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squeeneyart · 4 years

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Breathe in the Salt - Chapter 16

AO3

Beta read as always is @thesnadger!

A week sure flies by.

Martin gets some of his thoughts sorted.

Nothing happened.

The sky was unchanged in every way but for the time that had passed. They had bid Evan a good night (“Oh, right, it’s evening now? Should probably give you some idea about time when we talk.”), and Martin stood at the front entrance to stare through the small window. It was grey and downright gloomy out there. Nothing new.

“D’you think Simon and that woman just wanted to mess with me?” Martin said. “Like, say some spooky stuff to make sure I stay quiet about the whole thing?”

“It’s possible,” Jon said, exhaustion clear in his voice. “But there’s still a sky, which is good news, I suppose.”

“And not everything is sky,” Sasha added helpfully. “That seems more Simon’s speed than getting rid of it.”

Tim stretched his arms above his head. “Either way, keep an eye out for a warning text before we all become professional skydivers.”

“At least I’ll have a job lined up?” He wanted to muster up some more concern but after a day of waiting the suspense had run out. If something was going to happen, there was nothing he could do. “Well, goodnight. And don’t stay here too late! You all won’t make it another day without getting proper sleep.”

His eye landed on Jon, who huffed a little. “Yes, yes, we’ll all get a proper rest. Unlike the others I don’t do coffee. Though, let me walk you out. I’d like to get another look at the sky.”

It wasn’t the smoothest transition to accompanying Martin outside, but lack of sleep didn’t make for good excuses. Martin nodded and walked out with Jon in tow.

Once outside, Jon folded his hands together and seemed to consider something. “I think I’m a bit of a broken record at this point, but I wanted to apologize for earlier. I had become concerned about the lack of response from Elias and wanted to get it all back to him before too long.”

Martin looked at him carefully. “So… you think it’ll be enough?”

“Yes. It might even be overkill, but now that I’ve promised multiple people to help fix things, it’s better to be safe than sorry.” Jon let his hands fall to his sides. “The apology still stands, though.”

“Well, with you staying longer I’m sure I’ll find a way to even out the apologies between us. There are always papers to scatter.” Martin smiled sheepishly and adjusted the bag hanging from his shoulder. “But it would be nice if you didn’t have something to apologize for in the first place.”

“Yes, I recognize that.” Jon rubbed his arm. “I’m trying. I hope that much is clear.”

Martin sighed, the final piece of irritation drifting away. “Yeah, I know. I do accept it, the apology. But maybe try to go without needing to? For like a day?”

Straightening, Jon nodded. “I can do that. Or try, at least.”

“That’s all I ask.” All of that out of the way, Martin relaxed. “I guess I’ll be going. Big day tomorrow, right?”

“Yes, it will be.”Jon stood there as if about to say something else, stopping himself several times. Finally, in earnest, he said, “I’ll… I’ll do as much as I can, to help.”

“See you tomorrow, then.”

As Martin walked away, he glanced back and saw that Jon had remained on the front steps, turning his gaze upward with a frown. If this had been a trick, Martin thought, it had done its job quite nicely. He almost regretted bringing it up to the others. They all shouldn’t have had to worry about nothing.

No, that wouldn’t have worked. One of them would’ve picked up on it. Sasha probably, though with that kind of intuition she also should’ve known better than to keep Naomi’s warning a secret from him.

But she apologized, and had only wanted to help. And she had been right about the results. There was no arguing that. It didn’t make it less upsetting, but putting it behind him wouldn’t be difficult. They were all going to be around each other, after all. Martin wanted to enjoy that.

He passed the place where he’d fallen. There was no sign of the event of course, no crack in the street or mark of a skull hitting concrete. No one had been there to witness it, either.

The sky was getting darker still, the street filling more and more with chill and emptiness. Ahead was the wooded cliffside that split his home away from the rest of town, and Martin dearly wished he had someone to walk home with.

The TV was on when he returned home. He slid off his jacket and damp boots by the door and stayed there in his wool socks. There was a numbness to his knees, a soreness to his throat that he couldn’t swallow away. It was getting colder outside, and the sea air always got worse as the year crept closer to winter.

Tea would fix it, once Mum was off to bed.

A sore throat meant talking less, which is what she preferred anyway. He nodded to her once in her chair, then went into dinner preparations. Something warm, something hearty, and something simple. He grabbed the container of beef stew and a cylinder of dinner roll dough from the fridge. Simple and, even better, fast.

Before long there were steaming bowls of meat and vegetables on the table with rolls for dipping. He thanked his past self for thinking ahead as he and his mother ate in silence.

She said nothing, did nothing but her usual routine. There was no going outside with the intense chill that had settled onto the beach. Instead, she went straight to bed without a word spoken.

A tingling in his throat kept him from uttering a single goodnight. He turned out her lamp and closed her door, returning to the kitchen to wash the dishes and make himself some tea with honey. While waiting for the water to boil, he checked his phone and saw a text from earlier.

Tim: got home alright?

Martin: sorry. yeah i made it fine

He hoped his response hadn’t come too late to be worrisome, but Tim responded rather quickly.

Tim: gotcha. no tumbles?

Martin: no nothing

Tim: good. ill let the others know

Tim: so i guess tomorrow is gonna be interesting. its a bit weird to get a project really started on a friday but i was thinking we could all get food afterwards tomorrow, maybe get some drinks

Tim: usually jon skips out on that sort of thing but on trips its easier to get him since he hates making food choices in new places

Tim: you in?

Martin’s thumbs twitched over the phone keyboard. When was the last time he bothered sitting in a restaurant instead of getting takeout? Or went to a bar?

He would have to get his mother settled in with dinner and everything. Her usual bedtime was early, but they were late workers so maybe it would be fine? Would it be fine? Would he be fine?

Shit, he needed to respond.

Martin: sure that would be nice. what time?

Tim: probably later evening, since we’ll be settling work stuff. thinkin 8 or 9 if that works

Martin: yeah that’s perfect actually

Tim: great, see you bright and early! 👍

Martin: have a good night!

Slumping against the counter, Martin looked over the short conversation a few times (perhaps more than a few) and then pocketed his phone.

This was fine. It was getting some food with some people. He would be fine.

The kettle whistled and he nearly jumped out of his skin. Tea, he was making tea for himself. So he did, adding honey and milk to his liking. It was too sweet for his mother or anyone else he knew, but this was for him.

He took the steaming mug in both hands and looked out the window. The sky was still there, as were the beach and crashing waves though he could barely see them. His house still stood around him with the lights on and heat running.

Savings were something he’d finally managed to have in the recent months after years of low-wage customer service positions. He and his mother could survive without income for a little while. Getting through the whole of winter would be a stretch, but his spending habits were fairly restrained and his mother’s medication would still be covered. In the meantime there were other avenues for making money, so this job wasn’t the end-all-be-all.

God, it had been nice though. Martin would hold onto the pay for as long as he could during the whole saving-Evan process, but after that he would have a lot to figure out.

Draining the rest of his mug, he rinsed it out and set it into the sink. The tea had done its job in soothing his throat. The extra warmth in his hands was a blessing as well. He wondered if Jon would be keeping warm at all, though he suspected the truth would be disappointing.

No matter. If the others were working there a while longer Jon would have to adjust to the weather eventually, or else deal with Martin pushing hot mugs of tea into his hands until he learned. Maybe he’d toss in a scarf to complete the set.

With one last glance out the kitchen window, he walked out into the hall and up the stairs, turning off each light as he went. Once in his room, Martin slipped into his pyjamas and reached into the drawer of his bedside table. His poetry notebook had gone ignored for several days, and that needed rectifying.

Where would he even start? The last page he’d written seemed like it was from years before, not a week. Now he had a whole swirl of worries about the future he hadn’t had to deal with since he was in school. Worries and fears and-

And a silly, one-sided thing that while completely hopeless was a nice thing to feel all the same. So just like school, except he had people to meet on a Friday night.

Looking out his window a final time, Martin sat in his bed, bent over his notebook, and began to write. It was clunky at first, the words getting stuck somewhere in his pen or his throat. Part of his mind kept drifting to his mobile on the bedside table, wondering if Tim was still available to talk a bit more about the day ahead. Tiny things to fill a text log, like food options or how Martin would meet up with them. For a moment he even considered asking Tim for Jon and Sasha’s numbers, in case of emergencies.

Better to have that conversation in person, he thought, pulling his attention back to the page. Soon after he was writing short couplets at a quick pace, scraps of rhyme and feeling, until he checked his phone and found an hour had passed. Sleep, he thought. He needed sleep.

It was almost disappointing to have the writing go by so quickly, but there was no helping it. The poetry notebook was placed neatly into its drawer, his glasses were set onto the table, and Martin, wrapped in a thick blanket, stared out into the night until his eyes were too heavy to hold open.

It wasn’t his alarm that woke him the next morning but his ringtone. When he checked the screen, he found notifications for several missed calls from Tim and hurried to answer.

“Tim? What’s-”

One by one, files and folders were packed into car trunks.

He’d wasted no time in getting there, booking it all the way across town, but when he arrived Martin could say nothing at all. Standing near the stairs, he could only watch as the three researchers marched out of the lighthouse with their work things.

Sasha kept the most calm of the three, nodding at Martin as she walked past him. Her fingers tapped furiously on the side of a box, nails making dents in the cardboard.

Something between misery and confusion pulled at Tim’s mouth. More than once Martin worried he would keel over with nausea, but he stayed upright as if out of spite. He met Martin’s eyes a couple of times with a friendly smile, but it never stuck for long.

Jon was stone faced, though his jaw kept clenching and unclenching. He had only looked at Martin once, keeping that neutral expression to the best of his ability but unable to mask his frustration. Whatever he wanted to say, it wouldn’t be said there.

Behind Martin, Peter Lukas stood with his hand gripping the railing, equal measures tired and irritated and making no attempt to hide how much he didn’t want to be there. No, none of them would be saying anything except their goodbyes.

“Thanks for having us,” Tim said, shaking Martin’s hand. “I’m sure you’ll be happy to have a quiet workplace again.”

“Right. Have a safe trip.” It was the easiest thing for Martin to say, his mind not yet caught up.

Tim backed away to join the others who simply waved or nodded their goodbyes. Something in Martin’s chest twisted

“Yes, I’m sure you’ve seen now that it’s a poor environment for multiple employees. The acoustics make it unbearable.” Peter smiled something empty. “Tell Elias I will be unavailable for communication for the next few weeks, at the least.”

Jon opened the door to his rental car and said, voice dripping with acid, “I’m sure we’ll speak with him very soon.”

“Perfect. Well, you’d best be going. Wouldn’t want to keep your workplace understaffed any longer.” With that, Peter glanced at Martin and jerked his chin to the front entrance before walking inside.

As Peter disappeared from sight, Sasha’s calm face twisted into furious determination. She nodded at Martin again, then stepped into the driver’s side of the rental and closed the door behind her. Tim sighed, holding up his phone and mouthing “later” before entering the passenger’s side.

Jon gave Martin a familiar look before slipping into his own car. Both vehicles left the lot, vanishing into the fog.

“What did I tell you? Academics,” Peter said, picking some lint off his sleeve. “Now, before I go, there are just a few things.”

It took all of Martin’s will not to drag his feet on the way to his desk. The folded table was gone, but dirty footprints littered his newly-mopped floor from where it had been. He focused on the different shoe sizes and shapes in the mud and slush.

"They certainly made a mess of the place, didn't they? You'll have to redo this floor, of course. The upstairs can wait until next week. Just keep to the usual schedule there."

His desk was still littered with papers he’d pushed aside before his nap the day before.

"You've fallen behind on paperwork as well. Understandable with all the blustering from those three, I really can’t imagine. Ah, well, it's nothing a few extra hours on the weekend won't take care of."

Martin dropped in the chair he’d sat in for months, overlooked by that crest and its ridiculous seal, eyes dead and glassy.

"Oh, and I’ve made some changes to your workload. It's all written down here.” Peter placed a piece of paper on the desk. “Pretty straightforward. I don't imagine that any of it will be a problem for you."

With a dull nod, Martin dragged the page toward himself without looking at it. An updated part of his work contract. More things for him to accomplish that weekend most likely, as if it was all a punishment.

Peter breathed in sharply through his nose and clapped his hands together, looking much more refreshed. “I did miss the sound of this place. I have other business, of course, so I’ll leave you to it, hm?”

Not waiting for a response, Peter strode away and out of the building with a decisive click of the door. Martin was left to himself in that wide, empty space, spending five, ten, fifteen minutes just staring at nothing.

Stupid. If their boss had meant for them to stay longer, they wouldn’t have gone through more extensive measures the day before. They should’ve known better than to make plans that were never going to happen.

Or he had just been so clearly desperate for help that they played it cool until it was time to get out.

No, that wasn’t fair (though he wasn’t ruling it out entirely). Tim’s invitation the night before would’ve just been cruel if that were the case, and Tim didn’t seem like the type to pull something so mean. And none of them seemed happy about Elias’ decision, especially with all of the work they’d put in. Sasha certainly wasn’t close to dropping anything.

And Jon had made a promise, even if he had a hard time keeping them.

Eventually, Martin looked down at the page in front of him.

Up and around he ran, panic and dizziness squeezing at his skull and threatening to pull him backward off his feet.

Stumbling into the upmost level of the lighthouse, Martin whispered through haggard breaths, “No, no, no, no-”

He hurried across the room, placing a hand on the dial and giving it a twist. “Evan? Evan, can you hear me?”

He waited for familiar voices with no success. Again, “Evan? It’s me, Martin. Peter left already, so just say something.”

A perfectly ordinary silence washed over him. He sank to the floor, his hand still brushing against the dial as if it made a difference. From his other hand fell a brand new set of panel instructions. An extra note was left at the bottom, something about the importance of proper lighthouse management to landbound ships.

Through the windows morning continued to break over the ocean, familiar cliffs just visible through the fog down below.

#tma #the magnus archives #breathe in the salt #jonathan sims #martin blackwood #sasha james #timothy stoker #peter lukas #jonmartin #fanfic #au fanfic #selkie au

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cssns · 4 years

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And now it’s time for the July roundup!!!

