Club Tropicana may have its free drinks, fun and sunshine but it’s missing one very important ingredient: you. It’s time for our latest blog party here at Later Levels because there’s no better way to celebrate the start of the summer and upcoming weekend – as well as meet some new blogging friends and read their amazing posts.
A number of you lovely lot attended our last party back in March and we enjoyed it so much, we decided to start hosting them each quarter to say thank you. It’s our way of showing appreciation for all of your support and recent award nominations (much love to Matt from The Album for the latest mention), and providing a way to find awesome sites you may not have come across already.
The rules are simple:
🎉 Arrive at the party: the first thing to do is introduce yourself, so say hello in the comments section below and give an introduction to your blog to welcome new readers.
🎉 Present your gift: think about the posts you’ve written since March and choose your favourite or one which was really fun to write, then provide a link to it in your comment and explain why it was chosen.
🎉 Mingle: grab a bowl of nibbles and colourful cocktail, and mingle with your fellow guests! Check back on the comments throughout the day to discover excellent blogs and meet some new bloggers.
🎉 Party all day: the comments below will be open until 06:00 GMT on Saturday, 01 July 2017 so you’ve got plenty of time to meet and greet. Plus we’ll be sharing your posts on our social media channels!
Hopefully our latest blog party will be a way of providing a friendly social hub where people with similar interests can interact and find wonderful posts they’ll enjoy reading. Have fun – and excuse me while I top up the bowls of peanuts and turn the music up a little louder!
*Hundstrasse arrives presenting a bag a jelly babies and a pineapple*
It seems that I don’t know the meaning of ‘fashionably late’, but I’m here now so I’ll kick things off. I’m Luke, and I reside over at http://www.Hundstrasse.com blogging about many aspects of gaming depending on what’s rattling around in my head that week, often impressions of what I’ve been playing, sometimes retro memories, and occasionally thoughts on a particular facet of gaming.
I’ve had a think, and decided to share one of my more unusual posts from the post few months, my attempt at writing Zelda Fan Fiction with very little knowledge of the game… It’s… Erm… “Interesting” :
https://hundstrasse.com/2017/06/08/zelda-fan-fiction-i-dont-know-much-about-zelda/
… Now, where are the twiglets?….
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Thanks for kicking us off Luke! Loved your choice of post, I had a good giggle when I read this one. 😉
What’s a party without Twiglets? *quickly dashes off to buy Twiglets*
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*Knocks on ‘door’*
Hello!?
I have rum, can I play?
I’m Will and I write over at https://geeksleeprinserepeat.com/. I mostly cover Video Games and Board Games. The general stuff you might think of like reviews, and opinions pieces, but I try to do some other more unique stuff i.e. I’m writing about mine and my groups adventures in the Legacy board game Seafall at the moment – kind of like a story. It’s a slow process as we need to find time to play, but it’s good fun.
I’m going to share this post – https://geeksleeprinserepeat.com/2017/06/05/geekly-review-186/ because it was the week that I got married and that’s pretty cool right!
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Hey Will! Congratulations on the wedding – may the years ahead be full of marital bliss for you and your gorgeous wife. 🙂
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Thanks very much! Was already a month ago, not sure where the time is going this year…
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Time flies when you’re having fun! She’s obviously treating you well. 😉
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I arrive at the party, stumbling through the door while still rubbing the sleep-particles out of my eyes.
“Man, you all start early,” I mumble. “Oh, right, time difference – I guess it isn’t that early across the pond. Me, I brought breakfast. Hope you all like chocolate chip pancakes!”
For those I haven’t met, my name is Ian Shepard and I’m the goofball that runs the gaming blog Adventure Rules! I do a bit of everything – reviews, guides, and gaming news have all been a part of my repertoire. My bread and butter, though, would have to be the in-between, the stuff I write when none of that is going on. The post I want to share today falls into that category, a simple post inspired by nothing in particular that I feel is a bit funny and maybe even is something you can identify with. It’s all about video games one might want a refund for, and you can find it right here:
https://adventurerules.blog/2017/04/18/can-i-get-a-refund-5-games-i-could-do-without/
Thanks to Later Levels for hosting this shindig! I won’t be able to come back and read everyone’s content until much later today, but I look forward to seeing what everyone else comes with. Have a wonderful party!
