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#wish i had remembered to add a watermark but it would take way too much work to fix it now so. please remember me.....
accirax · 4 months
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🌟🍬🤖🎈Congrats to Wonderlands x Showtime for finishing their 4x4!🌟🍬🤖🎈
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covenantofthedeep · 2 years
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better on your own ☆
feat. | shenhe & rosaria summary | breakup angst <3 author's note | ugh i wanted to write the rest + add scara but… writer’s block has been hard on me, esp w the angst. i promise i’ll finish it sometime and add the rest of the characters. thank you for being so understanding and please just enjoy what i have now (although it’s kinda bad)! 
shenhe | 
she breaks it off because she says she’s bad at loving. no matter how much you try to convince her otherwise, she refuses. “i cannot,” she whispers into your neck. one final kiss seals the deal, the warmth of her heart now locked away in a box almost as confining as her upbringing.
shenhe avoids all talk of you. out of sight, out of mind. nothing could have prepared her for the heartbreaking, constant loneliness that echoes around her like the whispers of a wish. the rain thrumming softly on the roof brings to mind your sweet smile and the countless nights spent in front of a roaring fire, your eyes sleepy as you sat in her lap, your head resting against her neck and your arms looped around her shoulders.
shenhe misses you so much it hurts. she feels like she’s being stabbed, over and over again. and there’s nothing to do about it, no one to heal her wounds. nobody to hold her hands and tell her it’ll be okay. nobody to kiss her cheeks and her lips and her forehead. will she ever feel safe? loved? will she ever feel the way she felt with you again? 
walking through liyue harbor was a risk. seeing the sights you’d see together was liable to crumble her into ashes, enough to send her spiraling into anger. why did she leave you? why did she … ? why was she so stupid? losing something as precious as you was a irreparable break to her heart. 
and once, she passes by you. you look at her once and blink. a pang of longing sparks its way through her. she misses you. but something’s off about you, and she doesn’t realize what it is until she gets home.
the light in your eyes was diminished, replaced by something cold and hard. you look broken and pained and she longs so deeply to kiss you until you laugh and smile, and look at her with the sweet gaze that was solely reserved for her and her only. 
but the light’s flickered out. in its place is a dullness that’s all-too-familiar, hard and splintered and raw. it makes you look broken and twisted and it’s all her fault. 
… how could she ever forgive herself?
rosaria | 
rosaria loves you so much it scares her. she hates to do it, but she must. and one night in the tavern, she lowers her mug and whispers, “i’m ending it.”
it takes a moment for it to set into your love-soaked brain and wine-addled thoughts, your fingers coming to a thrumming rest on the table. “ending?” you ask, leaning forward, as though to hold her close to the table. 
she nods once, twice, thrice. and there it is. she’s torn her heart from her chest and lain it on the table, besides the years of watermarks and stains. years of memories. one more bitter memory for the angel’s share to hold.
and she pushes back from her chair and stands up, looking down at your face. it looks like you’re crushed; a dimness settles in your face. “oh. okay,” you whisper, turning away and wiping your eyes.
she had walked away without a word, a single glance back. maybe if she had looked, she would’ve seen the quick flash of cold, hard hatred on your face, and then the deep, cold sadness.
the sadness that threatens to engulf her as she continues without you.
you were quietly witty, brilliantly smart, incredibly fun. you brought out the daredevil side in rosaria. and now she’d snapped you away like an icicle from a roof.
had she made a mistake? she had. 
would the two of you still have been together if she hadn’t done something?
yes.
she hates hearing about you or thinking about you. she hates remembering you or your goofy smiles or the way you’d groan like something was physically aching when she woke you up early in the morning. but most of all, she hates remembering the glint, the light, the life in your eyes, sparkling like a star. it was what had caused her to fall in love with you first.
one afternoon, she walks into jean’s office, not at all prepared to see you standing there. you look sullen and dull, as though your features had descended into grayscale. she does a double take. your eyes don’t glint. they don’t sparkle.
when you see her, you turn away and head for the door. 
nothing could have prepared her for that. and it hits like a sucker punch to the gut, she doubles over.
nothing would be okay.
