how's the weezer-taylor swift fusion goin?

well it wasn’t worse than raditude so it has that going for it. but! being slowly pressed to death by puritains from salem massachusetts is a better experience than listening to raditude so that’s where I’m at.

thoughts while listening to discover weekly, or, why the inside of my brain is too much sometimes

and what about the opinion of the girl who ditched you for the high school jock, huh? why is she always the reward & the daydream but you just assume she didn’t have a good reason? why does no one ever ask her? this album was made in 2012 I know that was 9 years ago but by then I knew this mentality was wrong, and so did a lot of other people, so why were we STILL doing this??

it’s a nice thought and I wish I could still listen to fall out boy too, but they were a coping mechanism band and I’m not sure I’m there yet

why on earth would you date someone who would *want* you to cut down your ancestor’s sequoia trees in this hypothetical situation. write me a poem about someone who loves the things you do as much as you do and you don’t have to rip yourself to pieces to be with them, and then talk to me. or write about ripping yourself to pieces if you want, but don’t pretend the ripping is the romantic ideal.

weezer is still a good band. I’m as surprised as you are.

this playlist is so very, very male, and therefore very, very mediocre, even the good songs. and at the end of it all I’m just going to listen to another Killers album.

leave me alone Brandon Flowers has a nice voice and apparently did a solo album and I need to get caught up on everything he’s ever done because I wasn’t interested at the time but in 2021 his voice makes me feel something

I never said any of this wasn’t my own fault

a bluesy song! FINALLY this piece of shit understands me. a lot music is a fun time most of the time but we are always here for the blues

this Kesha song (Only Wanna Dance With You) sounds like a Michelle Branch song. that sentence makes me feel ancient but I’m standing by it. and that isn’t a criticism, pop music be like that and we vibe with Kesha in this house.

and a catchy song about questioning existence! finally we’re hitting our stride

only to nosedive into straight people are exhausting territory. I know I said this playlist needed more women but I’m sorry but if you’re strumming a guitar and duetting with a man I’m out. your lyrics aren’t deep, they’re pretentious and boil down to “let’s go on a date”. good job on being straight. I’m bored.

please take your cues from the next song, an overly chipper folk song about a fox attacking chickens, which I already knew I liked and is not a revelation because this is who I am as a person. Nickel Creek - The Fox. You’re welcome. Peter Hollens’s version is also good if you prefer acapella to banjos. I like both.

once again, I never said anything here wasn’t my own fault. I just wish this damn thing was taking less cues from that one pop punk playlist I made and more from the weird folk playlist.

this song is catchy and I REALLY like the rest of it but “pretty girls come from the ugliest places” isn’t the deep line you think it is. maybe time to reconfigure the things that matter to you, dude.

*ends up back at Billy Joel again* spotify, I listened to ONE Billy Joel song. … you’re right though

this one is a mix of pop punk and ska. spotify has mistaken me for my brother. again: fucking finally. no one tell them otherwise. I’m listening to this band’s album.

I’m making a new rule: you’re not allowed to use the line “all the world’s a stage” in anything anymore unless you follow it up with riffing on the rest of the monologue about a person playing many parts in their life. you broke the rules so I’m moving on to this Green Day song I’ve never heard.

ah, Green Day song I’ve never heard. you’re nothing special but I needed you right now.

I told you I needed more women on this playlist. my favorite song so far on it has a female vocalist. inspirational but not trite, catchy but not overly derivative, interesting sound, no weirdly gendered statements. finally!!

see the next couple songs are exactly what I mean: first one has chaotic piano music drowning out a mediocre male vocalist, and if this was a lady with more interesting lyrics I would fucking love it. next song is a fun. ripoff only less interesting, and I’m already through and out of my fun. phase so “less interesting” is saying a lot for me rn. ARGH.

can someone bring the ska back. ska and blues are the only thing I want out of men who aren’t Brandon Flowers.

IS THIS SERIOUSLY A MEDIOCRE MALE COVER OF TIME AFTER TIME???? I’M FUCKING DONE

december’s only just started but I think now’s a good a time as any to start a 2019 recap. 

I don’t remember much of the first half of this year, if I’m honest. I remember it starting in a pretty dark place. I do remember starting talking to Gavin at the tail end of 2018; that was honestly a light spot in that space of time. I’d really been through it last year, and it was so nice and refreshing to talk to someone who genuinely seemed to care, who was genuinely interested in what I had to say and was genuinely curious about me. I felt kind of weird about that level of attention at first, but now I miss it. time’s gone on, what can I say, maybe I’m a little attached. not painfully so, but. this is someone I really do care about a lot.

which is why I’m still pretty regretful about january. I still don’t really know what happened over festivus weekend. I’d been so upset for so long, and next thing I know it’s back to the usual. but it was just.. nothing. I felt blank. my heart dropped into my stomach the next day once I realized how something that felt so insignificant could be so hurtful, and honestly I spent all of festivus in that dead zone at T’s house just really upset with myself. I don’t know how much I would’ve enjoyed it even if that hadn’t happened. 

my depression was really bad. I remember my emotions being all over the place. I remember drinking and eating bundt cake alone at home in my bathtub on valentines day. I remember sending some messages I kind of regret, others just for fun, because fuck it, why not? I remember spending a lot of time in bed. a lot of time trying to reassure myself that I hadn’t done irreversible damage; that I hadn’t fucked up everything as per the usual. journaling, trying to keep my mood up above rock bottom. I was fostering that litter of rats early in the year, and that felt like a whirlwind. I remember going out to dinner with a friend, and coming home, even after having a good night, in a horribly sad mood. I barely remember any of the rest of it. 

I’m sure some good things happened earlier in the year too. one of the few things keeping me sane, besides my rats, was waking up in the middle of the night to snapchat and whatsapp messages from Gavin. I was a complete mess, but having someone consistently showing me they cared and actually wanted to.. I don’t know, follow all my social media, get to know me, all that. it was nice. I remember having a real bad day mood-wise and going to yoga with charlotte, and coming back to a message that I was the ~some kinda angel~ he’d been dreaming about. amazing how something like that can pick you right up. I remember a lot of voice clips; he was real excited to hear my voice the first time. I don’t much care for my voice, but... that enthusiasm gave me a little more confidence to do more song covers. I hadn’t recorded that many in years, if ever.

I think I went to a few shows earlier in the year. I got to meet Phoebe Bridgers, which was so cool. Carmen took me back out to Baltimore after I’d just seen Hozier, and we saw Weezer and The Pixies. and I got to hear all about her girlfriend troubles and her adventures in Cuba. it was really nice reconnecting with a friend, hearing how she’s been trying to do better for herself, and she really is. I can’t say I’m not a little jealous of her; her confidence and radiance; but I’m also really proud of her too.

