Indulgence

Halo Top is overrated. It's still good, but it lies. I was willing to let the mint chip slide, even though it wasn't what I was used to. But then came cookies and cream. It was not as advertised. There were no cookies, just cocoa powder splattered on top, and not a lot of it. It's fine for a white chocolate ice cream, but that's not what I was looking for.

It took me three sittings to get through the Vox Machina musical (it's based on Hamilton so it's long). It was great, and I'm going to listen to it again, hopefully all the way through, when I have time. It goes from the fall of Emon to Scanlan leaving the party (with Taryon popping up to kick off the credits). Of the new group, Caleb is my favorite, followed by Nott and Jester. The fan works for that, like the animations and Fire Emblem parodies, are also amazing (people who used to animate for the Vox Machina campaign improved their skills, especially Gee Whiz, who also animates Achievement Hunter).

Thinking back on the last episode and others, AJ probably acts like an overprotective idiot around family because her parents are dead and she doesn't want anything to happen to anyone else. But that's the problem: if you don't let anything happen to the ones you care about, nothing will happen to them, good or bad. The recent MLP episode was almost about divorce, but instead it was literally about living in two worlds (despite the parents living in separate worlds, they didn't act divorced). Scootaloo's behavior also had unfortunate implications, namely that being a sea pony was just like flying, but she said she'd rather be a pony than a bird. She didn't have a "lucky fin" like Nemo, though.

Since Melin is still in the narrative of the Clear Card anime, it's getting hard to tell how much of what she was involved in is filler. For instance, the picnic episode happened in a flashback in the manga, and the Gravitation Card doesn't exist. Anything going on with Akiho's book (what she read about the Mirage Card happening to Alice that actually happened to Sakura) may or may not be canon, just like the viewing party that happened in the most recent episode. The anime is really pushing the Sealed Card movie as canon, even though it can't really fit into the narrative anymore the closer they stick to the manga.

Channel Awesome Update and MLP Review

Rob and Doug have quit and are suing Mike, but I don't know if watching their videos on YouTube will give money to the Walkers or Michaud. Even hearing the theme music in other people's videos talking about the whole debacle makes me sick. Speaking of sick, I took down my JewWario video because now I know why. People either didn't know about it, heard about it but didn't believe it, or knew about it and covered it up. I've been trying to make sense of the clique drama too, but to cover everything would be impossible for one person. From what I could gather, Hope is now Jacob, but the way (s)he broke up with Nash and took advantage of his hospitality wasn't great. But Nash is also an asshole for demanding pizza and beer at a party that didn't have either and then leaving before the people bending over backwards for him could get it for him. And then there was everyone in Lindsay's group concerning GamerGate and their "if you're not with us you're against us" attitude. I don't even know where to start with that, other than the fact that Lindsay's input was dismissed during anniversary specials yet she is dismissive of other people's input as well (though not to the point of causing dehydration/exposure to the elements/etc.). Despite any of their content, there are few reviewers who are actually good people. It's just too bad we had to find out like this. *exasperated sigh* Why couldn't it have just been creative differences among everyone?

I feel like the latest episode of MLP "Grannies Gone Wild" wouldn't have been possible without AppleJack's meddling. If she hadn't given Rainbow Dash all of those overprotective instructions (we know dealing with family makes her stupid - she is a repeat offender and the characters know it). If they had gotten there and Rainbow had said "But AppleJack gave me this list" and then the Golden [Horseshoe] Girls told her to throw away the list and have fun with them/do whatever she wanted, there wouldn't be an episode. Except there still could have been, because it would just be an episode of the Golden Girls. Flim and Flam own the place but don't make an appearance (though their likenesses are everywhere), Rick and Morty ponies wait in line for the roller coaster, and there's a stage magician who may or may not be Trixie's father (or at least a male version of her). It wasn't a waste of an episode, but it did take the wrong approach. I could see it going that way if AJ had gone with them, but Dash didn't even check with Big Mac to see if AJ's rules were legit. But again, it's not an episode if everyone's being stupid.

Down with Awesome

I ordered more Japanese Kit Kats because I couldn't help myself. I wanted to try the caramel pudding ones because Phelous said they were good, and they are. I can't stop the people I live with from eating them on me, so I'm going to have to order more come Halloween. I also got black tea flavored ones, or Uji Hojicha. They're every bit as delicious as I thought they would be when I wondered if they existed or not. They are now my second favorite after green tea (caramel pudding can be third I guess, or maybe strawberry cheesecake). I will probably end up ordering more of them too. After tasting all these flavors, though, I do find myself missing regular milk chocolate.

Mike Michaud is possibly worse than Al Kahn ever was, and that's saying something. Kahn was a bad businessman and a terrible CEO, but he at least never bullied or harassed the talent (that I know of). I don't like Rob and disagree with Doug on notable occasions, but I believe Doug is the lesser of the two evils as he seems to be an actual human being (at least, I want to believe that). To clarify, I think the Nostalgia Critic is a character and Doug is not himself that arrogant; however, Doug can be a raging egomaniac at times while Rob always seems to have an air of superiority to him. Mike apparently owns Nostalgia Critic and is a giant man-baby when he doesn't get his way. Doug is complicit but also I believe his hands are tied in some ways. That doesn't mean he shouldn't be held responsible, though, as he as almost as big a man-baby as Mike. There are cliques in any workplace situation, but it makes me sad to learn that not everyone on the site is open and friendly as they seemed during crossover events, or they were but it all fell apart. I will never watch the anniversary specials again, nor will I ever go to the Channel Awesome site again. I will remain subscribed to the Channel Awesome YouTube channel, but things have to change. For all involved, it would be too little, too late, and too much to hope for.

Oh Boy...

People must like Miles. His video got 30 views, but Michael's still only has three. I posted the lightning round, and I'm glad to be finally done. I guess I could have included more Ryan, but putting in more than just Port was a last-minute decision. I didn't have time for any Nomad stuff, and I completely forgot about Camp Camp since he's two people. I had fun, but it's been an awful week. First I almost didn't get my vacation due to an error in the schedule. Then my husband's car was broken into and his entire work bag was stolen, including his brand-new GPS. While I was working on researching the final parts of the video today, a car crashed into the fence across the street and flipped up-side down. And while it is nice to have an extra two days tacked onto my vacation, I do have to work the rest of next week, with all but one being 6-hour shifts. I'm going to need coffee and prayers.

I read the first volume of Wolf & Parchment after only having seen the Spice & Wolf anime. There were parts of it I liked, but I don't think I'm going to continue reading the whole series. I don't find it quite as compelling as the first series, and that one could be boring at times. My biggest problem is that Myuri wants to be with Col, who she has always seen as a brother. While that may or may not be a problem since they're not actually related, I was all in for a brother-sister adventure until they threw that in too. Col is training to be a priest, so that makes it difficult for Myuri with his vow of abstinence and all. I also find the church's plot to be juvenile in its execution, what with its name-calling and waiting games. I think one of the old priests had a heart attack and died during that.

The English dub of Clear Card has almost caught up. Good call not joining the literature club, Naoko. Meilin is coming back, but since she's been gone I think I like Chiharu more.

I had a hard time finding onion bagels at the store I work at too. Thanks, Dunkin Donuts. Without you selling them, we're sold out. The most Munchkins you can get is 25 now. I could've sworn we used to get forty.

RWBY Chibi idea: Phyrra and Nora break Cardin's legs.