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dykedykegooses · 6 years

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i'm askin u every single even numbered question for the lesbian ask game

at least you didnt bother with the algebra this time, for which i am thankful

Femme or butch?

i’m more femme but i try to act butch sometimes and i just end up failing hopelessly. ‘look mom i know how to put air in a tire!!’ ‘peyton thats like… not even right’ or ‘oh SHIT look at that blitz!! that was cool’ ‘peyton that was a sack’ ‘oh’

Do you have a “type”? If so, describe it

not really, mostly just like… humor. if u funny we click

Plaid button-ups or leather jackets?

why not both?

no but seriously plaid tbh

Describe your style

um yes

converse, (ripped? sometimes) jeans, and whatever top i feel is appropriate for the Big Aesthetic today

Describe your aesthetic

yes

ive tried going more punk but its just kinda , not worked

my physical aesthetic is very adultolescent. i got chub and look like a freshman but ive been told i pass as a college senior so like

my Big Mood aesthetic is yes

Favorite article of clothing?

either my converse or my “”combat boots”” (theyre not and it makes me sound like an edgelord just saying that) (can you tell im gay)

OH WAIT I FORGOT ABOUT MY JEAN JACKET its like baggy and light and ive started sewing patches from my favorite bands on it (super punk right)

Favorite pair of shoes?

^^^

oh my black strappy heels, theyre surprisingly comfortable

Current haircut?

ive got a bleached bob rn

Any haircut goals for the future?

i kinda want a pixie cut bc i cant handle long hair however long hair is so PRETTY and wow

Describe the best date you’ve been on

iiiiiiiiii dont really know. ive been on very few. i have a Perfect Date in mind, and i guess my favorite was my first date with my ex. we had gotten back from a successful science competition (HAVE I MADE IT OBVIOUS IM A NERD YET IM A BIG OL NERD) and it was like midnight by the time we got back and we were both starving so we went to taco bell and just sat there talking and laughing and i know we were pissing off the staff, but we stayed til like two in the morning and we went home and honestly we both considered it a date but we didnt like… tell each other it was a date? if that makes sense? idk honestly im triggered

Describe the worst date you’ve been on

ugh oh god i went on a tinder date and this girl like in the DMs was like ‘hey do u smoke weed’ and im like ‘lol no’ and then like we made plans to meet up at a coffee shop and she asks me AGAIN if i smoke weed and im like……………. no and shes like ‘oh right lol’ well THIS BITCH sleeps through the time we were supposed to meet, completely stands me up, and then texts me back like an hour later and was like ‘omg im sorry i overslept!!!’ and it was like….. noon but ok so we meet up after my class and we just sit there really awkwardly trying to make conversation and she asks me AGAIN if i smoke weed im like ‘honey no i dont’ and we just talked about drugs for a while and when i left because i had to gtfo she like gave me an awkward hug and like i sent a text later that night bc im courteous and im like ‘hey i had a great time today’ (i didnt) ‘lmk if you ever want to meet up again!!’ and she just. ignored me lol.

Single? Taken?

im currently in a polyamorous relationship with myself and my anxiety

If taken, talk about your girlfriend/wife!

If single, what are you looking for in a potential girlfriend/wife?

someone who’s able to make me laugh and deal with my bad ideas and will let me cook for her and wants to travel the world with me

Describe your dream wedding

its small. outside. maybe in a field or in front of a lake. i dont personally want a big ballgown, just a short white dress will do. lavenders everywhere. R A I N B O W C A K E. reception where we slow dance to all the sappy romance songs. its great.

Do you want kids?

not really, but ive considered being a foster parent. i feel like im here to do good; i don’t want to have my own biological children, and im not sure i want to have the permanent responsibility of adopting a kid, but i feel i could handle fostering once we’re financially stable and have the room to accept children into our home.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?

spain, definitely. somewhere in the north. i want to have a small farm with goats and chickens and vegetables and i want to be away from this american mess.

Favorite lesbian movie?

well ysee…………. the only two explicitly lesbian movies ive seen have been ‘all about E’ and ‘blue is the warmest color’ and i didnt like either of the lmfaoooo i prefer watching lesbian television shows tbqh (or, most commonly, just rewriting all the female characters in my head to be sapphic sooooooo dont @ me)

Favorite lesbian novel/story?

i mean same as above, i dont read as much as i like to. however, i did read “georgia peaches and other forbidden fruit” and that was Really Good and i did read another that was slightly better, but i forget the name but it was about a pakistani (?) girl who was struggling to come out to her parents bc they were very traditionalist but she joins the theater and her like really elite school and the girl she had a crush on basically outs her and is a bitch about it and GOD i wish i could remember it because it was really good

Favorite lesbian song?

ummmmmmmmmmmm i just recently listened to ‘honey’ by kehlani and that was pretty good and pretty gay, but my personal favorite is ‘girls’ by beatrice eli bc holy shit what a Mood

Favorite lesbian musician?

i love mary lambert and beatrice eli.

What lesbian stereotypes do you fit into, if any?

ummmmm now that im thinking of them i cant think of any. i used to play softball and soccer? i love cats. i immediately start planning out the next five years of our lives together anytime im remotely interested in a girl?

Ever been assumed to be nothing more than a gal pal?

i mean………………. no

If a woman wanted to woo you, what would a surefire way to accomplish that?

well bake cookies w me and lets go for a walk & go out and watch the stars at night in the bed of a truck

Be positive! What do you like most about being a lesbian?

I LOVE LOVING GIRLS!!!!!! I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT BEING A LESBIAN!!!!!! GIRLS ARE FANTASTIC!!!!!!!! WHAT THE FUCK!!!!!!!!!

Are you more of a cat person or a dog person?

why not both

idk ive never had a cat but i know i lov them

Turn ons?

i.......... dont know

yes

im gay

Turn offs?

long nails youch theyre pretty to look at but i mean at what price

not having anything to talk about

putting yourself down like a lot (i went on a date w this one girl and that was all she did like the entire date like......... im sorry ? :(???)

Do you usually ask other women out or do you wait for them to ask you?

if im being honest i would love for someone to ask me out but since that is Very Unlikely, i tend to be the one to message first and initiate dates and stuff

What is your dream career?

i want to be a psychological researcher in the field of social comparative psychology how sick is that!!!!! just play with dogs all day and record whether or not they boop their noses on a screen

also i wanna be a farmer and a bookstore owner but thats Farther down the line like , when im 50

Talk about your interests or hobbies!

im honestly such a psych nerd i love psychology what the fuck!! its so interesting like ppl are weird man idk brains are weird

im also having a really big green day phase like billie .. he so smol... and also anyone who wants to bash warning or the trilogy can fight me ok those are like My Favorite Albums

im going to a concert in february to see declan mckenna, a Giant Meme

im getting a tattoo w some lyrics of declan’s actually its gonna be sick

What is the most attractive quality a woman can have?

yes

idk for me its being able to have quick, witty, skillful jokes i just love listening to girls talk and tell stories and jokes like wow im gay

also long curly hair? thats always a Solid Look

Do you love easily or does it take time for you to warm up to someone?

i mean. do we really wanna open this can of worms rn

too late, its open

i get those microcrushes where you like see a girl and youre like ‘WOW IM GAY DATE ME’ however once it comes to actually being in a relationship i throw my full weight behind it and worry that im being too suffocating or that im pushing my boundaries etc and ive been told that makes me come off really cold and uncaring so lol choose ur own adventure, you decide

Ever fallen for your best-friend?

unfortunately

Ever fallen for a straight girl?

can you even call yourself a lesbian if you havent

The L-Word: yes or no? (love it or hate it?)

i havent seen it, im such a fake lesbian

Favorite comfort food?

mac n cheese

or pizza

or cheesy potatos

OR CHEESY TOAST

scientific conclusion: im a fatass

Coffee or tea?

coffer

Vegetarian? Vegan? None of the above?

im vegetarian!! have been on and off for like two years now

Do you have any pets?

i have one pup sittin right next to me and shes the prettiest girl in the world

Early-riser or night-owl?

yes

idk i get up at like 9 which is early for me but not as early as like. 5. so

more like night-owl. thanks teenage hormones!

What is your sign?

pisces

Can you drive?

yes

can i drive well?

but i do have a sense of direction so thats cool

Who was your first lesbian crush?

tbh.................... my best friend, but i didnt realize it was a crush at the time

the first Gay Crush i had that i knew was a crush was on my close friend at the time, now my ex girlfriend

At what age did you know you were a lesbian?

uhhhhhhhhhh lesbian specifically, like 15-16. queer, i knew in like fall semester freshman year (so like 13??)

At what age did you come out (if you have)?

i mean, i come out to people all the time. first time i came out explicitly as a lesbian was when i was like 15 or 16 (actually i came out to a close straight friend and my ex and they both said ‘congrats’ like it was weird but very nice) and the first time i came out as queer/questioning was to my then-best friend at like 13 and i came out to my mom (involuntarily) at like 17? ish?

Are you crushing on anyone at the moment (celebrity or otherwise)?

yes im crushing on every girl simultaneously at all times

just kidding

(not really)

i dont really have any explicit crushes that i can think of im just really gay

Talk about how your day went

it was fine. got free froyo so that was cool. found out i made an A on my bio practical, so that was cool too. however, i wore a crop top and it was like 55 degrees out and raining so i looked like a total Idiot but yk follow ur slutty gay dreams amiright ladies

Talk about your dreams/aspirations for the future

most of mine are career-centric, but a few are personal.

i wanna go to costa rica in may, i wanna go to yale over the summer, i wanna go to NYC pride in june, i wanna go to spain after i graduate, i wanna go to grad school, i wanna be a psychological researcher, i wanna move to spain or england or hell even france, i wanna have my own farm with the woman i love, i wanna own an LGBT bookstore/library, i wanna just live a quiet life near the sea and not have to worry so much after a while.

