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midnights by taylor swift review im back for another first listen release review. the majority of songs i love (bolded i will stand and die by) and enjoy but there are some skips. i think this album has a lot more variety than her last two albums that will pertain to a lot more people, but is less focused on one sound like folklore. off the bat, i doesnt eclipse any of my favs (folklore and reputation), but hm it might fight reputation, it reminds me of a more mature reputation and is more experimental with vocals and instrumentals. lets dive in:

lavender haze - the electronic start of this song with "meet me at midnight" is so danceable. i love the "yeah oh yeah"s, they are so goood. this song just makes me want to move, im obsessed.

maroon - the verses dont do a whole lot for me, a little boring and 2 drum beats, but i love the whole chorus "the burgundy on my t-shirt when you splashed your wine into me" and the "maroon"s coming in louder and louder throughout the song. anti-hero - this song is kind of funny and cheeky, despite the words being super dark (my fav "when my depression works the graveyard shift, all of the people ive ghosted stand there in the room"). i thought the "its me, hi, im the problem, its me" was a little lame, but its growing a lot of me after 2 listens.

snow on the beach - theres like two speeds in this album, one electronic and other side super soft and slow, this one being the later side. in contrast to some of my other favorite songs, it doesnt quite hit as dramatically but i do enjoy its dreamy, light verses and "weird but fucking beautiful". youre on your kid - this little indie beat is so sweet and her spoken "youre on your own kid, you always have been" is perfect, uplifting, brings me peace. i also love the verse, prechorus, verse, chorus pattern. it tells a story from beginning to end, and i love a story. midnight rain - the beginning!!! the contrast of her electronically-deepened voice is so fun against the first line "my town was a wasteland". the soft claps, the drum beat, "picture perfect shiny family holiday peppermint candy" wrap everything together. question..? - i dont love the chorus lyrics, its far too specific. the tone of the song also stays very flat and i dont really love the bridge either especially that autotuned "tonightttt". lmao the clapping and cheering. but the song isnt like annoying or anything so ill listen to it more. vigilante shit - super reputation-like "are you ready for it" sound. i only like this song when she sings "don't get sad, get even". i live for the spice on the "even", its maybe one of my favorite lines in the whole album, but the song itself is bottom tier. bejeweled - i cant with this song. the way she sings *shimmer*, i cant do it. the rhymes at the end of the songs "man / remember", the childish "nice!", "i miss sparkling". cant relate. labyrinth - for a song that is about falling in love, its far too chill and i dont like the weird floob-floob sounds scattered throughout. the vocals are so soft and the instrumentals are random.

karma - this song is an easy fan favorite that blew up on tiktok immediately and im clapping riding that train. its catchy, its funny, its "sweet like honey". this makes me love taylor.

sweet nothing - this funky lullaby is a sweet love song and reminds me of delicate "you must like me for me". the choruses are much better than the verses though, like lol wut "i wrote a poem, you say what a mind, this happens all the time".

mastermind - obsessed with the intro beats and "checkmate i couldnt lose", but the "im a mastermind" and the whole song makes me think really, did you plan your current relationship, kind of weird and creepy sorry (3am track time!) the great war - the chorus is so strong and catchy "my hand was the one you reached for all throughout the great war". i also just like the messaging that her current relationship carried her through this huge drama. bigger than the whole sky - i do like the sound of the background instruments, some of the lyrics im not a huge fan of like "did some bird flap its wing over asia" and etc, and "shouldve been couldve been" feels like it shouldve been in another song. the song just flows past you and its over. paris - uh excuse me? rhyming paris with (some)where else?? genius. the verses are witty and i cant wait to learn them: "drew a map on your bedroom ceiling". also anyone else notice in the bridge "at midnight in my mind" sounds just like daylight. this feels very much meant for lover but it still fits.

