#*puts him into a box and ships out to france for someone else to deal with*

[szmaciarz-pospolity]

IS THAT A FUCKING LIPBITE?????????

[huge-enthusiast]

Miraculous fic recomendations!!

This is just an excuse to show all my bookmarks? Yes. Yes, it is. I'm pretty sure most of this fics are really popular, but try see if you find something you didn't knew about!

All of the fics will be rated Teen and up audiences or lower. Also if I don't put the author's tumblr is because they didn't put it in the fic or/and I couldn't find it.

Pairing: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug

knowing you by emsylcatac (they are not really the author of the fic but that's the account that says in the fic, the actual author doesn't have an account).

After dropping their transformations months ago, Marinette and Adrien see each other for the first time after being apart. They've both left too much unsaid and have to work to pick up the pieces of their confused hearts.

Chapters: 1/1

Post-reveal but mostly ladynoir, light angst with happy ending.

the last day on earth by Reiaji

The first time Marinette sees Chat Blanc, she's fourteen years old. The second time, fifteen—the third time, seventeen.

The closer she grows to Adrien, the harder it is to save him.

Chapters: 1/1

Post-reveal lovesquare, kinda heavy angst, hopeful ending.

tell me something i don't know by carpisuns (@carpisuns here on tumblr)

Do you think it still means something? To love someone, even if the universe said you had to?

The odds of having a soulmate are about negative one billion (or something like that). But somehow, like they always have, Marinette and Chat Noir find themselves together. They’re ready to finally tell each other everything, but it turns out that even soulmates have to keep secrets, and while their bond draws them together, duty forces them apart.

Chapters: currently 17/28 (WIPs can be exhausting but this one is 100% worth the wait!)

Mostly marichat but almost all of the lovesquare sides make an appearance, soulmates au, mostly fluff but it can get angsty if it wants to.

One Thing After Another by SKayLanphear

Marinette notices that, sometimes, Adrien acts a little out of the ordinary--like the time he stood in a cardboard box for no reason, or when he actually hissed at Nino. It's only when she starts to notice the similarities between Adrien and a certain feline that she begins to get suspicious.

Basically, Adrien acts like a cat when he probably shouldn't.

Chapters: 15/15

Mostly adrienette with one sided reveal by Marinette's side, miraculous side effects (by both sides wich is really cool!), it's fluff with a lil tiny angst for drama.

This would take some getting used to by Codango (@codango here on tumblr!)

Adrien peeked out from behind the chimney even as the magic of his own Chat Noir mask fell away.

She was still visible, her dark hair bobbing under the street lamps a couple blocks away.

“Marinette.”

Adrien blew out a confused breath. His fiery Ladybug… was the quiet little mouse who sat behind him in class?

“What. The.”

This… would take some getting used to.

Chapters: 8/8

Adrienette with one sided reveal by Adrien's part, awkward flirting, just fluff, nothing to worry about.

comfort food also by Reiaji!

In Marinette's house, cooking is a language of love, and Marinette loves Adrien more than most.

Chapters: 1/1

Adrienette with a little of ladynoir, super super fluff, a lot of insight into Marinette's chinese heritage.

The right side of his face by walkingonthestars (@hamsternamedmarinette here on tumblr!)

Marinette and Adrien are able to remain in their new seats in the back of the room at the end of Chameleon.

Chapters: 1/1

Adrienette, fluff with light angst.

it's a long way forward so trust in me by aloneintherain (@captainkirkk here on tumblr!)

“You’re not the only strong one around here, Chat,” Marinette said. She looked a little winded, but she wasn’t struggling to hold him up.

This close up, he could see the freckles on the bridge of her nose. He could see how that smug smile lit up her eyes. He could feel the strain of her arms—and wow, okay, he really wasn’t the only person around here with muscles.

Six times Marinette carried Adrien (plus one time he carried her).

Chapters: 1/1

All the sides of the lovesquare! Fluff with LOTS of mutual pining.

a fight that you were born to lose also by aloneintherain

When the prosecution starts throwing around the word victim in reference to Adrien, he has to stuff his hands under his thighs to keep himself from bolting out of the courtroom.

Adrien had felt unsafe during those last few weeks, but, until he had woken up and seen Father silhouetted in his bedroom doorway, that had only been paranoia. Father was controlling and cold, but he wasn’t hateful. Adrien was isolated. He was often hungry. And some weeks ago, when he had snuck out to visit Nino, sitting thigh-to-thigh on his bed while Adrien cried in that silent, crumbling way of his, he hadn’t argued when Nino put a hand on his shoulder and said, tentatively, That’s abuse.

But Adrien remembers being small and Father touching his hair after he’d aced another test; Father holding his scribbled drawings like they were something precious, and framing them around his office; Father, dressed as Hawkmoth, his eyes wild behind the mask, lashing his sword against Adrien’s baton; Father, collapsed against Mum, crying into her ashy hair.

Adrien finds out Gabriel is Hawkmoth, and Gabriel gets to bring his long-waited plan into action.

Chapters: 1/1

This one doesn't really focus in the ship that much as is an Adrien character study and an exploration of his relationship with his father, but they're still there so I put them here. Really heavy angst (this is one of this fics that haunt me in the middle of the night) with a happy ending. ❗TW: parental abuse, eating disorders❗

Supercut by LNC

Marinette loves her friends and Adrien can't deal.

Chapters: 1/1

Post-reveal lovesquare, again light angst, an exploration of Adrien's insecurities, Marinette Dupain-Cheng deserves the world, happy ending.

Madame Snare by jettiebettie

“Sounds like a lot of work for nothing. She should take this as a sign to have a relaxing weekend with no responsibilities.”

“It's a lot of work she put her whole heart into. It wouldn't be right for it to go to waste,” Adrien whispers to him. The look on Marinette's face is enough to cause Adrien's own heart to ache. If anyone deserves the satisfaction and pride from a job well done, it's her.

“Too bad there isn't anyone else who can walk in those death traps,” Plagg says. Adrien hums in thought, tapping his chin.

“I could.”

Chapters: 1/1

Marichat, episode-based, Chat Noir in a dress!!!, light angst but it's mostly just idiots being idiots and a lot of fun.

in the same sun by peachcitt (@peachcitt here on tumblr!)

