Like everyone else, I stopped going to see movies in the theaters back when the pandemic hit. After I stopped going, I lost the excitement for going to see movies at all. With streaming services so widely available, I just watched things from the comfort of my own home. However, this past school year I have started going to the movies theaters again and I really enjoy it. It’s fun going out to see a movie with your friends and family. This year, there are several movies that I want to go see. Here are a few that I plan to go see with my friends.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
Since the beginning of this year, I’ve gotten into all things TMNT related. Coincidentally, around the same time that I got into it, a trailer for a brand-new movie dropped. This movie has a unique art style that closely resembles the same style that Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse has. I find the character designs to be very unique and quite cute. It seems as though they are pushing the fact that these are teenagers as we see they are very childish acting in the trailer. This movie hits theater August 4th and I know I plan on being there opening night.
Spiderman: Across the Spiderverse
Speaking of Spiderverse, I watched the first Spiderverse movie when it came out in theaters, and I love it. From the art style to the writing, it was wonderful. Now, the second movie is coming out June 2nd, and from what the trailers have shown, it’s going to be just as good as the first. From what I can tell, this story will take place a few years after the events of the first movie, focusing on Miles trying to balance his hero and normal life. The movie seems to have a much darker tone with higher stakes than the first.
Five Nights At Freddy’s
I got into Five Nights At Freddy’s way back in elementary and I have heard so many different rumors of a FNAF film for several years. Now that there is a confirmed movie coming out, it feels surreal. I’m almost expecting for it to actually be fake or for it to be cancelled. To be honest, I’m not sure if I’ll believe it’s really happening until I see the trailer. Either way, we have a confirmed cast and a few teaser pics, so it looks like this will actually come out. This movie is said to come out October 27th, right in time for Halloween.
Hi! So, I was reading through the blog ideas website, and I saw one that sounded super fun. It said to make my dream cast for one of my stories. I never include that many characters so I will be doing 2 of my stories. The first one is Woman if you guys remember it from our workshop. The second story is called A Piano and a Sledgehammer. This story will be work shopped in class Friday! I wanted to include that story so maybe you guys could picture the characters better.
Woman
Characters: Mom, Mariah, and Ami
Mariah
Elizabeth Gillies
We all know Elizabeth Gillies from Victorious as Jade. Her role in that show is what made me think she would play Mariah very well. Mariah is quite blunt, ambitious, and independent and I feel Elizabeth could embody that very well. Elizabeth also is very physically like Mariah with the brown hair and soft features.
Ami
Bailee Madison
I chose Bailee to play Ami for mostly her physical features. Ami is not a very formed character with much personality besides emotion, so any actor with experience could play her honestly. Bailee just has the perfect facial structure with puffy cheeks and an all-around innocent look. Because Ami is a very innocent minded character. I wanted an actor that had a younger innocent look because Ami is only 16 but Bailee does that perfectly because she still looks grown.
Mom
Kathy Bates
I chose Kathy bates for the mother because I have seen what Kathy can do. She is an outstanding actor and the roles ive seen her play have been hard to play personalities. I feel like she could really embody the mean, sexist way of the mother. The only downside I have for Kathy in this role is her physical look. She doesn’t match very well and I picture the mom being in her 40’s.
…
A Piano and a Sledgehammer
Characters: Felix, his mother, and the female street performer
Felix
Michele Morrone
In my story Felix is fully Italian and Michele is an Italian actor with almost the exact appearance of Felix. In the photo I provide of Michele that is exactly how I imagined Felix besides the hair. Felix has almost shoulder length hair in the story, but actors can achieve a physical change for roles and something like hair length is no issue. I have only seen the 365 days movies with Michele so I am not sure how his acting would be playing such a troubled, serious role like Felix.
Mom
Gina Lollobrigida
Gina is also perfectly how I vision Felix’s mother. She has the perfect physical attributes and I picture his mother as quite older. In the story she has Felix at a late age. He is 19 in the story, but I would like to say the mother is in her early 50’s.
