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watusichris · 2 years

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Betty Davis Was a Big Freak

Written for the late lamented Music Aficionado in 2016, and republished on the day of Ms. Davis’ death, 2/9/22. ********** To this day, the name Betty Davis – Betty with a “y,” that is – remains best known to connoisseurs of Miles Davis minutiae and ‘70s funk obsessives. While it’s true that Betty played an important off-stage role in the career of the jazz trumpeter, to whom she was married for just a year, and she undoubtedly made some of the best hardcore funk records of her era, she deserves to be recognized beyond the relatively narrow provinces of the jazzbo and the crate-digger.

Uncompromising, intelligent, brazen, aggressive, and not incidentally gorgeous, sexually provocative, and a fashion plate always ahead of the curve, Betty was a prophetic figure. Spawned by the explosion of music, fashion, and alternative culture of the late ‘60s, and by concurrent leaps in black consciousness and feminism, she was a take-no-prisoners singer and writer who presented herself as something new, rich, and strange with her self-titled debut album in 1973.

There were some badass contemporaries working the soul and funk trenches– gutter-tongued diva Millie Jackson and one-time James Brown paramour Yvonne Fair leap to mind immediately – but they seemed to be adapting tropes previously worked by male singers in the genres. Betty still sounds like something new: a tough, smart, demanding woman who reveled in pleasure and insisted on satisfaction, unafraid to claim what she wanted.

Despite the fact that she was associated with some high-profile male musician friends and lovers – beyond Davis, the roll call included Hugh Masekela, Jimi Hendrix, Sly Stone, Mike Carabello, Eric Clapton, and Robert Palmer – she was no groupie or bed-hopping climber. Possessed of her own self-defining vision, she was producing her own records and leading a tight, flexible little band by the end of her brief run.

In 1976, after completing four splendid albums (only three of which were released at the time), she disappeared, not only from the music business but from the public eye entirely. What happened? It’s an old story that many women in the industry will recognize: Her record company didn’t know what to do with her, and wanted her to tone down her act. Betty Davis wasn’t having any of that, thank you, and she hit the damn road.

She was born Betty Mabry in Durham, NC, in 1945. She grew up country, and was exposed to down-home, get-down music early. On the title track of her second album, They Say I’m Different, she runs down the artists who served as inspirations: Big Mama Thornton, John Lee Hooker, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Howlin’ Wolf, Albert King, Chuck Berry. The blues, in one form or another, is the backbone of her style.

Her family relocated to Pittsburgh when she was young, but at 16 she left home for the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. There she was hurtled into the roiling cultural vortex of the Village. She took up modeling, working for the toney Wilhelmina agency, and began running with a posse of similarly disposed, equally beautiful women who called themselves the “Electric Ladies.” Sound familiar? One of her closest cohorts was Devon Wilson, for many years a notorious consort of Jimi Hendrix known for her freewheeling, outré sex- and drug-saturated lifestyle.

Mabry began to try her hand at singing, and cut a few self-penned singles. They were in an old-school mold in terms of structure, but her very first 45 hints at things to come. “Get Ready For Betty,” a 1964 track released by Don Costa (discoverer of Paul Anka and Trini Lopez and a key arranger for Frank Sinatra), is stodgy early-‘60s NYC R&B to its core, but its message is pointed: “Get out my way, girl, ‘cause I’m comin’ to take your man.”

She also made a stolid romantic duet ballad with singer Roy Arlington and, produced by cult soul man Lou Courtney, a homage to the Cellar, the New York club where she DJed. But she didn’t start reaching the upper echelon of the music biz until one of her songs, a hymn to Harlem called “Uptown,” was cut by the Chambers Brothers for their smash 1968 album The Time Has Come, which also included the psychedelic soul workout “Time Has Come Today.”

The Chambers association probably secured a singles deal for her at Columbia Records, and her first session for the major label was produced by her former live-in boyfriend, South African trumpeter Masekela, in October 1968. By that time, she had split with him: A month earlier, she had married a far more famous horn player, Miles Davis, whom she had met in 1967. Davis and his regular producer Teo Macero would head her second session for Columbia in May 1969.

Those two dates were released for the first time as The Columbia Years 1968-1969 earlier this month by Light in the Attic, the independent label that has restored Betty’s entire catalog to print over the last decade. While devoted fans can be grateful that the work is finally seeing the light of day, it does not make for easy listening, for it was clearly made by people groping in the dark.

Betty’s artistic persona was at that point completely unformed, and so her male Svengalis did their best to mold the clay in their hands, with feeble results. Masekela evidently completed just three tracks, two of which, “It’s My Life” and “Live, Love, Learn,” were issued as a flop single. The homiletic song titles give the game away; the music, straight-up commercial soul backed by a large group (which included Wilton Felder and Wayne Henderson of the Jazz Crusaders and Masekela), has nothing original to say.

The date with Miles is a bigger waste, if a more spectacular one. The personnel couldn’t have been more glittering: Hendrix sidemen Billy Cox and Mitch Mitchell; ex-Detroit Wheels guitarist Jim McCarty; bassist Harvey Brooks, studio familiar of Bob Dylan and former member of the Electric Flag; and Davis’ then-current or future band mates Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, John McLaughlin, and Larry Young.

But nothing jells. The material is either weak (Betty’s directionless original “Hangin’ Out” is the best of a bad lot) or incongruous (lumbering covers of Cream’s “Politician” and Creedence’s “Born On the Bayou”). Worse, the jazzers are unable to lay down anything resembling a solid soul-rock foundation, and even reliable timekeeper Mitchell blows the groove on more than one occasion. Miles gets impatient with his spouse at one point, rasping over the talk-back, “Sing it just like that, with the gum in your mouth and all, bitch.”

Apparently intended as demos, the failed tracks were consigned to the tape library. By late ’69, Miles and Betty’s marriage was history. She left her mark on his music: She appeared on the cover of his cover of his 1968 album Filles de Kilimanjaro and inspired its extended track “Mademoiselle Mabry” (based on the chords that opens Hendrix’s “The Wind Cries Mary”) and “Back Seat Betty” from his 1981 comeback album The Man With the Horn.

Moreover, she moved him toward the flash style that would dominate his music through the mid-‘70s, by exposing him to the slamming music of Hendrix and Sly and exchanging his continental suits for psychedelic pimp togs. Would we know Bitches Brew, On the Corner, and Agharta without Betty Davis? Maybe, maybe not.

For her part, Betty remained in the wings for a while. She collaborated on demos for the Commodores; in London, she modeled, worked on songs for Marc Bolan of T. Rex, and declined a production offer from her then-paramour Clapton. Drifting back to New York, she met Santana percussionist Carabello. They became involved romantically, and in 1972 she relocated to the San Francisco Bay area, where Carabello’s local connections led to the formation of a stellar band to back her on a debut album.

One reads the credits for Betty Davis in awe. The rhythm section was the Family Stone’s dissident, puissant rhythm section, bassist Larry Graham and drummer Greg Errico (who also produced). Original Santana guitarist Neal Schon, future Mandrill axe man Doug Rodrigues, founding Graham Central Station organist Hershall Kennedy, and keyboardist and ace Jerry Garcia collaborator Merl Saunders filled out the instrumentation. The Pointer Sisters, Sylvester, and Kathi McDonald were among a large platoon of backup vocalists.

Issued in 1973 by Just Sunshine Records, an independent label owned by Woodstock Festival promoter Michael Lang (who also released a set by another unique woman, folk singer-guitarist Karen Dalton), Betty Davis was one hell of a coming-out party. Since her abortive Columbia dates, she had developed a unique vocal attack that could leap from a velvety croon to a Tina Turner-like shriek in a nanosecond. The stomping funk of the studio band backed her up to the hilt.

Like Turner, she was one Bold Soul Sister. The lust-filled opening invitation “If I’m in Luck I Might Get Picked Up” announces that a new game was afoot. The statement of romantic/sexual independence “Anti Love Song,” the lovers’ chess match “Your Man My Man,” and the self-explanatory “Game is My Middle Name” offer up a startling, hard-edged new model of a hard-funking female vocalist.

The album’s most affecting track may be “Steppin in Her I. Miller Shoes,” Davis’ level-headed elegy for her sybaritic friend Devon Wilson, who sailed out a window at the Chelsea Hotel in 1971. “She coulda been anything that she wanted…Instead she chose to be nothing,” Davis sings, implying that route wouldn’t be one she would take herself.

“If I’m in Luck” grazed the lower reaches of the R&B singles chart and the album failed to reach the LP rolls at all, but Davis was undaunted. For 1974’s They Say I’m Different, she took the producer’s reins, which she would hold for the rest of her career. While the backup lineup is less glitzy (though Saunders, Pete Escovedo, and Buddy Miles, on guitar no less, appear), the support is still sizzling; crackling drums and burbling clavinet put over a set of songs that may have been even stronger than those heard on her debut.

No one who hears “He Was a Big Freak” is likely to ever forget it; it’s a startling dissection of a masochistic relationship -- inspired by Jimi Hendrix, and not, as many have assumed, by Miles Davis (“Everyone knows that Miles is a sadist,” Betty remarked later). Almost as notable are “Don’t Call Her No Tramp,” a prescient condemnation of what we now call slut-shaming, and the autobiographical title track, with slicing slide guitar work by Cordell Dudley.

Different and its attendant singles tanked, but Betty managed to maintain her profile with live gigs noteworthy for their uninhibited bawdiness, on-stage abandon, and the star’s Egyptian-princess-from-outer-space wardrobe sense. By early 1974 she had assembled a hot, lean road band that included her cousins Nickey Neal and Larry Johnson on drums and bass, respectively, plus keyboardist Fred Mills and guitarist Carlos Morales. This lineup would back her on her last two albums.

The end of Just Sunshine’s distribution deal liberated Davis, who, at the suggestion of then-boyfriend Robert Palmer, inked with Palmer’s label Island Records. The company released Nasty Gal in 1975, and it may be Davis’ best-executed work. The pared-down backing lets the songs shine, and there are good ones here: The shameless title song, the vituperative blast at the critics “Dedicated to the Press,” and the out-front ultimatum for sexual satisfaction “Feelins” get right up in the listener’s face. The most surprising track is the ballad “You and I,” an unexpected songwriting reunion with Miles, orchestrated by the trumpeter’s famed arranger Gil Evans.

It’s a tremendous album, and Betty supported it with live shows that ate the funk competition alive. A bootleg of an especially out-there set recorded at a festival on the French Riviera in 1976 literally climaxes with Nasty Gal’s “The Lone Ranger,” an in-the-saddle heavy breather that Davis wraps up by feigning a loud orgasm.

One should remember that at this particular juncture, Madonna was studying dance at the University of Michigan.

But Nasty Gal faded with hardly a trace, and Davis’ relationship with Island swiftly became fractious. It’s easy to see why the label declined to issue her final album, originally called Crashin’ From Passion and ultimately released, after years as a bootleg, by Light in the Attic in 2009 as Is It Love or Desire. The collection, which leans heavily on songs about sex, doping, and heavy drinking, includes “Stars Starve, You Know,” an outright condemnation of the games record companies play:

They said if I wanted to make some money I’d have to change my style Put a paper bag over my face Sing soft and wear tight fitting gowns

They don’t like the way I’m lookin’ So it’s hard for my agent to get me bookin’s Unless I cover up my legs and drop my pen And commit one of those commercial sins…

Oh hey hey Island

And that was all she wrote. Until writers began to seek her out in the new millennium as her records became available again, Betty Davis was an invisible woman, one who had blazed a trail that other talents, such as Prince and Madonna, would blaze more profitably after her. She was definitively ahead of her time.

Asked by one writer what she had done since leaving music, Davis, who turns 71 on July 26, responded with the most tragic thing one can imagine any artist saying: “Nothing really.”

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zmaragdos · 2 years

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VII Kalendae Maius | April 25th

When the days of April will have six which remain, the Season of Spring will be in the middle of its journey, and you will search in vain for the ram of Helle, daughter of Athamas. Rain showers present the constellations and the Dog comes into view.

At this time I was in Nomentum; as I was returning to Rome with the daylight, the bright white crowd has blocked the way in the middle of the road. A Priest was going into the sacred grove of Primeval Rusty-Mildew, about to give the organs of a dog, the organs of a sheep to the flames. At once, I approached the crowd (let me be not ignorant of the rites): your Priest has declared these words, Quirinus: “May you spare the rough surfaces, Rust, on the things of Ceres, on the herbs, and may the smooth young shoot quiver on top of the soil. May you leave the crops, having been tended by the propitious constellations of the Heavens, to grow until they are ready for the scythes. Your strength is not small: you have branded those crops, which the distressed farmer regards as things having been lost; neither have winds nor rainstorms damaged so much for Ceres, nor have burns, pale with marble-white frost, damaged the crops to the extent that Titan would if he heats the soaked stems: in that event, it is the place of your wrath, Goddess who Must Be Feared. Be merciful! I implore you, and withdraw your scabbed hands from the harvest, nor bring harm to the cultivated things! There is enough for you to harm: do not grip the fragile crops, but rather seize a hard sword, and you, the earlier, destroy that which is able to ruin others! Seize the useful sword and guilty spear: in no respect is there work with those, the Heavens celebrate leisure. Now, let the hoes and the two-pronged hoe and the curved plough-share, the resources of the countryside, shine: let Rust defile the arms of the region, and let a presuming someone intend to take a sword, having been bound to the sheath, to be with a long delay! But do not injure the crops! And may a farmer always be able to duly perform his vows to a more-absent you,” he had said; from his right hand, he took a hand towel, with the nap of the cloth having been loose in structure, and with a broad, shallow libation dish of pure wine there was a box of frankincense. He gives the frankincense drops and the wine to the hearth and the entrails of a sheep, and (we have witnessed him) the unsightly organs of a polluted dog. Then, to me: “Why might a strange sacrifice be given to the Divine Ones, you ask?” (I had asked.)

“Understand the cause!” the Priest says. “There is a dog, they say the dog of Icarius, during the time that constellation has been put in motion to set, the scorched ground is in need of water, and the crops are dried up too soon. This dog is placed on the altar because of the Starry Dog, and therefore he might die, for no reason other than the name he has.”

