#Down the Memory Lane Coronavirus

[thcountzwrites]

Christmas and Tchaikovsky Pt. 1

“It’s coming on Christmas; they’re cutting down trees….” Libby hummed along to the Joni Mitchell tune piping through the shop sound system as she placed the last ornament on the tree for the front window display.  As she stood back to survey her work, the delicious smells of orange cranberry scones filled the air. Her best friend and baker, Artie, was quickly filling the dessert case for today’s customers.

“It’s a bit off center, just like you.” Artie called across the shop.  She was wiping her hands on her ever-present apron as she came and stood by Libby.

“What is?  The tree?”

“No, the star.”

Immediately Libby saw, as usual, that she was correct.  You could always count on Artie to point out any imperfections.  She called it the curse of her Indian grandmother, Sahana.  Libby considered it a blessing as no book or coffee mug was ever out of place with Artie around.  Jokingly, Libby told her that she always had job security between her eye for details and her gift of keeping the dessert case full.

Adjusting the star, Libby was pleased with the overall look.  It was always a walk down memory lane each year as she unpacked the antique Christmas ornaments, lovingly fingering each one as she found the perfect spot for it to hang.  Originally, these ornaments graced their family tree, but since her dad helped buy this place, they both agreed it would be a fitting shrine for them to grace the tree for Books and Beans. Libby had dreamed since her teenage years of having a shop where two of her favorite things existed together – books and coffee.  Her dad had always told her if you are going to dream, dream big.  The day of the grand opening was one of the happiest days of Libby’s life. She had found the perfect cozy spot in the heart of East Nashville, the latest hotspot in Music City.  Riverside Village was always full of musicians and artists looking for a break, as well as college students from one of the universities in town.  There was never a lack of foot traffic.

“What did I tell ya, Libby girl?  Dream big, work hard and anything is possible.” He whispered in her ear that day.  This month it will be three years since his passing.  Three years since she had heard his laugh or argued over their two favorite football teams.  It still felt like it happened yesterday.  No one had ever even heard of Coronavirus, or Covid-19 as it came to be known, when a pandemic spread across the globe in 2020.  Libby could not believe it when her dad had tested positive.  They both felt it seemed nothing more than the flu, but when he had to be admitted to the hospital, they both knew it was something far more serious.  Libby was not even able to be with him in person.  She could only talk to him on the phone.  Even up until the end he kept saying he would be home pestering her again in no time.  The hospital allowed her to mask up and visit through the window the night he passed.  That was the night her life changed forever.  She was now completely alone.  Libby’s mother had passed away when she was a baby, and Reggie had raised Libby on his own and on a policeman’s salary. Reggie had one sister, but they were never close, so it had always just been the two of them.  She had spent the rest of the pandemic in a daze of tears, sleep, and more tears.  It was the potential loss of her little shop that had finally pulled her out of the vortex of grief and gave her the motivation to keep moving.  Even though the store had to remain closed, she opened an online bookstore and somehow managed to keep things moving until the world re-opened slowly in 2021. 

“Libby!”

Snapping back into the present, Libby turned and walked toward the coffee shop in the store.  Artie was looking at her with that scrunched up face she had when she was impatient. 

“Sorry, what?”

“I have been talking to you for five minutes….I was asking about today’s special.  Where were you?  Dreaming about Mr. Wonderful again?” Artie was rearranging the creamer station for the umpteenth time.

A frown crossed Libby’s face at the mention of Mr. Wonderful.  That would be Peter, but as it turned out, he was more Mr. Unfaithful.  It took Libby a month before she confessed to Artie that the two had parted ways.  In hindsight, her heart really wasn’t in the relationship anyway, and when she saw a photo of Peter with a young blonde at a social function in the Nashville Signature magazine for the rich, she broke things off.  She wasn’t sure why he had ever pursued her in the first place.  Their two worlds were as different as night and day.  At any rate, today she did not need to be reminded AGAIN how she had misjudged another guy.  This time of year was already hard enough.  She missed her dad every day but especially during the holidays.  He always let her cry, rant, and rave about what a loser X guy was, and never once said, “I told you so.”  He always seemed to have an uncanny way of zeroing in on a guy’s flaws.  He was forever trying to fix her up with the sons of his best buddies.  It had been an ongoing lighthearted struggle between the two.  Reggie thought all the guys she dated were arrogant jerks and she always thought the guys her dad tried to fix her up with were goofball nerds.  Oh, how she missed those arguments. 

“NO…. I was actually thinking about how the tree could use a little more sparkle.  I may zip out at lunch and get another string or two of twinkle lights.” Libby replied heading over to the cashier’s stand in the bookstore side.

“Um hmm…right.” Artie replied as she headed back into the tiny kitchen.  They only served pastries and coffee drinks, but the place was always humming with activity and by the end of the day, there was never much left in the dessert case.  Artie made everything fresh daily.  Between Libby, Artie, and her part-time employee, Michael who acted as barista and bookkeeper, her small business was solvent, barely.  She would never get rich with a small Mom and Pop bookstore/coffee shop as she always had to compete with the shiny, sleek big box stores, but she loved her little shop.  She thought her customers kept coming back because Books and Beans had something the bigger stores did not have – heart. They also did not have Artie churning out delicious pastries every day.  Reggie had helped with the down payment on the building, but his dream was that she would find the right guy, settled down and have a family one day.  Libby was only 34 and there was still time, but now Reggie was gone.  

The bell on the front door jingled its happy greeting as Michael came into the shop.  As usual, he was five minutes late for his shift.  Michael was studying at Vanderbilt’s Owen School of Management and worked part-time at Books and Beans.  He was scheduled to work 20 hours a week, but usually ended up being there even after he clocked out. Tall, lanky, a tad clumsy and always a bit wrinkled, he was an all-around nice guy.  He had taken the fourth spot at the corner Parcheesi table with Reggie’s old buddies.  They came daily and spent hours in the corner playing games, drinking coffee, and talking about their days on the force.  All retired police officers, Reggie always told Libby she’d never had to worry about criminals snooping around Books and Beans.  She just laughed at the thought of any of them chasing after a thief.  Burt used a cane, Willie never moved quickly anywhere, and Oscar had put on some pounds since eating Artie’s creations every day.  Michael, while a good forty-years younger, seemed to fit right in.  He felt it an honor to play in Reggie’s place.  Not only that, but he had also learned to make a mean cup of coffee.  It was his idea to name the Americano after Reggie.  He called it The Regular Joe as Reggie always said he was just a regular guy who liked his coffee strong, hot, and black.  A real coffee drinker, he’d say.

“Morning, Libby…sorry I’m late…. I missed my bus.” Michael blew past on his way into the back office where he had a small, cluttered desk in the corner.  “I had to study for my statistics test all night, and then of course, I overslept.” He was in his last year working toward an MBA in finance.  He was a whiz with numbers, and thanks to him, Libby’s books were always in order. She lived pretty meager since moving into the small apartment above the shop.  It broke her heart to sell the house she and Reggie had shared in Inglewood, but the memories were too strong, and she really didn’t have the means to keep it up.  Thankfully, the housing market was a seller’s dream, and she was able to put the money on the building mortgage and renovate the small space upstairs for an apartment. It was small, but all she really needed for herself and her cat, Spartacus. The apartment was just an extension of the bookshop downstairs.  Comfy chairs, lots of books and plants and always vinyl playing on Reggie’s old turntable console Libby brought from the Inglewood house. 

“No worries from me, but you’ll have some groveling to do with Artie.  She cleaned the espresso machine, and I could hear your name between curses.” Libby smiled at him as she passed on her way to Fiction with an armful of new books.  Michael was always a bit taken back when she smiled at him.  She had no idea how lovely she was, and he was terrible around the opposite sex.  He always dropped something or said something ridiculous, usually concerning numbers.  He knew he was sunk when women’s eyes glazed over.

Quickly averting his gaze, he headed over to the coffee shop side but not before knocking over the pen cup on the front desk. “Maybe if I promise to do her taxes for free this year, she’ll forgive me.  Ya, think?”

Libby just laughed and shook her head, “That and a steak dinner, maybe!  Good luck!”

For the next few hours, the front door jingled constantly with customers coming and going on their way to work or somewhere; everyone in a hurry but many who stopped and filled the tables.  Music piping in softly, the espresso machine going continuously, it was Libby’s happy place.  She was leafing through the latest local arts and music rag, The Nashville Scene, and saw where the yearly performance of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker would be performing at The Tennessee Performing Arts Center in three weeks.  Since childhood, Libby had loved ballet, and at one time even hoped to be a dancer but a broken foot at the age of thirteen ended those dreams.  Reggie made sure the two of them went each year to the ballet even though he knew nothing about dance.  The last performance she attended was with Reggie in 2019, and they certainly had no clue it would be their last together.  She had thought about going last year, but just never got around to getting tickets.  Maybe this year.  Maybe.  Putting the magazine down, she saw a very handsome customer approach the desk.  She had seen him come into the shop several times, always alone.  Tall, with good looks, just her type. 

