#this was also my mood as a show-only after bingeing the first 3 eps

[markantonys]

wheel of time incorrect quotes [16/?]

[bishopsbelova]

I feel sooo, underwhelmed by the the start of the season again after the holidays, I would be sooo excited if Amanda was still there, now tho, I don't know, I just hope for crumbs of mentions that probably won't be there and nothing else, and it's just the first episode without her my god. I'm not sure I'll watch it right away, maybe I'll wait to have some eps all together and binge them but I'm not really excited by them anymore sadly, I was watching svu basically and mostly because of Amanda/Kelli since season 13, not been really a fan of early seasons with stabler much, so. When does she do her guest star in OC now? I need it asap.

Wait SVU is back from break? I totally didn't even realize lmao. I guess I kind of feel the same way then? But also kind of not?

I've been here since I was a toddler tbh (nevermind the ethics or morals behind whether or not a 3 year old should have been waiting a show about sex crimes.) and well, it's just always been a staple in my life since then and has gotten me through so much (I don't think I would have made it through my mom's death without Olivia Benson).

I'll be honest, the only reason I didn't stop watching after Chris left was because Danny Pino was joining the cast (and 15 year old me had a crush on him lmao(. Then I watched the season 13 premiere and I immediately fell in love with Amanda Rollins from the second she walked off that elevator. Then Nick and Amanda filled the void that Stabler left for me.

Am I gonna watch it live ever again? Probably not. Am I gonna watch it immediately the next day? Probably not. Maybe I'll wait for a couple episodes to be out and then binge watch it. I mean, I adore Muncy (unpopular opinion there I know - but like she's literally me) but it's just not the same? Idk, I'm still in this weird mood towards the show I don't even watch OC anymore (the fandom ruined it for me) And I didn't even know she was supposed to be guest starring? I thought she was just done? I don't keep up with anything happening bts anymore

[imaginewithmgk]

Last night I had a dream that kells and I were on the gq couple thingy & it was fucking hilarious. I think he’d be a fun time on there. Is there any way I could request you do an imagine like that?? Please ! 🙏😇

GQ COUPLE’S QUIZ

request fourteen

summary: colson and his gf y/n do the gq couples quiz together

word count: 1,877

warnings: mention of nipsey hussle’s death

3rd person’s P.O.V.

Y/N sat down in the chair while her boyfriend sat beside her in a different chair.

“You ready?” He asks her and grabs her hand, knowing that she gets nervous when someone is filming her. Although she gets nervous, she knows that this kind of stuff comes with dating a celebrity. 

“Yeah, are you okay with doing this?” She asks Colson, knowing that he was upset earlier today because Nipsey did this interview with Lauren before he passed. The death had hit him really hard but doing this was a way to honour Nip’s legacy, as their GQ interview was really popular. 

“Yeah baby, let’s do this!” He smiles. 

“Okay guys, you know the drill. Y/N will ask Colson the questions off her cue cards and we will keep track of the points. We begin rolling in 3, 2, 1…”

“Hey everyone. I’m Y/N Y/L/N and I’m here with my boyfriend, Colson Baker a.k.a Machine Gun Kelly. This is the GQ Couples Quiz, hopefully, y’all know how it works. Are you ready baby?”

“Yeah let’s do it,” Colson smiles at her. 

“Alright, what was the first meal I ever cooked for you?” Y/N grins at him.

“God that was a long time ago,” He chuckles. “Are we talking when we were friends or when we started dating?”

“Hmm.. let’s go with friends to make it harder for you,” 

“Was it… cereal or something?”

“Babe!”

“What!?” 

“It was grilled cheese! When you were hungover and came to my place,” She playfully hits his shoulder. 

“Oh yeah! I knew that so I should still get the point,”

“No, you didn’t!” They laugh together.

“I’m going to be so bad at this,” He puts his head in his hand and laughs.

“Confidence is key,”

“Yeah baby I know,” They smile at each other. 

“Okay… how many tattoos do I have?” Colson looks up and furrows his eyebrows. 

“Let me imagine your body hold on,” He points his finger in the air as if to count. “1, 2, 3, 4, 5…”

“Come on,” Y/N encourages him.

“11?”

“Correct!” Y/N high fives him. “Bonus point if you can name them,”

“I don’t know about that,” Colson teases. Y/N playfully shakes her head at him.

“What’s my favourite colour?”

“Easy, green.” Colson pauses. “Or the colour of my eyes,” He winks.

“Correct, good job. Two points so far,”

“What was my first job ever?” 

“Fuck, it was at a fast-food joint right?” 

“Yes! Three points,”

“I’m smashing this!” Colson pumps his fist in the air. 

“Yeah, yeah,” Y/N giggles. 

“If I could only eat one thing for the rest of my life, what would it be?” Y/N nervously shuffles the cue cards.

“I don’t know if I can say that one on camera baby,” He laughs. 

“Kells!” She swats him with the cue cards and laughs. 

“Nah, Nah. Pasta right?” 

“Nice save. Correct,” 

“Alright, what’s something on my bucket list?” 

“Ummm… go to the Olympics? Like attend it, not be in it!” 

“Yes actually, I’m surprised you know that one.”

“You gotta give me more credit, I listen…” He pauses. “Sometimes,” Colson joking around is noticeably making her feel more comfortable. 

“How do you know when I’m mad at you?”

“How am I supposed to answer this without making you mad?” Colson teases. “You ignore me, gimme the cold shoulder,”

“I mean you’re not wrong…” She admits. “What colour are my eyes?” Y/N shuts her eyes quickly. 

“Damn, now I can’t cheat. They’re green yeah?”

“No! They’re brown!” She says as she opens her eyes.

“With little green bits in them!”

“Babe! They do but they’re mostly brown. I reckon that one’s wrong.”

“Not fair,” Colson jokingly pouts. 

“Let’s move on. What’s my favourite “pump up” song?”

“Till I Die by yours truly,” Colson grins. “Obviously. How many points am I on now?”

“7 I think?”

“Out of how many questions?”

“9?”

“Alright, I’m doing okay so far,” 

“What’s my favourite movie?”

“Notting Hill!” Colson answers quickly.

“Wow, I’m impressed.”

“Yeah well, you make me watch it at least three times a week,” 

“True,” She giggles. 

“How long does it take to my makeup?”

“Well, it depends on the look, pretty much between 5 hours to 3 years!” Colson jokes.

“Hey! It does not take me that long. It takes me life half an hour to an hour!”

“Yeah well for me it feels like a lot longer than that,” He laughs. 

“What’s my favourite fast food and what do I like to order?” 

“Oh, easy, your favourite place is KFC and you like to order a double tender meal! That’s an Australian specific burger for all you uncultured swine,” He jokes. 

“Correct!” Y/N laughs. “Who influenced me when I was growing up? Music-wise,” Y/N asks cheekily. Colson rolls his eyes. 

“Eminem,” He mumbles. 

“What was that?” Y/N giggles.

“Eminem!” He speaks a bit louder which makes Y/N burst into laughter. God knows if these two will have any laughter left in their body after this interview is finished. 

“Correct again. You’re rocking this baby,” 

“What am I on now?”

“Like ten I think?”

“Sick!”

“Describe me in three words,” 

“Gotta make this appropriate. Let’s go with sexy, funny, no actually! Hilarious! And kind,”

“Awe thanks, Kells!” 

“What am I most comfortable sleeping in?”

“Nothing,” Colson winks at the camera. 

“Oh my god,” Y/N puts her face in her hand. “Let’s move on.”

“Wait wait wait is that correct?” He smirks.

“Yes! Now, what am I most scared of?”

“Small spaces right? You’re claustrophobic or whatever they call it,”

“Yes and no. I am scared of small spaces but it’s not what I’m most scared of,”

“What is it then?”

“I’m most scared of losing you,” Y/N blushes.

“Awe babe! I love you,” Colson kisses her cheek. 

“I love you too,” She smiles. “What’s my Starbucks order?”

“Either cold brew or a green tea frap with whipped cream,”

“Correct! I think that’s 13 now?”

“Yay!”

“Who’s my favourite actor/actress?”

“Obviously me, or Hugh Grant,”

“Another one correct!”

“Where was I born?”

“Easy, Australia!”

“Do you know where in Australia?”

“Melbourne?”

“Yep! I knew that you knew that, I just love hearing you say Melbourne in your accent,” Y/N admits, to which Colson laughs. 

“Who is my celebrity crush?”

“Is that even a question? It’s obviously me,”

“Yes… obviously…” Y/N says in an uncertain voice.

“Is there something you’re not telling me?” Colson furrows his eyebrows. 

“Nope!” Y/N laughs. “Moving on… what is my favourite nickname to call you?”

“Daddy,” Colson winks at the camera.

“Colson!” Y/N raises her voice, clearly embarrassed. 

“Or Kells,” 

“That’s better,” They laugh together. “Who is Casie’s favourite? If you don’t know, Casie is Colson’s beautiful daughter,”

“Um me of course,”

“No, me!”

“Hey! I’m better with her!”

“No, she loves me more,”

“No, she loves ME more! I’m her dad!” Colson whines. 

