lenixsocial

[lenixsocial]

These days it's hard to admit you done fucked up.

Very hard.

Especially hard for a professional company.

Watcher fucked up. And today they admitted to that publicly, and turned tail. It's the smartest thing they could've done both for the fans and their continued survival. Their new plan for the service is smart, and should have been the plan from the get-go. Because as much as they might actually hate YouTube, it is their front door. That's the welcome wagon. That's what gets viewers and new fans to onboard with you. Removing that only binds your hands. You may have wanted to make TV caliber programming (and you may all still do so), but it'll forever be tied to YouTube because that's where you started. That's where you're known.

It did not help one iota for Shane to be anti-capitalistic as part of his personae and then for him to seemingly ignore it. It felt disingenuous to the fans, and they were noticeably blown back by it. I'm glad that the new model seems more in line with his personae and that he looks more at ease with what's going on.

I hope like hell the Steven bashing stops, and the internet can collectively keep a cool head, not pirate their hard work, and consider giving their channel another shot.

Like I said, it takes a whole metric ton of gumption to admit you were wrong, and even more to refund subscribers, give Patreon members free subscriptions, and all-around make things better.

https://x.com/wearewatcher/status/1782459565444874624?s=46&t=MSIwSsQRdR-10RAF7w7leA

#watcher #watcherfiasco #what a wild weekend

[lenixsocial]

Watcher (and why nothing matters anymore):

So, in case you've been locked away under a proverbial bridge for a few days, Internet personalities Steven Lim, Ryan Bergara, and Shane Madej (known as Watcher) have elected to begin their own streaming service and ditch YouTube.

On the surface, that mightn't even seem like news at all.

After all, this sort of thing seems to happen all the time: The Try Guys left Buzzfeed to create their own company, Rhett and Link took the dive and diversified into paywalled entertainment a few years back with Mythical Society. Both of which however still rely on YouTube itself to generate views on the main channels, which funnel viewers into a FOMO type situation where "you can't miss" a special airing on the app (Mythical Society) or Patreon (Try Guys).

Watcher, in its infinite wisdom (stupidity, carelessness, unparalleled greed - take your pick) has decided that YouTube is pointless, and has moved ALL their content behind a paywall, claiming that the service was amping up to provide "TV quality programming", leaving only old content and the first episodes of the new shows up on their YouTube page as a subtle tease as to what you could get for $6/month.

It's now quite apparent from reading the comments section of their (now infamous) YouTube video, their official subreddit, and the tag on X that the fans were...not thrilled. The fingers began to be pointed within minutes. Name calling soon after. Then this blossomed into dissertations on why this was a horrible idea.

Then we found out that there was no app. Just a website. So you're paying for website access. Not a full blown streaming service to rival Netflix. Oh, and they don't even have their own servers, the videos are hosted by Vimeo. The deeper the comments section dug, the nastier the attacks got. Steven soon became the whipping boy. His past, his interviews, scanned and mercurially dug up for juicy tidbits (although all anyone gleaned from these was he's rich, was born rich, drives a Tesla in LA, likes fancy food, and has friends whom he values who are racist and possibly sexist and will not sever ties with them).

Then came the cries of incongruity. Shane Madej repeatedly said to "Eat the Rich", and here he was schilling for a platform that cost $6 a month. The cries began to pirate all of the new Watcher content because maybe he was under duress and was secretly telling them to do so. Fact is, I don't know if he was or what, but I'm certain he's under contract and wants his job.

Then came the videos from other internet users analyzing the video, and comparing this to the Try Guys situation with Ned a few months back. Both are disasters, each in unique ways with different players, and such like but here's the vast difference: none of this will even matter in a month.

Let me explain: We are in the total free fall stage of Watcher's Internet Streamer Service. What they do in the next 24-48 hours is crucial. If they revert back to their YouTube channel and apologize, they'll be fine. People will probably poke fun at them, but they'll be forgiven, eventually. But if they don't and they keep on, ignoring the fans, dousing the haters, and make it a month, I doubt we will see any resistance outside of a terse article or two.

Why? The collective memory span in this day and age is extremely short, many have likely already made judgment in their head and have passed said judgment. Therefore, they'll avoid the channel, and the streamer and will be blissfully unaware of any changes. Those who have joined up and paid will remain members, and those who have elected to remain subscribed will likely remain so and will watch the free content until they can afford the $6/month.

