My favorite lines from my favorite movies

Hello everyone and welcome back to my blog. Today we will be covering the cousin of last month’s blog. Instead of music, we will be covering movies. Now, these movies might be some of my favorites but not all of them. There are way too many movies to even consider. Finally, these are not in any particular order. Let’s begin.

1. Practical Magic

“Of course, you’re going to see me again. We’ll grow old together. It’s going to be you and me living in a big house… these two old biddies with all these cats. I bet we even die on the same day.” – Gillian Owens

I feel as if I should have mentioned that these lines are my favorite due to the context of the movie. If you haven’t seen the movie you won’t understand the heart-wrenching ache of happiness that this line brings me.  This movie is about two sisters who are witches. This quote comes from my favorite moment between them. They have some troubles with a very special man, and things go down. Through all of the trials and tribulations, one thing comes of it: the importance and resilience of sisterhood. 

2. Girl, Interrupted

“Have you ever confused a dream with life? Or stolen something when you have the cash? Have you ever been blue? Or thought your train moving while sitting still? Maybe I was just crazy. Maybe it was the 60s. Or maybe I was just a girl… interrupted.” – Susanna Kaysen

This might seem like a very basic choice for this movie considering the title is in the quote, but there is something about it that speaks volumes to the feeling I get while watching this movie. Susanna Kaysen is incredibly insightful.

3. The Virgin Suicides

“So much has been said about the girls over the years, but we have never found an answer. It didn’t matter in the end how old they had been, or that they were girls, but only that we had loved them” – Narrators 

This is a great quote from the movie, but not for a good reason. The whole premise of the narrator being a group of boys on the outside watching the Lisbon sisters suffer means so much because of how they see them. They are no different from Trip or any other boy that hurt the girls. They do not love them like they say. They cannot even fathom them and the complexities of their individual aches.  

4. Almost Famous

“It’s all happening” – Penny Lane

You know I had to choose a quote from my girl Penny Lane. This is her mantra for essentially living in the moment and taking it all in because her words are true. It is all happening all of the time. 

5. Empire Records

“Damn the man, Save the empire” – Lucas

The infamous ‘man’ has not only been mentioned in this film but also in School of Rock in the form of “stick it to the man”. ‘The Man’ is who runs the world. It is whoever is in charge or whatever group or person is above you. Tyrants, bosses, governments, and all of the above. This means too much to the movie and the characters in it, not because they are struggling financially to save Empire Records from being bought by a bigger franchise, but because of each character’s troubles as mentioned in the film prior. 

6. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Clementine: …Show me which constellations you know.

Joel: Um…oh…I don’t know any.

Clementine: Show me which ones you know!

Joel: Okay…okay

There are so many lines in this movie that deserve to be in this spot, but there is something about this interaction between Joel and Clementine that stabs me directly in the heart.  He obviously doesn’t know any constellations, so he makes one up and I think that is so beautiful. 

7. Dazed and Confused

“Let me tell you this: The older you do get, the more rules they’re gonna try to get you to follow. You just gotta keep livin’, man, L-I-V-I-N.” – Wooderson

This is a really cool quote from a not-so-cool character. It’s iconic, therefore I have to include it. However, he didn’t lie. You just gotta keep living man. 

8. 10 Things I Hate About You

“But mostly I hate the way I don’t hate you. Not even close, not even a little bit, not even at all.” – Kat Stratford

This might also seem like a basic pick but the delivery made by Kat was absolutely magnificent, not to mention the cut to Patrick’s face as he watches her from his own seat. It is such an impactful moment. 

9. The Lost Boys

“Initiation’s Over, Michael, It’s Time To Join The Club.” – David

The Lost Boys is an 80s cult classic vampire movie and one of my favorite films. This is a really interesting line because of the situation that Michael is in. He is hanging underneath a bridge with a bunch of leather-wearing vampires that want to turn him into one of them. They suddenly drop one by one into the abyss. 

10. Pretty Woman

“Do You Have Anything In This Shop As Beautiful As She Is?” – Edward

To most people, this line might fly right over their heads, but for me, it stood out like a sore thumb considering Edward’s usual demeanor. He is consistently cold and sarcastic with his comments, but this one is sweet. It is foreshadowing for the later events and one of my favorite lines from Richard Gere.

 

Thank you all for reading this month and I hope to see you all back next month.

ocd representation in media: my take

hello and welcome! for this blog, i’ll be discussing different characters that represent obsessive compulsive disorder in media. first of all, i’d like to note that these aren’t all of the characters who have it–i’ll only be talking about the ones who i’ve personally seen on screen and know about.

