#7/11 Killeen

[jadeannbyrne]

Of Midnight Oil and Modern Marvels: Jade's Fuel-Filled Odyssey

In the quiet hours of the night, beneath the fluorescent glow of the gas station canopy, my story intertwines with the hum of the American heartland. As a nocturnal guardian of the pumps during my college years, I shared whispers and laughter with the ghosts of Route 66, all while my heart pledged allegiance to the noble colors of Royal Dutch Shell. “Wij zijn meer dan vrienden, we zijn familie,”…

[thatbanditqueen]

Basic Training Ch 6

Summary: Bess spends a Friday evening with Elvis on base, and gets excited for the party he invited her to the next day. We learn a little more about Bess' family as she gets ready to meet Elvis' friends, however, things do not go as planned.

Warnings: Fingering, dry humping, descriptions of the ever elusive female orgasm (not when Elvis is around....), and discussions of mental illness.

WC: 8.4 K i tried and failed to stick to my 5 - 6 k goal

My writing is very much influenced by the other women I write with, my lovely sister wives @be-my-ally @vintageshanny @missmaywemeetagain @from-memphis-with-love @ellie-24 @powerofelvis @peskybedtime and @shakerattlescroll give me suggestions, answer my research queries and help me find the will to live and write. Also, thanks to @ab4eva and @lookingforrainbows for their enthusiasm because honestly yes I thrive on engagement with other Elvis fans.

Special shout out to @whositmcwhatsit from whom I have stolen her characterization of Elvis learning what an OC likes as he pleasures her in bed, changing his voice when he is alone with an OC vs. in front of others, using his thumbs to rub OCs backs.... basically I subscribe to the belief that all art is deriative and collaborative and I pinch things unwittingly from everyone who I read regularly so thank you, and sorry, no, I won't ask for permission. I am a bandit queen after all. But if you have read @whositmcwhatsit's stuff you might find some of my characterizations of Elvis familiar and you should probably go read some of her stuff instead. She also alpha'd this for me and gave me lots of feedback and dialogue/plot ideas. But no Jade, I am already too jealous of your talents to give you co-author credit so stop begging me (in my head).

You can read the previous chapters of this fic about Elvis at Fort Hood in 1958 here

This is the playlist I made for this chapter. Kewl kids do that.

Chapter 6: Guided Missiles

Friday, April 11, 1958

7:07 p.m.  on the grounds of Fort Hood, Killeen, TX

Guided missiles, bound to explode

Destroying my heart is your goal

You have succeeded in making me blue

Now I know the enemy is you

The Cufflinks’ “Guided Missiles” played over the radio as Bess navigated her car along the base road, she had just begun to relax her thigh into Elvis’ leg while enjoying how he crooned along into her hair with the song. Then she felt his hand on her inner thigh and bolted upright with a gasp, trying to wiggle him off as she changed gears.

“You are making it hard for me to drive, Tupelo.”

Elvis snickered under his breath, enjoying the way Bess shivered from the way his hand moved her hem up.

“I’m jus’ being helpful, Moo Moo, this skirt’s so goddamn tight, don’t know how you can change gears.”

Bess shook her head as she pulled into the PX parking lot, sliding his hand out of her legs.

“Well, aren’t you chivalrous?”

“Zat’s me, baby.” Elvis’ lips were nibbling her ear. “I’d open your door any day.” Somehow his hand was back between her legs and she gasped when it feathered over her panties.

“My door,” she pushed him off and put the car in park, “is just fine where it is, soldier.”

He grinned at her, and the way he looked down, biting his lip, was so naughty it made Bess tense with longing. She instantly regretted coming here with him, blushing when his eyes met hers, his fingers now caressing her elbow. Their soft touch did not feel any more innocent on her arm than they had on her thigh and she coughed nervously.

“Um, uh, alright, fork it over.”

He arched an eyebrow at her.

“What?“

“You were the one who wanted candy.”

“Bess, I’m not able to carry my wallet during field exercises, an’ I came to meet’cha straight after.”

Bess rubbed his knee playfully and waggled her lips.

“Hmm, Mr. Chivalrous, indeed. Ok, guess I can spring for some Reese’s -”

“Get a bunch, and a few Pepsi colas?”

Bess couldn’t even summon one sarcastic smart aleck retort, her mind was dulled by the way his cheeks lifted up in a boyish excitement. It made her want to grab his face and cover him with a thousand kisses. Instead, she nodded dumbly and managed to make her way out of the car intact, pulling down her skirt. If she tried focusing really hard she was able to walk upright into the commissary.

Once she was a few feet inside, away from Elvis’ hands, her wits returned and, in a matter of minutes, she was at the soda fountain asking the girl behind the counter to add a few more peanut butter cups to her paper bag. 

Walking back out of the shop, Bess folded the top of the bag over itself a few times, enjoying the feel of the sharp crisp edge under her hand. She smiled to herself, thinking of Elvis’ silly grin as he conspiratorially looked around after dinner and whispered in her ear that he was in the mood for something sweet.

Studying Elvis over the last two weeks, Bess found he was not at all what she had expected. He was smart and funny, yet also childlike and sweet and simple. His face greeted her with the same genuine excitement every evening when she met him at the bottom of their dirty, dingy back stairwell. He had asked her to bring the same meal the last three nights in a row, homemade meatloaf on challah bread. And he was content to do the same thing every night: drive around listening to the radio and necking in her car. This trip to PX was the first time they had deviated from their familiar routine and gone anywhere remotely public together.

“So, this is how movie stars indulge in the finer th -”

Bess stopped talking as she sat down and realized Elvis was not in her car. Peering around the parking lot, she saw his side profile a few cars over, sitting between two girls in the back seat of a white Buick. Two giggling girls. Two very pretty, young giggling girls. 

Bristling, Bess took a deep breath and calmly placed the candy next to her, then calmly pulled the handle and then calmly but forcefully slammed her door with a bang. She saw one of the girls look over, a blonde, but Elvis remained lost in conversation, laughing at something the brunette had said. 

Bess wondered if he was even aware she had returned to the car. Not sure what to do, she settled on acting nonchalant and proceeded to fix her lipstick in the rearview mirror, trying to conceal how hard she was straining to hear what they said.

“Course I do, honey, scout’s honor. Yes, that’s right, 16 cars. Well now, what’s the point of making money if you can’t spend it? Wait a minute, huh, now, actually, it’s 15, I just gave my Messerschmitt to my tailor.”

She couldn’t make out the girls' muffled, breathy voices, just Elvis’, which was, for some reason, deeper and much more pronounced now that he had an audience.

“Oh, well now, most people ain’t heard a it, but it’s a German car, a small ‘un, rides on three wheels and goes real fast, boy, real fast, on account of how light it is. Feel like you’re racing in a bubble.” He whistled a high note. “Whooeee, goes right past all the suckers in their regular cars.  But, well, heck, I hardly got to drive it, though, so naw, I don’ miss it. I was away so much, when the guy who makes my suits wouldn’t shut up ‘bout it, I finally told him, I said, ‘Bernie,’ I said, ‘Ya can have my Messer but you have to let me pick out ev’ry thing I want in ya store here. Today’… Yeah, it was a good deal, man, I cleaned him out.”

Bess rolled her eyes and sat there waiting while Elvis chuckled and answered more questions from the girls. Then, ever the chivalrous, attentive gentleman, asked them about themselves, wondering where they went to school, what they did for fun, and whether they had any boyfriends

“Don’ lie now.” She heard his voice get flirty. “I don’t believe it, pretty girls like you? I bet you’re breaking all the guys' hearts here.”

“Do you have a girlfriend?” one asked him, and Elvis laughed.

“Nah, no one special. See, I'm so busy, and I’m always on the move, it wouldn’t be fair to any gal to for me try and settle down now, ‘specially now I’m off to Germany. I’m just playin’ the field. Why, are you asking me out? Honey, ain’t fair to tease me like that.”

Elvis sat and talked with them for ten more minutes or so, but Bess was only half listening. His words about how he didn’t have a special girl played over again in her mind. Bess started eating the peanut cups impatiently as the idea of how insignificant she was to Elvis snowballed in her mind. She was just a girl he met during basic training, one of the many girls whose car he felt he could just walk up to and sit in. One of, what, hundreds he had probably kissed in dark corridors, movie theaters, recording studios, cars, motel rooms? Completely interchangeable with any other girl. Completely interchangeable with these silly, stupid girls he was flirting with while she waited.

What the fuck was she doing with her life? Baking bread and meatloaf and packing a picnic dinner to schlep on base every night? Curling her hair before bed and waking up early so she could take extra care to look nice?  While he treated her like a pathetic doormat he could send off to buy him candy and then keep waiting for what now, twenty minutes? Bess had half a mind to drive off, and the only thing that stopped her was her pride. She would not let him know that he had upset her, she was not going to have a tantrum like a child.

The peanut butter and chocolate had hardly begun to melt when Bess threw another candy in her mouth and told herself she was being silly. Those girls had probably called him over, everyone in Killeen was on Elvis alert, and he was probably just being polite and humoring them. She ate some more of the candy and felt a little better, telling herself it was harmless. And what, she expected him to spill his guts about his love life with two kids? And so what if it was true? She knew he had other girlfriends,  she’d seen pictures of him out around town with stars like Natalie Wood, Yvonne Lime, and Anita Wood in the movie magazines. Elvis' playboy lifestyle hadn’t seemed to matter this morning, because she knew they were just having fun. She was having fun, she reminded herself again, and she shouldn’t get worked up.

But it was ten more minutes before Elvis said his goodbyes, and Bess’ ire rose again as he lingered over their car window, making them promise to meet him at the base movie theater next week.

“What about you, Moo Moo, you like Danny Kaye?”

Bess looked at him coolly as he got into her car, then back at the windshield as she shifted the car into reverse.

“Sounds like you’ve already secured companions, one for each side.” She elbowed him off as he leaned to put his arm around her.

“I reckon you’re right.” He attempted to put his hand where it had been before, lightly trailing his fingers over the back of her neck. “Guess I’ll just have to put you on my lap,” he hummed in her ear, grabbing the bag of candy as Bess navigated the car out of the parking lot. 

She could tell he was joking around with her, but she scooted away from him nonetheless, sitting up straight and rigid as she drove, the bitter taste of his indifference still fresh on her tongue despite the half dozen chocolates she’d eaten in the last ten minutes.

“What happened to the Reese’s?” Elvis’ voice trailed off as he popped the last one in his mouth, and he took a longer look at Bess’ stiff stance.

“Oh, I didn’t think you were interested in them anymore.”

Elvis sucked on the candy and grabbed a bottle of Pepsi from the six pack below his feet, opening the cap with a pop.

“You cheesed off ‘bout them girls back there?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, it’s a free world, you can go around speaking to whomever you like.”

 Elvis sipped his Pepsi, looking sideways at Bess.

“Huh, so you hugging that steering wheel like you tryin’ to marry it for no reason, then, huh?”

