Resident Evil was definitely...something!

This video is absolutely related to today's post! This is just for the people who want to see the gameplay with no commentary. I hope you guys enjoy it! :)))

• Word Count: 675

    Okay, as I’m writing this, I literally JUST beat the first Resident Evil game like…an hour ago. Plus, I’m watching a JazzyGuns gameplay to refresh my memory. I wanted to talk about my thoughts for a bit. Overall, it’s a really good game. I think it’s one of the best introductions to a franchise I’ve ever seen, and I loved the story. Additionally, I liked how different the game’s mechanics were. The fixed camera angles made the game even scarier, adding to the atmosphere of an already creepy-ass game. Honestly, it was cool and gave a nice experience…but you couldn’t pay me to play this shit again! 

I mean this in the most respectful way possible; this is not one of those games I’d play more than once. Now, before you guys say anything, it wasn’t the controls that made me say that, and no, it wasn’t the lack of inventory space I had in my pockets. All of that shit I got used to pretty quickly. What threw me off was the lack of guidance. Mannnnnn, when I tell you this game doesn’t tell you shit, this game does not tell you shit. We’re talking no objections; none of the rooms are labeled on the maps, and you’re barely given any hints throughout the game. You’re essentially playing the game blind, which, technically, is the point. In a way, you’re experiencing how your character feels in real time: being thrown into a super huge mansion, feeling like there’s no way out, almost hopeless, sure…but at the same time, that can make the game unenjoyable. Eventually, you start getting lost, and some puzzles are so difficult that you have to research them (depending on who you are). Don’t get me wrong, that doesn’t make Resident Evil bad, just slightly annoying. 

- I also want to note that if you play the game long enough, you eventually get used to the navigation in the Spencer Mansion. I still meant what I said, though! 

Not to mention the people who are new to Resident Evil! When you add older controls to a game with fixed camera angles, and the player doesn’t know what they’re doing, it can be overwhelming to say the least. I also want to say, as a Resident Evil fan, I don’t like the way people try to gatekeep the franchise. Seriously, there are way too many people who say shit like…

• “If you didn’t play the first Resident Evil, you’re not a real fan.” 
• “You can’t be a Resident Evil fan if you don’t play the games!”

First of all, this is why I said don’t interact with the fandom in my last Resident Evil piece. Second, you can 100 percent be a fan of a game and never play it. As a matter of fact, I’ll use myself as an example; I’m a super huge fan of Five Nights at Freddy’s. I’ve been a fan since the first game came out; I’ve done multiple deep dives on the games, I've listened to most of the songs people made for the franchise, and I’ve been watching gameplays since I was a little kid. Now, guess who’s never played any of the games. Me! I don’t intend to play any of them either. It doesn’t make me less of a fan, though! See, we have to stop listening to random losers on the internet, my dudes. LMAOOOO 

Now, other than that, I actually had a lot of fun with this game! I played as Chris again because I loved his character, but I didn’t realize it was probably a bad decision to make. Dude, I was four hours into my gameplay before I learned Jill had more inventory space and she had certain abilities Chris didn’t. I knew I fucked up, but I’m not the type to just restart a game. I figured I might as well go along with it lol. So, I essentially took the hard way out; I don’t regret it, though. I had a lot of fun! Anyways, thanks for reading! 

- CD ★

☆ BONUS MATERIAL (FOR FUN :) ☆
I wanted to show you guys two things: The results I got from my playthrough and a video of someone talking about the Resident Evil safe rooms lol. I really liked the deep dive and wanted to show it here. I hope you guys enjoy yourselves! 
ヽ(>∀<☆)ノ

It Feels Good to Be Black: A Reflection

 

This video is heavily related to today's post. It's very motivational, so I hope you guys like it. :)))

    I often think about a Malcolm X speech where he says, “Who taught you to hate the texture of your hair? Who taught you to hate the color of your skin?” I think about it way more than I should, not because I despise it, but because it means so much to me. I can’t speak for anybody, but I can speak for myself; I had to learn to love myself in the mirror. I grew up forced to get relaxers in my hair, never even knowing my natural texture until I turned 16…I might open that can of worms another day. I also grew up around a lot of people who had internalized racism and never unlearned it; I had to distance myself from people like that. 

When I started my loc journey, I learned to love myself fully. I was forced to look at my hair and my features, realizing two things: One, I couldn’t hide how I looked anymore, and two, I couldn’t change what I was looking at. My hair had been hidden - or altered - for the majority of my life. So, to finally look at me was something I didn’t know I needed. It took a long time, but I slowly started learning to love every part of me. Not to mention, there were online communities I joined, where I saw and connected with other Black people who were confident in themselves. That’s another thing I wanted to talk about; there’s a certain - and unspoken - level of community that’s tied into being Black. That’s when I realized something: to be Black is to be loved. To be Black is to love yourself regardless of what other people tell you and regardless of who tries to make you hate what you see every day. 

Honestly, that’s what keeps bringing me back to this lecture. I think it’s something a lot of us need to hear. Actually, I wish I heard this when I was a little girl. However, as messed up as it was, I’m glad my journey happened when it did; I still learned to love regardless. I love my curls. I love my skin. I love all of my features. I love being Black in general. I love the things we create. I love the way we uplift each other. I love how beautiful we are. I don’t know about y’all, but seeing people love themselves makes me want to love myself also. To be Black is to be everything…and I wouldn’t have it any other way. 

- P.S. PLEASE watch the Malcolm X movie from 1992! It’s a nice watch lol.

- CD ★

☆ BONUS MATERIAL (FOR FUN :) ☆

While writing this entry, I was reminded of Fred Hampton when he was talking about race and solidarity. I felt the themes were similar to what I was talking about, so I included the video. I hope you guys like this too. Thanks for reading! (o´▽`o)

July Announcements: Album & Film of the Month, Blog & YouTube Updates, & More

This video is somewhat related to today's post. This is mostly for people who want to see a deep dive into album production and want to learn the nerdier side of music. I hope you guys like it! :)))

    Hey everyone, I hope you guys are doing good! I've really been getting to work lately, and I wanted to share some announcements I have for this month. 

1. For the album of the month, I decided to go with Voodoo by D'Angelo (2000). Now...let's be honest, y'all...y'all knew deep down this was going to be the album of the month LMAOOOOO. When it became the first album I reviewed, I knew I was doomed. Okay, seriously though, I loved this album so much when I first heard it. I literally went out of my way to NOT listen to anything else until I made this album of the month. No bullshit, I love this album so much, and I am beyond happy to showcase it. I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I did. 
2. Now, for the film of the month, I wanted to do BOBO BLUES by Myracle. Honestly, I saw the film a while ago and also saved it for the right time. After looking at the themes in the Voodoo album, I thought picking this project would be perfect. I think I said this before, but I like to craft a theme for every month. I hope I'm doing well lol. 
3.  The next thing I wanted to talk about was my YouTube content. I know I'm not as consistent on there, but I want to get better at that. I know it's been a while since I uploaded a podcast episode OR a gameplay video...and I want to change that. Don't ask me how, because I don't know yet, but just know it'll get done. I'm thinking I may have to change my content up a bit; maybe throwing a different game in there or finding a topic for the podcast at least once a month. I'll figure it out, but my point is, if you're subscribed to my YouTube channel, expect a few small changes. 
4. My last announcement relates to the content on this blog. I think I'm EATINGGGGG with my articles right now. I literally just put out an essay about Resident Evil 5, and I spent weeks working on it. It was the first time I felt nerdy when writing about something; I loved it. I want to do more things like that. Actually, I won't give away what it is, but I want to work on writing a certain anime. However, if I want to write about it, it'll require me to rewatch the anime...and I don't know if I'm ready for that yet. I'll get back to y'all on that another time! 