(Content Warning: Mental Illness, Suicide)

 

monica geller from friends

Pin on Inspirational people

this is a show that i grew up watching, and monica was always my favorite character because i thought she was strong, smart, and funny in her own way. then, when i grew up, i found that a lot of people didn’t feel the same at all. they found her uptight, obnoxious, and controlling. they would say: i can’t stand monica–she’s so ocd. that was probably the first time i ever heard ocd used as an adjective and in a derogatory way. two birds with one stone, right?

now, let’s dissect how effective she is as a representative of the disorder. while it is positive that monica’s character was able to stir up conversation and build awareness, there’s no denying the negative impact it had. because the form her disorder took mostly revolved around cleanliness and order, people often took that at face value and assumed that was all there is to ocd. that couldn’t be further from the truth. it’s a diverse spectrum of symptoms and coping mechanisms that simply couldn’t be encompassed by a 90s sitcom; and the sad part is, that’s about as mainstream as it gets, so that’s what frames the narrative of how people view the disorder.

 

daisy randone from girl, interrupted

Image about daisy in Brittany Murphy ✞☪ by ☮madddiiee☮

Girl, Interrupted is one of the most life-changing pieces of media i’ve ever consumed, both the book and the film. it presents mental illness in a jarringly accurate way, particularly with the character of daisy. her diagnosis in the book and film is ocd, and that’s about the only reason you recognize that she has it. that may sound like a negative thing as far as representation goes, but i’d argue that it’s extremely smart and well-done. 

i think that daisy is an excellent example of how ocd can manifest when mixed with other mental illnesses, which it commonly does. daisy also suffers from addiction, eating disorders, and severe depression. she doesn’t wash her hands often, keep everything tidy, or have everything in perfect order. she’s just a smart, pretty, antisocial young woman who happens to suffer from the disorder. ocd often stems from trauma or extreme stress, both of which daisy suffers from, and it ultimately leads to her taking her own life. i consider her to be strong, accurate representation, even though she meets a tragic end.

 

Bob wiley from “what about bob?”

Tommy London - “There are two types of people. Those who like Neil Diamond,  and those who don't” - Bob Wiley #WhatAboutBob | Facebook

i absolutely despise this movie. it was one of my mom’s favorites, and we used to watch it together when i was little. i just never liked it. in the film, the main character, bob, is trying to overcome crippling ocd and becomes obsessed with his therapist, eventually going on vacation with his family. the movie is a kind of buddy comedy, starring bill murray. the main reason i never liked it is because it simply isn’t funny. that, however, doesn’t mean that the character is bad.

i do honestly think there is some merit to the movie’s portrayal of ocd. murray’s character shows diverse symptoms, such as doing things in particular orders, repeating mantras, and obsessing over thoughts, or rumination. i appreciate that the writers seem to have put in at least a bit of research rather than just making him super clean or something. the problem, though, is that bob’s disorder is played for laughs more than anything, or to infantilize him. it sort of feeds into the narrative of the disorder just consisting of “little quirks”.

emma pillsbury from glee

Glee: Emma Pillsbury's Parents Come to Town | TVLine

i grew up with this show and am ashamed (kinda) to say that it holds a special place in my heart and always will. one of my favorite side characters, emma, is known to suffer from ocd. it’s talked about frequently throughout the show, sometimes as a punchline, and sometimes as a serious issue.

what i love about emma is that she made me feel so seen as a kid, when i saw her doing things like wearing gloves to eat or wiping down her grapes. these were things that i did, and seeing a grown-up do them on tv made me feel like maybe i wasn’t so weird after all. while the show is infamous for dealing with serious issues poorly, i think ocd is an exception. yes, people occasionally poke fun at emma, but no character is safe on this show. i love that other characters who care for her push her to seek treatment and are patient with her. those who want to be an ally to people with ocd, or any mental disorder, really, could take notes from how john stamos’s character treats her in particular.

 

well, that’s all i’ve got for this post. if you stuck around until the end, thank you, and see you next time!

 

My favorite lyrics from my top ten Spotify artists!

Hello everyone and welcome back to my blog, it feels like it has been forever since I have written one of these bad boys. As the title says, I will be picking a line of lyrics from ONE song per artist on my Spotify’s current top ten artists and talking about them a little bit. 

