My Top 10 Anime List

Anime has always been something that I love to watch. I’ve been surrounded by it for as long as I can remember because my dad is such a big fan as well. Over the years I have seen numerous anime’s and so far here are my favorites and why you should watch them.

1o. Akame Ga Kill

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    Now if you’ve already heard about Akame Ga Kill its probably been from people telling you not to watch it and that it’s a waste of time. I’m hear to tell you that it is an amazing anime. For all the reasons why people dislike it, they are my reasons as to why I love it so much. The unpredictability of this anime is one of the main reasons that I enjoy it. When a main character goes into battle you are left with the anxiety of not knowing if they will survive or not. I especially love this because this is an uncommon thing in most animes. If a character dies it will more than likely be a side character but in Akame Ga Kill nobody is truly safe.

9.Black CloverSee the source image

   From the plot, to the characters, to the AMAZINGGGGGGGGG soundtrack, it would be a crime to leave Black Clover off of my list. Some complaints that I’ve heard about the show is that the “AnIMatIOn Is NoT GOod.”  which is not a valid reason. NOW I will admit, Black Clover does have its low quality moments, but that inevitable with all animes.  The animation being too “bad” should not be enough to completely drive you away from an anime. The plot is amazing to watch and follow, as well as the character development that the characters go through. Though my one warning is that Asta (the main character) yells too much, but nonetheless it is an amazing anime that is well worth your time.  

8.Magi the Kingdom of Magic

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Magi the Kingdom of Magic will always have a special place in my heart. I don’t know of too many people who have seen this anime or even heard of it though, so it’s safe to say that is is extremely underrated. The characters are easy to get attached too and the plot is very captivating. If you’re a fan of the video game series “The Legend of Zelda” like I am then I think you would love this anime.

7. My Hero AcademiaSee the source image

   My Hero Academia is one of the best new generation animes. It gets so much hate because of the western fandom, and this causes people to automatically avoid it. But despite all of the hate that it gets, its one of the most popular manga’s that is currently out and still going. The characters in this show are some of of the best characters that I’ve ever seen. The different arc’s of this show and its pacing is also an amazing quality. I highly recommend it, and I am a proud fan of this amazing series.

6. Angels of Death

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   Angels of Death is an emotional rollercoaster to say the least. This mysterious anime is extremely captivating, but it also keeps a lot of things unknown. The plot twists are amazing, but my favorite thing about this entire anime would have to be how it ended. Its a very analytical anime, and one that can be interpreted in a few different ways depending on the watcher. While it has its bright moments between the two main characters Zach and Rachel, this anime is fairly dark and heartbreaking. I HIGHHLLYY recommend this one.

5. Michiko and Hatchin (Finding Paradiso)

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    This is easily one of the best animes that I have ever watched. I started this series and finished on the same day. The storyline is extremely immersive. We go through the journey of Michiko and Hatchin, and we see everything that they went through to find Hatchin’s father. The main character Michiko is one of my favorite main characters from any anime. It has its sad moments but inevitably everything comes together in the end. If you like animes that are centered around action and adventure then you will love Michiko and Hatchin.

4.ParasyteSee the source image

  AMAZING ANIME. I just had to start off by saying that. Not only is it hilarious but the plot is so good. It is one of the few animes that I’ve watched that have left me completely satisfied with the ending. Its definitely on the gruesome side but it is one of the best action animes that I have ever watched. Its very unique and HAS AN AMAZING SOUNDTRACK. Also has its sad moments, but it’s all worth it in the end!

3. Assassination ClassroomSee the source image

    One of the most deceiving animes that I have ever watched. Do NOT BE FOOLED BY ITS CHEERFUL APPEARANCE. It had me in tears LOL. But that is also why I love this anime so much. I was laughing along with the characters in the show but in a matter of minuets the switch was so easily flipped. This one touched my heart and broke it at the same time. The characters are amazing, and so is the plot. It was well worth my time and every tear :’).

2. Attack on TitanSee the source image

It would be absolutely sinful to leave out this masterpiece of an anime. It is so popular for a reason. The plot is so well thought out, yet it is one of the most confusing animes that I have watched (In a good way of course). I got my dad into the show and one of my favorite things to do is analyzing the show with him!  I would consider Attack on Titan to be one of the greatest animes to ever be created.

1.NARUTO!

