn for creating such a polished, tight experience and continuing to push this relatively young subgenre forward. The idea of playing as characters with different abilities sounded a bit odd to me at first, but Respawn proved with Apex Legends that this scheme can work in the battle royale space. Not to mention, I think Apex is just flat out the best shooter of the year in terms of controls. I might not play it too often anymore, but Apex Legends is very good and I’m so glad that it exists.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Apex Legends.

5. Death Stranding

Death Stranding is such a weird game. On one hand, I love many aspects of it such as the world, the story, and the characters. On the other, I think the gameplay is incredibly one-note and the full experience could’ve been tightened up so much. Hideo Kojima was essentially given a blank check from Sony to make this game, but he also was in dire need of an editor. Death Stranding just drags on for far too long at certain points.

Despite my complaints though, Death Stranding could very well be the most memorable gaming experience I had all year long. It’s a grind to get through, but it’s unlike anything else in the gaming space right now and tells a really touching (albeit insane and confusing) story. The Metal Gear saga is still Kojima’s magnum opus, but I liked the famed director’s follow-up despite its flaws. I cannot wait to see what he and his team decide to create next.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Death Stranding.

4. Judgment

Judgment is the most slept-on game of the year, and this is coming from someone who isn’t a longtime Yakuza fan. Judgment ended up being my first foray into Ryu Ga Gotoku’s world of Yakuza and I loved every minute of it. The journey of the game’s main character Takayuki Yagami and his cohorts in the city of Kamurocho is filled with laughs, drama, and boss fights with people named Ass Catchem.

Pound for pound, I don’t think I had more pure enjoyment with any game this year more than I did with Judgment. The game is filled to the brim with content and just when you start to get burnt out with what it’s throwing at you, something new and exciting shows up. Play Judgment — I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Judgment.

3. Resident Evil 2

I love Resident Evil; it might very well be my favorite franchise in all of gaming. As such, it shouldn’t come as a shock whatsoever that I adored the remake of Resident Evil 2. Capcom masterfully took the story and main beats of the original, adapted it for the RE Engine, and created a final product that felt like a great mix of RE2 and RE4. In the process, they also turned Mr. X into likely the most popular character in any video game this year. I love that bowler hat-wearing monster.

Resident Evil 2 is probably the best video game remake ever made and it might be the best RE game to boot. A few years back, it felt like Resident Evil as a whole was nearly a dead franchise, so to see it come back with such a vengeance has warmed my cold, dead gamer heart. I absolutely cannot wait to see what Capcom does with Resident Evil 3 next year.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Resident Evil 2.

2. Return of the Obra Dinn

Yes, Return of the Obra Dinn did release last year, but I didn’t get a chance to play it until January of this year. It’s a true shame that I didn’t get around to it in 2018, either, because I really think it was in dire need of some Game of the Year consideration.

Regardless, better late than never, I did get around to playing Obra Dinn and it enraptured me more than any other game did in 2019. From the opening moments that I climbed aboard the remains of the good ship Obra Dinn, I was mesmerized; not just from the game’s wonderful art style, but from the mystery surrounding this eerie tale. What happened to this ship’s crew? How did everyone aboard it disappear? And how exactly am I going to tie all of these threads together?

I played Return of the Obra Dinn in one fell swoop and didn’t turn it off until I had seen it through to its conclusion. In my old man age of 25 years, it takes a lot for me to stay up until around 3am solely to keep playing a game, but I just couldn’t put Return of the Obra Dinn down. It’s not just one of my favorite games that I played this year, it’s one of the most unique experiences that I have ever had with a video game and I cannot recommend it enough.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Return of the Obra Dinn.

1. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is far and away my favorite game of the year, which shouldn’t be a shock whatsoever if you’ve talked to me at any point since I first played Bloodborne back in 2017. I was a late convert to the Church of FromSoftware, but now, the developer is likely my favorite in the entire world.

Sekiro has a lot in common with the Souls games that came before it, but also feels like such an evolution and advancement of all of the ideas at the root of the genre. The gameplay, specifically, is what makes Sekiro stand out to me so much in this year’s crowded slate of releases. FromSoftware created a system of combat mechanics that make sense at a baseline level right out of the gate, but takes hours upon hours to fully learn all of the intricacies. The boss fights, which I specifically think are the best of any FromSoftware game ever made, continue to throw new things at you throughout the entirety of the experience. You’re always learning new things in Sekiro and then are quickly asked to take everything that you have learned and apply them within the context of a new challenge.