The thing is like it or hate it, if they decide to do nothing and ignore the public at large, they most likely will be fine. Maybe they will not have the hugest subscriber base, but people will forget about this. Something else major that is more salacious will spring up in the months ahead. Will there be lingering anger? Sure, but like I said before, these people have already passed judgment so they're already gone.

In an era of "nothing fucking matters" when your choices are sometimes entirely out of your direct control and are (at best) two sides of the same coin, it should be of absolutely no surprise to anyone that there is a fairly good possibility even after all that has transpired that nothing bad will happen. Lest we forget that old adage: "there is no such thing as bad PR".

Personally, I feel $6 is a tad much for a non-app based web streamer with little to no content. It was disingenuous to announce its launch internationally where even more people can't afford it, and some can't even view it. Steven wasn't upfront with who was in charge and now it really does seem like he's using the subscriptions to fund his international gallivanting. It's clear nobody wanted TV-show quality Ghost Files to take place in another country, nor did they want an old show revived with votes when you pay the first month's dues. They say it's a case of Watcher "not reading the room".

#watcher #watcherfiasco #opinion

[lenixsocial]

I appreciate that sentimentality but if you don't have examples of past transgressions, how are you ever going to learn from the mistakes that have been made in order to correct them and to ensure they never happen again?

,>/

I quite enjoyed Christy Carlson Romano's take on Quiet On Set that she shared on Mayim Bialik's Breakdown podcast. Basically Christy has not and will not watch the documentary, not because it's not important or needed; but because after awhile with these things it's just the same stuff over and over. People who want MORE, the DRAMA and it's an endless echo chamber of looking back when we need to be focused on the future and how to change things happening now to kids/teens in the business instead of wanting the tea on things that happened years ago.

[lenixsocial]

So I've been taking these capsules called Gorilla Dream for at least a few months. They are low dose melatonin and extended release melatonin along with nightshade and some other stuff. Never had issue with it. One capsule is 1/4 a dose. I stopped taking it for two weeks because I couldn't find the bottle of it after we returned home from a short trip.

I took it two nights ago and suffered no ill effects.

But last night? HOLY SHIT.

I found myself actually controlling the dream. Something I've heard about in directed dreaming, but never experienced before. I could manipulate every variable in real time. That field of tulips? Nah I want them to be mushrooms! The road? Now it's cobblestone not paved! The sky is orange now. It's raining oil.

The thing is whenever I made changes, I snapped awake, scaring myself at the changes I was making, so there was a lot of stopping and starting. And hence a lot of waking up.

The adventures seemed practically limitless though. I was dancing through ideas I wanted to see play out, but only the one that filled my mind right before I fell asleep loaded and since twilight thoughts are often nonsensical there were a lot of odd things afoot. I erased it was able to change the majority of it but I did wait to see where most of it went.

I woke up feeling more in control of my existence than I probably ever had whilst still feeling groggy and tired af from the lack of solid sleep. That being said...what an unusual and completely unintended experience.

#directed dreaming #sleep #dreams #gorilla dream

[lenixsocial]

Ah the fools be out in force on their day.

Let's see here...we've got:

A.) The Slow Burners: The best by far. They put out a cleverly photoshopped image a day or even two before the day itself and they double down on the sincerity. Is it real? It is causing outrage? Are some convinced it might be fake? These corporations are genuine trollers and I thank them for their commitment to the bit. Sadly year after year, we see less and less of them and instead get...

B.) The Fast Apologizers: Again, a company will release a fictitious product and go ham on the fake ads for it. Posting them several times with all the hoopla and fanfare a new product deserves. The difference here is that they don't let it get under people's skin. They don't enjoy it. They just start apologizing straight away "Ope! Sorry! We wish it were real but sadly..." almost like they're afraid they're going to get sued or something.

C.) The "Nice Try" Brigade: This is a smaller company who either used AI or farmed out the work on the imagery and it's so bad that you instantly know it's a fake product. Although they'll try and insist this is real and will attempt to make it 'a thing' on X or Instagram, usually with awkward results.

D.) Beating a dead horse: This is a company (or an individual) in a community that will present a funny meme or joke about their company (or just a topical joke if a person) and will spam the group with it mercilessly. Eventually the company or individual will lose posting privileges and will rejoin under a new name and will attempt to either defuse the situation or will say something akin to "oh can't take a joke huh?" before being banned again.

