Use the Falchion

Praise and Worship songs. I've found that most Praise and Worship songs can become metal songs quick quickly with very little effort. I usually do so for humorous effect though, so this probably isn't what you're looking for.

Thanks! I take the recommendations I give seriously.

It was good! I can confirm that I did NOT use Arborio rice! I used short grain Japanese rice, since it's what my family cooks and has lying around. I'll definitely try with Arborio next time, and that along with the other tips, will hopefully work! (I'd probably freeze it again if I had time, but I started making the Rice Pudding late and it took a long time to just get it hard enough to form into balls.) Also, for my mom's birthday yesterday, we (me, representing my sister and I, mom, and dad) went to a steakhouse. For dessert, they served us a buttercake for dessert, and it was good. Like, so good I got legitimately mad. I want to make it. I want to perfect it. This is my new white whale...after the Dessert Arancini of course!

Sorry for Necro-ing a thread, but we've got some tangible updates for Songs of the Dead! Updated February 27, 2025: Now, to be fair, when Peter says "immanent," that can mean anything from a couple of weeks to 6-8 months. We were supposed to have more news about Book 1 LAST YEAR with Peter at the time saying "soon," and Brandon saying "near future." But we'd all rather have a good book than a rushed one. As you can see, it's looking like a 2026 release date, with Peter still working on revisions as of the 2024 State of the Sanderson. Still, with this much of a lead time, here's to hoping that Peter can start on Book 2 while we wait for Book 1 to come out. Overall, it's looking like we'll see 3 coauthored releases in 2026: 1. Skyward Legacy Book 1 (Blightfall?) 2. Songs of the Dead Book 1 3. Dark One Novelization - I'm putting this one here instead of Isaac Stewart's Mistborn book because Dan seems to be a lot farther along in the revision process, and I think both Dan and Brandon are eager to release it so that Dan can work on his Cosmere story.

Linkin Park's newest song (potentially a single, potentially something more?), "Up From the Bottom," has leaked! I haven't listened to it and I've done a decent job of avoiding spoilers, but those who have listened to it seem to enjoy it!

"Timeless" by The Weeknd & Playboi Carti "Lifted Me (Live) [feat. Ashlee Young & Sean Dodson]" by Anthem Night Music & BrvndonP "I Don't Write About Girls (feat. Ichika Nito)" and "Classical Dragon (feat. Tim Henson)" by Marcin

I'm trying NOT to play Unicorn Overlord, because there's not much I'd change about my playstyle or groups at this point, and it gives me Fire Emblem Genealogy of the Holy War vibes; I'm trying to wait until Genealogy's remake is announced to scratch that itch. (Although with the number of review and playthroughs I've been watching, there's a definite likelihood that I'll be tired of the remake before it's even announced...)

My friend and I finished Skeleton Crew and are now onto Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man! We really like it, two episodes in. I'm not sure if I want Nico and Peter to stay as friends or develop into something more, but I'm adoring what they got right now. I just want Peter to end up with someone that's NOT named Gwen or MJ for once...I'd take Silk! After we blitz through Spider-Man, we're going to watch Wheel of Time Season 3 until Andor comes out. (And we'll probably take a break in-between Andor to watch Visions or whatever the animated show for Star Wars Day will be.)

I haven't cooked a lot since my last post, but last night I tried out a recipe I've been thinking about for YEARS - Dessert Arancini. Basically, fried rice pudding. I made the rice pudding, smoked it with applewood for 6 minutes (3 on each side), chilled it in the freezer, coated it in crushed graham crackers, and fried it in duck fat. The flavors were all there and all amazing (although as time went on, the smoke flavor did become more pronounced) and I'd love to make this again...but the arancini shape didn't work. I kept needing to freeze the rice balls after coating them, and they'd fall apart when frying. If anyone has any tips on how to keep the structural integrity, they'd be greatly appreciated! Otherwise, next time, I'm just going to mix the duck fat and crushed graham crackers, sprinkle them over the top, and buy a torch to cook them. Like a rice pudding creme brulee. My next cooking adventure will probably be smoked mango served alongside blackened trout and some coconut risotto. (Bonus points if I can make duck earlier that week so I can make some duck stock and then use some of that duck stock in the risotto.) I'm not sure if I want to turn the mango into a salsa or anything, or just served it smoked.

I ended up reading most of All the Skills Book 5 on Royal Road. I usually try to save these books for their Amazon release date, so I can buy them there. (And ideally eat them with a bagel from Einsteins, and a cup of coffee.) But I was so bored on Tuesday that I just started...and I couldn't stop. And I had plans that evening to eat Korean BBQ & Shabu Shabu with a friend, so I couldn't even get a bagel like I usually would have! Alas, I'll have to wait for All the Skills 6 for that...so, probably 6-8 months from now? Or I could just build that ritual with a different book and series... ...I'm also doing the same for Unbound by Nicoli Gonnella. Don't get me wrong, in both cases, I DO have other books I could read, but I'm just not in the mood to read them yet. ...I also did the same for Warformed: Stormweaver, about a week or so, but with the free chapters on Patreon. When it comes to books and series I like, when I'm ready to read them, I have NO impulse control...

