#the Contrast between this and this season's holiday ep... well

[ambitionsource]

S1 Rewatch - Maggie’s Take [ 1.04 ]

i’m healed, i’m coming back from the brink... back just in time for more AAA...

Favorite scene

There are a lot of highlights this episode as we’re just beginning to settle into our new digs... but it would be remiss for me not to give the point to the original RL scene. Their first actual conversation while Christmas tree shopping is perhaps the most awkward yet satisfying opening into a relationship. Like... they’re both fully stupid. Would you consider yourself a tree expert... Lucas getting stuck on the snow on her eyelashes... Riley almost straight up wiping his eyes for him and him being like I got two hands... like... HAHAHAHAHAHAAHA --

(But then for that line to be called back to 8 episodes later in such a different context... well!)

Favorite performance

Although the diva’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” would be comedy gold, there is NO competition here for “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.” This is one of the best performances IN the SERIES. The diva quality, Maya pushing each of the boys over, Charlie & Zay subtly agreeing that Farkle is the seasick crocodile out of the three of them and Farkle being like tf y’all... Nigel Chey’s violin stylings... like this is god tier. 

Favorite character (within context of the episode)

Weirdly enough, it’s somewhere between Maya and Farkle. Maya made points with her iconic performances (all 3 of them) and her lesson about her mother and what makes a performance meaningful,,, but I think Farkle just might win. His endeavor to write his own Jewish holiday song, him singing with Ezra and totally delighting him without even realizing it, his snarky line to Riley about how she’s not caught up yet, his earnest and forlorn “well... have fun... without me...” and then getting all excited when he gets invited to go to the diner... he just feels very alive in all facets of his personality this episode, and I love that about him. So he wins.

Favorite line(s)

“Well, maybe it doesn’t take a man. Maybe it takes a scrappy, plucky gal with cute brown eyes and… questionable hand-eye coordination.” --Riley Matthews

“I’ll eat both of you alive.” --Farkle Minkus

“No one asked for a speech!” —Zay Babineaux, to Maya Hart

“Well, that’s what the laundry basket was for.” –Jack Hunter

An underrated moment

Purely the ship bias talking here, but when the techies lean around the building to sneak in and Riley starts to ask a question and Lucas lightly shushes her... yeah. That does Hit.

First impression vs your reread impression

I honestly didn’t remember how much fun there is in this episode. I think the impending drama of 1.05 kind of looms over it, but there’s a lot of small fun little details in here that I’m proud of. Isadora calling Dasher “gremlins,” or Jack and Shawn discussing their holidays as kids and how that’s shaped who they are now, Charlie and Riley’s hug after performing “The First Noel” ... There’s just a lot I enjoy. Oh, also Riley saying take me for a test drive and Lucas almost choking. Ah, we love beginnings...

[prairiedust]

More Last Holiday Musings...

I want to poke at that interdimensional geoscope a little more, because upon reading it over again, I think I splashed it up a little fast and there are a couple of points I’d like to be clearer about. I meant to queue this up to post last night but also want it to be up before Gimme Shelter so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

This is more blue curtains lit crit with a dash of folklore and an honorable mention for post-structuralism. And we’re talking about Supernatural after all, so this is sort of... well, it’s about endings.

Last Holiday was not a typical “filler” or even a typical MOTW episode. It felt extremely insular, possibly more so than any other episode I can think at any other point in the series. As opposed to the usual crowd of “locals,” a spate of victims, and a couple of red herring suspects, the only other people in this ep besides the Winchesters (including Jack) and Mrs. Butters were the two vampires and Cuthbert Sinclair. There was no “case” as in a usual MOTW-- there was no Chuck Struggle, either, and the lack of mytharc was strange against the lack of “filler” schema. That lack of “MOTW investigation” marked this episode also as being about “curiosity”-- the Winchesters all-too-quickly took Mrs. Butters for granted-- Dean even dismissed her as a “Magic Roomba” and that seemed to settle the matter. Furthermore, the moment that Dean spotted Mrs. B in his room, the stage was set for Antics ™ when she held up his goofy Scooby boxers, and indeed a zaniness, an almost manic energy drove the action forward at a breakneck pace. [Spoiler alert, we do get “investigation” in the next episode, 15x15 Gimme Shelter, as stills and the preview show that Castiel and Jack will be teaming up together, in yet another shake-up of the usual “MOTW” template, almost like we can expect the other side of a coin when Sam and Dean switch places with Cas...] These features set Last Holiday apart as not so much “filler” as “between,” as in there was struggle before, and there will be struggle after, but for a while there was cake. (Contrast this to the usual “peril of the threshold” that usually shrouds liminality if you’d like.)

At the end of Last Holiday, however, we finally get to find out what that old blue telescope really is, and with that name we get confirmation that there are no more alternate universes-- Chuck has burned them all. Viewers are left to come to the conclusion that in retrospect the telescope-thing could have changed the course of season 13 completely. The reveal is played off as darkly funny, but it’s also kind of a gut-wrenching moment, too. All the heartbreak of the last two and a half years, reviewed now through the lens of “if only.” If only they’d known about Mrs. Butters from the time they found the bunker, “none of this would have happened”… they’d have had monster radar, they’d have had the geoscope, they would have had supernatural help of a completely different level.

The temptation to read Last Holiday as a Chuck-free episode is strong, but fraught-- the threat of Chuck’s involvement has been established by a pattern this season (well the pattern is woven throughout the whole series really but Dabb has deliberately structured these last three seasons with an exponentially increasing frequency.) I feel like we’ve been conditioned this season in particular to hold ourselves in a perpetual flinch, to be afraid of what we’ll learn “in retrospect.” That geoscope was really_good_subtext, and it is entirely possible, even encouraged, at this point in the plot to take information we’ve learned from the naming of the object, examine our own conditioned response to this episode, and apply both things to the structure of the season so far and make a prediction as to what might happen in the main plot. That’s what I mean about subtext getting loud. We’ve been given the green-light to make a prediction about The Struggle and march forward with it, and see if we will be correct by extrapolating the pattern, or if that expectation will be subverted (the twist is set up to run either way, so either outcome is satisfying.) It is Melville-esque architecture of the highest degree;I could write another thousand words just about that. So I have a prediction that I’m hanging on to, because of what we’ve learned from the geoscope, and what kinds of clues were hung up in Last Holiday, and I’m super excited to either have my hunch confirmed or be frightfully and delightedly surprised. I mean, where the fuck did Jeremy Adams even come from? He’s like our own Mrs. Butters, showing up in the last quarter to run a couple game-changing balls into the end zone, it’s bonkers. I mean, I know writing mysteries is hard and requires still AND cunning, but damn, son.

But anyway, back to the geoscope… 

I’m perplexed, from a very “lit crit” perspective, but this is where I’m at and why I referenced blue curtains-- if you shine too bright a light on subtext, does it evaporate-- like looking through an interdimensional geoscope and not seeing anything-- or is “subtext” sometimes not some ephemeral fever-dream that we as viewers conjure up through our experiential interlocution with the text but something a writer has steeped into the narrative as part of their craft? Or when you’re talking about an evolving iteration of writers, is it possible that one picks up a thread that another wove in for something else, repurposing or amplifying it? And, when perhaps is something deliberately instilled in the text in order to become “text” at just the right time? In Moby Dick, [spoiler alert lol] Quequeg’s coffin-- formerly one of many symbolic vehicles used to foreshadow the doom of the Pequod-- is repurposed as a life buoy and becomes the actual object that saves Ishmael’s life, transforming it from a portent of disaster to a symbol of salvation and then to one of Ishmael’s guilt for surviving Ahab’s madness-- the guilt that had been made text by the very opening line of the book, “Call me Ishmael.” In retrospect, the connotations of wandering, exile and salvation behind the name that the narrator gives himself become crystal clear. The problem that the post-structuralist model of “reading” as simultaneously “creating the text” has manufactured is that the idea that “subtext” can often be discounted as something dreamed up wholecloth by the reader, and thus inferior, imaginary, even delusional (and I use that last word knowing what a loaded term that is in the spn fandom, but this is not about a ship, even) where once it was considered to be a valid and measurable part of the text itself, like that dang coffin. It was the basement, the underpinnings, the catacombs below the opera house sure, but it helped to hold up the structure. And for some reason, putting subtext into a piece of media has become passe, or cringe? Anyway, not to be bitter on main but it didn’t used to be this way, at least not in the heady early days of postmodernism. So that green light? Critical hit against blue curtains. And while yes, some readings are going to be better supported than others, and the wild variety of checklists in this fandom mean that some conclusions have been drawn which can’t pan out, if you’re paying attention to the structure, the subtexts, the alchemical/psychoanalytical/postmodern themata, the ending will be very satisfying. 

