TED LASSO ROY & JAMIE + THE TYPES OF FRIENDS EVERYONE NEEDS

Well, it’s that time of year again. The time to reflect on everything and really stop and think. 2021 had a lot of highs and lows when it came to anime, but through it all, we all came away with something grand. 

A song. A story. A memory. 2021 gave us so many amazing things. And now, as we begin to close out the year, I want to share with you all my personal faves that I watched through it all. 

Keep in mind, not everything in my list of what I watched was from this year. Some of it was from last year. Others are far older. But every title I watched this year to completion was time well spent. And these are my opinions on what I watched. I’ll keep it all under the read more so that this doesn’t take up your entire dash. 

Now with that, let’s get to the list! 

HERE IS FANDOM’S PERSONAL ANIME AWARDS FOR SHOWS THEY WATCHED IN 2021!!!!

BEST SCI-FI goes to Planetes

This was a toss up between Planetes and Astra: Lost in Space, but I felt that Planetes just beat out Astra. A series about space garbage men that has truly stood the test of time that more people should check out. If you enjoy stuff like Cowboy Bebop or Wolf’s Rain or shows with similar tones, then you’ll like this show. 

BEST FANTASY goes to To Your Eternity

Listen, I know there were tons of Fantasy shows out there this year. And I tried to keep up with them. But the one that I feel earns the title of Best Fantasy goes to this show. Fushi’s journey and the world he inhabits is incredible and you will not be disappointed. 

BEST MYSTERY goes to ODDTAXI

What more do I need to say? There are few anime that I would say are 100% Perfect. This is one of them. No detail is overlooked. No amount of character interaction is filler. Everything has a point and purpose to the great end. If you haven’t seen it already, what are you waiting for?!

BEST SHORT SERIES goes to Pui Pui Molcar

It’s a stop motion show about sentient Guinea Pig cars. Need I say more?

BEST DRAMA goes to GANKUTSUOU: The Count of Monte Christo

It’s the Count of Monte Christo. In space. With aliens and funky artwork. And it somehow works. I don’t know how better to sell it. 

BEST SLICE OF LIFE goes to Yuru Camp

Cute girls do camping things and it was honestly the show I needed when I finally hit the burnout of the last 2 years. 

BEST OST goes to Vivy: Fluorite Eyes Song

This soundtrack was far too good and was worth the hype alone. But paired with the animation and it was absolutely elevated. 

BEST SEQUEL goes to Uma Musume Season 2

I tried so, so hard. This year had so many good sequel seasons. But the one I felt was the strongest was this one. I still stop and think about it from time to time. And its a season that stands on its own. It’s simply fantastic.

BEST COMMUNITY goes to Shirobako

Bringing back this award, this is in regards to characters and setting and how they interact. And the community of the setting of Shirobako are simply amazing to watch and I wish these people were my fellow co-workers.

BEST ONGOING goes to Ranking of Kings

I HAD TO GET THIS SHOW ON HERE SOMEHOW AND IT WILL PROBABLY MAKE MY BEST OF 2022 IF THE SEASON STICKS THE LANDING.

Best Romance goes to Science Fell in Love, so I Decided to Prove It

Two nerds who are so into science that they need to use science to prove they are in love. Shenanigans ensue. It’s too cute. 

BEST FRIENDSHIP goes to Astra: Lost in Space

There were a lot of great anime I watched this year that I felt deserve this award, but without spoiling anything, the friendship between the crew of the Astra is something that I felt deserved recognition the most. 

BEST FIGHT goes to Kyojuro Rengoku VS Akaza from Demon Slayer: Mugen Train Arc

I STILL GET THE FEELS OVER THIS FIGHT OKAY?!?! I WILL NEVER RECOVER FROM THIS!

BEST ISEKAI goes to Ascendance of a Bookworm

It was a close race between this and Realist Hero, but I felt that Bookworm had a more solid open ending that both allows for further story, as well as leaves a viewer satisfied in the case a new season cannot be produced. (Luckily, both are getting new seasons soon, but point still stands.)

BEST COMEDY goes to Zombieland Saga Seasons 1 and 2

Zombie. Idols. Need I say more?

BEST INSERT SONG goes to Dawn Breaks from Given

It was so, so hard to pick an insert song this year, but I felt this song had more of what I was looking for in terms of something both emotional and memorable. If you haven’t listened to it, please do. 

BEST OP is a DRAW! This award goes to ODDTAXI and PRETTY BOY DETECTIVE CLUB!

Listen, these two have amazing animation and very fitting songs that perfectly encapsulate their respective shows and what to expect from them. Both are worthy of watching on their own. 

BEST ED goes to BEASTARS Season 2.

The animation and the music are both just so soothing and are a welcome change of pace compared to the action and suspense of the main show and OP. 

MOST UNDERRATED goes to Kemono Jihen

Horror. Mystery. Found Family. Criminally under watched. Please give it a watch. 

MOST HEARTWARMING goes to The Saint’s Power is Omnipotent

This anime was just gentle. Soft. Warm. A nice romance and sweet fantasy isekai. 

MOST DELICIOUS goes to Restaurant to Another World Season 2

It’s hard to watch this and not get hungry. 

GUILTY PLEASURE goes to Fairy Ranmaru

I will not justify this one. It’s just pure, unapologetic, queer fun. It’s not good, but it’s not bad. It’s just fun. 

MOST ADORABLE goes to My Senpai is Annoying

Look, I’m a sucker for the “Tiny-Grumpy-Human and Giant Goofy Teddy Bear” dynamic, okay? Sue me. 

BEST REWATCH goes to Akudama Drive

I cannot describe how much better this show gets with every rewatch, okay? Just...give it a watch if you haven’t already. 

MOST EMOTIONAL SCENE goes to Episode 1 of To Yuor Eternity

My feels...will never recover....

MOST FUN DUB goes to Sk8 The Infinity

HEY BITCHES AND BROS AND NONBINARY HOES! 

This dub just gets me. 

The DESERVED BETTER award goes to Way of the House Husband

If ANY anime adaptation should have gotten the One Punch Man treatment, it should have been this one. You’re better off ripping the audio from the show and placing it over manga edits. I’ve never seen an anime that made me think a premise wasn’t funny the way this one did. 

MOST DISSAPOINTING is also a draw! This award goes to B: The Beginning- Succession and Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Gou/Sotsu

With B: The Beginning, it was just disappointing. I hardly remember anything from the season. I keep waiting and waiting for a part 2, wondering if maybe there’s something I’m missing. The music was boring, the fighting wasn’t memorable. I wish they’d just either left it at one season or actually stopped to consider “is this any good?”

With Higurashi Gou/Sotsu, however, this is one that the more I think about it, the more I try to fit it into the overall narrative of Higurashi. The more I try to make sense of its themes and story, the more pissed off I get. This just feels like a giant spit in the face after being thrown into a pile of cow manure. Even if I were to take it as its own thing outside of canon, it just doesn’t make it any better. It’s not even worth it beyond the music. 