Wow... Just WOW!!! We had an absolutely INCREDIBLE month of fic and art last month!!! Did you miss anything? Well, if you did, you’re in luck!! This post will feature ALL the fics and art that posted and updated in July!!! Be sure to give all our authors and artists all the love and flails they deserve for their hard work!!! So without further ado, here we gooooooooo!!!!! Under the cut, unless Tumblr ate it.

We had eight WONDERFUL fics with art drop last month, along with original art from @allons-y-to-hogwarts-713 and @eastwesthomeisbest.

On July 2, @ohmightydevviepuu and @thisonesatellite posted The Sword and the Heart, their retelling of all of s5. We are now four chapters in and let me tell you, THIS is what we should have gotten on the show!!! I can’t WAIT for the next chapter!!! Awe-inspiring artwork by @thisonesatellite and @profdanglaisstuff. Fic Tumblr links with art: Ch1 Ch2 Ch3 Ch4

On July 5, @snowbellewells posted For Once, Don’t Let Go, her CS ghost story. Spooky and soooo SWEET all at once!!! Chill-inducing, perfect artwork by @hollyethecurious. Tumblr fic link with art.

Only July 7, @stahlop posted Making a Memory, her fic inspired by The Parent Trap. This fic is absolutely AWESOME, y’all!!! Lisa has sucked me in to this blending of one of my all time favorite live action Disney movies and Once canon and I CANNOT WAIT for more of it!!! Lovely and perfect artwork by @gingerchangeling. Tumblr links with art: Ch1 Ch2 Ch3 Ch4

On July 9, @allons-y-to-hogwarts-713 posted her original vampire aesthetic. Mm mm mm mm mmmmmmm!!!

On July 13, @shardminds posted her Witcher AU, Silver for Monsters. I have been BESIDE myself waiting for this fic, even though I’m not familiar with the show and the first chapter did not disappoint!!! Can’t wait for more!!! Swoon-worthy artwork by @artistic-writer. Fic Tumblr link.

On July 15, @eastwesthomeisbest posted original Fairy artwork, Within You, inspired by Carnival Row. Absolutely BREATHTAKING!!! Then on July 26, she posted Fear Me Or Love Me... It’s All the Same, and reduced me to a screaming flailing mess!

On July 18, @lovelivingmydreams posted Labors of Love, her Greek gods AU. We are now two chapters in and I am LOVING every bit of it!! I’ve been told to strap myself in, so I have and am eagerly waiting for the next chapter!!! Tumblr links: Ch1 Ch2 Beautiful artwork by @mariakov81 Banner Ch1 Ch2.

On July 21, @jarienn972 posted La Sirena, her Siren Emma fic. A BEAUTIFUL mystery and I can’t wait to see where she goes with this!!! Gorgeous artwork by @courtorderedcake. Tumblr links: Ch1 Ch2

On July 23, @shireness-says posted A Fate Woven in Thread and Ink, her fic inspired by The Night Circus. This fic is pure magic. Absolutely STUNNING in its beauty and I am BESIDE myself waiting for the next chapter!!! Incredible artwork by @eirabach. Fic tumblr link with art.

And finally, on July 29, @winterbythesea posted The Truth In a Masquerade featuring dueling CS at a vampire masquerade! WELL WORTH all the teasing we endured on the discord!

We also had several updates for June fics.

@lassluna updated Swan’s Hourglass, her Legend of Zelda AU with gorgeous artwork by @eastwesthomeisbest. I am LOVING this fic and can’t wait for more!!! Tumblr ch link with art: Ch4

@kmomof4 updated and COMPLETED her fic Of Darkness, Vampires, and Soulmates. Tumblr ch links with art: Ch6 Ch7 Ch8 Stunning artwork by @spartanguard Ch6 Ch7 Ch8

@snowbellewells updated A Cottage By the Sea, her Enchanted Forest Lieutenant Duckling AU. I LOVE this fic y’all and I’ve got my ideas on who has Killian!!! Can’t wait for more!!! Lovely and perfect artwork by @searchingwardrobes. Tumblr ch link with art: Part 2

And finally we had several updates for fics from previous years!!

@kymbersmith-90 updated both of her fics from CSSNS18, Slayer and Divine Intervention. Perfect artwork complements of @hollyethecurious (x) (x). Both of these fics are sooooo GREAT, even to someone who hasn’t watched either show that they were inspired by!!! Tumblr ch links with art: Slayer ch21 Divine Intervention ch11

@courtorderedcake updated Hallow, her epic fic of Emma and Dark One Killian. We have now journeyed to Sultana Jasmine’s court and I am in AGONIZED ANTICIPATION waiting for the next chapter!!! Tumblr chapter link with art

Ohhhhh man!!! Are we a blessed fandom, or what? All of these fics are sooooo fantastic and I hope you enjoy them all as much as I have!!! Be sure to express your appreciation to all our authors and artists!!! I’ll see y’all again in September with the event roundup!!! Until then, y’all!!!

#July roundup #cssns20 #second wave roundup #second wave

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chelsie-carson · 4 years

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Downton Abbey’s Phyllis Logan on a sequel, feminism protests, the struggle facing theatres, and her love of animals

Like most in-demand actors, Phyllis Logan’s diary has been unusually bare these past few months. When the coronavirus lockdown was introduced, it immediately closed down film and theatre productions across the world.

But the Downton Abbey star says no matter how busy her future schedule might be, if a sequel is announced to the period drama’s movie spin-off, she would clear the decks to be part of it.

The actor, originally from Johnstone in Renfrewshire, has been in the primetime series since it started 10 years ago, playing housekeeper Mrs Hughes.

She said: “The will is certainly there with everybody – the cast, producers and writer Julian Fellowes – but no one knows what will happen, especially with this lockdown.

“We’re ever hopeful, so fingers crossed. When it could happen, I don’t know – we could all be in our graves by then if this goes on much longer! But if people are given enough warning then I think most of us would make it a priority, no matter what is in the diaries. I think we would be happy to clear our diaries.”

Phyllis has grown used to fans approaching her to talk about Downton, which saw her character wed Mr Carson, played by Jim Carter, in the final series.

“I enjoy it when people come up and say they enjoy the show, or they like the characters together,” she continued. “It’s wonderful to think so many people have been touched by it in some way. It’s given a lot of pleasure to people and I wish it would continue.

“Although, I do like to think I don’t look like Mrs Hughes off-screen, I’m not quite as fuddy-duddy as her. A lot of people say it’s not me, but my voice they recognise.

“Perhaps that’s why I was given the job in Highland Vet – because of my voice.”

Highland Vet is a new documentary series on 5Select, following the team at the most northern mainland vet practice in Britain. D.S. McGregor and Partners cover Thurso, Wick and Caithness, dealing with farm animals, equine, domestic pets and wildlife.

For animal lover Phyllis, who has had a long association with the SSPCA, being asked to provide the voice-over narration for the series was a perfect job. And, as it turns out, it has kept her occupied during lockdown.

“I didn’t have to think about it for very long when I was approached to do it, because it’s right up my street, and it being filmed in the north of Scotland was the icing on the cake,” she admitted.

“You can tell the vets have great heart in dealing with the different animals and their passion and dedication is lovely to watch. It’s heartwarming, exciting and also sad at times, but you look at it and think how lovely it would be to know a vet like that.

“I recorded the first episode in the studio and then work on the next episode came on the day of lockdown. When I went into Covent Garden it was like a ghost town, a bit spooky. It was just me and the engineer in this vast studio, and from then on I was told they would send equipment to my house for me to record the voice-over from there.

“Thankfully, my husband is good with that sort of thing – he’s been very useful, I have to say. It’s been a blessing to have been able to do this – apart from anything else it’s kept us from going mad and a bit stir crazy. It also means I’m still doing some work and being paid for it into the bargain, which is a real blessing.”

Phyllis lovingly recalled Carlos, the rescue lurcher from Battersea that she and her husband, Pirates Of The Caribbean actor Kevin McNally, rehomed.

“He was a lovely fella, so chilled out and laid-back,” she said. “I used to take him walks to Chiswick House, which had beautiful grounds and a big dog walking park. He would run around with all the other dogs and when he went into fifth gear it was a sight to behold. It would make your heart soar to watch it.

“I was lucky to get to do that for the 10 years we had with him. He was quite irreplaceable. We went a bit mad when he passed four or five years ago, and had a small bronze statue made of him. It looks like he’s flying through the air. It’s very tactile.”

Phyllis has been sharing lockdown with Kevin and their son, 24-year-old David, who is a musician.

Just days before the country shut down due to Covid-19, the 64-year-old celebrated the release of her latest film, Misbehaviour, which became a victim of cinema closures.

The film, also starring Keira Knightley, Jessie Buckley, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and Greg Kinnear, is based on the true story of the 1970 Miss World competition, which saw protestors disrupt the contest that was eventually won by a black woman for the first time.

“We had a small premiere in a Covent Garden hotel which we all went along to, and it was in the cinema for five minutes before lockdown started, so not a lot of people saw it there, which is a shame because it’s a good film,” Phyllis said.

“I remember watching the real thing back in the day. I would have been 13 or 14, and I used to love watching Miss World. I remember vividly Bob Hope being pelted on stage. It was quite a shocker but now I think I’d be right up there with the rest of them, throwing bags of flour – although if you were trying to throw bags of flour now you’re liable to be mugged, it’s in such short supply!” she added. “It became a much bigger movement but that incident put it on people’s radar.

“I’m looking at what is happening now and I think it’s brilliant everyone is out protesting, even during lockdown. If I wasn’t such a stick in the mud about keeping to my own area then I’d be up there myself.”

Phyllis – who has another film, The Last Bus, awaiting release – is also an accomplished stage actor and fears for the future of theatres.

“They struggle to survive at the best of times and if they can’t open at full capacity you do wonder how they can keep going,” she said. “It’s not feasible unless there is proper government investment to see them through the worst of it.”

While the long-term future of theatres remains in limbo, in the short-term, TV and film production will return, and Phyllis says she’ll be watching on closely.

“It’s going to be a bit daunting for the first ones out the trap, they’ll provide the litmus test for how it’s going to go, and everyone’s eyes will be on it,” she said.

“I’m sure companies will be all over the health and safety aspect. I don’t have any worries – I’d be happy to dive straight back in.

“I’m champing at the bit to return and it’s good that Highland Vet is made, because it gives something new for people to watch rather than the endless repeats of whatever’s on.

“Except for re-runs of Downton Abbey, of course, people can watch that as much as they like because hopefully I’ll still get some residuals from it, which will keep me going while I’m not working!”

Phyllis left Scotland in her mid-20s to successfully crack London, having quickly made a name for herself after graduating from the RSAMD in Glasgow.

Having worked on stage in Dundee and Edinburgh, she won a BAFTA for Most Outstanding Newcomer To Film for her role as Janie in her first film, Another Time, Another Place, in 1984.

Other film roles include the Mike Leigh movie, Secrets & Lies. Prior to Downton Abbey, she was best known for playing Lady Jane Feisham in Lovejoy, opposite Ian McShane.

And while it’s been many years since she last worked in Scotland, she does return as often as possible.

“It’s impossible just now, but I try to come back regularly,” she said. “My sister is in Prestwick, my nephew is in Broughty Ferry and I have relatives in Johnstone. I’m looking forward to when I can come back.

“As far as working on a Scottish production, I’m always open to offers. I’ve been speaking to people working in the production side who had moved to London from Scotland for work, and they’re now heading back to make their lives there because enough is happening in Scotland to make it viable.

“That’s encouraging that there’s work to be had, and hopefully that will continue once we’re over this.”

(x)

#phyllis logan #highland vet #quarantine life #downton abbey

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lolob-plays · 3 years

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OUR MAIN SIM.

💜Selene (Seh-Lean), Meaning "Moon" In Greek The Name Of The Greek Titan Of The Moon, Is The Youngest Of The Moon Sisters. Selene Was Born Into A Household Full Of Love In The Fashion District Of San Myshuno, Where It Wasn’t Strange To See Her Parents Be Affectionate. Selene And Her Sister Were Raised To Be Strong And Independent Women Who Weren’t Afraid To Have Opinions. Through Out Her Childhood Selene Fell In Love With Creativity. She Loved To Visit The Arts Quarter In San Myshuno, With Its Plaza, The Arts Centre Casbah Gallery And Hijinks And Humour Festival. After High School, Selene Got A Scholarship To Do A Distinguished Arts History Degree At The University Of Britechester. After Getting Her Diploma Selene Moved To The Arts District And Joined The Interior Decorator Career. Selene Was Happy With Her Life And Her Choices, Then One Day She Got A Job To Create A Greenhouse And Creative Space For The Tinker Family In Evergreen Harbour. During The Job Selene Befriended Tina Tinker, Tina Begun To Talk Of Crafting And Gardening And How Important The Environment Was. That Was A Discussion She Was Aware Of As Her Mother Was A Staunch Campaigner For Sulani And Was Even A Conservationist, So The Importance Of The Environment Was Drilled Into Selene But It Was A Message She Forgot. Tina Invited Selene To Her Newly Created Club, The Green Thumbs, A Group Who Garden, Craft And Fish. Selene Very Quickly Fell In Love With This Lifestyle. Her Dreams Changed From Living In The Art Quarter And Being Just Like Her Neighbour And Close Friend, Patina Wainscot. To Wanting To Live In Henford-On-Bagley And Raising Animals And Crops With Her Friends And Family. After Getting Encouragement From Her Mother, Selene Quit Her Job And Moved To Evergreen Harbour. One Day At A Club Meeting Tina Introduced A New Member A Man Named Gabriel Angel (Perfect I Know), The Pair Hit It Off Immediately. Tina Also Announced After Months Of IVF Her And Her Wife Were Expecting So While Remaining In The Club She Was Stepping Down As Leader, The Club Voted Unanimously For Selene To Be The New Group Leader. After Spending Spooky Day, Harvest Day, Winter Fest, New Years Eve And Mardi Gras Together Selene And Gabriel Officially Got Together. As They Begun Their Life Together Their Home Got To Small. While Continuously Saving To Move To Henford-On-Bagley, The Pair Decided To Relocate To Brindleton Bay. In The First Week The Pair Befriended Then Adopted A Stray And Got Engaged. Shortly After Getting Engaged Selene Conceived Her Daughter Sage Moon, Sage Was An Unexpected Blessing As Selene And Gabriel Wanted To Wait Until They Moved To Henford-On-Bagley Before Starting Their Family But The Simverse Had Other Plans(or Their Benevolent God Forgot To Turn Off Risky Woohoo They Were Messing About With).