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deadcactuswalking · 5 years
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REVIEWING THE CHARTS: 5th May 2019 (Stormzy, Taylor Swift, bird sounds lol)
This week is really busy and crazy, so I’m going to try and keep it brief – although I have a lot to say.
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The biggest – or the first immediately notable – story is the new number-one, as “Vossi Bop” by Stormzy, reaching a peak of 12.6 million streams in its first week, the most ever for a British rapper. Its battle with our number-three spot was heavily publicised and Stormzy (And Lil Nas X) understandably won, mostly because of timing, however I don’t think Taylor Swift could have gotten the number-one spot anyway. At least pop music has gotten exciting, I guess – doesn’t mean the UK charts are any good right now, but it’s a significant improvement. This song is massive as is its video, and Stormzy’s first-ever #1 on the chart as a credited artist, and fourteenth top 40 overall (It’s his sixth top 10 hit overall). I pray to God this crosses over to the US, because, yes, I think it can.
To my surprise, Lil Nas X is still at number-two with “Old Town Road”, down a spot from last week, featuring Billy Ray Cyrus. I thought it’d be left demolished by Swift and Stormzy, but here we are, I suppose. Speaking of...
At number-three, we have another debut, Taylor Swift’s 25th (!) Top 40 hit and her 13th Top 10 hit, and Brendon Urie’s sixth Top 40 hit and first ever Top 10 hit, “ME!” credited to Taylor Swift featuring Brendon Urie of Panic! at the Disco, or as the YouTube video claimed, “(feat. Brendon Urie of Panic! at the Disco) ft. Brendon Urie”. I’ll talk more about this and “Vossi Bop” later, but it’s safe to say that this was even huger than Stormzy’s track, at least worldwide, yet was beaten in pure sales and streaming. I guess that’s what we get for not counting radio on the UK charts.
Now it gets less interesting. “Someone You Loved” by Lewis Capaldi is down one spot to number-four, thankfully.
“Piece of Your Heart” by MEDUZA and Goodboys is naturally down three spots to number-five thanks to the sheer power of the top three.
Billie Eilish’s “bad guy” is down two spaces to number-six.
The late Avicii’s posthumous release “SOS”, featuring Aloe Blacc, is down one position to number-seven.
Tom Walker’s “Just You and I” is holding on, down three to number-eight.
Russ (Splash) and Tion Wayne’s “Keisha & Becky” is still safe off of the remix’s longevity, down a spot to number-nine.
Finally, rounding off the top 10 at #10, is “Location” by Dave featuring Burna Boy, up a singular spot from last week.
Climbers
Okay, first of all, “All Day and Night” by Jax Jones and Martin Solveig as EUROPA featuring Madison Beer is only up two spaces so it’s not notable enough, but may I add that the official single image was used for weeks until they decided to use the thumbnail for a version uploaded via TunesToTube.com and I’m not joking, the watermark is still present and visible in the image used – how does this slip through the cracks? Anyways, “No Diet” by Digga D is up seven to #20, becoming his first ever UK Top 20 hit, “Carry On” by Kygo and Rita Ora from Detective Pikachu is up nine spaces to #30, and that’s all.
Fallers
Fallers are a different story though, there’s quite a lot to talk about here. First of all, the streaming for Jonas Brothers’ “Sucker” may or may not have been cut as it’s down six spaces to #13, whilst four consecutive early 2019 hits continue their gradual fades out of relevance, with “Giant” by Calvin Harris and Rag ‘n’ Bone Man down eight to #24 but “Don’t Feel Like Crying” by Sigrid, “i’m so tired...” by LAUV and Troye Sivan as well as “Don’t Call Me Up” by Mabel all down six positions to fill up the #25-#27 slots. I’m also unsure to why there are premature drops for George Ezra’s “Pretty Shining People” down 12 to #37 and “Let Me Down Slowly” by Alec Benjamin featuring Alessia Cara down seven to #38, although our final drop here from Post Malone with “Wow.” down six to #40 is fully expected.