“There’s only one way to settle this,” Y/N grins and grabs her phone out of her jacket pocket. She clicks on Casie’s facetime contact and moves the phone to show only her face.

“Hey Y/N!” Casie answers.

“Hey baby girl, I have a question for you.”

“What’s up?”

“I wanna know who’s your favourite, me or your dad?”

“Is dad with you?”

“No…” Y/N chuckles.

“Okay don’t tell him but you’re my favourite!”

“Hey!” Colson yells. 

“Y/N you said he wasn’t with you!” Casie pouts.

“Sorry hun, we’re doing a video and he thought that he was your favourite,”

“You’re both my favourite!”

“You can’t go back on your word now,” Y/N jokes. “I gotta go now but I’ll see you soon!”

“Okay love you both!”

“Love you too!” Colson and Y/N say at the same time before Casie hangs up. 

“Told you I’m her favourite,” Y/N winks as Colson sits in his chair sulking.

“What’s my favourite tv show?”

“Depends on your mood. I know your top three are Law & Order SVU, Supernatural and Big Mouth,”

“Good one baby!”

“I only know that because you also make me watch those with you,”

“Shh you’re on 18 now I think,”

“Out of?”

“23 I believe,”

“Hmm, that’s okay,”

“Where did we first meet and what did I think of you?”

“We met at one of my shows and you thought I was an asshole,” Colson chuckles.

“I did think you were asshole but really hot,” Y/N admits.

“Great,” Colson laughs. 

“What’s my favourite ice cream flavour?”

“Mint choc chip!”

“No, it’s cookies and cream. You know better,” Y/N jokes. 

“Oops,”

“Okay, what’s my zodiac sign?”

“Oh! Virgo! And I’m a Taurus! I only know this because Y/N is trying to educate me on all of the signs,” He laughs. 

“Yes I am, he’s doing very well so far. Clearly,”

“I try,” He swats his imaginary hair behind his shoulder making everyone in the studio laugh. 

“What’s my favourite part of my body?”

“Coincidently, it is also my favourite part of your body. Your butt!”

“Yes,” Y/N says in between chuckles. 

“What’s my favourite song of yours?”

“That’s hard because you have so many!” Colson laughs.

“It’s true… how about name one off each of your albums?”

“Alright, I’ll just do the mainstream ones. Lace Up, your favourite is Wild Boy or See My Tears. General Admission, your favourite is Bad Motherfucker or Merry Go Round or Till I die! Honestly most of the songs off that album. Bloom, Let You Go or 27 or Wake + Bake cause you said my voice sounds really hot in that,”

“Don’t at me like that!” She laughs. “But it’s true,” She winks at the camera. 

“I know BINGE is an EP but still, your favourite is NYLON. Hotel Diablo, it’s Glass House or 5:3666 or el Diablo. And off Tickets to my Downfall, well that’s a secret.”

“Wow, you got all of them right! I really love Baddest and Lead You On too by the way! Highly recommend checking out all of those songs,”

“I’m glad you like my songs baby,”

“Of course. Now, what’s my favourite thing about you?”

“Physically, one thing we can’t mention on camera,” He winks. “Or my tattoos. Y/N has a really bad habit of tracing them like 24/7,”

“I can’t help it! They’re all so interesting. I think I’ve bugged him about telling me the meaning of every single one,” 

“True that. I reckon emotionally though, your favourite thing is how much I care about everyone,”

“Oh yeah for sure. Onto the last question, you ready babe?”

“Yep,”

“What’s the biggest scar on my body?”

“I don’t know babe! The one on your leg?”

“Yes actually,”

“Aye there we go!”

“Well, that was my last question, thanks for playing baby and thank you for watching!”

“What was my score?”

“24 out of 30 I think,”

“Oh,” Colson looks down at his feet. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy with that but that’s the score Nip got when he did this with Lauren. Shout out to those two, rest in peace. Neighbourhood Nip forever!”

“Love you,”

“Love you too baby girl,”

-

I did not check over this so sorry for mistakes lmao

tagged: @2dead2function @s-j-g-x @bakerkells @mayaslifeinabox @onlybadthingz @PumpkinQueenest19 @mrsambroserollinsacklesmgk @Feeding-into-darkness @xxkellsvixen19xx @lovemythsworld @xwhitewalkerx @deanwinchesterswife121 @jindongdongie​ @itjustkindahappenedreally​ @machine-gun-colson​

link to be tagged in future posts

[semi-imaginary-place]

I started watching deca-dence

1: oh what was that called. there’s a name for this tech aesthetic.... also the city is floating on monster goo which is also their energy resource... is that really a good design?????? why is there open access to the monster goo i mean those kids are totally going to fall in. Oh boss dude’s a super secret agent thing. lots of reveals this ep. That action sequence at the end was really cool but wow i do not like those squishing sound effects. also, of all the livestock to raise, why cows??? per pound of protein, cows are horribly inefficient especially when land and resources like water are scare.

2. We have a post apocalyptic society and they kept bagpipes of all things??? I’ve noticed this in fiction and perhaps this is true of real life but sustained conflict coincides with the glorification of the warrior/soldier social class. oh god and now the creators are doing a post moderist take, yay capitalism. this is a good take on the isekai “transported to a game world”/mmo lightnovel genre (see past post). what makes something “real” I was playing of a ttrpg around that concept... mikey’s got all the flags to die horrifically and be part of kaburagi’s tragic backstory. lol kaburagi got turned into a mod. There’s also something dehumanizing and horrifying in managing a society like this all to maintain the status quo. so let’s see if I have this straight, the remnants of capitalism made deca-dence and then a bunch of little robot people who are incentivized via a game system to destroy the squishy monsters. the city design makes sense now it wasn’t made with things like safety or efficiency or any regard for the residents in mind, it was made to look cool. Living in a fuel tank is exactly the type of bullshit to expect from a videogame.

3: kurenai has the vibes of that one cool npc that the the main character out grows to show how strong you’ve become. (the trope is rife with misogyny. who was the one that talked about it? ... femfreq?), wonder what the show will do with it. good job deconstructing the instant expert trope. lit. unregulated capitalism. what is corporations replaced government but for little cyborg people. curious about this minato guy. the 175 years until decommission or whatever makes me wonder how long all of this has been going on. on the screen with the eurasia bubble, were other structures, so i wonder whats happening elsewhere in the world.

4. the game trailer style shots.... the juxtaposition of the tankers discussing battle strategy for a life or death situation, with the cyborgs excited for the next raid event and talking about the game’s story is real good. its a revolving door of mood whiplash. oof dramatic irony since the entertainment corp also seems to control gadoll numbers. Why do none of the Power wear armor? oh right aesthetics and game logic, i answered my own question. I was thinking about this for a little while but kaburagi really does have the set up to be an isekai/mmo light novel protag so I’m really glade we have natsume as well. If done improperly her character type can get kind of annoying, the show did a good job of humanizing her which is important since so much of the disconnect between a game world and a lived reality hinges on her. why isn’t altitude sickness a problem for anyone?

5. yikes. saved twice within the first 10 minutes. maybe dont charge in there natsume. and it was the cool lady too! oh shit limit release. now the stakes are up. isnt kaburagi totally going to get his little head chopped off and the his little green battery extracted.

...

...

...

6. I’ve always had a soft spot for the struggle against the inevitable and unmovable. i was wondering how they were managing the squishies population. just where is this lake? what weird ass hazing system has kaburagi ended up in... is this the slow part of the anime? where they save up frames for the finale?

7. i just realized that kaburagi purposefully chose dog faced characters twice in a row. like he can choose to look like whatever he wants and he good, i feel comfortable looking like this. good for him. How did they punch a hole in the wal anyways, mechanically? with gadoll? We’ve see that they can either change the projection surrounding deca-dence, or actually have full control of all material int he bubble. oh kabu-san you are finally starting to think. but its not the gadoll that are the root of the problem, its the deca-dence system. btw since cyborgs run on the green juice which i think is made from gadolls??? how does kabu plan on fueling everyone. he hasn’t thought about it has he. of course the gadoll have a kill switch. do the tankers have one...?

8. a setup episode. my heart was racing during the avatar retrieval part, so much tension. jill is great. not sure why kaburagi doesnt just tell natsume whats going on. i do think it’d be a shock and a lot to take in just like when the gadoll reset on the mountain, but it’d make coordinating much easier. as is taking her along while not telling her whats going on doesnt feel right. also the green slanty eyed cyborgs given me bad vibes from the start, after all he’s the one that told mikey about removing the limiter. I’m kinda sad we only have 12 episodes so we have to enter the finale already. i would have loved to see the tanker teams, natsume and fei, and minato and kaburagi relationships fleshed out.

9. YEAH YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD HER EARLIER. so she would have time to process all that world shaking information not in the middle of the operation when it could cost her her life! also doesn’t this mean all the cyborgs still alive are now trapped in the waste disposal place.