high infidelity - the piano and vocals are straight out of evermore but all the beeping and button sounds brings it into the midnights era. im also getting strong renegade energy ("are you really gonna talk about timing in times like these?") from "do i really have to ...". i love "put on your records and regret meeting me, put on your headphones and burn my city". there are some things i would change about the song but overall its good. glitch - the background static and "oh oh ooh"s add velvet and warmth to the song, despite the kind of boring lyrics "i think theres been a glitch im fastening myself to you with a stitch". she writes this glitch/system/static/counterfeit/malfunction metaphor but it never really sticks 100% for me. its just missing something to tie it all together. would've, could've, should've - this song is impressively balanced, with such strong verses, choruses, and bridges. "if youd never looked my way i wouldve stayed on my knees". dear reader - heavenly vocals with a melody that actually surprised me, and a bridge that feels liberating like taylor is finally telling you her truth. the way she manipulates her voice electronically adds so much interest and intrigue to the song. overall, taylor does not disappoint yet again with a funky fun album with a song for everyone.

calling all asian americans, a book for your little ones, featuring 26 letters of asian american foods from Asian pear to Zongzi! 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08QGJBT7Y

time lapse of my whippet puppy 

some screenshots of my 2020 year end powerpoint presentation.

my top recommendations: carrion, trial of the chicago 7. keeping it light so youll check those out.

evermore review and ranking:

overall, i found this album to have more skippable songs than folklore and the middle of my ranking definitely feels like the middle whereas in my folklore ranking, #14 was still a fav. folklore was a true anomaly where i was just adding the whole album to my playlist. evermore really feels like folklore’s little sister getting the hand-me-downs, who just doesnt know who she is or what shes doing with her life, what is the theme exactly. 

tis the damn season. i fell in love in the first five seconds. i love the moody mature guitar strums and drum beats amping up the entire song. the story of coming back to an old love in your hometown reminds me of the show ‘the normal people’. im a real sucker for sagas, timeless loves that pull you in time and time again, familiar feelings that just feel right because you experienced them at such a young age.  this song gets me.

long story short. this is such a banger r u joking. i feel every single one of my blood cells pumping as soon as this song starts. i even love the post-chorus, a great break from the chorus and the verses. i could post the whole song as my favorite lines.

ivy. hard not to compare this to illicit affairs, but this is like an upbeat version. if i didnt even pay attention to the lyrics, i would think this is so fun and catchy, it sounds good. there is no anger, there is a joy. and i just like it.

willow. im really glad this was the leading single because this is a beautiful stringy piece with a great melody. when i was reading the lyrics before listening to the song, it sounded extremely cheesy with “thats my man”, “i come back stronger than a 90s trend”, but in the song, i love it. theres a lot of heart and oompf to this.

coney island. i wonder why she picked coney island, a very summery location with the bright lines and merry go, when the whole album is supposed to be a winterscape. i barely understand what this song is about but i enjoy the sounds.

evermore. i love when justin vernon starts singing with that beautiful falsetto “cant not think of all the cost and the things that will be lost”.

champagne problems. before i get into this, i like this song, im impressed with the bridge and the chorus, i enjoy the story. just a small thing: title phrase. i just dont vibe with it, the rest of the lyrics couldve been more connected with champagne, i dont believe champagne to be any alcoholic’s choice of drink. and one more nitpick, who likes that random piano mash at the end, anyone?

tolerate it - this is a good mellow song, i can relate to the deep sadness of feeling ignored, every thing you do is just dropped. i feel this could grow on me, especially because at the end we really get that jolt of energy, i can leave, i can do it.

gold rush. this song is a little too sweet for me, specifically “i dont need a gold rush gold rush”. its just an upbeat and repetitive pop song. i also find this specific high school energy of really wanting someone but also despising their appeal to just not relate to the headspace im currently in.

no body no crime. whoooa that blast of country. it kind of feels weird in this album. i think the chorus is incredibly boring, “i think he did it but i just cant prove it” over and over.

closure. i cant get over the constant banging of industrial pots and pans throughout this whole song lol. i really went back and forth between do i like this, no i hate it, ok i could get used to it, no no it doesnt fit with the lyrics and how shes singing. i also dont care for “yes i got your letter, yes im doing better”.

we have a large pile of songs at the bottom, they all mush together in a sad corner. these could maybe grow on me but i also would be fine never listening to them again. with folklore’s sad songs, like epiphany or my tears ricochet, there was still something that appealed to me. most of these, there just isnt anything.

happiness - similar to tolerate it, i think the lyrics carry and convey a specific feeling very well, i have definitely felt this way, but i dont feel like the instrumentals match her emotional singing. i think she really carries this song and the instruments just let me down.