#selene moon #the moon family #ts4 legacy #legacy #sims 4 #the sims 4 #sims i have made #meet the moons

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cave-of-the-owl-witch · 4 years

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What are you planning to be this Halloween? (Roulette. Or all if you’re up to it : P)

“Mmm... something classy and understated,” Oswald said, hardly looking up from his newspaper. “Masquerade styles are always in vogue, you know. An elegant mask, some fall foliage in my boutonniere, perhaps swap my customary black tie for a more festive orange...why, I could even match it to my hat band and pocket square.”

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“I haven’t really thought about it this year; we Gremlins have been pretty busy lately,” Gus lamented. “I suppose if I don’t come up with anything else, I could always be a classic sheet ghost. Oh, or maybe some sort of imp? I’ve already got the horns, after all, so all I would really need is some face paint and a tail.”

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“I was thinking about going as a detective. I’ve been reading a lot of “who dunnit?” mysteries again, and it’s really got my imagination going,” Starchy said, giddily rubbing his hands together.

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“Actually, I was thinking about maybe exploring the Internet for ideas. But, um... I kind of don’t want to go alone, considering how big the place is,” Felix said, scuffing the dirt with his shoe. “I’ll have to see if Ralph or Tammy want to come, too. Or maybe one of my buddies from Tapper’s.”

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Sawyer shrugged. “Dunno-- I’m probably working that weekend anyway. Maybe I’ll wear a jack-o-lantern shirt, or one of those stupid headbopper things.”

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“That’s a good question. I’m torn between a screaming banshee, a horrible slug beast, or a skin monster with way too many teeth,” Cybil sighed. “It’ll depend on what I have time to make after I finish my next film; it’s set to premier the week before Halloween, so I’m kind of in crunch mode right now.”

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“I’m glad you asked, darlin’! See, I plan on appearing in full costume as the dashing Commodore Kelvin, to promote my latest movie: Star Jammin’,” Grooves enthused, even less able to sit still than usual. “Oooooh, it’ll be a smash hit! And it’s comin’ to a theater near you this holiday season!:

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“I’m kind of leaning ghost pirate,” Gyro hummed. “I’m still working on that deep sea exploration vessel, so I’ve had the ocean on my mind for months.”

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“I might dust off my old cowboy getup,” Launchpad mused. “Since it’s on a Saturday, I’ve gotta lead a Junior Woodchucks meeting that afternoon and I don’t want to scare the younger kids.”

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Commander Nebula huffed. “I’m dressing up as a Space Ranger, just like I do every other day of the year. And if I catch anyone goofing off or wearing anything other than their uniform while they’re on duty, they’ll be scrubbing the cruisers until they sparkle-- save that tomfoolery for after your shifts!”

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“Unfortunately, I cannot dress up; All Hallow’s Eve is when the veil between worlds is thinnest, which means a spike in interdimensional crimes. I will likely be spending those 24 hours hunting down rogue trolls or chasing after cultists who try to summon the Old Ones,” Three Meat sighed.

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Shadow grinned, revealing each and every one of her shiny, pointy teeth.

“Why dress up when I’m already perfect the way I am?” she giggled. “Meaty doesn’t like it much, but nobody questions a cat out and about on Halloween. Maybe I’ll crash a costume contest or two.”

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“Well... a few of the other elves have started to embrace the holiday-- goodness knows everyone wants pumpkin spice and spooky treats this time of year-- but I don’t think I know anyone who will actually be dressing up,” Jubilee hummed, cutting out some bat-shaped sugar cookies. “Halloween is so close to Christmas, and September through November is when we’re at our busiest.”

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Gourdon draped himself lackadaisically across a tree stump, resting his head in one of his vine-like hands.

“Oh yes, I’ve heard of this custom. We have a similar holiday where I’m from; it’s a sort of merging of Fae tradition with mortal agricultural superstitions. Fae would go out in disguise to have fun without their deeds being tied back to them and reflecting poorly on their courts, while farmers of other races would hold autumn festivals where they would bless their harvests to protect them from thieves, destruction, and evil spirits. Both customs involved drinking and revelry, so it’s really no surprise that they adopted elements from one another over the centuries.”

“As for dressing up... well, ideally, I won’t be seen at all,” he chuckled mischievously.

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“What am I planning to... be?” Beckett repeated, blinking owlishly. “I’m afraid I don’t understand the question. Also, what’s Halloween?”

#anonymous #Party in the Cave; Everyone #long post

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lavnderkiwi · 4 years

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Community OC asks! What is some original lore you added to the Arcana-verse with your character? (locations, cultures, magic, etc) Tell us about it!

Ooooh yay~ This is gonna be super long so sorry about that

Location:

Amry's tribe (the Kajruti) are actually from a different place (that's why they had to take a month long boat ride just to get to Nevivon and it took another few weeks to get to Vesuvia. Most of the forest which the tribe was originally from has now been cut down and turned into a relatively large town named Violetgrove which was named after all of the violets growing just outside of the town near a large oak tree (this is due to Amry's magic from when she buried her uncle and decided to use her magic to grow violets near his grave...which happens to be right under the oak tree.) AHH I FORGOT TO ADD SOMETHING: The town sees the oak tree as sacred so they haven't cut it down yet. For a while the violets stopped popping up around the tree but recently, they started up again (this totally due to Amry's death and resurrection as her magic is still causing violets to grow)

Besides that town, there are other small villages and towns that dot the land. There is one town that's near the water called Lakefall (which...is poorly named since it's by the sea and not a lake lol.) This is where Amry's family stowed away on the boat to get to Nevivon. Since they're near the water, they deal mostly with trading and were the first town to have a stable currency which they call "xatris".

Culture/Traditions/Myths:

The Kajruti had many traditions, myths, and beliefs. For example, they believed in many gods and goddesss. Rimis, Goddess Of The Land and Vaohr, God Of Magic are two of the many. They believed that Rimis led their ancestors to the forest and they believed that Rimis took the form of a Puma and watched over them from the trees. Though since the Linota family seemed to be the only surviving members of the tribe, that belief has been...almost abandoned. Though Skye (Amry's mother) still told stories about Rimis to Amry from time to time. These stories were mostly about how Rimis created the lands and how she protected the land from harm. Needless to say, Rimis was loved by the tribe.

Vaohr on the other hand, was feared. Though he seen as the god of ALL magic (white, black, etc.), the tribe believed that if any member of the tribe tried to use their magic for evil deeds, they would be punished harshly by Vaohr. They'd often tell children spooky stories about how Vaohr would come from his plain to punish them should they use their magic to hurt their friends. This kept the children from sparking a fire under the other tribe members butts but also stopped them from potentially learning about and using black magic, something that only the shamans and leader of the tribe had full knowledge of.

As for their traditions, they had plenty. Every full moon, they would have a large feast to celebrate Vaohr as a way to appease the god. They would also practice their magic on these days and would even have competitions for the kids to see who excelled at what kind of magic. Weddings happened at dawn as the tribe believed that getting married during that time would mean that the goddess of dawn would bless them with a good future.

When the babies were born, the fathers would travel deep into the forest to pick out a perfect flower. They would then come back, crush up the petals and essentially paint the babies face with it. This was seen them using what Rimis created to protect the baby from all types of harm.

The Kajruti didn't have any signed gender roles They alternated a lot. The leaders always weren't all men. A lot of them were actually women (and powerful women at that. Their last leader was badass in her youth. Think Morga but less intimidating.)

Magic:

The magic the tribe used the most were elemental (earth, fire, water, air), healing, alchemy, and even had scryers. Scryers however, were very rare within the tribe and so only a few were able to harness this power. Like i mentioned earlier, the shamans and leaders knew a lot about black magic. How they knew so much, no one knew. They pretty much banned a lot of black magic from the tribe and only used a tiny bit of it when necessary. Amry's mother and uncle excelled in healing magic while Jade (Amry's aunt) excelled in fire magic (she's the reason why Amry knows fire magic like the back of her hand.) Her father was never talented in regards to magic but during his time at the magic shop, he did help make potions.

Appearances:

So the Kajruti's outfits are kinda inspired by african tribes clothing so they wore a lot of earthy tones but also a lot of bright tones. They dyed their clothes with plants, flowers, and berries. Their clothes were pretty simple and often were just tunics or simple bandeau's with medium length skirts. It really depended on the person and what they wanted to wear.

During their rituals or feasts, they would adorn themselves with handmade jewels and would use either clay (when they could find it) or berries to paint dots around and under their eyes and under their lips down to ther chins.

Anywaaays, this was a lot but i hope this was a good enough answer! The traditions and stuff is something that i'll have to revisit again once i build the tribe and their background some more but hopefully this was good enough for now

#the arcana #amry the apprentice #the arcana apprentice #fan apprentice #amry asks #this techincally isnt fully about amry but whatever

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aion-rsa · 3 years

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Best Thanksgiving Movies to Watch This Holiday Season

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This year marks a unique Thanksgiving, to be sure. With the pandemic carrying on, families and loved ones across the United States are testing out new ways to celebrate a national holiday that might be best described as food, football, and then, of course, more food. For some that means outdoor gatherings are the order of the day; for others it will mean the first time you might be cutting turkey while wearing a mask.

However you might wish to celebrate the holiday though, gathering with loved ones around a movie never goes out of style. For that reason, we’ve gathered the best Thanksgiving movies to choose from. Some of these films are truly beloved holiday classics, and others might be less obviously about Thanksgiving, even as they wear their affection for the holiday on their sleeves. And yet others still will offer the rare respite: a streak of cynicism for those who think Thanksgiving is for the birds. So pass the potatoes and enjoy a helping of good cinematic cheer below.

Addams Family Values (1991)

Addams Family Values might seem an unusual choice, but then everything about this one is unusual, right down to it being the rare comedy sequel that is superior to its predecessor. That success is in no small part due to the filmmakers realizing Christina Ricci, who made her big break playing the morbid Wednesday Addams, was devastating in her deadpan delivery.

Movies

How 1991’s The Addams Family Nearly Got Derailed

By Simon Brew

Movies

The Addams Family and Their Spooky New Jersey Origins

By Aaron Sagers

Thus Wednesday gets half the film to herself in this one, and we’re thankful for it. With Addams Family Values, she’s forced to endure the dreariness of summer camp and its middle class morality, right down to them holding a Thanksgiving pageant in July. Surrounded by smiling rich white kids who cast Wednesday as Pocahontas (who, it should be said, was not in New England or at the first Thanksgiving), Wednesday takes the opportunity to keep it real about Thanksgiving.

“My people will have pain and degradation,” Wednesday hisses in her last minute rewrite. “Your people will have stick shifts. The gods of my tribe have spoken. They say do not trust the Pilgrims, especially Sarah Miller. And for all these reasons I’ve decided to scalp you.”

The chaos that ensues is delightful. Happy Thanksgiving, folks!

Alice’s Restaurant

Alice’s Restaurant is an inadvertent Thanksgiving comedy directed by Arthur Penn, who re-envisioned Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow as counterculture antiheroes in his 1967 gangster classic, Bonnie and Clyde. Penn did the same with Arlo Guthrie, the son of folk hero Woody Guthrie, the committed anti-fascist who wrote “This Land is Our Land.” The film is based on Arlo Guthrie’s 1967 folk song “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree,” which was about Alice and a restaurant. The restaurant wasn’t called “Alice’s Restaurant.”

That’s just the name of the song, which is very talky, like the movie, which is also pretty violent and fairly drug-fueled. The film doesn’t start on Thanksgiving, but at an army recruitment center, where Arlo, playing himself, is trying to avoid the draft. Turns out he’s got no good reason to stay out of the war.

The Thanksgiving setting, however, gives the film its purpose, and main reason to be thankful. The main plot involves getting rid of some trash after a holiday dinner. Arlo and his friends load a couple months’ worth of garbage into their red VW microbus, along with “shovels, and rakes, and other implements of destruction,” and head to the city dump, which is closed for Thanksgiving. They’d never heard of a dump closed on Thanksgiving before, so with tears their eyes, they drive off to find another place to put the garbage.

It takes Arlo 18 minutes and 21 seconds to tell the plot in the song, in intermittent three-part harmony, but the gist is: he gets arrested for littering, and his criminal record keeps him out of the draft. With it, Penn turns Guthrie into one of the most mild-mannered antiheroes in counterculture cinema. He’s not moral enough to join the army, burn women, kids, houses, and villages because he’s a litterbug.

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

Perhaps not quite as iconic as the legendary A Charlie Brown Christmas or It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, the third Peanuts holiday special (and 10th Peanuts animated special overall) is still just as charming, wholesome, and satisfying as its predecessors. Once again written by Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz and directed by Bill Melendez, the show has been a November staple on TV for decades since first airing in 1973.

This time out, Charlie Brown (voiced by Todd Barbee) and his sister Sally (Hilary Momberger) are getting ready to go to their grandmother’s house for Thanksgiving when one by one, all their friends invite themselves over to his house—despite the fact that Charlie Brown can only make “cold cereal and maybe toast.” It all gets sorted out in the end, and it’s all the little jokes, the delightful voices, and the unforgettable music by Vince Guaraldi that makes this a perennial favorite.

The Fantastic Mr. Fox

There isn’t so much as a mention of Thanksgiving in Wes Anderson’s stop motion masterpiece. Yet, somehow, it’s impossible to watch The Fantastic Mr. Fox and not have late autumn brought to mind. Is it the carefully chosen fall color palette that’s all sunsets and foliage? Is it the warm familial vibe of the Foxes and their neighbors that makes you miss big get-togethers? Is it the impeccably dressed cast of animal characters, all resplendent in corduroy, flannel, and tweed, quietly shaming you with their perfect sartorial choices? Or perhaps it’s simply their ravenous eating habits that puts you in the right frame of mind.

With little resemblance to the Roald Dahl book it’s based on, The Fantastic Mr. Fox is instead one of the most perfect encapsulations of Anderson’s eye for (some might say obsession with) the little details. And it’s those little details, even more than its fuzzy animal characters, that make this perhaps the coziest of the director’s efforts. Alternately exuberant and melancholy (just like the holiday itself), and with numerous scenes of beautifully plated gluttonous excess, it’s remarkable that this movie hasn’t already been adopted as an unofficial icon of the season. Let’s start that campaign right here, shall we?