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No surprise that Naruto is at the top of my life. I DONT THINK YOU UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH THIS GOD TOUCHED CREATION HAS CHANGED MY LIFE. IM NOT BEING DRAMATIC IF YOU HAVE NOT WATCHED IT GO WATCH IT RIGHT NOW. THE PLOT, THE CHARACTERS, AND SOUNDTRACK ITS ALL UNBEATABLE. 500+ EPISODES OF PURE ENJOYMENT.

THANK YOU FOR READING MY LIST I HOPE YOU ALL TAKE MY RECOMENDATIONS INTO CONSIDERATION!!!!!!!!!!<333

HONERABLE MENTIONS

1.TOKYO GHOUL

2.DEATH NOTE

3.THE PROMISED NEVERLAND

4.OURAN HOST CLUB

5.ANGEL BEATS

Top Ten Hardest Classic Horror Movie Villains to Survive (and How I Would Attempt To Survive Them.) Part Two.

Hello and thank you for coming back for part two! This is where things start to get harder and your chances of survival are much lower. As always, there will be spoilers and my biased opinion will be included. Let’s get into some villain slashing shall we?

CONTENT WARNING: Mature content, reader discretion is advised. 

5. Michael Myers (Halloween)

This man has so much plot armor it’s almost impossible to escape him. On the surface, you might think that Michael is the easiest to avoid because of his speed, but that is simply not true. This series has been going on for over 40 years and NOT ONCE has anyone found a way to defeat this masked serial killer. We have a couple options to work with here. You can escape or you can try to fight back. If you’re not related to Michael, you have it easy. Just stay out of his way and he won’t come for you. If you are, he is already coming for you and won’t stop until one of you is dead. Let’s look at our opponent first though. Michael has some downsides as do most villains. He is slow-paced, he only uses weapons as if they were a knife. (He once picked up a gun and then used it as if it were a knife, funny right? No. Not if you’re the one getting stabbed with a gun) and he grows old just like everyone else. On the other hand, he is downright unstoppable. He has gotten shot over and over and he hasn’t died yet. He has survived stab wounds, being burned alive, long falls, and has even been beaten with a lead pipe. This man is still alive and no one knows why. The second thing he has going for him is super strength. If you have seen any of the movies or scenes you can just TELL that this dude’s second home is the gym (of the mental institution.) Now, how do we defeat something that has super strength and has some sort of amazing healing ability? Let’s look at the escape option first. Earlier I mentioned that he does indeed grow old like every other human being. In the first movie, he is seen as a six-year-old when he commits his first murder, then later on we see him get older and continue these crimes. The solution to escape is to simply live your life on the run until his time runs out or someone else ends up killing him. This isn’t the best life to live, but it’s better than being dead am I right? Yes, I am. The second option, fighting back. This option is not the one that we would try to go for, but if we have no other choice, fighting back is a viable option. You can’t shoot him, you can’t stab him, and you can’t burn him. What do you do? As Thanos once said, “you should have gone for the head.” Cut this dude’s head clean off. Even if he does heal, what is he gonna do without a head? Nothing. No head equals no eyes and no eyes equals no sight. He cannot even hear you. Now you’re probably thinking about how hard it would be to cut someone’s head off. You’re right to assume that, so let’s go through two options to cutting his head off. Canonically, Michael can be forced into unconsciousness. If we can get him to pass out, that is our chance to cut off his head. Ideally, we want to get it off of his body as clean and quick as possible. For this, we would have to use something super sharp and use a lot of force. A knife or an axe would be the best option for melee, but if you happen to have a chainsaw on hand, pull a Leatherface and push it into his neck. Let’s say that you can’t get him unconscious, DO NOT try to manually decapitate him and go for the escape option instead. If neither of these work, you’re done for.

Chance of survival: 20%

 

4. Jason Voorhees (Friday the 13th)

This is another guy that just won’t die. The plot armor is strong with this one as well. I think these are the hardest types of villains to defeat. I’ll begin by speaking out the obvious solution. Don’t go to Camp Crystal Lake. Don’t be dumb and go somewhere without doing research on its past. If you don’t go to the camp, you will most likely not run into Jason. As we should always do, and as I will always advise, assess your opponent and understand the risks you might have to take.  Little spoiler alert here; in the first movie, the killer is none other than Jason’s mother, who is now dead, so we will be ruling out the possibility of her being our opponent. Anyways, let’s get back to Jason. He doesn’t talk and just like Michael Meyers, he has trouble dying. On the other hand, he has one HUGE downside that we can and will take advantage of. Jason is deathly afraid of the water. He will not go in it despite knowing how to swim. Our first and best option is to escape. You might be thinking impulsively and just try to swim, but that is a terrible idea seeing that Jason also knows how to shoot a bow. You are leaving yourself vulnerable in the water.

