The quietest people have the loudest minds

Music lover. Animal adorer. Nap taker. Veggie burger hunter |-/

[the-loudest-mind]

Mental Health Awareness

Mental Health Awareness Month/Week should be more than posting “you’re not alone” on social media. Taking care of your mental health is more than just “staying hydrated,” “getting fresh air,” “talking to your friends,” and “getting some sleep.” While those are all good things to do, taking care of your mental health is a lot more complicated than just the physical things. Taking care of your mental health might be calling in to work or staying home from school because you just need a day to be able to sleep. Taking care of your mental health might be stop talking to your friends because all they do is bring out your anxiety. Taking care of your mental health might be quitting drinking alcohol all together because it is leading into a problem. Taking care of your mental health might be researching new ways that might help you cope because what you are doing now is not working. Taking care of your mental health might be seeking professional help because you can no longer do this on your own. Everyone’s mental health is different and I believe that is something important to remember. Something that may help someone else with their anxiety or depression or whatever they are dealing with, may not be the same thing that helps you.

A common theme that I have noticed people on Twitter saying is that all of these people are saying to talk to someone and that they are here if you need to talk but these people weren’t ever there when they were desperately seeking someone to talk to on Twitter. Another complaint is that people only talk about mental health during awareness weeks and months like now or when a popular celebrity dies from suicide. We need to do better. For the stigma to end around mental health, we need to be talking about it regularly. We need better access to affordable mental health care. We need mental health services to be better funded. We need mental health awareness month needs to become more about action than just awareness because we desperately need more action.

Mental Health Hotline Numbers

[kristaljacobs]

Pop Punk Sexism

In my last blog post, I talked about how the alternative music scene is full of progressive people and was one of the first communities that I noticed that helped kickstart the #MeToo movement. However, just like how the community has its fair share of sexual assault cases, it also has its fair share of sexist lyrics. I’m going to be listing off some sexist and/or slut shaming lyrics from the pop punk scene’s biggest bands.

1. “Do you look yourself straight in the eyes and think about who you let between your thighs?” – Mt. Diablo by The Story so Far

The Story So Far is one of the bigger current pop punk bands. However, they are not so nice to women in their lyrics, or even at their live shows. The lyrics through out all three of their albums seem to be bashing a woman in some sort. Lead singer Parker Cannon must really hate whatever his ex did to him because it is evident in The Story So Far’s lyrics.

2. “Second chances, they don’t ever matter, people never change. Once a whore you’re nothing more. I’m sorry, that’ll never change” – Misery Business by Paramore

Paramore is one of the biggest bands to come out of the pop punk scene and they are not clean when it comes to non slut shaming lyrics. However, lead singer Hayley Williams wrote this song when she was 17 years old and has since apologized for this specific lyric and claims it is not something that she relates to anymore.

3. “I hope he’s leaving you empty baby. This is just a fix. Such a simple little whore” – When I Get Home You’re So Dead by Mayday Parade

Mayday Parade was a huge band in the scene during the mid 2000s. However, they also had a lot of sexist and slut shaming in their album A Lesson In Romantics. Like The Story So Far, Mayday Parade a lot of the lyrics are aimed towards an ex that they are angry at.

4. “If you let me have my way I swear I’ll tear you apart. ‘Cause it’s all you can be. You’re a drunk and you’re scared. It’s ladies’ night, all the girls drink for free.” – Me  Vs. Maradona Vs. Elvis by Brand New

This lyric is super creepy. This song is super creepy. To my understanding, it is about getting a girl at a bar and having their way with her. It is really no surprise that lead singer Jesse Lacey ended up being a sex offender after you really listen to the lyrics of this song. However, the album that this song is on, Deja Entendu, is an album from 2003 that is still held really high in a lot of people’s eyes.

5. “The girls with the bodies like boys with Ferrari's” – Girls & Boys by Good Charlotte

Good Charlotte was the pop punk band in like every early 2000s high school movie. The lyrics in their song Girls & Boys focus on how materialistic girls can be and how “girls don’t like boys. Girls like cars and money.” They are throwing girls into the stereotype that they only love shopping and not much else.

A good thing about a lot of these lyrics is the fact that they are from the early 2000s and most of those bands have matured their lyricism to no longer put women down. While there has been a recent uproar about a new pop punk band called Makeout and them using “whore” in their lyrics referring to a girl, there has not been much else in the last year or so. I hope that this means that the scene is improving.

[kristaljacobs]

#MeToo Movement in the Alternative Music Community

The #MeToo movement is something that has gained a lot of momentum in all different types of communities in the past year. It has encouraged a lot of women and men to come forward with their sexual assault and harassment stories that unfortunately a lot of people have. I am a part of the alternative music community and the #MeToo movement is something that has been around for the past couple of years, even before it was given a name.