    Anyway, that's all for the announcements! I hope you guys enjoy yourselves, and I'll talk to you guys soon!  

o(≧▽≦)o

The Good & Bad of Resident Evil 5: A Retrospective

 

Obviously, this video is heavily related to today's post lol. This is for the people who just want to see the gameplay without commentary. Hope you guys like it! :)))

• Word Count: 1,083 

    Before I start, I just wanted to say I’ve always been a fan of Resident Evil. Growing up, my dad bought a lot of the games: Resident Evil 0, Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 2 Revelations, Resident Evil 5, and Resident Evil 7. I vividly remember being at his house and just playing around with that dramatic ass bass booming on the TV when I was getting chased. Then, as I got older, I kept buying the Resident Evil games. I bought Resident Evil 3 and Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City…see, barely anybody talks about that game; it was actually fire, but I’m drifting from the point, my bad. Even though I have the games, I’ve never actually completed any of them. They either got too difficult for me or a level made me chicken out. Either way, it never got done. I usually watched gameplays until recently. 

    I started playing Resident Evil 5 with my brother a few weeks ago. I made him play Sheva since I wanted to play Chris. A few years ago, I tried to play Resident Evil 5 by myself, but there was a certain level that made me chicken out, so I stopped playing. My brother and I were talking, and I don’t know how it came up in the conversation, but I convinced him to play co-op with me…and then we actually managed to complete the game. It was actually fucking crazy. I almost chickened out a few times, but it was hard to ditch the game when I saw how much my brother was enjoying it. So, naturally, I think I started having fun too. 

    Looking back, I also realized Resident Evil 5 wasn’t as scary as I remembered. A few of the bosses creeped me out, but I wasn’t alone, which made it better. Not to mention, I just love the game itself. I loved the story and all of the bosses, as creepy as they were. Additionally, I think Chris and Sheva are cool as shit. However, as much as I like the game, I perfectly understand why it gets backlash. To be completely honest, I don’t like the way Resident Evil 5 portrays Black people. At all. I actually think it’s tone deaf, and I don’t give a fuck when the game was made. It’s not the setting that makes me upset. There’s nothing wrong with making a game that takes place (anywhere) in Africa; it’s whether or not the culture is respected, and I think it falls flat. Portraying African people in this savage-like state when they’re infected, it rubs me the wrong way. Before any of you say anything, it’s actually confirmed that the Las Plagas parasite made the villagers revert to their ancestral practices. Now, I understand why other Black gamers aren’t offended. I understand both sides, but if people are expressing their discomfort over things like that, you can’t just dismiss it. People are uncomfortable for a reason. Also, before any of you come to me to talk about Resident Evil 4 or Resident Evil 6, I’m not here to talk about those games, as I cannot speak for the communities portrayed. I can only speak as a Black gamer, and other people of color should be allowed to express their discomfort if they have any. 

The following picture shows a journal entry from the game that proves my statements. 

    Anyway, this is why I think Capcom should fix a few things when - not if - they remake Resident Evil 5. One of the main things they should have is captions and translations for what the villagers are saying throughout the game. As you play the game, you can hear locals speaking in another language, which isn’t the problem. The problem is the player having a lack of understanding, which can often lead to a lack of respect. Because you are displaying a culture that isn’t often visible in the media, the very least you are responsible for is presenting things as respectfully as possible. Showing little things like that, it gives people an insight into the community and lets the player have curiosity. It gives them room to ask shit like…

• “What language are they speaking?” 
• “Which country in Africa is this based on?” 

You know, shit like that! I also want the game to humanize the people a bit more, and before y’all say anything, Resident Evil is actually good at humanizing background characters. I could easily remind you guys of the journal pages you can read in any of the games, reading about people slowly becoming undead and losing hope for the world around them. We both know there are several examples of shit like this. I also propose this idea because there are people who genuinely think the background characters are speaking gibberish, and I read that they’re actually speaking Swahili. Again, uneducated people often disrespect or dismiss what they don’t understand, whether it’s intentional or not. So, to prevent those talking points, captions and translations are needed…and honestly, that was my only critique. Of course, there’s bugs and shit, but the game is old as hell. Also, I’m not the type to talk about the technical parts of the game anyway.

    Criticism aside, Resident Evil 5 is not a bad game. Actually, I want to go even further and say it’s one of the more fun Resident Evil games. I meant it when I said it felt like an arcade story game. It’s one of the shorter ones, too, so it’s a bit easier to play; plus, I can see myself replaying it a few years from now. It’s a good time regardless of how you play it (by yourself or with a friend). I also want to say that beating Resident Evil 5 gave me the confidence to try and beat other games in the franchise. Right now, I’m playing the first Resident Evil. The fixed camera angles threw me off a bit, but it was easy for me to get used to them. I found a bundle of it and Resident Evil 0 on sale, so it was just good timing. Speaking of which, I also want to play the Revelations games and finish them. As I said before, I was already a fan, but beating Resident Evil 5 made me fall in love with the franchise. I’m happy to be a fan, and I’m happy I got to gush about it. Thanks for listening!

- P.S. Stay the absolute FUCK away from the fandom! If you’ve ever interacted with it, you know exactly why. LMAOOOO

- CD ★

☆ SOURCES ☆

- Click for more info!

• Use of Swahili in Resident Evil 5 | Fandom Wiki Page 

☆ BONUS MATERIAL (FOR FUN :) ☆

I wanted to show you guys the screenshots I took of the figurines in Resident Evil 5. I think I would be a good-ass photographer LMAO. Hope you guys like them, and thanks for reading! 

<(￣︶￣)>

Chapter 2: Customizing & Tailoring

 

Poster was made on Canva! 

(None of these photos are mine)

    For a while, I was thinking of what I wanted chapter two to be about. At first, I wanted to write about baggy clothes and how comfort can definitely elevate style…and honestly, we can still talk about that. I might do that for the next chapter since it’s still in the drafts, but as I was writing that, I was experimenting with something else. For a long time, I wanted to try upcycling/tailoring my shirts. When I was 18, I bought a stiff shirt from the thrift store; it was teal and had a little cat design on it. I tried cutting the shirt without a tutorial (I wanted something off the shoulder); it turned out terrible, and I didn’t try it again. Then, fast-forward to me at 20, and I came across a few videos of people cutting their shirts. I saw how nice the fashion girls looked, and at THAT point, I decided to try again. I cut a more stretchy shirt; I had better resources, and guess what? My shit came out FABULOUS lmao. So, when I got good results, I just kept doing it and cutting more shirts. Mannnn, when I tell you my shirts came out so cute, I felt cute too. Which is saying a lot because I never felt that cute in my life, but I’m rambling a lot right now. Look, the point is you don’t always have to spend money on new clothes; sometimes you can just look in your closet. 

Also, you’d be amazed by how many tutorials are online for anything fashion-related. I saw videos of people making shit off the shoulder, putting pictures and logos on shirts; I even saw a video of someone making capris by just cutting a pair of skinny jeans. From spying on the fashion and alternative sides of the internet, I learned a lot of people are just tailoring their clothes. Most of the clothes you see people wear? They’re cute, and they probably weren’t expensive. This is why I get sad when people say they don’t have enough money for their style. Not everyone starts off super stylish. A lot of people you see on the internet have experimented and practiced until they found what they liked. So try giving yourself that same grace! 