And now, the ranking of:

THE TOP TEN ANIME I WATCHED IN 2021!

10) Pretty Boy Detective Club 9) Astra: Lost in Space 8) Gankutsuou - The Count of Monte Christo 7) Ascendance of a Bookworm 6) Planetes 5) Kemono Jihen 4) Uma Musume Season 2 3) Sk8 The Infinity 2) To Your Eternity 1) ODDTAXI

And there you have it! My rankings for anime I watched this past year! Were there some you think I missed? Are there any you think I should give a watch? Any your favorites? Let me know!

Thank you all for taking the time to read this post and I look forward to seeing you all in 2022!

 ATLA Fic Rec 

because I've been spending way too much time reading it. Btw, this is a rec for gen fics and zukka fics.

Note: an asterisk after the description means that the fic or series is incomplete. (Sadly, this is a lot of them, but I'm pretty sure most of these fics are still currently updating.)

GEN:

Anything by MuffinLance is a must-read. my personal favourites are Salvage (where Hakoda ends up with one (1) grumpy new prisoner/crewmate/adopted son) and Little Zuko v the World (where Zuko is 12, and it's adorable).

The Family You Choose by TunaFishChris is a god-tier platonic soulmate au about zuko and the gaang, so like...go read that right now

The kintsugi series by discordiansamba is an AU where Toph's parents hire Zuko-as-Lee to be a bodyguard for her, and I love it so much. It has some of the best Toph-and-Zuko sibling bonding I've ever seen. *

Dragon Moon by Satirrian is a Dragon! Zuko AU and it's incredible. It also features Bounty Hunter Zuko, so do with that what you will. *

The What We're Given series by Haicrescendo is *chef's kiss*. It's an AU where Zuko flipped his father off early on into his banishment and started living his best life with Iroh. Enter the Gaang. Shenanigans ensue. *

The Internment series by Hannahmayski is another Zuko breaks free from his dad early AU, and it's also really good. Basically, Zuko was never given the option to capture the Avatar, making his banishment indefinite. He sails around with his crew fighting the Fire Nation and it's great. *

The best way to solve your problems (is to help someone else) by hewwodarkness is an AU where kids start disappearing in Ba Sing Se during Book 2, and Zuko takes it upon himself to do a little vigilantism. It's fantastic. *

The Blue Spirit AU series by H_Faith_Marr is an AU starting from, surprise surprise, the Blue Spirit episode. The Gaang takes in Zuko without knowing who he is, and the Power of Friendship™ goes to work on Zuko. *

The the first rule of earth kingdom fight club... series by ohmygodwhy is an AU where Zuko, among other things, fights in underground cage matches, meets Toph early, and realises that his dad might be wrong. It’s pretty funny and really good. *

The The Non-Existent Twin series by FoiblePNoteworthy is hilarious. It's an AU where Zuko poses as his own twin, Li, and the Gaang buys it hook line and sinker. *

The Guilt (The Jet Adopts Zuko AU) series by FoiblePNoteworthy is also really good. Like the title says, it’s a Zuko joins the Freedom Fighters AU. *

The new ways series by blueseam is just a Zuko and the Gaang bonding fic, mostly set in the Western Air Temple, with a side of Zuko not taking care of himself and the Gaang stepping up to the job. If you’re like me and am an absolute sucker for Zuko and the Gaang, go read this.

The Family Matters series by WinterSky101 is a really good fic if you’re looking for Hakoda and Zuko. That’s all I have to say: Hakoda and Zuko.

a nation, held by snowdarkred is a GREAT Fire Nation & Zuko fic - set before and during canon, not after it. Go read it, right now.

Notable mentions: a lot of works by naggeluide are gen and pretty funny, though if you don't headcanon any of the characters as LGBT+ you might not like some of them.

ZUKKA:

anything by Haicrescendo and dickpuncher420. For Haicrescendo, my personal favourite is the Carry On For You series, and for dickpuncher420, it’s love language.

sirens & sleepless nights by Satirrian is a modern AU that just borders on dystopian. Ba Sing Se has been overtaken by the Fire Nation, Zuko is a soldier who broke away from the Fire Nation and got shot for it, and Sokka finds Zuko on the street and brings him inside. It’s amazing, go read it!

do you take this jerk to be (your one and only) by jatersade is a fic that I’m 90% sure is on every zukka fic rec list, and it deserves to be. It’s an arranged marriage AU where Zuko is engaged to Yue, and Sokka is his cultural guide. *

midnight runs and other things by isamagicdragon is a modern AU where Zuko keeps sleepwalking into Sokka’s apartment. Shenanigans ensue. Also, top-tier Zuko, Mai and Ty Lee interactions. *

Unchained Melody by avocadolove is another fic that I see a lot on rec lists, and it 100% deserves it. It’s a long fic (as of now, it’s at 63.8k) and is an AU where Sokka, after getting taken to the Spirit World by Heibai, ends up as a ghost that only Zuko can see. Ft. great enemies-to-friends-to-lovers and an incredible plot. *

Ozymandias, King of Kings by Think_of_a_Wonderful_Thought is SO good. It’s an AU where, instead of being banished, Zuko was sent to work in a coal mine/prison, which eventually becomes the target of a Water Tribe raid after Aang’s return. It can get pretty dark, so watch out for that, and it’s really long (as of now, 168.8k). But trust me, it’s worth it. *

Heart Beat Here by thefangirlingdead is an adorable Modern AU oneshot where Zuko, while shopping for engagement rings with Katara, freaks out when Sokka lies about where he is. It’s a happy ending, don’t worry. One of my favourite fics.

feels like we only go backwards by oldpotatoe and A Certain Slant of Light by JustGettingBy are both amnesia fics where Sokka loses his memory several years after the war. They’re both so, so good. A Certain Slant of Light is finished, but feels like we only go backwards is not.

reality strikes, so bring back the night by zukkababey is a time-travel oneshot where Western-Air-Temple Sokka wakes up in the future to find his older self married to one (1) Fire Lord Zuko. Fluffy and funny. 

maybe i just see you (in everything) by epicbubbles is a really cute Modern AU oneshot with love confessions and just fluff all around. 10/10 go read it!!

it’s the illusion of separation by argentoswan is a fic that has legendary status and it absolutely deserves it. God-tier Modern AU where Sokka ends up working at the Jasmine Dragon alongside his former high school bully, Zuko. (Kind of) enemies-to-friends-to-lovers, and it’s just...SO good. *

say you like your shirt soggy by crosspin is a reallyyy nice 5+1 fic. It’s Modern AU, and it’s pretty short (3.7k), but the amount of yearning that gets packed into that 3.7k,,,,*chef’s kiss*

and they were roommates by flydunes is another Modern AU where sokka puts up an ad for a roommate. Zuko moves in, and Sokka gets a crush. It’s just good vibes all around :) *

like blood from a stone by catalinacat is a Soulmate AU that took a completely different direction with the soulmate trope. The summary does a better job of explaining it than I can. *

absence of heat, excess of destiny by theycallmesuperboy is one of the best soulmate AUs out there. it’s not too long, only 4.3k words, but it covers the entire series and then some. Seriously, go read this.