Street performer
Christina Hendricks
Her role is very very small, but she was still a person mentioned in the story, so I wanted to include her because she played a very important role in Felix’s early life. I pictured the pianist on the street as a ginger from the beginning. I’m honestly not sure why but when I thought of her character that is how she came into my head. Now, her character isn’t formed at all she has no personality in the story, so I based her casting solely on looks.
hello everyone !! so, this is a little last minute blog, but i thought it would be pretty cool to have a smaller laid back post after the influx of my highly detailed music odes. so yeah, i’m just going to be talking about my future after high school !! let’s get into it.
okay so, after graduating i will be applying to the honors college at ole miss !! for so long i’ve debated on where to go to college, and some part of me still wants to apply to the old ivy league schools i used to dream of (i’m looking at you, yale). maybe i will just for fun, but going to the university of mississippi is much more convenient and useful for me as a writer ! i will be majoring in journalism and minoring in something most likely related to english. i haven’t really thought about a minor, but i know i’ll be majoring in journalism. the thing that i’m scared about regarding that major is ending up with a boring job as a journalist for a boring magazine. i want to work for a music magazine, as writing about music is one of my biggest passions. i also want to BE a musician, but i’ve decided on doing that in my spare time rather than basing my entire life on it. however, if i get enough traction, i will happily drop everything to become a full time musician.
the honors college wasn’t something i really thought of until my amazing awesome cool rad friend locklyn recommended it to me !! i’ve always thought of going to ole miss, but i never really fully decided until this year. the honors college has so many features that are so appealing and i’m very determined to get in. i’m currently working on building my resume and adding more things to my name that will help increase my changes of getting in. when i’m in college, i want to work at a small part-time job. ideally, i’ll try working at the end of all music: a record store in oxford. i’ve been thinking about working there since before i even decided i wanted to go to ole miss (so for about a year). if i can’t work there, then any other store related to my interests will suffice.
after college, i have no idea what i want to do. i know i want to work for a music magazine, so i guess i’ll just go wherever that takes me. i know i want to live outside the state for a while, so if a job opportunity in another state comes up, i’ll use that as an opportunity to travel outside of mississippi. i know i want to continue doing the things i do now. i don’t want to be true professional, and i want to have a lot of fun. i want to live near a skatepark so after work i can skate with a couple of friends and explore the town at night. i want to do all the stupid teenage things i wasn’t able to do as a teenager: only after my future is secured.
after that, i don’t know. i want to keep music and writing in my life, but i doubt i’ll continuing writing the same way i write now. i’ll always be a writer, but i’m sure i won’t actually create creative pieces expect for once a year or so (whenever it comes to me, really). but yeah. that’s what i have planned out for my future. i never want to be old and boring, so if you ever meet me again while i’m living this future, i hope you’ll be able to confidently say that i never really changed.
You guys know how much I love reading and this post is simply going to be about certain books that I have read that, if I could, I would love to experience again for the first time. There are some books that I’ve read that I absolutely love and won’t stop recommending and are worth reading for a second time; however, while it’d still be the same amazing book, the feeling I get while reading it is nothing like how it was the first time. Plus, I already know what to expect so there’s no surprise. Anyways, here are some books that I would do just about anything to experience again for the first time.
The Fine Print
This was an absolute emotional roller coaster for me. Each character was written out very well, the romantic trope within it sets it off for some drama(not the reality tv show kind of drama, some actual drama), the plot was written and brought into the story very well. This is a book I will not stop recommending and I cannot wait to read the second one.
The Cellar
This book had me biting my nails from the first page to the last(in a good way, since that’s what it was meant to do). It was like I was watching an episode of Criminal Minds but through the point of view of one of the victims and the antagonist of it. One of the main things that I loved about it is that each chapter would be written in the point of view of different characters. The main character, Summer, is kidnapped by a psychotic serial killer who is beyond obsessed with flowers and cleanliness and Summer meets three other girls who have suffered the same fate she did. This book was absolutely amazing and one of my absolute favorites.
As Good As Dead
I’m sure y’all are aware by now that this is part of my favorite thriller series which the first book is A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, and I have to say that the third is my favorite(and not just because it’s like an instructional book on how to get away with unaliving someone). The main character in this series undergoes some very traumatic experiences and this particular book mainly surrounds the after effects of her mental health after everything and where it eventually leads her. There are some parts in this book that hit a little too close to home and I feel that it’s part of the reason I love it so much.
