[sticky entry] Sticky: Mostly friends only!

Oct. 14th, 2037 02:00 am
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persian

This journal is mostly friends only.
But feel free to add me! I like making friends!
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What have you finished reading?


The Boy Detective Fails by Joe Meno - Clara gave me this book for my birthday, and I was excited to hopefully read something better than Wonton Soup. This, legally, was. But I'm still kind of medium about the whole book. Apparently it inspired the creation of the Venture Bros- its about a kid detective (a la hardy boys, boxcar children, etc) whose sister commits suicide and he can't figure out why. I loved the melancholy and agony, but as it goes on, weird supernatural stuff happens and the boy detective solves the case. I think it would have been better with an entirely different ending.

Fourteen Poems issue 17 Edited by Ben Townley-Canning - Its poetry! Poetry is always good for VD. :)



What are you currently reading?

Us: Getting Past You & Me to Build a More Loving Relationship by Terry Real - More about focusing more as a duo as opposed to two individuals. Which I think she needs to hear more than me. But its good.

Moby Dick by Herman Melville - I have a chapter I still havent read yet. I kinda forgot about it.

======================
What am I currently Listening To?

Here's my very belated list of The best ofs from the best ofs.

So at the end of the year, bandcamp has the top albums of the year, as well as lists divided into genres. ive always preferred bandcamp's recommendations over pitchfork because idfk it seems more human and maybe less pretentious. anyway, i listened to the ones for punk, metal, ambient/drone, experimental, jazz, and overall, and here are the ones i liked and will wind up buying, in case you care about my taste in music.

The best metal bands:

https://yelloweyes.bandcamp.com/album/confusion-gate
Confusion Gate
by Yellow Eyes
Black metal with a really driving endless beat

https://wolvesofhades.bandcamp.com/album/the-dreaming-prince-in-ecstasy
The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy
by Lamp of Murmuur
One person black metal project, lots of symphonic elements and i'mma sucker for a harpsichord

https://bindrunerecordings.bandcamp.com/album/the-splintered-oar
The Splintered Oar
by Weft
more symphonic metal, but ignore the neofvlk song at the end.

https://coronerofficial.bandcamp.com/album/dissonance-theory-24-bit-hd-audio
Dissonance Theory (24-bit HD audio)
by Coroner
Classic thrash metal with driving and iconic riffs. epic organ solo on the last track.

https://rwake.bandcamp.com/album/the-return-of-magik
The Return Of Magik
by Rwake
Prog metal, also i love the message tbh

I think these were ambient or field recordings. Something like that:

https://ullastraus.bandcamp.com/album/hometown-girl
Hometown Girl
by U.e.
Sweet ambient drone. its really homey feeling. When i hear her humming, i feel like I'm hearing my old roommate, Katu, sing, which is a really great, cozy, nostalgic feeling.

https://elijahjamalasani.bandcamp.com/album/as-long-as-i-long-to-memorise-your-sky
,,, as long as i long to memorise your sky ,,,
by elijah jamal asani
lofi ambient jazz to study/relax to

And then the Punk Rawk:

https://earthgirltapes.bandcamp.com/album/ii-2
II
by SILO KIDS
short, fast, and loud femme-fronted (i think, anyway) punk

https://siltbreeze.bandcamp.com/album/eraser-hideout-lp
Eraser-Hideout lp
by Siltbreeze Records
femme fronted (i think again anyway) no wave punk with weird electronic elements. love this just wish it was longer

https://medicpunk.bandcamp.com/album/friends-in-high-places-ep
Friends in High Places EP
by MEDIC!
a little more melodic, but still very punk

===
What are you currently watching?

Well all of january and the beginning of february was FOOTBALL BAYBEEEEE. I love playoff football so much. Super bowl was so fucking whatever minus bad bunny. bad bunny rules. I'm a lil secret tejano fan and a not secret cumbia fan and while reggaeton and i have complicated feelings, i was just there to have a good fuckin time and indeed, a good time was had. I miss football now, but, it'll be okay.

Cuz now its all olympics all the time. I'm super into all the sledding events. While I won't ever do Skeleton, I'd love to do the luge. On a smaller track ofc but, like, I wanna get good at that! It looks fun as hell!!


Playing?

I'm back on my Deltarune bullshit. chapter 4 is, like, hella long.
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Took me long enough, but here's The Best Albums of 2025, in no particular order.

Fragile Wings by Cave Sermon
This album is gorgeous melodic metal that has been adequately melancholy for what has been a pretty crummy year. Its filled with so many layers and each time I walk away from the album I'm always like "fuck, I really like that one".

In Penitence and Ruin by Tribunal
Melodic, baroque-inspired doom. Hell, they got a fuckin harpsichord (a favorite of mine tbh). The album deals in themes of deep betrayal and an inability to trust. I actually got this one on vinyl because it reminds me of my divorce. It feels like a dirge played for my old life. tbh i was shocked this came out in 2025 because i feel like i've been playing it for over a year.

Gift Songs by Jefre Cantu-Ledesma
A deviation from metal, this is an ambient album. I got a copy of the record in the mail from A, which was a really unexpected present. The record became heavy rotation, especially when I had folks over and wanted to put something chill on. Its started becoming an album that I can listen to and feel a little grounded even while wallowing in whatever emotion is consuming me at the moment. Definitely an album I didn't expect to fall in love with, but its there now.

