Ranking the Tootsie Fruit Chew Flavors

The morning after trick-or-treating as a child, after our mother had the opportunity to inspect our candies for malicious poisons, illicit tampering, and to sneak a few from our bags like the fantastic Midwestern mother she is, my sister and I would be handed our neon orange pumpkins filled to the brim. Filled with childish excitement, we would rush to the living room carpet amid urgent orders from our mother to eat only one and spill our bounty all over the floor for sorting and trading. As long as I can remember, the color fruit flavored Tootsie chews had been scattered among the other treats.

Among the trading and sorting of our post-Halloween excursion, there was certainly a not-at-all-subjective grading system for those colorful rolls in my child self’s eyes. That system can also be seen in use today as I leave certain colors in the bag they came in and consume others almost immediately. Below I have ranked the five flavors of the fruit flavored Tootsie chews.

This is only considering the basic five fruit flavored Tootsie chews and not the standard Tootsie roll, other assorted fruit flavors from over the years, nor any other Tootsie products. Please let me know if you agree with my ranking below!

#5 – Vanilla Flavored Chew

Walking through a Yankee candle store, sniffing every available candle on the shelves, I’ve never had the urge to eat a single one of them. However, I’m positive if I had ever given it a go, the vanilla scented one would taste eerily similar to the vanilla flavored Tootsie chew. This ivory roll wrapped in a deceptive blue wrapper even looks a bit like candle wax. Well, wax that’s been soaking in imitation vanilla extract for roughly sixteen years. Eating them is a bit like cooking with vanilla extract, actually. You think at first that you might need a bit more, but it turns out that the first was far more than enough already. Thank you vanilla chew for being the only one that neither my sister nor I really wanted to touch.

Image from Tootsie Roll Industries via tootsie.com

#4 – Lemon Flavored Chew

While I could understand being confused by the blue wrapper on the vanilla chew as a child, but I don’t understand why my child self avoided this one thinking that it was vanilla since the wrapper is lemon and brown. This pale yellow treat tastes a bit more like a lemon animal cracker than a proper lemon, which is perfectly fine in the context of a candied dessert. The lemon taste is a bit muted to me, but after sharing a bite with the sweet young lady I was babysitting the other day (thanks Georgie!), it was enough to make her five-year-old palette pucker. It did leave a strange aftertaste and texture in my mouth for a while after eating that was incredibly unpleasant, so for that reason, it’s further down on this list.

Image from Tootsie Roll Industries via tootsie.com

#3 – Orange Flavored Chew

This chew, and anything else remotely orange flavored, was my resolute favorite when I was young. If ten-year-old me had been handed a bag of these, a bottle of Sunkist, and a bowl of orange Jell-O, I would have done anything you asked. Except, perhaps, my math homework. However, as an adult, I find this once favored orange cylinder of perfection to no longer be so perfect. It actually rings far too sweet and I’m no longer able to taste as much of the orange I remembered so much as I am pure sugar. Come to think of it, I don’t care for Sunkist or orange Jell-O anymore. Is it possible to have too much of a good thing?

Image from Tootsie Roll Industries via tootsie.com

#2 – Cherry Flavored Chew

If there are any die-hard cherry flavored fans out there, a little caution might be in order as this candy probably isn’t for you. I say this as someone who vehemently dislikes anything flavored or even remotely tasting of cherry. On instinct, when I bought a pack of these to try again for this article, I picked out all of the red colored ones assuming that after I tried it, I would be passing it on to my coworkers as I do most other red and pink fruit flavored candies. Imagine my surprise when I tried it and not only didn’t immediately dislike it, but actually enjoyed it enough to stick that pile in my little treat container.

Why do I advise caution for fans of cherry? Cherry flavored candies tend to be incredibly fruity while either being overwhelmingly sour, intensely sweet, or just plain bitter (think cough syrup). This candy had none of the bitterness and the sweet and sour flavor was balanced quite nicely with each other, rather than being one or the other. A side note is this was the only candy to turn my mouth a different color (a washed out red) and left a waxy film on my tongue afterward.

Image from Tootsie Roll Industries via tootsie.com

#1 – Lime Flavored Chew

If you’ve ever had a lime flavored Popsicle, this candy tastes exactly like that melted down into a candy form. Considering that is my preferred Popsicle, it’s no surprise that it tops this list. The taste is sweet enough to be a satisfying sweet treat but sour enough to not leave you feeling too guilty. It also didn’t leave a strange aftertaste, odd feeling, or turn my mouth a different color. All three extra credit points earned. Be assured if you’re ever visiting my home and see these candies in the public sweet container on my coffee table, know that the bright green colored rolls won’t be there no matter how hard you look. They’re hidden away in a cupboard for me to hoard.

Image from Tootsie Roll Industries via tootsie.com

As always, thank you for reading this far and I hope you're all staying safe! If you have any opinions on what was discussed today, as lighthearted as it was, please let me know and have a great weekend.

Wedding Outfits for Main Character of Havenfall is for Lovers ranked from worst to best

At around 1:00 am one morning, I was simultaneously somehow resisting and reaching for sleep by mindlessly playing a word game on my tablet when the between level advertisement showed up. I’d seen this one before, just like all the others, more times than I could count, but this time it caught my eye in a different way. I decided I would download the app and give it a shot. That is how I found the Lovestruck app (Voltage Entertainment).

