you gotta keep your head up

The glow that the sun gets right around sunset helps me realize that this is just a journey. Drop your worries You are gonna turn out fine. Oh, you turn out fine.

[michaelwhelanxx]

vito-mendoza​:

“Thanks man!” he grinned. “I’ve been trying to get out a music funk. I need new stuff to play at the club.” If he wanted to a) keep his job, and b) not dread going to work, he needed to make it exciting again. Mashups were helping.

“Well that’s one way to do it!” He flashed the other a grin. He hated one of his jobs but until his comedy stuff started paying more, he didn’t have much of a choice. “How’s work going, anyway?”

[michaelwhelanxx]

    [  “Definitely. Easy order and no nasty drinks like gin,” he replied, waiting while the bartender made the drink. when it was finished, he handed one of the drinks to Mike. “Bodhi,” he introduced.

“Who actually drinks gin? Like if you’re gonna drink it should taste good!” He had never been able to handle drinks that weren’t mixed. “Nice to meet you, man. Thanks for the drink, by the way.” 

[michaelwhelanxx]

vito-mendoza​:

“Alright, now for the moment we’ve been waiting for!” he announced, starting a small drumroll on his leg. He pulled the mashup up and pressed play, waiting excitedly for Mike’s reaction. 

Once the song was over, Mike flashed Vito a grin. “I mean, I’m not a musical expert or anything but it sure is catchy. Good job, man! I’m proud of you.” 

[michaelwhelanxx]

sxpernovagirl​:

“That’s good! I’m glad to see and hear that you’re alive! Nothing gives me more joy than that,” She grinned brightly. “I’m good! Y’know, just saving up and doing some extra gigs before the Great Grecian Adventure!” Nova began setting a few of her systems up to make sure Mike would be able to listen as clearly as he could. “So like…you don’t have a favorite song? Or a song that like tugs at your heart strings that gets you going? A song that reminds you of someone?” 

“Nothing? Well aren’t you sweet,” he laughed. “The Great Grecian Adventure? Are you going to Greece?” Mike wasn’t particularly well travelled. His mom had barely been able to afford the move from New York to Santa Monica when he was still a kid. Their vacations consisted of trips to places within a day’s drive. “A favorite song? Not really. I got plenty of songs that remind me of someone though.” 

[michaelwhelanxx]

bodhihudson​:

    [  “You know what? You’re my type of dude,” Bo replied, patting him on the shoulder. “Tequila Sunrise, please. Actually, make it 2. Two Tequila Sunrises!” he ordered.

“I am? Cool!” Mike grinned, tapping on the counter with his hands while Bodhi ordered their drinks. “I’m Mike by the way!” 

[bodhihudson]

[ @santamonicarp-starters​​

    [  “Hey! Heeeyyy, hey. You want a drink? I’ll get you a drink on me. We’re celebrating a new sponsorship for the upcoming season! Just don’t get anything top shelf!”

[michaelwhelanxx]

“I do what a drink! How did you know?!” He said excitedly. “Oh, I don’t drink top shelf stuff. I’m a pretty simple guy. Uh...can I have a Tequila Sunrise?”

[michaelwhelanxx]

sxpernovagirl​:

“Miiike!!!” Nova called out with the brightest smile. “Long time no see, buddy! How’ve you been? How’s life goin’ for ya?” She asked as she motioned for the man to take a seat. “Whaat?! You’re not the best music guy?! Okay before we begin then, what kind of music are you into? Cause everyone, I mean everyone, listens to music in their own way.” 

“Yeah, I’m good. I’m just...you know...living life. What about you?” Making himself comfortable, his shoulders lifted in a shrug. “I don’t know. I kind of listen to anything that’s on. Like...Trixie shows me music or sometimes they’ll play cool music at the book store...Discover Weekly on Spotify keeps me from getting too bored.” 

[michaelwhelanxx]

vito-mendoza​:

Vito paused to think before announcing, “I’m gonna play them separate first. That way you’ll know what they sound like on their own and how good they sound together.” He pulled up ‘Dare’ on YouTube first, followed by ‘Thot Shit.’ He played the songs without their accompanying music videos, that way Mike would get the full experience of the songs. Whenever Vito listened to new music, he listened to it without any visuals so he wouldn’t get distracted. 

“Yeah, okay!” Mike rolled his shoulders a bit, allowing himself to get part of his energy out so he could focus. “Alright, I’m ready!” After the songs had played, he looked over to Vito. “And you put those together? Let’s hear it!” 

[michaelwhelanxx]

vito-mendoza​:

Vito’s jaw nearly dropped to the floor. “Wait, hold up. You don’t know them?! I mean, to be fair, I don’t know many Gorillaz songs either, but you haven’t heard Thot Shit?! That needs to change right now! Should I show them to you separate first?”

“I do not. Unless it’s something that Trixie or Maya have played and I just don’t know the name.” His lips pursed together as he tried to search his memory. He wasn’t sure. “Uh....I mean, whichever you think will give me the best experience.” 