Empty by Bongripper
Stoner/sludge metal that Clara and I saw live (I thought they opened for Panopticon but I just looked at the show I saw them at and idek how we heard about the show and wound up going. maybe Clara knew them and wanted to go?) and they ripped. My gf always puts this album on when we have sex at her house lol (Technically this album came out last year, but I discovered it this year so who cares?)

Raw Blood Singing by Insect Ark
Experimental doom/noise metal. I caught them opening for Fórn and was so immediately smitten. I love discovering new bands that I love from watching the openers. This album is expertly crafted with just a wonderful doomy prodding along. Again, this album released in 2024, but I found them in 2025 so Just Deal With It.

Flickering Resonance by Pelican
Lyric-less post-metal from one of the best to ever do it. I think a Pelican album was in my top albums last year or maybe the year before. Everytime I listen to this, I feel like I journey along with the melodies. I got to hear this album live at their homecoming show in Chicago and it was really awesome. I was nearly front and center!

Watch It Die by Home Front
Another post punk masterpiece from one of my favorite bands. Like most hipsters, my pal A said that it wasnt as good as their last two albums, but I think they're dead wrong. They keep their post-punk bite that I think a lot of similar coldwave/goth/new wave bands don't. I want my post punk to have emphasis on the punk.

Circle Breaker by The Taxpayers
When Clara and I first started dating we were both listening to the Taxpayers on heavy repeat. They're kind of a cabaret style folk punk adjacent band. It feels like a cross between world/inferno and defiance, ohio. Hell, she and i almost broke up at a taxpayers show (long story, but mostly it was on me). Still, this album became our grief album through both Mille's and Snowball's deaths.

PL*NET F*TNESS by Pacing
Do you remember the first time you heard the Moldy Peaches and then played the Juno soundtrack on repeat for forever and even though that movie had some FUCKED UP SHIT to say about abortion and a woman's right to choose, the sound track was good enough that i tolerated the movie and, oh gods, ok I've gone too far. Pacing is like the moldy peaches in a way, but way more digital. Still the bleeding honesty, gut wrenching lyrics about death, and the sweetest saddest song about cancelling a planet fitness account for a dead family member.

The Spiritual Sound by Agriculture
Never has a metal album entirely summed up about how i feel about *gesticulates wildly* but I'm mad, I'm trying to find peace thru it all, and I'm here to make a bunch of fucking noise about it. The guitars can be surprisingly almost midwestern emo at times (it comes with the blackgaze trend i think) but then just punches you with a wall of noise. If you think deafheaven went too far into shoegaze, you'll like this.
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What have you finished reading?



True Trans Bike Rebel (Bicycle Revolution) by Lydia Rogue (Editor), Elly Blue (Editor) - A bunch of short essays on being trans and riding a bike. It wasn't much, but I did enjoy it.

Vemödalen by Gabrielle D - This is poetry from a pal of mine. Phenomenally melancholy, but I did enjoy it and the vulnerability it takes to open up about this kind of thing. Inspiration for me to, again, make a small zine this year.


What are you currently reading?


Queercore: How to Punk a Revolution: An Oral History by Liam Warfield (Editor), Walter Crasshole (Editor), Yony Leyser (Editor), & 2 more - This has been a really good read about the beginnings of the early queer punk scene.

Us: Getting Past You & Me to Build a More Loving Relationship by Terry Real - No progress this week but I need to pick it up again

Moby Dick by Herman Melville - They come across another ship with some poor shitty whales on it. Stubb sweet talks his way into stealing some ambergris. Ambergris is discussed.


Listening?

I've been listening to a ton of the bandcamp albums of the year for metal, punk, ambient, experimental, and field recordings. I have a whole list of ones I discovered that I wanna share, but probably not until I make my best-of-2025 list (ITS IN PROGRESS I PROMISE!). So consider this your hiatus from scrolling past bandcamp links.


Watching?

nothing except a lot of football. Between the end of the regular season and the beginning of the playoffs, I have to go 6 whole days without any episodes of football! And this weekend will be the last time I get to watch football for 3 days in a row. Idk, the playoffs are always sad because there's less football to watch until there is zero football to watch. At least there's the winter olympics (the BEST olympics)


Playing?

I've been wasting less time online lately, but still not playing any video games yet. maybe soon since there'll be less football soon.


==============

Which brings me to the best things I've read this year, as well as my yearly reading stats!

For poetry, the best thing I read was The Clearing by JJJJJerome Ellis. I listened to it too. Its such a magical, gorgeous piece of art that captivated me as soon as Clara showed it to me. I bought it on an impulse and it was such a good fucking purchase.

Ginseng Roots by Craig Thompson is easily my favorite graphic novel. Also, it felt like a wonderful return-to-form for Thompson. I also had no clue about anything regarding ginseng in my own damn state, so that was cool too!

Parable of the Sower/Talents by Octavia E. Butler was the best book(s)i read this year. Technically I started Sower in '24 but talents I did not, so I feel like it counts. This was the year I decided to read prophetic books and these were really good.

And now the stats. For this year I read:

8 books
10 comics
6 poetry books
=
28 books total


Wow. last year was my worst year for reading, and this one is even worse. i need to read more. I was so fucking embarrassed by this that i read and finished two books lol less internet, more books this year, I hope!