Least favorite gay celebrity?

this is a weird one to end on, but iiiiiiim not sure i have one? i can tell you ellen page is probably my favorite, but i cant think of many i dislike so

#grabsthesun #lesbian ask game #i love and hate you

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onestowatch · 7 years

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Make Music Thought-Provoking Again: An Interview with Declan McKenna

Hook-ups. Love. Break-ups. Regret. Empowerment. Uncertainty. Listen to any pop song today, specifically those from younger artists, and the lyrics will more than likely embody one of the themes listed above. More often than not, they’re written to appeal to the masses, to relate to a scenario all of us may be going through or feeling--while foregoing their personal touch along the way. In the world of pop lyricism, it seems there is no place for complexity. Enter Declan McKenna. The 18-year-old songwriter has proven that complexity can be popular, and in a sea of generic lyricism, McKenna digs deeper. His first single, “Brazil,” which speaks on the corruption during the 2014 FIFA World Cup, amassed over 20 million streams on Spotify, and took the number one spot on Sirius XM’s Alt Nation’s Countdown for three weeks back in 2016.

We see even more of this intricate and thought-provoking songwriting on his debut album What Do You Think About The Car?, which dropped July 21. Rather than use his experiences from relationships like many other artists, McKenna’s lyrics were written through reactions and impulses to issues happening around the world over the past four to five years. Each catchy song is initially deceiving to the ears. While the music feels light and poppy, the lyrics are telling a different and often darker story. Whether it’s tackling religious hypocrisy on “Bethlehem” or speaking out against transgender conversion therapy, and more specifically highlighting the death of transgender teen Leelah Alcorn on “Paracetamol,” McKenna isn’t afraid to tackle taboo topics, and it’s because of this that many have compared him to Bob Dylan.

McKenna is already hard at work on his second album, juggling the demands of touring with writing. I spoke with him the day before his album released about his glittery upcoming US tour, admiration for Run The Jewels & St. Vincent, and the negative stigma aligned with millennials.

OTW: When did you first start writing and develop interest in making music?

DM: I started to have an interest in music from a pretty young age. There’s a little clip at the start of the album from when I was four years old, and I was very much into music then if only because of my older siblings’ influence on me but as long as I can remember, I’ve been interested in music. I first started writing probably only a few years after that, really. I was still in the single figures age-wise when I started writing songs. I was in band with my sister and my cousins but yeah, a pretty early start I think.

OTW: Because your lyricism and the ideas you write about are more complex, did you start out just writing in general, or writing lyrics?

DM: I think I’ve always tried to have some kind of depth to the lyrics I’ve written. Sometimes successfully, sometimes unsuccessfully especially first starting out, but I think what you write about is something you learn. You develop your own sort of skills, almost like imitating and taking from a lot of the artists you know already, and I think what I’ve written about is not only a reflection of that, but a reflection of how I’ve grown up, the world I’ve grown up in, friends I’ve got, family I’ve got. They’ve all sort of pushed me to write in a certain way.

OTW: For me personally, you’re breaking the mold of what people expect artists, especially younger artists, to write about. You’ve proven that complexity can be popular. What made you want to write about taboo topics like American politics, police brutality, being transgender, and the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, even though they may not directly affect you?

A lot of it is just kind of hearing about something and being like, “Oh, that’s wrong.” Like, that’s the kind of official thing, that’s just been like, “Oh that’s shitty” or you know whatever it is you write about, and just wanting to write a song about it--having that sort of impulse. I think in the grand scheme of things of what I do, there’s just a lot of stereotypes around young people and pop musicians, as well as together seen as ignorant or unintelligent or not insightful or anything, and not to say that I am like the most intelligent thing since whatever, [laughs], but I think I try and make a point to at least try to say something, to say something that I actually care about because I think there are a good range of artists out there doing it. I think it’s important to do that, and in the world of pop it can be shallow and I think you have to understand that, but appreciate that but also it can be great, and it can be whatever you want it to be. I think that’s why I like doing and making it what I want it to be. Whether its very meaningful or just for fun, I want it to be all those things whenever I think it’s appropriate.

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OTW: Does your track “I Am Everyone Else” go along with this theme of writing from other people’s perspective?

Potentially. It’s kind of a weird one because the writing was really staggered so that song for me was about kind of a bunch of different things at once, but it all revolves around that theme that you can say whatever, you can do whatever, but no one understands everyone. And you can’t pretend to do that. I think that is sort of vaguely what that song revolves around, even with the lots of different things that happened at that time in my life.

OTW: Are there any artists that have inspired you or influenced you to write about bigger topics?

DM: Yeah, I think so. One for me at the minute that I really love is Run The Jewels. I’m a big fan of them. There is such a wide range of hip-hop, and a wide range of things that people write about but people do slate it for being shallow, even though I very strongly disagree. They are just a really great example of very powerful music, and they also just come across as really nice guys which I think makes a difference when they put across their opinions and views, and you can kind of relate to them or just have a nice impression of them. It really helps with that, and I think that’s what is really nice about Run The Jewels.

OTW: How do you make these heavy topics feel light, specifically “Brazil” because it’s a really catchy song but the root of it is corruption.

DM: I think it comes from listening to a lot of The Beatles, honestly. I know everyone kind of references The Beatles quite a lot, but I feel like you can say a lot with sound. Like entrusting sound with lyrics, or having something that’s kind of bittersweet, something they do quite a lot, can actually maybe say more about how you feel, and you can also have lyrical content that expresses your feelings about it. For example, how the World Cup in Brazil might have been seen, compared to what was happening behind the scenes, you know, it could be two different things between the music and the lyrics, which is kind of fun to mess around with even if it’s very vague. People might not pick up on it because it’s not an obvious thing but it can just be fun in your head to work out these things, and it can mean different things to you and nothing to someone else, or even if it means something completely different to someone else, which is kind of the beauty of music.

OTW: I love that! How did you get yourself in the headspace to write about these situations?

DM: I don’t know, it often just happens. I try as often as possible to focus on writing but it can be really hard to just make yourself do it. A lot of it is just an impulse thing. I think a lot of it just comes down to what you see, what you hear, and kind of keeping notes in your head, and making sure it will all come together at one point, or something can happen that just inspires you. I tend to try to go on impulse as often as I can, although the more and more I’ve been touring, the less easy that is because being like busy all the time and tired catching up on sleep; it’s not as easy. Your writing becomes very different because you actually have to focus and learn to put time aside for it, and I think that has changed my style of wiring now, especially going into the second album. Not so much with the first because obviously a lot of those songs came before I was heavily touring.

OTW: I want to touch on a few of your tracks that were released prior to album. “Paracetamol” is a really beautiful track. Can you talk a little bit about how it came to be? I know a little bit about the background, but the title specifically?

DM: Paracetamol. It wasn’t originally the title of the song. I never originally had a bridge or anything when I first went into the studio with it. It’s kind of a weird little story of how it came about. We actually found a little Agogo bell in Neil’s studio, the producer I was working with, and it was about in tune with the song. It kind of worked, we were doing this samba rhythm with it, and I was like “Maybe we can have something like that in the song,” and we just started this whole other section because I felt like it needed something else, and I didn’t have any lyrics. On my walk home, I was just thinking about what would fit here? What would go with like what I wanted to say in the song? And I pretty much wrote the lyrics on the walk from the studio to the train station.

A lot of the song is based around people thinking that their opinions can be right in regards to how other people identify, and that certain people can be changed, or to tell someone it’s a choice, and that it can be changed, and fixed with something like therapy, and I wanted to compare that to like an everyday drug. Like, “Oh, you can cure yourself with Paracetamol” because it would be just as messed up an idea to consider that someone can be changed through medicine. It was a very simple little metaphor, but it felt right at the time to kind of make sense of the theme of the song, and give it a slightly different section to break it up a bit.

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OTW: Let’s talk about the video for “The Kids Don’t Wanna Come Home.” In the beginning of the video we see a young girl say, “I think the way we view ourselves is very different to the way other people views us.” For you personally, why do you think our generation is negatively viewed/has the stigma that it does?

DM: I don’t know, I think it’s easy to because I think the mistakes that young people make now, as compared to a while ago, are documented. If someone says something silly at a young age or does something silly, it gets filmed, it gets documented, it gets posted online. The Internet is a thing which has been popularized, and people often blame that but it just means that you can see more of peoples’ lives, and it means that people are insecure and a bunch of things, but I don’t think it means that people are unintelligent. I don’t think it means that people are naive, or anymore naive than a young person would have been awhile ago. I just always find it quite hypocritical that the generation that gave us all of these phones, the Internet, everything, and marketed them to us and made us want them are now kind of saying, “You’re always on those things that we made you want to have.” [Laughs]. Yeah, I just struggle to understand how anyone could actually have that opinion of the younger generation.

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OTW: Let’s talk about the new album. If there are three feelings that you want your listeners to experience while listening to the album, what would they be?

DM: That’s really hard because I don’t want people to feel sad, but also, it does kind of have that. [Laughs]. I don’t know, I think I want people to feel excited listening to it. Just every feeling that is the opposite of bored, basically. Happy, excited, but like with a slight tinge of melancholy just for good measure. That’s what I want because I think, like we were talking about earlier with the happy sound and slightly darker lyrics, I don’t want the music to make people feel down about bad things. I think music in itself should be enjoyable, and I think even when songs have a hard topic, I want people to be happy and excited and enjoy them.