Dropouts & Returning Entries
Some earlier 2019 hits are making room for the Summer it seems, perhaps due to streaming cuts as “bury a friend” by Billie Eilish is out from #15 and “Dancing with a Stranger” by Sam Smith and Normani is out from #36. Some songs that never went anywhere like “Who Do You Love” by The Chainsmokers featuring 5 Seconds of Summer and “MONOPOLY” by Ariana Grande and Victoria Monet are also out, from #38 and #40 respectively, but the biggest story is George Ezra’s “Shotgun”, which has spent nearly all of its 58 non-consecutive weeks on the Top 75 chart in the Top 40, and is finally out from #30 – although it’s still outside of the top 40. Other than that, there are no drop-outs or returning entries to speak of, so let’s get to reviewing the new arrivals.
NEW ARRIVALS
#36 – “Sixteen” – Ellie Goulding
Produced by Mike Wise and FRED – Peaked at #19 in Scotland
Okay, so, I’ve never had to talk about Ellie Goulding all too much, and to be perfectly honest, she’s continued to sour on me the more she puts out and the less unique her material gets. Sure, her songwriting chops have always been there and hopefully always will, but she isn’t as interesting as I wish she was, especially instrumentally as while her producers carved her own lane back when she was making stuff like “Lights”, she seems just to be chasing trends in recent years. Regardless of my opinion of Ellie Goulding, she’s made some good stuff and this is her twenty-second UK Top 40 hit, so let’s see how it fares... well, this sure would be mediocre in 2016. In 2019, it sure exists. Remember tropical house? Yeah, you love that, right? Well, let’s mix it with the boring and dull vaguely-pop music of 2019, and make what isn’t a disaster at all, somehow. It starts abruptly with a looped and manipulated vocal sample that goes nowhere, before cutting to an immediately pretty interesting guitar-lead verse, which then kicks into gear for a really bouncy, fun pre-chorus. Then the chorus comes in where Goulding strains her voice talking about being 16 and wearing her significant other’s T-shirt, and all of the momentum is killed when it drops into that manipulated vocal sample. Do I appreciate the tongue-in-cheek MSN reference? Of course, I do, and the lyrics are actually very unique and I’d argue pretty great, and really invokes that youthful sense of exploration and feeling like you can do it all, you’re on top of the world... but I’m not sure if it holds up sonically, especially with that freaking drop, it really isn’t pleasant and feels like a remnant of recent past. Overall, it’s okay and I don’t really care about it enough but I understand the appeal, as with Goulding’s work overall.
#34 – “Don’t Worry Bout Me” – Zara Larsson, not featuring Alessia Cara
Produced by The Struts – Peaked at #7 in Sweden
I say NOT featuring Alessia Cara, mostly because BBC seems to think it does. Sigh, there’s an insane amount of mistakes on this week’s entry. Anyway, this is Zara Larsson’s new single and like all of her singles it has a massive singles push, and by that I mean an incredible amount of pretty pointless remixes, whilst the original is just a cloudy pop single that doesn’t stand out at all from the rest. This particular single, co-written with goddess Tove Lo, is her ninth UK Top 40 single and only slightly more recognisable, mostly because it takes an 80s/early 2010s fusion of dance-pop that was pretty interesting but the build-up feels a bit drawn-out, with the lack of percussion making the way-too-obvious autotune stick out like a sore thumb, but once the strings and 808s hit, it’s not much but it does add a lot of drama and that cinematic feel is immediately killed by the drop, but the chorus is a catchy kiss-off, and the fast-paced percussion and house music-influenced bass does add a lot of bounce to the hook, and it is pretty fun. There’s a really nasal, eerie synth sound in the bridge that was irritating at first but did grow on me, but then it disappears for the entirety of the last chorus and outro, which doesn’t add any sense of climax or finality at all. The rest of the song doesn’t exist. Next.