10. The Smashing Pumpkins

“and I stumbled onto you as you stumbled over me, and you say the fates were cruel for throwing us together. I always loved you so, especially when you’d go ‘all the world must know. all the world must know That I loved you so” – Pennies

The Smashing Pumpkins always seem to know the greatest way to say what they want to say. Pennies is one of my favorite songs by them. 

9. Third Eye Blind

“And I’m hanging on your words like I always used to do, the words they use so lightly, I only feel for you, I only know this because I carry you around,In the background.” – The Background 

This is probably my favorite Third Eye Blind song. The way that it is performed just makes the listener feel like they’re the ones in the background. I find the lyrics so sweet and sad, almost like sweet-sad. 

8. The Smiths

“There were times when I could have murdered her. But you know, I would hatefor anything to happen to her”

Okay, these lyrics are a little more silly than the others seen on this list, but that’s why they are my favorite. Girlfriend in a coma is my favorite song by the Smiths, so it’s only fair that these lyrics also happen to be my favorite. 

7. The Beatles

“Why she had to go, I don’t know. She wouldn’t say, I said something wrong, now I long for yesterday.”

The Beatles will always be classic, but somehow whenever I listen to this song I just seem to feel something new every time. It’s even more special considering the fact that the Beatles have so many different songs with such powerful lyrics. 

6. Red Hot Chili Peppers

“I liked your whiskers, and I liked the dimple in your chin, your pale blue eyes. You painted pictures ‘Cause the one who hurts can give so much you gave me such.” – Tearjerker

Although this isn’t my favorite Chili Peppers song, I always loved these lyrics because of how unconditional they seem. I definitely don’t have pale blue eyes, but the dimple in my chin feels very appreciated. 

5. Alice in Chains

“Am I wrong? Have I run too far to get home? Have I gone and left you here alone?” – Would?

Again, this isn’t my favorite Alice in Chains song, but it is one whose lyrics really show out to me. An honorable mention is Nutshell (my favorite) because of how those lyrics apply to Layne Staley. These are both so good.

4. Jeff Buckley

“Her love is a rose, pale and dying. Dropping her petals in land unknown, all full of wine, the world before her was sober with no place to go.” – Forget Her

I bet you guys didn’t think I would pick this song because of another super popular song of his. Jeff Buckley is probably one of my favorite lyricists of all time. It was so hard to just pick one line and this isn’t even the best one, it is simply my favorite. 

3. Pink Floyd

“We’re just two lost souls, swimming in a fish bowl, year after year, running over the same old ground. What have we found? The same old fears. Wish you were here” – Wish You Were Here

This one’s pretty basic as far as Pink Floyd songs go, but there is something about it that simply just scratches my brain. The poetry complemented by  David Gilmore’s passionate vocals and killer 12-string guitar just creates a perfect image in my head and a memorable experience.

2. Ghost

“She said, ‘if you had life eternal… Can you hear me say your name forever?Can you see me longing for you forever? Would you let me touch your soul forever? Can you feel me longing for you forever, forever?” – Life Eternal

Everyone should know by now that Ghost is one of my favorite bands. This is one of their more ballad-like songs, and gosh it just makes me curl my toes. I feel like I’m ascending when I listen to this song. It is so passionate and corresponds to the band’s lore so well. 

1. Slipknot

“So, break yourself against my stones, and spit your pity in my soul” – Snuff

Snuff is, in my opinion, the best Slipknot song on the scale of lyricism. Corey Taylor wrote this song about how the protagonist’s soul is too dark to let love in and is telling somebody that they care about to get away from them for their own well-being. I found the concept easily understandable but also profound in a way that I never get tired of. 

Thank you for reading this month! I will see you all next time. <3

Undoing an Injustice in Elden Ring

 

(Trigger warning for death, mass killing, and visceral descriptions.)

I know this is the first time I’ve broken my chain of world-building blogs in a while, but I don’t care. This topic has been boring a hole in my brain and I need to say something about it or else my appendix is gonna combust by the end of the month.

Now, if you don’t know much about Elden Ring or its lore, then this post probably isnt for you. 

 

Anyway, more specifically the topic I wanted to talk about is one of the six possible endings in Elden Ring: the Frenzied Flame Ending.

To sum it up, the ending essentially brings the destruction of the world. Your character inherits the Frenzied Flame, burns down the Erd Tree, and kills almost everyone and everything. It’s implied that nothing will ever exist again, and the world is made eternally sterile. 

