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cabaretcal · 5 years

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tell me your favorite songs // c.h.

Hello! This is the second piece in my 9to5!sos series! In case you aren’t aware, my 9 to 5 series is the boys in like, normal jobs. I have already posted the Luke one where he is a waiter. Ashton will be a barista and Michael will work in a bookstore. Hope you guys like this fic in the series! I made a playlist to go with this fic in particular with every song I mentioned!

Word count: 2.9k

Pairing: record shop!calum x reader

Content: smut, praise kink, brief choking, a lot of fluff, and good songs

—

You parked your car in the mostly empty parking lot of the local record store. You just bought an apartment in your hometown after finishing college, and it was great to be back to what you knew. You were a frequent customer at this particular record shop before you left for college, so when you came back, you knew you had to stop by again. You walked in and were greeted by the sound of Rebel Rebel by David Bowie playing over the speakers and monotone voice coming out of nowhere, “Welcome to Josey Records, how's it going?”

You turned to the counter to see a boy with dark curly hair and brown eyes. He had a round face and strong brows, and he sported a Guns N Roses tee and plaid trousers. If looks could kill, you’d be dead on arrival. He looked bored to death as he sorted through some boxes of records. He looked oddly familiar, but you couldn’t quite put your finger on why.

“Oh, just potentially buying a new record. Not sure which, though.” The records were sorted alphabetically, and you looked through the J’s. Janis Joplin, Jimmy Eat World, Elton John, and even the Jonas Brothers were there. There was a good mix of every genre, and you were eager to check the whole place out after 4 years of being away.

“Looking for any artist in particular? I don’t know what music you like, but I also don’t know if you only buy vinyl to display or your wall and never play. Most girls are that type.”

You were taken aback at his comment for sure. If he was planning on getting any sales, that wasn’t any way to talk to a customer. “Pardon me?Most girls?”

He shrugged his shoulders, “Well, you just seem like the type of girl to buy a vinyl of The Neighbourhood or Ariana Grande to display on a shelf and collect dust rather than any good music is all.”

Oh, he was one of THOSE types of record store employees. A music snob. He probably worships The Rolling Stones or U2 just because they aren’t mainstream. But this is the only record store in town, and you weren’t going to just stop coming here. You walked up to the counter, and looked straight into his eyes, “Listen, uh, what is it,” you looked down at his name tag and back up at him, “Calum. Wait a minute,” Everything made sense. You did know him. 11 AM until 2 PM every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday you had music theory with him your junior year of highschool. He was a music snob back then, and obviously nothing had changed, “We had music theory together, Calum Hood. Obviously you’re still an arrogant prick.”

He scoffed, “Well, sweetheart, at least I have taste, because you obviously don’t.”

You rolled your eyes, going back to the J’s and picking up To Be Continued by Elton John and setting it on the counter, “I’ve been looking for this one for a while, so how about you ring me up so I can leave.”

He chuckled, ringing it up and telling you the total with a cocky grin, obviously glad he got under your skin.

You gave him exact change and grabbed the record, leaving without a word. You got back into your car and drove to your apartment, walking up the endless flight of stairs and going inside. You took your shoes off and went to the bedroom to change into comfier clothes. You then turned on the TV and picked a show on Hulu to watch and drift asleep to.

—

You awoke to the buildings fire alarm going off. You cursed quietly, quickly slipping on the nearest pair of shoes and running downstairs and outside. Everyone was also slowly exiting the building one by one, extremely groggy and tired. You looked at your phone to check the time, and it was 3 in the morning. You looked down at your attire— a crop top with extremely short sleep shorts. God, you’d do anything to not be seen in your sleep clothes. A tall figure stood near you and crossed their arms, complaining about the fire alarm going off at such an hour. You looked over and to your unpleasant surprise, it was Calum. Oh, great, he happened to live in your apartment building. Absolutely splendid.

“Oh, hey, Y/N, looks like you can’t get rid of me that easily.” He smirked and you rolled your eyes, crossing your arms to cover your exposed stomach.

“Unfortunately, Cal, I really fucking can’t get rid of you.” You were obviously annoyed. You thought you’d only have to see him when you went to the record store, but now here he was living in the same building.

He looked you up and down, liking what he saw. You crossed your arms around you tighter, despite the fact that it hid nothing. He chuckled, shaking his head, “Make sure you come back to the shop, if you wanna prove you actually have taste. You got lucky after buying that Elton John album, you gained respect from me, darling.”

You scoffed, shaking your head. The alarm turned out to be a fluke and everyone was told they could go back to their apartments. You silently went back up the stairs, trying to stop thinking about Calum’s request. Was he taunting, or did he actually want to see you? You got back into bed, not being able to think of anything else.

—

You decided to go back to the record store and prove to Calum you had good taste in music. You parked your car and made your way inside the shop, this time greeted by the sound of Lola by The Kinks and a cheerful greeting from none other than Calum.

“Hey there, neighbor! What are you looking for this time?”

Your mind thought of any album that might possibly impress Calum. Abbey Road? No, too basic. Slippery When Wet? You already owned two copies. You sighed, saying the next thing to come to your head, “Tell Me I’m Pretty?”