10. i totally forgot about that tunnel. that said it looks kinda fragile, how’d it survive the explosion? And how did the robo crew get a hideout?? jill is amazing. she’s like a wizard. Natsume just doesn’t get a break, no ones explained to her the cyborg-avatar thing. I’m too invested in this show to analyze anything.

11. holy shit i wonder what the last few episodes were going to be about. they’re going to black hole the whole place. also we can finally hear pipopi! I thought it a bit funny pruple nose seemed to be taking advice for them but really eh was taking orders? so minato did the tremendously stupid thing of logging out and then hopping on a shuttle to get from orbit to deca-dence so he could talk to kaburagi face to face. even if they take out the gadoll, that doesn’t stop the deca0dence system from having a kill switch on the bubble.

12. POMDOROSA DID THE END SCENE ART. it really is 7 degrees of separation, they have a tumblr here. right as the natsume flashbacks started, I knew what was going to happen. Was it really safe inside the drill thing?? ah whatever. Kaburagi really went all out and busted himself huh. He probably didn’t actually need to use so much force that it’d break decadence. ah I’m rambling. I binged watched this show in 1 day. i started tearing up at the natsume flahsbacks... I dont remember what i just watched it was pure experience. I do wonder whats happening on other continents.. Jill! I can’t believe it took you 3 years to organize your files and find kaburagi’s backup! well i mean its realistic but still.

Deca-Dence is very good, like not even talking about the thematic stuff the execution in both animation and writing are both really good.

[tsnbrainrot]

Rules: tag people you’d like to get to know better

was tagged by the lovely, big-brained, and very kind @helloamhere ! i think i actually also need a distraction atm so cheers for that xx 

Last song: i was listening to my soft instrumental playlist while reading poetry in the bath earlier so it’s this piano cover of ‘once upon a december’ altho lately i can be found listening to jensen ackles’ cover of simple man for hours. rip in fucking pieces. 

Last movie: i.... barely watch films lately. my 2020 watch list was shameful and 2021 is looking to be the same. i’ve found out that without the cinema i’m a very sad cinephile and my viewings at home are almost only comfort rewatch. and very rarely. i tend to binge tv at home. idk if it’s because i’m not in the mood to get into new things or if i just miss going to the movie theatre that much but *shrug*. last film i watched was ‘the day after tomorrow’ with my mother a few nights ago. it’s one of her favourite films and i hadn’t seen it in years so i joined in while i was working on retagging my lotr posts haha.  speaking of, this is not what the question asks but i’ve been hitching for a lotr rewatch recently so that’s probably going to be my next film. 

Currently watching: well. anyone who follows me knows i’m very slowly making my way through all the supernatural i haven’t seen yet. currently halfway through season 8 with 9, 10 & 11 left to watch before i can claim to have seen the entirety of cw’s spn. shameful. i’m also watching ‘upload’ for the first time, mostly when i’m eating because they’re only 30 min eps. i’m almost done with the season and it gives me some good place vibes while being a little less profound... but i’m enjoying it so far! cool worldbuilding! i’m also kind of rewatching castle because acab but also i do like procedurals :/ but that one is kind of my .... in the background while i do other stuff show of the moment. so i’m not like... watching it watching it? i need noise otherwise my brain gets anxious. next i really want to watch bridgerton because it’s so right up my alley! and the boys! and i need to finish s6 of the flash before s7 starts airing in march. and i really want to finishing watching star wars rebels and the mandalorian. and like a million others; there’s so much tv D: 

Currently reading: i’m rereading red, white, & royal blue atm because i finally got a physical copy of it so i’m annotating it. and i kinda needed a palate cleanser after reading this series of essays by philip pullman that i didn’t super enjoy. i’m also reading the star wars ‘doctor aphra’ comics. i’ve just finished vol. 2 and i’m about to start vol. 3. i really enjoyed the character in the vader comics but jury’s still out on her solo adventures. i also just started margaret atwood’s latest poetry collection, but i’ve barely made a dent in that one so idk. me + poetry is a complicated relationship so i might wait until i’m in a better mood for it. i’m actually kind of looking for what i’m going to read next. i’ve been thinking about mexican gothic, which i heard is really good and sounds like my jam. but.... unfortunately the lotr rewatch desire has made me think about FINALLY doing lotr reread. i’ve only ever read them when i was ten years old. in french. and have been meaning to read them in english for years. but. that’s a huge commitment and i’m already. four books behind on my goodreads challenge and it’s only february......... so yeah.... i don’t know. anyone has any easy fun recs for someone in a weird mood? reading rwrb rn makes me feel like romcoms might be the way for me atm, it’s lifting my spirits so much haha 

Currently craving: ppppppppffffff. honestly? friendship i think. ever since december i’ve been feeling super lonely. lowkey cripplingly so. idk if it’s the harsher lockdown that’s getting to me or just like... fucking winter..... it’s cold and dark and i’ve been working super hard on establishing a routine for myself to keep morale up (which has actually been helping) but through it all i just feel..... really alone rip. i guess i should text my friends more... gosh this is ending on a depressive note :/// i’m kinda craving chocolate too? 

i’m ... not going to tag anyone i think, but do do it if you feel like it xx 

[ladytauria]

podcasts

been in a podcast mood lately, so… here’s an ever updating list of the ones i’ve listened to—

the adventure zone — i’m partway through amnesty, have taken a break for now, but i honestly do adore it

my brother my brother & me — so. many. episodes. my favorite thing to put on when i need something funny & not… attention intensive.

the magnus archives — okay, it was kind of slow in the beginning, but i quickly got attached to the characters & the plot. i’m a few eps behind now but… it’s amazing.

the white vault — !!! oh my god. i’ve only listened to the first two seasons bc i don’t want to leave 3 on a cliffhanger, since it’s. not the same characters. but oh my god i LOVE this podcast. i’ve discovered a love for stories revolving around discoveries at remote research bases…

welcome to nightvale — i listened to about 20 episodes, maybe more? it wasn’t BAD but, i just… it’s not quite my thing. the premise (radio show in funky little town) is nice but i’m just… not quite feeling it :/

mabel — it’s weird. fun weird, but weird. i stopped listening sometime after episode 30? or something? but i intend to pick it back up again. it’s a lot of flowery language & subtlety & i need more brain power for it. but it’s nice, i love it. lots of good quotables.

vast horizons — i like this one, but i also don’t. it was made by the same company that did TWV. audio is great & i love dr. nolira BUT i hate the constant audio of her gasping / crying / etc. it’s unpleasant to me, so i may either look up transcripts or wait for a time where it won’t bug me as much.

the message — AMAZING. much like twv i binged it in a single night, p much. the plot line kept having me guessing. the twist at the end was AMAZING. i partially predicted it, but missed a key detail that turned the whole thing on its head. 10/10, would listen again.

lifeafter — included with “the message” as a sort of second season, but a different story. the story itself was amazing but of the five people i would consider “main” characters, i only liked two of them. agent cutler was very unempathetic &. was. definitely on the worse side of law enforcement imo; ross, the pov character, irritated; & his late wife was just. bothersome. did like octavia, the scientist—she was a sweetheart. & sasha, the antagonist, was fun & interesting & i also enjoyed her voice. it’s not a bad listen necessarily just not my cup of tea.

something i’ve learned about myself; i’m not a big fan of visual horror, but audio/reading doesn’t squik me as much, provided there’s not a lot of detailed gore.

i also, as mentioned above, really like research teams discovering weird things, especially in remote places. now how to figure out how to condense that into search terms so that i can google more podcasts like that xD

anyway! i’ve got a whole library full of podcasts to go through, so, i’ll reblog this when i’ve accumulated more. in the meantime, i’ve been up all night (only partially bc of listening) & now it’s bedtime.

[frighthouseofalighthouse]

All weird asks!! They're so good!

Sorry this is a bit late, babe! I wanted to wait til I had the opportunity to answer all these uninterrupted!

1. coffee mugs, teacups, wine glasses, water bottles, or soda cans?

Coffee mugs! tbh I drink tea out of coffee mugs because who actually uses teacups? I mean my grandma has tons and I would use them, but the handles are so tiny and I am v clumsy so it scares me.

2. chocolate bars or lollipops?

Chocolate bars!!! I’m too impatient for lollipops and plus they always get coated in saliva which just...drips down my chin since my mouth is already full.

3. bubblegum or cotton candy?

Bubblegum! I love cotton candy but I can only handle a bit at a time tbh. Also I haven’t had bubblegum in almost two years bc of braces and I miss it so much I can’t wait to have it again.

4. how did your elementary school teachers describe you?

Okay, so even though I’ve always been homeschooled, when I was in elementary school we did this program with a ton of other homeschoolers where you could take actual classes and stuff. My teachers always said I was quiet and focused and studious, and you could always count on me to be lecturing everyone else on the instructions if they hadn’t been paying attention. (does any of that surprise anyone?)

5. do you prefer to drink soda from soda cans, soda bottles, plastic cups or glass cups? GLASS SODA BOTTLES. nothing beats soda that’s been bottled in glass rather than plastic. You ever had orange cream soda from a glass bottle????? SLAPS ASS MY DUDE.

6. pastel, boho, tomboy, preppy, goth, grunge, formal or sportswear?