—

Sex ubi, quae restant, luces Aprilis habebit, in medio cursu tempora veris erunt, et frustra pecudem quaeres Athamantidos Helles, signaque dant imbres, exoriturque Canis. hac mihi Nomento Romam cum luce redirem, obstitit in media candida turba via. flamen in antiquae lucum Robiginis ibat, exta canis flammis, exta daturus ovis. protinus accessi, ritus ne nescius essem: edidit haec flamen verba, Quirine, tuus: ‘aspera Robigo, parcas Cerialibus herbis, et tremat in summa leve cacumen humo. tu sata sideribus caeli nutrita secundis crescere, dum fiant falcibus apta, sinas. vis tua non levis est: quae tu frumenta notasti, maestus in amissis illa colonus habet, nec venti tantum Cereri nocuere nec imbres, nec sic marmoreo pallet adusta gelu, quantum, si culmos Titan incalfacit udos: tunc locus est irae, diva timenda, tuae. parce, precor, scabrasque manus a messibus aufer neve noce cultis: posse nocere sat est. nec teneras segetes, sed durum amplectere ferrum, quodque potest alios perdere, perde prior. utilius gladios et tela nocentia carpes: nil opus est illis, otia mundus agit. sarcula nunc durusque bidens et vomer aduncus, ruris opes, niteant; inquinet arma situs, conatusque aliquis vagina ducere ferrum adstrictum longa sentiat esse mora. at tu ne viola Cererem, semperque colonus absenti possit solvere vota tibi.’ dixerat: a dextra villis mantele solutis cumque meri patera turis acerra fuit. tura focis vinumque dedit fibrasque bidentis turpiaque obscenae (vidimus) exta canis. tum mihi ‘cur detur sacris nova victima, quaeris?’ ( quaesieram) ‘causam percipe’ flamen ait. ‘est Canis, Icarium dicunt, quo sidere moto tosta sitit tellus, praecipiturque seges, pro cane sidereo canis hic imponitur arae, et quare pereat, nil nisi nomen habet.’

—

P. Ovidius Naso, “Fastorum Libri Sex,” Lib. IV 901-942

translation by@zmaragdos

#ovid #fasti iv #p ovidius naso #fastorum libri sex #my translation #classics #classical studies #ancient mediterranean #latin #latin elegy #latin poetry #ovid as vates #canis #robigo #rome #april 25

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sebastianshaw · 3 years

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@sammysdewysensitiveeyes - And finally, Shinobi for World of Darkness, three different versions/games! Under cut because like always, it’s long!

For a vampire, he’d be a Toreador. They’re the type who will turn someone just because they’re pretty, then get tired of them within the week, and that’s how their ranks get flooded with dilettantes who don’t posses any artistic talent, like Shinobi. Toreador are famous for being the most emotional and passionate and in touch with humanity, but in truth, many are emotionally hollow, chasing fleeting highs of false feelings that are shallow and brief despite their deceptive intensity. This leads them to become callow and callous, trying forever to breath life into themselves through new experiences that become banal all too soon, leaving a trail of broken mortal hearts and lives behind them, to say nothing of fledglings that, like, Shinobi, are pulled into this world they’re not ready for and typically destroyed by soon enough. While many people deride them as romance novel vampires, I think they’re actually a very clever subversion of that, and in their own way as horrifying as more famously frightening ones. Shinobi, bitter and wounded over being rejected and abandoned by his sire, has become exactly that kind of Toreador himself. He also strives to be as seductive and glamorous as other members of the clan, and he has the image down, but it falls apart quickly when others question or reject him. He’s also a very young and weak vampire, so he has no political strings to pull, and since he has no art, is looked down by his clanmates as a poseur. All this just makes him more pathologically driven to prove himself and gather allies who will love and respect him, even as he fails at it every night. Also, the Tories are often called divas and “Degenerates” is literally a nickname for the whole clan, it’s perf. I also think he’d make a good Ghoul. When someone---be it a human, animal, even a fellow vampire---drinks the blood of a vampire three times, they become Blood Bound to them. In the case of animals and humans, this makes them the vampire’s ghoul, and the vampire their domitor or regnant. The blood bond is one of the most powerful tools of vampirekind, as the victim is completely enthralled to them, forced to obey. The ghoul is obsessed with them, usually in love, and will do anything asked of them. Continual drinks reinforce it, and the ghouls WANT this, for vitae---vampire blood--is addictive. And the longer they serve a vampire, the more they’ll need it not just out of addiction, but to survive. Ghouling a human (or animal) will freeze them at their current age, just like a vampire, and even grant them some vampiric powers...but when the blood stops coming, all those years catch up with them...all at once. It’s not pretty. Some ghouls who manage to escape their masters---usually by the latter’s death--become vampire hunters in order to get their vitae fix, drinking from different ones in order to avoid the “three strikes and you’re out” Blood Bond. As for what vampires get from this, ghouls have any number of uses, from daytime bodyguards to managers of mortal affairs, messengers, servants, it goes on. The sad, cursed existence of a Ghoul is in many ways worse than that of a vampire, and with none of the benefits. I could see him either as a group ghoul, perhaps, serving a coterie (small group) of powerful female vampires...but I feel like that’s more his fantasy than anything. The reality is probably that he went looking for his birth father, tracked him down successfully, and got a lot more than he bargained for...but hasn’t aged a day since either. Much like Ghouls serve vampires, Kinfolk serve werebeasts, and out of a very different sense of being bound by blood. Kinfolk are the human and animal relations of a werewolf or other werecreature, and breeding with them yields a higher chance of a Garou offspring (since, remember, the offspring of two Garou is a sterile, deformed metis) A Garou birth will still be rare, and most or all of their children will just be Kinfolk, but maybe the next gen will have a Garou, or the next. Because of this, the Garou (or Bastet, or whatever they may be) maintain close ties with their Kinfolk, watching them like shepherds over their flocks. There’s a dark side though. Their primary role ultimately is breeding stock, and many tribes treat them exactly like that. They’re automatically seen as part of the Garou tribe to which they’re related (or worse, its property) and are thus beholden to its regulations, owing them their loyalty, but get none of the respect and glory that the Garou do in return. They’re "valuable second class citizens" at best. Besides breeding, other roles they take includes childcare (since the werewolves are off battling the Wyrm), financing, politicking, and bureaucratic maneuvering on behalf of the Garou, directly or in their interests, are all examples, but there are dozens more things an individual Kinfolk might to do serve their family. Sebastian would definitely be a Shadow Lord werewolf as described in Fabian’s section, and Shinobi his unfortunate Kinfolk pup. A disappointment twice over, firstly for not being Garou, secondly for not even being the USEFUL kind of Kinfolk. All the tribes have an individual approach to their kin beyond the general basics I just described, and Shadow Lords tend towards the abusive. To quote the canon, “[Shadow Lord] Kinfolk don't receive much coddling, however. Weaklings and victims don't deserve to breed.” So not only is Shinobi not supposed to be sticking his dick in anything that can get pregnant, he’s supposed to purely serve his father’s interests while also growing up a society where he will NEVER be good enough. Which...look it’s horrible, but you can’t deny it FITS! (Also: While Sebastian def would be a Shadow Lord himself as a werewolf, he also could easily just be a human "target" of one as a mate. To quote canon: "Female Shadow Lords are sometimes drawn away from the flock toward men with power. A ruthless businessman, a brilliant crime lord or even a military dictator may find himself overpowered by a stalking suitor.") Since Shinobi is half-Japanese, he could be a kuei-jin if he was born/raised/died in Japan or a place with a strong Japanese (or other Asian) culture. Now, the kuei-jin are very problematic, White Wolf (the game company that does all this) mashed together a bunch of different Asian cultures together (even “kuei-jin” is a combination of Japanese and Chinese) and appropriated a bunch of terms they used incorrectly (ex: dharma) but I really like them and I’d like it if one day they could go back and fix them like they have with other creations they made that were really problematic at their conception (most all of this shit was made up by white nerds in the 90s) So, kuei-jin are vampires of a sort, but an entirely different sort than the Kindred are, despite some calling them ‘the Kindred of the East’. Firstly, their range has more to do with culture than geography. They populate Asia, but have begun emerging in the West in places like Chinatowns where Asian cultures are prevalent. Which brings us to the second difference---they are not Embraced like Western vampires, they rise from the grave on their own. Something drove them so hard that their souls clawed their way out of Yomi World and back into their bodies...well, usually their bodies, there have been cases where they came back in a DIFFERENT body. The goal of the kuei-jin is to remember what this something was, for they believe it is their purpose, and they must then accomplish it. In order to discover their purpose and fulfill it, they will choose different paths that they think will be best for this. These paths, called Dharmas, are liked clans, but, as I said, can be chosen, and even changed. Shinobi’s Dharma would be the The Dance of the Thrashing Dragon, also known as the Laughing Rainbows. Yes, they all have names like that. Again, white nerds in the 90s. The Thrashing Dragons are the Yang-Aspected paths, they seek to defy their undead state through frenzied revelry and acts meant to celebrate life (in all its beauty and bloodcurdling savagery both). These Kuei-jin are as alive as the undead can be, believing creation is a rainbow – illusory, but too colourful to ignore-- and their ideal is to experience each of those colours as vividly as possible. As a result, Laughing Rainbows shun society's restrictions, are often messy and vulgar, indulging themselves with wild feasts and drunken orgies - celebrations that usually feature living "entertainment," too. In their calmer moments, a Thrashing Dragon can be gentle and compassionate, nurturing life even though they consume it---the kuei-jin are still a type of vampires, and they feed on chi. They can get it from flesh and blood, but, as they get older and more powerful, can suck the pure chi out of the air from a person. But the Thrashing Dragons like to eat their prey raw, and often alive. They’re violent and combative, in addition to shameless, impulsive, lusty, and having a tendency towards nudity. What’s interesting is that in life, many Thrashing Dragons denied the flesh, and believe they came back due to their repression during life. Some ferociously carnal people do return to finish what they started in life, but most Laughing Rainbows learned to laugh only after they died. So perhaps Shinobi had a sad life that ended prematurely (COUGH DAD COUGH) and now that he’s come back, he’s “living” large at last. Or perhaps he’s one of the ones that was ALWAYS a hedonistic idiot and he was actually brought back as a lesson to live a better life, but he hasn’t learned it yet. Kuei-jin have two souls, the Hun and P’o, and they struggle against the latter. The Hun is higher, rational half of the soul, akin to morality, conscience, honor and devotion to duty. The P’o is the evil bestial half of the soul, akin to “the Beast” that Western vampires struggle against. Each person’s P’o takes one of several archetypes, based on which is most likely to tempt a kuei-jin off their path, and Shinobi’s would be The Monkey. The Monkey is a creature of the moment, its each new pleasure or distraction being the most important thing in the world. The Monkey is capable of concocting elaborate plans to achieve small or momentary goals, but it’s in no way concerned with any overarching mission that the Kuei-jin might have. Indeed, the Monkey seeks, at every turn, to waylay Shinobi from his appointed goal, to divert all of the his attention and energy to lesser, transitory things. So basically it tempts him to be HIMSELF. (As a note, I think the Adversary would translate REALLY well as a P’o for a kuei-jin Haven; India is part of Asia too!) Finally...I might be typecasting him too much by race, but there’s also the kitsune. The kitsune, as one would expect, are the werefoxes of East Asia, mostly found in Japan and China. They are the youngest of the Changing Breeds, and the story goes that when a fox named Bai Mianxi was brought before Gaia (who created all the werecreatures) by Luna (the moon) for playing tricks that created havoc in the world, Gaia’s punishment was that Bai Mianxi be given a duty. Bai Mianxi tried to trick her way out of it, claiming that Gaia's other children were all adequate enough in their duties and she was not needed. Gaia's wrath at Bai Mianxi's impudence shook her residence, but after soothing words from Luna, Gaia promised the fox that in return for their service, the fox-people would one day become the BEST at something, better than all the other werecreatures were at it, whatever it is. Like all other were-types, the kitsune are born in animal or human form, and the offspring of two Kitsune will be born in hybrid form and be stuck that way until their First Change. Unlike the Western metis of the Garou and many other fera though, these “shinju” as they are called, are NOT sterile or deformed, nor are they looked down upon by other kitsune. But all kitsune, no matter what form they were born in, carry a curse, and that is that when a kitstune is born, at least one of its parents will die. Usually, it is the non-kitsune parent, and there is also a one-in-ten chance that the Kitsune parent may die, either instead of, or along with, their mate. So my thinking is kitsune Shinobi was born in human form in Japan to a kitsune mother, but has a human white dad in America (Sebastian obvy) who despite the great distance still passed away mysteriously at the moment Shinobi drew his first breath. And so Shinobi grew up raised by his mother and her Kinfolk, and he never saw his father and he grew up feeling loved and wanted, and now he is a happy healthy adult werefox who will indeed be the best at something one day! You can see why I wanted this for him ^^

#world of darkness #vampire the masquerade #werewolf the apocalypse #kindred of the east #out of shirt

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kaibacorpbros · 3 years

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In with the New

Mokuba was a tolerant person. Even to a fault.

But there were still certain lines, ones he wouldn’t allow to be crossed.

Which was why this kid sitting near his table badmouthing Kaiba Corp for a solid hour had Mokuba as tense as a bowstring in his seat.

It wasn’t his business. Besides, probably a kid of someone that got kicked out when the KC switched to a gaming company. Kid looked like he could have been old enough to remember that many years ago.

Mokuba shouldn’t get involved.

“And Kaiba himself is sketchy. Ya know how he took over? His predecessor died. But all that news was swept under the rug like no one’s business. And he doesn’t give a shit about his employees. Threw my old man out on his ass over nothing—”

And then one of the members in the little posse said what Mokuba assumed was the name of the kid’s dad. Saying how nice the man was. But there was something that sounded familiar…

Mokuba didn’t even realize he had crossed the distance between him and the other guy. He knew who the kid’s father was. Seto had kicked the man out because he was a traitor. A lingering supporter of the Big 5 that was part of the employee purge Seto conducted. What kind of story did the guy give the family!? Not the truth by a long shot.

“Who the hell are you? We got a problem?” the kid barked.

Mokuba pushed the other boy out of his chair, and his fist collided with the other’s cheek. A couple of people around them started screaming. But this boy was much bigger than Mokuba, and after the initial shock, it didn’t take long for him to strike back.

It got messy, and eventually, the bystanders managed to pull the two apart.

Thankfully Mokuba had his hair up and a hat and scarf on, so it didn’t seem he was recognized. But looking down at the flecks of blood on his knuckles, a bit of the other boy’s and his own, the gravity of what he’d done settled in, and he bolted.

_____

“Ya don’t look like the brawling type,” the cashier at the gas station Mokuba had ducked into remarked as she rang up a bag of ice.

“I’m not, I—” but no decent explanation could leave the younger Kaiba’s tongue.

“It’s whatever dude, just try not and make it a habit, especially not around here, I was just about to close.”

Oh great. Oh great, it just kept getting worse.

“S-sorry…”

Mokuba handed the cashier a twenty and told her to keep the change as he pressed the ice to a bruise on his face and turned to leave.

“Hey! Don’t leave like that, all that blood on your knuckles is just gonna make a mess if you don’t patch it up.”

The young lady who’s nametag read “Riley" had taken her own backpack out from under the counter and within a few moments flung a box of band-aids at Mokuba’s face.