So far, these are the books that, out of all of the ones I read, are worth reading again for the first time because all of these have taken me on an absolute emotional roller coaster and that I feel aren’t as popular as I think they should be(with the exception of The Fine Print, the whole reason I started reading it is because it’s so popular on TikTok). Anyways, I hope you have enjoyed this post and I will see y’all again next week<3
Hey guys! I’m back and I’ve searched through that list of blog ideas high and low, and I decided to explore my astrological sign. I know tons about my astrological sign, but I want to look for descriptions of my signs, tendencies, and misconceptions to see if they match me. Before we get started, I just want to say I’m not big on astrology, I don’t even know my big 3 I’m more into faith and not coincidences but nothing against people who believe in it.
What Am I?
I am a September Libra for reference. Libras are the 7th astrological sign. I’ll start by giving a few basic facts about my sign. Libra is an air sign along with Gemini, and Aquarius. This sign ranges from September 22nd to October 23rd. The symbol is Scales. The ruling planet is Venus. The stone is an Opal, and the zodiac quality is Cardinal. Libra represents a balanced scale most likely because the Sun passed across the face of the constellation at the time of the autumnal equinox in September, when day and night are of roughly equal length, so the heavens are considered “balanced”.
Aleria vs. Libra
Now let’s get to the comparisons. “Libra is obsessed with symmetry and strives to create equilibrium in all areas of life. These air signs are the aesthetes of the zodiac: Ruled by Venus, the planet that governs love, beauty, and money, Libras adore high art, intellectualism, and connoisseurship.”I can agree with this wholeheartedly. I love symmetry, everything I do has to have structure, stability, and be the exact same if I am doing something that requires more than one thing. I am obsessed with love as you all can probabaly see through my writing. I truly consider myself to be a hopeless romantic, but I don’t know how true that may be lol. Beauty is more of a fun thing for me it distracts whenever I’m thinking too much I just do ym hair or makeup, and I love money as anybody else would say. As far as Intellectualism and high art I enjoy them both but I think as a writer I have to love them.
“Libras want to avoid conflict at any cost, which means they put themselves last most of the time. Their self-sacrificing nature can be great for their loved ones but often leave Libras feeling burnt out and unappreciated. That toxic positivity can take a major toll on their self-confidence.” I do try to keep conflict to a minimum. I used to blow up over every little situation but over the years I have learned that not every action deserves a reaction and that I can be calm while getting my point across. I’ve stopped caring to the point where I don’t feel like I have to get my point across at all. I do feel as if I have a self-sacrificing nature as well but I am also selfish but in a good way. Like remembering to take time for myself, love me, and make sure that I have everything that I need before I give to others. Sometimes I do get that burnt out, unappreciated feeling but so does everyone. It doesn’t really affect my confidence but I know it does for others.
“Libra is another one of those signs that will stay quiet when something is off. Their sign is represented by the scales, so they’re all about harmony and keeping the peace. However, there’s only so much a person can take.” ‘When their sense of balance is being thrown off-kilter, Libras will go silent,’ Montúfar says. I really do pay attention to everything around me and if one little thing changes red flags start to raise and red buzzers begin to blare loud as a train. I can’t ignore it, so I store it in the back of my mind and I continue to watch for other flags and as more and more flags appear the further and further I step away from that person or thing. After so long I’ll attempt to have a talk and if the person brushes me off after asking then I simply become quiet and fully remove myself from the situation.
“As one of the most romantic signs of the zodiac, Libras have a way of making your love story unfold in a magical way. They are sweet, affectionate, and attentive. They always seem to know the right words to say and how to treat a partner the right way. Also, they like to be pursued.” This is my favorite quote yet. I do consider Libras the most romantic because of the way I have seen libras treat one another as well as other signs. We only know one way to love people and that way is so healthy and infectious that it teaches others how to love as well. People have told me I’m a smooth talker and I don’t hate the idea of being pursued, I love a good chase, but I don’t like one-sided chases. I like for me and my presumed partner to chase one another.
That’s all for today guys! I know this ended abruptly but it was starting to get too long, who knows I may even make it a series, stay tuned. Bye !!!