I know Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice might not be for everyone, and that’s perfectly fine. It’s a very hard game and not everyone may want to spend their gaming time screaming at their televisions. If you stick it out though and learn the ins and outs of what Sekiro tries to teach you, you’ll have an experience that is unmatched compared to anything else that released in 2019.

Check out DualShockers‘ review of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.

Check out the rest of the DualShockers staff Top 10 lists and our official Game of the Year Awards:

December 23: DualShockers Game of the Year Awards 2019 December 25: Lou Contaldi, Editor-in-Chief // Logan Moore, Managing Editor December 26: Tomas Franzese, News Editor // Ryan Meitzler, Features Editor December 27: Mike Long, Community Manager // Scott White, Staff Writer December 28: Chris Compendio, Contributor // Mario Rivera, Video Manager December 29: Scott Meaney, Community Director // Allisa James, Senior Staff Writer // Ben Bayliss, Senior Staff Writer December 30: Cameron Hawkins, Staff Writer // David Gill, Senior Staff Writer // Portia Lightfoot, Contributor December 31: Iyane Agossah, Senior Staff Writer // Michael Ruiz, Senior Staff Writer // Rachael Fiddis, Contributor January 1: Ricky Frech, Senior Staff Writer // Tanner Pierce, Staff Writer

December 25, 2019 2:00 PM EST

from EnterGamingXP https://entergamingxp.com/2019/12/dualshockers-favorite-games-of-2019-logans-top-10/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=dualshockers-favorite-games-of-2019-logans-top-10

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swipestream · 6 years

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New Release Roundup, 1 December 2018: Science Fiction

Balboa takes on all comers in war, computer hackers crack the human brain, a near-immortal alien bumbles through galactic politics, and Britain’s fleets take to space once more in this week’s roundup of the newest releases in science fiction.

Bound by Honor (Vigilante #4) – Terry Mixon and Glynn Stewart

An enemy of newfound strength. A friend gone missing in the night. A threat that can be ignored no more.

Brad Madrid, Commodore of the Vikings Mercenary Company, has once again been drawn into the war against the resurgent Cadre. Called into action in battles across the Solar System, from the fogs of Venus to the ice fields of Ceres, he faces deadly enemies at every turn.

In the midst of the chaos, Brad learns that his Agency contact and partner, Kate Falcone, has gone missing before she could deliver the evidence of treason she carried. With millions of lives at stake, finding her cannot be his first priority, but he searches as he goes.

Then an old enemy shares a poisonous gift as they flee from battle: the Cadre doesn’t have Kate Falcone. They know who does, however, and the hints they give Brad lead him to the one place he thought he would never make war…

Empire Ascendant (Road To Empire #2) – Dietmar Arthur Wehr

The grand experiment of a democratic Commonwealth of Star Nations has failed. With colony after colony leaving the Commonwealth, Earth finds itself in desperate straits as ecological disaster and mass starvation looms in the near future. The collapse of the Commonwealth means there’s now a power vacuum but no shortage of ruthless egos looking to fill that vacuum. Will it be the Republic of Corona, the most prosperous and populous colony world or a resurgent Earth under a messianic leader or perhaps a power-hungry interstellar corporation?

The ten year old Tau Ceti Empire is at a critical junction. The power vacuum left over from the collapse of the Commonwealth has been filled by five multi-planet star nations, the TCE being one of them. If the other four join forces and attack the TCE, it will be overwhelmed and crushed. But the longer Empress Brandenburg waits, the bigger the difference in military strength becomes. She must make plans soon because the leaders of the other four are already making theirs.

Who will ultimately stand astride a unified human star empire?

Hard Luck Hank: Dumber Than Dead (Hard Luck Hank #7) – Steven Campbell

Hank is getting married!

The space station Belvaille has become home to a species of actors. The newest edition to the Post Colmarian Confederation are the Damakan race. As a species they are capable of “broadcast empathy.” Their acting skills are so powerful they are able to make people believe their portrayals are literally happening—even over remote transmission.

Belvaille, with its access to powerful radio telescopes, becomes an entertainment powerhouse, cranking out Damakan dramas and tragedies across the empire. As the city modifies is resources to accommodate the new cash cow, Hank is hired to protect important actors by the city’s premier talent agent: his butler Cliston.