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Why yes, I do indeed like chocolate-chip pancakes! 😀
I’d never heard of Hey You, Pikachu! before reading your post. It sounds as if that may have been for the best though…
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Woohoo – I’ve been invited to two parties in the space of three months. That’s definitely going in the Christmas letter this year!
Anyway, my name’s James, and I’ve been droning on about gaming related shiznizz at https://quicklytapx.com for a while now. To provide balance to Hundstrasse’s piece (how dare you, dude! 😉) I’ma link to a piece I wrote that explains why The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker was quite a special game the first time I played it, and why I was reluctant to return to it in case that changed:
https://quicklytapx.com/2017/06/07/the-potential-dangers-of-returning-to-a-favourite-game-the-legend-of-zelda-the-wind-waker-hd/
Once again, many thanks to Later Levels for hosting us – it’s very kind of you, and it’s something of an honour to be here (see again; Christmas letter).
PS – Your new Bioshock Diving helmet was already broken when I picked it up, and had absolutely nothing to do with me and/or my attempt to create a hands-free drinking hat!
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Ooh a bit a friendly rivalry – I like it! Great choice of post. I’ve just started to play The Wind Waker with my stepson and he’s really getting into it.
Right, are we turning this thing into a drinking-hat or what? *grabs toolbox*
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Hell yeah. For the record, though, if you fill it up with pina colada, a) it gets quite sticky, and b) you can’t actually breathe.
And I’m quite jealous of the little dude getting to play WW for the first time. I really hope you both enjoy it as much as I did, though!
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Maybe if we went for something clear? G&T perhaps? Thought of course there’d still be the breathing problem… hmm…
We played Ocarina with Ethan last year and it took him a while to get into it – not enough explosions and dramatic heroics for his taste – but after a few weekends, it was all he wanted to play. I’m getting the feeling it’s going to be a similar situation with WW. 😉
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… I’m starting to feel like I’m not going to live this Zelda thing down 😛 … You’ll be pleased to know that I’m strongly considering getting a Switch at some point this year so hopefully I’ll at least get a chance to join in with some Zelda conversation … about… erm…… High-Rule?
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Yeah, well. As Shakespeare* once said, “You hatez on a Gaming classic, you getz da fanboi grief, innit!?”.
*Possibly might not have been Shakespeare. Chaucer mebbe?? Either way, I feel it’s the right sentiment…. 😉
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It’s easy to get confused. These famous writers are all the same – they like to come across as ‘intellectual’ in their works, then as soon as they pick up a controller it’s all ‘cometh at me bro!’.
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Wow…. a visionary ahead of their time….
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Hi I’m Jon Calvin and I’m a UK based games journalist & critic. I also run a personal blog about indie games, because I love the industry and don’t always get chance to cover some of the smaller, interesting games that are out there. You can find me at http://InsideIndieGaming.com I’m always up for a good discussion about video games and interested to find gaming blogs with unique angles. If you’re interested check out a few of my posts and let me know what you think. You can also catch a lot of my work around the web, I currently freelance for Gamereactor UK primarily. Thanks and enjoy the party!
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Wow, you sound incredibly busy! Where do you find the time to play video games?! 😉
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Hi Jon! Glad to meet you. Just wanted to pop over and say I really like your site and am checking out the articles 🙂 I’m also very impressed with how busy your are in the community!
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E-yo, everyone! What a cool idea! My name is Zack, and I started my blog about 4 years ago. I didn’t really stick with it, which bothered me for years. I received some new inspiration to revive my writing via a personalized, custom built arcade cabinet some friends presented me with as a wedding gift. I’ll go ahead and use that as my nominated post: https://returnto8bit.com/2017/06/22/my-own-personalized-arcade-game-cabinet/.