Now if we look at this map, we can see that Crystal Lake is connected to a river that we can use to escape. Here is the hard part though, you have to arm yourself with a weapon, get a boat that is strong enough to protect yourself with, and you have to get it into the water all while trying to avoid Jason who is also known for setting traps around the camp. Be careful. If you do get away with this, I would have SO much respect for you. Okay, now lets say that Jason was ready for us and destroyed all the boats. What do we do now? Well, Jason is also known for how much he loves his mother. This was used against him in one of the movies when one of the survivors put on his deceased mother’s sweater and started to sweet-talk him into kneeling down in front of you. Jason is dumb enough to fall for this again, so it’s worth a try. The one mistake the other survivor made was not finishing him off when they had the chance. Like I’ve said in other blogs, you have to have a weapon on hand otherwise everything you do is for nothing. Since he is kneeling in front of you, you have the PERFECT chance to stab him right in the eye socket. Don’t be weak and just barely put it in there, like really shove that knife down in there until it hits the brain, killing him. You have to have a strong stomach for this too, you can’t just start throwing up when he could still be alive. After the initial stab, don’t stop there. I am a very dedicated believer in double-tapping or even quadruple-tapping. They teach you in CPR and first aid classes that if you’re impaled with something you should keep it in your body to stop from bleeding out, this is why we take the knife out and keep wacking at him until you have had enough and you are SURE that he is gone. If we don’t kill him with the stab wounds, he will surely bleed out and die that way. Keep your weapon on you and carefully make your way out of the camp to find help. Keep in mind that his traps are still activated and if you get stuck, all your hard work will be for nothing.

Chance of survival: 35% (if you’re okay wearing a dead lady’s sweater) 

3. Freddy Krueger (A Nightmare on Elm Street)

Imagine you just got home after a long day of exams, and as soon as you go to sleep you find yourself in a steamy boiler room with an ugly burnt weirdo in a striped sweater and fedora hat chasing you. Let’s not forget the iconic glove with knives for fingers. Our enemy is none other than the dream demon, Freddy Krueger. His only downfall is that when you bring him into the physical world using lucid dreaming he is mortal and cannot use certain powers of his. When he is in the mortal world, you can kill him just like any other human being. Though, it will be a small problem since he prefers to be in the dream world, solidifying his chance of killing you and his chances of staying ‘alive’. Anatomically, we are set up for failure here. Escape is OUT of the question since our bodies have to sleep otherwise we will die of organ failure. If you sleep, you die. If you don’t sleep, you die. So what DO you do? Well, you’re gonna have to get really smart. Since escape is not something we can do, what is our other option? That’s right, say it with me now. We fight back. First of all, you need to get over your fear of this guy. When I watched the movie I was like “man this guy is ugly,” and that kind of helped me get over it because frankly, this guy is actually really ugly. His mannerisms and the way that he runs like a titan from Attack On Titan, make him seem less serious and more like a goofy freak. This will help us when we decide to face him. We need to be prepared for anything here. Remember earlier when I mentioned bringing him into the real world? Yeah, that’s right, let’s bring him onto our turf instead. This is our homecourt. This is where we have the advantage. Since we barely have to sleep, there is less chance that we will die in our dreams and it gives us more time in the real world to prepare for the final showdown with Freddy. You have to be super careful when you’re asleep though. In the movies it shows us that if we cause enough harm to ourselves that it will wake us up. That is our only way out (if we’re alone) when Freddy gets a bit too close for our liking while we’re asleep. DO NOT do damage that will severely burden you because those wounds will carry over into the real world when you wake up. Now, when we bring him into the physical world, Freddy can be harmed just like any other human being. This is what we will use to beat him. While we’re awake we can arm ourselves with many many weapons. If your family owns any type of gun, that’s the best option for you. If not, that’s alright, there is always something else we can use. Creativity is crucial for survival. If you can’t find a gun, go grab a knife and hold onto it. We can also pull a Kevin McAllister from Home Alone and set up traps for Freddy (this also happens in the movie.) We have many options if we choose to go with the traps. Some ideas are electricity, fire, sharp objects, and explosions. I would prefer the gun, but if you can’t get your hands on that, set up some traps with the time that you have before you sleep, and arm yourself with a knife so you can make sure that he is dead. Now here is the hard part. To bring Freddy into the real world, you’ll have to grab onto him and wake yourself up. This is much harder than you might assume. He literally has knives on his hand, so getting that close to him and waking up has to be done in a matter of milliseconds. This is where you enlist a friend or someone else you can trust. Instruct them to wake you up as soon as you start freaking out in your sleep, or you can depend on yourself and do the method I said earlier. When you wake you up you need to be immediately ready to fight, because Freddy will be. Now is the time to use our previously mentioned methods and kill him. After you do that, burn all of the evidence that he was ever in existence. If no one knows about Freddy, he cannot manifest into people’s dreams, thus reviving himself. 