it isn’t strange, but it’s true by theholyterror is a 5+1 post-canon fic with some of the best pining I’ve ever seen, ft. Ambassador Sokka and Fire Lord Zuko. The 5+1 is times Zuko went out of his way to touch Sokka.  *

like the sun inside of you by ofherlionheart is another post-canon fic, and it’s incredible so far. the first chapter alone is 23k, so it’s already a decently long read. *

the stemverse: earth science zuko au series by acezukos is a REALLY good Modern/University AU. So far, it only has one work (earth system history) but that work is already *chef’s kiss*. The series is incomplete, but earth system history is complete!

rebellion’s such a hushed affair by zeitgeistofnow is a fantastic Modern AU that, like sirens & sleepless nights, borders on dystopian. Actually, I think it is dystopian, but it hasn’t been tagged as such. Anyway, 10/10, go read it right now immediately

Mark Time by foil is a Modern AU where Sokka ghosted Zuko years ago, and they get brought back together by Aang and Katara’s wedding. It’s really good, but the fic has some pretty heavy content, so make sure you read the warnings. *

That birds would sing and think it were not night by HisMomoness is a Modern AU that has Zuko tutoring Sokka, with absolute top-tier pining. Like, seriously, the pining is insane. Superr good

this love burns so yellow (becoming orange and in its time, exploding) by meliebee is one of the best post-canon fics I’ve ever read. It features a civil war in the Fire Nation (that gets resolved about halfway through) and some great Toph and Zuko interactions, as well as some Grade A pining. 

boy problems by burnt_oranges is FANTASTIC post-canon and has sokka and zuko in an accidental arranged marriage, plus some attempted assassinations. It’s great.

zuko vs the homie sexual agenda by parmigiano has Zuko and Sokka pining for each other in Ikea. Do I need to say more?

Friendship Bracelets by peachcitt is a Modern AU best friends to lovers. Pretty short (4.9k), but the pining is immaculate.

isn’t this the vision that you wanted by nebulastucky is INCREDIBLE, I read it recently because it just got completed and it’s *chef’s kiss*. It’s post-canon ft. mutual pining and some reallyyy good ‘and there was only one bed’ scenes.

Real Slow and no one knows anything but us by surveycorpsjean and quidhitch respectively are two of my favourite post-canon Ambassador Sokka and Fire Lord Zuko fics. Go check them out!

The Duke’s a Hazard by naggeluide is a really nice AU starting from the Western Air Temple, where the Duke decides that Sokka and Zuko are now his new parents. They bond over coparenting, and the (kind of) enemies-to-friends-to-lovers is really good. Plus, it’s funny.

Those Who Favor Fire by CSHfic and VSfic is a really good fic of the Spymaster Sokka AU. If you don’t know what that is, it’s an AU where Sokka fakes his death and goes undercover in an organisation that wants to kill Zuko.

Fics I added after posting (so far, all Zukka):

The Road Between Action and Inaction by Donvex is a fic that I can't believe I left out the first time?? It's a modern hitchhiking AU and it's great.

Rituals of the Ocean Floor by Donvex is a nice one too. It's only around 2.2k words, but it's a Fox Spirit!Zuko and Sharkman!Sokka AU, and I just really like the writing style.

by the stars above, i knew we were in love by theycallmesuperboy and The Fate of Nations in Our Hands by sapphic_ambitions are both top-tier post-canon fics. Be warned: by the stars above is a liiiittle bit angsty.

blue's clues by parmigiano is a really good Modern AU where Sokka, a university student journalist, gets ahold of the phone number of the Blue Spirit, a new campus vigilante. He ends up talking to the Blue Spirit to get an interview out of him, and it's really cute!

Honourable mention: the Avatar Zuko series by the_cloud_whisperer is one of the best series I've ever read, and it's really long - it got completed about a month ago, with 493.6k words in total (415k if you ignore the extra work made up of author's notes). It develops all the characters really well, especially Lu Ten, but the main ship is Zukaang. Personally, my biggest problem with Zukaang is the age difference, and Aang is aged up to be Zuko's age (or older, I think? I don't really remember) in this. I kept reading it because the plot was too good to give up, and I do highly recommend it, but yeah.

I’ll add more fics if I remember them, but this is what I had bookmarked. Also, shameless self plug here because I also write ATLA fic @ azenki on ao3

To round off my 2021 completion of my incredibly late Trick or Treats, the lovely @the-astro-ambassadors​ won a Treat from me on Treat Day and asked me to spotlight - and this is the particularly lovely part, haha - whatever I wanted. And after considering it for a bit, I decided that what I want to highlight for all you amazing people who follow me and my craziness is none other than my 100 Followers Celebration.

And, ahem, I know that it’s a slightly odd time to do it, given that I currently have... uh... well let’s just say closer to three hundred than one hundred followers (😱😱😱😍😍😍😭 I love you all SO MUCH, oh my goodness!!!!) Anyway, yes, as you can probably tell from the fact that... well the fact that it’s FEBRUARY 2021 and I am finishing a Trick or Treat challenge, I am late for everything. And this celebration, of course, is no different.

Perhaps a good place to start would be to explain what the celebration was all about? Well, luckily, that one’s pretty simple. I put out the gushy posts (and, honestly, I still get that EXACT same feeling whenever I look at my follows page 🥺💜 you are all the BEST, ahhhh!!!) 

... Oh my gosh, I’m just going to keep going off topic here about how much I love you all, aren’t I? Ahem, MAN, I need to focus. So, here’s the idea: every time I’m hit by a wave of love, I’m just going to put three lemons in parentheses, and you guys will know they mean “I ADORE YOU SO MUCH, I am so touched flattered stunned surprised moved and insanely happy by your follows/care, and right back to you’re the best people on the planet.” Cool? Cool 🤣🤣🤗

So, to try this again, third time lucky - I put out the gushy posts about having 100 followers (🍋🍋🍋) and explained how I’d like to give something back to YOU (because, guess what, 🍋🍋🍋!) So I set up three separate series, called Danny Boy & Quake, Sky’s the Limit, and Spider-Dorks, and asked you guys to send in prompts for what you’d like to see. 

