I am not The OOP, OOP is [deleted]
The best revenge is a happy life... and having your cheating ex pay you child support.
Originally posted to ProRevenge
Original Post Apr 5, 2021
Grab a cup of coffee or tea because this is a long story (I apologize but hope its worth your time to read).
My revenge began with discovering my wife's infidelity (let's call her "Keri"). After fourteen years of marriage and three kids, I saw a text appear on her "work phone" for just a few seconds that would forever change my life. It was a message that was sexually graphic and had no business being on anyone's "work phone". It was on the lock screen and the sender's name was visible (let's call him "Perry").
Background: I married Keri when I was 25 and she was 22. I was teaching high school at the time and she was a RN. After having our first child, Keri became a stay at home mom. Money was tight, so I took on an admin roll in my department and coached two sports for the stipends. We made it and after a few annual pay raises, I stopping coaching and took advantage of a program to earn an administrative credential.
Once I made the jump to administration, our last child was ready for preschool and Keri decided she wanted to go back to work. Nursing jobs are always available, but they're not always the best positions. Keri pretty much had to start back at the bottom, working alongside nurses that were a lot younger than she was and could work back-to-back double shifts that took at toll on Keri. When she asked her supervisor about other positions, she was told that without a BSN, she wasn't going to move up (at the time, Keri had only the 2-year ADN). I told her that between preschool, afterschool rec, and my retired mother (who was always willing to pick up the kids from school and watch them), I'd support her getting her BSN.
It took her three years, but eventually she had her BSN and was promoted to a better position at the hospital. Things were good for a while. We had plenty of money, so finally moved into our own "McMansion", bought new cars, etc. I'd moved from school admin to the district admin, so I had more time to spend with Keri and the kids. She was working a more predictable schedule and even with my often-long hours at work, this change allowed us to finally take vacations to all the places we'd put on a list during our Honeymoon (she kept that list in our wedding album).
At some point years later, I noticed she's carrying two phones with her. When I asked her about it, she said that it was a phone provided by the hospital. I didn't question her explanation because my district had also given me the option of a phone or a phone stipend (which I took instead). Again, months went by and I thought we were a happy "perfect" family.
I charged my phone in our den while she charged her phones in our guest bedroom that doubled as a computer room so we could keep tabs on the kids while they surfed the web. I was updating software on the computer when I saw a light around her work phone. She had a habit of always turning her phones face down when charging them. Out of curiosity, I reached over to the phone and flipped it over. A message had popped up on the lock screen asking her when she'd like to be "orally pleased again' but in much more graphic language. I also saw that "Perry" sent it.
The world stopped around me. I just froze. My first thoughts where "What the hell was that about? Its her work phone! That kind of message gets people fired!" Then it hit me... was Keri having an affair?
It's amazing how the brain works. I suddenly started remembering a lot of things Keri had done that seemed "odd" but I'd either dismissed them myself or immediately accepted her explanation. She was always walking out of the room to answer a call or return a text and claimed that it would violate HIPAA if I overheard her talking about a patient. I accepted this because education has similar privacy laws regarding students. She would sometimes come home with the faint smell of cologne on her clothes and claimed it was from helping to move male patients. Again I accepted this at face value, but it always struck me as odd how it seemed to be same scent of cologne.
Once the proverbial barn door was open, I started seeing a lot of things that I'd missed before. Our love life in the bedroom had cooled off considerably which wasn't helped by her having to leave the house at odd hours to "fill in for other nurses that called in sick". I also recalled where I'd seen the name "Perry" before and a call to the hospital confirmed he was a doctor there.
For the next week or so, I was walking around in daze trying to put all of the pieces together. One of our kids had left a book in Keri's car, so it was an excuse to visit the hospital (Keri had told me personal visits were frowned upon). My kid went up to get Keri's car key (I'd "forgotten" my key to her car at home), I talked to a nurse in the lobby and "joked" about how "work phones" seem like a blessing but all they do is put you on call 24 hours a day. This led to her eventually telling me that the hospital was too "cheap" to give cell phone to nurses, so only high level executives got them (which didn't include Keri).
With pretty much everything confirmed, I took some personal time off the next day to talk to a divorce lawyer. The news she gave me was horrible. We lived in a community property state with no fault divorce. I made more money than Keri, she'd been the primary caretake of the kids, and we'd been married for more than ten years. Basically, if I filed for divorce, I'd be screwed. Lose the house, pay alimony, she'd get a huge chunk of my retirement, and I'd pay child support for the next decade unless I was lucky enough to be awarded joint custody. The worst thing she told me was that it didn't matter that she cheated.
It. Didn't. Matter. I was crushed.
There was only one person I could trust with this kind of information. She was a fellow teacher that had also made the jump to administration (but was "stuck" at a school site). Let's call her "Anne". Anne had been married at 19, but her marriage was annulled when he got some other woman pregnant. Since then, she'd focused on her career and we'd found we were kindred spirits in a lot of ways regarding K-12 education.
I talked to Anne. She said something to me that changed my whole mindset: If you don't like the hand you're dealt, change the deck. I realized I had two problems: I made more money than Keri and she had more time than me to be the primary caretake of the kids.
The second issue was actually kind of easy. At every district office, there are jobs that are "fast tracks" to higher positions and there are jobs that administrators suffer through (like Mess or KP duty in the military). One of these dead-end regulatory positions was open again (ambitious administrators leave after a couple of years when a better position opens up). I sat down with our district superintendent and asked about being transferred to that position. At first he was shocked but I told him that it was "my time to take one for the team" and it would fill a "hole" in my admin experience. He agreed.
It was really just crunching numbers with no personnel or student interaction so I could set my schedule, even take a laptop home and work there. With my new free time, I began taking the kids to school, picking them up from school (not leaving them in afterschool rec or having my mother watch them), and taking them home. I'd help them with their homework, make dinner, etc. While the end goal was to become their primary caretaker, I can't explain how much I really, really enjoyed taking a more active roll in their day to day lives.
My salary hadn't been reduced, so I needed to find a way for Keri to make a lot more money than she was in current nursing position. I remembered Keri being mad after she'd earned her BSN and a supervisor told her "in the future, bachelor degrees will be worthless and everyone will need at least a masters degree". Keri had worked hard to get her BSN and that supervisor's comment pissed all over her hard work. I talked her into starting a MSN program. I told her that since I had a much more flexible work schedule, I would keep taking care of the kids. She was reluctant at first, then I said, "You could have every evening free to study or go to class, whatever you want to do." I saw her eyes immediately light up, probably thinking that she could spend more time with Perry.
To make sure she was actually completing her MSN courses, I paid her tuition and fees directly to her university. It was going to take her between two and three years to finish.
Those years were rough at times. I could tell every time she was rushing off or coming back from seeing Perry. There was an excitement or sense of satisfaction in her eyes that just wasn't there when she was doing her coursework. I had to either smile or pretend I didn't notice. My temper got short at times and I found myself in arguments over petty nonsense. A couple of times I almost blew the whole charade having to bite my tongue and apologize rather than scream insults at her that she deserved.
Anne remained my confidant through all of this. I'd recommended her for my previous "fast-track" position and she joined me at the district office. Anne was qualified, hardworking, ambitious and only needed her foot in the door to impress the higher ups. I even got a few pats on the back for recommending her after she impressed everyone.
Anne and I started our own affair. It wasn't some hot-blooded, passionate romance, but two friends giving each other what they need. Without Anne, I wouldn't have been able to maintain the charade of being the oblivious cuckold. But when Keri would come home smiling after spending time with Perry, I was able to bear it, smiling back because I had my own lover.
After three and a half years, Keri completed her MSN and was promoted at her hospital. Her salary went up substantially and was now higher than mine. When the kids and I made her a "congratulations dinner", I made a joke about her being the "breadwinner" for the family and she laughed, joking back I should be a stay at home dad now.
A month later, I went back to the lawyer (who didn't remember me at first) and told her the financial situation had drastically changed. With these new facts, she drafted the petition and filed it. When the kids were with my mother, I had Keri served. The deputy knocked on our front door and I let him in, pointing at my wife. He asked her name and then handed her a copy of the divorce petition. With the deputy standing there, I told Keri I knew all about her affair with Perry (but I didn't tell her how long I'd known). I told her to go be happy with her doctor lover. She screamed at me, tried to lie, and then made the mistake of rushing toward me.
The deputy stopped her and warned her that women go to jail for domestic violence, too, "now". He suggested she pack a bag to stay somewhere else. Keri left after I promised not to tell the kids about her affair. I didn't tell the kids. But I told my mother, who told my sister, who told her kids, who told their cousins (my kids). It took a few days, but eventually the kids knew that dad was divorcing mom because "she had a boyfriend".
In the end, the court granted the divorce, giving me primary custody of our kids (because I was already their primary caretaker), I kept the house with the promise I'd refinance to buy out Keri's half, she was ordered to pay child support, and I used that fact to negotiate with her to give up any rights to my retirement if I bought her out.
I was able to refinance "my" home (it was the era when banks threw money at everyone to buy or refinance a mortgage) and with a little money borrowed from my parents, I bought our Keri's community property interest in the home and in my retirement. The day she signed all the paperwork with my lawyer finally ending any possible financial obligations to her was the happiest I'd been. I felt like I could finally breathe. I celebrated with Anne who'd been my rock through all of it. I'm not ashamed to say that through the years I'd cried many times in her arms. Anne and I would eventually marry. She got promoted to a higher position and I was "convinced" to take back my previous position at the district when my youngest child reached high school.
Keri and I got along well after the divorce. We took the kids to family therapy and worked out this co-parenting thing. For the few few months, she took a beating from the kids about "why she needed a boyfriend when daddy was there all along?" Between the kids and the therapist raking her over the coals, I didn't have to say anything at all. Keri missed a lot of time with the kids because of her now legitimately busy work schedule and I actually felt bad that my kids were missing time with their mother, so encouraged them to talk to her on the phone instead.
When Keri found out that I'd proposed to Anne, she congratulated me. I told her its okay for her to marry Perry, too. She got sad. She told me that Perry had started seeing another woman, a younger nurse at the hospital, because with her new position, she didn't have time for him and when they did get together, she wasn't "fun" anymore. My ex-wife, the woman who'd cheated on me and destroyed our marriage, was looking to me for sympathy. I had none to give.
What I had was years of anger and frustration. Years of knowing some other man was sleeping with my wife. I'd lost weight from not being able to eat, I'd suffered hypertension and had to confide in my doctor why it wasn't the stress of my job. I had to listen to my dentist complain about how I was grinding and listening to him tell me I'd need dental implants if it kept up. There were times when I had to be intimate with Keri to keep up the charade (fortunately infrequently), only to lie that I wanted to use condoms to "remind us how we used to have sex when we were dating" or "because I might have a bladder infection", then go take a STD test anyway and wait for the results before seeing Anne again.
But in the end, it was all worth it. Sure, Keri got a big payout when I bought her out of the house and my retirement, which she was trickling back to me through child support, but she lost everything else. Her kids only saw her every other weekend and spent a couple of holidays with her. Perry dumped her and he was no great catch anyway, since he was twice divorced with five kids and paying alimony and child support through the nose. I kept my kept my kids, my house, my income, my retirement, I got Anne, and I am genuinely happy -- all in a community property state with no fault divorce.
If that's not "pro revenge", then I don't know what is.
TL;DR: Wife cheated and instead of divorcing her right away, I spent years putting her through additional schooling and taking over caring for our kids so that when I did divorce her in our community property, no fault state, she'd be paying me.
THIS IS A REPOST SUB - I AM NOT THE OOP. DO NOT CONTACT THE OOP OR COMMENT ON THE ORIGINAL POST

Congratulations! You are caller number 203 here on POPH - Popheads Radio! You have won a front-row seat to our next rate. Don your Juicy Couture, make very normal facial expressions and limber up because it’s time for...

The Mid-00s Radio Pop Rate!

The mid-aughts are remembered for a lot of things: the dawn of the social media craze (and related messiness) with MySpace, the beginning of the Golden Age of Television, stores that sell dark clothes, dark stores that sell clothes...I could go on. The music of the time is no exception - the mid-2000s saw new genres enter the mainstream conscious (crunk, metalcore, ringtone rap) while older, more established genres gained popularity (pop punk, country, singer-songwriter). At the center of the musical zeitgeist was an incredibly strong and savvy pop sphere. With this period encompassing the fullest power of artists like Britney, Shakira, Justin Timberlake, P!nk, Rihanna, Nelly Furtado, Alicia Keys and more, it was truly a blessed time in Top 40 Radio.
The Billboard charts were often greeted by three acts in particular who contributed several of the most iconic pop tracks of the period. These artists seamlessly fused pop sensibilities with influences from other genres to produce radio hit after radio hit. This month, we will be diving into three seminal albums of 2000s pop music: Monkey Business, PCD, and Shock Value.

Black Eyed Peas - Monkey Business

Although the Black Eyed Peas are probably most well known as the foursome of will.i.am, Fergie, Taboo and Apl.de.ap, they actually had their beginnings much earlier than the 2000's when they first blew up in popularity. Actually if you wanted to, you could trace the lineage of the Black Eyed Peas back to the olden days of 1988. Radio was filled with the hits of artists such as Pet Shop Boys (do 80's duos in September), Roxette (do 80's duos in September) and other artists of the time.
But more importantly than any of that, high schoolers William Adams Jr. (will.i.am.) and Allan Lindo Jr. (Apl.de.ap) joined together for the first time alongside some friends to create the beginnings of the group, initially a hip-hop / dance crew. The group was noticed and signed by N.W.A rapper Eazy-E, though their debut album was shelved and contract stalled after Eazy-E's death. The next iteration of the group added additional long time member Jaime Gomez (Taboo) as well as vocalist Kim Hill. The group took up the moniker Black Eyed Pods (later changed to the more famous Peas) and released two well-received rap albums, though both had limited commercial success.
After their second album the group shifted away from critical reception and began to focus more on mass market appeal. Taboo would describe it as "if he was going to sell out, he'd rather be selling out arenas than selling out of my trunk on the corner of my block." Kim Hill had left the group after the 2nd album and they got Stacy Ferguson (Fergie) to fill the spot. Although originally only supposed to be a feature on one song, the recording went well enough that the group formally invited her as a permanent member and she was made to be the final addition of the Black Eyed Peas quartet. In 2003 the group released their first album with their line-up of four titled Elephunk.
Elephunk was a sizeable success over their previous efforts and spawned a number of hits including a top 10 song with Where Is The Love, co-wrote and featuring Justin Timberlake. Following singles Shut Up, Hey Mama, and Let's Get It Started all became moderate hits, with the latter giving them their first Grammy nominations and also a win for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. It seems at this point for critical and commercial success they could both have their cake and eat it too.
At this point the group was enjoying their new-found success. They managed to soundtrack one of the earliest iPod silhouette commercials, had their music promote the 2004 NBA playoffs, and were contacted by EA to soundtrack a spinoff of the Sims franchise titled 'The Urbz: Sims in the City', in which they recorded some Simlish bangers and appeared as themselves in-game. While enjoying their newfound popularity touring to promote Elephunk, the group began working on their follow-up album and in 2005 they released Monkey Business.
While Monkey Business was said to be another step down critically, commercially it reached heights that Black Eyed Peas could only previously dream of. The album was a resounding success for the group as it became their first album to debut in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 (at number 2). It also spawned two massive singles, My Humps and Don’t Phunk With My Heart, both of which hit a career peak for the group at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 with another two singles, Pump It and Don’t Lie, also hitting the top 20.
To say the critical reception was mixed would not be doing the discourse justice. While the production on the album was praised, the lyrics were often derided for the continued focus on only commercial appeal. A good amount of the discussion was particularly focused around the single ‘My Humps’ which despite being called ‘one of the worst songs of all time’ by multiple critics also managed to pick up a Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals beating out fellow rate competitor The Pussycat Dolls, as well as critical faves Death Cab For Cutie.
Still, the Black Eyed Peas were the ones laughing to the bank in the end. The album was an even bigger success than their previous one and brought them even further into the mainstream appeal they were aiming for a couple years prior. And although the name ‘Black Eyed Peas’ nowadays is taken a little bit as a joke due to the continued release of commercially popular, albeit critically panned singles, Monkey Business remains a great listen as long as you don’t mind shutting your mind off at times and letting your body go wild to the music.

1. Pump It
2. Don’t Phunk With My Heart
3. My Style (feat. Justin Timberlake)
4. Don’t Lie
5. My Humps
6. Like That
7. Dum Diddly (feat. Dante Santiago)
8. Feel It
9. Gone Going
10. They Don’t Want Music (feat. James Brown)
11. Disco Club
12. Bebot
13. Ba Bump
14. Audio Delite at Low Fidelity
15. Union
16. Do What You Want
17. If You Want Love

Pussycat Dolls - PCD

Here’s a fun fact for you - the Pussycat Dolls did not begin as a girl group. In fact, before they ever set foot in a recording studio, the Pussycat Dolls were founded in 1995 in Los Angeles, CA as a burlesque dance troupe by Robin Antwin and her roommate Christina Applegate. Yes, that Christina Applegate. The troupe performed at a nightclub in LA weekly with a rotating lineup of dancers and guest performers that ranged from Carmen Electra to Gwen Stefani to Christina Aguilera (hmm…that froot looks familiar). The troupe made guest appearances in movies, music videos and Maxim. After encouragement from Interscope Records music producers, the group changed its lineup and pivoted from the glamorous and sweaty world of burlesque dance to the glamorous and sweaty world of pop music.
After a culling of the lineup and auditions to find additional vocalists, Nicole Scherzinger, Melody Thornton and Kaya Jones joined seven other members who were holdovers from the prior troupe to form the PCD recording group (another fun fact here- this lineup almost included actress Carmen Electra). Their early days saw the release of a single, Sway, a contribution to the Shark Tale OST, and performances alongside Carmen Electra, (spins wheel) Tom Jones and (throws dart at a wall covered in names) Patti LaBelle (no, seriously…they brought Patti into this). With that introduction to the pop music world, PCD dropped. And what a drop it was.
PCD sold three million copies in the US and was twelfth on the 2006 year end Billboard 200. Of the six singles from this album cycle, five made it on the Billboard Hot 100 - Don’t Cha, Stickwutu, a remix of Buttons with Snoop Dogg, Beep and Wait A Minute. They toured with the Black Eyed Peas as well as a joint tour with Christina Aguileira and Danity Kane. Inarguably most illustrious, a Simlish version of Don’t Cha appears in The Sims 2: Pets. Critically they received less praise; AllMusic gave the album three out of five stars and IGN gave it 5.9/10 while other more mainstream music journals such as Rolling Stones as far as I can tell didn’t even touch it.
The group would go on to release one more album before its initial disbandment, long hiatus, reunion and almost immediate second disbandment. Despite only creating two studio albums, they redefined what a girl group could be and became the first all-female group in digital history to amass three songs that sold over 2 million units. They are icons of the mid-2000s who became cultural touchstones while also delivering us some bangers. Please, sit back, relax, loosen up your buttons, and enjoy PCD.

1. Don’t Cha (feat. Busta Rhymes)
2. Beep (feat. will.i.am.)
3. Wait A Minute (feat. Timbaland)
4. Stickwitu
5. Buttons
6. I Don’t Need A Man
7. Hot Stuff (I Want You Back)
8. How Many Times, How Many Lies
9. Bite The Dust
10. Right Now
11. Tainted Love / Where Did Our Love Go
12. Feelin’ Good
13. Sway
14. Flirt
15. We Went As Far As We Felt Like Going

Timbaland - Shock Value

Though the other two groups in this rate really came into prominence in the 2000's, Timbaland (aka Timothy Mosley) had been a well known name throughout the 90's thanks to his stellar production work, which includes some former rated albums like Missy Elliott's Supa Dupa Fly and Aaliyah's One In A Million. He also released a debut solo album in the 90's titled Tim's Bio, though its success was limited compared to his production work. His production work continued throughout the early 2000’s producing follow-ups for both Missy and Aaliyah, as well as credits on other artists such as Ginuwine and Justin Timberlake.
By the mid 2000’s, Timbaland was continuing to work with the biggest names in the industry. He helped produce and featured on fellow rate competitor Pussycat Dolls’ Wait A Minute, and produced one of the biggest albums of 2006 with Justin Timberlake’s FutureSex/LoveSounds. In 2006 Timbaland had also formed a new record label called Mosley Music Group as a successor to his previous group Beat Club. Alongside himself, some other big names for the label included Canadian singer Nelly Furtado, as well as relative unknowns (at the time) songwriter Keri Hilson and pop rock band OneRepublic. The label's very first release was Furtado's Loose which was a smash hit, hitting number one on the Billboard 200 and spawning two number one hits on the Hot 100 with Promiscuous and Say It Right.
With the label off to a smashing start the next album for release was rumoured to be his own solo effort titled 'Shock Value'. The album was said to be filled with a star studded cast across multiple genres including Elton John (do Piano Men rate), Missy Elliott, Fall Out Boy, and many many others. The album was officially confirmed with the release of its first single ‘Give It To Me’ in early 2007.
Give It To Me quickly hit number one on the Hot 100, giving Timbaland his first number one as a lead artist. In an interesting case of paying things back, both Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake feature on the track and both got their first number one hits with Timbaland as a guest feature (on Promiscuous and SexyBack respectively). Later singles The Way I Are and Apologize were also smash successes from the album, with both landing in the top 3 of the Hot 100 (#3 for The Way I Are and #2 for Apologize). The Way I Are featured label-mates Keri Hilson and D.O.E. while Apologize also famously brought OneRepublic into the public's notice for the first time. Later in the year Timbaland would produce and release their debut album, Dreaming Out Loud.
Despite the popular success of the singles, the critical reception to the album itself was a little more mixed. The album's promotion was further hit after a planned tour for the album was cancelled one day before it was set to begin. Even more unfortunate still is he’s also the only artist in the rate without any ties to The Sims franchise, which already puts him at a big disadvantage. Still, with the three big singles all sitting comfortably in the hundreds of millions of plays on streaming it's safe to say that it's still fondly remembered by the general public to this day.
He continued producing hits through the late 2000’s including songs like Madonna’s 4 Minutes and Shakira’s Give It Up To Me. Timbaland later followed up this album with Shock Value II and while it didn't have the same level of chart success, it had a couple of moderate hits with Carry Out and If We Ever Meet Again. Although Timbaland's chart successes after Shock Value never matched to the highs they once were, the hold he had on the music industry in the 90's and 00's cannot be denied. And hey, it's not like he's completely removed from the trends of the modern age

1. Oh Timbaland
2. Give It To Me (feat. Justin Timberlake & Nelly Furtado)
3. Release (feat. Justin Timberlake)
4. The Way I Are (feat. Keri Hilson & D.O.E.)
5. Bounce (feat. Missy Elliott, Justin Timberlake & Dr. Dre)
6. Come and Get Me (feat. 50 Cent & Tony Yayo)
7. Kill Yourself (feat. Sebastian & Attitude)
8. Boardmeeting (feat. Magoo)
9. Fantasy (feat. Money)
10. Scream (feat. Keri Hilson & Nicole Scherzinger)
11. Miscommunication (feat. Keri Hilson & Sebastian)
12. Bombay (feat. Amar & Jim Beanz)
13. Throw It On Me (feat. The Hives)
14. Time (feat. She Wants Revenge)
15. One and Only (feat. Fall Out Boy)
16. Apologize (feat. OneRepublic)
17. 2 Man Show (feat. Elton John)

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Other Rates

K-Pop (due June 15)
Piano Men (due June)
Hot 100 Year End Singles of 2014 (due July)
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To continue this compilation list, I will do Kanye West. Now, this one is highly recommended by some people on this sub so I might as well do it. So for you Kanye fans, it's finally here.
I will start with Kanye's first album College Dropout, which released in 2004 and then continue until his recent Vulture 1 album this year with Ty Dolla Sign. Despite his controversial history, Kanye seems like a musician that will never truly fall off because he keeps reinventing himself, but that's just my guess.
I'm not gonna do all of his songs (obviously, because that'd take forever, and all those other songs that charted probably came a track on his album that was never released as a single), but pretty much all of his main singles and features.
From that period, I'll see which songs of his lean more McBling, Electropop, Core 10s, CovidTok, or even Y2K or Core 20s.
I feel like some of these guesses are off but they're just best guesses. I'll probably end up revising it anyway.
Let's begin.
Y2K Era

• His albumless singles
  • Real Love w/ Rell & Consequence - 2004 (early 2000s); arguably 2K1.