“Excuse me, do you work here?” he flashed a friendly smile.

“Yes, I’m the owner, Libby McBride.  Can I help you?” Libby gave him a friendly smile in return.

“Ah, so you’re the genius behind this little jewel.  I was wondering who owned this place.  Beauty AND a brain, as they say.  My name is Chance Ford.  How do you do?” He extended his hand and Libby reached out to shake it, but instead he drew her hand up to his lips and gently kissed the back of her hand. Libby felt her Irish blood betraying her as a blush crept up her neck. “Well, I don’t know about that, but this place is special to me at least, thank you for noticing.  The shop I mean.” All tongue-tied she started giggling.  Good Lord, Libby!  Get hold of yourself!  She immediately lapsed into customer mode.

“Is there something specific you were looking for today?  We have several new titles in both Fiction and Nonfiction.” Her voice trailed off noticing that he was just smiling and staring at her.  Thankfully Artie appeared on her right side and broke the awkwardness.

“OH, Artie!  Right, this is Chance Ford.  He’s a customer.” 

“Obviously.” Artie gave her the eye.

“And, Chance, this is Artie Shibad, she is the pastry chef for the Beans portion of the place.”  

He extended his hand to Artie and just as with Libby he was going to kiss the back of her hand, but Artie swiftly extracted her hand before his lips could touch her skin.  If he seemed put off by the abruptness, he didn’t show it.

“Nice to meet you, Artie.  I enjoy your pastries far more than I should.  I always have to spend an extra hour in the gym every morning to build in time for one of your delicacies.” Another flashy smile.  Libby could tell by her body language that Artie was not impressed.

“Well, ladies, I must get back to the office.  It was a pleasure meeting both of you and I will see you again soon. Thank you for the great service.”

Libby waved as he headed out the door.  The minute the door closed she turned to Artie.  “You were not very nice to him, what’s up?”

“The BS meter, that’s what.  That guy is a total user.  Throwing his smile around and kissing our hands like some Prince Charming.  Hfff! Do not get fooled by another superficial guy, Libs!” Artie stomped back to the kitchen, but Libby was still thinking about Chance Ford when she went up to her apartment at the end of the day.  As she settled into her favorite reading chair, she addressed her cat, “What do you think, Spartacus? Am I a bad judge of character? Do I like superficial men?” He merely meowed and curled up in her lap. “Oh, you’re no help!” She picked up her latest read and tried to forget about Chance Ford for the evening. 

www.thcountzwrites.com

#short stories #Nashville #romance #Books #Bookstore #Coffee #Coffeeshop #Nutcracker #winter #Christmas

[atlanticcanada]

P.E.I. reports 3 new deaths related to COVID-19, decrease in hospitalizations

Health officials on Prince Edward Island reported three new COVID-19-related deaths in the province's weekly update on Tuesday.

The province says the deaths involve:

a person between the ages of 40 and 59

two people between the ages of 60 and 79

To date, P.E.I. has reported 67 deaths related to the coronavirus.

The data in Tuesday’s update covers the last seven days.

HOSPITALIZATIONS

The number of people in Island hospitals with COVID-19 decreased from 28 to 26 in this week’s report. Of those in hospital, 13 were admitted because of COVID-19 and 13 tested positive for the virus on or after admission.

One person is receiving treatment in intensive care.

To date, the province says most people who have required hospitalization – 43.2 per cent -- have been in their 60s and 70s.

CASES AND TESTING

P.E.I. is reporting 488 new COVID-19 cases, compared to 554 last week. There was an average of 70 new cases of the virus per day over the last seven days on P.E.I., compared to 79 the week before.

The province says 30.9 per cent of people tested were positive for COVID-19.

As of Tuesday, there were 655 active cases of COVID-19 on the Island, down from the 656 noted in last week’s report.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, 30 per cent of cases have been among people in their 20s and 30s.

OUTBREAKS

There are COVID-19 outbreaks at the following long-term or community care facilities:

The Mount Continuing Care

Gillis Lodge

Whisperwood Villa 

South Shore Villa

Perrins Marina Community Care

Andrews of Park West

Beach Grove Home: Meadow Unit

PE Home 

Riverview Manor: County View & Willow Lane

The province says there are also outbreaks at two acute care facilities. Those involve:

Kings County Memorial Hospital Inpatient Unit 

Western Hospital Inpatient Unit

from CTV News - Atlantic https://ift.tt/Zq7suCG

#new brunswick #prince edward island #nova scotia #news #politics #canada #CTVAtlantic

[ajcompany777]

Ashish Chowdhry opens up on losing his sister and brother-in-law during the 26/11 attacks, says his family has gone through worse : Bollywood News - Bollywood Hungama

Ashish Chowdhry opens up on losing his sister and brother-in-law during the 26/11 attacks, says his family has gone through worse : Bollywood News – Bollywood Hungama

Ashish Chowdhry, who was last seen in Beyhadh 2, understands that the pandemic is a trying time. He has recently opened up on losing his sister and brother-in-law during the 26/11 terror attacks and said that his family has gone through worse. Even though there’s a lot of uncertainty during these times, the actor is holding up a positive attitude and has been instilling the same in his kids. He…

View On WordPress

#Ashish Chowdhry #Ashish Chowdhry for Coronavirus #Ashish Chowdhry in Beyhadh 2 #Beyhadh 2 #Corona #CORONA VIRUS #coronavirus #Coronavirus Disease #coronavirus pandemic #Covid-19 #Down The Memory Lane #Flashback #India Fights Corona #lockdown #Throwback #War Against Virus

[iajcnews-blog]

Ashish Chowdhry opens up on losing his sister and brother-in-law during the 26/11 attacks, says his family has gone through worse : Bollywood News - Bollywood Hungama

Ashish Chowdhry opens up on losing his sister and brother-in-law during the 26/11 attacks, says his family has gone through worse : Bollywood News – Bollywood Hungama

Ashish Chowdhry, who was last seen in Beyhadh 2, understands that the pandemic is a trying time. He has recently opened up on losing his sister and brother-in-law during the 26/11 terror attacks and said that his family has gone through worse. Even though there’s a lot of uncertainty during these times, the actor is holding up a positive attitude and has been instilling the same in his kids. He…

View On WordPress

#Ashish Chowdhry #Ashish Chowdhry for Coronavirus #Ashish Chowdhry in Beyhadh 2 #Beyhadh 2 #Corona #CORONA VIRUS #coronavirus #Coronavirus Disease #coronavirus pandemic #Covid-19 #Down The Memory Lane #Flashback #India Fights Corona #lockdown #Throwback #War Against Virus

[invisibleicewands]

Michael Sheen believes that one of the big positives throughout the pandemic has been seeing the "extraordinary" ways Welsh communities have come together to help each other.

And now the Hollywood star - who was part of the lockdown TV hit Staged alongside his friend David Tennant - is helping Welsh acting students get the best start in their careers by launching a bursary in his name.

Michael, who grew up in Port Talbot, admitted that he is "always happier being at home" in Wales and that the past 12 months have made him feel "very fortunate".

Speaking to WalesOnline, the 52-year-old said: "I'm always happier being here at home and it made a big difference knowing that my parents who are in a vulnerable group were just down the road. I couldn't see them necessarily but I knew they were there and close and if need be I could help them.

"We've always known that Welsh communities are extraordinary in the ways that people help each other and seeing that play out in the communities here has been fantastic and one of the big positives of this terrible year that we've gone through.

"I've felt very fortunate that I've got a nice garden to go out into with my family so being stuck in the house is not the kind of hardship that it can be for a lot of people. It made me acutely aware of how fortunate I am in that respect and it drove me to try and do what I can to help people who don't have the same opportunity and to try and get involved in using what I've got to be able to do whatever I can to help other people."

At the end of last year, Michael got to show Jennifer Saunders around the place where he grew up as a guest on her one-off special, Jennifer Saunders' Memory Lane with Michael Sheen, where they visited the Evans Bevan Field and the site which was once home to drive-thru restaurant Burger Master, where he once worked.

"I love showing people around Port Talbot and I absolutely love it when people come from outside for whatever reason and I've got the opportunity to take people round," he said.

"It was lovely to see how much people seemed to enjoy watching it as well. Whenever I talk about Port Talbot or show Port Talbot on film, I always get worried about how the actual people of Port Talbot will respond to it because I certainly don't want to upset anyone so it was nice that I got some lovely messages from people within the town itself who really enjoyed it."

As far as his profession is concerned, the arts has been badly-affected by coronavirus, with theatres closed down and filming halted.

Back in November, Michael issued a message of support to students at Jesus College, one of the colleges of the University of Oxford, who, much like students right across the country, were facing challenges as a result of the ongoing pandemic.