“Go outside and start opening those up while I lock the doors. But don’t put them on yet—I got some medicine somewhere in this thing, just gotta take a minute to find it.”

“R-right, on it.”

_____

“And I honestly don’t even know what came over me. I don’t usually get angry, nor do I even have much of a reason to be defending him after everything. Hell, I felt conflicted enough by shipping him a gift for New Years this morning.”

Was it wrong to be venting so much to a stranger he just met over hot cocoa in a twenty-four-hour diner? Probably. This lady wasn’t a therapist—but honestly with how she listened and discussed as the younger Kaiba babbled could have fooled him. But then again, maybe it was largely due to the fact that he hadn’t stopped for very long enough to really get a read on what opinion Riley had on everything he was info-dumping.

“Really? What’d you send him?”

“Just an outfit I designed, more lowkey than his usual stuff because I heard he’s been leaning that way anyway.”

Riley dropped another handful of marshmallows in her mug.

“That’s not exactly a low-effort gift, Mokuba.”

“O-Oh! I didn’t sew it all myself or anything—I can do a bit, but I had some friends in the theatre crew I’ve been working with help me out. Ha, pretty simple compared to what they’re used to.”

“What’s on their usual to-do list? Costume with exploding fake head?” Riley asks with a smirk.

“Well….”

A marshmallow gets tossed at Mokuba.

“Now you’re just pulling my leg.”

“It was worth a shot,” Mokuba says with a cheeky grin. “But we did an exploding dummy once. Or…several.”

Light laughter lays between the two before Riley carefully considers her next words. She didn’t want to kill Mokuba’s mood more than it already was unless he wanted to truly hear what she had to say.

“Do you want my honest opinion?” The tink of a spoon hitting the edges of the cup as she stirs seems to be the only sound in the building.

After a moment of deliberation, Mokuba nods.

“I think…you’re so used to caring for your brother that you can’t imagine not doing so. But going how it sounds, it seems this isn’t a new thing. And I don’t think people like that change. No usually anyway.”

The expression Mokuba now had on his face made her want to backpedal. It felt like kicking a puppy.

“Of course not saying it’s a sealed deal or anything just—you know.”

Mokuba took to picking at the Band-Aids on his digits.

“No, I know—get what you’re saying. I…I’ll keep that in mind.” He clears his throat with a cough.

“I’d like to change the subject though. You uh, been working here long?”

“Ha! That old place? Nah, just a placeholder.”

Like every job was.

“I’m going east after this, everything’s too crowded here. And the prices are insane, I don’t even want to know how you’re getting screwed over by the conversion rate.”

Oh, Mokuba had an idea. And he was sure Seto was seeing that loss.

“Very. You traveling too, huh?”

Maybe they didn’t have to say goodbye so soon.

_____

Front or back? Seto wondered as he fiddled with his scarf hanging down his front. He’d grown used to wrapping it loosely around his neck and fall over his back so the eyes on it stared out behind him. But the design sketch for the outfit he’d gotten from Mokuba had it just hooked over the back of the neck down the front of the coat.

Turns out, he wouldn’t have time to debate over it anymore as the door to the apartment he was standing outside opened.

“How many white coats do you have?” Diva asked.

“I’ve…not really stopped to count.”

Maybe he should do that sometime. But what could he say? Blue white and black were his colors.

He gave a half turn. “Mokuba designed it.”

“How do you know? I thought—”

“He’s the only one who sends me clothes. And he has a style I can recognize. But no, there was no letter or anything like that.”

Diva held out a hand and after Seto nodded, straightened the scarf, so both sides were a bit more even.

“He has one I approve of,” the ex-Plana said with a small smile as the two-headed out together for the night. _____

// this is a hella late new years/holiday thing thanks to my lil hiatus rippp. Anywho, hope everyone had a nice holiday/winter.

The outfit that Mokuba designed and made was the one Kenjiro-san had for the Duel Opera! I’m sure you’ve seen fanart of Kaiba in them-- it’s all the same sans he’s got the previous blue chaos max themed scarf instead.

Also introduced and OC who may also be a bit of an NPC over on this blog for interactions with Mokuba. But mostly Riley will be over at @pledgedsouls

#(do not reblog)#blazing a trail [riley]#make the impossible possible | seto 💜 diva | indioragod #legacy [drabbles]#KC files [Lore]

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muellercorn · 5 years

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Happy International Women's Day! These are women involved in theatre that I believe have paved the future for female artists. I think it would be apt for you to read their names and stories and then let me know women who inspire you in the theatre world and how you think they're shaping the future. Reblog if you see your inspirations and share their stories.

1. Jennifer Kirby. We may only be 3 months into 2019, but I'm ready to call Jennifer Kirby woman of the year. At age 30, I'd already consider her a veteran of the RSC, a company where she has portrayed so many Shakespearean females with a new found voice and personality. She first appeared on our screens in Call The Midwife in 2016 as Nurse Valerie Dyer. From the start Val has faced some of the most brutal storylines, most involving the rights of women and the working class, and been an absolute inspiration due to her brave and loving personality. However over the last 8 weeks she has been the pioneer character of the most powerful women's rights stories I've seen in entertainment ever. If it hadn't been for Kirby's authentic, sensitive performance and her deep understanding of the human condition from women who've walked different lives from her own, this storyline would not have had the impact that it has. She never complains about a hard storyline either, when interviewers ask how difficult scenes were, her response is always one of gratitude enthusiasm and excitement for the changes it could bring about in society. I believe this will be the start of more powerful storylines for women in the media and moreover I know her performance has had a real life effect on society, changing and developing people's opinions and giving them fresh eyes to see other people's experiences through with sympathy and care.

2. Jessie Mueller. During her Broadway career this far, Mueller has portrayed some of the most complex women with such heart and integrity. She has proven endlessly that vulnerability and strength can coexist. In 2016 Jessie won the Lilly Award (awards for females making a difference in society) for best actress following her run as Jenna in Waitress. A not was left in the theatre's lobby saying that Jessie's heartfelt performance helped a woman decide to leave the abusive relationship she was in. Additionally Jessie has done countless benefits for charities benefiting women, is an activist for equal rights and a dedicated educator. Jessie has defied type casting and shown us all that we are not defined by anything but our hearts and work ethic.

3. Ruthie Ann Miles. Strength, power, inspiration - Ruthie is the true embodiment of all these things. Moreover she spreads happiness and joy, ever since I watched her win her Tony I just felt this overwhelming sense of happiness. This woman spreads light everywhere she goes and never fails to make me brim with happiness and smiles. In today's world we need a light and Ruthie truly is that light.

4. Marianne Elliott. To me, Marianne Elliott is the best theatre director of our times. Directing is a profession that is predominantly male dominated and I believe that Elliott will be one of the key figures in changing that. Her love for her work is evident in the current revival of Company a true highlight of the theatre scene in recent years. Her integrity, leadership skills and incredible visions have led to a groundbreaking piece of theatre for women.

5. Rosalie Craig. Her incredible portrayal of the 'new' Bobbie in the 2018 Company Revival has given an in depth, layered portrayal of a woman who is unapologetic for her decisions and personal internal debates. Craig brings so much to this role that you don't see Bobbie as promiscuous like expected but rather as someone simply living life making her own calls and it's absolutely refreshing and unique to see. Furthermore her talent is so stellar that it is guaranteed to inspire a generation of young performers.

6. Katrina Lenk. Resilience strikes me when I think of Katrina Lenk. Her break came in her 40s, prior to this she was relatively unknown in the mainstream theatre world however she never stopped working. Women are ingrained to believe their value decreases as they age, especially in the arts, however Katrina has proven that this is not true. We gain experience, life lessons, emotional qualities, skills and ethics that helps us grow as people and performers. When I think of Katrina Lenk I think of someone so driven by love rather than fame. Additionally, through the characters she portrayed, Katrina has given a voice to so many women who's stories would typically go untold.

7. Jessie Nelson. A valued part of the first all female Broadway creative team for Waitress, Nelson wrote the book for the musical and in doing so helped create a masterpiece and a true gift for all women who feel their story doesn't matter. She comprehensively understands what it means to be female, the importance of female friendship and the responsibility that came with writing a script like this. Thanks to Nelson we have a musical that honours our stories and inspires us to go out and speak of our own experiences. She helped create the living proof that female stories sell and I'm sure we will see many more following in its footsteps.

8. Paula Vogel. Scriptwriter, Vogel, first came to my intention when I first watched Indecent on Broadway HD. The main two things that hit me regarding women's rights upon watching the play, was the portrayal of sexuality between Dina and Ruth outside of the internal play 'God of Vengeance', this relationship is powerful and much more emotionally based than trying to portray lesbian relationships as sexual items for men's pleasure as many arts still find acceptable. Additionally at the start of the play when describing the casting type of each troupe member, Vogel avoids attaching gender to the description starting the tone with the message they desire to continue with, equality for all.

9. Eva Noblezada. I will never forget Noblezada's performance as Kim, I remember being truly in awe and inspired. Then when learning how young she was I was admired at her dedication to travel thousands of miles from home at such a young age in true dedication to telling a story she believes in. Miss Saigon has a story line so beautifully reflective of the maternal side of women and Noblezada's performance portrayed this beautifully showing the true fierce strength that women posses.

10. Hailey Kilgore. A Tony award nomination at age 19! That is more than enough to inspire. Additionally the profound and positive outlook Kilgore has about the world is beyond beautiful and heartwarming.

11. Patti Murin. I admire anyone who speaks out about mental illness and Murin does so so candidly that it is unbelievably inspirational. It's a daunting thing to do because mental illness can be mistaken for being 'overly emotional' or 'unreliable' and I commend Murin for speaking out anyway knowing what she is risking because it will remind an entire generation who struggle with their mental health not to give up because of it. Despite her struggles Murin's work is incredibly joyful and can brighten up any day.

12. Sara Bareilles. Always dedicated to writing her truth, Bareilles has never cabed into the pressure of writing a traditional love song at times when it didn't feel authentic to her. Being motivated to make art rather than money, Sara Bareilles has written so many anthems for women reminding them to feel and fight. Furthermore she's proved that you don't have to write songs about men to sell music, authenticity leads to success.

13. Adrienne Warren. This woman is a force. She is currently giving everything she's got to bring the empowering story of Tina Turner to life 8 times a week in the west end. She is the driving force of a vital story for women in society and she treats it with the importance and passion it deserves. Furthermore her social media is dedicated to educating people about equality for all in society.

14. Marin Mazzie. In September 2018 Marin lost her battle to Ovarain cancer but her legacy will pass from generation to the next. Her dedication to what she loved during her battle is the epitome of female strength, additionally she committed time to activism and raising awareness of ovarian cancer. To me 'Back to Before' - Ragtime is the ultimate theatre anthem for women's rights and Marin's recording and perspective is so moving and empowering that it has the ability to motivate anyone who listens to change the world.

15. Bernadette Peters. A true theatre icon Peters has wrestled with all the names in the book, the classic term 'Diva' that was constantly thrown around when a woman was so powerful and successful in their field that people didn't know how to react. I don't think anything will stop this woman..... I mean did you see the press ups on The View, in high heels and a dress! Icon! Furthermore this was the week before her 70th birthday. I don't think Peters will ever age in spirit or appearance but she embraces her age regardless, the host with held her name but Peters made it clear that she feels age shouldn't be hidden from as our value does not decrease in anyway. Her work in theatre and charity should be inspirational to all.

16. Lindsay Mendez. Firstly I admire any women dedicated to educating and teaching, like Lindsay is. I could say a lot about Lindsay, but I feel she says it best herself. She is true to her identity, body positive and wants to represent everyday people through her art, as we all should if we consider art as a mirror to society.

“When I moved to New York, I was told to change my last name from Mendez to Matthews, or I wouldn’t work. I’m so proud to be part of a community that celebrates diversity and individuality … Be your true self and the world will take note.”

"When you hear you’re going to audition for “Dogfight,” the show about bringing ugly women to parties, you’re like, ‘Oh, great, thank you.’ But that’s also our dream as actors, to play someone else and give someone else a voice. I love this character so much."

17. Cobie Smulders. Whilst filming HIMYM Cobie was privately battling Ovarian Cancer, she beat it and later went on to defy odds by having her own children. Her dedication to her art during this time is a testimony to her strength and will. Furthermore during her time on the show Cobie brought to life incredibly moving stories specific to women in society giving them a voice. She has since gone on to have a successful career in film and theatre and has a large voice in social activism. Her accounts about her battle with ovarian cancer will help to give so much support to women going through similar difficult times and hopefully raise awareness in others so they're able to detect this illness in early stages.

18. Ella Fitzgerald. To me Ella is the American song book, she is the voice of all the Gershwin, Porter, Berlin musicals that came to follow. She gave a voice to a minority and inspired so many people. She continues to inspire people when ever you listen to recordings of her and feel the raw emotion. The modern musical stands on Ella's shoulders.

19. Audra McDonald. SIX TONY AWARDS. She's defied every odd and stereotype by purely working hard and being a truly good person. She's inspired many people and shown us all that anything is possible when you're prepared to prove people wrong. Furthermore she always takes time to thank and honour those who came before her, the people who's shoulders she stands on and that to me is what female empowerment is more than anything else.

20. Judy Garland. My personal inspiration and to be honest I struggle to articulate how she inspires me as it's more of an emotion than a string of thoughts. I just believe Garland strove for love, kindness and friendship over anything. I also believe her work is a sign of hope, no matter how she was treated she never gave in, she didn't stop doing what she loved because of the way she was treated she kept going. It's debatable if that's the right decision, but it doesn't matter as it was a strong decision and it was Judy's. I respect her an unbelievable amount for her voice, her heart and her perspective on the world. Imagine what would be if that sweet girl hadn't sang 'Over The Rainbow' all those years ago, and imagine even more what could have been if we saw Garland for the layered, complex human being she was rather than sweet and cheery Dorothy Gale. Personally whenever I get the chance to perform I always think of Garland before I step on stage, I thank her for her sacrifices to the art because it wouldn't be what it is today if it weren't for her, I don't think there will ever be a star as bright again. It's also to remember that whilst addiction and mental illness don't descriminate, Judy wouldn't have faced many of the issues she did if she wasn't a woman.

"Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else."

The perspective we all should have had:

"I've always taken 'The Wizard of Oz' very seriously, you know. I believe in the idea of the rainbow. And I've spent my entire life trying to get over it."