He went to the computer, typing it in and shaking his head, “By Cage the Elephant? Sold the last one a month ago and never restocked. Sorry, darling. Good choice, though. Even if they’re a little mainstream.”

You leaned on the counter, resting your cheek on your hand, “Why don’t you recommend me something? Since you apparently have great taste.”

He excitedly came out from behind the counter and led me to the G’s in the indie/alternative section. He pulled out a record with a boy with candle sticks on each of his fingers on the cover. He handed it to me, smiling with pride, “This album is called This Is It by The Greeting Committee. They aren’t very popular here. They’re from Kansas City, but they’re amazing. I think you’d like them. You’ve Got Me is my favorite song on there, also Don’t Go.”

You took a look at the track list, counting the number of songs. You nodded, “Okay, I’ll listen, but only if you let me recommend you something.”

He leaned against a display, “Alright, fine. Go get something and I’ll take it home tonight and listen. It better be good.”

You grinned, handing him his choice for you and also looking through the G’s. You pulled out How To Be A Human Being by Glass Animals and handed it to him, “Youth is my favorite track, but they’re all good. Pork Soda is great, too.”

He took a look at the cover and the track list, nodding, intrigued to hear your recommendation, “How about you give me another one just for the hell of it and I give you another one?”

You nodded, and you both parted ways to go find another. You went to the T’s and picked out Tame Impala’s album Currents. Take Impala was slightly mainstream, but they were your favorite, so you took the chance of giving it to him. You met him at the counter, second guessing your choice, “I chose Currents by Tame Impala, and I recommend you listen to Let It Happen, but you might not like it because they’re sort of mainstream, so if you want I can look for another-“

He interrupted you, smiling, “I’ll listen to whatever you want me to, regardless of popularity. I got you Fleetwood Mac’s wonderful album, Rumors! I remember you mentioning you’ve never listened to them before, and I think it’s a necessity in your collection. Listen to Dreams and Gold Dust Woman.”

“You were listening? When I walked into Mr Meyer’s classroom and I asked what song he was playing? Senior year?”

He chuckled, shaking his head, “Well, of course, I can’t go on with my life knowing you’ve never listened to Fleetwood Mac! That’s a sin.”

You smiled, nodding and handing him your recommendation, “Okay, I’ll listen tonight then.”

He grinned, ringing you up, “$16.12.”

You furrowed your eyebrows, slightly confused, “Did you forget to ring up the second one? That’s really cheap for two vinyls.”

“Second one is on me. For my favorite customer.” He put it in a bag, smiling at you sincerely.

You couldn’t help but blush before uttering out a thank you and leaving to your car.

—

I lose all control whenever you're around

Darling, don't you know

Now I must admit

I wouldn't last a single day

Without you in it

You sat on your living room couch, listening to every word of every song on the first album he recommended. The song playing was his favorite on the album, You’ve Got Me, and you couldn’t blame him for calling it his favorite. It was a good song, and it was beautifully written.

Meanwhile, Calum was listening to your first recommendation. He would usually not listen to music that had this sound, but he really enjoyed it. And the fact that it came from you made him like it even more. He wasn’t confused about what he was feeling in the slightest— he made a point when he gave you that recommendation. That album has tons of love songs. He was enchanted by you. He couldn’t stop thinking about you. There was something about you he just loved. Maybe it was your feisty attitude, or the fact that you made a point to prove yourself to him, but he would go into a trance when he saw you. He needed to see you now. He knew which room number was yours— you were only a few floors down. He decided to swallow his pride and go down to your room. He stood in front of your door and knocked; There was no going back now.

You answered the door, surprised to see Calum there, “Oh, hey. What’s up?”

He took a deep breath, thinking of what the hell he could say, “I was wondering if you’d like to join me for dinner at my place? I’m ordering takeout, and it’s no fun to have alone.” Nailed it. But now he had to pretend he didn’t just eat leftovers already.

“Um, sure, I’d like that.” You smile, slipping on your shoes that were by the door and quickly running to take the needle off of the record and put it back in the case. You then come back and close the door behind you as you exit your apartment.

He led you to his apartment, praying it wasn’t too messy. He unlocked the door and let you go in first, following behind and closing the door.

“I’m gonna order the food. If you want, you can choose a vinyl to put on.” He smiled at you, walking to the other room to talk on the phone. You looked through his collection, and it was impressive. He had every album by Joy Division on the shelf, and he also a few rare records displayed on the wall. You looked through the ones on the shelf, surprised to see a few Mac Demarco album. Calum walked back into the living room, sitting on the couch and waiting for you to choose an album.

“So, you’re a big Mac Demarco fan?”

He sat up, seeing his copy of 2 in your hands and blushing, “Uh, it’s a guilty pleasure.”

You put it on the player, moving the needle onto it and smiling at him, “I love this album.”

He smiled, patting the spot next to him, inviting you to sit beside him. You got up, taking his request and sitting beside him.

“Listen, I’m sorry for being kind of a dick that first day you came to the shop. I feel really bad.”

You shook your head, chuckling a bit, “It’s okay, Cal. Obviously you teased me because you like me.”