While perusing for a new story to read, as the series I had been reading had just finished, I decided to tap on this one story I hadn’t looked into yet, as the cover art hadn’t interested me. Instantly captivated by what I saw beyond the cover, I devoured the entire interactive series as quickly as the chapter tickets could regenerate in my off hours. Havenfall is for Lovers became one of my new favorites.

Havenfall is for Lovers follows the main character (referred to as MC from here on out), a young woman living in the small town of Havenfall, Indiana, USA with her younger sister. Unbeknownst to the MC, and most of the town, Havenfall is also the home of several supernatural creatures whose lives tend to draw even more, usually putting the MC and her sister in mortal danger. In the spirit of Lovestruck’s format, there are several love interests to choose from, each coming with their own unique story. However, one of the common grounds for each of these stories is that the MC will eventually marry each of the love interests later in their routes. This leads to the creation of this list.

Today I will be ranking the wedding outfits for the MC from Havenfall Is For Lovers. I will not be including the spouse’s outfit or the wedding venue on this list as those each deserve lists of their own. This list is purely based on my opinion and is meant for entertainment purposes only. All images featured are property of Voltage Entertainment used for critical purposes only. The images used provide one angle or view of the outfits in question. In the game, there is also a front view character facing shot available as well, used to provide more detail from the waist up.

Please also be warned that SPOILERS!! may be below. Proceed at your own risk.

#6 – MC’s Purple Outfit with Feathered Cape (JD’s Route)

The only thing I struggle with these lists more than picking a number one is deciding who has to occupy the bottom slot. There is nothing inherently wrong with MC’s outfit here. It just doesn’t scream wedding outfit to me. I love the detail on the lacy top and the purple sneakers MC is wearing in full view shots. Her hair is in a loose bun in classic MC style, keeping that formal-but-not-too-formal look throughout. The only thing I could have done without is the feathered cape. It felt too on the nose for our angel and looked out of place on what is otherwise a pretty casual outfit.

That said, I really do like this outfit. I can pick several other outfits from other stories that it would have beaten handily, but Havenfall has the distinction of having really good wedding gowns for the MC in every route. It was just slightly outclassed by the rest.

Image from Lovestruck app via Voltage Entertainment

#5 – MC’s White Tank and Skirt Two Piece (Razi’s Route)

I love the golden detailing on the tank and think MC’s hair looks divine here with her coordinated hairpiece. The high-waisted skirt is a beautiful length in the front though with the sea breeze blowing the skirt back, the length of the fabric behind her makes me wonder if it’s set up more like a high-low skirt, a fashion trend I’m not a huge fan of. I do really appreciate how MC’s djinn-like tattoos on her shoulders and chest are on full display at this family event, subtly pushing the message that she’s one of them now. Overall, a cute look, but not my favorite.

Image from Lovestruck app via Voltage Entertainment

#4 – MC’s White Pantsuit (Vanessa’s Route)

I love this MC in white. I wish we could have seen more. The white pants in the full view fit her like a dream. I wish the sleeves of the blazer would have been as clean and fitted as the rest of the ensemble, but I like the way the blazer fits everywhere else and the lacy shirt beneath adds a hint of texture detail so desperately needed. The lack of accessories works beautifully to emphasize the outfit, but that hair…I don’t like it. There’s something about the awkward rose-shaped/knot spiral above the forehead that I just can’t get behind. Otherwise I think this MC is just gorgeous, and her crossbow wins her bonus points of badass.

Image from Lovestruck app via Voltage Entertainment

#3 – MC’s White and Black Embroidered Gown (Diego’s Route)

When I was first making this list, I thought this look was going to be my number one for sure. I love the amount of detail on the dress and her red shoes add the perfect amount of color to an otherwise black and white affair. Her hair is smoothed into a clean chignon and those elbow length gloves are to die for. I just don’t like the way the skirt is cut, again with the high-low. Everything else about it is just stunning, but in a list where we’re splitting hairs all from last position to first, a minor detail like skirt cut becomes important.

Image from Lovestruck app via Voltage Entertainment

#2 – MC’s Light Pink Wedding Gown (Mackenzie’s Route)

This color is just stunning on MC. I adore how they didn’t go with classic white or even black for her wedding to Mackenzie and instead used an unusual color for a couple that was pretty low key and standard in a lot of ways. Her flower crown of pink and white flowers help keep the look formal without making it something out of place for Havenfall. Her sparkly looking combat boots are what pushed this over the edge for me into second position. The entirety of Mackenzie and MC’s relationship summed up in one outfit and I couldn’t be happier for it.

Image from Lovestruck app via Voltage Entertainment

No matter how beautiful MC looked in any of these outfits, there’s still one that I liked better than the others.

#1 – MC’s Off the Shoulder White Gown (Antonio’s Route)

This looks really caught my attention at first with the MC’s make-up, which is significantly darker than any the MC had worn with the other love interests or on her own, all of which tend to stay pretty natural. Her dark red lip and thick eyeliner help bring attention rather than detract from the MC’s vampire and Lady of Blood status by enhancing her red eyes and pale skin. Her hair is done up into a loose low bun, allowing her a few strands to artfully frame her face with but not be so unkempt that it takes away from her otherwise sophisticated appearance. Her white floor length gown is embellished on the bodice with ivory detail, keeping the dress itself from being too plain. MC is also wearing large diamond earrings to match her huge wedding ring, fitting with Antonio’s penchant of extravagant wealth. Her white shoes work perfectly with this outfit that really doesn’t need a colored shoe.