"It’s hard to believe that I saw you last at the peak of summer, when the sun was close and warm - and so were you. It should go without saying that I miss you. I miss you something terrible."

//

"It’s been seven months to the day since I’ve seen you. I wish you were here more than anything else."

Two letters, signed with initials instead of names, found in Paris, France.

Chapters: 1/1

Ladynoir, just angst, that's it, written like letters. No ending, just pain.

an uncurtain discovery by Missnoodles (@ladyofthenoodle here on tumblr!)

When he returns from school on Wednesday afternoon, Adrien discovers the darkness in his own home. He struggles to come to terms with it. To his utter mortification and delight, Ladybug is nearby to rescue him.

(He does not discover that his father is supervillain. That will happen on a different Wednesday.)

Chapters: 1/1

Ladrien, it says it's crack, and don't get me wrong, is super funny, but I also found it sad as fuck?

An Open Secret by Kasienda

Adrien whirled around toward Marinette. She smiled at him.

He couldn’t smile back. He stared at her like the dumb blond model that he was often accused of being.

Something shifted in her expression. And her warm open Marinette smile transformed into Ladybug’s grin. He was looking at Ladybug right now.

He knew Ladybug’s name!

Her name was Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

And he couldn’t say anything! Not to Marinette! Not even to Plagg, who had confided two weeks prior that Master Fu was growing increasingly paranoid since the location of his home and hideout had been compromised. Their master had apparently decided that Chat Noir and Ladybug would have to give up their miraculouses if they ever discovered each other’s identities.

It wasn’t fair!

...

A fic where they both know, but can't openly talk about it.

Chapters: 4/4

Post-reveal... but is it? Mostly adrienette and ladynoir, fluff with light angst and them being absolute idiots at hiding their secret identity.

golden (like daylight) by okayanna (@anna-scribbles here on tumblr!)

Friendship, Adrien decided, shaking off the mental image of Marinette’s hurricane eyes and hesitant mouth, parted in a small, careful “o.” He had a very strong friendship with Marinette. That was all.

or

Adrien thinks a lot about words, love, and Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

Chapters: 1 + epilogue

Adrienette but has lots of ladynoir, another Adrien character study because I hate myself, it tries to not be angst but the writing will punch you in the guts and make you cry, it's so good.

Strangers in the Bright Lights by poodles (@ladybeug here on tumblr!)

Adrien is about two drinks in when he sees a girl at the end of the bar wearing black cat ears. It's kind of weird, so he watches her, and although it's crowded he can see her face when she turns around. She’s wearing a Chat Noir mask. He takes a quick look around- nobody else is wearing a mask. Just her.

Adrien finishes his gin martini and heads over to her. He could use some company tonight anyways, he hasn’t told anyone he’s back in Paris and Nathalie won’t arrive in town for another month. And it’s been a rough day, okay? A rough move! He’s not sure he wants to be back yet, and he spent most of the day in the Agreste mansion sorting through some photographs of his father he found in the study. Maybe he wants a drink and some stranger to tell him he’s pretty! That’s not a crime, is it?

Chapters: 1/1

Adrienette but it's also ladrien??? I think??? It's super super angsty but they're both drunk the entirety of the fic so it's also really funny.

Pick-Up and Chase by also SKayLanphear

After she accidentally trips into Adrien and apologizes about "falling for him," Marinette learns that he's no match for cheesy pick-up lines--whether they were unintended or not. And while she finds it flattering that he turns into a flustered mess with only a few words, Marinette comes to regret making him uncomfortable. That is, until she learns he's Chat Noir. At which point the phrase "just deserts" becomes a permanent fixture in her everyday plans.

A story in which Adrien is flustered, Marinette is smooth as glass at dropping lines, and Chat Noir gets the romance he was always asking for--even if he doesn't quite know how to handle it.

Chapters: 10/10

Adrienette with one sided reveal by Marinette's side, it doesn't say it in the tags but I'm pretty sure the characters are much older than they actually are in the show, so much fluff and so much flirting.

Pairing: Alya Césaire/Nino Lahiffe

Nino Has Done Nothing To Deserve This by GuardianKarenTerrier (@guardiankarenterrier here in tumblr)

It's nothing, really- just an innocent comment, a joke. But when they hear it, Nino and Alya come to a realisation.

There were, in retrospect, dozens upon dozens of hints. Now that they're suddenly aware of all their friend's flimsy excuses and rushed explanations, they're not only sure how they've missed it, they're not sure how anyone else has either. They realise that it had to be magic protecting their friends- and that same magic has ceased to work on the two of them.

Well, this means they'll just have to start watching over their friends themselves.

Chapters: 7/7

This is more a found family fic than anything else, Alya and Nino are the mom friend, has light angst but it's mostly identity shenanigans in the most bizarre way. ❗TW: eating disorders❗

christmas lights by demistories

Nino checks up and down the street, checking to make sure there’s no raging akuma headed his way before he crosses quickly and ducks inside the small café. He closes the door quickly before the icy air can blow inside and tugs his beanie down over his ears. He spots Alya sitting alone in the corner.

Chapters: 1/1

Just fluff!! Really short but really sweet.

hold on, i still want you also by Missnoodles!

Written for the @thedjwifizine ! Wich I also recommend if you wanna binge a lot of djwifi fics while also looking at amazing art!!!

Five times Alya ran into her ex, and the one time he stopped being her ex.

Chapters: 1/1

Light angst with a happy ending! I don't really like the ex-lovers to lovers trope but this one is the only exception.

I will continue to expand the list in the future! But by now I hope I was helpful in the search of new fics!

[stephkaylor]

FAVES & FAILS: #1 (Teen Wolf)

I’ve decided to do this questionnaire when a show/book series/movies where I answer these questions with fun gifs too (its Tumblr, what did you expect?), if you want more info, the original idea post with links to each of my completed lists is here ⚡️. A bunch of my faves have already ended so getting all of these out will take a minute, but I’m aiming to post a new one twice per week. 🤞🏻Anyway, enjoy!! OH!! ALSO, I’ll be discussing plot elements in this list so...SPOILER ALERT!!