So. What was once speculated to be a symbol for emotional lows or turning points (among other things) in the bunker was textually hit with a bright green light, then Dean got curious about it in text, and we were told-- in text-- that oh it’s just a fancy spyglass, and now that the other worlds are gone, it has no purpose…. that’s what I mean about the geoscope now being “pure”-- it wasn’t clear whether the telescope ever had any function, subtetxtual or not, and now that it’s certain what it’s “function” was, it’s now freed up as a “symbol”-- unless like in Moby Dick it’s new “purpose” is revealed later, but right now it’s caught in this liminal place of not-quite-clue and not-quite-metaphor... 

However, and I didn’t put this in my first post because I was trying to be fast and not a wet blanket, but I felt like finally naming the geoscope was an ending. 

This is literally Singer, Dabb, and Co tidying up the house before locking it behind them.

I think when Dean said he didn’t see anything through the “telescope thing,” that we’re to understand that maybe this was the last hurrah of the cute, zany, campy “subtext” or even “metatext” if you’d rather that so many of us have been parsing and which has gotten so weird and bright since season 12/13. I think I said in one of the folklore posts that writing about some of the things I write about feels like making daisy chains in the endzone during the big game. Which is fun, that’s how I personally got through having to be in AYSO soccer for four years, by looking for four leafed clovers and eating orange quarters. And we got a wood nymph in this episode, textually even, so I could easily check the “folklore” box on this one. But the sheer euphoria of Last Holiday and all the sparkles it brought into the story aren’t meant to last. When you look back on fifteen years of text, a lot of it is bleak, miserable stuff. That’s not to say that episodes like Yellow Fever and Hunteri Heroici and Fan Fiction et al shouldn’t be celebrated. But I think from here on out, things are going to be less “golly gee, three birthdays!” and more “There she blows! --there she blows! A hump like a snowhill!”

This episode was a gift in many ways, not just for the sense of glee it transmitted-- it also did so much work and there are things I want to yell about in the way language was hit, the red versus green lighting, the way the backwards holidays worked, the projector as a metaphor for Mrs. B projecting her regrets and fears onto Jack, the amount of food that was created and consumed, how that smoothie was also an echo of “fairy food” or an underworld pact if you squint-- but the stakes are so high now. We haven’t been shown the next valley-- there was no final scene of Chuck rubbing his hands together like the villain from a melodrama, for example-- but the last image we got was Jack blowing out a candle. After the candle is blown out, the cake is dismantled and consumed. Once the story is over, all the themes that are so hard to grapple in a text like a television show can be gathered up and analyzed. (IS that all, though? After all, Dean made his own cake later, which, like, echoes of the “oh two cakes” comic lol...)

Since I really never want to leave anything I toss out on this blog on a last note of doom and gloom, however, I do want to say that I too understand what that last image meant. It meant, as Sam said, make a wish. Think of the future, think of free will, and hope for something wonderful to happen. (or do like me and wonder what the hell Jack wished for with dread and anticipation ha ha ha.)

[thegirlwholied]

SW anon - So I have tried to watch the whole thing before but I could never really get past the start. I watched ep IV a few years back (and in 2018 I watched it while it playing with a live orchestra which really enhanced the experience) and ofc I’ve known most of what happens bc my mom and brother have been fans of it (and ofc all the references to it in shows and it being everywhere) but the thing about the original trilogy that I found difficult to watch was very much the acting being off

Gov SW anon continued - but I think I’m gonna watch the clone wars show next as I feel like the general universe and people speak to me more than the skywalker and co. story speaks to me. But I’ll probably try and get back to the prequels afterwards (at least just to have seen them) but also bc I’ve been on tumblr for so long and I’ve encountered so much about the new movies with Finn, Poe and rey (I already know I don’t like kylo) that I’m interested to see what comes before that

Seeing Ep IV with a live orchestra sounds fantastic as the music is incredible. <3

I must admit I haven’t gotten properly into the Clone Wars show! I’ve tried, & did jump in to (and enjoy) the finale ~ and certain Mandalorian episodes strongly remind me of the show’s tone ~ but it has yet to hit me right in the place where I care. What I appreciate about it & what it’s brought into the Star Wars universe is still on a more distant level, not visceral. 

I most love that The Mandalorian is truly exploring & taking advantage of the wider Star Wars universe beyond Skywalker & co. (but boy do I also love Skywalker & co.) There is an exciting amount of potential in the newly-announced projects too I love characters outside of a universe’s main chosen-one story. In 6th grade, I was obsessed with the X-Wing book series, which were definitely really marketed toward adult guys but whoops, I had found the deep Star Wars section of the library! And the first line of that series, introducing the main character, is “You’re good, but you’re no Luke Skywalker.” And in a way, that’s the Mandalorian too, to the audience if not himself ~ good, but no Luke Skywalker. Not a Jedi, not meant to bring balance to the Force, a sidestory in the main universe’s struggle.  I (from what I’ve seen/know of) get the impression that’s how Ahsoka sees herself ~ ‘you’re good, but you’re no Anakin Skywalker’. 

Of course, for that contrast to work, first you need a Luke Skywalker.

it’s interesting you mention OT acting feeling off as I would use that exact word to describe how I feel about the acting in some episodes of The Mandalorian. In some I love it! Other times... I hesitate to say ‘like a video game’ as I mean no insult to the well-developed video game characters out there but yeah, it hits me like the actor’s aware they’re essentially in a live-action video game cut scene.

But. I truly love the acting in the original trilogy! ...but also as I type this I’m watching a movie from 1944 and acting style certainly varies by decade, & mileage varies as to personal taste... but also I will never be objective about Star Wars which I have loved since I was six... but also I studied film history in college and firmly believe Star Wars, the original trilogy is just objectively good if not quite everybody’s cup of tea (...okay maybe Return of the Jedi is not quite as objectively good, but I still love it so much and given the work it had to do wrapping up the original trilogy, hey, it did its job successfully and with Ewoks). 

I love the twinkling, wry humor & also gravitas of Alec Guinness. There’s that sense of amusement as he talks to Han, as he waves off the storm troopers, and even in the “let go, Luke”... but always the right weight in the right moments imho

Luke & Han particularly can both be petulant in different ways, & they’re all quippy & brash & even cavalier at times in what in context ~ especially when you rewatch A New Hope right after Rogue One ~ in Very Serious Situations! and I love them for it. 

Carrie Fisher’s accent does shift in the one scene (which I have never minded and definitely went around as a kid trying to say ‘Governor Tarkin’ exactly the way she does), and young Mark Hamill’s Luke can be Dramatic & the Most Petulant but understandably (& prettily) so, and... yeah I probably could muster a criticism for Harrison Ford but also I *can’t*! There are some ridiculous Han Solo moments in Return of the Jedi especially, but also I love him/them/just about every choice these movies made. They just hit on magic.

The magic’s there for me from the music swelling as Luke looks yearningly into the twin suns (the cinematography!), but where it really hits is the up-and-running chemistry between all three of the main actors starting the “Luke, we’re gonna have company” scene, and then, boom, it’s the garbage chute, it’s the you’re-braver-than-I-thought/he-certainly-has-courage, for-luck, here-they-come of it all and the movie is flying. 

...and I will never forgive the sequels for, avoiding spoilers as it sounds like you’re familiar but haven’t seen them, not giving us any true interaction scenes between Rey & Finn & Poe all together until the 3rd movie. While I still so appreciated finally getting that & what we got, for me it was just not just too little but too late. I love the casting & acting for all 3 of those characters, but while fandom’s taken and run with the combination, and they had plenty of chemistry... it should have been up-and-running so much sooner. 

And the prequels just... well, even seeing them in theaters at a susceptible age, the Lord of the Rings movies were coming out at the same time and that did them no favors in comparison. As someone who judges movies above all on dialogue, that... also did them no favors. (Beyond the OT I may have a Nontraditional ranking of Star Wars movies). 

The short version of my prequels & sequels take is that both missed that cinematic magic for me, outside of certain scenes, though I still enjoy them as part of The Whole Thing That Is Star Wars Which I Love. Rogue One had that magic; I know and see the criticism of the early editing & introduction-of-Jyn’s-background-and-Krennic-and-Galen scene, but, to me, that movie is perfect. Solo was solid - maybe not magic, but reliably enjoyable, and I’ve been meaning to rewatch. The prequels & sequels... the lows are very low and the highs are very high, in terms of how they hit me. 