Not distinctly Y2K or McBling (a.k.a. "2K1")

• His albumless singles
  • Y2K leaning
    • Welcome to Chicago w/ Abstract Mindstate - 2001 (early 2000s); Just a guess. It could arguably be Y2K.
  • McBling leaning
    • Get By w/ Talib Kweli, Mos Def, Jay-Z, & Busta Rhymes - 2003 (early 2000s)
    • Wouldn't You Like to Ride? w/ Malif Yusef & Common - 2003 (early 2000s)
    • Talk About Our Love w/ Brandy - 2004 (early 2000s); arguably straight up McBling.
    • The Food w/ Common - 2004 (early 2000s)
    • Selfish w/ Slum Village & John Legend - 2004 (early 2000s)
    • The Corner w/ Common & The Last Poets - 2005 (early 2000s)

McBling Era

• The College Dropout album singles - an early/mid 2000s cusp McBling album
  • Through The Wire - 2003 (early/mid 2000s cusp)
  • Slow Jamz w/ Twista ft. Jamie Foxx - 2003 (early/mid 2000s cusp)
  • All Falls Down w/ Syleena Johnson - 2004 (early 2000s); it could possibly be argued as 2K1.
  • Jesus Walks - 2004 (mid 2000s)
  • The New Workout Plan - 2004 (early/mid 2000s cusp)
• His albumless singles
  • This Way w/ Dilated Peoples - 2004 (early/mid 2000s cusp)
  • Hold On w/ Dwele & Consequence - 2004 (early/mid 2000s cusp)
  • Higher w/ Do or Die - 2004 (early 2000s); arguably 2K1.
  • Down and Out w/ Cam'ron & Syleena Johnson - 2005 (early 2000s)
  • GO! w/ Common & John Mayer - 2005 (early 2000s)
  • Pusha Man w/ Bump J - 2005 (mid 2000s)
  • Number One w/ John Legend - 2005 (mid 2000s); this barely counts.
  • Brand New w/ Rhymefest - 2005 (mid 2000s); this doesn't sound distinctly mid 2000s tho.
  • Extravaganza w/ Jamie Foxx - 2005 (mid 2000s); this also doesn't sound distinctly mid 2000s.
  • Impossible ft. Twista, Keyshia Cole, & BJ - 2006 (mid 2000s); the theme song for Mission: Impossible III, but was not on its soundtrack album.
  • Back Like That w/ Ghostface Killah & Ne-Yo - 2006 (mid 2000s)
  • Grammy Family w/ DJ Khaled, Consequence, & John Legend - 2006 (mid 2000s)
  • Number One w/ Pharrell - 2006 (mid 2000s)
  • Wouldn't Get Far w/ The Game - 2007 (mid 2000s)
  • I Still Love H.E.R. w/ Teriyaki Boyz - 2007 (mid 2000s)
  • Classic w/ Nas, KRS-One, & Rakim - 2007 (mid 2000s)
  • This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race (remix) w/ Fall Out Boy - 2007 (mid/late 2000s cusp)
  • Because of You (remix) w/ Ne-Yo - 2007 (mid/late 2000s cusp)
  • Anything w/ Patti Labelle, Consequence, & Mary Mary - 2007 (mid/late 2000s cusp)
  • Pro Nails w/ Kid Sister - 2007 (mid/late 2000s cusp)
  • Stay Up! w/ 88-Keys - 2008 (late 2000s); arguably 2K7.
• Late Registration album singles - a mid 2000s McBling album
  • Diamonds From Sierra Leone - 2005 (mid 2000s)
  • Gold Digger ft. Jamie Foxx - 2005 (mid 2000s)
  • Heard 'Em Say ft. Adam Levine - 2005 (early/mid 2000s cusp)
  • Touch The Sky ft. Lupe Fiasco - 2006 (mid 2000s)
  • Drive Slow ft. Paul Wall, GLC, & T.I. - 2006 (mid 2000s)
• Graduation album singles - largely a 2K7 album
  • Homecoming - 2008 (late 2000s)

Not distinctly McBling or Electropop (a.k.a. "2K7")

• His albumless singles
  • McBling leaning
    • Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin') (remix) w/ T-Pain & Yung Joc - 2007 (late 2000s); arguably straight up McBling.
    • Finer Things w/ DJ Felli Fell, Jermaine Dupri. Fabolous, & Ne-Yo - 2008 (late 2000s); arguably straight up McBling.
    • American Boy w/ Estelle - 2008 (late 2000s)
    • Put On w/ Young Jeezy - 2008 (late 2000s)
    • Everybody w/ Fonzworth Bentley & Andre 3000 - 2008 (late 2000s)
    • Plastic w/ Really Doe - 2008 (late 2000s)
  • Electropop leaning
    • Lollipop (remix) w/ Lil Wayne - 2008 (late 2000s)
    • Swagga Like Us w/ Jay-Z, T.I., & Lil Wayne - 2008 (late 2000s)
    • Go Hard w/ DJ Khaled & T-Pain - 2008 (late 2000s)
    • What It Is w/ Sophia Fresh - 2008 (late 2000s)
    • Big Screen w/ GLC - 2009 (late 2000s); arguably straight up Electropop.
    • Kinda Like A Big Deal w/ Clipse - 2009 (late 2000s)
    • Walkin' On The Moon w/ The-Dream - 2009 (late 2000s)
    • Maybach Music 2 w/ Rick Ross, T-Pain, & Lil Wayne - 2009 (late 2000s)
    • Make Her Say w/ Kid Cudi & Common - 2009 (late 2000s); arguably straight up Electropop.
    • Digital Girl w/ Jamie Foxx, Drake, & The-Dream - 2009 (late 2000s)
    • Supernova w/ Mr. Hudson - 2009 (late 2000s)
    • Start It Up w/ Lloyd Banks, Ryan Leslie, Swizz Beats, & Fabolous - 2010 (late 2000s)
• Graduation album singles - largely a 2K7 album
  • McBling leaning
    • Can't Tell Me Nothing - 2007 (late 2000s)
    • Flashing Lights ft. Dwele - 2007 (late 2000s)
  • Electropop leaning
    • Stronger - 2007 (late 2000s); this is a tough one; it could arguably be straight up Electropop (originally thought it was pure Electropop, but I changed my mind on this).
    • Good Life ft. T-Pain - 2007 (late 2000s)
• 808s & Heartbreak album singles - a 2K7/Electropop cusp album
  • McBling leaning
    • None
  • Electropop leaning
    • Heartless - 2008 (late 2000s); arguably straight up Electropop.
    • Amazing ft. Young Jeezy - 2009 (late 2000s); arguably straight up Electropop.

Electropop Era

• 808s & Heartbreak album singles - a 2K7/Electropop cusp album
  • Love Lockdown - 2008 (late 2000s)
  • Paranoid ft. Mr. Hudson - 2009 (late 2000s/early 10s cusp)
• His albumless singles
  • Knock You Down w/ Keri Hilson & Ne-Yo - 2009 (late 2000s)
  • Run This Town w/ Jay-Z & Rihanna - 2009 (late 2000s)
  • Forever w/ Drake, Lil Wayne, & Eminem - 2009 (late 2000s)
  • Whatever U Want w/ Consequence & John Legend - 2009 (late 2000s)
  • We Are The World 25 for Haiti w/ various artists - 2010 (late 2000s)
  • Live Fast, Die Young w/ Rick Ross - 2010 (late 2000s)
  • Erase Me w/ Kid Cudi - 2010 (late 2000/early 10s cusp); has some elements of other decades.
  • Alors on Danse (remix) w/ Stromae & Gilbere Forte - 2010 (late 2000s/early 10s cusp)
  • Deuces (remix) w/ Chris Brown, Drake, T.I., Fabolous, Rick Ross, & Andre 3000 - 2010 (late 2000s)
  • In For The Kill (remix) w/ La Roux - 2010 (late 2000s/early 10s cusp)
  • Ayy Girl w/ JYJ & Malik Yousef - 2010 (late 2000s)
  • Hurricane 2.0 w/ Thirty Seconds To Mars - 2010 (late 2000s)
  • Christmas In Harlem w/ Teyana Taylor & Cyhi the Prynce - 2010 (late 2000s)
  • E.T. w/ Katy Perry - 2011 (late 2000s/early 10s cusp)
  • Marvin & Chardonnay w/ Big Sean & Roscoe Dash - 2011 (late 2000s/early 10s cusp)
  • Amen w/ Pusha T & Young Jeezy - 2011 (late 2000s)
  • I Wish You Would w/ DJ Khaled & Rick Ross - 2012 (late 2000s/early 10s cusp)
  • Pride N Joy w/ Fat Joe, Miguel, Jadakiss, Mos Def, DJ Khaled, Roscoe Dash, & Busta Rhymes - 2012 (late 2000s/early 10s cusp)
  • Another You w/ The World Famous Tony Williams - 2012 (late 2000s/early 10s cusp)
  • Figure It Out w/ French Montana & Nas - 2016 (early 10s); I feel like this sounds very dated for 2016. I could be wrong on where I placed this, though.
  • Love Yourself w/ Mary J. Blige - 2017 (early 10s); Call me crazy but I think this sounds very dated for 2017.
• My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy album singles - largely an Electropop album
  • Power - 2010 (late 2000s/early 10s cusp)
  • Monster ft. Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj, & Bon Iver - 2010 (late 2000s/early 10s cusp)
  • All Of The Lights ft. Rihanna & Kid Cudi - 2011 (late 2000s)
• Watch The Throne (w/ Jay-Z) album singles - a pure Electropop album
  • H.A.M. w/ Jay-Z - 2011 (late 2000s/early 10s cusp)
  • Otis w/ Jay-Z & Otis Redding - 2011 (late 2000s/early 10s cusp)
  • Lift Off w/ Jay-Z ft. Beyonce - 2011 (late 2000s/early 10s cusp)
  • Niggas In Paris w/ Jay-Z - 2011 (late 2000s/early 10s cusp)
  • Why I Love You w/ Jay-Z - 2011 (late 2000s/early 10s cusp)
  • Gotta Have It w/ Jay-Z - 2011 (late 2000s/early 10s cusp)
  • No Church In The Wild w/ Jay-Z ft. Frank Ocean & The-Dream - 2012 (early 10s); arguably 2K12.
  • Birthday Song w/ 2 Chainz - 2012 (early 10s); arguably 2K12.
• Cruel Summer album singles - an Electropop/2K12 cusp album
  • Cold ft. DJ Khaled - 2012 (early 10s)
  • New God Flow ft. Pusha T - 2012 (late 2000s/early 10s cusp)
  • Clique ft. Big Sean & Jay-Z - 2012 (early 10s); arguably 2K12.

Not distinctly Electropop or Core 10s (a.k.a. "2K12")

• My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy album singles - largely an Electropop album
  • Electropop leaning
    • Runaway ft. Pusha T - 2010 (early 10s); arguably straight up Electropop. Song was ahead of its time.
  • Core 10s leaning
    • None
• Cruel Summer album singles - an Electropop/2K12 cusp album
  • Electropop leaning
    • None
  • Core 10s leaning
    • Mercy ft. Big Sean, Pusha T, & 2 Chainz - 2012 (early 10s)
• His albumless singles
  • Electropop leaning
    • Diamonds (remix) w/ Rihanna - 2012 (early 10s)
  • Core 10s leaning
    • Scape Goat (The Fix) w/ D'banj - 2013 (early 10s)
    • Thank You w/ Busta Rhymes, Q-Tip, & Lil Wayne - 2013 (early 10s)
    • I Won w/ Future - 2014 (early 10s)
• Yeezus album singles - a 2K12 album
  • Electropop leaning
    • Black Skinhead - 2013 (early 10s)
  • Core 10s leaning
    • Bound 2 - 2013 (early 10s)

Core 10s

• His albumless singles
  • Nobody w/ Chief Keef - 2014 (early 10s)
  • Only One ft. Paul McCartney - 2014 (early/mid 10s cusp); This is my best guess. This one is kinda hard for me to figure out.
  • ForFiveSeconds w/ Rihanna & Paul McCartney - 2015 (mid 10s)
  • All Day ft. Theophilus London, Allan Kingdom, & Paul McCartney - 2015 (mid 10s)
  • Blessings w/ Big Sean & Drake - 2015 (mid 10s)
  • U Mad w/ Vic Mensa - 2015 (mid 10s)
  • One Man Can Change The World w/ Big Sean & John Legend - 2015 (mid 10s)
  • Pop Style w/ Drake & Jay-Z - 2016 (mid 10s)
  • THat Part w/ ScHoolboy Q - 2016 (mid 10s)
  • Ballin w/ Juicy J - 2016 (mid 10s)
  • Timmy Turner (remix) w/ Desiigner - 2016 (mid 10s)
  • Castro w/ Yo Gotti, Quavo, Big Sean, & 2 Chainz - 2016 (mid 10s)
  • Friends w/ Francis and the Lights & Bon Iver - 2016 (mid 10s)
  • Champions ft. Gucci Mane, Big Sean, 2 Chainz, Travis Scott, Yo Gotti, Quavo, & Desiigner - 2016 (mid 10s)
  • Glow w/ Drake - 2017 (mid 10s)
  • Watch w/ Travis Scott & Lil Uzi Vert - 2018 (late 10s)
  • What Would Meek Do w/ Pusha T - 2018 (mid/late 10s cusp)
  • Ye vs. the People ft. T.I. - 2018 (mid 10s)
• The Life of Pablo album singles - a Core 10s album
  • Famous - 2016 (mid 10s)
  • Father Stretch My Hands, Pt. 1 - 2016 (mid 10s)
    • Pt. 2 - 2016 (mid 10s)
  • Fade ft. Post Malone & Ty Dolla $ign - 2016 (mid 10s)

Not distinctly Core 10s or CovidTok (a.k.a. "2K18")

• His albumless singles
  • Core 10s leaning
    • Lift Yourself - 2018 (late 10s)
    • Yikes - 2018 (late 10s)
    • All Mine - 2018 (late 10s); arguably just Core 10s.
    • XTCY - 2018 (late 10s)
    • Take Me To The Light w/ Francis and the Lights & Bon Iver - 2019 (late 10s)
  • CovidTok leaning
    • I Love It w/ Lil Pump ft. Adele Givens - 2018 (late 10s)
    • Ego Death w/ Ty Dolla $ign, FKA twigs, & Skrillex - 2020 (late 10s); arguably straight up CovidTok.
    • Smack DVD w/ Saint Jihn - 2020 (late 10s)
    • Daylight w/ Vory - 2022 (late 10s); arguably straight up CovidTok.
• Jesus Is King album singles - a 2K18 album
  • Core 10s leaning
    • None
  • CovidTok leaning
    • Follow God - 2019 (late 10s)
    • Closed On Sunday - 2019 (late 10s)
• Donda album singles - a 2K18/CovidTok cusp album
  • Core 10s leaning
    • None
  • CovidTok leaning
    • Life Of The Party ft. Andre 3000 - 2021 (late 10s); doesn't really sound distinct of any period; it could possibly come out in the 2000s or earlier 2010s as well.

CovidTok Era

• His albumless singles
  • Wash Us In The Blood ft. Travis Scott - 2020 (late 10s); arguably 2K18.
  • Nah Nah Nah ft. DaBaby & 2 Chainz - 2020 (late 10s); arguably 2K18.
  • Burn Everything w/ Sean Leon - 2022 (late 10s/early 20s cusp)
  • Hot Shit w/ Cardi B & Lil Durk - 2022 (early 20s)
• Donda album singles - a 2K18/CovidTok cusp album
  • Hurricane ft. The Weeknd & Lil Baby - 2021 (late 10s)
  • Believe What I Say - 2021 (late 10s)
  • Off The Grid ft. Playboi Carti & Fivio Foreign - 2021 (late 10s/early 20s cusp)
• Donda 2 album singles - a CovidTok/2K22 cusp album
  • Eazy w/ The Game - 2022 (early 20s); could arguably be 2K22 but maybe I'm way off.
  • City of Gods w/ Fivio Foreign & Alicia Keys - 2022 (early 20s)
  • Keep It Burnin w/ Future - 2022 (late 10s/early 20s cusp)

Not distinctly CovidTok or Core 20s (a.k.a. "2K22")

• Donda 2 album singles - a CovidTok/2K22 cusp album
  • CovidTok leaning
    • True Love w/ XXXTentacion - 2022 (early 20s); could arguably be straight up CovidTok.
  • Core 20s leaning
    • None
• Vultures 1 (w/ Ty Dolla Sign as the supergroup ¥$) album singles - a 2K22/Core 20s cusp album
  • CovidTok leaning
    • Vultures (Havoc Version) w/ Ty Dolla Sign ft. Bump J & Lil Durk - 2023 (early 20s)
  • Core 20s leaning
    • Carnival w/ Ty Dolla Sign ft. Playboi Carti & Rich The Kid - 2024 (early 20s); arguably just Core 20s.

Core 20s

• Vultures 1 (w/ Ty Dolla Sign as the supergroup ¥$) album singles - a 2K22/Core 20s cusp album
  • Talking / Once Again w/ Ty Dolla Sign ft. North West - 2024 (early 20s?); arguably 2K22.

​
Well, that does it. This list is finally done. Kanye West was a very un-90s artist and totally a product of the new millennium, being one of the most prominent musicians, let alone hip-hop artists, of the 21st Century.
For those who comment on this post, when do you think that Kanye's career peaked? I would guess sometime during the Electropop era or maybe Late McBling. Around 2007-2011, I think.

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Enjoy your weekend! If I missed any huge pride events please add them down below!

THURSDAY - MAY 30th

Red Sox vs Tigers @ Fenway Park @ 7:10PM
Rolling Stones @ Gillette Stadium @ 7:30PM
Museums at Night @ Harvard Art Museums @ 5PM Get ready for an evening of art, music, food, and more! This event is free and open to everyone.
‘Train to Busan: Extended Cut’ Screening @ MFA @ 7PM *Part of the Hallyu Hits: Korean Films that Moved the World Series
Mojo Brooks @ Laugh Boston @ 8PM
Bryson Tiller @ MGM Music Hall @ 8PM
Cole Swindell @ Leader Bank Pavilion @ 7PM
Reik @ Wang Theatre @ 8PM
Tank @ Orpheum Theatre @ 8PM With Keri Hilson & Carl Thomas
Camera Obscura @ Paradise Rock Club @ 8PM
Latrell James @ Brighton Music Hall @ 7PM
Nation of Language @ Royale @ 7PM
A Place to Bury Strangers @ Crystal Ballroom @ 8PM

FRIDAY - MAY 31st

Red Sox vs Tigers @ Fenway Park @ 7:10PM
‘Snowpiercer’ Screening @ MFA @ 7PM *Part of the Hallyu Hits: Korean Films that Moved the World Series
K-Pop Night @ MFA @ 6PM Enjoy art making and dancing, listen to K-Pop hits, photo booth, contests, and explore ‘Hallyu! The Korean Wave’ exhibition in a special tour.
Jesus Trejo Stand Up @ Laugh Boston @ 7PM / 10PM
21 Savage @ Xfinity Center @ 7PM With J.I.D & Nardo Wick
Bryson Tiller @ MGM Music Hall @ 8PM
Dexta Daps @ House of Blues @ 7PM
Smash Into Pieces @ Brighton Music Hall @ 6PM WIth Versus Me
Solid Pink Disco @ Big Night Live @ 7PM With DJ Trixie
Prateek Kuhad @ Royale @ 6:30PM
Bakermat @ Royale @ 10PM
Strawberry Guy @ Crystal Ballroom @ 8PM With Johanna Samuels

SATURDAY - JUNE 1st

Red Sox vs Tigers @ Fenway Park @ 4:10PM
Ongoing - Artisan Market @ Rose Kennedy Greenway @ 11AM
Small Mart @ Crystal Ballroom @ 11AM Visit this curated market featuring 40+ of favorite local artisans, vintage, makers and experiential vendors.
Boston Caribbean American Heritage Festival @ Lewis Athletic Center @ 12PM Enjoy traditional music, dance, food, and cultural experiences in celebration of National Caribbean American Heritage Month!
Spring Fest @ Fisher Hill Reservoir Park @ 11AM This community festival supports environmental education and action and is perfect for families to enjoy games and activities and shop from local vendors.
Beyond the Spectrum Kids: Pride & Portraits @ MFA @ 10:30AM Kids will explore self-expression and identity-building through expressive and abstract art.
Desi Banks Stand Up @ The Wilbur @ 8PM
Giulio Gallarotti Stand Up @ Laugh Boston @ 7PM / 10PM
Pride Night Concert ft. Thorgy Thor @ Symphony Hall @ 7:30PM Drag superstar Thorgy Thor and the Boston Pops kick off Pride Month with a night of comedy, style, and musical performances.
Kiss Concert 2024 @ Xfinity Center @ 6:30PM Featuring Doja Cat, Jason Derulo, Shinedown, Knox, & more!
Gunna @ MGM Music Hall @ 8PM
Knocked Loose @ Roadrunner @ 7PM With Loathe, Show Me The Body, & Speed
ERRA @ Paradise Rock Club @ 6PM With Make Them Suffer
Jake Swamp and the Pine @ Brighton Music Hall @ 7PM
Deorro @ Big Night Live @ 9:30PM
Odd Mob @ Royale @ 10PM
The Ballroom Thieves @ The Sinclair @ 8:30PM

SUNDAY - JUNE 2nd

Red Sox vs Tigers @ Fenway Park @ 1:35PM
SomerStreets Carnaval @ East Somerville @ 2PM Enjoy delicious food, family activities and parade, live music, and explore over 30 vendors, restaurants, and artisans.
Ongoing - Open Market @ SoWa @ 11AM One of the largest open-air farmer and artist markets returns this summer season!
‘Minari’ Screening @ MFA @ 2:30PM
Jack Tucker Stand Up @ The Rockwell @ 7:30PM
Classic Albums Live: Pink Floyd @ Chevalier Theatre @ 8PM Hear Pink Floyd’s legendary album ‘The Wall’ played note for note, cut for cut in a special concert show.
Joe Dee Messina @ House of Blues @ 8PM With Jessica Lynn
X Ambassadors @ Paradise Rock Club @ 6:30PM With New West
Antonis Remos @ Royale @ 8:30PM
Charlotte Day Wilson @ The Sinclair @ 8PM With Ouri

ALL WEEKEND

THURSDAY & FRIDAY - Jeff Arcuri Stand Up @ The Wilbur
FRIDAY & SATURDAY - Briena Woodward Stand Up @ Nick’s Comedy Stop @ 8PM
FRIDAY & SATURDAY - ‘The Lion King Jr.’ Musical @ BCA Plaza Theatre Bring the Disney movie to life on your stage with Simba, Rafiki and an unforgettable cast of characters in this inspiring, coming-of-age tale perfect for the whole family.
All weekend - ‘Come From Away’ Musical @ Citizens Bank Opera House Based on true events, this touching musical takes the audience on a journey to Newfoundland as 7,000 new passengers suddenly arrive from post- 9/11 New York in hope to settle in a new community.
All weekend - ‘Gatsby’ Musical @ Loeb Drama Center F. Scott Fitzgerald’s legendary novel ‘The Great Gatsby’ comes to new life in this world-premiere grand musical with a score by international rock star Florence Welch from Florence + The Machine.
All weekend - ‘Toni Stone’ Play @ The Huntington Theatre The Huntington’s season finale is a beautiful, rich portrait of a trailblazing woman. Follow the inspiring and life-affirming story of baseball legend Toni Stone.
All weekend - ‘Yellow Face’ Play @ Lyric Stage Satirical and argumentative, this provocative comedic play explores the concepts of race and assimilation and asks the daring question “who has the ownership of a culture?”
All weekend - ‘Romeo and Juliet’ Play @ Calderwood Pavilion LAST CHANCE - Brought to life by Actors’ Shakespeare Project, Shakespeare’s most famous duo return in a flurry of forbidden love, exhilarating fight scenes, and tragic fate.
All weekend - ‘Nüwa in Fairyland’ Play @ BCA Plaza Theatre LAST CHANCE - Conceived by Chinese Canadian playwright Brandon Zang, ‘Nüwa in Fairyland’ fuses Shakespeare's charm with Chinese folklore into a coming-of-age tale.

ONGOING

Ongoing - Summer Market @ Seaport Seaport’s summer bazaar returns with a mix of popular returning artisans and new entrants, all offering a unique assortment of products from clothing to home décor, pet goods, food, and much more.
Ongoing - Immersive Disney Animation @ Boch Center Step into the art and legacy of Walt Disney Animation Studios and celebrate the music, artistry and animation from the creators of Frozen, The Little Mermaid, Big Hero 6 and many more.
Ongoing - Musical Shows @ MoS Planetarium Museum of Science puts on special experiences adapting the music of Pink Floyd, Rihanna, Beyoncé, and Prince to immersive visuals in the Charles Hayden Planetarium.
Ongoing - ‘Firelei Báez’ Exhibition @ ICA One of the most exciting painters of her generation, Báez explores the multilayered legacy of colonial histories and the African diaspora in the Caribbean and beyond.
Ongoing - ‘Wordplay’ Exhibition @ ICA Highlighting the rich interplay between imagery and text, the exhibition showcases how contemporary artists have played with words to animate and expand their art practices.
Ongoing - ‘Hallyu! The Korean Wave’ Exhibition @ MFA Enjoy an immersive and multisensory journey through Korea’s fascinating history, and celebrate its contemporary vibrant creative force.
Ongoing - ‘Dress Up’ Exhibition @ MFA Through more than 100 works from the MFA’s collection including 20th- and 21st-century clothing, jewelry, accessories, illustrations, and photographs, this exhibition explores adornment and its role in the creation of a look.
Ongoing - ‘Comrade Sisters: Women of the Black Panther Party’ Exhibition @ MFA This exhibition brings together 27 powerful photographs by Stephen Shames that feature the women of the Black Panther party and showcase their crucial work for the movement.
Ongoing - ‘Thinking Small: Dutch Art to Scale’ Exhibition @ MFA Featuring 15 intriguing objects from 17th-century Netherlands such as paintings, prints, silver medals, and books, this exhibition compels viewers to reconsider their relationship to the world around them.
Ongoing - ‘Picasso: War, Combat, and Revolution’ Exhibition @ Harvard Art Museums The exhibition explores the dictator Francisco Franco’s Spain, imagery of death, struggles of good and evil, political and artistic revolution, and issues of desire and capture.
Ongoing - ‘Our Time on Earth’ Exhibition @ Peabody Essex Museum This traveling exhibition from the Barbican Centre in London celebrates the power of global creativity to transform the conversation around the climate emergency.
Ongoing - ‘AI: Mind the Gap’ Exhibition @ MIT Museum MIT Museum presents its latest riveting, interactive exhibit exploring the tremendous promise, unforeseen impacts, and everyday misconceptions of AI.