Obviously, this ending is considered among the worst of the six, and it’s no wonder. Not only due to the blatantly evil outcome, but also its build-up. In order to achieve the ending you need to steal people’s eyes, feed them to an innocent blind girl (who eventually dies as a result), take orders from an insane ghost named Shabriri who is obsessed with destroying the world- who has also possessed the dead body of your friend, and you then need to strip naked and have a giant 3 fingered hand that’s also on fire hug you. If that sounded absolutely nonsensical, then that’s a good sign you’re a sane person.

However, it’s my personal favorite ending. With further context, it becomes the most thought-provoking question a game has ever asked me, and I think it’s criminal that people only see it at its surface level. 

This all leads back to the in-game origin of the Frenzied Flame, which is a haunting story both due to its subject matter and how realistic it is. 

A religious minority (the Merchants) was wrongfully accused of committing heresy by the standards of the people in power. As a result, they were all rounded up and systematically killed in a mass holocaust. When the people in power realized their mistake, they quietly swept their sins under the rug and sealed whatever was left of the Merchant people in the Catacombs, where the Merchants starved, fell into despair, and eventually went mad. Only a few individuals were able to avoid the wretched fate that befell their kin, and they were thrown to the wind— grasping at the few fragments of their lost culture and eventually piecing together the story I’m telling you now. 

What does this have to do with the Frenzied Flame? Well, while the Merchants were locked away in the Catacombs they pleaded for something— anything to save them. They screamed for their suffering to end. And when their brothers and sisters began to die around them, and their vocal cords became too shot to scream they did the only thing left they could, they played their violins. With emaciated fingers, they orchestrated a melancholic tune that told of better days when their race wasn’t doomed to extinction. Their voices of anguish and miserable melodies congealed together and formed something new to end it all. Something to burn away all the suffering and pain of the world so it could never spring forth again, the Frenzied Flame. 

The people that follow the Frenzied Flame for little more than chaos and evil like Shabrirri are missing the point. The Frenzied Flame isnt a malevolent force hellbent on killing for the sake of killing, it is a merciful hand turning the final page of a harrowing story that has run its course. It lulls the sick and demented world of Elden Ring into a silent peaceful slumber in the same way we put down an ill dog so as to not extend its suffering. 

The question it poses, at least to me is “Does this world where so much untold suffering is able to form justify its own existence? Does the good of it all outway the bad, or is that just what the few comfortable people think so we can sleep at night? What about the children bleeding out in the ditches of a war-torn country? What about the leprose whose wounds are rotting as we speak? what about all the people to have ever died a slow and painful death throughout all of history? Would it not have been better for them to have never lived than to have lived and suffered?”

To conclude this little rant, I want to say I’ve always considered myself an optimist. And while I don’t agree with the Frenzied Flame, I still find it valuable to answer these questions it poses in a way that doesn’t paint the world in black-and-white ink. Because by all means, I  don’t think the Frenzied Flame is “evil” just a misconstrued view of morality that is concrete enough to warrant further inspection.

I’ll also leave two links to both the in-game violin song and a rendition of it, as I think it adds to the heightened emotion of this subject.

 

five horror villains i think m3gan could defeat

hello, blog, and hello, 2023! this month’s blog is something kind of silly, but inspiration struck me for it, and i knew it’d be fun to write! i’m going to be discussing the latest horror sensation, m3gan, and what other villains i think she could defeat. 

yesterday, i watched m3gan for the first time in a theatre, and it was one of the best movie experiences i’ve had in a while. i won’t spoil anything here, but i’ll say that even though it was undeniably unsettling and creepy, i haven’t laughed as hard as i did watching that in a long, long time. i mean, you know a movie is good if your friend has to get up and leave the room because they’re laughing so hard.

despite the comedic moments, at the end of the day, m3gan is no doubt a stone-cold killer. she’s extremely durable and strong and is equipped with limitless intelligence. this led me to think about what makes a horror villain truly effective like she is. eventually, the formula for this blog came together–i thought of my favorite horror villains and chose to decide if i think they could defeat her in a hypothetical fight! of course, this is in no particular order.

michael myers from halloween

one of my favorite horror movies is halloween, and there’s no denying that michael myers is one of the coolest, most dangerous villains ever. he’s very large and incredibly strong. once you’re in his grasp, there’s really no chance of survival. he’s essentially a killing machine with no compassion. so, why do i think that a 4 foot robot doll could take him down?

one word–intelligence. admittedly, if michael surprise-attacked m3gan, he could likely give her a run for her money, but the likelihood of that happening is really slim. because of her artificial intelligence, nothing really gets past her. she could even use her short stature to her own advantage and knock michael down. once she does that, it’s over for him. those robotic hands can move like lightning–and if she has a weapon, michael stands no chance at all.