"No Longer You" from EPIC, but it's Dalinar visiting the Nightwatcher in Oathbringer. This one was surprisingly easy with minimal changes: "Underworld" from EPIC, but about two characters in WaT:

I GOT YOU. Below are albums, with the recommended number of albums and then the band and album itself, put together in a Fibonacci Sequence. (An old recommendation idea I had a while back.) If more than one album is mentioned, then it's being put in release order, not recommended listening order or anything like that. With the exceptions of Elle Varner and Linkin Park, I'm NOT including the entire discography of bands or artists. (Elle Varner only has two full albums, but she does have a few more singles. I've added Fort Minor's album and Mike Shinoda's solo album to Linkin Park's stuff, because I feel like they're important to LP's journey. It also helps them get to 13.) 1 - Mutemath (MuteMath - Alt Rock?) / MicroMecha (Time Flows Constantly - Jazz) / Dabin (Touch Single - Pop/Electronic/Almost Future Bass) / Red (Innocence & Instinct - Rock) 1 - VersaEmerge (Fixed At Zero - Pop Rock) / Aimer (Daydream - J-Pop) / Intervals (Memory Palace - Prog Rock) ; Against the Current (fever - pop rock) 2 - Elle Varner (Perfectly Imperfect, Ellevation - R&B) / Polyphia (New Levels, New Devils; Remember That You Will Die - Prog Rock) / Anly (Loop, Voltage EP - J-Pop) 3 - Hikaru Utada (Face My Fears EP (You can substitute Fantome as well, if desired), Hatsukoi, BAD MODE - J-Pop) / Coldrain (FINAL DESTINATION RE:RECORDED, Vena II, FATELESS - J-Rock) / Paramore (All We Know Is Falling, Riot!, After Laughter - Pop Rock) / Rise Against (Siren Song of the Counter Culture, The Sufferer & the Witness, Appeal to Reason - Rock) 5 - Band-Maid (Just Bring It, Conqueror, Unseen World, Unleash, Epic Narratives - J-Rock) / Bring Me the Horizon (That’s the Spirit, amo, Post-Human: Survival Horror, Post-Human: Next Gen - Rock) 8 - Nothing’s Carved In Stone (Echo, PARALLEL LIVES, Sands of Time, REVOLT, Strangers in Heaven, MAZE, Existence, Mirror Ocean - J-Rock) 13 - Linkin Park (Hybrid Theory, Reanimation, Meteora, Collision Course, Fort Minor: The Rising Tied, Minutes to Midnight, A Thousand Suns, LIVING THINGS, RECHARGED, The Hunting Party, One More Light, MIke Shinoda: Post-Traumatic, From Zero - Rock/Nu-Metal/Rock-Rap/Electronic) Special Honors go to Egoist (J-Pop) as I'd wholeheartedly recommend checking out their stuff, but they don't fit the pattern. Their EP Touzisya (the band's final release together) was actually my primary soundtrack to Yumi & the Nightmare Painter, right next to "Self Love" by Coi Leray and "Calling" by Swae Lee. We also have some singles or mixes, a fandom, and some weird YouTube Dank Meme stuff that I'd actually really recommend for the creativity. Singles: "Breathe" by Maxx Baer "Hold Fast" by San Holo "Porta Vista" by Hyper Potions "Roses" by Deon Custom "Vhs" by graves & Jupe "Numb & Getting Colder" by Flume "Simple and Clearn" and "Passion" by Mree "FOOL'S GOLD," "SNAKE EYES," and "BAD NEWS" by Aries "Cold Case" by Elle Varner "Inferno" by Abir "Finest Hour" by Cash Cash & Abir "Fine" and "Already Over" by Mike Shinoda "can u see me in the dark?" by Halestorm & I Prevail "Extraordinare" by Jidenna "trust issues," 'just love," and "you know me" by Lubalin (Also his Internet Drama Turned Into Songs stuff is HILARIOUS) "Shockwave," and "Vibr8" by Marshmello ("Shockwave" always reminds me of Persona 5) "No Limit" and "Climax" by Usher "Imposter Syndrome" by Lew Sid "Adonis," "Blood Moon," "ceasefire," "Stain," "reincarnated," "blazing," "sanctuary," and "standing" by STIM (oftentimes featuring RJ Pasin or Ptasinski) xKito's 2015 Future Bass Mix (there's a remix of "Breathe" by Maxx Baer on it, and it nearly brings me to tears due to nostalgia every single time I listen to it. A majority of the album does, to be honest) Dank YouTube Meme Stuff: As mentioned above, Lubalin's Internet Drama Turned Into Songs is HILARIOUS Glorb's Spongebob rap stuff is also hilarious. The Bottom 2 is phenomenal, and I think I actually like The Bottom 3 even better Brandon Scott Jamar has some really creative stuff. Look up Don't Save Her Mario, and then look up the Trailer Park Universe stuff. The sheer amount of work and creativity involved blows me away each time. Fandom: EPIC: The Musical