Her affair actually ended. She had lied to me and told me it had ended months earlier. She wanted to apologize. The divorce is in the works. Court date at the end of the month.
I wasn’t sure about meeting with her. Every time we met/talked it absolutely ruined my week. I reluctantly agreed.
She informed me that she has come out of a fog and she realizes how poorly she had treated me. She said that she is worried that she may have ruined any chance at an amicable relationship for our son.
I started to get upset and she couldn’t deal with it. She got up and left. Nothing has changed. I have never been given the grace to express my negative emotions. I have always had to walk on eggshells.
I sat reflecting on the experience and I thought I don’t need to be giving of myself to someone who keeps hurting me.
Throughout this whole order Al, I have never raised my voice, if I wasn’t crying, I have remained cool and calm around her.
I got so angry that she came to apologize and didn’t give me to opportunity to be mad at her. This is upsetting. Being mad is what a normal person would be in this situation.
I sent her this message (this is the first message I have ever sent her about our relationship)
“Here is everything I wanted to say to you tonight.
Damn you for blowing up our family and Meng’s family. Things weren’t easy, but they were objectively better than a year prior. We were in a hard season of our marriage. Just look back at all the fucking major life stressors. Baby, moving, new jobs…1,2,3 of the hardest things for couples to whether. You threw it all away so you could have butterflies and tingles. Then you went back and Cherry-picked all the bad shit and rolled it up into a beautiful affair justification. I believe that you were struggling before you cheated, but even your stories aren’t consistent. You didn’t want to end our marriage until you fucked John.
I wasn’t “happy” either Keri. You hadn’t approached me for intimacy either. I longed for it, but it felt gross being the only one to make advances. Every time I tried to bring it up, you would clam up and shut down, so I didn’t want to upset you and somehow make it worse. I maybe brought up our sex life 4 or 5 times over the course of our marriage and you shut down that conversation every time. It was better for me to live a life without the expectation of sex and maintain a loving relationship with my partner rather than risk upsetting you with another attempt at “the talk”.
I never wanted a sexless marriage, but I was willing to compromise. Yes, marriage is about compromise. I tried to make connection with you, I did everything we talked about in therapy. I called you during the day, I rubbed your feet on the couch, I came to bed with you most nights to talk hoping you would give me a signal that you wanted to be intimate. I’m glad you were able to find someone you wanted to have sex with.
I couldn’t get openly upset at anything (especially you) and tell you how I felt because you shut down and withdraw. You do it to you mom. You do it to your dad. I know because I talked to them more often than you did. You did it tonight! As soon as it became uncomfortable, you just left. Everyone who loves you has to walk on fucking egg-shells or else Keri is going to walk away.
I wasn’t perfectly happy either and I had nurses throwing themselves at me since we set foot in a hospital. I managed not to fuck anyone else. I SHUT THAT SHIT DOWN EVERY TIME. let me know if you want specific examples. I could even give you names.
You say you were miserable like that is some kind of excuse. If you were so miserable then you should have just ended the marriage and not fucked John and caused me the most incomprehensible suffering and pain.
You also were unfaithful to Our son when you chose to do this. You robbed him of the chance to have an intact family for your crotch tingles.
You can tell yourself whatever story you need to live with yourself. Go ahead and tell yourself that this doesn’t count as an affair since you were already over the marriage. Make me out to be some awful person. I known you can’t be the villain in your own story apparently. You have written yourself into the hero or victim roll. I was there for all the gaslighting and blame shifting. I remember when you said “I don’t let you be your true self”. What the fuck is that. What a stretch. I never once discouraged you from doing anything you wanted or liked. I supported your every endeavor. I watched your child as you went off to conferences to fuck other men. I know that you 100% believe it. You’ve gaslighted yourself. You’ve reinvented and reshaped your reality and story to make it more palatable.
I am not a bad person, father, or husband, but I was quite broken. Predominantly due to emotional and physical abandonment in our marriage.
You seldom said “I love you” unless I said it first. You seldom expressed appreciation for the things I contributed. You did often suggest that it wasn’t enough, or that I was missing the mark. You broke me down. What I needed was for you to come to me and tell me you were concerned. Instead you were inpatient and irritated. When I was anxious or sad, you were irritated and wanted me to figure out my own shit. I was lonely as hell.
As I said, and seemingly so offensive to you, initially I had never felt as loved and as appreciated by another person before you. (I believe you said it made you feel “vapid”). In addition to your other amazing qualities at the time, your love and devotion was reassuring and made me feel safe and secure. It set you apart from every other person I had ever met. I remember thinking that I had never really known what true love was until I met you. I genuinely felt like I had found my missing piece, my other half.
When that went away, I started to get sick. I mistakenly related my self-worth to what you thought of me. When you stopped appreciating me, I plummeted. Once our son was born, it seemed like I couldn’t do anything right by you. That is a hard place to exist in.
I made WILLING sacrifices for our family, but they were sacrifices nonetheless. You have to appreciate, my life is absolutely not where I wanted it so that you could have what you wanted. Fuck! I am such a fucking chump. I didn’t put up a fight at all. I wanted California, you said no. I wanted Oregon, you said no. I wanted to stay in Philidelphia, you said no. You wanted West Virginia and I said Ok. I never put up a fight because you would most assuredly shut down.
I am a good man. I have good morals. I am committed. I have my faults and struggles and I’m not perfect, but I’m a hell of a father and I loved you. You said it yourself that you would never have to worry about me cheating on you.
I think you feel guilt. You expressed that tonight, but I don’t think you feel remorse. You weren’t asking for forgiveness. I’m fact, you preemptively said that you didn’t expect it!
I am so unbelievably sad, angry, and betrayed. I would have been willing to work through anything (even the fucking infidelity!) to preserve our family. You’re naive if you think you can hurt someone this bad and then get the relationship you want and on your terms.
You also destroyed all the good memories I had of us. I can’t look back on our marriage without seeing through the lens of suspicion. I don’t even know what was real. I know what I felt was real and that’s about it.
You probably have already stopped reading this and I’m 100% sure you’re not brave enough to respond. I have held back for nearly 6 months and I can’t anymore. What you did was fucking terrible. It is the worst thing anyone has ever done to me. It is the worst thing that has ever happened to me. I never knew this depth of sorrow was possible. Washing someone’s dishes while they planned their next conference-fuck-fest via text standing 6ft away from me. Crying because my entire world was falling apart and seeing the look of irritation on your face as you walk silently by. Barely holding on to existence and having to psych myself up because you had invited friends over for dinner and when I said I couldn’t do it, you said “do whatever you want”. You fucking hated me for reasons you invented. You were working as hard as you could to villainize me to live with yourself. The absolute contempt and complete loss of respect you had to have for me. Do yourself a favor and pick up a book on infidelity. Everything you did was ON SCRIPT! You’ll learn a lot about yourself. It takes a special broken person to cheat.
I’m climbing out to the other side of this one rung at a time. Your going to see a complete different person that isn’t going to be walked all over and taken advantage of. I will not be a doormat. I will speak my mind. I will not be afraid to stand up for the things that I want and need to be happy and healthy.
You are losing a really good man. Maybe you’ll never realize that. Maybe you don’t give a fuck. Maybe it’s not even a loss to you. I am the fucking prize here Keri. I am a smart, charming, motivated, good looking, and now fit/healthy surgeon who is an excellent father and wants more kids. I am the fucking prize. You don’t see that for some reason.
I’m around if you want to talk.
Kind regards,
Me

Hi everyone, welcome to another day of me watching TAR through! Here is my last review for the excellent TAR 14.
And what's a post without polls? Well here is TAR 15, the masterlist with the links to the polls, and the leaderboard. Thanks for taking these, it's fun to see your opinions go through!
Good god TAR 15 was boring. I can understand what you all were saying last time about TAR 14 ushering in the changes because they were noticeable this season, but in a negative way because the cast was really bad this time around. There was no drama this season, and I accidentally classically conditioned myself to yawn whenever Cheyne appeared on screen and gave the most boring confessional of all time. Like I actively just wanted to take a nap after each episode, LMAO! There were some good characters, like the globetrotters and the poker players, but I don't really think any of them were particularly amazing. It was just people racing, and it just felt really robotic overall with no real competition at all because Meghan and Cheyne dominated the entire season.
The route itself was OK. Unfortunately, an Asia -> Europe route was wasted on such a boring cast this season, but it was nice to see Japan, Cambodia, and Thailand right away, which gave some interesting legs and challenges (Wasabi challenge, the really cute duck challenge, and Zev and Justin losing their passport, etc.), but as the season progresses is just seemed more stagnant and the Europe locations did not spark any joy or excitement from me. Not a ton of commentary on where they were going, which was a stark difference from the previous seasons. This one is truly the execution y'all were talking about in the last one from TAR 14. I don't blame that season at all because it is still my favorite, but the new challenges were really obvious this season. Definitely missing the iconic challenges from last season. The telephone task was OK I guess...
And I think the twists were notably worse this season. Obviously, the opening twist where someone was automatically eliminated was the dumbest ever, with no real reason for the show to do that. But also, just a singular fast forward all season was lame (and even lamer Cheyne and Meghan got it, snore), and I feel like the season having no u-turns or even yields was just so lame and really hampered any personal drama or fighting, and made the show blah overall. Like I feel like I only knew superficial things about the characters, and the lack of good twists I think affected that, but it could also just be because the cast is super lame.
Anyway, time for character rankings. This one is going to be short, sadly, so we'll see how it goes.

1. Eric and Lisa (0/10) - See above. Stupid twist, gave me bad vibes already, the season should have never had 12 teams.
   
2. Caanan and Mika (0/10) - I thought Caanan was an ass the entire season and just really mean to Mika. The duck challenge, he said he wanted to rip her head off, and the really awkward water slide scene was tough to watch. BE and FT were funny there, but Caanan just really manhandled her and it made me feel really uncomfortable. I think they were a casting mistake because they were so new to dating and it was obvious from the beginning they wouldn't work out.
   
3. Meghan and Cheyne (1/10) - They were very competent racers, clearly, winning like seven legs or something, but they were also insanely boring. I am going to start calling their archetype the "failed Kris and Jon." They were just racebots, and I didn't really feel like I learned anything about them, or understand how the race changed them besides them still loving each other... that's cool I guess, but I expected more complexity from the winners of the season. I don't think it helps that Cheyne's face nor hair moved throughout the season, and overall they just gave a really robotic feel and were just so boring. Meghan had at least had a little fight in her though, that was nice to watch.
   
4. Marcy and Ron (2/10) - They seemed sweet for the short time on the season, and I don't really feel like they had longevity anyway, but something felt really missing from them. I get that they met online and really liked each other, but IDK they weren't that fun.
   
5. Garrett and Jessica (2/10) - These two at least had a story coming in about their on-again, off-again dating, and I am glad to hear that they are married. But their time on the show was rather unremarkable, besides the fact that Jessica could not manage to get the ducks in the pen. I mentioned that I loved that detour because I like duckies and it was cute, but that doesn't really mean anything for Jessica, lol.
   
6. Lance and Keri (4/10) - If Lance was on the season longer, I could see the case that they were solid characters. He was kind of crazy, threatened to tackle Phil, and seem like a hothead, but someone who wasn't toxic about it. It was a recipe for success, but sadly they got eliminated after getting lost, and overall it felt like they went out with a thud.
   
7. Gary and Matt (5/10) - they were sweet I guess? Again, I didn't really get a lot from them because they really didn't seem that relevant to the rest of the race, but their relationship was very nice, and it was great to see them bond. Someone called them a feel-good team, and I would definitely get why people would like them, but they just didn't do it for me.
   
8. Brian and Ericka (6/10) - I liked them fine enough, team Zebra. They had an interesting story of proving themselves to their parents for being in a relationship, and I found Erika's desire to be cutthroat to be really funny throughout the season. They were a very likable presence, and while they certainly lacked complexity, they were still fun.
   
9. Zev and Justin (7/10) - Zev and Justin were another generally likable team, and they were clearly meant to be the inspirational ones of the season. They didn't really do a whole lot for me until their boot episode where they tragically lost their passports after coming in first. That alone makes them a 7/10, and I think pretty interesting characters with a unique ousting. However, I do wish they were on the season longer because they had a unique relationship, apart from the gazillion couples on the season, and I think the tension between them was slowly building, but it kind of just halted. Hoping they are more formed on Unfinished Business.
   
10. Tiffany and Maria (7/10) - I liked Tiffany and Maria a lot, but again, with this season being so boring all around, I feel like they get washed out. But even then, they were still clear standouts of the season. They were lucky constantly, with them getting a random NEL, and having a relationship (and crush!) on Dan and Sam. They were also really competent in most of their tasks too, until they got out due to the grueling detour that were both physically demanded. They quit sadly after because of that, and I think it's just a broader commentary about race challenges needing to be more equitable. But overall, they were ok, nothing great, nothing bad.
    
11. Sam and Dan (7/10) - I think firstly they had an interesting reason to be cast. The Gay Brothers archetype is something that will likely not be seen again. I think they also brought some conflict, thank god, both between themselves and the other racers. , they constantly got mad at each other during challenges and started yelling at each other, lol. Plus they were kind of the villains of the season, stealing the cab and being one of the biggest "let's get out FT and BE!" advocates on the race. RTV needs conflict, and I think they brought it up over time. I also liked their relationship with Tiffany and Maria and found it curious how they kept their sexuality a secret. I wish we got a little bit more, but I both enjoyed rooting for and against them, lol
    
12. Flight Time and Big Easy (7/10) - The Globetrotters were a lot of fun, but I also felt they could have been a lot better. It was hard to watch them be really bad at the mental tasks, comically so, and I liked them so I felt bad for laughing. Their ending was also lackluster because of that just because it was kind of lame that FT and BE gave up a puzzle after a lot of their story was about not quitting. But, that being said, they were a ray of sunshine, and this is a rare time when I think entertainment outweighs any story threads. They were fun speakers, gave some great confessionals, and were great friends, and it was cool watching them play around. I do think their conflict in the season too was pretty good, and everyone wanting to get the Globetrotters out was pretty funny. It made Sam and Dan have stronger characters, and I think they showed their willingness to get cutthroat, especially at the water slide challenge. They were pretty fun, I definitely understand why they are so popular, but I just felt like a certain oomph was missing from making them truly stellar.
    

Season Ranking: 2/10 - Probably the most "mid" season I watched, which means a more insulting bad, than how I described TAR 13 earlier as mediocre. This one actively made me tired and it was just rough to watch with my eyes wide open.
Onto TAR 16 now! I have... not heard great things about this season, but I am willing to give it a shot.
Season Rankings

1. TAR 14 (10/10)
2. TAR 5 (10/10)
3. TAR 2 (10/10)
4. TAR 3 (10/10)
5. TAR 1 (9/10)
6. TAR 11 (9/10)
7. TAR 10 (8/10)
8. TAR 7 (8/10)
9. TAR 12 (8/10)
10. TAR 13 (5/10)
11. TAR 15 (2/10)
12. TAR 4 (2/10)
13. TAR 9 (1/10)
14. TAR 8 (1/10)
15. TAR 6 (0/10)

Copied from u/ToddintheShadows
My list goes here try not to pick mine
Super Freaky Girl isn’t Nicki Minaj’s signature song
Here We Go is Trina’s most popular song but I don’t think it’s her signature
Ciara’s only number one is Goodies which isn’t her signature song, it’s probably One Two Step
So Gone is Monica’s signature song (I might be wrong) but Angel of Mine and The First Night, along with The Boy is Mine are number ones. But I think I hear So Gone more
Although Differences charted higher I think Pony by Ginuwine s more cultural relevancy
Maybe idk but Knock You Down isnt, and shouldn’t be(it’s a great song dont get me wrong) her signature song. It’s Pretty Girl Rock as far as I’m concerned..I’m talking bout Keri Hilson if u didn’t know
I don’t think Waka Waka is her signature even if it might be her most well known. Idk if it’s even her most popular Hips Don’t Lie might have outsold
Apparently This Is What You Came For is Rihanna’s most streamed song? Yeah ok.. signature is probably Umbrella although it could be many others.
Do we consider Shake It Off Taylor’s signature song? Not rlly a Swiftie(I’m talking like one ik) but when I think of her it’s that song.
If you know Danity Kane i think people think of Damaged before Show Stopper
Timbaland’s most popular solo song is probably Gjve It To Me or Apologize, but The Way I Are l(one of the best songs of all time) is his signature it think
Might be too niche but Rock Yo Hips is not Crime Mob’s signature even if it’s the most popular. It’s easily Knuck If You Buck
Does anyone consider Yoga Janelle Monae’s signature? It’s one of my favorites from her but I don’t think it’s her signature song.
Today I learned that Can We Talk isn’t Tevin’s highest charting single
Is Love Like This Faiths signature? That’s not bad but I prefer I Love You personally
Keyshia Cole’s Love is her signature. But Let It Go is her highest charting(Long Way Down washes both just not on the charts)
There is an argument for Nivea’s Complicated being her signature even if it wasn’t a single
Jenny From the Block surprisingly didn’t go number one. Peaked at no. 3
Yall what is Chris Brown’s signature song fr? Ik we don’t like him I don’t either but deadass
Idk Aaliyah’s signature but it’s not Try Again. Probably One In a Million
Toni Braxton’s signature is Unbreak My Heart, but idk her most popular tbh. Could be You’re Makin Me High
I really hope Bring It All To Me isn’t considered Blaque’s signature. It’s easily 808
Magic Stick is Lil Kim’s biggest hit but isn’t her signature. It depends on who you ask but you might hear The Jump Off, How Many Licks, and Crush On You(I think)

I’ve gotten opinions from women but I have no idea what men think about this.
I’m in my late 20s and started using Keri several years back because of all the Karen hate. People would make Karen jokes when I’d introduce myself, give me weird looks, laugh at me sometimes and, over time, it got to be too much. Karen comments and just seeing a lot of articles, negative social media posts, etc. I totally agree that people who do and say terrible things need to be held responsible for their actions. I just wish a name wasn’t attached to it. I haven’t dated in a while because I was wanting to focus on myself and work more. Now that I want to start dating again, I worry that if I say my name is Karen, I’ll get judged before anyone really gets to know me. And I wish my name didn’t matter so much. With dating apps, when I changed my name from Karen to Keri, I got more attention. I’m not a fan of dating apps and haven’t really used apps to actually meet anyone yet. I’m stuck on what to do about my name. I only really use Keri at work or with some new friends I’ve made.
I know some people might find this silly or might be surprised to hear that the Karen hate is still pretty bad.
Will the name Karen make a guy not want to get to know me? I’ve heard from some friends/family that said if someone liked me, he wouldn’t care. But also, if my name keeps someone from wanting to get to know me, then idk what to do.

Live Music

• Jerry Mincey and Tony Macalusco St. Johns County Fairgrounds 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
• Cindy Bear and Robert St. Johns County Fairgrounds 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
• Morrow Family Band St. Johns County Fairgrounds 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
• Manchild St. Johns County Fairgrounds 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
• Patchwork St. Johns County Fairgrounds 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
• John Winters Marina Munch 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
• Don Cooper St. Johns County Fairgrounds 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
• Yael Dray and ZaZa Flamenca Casa Maya 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
• Joe Downing Mill Top Tavern 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
• Kat Archer St. Johns County Fairgrounds 1:00 pm – 1:30 pm
• Jim Carrick St. Johns County Fairgrounds 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
• Charley Simmons St. Johns County Fairgrounds 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
• Ron n Bari St. Johns County Fairgrounds 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
• Lis & Lon Williamson St. Johns County Fairgrounds 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
• Doug Spears St. Johns County Fairgrounds 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
• Lauren Heintz St. Johns County Fairgrounds 1:00 pm – 2:15 pm
• Rob Peck The Cellar Upstairs Wine Bar & Restaurant 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
• Joshua "Tennessee" Worthy Backyard Island Cafe at Meehan's 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
• Elizabeth Roth Tradewinds Lounge 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm
• Manchild St. Johns County Fairgrounds 2:00 pm – 2:30 pm
• Larry Mangum St. Johns County Fairgrounds 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
• Michael Jordan St. Johns County Fairgrounds 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
• Lonesome Bert's Thick and Thin String Band St. Johns County Fairgrounds 2:15 pm – 3:30 pm
• Davis Cook Casa de Vino 57 2:30 pm – 5:30 pm
• Aslyn Baringer McTaggert St. Johns County Fairgrounds 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
• Uncle Mosie St. Johns County Fairgrounds 3:30 pm – 4:45 pm
• Claire Vandiver Crabby's Beachside 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm
• Red & Chris Henry & their All Star Band St. Johns County Fairgrounds 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm
• Verlon Thompson St. Johns County Fairgrounds 4:45 pm – 6:00 pm
• Mark Hart Tradewinds Lounge 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
• Dewey Via Backyard Island Cafe at Meehan's 5:30 pm – 9:30 pm
• Dunehoppers St. Johns County Fairgrounds 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
• Joshua "Tennessee" Worthy DJ's Clam Shack 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
• Morrow Family Band The Cellar Upstairs Wine Bar & Restaurant 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
• Wes Register Mellow Mushroom — St. Johns 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
• Deron Baker Mellow Mushroom — Murabella 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
• Denny Blue Guy Harvey Resort 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
• Fond Kiser Salt Life Food Shack 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
• Big Pineapple Kingfish Grill 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
• Brian Rowland Donovan's Irish Pub 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
• Cumberland Colonial Oak Music Park 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
• Bret Blackshear Crabby's Beachside 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
• Yael Dray and ZaZa Flamenca River & Fort 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
• John Jorgenson Quintet St. Johns County Fairgrounds 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
• Heather Craig Meehan's Irish Pub & Seafood House 8:00 pm – 11:00 pm
• Groove Pipe Band A1A Ale Works 8:00 pm – 12:00 am
• Smokin' Joe Schauer Ann O'Malley's Deli and Pub 8:00 pm – 11:55 pm
• AJ Lee & Blue Summit St. Johns County Fairgrounds 8:30 pm – 10:00 pm
• Live Stream Tradewinds Lounge 9:00 pm – 1:00 am
• Zalongo Sarbez! 9:00 pm – 10:00 pm
• Honey Moonshine Mill Top Tavern 9:00 pm – 12:00 pm
• Trae Pierce and the T-Stones Prohibition Kitchen 10:00 pm – 1:00 am

2024 St. Augustine PoetFest

• For the third year in a row, Flagler College, Ancient City Poets, and the St. Johns Cultural Council present a three-day poetry festival to celebrate literary heritage and to connect the creative community.
• St. Augustine PoetFest 2024 takes place throughout the city at various cultural venues and includes events ranging from poetry readings to improv showcases.
• All Poetfest 2024 events are free and open to the public.

Day 3 — Saturday, April 13

Day three will see another day full of diverse and engaging sessions. Starting at 10:00 a.m. and concluding around 7:00 p.m., the final day of the festival will take place in various buildings on the Flagler College campus. The festival will conclude in the evening with an awards ceremony and reception.

Flagler College Campus —

Saturday, April 13 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
PoetFest Alive! Outside of Ringhaver Student CenterPoetFest brochures and schedules available. The St. Johns County Library system's Book Mobile will also be onsite.
Saturday, April 13 11:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Typewriter Poets and Indie Market Pop-Up Back Paver Patio of Ringhaver Student Center Located between Markland Place and the Ringhaver Student Center, this space will host a pop-up market space with local crafts and goods. Poets will also compose improvisational poems on their typewriters.

Ringhaver Student Center — 50 Sevilla Street

Jay's Place — 1st Floor

Saturday, April 13 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Registration, Book Bazaar, & Festival Contact Center Publications, author recordings, and local student literary magazines for sale.

Ringhaver Student Center — 50 Sevilla Street

Gamache-Kroger Theater — 1st Floor

Saturday, April 13 10:00 a.m. - 10:50 a.m.
Student Showcase Presented by Flagler College English Department.
Saturday, April 13 11:00 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.
Faculty Showcase Presented by Flagler College English Department.
Saturday, April 13 12:00 p.m. - 12:50 p.m.
Dramatic Play Reading - "The Poet's Masque" Presented by Amy Goldin and A Classic Theatre.
Saturday, April 13 1:00 p.m. - 1:50 p.m.
Storytelling Showcas ePresented by Margaret Kaler and the Tale Tellers of St. Augustine.