I started my mood tracker app in february, and I think I started seeing my psychiatrist not long after that. I’m still amazed she started me on something that didn’t make me sick, and might actually be working for me. I’m still recalling that one night I had, must’ve been february. I felt absolutely godawful, and nothing helped. it wasn’t anything in particular, I just felt Bad. I wouldn’t have done anything stupid, but I also felt for a minute like it’d never go away. I tried everything. I tried a bath, possibly a face mask. I tried writing, I think. I tried music. I even put on a disney movie or two like I would if I were feeling sick (I rarely ever watch anything disney, but when I get panicky from nausea I need something comforting). nothing helped. that I think is what prompted me to go to a psychiatrist this time. I hadn’t been in that deep of a pit in a long time.

things started to pick up with the weather. I felt myself balance out. I really thought for a minute that I was going to scare Gavin away with my erratic moods, and I thought he had this perception of me that I was some kinda crazy or overemotional or whatever else... but I was just in a real bad spot. I’m still grateful that he stuck by me through all that, and wasn’t too weirded out by me for it to be actually exciting when I got my plane tickets to Scotland. I was really excited too, but of course kind of nervous because I’d never been that far away from home by myself before. 

I remember doing a good bit of volunteering, but I was really tired and couldn’t keep up with much more than one day a week. my energy levels were worrying. I know I saw a few doctors, because thankfully I had the time, but they weren’t terribly helpful. 

I’m sure I went to more shows. I lost my Louie in June, not long after his second birthday. that was heart-shattering. I wasn’t expecting it from him; he was just fine. he just had a lump removed from his tail. he was such a happy, sweet boy. I couldn’t believe one minute he was snuggling with his cagemates, and the next I was holding his tiny little body in my hands, trying to get CPR to work, watching the life leave his eyes. taking him to the crematory was hard. picking up his ashes was hard. everything about it was hard. but I had to keep going. I wasn’t expecting that at all, and I was so scared Ollie would be alone, because Fitzie’s time was coming fast too. he’d been deteriorating over the course of the year and I just knew it was only a matter of months. his legs were going, and he couldn’t clean himself. towards the end I had to check his privates at least once a day; male rats get buildup of various fluids, oil, and skin cells, and those plugs can block their urethras. they generally clean it themselves, but when they get so old they can’t do it. so it was up to me to pull it out. I can’t say it wasn’t weirdly satisfying, kind of in the same way that popping a big pimple is satisfying, but it was definitely gross.

so I looked for more rats to adopt. and by some miracle, just like the day after Marty passed, I found a brand new litter posted by the rescue some of my fosters went to. I went to meet the baby boys and picked two, and while I probably could’ve picked a better match... I love my Harper and Micah to bits. they’ve got such personalities on them.

but of course, nothing is ever convenient. right after I adopted them (because I had to go through such a long adoption process; I could’ve had more time otherwise), I had to go to farm jam. I was a little over-prepared this year, but I’m glad I got myself a nice tent and prepared for rain. farm jam honestly wasn’t that great this year, though. my friends wanted to hang out with each other, hardly anyone talked to me, and their friends from other places that I didn’t even know had other friends that they brought to our campsite, so there were a lot of strangers around. not that that’s a bad thing, but... I just felt uncomfortable. everything is so different now. not to mention I just felt really alone. people talked to me when they needed to. I ended up actually pretty bored; I’d brought some things to keep myself entertained, but I was asleep before midnight every night because there was only so much I felt like staying awake for by myself. there was one night I was just really upset, so I made myself a quick dinner and shut myself in my tent while everyone else was up all night. I read by lantern-light, put in my earplugs after I was tired enough, and went to sleep. I was ready to be home again. I’m not sure if I want to go again next year. I like farm jam, truly, but it’s just not fun when you’re surrounded by ‘friends’ who can’t eve be bothered to talk to you. it was painfully obvious that I’m just not part of the group anymore.

I was glad to have Scotland to look forward to. I got to unpack and repack; thankfully I was smart enough to make packing lists before I even left for farm jam. I was nervous as all hell once I got to BWI and found my terminal, and once I landed in JFK I was trying real hard not to call my mom like I usually do when I get nervous. I get the travel jitters pretty bad. but I took some zzzquil before I got on the plane, and since I’d already been up all day I was grateful to sleep through a good bit of the 5.5 hour flight. I managed to stave off jet lag by staying up for another full day, but I can’t say I enjoyed it, ha.

I did enjoy everything else about that trip, though. I definitely had plenty of high points in my year (much more than last year, for sure), but this trip was probably the best. I know I wasn’t the most expressive (I guess I’ve learned not to be?), but I loved it there. I also know I got real lucky with the weather, so it’s not always as gorgeous as it was when I visited, but it really was lovely. I’d love to go back to Gourock one of these days. sit on the shore; a little slice of such a big world. I wouldn’t have wanted to skip rocks with much of anyone else.

I had a moment while I was catching my breath in Edinburgh; I’d gotten the tiniest bit lost and wound up in the park across the street from the Botanic Gardens, so I sat on a bench for a bit so I wouldn’t look weird. after a while I got up and crossed a big football field to get back where I was trying to go, and I remember looking up at the sky for a split second, and it really hit me that I was alone. that was the furthest away I’d been from home by myself, and I was in a city 2 hours away from the only other person I knew for thousands of miles. it wasn’t scary, necessarily. not even lonely. I think that feeling would’ve given me anxiety in the past. it was just... a profound aloneness. 

I was really proud of myself for tackling Edinburgh by myself. figuring out the trains, going to see the castle, managing to avoid looking like a tourist so nobody hassled me, finding a little record shop to browse through, walking around the gardens alone. I was in so much pain I couldn’t even believe it, though. I’m amazed I made it back to the train without my leg bones breaking through my heels, and amazed I could even still walk by the time I got back to Gourock. my hips were so stiff and every step was hard. I know I pushed it. but it was so worth it.

I miss the feeling. that no-obligations feeling; being able to do pretty much anything we wanted because it was vacation time. I do remember feeling bad, not knowing what it was that I must’ve said or done (because why else would you go quiet on me?). that wasn’t so fun. but I know I’m not unreasonable. I’m not hard to talk to, I don’t think. I don’t explode over little things; I’d much rather talk through them than be left wondering what I did wrong, and then do it again. I don’t mean to be rude or mean or anything like that. we grew up with very different perceptions of things but I want to be on the same page, and sometimes that means being a little more conscious of what I say and do.