I feel like I’d probably sum them up as Prequels: Good Star Wars, Bad Movies, and Sequels: Good Movies, Bad Star Wars, which may seem a little harsh or too kind on one side or another but gets at my take at the worldbuilding vs. just the cinema of it all. The bread scene in Force Awakens, the salt planet in Last Jedi, the dyad-duel-in-dual-locations in Rise of Skywalker? Gorgeous. Individual scenes’ acting & dialogue is sound for me. And yet. All three sequels’ choices in respect to the entire Star Wars universe and existing characters AND its new characters? ...Tonally inconsistent with each other *and* ultimately with the themes of the OT. Whereas the prequels did so much worldbuilding, and its politics, and I’ll see gifs and think ‘yes actually, is it better than I remember?’... and then I’ll catch one on TV & it’s the Padme & Anakin romance or even Anakin & Obi-Wan’s buddy scene dialogue at the beginning of Rise of Skywalker and the answer will come, clearly: “noooooooooooooooo.”

(...this got long. Which I tend to do when I care, about fiction in any form, and with the prequels/sequels: the ingredients were there to be magic. And just-misses are more frustrating than swing-and-misses. A la, you won’t find me complaining about the Star Wars Holiday Special!) 

(...OK so I haven’t seen all of the Star Wars Holiday Special, and I’m sort of aiming to watch it through this holiday season, since what other year than 2020 seems more appropriate? So I won’t promise not to complain about the Holiday Special but I mostly expect to laugh at it.)

(That said I found the Lego Star Wars Holiday Special an absolute, surprising, laugh-out-loud delight; 9/10 would recommend & yes, 1 point deduction as I will nitpick character consistency even when they are Legos.)

[melien]

Simmer - Get to Know

Thank you for tagging me @cloudberry-sims​​ and @aestheicpixels​​! I love being tagged in these, even though I usually take ages to do them. Generally, I’m certain that anyone can do tags regardless of whether they were tagged or not, but I mostly do the ones that I was tagged in, unless there’s something super cool around that I really want to do. I guess it’s because I have way less time to devote to simblr now.

Your name: Regina. I go by Mel on the internet and I highkey enjoy the contrast between my fancy first name and my rather simple nickname

Languages you speak: My first languages are Ukrainian and Russian, and I'd also say Polish (I don't speak it on a regular basis but I used to go to Polish school for the first seven years of my education, and my mom's side of family is Polish so I know the language very well). Then there's English, of course, which I've been studying since very young age, and German, which I have some basic knowledge of. I used to study Spanish too but my knowledge of it is even more limited

Are you a mermaid: Nah, I'm more of an alien 👽

Your play style: For a long time I almost exclusively did legacies and some side projects branching from them. But - spoilers - I want to try a completely new blogging style and pay more attention to stories, sim making whenever I feel like it, and maybe some gameplay reminiscent of my ts2 uberhood, because it brings me SO much joy. All this stuff isn't as pressuring as legacies and is much better for my mental health. More on that soon.

Your selfsim picture:

Stories or gameplay, builds, lookbooks, edits or cc: I'm really into storytelling, but sometimes I just like fun gameplay.

Your favorite age state: Well... I guess toddlers, teens and YAs.

Your favorite season: I just have summer on most of the time in game. In real life, that's probably my favourite season as well, though I like all of them in their own way.

Your favorite holiday: New Year's Day I guess

How was your day: It’s just getting started, but yesterday was nice for me in terms of simming, because I finished my CAS BPR and did some essential scenes in the Lilygreen legacy to end my queue on a positive note

Your favorite career: I enjoy playing with musicians

Your favorite aspiration: If I'm honest, I rarely fulfill them. I'm a kinda laid back sims player who doesn't go to great lengths for all the game challenges and sees the game more like a creative outlet

Your favorite EP, SP or GP: Into the Future ❤

How old is your simblr: It will turn seven this year!

Have you woohooed: I bought some 30 diamond scenes on Choices, does this count?

Your favorite skill: I don't know honestly, I rarely make my sims develop skills

The size of your mods folder: 8.48 GB (ts3) and 10.9 GB (ts2). I’m actually shocked because I was pretty sure ts3 one was bigger. It’s also funny because my ts2 game runs super smoothly while ts3... not so much, and note that it’s hairs that take up 90% of the folder

Your 3 favorite mods: Master Controller, Pose Player, and Time/Weather change mod

Your interests (other than sims): I love drawing, writing poetry and prose, spending time with friends, volunteering, travelling, photography. I'm very passionate about teaching English and I'm pretty sure I could land a teacher job soon which I'm super excited about

Your favorite sim (picture if possible): I'll go with my fiery queen Claret Dawn Twinkle 🔥

Which Sims games you have played (including mobile games): I've played all the four parts, even though I only touched ts1 a few times and it kept crashing anyway, so it's not as nostalgic for me as for many players. For me a “nostalgic” and special game is ts2, and the one that helps me express my creativity in the best way is ts3, so I love them both. I don't like ts4 that much but it has good sides and I can play it once in a while when I have a craving. As for other games, for me everything basically started with ts2 Life Stories! I'm still not over that Naomi choice where you have to give up your wealth or she dies. Also, I played sims mobile once but deleted it quickly because it was just too much sims for me and I didn't want to become addicted (for this reason I hardly ever install any games on my phone)

Propose a crazy scheme: Let's, I don't know, be nice, understanding and helpful to each other? Crazy, right? 😂

Best part of simblr: Creative and kind people who inspire me every day

Worst part of simblr: Unfortunately, there are also toxic people who crave drama and you can't escape them even in such a wholesome community

What other games you play: I'm not much of a gamer, but I do have some nonsims favourites. I love Undertale and Deltarune very dearly, and I'm also very much into Choices (my current jams are Blades of Light and Shadow and Bloodbound). Pretty sure I've played more good games but they're escaping my mind now.

Other websites or accounts (origin, twitter etc..): I have a Twitter, where I talk a lot about the game, my plans, my fandoms and completely random stuff. I'm semi-active there because it's not as lively as it used to be, so you're welcome to follow if you have a sims twitter too, I definitely need more people to interact with!

Are you single: Yeah and I don’t really mind it, even though I wouldn’t want to stay this way forever. On a related note, this question and the woohoo one stick out among the others in a kinda weird way

[eabhaalynn]

Punisher and Why it is my Album of the Year... Already

Every few years, we come across a singer-songwriter who is so devastatingly assured in their talent that they come to be generation defining. Their songs are synonymous with the era they’re written in, with the themes they discuss. Names like Bob Dylan, Stevie Nicks, and Amy Winehouse come to mind. This weeks’ release of “Punisher,” the sophomore album by Californian indie-rock icon Phoebe Bridgers has solidified her name on that list.

From her first note of her first album ‘Stranger in the Alps’ in 2017, we could see -or perhaps more fittingly, hear- that Phoebe is a force to be reckoned with. Her distinctive, haunting vocals from that album have made the soundtrack to many summers since, and many films to match. ‘Motion Sickness’details the emotional abuse of a relationship the then twenty-two-year-old musician had with Ryan Adams, an established voice in the alternative rock scene. In the years since, numerous allegations of sexual misconduct against Adams have come to the public’s attention. This only further points to the bravery of Bridgers’ in writing and releasing such a poignant track so early on in her career.

Thematically, Stranger in the Alps touches on death, depression, emotional abuse and heartbreak, without ever verging into the cringe or the cliché. Bridgers’ raw, honest vocals and song-writing skill make it a strangely comforting experience to listen to, and an album that is as melodically beautiful as it is lyrically heart wrenching. You would be forgiven for thinking that it’d be too impossible an act to follow, especially for an artist so early on in her career.

“The future’s unwritten, the past is a corridor.” – Smoke Signals, 2017

Ms Bridgers swiftly followed her solo debut with 2018’s Boygenius and 2019’s Better Oblivion Community Center. The former, a collaboration with Julian Baker and Lucy Dacus, played into the strengths of all three musicians, resulting in a fusion of indie-rock and folk-rock, and giving Phoebe ample opportunity to release more of the distinctive poetic lyricism that have become synonymous with her name. The blend of the three genres and voices is a beautiful and haunting EP that has aged with Ms Bridgers and become a defining moment for her career.