I hope to hear of those who inspire you and I hope we all continue to inspire and empower each other. Alicia x

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tabloidtoc · 4 years

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Life & Style, September 28

You can buy a copy of this issue for your very own at my eBay store: https://www.ebay.com/str/bradentonbooks

Cover: Duchess Kate Middleton -- my side of the story

Page 1: Photo Flash -- Alec and Hilaria Baldwin and their newborn son

Page 2: Contents

Page 4: Twinning! Chiara Ferragni vs. Dakota Fanning, Alexa Chung vs. Lana Condor, Carly Rae Jepsen vs. Maria Menounos

Page 6: Keeping Up With the Kardashians will end in early 2021 -- now Kris Jenner is all about staying relevant and that means remaining in the public eye so she’s been busy making sure that there’s always going to be a Kardashian or a Jenner show of some kind on the air

Page 7: Paris Hilton opened up about her painful upbringing in a new documentary, Throwback -- Reese Witherspoon

Page 8: Marie Osmond is leaving The Talk after just one season on the daytime chatfest and although she’s implied it was her decision but the 60-year-old was forced off the series because Marie was talking about hosting her own show and taking some of the talent with her so they fired her, Jacob Elordi and Kaia Gerber are finally going public with their romance after being spotted holding hands while strolling through the streets of NYC and everyone’s excited about them dating except his ex Zendaya -- there was speculation that Zendaya and Jacob had recently broken up but the big question now is did Jacob dump Zendaya for Kaia?

Page 10: The Week in Photos -- Olivia Wilde at the beach in Santa Monica

Page 11: Sofia Richie and Jaden Smith packed on the PDA at the beach

Page 12: Precious Moments -- The Bachelor’s Sean Lowe and wife Catherine with kids Isaiah and Mia and Samuel in OshKosh B’gosh overalls, Daphne Oz and daughter Giovanna, Jessica Simpson and daughter Birdie

Page 15: Diane Kruger raved about taking a roadtrip with the family in her new Audi E-tron

Page 16: Stars Behaving Badly -- Tarek El Moussa and fiancee Heather Rae Young get saucy, The Bachelorette alum Hannah Brown tossed Skittles into the air during a photo shoot

Page 18: Say What?! Zendaya on expanding her horizons during quarantine, Miley Cyrus on being attracted to girls way before she was ever attracted to guys, Chloe Sevigny on welcoming son Vanja with partner Sinisa Mackovic earlier this year, Hailey Baldwin on experiencing jealousy over Justin Bieber’s features

Page 20: Armie Hammer has gone on several dates with Rumer Willis following his split from Elizabeth Chambers -- Rumer thinks he’s super hot and can’t wait to see where this goes but Armie was also seen grabbing lunch with Josh Lucas’ ex Jessica Ciencin Henriquez -- Armie has taken his new single life to the next level and he’s dating multiple women including Rumer and Jessica

Page 21: Kristin Cavallari was none too pleased when she found out Jay Cutler and Tomi Lahren were spotted at a Nashville bar together -- the retired NFL star and the Fox Nation host have mutual friends who have been trying to set them up for a while now but Kristin is finding it hard to accept that he’s moved on so quickly, Lily Allen and David Harbour tied the knot at the Graceland Wedding Channel in Las Vegas before an Elvis impersonator

Page 22: Cover Story -- Duchess Kate finally talks -- after years of drama Kate Middleton opens up about the rifts in the royal family in the hopes of healing old wounds

Page 26: Angelina Jolie’s revenge bombshell -- secret recordings of Brad Pitt -- after Brad goes public with his new love Angie threatens to release shocking footage of him which consists of security footage and possibly Angie’s own cellphone recordings which were made before Brad gave up drinking four years ago

Page 28: Katie Holmes finds love again -- a year after her split from Jamie Foxx Katie pours on the PDA with chef Emilio Vitolo Jr. and she’s so happy whenever Emilio’s name is mentioned Katie’s face lights up

Page 30: Tyra Banks: My kid’s embarrassed when I dance -- as season 29 of Dancing With the Stars kicks off Tyra says she’ll stick to hosting because her son York tells her how bad her dancing is

Page 34: Beauty Beat -- Pumpkin -- Miley Cyrus

Page 36: Who Lives Here? Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin

Page 38: Entertainment

Page 40: Diva or Down-to-Earth? Miranda Lambert feeds her dogs -- down-to-earth, Madison Beer fuels her Ferrari -- down-to-earth

Page 41: Kaia Gerber enlists a style posse -- diva, Scott Disick charters a private plane -- diva

Page 42: Social Stars Posts of the Week -- Chris Hemsworth takes a bath with one of his kids, Drew Scott and his wife Linda dressed up for an ‘80s-themed party, Mindy Kaling trapped in her 2-year-old’s playpen, Jason Momoa spent the day hanging out with former professional skateboarder Max Schaaf

Page 44: Horoscope -- Libra Gwyneth Paltrow turned 48 on September 27, They’re Not Together But They Should Be -- Capricorn Sienna Miller and Scorpio Gavin Rossdale

Page 46: Made Ya Look! Candace Cameron Bure launches the back-to-school dance challenge #ShiptShuffle

Page 48: What I’m Into -- Cheryl Burke

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paulodebargelove · 6 years

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Mary Vesta Williams (December 1, 1957 – September 22, 2011) was an American singer–songwriter, who performed across genres such as pop, jazz, adult contemporary and R&B. Originally credited as Vesta Williams, she was sometimes simply billed as Vestabeginning in the 1990s. She was known for her four–octave vocal range. She once sang The Star Spangled Banner for the Los Angeles Lakers game opener using all four of those octaves. Although Williams never had any albums certified gold nor any Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, she scored six Top 10 hits on the United States Billboard R&B chart from the mid–1980s to the early–1990s which included “Once Bitten, Twice Shy” (1986), “Sweet Sweet Love” (1988), “Special” (1993), and her 1989 R&B hit and signature song, “Congratulations”. Biography Born in Coshocton, Ohio, United States, Williams’ father was a disc jockey. Her family moved from Ohio to Los Angeles in the 1960s. While there, Williams and her three sisters, Margaret, Marte and Marlena, appeared on the television show Jack and Jill as “The Williams Sisters”. Later, she returned to Ohio but decided to go back to Los Angeles in order to launch a solo career. Former Fifth Dimension member Ron Townson put Williams in his band Wild Honey. Following that stint, Williams found work as a backup singer, working with artists such as Chaka Khan, Gladys Knight, Sting, Stephanie Mills, Anita Baker and Gordon Lightfoot. Williams sang on the original version of Joe Sample’s “The Survivor”, and met producer David Crawford while working with his group Klique. After doing session work, she landed a recording contract with A&M Records and her debut album, Vesta, was released in 1986. The album featured her first Top 10 R&B hit “Once Bitten, Twice Shy”, which became her only UK hit and performed modestly on the US R&B charts. Her 1988 release, Vesta 4 U, produced the Top 10 R&B hits “Sweet Sweet Love”, “4 U”, and “Congratulations”, with the latter peaking at #55 on the Hot 100 chart and #5 on the R&B chart. “Congratulations” was Vesta’s only foray into the Hot 100 chart. The album was also her most successful, and her only album to appear on the US Billboard 200, peaking at #131. In 1991, Williams released her third album entitled Special, with the title track as a single. “Special” became her highest charting song on the R&B chart at #2, but sales of the album were less than that of Vesta 4 U. Her next album, 1993's Everything-N-More, produced only a minor R&B hit, “Always”. In 1989, Polygram Records purchased A&M Records. Williams’ 1998 album Relationships was released under the Polygram name, and it became a modest seller, appearing on the R&B charts. Following the release of Relationships, A&M/Polygram did not renew her contract. Williams continued to work as a session singer, landing spots on albums by such artists as Phil Perry, Howard Hewett, and George Duke. Her voice could be heard by radio listeners in jingles for advertisers that included McDonald’s, Nike, Baskin-Robbins, Diet Coke, Revlon and Exxon. That same year, she performed the opening theme to the ABC miniseries, The Women of Brewster Place. Williams portrayed a saloon singer in the 1993 film Posse, directed by Mario Van Peebles. During this time period she had a hit with the SWV song, “Rain”, recorded alongside smooth jazz musician Norman Brown. Williams had a recurring role as “Monica”, Jackée Harry’s best friend, in the television series Sister, Sister in the 1998-99 season. Her singing voice is featured in the theme song of UPN's Malcolm and Eddie. In 2000, Polygram released a compilation album, featuring songs from Williams and former A&M artist CeCe Peniston. In 2007, Williams released an album of R&B songs on Shanachie Records entitled Distant Lover. Produced by Chris “Big Dog” Davis, Distant Lover was a cover album featuring songs originally recorded by Bill Withers, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, Sade, and Deniece Williams. Her last recording was the song “Dedicated,” released on 7 December 2010 on Stimuli Music. By 2002, Williams had become a radio personality, and was co-hosting a morning show on KRNB in Dallas/Fort Worth. In recent years, Williams had lost 100 pounds, going from size 26 to size 6. It was at this time that Williams became an advocate for the prevention of childhood obesity and juvenile diabetes. Her final performance occurred on September 17, 2011 in Portsmouth, Virginia at the Autumn Jazz Explosion, just five days before her death. She was scheduled to perform at the 21st annual “DIVAS Simply Singing!” in Los Angeles on October 22. Shanice performed “Congratulations” during the show as a tribute to Williams. There was also a tribute to the late singer Teena Marie. Williams was taping an episode of TV One’s “Unsung” at the time of her death. It aired January 2, 2012. Death On September 22, 2011, Williams was found dead in a hotel room in El Segundo, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. According to the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office, she was found dead at 6:15 p.m. A spokesperson for the coroner’s office stated that the autopsy did not yield the cause of death. In late December 2011, the family released this statement through a family friend, singer/producer Norwood Young, reporting her official cause of death: “Following three months of intensive coroner’s autopsy and toxicology research, it has been definitively determined that the cause of death for our beloved Vesta was ‘natural death’ from ‘hypertensive heart disease,’” adding: “An enlarged heart can remain undetected for many years.” Vesta Williams was laid to rest at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) on October 4, 2011 following a memorial service at West Angeles Church of God in Christ in Los Angeles, California. Attendees included notable friends Wanda Dee, singer Peggi Blu, Freda Payne, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Loretta Devine, Kellita Smith, Norwood Young, Michael Collier, Miki Howard, Karel Bouley, Kiki Shepard, Jackée Harry, Luenell, and renowned blues singer Linda Hopkins. A private reception was held following the interment. She is survived by her mother, daughter, three sisters, a brother, and three grandchildren. Discography Studio albumsCompilation albums Winning Combinations (with CeCe Peniston) (2000, A&M/Universal) SinglesMusic videos Once Bitten Twice Shy Something About You Don’t Blow a Good Thing Sweet Sweet Love 4 U Congratulations How You Feel Special Do Ya Always Somebody for Me Dedicated

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deadlydollies13 · 7 years

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The Potion Master's Grace ch. 22

The four pushed their carts through the crowd at King’s Cross Station. There was no rush, they wouldn’t miss their train, but they wanted to get a good cabin. They reached the brick column between Platforms 9 and 10 and stopped for a moment to catch their breath. “Ladies first,” Rolf said gesturing to the wall. “You’re just afraid that this is the time it won’t work,” Luna said, running towards the wall and disappearing. “It would be funny if it suddenly didn’t,” Grace said before doing the same. Moments later, the boys joined them on Platform 9 3/4.

The platform was bustling with students pushing their carts and getting on to the train. Many families stood watching as their young witch or wizard said goodbye. For the first time, Grace didn’t feel sick to her stomach as she watched the other children hug their parents goodbye because she knew hers was waiting for her at Hogwarts, and she’d get to have them all year-round. She also realized she had lately been referring to Severus and Phoebe as “parents,” plural. Severus her dad and Phoebe her mom. But, only in her thoughts. A small yip from her bag brought Grace out of her thoughts. Merlin was currently in her bag that she’d take with her on to the train and Cas was in Luna’s. No one would bat an eye to the cat, but the dog was a completely different story. “Ssshh, Merlin,” they couldn’t take any chances of him being seen.