OTW: What is your favorite song off the new album, and why?

DM: Properly, I have to say “Humongous.” I love playing it live, and I really love all of the production and everything we did with it. It’s not one I listen to and have anything I would change. I feel like since it’s the most recent one I wrote for the record, I just still relate to it as much as I could a song I wrote yesterday because I’ve changed a lot, definitely as I wrote a lot of songs on the album so I think it being not that old to me even is quite a special thing and quite nice because I’ve often spent a year or two after writing a song waiting for it to come out, and with that one, it was out within a month.

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OTW: With the new album, what can fans expect at your live show during your US tour?

DM: Confetti and balloons hopefully, if we can find them in America. Glitter. Dancing.

OTW: I think you just need to go to a Party City when you get here. They’ll have everything you need.

DM: Yeah I’ll find a college town or something, I think we try more and more to keep the shows really upbeat and party-esque. We try to put as much into it as possible so we’ll probably come up with fresh ideas but lots of just bright, shiny things. [Laughs].

Photo: Birger Hagevold Johansen

OTW: Sounds good! I’m so bummed that California isn’t a stop on your US tour. When can we expect you on the West Coast?

DM: Yeah, I was expecting to come in April but we had to cancel that whole tour. It was a bit crap. Hopefully before the end of the year but I don’t know. I’m really hoping to come back because I love being in the warm places. [Laughs]. Yeah, I’m up for that.

OTW: If you could collaborate with anyone, who would it be?

DM: I say this all the time, but St. Vincent. I just, I don’t know. I try and make my live show and make everything, somewhat...It’s all kind of somewhat inspired by her live show. As a performer, as a songwriter, I really look up to her so I would love to be able to create something with her.

OTW: Who are three artists on your OTW list?

Feet - They’re a really cool new band from Coventry in the UK. A lot of different sounds. It’s like psych, punky, indie rock, and it’s really really well written music, and there’s a cool video out for a song called “Petty Thieving.” Yeah, they’re really good.

Jealous of the Birds - It’s a product of Namoi Hamilton. She supported us out in Ireland, Dublin, and Belfast. She’s from Northern Ireland, and has some of the most beautiful songs I’ve heard in a long time. Yeah, I really really love her.

The Rhythm Method - They’re sort of coming up in a minute from London, and they’re very cool. It’s somewhere been the streets and PC music, and it’s really interesting. I’m looking forward to them releasing more music. They only have a few tracks out.

#declan mckenna #what do you think about the car #indie #rock #bob dylan #brazil #paracetamol #bethlehem #matt lambert #st vincent #run the jewels

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cyberkevvideo · 5 years

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Rolling Stats for TTRPG. My Grief and My Found Solution

I’m going to be controversial for a moment here. And I’m going to release a little bit of pent of frustration and trauma here as well. Cleanse the spirit, I suppose.

This link may not be anything new to certain readers, but when I saw Justisaur’s 27-25-23 ability score generation, I knew I finally had an answer to all my issues. https://sites.google.com/site/justisaursdd/tar-pit-dugout/justisaurs27-25-23abilityscoregeneration

You roll three times using whatever stat generation method you prefer (3d6, 4d6, 4d6 drop the lowest, etc). Then in order, you subtract the first number from 27, the second from 25, and the third from 23. If any of the numbers are higher than 18, you re-scale them 1 to 1 so that one is 18.

For example, say you rolled a 5 on the first roll using 3d6. Subtracting that from 27 gives you 22. That’s higher than 18 by four points. Re-scale 1 to 1 and the 5 becomes a 9 and the 22 is now 18. You continue this for the second roll with 25 and the third roll with 23. You then add +2 to one number that is 16 or less. So if your numbers ended up being 9, 18, 15, 10, 17, 6 you could put the +2 to four of the numbers. Maybe that 6 could be a 8 instead. No matter what, your total is never less than 77 points. Considering standard array (15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8) is 72 points that’s pretty good. There are a couple of variants in the link too. Lower points for different systems and editions (eg. 3d6 systems suggest 25-23-21 instead), and that’s fine. It’s tailored that way for a reason.

I’ll hide some of this for those that don’t care about my gaming past and my issues with rolling stats over point buy, not that I don’t understand people’s gripes about that. I’ve been there too.

I’m tired of blogs who go on and on about “the right way” to build RPG characters. This has gotten even worse since 5e has become a main staple of the gaming community. Even Stephen Colbert has called out the new rules of “4d6 drop the lowest” vs “3d6 in a row” as (paraphrased) ‘rules for babies’. People go on about how rolling stats is what “real gamers do”. That it worked back in the day, and it works now, because you’re not too good to roll stats, and then use slurs of all kinds to put down today’s players who like point buy or prefer not to play games with unoptimized stats. There’s nothing wrong with that. Granted, I’ve done my share of games where I too am tired of seeing the variant human fighter or barbarian Str 20, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 7, Wis 7, Cha 7, and that’s if you allow 20 point buy in Pathfinder. At least in D&D numbers start at 8 and you can’t go any lower. I know. It sucks to see a group built with similar numbers. But that’s easy to get rid of. Just make a house rule that stops people from dumping stats. “Oh, but having low stats is the very primordial fabric of D&D. You don’t want a perfect character. Flaws are fun.” Then what’s the difference between rolling those numbers and getting them organically? Because they purposely min-maxed? Oh, no. Call the Feds. No matter what, people are going to optimize. I have personally seen people train themselves to roll 3d6 and 4d6 so that they almost always roll 18′s. Yet that’s perfectly fine. Nothing’s really said about that at all. But min-maxing stats is where people draw the line. Okay, a few DMs/GMs will go “No, no, you actually roll those dice.” One way or another people will optimize for their own benefit. That will never stop. But what’s worse is the outcome. I personally hate stat rolling because of bombastic trauma I received for having such poor numbers. When you’re in a group that constantly ridicules you because you once again rolled the stats of “Bob the Slow” and when everyone else is Hercules and Thor, the game isn’t fun to play. But don’t you dare voice your opinion because you’re called weak, made fun of more for being a child, etc, etc, etc. That you should thank your lucky stars because you were “blessed” with so many RP stats. Just look at those 7′s. Those are lucky 7′s. So much RP potential compared to those five 18′s everyone else has. Meanwhile everyone, including the DM/GM is mocking you. And yes, I understand that not all groups are like that, but I’ve talked with other people who’ve been there. Maybe not to the same degree, but it was still bad. Also, a lot of groups won’t force you to play characters that don’t have an average modifier of >1, but there are others that make you play it as rolled and you just have to hope for a quick death.

But why don’t you just leave the group then? In my case, I did. More than one group too. Then I came to my current group and it does point buy. It was great. But as other people have mentioned when I talk about that group, it’s apparently equivalent to an abusive relationship that I need to leave. So there’s that, I guess.

I’ve seen posts from professional players, publishers, and writers who all hate point buy, and will say right off the hop that they will not allow anyone to do point buy and then go on a rant about how much they hate it, and why. Usually for the reasons I said above which are easily counteracted. Then when I bring up my arguments I get the same counter argument of “just leave” or “play online”. Yeah, no. It’s not that easy. I’ve done the online thing. It usually peters out after a couple of months, at the most. My computer’s too old to properly run Roll20, and I live in a small city with a very limited number of gamers. I had actually given up gaming for years because it was that hard to find groups, or to care about gaming.

But, this post is not all about being a Debby Downer and putting down rolling stats and saying point buy is better, because sometimes point buy isn’t. It’s what most pre-written modules accommodate for, and that’s fantastic. No, I’ve come to learn of a wonderful new way of rolling stats, and the only people I’ve come to find who hate it are those who want to min-max as heavy as possible with point buy, or have learned to “fake roll” their solid 17-18 stat scores. This makes it even better in my mind.

This was shown to me by another person who was tired of people hating on point buy unnecessarily and even called out older gamers for trying to gatekeep the younger generation. No surprise that person was attacked relentlessly, but some people accepted the find and would consider using it for those who would prefer point buy because they have a major fear of rolling terribly and being their own “Bob the Slow” who might be openly ridiculed by their group.

But Justisaur’s way of doing things? That’s huge to someone like me who’s rolled poorly in the past, and still terrible with numerous d6. Considering I had rolled three 7′s with my one character, I’d have two 18s and a 16, and one of those 7s would have become a 9. And that’s not even including the +2 that I can add. That would have made all the difference in the world back then.

I don’t usually agree with most GMs out there. I don’t even agree with how Matt Mercer does his characters (70 points for stats minimum instead of 72). But more often than not it’s because they’re old school and despite the change of editions they won’t adjust to the changes and feel their way still works. Which, for rolling, if you ALSO add in that your character has the minimum point buy that the system is made for (3.5e 28 pts starting at 8; PF 15 pts starting at 10; 5e 27 pts starting at 8) then fine. Monsters straight out of their monster manual/bestiary, especially in Pathfinder and 5e, are designed for 4 players with that point buy equivalent.

Side Rant: This brings me to another issue. Rolling stats and having 3-4 players with god stats compared to other players, means that you have to adjust combat encounters for the god tier characters, making it way more difficult for the average or low tier players. But that’s basically it. /rant

So, I feel a little better writing all of this, and I very much endorse Justisaur’s way to roll up stats. No one’s god tier, everyone has 77 points, and you still have the “role play” stats that you’re supposed to be proud of.