The latter, Better Oblivion Community Center, is a duo consisting of Phoebe and long-term friend and collaborator Conor Oberst. Their self-titled debut album loosely is themed around a dystopian wellness centre of the same name. The record is coherent, creative and once again plays to the strengths of both musicians, their voices complement each other beautifully, despite or perhaps because of the contrast in their styles. The album is undoubtably a feat of production, and plays into elements of electronic and country music, for the first, though evidently not the last time in Phoebe’s discography.

“So sick of being honest / I’ll die like Dylan Thomas” – Dylan Thomas, 2019

Which brings us swiftly on to 2020, the year of COVID, contradictions and confusion for all of us. Punisher, Phoebe Bridgers’ sophomore album was released on June 18th, at the perfect intersection of lockdowns lift and the beginning of summer. The release itself coincided with a time of social upheaval across the US and further afield, prompting Bridgers to move the official release date a day forward from ‘Juneteenth’, the official end of slavery in the US. Across her social media profiles, she prompted her fans to donate to organisations seeking racial justice.

"I'm not [delaying] the record until things go back to 'normal' because I don't think they should,” – https://twitter.com/phoebe_bridgers

The album opens with the instrumental track, ‘DVD Menu,’a seventy-second long, vaguely ominous string-led instrumental reminiscent of the video-game themes the artist would’ve grown up with in the early 2000s. It provides the perfect anticipatory build up into lead-single ‘Garden Song,’ a prospective looking, dreamy love song. Initially released on February 26th, 2020; Garden Song acts somewhat as a sequel to Stranger in the Alps’ Smoke Signals. It follows thematically, melodically, and continues Phoebes’ established lyrical poeticism. Like Smoke Signals, Garden Song is slow, but enthralling. The melody makes you want to listen, the lyrics make you want to fall in love.

Following on from this is second single, and third song, ‘Kyoto,’ in sharp contrast to the slow, strong self-awareness of the earlier songs, Kyoto presents a whirlwind of emotions, an aural dissociation of sorts. Kyoto is fast-paced, guitar led, and even difficult to follow. Almost anxiety-inducing, Kyoto is an exciting accomplishment of alt-pop. Phoebe’s strong descriptive lyrics manage to change themes between and even within verses, suggesting a struggle between her inner and her outer self, and how this same struggle bleeds into her relationships with others.

In musical circles, a ‘Punisher,’ is a name for an overzealous fan. The titular track of the album places Phoebe herself in this role. The song imagines a conversation between Phoebe and an artist she clearly admires very much. It is the first piano-led track of the album; and marks a contrast with the prior songs as she is able to outwardly express her emotion and feelings in the song’s narrative for the first time. While this is essentially a song to a stranger, it is marked with Phoebe’s distinctive emotional lyrics and vocal; and retains the same charge of emotional attachment that has become so characteristic of her discography.

Following this is ‘Halloween,’ a song that plunges us immediately into Phoebe’s narrative and lived situation. Utilising picking on guitar strings to produce the holiday season of the song’s setting sonically, Ms Bridgers takes us into her loveless relationship just in time for ‘cuffing season,’ and the all too familiar feeling of holding on to something that isn’t there, just because of the time of year. The melancholy is only furthered by the repetition in the song’s latter half by Conor Oberst, collaborator and Better Oblivion Community Centrebandmate.

Fan-favourite, and a personal favourite of mine, ‘Chinese Satellite,’ reflects on loss, and grief. Musically, it builds, starting slowly with a single guitar line and Phoebe’s vocals. By the end of the first verse, both the guitars and vocals have been layered, producing a haunting effect only furthered by the synth and drums of the latter half of the song.

Lyrically, Phoebe starts out questioning her circumstances, wondering why this unnamed event has occurred. She later turns this uncertainty onto herself, questioning her own lack of faith. Finally, she remembers memories of herself with the person who has been lost, and in retrospect, she yearns for the belief that she will see them again. This yearning that closes the song is accompanied by a drum, once again paired only with her voice, that is sonically reminiscent of a heartbeat. Chinese Satellite has provided a great comfort to me personally in a time of great loss, and while I know I am calling it extremely early I do not doubt it is my song of the year.

“Moon Song” follows, and it is a love song to someone facing issues with their own self-esteem. With beautifully raw production, the tough scratch of an acoustic guitar provides contrast to the soft and kind vocals. The song provides some of the best lyrics of the album, or perhaps of her entire discography, and in doing so, manage to make a fairly specific story of love through mental illness and self-deprecation accessible to Ms Bridgers’ broad audience.

‘We hate ‘Tears in Heaven’ / But it’s sad his baby died’ – Moon Song, 2020

This theme of a somewhat doomed relationship continues into ‘Savio[u]r Complex,’in this similarly acoustic ballad, orchestral strings pitched above Phoebe’s voice play further into the melancholy and toxicity described throughout the songs’ lyrics. Her use of metaphor and allegory throughout the song helps retain the accessibility of the otherwise characteristically dark lyrics, her strong descriptions throughout playing into the same emotions of Stranger in the Alps’ ‘Funeral.’

‘ICU’ initially released as ‘I See You’ due to the timing of the COVID crisis, was the final single released before the album, on May 19th,2020.  It is a typically Phoebe Bridgers’ breakup song, one that acknowledges the love that she’s losing. Starting with a soft scream, literally, the songs’ vocals are raw over a distorted synth background. Sonically, the song is a mesh of all of the components of the songs preceding it, building to a climax before dropping out just in time for the final verse. This is, in my opinion, the best single, and one of her best to date.

Penultimate song ‘Graceland Too’ swings the album in a bluegrass direction, and in doing so, provides an ode to the influences Bridgers has taken from the genre. Its title references Elvis Presley’s ranch and tourist attraction of the same name. The song features her Boygenius bandmates in its latter half, resulting in an admirable melody not dissimilar to their EP.

The album closes with ‘I Know the End,’ an anthemic ballad that falls just short of six-minutes long. It begins telling different stories, centring around episodes of low-mood and depression, the causes of which are implied consistently to be related to the stresses of touring and the musician’s lifestyle. These stories are told over a guitar-led melody, initially pitched to be much quieter than the vocals. A feat of production, the messy string melody gains traction as the song progresses, building over the first half of the song in pitch, volume and number of instruments. Around the two-minute mark, the song is split by an instrumental, and when vocals return, they bring with them an increasing sense of urgency. The latter half of the song details a road trip Phoebe takes and pays heed to the sights and sounds she encounters throughout.

The song, and thus the album, concludes with a chorus of vocals repeating ‘The End is Near,’ over a chaotic melody of all sorts of instruments and assorted sounds, before descending into shouts and screams from Phoebe and friends in the last number of seconds.

I don’t even believe I need to clarify this, but just in case you have any doubt, this album is my favourite of the year so far. 10/10

[spookyspemilyreid]

Happy Anniversary Self Titled!❤(April 5, 2013)

Paramore is the self-titled fourth studio album by American rock band Paramore. It was released on April 5, 2013, through Fueled by Ramen as a follow-up to Brand New Eyes (2009). It is their first full-length album released after the departure of co-founders Josh and Zac Farro in 2010. Recorded between April and November 1, 2012, the album was described by the band as being a "statement" and a reintroduction of the band to the world and to themselves. It is the only album without Zac Farro on drums, and the final album recorded with bassist Jeremy Davis before he left the band in 2015.

The album was produced by Justin Meldal-Johnsen, with lead guitarist Taylor York co-producing on four tracks. In contrast to band's previous work, the production of Paramore contains the band's experimentation with new musical genres, such as new wave and funk rock, and features three acoustic interludes. Paramore received acclaim from music critics, who praised the band's maturity and experimentation in terms of musicianship as well as Williams' vocals and overall presence on the album. Several publications included the album in their year-end lists, including The A.V. Club and The Guardian.

Paramore was a commercial success, debuting at number one on the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 106,000 copies. The album also topped the charts in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Ireland, and New Zealand, where it became their first album to reach the summit. It also became their second chart topper in the United Kingdom. In March 2016, Paramore was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), for sales exceeding 1,000,000. The group followed the record release with The Self-Titled Tour in promotion, with European, North American, Asian, Latin American, and Oceania legs announced. In 2014, Fall Out Boy and Paramore co-headlined Monumentour. A deluxe edition of the album was released on November 24, 2014.