The alternative music community is full of a lot of progressive people who are always fighting for the rights of others. The people in the community encourage everyone to be open with their identities and experiences. I think because of that quality, the community was one of the first to start bringing down people who were abusers. It seemed to kick off with some incidents that happened with a solo artist Jake McElfresh aka Front Porch Step. After he was exposed for messing around with underage girls and emotionally abusing his girlfriend, he was banished from the music scene. Other bands that were under attack included Moose Blood, Neck Deep, Foxing and a few others. These bands all dropped whatever member was responsible for whatever was being accused and moved on. YouTuber and emerging solo artist Austin Jones was also outed for soliciting sexual things from underage girls. Another Youtuber and person who was big in the alternative music community who goes by the username “Veeoneeye” was also outed. All of these people coming out with their stories and experiences with these band members, encouraged more and more people to come out with their stories. A lot of the time, there were multiple people with similar stories dealing with the same abuser.

In 2015, after many of the sexual assault and harassment scandals unfolded, Alternative Press Magazine launched a series of features and interviews called “No More Silence” dealing with sexual assault in the scene. The interviews ranged from female and male members of different bands, promoters, music fans and many other people in the community.

Once the #MeToo movement was off and rolling in mainstream media, the alternative music community continued to out its abusers. Bands like Brand New were forced to retire because of the actions of their frontman. More girls came out about a member of bands like Pierce the Veil, With Confidence, Don Bronco, and Sorority Noise. Even Melanie Martinez was accused of sexual assault.

I think that this movement is important because it is making sexual assault and harassment less acceptable. For a long time, people just got away with their horrible actions and got to continue living their life while the victims got no justice. While the alternative music community has a lot of great people who look out for each other, there are a lot of bad people too. Those bad people have been getting away with abusing others for way too long. However, now it feels like we are getting closer to actually holding people accountable for their actions. This is a good way to discourage future offenders because now they know there is going to be real consequences for their actions. It is also important because now victims of sexual assault and harassment are finally not feeling like they are alone and cannot speak up about their experiences. They know people are going to support them now because of this movement. 

[kristaljacobs]

Hate Speech in Online Gaming

Hate speech occurring during online gaming is an issue that the gaming community faces. Hate speech is words that are motivated by a group prejudice intended to physically or psychologically harm someone based on their race, religion, gender or sexual orientation. In the gaming community, there is little that is being done to stop hate speech from occurring. Most gamers who play online games and have the ability to chat with others, have experienced hate speech in some form or another.

According to Ryan Rogers in his article “Video Game Design and Acceptance of Hate Speech in Online Gaming,” some of the key variables that contribute to hate speech in gaming is the level of competition and fragmentation. When players are primed with competition they are more aggressive than those primed with cooperation. Players are more likely to get frustrated or mad at someone they are playing against and that could lead to them resorting to hate speech. Fragmentation is a programmed divide in gamer interaction. This includes loading times, a change in the games flow, and malfunctions. These interrupted game play can cause a player to become frustrated. The frustration then can lead to using hate speech. Fragmentation also causes the gamer to become more aware of the distinction of real-life interactions and in-game interactions. This allows the gamer a sense of anonymity while in the game and therefore, they can say whatever they want.

In the study performed in Rogers’ article, they tested three offensive words to see how much they were used and accepted while playing the game “Gears of War 2.” The words “b*tch” and “f*ggot” were used the most frequently and the “n word” was used less frequently. The words were directed at people who did not fit the gamer stereotype, which are women, people of color and homosexuals. “B*tch” was deemed acceptable in all levels of competition, while “f*ggot” was more acceptable in lower levels of competition. The “n word” was not acceptable in any levels of competition, but there was stronger disproval in lower levels.

I believe that there are some solutions that the gaming community can work on to help eliminate hate speech. While Rogers believes that competition should be softened, I do not believe that is a good solution. Competition is a big part of the enjoyment of many games.  First off, reporting other players needs to be more effective. Players need to have better consequences for behaving so poorly while in a game. Right now, a lot of games do not have proper punishment for players who harass others. If players do not fear punishment and serious consequences for their actions, they will continue acting the same way. Another possible contributing solution would be making game designs more diverse. There needs to be more assertive female and minority main characters. Including these characters will help bring in more diverse demographics to play the game. This will show other players that these groups are just as good and welcome in the gaming community as they are. The last possible contributing solution would be to create meaningful interactions in the game to make the gamers feel less distanced from each other. If they are more aware that the person on the other end is a person just like them, they hopefully will respect them more.