turns out, what haddonfield police really needed to take down michael myers was a children’s toy.

m3gan’s chance of success: 8/10

pennywise from it

this classic horror clown has terrified readers and audiences for years with his creepy looks and affinity for violence. he mainly targets the kids of derry, which makes it easy for him to overpower his victims. in this case, however, that’s exactly what would lead to his demise.

m3gan dolls are designed to be a friend and protector for whatever child they belong to, and they have been known to take out anyone who harms that child. so, if pennywise ever decided to set his sights on a kid with a m3gan doll…his career and life would be swiftly ended, i believe.

in this case, i think the main weapon m3gan would be able to use wouldn’t necessarily be her physical strength or intelligence. i think she’d rely more on her ability to communicate and her lack of fear.

as the losers club learns later in life, pennywise’s most primal need is fear, and his most vulnerable weakness is ridicule. the less you fear him, and the more you mock him, the less power he has, until he eventually crumbles. m3gan is gifted with the ability to absolutely verbally drag people that she doesn’t like. give her five minutes alone with pennywise, and he’ll be nothing more than a puddle of watery clown makeup.

m3gan’s chance of success: 9/10

annie wilkes from misery

my favorite stephen king novel, and one of my favorite movies of his! i think that annie is a brilliantly written villain, and she’s horrifying in her own special way. however, much of her evil doings do depend on the vulnerability of her victims. as a nurse, she had access to sick and injured patients, and with paul sheldon, he was bedridden. if she had an active…lively opponent like m3gan, i think she’d be easily defeated.

honestly, i could see annie having a m3gan doll purely for her own entertainment. she’s a lonely person, and i think having someone to always listen and obey her orders would be right up her alley. if anything ever went sideways, though, getting rid of annie would be child’s play for m3gan. (yes, i did that on purpose.)

she could pretty much just use her physical strength and durability to fight annie. i doubt annie would be able to do much damage to m3gan or defend herself well.

m3gan’s chance of success: 10/10

norman bates from psycho

there is absolutely no doubt whatsoever in my mind that miss m3gan could obliterate norman bates in any context. now, norman is definitely creepy, and i’d never want to meet him in a dark alley; but i definitely don’t consider him to be a particularly brilliant or effective villain in the practical sense. he did some horrible things, but he is just so very vulnerable and weak. his ego hangs by a string on the verge of tearing, and his track record with women is so dismal that it causes him to resent them to the point of dreadful awkwardness.

m3gan could do no more than make one of her passive aggressive comments, and he’d probably perish on the spot. however, all the rest of her attributes would also guarantee her victory. she’s capable of overpowering him intellectually, physically, emotionally, and probably even spiritually if it came to that. he does not have a singular chance, in this life or the next, of escaping or surviving m3gan’s wrath.

m3gan’s chance of success: 10/10

esther from orphan

i just recently saw orphan and its sequel for the first time, and i’m obsessed. esther is one of the most interesting villains to me, and upon seeing m3gan for the first time, i couldn’t help but wonder who would win in a brawl. this presents an interesting scenario because the chances of esther and m3gan being paired together are actually pretty high. i can definitely see a situation where a family gets a m3gan doll for esther. i think that they’d be onto each other’s bad behavior, and it would lead to an epic showdown.

though, esther is extremely intelligent, m3gan’s intelligence is literally unlimited. she can outsmart her easily. they’re about the same size, but m3gan’s machinery would do a number on esther. once again, m3gan’s got it in the bag.

m3gan’s chance of success: 8.5/10

M3GAN (2022) - IMDb

thanks for reading this silly blog, and have a good new year!

 

World Building Project pt. 15

…Following the Night of Red Petals massacre, rumors began to spread of mysterious peoples stalking the narrow alleyways of Mirrelm. Reports described stout creatures vailed in robes that are reminiscent of stereotypical wizard garb. however, underneath said garb appears to be technologically advanced suits. The latter claim points to these alegged peoples being somewhat associated with the postatons, perhaps even their creators. 

Though the purpose for their arrival and even their existence is little more than conjecture, that is until an incident at the postaton capital building confirmed a handful of these theories. 