@Slowswift Witch Watch is really fun, but it's definitely a lighter, slower Slice-of-Life story. There will be entire chapters dedicated to an in-world manga and story that some of the characters have written and may or may not be loosely based on the main characters' lives. (I honestly can't remember this fact, since I tend to skim those chapters.) The characters DO develop, but it's very, VERY slow, over the course of dozens of chapters and arcs. Most of the manga IS hijinks, with puns and whatnot built in-between, and then some nice action arcs every now and then to break up the monotony and introduce some new cool characters. Last week's chapter (Chapter 191) was about an elementary school some of the younger cast members go to, putting on their school play - Momotaro. (This is nostalgic for me for various reasons, ironically enough.) The Director, however, couldn't find a way to choose one or two roles, and ended up giving each student the role they wanted. This in turn created an incredibly absurd but still fun comic with light jabs at how parents all want THEIR kid to be the star, how modern perspectives mean that stories may need to be revised, and just the overall absurd nature of the comic. If you're not afraid of spoilers, that's definitely one of the standalone issues I'd recommend trying out. Meanwhile, week's chapter, 192, is starting off a character development arc, addressing their flaws and their love life all in one. Overall, I find Witch Watch to be a good balance to when other series focus on the action or I just want something a little lighter. (...and Spy x Family is either focused on the geopolitical arcs and darkness, or when it's on a break.)

Favorite: Rurouni Kenshin. It was the first real manga I got into, and I find the original run to be long enough to feel like you've gone on a journey, but not so long that you've overstayed your welcome. Its themes feel solid and well-explored, and the characters are charming and memorable. The original anime run was a favorite back in the day, and the live action movies are some of the best manga/anime-to-live-action I've ever seen. The creator right now is controversial at best due to some...stuff...and the Hokkaido Arc is mediocre at best, but the original run is still one of the best shonen manga runs of all time, IMO. Currently Reading: Sakamoto Days, One Piece, Spy x Family, Witch Watch, Shinobi Undercover, Ichi the Witch, Syd Craft: Love Is a Mystery, Kaiju No. 8, and One Punch Man Ones I drop in-and-out of: Kill Blue, Akane-Banashi, Interesting Recs: Sweetness & Lightning and Silver Spoon. Sweetness & Lightning is a lighter manga about a widower learning how to cook for his daughter via one of his students. (He's a high school teacher. NOTHING UNTOWARD OR ILLEGAL HAPPENS, AND THE MANGA REALLY ONLY HINTS THAT THE CRUSH IS ONE-SIDED.) Silver Spoon is a manga about a young man who ends up in an agricultural school in Hokkaido IIRC, and it's by the same mangaka as Full Metal Alchemist! EDIT: Psyren was also pretty fun for a while. However, it really fell off in the final 2/5 or so of the story. They dropped a LOT of characters who were supposed to be the main cast, and the powers got too unwieldy for the plot to handle. Blazer Drive and/or O-Parts Hunter (aka 666 Satan...*shudders*) were written and drawn by Seishi Kishimoto, the younger twin brother of Masashi Kishimoto aka the mangaka behind Naruto. The similarities between O-Parts Hunter and Blazer Drive, and Naruto, are INSANE. It's an interesting experience. EDIT 2: Since we're on the "mid-2000s Shonen" train, if you've never read Zatch Bell in its entirety, or Rave Master, I also highly recommend those.

Hmm...I'd probably go with the books that stuck out the most to me, along with a few classics and modern stuff. 1. A Tale of Two Cities 2. Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's/Philosopher's Stone 3. 1984 or Brave New World 4. The Odyssey Other books I'd probably add: Frankenstein Pride & Prejudice (once I actually read it myself lol) Maybe some Sherlock Holmes For Sanderson, I'd add either The Emperor's Soul or Mistborn. I personally think Graphic Novels can count as literature and should be welcomed in a literature class where they fit. But I don't have any that I'd include that'd be original, at least not at this time. Maybe Marvel's version of The Wizard of Oz? I have zero plans of ever watching the original movie, so maybe the graphic novel could cover similar material in a way that I myself can enjoy as well. Then maybe add in Marvel's version of The Odyssey, for those sweet, sweet compare/contrast papers. (And EPIC: The Musical. And Christopher Nolan's next movie.)