== And here's a look back at the past years ==

2024
8 books
34 comics
8 poetry books
Total of: 50

2023
17 books (including poetry)
83 comics
Total of 100

2022
28 books (includes poetry)
36 comics
total of 64

2021
22 books
79 comics
total of 101

2020
21 books
106 comics
total of 127

2019 (I couldn't find the URL and I'm lazy. Maybe I started doing wayrw this year, but not the full year)
17 books
106 comics
total of 123
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Given up on reading:


Good Strategy Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why It Matters by Richard Rumelt (Author) - Praise the gods, with my manager leaving, none of us wanna finish the book. Thats the end of work book club. Huzzah.

Finished reading:


Wonton Soup: Big Bowl Edition by James Stokoe (Author) - This was fun, and the art was fun too, but its a product of its time. Its terribly sexist. I think the main character, who i am supposed to think is cool, is kind of a big loser, and his friend ultra sucks. There was an ending to almost, almost feel empathy for the MC's friend, but then it was all paid for jokes (and was fatphobic) and idk. So, yeah, uh, that was kind of a dud of a comic from clara lol


Aster of Ceremonies: Poems by JJJJJerome Ellis - One of my favorite poets did it again. This series of poems relates to slaves with various speech impediments (focusing usually with stutters but not always) and the various plants that they saw as they fled toward freedom. At time the poems are very hypnotic, but also as a result really immersed me. Each plant an ancestor that we bless. I imagined a lot of southern plants (ancestors) I miss. Really kind of a wild concept that landed expertly, imo.


God, Forgive These Bastards by Rob Morton - OK so the guy from The Taxpayers made this concept album that slaps. This book accompanies the album about a washed up college baseball player and how he became homeless. There was a controversy about the band guys getting paid for this poor man's misfortune, but it turned out the whole thing was just a story. Either way, I've been intrigued by this and I finally found a copy I could buy online (its been sold out most places). It definitely isn't required reading for the album and tbh only a fool would take these stories as fact. It definitely writes like how a hobo would feel a bum's life would be. Also i'm sorry this would be such a shut and close murder case lol gods punks will fall for anything. anyway i wish there was more baseball lol

Indestructible: Growing Up Queer, Cuban, and Punk in Miami by Cristy C Road - This was kind of a nothing burger to me. Its a short book on growing up queer and punk and chicana in Miami. But a lot of it is just the usual coming of age stuff. Maybe its because I grew up punk queer and italian or something, but I found it just to be boring????? Or specifically, she goes back and forth between dialogue that no two teenagers have EVER had before, and then to a monologue. Either monologue at me OR write a story. But doing both kinda is the worst of both worlds? Like idk. I read this in two days because I wanted to stop reading it asap lol

Currently reading:


Us: Getting Past You & Me to Build a More Loving Relationship by Terry Real - This has been good and queer friendly examination of a relationship. Not to sound like a cliche but its less for me and more for her. This latest chapter about having to Be Right as opposed to Keeping The Peace hit hard both ways. I think we're both p bad at that. The intro seemed good too and Clara likes the book which helps. I think I do too.



Moby Dick by Herman Melville - Finally getting caught up on this one. There was a chapter about how Ishmael goes on about a whale's tail and then an absolute massacre of whales happens near what appears to be a hatchery or something. Honestly, reading about this would have made me want immediately off that boat in Thailand or whatever and find my own way home. I feel bad for the whales.




Currently listening:

Its a metal mood the past month. These are basically all releases from bands I already knew:


Vermilion Pyre by Lucerne Hammer



Ash Souvenir by Ragana & Drowse
- Drowse adds a lot of shoegaze elements to this, making it really good blackgaze if thats kinda yer thing.

Stygian Bough: Volume II by BELL WITCH & AERIAL RUIN - Tbh I need to listen to Vol 1 lol

The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy by Lamp Of Murmuur - So this actually won some awards this year, but I fell in love with it before it even made the lists.

Oklou - blade bird - This is just a track. A former work colleague left this for us and I've been playing it on repeat a little lately. Its sweet and a little lofi and idk. i just like it, OK



Currently Watching:

Been watching the Packers. Disappointed in our match against the Ravens. I always update about the Packers anyway so thanks for being here lol

AEW is still really good, altho I haven't watched World's End or whatever its called yet.

Bugonia - Man, I feel weird feelings about this one. On the one hand, it feels like its screaming " Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not watching" and like, I've always hated that mentality to a point. But then again, arguing against the conspiracy means youre supporting an evil tech CEO. Obvs the twist at the end that I won't spoil made me just walk away from the movie confused. Confused to the point where i DIDNT want to think about the movie. Its part of why I kept punting on this entry to some extent. Feel free to comment on this one, and ppl expect spoilers in the comments, OK?



Currently Playing:

Soul of Sovereignty (by GGDG) - The third chapter came out around Thanksgiving but I couldn't "find the time" (Wahtever that even means) until this weekend. Its a visual novel and this chapter was a couple hours (only if you read all the supplemental material, which imo helps a lot at this point). And it is just wonderful. I wish she could release the next chapter IMMEDIATELY cuz wow it was great. If you like visual novels, I really suggest giving it a go. A chaotic agent of evil, who is also a clown ruins a perfect man and goes off to kill god. which, like, hell yea.
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Finished reading:

Lone Sloane: Gail by Philippe Druillet (Author) - This story is weird or something. This weird guy gets captured or something and he has to escape what looks and feels like hell. dont worry about the dumb story tho. This comic is all about the craziest art I've ever fucking seen. Its all like super mega detailed and metal as hell. I wish I had a van so someone could airbrush this art on the side of it (and maybe a sick wizard on the hood or somethin)





Currently reading:


Moby Dick by Herman Melville - More whaling minutia

Good Strategy Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why It Matters by Richard Rumelt (Author) - Focus on what sets your company apart. Make it your advantage.