Since then, I’ve immersed myself in this pretty bitchin’ community of great people sharing great ideas. Everyone has been very friendly and engaging, so I’m glad to be immersed in blogging once again! As a cantankerous dude in my early 30’s, a lot of my posts are geared toward retro-gaming, how certain old relics hold up today, and the like. I also plan on dipping into my collection of gaming-related artifacts more, as well as chatting about my limited forays into current-gen gaming (Overwatch, give me back my life, please). Looking forward to checking this thread and discovering more great content – cheers!
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Aw what a great story – and an awesome wedding present! It’s good to have you back here on WordPress with the rest of us cantankerous thirty-somethings. 😉
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Your cabinet is pretty excellent! 🙂
Yeah, WordPress seems to be where the 30-somethings hang out.. presumably all lamenting the loss of cartilage in their thumb joints (is that a thing) and the gentle deterioration of twitch reflexes 😛
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Speak for yourself.
I never had great twitch reflexes to begin with. 😉
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*I knock on the door and enter, bearing a plate of cookies I just made*
Hey, guys! My name’s Athena and I’m behind all the wild antics over at AmbiGaming, where I write about the secret, real-life topics hidden in games (and sometimes make passive comments about the gaming industry/community). My continuing mission is to elevate games to more than “mere entertainment” and help people make deep discoveries about their favorite games, connect meaningfully with video games, and maybe even learn something about themselves in the process!
I guess that’s what happens when you cross a gamer with a therapist, huh?
Anyway, I’ve taken on a lot of huge topics like gender in games, the effect of violence in games on children, and even things like theology in games, but one that I had a lot of fun writing was about representation of minorities in games (it’s a two-parter, but…). It sparked a lively discussion! If you’re interested in seeing the conversation, check out out here: https://ambigamingcorner.com/2017/02/22/identification-representation-1/
So glad I was able to make the party! Off to mingle, now 🙂
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Hi Athena, thanks for joining us! I clicked on the link above and realised I wasn’t already following so I’ve now rectified that! I really like the ‘mission’ behind your site; looking forward to reading more posts in the future. 🙂
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Thanks for having me! Likewise, I’m not sure how I wasn’t following you, either, so that has also been fixed!
And thank you so much! I’m looking forward to seeing you around 🙂
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Hey, the Wal-Mart sticker was stuck to the bottom of the plate. I won’t tell, I promise.
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Shhh… only because I needed something last minute. Next time I’ll make my famous Drunken Tiramisu and rock everyone’s world! 😉
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*Red Mage strolls in with shades and a red and white Aloha shirt on* Hey hey hey I thought this was a Luau! Salutations, NPCs! This is a very cool event and I’m going to scour these comments for anyone I haven’t met yet. In the meantime, enjoy the spam musubis and ahi poke I brought. Oh and here’s an event we’re starting tomorrow, by way of example of something from our blog. Otherwise, I couldn’t choose between the things we’ve written since March. Thanks for hosting this, Later Levels!
https://thewellredmage.wordpress.com/2017/06/30/the-31-day-elemental-challenge-of-july/
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Shared on Facebook and Twitter. I look forward to seeing what the Mages come up with over the coming month! 🙂
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Thanks for sharing, and again thank for putting this together and being so community minded.
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Hi. I’m Khinjarsi and I’ll be a little late. Taking the train means I have to get my snacks at the other end. I’ll be there shortly x
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We’ll see you soon! 🙂
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Hi, Stephen here from GamesandStuff any Chocolate Chip pancakes left?
I’ve got some Tequila to exchange 🙂
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I think the pancakes may have all gone but we’ve definitely got lime to go with that tequila! Is there a post you’d like to share? 🙂
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I’m sorry everyone, I fell asleep on the train and ended up solving puzzles with a man in a tall hat. I am here now though!
I come offering sea salt ice cream (there’s also mint choc chip avaliable), but eat them quick, it’s warm in here!