TV Show FAVES and FAILS: TEEN WOLF

FAVORITE MALE CHARACTER: STILES STILINSKI

HANDS DOWN, no question about it! He was the soul of the show, and funny, and so incredibly human on a show full of the inhuman, and that was what made him so integral.  Anyway, I could go on forever about how much I love Stiles, but here’s a gif:

LEAST FAVORITE MALE CHARACTER: GERARD ARGENT

There isn’t really a male that makes me want to punch something, so good for the writers, I guess?

FAVORITE FEMALE CHARACTER: LYDIA MARTIN

I really want to say Allison but it HAS to be Lydia, hands down! Her character development from a girl pretending to be vapid and shallow and who hid her genius so she could “fit in”, to a strong, powerful, confident woman secure in who she really is and the power inside of her (figuratively AND literally, lol), this girl is the real MVP.

LEAST FAVORITE FEMALE CHARACTER: MONROE

This was hard because there are several female characters that made me want to throw my laptop out of the window.  The short list is Kate Argent, Allison’s mom... I could go on... but Monroe’s systematic attempt to wipe all supernaturals out of Beacon Hills and then maybe the rest of the world gave me fucking high blood pressure and a rage issue. I don't care how “scared” you are, killing a kid who hasn't done anything wrong just because they are different than you is some fucked up, borderline genocidal bullshit. And she survived the finale!!? Like I had to deal with her self-righteous smirky attitude and you didn't even have the decency to punch her in the face and let me watch?!? Rude.

THE CHARACTER THAT DESERVED BETTER: Aiden (and kind of Ethan)

I badly want to say Allison again here because I love and miss her tons. But she died protecting her family and friends and I believe that she is happy wherever she went afterward.  Watching Aiden die in his twin brother’s arms I don’t know who I felt the worst for.  The boy dying, or his brother who now has to live without him... I’m gonna go cry now, brb.

THE DEADWEIGHT CHARACTER WE SHOULD’VE DUMPED IN 2009: Kate Argent

Luckily she was not a regularly appearing character, but when she showed up it was always “for revenge” and I'm like...can we just...not this season? I was having a lovely time and then you showed up with your petty anger for whatever fucking shit that happened in, like season one.  Like, honey... if it’s been so long since you’ve been relevant that I have to google what you’re upset about because I have honestly forgotten...maybe it’s time to let that shit go.  Kindly fuck off now, please...

OVERHYPED CHARACTER: Derek Hale

Like, don’t get me wrong, he’s great and I loved when he was on the show, but I feel like some people think he carried the show and it wouldn't survive without him.  Well, surprise! because he went away after season 4 and I still think some of their best shit came in season 5 and the beginning of season 6.  

UNDERHYPED CHARACTER: Deaton

Um, he was basically Scott’s druid emissary and he got no recognition for it.  He saved all of the main pack members’ lives at least once.  Also he didn't make Stiles pay for the windows, so he’s apparently not an asshole. 

OVERHYPED SHIP: Scott and Malia

I feel like they had to adjust the final season A TON because of Dylan’s injury and Kira not coming back and I think the writers panicked when they didn't know who to put Scott with (because our leading man could never not have a girlfriend, *gasp* THE HORROR!) because Lydia needed to be with Stiles and I think they picked Malia because she was basically the only one left...I was never into it.  In fact, when my friend texted me after we watched the episode where they get together, my response back to her was literally “meh 🤷🏻‍♀️”.

UNDERHYPED SHIP: Allison and Isaac

It would’ve been so nice to see where that relationship went.  Don’t get me wrong, had she lived, I would’ve wanted Allison to end up with Scott.  But I loved that the show was willing to say that it is okay to fall in love more than once in your life.  Sometimes the shows aimed at a younger audience have a tendency to act like your first love has to be the one you’re with until you die and that’s just not realistic. It was nice that the writers didn't box these characters into that mold because it gave them more depth as characters. 

FAVORITE SHIP: Stiles and Lydia

I don’t know how to explain how much I love this pairing.  Like, from the beginning he saw her for how amazing she was and he supported her as she came into her powers and then she was always there making sure that someone was taking care of him when he was taking care of, literally, everyone else, and then when he disappeared SHE KNEW something was wrong nearly instantly, and ‘remeMBER I LOVE YOU’ I need to stop before this run-on sentence goes on forever.  ALSO they’re canon official, which never fucking happens for my ships so I’m fucking excited, sue me.

FAVORITE VILLAIN: Deucalion

His backstory was well-developed and deep, he was clear with his goals, he actually executed said goals in a logical and timely manner, he was a fucking ALPHA OF ALPHAS, nuf said. 

MOST HEARTBREAKING MOMENT: Allison’s Death

Hands down, the most heartbreaking moment on the show, and I will fight anyone who comes at me with a different opinion. Because like--she was smiling when she was stabbed because she had figured out a way to help her friends and then she died in Scott’s arms and told him she loved him even though they weren’t together she still loved him and he still loved her, and I truly believe that she had zero regrets when she died, and how bittersweet is that???!  But Scott couldn't take her pain because it didn’t hurt anymore, and Lydia had to feel her best friend die and she screamed Allison’s name and if you are not hurting right now are you a monster???!?!

FAVORITE STORYLINE: Eichen House Escape/Dread Doctors in Season 5

It was hard to pick between the Dark Druid storyline in season 3A, but the Eichen rescue/Lydia learning how to be a BAMF Banshee from Meredith while she was catatonic (ALSO ‘Stiles saved me’ I AM DEAD!!!), and the whole la bête du gévaudan thing was great, and reuniting the pack after Theo had royally fucked it up earlier that season, it was all just superb! *chef’s kiss*

STORYLINE WE COULD’VE DONE WITHOUT: Like, the whole second half of the last season, TBH

It was a petty, counterintuitive, and just garbage. The monster was dumb, Monroe is a royal twat (as I stated above), and it didn't have a conclusion.  Like, the fuck? This isn't Game of Fucking Thrones you guys do not need to leave every season finale with so many loose ends it make people want to throw their laptops off of a cliff into a vat of hydrochloric acid.  And it was the LAST SEASON so there’s no hope of fixing this bullshit storyline. ugh, kill me now. 