Image from Lovestruck app via Voltage Entertainment

Did my rankings match your own? Is there anything you disagree on? Are there any other Lovestruck ideas you would like to see? Let me know all of this and more in the comments below!

Ranking the songs on Taylor Swift's "1989"

1989 was a revolutionary album for Taylor Swift’s career and an instant pop culture sensation when it fully dropped into the public’s music libraries in October of 2014. Considered to be Swift’s first “full pop” album, it was the final destination in a four album long journey to that point with each album getting progressively less country and more pop influenced. Swift had seen large scale success with her previous ventures but nothing yet like she received with 1989 considering chart position, sales, critical acclaim and awards.

1989 is also much loved by her fan base who refer to themselves as “Swifties”, most of whom didn’t seem to mind that their country princess was putting down the bedazzled guitar and cowboy boots in favor of a synthesizer and strapped heels. As someone who has been a fan of Swift since 2008, I was delighted to find that I immediately loved the album, a love which has continued to flourish as the years have continued. I have been listening to 1989 more than I have been in recent months and I feel I have a pretty good understanding of where I stand with the songs on the tracklisting. The methodology for this list is I would like to take the 13 tracks off of the standard album and rank them according to my own personal preferences from where that stands now. The three bonus tracks and voice memos off of the deluxe editions will not be taken into consideration at the current time. I will also not be placing the accompanying music videos into my analysis of the songs.

As always, I clarify that this is my own personal opinion and not meant to offend, persuade, or otherwise influence the opinions of others. I would love to hear your own though and see how well we match up, so please let me know if the comments below! Please know that my criticisms come from a place of love and fun and that there isn’t a single song on this album that I haven’t enjoyed at some point over the course of the last five and a half years.

#13 – “Bad Blood”

This eighth track off of the album was immediately shredded by media and fans alike upon its release as they tried to figure out who the song was about. Swift is notorious about keeping the subject of her inspiration quiet, despite the little hints she’ll lay out like bread crumbs for her fans to find, and this one was no different. She indeed noted that the song was about the loss of friendship and a celebrity who did something really nasty to her, but refused to point the finger at Katy Perry, a singer she had a longtime feud with, despite the media touting it across headlines.

This song is one that I find I can’t listen to unless I’m supremely upset, at which point it does its job well. The angry, revenge oriented melody really help me fan out those feelings of betrayal and rage whenever they should arise. Unfortunately for “Bad Blood”, the clunky chorus and lackluster bridge make the song unpleasant for a casual background listen. For this reason, it finds itself occupying the bottom slot of my list.

Favorite Lyric : “...salt in the wound like you’re laughing right at me.”

#12 – “How You Get the Girl”

“How You Get the Girl” is a track that lyrically is, in Swift’s own words, written “...like a tutorial. If you follow the directions in the song, chances are things will work out. Or you may get a restraining order.” I always liked her explanation as it perfectly sums up my feelings around the song. I always imagined Swift sitting with a male friend on the couch and feeding him these lyrics as relationship counseling. On the one side of the coin, it’s an upbeat, cute tune torn from the fabric of romantic comedy climaxes but on the other side, it can be seen as problematic.

I think we’ve all had to come to the realization after adolescence that things that are cute in films can be just downright odd when performed out in real life. While enjoying this song, I can’t help that nagging voice in the back of my mind that drags fingernails down my subconscious about how equal parts cute and weird I would find most of the scenes that played out like the ones in these films. It’s adorable and romantic on paper to have a significant other you’ve had a falling out with show up in the rain to profess their love for you. In real life, I think I’d be more annoyed than anything.

Favorite Lyric : “Broke your heart, I’ll put it back together. I want you forever and ever.”

#11 – “Welcome to New York”

My first listen of 1989, I had only heard “Shake It Off” and “Blank Space” leading up to the release. Despite “Welcome to New York” coming out a week before the album, I had refrained from listening to it. It was close enough to the album release date, I felt I could wait so the day the album came out. That Monday, I got home from work so late that it was pitch black outside. I locked myself in my room, put my headphones on and sat in the dark as I listened to the album, a really strange tradition of mine as I like to “see” the music in the dark, what stories they’ll tell. Immediately upon listening to this I was struck with the imagery of red, pink and orange neon lights forming the words shining around all of the other pictures she was painting for the listener.

If I would have been handed the lyrics on paper and told to read them, I would have said it could never be a song I could enjoy, and I probably wouldn’t like it as much as I do now if I hadn’t introduced myself to it the way I did. The images I formed that night, while probably proving some level of insanity, also forever embedded themselves to the memory of the song. “Welcome to New York” may not be my favorite song about New York (“New York Groove”, all day), but I have a special place in my heart for it nonetheless.

Favorite Lyric : “...kaleidoscope of loud heartbeats under coats.”

