It's now a tradition - the year-end A-Town Playlist! 2018 marks the first year in which I seriously used the Spotify app to listen to music (and many, many podcasts) akt work, so I thought it would be fitting to compile 50 of my top songs from the past 12 months.
Although the playlist does contain some new songs that were released this year, it is largely comprised of my most frequently played Spotify tracks, including a few of my favorite bands, some classic hits and some tunes that I discovered along the way.
While you're listening, check out a few highlights:
I started the list with five songs that I constantly had on repeat, like the outrageous "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" by Meat Loaf (who I met at FanX this fall), "Africa" by Weezer (which I decided I like more than the original by Toto) and Panic! at the Disco's catchy "Say Amen (Saturday Night)."
Two of the first songs I listened to on Spotify this year, believe it or not, were "Meant to Be" by Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line, and "Havana" by Camila Cabello. I don't know.
Summer 2018 was full of concerts for me; I saw REO Speedwagon/Chicago, the Pixies/Weezer and Dierks Bentley (my first country concert!) - and my playlist has been organized accordingly. One section is dedicated to great songs by each of those bands!
It was also fun to see that I have spent more than 24 hours listening to my favorite band, Weezer, this year. Thanks for the fun fact, Spotify!
Of course, what would this summer have been without adding a number from the "LOST" soundtrack? As you may recall, I spent weeks and weeks binge-watching my favorite TV show, taking extensive notes and writing a bunch of blogs, only to find out that the Comic Con panel I was scheduled to be a part of had been cancelled without my knowledge. Disappointing, to say the least.
I went through a phase where I was listening to a bunch of cover songs. I've got that stint represented by The Struts' take on "Ballroom Blitz" and Bad Wolves' cover of "Zombie."
There was a point in time this year when I realized that I didn't have Billy Joel's classic "Scenes From an Italian Restaurant" in my iTunes. I quickly added it and listened to it a dozen or more times on Spotify. #NeverForget
Speaking of Billy Joel, my first concert of my entire life was Billy Joel and Elton John. I'm not sure I appreciated the magnitude of that show as much as I should have, so I went to see Billy last November. When I heard that Elton John is embarking on his final tour in 2019, I had to buckle down and get tickets. I've commemorated that occasion with a song by the Rocket Man, himself. I'll be seeing him live for the last time next September.
I was reminded how great The Beach Boys' "Wouldn't It Be Nice?" is as I played the much-maligned video game "Fallout 76," which features that song on its in-game radio.
Without a doubt, my most iconic fashion statement of 2018 was the glorious two or three weeks in which I sported a mustache. This I did in homage to Queen's legendary front man, Freddie Mercury, in anticipation of the film "Bohemian Rhapsody," which I highly recommend. While listening to the movie's soundtrack, I came across a song I had never previously heard - "Keep Yourself Alive," which quickly became one of my favorite tracks of the year.
I had to throw in "Take Me Home, Country Roads" - a song that has become somewhat of an annual thing in my home on Thanksgiving night. My mom plays the song on the piano while my siblings and I belt out a rousing rendition of John Denver's redneck anthem.
As the year drew to a close, I finally got a promotion at work (to do the job I've essentially been doing since April). The job comes with a slight pay raise, so I decided to celebrate by getting myself concert tickets to see a band I've loved for more than a decade - The Goo Goo Dolls. "Black Balloon" and "Slide" were just two of the songs I started listening to again in preparation for the show at USANA Amphitheater next June.
That's it for this year! Hope you enjoyed the music, friends. If you feel so inclined, let me know what your top songs of 2018 were in the comments section below.
And finally, for your information, if you use Spotify and would like to see some interesting statistics about your listening habits from 2018, head over to https://spotifywrapped.com/.
It has been TWENTY-EIGHT YEARS(!!) since "Home Alone" hit theaters. We know it, we love it, we've seen it a million times as each holiday season comes and goes. But have we ever LIVE BLOGGED ABOUT IT? In the immortal words of one Kevin McCallister, "I don't think so!" So join us, friends, neighbors, as we bring you our live, unfiltered thoughts, from start to finish, of this Christmas classic.
Note: You may also follow along on Twitter as the micro-blog rookie Miranda Johnson live-tweets the show here.
Grab a Pepsi, slam down some ice cream and call the cops, because HERE. WE. GO!
*****
I recently saw a meme that pointed out that Mr. McCallister must have been absolutely loaded to be able to afford that huge house AND a trip to Paris for most - if not all - of his extended family. That's a good point. What kind of business was he running? Was he a drug dealer? Was he in deep with the mafia or something? #ThingsToPonderAtNight
The lack of respect for authority is astounding as the movie kicks off. The McCallisters have a (supposed) police officer in their house, he's yelling at them - any of them - for some attention, and everyone completely disregards him. Incredible.
As a kid, I always thought the term "voltage adapter" was really weird.
These kids are SO RUDE to each other. That's one thing that has bothered me as an adult. I never realized how much name-calling and back-talking these little brats did to each other.
Why did Mr. and Mrs. McCallister allow Buzz to have such scandalous posters up in his bedroom? The kid seems like a perv.
"South Bend Shovel Slayer" is an awesome name for a serial killer or pro wrestler.
The Little Nero pizza delivery guy is a terrible driver. Can't be the first time he's run into something. He says that the pizzas cost $122.50. Out of curiosity, I looked up how much it would cost to order 10 pizzas (nine large pepperoni and one cheese pizza for Kevin) from Pizza Hut today:
If this were my family, we'd just go grab a bunch of Little Caesar's Hot 'N' Ready pizzas for $5 a pop and call it good, but hey, this is (possible drug lord) Peter McCallister we're talking about. He's taking the family to France. He can afford 10 Little Nero's pizzas. No sweat.