BIGGEST PLOTHOLE: Scott’s pretty selective “True Alpha” powers

They, like, kind of tried to pass it off as it taking a ton of energy so he can’t always do it all the time.  But he got through a mountain ash barrier to save Deaton and activated his True Alpha but then couldn't get into Eichen to get Lydia out because of the mountain ash...? oh and also where the fuck did Cora and Isaac go? (I, sincerely, hope he’s not still just chinning in fucking France wondering were Argent fucked off to)

OVERALL MARKS OUT OF TEN (10 being that watching this show has probably increased your life’s worth by at least five percent; 1 being the only thing this show has given me is a stomach ulcer and trust issues): 

8.75 out of 10.  This show was a blessing and I would definitely recommend it to other people. (mostly because I love to get people hooked on my favorite shows and then they're stuck and we can be tortured together). 

THE END! Thanks for reading my overly-long and overly-obsessive list.  Do come again soon.  I’ll probably have another of these up next week.  🤍🤍🤍

[dumpsterfirebooks]

10-11 Questions Answers

So a million years ago there was a thing going around where you answered 10 questions then wrote 10 of your own. Obviously at this point I’m not going to write any but have some answers. Tossing this all under a keep reading because it’s hella long.

@azuremirwae

Questions were:

1. Which would you choose to do: go to a cafe alone with a book and music, or sit on a bench in the woods with music and a book?

Woods with music and a book. Cafe’s still have a habit of being loud.

2. What is your favourite colour and why?

It really depends on my mood but I lean towards blues just because they’re calming.

3. When, during the day, is it most likely for you to feel sleepy/tired?

I get up at 4:30 every morning for work so I’m basically sleepy all day. Around 1PM is when it gets the worst.

4. When upset, which method usually helps you feel better: talking about it to somebody, or dealing with it alone?

It depends on what upset me, if it’s my family that upset me it’s definitely better to talk to somebody about it.

5. Do you have a specific vision of how you want your life to be in the future? If so, what is it like? (The answer to this does not have to be realistic.)

Honestly I just want to be happy. If that means living in a tiny house traveling the world awesome, if that means living in a mega mansion that’s cool, if it means nuclear family with the husband and 2 kids that’s fine. I just want to be happy 300 out of 365 days a year.

6. What are some of the things/causes you are very passionate about? (Optional: why?)

Umm idk if there really a cause I’m passionate about. Charity wise I always try to donate to the Progeria Research Foundation and I donate my hair to Wigs For Kids.

7. Given no one would object to it or judge you for it or that there won’t be any trouble, and you’d have all the materials for it, how would you like to dress everyday? What would be your aesthetic?

Pajamas, I would live in pajamas. I’m way too lazy to plan outfits. If I had the energy and patience I’d be all over the leather jackets, and skinny jeans. I don’t have the chest for body suits but if I did I’d wear them with the jackets and jeans.

8. What is your favourite aspect of nature?

Just weather in general. I love thunderstorms, I like when it first snows, and I love the air in spring.

10. Which one is your favourite: forests, mountains, or the sea? Why?

Forests because I love the woods. I’d say mountains because of the view but I can’t with really tall places.

@illyriangoddess

Questions were: 

1) Favourite YouTuber?

I don’t actually watch YouTube often.

2) Fave time of day?

Sunset

3) In which fictional world would you want to live?

Oh god I don’t think I’ve seen a fictional world that’s made be want to live there pronto. I like fantasy and dystopian books so those don’t generally breed pleasant worlds to live in. I mean Prythian would be lovely because of Cassian and Azriel but they’re already kind of taken so I’d probably be pretty bored.

4) Most recently used emoji?

The laugh/crying one

5) Place you want to visit?

The U.K

6) Favourite gif?

I mean I use the James McAvoy fanning one a lot and the Charlotte squealing one a lot, but anytime I can use a Game of Thrones gif I’m happy. I loved this one from Ru Paul that said something like “past thirsty straight to dehydrated’ and B made me one that I can’t find right now that’s “it’s so smutty I’m gonna die.”

7) Pick a gif that describes yourself

Somewhere between the “you’re kidding right”

and laughing so hard I can’t function.

8) Least favourite character?

Of any book geez umm idk. I’m just going to pick from some of the more recent books I’ve read and say Mal from The Grisha Trilogy.

9) Favourite Villain?

*Eyes my bookcase suspiciously* “Big Brother” not a character but a group of characters from 1984.

10) What kind of perfume do you own/like?

I’m obsessed with scents I swear I basically own a store sized shelf of Victoria Secret body sprays. Here’s a really bad thing, I have different ones I use when I’m around different people. My everyday don’t care one is Vanilla Lace, I used to wear Pure Seduction a lot. If I’m going to be around a guy I like a lot I wear Bombshell but I also love Tease (those are the these cost more so I’m obviously trying scents.) So basically I’m a terrible person.

 @highladyofnorta

 Questions were:

1 - Do you like cold weather or hot weather?

Cold I can always put more layers on, if it gets too hot there’s only so much you can do.

2 - Do you actually like studying?

I do. I love learning new things and constantly wish I could just go to school as a profession. Not teach because that’s literally what I went for, started doing it and hated it, but just be a professional student.

3 - Dream vacation?

Trip around the world.

Europe: Greece, Italy, Croatia, France, Belgium, Germany, U.K, Ireland, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland.

New Zealand, Australia, Maldives.

4 - Say one thing you like about your home country.

The food. Deep fried everything is so bad for you but it tastes so good.

5 - What’s your favorite book atm?

That’s like asking a parent who their favorite child is. I like my favorite is always going to be Wuthering Heights or 1984. Wuthering holds a special place because I was 1 of 7 people who picked to read it in my British Lit class in high school (everyone else chose P&P because of the movie) and actually understood it. 1984 because it’s first off such a good book about the influence the government can have on you. Second, how quick a person will rebel against the system and how quickly they’ll conform back. 

*I’ve just now read this says atm so basically my answer is Rhapsodic.*

6 - What do you like about your best friend?

Which one I have multiples? They’re all funny and good listeners.

7 - When was the last time you did something nice to someone?

To someone? Geez ugh I’ve got a no touchy rule right now so I haven’t done anything nice TO anyone. For people though, I unloaded my mom’s car for her so she wouldn’t have to be in the heat and I sent Clarie a care package a few weeks ago filled with all kinds of nonsense.