E.) Unexpected Win: When a company who doesn't post much (such as say... a dental alginate supplier) releases a superb bit of fake product or meme foolery. The world takes notice and it gets rave reviews for its one and done hit post.

F.) Expected Fail: The opposite of E. This is a company with a low profile attempting to make a clever fake product referencing something current and topical only to have it explode in their faces because it was insensitive or hurtful.

G.) Why Can't It Be True?: Someone puts out a product, a news story, or media that in some way would actually help the world or make things easier, only for us to be let down later on that it is fictitious.

H.) Cringers: These would be the couples who go onto Facebook and begin deleting photos of each other and setting their status to "divorced" or "broken up" or it's complicated". Most people know it's a sham and a trick. It's the parents and the grandparents (and the thirsty af friends waiting in the wings) who start commenting (and doing so truthfully) and that's when you realize how big of a mistake this really was. Also in this category are the fake pregnancy announcements. Ugh.

The sad thing is the preponderance of these types are now B. Everyone is too concerned they MIGHT upset SOMEONE so the jokes are fewer, and very quick to apologize. Some even in the same post.

Don't get me wrong, I fuckin hate this day with a passion. But every now and then I like to see a damn good slow burner.

[lenixsocial]

I know why though: You bite off more than you can chew. Then you stare at the room and take in ALL of it and assume it's a mess that can't be taken care of. You have to break it down. You can't do everything in one dang day. You have to pick and choose sections to fix. Even Raelynn said that. I honestly feel like if we stow our baggage we can knock that room out in two days.

And no. It isn't alright. Your pain and your needs are no less important than anyone else's. Depression is serious. Deathly serious. And I want you to be happy. For real happy and not fake happy for others benefit. You've sort of taken on the mantle of the caregiver of three. That's a nearly insurmountable job.

A caregiver of one needs constant support dealing with chronic pain and the clashing personality of the person under their charge. Try expanding it to three people. It needs looked at before you end up like your mother.

It wasn't (and isn't) fair for this household to dump their problems onto you. It isn't normal for you to have to put up with three handicapped people and ensure they don't injure themselves on the daily. That was never in the agreement we made when we moved here or moved in. You need a rest. I can see why you constantly want to leave the house. Were I in your shoes, I'd do the same thing. Oh! Let's spend a weekend here...or here...maybe a week here...or there! Only for it all to end and the world come crashing down the moment you enter the door to the kitchen. That has to be the worst kind of reality shift that exists, tbh.

You need therapy in the worst sort of way. Unfortunately shit is expensive without insurance. And I honestly don't trust the therapists in this town to give you proper assistance, especially after the lousy treatment they gave your mother. But don't get me wrong here I'm not saying you can't or shouldn't. I'm just quite leery of their quality and the kind of advice they give. It's quite apparent that you need help beyond that which anyone in this house can provide.

You deserve happiness and you know I'd do whatever I could if it meant you could get that. It beyond sucks that I'm trapped by a crippled body and can't help you like I want to.

I know you feel a failure but you aren't and you must trust that. I know it's dumb for people to say that to those who have depression. It's kinda like saying "stop being depressed!" ...it just doesn't work like that. I want you to know that I see your pain, I feel it with you. I want to help in any way that I can, and l love you.

Just let me know what you need and what I can do.

❤️

I have really been struggling lately. Mainly mentally and emotionally. I give little hints or vague mentions but I don’t go into details. I don’t want to bother anyone when everyone else in the house has their own health issues and ailments. So I just have to toughen up, pretend everything is ok. I mean the other day I straight out said to my mom something along the lines of “I know I should have done that awhile ago but really been struggling mentally and feeling depressed” And she proceeded to say she knows how that is and never asked me for details. It was like she isn’t prepared for knowing and it’s easier to ignore. Semi ironically depression runs in our family on her side and several people take medication (some for decades) and over the years have been warned to watch out for it, etc. And she knows the stress I am under with everyone/thing and has mentioned concern over me in the past … yet when I show hints of “it’s not ok!” Crickets is the response.

It’s easier to pretend everything is okay.

For the record the reactions if I really tried to talk about it would be …

My dad: caring yet dismissive because everyone feels like that sometimes and that’s life get over it.

My mom: sad and feeling like she failed to notice and saying she will ignore/stop talking about her health/mental issues because it’s not fair to me.