Two of these people were spotted convening with an elderly postaton. The public, who was still reeling from the Night of Red Petals massacre became enraged, as it seemed to them that the postatons were entertaining foreigners while neglecting their own citizen’s concerns about the recent tragedy. What was said between the three is unknown due to one of the creature’s warning of flashing their “wand” to the growing crowd (Illustrated above) 

Though, before violence was able to break out, the creatures were taken deeper into the bowls of the capital building. After that, reports of the mysterious peoples ceased, and their existence was left as a small footnote in the incidents leading up to the fall of the postatons.

ocd is not an adjective–take it from someone who lives with it.

hello, blog! this month, i’ll be talking about something extremely important to me–ocd awareness. for those who don’t know, i’ve suffered from severe obsessive compulsive disorder my entire life. it’s not something that i talk about very much–not because i’m embarrassed or ashamed, simply because i don’t always feel the need to share that part of me with everyone. if and when i do share with someone that i have ocd, it’s typically because i think they deserve an explanation for certain behaviors or because i trust them a great deal. with this post, though, i’m breaking that habit, that subconscious secrecy, because i need to address something that’s been weighing very heavily on my heart and mind–the use of ocd as a punchline or buzzword.

 

we’ve all heard it at least once. can you straighten those books? i’m ocd about that. sorry, i’m so ocd. i love to clean, i must be ocd. typically, these words are harmless. there’s no ill intent behind them, no malice or offence to be taken. for people with the disorder, however, (or at least me, personally) these words can feel like a gut-punch. i cannot accurately describe how hurtful it is to me to hear someone talk about this disorder like it’s a trivial thing or a personality trait. ocd is not all about tidiness and cleaning. it’s not all about tapping and light switches and numbers. yes, those can be and often are parts of it, but that’s all they are–parts. a person wouldn’t say i lost my keys, i’m so alzheimer’s. in fact, just reading that sentence probably made you angry, or, at the very least, cringe. i know i felt that way writing it. that is akin to the feeling of hearing someone use ocd incorrectly. ocd is not and adjective. your words matter. they have the power to empower and to invalidate. it’s your choice.

 

now that we’ve established what ocd isn’t, let’s talk a bit about what it is. in my own words, obsessive compulsive disorder is a crippling, life-threatening mental disorder. it is a stealer of joy, peace, and wellness. it’s a daily battle. a horrific disease that takes your sense of security, your trust in others and yourself, your faith in humanity and, sometimes, even God. it’s your worst fears playing on an eternal, repetitive loop in your head. by no means is it a cute personality trait or quirk. 

 

 Melinda Smith, M.A., Lawrence Robinson, and Jeanne Segal, Ph.D. on helpguide.com gave this description, which i find super accurate and helpful:

 

“It’s normal, on occasion, to go back and double-check that the iron is unplugged or worry that you might be contaminated by germs, or even have an occasional unpleasant, violent thought. But if you suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors become so consuming they interfere with your daily life.

 

OCD is characterized by uncontrollable, unwanted thoughts and ritualized, repetitive behaviors you feel compelled to perform. If you have OCD, you probably recognize that your obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors are irrational—but even so, you feel unable to resist them and break free.

 

Like a needle getting stuck on an old record, OCD causes the brain to get stuck on a particular thought or urge. For example, you may check the stove 20 times to make sure it’s really turned off because you’re terrified of burning down your house, or wash your hands until they’re scrubbed raw for fear of germs. While you don’t derive any sense of pleasure from performing these repetitive behaviors, they may offer some passing relief for the anxiety generated by the obsessive thoughts.”

 

to sum all this up, i’ll leave you with this–no one is perfect, and we all say the wrong thing from time to time; but the next time you catch yourself wanting to say something that could potentially harm or invalidate others, please, please, think twice.

 

 

 

 

if you made it this far, thanks so much for reading! here are some helpful resources and links for those who want to further educate themselves (which i highly encourage):

 

@obsessivelyeverafter on instagram

 

@the_ocdproject on instagram

 

@ocd_strong on tiktok

 

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

 

anthony padilla video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsjHaC1q4OA

 

beyondocd.org

 

NOCD

 

Character Analysis: (500) Days of Summer.

Hello everyone, and welcome back to my blogs. On a recent flight, I decided to watch (500) Days of Summer due to its popularity online and some influence from a few friends. I hate to say this because I love the music in the film, but the characters were so insufferable. 

Tom

Tom, while at first, I sympathized with him, by the end, I realized just how entitled, pretentious, and self-sabotaging he really was. At the beginning of the film, the first time Tom hears something about Summer, it is negative, and he takes that and pushes that narrative onto her until the elevator scene. He only changes his mind after she mentions that she liked The Smiths, his favorite band, and his entire personality. After that, it was all downhill. From the first mention of relationships, Summer had made it clear that she was not wanting to commit to something serious. In fact, she had stated that out-right to Tom multiple times throughout the film, but he, in his swayed perception of her, decided to keep going with it until she finally gets to the point she told him she would get to, and then blames her for the heartache he caused himself.