#10 – “All You Had to Do Was Stay”

I hate that this song has to occupy a numbered slot so far down on the list. I feel like it doesn't quite capture just how much I love this song, but in comparison to the others, no matter how much I might enjoy it, it doesn't compare nor did it have the impact on my life like some of the others. "All You Had to Do Was Stay" is a number that gives the person Swift is singing to the what for on what they could have had and lost due to their own actions. All they would have had to do was, you guessed it, stay.

It's not the most lyrically complex tune, especially compared to many in the rest of Swift's discography, but the repetative chorus not only makes it a song easy to nod to but begs the listener to sing along. For such an angry, even bitter, piece its tone is shocking in its cheerfulness. That sort of contradiction works well for music such as this as it leaves the song available to all kinds of moods.

Favorite Lyric : "...now you say you want it back now that it's just too late."

#9 – “Shake It Off”

Arguably the biggest of Swift's songs and one of the songs that even a non-fan has a pretty good chance of having heard at one point or another, "Shake It Off" is one of Swift's classic songs to the haters that she seems to include on every album since 2010's Speak Now with "Mean". "Shake It Off" was the first song of Swift's to scream from the rooftops in New York that she was no longer the sweet curly haired country girl. The song's message applies to anyone who has ever felt the need to just brush the comments and criticisms aside.

A mainstay on my work out playlist, "Shake It Off" has fallen so far down on the list due to being up against stiff competition and the amount it was played from 2014-2015. It’s a great pep song at the end of a long hard day or for pumping up before a night out.

Favorite Lyric : “It’s like I got this music in my mind saying ‘It’s gonna be alright’.”

#8 – “This Love”

“This Love” is a song that I let sit on my playlist with the rest of the album without ever really listening closely to it until just a year or so ago, where I fell deeply in love with it. There are times it feels like its falling into the pit of its own attempts to be deep, but those moments are times when high school me fell in love with Swift and that love continues. Who hasn’t had those moments where we were so emotionally charged we wished we could all talk in cryptic and vague metaphors like we do on our Facebook timelines and Twitter feeds. And, boy, is this song emotionally charged and a perfect representation of how we can feel conflicting things during the course of a relationship.

It may not be a bop like some of the others on this list, but I would scream the words at the top of my lungs with tears streaming down my blotchy puffed face if I lived alone. It’s in these softer songs that we really get to see the best that Swift’s music genius has to offer.

Favorite Lyric : “These hands had to let it go free and this love came back to me.”

#7 – “Clean”

Another song I didn’t much care for when I’d first heard it back in 2014, I later developed a deep appreciation and respect for it as it came to me just when I needed it like it was a milkshake in The Good Place. Lyrics charged with intensity, “Clean”’s backing vocals courtesy of Imogen Heap sound at first like the breath before a sob but can later be interpreted like the sharp sigh of relief after gaining the ability to breathe again which perfectly reflects against Swift’s still harsh but satisfied voice.

The parallel of recovering from heartbreak like an addict from an addiction hits right where it hurts when you’re already down. It’s just not a song I would listen to often, saving it for those moments where I really need a good cry, which is why its so far down on the list. Beautiful, a bit haunting, and reserved for those memories we almost wish hadn’t happened, good and bad.

Favorite Lyric : “...when I was drowning that’s when I could finally breathe.”

#6 – “Blank Space”

A song that garnered headlines like Buzzfeeds “Why ‘Blank Space’ is the best song on Taylor Swift’s 1989” and has been called “the best song of Swift’s career”, “Blank Space” will hold a significant place in pop culture history. Amid a strong showing in the music industry of 2014, “Blank Space” managed to carve its own legacy within the other culture phenoms of that year such as Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Funk”, Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me”, and Iggy Azalea’s “Fancy”. The music scene in 2014 was a loud and colorful place.

If I was asked to sing any Taylor Swift song at the drop of a hat, “Blank Space” would probably be one of my first go-to’s simply because the song’s opening lines and beat are easy to remember and the rest of the song follows easily. That’s not to take away from the incredible visuals Swift is able to conjure with her descriptions of seemingly simple things (“cherry lips, crystal skies...”). Her tongue in cheek take on the media’s image of her as a lover is an undeniable bop and one that will certainly be in the top portion of lists ranking her best songs for years. Unfortunately for “Blank Space”, this list isn’t ranking her best but my personal favorites so it just misses the top 5.

Favorite Lyric : “Cause, darling, I’m a nightmare dressed like a daydream.”

#5 – “Out of the Woods”

“Out of the Woods” reminds me a lot of a song from Swift’s Red album, “All Too Well”. Retrospectively crooning about a failed relationship in the verses and reflecting on the feelings of trepidation and caution in the throes of a rocky but passionate love. The song received seemingly universal acclaim from critics and fans alike upon its release. Fans enjoyed the easy to sing lyrics and emotional overtones while critics praised the 80’s-meets-modern sound and darker pop feeling from its predecessor “Shake It Off”.

Once again Swift is able to beautifully conjure images with just a few lyrics with her songs creating a whole new world for this song to exist in that isn’t touched by this one. Almost dream-like verses setting the scene of the beautiful parts of the relationship while Swift’s heartbroken vocals belie those happy feelings. Her anxiety laden words in the chorus and rather angry bridge really capture all sides of grieving a broken down romance.

Favorite Lyric : “The rest of the world was black and white but we were in screaming color.”

