Oh My God, It’s She-Ra

Now Playing: Just Thought About You by Betty Who

When glass don’t break

When time don’t fly

When the snow’s falling in July

When I don’t need to breathe to be alive

Thats when I’ll stop thinking bout you

When you play with fire

And don’t get burned

When I fall in love and don’t get hurt

When I’m not missing everything we were

That’s when I’ll stop thinking bout you

I can still

Feel you

You’re everywhere

I can taste

Your lips

Hear your voice in my head

And I know that I should shut my mouth

And just hang up the phone

But I still

Want you

I just thought you should know

When the sun burns out

And the stars are dead

When your voice ain’t running through my head

When I fill this void here in my bed

That’s when I’ll stop thinking bout you

‘Cause I can still

Feel you

You’re everywhere

I can taste

Your lips

Hear your voice in my head

And I know that I should shut my mouth

And just hang up the phone

But I still

Want you

I just thought you should know

_______________________________________________________

Okay, I’m back in my Betty Who bullshit. The song in the NP is actually a mash-up by none other than yours truly. It’s a mix of Just Thought You Should Know and Stop Thinking About You. I’m absolutely obsessed with it. I honestly wish the verses of About You and the chorus of Just Thought we’re actually together because when mixed, they make a perfect song in my opinion. But anyway, on to the blog.

This week, yo. It has FLOWN by for some reason. I don’t understand it, but I am here 👏🏼 for 👏🏼 it! Some interesting information that happened this week is my brother got his first job...working at the same place as my best friend, no less. So now Benzo and my brother work together, and that’s just a crazy concept. I still remember when he was brought home from the hospital, so it’s just weird to think about him working with my best friend now. Life is crazy™️ Shane Dawson. 

Work has been okay lately. Aside from the normal super annoying things that are happening around here, I’ve just mainly been surprised by how fast the work week has gotten away from me. Not that I’m complaining, as I said, I’m all here for it. Maybe it has to do with the fact that I only had to work Monday and Tuesday, then I was off Wednesday, then I had to work Thursday and Friday before my long awaited weekend off. It would be better if I didn’t have to specifically schedule this weekend off, and it would be better if I didn’t have to work six days in a row after this weekend off, but I’ll take what luxuries I can when it comes to days off around here.

Tuesday was pretty cool because we did our semi-usual routine of me doing a bit of writing and Allen doing a bit of studying. I was in a writing mood, as well as a Lana mood (my need for Lana’s new album knows no bounds lately), so that’s what I did. And I actually ended up finishing chapter 13 like two scenes ahead of time. I’m going to cycle said scenes into chapter 14 because even though chapter 13 has less scene changes in it, it’s actually the size of most of the other chapters, so I just kind of went in I guess?? Haha I don’t know, but it feels good to be that much closer to being finished with it. My appointment for Book Two’s cover is coming closer and closer, with a July 9th start time (peep that Taylor Swift reference though 👀) so I’ve got that to think about as well. But all in all, I was super happy that I got that done on Tuesday night. 

 We’ve also been dealing with apartment stuff this week again. After the fiasco that was our last visitation to apartment hunting, we’ve been trying to get more information about these two particular apartments. Mainly because we made a super tight and super detailed budget for our expenses and everything, just to see what we really can and can’t afford, assigning it to an actual number that we can’t go over if we still want to be able to put food in the place. So armed with that information, we’ve been setting our sights on these two aforementioned apartments. Only they weren’t picking up at the beginning of this week, and we finally heard back from one of them after I called Wednesday. Plus Allen found this house on Facebook Marketplace that I think we’re still going to see on Sunday? It’s a really good deal, but I’m just weary of renting from someone that’s not through an actual complex or something. But we shall see.

Tuesday was also the night we randomly started She-Ra. Both of us have been semi interested in watching it after hearing that it was pretty good, so we ended up starting it and it’s actually really good! It’s giving me Wonder Woman mixed with Avatar: The Last Airbender and it’s great. The second season drops on Netflix I think the 26th of April or something, so we have some more episode to look forward too. Basically Tuesday was just a really great day. Wednesday, since I was off and Allen was off this whole week from spring break, we had some plans. We went to lunch at Sushi King, then he was taking me to a secret place that he had taken Kelly on Monday. It ended up being New Kent winery, which I ended up loving. Their wine is really good, and to become a member it’s literally nothing and you don’t have to keep up with buying a bunch of bottles. Might look into that in the future. Then we were going to go to the Barnes & Noble in Short Pump, but Allen wasn’t feeling too good so we ended up going home before he went back out for his haircut. All in all, it was a really good day.