Another thing I wanted to talk about is customizing your character lol. Okay, hear me out; you know how you can make your own character in (some) video games? In my opinion, that is exactly how we should treat ourselves. Everything about us is customizable. You want to change how long or short your hair is? You can do it. You want to get some dope ass piercings? Well, you can. You want to try a new makeup look? You definitely can. You want to do some funky shit with your eyebrows? Go do that shit. And some of y’all think doing little things like that doesn’t make a difference, but it does. Making subtle changes to your “character” not only makes you stand out, but it gives you the chance to experiment and figure out what you like. Additionally, I don’t think we use our free will enough. Like me, for example; randomly throughout the year, I’ll remember I like to cut my eyebrows, so I’ll do eyebrow slits sometimes. I think some people are just scared to fuck around and find out. It’s our bodies, and we should feel comfortable enough to change our appearances as we see fit…but that’s just me, though! LMAO 

Now, the last thing I wanted to talk about is something I want to try: designing my own clothes. When I was looking at people cutting up their clothes, I came across videos of people bleaching and painting their clothes too, and that’s one of the things I can see myself trying. Now, I can’t lie…I get a little nervous about bleaching anything. I don’t know, bleach is such a powerful ass chemical. I just get anxious…so I might try painting first! Dude, I see people on Pinterest do these cool paintings on their jeans; I just HAVE to do something like that, and when I do it, I’ll get back to y’all!

Anyway, I think I made this entry to tell y’all to experiment a little bit. The most stylish people you know probably took the time to find themselves out, and I think we should do the same. Since my last journal entry about watches, I’ve been fucking around and finding out. I’ve been tailoring all of my old shirts in my closet, and it’s encouraged me to accessorize more. I feel nice about it too. You know how people say when you look good, you feel good? It’s kind of like that. Anyway, I’m done rambling for the day. Thanks for reading! I’m going to go tweak some more clothes now! 

- CD ★

I think I like disturbing the peace actually...

 

Yes, this is the song I thought of when writing this lol

Also, for legal reasons, this article is a joke. :')

    This might sound insane coming from an introvert, but I like to be disruptive as hell. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not going around causing hell on purpose…but when I’m in my car? Everyone is hearing my shit. I love to blast music in my car, and before y’all hop on me, I was already hard of hearing YEARS before I started driving. I’ve already accepted that it’ll get worse; I might as well enjoy myself. I play all kinds of shit too: hip-hop, R&B, nu-metal, and I recently started blasting pop. In my opinion, it’s a fun thing to do as long as you’re not doing it every day. 

Not to mention, disturbing the peace has weirdly benefitted me? Don’t worry, I’ll explain myself. I get different reactions depending on what genre I blast. Dude, I was blasting Full Nelson by Limp Bizkit one time, and I was yelling the lyrics, right? I’m driving, and I look to my right, and there’s this white dude in a truck jamming with me. I was laughing hard as hell when I realized. That wasn’t even the first time that’s happened to me. Literally a whole year before, I was blasting a Doechii song in my car, and this kid was looking at me and dancing with his dad. Now obviously, I don’t always get the best reactions when I blast music. Some people look at me like I disgust them; some people laugh; shit, I had a cop look me dead in my face when I was blasting DJ Quik. I love it because I’m living. It’s one of those little - and dumbass - things that remind me I’m alive. I know it pisses some people off, but I genuinely do not care. I’m not disturbing neighborhoods at midnight, so shut the fuck up. Most of the people that you drive by, you rarely see them twice. As a matter of fact, I need more people to stop giving a fuck. Obviously, still be considerate when needed, but stop being scared of what people think of you. Just start disturbing shit. LMAO

- CD ★

Maybe I daydream too much: a journal entry (4)

 

This song is kind of related to the post? I was listening to this song when I was making this journal entry. Hope you guys like it. :)))

    I gotta be honest, ever since I started my blog, it seems like I've unlocked something in myself. I think I know why too; this is the first time I've given myself space. I gave myself a chance to see what I wanted to do, how I see myself outside of what people want from me. I know I said this before, but I was a traditional and digital artist before I started all of this shit. Don't get me wrong, I was decent with it. I was good at replicating, drawing what I saw, but I wasn't actually making anything I liked. When I started writing and putting my feelings into words, it felt like I learned something new about myself. Actually, it feels like I'm reintroducing the idea of who and what I am. As much as I reflect, this is why I say I don't regret anything that's led me up to here. Doing all this shit made me realize how many ideas I actually had and just never went through with any of them. Before I was blogging, I daydreamed so many things I could do as an artist. I can't even describe them all, but I would just sit with the idea in my mind, and it never left my head. I think by giving myself the space to do what I want, it makes me more confident and eager...? Every idea I have, I can throw it out confidently now. Do I still question myself? Yes, but it's nothing like before. The best way I can describe my artistry is hunger. I want more; I always have. I knew since I was little that I wanted to do more and I wanted more out of my life. I was never comfortable with doing just one thing. I genuinely want to do everything. Ever since I let myself be, I have so many ideas come to my head; eventually, I'm going to get to a point where I can't ignore them anymore. I'm sick of letting things sit in my head...and I'm fucking hungry. I want to get better at what I do. I want to be acknowledged. I want to be heard; and with all the ideas in my head, I know something is going to stick. Maybe that's too confident, but I don't think I care anymore. It's not like I have anything else to do LMAO.  

- CD ★

I'm meant to be something: a journal entry (3)

This is unrelated to the post lol. I just really love this song. Shout out to my friend for introducing me to it! :)))

    For those who don’t know, I reflect on a lot of things. Ever since I got out of school, I haven’t done anything but reflect. I keep rewinding my life, thinking of everything that has brought me to the point I’m at right now. I always think of the things I should’ve done, could’ve been, and so on. No matter how much I reflect and look back, I can’t deny that everything - both good and bad - has led me up to here. Considering I reflect a lot, that applies to my artistry as well. 

    I look at everything I create with overly critical eyes. Up until a certain point, I felt like everything had to be perfect. I realize that growing up, I’ve always been placed inside a box. As much as I love my parents, I can’t deny how dismissive they were when it came to me having certain ideas or wanting to do my own things. Any time I did something that didn’t fit this mold, it felt like I wasn’t worth listening to. As an adult, I don’t remember the exact moment, but I eventually gave myself space to figure myself out. I had to see what I wanted outside of other people’s expectations, and I found out I like creating. I love the idea of making something I can be proud of. I hate to bring the mood down, but I wasn’t fully proud of myself before. I didn’t feel like I had a lot going on in my life; a part of me still thinks that, but I believe I was put on this Earth to create. I don’t know; it’s the only thing I get actual enjoyment from. It doesn’t even matter what I’m making anymore. And ever since I realized my art doesn’t have to be perfect, I’ve been more comfortable with the idea of making it. It feels nice to let go of expectations and just live. Everything else, I can figure out later. 

- CD ★

Invader Zim Was a Sci-Fi Horror: A Quick Discussion

 

Let me make this clear: I love Invader Zim. None of what I'm about to say is me hating on the show lol.

    So, I’ve been doing this thing where I'm watching all the movies and shows I didn’t watch as a kid. I started watching Regular Show a while back; I found three Scooby Doo movies on sale for $5, and I found the Clueless movie for the same price. It’s not that I wasn’t allowed to watch any of those things; I just had a huge obsession with Dora the Explorer and Sonic the Hedgehog; I didn’t focus on anything else LMAO. Needless to say, I’ve been on a childhood movie and TV show run, and another show I started watching was Invader Zim (2001). I was at a family member’s house, and he had a Paramount+ subscription. I just got nosy and found the show by accident. It’s basically a show about an alien accidentally finding Earth and deciding to take over the planet for his alien government back at home; it’s a nice premise. I saw a few clips of the show online and found it funny, so I gave it a shot yesterday. Now tell me why…I thought Invader Zim was lowkey scary (at least in season one). 

No, seriously, bro! I was watching this shit, and it was funny, but it also had moments where it could’ve passed as a horror TV show. Literally was watching an episode where Zim had to go to the school’s nurse…for some reason, and Dib, his nemesis, was like, “You know the nurse is going to realize you don’t have any human organs.” I guess Zim got worried about that. So, what does he do? He starts STEALING ORGANS from everyone in school so he can appear more human. Like what?! Hello?! The fuck? Then, there’s an episode where Zim tries to make a friend so people didn’t find him suspicious, and he makes a friend named Keef, right? After a day or so, Zim decides he doesn’t want to be friends with the kid anymore, but Keef was in denial or something? Anyway, when Zim realizes Keef won’t leave him alone, he makes this master plan to TAKE KEEF’S EYES OUT, REPLACE THEM WITH NEW ONES, AND PROGRAM HIS MIND SO HE CAN MAKE A NEW FRIEND. I feel so crazy trying to explain this shit. Dude, I promise y’all it happened LMAO.