Now, each of the above was aimed at a different section of my followers (🍋🍋🍋). Danny Boy & Quake, for example, is for those of you who are of the Dousy persuasion, and, like me, absolutely loved AoS season 7 and wish the show wasn’t over. So for this series, I’m taking Daisy and Sousa, and basically just... exploring where they go from where canon left us! The first fic, for example, picks up right before the One Year Later time-skip, with Sousa and Kora talking about Daisy and their relationships with her while she’s recovering post-final fight in the healing pod. Then we transition on to Daisy and Sousa bonding with Alya, Fitz, Jemma, and so on... teasing each other about ill-advised 50s haircut choices... and even ending up in the bottom of an ocean as a Fitzsimmons parallel once! 

Basically, it’s about Dousy, and the life they might have post-canon - starting their relationship properly, and the adventures they could have, and just... a SHIELD-crazy, but love-rich journey for them both. 

Next up is Sky’s the Limit, my personal favourite, and, as you may have guessed given that I’m, well, me xD, it’s Staticquake. This one is set in a post-season 2 AU where, a) Jemma never got eaten by the Monolith, and b) Lincoln joined SHIELD as Daisy’s first Secret Warrior. Lash is not a thing, and neither is the ATCU, it’s just... the SHIELD family, with some bonus sweet-babies Staticquake, being themselves, and getting to have that “what if it was all the SHIELD characters but with no life-threatening situations, just like them going shopping at Target, having karaoke nights, binge-watching shows together, and being a family in general” AU situation that the cast and fandom are always saying they’d like so much. 

The first ficlet, for example, is about Lincoln consoling Daisy post-her mom’s death and dad’s mind-wiping, and being the first person she tells about her decision to change her name. From there, we go on to Daisy teasing Fitzsimmons after their successful date, that they actually get to go on, fjslkfjdfljd. After that, we transition into full prank war mode with the whole team, and, of course, an alternate Staticquake get-together... oh, it’s going to be SO FUN. 😍

Last but definitely not least is Spider-Dorks, the series I’m writing for the Spideychelle section of my followers (🍋🍋🍋). It, too, is set in an everything-is-canon-up-until-I-say-to-keep-things-happy AU - this one follows everything that canonically happened right up to and through Spider-Man: Homecoming, but cuts off right after that. And instead of Infinity War, we now get... Peter and MJ being oblivious idiots, Ned shaking his head at them both and also shipping them really hard, and, of course, the three of them getting into all kinds of shenanigans together. 

The first ficlet, to give you an idea, is about MJ in her role as AcaDec captain confronting Peter about always missing practice, and basically being like, you can skip it if you want, just know that I’m coming to your place to quiz your ass off when you are home. And because she’s MJ, she also casually drops the bomb of “oh, and I know you’re Spider-Man...” Of course, a firm friendship develops from there, and the next thing you know, MJ and Ned are testing out Peter’s old webshooters, she’s meeting Natasha, and, because of course, Ned’s doing his very best to set up these two oblivious idiots... Oh, yes, I love this one 😝😍

Now, at this point, you may be thinking, well, gosh, look how organised she is, she’s already gotten all the fics written! or something along those lines, but, uh. While I have invested a lot of time in the planning of these series, nothing has actually been written yet, which... is why I’m here today xD. This is going to be one of my biggest projects for 2021 - writing, posting and finishing these three series. Right after I finish my (hey look, also late!!) agentsofchallenges Fluff Bingo, and try to keep up with my birthday fic writing. 

... andddd this turned into a spotlight of, hey look it’s Lily’s 2021 schedule! Oh gosh, sorry, I’m incorrigible 🙈 But the point of this entire thing is, I’m throwing a spotlight on these three series today so that anyone who’s interested can know that I am actively working on them as of this year, and if you keep a watch on my blog (and, hey, I would not complain to the occasional encouraging/yelling ask in my inbox 😝) then yes, you will see these series before the end of the year. Hopefully. Definitely!!! 

Thank you SO much for playing in my Trick or Treat all those months ago, Heather, and late or no, crazy or no, I hope you enjoyed this answer/treat! Who knows - maybe I’ll even see you in one of these series :D 

And to everyone who read this: ALL THE LEMONS TO YOUUUUU, all of them, I genuinely and absolutely adore you. And am also ridiculously excited to share these series with you guys. AHHHHH. You really are the BEST!!! 😍🍋🍋🍋🍋🍋🍋🍋🍋🍋🍋🍋🍋🍋🍋🍋🍋🍋🍋🍋🍋

RvB Fic Recs - AO3 Edition

This is going to be a highly eclectic and very personal list of fics that I liked during my recent RvB fic binge. Most of them are going to be a little obscure, but there’s no hard and fast theme.

AI: The logistics of sharing your head with an untested computer program that feels things have always fascinated me. These are fics about getting comfy-cozy with the stranger in your head. Spartan-B240 by eggstasy: Tuckington Halo 5 AU where Tucker is the voice in Wash’s head. I really love the build of Tucker and Wash’s relationship here, how they’re both trying hard to help each other, how Tucker makes Wash feel like a real person, how Wash is really and obviously gone on him. And also this approach to the logistical difficulties of falling in love with an AI program. The sequel is incomplete, but worth a read, especially for the Church+Caboose friendship in the first and last chapters.

Proper expression of emotion in bra-ket notation by thought: York and Delta are picking a lock, and hey, did anyone do research on how to stay within the safe limits of your AI’s capabilities? No? Oh well.

2-1 by QueSeraAwesome: In which Delta definitely does not have feelings OR insecurities about his relationships with York, and someone should probably be keeping an eye on Sigma.

Prepared by Blueberryshortcake: Delta invades York’s dreams. Short - but worth it for protective (and subtextually anxious) Delta.

South & Theta by madelinescribbles: Did someone say South redemption arc? Well, even if that someone wasn’t you, you have to admit you’re curious about what would happen if South and Theta talked to each other. Or dealt with their grief over North’s death together. Same difference. Incomplete, but that’s never stopped me.

Tuckington Borderlands AUs where Tucker is a Siren (don’t worry you don’t really have to know anything about Borderlands to enjoy these): … okay look, I realize that this is a very specific category name but in my defense [AIRPLANE TAKES OFF, OBSCURING THE REST OF THE SENTENCE]. Nothing Good by BoxOnTheNile: In which Tucker also has issues! There’s not enough fics about Tucker being just as banged up as Wash on the inside, and you know you’ve been looking for it. I really love Tucker’s other friendships in this fic, the sense that he’s really built a life for himself, and the slow give and take of trust between him and Wash really butters my biscuits. There’s another oneshot in this series, and the last chapter of BoxOnTheNile’s RVB Trans Week compilation (Be Someone (That Makes You Happy)) is also in this 'verse.

No Hero to Call Home by bismuthBallistics: In which Tucker is a mechanic and his favorite person in the world is the guy who comes in every three months to get a tune up on his prosthetic leg. Too bad Wash didn’t get that memo. Read this for some Really Excellent Tucker pining, and also for Tucker really caring about Wash and trying to take care of him, and also for Wash cooking for Tucker, and also the way they resolve Tucker getting frustrated with Wash’s general inability to friend really rings true, and also - look, I could keep going for a while here. Read this fic. 