He blushed, “What? Where would you get that idea, I’ve never even looked at a girl!” He laughed, looking away from you and then back. He did like you. You were both silent as the sound of The Stars Keep On Calling My Name faded into My Kind of Woman. He wanted to kiss you. He needed to kiss you. His eyes flicked down to your lips and back up to your eyes, and he moved a piece of your hair out of your eyes, “Can I kiss you?”

You nodded, wrapping your arms around his neck. He leaned in and planted a kiss on your lips. At first, he was just gonna kiss you sweetly. Just to get the point across he liked you. That was all. But he wanted more than one little kiss. He kissed you again, harder this time. He pulled you into his lap, resting his hands on your hips as he moved his lips down to your neck. He paused, mumbling against your skin, “Is this alright, darling?”

You nodded, desperate for his touch. He then continued the action, peppering kisses here and there.

He came back up to look at you, singing the words of the song to you dramatically, “You’re making me crazy, really driving me mad!”

You giggled, blushing as he took your face in his hand, kissing you deeply.

He fiddled with the button on your jeans, looking up at you for permission. You nodded, and he pulled them off of you. You sat up, pulling your shirt off and throwing it across the room. He looked at you in awe, undoing his belt. His knee made its way between your legs, spreading them apart. He smiled, twirling a piece of your hair around his finger, “You’re so pretty, baby. The prettiest girl I’ve ever seen.”

You blushed, shaking your head and looking away, “No no, not the prettiest.”

He frowned, putting his lips to your ear, “Let me make you feel like the prettiest girl in the world, yeah? Can you let me do that?”

You nodded, and he hooked his fingers onto your panties and pulled them off. He slowly pushed into you, allowing you to adjust to him. Your breath got quicker and heavier, and you gripped his shoulder, digging your nails into his skin. You couldn’t get any real words out, only moans.

He buried his face into your shoulder, gripping your waist with one hand to keep you in place, “You’re doing so good, darling. Taking me so well, aren’t you?” His lips met yours once more, kissing you sweetly and pulling back away.

You took his free hand by his wrist, placing his hand on your collarbones, hinting at something you wanted.

It took no time for him to understand, and he applied slight pressure to your neck. Finally, someone who actually knew how to choke. You gripped his wrist tighter, whimpering as he began to move faster inside of you.

“Are you gonna cum for me, princess? Are you ready?”

You nodded, feeling a pit in your stomach. Your walls clenched around him, and before you knew it, you came undone. You opened your eyes slowly, trying to catch your breath.

“You alright, darling? You did so good for me.” He ran his thumb over the marks on your neck, taking pride in what he left on your skin.

The doorbell rang, and Calum quickly put his jeans back on and throwing a blanket over top of you. He opened the door, and it was the takeout delivery. He quickly paid, telling the young guy to keep the change and closed the door.

He placed the bag on the coffee table, sitting beside you on the couch and handing you your clothes, “So… do you want the egg rolls or the dumplings?”

You were glad you fell for the dork from the record store.

Taglist!

@i-calumhood

@angelbabylu

@blahehblah

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adana-knows · 4 years

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My Daily Routine (Imbolc 2020)

I change up my daily routine frequently - I like to shake things up each time a new Sabbat rolls by, sometimes more often if things aren’t working. I should also note that I have a lot of free time at the moment, and the luxury of making my own hours. I have no children or time restraints, other than making sure my boyfriend doesn’t sleep through his work alarm.

My Morning Routine

Wake up. I stretch, grab my glasses, climb out the bed, and head to the bathroom.

Kitty Care. It’s time to feed the cats and re-fill their water fountain. I also take this time to do a quick scoop of their litter boxes.

Unload the Dishwasher. After I wash my hands, I then take a moment to unload the dishwasher, and to load any dishes or glasses left out since the last time I ran it.

Hydration. My goal is to drink more water, but let’s face it: I like sugar. I like tea, and I like soda. If I have either ready-made or on hand, I’ll usually choose that over water in the morning, but I do make an effort to drink at least a couple glasses of water every day. This is also when I take my meds and vitamins (B12 and D3).

Bullet Journal. My bullet journal helps me keep track of all kinds of things - cleaning, birthdays, appointments, holidays, sabbats, moon phases. I try to make time for sitting down and figuring out what needs to be done each morning. My goal is to list at least three of the most important tasks that need to be done, and actually do them before the end of the day. It’s also at this time that my cat, Xena, likes to flop down on top of my paper and demand attention, so I’ll pet and groom her at this time.

Read. I spend an hour or so reading and/or researching. Usually this means reading a book that can help build a skill, improve my life, or informs me on a subject, such as paganism, spirituality, minimalism, or witchcraft. If I’m researching a specific topic that I have no books for, then I’ll spend this time Googling, but it’s easy to slip down the deep dark internet hole and not get anything really done on this front.

Movement. It’s winter where I live, and if it’s under 40 F outside, I’m not walking to the gym (which is about a 15-20 minute walk from my home). This means moving at home, usually with some yoga. I like to do Sun Salutations, but if I’m in the mood for something a little extra, I might pop in an Ashley Turner yoga video or follow a video by Yoga with Adrienne on YouTube.

Meditation. My best meditation sessions are always after expending a lot of energy and working up a sweat. I’ll devote about 20 minutes to meditation. I generally don’t do guided meditations unless I’m performing ritual; this is usually just me with my eyes closed.