One, I have absolutely zero ideas for a good blog; two, I am also very bored; three, I use Canva a LOT, so I may as well share some of the projects I made on it, specifically wallpapers for phones and desktops. They will each consist of different vibes and different aesthetics and a very brief description of what was going through my head while making each of these. If you choose to use them, I don’t really care, but idk how you can be able to use them other than maybe take a screenshot. But without further ado, here are a few wallpapers I made using Canva.
I feel this really screams villain and the dark green(one of my absolute favorite colors) gives a little bit of a Loki vibe. I made this months ago and almost forgot that I did; I think I was simply bored and I didn’t have anything else to do, so it was a “why not?” moment.
I probably made this around the same time I made the first one and I had only just noticed the little bit of contradictory within the wallpaper; I used very dark pictures but I have quotes that are encouraging and lighthearted. Light and dark are used in a strange and accidental way.
This is a very recent one I made and I had a lot of fun making it. As you can see, there are a lot of soft neutral colors along with a few yellows, so the whole vibe of it is soft and warm. This is very much polar opposite to the other two wallpapers before and this one has a lot more graphics than pictures which is new for me because I always immediately wanna do just a photo collage. I’m glad I decided to do something different.
This is a favorite one that I did because of the whole blue theme. If there’s one thing that I’m not too crazy about for this wallpaper is that it almost looks too busy and too cluttered. I think I may have been trying too hard to have an equal amount of pictures and graphics. But I’ll leave that to y’all’s opinions.
This is my number one personal favorite that I have done so far because I love fairy/cottage core aesthetics and I loved putting the stars on this because I thought it might be good to bring it all together. I may have gone a little overboard and put too many stars on this, but I still love how it came out.
This was one that did not take me very long at all to me-well, compared to the others. Now, I’m not really the biggest fan of the color red or this particular aesthetic, but I still enjoyed making this wallpaper. This was another one in which I made simply because I was bored.
That’s all of them for this part, and if y’all wanna see some more, I’ll be sure to post them at a later date. And if there are certain colors and aesthetics y’all wanna see, I’m happy to take suggestions. While most of these I made because I was bored, these were enjoyable to make. Anyways, I hope y’all enjoyed this and I will see y’all next week<3
Hey guys, I’m back and once again I am OUT OF IDEAS!!!!! Blogging is fun, because I can write about whatever I want, however I want, and whenever I want. It’s so hard to keep ideas flowing and motivation coming in though so that makes it difficult but nevertheless I have dug out another topic that is near and dear to my heart. The topic is shoes! (Wooo,*round of applause*) I love shoes, I have wayyy too many, especially crocs, and in this blog, I’ll be telling you guys about a few pairs of shoes that I have quickly become obsessed with and want so bad. Now I wear all types of shoes from $30 hey dude’s to $200 Doc Martens to $300 Jordans and beyond. I’m very picky about my shoes, but only for looks, not for the price or the brand, I couldn’t care less about that. I’ll be showing pics of the shoes, the brand, telling you why I want them, the price and if I think it’s reasonable.
So, the first shoe is really simple and that is the Black Cat 4’s. They are Jordan’s and I think my favorite style of Jordan has to be the 4’s or the 11’s. I have a pair of 4’s and I really love them. They’re comfortable, easy to put on, and they just look great. I want the black cat’s because they’re all black DUH! They’ll go with literally any outfit I put on and the ones I have now are white so they wouldn’t get as dirty as those. My shoes rarely get dirty and if they do it’s only a little bit so that’s not a major discrepancy. Since their release date the price has ranged from $75 to $750 which is outrageous, but the retail price is $190 which isn’t bad AT ALL compared to what some of these Jordan’s are going for now and days, so I think it’s a great price, especially since my size is always in high demand.
The second shoe is the Nike Dunk SB Low Bling Baroque Brown. Long name lol, anyways this shoe is so cute to me. It reminds me a lot of winter time and Santa Claus I don’t know why but it satisfies my inner child who wanted light up barbie shoes for the rest of my life. The details that went into these shoes are incredible. From the placement of the fur to the bling and the star on the bottom of the inside sole. The white and variations of brown are so cute to me. I love everything about this shoeeee. These are between $149 and $519 right now but they have begun retailing for $110 in the last few months, so this price is reasonable as well.