Locus Angst and Rehabilitation: Think Wash angst, except clearly superior because there’s more Red Team.  I’ll Tell You My Sins and You Can Sharpen Your Knife by illumynare: Incomplete, but all three of four chapters are full of that Good Shit. Did you want Locus being unable to cope with basic kindness? Did you want pining for friendship? Did you want to be really, cripplingly sad about Locus? This is the fic for you.

Vanished Marvels by BoxOnTheNile: Oneshot, Simmons and Grif take care of an assassin. Some comfort for all the hurt you got from reading that last fic :D. Comes as part of a series, with an incomplete Locus/Grif/Simmons sequel and a Tuckington prequel, in case you needed some more ex-supersoldier h/c.

Green is Definitely a Shade of Red by Prim_The_Amazing: Does anyone else think it’s really unfair that Blue team gets all the ex-supersoldiers? If you do, this is your fic. In which Locus is totally, absolutely, and definitely not enjoying getting adopted by the Reds. Honestly. Contains 200% more shenanigans than your average Locus fic.

Series Recs: Because not every fic is standalone.  Blood Gulch Freelancers by eggstasty: What if the Blood Gulch Crew were a part of Project Freelancer? Read it for good mom Carolina, Caboose’s tragic backstory, and Allison being alive, which makes everything much less fucked up. … As long as you don’t look too hard, that is.

Five Reds and a Baby by a_taller_tale: Sarge ordered a baby from a catalogue, and it turns out to be a clone of Grif, and - look, it makes sense in context. 100% pure Grimmons, Red Team, and baby fluff. 

flying and burning by tumbleoutyourhair: Mostly tuckington oneshots, with a couple of grimmons ones. Contains a lot of That Good Wash Angst, especially thirteen and fourteen.

Zombie Immunity AU by HappyFunBallXD: Grif has an immunity to zombies and a plan - too bad life is getting in between him and Alaska. The main fic in the series is unfinished, but there’s plenty of Blood Gulch Crew zombie shenanigans and grimmons to go around.

Coffee Shop AU by mumblybee: Look, I got into the fandom in 2014, I have a horrible, horrible weakness for sad yorkalina. This is a modern au, featuring coffee and being a sad millennial.

Did someone say dorkalina? An OTP? In this economy? It’s more likely than you’d think. Satellite Mind by eponymous_rose: The Director didn’t consider the impact of AI on his Agent’s sex lives. At least, we hope he didn’t. York and Delta negotiate boundaries, Carolina helps. NSFW.

We Were Up All Night Talking Trash And Wasting Time by thought: Project Freelancer is falling apart, Carolina and York have sex about it. Delta helps. Sad and poetic, my favorite kind of fanfiction.

Opacity by bismuthBallistics, red_as_ever: Urban fantasy, plotty. York goes blind, Carolina helps. Delta is alternately a solution and an obstacle, and no one escapes a clash between the fae courts unscathed.

Carolina Genfics: Because Agent Carolina, man. Wash and Locus aren’t the only supersoldier assholes who need a redemption arc. Banana Bread Bonding by Aryashi: Agent Carolina tries to get Grif to teach her how to relax. Hilarity ensues. If that doesn’t make you want to read it, consider that it’s tagged “Co-Authored By Carolina's Ability to stalk people until she gets what she wants”.

Kiss My Bright Red Ass, Sir by Hinn_Raven: In which Carolina was Sarge’s daughter the entire time. Much more serious than it sounds and a fair bit sad - but if you’ve ever thought to yourself “man, I wish Carolina had a better family situation” this is the fic for you.

A Field Guide to Haircare in Wartime by saltsanford: In which the Reds get Carolina some self-care and forgiveness. If you liked Vanished Marvels from the Locus section, you’ll like this.

Regret the Poor Children (Raindrop Remix) by PlayerProphet: In which Carolina gets a jumpstart on her redemption arc, and Wash gets help a little earlier. If you wanted Freelancer to end a little better, read this fic. It’s not a happy fic, but you get the sense that things are going uphill from here.

This Man Looked Exactly Like Natalie Portman When He Was 13 by eggstasy: THE Carolina & Caboose fic. This one’s got it all, folks! Carolina trying to change for the better, Carolina & Epsilon bromance, backwardses and forwardses and all the complications that come with finding yourself in the middle of a redeption arc, and finally, a happy ending. 

Time Travel and De-Aging: I’ll admit, I haven’t read extensively in this genre in RvB, but here are some of my favorites. put your curse in reverse by Sroloc_Elbisivni: PFL-era Carolina gets de-aged. Hilarity(?) ensues. Read for Freelancer team as family, really awkward dramatic irony (toddler Carolina calls Tex momma, for a start), and all your Maine and Wash being good with children needs.

Asphodel Meadows by Hinn_Raven: Tex lives! She also travels forward in time to the Chorus era, and fixes things, because she’s a badass like that. Read this for massive Tex bromance feels, and because you wanted Tex to live.

Hit and Run by creatrixanimi, RiaTheDreamer: Not technically time travel or de-aging, but teenaged Grif siblings in Project Freelancer really feels like it fits here. Contains parental unit 479er, Freelancer babysitting shenanigans, and North stealing children. Because you know he would. Incomplete.

(Change the Past, Choose the Future by Zoomda and The Red and Blue Home for Lost Fat Kids by ShadyJane both fit in this category, the former being Wash and Carolina time-travel fix it and the latter being de-aged Captain Grif, but since I haven’t finished either (and neither are finished), I can’t exactly write up a rec. Still, here they are, for the adventurous or desperate among you.)

Misc: Fics that don’t fit into the other categories. Outpost #1 Apartments by nan00k: Not your momma’s superhero au! Church escapes his dad/the Director’s highly unethical superhero program, and moves into Blood Gulch apartment complex. Mostly gen, focuses on Church recovering from all the crap he endured. Read this one for the plot, for the gentle build of some serious tension, and for some good Church friendships. Part of an incomplete series, the Carolina entry is next and is both complete and definitely worth a look.

Simmons Slipped Up So Hard He Needs Life-Alert by Lieutenant_Kader: Grimmons fluff! Grif sets up a movie date for Simmons, and it’s real cute. Contains twice your recommended daily dose of Star Wars and Tucker being a good bro.

Don’t Cross the (Time) Streams by Hinn_Raven: The Freelancers crash land in Blood Gulch. Chaos and confusion ensues. Watching the professional supersoldiers be out of their depth around the worst soldiers in the galaxy is completely hilarious.

Christmas 2019: Day 4 - A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas (2011)

On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...

Four rounds of sliders!

So, turns out I had the title of this movie wrong, it’s not just A Harold & Kumar Christmas, it’s a 3D Christmas! Which also answers the question of where we go from the second movie, apparently out goes all that racism and in comes just so, so many shots of things flying at the camera.