The scene where it gets all windy outside and the branch falls on the power lines always creeped me out as a kid. That is the scariest Christmas wreath of all time.
The power guys hit that statue, too lol... I always thought that annoying neighbor kid that gets mis-counted in the head count was McCaulay Culkin, for some reason. The dang kid starts going through their stuff in the van and takes a picture with one of their cameras. What a nosy little rascal. "Bring me back something French!" Who does this kid think he is??
Freaking Uncle Frank, stealing the fancy First Class silverware...
Who else was traumatized as a child by that dang furnace in the McCallisters' basement? So scary. Also, Kevin McCallister was way ahead of the curve with dat bed head hairdo. Truly, a fashion icon born a decade too soon.
"Buzz, your girlfriend! Woof!" First of all, that is a terrible picture of that girl. Second of all, why on earth would Buzz frame it?
Kevin is a great shot with the BB gun. Five-of-five shooting those little sports figures and the spatula. Very impressive.
Was "Angels with Filthy Souls" even a good movie? The world may never know. Of all the movies to watch, why did Kevin go with a black and white gangster film? Didn't the McCallisters have anything more... recent? "Top Gun" or "Goonies" or something? Was "Angels" a Christmas movie? Was that why he wanted to watch it? I guess the sequel that he watches in "Home Alone 2" was, right? I don't know. Things to ponder at night, I guess. "Keep the change, ya filthy animal!"
"Guys, I'm eating junk and watching rubbish! You better come out and stop me!" If ever there was a slogan for my adult life, that would be it, 100 percent.
Life goals: sledding down the staircase on an actual sled. However, let's talk about the geometry here. There is no way Kevin would be able navigate that properly. If he was going down the stairs at an even slightly straight angle, he would have crashed right into the wall. Props to him for making it work, though. He's an inspiration to us all.
The Wet Bandits show up to the McCallister home for the first time and are whispering so loudly that Kevin can clearly hear them through the walls. What, are they shouting?
"This is ridiculous. Only a wimp would be hiding under the bed. But I can't be a wimp - I'm the man of the house." (I say that to myself every morning before I go to work.) And then Kevin immediately goes outside, sees the South Bend Shovel Slayer and screams loudly in his face. Hilarious scene.
Side note: I have an aunt that kind of looks like Kevin's aunt with the big glasses.
You know what? RIP to John Heard, who passed away in the summer of 2017. His legendary role as Peter McCallister will live on in our hearts forevermore.
Kevin washed all his major crevices, including his belly button, which I don't think I have ever done before, but am super curious to do next time I bathe.
Buzz's life savings is like $34 lol
Life was so hard, back before you could simply Google whether a toothbrush was approved by the American Dental Association. Those poor people. Also, in my opinion, Jimmy from the drug store is one of the major villains in any Christmas movie. With one word ("SHOPLIFTER!"), he drew the ire of at least one moviegoer (me). Plus, look at that slicked-back hair. Can't stand that kid.
I love that Kevin can be running like 4 MPH and yet slide 100 feet to the other side of the ice skating rink. What a glorious slide by the young lad. I definitely burned through the knees of one pair of pants trying to pull a McCallister Slide across the Cultural Hall floor in my church one time. Would not recommend.
Harry doesn't like Marv's "calling card" of leaving the water running at the houses they burglarize. "All the great ones leave their mark," Marv argues. (In retrospect, flooding houses was not a good idea, was it, Marv?) "The Wet Bandits" is such a great name, though. 10/10 would make that my tag team name if I were a pro wrestler and, for some reason, couldn't use "The Big Ticket."
Things Marv and Harry like: stealing
Things Marv and Harry don't like: wrecklessly endangering pedestrians, churches, the dark (possibly)
Buzz, on whether he is worried for Kevin's safety: "No, for three reasons: A) I'm not that lucky, 2) we use smoke detectors, and D) we live in the most boring street in the United States of America, where nothing even remotely dangerous will ever happen. Period."
The Little Nero's delivery guy shows up again, hits the statue again, and informs Kevin that the price of one pizza is $11.80. Just in case anybody else was keeping track of pizza pricing.
Lip-syncing Kevin McCallister is my spirit animal.
Mama McAllister is so passive aggressive with the guy at the Scranton airport. I know that she left a kid at home, but it always bugs me when people are that outrageously rude. She offers to sell her soul to the devil! Whoa. The desperation!
Gus, the Polka King of the Midwest, has arrived! "Polka polka! Polka polka! No?" John Candy was a national treasure. RIP to him, too. Gus seems like such a nice guy, but it is painfully obvious that John Candy was not actually playing that clarinet.
Tic-Tac Santa is Porkchop from "Groundhog Day." #TheMoreYouKnow
The scene where Kevin finally meets the South Bend Shovel Slayer at the church always kind of melts my heart. First of all, good for Kevin for going to church alone. Second of all, I just feel so bad for the Shovel Slayer. Kids can be so mean when they start rumors. He's just a nice old man that loves his family and likes to shovel the sidewalks, but their false stories turned him into a monster. Christmas is a good reminder that most people are inherently good, despite their misunderstandings. Kevin and the Shovel Slayer have a nice conversation about overcoming fear - fear of the basement and fear of rejection - and the old man urges Kevin to get back home where he belongs.
As an outside observer, this would have been a great time for Kevin to be like, "You know, I am pretty sure these two guys are trying to rob my house. I know you're lonely. Would you like to come stay with me for a little bit to make sure my house is safe?" But hey, they don't pay me to write movie scripts, so what do I know?
The church bells ominously chime and Kevin gets to stepping. The time as come. "This is my house. I have to defend it!"
How long would it realistically have taken for Kevin to set the traps in his house? Certainly, this preparationwould have taken several hours, if not all day long. The odds of him getting everything planned and set within one or two hours are not high. Nine o'clock is a very late time for a little kid to be eating dinner, by the way.