Chance of survival: 14% 

Mwuahahaha! (evil laugh) Thank you for reading, and if you want to figure out the top two hardest villains to defeat and how I would attempt to survive them, you’ll have to come back next week! I am doing this because I realized that this blog would be way too long, and I like to cause suspense. See you next week! 😛

Rating MY Top Three Favorite Protective Styles

Bantu Knots 7.5/10

Bantu Knots are my most favorite to look at. What I love most about this style is not just the small beautiful buns, but the intricate parting styles. What ties this whole style together is the geometric work put into the parts  by the stylist. I’ve seen circle parts, triangle parts, and even heart shaped parts. Though the shaped and instruction is limited, there are many other things you can do to spice-up this beautiful hairstyle.

1. ADD MORE HAIR!!! Adding more hair to your own helps to accentuate the style. With Bantu knots being an up-do style, it already brings more attention to your face. Having bigger knots help to make everything flourish together. I can’t really explain it in words but big Bantu Knots are so beautiful and it really adds another element to this prominent cultural style.

2.ACCESSORIZE PLS!!!! I personally loveee adding jewelry into my hair. It makes your hairstyle sparkle more. With Bantu knots, I heavily recommend using GOLD jewel pieces. Silver is good, but gold makes you seem more out-standing especially, if you’re going for a more early 2000s or African look. Enjoy the finer things in life and add these unique pieces to your hair.

3. PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR EDGES. As I stated before, this is an up-do style, and while edges may not seem important, they do also help bring more attention to your hairstyle. I personally can’t do edges to save my life, but after getting this hairstyle so much in my early stages of the “Big Chop”, it made me want to learn. With this style, you can jus do a simple swoop on the edges on your head, or you can be an over achiever and Picasso the thing. Whether big small, curly or laid, edges can always bring that special something to any style.

While the style itself is a beauty to witness, taking it down is my favorite part. Knot-outs are what we call the result of keeping and maintaining the hairstyle for so long. In result of this, we are left with defining curls and a lot of volume. However, in my experience, it doesn’t always come out this way. The result of Bantu Knot-outs depend on humidity, the amount of product, and pure luck. You’ll never see the same results twice with this hairstyle, but it is a pretty protect style nonetheless.

 

Fulani Braids 1000000/10

Honestly, if there was one style I could wear for the rest of my life, it would be Fulani Braids. They are so beautiful ands very easy to manage. Like the previous style, adding edge designs to this look takes it to a whole other level. If anybody wants to donate funds to me for this hairstyle, I take CashApp <3. Anyways, let’s get more in depth about this hairstyle.

Fulani or feed-in braids originate from the Fulani (Fula) people in West Africa and the Sahel region. It is most widely known for the its unique braiding patterns and the unique braided loop on the side of the head. I personally love seeing this style with huge beads. If I had to choose a favorite type of bead to complement this beautiful hairstyle it would probably be in between wooden and clear ones. I really emphasize on accessorizing these hairstyles, but this style is so detailed that you could do without.

Getting these braids are worth the pain. Now I am labeled  as “tender-headed” in my community, which basically means my pain tolerance of someone pulling on my hair for hours on end is very low, but I am very willing to sit through that just for these braids. How long it’ll take solely depends on the length and pattern of your hair. The only down-side to this style is the pain you’ll feel after getting them and the long hours of sitting in a chair while someone neatly and tightly braids your hair. That is if you’re not “tender-headed”!