Bess glanced over, her terse expression breaking. “Well, it doesn’t feel particularly good to be left twiddling my thumbs for thirty minutes.”

Taking another swig of his Pepsi, Elvis began to message the base of Bess’ neck.

“Aw, hell, honey, I didn’t even realize I was over there that long.” His fingers massaged the base of her neck. “Time got away from me, now that’s the god’s honest truth.”

Bess grunted as Elvis' thumb rubbed slowly over her shoulder blade, moving to her waist to pull her towards him.

“Hey now.” He kissed the top of her head, and Bess could feel her anger dissipating. “Scoot in here, let me show you how I feel ‘bout you, Moo Moo. Those girls don’ mean nothing.” He squeezed her waist.

“Seemed like something,” Bess whined, hating herself the minute the words left her mouth, she sounded needy and pitiful. 

“Aw, Moo Moo, don’t be like that. I spend my days driving ‘round in tanks with forty other men. When those lil gals called me over, almost felt like my old life again. I love my fans, honey, but that’s all they are. Ain’t special to me like you are.”

“Hmmmm.” She could feel herself giving in as his thumb worked its slow, rhythmic magic in circles at her waist. His thumb's movements made all her blood rush to her core, and a throbbing need mingled with the anger in her chest. He sensed her mood shifting and kissed her neck as she drove.

“Always so jealous, Bessie baby, might start to think you like me.”

Bess sighed out as he pulled her towards him tighter.

“You’re wrong, Elvis Presley,” she murmured halfheartedly. “I am just bored, passing time ‘til I get out of this hell hole. You could go off with a car full of girls and it wouldn’t bother me.”

His hand was at the side of her head, pulling her into his shoulder, stroking her hair.

“You’re so pretty when you get all riled up, Moo Moo, your cheeks get so red. It’s how I imagine you’d be -“ He paused, his voice was tender and babyish now, even as he spoke with an impish smirk, giggling at his own innuendo. “ - after chasing me down in that car fulla girls.”

Bess sat up, slapping his hand off her, no longer really mad about the girls, just his teasing. Elvis' arms were around her again in a flash, and he kissed her cheek.

 “I’m jus’ teasin’, honey. Now come on, be a good lil girl and find us a nice place to park.”

He turned the radio on, tapping once he found a station playing a song he liked, and waggling his eyebrows at Bess as he began to sing with The Clovers to “Blue Velvet.”

Bess shook her head to herself, enjoying how the night air cooled her warm, red cheeks. She had sworn that once he got back in the car, she would drop him off and not let Elvis charm her into spending the rest of the night with him. But here, now, she knew she was a goner. Her body betrayed her and the need to feel his lips on hers, as soon as possible, overrode any sense of pride or logic. She drove her blue Ford into the first dark alley she found among the armory buildings.

Awkwardly smoothing down her blouse, Bess tried not to seem excited or in a hurry as she sighed nervously and watched Elvis tilt his head toward the back seat. They wordlessly got out, and she stumbled into her open door. It was pitch black, the air was thick with anticipation, and Bess trembled as she edged along the leather. After two weeks, she still got nervous alone in the car with Elvis.

His lip hung down as he moved over and he caught her knee, lightly trailing over it before pulling her legs onto his lap. His eyes followed his fingers as they moved up her leg, sucking in his breath. Each night, without fail, his face would fill with awe when they began to fool around. He always looked like he had never touched a girl before, like she was the first woman he had ever met. Just the slightest caress seemed to light a fire in his eyes, and he slowly, reverently removed her shoes, one by one, swirling his fingers over each ankle.

They had left the radio playing, it was a doo wop program and the slow beat of a bass guitar thrummed in Bess’ ears as Elvis’ index finger begin to roll  back and forth at the edge of her skirt. His eyes met hers, looking her up and down as he sighed.

“Hey there, lil Moo Moo.” A goofy smile spread under his half-lidded eyes, and he bit his lip, looking as though he had just unearthed a secret. His hand was now on her knee, and a charged tremor flared up the back of her calves. “I’m crazy ‘bout you, honey. I need you to know it.”

The longing in his voice made Bess want to wrap her legs around Elvis’ waist and pull him on top of her. Draw him as close as possible, flip over and crush him into the leather seat, getting as close as she possibly could until the car shook with the sounds of their love making. Instead, Bess took a deep breath and tried to embody an appealing, modest restraint.

“I’m sorry, Elvis, sorry for giving you a hard time. And for eating all the chocolates.”

He leaned over her, and his warm breath hit her ear as he whispered.

 “I know baby, s’ok. I forgive you. You gonna be a good lil girl from now on?”

“Mmmhmmm.” She answered in her own babying voice, not questioning where that affect came from or why she suddenly seemed to find their childish repartee so enticing.

Elvis’ lips brushed over her neck, followed by a succession of kisses that started out soft and slow and then gradually became deeper. Bess fell down onto the white leather seat, her breaths loud and shallow as she unbuttoned his work coat, lifting her bottom to help Elvis as he pulled her nylons off. She laughed when they got tangled and he had to turn and look at what he was doing, swearing as he threw them to the ground.

 “Damn mosquito netting. Where were we?”

Bess cupped his cheek, bringing him back to her lips.

“Here.” She swallowed into his smug expression while his right hand moved up her thigh, teasing her over her panties before he smiled wider at the way she rolled her hips to welcome his touch. He dragged his knuckles delicately over her center and Bess felt a bulge growing against her knee when Elvis looked down where his hand was.

“Man oh man.”

He raised his eyebrow as his fingers slipped inside her and she responded with an upward thrust, turning her face into his left arm at the sensation. Elvis kissed her check, gliding his fingers further into her, slowly probing her delicately and lingering over her bundle of nerves, repeating the movements that provoked a response.

Bess tried to remember the last time a man had touched her. This was no impatient swiping on the way to quick sex. Ben had made the effort to please her, though he had always seemed preoccupied, like he was making a grocery list while he muddled along with his fingers. She had had to do a lot of work twisting and turning to get the angle right. Elvis was right there, absorbing every twitch, every gasp, every clench as she pivoted his fingers toward what she liked. No one had ever touched her like this and it felt so satisfying that Bess couldn’t stop herself from grabbing him as she moaned out. Her hands were on his back, through his hair, in his mouth while he watched with concentration, his lips opening and closing with a gasp as she moved her knee back and forth over his groin.

“You are so soft, Moo Moo.” He brought his fingers out momentarily and Bess’ jaw dropped as she watched him suck on his index and forefinger, covering them in his saliva and grinning as he brought his hand back to slide easily inside her. “Sweet, too, baby, sweetest girl I ever met.”

Bess blushed, deeper, harder, redder than ever, and buried her head into Elvis' forearm. It was almost too much, to feel Elvis’ finger rolling over her slick nub, slow and steady, like he was canoeing them intently down a lazy river, strumming her like a banjo. Each stroke brought her closer to home, and a warm tingling sensation hummed up to her throat and made her moan out a guttural melody just for him. His eyes never left hers, and his chest pushed harder and harder into her with each exhale. It was the most intimate, vulnerable and intense experience Bess had ever had. She felt him grind harder against her knee, breaking their eye contact to drop his forehead on to hers with a loud groan.

Their bodies shifted back and forth together and the car swelled with the sound of their savage breathing. The smell of aftershave, Chanel No. 5 talcum powder, tank grease and sweat filled Bess’ nostrils, and heightened the aching, sparking heat in her chest. She pulled Elvis to her, meeting his lips as he stroked her until the bow broke and waves of electricity vibrated through her body. She cried to heaven above and hell below, drowning out the sound of the music playing on the radio, the sound of the car seat heaving up and down, the sound of Elvis’ chuckles as he held her, looking down at her with wide puppy dog eyes full of satisfaction and appreciation. As if she had been the one pleasing him.

Bess realized how much she had satisfied him when she noticed a wet, gooey stain on his pants as she lay in Elvis’ arms, nuzzling her forehead against his chest. She palmed her hand over it, smiling up at him.

“Maybe I should keep an extra uniform in my car for you?”

He played with her hair, grinning into her eyes.

“Nah, it’ll dry. Sides, it’s dark, no one will know what we been up to.” He took a deep breath, another chortle escaped his lips. “S’nice a you to offer, though. Guess I know what I have to do to get you to be a nice lil girl for me.”

“Hush.” Bess hit him, but she couldn’t help but sigh affectionately. “Though, gee whiz, Elvis. I never felt like that before.”

“Aw, there she is, there’s a good lil Moo Moo.” He kissed her head. “Why, she’s the sweetest lil Moo cow in the whole wide world. Gotta take care a my Moo Moo, cuz she takes such good care me.”

All Bess could do was sink into him further, allowing his babyish voice to lull her into a calm, relaxed state. She started playing with the lining of his undershirt, asking him about their plans to be together over the weekend. 

In her more reserved moments, Bess stopped herself from prodding Elvis for future plans because she did not want to seem needy or anxious or too invested. She left it to him. She didn’t want to give him the power of knowing how much she liked him. This tryst was temporary, she knew how this worked: he would go on leave back to Memphis, and then, before she knew it he’d be off to Germany.

But when she was with him, in his embrace, all of her worries seemed to dissolve. Bess didn’t think about her mother’s troubles, her father’s expectations, how Ben had broken her heart or anything upsetting. Here, in the cozy afterglow of loving making, she felt completely at ease and her subconscious snuck out, seeking opportunities to be with him as much as possible. Her hand smoothed over his shirt as she looked up at him with a breezy, carefree grin.

“Want me to pick you up tomorrow?”

“Nah, honey, my friend has my new white Caddy, so I’ll be coming’ round to pick you up from now on.”

“What time d’you think you’ll come by?”

“Don know, ‘zactly, but I’ll call you. Reckon it’ll be after 5, most likely.”

 “I should write down my number.” She started to sit up, but Elvis held her tight and kissed her nose.

“Nah, Moo Moo, jus’ tell me, I’ll ‘member it.”

Bess squinted up incredulously, but soon he was repeating it back to her, tickling her and telling her to be a good girl and trust him.

“I got it, locked down up here, baby.” He pointed to his head, and Bess shrugged, sitting up and swaying to the sounds of the song “Devil or Angel.”

“Aw, I love this song.”

Elvis followed suit, joining her upright on the bench seat and grinning as he tucked in his shirt and straightened his tie as he sang along. Bess smiled inwardly at his silly, melodramatic expression, he was clearly trying to impress her. She grinned wider when she realized that they were on opposite sides of the seat from when they had first moved back there, and she smooshed into him with a light kiss. He returned it, and they started to paw at each other again, tongues meeting and gently exploring each other until Bess pushed off, trying to be sensible and move them out of the car.

 “You better go, Tupelo.”

Elvis followed her, kissing the knuckles over her hand as they said their goodnights against her car, hips pushing up against hips.