But the good times don’t last as Damakans start getting murdered and whole productions are sabotaged and even outright attacked. The Navy threatens to get involved as their favorite tele programs are interrupted and Garm, the Adjunct Overwatch of the city, enlists Hank to find the source of the violence and put an end to it.

Hank fears his own betrothed is in danger as the city gets dragged into a gang war of which no one knows the cause.

Make Science Fiction Fun Again – Jon Del Arroz

Do you miss the days when science fiction stories meant fun, crazy ideas? When a short fiction collection would entertain you and wow you with its strange, bold worlds? Then you’ll love the leading Hispanic voice in Science Fiction’s debut short fiction collection. With influences ranging from Heinlein, to McCaffrey, to Burroughs, these short stories run a gambit of telling unique stories that couldn’t be published by a major publisher today.

Inside, you’ll find tales of fighting monsters on alien planets, Nazi soldiers stumbling into a futuristic war where all life is at stake, AI coming to life and inhabiting a sexbot’s body, baseball on the moon, and more. It also features an introduction by Castalia House blogger and fan favorite, Daddy Warpig and the first collaboration between Jon Del Arroz and S. Misanthrope in “Unsafe (In) Space”.

Read it now and together we can make science fiction full of wonder again, we can make science fiction entertaining again, and we can Make Science Fiction Fun Again!

Para Bellum (Ark Royal #13) – Christopher Nuttall

On her last mission, HMS Invincible discovered an alien threat beyond human understanding: a sentient virus that has already absorbed a number of intelligent races into its multitude and now intends to do the same to humanity. Defeat means the end of everything, the end of existence as nothing more than mindless host-bodies, the end of humanity and its alien allies alike. The stakes could not be higher.

As a deeply divided humanity struggles to prepare a defence, with enemies inside and outside the human sphere just lurking to strike, Invincible is sent deep into alien space on what should have been a simple reconnaissance mission. But, as Captain Shields and his crew begin their mission, it rapidly becomes clear that a juggernaut is bearing down on Earth …

… And, no matter what they do, they may never make it home again.

A Pillar of Fire by Night (Carerra Series #7) – Tom Kratman

Carrera’s held off his enemies coming by sea from the north, in the process dealing the naval and amphibious forces of the Zhong Empire a stinging defeat. The Zhong won’t soon forget the blood-stained waters and the heaped up bodies on the shores of Balboa’s Isla Real.

Now, though, his adopted country of Balboa is under assault from the east, from the south, from the west, from the air, and from space. The Zhong, smarting from the butchery around the island, have bounced back and forced a lodgment east of the capital. Their lodgment is still a-building but when it is done Carrera can expect several hundred thousand brave and determined Zhong to show up on his barely defended flank.

It’s beginning to look like the game is up for Balboa and Patricio Carrera.

But Carrera’s been planning this war for fifteen years. He certainly hopes his enemies think they’re winning.

The Raygin War – Larry Gerovac

In order to defend against an alien invasion by an advanced race that evolved from Carrion beetles, the military put all its hope into a single person. He’s an old school soldier who started his career as a ground pounder in the Sniper Corps. Mac has been involved in about every conflict the military has participated in.

His skill as a sniper earned him the respect of every soldier who ever worked with him. He is a self taught killer. On the battlefield he has no equal. No one knows his actual body count, but everyone has a story about his skills. Whether it was killing the opponent in hand-to-hand combat, killing them with a weapon, or just plain old out maneuvering them Mac was the best the military had ever seen. If there was a conflict somewhere in the universe you could bet Mac was in the middle of it.

In order to use Mac’s skills to the utmost the Vice Admiral reinstated the old military rank of commodore for him. In times of war a commodore out ranks the vice admiral and even the elected president of the United Federation of Planets. When the Raygin war starts Mac is forced to initiate the War Powers Act making him the most powerful human ever.

Will Mac’s experience and talent be enough to neutralize the alien invasion? All is not what it seems.

Save Point: Upload – Matthew Siege

Adam Harris’s name has just appeared on a top secret list of extraterrestrial origin. Unbeknownst to him, he’s one of a handful of individuals capable of implementing a Save Point, a static moment in time he’s able to revisit over and over upon death.

It’s a good thing, too. Brain cancer was turning into a real drag…

The government owns the list though, and they’ve wasted no time snapping him up. According to them, he has thirteen days in an alien realm to learn as much as he can before the inevitable, at which point his memories, Skill Progressions and Weapon Proficiencies will endure despite his body resetting.