The recording of Paramore began in April 2012 with the song "Daydreaming". After a brief pause, recording resumed on June 27 of that year and ended on November 1, 2012. It is the first Paramore album released after the departure of Josh Farro and Zac Farro, both of whom left the band in 2010.

The album was produced by Justin Meldal-Johnsen, longtime bassist for Beck and Nine Inch Nails, who has previously produced records for M83 and Neon Trees. In an interview with Electronic Musician, Meldal-Johnsen stated he wanted "the album to sound very visceral and a little bit less locked down and computerized, more 1981 than 2012, with a nod to 2016." In an interview with Digital Spy, Taylor York stated "I don't think we've ever been so proud and satisfied with something we've done." On June 29, 2012, the band had confirmed that former Nine Inch Nails and current Angels & Airwaves drummer Ilan Rubin would be recording drums for the album. 

In an interview with Rolling Stone, lead vocalist Hayley Williams explained "That whole time for our band was such a dark season. It was emotionally exhausting, and by the time we got around to the point where we were going to start writing, we just really wanted to enjoy the process of making an album..." when asked about the direction of the band after Brand New Eyes. Regarding the album being self-titled, Williams explained "The self-titled aspect of the whole thing is definitely a statement. I feel like it's not only reintroducing the band to the world, but even to ourselves ... By the end of it, it felt like we're a new band." She also stated that she was inspired by Blondie's and Siouxsie and the Banshees' records when writing the new songs: "They’ve got so much heart and soul in them." 

On December 6, 2012, Paramore made an announcement through their official website revealing the name of the album and the release date as well as the name of the first single from the album. The track list was announced on January 18, 2013 by Alternative Press. During the 2013 Soundwave Festival, Paramore held a listening party in Sydney, New South Wales on February 26, 2013, followed by Melbourne, Victoria two days later, run by Australian Music Channel, Channel V. ]Williams revealed a section of the lyrics for the song 'Part II' which the winners were able to hear at the listening parties on a LiveJournal post. Williams told fans that "'Let The Flames Begin' has been a favorite of ours to play live, as well as being a favorite of most people who come out to our shows.... We wanted it to have a sequel. 'Part II' it is!"

The vinyl version of the album was streamed beginning on April 1, 2013 for four days, with each day playing one of the four sides. The album was then officially released on April 5, 2013. The band played an acoustic version of "Hate to See Your Heart Break" on the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge on April 3, 2013, announcing that on the same night, the full song would be premiered on their official website. On April 20, 2013, the band released an EP for Record Store Day, titled The Holiday Sessions, released exclusively on a 7" vinyl, and is composed of the three interludes from this album. A music video for "Anklebiters" was released on June 25, 2013. The song, however, was not released as a single.

The Self-Titled Tour in North America took place from October 15 to November 27, 2013. The Self-Titled Tour takes the band through 27 cities across North America, including Paramore's first headline show at Madison Square Garden. On August 22, 2013, the band announced their own cruise, called the "PARAHOY! Cruise", sailing from Miami to the Bahamas and back on board the Norwegian Pearl, which took place from March 7 to March 11, 2014. On January 9, 2014, the band, along with Fall Out Boy, announced a co-headlining North American summer tour dubbed, "Monumentour", which took place from June 19 through August 31, 2014. On January 22, 2015, Paramore announced "Writing The Future", a round of small shows across the United States, closing out the Paramore touring cycle. It lasted from April 27 to May 25, 2015.

On January 5, 2013, Paramore released a teaser of the lead single "Now", revealing a snippet of the song and the release date of the single, which was January 22, 2013. Paramore streamed the song on their website January 21, and the song was then made available for sale along with an album pre-order through iTunes the next day. In the UK, "Now" was instead released January 24, 2013. The music video for "Now" was directed by Daniel "Cloud" Campos and premiered live on MTV on February 11. It was uploaded onto YouTube the next day.

The album's second single, "Still Into You", was released on March 14, 2013. A lyric video for "Still Into You" was uploaded to YouTube a day earlier, after the band performed it live for the first time at the 2013 South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. On September 18, 2013, "Still Into You" was certified 'platinum' by the RIAA. "Daydreaming" serves as the third single from the album. It was released on December 2, 2013 only in the UK. The music video premiered in November 5 on the UK MSN. 

"Ain't It Fun" is the fourth single from the album. The radio edit premiered August 28, 2013, and the single was released on February 4, 2014. A music video for the song was planned, but was put on hold in favor of a music video for "Daydreaming", also, as informed by Williams, the band was unhappy with how the video was turning out; A new video for "Ain't It Fun" was shot and premiered on January 29, 2014. "Ain't It Fun" then received the award for Best Rock Song at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards, a first for the band as this was their first Grammy win. On June 18, 2014, "Ain't It Fun" was certified platinum by the RIAA and then on July 8, 2015, double platinum. Shortly after, "Still Into You" received double platinum certification as well from the RIAA.

Though not released as a single, the band felt a special connection with the song "Anklebiters" and released a music video for it on April 5, 2013.

"Hate to See Your Heart Break" was re-recorded in 2014 to feature Joy Williams on vocals for inclusion on the deluxe edition of the album. A black-and-white video for the song premiered November 24, 2014. It reached number 23 on the Billboard Hot Rock Songs chart.

The album has been a major commercial success worldwide, debuting at number one in eight countries including the UK, Ireland, Scotland, Argentina, New Zealand, Brazil and Australia (where it was the eighth consecutive number one debut on the chart and also the 32nd self-titled album to top the Australian chart). The album also peaked within the top 20 of 9 other countries. In the US, the album debuted at number 1, with first week sales of 106,000 copies. This marks the first Paramore album to reach the top spot on the chart.

"Still Into You" charted within the top 10 in Australia and Ireland and reached the top 20 in several others. The single topped the UK rock chart and peaked at number 14 in the singles chart, thus becoming the band's second highest charting single in that country, behind "Ignorance" from the band's previous album Brand New Eyes. In the US, the song peaked at number 24, matching "The Only Exception" from the same album as the band's highest charting single at the time. It also peaked at number 6 in the US Rock Chart and number 8 in the US Mainstream Top 40. "Ain't It Fun" shared similar success, charting within the top 10 in Canada and Hungary. It eventually became Paramore's best selling single to date in the US, charting at number ten in the Billboard 100, number 2 in the US Mainstream Top 40 and number 1 the US Rock Chart and Adult Top 40. The single marks the first time a Paramore song has reached the Top 10 in the US.

[bujo-ie]

a tag!!! thank you @saflinstudies​, ur great ♡ ♡

rules: answer these 15 qs then tag 10 people

1. what’s your degree/favorite subject?

latin

2. where are you from?

nyc

3. what motivates you to study?

anxiety!!!! also the desire to get away from home so i can get into good schools (preferably in europe, if i do well enough i could prob prove im not a Disaster)

4. what do you love about yourself?

suddenly i’ve been super productive and good to myself !!! school’s not shit yet, skin’s not shit yet, what’s not to love about self-care

5. what time do you do your best studying?

anytime between 10p and 4a

6. what’s your favorite tv show?

huojfioajdadlk i just started watching queer eye u guys idk why i’ve been missing out on prime!!! lgbtq!!!!! content!!!! its so good and wholesome

7. best self-care tip for exam season:

s t r e t c h    t h o s e     s h o u l d e r s

8. do you listen to music while you study?

yep; usually it’s lo-fi non-lyric music but since testing isn’t intense yet i’ve been putting on ‘remember’ - katie, lorde’s melodrama album, and joji’s new song asdhuskjgfkafjaiodjoiakdo also nina cried power ep!!!!!!!!!! what a blessing it is to be alive when a sudden flume of good music explodes in ur face

9. what’s your favorite book?

i just reread the lovely bones and i used to hate it because the movie scared me to death regarding cornfields but i really appreciate it, so chilling

10. where do you do your best studying?

at my desk! recently i’ve been working on the couch + in bed sometimes because of sensory overload and it’s not bad but i do better in more structured areas. im setting up weekly plans with my friend to study at the library, h y p e

11. what do you get complimented on most?

my hair!!!

12. where would you like to live in the future?

i think i’d jump around a bit; netherlands, japan, aus, but i think i’d eventually return to my roots here in nyc

13. how long have you been active on your studyblr?