#18 – “Let Nature Sing” – The RSPB
Produced by literal birds
So, this is the confusing one I think I might have to explain a bit. “Let Nature Sing” is a campaign more than it is a hit single, as The RSPB isn’t a band, rather it’s one of the largest wildlife charities in Europe, specifically the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. Now this isn’t a pandering charity single with a bunch of celebrities singing vague lyrics about we love the Earth, it is our planet, we love the Earth, it is our home, no, it’s literal birdsong – for two minutes and thirty-two seconds. Now, initially, I had no idea how to rank this in the top 20 so I invented a new “???” tier just for this single and any other bizarre picks that ended up in the top half of the charts... but I think I love this. There are 165 critically endangered species within Britain’s environment, as RSPB claims in their promotional website for the single, and that is 56% of the wildlife in decline. So they’re raising money a la Band Aid and/or Lil Dicky, for preservation of British wildlife, and trying to spread the word about this single, which eventually did get enough downloads and sales, as well as 58,000 streams to chart. Now, I hope this money is used well and that the birds who are sampled in this song are paid songwriting royalties because this is great. This is beautiful. Now it’s not like this has any specific structure, and I haven’t researched to see what species of birds are singing here, but this is pure serenity and almost works as ASMR wave sounds to fall asleep to. Sure, there are a bunch of reverb effects that make the woodpecker sound jarring, and some non-bird sounds that kind of sound like an artificial bass being added, as well as a synth but that may just be my complete lack of knowledge about birds in general. It’s all chopped up and it definitely is not pure recorded birdsong, which I’d be inclined to check out, but for what it is, the sounds here are quirky, fun and sound natural, and since it’s helping a cause, I’d say stream it. It’s not unpleasant and isn’t a 7-minute joke about small penises featuring Lil Yachty as a sexually-transmitted illness, so I’d argue it’s a better alternative to actual charity SONGS... so, yeah, stream this, it’s short, it’s calming, but I doubt this will stay longer than two weeks if that.
#3 – “ME!” – Taylor Swift featuring Panic! at the Disco
Produced by Joel Little and Taylor Swift – Peaked at #1 in Hungary, Nicaragua and Scotland
There’s a lot to hate about this new lead bubblegum pop single from Taylor Swift’s upcoming seventh studio album, featuring vocals from Brendon Urie of Panic! at the Disco fame. There really is a lot to hate, from the factory-settings production that feels like such an abrupt shift from the mechanical albeit jagged electronic production from the last album, Taylor’s aggravating inflections from her verse AND the pre-chorus, the nonsensical chorus which rips hard from “Sit Next to Me” by Emeli Sande, the marching band percussion that reminds me all too much of “Shake it Off” as well as Urie’s work on Panic!’s most recent album especially with the rattling hi-hats covered up by a blast of overproduced trumpets, and the cringeworthy bridge, where two grown adults in their early 30s starting their middle-eight with, “Hey, kids, spelling is fun!” – seriously, this was written only by the producers and the artists, how is it this unfitting and odd for Taylor to be singing? Surely, Taylor should be able to come naturally with great songwriting like she has before, even on reputation, and this shouldn’t be as awfully-written as it is. The “Spelling is fun” tangent doesn’t even fit the time signature, for God’s sake. Oh, and this trainwreck of a line:
Girl, there ain’t no “I” in “Team” / But you know, there is a “Me”
No, there isn’t. There isn’t a “Me” in “Team” unless you rearrange it, and in that case, it’d be misspelled, hence your bridge’s message, which is, as I recall, spelling is fun, is undercut by the fact you can’t spell. What does that even mean in this case, since it would otherwise be a cheesy lyric about how they’re a team or whatever, because it’s been rearranged and manipulated? Is there no “Me” in “Team” anymore? Are Taylor and Brendon breaking up in the middle of their spelling bee? Are they saying their relationship is as complicated and infuriating as this one lyric? Let’s see Taylor’s reasoning here:
“We wanted it to be playful, we didn’t want it to take itself seriously at all.” That, by the way, is why I love this song to death and despite everything I can nag about it, it’s actually really fun and one of Taylor’s best songs to date. It screams colour even without the expensive music video, and every little annoying misstep counts towards the hilarity of the song and how carefree it is, from Taylor’s “UHH” ad-libs to them both belting distant lyrics about how there’s a lot of lame guys out theeeeeere, it all comes together and makes a really cool song that doesn’t care about your judgement. Yes, I had a lot to say about that one, but I’ve been building it up for nearly two weeks now. You can’t spell awesome without “ME!”, I guess.