The third shoe is the New Balance 2002R Protection Pack Pink. I absolutely adore this shoe y’all. I’ve been wanting it since around Christmas, but I’m trying to keep my priorities straight and save my money or spend it when necessary. Anyways, I love the different variations of pink. I love the rustic, deformed look. New Balance is a brand known for providing comfort, so I know these will be softer than clouds, and I wear lots of pink, so these will make good outfits. The retail price settled at $150 in September so these are more than affordable for me, but I may just end up getting them in the summer when I’m working more and not having to stock my dorm with food, and everything.
That’s all for today guys I think my next blog may be more shoes or clothes that I want so we’ll see. Bye!!!
This past semester I started my first ever ceramics class. I was very nervous at first because I don’t like being very messy while I work. The fragility of the pieces and the brand new medium scared me, however, ceramics quickly became my all-time favorite class. Every day I wake up, think about how I get to do this class, and it gives me just enough energy to get out of bed. So why do I like this class so much? I’ll tell you.
You can make anything
There is an endless amount of things that you can make. After learning the basics, you can start to make anything you set your mind to. I know that I love to go on Pinterest, look up ceramic ideas, choose a few cute ideas, and then create them with my own twist and creative touch.
Fun and Functional creations
From figurines and pendants to mugs and pots, you can make a variety of everyday items or cute decorations. Personally, I like to make pots or bowls and spice them up with cute details. However, you can just make something for the sake of it being cute. It’s nice to know that you can make your own functional creations.
It’s relaxing
I’m not sure why I find the class so relaxing, but I do. Maybe it’s because I get to have so much creative freedom, or maybe it’s because I don’t have to do any homework. Whenever I start working, I get into a groove and don’t stop until I have to leave. There’s something so methodic and peaceful about going to my little station every day to work on my projects.
Satisfying
Every time one of my pieces gets completely done, I get so happy. After building it up, painting it, and getting it out of the kiln for the last time, I finally get to see what I created in full. I have almost a whole semester of work lined up on my shelf at home now, and they’re all so cute. I’m so happy I got to take this class and have fun creating whatever my little heart desires.
Hi, I literally have zero ideas for this anymore. So, today we’re going to look at a poem I wrote called The Fool. I just wanted to talk about something to do with my own writing and I wasn’t sure what to do for that. I figured we could just talk about a poem I wrote sometime this year. Anyway, feel free to leave any suggestions for this piece in your comments if you’d like. I wrote it pretty quickly for fun, so it is not edited or anything.
The Fool
Zero
The number of unlimited potentials
No place in the sequence of the tarot
In the journey through life,
The Major Arcana
He is ever present needing no number
Gazing upwards towards the universe,
The young man stands along a cliff
Without a single care in the world
He skips onto a new adventure unaware
Unaware he is about to skip off a precipice
Into the unknown
Only a knapsack over his shoulder
The white rose in his hand held as a sign
Of purity and innocence
At his feet, a small white dog
A dog of loyalty and protection
Encouraging him to charge forward
And learn the lessons he came to learn
The mountains behind him are challenges yet to come
They are forever present
Yet the fool does not care
He is only focused on starting his expedition
Having faith in the future of his new beginnings
With beginners’ luck, not knowing what to expect
So, let’s talk about it. Obviously, it is about the fool tarot card. In all honestly, I haven’t thought of an underlining meaning for it. It tells a story of the fool. I would consider this piece an analysis of this tarot card in the form of poetry. The Fool card itself represents new beginnings, having faith in the future, being inexperienced, not knowing what to expect, beginners’ luck, improvising, and believing in the universe. It is one of the 22 major arcana. Numbered as 0 or XXII. The zero represents the number of unlimited potentials as stated in the first 2 lines of my poem. The 3rd and 4th line shows how the major arcana can show the journey through life. Some people consider the fool as ever present and needing no number to his card. Lines 7-12 show the fool’s belief and trust in the universe as he is going to skip off a cliff. It shows his trust that the universe will have his back in the situation. The dog also represents loyalty and protection. He puts his trust in every factor to move forward beyond the challenges yet to come, shown by the mountains behind him. He focuses only on his journey. Starting new beginnings.