 

Mini Twists 6/10

I love a good twist out, HOWEVER twisting my thick 4c hair takes up so much time!!! And sure they look cute when they’re fresh, but after taking a short well-needed nap they look so weird. Though this is still a controversial topic in my community right now, I still struggle with my relationship with length. I have shrinkage. That basically means after my hair dries, it poofs and shrinks down.  When I twist my hair, I usually use a lot of product to successfully comb through my very kinky coils. After my products dries over night, my hair goes from my shoulders, to the tops of my ears. This is perfectly normal and it actually means that you hair is very healthy. This is where harmful stigmas come into play. Black women are very hyper-emasculated and that often comes from seeing black women with short hair and a strong physique. Though a lot of  attention is being brought to this issue, I still try to separate myself from that narrative. Thus sprouting my love-hate relationship with my natural hair. 

Mini twists aren’t the bad guy, but the twist-out is. Like Bantu knots, the results of a good twist-out is solely based on luck. It may give you gurl defining hair one day, and poofy naps the next, but the real skill is finding what technique gives you the results you want. Honestly, the time and effort I put into these aren’t worth the results I see after I take them out, but freshly done twists always make me come back to this hairstyle.

NOTE: Please do not attempt these hairstyles if you are non-black. This is not an exclusive statement, but one of concern!

the genius casting of impeachment

from my early childhood, i have been utterly obsessed with true crime. typically, my interest lies in the investigation of murder and other such heinous crimes; but a case that has haunted my brain all my life is that of former president bill clinton- perhaps one of the greatest abusers of power in american history.

now, i could honestly go on and on for days about the lewinsky scandal, and i won’t subject anyone to that. for the sake of a dead horse, i will simply be discussing the gorgeous casting choices of the ryan murphy series based on the case- american crime story: impeachment. upon hearing that a series would be made about the case, i was equally excited and nervous. i knew it would be interesting and would bring light to different perspectives, but i feared that it would just be another cheap jab at a woman’s dignity. however, five episodes into the series, i can say that my fears were unfounded.

first of all, i’d like to talk about the positively genius casting of beanie feldstein as monica lewinsky. i feel that monica is likely a difficult woman to portray as an actress because of the pictures so recklessly painted of her by the media. however, beanie allows you to see monica as she was and is- human. she talks about heartache and diets and sales at macy’s. she is more than the tabloids of the late 90s would have you think, and beanie makes this abundantly clear with her masterful subtlety and sweetness. you see monica in yourself and yourself in her, which is very different from most other portrayals of her that i’ve seen (i’m looking at you, saturday night live).

the casting, in my opinion, is wonderful all around. sarah paulson plays linda tripp seamlessly, evoking a conflict between pity, relatability, and unlikability.  at first, i had my doubts about billy eichner being cast, but he makes an incredible drudge and truly steals the few scenes he’s in. cobie smulders is an absolutely uncanny ann coulter, bringing a chill to my spine each time i experience her stone cold grimace and icy wit. annaleigh ashford is a sad, endearing paula jones. judith light captures susan carpenter-mcmillan’s calculated goodness brilliantly. so far, we’ve only seen glimpses of edie falco as hillary clinton, but i cannot wait to see her impeccable acting as such a complex character. the makeup artists and stylists on this show all deserve raises for transforming these actors into these infamous icons of the 1990s. i’ve even seen people compare pictures from real life with stills from the show, and the attention to detail is incomparable and greatly appreciated by viewers like me, who tend to do extra research on the subject matter.

as with all of my blogs, this is a bit self-indulgent, and i completely understand why someone would be uninterested in dissecting something that happened so long ago. however, if you have any interest in true crime cases involving the abuse of power, feminism, and trial by media, this is absolutely something for you. there’s a ton out there about this scandal, and if you find the right resources, it can be super informative and interesting. below, i listed a couple articles that i enjoyed reading and found helpful in my personal research. i hope that if you have any interest in this case, you’ll take a look at these and gain something from them 🙂

Monica Lewinsky – Dress, Bill Clinton & Now – HISTORY

President Clinton’s Answers to Judiciary Committee’s 81 Questions | AustralianPolitics.com

These Are the Sexual-Assault Allegations Against Bill Clinton (businessinsider.com)

 

I’m Out Of Ideas

This is it! I’m out of ideas! We’re at the bottom of the barrel, and it’s gone rotten. I have no idea what to do for my blogs right now. All of the ideas I’ve had so far, save for the darker timeline, have fallen flat for me. I don’t particularly enjoy writing most of the “series” I’ve started anymore. I suppose this could be attributed to a slight style change? I mean, I have concepts. I have plenty of concepts. The issue is, the concepts themselves need development before I can consider them an “idea” for a blog. Wait. I’m pretty sure it would be ideas then concepts. Just switch those two around I guess.