Wonton Soup: Big Bowl Edition by James Stokoe (Author) - Some guy and another guy are space truckers that also cook food. This seems like its gonna be a weird one.



Currently listening:

Phantom Keys by Nakibemebe Embaire Group & Naoyuki Uchida - This is really rhythmic african percussion that is mixed live in some neat ways (i think its mixed live anyway iirc) Very trance. I like it a lot.

Observance by Primitive Man - Drone metal gods Primitive Man have a new album that rips. I'll actually see them on tour next month.



Currently Watching:

Lotsa packers. Saw them against the Giants two weeks ago, and i'm glad we won but we looked like shit. Then this Sunday against the Vikings where we looked a LOT better. Still, Vikings had slight success against us which was frustrating. It coulda been a different game if JJ Mcarthy didnt suck so much. Oh well, a W is a W. And another football game tomorrow!!

The AEW ppv has been really good thus far. I have about an hour to go still but so far I've really enjoyed all of the matches.

I watched the first gundam movie with Elen and Clara. It ends in a weird place, but its just 1 of ... 4 i think. So I guess we'll watch the other ones soon.


Currently Playing:

lmao i cleaned the tub but read books instead. Ill probably finish deltarune eventually... Also, GGDG's Soul of Sovergnty came out this week. I might play it over the weekend if i have the time.

Also I found this minesweep game which is a lot of fun, especially if you love minesweeping as much as I do.
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Finished reading:

20020 by Jon Bois, Graham MacAree (Editor), Frank Bi (Engineer) - WHY DID NO ONE WARN ME THIS IS GOING TO END ON A CLIFF HANGER AND SAY THE SEQUEL IS TOTALLY COMING OUT FOUR YEARS AGO. gods, the page should have fucking warned me lol. i need to know what the fuck happens next!!!

Soft City: The Lost Graphic Novel by Hariton Pushwagner (Author), Chris Ware (Introduction), Martin Herbert (Afterword) - This was okay, but not great. I borrowed it from Clara. On the one hand, its all hand drawn, and has a solid enough thesis: what if we were all braindead automatons drugged away from the thrills of living in a always-at-war country. But as someone getting replaced by brain dead automatons, the idea of always having food and shelter at least sounds like a socialist utopia. These tyler durden style stories hit differently when food is scarce and i have a friend living on my couch so they aren't homeless.




Currently reading:


Moby Dick by Herman Melville - Jonah and the whale is totally true y'all.

Good Strategy Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why It Matters by Richard Rumelt (Author) - No progress this week.

Wonton Soup: Big Bowl Edition by James Stokoe (Author) - This advertises itself as a space trucking cooking adventure. I only read the first issue thus far, where after work he cooks and alien that'll eat him if he doesn't cook it right. Weird premise, but I love the art and it was a present from my gf so I'll keeping at it.



Currently listening:


Unfolding by Jessica Moss
- its all, like, experimental violin. At first I thought it was more of my girlfriends kinda thing, but after listening to it more, its grown on me


À qui la liberté? لمن الحرية LP by UZU أوزو
-a french-speaking punk band from montreal. gives me 80s peace punk vibes.


Sametou Sawtan by SANAM
- a Beirut ... folk? artist. I almost passed on this album, but I wound up listening to it a third time and deciding that this is good shit




Currently Watching:


gods, the packers game on monday was just awful. What the fuck is this team? Where did the offense go?

aew is still good!


Currently Playing:

lmao i cleaned the tub but read books instead. Ill probably finish deltarune eventually...
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Finished reading:

HAMMER, ACT 1: John Henry vs The Robot Apocalypse by Greg Anderson-Elysee : I Kickstarted this a while ago and read the first issue. I really enjoyed it, although I'm interested to see things get fleshed out a bit more. But the idea is based on the mythology of John Henry, a Black man who out performed the machines when laying down the railroads. Seeing how it relates to now, as someone who is losing their job to the machines, is oddly comforting.

Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Bounty Hunter and the Tea Brewer by Faith Erin Hicks (Author), Michael Dante DiMartino (Author), & 3 more - Y'all. I read this last year and completely forgot about it. I literally had the book on my shelf. How embarrassing. Well, a boon for our little free library.

Avatar: The Last Airbender- Ashes of the Academy by Faith Erin Hicks (Author), Michael Dante DiMartino (Author), Bryan Konietzko (Author), Peter Wartman (Illustrator), Adele Matera (Illustrator) - Cute story, but pretty lacking. I still kind of hate that they made Mei into a children's school teacher.


Currently reading:


Moby Dick by Herman Melville - Some more whales died. I'm a few chapters behind again, but I know I'll catch up.

Good Strategy Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why It Matters by Richard Rumelt (Author) - This book works better than my insomnia meds. I can't wait till this thing is done so I can stop doing work book club 5ever. I just... I'd prefer to see things through.