To help stop the toxicity in online gaming, over 30 gaming companies have come together to form the “Fair Play Alliance” as of March 23, 2018. These companies include Twitch, Blizzard Entertainment, Discord, Epic Games, Intel, Xbox and Unity Technologies. While the alliance is still in early stages, they “envision a world where games are free of harassment, discrimination, and abuse and where players can express themselves through play.” The companies are going to work together to help better understand the diverse needs of players and how to deliver the best possible experience in their games.

[kristaljacobs]

Women With Words: Female Pioneers in Journalism

In honor of Women’s History Month, the Mayborn School of Journalism hosted the “Women with Words: Female Pioneers in Journalism” panel at the University Union Lyceum on Wednesday, March 21. The panelist included Leona Allen of the Dallas Morning News, Carolyn Barta of the Dallas Morning News, Pulitzer Prize winner and UNT professor Gayle Reaves-King and writer, director and producer Katie Sherrod. The panel was moderated by Dr. Tracy Everbach, a UNT professor. Some of the key points and advice made throughout the program were advocate for yourself, aim high, say yes to opportunities and find a mentor.

Every panelist agreed on the importance of advocating for yourself to get what you want. They said that the reason women often do not get raises or promotions is because they do not ask for them like their male counterparts do. “We didn’t speak up for ourselves and men did. Women thought if they worked hard and did a good job, we would be noticed and promoted. It doesn’t work that way” Barta said. “Many of us deserve a seat at the table and can get it if we advocate for ourselves.” When asked about not speaking up because of risks, Allen said, “There are risks when speaking up, especially for marginalized groups. Perhaps it’s a risk worth taking.” Reaves-King also mentioned that “sometimes you have to move on in order to move up.”

The panel emphasized the importance of women in journalism aiming high. “Aim high. If you want to go work for the New York Times, that’s doable. Shoot higher,” Reaves-King said. She also added that it is okay to start at smaller papers because there are opportunities there too. They also talked about saying yes to more opportunities. “If you are not doing something that scares you to death every once in awhile, you are not growing,” Sherrod said about taking on more opportunities. They said that women are more hesitant to take on opportunities that they are unsure of than men are. However, to reach more success, women need to be more willing to try things they do not know how to do. They said “say yes” and then figure out how to do it afterwards.

They also emphasized the idea of having a woman mentor to help you through anything that you may face and to hear the experiences of. Even when you are in the position of being a boss, it is still good to have a mentor. Another idea that Reaves-King added was getting an internship before you graduate college because it helps a lot.

(Picture credit: @MaybornUNT on Twitter)

[the-loudest-mind]

Final Warped Tour Lineup

While there are a lot of bands that I want to see that are only playing select dates that are not mine, I am still pretty stoked about the Warped lineup. I believe that it is a good final lineup.

Here are the bands that I am excited for

DEFINITELY SEE:

Knuckle Puck

State Champs

Movements

The Maine

Real Friends

Mayday Parade

Waterparks

WANT TO SEE:

Grayscale

Simple Plan

Bowling for Soup

With Confidence

Tonight Alive

IF THERE’S TIME:

3OH!3

We The Kings

Four Year Strong

Sleep On It

This Wild Life

DISAPPOINTED NOT PLAYING DALLAS:

Broadside

BROADSIDE

BROADSIDE !!!! 

All Time Low

Beartooth

Taking Back Sunday

[kristaljacobs]

From Slaves to Criminals

I believe that Netflix’s “13th” is a great documentary to watch to understand how racism is built into the United States’ roots. It is hard to deny that racism still exists in our laws in the United States after watching this film.

Even after slavery ended, African American people were still being treated poorly. Racism did not end in the United States after slavery was abolished by the 13th amendment to the United States Constitution. African American’s are still being treated like slaves by society pushing the agenda to criminalize them. The 13th amendment states that  "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States.“ The second clause of that sentence is what is damaging to the African American community. The documentary explains how after slavery ended, African Americans were being thrown into jail for very minor crimes just so they could basically become slaves again.