Self Care. I’ll shower, get dressed, brush my teeth, run a brush through my hair, and spend some time on me. Sometimes this is as simple as shaving my legs, exfoliating, painting my nails, or taking a file to my heels. Other times I’ll try out a new hairstyle, put on a full face of makeup, or give myself a mani-pedi. My goal is to go out of my way and do at least one thing every day to pamper myself that’s not part of my daily routine.

Prayer. This is the cornerstone of my morning ritual, and the reason I do it! What I do depends on the moon phase, but I honor Hestia everyday by lighting a candle and offering a prayer (usually with my prayer beads), giving an offering of water to the ancestors, and burning incense for the Lare. If I’m currently working on a skill, I’ll end my session with a related exercise, and maybe journal about my experience.

Creativity. After a long hot shower, I then do something creative. Sometimes this is doing extra research or reading. Other times I create a new bullet journal spread, color in a coloring book, work on a page in my Book of Shadows, brainstorm ideas for something, or write. While I’m doing this, I like to watch TV or YouTube on a related topic. For example, if I’m working on my bullet journal, I’ll watch YouTube videos of bullet journal layouts and spreads. If I’m working in my Book of Shadows, I’ll watch videos on the topic of paganism. If I’m working on writing, then I’ll put some themed ambient noise on so that I can fully concentrate on what I’m doing. If I’m coloring, doodling, sketching, etc, I might just put on Hulu and catch up with a recent TV show. I’ll do creative work for about an hour.

Brunch. If I have to cook my meal on the stove, I’ll light my Hestia candle, give a prayer, and then cook; when done, I’ll say thanks and extinguish the candle. When I’m ready to eat, I’ll say another prayer to Hestia (because I do a LOT of meal prepping, I can go days without actually needing to cook), give Her an offering of my first and last bite (because She was born first and last) or an offering of cornmeal or grain.

Free Time. From this time to my afternoon routine, I’ll do whatever I feel like. I might play a game, get lost on Pinterest, watch YouTube videos, watch movies, chat on the phone, or work on some project or another.

Afternoon Routine

Honoring Hestia. All acts of cleaning in my home is dedicated to Hestia. I’ll light a candle, say a quick prayer, and leave the candle to burn on my altar while I clean. Sometimes I’ll burn incense as well, depending on my mood and as inspiration strikes.

Open up the apartment. For me, this means cracking open my sliding glass door and let in some fresh air. It’s pretty cold out, so it’s only cracked about an inch or two while I clean.

Dishes. I’ll collect any dishes I’ve dirtied throughout the day, and sweep my boyfriend’s computer area for dishes, glasses and silverware as well. If I skipped unloading the dishwasher in the morning (sometimes I get lazy or distracted), I’ll do it now. No matter how full or not, I’ll run the dishwasher now.

5 Minute Tidy. This is when I spend 5 minutes in every room of my apartment and tidy up. It’s great when I get overwhelmed with how much to do and helps identify the most important mini tasks that need to be done per room; just set a timer and work as quickly as I can until it goes off.

Weekly Cleaning. There are some things that need to be done each and every week, like changing the litter box, scrubbing the toilet, dusting, emptying the refrigerator of leftovers, etc. I keep a detailed list in my bullet journal and track when I do these things. I generally group these tasks by day: Mondays are the bedroom, Tuesdays the bathroom, Wednesdays the kitchen, Thursdays the living room, and Fridays are the hallway and getting done whatever didn’t completed earlier in the week.

Deep Cleaning. There’s also things that need to be done seasonally, like sweeping the ceiling for cobwebs, cleaning underneath and behind the fridge, and tackling the mess that is my cabinets and drawers (they get messy over time). These tend to be tasks that need to be done all over the apartment or are a rather big task, so I’ll do one a day.

Garbage. If there’s garbage that needs to be taken out, I do it. I’ll grab the mail coming back in, and go through that.

Miscellaneous Tasks. If there’s anything I wanted - or need - to get done that doesn’t fit into the above, but was important enough to make it on my daily list in my bullet journal, it gets done now.

Close the Apartment. Close the sliding glass doors to prevent the cats from getting bold enough to try and pop the screen and run outside. Not that they stay out there long when it’s cold. It’s just a pain in the butt having to go out there and retrieve them, especially if they manage to get out of courtyard.

Fragrance. If I didn’t burn incense, then I’ll spray some febreeze around. We have 3 cats and let me tell you - the apartment smells like it in the winter. Opening up the house helps, but it doesn’t get rid of the scent completely. I’ll febreeze my couch and bed with the febreeze for cloth and sheets, and spray scented stuff (usually Glade) around the apartment.

Thank Hestia. I go back to my altar, give a prayer of thanks, and extinguish my Hestia candle. If incense is still going, I’ll let it burn itself out and then clean up the ashes.

The BF Comes Home. Right about now, my boyfriend comes home from work. I’ll take a moment to say hi.

More Free Time!

Evening Routine

Kitty Care. Refill cat bowls for the night. If a bowl is looking kind of gross or needs to be cleaned, this is when I’ll do it (before refilling it).

Dishes. I’ll bring any dishes or glasses left in the living room or around the apartment to the kitchen sink.