8 - Do you like shopping?

Yes. Especially if it’s online and I have money. Hello Amazon Prime my dear friend.

9 - Most embarrassing memory of your childhood?

Well geez there’s just so many because I’m a walking embarrassment. I’ve told the “good lick” story but when I was in high school I wore a sleeveless shirt to school with a hoodie and didn’t realize that the top had come down when I unzipped the hoodie and I spent a good 10-15 minutes walking around in my bra so that was cool.

10 - How would you react if a flirty anon showed up in your ask box?

Hit me. Idk I’d probably be flustered as all hell or literally not even process there’s flirting. I have a habit of being exceptionally oblivious when it comes to things like that.

@Rugrat-mama who’s new url I don’t know

Questions were:

1.)If you could be any character in a contemporary novel who would you be?


I have absolutely no idea.

2.) You are sent to Prythian for 24 hours to kill any High Lord, who do you take out and why?


Beron because I don’t dislike the others that much.

3.) Go to TV show?


I’m so bad with t.v. lately but Law and Order:SVU is always good.

4.) Do you think the cauldron made a mistake making Elain & Lucien mates?


Lol, I wouldn’t call it a mistake they’re both lovely characters I just personally don’t ship them. I’m also more than happy to see a relationship play out where the mating bond is rejected. I like the concept of Feysand being mates and accepting, Elucien being mates but denying, and Nessian not being mates with anyone, but choosing each other.

5.) Do you have a favorite classic movie?


I haven’t seen any classics which is bad I know. To me classics are things from the 80s and that’s terrible.

6.) What is your favorite childhood memory? If you don’t have one, you can skip it, I understand. 


Going on vacations with my immediate family and my grandparents.

7.) Do you believe in love at first sight and/or soulmates?

I believe in lust at first sight for sure. I like the idea of love at first sight because I’m a low key sap, but I’ve never experienced it so idk. Soulmates would be rather nice, but I’m mixed on it. It seems nice to know there’s for sure someone out there for you but at the same time it’s like you don’t really have a choice. Or what if you miss each other for whatever reason.

8.) If you had to choose between Azriel & Lucien, for yourself, who would you choose?


While I do enjoy sarcasm I don’t think I could handle that with Lucien forever we’d kill each other. Azriel has that mysterious vibe to him where you’d constantly be learning new things about him and that makes things a little more interesting. Yeah not everything you learn will be great, but I feel like he’s still evolving more as an individual whereas Lucien is a take him as you see him kinda guy.

9.) Do you ship Mor with anyone?


No one in particular. I know some people ship her with different Archeron sisters but I already ship them with people so I guess Viv’s sister.

10.) Describe your dream vacation.

All expenses paid trip around Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and the Maldives.

@justbooklover 

Cold or hot weather?

Cold

Favourite sweet food?

I have a really bad sweet tooth, chocolate mousse is my absolute favorite

Favourite movie/s?

Super random but here they are: Labyrinth, The Swan Princess, Beauty and the Beast(animated), Daylight. Literally so damn random I know especially since Daylight is a terrible movie but for some odd reason I love it.

Favourite music genre?

I’ll listen to just about anything even country is starting to grow on me.

What do you like to do in your free time?

Read or sleep. Anything quiet where people leave me alone is generally great because I’m around constant chaos.

Have you ever wanted to smack someone’s face against a wall?

Yes and I have.

Do you smile often?

Idk if I smile often but I am a giggle queen. I’m always laughing.

Pineapple on pizza?

No, but I like pineapple on it’s own. I’m weird with pizza though I don’t like any kind of sauce.

Favorite author/s and book series?

Shakespeare. I have a lot of Anne Rice that I’ve been working on for the past 10 years, Nicholas Sparks even though every book is basically the same, and I’m slowly working through the Outlander series.

Single, taken or waiting for a special fictional character?

Always waiting for a fictional character but otherwise single.

Sweet or salty popcorn?

Salty like my personality. The more salt the better I know it will kill me someday but salt is my favorite unofficial food group.

[tricityrevivals]

Blog

Chapter 1.5: Mr. Teterboro

It was just a normal day at the office for us organizing, posting/looking into Items, and finalizing our schedule for the upcoming week. We were put onto a lead by Kate, Chris’s wife, for a lady named Cathy who is moving to Florida soon. She and her boyfriend Chris, of 25 years, inherited his Aunt and Uncles house in Saddle Brook, NJ. After calling Cathy and speaking with her a while we decided lets pick up and go today. She was pretty overwhelmed with the amount of stuff in the attic mainly. We put everything else on hold and headed over there and good thing we did.

We went there with all parties knowing the deal. She needed some extra cash as well as help getting rid of the clutter. We needed more inventory, and we promised to go through everything because we didn’t want to take her family heirlooms. From the moment we walked in Cathy and her dog Bella couldn’t have been any more hospitable to us. We got to know each other and than she started telling us about her uncle who has owned this house previously.

“His nickname was Mr. Teterboro, have you ever heard of him?”

Both of us looking puzzled at each other

“No…. we haven’t”

“He was one of the first employees ever to work at Teterboro Airport, he was there for over 55 Years”

We couldn’t think of anything else to say but

“Wow…really?”

As if she was going to lie about that.

She went on to tell us how he he was friends with tons of celebrities and presidents. He met all of these people mostly through Teterboro Airport.

Let’s get into Teterboro Airport for a second for most of you who don’t know.

Teterboro Airport is a general aviation relief airport located in the boroughs of Teterboro, Moonachie, and Hasbrouck Heights in Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is owned and managed by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and operated by AFCO AvPORTS Management. The airport is in the New Jersey Meadowlands, 12 miles from Midtown Manhattan, which makes it very popular for private and corporate aircraft. The airport has a weight limit of 100,000 pounds on aircraft, which is meant to make it nonviable as a commercial airport. The airport takes up almost all of Teterboro and consists of 827 acres and has more than 1,137 employees. Teterboro is home to many private aviation charter companies that fly nationally and globally. The Aviation Hall of Fame of New Jersey is also on the airport grounds.