Movies like "The Birth of a Nation,” which was one of the biggest films of its time, pushed the idea that African Americans were criminals and less superior to white people. It gave the Ku Klux Klan a “heroic” role and romanticized them. Even the current president, Woodrow Wilson said “"It is like writing history with lightning, and my only regret is that it is all so terribly true.” So even leaders in power were pushing the idea that African Americans were the bad guys. The criminalization of the African American community is still something that happens today. Laws and regulations have been put into place that are damaging to African Americans. Ronald Reagan’s “war on drugs” and Bill Clinton’s “three strikes and you’re out” targeted African American communities and were pretty damaging to them. These laws and policies sent African Americans to prison for long periods of time for nonviolent crimes. According to the documentary, there are more African Americans under criminal supervision today than there were slaves in the 1850’s. Big businesses are even profiting off the large population of people in prison. While watching this film, I was shocked to learn about all of the things that the United States has done to keep the systematic racism intact, but more secretly. In the documentary it talks about how they are no longer allowed to straight up say they want to hurt African American communities, so instead they talk about economic things which will in turn hurt African American communities but are not as obvious. This makes me wish for a better future where people are aware of how certain laws and regulations actually hurt a group of people more than it helps society. 

[kristaljacobs]

Eating Disorders Stemming from Unrealistic Goals Set by the Media

The advertising industry and the media has distorted how women are perceived by the world. Women’s bodies are edited in an unobtainable and unrealistic way.  As Jean Kilbourne states in Killing Us Softly 4, sometimes four different girls can be pieced together to create one perfect girl in an ad. They are not even using a 100 percent real person. They are creating an unrealistic idea of what women should look like.

Kilbourne also talks about how models have been getting thinner and thinner. Fashion designers are pushing for thinner models and send clothes that are double 0 in size. Even thin models cannot fit into the clothes so they have to become even more thin. They are then photoshopping models even thinner. 

Not only does this hurt the models, but it also hurts the women who see how thin these models are. These models are being pushed as what women should look like. They are the “goal” for many women. However, only “fewer than five percent of women” have this body type. It is not natural for 95 percent of women. It is not a body type that you can force yourself into. Therefore, making women believe that this body type is the most desirable and the best is dangerous. It leads to women hating their bodies and wanting to change themselves. This can lead to eating disorders.   According to the Alliance for Eating Disorder Awareness, 25 million Americans, 75 percent of which are women, suffer from eating disorders. Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness. While not all eating disorders are solely about becoming thin, the unrealistic body expectations set by the media plays a large role in the number of people with eating disorders.

[kristaljacobs]

We Should All Be Feminists

I first saw Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s TED Talk “We Should All Be Feminists” in 2014 when I was a freshman in college in my Gender Studies class. I then heard a snippet of it again in Beyoncé’s “Flawless” around the same time. I’ve come back to watch it a few times since then, before watching it in JOUR 4250. I resonated with the message and agreed with the title. I have had similar experiences as she has being a woman. I have felt ignored and discredited just because I am a woman. It is a frustrating thing.

My mom once told me that I was born a feminist. After learning the definition, I thought “why wouldn’t I believe that I am equal to a man?” I never understood how someone could not believe in the equality of the genders. Why should people not be allowed the same opportunities because of their gender?

But after some time on the internet in my early teen years, I was always reluctant to call myself a feminist. It always seemed like people used a negative tone when calling someone a feminist. Feminists always seemed like crazy, man-hating, hairy armpit women. I did not want people to think I was one of those.

Chimamanda emphasizes with her own definition of a feminist that anyone, a man or woman, can be a feminist. You just have to believe in gender equality. That is something that I wish for everyone to hear. It helped me reclaim the title. Feminists are not just the braless women with hairy armpits. They are anyone and everyone who believes that men and women should be equal. Feminists can even be men.

No one should be ashamed to call themselves a feminist. It shouldn’t feel like a dirty word or an insult. People should be more proud to call themselves a feminist. I believe that as the years go by, people are more accepting of the word. However, I still see a lot of people still hating on it and refusing to call themselves a feminist just because they still believe that it is about hating men and wanting women superiority. Just looking for a picture on Google to add to my blog, the word “feminism” brings up a lot of graphics about hating feminism or believing that it is not needed. I think that all comes down to accurate education about what feminism is really about.

We, as a society, are far from not needing feminism. There has to be a major cultural shift for us to not need to be fighting for the equality of genders anytime soon. Feminism covers things from dress codes to the “pink tax” to equal pay to rape culture. Feminism also should not just focus on Western World gender issues, it should include the issues in other regions of the world. It should be inclusive to people of all races, classes, ethnicities, religions, and sexual orientations. There is a lot to deal with, but as soon as more people get on board with the idea of feminism, we can begin to end these issues.

[the-loudest-mind]

This is a blog I wrote for my Race, Gender and Media class. I am going to be writing several blogs on that tumblr account for class, but I’m going to reblog them onto here. 