so, we all knew this was coming. how can i have a series of odes to my favorite musicians without dedicating one to my favorite artist of all time? although he wasn’t the first one, he will definitely be the most fleshed out edition to this series. this post might be quite long, so i want to keep the intro as short as i can. so, without further ado, here is an ode to elliott smith
the early years: the location and upbringing of elliott smith
steven paul smith was born august 6th, 1969 in omaha, nebraska. for the majority of his childhood, he was raised in texas with his mother and stepfather. smith had a hard childhood, and suffered a strained relationship with his stepfather. later in his life, he would come out with stories about the abuse he suffered in his childhood home. smith started playing the piano at age 9, and quickly grew a large love for music. in later interviews in which he was asked how he learned how to play certain songs as a kid, he stated he would record a part of a song and play it over and over while attempting to match the notes. later, when he was ten, he started playing guitar- the instrument that would cement him as one of the greatest musicians of all time. at age 14, smith moved away from his mother in texas and went to live with his father in portland, oregon. during high school, smith would begin to experiment with recording music and even join the school band. outside of that, he also began to create his own bands, and was apart of the bands “stranger than fiction” and “a murder of crows.” he graduated from lincoln high school as a national merit scholar. shortly after graduation, he began to go by the name “elliott.”
dead air, cop and speeder, and yellow no. 5: heatmiser and elliott smith’s punk years
after graduating from hampshire college, elliott began to work in a bakery in portland despite having a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and political science. during this time, the band heatmiser was formed. the band consisted of guitarist and backup vocalist elliott smith, lead singer neil gust, drummer tony lash, and bassist brandt peterson. the band started performing in local venues in portland around 1992. under the heatmiser name, the group released the albums “dead air,” “cop and speeder,” and “yellow no. 5.” later, the group would release their final album before splitting, “mic city sons.” smith had already begun his solo career while in the band, and worked various construction jobs while recording what would later become his first solo album, roman candle. the contrast between elliott’s punk vocals and style in heatmiser and his softer melancholic tone in his solo music is often a shock for most, sometimes even elliott himself. while working on and releasing their album “cop and speeder,” elliott released his debut album “roman candle” and began to perform in small, local venues once again.
in this song, elliott smith is singing lead.
roman candle: lofi beginnings
in 1994, the debut solo album from smith was released until the title “roman candle.” the album featured 9 songs on it- to elliott’s shock, as he had originally signed a deal for a 7 inch record. the album is the calm after the grunge storm of the late 1990s. before its release, elliott claimed he did not expect the album to be well-liked because of the grunge movement. but once again to his shock, the album was incredibly well-received, and smith’s name was being brought up everywhere in the portland scene. while performing solo shows, smith often created sets of combined acoustic heatmiser tracks with his solo ones. a year after the release of roman candle, elliott would begin working on what would become his two biggest albums.
self-titled, either/or, and an academy nomination: elliott smith
in 1995, elliott smith released his self-titled album. while the album was similar in style to the previous debut album, the self-titled album was of greater recording quality and the songwriting showed significant improvement. songs like “needle in the hay” and “the biggest lie” began to cement elliott as a dark, depressing artist in the folk scene. smith would later resent this idea of him, attempting to diversify his songwriting in the hopes of erasing that characteristic. in 1997, elliott released what would later become his most well-known album, either/or. while the self-titled album introduced more instrumentation into elliott’s songwriting, either/or was arguably the single album that drove elliott to begin using more instruments in his music, later becoming more apparent in his album “xo.” songs like “angeles” and “between the bars” drove him to being featured everywhere, notably in director gus van sant’s movies. later, sant would create a movie titled “good will hunting,” and would call upon smith to create a song for the movie. many of smith’s songs were featured in the movie, but he created the song “miss misery” for it and got an academy nomination because of it. while he was nominated for the song, he did not win. he did, however, perform at the oscars, shooting his popularity into an unmeasurable size.
