#93 miles in 8 days

[wrap-around-your-dreams]

THE WONDERLAND TRAIL

AUGUST 8-15, 2023

[vintagelasvegas]

Dunes Hotel & Casino '55-'93

Dunes, 1955. Kodachrome photo from Charles Phoenix.

Timeline of the Dunes

’53-54: First announced as Hotel Araby (RJ 11/1/53), then became known as Vegas Plaza, and Hotel Deauville (RJ 1/20/54, 4/23/54). Named the Dunes by the time of groundbreaking, 6/22/54 (RJ).

’55: May 23, original owners Robert Rice, Al Gottesman, Joseph Sullivan, Alexander Barad and Jason Tarsey open the $4 million Dunes Hotel-Casino with 200 rooms on an 85-acre site. John Replogle, designer Robert Dorr Jr., architect and designer. Signs and Sultan figure by YESCO (RJ 5/23/55).

’55: Aug., Dunes leased by Sands partners and reopened in Sep. Subsequent financial difficulties cause the casino to be closed, 1/56.

’56: Bill Miller, Major A. Riddle, and Robert Rice are licensed to reopen the casino in May. In Nov., the license is changed to add M&R Investment Co. as the company that operates the Dunes.

’57: Jan., Minsky’s Follies opens the first topless show at a Strip resort.

’59: Convention Hall addition.

’61: Olympic Wing addition.

’62: Riddle sells 15 percent of the stock to M&R Investment Corp., whose stockholders now include Charles Rich, Sidney Wyman and George Duckworth.

’62: Oct. 21, Tower groundbreaking.

’64: Construction of "Miracle Mile" golf course. Sultan figure moved to golf course in May. In Oct-Nov, the 180-ft sign is installed in Oct., and switched on 11/12/64.

’65: Jun, opening of Dome of the Sea and the 24-story tower. Dunes Golf Course opened.

’69: Continental Connector Corp., a publicly traded company, buys the Dunes in a $59M stock transfer in May. In Dec, the SEC charges that CCC defrauded stockholders in the proxy statement it issued offering to buy the Dunes. CCC settles the SEC complaint in ’76. At this time, bankers E. Parry Thomas and Jerome Mack are principals in M&R and CCC.

’74: In Sep., Gaming Control Board files a complaint against the Dunes for catering and "comping" alleged Kansas City mob chief Nick Civella, one of 11 members of the Black Book, Nevada's List of Excluded Persons. The Dunes ultimately was fined $10,000.

’75: In Feb., Morris Shenker buys an interest in M&R through his IJK Nevada Inc. Later in the year, Dunes owners Shenker and Riddle are asked about allegations that reputed mobster Anthony Spilotro had "set up shop" at the Dunes. Spilotro reportedly was spending up to 14 hours a day in the poker room and appeared to be using it as an office.

’76: In Jun., Shenker sues the Teamsters Union for $140M for backing out of a loan commitment, which was to be used to add another 1,000 rooms. In Oct., Dept of Labor intervenes, saying the loan was prohibited. In ’80, Shenker's breach of contract lawsuit is tossed out of court by U.S. District Judge Roger Foley.

’79: South tower opened in summer. Shenker announces the Dunes will construct a $65M hotel-casino in Atlantic City. FBI affidavits are unsealed claiming that two confidential informants "both advised that the Kansas City organized crime group headed by Nick Civella has a concealed interest fronted by Shenker at the Dunes." Shenker denies the allegations.

’80: In Jan., alleged members of the NY Columbo family are discovered staying for free at the Dunes. Gaming Control Board Chairman Richard Bunker says the "comping" did not violate the law or gaming regulations. Later, four of the group, including Joseph Columbo Jr., are indicted on charges of obtaining money under false pretenses in an airline ticket reimbursement scam. The indictment is dismissed by District Judge Joseph Pavlikowski and in ’84 was reinstated by the NV Supreme Court.

’82: Aug., the $17M Oasis Casino opens, doubling the existing casino space at the resort. Design by Farris Alexander Congdon Architects. New 2-floor casino includes Xanadunes electronic gaming area, and Video-Video arcade space (RJ 8/13/82, 8/20/82).

’82: Dec., Stuart and Clifford Perlman agree to buy the Dunes for $185M. The brothers loan Shenker $4M and $2.9M of that sum is used to pay overdue federal payroll taxes and avoid the seizure of assets by the IRS. Shenker denies the resort is on the verge of bankruptcy. Docs filed with the SEC indicate the property is in default on a number of loans and a number of creditors threaten foreclosure action.

’83: The Perlmans assume management of the Dunes in Apr., and operate it for four months before the sale collapses in Aug.

’83: Oct., a foreclosure sale of the Dunes' golf course and some other property is averted when problems are worked out with the trustees of the Hotel & Restaurant Employees and Bartenders Int’l Union and the trustees of the Nevada Culinary and Bartenders Pension Trust, which are owed $1.5M for non-payment of union benefits.

’83: Dec., a federal jury in Las Vegas decides that Shenker owes $34M to the So. Nevada Culinary and Bartenders Pension Fund for defaulting on loans in ’73-’75 to two of Shenker's land companies, Sierra Charter Corp. and IJK Nevada.