[the-loudest-mind]

My top 10 songs of 2017:

10. Blonde by Waterparks

9. Paradise by Broadside

8. What’s Wrong by PVRIS

7. Slow Burn by State Champs

6. 1-800-273-8255 by Logic

5. Colorblind by Movements

4. One More Light by Linkin Park

3.  Hard Time By Paramore

2. Black Butterflies & Déjà vu by The Maine

1. In Bloom by Neck Deep

[the-loudest-mind]

2017 Albums of the Year

I’m not much of an album reviewer. I don’t know much about the technical stuff in music, but I do know how music makes me feel. This year there were several albums that made me feel something.

10. You’re Not As ___ As You Think - Sorority Noise

Favorite Song: No Halo

Favorite lyric: “It's been a while since I've seen God and I'm not trying to lead him on, but he's always trying to fuck me to the tune of my favorite song.” - A Portrait Of

The first time I listened to this album all I could say was “damn.” If you’re looking for an emotional album that deals with grief and loneliness, this is an album for you. 

9. Make The Best Of It - Have Mercy

Favorite song: Reaper 

Favorite lyric: “To be loved and feel hated still. Don't give up, there's a void you fill” - Good Christian Man

The emotion in the lyrics and how it is portrayed through the vocals has always been one of my favorite things about Have Mercy. Make The Best of It does this well. 

8. One More Light - Linkin Park

Favorite song: Sharp Edges

Lyric songs: “Sharp edges have consequences. I guess that I had to find out for myself.” - Sharp Edges

I’ve been a Linkin Park fan since I was 5 when Hybrid Theory was released and my parents became obsessed with it. I’m pretty sure “In The End” was the first non children’s song that I knew all the words to. While One More Light was not like any other Linkin Park album, it was still something that I enjoyed. I started listening to it more and more after Chester’s death and it really started to hit me even harder emotionally. This album is a very sad one. You can tell that Chester’s demons were still very alive and well. It does feel like a goodbye from Chester. It really hurts. 

7. Adornment- Grayscale 

Favorite song: Atlantic

Favorite lyric: “I’m begging you please. If you go, you’ll miss all the beautiful things. If only I could change the world you view, I would be your rescue.” - Beautiful Things

My first reaction to this album and Grayscale was there were slight Mayday Parade vibes. I may be crazy in thinking that, but I definitely liked it. Grayscale is the future that I want from pop punk bands. The storytelling and emotion in this album is what makes it great. Overall, Adornment is a very enjoyable album to listen to. 

6. Paradise - Broadside

Favorite song: Laps Around a Picture Frame

Favorite lyric: “I try my best to be more than my anxiety. Not every treasure's made of gold.”-  Laps Around a Picture Frame 

Paradise’s name is very fitting because it is very much a summer album and perfect to listen to while you are at the beach. It has great positive vibes. I would definitely recommend it if you are feeling down. “I Love You, I Love You. It’s Disgusting” is such a cute song and is a great song for someone you love and want to spend the rest of your life with. I love that “Hidden Colors” is a very positive song about women. Also I really made a connection with “Laps Around a Picture Frame.” 

5. After Laughter - Paramore

Favorite songs: Hard Times and Forgiveness

Favorite lyric: “I don’t need no help. I can sabotage me by myself.” - Caught in The Middle

I really slept on this album when it first came out and I really regretted it when I started listening to it a few months later. Whoever refuses to listen to Paramore just because they are more pop now is missing out on a great album. It is fun musically with meaningful lyrics. I’ve been obsessed with “Hard Times” and its music video since it was released. “Fake Happy” and “Forgiveness” are also some of my other favorites on this album. This is the kind of pop music I want to hear more on the radio.

4. Feel Something - Movements

Favorite songs: Color Blind and The Grey  

Favorite lyric: “For now there's comfort in the quiet, solitude, and rainy days. I've got my sadness to a science. All I can do is hope for change.” - The Grey

The lyrics on Feel Something are some of my favorites from the year. They are emotional and worded beautifully. The first time I heard “Deadly Dull” live, I definitely teared up a little bit. I’m a big fan of emotional aggressive songs and that is what this album is full of. I love the spoken parts. They really add to the emotion of the album. If you need an album to cry to, I would definitely listen to Feel Something. 

3. Shapeshifter - Knuckle Puck

Favorite songs: Gone and Everyone Lies to me

Favorite lyric: “You can't break the boy to forge a better man.” - Conduit

Knuckle Puck is one of my favorite bands so my only complaint about Shapeshifter is that it is too short for me. I want more. Other than that, it has several bangers of songs like “Everyone Lies to Me,” “Gone” and “Double Helix.” I also enjoy the slower songs like “Want Me Around,” “Wait” and “Conduit.” The lyrics are classic Knuckle Puck. They are catchy and have meaning behind them. 