I write my nonsense over at Upon Completion (https://uponcompletion.wordpress.com/). I’ve recently been taking part in the 30 Day Gaming Challenge, but my usual kind of waffle tends to be review based, or more recently, observations and ponderings on more general themes and ideas in gaming. One of my more popular posts recently has been about the small things that bring us joy in games: https://uponcompletion.wordpress.com/2017/04/17/all-the-small-things/
Later Levels, you’re always such a great party host! Thanks for inviting me back after last time. I’m sorry about the rug….
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That’s ok – James from QTX has spilt pina colada all over it anyway. 😉
Aah I loved your post about small things, such a good choice! Sometimes we all just need to take a step back and appreciate the amount of effort and detail.
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*Shelby enters with a cooler full of steaks* Where’s the grill? Do folks in the UK have grills? These have been marinating all day, and I need to get them fired up.
I’m Shelby, and I run my gaming blog (https://falcongamereviews.com/) in my free time. I’m not sure that I have a niche of any sort, as my posts tend to feature a bunch of ranting and highfalutin opinions that I feel obligated to back up with facts. I seriously don’t know why I can’t just put an opinion of mine out on the internet without doing research on the topic. Occasionally, I even write reviews!
I want to share the last of my survivor posts featuring Olivia, because I’m a bit of a sadist, apparently: https://falcongamereviews.com/2017/04/26/olivias-survivor-story-part-9/
I’ve chosen this because it’s a bit of a creative outlet for me, and I can have a little brain exercise without needing to check facts or any of that nonsense.
Did someone bring beer? I need a good, stout beer to help me get my grilling on.
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Oh yes, we definitely have grills (barbecues) – and you can’t beat a good bit of steak. *passes the apron*
That’s what I like about your site: the posts may be about your views on games and the industry, but it’s clear you’ve considered the facts rather than plucking an opinion out of thin air. Keep up the great work!
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Steak?? *runs out and gets a nice bordeaux. Sprints back in to the party* Am I too late??
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I could kill for a steak and bordeaux right now… *stomach rumbles*
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How do you like ’em? Medium rare good?
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Yummy! 😀
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Sounds perfect!
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*Arrives carrying a big bag of Twiglets, ponders why he doesn’t like Marmite out of a jar but will happily eat these*
Hello! I’m Cameron and I live in South West Scotland, just over the border between England and Scotland. I do write about games very occasionally, here’s the last entry I had about my experience of being rubbish at fighting games but still enjoying playing them.
https://dragoninthecastle.wordpress.com/2017/05/21/for-all-the-single-players-out-there/
This might be slightly cheating but the main reason I haven’t been playing that many games recently is that I’m trying to get a book written. There’s a blog about that too and other misadventures in script writing/theatre/stand up comedy.
https://howlinginthedark.wordpress.com/
Obviously there’s a balance to strike between time spent gaming and time spend writing currently. I bought Elite Dangerous the other day, it’s like I’m asking for punishment.
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Twiglets are the food of mystery. You don’t question them, you just go with it.
Really looking forward to reading the book once it’s ready! Still having that spellcheck issue?
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Yes, the spell check seems to have packed in. I might try cutting and pasting the entire thing onto another fresh file in a bit to see if that wakes it up.
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The spellcheck equivalent of ‘turning it off and on again’. Good luck!
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Hey everybody, sorry I’m late! I brought some sockeye salmon to throw on that grill.
I’m the Optimistic Gamer, and I run https://optimisticgamerblog.com, a blog dedicated to taking a positive spin on video games. I really try to communicate what makes them special to me, and why I think they’re a form of entertainment worthy of analysis and respect.
The post I’m sharing: https://optimisticgamerblog.com/2017/06/27/five-reasons-why-the-video-game-industry-is-definitely-not-heading-towards-another-crash/
I wrote this last week, and I really think it embodies what I’m going for with my blog. I’ve heard a lot of people say that the video game industry is bound for another crash, so I provide some points arguing why I think that’s not true.
I also love to ramble about games as a storytelling medium, and have started involving more of my personal life in my blog posts. Thanks for checking it out, and thanks for hosting this sweet party!
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It’s lovely to have you here. welcome! I came across your post last week and it was a really good read – looking forward to seeing more of your writing. 🙂
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Aw, thank you so much!