Pastel/boho/preppy/goth, my dude. I have so many sides to my fashion and aesthetic.

7. earbuds or headphones?

EARBUDS BC HEADPHONES NEVER FIT OVER MY EARS RIGHT. BUT EARBUDS WITH SOFT TIPS BECAUSE MY EARS ARE TOO SMALL FOR THE PLASTIC ONES.

8. movies or tv shows?

Tv shows tbh because even though I can binge 4 eps of 45 minutes each per night, they’ll hold my attention a lot more than a movie. It’s weird.

9. favorite smell in the summer?

Thunderstorms/petrichor, also natural bogs. PEAT BOG SMELL FUCKING SLAPS.

10. game you were best at in p.e.?

None. I liked trampoline time back when we took gymnastics, if that counts. I also liked jump roping and Irish step dancing.

11. what you have for breakfast on an average day?

Nothing lmao. I sleep til like noon and then I microwave something for lunch.

12. name of your favorite playlist?

My catchall playlist, Things I Love, my summer playlist, Summer Songs, my Gryffindor playlist, My Queen And Country playlist for writing, and my playlist for The Raven Cycle. (after I post this I’ll edit it and link them)

13. lanyard or key ring?

Keyring, a lanyard would like constantly detract from my outfit if that makes sense???

14. favorite non-chocolate candy?

Sour Patch Kids or Swedish Fish.

15. favorite book you read as a school assignment?

Between The Grapes Of Wrath, The Great Gatsby, The Handmaid’s Tale, and To Kill A Mockingbird!

16. most comfortable position to sit in?

Just fucking sprawled every which way.

17. most frequently worn pair of shoes?

My grey converse if it’s comfortable out, my silver flip flops if it’s hot, and my fur-lined black combat boots if it’s cold.

18. ideal weather?

65-70 degrees, partly sunny, breezy, not humid.

19. sleeping position?

I need to sprawl to fall asleep, but once I’m asleep I curl up into a little ball.

20. preferred place to write (i.e., in a note book, on your laptop, sketchpad, post-it notes, etc.)?

Laptop and notebook ONLY IF I’m sure of myself, which isn’t often. But I do write dense, scribbled paragraphs on sermon note pages if something comes to me during church lmao.

21. obsession from childhood?

The American Revolution, weather, astronomy, and mysteries/ghost stories.

22. role model?

Idk tbh? Lately I’m just trying to define and live up to my own standards?

23. strange habits?

Pulling the collar of my shirt up to my mouth and sucking on it. Also being a perfectionist in my writing. I don’t do messy drafts. It’s all perfect by the time I write it, and I edit/spellcheck as I go.

24. favorite crystal?

Amethyst (my birthstone), bismuth, opal, and blue goldstone.

25. first song you remember hearing?

Other than nursery rhymes/kid’s songs, it was Light Up The Sky by The Afters, or California Dreamin’ by The Mamas And The Papas.

26. favorite activity to do in warm weather?

Find shade/a cool spot and read with a cold drink.

27. favorite activity to do in cold weather?

ALSO READ. And snuggle with thick socks and a cup of tea and play DS games all day.

28. five songs to describe you?

My five faves atm -

I Am Here // Pink

The Pines // Roses and Revolutions

Soldier, Poet, King // The Oh Hellos

Traveler’s Song // Aviators

Hymn // Kesha

29. best way to bond with you?

Share my interests about politics, history, books, true crime, paranormal, tv shows, and also be kind and understanding when I don’t text for long periods bc I don’t feel up to talking.

30. places that you find sacred?

The woods on the hill behind my house. Dense, deeply green, secluded woods. Hedge mazes. Old and crumbling castles. Anywhere beneath a clear sky and a full moon. Your heart when you’ve come to terms with your fears and made peace with yourself. Anyplace with historical significance. Bookstores on an autumn/winter day. Libraries.

31. what outfit do you wear to kick ass and take names?

A kickass plaid, bruh. Also my leather jacket - once I lose enough shoulder weight to fit in it again.

32. top five favorite vines?

Fre shavoc ado, the one where the dog eats the butterfly, the Lin-Manuel Miranda one where he’s brainstorming, “what the FUCK kind of weather is this, and the dad and son with the saxophone and the oven door.

33. most used phrase in your phone?

“oh mood”

34. advertisements you have stuck in your head?

“WOW! It’s NatureStone!”

35. average time you fall asleep?

Right now it’s 4-5 am because I suck.

36. what is the first meme you remember ever seeing?

I Can Haz Cheezburger, My mom used to look at the website with me when I was like 10.

37. suitcase or duffel bag?

They both have pros and cons. :/ Duffel bags are easier to carry but suitcases keep stuff from getting broken better.

38. lemonade or tea?

TEAAAAAAAAAAAA

39. lemon cake or lemon meringue pie?

Lemon meringue pie!!! my stepdad made a really good one the other week.

40. weirdest thing to ever happen at your school?

Nothing, since I was homeschooled. Same weird shit that always happens at home. Our safe word for when I got overwhelmed in math was “quokka” and we’d stop and look at cute quokka pictures.

41. last person you texted?

My gf :)

42. jacket pockets or pants pockets?

Jacket pockets because things are not only hard to fit in girls’ pants pockets, but if you put a chapstick/lipstick in there it starts to melt :(

43. hoodie, leather jacket, cardigan, jean jacket or bomber jacket?

BETWEEN HOODIE AND CARDIGAN. SO VERSATILE. SO COMFY.

44. favorite scent for soap?

Irish Spring soap or the blue Dial bars smells better and cleaner than anything to me.

45. which genre: sci-fi, fantasy or superhero?

Fantasy. It can take me a bit to get into it, but once I do, I love it. I only do sci-fi if it has rebellion and isn’t heavy on the sci. And superhero movies are great but a lot of the tropes are meh. Fantasy has a lot more versatility if you ask me.

46. most comfortable outfit to sleep in?

Sweatpants/leggings and a soft, well worn tee.

47. favorite type of cheese?

Parmesan, white cheddar, or Muenster.

48. if you were a fruit, what kind would you be?

Raspberry!

49. what saying or quote do you live by?

“do no harm but take no shit.”

50. what made you laugh the hardest you ever have?

A really poorly edited political ad on tv a couple years ago. There was weird jazz playing, flames in the background of an image of the Capitol Building, and then the top of the dome opened and this guy’s face was inside. It is the single funniest ad I have ever seen and I laughed for 10 minutes so hard I was like an inch away from passing out.

51. current stresses?

Passing my driving test next month, getting a job, figuring out if my math skills are okay enough to take the SAT or an equivalent test.

52. favorite font?

Baskerville or Georgia!

53. what is the current state of your hands?

My fingernails are short bc I picked them while reading earlier, my cuticles suck bc I pick at those two, and my pinky is obliterated and scabbed because of when I accidentally sliced through the nail with a razor while shaving the other day. So, not great, but I’m living.

54. what did you learn from your first job?

That kids can be really annoying but also really cute and hilarious if you can get them to calm down. And also that baby fingernails are surprisingly sharp.

55. favorite fairy tale?

The OG Princess and the Frog where it’s implied the prince and “faithful Henry,’ his carriage driver, fall in love and ride off together at the end. JACOB AND WILHELM GRIMM SAID GAY RIGHTS.

56. favorite tradition?

Every December, my mom and I drive around after dark at night and I play Pokemon and we rate everyone’s Christmas decorations based on tackiness.

57. the three biggest struggles you’ve overcome?

So isolated I was as a preteen/early teenager, my self harm, and the internalized anger over my abusive relationship and PTSD.

58. four talents you’re proud of having?

Writing, puzzle solving, singing, and calligraphy.

59. if you were a video game character, what would your catchphrase be?

“Benvoli-no.” (I recently remembered I used to say that a lot and I need to bring it back)

60. if you were a character in an anime, what kind of anime would you want it to be?

Dark, fairy tale anime with a lot of secrets to uncover and some dark woods.

61. favorite line you heard from a book/movie/tv show/etc.?

TV show - “I am the Bad Wolf. I create myself.” - Doctor Who

Movie - “It’s not about deserve. It’s about what you believe. And I believe in love.” - Wonder Woman

Book - “If you never saw the stars, candles were enough.” - The Dream Thieves, by Maggie Stiefvater

62. seven characters you relate to?

Dean Winchester - Supernatural

Sam Winchester - Supernatural

Jack Kline Winchester - Supernatural

Charlie Bradbury - Supernatural

Gansey - The Raven Cycle

Blue Sargent - The Raven Cycle

Hermione Granger - Harry Potter

63. five songs that would play in your club?

Final Song // MO

Call Home // Heathers

I Am Here // Pink

Babylon // 5 Seconds of Summer

Shake It Off // Taylor Swift

64. favorite website from your childhood?

WEBKINZ AND THE OLD AMERICAN GIRL WEBSITE

65. any permanent scars?

Yes, I have several that remain from self harm, scars all over my left knee from being a clumsy child, and most of all a major scar down the center of my chest from heart surgery when I was a baby.

66. favorite flower(s)?