Hannah and Her Sisters

The movie that won Michael Caine and Dianne Wiest Oscars, Hannah and Her Sisters is a story about family framed between two Thanksgivings and the year that connects them. With a meticulous insight about the highs and anxieties of upper-middle class life among Manhattan intellectuals, the film is really the travails of Hannah (Mia Farrow) and her sisters Holly (Dianne Wiest) and Lee (Barbara Hershey). There’s also the lust of Hannah’s husband Elliot (Caine), who pursues an affair with Lee, but the film is mostly told from the vantage of three women of varying ages struggling with how they see themselves and their lives in a year of New York living.

Writer-director Woody Allen is here too as a hanger-on in this family, who’s struggling with his own fears of death, but his and Elliot’s roles are ultimately as outside observers who arrive every Thanksgiving to watch the sisters and their parents renew their family ties… and close ranks.

Home for the Holidays

One that feels particularly timely as 2020 adults hole up in their childhood homes for Thanksgiving and beyond, director Jodie Foster’s underrated family gathering comedy wallows in the downsides of going home. The film stars Holly Hunter as a woman who’s lost her job and is growing apart from her teenage daughter (Claire Danes). But all of that pales in comparison to spending Thanksgiving with her parents (Anne Bancroft and Charles Durning), plus younger brother Robert Downey Jr.

The Best Thanksgiving TV Episodes

By Alec Bojalad

Movies

The Long History of Mystery Science Theater 3000 and Thanksgiving

By Gavin Jasper

It’s a familiar setup, but Thanksgiving is a time of being with those you’re familiar with, whether you like it or not. Plus, as a comedy it also has the still vital message of counting your blessings.

The Ice Storm

Based on Rick Moody’s acclaimed 1994 novel, director Ang Lee’s (Brokeback Mountain) masterful adaptation is a scathing portrait of upper middle class suburban life in the early 1970s, when all the experimentation in the world with drugs, alcohol, and sex couldn’t quite stop anyone from feeling like their lives and society were unmoored.

Like other dramas that take place around Thanksgiving, there’s very little to actually be thankful for: the characters (played with flair by Sigourney Weaver, Kevin Kline, Joan Allen, Tobey Maguire, and others) are all trapped in emotional black holes of their own making.

Similarly, all the decadence and crazy fashions/trends of that surreal decade can’t replace the feeling that something has gone dreadfully wrong. Lee–before he became obsessed with the latest camera technology–charts this all with patience, empathy, and precision.

Knives Out

Okay, so Rian Johnson’s brilliant little whodunit isn’t actually set on Thanksgiving, but it sure feels like it is and was released around the holiday on Nov. 27, 2019 (God, that feels like a century ago). So… close enough. And while the family gathering at the center of the story is for a patriarch’s birthday, it certainly resembles the kind of large family assembly many hold at Thanksgiving, right down to feeling like it could end in murder.

Movies

Knives Out and the Villainy of Privilege

By Kayti Burt

Movies

Knives Out: When Murder Makes You a Better Person

By Natalie Zutter

The murder in question, of course, is that of mystery novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer), and it’s up to gentleman detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) to figure out which of his many bickering, backbiting, scheming descendants might have had a hand in it. Perhaps Harlan’s nurse Marta (Ana de Armas) can help since the clan insists “she’s like part of the family.”

All that’s really missing is the turkey. The knives are out, in abundance.

The Last Waltz

Perhaps no title card in cinematic history deserves to be heeded more than the one which opens The Last Waltz: “This film should be played loud.”

Not just the greatest concert film ever made. Not only the greatest rock documentary of all time. The Last Waltz may lay claim to being the only movie of any stature literally filmed on Thanksgiving. Martin Scorsese shot The Band’s farewell concert on Thanksgiving Day, 1976, where the audience of 5,000 was served a literal Thanksgiving dinner in addition to an unforgettable night of music by some of the most legendary performers of the 20th century.

Culture

The Last Waltz: Martin Scorsese’s Ultimate Rock n’ Roll Movie

By Tony Sokol

Culture

New Deep Purple Album Whoosh! Coming in June

By Tony Sokol

But this is no mere concert film. Being treated to a document of such legendary musicians at the height of their powers would make this important enough, but when it’s shot, lit, and edited by Scorsese, and with The Band joined by towering guest stars like Muddy Waters, Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, and many more, The Last Waltz becomes one of the most powerful musical statements ever committed to film. Scorsese breaks up the performances with members of The Band reflecting on their career, and even in these quieter moments, The Last Waltz radiates the power and danger of a life lived on the road, in seedy dives, and storied ballrooms.

When you’ve had your fill of football and family for the night, pour yourself a glass of something good and do exactly as that opening title card says.

Miracle on 34th Street

Yes, yes, technically speaking Miracle on 34th Street is a Christmas movie. But it is definitely worth noting that the film actually spends more screen time on the actual Thanksgiving holiday than Christmas Day. Indeed, the picture opens with the now legendary Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. In the ultimate stroke of product placement, Macy’s New York City shindig got nationwide attention on the big screen, even as the movie focuses on the department store hiring the wrong Santa Claus for its festivities.

Arriving drunk and disgraceful to Macy’s preparations, an inebriated mall Santa creates an opportunity for a man who calls himself Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn) to step in. Kris is passing through, presumably doing some holiday shopping ahead of his own big day in December. But upon seeing his personage so besmirched, he demands to take Santa’s reins and in the process saves Thanksgiving. We also see how this affects the turkey time of the film’s central mother and daughter team, played by Maureen O’Hara and Natalie Wood.

Mistress America

Sometimes Thanksgiving can be quiet and intimate… and desperately needed. That’s the case of the end to Noah Baumbach’s effervescent Mistress America. A mostly successful attempt at emulating 1930s screwball comedy for literary millennials, Mistress America is a clever throwback set during autumn in New York City and, tellingly, a trip to the suburbs of Connecticut. But by movie’s end, protagonists Tracy (Lola Kirke) and Brooke (Greta Gerwig) find themselves alone and isolated in the big city on Thanksgiving. They also thus discover an excuse to reconcile after grievances drove them apart, breaking bread at a restaurant down the street. It’s downbeat, but emotionally cathartic for both the characters and film.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

As the late John Hughes’ masterpiece, Planes, Trains and Automobiles is the quintessential “get home in time for the holiday” tale. Steve Martin is Neal, a stressed-out marketing exec who picks up an accidental travel companion in Del (John Candy), a well-meaning but oafish shower curtain ring salesman. As the two struggle to get back to Chicago in time for Thanksgiving amidst a string of misadventures and transportation issues, an eventual friendship forms, leading to a moving conclusion.

Planes was a step forward for Hughes as he began to move away from teen comedies, and the movie’s balance of humor and heart was perfectly complemented by the dynamic comedic chemistry of Martin and Candy. The latter probably had his best role ever in Del Griffith, and it’s a tribute to both actors and Hughes that each lead character can be annoying yet is never unlikable.

Movies

Christmas Movies on Disney+ Streaming Guide

By David Crow

Movies

Christmas Movies: A Complete Holiday Streaming Guide

By Alec Bojalad

Hilarious and poignant, this mix of buddy picture and road movie is a near-perfect treat for the season—or any time.

Prisoners

We wouldn’t exactly call Prisoners ideal holiday viewing. It’s set at Thanksgiving and immediately afterwards, although there isn’t much cheer during most of the film’s harrowing 153 minutes. The movie opens with a Thanksgiving dinner involving two Pennsylvania families, a pleasant ritual that soon turns nightmarish when two little girls—one from each clan—go missing. From that point onward, the story becomes a downward psychological spiral in which the search for the girls takes a terrible toll on all caught in its wake.

The first Hollywood studio film directed by French-Canadian filmmaker Denis Villeneuve (who has since gifted us with films like Sicario, Arrival, Blade Runner 2049, and next year’s Dune), Prisoners is a brutal, emotionally complex thriller that maintains a high level of suspense and dread over its formidable running time.

Featuring excellent performances from Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Terrence Howard, and others, it may not be the kind of cheery escapism we often seek out at the holidays. But it will leave you deeply thankful for the good things in your own life.

Rocky and Rocky II

“To you it’s Thanksgiving, to me it’s Thursday,” Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) tells Adrian Pennino (Talia Shire) as they hit the streets for their first date in Rocky. That date wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for the tougher than tough love of Adrian’s brother Paulie (Burt Young). He gave them no alternative but to go out when he tossed the Thanksgiving turkey his sister slaved over all day out the side door. What followed was one of the best first date scenes in film.

It doesn’t seem like Rocky and Adrian have a lot to be thankful for. She says her daddy told her to develop her brains because she’d never get by on her looks. Rocky says he’s so dumb he couldn’t hope to be anything else but a fighter, which is halfway to being a bum.

While the scenes surrounding the ice skating rink date aren’t only some of the most romantic sequences captured on celluloid, they culminate in one of hottest. This is all before Rocky is even approached to fight the heavyweight champ of the world. The battered underdog Rocky stays on his feet until the final bell, and an almost equally bashed Apollo Creed, who barely held onto his title belt, swears he never wants a rematch.

Culture

Could Rocky Balboa Really Have Gone the Distance?

By Tony Sokol

Movies

The Top 10 Carl Weathers Movie and TV roles

By Wil Jones

Apollo takes that rematch when he defends his title in Rocky II. The fight is set for Thanksgiving Day, and Rocky knocks the stuffing out of that turkey, and laps up the gravy. Many of the Rocky movies, including Creed, opened on Thanksgiving weekends, and are perfect “date movies.” The main bouts may focus on two fighters, but the love stories, starting with the one between Rocky and Adrian, are tenderer than the bird Paulie tossed in the alley.

Spider-Man

The original Spider-Man really is a superhero movie for all seasons. With its romantic and old-fashioned photography of New York City in the spring and autumn, the picture runs the calendar’s gamut in its storytelling of the webslinger’s first year on the job. But it also pivots on a rather eventful Thanksgiving dinner.

Movies

Why Spider-Man 2’s Train Fight is Superhero Cinema’s Greatest Action Scene

By Mark Harrison

Movies

Sam Raimi Spider-Man Trilogy Writer David Koepp Reveals Original Plans

By Joseph Baxter

Fresh off Spider-Man (Tobey Maguire) refusing to team up with the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), and after a blow up at a not-Macy’s Day Parade in Times Square, the pair’s alter-egos unwittingly meet up for Thanksgiving in Peter Parker’s apartment. It’s a swanky bachelor pad he shares with Harry Osborn (James Franco). But even with Aunt May (Rosemary Harris) and Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst) there to give it some holiday warmth, things get frosty when Dafoe’s patriarchal Norman realizes the kid passing him the cranberries is his mortal enemy. Awkward.

And yes, nearly 20 years later this strangely does feel like a holiday movie, doesn’t it?

ThanksKilling

This film is terrible. An exploitative C-cheapie horror where a turkey possessed by a demon with a smart mouth hunts and murders coeds. But if that’s your jam… well, it exists.

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luhvelight · 4 years

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Hi I would love to get a spring equinox reading ❤️ My initials are KH and I have a Cancer sun, Pisces moon, and Scorpio Rising Thank you so much sweetheart for doing these free readings!!!

Hello KH! and you are very welcome love! I appreciate you following me and I love seeing your name pop up in my notifications <3

Maia will be watching over you:

🧚🏼‍♀️Maia is considered to be a Earth Goddess and is also the Goddess of Springtime! At one point in time Maia became closely linked to “Bona Dea”, which translates to a “Good Goddess”. She is the deity of all flowers and strongly represents an increase, a gain or growth of some kind. She is also the Mother of the God Hermes and at one point was only accessible to woman through prayer. Maia maybe telling you that in the Spring of 2020 you may go though a change that will make you grow as a person or you should be expecting abundance of some kind. Maia is also independent, sure of herself and extremely playful. With Maia watching over you, you may notice that she will make your life lighter and like you are sleeping on a cloud. You can honor Maia by celebrating her in the month of May! You can celebrate Maia by purchasing flowers or planting seeds (if you want to do this, please order the materials online). You can also bake cute pastries or put honey in your tea. Most importantly, Maia would just want you to perform kind and gentle acts on yourself.

Four Leaf Clover will bring you flourishment:

🍀 Congratulations on receiving the very first good luck charm! The four leaf clover is a plant and not a flower, but it is a symbol that brings an immense amount of blessings. Since four leaf clovers are sometimes a rare find for some individuals, you may notice that within the coming weeks you might begin to notice four leaf clovers. Its said that each clover represents hope, luck, faith and love. It is also said that a person who finds a four leaf clover is highly connected to the spiritual world and the Earth in general. With Maia being your deity, you maybe getting encouraged to focus on how you can connect to the Earth element more. Either way, receiving the four leaf clover is an assuring sign that you will receive not only one blessing, but four of them! An abundance of good fortune will be coming your way and could take many forms. Make sure to express gratitude for these blessings so that more will come your way :) I also get the sense that a four leaf clover is a sign that a wish will be granted, so watch out for that as well!

Rose Quartz will bring you protection:

💖Rose Quartz is a commonly used crystal and is most present in rituals or ceremonies that involve love. In your case, receiving the Rose Quartz is perfect because it will enhance that love in your life. This love could mean self love, romantic love, familial love or even love for a pet. It will encourage you to be compassionate, understanding and empathetic. It will also protect you against anyone who is attempting to drain your energy or is toxic! You can purchase the crystal in its purest form or you can buy rose quartz jewelry. If you want to get the full effects of the crystal, you could try meditating with it.

Pot of Gold is a spring symbol that represents you:

🌈 Congratulations on receiving the second good luck charm (this is so amazing the connections you are getting!). The pot of gold is known to appear at the rainbows end. Its a strong symbolization of our hopes and dreams. Receiving the pot of gold and the four leaf clover tells me that all your hard work will be paid off very soon (even if you feel like you cant see the end). And this work doesnt have to just mean school-work or career-work, it could mean a project at home you were working on, a hobby you have been excelling in, exercising or even you working on self love. Overall, you will finally start to see the positive effects of your work! I also want to repeat again that receiving this good luck charm could mean that a lot of your wishes will most definitely come true!!

for an extra message I pulled The World in reverse:

🔮Receiving the reverse World really connects and concludes everything I have been saying (it is just beyond spooky at this point to how much all of your symbols are strongly linked to one another). Receiving the World suggests to me that there is an external factor that maybe pulling you away from your focus. This factor could be a person or another task that you havent completed. The World also suggests that you are extremely close to reaching a goal, you never thought you would finish but once again, this external factor could be stopping you from doing so. It is really important that before we move onto the next best thing, we have moved on from people or situations that no longer serve us. This is so that when you have completed your long time project, you could relish in your success and achievements. You could recognize the power, the intelligence you hold and be more accepting of the Universe’s blessings as well.