20020 by Jon Bois, Graham MacAree (Editor), Frank Bi (Engineer) - Did you know there's a sequel to 17776? I think I remembered that, but then forgot because it came out during the pandemic. Well, Bois teased that he is working on a book and I had forgot this existed and I'm near the end and it is perfect. Its made me cry, its made me laugh. Its, like all of Bois' stuff, a love letter to humans and the silly games we decided to play instead of doing war all the time and man, I just love this shit. Also, if you haven't read 17776 and you love sports, you should read it. It's a slow start (literally) but so fucking good.



Currently listening:


S/T by Ameretat
Iranian punk!

Eternity's Pillars b/w Raise the Chalice & Reverential by SUNN O)))
New Sunn dropped. So glad my gf has double subwoofers for this exact occasion.

Haut & Court by Pendaison
post/black metal im enjoying.

Corrosión by SOGA
Not to be confused with the Chilean metal band Soga, which I also like, this is great femme fronted punk.

Este Infierno (Edición 10º Aniversario) by Bestiärio
Re-release and remastered version of a fun Brasilian folk punk album I already owned.


Currently Watching:


Baseball is over now. Which is sad. I obviously watched brewers lose. Then the M's. Then the Jays. So it goes. I get it, Ohtani is generational talent. Its just funner when the underdog wins. Dodgers winning might as well be capitalism winning (which is rich coming from someone that rooted for the brewers for a tick, i know. dont worry, I am a cubbies fan through and through)

football as always. I love football season. The Packers had some great wins in the last month, but the loss against the fucking panthers is still fresh on my heart. We gotta beat the fucking eagles next week.

I finally saw Weapons. Sam had wanted to watch it, but it wound up on my Plex finally and Elen and Clara both wanted to watch it. It was a good movie, although the first and second acts were just weird and slow, and also there were a few jump scares which i just think are dumb and lame. But the third act brought the movie together. Still, I didn't love it, but it wasn't bad!

The AEW ppv was really good!! I don't even like darby allen, but i was so glad to see the belt finally off of Mox. The actual build up felt rushed, but the match and in-ring story telling were so good. Sting even came back. I wished I could tell Sam about it.

Elen and I watched Robocop last night. I'll be honest, as far as I knew is it was a kids action movie with a robot cop gone rogue. I wasn't expecting a dystopian capitalist hellscape with a lot to say about surveillance and police brutality. Its fucking HILARIOUS in parts too. Its way better of a movie than I would have ever guessed. If you never watched robocop, i definitely recommend it.



Currently Playing:


I gotta clean the tub so I can play deltarune in the bath again lol. I'm so bad at video games.


ps: sorry I said i wouldn't go this long between wednesday posts and then I did it again. maybe this time i'll find my rhythm again. when i wait this long, it becomes harder to do.
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Finished reading:

Grenuord #1 By Francesca Ghermand - I got this comic from clara, not realizing that its 1 of 4. The first issue didn't make me want to seek out the others. it was pretty meh and slow.


Currently reading:

Moby Dick by Herman Melville - They just released another chapter so I'm behind again, but Queequeg just saved a man's life. I wonder if this becomes the source of the love triangle? (no spoilers!!!!!)

Good Strategy Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why It Matters by Richard Rumelt (Author) - no progress this week. This is an every-other-week book.

Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Bounty Hunter and the Tea Brewer by Faith Erin Hicks (Author), Michael Dante DiMartino (Author), & 3 more - It shouldn't take me 2 days to read a short kids' comic, but that's where we at rn.



Currently Listening:

Novv feat Silverstone Barz - Rudia: Shockingly the only thing that has entered my wishlist since my last post is a single by a pal of mine back in Austin. He's in ... Miami I think now, and he's from Kenya and raps in english and swahili. Its heavy on the afrobeat, which I love. His shit always makes me want to move. Please check him out!

Agriculture - The Spiritual Sount I fucking love the new Agriculture album. Black metal with some interesting things being done.


Currently Watching:

AEW is fine.

Cubbies baseball! We didn't get swept by the Brewers lol!

football: Gods, I hope the Packers beat the fucking Bengals.



Currently Playing:

If I hadn't made progress in Deltarune in 2 months, what makes you think that maybe that changed? lol
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Currently reading:

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood - Its started to get to the point where I'm not keeping everything straight. But I know she attended a birth, I think.

Moby Dick by Herman Melville - A poor whale was killed.

Good Strategy Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why It Matters by Richard Rumelt (Author) - y'all i am so burnt out from work that I know I have read this, but am retaining about .6% of it.


Currently listening:

Lucerne Hammer - demo: Another antifascist black metal album

Pacing - PL*NET F*TNESS: If you had a big Moldy Peaches phase, or even if you only liked the Juno soundtrack (c'mon lets be honest here...) you'll love this. Raw, sweet, honest, weird. No ukuleles I don't think.

Gràtfall - Thanatopsis: German post black metal. Pretty sure this is another Fiadh find. If you like black metal and or dungeon synth, you should follow that record label. They're explicitly antifascist.

Patrick Shiroishi - I was too young to hear silence: This was the opener for Sumac who really blew me away. This album is great, but doesn't exactly capture the magic of seeing them live. I am going to check out their other albums too.


Currently watching:

I've been "catching up" on youtube lately, so thats about it. A silly thing to catch up on, but whatever

AEW has been fine.

I watched my half-of-a-pre-season football game, as is tradition. you shut it off at half time because shits boring lol


Currently playing:

I just finished chapter 3 of deltarune! Onto chapter 4!!
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Currently reading:

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood - Women are slaves, basically. I mean, we all know the story beats by now, right? I just figured the end of Roe meant I should read it. It is well written and its a quick read. Its also just hard to not say whats already been said.