Hubby: will try to break down in detail why I feel this way, says he wishes he could help with tasks like cleaning up but can’t physically and then try to help by explaining step by step how to do things; when that just frustrates me.

Jason, since you will read this … I don’t know why. I just feel overwhelmed and that I can’t do anything right. Things such as organizing project has gotten away from me (us) and I feel its too much to tackle alone, but I’m not ready to call back in the help because I have to learn to do myself…yet its too much to do myself…

[lenixsocial]

[lenixsocial]

Well, it's been a year...

My dad died a year ago on the 21st of January. It's been a solid year's worth of existing in a world without him. That's less stress, less judgment, less anxiety, and less of family.

I spent most of my adult life wondering what it would be like.

My dad was a dichotomy: he both loved his kids, and would do most anything for them. This is in contrast to being a right bastard and emotionally (and physically) abusive throughout his life when he didn't get his way, or when others were doing things that he thought should go another way. He was manipulative, and cruel. I never bore that out as a youth, but both my half brothers did. I only experienced it later in my life.

To the outside world he was a saint. Everyone loved him where he worked, his friends would tell you about how he'd help the homeless out or any number of charitable deeds. I honestly do believe in the fact that he'd give the coat off his back for someone in need. It's just that this stands in such contrast to the absolute and utter chaos of his home life.

I could list a litany of things I put up with as a kid, which were treated as 'a funny story' which now would be considered 'abuse'. And my half brother Kevin and I have spent the better part of this year digging deep and coming to terms with events and kind of recategorizing them for what they are and healing from that.

Last Night I had a very lucid dream where I was walking through the neighborhood he grew up in. I stopped in at an old diner he used to frequent and ordered some cheese coneys and couldn't get the words out. I had to excuse myself and went outside and saw a procession carrying a casket with him in it. I got a call from my other half brother Gene who said he couldn't make it to the procession but wanted me to lead it.

I declined. He got mad at me and I said that I was done and began to walk away when the casket opened and he strolled across the street to me.

He said he missed everyone and didn't want it to be like this (pretty much the moment he died the family split). Those who back his ex-wife and those who don't. He said he didn't want the separation. I looked at this figment directly in his eyes and said "too fucking bad...you did this. This is your legacy. This is what you left behind". I then said "I still talk to my brothers. That's all I need. I was never close to any other family, they all back her and I don't really need to have heart to hearts with people I don't know, people who insult the memory of my mother, and insult my niece and her kids. No. The family is fragmented. In time it'll heal, this will all be memories but you've left it with her. This is not what you wanted, but it's your comeuppance." He then uttered "take care of each other at least". To which I said that I would. He then sat down and said he failed. I looked down at him sitting in a gutter and said "Tabetha told me that I had to stop the martyr complex years ago. You looked like a fool. You acted like one too. People aren't your puppets. They're gonna do what they're gonna do. You didn't drive them to this. They chose it. You can't control everything. And you sure as hell can't get everything you want".

He sighed and looked up and me and said "I'll see you around son. Tell Tabetha I love her too. I love Kevin and Gene. Tell them." I was about to say "they know". And he was gone.

I then spent another fifteen or so minutes this morning reflecting on things before coming to this conclusion: He's gone. You will recall the good times, forget the bad, learn from the mistakes, and go forth. All you can do is what you are capable of doing. You can only control yourself.

I remain in a gulley where I'm even keeled on his legacy of help, and wanting to forget the anguish he's caused.

The only solace is that there's peace now.

[lenixsocial]

Never forgive. Never forget. Never allow this to happen again.

[lenixsocial]

It all begins with self-improvement. And the first thing you can do is forgive yourself for everything so that you can continue to grow and prosper.

I love you. ❤️

forgiveness

Hello world and Tumblr. My secret goal was to post something everyday, hence the rest random-odd posts, but I missed a day a few days ago and of course got all hard on myself; it's a habit I need to work on. Because of that I had a mini pity party of "what's the point?" then I realized that was dumb. So I am posting. With nothing to say. To be fair I can think of things to say just mentally not up to it presently. That is life sometimes.

Also my goal to post everyday @entireoranges-creativity has failed too. Again I am a trying to reassure myself that it's okay. I can only try my best. Wasn't my fake New Years resolution about this? About forgiving myself?

[lenixsocial]

Will it Cereal? - The Conclusion

Cost: This review is about the Peanut Butter N Honey cereal. Since it's linked with the other as part of a pack, there's no need to go into this again. Refer to the last review.