They got on to the train rather early. “We’ve got to go to a Prefects meeting, but it never lasts long and we’ll meet up with you later, okay?” Draco said handing the bag full of junk food to Grace. “Okay. I’ll go find us a cabin,” she said. This would also be the first time Draco didn’t lock himself in the back car with all of the other Pureblood Slytherins. It occurred to her that Draco may face some serious heat for dating a Muggle-born Ravenclaw. She knew how Pureblood families worked; they liked to keep the bloodline pure and she had even heard rumors of some families arranging marriages. It was a dead tradition, but that didn’t mean that families still didn’t heavily influence their children to marry a certain person. The three Prefects made their way to a separate car while Grace squeezed through the narrow hallway to find a cabin. She finally found one that was completely empty. She set the bag that Merlin had been smuggled in down on the seat, only to find he had fallen asleep and wasn’t moving anytime soon. She began putting her bags on the storage shelf, along with her uniform to change in to later. For now, she was wearing shorts, a t-shirt, and Draco’s Slytherin Quidditch letterman jacket she finally found while digging through his stuff. Despite it being summer still, she liked how big it was on her and wrapped her in an embrace of soft, fleece lining and Draco’s scent. She was standing on her toes, struggling to push her bag on to the shelf, when someone much taller came up behind her and helped her with her bag. She turned around to see who it was, and her face lit up at the sight of him, “Charlie!” she exclaimed, jumping up and wrapping her arms around his neck. “Hello, love,” he returned the gesture and squeezed her tightly. Finnegan Charles Ackerman was the definition of the high school teen movie jock. He was tall, dark, and extremely handsome. His family had moved to the U.K. from Australia before he turned eleven so that he would be able to attend Hogwarts, and despite the move, his accent seems to get thicker every year. He came from a very rich and influential Pureblood family, though their influence was held more in Australia rather than the U.K. like the Malfoy's. He was a Gryffindor, Chaser, and Quidditch Team Captain. He was every girl at Hogwarts' dream, and could often be seen with a posse of drooling girls trailing behind him, just to get a chance to sit directly next to him during meals. The fact that the only girls he really paid attention to where Grace and Luna really made the entire female student body resent them. Going only by Charlie because he hates the name Finn, he made the acquaintance of the two Ravenclaws on their first day of First year on this train. He had walked into their cabin, rather confidently, and introduced himself. “I was trying to find a cabin to sit in, and it looks like I’m the luckiest mate alive because I believe I’ve found the two most beautiful women to ever bless this school we’re going to,” he said with a heartwarming grin. Even at eleven, he was ever the charmer. The girls blushed and giggled, but they didn't swoon over him. Instead, they treated him as any other person, not some god. Even though Charlie wasn’t in the same house as Grace and Luna, their friendship never faltered. In fact, they rather liked it because then at least they had different gossip from other houses to discuss. They soon met Alfred Honeycutt, or Alfie, a Hufflepuff. Since their first year, it’s always been the four of them. The quartet practically went everywhere together, and they were lucky enough to have all of their classes together as well. Since there are usually two people to a table, Grace and Luna would sit together and Charlie and Alfie would sit together behind them. Charlie would always insist on sitting directly behind Grace, and at first she thought it was so he could copy her notes or look over her shoulder during an exam, but on the contrary. Charlie would often reach up and play with Grace’s copper curls; stroking them, twisting a lock around his finger, and sometimes even scooting as close as he could and braiding her hair. It was undeniable that Charlie had an immense crush on Grace since day one. The tables had turned and now he was the drooling admirer and she was the one who just shrugged his flirting off. It only made him even crazier for her. He would do every trick in the book to try and win her over, but she’d just come back with her beautiful smile and glistening blue eyes and say, “Oh, Charlie, you’re so sweet! I couldn’t ask for a better friend!” Friend. It was all Grace ever saw him as. A friend. A brother-type. It broke Charlie’s heart every time, but he never gave up. The whole school actually thought that they would end up together because of how close and touchy the two were. Even on the Quidditch Pitch, they’d tease each other and playfully shove one another around. Everyone would surely be in for a surprise when they found out Grace and Draco were actually a thing. “How was Australia?” Charlie went to Australia this summer to visit with his extended family, which is unfortunately why they didn’t get to see one another all of holiday. “It was wonderful. Though, I missed you, love! I couldn’t bear being away from my favorite girl for so long,” he was always this dramatic. “Well, you have me now!” Grace finally stepped back out of his embrace and Charlie’s eyes averted to a certain emblem on the jacket she was wearing. “The bloody hell are you wearing?” “Hm? Oh, it’s Dray’s jacket! It’s mine now until Quidditch starts,” she said rather proud of herself that she had made that deal with Draco. “Who the hell is Dray and why do you have his jacket?” “It’s Draco’s, Char. And I have it because he’s my boyfriend,” she didn’t mean to put even the slightest bit of emphasis on the last word and regretted it even more when she saw the pain flash in Charlie’s eyes. “You’re dating Malfoy?” She nodded. “But you hate him… All he did was tease you!” he had to sit down. He felt himself rocking and the train wasn't even moving yet. “I teased back. And I always sort of liked him, it’s just this summer I saw a new side of him and… I don’t know.” “I should have stayed here this summer…” his voice was low and somber. “Charlie, we’ve talked about this.” “I know but-“ “You’re still one of my best friends, Charlie. And I wouldn’t want anything to change that. What if we had a huge fight and started hating each other— not that I could ever hate you— but I’d be devastated! You mean too much to me to lose you,” she reached her hand out and touched his cheek before placing it on his shoulder. At her gentle touch, he grinned. “Alright, love. But, if Malfoy hurts you in any way, I’m going to actually kill him.” “I wouldn’t expect any less,” she wrapped her arms around him, squeezing his middle. Her head went up to his chest, whereas with Draco, her head fits perfectly under his chin. “And nothing has to change between us. It shouldn’t change between us.” “And what will Malfoy have to say about that?” “Well, he’ll just have to fucking deal with it,” she shrugged. In the midst of their discussion, they didn’t realize someone walking up to their cabin before they cleared their throat, grabbing the attention of the other two. “Alfie!” they both exclaimed. “Yes, I have arrived,” he flipped back the nonexistent hair that would fall on his shoulders. Alfred Honeycutt, better known as Alfie, was a Half-Blood Hufflepuff in the same year as Grace, Luna, and Charlie. They had also met their first day on the train. Even then he was so lanky and had a rather feminine figure, even for an eleven-year-old boy. There was no denying Alfie was gay. The only interest he’d ever shown Grace and Luna was their style choices. The best way Grace would describe him is Kurt Hummel and Blaine Anderson’s love-child from Glee. While being the biggest diva in Hufflepuff and being a runner-up for all of Hogwarts, Alfie was an amazing friend. He was always there when someone needed to talk, even if he had never spoken to them before. The younger Hufflepuff students tended to stick close to him the first few weeks of their first years because he had such a maternal instinct. He could also sympathize with Grace on some Muggle-related things, unlike Luna and Charlie. “Grace, Charlie,” when he said Charlie’s name, a blush appeared, but he tried to cover it up by pushing his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. Alfie had a crush on almost every boy in their year and older. This included some of the most recently mentioned names: Davies, Draco, Rolf, Professor Lupin, and his current crush, Charlie. The good part about having a crush on Charlie was that Charlie really didn't care. He didn’t make Alfie’s life hell for it. Instead, they often joked about it. Charlie knew he was irresistible to everyone, and stated that he simply couldn’t help it. So if Alfie had a crush on him, so be it. “How was your summer, mate?” Charlie asked as Alfie shoved his bag in a storage cubby. “Nothing too special. We just did some small day trips here and there. My brothers never stopped being assholes.” Alfie had two younger brothers, and strangely enough, neither of them were wizards. This was a huge relief to Alfie’s mom, who is very religious and didn’t even know her husband was a wizard until they were married and with child until Alfie came along. It was bad enough Alfie was discriminated against by his own family for being a wizard, Alfie didn't dare tell them that he was gay. He was sure they had to have known, but simply ignored it or hoped that he’d “grow out of the phase.” He was afraid of how they would react if they ever found out. “You could’ve called to come over, ass.” “Um, apparently you’ve had a very interesting summer according to the two rumors I just heard your name mentioned!” “Oh god, what now?” Grace rolled her eyes. Charlie sat straighter, “Who is making rumors about my girl?” “Down boy.” “Well, the first was that you’re with Malfoy, and judging by the Slytherin jacket you’re wearing, I’d say that’s been proven. By the way, green isn’t your color. Makes you look like Christmas personified with your red hair.” “Bitch!” “And the other one, which of course can’t be true, is that Professor Severus Snape adopted you!” At that, both boys started giggling in disbelief. But Grace’s eyes went wide and she quickly shut the door to their cabin. “Who’d you hear that from?!” “What’s it matter? It’s just a dumb rumor,” Alfie shrugged. “It’s not a rumor though!” “What?!” everyone in that train car could have probably heard the two boys scream. “Sssshhhhh! Shut up, fuckheads!” “I’m sorry, you’re telling us to calm down after you just told us Snape adopted you?” “Yes! We’re trying to keep it on the down-low!” “Do you have Stockholm Syndrome or something? Blink twice for yes!” “Charlie, could you be any more stupid? He didn’t kidnap me, I don’t have Stockholm Syndrome, I wasn’t brainwashed, and I’m not a robot and/or alien.” “You can be a robot and an alien?” Alfie muttered. “Yes,” both replied. “Gracie, have you gone Slytherin?” “I would’ve gone Slytherin if I didn’t tell the damn hat to put me in Ravenclaw!” “But it’s Snape! Snape, Grace!” “And he’s an amazing father! He’s been there for me and Luna all summer! If you’d just give him a chance, you’d see that he's actually cool… Okay, he was cool, but he’s still really great! Why can’t you just be happy for me that my life is finally good for once? I’m happy, I have a family, I have someone who loves me, and I have the bestest friends in the world! I’m finally in a place where I’ve wanted to be for a very long time.” Charlie and Alfie exchanged a look, and then both gave Grace an apologetic smile. “Of course we’re happy for you, love,” Charlie said pulling her into his chest. “It’s just a lot to take in is all,” Alfie joined the hug, sandwiching Grace in the middle.

The Hogwarts Express departed exactly on time, as usual. The three sat in the cabin waiting for Luna, Draco, and Rolf to join them. They talked about their summers and how they were excited for the new school year, but also nervous because O.W.L.s were this year.

At Hogwarts, the teachers scrambled to finish any last minute preparations for the students’ arrivals. Except Severus, who sat in the solitude of the Potions Lab, lost in thought. His private rooms were redecorated to look homier, and Grace’s room was almost an exact copy of her room at Snape Manor, save for the windows because they were in the dungeons. She had moved too many times in her life, she didn’t need to feel like everywhere she went she had to adjust to a new living space. Ever since he arrived back at Hogwarts, he couldn’t stop thinking about her and how this year would be so much different. He had hoped that for once, she’d have a year with no troubles at all. He wanted her to focus on her school work, the Quidditch team, and have a social life like any teenager should have. But after meeting the new staff, he knew that wouldn’t be too easy. He knew Grace and Luna would love the new male teacher Dumbledore brought on. He was probably just out of school getting his Masters. Practically all of the female staff was drooling over him from the moment he walked in and introduced himself. Even Phoebe said, “Oh, the girls are going to absolutely love him!” with a wink. Severus rolled his eyes at this and was thankful that they both had boyfriends now to keep them grounded. But the new Defense teacher… Honestly, where did Albus find these people? The Ministry found out that Lupin was a werewolf and deemed him dangerous to be around children. Who were they to pass judgment like that? Out of all of the Marauders, Remus was the most civil to Severus. So, in a strange way, Severus and Remus could be called close acquaintances? But Remus has never harmed a student when the full moon came. And the students loved him because he loved what he did, and he cared about the kids. He wondered where Lupin was now. Would he find a new job? Would he ever take back his position if offered? Telling by his replacement, would Severus have to go fight the Ministry on its position? Possibly. The replacement was horrid, and a prime example of why the government should never be involved with schooling. “Knut for your thoughts?” her voice caught his attention. He hadn’t even noticed she’d come in. “Do you think we should just homeschool Grace and Luna?” “I think that’s probably the worst thing to do,” she sat on top of the desk that was directly in front of his. This was usually Grace and Luna’s desk, and he thought they had always rushed to sit there because Grace wanted to answer all of the questions and show off. But one day, somebody had taken their seat and they had to sit a few rows back, and Severus realized she had sat front and center simply because she couldn’t see. Everyone was too tall and it was hard for her to see the board because of the heads blocking her view. By the end of the period, though, she had dragged a chair, rather loudly and while shooting death glares at the two Hufflepuffs who took her seat, to Severus’ desk and continued taking notes. Then that was the first time a Hogwarts teacher had ever implemented a seating chart for the entire class. “We’ll worry about it when— if— it comes to it. Until then, you need to chill,” she continued. “I suppose you’re right,” he glanced down at his phone sitting on his desk. It hadn’t buzzed in a while, and he guessed that it was because Grace was too busy catching up with her friends. Or she was dead. “She’s not dead! And I know I’m right. I always am,” Phoebe smirked. “Isn’t reading my mind some form of harassment?” “Isn’t reading my mind some form of harassment?” she repeated in a mocking tone.

After about an hour, the Prefects finally made their way back to the cabins. “Finny!” Luna exclaimed as she slid open the door. “Hello, darling,” Charlie replied as she gave him a tight squeeze around his middle. Draco and Rolf soon followed and their initial reaction was shocked at the sight of Charlie. It was well-known that the girls were friends with Ackerman, they just didn’t expect him to already be in their cabin. And it is also to be noted that there was absolutely no animosity between Charlie and Draco. They kept up appearances for their houses and pretended to want to rip each others’ heads off during Quidditch matches, but both boys got along relatively fine. And everyone got along with Rolf; you probably couldn’t find one person at Hogwarts who disliked the Scamander boy. “Hello, mates,” Charlie flashed them his perfect smile. “Hey, Charlie,” they both replied. “Oh, hey, Alfie!” Rolf peered around Charlie to see his younger housemate. Alfie, scrunched up in the corner with his phone looked up momentarily and waved before putting his face back down into his screen before they could notice his blush. The six of them got situated; Alfie, Draco, and Grace on one side, Rolf, Luna, and Charlie on the other. They passed around snacks and exchanged summer tales. “Wait, so who’s Prefect with you?” Grace asked Luna. Luna rolled her eyes, “Christopher Raves.” “Oh, you poor dear.” “He’s barely even in class! He’s always in Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom getting high! I don’t even know how he got Prefect!” “He makes Dumbledore laugh,” Rolf said. “The man’s borderline senile,” Charlie added. “Dad sometimes tells me all of the crazy shit Dumbledore says or does,” Grace’s hand was currently tangled with Draco’s who kept intertwining his fingers different ways with her’s. Charlie blinked a few times, “Sorry, the whole Severus-Snape-is-your-father-thing is still a bit shocking.” “Honestly, we should have seen it coming,” Luna giggled. “They act like they’re biologically father and daughter too. In the length of the summer, they’ve gotten closer than he and I are, and he’s my godfather,” Draco looked up from his preoccupation of cracking Grace’s knuckles with whatever he was doing. “It’s only been the bloody summer!” “And they’re best friends.” “We look nothing alike, though. Except, his mother did have light hair and light eyes, so I can always say I get it from her. And of course, Phoebe also has light hair and light eyes. In the end, I get nothing from him but his intelligence.” Charlie gave Grace a baffled look. After a moment, Alfie said, “Honestly, if I didn’t know you, I’d believe that shit.” “Wait, who’s Phoebe?!” Charlie asked once his mind caught up with him. “My aunt,” Luna said. “And Severus’ girlfriend. He’s practically my uncle now. Which would make Grace and me cousins!” “I think you’re all fucking nuts! Should’ve stayed in Australia.”

That evening, the train finally pulled into the station. The students exited the train, went through the gates, past the pile of luggage, and the older students climbed into the carriages, while the First Years followed Hagrid to the boats. Luna gave the front of the carriage a sad smile. “What are you looking at?” asked Draco. “You don’t see them?” Luna didn’t look away from the front of the carriage. “See what?” Grace nudged her boyfriend and shook her head. Now was not the time. She’d explain to him later that the reason Luna could see the creatures was that she has had a close experience with death. Luna didn’t even notice. She was staring off into the distance, but now holding Rolf’s hand.

Hogwarts’ lights reflected onto the water below in the dark night as they pulled up to the castle. “Why do we always have to wear those stupid dunce hats?” Charlie muttered as he put his on. “Because you are a dunce. Jesus, Char, can you seriously not dress yourself?” Grace took to make him look presentable. He hated the uniforms and always tried to look as horrible as possible when he had to wear them; as if he thought that if Dumbledore saw that if Finnegan Charles Ackerman couldn’t make the uniforms look cool, they shouldn’t be implemented at all. She straightened his tie, tried to smooth out the wrinkles, and button up his robes. She gave her final approval with a nod. Draco tried not to let it bother him too much. They all shuffled into the Great Hall, and as soon as Grace saw Severus, she beamed. She wanted so badly to run over to him and hug him. She hadn’t realized how much she really missed him. He smiled back; it was a quick, slight smile. Oh, right. Gotta keep it a secret. Everyone made their way to their House tables, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin. Grace sat next to Luna towards the end closest to the head table, and Draco sat behind Grace like he had done for the past five years.