#4 – “I Wish You Would”

An underrated song that is consistently drowned out by its louder, more colorful, or more emotional cousins, “I Wish You Would” is a fun foot tapper that also tells a really compelling story. After a relationship has fallen apart and the couple have gone their separate ways, the story stays with the singer as they lament the loss, how much they just want their lover to come back, and how they didn’t want it to end the way it did. This is almost the opposite of “Out of the Woods” where the more sad lyrics are instead juxtaposed against a lively, almost cheerful beat.

I’ve loved this song since the moment I heard it. When I listen to it, I’m sure to be humming the bridge for hours.

Favorite lyric : “I wish you knew that I miss you too much to be mad anymore...”

#3 – “Style”

Arguably the Swift bop to end all bops, “Style” has had fans screaming the chorus since the moment it debuted in 2014. The day Swift stops painting scenes with her music is the day she’ll lose her greatest talent. Her breathy vocals in the verses and pre-chorus cast a gentle glow against a song that is incredibly confident in its delivery of the chorus. Swift has become noted for her ability to craft a masterful bridge, but this song is just the words “take me home” x3 and boy, does it work in her favor. A song packed with stunning imagery, the climatic release of shouting those three words elevates the song to another and much needed level.

A song that has been called pop perfection on an album remarked to the same elevation, we slip “Style” into a well deserved 3^rd place, coincidentally the same slot as its track listing.

Favorite lyric : “You got that James Dean daydream look in your eye and I got that red lip classic thing that you like...”

#2 – “I Know Places”

The ultimate song on 1989 which, in my humble opinion, doesn’t get the love it deserves, “I Know Places” is a gem. The darker intense feeling to the song and the cinematic quality of the lyrics lead the whole thing to a place of elegance and glam us mere mortals can only aspire to. The song is inspired by Swift (and other celebrities like her) having to hide their relationships from all forms of peering eyes lest their entire relationship be destroyed. It’s a song that should feel out of touch, but is done in such a passionate and loving way, I can’t help but love it. It’s the song of a thousand Hollywood fantasies. And the drums in this song are just absolute fire.

Favorite lyric : “Loose lips sink ships all the damn time. Not this time.”

#1 – “Wildest Dreams”

What is there to be said about this song that hasn’t already been said?

Remember how I said I love a story in a song? The more cinematic the better? Well, this song is the epitome on 1989. It’s vague in the perfect places for listener interpretation but deliciously specific enough to keep the listeners interest. Never once listening through this song did I wonder who it was about because I was so damned captivated by the sultry vocals and reminiscence. Swift tends to play the part of the shy lover well, but here her confidence is on full display as she practically demands of her lover to remember her after their romance has ended, something she knew would happen all along.

It’s a beautiful track and there’s really nothing else to hash out. While there are a few out there who the song didn’t mesh with, the consensus seems to be a deep appreciation and even admiration for this song. One that continues to grow as the years live on. When this song came out in 2014, I loved it, but it was out shined by its sisters with louder voices and more forceful messages. Even on the music station at work, this song is played above all other songs on 1989 and it is for good reason.

“Wildest Dreams” will continue to live on as one of Taylor’s shining examples of song writing on a near perfect pop album.

Favorite Lyric : “Someday when you leave me, I’d bet these memories follow you around.”

Ranking the love interests from "Red Carpet Diaries" - Choices: Stories You Play

Red Carpet Diaries is an interactive story / visual novel series available in the Choices: Stories You Play app created by Pixelberry Studios. Red Carpet Diaries sees you (Main Character) coming to Los Angeles from Iowa in the hopes of making it in the entertainment industry over the course of three books. Along the way, you will meet a colorful cast of characters, some who will have their hearts up for grabs if you play your cards right. However, as with all choose-your-romance stories, personal preference will play a huge part in who a player will choose as their main love interest. Below, I have ranked my preferences for the love interests available in the Red Carpet Diaries series.

Some brief disclaimers before we dive in. I have no affiliation with Pixelberry and own no rights to these characters or their story. This list is fully my own personal opinion and this article is intended to be fun. In no way is this intended to influence other players or their choices (pun absolutely intended). Also, in case it wasn’t obvious, there will be SPOILERS for the entirety of the series below. You have been warned.

[Another disclaimer including a spoiler : I never read Red Carpet Diaries, book 1 back when Victoria physically assaulted the main character. That plot point had been changed by the time I read the book. Because of that, I will not be taking that old plot point into consideration in my list as this is something I found out well after the fact of reading through the series. I under no circumstances condone physical assault and if this had been left in, Victoria wouldn’t even be considered.]

Honorable Mention – Addison Sinclair

Addison Sinclair is a sweet, upbeat young woman who is has become a renowned costume designer. She is one of several characters, and one of two love interests, to have been crossed over from another Pixelberry app, Hollywood U: Rising Stars. The main character first meets Addison when tagging along with Matt Rodriguez to Vegas in Book 1. While there the player start making friends with Matt’s group, Addison, Josh Morello and Ryan Summers. Almost immediately the player has a chance to start a more physical relationship with her.