Blogs are an interesting challenge. Since there’s no real limits to what one can consider a blog, they become exponentially harder to write. When faced with the horizon of infinity, a person becomes only capable of standing and staring. Blogs are my current horizon. I want to create something that matches the scope of what blogs are capable of. But, if I ever manage to do this, would anyone even read it to completion? A blog at it’s fullest potential would be the worlds longest piece of literature. Perhaps the ideal blog is a blog that can piece together everything. A blog that can connect the finite before to the infinite after. The secret of blogs is hidden in absolute knowledge. If someone was capable of knowing everything, then, and only then, could a perfect blog be realized. 

Well, I don’t want to have an existential crisis over the incomprehensible potential of blogs, so I think I’ll make this the last paragraph. I’d say this qualifies as another “break” blog since I’ve run out of ideas. I’ll probably spend a good chunk of time brainstorming and figuring out a good idea. Well, I have one idea that I might start on eventually, but it’s gonna be a while before I get there. Alright, go read something else now, or write something. This blog does not continue past this paragraph. So, seriously, leave me be so I can figure out what to do for the next blog.

A Review of Life Changing Books: Installment 4 :)

Since series seem to be a popular thing amongst bloggers, and I have left this one dormant for quite the little while, I thought that I would bring back my first and favorite series to date. Reviewing these books truly does mean something special to me, and I sincerely hope that caries over to my readers.

Now, this weeks installment is dedicated to, you guessed it, another John Greene book. What can I say? The man’s writing speaks to me, and I will not pretend to be apologetic about gushing over it.  

Particularly, I’m drawn to his work in the book “Paper Towns”. This book completely changed my perspective on relationships. Before reading this work, I was a decently firm believer in the standard “relationships are time based and sensical” ideal, to a degree anyway. 

However, after observing the story of Quentin Jacobsen’s wild chase after the mystical Margo Roth Spiegleman in a fast paced adventure of no less than outlandish proportions, I found myself not so certain I believed what I had come to know relationships to be. 

Now, in all honesty, since I read every book on this list back to back in one quick series, some of the finer details blend together. For some pieces. But Paper Towns was never one of them. Because I have seldom identified more with a character than Margo. 

She is eccentric, and unpredictable, and chaotic, and untamable, but most importantly, she is unsatisfied with the world around her. She seeks something deeper, something more. And that is what makes this book special to me. 

It isn’t watching Quentin chase after Margo like a dog after a ball (though that part is amusing), it isn’t the chaos of their late night scandals before the chase. It isn’t really even Quentin’s many realizations in the days after Margo’s disappearance, though I identify very closely with them (particularly the epiphany about the feeling of leaving something). It’s the fact that there was someone like me who simply wanted something more. 

The shared, simple, and innate dissatisfaction with the shallow seeming world around us is what draws me to Margo, and therefore this book. In it, the idealistic girl discusses her distaste for “paper people” (i.e. “normal” people) as they go about their lives in their towns and their jobs and their houses. She, I assume, like me, is repelled by the idea of monotonousness and normalcy, and is no less than disgusted by the idea of a normal “nine to five” life. Therefore, she enacts the logical solution of disappearing to relocate to a ghost town in New York and become a writer. Now, admittedly, I do not see myself going to such extreme measures to subvert the cycle of society. However, I, like Margo, refuse to fall into the pit trap of “normal” life. I want adventures, not a day job. I want individuality, not uniformity. I want creativity, not normality, and I intend to get it by living my life in an exciting way. 

All of that isn’t even touching on the flawless way that Greene plays out Margo’s methods of searching for something deeper. The twists and turns in this story truly have the ability to redefine the term “encapsulating” if one allows them to. So, if you ever find yourself feeling unsatisfied in this “paper world”,  give this book a read. I promise you, you will not regret it. 

Sincerely, a somewhat less paper-y person. 

Your Guide to AAVE and How Not to Use it

AAVE stands for African-American Vernacular English, or Ebonics. In simple terms, it is the way Black/African-Americans speak to each other on a regular basis. It has recently been recognized as a language of it’s own. Often times Black and African descendants were forced to code-switch from our day-to-day speech to “proper English”. AAVE is often demonized and used to mock my people, causing many of us to derive from the language. I want to share the importance of this language, the validity of it, and why as a non-black person you shouldn’t be able to speak it.