#free tarot reading #free tarot readings #spring equinox

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vateacancameos · 5 years

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Chapters: 1/1 Words: 2263 Fandom: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Aziraphale & Crowley (Good Omens), Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens) Characters: Aziraphale (Good Omens), Crowley (Good Omens) Additional Tags: Autumn, Post-Canon, Fluff, Domestic Fluff, So much fluff your teeth will ache, Gen or Pre-Slash, we'll be getting into slash territory in the rest of this series, adorable Aziraphale, cranky crowley, but not really, he's too busy having heart eyes to put in the effort, Footnotes, gross overuse of footnotes, my footnotes have footnotes, buckle in people Series: Part 1 of Ineffable Seasons

Summary: Aziraphale coos all over autumn and Crowley tries to pretend he doesn't find it adorable.

Story:

Aziraphale takes a deep breath, a smile on his face, his whole being practically glowing. It’s disgusting. Crowley glances away so he can’t be pulled further into the entrancing vision in front of him. But he looks back as soon as his best friend begins speaking.

“Oh, isn’t it glorious? The crisp temperatures, the smell of falling leaves. Jumpers and cider. And pumpkins.” At this final word, Aziraphale breaks his beatific pose—hands clasped in front of his chest, the sun hitting behind him at just the right angle to give him a halo—Hela,[1] did this angel have no shame—to crouch down and pick up a pumpkin in front of him. He holds it under his arm and throws another smile at Crowley, which has Crowley sighing and rolling his eyes to once again protest this whole silly endeavor. How he’d let himself get roped into this inane activity, he’ll never know.[2]

[1] Crowley, tired of trying to figure out which entity to use when he experiences feelings, has recently started using made-up gods instead, starting with the gods of the underworlds. He hasn’t found one that works yet, but he’s willing to try them all if necessary.

[2] It certainly has nothing to do with the strategically sweet and pleading face that had greeted him when he’d entered the bookshop to pick up his favorite angel[3] for lunch.

[3] The only angel he even deigns to like, in point of fact.

“Seriously, angel?” Crowley asks, sliding his sunglasses down just far enough to allow Aziraphale to see the disbelief in his eyes. “Autumn is terrible. Now winter, that’s the best season. Everyone harried and worried about money. Slushy rain and wet socks. Furnaces that stall or overheat. People stuck in their houses wearing terrible jumpers, forced to interact with family members they hate. Shoveling snow, if you live in a place that has that. Yeah, winter is a good one …” He lets himself grow nostalgic, remembering his favorite winters past.

“Oh pish. I’ve seen you light up like a child when seeing Christmas light displays. The closest you get to Scrooge is as him on Christmas morning, buying up roasted meat for the poor children of this world,” Aziraphale argues with a fond eye roll.[4]

[4] Let the reader note that, in fact, the closest Crowley gets to Scrooge is when David Tennant voices Scrooge McDuck on the DuckTales revival, including a great Christmas episode that employs meta jokes that reference Doctor Who, another popular show David Tennant played a part in. This author suggests you check out both shows if you have not yet done so. She’ll wait for you to get back. Okay, back now? Good. That was fun, wasn’t it?

“That’s not– Ngh– I do n–. Stop it right now, or I’ll shove you into the back of the Bentley and take you right back to your bookshop, no cider and certainly no pumpkins.”

Aziraphale’s mouth drops open, and Hades help him, Crowley can’t tell how real or manufactured the look is. The angel often does an amazing impression of being completely innocent, but there are times that his naivety is real.

“You wouldn’t dare. You’re too–”

“Bless it,[5] angel, if you say nice–”

[5] Sometimes Crowley forgets and falls back on old curses and blesses. He’s been using them for millennia, after all.

[read the rest under the cut or over at ao3.]

Aziraphale shoots him an exasperated look. “Of course not. I was going to say you’re too invested in teasing me for my every autumnal exclamation today to back out now.” He raises an eyebrow in challenge.

Dear Persephone, he’s right. From the moment Aziraphale had asked for a ride to the autumn festival/pumpkin patch monstrosity,[6] Crowley had been coming up with ways to tease him for his love of the season and all its trappings.[8]

[6] Complete with corn maze, cider, too many games involving gourds, and a—he can’t believe he’s even thinking of it—a hayride. Really, humans are far better than he is at inventing pure misery.[7]

[7] Let the author again note how amazing she thinks autumn is. That being said, hayrides are itchy, dusty, and bumpy, and you’re stuck sitting far too close to excitedly screeching children. She doesn’t blame Crowley for hating them.

[8] Just wait until Aziraphale turns the tables at Christmas.

Crowley acquiesces with a flop of his hand that he knows Aziraphale will read as both “Fine, fine, you caught me, I want to tease you,” and “Fine, let’s go look at these gourds you’re so interested in. Did you by any chance spend too much time in the New World back when it was still new?”[9]

[9] It was only new to the dumb, egotistical Europeans, though. It was plenty old to the native peoples of that continent by the time the Europeans showed up.

Aziraphale beams, gently placing the pumpkin back on the ground and dusting off his hands and jumper.

“Did you buy that jumper just for today?” Crowley asks as they begin strolling through the pumpkin patch/festival/field of torture. “I don’t think I’ve seen you in one before.”

Aziraphale somehow smiles even more brightly. Crowley is glad he’s wearing his sunglasses.[10] The angel pats the fuzzy, cabled, oatmeal affair covering his upper body. “Do you like it? I saw it in a window display and it just called to me. And it was right after the weather began to turn, and I just had to try it on. And then it was so soft and warm, I couldn’t not buy it. It’s like being wrapped in a hug.[11] I thought today would be the perfect time to debut it. It might get regular rotation with my jacket this autumn and winter.”

[10] To shade his eyes from the terrible angelic brilliance, of course. It has nothing to do with hiding his reaction to said smile.

[11] Crowley would love to be wrapped in a– nope. Nope. That thought will not see the light of day.

“Mm hm,” Crowley responds, quite brilliantly. “Oh look, the cider booth.”

“Oh! Cider? That sounds lov–”

“I’ll just get one for you, shall I?”

He hopes Aziraphale will find another squash to coo over, but he feels his presence next to him as soon as he’s queued up, but he’s cheerfully quiet. They wait in comfortable silence for the people in front of them to get their ciders, Aziraphale’s wide eyes taking in every aspect of the event, and Crowley softens. He enjoys teasing his best friend—doesn’t think their friendship would have survived without it, and truthfully Aziraphale can give as good as he gets, so he doesn’t feel guilty for it[12]—but he also does genuinely enjoy seeing Aziraphale enjoying himself. That smile can have Crowley walking on air for days, even when it isn’t directed at him. It’s the reason he asks the angel out to lunch so often, despite himself being the type to drink his meal rather than eat it. There’s nothing better than watching Aziraphale eat. Or find a new book to fall in love with. Or … yes, even enjoy this absolutely awful season they currently find themselves living in.

[12] Not that demons ever feel guilty. Crowley makes a single exception for back in the beginning and the thing with the humans and the apple. But they don’t talk about that.

They finally make it to the front of the queue, where Crowley asks for one cider, extra cinnamon, for Aziraphale, and one mulled wine[13] for himself.

[13] Which the vendor is surprised to find she has, despite winter still being a good few months away.

They start strolling again, and Crowley lets the angel choose the direction, following along, like he always does, as he always will do.

“I don’t understand it.”

“No surprise there, angel. You may be smart, but sometimes daily life confuses you.”

“Oh hush, you,” Aziraphale admonishes with no heat, patting Crowley’s arm, which has unknowingly been tucked into by Aziraphale’s non-cider-holding hand. That’s been happening a lot lately, but Crowley’s not about to call attention to it, lest it stop. “What I meant was, you said mere months ago that—and I quote—‘I like spooky.’ At the old satanic hospital in Tadfield, if you remember.”

“If I remember? As if I could forget any part of that God-forsaken[14] week.”

[14] Yeah, he means that appellation there. Do you hear that, God?[15]

[15] Yes, She hears that. The author (and Crowley) would do well to remember that the game She plays is complicated and ineffable, thank you very much.

“Well, anyway. That’s beside the point. The point is, you like spooky.” Here, Aziraphale punctuates his words with more arm pats. “And autumn is when Samhain[16] occurs. You can’t have spooky without autumn.

[16] Pronounced saah-wn. Not Sam-hain, like they said on Supernatural that one time, which shows how little research TV writers sometimes do. This author is not stupidly obsessed with this fact. At. All.

Crowley rolls his eyes. “Most spooky these days is over-manufactured swill sold to the masses for profit. It’s torture porn or silly ghosts. None of it frightens me.”[17]

[17] Except the current U.S. president. Now that shit’s scary.[18]

[18] Head office tried to give him a commendation for that whole debacle, but he noped right out of that one.

“Torture porn?” Aziraphale asks, a disgusted and confused wrinkle in his brow.

“Yeah, porn is a term current humans use to mean anything over-indulged in, but it has nothing to do with sexual acts. Well, most of it. Like, torture porn, food porn, space porn.” Aziraphale looks more disturbed the longer Crowley speaks, so he waves it away. “Never mind. I’m just saying, none of that manufactured spooky does anything for me.”

They come to a booth with caramel popcorn, and without even looking at his angel, Crowley signals for a bag, handing it over to Aziraphale as he counts out the correct number of coins. Aziraphale sighs happily and begins munching on it immediately.

“You’re just a stick-in-the-mud,” he says, going back to their conversation.

“Excuse me? I’m the stick-in-the-mud, Mr. I’ve-worn-the-same-jacket-for-one-hundred-and-eighty-years?”

“You’d do well to remember your car is ninety years old.”

“Practically new compared to your old smelly coat.”

Aziraphale’s jaw-drop this time is definitely not feigned. “You take that back. You said it looked good on me.”

“Yeah, in 1840.”

Aziraphale looks truly hurt. “It’s my favorite,” he says quietly, and Crowley relents. He can’t not, when he’s up against that face.

“It’s a nice coat, angel. But it’s good seeing you in something else for once.”

“Thank you, my dear. But the point is, you have no room to call me a stick-in-the-mud. Autumn is wonderful, and you can’t take that away from me.”

Crowley tries and fails to hide his smile. “How’s the popcorn?”

“Perfect!” Aziraphale says, the glow coming back to him. “This is all perfect. The weather could not be more beautiful or autumnal. I can smell spices and caramel and corn husks. The pumpkins look a particularly brilliant shade of orange this year. There are happy people all around. It’s lovely.”

Crowley looks around, seeing a particularly fiendish child twirling his unaware sister’s hair around a candied apple—who he silently cheers on—a small toddler screaming their head off when their parental figure offers them a pumpkin, a couple fighting near the corn maze. The stench of city and human beings is far too strong to be drowned by the sweets and spices, though it does fight for dominance with the moldering leaves blanketing the ground. And though the weather is nice now, he can see a storm building in the distance. They’d do well to hurry through the rest of the festival before they get caught in a chilly downpour.

But He won’t suggest this. He’ll follow his angel as he coos at the children posing for pictures with goofy scarecrows, as he bounces over to the candied apple vendor for a (non-twisted-in-hair) treat, as he begs with his soulful eyes for a hayride. He’ll follow his angel to the end of the world. He’s already done so, and he’d do it all over again if he had to. He’ll let them get caught in the freezing, miserable rain because Aziraphale is too taken with the pumpkin carving contest to notice the darkening clouds, though he will miracle them dry as soon as he’s able. He’ll follow his angel back into his shop, lugging the bag of things Aziraphale didn’t have enough arms to carry himself, and too big of eyes and stomach to not buy.

Aziraphale will light a fire, make two cups of whiskey-spiked chai, and wiggle his way into his favorite chair in the back room. Crowley will follow, landing on the sofa that has molded to his angles and long legs. They’ll talk about Poe and Mary Shelley. Crowley will talk Aziraphale into watching Young Frankenstein. Then Aziraphale will beg to be allowed to read aloud “The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar,”[19] and Crowley will concede it’s just a little spooky. Though only just a little.

And though he won’t say it out loud, Crowley will think that maybe, just maybe, autumn isn’t so bad, when you’ve got your favorite person by your side.

[19] Read it here.

#good omens #fanfic #autumn #autumn mood #ao3 #meagan writes

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talk-darcy-to-me · 5 years

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Lock Every Door by Riley Sager — 4⭐⁠

A huge thank you to @duttonbooks for offering me an E-ARC to review of this INCREDIBLE book. I immediately ran to the bookstore to pick up a copy after finishing so that I could own it.😍⁠⠀

This was my first book from Riley Sager and now I am so excited to pick up his other two books! The vibe was just so so good throughout the entire novel.⁠⠀

Lock Every Door follows Jules, a 25 year-old girl who is recently unemployed, boyfriendless and homeless. When she sees an ad in the newspaper for an apartment sitter at the Bartholomew, a famous building in NYC she's been obsessed with since her childhood, she jumps at the chance. $12,000 for three months of living in one of the coolest buildings in NYC? Yes please. But pretty soon she finds that this opportunity may be too good to be true...⁠⠀

If you love really atmospheric reads, you will adore this novel. It felt so paranormal and spooky and I loved the setting. It was hands down my favorite part of the entire book. The Bartholomew was grand, opulent and terrifying all at the same time. If you enjoyed the Death of Mrs. Westaway from Ruth Ware that came out last year, I think that you would also appreciate Lock Every Door. ⁠⠀

With all of that being said, the reveal left something to be desired. I wasn't a huge fan of it, but I can forgive the anticlimactic end because of the fantastic setting. I do wish there were more red herrings or plot twists along the way. In my opinion, it was a very A-Z mystery with the reveals being told rather than shown. Plus, the clean, wrapped up ending was not my cup of tea. ⁠

I absolutely can't wait to see what else Riley Sager blesses the book world with and am running to pick up Final Girls from the bookstore ASAP. It sounds perfect for a creepy fall read! ⁠⠀

#book review #books #bookstagram #bookworm #book aesthetic #bookphotography #livrestagram #fiction #reading #writing #review #bookish #booklr #book blog #booklover

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mychaosacademia-blog · 6 years

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Different jobs that My Hero Academia characters could have (as adults)

*LONG POST WARNING! MORE UNDER THE CUT*

1. Midoriya- The Good Cop™

Deku always wanted to save people and before One for All became a part of his life everyone advised him to simply go for the police. If he didn’t become a hero, he would probably become a policeman, and he’d probably make a damn good one, taking into account his perfect balance of righteousness, selflessness, and empathy. If all cops were like him, the world would be saved.