Ringhaver Student Center — 50 Sevilla Street

Virginia Room — 2nd Floor

Saturday, April 13 10:00 a.m. - 10:50 a.m.
"Kerouac's Last Two Years - St. Petersburg, Florida" Larry Jaffe, Poet in Residence at the Jack Kerouac House, disusses and reads the works of the infamous writer, who lived with his wife and sister in St. Petersburg, Florida from 1967 until his death in 1969.
Saturday, April 13 11 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.
**"From Bookstaplers to Substack - Publishing 101"**Dustin Brookshire (Limp Wrist Magazine) and Johnny Masiulewicz (Happy Tapir Press) examine the process of self-publishing.
Saturday, April 13 12:00 p.m. - 12:50 p.m.
**"Music and the Muse"**Featuring poet Claire Conroy (Maine) performing to improvisational music by singer songwriter Taylor Teachout followed by a Q&A discussion on how music can take your poetry to the next level.
Saturday, April 13 1:00 p.m. - 1:50 p.m.
**"Florida is Haunted: Poetic Ghosts in the Sunshine State"**Featuring Ma Bones, Nick Dunkenstein, Keri Foster, Damon Thomas, enjoy an hour of poetry inspired by hauntings and the haunted. As Jacques Derrida said — "It is the question of ghosts."
Saturday, April 13 2:00 p.m. - 2:50 p.m.
**"The Antinomian Outsider aspect of The Beat Generation"**Presented by Outlaw poet Ron Whitehead, who hails from Tennessee.
Saturday, April 13 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.Closing Event

• 3:00 pm Words from Festival Chair Chris Bodor
• 3:05 pm Welcoming Words from City of St. Augustine Vice Mayor Roxanne Horvath
• 3:15 pm to Presentation by City of St. Augustine Poet Laureate Norma Sherry
• 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm Presentation by St. Johns Cultural Council Executive Director, Christina Parrish Stone "Winners of 4th Annual St. Johns County Haiku Contest"

Saturday, April 13 5:00 p.m.
Celebratory ReceptionFinale celebration — poets and guests all invited!
​

Amphitheatre Farmers Market

• The St. Augustine Amphitheatre Farmers Market offers visitors a variety of goods such as local fresh produce, handmade arts and crafts, baked goods, plants directly off the farm, freshly-caught seafood, cheeses, and more. The farmers market makes for a morning of family-friendly fun with live entertainment on select dates.
• In addition to the impressive variety of organic produce offered by local farmers, a number of local artists and craftspeople also display their wares at the market.
• Admission: FREE
• Where: St. Augustine Amphitheatre located at 1340 A1A South St. Augustine, FL 32080.
• When: Every Saturday morning from 8:30 am - 12:30 pm.

Arts & Crafts Festival at the Pier

• The annual Arts and Crafts Festival at the St. Johns County Pier is held on three weekends in the spring of 2024: Saturdays and Sundays, February 17 and 18, March 9 and 10, and April 13 and 14. The hours are from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday and from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday.
• The event features handmade arts and crafts by local, regional, and national artists.
• The festival attracts artists and craftspeople from all over the country to showcase their work just steps from the beach. Festival-goers can enjoy browsing everything from handmade jewelry and ceramics to stained glass and fine artwork. The organizers participated in crafts and arts events for more than 20 years and strive to create an event that appeals to shoppers and art enthusiasts and be of value to the artists and craftspersons. Vendors are on site to sell natural plants, herbs, fruits, and veggies, prepared foods, and exhibit local products and services.
• Admission: FREE
• Where: The St. Johns County Pier is at St. Augustine Pier Park at 350 A1A Beach Blvd in St. Augustine Beach.
• When: Saturdays and Sundays, February 17 - 18, March 9 - 10, and April 13 - 14. Saturday hours are from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Sunday hours are from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Earth Adventures at Trailmark

• Trailmark, at 805 Trailmark Drive in St. Augustine, hosts Earth Adventures on Saturday, April 13, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
• This free, family-friendly adventure includes guided nature hikes, the chance to drop a fishing line into the water, a petting zoo, and the opportunity to see marine animals, turtles, and birds of prey.
• Home gardeners can talk with a local composting farmer who is an expert in native landscaping. Naturalists and members of environmental organizations will provide information and answer questions about protecting our water, wildlife, and natural environment.
• Vendor booths will present homemade crafts, natural soaps, jams, produce, baked goods, and popcorn, and several food trucks will sell meals, snacks, and beverages.
• Admission: Free
• When: Saturday, April 13, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
• Where: 805 Trailmark Drive in St. Augustine. Past World Golf Village, off Pacetti Road.

Festival of Chariots 2024

• The Festival of Chariots, or Rathayatra, celebrates Indian and Hindu culture. The festival will be in St. Augustine on Saturday, April 13, 2024, from noon to 5:00 p.m., with colorful parades, live entertainment, vegetarian food, dancing, art vendors, and more.
• The Rathayatra festival originated in the ancient city of Jagannatha Puri in India to celebrate the Hindu Lord of the Universe.
• Visitors can view the vibrant Festival of Chariots parade in St. Augustine's downtown area along King Street, beginning and ending at the Plaza de la Constitución.
• In addition to the parades and other festivities, the festival features a vegetarian feast highlighting Indian cuisine, music, a dramatic presentation, art vendors, a magic show, face painting, henna tattoos, and much more.
• Visitors can attend this festival to celebrate the many dynamic threads that make up St. Augustine's local culture. This cultural event is fun for the whole family and it is FREE.
• Admission: Free.
• When: Saturday, April 13, 2024, from noon to 5:00 p.m.
• Where: The Festival of the Chariots is along King Street, and the Harinam Procession is on St. George Street. Other festival activities take place on the Plaza de la Constitucion. All is in the historic downtown area.

Historical Timeline Saunter

• The Historic Florida Militia presents a Timeline Saunter on one Saturday afternoon each month through September 2024. The saunters generally occur on the first or second Saturdays, see below for dates.
• During the saunter, those who are interested in history and how the European settlers and conquerors lived in St. Augustine, can watch this knowledgeable and appropriately garbed group as they walk through the historic downtown. The saunter begins at the city gates on St. George Street and runs to the Plaza de la Constitución before heading down Aviles Street, the oldest street in the continental U.S.
• The participants will pose for photos along their route and answer questions about life in 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries St. Augustine.
• The Historic Florida Militia is a 501(c)3 organization composed of the following historic reenactor groups: Men of Menéndez, representing the 16th century Spanish soldados and settlers; Drakes Men, representing the 16th century British privateers; Searle's Buccaneers, representing 17th century British privateers; and the St Augustine Garrison, representing 18th-century Spanish soldados, settlers, and government officials.
• Admission: Free
• When: 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. for one day in most months. See the schedule below.
• Where: The saunter begins at the City Gate on St. George and Orange streets, and continues on St. George Street across the Plaza de la Constitución to Aviles Street.

Saint Augustine Sisterhood: Book Launch

• Celebrate Eleanor Tremayne's book launch of Saint Augustine Sisterhood, presented by SunKen Production LLC and Serendipity Bookstore, at the Waterworks on Saturday, April 13, 2024. This immersive event starts with the chance to meet the award-winning author from 6:30 to 7:00 p.m. and live entertainment following after.
• The Gypsy Player Dancers will make an appearance, along with spoken word acts and live performances such as the upcoming musical, The Enchanted Grove.
• Tickets include a signed copy of the book, hors d'oeuvres, cake, a glass of wine, and complimentary bottled water. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the St. Johns Food Pantry.
• Note: Guests who dress like pirates or gypsies will get an extra drink ticket.
• Admission: Entry is $45.00.
• When: The author's meet and greet is from 6:30 to 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 13, 2024. Entertainment will then follow until 9:00 p.m.
• Where: The St. Augustine Waterworks is at 184 San Marco Avenue in St. Augustine, Florida 32084.
• Getting There: While the address is 184 San Marco Avenue, the only driveway on San Marco is Exit Only, so it is not available to access the Waterworks. Access to the Waterworks is through the St. Augustine Main Library parking lot, on the opposite side of the complex. (Use 1960 North Ponce de Leon in your GPS.)

​

Bad Dog Mama Playing at Saint Augustine Race Week

8:00 pm - 10:00 pm @ Municipal Marina 111 Avenida Menendez Saint Augustine, FL 32084
​
For future events please visit the Discord.
https://discord.gg/KmuAxxrM
​

Live Music

• Jerry Mincey and Tony Macalusco St. Johns County Fairgrounds 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
• Cindy Bear and Robert St. Johns County Fairgrounds 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
• Morrow Family Band St. Johns County Fairgrounds 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
• Manchild St. Johns County Fairgrounds 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
• Patchwork St. Johns County Fairgrounds 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
• John Winters Marina Munch 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
• Don Cooper St. Johns County Fairgrounds 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
• Yael Dray and ZaZa Flamenca Casa Maya 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
• Joe Downing Mill Top Tavern 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
• Kat Archer St. Johns County Fairgrounds 1:00 pm – 1:30 pm
• Jim Carrick St. Johns County Fairgrounds 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
• Charley Simmons St. Johns County Fairgrounds 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
• Ron n Bari St. Johns County Fairgrounds 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
• Lis & Lon Williamson St. Johns County Fairgrounds 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
• Doug Spears St. Johns County Fairgrounds 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
• Lauren Heintz St. Johns County Fairgrounds 1:00 pm – 2:15 pm
• Rob Peck The Cellar Upstairs Wine Bar & Restaurant 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
• Joshua "Tennessee" Worthy Backyard Island Cafe at Meehan's 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
• Elizabeth Roth Tradewinds Lounge 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm
• Manchild St. Johns County Fairgrounds 2:00 pm – 2:30 pm
• Larry Mangum St. Johns County Fairgrounds 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
• Michael Jordan St. Johns County Fairgrounds 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
• Lonesome Bert's Thick and Thin String Band St. Johns County Fairgrounds 2:15 pm – 3:30 pm
• Davis Cook Casa de Vino 57 2:30 pm – 5:30 pm
• Aslyn Baringer McTaggert St. Johns County Fairgrounds 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
• Uncle Mosie St. Johns County Fairgrounds 3:30 pm – 4:45 pm
• Claire Vandiver Crabby's Beachside 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm
• Red & Chris Henry & their All Star Band St. Johns County Fairgrounds 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm
• Verlon Thompson St. Johns County Fairgrounds 4:45 pm – 6:00 pm
• Mark Hart Tradewinds Lounge 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
• Dewey Via Backyard Island Cafe at Meehan's 5:30 pm – 9:30 pm
• Dunehoppers St. Johns County Fairgrounds 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
• Joshua "Tennessee" Worthy DJ's Clam Shack 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
• Morrow Family Band The Cellar Upstairs Wine Bar & Restaurant 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
• Wes Register Mellow Mushroom — St. Johns 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
• Deron Baker Mellow Mushroom — Murabella 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
• Denny Blue Guy Harvey Resort 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
• Fond Kiser Salt Life Food Shack 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
• Big Pineapple Kingfish Grill 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
• Brian Rowland Donovan's Irish Pub 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
• Cumberland Colonial Oak Music Park 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
• Bret Blackshear Crabby's Beachside 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
• Yael Dray and ZaZa Flamenca River & Fort 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
• John Jorgenson Quintet St. Johns County Fairgrounds 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
• Heather Craig Meehan's Irish Pub & Seafood House 8:00 pm – 11:00 pm
• Groove Pipe Band A1A Ale Works 8:00 pm – 12:00 am
• Smokin' Joe Schauer Ann O'Malley's Deli and Pub 8:00 pm – 11:55 pm
• AJ Lee & Blue Summit St. Johns County Fairgrounds 8:30 pm – 10:00 pm
• Live Stream Tradewinds Lounge 9:00 pm – 1:00 am
• Zalongo Sarbez! 9:00 pm – 10:00 pm
• Honey Moonshine Mill Top Tavern 9:00 pm – 12:00 pm
• Trae Pierce and the T-Stones Prohibition Kitchen 10:00 pm – 1:00 am

2024 St. Augustine PoetFest

• For the third year in a row, Flagler College, Ancient City Poets, and the St. Johns Cultural Council present a three-day poetry festival to celebrate literary heritage and to connect the creative community.
• St. Augustine PoetFest 2024 takes place throughout the city at various cultural venues and includes events ranging from poetry readings to improv showcases.
• All Poetfest 2024 events are free and open to the public.

Day 3 — Saturday, April 13

Day three will see another day full of diverse and engaging sessions. Starting at 10:00 a.m. and concluding around 7:00 p.m., the final day of the festival will take place in various buildings on the Flagler College campus. The festival will conclude in the evening with an awards ceremony and reception.

Flagler College Campus —

Saturday, April 13 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.PoetFest Alive! Outside of Ringhaver Student CenterPoetFest brochures and schedules available. The St. Johns County Library system's Book Mobile will also be onsite.
Saturday, April 13 11:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.Typewriter Poets and Indie Market Pop-Up Back Paver Patio of Ringhaver Student Center Located between Markland Place and the Ringhaver Student Center, this space will host a pop-up market space with local crafts and goods. Poets will also compose improvisational poems on their typewriters.

Ringhaver Student Center — 50 Sevilla Street

Jay's Place — 1st Floor

Saturday, April 13 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.Registration, Book Bazaar, & Festival Contact Center Publications, author recordings, and local student literary magazines for sale.

Ringhaver Student Center — 50 Sevilla Street

Gamache-Kroger Theater — 1st Floor

Saturday, April 13 10:00 a.m. - 10:50 a.m.Student Showcase Presented by Flagler College English Department.
Saturday, April 13 11:00 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.Faculty Showcase Presented by Flagler College English Department.
Saturday, April 13 12:00 p.m. - 12:50 p.m.Dramatic Play Reading - "The Poet's Masque" Presented by Amy Goldin and A Classic Theatre.
Saturday, April 13 1:00 p.m. - 1:50 p.m.Storytelling Showcas ePresented by Margaret Kaler and the Tale Tellers of St. Augustine.

Ringhaver Student Center — 50 Sevilla Street

Virginia Room — 2nd Floor

Saturday, April 13 10:00 a.m. - 10:50 a.m."Kerouac's Last Two Years - St. Petersburg, Florida" Larry Jaffe, Poet in Residence at the Jack Kerouac House, disusses and reads the works of the infamous writer, who lived with his wife and sister in St. Petersburg, Florida from 1967 until his death in 1969.
Saturday, April 13 11 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.**"From Bookstaplers to Substack - Publishing 101"**Dustin Brookshire (Limp Wrist Magazine) and Johnny Masiulewicz (Happy Tapir Press) examine the process of self-publishing.
Saturday, April 13 12:00 p.m. - 12:50 p.m.**"Music and the Muse"**Featuring poet Claire Conroy (Maine) performing to improvisational music by singer songwriter Taylor Teachout followed by a Q&A discussion on how music can take your poetry to the next level.
Saturday, April 13 1:00 p.m. - 1:50 p.m.**"Florida is Haunted: Poetic Ghosts in the Sunshine State"**Featuring Ma Bones, Nick Dunkenstein, Keri Foster, Damon Thomas, enjoy an hour of poetry inspired by hauntings and the haunted. As Jacques Derrida said — "It is the question of ghosts."
Saturday, April 13 2:00 p.m. - 2:50 p.m.**"The Antinomian Outsider aspect of The Beat Generation"**Presented by Outlaw poet Ron Whitehead, who hails from Tennessee.
Saturday, April 13 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.Closing Event

• 3:00 pm Words from Festival Chair Chris Bodor
• 3:05 pm Welcoming Words from City of St. Augustine Vice Mayor Roxanne Horvath
• 3:15 pm to Presentation by City of St. Augustine Poet Laureate Norma Sherry
• 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm Presentation by St. Johns Cultural Council Executive Director, Christina Parrish Stone "Winners of 4th Annual St. Johns County Haiku Contest"

Saturday, April 13 5:00 p.m.Celebratory ReceptionFinale celebration — poets and guests all invited!

Amphitheatre Farmers Market

• The St. Augustine Amphitheatre Farmers Market offers visitors a variety of goods such as local fresh produce, handmade arts and crafts, baked goods, plants directly off the farm, freshly-caught seafood, cheeses, and more. The farmers market makes for a morning of family-friendly fun with live entertainment on select dates.
• In addition to the impressive variety of organic produce offered by local farmers, a number of local artists and craftspeople also display their wares at the market.
• Admission: FREE
• Where: St. Augustine Amphitheatre located at 1340 A1A South St. Augustine, FL 32080.
• When: Every Saturday morning from 8:30 am - 12:30 pm.

Arts & Crafts Festival at the Pier

• The annual Arts and Crafts Festival at the St. Johns County Pier is held on three weekends in the spring of 2024: Saturdays and Sundays, February 17 and 18, March 9 and 10, and April 13 and 14. The hours are from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday and from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday.
• The event features handmade arts and crafts by local, regional, and national artists.
• The festival attracts artists and craftspeople from all over the country to showcase their work just steps from the beach. Festival-goers can enjoy browsing everything from handmade jewelry and ceramics to stained glass and fine artwork. The organizers participated in crafts and arts events for more than 20 years and strive to create an event that appeals to shoppers and art enthusiasts and be of value to the artists and craftspersons. Vendors are on site to sell natural plants, herbs, fruits, and veggies, prepared foods, and exhibit local products and services.
• Admission: FREE
• Where: The St. Johns County Pier is at St. Augustine Pier Park at 350 A1A Beach Blvd in St. Augustine Beach.
• When: Saturdays and Sundays, February 17 - 18, March 9 - 10, and April 13 - 14. Saturday hours are from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Sunday hours are from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Earth Adventures at Trailmark

• Trailmark, at 805 Trailmark Drive in St. Augustine, hosts Earth Adventures on Saturday, April 13, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
• This free, family-friendly adventure includes guided nature hikes, the chance to drop a fishing line into the water, a petting zoo, and the opportunity to see marine animals, turtles, and birds of prey.
• Home gardeners can talk with a local composting farmer who is an expert in native landscaping. Naturalists and members of environmental organizations will provide information and answer questions about protecting our water, wildlife, and natural environment.
• Vendor booths will present homemade crafts, natural soaps, jams, produce, baked goods, and popcorn, and several food trucks will sell meals, snacks, and beverages.
• Admission: Free
• When: Saturday, April 13, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
• Where: 805 Trailmark Drive in St. Augustine. Past World Golf Village, off Pacetti Road.

Festival of Chariots 2024

• The Festival of Chariots, or Rathayatra, celebrates Indian and Hindu culture. The festival will be in St. Augustine on Saturday, April 13, 2024, from noon to 5:00 p.m., with colorful parades, live entertainment, vegetarian food, dancing, art vendors, and more.
• The Rathayatra festival originated in the ancient city of Jagannatha Puri in India to celebrate the Hindu Lord of the Universe.
• Visitors can view the vibrant Festival of Chariots parade in St. Augustine's downtown area along King Street, beginning and ending at the Plaza de la Constitución.
• In addition to the parades and other festivities, the festival features a vegetarian feast highlighting Indian cuisine, music, a dramatic presentation, art vendors, a magic show, face painting, henna tattoos, and much more.
• Visitors can attend this festival to celebrate the many dynamic threads that make up St. Augustine's local culture. This cultural event is fun for the whole family and it is FREE.
• Admission: Free.
• When: Saturday, April 13, 2024, from noon to 5:00 p.m.
• Where: The Festival of the Chariots is along King Street, and the Harinam Procession is on St. George Street. Other festival activities take place on the Plaza de la Constitucion. All is in the historic downtown area.

Historical Timeline Saunter

• The Historic Florida Militia presents a Timeline Saunter on one Saturday afternoon each month through September 2024. The saunters generally occur on the first or second Saturdays, see below for dates.
• During the saunter, those who are interested in history and how the European settlers and conquerors lived in St. Augustine, can watch this knowledgeable and appropriately garbed group as they walk through the historic downtown. The saunter begins at the city gates on St. George Street and runs to the Plaza de la Constitución before heading down Aviles Street, the oldest street in the continental U.S.
• The participants will pose for photos along their route and answer questions about life in 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries St. Augustine.
• The Historic Florida Militia is a 501(c)3 organization composed of the following historic reenactor groups: Men of Menéndez, representing the 16th century Spanish soldados and settlers; Drakes Men, representing the 16th century British privateers; Searle's Buccaneers, representing 17th century British privateers; and the St Augustine Garrison, representing 18th-century Spanish soldados, settlers, and government officials.
• Admission: Free
• When: 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. for one day in most months. See the schedule below.
• Where: The saunter begins at the City Gate on St. George and Orange streets, and continues on St. George Street across the Plaza de la Constitución to Aviles Street.

Saint Augustine Sisterhood: Book Launch

• Celebrate Eleanor Tremayne's book launch of Saint Augustine Sisterhood, presented by SunKen Production LLC and Serendipity Bookstore, at the Waterworks on Saturday, April 13, 2024. This immersive event starts with the chance to meet the award-winning author from 6:30 to 7:00 p.m. and live entertainment following after.
• The Gypsy Player Dancers will make an appearance, along with spoken word acts and live performances such as the upcoming musical, The Enchanted Grove.
• Tickets include a signed copy of the book, hors d'oeuvres, cake, a glass of wine, and complimentary bottled water. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the St. Johns Food Pantry.
• Note: Guests who dress like pirates or gypsies will get an extra drink ticket.
• Admission: Entry is $45.00.
• When: The author's meet and greet is from 6:30 to 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 13, 2024. Entertainment will then follow until 9:00 p.m.
• Where: The St. Augustine Waterworks is at 184 San Marco Avenue in St. Augustine, Florida 32084.
• Getting There: While the address is 184 San Marco Avenue, the only driveway on San Marco is Exit Only, so it is not available to access the Waterworks. Access to the Waterworks is through the St. Augustine Main Library parking lot, on the opposite side of the complex. (Use 1960 North Ponce de Leon in your GPS.)

Bad Dog Mama Playing at Saint Augustine Race Week

8:00 pm - 10:00 pm @ Municipal Marina 111 Avenida Menendez Saint Augustine, FL 32084
​
For future events please visit the Discord.https://discord.gg/KmuAxxrM

Live Music for this Thursday

• Jim Lamb Mill Top Tavern 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
• Tony Scozzaro Cellar Upstairs 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
• Chase Fouraker Pierre's Pub 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
• Mike Cook Conch House Marina Resort 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
• Yael Dray and ZaZa Flamenca Fuzion 904 Eatery 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
• Dewey Via Guy Harvey Resort 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
• Trevor Compton St. Augustine Shores Golf Club 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
• Paper City Hustlers St. Augustine Municipal Marina 5:30 pm – 9:00 pm
• Ivan Smith Casa de Vino 57 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
• Joshua "Tennessee" Worthy Mill Top Tavern 9:00 pm – 12:00 pm

2024 St. Augustine PoetFest

• For the third year in a row, Flagler College, Ancient City Poets, and the St. Johns Cultural Council present a three-day poetry festival to celebrate literary heritage and to connect the creative community.
• St. Augustine PoetFest 2024 takes place throughout the city at various cultural venues and includes events ranging from poetry readings to improv showcases.
• All Poetfest 2024 events are free and open to the public.

Day 1 — Thursday, April 11

• Festival Kick-Off:
• Beat Poet Summit & Community Open Mic
• St. Augustine PoetFest 2024 will start with a night of shared poetry at the St. Johns County Waterworks building. For the first hour, poets who have been recognized as "Beat Poet Laureates" of their prospective states (current or incumbent) by the National Beat Poetry Foundation will perform their pieces. The second hour of this kick-off event will be a community open mic night, where local poets and the public are invited to share their most recent writing pieces.
• Doors open at 6:00 p.m., with the sign-up sheet available for interested performers until the 7:00 p.m. showtime.
• Admission: Free and open to all members of the public.
• When: Thursday, April 11, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.
• Where: The Waterworks, 184 San Marco Avenue, St. Augustine, Florida 32084 (Free parking available onsite.)
• Note: While the address is 184 San Marco Avenue, the only driveway on San Marco is Exit Only. Access to the Waterworks is through the St. Augustine Main Library parking lot. (Use 1960 North Ponce de Leon in your GPS.)

Day 2 — Friday, April 12

Day two includes a variety of events throughout the city from 10:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. During the day, performances, lectures, author discussions, and workshops will be held on the Flagler College campus. An open mic event will follow in the evening at Relampago Coffee Lab.

Flagler College Campus

Friday, April 1210:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.Book BazaarOutside Ringhaver Student CenterPoetFest brochures and schedules available. Books and recordings from local authors and featured poets will be for sale.

Ringhaver Student Center — 50 Sevilla Street

Friday, April 12 10:00 a.m. - 10:50 a.m.Blending Poetry and Comedy The Virginia Room, 2nd FloorNew Jersey Poet Sam Rubenstein shares a series of comedic poetry performances.Friday, April 12 11:00 a.m. - 12:20 a.m. Women in Writing: Spotlight on Women Who Inspire The Virginia Room, 2nd Floor With presentations by Shannon E. Stephen, Eleanor Tremayne, Cynthia Atkins, and Victoria Nations, this segment will discuss how representing women's voices can bring balance to creative and social spaces.Friday, April 12 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.San Diego Scene Spotlight The Virginia Room, 2nd Floor Presented by Chris Vannoy (New Generation Beat Poet Laureate) and Christophver R., two members of The Mightier P.E.N.S. (Poetic Expeditionary Nation of Semanticists).Friday, April 12 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.Improv Comedy Spotlight The Virginia Room, 2nd Floor Presented by Amy Angelilli and The Adventure Project/Third Space Improv.Friday, April 12 2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.Menorcan Heritage in Poetry The Virginia Room, 2nd Floor Historical and cultural presentation by Ann Masters, Poet Laureate of the Menorcan Cultural Society.Friday, April 124:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.Keynote Presentation The Virginia Room, 2nd Floor Given by George Wallace, a New York poet & writer in residence at the Walt Whitman Birthplace.

Relampago Coffee Lab — 74 Spanish Street

Open Mic Night, hosted by the Flagler College English Dept.

After a full Friday of poetry and spoken word events, the Flagler English Department students and faculty invite locals and visitors to join them in an evening of creative performances. Tucked away in the back garden of Relampago, this regular open mic night event will include poetry and musical performances. Sign-up starts at 6:00 p.m., with the first reader beginning at 6:30 p.m.Admission: Free and open to the publicWhen: Friday, April 12 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.Where: Relampago Coffee Lab, 74 Spanish Street, St. Augustine, Florida 32084(No parking available onsite. Paid lots nearby.)