BB gun shot right to the groin. If you were wearing jeans, I have a feeling this might sting for a second, but it wouldn't likely do lasting damage. A BB gun shot between the eyes from close range, on the other hand, would be pretty dangerous. You could easily lose vision if that pellet goes a millimeter in the wrong direction.
Marv trying to break into that basement door with his crowbar without realizing that the door was unlocked to begin with always makes me laugh.
Getting hit in the face with an iron from that distance would legit knock you out. After about two steps up a staircase covered in tar, I would either A) not go up those stairs or B) be looking at my feet for every step. Marv, of course does not see the nail before putting his foot right through it and letting out a LEGENDARY scream.
How does Harry not notice that the doorknob is glowing red before touching it? Wouldn't he be able to smell something burning? He burns the crap out of his hand before deciding to try the other door, where he promptly gets his head burned by a blow torch. AND HE JUST STANDS THERE AND TAKES IT! If my head was on fire for even a fraction of a second, I would get the heck out of dodge. I would not stand there and let it continue to burn me.
After an astoundingly quick recovery, Harry gets breaks into the house and is soon thereafter covered in industrial glue and feathers. Marv sees an open window and yells to Harry that he's coming in. Harry sticks his legs in the window and doesn't just gently step through like a normal person. No, he stomps his feet down, right on top of some Christmas ornaments. After that, he continues to step on the ornaments. Dude. Take bigger steps!! This, of course, leads to the classic exchange:
Harry: "Why the [heck] did you take your shoes off?"
Marv: "Why the [heck] are you dressed like a chicken?"
Marv and Harry are consecutively hit in the fact by swinging paint cans, which would lead to certain and immediate death. Somehow, there is no blood anywhere and the worst thing that happens is that Harry loses his iconic gold tooth. They miraculously get up and stumble over a knee-high tripwire. Buzz's tarantula crawls onto Harry's chest, and Marv reacts instinctually by whacking Harry in the ribs with his crowbar. These guys are absolute morons. I mean, couldn't he have just used the crowbar to scoot the spider off of his friend before taking a swing?
I always thought that Kevin comparing the crooks to a horse's rear end was a strange choice of words. I certainly don't know any 8-year-olds that talk like that. The Wet Bandits fall from 20 or 30 feet in the air and swing on a rope right into the brick side of the house.
After a quick trip over to the neighboring Murphy home, which was previously robbed and flooded by Marv and Harry, Kevin uses the worst fake adult voice imaginable to call the cops, and a timely save by the South Bend Shovel Slayer saves our puny protagonist from his would-be murderers. Foiled! Outsmarted by a kindygartner!
Kevin smiles as he watches Marv and Harry get hauled away in cop cars. We fast forward to the next morning, with the house immaculately cleaned, as if nothing happened at all. Do not tell me that Kevin did that by himself. Did the cops hire some cleaning company to come over at midnight or something? Mrs. McCallister returns home and greets her son with an apology for leaving him stranded at home. They embrace as the rest of the family is somehow just a minute behind. Kevin looks outside and sees a joyous reunion between the Shovel Slayer and his family. Precious.
Kevin is an incredible little liar; the family has no idea that their home was a nearly burglarized war zone just hours earlier. (Wouldn't the cops still be all over that street? Certainly, law enforcement would want to inform the McCallisters of the previous evening's felonious festivities.) Peaceful music plays as the family is reunited at home for the holidays. But, just when you thought we had a flawless, happy ending, it looks like Kevin and/or the cleaning company missed a couple minor details. Papa McCallister finds Harry's gold tooth on the floor, and a yell from Buzz indicates that he is furious to find that his room remains in shambles.
Cue the credits.
*****
What a show. It's definitely an all-time favorite of mine, but spending a couple hours making fun of it and looking for plot holes and logical impossibilities was a good time, too. That's all we've got for now! We hope you've enjoyed the blog and our live tweets.
I was at a Utah Jazz game last night when I saw the news - WWE's Universal Champion, Roman Reigns, was relinquishing the title due to a resurgent case of leukemia.
That's pretty devastating news for the company and, more than anything, for the man, himself. For the better part of six years, Roman Reigns and his dominant faction, The Shield, have been at the top of the pro wrestling world, with Reigns, in particular, receiving a heavy push from the creative team. For the most part, this didn't sit well with the so-called "WWE Universe," as fans would have preferred other stars (like Daniel Bryan and, more recently, Braun Strowman) to be the company's top guy. The result of WWE's insistence in making Reigns the perennial Main-Eventer resulted in a chorus of boos accompanying him whenever he showed his face, including one notable promo after Reigns beat the Undertaker at Wrestlemania, where Reigns was booed harshly for nearly 10 minutes (language warning for that hyperlink).
Things were different last night. Fans booed as Reigns came to the ring, as usual, but Roman seemed different this time. He looked humbled. Sad. He proceeded to cut an earnest promo, explaining that he has been battling leukemia for the past 11 years. The boos subsided. Reigns said that, because of the returning illness, he will have to leave the company to get things in order and spend time with his family. He laid the championship belt down in the middle of the ring as fans chanted, "Thank you, Roman!" Reigns walked up the ramp to the stage, where he was joined by fellow Shield members Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins, both of whom were visibly shaken and were wiping tears from their faces. The three embraced and engaged in their trademark fist bump. The audience applauded, knowing that, despite Reigns' promise to return stronger than ever, this could very well be the end of an era.