Of course! Their AMVs were awesome also! Red's album "Innocence & Instinct" is one of my all-time favorite albums ever. (The bookends of "The Fight Inside" and "Everything and Nothing" being the same vocals and chords, but just played at different tempos with a different atmosphere REALLY gets my goat. LP does a similar thing with A Thousand Suns.) "The Evening Hate," is one of my go-to reading songs, and is my overall theme for Odium in Stormlight Archive. "Breathe Into Me" and "Already Over" were favorites growing up, but I also weirdly associate them with the few Smallville AMVs (well, not AMVs, but you get the point) I watched. Yellowcard, specifically "Fighting" (one of my favorite songs ever) was also used in a Smallville AMV...good times... Did you ever listen to Yellowcard or Dashboard Confessional? As for Skillet, I'm a fan of their (most popular) songs up until "Rise" and "Not Gonna Die," so early-to-mid 2010s I think? I haven't really listened to much of them since, and I haven't been the biggest fan of what I've heard. And we can't forget Three Days Grace! No joke, I saw an AMAZING Avatar: The Last Airbender AMV with "Animal I Have Become" way back in the day. Since we're in the genre era, should we bring up Flyleaf's "I'm So Sick," and "All Around Me," and the general awesomeness that was Paramore at the time? (Although Hard Times is a phenomenal album, and was my other anthem to my darkest time, right along with Mike Shinoda's Post Traumatic.) You're in for a treat! I feel like a lot of fans feel like Linkin Park's signature style is what the first two albums sound like. They're right, but to me, they're missing the bigger picture. To me, the sound of Linkin Park isn't just Nu-Metal or Rock/Rap, but the ability and willingness to change, to reinvent themselves every couple of albums while still keeping their core. They never stuck with what they knew for the sake of it. They were willing to grow up, if that makes sense. Bringing back Paramore, they feel similar, at least when comparing After Laughter to their first two albums. In All We Know Is Falling, it's very much about a youth feeling pressures in a young (nostalgic, mid-2000s) relationship. They feel like the ending of this (these) relationship(s) could lead to the end of the world IMO. In Riot!!!, the band has recovered and is ready to take on the world. But by After Laughter, it's clear that the band has grown up. They've loved, lost, broken, regretted, and rebuilt. This reflects even in their style, leaning away from a punk-pop rock aesthetic to lean more into a funkier pop sound. Not quite disco or techno, but definitely vibes of 1970s and 80s are included, probably to harken back to said nostalgia of "brighter times," that the album uses to contrast the difficulty of moving forward. Returning to Linkin Park and newer albums, you'll find LP doing something similar, although mostly on an external and existential level rather than a relational one, at least until One More Light - and that album is WEIRD by nearly every LP standard. Overall, I think you'll gain an even deeper appreciation for Linkin Park after listening to their later stuff and hopefully find a few new favorites to memorize along the way.