Day 3 — Saturday, April 13

Day three will see another day full of diverse and engaging sessions. Starting at 10:00 a.m. and concluding around 7:00 p.m., the final day of the festival will take place in various buildings on the Flagler College campus. The festival will conclude in the evening with an awards ceremony and reception.

Flagler College Campus —

Saturday, April 13 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.PoetFest Alive! Outside of Ringhaver Student CenterPoetFest brochures and schedules available. The St. Johns County Library system's Book Mobile will also be onsite.Saturday, April 13 11:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.Typewriter Poets and Indie Market Pop-Up Back Paver Patio of Ringhaver Student Center Located between Markland Place and the Ringhaver Student Center, this space will host a pop-up market space with local crafts and goods. Poets will also compose improvisational poems on their typewriters.

Ringhaver Student Center — 50 Sevilla Street

Jay's Place — 1st Floor

Saturday, April 13 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.Registration, Book Bazaar, & Festival Contact Center Publications, author recordings, and local student literary magazines for sale.

Ringhaver Student Center — 50 Sevilla Street

Gamache-Kroger Theater — 1st Floor

Saturday, April 13 10:00 a.m. - 10:50 a.m.Student Showcase Presented by Flagler College English Department.Saturday, April 13 11:00 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.Faculty Showcase Presented by Flagler College English Department.Saturday, April 13 12:00 p.m. - 12:50 p.m.Dramatic Play Reading - "The Poet's Masque" Presented by Amy Goldin and A Classic Theatre.Saturday, April 13 1:00 p.m. - 1:50 p.m.Storytelling Showcas ePresented by Margaret Kaler and the Tale Tellers of St. Augustine.

Ringhaver Student Center — 50 Sevilla Street

Virginia Room — 2nd Floor

Saturday, April 13 10:00 a.m. - 10:50 a.m."Kerouac's Last Two Years - St. Petersburg, Florida" Larry Jaffe, Poet in Residence at the Jack Kerouac House, disusses and reads the works of the infamous writer, who lived with his wife and sister in St. Petersburg, Florida from 1967 until his death in 1969.Saturday, April 13 11 a.m. - 11:50 a.m."From Bookstaplers to Substack - Publishing 101"Dustin Brookshire (Limp Wrist Magazine) and Johnny Masiulewicz (Happy Tapir Press) examine the process of self-publishing.Saturday, April 13 12:00 p.m. - 12:50 p.m."Music and the Muse"Featuring poet Claire Conroy (Maine) performing to improvisational music by singer songwriter Taylor Teachout followed by a Q&A discussion on how music can take your poetry to the next level.Saturday, April 13 1:00 p.m. - 1:50 p.m."Florida is Haunted: Poetic Ghosts in the Sunshine State"Featuring Ma Bones, Nick Dunkenstein, Keri Foster, Damon Thomas, enjoy an hour of poetry inspired by hauntings and the haunted. As Jacques Derrida said — "It is the question of ghosts."Saturday, April 13 2:00 p.m. - 2:50 p.m."The Antinomian Outsider aspect of The Beat Generation"Presented by Outlaw poet Ron Whitehead, who hails from Tennessee.Saturday, April 13 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.Closing Event

• 3:00 pm Words from Festival Chair Chris Bodor
• 3:05 pm Welcoming Words from City of St. Augustine Vice Mayor Roxanne Horvath
• 3:15 pm to Presentation by City of St. Augustine Poet Laureate Norma Sherry
• 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm Presentation by St. Johns Cultural Council Executive Director, Christina Parrish Stone "Winners of 4th Annual St. Johns County Haiku Contest"

Saturday, April 13 5:00 p.m.Celebratory ReceptionFinale celebration — poets and guests all invited!

Boozin' on the Boulevard

• Boozin' on the Boulevard takes guests on a hop-on hop-off service to some of the local restaurants on Anastasia Island.
• This bar crawl begins at Kaiser's Deli & Market and Sogno Restaurant from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. Guests will then be taken to Blackfly and Odd Birds Cocktail Lounge and Kitchen from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. The tour will end at Candlelight South at 8:00 p.m.
• Each eatery will have food and drink specials — individuals must purchase a drink first from Kaiser's or Sogno Restaurant to receive a wristband. This band enables entry onto the Old Town Connect bus — a free transportation service for participants.
• Admission: Food and drink prices vary at each establishment. Transportation is provided by Old Town Connect once a drink is purchased at Kaiser's Deli or Sogno Restaurant.
• When: Every Thursday from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. Note: Dates and times could be adjusted based on the number of sign-ups.
• Where: Starts at Kaiser's Deli & Market at 4 White Street East, St. Augustine, Florida 32080.

Indigo Sol Yoga Retreat

• Indigo Sol, a company founded by two fitness and wellness professionals from Maine, hosts the Indigo Sol Yoga and Wellness Retreat in St. Augustine on April 5 - 11, 2024.
• Attendees will stay at a historic St. Augustine property in the center of Historic Downtown. Coffee, tea, and a continental breakfast will be served daily. In addition, two group dinners, two group lunches, and a sunset happy-hour cruise with appetizers and wine are also included with the retreat fee.
• The retreat will include daily yoga classes in several styles: yin, SUP yoga, ashtanga, vinyasa, and one barre flow. Participants will be invited to participate in energy work and to attend an herbal workshop. Attendees will have time each day for touring, visiting a salt spa, and getting to know the other attendees.
• Indigo Sol is a joint effort by Erin Kimball Collins and Jen Pike.
• Erin has taught fitness for 25 years, focusing on cardio, strength, and barre. She trained at Kranti Yoga School in Goa, India, and specializes in vinyasa, ashtanga, and prenatal styles of yoga.
• Jen Pike has worked in the health and wellness industry for over 18 years. She has her esthetician's license and offers skincare, energy work, and is a reiki master.
• Admission: Admission includes a four-night stay at the "villa" in downtown St. Augustine. Admission for one is $1,950.00. There is a discount for two or three attendees who register together.
• When: Thursday, April 11 through Monday, April 15, 2024
• Where: Many activities happen in St. Augustine's Historic Downtown, where the place to stay is located. Other activities take place on the beaches and in other locations. They will provide transportation.

Lee Rainie: "A. I. & U."

• The Flagler College Forum on Government and Public Policy presents Lee Rainie, former director of internet and technology research at Pew Research Center, who will speak on the topic, "AI & U." Mr. Rainie's lecture will speak in the Virginia Room at the Flagler Student Center at 50 Sevilla Street, on Thursday, April 11, 2024, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Mr. Rainie's topic is "AI and U."
• As Director of Internet and Technology Research for the Pew Research Center, Rainie provided leadership on more than 650 reports that examine people's online activities and the Internet's role in their lives. The American Sociological Association gave Rainie its award for "excellence in the reporting on social issues" in 2014 and described his work as the "most authoritative source of reliable data on the use and impact of the internet and mobile connectivity."
• Now retired from Pew, Rainie is a lecturer and author.
• Flagler College's Forum on Government and Public Policy brings nationally recognized journalists, commentators, and speakers to St. Augustine to discuss issues at hand in regional, state, and federal government. For more than 30 years, the forum has promoted intellectual talks about government and public policy. For more information, call (904) 826-8679 or visit the Flagler Forum on Government and Public Policy.
• Admission: Free. Seating is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis.
• When: Thursday, April 11, beginning at 7:00 p.m.
• Where: The Lewis Auditorium at Flagler College at 14 Granada St, St Augustine, Florida 32084.

Milano Comedy Room: Mike Palma

• The Milano Comedy Room presents comedian, ventriloquist, and magician Mike Palma on Thursday, April 11, 2024, at 7:30 p.m., in the Milano Room at Amici Restaurant, 1915 A1A South, St. Augustine.
• From Long Island, Mike has toured the country, performing at comedy clubs, and for organizations and corporate retreats. His act can include any of three ventriloquist dummies and a bit of magic. Joe Latham, originally from Great Britain, now makes his home in the United States and was a finalist for Florida's Funniest Comedian in 2022.
• Admission: Tickets start at $20.00, with general admission and reserved seating available.
• When: Thursday, April 11, at 7:30 p.m.
• Where: The Milano Room at Amici Restaurant, 1915 A1A South, St. Augustine, Florida 32080

Flagler College Theatre Arts Dept: If/Then

• Flagler College Theatre Arts Department presents If/Then by Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt from Wednesday, April 10, through Sunday, April 14, at the Lewis Auditorium. On Wednesday through Saturday, the performances will be from 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. Sunday is a matineé from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
• If/Then, a contemporary musical, dives into the idea of two versions of the same life and explores the realms of possibilities and choices. Following the life of a recent New York City resident, Elizabeth's life splits in two. The audience is taken on an adventure of these alternate realities with both stories unraveling simultaneously.
• Admission: $20.00 for general admission; free for Flagler College students and employees. Tickets are available to purchase online.
• When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 10 through Saturday, April 13; 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 14.
• Where: Lewis Auditorium is at 14 Granada St. in downtown St. Augustine, Florida 32084.

Coco Montoya at Cafe Eleven

• Cafe Eleven presents Coco Montoya on Thursday, April 11, 2024, at 8:00 p.m.
• Starting his career as a drummer in the 1970s, blues, country, and rock sensation, Coco Montoya, switched his style and his instrument by playing the guitar under the instruction of Albert Collins.
• Rocking the house in Los Angeles and then joining the Blues Breakers, Montoya worked on albums such as Gotta Mind to Travel, Ya Think I'd Know Better, Just Let Go, Suspicion, Can't Look Back, Dirty Deal, The Essential Coco Montoya, I Want it All Back, and his most recent album, Coming In Hot.
• Admission: Tickets cost $40.00 if purchased in advance and $45.00 on the day of the show. Reserved seating costs $50.00.Purchase tickets in advance online or purchase them at Cafe Eleven on the day of the show.
• When: Thursday, April 11, 2024, at 8:00 p.m.
• Where: Cafe Eleven, 501 A1A Beach Blvd, St. Augustine, Florida 32080. On the corner of A1A and 11th Street, one block from St. Augustine Beach.

​
​
For future events please visit the Discord.
https://discord.gg/KmuAxxrM

Live Music for this Thursday

• Jim Lamb Mill Top Tavern 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
• Tony Scozzaro Cellar Upstairs 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
• Chase Fouraker Pierre's Pub 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
• Mike Cook Conch House Marina Resort 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
• Yael Dray and ZaZa Flamenca Fuzion 904 Eatery 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
• Dewey Via Guy Harvey Resort 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
• Trevor Compton St. Augustine Shores Golf Club 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
• Paper City Hustlers St. Augustine Municipal Marina 5:30 pm – 9:00 pm
• Ivan Smith Casa de Vino 57 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
• Joshua "Tennessee" Worthy Mill Top Tavern 9:00 pm – 12:00 pm

2024 St. Augustine PoetFest

• For the third year in a row, Flagler College, Ancient City Poets, and the St. Johns Cultural Council present a three-day poetry festival to celebrate literary heritage and to connect the creative community.
• St. Augustine PoetFest 2024 takes place throughout the city at various cultural venues and includes events ranging from poetry readings to improv showcases.
• All Poetfest 2024 events are free and open to the public.

Day 1 — Thursday, April 11

• Festival Kick-Off:
• Beat Poet Summit & Community Open Mic
• St. Augustine PoetFest 2024 will start with a night of shared poetry at the St. Johns County Waterworks building. For the first hour, poets who have been recognized as "Beat Poet Laureates" of their prospective states (current or incumbent) by the National Beat Poetry Foundation will perform their pieces. The second hour of this kick-off event will be a community open mic night, where local poets and the public are invited to share their most recent writing pieces.
• Doors open at 6:00 p.m., with the sign-up sheet available for interested performers until the 7:00 p.m. showtime.
• Admission: Free and open to all members of the public.
• When: Thursday, April 11, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.
• Where: The Waterworks, 184 San Marco Avenue, St. Augustine, Florida 32084 (Free parking available onsite.)
• Note: While the address is 184 San Marco Avenue, the only driveway on San Marco is Exit Only. Access to the Waterworks is through the St. Augustine Main Library parking lot. (Use 1960 North Ponce de Leon in your GPS.)

Day 2 — Friday, April 12

Day two includes a variety of events throughout the city from 10:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. During the day, performances, lectures, author discussions, and workshops will be held on the Flagler College campus. An open mic event will follow in the evening at Relampago Coffee Lab.

Flagler College Campus

Friday, April 1210:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.Book BazaarOutside Ringhaver Student CenterPoetFest brochures and schedules available. Books and recordings from local authors and featured poets will be for sale.

Ringhaver Student Center — 50 Sevilla Street

Friday, April 12 10:00 a.m. - 10:50 a.m.
Blending Poetry and Comedy The Virginia Room, 2nd FloorNew Jersey Poet Sam Rubenstein shares a series of comedic poetry performances.
Friday, April 12 11:00 a.m. - 12:20 a.m.
Women in Writing: Spotlight on Women Who Inspire The Virginia Room, 2nd Floor With presentations by Shannon E. Stephen, Eleanor Tremayne, Cynthia Atkins, and Victoria Nations, this segment will discuss how representing women's voices can bring balance to creative and social spaces.
Friday, April 12 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
San Diego Scene Spotlight The Virginia Room, 2nd Floor Presented by Chris Vannoy (New Generation Beat Poet Laureate) and Christophver R., two members of The Mightier P.E.N.S. (Poetic Expeditionary Nation of Semanticists).
Friday, April 12 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Improv Comedy Spotlight The Virginia Room, 2nd Floor Presented by Amy Angelilli and The Adventure Project/Third Space Improv.
Friday, April 12 2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Menorcan Heritage in Poetry The Virginia Room, 2nd Floor Historical and cultural presentation by Ann Masters, Poet Laureate of the Menorcan Cultural Society.
Friday, April 12
4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.Keynote Presentation The Virginia Room, 2nd Floor Given by George Wallace, a New York poet & writer in residence at the Walt Whitman Birthplace.
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Relampago Coffee Lab — 74 Spanish Street

Open Mic Night, hosted by the Flagler College English Dept.

After a full Friday of poetry and spoken word events, the Flagler English Department students and faculty invite locals and visitors to join them in an evening of creative performances. Tucked away in the back garden of Relampago, this regular open mic night event will include poetry and musical performances. Sign-up starts at 6:00 p.m., with the first reader beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Admission: Free and open to the public
When: Friday, April 12 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Where: Relampago Coffee Lab, 74 Spanish Street, St. Augustine, Florida 32084
(No parking available onsite. Paid lots nearby.)
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Day 3 — Saturday, April 13

Day three will see another day full of diverse and engaging sessions. Starting at 10:00 a.m. and concluding around 7:00 p.m., the final day of the festival will take place in various buildings on the Flagler College campus. The festival will conclude in the evening with an awards ceremony and reception.

Flagler College Campus —

Saturday, April 13 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
PoetFest Alive! Outside of Ringhaver Student CenterPoetFest brochures and schedules available. The St. Johns County Library system's Book Mobile will also be onsite.
Saturday, April 13 11:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Typewriter Poets and Indie Market Pop-Up Back Paver Patio of Ringhaver Student Center Located between Markland Place and the Ringhaver Student Center, this space will host a pop-up market space with local crafts and goods. Poets will also compose improvisational poems on their typewriters.

Ringhaver Student Center — 50 Sevilla Street

Jay's Place — 1st Floor

Saturday, April 13 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Registration, Book Bazaar, & Festival Contact Center Publications, author recordings, and local student literary magazines for sale.

Ringhaver Student Center — 50 Sevilla Street

Gamache-Kroger Theater — 1st Floor

Saturday, April 13 10:00 a.m. - 10:50 a.m.
Student Showcase Presented by Flagler College English Department.
Saturday, April 13 11:00 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.
Faculty Showcase Presented by Flagler College English Department.
Saturday, April 13 12:00 p.m. - 12:50 p.m.
Dramatic Play Reading - "The Poet's Masque" Presented by Amy Goldin and A Classic Theatre.
Saturday, April 13 1:00 p.m. - 1:50 p.m.
Storytelling Showcas ePresented by Margaret Kaler and the Tale Tellers of St. Augustine.

Ringhaver Student Center — 50 Sevilla Street

Virginia Room — 2nd Floor

Saturday, April 13 10:00 a.m. - 10:50 a.m.
"Kerouac's Last Two Years - St. Petersburg, Florida" Larry Jaffe, Poet in Residence at the Jack Kerouac House, disusses and reads the works of the infamous writer, who lived with his wife and sister in St. Petersburg, Florida from 1967 until his death in 1969.
Saturday, April 13 11 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.
"From Bookstaplers to Substack - Publishing 101"Dustin Brookshire (Limp Wrist Magazine) and Johnny Masiulewicz (Happy Tapir Press) examine the process of self-publishing.
Saturday, April 13 12:00 p.m. - 12:50 p.m.
"Music and the Muse"Featuring poet Claire Conroy (Maine) performing to improvisational music by singer songwriter Taylor Teachout followed by a Q&A discussion on how music can take your poetry to the next level.
Saturday, April 13 1:00 p.m. - 1:50 p.m.
"Florida is Haunted: Poetic Ghosts in the Sunshine State"Featuring Ma Bones, Nick Dunkenstein, Keri Foster, Damon Thomas, enjoy an hour of poetry inspired by hauntings and the haunted. As Jacques Derrida said — "It is the question of ghosts."
Saturday, April 13 2:00 p.m. - 2:50 p.m.
"The Antinomian Outsider aspect of The Beat Generation"Presented by Outlaw poet Ron Whitehead, who hails from Tennessee.
Saturday, April 13 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.Closing Event

• 3:00 pm Words from Festival Chair Chris Bodor
• 3:05 pm Welcoming Words from City of St. Augustine Vice Mayor Roxanne Horvath
• 3:15 pm to Presentation by City of St. Augustine Poet Laureate Norma Sherry
• 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm Presentation by St. Johns Cultural Council Executive Director, Christina Parrish Stone "Winners of 4th Annual St. Johns County Haiku Contest"

Saturday, April 13 5:00 p.m.
Celebratory ReceptionFinale celebration — poets and guests all invited!
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Boozin' on the Boulevard

• Boozin' on the Boulevard takes guests on a hop-on hop-off service to some of the local restaurants on Anastasia Island.
• This bar crawl begins at Kaiser's Deli & Market and Sogno Restaurant from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. Guests will then be taken to Blackfly and Odd Birds Cocktail Lounge and Kitchen from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. The tour will end at Candlelight South at 8:00 p.m.
• Each eatery will have food and drink specials — individuals must purchase a drink first from Kaiser's or Sogno Restaurant to receive a wristband. This band enables entry onto the Old Town Connect bus — a free transportation service for participants.
• Admission: Food and drink prices vary at each establishment. Transportation is provided by Old Town Connect once a drink is purchased at Kaiser's Deli or Sogno Restaurant.
• When: Every Thursday from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. Note: Dates and times could be adjusted based on the number of sign-ups.
• Where: Starts at Kaiser's Deli & Market at 4 White Street East, St. Augustine, Florida 32080.

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Indigo Sol Yoga Retreat

• Indigo Sol, a company founded by two fitness and wellness professionals from Maine, hosts the Indigo Sol Yoga and Wellness Retreat in St. Augustine on April 5 - 11, 2024.
• Attendees will stay at a historic St. Augustine property in the center of Historic Downtown. Coffee, tea, and a continental breakfast will be served daily. In addition, two group dinners, two group lunches, and a sunset happy-hour cruise with appetizers and wine are also included with the retreat fee.
• The retreat will include daily yoga classes in several styles: yin, SUP yoga, ashtanga, vinyasa, and one barre flow. Participants will be invited to participate in energy work and to attend an herbal workshop. Attendees will have time each day for touring, visiting a salt spa, and getting to know the other attendees.
• Indigo Sol is a joint effort by Erin Kimball Collins and Jen Pike.
• Erin has taught fitness for 25 years, focusing on cardio, strength, and barre. She trained at Kranti Yoga School in Goa, India, and specializes in vinyasa, ashtanga, and prenatal styles of yoga.
• Jen Pike has worked in the health and wellness industry for over 18 years. She has her esthetician's license and offers skincare, energy work, and is a reiki master.
• Admission: Admission includes a four-night stay at the "villa" in downtown St. Augustine. Admission for one is $1,950.00. There is a discount for two or three attendees who register together.
• When: Thursday, April 11 through Monday, April 15, 2024
• Where: Many activities happen in St. Augustine's Historic Downtown, where the place to stay is located. Other activities take place on the beaches and in other locations. They will provide transportation.

Lee Rainie: "A. I. & U."

• The Flagler College Forum on Government and Public Policy presents Lee Rainie, former director of internet and technology research at Pew Research Center, who will speak on the topic, "AI & U." Mr. Rainie's lecture will speak in the Virginia Room at the Flagler Student Center at 50 Sevilla Street, on Thursday, April 11, 2024, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Mr. Rainie's topic is "AI and U."
• As Director of Internet and Technology Research for the Pew Research Center, Rainie provided leadership on more than 650 reports that examine people's online activities and the Internet's role in their lives. The American Sociological Association gave Rainie its award for "excellence in the reporting on social issues" in 2014 and described his work as the "most authoritative source of reliable data on the use and impact of the internet and mobile connectivity."
• Now retired from Pew, Rainie is a lecturer and author.
• Flagler College's Forum on Government and Public Policy brings nationally recognized journalists, commentators, and speakers to St. Augustine to discuss issues at hand in regional, state, and federal government. For more than 30 years, the forum has promoted intellectual talks about government and public policy. For more information, call (904) 826-8679 or visit the Flagler Forum on Government and Public Policy.
• Admission: Free. Seating is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis.
• When: Thursday, April 11, beginning at 7:00 p.m.
• Where: The Lewis Auditorium at Flagler College at 14 Granada St, St Augustine, Florida 32084.

Milano Comedy Room: Mike Palma

• The Milano Comedy Room presents comedian, ventriloquist, and magician Mike Palma on Thursday, April 11, 2024, at 7:30 p.m., in the Milano Room at Amici Restaurant, 1915 A1A South, St. Augustine.
• From Long Island, Mike has toured the country, performing at comedy clubs, and for organizations and corporate retreats. His act can include any of three ventriloquist dummies and a bit of magic. Joe Latham, originally from Great Britain, now makes his home in the United States and was a finalist for Florida's Funniest Comedian in 2022.
• Admission: Tickets start at $20.00, with general admission and reserved seating available.
• When: Thursday, April 11, at 7:30 p.m.
• Where: The Milano Room at Amici Restaurant, 1915 A1A South, St. Augustine, Florida 32080

Flagler College Theatre Arts Dept: If/Then

• Flagler College Theatre Arts Department presents If/Then by Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt from Wednesday, April 10, through Sunday, April 14, at the Lewis Auditorium. On Wednesday through Saturday, the performances will be from 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. Sunday is a matineé from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
• If/Then, a contemporary musical, dives into the idea of two versions of the same life and explores the realms of possibilities and choices. Following the life of a recent New York City resident, Elizabeth's life splits in two. The audience is taken on an adventure of these alternate realities with both stories unraveling simultaneously.
• Admission: $20.00 for general admission; free for Flagler College students and employees. Tickets are available to purchase online.
• When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 10 through Saturday, April 13; 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 14.
• Where: Lewis Auditorium is at 14 Granada St. in downtown St. Augustine, Florida 32084.

Coco Montoya at Cafe Eleven

• Cafe Eleven presents Coco Montoya on Thursday, April 11, 2024, at 8:00 p.m.
• Starting his career as a drummer in the 1970s, blues, country, and rock sensation, Coco Montoya, switched his style and his instrument by playing the guitar under the instruction of Albert Collins.
• Rocking the house in Los Angeles and then joining the Blues Breakers, Montoya worked on albums such as Gotta Mind to Travel, Ya Think I'd Know Better, Just Let Go, Suspicion, Can't Look Back, Dirty Deal, The Essential Coco Montoya, I Want it All Back, and his most recent album, Coming In Hot.
• Admission: Tickets cost $40.00 if purchased in advance and $45.00 on the day of the show. Reserved seating costs $50.00.Purchase tickets in advance online or purchase them at Cafe Eleven on the day of the show.
• When: Thursday, April 11, 2024, at 8:00 p.m.
• Where: Cafe Eleven, 501 A1A Beach Blvd, St. Augustine, Florida 32080. On the corner of A1A and 11th Street, one block from St. Augustine Beach.

​
For future events please visit the Discord.
https://discord.gg/KmuAxxrM

Ok so I grew up in Queens in the 90s, and was too young for this show when it was on, but I'm loooving it right now. Watching this & The Americans on Hulu. Keri Russel is such a badass. But back to Felicity. Getting so much nostalgia for nyc (I'm in Maryland now). I'm in the 2nd season when she cuts her hair. In this episode, mono is going around & she's dating the son of one of her professors who hasn't made a move on her yet, & she's in the Cafe talking to her boss Javier about it, & the guy comes in and Javier says "Excuse me, I uh, have to dust the scones ". And Felicity gives him this look, like whuuut...- ah, comedy gold!