Needless to say, it was a somber way to kick off WWE's three hours of programming. Throughout the night, the announce team of Michael Cole, Corey Graves and Renee Young recapped the unfortunate predicament, outlining how upcoming Pay-Per-View events would be impacted by Reigns' sudden departure. Several on-air segments were dedicated to the outpouring of support coming in on social media from other WWE superstars and fans. Even the braggadocios loudmouth Paul Heyman was noticeably affected by the night's events, as he gave an impressive promo that not only honored Reigns' hard work but eventually transitioned into hype for his client Brock Lesnar's upcoming match, which was directly altered by the vacated championship. Braun Strowman, who will square up with Lesnar in that title bout also mentioned Reigns' illness when coming out to confront Heyman.
The main event for the evening featured Rollins (the current Intercontinental Champion) and Ambrose facing the Raw Tag Team Champions, Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre. It would be fitting, I thought, if they were to allow the titles to change hands on this night, as as show of respect for Reigns, although it would be a little odd for Rollins to then become a dual champion. Nevertheless, after a distraction by Strowman drew McIntyre away from the ring, Rollins rolled up Ziggler for the ol' 1-2-3. The Shield had become the new tag team champs on an emotional night for everyone involved. Ambrose and Rollins (whose relationship had been on rocky ground for the past few weeks) embraced in the middle of the ring, clutching their newly won title belts.
And then this happened:
The Lunatic Fringe finally snapped. Literally a minute after becoming a tag team champion, he turned on one of his best friends, to the absolute shock of the entire arena. Wrestling fans have long anticipated an Ambrose "heel turn," but it was widely speculated that it would happen closer to Wrestlemania in Spring of 2019. Nobody expected it to happen this soon. And, based on the number of F-words I saw on Twitter, nobody expected it to happen on this night. Fans were stunned. Fans were caught totally unsuspecting. Fans were flat-out disgusted by it all.
I actually kind of loved it.
As I watched late last night, I had no idea what was going to happen. I figured they'd probably win the match, then, as they celebrated, I figured Roman would probably greet them at the top of the ramp and the show would go off-air as they embraced.
It came out of nowhere. I found myself audibly, involuntarily laughing out of the surprise of it all. I did not see that ending coming. It was all orchestrated so well. From finally getting everyone to cheer for Roman to his tag partners winning the championships at the end, it had been a nice There-Are-Things-Bigger-Than-Wrestling type of episode. Something for people to feel good about. Then, it all came to a crashing halt with one of the most brutal beat-downs in recent memory. "Raw" has been a bit stale lately. It's three hours long, week in and week out, and it often lacks any major twists or veering character paths. This swerve by Ambrose got the WWE Universe with the double sucker punch - once because fans generally love The Shield and again because it happened on the night when Reigns broke "kayfabe" by discussing a very personal matter.
I'd argue that this is the biggest, most monstrous, dramatic heel turn of the modern era. I can't, off the top of my head, think of a story arc that was this impactful or well executed since The Shield broke up the first time, back in 2014. As a podcast I listened to, ironically enough, yesterday morning pointed out, fans probably would have loved it if Dean had turned heel by attacking Roman, so having Dean attack Seth LAST NIGHT, just moments after winning that match, was a stroke of genius. There is nothing Dean could have conceivably done to get the crowd against him. In one five-minute segment of a show, he became, quite possibly, the biggest heel the company has seen in a long, long time.
The audience's reaction was incredible, too. The last time I saw anything get a reaction like that was back when Undertaker's Wrestlemania streak was broken. It was absolutely glorious.
Re: Dean Ambrose heel turn - This is a candidate on the Mount Rushmore of #WWE fan reaction shots. Priceless. #RAWpic.twitter.com/Zxnqt77LjO
I get why some people thought it was bad timing or in poor taste to pull a move like that on the same night that Reigns relinquished his title due to a terrible real-life struggle, but man. I thought this was storytelling at its finest. Bravo, WWE. Nice work.
Oh, and by the way, we also got an Elias face turn! Yes! The classic guitar smash! All in all, it was a great night for sports entertainment, if you ask me.
Last year, I wrote a blog breaking down the roster updates for the newest WWE video game. I might as well make a tradition out of it, simply for the sake of having something to write about. So what the heck? Let's do it again for "WWE 2K19," shall we? But this year I'll do you one better: I'll break down the roster and also talk about some of the new and exciting features that will grace us with their presence in "2K19." Sound fair? On we go.
63 unique legends (depending on what you classify as "unique" - for instance, does Randy Orton's '13 model count as a unique legend although the current Orton counts as a member of the SmackDown! roster?)
Roster take-aways
As of right now, it does not appear that 2K will be releasing their typical "Hall of Fame" DLC pack, which means that we may not be seeing 2018 Hall of Famers the Dudley Boyz, Jeff Jarrett, Mark Henry and Hillbilly Jim in this year's game.
The most glaring omissions - and Internet comment sections will definitely attest to this - are several WWE superstars who are currently on the roster that were included in last year's game but are apparently missing in action this year, namely, Nikki Cross, THE Brian Kendrick and current NXT champion Tommaso Ciampa. There are some rumors that their absence may be a reflection of contract stipulations or, simply, the wrestlers' refusal to allow 2K to use their likeness in the game. Odd, certainly. So it looks like we'll have to rely on the painstaking labors of some crafty Community Creations if we want to use those guys in "2K19."
Another really odd subtraction this year is the loss of Mick Foley and his alter-egos. No Mankind, Cactus Jack or Dude Love. I didn't really use those characters very often in the past, but I guess what they say is true: you never know what you've got 'til it's gone. Other notable legends missing from "2K19" are JBL, Rob Van Dam and the recently reinstated Hulk Hogan.
The DLC I'm most looking forward to using this year will be the "Top One Percenter," EC3. That guy is a beast in NXT right now. Can't wait for him to be released for download.
Update: After watching several "first impression" videos, it does appear that several wrestlers do have alternate attires/models that were not announced in the official roster reveal, such as Kevin Owens, Kane, Kurt Angle and a few others. These will likely be unlockable through Showcase Mode. Additionally, screenshots of Paul Heyman (Manager) have been shown on the 2K website, despite Heyman not being listed on the official roster.