“Always takin’ such good care a me, Moo Moo. I jus’ know. God sent you to take care of me. Wish I could just stay with you always. I hate to leave.” He murmured, pouting. “I don know how I’m gonna make it through the night without you, baby. Gonna be dreamin’ ‘bout you.” His lip curled up at the left side. “And how sweet ya taste.”

Elvis dodged her had as she tried to hit his arm. “Tomorrow can’t come soon enough, Moo Moo. Mmhhmmm, better have that sweet lil honey pot all dressed up and ready for a party. Wanna show you off to my friends.”

Bess blushed and waved him away, though she couldn’t stop herself from rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet from excitement. This last week she had felt like a phoenix, rising from the ashes of last summer’s devastating heartbreak and all the self destructive behavior that had followed.

Being with Elvis was a restorative tonic, and she couldn’t wait to spend the night with him Saturday. It meant something that he invited her to meet his friends; it was an acknowledgment, a validation, a way of telling her that he didn’t just see her as someone to fool around with in a dark car. It meant that he really liked her. That she really was special to him.

 ********************************************************

Saturday, April 12, 1958

9:47 a.m.  The Schwartz Residence

The house smelled like spiced ginger. It was one of those days when Mama had risen at dawn and baked enough food to feed the entire base. There were loaves of ginger bread, banana bread, rugelach, oatmeal cookies and some sort of roast was slowly cooking in the oven. Their kitchen had always been the heart of Bess’ family, not only was it where she learned to cook at her mother’s apron strings, but it is also where Mama taught her to draw, read and knit. Papa had taught her and Kay German by only speaking German to them in the house until they were fluent. However, it was at the kitchen table with Mama where Bess perfected her German. This was where Mama had helped her with her German homework and essays. With all of her work, with all of her problems. 

Mama’s parents were second generation German Jews, and before she met Papa, Mama had played piano in Zayde’s Brooklyn vaudeville theatre, where all six kids in Mama’s family had eventually gone to work. Papa enjoyed regaling his daughters with the story of how he had met a dark, beautiful woman on the Coney Island midway who had captured his heart when she helped him buy tickets after no one understand his broken English. She had spoken to him in German, and it was the first time he’d felt welcomed and safe in America. Two weeks later he had asked her to marry him. Mama had thrown herself into domestic life after the wedding, and then into factory life during the war, always somehow managing to keep things taped together through military moves back and forth across the country.

Bess often wondered when Papa realized how different Mama was from other women, because most of the time, her mental condition was fairly obtuse and could be understood as harmless whimsy. For Bess, it was a mainstay of her childhood. 

Mama had always spoken so casually of the hidden meanings she saw in the world, the faeries and demons that spoke to her, that when Bess was little, she had assumed something was wrong with her and waited impatiently for her own visions. It was not until she was twelve, after Mama had dug up the whole back yard one night and chopped off all their electrical wires to stop the demons from tormenting her, that Papa took her and Kay aside and explained that Mama had to go live at a health farm for the summer and Aunt Rachel would be coming from New York to take care of them.

Thus began a long series of stays at different experimental sanitariums and institutions over the last ten years. The most recent had been in November, a month-long stay at a small resort in Eureka Springs Arkansas, and Mama had returned fatter, calmer and filled with zeal about the wonders of natural hot spring bathing. But Mama was still Mama, and the battle for good and evil was still playing out in front of her eyes through the words and whispers and visions that she alone experienced. Bess was grateful that, for whatever reason, the demons had been staying mostly at bay. The faeries, on the other hand, had been quite vocal.

Mama turned as Bess entered the kitchen, and brought her daughter some coffee while she caressed Bess’ cheek with her hand.

“Oh Bessie, you’ve been looking radiant lately. The faeries have been murmuring.” She trailed her fingers over the large curlers in Bess’ hair. “They tell me you have a new beau.”

Bess blushed, responding sheepishly. “No mama, I’m  - I’m - just going out tonight. With friends. Where’s Papa?”

“Oh he went fishing with some of the German studies instructors, they took three barrels of beer and a tent, so they might stay at the lake. “

Mama kissed Bess’ forehead and then sipped her own coffee.

“It is going to be a full moon tonight, Bessie. You are positively glowing, my girl. I think the moon goddess wants to have her way with you, you have to be careful. She is a tricky one, she plays with us mere mortals for amusement.”

Bess blushed, thinking of Elvis and her own hopes and desires for the night. A shiver of anticipation went through her body and she giggled, nervously.

“Hmmm, well, we’ll see, Mama, maybe I can outsmart her.”

Mama stood, following as Bess took her coffee and bread to the secretary’s desk in the hall, and winking at her daughter.

“No one can outsmart the mistress of the moon, Bess, she controls the oceans and with it, the waves within us. The water that drums in our ears and thrashes us forward. The current that pulls at our heart. And her power is strongest at the full moon, beware her riptide.”

Bess watched as her mother turned into the living room with a flourish and then filled the house with Rachmaninoff’s loud, romantic piano music. 

Bess couldn’t help going into her evaluative mindset and pondering whether Mama was having a good day, baking and playing the piano, or whether she was hurtling towards a manic episode. She looked at the clock, and decided she would have to wait and see, but she prepared herself to cancel the whole night if need be. Right now, she would go ahead as planned, and called her friend James to beg him for help finalizing her outfit.

“I need a man’s opinion, that’s why.”

“Bess, trust me, whatever dress you wear, Elvis’ only thought is going to be how quickly he can get it off."

“Jameson!” Bess spoke in a hushed murmur as she rocked her chair back against the wall. “I don’t even know what is going to happen, he is an odd duck when it comes to fooling around.” James was silent. “Great, so you’ll be here at 5?”

“Bess, I love you but I am not getting involved. Didn’t you say he’s picking you up at 5?”

“He said he would call after 5, and I’ve been thinking, you should pick me up and drop me off, then I’ll get a cab home or something. I don’t want my folks to know about Elvis -”

“Bess, the General probably already -”

“Just be here at 5, James. I’m going to get my nails done and pick up a few things. Wait, better make it 4:30, just in case - ok? Please? You know I never ask for anything.”

Bess looked at the nails on her right hand, turning them over, trying to banish James’ suggestion that her father probably already knew that she was spending time with Elvis Presley. Yes, he trained officers to gather intelligence, but Papa could be quite blind about their home life. She rocked back and forth on the chair, noticing that her mother’s piano serenade in the living room had moved from Russia to Brooklyn. She was playing Gershwin now. 

This is good sign, Bess thought, happy, lighthearted Gershwin was one of Mama’s favorites. Then Bess realized after a few bars that it was “The Man I Love,” and she pursed her lips at her mother’s teasing.

“But you always ask. For everything. ‘James, take me to the dance, James, let’s go out dancing in Austin, James deliver me to Elvis Presley’s motel room - ’ ”

“Stop, you know you love it. Otherwise you’d be bored out of your mind, as you refuse to have a love life of your own.”

“That’s what you think, Schwartz. I have a vast, secret love life that I keep from you.”

Bess grinned. “Good, you can tell me all about it when I see you at 4:30. Make that 4. And if you don’t show, I’ll inform the General that you stood me up!”

Smiling wider at her friend’s groans, Bess hopped up with purpose, thinking that it was time to wash off her facial mask and make a list of all the things she needed to do to get ready by four.

“It’s settled then. James, you’re a dream, see you at 4.”

***********************************************

Saturday, April 12, 1958

3:58 p.m.  The Schwartz Residence

It was Kay who opened the door when James arrived, smart and debonair in his officer’s uniform with his hair coiffed and parted perfectly. Bess bounced down the stairs, beaming wide at James’ high whistle as she twirled around for him.

“Gee Schwartz, I think you might need to drive tonight. That dress just kicked me in the head.”

Bess did a two step in her cocktail dress, trying not to notice the way her sister rolled her eyes as she shut the front door.

 “You don’t have to be nice, Captain, you can tell her she needs to wear something more colorful, more over the top, more like what Elvis wears in civilian life. I’ve been telling her all afternoon.”

James tilted his head towards Kay, “So I’m guessing the kid knows.”

Bess shrugged, “Yeah, oy. But thank god Papa took Colonel Zimmermann and some of the new teachers fishing. Mama’s out back painting, she’s been on one today. Baked up a storm, if you want something sweet.”

James shook his head, letting Bess lead the way upstairs. “Your mom is too smart, Bess. So is your pop. I’m happy to be your beard, but if they don’t already know you are dating Elvis Presley, they are gonna get wise sooner or later.”

Kay laughed, “Mama already knows something is up, Bess has been putting way more attention into her appearance this week and coming home late every night. Just today, she curled her hair, then decided to go to the salon and have her hair set anyway. And she tried on about 100 dresses, just so everything’s perfect.” Kay said, in a sing-song voice.

“I’m not dating Elvis, you guys. I’m just spending time with him. And, Kay, I think you are exaggerating. I was having my nails done at the beauty parlor anyway.” 

Bess held out her hands for James’ inspection. She felt a deep sense of satisfaction at the dark burgundy color, and she had liked it so much she matched her lipstick to it. There was something about a fresh nail lacquer that always made Bess feel more adult, more confident.

“Let me show you the whole get-up with these low heeled pumps on, though I have some other shoe options.” She slipped on her heels, and twirled around again, as James went to sit on her bed next to Kay. “There, now, James, as a man, what do you really think? Too simple? He said to dress up.”

James looked Bess up and down as Kay snickered, prompting a quick kick to her shin.

“No, it’s perfect Bess. With that neckline? And the way it crisscrosses in the middle, and your hair? You look like Ava Gardner. It’s not too simple, it’s sexy. Sexy as hell. But you need a necklace.”

James stood, and went to Bess’ vanity, pulling out her pearl necklace from her jewelry box, and beckoning her over. He fastened it around her neck from behind, then put in the matching earrings, carefully, before stepping back with a whistle to let Bess look at herself in the mirror.

“There now. You're a goddess. I dare him not to whisk you away and ravage you the moment he sees you. It’s wholesome and it’s sexy all at once.”

Bess smiled and took her friend’s hand, whispering a shy, blushing thank you. They sat up there, listening to records as Bess modeled a few other shoe options and asked whether she should wear gloves. Ultimately, all parties involved agreed gloves were too formal for a motel party.

It was 5:15 when they went back downstairs and settled in the kitchen, sampling some of the rugelach as they waited for Elvis’ call. 

By 6:15, they had moved to the living room and Papa’s bar, where Bess made Tom Collins for everyone, which now included Mama and Dickey, who had come by to take Kay out to a drive-in movie. 

At 7, Mama began to ask if James and Bess wanted dinner, she was slow cooking a roast for Sunday, but could fry up some cold meatloaf sandwiches.

“No thanks, Mama, we’re just waiting to hear from the friends we’re meeting.” Bess stumbled through a sorry excuse for a story about two friends from high school who had to work later than expected. James gave Bess a supportive look, and after her mother left the living room, reassured her that a number of things could have happened with the drill sergeant overseeing Elvis’ dismissal.