Sense of Community

Growing up, I would often speak fluently in AAVE. It was a way I could connect with other kids in my community. It was a way of life for me, I would speak it and think nothing of it. However, when I got older, my teachers and family members would often subtly correct my way of speaking. They would say, “No one is going to take you serious if you talk like that.” “You need to correct your speech before you go into that school”. They would even go as far criminalizing me just for the way I spoke.

So, I listened to them. I began to talk “proper” and “correct” the way I pronounced different words. In doing that, I lost my connection with my friends and classmates. I would be teased for being the “whitest” black girl they know. I felt as though I couldn’t talk to my friends in the same way I did before. Though I was being teased and neglected by my classmates, I would often be praised by adults and teachers. I had very mixed feelings about it, but I learned a technique that let me have the best of both worlds.

I learned to code-switch around the 5th Grade. I would speak regularly around my friends, then act like a totally different person in class. Even now, I still catch myself code-switching in the middle of conversations with people. I feel more comfortable speaking it around people like me and I immediately go in to code-switching mode when I’m around my white-counterparts. Though I am still working on it, I still feel as though I am going to be invalidated for speaking AAVE and incorporating it into my work.

AAVE/EBONICS IS VALID

It took me so long to accept the statement above. I would hear so many authority figures demonizing my language that I lost all sense of self. But after reading so many articles and hearing other Black people speak on it, I learned that it is something that should be more prominent in my life.

Talking down on this language is a form of systemic racism. Racists use any tactic they can to strip black people of their culture and use it against them. Something I think is worse, is when non-black people use Ebonics in a form of mockery and/or out-of-context of the situation or person. What I mean by that is, I find it very harmful when someone non-black uses it without knowing the meaning behind it and incorporating it in their speech when they simply don’t talk like that. That shows that you don’t care about the people, the language, or the meaning behind it. This is a form of cultural appropriation. When I see it used out of context my automatic thought is that this person is racially insensitive, and when I establish that, it very hard for me to see that person in a different way.

You’re Not Entitled to the Language

Though that line may come off harsh, there is so much truth to it. If you are a non-black person and you use Ebonics, why do you feel you can? One of the things that comes with uplifting this language is dismantling that entitlement. It is a language that derives from slavery. It was a horrific point in time were Black people were not allowed to speak to each other out of fear of rebellion. It is a mixture of broken English and our original language. The history and significance of it isn’t one that you can just take out of context. You’ve read my story and saw the lost sense of community I had to experience just because I spoke it. So I encourage you to remove AAVE terms and manners from your speech, if you’re non-black, and educate yourself on the matter. Be an ally and the change you want to see.

Why you should watch NARUTO

Image result for naruto

     Now instead of doing my usual interview blog, there is a very important matter that I must handle first. I have a goal here, and that goal is to convince every single soul who reads this to watch one of the best animes to ever be created; Naruto.

  Forgot all prior bias that you may have about this show. I do not care if the fandom annoys you, I do not care if you think that it is too long, these were once my thoughts until I sat down and watched it. And not to be dramatic but it literally changed my life. I spent my entire 8th grade summer watching Naruto, and I am currently in the process of re-watching it. That is how DEEP my love for this show is. Yes I have watched all five hundred thirty nine episodes, and yes I am dedicating my time to watching it again. That is how much CONTROL THIS SHOW HAS OVER ME.

   From the plot to the characters it is a journey that you will never want to end. While 539 episodes may sound like a lot, once you get pulled into the show they fly by in an instant.

    Naruto has some of the most loveable anime characters of all time. Mine being The Neji Hyuga >:). Also another cool thing that I just have to mention is the fact that I share a birthday with the legendary Rock Lee, November 27th :p.Image result for rock lee and neji

   Now, Naruto is not a recent anime, meaning that it has been out for quite a minute, so spoilers might be inevitable, BUT SPOILERS CAN BE AVOIDED IF YOU JUST SIT DOWN AND ENJOY ALL 539 EPISODES IN A SPAN OF ONE WEEK. THIS SHOW IS SO CAPTIVATING I HAVE FAITH THAT YOU CAN DO IT.  

  OH, AND DON’T GET ME STARTED ON THE SOUNDTRACK IN THIS MASTERPIECE OF A SHOW. From the outros to the intros no other anime can top the songs that Naruto has produced. It really adds to the nostalgia listening to these songs as I’m re-watching it :’).