One final thing to say about this. The fact that you get 77 points is something a little nostalgic for me, and it’s kind of why I’d consider adding an additional +2 to one of the stats (probably to any number less than 10). In the early 2000′s, our local convention used to do 3.5e D&D tournaments with home made characters. They were called Monte Halls. Any class and race from the Player’s Handbook, and you were a specific level based on the scenario, but you always had 80 points to put in your stats with no number being higher than 18. I found this kind of reminiscent of that.

#D&D #pathfinder #dungeons & dragons #ttrpg #table top #table top rpg #tabletop #stats #ability scores #Dungeons and Dragons #rolling stats #rpg #gaming #dnd

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bobbystompy · 7 years

Text

My Top 132 Songs Of 2016

Previously: 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011

Haven’t started writing this yet, but after peaking at 73 songs in 2013, then dipping to 67 and 71 the last two years, it is unbelievable we hit 132 (blame Spotify’s easy ability to save music and create playlists).

I debated skipping around, but nahhh, let’s get it.

As always, the criteria/info:

This is a list of songs I personally like, not ones I’m saying are the “best” from the year; more subjective than objective

No artist is featured more than once

If it comes down to choosing between two songs for an artist, I try to give more weight to a single or featured track; it’s not the ultimate factor, but it typically makes sharing the music easier

Speaking of... each song on the list is linked in the title if you wanna check out some for yourself

BOBBY VS. THE SONGS, FID

132) Kendrick Lamar - “untitled 07 | levitate”

Yeah, not gonna do the thing everyone else is doing where we pretend Kendrick is making amazing music with 2016′s throwaway release. I had to trudge through so much weird-and-not-fun stuff on “Butterfly” last year; it’s time to be done with it. Kendrick is obviously a top flight MC and could end up as an all-time great, but, like, come on -- this is from an EP of b-sides, it’s (probably) the best song... and it’s still not that memorable. How this record is ended up on so many year end best of lists mystified me.

131) Young Thug - “Drippin'”

Thugger spazzin’ around.

130) 2 Chainz f/ Lil Wayne - “Gotta Lotta”

Eh, this song’s aight; beat good, kinda sticks with you sometimes. Funny it should be listed as “2 Chainz & Lil Wayne” -- peep the very creative album art -- yet ended up as a 2 Chainz solo feature (on technicality alone) due to Weezy’s ongoing label issues. These two play off each other well.

129) Real Friends - “Mokena”

This song is good, but it’s... a little too angst-y at points.

128) Iggy Pop - “American Valhalla”

The best compliment I can give this song is it sounds unlike anything I’ve ever heard. Not a fun listen every time, but if you consciously immerse, it can definitely work.

127) The Avett Brothers - “Ain't No Man”

Good mom song; feels like fun. passed the torch with this one.

126) Paul Simon - “Horace And Pete”

Louis C.K. got Simon to write a theme song for his dramedy “Horace and Pete”, and the diminutive one came through in spades. I sometimes like to shoehorn in the f-word when singing along to help break up some of the seriousness. But yeah, this feels like a ‘60s classic even though it’s essentially brand new.

125) Frank Ocean - “Nikes”

The A.V. Club summed up my opinion of the Frank Ocean record with one swift line: “On first listen, Blonde feels like a Cracker Jack box with no toy in it.”

Amen.

Don’t get it twisted: I love Frank, still believe in Frank, and of course consider “channel ORANGE” to (objectively) be one of the greatest albums of this generation, but “Blonde”? It didn’t connect. Somewhat reluctantly, I picked this song for the list because it was the first one I heard, and it stands as a symbol of the initial hope which faded over a few listens. But when Ocean breaks in after all the high pitched singing, it does feel like a moment.

Also, this line will always stick: “RIP Pimp C / RIP Trayvon, that n**** look just like me”.

124) DJ Khaled f/ Jay-Z & Future - “I Got The Keys”

DJ Khaled is a talentless jackass, annoyingly ad libbing his way into our brains. Unfortunately, my personal favorite artist chooses to make listenable songs with him. Alas, No. 124. Jay slaying with “My wife Beyoncé, I brag different”. Future... being Future.

123) Slim Thug - “King”

The always underrated Slim Thug, hangin’ out and tellin’ you about his life. Also lifting weights. Minus points for using the Pimp C sample Jigga used in “FuckWithMeYouKnowIGotIt” only three years ago.

122) American Football - “Give Me The Gun”

This band will never hit for me as much as it does with cool/laid back guitar people, but I enjoyed this tune. And I wish my friend Luke were here to listen with me.

121) Craig Finn - “Screenwriters School”

Craig Finn, as slow and chill as you’ll ever hear him.

120) Mikey Erg - “1001 Smashed Motel Rooms”

Solid verses, big chorus, and you can almost, like, tell he’s bald by the voice (not an insult).

119) Cassadee Pope - “Summer”

The former Hey Monday singer goes in on the strongest season.

118) The Cool Kids - “Connect 4″

It’s very difficult to write about The Cool Kids without using the word “cool”, but man, these guys have such a great interplay. It’s not two separate dudes taking turns; it’s a glorious intertwine with true chemistry.

117) Third Eye Blind - “Cop vs. Phone Girl"

This is our first song I’d call an imperative listen. I say this because you need you to hear Stephan Jenkins sing “Why's it so hard to say ‘Black Lives Matter’? / Doesn't mean that you're anti-white / Take it from me, I'm super fucking white”.

He remains bulletproof.

116) Wakrat - “Sober Addiction”

I was positive this song was a jam after one listen, but I’ve listened 3-4 times since, and it’s gotten progressively worse each time. If that’s not enough of a hook, the singer is the Rage Against The Machine bassist.

115) Owl Meet Rabbit - “This Side Of The Nut House”

A Christmas song with a “National Lampoon” reference.

114) YG f/ Drake & Kamaiyah - “Why You Always Hatin?”

Still a little unclear why Drake keeps agreeing to be in YG songs. His verse references sliding into DMs.

113) Yo Gotti f/ Nicki Minaj - “Down In The DM (Remix)”

...and we also have a track titled after it. My biggest memory with this song will be feeling sick in an Uber from Chicago to Forest Park on, like, a weekday morning but still mustering the nerve to laugh at the chorus, which is egregious enough before the “bridge” of “Snapchat me that pussy, if it’s cool”. Seriously. RIP, music.

112) The Dirty Nil - “Zombie Eyed”

This rips.

111) Microwave - “Homebody”

A good song that pulls you in further when the distortion gets bigger in the chorus.

110) AJJ - “Terrifyer”

Some days, you're a member of Queen Other days, you're a Kottonmouth King Some days, you're Emilio Estevez Other days, you're Charlie Sheen

109) Band of Horses - “Casual Party”

These guys are all smooth harmonies.

108) Fitz and the Tantrums - “HandClap”

This song is pretty unoffensive, but it’s catchy enough to work.

107) Nothing - “The Dead Are Dumb”

“The Dead Are Dumb” -or- if the “Twin Peaks” theme actually went somewhere.

106) Car Seat Headrest - “Unforgiving Girl (She's Not An)”

This band kinda reminds me of The Strokes; just a liiiiiitle less New York street and a tad more indie.

105) Vince Staples f/ Kilo Kish - “Loco”

Vince got into the news this year after defending the mom who had an extreme distaste for his lyrics in 2015′s “Norf Norf”. Let’s just say she also would not enjoy this one. His interplay with Kilo is on point.

104) GTA f/ Vince Staples - “Little Bit of This”

‘ey, it’s Vince again, and this one is stronger; somehow topping the high energy of “Loco” with another level of fire-spitting.

103) The Living End - “Monkey”

The Aussies broke a 13 year album hiatus with 2016′s “Shift”, and “Monkey”, one of the lead singles, did not disappoint. There will always be a place for songwriting like this.

102) Vic Mensa - “16 Shots”

This song is so raw and street and real. Sometimes you hear something, and it just cuts like a knife. I’m talking a “Straight Outta Compton” level here. Mensa has thoughts on police brutality in Chicago, and he ain’t holding back. He played this live on Kimmel, and his solemn-yet-wired energy could not be ignored.

101) Boyd & The Stahfools - “Summerly”

Some might say BATS sold out with this very commercial ode to Pollyanna’s raspberry wheat ale, but when you consume as much of it as those boys do, I say it’s legit art.

100) Macklemore & RL f/ J. Woods - “White Privelege II”

This is kinda like the Third Eye Blind message on Black Lives Matter, only the exact opposite. It’s... quite heavy handed, and while I like that from Macklemore, I realize a lot do not. All I can say in his defense is, like, man, it really seems like this dude is trying, and he certainly attempted to involve the right people. If that’s not good enough for you, I get it.

(Plus, he kinda digs on Iggy; throwing y’all a bone, just take it.)

99) Conor Oberst - “A Little Uncanny”

Oberst sounds a ton like Bob Dylan in this one, but he also sounds a ton like Oberst. It’s kinda like two massive folk tidal waves crashing into each other.

98) Cymbals Eat Guitars - “Have A Heart”

CEG -- despite a terrific name -- have always made music that felt obtuse, but this is the first song that felt ready-made to, like, give normal people a window to check out the band.

97) Green Day- “Bang Bang”

Everyone wants to over-analyze Green Day. But if you don’t do that, you’ll enjoy this as a fast and easy pop-punk song. It plays at my gym sometimes, and I always kinda assume people are annoyed by it. To quote Josh from “Heavyweights”, this pleases me.

96) James Vincent McMorrow - “Get Low”

Chill/cool.

95) The Flatliners - “Hang My Head”

This won’t end up in their all-time Top 5, but it’s a good song, and it was nice to hear from this band in 2016.