Moby Dick by Herman Melville - No progress this week.

Good Strategy Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why It Matters by Richard Rumelt (Author) - No progress this week.

Listening:


Far From the Light of Heaven by Weald & Woe Black metal, antifascist. It sounds like there's a woman in the band, and I'm not here exactly to assume genders, but it doesn't appear to be. But still good.

Perseverance III: Thanks For Saving Me From that Psychopath and Then Immediately Turning Around and Doing the Exact Same Shit by Shards of Grey This is my pal, Steev's, project, but the first of two tracks is really really well done. I've kinda been around this album for forever. I also helped edit his book. Its cool to see it come out and evolve.


Watching:

AEW!
Scavengers reign! Finished it this weekend and really loved it.
A lot of steve mre on youtube lol

Playing:

Deltarune, but no progress this week. Ope.
frenzy: (Default)
Finished reading:

Faithful Unto Death: Pet cemeteries, animal graves, and eternal devotion by Paul Koudounaris (Author) - This book made me cry like 4 times. It was really sweet.


Currently reading:

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood - I sort of avoided this book because it became ~too popular~ but now that we're fucking around and finding out, I've wanted to read the prophetic dystopian literature that is somehow likely my future. Except that I'm starting perimenopause, ofc.

Moby Dick by Herman Melville - More whale lore.

Good Strategy Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why It Matters by Richard Rumelt (Author) - So, as you could likely guess, this is a book for work. Its OK, i guess, but its a little dated and I am pretty certain the author and I are on very different sides of the political compass.


Listening:

Tetsu Inoue - Ambiant Otaku. I got this album from a playlist of ambient/noise [personal profile] symbioid sent me and this really stuck out.

Five Iron Frenzy - Zen and the Art of Xenophobia. The 4th of July got me in the mood for this song, and its just so fucking good. Engine of a Million Plots is probably my least favorite five iron album, but this song fucks. Also: Abraham Lincoln Wolverine. Content warning: ska.

Unanswered Hymns by CHRCH. Andres sent me this heavy doom metal album and Ive dug it.

Lo Que Extrañas Ya No Existe by Lame. Its just punk rock, but I like it. And punk I like is getting rarer these days, which is really weird.

Submersus by Hell. Hell's new album is heavy and good. Heavy doom metal. I had heard a preview track from Andres and I'm excited the whole album is out now. Might make the album list this year tbh!

Clube da Mariposa Mórbida by Akira Umeda & Metal Preyers. The future of ambient music is Black and apparently from Brasil.


Watching:

Still AEW! Wrestling is good!!

Clara and I started watching scavengers reign. There's only 4 episodes left, and I'm excited to finish it. I love how absolutely lived in the alien planet is. Everything is phenomenally hostile, but also everything just wants to survive. Still, there's a reason why parasitic shit is absolutely unnerving at a deep level.

Clara and I saw Pee-wee as himself. I think I wrote about it last week, but I definitely think he was an amazing creative genius that I would have loved to have seen thrive if he had only been born in, say, the 70s or something.


Playing:

Deltarune! I know I play video games p slow these days, but I don't care. I think I'm near the end of Chapter 3.
frenzy: (Default)
Currently reading:

Moby Dick by Herman Melville - I got caught up, and there were some chapters on the history of pictures of whales. Theres a new chapter out as of this morning, but I haven't read it yet.

Faithful Unto Death: Pet cemeteries, animal graves, and eternal devotion by Paul Koudounaris (Author) - This book has now made me cry twice, although I'm presently on a chapter about early hollywood pet cemeteries and man i do not know anything about movies now, yet alone the 20s~50s.


Listening:

https://insectark.bandcamp.com/album/raw-blood-singing I saw Insect Ark on Friday and they blew me away. This album is amazing. Metal adjacent, but ambient/dark.

https://forn.bandcamp.com/album/rites-of-despair I also saw fórn on Friday so I've been playing through their music

https://bialywilk.bandcamp.com/album/wniebowst-pienie An atmospheric black metal project that I recently found and am digging

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUEUOP6kmIs I've been replaying two Cloud Cult albums that were heavy heavy repeat for me through 2008-10. Revisiting Light Chasers has been special. They're kind of indie pop, but with a lot of orchestral bits. I know! Not typically what I share!


Watching:

RIP Sports till September. Super fucking sad ending to the NBA finals.

AEW! I'm excited for All-in

The Thing is such a good movie and Clara hadn't seen it, and she loved it. I'm glad because gods that movie rips. One of my faves, prolly.

Oppenheimer. I finally decided to watch it. And it was so fucking medium to me. Its basically a soap opera, and while the last half is really good, the first half is slow. Also I just don't think any movie needs to be 3 hours.


Playing:

I should be playing Deltarune, but haven't this week. I need to get started again, and getting started on video games is the hardest part for me. I'll get there.
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Finished reading:

Ginseng Roots: A Memoir by Craig Thompson - An absolute return to form! I really enjoyed this and I learned a lot about the Wisconsin ginseng industry. Which is wild, I grew up here and had no clue.



Currently reading:

Moby Dick by Herman Melville - No progress in the last two weeks. I'm behind two chapters. What sucks is that the website I like to read it on sucks on mobile, so if I don't find the time to sit at my computer, I forget to get back on the whale.