So now that you know my wikipedia copy and paste skills I’ll tell you from a real perspective on what Teterboro Airport means to us. As two kids growing up in Hasbrouck Heights, NJ, Teterboro Airport is literally in our backyard. It is a staple of our town, even our high school mascot is the Hasbrouck Heights Aviators. The airport is located right across the highway from our football field, and almost any time of the day or night you can look into the sky and see planes coming or going from Teterboro Airport. Constantly you’re hearing about celebrities coming and going through the airport if they have shows in the area. We even took field trips in grade school to learn about day to day operations.

So for us hearing just the name “Mr. Teterboro” we knew we were in for a treat that day. After chatting a little more we noticed Cathy had layed out some items on the table that she thought may be worth something. As we approached and started browsing we saw some generic antique scales, a couple of toys, german beer steins, and then we saw it, Frank Sinatras Funeral Mass Program. Only 400 of these were made and they were only given to the people actually invited to his funeral. As we picked it up and started browsing through it Cathy said

“You know he was friends with Frank”

“Really? ….He was?”

Again, as if she would lie about something like that.

Both of us being huge Sinatra fans we were in awe. Who was this man “Mr. Teterboro” who even Frank Sinatra liked enough to become friends with?

H.J. (HANK) ESPOSITO, better known as “Mr. Teterboro,” was a U.S. Army Air Corps veteran and served in Europe during World War II. After that, he embarked upon a half-century-long career at Atlantic Aviation’s New Jersey FBOs in 1949. He was also a graduate of our Alma Mater Hasbrouck Heights High School in Hasbrouck Heights, NJ which made this pick all the more special. He later moved to Saddle Brook, NJ with his wife Helen who he was happily married to until the day he died.

“Unfortunately Uncle Hank became very ill when Frank died, and he couldn’t attend his funeral in California, So he wrote a letter to Franks assistant whom he had known to explain why he wasnt there”

Frank Sinatras assistant of 21 years Dorothy Uhlemann had written a letter back to Hank after the funeral and thought it would be best that she send a Funeral Mass Program to Hank even though he couldnt make it. Frank and his assistant Dorothy were so close he even left her a cash gift in his will of a reported $50,000.

(Read the personalized letter in photos above)

As amazing as that story was what we saw next really put into perspective of who Hank was. Cathy pre-warned us these items weren’t for sale, but that they were amazing. What could be more amazing than a legitimate documented relationship with Frank Sinatra? She pulled out a test tube with a label on it, and an old zippo lighter. Seems pretty normal until we actually saw what these items were. In the plastic test tube container it was actual D-Day Sand Hank took home with him from the war. Amazing. In our hands, holding the history of America from someone who was there. It was labeled “D-Day June 6th 1944 Utah Beach”. Possibly one of the most infamous battles in American History. If you’re not sure what I’m talking about it was the graphic battle in the opening scene of Saving Private Ryan. The zippo lighter was amazing as well. While at war Hank inscribed on one side “1943-44 "Espo”“ on the other side he inscribed the places he had been "France Belgium Germany England”. Sometimes you see in the movies things like this but this was real life. Holding these items it got real vey quick. Just think about not just Hank but all the soliders there that day. What they must have went through and seen that day. All the different countries they were shipped to, and Hank inscribing and keeping track of them. It was different times, and the start of the foundation that made this country what it is today. We’re lucky because in this business you’re constantly reminded of America’s past time, and you have to respect the people who layed the ground work for us to get us here.

(See Photos of the lighter/sand up above)

Now by this time we were chomping at the bit to get up to the attic and see what else could possibly be up there. We had just come across 3 items we never thought we’d see. What else could we find? After sharing a few more funny personal stories about Hank, Cathy walked us up to the attic. It was loaded to the brim. We’ve never seen an attic this packed. Filled boxes everywhere you looked, furniture, crawlspaces with no more room to put anything, and a loft with things hanging and piled everywhere. Now we saw why she had said she was getting overwhelmed trying to go through all of the stuff. We told Cathy that this was going to take a while and she could go downstairs if she wanted. We said we’ll make a pile and at the end she can come up, check on the stuff so it doesn’t have sentimental value, and than we can work on a price. There was just so much stuff we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to skip a box or an area. We had to see what we could find.

We for once came unprepared for this pick. We had the most important part- the cash, but we forgot our gloves and masks we like to wear for safety when were going through old dusty dirty attics. This especially started effecting us a few hours in. Coughing, sneezing, squinting eyes. I can guarantee we wont make that mistake again. By the 2 hour mark we had already built up a pretty decent pile of things we were interested in, and we were only a little more than halfway through. We had to suck it up. You don’t get opportunities like this everyday.

When you’re picking, you’re going through the items of someone’s life. Their story, told through their things. Even the stuff that wasn’t valuable was worth looking at for us. For example, we came across Hanks old flight log from Teterboro Airport, Military Paperwork, Books, Clothing, Music Records, Tools, Repair Kits, Artwork, and Posters just to name some. After looking through all of these inexpensive items is the part where you really get a feel for who he was and what he enjoyed. That’s the most underrated part of picking to us because nobody talks about it. We’re not there to find valuable stuff and run. We’d like to get to know your story so we can pass that on to someone who may buy one of his items from us. The story is everything, and sometimes unfortunately when your gone no one is there to tell your story, but your things will always be there to tell it.

Hank was a cool dude. He had exactly what we look for to sell. Going through his things you could tell by the huge belt buckles, cowboy boots, and cowboy hats he must have been some character. We also found a lot of “Dear Hanks”. Letters. Not just any letters, but personalized hand written letters from people such as George HW Bush, Gerald Ford, Richard Nixon, Frank Sinatra, and John Wayne. I’m sure there were tons of more letters but it would have taken us all day to go through the box of them. Cathy told us Hanks favorite person to hang out with besides Sinatra was John Wayne. Every time he’d come into town Hank would always have a bottle of whiskey and big cigars waiting for him. They’d hang out, drink, eat, conversate, and smoke, and eventually call it a night. What stories he must of had hanging out with all these celebrities and presidents.

