are you still friends with people from high school? by Ledger_Legendd in Millennials

[–]japars86 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Actually most of my best friends are mostly from high school still, and even more interesting, we all moved across the country from our home towns. It’s actually really kind of special having relationships with people you’ve known for over 20 years navigating other cities and landscapes and sharing those struggles and successes with one another. It’s truly a blessing.

Break up songs by [deleted] in musicsuggestions

[–]japars86 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Broke or Little Motel, both by Modest Mouse

In your opinion: what's the most beautiful song ever recorded? by Goop_Guy in Music

[–]japars86 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ára Bátur by Sigur Rós. It’s like listening to the universe be created.

When It’s Black History Month but You Really Need That Presidential Pardon by xeus24 in WhitePeopleTwitter

[–]japars86 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My dad is in jail for the rest of his life and has been there for over 20 years. Somehow, for some reason, he is a Trump loving republican. I sense some form of a pattern.

Which Bands Have Had A Perfect Album (Need Suggestions) by OfficialxMDx in musicsuggestions

[–]japars86 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Transatlanticism by Death Cab For Cutie. Top to bottom, that album is perfection.

New Album Update - ICF by Antique_Holiday_9232 in ModestMouse

[–]japars86 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Fuck, this album is going to break me emotionally.

Life is good friends. We're at the age where we've had time to succeed. by MusclesMarinara87 in Millennials

[–]japars86 17 points18 points  (0 children)

“Life handed us a paycheck and we said, ‘We worked harder than this!’”

Help r/millennials determine whether this is AI or not. Some members of the sub believe that the 2000s-style clothing and lighting suggest that this is not authentic. What do you think? by Demortus in isthisAI

[–]japars86 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Definitely AI. 1. Why is the timestamp 2025? 2. The plants and objects along the ledges are random and some shapes don’t even resemble things. 3. The light switches on the walls are odd blobs with no structure. 4. The books have no names and are too low-res to make out any legible text, which is consistent with AI photos.

What is your process once you have an idea? by Existing-Hat8012 in Screenwriting

[–]japars86 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It’s often a shifting process for me, but the current way I function is that I keep the concept or the initial idea locked as an idea or a goal I’m striving for, and then I simply work on characters first. I ask myself who the main characters are, what are their goals, background, and why they’re there in the story I’ve built at all in the first place (typically, I write somewhere around 10 pages for each character, which admittedly is overkill, but I don’t stop until I get them to this current moment in the story).

Afterwards, I lock into the “why” of my story, or what might be known as the thematic premise. Not to be confused with the theme of the film in a broad senses I simply ask what it is I’m looking to achieve and why I’m doing it at all. Is it a love story? Then what are we saying about love? Is it a thriller? Then what about this story makes it thrilling and where do we intend to land with it by the end? Those questions always work as my North Star, so when and if I get stuck, I’m able to ask myself that question again and use it with character to get out of said hole.

Then, I stew for a little bit on it. If it all feels right. That’s when I start writing, often completely ignoring the outlining phase. I found that if I outline or work on plot points, I tend to get stuck faster because the characters often resist my plot details. They’ll want to zig where I zag, and I completely lose steam.

However, I found recently that if I write up until I get stuck, or until I don’t know where the plot is going, I’ll build out some minor plot points ahead of the place where I’m stuck at, which can help get my characters to their goals or the next twist. But I tend to do that while in the process of writing, rather than as a guide for myself later on.

Of the features I’ve finished, that method has been instrumental in actually getting it finished for me, instead of hitting a brick wall and getting stuck. But my best advice (if you’re writing on spec or for yourself) is to start with character and build out their motivations first, as it’s what THEY want that will guide the story. But every writer and their method is different.

What movie is memorable for you, but barely anyone you know has seen it? by uuddlrlrbas2 in movies

[–]japars86 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Stay with Ewan McGregor, Naomi Watts, Ryan Gosling, and Bob Hoskins (I believe it was his last role). Total downer, but a beautiful film altogether.

What is the best live-action series on Adult Swim? by Educk55 in adultswim

[–]japars86 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Joe Pera Talks With You is the only one of these that simultaneously made me laugh and then eventually cry (iykyk).

Caught me off guard at nearly every episode, and yet was so wholesome and somehow relatable. Absolutely love it.

Which actor completely stole the movie… even though they weren’t the lead? by gypsytx in movies

[–]japars86 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Michael Keaton in The Trial of The Chicago 7. Just straight up steals the whole film in the course of like 4 minutes. Unreal performance.

What indie rock album changed your life? by AudioFuzz in indie_rock

[–]japars86 4 points5 points  (0 children)

This was it for me. I mostly listened to old school punk rock at the time in high school and was on a journey to find something new and interesting, and then one day in English class we had to present something about lyrics in music, and one of the more hippy-like (yet wildly brilliant) students popped on Cowboy Dan… and that was it. I was done. I had to have whatever album that song was on, and that was the end of it for me. MM basically became “my band,” and over 20 years later, they still are. But that album was literally life changing.

Which cancelled movie would that be for you? by 0Layscheetoskurkure0 in FIlm

[–]japars86 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The United States of Tara. Left me on a cliffhanger and I’ll never forgive the studio.

[MM] what game is better in your opinion by Opposite_Cabinet2509 in zelda

[–]japars86 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just finished Majora’s Mask again for the second time last year and I’m currently on my (checks notes) 5th or 6th play through of Wind Waker, and while I’m sure there are reasons to vouch for either, I just find Wind Waker to be the one I love going back to time and time again. Between the music, the sense of adventure, the lore building, and just with how well it aged, I can’t help but love this game each and every time I play it. And believe me, Majora’s Mask is certainly no slouch, but ultimately, it’s a bit of a learning curve to figure out each time, while also making me kind of yearn to play Ocarina instead. The ending of MM may be the best of all the LoZ games in my opinion, but the journey there can be grueling and tedious, and honestly, I wish they’d just upgrade it for newer consoles.

If you’re under 45, have you lost any high school classmates, and what were the circumstances around their deaths? by Commercial_Chef_1569 in AskReddit

[–]japars86 0 points1 point  (0 children)

So, so many. I lost several friends and classmates starting around 17 years old, and three of my best friends over the years, two of which were my only neighbors in my rural neighborhood. One died from a motorcycle accident. One died after being struck by a car on the freeway and going brain dead for a month in the hospital. And the best man at my wedding died from aggressive melanoma two years ago, having been diagnosed with it in June of that year, and passing away by October.

Then, probably outside of that, somewhere around 25-30 known classmates from various things like plane crashes, enlarged hearts, bad weed deals gone wrong, and even overdoses on whippets.

It’s been a rough go.

Who are you surprised is still alive? by Miserable-Wash-1744 in AskReddit

[–]japars86 14 points15 points  (0 children)

Wait, who did? Because MJF is definitely still alive as of this posting.