“He could be stuck on KP duty, maybe he got held back because the others played a prank on him. You know how unpredictable those battalion sergeants can be. Let’s relax and turn on the boob tube.”

Bess nodded, made another round of Tom Collins, and settled in to watch Art Linkletter's amateur comedy show, trying very hard not to think about how it was almost 8 p.m. 

At 9 James began his campaign to convince Bess something must have kept Elvis on base, and that they should get out of the house. Get burgers at Millie’s Diner or go for a drive out to the Waco Wet Dog. 

At 9:30, Bess caved, and ran upstairs to take off her pearls and change into a more casual, purple swing dress. While changing, she began to mull over a secondary plan that was forming in her head, and she carried the entire display case of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups she’d bought with her to James’ car.

“What’s with the candy?” James looked over his shoulder as he careened his car around towards downtown Killeen.

“It’s sort of a joke, I um, I ate all his peanut butter cups the other night. I- I thought it would be a gas if I showed up with an entire case.”

James looked over at Bess, and rubbed her shoulder. “And what, you think we should eat them instead?”

“Well, what if he couldn’t get to a phone? Or got too caught up with his friends or whatever? He was pretty insistent that he wanted to see me tonight. I was thinking...” Bess looked down with a sigh, then back up at James, her eyes dark with determination. “What about just driving by the Star Motel on the way home. What do you think, as a man, how would you feel if I just showed up?”

James could see Bess’ confidence waver, but he couldn’t bear to talk her down, not after everything he had watched he go through over the last year. So he banished his own misgivings and squeezed her hand. “Honey, any man upset to see you walk in would be crazy. But let’s get some grub first, ok?”

***********************************************

Saturday, April 12, 1958

11:05 p.m.  The Star Motel, on the outskirts of Killeen TX towards Waco

The air was cool now, and Bess’ mother had been right, it was a full moon that shone over them, illuminating the farms off in the distance on the road to Waco. The Star Motel was a two-storey building with rooms along the inside and outside that wrapped around a large pool. 

Bess sat in the car, stomach churning, suddenly unsure if this was a good idea. They had definitely spotted a new, white Cadillac packed in the back lot with a temporary license plate. Which was both promising and unsettling, because it meant Elvis was probably there but hadn't called her. Bess suddenly wished she hadn't found it, but she was also unable to just slide back and tell James to take her home now that she knew Elvis was probably here.

Adrenaline was coursing through her veins and the cocktails had dulled her inhibitions.There was a giddy, bubbly feeling at the top of her head that egged her on and told her that he had invited her, had been adamant about wanting to see her, “show her off,” telling her she was special to him, that he was crazy about her. 

Maybe it was the full moon after all. Whatever it was, every cell in Bess’ body compelled her curiosity and her desire. She had to know, and she needed to feel his touch once more; that voice and that face and those hands that took her away from her difficult, tiresome existence. 

Taking a deep breath, she felt almost like a force behind herself was propelling her out of the car, and she only hesitated at the sound of James’ voice.

“Bess, come out and let me know, ok? This place is always crawling with creeps, so if you don’t come out here and give me the old heave ho in the next 15 minutes, I’m going to come find you. I won’t care about locked doors.”

Bess nodded back into the car with a bright, broad smile, and then strode over the grass and into the side corridor of the motel, avoiding the office. 

Walking past the first set of rooms, she came to a breezeway and paused, leaning against the decorative, concrete screen in the middle to calm and prepare what she would say to Elvis. She was certain they were a few doors down, she could hear a group of male voices jamming and she perked up, clutching her box of chocolates closer to her bosom at the sound of Elvis’ low voice singing no more than twenty feet away. 

That was when she heard heels clicking down the breezeway, and turned to find a small, petite blonde in a pink dress walking towards her with an exaggerated flounce in her hips and an ice bucket resting at her waist. Bess' chest tightened when she recognized Anita Wood from the movie magazine photos. Magazine photos of Anita Wood out on dates around Memphis with her boyfriend Elvis Presley.

Anita flashed Bess a dazzling grin that displayed the whitest, straightest teeth Bess had ever seen. “I swear, I walked all over creation looking for that dag gum ice machine, and you know where it is? Where these rocket scientists thought to themselves, why this is the best place to put it? Up behind the cigarette machine, on the back of it. Completely outta sight. Can you believe that?”

“Um yeah, I mean no, ugh. Idiots, I bet it was cheaper to wire it back there, or something.”

Bess wiped the sides of her eyes, willing herself not to cry, not to linger on how this proved that she was just another girl to Elvis, and definitely not preferable to the gorgeous beauty queen in front of her. Anita’s face fell as she looked up at Bess.

“Oh honey, are you ok? Why, you know you’d just feel better if you just let it all out.” Anita pulled a pink handkerchief with lace trim from her bust, replete with a monogrammed A.W. “Here, now, you can cry with me here, ain’t no one but us chickens.”

“Is it that obvious I'm upset?” Bess tried to chuckle, watching Anita’s face change to a confused frown as she noticed the box of Reese’s.

“Hey - what’s with the candy? Are you meeting someone here?”

Bess shifted, working against those cocktails to think on her feet and also play dumb about the suspicion she saw in Anita’s eyes. “Oh, ha, no. These are for me. I, um, I live here in town with my folks, and I just checked in here because, well, I needed to get away for the night and drown my sorrows in chocolate, if you know what I mean. Just learned my fiancee married another girl he met in Germany. Men, huh? What are they good for?”

Anita stepped forward and rubbed Bess’ shoulder as more tears fell down her cheeks.

“Well, God made men for a reason, sometimes I think it was to test our womanly resolve. Oh honey, I cannot imagine what that would feel like, to have a man wrong you so. Ain’t no dirtier dog than a man who breaks that sacred promise. But I tell you what.” She took the box of Reese’s from Bess' arm. “You cannot sacrifice your figure over a man. Nu huh. No way, Jose. Why, that won’t do nothing to get back at him, it’ll only hurt you and your future prospects. My heart is telling me that I cannot stand by and let you go eat all this candy and feel sorry for yourself, honey. That is the devil whispering in your ear.”

Anita trotted over to the trash can and Bess groaned inwardly as she watched a woman dispose of Elvis’ chocolates for the second time that week. Though she conceded that Anita was right, she didn’t really want to go home and eat them all. Well, she did. But she knew she would regret it.

What could she do, offer them knowingly to Anita to take to her boyfriend? The thought made her smile, which Anita, of course, assumed was a reaction to her kind, Christian gesture. Still holding her ice bucket, Anita patted Bess on her shoulder.

“See, I can tell you’re feeling better already now that the temptation has been removed. We women have to stick together. You should take a nice long bath, it will do wonders, much more healing than candy. Whenever I get upset, I have a good cry, get it all out, then take a nice hot shower.” She winked at Bess, and Bess wondered if Anita did the same things in the shower that Bess did to make herself feel better. Maybe that was why God made showers?

Anita smiled wider as Bess wiped her eyes, and mustered a feeble grin, which encouraged her to continue dispensing advice.

“Yessirree, you’ll feel better once you wash that man right out of your hair and start over again. Pretty girl like you, why, if you lost five pounds, you’d have your pick of the litter.” Bess flinched when Anita pinched her waist playfully, and was lost for words as her heart jumped into her throat with embarrassment at how much thicker she was than the petite blonde. Insecurity clouded her head and she was almost unable to hear the rest of what Anita said.

“Just stay away from big boxes of candy, and other temptations Satan might throw at you. Then, I bet you dollars to doughnuts, that boy will regret his decision. The best revenge is to find someone better and shove it in his face. Make sure to take out a big ole wedding announcement in the paper That'll make you feel much better.” 

Anita left Bess with a wink and a parting squeeze to her arm, as Bess murmured a low thank you. She wiped her eyes and gathered her wits, then, when she was sure Anita was gone, she dug the box of chocolate out of the trashcan and tucked the rescued candy under her arm.

Straightening her dress as she sat down in James' car, Bess popped a Reese’s in her mouth and decided on how she would respond to her friend's questions.

“I ran into one of his girlfriends in the hallway.”

“Oh Bess, no, he didn’t! I’ve half a mind to go back and beat that hillbilly senseless.”

Bess shook her head, extending her arm out of the window and dropping Anita’s pink, embroidered handkerchief into a puddle of mud on the side of the road as they drove back to her house.

“Don’t, Elvis did me a favor. He reminded me why I don’t date soldiers.”

**************************************************************

taglist:

@eliseinmemphis @ab4eva @kingdomforapony @everythingelvispresley @richardslady121 @dkayfixates @artlover8992 @peskybedtime @freudianslumber @amydarcimarie @toreigh @18lkpeters @yynneessmons @lookingforrainbows @prompted-wordsmith @ashtag6887 @waiting4brucewayne2adoptme @returntopresley @girlbossdyke @rjmartin11 @bigromansgirl-blog @louisejoy86 @notstefaniepresley

Let me know if you would like to be added to the tag list.

Comments and reblogs are very much appreciated.

[mahometchristian]

Paul A. Jones

November 5, 1934 - October 4, 2024

Monday, October 14, 2024 - Peace Christian Church at Mahomet, 10451E. FM 243 Bertram, TX 78605

Viewing is from 10:30- 11:30 AM

Service at 11:30 will be officiated by Rev. Dr. John Davenport.

Burial at 3126 US-183, Florence, TX 76527

Following the burial, everyone is invited to return to the Church for fellowship and a meal.

 Dr. Paul A. Jones:

They don’t make them like Paul Jones anymore! In his own unique way, he was in many ways a modern day “Renaissance Man.” Paul spoke 4 languages (2 fluently), obtained 4 college degrees, and was an accomplished artist, musician, weightlifter, certified mechanic, writer, and more.

Paul was born November 5, 1934, in Erie Pennsylvania, and went to be with the Lord Friday, October 4, 2024. He was 89 years and 11 months at the time of his passing.

Paul graduated from George Washington High School in Alexandria, Virginia. A few years later, in 1954, Paul was drafted into the army and served in Korea as an MP (Military Police). He subsequently also served in the Army Reserves and Air Force National Guard.

After his military service in Korea, Paul achieved a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Carson Newman College in Jefferson City, Tennessee. It is during this time that he met the love of his life, Frances Merrian Keck. Paul and Frances were married June 1, 1959, in Luttrell, Tennessee and had 3 sons together, Robert, John, and Paul (Tom).

While raising a family, Paul also managed to obtain 2 Master’s degrees, a Doctor of Divinity degree, and several certifications. He held a Master’s in Educational Psychology from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and a Master’s in Clinical Psychology from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville TX. He was an ordained Baptist Minister and served as a Chaplin and 1st Lieutenant while in the military. He also achieved a “Master Mechanic” certification, and a certification in “Para Legal Studies.”