Experience: ⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️: Again, the boxes are the same brightly colored 80's retro affair. The box is flimsier than the others due to more perforations for games on the backside.

Taste: ⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️: This cereal stinks. It has an almost Boggsish odor about it when you open it. Wet old cardboard. The dry cereal tastes about as good as wet old cardboard. The cereal must sit in the milk for about a minute and a half, and then (and only then) does the flavor make itself known. And very gradually (I might add). The best part of this cereal (and what gave it a third star) is the collection of sugar bits that clumped in balls with the flavoring. I got like ten in my bowl and each one was a sweet, chewy, flavorful burst which stands in stark contrast to the mostly flavorless cereal. So yep a manufacturing flaw gave this cereal an additional star.

Overall: ⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️: The value for the money still isn't there, the boxes are flimsy, the delivery time is absurd, the cereal is bland, the milk tastes awful afterwards, and the only redeeming quality is the box art and a manufacturing flaw that gave me chewy bursts of sugar. It's not the worst thing ever (it is edible) but it's also something I don't recommend.

[lenixsocial]

Will it Cereal? - A Review in two parts:

Aaaaah, Rhett and Link! I love you guys every weekday morning gracing my TV screen. Your silly antics and banter make me smile. Your tshirts are fun and funky. Your paid subscription service is unique and enjoyable. I'm a Mythical Beast, it's fair to say.

Now, anyone that knows these two knows they love Peanut Butter and they love cereal. Especially Link. So therefore, I jumped when they brought out their own cereal. They were hyping it up as a bowl of nostalgia with a less serious concept, and an 80's vibe.

I will give my final overall rating at the end.

I decided to split my taste test between the two cereals. First up is the "Sweet Mac N Mello":

Cost: ⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️: This cereal is EXPENSIVE. The two pack is cost prohibitive and the four pack is over $30! Add to this that many have mistaken a subscription to the cereal for a one time purchase, and it's apparent there's a cost issue here. Yes I get that it's not in stores and that'll inflate cost being direct to consumer, but it's a damn small box to boot (9oz.). Low marks here.

The Experience: ⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️: This cereal is made in LA, and then (in my case) took a tour of the US Postal network: Idaho, Iowa, Illinois, Ohio, Arizona, then a week in Whittier, California only about three hours from the manufacturing point and then three days in Las Vegas before another two more days waiting in the North Las Vegas distribution center. The shipping is NOT streamlined and is definitely in need of an upgrade.

The box is weak, glue issues on some, and structural deficiencies on mine. The backs are barely hanging on by a thread.

The bags are glued shut well, preserving freshness which is one kudos I can give.

The Randler on the box is retro and the colors used are vibrant, it's a pleasing design.

Taste: ⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️: It's bland. Apparently Rhett and Link had to find some place that would make elbow macaroni cereal noodles for this cereal. It was a cute idea in thought, and absolutely awful in execution. The noodles are gigantic and you'll find yourself trying to cram five or six at a time into your maw, only for the majority of the ones on your spoon to splashdown bowlside and the milk typhoons up onto you. If you aren't so lucky, the shape of the cereal will hold onto milk and will dump plenty on you because they're hollow.

Initially I thought the taste was that of Kix, but after a bowl I've decided that it's more closely that of Honeycomb. The cereal itself even reminds me of that brand, even down to the mouthfeel. The mallows are tiny by comparison and are of the sort you find in instant packs with hot cocoa mix. Imparting a generic lightly sweet crunch.

The cereal milk is weird. There's a greasy sheen on top of the milk, it has a vanilla milk smell while the milk is still cold, and begins to smell of coffee after sitting for about five minutes. After 20 minutes it reaches room temp and the smell is popcorn. The milk tastes absolutely disgusting, ending up tasting like someone melted a stick of butter in a glass of milk. Very little sweetness and I can't see any kid drinking this.

As a dry snack, it tastes worse and the texture is styrofoam meets wet cardboard. The taste gives off stale cornmeal vibes which is odd for a fresh bag of cereal.

Overall: ⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️: This cereal won't cereal. It barely is edible. I now have to eat one and a third boxes of it. Fun times. The PB and Honey I'm hoping is a lot more flavorful. The experience was bad, the product is not good and it's kinda ironic that Rhett and Link would push the retro angle so hard and not give us what made 80's cereals so great: SUGAR. Once again: SUGAR. SUGAR. SUGAR. It needs it soooooo bad.