The First Years slowly filled the Great Hall. They were all so tiny and wide-eyed. They stared around the room in amazement, but at the same time looked terrified. Did we look like this when we first came here? McGonagall called off their names, the children were sorted, everyone cheered, and the houses that gained a new member cheered even louder. When the new students had been sorted, McGonagall paused but remained standing next to the Sorting Hat, “A rare occasion has come upon us, students. This year, we welcome a transfer student from Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. I want you to welcome her just as you would any other new student. Remember, things may have been different at her school, and it will take time for her to adjust. Rose Martell!” Her name was called differently than the First Years’ was; first then last, unlike last comma first. A girl, still clad in her Beauxbatons uniform floated in. The pale blue of her dress and hat perfectly contrasted her olive skin and long chestnut hair was thrown over one shoulder. She walked with such grace and poise, she looked goddess-like. She gave a closed-mouth smile to McGonagall before taking off her uniform hat and sitting on the stool; hands folded in her lap and legs crossed at the ankles like a queen. The Sorting Hat was placed on her head. A few seconds passed and Grace secretly hoped she’d be sorted into Ravenclaw. It would be fun to have a trio of Ravenclaws. Maybe they could be like the Heathers, but not total bitches and everyone survives. And then she thought she heard the Sorting Hat say Ravenclaw, but then it continued to contemplate where to place the French girl. Though, Rose sat even straighter when the hat said Ravenclaw. “GRYFFINDOR!” it shouted. The Gryffindor table fucking lost it. The Lions gave the new girl a standing ovation, the boys whistled, a few girls already started to look jealous, and Rose looked utterly confused. But still, she kept her poise and her kind smile as she made her way to her new table. Grace decided that no matter what her house, she had to meet her.

As the excitement died down, Grace finally noticed exactly who was at the head table. “Where’s Professor Lupin?” “Surely he’s up there,” Luna scanned the table and then rescanned it again and again. “What the hell?” “He’s not there!” “What are you two freaking about already?” Draco turned around. “Professor Lupin isn’t here!” Luna sounded seriously distraught. Lupin was her favorite professor. Draco gave her a doubted look, but after looking across the table himself, his eyes widened, “Holy shit, he’s really not there.” Luna snatched Grace’s phone that was sitting on the long table and quickly sent a text.

Grace watched her father jump slightly and then look down at his phone. She watched the conversation on her own phone over Luna’s shoulder. Luna: Where the hell is Remus Lupin?! Luna: It’s Luna btw but I DEMAND answers, Severus Snape! Severus: If you’d just be patient, Dumbledore will explain that the Ministry did not see fit for a werewolf to be teaching children.

Wouldn’t you know, Dumbledore had begun his speech, and had just started to explain the situation.

Luna: Doesn’t the Minister have anything better to do than to fire the most awesome teacher ever?! Luna: Of course, second to you. Severus: You can’t even lie through text message. Luna: Can't prove it was a lie! Severus: I saw you panic as soon as you sent the text and try to cover it up. Luna: Whatever! Who the fuck is the giant flamingo? Severus: Luna!

“In place of Professor Lupin, Dolores Umbridge will be filling in as your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher,” it looked as if it pained Dumbledore to say that. Severus gave the lady a practical death glare, as did many of the other teachers behind her back. Grace had to fight herself not to laugh. The lady was wearing an all-pink pencil skirt and blazer combo. Her undershirt was pink, her hat was pink, her shoes were pink, even her stockings had a pinkish hue! Grace couldn’t even focus on what she was saying, she couldn’t believe her eyes. What she did get from this first impression was that she had a bad aura about her, her heart was cruel, and she didn’t even like Grace and they had yet to meet. This lady just kept going on and on and on and on about fucking bullshit Grace didn’t understand. She glanced back at the conversation still pursuing on her own phone.

Severus: She’s from the Ministry. Luna: Again, why is the government putting their influence in the school? Severus: Been asking myself that same question since I got here. Luna: AND SERIOUSLY WHAT’S UP WITH THE PINK?! Severus: It’s all she wears. I haven’t seen her wear any other color yet. Luna: Ew. Severus: You know, all the BS Dumbledore is saying is meant for you to hear. Luna: Don’t go into the Forbidden Forest, don’t track in mud, leave Filch alone, blah blah blah. You will remind all of us of the damn rules ten billion more times before Christmas. Severus: You’re all talk when it’s not face-to-face.

“Your dad can be such a bugger, do you know that?” she whispered to Grace. Dumbledore pulled both girls’ attention, “Please welcome your new Professor of Magical Art and Music, Evan Maes.” The new professor stood and Grace and Luna’s jaws nearly dropped, along with Grace’s phone. He was tall, blonde, with blue eyes. He had a perfect little smile and a strong body. When he said hello, Grace could definitely hear an accent. Central European, like German or Belgian or something. “Magical Arts and Music will be an elective course available to all students and a sign-up sheet will be available in all four common rooms tonight.” Draco leaned back, “I assume you girls are signing up for the class?” “Uh-huh,” they replied in a daze. He just rolled his eyes, “I’ll text the boys to sign up too then.” “Aw, babe, you don’t have to. You have N.E.W.T.s this year, I don’t want you to be distracted.” “I won’t be. It’s just art and music. And with the way you two are drooling, no way are we leaving you unsupervised.” Grace watched as he quickly sent a text and then saw Rolf, Alfie, and Charlie snicker at their tables. “Do you seriously have a group chat with the boys?” Luna asked. “Yeah. We’re gonna use it to talk about how ridiculous you girls are,” he joked. Luna acted offended but Grace smiled, “I’m glad you’re making new, better friends, Dray.” She looked over at the group of Slytherins Draco used to “associate” with. He was never friends with them. But their parents were friends, rather, their parents were Death Eaters, and Draco said that since his father was put in Azkaban, as tragic as it is, he felt a weight lifted off of his shoulder.

The feast began and Grace and Luna talked amongst their fellow Ravenclaws. They discussed the upcoming Quidditch season, and Stretton, the oldest member and only Chaser left, kept giving her dirty looks. He had expected to become captain when Davies left, but he had left the position to Grace instead. Grace glanced over to the Gryffindor table where Rose sat. She still looked confused, and now that she wasn’t presented in front of everyone, she looked slightly afraid.

Grace: Charles, make friends with the new girl! Charlie: No, you! Grace: Are you afraid of her? Charlie: No! I just don’t wanna look desperate. Grace: You’re unbelievable.

“Luna, c’mon.” “Where we goin’?” Luna asked, her mouth full of treacle tart. “To make friends with the new girl.” Both girls got up, taking off those stupid dunce hats, and walked over to the Gryffindor table, sitting down on either side of Rose. “Hello,” they said in unison. Rose’s eyes widened and she froze, “B-bonjour.” “I’m Grace McClivert and this is Luna Lovegood. We’re both Fifth Year Ravenclaws,” she said gesturing to Luna and both girls held out their hands for Rose to shake. Rose finally relaxed and she smiled her absolutely perfect smile; all of her teeth were straight and unbelievably white. Instead of turning to each Ravenclaw, she crossed her arms in front of her and shook each girl’s hand at the same time, “Rose Martell. I was in Ombrelune at Beauxbatons but it seems now I am a Gryffindor. I am a Fifth Year as well.” Her French accent was thick. “Ombrelune is, what I assume, is sort of like Ravenclaw. At least that was the impression given to me by Hogwarts: A History. But I didn’t expect to be a Gryffindor.” Luna shrugged, “You’ll be surprised at how right the hat can be.” “Well, at least we may have some classes together, being in the same year. We won’t know until tomorrow morning, though.” Rose looked over at the head table, “Could you tell me about some of the professors?” “Why, certainly! Well, of course, you already know Dumbledore, the Headmaster.” “He’s a bit of a coot,” Grace added. “And then Professor McGonagall for Transfiguration.” “McGoogles,” Grace smirked. “She gets awfully cross when we call her that, but not too much.” “Because she loves us.” “She’s head of your house, so you ought to just suck up to her ASAP.” “Seriously, it’ll help you in the long run.” “And then there’s Professor Sprout.” “Head of Hufflepuff.” “And the Herbology professor.” “Another one of those school mums.” “She loves everyone, though, And she loves to bake. So, if you’re really nice to her, she bakes you cookies and muffins.” “Professor Trelawney is absolutely bonkers.” “She’s the Divination professor and I happen to like her!” Grace rolled her eyes, “Bonkers,” she whispered to Rose. “Professor Binns for History of Magic is dead.” “No, we’re serious. Dead. He’s a ghost. There are lots of ghosts here, but he still teaches and his class is the worst. It’s like nap time.” “Speaking of ghosts, beware of Peeves.” “Oh, you poor dear.” “Who’s Peeves?” Rose asked. “Peeves the Poltergeist. He’s a ghost in Gryffindor Tower and he’s a bugger.” “He likes to pull pranks.” “Oh, dear.” “Anyway, before the feast ends, Professor Flitwick is the Head of Ravenclaw and the Charms professor.” “He also runs the school choir, but seeing as we have Professor Hottie over there, we may have a new choir director.” “Grace, you have a boyfriend!” “As do you, Luna, but that doesn’t mean we can’t admire him.” “Who are your boyfriends, if I may ask?” “We’ll get on to that later.” “Last, but not least, Potions Master-“ “Prince of Darkness-“ “Notorious for being a hardass-“ “King of Dad jokes-“ “Professor Severus Snape!” both girls said loud enough for Severus to hear even on the other side of the Great Hall. They heard both Rolf and Draco snort, and a girl laughing, whom they assumed was Phoebe. Severus just glared at the girls and shook his head. “He looks mean…” Rose whispered, afraid that he had ears like a hawk and could now hear their every word. Grace was the first to break into laughter, followed by Luna. “Mean? I mean, yeah he has a resting bitch face-“ “RBF!” Luna doubled over. “And he wears all black-“ “Bastard looks like he’s attending a funeral every. single. day.” “But he’s actually very kind. He’s tough on his students, but that’s only because he expects a lot out of us. So long as you try your best, you’ll be fine.” All three turned around to meet Severus’ glare. It was a terribly fake glare and was trying his best not to crack a smile. Then Grace and Luna waved, grinning at him. Rose looked at them like they were insane. Severus finally had to look away; he looked in Phoebe’s direction, who was giggling uncontrollably now. He was helpless. Grace’s phone buzzed in her pocket. She took it out and read the message aloud, “Stop being such insolent little girls.” “He’s no fun,” Luna pouted. “I am so confused.” “I suppose we might as well tell her.” “The secret is practically out.” “Snape is my father.” “Wait, really?” “Adoptive father. But yes. And it’s a secret, so we mustn’t tell anyone.” “Except our closest and dearest friends because now Grace has private rooms down in Slytherin, and what good are they if we can’t invite people over?” Rose nodded in understanding, and was extremely happy to find that they already considered her a “close and dear friend.” “Are you Ravenclaws going to leave anytime soon? You’re making the table boring,” it was Charlie who had moved down to across where they were sitting. “Rose, I’d like to introduce you to Finnegan Charles Ackerman.” “You can call me Charlie,” he took Rose’s hand, but instead of shaking it, he kissed her knuckles. Rose’s cheeks were now of a deep rose color, “Pleasure to meet you, Charlie.” Luna rolled her eyes, “Oh, so now you wanna come sit with us? Charles, don’t go ruining our new friend. She’s too good for you.” “Nobody asked you, Luna darling” “‘Nobody asked you, Luna darling.’ I asked me.” “Rolf! Your girl is mocking me!” Rolf turned around, looked at Luna, and then looked at Charlie, and smirked, “You’re very mockable, Ackerman.” “You’re whipped, mate.” “I’m not starting any fights this early into the relationship.” Rolf leaned back and shook Rose’s hand, “Rolf Scamander— yes, of Newt Scamander, he’s my grandfather— nice to meet you, Rose. Welcome to Hogwarts.” “Thank you, Rolf,” she smiled. “And I’m Alfred Honeycutt, the most fashionable person in this bloody school,” Alfie turned around in his seat and took Rose’s hand in his. “And I must say, I may have a bit of competition this year for best dressed.” “Thank you. Although, it’ll be hard to make this uniform fashionable. No offense.” “Oh, no, don’t worry. We all know it’s ugly,” Luna said. “We never wear our uniforms under our cloaks unless there’s something special going on.” “I wish Hogwarts would take notes from literally every other Wizarding school and update their uniforms,” Alfie rolled his eyes. “I feel left out because Slytherin is literally on the other side of the room,” Draco made his way across the Great Hall and sat next to Grace. “Hello.” “Hello,” Rose replied. “This is Draco Malfoy.” “Biggest Arse of Hogwarts.” “But he’s my arse.” “I think I’ve rather matured since last year.” “It also helps to distance yourself away from them,” Grace glared over at the group of boys Draco once associated with. “I can’t avoid them forever, you know.” “I know. But if they try to say anything, I’ll knock their teeth out.” “Mhm, my little fighter,” he wrapped his arms around her middle and rested his chin on her shoulder. “Get a room,” Alfie smirked. “Bugger off! Hey, so we’re all signing up for Art and Music, right?” “That’s the new professor, oui?” Rose asked. “Yeah, but that’s not the only reason we’re signing up. It’s the only class we’ll have with students, not in our own year!” “Unless you take Arithmancy so you won’t be cramming it in next year,” Rolf nudged his girlfriend. “Why the hell would I take that?” “I signed up for it,” Grace shrugged. Draco's head bobbed with her shoulder. “You bitch! Why didn’t you tell me?” “You said you were signing up for Care of Magical Creatures, and I said, ‘Okay, I’ll sign up for Arithmancy then.’” “I didn’t think you were serious!” “I’m taking the class, Luna, so you won’t be alone,” Rolf placed a hand on her shoulder. “Now’s the time for you to start choosing classes based on what you want to do after you graduate, anyway. And Grace just doesn’t need CMC. Neither do I,” Draco said. “I bloody signed up for Astronomy! Neither of you told me the plans!” Charlie propped his elbow on the table and leaned on his palm. “You need to focus on your core classes, you dunce,” Alfie said. “Astronomy is easy enough and you need to pass your O.W.L.s if you want to be an Auror!” “I guess I will see what class I have tomorrow when we get our schedules,” Rose looked across the head table one more time, hoping for a smoother year.