Now, it has been announced that a new bursary scheme, called the Michael Sheen Bursary, has been created to provide financial support for Welsh undergraduate students. Having been developed and supported by Michael, the bursary will help Welsh students pursue courses in leading universities as recipients will be means-tested, based primarily on household income.

"For young Welsh students coming from backgrounds where there's low income, I wanted to make sure that if they get offered a place at a leading university like Jesus College Oxford that there's the support there for them to be able to make the most of that place," said Michael,  who became a father for the second time just before lockdown to daughter Lyra with his partner Anna Lundberg.

"We want to make sure that young people in Wales are applying for these places and to encourage that and say 'this is something that can be for you if you want it' and that it's not just for other people and to try and inspire the confidence and to give young people the encouragement to try for it.

"Jesus College Oxford has got such a strong connection to Wales as it was set up originally by Welshman Hugh Price and their connection with Wales has been very strong ever since. Of the 10,000 young people they work with annually in their outreach, 70% are young Welsh people.

"It's something I want to encourage and be a part of. I've had opportunity and I feel very lucky to have had the success that I've had and I want to be able to use what resources I have now to help other people who come from the sorts of backgrounds that I come from."

#Michael Sheen #Interview #Twitter #Jesus College Oxford #he's just come back and he has already started to argue

[sourstiless]

here’s a list of criminal minds episodes to rewatch with commentary by me

they’re top tier i promise

1x06 LDSK - reid and morgan’s relationship is what keeps me going everyday.

1x09 derailed - just a good episode. i like when reid talks down unsubs makes me feel things

1x14 ride the lightning - i cried.

1x22, 2x01 fisher king - so much happened that i cant even put it into words but they’re great episodes

2x11 sex, birth, death - can you tell i like reid centric episodes?

2x15 revelations - angst

3x05 seven seconds - just another suspenseful episode. it’s sad, but not sad in that way that you generally think.

3x16 elephants memory - :(

3x20, 4x01 lo-fi and mayhem - i think my heart stopped and my anxiety went 📈📈📈📈

4x03 minimal loss - just amazing. 10/10. emily and reid 👌🏼

4x22 the big wheel - i cried again. also alex oloughlin.

4x24 amplification - more crying. hits different watching with all this coronavirus stuff.

5x09 100 - well fuck. that’s all i have to say.

5x12 the uncanny valley - another sad one. you genuinely feel bad for the unsub. some badass reid yeet.

5x16 mosley lane - if you don’t cry you don’t have a heart so fuck you

5x22-6x01 - not particularly because they’re good but because i really like reid’s hair

6x12 corazon - more reid centric, but overall just a very interesting episode.

6x16 coda - another really good episode. one of my favorites. reid with kids is beautiful. we were robbed.

6x18 lauren - i fucking hate criminal minds.

7x01 it takes a village - this is calm and it’s doctor. iconic.

7x02 proof - i love passive aggressive reid. he’s my favorite.

7x11 true genius - more emily and reid bonding. my favorite friendship.

7x23, 7x24 hit and run - more anxiety.

8x12 zugzwang - fuck this show. diane turner is hot tho.

8x24 the replicator - how do none of them get hurt in the helicopter crash? i am still confusion.

9x05 route 66 - reid looks pretty

9x23, 9x24 angels and demons - even more anxiety. part of me died.

10x18 rock creek park - reid speaks russian in it and i think that’s pretty cool

10x21 mr scratch - wild episode. think i stopped breathing at one point because everyone died. not a spoiler dw.

11x11 entropy - one of, if not, my favorite episodes. cat adams can run me over with a truck.

11x18 a beautiful disaster - more fucking anxiety and tears.

11x22 the storm - yeet

12x13 spencer - fuck any episode titled with bau members’ names.

12x22 red light - oh god what can i say except is it fucking HOT in here or what

13x01 wheels up - i love emily :(

13x15 annihilator - reid being a loyal friend to emily we fuckin love to see it. fuck linda barnes she can choke.

13x16 last gasp - we stan one team and one team only.

13x22 believer - minimal loss.

14x01 300 - much love for reid and garcia.

14x05 the tall man - idk just a cool episode. kind of jj centric.

14x07 twenty seven - the way reid does cpr is really funny

15x04 saturday - WHY DIDNT WE GET MORE OF THESE EPISODES THEYRE SO CUTE

15x06 date night - max and cat can both shoot me in the face and i’d thank them.

#i was bored #just my opinions #criminal minds #spencer reid #jennifer jareau #jj #emily prentiss #derek morgan #penelope garcia #aaron hotchner #david rossi #cat adams #diane turner #max brenner #maxine brenner

[ifuckinglovestvincent]

LATIMES: For St. Vincent, life under COVID has meant recording a soul-baring podcast and binging on Stalin

Annie Clark, who performs as St. Vincent, in her home studio: “I divide my life into albums.” [Leah Lehrer]

By RANDALL ROBERTS

STAFF WRITER

AUG. 26, 2020 2:15 PM

During a recent conversation, Annie Clark, the Grammy-winning musician who performs as St. Vincent, confessed that she had, quite literally, nothing else scheduled for the day. She had awakened, she explained, knowing that her only obligation would occur at precisely 2 p.m.

“The crazy thing is, because there’s nothing to divide a day, having anything on the calendar to do feels almost overwhelming,” she said. “Like, what am I going to do now that I have this one 20-minute thing that must happen at this specific time? It’s very strange. It’ll be interesting to go back, in some way, to all the spinning plates.”

On Monday, Clark’s new audio project, “St. Vincent: Words + Music,” premieres on Audible, the online audiobook and podcast platform. A 90-minute first-person deep dive into her life and music, the program is interspersed with revelatory new versions of some of St. Vincent’s most popular songs. She offers a fresh rendition of 2007’s “Marry Me,” for example, that highlights dizzying string arrangements absent from the original version.

For St. Vincent obsessives, these versions are essential listens, as are her recollections on her early years as part of the Texas music collective the Polyphonic Spree and her decision to embark on a solo career under a pseudonym. For passing fans, Clark’s conversational way of speaking about the evolution of her work across six studio albums (including “Love This Giant,” her 2012 collaboration with David Byrne) provides a glimpse into her creative methods. An artist whose work has evolved from guitar-driven indie rock to increasingly experimental work filled with electronics and vocal effects, St. Vincent’s music has at this point transcended genre.

The project is part of Audible’s “Words + Music” series, which includes “Patti Smith at the Minetta Lane,” James Taylor’s “Break Shot,” Common’s “Bluebird Memories: A Journey Through Lyrics & Life” and Rufus Wainwright’s “Road Trip Elegies: Montreal to New York.”

Clark, 37, recently spoke to The Times from her home in Los Angeles.

“I have this theory,” says St. Vincent, “that people who are creative for a living were really dumbstruck, creatively, by the pandemic.” [Leah Lehrer]

How much podcast and audiobook listening do you typically do?

I’m obsessed with podcasts and audiobooks. I probably listen to more audiobooks than I do music. I mean, I certainly listen to music — for enjoyment, for research, for just making sure I know what is happening. Luckily, maybe because I’m a musician, I can retain a lot of information that comes through on the auditory side. I mean, I’ve really been brushing up on my Stalin.

You’ve brushed up on your Stalin?

It makes me feel much better about where we are today. Because they had it bad.

It’s pretty bad now.

It’s really bad now. But it was worse. I’ll go ahead and say it was worse in Stalin’s Russia. So there we are. That makes me feel bright and sunny. I’ve been on a real saucy Gulag Stalin kick for the past many months. Cold war, espionage — all of it.

You want to recommend any specific podcasts or books?

Oh God, we shouldn’t be talking about Stalin. This is already a disaster. I haven’t done this in a minute, you know what I mean? I don’t have my talking points all figured out.

I hope this isn’t a disaster.

No, but if we lead with Stalin, it’s not going to go well for me. Let’s talk about this Audible thing, because it was a lovely experience. It was fun to take old songs and reinvent them. There’s a version of “Digital Witness” on this that’s really funky and I love it. I’m glad they gave me a reason to look at my back catalog and reinvent some old songs.

Did you enjoy the process of recalling where you were in your life during various points?

I did. I divide my life into albums, instead of the other markers of time that most people have. I can go, “Oh, I was in the middle of this tour, and this is what was going on in my life and this is what I was writing about as a result.” That part of it was kind of an archaeological dig.

You reveal a few experiences in the program about your family and private life. I didn’t know, for example, about your father’s white-collar crimes, which landed him in prison in the early ’00s. Did you have any hesitation about engaging with parts of your life that aren’t related to your music?

I would have a long time ago, and I certainly did while it was all going on. I’ve always wanted people to enjoy and take in my music for what the music was. I don’t want it to be like a piece of art on the wall that needs an explanation in order to enjoy it. I want it to be enjoyed and interpreted on its own merit. I don’t think that it makes art more valid because it came from really horrible circumstances. I don’t necessarily want to mythologize something that’s actually quite normal. Things happen. And the crazy thing is to expect otherwise.