I wasn’t really looking forward to coming home, but thankfully I had a little bit more down time before I started my new job. and ever since the end of august, I’ve been in work mode, it feels like. I’ve tried to keep up with volunteering, I’ve kept myself entertained sending packages out to Scotland (can’t say I’m a fan of international shipping costs though), and I’ve dealt with the loss of a few pets. I’ve been lucky enough to have my mom’s help with moving out, and I feel like my meds are really helping me now too. I feel a lot more balanced out than I did, and having such a good work environment is helping immensely. I’m still not quite where I want to be, but I feel better than I have in years both mentally and emotionally.

the emotional front has changed too. back at the beginning of the year, I was so messed up, still. there was a lot of residual hurt after the 2 years or so prior, but I was also still super depressed. but the waters have calmed, and I’ve found that I’m not completely alone, necessarily. I have the hope that I have one person in my life now that won’t give up on me. I’ve had... something like a year now of something relatively consistent. I feel like I’ve been able to build some trust, and like I’m slowly chipping away at these walls I’ve had built up. for the first time in years I’m actually kind of upset about feeling lonely. for the first time in years I’m not feeling sick to my stomach thinking about holding a hand, or someone holding me, or, god forbid, even kissing someone. I might even want that. and it’s weird to me, now, because it almost seems out-of-character, since I’ve been so messed up for so long. but this isn’t out-of-character, it’s the character I used to be before things all went sideways. I’ve had this image of being distant and detached and repulsed and unfortunately that ends up getting tied to the fact that I’m asexual (though in actuality they’re not related). but I know that’s not me. I know my asexuality is just a fact about my attraction to other people, and it has little to do with my behavior. it’s weird to me, feeling like this again, but I’m so relieved the damage might not have been permanent. it helps that my memory is such garbage. hard to remember how to feel fucked up when you can’t hardly remember how you got there to begin with.

maybe my year will end on a little brighter note. I’m seeing a new rheumatologist on new years eve. I hope a few people will come visit for new years. I’ve got crafts to do and things to keep myself busy with. I hope Gavin will want to skype before the end of the year, but I get not feeling good. I get that talking takes energy. sometimes I feel like I just take a lot of energy to interact with, so I’m trying not to be annoying. I’m fine doing my own thing, as I have been. but I do miss his [virtual] company. it’s getting a lot more obvious since moving out how really quiet and lonely it is by myself, and I have this feeling in the bit of my stomach that I’d feel a lot better if I could share this space with someone. sometimes I just want to show someone something, make them smile, talk about little nothings. and I don’t have that right now. I’m trying to let little things make me happy and let that be good enough, but it’s hard sometimes. it would just be really nice to be able to rest my head on a shoulder. to laugh about a dumb tv show with someone. even though I feel a lot better than I used to when I missed people, things sometimes just aren’t as good alone.

a lot of this year felt really foggy. but I’m glad to be where I am, even though it’s making me nervous. I hope I’m putting a good foot forward. and I hope 2020 brings more growth and healing. I hope one of these days I can learn to be the kind of person I want to be, and that I can be good for someone else too. so I can just know that to at least one person I’m not completely insufferable. so I don’t have to be so afraid that I’m just going to drive people away so I self-isolate. I’m doing a lot better about the negative thoughts, but I want to keep improving on that too. I have a lot of work to do, but I want to do it. it’s scary to feel like I’m doing so much alone. it’s sad knowing everyone else is caught up in their own lives, but at least most of them have someone else. it hits me sometimes how really, really lonely it is to have your own life but completely alone. I don’t mind being single. but it would be nice to come home to someone I love. someone that isn’t my rats, though of course they brighten my day no matter what, ha.

so. yeah. I’m a little hopeful. I want to get my shit figured out a little bit more. it’d be real nice to go back to Scotland too, but I might have to put that idea on hold til my life balances out a little more. I’m just going one day at a time right now. I’m doing my best. and thankfully my best is getting a little better. I want to keep that up.

50 Facts About MEEE

1. My favorite holiday is probably halloween because, first off all you can be whatever you want and secondly you have an excuse to eat candy, I do like Christmas too, but I don’t like the weeks leading up to Christmas because everyones so stressed out

2.I love anything chocolate

3. I have such a phobia against moths, I don’t know if anyone else has this fear, but every time I see moth I flip out.

4. My longest playlist is 641 songs long

5. I wouldn’t consider myself an introvert or an extrovert, I think i’m right in the middle because I absolutely love talking to people and making new people, but thats not necessarily how I get my energy, I always need to recharge alone and the most relaxing place to do that is just writing alone in my room

6. I hate big and loud crowds of people, I can’t stand parties because there just to many people yelling

7. Yet I wanna live in the city when I get older

8. I love waking up early, I normally wake up at 6:30-7:00am on the weekends, just because I'm excited for the day ahead

9. I think horoscopes are complete bullshit, but there still fun to read tho

10. My favorite bands and singers at the moment are Weezer, Panic at the Disco, Teagan and Sara, Marina and the Diamonds,Green Day, Pink Floyd, and Florence + the Machine.

11. I’m really small for my age, I’m 16 and only 4’11

12. I’m not really athletic, I like to play tennis butI don't play for my school(it was too much of a commitment) I do a ton of clubs(10 to be more specific) at my school and love to sing and do theatre

13. I wanna double major in psychology and history for college

14. I get pissed off the most by people who think are the shit when in reality there just like everybody else

15. I’m an only child

16. I currently identify as pansexual because I could literally careless about what gender you are, just be a nice person and I’ll consider dating you

17. I don’t really want many tattoos, I just want one simple tattoo on my ankle. preferably something that symbolizes something important, because if my tattoo is something stupid or meaningless, I’ll end up regretting it 10 years down the road

18. I was born at 9:56pm in a thunderstorm

19. The first thing I notice in a person is there smile

20. I hardly use sarcasm,(at least around people I don’t know that well) I’m scared that people will think I’m being serious

21. I feel like the hype over meeting celebrities are highly overrated, like just think of it this way, Celebrities are just like anyone else, except for the fact that they happen to have a passion for(music, theatre, a certain sport, being rich etc) and I know that its really cool to meet a celebrity up close at a concert or a meet and greet, but I do not think it worth spending thousands of dollars on a front row seat at a concert.

22. I’m a Slytherin

23. For some reason I get super uncomfortable with up close eye contact, unless if im super close to you. So sometimes when you talk to me,I don’t look you straight in the eye just cause its so awkward

24. I did 6 years of dance as a kid, but I didn’t like wearing tights and the fact that rehearsals were on Fridays so I quit

25. I absolutely love fall, its not to hot and not too cold.Like all of my favorite holidays are on the horizon. Apple cider dounts are back in season(which by the way are amazing) and the foliage is gorgeous. Whats not to love about fall?

26. I’ve really never dated anyone before, I’ve been on dates with people but they never end up working out and either them or me end the relationship before it can get too serious

27. I do have other forms of social media(not naming them here) but I really wish I didn’t, I want to focus on writing, singing or talking to my family instead of what Tiffany posted on snapchat or how many likes I got on this photo and comparing myself to other people who seem to have better life then me.