Linkin Park! My favorite band of all time! I know I discovered Linkin Park through a family member who gave me a CD of Hybrid Theory, but I can't remember if it was my cousin on my Dad's side or my aunt on my Mom's side. Either way, it was a gift that I've treasured and never looked back after discovering. I think it was around 2004/2005, right around when I was discovering my own personal music tastes outside of my mom's or whatever was on Radio Disney back in the day. (Other bands and albums enjoyed at the time included: Toby Mac, Reliant K, and Switchfoot's "The Beautiful Letdown.") It was early enough for me to find a CD of Reanimation in a music store in Hawaii of all places, but not so late as having Minutes to Midnight around the corner. And while I got into the band, I do have to look back and be thankful that my parents handled the pre-teen angst that Linkin Park kickstarted as well as they did! Fun fact, I wrote an entire paper on A Thousand Suns in college. It wasn't good, but it was fun! As for favorite songs, It's easier to go by album than it is to name just one song lol! (And yes, I'm going to count Fort Minor's The Rising Tied and Mike's solo album Post-Traumatic as LP albums.) Hybrid Theory - "Cure for the Itch/Pushing Me Away" were my favorites as a kid, and I think they still hold a special place in my heart. Reanimation - "Wth>You" is easily my favorite by a country mile, but I also adore "Frgt/10" and "P5hng Me A*wy" (This one is my second favorite easily). Mike's verse on "Enth E End" is way too underrated. Meteora - "Faint", easily. But "Somewhere I Belong" and "Breaking the Habit" are up there. "Breaking the Habit" was one of my favorites as a kid. Thanks, early-to-mid-2000s Naruto AMVs on YouTube!* The Rising Tied - "Petrified" as a kid alongside "Believe Me," (once again, thanks early-to-mid-2000s Naruto AMVs on YouTube!), but once I got a little older - and a LOT more angsty - I preferred "Red to Black," "Feel Like Home," "Right Now," and "High Road." I can't listen to "Feel Like Home" right now, as it hits too close to home, but I love it all the same. I've always been pretty ambivalent towards "Remember the Name" and never really cared for "Where'd You Go." Minutes to Midnight - This album is hard for me to quantify. I liked it as a kid, but I didn't get it. But the older I get, the more I understand it, and it ages like a fine wine. As for favorites, I always adored "In Between," "In Pieces," and "No More Sorrow." "Bleed It Out" was always fun to play with friends though. AND THEN I discovered "No Roads Left" (Let's say it together now - thanks early-to-mid-2000s Naruto AMVs!) and "Across the Line," and those became my favorites bar none. Also, this album was my anthem when I really started to get into comics (Ultimate Spider-Man and Young Avengers FTW!), so when I listen to it, I almost always think of New Mutants comic run (Post-House of M, when Surge and X-23 are part of the roster) and Young Avengers. (Runaways gets "I Will Possess Your Heart" by Death Cab For Cutie.) A Thousand Suns - The whole album is my favorite. I didn't fully get it either until about 2011/2012, but when I got it, I GOT IT. The first time I visited Hiroshima, this album haunted me the entire trip, from entering the city and throughout the Atomic Museum. When I returned to my hotel, the first thing I did was put this album on and listen to it in its entirety. Ever since then, whenever I visit Hiroshima (a trip I call a pilgrimage), I listen from "The Requiem" through "Burning In the Skies" as I approach the Atomic Dome and Museum. If I have to pick one song, it'd be "Blackbirds," because it's severely underrated. Either that, or "Wretches and Kings." (My theme song for Young Dalinar.) LIVING THINGS - "LOST IN THE ECHO" is my favorite Linkin Park song of all time. (...maybe Faint's YouTube remix ties it, but that's it!) "LIES GREED MISERY" and "POWERLESS" are pretty great too though. Also, "LOST IN THE ECHO," is my "MCU movie ending credits" song for Rhythm of War in my head. RECHARGED - "A LIGHT THAT NEVER COMES" is fun, and I think "LOST IN THE ECHO" (Killsonik Remix) and "LIES GREED MISERY" (Dirtyphonics Remix) are solid songs too. The Hunting Party - "Mark the Graves" is one of my favorite Linkin Park songs ever, and "A Line In the Sand" is probably one of their best songs IMO. "A Line In the Sand" is also the "standard anime ending credits" song for Rhythm of War in my head. One More Light - "Sorry For Now" and "Sharp Edges" are great songs, and if it was by anyone else, they'd be so much more respected. (Tell me that "Sharp Edges" wouldn't have won a grammy if it was Taylor Swift singing it.) "Battle Symphony" is sometimes still my go-to "you can get through this" song. Post Traumatic - This album hit me at the hardest time in my life, and so I resonate with this album on a lot of levels. So I have several favorites: "Place to Start," "Watching As I Fall," "About You," "Promises I Can't Keep," "Lift Off," "Running From My Shadow," "Can't Hear You Now," "Prove You Wrong," and "What the Words Meant." "Can't Hear You Now," really feels like the chorus was written from Chester's POV to Mike, after his passing. From Zero - So many of these songs are so good! And several made it on my Cradle (by Will Wight!) playlist**, so I love a lot of them. But my favorites are easily "Good Things Go," "Overflow," "Two Faced" and "The Emptiness Machine." "Heavy Is the Crown" fluctuates sometimes, and "Stained" has REALLY grown on me. Much like how "LOST IN THE ECHO" was the "MCU ending credits" song for Rhythm of War, "Good Things Go" is the "MCU ending credits" song for Wind and Truth. LPU and other Unlisted Albums - "Dedicated" is one of my favorite LP songs of all time, and "QWERTY" is a lot of fun. "Part of Me" was an experience to listen through to get to the hidden instrumental those first few times... *Some of my favorite songs ever, and some just for a time, came from those AMVs! Sum 41's "The Hell Song," Breaking Benjamin's "Polyamorous," Bond's "Explosive," and so many more...man, good times... ** "Heavy Is the Crown" for Uncrowned, "Two Faced" for Bloodline, "Overflow" for Dreadgod, and "The Emptiness Machine" for Waybound.

Playing some Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes as a way to bide time until the hopefully rumored February Nintendo Direct is revealed, and with it hopefully a new Fire Emblem game! I'm not starting up a new playthrough, but I've been trying to get F!Byleth to teach Mercedes Aura, and to get Hapi to teach Sylvain Hades Omega, because she can. Consequentially, it now makes me ship F!Byleth/Mercedes/Dimitri and Hapi/Sylvain for Three Hopes. (For Hapi/Sylvain, I can see Sylvain being more drawn to Hapi's curse and the magic behind it than to flirting, and the two share a genuine bond, because Sylvain is actually being mature and Hapi is being treated with respect and not with fear.)