“Why didn’t you tell me Professor Lupin was gone?!” Grace began unpacking half of her casual clothes and uniforms into her room in Severus’ private rooms. “I told you she’d be angry,” Severus whispered to Phoebe. “Leave me out of it, I had nothing to do with it,” Phoebe held her hands up. “Of course I’m angry! He got replaced by a toad! A pink toad! Ugh, I’ve never been more repulsed by the color pink!” “Grace, you don’t have to love your professors, you just have to pass the class.” “But Lupin wasn’t a bad professor! We’ve had worse!” “The Ministry thought he was a danger to the students.” “He hasn’t been a danger to the students in all the years he’s been teaching! Why the hell is the Ministry sticking their nose where it’s not wanted now?” She stepped up onto her trunk to put something on the top shelf of her closet. “You should take it up with the Ministry then.” When Grace turned around, she was almost eye-to-eye with Severus. Still shorter, but at least she didn’t have to crane her neck, “Don’t tempt me, father. I’ll floo right to Fudge’s office this instant and wait all night for an audience if I have to!” They had a stare down for a few seconds with their arms crossed before Severus smirked, “Stubborn little girl.” “You missed me though,” she held her arms out in front of her. “Actually, it was pretty quiet,” he smirked but still pulled her into a hug. “Okay, but seriously, why’s it so cold down here?” “We’re in the dungeons of an old castle, there was no insulation when they built it!” “We are goddamn magical people! Why can’t it be warm?” “You’ll live.” “Barely. Can I stay down here tonight?” “No, you’ve got to stay in Ravenclaw Tower. At least on school nights.” “Wait, seriously? Phoebe!” “Listen to your dad!” she called from the living area. “It’s such a far walk…”  “You’ll get your steps in. Go on,” Severus started leading her to the door of his quarters, then stopped. “Where’s Merlin?” “He’s staying with Hagrid tonight.” “Okay, that’s good,” he opened the door that led into the extremely dim dungeon. “Goodnight, see you in the morning, love you.” “Love you-“ she was just finishing her sentence when the door shut, “-too.” She stared at the door for a minute, “Bastard.” “They’re probably doing the… y’know,” a voice said behind her. “Oh, shut up, I don’t wanna think about that!” “Well, it’s probably true! Think about it; they’ve had three days without you around,” Draco smirked. “La la la la,” Grace covered her ears and shut her eyes. “I’ll walk you up to your common room, though.” “Oh, you’re so sweet. Such a gentleman. My knight in shining armor,” she wrapped her arm around his. They both walked all the way from the Slytherin common room in the dungeons to the Ravenclaw common room in the highest tower of Hogwarts, along the way battling the moving staircases and being the gossip of the portraits. Though, the spirits did not bother them, as they probably had the first years to tease anyway. “Thanks for doing my rounds with me,” Draco said as they reached the large door with a golden eagle knocker. “It was my pleasure, since I really had no choice,” she smiled into their chaste goodnight kiss. “I love you,” she wondered if she was even heard, she whispered it so softly, but she saw Draco smile when she glanced up through her lashes. “I love you too,” he kissed her once more before stepping away. “I’ll see you at breakfast. Sweet dreams.” “You too,” when Draco disappeared from sight down the spiral staircase, she turned her attention to the door of her common room. It started with its usual crap, “What is-“ “Not doing this bullshit every night this year, let me in.” The door creaked open.

#harry potter #harry potter au #modern au #The Potion Masters Grace #Grace McClivert #severus snape #original character #luna lovegood #draco malfoy #draco malfoy x original character

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watusichris · 3 years

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Betty Davis: They Say She’s Different

It appears that everything anyone has written for the old Music Aficionado site has now disappeared from the web. A random Facebook post has prompted me to re-purpose this story, written in 2016, about my favorite funketress. **********

To this day, the name Betty Davis – Betty with a “y,” that is – remains best known to connoisseurs of Miles Davis minutiae and ‘70s funk obsessives. While it’s true that Betty played an important off-stage role in the career of the jazz trumpeter, to whom she was married for just a year, and she undoubtedly made some of the best hardcore funk records of her era, she deserves to be recognized beyond the relatively narrow provinces of the jazzbo and the crate-digger.

One should remember that at this particular juncture, Madonna was studying dance at the University of Michigan.

They said if I wanted to make some money

I’d have to change my style

Put a paper bag over my face

Sing soft and wear tight fitting gowns

They don’t like the way I’m lookin’

So it’s hard for my agent to get me bookin’s

Unless I cover up my legs and drop my pen

And commit one of those commercial sins…

Oh hey hey Island

Asked by one writer what she had done since leaving music, Davis, who turns 71 on July 26, responded with the most tragic thing one can imagine any artist saying: “Nothing really.”

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dmbakura · 7 years

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ygo dsod thoughts and questions. SPOILERS UNDER CUT pls stop reading now if you dont wanna see them

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....buffer if youre on mobile. nows your chance to stop reading

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ok SO lets get started

this animation is fucking GORGEOUS. like seriously its SO good

the voice acting is actually very good for the dub and a lot of the writing is genuinely fucking hilarious. kaiba’s lines especially. i think i might actually buy the english release on dvd. it was VERY well done

i dont think anything was censored. they did shy away from using words like “kill” or “death” but whatever. i will need to watch the sub to see if anything was changed but i dont think it was? there was definitely some dialogue altered but i dont think it was anything major. also at one point a gun is drawn on aigami and the whole theater laughed at that. no invisible weaponry this time lads.

THE PRIDESHIPPING IN THIS MOVIE IS SO HEAVY. kaiba is great and the english dub probably didnt do as good of a job as portraying him as the sub but it was still well done in my opinion. he gets some very heartwarming (kaiba? heartwarming? i know) moments near the end where he sacrifices himself so yugi can defeat diva and its clear everything he’s doing is for atem. like. i knew it was heavy in this movie but actually seeing it is something else. its almost straight up romantic how kaiba jumps into the afterlife for him. cried just a lil bit

young!yami bakura’s voice was actually... pretty interesting. i expected them to use ted lewis for that but they did not. thankfully. i mean, it wasnt awful but i am really looking forward to see rica matsumotos performance again (if they do use her for the flashback)

now for some things that irked me...

again, ive said this before but ryou’s backstory does not make any sense. it is implied that ryou’s father is killed after he puts on the ring, yet ryou says something like “before we settled down in domino, he went to egypt” when hes talking about how his dad went after the ring, which means he would still be alive. how can ryou’s father be alive and dead at the same time? not to mention this blatantly goes against the manga where ryou’s father owns the museum (which is how yami bakura gains access to it for the final rpg). so like??? did they just forget that detail? it really wouldnt surprise me given how little care bakura’s writing is given.

another issue. the ring is?? somehow just evil?? zorc was destroyed at the end of the manga, and yet the ring continues to possess and manipulate everyone it comes into contact with. the only explanation i can think of is that there are some small traces of evil left in it but its never actually explained what the whole deal with it is...?

dont even get me started on shadi. that man is just a bag of confusing and the whole “plana” backstory did very little to clear that up.

aigami is.... did the movie expect me to care for him? he’s a mish mash of bakura and malik’s traits and backstory, yet not even half as interesting (an orphan with a wise sister figure and a strong and silent older brother, hellbent on revenge because his posse was straight up murdered? yeah where have i seen that before) it’s very blatant his whole arc is just a set up so that kaiba gets his plot device to see atem. idk... he just feels bland and contrived to me, which i guess is to be sort of expected since hes a movie villain but still

also heres some shit i got

#dsod spoilers

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majijbajijeswinjoseph-blog · 5 years

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MAJIJ

Jobotwana, Nigeria onyuolo ladies moro chunda go tieno, okach, maiti mar kebi whogole karang'o? The big men has even bought small drones that can carry upto 1 kg of tea to smuggle tea leaves at night using people who transfigure so the government should reduce the land under Tea and is fenced with poles measuring the telephone post that no one can throw tea bags packed in small amount 4 another someone. it should be an electric fence and the government likewise should use the very drones to monitor every income generating business and even crime in towns or check people in their houses. Like in Uruguay in firming the use the same technology. The Guard tribe crucified christ so its said during judgement after death they dint know hence they are forgiven that the invoice without it would paralyze their day to day operations, china will say it was the use soyi and let their names be blotted out the book of life BOL the love as PG, pier Gikuyou, greek is where in the bible the jesus visited it so they know the whole truth, pier Georgia, PG is pregnancyanda the loved and killed many simba in nyabondo plateau- vineyard parable to cement the truth including masai. If you love people or follow people its easy to see the kingdom of heaven, if you live near the roads as well but if you live in serene places b4 you reach ya house its likely to be in hell as much as if you take out someone teeth/lak,meno- mfalme wa yawhodi and lazarus parable to cement the truth. They use mose plant to make ceptril aids medication. ITS EASY FOR A CARMEL TO ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM THAN YOU TO ENTER- that is an email if the recovery option has been deleted and password you know not. [email protected] my new email or [email protected], [email protected]. get me there folks.Okelo na wiye mathin no magdalin eti odwanega nikech okelo na osiepene mablonindo kode kaonge, osiepe ma wii gi pi, yaani baridi/ng'ich ma piny osedwaro topokoneno. Eti many nyako ma mandi lokre maembe e-hiye kanyo, nyako ma-mandi lokre ka tendon yani kuni kata choke mobar obar kat wii mandi lokre thuol as snake ok an. Moch many nyako ma kirelease you do it in 3 bits like the gun, kata mi-feel ka-ejaculation no biro to chung eglan then it sprinkles, kata mawang as it travels to the glan, onethough mawhouk like droplest of water or yenye inamwagika mingi mno kama mtoto na mate. Ruto dont say one want to president then if he says he is not yet 35 its an offense you get annoyed you return to gaysm then wild to the point of carry wooded rungu to beat him liaising with the authorities. With Train you carry a door the take a shit on it or outside it then theirs the train, with phones and accessories you lick, ramba the tongue then boom that phone- jesus with little kids, rabbi to cement the truth, you lick with closed eyed on a a piece of wrapped cloth. With building stones you do backwards near a water body or swimming pool the the bricks are out- women with barnabas to cement the truth including cements where you urinate. With Radio/TV you spit/tema saliva on the ground, ten minas parable or peter cutting the ear/it b4 christ takes it back. Tom mboya terain is curvy it was the CBD of bethlehem when you were in it you felt better, winjo mabar- weed parable with christ, mathare valley was jerusalem as its curvy still when the jew moved from Americah to pakistan to cross the Red sea with moses at karachi- christ with little kid. Let them fence the original provinces as nations when people are seeing then thereafter people assemble and dispatch. When you say the luo should be killed they get jubiliant very happy the coasterians and Gikuyou and some whites afterwards to occupy these lands. Kikuyou kwani Central is very cold, Ng'ich ndii, hamtaki kuenda/kurudi. When you get to The TV on the Roads in one of those shops which got Tv, they quickly change the scene just like during the maraga time with election petition b4 kevin was kidnapped, then you wanna see the defendant like sonko, kinda how he behaves, the the camera changes on the kamba lady judge who are looking 4 young men with money yet the very money they got at 2goinvoice using bolt software gotten from google play. If you walk out because the scene of the judge has overstayed where you walk got young men sitting in masses called the bases, the hindu shops, motor bike shops, timber logging center, junctions i.e kondele, they became wild on you. They know your moves as they have put on camera on TV your image they have put in a kiyo\glass bottle or acquirum. It live live ll dude, funding violence, leave sonko alone but arrest Railamolodingagwambo period. Malachi four- who to the people who long to see the day of the lord. Another group of students just forwarded me this, if you take four 24 volts wet cells and connects positive to negative of all the wet cells remaining with only one positive of one wet cell and one negative of one wet cell, if you take a voltmeter and test the voltage it gives you upto 100 volts which if you channel in a welding machine gives you upto 200 volts that can be used in houses but to continues the process without the battery being depleted you take a solar power controller and connect to a transformer of input 240v and output 30-12volts to it to charge all those batteries, you branch the wires eight times with 8 12 volts battery but with 24 12 votts battery you branch the said wires four times to all the batteries to continues the charging process while the battery are still in use. If you want to weld with it you connect 8, 24 volts battery or 16, 12 volts battery and you just do the same procedure i have described above. Mathew sixteen sm, smile, shrude manager, ishmael, luke 24 end signs, Pita cutting the it in luo, masikiyo, demondi possed man with christ- have mercy on us son of David. Fellow i have also been forwarded this text, buy these gadgets and make of your own. When 2goinvoice was not know you purported to collect me money which was never was, so when its there you resort to jealousy and stupidity- what do you want with me, to look down at my manwhodi in the end when i have defeated you.

Metallic doors in kisumu nyawita schools who handles are made from the factory are made by a certain young white man at ksm industrial area then on a lorry to their premise and with them they just fix the locks and apply paints to delude people its luya made to gain respect. If you eat ground nuts you see the same metallic beds, wooden-ed tables and furniture being loaded into the french ship that docked it mombasa. They have became crafty and it wont happen esp Rusia just continue with we just theveloved a new missile with that terible dialect of your but keep in mind time is of the essence, we have also developed what you have been developing in time past and With Germans they want a new war so they get to Africa to homes with food where they can hide in such time to seek refuge. We have been alert with women we will set them free and fuck them to our wants but with men take heed. Bula nuparo ni akebi oknyal kiso minaj, oto motimoni! Bula nuparo ni akebi oknyalloyo US to moloyo ni! Bula nuparao ni Robinson oknyalmiyo kebi nyime onyodh kata otugiye to motugogoni. Bula nupara ni akebi oknyalyoudo nyi-rusians, swiss or instagram diva to magipromiss him nyimgi ni large influx. Did you know that kebi is one of the world interlect, kuweni mumejua, bed uru kungeyo. Joluo ndiyo wamejua kusoma, nduko, ndiko and in Nigeria, or Zambia people know the same, Guys this traits are personal just depending with your training period

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vcubeyonce-blog · 5 years

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Week 10 Diva

I chose this passage because I wanted to have more insight of the origin of this four letter world called Diva. We have discussed this term throughout this class Diva/Divo but I find it interesting how everyone's perspective of this word is different. A diva to me means someone who takes charge, someone that is in control, someone who sits on a pedestal knowing that they posses talents and are using it for their good.

I found this quote interesting on page 86 of "The Queens Throat". It states " A diva is not afraid to risk tautology: "I am myself. I am turning into myself". "The majestical diva doesn't fear solitude, for her, no act of self-authorization is small or fragmenting".

When I read this quote I instantly thought of Beyonce! She is fearless, not afraid to be her, speak on issues, BLACK issues, and is a carefree women. Even when she was young still under the eye of her father Matthew who was molding her career, she was a role model, entrepreneur, performer and diva. Not afraid to be branch out and be in control of her destiny.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNM5HW13_O8

#vcubeyonce #submission

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213hiphopworldnews · 5 years

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All The New Albums Coming Out In February 2019

iStock

Keeping track of all the new albums coming out in a given month is a big job, but we’re up for it: Below is a comprehensive list of the major releases you can look forward to in February. If you’re not trying to potentially miss out on anything, it might be a good idea to keep reading.

Friday, February 1

American Authors — Seasons (Universal Island Records)

Andrew Wasylyk — The Paralian (Athens Of The North)

Astronoid — Astronoid (Blood Music)

Atomic — Pet Variations (ODIN)

Beirut — Gallipoli (4AD)

Big Wild — Superdream (Counter Records)

Blank Range — In Unison (Sturdy Girls/Thirty Tiger)

Broods — Don’t Feed The Pop Master (Neon Gold/Atlantic)

Boy Harsher — Careful (Nude Club)

Bravo Delta — Unbreakable (self-released)

Business Of Dreams — Ripe For Anarchy (Slumberland Records)

Busted — Half Way There (EastWest U.K.)