However, the reason Addison ranks so low on this list as the only honorable mention is solely because her romantic story line was dropped/never started. I confess, I don’t know if there’s an official reason for why she’s not a marriage candidate in Book 3, but she only has a handful of romantic scenes throughout the books and a few more friendly scenes. Had she persisted as a love interest for the remainder of the series, or had more scenes in at all, I have no doubt she would be placed much higher. I really enjoyed all of the scenes with Addison and thirsted for more but alas, it just wasn’t meant to be.

#5 – Matt Rodriguez

Matt Rodriguez is an already well established actor, known at the beginning of the series for his work in action films. His father is also respected actor with a long, illustrious career which leads Matt to later put high expectations on his own shoulders to do as well, if not better, than his father. He is quite friendly, prefers a more private life in the midst of the public eye and deeply enjoys his profession, wanting to work on all sorts of genres as the series continues.

Matt was one of those love interests for me who starts out really strong in book 1, but who declined hard after that. By no fault of his own, he really wasn’t interesting in book 2 as he was completely overshadowed by almost everyone else and by book 3 he was almost straight boring. He has a truly lovable personality but his character development got caught up in stereotypes the longer the series progressed.

#4 – Teja Desai

When the main character meets Teja Desai, she is working as an assistant director to world famous (infamous?) Markus von Groot. However, over the course of the series, she comes into her own as a director and becomes well sought after. She is hard working, smart, and enjoys having fun. Her tendency to bite off more than she can chew fueled by her ambition is frequently stressed through the series, much like the character herself is, either due to her boss (book 1), creative conflicts (book 2), or a full plate (book 3).

The only reason Teja ranks so low on this list is I happen to like everyone else more. She’s a fine character whether pursued romantically or just as a friend in the other routes. Her character, as unfortunately many of the Choices female partners do, feels really bland compared to the rest. Unlike the higher characters on this list, I will not likely be playing a Teja-pure route on a replay again.

#3 – Victoria Fontaine

Victoria Fontaine is a proven actress in Hollywood and immediately singles your character out as a threat, given that she’s an “aging actress” who is afraid your character, among other younger women, is going to push her out of the industry. In the beginning, she treats you with open hostility and her petty behavior makes her quite nasty throughout the first book in the series until the last couple of chapters. She is shown to be cynical and jaded, but has a soft side as the series progresses, even culminating in her mentoring of a young want-to-be actress.

I know she’s a controversial character and there are many people who justifiably don’t like her as a character due to how plain mean she was throughout book 1, but I have to confess. I loved her even then. I know, I know, in real life people like that don’t just change their spots and terrible people don’t just get to be “forgiven and forgotten”, but I really enjoyed her play through. In fiction, it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy seeing her switch from the dark side. Among all of the characters, Victoria really showed the most character development, choosing to become a better person overall. For the character, it’s remarkable and something to be admired.

#2 – Seth Levine

Seth Levine is introduced as a new neighbor of yours when you first arrive and helps you with an unwelcome visitor in your apartment before even learning your name. He is a fellow Midwest transplant who had once hoped of making it big, but has since given up on those dreams and even soured to the idea of the Hollywood dream until the end of book 1. He is friendly, kind, loyal and, as you learn more throughout the books, deeply insecure. He is also wildly creative, not only writing his own jokes for stand up, but also later working on screenplays and script doctoring.

Seth is a character who it is easy to love. He could be your best friend and also your most amazing romance. He sticks with the main character through thick and thin and is willing to help them accomplish their dreams without asking for anything in return. This is especially amazing considering how jaded he was at the time of their meeting in book 1. Seth is also easily the most down to Earth and “common” of all of the characters in the series, seeming the most like a real life human. He’s an open geek making references to Elder Scrolls V : Skyrim among others that go unnoticed or unappreciated by most other characters. He’s the boy-next-door of this series and I couldn’t love him more for it.

However, as perfect as Seth is, there is one more love interest I would put into first.

#1 – Thomas Hunt

Thomas Hunt is an acclaimed film director and former professor. Though he cameos briefly in Book 1, it isn’t until Book 2 that Thomas becomes a major player. After the main character is fired from her current project, Thomas offers her a role in his new, highly secretive film. He is stoic and stubborn, frequently referred to as a grouch by other characters, though it is seen almost immediately by the main character to be a front for his softer side, often showing itself with small tells and tiny smiles.

Thomas is just about everything I love in a love interest. He has that “rough side covering up a marshmallow center” trope and seems to genuinely be a good person, someone who refuses to compromise on morals and personal ethics just to make it ahead. His romance with the main character is a slow burn rather than an immediate whirlwind, which is always my favorite. Like is mentioned on his play through, the anticipation can be the best part of the romance. He also hesitates when the main character tries to initiate a romance, not wanting to do something she would regret and likely didn’t want people to think the main character had gotten the part in his film based on favors rather than merit. His consideration for her when compared to other characters in his position (cough Viktor Montmartre cough), really makes him shine in comparison.

His story flails a bit in book 3. It feels like they gave the standard dialogue for the wedding planning that would work perfectly for just about every other character to Thomas as well. It doesn’t quite sit right on his lips, especially given how often his character is smiling rather than the standard stoic persona, but as those are optional premium choices, I left those out of completely affecting my answer. He fully acknowledges, even in his wedding vows, that he’s not always the most likable person. However, its almost paradoxically his sometimes unpleasant demeanor that makes him so likable, which is why Thomas is my #1 for Red Carpet Diaries.