28. I’m extremely quiet in class, I’m not really that social because people are rude and judgmental and im scared people would make fun of me if I say the wrong thing, So i’d just rather hang out in my small group of friends

29. My favorite musicals are probably Fun Home, Dear Evan Hansen and Next to Normal

30. I love anything that has a ton of carbs in it, BRING ON THE PASTA, BAGALS AND BREAD PLEASEE

31. I hate a lot of foods that people are kinda obsessed with I hate fast food cause it makes me feel gross afterwards, I hate juice and soda(I don’t know how people like the taste of them), and I don’t get the hype over Nutella(bread tastes better with butter)

32. I love all types of music except country

33. My friend and I wrote cliche high school romance story on wattpad thats like 2 chapters, I wrote the plot and she helped with my grammar but I ended up getting bored on it so we quit. Its still on my account if you wanna check it out(im warning you its trash thoo)

34. I started a creative writing club at my school for like 6 months but then the teacher that ran it ended up telling us she couldn’t do it anymore.

35. Im terrible in high pressure situations, like for example studying for a big test

36. I have naturally curly hair, but I straighten it everyday

37. I have a small birthmark on my back that looks like a heart

38. If I do have kids, I only want one, cause giving birth aint fun

39. My lucky number is 12... why?? Absolutely no idea

40. I wouldn’t consider my style girly or tomboyish..i sorta just wear what I want. I sometime like wearing a flannel, khakis and a snapback and sometimes I feel like wearing a dress, heels and a ton of makeup. It just depends on the day

41. If I had to have a dream job and I would wanna be a singer. I would wanna be a combination of Billy Joel and Amy Winehouse(without the drugs) and be a soulful singer who writes relatable songs about deep stuff with a catchy piano tune in the background

42. I love Ben and Jerrys. My favorite pint is probably Phish Food(which is chocolate ice cream with marshmallow and caramel swirls) or Cookie Dough(they’re ice cream actually has cookie dough in it!!!!!) I would love to work there cause I love ice cream but I think the closet one to my house is like 30 miles away:(

43. I hate needles, its to the point that were if I'm told I have to get a shot or draw blood i burst into tears.

44. I only drink water and tea... every other drink is gross

45. I can’t cook for my life. The first time I tried to cook. I tried to cook a grilled cheese when I was like 11 and home alone. I didn’t know how to use the stove because my parents thought i’d do something stupid and get myself hurt. So I decide to see if i could toast my grilled cheese in the toaster(which was horizontal btw) and the cheese melted and broke the toaster...whoops

46. I tried to play basketball once in the 4th grade, but then i cried when this girl yelled at me for being afraid of the ball and from that day forward I vowed to never play basketball again.

47. I have a tendency to make stupid choices without thinking them through. Its almost like that part of my brain thats like “is this a good idea to say/do” is gone and I just be what I think is the best within the moment

48. My hand writing is terrible, my teachers, parents and classmates always complain about how unreadable my unwriting is.

49. I play the piano and a little bit of drums

50. Im tired and want to sleep

The Story Behind Devil May Cry 5's Music, And The Certified Banger Devil TriggerThe Story Behind Devil May Cry 5's Music, And The Certified Banger Devil Triggervideo games

New Post has been published on https://www.gamerzcourt.com/the-story-behind-devil-may-cry-5s-music-and-the-certified-banger-devil-triggerthe-story-behind-devil-may-cry-5s-music-and-the-certified-banger-devil-triggervideo-games-2/

The Story Behind Devil May Cry 5's Music, And The Certified Banger Devil TriggerThe Story Behind Devil May Cry 5's Music, And The Certified Banger Devil Triggervideo games

Though Capcom’s action game series has always had a particular sound for its gothic-horror-aesthetic, the current game, Devil May Cry 5, features music that really goes the extra mile to get players to feel something more as they’re working their way up to SSS rank. GameSpot recently interviewed DMC5 composers Cody Matthew Johnson and husband-wife team Casey and Ali Edwards about the making of the action game’s main tracks for its cast of characters. During this talk, they spoke about their collaboration with Capcom, how the game’s energizing and dynamic soundtrack is a game-changer, and what it’s like having the internet embrace their new sound.

Editor’s Note: This interview has been edited for clarity and readability.

Can you talk about what it was like working with Capcom for this project, and how they first got in contact with you?

Casey Edwards: Funny enough, even though I ended up writing the track Devil Trigger, I got found through one of Ali’s older tracks that she did for another video game called Killer Instinct with Mick Gordon [B. Orchid’s Theme, in particular]. I actually did some work on that game as well, assisting the composer.

Ali Edwards: Yeah, it’s like they wanted both of us without knowing that we even knew each other, or that we were married at all.

Casey: Yeah, Capcom heard that particular track and they really liked the drive that it had. It really just stood out to everyone. When I wrote Devil Trigger, I pitched her as the vocalist and they just immediately fell in love with it. So, it kinda just worked out in a weird, coincidental, ironic way.

And Cody, this is actually your third collaboration with Capcom, the first being for Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite?

Cody M. Johnson: That is true. My career is still in the early stages, which is really exciting as all these things are happening. My collaborator Jeff Rona and I did three games back to back for Capcom. We didn’t really stop. We started off with Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite. Right after that came out, word got around to another development team about what we were doing, and they liked what they heard. So they came back to us. Right out of the gate I was working with Jeff, who wrote “Crimson Cloud” [V’s Theme], and I ended up writing “Subhuman” [Dante’s theme]. We worked on Devil May Cry 5 first, but then shortly after that, another team at Capcom hit us up to do Resident Evil 2 shortly after. So it’s been pretty exciting.

Were you fans of the series before you worked on this game?

Cody: I had played Devil May Cry 4 and the previous games a lot. I was still young enough to sneak away and play them with my friends, but it was so hard, I didn’t get very far. Even as an experienced gamer now, I’ve come back to try to play them, when I first picked up Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite–but they’re just so hard. They’re still one of the hardest games I’ve ever played to date.

Casey: I actually grew up playing Devil May Cry. So I remembered the whole Devil Trigger aspect of the game pretty vividly, and that was what was sticking out in my head as I was writing the song. I couldn’t get it out of my head and yeah, I don’t know, I just wrote it and we just went with it. I thought for sure someone from Capcom was gonna send me an email back saying, “Hey, you need to change that.”

Ali: But that didn’t happen. They all loved it.

The big line of the song, “bang, bang, bang, pull my Devil Trigger,” is such an earworm, and it feels so appropriate for the series.

Casey: Right, I remember writing that. I wrote all these lyrics in one sitting, pretty much. For that particular part, I was looking at Ali, and then I verbalized what she was about to sing.

Ali: You were so worried I was gonna hate it!

Casey: To me, that was kind of a fun phrase. I just wasn’t sure if it would latch on to the Devil May Cry fans, you know?

Last I checked, Devil Trigger has over 21 million views on YouTube. Having those earlier reservations, are you surprised to see how much it has taken off?