9-10 months! this blog turned 1-yr-old a couple days ago but i was only active since last christmas,,,bless up for holiday breaks

14. favorite way to spend study breaks?

walking around and eventually into the kitchen to find something to eat + make (more) tea while talking on the phone with a friend

15. what’s your favorite study snack?

only discovered this today but putting mini chocolate donuts in the fridge and then putting whipped cream on them creates a wonderful mouth feel from the texture and temperature contrast and also chocolate makes the world go around so

tagging; @flcwerstudies​ @jynsdesk​ @honeylangs​ @learn-everything​ @andrsmeda​ @notebooks-and-chill​ @euonym-tan​ @combeestudies​ @dokyeomstudies​ @peony-academics​ @1004pages​ @medstudead​ @pinetreestudies​ @oxfrd​ @sleepytea-studies​ (don’t do it if u don’t wanna!! i kno school started for some of us so it’s a rough life)

[multsicorn]

yuri on ice liveblogging ep 10

Oooh Victor's POV!  Do I get insight into him now!?

Okayy Victor re: offering to take those naked pictures of Christophe, aren't you with Yuuri now?  Isn't that a thing?  If that means we have 'I'm not gonna stop being a flirty playboy it doesn't Mean Anything' fight coming up I'm excited for it tbh, but I hope something happens.

And is Victor's phone case a closeup of a costume of his?  LOL Victor.

"Now he oozes sexuality, but when I first met him he was like a pure little boy" is not making the subtext of Chris being Victor's maybe ex something be LESS, I'm just saying.  It sounds a whole lot like Yuuri's arc too.

LOL Yuriy is such a brat.  Checking in's not that hard… and he gets what he deserves with the horde of catgirls, I guess :D.  Gotta say, his furious faces all the time crack me up.

"Jetlagged Sleeping Beauty"!!!!  I wondered if the Sleeping Beauty references would come back but here I don't think it's a fairy tale thing, just literal.  (And aww it's sweet that Victor calls him beautiful in his narration.)  And… I guess… Victor has ~awakened~ him, arguably, so there's that, even if it's an abstract big-picture thing.

SO WHY ARE VICTORS CLOTHES ON A SEPARATE BED?  Surely they're sleeping together now??  Or maybe not, who knows!

"Yuuri's life and love have opened up a brand new world for me" - okay, after all the professional-level narration that's really fucking touching.  Yuuri's love!!!  But also PLS EXPAND PLS EXPLAIN Victor okay??

Ahhh man Victor posting sexy selfies with another guy while your boyfriend's sleeping in bed!  Let's see how he reacts to that.  *chinhands, gets popcorn*…. apparently NOT AT ALL?  Cmon Yuuri!  I guess he's confident or whatever but I wanna see conflict.

And the beds look like they're pushed right together!  I don't think they did in the earlier shot…?

"Love's changed me" HMM tell me about it.  Oh well of course he's ~stronger.~  And he misses Victor!!!  Awww!!!  Only not when Victor actually comes in lol…. again I would like the Conflict!

"Nobody had ever asked Yuriy if he wanted to be friends with them before" possibly cause he spits venom at everyone but I guess that's why Yuriy/Otabek is a thing!

"Fine then I'm tired" aw <3 lol it's very managey which Victor tends to be but it's what Yuuri needs right now so it's good.

Huhhh I wonder what Victor's meant to be talking about re: Christmas!  e.g. does he mean they still celebrate New Year's instead of Christmas, which is a pretty big thing (what my family does, and huge celebrations on TV) (I would say though like for any big holiday, the decorations and food-making definitely start before the day of!), or is he talking about Orthodox Christmas being in January, or..?  This has nothing to do with anything but I'm curious.

A lucky charm and a gift for Victor, okay, this is the rings!  And he puts it on Victor's finger in a church…… honestly, I'm going with Symbolic Wedding Rings (but actually technically just rings) for whatever money we wanna put on it.

"Thank you Victor, for everything you've done.  I wanted to get you something and this was the best thing I could think of.  Anyway, I, um, I'll do my best from tomorrow on.  So, tell me something?"

"Okay.  I'll tell you something that you won't even have to think about.  Tomorrow, skate in a way that's true to yourself.  Show me a program that makes you proud.  There's only one way to a gold medal that I know, and that's it."

"this was the best thing I could think of" kinda kills me A LOT.  Cause it's obviously not about the appropriateness or quality, physically, of the ring as a simple gift.  It's "the best thing I could think of to give you wasn't a THING, it's this symbol of me/our relationship," it's… giving myself to you symbolically in this way, giving this symbol of seriousness and committment, (which is what the rings are - I don't think they're literally either engaged or married? cause that scene looks like a marriage, not an egagement), is… better than anything, right?  Yuuri has the confidence to say that believing that Victor thinks it's so, but, also, I believe, wants confirmation.

Cause all the thanks and all the doing his best and so forth are real, and are important, as well as being what he's allowed to say by the show, but shhh.

And Victor going with "I'll tell you something you won't even have to think about" is actually wonderful!?  Cause it might sound not so romantic, why's he talking about Yuuri's performance rather than about how much he loves Yuuri, etc., but the fact is… Yuuri, right now, is incredibly worked up about this upcoming performance.  Victor knows it, Victor gets it, and what Yuuri needs from him right now, more than anything, is something that'll calm his nerves.  Something that he won't have to think about cause thinking distracts him - and Victor, presumably, knows that.  So making his response this gentle pep talk is Victor showing Yuuri how he loves him, rather than telling him.

"At the banquet you got wasted on champagne and started dancing."  Yuuri's dirty moves!  Again, so this is where this came from!

Yuri says "it's a good luck charm!  And, you know, there are layers!"  Then Victor says "it's an engagement ring!"  AND HERE I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST FANDOM DISAGREEING LOLOLOL.  And for once I'm not even saying 'er maybe you guys should talk to each other and like FIGURE IT OUT!'  I'm going with what I said earlier, that it's a committment ring, a promise ring, y'know, something like that; symbolic and meaningful and certainly relationshippy, but not too specific within that area.  Not what I'd call an engagement ring per se cause there was no proposal AFAIK.  Meaning the actual truth lies somewhere in between what the two of them said - and it makes total sense how both of them are bending it, not for themselves or for each other but for the audience.

Yuuri doesn't want everyone to know what he's doing/thinking/feeling, he's a pretty private person.  He may not be hiding his relationship with Victor per se but I feel pretty safe saying he'd rather not make a big public thing out of it, either, unless that happens spontaneously in some moment.

Whereas Victor the shameless flirt is like, it's an engagment ring!  Whether he expects anyone to take him seriously or not, he's a show-off.  Like we also know.  And these things aren't just about Victor's or Yuuri's relationship and how they present it, but how they are, generally.

And will they actually get married when/if Yuuri wins the gold?  I mean, I wouldn't be surprised if they get married sometime before next season starts, regardless.  They seem to be moving things pretty fast!  So Victor's not just making shit up in that regard, even if they haven't promised or discussed it.

Also lol JJ is SUCH AN ASS.

Hotel room with two beds pushed together again!  And Victor absent.  Is there some Hays code like rule that we can't see them sharing a bed??

It's, uh, interesting I guess that Victor doesn't feel the need to defend Yuuri in absentia from Yuriy's insults.  I guess he doesn't take them seriously enough.  (I feel like his default actually when it comes to things that aren't skating or love but just, like, general interaction, is neither to take things seriously nor to be serious himself.  Which is an interesting contrast with Yuuri, who's pretty much all serious all the time.)

OKAY WELLLLLLLLL that was an interesting ending sequence, all right!  WITH THE POLE DANCING AND EVERYTHING, and so I guess Yuuri both kinda hit on Victor and asked him to come to Hasetsu and coach him before the season started which um.  Maybe says some things about how weird-seeming Victor was acting when he came out there?  He thought Yuuri wanted him, WOW AMNESIA TROPE, but… he thought Yuuri had just thought better of it, I guess, over time?  Without them ever talking about it apparently, TALKING COULD BE A THING.

Anyway wow yeah yep that's a lot; I'm not in love with any of it myself, but tropey as hell.

[inkwellco]

FOCUS ON... JOHN HARLAN KIM

Our latest 'FOCUS ON' feature interview is with  Australian actor John Harlan Kim. Kim has journeyed from the familiar sights of Ramsay Street on Neighbours, to become a valued Librarian on the hit TNT show, The Librarians.

Hi John, how’s your visit home been? Unreal! Always good to get home for the Summer and see all my mates and the family. Mom was stoked to have me back but now I'm pretty sure she's getting over it and probably ready for me to head back to the States!