It’s 2011 by this point, have we not left all this in the past? Hell, they were doing this in House of Wax when I watched that last year and that was back in the 50’s. To their credit, they do poke fun at the whole 3D thing at times, like near the start Harold’s assistant brings in a big ass TV meant as a present for Harold’s father in law. Harold questions if the whole 3D thing hasn’t jumped the shark by now but his assistant disagrees, exclaiming that it’s going to be ‘amazing’ as he points down the camera for emphasis. Harold just dryly asks who he’s looking at.

Harold has been moving up in the world it seems, now a very successful businessman on Wall Street. Unfortunately this comes during the whole ‘Occupy Wallstreet’ movement and the streets outside his office is lined with protesters wanting to eat the rich. Perhaps with a side of eggs which they throw at him by way of the camera lens.

Like a good soldier though, his assistant steps into the line of fire and takes a barrage of eggs to the face. RIP in peace. They have this whole musical sting whilst it’s happening, I feel like this has to be referencing something but I’m not sure what, war movies aren’t my thing.

Harold’s father in law by the way is played by non other than Danny Trejo, which is a rather scary thought. Trying to impress the father in law is bad enough without factoring that into the equation. He’s predisposed to disliking Harold as well given that his mother was killed by a bunch of Korean street thugs when she came over to America.

We learn that in his youth, Mr Perez dreamed of celebrating Christmas with a Christmas tree but would never get his wish. It was only upon reaching America that his mother promised they would have one every year, only for his life to be cut short. That’s why he holds this season and Christmas trees in particular in such high esteem. We also learn that apparently he was born with his moustache, which honestly wouldn’t surprise me with Danny Trejo. Also, someone being viciously murdered by street thugs seems a bit dark for this franchise.

Speaking of facial hair, Kumar is still a layabout bum who got kicked out of medical school for failing a drugs test. I do dig the beard though. Vanessa has left him though and he lives in filth with a neighbor who rents out his bathroom to let homeless people take a shit. So yeah, little bit of a mismatch on how our two heroes lives panned out over the last 7 years. I’m digging the beard though, but he promptly shaves it off under the pretense of trying to finally mature somewhat when he finds out Vanessa is pregnant.

Although, he is a little distracted during this revelation by the unfolding scenes of A Christmas Story and Flick getting his tongue stuck to the flagpole. Clearly an Xbox man as well, seemingly playing some Crackdown and Gears of War recently. This isn’t like that time I kept seeing It’s A Wonderful Life everywhere, is it? I’m not going to start having A Christmas Story pop up in all these movies, am I?

H&K are reuinited for the first time in two years when a package turns up at Kumar’s apartment addressed to Harold, which turns out to be a massive joint. Kumar lights up, only for Harold to play narc and throw it out of the window. Miraciously though, it curves around and flies back in a different window, lighting up Mr Perez’s Christmas tree and nearly burning down the whole house. This only reinforces what a negative influence on Harold’s life Kumar is and it looks like our duo are going their separate ways again. But, this does give us our impetuous for another hour and a half of whacky shenanigans because if Harold doesn’t fix that tree, there’s a good chance Mr Perez might kill him.

So we get the odd foursome of Harold and his new white bread bestie, Todd (and his daughter) and Kumar and his neighbor, Adrian, out on the lookout for a tree. This does lead to perhaps the most racially driven portion of the movie as they head to a tree lot run by two African-American guys trying to do this ‘good cop, bad cop’ thing, the Fat Albert looking guy playing nice and the other wondering what a pair of honkey, cracker, white ass fools are doing coming up in their turf.

Turns out Mr Perez isn’t the only one out to kill Harold though, as the tree search takes them to a party by way of Adrian who has a hookup waiting for him that he met online. She’s a virgin because apparently all the guys at school are scared to go anywhere near her. Adrian realizes that’s because her dad is notorious Ukranian mobster Sergei Katsov. At first I thought this was Chris Meloni making his third outing in the series but no, it’s actually Elias Koteas who was Casey Jones in the Ninja Turtles movies.

After Adrian goes soft upon finding out this information, Mary will settle for anyone at this point and goes to start blowing Harold right in the middle of the party. An inopportune time then for Daddy to come home and find what looks like an Eiffel Tower situation going on.

Even after they barely escape though, the nightmare is far from over as they start tripping and think they’re in the middle of a multi storey evil snowman attack. And, this all takes place in claymation. This is a really awesome scene, the design of the snowman is great and the level of destruction going on is amazing.

I could do without Kumar showing off his clay cock though, I only dread to think how much worse this is in 3D with him waving it about in your face.

Luckily, old buddies Rosenberg and Goldstein are there to shake them out of their bad trip and take them to White Castle to relax. Man, they have a much easier time getting their this time. They’ve clearly learnt from their past experiences. Along with the whole 3D into the camera gimmick, the racism angle has been replaced somewhat with religion, notably here with a whole speech about how Goldstein’s wife had him convert to Christianity and him just going in on those ‘dirty Jew bastards’.

That and the use of his son as a distraction so Harold & Kumar can go steal a tree from a church. ‘Pillow fight in the altar boys room, last one there is a rotten egg!’. Going in on the Catholics as well, I see.

And of course, the big one, the main man JC. Apparently Heaven is like a nightclub and we get the story of how NPH was ushered in the front door following his altercation at the whore house. Only, Jesus didn’t take kindly to NPH macking on his ladies so put in a word to the big man upstairs to send NPH back down to Earth. I mean, it’s not 100% to the letter but I’ll take this as I fucking called it.

The third part of the trifecta of racism replacements in this movie is metaness. There’s a good example here how they call out NPH coming out of the closet in real life, only to reveal that NPH is as big of a poon hound as he’s ever been and this is all just a trick to get the ladies. David Burtka? He’s not his husband, he’s just his dealer!

There’s a couple of other moments like someone referring to Harold as ‘Sulu’ or Adrian saying he lied to Mary and said he was Robert Pattison’s acting coach and that Kumar worked in the White House.

NPH is starring in some big festive stage show and sweet talks one of the dancers back to his dressing room, suggesting she strip down so that he can give her a massage. Hey, it’s cool, we’re all girlfriends here, right? Now just give him a minute so he can squirt some of his special lotion on your back...

He hooks up H&K with a tree from the set but before they can head home, the gangsters catch up with them take them to a secluded part of town for an execution.

But as they make their escape, Harold finds his dick has become stuck to the pole they were tied to. Okay, firstly, between this and Office Chrstimas Party, I’ve seen just about enough dicks to last me til the end of the season. Secondly, maybe this is God’s way of reminding me that I have some unfinished business with A Christmas Story. Sure there was the original and that sequel no one asked for but there is another...