Casey: Well, first of all, it’s pretty freakin’ crazy. That’s a lot of plays. It kinda blows my mind a little bit. I think there might be a few factors involved in that. People have been really excited to see a continuation of [classic] Devil May Cry. I guess in the sense that you say, the song is holding its own water a little bit as well, yeah, I don’t know what to say other than it’s pretty insane that people have played the song that many times.

Ali: Yeah, it’s definitely something we didn’t expect. We were more worried that fans would hate the track, and it would become a meme. Instead, it became a meme in the best possible way.

Both of you even got to perform the song live at The Game Awards. They had Rivers Cuomo from Weezer introduce your performance.

Casey: Yeah, that was awesome. We actually got to run into Rivers after that, and it was pretty great getting to take pictures with him and nerd out. I mean gosh, yeah, I was listening to them back in high school, so that was pretty awesome. And yeah, getting to play at The Game Awards was, I mean, a dream come true. And I know it’s a relatively new awards show, but they had so many awesome people on stage, and we got to share a stage with Hans Zimmer. That’s nuts.

Ali: Yeah, that was pretty crazy, it was a blast. It was such a crazy production if you think about it. It takes a huge team to put on a production of that magnitude. It’s crazy seeing it all happen, and being a part of it, continuously.

As far as working on Devil May Cry 5, I can only imagine how much planning went into writing the tracks and getting them just write. Can you talk about what the collaborative process was like with the other composers at Capcom.

Cody: Yeah, from the very beginning, Capcom wanted, I should say, independence. They wanted to make sure each of these key tracks could exist separately from one other, but still work together within the Devil May Cry universe. We worked with Kota Suzuki [DMC5’s main composer], who actually wrote the track “Legacy,” which was in the final trailer. He was part of the development team that flew out to LA when we did the recording sessions for the bigger tracks, including “Subhuman” and “Crimson Cloud.” Other than that, Capcom didn’t really restrict us; they really wanted the score in these scenes to give identity to their characters.

Casey: When we were working with Capcom Japan, they had some clear visions for what they wanted for some of these tracks, and it was really nice getting to implement previous work I had done in the game, and getting to bring it to new light towards the end of the gaming experience.

Ali: After they heard me on “Devil Trigger,” I guess maybe that’s when they reached out for “Legacy” with me. I didn’t think was going to happen until the game was released. I wasn’t sure that was ever going to see the light of day in trailer form. And so I remember being pleasantly surprised when that came out. It’s an exciting track, it’s really beautiful, with swelling strings, and it was amazing for the fans to finally hear that. Working with Kota on that was a great experience as well.

That song really comes up at such a great moment in the game. It also highlights how different a lot of the tracks are in the game, yet they work really well when you bring it all together.

Casey: Yeah, for sure. I think that’s one thing people can get lost sometimes. They forget, “Devil Trigger,” for instance, is some weird hybrid rock pop thing, but I am also a classically trained orchestral composer and Ali does anything from soft, ethereal vocals to just mind-blowing powerful pop vocals, and stuff like that.

Ali: I started out as a jazz singer, so there’s that, too. But we got to be totally crazy with it. Working on a session musician, you can be asked to do anything, and I think your willingness to be a chameleon is really where your usability as a session musician really comes into play. The more I can become a chameleon and adhere to different genres of music, I mean, that’s why I’m being asked to work on video games. If I couldn’t do that, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to work on so many incredible games so far.

Looking back on the history of the series, Devil May Cry has this really deep focus on presenting bombastic and energizing tracks. Another game in the series that had a really eclectic soundtrack was Ninja Theory’s DmC: Devil May Cry–featuring Noisia and Combichrist. Did the style of that game have any influence on this one?

Cody: Well from the very start, everything was based on Devil May Cry 4, as in all the references they sent us. But of course, it was something I personally looked into. It’s important to understand the trajectory of all these games, where it’s been, and how the fans reacted. And you need to make a decision about where you want your art to align with. It was very conscious from the very beginning that this game is Devil May Cry 5. That was a very conscious decision, not to stay away from that version of DmC, but to separate from it, stylistically. But yeah, the combat system that matures and alters the music was something we really liked about that game.

It’s really thrilling to hear DMC5’s music evolve depending on how well you’re playing.

Cody: Yeah, It was just something we were very conscious of from the very beginning. We don’t want to leave any players behind, but we didn’t want to make it easier for players either. It’s all about challenging yourself. But the worst thing that could happen would be if the game’s music was boring. I know this as a gamer, I know this as someone who goes listens to the same 32-second track on loop for hours. It’s the worst thing in the world: You’re stuck on a level for three days, you don’t wanna be listening to the same piece of music.

We really tried to craft these songs in a way, that if you don’t hit SSS rank, you don’t ever hear the chorus or the breakdown. By doing that, those parts of the song will never get boring. The goal from the start was to incentivize the player. There is something more, you should do your absolute best to get to your SSS, and you’ll get the payoff. There should be rewards for those players that accomplish that, and I think we achieved something beyond the normal combat music.

Did you enjoy your experience working with Capcom on Devil May Cry 5?

Cody: They’ve always been happy with what we’ve done and we’re always happy to give it to ’em. They’re such an amazing collaborator, and they really care about artistic vision, and they care about what you can bring to the table, and it’s truly an amazing experience working with them.

Casey: I was super excited to work on Devil May Cry. I’ve been playing this game since Devil May Cry 1, which came out in 2001. I remember my mom taking me to Blockbuster to rent it. And then you fast forward to 2017, when I was asked to work on it, I was already so freaking pumped to get started on it. We’re classically trained and I play guitar as well in the STEM program, right? I love doing so many different things and different genres. So being asked to genre hop is one of the best things about working in the field. TV and video games and film, all alike, and one day you could be writing a solo piano piece and the next day you’re writing “Devil Trigger.”

Ali: Yeah, for me, video games have always been a pretty large part of my life. It’s always been a love of mine. So, I remember playing games with my cousins when we were all kids and it was this bonding experience for all of us. And I never would’ve imagined that I’d be working on video games today. It’s kind of crazy to think about, but I absolutely love what I do. I love being able to work on various projects across various genres and kind of become a different person for a little while. And it’s really, really humbling, seeing how the fans have accepted our work. It’s very humbling, it’s very exciting, and, all in all, we’re very grateful to be a part of the Devil May Cry family.

GameSpot – All News

Sorry this is not the meme you asked for, but I remember you said Kitty Pryde is a favorite of yours? What comics would you rec for good Kitty content? (I've only read Uncanny X-Men 199 and 200 but she's SO GOOD in those)

Yeah! I fuckin’ love Kitty. Before I talk about the Kitty stories I like, I feel like I should clarify some things about what I like about Kitty, versus when I feel like she’s been done a disservice by dude writers who don’t really “get” her. 