Summer

While my analysis of Tom was pretty harsh, I can’t make myself enjoy Summer anymore so. She reminds me of the widely-known concept of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl. Her only role in the movie is to be the dysfunctional indie character that is chased after, only to be lost at the end and painted to be a terrible person for marrying someone and, in turn, ruining the main character’s life. I hate the way the writers treated her character. It was as if she really didn’t have any true purpose in the film other than to drive the plot forward with no life of her own behind her. The tiny peaks we do get into her life all revolve around the main character’s interests that he has in common with her. I watched this movie maybe two weeks ago and there is nothing about her that is significant enough for me to remember, and I think that is really sad because her character had so much potential. 

 

Thank you all for reading this month’s blog. I will see you all after Christmas break!

 

 

the beauty of covers.

Imitation is the best form of flattery, especially when it comes to reinterpreting art in unique and fresh ways. There is this argument though, that it kills originality and the genuity of the original themes and messages an artist was trying to initially convey. This thought is especially seen within the music industry, with sampling and covers. Personally, the notion that these renditions kill individuality in the imagination simply does not make sense. I think it just takes on a new form and the connections through music or feeling/messages of a song can not be measured in a way.

BASS BASS BASS

There is an artist that really embodies the explanation I’m trying to convey. Her youtube handle is Nikki Chin (above) and she’s a part of a  called Tash’s Safe Space. Her personal account is mostly made up of bass covers from what I’ve seen so far. Noticing the attention to detail that she pays tribute to in her covers really made her stand out to me.

She covers my favorite song by my favorite band called “Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)” by Deftones. She really utilizes the accents of the song within her piece, her bass really adding definition and texture to a song I’ve heard more than a million times. I don’t know but it really felt alive to me. Like Deftones did a really good job with it and of course, no one can outdo the doer, but her cover really brought the bass to another level within the song. She does this with another song that I covered myself, “The Chain” by Fleetwood Mac. She definitely has some techniques that beautifully stray away from the song and even the tabs she used. I think the way she personalized that song is such a huge example of why covers are so important to the music industry.

tyler, question mark space, the creator question mark

I think it goes without saying that Tyler the Creator is an extremely talented artist. One of my favorite things about him is his usage of samples. How he can rebrand a song and make it something completely new. For example, in his album Igor, the track I THINK was sampled from Special Lady by Bibi Mascel and Get Down by Nkono Teles. Two songs were released decades before Igor’s time, and two songs of completely different genres. His artistry helped bring a fresh and new outlook to these with a strong rap forefront and funk/disco undertones. By far it is one of the most talented things Tyler has been able to do.

“Fantastic Magic” by TK from 凛として時雨: The Desperate Battle for An Identity

Fantastic Magic isn’t an album that necessarily tells a specific story the way Flowering did. However, all of the songs are connected by one specific theme: “Who Am I?”. Each of the songs in the album deal with the struggle for an identity, both as a person and as an artist. 

Here is a link to the full album on YouTube: 

The album begins with the title track “Fantastic Magic”

 

This song intertwines the struggle for identity as a person and artist. This song, like many, could be seen as a silent confession of the artists emotions towards an unknown individual. It takes a reminiscent perspective, appearing to look back on the good times the artist and the individual shared. It conveys a feeling that the artist is looking back on the past to discover who he is. Specifically in the lyrics (roughly translated):

The delusion and imagination directed at us
The delusion and imagination that we were robbed of
When I become parched, I know all the colors
My heart is pounding, you and me, and memories

The heart of those days is slow mo slow motion
My heart is empty these days Slow mo Slow motion
Fantastic Magic

This song isn’t necessarily my personal favorite out of the songs in the album, but I never skip it when it comes on.

Up next, we have what is likely Kitajima’s claim to fame: “Unravel”:

 

This song was the opening for the first season of the anime Tokyo Ghoul, an adaptation of the manga written by Sui Ishida. This song is all about the identity of the individual. It is a declaration of the artists lack of individual identity. A realization that he no longer knows who he is and is afraid of what he has become. It is both a cry for help and a warning to his loved ones to stay away from him. It is also a wish that others will remember him the way he used to be, the person that he sees as a “pure” version of himself. I believe the lyrics that best convey this are:

In the distorted world, I gradually become transparent and invisible
Don’t find me, don’t stare at me
In a world that someone drew I don’t want to hurt you
Remember me and keep me vivid

Overall, this song is a certified banger. If you watch anime, you’ve most likely heard this song more than once. Even then, the best is yet to come.