I'm gonna continue this compilation series with Chris Brown. He first came on the scene in the fall of 2005 with "Run It!" (both the album and the single) and became one of the most popular artists during the mid-late 2000s. He was still largely relevant up until the mid 2010s but had a few hit songs here and there up until 2019 or 2020 so I'll stop it there.
Here, I will see which of his songs lean toward either the McBling, Electropop, Core 10s, or even the CovidTok eras.
McBling Era

• Chris Brown album singles - an early/mid 2000s McBling album
  • Run It! ft. Juelz Santana - 2005 (mid 2000s)
  • Yo (Excuse Me Miss) - 2005 (mid 2000s)
  • Gimme That Remix ft. Lil Wayne - 2006 (mid 2000s)
  • Say Goodbye - 2006 (early/mid 2000s cusp); also on the Step Up soundtrack
  • Poppin' - 2006 (mid 2000s)
• His albumless singles
  • Shortie Like Mine w/ Bow Wow & Johntá Austin - 2006 (mid 2000s)
  • Get Like Me w/ David Banner & Yung Joc - 2008 (mid/late 2000s cusp)
  • Make the World Go Round w/ Nas and The Game - 2008 (mid/late 2000s cusp); doesn't sound like a typical mid or late 2000s song but this is the closest that it sounds; it sounds a little similar to some hip-hop songs from the Y2K era or just a mixture of multiple eras
• Exclusive album singles - a McBling/2K7 cusp album (mostly late 2000s)
  • With You - 2007 (late 2000s)
• This Christmas soundtrack singles
  • This Christmas - 2007 (mid/late 2000s cusp); doesn't sound distinctly of any period tbh

Not distinctly McBling or Electropop (a.k.a. "2K7")

• His albumless singles
  • McBling leaning
    • No Air w/ Jordin Sparks - 2008 (late 2000s)
    • Feel the Steam w/ Elephant Man - 2008 (late 2000s); doesn't really sound distinct of any period
    • What Them Girls Like w/ Ludacris and Sean Garrett - 2008 (late 2000s)
    • Head Of My Class w/ Scooter Smiff - 2008 (late 2000s)
  • Electropop leaning
    • Shawty Get Loose w/ Lil Mama & T-Pain - 2008 (late 2000s)
    • Freeze w/ T-Pain - 2008 (late 2000s)
    • Work That! w/ Teriyaki Boyz and Pharrell - 2009 (late 2000s)
    • Drop It Low w/ Ester Dean - 2009 (late 2000s)
• Exclusive album singles - a McBling/2K7 cusp album (mostly late 2000s)
  • McBling leaning
    • Wall To Wall - 2007 (late 2000s)
    • Kiss Kiss ft. T-Pain - 2007 (late 2000s)
    • Take You Down - 2007 (late 2000s)
    • Superhuman ft. Keri Hilson - 2008 (late 2000s)
  • Electropop leaning
    • Forever - 2008 (late 2000s)
• AT&T Team USA Soundtrack album singles
  • McBling leaning
    • Dreamer - 2008 (late 2000s)
  • Electropop leaning
    • None

Electropop Era

• His albumless singles
  • Work That! w/ Teriyaki Boyz and Pharrell - 2009 (late 2000s)
  • Bad Girl w/ Rihanna - 2009 (late 2000s)
  • Better on the Other Side (MJ tribute) w/ The Game and various artists - 2009 (late 2000s)
  • Back to the Crib w/ Juelz Santana - 2009 (late 2000s)
  • Deuces ft. Tyga, Kevin McCall - 2010 (late 2000s/early 10s cusp); later added to the F.A.M.E. album
  • Make a Movie w/ Twista - 2010 (late 2000s)
  • Get Back Up w/ T.I. - 2010 (late 2000s/early 10s cusp)
  • Ain't Thinkin' 'Bout You w/ Bow Wow - 2010 (late 2000s/early 10s cusp)
  • Champion - 2011 (late 2000s/early 10s cusp)
  • My Last w/ Big Sean - 2011 (late 2000s/early 10s cusp)
  • One Night Stand w/ Keri Hilson - 2011 (late 2000s/early 10s cusp)
  • Best Love Song w/ T-Pain - 2011 (late 2000s)
  • Pot of Gold w/ The Game - 2011 (late 2000s/early 10s cusp)
  • Body 2 Body w/ Ace Hood - 2011 (late 2000s/early 10s cusp)
  • Better With The Lights w/ New Boyz - 2011 (late 2000s/early 10s cusp)
  • Legendary w/ The Game, Keisha Cole & Ne-Yo - 2011 (late 2000s/early 10s cusp)
  • International Love w/ Pitbull - 2011 (late 2000s/early 10s cusp)
  • Another Round w/ Fat Joe - 2011 (late 2000s/early 10s cusp)
  • Strip ft. Kevin McCall - 2011 (early 10s); later included in the Fortune album
  • Why Stop Now w/ Busta Rhymes - 2011 (early 10s)
  • Birthday Cake (remix) w/ Rihanna - 2012 (early 10s)
  • Right by My Side w/ Nicki Minaj - 2012 (early 10s)
  • Take It To The Head w/ DJ Khaled and various artists - 2012 (late 2000s/early 10s cusp)
  • I Can Only Imagine w/ David Guetta and Lil Wayne - 2012 (early 10s)
  • Amazing w/ David Banner - 2012 (late 2000s/early 10s cusp)
  • Put It Down w/ Brandy - 2012 (late 2000s/early 10s cusp)
  • Celebration w/ The Game and various artists - 2012 (late 2000s/early 10s cusp)
  • Everyday Birthday w/ Swiss Beats and Ludacris - 2012 (early 10s)
  • Rider w/ Ace Hood - 2013 (early 10s)
  • Put on My Niggas w/ Compton Menace - 2014 (early 10s)
• Graffiti album singles - a late 2000s Electropop album
  • I Can Transform Ya ft. Swizz Beats, Lil Wayne - 2009 (late 2000s)
  • Crawl - 2009 (late 2000s)
• F.A.M.E. album singles - largely an early 10s Electropop album
  • Yeah 3x - 2010 (early 10s)
  • No Bullshit - 2010 (late 2000s/early 10s cusp)
  • Look at Me Now ft. Lil Wayne, Busta Rhymes - 2011 (late 2000s/early 10s cusp)
  • Beautiful People ft. Benny Benassi - 2011 (early 10s)
  • She Ain't You - 2011 (early 10s)
  • Next to You ft. Justin Bieber - 2011 (early 10s)
  • Wet the Bed w/ Ludacris - 2011 (late 2000s/early 10s cusp)
• Fortune album singles - largely an Electropop album
  • Turn Up The Music - 2012 (early 10s)
  • Don't Wake Me Up - 2012 (early 10s)
  • Sweet Love - 2012 (early 10s)
  • Till I Die ft. Big Sean, Wiz Khalifa - 2012 (early 10s)

Not distinctly Electropop or Core 10s (a.k.a. "2K12")

• His albumless singles
  • Electropop leaning
    • Algo Me Gusta de Ti w/ Wisin & Yandel and T-Pain - 2012 (early 10s)
    • Ready w/ Fabolous - 2013 (early 10s)
    • For The Road w/ Tyga - 2013 (early 10s)
    • Memory w/ Asher Monroe - 2014 (early 10s)
  • Core 10s leaning
    • As Your Friend w/ Afrojack - 2013 (early 10s)
    • Beat It w/ Sean Kingston, Wiz Khalifa - 2013 (early 10s)
    • Episode w/ E-40 and T.I. - 2013 (early 10s)
    • Talkin' Bout w/ Juicy J and Wiz Khalifa - 2014 (early 10s)
    • No Romeo No Juliet w/ 50 Cent - 2016 (early 10s)
• Fortune album singles - largely an Electropop album
  • Electropop leaning
    • Don't Judge Me - 2012 (early 10s)
  • Core 10s leaning
    • None

Core 10s

• X album singles - an early/mid Core 10s album
  • Fine China - 2013 (early 10s)
  • Don't Think They Know ft. Aaliyah - 2013 (early/mid 10s cusp)
  • Love More ft. Nicki Minaj - 2013 (early/mid 10s cusp)
  • Loyal ft. Lil Wayne, Tyga - 2013 (early/mid 10s cusp)
  • New Flame ft. Usher, Rick Ross - 2014 (early/mid 10s cusp)
• His albumless singles
  • It Won't Stop w/ Sevyn Streeter - 2013 (early 10s)
  • Sweet Serenade w/ Pusha T - 2013 (early/mid 10s cusp)
  • Show Me w/ Kid Ink - 2013 (early/mid 10s cusp)
  • Main Chick w/ Kid Ink and Tyga - 2014 (mid 10s)
  • Hold You Down w/ DJ Khaled and various artists - 2014 (early/mid 10s cusp)
  • Only w/ Nicki Minaj, Drake, and Lil Wayne - 2014 (mid 10s)
  • Do Not Disturb w/ Teyana Taylor - 2014 (mid 10s)
  • Post To Be w/ Omarion and Jhene Aiko - 2014 (mid 10s)
  • Waves w/ Mr. Probs and T.I. - 2014 (mid 10s)
  • Hotel w/ Kid Ink - 2015 (early/mid 10s cusp)
  • Don't Kill The Fun w/ Sevyn Streeter - 2015 (mid 10s)
  • Private Show w/ T.I. - 2015 (early 10s)
  • Fool Wit It w/ Kid Ink - 2015 (early/mid 10s cusp)
  • Fun w/ Pitbull - 2015 (mid 10s)
  • Do It Again w/ Pia Mia and Tyga - 2015 (mid 10s)
  • How Many Times w/ DJ Khaled, Lil Wayne, and Big Sean - 2015 (mid 10s)
  • All Eyes On You w/ Meek Mill and Nicki Minaj - 2015 (mid 10s)
  • Body On Me w/ Rita Ora - 2015 (mid 10s)
  • Moses w/ French Montana and Migos - 2015 (mid 10s)
  • Play No Games w/ Big Sean and Ty Dolla Sign - 2015 (mid/late 10s cusp)
  • Player w/ Tinashe - 2015 (mid 10s)
  • Sorry w/ Rick Ross - 2015 (early/mid 10s cusp)
  • Gold Slugs w/ DJ Khalid, August Alsina, Fetty Wap - 2015 (mid 10s)
  • Something New w/ Zendaya - 2016 (mid 10s)
  • #BDAY w/ Tank, Siya, & Sage The Gemini - 2016 (mid 10s)
  • Paradise w/ Benny Benassi - 2016 (mid 10s)
  • Drifting w/ G-Eazy and Tory Lanez - 2016 (mid/late 10s cusp)
  • Bounce w/ Kid Red and Migos - 2016 (mid 10s)
  • Call Me (When It's Over) w/ Rockie Fresh - 2016 (mid 10s)
  • Wishing w/ DJ Drama Skeme, Lyquin - 2016 (mid 10s)
  • I'm The Man (Remix) w/ 50 Cent - 2016 (mid 10s)
  • Do You Know w/ DJ Khaled and various artists - 2016 (mid 10s)
  • Trap Out The Uber w/ Bricc Baby - 2016 (mid 10s)
  • Leave Broke w/ Famous Fresh - 2016 (mid 10s)
  • Famous w/ Ray J - 2016 (mid/late 10s cusp)
  • I Think Of You w/ Jeremih and Big Sean - 2017 (mid/late 10s cusp)
  • Bruk Off Yuh Back w/ Konshens - 2017 (mid 10s)
  • Jiu Jitsu w/ OneInThe4Rest - 2017 (late 10s)
  • Whatever You Need w/ Meek Mill and Ty Dolla Sign - 2017 (mid/late 10s cusp)
  • African Bad Gyal w/ Wizkid - 2017 (mid/late 10s cusp)
  • Tone It Down w/ Gucci Mane - 2017 (mid/late 10s cusp)
  • Pie w/ Future - 2017 (late 10s)
  • Post & Delete w/ Zoey Dollaz - 2017 (mid/late 10s cusp)
  • Perfect w/ Dave East - 2017 (mid/late 10s cusp)
  • Always w/ A1 and Ty Dolla Sign - 2017 (mid/late 10s cusp)
  • Either Way w/ K. Michelle - 2017 (mid/late 10s cusp)
  • Love You Better w/ King Combs - 2018 (early/mid 10s cusp)
  • Freaky Friday w/ Lil Dicky - 2018 (mid 10s)
  • Date Night (Same Time) w/ Kirko Bangz - 2018 (late 10s)
  • Overdose w/ Agnez Mo - 2018 (mid/late 10s cusp)
  • Fairytale w/ Skye - 2018 (mid/late 10s cusp)
  • Buss It w/ Sage the Gemini - 2018 (mid/late 10s cusp)
  • Chi Chi w/ Trey Songz - 2019 (late 10s)
  • Light It Up w/ Marshmello and Tyga - 2019 (late 10s)
• Fan of a Fan: The Album album singles - a mid Core 10s album
  • Ayo w/ Tyga - 2015 (mid 10s)
  • Bitches N Marijuana w/ Tyga and ScHoolboy Q - 2015 (mid 10s)
• Royalty album singles - a mid Core 10s album
  • Liquor - 2015 (mid 10s)
  • Zero - 2015 (mid 10s)
  • Back To Sleep - 2015 (mid 10s)
  • Fine By Me - 2015 (mid 10s)
• Heartbreak on a Full Moon album singles - a mid/late Core 10s album
  • Grass Ain't Greener - 2016 (mid/late 10s cusp)
  • Party ft. Usher and Gucci Mane - 2016 (mid/late 10s cusp)
  • Privacy - 2017 (mid/late 10s cusp)
  • Pills & Automobiles ft. Yo Gotti, A Boogie wit da Hoodie, and Kodak Black - 2017 (late 10s)
  • Questions - 2017 (mid/late 10s cusp)
  • Tempo - 2018 (mid/late 10s cusp)
• Indigo album singles - largely a 2K18 album
  • No Guidance ft. Drake - 2019 (mid/late 10s cusp)

Not distinctly Core 10s or CovidTok (a.k.a. "2K18")

• His albumless singles
  • Core 10s leaning
    • Left, Right w/ Casanova and Fabolous - 2017 (late 10s)
    • Melanin Magic (Pretty Brown) w/ Remy Ma - 2018 (late 10s)
    • Stranger Things w/ Joyner Lucas - 2018 (late 10s)
    • Easy (Remix) w/ DaniLeigh - 2019 (late 10s)
    • Haute w/ Tyga and J Balvin - 2019 (late 10s)
    • Restroom Occupied w/ Yella Breezy - 2019 (late 10s)
    • Something Real w/ Summer Walker and London on da Track - 2019 (late 10s)
    • Back To You w/ O.T. Genasis and Charlie Wilson - 2020 (late 10s)
  • CovidTok leaning
    • Attention w/ Fat Joe and Dre - 2018 (late 10s)
    • Flight To Memphis w/ Smooky MarGielaa, Juicy J, and A$AP Rocky - 2018 (late 10s)
    • Must Be w/ Rockie Fresh - 2019 (late 10s)
    • G Walk w/ Lil Mosey - 2019 (late 10s)
    • Put In Work w/ Jacquees - 2020 (late 10s)
• Indigo album singles - largely a 2K18 album
  • Core 10s leaning
    • Undecided - 2019 (late 10s)
    • Wobble Up ft. Nicki Minaj and G-Eazy - 2019 (late 10s)
    • Heat ft. Gunna - 2019 (late 10s)
  • CovidTok leaning
    • Back To Love - 2019 (late 10s)

CovidTok Era

• His albumless singles
  • Type A Way w/ Eric Bellinger & OG Parker - 2019 (late 10s)
  • Blow My Mind w/ Davido - 2019 (late 10s)
  • Did You w/ 4B - 2019 (late 10s/early 20s cusp)
  • Out Of Your Mind w/ French Montana, Swae Lee - 2020 (late 10s/early 20s cusp)
  • Wake Up Dead w/ T-Pain - 2020 (late 10s)
• Slime & B album singles - a late 10s CovidTok era album
  • Go Crazy w/ Young Thug - 2020 (late 10s)
  • Say You Love Me w/ Young Thug - 2020 (late 10s/early 20s cusp)

That does it for this list.

I go by Keri but my legal name is Karen. I’m sure some people are already laughing reading the beginning of this message…
I’m more used to Karen and feel like Keri is something I chose because I had to. Even going to the pharmacy or doctor’s office I need to use my legal name. Karen is on all legal documents, of course. I’m afraid to change it legally since a) it’s a difficult process and b) what if I change it and it’s too late? Will I regret it? I’m “fine” with Keri but it still doesn’t totally feel like it’s my name. I’ve been going by Keri for four years.
I’m okay with family calling me Karen. For those who know me well, I know they aren’t using my name to hurt me. I go back and forth between my name feeling comfortable and times when I’m so embarrassed by it and totally ashamed.
The Karen jokes, the rude comments, the weird looks. When meeting new people many would say, “I hope you’re one of the good ones”…it makes me sad. Saying my name is Karen is like introducing myself as “shithead or “asshole”. The Karen haircut at first was kind of funny but then it got out of control. I know I’m not like the Karens seen in those awful videos. Like, why would these women treat other people so terribly? People should get called out for their actions but I just wish we didn’t have to use a person’s name.
I was at the pharmacy the other day, picking up a prescription and a kid behind me in line looked at me and laughed after I told the person at the register my name. It shouldn’t matter but it’s all these small moments that build up over time. Ordering a coffee many years back, the barista laughed at me saying, “your name, that sucks”. Introducing myself as Karen, I would always make a Karen joke before other people had the chance to do it.
The Karen Halloween masks, Karen videos, “I hate Karen” merchandise…no matter how many times I say/think it’s not about me, it’s about what the name represents, it still gets to me.
Even trying to date…I’m in my mid-20s and have stayed away from dating. And trying to get back into dating again, I don’t know how to introduce myself anymore. When I dated, Karen wasn’t considered to be a problematic name. “You can call me Keri”. Let’s say things work out, two months later, “actually, it’s Karen. Gotcha!” I prefer people I’m close to call me Karen but now I feel like that’s a total turn off to be Karen. I guarantee that no guy on a dating app will look at me with the name Karen and take me seriously.
I’m “fine” to go by Keri but I wish I could just go by my name and have it be okay.
I associate the name with stupidity now or just an overall nasty/evil person. I don’t always feel this way. Mainly when I see mean Karen memes or get self-conscious about it. Sometimes I like my name because it’s me and I never really thought of it as a bad thing until everyone else did.
There are so many cool Karens like: Karen Gillan, Karen O, Karen Elson, etc. But I guess they did well in their careers and people liked them before the Karen controversy.
I wish I could own my name and not care about the mean comments/looks.
I’ll probably continue to go by Keri and keep my legal name for now. I know that the younger generation doesn’t even think Karen is an actual name. My family said the Karen problem will blow over…that’s not happening. Just curious about people’s thoughts. Maybe other Karens out there, how have you dealt with this? Some people who aren’t named Karen have said to own it and “be one of the good Karens”.
I know I can’t change that the fact that Karen is an ugly name now. I watched that show Daisy Jones and the Six and Suki Waterhouse playing Karen, she was a total badass musician. Made me like my name again.
But also, a bad comment or someone teasing me about it…back to feeling awful about it. Seems like most people think of Karen as something bad. Family says that most people don’t think of Karen as something bad. I don’t believe that…
😔