   Some people complain about Naruto being too boring or slow paced, but I can almost guarantee you that if someone says “NaRutO iS tOo BorINg.” then they most definitely did not make it to the Chunin Exam arc of og naruto. ONCE YOU GET TO THAT CHUNIN EXAM ARC IT DOSEN’T STOP FROM THERE.

    Though one suggestion to help with the length of the show is SKIPPING THE FILLERS. I for one did not skip a single filler, because I didn’t even know what a filler was at the time, but even so I enjoyed every episode despite the brief intermissions between the battles.

   Now after reading my blog about this life changing anime I hope that I can at least persuade you to add it onto your watchlist. I PROMISE YOU, YOU WILL NOT BE DISSAPOINTED!!!!!!!!!

Critiquing Horror Movies that Locklyn has Forced me to Watch. Pt. 1

-The Strangers-

If your girlfriend denies your marriage proposal, for the love of god don’t go to a secluded summer home together afterwards. James and Kristen move about the rose-petal covered home in uncomfortably suffocating silence. Then, a knock. A blonde woman is at their door, asking for a Tamara. The couple can’t see her face. After awkward explanation and turning her away, eventually James leaves to go on a night-time drive. Kristen then stares at her engagement ring after PUTTING IT ON and I guess thinking about what “could have been” or something? I don’t know, but it’s stupid. She’s also listening to this VERY creepy music. Personally James dodged a bullet in my opinion. Who rejects a marriage proposal then wears the ring? 

Well, eventually during the movie the couple’s house is besieged by 3 masked assailants, who attack and terrorize them simply “Because you were home.” Okay, that’s creepy as H-E-double-hockeysticks. For someone with paranoia, this made me lock my door and close my blinds. Slowly but surely during the course of the night, the couple’s communication with the outside world is cut off. Slashed tires, phone lines cut. 

Super cool. Wow, paranoia alarm is just going crazy right now. This has all been going on during the night, by the way, so the creep factor is upped by ten. But, near the end of the night, Kristen is badly injured and all of her attempts to contact the outside world have been met with silence. James is gone, probably dead (or so I thought!) Kristen is knocked out, and snaps awake tied to a chair right next to James. 

It’s daylight. Okay, so maybe the terror is over? Maybe it was all a prank, and they’ll leave? 

The curtains open, and as the warm sunlight seeps into the room, the couple is killed. Curtains open. The Strangers don’t care if anyone sees, that doesn’t matter to them. The sunlight brought no comfort to the couple. There was no twist, no catch. This truly was just a random attack. The couple answered the door, so the strangers decided they would be the prey.

 

The Strangers satisfy no curiosities. Nothing is explained. When masks are taken off, the people truly are just.. Strangers.

(Spooky!)

(I want to thank Locklyn for making me watch all these movies. Please check her blogs out as she explains how to fight back against killers in movies like this one.) 

Blog From A Darker Timeline: 1

(Disclaimer: This is satire)

Today is a tragic day in our history. President John Mulaney has been pronounced dead. He was assassinated by a member of a dangerous terrorist organization known as “The Dream SMP.” The member, a well known pro-digitalization activist known as Ranboo, was arrested around noon. However, the organizations kingpin known as Jschlatt is still out there. These are truly dark times, as the digitalization movement is on the rise.

Vice President Rick Astley was sworn in earlier this morning as the new President of the United States of Utah. The people can expect to see a major change in the running of this country. Some have even speculated that this would be the third “Reign of Terror,” the second being the month-long presidency of Elon Musk. We can only hope that Astley does not have the same pro-digitalization ideals that Musk did.

In other news, Queen Elizabeth has finally reached her 1008th birthday, or at least what we believe to be. Tensions between Spance and Germoslovakiany are on the rise. The world may be heading into a catastrophic war the likes of which we’ve never seen before.

Everest Valley was flooded due to intense rainfall in the area, experts are considering renaming it to Everest Lake. However, the locals of the area are strongly against this, one citizen, who preferred to be unnamed, stated “Everest Lake? What kind of ridiculous name is that? Almost as ridiculous as Everest Valley being a mountain! Mount Everest? Absolutely absurd.” 

Music fans are screaming as K-pop sensation Lil Nas X is sued by Heavy metal band The Beatles for plagiarising the lyrics from their song Sweet Caroline. However, some good news has been recently found. Opera-country fusion band BTS has released their new album Montero.

That’s all for this time, folks. This afternoon, due to the unfortunate demise of President Mulaney, there will be two required UwU’s and four OwO’s. Be sure to keep your IKEA vests on at all times, and have a fantastic day!