Following the chaotic cry for help of “Unravel” is “Kalei de scope”:

 

This song leans into the more existential side of the album. It is also, like “Fantastic Magic”, a fusion between the two different identity crises. One of the most significant parts of the song are the lyrics:

“Why does only the unreachable miracle move my heart?

Why is it that only memories that cannot be seen move my heart?

ordinary emotion”

These lyrics talk about how oftentimes the things we struggle the most to remember are what have the most impact on who we are as people.

 

After that, the song “an artist” begins:

 

As evident from the title, this song deals much more with the singers struggle with an identity as an artist. This is clearest in the following lyrics:

For the sake of being reflected in you, even though I can’t change

Even if I gave you everything that I captured on the remaining film

Nausea wells up, a mass of phrases I don’t even want to see

Break that key, you’re crazy crazy”

This song is about the artists desire to create art that is inherently meaningful, while also struggling with their feelings that everything they make is essentially pointless. 

 

This is followed by the song “tokio”:

 

This song is a deep dive into the identity of the person behind the artist. It is the individual. He is observing the world around him, the world of the “artist” from the perspective of the “individual”. It is a fear of change, mixed with the understanding that one must change eventually. This is shown with the lyrics

“no matter how much I overtake myself
When the morning comes, everything will rewind
If I reach out my hand, the answers overflow
Suddenly I’m broken and lost
Chasing after unfamiliar places
Forcing myself to find my place
I feel like I’ll be hated for who I am
I tried to swallow myself inside someone
It’s time to change
I still can’t say anything to the unchangeable me”

 

This, the bridge of the song (I think), carries the most power within this song. It is an acceptance and a denial. It is the emotions of the song summarized.

Next up is “Shinkiro”:

 

This song is an expression of the desires of the artist. This is shown through the lyrics

“I can’t see the important things, so listen to my music listen to my music
Don’t even doubt what you have in your hand, listen to my music listen to my music
i was having the same dream”

This song is softer, and one of the only songs with a second singer joining TK. This song is almost begging for the listener to listen to the music and messages the artist has made. It is a desire to be known as an artist.

 

After that comes “Dramatic Slow Motion”:

 

This song is complex in its own right. It is, in some ways, the realization that the individual and the artist are the same. This is best shown with the lyrics

“I want to give you a slow motion name and show it to you
In the world, my dream rock star has already entered me”

Though I believe the most powerful lyrics in the song are

“Consciousness is blown away by the delay
The volume envelops you
Harsh voices and scenery, hand in hand
This time I’m the fake star of my dreams
Can I touch your eardrums?”

These lyrics are like a repeat of the message of “Shinkiro”. The artist is asking if he is allowed to have his music heard.

 

The next song in the album is “Spiral Parade”:

 

This song is about the journey from being just an individual to also becoming an artist. This is best shown with the lyrics

“Forgetting how to blink, I chose the endless road
I’m searching with my ears open, it’s an endless Self Spiral
At some point, I touched the guitar, and there was nothing to fear
It begins when I meet myself reflected in six mirrors”

However, it is also a realization of losing yourself to your art. A fusion between the artist and the individual.

After this is “Fragile”:

 

This song is about the futility of the artist. It is an expression of the difference between what the artist wants to create and what they are actually capable of creating. The following lyrics support this:

I’m not here to seek pain, but
The words that come out are sad
I’m not here in search of light, but
If you can see something, that’s fine

play hide and seek
The words I want to convey are floating in the air
The only thing I can spit out is the darkness, you know?
I wish I could see everything in her transparently”

This song is a beautiful song and is one of the softest songs in the album.

To end the album, we have the song “contrast”:

 

This song is an acceptance and a transformation. The individual and the artist accept each other and become one. It is the most “conversational” of the songs within the album. The lyrics that best represent the song are 

you know all my favorite things
I guess I even remember my favorite chords
Why? Even though the present is overflowing
Remembering a phantom promise
If you close your eyelids, time will stop

you remember all the things i said
Because you can solve all the incomprehensible codes
Why? I don’t know who I am
I guess I was looking through a phantom telescope
I can’t close my eyes because eternity will run away”

It is a realization that there is no such thing as a permanent identity, neither for artist nor individual. 

 

This, while not my favorite album by TK, has some of my favorite songs by him.