Rose, lavender, lilac, and dahlia.

67. good luck charms?

Not really???

68. worst flavor of any food or drink you’ve ever tried?

Olives, mushrooms, radishes, cottage cheese, and ranch dressing are all foul.

69. a fun fact that you don’t know how you learned?

Martin Luther didn’t actually nail his 95 theses to the church door, he just kind of passed them around, which is a lot less dramatic tbh. Also light-up signs were first used in New York City in 1884.

70. left or right handed?

I’m left-handed!

71. least favorite pattern?

I think zebra stripes, leopard print, and houndstooth are super ugly.

72. worst subject?

Math for sure. Even science would be easier if it didn’t involve so much math.

73. favorite weird flavor combo?

Wendy’s fries and chocolate frosty!!!

74. at what pain level out of ten (1 through 10) do you have to be at before you take an advil or ibuprofen?

I think a 7, usually. My pain tolerance is pretty high because of a) years of self harm, and b) due to my PTSD my muscles are constantly tense and in pain anyway.

75. when did you lose your first tooth?

I was 4, and it had been loose but it fell out when I was trying to blow up an inflatable ball.

76. what’s your favorite potato food (i.e. tater tots, baked potatoes, fries, chips, etc.)?

Fries or roasted potatoes that are charred and crunchy on the bottom. Chips are a close third.

77. best plant to grow on a windowsill?

Idk, my grandma’s the one with the green thumb mania lmao. But She keeps a lot of violets and arrowhead plants in the windowsills!

78. coffee from a gas station or sushi from a grocery store?

NEITHER I HATE BOTH COFFEE AND SUSHI IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES.

79. which looks better, your school id photo or your driver’s license photo?

Never had a school ID, but my temporary license photo is actually pretty good right now!

80. earth tones or jewel tones?

I really like earth tones for myself.

81. fireflies or lightning bugs?

THEY ARE THE SAME MF THING. Also I call them both, it just depends on what comes out of my mouth haha.

82. pc or console?

PC, I guess, though I don’t really game. I just watch my stepdad game.

83. writing or drawing?

WRITING. I cannot draw to save my life.

84. podcasts or talk radio?

Podcasts, talk radio is so annoying.

84. barbie or polly pocket?

Barbie, although I loved both.

85. fairy tales or mythology?

Mythology I guess??? Although again, I love both.

86. cookies or cupcakes?

COOKIESSSSS

87. your greatest fear?

Rejection, losing people I love, people secretly hating me. Also drowning, spiders, clowns, and guns.

88. your greatest wish?

To be a semi-successful author and work in a library/museum.

89. who would you put before everyone else?

My mom and my gf.

90. luckiest mistake?

Almost dropping a knife blade first on my foot but it landed between my toes.

91. boxes or bags?

um boxes I guess? I’m really good at fitting things in tetris style.

92. lamps, overhead lights, sunlight or fairy lights?

FAIRY LIGHTS AND DIM YELLOW LAMPS.

93. nicknames?

Ell, Alexander, Ellie, Little Lion, and Nerd.

94. favorite season?

FALL FALL FALL FALL

95. favorite app on your phone?

Tumblr or Spotify. Two apps I couldn’t live without.

96. desktop background?

97. how many phone numbers do you have memorized?

About a half dozen. Mine, my mom’s, my stepdad’s, my grandparents’ home number, my grandpa’s, and my grandma’s.

98. favorite historical era?

Both the American Revolutionary period and the Victorian Era (esp in Britain)

THANK YOU LOVE THIS WAS SUPER FUN

[boystownbirdie]

LMRTV4U: Round 2

Welcome to the second edition of Let Me Recommend TV 4 U? This post was created especially for those lost souls who don’t know what to watch next. Also, this post contains NO SPOILERS. So proceed willy-nilly!

Best show you can easily catch up on: The Path

It has recently come to my attention that this show is NOT being watched by everyone. Here’s the deal: Aaron Paul (of Breaking Bad fame, duh) stars as a happily married man who finds out the religion he was a part of is actually kind of a cult a la scientology. Michelle Monaghan is his wife whose family has deep roots in “the movement” and Hugh Dancy is an up-and-coming leader in the faith. It sounds hokey on paper but give it a chance. Maybe it’s my obsession with the Jean Valjean vs. Javert thing all over again but I love when a story doesn’t have a clear villain and when the sincere motives of opposing sides is so clear. Aaron Paul is totally justified in questioning his faith but his wife is also right to believe the “movement” is doing actual good. I love a grey area and this show is full of ‘em

Where can I binge? Hulu- It’s a Hulu original and the first season (only 10 eps long) is available now! Season 2 is coming out as we speak with 1 ep being released per week.

Where to start? Start with season 1, episode 1 or you’ll miss

Skip it if: You’re cult-ed out after Going Clear and the Master and the recent revelation that Tom Cruise is probably responsible for a Trump presidency. http://theslot.jezebel.com/the-scientologists-voted-for-trump-1791558434

#1 reason to watch: The acting is amazing and Aaron and Michelle’s teen son “Hawk” is a Heath-Ledger-look-a-like with all the angst and sexual tension of Heath himself back in the 10-things-I-hate-about-you days

Best comedy that will also have you bawlin’:One Mississippi

Tig Notaro stars in this semi-autobiographical series based on the time period in which the real Tig Notaro suddenly lost her mother, went through a breakup, was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a double mastectomy, and then had a terrible, ongoing case of c.diff. Sounds hilarious, right? The real gem here is the slowly evolving relationship between Tig and her stepfather which is at times painfully awkward and painfully sweet. And it’s impossible not to imagine the cautiously flirtatious scenes between Tig and her now-wife Stephanie Allynne as re-enactments of their early courtship. (ps: the gif below is NOT from O.M. but still shows Tig and Stephanie together) 

Where can I binge? If you have Amazon Prime it’s on Prime instant video

Where to start? It’s a short series- only 6 eps at 20-something minutes apiece- start with ep 1

Skip it if: You’re not a Tig Notaro fan/ you just don’t like that whole deadpan-thing

#1 reason to watch: If you are a Tig fan, it’s amazing to get a deeper glimpse into this time period that seems to be the worst possible combination of circumstances. It’s a sweet reminder to know that life can get really, really, really shitty and while nothing can replace your loss, you can still find true love, have adorable twins, and do some of your best work as a performer.

Best British import: Fleabag

Similar to One Mississippi, it’s on Amazon Prime, it’s a short 6-episode series, it’s a “comedy” which will leave you in tears (maybe now is the time to tell you that it doesn’t take much to make me cry so take all of this with a grain of salty tears), and it’s about a woman dealing with several recent losses and breakup. Fleabag is a BBC import based off of an award-winning play by star Phoebe Waller-Bridge whose titular character is irreverent, crass, over-indulgent and unexpectedly poignant all at once. It’s kind of like Shameless (but in this case Fleabag is more of a Frank than a Fiona) meets Girls. There’s also a bit of mystery wrapped up in there, too.

Where can I binge?  Amazon Prime instant video

Where to start? Again, only 6 short eps so start with ep 1

Skip it if: You’re easily grossed out by a woman talking frankly about her bodily functions and sexual exploits. Also if you are in the mood for a comedy that WON’T make you cry.

#1 reason to watch: It’s way different than anything else out there and it’s an easy show to power-through in a few hours.

Best new sitcom (no, really!): The Mick

I had my reservations, but I was pleasantly surprised! The Mick stars Kaitlin Olson (who you probably know as Dee from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) in her first major solo-endeavor. Dee has never been my favorite Sunny character, but this role is perfect for her brand of humor and gives her room to grow away from male-centric Sunny. The plot is a classic fish-out-of-water premise where Olson plays Mickey, an estranged aunt who suddenly finds herself as the guardian of her wealthy, East-coast-elite nephews and niece. Mickey is a hard-drinking, fly-by-the-seat-of-her-pants grifter while the Pemberton kids are coddled, country-clubbers. It sounds like sitcom 101 but trust me, it’s with a twist.

Where can I binge? Hulu- new eps are coming out since it’s currently airing on Fox

Where to start? Since only a few eps are out, start with the pilot. But you can jump in anywhere

Skip it if: You’re over the traditional sitcom format or you’re easily offended by a bloody nose

#1 reason to watch: The 3 child (well one is an older teen) actors are all pretty stellar which really makes the show. Plus Olson is perfect in the role and is able to play a more layered character than Sunny has ever allowed.

Best show I really shouldn’t have to be justifying because just watch it: RuPaul’s Drag Race

So if you’ve read my other LMWTV4U posts or you’ve ever met me, this will be the least surprising thing ever. BUT SERIOUSLY this show is so good and if this kind of thing is important to you, it’s a recent Emmy winner for best reality-TV-show host (RuPaul). But to call it a reality TV show is kind of a stretch because the actual best thing about RPDR is how manufactured and self-aware it is. There is, of course, heaps of drama, but everything is served with a wink. RuPaul comes sweeping in to provide a critical eye and guidance in each episode and always leaves the queens with her classic advice “good luck and don’t fuck it up.” Every episode ends with a “Lipsync FOR YOUR LIFE” which results in one queen “sashay-ing away” while the other gets to “shante you stay.” Somehow, among all of the ridiculousness, the show makes room for genuine emotion. The “villains” are eventually encouraged to explore their own insecurities and under-performing artists are given second chances and a helping hand from their competitors. It’s really not like anything else on television and the best part is, season 9 is coming this spring so you still have time to get caught up on past seasons before the new one arrives!