Skeleton Crew with my friend - I'm enjoying it a lot so far! It gives me Goonies/Home Alone/Stranger Things vibes, but without the horror elements so far. (I refuse to mention E.T. here because I hate E.T. It was my least favorite movie until I saw the live action Avatar: The Last Airbender movie.) My friend unfortunately doesn't really like the cast. Partially because he's in the mood for grimdark because he's been reading Berserk, partially because he's annoyed with kids being kids. (We're both teachers, so it's incredibly understandable.) High Potential with my mom - If you want a nice "Consulting Detective" show and you've watched everything three times over, give this one a try! It's shiny and a little too clean, but the imagination spots are pretty fun, and the cast is likeable. On YouTube, I've been watching so many Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War LPs and LTC (Low-Turn Count) runs that there's a chance I'll be burnt out on the game before the remake is even announced! (And I do believe it WILL be announced.)

Samurai Warriors 4 Empires, just for a quick campaign back in the world. I'll unify Japan under Oda Nobunaga (and my custom characters), and hopefully finish Final Fantasy 16 and Metaphor Re:Fantazio during Spring Break, just in time for Xenoblade Chronicles X to come out that Friday... So far, my gaming calendar for the year looks like: January - Dynasty Warriors: Origins (I actually haven't bought this yet, and probably won't until Feb/March) March - Xenoblade Chronicles X May - Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma June/July - Fire Emblem Genealogy Remake (this is unannounced, but I think the summer is the likely place for it, especially if it's announced in February) No Release Date - Dark Deity 2, Marvel's 1943: Rise of Hydra, Pokemon Legends Z-A All of these games, especially Fire Emblem if we're lucky, will keep me busy all this year and well into 2026.

I've been subsribed to TDP's subreddit since before the show aired, but I haven't watched a single thing since Season 3. All of that said, I'm not going to lie, the implosion of the fandom since Season 7 has come out has been HILARIOUS to see. It's not good, and I'd 100% prefer the show have ended on a far better note, both narratively and fandom-wise, but it's amusing. It's like watching a train-wreck in slow motion.