To be honest though, the absurdity actually makes me like the show. I love how stupid it is. I love Zim and Gir. I love how Zim makes it so obvious he’s an alien and people most likely know, and just don’t care (or they're just oblivious). It’s a funny show, and I see exactly why people love it. So y’all can consider me a fan after today. I can’t wait to finish the show, and I’ll talk to you guys later! 

- CD ★

June Announcements: Album & Film of the Month, Content Updates, & More

 

This video is unrelated to today's post! I just wanted to share a Thinkpiece Tribe video; I love their content lol. 

    First of all, I want to start off by saying HAPPY PRIDE MONTH!!! I encourage you all to be safe this year if you plan on attending Pride parades and going out. As much as I want you guys to have fun, we also need to look out for each other, especially during times like these. May we all have the best time of our lives and celebrate ourselves lol! In the meantime, I have a few announcements relating to the blog! 

1. For the album of the month, I'm happy to showcase Ego Death by The Internet (2015). Even though I intend to showcase LGBTQ+ artists throughout the year, I wanted to put an emphasis on queer art for the month of June. Gayness aside, there are so many good songs on this project, and I wanted to encourage others to listen to it. I love this album, along with the sounds that were composed for this project. 
2.  Now for the Black Short Film of the month, I decided to go with Rainbow Girls by Nana Duffuor (2026)! I'll explain how I found the film in the BSF Monthly tab, but I genuinely love this film. It's a mixture of comedy and adventure that involves people in the LGBTQ+ community, and it's a very nice watch. I will say the themes of both the album and film are not related to each other this month. Actually, there's no specific theme for this month; I just wanted to show off the projects that I enjoyed, and I hope you all enjoy them as well. :)) 
3. I am happy to announce that I'm officially a gaming YouTuber! I mean...you guys already knew that, LMAO. I mean, I'm slowly becoming consistent. I noticed that I'm successfully able to do at least one video a month. Should I do more? Absolutely! CAN I do more? See...I don't know about that; I'll work on it though! I slowly want to build up a schedule for YouTube. Maybe two videos a month. Plus, I still want to work on my podcast. I don't know; I'll give more updates related to that another time. 
4. I finally took the time to make a Ko-fi! I have made the decision not to have ads on my blog. Personally, I don't like the idea of big companies being advertised on my blog. Additionally, I feel the millisecond I start having ads on the blog will be the millisecond my project is no longer authentic. Considering CD THE NET ★ started as a passion project, I do not see myself wanting to profit from it. If anything, I wish to profit from other things (YouTube, donations from Ko-fi, TikTok, etc.). If - for whatever reason - I change my mind and want ads on my blog, I will let all of you know. In the meantime, I would like to say that any donations given to my Ko-fi will be deeply appreciated. Also, obviously, you do not have to donate to my Ko-fi. You guys reading my blog and staying up to date is enough. Regardless, I appreciate all of the support I've gotten from this project, whether it's monetized or not! 
5. I'll probably be less active on the blog for two separate reasons: One, I want to take the time to come up with some more ideas. Two, I want to put more effort into my other projects. I have not made any posts on my TikTok in a long time and want to bring more eyes to the blog. So, a little time will be taken off for that. Thank you for understanding. 

    Okay, that was all of the announcements for this month! I hope you all enjoy the projects I picked, and I will talk to you guys later!  (* ^ ω ^)

• Ko-fi! (link) ☆ 

I'm Every N*gga: a journal entry (2)

 

Not gonna lie...this video is completely unrelated to the post. I just liked it and wanted to share it today. I hope you guys enjoy it! :))

    You know, ever since I became an adult, I’ve realized a good chunk of adulthood is self-discovery. A lot of us are still learning who we are, what our style is, what we like, etc. What I’m learning now is that there is no end to self-discovery. Actually, I think as we grow, we keep changing and learning new things about ourselves. Hell, there’s probably people in their 40s and 50s, still learning new things about themselves. Anyway, I’m writing this because I realized my style has changed a bit. I’ve been thinking about my fashion sense, and it’s still streetwear (for the most part), but I’m finding myself gravitating towards more feminine styles. 

At first, I felt kinda bad? Guilty maybe…because I thought I finally found my thing, like how Aliyah’s Interlude has ‘Aliyahcore.’ Y’all know what I mean? I kinda realized I’m not supposed to have everything together at 20. Also, I don’t have to stick to a specific style either. If I want to put on streetwear, I can. If I want to put on some earthy shit, I can. If I want to have a masculine, feminine, or androgynous style, I can. The last thing I want to do is place these weird-ass rules on myself. I’ve done that before, and it’s done nothing but hold me back. So, I’m just going to start doing shit for the sake of doing it. I don’t care anymore. 

- CD ★

Give Artists Their Flowers While They Still Have a Garden: A Commentary on D'Angelo (mostly)

 

This video is heavily related to today's discussion. It's a nice watch, and I hope you guys enjoy it! :))

• Word Count: 733

    I recently listened to the album Voodoo by D’Angelo, and to be honest, I fell in love with the album. I admired his vocals and his music composition, as it was something I’ve never heard before. The album was so alluring and new, I couldn’t help but appreciate it. Even though D’Angelo only has three albums, you can hear a clear evolution in his work. You can hear how his art progressively got louder, more confident, and more prideful. Listening to his albums in chronological order is heavily rewarding, to say the least. Now, I don’t know about y’all, but every time I consume something I like, I go out of my way to learn as much as I can about it. This goes for video games, TV shows, movies, and most recently, albums. After listening to his first album, Brown Sugar, I watched a small video essay about D’Angelo’s life and influences. Overall, that video made me appreciate his art more. Actually, I wish I could give D’Angelo his flowers…but he’s no longer alive, and honestly, that’s the problem. 

As people, I notice a lot of us do not give artists the recognition they deserve until they are no longer here. Not saying this is the case for D’Angelo, but it is definitely the case for Aaliyah. Like D’Angelo, Aaliyah released three albums before passing away. You could also hear her evolution and growth in her art, even though she didn’t have a lot of projects. Aaliyah was already famous prior to her death, but when she passed, her fame skyrocketed. She is not the first artist this has happened to, nor will she be the last. For a lot of people, it seems like death gives their fame a boost. Don’t get me wrong, this alone is not an issue. People talking about artists after they die is a weird - but effective - way to keep their legacy alive. Teaching others about the impact these artists had on our culture? It memorializes them. It’s the reason people still find out about some of these artists, even years after they passed. So, I see exactly why artists get more fame after passing. My thing is, why do some of us wait to give an artist their flowers when we can give them now, while they’re still here with us? 

Whether you want to admit it or not, there are some insanely talented people out in the world. There are artists with insane vocals, incredibly skilled wordplay, and there are people who can compose the fuck out of a song. However, they are likely to receive the most recognition when they are no longer here to create. That is something I want to change. Also, don’t mistake this as me blaming others, because I am not. I wasn’t even alive when Aaliyah released her music; I was born in 2006. Additionally, I had just launched my blog around the same time D’Angelo passed. I was not around to appreciate Aaliyah and D’Angelo’s artistry like I should’ve, but I’m here now. You are here now. What I’m trying to say is there are artists - people - out there who deserve more recognition; let’s not wait to give it to them. Support those you can while you still can. In my opinion, someone shouldn’t have to die to know they are appreciated, loved, and cared for. You find someone cool as shit? Let the whole world know. Listen to all of their projects. Support them; whether that means going to a performance or just streaming their work (and of course, this doesn’t apply to just artists). There’s more than one way to do it. I truly wish I had listened to D’Angelo’s projects earlier, but I know I can’t reverse time. Actually, I think we all know someone - both famous and personal - whom we wish we had supported them sooner or found out about them earlier in our lives. I feel in order to prevent things like that, we have to give people their flowers while they still have a garden. Thank you. 