Midoriya: *holds back tears* I-it’s okay now... Because I am here...

2. Bakugou- The Impulsive Soldier

Is there any job that Bakugou could like doing more than fighting? He could initially struggle with being at the very bottom of the military hierarchy, but being put in his place for a while could perhaps help him get over his problems with accepting losing and help. And anyway, he’d climb up fast. After all, this boy’s strong and smart as heck. Just imagine him getting to drill the new recruits...

Bakugou: *yells* I’LL KILL YOU, LAZY SCUM!! 500 PUSH UPS, starting NOW!!

New recruit, terrified to the core: Aye sir!

3. Uraraka- Bob The Builder

Uraraka’s quirk would be perfect to use on a construction site. She’s a strong girl, practical and determined, and would even manage to deal with any potential accidents at work. Plus she comes from the working class, but that’s just an addition.

Uraraka: I can work hard and earn money for my parents this way too!

4. Todoroki- The Vengeful Firefighter

Get it? FIRE-FIGHTER. Now THAT would be a way to go against Endeavor and his plans, wouldn’t it? Tbh much sassier than becoming a hero.

Todoroki: It is then... *15 minutes of traumatic flashback* when I decided to devote the rest of my life to fighting fire. After all, it reminded me of my father... the reason I got this scar...

5. Tsuyu- The Lifeguard

Taking into account what hero internship Tsuyu chose, it is quite easy to determine what she would do with life if she wouldn’t become a hero. The sea is her area, and water is her friend. But she needs some contact with the land too like frogs do and she liked saving people so...

Tsuyu: Kero... *blows the whistle* Please get out of the water, a storm is coming!

6. Iida- The Pure Lawyer

Iida is the most Lawful Good person in existence, probably. He likes rules, knows them all, and is really dedicated to reminding others of them. Cases with his involvement would be guaranteed to be solved justly, regardless of the benefit of his client.

Iida: *gesticulation intensifies* Your honor, I urge you to consider Article 137, paragraph 3! And wear warmer clothes tomorrow, this weather can make you sick!

7. Kaminari- The Portable Phone Charger Disco Bartender

Kaminari is surely someone who likes people and a good party. Even if his quirk would make him perfect for an electrician, quite certainly he’d just regard it FAR TOO DULL. This boy wants to be COOL. He’d probably try to work his way up to a manager or owner of his own club; but with his intelligence stats, this could take a while. For now, he’d make SHOCKING drinks and chat with everyone around.

Kaminari: *obviously flirting with customers and showing off his cool electricity tricks* yEAH MY FUTURE CLUB WILL BE THE COOLEST! Imagine like... MEME THEMED PARTY

Customer: *quietly* That sounds kind of cringy...

8. Mina- The Kids Entertainer

Mina just seems like someone who’d be simply ADORED by kids. She’s sweet, bubbly, so so fun, and looks like she’s dressed up already! The Alien Queen parties would be booked months in advance. And every kid would dream of getting one for their birthday...

Mina: IF YOU’RE HAPPY AND YOU KNOW IT CLAP YOUR HANDS!

Kids: *climb on her back trying to touch the horns* ALIEN QUEEEEEN!!!

9. Kirishima & Testutetsu- The MMA stars

STRONG BOIS. MASCULINE BROS. GOTTA BE THE MANLIEST and gayest. MMA ROCKS AND HAS A HEART OF STEEL! Also Kirishima would be quickly voted the greatest cinnamon roll of MMA

Tetsutetsu: *screaming and wrestling*

Kirishima: *screaming and wrestling wholesomely*

10. Ojiro- The Veterinary Assistant

Ojiro isn’t the greatest fan of the spotlight, and probably would enjoy a calm, but helpful job as a veterinary assistant. Plus, his tail can give him instant connection points with scared, caudate pets!

Ojiro: *waggles his tail*

A normally aggressive dog: *waggles the tail back and jumps to lick his face*

Ojiro: *giggles, petting the dog* See, there’s nothing to be scared of!

11. Toru- The Shop Assistant actually secretly a CIA Covert Investigator but shhh it’s a secret

We know that Toru likes shopping and would probably be great as a boutique employee. She’s sweet, she has great social skills, and she certainly has style! But at the same time... it would be hard to believe that with her quirk she didn’t get a suggestion to become a spy alongside her job. Did she agree? Did she not? I guess we’ll never know...

Toru: You look amazing in this suit, Mr. President! I think you should really buy it! *places a tiny hidden camera inside the pocket*

12. Koda- The Wildlife Rehabilitator

There is no other job where the ability to talk to the animals would be more life-saving than a wildlife rehabilitator. Also, taking into account how shy Koda seems, he’d probably prefer to work with animals rather than humans...

Koda: Don’t worry, sweet bunny! You’re safe now!

Bunny: *noms on his plushie*

13. Aoyama- The Sparkling Model

Was there ever any doubt? Aoyama would be a STUNNING model. Just imagine...

*LIGHTS OFF*

*A REFLECTOR ILLUMINATES A SINGLE SPOT ON THE STAGE*

*EPIC MUSIC PLAYS, THE CROWD WHISPERS EXCITED*

AND THERE HE COMES......

Aoyama in his new pajamas collection!

Aoyama: I cAnNoTu StOpPu SpArKLiNg!!

14. Yaomomo- The Patient Teacher

Lecturing Mina and Kaminari among others before the exams just HAD to take lots of patience and supreme teaching skills. If she managed to make these two pass, she can definitely deal EVEN with a class of 30 10-year-olds.

Momo: *for the 13th time* Now, let’s try again! 2 times 3 is?

Some kid with IQ of Kaminari an ameba: ....4?

15. Jirou- The Sound Engineer

She’d definitely keep playing music as her hobby but she seems like a person who’d like to have a stable, technical job as her primary source of income nonetheless. Plus, her quirk would be perfect to hear out the slightest inadequacies of sound!

Jirou: So we have to add gain here, equalize there, distort over here, and probably remaster the whole thing too.

A very confused beginning artist: Uh-uh...

16. Tokoyami- The Subculture Shop Owner

Tokoyami is such a goth birb. So dramatic. So dark. If any goths or emos saw his room in the dorms they would all LOVE this aesthetic. As such, he’d make a good job at picking and selling clothes and accessories for fellow goths and other subcultures. And having Dark Shadow would just make him more famous...

Some goth girl: So you’re like... REALLY filled with a Dark Shadow of you? That’s so spooky!

Tokoyami, who already heard this question 20 times in the past 2 hours: What do you want to buy?

17. Sero- The Steeplejack

With that quirk, he pretty much wouldn’t have to worry about falling. Not to mention THE POWER OF FLEX TAPE

Sero: *swinging on the tape on top of a cathedral* This is pretty fun!

Other steeplejacks: *clinging to their ladders* Watch out!

18. Satou- The Pastry Cook

Mmmm his cakes. The world lost a treasure when Satou decided to be a hero instead of a pastry cook. Truly heartbreaking. Think of all the tasty things he would make constantly...

Class 1A, plotting behind his back: We have to make Satou fall out of the hero course

Satou, terrified: G-guys! I can bake you cakes without that!

19. Mineta- The Pimp *mild NSFW*

I am so sorry. Oh, wait, actually I’m not. Why is Mineta even trying to be a hero? I mean, should THAT be the job of his dreams?

Mineta: *manic laughter* OH MY IT’S LIKE A WET DREAM

20. Monoma- The Professional 4chaner Internet Troll Actually why did I cross it off, that’s exactly what he’d do

I have no words.

Monoma: *sips Red Bull, typing* HA! CLASS 1A! YOU SPECIAL SNOWFLAKES REEEEEEEEEEE CUCK

21. Shinsou- The Questionable Detective

Ah yes. The police for introverts. Like Midoriya, Shinsou would probably want to save people a lot, so I reckon he’ll choose this path if he wouldn’t become a hero. Just think of how useful his quirk could be...

Shinsou: *having a suspect hypnotized* Knock on the table three times if you did it.

Suspect: *knocks*

Another detective: ...Are you sure this is ethical?

22. Hatsume- The Weirdly Motherly Engineer

I mean, she sort of already is one... But she could probably design much more than just hero costumes! What if she went to robotics... Then her babies could actually talk back to her!

Hatsume, turning on a new robot: My new baby!

Robot: *turning to Hatsume* Mama!

Every human being around: *assessing Hatsume’s age and judging hard*

23. All Might- The Hollywood celebrity specializing in superhero movies!

#LETALLMIGHTPLAYCAPTAINAMERICA2018

All Might: *looking at the shipping fanarts following the movie world premiere* ...........why has my life come to this

24. Aizawa- The Cat Cafe owner

CATS ARE BETTER THAN PEOPLE. If he had the money and time, he’d FOR SURE set up his own cafe of purring babies. And he’d be very protective over them every time he’d visit...

Aizawa: *thunder in eyes* Don’t you DARE disturb Marshmallow’s sleep, you can pet her when she wants to and ONLY IF she wants to

Mic: AWWWW MARSHMALLOW THAT’S ADORABLEEE

Aizawa: *aggressive whispering* I swear if your screams wake her up I WILL assassinate you

25. Present Mic- The Full-time Radio Host

I mean, this one is kind of obvious. How does he have 3 jobs at once anyway?

Mic: *PLAYS AFRICA BY TOTO FOR THE 3RD TIME DURING HIS 4 HOUR PROGRAM* I BLESS THE RAIN DOWN IN AAAAAAFRICAAAAA yo what do you mean I’m being cringy

26. Midnight- The 18+ Domina

Another kinda obvious one? Oh well. She’d be happy and empowered doing that, so don’t judge.

Midnight: Ah, so exciting!!

27. Tomura- The Unemployed

Tomura’s personality doesn’t seem exactly suited for any kind of work... or society, for this matter. At least as long as All For One is around, he’d certainly rest on him, gaming his days away. And after that... even though his sensei already planned for him to take over his company, Tomura prefers not to think about that.

Tomura: *hissing at any opportunity of a job* I don’t like this quest *hides in the hoodie*

28. All For One- The Plotting CEO

All For One seems to love his suit and wears it quite well, so he could certainly do well at a largely formal, managing job. And he’d be the first to exploit ALL for ONE, something that large businesses unfortunately often do...

All For One: *ruining someone’s life and fortune with a smirk* How unfortunate... for you, of course.

29. Toga- The Professional Cosplayer

Toga’s quirk and erm... interests seem to be perfect for her to be a psycho fan of real-life celebrities, whose blood she steals for her cosplays. As these “cosplays” she makes are literally perfect, she manages to get quite a lot of money from the photoshoots. The celebrities are just very surprised noticing a fresh needle wound on their arm when they wake up in the morning...

Toga: *jumping up and down* I want to become them all! I will become them all! I want to cut them! Blood!

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thotyssey · 6 years

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On Point With: Theydy Bedbug

This genre-blending and gender-bending performer has evolved (over a short period of time) through several incarnations in Brooklyn nightlife into what we have today--something that’s hard to define, but thrilling to behold. Before you tuck yourself in tonight, let Theydy Bedbug bite!

Thotyssey: Hey hey, Theydy! Happy Almost Halloween! Do you have your lewk prepared yet?

Theydy Bedbug: Why hello! Well... Dragoween is all month, right? So I have ideas for a couple lewks! But no, I am an impromptu bug.

So, you often find yourself putting makeup here or there and pulling random things out of your closet with no idea how it will all add up?

Oh, definitely. I am making it up as I go! Unless a certain number has a specific costume that relates to the storyline, I try to do new looks each time by pairing together new combinations, and normally don’t know what I’m wearing until hours before... oops!

How would you describe, to the uninitiated, what kind of an artist you are? A burlesquer, a drag performer, a performance artist, all or some of the above?

All of the above! Draglesque clown, nonbinary bug, performance Fartist.

That is a business card I would definitely keep! Where are you from?

Well, I grew up in Indonesia and Singapore, but to two US citizens, so home is still a big ol’ question mark.

And how did all this fartistic clownery begin?

I’ve always been interested in the performing arts. My parents did community theater, so I was always around it and I was always make-believing scenarios. I think one way of dealing with being a baby closeted queer was making up fantasies and living in them.

My parents haven’t always understood my gender and sexuality, but they certainly unconsciously raised me to be a femme fag considering there were always costumes around my childhood. I feel really blessed to have had access to those tools to transform.

When did you find yourself mixing it up with the Brooklyn nightlife scene?

Three years ago, I took a workshop with Crimson Kitty called “Ladyqueen University.” It helped get the ball rolling and got me experimenting with names, lip sync, and makeup. My gender and my drag name have changed since then, but I appreciate that initial platform.

And then it was competing in the Mx Nobody pageant in 2016 that connected me to the Brooklyn scene and The Nobodies. After, those fools kept letting me roll through their shows and give messy numbers for tips.

I remember seeing you at that first Mx Nobody at Eastlands; it was my first or second ever judging gig. I don't remember what your performing name was then, but I remember your act involved a tricycle and a poopy lollipop!

Wow, yes! That was Miss Cuntstrude. If Theydy is the intersection between a boy and a bug, MC was between an actual baby and a slut. She was helping me work through the infantilized sexuality of young girls, but also she was a HOT MESS.

She was memorable! A lot was memorable that night... Elle McQueen and Kandy Muse wound up in the Top 2, and then Elle won the final lip sync battle and the crown. But there was a sense of shade from the Haus when that happened, at least from my perspective.

True. I think that was a time in the scene where AFAB drag performers were not welcome. Not to say we have it easy now, but when I first began, non-cis men in drag were really excluded... even in Brooklyn. Honestly, The Nobodies were some of the only folks who gave me the time of day.