Then it’s rinse and repeat.

But there are unwritten rules to the game he’s about to play, and unseen forces acting in judgment.

Adam will have to learn the hard way that dying is the easiest thing he’s going to do today.

Spyware: It’s Not What You Think – Colin Robertson

Zombies, hackers, and U.S. Senators–what could be scarier? A modern horror sci-fi satire that imagines a world where cable news, social media and other mass media is used to infect the minds of the American public!

Someone has just released a virus capable of infecting the most advanced computer of all — the human brain.

Fortunately, it has been discovered by a brilliant hacker. Unfortunately, that hacker is Eddy Pending.

Eddy isn’t your typical criminal with a dark personal past. He’s far more messed up than that. Eddy’s past a maze of madness, bizarre family members, and truly terrible life choices. So, when the Men in Rose Coloured Glasses show up at his door armed with business cards that can kill, Eddy knows the right thing to do – run! Unfortunately for Eddy, that’s just not going to work. So he might just have to fight back instead.

Uprising (Fugitive Marines Book 4) – David Ryker and Douglas Scott

Double-crossed. Imprisoned. Fighting for their lives.

For the Jarheads of Oberon, it’s just another Tuesday.

But when an old foe reveals that the world is on the brink of a final world war, Quinn realizes they have to accept an impossible mission from someone he can’t trust, to find the one person who can possibly stop the evil schemes of Morley Drake and unite the world against the coming alien invasion. But who can he trust when everyone is looking out for themselves?

Meanwhile, Chelsea’s mind is slowly being poisoned by her father, and it’s up to her friends to navigate the unreal world of cortical reality and save her – and themselves – from a fate worse than attenuation. And all the while, the newly evolved Kergan is closing in on the ultimate weapon that will allow him to create a new interstellar empire on his own – starting with Earth.

New Release Roundup, 1 December 2018: Science Fiction published first on https://medium.com/@ReloadedPCGames

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allenmelendez · 7 years

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EXPLODE Your Content Concepts By Avoiding These 10 Critical Thinking Mistakes

For content creators, there’s one skill that stands paramount above the rest: critical thinking.

It has more far-reaching benefits than you imagined; Critical thinking may sound a bit collegiate, but it can be valuable when applied even to practical situations at school, office, home, and life. With faster-paced timelines and information-rich resources posted as big challenges to everyone by today’s new internet economy, the call for high performance and productivity will only grow.

People trying to find out how to produce more in little or no time at all may send them off on a quest for pricey solutions, but the key may actually just lie with simple critical thinking. In fact, critical thinking skills were recognized as the top vital skill needed from organizational leadership to be competitive in the 21st century. This involves the practice of systematic thinking that draws from logic, truth, context, and options while using data and facts to solve situations. Since critical thinking could influence thoughts, then thoughts can be mobilized to affect actions.

With a better thinking process, wiser decisions could be reached, faster results can be accomplished, and hence, overall happiness can be achieved.

What’s great about critical thinking is that can be learned and developed – you don’t have to be born with a deductive mind! So next time you find yourself wandering around and lagging behind schedule, keeping in mind these critical thinking habits can turn you around to become more productive wherever you’re at.

What’s bad about the critical thinking process is that most people fail to garner results despite putting in their best efforts. In this post, I’ll discuss mistakes that hamper productivity. Here we go.

1. You aren’t zeroing in on the problem

To be systematic, critical thinking starts with a purpose which should set you off with a problem to solve. Try asking these questions: What exactly is the output you want to produce? What specific outcome do you want your actions to result in? Whatever that is, the problem must be clearly recognized and defined.

For instance, before opting for a rigid food diet program, determine first whether what you’re aiming for is weight loss, increased energy, or improved nutrition. It helps sometimes to break down a large chunk into smaller bits so you can dig into the problem more easily.

2. You aren’t considering different perspectives

It does nothing but benefit you by keeping your mind open to alternative opinions, especially from industry influencers or key opinion leaders who can provide trustworthy advice for more feasible solutions.

Considering different perspectives actually permits you to see through others’ eyes, thus leading you to approach the solution more creatively or even from “out-of-the-box”. As you recognize others’ perspectives, it’s proper to cite your sources to build up a strong case for the solution if ever you decide to act on it later.