- CD ★

Actually, I’ll share an artist I think deserves more recognition; his name is Jakob (formerly Jakob Ogawa). He makes this indie bedroom and pop type of music, and I love it. Personally, I hope he actually makes an album. My life would literally be complete/hj. Anyway, these are my favorite tracks from him: 

Okay, that was it. Thanks for listening! <3

Voodoo by D'Angelo: Album Review

 

Voodoo by D'Angelo (2000)

Rating: 10/10

Look, I’m going to be honest, my album reviews are not going to be long ones. When it comes to things that make me feel good, I’m not good with my words. Yes, I know I’m technically a writer…leave me alone, bro. Plus, I’m sure I’ll get better. Anyway, let’s talk about Voodoo by D’Angelo (2000). 

First of all, I hope I’m making sense when I say this; this album made me feel like I was fucking floating. I’m talking as high as the fucking sky. The vocals he had, the sounds/instruments he picked, it felt like everything was reeling me in…like a damn siren. Honestly, if D’Angelo were a siren, I would probably be dead, like I’m being so for real. Also, this could be me, but you can almost tell he was raised in the church from the way he sings. I can’t really give evidence on this claim, but former gospel singers have a certain sound in their singing styles. It’s like the way you can tell Durand Bernarr and Doechii were raised in the church (I’m sure there are more artists, but they aren’t at the top of my head right now). There’s a type of soul intertwined in the music they make, and I love it. Although I’m not religious, I can still appreciate the essence of soul music. I’m not about to miss out on some good shit; I am not stupid! LMAO

Anyway, I guess I interpret music differently because I don’t think I’ve ever cried during a song. Not because I think it’s corny, but because I never heard something that brought tears to my eyes…until today. I have to be honest, during the middle of this album? I felt my eyes get a little watery. Not because I was sad, absolutely not, but because of how beautiful it was. The way he sang/his vocals, his music composition, it became overwhelming in the best way possible. Like I said, I could feel myself floating. My arms and legs felt like putty. Dude, I was working on other things for my blog, and I genuinely had to stop what I was doing and just…listen to the project. That is the main thing I like about D’Angelo’s art; it forces you to listen. It’s so alluring that ignoring it feels so wrong, like a crime. Y’all get what I mean, right? When I said music felt like a drug, this is exactly what the fuck I meant. I never wanted to replay an album so fast in my life. Usually, I would take some time to myself to process it, but no; I wanted to hear this shit again, and again, and again. I wish I was kidding. When this album ended, I genuinely felt disappointed. Not to mention, I really liked his first album, Brown Sugar. So, hearing this evolution in his art was rewarding for lack of better words. I can’t wait to listen to his last album, and may he rest in peace. <3

- CD ★

FAVORITE TRACKS: 

What, you thought I was gonna leave y’all hanging? Hell no! 

May Announcements? Not really.

     Hey everyone! I wanted to share a small message for today. I decided to extend the album and film of the month into May, since I did not alert everyone for April's announcements. I wanted to apologize for that. There will not be a new album or film in the month until June. However, I do want to share that I have been feeling creative again and will be working on pieces for you to read in the future. I feel I am finally letting myself be a nerd again, and I will start talking about nerdy shit LMAO. I hope you guys are ready. I won't give hints on what I'll be talking about, as I do not want it to interrupt my creative process, but I do think you guys will enjoy it. I'll talk to you guys another time! Bye! (´｡• ω •｡`)

music is a drug: a journal entry (1)

This is somewhat related to the post today- I also just like this song lol. I think everyone should listen to it :) 

    For a while, I've been trying to find out what makes me like music so much. I know people say they're music lovers all the time (I am one too), but no one's ever said WHY they liked music. Actually, I don't think I've ever been able to describe music; I just knew I loved it. I couldn't really find the words until today. The best way I can describe music is that it feels like a drug. I find it funny, though; you can't exactly touch it...or snort it. It's something so beautiful and sacred, and it doesn't help that anyone can make it. Everyone has the ability to compose a song if they want to. Some people like to sing, some like to play the guitar, some like to sing their poetry on a beat. Regardless, it's going to sound good, and an artist knows that. I think that's what makes music so beautiful, it's because it's intentional. When someone makes a song, they have an idea in their mind of who it's for. Maybe themselves, a lover, a family member...maybe they just had a kid, and want to make a song for them. Making music is almost like making a gift for someone, a very - insanely - intimate gift. Everyone has a different reaction to a song they hear, and that's an experience no one is allowed to take from you. No one can say you're not allowed to be sad or happy from a song you hear, just because they got a different reaction from it. Music can also have multiple meanings, as if you're looking at a painting that's a bit unclear. You come up with a meaning for it, even if you don't know what you're looking at. I don't know, I'm just talking out of my ass. 

- CD ★

Update: We are SOOOOO back!

This is unrelated to the post (kinda). I just like this song and found out about it today. I hope you guys like it! :)))

    

    Dudes, I have to be honest; a lot of shit has been happening behind the scenes for the past few weeks. I've been cruising through life and just enjoying my own company for a while, but I'm back! I've had a few things happen that have given me moments of inspiration. 

1. I got my hair done for the first time in a year!
   I've talked about this a few times on YouTube, but I had a really rough year in 2025. I wasn't able to get my hair retwisted for a multitude of reasons; it was mostly my hospital trip that messed me up. I also had a lot of things going on mentally, so I was never able to do my hair until last weekend. I have people in my life that I am so thankful for, and they helped me do my hair, and I feel a lot better. I will say that last year also helped me embrace my hair in its most natural state. It doesn't always have to be done, and that's okay. Anyways, I feel better knowing I can start back maintaining my hair. It's one less thing for me to worry about. 
   
   
2. Stepping outside the box with my style
   I don't know what made me want to do it, but a few weeks ago, I got this random urge to cut up and upcycle my shirts. Literally, one day I was about to head out, and I thought, "Let me just cut the neckline of my shirt really quick," and I loved it. Now, I'm cutting all of my shirts...it makes me feel like I'm tailoring my own clothes. I feel like a fashion designer or something LMAO. Anyway, I would say it's made me more confident too. I took a selfie for the first time in a longggg ass time. It's like I can literally feel myself coming back out, and I love it. I'm 1,000 times more comfortable with myself compared to last year...really, the past few years. 
   
   
3. Writing, writing, and writing
   Dude, I have been writing sooooooooooo so so so so much, it's not even funny anymore. I've been in my journal pages and writing for you guys. I have a lot of things in my drafts, but I don't want to talk about them. Don't get me wrong, I love and appreciate you guys for the support. I just feel that when I tell people my plans out loud, my goals are less likely to be accomplished. I'm learning that as a creative, I kind of have to be secretive. I know not every creative person moves like that, but that's how I have to be, if that makes sense. Also, lately, the things I've wanted to get done are getting done. As someone who is not good at pursuing my goals, it always feels nice to actually accomplish something. I want to put out more stuff for you guys, but I think it's best if I don't talk about it. The next time I talk, I want something to already be DONE, you know what I mean? I also think I'm doing a bit better in terms of creating and brainstorming ideas...hopefully I get to show it off soon!

    I'm so glad I got that off my chest. I want to go ahead and work on the announcements for my TikTok and try to post on there again. Other than that, I am happy to be back, and I just wanted to let y'all know I feel great. I'll see you guys soon! o(≧▽≦)o

April Announcements: Album & Film of the Month, Content Updates, & More

This video is somewhat related to today's post. It's also nice if you want to hear Noname perform! :))

    Hey everyone! I hope everyone is doing well. I have a few announcements for this month that I wanted to share. 