Things have changed dramatically in Brooklyn in just a few years! Still not perfect as you said, but so much of what the scene IS now involves gender fluid identity.

Thank goddexx.

Congratulations on being the first person to appear twice in the Mx. Nobody finals! Do you think you might give it a go again next year?

I think my Mx Nobody competing days are over. It’s time to make space for other folks. That competition pushed me to make pieces I’m proud of, and introduced me to fab folks. It taught me to ask for support emotionally and artistically from my communities, which is actually quite hard for me. I can be stubborn about doing it all. And next year, I can’t wait to support!

youtube

Yes! So I get “Theydy,” which evolved from Lady and reflects a non-binary identity, but why “Bedbug?” No creature evokes more horror and disgust in this town.

Truly! A lot of my trans and my drag is about rejecting the position of pretty, weak, victim. I came to drag because I was tired of being cast in plays as the vapid ingenue, only valid in sexual relation to men. I wanted to access my rage, my ugly, my raw: the gross parts that compulsory femininity attempts to exterminate.

Bedbugs are resilient and relentless, not easily extinguished. Much of the poetry I perform is about turning sexual trauma I’ve experienced into strength by trans~forming myself into something that cis straight men are repulsed by. Plus, queering sexuality to me means flipping what we find sexy, and what we fear. Can you describe s recent number / performance you’ve done that best embodies this description? I just revamped my Mx. Nobody ‘18 finale number for a monthly show I help put on, Primal Scream. I begin this piece as a high femme fragile flower. After a tragic striptease, I pour “OFF” candles on my skin to ward off the bugs, and a spooky voiceover says: “think you can get rid of me that easy? Just because you’re itchy?” A poem ensues about how this flower is both flower and insect, and denying the bug, the gross, the ugly, the trans, will never make them less of a pest. This flower transforms into a full bug costume and a song about how “bed bugs bite, I hope they eat your heart” ensues.

Tell us more about Primal Scream, monthly at Bizarre Bushwick. It’s a kinky cabaret that leads into a sensation play dungeon. I think the word dungeon intimidates people, but it’s really a basement with different stations for folks to safely explore different kinky sensations. It’s produced by Rara Darling and I perform and guide the hot wax station. We focus on teaching sexy ways of communicating consent boundaries within a pansexual queer space where all genders and body types feel welcome, we hope! Sacred and intentional kink through candles has been really healing for me, so I love guiding folks to connect with their breath and body and partner if it’s a couple session. It’s more spiritual than sexual for me. I think it has profound power for healing trauma and dysphoria stored in the body.

We’ll also see you this Thursday night at Starr Barr.

Yes! Compost Bin with brASS Burlesque! A Radical Cabaret, to deal with the times!

And THEN... there's an event coming up next weekend I'm super excited about: Thee Suburbia's Full Moons: Harvest Moon Halloween Showcase at Bizarre Bushwick on Sunday the 28th! I'm gonna be making my onstage hosting debut (gag), and the tremendous roster of Spoops includes Zalika Parsons, Chris of Hur, Martyr, Vylette Tendency, Pinwheel Pinwheel, Jayse Vegas ... and of course, THEYDY! And so many more, I’m gonna be so starstruck! Aaaaaaaaa! Can you even!?

Hah! It’s going to be a wild time. There’s a lot of performers on the roster who are old pals, and many I’ve never met before! I appreciate that Suburbia offers opportunities to new folks in the scene. I think it’s easy to be a gatekeeper and fear new artists coming for your gigs, but much more in the spirit of community and collectively breaking down binaries to be a gate-opener. So let’s spoop on!!!

What else?

Well! I’m hosting Keepeasy Sundays, a live jazz band burlesque show on Sunday at The Keep....

And I’m teaching a drag performance class to 8-11 year olds at BAX Brooklyn Arts Exchange this Fall. It’s been pretty heart-warming. Werk! Last question: Will you be voting in November?

Most certainly!

Thanks, Theydy!

Check Thotyssey’s calendar for Theydy Bedbug’s upcoming gigs, and follow them on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

On Point Archives

#onpointwith #theydybedbug

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kizardofkoz · 3 years

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The Eternal Pursuit of Emptiness

There I stood on top of the butte, with the closest of my people, and we humbly looked out over the sprawling desert. The landscape was like pieces of thrown pottery in fantastic and misshapen forms - rich shades of terra cotta, crimson and rust, and obviously, tears couldn’t help but fall, blazing small trails through the dust on my face. I couldn’t believe how fortunate I was.

I was able to see this fraction of the kaleidoscope of nature.

To be away with some of my favorite humans while I got to safely leave my absolute dearest ones at home with their grandparents.

And I soaked in that dry west wind, whipping around us in warm gusts like ocean waves, leaves, and racing thoughts.

My favorite three:

1.) I call him my favorite. The man whose ring I wear, the father of my children, he yins my yang, tickles my brain and sometimes, when the timing is just right and we aren’t too tired, it isn’t too late or there isn’t something competing for our time on Netflix, we’ll occasionally play a round of some Chesterfield Rugby (PS - I just did a bit of a dive on some innuendos and my goodness. That is a really fun use of time. I can’t even write some of these but I am literally laughing right now. My mom reads this, you guys. And while I’ve [maybe?] worn her down a little on the curse words, I can’t go all in with the crass.

Okay, fine. Just one: Harpooning the salty longshoreman.

Fine, two: Nurtling. (I have no idea.)

But I also feel it is unfair to not share Taking Grandma to Applebee’s?

I’ve gotten off topic.

My other two loves on this trip are

2.) My best girlfriend who I have had the honor of watching go through some of the best and absolute saddest experiences that I have humbly witnessed a human endure. And she navigated it all, and continues to go through life with a steadiness, focus, and motivation that is inspiring, still and sparkling. She has helped me move apartments, paint new walls when we moved into our first house, and paint the baseboards of those same walls on her morning off when we were selling that same house. She is fiercely dependable, loyal, she is the best damn person to travel with as she is equal parts responsible, adventurous and is a Type-A likes to research and plan things kind of gal where I’m more of the Type-B, let’s just dive in and see how we land type. We once held hands and jumped off the neighbors high dive on their dock on a girls lake trip very late one night. We’ve been to countless shows together. Gotten tattoos together. She’s one of the first people to hold my babies after they have been born and I can always count on her to order dessert. Her closet is the kind people pine after and she makes the best damn chocolate chip cookie you’ve ever eaten. She’s also married to my third person.

3.) He is silly and kind and we have a podcast that we will some day launch, divulging our joint fascination with spooky things that make us light up and nervous laugh and open another beer as he tries to convince me that Yeti’s exist while I try to convince him to sing in church. We once started the idea of a band called “The Huggers and the Cryers” after drinking too much brandy on one of the very few New Years Eve’s that I was neither pregnant nor nursing a baby. Because he and I hug easily and love to cry.

And don’t worry, I was back at babying the following year. Did you think I was going to go over 2 years and not have another boy? (Spoiler alert - NOT ANY MORE!!! And like, really for real, real. Grateful for IUD’s (and Steve’s eventual vasectomy) and for the four hilarious, adorable, wild, curious, loving and messy pups that we have now.

But we have to stop.

It’s like animal print.

You have to find that fine balance between tasteful and too much. And unfortunately, a lot of times, a person doesn’t realize it is too much animal print, but everyone else does. This is my way of inviting an intervention if you see me starting to itch in the next few months. This is usually when we start Playing with the Box the Kid Came In (you guys, there are so damn many) so, you all have a responsibility, okay? Okay!

I have 100% gotten off topic.

Anyways.

The four of us did a smaller, summit hike on our last morning in Sedona this past month. (All of the couples of our closest tribe were invited to [crash] another couple’s 10-year anniversary trip. Three of us couples were able to swing it. And it was glorious. And very, very dry. And responsibly alcoholy.)

So I was sitting near the edge of this butte and allowed myself to absorb the moment and then a vision came to me. (Yes, God gives me visions at times. And I also hear God at others. And I know how this makes me sound, and I have also quit caring because I believe if you are blessed enough to experience gifts like these, then you should be brave enough to admit it.) And in my minds’ eye, I saw a big teardrop shape, that was beautifully empty.

Clear. Serene. Vacant.

And I exhaled and prayed and breathed deeply. I knew what God was telling me. That empty teardrop was empty of all worldly possessions and distractions, and in their absence, full and content. It was God in me. And I saw how I try to fill this tear drop with *all the things*; New siding, new shirts, new speakers and shoes, and magazines and schedules and technology and sports teams and equipment for sports teams and how these things pile on each other - at times inadvertently and other times compulsively and intentionally - and they become the main focus of my mind and my heart until they fill up and pile into this precious teardrop and the only part of the emptiness left is the space between all of the things.

The only part that is open and available for God, for contentment, or peace, is the space between.

The remainder.

And it is jagged and small and inconsistent.

Ironically, I try to complete my life with the things that I think make me happy, fulfilled and satisfied. Yet they are the exact things that end up taking away time, space and energy from the peace and contentment that is only truly felt when there is the empty space and quiet to focus on God.

So I exhaled and released it all.

And I felt these earthly desires disappear and dissipate as I reclaimed that space, my sacred emptiness, that is so important to me. That is so important to God. And it was so easy, there on top of the warm rocks, accompanied by cactuses and bushes and my people and vortexes.

It is not easy, however, to empty myself in real life.

I tend to equate emptiness with negativity.

Void of love, experience, calories, energy, connection.

But this spiritual cleansing is what I have needed for so long, and I forget to prioritize it. To protect it.

This is the emptiness that allows space for *just being*. Breathing. For feeling God’s presence and consequently, the lack of desire for all of the other things that I constantly seek to fill that emptiness.

A hollow holiness.

An exhale.

In church on Sunday our pastor spoke of spiritual vulnerability and the importance of confession.

Ho.ly. Shit.

Where does one start?

Selfishness - in my marriage, in my relationships, with my time, with my children, with our money, with friendships, with my food and drink even.

Materialism - wanting and focusing on all of the tangible, unimportant *things* of the world like new light fixtures, workout clothing, wall paper, throw pillows, hats, patio furniture, the perfect summer jean, the perfect front door mat, more peel and stick wallpaper, vacuums, planters, kids clothing, kids shoes, running shoes, house shoes, *let’s get some shoes*, drapes, ceiling fans, office chairs, boujee hand soaps, expensive skin care, swim suits & pianos.

Gossip - Why is this so tempting??? I really try not to. I don’t really think I do. Much. And gossip isn’t like what it was when we were in middle or high school. But how tempting is it when there is a conversation about the neighborhood happening and you have hot insider information on why there isn’t a sidewalk on the neighboring street? How does one just go about their day and not share this with the person ringing up their fro-yo? I did not. Yet. Likely.

Lack of faith - Why does God keep expecting me to use faith if we both know I have it and used it last year?

Hypocrisy - Vomit. Where do we begin? Ughhkckhgh.

I would rather listen to podcasts about murder than the bible or deepening my faith.

I focus way too much on my body and physical appearance.

I focus too much on how I want everybody to like me and if I feel like someone isn’t a Kiley-person, I obsess over it and get weird and needy and in my head and I shouldn’t really care if this person four rings out of my circle really cares about me and finds me kind, selfless and charming. But hopefully she thinks I’m a good dresser? *I AM ROLLING MY OWN EYES SO HARD RIGHT NOW*

I focus way too much on money and how we don’t have *enough-ish* even though we absolutely, 100% do have enough (non-ish) and will I ever be content and secure in this area?

I focus on what other people are doing with their time, money, lives and am left feeling jealous, angry and exhausted.

I focus on all of the things that take up residency in my teardrop, and I pray for God to take them away. For God to please forgive me for putting so much energy toward the unimportant instead of focusing the things God really wants for me:

Love.

Self Acceptance.

Peace.

Creativity.

Meaningful relationships.

Connection with the divine.

Connection with my children.

More God.

Less stuff.

Less stress.

Emptiness.

Contentment.

Enlightenment.

*Someone spent some time in the desert, can you tell?*

So I confess all of these things, yet again, to God, and to you all. And I pray that God will help me remember my desire for emptiness. To remember the importance, the value and treasure of emptying myself so I can fill it up with God’s love. With contentment. With peace.

So I can have extra time and energy to focus on the important things.

Like the eternal pursuit of emptiness.

Or for my husband and I to get to know each other better. In the biblical sense.

A terrifying and beautiful hike that sealed friendships in gold and red rock dust. We followed this 3-4 hour hike with breakfast and beers at a local, hole in the wall diner and it was my favorite meal of the entire weekend. And cheapest. I JUST REMEMBERED I HAVEN’T UNPACKED MY CRYSTALS YET!!!

Here’s my people. The hubs, and best friends Nicole & Brian. I don’t care if they don’t want their names shared. We have a constant google calendar invite to go to visit Big Sur every fall. We just keep putting it off but it makes me smile when I have to go to October in my calendar and book something.:) Some day.

I did yoga on the top of this thing like a gosh damn stereotypical basic B. But it was wonderful. But I also felt if I looked up during any balancing poses I would fall over, roll off the top and die. So I decided to look down a live. I’m a mom now so I make different decisions than I used to.

This is just an awesome photo of summer. This was a couple weekends ago. We live down the street from the guy who used to be our entertainment lawyer for our old band. Now we have playdates on Friday nights and order pizza and drink craft beefs and our kids play together. And it’s awesome.

And this is just Keps eating pizza while getting wet from the general mist of the hose and water fights going on around him. I love this photo so much.

Surfs up, friends.

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thehikingviking · 4 years

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Uncle Sam Mountain from Pat Springs, Ventana Wilderness

I always assumed Uncle Sam Mountain had a patriotic etymology, however after climbing the peak, I learned it was named after an early Mexican settler. For years I’ve had my eyes on Uncle Sam Mountain because it lies on the California Coastal Peak List. I never had a strong urgency to climb this peak right away because it lies on public land and I don’t expect that to change in my lifetime, but then the Sobranes Fire swept through the Ventana Wilderness and several landslides closed some of the access roads. I waited patiently for over four years for Palo Colorado Road to reopen to Boettchers Gap Campground, which was my planned starting point for Mt Carmel, Uncle Sam Mountain and Ventana Double Cone. The more I researched, the more I was led to believe that this road will never fully reopen again, at least to the general public. After hours of obsessive research, I found that people were in fact still accessing the Ventana Wilderness. My first target was Mt Carmel, which I discovered could be approached from Turner Creek Trailhead. While non residents are not allowed to drive up Long Ridge Road, it is okay to park at “The Hoist” and hike up the road from there. Colin, Asaka and I decided to give it a shot on a sunny February day.