In order to understand other perspective, businesses regularly collect customer feedback. It helps to gain insights that are used in building relevant strategies. Moreover, it empowers businesses to identify the roadblocks that hamper customer experience, and subsequently, rework it.

3. You aren’t getting a leg-up by brainstorming

You may not always have the answers to a given problem. Or, sometimes a problem’s solution may be drawn in different possible ways. When you have this inkling, brainstorming with a group can be worth the effort in order to gather and list down viable options that can be narrowed down to the most promising solutions.

Remember, critical thinking is more entitled to getting things right than with being right every time.

For instance, customer support reps can work with different teams to brainstorm solutions that will best suit the need of the customer. If it’s a technical issue customers are facing, support teams can collaborate with the engineering department to find the reason for the problem and provide an answer accordingly. To make this process as smooth as possible, use Shared Inbox. It will help you assign tasks easily to team members without cluttering their email inbox.

4. You rush to judgment before gathering enough data

Premature conclusions are an absolute NO-NO with critical thinking. Guesswork or hearsays won’t help in any way. Focus instead your efforts on gathering data to bring light to complex solutions.

Also equally vital when conducting data gathering is determining which sources are credible given the plethora of internet information around. It’s helpful to refer to a checklist guide on how to evaluate online resources so you may know how to tell which one is authentic from a hoax.

5. You don’t go beyond the facade of data sheets

On the flipside, critical thinking goes past the face value of data. Data accuracy and inclusion of any assumptions should always be checked to fill up breaks in truth and logic during the thinking process.

Maybe you’re quick to assume that the data handed to you by a close office mate is reliable when in fact the person is neither competent nor knowledgeable at all about the subject. When this happens, pause for a while, step back and think again.

6. You’re ignoring the picture as a whole – large and small

Once you have enough data and facts, you can try linking them together like pieces of a puzzle when analyzing. Be mindful of similar patterns, surfacing trends, cause and effect behavior, and other telling signs that could make way for more meaningful and relevant information as a basis for sound conclusions later.

By continuously asking questions like: what does this mean? how does this relate to that? or why was this included? you’re able to connect the “small” picture elements with the “big” picture, which is the ultimate problem that needs to be solved.

7. You rely on emotions, rather than logic

Critical thinking puts prime value on logical reasoning. Strive to remain with the objective side by getting rid of emotional factors when evaluating statements. For instance, your thinking may be affected by preferential biases or selective listening.

Also, sometimes it’s just convenient to be too accepting to avoid confrontational conflicts. When you drift from reason, try to think out loudly and clearly as a way of filtering out emotions. This could let you get through with a valid examination of case arguments.

8. You aren’t drawing logical conclusions

Conclusions drawn out from the practice of critical thinking must follow logically from the supporting information and evidence available at hand. As different solutions may answer for different situations, logical conclusions should also be able to determine what can best work for the problem recognized at the beginning.

9. You’re thinking short-term

Somehow, critical thinking doesn’t just end with the task of making facts-based conclusions. You also need to be critical of what may be the long-term implications of your decisions.

While no one has a hold of the future, training yourself to think long-term will encourage you to be a continuous learner for information which could be vital for the present and future time.

10. You’re rushing action

When you’ve gotten all possible solutions sorted out, don’t jump too quickly towards the best obvious option. You may try the reverse elimination process to arrive at the best solution by dashing out the least viable alternative, then moving on to the next least, and so on. This trick helps further refine your thought selection and decision-making by trying to look at all “what-if” possibilities.

Upon eliminating the rest of the options, take action next by implementing your decision.

Critical thinking isn’t as hard as you think

The practice of critical thinking isn’t as complex as what the concept may sound like. With its practical application at school, office, home, and life, its valuable benefits can translate to wiser decision-making and problem-solving, increased productivity, and leads to an overall greater sense of happiness.

In fact, critical thinking serves as a crucial skill for organizational leadership to better compete in today’s internet economy. With just a conscious effort and firm desire to elevate the quality of your self-thinking process, you too could be able to infuse any, if not all, of these critical thinking habits wherever you’re at.

Anthony Aires Chief Executive Officer

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from Anthony Aires https://anthonyaires.com/5412/explode-your-content-concepts-by-avoiding-these-10-critical-thinking-mistakes/ from Anthony Aires https://anthonyairescom.tumblr.com/post/164856897040

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jenarodriguez · 7 years