Paul worked as a teacher, counselor and chaplain in the criminal justice system, and as an educational diagnostician and counselor in the public school system. He retired from the Killeen school system as an educational diagnostician. He also authored 2 books: “American Due Process” and “The Myth of Rehabilitation”. 

In addition to his academic achievements, Paul also had many interests and hobbies. He was a talented artist, weightlifter and mechanic, but perhaps most notable was his talent as a musician. Paul was an accomplished pianist who could both read music and play by ear. He played a variety of styles and was extremely fond of gospel, classic country, stride, boogie woogie, ragtime and American pop classics. He also, sang, played the saxophone, and was a successful band leader, most notably of the “Starliners” Rock & Roll Band in Virginia. 

Paul also encouraged his sons to play music and there were many Saturday morning “sessions” while they were growing up. As years passed and his sons had children of their own, nearly every family gathering included music being sung and played by 3 generations of family members!

Paul and Frances settled in central Texas in 1995, eventually moving to their property in Briggs TX, where they retired and spent their golden years together. They were married for 65 years! 

Paul is survived by his wife Frances, 3 sons and their spouses, Robert and Vernita, John and Tracey, and Paul; 12 grandchildren: Erik, Robert, April, Dustin, Arthur, Vincent, Madison, Alexis, Nafisa, Keisha, Erica and Nadia; 7 great grandchildren: Brittanie, Christian, Grace, Mirra, Moriah, Malia, and Nova. 

Paul Jones will fondly be remembered. A life well lived of nearly 90 years! We take comfort in the belief that he is in a better place and that we will one day see him again - perhaps playing boogie woogie piano for God’s angels in heaven! May you rest in peace dad/grandad/grandpa, love always… the Jones Family!

-30-

[texascharitybingo]

Bingo Halls in Central Texas

Texas, 2023: Enjoy your favorite bingo games and grab exciting rewards at Texas Charity Bingo Halls.

 About Texas Charity Bingo Halls

The Texas Charity Bingo Halls offer an extensive range of bingo games, both paper card and electronic. Laden with interesting rewards, promotions & jackpots, the halls ensure a safe gaming environment and dedicated staff assistance.

Bingo Halls in Central Texas

48 Bingo

·        Located at 205 E Hallmark Ave 205 E Hallmark Ave, Killeen, TX - 7654.

·        Open for seven days a week and unlocks its door at 8:45 p.m.

·        Call (254) 690 - 3738.

Charity 3 Bingo

·        Charity 3 Bingo is located at 223 E Hallmark Ave 223 E Hallmark Ave, Killeen, TX - 76541.

·        Available for seven days a week, Charity 3 Bingo opens its door at 5:30 p.m.

·        Call (254) 628 - 7740.

 Playland Bingo

·        Located at 227 E Hallmark Ave 227 E Hallmark Ave, Killeen, TX - 76541.

·        Offers an exceptional range of bingo games including Reno Blackout, Large Picture Frame, Crazy Kite, Double Bingo No Corners, Double Bingo Corners Count, Coverall, Corner Bracket Any Corner, 4 Postage Stamps Corners Only, Block of Nine.

·        Opens at 2:00 p.m. and proposes two sessions each day.

·        Call (254) 554 - 7168.

 Redman Bingo

·        Thrilling promotions and rewards.

·        Located at 211 E Hallmark Ave 211 E Hallmark Ave, Killeen, TX - 76541.

·        Available from Monday to Friday.

·        Opens at 11:00 a.m. and proposes two sessions each day.

 Bingo Barn

·        Located at 1018 S Texas Ave, Bryan, TX - 77803

·        Open for seven days a week, Bingo Barn unlocks its door at 12:00 p.m. on Thursday-Tuesday.

·        Call (979) 779 - 2871

 Wild Card Bingo

·        Located at 109 W Ave O109 W Ave O, Belton, TX - 76513.

·        Open for seven days a week, 48 Bingo unlocks its door at 06:00 p.m.

·        Call (254) 939 - 1554.

 Jackpot Bingo

·        Located at 704 Edwards Dr 704 Edwards Dr, Harker Heights, TX - 76548

·        Open 5 days a week; Monday to Friday

·        Call (254) 953 - 3600

 Franklin Bingo

·        Located at 3406 Franklin Ave, Waco, TX - 76710

·        Open 7 Days a week

·        Call (254) 714 - 2559 

To know more about Texas Charity Bingo Halls in Central Texas, browse through their website www.texascharitybingo.com

[solarishashernoseinabook]

Okay, Ranger's Apprentice fans, gather round!

For those who don't know, on the Discord server we often make memes and jokes about Gilan's lack of appearance (though let's be real, we do that here on Tumblr too). Some months ago I decided I would keep track of how many characters were given more complete descriptions than Gilan. As a reminder, here is a comprehensive description of Gilan from everything we get in the books:

He's tall

He's clean-shaven

I only counted characters from the main Ranger's Apprentice series (books 1 - 11) and The Early Years. There is a very scientific reason for this.*

There were some stipulations put into place, those being:

"Characters" were defined as figures who had both a name and at least one thing mentioned about their appearance. There are no characters in this study who don't have an appearance at all, which is why characters like Jurgen from The Early Years were excluded. At the urging of several members of the Discord server, several animals and Serthrek'nish (the mythical creature from Siege of Macindaw) were counted as "characters"

Cover art does not count as canon depictions of characters

Only features that were explicitly mentioned got counted in the description. Thus, things like skin colour weren't counted unless it was specifically alluded to. For all characters in The Emperor of Nihon-Ja, then, even though all Nihon-Jan characters could be assumed to have black hair, hair colour was only noted down as part of the description if it was actually mentioned

Clothes don't count as a description. Similarly, anything that was not purely physical didn't count, either. For instance, Halt is said to have "steady eyes", but as this is more of a character trait than a description it wasn't counted. Similarly, "beautiful" (and variations of it) isn't a description

If a character's appearance changes over time, the change isn't counted as part of their physical description as long as it references something that was already described. For example, Old Bob is mentioned as having brown hair in The Early Years, but white hair in Ranger's Apprentice - as these are both about his hair, this is not counted as two separate items in a description. Horace is mentioned as having a scar in Siege of Macindaw, which is a new physical feature, so because it's not describing something we already know about it counts as a new item in his description.

And with that, here we go! Raw data is provided below the cut.

Enjoy ^-^

* They were the only books I had access to. That's the very scientific reason.

The Stats

Following the criteria given above, there are 134 characters in Ranger's Apprentice and The Early Years. On average, they had 4.1 items in their physical description. Most characters overall had 2 items in their physical description, on par with Gilan.

80 characters have more complete descriptions than Gilan. On average, they had 5.9 items in their physical descriptions. Most of these characters had 3 items in their descriptions. By far the character with the most complete description is Norman, a character from The Battle of Hackam Heath, who has 20 items in his physical description. The runner-up is Kona, a character from The Emperor of Nihon-Ja, who has 15 items in his description. These represent 59.7% of all characters in the study.

28 characters have the same amount of physical description as Gilan (2 items in their description) and represent 20.8% of all characters in the study, whereas 25 characters had only one item mentioned in their physical description and represent 18.6% of all characters in the study (percentages are only counted to one decimal place, so they technically add up to 99.1%, but you get the picture).

Raw data below! Some character names are used more than once, which is why you might see what appear to be duplicates on the list. If you find yourself looking at a name and going "who?", well...exactly

Norman – 20 Kona – 15 Black O'Malley – 12 Morgarath – 12 Malcolm – 11 Alyss – 10 Berrigan – 10 Halt – 10 Keren – 10 Tennyson – 10 Serthrek'nish – 10 Arald – 9 John – 9 Nils – 9 Ragnak – 9 Demon Tooth – 8 Douglas – 8 Edwina – 8 Horace – 8 Old Bob – 8 Salt Peter – 8 Yusul – 8 Luka – 7 Montague – 7 Nimatsu – 7 Rosalind – 7 Shadow – 7 Cielema – 6 Farrel – 6 Ferris – 6 Niel – 6 Rodney – 6 Trobar – 6 Atsu – 5 Cormack – 5 Crowley – 5 Delia – 5 Deparnieux – 5 Duncan – 5 Egon – 5 Erak – 5 Robard – 5 Ryan – 5 Sean – 5 Tomas – 5 Umar – 5 Will – 5 Aman – 4 Cassandra – 4 Cedric – 4 Chubb – 4 Denison – 4 Ergell – 4 George – 4 Nialls – 4 Roberta – 4 Rob – 4 Robina – 4 Shigeru – 4 Xander – 4 Sir David Davidson – 3 Ebony – 3 Eiko – 3 Hassan – 3 Hilde – 3 Kyofu – 3 Jenny – 3 Liam – 3 Mussaun – 3 Orman – 3 Pauline – 3 Petulengo – 3 Phillip – 3 Poldaric – 3 Pritchard – 3 Selethen – 3 Ulf – 3 Abelard – 2 Alda – 2 Anthony – 2 Blaze – 2 Bran – 2 Bryn – 2 Deborah – 2 Farrel – 2 Gerald – 2 Gilan – 2 Griff – 2 Handel – 2 Jerome – 2 Killeen – 2 Kord – 2 Leander – 2 Margrit – 2 Marron – 2 Martin – 2 Mound – 2 Nuttal – 2 Peller – 2 Skinner – 2 Tiller – 2 Tom – 2 Tug – 2 Tug II – 2 Yorik – 2 Abelard I – 1 Ambrose – 1 Ayagi – 1 Barnaby – 1 Bart – 1 Carney – 1 Colly – 1 Cropper II – 1 Daniel – 1 Evanlyn – 1 Jerome – 1 Jerrel – 1 Jervis – 1 Joel – 1 Kelly – 1 Mikeru – 1 Nit'zek – 1 Oswald – 1 Ryan – 1 Sandra – 1 Saoud – 1 Teezal – 1 Wallace – 1 Warlock – 1 Willet – 1

[letsdarkacademy]

YA books but make it dark academia

I mean let's be honest, we don't always read classics and greek mythology. That's why I will give you a few examples of YA books, you can read as a break from being this mysterious someone on the train, who reads Homer. 

1. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

2. Truly Devious trilogy by Maureen Johnson

3. Viscous by V.E Shwab 

4. S.T.A.G.S by A.M. Bennett

5. Snow White trilogy by Lumikki Andersson

6. Orphan Monster Spy by Matt Killeen

7. See How They Lie by Sue Wallman

8. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

9. The Selection series by Kiera Cass

10. The Lying Game by Sara Shepard

11. People Like Us by Dana Mele

12. Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls by Lynn Weingarten

13. I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

Now you will be a mysterious someone reading murder mysteries (mostly)... Oh well. 