So the thing about Kitty is she is just kind of a deeply sincere person. She can be sarcastic and even very occasionally cynical, and she can definitely be exhausted and beleaguered and pissed off, but ultimately Kitty is someone with a deep and abiding sense of who she is, what her own values are, and what she expects from the people around her. She became an X-Man very young - much like Jubilee - and filled a similar role, for a while, to the role that Jubilee has also at various points filled, and so I think there’s a tendency to compare the two (and also to compare those two to Rogue) and I think that does both characters a disservice because it always ends up being about, like, who people want to be their girlfriend. (I once got really mad at The Flophouse for doing an extended bit about how Rogue was like, the sexy taboo girl who you as a teenager wanted but couldn’t touch, and Kitty was a Nice Girl Who You Could Bring Home To Your Mother. SIGH.) (I get feeling that way when you’re like a straight fourteen year old boy but you are grown ass men now!!! why!!!!!!!!!!)

That’s the problem with a lot of - maybe the majority of - takes on Kitty. A certain kind of dude has a tendency to just write Kitty as his ideal girlfriend. I know this is like, a documented phenomenon (see also: In The Garage by Weezer - “I’ve got Kitty Pryde/waiting there for me”) and I mean, I get that it has a lot to do with Kitty being initially written as this very approachable teenage girl character, which appealed to a lot of teenage boys at the time, because she was a superhero girl but she didn’t seem like she’d react badly to some nerdy kid asking her out, you know? But at the same time, as a young girl reading comics, I related very strongly to Kitty in a very different way. And it frustrates me to no end that these dudes never seem to be able to let go of their initial youth-informed impressions of Kitty even when they’re, like, writing her. 

Subsequently I tend to be really wary of stories about Kitty that feature a romantic plot or subplot, although I do feel like to some extent she works well as a romantic heroine. It’s just that when she’s in a romantic story, writers tend to view her entirely through the eyes of the person she’s dating, instead of getting into her own head.

SO. TO THAT END. If you liked Uncanny X-Men 199 and 200 (that’s where she goes to the Holocaust Museum with Magneto, right? To honour her aunt?), I’d def recommend checking out her first appearance - it’s in a three-issue arc that was part of the Dark Phoenix Saga. This story gets referenced in a few other Kitty stories, so reading it will give you a good frame of reference for other stuff, too. The events of that story (watching the X-Men, who have taken her in during a really confusing time in her life and shown her that she’s not alone, literally caged by the Hellfire Club) are clearly super formative for her, and the story does a good job of establishing her overall voice and attitude (at least of that time). That’s in Uncanny X-Men 129-131.

Days Of Future Past is also probably essential Kitty reading - that’s Uncanny X-Men 141 and 142. The movie did not do that story justice and I’m irritable about it but whatever. Continuing with Claremont et al and Uncanny X-Men for a minute, there’s also Uncanny X-Men 168, which you should read just for the iconic “Professor Xavier is a JERK!” moment that gets referenced constantly. 

A lot of people liked Kitty Pryde And Wolverine but I find it kind of uncomfortable, I dunno. There’s an unfortunate period where Marvel decided that Kitty should take a level in badass or whatever by become, like, a ninja? That was weird. We don’t really speak of it.

I like some of the stuff with her and Pete Wisdom (who was certainly better for her than Colossus, I’m sorry, I love Colossus but DUDE! She was FOURTEEN! A fourteen year old dating a nineteen year old is a very different situation than, like, a 28 year old dating a 32 year old, you know? I wouldn’t say that their relationship was like, necessarily abusive or anything but it clearly was not healthy, it was a tumultuous first love that hurt them both but mostly hurt her, and while that appeals to me on one level* as someone who’s been a young woman in a similar situation, I am very uncomfortable with the explicit framing of their early relationship as the beginning of a great and enduring love affair.) - that happened in Excalibur, and also they had a series (miniseries?) for a while called Pryde And Wisdom that had some fun moments. I know Warren Ellis got a lot of flak for the fact that Wisdom was really obviously his self-insert Gary Stu and people didn’t like seeing him with Kitty but like… her last relationship before that was Colossus! At least Pete was, like, age-appropriate and didn’t dump her by falling for a woman who he LITERALLY could not have a conversation with. 

I’d skip a bunch of the Kitty In College stuff because during that period there was a glut of scenes where writers just made Kitty this extremely heavy-handed political mouthpiece for their own liberalism, and it aggravates me (a couple of times she uses the n-word because, like, it’s basically the same as someone calling her a “mutie”, right? No, Kitty. No.) But it has a few moments that are interesting in that you get to see this young woman who has been through a lot of literally unbelievable shit, but when it comes to, like, interpersonal relationships etc, it ultimately fairly naive and even sheltered. (To that end I could totally see like, Kitty being a kid in her first year of college who DOES, for a hot second, think it’s okay to say the n-word if she’s making a point about prejudice - I just don’t like that she never gets corrected and never gets a chance to like, realize that’s shitty and racist of her, you know? I’d be fine if it was like, “this young woman has had a very, very weird teenagehood and while she means well she’s prone to sticking her foot in her mouth in sometimes really awful ways, but when she does we as readers understand this as something she needs to get past in order to grow as a person” - but it’s not, so, like, whatever.) I forget what books that stuff took place in, though, you’d have to look it up. There was a story where she worked as a bartender or something.

I’m really loathe to recommend anything by Whedon but if I’m being totally, completely honest with myself, I did enjoy the Gifted storyline in his run of Astonishing X-Men. It has some moments that I cannot stand, and it has a LOT of Whedon’s obnoxious quippiness, but, I dunno, it has it’s charms. Everything Whedon does after that on that book is… ugh. UGH. So much of Whedon’s bog-fucking-standard issues (pregnancy horror, etc) and Kitty more and more just becomes Buffy and it’s gross. If you can tolerate Whedon dialogue I’d say like, torrrent Gifted or something (don’t pay for it lol) but beyond that you can skip everything he’s done with her. People make a big deal about how she phased a bullet through the Earth but trust me when I say that was just really stupid.

This got really long, I hope this is helpful!! I have a lot of feelings about Kitty.