2. The Peace and The Panic - Neck Deep

Favorite songs: In Bloom and Motion Sickness 

Favorite lyric: “Cause the rain is so terribly dull and it bores me. Yeah, misery adores me.” -Parachute

I never thought that Neck Deep could make an album even close to as good as Life’s Not Out to Get You, but they did. “In Bloom” is the best song of the entire year and is probably one of the best to come from a pop punk band recently, in my opinion. Songs like “19 Seventy Sumthin’” and “Wish You Were Here” just hit me in the gut. I teared up listening to both for the first time and I still tear up during the “but nothing could save him that day...” part in “19 Seventy Sumthin’.” There’s really not a song on this album that I ever want to skip. Even the bonus tracks are good and I wish they were on every version of the album. Neck Deep are still dominating the pop punk scene.   

1. Lovely Little Lonely - The Maine

Favorite songs: Black Butterflies & Deja Vu, Taxi, and Don’t Come Down 

Favorite lyric: “Some say the passing of time is bittersweet, but I think I love time the most when I'm with you.” - Sound of Reverie 

I was obsessed with Lovely Little Lonely when it first came out. It was the perfect album for the transition from spring to summer. My favorite thing was listening to it while on vacation at the beach. It has very strong summery and care free vibes to it. It makes me wish it was forever nice weather so I can listen to this on car rides with the windows down. It is an album that I use to put myself in a better mood. Songs like “Don’t Come Down” and “Bad Behavior” are hard not to sing to at the top of my lungs. My favorite song from this album and one of my favorite songs from the entire year is “Black Butterflies & Deja Vu.” As a whole, this album is so cohesive and flows beautifully. 

[the-loudest-mind]

According to the internet and media, I’m not allowed to not like the Cowboys

I've been on social media since the good ol' Xanga days back in 2004-2005. I eventually moved onto MySpace, then Facebook and Twitter and pretty much every major social media platform to come out since then. I would say I've always been an average social media user, definitely not social media famous in any way. Until recently, I've never had to deal with a post blowing up on the Internet. I never thought something like that would ever happen to me. I definitely didn't think it would be a post that would be taken out of context and twisted on me. I also definitely didn't think any of my posts would be talked about on traditional media. However, I was wrong. So here's what happened: On Wednesday, August 23, a Cowboys football player by the name of Dez Bryant came into my work right when we opened. I was one of the very people working at the time so I took his order, made both of his pizzas and checked him out on the register by myself. I told him his total was like $17 at the register and he handed me a $100 bill. No big deal. I didn't have enough change in my drawer since he was the first cash transaction of the day and we don’t keep that much change in the drawer. I told him I'd be right back with change and he told me to just keep it. I was like "what really?? That's a lot!" And he told me it was no big deal (of course it was a big deal to me and my coworkers). I thanked him and we added cookies to his order making the tip about $75. We get tip share based on our hours during each week so everyone there was super excited. It was all we talked about all day. I, however, being the snarky Giants fan that I am, decided to tweet about it. I tweeted "Dez Bryant came into my work and tipped me $75 but I still hate the Cowboys 😂" My friends have always given me crap about being a Giants fan in Texas so I always poke fun back at them. It was all in playful spirit with my friends. However, it didn’t stay between me and my friends. My Twitter is not private and somehow (probably searching his name because I did not tag him) Dez found my tweet and quoted it saying that he wouldn't come back to our Blaze location again. Never once did I say where I worked on Twitter. Ever. I've kept my job off my Twitter and everything but my private Facebook but Dez outed me. Now the world knows where I work and people blew up my tweet telling me that I was ungrateful and I should get fired. Apparently I wasn’t allowed to not like the Cowboys. I apologized and cleared up the misunderstanding to people, but no one cared. I was getting people telling me to kill myself, calling me some pretty cruel names and others just attacking me over me not liking the Dallas Cowboys. The media picked it up and were writing articles about it. I had reporters finding me on Facebook and messaging me on there. Most of the articles I saw were calling me a waitress, which I am not because that's not the type of restaurant that we are. (Where is the research??) I thought it was so bizarre that people cared so much that I didn’t like the Cowboys and that it was blowing up so much. I didn't face any repercussions at work, though. They were fine with it because it was obviously an opinion, never once did I disrespect Dez personally, and I wasn't the one who said Blaze. They mostly thought it was funny that it blew up and it got our store and the company so much attention. Dez later said in an interview that he was joking around with me too, but that didn’t really help because people didn’t take it that way. The scary thing about the whole situation though is that now people know where I work. Not just who I work for, but the exact location of the store that I work at. People have come in and asked about me while I wasn't there (I was lucky enough to not work the next 3 days after) and I've had people ask my coworkers about me while I was standing right there. I have been lucky that none of the keyboard warriors on Twitter have shown their faces in person to say the nasty things that they have said to me online. I’m not entirely sure what I would have done if someone would have tried arguing with me in person. I’d probably be in shock that someone found it necessary to come to my work and start something with me over not liking a football team. I know my coworkers and my GM would definitely step in and not let anyone actually verbally attack me. I cried the first two nights after it blew up because I was scared for my future. My name is going to forever be linked to this. I didn’t know if I was going to continue to be harassed or if it was going to affect me getting a job in the future. I'm a public relations major. I want to go into that field when I graduate in a year. I have to get a internship next semester. The media portrayed not so nicely, even though they had major details wrong. It got twisted from a joke to me being an ungrateful rude waitress. I am none of those three things. If you know me, you know that I am not. However, future employers don't know that when they look at my application and do a quick Google search of my name. They probably will think that I am stupid enough to post something offensive on social media, or even be offensive in general, which is a PR no-no. That’s not the type of person that a company wants to hire to help with their PR. However, I guess it did get Blaze a lot of publicity if you think the phrase “any publicity is good publicity” is true. I’ve never thought that to be a true phrase. I don’t think that being offensive and obscene is good for any brand, unless that is what the entire brand is based around, which most are not. Two weeks have gone by and this situation has mostly died down. I still have coworkers and family bringing it up, but there are no more strangers attacking me online. The last stranger to come into my work and mention it, that I know of, was about a week ago. What I have learned from all of this is to keep my snarky remarks to myself when it comes to the Internet and social media. I have also learned how much a little thing can really blow up into a much bigger thing. Even though I only have 1,500ish followers and am only following almost 900 on Twitter, Twitter is much bigger than that. My followers have followers who also have followers that can see anything that I say because I am a public account. Things get taken out of context and not everyone knows your tone of voice over the Internet.