Hank being at Teterboro Airport for 55 years says something about Hanks character as well. Being in a profession and doing it for 55 years is an accomplishment to say the least. If it tells you anything it’ll tell you that he truly loved his job. He loved what he did, and when you love what you do it isn’t really a job to you. Even when he retired from Teterboro Airport he couldn’t stay away for long. The job offers came in from various different companies and everyone wanted him to be a consultant. When you throw the word “consultant” on a job title you’re basically paying someone for their experience and knowledge of that industry. Whenever you can just give your opinion on how to make a company better and get paid for it, you know you have to be an expert, which is what he was. He settled on Atlantic Aviation, wound up keeping that job for another 7-8 years until he officially retired, only because he got sick.

Another note worth mentioning is that Hank was inducted into the Aviation Hall of Fame in 1986. Still at about 35 years of service and another 20 to go, the Hall of Fame thought he deserved to be inducted. This is the same Aviation Hall of Fame that has names like Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart in it. Imagine what he must have meant and.the things he must have done for the Aviation industry to be inducted into the actual Hall of Fame. Only the best of the best make it here, and him and his family will forever be able to say he’s with the elite in this profession.

At the four and a half hour mark we finally called it quits after going through as much as we could and pretty much got to see everything available. Some of our favorite items include a busted plane propeller, parachute, cigar memorabilia, some old aviation calendars, and general vintage knick knacks about 3 full boxes worth.

As far as the items we picked, they weren’t worth much monetary wise, but the experience, stories, and items we were able to look through were priceless. To this day it’s still our favorite pick.

We tried to put a dent in as much as we could because the goal for Cathy was to get rid of the clutter to make the move to Florida in the future easier. The reality was that there was just way too much stuff. Realizing that, we offered another service to Cathy- a clean out. Generally when we’ve picked through everything and decided what’s valuable and what’s not there’s almost always leftovers. Unused or broken furniture, which takes up the most space, and boxes filled with general household items that even Hank and Helen probably haven’t used in over 20 years. We made a small dent but it wasn’t enough. We exchanged numbers and said we’ll figure something out to help out getting rid of the rest of the stuff. We had to stick to our word and help them get rid of the junk.

After running some numbers and figuring out details to make the clean out work, we decided we were going to do the clean out pro bono. We realized whatever price we gave would have put them over budget, and with a big move coming up we felt they could put that money to better use somewhere else. We’ve never done that before but all things considered, if anything, we figured we owed it to Hank. We’re sure he wouldn’t have wanted to overwhelm Cathy and Chris with all his stuff, and just the opportunity to see his stuff and hear his stories was enough for us to come to that decision. Cathy couldn’t have been any more thankful offering us lunch and drinks every day (alcoholic drinks). She was also up there with us on the three day clean out helping sort and organize. She also said we could take whatever we thought was cool or thought we could resell that we may have missed. In the end it was mostly garbage, but we found a few hidden items like typewriters, some cool coins, and an old schwinn bicycle.

In the end, the pick was amazing. The clean out was brutal, and Hanks stories were legendary. We were glad we got the opportunity to go through Hanks stuff, and even own some of it. A lot of the items sold fairly quickly so it shows we had a good knack for finding what people liked. It was truly an honor to see some of the things Hank collected that had been hidden from the public for decades. Although we’ve never had the chance to meet Hank, we do feel we have a special bond with him. His story is one of many, but its pretty damn cool to hear it, and it’s a great reminder of why we love doing what we do. Picking. You get to meet the most incredible people and hear the most incredible stories. Without these people and these stories nothing would ever be passed down, and were just trying to do our part and continue to pass down the knowledge and the story of our items past. Thank you for creating such a legacy for us to discover Mr. Teterboro! Until we meet again…

#pickers #nj #vintage #antiques #oddities #tricityrevivals #Teterboro #atlanticaviation #Hasbrouckheightsnj #hometown

[esthermeronobaro]

The Dying Art of Light

This article was first published in the January 2014 issue of SLUG Magazine. Read it online or in print on page 33.

Over 100 years after Cinématographe was invented and used by the Lumiére brothers in France to show the first paying audience a projected film, Edward Norton looks directly into the camera as he explains the job of a projectionist in a scene from Fight Club. “Why would anyone want this shit job?” he asks as his alter-ego Tyler Durden splices pornography into family cartoons. “Because it affords them other interesting opportunities.”  

Walking up the steps to the projection booths of the Salt Lake Film Society’s Broadway Theatre, I imagine what it would’ve been like, watching that scene from Fight Club when it showed in theaters in 1999, from a projection booth—like looking at a reflection, perhaps. 

Lance Walker, SLFS Head Projectionist, has been working in the booth since 2001, just before the Salt Lake Film Society came into fruition to save the Tower Theatre from demise. “There really wasn’t anyone else who could come here and do it, so they trained me and the other guy who was working the concession stand at the time … They showed me really fast how to do it, and everything else I’ve had to learn on my own,” he says. Walker speaks slowly and affirmatively—he reminds me of a more subdued version of Wallace Shawn’s character in The Princess Bride—a little bored, a little cynical, and his rare smile reveals an endearing gap in his teeth behind a full beard.  

Lance Walker, Head Projectionist for the Salt Lake Film Society, has survived the digital conversion, though his job has considerably changed. Photo: Russel Daniels

We walk through the hallway to the projection booths and Walker apologizes for the smell, but the overwhelming aroma of popcorn that fills the lobby below doesn’t seem to penetrate the dark upstairs. Instead, the winding hallways contain a light scent of dust among the organized clutter of boxes, tables and machines—very few people come up here, which is part of the magic. 

“I like the projection booth because it’s like a dark hole that no one really wants to go into,” says Walker. “It’s loud and dark and it’s not a place for people to go.”

Tyler Durden defines the employment opportunities of a projectionist as creative mischief, but speaking with Walker—and having worked in the movie theater business myself for nearly a decade—I realize that, though most projectionists aren’t using their position to terrorize children, there’s a certain character trait needed to draw someone to the booth: those who find solace in solitude. Walker tells me he’s not much of a film fanatic, citing The Shining as a favorite, and admitting he prefers B movies he can watch and be done with in the comfort of his own home. “ … I can pause [the movie], get food or drink, go to the bathroom and never miss any of it. I can have the lights on or off. I don’t have to come into work or any of the other movie theaters, now very demanding of you knowing exactly where you want to sit. I’m not into that,” he says. “I guess I might be a control freak.”  