I think that in the past I felt way more protective of my family and my privacy because he was still in there. But since then, he’s been released, and we have a great relationship. It’s been a wonderful story of reconciliation, change, forgiveness, all those things. That’s why I feel fine about throwing it out there, because frankly, it had the happiest possible ending.

Another story you share is about being groped during a performance while you were stage-diving, and reacting by hitting the fan with your microphone. Have you stopped stage-diving since that happened?

Yes, stage-diving in that particular way. During the “Strange Mercy” tour, I was straight up hurling myself into the crowd and getting some pretty sick dives in. But then during the “St. Vincent” tour, I was definitely going into the crowd but more like jumping on the backs of security guards and running through that way. I still love the fan interaction. It’s not necessarily the end of my stage-diving days.

A lot of creative people I know are having a hard time with their muse right now. How are you doing with that?

I’m doing OK. It’s been a really productive time, but in a different way. I have this theory that people who are creative for a living were dumbstruck, creatively, by the pandemic, because we all need an element of chaos in our day to be able to grab inspiration. I know that’s a cheesy word, but we need to be able to be walking down the street, see that strange thing that somebody did and think about it, metabolize it and write about it.

People who are creative for a living have had a very hard time being creative during the pandemic. But a lot of people who aren’t necessarily creative for a living are like, “It’s a great time. I’ve finally learned how to knit and I finally wrote that short story that I‘d been meaning to do.” My informal poll of my fellow writers is that they’re banging their heads against the wall. But other people learned how to crochet or how to play “Sweet Home Alabama,” and that’s awesome.

Have you considered how you might present yourself as a performer going forward if, because of the coronavirus, the concert experience evolves into something unrecognizable?

I think about it every day. I wouldn’t imagine that things will ever be exactly back to normal, in terms of live touring. There’s a whole lot of other ways to get creative about how to reach people. And not just how to reach people but have the actual intimacy and energetic exchange of a show. The need for that kind of communion isn’t going to go away. I don’t think that’ll ever go away. It’s going to change, and it’s changed many times over the course of history. But yes, I think about it every day.

I think things that people love, they’re going to love even more, and they aren’t going to fall for things that they don’t love. Everything’s been put into sharp focus. Everybody’s figured out, more and more, what they actually need and what they don’t in these crazy times. I certainly don’t mean to minimize the actual human condition on the ground. But I think it’s going to be an exciting time for art. And that’s a silver lining.

#st vincent #annie clark #audible #interviews #A DEEP DIVE #INTO HER LIFE #AND MUSIC #YALL #also ‘passing fans’ like #have they met a st vincent fan #ALSO I DID NOT KNOW HER DAD WAS RELEASED #!!!! #!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[hippopotamuscollege]

Canvas

So here we are, huh? About to enter the final chapter in the first part of the story of my life. To be honest, the thought of it alone terrifies me. I’m gonna go to college soon, majoring in the arts or in the humanities— it depends on which university I choose to attend. I’ve been an honor student for the past 5 or so years, so many would think that I’m ready for the next chapter. I thought that I was, too. But with less than a month until I finally finish high school, I can’t help but take a trip down memory lane. As I embark on this short but nostalgic trip, I imagine myself hopping on my train of thought, having no means for navigation at all, but I’m still eager to start.

I arrive at the first stop, and see myself six years younger. It was like seeing a completely different person— her goals were more socially oriented, and she didn’t seem to worry about her future. She was more relaxed, and was focused on understanding relationships and wanting to be involved in them. I cringe at the scene thinking about what would have happened if she got her priorities straight at that age. She went to the guidance counselor’s office a lot with her friends, and the counselor told her that she needs to get her priorities straight because it looked like she wasn’t okay. 

I head back to the train, and it takes me to the next stop. I see myself a little bit older now. She has matured so much emotionally, even her guidance counselor noticed it. She was happy that people were beginning to notice the effort she put it towards self-worth and emotional growth. Sure, she still would need a little more tweaking to fully maximize her growth, but she didn’t mind that because who doesn’t stop growing, anyway? She was finally in an okay place, and although she faced ups and downs everywhere she went, she was okay with it. She also got her academic priorities straight to make her family happy. Although at first, she found it a drag because she believed that grades do not play a major role in becoming successful in the future. But little did anyone know that she was good at it. She excelled quickly, and she herself was surprised at how happy it made her. I smiled at the scene, before I headed towards the next stop. 

While in the train, I decided to open the window to let some fresh air come in. I then realize that it’s been so long since I’ve felt this relaxed. I close my eyes and feel the breeze pressing onto my face as if it were some sort of cleansing water that made me feel reborn. I may not feel like this for the next few years, so I should just go for it and enjoy this moment, even if I’m alone. I almost fall asleep when I arrive at the next stop. Ah, junior year. She had her priorities straight from the very beginning of the year, and she was proud of it. For the first time, she was working hard for something that was practical, and it made everyone around her happy— even herself. It was the first time she had a real ambition, and it made her feel powerful and confident. She surrounded herself with people who were like her in order to push herself to become a better version of herself. I’m struck with this nostalgic feeling that brought me excitement. I was beginning to see how much I’ve grown, and how mature I’ve become. I leave that stop with my head held high, and head towards the next stop. 

Once I step down from the train, I feel the environment around me intensified. Then I soon realized that this was my senior year in junior high school. We were the oldest students in the school, so that meant our juniors looked up to us. Everyone around us was expecting us to excel the most out of all the years, and get into good schools for senior high school. All of us knew of these expectations, so the pressure was on. I then saw myself, continually focused because of the very competitive environment. She had mixed feelings about the pressure brought upon her, but she had no choice and had to focus on the road ahead of her, to not fall behind in class. Even though there was so much school work to finish, she didn’t even have time to think about giving up or relaxing even for a day, because she knew that if she did that, she would fall behind and it’ll just become harder for her in the end. It was the most competitive environment she had experienced, but she oddly enjoyed every second of it. The sleepless nights, the stress, the impossible deadlines— yes it was very overwhelming, but everyone seemed to enjoy it. She felt as if it was junior year again, but the workload doubled. All that aside, her junior high school journey has ended, and she soared with flying colors. All that hard work was worth it when she stepped up to that stage and wore the sash that only a few students from the class could wear. Even though the beginning of this journey was tough, she managed to pull through, and not let the shortcomings of her freshman and sophomore self get the best of her. She knew that moving to a new school for senior high school would be tough, but she didn’t want to think about it first. We’ll cross that bridge when we get there, she said. I then head back to the train, and prepare myself for the next stop. 

I get down from the train, and I see a dark sky. This place is dark — darker than the last one. This was the first time she stepped into a new learning environment. Her previous school has been her home for 10 years, so she was scared. She was scared of new things, but she knew that she had to face this one. The first few weeks were going okay; she had friends, she was doing okay with school. Then it felt as if everything went black and she passed out. When she woke up, she felt like she was her freshman self all over again. She couldn’t focus on her studies once again, and instead, she focused on the relationships she made. She once again started to value her relationships more than anything. They were her lifeline, and it felt like she wasn’t gonna make it out alive if she didn’t have them. She fell into a very dark place because of the once good friendships now turned toxic, and it suffocated her. On top of all that, the coronavirus was spreading everywhere, so everyone was forced to finish the school year at home. By the end of the year, she had a huge epiphany while finishing requirements. She decided to stop speaking to those toxic friends of hers, and go off social media for a week. It was the best decision she made so far. She didn’t provide them any sort of closure at all because she felt like they didn’t deserve any sort of explanation from her. It was probably the scorpio in her. That year may have been the hardest to get through, but to her surprise, it ended in a good note. I look at that memory, and I feel happy that I got through all of that as early as 11th grade so that in the future, I would be able to stray away from the bad decisions and not make the same mistakes again. 

As I head to the next stop, I see the pitch black clouds lighten into a shade of gray. I arrive, and I see that I’m finally in my last year of high school. Everyone knows that we’re going to have to enjoy the our last year of high school in front of a screen, and that alone was already a big obstacle, I need not explain myself further because everyone in the world is experiencing the same thing, and I’m sure that a story of the pains if this school year us the last thing they would want to hear. Everyone was drained, and I was no exception. I tried to make all my submissions perfect, but no matter how hard I tried I just couldn’t do it. But, by the grace of God, I’ve made it to the last few weeks of high school, and I wouldn’t want to screw this up. The train tells me that I have to get on again, because there is one more stop. The train stops to a dead end, where there are no tracks, and no sense of navigation. 

I get it now. All of these places I’ve been to were just pit stops for me to reminisce and learn from the mistakes I’ve made. Those pit stops prepared me for the destination, which is what I see in front of me. It’s nothing else but a barren wasteland, but that’s the point, isn’t it? We make our own paths, and we keep moving forward. Come to think of it, this scene in front of me is just like a blank canvas and it’s waiting for me to bring it to life. I’ve got my paints, and I’m ready to get to work. 