The rest of the work week continued to go by pretty fast, so I was thankful for that. Friday was the day that Part 2 of Sabrina popped off on Netflix, so we ended up watching the first episode that night, and so far it’s upholding to the first season. I’m into it, as expected. Then Saturday we had a wine festival we were going to with his mom and some of her friends. So we headed over to James River winery for the event and that was a lot of fun. We got to sample wines from some other wineries, shop around, I ended up buying this painting of Patron, and we ended up sort of making a new friend in one of his moms friends daughter in law, so thanks to Diana I guess haha. She also is a teacher and knows some of Allen’s co-workers because she helped open the school he works at, so that was a hoot and a holler. After the winery, we headed home where Rebecca came over, but I was so drained. I ended up getting sunburnt on my arms at the event, and the sunburn was just absolutely draining me. But dinner was nice, we ate outside and chilled, then came back upstairs and they did a reading and then we all played Smash. A long day, but a really good day. 

I’m also thinking about switching phone carriers just so I can save some money, which will help us with having more money to move. I think I’m going to go there one day after work this upcoming week, and see if I can switch. Mainly because it’s looking like I can switch and they cover my termination fees with Verizon, so that’ll be really the only way I can switch over, but we shall see. Hopefully we get to finish Sabrina this upcoming week because a bitch is obsessed. And then, hopefully I can survive this upcoming work week because I have to work six days in a row to compensate for me having this weekend off. Puke, but hopefully it goes by as fast as last week. 

Until next time,

— Justin 

Joey...Use Me

I feel like this week has been really long and winding. Maybe that’s because of Friday’s contents, but who can never be sure? It’s just been a loooong week, and I’m super glad it’s coming to a close. I was going to have a song in the blog this week, but so many have been swirling in my head throughout the week, so I’m just going to list them here. 

• Tempo by Lizzo
• I’m So Tired by Lauv & Troye Sivan
• Just Thought You Should Know by Betty Who

Tempo started at the beginning of the week, but Missy Elliott’s verse (even though I love her) ruins it for me. Then I heard the acoustic version of I’m So Tired and I sort of fell in love with it. I even made up my own lyrics to Troye’s verse because I didn’t know the lyrics when I was singing it in the shower 😂 and then Just Thought You Should Know was stuck in my head yesterday. And then I woke up this morning, Saturday, with Tattooed Heart by Ariana Grande stick in my head. I blame the drive to the apartments for that one because I was belting this shit out of it that day. But I digress.

Sunday I applied for this open position at Frito Lay. It was for a full-time merchandiser, and it was making the same amount of money that I’m making now. But ultimately, it didn’t work out. After scheduling and rescheduling times for me to come in for an interview, Friday during lunch was the only time either of us had to do it, so I went. But I was super upfront about what I was looking for (i.e, not weekends and during the day) and that wasn’t aligning with what they needed, so we ended up not going through with the interview process, which is all for the best I believe. I’m not really sure that there’s anything I can find out there that’s Monday - Friday, and has the hours that I want. I think where I’m at now is the closest I can get. And while that sort of sucks as far as I’m not really in a field that furthers what I want to do with my life, I’ve just sort of come to terms with that fact that I’m just going to be here until I can make my dreams happen. Granted, my job is super stressful at times and sometimes it’s so mundane that I don’t know what to do with myself, but it pays the bills. It pays for my car. It keeps me with a steady chunk of change that most don’t get to appreciate, so I’ll appreciate it as much as I can.

The work week hasn’t been too bad, I don’t guess. There’s been some super frustrating days. This whole locker situation with the equipment is still really annoying and is still really wasting time, but no one seems too worried about it, so I’m rolling with it. Monday after work, Allen and I went walking at a park / trail, and even though it was raining, it was really nice to go and do. Although the best day this week, shocker, was probably my day off. 

I was able to get a whopping eight and a half pages written, so that’s awesome. I had some Queer Eye playing in the background, the sun was shinning, and I was super productive. It was an all around wonderful day off. I felt really good, being able to get that much done. And then I wrote two more pages while on lunch Thursday, so that’s been probably the best thing about this week. I’ve been doing more drowning myself in Fire Emblem Heroes lately. Maybe that’s how I’ll get the rest of this work day to get going, I’m ready to be off. Anyway, it’s been a nice distraction. Fire Emblem always is, and I’ve even been wanting to do some drawing inspired by it lately. Did I mention that I came up with a new story inspired by Fire Emblem? I’m not sure if I did or not, but yeah, that’s been a fun way to get through the work days lately. I’m really enjoying that aspect of earlier this week, I think that’s when I started plotting it out and writing stuff down about it. It actually sort of helped me harness all my energy Wednesday into writing Book Two of my current series.