We found the Turner Creek Trail after Long Ridge Road starts to drop down to the right, then followed this dirt trail past Turner Creek Camp and Apple Tree Camp until reaching Skinner Ridge. From there we followed the fire break to Devils Peak where we picked up the Mt Carmel Trail. I was pleasantly surprised when we reached the top with minimal bushwhacking. The Sobranes Fire entitled us to views in all directions.

Ventana Double Cone, The Notch and Kandlbinder commanded most of my attention.

Uncle Sam Mountain looked close as well. I acknowledged that it would take a separate trip to reach Uncle Sam Mountain, so we retraced our steps back down the mountain. The whole time I ran through different thoughts and scenarios of how I could best access the more remote peaks of the remote Ventana.

This was the breakthrough I needed. I now knew getting inside the wilderness was a possibility. One additional concern were the trail conditions. Rumor has it that the ranger service does not maintain these trails, and all trail work is done by local vigilantes. Bless their souls. I also found bigsurtrailmap.net to be an invaluable resource. We decided to attempt a combined trip of Uncle Sam Mountain and Ventana Double Cone, planning to camp at Pat Springs for 2 nights. My last concern was Asaka’s condition. She was 4.5 months pregnant, but still eager to give it a shot.

On our hike in, we were slower than normal, but Asaka was able to make it to Pat Springs under her own power. The water source at Pat Springs was pure, and we didn’t bother filtering the water. We set up camp underneath some towering pines that survived the fire, and contrived a perfect food hang by utilizing a fallen tree. Rumor has it that there are one or two bears in the area. The camp was coated with a soft layer of pine needles. There was freshly cut wood and a fire ring with a grill.

I decided to run up Peak 4044 while Asaka cooked dinner with the little remaining sunlight we had left. It was a little spooky walking through the forest during twilight, but I eventually made it to the summit. Views of the sun setting next to Pico Blanco were breathtaking.

I walked back down the ridge taking in views of Uncle Sam Mountain, Ventana Double Cone and Kandlbinder.

As I walked towards Pat Springs, I found some very nice campsites, however they were exposed to the wind. I returned to camp and ate dinner with Asaka next to a warm fire.

The next morning we had breakfast and returned to Pat Springs where we filled up our water bottles. I packed more water than normal because I wasn’t sure if there would be any reliable springs for the rest of the day.

We followed the trail along the burned ridgeline. Signs of new life had begun to spring forth. This relieved me, as I prefer pine forests to coastal chaparral.

There were downed logs along the way, some of which had been cut by vigilantes and others which recently fell.

We lost the trail as we approached Little Pines. As I pushed my way through the brush, I noticed a few ticks latch on to my pants. My skin started to crawl, but I guess this was somewhat expected. We continued directly towards the summit of Little Pines, hoping to find the trail on the other side. To the northwest was Pat Springs.

To the southwest was Pico Blanco.

To the south were Ventana Cone, Ventana Double Cone and Kandlbinder.

We dropped off the southeast side of Little Pines and I continued to have trouble finding the trail. I noticed time was slipping away, and Asaka’s pace had begun to slow. After some aimless wandering, I finally found the trail once more as it tunneled though a brushy section. The next couple miles of trail gradually descended underneath the southwestern slopes of Uncle Sam Mountain. There were too many ticks in this section to count. Luckily, none of them succeeded in finding bare skin. We took a long break at the Puerto Suelo trail junction at the saddle between Uncle Sam Mountain and Ventana Double Cone. Even on the downhill Asaka couldn’t maintain a strong pace, and we still had over three miles to go with unknown trail conditions. Asaka urged me to go on without her, but I couldn’t come to a decision that I felt comfortable with. I figured if I were to hike quickly, I could get back within 3 hours. I took off up the trail. After a few minutes, I began to have regrets about leaving my pregnant wife all alone in the wilderness. I noticed some rather large mountain lion tracks, and after ten minutes I was already on my way back to regroup with Asaka. I decided that we would do Uncle Sam Mountain only, and save Ventana Double Cone for another time. Asaka claimed she felt revitalized, so we began up the southwest grassy slopes of Uncle Sam Mountain.

Asaka’s pace was now noticeably stronger. The slopes were steep but she was keeping up.

There was minimal brush, and my machete had very little use.

After about a thousand vertical feet of climbing we reached the summit area. I found the high spot to be a rock within a patch of tall brush. There was a rodent nest of sorts assembled on the summit, so I decided to rest slightly below. To the west was Pico Blanco.

To the south were Ventana Double Cone and Kandlbinder.

To the southeast were Pinyon Peak, Junipero Serra Peak, South Ventana Cone, Anderson Peak and Ventana Cone.

We rested in the shade for a bit underneath a tree then circled around to the northwest ridge. To the northwest was Mt Carmel.

To the northeast was the Salinas Range.

Rather than drop back down to the Puerto Suelo Junction, we decided to follow the northwest ridgeline back towards Little Pine Camp. This would minimize elevation gain and avoid the bad tick section. There was some light bushwhacking to be done, but it was made easier by the downward force of gravity.

Palo Escrito Peak came into view as we hiked further down the ridgeline.

We heard the sound of a helicopter, and soon one came into view. It landed briefly at Pat Springs, did a big loop above us, then disappeared.

I wondered if it was looking for us for some reason. When we returned to camp we found no one, and wondered why they even dropped by in the first place. If the ranger district has enough money to fly a helicopter around the wilderness, why can’t they find enough resources to clear the trails?

After pushing through the chaparral, we entered a forest which was somehow untouched by the recent fires.

We eventually reconnected with the trail somewhere near Little Pines camp, and I made an effort to clear the brushier sections of the trail on my way back. I stashed a water bottle along the trail hoping that I could use it on a future visit. I bagged Peak 4257 along the way, and we made it back to camp early that afternoon. If Asaka had maintained her newly found speed from the Puerto Suelo Junction, I feel that we could have made Ventana Double Cone after all. Unfortunately, her morning sickness is unpredictable; I think we made the right choice. Over dinner I considered running off to the double cone by myself the following day. Asaka encouraged me to do so, possibly feeling guilty from earlier, but I have several friends that also want this peak, and I can come back on a future trip.

The next morning, we headed back to the car. I didn’t sleep well the last two nights, so I was eager to get home. There’s nothing like the first backpack of the year to take a lot out of you.

We found several mountain lion scrapes, reminding us that this area is wild.

I plan to return not only to climb Ventana Double Cone, but to also climb Kandlbinder as well. Only time will tell if this plan will be viable.

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bittersweetastoria · 7 years

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TASK 021

Halloween 2008. For months, little Luci had been planning and looking forward to her 13th birthday. Subsequently, also looking forward to that Halloween. Though that was merely because the two fell on the same day, as it had her whole life. She had planned out the most perfect ‘becoming a teen’ party, down to the very last little details. And she couldn’t wait for the day to finally come for her most perfect birthday party ever to happen. In her mind, it would turn out perfectly and she’d be the most popular girl in school until at least after Thanksgiving. But alas, that simply wasn’t how it went down.

Morning Halloween Day 08. Upon waking, the first thing to reach little Luci’s ears was her fathers yelling voice and the soft weeps of her mothers tears. She was used to it, yes. But that didn’t mean she liked it anymore or anyless. She hated the sounds, she hated feeling like she should hide for fear that his abuse would turn onto her next. Not that she wanted him to go after her mother more, or her brother for that matter. But she certainly didn’t want his wrath on her. Wiping a stray tear away, she got up from her perfectly pink bed and made her way to the bathroom - passing by her brother Wesley heading out as she did. Making a shh motion, she whispered good morning and continued into the bathroom.

After a little while, she was showered and ready for the day. Skirting past her now sleeping and much more peaceful father, the girl made it into the kitchen. “Hi momma.” The new teen, as of just a few hours before, spoke - reaching up to kiss her mothers cheek. Her silent way of trying to make the woman feel better after her husbands tirade. “Hi sweetpea. What would you like for breakfast, birthday girl?” Luci smiled at her mothers words and shook her head. “I just want some juice and a muffin momma. I have cupcakes today, remember? And my friends said we’d get take out for dinner before my party, so you don’t need to worry.” She assured her, taking the glass of juice her mother offered her. “I always worry. It’s part of being a mother.” The woman replied, giving a small smile before kissing the teens head and sliding the muffin basket near her. “Have a good day at school. I’ll see you this evening after work.” With that, the woman wondered off to shower while Luci dealt with breakfast quietly.

Afternoon Halloween Day 08. The day had gone by slowly. Each minute slowly ticking by to finally pass an hour. The only time things didn’t seem to be going at a snails pace, was during lunch when Luci passed out her cupcakes to her classmates and got blessed by her favorite meal being served at lunch that day. “Pizza day! Lucky me.” The blonde grinned as she got her slices, as well as whatever sides they had that didn’t seem repulsive. She got her usual bottle of tea, something she literally lived off of, and paid for it all before getting to her table. “Hey freaky birthday girl, where's the sweets?” Jacob asked as she sat down. Shaking her head, she passed the box to Cassie first. “Best friend gets first dibs, and choice for birthday girl too according to my mom.” She commented, taking a bite of pizza and opening her tea bottle. Watching as Cass got two out, she nodded for her to pass the box. “Everyone gets one! Honor system boys.” She demanded as Cassie handed the biggest and prettiest one - even marked with a star in the sprinkles - to her. “Thank you.” The blonde spoke with a smile, “No problem, birthday girl.” Her best friend replied, causing her to laugh. From then on, the day dragged until final bell rang.

Evening Halloween Day 08. As soon as school let out, the blonde and a couple of friends made their way to her place to drop their things off. The few friends had made the pact to sleep over after Luci’s party, so they all brought their stuff with them to school to do it all in one shot. “What shall we do first? Party set up or decide on dinner?” She asked as she plopped down in the lawn, leaves circling her on all sides. “Why not both at once?” Cassie suggested. To which, Luci laughed and hugged her best friend. “This is why we keep you around. All the smart ideas.” Luci commented jokingly, crawling over to the bag she’d left out in the back yard full of party supplies she’d picked out herself. “Mom said we can get the tables from the shed, just don’t mess with anything else or my dad will have everyone’s head.” She spoke, trying to play it off like a joke when it was really anything but.

In an hours time, it was all set up perfectly. Looking like something from a movie or tv show, picture perfect. Menu’s to various take out places scattered before the girls in the lawn as they weighed their options. “I’m thinking pizza.” One girl voted, “Nah, Chicken sounds better.” Another weighed in. At that point, Cassie and Lexi turned to Luci. “What’s the birthday girls vote?” Cassie asked, leaving the blonde to have to think. “How about chinese? Not very birthday-ie or Halloweenie, but I don’t care if you guys don’t. We have plenty of spooky treats for later to out number it anyways.” She spoke tucking her blonde hair back behind her ear as she got up to see if her brother was home, which he was. “Be right back, I’m gonna see if Wes will go get it once we order.” She spoke before going inside, just in time to face her already drunk father.

“What are you doing out there?!” The male demanded as she was trying to get by to her brothers room. “Excuse me.” She spoke, ignoring his words as she tried again. To which, he just cut her off once more and grabbed her arms. “Answer me damnit.” He demanded, earning a sigh from her. His grip hurt a little, but it was nothing she couldn’t handle. “We’re just hanging out dad. Thinking about what to get for my birthday dinner. Is that so bad?” She asked, her blue eyes looking up to him as Wesley came out of his room which is when their father let go of her. Immediately, She moved from the man and moved closer to her brother. “Hey! You busy? The girls and I want chinese for dinner and thought maybe you could go get it? Momma left me the money for it, you can even get something if you go get it.” She told him, hoping to convince him. Once he agreed, she headed back to the girls to figure out their order as Cassie wrote it down. Luci’s best friend had been voted to go with Wes to help him get the order right and carry everything.

Night Halloween Day 08. Hours passed and the party began. Dinner had been amazing and full of girl talk, and everything before that had been forgotten. The birthday girl was fully set on enjoying her party, no matter what and that’s exactly what she did. Snacks were had, games were played, and people had been requesting an endless loop of Halloween tunes on the radio for everyone to bop around to. All in all, it was a great party. But as most great things do, it came to an end. An abrupt one. All too soon.

“Luciana Elizabeth Donaldson, get your ass over here!” Her father yelled from the porch, causing everyone to stop and stare. All except for Luci, who stayed stalk still yes but her eyes remained down. She knew what was coming. “Luce?” Cassie nudged her, “Get everyone out of here, please.” She spoke quietly as she heard the door, then her mother's pleads for him to come inside. Just as he went to turn on the woman, Luci unfroze and sped up the steps. “Momma, Go make sure everyone leaves. Even Cassie.” The young teen pleaded, waiting until the woman was doing so before addressing the man who’d yelled at her and now had her wrist. “What?” She asked, to which he just dragged her inside to scream at her and slap her for something she hadn’t even done.

Within an hour, the party was long over and Luci’s happiness a thing of the past as she sat in her bedroom - costume a tangled mess beside her as she changed into her Halloween themed pajamas. “I hate him.” She muttered, listening as he did to her mother what he’d done to her as soon as the party was over. Only worse. With Luci, he stopped after a few slaps and some touches. With her mother, Luci knew the woman got it much worse. And did so to protect her. The young teen had learned that long ago. She didn’t like it, but she couldn’t tell her mother what to do. Once she heard the eldest Donaldson leave, slamming doors in his wake, she crept into her parents room and crawled into bed with her mother. Pulling covers up over her mom as she did. “It’s okay momma.” She tried to sooth the crying woman, wrapping her arms around her neck to hug her softly.��“I’m sorry baby.” The woman mumbled, hugging her daughter back.

After that, Isabella had gotten up once she told Luci to cover her eyes and went to shower again as well as change into bed clothes. Once that was done, the pair took to the living room and closed out the night with Halloween films on the television. It’d been a good day, a fun evening, and a horrible night. But one thing was for sure.... She’d never forget her thirteenth birthday.

#task

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