#graduation #journey #new journey #essay #reflective #reflective essay

[chikkou]

havent been into rt in years but have been following the situation with a kind of horrified retrospective. if its not too much trouble, wanted to ask - what happened w joel? i looked it up and couldnt find much. ive been following u since i actually watched ah, i basically only trust ur take on the situation

omg thats so sweet.. im honored to have that trust 😭❤️

and yeah, im in full agreement abt the ryan stuff - as a former rt fan, its like a horrific trip down memory lane where everything is fucked up and terrible, and knowing just how many victims there are and how many people ryan hurt is indescribable. i really hope he rots ngl

as for what happened with joel, it mostly happened in private so theres not that much info on the details, but basically he was posting dumb shit on twitter for a while (like blaming china for coronavirus and shit talking “antifa” protestors during the george floyd protests), and since rt has been putting a vested effort into appearing more socially aware, they severed ties with him

its kind of crazy that he could get fired from a company he helped found, but like... it is difficult to blame them given the shit he was saying. if anything the thing that pisses me off abt it is how fucking disingenuous it is for rt to pretend like they have ever been a socially progressive company LMAO

#anya's replies #pechebeche

[azul-radiation]

Just How to Watch Stanley Cup Finals Live Stream Free For Free And Also Other Leagues

Along with so many people all over the planet keeping inside, as a result of the recurring pandemic, our beloved coliseums as well as game courts have actually been actually opted out. There may not be many sports occasions keeping in the meantime.

Major leagues like the MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL, and also several additional have actually been impacted. What are their supporters heading to carry out? As it is very important to keep boredom away and also stay pleased in trying opportunities like this.

There's some excellent headlines for you. With some terrific Internet hookup over a Wi-Fi gadget, you can easily participate in on the streaming services that a number of majors are actually currently operating.

In this short article, we will present you just how you can easily watch some of your favored classics like the NHL games for complimentary. The post covers basketball, football, baseball, as well as hockey games.

1. NHL

Hockey supporters reach watch stanley cup finals games live stream. NHL enthusiasts had actually been actually delighting in the most up to date season's games this year just before the virus came and also shut things down. The finals which will take place in April 2020 won't take place.

On the 12th of March, 2020, they suspended the games. With the help of the terrific project, supporters can easily watch some earlier famous games coming from the ease of their properties. These games will definitely keep you from boredom.

You can easily likewise appreciate their new chain of online videos on social media. It is actually generally tagged along with; #HockeyAtHome. This set of video recordings catches seconds coming from the every day lives of preferred hockey gamers in their corresponding houses. It is another try by the NHL to make your stay at home even more exciting.

If you would like to watch stanley cup finals games live stream free of cost, you require to produce an NHL.com profile. After doing that, you can watch what you prefer, coming from their available checklist of most up-to-date league games, free of charge. There are also older league games on their YouTube stations-- feel free to check them out. Delight in breathtaking moments from previous games and also catch up on the highlights that you overlooked previously.

2. NBA

Much like supporters of some other sports were appreciating their league games previously this year, NBA enthusiasts were actually likewise delighting in the 2021 time till they suspended it. This post ponement was actually an outcome of one gamer receiving infected along with the coronavirus.

The crews had presently gone a long way right into the time and also finals weren't until now just before the cancelation in March. Much like the stipulation of NHL ready free of cost, featuring various other big times, NBA supporters haven't been excluded as well. There are free of cost NBA League Pass examines that are actually on call for customers till the 22nd of April.

The games offered would certainly be sufficient to maintain you occupied and engaged during the course of this "stay at property" time frame. Appreciate your preferred instants as you watch the 2019/2020 games coming from earlier this year. There are outlined video recordings that offer you a view of the most fantastic instants.

To enjoy these wonderful package deals, you require to mount the application or web link the video recordings through the NBA's site. There are actually additionally limelight instants coming from earlier game seasons on YouTube. Subscribe to the main NBA stations for these sentimental instants.

3. MLB

A bunch of baseball fans will commonly walk out to fill out stadiums in the course of the month of April. This is due to the fact that baseball times start this month-- but unfortunately, the coronavirus global won't allow any individual to go out to watch stanley cup finals 2021 live stream. Fortunately is; a remedy has been offered to resolve the trouble of possible boredom.

Some of our favorite baseball leagues are actually providing fans a pathway to stream classics coming from the convenience of their homes. These classics consist of baseball games from the final 2 years, and also they could be streamed by means of MLB.TV. The multitude of games available on MLB.TV are going to take you on a classic trip down memory lane. You reach relive several of your most impressive minutes, success, and also reductions.

Remember when the Cubs stunned us along with a complete victory with all their 2016 games? You can easily get even a lot more fantastic games as well as well-known minutes, coming from much more than the past two years, on MLB Vault on YouTube. Do certainly not hesitate to take a look at this fantastic web page on television-- it gives you a perspective of as much as 100 games. You'll absolutely kill monotony along with these.

If you're a baseball enthusiast, go subscribe to the MLB YouTube channel. Delight in as numerous games as you desire, possibly along with various other fans in the family, and expect additional games to be fallen.

4. NFL

Final in this particular article are actually the NFL games. Unlike a number of the other league games that presently began previously this year, the NFL games usually start later on.

Irrespective of this, this pandemic has actually impacted all of them. Commonly, drafting starts by the 23rd of April. Yet programs have actually been actually trembled and the final decisions on what to accomplish continue to be uncertain.

Just like the other leagues stated in this post, NFL enthusiasts would also be actually getting some cost-free online activity. With the NFL Game Pass, viewers will certainly have access to games coming from as far back as 2009 to the most up to date league. Impressive, is it certainly not? The games are offered at full length with rewind features. You can not lose out on renowned instants through this cost-free gift.

You can likewise visit their content on YouTube. It includes terrific games as well as the option for more being actually added.

Verdict

With all this mentioned, you can easily right now chair back and also appreciate your preferred league games like the NHL games for cost-free. Whichever some of these organizations, in our write-up, that fascinates you, has actually made prepare for your enjoyment during this pandemic.

Mesmerize on games that you might possess overlooked over the last, as well as take a nostalgic journey down memory lane. There is actually a lot for you to watch-- especially on league websites that give games from way back. The NHL has given material for energetic social media sites individuals.

#Stanley Cup Finals Live Stream #Watch Stanley Cup Finals #Stanley Cup Finals 2021 Live Stream

[thefullerview]

Another day tethered to the piers. What day is this? Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday? I have to look at a calendar to be sure. Every day feels like a Sunday. Nothing seriously expected of me - but the vague anxiety of what’s ahead looms large. On the topic of social distancing, I’ve moved from cynic to evangelist. Routines of a week ago seem like walks down memory lane - the good old days. I open my phone each morning with teeth clenched and one eye shut, like watching a horror movie - you know something terrible is about to happen, but you’re not sure what or to whom. My hands are immaculate, dry and cracked, but immaculate. Yet showering feels like too big an ask. I cry at the drop of a hat - mostly when i read a touching story about humanity rising up. “Look for the helpers.” Fred Rogers said. I’ll go for a bike ride - maybe I’ll find some helpers. Or be of help. #sheltering #coronavirus https://www.instagram.com/p/B94LLKSpYXW/?igshid=rsr69zjfw0w6

#sheltering #coronavirus #coastal

[j9only]

Today with J9

Joong came online at 10:30 to get ready for his online classes. He uploaded a picture of it and fans were quick to notice NIne’s bedroom wallpaper and you can even see Nine in the corner. He later uploaded a IGstory of Nine and him getting ready for online classes. translation: Joong: We’re studying in the same classroom (aka Nine’s bedroom) NIne: Hoiiii I’m soooo excited Joong : Is the teacher here yet? Nine: No he/she is kinda 9 minutes late jaa  55555  - by kingu Su Su Na, J9! Don’t distract each other too much now that you are sitting next to each other taking classes for couple of weeks. Either in between classes or after Joong was done, he uploaded a IGstory in Turkish about the coronavirus. Turkey had their first case earlier in the week.

In the afternoon Joong and Nine had singing lessons with their coaches. All the  boys but Earth were present. and even though the first IGstory that showed earth’s absent was quickly delete enough people saw it. Which once again raises the question if Earth is part of the secret project or not? It’s looking more and likely that he might not be and will only be part of 2moons3. Joong and Nine didn’t join Ben, Dome and Pavel for dinner later on. 

Nine uploaded a picture later with the caption  People in love often look a little younger.. which is a lyrics for this song. Though Nine could have been hinting at himself regardless. Is Nine in love? 