We’ve just seen the season 3 finale of The Librarians. Talk about an emotional rollercoaster. Your character Ezekiel has grown over the years, matured, what’s the journey been like over that time? It's weird. Here's a character I never thought would grow. It was apparent that he suffered from some type of Peter Pan syndrome. But over the seasons we've seen more and more that it's just a guard he has set up and I think people can relate to Ezekiel in that way, that having walls up is a normal human thing to do. He has the most to prove yet he acts like he doesn't care but we're seeing more and more that he truly does care, especially about his new family.

Can you relate to Ezekiel in any way? I've grown up with the show myself so that's probably one of the coolest parts, to not only see Ezekiel grow up and mature with each script but also needing to have to do that myself albeit on a less grander scale because obviously I'm not fighting dragons and minotaurs in my personal life. My problems are a little more realistic like trying to score a date or not over-cooking my eggs.

Has there been an episode that stood out as a favourite? Point of Salvation. Hands down. The cast were so supportive that ep as was Jonathan Frakes and Jeremy Bernstein. They put me in an environment where I felt confident enough to make choices and take creative risks. I think it all came together really well in the end and I couldn’t be prouder.

Tell us about your relationship with the other Librarians. Lindy [Booth] and Christian [Kane] set great examples for me, they’re always there for me (Lindy & Rebecca have even housed me at one stage) and they’re just good people to be around. And with Noah [Wyle], I couldn’t be more amped to work with. He’s phenomenal at what he does and I have a lot of respect for the way he handles the pressure whether as an actor, producer, director or writer. He’s awesome. I really couldn’t be in a better position with the cast I have.

And the dynamic between the Librarians and their Guardian, as well as Jenkins? It’s a great technique, incorporating different roles to cover a variety of plot lines. Rebecca Romijn and John Larroquette make it way too easy to play! They’ve both had long and successful careers in the industry and it was easy to see why from the moment I got to Portland. I love working with them. It’s fun because you’re right, when we have such a wide variety of plot lines to cover splitting up the team becomes necessary to keep on top of it all. Every script I get, it’s exciting! One day I’ll be sitting on a magic council with Larroquette, the next I’ll be beating up zombies along with Romijn!

The episodes are always so unique and interesting, when you first read each script how do you feel? I’d imagine much like the audience, fascinated, but excited as your character experiences it. One of my favorite parts about the whole thing is getting the next episode’s script. The writers on our show are top flight and they do a spectacular job in conveying their vision onto paper and keeping things fresh and interesting! Like I mentioned, you don’t know what you’ll be doing or where your character will get to travel to, all you know for sure is it won’t be boring!

There are some harder themes, for example in season 3 the team deals with the resolution of Cassandra’s tumour. In contrast, what was it like filming those scenes? As a viewer it was tense! To an extent, it definitely felt like a shock to the system! Showing up that day was such a different type of shooting day for us. I wasn’t used to coming in and filming something so somber but being the incredible talent she is, Lindy absolutely killed it!

Were there any other scenes that presented a challenge in terms of emotional response? Like the finale? Yeah I mean Flynn’s ultimate sacrifice was rough. And I had already read what was going to happen and I still got anxious watching it! That and Charlene’s goodbye. Jane Curtin’s a star, I loved having her around.

And what about training for the more physical combat roles, what was that like? Did you enjoy it? Definitely. I got to live out a bit of a youth dream with that vampire ep. And to do it alongside Christian Kane who is well-versed in vampire combat himself. I mean, come on! How lucky am I!? Our stunt guys Tim Eulich and Buster Reeves were a dream to work with and they’re absolute legends as well.

Over the seasons, what’s one of your favourite moments working on the ‘The Librarians’ set? My first day. Noah Wyle and the jewel theft scene. It still feels like a dream, such a surreal moment. I haven’t lost that feeling yet and I hope I never do. I never want to be jaded.

Do you have an idea as to what The Librarians will go through in the upcoming series? What would you like to see happen next, for all the librarians and specifically Ezekiel? Zero idea. They’re good at keeping pretty secretive about all of that stuff. I’d love to see Ezekiel continue to evolve into the Librarian he’s going to be someday. He’s far from being fully-realized and has the most growing up to do so to see him take that next step would be awesome.

The Librarians has been renewed for a fourth season, what do you think makes the series so successful? Our showrunners. John Rogers and now Dean Devlin. They’re the pulse of the show. I don’t really need to say anymore, they’re extraordinary at what they do and they’re two of the best men I’ll ever come across, by every measurement of the word.

Is there any other role you’d like to take on from a book or comic? Or another series you’d also like to be a part of? Amadeus Cho. I’ve always wanted to be a humungous, green giant.

Did you always want to be an actor? I decided at 15 I wanted to be an actor so I took a class, auditioned for my first gig and booked it. I then took that pay check from my first acting gig, coupled that with money saved from working at a charcoal chicken store and flew to New York in my school holidays. I knocked on the door to a film school building in Manhattan and told the concierge I wanted to be an actor and he told me to go find my parents. I think he thought I was lost.

On your down time what other things do you enjoy doing? I love shooting hoops, hitting the water and playing video games. I picked up boxing a few months ago too but my heads so big, it makes it ridiculously hard to dodge punches.

How does working overseas compare to working here at home in Australia? The biggest difference I’ve found is the pacing. I can’t speak for either industry as a whole but my experience on Neighbours was a much more fast-paced environment than something like The Librarians. It was actually a fantastic way to learn to nail your first few takes and within that, I found preparation was key so I make sure to show up to any set now with my lines absolutely ingrained into my brain so that the real fun can begin once you start shooting.

What advice do you have for actors, especially Australians wanting to make it in the industry and overseas? Trust your choices. It’s so easy to second guess if you’re on the right path or not but just back yourself and everything else will fall into place.

And finally, what can we expect from you next? I’m actually in the middle of editing my first project right now so I’m hoping to complete that before we start work on Season 4! Way too excited to see that finished and then to get to go back to work with Dean & the gang is going to be an absolute blast as always!

Thank you so much for your time John. We can’t wait to see you on screen in 2017!

[ambitionsource]

S2 Rewatch - Maggie’s Take [ 205 ]

ah, the holiday season... in september... part i

Favorite scene

Good old return to the segmented story format! This time around it’s a tie between two -- when the techies come surprise Lucas and throw the holiday tradition at his house (orchestrated by Dasher), and when Charlie actually goes to introduce himself to Zay’s family and puts in that effort to show that he really cares about Zay and he’s really trying. Like... the softness of that. The tenderness. And him wearing the sweatshirt too... like buddy. And then with the Dylucasher scene (which we get much more elaboration on in the holiday special)... when Dylan gives him a littol peck on the top of his head... no one else could get away with that but Dyl Pickle truly. No one. That being said, my favorite story of the group is Farkle’s, because it had the strongest concept and was the most fun to write -- a completely different tone and convention than we usually use on the show.

Favorite performance

Can’t go wrong with holiday songs, but I think the win ties between Farkle’s melancholy “River” and Zay’s impassioned “Blue Christmas.”

Favorite character (within context of the episode)

I actually think I have to throw it to Dylan Orlando (and not just because it’s his appreciation day). He just has a lot of winning small moments, like the bad Rudolph rendition, his awful holiday sweater, his line about wanting to form a cult with Asher... like he’s ridiculous. I love him so much. The only one who truly radiated holiday cheer in this episode for sure.

Favorite line(s)

“You look like adolescent Mr. Rogers. And you look like Buddy the Elf.” --Lucas James Friar, to Asher and Dylan

“I’m not worried, I’m offended. I thought we were going to start [ a cult ] first.” --Dylan Orlando

“Are you really going to spend your entire existence annoying the fuck out of me?” --Farkle Minkus

“What the hell am I supposed to do with this?” --Farkle Minkus, after receiving a thoughtful meaningful gift from his father

“You’re not doing all the labor in our relationship anymore. Emotional or otherwise. I felt terrible about… well, a lot of things, and… I just want you to know I’m in this. I know I’m all over the place but… I’m serious about what we have. I’m serious about you. I’m trying, Zay. I’m really trying.” --Charlie Gardner

An underrated moment

The moment that stands out most stark to me -- and I remember this was true when writing it as well -- is when Dream!Jack attempts to get Farkle to see all the warmth and love in his past and asks can’t you see that? And Farkle goes “I see it... but I don’t think I know it.” I can hear it so perfectly in my head, like the delivery of it, and it is such a resounding foreshadow for all of the stuff that’s going to happen to Farkle in the next few eps (or already has). Like, it’s the core of depression and mental health in a one-line synopsis, where you can know the way you’re supposed to feel, can know that you should be happier or things could be better, but you can’t recall it. You don’t know it anymore. And so that always has stuck with me when it comes to this episode.