1.  For album of the month, we decided to go with Room 25 by Noname. I remember getting into her music a few months ago, and I was introduced to the song Montego Bae. I love that song. Absolutely my favorite song from her. I felt I had to listen to the whole album...which is how we got here lol. In my opinion, the album was super experimental and calming to listen to. I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I did. 
2. When it comes to the short film of this month, I picked Unbraided by Caroline Renard. For some reason, I wanted the theme of this month to be "Weird Black Girl," and I felt that Noname and the short film I picked fit the theme perfectly. I liked the story, the acting, and the comedy. I think this is the first comedy film that's being featured on here? I love it and I hope you guys like it. I want to try and have themes and be intentional with what projects I showcase...and I think I'm doing well so far. 
3. I want to make a small admission: I struggle with balance. March was a fun month for me, but I was mostly focusing on my YouTube channel and my video content. I'm not going to say I forgot about the blog, but my mind and attention was definitely in other places. Now, I have the time to write again, so there will be more projects coming out soon. The first things that I want to handle is the fashion journal and I want to write at least one album review. I don't know, I'll update you guys soon about those things. 

    Alright, that was all I had for this month. Sorry, it was so short! I'll update you guys another time. 

♡ (⇀ 3 ↼)

Small Changes ✧*:

     Hey everyone! I just wanted to come on here and let everyone know I'm still working on some content for y'all. Along with that, I've been taking mini breaks. My bad lmao! Right now, I have my first gaming video for the YouTube channel coming out. I just have to edit it, but it should be out later on this week. I also have a chapter for the Fashion Journal in the works. To be honest, I just have some projects that need to be finished lol. Those projects will come out soon, and I'll let you guys know when it happens. Anyway, I'll talk to you guys later!ヽ(・∀・)ﾉ

2026 Women's Tiny Desk Performance

Welcome to CD THE NET's first Women's Tiny Desk Showcase! Over here, we want to highlight women and their artistry by showing their live performances. I feel watching people live is more intimate in a way. Like, it gives you an insight into who we listen to daily. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy the performance I picked for this year!ヽ(*・ω・)ﾉ

Showcased Performance

H.E.R.: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert (2018)

CD's Backstory: 

I remember seeing this Tiny Desk concert when I was in high school. It was also around the same time when I started collecting vinyl records...and her debut album was one of the first ones I collected. Honestly, one of my favorite performances so far. I think this was also my introduction to NPR with their Tiny Desk performances. After this, I started finding all of my favorite artists and searched to see if they had their own Tiny Desks. Seeing artists perform their art has to be one of my favorite things to do regarding music. I love sharing my favorite things with you guys, and I really hope you guys enjoy the performance I picked this year. <3

March Announcements: Album & Film of the Month, Blog Updates, & More

 

This video is somewhat related to today's post. It's also a nice watch if you would like to learn more about Aaliyah and her story. :))

    Hey everyone! I hope you guys are doing well, and I just wanted to say happy Women's History Month! I wanted to start some new traditions here on CD THE NET ★ to celebrate women this month. Well, really all fucking year, but not the point. It's more special this month LMAOO. Anyway, I have a few announcements for everyone and wanted to share some things. 

1. For March, the album of the month is Aaliyah's self-titled album from 2001! Honestly, I really loved this album and feel more people should talk about her music, even though she's no longer here. I really loved the sound of her album, and you could tell it was partially jazz-influenced. I don't want to say it's her best work, since I haven't listened to her first two albums yet, but I can definitely say her self-titled album is my favorite. I hope you guys enjoy it too! 
2. The film I picked for this month is actually a visual poem called To Brooklyn and Back by Samba Films. I think it's the first poem to ever be showcased on the blog? I could be wrong about that. I loved everything about the film: the cinematography, the music, and the fact that they managed to make it into a short visual film. Everything about this project was done with intention, and I appreciate it. Anyways, I hope you guys can check it out! 
3. I realized that I kinda wanted to start traditions on CD THE NET ★. Like, when I picked two albums to showcase for Black History Month? I decided I wanted to create a mini tradition for all of the cultural months. For Women's History Month, I decided I wanted to showcase women's live performances. So, that's what we're doing for this month! I picked my favorite Tiny Desk Concert of all time, H.E.R. I really loved her performance, and she was the first introduction to NPR's Tiny Desk. The showcase will be uploaded right after this post, so I hope you guys enjoy it! 
4.  For my film lovers, there's an extra link added to the Check This Out! tab. It's called Black Film Archive. Over there, you can see archives of every black film from the years of 1898 - 1999. So, if you're into that kind of thing, I would love for you guys to check out the website! 
5. I'm focusing a bit more on my YouTube channel! My podcast, Skate 6 Radio, officially has its first episode, and it'll be published in a few hours! I'll upload again here when everything is finished. I also decided that I wanted to do gaming again, and I already have a game picked out. Honestly, I really miss gaming and recording my gameplay, so I want to try and go back to that. I'll give more updates on that another time, though. You guys will also be getting more posts on the blog lol.
6. After everything is done, I do have to focus on my personal life for a tiny bit. Considering I am now 20, I want to try to get my life together a little bit. Okay, not get it together, but I want to be further ahead in my life. Right now, I'm proud of where I am and how far I've gotten, but I do want more out of my personal life, and I will be pursuing that for the next few months. I have no clue if this will make me more or less active with the blog; I guess we'll see!

    Alright, those are all of the announcements for the month! I hope you guys enjoy yourselves with the projects I picked this month, and I will talk to you guys another time! :)))

As a thrifter, I hate thrifting.

     
This video is completely related to today's topic. Plus, I just like Drama Kween's content. You guys should check it out! 

    Honestly, I just wanted to do a tiny rant today. So, my 20th birthday just passed, right? Thanks to everyone who gave me birthday wishes, by the way. I decided I wanted to do a bit of shopping, and I wanted some new shirts. So, I was scrolling online and saw this Limp Bizkit shirt that had the Three Dollar Bill, Y'all $ album on it, and that's when I realized "Oh shit, I don't think I've ever gotten a band shirt before." I was so happy...and then my eyes looked down at the price. 

    Forty. Five. Dollars. 

    The shirt was $45. THEN, it was $6+ for shipping. Now, y'all can say whatever y'all want to, but ME PERSONALLY? I'm not paying more than $30 for a shirt. So I was like "Absolutely not," but I saved the shirt and liked it; I put it in my little save collection. Then, tell me why, the next day, the seller saw that I saved the shirt, and lowered the price...by five dollars. Like, oh yeah, sure! I'll buy it now! HELL NO. Because y'all gotta keep in mind, IT WAS AN EXTRA SIX DOLLARS FOR SHIPPING. Either way, I was going to be spending damn near $50 for a singular t-shirt. I would much rather spend $50 knowing I got multiple different things, not just one shirt, or maybe I'm just super cheap. I don't know. I'm used to paying for my own clothes, but I do have limits...I really wanted that shirt, though. It's okay, someone else bought it, and now THEY'LL get to have a dope ass Limp Bizkit shirt. Not me. Am I salty? Absolutely. However, we also need to talk about the fact that some of these Depop resellers sell wayyyy too high. Also, as a plus-sized person, I hate the fact that the bigger the clothes are, the higher people charge for them. Like, why do I have to pay for the same exact material, the only difference is that it fits me better? That's actually insane. Additionally, there are people out here who think "Well, you shouldn't be that size anyway," or "Just lose some weight so you can fit [insert a piece of clothing here]." I'm sorry, I shouldn't have to be skinny to want a certain piece of clothing. Fat people should be able to wear cool shit too. Now, we could also talk about how people equate fatness to ugliness, and proceed to equate that to a lack of value in a person, but that's a different conversation. Not to mention, some people just like bigger clothing. I can fit my actual clothing size, but I usually find it tight or uncomfortable, so I like the more baggy stuff. I'm sure other people out there feel the same way, but we are going far beyond the point. Stop reselling clothes so damn high. I get people have to make some money, but GODDAMN. Don't some Depop sellers sell a lot of SHEIN clothes too? Yeah, no way in hell.