#1 – “Vossi Bop” – Stormzy
Produced by Chris Andoh
Speaking of awesome people, welcome back, Stormzy, one of my favourite British rappers and one of the most unique, with Gang Signs & Prayer holding up as one of my favourite hip-hop albums ever. Merky Academy’s founder has decided to strip it down a bit for this minimalistic return to form after a gospel-tinged and R&B-influenced debut studio album. This is “Vossi Bop”, and it bangs. We have that lo-fi yet menacing synth line looping in the back of the mix before the thumping bass kicks in with a catchy and eerie piano melody which really adds a lot of grit to Stormzy’s bars, mostly just about living life of luxury and celebrating his rags to riches story. While the 808s are admittedly mixed a tad oddly, as is the trap percussion, the rattling hi-hats give an otherwise pretty slow-paced rap flow some bounce and quick-paced energy. The multi-tracked hook is catchy and anthemic, although Stormzy’s refusal to dab is a bit more EB the Original Master than I would prefer, and I personally like the Mondegreen, “my brothers don’t die, we just Vossi bop” better, but the verses are pretty great. In this context, Vossi bopping means a laidback dance popularised by a guy named Vossi that went viral a few years ago – in fact, this song was made ages before its release. In the bluntly-delivered verses with some smooth flow switches, Stormzy discusses how he looks at his girl and thanks God. How wholesome. Also F Boris Johnson and he’s Chuck Norris? It’s not exactly the most poetic Stormzy’s been, but he does have multisyllabic rhyme schemes and his lyrics are at least coherent, which isn’t really what I can say for most UK rap that debuts on the charts nowadays. He also refers to jet lag as “f***ing up my body clock”, and we have a censored word that we don’t know yet, and have yet to have had any explanation for? We’ll see, I guess. Anyways, this is an absolute banger and I’m ecstatic Stormzy has a #1.
Conclusion
This was actually a cool week in retrospect. Best of the Week is going to The RSPB for “Let Nature Sing” because it’s two and a half minutes of birdsong in the top 20 and that’s impressive enough. The Honourable Mention is tied, going to both Stormzy for “Vossi Bop” and Taylor Swift with Brendon Urie for “ME!”, whilst Worst of the Week goes that Zara Larsson song. Blech. Follow me on Twitter @cactusinthebank for more pop music ramblings and Top 20 rankings, and I’ll see you next week!
I could never die, I’m Chuck Norris (Chuck Norris) / F*** the government and f*** Boris (Yeah)
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warrenn575790-blog · 7 years
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Cristiano Ronaldo Named World Cowl Star For EA Sports FIFA 18 – Company Announcement
However these honours nearly feel like boring footnotes; for Cantona's overriding enchantment was the best way he played football. King Eric had it all and more – not least a penchant for kicking different things he shouldn't. Granted, there’s no kung-fu possibility in FIFA,but maybe a Cantona card could assist ease the game into a period where celebrations are more realistic than ever. Or possibly not if EA don't fancy giving you the choice of getting six players sent off in each recreation after all. Too many elegies of Gazza dwell upon unfulfilled potential, which grows tiresome. The Nationwide Football Museum describes him because the "most naturally gifted midfielder of his generation" – onerous to argue with when remembering the boyish brilliance that led him to Italia ninety and captured hearts forever. FIFA, then, can be a brilliant vessel through which to channel Gazzamania and its playful peaks. So let Final Group take that talent and freeze it – that daring dribbling, eye for goal and effervescent work rate – for a whole lot of digital enjoyable. That yes, it's not one hundred% assured. Earlier than going into element, remark that the console account have to be from the United Kingdom or North America, we must be 18 years or older, be customers of PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, and have played FIFA 17 actively. Open the net browser and entry Origin through EA Assist. Log in to your Origin account. Access to "My Account". Below the 'Mail Preferences' possibility check the box' I want you to send me details about information, occasions and promotions of EA products. In the proper panel, select the packing containers: FIFA, EA Sports activities and EA Video games. Open the internet browser and entry Origin. Log in to your Origin account. Access to "My Account". Access to 'Program of testers'. Verify if FIFA is on the market on the best aspect of the display. If it is, choose the box. If it's not, come again later. Open your browser and go to this page. Log in to your Origin account. Test the field 'Yes, I would like you to send me information about news, occasions and promotions of EA products. Click on the Refresh button at the bottom of the web page.