Joong retweeted a fan her J9 tattoo. Talk about dedication. Let’s hope J9 last forever, cause you know tattoos are suppose to be ^^.  And then Nine uploaded a tiktok video. The caption on tiktok was a engineer boy and a doctor boy. Someone is thinking MingKit these days. With Joong going down memory lane yesterday and now Nine, are the boys finally discussion real stuff for 2moons3.  Nine and Joong both uploaded the video to twitter as well. Joong captioned it as funny and Nine teased the fans saying he wishes he could share the behind the scenes video with us. Don’t just wish it Nine, do it!   Fans were quick to point out Joong early message of not hugging people clearly didn’t apply to himself and hugging Nine and that they definitely are not getting bored of each other. And the antlers Nine was wearing were a belated christmas present from Joong that he brought home with him from Turkey back in December.

#twj9

[inmyarmswrappedin]

DRUCK reactions - s4 ep1

Ages ago I said I wanted to write meta about Cris’ and Matteo’s seasons, so of course, when I finally sit down to write reactions to a Skam remake, it’s about Amira instead.

A few weeks back I was composing tumblr posts in bed before falling asleep (my number 1 hobby lol) when it struck me that the writing for Amira’s season was really… indefensibly bad. So let’s stroll down through memory lane and revisit Druck s4, or how to throw away your potential because you have to put out this season before summer is over!

CLIP 1: Dark clouds over Winterberg

Obviously I’m writing these with the benefit of hindsight, but I will try and incorporate what my initial reaction to a clip was whenever I can remember.

Sometime between the Abiball episode and episode 32, I argued (on twitter) that the Abiball special was the Abiball episode instead, the first episode of Amira’s season. It would thus introduce us to the conflicts and characters that would take place during Amira’s season. I thought that in addition to the obvious Amira/Mohammed, Carlos/Kiki/Essam would be important, Kiki’s family life would be important, Stefan would be important, and David/Matteo would probably not be important as they seemed to be doing just fine in their scenes.

I didn’t think Mia/Alex would be important because I didn’t actually watch their clip lol. The Winterberg stans on my twitter orbit thought the clip was cute and nothing to worry about. That should’ve been my first clue that the (twitter) stan habit of repeating the “we never lose” mantra doesn’t make for great viewing comprehension, because watching the clip, it’s so obvious that shit is gonna go down lol.

Mia moves from one of the flat share’s bathrooms to the other because they never really recreated Mia’s room in the s3 flat share.

I still haven’t watched Mia’s episode, so I don’t know how all this stuff is going to get resolved, but it seems like Mia doesn’t think they can handle a LDR, and Alex is picking up on those vibes hard. I guess I don’t really get why Mia is so pessimistic about it because at that age I kinda thought a few months break weren’t really an obstacle. (Not sure if it would help me to watch Mia’s season, because this seems like a wholly new conflict.)

Anyway, Alex acts sweet/reassuring (I really like how soft spoken everyone is in this episode), so Mia puts it out of her mind for now. But Idk, they haven’t really spoken about the elephant in the room.

CLIP 2: Don’t call them the chastest evak ever again

Tbh this clip comes across as a direct rebuttal to all the s3 commentary about David and Matteo seeming like they’re not into each other, or like they aren’t ~passionate~ like the other evaks.

It’s like, “these gremlins are horny on main, now shut up.”

But I like that they’re fully dressed, like yes, you can show physical intimacy without undressing your teen actors (shade fully intended).

I love Lukas von Horbatschewsky’s hair and I’m very jealous of Matteo in this sequence, lmao.

Luis Sepúlveda died of coronavirus this year, in Spain. You’re welcome for that bit of 2020 misery dripping onto this cute clip.

I do think David feels guilty that he may have caused Matteo to fail his Spanish exam because of David’s own issues, which I think is very on brand for David. Obviously it wasn’t his fault.

I really like how soft spoken everyone is in this episode, 2X.

And this has been said a million times by now, but David and Matteo are the one evak version where they’re the same age (Joana is in the same year as Cris, but is a year older, so she must’ve gotten held back at some point). So it’s funny, and possibly a reference to Isak and Even, to see David talking about what it’d be like if they had that age difference. Like, maybe David would be more like Even in behavior! And, going by Matteo’s reaction, he wouldn’t be into that.

This clip really feels like the ending to Matteo and David. They’ll go on a road trip, they’ll work on David’s movie, they’ll be around, but this clip is their conclusion. They both feel secure and content in their relationship, and ready for everything that’s to come.

Like I said on the post about Cris and Joana, I like that David and Matteo don’t have further issues. And while I have tons of issues with Druck s4, which I will be talking about forever in the following posts, I never had an issue with how they deployed Matteo or David. (Okay, self. Now say that again without crying about David’s season that should have been.)

Fucking David cutting their make out short only to then say such a highkey flirty, romantic thing to Matteo though. No wonder Matteo’s like, “STOP, I’M SUPPOSED TO STUDY.”

CLIP 3: A challenger appears!

I like the fanon that David is a healthy eater (or at least in comparison to Matteo), because all we ever see David eat of his own volition (i.e. not food that was made for him) is candy.

God, I love Kiki snatching David’s fruity gummies out of his hands. It makes me laugh every time, particularly how she demands to know if the candy is vegan.  

Hanna looks beautiful. ;_;

There’s a split second when Jonas is about to give Hanna that box where David looks alarmed in the background. In my mind he’s all, “Bro, no. Not a public proposal. Reel it back in, bro!”

And then, to the surprise of Jonas and all the viewers, we find out that not only are Jonas and Hanna not together, but Hanna is dating German Arthur. Again, in “fandom refuses to acknowledge storyline conflict until it’s staring right at them” news, Stefan had actually been introduced via an audio to Hanna the day before, but people were convinced it was Hanna’s dad. Whose actor they called just to record an audio. Clearly.

My belief at this point was that Stefan would be relevant to Amira’s storyline, but instead it was just a way to give Hanna her own episode. 🤡

Matteo’s transformation into Michi is complete by donning his grandpa hat.

He also makes to trip David for no real reason. Throwback to Unter Wasser.

Matteo saying Inshallalalah in a sing song voice is cute, but so annoying.

Matteo Florenzi: He’s a pain in the ass, but we love him.

CLIP 4: I guess Abdi and Axel picked up his grades at another point

I love the way Matteo grabs David’s head to pull him along. They’re so cute and I’m gonna enjoy every second.

Jonas also grabs Hanna along, because fans needed to be further confused as to what was happening with Hanna and Stefan and Jonas.

Thank you, Druck, for telling me Kiki’s and Amira’s grades, but as you can understand, that’s nowhere near enough to satisfy my curiosity and I will be needing to know everyone’s GPA because that is the kind of thing that’s important to me. What about it!!!

I think, going by how impressed Mia is, that Mia’s grade isn’t as good as Amira’s. Which I think is a neat detail, since the Nooras are kind of supposed to be the perfect girls. I like that Amira is even better than Mia at school.

I thought the concept of Carlos failing his final exam and maybe realizing school wasn’t his thing would’ve been an interesting storyline to explore, but I’m not mad that it didn’t happen. Hopefully Druck will touch on it with the next kids.

And we’re now treated to three reveals about Kiki. Kiki has a sister (now she has two), she likes the idea of moving out and living with Carlos, and her mom isn’t doing well.

The remakes trying to develop their Vildes past s4 make sense to me. By the end of Skam, Vilde clearly was the character who’d been the most robbed of a season, there were several potential storylines to do with her. Financial instability, alcoholic mom, eating disorders, plus it seemed obvious that any season taking place during the girls’ russetide should go to her. And that’s without getting into Vilde’s strong denial that she was a lesbian.

So the remakes are sitting on all these potential storylines, but as we now know, they can’t make their own Vilde season.

And from a European TV exec’s point of view, Vilde (who in every version is a white, skinny, ostensibly straight girl) is a very safe main after the gay and Muslim seasons.

Cue the LITTLE SISTER.  

I get why people are fed up with the Vildes’ prominence in the remakes that are in their latter stages, but at the same time we got 8 versions of Noora’s season, most of which are a limpdicked enemies to lovers story with a misguided sexual assault storyline tacked at the end. (And I say misguided because after a strong start, it’s mostly about what William will think, how William will react, I can’t tell William about this, etc.) So in my case, I’ve had quite enough Noora to last me a lifetime, but my Vilde thirst has only begun to be quenched.

Tangent over, Kiki lies that she’s not going to the lake because she’s going to check on Carlos. Bad form, Kiki.

CLIP 5: Graduation (Friends Forever).mp3

In clown news, I predicted there’d be a clip between the Kiki stuff and the actual dance (maybe a Sam clip), as it seemed to me there wasn’t much of a connection between Kiki looking sad on that ping pong table and PARTY TIME. Lol at me.

And speaking of clowning, while I thought the Abiball episode was part of s4, I also thought that was fine because it was just doing the multi POV episode in the beginning of the season rather than at the end, right? Wrong.