Faithful Unto Death: Pet cemeteries, animal graves, and eternal devotion by Paul Koudounaris (Author) - I love hexencult on instagram although the stories he tells is sometimes absolutely heartbreaking. Sometimes the book feels like it goes from ig post to ig post, but it has great flow and great photography. And I'm learning a lot about the history of pet cemeteries.




Listening:

Some more Black metal: https://moraynoise.bandcamp.com/album/the-natural-world

Classical guitar with a modern twist. iirc pitchfork just called Hayden's new album perfect? https://haydenpedigo.bandcamp.com/album/ill-be-waving-as-you-drive-away

More black metal, this time more atmospheric. https://obsidiantongue.bandcamp.com/album/eclipsing-worlds-of-scorn

I've been listening to Elen's records, mostly Deafheaven, Wolves in the Throne Room, Earth, GY!BE, etc

The skatune network person has a new album coming out! Ska!! https://jerska.bandcamp.com/album/death-of-the-heart

Watching:

Sports! Boo Panthers!! NBA Finals game 6 tomorrow
AEW has been good!
The Mortician has been a pretty interesting docuseries, even though Ask A Mortician has legit concerns. And I agree with her. But I am entertained.
A doc on hulu about the sleepwalker murder


Playing:

deltarune! Once hockey and basketball are over, Ill pour into this more for sure.
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What I'm...


Currently reading:

Moby Dick by Herman Melville - Some spooky ghost stories that Ishmael swears is true because he swears on the bible.

Ginseng Roots: A Memoir by Craig Thompson - Z got me a !signed! copy of this graphic novel for me! This talks a lot about the author's childhood growing up picking ginseng in Marathon Wis. Apparently Wisconsin is known for its ginseng! I had no clue!


Finished reading:

Battle Angel Alita, Vol. 4 by Yukito Kishiro (Author, Illustrator) - So actually there was a big plot twist and she has actually been distracted by her yearning to find her creator that actually theres another model of cyborg or robot or something that is destroying stuff? Look the plot is a little thin here, but the art is pretty neat.

Monstress Volume 9: The Possessed by Marjorie Liu (Author), Sana Takeda (Illustrator) - So a lot of the plot threads are starting to come together, which is shocking because I remembered more than I thought I would. Maika and her little demon guy are separated and her dad has him and i think we're finally about to get to The Big Conflict and end this thing in 10 trades.


Listening:

The new pelican album is really good. Its special. https://pelican.bandcamp.com/album/flickering-resonance

Black metal band that I had picked up a while ago. I cant remember where. A Debt Paid in Blood by Marrow of Man https://marrowofmanbm.bandcamp.com/album/a-debt-paid-in-blood

The new Pelican album has me listening to old pelican too. https://pelicansl.bandcamp.com/album/ephemeral

Another black metal album, this time from panopticon's label, so its extra fucking good. The Harrow of the Lost by Ahamkara https://bindrunerecordings.bandcamp.com/album/the-harrow-of-the-lost


Watching:

Apple cider vinegar - Sam and I started watching this. Its kind of a reverse manchausen-by-proxy story, where a woman is saying "clean living" cured her cancer when it didn't. Its been a good story!

Scamanda - And so I've been super into this style of story for a week. This is another docuseries about someone who said they had conquered cancer and all these things, but it was just a lie. She deceives her church and such for money and all that.

Anatomy of lies - Same shtick with a cancer faker, but she also becomes a writer on Grey's Anatomy. This is such an egregious and wild ride. Like, its wild! Good, entertaining watch.

The AEW ppv - There was a lull in the middle to me, but overall this PPV was awesome. I really enjoyed it. I loved the final match's outcome. I didn't expect it!

Sports! Hockey! Basketball! I am rooting for the Oilers in hockey. And for basketball I like OKC, TWolves, and the Knicks, so I'll likely have someone to root for no matter how the conference finals shake out.


Playing:

Nothin rn! Just in a holding pattern until deltarune's new chapters come out (beginning of june!)
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What I'm...


Reading:

Moby Dick by Herman Melville - A whale was spotted, and while they never straight up confirm it was Moby Dick, it sure did seem like it. It was a rough battle and the whale got away. So they're back looking out again.

Battle Angel Alita, Vol. 4 by Yukito Kishiro (Author, Illustrator) - Alita has a new guardian and has to defeat the next big bad to find out where her creator is. The art is gorgeous and also its nice to read comics again so I can remember that yes, I can indeed read things quickly lol


What I finished reading:

Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler - Her brother does wind up being an asshole and not letting Lauren have her kid unless she promises to raise it the American Christian way. The novel's version of maga dissolves after 1 term, and it seems sanity is restored quite quickly, and I do not expect that IRL. Earthseed goes to the stars. Lauren doesn't make it, but her ashes do.

Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products by Nir Eyal (Author), Ryan Hoover (Editor) - Another work book club book finished. Still hard to apply these demi-ethical slot machine things into our own software. Maybe my brain isn't creative enough, or maybe my brain is incapable of being that evil.

Something is Killing the Children Vol. 8 by James Tynion IV (Author), Werther Dell’Edera (Illustrator) - A series of short stories regarding Erica Slaughters early career fighting monsters. I guess this series was meant as an intro for folks before the start of the netflix series that is coming. Is it out yet? Idk. I'll only watch it if I hear it is good.