[mimiiwu]

“Are you a fan of milkshakes?” Before there was an answer Mimi was handing off the extra drink that was in her hand to the person closest to her. “ I saw the guy at the stand mess up my order while he was trying to flirt with me and when I called him out on it he gave me this extra. I’m not sure if he was going to drink two milkshakes back to back, but it’s yours if you’d like it. Don’t worry about paying me or anything. You’re doing me a favor.”

( @santamonicarp-starters​​ )

[michaelwhelanxx]

His eyes widened in joy as Mimi held out the milkshake. “Oh my God. Really?? Oh wow! This is the best day of my life!” That might have been a slight exaggeration, but in the moment, the milkshake was all that mattered. “Are you sure?” 

[sxpernovagirl]

“Hey you!” Nova pointed excitedly. “Yeah, you, come come come!” She waved over the random person that had just managed to cross paths with Nova making music from her garage while her parents were away at work. She was working on a set for the evening in which it was a wedding that not only requested her as a DJ, but as a singer as well. So putting together a few more songs that weren’t covers was going to be…interesting. “You can pull up the lawn chair and have a seat, but I want you to listen to this for just a few moments, I promise there will be culinary compensation as I’ve baked a fresh batch of cookies and you have the choice between chocolate milk, strawberry milk, and options for my non-dairy besties too!” She grinned. “Okay so, I’m gonna let you borrow my headphones and you’re just gonna listen to a 1 minute snippet of a song and you gotta let me know what you think. Like full on honesty here!” 

[michaelwhelanxx]

Mike had been going for a walk when Nova shouted for him to head over to the garage. After glancing around to be sure she was talking to him, Mike walked over, flashing her a grin as he walked up. “Hey, what’s up?” Pulling up a chair, he took a seat next to her as she offered the headphones. “Alright...but I gotta warn you...I’m not the best music guy.” 

[vito-mendoza]

“So I’ve been dabbing in mashups lately, and made this,” he stated, actually meaning to say ‘dabbling.’ “Hear me out. ‘Dare’ by Gorillaz and ‘Thos Shit’ by Megan Thee Stallion. I don’t mean to brag, but it’s pretty dope. You should give it  a listen.” He had the song pulled up on his phone, ready to play at any moment. He was proud of himself for making this after a period of not having any inspiration. 

@santamonicarp-starters​

[michaelwhelanxx]

His head tilted to the side. “I mean...I don’t know either of those songs but I’m down to hear it man!” Mike, who had no musical talent, was easily impressed by those who had any sort of skill.

[michaelwhelanxx]

Mike’s BBQ Outfit: Barnacle Boy

[michaelwhelanxx]

bodhihudson​:

    [  “Three cheers for avoiding responsibilities, am I right?” Bodhi laughed. “What are you currently avoiding? Anything particularly exciting?”

“Hooray!” The man laughed. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a napkin and tried to decipher the note he’d made on it. “I have a deadline I’m supposed to meet but I don’t think that’s going to happen.” 

[michaelwhelanxx]

vito-mendoza​:

“My boys were pretty cool… They’re not dead or anything, I just moved away so we don’t see each other as much.” He felt the need to clarify, not wanting the other man to assume the worst. “… Yeah, I don’t think they should’ve made that into a TV show, my guy. Whose idea was this?”

“Luckily with technology, it should be easier to check in on each other at least.” Mike had been grateful to leave his home state when he was younger. The move had been a clean start for him and he’d finally been able to build the life he wanted. “Nickelodeon, man. They come up with crazy shit.”

[sxpernovagirl]

"You know what?" Nova said out loud as she crossed her arms in front of her favorite ice cream shop. "I'm actually going to get some dairy free ice cream today. Today is the day, citizens of Santa Monica, that I, Nova the Supernova, will not subject myself to dairy torment...at least until tomorrow," She giggled and looked around realizing she had caught someone's attention. "I'll even get you the dollar scoop for listening to my tangent."

[michaelwhelanxx]

He watched Nova through her little monologue, smiling as she spoke. “Hey, I admire the willpower, you know? I didn’t know that you were lactose intolerant.” His head tilted to the side. “What’s a dollar scoop?” 

[heyyjvde]

    | |  Luca watched the person passionately talking to him, a weak smile on his face, giving a soft laugh as the spoke. Once they stopped, he turned to face a phone- a picture, and he gave another smile before turning from them. Once his back was to the person, Luca’s smile fell and a scowl took over his features. “This is fucked,” he groaned, ducking to the backstage area of the afterparty.

@santamonicarp-starters​

[michaelwhelanxx]

Mike’s eyebrows lifted in an amused expression as the other man scowled. The recognition was just part of it, wasn’t it? Mike looked forward to the day he could take pictures with fans. He wasn’t a musician of course, but a comedian. That was a whole different ballpark...he thought. “You alright, man?”