As much as it would’ve been great if Sam and Abdi had storylines pertaining to racism and islamophobia (whether Abdi is or isn’t a Muslim, people would probably assume he is), I also have to admit… This conversation is hilarious.

“I want to have intercourse with you.” [glass breaks in the background]

Abdi closing his speech with a wide smile gvvhvh.

The first hundred times I watched this scene, I thought Alex seemed a bit alarmed at the conversation taking place, but really… We’re back to stone-faced Alex lol.

Don’t kill me, but I feel a little bad for Abdi in this moment. He really put himself out there and Sam just leaves without giving him an answer, yikes. I actually got tired of Abdi’s sad sackiness during the season, but right now I feel for him. L

There’s this smile Jonas sometimes directs at dudes (like Alex here) that makes me think… Bi. He also directs it at Matteo in s3.

Ugh.

There’s a parallel universe where Stefan was the villain of Amira’s season, and it would’ve been a much more interesting season than the one we got.

Because Stefan is a bit of a Darth Jonas. He works for Greenpeace, but, at least in this scene, seems a bit full of himself, and like… twisting the knife in a way that feels like it has to be intentional. And it would’ve been so interesting if Druck had tackled the white dudes who seem like they’re not going to be assholes about Muslims, but then turn around and say some shocking garbage. I’m sure we’ve all met a guy like that before.

In my mind, Stefan would’ve driven a wedge between Hanna and Amira, which would’ve been way more compelling than what we got, but on the other hand, it probably would’ve made fandom people hate Hanna, and people outside of fandom hate Amira.

Anyway, tag teaming gays! I love how David and Matteo share a look and immediately take care of both Jonas and Stefan.

I also love it when David looks murderous. It looks good on him.

But I feel like this didn’t go anywhere? Like, Matteo always hated Stefan and continued hating Stefan until the finale. In this scene, David seems to dislike Stefan just as much, but it’s not a thread they bother following. It’s too bad because I think Matteo and David together sabotaging Stefan is a lot funnier than just Matteo doing it.

I love how soft spoken Amira is when telling Essam not to show up at her graduation party. I would’ve been a lot less polite lmao.

You know, I actually thought Kiki was genuine here when she said she wasn’t a fan of competitions. Obviously that’s not the Kiki we’ve known until this point, but like, I thought it was meant to show character development on her part, But we’ll talk about THAT more in the following episodes.

Matteo fully blames their win on David being so hot, mysterious and new, and it’s hilarious because that’s also what initially drew him to David. Like, “fuck you for being so hot!”

I thought it was such a nice detail that they brought back the girl from the refugee classes in s1. We’re saying goodbye to all these school people who are going on their own post high school journeys without us!

In my mind, Abdi and Alex are talking about something completely serious, like, I don’t know, Abdi’s dad wanting him to study business and Alex advising Abdi on the best business schools in Berlin or something.

I feel like Hanna is the one girl in the squad who really doesn’t feel ready for post high school life and I HATE the writers so much for how they wrapped her character up, but we’ll save that for later.

I could watch Matteo passing the tiara (=the main) to Amira forever. The way he tips his hat and looks like even he’s a little surprised that he (a character like him!) was ever the lead on a teen show, David’s voice asking Matteo if he’s coming, Matteo leaving with David to live happily ever after, the initial notes of Just Got Paid as Amira looks at nighttime Berlin. This meme is overdone by now, but THE POETIC CINEMA.

Jonas glaring at romantic rivals at end of year dances is iconic at this point.

Amira being tagteamed by an annoying little brother AND a well-meaning, embarrasing older brother. Choose your own nightmare.

I really love the set up for the Essam/Kiki/Carlos conflict. The emotional potential is SO good because on one hand you have Kiki, who wants to have a good time for once instead of parenting her own parent, then Carlos whose self-esteem is on the floor after having failed his final exam, and Essam, whose own sense of self-worth hinges upon whether white German girls find him attractive. Like, obviously Essam is never going to come between Kiki and Carlos who have been through some shit together, but with Carlos out of commission and Essam eager to please, you can see how the situation could so easily turn into a mess.

Amira and Mohammed have the most sexual tension out of any Yousana pair, period. They literally just said hi to each other and I already feel like I’m intruding gvhvhv.      

Social media

David saying of Matteo: “Er bekommt Auslauf.” (Something like, “he gets walkies” because he’s been good with revising) is the cutest shit ever.

Remember when Stefan sent Jonas a whole ass message and signed it “with sunny greetings”? Stefan was much more fun when we were supposed to find him unbearable.

Kiki creating a new Whatsapp group for every single thing is so true to life.

I’d forgotten that Amira also hated Stefan almost right away. The season that could’ve been, I tell you.

All the Abi Chaker Clan content reminds me of how I thought Jonas looked like, well, such a child, compared to Stefan, and I thought that was intentional. Like, here is Stefan with a Greenpeace job whereas Jonas doesn’t know what to do with his life, and he’s like, spray-painting abi chaker clan onto walls and posting pics to the abi chaker clan account. It’s not that I thought Jonas should’ve acted like a whole ass adult, of course he’s having fun with his high school friends, but I thought Jonas might feel inadequate in comparison to where Stefan is at this point of his life.

I can’t remember who revealed it, but Sara was supposed to end up with Toilet Sam and that was supposed to come out during the s3 finale (on that week, Sara posted a story with a guy whose face was obscured iirc). Since that was part of the clip where Hanna and Jonas also got back together, which they cut to make way for Hanna/Jonas/Stefan drama, Sara takes some other dude to the Abiball. And I think we’re supposed to think that’s the same dude she went on that date with.

#druck #these are very heavily inspired by lightsandlostbells' format btw! #in case you wanted to check her out #about druck

[dcbbw]

WIP Wednesday 4-1-2020

Thanks for the tags @ao719​ and @loveellamae​! 

I am working on so many things (I have 10k WIPS as you know), including next chapters of Object of Affection, Nightfall, and Discontent. I have two outstanding requests, and a loooong overdue birthday fic that needs to be finished and posted. 

But up next......

Memory Lane (Liam x Cora)--a request from @liam-rhys​

Liam requested two bowls of goulash and the bread. He hung up and let his face fall in his wife’s hair. “Where were you headed?”

Cora nodded her head towards the living area. “In there. Maybe watch some television until the food arrives. Wanna come?”

Liam nodded, and followed her to the oversized sofa. His glance fell on a photo album lying on the coffee table. “Cora, where did this come from?”

The Queen’s eyes flicked over to the album. “Oh, one of the housekeepers brought that in yesterday evening. You were on the call with Bertrand when they brought it down.”

Liam sank into the sofa cushions, hefting the book in his hand. His voice was soft when he spoke.

“This was my mother’s photo album.” He ran his hand over the embossed cover. “I thought it was lost.”

Cora snuggled closer to Liam, laying her head on his chest and tucking her feet under her. “Do you want to look through it?” she asked softly.

A collage of expressions played on Liam’s face: happiness, sorrow, nostalgia. He nodded his head. “Yes, I think I do.”

He opened the book; he and Cora stared down at photographs pressed beneath protective plastic covering. A smile that just verged on being sad crossed his lips. There were pictures of his mother as a baby; her dark, inquisitive eyes so much like his own stared back at him. Her hair was a dark cap on her head. Her mother … his grandmother … beamed proudly into the camera as her daughter sat on her lap.

Day 33 of the End of the World (COVID ask from @burnsoslow​)

“Hey, Drake!” Dave greeted his coworker from the doorway of Drake’s office.

Drake was at his desk, boxing up his laptop and monitors; he hefted cords in his hands, wondering if he needed them. He decided he did and tossed them in the box before acknowledging Dave.

“What’s up, Dave?” Drake’s tone suggested he really didn’t want to know.

Dave stepped inside of Drake’s office, but froze in place when Drake looked up with startled, angry eyes.

“What?” Dave asked peevishly.

“Social.Distancing.” Drake said tightly. “We just left an agency wide meeting about this! We’re about to telework indefinitely because of coronavirus. Just … step back, Dave!”

Dave ran his hand over his grey buzzcut. “Dude, it is not that serious, although I’ll be happy to sit at home and collect a paycheck. Not thrilled the wife and kids will be there with me.”

Drake shook his head. “What do you want, Dave?” he asked in a weary tone. He was folding the tops of the box shut, looking around for tape to secure it.

“Oh, wanted to know if you wanted to grab a beer.”

Drake looked at his co-worker incredulously. “NO!! I do NOT want to grab a beer with you! The city is shutting down, not that I need that to be an excuse to blow you off. You need to take this shit more seriously, Dave! Look at Italy! Look at California! Just look around you … this shit is no joke! And you have a family! You want to expose them to this shit?”

“it’s a bunch of fear mongering, created by the media. It doesn’t strike you as odd this is taking place during an election year?”

Drake exhaled a deep sigh as he finished taping the box. He did not like Dave. No one liked Dave. But until DC government wised up and fired his ass, Drake was stuck with him.