And just in case you forget this is a Christmas movie, Harold inadvertently shoots Santa out of the sky and Kumar has to perform impromptu surgery, because he always does. Santa being played by Richard Riehle who was in Grounded for Life and, relevant to this blog, Chillerama and the Rob Zombie Halloween II. Turns out he was the one who sent Harold the massive joint so that the two of them could reconcile. I never knew Santa cared so much about the friendship of two potheads. I don’t know if he’s a good fit for Santa though, a little too gruff and mean. Doesn’t have the heart of say, an Edmund Gwenn. That could have been an alternate way to do this actually, have a totally sacherine by the numbers Santa that gets corrupted by H&K when they get him to smoke with them, he’s on too much of a bad trip to deliver the toys like normal so it’s up to them to save the day.

I think I would have to put this above the sequel but behind the original in terms of quality. As one note and as fleeting an appearance as he is, the Ukranian gangster somehow feels more of a threat than the entire US government in the second film. Keeping this adventure local again makes it feel much more grounded and there’s just a more light hearted atmosphere to the whole thing when you don’t have that massively racist and oppressive tone pressing down on it.

Archie Vol. 3

Archie Vol. 3 collects issues 13 -17 of the series, written by Mark Waid and illustrated by Joe Esima. After losing the mayoral election, Mr. Lodge sends Veronica to a private, all-girls boarding school in Switzerland, where Veronica thinks she’s made a friend, only to be engaged in open conflict with Cheryl Blossom, the school’s de-facto Queen. Back in Riverdale, Archie is having an existential crisis that seems to overlap with his parents’ 20 year anniversary; and Jughead may have contributed to it. First things first: we finally have a good permanent artist! While not my favorite, Esima’s style works well for this series; it’s blocky and cartoony, and he has a pretty good grasp on all the characters, and the slapstick humor of the show. I really like the way he draws Cheryl and Veronica specifically, and my only complaint is that Jughead sometimes goes off model, especially his nose. However, I cannot overstate how much the series is improved by having a consistent art-style, and I hope he stays on for the rest of the run. On the writing side, this was by far the best of the volumes. I felt like the issues built up to a specific point, none of them felt like filler, and for the most part I really enjoyed the story-line we got. I also really liked Veronica in this, which was a miracle, if I’ve ever seen any. So let’s go over the issues. Issue 13 mostly focuses on Veronica adjusting to her time in the new school. I liked that she was struggling to stay her usual snotty self, while also still being a spoiled girl. I think her transformation would have worked significantly better, had we seen her grow out of being a snob in a better way throughout the rest of the series, rather than just 1 issue. I also really like Cheryl as an antagonist; she’s the typical mean girl, but she’s so over the top and entertaining that I really, really enjoyed her. There’s something that works for Cheryl so much more than it did when Veronica was filling this role, and I think it’s that their rivalry doesn’t revolve around a romance. What Cheryl does to Julia is still awful, and she’s absolutely a bully and a terrible person, but for whatever reason that I can’t explain, I found that much more entertaining than Archie mooning over Veronica. The Archie story-line was fine; I liked the parallel between him mourning Veronica and Betty mourning Archie. I didn’t however find the moping that entertaining and I was glad we focused mostly on Cheryl. Issue 14 is Veronica’s payback, which was absolutely bonkers and hilarious. I could watch a whole movie of just Cheryl and Veronica coming up with excessively ridiculous ways to get at each other, and I would not be bored. Again neither is a nice person for doing this, and I liked that Veronica felt some guilt over what she does to Cheryl, but it was just entertaining to see her win. The Archie story-line was meh. Archie goes on a forced date with a girl named Madison he doesn’t like, and as a result he decides to become exactly like Jughead, because Jughead is absolutely 100% himself and confident in who he is. I liked the banter between Jughead and Archie, and their friendship is very heartwarming and fun, so that made the issue for me. I’m glad we are at least back to Archie/Jughead shenanigans. Issue 15 focuses mostly on Jughead planning the anniversary party for Archie’s parents, while Archie moaps. There’s a lot of slapstick, but the parts I really liked were Jughead’s talk with Betty about why Archie wants to be like Jughead in the first place, and Jughead telling Archie that he feels insecure and thinks bad thoughts too, but he just has trained himself to not feel as much for what other people do, like Archie does. The bit with the coin and Archie’s parents was also really sweet. With Veronica, I liked that we get some development on Mr. Lodge. He does love his daughter a lot, and wants the best for her, even though he doesn’t always know what and how to achieve the best for her. I liked that Veronica got what she wanted in the worst possible way, though the contrived reason for why now Jason and Cheryl have to move to Riverdale was a bit much. Issue 16 is the only one of the issues I could call filler. It has to do with Veronica making a deal with the headmaster to finish the semester early with passable grades so she can go back to Riverdale, while also designing a suit for him. Back in Riverdale, we are introduced to a new character, Dilton, who invents an app where people can rate anything and anyone, and they start rating each other (or rather Reggie starts it, because of course he does). There’s a funny scene where Marmaduke goes after Reggie, but mostly Dilton is introduced as another love interest for Betty, which… I could’ve gone without. Issue 17 was hilarious. It follows Cheryl as she tries to woo Archie, by completely over the top actions, because she thinks that he really is all the things Veronica made him out to be. It’s pretty funny to watch her completely misinterpret Archie as a person, and Jason’s increasingly resigned efforts to get her to chill. The ending was fun too. Essentially, this is what I figured Archie would be as a series: fun, heartwarming and carried entirely by the characters. It’s a shame we had to wait until vol. 3 for it to get this good, but better late than never. I’m curious to see what the future will bring.

goodreads

What I’m Into: July 2018

Whew – we snuck this monthly favorites list in right before the door to July closed on us! With summer in full swing, I feel like I have only half as much time as I did in the fall and winter. But this month, I wanted to share some of my favorite new finds as well as some old favorites, so grab a peach iced tea (*wink to the Broken Record subscribers*) and don’t forget to share your favorite products from July in the comments!

Soapbox

It has been a total joy to follow this brand from its inception through a full rebrand, the results of which are obviously stunning. They sent me a press package last year and I have been sudsing up with their body wash and hair care on and off for months! My hair really likes it, the body wash is my current favorite (I suggest the Sea Minerals body wash to  e v e r y o n e), and there are tons of products I haven’t even tried yet!

This brand caught my eye because, while Soapbox has brutally high standards for their ingredients, the prices are incredibly reasonable. That bundle above, for example, is only $31.95 – for everything. That’s a hand soap, shampoo, conditioner, bar soap, and bodywash – for $32. Sort of a screamin’ deal.