94) AFI - “Snow Cats”

This would sound right at home as a mid-tempo number on “Sing The Sorrow”.

93) Jay Electronica - “#TBE The Curse Of Mayweather”

Oof, what a shitty title. So, this is Jay Elect’s “blast back” at Kendrick Lamar after K-Dot slaughtered the rap game (and shit, maybe rap itself) in 2013′s “Control”. But here’s the thing... “Control” was “Control”. No one is topping “Control”. No one is successfully going at “Control”. That’s in its own stratosphere. Was it fun to see the enigmatic MC try? Sure. Did it make any type of impact? Eh, no. But I did enjoy the fake Kendrick voice.

92) The Dyes - “Loudmouth”

Out of every song so far, I’ve found this the toughest to write about. My favorite part is probably the way the guitar and bass play off each other, but my second favorite part has to be how sinister and swaggery it sounds.

91) Big Sean - “Get My Shit Together”

Maaaan, I missed Big Sean in 2016 after an extremely fruitful 2015. The few times he did surface -- on other people’s songs -- he stayed in form, so you’ll see more of him as this goes.

It feel like young Ray Allen with the white twins

90) Emeli Sandé f/ Jay Electronica & Áine Zion - “Garden”

Serene, with a fitting Jay Elect verse.

89) Yumi Zouma - “Haji Awali”

Chiller than a Coleman.

88) Jimmy Eat World - “Get Right”

We’ve talked about this before, but JEW typically have sunny day feel good songs, or nighttime darkness-type songs; this one’s the latter.

87) Into It. Over It. - “No EQ”

Sooooo good; melodic and percussive and soulful. It tugs at your heart just the right amount.

86) The Front Bottoms - “Joanie”

This really, really sounds like a Front Bottoms song, which I mostly mean as a compliment but also... am slightly worried about as it pertains to future material.

85) The Lumineers - “Ophelia”

Would I like to steal this song and give it to a girl and say I wrote it to mega impress her? Uh, duh. Piano for dayz.

84) Viola Beach - “Swings & Waterslides”

Kinda a lighter version of the Arctic Monkeys; mostly the singing... but in a big way.

83) The Game - “92 Bars”

It’s sposta be a Meek Mill diss, but it’s basically Game freestyling about a buncha stuff over a workable beat. Some real solid lines, too. My favorites:

- “I can kill you in four bars, that's a Kit Kat”

- “Let me tell you who suck, like banana Now and Laters” (haha)

- “Give me Left Eye back, take Fetty Wap and the Raiders”

- “Gum by them Yeezys, I'm the 6'5" Eazy” (MVP bar?)

- “This the Golden State and my shooters ain't on no hoop shit” (coooold)

82) OMI - “Hula Hoop”

I’mma give the write up here to my girl Alyssa Pawola, via her husband, Jeff Pawola (who watched the video after she was told the song reminded me of him):

She agreed with you!

She says it's because the singer dances similar to me and is a little goofy (compliment?), whereas all the girls around him are really good dancers (thus, her).

81) Joey Purp f/ Chance The Rapper - “Girls @”

If you’re not all-in on this song by the seven or eight second mark, then you can probably pass. HOWEVA, Chance and his 3 hat appear later on, so we call that incentive, young Bucky.

80) Vinnie Caruana - “I Don’t Believe You”

The feels like a last-song-on-the-record kinda track.

/looks up if it was the last song on the record

...8 of 10!

(Close enough.)

79) No Lenox - “Leave”

This song is heart and blood, with a rare use of “fucking” from Chris Trott.

78) JANK - “Versace Summer”

JANK is interesting. All of their artwork and motif make them seem like stoners (and maybe they are), but the music itself is so technical and synced. Like, you know they’re trying and very capable. So as weird as seeing “Versace” next to “JANK” might look, maybe it’s this high end brand that truly does fit their sound over, say, Faygo. But yeah, by the time this song is done, even though they’ve played the chorus a handful of times, you probably wouldn’t mind a handful more.

77) White Lung - “Dead Weight”

This band is just the coolest shit. They always go so, so hard, but this time, there’s a guitar playing mega bad ass leads to help even things out. I would believe you if you told me the guitar was also shooting lasers.

76) Descendents - “Without Love”

Like The Living End, the Descendents have also been out of the ‘releasing new records’ game for over a decade. And as jokey of a band as they’ve been in the past, this song has some of the same earnestness and vulnerability we heard on 2004′s “Cool To Be You”.

75) Andrew Bird - “Roma Fade”

For sure a candidate for coolest song title of 2016.

74) LVL UP - “Hidden Driver”

This is too indie for its own good.

73) A$AP Ferg f/ Big Sean - “World Is Mine”

Mostly included for Sean. Sorry, Ferg -- but you did give him the hook and a verse.

72) AM Taxi - “Enough To Feel Like Enough”

Like The Front Bottoms song from earlier, this AM Taxi song is very AM Taxi. But I ain’t ever worried about AM Taxi.

71) Rozwell Kid - “Baby’s First Sideburns”

Not sure I’ve ever heard a weak song by this band.

70) PARTYNEXTDOOR f/ Drake - “Come And See Me”

If you wanted to upset your love interest in 2016, hitting him or her with the “I hear you talkin' 'bout ‘we’ a lot, oh, you speak French now?” line was probably a good place to start.

69) Tancred - “Bed Case”

Kinda ‘90s, right? Nice.

68) Thrice - “Blood On The Sand”

Moderate take alert: I purport the Thrice singer sounds like Dave Grohl in this song, particularly during the chorus. Come at me with your agrees or disagrees.

67) MakeWar - “Ode”

The dude on this band’s album cover always reminds me of Rafa Nadal, which is weird, as I’d argue he looks -20% like Rafa Nadal. This song has a downcast energy. I think I wanna see these dudes live.

66) PKEW PKEW PKEW - “Asshole Pandemic”

Party punk, wooooo. You will not find a more circular 2016 lyric than “Why’s this fuckin’ dick gotta be such a cock?”

65) Adam Friedman f/ Mike Posner - “Lemonade”

blue eyes >>> brown eyes, Adam.

64) Matt and Kim - “Let’s Run Away”

As always-always-always, Matt and Kim are having more fun than we are.

63) Ariana Grande f/ Nicki Minaj - “Side To Side”

As recently as 40 days ago, I was emaling my friends about this track with the very loaded “I’m not sure this song is good at all”.

My buddy Brian’s response will probably jar you like it jarred me:

Gotta say, I have a soft spot for this song. I think the beat is pretty banging and the subject matter is a plus. Like, we do have to acknowledge that she's walking side to side because she's been having sex with dude all night and day and now her vagina is too sore to walk like a regular person. I can dig that.

Well then.

62) With You. f/ Vince Staples - “Ghost”

Weird music video, but definitely my favorite version of Vince that we got in 2016.

61) Fifth Harmony f/ Ty Dolla $ign - “Work From Home”

I was listening to this song with my girlfriend the other day, and I said something like “This song could really use a rap cameo”. Enter: the very forgettable Ty Dolla $ign. Still, a fun, sexty song. Also, I believe this is our first -- and only? -- song to have over one billion YouTube views (!!!).

60) Masked Intruder - “If Only”

This made it over other MI candidates due to the Winnie Cooper reference.

59) Fat Joe, Remy Ma, Jay-Z f/ French Montana & Infared - “All The Way Up (Remix)”

An easy chorus for sports teams to co-opt, as well as a “fuck off me” Jay verse. He bucks “Lemonade”, ups his products for the infinite time, and drops the mic after:

The OG's say, "Hov, how high is high enough?" I said "'till we eye and eye with the higher ups" Until we let 'em know, we ain't those n****s Until our baby's showered in gold, n**** Blue looking like Pac in the tub David LaChapelle levels of not giving a fuck Prince left his masters where they safe and sound We never gonna let the elevator take him down

Man.

Worry not, cockroach French is around to muck things up. It’s salvaged by a real dope Remy Ma verse, though.

58) Al Scorch - “Everybody Out”

The perfect soundtrack for escaping a busted speakeasy.

57) Tegan and Sara - “Dying To Know”

This song makes the list because the “Boyfriend” chorus was lazy as hell; it was like the “Closer” chorus, version 2.0. Conversely, “Dying To Know” has real emotion and a big, legit chorus.

56) Bloc Party - “The Good News”

A song I fear no one will like but me... but hey, my list.

55) New Lenox - “It’s Its Own Thing”

This is a song I wrote (and drummed on) about how winter sucks. It’s also about Chicago, being alone, finding someone, and using Banner Pilot to get through tough, frozen times. Shout out to Dave Rokos for singing the majority of the leads and Chris Trott for producing.

54) Julien Baker - “Photobooth”

I became enamored with the voice and talent of 21-year-old phenom Julien Baker throughout 2016, and though she released her debut album in 2015 (ALL TRACKS DISQUALIFIED, CHICA), she did drop this Death Cab cover for The A.V. Club this year, so I found a way to get her in the door. Now that we’re all here, I’ll give the floor to Deadspin’s Tom Ley:

What I did not expect was to like this version of the song so much that I now become visibly disgusted when I try to go back and listen to the original. Like all the good, thoughtful teens of my era, I spent a lot of time listening to Death Cab in my car, and I used to nod along pleasantly when “Photobooth” came on. But now I’m just angry I ever wasted any time listening to a lesser version of the song. In my opinion, Death Cab should just turn their entire catalog over to Julien Baker and be done with it.

Ironically, I will be seeing Baker open up for Death Cab singer Ben Gibbard later this January.