marjorie - i feel like a song about her grandmother could have been so great instead we get “what died didnt stay dead” over and over and a bridge that is mostly about herself. “shouldve kept every grocery store receipt cause every scrap of you would be taken from me” is the worst of the lines, thats what you want to keep? grocery receipts? the song should be about her grandmother leaving all her “backlogged dreams” to her, and im not getting much of that.

cowboy like me - takes one... to... know... one...... this song does not embody  the type of cowboy shes talking about, perhaps a 80 year old woman singing about her tendencies to run away. im not convinced taylor is singing from a place she understands enough about. my least favorite line in the album goes to “the tennis court was covered up with some tent-like thing”. tent like thing? lol ok. although i will say one of my favorite lines is “forever is the sweetest con”, but that gem cannot save this song.

dorothea - this is the worst version of seven from folklore. its about ten times less interesting, very bare bones, hardly any story or background information. i dont particularly like the name dorothea. giving me major grandma vibes, these last three songs are major grandma vibes. 

its italian snack month ft universal yums - below are my ratings: 

lemon and pepper tarallini - 2/5 this is a very strong wheat flavored biscuit in the shape and texture of a tiny bagel. it has a very realistic not-artificial lemon scent and taste. the black pepper kind of hits and lingers in the throat as an aftertaste. its neither super sweet or salty, its honestly a very bizarre combination of flavors: wheat, pepper, and lemon. 

orange zest carrot cake - 4/5 i didnt get much orange or carrot flavor, but indeed a very moist cake. we dont have a lot of american snack cakes like this (well i suppose we have lil debby but i dont eat that stuff) so its fun to try but nothing super special.

ketchup potato chips - 4/5 if u havent by now had some ketchup potato chips, highly recommend. its so tangy and sweet all in the same bite. these are no different. docked a point because ive had it before, not as unique.

tiramisu cream chocolate balls - 2/5 when you think tiramisu, you think quite light, airy, creamy, but this was more of a dense moisture-sucking chocolate ball.

selz fizzy lemon candy - 4/5 this is a lot like zotz if youve had those: a hard candy with a fizzy inside. knock a point for unoriginality

italian black truffle potato chips - 4/5 these are so tasty, they taste lilke mushrooms, very unique and distinct flavor. 

chocolate bar with italian hazelnuts - 3/5 i love hazelnuts but this is so boring, just a very classic flavor. but that aint what i here for you know.

amarettini cookies - 3/5 i do like the taste of these, very almondy and a strong brown sugar taste, but the crunch is deafening inside the echo chamber that is my mouth. 

not sure if italy just has very classic snacks, they probably do, but i wasnt stocked about the selection. better luck next time.

i just discovered the great british bake off and there is literally no reason i need to advocate for the show, its not a new discovery for anyone by any means, its no surprise that its a phenomenal show. but i do feel like it was described to me by multiple people over the years as a “relaxing baking show” and there are so many more reasons why its revolutionary. let me lay them out for you. 

1. it truly feels like theyve deconstructed and adapted all the core conventional elements of a cooking competition and removed all these superfluous adversarial spirits to it. everyone there is so kind and helpful to each other. they cheer each other on, theyre happy for each others successes and supportive when one of their own fails. the camera shows them interacting with one another, giving each other advice. one of the contestants even says something along the lines of, there wasnt a lot of chat today, almost wasnt fun, feels like were in a real competition. hilarious.

2. another thing the show has rethought as a core formula to their show is that they have separate judges and hosts. normally the host is also the judge, the host does everything from setting the challenges, being friends with the contestants, critiquing their work, and determining who wins and loses. here youve separated out your comedic entertainment and the friendliness of the hosts with the technically knowledgable judges. its brillant. its actually a very funny show too.

3. diversity. in the season im watching, there is such a range of ages from young adult to elderly, so many different cultures and backgrounds that really play into the meaning of the baked goods theyre making. it would be easy to just have a whole lot of british white people, but instead they really decided to make this a show for everyone. (everyone is still british though.)

4. the transparency that the prompts are given ahead of time and that theyve had time to practice. not sure if other competitions tell their contestants ahead of time, i reckon they do, but they just make it seem like its all happening right now.

5. everything about the formula of the show is perfect. i was surprised when starting to watch this that there were three different competitions in each episode on a specific theme like bread. normally you would get one finale type competition and maybe a couple contests that clearly had less thought go into it. i really enjoy every single contest: signature, technical, and show stopper.