[lenixsocial]

"Now and Then": an honest review.

From an honest source: me.

I've been a Beatles fan forever, practically. I have dissected their songs, read all the books, seen all the films. I feel qualified to deliver the following review.

If you haven't heard the newest Beatles track, stop now. Go do that. It's literally everywhere.

Music: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️: The music is excellent. The song opens on a piano melody played by Paul. That they chose to wipe John's original piano may be suspect, but one only needs to listen to "Real Love" to fully grasp why you'd rather have a newly recorded piano. While on that track John's vocals sound creepy and thin due to magnetic tape degradation, the piano suffers even more and warbles along as another piano is laid on top to strengthen the sound. The choice to overdub strings is brilliant as well because Beatles ballads and string sections go together like cookies and milk. Ringo's drumming is as sure footed as ever, albeit a touch rattling as the largeness of the room he's in is conveyed by the presence of his kit from time to time. Paul's bass recalls figures from "You Never Give Me Your Money" in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment which honestly lends the song even more Beatles credibility. George Harrison plays rhythm guitar which is honestly a shame because that's just not using your talents to their maximum. But George disliked this song due to its 60 cycle hum and poor audio quality during the 1995 sessions, so all he did was play rhythm guitar. And honestly it's sort of buried in the mix. What we do get is Paul playing slide in George's style. Honestly it took me about four listens to appreciate it for what it is: Paul's apology to George. Nobody could play like him, he was an iconic slide player. Now all Paul can do is try and get his sound. There's no replacing George. Even if Paul contemplated it back in the late 60's. He truly misses him and of that I have no doubt. Again: the music is beautiful and it's the thing I have the least gripes with.

Lyrics: ⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️: The lyrics are pretty damn tepid. Pretty safe. Pretty dull if I'm being honest. I think most people were hoping Paul would write something more profound seeing as how the title is reportedly the last lines John ever spoke to him. What we get is a syrupy take on old friends, long since departed. Perhaps keeping with the ethos of 'keep it simple, stupid' Paul went a decidedly basic route working off the lyrics that already were there. The song itself wasn't much to begin with lyrically and we must remember: these were John's DEMOS. The earliest buds of a song. Likely these would've been transformed into great works through multiple rewrites. Overall I'm giving the lyrics a solid 'good' rating. It does what it needs to despite being perhaps overly simple.

Vocals: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️: I was going to give it only three but it's John's vocals that gave it another star. They are pristine. In a way that no Lennon vocal has ever been. And I think John would've absolutely HATED it. He loved effects on his voice and probably would've really dug the tape warble on the other two 90's era reunion tracks. Here, Peter Jackson used machine learning to take the original vocals, remove the hum and hiss, and train it on what John's voice sounded like. What we get are the cleanest, clearest, most unencumbered Lennon vocals, ever. They are mixed so high however that it occasionally interferes with some of the other instrumentation. Elsewhere Ringo and Paul sing together on backing vocals (an interesting choice which I feel is long overdue on a Beatles track), and vocals from older Beatles tunes are 'flown in' to the mix so that John Paul and George can harmonize together again (this sounded like it was going to be cheap as hell until you hear it and then you understand why it's absolute genius).

Artwork: ⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️: It's bad. Look, I get what it's trying to do: it's supposed to be the outlines of the balconies as seen on the Red and Blue albums, but with the Beatles replaced by words. The font is a poor choice, it's dull. The colors are dull. The back cover should've been the front cover, and there's nary a Beatles logo on it. It's a fail in the artwork department (despite the artist being responsible for McCartney III, a truly inventive cover).

Promotion: ⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️: This was the single most disorganized campaign ever concocted by Apple Corps. We started out with rumor. Fine. Then Paul's old clip saying he was going to complete "Now and Then". Alright. Cool. Then Paul announces that AI helped make it smack dab in the middle of the summer news cycle where Actors in SAG were fearful of having AI copy their voices. Was this even the real John Lennon? What was going on? Paul was silent. Ringo too. Then Paul had to walk it back and explain. Then we had absolutely no time to prepare for its release. It was PLONK it's getting put out on this day. Deal with it. It was all very slapdash last second feeling and it isn't like Apple Corps to not really handle releases well with months of build up and promos. This was well...fairly ham fisted if I'm being honest. Paul's AI comment by the way really confused the older demographic who still contend that it's a computer singing John's part, not John. Also, it didn't help that the AI Beatles YouTube page went up shortly after Paul's AI announcement further muddying the waters.