53) Desiigner - “Panda”

This is a bad song... but it’s incredibly listenable (for about 30 seconds, only it keeps going for a normal amount of time). It got upped on Kanye’s album, which likely sparked public interest in this mumble rap disaster. Literally the best thing you can say is it’s a Future rip off -- and he’s not all that great to begin with.

/sadly looks up YouTube view total

190 million; Fifth Harmony is like “pshhhh”.

Yet, “Panda” somehow endures. It feels fresh, saying “panda” repatedly never seems to tire, and it burned down the dance floor at Brian Pawola’s wedding this summer; old and young alike wanted to be pandas.

Now is also probably a good time to disclose my Halloween costume...

52) Cloud Nothings - “Modern Act”

Me, blogging about my excitement for the new Cloud Nothings album that drops in three weeks.

51) A Tribe Called Quest f/ André 3000 - “Kids” (no link)

Welcome back.

50) Run The Jewels - “Talk To Me”

Haven’t listened to RTJ3, but it’s only been out for, like, 10 days. Still, this song is as reliably dope as they’ve always been. I also felt compelled to include ATCQ and RTJ in these spots to ensure they were not above “Panda”.

Brave men didn't die face down in the Vietnam muck so I could not style on you

49) Kevin Devine - “No History”

My aforementioned buddy Dave Rokos likes this song because of its big chorus, and I’d also like to use it as a selling point.

48) Kings Of Leon - “Reverend”

For as big as Kings Of Leon are, I haven’t really heard this song anywhere.

47) Rae Sremmurd f/ Gucci Mane - “Black Beatles”

I always thought Rae Sremmurd were kinda meh (at best) and Gucci Mane was an idiot’s idiot (at absolute best), but this song’s a banger -- and this conclusion was reached prior to it going viral with the Mannequin Challenges. Speaking of... my 2016 Black Wednesday:

A video posted by Bobby L (@bobbystompy) on Nov 23, 2016 at 7:15pm PST

46) Grimes - “Kill V. Maim”

This song is straight out of a video game or action movie. Like, get ready to fight a boss or something.

45) Dave Hause - “With You”

Heartfelt ballad that feels sprawled out across a few genres.

44) Robin Thicke f/ Nas - “Deep”

What do we get when we combine a dude with no credibility and feature a dude with tons of credibility? A sneaky sizzling collab. And if you still got beef, remember: it ain’t that deep.

43) Against Me! - “Rebecca”

A lot of people have had this AM! song on their year end lists, and I wasn’t seeing it, but after a few extra spins, it became pretty clear this was thee highlight from the album. It’s got this kinetic energy, spinning out of control while somehow maintaining perfect balance.

42) Restorations - “See”

Restorations make spectrum songs; ones you listen to while the world moves in slow motion at an airport reunion, while time stops after a death, or stretches out on an overly contemplative Sunday evening. What I’m saying is, these dudes control the clocks.

41) Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties - “Green Like The G Train, Green Like Sea Foam”

Soupy from The Wonder Years’ solo project keeps -- PUN INTENDED -- chuggin’ along with this one. He’s singing in the same gear he always sings in, but the chorus and always trusty synced rhythms that break it in two definitely get me goin’.

40) Titus Andronicus - “No Future”

Titus Andronicus covering Craig Finn, and they add just the right amount of anguish to the proceedings. There’s such an obvious-yet-still-clever element to the “February’s about as long as it is wide” line.

39) Rihanna - “Needed Me” (NSFW-ish video)

This song is good -- Mustard on the beat, natch -- but RiRi murdering a dude in the back of a strip club in the video might be better.

38) Jeff Rosenstock - “Festival Song”

The former Bomb the Music Industry! singer dipped his toe in a few genres throughout his 2016 album “Worry”, though I’m not sure how to describe this one; it’s kind of spastic punk with some synthy keyboards and a catchy outro, strong enough to throw two capable haymakers as the song enters its final minute.

37) The Steve Adamyk Band f/ Colleen Green - “Carry On”

I hadn’t even heard of this band a month ago, but “Carry On” has quickly become a favorite; toe-tappin' rock.

36) The Naked And Famous - “Higher”

This band seems like they’d have -- there is no better word I’m so sorry -- epic concerts. Also, don’t miss out on the “In The Air Tonight”-sounding fills.

35) Phantogram - “You Don’t Get Me High Anymore”

Brilliant drum samples, drug stuff, and a pop sensibility; you seriously could not ask for more.

34) Child Bite - “Vermin Mentality”

This song is quite harsh, and I imagine if you had individual approval ratings for all 132 of these songs, it would very easily finish in the bottom five. That said, I think it rocks, and it reminds me of the Dead Kennedys’ best scenario.

33) Joyce Manor - “Last You’ve Heard Of Me”

Sure, I reacted like a mom when I saw Barry’s new neck tattoo in the video, but the song was the redeemer. Recommended if you like the Everclear “Santa Monica” intro, marijuana makes you tired, or you’ve found love in the parking lot outside a karaoke bar.

32) Cassino - “Alabama Song”

If you did happen to listen to “Vermin Mentality”, this’ll probably be the song to get that taste out of your mouth. I love its overall laid back vibe, even if what it’s about remains unclear after a good chunk of listens.

31) Direct Hit! - “Was It The Acid?”

This one lost several punk points after the singer revealed he did not use hard drugs. But still.

30) Bayside - “Pretty Vacant”

My buddy Brian Pawola doesn’t like this song because of the teenage-y “I can’t believe this is my life, I’m pretty vacant all the time” chorus, but that’s precisely why I do. Also, apparently the album it’s off of is called “Vacancy”, haha.

29) PUP - “Familiar Patterns”

Feels weird not picking a single, but this one was always my favorite; the same percussive power, shreddy singing, and unrelenting noise we got in their debut a few years ago. Also funny: they named their 2016 album “The Dream Is Over”, which is what the PUP singer’s doctor told him after diagnosing his vocal chord ailment.

28) Tokyo Police Club - “Not My Girl”

Sometimes, I wanna tell non-punk fans TPC is what all punk rock sounds like, because even though the band has more of a pop-indie element, they do seem like the genre’s best case scenario more often than not.

27) The Falcon - “If Dave Did It”

Feels like sacrilege picking a Dave Hause fronted track for my Falcon choice. After all, this is Brendan Kelly’s group, and after an EP and two full lengths, it’s Dave’s first ever time fronting a song in the band. But this song kept standing out. It also has a small drum solo, and even though basically all drum solos are bad, Neil Hennessy’s on the kit -- so you know you’re in good hands.

26) Chance The Rapper f/ 2 Chainz & Lil Wayne - “No Problem”

Chance’s “Coloring Book” was so positive and creative and multi-faceted that it feels a little wrong to pick a song that’s more traditional rap with typical guests, but it really is the best song, you know? For whatever reason, Lil Wayne’s nonchalant verse was my favorite, with his initial bars being the highlight:

I got problems bigger than these boys My deposits, they be on steroids Lord, free the Carter, n****s need the Carter Sacrificin' everything, I feel like Jesus Carter

But sure, we can also highlight funny 2 Chainz things:

- “Inside of the Maybach look like it came out of Ikea / Run shit like diarrhea” (oh my god)

- “Aye, aye, captain / I'm high, captain / I'm so high / Me and God dappin'” (haha)

Also, if you don’t raise-and-drop your arms for the “huh! huh!” part before the beat kicks in at the beginning after “lobby”, you’re a monster.

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25) David Rokos - “Pacific Time”

Falling in lust with a California girl who has the keys to bomb ass hotel room overlooking the ocean? What self-deprecating heterosexual dude isn’t signing up for this?

24) NOFX - “Six Years On Dope”

Thrash punk, with Fat Mike and Eric Melvin divvying up the vocals after arguing to start the song. Here’s the July 2016 description I emailed to the gf:

So, the lead singer has kind of a flat, annoying voice, but then there's this guitarist who mostly does yell parts and not a lot of leads, but in this song, they both basically trade off yelling, and the guitar is blaring, and it just does not relent. They've released a million records at this point, but something about it feels so fresh. Like new blood has been infused into all of them.

You will like... 0% of this.

Her response: “Hahaha. I wouldn't say that I hate this...but it's pretty close.”

23) Beach Slang - “Future Mixtape For The Art Kids”

Of all the artists on this way-too-long list, I had the hardest time picking a Beach Slang song. This is probably because all of their songs sound the same. But as a writer earlier this year said, it’s still a good song. So true. I went with Track 1 from their album “A Loud Bash of Teenage Feelings” (this is the actual title) because it has the biggest chorus:

We're not lost, we are dying in style We're not fucked, we are fucking alive I hope I never die

Every Beach Slang song also has to include “die” or “alive” in the lyrics; this one gets both. Minor gripe: that vocal distortion you hear is an effect used on every other song on the 29 minute record.

22) Kid Cudi f/ André 3000 - “By Design” (no link)

When you think too much, you’re removing what’s moving

This song could literally be in a made up language, but the diction, beat, and Caribbean stylings from Cudi and 3 Stacks would still make you wile out. The full version appears to be nowhere on the free Internet, but I highly recommend finding it.

If you’re too lazy, peep Cudi’s “Goodbye” instead. It’s a pump up track that samples 2Pac and Pink Floyd -- what could go wrong?!

21) Anderson .Paak - “Come Down”

My buddy Ceebs used this as the entrance song at his wedding; he and his wife looked so cool.

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20) The Weeknd - “False Alarm”

Listen, I wanted to include “Starboy”. But after shunning “The Hills” for “Can’t Feel My Face” in 2015, I wanted to pick the weird song over the poppier one this time, OK? This music video is so violent. I also really do wonder if this song has borderline punk elements.