Quick Tidy. I tend to make a pretty big mess when I’m in the middle of a project, or when I’m just having a lazy evening, so I’ll take a few minutes to put away books, shelve binders, organize papers, throw pens and pencils into my pencil case, and fluff the pillows on the couch.

Evening Prayer. I don’t do this every evening, usually because I tend to stay up until I start to doze off, and at that point, all I can think of is the bed. But if I can, I’ll go to my altar, say a gratitude prayer to any deities that I’m working with, and clean up any offerings left on the altar. Offering clean up might be postponed to the next morning.

Self Care. I’ll brush my teeth, wash my face, change into pajamas.

Read. If I’m still a little too awake for bed, I might read for 20 minutes to an hour, depending.

Sleep.

#Routine #Daily Routine #Morning Routine #Evening Routine #Afternoon Routine #Cleaning Routine #Prayer #Hestia #Offering

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amandajoyce118 · 5 years

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Friday Five: Let’s All Take A Trip To Neptune

With the surprise fourth season of Veronica Mars coming to Hulu this month, and having a couple of freelance pieces related to the show, I’ve been rewatching the first three seasons. (They’re all available on Hulu and season four drops at the end of the month, so you can binge before the new episodes are available.) As a result of this rewatch, I thought I’d bring you five things I’ve decided while reminiscing about life in the fictional Neptune, California.

Do I need to warn you that there are spoilers for a show that premiered on television 15 years ago? Fine, there are spoilers if you’ve never seen an episode of the show.

Five: Paris Hilton Should Have Hung Around Longer

Okay, this one is a surprise admission from me, I’ll admit. Paris Hilton is not the best actress, but she was everywhere in early 2000s television, including a guest star spot in season one of the show. She played the girlfriend of Logan Echolls, and her part didn’t require her to do much more than flirt with cute guys and act snobbish toward other people. She only appeared in one episode. I actually think her arc could have gone for a couple more episodes to foreshadow the connection between Lilly and Weevil the show addresses later. She cheats on Logan with a member of Weevil’s biker gang, despite being an 09er. That same gang member happens to be Weevil’s cousin, and he happens to be committing credit card fraud using their grandmother’s name to take her on dates. That’s the standalone mystery of the episode. I would have actually been interested to see that play out a bit more over time - with Weevil increasingly reminded of his time with Lilly and Veronica more suspicious.

Four: The Show Should Have Started Younger

Maybe Rob Thomas was afraid of making the characters too young? I don’t know. I just think starting the series during Veronica’s junior year of high school meant networks aiming their programming at teens weren’t going to expect the show to go beyond two seasons. That’s why season three, in college, was the last. People say it got poor ratings, but on average, the show retained all of its viewers from the pilot. It average. 2.5 million views every season. Yeah, that’s low during a time when we didn’t have streaming options and most people didn’t understand DVR, but it aired on UPN and then the CW, two networks that were not rating powerhouses. If the show had started just a bit younger, the first three seasons could have been high school, and viewers might have been hooked for a bit longer.

Three: Tessa Thompson And Alona Tal Were Robbed

Tessa Thompson joined the series in season two. Yes, Valkyrie once lived in Neptune and dated Veronica’s BFF. This is one of the earliest things I remember seeing Tessa Thompson in, and she was so great in the role. It’s disappointing to me that they never brought her character back or had anyone keep in contact with her after she moved to New York to help her mom and raise her son. I also remember reading a while back that the actress wasn’t entirely comfortable with her role as Jackie because when Jackie was “bad” early in the season, they kept her natural hair, but when she was “redeemed” later, they had her straighten her hair. Yikes. I get that discomfort. Jackie was such a fun character and someone who could match wits with Veronica. I wish Veronica hadn’t wasted so much time being suspicious of her and befriended her sooner. Maybe then fans would have embraced the character sooner as well.

Did you know that Alona Tal was actually next in line to play Veronica Mars if Kristen Bell had turned down the role? The role of Meg Manning was created for her so she could recur. She was the one nice girl at Neptune High in season two - until she started dating Veronica’s ex, and then, suddenly, she and Veronica had this Duncan shaped wedge between them. And then, in season two, they got rid of her by sticking her in a hospital room for half the season and killing her off. I mean… she was one of your best assets. If you had given her more to do, Meg would have been a bigger fan favorite. I would have loved to see how the writers reconciled someone as “good” as Meg helping Veronica’s friend group do bad things to solve mysteries.

Two: Why Was The Baby Switch Not A Bigger Story?

This is a storyline from season one that has a single episode for it, and then… it’s like it never happened. Mac, computer whiz and future Veronica Mars ally, asks Veronica to dig up some dirt on her parents. She’s never felt like she fit into her family, so she’s curious to see what Veronica finds out since Veronica has been making $50 a pop telling people their parents’ high school secrets. What Veronica finds out is that Mac, social outsider, was actually switched at birth with Madison Sinclair, one of the most popular (and privileged) girls in school. The hospital didn’t admit the wrong doing until the girls were four, and they awarded each family a million dollars for the trouble, but the families kept the kids they had instead of switching back. After all, how do you tell a four-year-old they went home with the wrong parents? Not easily.