A few days later, Scott Farley of Brewvies Cinema Pub, and I sit in a booth at Juniors discussing his own film interests: “I think I have a fairly deep knowledge of film for a pedestrian, but not for a film buff,” he says. “I would say that I am an autodidact and there were times when it was necessary for me to know film … I sort of tried to surround myself with people who were real cinema heads and try to get them to educate me, but … I am pretty absent from my own personality, and what people tell me to think, I’m pretty easily convinced of … ”

Scott Farley of Brewvies Cinema Pub boasts over three decades of experience in the projection booth. Photo: Russel Daniels

Having spent a few years’ worth of Friday nights with Farley closing up Brewvies when I worked there, I can personally attest to his above-average knowledge and understanding of film, having benefitted from a number of his recommendations—and anyone can call the Brewvies Movieline at 801-355-5500 to hear his forcibly optimistic and concise reviews for the current lineup. 

Farley’s history in the booth starts in Logan, when he was attending Utah State University in 1985. 

“You try to have jobs, and since you can’t make a lot of money because there isn’t a lot of money to be made unless you’re having a miserable life, you come up with jobs where your perks also fill your social needs,” he says, explaining what led him to start working at a movie theater. 

“Dates were free, and I could hook up friends on any number of levels, so I had entrées of social significance greater than just my charming personality.” 

Farley eventually ended up at the Tower Theatre, working under Greg Tanner before the SLFS took over, making his way to Brewvies in 1997. “I kind of left being a projectionist when I came to Brewvies,” he says, admitting that the years he’s been at the cinema pub have been more fruitful as a bartender. Though it’s true that the job is now predominantly accomplished by the bussers, they’re trained at a very surface level, making Farley’s nearly three decades of projection experience crucial when it comes to troubleshooting impending film disasters—soon to be antiquated memories.

In his 2011 documentary series, The Story of Film: An Odyssey—consequently another Farley recommendation—Irish film critic Mark Cousins describes film as “the art of light.” He says, “[Thomas] Edison and the many other manic, ideas-y inventors of cinema realized that beyond the equipment and machines, what you needed most for movies was light”—essentially making the role of the projectionist somewhat of a poetic intermediary between the art and the audience. 

According to the first episode of the series, and confirmed by Walker’s extensive knowledge of traditional movie projectors, the actual machine is an amalgamation of varying components from other inventions, including the sewing machine and the vacuum, slowly tweaked by new innovations, but not as quickly evolving as one would expect compared to the technological advances surrounding it. Perhaps this is why, a year after Tyler Durden explains the basics of projector mechanics, the first digital projectors are installed and tested in a few movie theaters across the country.  

SLFS's Lance Walker enjoys the more carefree, digital format of projecting films. Photo: Russel Daniels

Nearly 14 years later, the labs producing celluloid film are shutting down and movie studios big and small have finally caught up with the digital, economical and eco-friendly age, sending notices to theaters, independent and commercial, that they’ll no longer be producing 35mm prints. Instead of heavy, metal canisters of film, briefcases are arriving on theater doorsteps full of hard drives about the size of a paperback—compressed movie files. Large chain theaters, like the Megaplex at the Gateway, completed their conversion to digital a couple of years ago, but a quick search on Google reveals that independent theaters across the country are struggling to purchase the expensive new projectors in time to meet the studio deadlines—a story of its own. Salt Lake’s independent theaters have survived the changing of the guard, and at the Broadway, aside from two running 35mm projectors, the outdated machines have been pushed into even darker corners to make room for whirring blocks—looking a bit like oversized window units—topped with glowing touch screens. In one day, Walker laments, a century’s worth of invention and innovation was replaced. 

“Film” is a vestigial word now. 

The job of the projectionist, though, is still very much alive, however changed. “I was led to believe that the digitals would take care of themselves, which they haven’t done yet, so I still have a job,” says Walker. “They never implied that I would be fired, but that I would have less to do. It’s all the same amount of work—it’s just different work.” Walker is now part DJ, part IT tech. His day begins by uploading or “ingesting” the movie into the digital projector, inserting special keys sent via email to decode the encrypted information, and then, essentially making a playlist that includes a schedule of showings, trailers, credits, etc. “When it was all 35mm, you would come in and turn on the power, thread up the movies, and you were ready to go,” says Walker. “Now, you have to make sure the machines are actually networked, and sometimes you have to restart them several times to make sure that they’re connecting. So it just takes a lot more time to get the day started, but other than that, you just put in the schedule and it goes. Then someone complains about it—the cleaning lights have been left on—and you’re like, ‘That’s not my deal—the machine left the cleaning lights on.’ When automation is going, it just makes people think it’s taken care of—‘I don’t have to worry about it.’ Digital is a fickle thing.” 

At Brewvies, the two back-to-back 35mm projectors have not been converted as of writing this article, though they’ll be switched out soon, but Farley sees the change as a positive one. “The idea of not having to use resources which are largely slandered, and ship items across the country that burn carbon—it’s going to be a great efficiency and a great good in a deep ecological sense to not have film,” he says. “The projection will always be significantly improved, because it’s really easy to flub a film and ruin it, and digital looks good now.” Walker agrees, saying, “I really think that whoever did the digitals went around and figured out all of the awful things that happen, and they did a really good job in putting their thing together.” 

Brewvies' Scott Farley acknowledges that going digital will make film projection a bit more environmentally friendly. Photo: Russel Daniels

There’s no romanticizing 35mm film when you’re the one spending a whole night in the booth, putting together two miles of film after dropping a print—which Farley admits to having suffered on a couple of occasions in his early days as a projectionist. “That will never happen anymore—I will never have to look at a projector and think, ‘How do I fix this?” he says, pausing with what I read as a hint of poignance.  

For myself, threading the film through the projector was a meditative respite from the rush of working as a barback. It was detail-oriented, mechanical work that satiated a compulsive urge. It was a small piece of art that I mitigated to an audience through a machine whose parts contain the genealogy of industrious and romantic ideas. The digital conversion has changed the mechanics of cinema, evolved the projectionist from a torchbearer waiting in the shadows to a button pusher glowing in the dark, but no one’s really crying about it. “It is, after all, just an aesthetic end you’re searching for,” says Farley. “There’s no quantity of truth you’re trying to get out of it because it’s a lie anyway—you’re just trying to get a really great lie.”