What else is new?
The hard part about buying new sports video games every year is the (all too real) fear of basically paying $60 for a roster update, which, in many cases, is exactly what EA Sports ("Madden"), Sony ("MLB The Show") and 2K ("NBA 2K," "WWE 2K") trick you into doing. It sucks, but if you want to play with the newest teams, players and characters, it's a necessary evil. As such, it's not uncommon to keep an eye out for big announcements about new features as the game's release date approaches.
What have we learned about "WWE 2K19" in the past few weeks? Well, it looks like we are in store for a slew of improvements and new game modes. Here are a couple of things I've noticed while watching teaser trailers and keeping my eyes glued to the WWE 2K Twitter account:
The return of Showcase Mode featuring the career of Daniel Bryan
Women's Royal Rumble
Mae Young Classic (or the arena, at least)
Customized Money in the Bank briefcases
The new "Payback" feature is new this year, and I just learned about it today, as a matter of fact
Alternate attires that don't take up their own "character" slot (Demon Finn Balor appears in the trailers, but isn't listed as his own character, as he has been in the past)
The Wyatt Compound can be used as the location for backstage brawls - and it appears that a "House of Horrors" match is a significant part of the story mode this year
Speaking of which, "MyCareer" mode looks totally insane - check the trailer toward the end of this post
"MyCareer" mode will feature fully voiced characters, as opposed to past years, where we were subjected to reading subtitles that seemed like they were written by someone whose first language was definitely not English
Commentary, at least from what I could tell from a couple of the wrestler entrances I watched, sounds really good in comparison to the bland garbage from previous years
The new "Towers" mode will be introduced; it seems like the "Slobberknocker" mode from years ago - I asked for Gauntlet matches and it looks like we're essentially getting them
Graphics are improved and 2K is adding additional "filters" to gameplay, like 8-bit and cel-shading visuals, which actually look really fun
Zombie Triple H - yes, it's true
Big Head mode - yes, it's true
The 2K team has released a few blogs to detail new features and changes for "WWE 2K19," which you can find here:
Part 1: General improvements, new match types, changes to Hell in a Cell and cage matches, Money in the Bank updates, Payback feature
Part 2: Exciting updates about Universe Mode, managers and other miscellaneous features
Part 3: MyPlayer updates, including new skill tree, Loot Pack explanation, Road to Glory Mode and MyPlayer Towers
Part 4: Creation suite updates
I wanted it and we're getting it!
Earlier this year, I posted a list of 15 things I wanted in "WWE 2K19." Based on pre-release blogs and videos put out by 2K, it surprisingly, shockingly appears that many of my wishes have been granted! Below, I've listed my request in bold, followed by what appears to be happening in the upcoming game. Check it out:
Easier alternate attires: Based on screenshots and videos, it appears that alternate attires (like Zombie Triple H, for instance) may not take up an entire CAW slot and can be selected from a menu when choosing the wrestler.
Seamless saving for tag teams: Well, technically, I'm not sure this applies to tag teams, but I just got tired of having to make changes to attires, tag teams and championships twice - once in "MyWWE" and again in Universe Mode. According to Part 2 of the Features Roundup (linked above), this year, new features this year allow players to "save changes to Superstar settings across MyWWE and multiple Universe saves at the same time. This includes Attributes, Skills, Abilities, Payback, Entrances, and Move Sets." Wonderful!
Bring back "Showcase Mode": Check.
Ditch "MyCareer Mode": Well, they didn't, but it looks like they have made such significant improvements to it that I will actually play through it for once.
More coherent Promo system: It looks like this has been revamped, as well. "Promos now incorporate recent events [like wins/losses, championships, blindside attacks, etc.]. Many new promo animations have been added. While every Superstar comes with a pre-set “Promo Attitude,” you can customize any of them so that they behave the way you want."
Clearer Money in the Bank cash-in process: Not only will the cash-in process be more clear this year (apparently done through a selection option on the pause menu, with the option to tweak sliders for A.I. cash-in frequency), but the briefcases are fully customizable now, too.
Additional match options for Universe rivalries: I'm hoping this is good news, as the Features Roundup mentions, "Custom Match Tables let users customize the types of matches used on each show and Pay-Per-View. Using sliders, you can determine the frequency for various match types in storylines and rivalries."
More versatile commentary: All commentary done for wrestler entrances is brand new this year, and there are 15,000 new lines of commentary for this year's game.
Women's Royal Rumble: Check.
Gauntlet matches: "Towers" mode should essentially work as a gauntlet match, although whether this mode will be independent of Universe Mode remains to be seen. It is likely that "Towers" will function as a stand-alone "exhibition" match type without consequences for Universe Mode, however.
Finally, this wasn't on my list, but I saw it in Part 2 of the Features Roundup and I am so stoked for it. "You can go through matchups in your Universe and decide the winners and losers of the matches without having to play the match yourself or rely on a random result!" This is such great news. Simulating and hoping for the desired outcome was terrible.
The Bottom Line
I am unnaturally excited for "2K19." I usually look forward to new games, but it really seems like this should be a much-improved version of the game we're used to getting each year. Release Day can't come soon enough! If you're not pumped about "WWE 2K19" yet, check out these videos, which should get you pretty much sold on this year's game:
"WWE 2K19" officially releases for peasants on October 9, 2018, but if you've pre-ordered the Deluxe edition (or higher) like I have, you'll get your hands on it four days earlier, on October 5. If you're itching for more WWE 2K talk, check out the list of things I wanted to see in this year's game by clicking here - and, amazingly, it looks like some of those ideas are actually happening! Happy (Rusev) day. You should also check out Part 1 and Part 2 of my interviews with WWE legend Victoria, who I met at FanX18 a couple weeks ago. She was great and she put me in a headlock, which was amazing. All right. That's it for now. I'll see you jabronis in the ring!