Music Video: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️: Here's where Peter Jackson shined on this project. It took me five rewatches to appreciate the video. Seeing them all together on stage performing again was tear-inducing for sure. The music works well as a companion in the video for sure. John directing the orchestra with his silly affectations, and just the way in which they were all so neatly removed from old footage to appear alongside current Paul and Ringo was beautiful. And let's not forget that end: The Beatles take a bow and they disappear as the band's name goes opaque on the blocks behind them. Their career is officially over. All the songs have been sung. They might disappear, but the memories and their music will last forever. Genius ending.

Value for Money: ⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️: If this would've come out on Volume 3 of a newly minted and remastered Anthology, I don't think the public would have had an issue. But it didn't. It came out as a horribly expensive single, and will be included on the remastered Blue Album. Oddly the same album doesn't include Free as a Bird or Real Love, which further angers fans. It is a disaster in the same way the promotion for the record was a disaster.

B-Side: ⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️: They could have put nearly ANYTHING on the flip and chose their first single. Which OK. I get it. Bookends. Now and Then. Cute. But it's absolutely JARRING to go from modern recording techniques to 1962 recording techniques. It's a decent mix I suppose, but it just doesn't make sense and if you're wanting to make new Beatles fans, at least put something more contemporary like "Here Comes The Sun" on the obverse. Kids love that song. Look on Spotify. The sound of that song is early 60's. I don't see a lot of Gen Z'ers calling it a bop.

Verdict: ⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️: A good song, with a terrible promotion and single release coupled with a tearjerker of a video and a chance to hear our heroes one last time. Its positives outweigh its negatives for me, and after a few listens it's as much a Beatles tune as any other. Definitely worth listening to, and cherishing for years to come.

#the beatles #now and then #review #music review

[lenixsocial]

🤦🏻‍♂️🙄

Seriously? Like...it rests not on my head, but my EARS. Specifically the TIPS of my ears. If I fold my ears under the brim, it'll rest on my glasses.

The hat itself is festooned with heavy trinkets which weigh it down in strange ways. It's center of gravity is not where a hat's center of gravity should be and as a result it has an unfortunate tendency to slide around on one's skull in an uncomfortable manner.

Add to this the fact we live in a literal desert, with zero opportunity to wear formal attire which I can't even wear due to body habitus and would look a damn fool wearing a steampunk tophat with a muscle shirt, shorts, and Crocs.

It was designed as an art piece. You can wear it should you wish to, briefly as I have done. But it's in a place with other ephemera from my life (like Gail's bell and the Rookwood pot) and has significance to me, clearly.

I was never going to make it a daily wear item. I'd debated incorporating it into a halloween getup, but it truly is heavy and without extensive modification is painful more to my ears and nose than neck, but sure that too.

I also said I liked two painted ukuleles, a maori mask, and at least a couple bracelets and a ring. I express that I like something a lot. I'm used to not getting it. However, if someone gifts it to me, I'm not dismissive of it.

I may wear it on Halloween, but my first unencumbered reaction to this post was the immortal Bugs Bunny GIF:

A few months ago my mom bought my husband a steampunk style hat he saw at a craft fair. He thought it was cool looking but I don't recall him saying specifically he wanted it. She paid like $50 (maybe more...) for it. He hasn't worn it once. I honestly don't think it's supposed to be worn. Or if so very rarely. Legitimately think she thought it would be an everyday hat. It doesn't really fit him and hurts his neck. It's sitting nicely on display on a shelf. Couple days ago she was in our room and saw it and made a remark in her depressive woo is me tone she gets of something like "well that was a waste of money" pointing towards the hat. I was polite and told her no it wasn't. She replied with the fact he never wears it. Wasn't much I could do besides saying he will, while making a note to myself to tell him next time all 4 of us go to dinner suffer through it and wear it (or at least bring it). Without modifying or removing anything from it. It's frustrating when she does things like this, tries to be the hero and buys things or does things for us that she thinks we want and when are response is on the lower side of the scale she has I said gets depressive.

[lenixsocial]

[lenixsocial]

[lenixsocial]

Did you know? Such Republican values.

#ElonMusk