6. everything above i said is really bonus. we are all here for the desserts, and they deliver. some of the contestants have the most novel ornate ideas with the most peculiar mix of flavors. i love that they go into real detail about each dessert. they dont skimp on the stars of the show.

so go watch it.

michelle got me a russian snack box from universal yums for my birthday, so ill be reviewing the snacks:

bolete mushroom flavored croutons - 5/5 these are incredible, the texture is a perfect crisp with no resistance, it tastes garlicky, salty, potentially mushroom flavored im really not quite sure what mushrooms even taste like now that i think about it, but i dream about these. when i finished the bag, i would just breathe in the smell.

ripe pear milk chocolate - 4/5, i dont love the milk chocolate, but the tangy, jam of the tart pear is so good, so unique. there isnt really a taste i can compare it to me, maybe green apple. 

fruit jellies in mango and strawberry - 5/5 and 2/5, the mango flavor is the same flavor as those asian mango jello cups. the strawberry isnt as notable, feels like something an old irish grandmother would have in her purse.

coconut and white chocolate hazelnut balls - 5/5 these are so frikin good, love the crunchiness of the hazelnut shell, reminds me of a coconut flavored ferrero rocher 

peanut, hazelnut, milk chocolate layered wafer - 5/5 i might have to just make an order for these soft melt-in-your-mouth layered wafers. the russians really got me on these hazelnut candies.

cheese potato chips - 5/5 the first i tried these i was bombarded with the flavor or cheese and i was like okay i probably wont like these, no problem, most of the snacks so far have been a 5/5 anyway. but the more i kept eating them, the cheese flavor subsided and what came out with a garlic salt almost sweet taste. they were so addicting, and i am once again sad i dont have more.

boiled milk and chocolate cake - 4/5 this tastes and feels like a moon pie, light and bouncy, but instead of marshmallow it is a light chocolate creme. i scarfed it in a minute. 

white chocolate and hazelnut cream wafer - 4/5 mhhhmm, thats what i said in my head as i first bite into wafer filled white chocolate creme.

this box of snacks is incredible. its only $17 a box (and it goes down from there the more months you buy). making each snack about $2, which is not bad. i want to say i will continue to buy this after my gifted 3 months are up, but $48 sounds like a lot for snacks - ugh just do it cathy. its not really that much for literally so much joy in your life. anyway, michelle really did me a solid. bless her. i cant wait for next month.

some people arent too sure what to buy at trader joes. i usually take note of any interesting products from ppl reviewing items on instagram, so here’s my review of some late-summer items that you can probably no longer get, but no worries, this review is mostly for 2021 summer cathy. bolded items id repurchase.

cotton candy grapes $9 - this craze is insane, the price is insane, the fact that they still have seeds in them is insane. they also have gummy bear grapes, but i didnt see any at the store i went to. i wouldnt say they taste like cotton candy, but they do have a sweeter taste. sometimes it tastes like grass.

super sour scandinavian swimmers candy $3 - trader joes gummies tend to either be too chewy or too soft, this being the latter. the flavor is very tasty, but not quite the super sour i was hoping for. and one more complaint: it gets stuck in your back molars.

dry watermelon jerky $4 - jerky is a deceiving word, it looks like jerky, but its more like a crystallized watermelon. thats the only ingredient. downside, this also gets in your teeth. 

cherry pomegranate toaster pastries $2.70 - definitely tastes healthier than your regular pop tarts but its a great, just slightly sweet breakfast item.

passion fruit guava greek yogurt $1- a lot of greek yogurts have that super tangy sour cream taste or a watery texture, and this doesnt. the passion fruit and guava flavor is delightful.

yuzu hot sauce $5 - tried this with spring rolls and dumplings. its sweet, sour, light, and spicy. its not offensive like some hot sauces are. its really just the right amount of flavor to not overpower but still adds a citrusy spice. do i need it? probably not

sparkling coconut water with yuzu $4 - i really wanted to try everything yuzu, despite not liking coconut very much. this is exactly what youd expect the drink to taste like: half coconut and half yuzu, so if you like both, more power to you.

sparkling peach black tea $4 - these taste like haribos peach candy. theyre very good, but kind of expensive for four cans, so i wouldnt get again.