We enjoyed our first chat with WWE legend Victoria so much that we stopped by the next day to do another interview about her career, her celebrity crush and what it takes to get in a WWE ring. Here's the transcript:
Signs of the Times: All right, back with
Victoria for Day 2!
Victoria: “Day 2!”
SotT: How’s Day 2 going?
V: “Amazing! Amazing. A little bit – what’s awesome today – I’m
going to go off the subject – is seeing Dave Bautista.”
SotT: Yeah!I got a picture with him!
V: “Yeah. You did?”
SotT: I did.
V: “Awesome. We started wrestling school together! He was ‘Leviathan’
back then, and we got brought up kind of at the same time with the WWE. It’s so
exciting seeing someone in our business succeed, you know, from the ground up.
You know what I mean? Seeing him… he’s a superstar, honestly. So you become
proud, like a proud sister, so it’s really neat.”
SotT: Yeah.
V: “A lot of people didn’t know I was here … I had one guy cry.
I’ve never had a guy cry.”
SotT: I almost cried.
V: “Get out of here!”
SotT: I had one tear, and I
was like, “No, no!”
V: “[Laughs] It was my perfume. No, it was like, they didn’t know
I was here. I’m best friends with these guys at [Booth] 2462 – Super Heroes in
Training – and they said, ‘Hey, do you want to work a booth?’ … And I was like,
‘Yeah, I’ll help you guys out. Absolutely.’ So seeing people like, ‘I didn’t
know you were here!’ – it’s kind of neat.”
SotT: Yeah. Well, that’s
good. Ok, so, I was thinking last night after we talked yesterday – I want to
know more about your hardcore matches, because you had a few of those!
V: “Yes.”
SotT: Obviously, you know,
with weapons and things, it’s a little bit different, but how is preparing for
a hardcore fight different than just a regular match?
V: “Oh, my gosh. As it is, I get sick to my stomach before
matches because I’m an extremely nervous person. I’m a perfectionist, too. [For
a] hardcore match, there are so many things that can go wrong. … You do say a
prayer: ‘Please, [let] no one get really, seriously hurt,’ but you do get hurt,
and you’ve got to say sorry later. The mentality is, you go up to your opponent
and you’re like, ‘I don’t mean anything. Let’s just be safe, let the fans enjoy
this and lay it in.’ For me and Trish [Stratus] – ‘Lay it in. We’ll say sorry
later, but don’t make it look phony – this is a real fight.’ So, we put our all
in, but the [nausea] before going out? Brutal. Yeah, brutal. And then you go
backstage and you’re still like, ‘[Gasps] Am I in trouble? Did everything go
smoothly? Did I do a great job?’ And you’re still questioning yourself
constantly.”
SotT: Ok, so, I know you’ve
worked a lot with Trish, but do you have any [other] really good friends that
you’ve developed during your career?
V: “My closest friend right now is O.D.B. – she was in T.N.A. –
Gail Kim, Cliff Compton (Domino) … we talk every day. You can’t avoid… You’re
together forever. You are a family, because you spend most of the time on the
road with each other – more so than your [actual] family. People say, ‘There’s
a big divorce rate.’ Go figure! We’re on the road four days a week, you know,
and kind of grow apart from our loved ones. But I’ve made a lot of good friends,
and it pays to be nice. I always tell people, ‘Don’t let it get to your head. We’re
entertainers. We’re stunt people. Come on. Be nice to your fans.’ I hear a lot
of rotten stories about how some people are just not nice to their fans, and
they pay our bills, so… you know?”
SotT: Well, you’re super
nice. We’ve had a couple [pro wrestlers] come through here. I met Batista today
– super nice. John Cena’s been here – very nice. Hulk Hogan – great guy. It’s
always surprising because you guys look kind of intimidating on screen, but
then, in person, you’re so nice.
V: “You’re always warned, ‘Be careful who you meet … because
you might be disappointed.’ So, I’m so scared to meet my superheroes. I want to
meet Jason Momoa. I’m a huge fan, and I’m scared… I’m just scared I’ll be
disappointed because I’m so nice – I’m over-the-top – that I expect everybody
else to be like that, and I’m just a little nervous about him disappointing me.”
SotT: You know what? I met
him – he came last year. I met him, just for a second, but [he’s] super nice.
V: “Is he?”
SotT: Yeah, he seemed super
nice.
V: “All right, I’m gonna hold you to it!”
SotT: What would it take for
somebody like me to get in the ring? [Laughs]
V: “[With] no training?”
SotT: [Sarcastically] I
mean, yeah. Look at me. I’m, like, in pretty great shape, obviously.
V: “But it’s not about looks now! The body – physique… you see,
it’s not cookie-cutters. Kevin Owens [for instance].”
SotT: So what do I need to
do?
V: “You do have to go to wrestling school. You do have to train.
It’s not for everybody. I thought I could learn the craft in 30 days [but] I
was in wrestling school for three years – which is not very long – but it’s a
lot of technique, technical work, your facial expressions. There’s so much
minute detail in this business. It’s really tough, and we’re live; we get one
shot. That’s it.”
SotT: Yeah, that’s hard.
V: “You mess up, the fans won’t [let it go.] The will let you
know that you messed up. It is the worst feeling ever.”
SotT: Oh, man.
V: “I don’t discourage anybody from [getting into wrestling],
but it’s a dangerous sport. It’s not for everybody. It’s for the people who
have the heart and passion for it and want to do it forever, because once you
get bit by it, you’re not done, evidently – me. Eighteen years and still going.”
SotT: All right. So, last
question: what’s the thing that you’re most proud of from your career?