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*I sit in my car internally debating whether to go to this party because I have social anxiety and all these new people scare the crap out of me.*
I’m Chris. I like in Pennsylvania, right outside of Philadelphia. I’ve been blogging for over a decade and all these young people make me feel really old. I’ve only recently returned to my WordPress blog, which I’ve named Musings of a Grouch (https://kariyanine.wordpress.com/) because I am often perceived as a bit of a grouch (I’m really just trying not to have a panic attack).
Anyway, I wrote this piece recently and I liked how it came about and how it finally finalized delving in to life, games, and political leanings.
https://kariyanine.wordpress.com/2017/06/14/far-cry-5-to-the-extremes/
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Welcome to the party – and don’t worry. according to the comments above you’re joining plenty of cantankerous thirty-somethings here. You’re in good company. 😉
A great choice of post. In a time of political uncertainty, it was understandable that such a game would draw plenty of controversy; but gaming can a medium for social commentary and open our eyes to alternative views. It’ll be interesting to see how the community reacts to FC5’s release next year.
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Uh, I’m always late to the party and it looks like everyone passed out already… I’ll just go stand quietly in the corner since I’m not good at parties anyway… 🙂
Seriously though, this is a great idea! I’m the resident obsessive fan of the Final Fantasy XIII Trilogy and its main character, Lightning Farron. My blog is all about me rambling about video games and whatnot. I mostly just enjoy connecting with other humans online, but I enjoy writing too. The post I had the most fun writing was an April Fool’s one pretending to bash FFXIII. The series gets a lot of unnecessary hate, IMO, and it was my passive vengeance against the internet’s rapid rage trolls 😀 http://lightningellen.com/2017/04/01/post-playthrough-roundup-final-fantasy-xiii-ps3/
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Hey, it’s fashionable to be late! I’ll share the link to your post this afternoon – thanks for joining in! 🙂
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*Luna picks up her phone and checks Twitter…. “Junk, Junk, Lame… WHAT??? Kim hosted a blog party? And it was AMAZING????? Ugh and I spent the weekend sleeping :(”
I’m very late to the party, but I’m reading that it was a blast. Where Kim, here are the trash bags and paper towels, I’m always willing to help clean up!
I’m Luna everyone and I run the GamersUnitedGG.com blog. Pretty much I write about games, fan fiction, my pop collection and the various series that I watch! You might find some great new shows to get hooked on binging! Feel free to stop by the Arcade, I’ve always got Quarters! I’ve left the link to an underrated game that I posted about during the 30 day Challenge (hahah 20 days for me lol) https://gamersunitedgg.com/2017/06/03/30-day-challenge-gamers-edition-day-3/
-Luna 🙂
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That’s the best kind of guest to invite to a party: someone who’s willing to stay and help you tidy up! He he he
I’ll be sure to share the link to your post this afternoon. 😉
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Goodday, my name is NekoJonez. I bought and brought some Belgian chocolate and French Fries from BELGIUM of course.
I write a blog called NekoJonez’s Gaming Blog, it’s a blog where you can read about my journey through the quest of playing all the games that interest me. I play old games, new games. I play triple A games, indie games. I talk about my opinion about the market, gaming music.
I’m always open if a developer wants an honest review of their game. I play a lot of different genres… so hey.
I’m also a collector. I collect old school games. I have a pretty impressive collection imo.
I’m always open to feedback from readers. But, what I enjoy most is talking to my readers and other bloggers. So, if you think I’m worthy, come on and drop by. Oh also, there some fine gentlemans and ladies in the comments above me that I would personally recommend a whole lot. So, don’t only come to my blog, but go discover!
My present to you is this post: https://arpegi.wordpress.com/2017/03/19/game-music-my-favorites-numerbo-19-im-not-running-out-of-these/
An article I’ll soon follow up with a new entry in the series. Go and listen to this gaming music to have some great tracks to get this party more hype!
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Hey Neko! Every good blog party needs a DJ and you brought music! Your post will be shared on social media shortly. 😉
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