*basically, catharsis

aesthetic & playlist & headcanon — self care / health quirks

summary: self-care’s important in an industry that induces perpetual stress. minjung has some physical ailments (not serious or debilitating, but it does hinder some things here and there). still, with all the time fuse has had off — minjung’s found some new hobbies to give a new definition to self-love / self-care (headcanon with elaboration) playlist summary: music can be therapeutic, and nobody can deny that. sometimes, wallowing inside sadness and having a good cry or putting on one of your favorite songs and dancing it out gives some sort of relief to the overall effect of being stressed. these songs highlight minjung’s guilty pleasures, and what she jams to when she’s feeling like she’s on the verge of breaking down or she just doesn’t want to deal with the world. when this playlist plays through her speakers, that’s when her inner circle knows — oh man, is something wrong? but she’ll still keep to her smile, ignore it all and dance around. warnings: depression tw wc: 736

playlist:

1. dean — i’m not sorry ft. eric bellinger  2. honne — day 1 (brooklyn session) 3. umi — remember me 4. ariana grande — problem ft. iggy azalea 5. justin Bieber - peaches ft. daniel caesar, giveon 6. mariah carey — we belong together 7. sum41 — into deep 8. fountains of wayne — stacy's mom 9. weezer — teenage dirtbag 10. brave girls — rollin’

minjung has some minor health things, i don’t think i’ve ever touched on. but nothing’s seriously crippling and for the most part it’s just a burden on her day to day life

the first is her allergies — she has bad spring allergies. pollen, grass, etc. the whole nine yards, it makes her wheeze rub her eyes till they’re red and raw, and make her want to sneeze up a storm. no actual medication works with this, so she’s just left to survive it until spring passes over and the pollen levels stop getting bad

till then, she’ll always sneeze and have red eyes. it’s just something she learns to deal with with eye drops, tissues and over the counter medication that doesn’t really alleviate anything.

another allergy she has is peaches, and although she loves the taste of peaches? she has oral allergy syndrome where it makes her lips all itchy and her throat swell to a minor degree. it’s no biggie, just that she needs to avoid raw peaches, plums or else she’ll have some discomfort for a few hours

the last allergy she has is celery? but that’s not a big problem because she hates the taste of celery to begin with. won’t touch it, and hates the smell — so, it’s more a bonus on her part than a big issue

(fun fact: she swears she’s allergic to cilantro, but she’s not. it’s only an excuse to avoid cilantro tasting things because she hates the taste of cilantro more than anything else in the world)

another health thing is that she has low blood pressure? it’s pretty low and severe where sometimes it’ll go 50/70 when the average is 90/120, but really, doctors say there’s no need to raise it with medication when age brings it up regardless. the major effect of low blood pressure is just that sometimes when she stands up too quickly she gets dizzy or she’s prone to passing out, and has serious fatigue most days. but it’s a life of an idol and over the years, she just learns to work with tired days because in hindsight, there’s no way around it?

depression — she doesn’t take medication because she doesn’t see a therapist. it’s not responsible, and she probably should. but the girl doesn’t think she’s depressed though she shows a lot of the symptoms a majority of the time. (perhaps, i’ll do a headcanon later on about this in more detail). but basically, she feels that sadness is just perpetual and she needs to learn how to get used to it (it’s that old korean mindset stigma that depression is just being sad). 

to feel better though, she has a lot of remedies — despite not practicing it 90% of the time

bubble baths, she’s lucky to have a full bath in her apartment. lush has some nice bath bombs she likes to soak in and read a book, but the feeling of her hands getting all pruny bothers her so she won’t stay in the bath for long. it’s a near waste, but most likely she’ll soak for 15 mins and attempt to read before hopping out

most of her therapy? self-therapy that is stems from playing the guitar, piano, writing and painting. self-expression in an artistic sense where she hones in away from the world and into her own zone, that’s where she feels the most happy inside her element. so, that lets her have her sense of peace even if it’s just for an hour and she has no inspiration. it’s more of the though to ‘get busy’ than to focus on what is happening right now

physical activity? obviously she has her workout in pilates and pole dancing, but aside from that she likes her morning walks and her bike rides. it’s about feeling cold in early spring that makes her happy — rather than feeling sweaty and hot, she prefers feeling cold and shivering.

walks will be pretty long and despite the pollen allergy, she thinks it’s worth it to just wander around and enjoy a coffee, sit down on a bench to doodle away rather than stay cooped up at home.

and on the way back? she’ll top it off by buying herself flowers. it’s heavily underrated, and a big recommendation on her part to buy yourself flowers.

treat yourself! is the motto she lives by as of recently.

2016 Year end review: 5 years running (and better late than never).

Celebrating 5 years of the end of the year!!!

WOW, this is my 5th annual end of the year because Facebook’s end of the year thingy sucks so much it’s just better if I write my own and choose my own photos blog (working title). Seriously though, this is the 5th one I’m writing after starting in 2012.  Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate that Facebook attempts to make us feel connected to our memories; I mean FB really is just one giant diary/scrapbook anyhow. While their attempts do get a little better each year, the end of the year never really full encompasses and includes all the memories I want it to. Well, that lead to me writing these in which I can kind of sum up my year as I want, group together some photos and tales from the last 12 months. I’ll mention as I always do, these are more for me than anyone else, but I do enjoy sharing it with all of you, my dear readers. As always, you can find the prior year end reviews here: 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015. I hope you guys enjoy. Oh and if you don’t make the photo cut down below, don’t take it personal, I simply can’t squeeze everything and everyone in, it’s not meant to be a slight I just may not have a photo of you and I (it happens).

Now I know a lot of people had a rough year for one reason or another and cursed the number 2016 and because of that I feel bad saying the following:

I myself actually had a pretty good year.

I mean I went to more weddings than funerals for the first time in a few years, I never got below the “buffer” in my bank account. I was creative in a few different ways, I made some great new friends, traveled, and at the risk of taunting the universe, I personally had no great drama or issue or anything overly negative arise this past year, which I humbly thank God and Karma and existence in general for that fact. I hope we can keep that trend in 2017. By no means is anywhere near my 2012 declaration of not caring what happens next. Believe me, I CARE what happens next (trust me folks, don’t taunt the universe on that one). That said; let me share with you some of the highlights of my 2016.

First off is work. I just love working where I do and with the people I work with. Things are good, I’m happy. I make enough to enjoy my life the way I want too, they give me more than ample time off, it’s really close to home (I don’t even have to get on a highway and I can come home for lunch), my job is just good. I’m very comfortable here. This fall will be my fourth year here and I’m planning on staying with this company for a long time. Don’t get me wrong, I’m saying everyone should love your job, that’s just not going to happen, but if you don’t dread the alarm clock every morning, it creeps over in a positive way to the rest of your life.  

 Creatively, I spread myself thin on several projects as I always seem to do, even toyed with the idea of doing my own youtube channel show but then realized this exactly why I seem to never get anything done. So the top priority was my movie, which I’d say I got more done on it this year than any other year which is a major plus. We’re so close, I promise it’ll all end up being worth the ridiculous wait once it’s done. I did write a little more in the blog early in the year and re-read my book. Yup, long ago I wrote a novel but have never really done anything with it. So late in the year, I started re-reading it. It’s at the top of my list of things to work on in 2017. It needs some editing and to be flushed out a bit here and there, but it’s something that has been on the back burner and needs some attention. Heck, Stan Lee was in his 40 when he started all the Marvel characters we know and love and dominate the box office today. So why not me? I have also returned to working on my photography a little bit more often, which lead to meeting some nice new people along the way, which is always a plus. 