That’s it for the list this time around. Are there any other Choices stories I should rank? Where would your Red Carpet Diaries love interests rank? Sound off and let me know below!

Ranking the songs from Disney's "Frozen" (2013)

When I was first introduced to what would become an international sensation, I was scrolling through my Facebook page, meandering through SuperWhoLock memes and X-Men fanart when an acquaintance had shared a video titled “Disney’s Frozen ‘Let It Go’ Sequence Performed by Idina Menzel” on Youtube. I was curious as to the dark mountainous atmosphere so I stayed for the whole song and was enchanted. A few short days later and I began to notice Frozen slowly overtaking everything. Little did I know…
 

Now that it has been so long since that movie first came out, spawning countless animated shorts, a sequel, and all kinds of extras, I thought it would be fun to revisit the soundtrack to the musical that started it all. For this list, I will only be considering songs from the first film’s soundtrack, so songs from the shorts, stage musical, and sequel will all have to settle for lists of their own in the future. I will also only be ranking the songs with lyrics, so only tracks 1 – 10 will be considered. The wonderful scores by Christophe Beck will have to wait for yet another list.

I ranked these songs entirely based on my opinions. I am not trying to tell you which songs to enjoy and am not considering others opinions in my own decision making, though I would love to hear your own as well. It was interesting to me while I was making this list how much my opinions have changed since I was a freshman in college. I’d like to know if yours have as well!

If you forget what any of the songs sound like, they are available on almost all of the big music players and on Youtube for free.

#10 – “Let It Go” : Performed by Demi Lovato

 

The song taking the bottom spot of our list oddly hasn’t moved from its place on the track listing. Before any Lovatics come for my head, please know that I have nothing but love for Demi Lovato. I have nothing against her as a person, I’ve never met her, and I enjoy quite a few of her songs. This rendition of “Let It Go”, however, isn’t one of them.

Lovato uses a very breathy vocal and her signature runs while adding a more melancholy vibe to the song. This isn’t entirely her fault, as the instrumental didn’t do her any favors toward adding a lighter or more joyful edge, settling for a lower range and backing of strings. Changing the lyrics from the original was also an odd choice. They’re still beautiful, I would argue more beautiful and adult than the version used in the film, but because of it, it’s more heavy. An odd way to end the album.

For those reasons, the version of “Let It Go” performed by Lovato finds itself at the bottom of my list.

#9 – “Reindeer(s) Are Better Than People” : Performed by Jonathan Groff

 

The only song performed by Jonathan Groff in the film is a 50 second humorous “duet” introducing listeners to Kristoff’s strange friendship with his reindeer, Sven, who Kristoff gives a voice to. It’s a very cute song and is always guaranteed to put a smile on my face. Alas, it’s short length, while it definitely works as the song would have gotten very old very quickly had it been any longer, leads to me desperately craving more. When featured on a soundtrack with better duets (I use this word loosely to describe the back and forth of Kristoff’s two voices) and longer pieces with humor, this one finds itself near the bottom of the list.

#8 – “Fixer Upper” : Performed by Maia Wilson and the Cast of Frozen

 

This ensemble piece filled with wonderful voice work finds itself in the eighth slot of our list. Wilson’s Bulda provides the song’s moral lining when she croons that “people never really change” and “people make bad choices when their mad or scared or stressed”. A great lesson for the young-ins and a quiet realization for Anna as to why Elsa is acting the way she is.

The song itself is obviously aimed at the younger crowd, with silly jokes about using the woods as a toilet and the jabs at Kristoff’s character. However, those things, while silly, are completely in line with a movie for children. What isn’t necessarily noticeable but still slightly problematic is how, in a humorous way, the trolls keep trying to push Kristoff and Anna together. While not so bad and even cute at the start, it become an issue when Kristoff explains that Anna is engaged, exclaiming in frustration “ENOUGH! She’s engaged to someone else, okay?!” hoping they’ll get the message and back off. Despite his best efforts, it just serves pushes them in harder, even to the point that they’re being wed as the song ends. While this is, again, done in a funny way, it also isn’t a great thing to be showing kiddos in a song with other great lessons. For that reason, it falls so low despite being one of the catchier earworm songs on the album.

#7 – “Frozen Heart” : Performed by Cast of Frozen

 

When articles examining this soundtrack first came out, I remember reading repeatedly that this song was the one song that didn’t fit in with the rest, that it wasn’t necessary, it was the worst song, etc. etc. At the time, I can remember being flabbergasted and even a little offended given how much I loved this song. It wasn’t a smart song, it didn’t have the emotional depth of some of the others, and it definitely wasn’t a funny song. However, it was one of my favorites at the time.

Years later, the song has fallen slightly in my ranking, but I still hold a strong love for it. It serves to not only showcase the power and value of ice in the lives of the characters dedicating an entire song to it, but also foreshadows much of the movie to come. Lyrics like “beware the frozen heart” and “ice has a magic, can’t be controlled” make a lot more sense on the second viewing. It’s upbeat workman’s tempo make it a fun song to sing along to as well. A song that has more recently started to garner some love as being the underrated song from Frozen, a far cry from the critics of 2013, it will safely sit in the seventh spot on my list.