Sit-Com and Cradle Characters from when this prompt was asked years ago, and from Reddit a few months ago: Brooklyn 99 - Captain Raymond Holt - Skybreaker. Terry Jeffords - Bondsmith - He's the glue that keeps the 99 together. Jake Peralta - Windrunner. Because he's surrounded by Skybreakers in a Skybreaker system, he seems a lot more like a Skybreaker than he actually is. (He cares about protecting people, being a real life hero, and doing the right thing than following the rules.) Amy Santiago - Skybreaker Charles Boyle - Skybreaker(?). Charles would definitely be Jake's Squire, but I think at his heart he's a Skybreaker. He likes law and order and is good at figuring out who is guilty and innocent without having his feelings cloud his judgement...too much. He's a great detective, which makes him a Skybreaker. Rosa Diaz - Lightweaver (that wants you to think she's a Dustbringer). Rosa is a woman who's wrapped herself in lies and half-truths, rarely letting anyone in. She's artsy, creative, and good quite good at espionage...so long as it doesn't involve small-talk. Her truths would be very personal, and very emotional. Hitchcock and Scully - Edgedancers Gina Linetti - Elsecaller How I Met Your Mother - Lily and Marshall are Edgedancers. Lily wants to be a lightweaver, but as much as her heart yearns for art, she's too self-realized to fully go there, and she knows it. Lily cares about her friends and those who might be hurt. Besides, her Aldrin Justice is EXACTLY what Lift would do. Barney Stinson is a Lightweaver. Barney's words, while sometimes harmful, have the most profound impact on his friends' lives when done well. He brings out the best in his friends (at times) and inspires others to believe in them as well. His arc is also about digging deep within himself and finding out who he is, what he really stands for, and what life means to him. Robin Sparkles is a Dustbringer. Competitive, controlled, and quite scary, Robin is easily the most terrifying person on the show (outside of Lily). She's also the most misunderstood internally. Ted Mosby...I actually don't want to give him an Order. He feels like he'd be perpetually a Squire to me. Parks & Rec - Leslie Knope - The heart of an Edgedancer, the tenacity of a Stoneward, the leadership of a Windrunner, and the ability to unite of a Bondsmith. She understands the law like a Skybreaker, reaches for the potential of herself and others like an Eslecaller and a Willshaper, and she is as creative as any Lightweaver. Leslie Knope is probably the closest character in fiction to the Almighty. However, I'll say that she's a Stoneward and Bondsmith combo. Ann Perkins - Edgedancer or Truthwatcher. Ann cares for people often forgotten about (partially because it makes her feel powerful), but she's also always there to listen to those who'd rather not be heard...and give them the truth they need to hear. Ron Swanson - HARDCORE Willshaper, with a hidden Stoneward. Ron is always there when you need him, but he's not always the most...open about being there. Tom Hatherford - Elsecaller. One would think Willshaper, but Tom's goals are clearly about being his best self. His trials and lessons throughout the show reflect that. Donna Meagle - I think I had her as a Willshaper as well. Donna has the attitude and wisdom of an Elsecaller, but she isn't concerned about reaching her peak - she's already there and she knows it. Now it's all about self-expression and whatnot. Maybe that makes her a Level 5 Elsecaller? April Ludgate - Edgedancer Andy Dwyer - Edgedancer Ben Wyatt - Skybreaker Chris Traeger - Elsecaller/Dustbringer combo. I think Chris is naturally a high-level Elsecaller, but his trials in later seasons force him to become a Dustbringer. Jerry Gergich - Stoneward. I don't know Craig enough to place him just yet, but I have a feeling he'll be a Dustbringer. Mark is also hard to place, but my instincts say to place him as a Lightweaver. Community - Jeff Winger - Lightweaver and Bondsmith. Jeff is a man made up of lies and facades, but he's undoubtedly the leader of the Study Group. He cares, and he cares deeply, but he's not always able to voice that care well or in a selfless way. Jeff finally coming to terms with himself, his feelings, and his life is a main arc. Troy Barnes - Windrunner (and Bondsmith?). Troy is the heart of the show, and he's one of the more altruistic members. A dumb jock with a heart of solid gold, but one who is always looking out for his friends. Abed Nadir - Truthwatcher/Dustbringer combo. Abed is all about the meta-nature of the show and Greendale, and struggles to connect to most humans outside of a screen. But he has a great heart and tries to apply what he knows to help people. Britta Perry - Willshaper, easily. Britta would probably rather be an Edgedancer, but she Britta'd that and became a Willshaper instead. Annie Edison - Bondsmith/Elsecaller combo. Jeff might be the leader, and Troy the heart, but Annie is the soul. She's innocent, community(heh)-oriented, and VERY driven. Annie is idealistic yet VERY conniving at times, so don't turn your back on her for too long. She'll take you down (in the name of the Study Group...and her GPA.) Shirley Bennet - Lightweaver/Elsecaller combo. Shirley would LOVE to be a Bondsmith, but alas, that's not what the Almighty called her to be. Shirley is a person who believes in the best in a person, but can and will easily manipulate people for her greater good. She likes control and refuses to let it go. But Shirley can be quite artistic and is always thinking of her friends...except when it comes to her GPA... Pierce Hawthorn - ??? Probably an Elsecaller, but I also just want to call him a Voidbringer... Dean - Lightweaver? Fire Emblem: Three Houses (This is based off of a comment from Reddit) Ferdinant & Lorenz - Skybreakers. Their whole thing is about how the nobility should be, and their own internal codes would be their law. They'd struggle finding someone else's law to follow, but I'm sure there's some old code of conduct they'd agree with. Petra - Willshaper. Her arc is about freeing Brigid, and that's her internal drive. Felix - Elsecaller or Windrunner. Felix is a complex character. On certain paths, like Crimson Flower and Verdant Wind, his motivation is simply to live life his own way and get stronger. His goal is power and mastery, as befits a Elsecaller. However, these routes don't end with Felix at his best, emotionally or mortally. Instead, Azure Moon (and Azure Gleam from Three Hopes) show Felix as one who looks out for others, even if he is brash about it. He's not always there, because he's not a retainer, but when he is there, he's THERE. Sylvain - Willshaper. His arc, especially in Three Hopes, is about creating a world where people don't need Crests. Ingrid - Skybreaker. She wants to be the ideal knight, but she's too order-prone to be a Windrunner IMO. Annette - Edgedancer. Ashe - Windrunner. Given his background and circumstances, I think he's more able to become a Windrunner than a Skybreaker. That being said, I could easily see him as a Skybreaker also...hmm... Hilda - Too lazy to be a Radiant, but if she was one, I think Lightweaver would fit her. It'd allow her to get off the battlefield, and she'd have some nice internal truths to confess to. She's also very artsy and manipulative! One could argue that Byleth is actually the Bondsmith of the game (with their own little Godspren too!) while the House Leaders are simply the heads of their respective orders. Willshaper for Edelgard, Windrunner for Dimitri, and Truthwatcher for Claude. Cradle - Lindon and Yerin are Elsecallers, because their entire purpose is about getting stronger. Mercy is a Lightweaver or an Edgedancer, although I'm leaning towards the former. Eithan...well, Eithan would probably want to be a Willshaper.