Getting out seeing live music as much as I can is always important to me and this year was a pretty good year for it. I went to my fair share of concerts this year, both locally grown talent and more main stream. In the spring for my birthday I went and saw Nathaniel Ratcliff and the NightSweats with my gal pal Jenn M at the Paladium Ball room or Southside or whatever the hell its called now, over in Dallas. Such a great night, these guys put on a hell of a show. If you’re not familiar with their work, or even if you are but only the S.O.B. song, I recommend you give them a listen too. It was great to be in a crowd that was so into the show, everyone singing and dancing along with the songs, the age of the crowd was wonderful too, ranging from kids who couldn’t drink to people who could be my grandparent. The call for the band to come out for an encore was just fantastic, as the whole crowd chanting the course from SOB over and over for what seemed like forever before Mr. Ratcliff and his band gave in to our request (which I am sure they planned on doing regardless). They even brought out Fort Worth’s own Leon Bridges for the encore. That was a show and then some. I’d say it was the best show I saw this year, but I can’t because so many of them were so good! I caught Weezer and Panic at the Disco with my pals Britt and John in the summertime and well, it’s Weezer. Do I need say anything more? I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked Panic at the Disco and equally surprised at how many younger people left after Panic choosing not to stay for Weezer. Stupid fools, if they only knew. A big highlight of the whole year was taking my mom and sister to see “country” artist and native from the land down under Keith Urban this fall. I was familiar with some of Mr. Nicole Kidman’s works, but this was really all for my mom. HE’s her favorite. Never the less, I had a great time. The open act was a young women name Moren McMorick, Arlington’s own who’s clearly heading for big things. Wish I’d caught her at the Grease Monkey or Levitt when I would have had the chance. The main man of the night, Keith Urban, puts on a hell of a show. I earlier used quotations to describe him as a country artist, but that’s just not accurate to me. This guy is a bona-fide rock star. His music, his stage presence, his interaction with his fan, it was a fantastic show that I can’t simply narrow down as one genre. This dude is as cross genre as cross genre comes. OR maybe I just don’t have any idea what country music is since my childhood or listen to Alabama and Barbra Mandrel in my mother’s car. Again, truly a star of his craft. It was awesome to get to do something for my mom and share a concert with her. Strictly from a enjoying the musician point of view, my personal favorite show of the year was probably getting to see Glen Hansard at the Majestic in September. I’ve waiting 3 years for this guy to come thru town and there’s never been a show I had higher expectations for than this one . Man oh man he did not disappoint. My good friend MacKenzie took a night off from her family to join me and we both walked away floored by the Irish folk singer. He did 3 encores! Three! He played favorites of mine I’ve heard since I was introduced to him 3 years ago, stuff I had never heard of and the must hears from the film ONCE. He was fantastic engaging the crowd, sharing tales thru that thick Irish accent before or after each song, the Majestic was such a great setting to mark seeing off my bucket list. That’s not even half the shows I enjoyed this year. I saw Deep Blue Something for the first time in 20 years at Arlington’s Levitt Pavillion. Luke Wade also visited us again during the Day of Giving concert here in Arlington. I saw local favorites of mine Auntie Rissa and the Colonel, the Criminal Birds, my buddy KGs bands Henry the Archer and the always sweet styling of Standard Gazette. I was also introduced to the gothy good styling of Jessie Frye this year and lastly,  I can’t even begin to explain how happy I was to see favorite One Red Martian pay us a visit down here in the Lone Star State. You guys were severely missed.  Live music was oh so good for me in 2016, without question, the best it’s been in years.

 I of course traveled. After my 2014 hiatus from traveling, I got back into it and 2015 and continued on in 2016. I really only took two legit vacations. The first being a week with my Godkids, which involved driving out to west Texas to get them and then bringing them back to Arlington for the week. They’re both practically teenagers now and I fear in the not so distant future I won’t be cool enough to hang out with them.  So trying to be cool Godfather that I like to think of myself as, we went to the National Video game museum up in Frisco. I highly recommend if you’re a video game nerd to check this out. It’s not really big, but it covers just about everything video game related ever made. Plus they had a Sega Dreamcast hooker up with Powerstone 2 in it which was a big plus for me.  Due to the kindness of some of my dear friends, we went swimming in pools not belonging to me. We took a train ride out to Dallas to visit the Perot museum and the Dallas Aquarium, both places I had never been so it was a treat for me too, went to downtown Fort Worth to see fireworks (as it was fourth of July week), went to the movies and one night just hung out and played board games and watched movies. Pretend parenting is so much fun. It’s the only time of the year that rivaled the Vegas trip. I do love those silly kiddos and I had such a great time with them, I hated having to let them go back home. I should also point out I acquired a third Godkid this year, but since she’s brand new I didn’t bring her along for the week, but she’s adorable! Photos are of course below.

I did leave the state too, FINALLY making it out to Vegas with my pals Keith, Scott, Woo and Kevin. Las Vegas did not disappoint in the least bit! I’d tell you more about it, but the whole “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas…” just kidding. I didn’t get to see everything I wanted to and got sick one night, but still had a wonderful time! The plane ride over was memorable, though that story needs to stay quiet, but I will say the film “Me Earl and the Dying Girl” lies to you. Just know that it lies to you. We stayed at the New York, New York on the strip and personally love the place and our room. We went to multiple casinos and ate lots of breakfast buffets. Went to the shark reef at Mandalay Bay, which for me was a bucket list stop. I learned how to play baccarat at the Venetian and made some money (and that it’s perfectly acceptable to drink and gable at 9am on a Saturday) and then lost said money at black jack in the Luxor. We took a limo ride out to see the Hoover dam and asked to see Megatron (yes we were those guys). The food was fantastic, had a fantastic steak with shrimp and grits, a great deli in our hotel, and some fish and chips with Irish carbombs at an Irish restaurant. We instituted a roulette tradition, played in a small poker tourney, meet a wonderful group of UNLV grads, and had a drink in a bar that was -5 degrees. I absolutely loved Las Vegas and can’t wait to go again.

There were some sad moments too, but the it seemed like an unusually high number of unexpected celebrity passings. I can’t touch them all, but let me say the world seemed less magical once David Bowie left us and a little less funny now that Gene Wilder is gone. I was literally stunned and in disbelief when I learned Prince no longer walked among us. I openly wept before bed the day the great Carrie Fisher became one with the Force (no disrespect meant with that comment). Her passing was literally part of my childhood dying.

I can’t leave this blog on a down note though, so in case you didn’t notice, the Rangers has a pretty good season (happy note), and the Cowboys bounced back from the 4-12 disaster of last season. I can’t wait to see how deep this playoff run goes (happy note). Then a more personal high point, I met freaking Karen Gilliam! Amy Pond! A legit Dr. Who companion! That’s the first time I’ve gone to a convention like that and paid for a celebrity photo, but man it was so worth it (BIG happy note).

All in all, 2016 was a good year for me. I enjoyed and cherished all the people who were a part of it. I hope we all see a happy and healthy 2017. Here’s to another 5 years of end of the year blogs and God bless each and everyone one of you.

Much Love,

Big T