19) Carly Rae Jepsen - “Higher”

Just a Carly Rae “Emotion” b-side cracking the Top 20, no big deal. Seeing CRJ in Milwaukee in March was my favorite concert of 2016; so much so that I saw her in Chicago the next day and even exchanged a shirt (...cutoffs) with the merch guy I’d met already.

18) Brian Fallon - “Red Lights”

We have The Gaslight Anthem singer’s solo project here. This could definitely be a TGA song. “I only stop to tell her that I love her at the red lights” = unstoppable swoon.

17) Jay-Z - “Spiritual”

I need a drink, shrink or something I need an angelic voice to sing something

A song that should’ve had a much bigger spotlight in an incredibly tumultuous year. I remember listening to this during the Dallas shootings, my heart absolutely breaking for the country. Here is the statement Hov released with the track:

16) Justin Timberlake - “CAN’T STOP THE FEELING!”

Our Song of the Summer, 2K16.

The one critique you could give is maybe it’s a little too easy, a little too low hanging fruit, but my counter would be: who said pop music has to be terribly difficult? And if you’re still folding arms during the “Can’t stop the fee-laaaaahn” falsetto part, having fun probably isn’t your bag.

15) Get Well Cards - “Is It Worth It?”

I think you’re trying to kill me, when you said you’d lick my wounds

I play drums on this jam, but it’s Dave Rokos’ songwriting that gives me all the feels. It always reminded me of a slightly more restrained “Good Things”. This song is about sleeplessness, deep contemplation, and a deteriorating relationship; you don’t know if you should do everything you can to hold on... or mercifully let it all go (”And they say time is all we have to give / And I think I’ve given you enough”... oof).

14) Resolutions - “Daily Train”

Blindly assumed this band was from Canada, but, upon further research, it looks like Germany. Hmm. The singer sounds like the Rise Against dude to me.

13) Mike Posner f/ Big Sean - “Buried In Detroit (Lucas Lowe Remix)”

Hunger > Strategy

The Mike Posner comeback was one of the more delightful storylines of 2016. Though I liked “Ibiza” quite a bit, I had a softer spot for the one with his fellow Michigander. This is my favorite Big Sean performance of the year, and Posner’s verses and choruses are straight anthemic.

12) blink-182 - “Rabbit Hole”

Though we can all agree “Built This Pool” is the best song of all-time (Travis’ “Is that really it?” = completely perfect), “Rabbit Hole” was a bit more well-rounded -- and it’s Matt Skiba getting in the mix in a blink-182 song (verse two); I can’t believe we’re here.

11) Kanye West f/ Kendrick Lamar - “No More Parties In L.A.”

In honor of its number on our dear list, my Top 11 favorite bars from this banging banger of a song...

11. Kanye: “And as far as ‘Real Friends’, tell all my cousins I love 'em / Even the one that stole the laptop, you dirty motherfucker” (he’s not over it)

10. Kanye: "My psychiatrist got kids that I inspired / First song they played for me was 'bout their friend that just died” (creepy, ominous)

9. Kanye: “Hey baby, you forgot your Ray Bans / And my sheets still orange from your spray tan” (very South Naperville)

8. Kendrick: “She said she came out here to find an A-list rapper / I said baby, spin that 'round and say the alphabet backwards” (the young MC will not be slighted)

7. Kanye: "Thinking back to how I got here in the first place / Second class bitches wouldn't let me on first base" (those days are probably over, Yeezy)

6. Kanye: “Got pussy from beats I did for n****s more famous / When did I become A list? I wasn't even on a list” (those days are also probably over, Yeezy)

5. Kendrick: “Well cutie, I like your bougie booty / Come Erykah Badu me" (that’s just good game)

4. Kanye: “Every agent I know, know I hate agents / I'm too black, I'm too vocal, I'm too flagrant” (empowering)

3. Kanye: “I was uninspired since Lauryn Hill retired / And 3 Stacks, man, you preach it to the choir” (golden)

2. Kanye: "Mulholland Drive, need to put up some god damn barricades / I be paranoid every time, the pressure / The problem ain't I be drivin' / The problem is I be textin'" (we’ve all been there)

1. Kanye: “I be worried 'bout my daughter, I be worried 'bout Kim / But Saint is baby 'Ye, I ain't worried 'bout him” (and we’ll end with my favorite rap lyric of 2016)

10) Daya - “Hide Away”

It took a few listens to realize how sublime this one is. The lyrics are solid, the beat is great, and they display some real patience with how the hi-hat notes are deployed, and it really helps control the flow of urgency (Posner uses this tactic in the “Buried In Detroit [Remix]” as well).

Also, don’t sleep on its grocery store banger potential with the happier sounding and cutesy “Tell me where the good boys go” bridge.

9) Beyoncé f/ Kendrick Lamar - “Freedom” (note: link is to the live performance)

This is big.

I remember when “Lemonade” dropped, I was txting with my friend Buffalo Grove Tina (she’d heard the album and I hadn’t yet), giving her selective feedback as I was progressing through the tracks. She then sent a message that stuck with me every listen since:

Hooooooly buckets, she nailed it. The Just Blaze beat should be sent to the CDC, Yoncé is breathing fire, and once you start to finally wrap your head around all of that, you get a K-Dot verse as icing on a cake that already had great cake and great icing. It’s run-through-walls time.

8) Drake - “One Dance” (note: link is to the live version)

Drake has been so consistent with his output this decade, turning every year into a "Should I pick the hip-hop song or the pop song?" debate when it comes to list-making. This time, the pop song wins (or dancehall, really).

"One Dance" is a good joint to drink, dance, or sway to. There's a reason it became his most streamed song of all-time.

7) The Hotelier - “Piano Player”

What a beautiful piece of music. The warmness I feel during the “I don’t know if I know love no more” is unmatched. Their album (”Goodness”) is one of the year’s best.

6) Culture Abuse - “Dream On”

This song is automatic pulverization. Like, about 80% of the way through, it tries to end but somehow can't. The chorus isn't ready to be done. Some have compared the singer's style to a robot, but I think it just sounds *cool*.

5) Japandroids - “Near To The Wild Heart Of Life”

She kissed me like a chorus

Skeptics might hate on this song for sounding like a retread of their sound from 2012's legendary album "Celebration Rock", and even non-skeptics may roll their eyes at the "I used to be good, but now I'm bad" line. But I shun these trigger happy notions. Enough time has passed since “CR”, and I was ready for this band to come back; beyond ready. This song gave me everything I was missing during the Japan-void.

/walks out of the room with an unflinchingly straight face

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4) Pusha T f/ Jay-Z - “Drug Dealers Anonymous”

My pick for the best hip-hop track of the year. No choruses, no trade offs; it’s one long Pusha verse, then one long Jay verse -- the best rap verse of 2016, by my count. Pusha’s is galvanizing too, though. He paints pictures, conjures the Flint water crisis*, and sets up a bowling pin for the GOAT to roll one at...

/deep breath

Just, like, fuck, man.

JAY-Z IS SO GOOD AT RAPPING WORDS

Shawn Corey Carter doesn’t walk, he weaves. He doesn’t blast, he shoots silenced. I’d love to use the word “ether” to describe the verse but won’t out of respect. What doesn’t it have? I don’t know. Here’s what it does have: Tomi Lahren she gone, drug dealer stuff, rich guy stuff, historical and pop culture references (I’ll defend the “Damn, Daniel” line to the death), and this piece of divinity: “Y’all think Uber’s the future, our cars been autonomous”.

Sometimes all I can do is put my head down, bite my lip, and bob when this song comes on; lucky to be alive, like always.

(* - Pusha apparently donated water to the city but wanted it nameless, rationalizing it in the song with: “And I can’t even mention what I sent or what I spent / Cause my name in 18 wheelers is evidence”)

3) Modern Baseball - “Apple Cider, I Don’t Mind”

MoBo’s “Holy Ghost” was a little uneven as an album, but I’m just happy to have singer Brendan Lukens here with us after his bout with depression, substance abuse, and suicidal thoughts. By the time he got back to the studio after rehab, he was ready to give us at least a little insight into his psyche -- and it’s desperate, scary, and beautiful. My favorite overall musical moment of 2016 is the pleading “I can’t” he hits at the 1:15 mark of this one.

Clocking in at a tick under two minutes, this song almost feels incomplete in a way that 2014′s “Rock Bottom” (2:14 itself) didn’t. It’s like Lukens wants to sprint so hard he passes out, worrying not as much about finishing the race but instead focusing on giving the audience all of himself while in the booth.

2) Pinegrove - “New Friends”

Hit me, Spin:

Pinegrove are almost radically likable, soft-spoken in a year of grandiose statements, filling a void that only existed in retrospect.

Damn straight. I hadn’t even heard of these guys at the start of the year.

This goes from indie folk to a Weezer-y outro with only a short build up, but the songwriting and lyrics are in a style all their own, really. That’s it.

1) The Menzingers - “Lookers”

When this dropped, my buddy Chris Trott emailed me what he always emails me when a new song piques our interest: “Holy good god damn this is good. This is like 'I believe in music again' good.”

Shortly after, I remember leaving work for lunch and bumping the song for the first time in a parking lot. I wrote him back: “Was staring at this brick wall while listening and the first thought that popped into my head was something like 'It feels like they are taking my soul out of my body and splattering it on that wall' (in the best way, of course).”

Nostalgic verses, massive Jersey chorus, an “On The Road” reference, and the desire to want more of these songs even after you were just given everything in a single installment.