It's late, but here are my top songs and albums from 2024! All of the things below outside of the Retro category were FIRST LISTENED TO IN 2024. Artists of the Year Jorge Rivera-Herrans RJ Pasin (and Ptasinski) STIM (thanks to RJ Pasin) These artists have added so many songs to my playlists and contributing so much to what I’ve listened to this year in a way that’s hard to overstate. Album of the Year - From Zero by Linkin Park. I thought Linkin Park died in 2017 with Chester, but to see them return and to return so STRONG was something I could have never imagined. My favorite band is back with one of their best albums ever. Favorite Songs - Honestly, it'd be easier to list the songs that I DON'T jam with as much. And even those I still listen to nearly every listen through. So to keep it varied, I'll say this: The best song of the album is "Good Things Go," but it's also a song that you have to earn, if that makes sense. Listen to the album, and you'll understand. Standout song is "Overflow." I didn't understand it the first listen-to, but that's not an uncommon feeling for Linkin Park and me. After about 2-3 listens, it's now one of my favorite songs on the album. Just Now Growing On Me song is "Stained," It'd probably tie "Casualty" for my least favorite song on the album, but it's really, really grown on me! Second Place Albums: NeXGEn by Bring Me the Horizon - Grunge meets anime-inspired music at times. A follow-up to Survival Horror, but I’m not entirely sure I like it more or less than the 2020 album. Still, I've come to love the album and listen to it with a variety of books. Favorite Songs - A bullet w- my namE On [ost] (spi)ritual R.i.p. (duskCOre Remix) AmEN! Memory Palace by Intervals - Anime Prog Rock. I’ve listened to this far too much to not tie for second place. Favorite Songs - Neurogenesis Galaxy Brain (feat. J3PO) Nootropic Circuit Bender Honorable Mentions And Other Favorites: Time Flows Constantly by MICROMECHA - Gotta love some anime jazz! Favorite Songs - Sands of Time Epic Narratives by Band-Maid - I don’t love it as much as CONQUERER, but I do love it. It’s varied and definitely in the “hard rock” side of things for the band. Technically, it feels perfect, but that’s par for the course for these girls! (The songs have grown on me though!) Some may be surprised to note that, for all my talk of Band-Maid, it’s my SECOND-FAVORITE J-Rock group. My favorite band is a group called Nothing’s Carved In Stone, and I adore them. Favorite Songs - Protect You Forbidden Tale Brightest Star Toi et Moi Isekai by Rj Pasin- A solid mix of Futurebass-esque pop (think Hyper Potions) and anime-guitar, and you've got quite the eclectic album! Yes, I bought the album because it had two songs named Fire Emblem. No, this was not the first song I heard of by Rj Pasin. Favorite Songs - Kawaii Desu Ne Fire Emblem & Fire Emblem 2.0 Heroes & Heroes 2.0 Final Battle VOLTAGE EP by Anly - Anly is an artist whom I like listening to, but do so in bursts and don't give enough credit to once I do listen to her. She did "Karano Kokoro" aka the final opening song for Naruto Shippuden and Naruto as a whole, and it's awesome. This EP actually comes with a remix of that, and it's probably my favorite remix since Egoist's EP Touzisya from last year. Top Songs - VOLTAGE Karano Kokoro (Matt Cab & MATZ Remix) Top Video Game Soundtrack - Final Fantasy 16 Soundtrack Top Retro Buys: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 by Hans Zimmer “Cold Case” by Elle Varner “Distance (M-flo Remix)” by Hikaru Utada “Thistle & Weeds” by Mumford & Sons Bob Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray by B.o.B Transformers (Soundtrack form the Motion Picture) by Various Artists Top Singles: “Soft Lite” by Afro Lofi - LoFi My favorite Afro-Lofi song so far. “SDP Interlude” (Extended) by Travis Scott - Rap/Vibe - Heard it in Early Jan with a SpiderVerse AMV, and it’s stuck ever since. “Consider” by Rj Pasin - Metal/Epic (My Batman Beyond idea theme) “Tiny Riot” Sam Ryder - Pop - Mostly because of the live version “New House” by Toro y Moi - Rap/Vibe - Heard it in The Brothers Sun “End Transmission” by Fire From the Gods - Rock “Friendly Fire” by Linkin Park - Rock Pop “Prince of Egypt” by Mofe - Rap/Vibe “Kerosene” by Crystal Castles - Electronic “Lush” by Viberman - LoFi - It gives Adult Swim and Afro Lofi vibes in the best of ways. “Father Stretch” by Sunday Service Choir “Appetite,” “Standing,” “Adonis,” “Blood Moon,” “Peace,” “Kryptonite,” “Ghost,” “Daylight,” “Stain,” “Ceasefire,” "Martyr," and “Fury,” by STIM - Very similar to Brakence, but with RJ Pasin’s epic guitar riffs in the background instead of Otis Wyatt’s Prog Rock Emo Anime riffs. “The Emptiness Machine” by Linkin Park “Stadium Scam” and “Twenty Ten” by Dylan Sitts - Instrumental trap beats that vibe.

If we don't get to see Bondsmith-Herald-Fifth Ideal Windrunner Kaladin team up with a sane and Honorblade-wielding Taln in the back half, I'm going to RIOT.

I think what we see of her reactions at the end disproves that point. Yes, Cultivation's all about change, but she also wanted to change Odium and what his ultimate goal was. She didn't expect Taravangian to become Retribution, or for Dalinar to give up Honor. As for creating Lift, I do think she planned for the Stormfather's death, but given that she has the whole "I just plant seeds and see where things go" mentality, it's probably more of "Hmm, let's create this interesting Radiant in the event things go wrong," rather than any super-complex plan.