The point is, it’s clear from the episode where Mac finds out that Mrs. Sinclair knows Mac knows the truth. When Mac shows up at Madison’s house to pick up the purse she conveniently left there during a party, it’s obvious. The woman then sits down the street from Mac’s house right before Mac leaves on a family camping trip, and the two share a moment. But it’s never talked about again. It’s clear that Mac wants to know her birth family - which includes a little sister who is just as interested in nerdy things as she is. So, why not make it a running subplot? Especially since Mac gradually had a larger and larger role in the show.

One: Logan Has One Of The Biggest Character Turns In TV

I was never obsessed with the Logan and Veronica dynamic. I tuned into the show for the mysteries. When they got together, I did think it added an interesting layer to the show, but I wasn’t broken hearted when she dated Duncan again, or Piz for that matter. But going back and starting the series from the beginning and being reminded of what a tool Logan is at the start is eye opening. I always talk about how Pacey (of Dawson’s Creek) has the best arc on television because of how much he grows over the course of the series, but Logan’s up there too. His character turn from rich bad boy to momma’s boy to true friend to epic love story is something to see. It’s amazing that the guy that celebrated when Veronica got arrested in season one, the guy who based her car’s headlights in when she got in trouble, becomes the love of her life just a short time later. Yeah, we can put his early actions in the show down to his pain - he’s mad at Veronica for telling Lilly he kissed a girl at a party, he’s mad that he wasn’t there to help Lilly when she was murdered, he blames Veronica for not giving him the chance to be there for her, he’s angry that his father’s a dick who beats him and cheats on his mom, he’s protective of his mother and her unhappiness, and he just wants to numb all of that pain by having a good time and this blonde chick always seems to get in the way of that. It’s easy to understand his pain in hindsight, but as it happens, you’d never think he’d one day give one of the best drunken speeches on television about love.

That’s it for this week. Now, go binge watch some Veronica Mars.

#veronica mars #tessa thompson #alona tal #pari hilton #friday five

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kowaiyoukai · 7 years

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Star Trek: Discovery and CBS All Access: spoiler-free reviews