Watching:

SPORTS! Still lots of Hockey and Basketball. I took a break the last few days, and was shocked that the Pacers stomped the Cavs.

Still AEW. I'm still kinda meh on it, but I like wrestling.

I saw 40 acres and I liked it quite a bit!

Sam and I started watching Apple Cider Vinegar. I don't love it, but it has an interesting enough story that I don't want to stop watching it either.


Playing:

I'm still playing Balatro here and there. I want to play the homestar runner Dangeresque game here at some point, but it only seems to run on Windows, and I rarely touch that machine except as data storage these days? I really aughta find a way to get my music on a server somehow. That would be a fun project.


Listening:

The new deafheaven album is very good. I think I've said this already, but now I own it on vinyl www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-2pdpSTwN4

I saw Rezn and picked up an album too: https://rezzzn.bandcamp.com/album/burden

I've listened to the new model/actriz album a few times over now https://modelactriz.bandcamp.com/album/pirouette

I forgot I had bought this a couple months back and wow it rips so much https://oranssipazuzu.bandcamp.com/album/muuntautuja

I saw Stress Positions open for Converge and they fucking rule and got them on vinyl: https://stresspositions.bandcamp.com/album/human-zoo
frenzy: (Default)
What I'm...


Reading:

Moby Dick by Herman Melville - No progress this week. Two days ago a bunch of chapters dropped (I'm reading this at the pace of an email newsletter!) but I haven't read them yet. Its been busy.

Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler - I can't put this down, even though I know its an endless tragedy. Lauren is trying to find her child. She finds her brother who is now a christian america pastor. I don't trust him still. But she was able to talk to him and escape, although she was nearly jumped as she left. Now she hears her brother is now a CA pastor in Oregon, so she's on the road with another sharer to portland. There's only 50 pages left and I assume it ends in tragedy. This book is prophecy.

Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products by Nir Eyal (Author), Ryan Hoover (Editor) - No progress this week. I will pick it up once I'm done with Parable of the Talents, book club be damned; its way more interesting right now.

Watching:

Sports! Lots and lots and lots of hockey and nba playoffs. The bucks lost last night. I am for the pistons now. I also watched the Canes win their series last night.

I saw Sally at the film festival which was very good.


Playing:

Kinda nothing! NBA and NHL has stomped on my Balatro time. I'll come back to it.


Listening:

Man, the following albums I listened to on the way to Chicago and they all ripped:

https://mysticismproductions.bandcamp.com/album/folkstorm Gnipahålan - Ambient Black Metal

https://grails.bandcamp.com/album/the-burden-of-hope-remastered - lyricless post rock

https://cavesermon.bandcamp.com/album/fragile-wings melodic black metal/post metal. its so fucking pretty. This is likely going to be in my best-of albums at the end of the year too.
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What have you finished reading?

Nothing. Which is kind of embarrassing tbh. I've moved on from Stardew Valley, but now I'm playing Balatro which is absolutely cutting into my reading time.


What are you currently reading?

Moby Dick by Herman Melville - Ahab has announced they're going after Moby Dick, and while some of the crew recognizes this is Bad News, it seems folks who knew this was a bad idea were caught up in joining along to their doom anyway. There's also a whole chapter on the whole racist white = good thing.

Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler - After putting down Stardew, I am really back into this again. Despite, in theory, being written from the prespective of her daughter, it seems to still just continues to follow Lauren's journals. The book feels prophetic at times with the US president, Jarret, wanting to "make america great again" under a christofascist regime. I recognize Reagan was this too, but the book takes it to its logical conclusion, which is absolutely where we're at with Trump.

Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products by Nir Eyal (Author), Ryan Hoover (Editor) - The work book club is back at it. It really shows how evil software design can be. There is, supposedly, a chapter on the ethics of building software that resembles slot machines, but I can't imagine its going to redeem this book for me. Still, I guess its interesting in a sad way.
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What have you finished reading?

Nothing.


What are you currently reading?

Moby Dick by Herman Melville - I'm behind a couple chapters right now, but I hope to catch up v soon! Which is an elaborate way of saying "No progress this week".

Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler - This is riveting and well written but its hard for me to understand the animosity the daughter has toward her mother. I get the last book was a creation story, and this is the deconstruction, but also I've been really into playing Stardew Valley right now, so I haven't been a good reader lately.
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What have you finished reading?

The Clearing by JJJJJerome Ellis - This was gorgeous. I consumed it twice: first as a book, second as the album, reading along with the book. The book is kind of mandatory. The art created with the letters and words that he stutters on is fascinating. This has got to be in contention for the best poetry I'll read this year. I'm so glad C wanted this and I'm glad I borrowed it. Its a delight. I believe he is performing at the poetry book store in a few months. I've gotta go!

Fourteen Poems issues 14 and 15 Edited by Ben Townley-Canning - Its poetry. Its queer. Issue 15 had a couple poems I hated though, which is usually unlike me. I wonder if its them, or if its me.


What are you currently reading?

Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business by Gino Wickman (Author) - No progress this week. Starting the next two chapters tonight, probably, if stardew valley doesn't consume me.

Moby Dick by Herman Melville - I'm caught up except for the chapter(s) that came in the mail today. Just more talk about the second and third mates, and their harpooners. Its almost jarring how much Ishmael sings their praises, which makes me think that something terrible is going to happen to all of them.

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