You'll discover many wonderful conversations happen while gaming. While it is not built utilizing the Frostbite engine, so would not look as spectacular as its totally different incarnations, FIFA on Swap makes full use of the console's portable charms. Genuine sun positions, cinematic atmosphere grading, signature pitch-side fixtures, on-pitch debris, membership and stadium explicit banners, adaptive commentary, and modifications in pitch quality all come collectively so as to add to the immersiveness of the sport. There are specific button sequences for lofted passes or via balls as earlier than however with the additions of "Pass with perform" and a wider fluctuate of cross fakes and dribble selections to allow cannier gamers to breeze toward objective.. This helped me to search out players based mostly on abilities and to train specific abilities. So those are the three things we predict will certainly, perhaps occur, nonetheless with our dreaming hats on, what else would we wish to see in FIFA 18? If you’re a footie fan wanting ahead to seeing what FIFA 18 seems to be like like on the Switch then you’ll want to check out this new trailer launched by Nintendo for the Swap.
EA has not too long ago confirmed that "FIFA 18" is heading to Nintendo Switch. Though the specific "FIFA" sport has already been introduced, no different details were revealed by EA apart from the sport is custom built for the hybrid video recreation console. The collaboration between EA and Nintendo for the discharge of "FIFA" Nintendo Switch version has already been announced back when the Nintendo hybrid console was unveiled in Tokyo. Back then, EA video games only confirmed that "FIFA" is heading to switch with out giving any element as to what "FIFA" it's. In an interview during a FIFA occasion in France, EA's Chief Competitors Officer, Peter Moore, finally revealed that what they're engaged on is "FIFA 18" Nintendo Switchversion. The EA CCO additionally said that the Nintendo Swap "FIFA 18" will most likely be launched the identical time as when the video company will release the latest "FIFA" for different video game consoles. Now, a recent Nintendo Swap industrial that includes the upcoming "FIFA 18" Switch model has surfaced online. In the new video, the graphics of Nintendo Change "FIFA 18"is near what video sport players are seeing on PS4 and Xbox One. The recent video negated the speculation that the "FIFA 18" Nintendo Change can be a toned down model of those released for other a lot highly effective video game consoles. Nintendo Change launch date could in all probability be scheduled in September. No other particulars in regards to the upcoming Change game have been announced.
Do you love FIFA? Are you involved within the features and fluctuations of FIFA 18? If that's the case, you are able to go all through the following article to study extra concerning the fluctuations and in addition the FIFA 18 coins (Hurry up to click on here fifa 18 coins to get extra discount coins ) . From the graphics, you’ll have exactly the very same frost chew engine using a brand new double lighting system which is able to give a practical appearance throughout the plank. Completely different regions throughout the globe can have the real looking lighting. When the South American stadiums may have a more yellow-tinted filter, the European stadiums will look darker and greener. You'll discover some vital enhancements in the animation. The engine will be rebuilt from the bottom up. This will likely add extra character into the gamers and may even let them transfer more fluidly. In addition , it will reestablish the players as properly because the chunk body by frame.
When will it come out, and can there be a demo? For these wanting early entry, the demo normally lands a week or two before the sport launches – but expect EA Access members to get first dibs. Will Cristiano Ronaldo nonetheless be one of the best player? Some consider he may have a stats downgrade, though – particularly close to his tempo and dribbling (which we’ve mocked up under). Lionel Messi, who has been in blistering form of late, will keep second spot. Who will be the cowl star? If you loved this report and you would like to get much more info about fifa 18 game release date kindly check out our web site. Cristiano Ronaldo isthe cover star – marking the end of an unbelievable season for the 32 yr-previous. Will The Journey feature again? Based on EA CEO Andrew Wilson, The Journey Season Two will function new characters and story-lines and will ‘build on the muse created with story mode this year’. Alex Hunter’s debut was largely properly-received by critics and fans alike. If you’re one of many lucky ones, you’ll receive an invite to play the beta. For those who do get a chance to play, you’ll receive a gamer tag with a watermark to forestall screenshots being taken. Violation of the game’s insurance policies will lead to termination of the gamer’s account. Other than this uncommon alternative, EA will allow all players the chance to play the demo which is historically launched two weeks earlier than the precise game. The demo will include quite a couple of teams, including the likes of Real Madrid and Manchester United. Whereas it won't have all the features of the actual sport, the demo is a great way to organize your self for the following release of the full model. EA does wish to tease its followers with such opportunities now and again. EA is pulling out all the stops to make the FIFA 18 release the biggest in the gaming world. With the game’s promotions on fireplace, followers couldn’t ask for anything more.