    Also, to be honest, it's not just Depop either. A lot of thrift stores are starting to get greedy. Listen, not only is there a rise of SHEIN/fast fashion in these thrift stores, but the prices started going up as well. In my opinion, absolutely nothing in a thrift store should be priced past $25. Most of these thrift stores receive these items for free, mostly from donations. So, to sell them at high prices is extremely out of touch, especially when it comes to the communities that shop at thrift stores. Some people go to thrift stores because they don't have enough money to buy clothes brand new. Some people go to the thrift store for conscious reasons; maybe they just like getting secondhand clothing and don't want to buy anything new. So, imagine going to the local thrift store, and you don't find any-fucking-thing except for SHEIN, poor quality clothing, and prices so high that you can't even afford them. It's bullshit, ain't it? Exactly. This is not to blame anyone specifically, but because thrifting and buying secondhand clothes became trendy and popular, these thrift stores now see their businesses as profitable, wanting to gain something rather than providing charity and accessibility. It's the same thing with a lot of these resellers. Do some people genuinely need to make some extra money? Yes, but others take advantage of the opportunity, and you can tell. You can tell solely based on how HIGH they charge for some of these clothes. There is so much greed surrounding fashion, it's not even funny. I wish we could do something about it as people, but I don't have any solutions at the top of my head. The only thing that comes to mind is for these thrift stores to just make their items cheaper again. They are not antique stores, where the stores are curated for selling older items. They are THRIFT STORES. SECONDHAND STORES. NOT ORIGINAL CLOTHING STORES. Just make them more affordable, like they should be. For the Depop sellers? I don't know what to tell y'all, I'll be honest. Go make your money, just don't scam people. Alright, that's it. 

- CD ★

CD & The Lack of Originality

This is completely related to the post. I love this song way too much now, LMAO.

    I gotta be honest, for a little while, I haven't been inspired to make anything. I couldn't get myself to make a blog post, a slideshow for my TikTok, an article idea, NOTHING. I was at a point in my life where I felt like I'd seen everything, so there's nothing to write about. I don't know why I lied to myself like that, because let me tell y'all what just happened. For those who read my last article relating to style and originality (thank you for reading by the way), you guys know I also mentioned Aliyah's Interlude and how she would get backlash for the way she dressed. Writing that little section about her required me to learn more about Aliyah's Interlude and Aliyahcore. Not to mention, I was already a fan of her before I wrote the article. I spent the past few days catching up on her content and seeing what she was doing. Dude, tell me why I just found out she had a WHOLE ASS EP? Like, a literal project called KUNTOLOGY 101. That's not even the worst part. It was released...A WHOLE MONTH AGO. So, I am incredibly late to the party. My thing is, how am I going to be a music blogger, and I don't even know when projects are coming out? I need to step my game up, y'all. Anyway, the point of me making this post was to tell everyone I am going to listen to that project. I already heard one song, 'Kryptonite,' and I loved it. So, I felt if I loved one song that much, I might as well give the EP a listen. Plus, it's only eight songs, so it'll be a short listen, and I can come back and write about it.  Anyway, I was thinking of giving it a review, or at least discussing it. I don't know yet, but I'll get back with you guys later! 

ヽ(*・ω・)ﾉ

More Individuality & Less Judgment: A Commentary on Self-Expression

 

This video is somewhat related to today's topic. It's also a cute and fun watch; you guys should check it out! 

• Word Count: 2,658

    As a person who is online a bit too much, I'm constantly hearing people's opinions on things. Seriously, you'd be surprised how many people have a thinkpiece on something, including me. My point is I'm hearing other people's opinions nearly every day; the good takes, the bad takes, and the takes that are kind of in the middle. It's not healthy, but my job revolves around me being online. Anyway, I saw a video of someone talking about how they don't understand why our generation romanticizes early 2000's trends and fashion. They also went on to say a lot of people romanticize the authenticity of that era, when we could use that authenticity to create our own trends. Don't get me wrong, I understand the sentiment. Additionally, that wasn't the first or last person to have that opinion online. Multiple people share the same stance, saying they weren't a fan of the Y2K trends, people are obsessed with the 2000's, and saying people were too focused on the past. Although most of the people I've seen have brought up some good points, I also see a bit of judgment come through the sentiment. Some people online were saying that no one has their own style, and a lot of people are not original. However, I noticed when it comes to people who ARE original with their style and fashion, they'll get heavily critiqued online or judged, which is what I wanted to talk about today. It seems that a lot of people crave originality and creativity, but the second someone brings that to the table, they are criticized for being themselves. I think if we were less judgmental and more focused on ourselves, we wouldn't be so focused on what other people were doing. Today, I wanted to talk about fashion trends as a whole and why people are obsessed with different eras, rather than focusing on the current one (2020's). 

    Before we start, let's not pretend the 2020's has no fashion at all. Since the 2020's started, we've seen multiple trends: the clean girl aesthetic, the indie aesthetic (where everyone dressed in these vibrant colors), the e-kid trend (often referred to as e-girl or e-boy), and the recent Brat summer trend with Charli xcx. We've definitely had memorable trends, and I'm sure more will be created in the future. So to pretend that the early 2000's is all Generation Z thinks about is a bit close-minded, and it also dismisses the trends that have come from this era. I can give you guys credit for one thing, though, there have been trends that were directly inspired by the 1990's - 2000's, one of them being the Office Siren trend. Looking back at it, the Office Siren trend was just how a lot of women dressed in office workplaces at the time; the pencil skirts, the button-ups, the rectangular glasses. In a weird way, fiction was also tied into this trend since there were known people who dressed that way, more specifically, Supernanny. From 2004 to 2008, Supernanny was a British TV show about a woman named Jo Frost, and she focused on helping kids with mostly dysfunctional family dynamics. It's a good watch…if you're into watching children act like fucking demons. That's not the point, though. If you saw how Jo Frost dressed during those episodes -  the pencil skirts, the stripe patterns, the rectangular glasses - you could see her fashion represented the era she was from. That kind of authenticity is exactly what attracts people to early 2000’s styles and trends. During those times, there were distinct looks, but everyone still dressed differently. I think people are still doing that, but this time, there is more judgment involved. 

    Because of the internet, we have access to people's lives more than we'd like to admit. You can scroll online, find a random person whose content you like, and watch them for as long as you want. You could also find someone that you do not like, and scroll through their content as much as you want. Regardless if you like someone or not, you can watch them and have access to them. Unfortunately, I believe the rise of judgment is a direct result of giving people access to those things. Because people can look at your ideas, style, and thoughts on a consistent basis, some confuse that access with full ownership...I hope I'm making sense. I feel some people think that because they have access and the privilege to look at something, they are now entitled to that thing. Let me get to the point; this is how I feel when it comes to people's fashion and styles. I feel a lot of people are not expressing themselves the way they truly want to, because of how much judgment people get online. One of the first examples that comes to mind is Aliyah's Interlude, and her style that she named 'Aliyahcore.' 

    For those who don't know, Aliyah is one of the most popular fashion influencers on TikTok, mostly having a maximalist style. Her style is extremely recognizable, too, having a lot of earmuffs, fishnets, platform boots, and really pretty belts. Although my style isn't similar to hers, I still admire it. You can also tell that her style is inspired by general alternative and Harajuku fashion, and...you guessed it, people FLAME her for it too. There are people on the internet who genuinely hate Aliyah's style. I've heard people say she encouraged posers to be alternative, others have said Aliyahcore is "not a thing," some have said Aliyah does "too much" with her style, and lastly, I heard it's not original. In my opinion, I don't think anyone has a valid reason to dislike her. Not once has she claimed to invent the style (alternative or Harajuku fashion); she just gave her sense of style a name and happened to go viral. I don't know why that alone bothered so many people, but my point still stands. Any time someone goes outside of the box in terms of fashion and style, that person is often ostracized by the same people who crave authenticity and say "everybody is the same." 