Cassadee Pope — Stages (Awake Music LLC)

Cherry Glazzer — Stuffed & Ready (Secretly Canadian)

Dave Harrington (of Darkside) — Pure Imagination, No Country (Yeggs Records)

Deep State — The Path To Fast Oblivion (Friendship Fever)

Deer Tick — Mayonnaise (Partisan Records)

Emily King — Scenery (ATO Records)

Finlay Shakespeare — Domestic Economy (Editions Mego)

Folamour — Ordinary Drugs (FHUO Records)

G Herbo — Still Swervin (Machine Entertainment Group)

Gentle Heat — Liminal EP (Skeletal Lightning)

Girlpool — What Chaos Is Imaginary (ANTI‐)

Guided By Voices — Zeppelin Over China (Rockathon Records)

Hajk — Drama (Jansen Records)

Harriet Brown — Mall Of Fortune (Innovative Leisure)

Highasakite — Uranium Heart (Propeller Recordings)

J.S. Ondara — Tales Of America (Verve Forecast Records)

Jealous Of The Birds — Wisdom Teeth EP (Big Space Records)

Jon Samuel — Dead Melodies (Hidden Pony Records)

Karolina Rose — Invicta EP (Violet Sunset Records)

Le Butcherettes — Bi/Mental (Rise Records)

Leon Vynehall — DJ-Kicks (!K7)

Lexie Liu — 2030 (88rising)

Listen To Girl — Long-Term World (Earthly Habit)

The Lonely Heartstring Band — Smoke & Ashes (Rounder Records)

Lost Cousins — In Scenery (Pheromone Records)

Lou Doillon — Soliloquy (Wrasse Records)

Luttrell — Into Clouds (Anjunadeep)

Mandolin Orange — Tides Of A Teardrop (Yep Roc Records)

Masaki Batoh — Nowhere (Drag City)

Mörglbl — The Story Of Scott Rötti (The Laser’s Edge)

The Moth & The Flame — Ruthless (Robot Farming)

Nina Nesbitt — The Sun Will Come Up, The Seasons Will Change (Cooking Vinyl)

Onydia — Reflections (Revalve Records)

Patrick Daphier — Say I’m Pretty (YK Records)

Pedro Vian — Pedro Vian (Modern Obscure Music)

Rustin Man (Talk Talk’s Paul Webb) — Drift Code (Domino Recording Company)

Small Talks — A Conversation Between Us (Common Ground Records)

Soen — Lotus (Silver Lining Music)

The Sonic Dawn — Eclipse (Heavy Psych Sounds)

The Specials — Encore (UMC)

Spielbergs — This Is Not The End (By The Time It Gets Dark)

Thyla — What’s On Your Mind EP (REX Records)

Tim Bowness — Flowers At The Scene (Inside Out Music)

Tiny Ruins — Olympic Girls (Milk! Records)

Ward Thomas — Restless Minds (Sony Music CG)

The Western Den — A Light Left On (The Western Den)

White Lies — Five ([PIAS])

Within Temptation — Resist (Vertigo Berlin)

Yugen Blakrok — Anima Mysterium (Cylid Sarl DBA I.O.T Records)

Friday, February 8

Ageist — Babyface (Arctic Rodeo Recordings)

Amy McCarley — Meco (MECO Records)

Ariana Grande — Thank U, Next (Republic Records)

Be Forest — Knocturne (We Were Never Being Boring Collective)

Bob Mould — Sunshine Rock (Merge Records)

Busted — Half Way There (EastWest U.K.)

Cass McCombs — Tip Of The Sphere (ANTI‐)

Charlie Faye & The Fayettes — The Whole Shebang (Bigger Better More Records)

Charlotte Adigéry — Zandoli EP (DEEWEE)

CJ Boyd — Kin Ships (Joyful Noise Recordings)

Flat Worms — Into The Iris EP (GOD?)

Geezer — Spiral Fires EP (Kozmik Artifactz)

Health — Vol. 4 :: Slaves Of Fear (Loma Vista Recordings)

Henry Jamison — Gloria Duplex (Akira Records)

Jessica Pratt — Quiet Signs (Mexican Summer)

John Diva & The Rockets Of Love — Mama Said Rock Is Dead (Steamhammer)

Jozef Van Wissem and Jim Jarmusch — An Attempt To Draw Aside The Veil (Sacred Bones)

Kicker — Pure Drivel (Tankcrimes)

King Of Foxes — Salt & Honey (Olivia Street)

LCD Soundsystem — Electric Lady Sessions (DFA Records)

The Lemonheads — Varshons 2 (Fire Records)

Matty Carlock — The Jailbirds (115 Collective)

Michael Chapman — True North (Paradise of Bachelors)

Moes Anthill — Quitter (TOURBOmusic)

Panda Bear — Buoys (Domino Recording Company)

Queen Zee — Queen Zee (Sasstone Records)

Radiant Baby — Restless (Lisbon Lux Records)

Rosy Vista — Unbelievable (Steamhammer)

Ryan Lott (of Son Lux) — Pentaptych (This Is Meru)

Said The Whale — Cascadia (Arts & Crafts)

Silk Road Assassins — State Of Ruin (Planet Mu)

Sister Hazel — Fire EP (Croakin’ Poet Records)

Talos — Far Out Dust (BMG Rights Management (US) LLC)

Tunic — Complexion (Self Sabotage Records)

Various Artists — Music Inspired By The Film Roma (Sony Music)

Windswept — The Onlooker (Season of Mist Underground Activists)

Xiu Xiu — Girl With Basket Of Fruit (Polyvinyl Record Co.)

Y La Bamba — Mujeres (Tender Loving Empire)

Yak — Pursuit Of Momentary Happiness (Third Man Records)

Friday, February 15

Andromo & Chris Fortier — Shape & Form EP (Rainforest Music)

Anemone — Beat My Distance (Royal Mountain Records)

Avril Lavigne — Head Above Water (BMG Rights Management (US) LLC)

Baby Goth — Baby EP (Republic Records)

Bedstudy — Dot Wave EP (Grand Jury Music)

Bellamy Brothers — Over The Moon (Bellamy Brothers Records)

Betty Who — Betty (Kobalt‎)

Bis — Slight Disconnects (Last Night From Glasgow ‎)

Bjarki — Happy Earthday (!K7 Records)

Black Taffy — Elder Mantis (Leaving Records)

Boo Ray — Tennessee Alabama Fireworks (BRRB Music)

Broken Social Scene — Let’s Try The After — Vol 1 EP (Arts & Crafts)

Brookhaven and Scatter Swept — Modern Remains (Expel Records)

C’mon Tigre — Racines (BDC)

Chain Wallet — No Ritual (Jansen Records)

Chaka Khan — Hello Happiness (Island)

Crystal Lake — Helix (SharpTone Records)

Czarface and Ghostface Killah — Czarface Meets Ghostface (Get On Down)

Dale Watson — Call Me Lucky (Compass Records)

Dead Pollys — Strummerland (Too Loud Records)

Dear Seattle — Don’t Let Go (Domestic La La)

Electric Mary — Mother (Listenable Records)

Elena Setién — Another Kind Of Revolution (Thrill Jockey)

Endon — Boy Meets Girl (Thrill Jockey)

Florida George Line — Can’t Say I Ain’t Country (Big Machine)

Gemma Ray — Psychogeology (Bronzerat)

Golden Daze — Simpatico (Autumn Tone Records)

Greg Jacquin — Clocks Slow Down (self-released)

Hajk — Drama (Jansen Records)

Hayes Carll — What It Is (Dualtone Music Group, Inc.)

Holiday Ghosts — West Bay Playroom (PNKSLM Recordings)

Holiday Gunfire — Holiday Gunfire (Cornelius Chapel Records)

Homeshake — Helium (Royal Mountain Records)

Hugh Marsh — Volinvocations (estern Vinyl)

Insane Clown Posse — Fearless Fred Fury (Psychopathic Records)

Jon Fratelli (of The Fratellis) — Bright Night Flowers (Cooking Vinyl)

Komraus — Untie The Ropes (M.A.R.S. Music)

Ladytron — Ladytron (Nettwerk)

The Long Ryders — Psychedelic Country Soul (Omnivore Recordings)

Lucille Furs — Another Land (Treehouse Record Co.)

Marlon Hoffstadt — Simple Communication EP (Midnight Themes)

Methyl Ethel — Triage (4AD)

Millencolin — SOS (Epitaph Records)

The Munsens — Unhanded (Sailor Records)

Nubiyan Twist — Jungle Run (Strut Records)

Peter Mulvey — There Is Another World (Righteous Babe)

Perfect Son — Cast (Sub Pop)

Picture This — Mdrn Lv (Universal Records)

Piroshka — Brickbat (Bella Union)

Quin Galavis — Victim / Non-Victim (Super Secret Records)

Rina Mushonga — In A Galaxy ([PIAS] Recordings Holland)

Ry X — Unfurl (Infectious Music)

Ryan Bingham — American Love Song (Axster Bingham Records)

Savage Mansion — Revision Ballads (Lost Map Records)

Seth Walker — Are You Open? (Royal Potato Family)

Shiny Darkly — Bronze (Crunchy Frog Records)

Shook Twins — Some Good Lives (Dutch Records)

Signo Rojo — End Of Tether EP (No Echo at THIS LOCATION)

Sir Babygirl — Crush On Me (Father/Daughter Records)

SP’s — Rise/Fall EP (Baby Robot Records)

Stats (of Dua Lipa) — Other People’s Lives (Memphis Industries)

Swmrs — Berkeley’s On Fire (Fueled by Ramen)

Trdmrk — Trdmrk EP (Hot Plate Records)

Tourist — Everyday (Monday Records)

Volcano — The Island (Tee Pee)

Voyou — Les Bruits De La Ville (Entreprise)

Wicca Phase Springs Eternal — Suffer On (Run For Cover Records)

Woman’s Hour — Ephyra (Practise Music)

Xixa — The Code EP (Dust & Stone Records)

Yann Tiersen — All (Mute Records)

Young Hunting — True Believers (Gold Robot Records)

Friday, February 22

A Fragile Tomorrow — Generation Loss (The ILS Group)

Adia Victoria — Silences (Canvasback/ATL)

Andreya Triana — Life In Colour (Hi-Tea Records)

Andy Frasco — Change Of Pace (Fun Machine Records)

Badflower — Ok, I’m Sick (Big Machine Records/John Varvatos Records)

Bayonne — Drastic Measures (Mom + Pop Music)

Bellows — The Rose Gardener (Topshelf)

Benny Sings — City Pop (Stones Throw Records)

Booze Control — Forgotten Lands (Gates Of Hell Records)

Burnt Tapes — Never Better (Wiretap Records)

Candlemass — The Door To Doom (Napalm Records)

Chris Welch And The Cicada Killers — Shook (Denton independent)

The Claypool Lennon Delirium — South Of Reality (ATO)

Cochemea Gastelum — All My Relations (Daptone Records)

Cyrille Aimée — Move On: A Sondheim Adventure (Mack Avenue Music Group)

Dead Witches — The Final Exorcism (Heavy Psych Sounds)

Down To The Bunker — Misery (Tenacity Music)

Dream Theater — Distance Over Time (InsideOut Music)

Drekka — No Tracks In The Snow (Dais Records)

Drenge — Strange Creatures (Infectious Music)

Dronte — Quelque Part Entre La Guerre Et La Lâcheté (Apathia Records)

Emilie Kahn — Outro (Secret City Records)

Feed Me — High Street Creeps (Mau5trap)

Feels — Post Earth (Wichita Recordings)

Fling — Fling Or Die (Dance to the Radio)

Funeral Advantage — Nectarine (Sleep Well Records)

Gatekeeper — Grey Maiden EP (Cruz Del Sur Music)

Ghost Iris — Apple Of Discord (Long Branch Records)

Ghost Ship Octavius — Delirium (Iceburn Multimedia)

Gypsy Chief Goliath — Masters Of Space And Time (Kozmik Artifactz)

Haulm — Posture EP (Grand Jury Music)

Higher Brothers — Five Stars (88rising)

Hot 8 Brass Band — Take Cover EP (Tru Thoughts)

Idyll Green — When Love Ends, Be The Water EP (Guac, Don’t Run)

James Yorkston — The Route To The Harmonium (Domino Recording Company)

Jocelyn & Chris Arndt — The Fun In The Fight (Bridge Road Entertainment)

Julia Jacklin — Crushing (Liberation Records)

Kim Lenz — Slowly Speeding (Blue Star Record Company)

King Apathy — Wounds (Lifeforce Records)

Lil Halima — For The Dark Days EP (Universal Music/Def Jam Recordings Norway)

Lil Pump — Harverd Dropout (Warner Bros.)

Lily & Madeline — Canterbury Girls (New West Records)

Luther Russell — Medium Cool (Fluff and Gravy)

Major Murphy — Lafayette EP (Winspear)

Martin Frawley (of Twerps) — Undone At 31 (Merge Records)

Maxïmo Park — As Long As We Keep Moving (Cooking Vinyl Limited)

Michael Rother (of Neu!) — Solo (Groenland Records)

MSB — Short Stories (CEN/The Orchard)

Mxmjoy (Maximum Joy) — P.E.A.C.E ()London Field Recordings

Moving Panoramas — In Two (Modern Outsider)

Murray A. Lightburn — Hear Me Out (Dangerbird Records)

Mykele Deville — Maintain (No Trend)

Nakhane — You Will Not Die (BMG Rights Mgmt France SARL)

The National Lights — Whom The Sea Will Keep EP (BloodShake Records)

The O’Jays — The Last Word (S-Curve)

Peter Bjorn And John — EPBJ EP (INGRID)

R. Stevie Moore — Afterlife (Bar/None Records)

Red Beard Wall — The Fight Needs Us All (Argonauta Records)

RKCB — Shores EP (AllPoints)

Sanhedrin — The Poisoner (High Roller Records)

The Saxophones — Singing Desperately Suite EP (Full Time Hobby)

Sleaford Mods — Eton Alive (Extreme Eating Records)

Spelling — Mazy Fly (Sacred Bones Records)

Susanna & The Brotherhood Of Our Lady — Garden Of Earthly Delights (SusannaSonata)

Susto — Ever Since I Lost My Mind (Rounder Records)

Tedeschi Trucks Band — Signs (FanTasy)

Telekinesis — Effluxion (Merge Records)

Vandoliers — Forever (Bloodshot Records)

Various Artists — Kitsuné Parisien 4 (Kitsune)

Yola — Walk Through Fire (Easy Eye Sound/Nonesuch)

source https://uproxx.com/music/new-albums-coming-out-this-month-february-2019/

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