Their packaging has undergone a major upgrade, and if you’re picky about your soaps and hair cleansing products, get ready for this laundry list of Soapbox ethical qualities:

Paraben-Free

Gluten-Free

Cruelty-Free

Vegan

Made in the USA

Many Fair-Trade ingredients

Sulfate-Free Shampoo

Recyclable Packaging

1-for-1 Charitable Donation through Clean the World

That last one is my favorite! 1-for-1 means that, with every soap purchase, Soapbox donates a bar of soap to someone in need. (Soap = Hope!) Soap is at the top of the list for many shelters around the country due to its constant use, and Soapbox focuses their efforts on domestic aid, which is something I haven’t seen very often among 1-for-1 brands.

Each bottle has a unique Hope Code that you can input into the Soapbox website to see exactly where the donation from your bottle of soap or hair stuff is going. You can find Soapbox products at Rite Aid and Walgreens all over the country. They’re even easy to find in my little, dumb, island town! If you see some on the shelves, pick it up, but if you don’t see it on your local shelves, don’t worry! It’s all on Amazon for you, as well as on the Soapbox website!

Timberland Earthkeepers

I’m always on the quest for good shoes. Currently, I have a very modest collection of less than 10 pairs of shoes which, if you knew me in my SPEND ALL THE MONEY days, should come as a shock. I think I topped out at 64 pairs of shoes, at one point. My closet looked like a robot Christmas tree lot with all of my shoe trees scattered around. It wasn’t good, and the shoes were mostly low quality (“affordable”) dress shoes that I wore to the job I hated. Starting B&B changed all of that, and raised my standards for “good shoes” about 5000%.

In desperate need of some summer shoes – for both staying cool in the heat and getting into trouble – I took to Poshmark. After a while, I noticed that the shoes in my “Likes” had a noticeable bias towards Timberland Earthkeepers, which I had absolutely never worn before. I knew of Timberland boots because, hi, I was alive in the 1990s and early 2000s. What I didn’t know was the scope of their designs, and how incredibly ethical this brand is trying to be.

Timberland Earthkeepers, specifically, use at least 50% recyclable materials. The leather (yes, real leather) is from a company that is rated Silver for improved energy, waste and water management. The fabric shaft is made with “Bionic canvas” which contains recycled PET (aka plastic bottles) and the rubber sole is also partially recycled! Considering this info was secondary to me falling in love with the shoes designs, I can say I’m pretty damn pleased with my newfound favorite shoe brand.

Timberland Earthkeeper Authentics Canvas Fold-Down Boots in Folkstone Grey

These were the first Timberland shoes I pulled the trigger on, and they single-handedly got me hooked on the brand. While these boots typically sell for around $100 brand new, the pair I found on Poshmark were in amazing condition for only $23. 

Sure, they had some loved spots and a couple minimal scuffs, but they were already broken in for me, and they look even better when they’ve been loved for a few months.

The leather part of these boots is a beautiful blue-grey color, and the canvas looks almost like linen. Another feature that is adorable, but that I regularly ignore, is that these boots are lined with a super cute, blue floral fabric, so if you’re the type that likes to flip the top of the boots down, there is an adorable design element built-in to help make that as cute as possible.

Timberland Earthkeeper Greenside Sandals

After losing my sandals in a pool-noodle stealing operation in Mexico, I was in desperate need for a pair that would withstand my shenanigans for 2018. That means they need to be well-made with high-quality materials, be easy to throw on and kick off, and go with everything from dress shorts to a swimsuit coverup. Luckily, Timberland Earthkeepers came to the rescue – again, via Poshmark.

After stumbling upon exactly one pair of these sandals, I knew I had to act fast. They are cute as hell, made with strong materials, have a slip-on back strap, and are extremely versatile. Unlike the boots, which had many styles and colors available in my size on Poshmark, these were a one-of-a-kind find, so I contacted the seller ASAP and haggled the price of these down to a measly $27.

In hindsight, I should have taken a picture of the soles because Timberland makes some tough-ass shoes. The soles of these sandals are nearly identical to the Timberland boots that I got. They look like they’re ready to carry you through a construction zone – with a kitten wedge.

Have you tried Timberland Earthkeepers? Am I late to this party? I’m already looking to expand my collection because the high heels and dress shoes in the Timberland collections are screaming my name!

2 Dope Queens

Mindy Tucker/HBO

If you’re not privy to this existentially funny duo, you better wise up. Jessica Williams and Phoebe Robinson are a comedians turned podcasters turned legendary show hosts, and their eponymous series on HBO just got renewed for four more hour-long specials!

These two women make me wish I lived 1,000 miles closer to my best friends. Each one of their shows is an intimate peek into not only their friendship, but what life is like as a black woman living in New York City. Speckled between Phoebe and Jessica’s hilarious banter and BFF-arguments are special guests. There are a handful of stand-up comics that get to present a small set, and each episode has a non-comedian guest that shows up just to chat with the girls and participate in a little activity. For example, they bring out a full brunch spread, complete with cocktails, before bringing out the Queen of Brunch herself, Sarah Jessica Parker, who is adorable. Together, the 2 Dope Queen educate a curious and eager SJP about the ins and outs of black hair. It’s a must-watch!

Sans Sucre Baking Mixes

No matter how many times I have tried to stay on a healthy eating streak, my sweet tooth always sabotages me. I can’t get rid of it! Moreover, I don’t really want to get rid of it. Not only do I love baking and desserts, but if I can’t spend this life indulging in delicious things, then what’s the point? Luckily, there are tons of products and brands who are trying to ease the tension between sweet teeth and healthy lifestyles. San Sucre is one of those brands and, if you speak even mild, back-of-the-food-label French, you can probably figure out why.

Sans Sucre makes quick and easy baking mixes that have no added sugar. This makes the nutrition facts on a box of brownies look less like fudgy indulgences and more like a small-to-medium granola bar. Recently, I made the Milk Chocolate Brownie mix (around $5 per box) and was pretty impressed with both how easy it was to make and how delicious they were once they were done!

These turned out so incredibly good for being only 80 calories per serving, and they were much lighter than your average full-fat, full-sugar brownie which can feel super heavy and dense. They required exactly three ingredients: the baking mix, water, and 2T of oil. Yes, two tablespoons of oil for an entire batch of no sugar added brownies. That good, very-brownie-like sweetness comes from Stevia! Could this be love?

In addition to brownies, you can find coffee cake mixes, cinnamon “sugar” sprinkles and even no-sugar-added fudge mixes! San Sucre also sent over all kinds of mousse and pie filling mixes, including (but most certainly not limited to): key lime pie, cheesecake, chocolate mousse, and lemon mousse. Plus, the mousse and filling mixes are no added sugar and low fat! So far, I’ve tried nearly all of the brownies they have to offer, but expect to hear from me again when I dive into these!

If you want to try some for yourself, you can find Sans Sucre baking mixes at lots of different stores, but grab them super easily from Amazon!

That’s it for me this month – now it’s your turn! What have you been loving in July?

Probably watching Netflix.

Source: http://brokeandbeautiful.com/2018/what-im-into-july-2018/