First impression vs your reread impression

This episode is actually great in contrast to 204 and the sluggers of 207 and 208 (and I believe 206 also is like 205, but only a reread will confirm), because it moves really quickly. Though the topics aren’t necessarily light, it moves easier and feels less weighted than those more jam-packed, cathartic episodes. I also really do enjoy writing the segmented story format, and I think Es and I manage to find the perfect episode each season where it thrives in that structure (I’m very excited about S3′s). It’s not the best episode by any means, but it’s fast and fun and has some good continuation of the storylines that are about to implode soon enough at the midseason. Also makes me happy and ready to reread the Dasher special.

[seancarranza-blog]

Residence & Landscape.

Orthodontic individuals would like to make a fashion claim with their oral cavities possess the alternatives of choosing colours. You will observe that when the laser therapy is finished, your teeth are actually whiter than it made use of to be. Lots of folks are actually picking this alternative as a result of the rapid end result that it will certainly deliver you. If you have a favorite garden photo from a holiday, why not choose 2 or even 3 colours coming from the picture to embellish your living-room and afterwards possess the photograph published onto canvass to show on your wall. Hi, merely want to add, I mosted likely to High Comm today to renounce, the 'ADDED DETAILS' kind is actually certainly not needed to have and also the cost right now is $7.70 precise volume, prep precise adjustment. I have emailed them numerous times yet possessed no feedback as well as the contrasting details gave over the phone through their team is coming to be ludicrous. There is actually nothing at all wrong along with proceeding these concepts, however if you are trying to attempt something a little various or even high energy and you entertain the holiday seasons this year, blog-gabrieldiet.info which bad old eco-friendly fabricated tree is looking a little saddening, at that point instead of acquiring yet another eco-friendly one, attempt one of these brilliant tinted xmas plants that have attacked the market place in the last year approximately.

Hair different colors hides a gray mane, however salon dyes typically contain chemicals that aren't welcoming to your hairs. Our company can actually use this DNA to anticipate some attributes, like skin, hair and also eye colour. A blue groper is a member of pair of comparable species of fish found in the coastal waters of southerly Australia, recognized by the sky-blue colouring of the adult males. This leads to the youngster to close down their potentials in order to be 'allowed' and also fit in having said that as we relocate additionally into adulthood our team produce an increasing number of needless boundaries in between our own selves and also other individuals, frightened that our love will not be accepted or returned. It is very most generally recommended in interior decoration concepts that a two-tone room ought to use a lighter colour along with a darker colour. I appreciate that some people might certainly not possess any type of aversion to colors. Throughout the winter season I go back to my natural incredibly illumination blonde color as my skin layer lightings but in the course of the summertime my skin layer gets super basted so I dye it average brown. Laundry both face as well as physical body along with the Stimulates Skin Layer Bleaching Mequinol Detergent Bar. There is a category of people who like hip-hop, stone and also loud music whereas there is actually a wider section of songs fanatics that love transcendental meditation popular music. Bell peppers come in a combination of different colors - green, red, yellowish, orange, chocolate as well as purple brown - and all selections are actually excellent sources of the antioxidant vitamins An and C. The spicy-crunchy eco-friendly pepper is a less fully grown model of the reddish pepper, which is actually not just sweeter than its emerald-hued cousin, yet it also consists of 11 times much more cancer-fighting beta carotene. The dining room chairs were draped in white leatherette. I drive a white colored automobile and some of the explanations relate to me. I have actually regularly steered white vehicles due to the fact that my dad told me that the color keeps much better than other auto different colors. I have actually utilized several marks for this design, Butterfly Gown, a feeling coming from Nurturing Beliefs, as well as some flowers coming from Floral Edges I likewise made use of Grief Inks, booze markers, shine, black Versafine ink, very clear EP as well as a die from my stock.

I included Redken Colors EQ Clear Varnish around her damp hair after I shampooed her color out. You'll utilize a Considerable Amount Of some shades and also not much of the others relying on what you are actually painting however you'll regularly require tons of black and white colored. Libra- they normally do not as if to spend time on lunch and also suppers, they like convenience food as well as want to complete meals swiftly. Made of soft-to-the-touch dark Italian leather with a slight waxy matte result, the high performance selection is actually the end result of the highest level of workmanship nourished at the Montblanc Pelletteria in Florence. I indicate, hold up an American flag and also I can plainly point out the variation in between the red stripes and the white stripes as well as the tangerine-colored red stripes.

[danlyndon4876345-blog]

Swine Field Coming From Garden To Big

Due to the continuous higher fee in which identities are stolen coming from people every single time, there http://zdrowysuplement-blog.info/onycosolve-apteka-sprawdz-gdzie-najlepiej-kupic-spray/ has been actually a rise in the quantity of people at presents that feel that this is much safer to use a general post office box, in contrast to utilizing their physical street deal with. Yet our company were actually shocked to find countless individuals abounded the road from Kenting on a weekday night. A beta of 1 suggested the sell's cost would certainly relocate with the marketplace. Our growth was actually decreased through changing our service style for VICTUS femtosecond laser to a lease versus purchase version off 2014 to 2015 and also a continuous destruction from our Excimer laser. Before leaving town, we ceased long enough to witness a Wild West" duel in the middle of the Old 66 major road. You'll experience as if you have actually stepped back eventually at Main Street Customer, an out-of-date eatery that provides fairly valued charge. This short article checks out the Leading 5 WiFi boosters accessible on the marketplace today. Closing the structure as an institution was actually a requirement but in no chance performs this mean that this is actually the ultimate phase in the past history as well as future of this huge aged structure yet the question continues to be, will definitely exactly what was actually Playground Street University end up being an additional millstone around the back this 250+ year old community or a goldmine that are going to remain to improve our lifestyles. Regardless of being energetic entrepreneurs, Commercial masters-- certainly not typically offering fee and also commissioned based assets products-- regularly suggest passive indexing to retail real estate investors. That's all situational, obviously: Fifth Method in Nyc Urban Area is actually a Main Street of sorts and also can be horribly thrilling for the pedestrian; however a two-story building would certainly be actually technique, exit from location there certainly. He likewise acquired the Winnipeg Lodging, southern of the Macdonald Block on Key Street, as well as the empty great deal between all of them. The "Sesame Road" crew sees the enhancement from Julia as a possibility to offer preschoolers a mind-blowing home window right into the obstacles faced by children along with autism.

At June 30, 2017, Medallion Financial institution could possibly possess dividended $6,747 up to the moms and dad Emblem Financial Corp Several individuals possess a dream of owning a stunning home; nevertheless, they wait for the correct time to make their dream a truth. This plain soft-roader may possess helped define the character these days's developing SUV market but because its launch in 1995, that is actually basically come to be a Mumsnet on wheels. The company was actually totally unable of fulfilling demand, leaving behind lots of people incapable to acquire just what became the must-have gift from the holiday season. Individuals love charity and really feel enthusiastic about such business. In spite of its abundant connection to early american past history, Carlyle House invested a good amount of its lifetime in privacy as well as in chaos. Au contraire, the seemingly mispriced shares from terrific, funding deploying firms including McKesson are directed as uncommon options in advancing market - although not without danger. If you like history you could learn about the numerous occupations of this beautiful urban area and also just how this was ruined and restored on many affairs during the course of the initial millennium as well as the complying with centuries. The lodge was actually fixed a couple of centuries later on as well as carried on in service up until the mid 18th century. Our homes along Irwin Road were actually the just one that continued to be. Before the Proctorville sidestep was opened, the new link took a surplus from visitor traffic with it. Rush hour may be excruciating at times as well as could possibly rival Chesapeake's nightmare traffic congestion on the 6th Road Link. The curious site visitor could still identify the authentic property plots, as well as the crofts affixed to all of them, which have offered their name to a residential area near the community facility. Similar neighborhoods were actually started in Hull, Liverpool and Cardiff THIRTEEN In 1909, the first Arab Seamen's Boarding House opened up in the Holborn riverside district of the city. Kinda like the people which purchase residences near airports at that point grumble regarding the sound and also a lot of the time the airport terminal was there to begin with. Exchanging at lower than 10 times counted on adjusted EPS for 2015, I believe this good deal won't be around for a long time.