[the-loudest-mind]

Favorite Knuckle Puck Lyrics

15. “Consider this a repercussion of the actions which you were never properly punished for due to an overbearing demeanor brought on by your own self-awareness.” 

Pretense, Copacetic

14. “The cracks in the street outside this house are not the only thing that misery surrounds.” 

Bedford Falls, While I Stay Secluded

13. “Forgiving pathetic excuses for long term abuse is something I could never justify with God” 

True Contrite, Copacetic

12. “And I owe you everything, my life included, for sacrificing happiness while I stay secluded.” 

Bedford Falls, While I Stay Secluded

11. “It's people just like you who made me the pessimist I am.” 

No Good, The Weight That You Buried

10. “A kid lost in his twenties. Oh, what a sight to see.”

Swing, Copacetic

9. “I’m an unlocked door and you’re a fucking thief” 

But Why Would You Care?, While I Stay Secluded

8. “There's so much fight left inside” 

Swing, Copacetic

7. “I’ve been much better but at least I’m healing.” 

Untitled, Copacetic

6. “We dream in color, but see in black and white.” 

True Contrite, Copacetic

5. “And I’ve been dodging demons as a past time at this point I’m not even sure if I’m alright.” 

Poison Pen Letter, Copacetic

4. “Home alone where all of my doubts are born. Home alone where all of my fears are formed.” 

But Why Would You Care?, While I Stay Secluded

3. “You grew from a seed. Forever strong as a pine tree. Always an evergreen.” 

Evergreen, Copacetic

2. “I’m not sad, I’m through sulking. I’m not breaking, I’m not buckling.” 

Poison Pen Letter, Copacetic

1. “I’ll tell you everything is copacetic.” 

Ponder/Untitled, Copacetic

[kanookla-poook]

Top 10 Albums of 2016

Honorable mentions: Bad Vibrations by A Day To Remember, Death of a Bachelor by Panic! At the Disco & Light We Made by Balance and Composure

10. Holy Ghost by Modern Baseball

Favorite Song: Mass

9. Misadventures by Pierce the Veil

Favorite song: Floral & Fading

8. Aggressive by Beartooth

Favorite song: King of Anything

7. Stage Four by Touché Amoré

Favorite song: Rapture

6. Distant Like You Asked by Like Pacific

Favorite song: Chine Drive

5. I Couldn’t Be Weaker by Rarity

Favorite song: Stranger

4. Blush by Moose Blood

Favorite song: Shimmer

3. Double Dare by Waterparks

Favorite songs: 21 Questions & Powerless

2. I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it by The 1975. 

Favorite songs: She’s American & A Change of Heart 

1. Better Weather by With Confidence

Favorite songs: Waterfalls, Long Night and Voldemort

[the-loudest-mind]