xo and figure 8: the beginning of the end
when creating his album xo, smith began to fall deeper and deeper into a depression. he talked about the idea of suicide frequently, and even had a failed attempt in which he threw himself off of a cliff. he was injured, but in the end survived. in 1998, elliott released xo and it received high praise. this album featured the largest group of instruments on any elliott smith solo album, and shortly after its released it was followed by a tour. smith began to appear on television more frequently, and even performed waltz #2 on saturday night live the same year. during a dutch special, smith performed “miss misery,” “i didn’t understand,” and “waltz #2,”- the last of which he stopped mid-song, claiming he “just couldn’t do it anymore.” in 2000, smith would release his final fully completed album, figure 8. around this time, he battled with addiction and would often perform shows too high and/or drunk to even speak. figure 8 was recorded at abbey road studios and was once again praised by the general public after its release. a tour followed the release and even more late night show performances took place, including one on conan and david letterman. smith grew addicted to heroin and his state started to worsen towards the end of the figure 8 tour.
a basement on the hill: addiction and recovery
while recording his final album- which would never be completely finished on his own- smith’s addiction grew worse. his paranoid increased and he began distancing himself from everyone helping him on the new album, leading to a delay in recording. even when smith was able to hold a session, it was often he would get kicked out of it for being high or abusing substances during the session. many times during the recording of the album smith would scrap it in its entirety. along with the album, smith had a lack of time to perform locally like he used to. he would more often than not choose to cancel most shows, and when he was able to make it, he was almost always on something during the shows. he would often leave the shows mid-set after messing up a couple songs. elliott was a perfectionist when it came to playing live sets, and that affected him greatly when he was no longer able to play with the same dexterity due to his substance abuse. in 2002, smith and his girlfriend were arrested for standing up for a man he believed was being abused by the police. they spent two nights in jail, and smith suffered injuries from the arrest that caused him to cancel even more shows. when he did play shows, he would tease songs for his upcoming album. he attempted to start rehab multiple times, but each time he was unable to find what worked best for him. slowly but surely though, smith began to fight his addiction. he continued scheduling shows to attempt to build his credit as an artist back up, but he was still struggling as his addiction had lasting effects on him during that period of time. as he continued to record a basement on the hill, he slowly got sober. right after his birthday in 2003, he completely cut out alcohol and even began to cut out red meat, sugar, and completely transform his diet. he also completely stopped using drugs, and close friends recalled him being at an ultimate high point in his life. he was doing well, and he was making unbelievable progress on the record. however, later that year, elliott smith would face a heartbreaking fate, putting a halt to his music and legacy, and most importantly, his life.
death.
elliott smith died on october 21st, 2003. he was 34 years old. he and his girlfriend were in their home in california when they got into an argument. his girlfriend, jennifer chiba, went to the bathroom and locked herself in there when she heard a scream from the living room. she ran into the room to find elliott with a knife to his chest. she pulled out the knife (she was a nurse at the time, which means she must have known pulling out the knife would have caused him to bleed out) and he fell to floor which caused chiba to call 911. elliott smith died in the hospital at 1:36pm. a suicide note was found on the scene- but with one problem: his name was misspelled on the suicide note. during an autopsy, doctors found no hesitation wounds on elliott- which are always present on suicide cases in which a knife has been used. while the first ruling of death was claimed to be a suicide, later it was opened up to be a possible homicide. we may never know what actually happened, but if you ask me, i think the reason for his death was right there in the room with him. a memorial was held for him at the same wall where the album cover for his 2000 album figure 8 was taken.
lasting impact and how he changed my life: the experience of elliott smith
elliott smith completely changed the music scene, and he has been a beloved musician throughout the ages since his death. while the circumstances around his death are deeply sad and troubling, we continue to celebrate his life and his creativity through tribute shows and memorials. he has inspired so many young musicians, including me. elliott’s music has been in my life since i was a very young child, and as soon as i learned to love music, i loved him. he has figuratively and literally saved my life time and time again, and i truly wouldn’t be here without him. he inspires me to write, create, and just as he was- be kind. not a day goes by that i don’t feel his legacy in my own life, and to end this blog i wish to introduce you to a song that will forever cement itself in my heart and my favorite song ever written. it has saved my life multiple times and it will continue to give me reason. here is “angeles.” elliott, we love you.
“i can make you satisfied in everything you do. all your secret wishes could right now be coming true, and be forever with my poison arms around you.”
“no one’s gonna fool around with us, no one’s gonna fool around with us, so glad to meet you, angeles.”