Where can I binge? The show airs on Logotv, which you almost certainly do not have in your cable bundle, but seasons 5-7 are on Amazon Prime and last I checked seasons 6-8 were on Hulu (along with All Stars 2). Also most of the seasons are usually available to stream on logotv’s website.

Where to start? It might be hard to find but I’d really recommend starting with season 3 or 4. You can start anywhere but if you start in later seasons you’ll find out who won previous seasons which can be a bummer. Also, by season 6 and 7 there are already way too many inside jokes and catchphrases from previous seasons to keep up with. Don’t start with season 1 (it’s a completely different show) or All Stars (for obvious reasons).

Skip it if: You hate camp and kitsch and all things drag.

#1 reason to watch: Every single episode ends with RuPaul saying “If you can’t love yourself, how the hell you gonna love somebody else? Can I get an amen?” followed by an onstage dance party

Best season 2 that you might have given up on but deserves a second chance: Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Maybe you didn’t like Kimmy Schmidt season 1. Maybe you loved it but thought season 2 was too weird and gave up. Or maybe you loved both seasons and, in that case, why are you reading this still? But let me make my case for season 2. Yes it’s way more out-there than season 1, but it contains one of the best instances of my favorite guilty-pleasure of the TV trope world: the musical episode. It’s pretty subtle, but in episode 5, “Kimmy Gives Up,” Titus scores the entire episode with songs from various “forgotten” musicals (aka parodies of Broadway classics from husband-of-Tina-Fey and music producer Jeff Richmond.) My personal favorite is “Just Go On” from “Gangly Orphan Jeff, the ill-fated musical that premiered a week after Annie.” It hilariously mocks “The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow” while also allowing for Titus to face his fears, Kimmy to begin to mourn her lost love, and for both Lillian and Jacqueline to revel in their parenting abilities (for their kids both literal and of the tenant-sort). Season 2 is less about a woman who missed the last 15 years clumsily learning to live in the modern world of a cartoonish NYC and more about a woman who’s been through trauma coming to terms with her past and trying to find her purpose. Season 2 is more lived-in and where season 1 allowed Titus to point out all of the “things people don’t say anymore,” season 2 finds both Kimmy and Titus bumbling through modernity together, like when Titus eagerly explains the internet as a “series of tubes.” Like my fave show of all time and fellow Tina-Fey-creation, 30 Rock, Kimmy Schmidt strikes a delicate balance between a satire of our society, foolish and off-the-wall characters, and characters facing real-world emotions with tenderness.

Where can I binge? Netflix!

Where to start? I mean it’s a short series so start with season 1, ep 1. But if you need a good intro, start with “Kimmy Gives Up!”

Skip it if: You can’t handle all of the ridiculousness.

#1 reason to watch: Titus, especially in his audition that is NOT for gum, “Your teeth are bones that live outside. They hang from your lips like bats. Oh, outside bones, outside bones. Never forget that teeth are outside bones. They're bones that you wash and when you're a kid they fall from your head. And to make things less weird we say they got stolen by a demon that your parents know. Trident!”

[mudkipthemusical-blog]

Music of the Month: February 2017

February may be the shortest month of the year, but it still gave plenty of time to make some great discoveries this month (plus the Grammys made up for the 2 or 3 lost days as far as exposure to material goes). Looking back on my picks this time around, they’re kind of all over the place as far as styles go, and the moods go to extremes, but I’m a firm believer in “variety is the spice of life.” I’m also surprised by how I found all of these from different sources, be it the Grammys, Apple Music recommendations, live performances, or even here on Tumblr! For a month with only 28 days, I’m alarmed by how much great music I’ve been able to find, and that makes me all the more excited to recap it:

Album of the Month: A Sailor’s Guide to Earth by Sturgill Simpson

A Sailor’s Guide to Earth was definitely the wild card up for Album of the Year at the Grammys. Even though I knew it was going to come down between Beyoncé and Adele, I mainly wanted Sturgill to win for the sake of pulling off what to me would have been the ultimate upset. However, after actually checking it out, I found it truly fantastic and well-deserving of its nomination! First and foremost, the overall sound is phenomenal. I've seen Sturgill's style described as "alt-country," which is quite accurate if you ask me; Sturgill definitely has a rich tone and twang to his voice and there's a distinctively southern flavor to pretty much every aspect, but there were moments where the songs drifted into more funky or orchestral territory. If you're not a country fan, like me, you'll probably still appreciate it, and that's probably why it stood out to me the way it did. I found it to be a lot more sentimental and original than the archetypal sound you find in most popular country music nowadays. My personal standout tracks were coincidentally the first three: "Welcome to Earth (Pollywog)," "Breakers Roar," and "Keep It Between the Lines." Considering the overall concept of the album is a series of messages to Sturgill's son and wife, I found these to have the most lyrical impact; just hearing the first line "Hello my son / Welcome to Earth," hit me hard. That being said, it's still a solid album to the end, packing in plenty of different flavors and moods. Couple that with the gorgeous engineering, and it's clear that I stand by this as an award-quality record.

5 Great Songs from this Month:

"I Am" by The Lique

I reblogged the “Tiny Desk Concert” video to this song earlier this month, and it’s certainly stuck with me since. Everything about it just works and makes you feel good: the uplifting lyrics, the ease the rapper has performing them, the melodica break, etc. This is also one of those songs that I love re-listening to pick out the neat lyrical bits that pass by, but the refrain still sticks out to me every time. It works like a motivational mantra: "I am love/I am peace/I am joy/that can never be destroyed." Tell me that doesn’t make you smile!

"715 - CRΣΣKS" by Bon Iver

Bon Iver songs are notorious for being emotionally raw, and this is no exception. 22, A Million is certainly an unusual album for the average listener, but I found this to have just the perfect balance of Bon Iver’s classic essence with his new electronically-fueled style. It’s just him singing a capella through a vocoder, which is impactful in itself, but also reminds me of "Hide and Seek" by Imogen Heap: one of my favorite songs of all time. Both are pretty dark and show a lot of vulnerability, involve some deep and sophisticated lyrics, and have rich, rich harmonies that give everything else an extra punch. Expect to tear up, but expect brilliance.

"Little Fox Adventure (feat. Jenny)" by Tenkitsune

I’ve been following Tenkitsune on SoundCloud for months now, and I was delighted to see that he recently released a formal EP. I love Tenkitsune or making the happiest and cutest electronic music I’ve ever heard, and this is the cutest and happiest track he's put out to date in my mind. This song is like a ball of pure energy! While so much of that is rooted in the production, the vocal captures the essence perfectly, especially the line "Forget your worries / You'll float up to the sky." Whenever I hear that, though it sounds cheesy, I do exactly that. It's a perfect pick-me-up kind of tune.

"Dancing on My Own" by Callum Scott

Going back to the melancholy, this song is such a passionate, timeless piano ballad. It reminds me a lot of Sam Smith's work, especially with Callum Scott having the unique voice that he does. The lyrics are heartbreaking, but they tell quite an interesting story, and the way Callum delivers them with so much power takes you on a journey right along with him. I'm also a fan of the image of "I keep dancing on my own," referring to loneliness. It's a little easier to listen to than "715 - CRΣΣKS," but in that way, it's just as beautiful.

"If Your Dad Doesn't Have a Beard, You've Got Two Mums" by The Beards

This one, and frankly every song The Beards play, is just pure silliness. I discovered The Beards, a novelty band whose songs are all about beards, via a WheezyWaiter video on YouTube (WheezyWaiter being an avid beard-wearer and appreciator), and what followed that night was glorious. In a sense, this song could be seen as perpetuating toxic gender roles, but it’s too fun and ridiculous to be taken seriously. I can’t help but smile when I hear the vocalists harmonize over “two beardless moms,” and I highly reccomend you watch the video; if you’re like me, it will send you on a fantastically funny YouTube binge that may somehow change your life. 

BONUS: “Haitian Fight Song” as performed by the Mirari Brass Quintet

This didn’t quite make my top 5, but I do have to give it special attention because I got to hear this live at my university, and in the moment, it blew me away. The Mirari Brass Quintet are a very versatile group, if you couldn’t tell from how it’s a chamber ensemble playing a Charles Mingus tune. What hooked me from the start was the "bass" solo coming from the euphonium, and I have never heard a euphonium play anything like that, ever. The layers fill in after that with the trombone playing insanely fast triplets (my trombone-player brain practically exploded at that moment), and everything turns into this fantastic chaos. I'm partial to this song additionally because I got to play it in my high school jazz band my senior year, and it brings back such great memories. As my blog title says, I am one heck of a band geek, and this was a direct appeal to my pathos that I couldn't help but share.