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atypical60 · 7 years
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CAVEAT:  This post would have been published last night. But my &*()&*(&* damn laptop stinks.  My finger touched a certain key and everything disappeared. I’m writing this on the PC instead!
And away. We. Go…
My morning routine is very important to me. While I wait for my day cream and serum and primers to dry upon my visage, I enjoy sipping upon the coffee that Bonaparte makes and serves me—princess that I am.  It is also time for me to read one of my favorite blogs, “That’s Not My Age”, by Alyson Walsh. She’s a spunky Brit with tons of style and panache.  She actually qualifies as one of my delusional best friends forever. I’m sure she would call Scotland Yard if I ever showed up within two feet of her, but that’s the way it goes!
This morning I read a post referencing the new “No Makeup Movement”.  Have you heard of this or seen any of the photographs of the many celebrities posing *cough* *ahem* makeup free?
Most of those who have freed their pusses of cosmetics are under 30 and they are wrinkle and rosacea free as well.  They are also lady whisker free.  You know where this is going don’t you?
Yeah.  Harper’s Bazaar glorified quite a few celebrities who snapped “No Makeup Selfies” and I question the “no makeup” part.  Shall we?
Look closely at Heidi Klum’s cheeks.  She’s wearing contour.  Her bottom lip is also a brighter shade of pink than her top lip and that pink isn’t even.  She’s wearing a minimal amount of makeup.  I’m more impressed with that beautiful wrinkle-free neck.  I want Heidi Klum’s neck.
Salma Hayek thinks that snapping a photo of herself with wet hair means no makeup.  Look at her eyes.  She’s wearing a very, very light brown shadow on her lids.  And look at the bottom lids..I detect a bit of liner and mascara.  WTF has cheeks that are naturally illuminated?  Nobody. That’s who!  She’s wearing some sort of highlighter.  Nobody’s hair looks that good wet.  The lighting is also a factor in a softer look.
Lady Gaga is so incredibly pretty. But I am deeply confused.  Either she has a killer spray tan and didn’t want her face tanned, or she applied a ton of powder on her face before this “no makeup” selfie was snapped.  If that is her natural hair, she’s even more gorgeous than I imagined.
I’m having a hard time with this one because it looks like Cindy Crawford has foundation or concealer on that sexy mole of hers. She lined the bottom of her eyes too!  I’m wondering if I’m a freak of nature because MY lips are naturally much darker. I need lip color to get MY lips that Cindy light color.  I think Cindy does too!  Cindy is also very aware of lighting. That’s why she took the photo under the covers.  I love my Cindy Crawford sofa. It’s held up so much better than my overpriced Ethan Allen one.  Cindy is NOT makeup free in this selfie.
Diane Kruger IS gorgeous.  But This is not a completely no-makeup selfie. She’s got lip balm or a very light gloss on.  I detect a bit of a line of demarcation above her upper eyelid.  But the BEST thing about this selfie is that she has the very beginning of fuzz on her chin. Welcome to the world of lady whiskers my pretty!  Soon you will have a tweezer in every purse!
I swear to goddess.  Bazaar had the balls to add this pic of Kylie Jenner in the “no makeup” selfie.  Oh. Wait. This look IS what no makeup means to the Jenner/Kardashian clan!
Alright.  Bar Refaeli is makeup free.  And if I looked like her, I would not have the need to wear cosmetics.  And SHE is one in a hundred million who could carry this off on a daily basis.  She is a freak of nature!   Nobody is that naturally beautiful!
Megan Fox has watermarked her top inner eyelids.  I know this. I do it all the time.  She filled in her brows.  She also filled in her face. She admitted to it in an interview.  So basically, her makeup is internal. 