[harvard-art-museums-photography]

War Games (training Germans for urban guerilla warfare) Ft. Hood: 339 square miles, Killeen, TX, Barbara Norfleet, 1990, Harvard Art Museums: Photographs

Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum, Gift of Barbara Norfleet © Barbara Norfleet Size: 28.5 x 42.8 cm (11 1/4 x 16 7/8 in.) sheet: 39.2 x 49.4 cm (15 7/16 x 19 7/16 in.)

https://www.harvardartmuseums.org/collections/object/336517

[speciesofleastconcern]

What would happen if the southern United States declared their secession from the union and created a Confederacy 2.0 in 2021 and they declared that Donald Trump was their president?

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE THIRTY HOURS’ WAR (slightly updated)

9:27 AM: Governor Greg Abbott announces a surprise press conference to be held at noon. The Texas State Capitol is a whirlwind of activity, but no one will explain. Journalists stationed in the capitol buildings of several other Southern states notice a sudden fever of activity, but again, no word on what is taking place.

12:07 PM: Abbott enters the press room, faces the cameras, and delivers a speech televised around the world—a speech that makes the assembled journalists gasp.

“I have been in private communication with the governors of several other Southern states for the past few weeks, and we have an announcement of great consequence. I may announce that we are of one accord, united in our purpose, not without sorrow, and yet filled with pride and determination at the step we are undertaking this day. We are a free people, we Texans, and we wish only to live according to our traditional laws and the laws of a just and righteous God. For too long have we put up with abuse and threats from the Federal government in Washington, that hotbed of liberal elites and so-called “experts” who believe that they know better than we know what freedom truly consists of. It has gone on for too long, and we shall not continue any further. President Trump fought for our rights; the lies of the liberal media brought him down; but when one man lets the stainless banner fall, other hands must take it up, as we have done this day.

“The Lone Star State is the first star in the heavens of a new constellation of freedom and liberty—the first of the New Confederated States of America. We hereby announce the severing of all ties to the Washington government, and ask only to be allowed to depart in peace to seek our own liberty and prosperity.

“We are the first, but not alone. Governor Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas, Governor Tate Reeves of Mississippi, Governor Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma, and Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida have joined with me in forming a new nation, conceived in liberty with God as our vindicator, with each State acting in its sovereign and independent character. The governors of Louisiana, Missouri, Tennessee, Alabama, and South Carolina are considering our proposal now, but a great groundswell of support is coming from the citizens of these states. We trust that they will soon join us.

“We hereby announce that all Federal property within the boundaries of our state, including all national parks and forests, Indian reservations, and military bases, is forfeit to our state government. Orders have gone out to the Texas State Guard and State Police to secure these properties, and they are backed by thousands of citizen militia forces who have mobilized have taken up arms to secure what is rightfully ours. For freedom and justice for ourselves and our descendants, invoking the favor and guidance of Almighty God, we pledge our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.”

12:17 PM: The President of the United States is whisked from a routine meeting with the Department of Agriculture to an emergency meeting with the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

12:31 PM: Emergency orders are issued to cancel all civilian flights to the states of Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Mississippi. All inbound flights are ordered to divert immediately, leading to crowded and difficult scenes at airports such as Wichita, Albuquerque, Denver, St. Louis, and Cleveland.

1:47 PM: Chaos reigns on Interstates 10 and 40 and smaller highways, as thousands of Texas motorists flee for the New Mexico border, only to be stopped by armored New Mexico National Guard units, reinforced by heavily armed troops from Fort Bliss. Motorists fleeing eastward are stopped by the Louisiana National Guard, backed up with troops from Fort Polk. Motorists heading north towards Kansas or east through Arkansas also report blockades.

3:12 PM: There are reports of rioting in Austin and Houston, as columns of unregulated militia march or ride through urban neighborhoods where protests are expected. No one knows or will admit who shot first, but neighborhoods are soon ablaze, and fire trucks that attempt to reach the fires report being shot at. In other cities and towns, a watchful, tense quiet prevails as everyone awaits the next announcement. Footage of the riots and attacks is widely disseminated on social media.

4:29 PM: A column of militia in assorted vehicles approaches Fort Hood to demand its surrender. Seeing the main gates deserted, the lead vehicle drives onto the fort, and the driver, 47-year-old Braxton Beauregard, hoists the Lone Star Confederate flag over the guardhouse.

4:29:17 PM: The guardhouse, the flag, and the first ten vehicles of the convoy are simultaneously obliterated by Hellfire missiles. The remaining vehicles beat a hasty retreat to Killeen, although not before seven more vehicles are wiped out. That evening at the local Whataburger, one of the traumatized survivors is heard to mumble, “well, shit, this may be tougher than we thought.”

5:25 PM: The President emerges from his meeting with the Joint Chiefs of Staff and gives a brief address to the nation. It’s short on details. He says only that he has been fully briefed on the situation and is deeply troubled, but is considering his legal options, and will provide a full reply to Governor Abbott’s announcement tomorrow morning. He pleads for calm and prays for peace and unity. The country remains on edge.

1:37 AM: Fort Hood’s gates open.

2:12 AM: A lone C-17 Globemaster III makes a pass over Austin, Texas, at 30,000 feet. Similar aircraft pass over Little Rock, Arkansas; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and Jackson, Mississippi. Their flight paths are later traced to Fort Benning.

6:48 AM: Journalists based in Austin report seeing a huge column of tanks and trucks moving into the city on Interstate 35, as helicopters fly cover.

7:24 AM: Tanks have surrounded the Texas State Capitol. The skies are torn by noise as F-15s and F-18Es fly combat air patrols over the city; they hold their fire for now. Heavily armored infantry patrols deploy onto the streets, although they, too, hold their fire and simply observe.

7:37 AM: A unit of unorganized militia patrolling the streets of Austin encounters soldiers from III Corps Special Troops Battalion on the corner of 14th and Guadalupe Street. One of the militiamen raises his AR-15 and fires at the troops, slightly wounding one soldier.

7:37:15 AM: Six militia members are killed or wounded in the ensuing firefight. Survivors are spotted fleeing towards the 7–11 convenience store on 15th Street, where it seems their commander has set up his base.

7:42:37 AM: The 7–11 convenience store on 15th Street is struck by multiple Hellfire missiles. Scenes like this play out all day throughout the capital city, with minor variations. By noon, few militia are willing to advertise their presence; discarded weapons and body armor can be found on the streets as erstwhile militiamen try to blend back into the general population.

8:31 AM: A group of Army Rangers exit the Texas Governor’s Mansion, escorting a handcuffed Governor Greg Abbott to a waiting flight of HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters that have materialized on the lawn.

9:17 AM: Several other Texas state officials are removed from the State Capitol or other government buildings by Rangers and escorted to waiting helicopters. Similar scenes are playing out in Oklahoma City and Little Rock and Jackson.

9:19 AM: An emergency press conference is held in Houston. The Hon. Sherry Radack, Chief Justice for the 1st District Court of Appeals in Houston, announces that under the line of succession as spelled out in the Texas state constitution, it appears that she is now the governor. Choking back tears, she announces the immediate cessation of hostilities, pleads for citizens to put down their weapons, orders the surrender of all State Guard forces, and expresses eagerness to remain a part of the United States.

11:10 AM: The governors of Louisiana, Missouri, and Tennessee deny any knowledge of Texas's plan, announce that their states will not be joining Texas, and pledge their states’ loyalty to the Federal government. At about the same time, the governor of Florida announces that his state’s inclusion in the list of seceding states was entirely the fault of unnamed “liberal agitators,” that he never agreed to leave the Union, and that despite all their differences of opinion he has pledged his state’s loyalty to the Federal government. Rumors that Navy SEALS were aiming at him from concealed firing positions as he was making this profession of loyalty were never substantiated.

12:37 PM: The President appears again on TV, thanking the loyal units of the US military, who have executed “a textbook counterinsurgency mission with minimal loss of life and destruction of property.” He assures the people that order will be restored and life will return to normal as soon as possible, and states that steps are already underway to restore the state governments. He promises to bring the rebels who actually took up arms to justice, while proposing that Congress immediately establish a bipartisan Truth and Reconciliation Commission to reintegrate the rebel states into the US as smoothly as possible. (He does not say this, but commentators note that with the sudden disappearance of Congressional delegations from the rebel states, he should have the votes to get what he wants.) He ends his speech by pleading once again for peace, adding that “I understand the despair and anger and paranoia that many Americans feel—but this is not the way to express those. Let us come together as one nation, one people, united by our devotion to the principles of democracy and liberty, from sea to shining sea. God bless America!” (Fun fanfic from quora)

[emilyyyy11]

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I WILL BE IN KILLEEN, TX UNLESS OTHERWISE DICTATED.

August 4-7 // Portland, OR

August 11-15 // Chapel Hill, NC

August 19-21 // Madison, WI

August 26-28 // Phoenix, AZ

September 2-4 // Cincinatti, OH

September 9-11 // New Orleans, LA

September 16-18 // Nashville, TN

September 30-October 2 // Milwaukee, WI

October 21-23 // Savannah, GA

October 28-30 // Tampa, FL

November 3-6 // Asheville, NC

NOVEMBER TBD // BAY AREA, CA

2023!

January 6-8 // Minneapolis, MN

January 13-15 // Omaha, NE

January 20-22 // Philadelphia, PA

March 3-5 // Cleveland, OH

March 10-12 // Atlanta, GA

March 17-19 // Chicago, IL

April 21-23 // Baltimore, MD

May 12-14 // Kansas City, MO

June 2-4 // Houston, TX

July 7-9 // Oklahoma City, OK

July 14-16 // Raleigh, NC

July 21-23 // Denver, CO

[theultimatefan]

Brown, Jordan, Rice, Smith Earn Top Four Seeds in $250,000 OBL Finals in Las Vegas Friday, Saturday

Isaiah Brown (Queens, N.Y.), John Jordan (Houston), Glen Rice Jr. (Marietta, Ga.) and Mario Smith (Kalamazoo, Mich.) have earned the top four seeds as the Ones Basketball League (OBL) — the first-ever elite competition that celebrates the most skilled one-on-one players on the planet and created by Basketball Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady — today revealed the brackets for the 22-player, winner-take-all, $250,000 OBL Finals, set for Friday (3 p.m. PT) and Saturday (8 p.m. PT) at The Dollar Loan Center in Henderson, Nevada.

Fans can watch the OBL Finals action live on a variety of social media channels, with coverage beginning at 5:30 p.m. PT on Friday and 7:45 p.m. PT on Saturday:

• OBL: Facebook, YouTube, Twitter

• Tracy McGrady: Facebook, Twitter

• Slam: YouTube

• Playmaker: Facebook, Twitter

• Basketball Above All: Facebook

The top three players from each of six OBL Regional Championships held in Houston, Atlanta, Chicago, New York, the DMV, and Los Angeles, plus four Commissioner’s Choice “wild cards” were invited to compete in the OBL Finals. The single-elimination format will feature two wild card matchups, four first round games and eight second-round contests on Friday, followed by the quarterfinals, semifinals and OBL Championship match on Saturday.