Thank you SpacePaladin15 for the amazing universe!
l Prologue l Previous l Next l
—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kiris puts down his pad with disgust.
No, I don’t need this right now.
A phrase that often signaled the end of conversations with his parents. They were few and far between, but they were notable for all the wrong reasons.
I don’t need any of this right now.
A phrase that ended most days, actually.
Kiris put his work badge in the glove compartment, shoving it far in the back. Returning to the steering wheel, he stared across the parking garage. Only weathered concrete stared back.
He should head home. It’s late, and tomorrow is another early shift. Besides, what would his parents think? Getting wasted on a work night, How irresponsible. He can almost hear their nagging in the silence.
Kiris brings the engine to life. His favorite dive isn’t too far away.
——-
“Kiris, the usual?” Ceno called from the counter. The old Harchen was a friend of Kiris, almost by accident. With how often he was here, it was almost inevitable.
“The usual, yeah.”
The tender pulled one of the more potent liquors from the shelf. “Rough day?”
“Like I said, the usual.”
Taking a glance around, all the standard company was present. There was that Gojid couple in the corner, the Nevok was in his usual spot, all the vaguely recognizable Harchen. Nothing new, as usual.
The decor too. Almost fifty years out of date, Kiris reckoned. Ceno liked to call it character. Kiris found he’d grown tired of character. He found he was tired of a lot of things. Probably why the bar had become an almost nightly occurrence.
The first shot went down with ease. It came with experience. He was just about to order a second when a heavy presence landed to his left.
“I’ll have what he’s having.”
Kiris turned to see a cloak donned gray wall glaring back. Even for an Arxur, he (she?) was absolutely massive. Coming from a Harchen, where anyone higher than a standard road bollard was considered tall, that was saying something.
Kiris watched as the predator downed two shots in quick succession, before making a go for a third. That could only mean one thing.
“Rough day for you too?”
The predator turned its crimson glare onto the Harchen, in a way most others would consider intimidating. The voice was female, spoken gently from underneath the cloak's hood.
“Pardon?”
“You downed two shots of Sunside FireFruit Fireball within ten seconds of each other. You know the proof on that, right?”
Her head turned back, and she stared down at her now third glass. She downed it without further hesitation, sighed deeply once it was done. Kiris took that as a yes.
“We all have something going on, don’t we?”
She didn’t answer.
The silence continued as the shots kept coming, spare the background noise of the bar, and the news broadcast from the TV. Spare some mention of a Chief Hunter between shots four and five, Kiris didn’t catch much.
By the time number seven rolled around, coherent thought was becoming a passing memory. But there was just enough left for Kiris to call it quits. Must’ve been a bad day, he usually only went up to six.
“Yeah, I’d think that’s a good idea. I’m closing your tab.” Ceno stared down at the Harchen with some concern, but this was something he’d come to expect.
Most of the other patrons had filtered out, leaving just Kiris, and Arxur, and the odd stragglers. It would be several hours before Kiris would be sober enough to drive, and by that point, work would be wondering where he was. Maybe I won’t go in tomorrow. They won’t care. Not a lot of people did.
“I have things going on, yeah.”
Kiris turned a groggy head towards her. “What?”
She, along with him, was halfway to annihilation. Even under the hood, Kiris could see that she was struggling to keep her eyes open. He found it surprising that she was coherent at all.
“You said earlier, we all had things going on.”
“I…did…”
“You did.” She snorted. “Don’t ask me how I remember.”
“Huh…”
She turned to face Kiris, the full weight of her stare bearing down directly on the Harchen. “What do you have going on, you little snack…”
Maybe well past halfway, based on that comment. A little snack? Was she planning on eating me, literally? His train of thought, which had been running at low speed all night, was blown right off its tracks.
“Uhh….uhh…”
His malfunction brought forth laughter. “You should’ve seen the look on your little face, thought you were gonna die…Oh, you prey are so easy to fuck with.”
“...yeah…thank you?”
His little acknowledgement brought a doubled over bout of laughter, bringing tears to her eyes. She eventually recovered, and her lean over the Harchen became much more pronounced.
“I like you, what’s your name?”
“...uh…Kiris.”
“Heh, Kiris, do you know what it’s like to be a prey?”
“U-uh…no?”
A maniacal glare crossed her face.
“Would you like me to show you?”
Even through the inebriation, the implication hit Kiris over the head like a lead sledgehammer. Oh, oh, OH. She wants to do THAT. Uh, huh, okay, how do I feel about this? An Arxur, Three times my size, like, five times my weight. She could easily crush me, bite my head off, pin me to a wall, carry me around with one paw, strangle me, and, uh, huh, oh stars.
He suddenly couldn’t breathe, and felt his heart breaking records in his chest. But overriding it all was an adrenaline injected excitement.
Okay, I definitely want this. Whatever this is, I want it, right now.
“Yeah....okay, sure.”
The exact answer she was looking for. “Perfect. Do you have a place in mind?”
Kiris didn’t like the sudden responsibility. “I..uh, my place isn’t too far from here. W-we can walk.”
Not that both of them were capable of much more. “Sounds good to me. Shall we get going?”
She didn’t even wait for an answer before she half stumbled off the barstool. Kiris followed close behind, finding that he’d partially forgotten how to walk as well. Together, they began their long, difficult, self-inflicted trudge back to his apartment.
Through the haze of liquor, and the mounting excitement of whatever was to come, Kiris couldn’t help but wonder: Why did I say yes?
—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Memory transcription subject: Shaza, Chief Hunter, Sector Commision Four, Greater Dominion Seris, Arxur Refugee
Date [standardized human time]: December 8th, 2136
Seris awoke, still wrapped around him. She watched for a while, his chest rise and fall, scales shift color ever so slightly. To lie there forever, with him at her side? That was her only true wish. It didn’t matter that the sheets were filthy, or sounds that sounded suspiciously like gunshots rang out every so often. As long as I’m with him. I don’t deserve you, Kiris.
He wakes, turning over to face her. She feels his tail shifting happily against her leg.
“Morning”, said softly.
“They don’t call it morning here.”
He snorts. “Whatever they call it here.”
“Sure, fine.”
“So,” he gently lays a paw against her face, “what's the plan for today?”
“Uh, don’t know. We don’t need anything. Guess we just…stay here and wait. Maybe work will finally come through?”
Seris had sent applications to every mercenary outfit in the arm. So far, nothing. She suspected it had something to do with him. For obvious reasons, Harchen were not known as warriors. She still had some hope, but hope couldn’t pay for food. They needed money.
“I’m sure it’ll work out. As long as we’re together.”
“Of course.” She nuzzled up against him, wishing that this moment would last forever. But they had to get up eventually. And Seris wouldn't be second in line.
“Can I take the shower first?”
“Take your time, there’s no rush.”
Seris realized that it was probably a bad idea to sleep naked in the bed. Given the general state of things, she doubted the sheets had seen anything approaching a cleaning product in months. And considering the location, and what people probably did in them, (Fuck, what we did in them), just being in proximity probably risked contracting several fun and interesting diseases.
Not that the shower was much better. Stepping in, Seris observed several interesting colonies of mildew growing in the corners. Taking care not to touch them, she turned the faucet, and learned another reason why the motel was dirt cheap. It was one of those ‘exciting’ water heaters, where one end was a tundric cold that would freeze you solid, the other being like standing next to an antimatter detonation, and the bearable between being so minuscule as to be observed only through an atomic microscope. By the time she had found that middle ground, several minutes had already passed.
The water ran over her scales in rivers, through the valleys of scars. Valleys of sin, where only pain received and pain inflicted resided. Seris hoped the water would carry the residents away, send them swirling into the dark abyss below. It was a hope, and only that.
Kiris had seen them during their first night together. He’d seen them every time after. They were never brought up. She always wondered why he never brought them up. Maybe he knew they only held bad memories, ones not worth bringing out. She silently thanked him for that.
One brief lather later, Seris stepped out. Standing in front of the mirror, she wiped away the condensation. Amidst the caked on grime and water stains, there she stood.
Me. Despite everything, it was still me. Shaza, Chief Hunter, proud servant of Betterment, and-
Seris dried herself quickly, before stepping back into the main room. Kiris sat on the bed, watching the news. “All yours.”
He jumped off, and waddled into the bathroom. The door shut, and Seris was alone.
She donned one of the few pelt sets she had, basic undergarments and a long hooded cloak. Good for keeping your face hidden from any unwanted eyes. Worked so far, at least. From the closed door, the shifting of water told her that Kiris had just hopped in. She still had several minutes to waste.
Probably a good idea to check out the window. Just to make sure.
The sleep shutters were closed, but little strips of light managed to peek through. She used a claw to shift one slightly, just enough to give her a full outside view. A car shot down the street, a few Venlil were making their way about. On the opposite curb-
Him.
He was easy to clock, even with that hood on. I’d told him to message me, so why was he here in person?
There was only one way to find out. It didn’t matter if he was with Betterment. If he was, they’d already found me, and I was good as dead. If he wasn’t, then he had what I wanted. It could be both, or something entirely unexpected.
It was a quick walk across the street, and closing the distance only confirmed my initial observation.
“Sefris, I told you to message me.”
The Chief Hunter didn’t turn to face me, and instead kept his gaze set on the motel.
“It wouldn’t be secure. Get unlucky, and it would be both our heads on the chopping block. I’m surprised you lasted this long.”
“Call it good fortune.”
“Good luck. City is absolutely crawling with Betterment. How they didn’t clock you earlier is beyond me.”
Wait, “How do you know that?”
“Because Betterment sent me to kill you.”
Somehow, it wasn’t surprising. The fact I was still alive was. A reason for hope. “You did a terrible job.”
“That was the point, yes. I got what you wanted. Intelligence.”
From underneath his cloak, he presented a small data chip, so small as to be carried away by a mild breeze. But he snatched it away before my claws could grasp it.
“What are you doing?”
“Oh, so that's what he looks like.”
Following his gaze back to the motel revealed that prey standing at the door, staring across the street with concern.
“So that's the prey you're so enamored with.”
“Enamored, don’t tell me-”
“Don’t lie to me, Shaza. I saw the report. You don’t see the same prey for two years unless there is something there.”
“You misunderstand, this was-”
“All a lie by Isif, designed to smear you. That fucking that Harchen is your way of giving service to Betterment. Like I said, I read the report. Don’t insult my intelligence by repeating the same trite you said to that officer.”
“Sefris, if you-”
“Do you realize how pathetic you sound, Shaza? Trying to deny what I can see with my own two eyes? Your little attempts to defend yourself only embarrass you further.”
“Enough! What is this, Sefris? I’d thought I could trust that you could see through his lies!”
“Lies, funny. The only one lying here is you. Isif told the truth, one that we all know, one that you and so many others refuse to recognize.”
“Oh and what would this ‘truth’ be?”
For the first time, he turned his glare to me. He only looked disappointed.
“We are all broken, Shaza. Every single one of us. Sad, pathetic little excuses for people. Souls twisted into grotesque abortions of sapience, capable only of violent expression of its deep inner rot. That is who we are.”
“So we are left with a choice. Lie, convince ourselves that we are something that we are not. That the violence serves some greater purpose, for blood, for soil, for nation, or whatever we come up with.”
“Or, we submit to the truth. That we are nothing. And only through rejection of Betterment, becoming ‘defective’, can we become something. It was what Isif did, it is what you have done, it is what I will do.”
“Your…going to defect?”
“Of course, Why would I not? I am a man of the truth. Where it shows itself, I follow. It took Isif leaving to see it. Do you?”
“What you call ‘truth’, is nothing more than-”
“What do you call yourself, when you're with him?”
“P-pardon?”
His attention returned back to the prey, who still stood watching the whole exchange.
“Your persona, Seris. That’s you to him, correct?”
“Yes, but I see no reason why that’s releva-”
“Tell me Seris, do you love him?”
“Wha..”
“I am asking you Seris, do you love him?”
“Why are you-”
“Answer the question.”
What was he getting at? Acting like Seris was anything real. Why was he engaging in such ludicrous fantasy, this-
“I do.”
Sefris nodded his tail. It was the answer he wanted. Or rather, Seris thought, the answer he already knew.
“How does he make you feel?”
“...Happy. Like I’m cared for. It all still feels so…”
“Strange.” The Chief Hunter finished for her. “Like you're not supposed to be feeling these things, but you do regardless. You’ll get used to it, I promise.”
“But at the same time, I feel like I don’t…deserve it. After what I’ve done.”
“We don’t.”
Silence, for a long moment. Sefris pulled the chip back from his pocket, and presented it to Seris.
“This chip contains everything you need for the Cradle. New passports, new identities for you and him. Enough credits to hold you over until you find work.”
“The Cradle?”
“Betterment already knows your on Skalga. They don’t know you're here. I’ll have to tell them to maintain appearances. You need to be offworld by the time that happens.”
“But why the Cradle specifically?”
“Because that’s where Isif is.”
So he had come through after all. “Where exactly?”
“Don’t know, most I’ve heard is that the Coalition have him running a listening post out of some government nature reserve. On the border of Cenovak, Creychall, and Bendara. Chances are, you’ll find him there.”
But in light of everything he just said, “Why are you telling me this?”
“Because Seris has no reason to go after a defective Chief Hunter, and you're too smart to try. The very fact I’m supposed to be killing you should be enough evidence that the Dominion has no intention of welcoming you back. You bring them his head, you’ll both share a grave.”
“No, I know that I can-“
“Don’t lie to yourself. You may pretend your little crusade will amount to something, but you know it won’t work. In fact, I don’t think you’ll even bother looking for him at all. You’ll settle down, build a new life for yourself. At some point, you’ll forget that you even cared about him in the first place. That’s when you’ll finally admit the truth.”
Why does he keeping harping on this ‘truth’, there is no truth here, only his-
“Why are you helping me?”
For the first time, Sefris looked upon Seris with something almost approaching sympathy.
“Isif made me realize we all have a choice. We can continue, or we can be better. He wanted to be better, I want to be better, I know you want to be better. Whether we deserve it or not, it's a choice we all have to make. It’s best we make the right one.”
Seris doesn’t know how to respond, but to look back at over to Kiris. He still stood there, worry weighing down on his face. Did he hear?
“I…thank you, Sefris.”
He nodded his tail in appreciation. “Get back to him, he’s worried.”
Seris took the advice as a command, and quickly crossed the street. Up close, his concern is only more evident.
“Kiris, I’m sorry, I should have told you-”
His tail tells her to calm down. “It’s okay, Seris, it's okay. What did he want?”
“He was…” She pulled something quickly off the top of her head, “someone from one of the jobs. We’re hired, and they want us on the Cradle, so-”
“Stop.” His sudden interruption throws Seris off balance.
“Stop?”
“You don’t have to lie to me, not anymore.”
“Lie to you? What are you-”
“Shaza, I know who you are. I’ve known for a long time.”
Seris freezes, absolute fear invading every fathom of her body. For a moment, she forgets how to breath.
“Keris, I can explain. Please, just let me-”
“I don’t care.” His expression is one of entire disinterest with her justifications. “You’ve always been Seris to me. That’s all that matters.”
He…doesn’t care. No, that can’t be right. He should be angry, infuriated, rightfully demanding tp never see me again. It was my fault for making him like this.
“H-how can you not care! After everything I’ve done, how can you…” her voice trails off. Saying that word seems incomprehensible.
“How can I love you?” Kiris finished for her. “Honestly, I don’t know. I just woke up one day, saw you next to me, and I just…knew. I think that makes me a terrible person. But being with you,” he nodded his tail in a defeated manner, “makes me happy. I can’t help it.”
She could see, deep down, that his love tore at him. The way his eyes wavered, his clenched paw. He hated himself for being happy. A mutual feeling, and it was all her fault.
Seris couldn’t help but kneel down, and take him in a tight embrace. “Kiris…I'm sorry.”
He squeezed back. “It's okay, you don’t have to apologize for anything. Just tell me where we’re going.”
No, this isn’t right. There’s so much to apologize for, so much he should hate me for. I don’t deserve him. I need to…no, I can’t. I can’t do that. That would hurt too much. Fuck, what do I-
“The Cradle.”
Seris knew she didn’t deserve him, nor did he deserve her. Sefris had said as much himself. But like he said, she had a choice now. Leave now, continue on as she is. Or stay with him, and maybe become something better.
She made her decision.
“The Cradle.” Kiris looked to the spot where Sefris was, now empty, before turning back. “I’ve always wanted to visit. But what are we going to do there? Will we be safe?”
Seris felt the chip jostle in her pocket. Money, new identities, another chance.
“We’ll figure something out. As long as we’re together.”
She could tell he wasn’t fully sure, but he was sure enough. His tail gave a little happy nod.
“As long as we’re together.”
I had a location on Isif. Now, it was only a matter of time until he was in my claws. And once he was, I would prove Sefris wrong, and be proudly accepted back as a Chief Hunter. Kill Kiris, finally be rid of Seris.
In and out, nothing more.
—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Why does she look so familiar?
Kiris awoke with her laying next to him, fast asleep. It was the first time he’d gotten a proper look at her face, in the creeping light of the dawn. And looking upon it, the specific arrangement of scars, he couldn't help but think: I’ve seen you somewhere.
It was an oddity amidst a fun night. For sure Kiris had enjoyed it, quite a lot actually. For the first time in a long while, amidst the excitement and the pleasure, he felt truly alive. But he couldn’t shake that overwhelming sense of Déjà vu. Where did I see you?
He suddenly flashed to a memory he didn’t even know he had: That news report playing at the dive. The one that mentioned something about a Chief Hunter. Displaying a portrait of an Arxur that now seemed oh so familiar.
No way, not a chance.
But he had to be sure. Just in case. He reached over to the nightstand, and picked up his holopad. Bringing up the internet search engine, he put in a simple query, Chief Hunter List.
The first result was an Archivepedia link, listing all of the Current Chief Hunters in alphabetical order. Alongside the name and a brief description, an official Dominion issued portrait presented itself.
Kiris began scrolling through the list, trying to find that one face. He scrolled and scrolled, side bar creeping ever closer to the bottom of the screen. Why am I doing this, there's no way that…
Brahk.
Shaza, Chief Hunter, Sector Commission Four. The portrait was like a near exact look alike. Even down to the placement of the scars. He couldn’t deny it.
I just brahked a Chief Hunter.
I just brahked a Chief Hunter.
I just brahked, a CHIEF HUNTER.
WHAT
That just about summed it up. What?
Kiris struggled to piece together just how what happened, just happened. A CHIEF HUNTER, walked into a bar on Fahl, got speh faced, slept with me, and is now next to me, in my bed, and I’m not dead, and she’s a CHIEF HUNTER.
“Kiris?”
Shaza had awoken, her glare now taking on a much more sinister aspect.
“Oh…uh, morning. Yeah, morning.”
She gave a confused look. “Is…something wrong?”
“No, nothing, just got something from my work.” He quickly flicked off the wiki page.
“Oh, okay.” Throwing off the sheets, she hopped out of the bed. “Gotta head out now.”
“Wait, wait, you're just leaving?”
“Sorry, have to.”
Before Kiris even had time to process, she was already dressed, and halfway out the door. Just before she fully stepped out,
“Wait!”
Shaza popped her head back through the doorway. “What’s wrong?”
“I..uh…I had a lot of fun last night. Did you?”
She glanced to the bed, then back to him. “Yeah, I did.”
“Would you want to make this a…thing?”
She cocked her head. “A thing?”
“Yeah, something fun we do every once in a while. Every month, maybe?”
“Umm…”
“We could keep meeting here?”
“Uh..” She didn’t look entirely convinced.
“Or not, it was a stupid idea anyways…”
“No no, I can make it work. I think…no, I can.”
“Okay then, so every month meet here? That sounds good?”
Her tail nodded. “Yeah, sounds good. I’ll look forward to it. Until then?”
“Yeah, until then, I guess…wait!”
She popped into the doorway once more. “What is it?
“I never got your name.”
Her eyes narrowed for the briefest moment.
“Seris.”
The door shut.
Kiris could hear the Chief Hunter plod slowly down the hallway, before disappearing behind the slam of the stairwell access.
Wait, what did I just do?
Kiris had just invited a Chief Hunter into his home on a monthly basis. Most normal people would consider that a poor decision. Apparently, Kiris wasn’t a normal person.
But now, he was presented with a choice. One was the normal, sensible, moral thing to do.
No, I need to report her. She’s a chief hunter, she can’t just be going around. What kind of person would I be if I just let her walk free?
Kiris picked up his pad, he went to the dial screen, he inputted the emergency number, and…and…
The other was the horrible selfish thing to do.
He placed the pad back down on the table. He made his decision.
She made me feel something. She made me feel alive.
That Arxur, responsible for the death and suffering of millions, had done that. Knowledge of her true self that Kiris found produced an irresistible allure. Kiris was feasting on a forbidden fruit, so repugnant, yet so sweet at the same time. That at any moment, she could snap, slit his throat, leave him for dead. It was all so thrilling. Even thinking about next time caused his heart to beat a little faster.
He could only think: What do I have without her?
The usual. And Kiris was tired of the usual.
She needs something from me, I need something from her. We both have what we want. This is all just a transaction. Nothing more, nothing less.
But there was another reason, small, quiet, shoved deep down. An incongruity, if you will. For Kiris couldn’t help shake the feeling that to her, this wasn’t just some transaction. That what just happened, and what was going to happen, was some sort of…outlet.
Seris, huh? I’ll humor it. Why not?
After all, he knew this little fling wouldn’t amount to anything.
l Prologue l Previous l Next l

Yall this is gonna sound so dumb but I need HELP‼️ I have a r&b dance song that I've been trying to remember for YEARS! I'll tell you all the details I remember below. Can yall help me remember?
▪️So it's from the 2000's Era I'm thinking circa 2007ish. ▪️It's by a singer who looks like Keri Hilson(but apparently isn't her by the videos I've looked up) ▪️It's a dance video that. The singer also did a tutorial video teaching the people the dance. In the tutorial video, she's wearing a pink track suit I believe. ▪️ I'm like 95% positive the video takes place at night in a club of some sorts. Like I vividly remember her and her girls dancing in the middle of the floor in sync. ▪️she has short dark hair. Dark skin. ▪️ she's in a leather jacket I believe with black leather leggings. She's either wearing a yellow shirt or purple shirt.
▪️▪️ I just remember it being a really fun song to dance to! Like I was obsessed with it, but can't remember it now and it makes me so mad! ▪️▪️ I also believe the video is about how good she is with dancing. Like she talks about it. But I for the life of me can't remember. Is this ringing any bells for anyone?! You'd be my ultimate hero!

The 1980s Musical era

https://preview.redd.it/1nj0ps5unb1d1.png?width=600&format=png&auto=webp&s=81301074c2b1f57d155507df42094f65b1d52f98
Complete Timeframe: 1977 - 1995
Bookends:
Start = 1977 - The rise of New Wave
End = 1995 - Remotely '80s sounding songs were completely out of the limelight
First roots: 1977 - 1978
This was pretty much when new wave as a genre was building up in the UK after breaking away from original punk music during that time. Not much else to say for this period in my honest opinion as I admittedly have very limited knowledge about this.
Prelude: 1979 - 1981
The death of Sid Vicious essentially killed the original punk movement and the genre would go through a change. New Wave and synthpop had really exploded as a genre in the UK and even made its way to the US with hits like "My Sharona", "Cars", "Pop Muzik", "Video Killed The Radio Star", "Working for the Weekend", etc. Disco Demolition Night led to the beginning of the end for disco music and post-disco would sort of rise in its place. Michael Jackson officially made his solo debut away from the Jackson 5 identity with Off The Wall. This was a big moment in his career.
Golden age: 1982 - 1985
This was not only considered to be the best period for '80s music but it's also considered to be the greatest period for music of all time. New wave was still around but now diluted into other genres like synthpop, power pop, alternative dance, etc., but it still sounded fresh, and this period served to have some of the most timeless hits imaginable that is still remembered today. Generation X praise this period the most as their formative years with the best music in the same way that Millennials praise the Y2K era and Zoomers at this moment praise the Electropop era (although I feel like they will soon praise the latter half of the 10's in a similar way). Michael Jackson would officially become the 'King of Pop' that we know him as in this period with his most iconic album Thriller breaking chart records, and that is considered to be the greatest album of all time. You also had acts like Prince, Cyndi Lauper, Madonna, Lionel Richie, Tina Turner, Hall & Oates, etc. either rise to prominence, dominate, or make a comeback in this era. This was also the peak of "one-hit wonders".
Experimental period: 1986 - 1988
Music started to go through a change as genres like new jack swing, power ballads, and hair metal would take prominence over the established synthpop and new wave (which had at this point been completely meshed with other genres that it's not even really what it is anymore) genres. You saw acts like Whitney Houston, U2, Bon Jovi, Guns N' Roses, Rick Astley, Kylie Minogue, etc. rise to prominence. You also had Michael Jackson, Prince, Madonna, and George Michael still dominate in this period as well. IMO, this was probably the worst period for music when it comes to the '80s specifically but it still had its many positives.
Decline: 1989 - 1991
This was the peak of teen pop and new jack swing as well as hair metal still dominating the charts. Music still sounded very '80s for the most part but you could tell that the decade was quickly going away. You had acts like Bobby Brown, Paula Abdul, New Kids on the Block, Roxette, Color Me Badd, Milli Vanilli, MC Hammer, Vanilla Ice, etc. all share their time in the spotlight during this period.
Washing-out period: 1992 - 1995
As grunge, gangsta rap, and other '90s-defining genres took center-stage, the remaining '80s genres like hair metal and power ballads would quickly fall into irrelevancy. New jack swing sounded a lot different than what it once was and quickly evolved into something else. '80s sounding hits were still fairly common in 1992 but it rapidly die out in the following years.
My overall musical '90s bookends
Start: Late 1981 - The launch of MTV, the releases of Olivia Newton-John's hit single "Physical" and The Human League's hit single "Don't You Want Me", and "Physical" hitting #1 on the Billboard charts.
End: Mid 1991 - Bryan Adams' hit single "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" peaks at #1 on the Billboard charts, one of the last genuinely '80s-sounding songs to do so.
First wave: Late 1981 - Mid 1985
Late 1985 - Mid 1986 is transitional
Second wave: Late 1986 - Mid 1991
When I think music overall started to sound more '80s: sometime around Late 1981/Early 1982

The 1990s Musical era

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Complete Timeframe: 1986 - 2006
Bookends:
Start = 1986 - Run DMC's Raising Hell album and Beastie Boys Licensed to III album
End = 2005 - Last time Backstreet Boys were in the mainstream with their Never Gone album and arguably Green Day and Mariah Carey's returned popularity in mainstream music (although these may be a stretch as they were just as popular in the '00s as they were in the '90s, despite that being their peak decades)
First roots: 1986 - 1988
The first stages of '90s music with new jack swing starting to get popular as well as rap rock. Those genres were very '80s at the time but they were to some extent a precursor of the type of music you would see in the '90s, especially in the underground movements with grunge starting to form as well. One of the more defining albums of this period that was sort of "proto-'90s" was NWA's Straight Outta Compton album.
Prelude: 1989 - 1991
Music was mostly still stuck in its late '80s phase with new jack swing and glam metal being the two dominant genres but you also had golden age hip-hop being prominent with acts like NWA, Ice-T, Public Enemy, etc. (acts who are arguably more '80s than '90s overall but still paved the way for the '90s hip-hop movements). Plus, grunge was starting to break mainstream with Nirvana's Bleach album. House music would also start to take off in this period and you had acts like MC Hammer and Vanilla Ice who would truly break hip-hop into the mainstream (although they were distinctly 1990 acts and only fit into this late '80sish environment). You also saw some major debuts for '90s-defining artists like Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men.
Coming of age: 1992 - 1994
The '90s era of music was in motion now as grunge had truly broke into the mainstream. This is the grunge era of music as acts like Alice In Chains, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, Soundgarden, etc. would be the most prominent rock bands of the day, completely overtaking what was left of glam metal. Similar to their white counterparts, you also saw a shift in black culture as new jack swing was getting overtaken by R&B, hip-hop soul, and more importantly gangsta rap thanks to the ascent of guys like Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg. Not only that, but you also saw the explosion of eurodance.
Apex: 1995 - 1997
After the death of Kurt Cobain and ascent of the Notorious B.I.G., there was a noticeable change in music at this point as grunge was still around but would get overtaken by or blended in with post-grunge, East Coast hip-hop started to rival that of G-Funk, and genres roots, britpop, pop-punk, ska, and alternative rock would take the forefront of popular music along with eurodance. This was the peak of acts like TLC, 2Pac, Green Day, Oasis, Bone Thugs n' Harmony, Hootie and the Blowfish, Alanis Morissette, etc. In Europe, teen pop was already starting with acts like Robyn, Spice Girls, Backstreet Boys, and NSYNC.
Reboot: 1998 - 2001
This was the era of bubblegum teenybopper pop music taking the forefront with acts like Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, etc., but you also had post-grunge take over rock music along with nu-metal as grunge music was completely dead. The East Coast v. West Coast feud was a bygone era after the deaths of 2Pac and Biggie as the East Coast scene is now at the forefront of hip-hop. Country pop also rose to prominence in this time as well as Latin pop. This was a golden age for pop music.
Washing-out period: 2002-2006
This was the last remnants of '90s music still being around. Teen pop was pretty much dead, nu-metal was on its last legs, pop-punk started to get emo-ish, urban and "bling bling" music was at the forefront of popular music along with crunk. There were still some '90s sounding hits in mainstream music until around 2004, maybe 2005 at the latest. I mark 2005 or 2006 as the official end of the '90s musical era completely because you saw the return of some '90s acts like Backstreet Boys, Green Day, and Mariah Carey back into the mainstream, which would be the last time this was so. And you still had a sort of "gangsta rap" feel in hip-hop to some extent as well as some obscure Y2K songs in other countries.
My overall musical '90s bookends
Start: Late 1991 - The release of Nirvana's Nevermind album and Michael Jackson's Dangerous album, and Freddie Mercury's death.
End: Early 2002 - NSYNC's last concert and eventual hiatus, pretty much ending the teen pop movement of the late '90s.
First wave: Late 1991 - Mid 1996
Second wave: Late 1996 - Early 2002
When I think music overall started to sound more '90s: sometime around Late 1991/Early 1992