#6 – “In Summer” : Performed by Josh Gad

 

In this silly and lively performance from Gad’s Olaf, the recently created snowman laments to his desire to see summer, despite only having been alive for a matter of hours and a warm climate usually spelling the doom for beings of his...constitution. 

 

I’ll confess, I truly didn’t like Olaf’s character back when this film was popular. I found him annoying and grating. However, after letting the film sit for years, I came back to watch it in preparation of going to see the sequel in theaters and found the love for Olaf that everyone else had found when the film came out. This song would have easily found it’s way to the bottom of old me’s list, but now that I can appreciate the song. Belting Olaf’s final note is one of the highlights of my mother and I singing along to this tune and the words “I’ll be a…happy snowman!” have found their way into our daily vernacular. She adores Olaf and now I can see why.

#5 – “Love Is An Open Door” : Performed by Kristen Bell and Santino Fontana

 

The song that sparked countless duets by couples around the world, and the song that catapulted Sam and Nia into the mainstream for a moment in time, “Love Is An Open Door” is an adorably romantic song for any couple to sing. The song itself, despite its apparent malicious intentions on a second viewing after seeing the film, still rings through for any couple in the honeymoon stage of a relationship. It’s cute, it’s quirky, and it’s firmly staying halfway through this list.

#4 – “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” : Performed by Bell, Agatha Lee Monn, and Katie Lopez

 

A song covered and parodied almost as much as “Let It Go” after the film’s release, “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” was a smart way for the movie to show how lonely Anna is while also showing how much she loves her sister, not giving up on asking Elsa until she’s much older and has heard “no” who knows how many times. A song that takes us from the confusion and dejection of baby Anna not understanding why Elsa won’t come out and play to preteen Anna pretty much singing to herself and resigning herself to play on her own. The song has a dramatic instrumental solo in the middle and finally ends with a grieving and devastated Anna begging her sister to come out as she truly feels how alone she is in that moment, quietly whispering with no hope of an answer the question she had been asking for years before dissolving into her loss.

This song really hits home for anyone who has ever been ignored or felt left out (anyone ever). It also touches, if you’ve ever seen the film to go with it, on losing family and how isolated that can make you feel. It’s a beautiful number and neatly introduces the film’s protagonist with one go.

#3 – “For the First Time in Forever” : Performed by Bell and Idina Menzel

 

This song picks after the previous entry (though three years in the future if the movie is seen), this song shows Anna as a lively young woman who isn’t held down by the sadness we saw in the last number. Excited by what the coronation is bringing to their castle, Anna eagerly fantasizes about what the ball could mean for her, up to and including a romance. Featured in the bridge of the song is a beautiful contrast of the aloof and fearful Elsa against the bright and cheerful Anna as both sisters lament through different meaning “It’s only for today, it’s agony to wait”.

 

Bell’s incredible vocals and the lyrics catchy thirst for adventure (that Disney want for more?) make this an absolute must for any Disney karaoke night. The foreshadowing of “Let It Go” with Elsa whispering to herself “conceal, don’t feel” really assists this movie in maintaining a continuity throughout not just the film but the music as well.

#2 – “For the First Time in Forever (Reprise)” : Performed by Bell and Menzel

The back and forth between Anna and Elsa make this song one of the most memorable of the film. Anna’s struggle to stay connected to her sister as her sister loses herself to her fear again as the song builds with Elsa’s rampaging emotions shows listeners for the first time what Elsa truly thinks of herself.

 

When Elsa exclaims “I can’t control the curse!” she shows that she thinks of it as a curse despite at the beginning of the movie, the writers specifying that she was born with the powers and NOT cursed, showing that we’re supposed to think of it as a gift of sorts. Elsa herself thinks of it as a curse. Anna staying throughout Elsa’s meltdown is a clear showing of love for her long separated sister, but Elsa also shows this love for Anna as she desperately cries to her “You’re not safe here!”

 

The emotions flying high as well as the wonderful duet between the two are why this song is my second favorite on the album.

And the winner is…

#1 - “Let It Go” : Performed by Menzel

 

It was very close and took many listenings to decide which of these two songs would pull out on top. However relatable any of the previous songs may have been, they all seem to pale in comparison to this instant Disney classic.

 

“Let It Go” is the anthem of people everywhere who feel like they’ve been shoved into a mold they don’t belong in, a mold they would love to break but can’t for various reasons. “Let It Go” is the fantasy all people in those situations have had about breaking that mold and becoming the person you’re meant to be, the person not limited by situational anxieties and fears. It was used for anti-bullying campaigns and LGBTQ+ outreaches and will continue to be used for many other purposes.

 

Some of the lyrics of the song clearly relate back to having magic and ice, but are easily ignored over the greater themes of the song. It doesn’t hurt that it’s addictive as all hell and will surely have you humming the chorus for hours. Menzel’s brilliant vocal belts carry the song to places the heights of which the melody and lyrics could never reach on their own. It’s a brilliant piece and one the sequel was always going to have a hard time repeating. It’s the only song on the tracklist that, every single time it plays, I have to not only sing along, but scream it at the top of my lungs (as long as no one else is around, of course).

So that’s it for the ranking of all of the songs from Frozen. If you have any suggestions of things I could rank, feel free to send them in and let me know. I’m always interested in expanding my horizons, and while stuck in quarantine, there’s no time like the present. Stay safe everyone!