The seeds and matchups are as follows:

Friday Game 1 – (WC) Ridge Shipley, Carrolton, Texas vs (WC) Geno Lawrence, Brooklyn, N.Y. Game 2 – (WC) Terry Hosley, Baltimore vs (WC) Chris Staples, Saginaw, Mich. Game 3 –(18) Myron Taylor, Killeen, Texas vs (15) Dont’e Karon Wright, Jackson, S.C. Game 4 – (17) Randy Gill (Los Angeles) vs. (16) Grant Anderson, Chicago Game 5 – Game 1 winner vs. (13) Tiras Wade, Tampa Game 6 – Game 2 winner vs. (14) Darien Davis, Coram, N.Y. Game 7 – (9) Andrew Washington (Washington, D.C.) vs (8) Yoshi Craig, Chicago Game 8 – (10) Zach Radz, Troy, N.Y. vs (7) Antonio Hester, Miami Game 9 – (12) Matt Kiatipis, Newmarket, Ontario vs (5) George Beamon, Roslyn, N.Y. Game 10 – (11) Marcus Hall, Houston vs (6) Kevin Kuteyi, Lanham, Md. Game 11 – Game 5 winner vs (4) Mario Smith, Kalamazoo, Mich. Game 12 – Game 6 winner vs (3) Glen Rice Jr., Marietta, Ga. Game 13 – Game 3 winner vs (2) John Jordan, Houston Game 14 – Game 4 winner vs (1) Isaiah Brown, Queens, N.Y.

Saturday Quarterfinals, Semifinals and OBL Championship

A limited number of tickets are available to the public for the event at https://bit.ly/OBL-LV. Friday’s event will start at 3 p.m. PT, with the Championship Finals starting on Saturday at 8 p.m.

Winners of each of the six OBL Regional Championships won a $10,000 first prize. In addition to the $250,000 OBL Finals Championship prize, this weekend’s champion will claim the title of 2022 OBL “Ruler of the Court.” Athletes aged 18 and up who are currently not under an NBA contract and have not been on an active NBA roster for more than 164 games (equivalent to two NBA regular seasons) were eligible to compete. The aim is to welcome both best-in-class talent and players who may still be under the radar of most basketball fans.

OBL media partners include SHOWTIME Sports, SLAM Media, Playmaker, and Heart and Hustle Productions.

Follow Ones Basketball League at https://www.oblhoops.com/.

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[harvard-art-museums-photography]

Loading a Hellfire missile onto an Apache Attack helicopter, Fort Hood: 339 square miles, Killeen, TX, Barbara Norfleet, 1990, Harvard Art Museums: Photographs

Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum, Gift of Barbara Norfleet © Barbara Norfleet Size: 28.8 x 42.7 cm (11 5/16 x 16 13/16 in.) sheet: 40.3 x 50.4 cm (15 7/8 x 19 13/16 in.)

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[theultimatefan]

Ones Basketball League Crowns First-Ever Regional Champion at Dub Sports Zone in Houston

Ones Basketball League (OBL) -- the first-ever elite competition that celebrates the most skilled one-on-one players on the planet and created by Basketball Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady – got off to a rousing start with its debut event at The Dub Sports Zone in Richmond, Texas, on Saturday and Sunday. A total of 32 top area and national-level basketball players squared off in spirited action, and it was Texas residents who took the top three places in a weekend filled with exciting and high-quality play across the board.

The OBL Houston Regional champion, and recipient of the $10,000 prize, is John Jordan, 29, of Houston. Jordan, the second seed, defeated runner-up Matt Kiatipis, 21, of Austin (by way of Canada and Simon Fraser University), 9-5, in the finals. Taking third was Myron Taylor, 29, of Killeen. All three now advance to the OBL Finals in Las Vegas this summer (dates and location TBD).

McGrady couldn’t have been happier with the league’s first action.

“The first weekend in Houston was what we expected when we envisioned OBL,” said the seven-time NBA All-Star. “The level and quality of play was outstanding, the facility was first rate, the production was world-class, and we have our first qualifiers for the road to Las Vegas.

“Now it’s on to Atlanta for Week Two,” he added.

“It's Championship Sunday, this is where champions are made,” said Jordan, who played collegiately at TAMU-Corpus Christi. “I took a tough ‘L’ yesterday and I bounced back, because that's what champions do.”

Jordan, who arrived back in the U.S. from overseas in Romania just in time to compete in the inaugural OBL event, was also effusive in his praise of the league.

“This is a really big-time league,” he added. “This is the first time they've had this league. I know from here on it's gonna be tougher. Everyone sees (OBL) is real. The money is real. I'm just happy I won the first year."

Kiatipis, one of the youngest competitors in the field, is also excited about qualifying for the OBL Finals.

“I’m excited to be going to Las Vegas,” said the sixth seed who started slowly but finished strong to earn the spot. “I expected to be going and it's going to be a big show out there.”

Taylor, the eighth seed, rallied to beat Jamal North in the third-place game.

OBL’s next regional event is this coming week in Atlanta on May 7-8 at CORE4 Atlanta, in Chamblee, Georgia.

The rest of the regional schedule is as follows:

Chicago, May 21-22 (Chicago Hope Academy Athletic Center, Chicago, IL)

New York City, May 28-29 (Major R. Owens Community Center hosted by New Heights, Brooklyn, NY)

The DMV, June 4-5 (The St. James, Springfield, VA)

The Bay Area, June 11-12 (The Ultimate Fieldhouse, Walnut Creek, CA)

Los Angeles, TBD (TBD)

The winner of each regional tournament will take home a $10,000 cash prize along with an invitation to the Finals, which will see 21 players (the top three from each region) compete for a chance to win a $250,000 grand prize and be crowned "Ruler of the Court.”

Media partners include SLAM Media, Playmaker, and Heart and Hustle Productions.

Follow Ones Basketball League at https://www.oblhoops.com/.

[eltanguerowsm]

PRIMEIRA LIGA, 6ª GIORNATA

PORTOGALLO | articolo di Mikalic - 21 dicembre 2020 Una sola vittoria in trasferta, quattro successi interni e 29 gol realizzati nella 6ª giornata della Primeira Liga 2020/21.

* * * MATCH-CLOU 📺 Lo Sporting Lisbona ha battuto il Nacional nella sfida più attesa della giornata in Portogallo. La partita non delude le aspettative: finisce 3-2 per i Leões all'Alvalade, ma i gol arrivano tutti nel secondo tempo. Il Nacional va in vantaggio con il piattone di Al Sahaf, si fa pareggiare da Mauceri (sesto gol in sei partite), e poi sigla il nuovo vantaggio con un piazzato di Galca. Il goal del neo-entrato Cecilla dà la scossa allo Sporting, che nel finale trova addirittura il gol vittoria grazie al colombiano Viveros. Tre punti importantissimi per gli uomini di Mikàlic, che balzano quarti a quota 10, a pari punti proprio con il Nacional di Lele. L'MVP 👑 Senza i titolarissimi Verne e Medina, ci ha pensato Scott Killeen a fornire una prestazione di altissimo livello, oltre che i goal necessari al Beira Mar per vincere contro il malcapitato Maritimo. Ha fatto tutto lui: nel primo tempo due key passes deliziosi per le marcature di Gonzalez e Antunes, nel secondo tempo due goal e altre giocate sopraffine per deliziare i propri tifosi. Ad Aveiro finisce 8-0 per i gialloneri di Roby Manson, che volano a -2 dalla vetta. L'ALTRO PROTAGONISTA 📸 Il Boavista è insieme al Beira Mar l’unica squadra ancora imbattuta di tutta la Primeira Liga. Merito anche di Da Assuncao, che l’ha risolta ancora una volta, e del primo sigillo stagionale di Dunga (su penalty). All'Estádio do Bessa di Oporto finisce 2-0 la gara contro un Gil Vicente troppo rinunciatario e difensivista (uno dei peggiori attacchi del campionato), che dopo questa sconfitta scivola al sesto posto. Ancora un'ottima prova invece per le Panteras di Raptus, che guadagnano la vetta solitaria della classifica. Occhio però, domenica prossima c'è il derby. IL VOLTO NUOVO 👤 Arrivato il mese scorso sulla panchina del Braga, mister Kikkovich ha già trasmesso il suo modo di fare calcio agli Arsenalistas. Seconda vittoria consecutiva in campionato, arrivata contro un Benfica ormai completamente dipendente dalle giocate del talento Azocar. L'ennesimo capolavoro contro le Águias ha tirato fuori il Braga dalle zone paludose della classifica. Quella che era una "nobile" del Portogallo oggi è solo settima, ma di certo si gode il momento grazie a quest'ultimo 4-2 contro i ragazzi di Dhrurk. Un altro segnale di grande compattezza e dell’ottimo lavoro di Kikkovich. LA SORPRESA 🤔 Porto corsaro in trasferta, ma quanta fatica. Al Campo da Portela di Leiria finisce 5-3 per i Dragões, che confermano tutti i propri limiti difensivi (terza peggior difesa della Primeira Liga) incassando tre gol dall'União de Leiria bot, vera grande notizia della partita. Una statistica che fa riflettere e pone dei grattacapi ai tifosi Azuis e Brancos. Nonostante tutto, il Porto è al momento la terza forza del campionato alle spalle di Boavista e Beira Mar. CLAFFIFICA 📋 16 pt Boavista, 14 pt Beira Mar, 11 pt Porto, 10 pt Sporting Lisbona, 10 pt Nacional, 9 pt Gil Vicente, 7 pt Braga, 4 pt Benfica, 1 pt União de Leiria, 1 pt Maritimo. __________

[jiffylubeofficial]

LIST OF Tecax Yecas TmTecas Texs Teaccd Texas

ouston 2,099,450 10.77%

2 San Antonio 1,532,233 1,327,407 13.90%

3 Dallas 1,345,047 1,197,816 12.29%

4 Austin 964,254 790,390 22.00%

5 Fort Worth 895,008 741,206 20.75%

6 El Paso 682,669 649,121 5.17%

7 Arlington 398,123 365,438 8.47%

8 Corpus Christi 326,554 305,215 6.68%

9 Plano 288,061 259,841 10.12%

10 Laredo 261,639 236,091 10.40%

11 Lubbock 255,885 229,573 10.59%

12 Garland 242,507 226,876 4.90%

13 Irving 242,242 216,290 12.00%

14 Amarillo 199,924 190,695 4.79%

15 Grand Prairie 194,614 175,396 10.96%

16 McKinney 191,645 131,117 46.20%

17 Frisco 188,170 116,989 60.80%

18 Brownsville 183,392 175,023 4.80%

19 Pasadena 153,219 149,043 2.80%

20 Killeen 149,103 127,921 16.60%

21 McAllen 143,433 130,242 9.56%

22 Mesquite 142,816 139,824 2.95%

23 Midland 142,344 111,147 22.44%

24 Denton 138,541 113,383 22.20%

25 Waco 138,183 124,805 10.72%

26 Carrollton 135,710 119,097 14.95%

27 Round Rock 128,739 99,887 28.90%

28 Odessa 123,334 99,940 23.50%

29 Abilene 122,999 117,063 4.12%

30 Pearland 122,149 91,252 31.44%

31 Richardson 120,981 99,223 21.93%

32 Sugar Land 118,600 78,817 50.48%

33 Beaumont 118,428 117,267[4] 1.58%

34 The Woodlands (CDP)[5] 116,278 93,847 23.90%

35 College Station 116,218 93,857 23.82%

36 Lewisville 106,586 95,290 11.26%

37 League City 106,244 83,560 25.54%

38 Tyler 105,729 96,500 8.80%

39 Wichita Falls 104,576 104,553 0.19%

40 Allen 103,383 84,246 19.51%

41 San Angelo 100,215 93,200 7.42%

42 Edinburg 98,665 77,100 17.09%

43 Conroe 87,654 56,207 50.12%

44 Bryan 85,445 76,201 10.26%

45 Mission 84,827 77,058 9.56%

46 New Braunfels 84,612 57,740 37.08%

47 Longview 81,647 80,455 1.33%

48 Pharr

[firstavenue7thstentry]