The 2000s Musical era

https://preview.redd.it/t2417lxxnb1d1.png?width=1280&format=png&auto=webp&s=48be7e9166e78c8e7be456fa5a89468c15819050
Complete Timeframe: 1996 - 2015
Bookends:
Start = 1996 - The release of Aaliyah's One in a Million album, Blackstreet's "No Diggity", and Ginuwine's "Pony" hits
End = 2015 - The last time there was probably any form of electropop music still somewhat popular
First roots: 1996 - 1998
You started hearing songs that were a lot more modern-sounding and more cleanly produced over songs from years prior. Some examples would be the aforementioned hits along with "You Make Me Wanna" and "Back Dat Azz Up". Southern hip-hop was starting to rise in popularity with Outkast, and "bling" music was born in this period thanks to guys like Puff Daddy & Mase. A lot of things that happened in this period paved the way for the new millennium.
Prelude: 1999 - 2002
You saw the rise of acts like Eminem, Britney Spears, Ja Rule, Jennifer Lopez, Christina Aguilera, 3 Doors Down, etc., who would dominate during the 2000s decade. Glam rap was beginning to get popular around this time and post-grunge was also starting to get a bit less "grungy" and sound more of what we know of today as "butt rock". Pop-punk would really start to rise in this period and nu-metal was at its peak thanks to acts like Korn, Limp Bizkit, Slipknot, and Linkin Park to name a few. You also saw garage rock begin to get popular around this time with acts like The Strokes and The White Stripes.
Explosion: 2003 - 2005
This was the era where crunk and "bling bling" rap (or hip-hop in general) was at the forefront of popular music, along with pop rock, Crunk&B, garage rock, and eventually emo and reggae. Acts like 50 Cent, Lil Jon, Usher, Good Charlotte, Avril Lavigne, Kanye West, Beyoncé, etc., either broke out or were in their peak of their careers during this time.
Overhaul: 2006 - 2008
This was a transitional period in a way where pop music started to incorporate more electronic synths and EDM to sound more futuristic. Timbaland was the most prominent producer during this time. Hip-hop started to fade away during this time as the genre was essentially bastardized as autotune was used in rap songs (i.e. T-Pain) and ringtone rap was the most popular during this time along with crunk still being somewhat relevant. This was the peak of emo right before it would quickly evolve into scene as the genre would quickly fall out of favor. The most prominent acts of this time were Chris Brown, Rihanna, Justin Timberlake, Nelly Furtado, Fergie, Natasha Bedingfield, etc.
Echo: 2009 - 2012
This was the club boom era where the most prominent genre of music was electronic dance pop which was generally a lot brighter than the typical genres of the 2000s, but it was a sort of distraction to what was really going in the world as we were dealing with a major recession. You would see the death of traditional rock music like post-grunge and pop-punk in this period, country music would get somewhat popular again, and other genres like EDM and dubstep would rise into popularity during this time. The most prominent acts were Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Ke$ha, Bruno Mars, Drake, Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, Flo Rida, Pitbull, Usher, Ne-Yo, David Guetta, etc.
Death: 2013 - 2015
This was the last time you saw songs that either remotely sounded '00s or reflected that of the club boom, which was quickly losing relevance in favor of a teen pop renaissance, EDM, hipster music, and trap.
My overall musical '00s bookends
Start: Late 2002 or Early 2003 - The releases of Christina Aguilera's Stripped, Justin Timberlake's Justified album (which were clear breakaways from teen pop), Eminem's 8 Mile soundtrack, Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz's Kings of Crunk album, and 50 Cent's Get Rich or Die Tryin' album.
End: Mid 2010 - The release of Katy Perry's Teenage Dream album.
First wave: Late 2002/Early 2003 - Mid 2006
Second wave: Late 2006 - Mid 2010
When I think music overall started to sound more '00s: probably sometime around Mid-Late 2001

The 2010s Musical era

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Complete Timeframe: 2006 - present (will probably die within the next 1-2 years or maybe even this year)
Bookends:
Start = 2006 - The release of Justin Timberlake's "SexyBack", paving the way for the electropop sound.
End = To be determined
First roots: 2006-2007
Electropop music had its roots in this period, mainly with Timbaland and acts like Justin Timberlake, Keri Hilson, Nelly Furtado, Kanye West, Rihanna, and Britney Spears. A lot of their songs sounded close to something that you'd hear in the electropop era, especially with the latter half of the aforementioned musicians.
Prelude: 2008-2011
This was where the club boom rose to prominence but '10s music in general hadn't really taken over yet. Many '00s-defining genres were being knocked off but electropop music was mostly still too electronic for the '10s. You had acts like Justin Bieber, Drake, Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Ke$ha, Adele, etc. begin their mainstream careers in this period.
Explosion: 2012-2015
Not only did you have the club boom but you also had indie/folk (a.k.a. hipster) music rise to prominence, and this was the golden age of EDM with acts like Calvin Harris, DJ Snake, Swedish House Mafia, Avicii, Zedd, etc. Teen pop had a resurgence with acts like Carly Rae Jepsen, The Wanted, One Direction, Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato, Becky G, Tinashe, Little Mix, Fifth Harmony, etc. Trap rose to prominence as well as mumble rap.
Continuation: 2016-2018
EDM continued to dominate but now it merged with pop music so the genre became very "long in the tooth" and watered down. This was the peak of trap and Soundcloud music as well as mumble rap. Acts like Drake, Migos, Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Yachty, Kodak Black, 21 Savage, Post Malone, XXXTentacion, etc. were very prominent in this period. Tropical House had a little bit of mainstream success thanks to Justin Bieber's Purpose album. Pop music was still pretty popular with the likes of Ed Sheeran, Shawn Mendes, and Ariana Grande.
Decline: 2019-2021
'10s music was starting to decline as TikTok-sounding music started to take over. You had acts like Da Baby, Lizzo, Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Nas X, Doja Cat, etc., rise to prominence. Trap was still a dominant genre and this was arguably the prime of drill music in the mainstream, this time mainly surrounding the NYC scene (some would call this "fake drill" as it sounded less like the real version from the UK and Chicago scenes), and Soundcloud rap was in rapid decline after the deaths of XXXTentacion and Juice WRLD. Retro-themed music started to make a comeback thanks to The Weeknd and Dua Lipa.
Death: 2022-present
The last signs of 2010s music in this period. It doesn't seem like it's going away right now but it actually is. Trap, one of the most noticeable mainstays of 2010s music in this decade, is truly dying out now. Some other genres from that decade are also fading away. But everything about this period is tentative.
My overall musical '10s bookends
Start: Late 2010 - The popularity of Katy Perry's Teenage Dream album and when popular music overall started to sound more '10s.
End: Tentative but I would guess either Mid/Late 2019 when TikTok music started to rise to prominence or Early/Mid 2021 when music seemed to noticeably shift a little bit with the pop punk comeback.
First wave: Late 2010 - Mid 2015
Second wave: Late 2015 - Mid/Late 2019 or Early/Mid 2021
When I think music overall started to sound more '10s: approximately Late 2010/Early 2011
​
Here's an alternative way of defining these musical eras:
Main Overall musical eras, based on transitional/core decades
I can't definitively speak on previous eras of music but once I cover it, I'll potentially revise this list.

• Core '80s (or Power Pop era): roughly 1983/1984 through 1988
• Neon era (or the 'Neighties'): roughly 1989 through 1992
• Core '90s (or Alternative era): roughly 1993 through 1997
• Y2K era (or Millennium era): roughly 1998 through 2002
• Core '00s era (or McBling era): roughly 2003 through 2008
• Electropop era (or Recession era): roughly 2009 through 2012
• Core '10s era (or EDM era): roughly 2013 through 2018
• CovidTok era (or Retropop era): roughly 2019 through 2022

Transitional/core eras of music

• Live 81 era (transition from the Post-Disco era to the Power Pop era of music): roughly Fall 1981 through Spring 1984 (give/take a season)
  • The synopsis for this transitional period
• Core Power Pop era: roughly Summer 1984 through Spring 1987 (give/take a season)
• Live 87 era (transition from the Power Pop era to the Neon era of music): roughly Summer 1987 through Spring 1990 (give/take a season)
  • The synopsis for this transitional period
• Core Neon era: roughly Summer 1990 through Summer 1991 (give/take a season)
• Live 91 era (transition from the Neon era to the R&B era of music, a.k.a. the Grunge era): roughly Fall 1991 through Spring 1994 (give/take a season)
  • The synopsis for this transitional period
• Core Alternative era: roughly Summer 1994 through Summer 1996 (give/take a season)
• Live 97 era (transition from the Alternative era to the Y2K era of music): roughly Fall 1996 through Spring 1999 (give/take a season)
  • The synopsis for this transitional period
• Core Y2K era: roughly Summer 1999 through Spring 2001 (give/take a season)
• 2K1 era (transition from the Y2K era to the McBling era of music): roughly Summer 2001 through Spring 2004 (give/take a season)
  • The synopsis for this transitional period
• Core McBling era (a.k.a. the Emo era): roughly Summer 2004 through Spring 2007 (give/take a season)
• 2K7 era (transition from the McBling era to the Electropop era of music): roughly Summer 2007 through Spring 2010 (give/take a season)
  • The synopsis for this transitional period
• Core Electropop era: roughly Summer 2010 through Summer 2011 (give/take a season)
• 2K12 era (transition from the Electropop era to the EDM era of music, a.k.a. the Dubstep/indie folk era): roughly Fall 2011 to Summer 2014 (give/take a season)
  • The synopsis for this transitional period
• Core EDM era: roughly Fall 2014 through Spring 2017 (give/take a season)
• 2K18 era (transition from the EDM era to CovidTok era of music, a.k.a. the Trap era): roughly Summer 2017 to Spring 2020 (give/take a season)
  • The synopsis for this transitional period
• Core CovidTok era: roughly Summer 2020 through Summer 2021 (give/take a season)
• 2K22 era (transition from CovidTok era to the emerging Core '20s era of music, not sure what to call that): Fall 2021 to now (don't know when it will end, but probably within the next few months; will do a post later on the 2021-2024 era of music, once this year comes closer to ending)

Full musical eras

• Full Core '80s era: approximately Fall 1981 through Spring 1990 (give/take a season)
• Full Neon era: approximately Summer 1987 through Spring 1994 (give/take a season)
• Full Core '90s era: roughly Fall 1991 through Spring 1999 (give/take a season)
• Full Y2K era: roughly Fall 1996 through Spring 2004 (give/take a season)
• Full Core '00s era: roughly Summer 2001 through Spring 2010 (give/take a season)
• Full Electropop era: roughly Summer 2007 through Spring 2014 (give/take a season)
• Full Core '10s era: roughly Fall 2011 through Spring 2020 (give/take a season)
• Full CovidTok era: roughly Summer 2017 through sometime in 2024 (give/take a season)

Quintessential years of each musical era:

• Live 81 era: 1983
• Core '80s/Power Pop era: 1986
• Live 87 era: 1988
• Neon era: 1991
• Live 91 era: 1993
• Core '90s/Alternative era: 1995
• Live 97 era: 1998
• Y2K/Millennium era: 2000
• 2K1 era: 2003
• Core '00s/McBling era: 2006
• 2K7 era: 2008
• Electropop/Recession era: 2011
• 2K12 era: 2013
• Core '10s/EDM era: 2016
• 2K18 era: 2019
• CovidTok era: 2021

I wrote this story for class how’d I do
It’s a hole.. I got excited and hopeful to fall in a hole. This predicament is not one I hope for.
“Whew, I’ve been falling for a while.” I say. It’s been a weird journey on my way to the Mariah Carey concert that I paid all this money for, I even had my “Justice for Glitter” shirt on. And I'm still falling, and falling, and falling... That Ariana lady said they would help me, and they ran off with my car screaming ‘I'm coming for you SpongeBob’. And I hit the ground, BOOM!
I see a 50-year-old woman with a pissed off look on her face. She sees me on the ground and doesn’t even run to help me.
LADY HELP ME ALREADY!” I shouted at her. “You could ask nicely” she retorts in an accented voice which seems a little fake. “Would you please help me” I say begrudgingly. The woman comes into view, and it makes sense why she wasn’t very nice to me. It might trigger Jennifer Lopez if she sees someone wearing a big Mariah Carey fan shirt. Serves her right for sabotaging her career.
“Do you know where we a-” “Shut up and don’t look in my direction” she cuts me off.
… “When you left, I lost a part of me, it’s still so hard to believe.” Jennifer turns to look at me with an “Are you for real” face. “Cause We Belong Togetherrrr”
“Alright I see how it is” She retorts. SHe pulls out her phone and dials a number. Under hushed words I can make out the words “Ashanti” and “sing for me” “I’m Real, and I can’t go on without you” I see JLo lip sync too although the phone is still in her hand.
“You’re just lip-syncing, you're a fraud, who is on the phone with you?” “No one” she says as she hangs up quickly. ...There was a lot of awkward silence after this point.
“You’re rich right, can’t get you get us out of here.” As I say this JLo is boarding her helicopter as she says "SO LONG SUCKER MI GENTE LATINO.” Then I see Ben Afleck ordering a construction crew to drop a Dunkin Donuts on me to trap me underground.
I was there for a while after that, but later I saw a row of lambs. I kept following and got to what looked like the Mariah Carey concert. I missed it, looks like I am backstage.
I knock on the door and Nick Cannon is there for some reason. There are also about 22 kids there. I look over and see NBA YoungBoy on the phone smiling and giggling. He should probably be looking for condoms but what do I know? He’s facetiming a dude with big eyes and blonde dreads... this room is weird, so I close the door.
I open the next door and it’s a room of bitter has-beens. I mean we got Keri Hilson, Wale, Trey Songz, and Tearria Mari. OF course, they are talking about how they should’ve been bigger than Beyonce, Drake, Chris Brown, and Rihanna.
I also then see Trey Songz slip something in Keri’s drink which I sneak in and pour out, but it is my time to leave that room.
I start to wonder if I will ever see Mariah Carey back here. Let's try this next door, we got... HOLD UP IS THAT TUPAC AND KING VON. “HEY” I shouted, and they tried to run out, but P Diddy threatened them with a gun. Which means it’s my cue to leave.
Next room is full of RnB 2000s singers that can’t sing. Ashanti and Ciara are talking about how they love being pregnant. “I just love being pregnant.” Ciara rambles on.
Ashanti’s head: “Pregnant pregnant pregnant, pregnant pregnant pregnant”
Back in first person:
Ashanti then throws up and Ciara One Two Steps to the other side of the room.
LLoyd and Lumidee are playing cards with headphones in because their voices are so bad.
Let me get out of that room.
I finally found Mariah Carey’s room and she is hanging out with her kid. I start screaming”EEEEEEE” “Calm down” Mariah says "No one wanna to hear you scream”
That was the best night of my life, aside from the fact that security dragged me out. It was the best night of my life, that I North Southern Eastern West will remember or the rest of my life.

Similar to my 2001-2004 (early 2000s) post, I will do one for the 2007-2010 period (late 2000s) on whether each random song from Google screams 00s or belongs more with the Recession/Electropop era (00s/10s transition).
There may have been a few songs from 2006 that sounded more like Recession/Electropop era ("SexyBack" is an example of a proto-electropop song but even that song screams 00s) or even from 2011 that sounded core 00s (although I doubt it), but they predominantly belong in their respective eras.
Let's begin.

2007

Core '00s

• Makes Me Wonder - Maroon 5
• Paralyzer - Finger Eleven
• Party Like A Rock Star - Shop Boyz
• Bartender - T-Pain
• Thnks fr th Mmrs - Fall Out Boy
• Icky Thump - The White Stripes
• Because of You - Ne-Yo
• Never Again - Kelly Clarkson
• This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race - Fall Out Boy
• What I've Done - Linkin Park
• This Is Why I'm Hot - MIMS
• Bleeding Love - Leona Lewis
• Brianstorm - Arctic Monkeys
• Hate That I Love You - Rihanna ft. Ne-Yo
• A Bay Bay - Hurricane Chris
• Wait for You - Elliott Yamin
• Beautiful Girls - Sean Kingston
• Pop, Lock & Drop It - Huey
• Shadow Of The Day - Linkin Park
• How Far We've Come - Matchbox Twenty
• Valerie - Mark Ronson ft. Amy Winehouse
• Make Me Better - Fabolous
• 1234 - Feist
• Shawty - Plies ft. T-Pain
• Get It Shawty - Lloyd
• Cyclone - Baby Bash ft. T-Pain
• Girlfriend - Avril Lavigne
• Bed - J. Holiday
• Last Night - Diddy ft. Keyshia Cole
• Wake Up Call - Maroon 5
• Everything - Michael Bublé
• I Don't Wanna Be In Love (Dance Floor Anthem) - Good Charlotte
• Taking Chances - Celine Dion
• Give It to Me - Timbaland ft. Nelly Furtado, Justin Timberlake
• Bleed It Out - Linkin Park
• I Tried - Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
• Same Girl - R. Kelly ft. Usher
• Dear Maria, Count Me In - All Time Low

Recession Era

• Don’t Stop the Music - Rihanna

Hard to place (could go either way or neither way; quintessential "2K7" songs, I guess, whatever you wanna call it)

• Stronger - Kanye West
• Umbrella - Rihanna ft. Jay-Z
• Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin') - T-Pain ft. Yung Joc
• The Way I Are - Timbaland ft. Keri Hilson, D.O.E., Sebastian
• Tattoo - Jordin Sparks
• Kiss Kiss - Chris Brown ft. T-Pain
• Ayo Technology - 50 Cent ft. Justin Timberlake
• Stop and Stare - OneRepublic
• Shut Up and Drive - Rihanna
• Apologize - Timbaland ft. OneRepublic
• Make It Rain Remix - Fat Joe

2008

Core '00s

• Leavin' - Jesse McCartney
• What You Got - Colby O'Donis ft. Akon
• Dead And Gone - T.I. ft. Justin Timberlake
• Addicted - Saving Abel
• Fall for You - Secondhand Serenade
• Touch My Body - Mariah Carey
• Gotta Be Somebody - Nickelback
• Bust It Baby, Part 2 - Plies ft. Ne-Yo
• Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) - Beyoncé
• The Time of My Life - David Cook
• Gives You Hell - The All-American Rejects
• Dangerous - Kardinal Offishall ft. Akon
• It's Not My Time - 3 Doors Down
• Shut Up and Let Me Go - The Ting Tings
• In Love With a Girl - Gavin DeGraw
• That's Not My Name - The Ting Tings
• The Man Who Can't Be Moved - The Script
• Love Remains the Same - Gavin Rossdale

Recession Era

• Hot N Cold - Katy Perry
• Circus - Britney Spears
• Live Your Life - T.I., Rihanna
• Let It Rock - Kevin Rudolf
• DONTTRUSTME - 3OH!3

Hard to place (could go either way or neither way; quintessential "2K7" songs, I guess, whatever you wanna call it)

• Lollipop - Lil Wayne
• I Kissed A Girl - Katy Perry
• Sexy Can I - Ray J
• In the Ayer - Flo Rida ft. will.i.am
• Whatever You Like - T.I.
• Love in this Club - Usher ft. Yung Jeezy
• Burnin' Up - Jonas Brothers
• Viva La Vida - Coldplay
• So What - Pink
• Heartless - Kanye West
• American Boy - Estelle
• Independent - Webbie
• When I Grow Up - The Pussycat Dolls
• Take a Bow - Rihanna
• Got Money - Lil Wayne ft. T-Pain
• Damaged - Danity Kane
• Love Story - Taylor Swift
• Miss Independent - Ne-Yo
• I'm Yours - Jason Mraz
• Crush - David Archuleta
• Right Now (Na Na Na) - Akon
• Sex on Fire - Kings Of Leon
• 4 Minutes - Madonna ft. Justin Timberlake, Timbaland
• Closer - Ne-Yo
• Use Somebody - Kings Of Leon
• A Milli - Lil Wayne
• If I Were a Boy - Beyoncé
• Human - The Killers

2009

Core '00s

• 21 Guns - Green Day
• According to You - Orianthi
• Fallin’ for You - Colbie Caillat
• No Surprise - Daughtry
• Obsessed - Mariah Carey
• Irgendwas bleibt - Silbermond
• Two Weeks - Grizzly Bear

Recession Era

• Boom Boom Pow - Black Eyed Peas
• Down - Jay Sean
• Bulletproof - La Roux
• Knock You Down - Keri Hilson ft. Kanye West, Ne-Yo
• 3 - Britney Spears
• Good Girls Go Bad - Cobra Starship ft. Leighton Meester
• Sexy Bitch - David Guetta ft. Akon
• Right Round - Flo Rida
• Sugar - Flo Rida
• Two Is Better Than One - Boys Like Girls ft. Taylor Swift
• I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho) - Pitbull
• I Gotta Feeling - Black Eyed Peas
• Number 1 - Tinchy Stryder ft. N-Dubz
• Goodbye - Kristinia DeBarge
• Rockin’ That Shit - The-Dream
• Battlefield - Jordin Sparks
• All the Right Moves - OneRepublic
• My Girls - Animal Collective
• She Wolf - Shakira
• Best I Ever Had - Drake
• I Love College - Asher Roth
• One Time - Justin Bieber
• Forever - Drake, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Eminem

Hard to place (could go either way or neither way; quintessential "2K7" songs, I guess, whatever you wanna call it)

• Her Diamonds - Rob Thomas
• The Climb - Miley Cyrus
• Throw It in the Bag - Fabolous ft. The-Dream
• Love Drunk - Boys Like Girls
• New Divide - Linkin Park
• You Found Me - The Fray
• Big Green Tractor - Jason Aldean
• I Do Not Hook Up - Kelly Clarkson
• My Life Would Suck Without You - Kelly Clarkson
• Empire State of Mind - Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys
• Crack a Bottle - Eminem, Dr. Dre & 50 Cent
• Birthday Sex - Jeremih
• Break Up - Mario ft. Gucci Mane, Sean Garrett
• Heads Will Roll - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
• Bad Boys - Alexandra Burke ft. Flo Rida
• Love Sex Magic - Ciara ft. Justin Timberlake
• Zero - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
• Daylight - Matt and Kim
• Turnin Me On - Keri Hilson ft. Lil Wayne

2010

Core '00s

• None

Recession Era

• Dynamite - Taio Cruz
• Airplanes - B.o.B
• Love the Way You Lie - Eminem
• Nothin' on You - B.o.B ft. Bruno Mars
• Billionaire - Travie McCoy ft. Bruno Mars
• Break Your Heart - Taio Cruz
• Only Girl (In the World) - Rihanna
• Like A G6 - Far East Movement ft. The Cataracs, DEV
• Animal - Neon Trees
• F**k You(Forget You) - Cee Lo Green
• Over - Drake
• Teenage Dream - Katy Perry
• All I Do Is Win (Remix) - DJ Khaled
• Club Can't Handle Me - Flo Rida ft. David Guetta
• DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love - Usher ft. Pitbull
• Right Above It - Lil Wayne ft. Drake
• California Gurls - Katy Perry
• Not Afraid - Eminem
• Alors On Danse - Stromae
• Just the Way You Are - Bruno Mars
• Teach Me How to Dougie - Cali Swag District
• Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) [The Official 2010 FIFA World Cup (TM) Song] - Shakira
• We No Speak Americano - Yolanda Be Cool
• Cooler Than Me - Mike Posner
• The Time (Dirty Bit) - Black Eyed Peas
• I Like It - Enrique Iglesias
• Shout - Dizzee Rascal
• Promise This - Cheryl
• Young Blood - The Naked and Famous
• Monster - Kanye West
• Misery - Maroon 5
• Baby - Justin Bieber
• Blah Blah Blah - Kesha ft. 3OH!3
• Dancing on My Own - Robyn
• There Goes My Baby - Usher
• Need You Now - Lady Antebellum
• Lover, Lover - Jerrod Niemann
• OMG - Usher
• Alejandro - Lady Gaga

Hard to place (could go either way or neither way; quintessential "2K7" songs, I guess, whatever you wanna call it)

• Solo - Iyaz
• Everlasting Light - The Black Keys
• Don’t You Wanna Stay - Jason Aldean ft. Kelly Clarkson
• American Honey - Lady Antebellum
• If I Die Young - The Band Perry
• Just a Dream - Nelly
• Impossible - Shontelle

Anomaly (odd one out)

• Gave It All Away - Boyzone (Y2K era)
• Good Intentions Paving Co. - Joanna Newsom (I don't know but it sounds nothing like either period; maybe 70s or 90s sounding to some extent)
• Runaway - Kanye West ft. Pusha T (this kind of sounds like an Electropop/Core 10s hybrid, a.k.a. 2K12; it weirdly fits for a year like 2013)

I listened to this podcast after it was advertised to me relentlessly on a different podcast. I was interested because it seemed to be a horror story about fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva or FOP. FOP is an incredibly rare disease but I actually knew someone as a kid who had it so that element piqued my interest.
I listened to the whole thing over the course of two days and it definitely held my interest the whole time. The acting is pretty good and it was easy to keep track of who was who. However ultimately I was pretty disappointed with it.
From the start, the handling of the mystery skeleton doesn’t make sense to me. Why doesn’t Franki’s doctor friend suggest a DNA and carbon dating analysis? Then they can get some sense of how old the skeleton is and some information about its identity and background. But this is never suggested for some reason. Instead they…perform a satanic ritual for no clear reason. But, whatever, can't reveal everything too fast I guess.
The introduction of the police officer Dale is where things started to really get on my nerves. His story doesn’t add up. He couldn’t get a warrant on the grounds of “some guy looking creepy,” but it turned out he had a drawing of Keri done by Andy. How is hard evidence that Andy had a particular interest and affection for a child who went missing not enough to get a search warrant? Then he sends Franki into Andy’s house alone, with no weapon, no wire, absolutely nothing, in order to prove that Andy was the kidnapper and murderer all along. Even if that plan had gone perfectly, what could have been gained with no recording of what Andy told Franki? “Anyone is going to look at your statement and say his words were vague and unspecific” sooo why did you send Franki in there??? And why didn’t Dale just go to Andy’s house himself decades ago if he thought he could just flatter a confession out of him? No part of this makes any sense. I was guessing that Dale was a member of the cult and he was the real killer trying to incriminate Andy cause he was creepy. But then in the last episode it turned out Keri's ashes were in Andy's house for thirty years ie her disappearance and death were totally unrelated to the main story and it was just a great big coincidence.
And lastly the way they handled FOP really annoyed me. The show does not address the reality of this condition at all even though it is both terrifying and very sad. Basically when someone with FOP gets injured, the damaged muscles and tendons turn to bones. So starting from a young age you slowly lose all your functioning and mobility until you are imprisoned in your own bones. Imagine being the parent of someone with this condition, or being a small child with it. How scary and depressing it must be to know that this is your fate and to need to be super cautious because even a small injury can have debilitating effects. The kid I knew who had FOP couldn't move his arms at all by the time he was 5 because of normal childhood bumps and bruises turning his shoulders and elbows to solid bone. But absolutely none of that is touched on in The Sisters. Instead the scary part of the disease is that satanists will use your extra bones for a ritual. Seems like a big missed opportunity to me.
Did you listen to this podcast? What did you think?