“Look, all I know is that in less than three months, it’s become a global pandemic. It’s not just local, it’s not just an American problem. It is a GLOBAL issue, and it’s killing folks. That’s pretty serious to me.”

“The flu kills people too. Lots of people, but no one is raising a fuss about that! This coronavirus is a hoax. And you’re falling for it, just like they want you to.”

“Who’s ‘they’”? Drake questioned.

“The media! The government! And I’m done with this conversation because you are taking the happy out of my being able to stay home!”

Drake watched Dave stalk down the hall; once he had turned the corner, Drake pulled out his can of Lysol and sprayed it in the direction of his doorway.

 A/N: Once I am caught up on my reading and reblogging, I will be posting finished fics/chapters as they happen. 

What are you working on @jessiembruno​ @sirbeepsalot​ @bobasheebaby​ @bebepac​ @fromthedeskofpaisleybleakmore​ @jovialyouthmusic​ @katedrakeohd​

#WIP Wednesday #my wips #too many WIPs #WIPs are coming

[morganclwe985]

Videos Pornograficos De Teens  Evaluation

Pornhub To Launch First Non.

Dancehall singjay Lanae got a significant shock today when she recognized that her latest music video, Gripe was published to the popular grown-up search internet site, PornHub. Pornhub has partnered withBaDoinkVR, a leader in grown-up online reality home entertainment, to introduce a brand-new digital fact classification. The move makes Pornhub the first free adult web site to feature 360-degree adult material. Research study shows that ladies launch divorce a minimum of 70% of the moment. One of the reasons the separation rate is so high is because the lawful system rewards women who separation (both financially & with youngster safekeeping) to the point where there is little motivation for them to try to keep the family with each other.

Hardcore Amateur Pornography Video Clips

Eighty percent of individuals who call themselves Democrats do not have a clue as to political https://sxyteens.com reality. American porn site Pornhub is launching its very first non-pornographic film on Wednesday in an effort to expand its target market as well as diversify, the business revealed to Selection. Ryan told LADbible that his venture right into the world of wholesome pornography was 'very serendipitous'.

Self-produced material is a surefire way to recognize that you're buying straight from the person whose web content you are eating. Creators can charge from the minimum and maximum quantities set by the platform, as well as fans can pay more for added pictures as well as provide tips. The site gives customers freedom over what they publish, developing firm borders and avoiding adjustment from big-time manufacturers. Pornhub The huge butt sexy fat individual who comes to him while he is doing sporting activities at the fitness center is handling her while running her chick.

Hot Pornography Collections.

After his retired life statement, many followers and also fellow pornography stars took to Twitter to thank Ryan Creamer for his contribution to the adult show business over the last number of years. He kicked off his career two years earlier in 2018 with a video clip titled I Put You In After You Cum, a wonderfully cosy POV of Ryan putting blankets over you and also giving you a small little smooch. If you're not knowledgeable about Ryan Creamer's work, he's an outright master in taking the classics of the pornography style as well as spinning them right into hugely wholesome adjustments. Ryan made the announcement early today on his Twitter, saying that in both years he's been generating his brand name of wholesome pornography for his PornHub career, he's seen so much enjoyable injected right into his life. In the meanwhile, the sexy singay is pushing ahead with the promo of Whine, which was launched on September 18th.

As an added perk we take listener concerns and Trainee Tasty checks out some notes left for him by his mom! To maintain bringing you to the brink of wickedness one show each time!!

After a little banter regarding the doomed Red Sox period, John takes a lively stand against daylight savings, Tim and ET speak a little sporting activities gaming, and afterwards everyone weighs in on the then-breaking news concerning Kevin Spacey. Things obtain a little political as the staff discusses the current political election and the function Facebook played in it. This episode is a little item of the past that we are showing you, our devoted listeners.

Recent coronavirus lockdown measures in several nations, high self-confidence in on the internet retail, and enhanced spare time are essential drivers below. There will certainly be over 36 million attached sextech tools in operation in 2020, climbing from 19 million in 2019, according to Juniper Research.

So take pleasure in that turkey, mash them taters and then take a seat as well as delight in a scandal sheet of The Skimbo Lounge! Errrrr and do not neglect to follow us @SkimboLounge and listen anywhere podcasts are offered. It's a Brand-new Year but it coincides old shizz on the Skimbo Lounge! We ring in 2018 with a deep dive into the doomed 2006 senior high school songs journey to Ocean City, Maryland (Rory, ET and also the Trainee all roomed with each other!). Falling down escalators, the norovirus and hotel damage are simply a few of the subjects as the children walk down a puke-stained memory lane and give understandings right into 'the trip from hell'.

While the children recoup from a particularly greasy weekend break at the initial Skimbo Lounge we bring you a few of their favorite commercials from the initial 17 episodes of the show! If you have actually never ever paid attention before this is the best time to dip a toe in the waters of Skimbo!

Holidays Creating Traffic Changes

Follow us on Twitter and facebook @SkimboLounge and subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher and SoundCloud and also possibly we will not sob in the shower today. We value your privacy and will certainly not pass your details on to 3rd parties. Nonetheless, we will periodically send you marketing e-mails from our enrollers. Long-lasting development popular for sextech devices, such as connected vibes and also kegel exercisers, will certainly be driven by their boosting inclusion in the sex-related health motion.

Riley Reid remained Canada's most browsed pornstar in 2019, while Lana Rhoades moved into 3rd.

When compared to various other countries, site visitors from France are 998% more likely to watch the 'French' group, 76% more right into 'Scissoring' and also 53% much more right into 'Cuckold' video clips.

When compared to other countries, Canadian visitors are 53% most likely to check out 'Threesome' video clips, 24% extra into 'POV' as well as 21% more into 'Dual Penetration'.

Re-live all your favored items as well as restaurants, from Boat Drinks to Dongers, from The Mitch Doll to Garyoke! If we left off one of your favorites be sure to let us know on twitter @SkimboLounge as well as we will certainly make sure to send you a snarky meme back!! We are definitely appreciative for our pals Matt, Tim and also John, that sat down with ET and Trainee Tasty a couple of weeks ago to go over a vast array of topics.

His last video is titled 'The Money Shot', which, if we're being sincere, sounds like Ryan is finally going to get his set off. The notorious hijab video clip has actually accumulated ISIS fatality dangers that have actually targeted Mia from the video clip's launch in 2014 to today. Mia goes to therapy on a consistent basis for injury, psychological distress, and effects of bullying. In August, Similar Internet, a site ranking firm ranked Pornhub the number 10 most seen site in Nigeria. Nonetheless, Alexa, one more site traffic ranking device created by amazon.com does not have the adult home entertainment website as component of the leading 50 most checked out websites in Nigeria.

[vangoghsmangos]

06.06.2020

Six months later I still have not been able to stop thinking about you. My heart remains very much broken. Why do the coping mechanisms that get you through all kinds of life challenges seem to fail so miserably when your heart gets broken? I know I am to blame for us falling apart. I chose ignorance and I was naive in my ways of loving you. But you moved on right away and now I spend my days alone with just the memories of you. The phone doesn't ring. There are no new notifications. No text messages. Sometimes I even wish I didn't have a phone because all it reminds me is my loneliness.

I don't feel like myself anymore. I didn't want to lose you, but by losing you I lost myself in the process. I regret that I didn't learn from my mistakes and I didn't make use of the opportunities that were given to me to make myself better. After you left the coronavirus lockdown only made things unbearable. How the hell am I supposed to surround myself with positive people with the current world situation? The feeling of “I’ll never find someone like you again” is probably the most self destructive mindset. I'm stuck in between wanting to feel that kind of love again and not wanting to feel that kind of heartbreak ever again.

The saddest part is when I give myself hope, even though I know well enough that you have moved on forgetting everything about me and leaving me in the past, I’m just trapping myself in this fantasy thinking that just maybe you still love me and that you might come back. I catch myself going down memory lane and replaying the beginning. Since I can't have the heroin of actually being with you, my unconscious mind is choosing the methadone of my memories with you. And I'm getting my fix knowing well enough that it's only killing me from within. I need closure to resist this addiction and hope can be incredibly destructive when your heart is broken. You left a huge void in my life. Far more than one. Slowly but steadily I'm starting to identify these voids in my life and starting to fill them. Re-establishing who I am and what my life is about. I fill missing activities every weekend by myself now. You leaving me was excruciating because I only got to know the good side of you, I don’t even think I have negative traits of you to look at to make it easier for me to move on. It’s awful. Maybe I’m not looking hard enough. Perhaps I’m not so much stuck in the past but an alternate universe in the past. In this universe everything is perfect including you. Please excuse me because it’s taking me longer to move on than I thought it would and so far every day has been a mental struggle since December.

#catharsis #personal rant #isolation #melancholy #life #paradise lost #unrequited love #heart break #depression #Thoughts #words #covidー19