Now THIS is what I’m talking about. THIS is a true no-makeup photo. It isn’t a selfie. It isn’t from Bazaar.  But it’s a bonafide photo of a woman who is in her late sixties, photographed in natural lighting, without filters.  THANK YOU SAINT HELEN MIRREN!!  Look at the photo after she’s been made up.  The cosmetics that have been applied to her face are not a mask. The cosmetics are enhancing the beautiful features she has.  She looks a good 15 years younger.  I’m very jealous of Mirren. Look at her neck!!!  She’s no turkey!
Now take a look at me without makeup. In one photo the lighting is more natural. In the other, the lighting is more subdued and my hair—or the hair that’s left on my head is cascading over my face to hide some of the many flaws.
Both photos, no makeup. Actually the photo in the subdued light looks much worse than the one of me in regular light.  My lips need some toning down. I have a bit of rosacea. Look. One nostril is larger than the other. That’s because I had a serious Afrin addiction when I was in my thirties.  Back then I didn’t need tweezers in every purse. I carried nasal spray in every purse instead! I was trying to look like Salma Hayek in that other pic –I couldn’t get my hair wet!
I got something to tell youse.  I ain’t getting rid of my makeup. I ain’t leavin’ my house makeup free either! Not now. Not ever. Never!
The only place these eye shadows are going are on my eye lids!
I keep my beauty assistants close by…
I have trunks full of stuff I’ve never even used!
My new brushes now have a special place on my vanity. They are for MY vanity!
The last time I left the house makeup free, with my hair in a bun, I was referred to as “sir”.  My bun must have looked like one of those man buns—or “muns” because of my receding hairline and I’m sure I needed a lip and chin wax.  I rest my case!
Yeah.  Hair back. No makeup.  A bit late to wax the lip and chin. And I”m called “sir”!  Hmmm.. Just like “Sir” Ray Davie and “Sir” Paul McCartney.  I would rather be called Her Highness!
Those crazy celebrities.  Yeah—you can go makeup free when you are younger.  Hell, when I was young I never needed foundation.  I didn’t even wear eyeliner until I reached my thirties!
When I was young it was lip gloss, blush and mascara.  I always had Angel Face pressed powder in my purse because of my then oily “T” zone.  Which I now wish would return!
As a teen, I was never without my Pond’s Angel Face pressed powder. I can still remember the lovely scent it had!
And as I aged—cosmetics became my new best friend.   My once peaches and cream complexion turned into one of dried fruit and sour milk—but sour milk that has been in the fridge that there is a dry-cracked coating. (Yes. This happens. Trust me.  I’ve left milk in the fridge that long).
Foundation brings a new glow to my skin and evens the tone out.
See what I mean. I’m NOT wearing a ton of makeup in this pic.  Just enough to enhance my bone structure and features.  And to NOT make me look like a “sir”!
  And all the products that I very carefully apply, some days more carefully than others, I think of as my little assistants.  Because they assist in enhancing the features that I have to bring life back into them.
And I’m not fond of an overly made up look anyway.  I did an experiment a while back. If you may or may not recall–I decided to make myself up like a Kardashian (click the Kardashian name to read the post)
This was my homage to Khloe–when she wore her hair back.  Now you know why I love to dye my hair–those gray roots look horrific!
This look scared me because Bonaparte liked it so much! Jesus!  Look at my crepey neck!  
It took me forever to slop all those cosmetics upon my face. I needed a nap after I was done.  It’s too much work. I’ll settle for less makeup and more enhancing!  But my point IS cosmetics are a good thing–even better if they make you feel confident!  Right??
So please. I don’t want to be a part of any  movement that feels women should free themselves of cosmetics.
I’m still trying to deal with the militant group who feel women should go gray!  You want to sport gray hair, go do it. But don’t tell me that I should follow suit!  I’m quite comfortable in my naturally dyed jet black #1 hair.
In the end, no matter whether or not we wear makeup. Or whether or not we let our tresses go gray, we are all beautiful people.
Melanie knows that–she sang a beautiful song about it!
  Makeup Free Movement? Nope. I’m of the Make Me Up Movement!!! CAVEAT:  This post would have been published last night. But my &*()&*(&* damn laptop stinks.  My finger touched…
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