On that note, it’s been a great month, and March is shaping up to be as great if not better. Lorde just dropped a new single today, and Ed Sheeran’s new album is mere hours away. For now, I'm getting hyped for that and will probably refresh Apple Music rapidly once midnight rolls around, but I can't wait to see what else is ahead and talk about it once April rolls around! 

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[meowsaidmayaanime]

Anime I've Dropped

Its just as important to talk about the anime I dropped as it is to talk about the anime I've watched through to the end. I will drop an anime for a variety of reasons, not necessarily because I don't like it. It's also good to have this list so I know what I need to finish watching.

-Nisekoi (November, ep 12)

Its not bad, and if I was younger I would probably watch it in its entirety. I just find myself getting more and more tired of the romance comedy where crazy ridiculous things are thrown in to progress the story and add 'complexity'. It is funny, but I don't like many of the female characters (and its a harem show) and I'm starting to doubt things will ever get resolved and that the main male will never get together with the only sensible real female character that I like. Maybe if I find out more about what direction it goes in I'll continue watching. But as it stands I spent the last 3 episodes skipping scenes to get to the stuff I actually care about. And when that happens on a show the first time yousee it, its a good indicator that you should stop watching.

-ON HOLD Mushishi (October, ep)

I actually really like this anime so far, but because its so intense and dark, its not something that I can binge as easily as the vaste majority of my other anime. You kind of have to be in the mood to watch it? Anyway, I intend to keep watching it but it wil be a few episodes every once in a while. I'll keep you updated on when I'm actually finished

-New Game (September, ep 3)

It's not bad, and in fact it something I normally would watch and enjoy. Right before watching these two episodes I completed Shirobako which is an amazing and realistic 'natural' anime about anime production. However this one so far, rather than being about what its like to work in the game industry, is a very moe anime about the characters alone. I feel as though the characters could be put in any other job, and it would not affect the anime at all. Some words and job titles would be changed, but not the 'meat' of the content. It's still cute, and I plan to pick it up again to see what ends up happening. Just, it wasn't a good one to start with right after watching an anime on the same topic but be so different, haha.

-Ben-To (July, ep 2)

Wow, this sure was... something. The premise was amusing, but through the first episode I kept finding myself asking when it would be over, and when something would actually happen. Immediately I realized this was going to fall into a harem trope, with types of characters I find off-putting. I didn't get far, so I can't say much else about it. I lost interest, real fast.

-Ann-Happy (June, ep 10)

This show is just moe upon moe. Its a slice of life following five incredibly unlucky girls as they attend high school. If fact they are so unlucky that the highschool has a designated "happiness class" for about 30 or so unlucky students, where in addition to taking regular classes, they take special classes in order to make the students less unlucky and be able to find happiness despite their luck. Its very cute, and I watched most of it, however I was mostly watching it with my friend, and since we are so behind on our anime we decided to finish all the spring simulcasts on our own so we can get started with a couple summer ones. It's not a bad anime, just too much moe, and no real plot.

-The Lost Village (June, ep 9)

The lost village starts off following a bus load of people who want to leave their current lives and start anew in a mysterious isolated village where no one from the modern society can find them. It's an interesting anime apart of the horror genre the first episode seemed really good, but it gets tiring quickly. Especially since every single episode after the first seems to end on incredibly enormous cliff hangers. Its hard to pin point why it was disappointing as the episodes went on, perhaps its because so much happens in every episode, or the majority of the characters are not very likable, or the fact that every single character has a hard/traumatizing back story, and there are 37 characters! Not to mention that they tend to gang up on each other, do crazy things and occasionally follow the mob mentality.

In the end I lost interest and stopped watching it, maybe I'll finish the episodes in the future? Probably not though. It just got very tiresome and I'm sick of the forced tension caused by the endless cliffhangers...

-Tonkatsu DJ Agetaro (June, ep 7?)

In reality I was only watching this because one of my friends liked it. I personally am not a friend, so she watched on her own rather than together with our other simulcasts. It's an interesting story, and has its moments. I can see why she likes it, it's pretty well done, just not my thing. I won't finish watching it.

-Joker Game (June, ep 8)

Its a well done series, but because I was watching it as a simulcast and because by episode 8, almost every episode worked as a stand alone. So because of that, I wasn't highly anticipating the next episode at the end of every week. I do intend to continue watching this. especially now that all the spring simulcasts I've been watching are over. Though it may be a while until I continue it again.

-And You Thought There Is Never A Girl Online (June, ep 6 or 7?)

Like Konosuba, this is another boob fest, but with significantly more fan service. I like the Ecchi anime's but not as big of a fan when it comes to fan service. Too many female characters surrounding one singular boy. I don't like the main female character either. So yeah. Not going to continue watching.

-Durarara (June, ep 5) *NO LONGER DROPPED, SEE ADDENDUM*

This show is actually kind of interesting. I do want to watch more of it, especially considering that it's relatively popular. I only dropped it because it wasn't as gripping as some other anime's that I was watching at the same time. So if fell off my radar because of it. It runs at a slower pace, and I wanted to know more about the main male character the anime opens up with. Maybe its also because they introduced too many characters with too little information on who they are that I lost a little interest. Any matter, I want to continue watching it and give it another try. I'm not not sure when... ADDENDUM (August): I came back to Durarara and I love it! I finished the first season and am watching the second season part 3 and oh man so much is going down. I talked about season one HERE.

-Konosuba: Gods Blessing on this wonderful world (May, ep 5)

I enjoyed watching the first few episodes, and I thought it was going to be a fun anime, but instead it turned into a HUGE boob fest. One male character surrounded by questionable female characters. Not to mention two of which were rather annoying. It just felt so tried and stereotypical. It was funny, and the main two characters have a fun dynamic. Honestly if there were more male characters and if the extra added female ones were more likable I would have continued watching it. But sadly, I'd have to say that I'm no longer interested and probably wont continue watching.

-Is the Order a Rabbit (May, ep 3)

It's not a bad anime by any means, Its just too much of a slice of life. There isn't any real plot, even withing the episodes and its slow paced. I tend to like slice of life, for example The Daily Lives of High School Boys is slice of life and has no plot either, but what makes it so enjoyable was that it was more so a comedy than a slice of life. This anime however seems to be only slice of life with no other genre... It's not bad, just not my type of anime. I probably won't be coming back to it.

[jujywrites]

Sphinx crew vs Madoka fandom

[present-me note: this was written for @zntanniversary‘s second year]

 Since I failed at doing something each day (small bummer), and since I couldn’t finish the two other ZnT fics I planned to post (BIG BUMMER), I’m gonna dump my headcanons(?) that grew out of this fic. They popped into my brain over the week and I’ve been trying to ignore them because they’re ridiculous but screw it. it’s after midnight now too but double screw it (written by someone who’s only watched the show+one Rebellion clip btw)

PUTTING THE PMMM SOUNDTRACK ON  TO WRITE THIS = BAD IDEA ;_;

(I have retroactively decided for this particular AU that the gang live in the same apartment complex and get to know one another that way bla*handwaving*)

Five is the original instigator. She stumbles upon the show, binge-watches it over the weekend and boom new fandom. Mid-week Lisa notices she isn’t quite herself and asks what’s up and Five is like “WATCH THIS THING WITH ME IT’S AMAZING YOU HAVE TO“ and Lisa’s all “o-okay O_o;“ (Five’s discovered the movies at this point but chooses the show so Lisa can have the same experience)

Lisa’s too shocked to say anything by ep 3 but by ep 7 she’s like “you knew about all this?!“ and Five just nods bc what can she do. She does ask her “do you wanna stop“ NO WAY NO HOW LISA’S SEEING THIS THING THROUGH

Cut to the last two eps where Lisa’s a wreck and Five tries not to be bc she’s gone through it once and her feels are still shot but NOPE

so they’re sobbing together and after the credits roll Lisa says,”I love it. it’s so sad but I just” Five: “I know“ and hugs her. “you okay?“ “I’ll be okay.“

so theeeennn Five drags her into fanart/fic (and she’s started arting for it but to shy to show Lisa yet) and they’re both obsessed with the soundtrack and watch the movies

and then Movie Night with the boys wherein the girls launch their MasterPlanTM

Twelve is shocked that 1: 5L are into it and 2: they’d subject him/Nine to this. he complains after the mood shift (aka rip Mami) he’s hooked, done for

So the three of them are constantly talking and yelling at the screen (Twelve does most of the yelling), meanwhile Nine is equally hooked/in inner turmoil. But he doesn’t say a thing bc his head is totally in the PMMM world. Yeah ok the others occasionally notice and check in, sometimes he asks a question but mostly he’s just watching. The Kyoko-Sayaka situation got to him deeply but he held it together. It’s only when the 2nd movie’s credits roll and Hikarifuru started playing that he’s like hell no I got through all of this shit why do i have FEELINGS now?! Five is crying quietly bc she’s really trying not to make a fool of herself in front of everyone(with Lisa it’s different), Twelve’s sniffling and hiding behind a napkin, so Nine goes to get up and get water as an excuse to Not Be Here(and maybe cry by himself), but Lisa grabs his arm with both hands, still staring at the screen, and aw jeez he shouldn’t have looked at her tears are just streaming and how can he leave her like that. He ends up putting his arm around her shoulders and stays very very still and blinks a lot. Takes off his glasses, wipes his eyes.