I saw the first two episodes of Star Trek: Discovery. Here are my spoiler-free thoughts, mostly regarding comments I've read, CBS All Access, and supporting diversity. The Good: - acting, effects, plot, dialogue, cinematography, political commentary, shout-outs/easter eggs The Bad: - character deaths, misleading promos The Ugly: - CBS All Access a.k.a. the paywall I'll definitely be watching more. I am choosing to pay the $5.99/month, though it pains me greatly to do so. I have seen a lot of negative opinions on the premiere, and most of those I disagree with. For instance, some of the most common complaints I've seen are that DSC is too political, too slow-paced, goes against Roddenberry's vision, and is too much like Star Wars/Stargate/Mass Effect. To these, I say Star Trek has always been political, the vast majority of Star Trek episodes are slow-paced and thoughtful (in fact, I'd argue DSC eps 1 & 2 were too fast-paced), Roddenberry originally wanted women as both Captain and First Officer, and many sci-fi shows/franchises share similar elements (as with all genre shows, what defines them is what makes them genre). Besides these issues, many people are judging based on only the first episode. I understand this is due to the fact that CBS only publically aired episode 1. Still, other pay services don't publically air any episodes (Netflix, Hulu, etc). At least they gave us the first episode. Don't get me wrong--I believe DSC should be airing on CBS without having to pay for All Access. What I mean is that judging a show only by it's first episode very rarely works. In that case, I wouldn't have continued watching some of my favorite shows, including Xena and The 100. For both of those shows, it took me until episode 3-4 to really get into them. Based on the DSC episode 3 preview, I would say the same goes in this case. Ep 3 looks like where we'll get into the good stuff. I'm also frustrated by the fact so many people seem to be taking out their irritation about the paywall on the show. I've seen many comments along the lines of "if it was on regular CBS, I'd watch it every Sunday", "the first episode didn't convince me to pay", and "why bother watching when I'll need another subscription service to continue". I wish these comments were directed towards CBS All Access instead of DSC. I also feel that rage of being pushed into paying for only one show. However, this isn't the first time I've done that. I paid for Crunchyroll ($6.95/month) only to watch Hunter x Hunter. Yet I kept that service because it's actually good. Actually, you can watch anime on Crunchyroll for free with ads--paying eliminates the commercials. Which brings me to my next point: why on Earth is paying for CBS All Access not enough to get rid of the ads? They want my money along with money from the commercials--capitalism at its greediest. My sister and I did some math and comparisons, using the idea of subscribing to All Access solely for DSC. 1 month of CBS All Access = $5.99-9.99 4 episodes/month; 1 episode = $1.50-2.50 4 hours = $5.99-9.99; 1 hour = $1.50-2.50 Do not own: can rewatch with subscription. 1 movie ticket = around $10-16 2 hours = $10-16; 1 hour = $5-8 Do not own: cannot rewatch without paying again. 1 box set = between $25-50 13-26 episodes/hours Min: 1 episode for 26 eps & $25 = about $0.96 Max: 1 episode for 13 eps & $50 = about $3.85 Average = $2.41 Do own: can rewatch whenever for free. So, it's cheaper than a movie, which you also don't own. My sister pointed out going to a movie is an experience, but the cost is still much greater comparatively. TV box sets are all over the place in terms of cost and content, yet owning them means the extra cost is worth it for many people. Still, all the math proves is that it's not too expensive for each episode. But even that depends on an individual's disposable income. And the fact is, the cost isn't going to matter to a lot of people, myself included, who believe having to pay extra for it at all is the problem. This is compounded by knowing that Netflix has it in every country except the U.S. and Canada. Many people in these countries who already have Netflix are just not going to like this setup. Again, myself included. Putting money aside, the other content you're paying for matters. What else does CBS All Access have to offer? - Live TV: if you already have CBS, this is irrelevant. It's just what CBS is currently airing. - Movies: I browsed through them. Most of them are old, and the majority I have seen at my library where I can rent them for free. - Sporting Events: These are heavily advertised. I have no interest in any of them, but they could be good for some people. Still, to my understanding, it's fairly easy to watch sports without paying extra. - TV: Most of these are old shows, so if you were interested in them you may have already seen them. What's currently airing is also available just on CBS. Again, most of this can be rented for free in box set form from my library. - Originals: There are currently four. Star Trek: Discovery, After Trek (a talk show after each episode), The Good Fight (spinoff of The Good Wife), and Big Brother: Over the Top. Out of that whole list, the only one I care about is DSC. I'm not even watching After Trek. So, to me, the content CBS All Access offers is extremely limited and subpar. As opposed to the other two services I use, Crunchyroll and Netflix, which both have a ton of good content to choose from. People may argue that All Access is just getting started and more originals will be coming soon, but I'm paying now, so I'm judging by what's currently available. Last of all, there's the quality of the service to consider. I found the stream quality to be really low. The image got blurry several times in both episodes. After each of the four 1 minute and 30 second commercial breaks, the stream paused to load for what I felt was too long. (Side note about the commercials: they were loud, annoying, and repetitive. Also, the shows they advertised for seemed to skew politically conservative-- supporting spying on people, showing white people as heroes and non-white people as villains, praising war, etc. Since Star Trek is a liberal show, these ads felt very out of place to me.) Another quality issue is the controls are a bit difficult to work. I use my PS4, and both Crunchyroll and Netflix have single button presses to pause, rewind, and fast forward. All Access required me to arrow down to a control bar, which then had me going over to my desired command and pressing it. That's an additional two steps I'm not used to. This caused major confusion several times in the ep. Functionality does matter to me. Also, when we went back to episode 1, we loaded a green screen with a few white boxes two times. No idea why the episode would be put up and then unable to load. Those quality issues stand out to me. This is a service I'm paying for. The stream should be a clear, sharp image; the load time should be minimal; and it shouldn't take me 10 seconds to pause the episode. If this was free, I would understand, but as a paid service, I'm utterly disappointed. Now for my last, perhaps most important, point: even with all of those negatives to CBS All Access, I'll still subscribe for Star Trek: Discovery. Why? Simply put, I've wanted WoC and diverse leads in serious dramatic shows (particularly sci-fi) for years. As a white woman, I know there are many PoC who've had a need for representation since before I even thought about it. So this only enhances my desire to support diverse characters in media. I've posted on social media about this many times: I want LGBT main couples who aren't killed off, I want more women in varying roles, I want PoC as leads. This is my chance to prove it. When people say "vote with your dollars", they're usually talking about boycotting something. However, the opposite is in effect here. By giving CBS $6/month, I'm telling TV network executives that Star Trek: Discovery is the type of content I am willing to pay for. Do I want a sci-fi show led by a WoC with a gay couple? Yes. Am I willing to pay for it? Yes. Everyone who has decided to pirate or simply not watch is sending a message, too. That message is "I'm not willing to pay for this type of content." That is the only message TV executives will hear. If DSC doesn't make the network money, all the CEOs will say, "People aren't willing to pay for this. Let's shut it down and see what they WILL pay for." At the end of the day, boycotting CBS All Access won't be seen as boycotting a streaming service--people pay for Netflix and Hulu, so the public has already stated it's willing to pay for specialized streaming content. Boycotting will only say that you don't want serious genre shows with WoC leads. So, to everyone saying they're interested and they'd watch if it was free, and to everyone who supports diverse representation in media, this is the time. Please, pay the $6/month to vote with your dollars. An important aside: I'm poor. This week, I have less than $5 to last me until I get paid on Friday. Then I have more bills going out than money coming in. Still, I put aside $6 from my check for DSC. This is the content I want, I'm ready to pay to show how much I want it, and, for now, this is the only genre show from a major franchise with a WoC lead. I'm putting my money where my mouth is. If you feel the same, you should, too. Overall: - I liked Star Trek: Discovery. I'm excited to watch more. Burnham is a great character who I can tell will lead us on a fascinating ride. - I don't like CBS All Access. Even putting aside that I don't believe DSC should be behind a paywall, I think the service itself is subpar compared to what's currently available. - I'm willing to pay $6/month to send a message to network executives that DSC has the type of content I want: WoC leads, LGBT couples, serious sci-fi. My hope is that people can separate their dislike of CBS All Access from their judgment of Star Trek: Discovery. It would be a shame to miss out on a show with massive potential, and to ignore a chance at making a statement supporting diverse representation in media, due to a poorly designed subscription service.