This god damn band.

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Quick about me: I make a living as a copywriter. I do pretty well. I set my own schedule and make plenty for my family and I to live comfortably (wife and 1 year old daughter). My whole schtick is targeting rational audiences with copy that is logically compelling. I want people to act in their best interest. No manipulative bullshit. I've been able to generate fantastic results for my clients, so this somewhat contrarian approach seems to be working.Yesterday I replied to the thread asking what everyone does and mentioned that I was a copywriter. I got a ton of DMs asking for information about learning how to do this.When the first one came in, I was about to start writing an article for a site I'm working on where I hope to help people write better copy. In my head I've always been more focused on helping other entrepreneurs, but there is no reason the advice couldn't help people become copywriters.Since I needed inspiration for the article anyway, I went ahead and wrote one answering that first person's question. By the time I logged on reddit last night, there were a bunch more people asking the same thing.And today I had great feedback, including someone telling me to post it here. So here goes...How To Become a Copywriter, Even If You Are Starting With No ExperienceCopywriting can be an incredibly rewarding career.I mean, the list of pros are pretty damn great:You set your own scheduleYou can work from anywhere that you wantThe upside earnings potential is in the millions (for truly top-level talent)Don’t get me wrong, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows.You’ll have to put in a lot of work before you earn a decent income. In the absence of a boss telling you what to do, basic tasks can feel overwhelming and hard to get done.And setting your own schedule isn’t the same as working 4 hours a week and still making a living.But again, the long-term upsides are fantastic if you can get past the initial hurdles.I’m assuming that’s why ‘how can I do that too?’ is the most common response when I tell people what I do.So here’s the deal…If you’re going to do this, I want you to do it well. The world doesn’t need any more half-assed writers churning out content because they think it’s their ticket to working by the beach in Thailand while sipping frozen drinks and lounging in a hammock.There are dozens of other guides out there that will teach you how to get low-paying writing jobs with no experience at all. They’ll make it abundantly clear that you can start with absolutely no writing skills, and then remind you of the future riches you may earn.You can follow their advice, but you’ll get stuck in the rat race. Thousands of other people are reading those same articles that all rehash the same tips and tricks. They then flood ‘freelancer sites’ like Upwork and Guru and Fiver, wondering why they’re stuck toiling away with extremely low-paying jobs.So instead of teaching you the quickest way to make money by telling people you are a copywriter, I want to show you how to actually become a good copywriter.There’s a big difference.First things first…What the hell is a copywriter, anyway?I suppose the simplest answer is just someone who writes copy.But that begs the question, what exactly is copy?If you look around the internet, almost everyone defines sales copy as the writing used to influence someone to make a sale. They’ll then dish out overused tips to write ‘ridiculously persuasive’ copy.This view is too narrow. Writing great copy is more than just knowing how to write a persuasive sales page. It’s more than creating a compelling VSL. I’ve given this a lot of thought, and here’s a definition I’m comfortable with:Good copy is the written implementation of a business’s marketing and branding strategy.But what’s the difference between good and bad copy?Here’s another area where I disagree with the definitions used by many people.Most people care about ONE thing: did it convert? Are my sales higher, now?I personally think there are THREE important components of good copy. It should be:ProfitableHonestSustainableYes, it does need to convert. That’s why I listed profitable up top. But I also think it should be honest and sustainable. Honesty is something you won’t find mentioned much when discussing copywriting, but I consider it a cornerstone of what I offer.There’s just way too much bullshit in the world. You can lie, trick, and deceive people to make money if you want. You can even generate massive returns in the process.But I’d personally feel like shit doing it.AND you can make just as much money, if not more, by being honest.This leads directly into the third criteria, sustainability.Your typical copywriter is entirely focused on making money in the present.They rely on what people call a ‘salesy‘ approach. It works for their goal of short-term cashflow, but it’s also unappealing to the majority of people who read it.The result is that you slowly lose (or simply don’t gain) authority and trust.While these approaches may generate great returns at the beginning, they also ‘cool’ the majority of your market. You may quickly capture a few percent of your potential customers, but you also lose the other 98% in the process. Call me crazy, but I think copy should both sell now and set the business up for future success.This isn’t too much to ask. It takes more work. It takes more time. But it’s doable, and the result is a sustainable business with fans, not just customers.Now that all this is out of the way, let’s get back to the question that started this section. But let’s add a small but important word…What the hell is a good copywriter, anyway?A good copywriter is one part writer and one part marketer.You’ll need to develop the skills of both if you want to be effective. You’ve probably seen people say that you don’t need writing skills to be a copywriter.Or you may feel that you are destined to be a great copywriter because you are a good writer.Neither one of these views is correct.While you don’t need the best technical skills (grammar, punctuation, etc..), you still need to be good at capturing an idea with words.The better you can do this, the more successful you will be. But being a great writer doesn’t mean you’ll be a great copywriter either.You need to back those skills up with an equally impressive set of marketing abilities.Even though I’m technically a copywriter, I have helped many businesses formulate their entire marketing strategy.But I don’t have these skills. How do I get them?If you don’t have these skills yet, I wouldn’t be worried at all. Most people who are practicing copywriters don’t even have these skills!I recommend that you begin by devouring information relating to these topics.There are a handful of books dedicated to copywriting that are a good place to start.Keep in mind, you don’t have to agree with someone to learn from them. Many of the books that I have read on these topics have information that I disagree with, but it’s still useful for understanding what other people are doing.Some good general copywriting books are:The Boron Letters by Gary HalbertThe Copywriter’s Handbook by Bob BlyThe Adweek Copywriting Handbook by Joseph SugarmanSome good marketing and ad books include:Scientific AdvertisingOgilvy on Advertising by David OgilvyInfluence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert CialdiniOn top of this, I also recommend that you start reading philosophy.I majored in philosophy in college, and it has honestly contributed more to my success as a copywriter than anything else that I’ve done.I developed a keen understanding of the power of words and the importance of word choice, but I also learned how to structure arguments in a logical and rationally compelling way. This has been invaluable. Finally, you can also read all the articles I post here on this site. I’ll be working hard to publish new content weekly, and it will all be geared towards teaching people how to write better copy and market more strategically.If you agree with my anti-bullshit stance, you may find what I have to say worth reading.As you consume all this information, take notes and put what you learn into practice.I practice by critiquing almost every ad and piece of copy that I see, much to the dismay of some of my family members.When you begin to pay attention, you will find that we are literally bombarded with advertisements. The opportunities to practice are endless.When an ad captures your attention, think about what strategy being used to sell the product or service. How could this have been done better?When you read a webpage, pay attention to the feelings and desires that it evokes. Look at the copy and try to find the strategy behind their words. Do you think they have been effective? Would you have done things differently?And when you find great copy, capture it and keep it in a ‘swipe file’ to return to later. Take pictures, screen shots… whatever you need to do.Getting ClientsI think the biggest problem with most ‘how to become a copywriter’ guides is that they simply tell you how to get your first client.If you take anything away from this, let it be this:If you want to be successful, you need to treat copywriting as a business.In other words, you need a plan that covers the following:What is your value proposition?Are you going to target a specific niche? What about a specific type of copy?How will you get the attention of potential clients?How will you make them aware of the value that you provide?What can you show them to make them trust your claims?How will you complete the sale?How will you grow?This doesn’t have to be sophisticated.Before launching this website, I ran the majority of my business through email.I don’t even have any personal social media accounts.I simply send emails to businesses with bad copy. I provide outstanding service, then ask for referrals after a job well done. I use samples and social proof to gain their initial trust, and all invoicing is done through Paypal.I’m still using this system, with an added layer of the website on top.And right now you’re probably thinking, Yea, but what about Client 0!?I get it.Getting your first client sounds daunting. But you can literally do this through cold emails.Your odds of success are dramatically increased if you can prove your abilities though.It’s this catch-22 that trips so many people up. You need experience to get jobs, but you need jobs to get experience.Businesses don’t want to hire people who don’t have any experience. There is too much risk.But you know what there are a lot of in this world: businesses that are starting with ‘bootstrapped’ budgets. People who have great ideas, but no money to launch big.If I were starting out all over again, these are the people I would target.And I’d work for free.I can feel the future shudder of the people who read that last line. It goes against almost all the business advice you’ve probably heard.Never work for free.People will only respect you if you charge them money.And on and on and on.Here’s the deal.You can go ahead and waste hours and hours on Upwork. Apply to low-paying jobs for businesses that are trying to pay as little as possible. The vast majority of your proposals will be rejected. Worst of all, your reputation is publically on the line and you have to deliver, no matter how difficult the clients you get are.But if you’re smart, you’d be spending that time sending emails instead of proposals. Most people starting businesses are desperate for help. They just don’t have the money to hire people. Be friendly. Explain your situation. Offer to write their copy if you can use it as a portfolio piece.There are plenty of forums online dedicated to startups and entrepreneurs. Go there.Look for people starting businesses that sound like a good idea. Tell them what you like about what they are doing and why you are willing to help for free.You may even be getting in on the ground floor of a successful future business. And odds are, these clients will come back to you with paid work once they are making money.And if they turn out to be assholes, you can just quit working for them.So let’s recap. The competition is lower. The people are more grateful. They can relate to your position because they are also struggling for recognition (which you will help them with). You’ll get portfolio pieces AND future clients.Doesn’t this sound better than spending all day writing proposals to job posts that probably won’t be answered?That's the majority of the article. You can also find it here: http://ift.tt/2lzCwkS is the first time I'm linking to my site publically, so go easy on me!

#/r/entrepreneur #reddit

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