Thursday we had plans to go see these apartments, 11 North, and they turned out to not be a good fit. Nothing included is basically why, and we were already looking at about a thousand for that place without having to pay every utility. Richmond is just really expensive. On to the next, I guess. I’m just hoping we can find a place relatively soon. I think both of us are just ready for our own space. 

This blog ended up being shorter than I thought? After work, I think we’re going to a restaurant over in Cary Town and then over to Chelsea’s? Hanging out with Chelsea was going to be on Sunday but it looks like it got moved to today. Which is good in retrospect. At least hopefully I can sleep in and actually sleep well tonight. 

The wonderful title of this blog comes from an episode of Queer Eye that Allen and I have been quoting non-stop lately. And we even made a gif from it, and the Queer Eye’s Twitter posted the same video I did like hours later. Thieves, but okay.

Until next time,

— Justin

And I’m Drew Barrymore

Yet another week of no song in the blog. I just haven’t found my groove in music again. Hopefully that’ll change soon though, since both Billie Eilish and Lana Del Rey have albums dropping this coming Friday. Speaking of celebrities, the title of this blog is a mess haha. I don’t really even know why it’s been a thing, but we were sitting down and watching the latest season of Queer Eye, and I think Johnathan mentioned Drew Barrymore, and I ended up doing a really piss poor imitation of her, and it’s just been a low-key thing this week? We’re a lot, but we’re a lot of fun haha.

Work has been trying my nerves this past week. Firstly, they’ve started this new thing where only assistant managers can access the devices we use to do our jobs, and we have to wait for them to unlock them and hand them out, like we’re children, which is even more annoying once you factor in that we have Manager in our job title as well. It’s just super annoying and frustrating because not only is it condescending (because they’re blaming department managers for the lack of equipment) but it’s also a colossal waste of time, something that they literally harp on us all the time about. Add the fact that Saturday, I found out yet another person was scheduled a weekend off, after I bitched to my manager about how I haven’t had a schedule weekend off since moving to Richmond, I was pissed. I’m so tired of working weekends. And it’s not that fact that I’m just working weekends, or the fact that I’m SUPPOSED to only work one a month, it’s mainly the fact that if you were every weekend, you’re supposed to make a certain amount, as in more than I do, so either give me my weekends off, or bump my pay by $1.50 because you know what I’ve had? It. I’m clearly over it, can’t you tell?

The rest of the week has been pretty good. Tuesday we were going to go to this apartment to check it out, but they ALSO have an income restriction that we somehow surpass, so they’re a no go. We still have two more that we’re trying to check out, it’s just finding the time to schedule it. Hopefully by next week, we can see another. I didn’t get nearly enough writing done on my day off. Actually, all I really did was flesh out the timeline of the next few chapters, which in truth really needed to be done, but I felt a little bummed about it afterward about not actually writing. I’m hoping to change that with this next upcoming day off though. Oh, I also finished Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom on my day off. Not nearly as good as the first one, but it was okay. I like the way the set up the next movie, so I think, and I’m hoping, that that one will be better, but who the hell knows. I’m just a sucker for Bryce Dallas Howard. I also did get to play some Sims on Wednesday like I was wanting to. My main Sim, Greyson, and his husband, Darios, now have a child named Gunnthra, and a toddler named Hríd, both named after Fire Emblem Heroes characters. Can you tell I’m still obsessed?

Speaking of, this week I also came up with a new book idea, inspired by my still reigning obsession with Fire Emblem, and that seems pretty promising. I’m liking the direction it’s going. Also this past week, I ended up finishing Fire Emblem Heroes’ storyline, or at least all that’s out at the moment, so I’ve resorted to replaying the game on a higher difficulty, because honestly I’ve never been so invested or into a mobile game before. But that’s what happens when you become obsessed with Fire Emblem I guess. Just girly things™️.

What else has happened this week? I bought two new shirts from work, because the brand George has been killing it lately and I just am loving their new designs. I started watching Joseph Birdsong’s old playthrough of Alien Isolation on a whim, so that’s been entertaining while I’ve been at work on lunch and stuff. I guess that’s really about it, except for all the shenanigans that happened Saturday.