#star trek #star trek discovery #cbs #cbs all access #diverse representation

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daniellecoots1972 · 7 years

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Cut household expenses with these eliminations

When trying to determine how to cut household expenses, the first thing that needs to take place is to log what expenses are going out for two to four weeks. This helps gets an idea of what is actually happening. It’s easy to not count the daily coffee or soda purchases- because it’s only a couple of dollars, right? But, a whole month of the same behavior adds up, right? Or what about the occasional date night every Tuesday and Friday? Well, it all adds up. Also, the best part about keeping a log is to help get a clear look of what was spent during the week that could have been avoided. Maybe you were feeling stressed because of a long day at work so you made a quick stop to Walmart on the way home and spent a quick $100 on really nothing. Or, purchased a birthday gift on the fly and spent a lot more than what you intended. Well, all those purchases can go on the list for things to be considered when making cuts. But, here are seven things that you can do right away to help cut costs without feeling a hit in the gut.

Shop secondhand shops

Yes, shop secondhand! I remember when this was something that was sort of frowned upon. But, with the economy being like it has for so long, this is actually a new “fun” thing to do. Everyone is looking for a “great deal” for a great price. I find things that are basically new at garage sales, resale boutiques, or even on Facebook garage sale sites. It’s not only fun, but also addicting. Plus, the best part is that I find things that are unusual and not necessarily sold in stores.

2. Cut cable or satellite

Welcome to the era of streaming. Find anything you want to watch on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, Crackle, YouTube, Kodi, and many more apps for downloading movies, sports, TV series, biographies, and much more. Since streaming has become so popular, there are many devices that can be purchased that allow viewers a wider range of viewing- even movies that are currently out in movie theaters. Netflix allows viewing of mostly older movies and TV series, but they also have their own movies and series such as House of Cards, GLOW, Gypsy, 13 Reasons Why, Stranger Things, Bloodline, Orange is the New Black and much more. Hulu has movies and TV series that are mostly recent. For series that are currently showing, they can be viewed the day after on Hulu. They also have their own series such as The Path, The Handmaid’s Tale, Casual, Harlots, Freakish, Shut Eye, 11/22/63 and more. Amazon and the rest are much the same. Depending on what you want to watch, it will dictate the channel that will be best for you. The cost for steaming is $0-$149 a year. So, research the one that is right for you and cut that cable or satellite bill. *INTERNET IS STILL NEEDED to stream. (You could also get a connector for your phone to the tv to stream right off your phone for free – other than cost of phone plan.)

3. Cut home phone and shop for lower cell phone plan

If you are one of the few that still have a home phone and paying extra for it, then cut it and spend time getting cell phone plans that are reasonable and affordable. Things to look for in a plan is making sure the plan meets your needs. If you stream a lot of music, games, movies- then find an unlimited data plan. If you text more than actually talk on the phone-then maybe an unlimited texting and limited calling. But, the best plans, especially for families is a plan that’s unlimited in all.

4. Curb expensive entertainment

Baseball, football, concert tickets can be very expensive. Movies, dinner and other forms of entertain can also add up. On average, one night out can average between $50-$300 per night out. Slowing down on date nights or nights out, don’t have to ruin your life. There are plenty of free events throughout Ohio to enjoy, such as festivals and markets. Outdoor activities can also be fun and free, such as roller skating, biking, swimming, jogging, walking, tennis, and much more. Another replacement for social activities is game night at home with some friends or family. Or, just get together and have potluck dinners or something where everyone pitches in to create an exciting night.

5. Sell non-essentials

Have a basement full of unwanted items? A drawer full of items that never saw the light of day? A closet of clothes with tags still attached? Make some money on them. You don’t have to have a garage sale anymore to get rid of nice stuff. Post items on Facebook sites, Craig’s list, Ebay or other sites that apply to the needs of the item. Use the extra money to pay toward other bills to help pay them down.

6. Do home repairs or household chores on your own

Need a new roof? Use a housekeeper? Using a laundry service or dry cleaner? Why? Do these yourself. If you don’t know how to do something that needs to be done, check out YouTube for tutorials.

7. Regulate eating out

Eating out sucks up most of my paycheck very quickly. I sometimes eat out for breakfast, lunch and dinner all in one day- like most people. So, cook more at home. The benefits of cooking at home is that the food is healthier, portions can be more controlled and it’s always fun to create something of your own. Don’t think of it as seven days of eating at home, cooking and cleaning- think of it as one day at a time. Maybe just start with packing lunch two days a week, then three, four and always eat out on Fridays. Do the same for dinner. Eating breakfast is always important, so eating it is the only thing that’s important. Just cut back on the eating out. Seeing a savings here will be instant.

Be grateful for what you do have and never take anything for granted!

What other cuts have you tried? Tell me about it.

7 ways to cut household expenses When trying to determine how to cut household expenses, the first thing that needs to take place is to log what expenses are going out for two to four weeks.

#City Skipper Gal #Curb expenses #cutting costs #Cutting household expenses #Danielle Coots #household expenses #Saving money

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