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S2 Ep. 2- January!

Welcome back to Thrak Attack! What's your adventure? This week's adventure consists of all the adventures in the month of January. There were 2 albums I listened to, 1 video game played, and 2 travel destinations. Because these are bigger monthly posts, there will be no news or trailers sections. So with all of that out of the way! Let's get onto the first review!

St. Louis is a cool city, I didn't think there would be a whole lot to do there but there was plenty of cool stuff to check out! I was there for a few days and here is the general overview of the things we did. Keep in mind, some of this was during 2019 but I'm counting the trip as the first one in 2020.
Day 1: We hung out at Union Station which was an amazing entertainment hub! We experienced the aquarium, the mirror maze, the observation wheel, one of the many restaurants, and went into the historic train station it was built around! Such a cool place and I would advise you to check it out! We then of course had to make our way to the arch. It's an obligatory stop on the St. Louis journey and it was well worth it even though I am afraid of heights.
Day 2: The City Museum is one of the wildest and most insane places I have ever been. It's like stepping into an alternate dimension or a different planet. I loved it so much but I am a little mad at myself and my parents for NOT taking me there when I was a child. It would have been a much better experience. After that we had drinks at Rosita's and headed home.
Day 3: We made our way to the Budweiser Brewery and took the brewmasters tour which was diffidently worth the $35. It was a 2 hour tour that takes you through every step of the brewing process, the Clydesdales stables, and through the museum. We also got a hat, a beer glass, and 4 beer throughout the tour so I was a little toasted. We then cooled off and had lunch at the Biergarten which was super nice and I got my toasted ravioli I've been looking for.

All in all, this trip was wonderful and I can't wait to go back in the summer!

"Rare" by Selena Gomez is the first album of the new decade that I will review... too bad it's a crap album. Don't get me wrong it's a fine pop album but that's all it is, a pop album. I do love the title track though. It's got one of my favorite lines in music nowadays that goes "burning toast in my toaster"... Is that a metaphor for something? Is that some sort of euphemism? Is that an actual story where she was upset with her man and burnt her toast in the toaster? I am so intrigued. The other good song on this album, which is actually quite a solid song, is "Cut You Off". It has a great guitar solo, catchy melody, and very sensual feel to it. As a whole this album is not going on my ultimate shelf but those 2 songs were the first of the 2020 playlist!

"The Juice" by G. Love and Special Sauce is the 2nd album review and is a really solid album. I have enjoyed G. Love's music for a while now and I am well aware this is not his best album but it's still a solid album. The themes throughout the album range from being in love but it also has a a theme of changing the world. That's what the title track is about. I love this person and these people and I want the world to be a better place for them. Some of the tracks fall short such as "Go Crazy", "Birmingham", and "Drinkin' Wine"; and it's also a really short album with only 12 songs (3 of them being various versions of the title track) but it's still a solid album. As of now, it's going on the ultimate shelf.

Dragonball Z: Kakarot came out on the same day as "The Juice" for the PS4 and it is, so far, the best telling of one of my favorite stories in a video game. I have played all the Dragonball Z Budakai, Legend of Goku, Dragonball for the DS, and DBZ Xenoverse, but this is by far the best retelling of the story. Some elements are left out, naturally but for the most part it's all there. I do love the inclusion of the side quests but there are a little lack luster. It's a nice touch that makes you realize that other things are happening in this world that you're exploring. What I don't like is the camera angles at some points, and those darn robots that always show up! But other than that this is a very solid game and a great homage to the source material. This is on the ultimate shelf and will be another month at least for me to be done!

Superstition Wilderness is one of my favorite Phoenix day trips. I have done it multiple times and have had a different experience for each one. This time we took a hike up Goldmine trail which took us along the Southside of the Superstition mountain past hundreds of cacti, some beautiful rock works, and a nice stream. Such a calming hike and was not difficult at all. 5 miles of hiking and we decided to drive around and into Canyon Lake. We had a little picnic at Canyon Lake and enjoyed the views until we decided to drive all the way to Tortilla Flat for a beer and some "golden nuggets" (cheese curds). It was such a relaxing day we decided to get some Rita's water ice before bed which capped off an amazing afternoon of adventures!

So there were 5 things reviewed this month, so let's make a top 5 list!

5. "Rare" Selena Gomez
4. "The Juice" by G. Love and Special Sauce
3. Superstition
2. Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot
1. St. Louis

February should bring some more music (Green Day, Tame Impala) Some movies (Birds of Prey, Sonic, Call of the Wild), and a trip to Camp Verde, AZ

                                     All the Best, Ross


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