cheese-less cheesecakes $4 - these are a weird flavor. it hits you with a tangy-ness to start, but the aftertaste is very nice and vanilla-y. i added raspberries on top to hide the flavor, but id rather just eat raspberries alone then.

frozen shiitake mushroom chicken $5 - sauteed this with broccoli over rice for 3 servings. the flavor is very good, but it didnt taste as good as leftovers the next day. and im sure you could easily create this sauce yourself.

philly cheesesteak baos $3.50 - i think they changed the texture of this, because the last time i bought it maybe a year ago, it didnt have onions. 

chicken soup dumplings $3 - they only come with six and theyre kind of a pain to cook in the steamer without puncturing, but these were so flavorful and tasty its worth it.

kung pao chicken mochi balls $4 - i like the outside texture of these but the chicken mush inside is not good and they just added spice to give it flavor. otherwises it would havent any. the dough also gets stuck in my teeth, why is trader joes trying to give me cavities

frozen spicy thai eggplant $3.50 - sauteed this with cubed chicken over rice for two servings. the spicy basil taste is so good, this is a repurchase.

im such a big hoe for a24 films that i bought merch from them to rep and inform casual bypassers what theyve been sleeping on. here is just a small subset of their movies that ive enjoyed the heck out of (in order by latest: uncut gems, the lighthouse, the farewell, midsommar, gloria bell, eighth grade, the disaster artist, lady bird, the killing of a sacred deer, the florida project, moonlight, american honey, swiss army man, the lobster, room, ex machina, while were young, life after beth, and obvious child) and not to ignore the ones i watched but liked less of (the last black man in san francisco, hereditary, first reformed, 20th century women, mississippi grind, the end of the tour, a most violent year, the spectacular now, the bling ring, and spring breakers). and they just started in 2013, incredible work. 

taylor swift's new (now old when im writing this) album, folklore, is by far my favorite album shes come out with. dare i say my favorite album of all time.. no, no, i can’t. you know those wonderful mature songs sandwiched between all the pop-py, repetitive songs: this is that album. i do understand when people say this album is quite boring, many songs sound similar, but if you are a fan of indie folk, you will be able to pick up on the subtleness.

note: the lyrics i post below with each song, im emphasizing them for the musical moment, the way the song sounds at that point, not necessarily the words themselves.

1. peace. this is a musically and lyrically beautiful song. not only is every second of this song captivating, it physically pulls me on my heartstrings when she asks would it be enough if she could never give him peace. the vulnerability and also acceptance of the consequences of her unique circumstance is palpable - she feels it, i feel it. 

2. my tears ricochet. i would honestly just paste the whole song below, because again, this entire song is interesting and flows so beautifully - the way it climaxes at the end of every bridge just rings and echos. its very moody, sullen.

3. epiphany. im particularly invested in the first half of this song, it feels like sitting in the pews of a silent, empty church with your head hung low.

4. the lakes. im in love with the chorus, and the first verse. its romantic, cottage core (not that this entire album isn’t cottage core).

5. mad woman. im literally feel angrier and sadder singing along, that women are mocked of their hysteria that you caused. shes huffing under the weight of these industry men.

6. illicit affairs. the way this song blossoms from shy, embarrassment to i dont deserve this, anger, is truly beautiful story telling. my only thing is that it ends quite suddenly.

as you might be able to tell at this point, i really enjoy the later half of the album, and thats because i listened to the first half when it first came out over and over and over again until it was a gray snot rag. then i waited a whole month or whatever to listen to the second half. thats just how i chose to do this. so im actually sick of the first half, but i do remember which were my favorites:

7. the last great american dynasty. i think the fact that taylor was able to find a similarity, a connection with this woman who had previously owned her home and write a wonderful story about it is charming and plays until the whole folklore concept.

8. seven. the contrast between the verses and the chorus is so fun, like how is this the same song?

9. invisible string. although cheesy, the writing of this song really sells it for me. i absolutely adore the way the lyrics are in this song, the format “.* was a .*”. she retells all these lovely details. its dreamy, its a great ode to love and its complicated relationship with time.

10. the 1. this is really a wonderful break up song, when youre at stage 5 of acceptance “and it's alright now”.

11. cardigan. i actually bothers me that this is clearly a lana del ray song, but its none the less a good song, and when she sings “i knew you” before the start of every uniquely different chorus, i can feel her heartbreak.