V: “That I’m still going! After 18 years, I thought I was going
to be slowing down, but it’s incredible seeing people still remember me. You
kind of have to worry about when they don’t want your autograph anymore. But
the appreciation from the new divas, the new wrestlers… When you hear, ‘Oh, my,
you were my favorite wrestler!’ And you’re just like, ‘Really??’ It still
shocks me a little bit that I’m still doing it. I’m wrestling with 20-year-olds.”
SotT: …which is the hard
part.
V: “Isn’t that crazy?”
SotT: Yeah, that’s the hard
part. I used to like playing basketball, but I realize now, when I play against
20-year-olds, I’m 31, but it’s like…
V: “You’re out of shape! You feel like…”
SotT: Yeah, I’m not as fast
as these guys anymore.
Professional wrestling legend Lisa Marie Varon, best known as "Victoria," was a cornerstones of the women's division in the WWE's "Ruthless Aggression" era during her nine-year stint with the company (2000-2009). She won the women's championship twice after her call-up to the main roster in 2002. I caught up with Victoria at FanX Salt Lake Comic Convention 2018 and was able to ask her a few questions about her career.
Signs of the Times: Hello, Victoria. How
are you doing?
Victoria: “I’m doing great. Thank you so much.”
SotT: Welcome to Salt Lake
City.
V: “Thank you. It’s great to be here.”
SotT: Have you been here
before?
V: “I have, you know, in my wrestling career. There’s not a
place I think I haven’t been. I’m exaggerating. But it’s always a great city.
This is a huge convention! I live in San Diego, so I go to the San Diego one
all the time, and this is blowing it away for me. I love it.”
SotT: Well, good. I didn’t know
that you were going to be here, but I saw that you tweeted about it.
V: “I did.”
SotT: So, when I saw that, I
knew I needed to come and see you.
V: “Yes, and I was also on ESPN this morning, promoting the
show.”
V: “Yeah. I’m here with the Funko Pop!s [Booth 2462] – Mike, yes. [She
gestures to a man standing at the booth.] We live in San Diego, and he goes, ‘You
want to go to the show with me?’ Yeah.”
SotT: Well, you can come
back anytime.
V: “Thank you! Thank you.”
SotT: I just wanted to ask
you some questions about your wrestling career.
V: “Ok.”
SotT: First of all, what got
you into wrestling in the first place?
V: “It was a total accident. I met Chyna at a health club. I did
fitness competitions. Went up to her… I knew two girlfriends that did it, and
she said, ‘Oh, you have a good look. Have you ever thought about doing it?’ I
said, ‘I think I can do what the guys do,’ because I was a gymnast, tomboy, and
I sent my stuff in. Thirty days later, I got a call. The rest is history.
Eighteen years ago.”
SotT: Nice. Ok. Throughout
your career, did you have a rivalry that was your favorite to work with?
V: “I think Trish and I – Trish Stratus and I – had a long,
long rivalry. It was such baby steps, because we could do months and months of
our angle, which was awesome, you know? They took time with the female
storyline. Now, after that, it was too quick. Things ended so quickly. [But]
her and I killed it.”
SotT: If you could go back
to the WWE today, who would you want to work with?
V: “There are so many amazing women there. Asuka is one of my
favorites, and Charlotte Flair, because I’m good friends with her dad.”
---
Victoria will be at FanX18 all weekend (09/06/18 - 09/08/18) at Booth # 2462, near Celebrity Row and Cosplay Central. For more information about FanX, follow the convention on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
"Holding on is believing that there’s only a past; letting go is knowing that there’s a future." - Daphne Rose Kingma
A major theme in Season 6 of "LOST" - and, arguably, the main theme of the series - is something that the main character, Jack Shephard, has a really tough time doing - letting go.
Throughout most of the first five seasons of the show, Jack is a "fixer." It's what he does. He fixes things. Or he tries to fix things. It's a characteristic that makes him incredibly stubborn. He knows what he wants to do and he tries to do it, regardless of his probability of success, the advice he receives from others and (sometimes) logic. Fixing things motivates Jack and makes him feel successful. Failure or inability to solve problems frustrates Jack, often causing him to resort to shouting matches (often involving Sawyer or Ben Linus), physical violence (often involving Sawyer or Ben Linus) or complete resignation (as seen during his time being held at the aquarium by the Others in Season 3) - even to the point of contemplating suicide (see the Season 3 finale, for instance). With these personality traits in mind, the shift in Jack's attitude during Season 6 is quite remarkable. We see the evolution of "Destiny Jack" - less a "Man of Science" and more a "Man of Faith" than what we grew accustomed to over the span of 100-plus episodes.
The first major event that impacts Jack's mindset occurs in Season 6 Episode 5 ("Lighthouse"). Hurley takes Jack on a secret mission from the Island's then-Protector, Jacob, which ends with the duo ascending to a lighthouse they'd never before seen. At the top of the lighthouse, Jack is instructed to rotate a large dial to a certain angle. While doing so, Jack catches a glimpse of his childhood home being reflected in one of many large mirrors. Although this freaks Jack out (he essentially accuses Jacob of being a stalker), it accomplishes the Protector's intended goal - to help Jack understand how important he is to the "big picture."
From that point on, Jack has a change in attitude. He starts to buy into the idea that he is playing an important role in the plan set forth by Jacob. Rather than fighting against that plan, like he did during Season 2 at The Hatch, Jack shows faith in it by considering the well-being of everyone else on the Island, instead of only thinking about himself. Jack begins to say and do things that are not indicative of his previous demeanor. Ultimately, this leads to Jack accepting the role of new Protector of the Island. As the Island begins to self-destruct, Jack must say goodbye to the other Survivors (and, most notably, Kate, who he says that he loves during the series finale). He chooses to stay with the Island, letting go of the plans he had in mind for the entire series. His willingness to play a more important, less selfish role cost him his own life but spared the lives of many others.