We had a bunch of friends over for a sort of potluck, and it was a lot of fun. Allen and I made a make your own pasta kind of thing with alfredo and marinara and then everyone brought some type of side dish or dessert. And after we ate and drank some wine, we all played a game that Lorin brought called Last Word that was hilariously fun. To some it up, “things about cats: cats” 😂. But then, after going about five or six some years, I actually got sick from the wine. Which is really weird because it’s not even that I drank a lot. I think the mixing is what did it, but that happened. Yay. 

I’m just hoping this upcoming week is pretty lax because I need it Lord. 

Until next time,

— Justin

Joy, I’ve Been Nice To You, But I Am Coming To The Edge

Hola! Would you look at that, it’s the first time there hasn’t been a song in the NP for a while now, but there just hasn’t been one song that’s sort of stuck out to me a whole lot. Sure, there were a couple days that Take Me Or Leave Me were stuck in my head, but not enough in my opinion to garner the status of NP. And the title of this blog is still making me laugh 😂😂. It’s from this kid that was on an episode of Wife Swap, and he is literally a catchphrase king. And we’ve been saying them a lot the back half of this week. Such phrases include:

• Bacon is good for me!
• She’s acting like she’s the queen, and we’re the sorry people
• You’ll never see this face again!
• I keep losing at deals and I don’t want to make any deals!
• A bump in the road comes, and she wants to be sarcastic

Honestly, I could repeat them all day long every day but, because I love Allen and don’t want to drive him crazy, we’ll leave them in this blog haha.

It’s been a fairly good week, especially because work hasn’t been nearly as toxic as usual. Granted, the work has been, I guess, a little lighter, but really I just think my attitude has changed. Staying on top of writing, and writing when I can, has somehow just really shifted how I’ve approached work lately, and I’m super thankful for it. Now that being said, the damn ads that run on the TV right next to my department are driving me crazy. I love them, but if I have to hear Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard promote Hello Bello one more time, I truly think I might scream. But other than that, and some customers that literally should’ve just walked right back out the door, work has been pretty doable.

Tuesday was a great day, partly because I was off on Wednesday so I was looking forward to getting off work, but mainly because it was a surprise date night. And it was funny, because I was already planning to surprise Allen by stopping at the store and grabbing us a bottle of Rumple, and he surprised me by propositioning for us to go to James River Winery after work. We did that, and it was lovely, even though the tasting person wasn’t really invested in telling us about the wines, but whatever. We sat upstairs and on a balcony, it was really pretty. And we had no idea James River had that big of a dual room upstairs, so that was nice to see. But the view overlooking the front yard of the winery was so beautiful, and it was such a gorgeous day outside, it was amazing. Then we decided to just make it a full date night and grab some dinner, so we headed over to Havana, singing musical songs on the way, and I proposed my idea for a musical karaoke night, so we’ll see if that happens in the near future.

My day off was spent basically playing Sims 4 most of the day. I had a FaceTime and Sims date with Benzo, so that actually played out wonderfully, and it was really nice to do that again after so long of not being able to do so. And because my obsession with Fire Emblem has furthered, if you can believe that, I’m naming my Sims’ kids after some of my favorite me from Fire Emblem Heroes, so that’s been great. I don’t know what it is lately, but I’ve been getting back into Fire Emblem Heroes more and more lately, and I’m basically just really into all of Fjorm’s siblings because they’re precious and I love them.

The rest of the week was fairly chill, catching up on our tv shows, and then Friday the new season of Queer Eye came out, so that’s been fucking us up. Saturday we sort of had a bunch of plans. Of course I worked during the day, but once I got home, we headed over to his friends Emily’s mom’s birthday party, which I was a little apprehensive about but it was actually a lot of fun, and I wished we could have spent more time there. But my stomach was not having it after I guess it was Friday night? No, I think it was Thursday where we drank some Rumple while we did Shot Smash, and it was a lot. My stomach was messed up all of Friday at work, and then it was still recovering Saturday, but it was still a lot of fun despite not being able to partake in a whole lot of drinking. Then we left there and followed through with our plans with Chelsea, and that was pretty chill. Then when we left there, we ended up getting some McDonald’s, and then bed haha. 

Sunday was a chill day, thankfully, and while Allen was out at brunch for Rebecca’s bridal party brunch, I went and got my haircut and then came home and started watching Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, but I haven’t finished it yet, so I’m looking forward to being able to do that on my day off Wednesday. And I’m just already ready for my day off. I don’t want to leave the house at all. I want to maybe finish Fallen Kingdom, do some writing (and I really need to plot out the timeline REALLY bad), and play some Sims. That’s literally it. That sounds so damn good. 

Until next time,

— Justin