Spooky Scary Playlist

There is one week until Halloween so I thought I would share my spooky scary playlist. (x)

Heathens by twenty øne piløts

The Ghost of You by My Chemical Romance

Ghosts by PVRIS

Nearly Witches by Panic! at The Disco

Phantom by The Story So Far

Skeletons by Real Friends

House of Wolves by My Chemical Romance

Serpents by Neck Deep

Paranoia by A Day To Remember

Ghost by Halsey

I am a Nightmare by Brand New

We Are the Brave by State Champs

Immortals by Fall Out Boy

I Hope This Comes Back and Haunts You by Neck Deep

Ghost on The Dance Floor by blink-182

I Wanted So Badly to be Brave by The Wonder Years

Dead! by My Chemical Romance 

Ghost Man On Third by Taking Back Sunday

Somethings Weird by Man Overboard

My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark by Fall Out Boy

Dead by Beartooth

Old Bones by Broadside

The Bastards, The Vultures, The Wolves by The Wonder Years

Thriller by Fall Out Boy

Haunting by Halsey

Body Bag by Beathtooth

Cemetery Drive by My Chemical Romance

What’s it Fell Like To Be A Ghost? by Taking Back Sunday

After Midnight by blink-182

White Noise by PVRIS

Going to Hell by The Pretty Reckless

Dead & Buried by A Day To Remember

A Car, A Torch, A Death by twenty øne piløts

Goodnite, Dr. Death by My Chemical Romance

The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows by Brand New

Smoke by PVRIS

What Are You So Scared Of? by Tonight Alive

Vampire Money by My Chemical Romance

Speak of the Devil by A Day To Remember

Spacecrafts by Have Mercy

Make Me Wanna Die by The Pretty Reckless

[the-loudest-mind]

Tour/Band Recommendation

This tour started a week ago and if you're not going, you're making a mistake. This is a killer pop punk line up. I may be bias because The Wonder Years are my favorite band, but seriously this is a tour you don't want to miss. Trust me.

The line up is stacked. Moose blood and Seaway are great bands that will probably blow up soon. Moose Blood's new album Blush is definitely worth a listen. If you're into pop punk (like actual pop punk not panic and mcr) and you're not already listening to Knuckle Puck, you need to get on that. Copacetic was one of the best pop punk albums that came out in 2015. They have the figure pointing and stage diving feel to them. Real Friends is also one of the bigger pop punk bands, currently. If you're into emo lyrics, definitely check them out. I can't even begin to express how great The Wonder Years are. You should already be listening to them. Soupy is one of my favorite lyricists and the emotion he puts in is so real.

Overall, if you're down for an emotional pop punk night, definitely go to this show.

[the-loudest-mind]

Favorite State Champs lyrics

15. “I’m losing myself in the best way.” 

Losing Myself, Around the World and Back

14. “Cause when the sun doesn’t shine, it rains in my mind like I got nothing left to prove.” 

Remedy, The Finer Things

13. “But I’ll go tooth and nail to find a way to stay inspired.” 

Tooth and Nail, Around the World and Back

12. “Long live the problem child.”

 Easy Enough, The Finer Things

11. “But you know that I'm looking for more than a pretty smile and if I'm lucky you can stay for a while” 

If I’m Lucky, The Acoustic Things

10. “It’s all the same I’d say you’re losing me again. If truth be told I blame the monsters in your head.” 

Leave You In The Dark, The Acoustic Things

9. “You know I’ve said it before. I’m not a monster, I’m just misunderstood.” 

We Are The Brave, Overslept

8. “Holidays tend to make me feel whole again. Rainy days make me feel like the dream is dead.” 

Elevated, The Finer Things

7. “I've been told to find The Finer Things, but you know that won't make sense to me.” 

Hard To Please, The Finer Things

6. “I always wanted to be somebody that makes everybody feel like somebody.” 

Tooth and Nail, Around the World and Back

5. “Find a way to stay in your skin.” 

Elevated, The Finer Things

4. “The city’s not the best place for me, but I keep coming back for more.” 

Perfect Score, Around the World and Back

3. “My heart's beating so you know I'm alive. Don't hold back on your chance to decide was it all worth it?.” 

Mind Bottled, The Finer Things

2. “But I’m willing to prove that you’ve got more fight left in you.” 

Easy Enough, The Finer Things

1. “I’m finally acquiring the state of mind that everything is gonna be alright.”

Elevated, The Finer Things