Dayna Frank, President

St. Vincent / Palace Theatre / November 18 Jackie Venson / Turf Club / September 28 Frank Ocean / FYF Fest / July 22 Atmosphere / Palace Theatre / March 10 Thomas Abban / 7th St Entry / December 13 Bonus: Prince Memorial block party and dance parties

Top album: DAMN. by Kendrick, anything else is a lie

Regret Missing: Flip Phone “Queens United” benefit for Puerto Rico SZA in the Mainroom & Kendrick Lamar at Xcel

Nate Kranz, General Manager

Atmosphere / Palace Theatre / March 10 Dave Rawlings Machine / Pantages / August 23 Dead & Co. / Hollywood Bowl / May 31 Kamasi Washington / First Avenue / November 9 Wilco / Palace Theatre / November 17

SHOW I MISSED is JRAD @ Red Rocks on August 31

My 5 bonus picks for favorite show are: Vulfpeck / First Avenue / May 1 Gary Clark Jr / Palace / August 3 Seu Jorge / Pantages / June 17 Kevin Morby / Turf Club / August 29 Bob Dylan / Xcel Center / October 25

Sonia Grover, Booking Manager

Top Shows All of them.

Regret I didn’t miss any shows.

Eli Flasher, Talent Buyer

Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives / Fine Line / April 11 Adrian Belew Power Trio / Turf Club / March 12 Dead & Co. / Wrigley Field / June 30 Iron Maiden / Xcel / June 16 Kikagaku Moyo / 7th St Entry / May 14

Album: Aldous Harding - Party Missed show: Tom Petty 6/03/17

James Taylor, Talent Buyer

Liam Gallagher / First Avenue / November 20 Thundercat / First Avenue / September 17 Gary Clark Jr / Palace Theatre / August 4 Patti Smith / Northrop / March 8 Vince Staples / First Avenue / March 16

Regret Missing: Jason Isbell / Palace Theatre / July 7 Best Album of 2017: Kendrick Lamar, DAMN.

Mike Killeen, Chief Financial Officer

Macklemore / Palace Theatre / November 2 Atmosphere / Palace Theatre / March 10 Jain / 7th St Entry / March 31 Rufus Wainwright / Orchestra Hall / December 2 Marian Hill / First Avenue / June 1

I take no prisoners and I have no regrets.

Damon Barna, Director of Event Operations

5) Atmosphere / First show at the Palace Theatre / March 10 4) Gary Clark Jr / Palace Theatre / August 4 3) A Prairie Home Companion / Palace Theatre / October 7 2) Rodrigo Y Gabriela / First Avenue Mainroom / June 2 1) Kamasi Washington / First Avenue Mainroom / November 9

Album of the Year: Kamasi Washington, Harmony of Difference #1 Show I regret missing: Dent May / 7th St Entry / November 1

Marc Dickhut, Director of General Operations

Macklemore / Palace Theatre / November 2 (Kids loved it too) Bob Mould - Solo Electric - Turf Club / April 18 Spoon / Palace Theatre / September 15 Charlie Parr / Turf Club / January Residency Social Distortion / Palace Theatre / July 26 Bonus: Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit / Palace Theatre / July 7

Album: Spoon - Hot Thoughts Missed: QOTSA / Palace / December 3

Debbie Hager, Operations Manager

1.) Tori Amos / The O'Shaughnessy / October 24 2.) Arcade Fire / Xcel / October 29 3.) Future Islands / First Avenue / October 1 4.) Hurray for the Riff Raff / Fine Line / April 30 5.) Pitbull & Enrique Iglesias / Madison Square Garden / June 30

Top Album: St Vincent - Masseduction

Regret (Tie): Phantogram / Palace / March 12 Lucius / State Fair / September 2

Lori Simonson, Accounting Assistant & Office Coordinator

Truckfighters / 7th St Entry / January 25 Goatwhore / The Frequency (Madison) / February 27 Sleep / First Avenue / April 19 Boris / Triple Rock / October 21 Chelsea Wolfe / Turf Club / October 25

Top Album: Chelsea Wolfe - Hiss Spun Missed Show: Tom Petty / Xcel Center / June 3

Sawyer Derry, Turf Club Operations Manager

Mogwai / First Avenue / December 1 Phantogram / Palace Theatre / March 12 Mew / Turf Club / August 13 Spoon Micro Show / Turf Club / December 11 Colin Stetson / Turf Club / July 23

Regret Missing: Wolf Parade / First Avenue / October 27 Best Album: Fever Ray - Plunge

Alex Nowak, Operations Manager

Raging Fyah / Turf Club / February 14 J Boog / Turf Club / February 8 Skatalites / Turf Club / September 17 All Them Witches / Turf Club / November 17 Tribal Seeds / Turf Club / February 14

Show I regret missing: Mihali @ Ice House

Emily Hoar, Marketing Assistant

LCD Soundsystem / Pitchfork Music Festival / July 14 The Minneapolis Uranium Club / Seward Café / December 15 Ho99o9 / Triple Rock Social Club / May 26 Palm / Turf Club / July 8 DJ Keezy (opening for Big Freedia) / The Cabooze / June 21

AOTY: SZA’s CTRL Missed Show: SZA / First Avenue / September 1* *=technically I was there… don’t get too drunk when you meet your heroes.

Erin Rocky, Office Coordinator

The White Buffalo / The Cedar / December 1 Dirtwire / Studio B / December 14 Senses Fail performing Still Searching in its entirety / The Cabooze / March 29 Jim James, Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, and Warren Haynes collaborations, and alternating String Cheese Incident/Umphrey's McGee sets on a spinning stage / Lock'N August 2017 - Best Festival Ever Warren Haynes and The Ashes & Dust Band / Fitzgerald Theater / February 23

Album: The Lil Smokies - Changing Shades Regret: SCI at Red Rocks on my birthday :( too perfect and such a bummer it didn't happen

Cheers to another year of killer shows! Nah nah nah nahhhhh

Jon Gilbert, Website Coordinator

Quintron & Miss Pussycat / Turf Club / July 15 Jens Lekman / Fine Line / March 8 John Mulaney / Northrop / September 14 The Mountain Goats / First Avenue / November 18 Jen Kirkman / Woman’s Club / October 5 Special consideration: Fuck 2016. / Turf Club / 12/27/16

Top 2017 album (split decision): Favorite: Slowdive, Slowdive Most played: The New Pornographers, Whiteout Conditions #1 missed show regret: Ted Leo +Rx / Triple Rock / November 11

Kent Horgan, Promoter Representative

Marty Stuart / Fine Line / April 11 Kinky Friedman / Turf Club / May 3 Nicolas Jaar / First Avenue / July 14 Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile / Palace Theatre / October 25 King Krule / Fine Line / October 31

Aoife Roberts, Booking & Finance Assistant

John K. Samson / Turf Club / October 18 Lemuria / 7th St Entry / February 06 The Wedding Present / Turf Club / April 22 At the Drive-In / Palace Theatre / June 17 Dillinger Four / final Triple Rock / November 21

Regret missing: Julien Baker / The Cedar / October 21 Best record: Play the Songs You Like by Radiator Hospital

Jerrod Woods, Marketing Associate

Vince Staples / Marathon Music Works (Nashville, TN) Tedeschi Trucks Band / The Ryman (Nashville, TN) Odesza / Myth Live / November 9 Alabama Shakes / Sloss Fest (Birmingham, AL) Sturgill Simpson / Sloss Fest (Birmingham, AL)

Top Album: Awaken, My Love! - Childish Gambino Biggest Regret: Khalid

Stacy Schwartz, Community Manager & Special Events

Lucius / State Capitol Rotunda / February 10 Bon Iver / Rock the Garden (strong wave of nostalgia) / July 22 U2 / US Bank Stadium / September 8 Patti Smith / Northrop / March 8 Father John Misty Microshow / Icehouse / May 16

Show I regret missing: Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers / Xcel Center / June 3

Isaac Burton, Graphic Designer

Downtown Boys / Triple Rock / September 15 Jay Som / 7th St Entry / March 22 Angel Olsen / First Avenue Mainroom / October 2 Girlpool / 7th St Entry / May 31 Palm & Lvl Up / 7th St Entry / February 27

Regret Missing: Pile / 7th St Entry / May 9

Adrianna Korich, Box Office Coordinator

Kendrick Lamar / Xcel / August 19 Mayday Parade A Lesson in Romatics 10 Yr Anniversary Tour / First Avenue / April 20 2 Chainz / Palace Theatre / August 25 Sylvan Esso / First Avenue / August 7 Girlpool / 7th St Entry / October 23

Show I regret missing: Lil Peep / Amsterdam Bar & Hall / October 17 Album: Pretty Girls Like Trap Music - 2 Chainz

Rodney Smith, Depot Kitchen Manager

1) Gary Clark Jr / Palace Theatre / August 4 2) Marian Hill / First Avenue / June 1 3) Sublime / First Avenue / July 19 4) Brother Ali / First Avenue / November 16 5) Flogging Molly / Palace Theatre / May 16

David Sundquist, Purchasing Manager

St. Vincent / Palace Theatre / November 18 Queens of the Stone Age / Palace Theatre / December 3 GWAR / First Avenue / November 7 Har Mar Superstar / Turf Club / November 22 Violent Femmes / First Avenue / October 18

Regret Missing: Beck / Palace Theatre / August 17 Best Album: St Vincent - Masseduction

Ashley Ryan, Director of Marketing

Patti Smith / Northrop / March 8 Jason Isbell / Palace Theatre / July 7 Sylvan Esso / Eaux Claires / June 16 SZA / First Avenue / September 1 The xx / Palace Theatre / April 28

Regret Missing: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers / Xcel Center / June 3 Album: DAMN., Kendrick Lamar

Top image: Screenprint by Kevin Cannon