It's hard to let go of things that we are afraid of losing or scared of changing. But, if managed properly, letting go can lead to tremendous personal growth. Elder Richard G. Scott of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints once discussed the process of change as having two parts:
“Recognize that you’ll go through two transition periods. The first is the most difficult. You are caging the tiger that has controlled your life. It will shake the bars, growl, threaten, and cause you some disturbance. But I promise you that this period will pass. How long it takes will depend upon the severity of your transgression, the strength of your determination, and the help you seek from the Lord. But remember, as you stand firm, it will pass.
“The second period is not as intense. It is like being on ‘battle alert’ so that you can fend off any enemy attack. That, too, will pass, and you will feel more peace and will have increased control of your life. You will become free.”
That freedom, for the Survivors of Oceanic Flight 815, comes in Season 6's "Flash-Sideways," as they gradually realize that they - at some point - have all died. Once the characters have become aware of this, they begin to congregate together at the church. Jack, naturally, is the last to come to this conclusion, despite having several "Flashes of Truth" throughout the final episode. Jack is, at long last, convinced by Kate to enter through the back of the chapel, whereupon he sees the long-lost coffin of his father, Christian Shephard. Jack approaches it and places his hand upon the box. Jack is immediately flooded with memories of his life on the Island and is then approached from behind by Christian. The following conversation ensues:
JACK: Dad? CHRISTIAN: Hello, Jack. JACK: I don't understand. You died. CHRISTIAN: Yeah. Yes, I did. JACK: Then how are you here right now? CHRISTIAN: How are you here? [Emphasis added.] JACK: I died too... CHRISTIAN: It's okay. It's okay. It's okay, son. JACK: I love you, dad. CHRISTIAN: I love you too, son. JACK: You... Are you real? CHRISTIAN: I should hope so. Yeah, I'm real, you're real, everything that's ever happened to you is real. All those people in the church... They're real, too. JACK: They're all... They're all dead? CHRISTIAN: Everyone dies sometime, kiddo. Some of them before you, some long after you. JACK: But why are they all here now? CHRISTIAN: Well there is no "now" here. JACK: Where are we, dad? CHRISTIAN: This is the place that you - that you all - made together, so that you could find one another. The most important part of your life, was the time that you spent with these people. That's why all of you are here. Nobody does it alone, Jack. You needed all of them, and they needed you. JACK: For what? CHRISTIAN: To remember... and to let go. JACK: Kate... She said we were leaving. CHRISTIAN: Not leaving, no. Moving on. JACK: Where are we going? CHRISTIAN: Let's go find out.
Jack needed to learn how to let go. He held on for as long as he could, but letting go and moving on was what finally allowed him to be free. There is a powerful lesson to be learned here. Over the course of the series, Jack was an influential (though sometimes divisive) leader for the Survivors. The fruits of his leadership brought him great joy and, at times, great sorrow and pain. By clinging onto the memories and proverbial baggage of his past, he prevented himself from moving on to the life that was waiting for him. How often are we guilty of doing the same? Whether we are stuck reliving our high school or college years, stuck holding onto a bitter grudge, constantly looking back on an old job that we loved or endlessly spinning the wheels in a bad relationship, letting go can provide us a path to a brighter future.
Certainly, it is normal to fear change or the loss of something we have been hanging onto for such a long time. Loss is practically inevitable in the process of change, so it is important for us to understand the difference between giving up and letting go. We're not quitting; we're moving on to something better.
Author Joseph Campbell said, "We must be willing to let go of the life we’ve planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us."
“How often in life do we set our own roots into the soil of life and become root-bound? We may treat ourselves too gently and defy anyone to disturb the soil or trim back our root system. Under these conditions we too must struggle to make progress. Oh, change is hard! Change can be rough. …
“We need not feel that we must forever be what we presently are. There is a tendency to think of change as the enemy. Many of us are suspect of change and will often fight and resist it before we have even discovered what the actual effects will be. When change is thought through carefully, it can produce the most rewarding and profound experiences in life. ...
“As opportunity for change reaches into our lives, as it always will, we must ask, ‘Where do I need development? What do I want out of life? Where do I want to go? How can I get there?’ Weighing alternatives very carefully is a much needed prerequisite as one plans changes. In God’s plan we are usually free to choose the changes we make in our lives and we are always free to choose how we will respond to the changes that come. ...
“Yes, there is pain in change, but there is also great satisfaction in recognizing that progress is being achieved. Life is a series of hills and valleys and often the best growth comes in the valleys.” [Emphasis added.]
One of the beautiful things about the final moments of the "LOST" finale is that it shows us that Jack and the other Survivors didn't have to completely abandon their past. That's not what this concept is asking us to do. Just let go of anything that's dragging you down or holding you back. Rather than dwelling in the past (for better or worse), the Survivors of Oceanic 815 embraced the best parts of their lives and cultivated those experiences into "a place where [they could] be with the ones [they] love, and not have to ever think about [the] Island again," as Desmond explained in the finale.
We teared up as Jack and Locke finally figured things out, culminating in Jack healing John's paralysis. We watched Ben and Locke forgive each other outside of the church for their terrible relationship on the Island. And, finally, we saw the joyous gathering of Survivors in the chapel as the series drew to a close. After 121 hours of cliffhangers and unhappy endings, we got an episode where there were smiles on everyone's faces as the screen went black. What a payoff, and what a profound message.
While searching for quotes about change, I stumbled across this one - and I hate when people quote "unknown authors" - but I liked this message, as it related to Jack's character progression in "The End":
"Growth is painful. Change is painful. But nothing is as painful as staying stuck somewhere you don't belong."
My advice to you, then, is to evaluate your lives, figure out if there is something you need to let go of and then use that change to get to where you belong. It's worth a shot, right?