12. exile. the culmination of their two voices and ballooning at the end is stunning artistically.

13. august. the first half is slightly predictable, it rises and falls exactly where you think, but the way the second half of the song does a 180, and i quite enjoy it.

14. betty. i do think this is a great complement and light hearted balance to the more serious side of the album. its kind of a fun vibe when youre in your car, singing along “will you love me, will you hold me”, but if i want teen romance songs, i prefer august over betty. 

15. hoax. i dont quite understand what the song is about, where is she coming from? who did this to her? im genuinely confused, but with nearly every song at the bottom of this list, theres still moments i enjoy.

16. this is me trying. this doesnt do anything for me. she sings that she is trying, but is she really? im not at all convinced in fact. also this lyric is disgusting: “I was so ahead of the curve, the curve became a sphere”. ??? i still like the bridge, an escape from the rest of the song:

17. mirrorball. this is skippable. “You'll find me on my tallest tiptoes Spinning in my highest heels, love” is sickly sweet, this is no real backbone to this song. again, the bridge is an escape from the cotton candy swirl of a song:

jesus christ, did i do it, did i do all the songs, that was so many songs. we ended on a sour note, but i still think this album is a 10/10.

my retirement community i mean animal crossing island tour

list of things ill be looking forward to in the new downtown office, come march 23!

1. not having to share a bathroom with the rest of the building, but instead with just 2 other coworkers. we basically have our own stalls.

2. being able to bring the dogs into the office, without commiting to them being there the whole workday, since ill be able to walk them back to my apartment in a matter of 10 minutes roundtrip. 

3. i am the only limiting factor to when i get to work and when i leave work, since i wont have to carpool. 

4. a desk by the window with natural light. i could try another plant. right now, we do have windows but the blinds are down all the time as the way the desks are positioned, sunlight causes glare, or so they say.

2020 new year resolutions:

1. listen to more music. my 2019 spotify wrapped told me i only listened to 3,800 minutes of music, 90% less music than i listened to in 2015. steps im taking to achieve this goal: bring earbuds with me more frequently on grocery trips, dog walks, general downtown walking. work ive done so far: listen to my discover weekly playlist every week. ive been listening to a lot of dua lipa (genesis, bad together, dont start now), and the band camino (my thoughts on you, daphne blue, less than i do).

2. visit the "great american midwest cities", said no one ever. i meant to do this last summer, but with how chaotic it was, what with moving, getting lasik, getting snilly, it didnt happen. (bonus: fly to places that are much closer to me now than theyve ever been: boston, new york, toronto) the work ive done so far: create a rough outline of the cities to visit and things to do while there. 

the 2019 media consumption breakdown - a list that is only digestible by me honestly

movies (131): the farewell, midsommar, joker. honorary mentions: cold war, the favourite, free solo, before sunrise, avengers end game, plus one

shows (32): fosse/verdon, undone, dickinson. honorary mentions: travellers, ramy, sorry for your lost, unbelievable, chernobyl. 

books (22): pachinko, the center cannot hold, valley of the dolls

songs: dandelions by ruth b, say it by maggie rogers, hurt again by julia michaels, afterlife by hailee steinfeld, la la lost you by niki (these are all songs id listen to for days on repeat)

podcasts, probably the category i least want to rep: girls gotta eat, asian boss girl, a little about a lot/the sorry girl podcast 

youtube: mia maples, song of association on elle, liziqi the chinese princess, asmr in general 

i bought a new car and i didnt even have to call my parents during the negotiation to ask them for help. its a 2020 camry hybrid le, its new its beautiful, it can hold up to like 5 whippets in the backseat, 5 more than our previous car, it can play music, it has remote entry and start, its really the luxury i deserve.

i got a taste of the midwest winter. you know in baby its cold outside, they say the weather is frightful, i dont think i really knew what that meant until recently. but its also so beautiful to see your everyday surroundings suddenly masked by pure white bright snow. youre suddenly in a snowglobe, it feels unreal, magical, like im on a snowy vacation. 

since im going to china with my family soon, i decided i needed to go to therapy. my immediate needs were to equip myself with the strength to protect my boundaries, and i feel like after the first couple sessions, i really do think ill be okay on this trip. well see

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