By the time Hikarifuru’s over everyone’s basically in differing degrees of mess and they just huddle/cuddle together on the couch for a while recovering. (They started early enough to fit Rebellion in but yeah wishful thinking poor broken bbys)

Happier Stuff

They all adore the soundtrack. Sometimes Nine will noodle along on the piano, preferably when no one’s around, but Twelve found out and blabbed so they all know. They also know not to comment on it. One day Lisa gets up the courage to just sit down and accompany him and he’s shocked but also… doesn’t really mind.

Twelve gets obsessed with Kalafina(he may have played Magia constantly for an hour?) and crushes on Wakana(“a literal angel!”)

they all(except Nine but he was happy for them) lost it at this scene (KyoSaya is universally beloved)

5L ship MadoHomu unabashedly. Twelve felt weird shipping them at first/also was distracted by KyoSaya OTP, but 5L helped him come around.

Lisa also ships SayaMado and is sometimes torn. Twelve suggests KyoSayaMado and the girls side eye him for it but he insists it’s not prurient interest and ends up impressing with his meta and headcanons

Nine’s interested in what the others have to say but he doesn’t much care about shipping, he just wants his children to be safe and happy (which may also involve them in one big poly pile shhh he goes back and forth on it)

Five arts (she’s arted since before Madoka) and Lisa fics(she’s considered it for a while but Madoka made her start, she’s still nervous) and they art and fic each others stuff. The boys are fascinated and loyal fans and sometimes Twelve fics or collabs with Lisa but not much and only shows them, he and Nine are happy to consume. They convince the girls to post their stuff, but some of it stays within the crew.

Somehow Twelve drags them all to karaoke at some point and 5L floor everyone with a Connect duet that winds up on YouTube and gets way more views than any of them expect

[t-cnews-blog]

Tom Chaplin interview. The bay bridged San Fran jan 2017

The last time Tom Chaplin performed in San Francisco, he was singing lead vocals for British alt-rock band Keane. It was at The Warfield in January 2013, and Keane’s Strangeland album was at its height. The show garnered rave reviews for the band’s extensive catalog of songs with “brilliant lyrics and gorgeous melodies.” Chaplin amassed praise as “a masterful performer.” “His voice is simply stunning,” a reviewer wrote. “He hits the most incredible notes with ease every single time.” But song and stage can be a veil. As Chaplin puts it, he would stay in good health when touring. It is when he returned home to England that he would slip back into addiction. “There have been lots of fantastic tours and records with Keane over the years and for the most part, when it came to recording and taking the songs out on the road, I would actually get myself in a pretty healthy place,” Chaplin said. “I wouldn't drink and I wouldn't use drugs whilst on the road. The problem times for me were when I got off the road and when I was at home. That was when I really was at my most self-destructive.” His battle with addiction reached its darkest depth in 2015 when “one endless set of drug binges” nearly killed him. That critical moment changed his path. Faced with losing family, marriage, and career, he held strong to intense therapy and worked through despair to resolution. “The hardest part is when you realize that you can no longer cope on your own and you need to seek help. That, for me, was the turning point,” Chaplin said. “I revealed to another human being stuff I thought I would never talk about and I put those dark thoughts and feelings into a safer space, not to contend with them on my own but by sharing them. I am a much more open person and much more willing to break down and be vulnerable.” Now 37, Chaplin is a healthier and happier family man living in England with wife Natalie and daughter Freya, born in 2014. He speaks candidly of his fight with addiction. He sings openly of it as well in his debut solo album, The Wave. In fact, one song directly addresses the day he thought he was going to die. “'Worthless Words' tells the story of the last crazy binge that I went on before I got clean and sober,” Chaplin said. “I wanted the song to reflect how I would so often believe that I would be OK but, before I knew it, be sucked back into this self-destructive behavior. On this particular occasion I was staying alone at a friend’s house and had been up for three days solid. I got to the point where I thought I was going to keel over with a heart attack. In that moment I felt this sense of clarity; a voice telling me to step back from the edge. So while the song is mostly very bleak, it also marks the beginning of my road to recovery.” The voice at that moment inspired the lyric, “A soft, sweet whisper says, ‘Careful where you tread.’” It is among Chaplin’s many touching, poignant lyrics in "Worthless Words," and in song after song on The Wave. The record marks Chaplin’s songwriting debut and is striking in its extreme emotion and complete honesty. While he did not set out to write a concept album, he wrote songs as a reflection. The album’s song placement intentionally follows his journey from dark to light. “'Still Waiting,' 'Worthless Words,' 'Hardened Heart,' that is where the record begins,” he said. “It begins in a place of imprisonment and fear.” “'Hardened Heart' is a song about trying to escape a sense of crippling depression. After I got sober, there were a few months where I lived with this chemically-induced low mood as the drugs left my system and I tried to get my life back on track. I looked around and found it very hard to connect with the things that I knew were important to me. However, as the song progresses, it becomes about hope and looking to a brighter future.” Chaplin notes that among the damage caused by addiction is drifting from loved ones which he worked to mend during his recovery process. “I kind of repaired the relationship to myself and the various, and many, broken relationships in my life,” Chaplin said. “Again, I documented that in songs like 'Hold On To Our Love' and 'Solid Gold' and 'Quicksand.' Those are obviously songs about my wife and my daughter. “My daughter was very little at the time of my worst problems and I couldn’t be trusted to look after her. 'Quicksand' is a statement of intent to be there for her from the perspective of having gotten well. Also, in writing a song for her, I didn’t want to write something too saccharine, so the song describes the many highs and lows that life will inevitably bring.” The title track, “The Wave,” features a military brass band with an uplifting chorus of horns as a grand finale for the record. “‘The Wave’ is very much a song about finally realizing that the way to navigate life is to kind of go with the flow and not always being in opposition to it, and not always fighting but accepting who I am and accepting the things that come along.” Chaplin said. In 1997, Chaplin joined three schoolmates in their cover band The Lotus Eaters. Soon after, the band’s name was changed to Keane. The group played its first live show with original material at a pub in 1998. Keane rose to stardom, ultimately producing five No. 1 albums in the UK over about 10 years. It began in 2004 with the debut album Hopes and Fears, which contained the hit “Somewhere Only We Know.” Under the Iron Sea, released in 2006, had the Grammy-nominated song “Is It Any Wonder?” In late August that year, Chaplin entered The Priory Clinic in London seeking treatment for alcohol and drugs and Keane’s North American tour was cancelled. He left the clinic in early October, continued to receive treatment, and went on with the South American part of the tour. The 2008 release of third album Perfect Symmetry marked the band’s third world tour. It was followed by the EP Night Train in 2010, then Strangeland in 2012 which featured the lead single “Silenced By The Night.” “There were definitely times in 2011, before the Strangeland tour, where things were a real mess and I was in a rehab center during that year and there were (times) when I threw myself back into it, as it were, in 2014,” Chaplin said. “Then it was really truly, very self-destructive. It was just one endless set of drug binges where I would go away for days and days at a time.” In late 2013, Keane announced the band was taking a break. Chaplin went to work on a solo album to explore his creative voice. Up until that point bandmate Tim Rice-Oxley, who played piano and keyboards, had been Keane’s main notable songwriter. “No matter how much I loved the songs, I was still always articulating someone else’s world, and so I really just wanted to give a voice to my own experience,” Chaplin said. “Initially I was really worried whether it was going to work, but having found my voice and having made a record that is out there and to me seems a success, that is a great validation for my creative parts. That for me is the most exciting and positive thing that has come out of this stepping away from Keane.” In 2015 Chaplin reportedly suffered panic attacks and anxiety from the pressure of making a solo record. He turned to drugs in “a continuous series of these binges” to the point he nearly died on that pivotal night that changed his life. His music changed, too. “I wrote quite a few songs at the end of 2013, but they were a different kind of song. They were more outward-looking, more of a kind of world view, more observational about other people’s lives as opposed to my own,” Chaplin said. “I wasn’t really writing about the kind of stuff that then made it on to The Wave, which is all stuff that I wrote from springtime of 2015 and after. “Once I got myself well and started to be creative it just built an incredible momentum and I went from being a man who couldn’t even sit at a piano to just being completely immersed in it and writing 30 or 40 songs in the space of four or five months. It was very a rich time creatively for me then.” As for Keane, regrouping the band is “on the back burner,” Chaplin said. “I guess Keane is not going to happen, but, that said, it is part of the fabric of who I am and who the other guys are and it seems unlikely to me that it won’t be something that we go back to doing at some point. I don’t really know when that is.” But, first thing’s first. “I am really enjoying this little journey that I am taking at the moment and I want to see it through,” he said. “I want to give it my best shot before thinking about going back to doing Keane stuff.” The last show of his North American tour will be Feb. 3 in San Francisco at the Great American Music Hall.