    Now I could blame the sentiment on a lot of things. I could say you guys are way too focused on what people wear, especially black women. A lot of you don't like it when black people don't fit your idea of blackness; I could say that, too. Hell, I could even say you guys just don’t like fun, but no, I won't say that. You know what this is? It is a CHRONICALLY ONLINE ISSUE. TURN YOUR FUCKING PHONE OFF. GO OUTSIDE. GO INTERACT WITH REAL PEOPLE...my bad for yelling. Seriously, a lot of people need to realize that what you see online is never the same thing you will see in real life. If you actually take the time to go outside and see other people, you would see different styles, people wearing different bags, everyone has a different phone, and everyone has a different hairstyle. People are so unique and so different outside and inside the internet. The reason you think everyone looks the same and thinks the same things is because that's the kind of content you surround yourself with. Okay, what I'm trying to say is if you see a lot of content of people wearing streetwear, talking about streetwear, and buying streetwear-related things, obviously, you're going to think everybody likes streetwear, even though that's false. This goes back to my point where I was saying this entire sentiment can come across as small-minded. Unfortunately, it shows that you don't look outside of yourselves.

    The difference between older eras of fashion and the current era is access. You can easily go to a thrift store or go on Depop, and find a clothing piece from the early 2000's. Some people like it, choose to buy it, and put it on. It's really no big deal. Some people scroll on apps like TikTok or Pinterest, see a style that they like, and try replicating it in their own way. That's honestly not an issue. You cannot tell me every person has the exact same Pinterest fashion board. Some people have more whimsical styles, some people are into streetwear and baggy clothes (me), some people like cute and tight-fitting clothes, some people are into flowy skirts and like a more earthy aesthetic. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Also, trends are completely normal. A style can be popular for a few months to a few years, and people can move on from it. They're allowed to, that's fine. There are people online who ask things like "Can we normalize [insert a piece of clothing that was popular before this year]?" Or "Can we bring [insert an older trend] back?" I know most of the time, people are asking this as a joke, but I'm sure others are genuine. My thing is we shouldn't have to ask people for approval when it comes to something we want to do, especially if we're talking about self-expression. 

    Also, not to be that person, but a lot of modern fashion trends kind of suck? Of course, there are good stores that sell appealing clothes, I'm just referring to popular brands. If you've ever been to a mall and gone into a store like H&M, American Eagle, or ZARA, have you ever noticed that the clothes are a bit bland? Not to mention expensive. Actually, a lot of people, myself included, can't even afford to buy brand new clothes from stores like that, and even if I did have the money, I still wouldn't shop there. The popular stores don't reflect what a lot of people want in terms of fashion. So, when it comes to the 2020's not having a distinct style, one of the things we can blame is the stores themselves. Another thing we can blame it on? It all comes back to judgment. Remember when I said I'm online a lot, and I see others' opinions on a regular basis? That's the case when you're on any app. People on Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube all give their opinions on every topic you can think of. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but if there is judgment of any kind, it can often discourage people from doing the things a content creator is commenting on. A lot of people do not realize how much influence the internet actually has. Picking on people or even bullying them for having a style or expressing themselves differently, ALWAYS does more harm than good. Also, what someone else is wearing should not affect you. Literally, as long as you’re not wearing something with hate speech and hate symbols on it, you’re fine. Literally, do whatever. I say that because, whether you express yourself the way you want to or not, there are going to be people talking about you and how you express yourself, but in no way should you let that discourage you from experimenting. I know I was talking shit about the popular stores, but if the popular stores have clothes that you’re into, then go ahead and get them, it’s okay! If you have an outfit you thought about wearing, go ahead and put it on. I’m so serious. Regardless of the choices you make and how you dress, there will always be someone waiting to comment on it. Unfortunately, that is life, and unfortunately, some people are just that miserable. The least you could do is not be miserable like them and express yourself the way that you want to. The world will continue to spin, and we will all be okay. 

    For those who genuinely, for whatever reason, have a problem with people liking the Y2K and early 2000’s aesthetics, just leave people alone. I don’t mean that in a rude way, I mean let people like what they like. Also, let’s not forget that people have always been inspired by each other and by older generations. I did a bit of research; did you guys know that 1990’s fashion was mostly inspired by what people were wearing in the 70’s? Yeah, apparently, people loved the crop tops, bell-bottoms, and the platform shoes so much that they decided to bring them back in the 90’s. Anyway, here’s another fun fact for you! The fashion in the early 2000’s was inspired by two generations: the 1990’s and the 1970’s. For a long time, newer generations have always taken inspiration from older ones, and there is nothing wrong with us doing the same. I know people say Gen Z has “washed down” the Y2K aesthetic, but I think that’s the point. Styles are not supposed to be the same for every single generation; also, again, not every single person is into that style anyway. In a very weird way, saying “no one is original” puts us in a box. Now, I do agree that some people do not favor originality, but you guys are directing this statement to the wrong people. If anything, a lot of these companies and people in Hollywood do not favor originality. Unlike the older generations, the 2020’s does have a lack of original media. How many movies have been sequels or remakes of well-known franchises? How many of these clothing companies take the time to design something unique and original? How many video games has Nintendo randomly remade instead of taking the time to make an original game? Exactly. Okay, there was no need for the Nintendo slander, my fault. I’m still salty about the Switch 2. My point is, when it comes to the media and what is currently around us, the 2020’s are not much to be proud of…and we’re in 2026. We’re over halfway through the decade. When it came to the people in the 1980’s to the early 2000’s, they were celebrating what was around them. They were proud to express themselves, and better yet, there weren’t any random people on social media tearing them down every time they put on an outfit. There were magazines and weird TV show hosts, but that’s not the point. We might have to do an entirely different essay about the media in the 2000’s. I am drifting so far away from the point, and I apologize. I believe that if we uplift the people who are actively trying to be different and have a unique style, then we will see a rise of people coming out and expressing themselves. Clothes are not the only thing that shows who you are; a lot of people should focus on personality too…that means not bullying people. This can also apply to the media we’re consuming. When artists or creatives put out new, good, and original projects, let’s support those as well. 

    Don’t get me wrong, because of what is going on around us and because of how people act online, I understand why a lot of people crave uniqueness and authenticity. We live in a society that praises specific looks, so when people come out and don’t fit into that mold, it’s a good thing, but it also results in them being judged for it. If you care so much about authenticity, then let people be authentic. Let people experiment and find out what they like. Let people hop from trend to trend. Let people research older fashion trends, and let people try them on. Unless someone is wearing something offensive, their clothes should not bother you in the slightest. Lastly, to my unique and weird people, as long as you like what you have on, nothing else matters, dude. I think this whole discussion just proves we need to go outside and make friends or something, I don’t know. Anyway, that’s all for today, and thanks for listening to me ramble about fashion. I appreciate you guys so much!

- CD ★

☆ SOURCES ☆

- Click for more info!

• Aliyahcore | Aesthetics Wiki Page
  
• "What would ‘90s style be without its predecessor, the ‘70s?" by Anne T. Donahue (Article)
  
• "Y2K Fashion 101: How the Millennium Started Trending All Over Again" by Boutayna Chokrane and Christina Pérez (Article)
  
• Supernanny | Wikipedia 

☆ BONUS SOURCE (FOR FUN :) ☆

This is if you want to learn more about Aliyah's Interlude and her backstory. Again, thank you guys for reading! :))