’84: Feb., Shenker files for personal bankruptcy in Missouri to protect his assets from the $34M judgment. The IRS claims that the 78-year-old Shenker owes $66M in unpaid taxes stretching back 20 years. Shenker's bankruptcy filing claimed assets of $82M and liabilities of $197M, the largest debt ever recorded in the St. Louis bankruptcy court.

’84: Mar., Valley Bank of Nevada heads a consortium to lend the Dunes $68.6M as part of a debt restructuring plan.

’84: May, John Anderson buys a controlling interest in the Dunes with his JBA Investments Inc. Anderson signs a $25M note to pay the Perlmans for the $35M they invested in the resort. Shenker's 26 percent interest remains under the control of the bankruptcy court.

’84: Jun., the FBI alleges that Shenker approved $600,000 in kickbacks to alleged Milwaukee crime boss Frank Balistrieri in connection with loans from the Teamsters Union to Allen Glick, who later bought four Las Vegas resorts before being forced out of gaming by Nevada officials. Shenker denies the kickback allegations. No charges are filed.

’85: Feb., Dunes is cited for failing to retrofit the property to meet fire safety standards. About $2.2M is spent on retrofitting during the first half of the year.

’85: May, former Gaming Control Board Chairman Richard Bunker leaves his position as corporate treasurer of Circus Circus Ent. to become president of the Dunes.

’85: Aug., Jack Bona buys out the Dunes' 49 percent interest in its Atlantic City property in a $21M sale. The next day, Bona places the property in a Ch. 11 reorganization in bankruptcy court.

’85: Sept. 27, Dunes defaults on the $68.6M bank loan and Valley Bank moves ahead with the legal steps required for a foreclosure sale Dec. 23.

’85: Oct. 24, Federal marshals begin seizing cash from the Dunes casino cage to pay a $2.7M judgment obtained by trustees of the Culinary and Bartenders unions. They accept a $200,000 check and leave the cash in the cage.

’85: Nov. 1, Marshals return to collect the remaining $17M owed to the unions but are halted by a last-minute restraining order.

’85: Nov. 6, Dunes' operating company. M&R Investment, files for reorganization under Chapter 11.

’87: Masao Nangaku buys the Dunes for $157M.

’92: Nov., Dunes bought by Mirage Inc. for $75M.

’93: Jan. 26, closed. North tower and sign demolished 10/27/93.

‘94: Jul. 20, South tower demolished.

A major source for the timeline is Jane Ann Morrison. Judge Approves Payday for Dunes Employees. Review-Journal, 11/7/85.

Dunes, 1955. This is the original layout of the resort, before the addition of the Convention Hall and Olympic wing. Photo by Ed Screeton. Dunes Hotel Photograph Collection (PH-00281), UNLV Special Collections & Archives.

Late '64. The 180-foot sign has recently been completed. Dome of the Sea restaurant and the hotel tower are nearing completion. Culinary Workers Union Local 226 Photographs, UNLV Special Collections & Archives.

Mar. '85. Photo by Scott Henry, Review-Journal.

[crossfandomskylines]

In the Space Between: Chapter 5

Other Chapters:

Chapter 1 I Chapter 2 I Chapter 3 I Chapter 4 I Chapter 5 I

Chapter 6 I Chapter 7 I Chapter 8 I Chapter 9 I Chapter 10

Chapter 11 I Chapter 12 I Chapter 13 I Chapter 14 I Chapter 15

Chapter 16 I Chapter 17 I Chapter 18 I Chapter 19 I Chapter 20

Pairing: Glen Powell x OC

Summary: Gabby gets a glimpse of what it means to date someone as popular as Glen Powell. From navigating his crazy schedule and being apart to watching him charm his way through a high-profile interview, she begins to feel the weight of their two very different worlds. Meanwhile, Glen’s unwavering determination to keep their relationship private—and her protected—reveals just how deeply he values what they’re building together. This chapter explores the tender balance of love, trust, and privacy in the early days of their relationship.

Word Count: 2.1k

Warnings: None.

A/N: This chapter is paced a little bit slower. It's kind of more of a filler chapter. The next chapter will have a little more storyline progression, promise!

Please let me know your thoughts with Hearts, Comments, and Reblogs!

Tag List: @djs8891 @queenslandlover-93

Gabby’s phone buzzed on her nightstand, stirring her from sleep. She blinked against the morning light and picked it up, smiling when she saw Glen’s name lighting up the screen. 

Glen: Morning, gorgeous. Just finished my workout and figured I’d better text before you forgot what I looked like.

Gabby: Trust me, I don’t think that’s happening anytime soon 😉 How’s NYC?

Glen: Busy but good! Could be better if I was with you. What are you up to?

Gabby: Eating breakfast. What’s your day looking like?

Glen texted back, sharing a quick rundown of the interviews and meetings he had lined up, adding in funny emojis and exaggerations to make her laugh. 

Then a selfie popped up—him grinning in the studio, hair styled to perfection, with a coffee in hand and a silly look on his face.

Gabby: Looking good! If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were a serious big-name celebrity or something.

Glen: Don’t go putting me in that category. 😉 I’ll FaceTime you after the red carpet later, okay?

Gabby: Deal. And good luck with press today!

Gabby lay back, smiling as she held her phone. Even from miles away, Glen made her feel like she was right there with him. As she got ready for her day, her mind kept drifting back to him, feeling grateful that he was making her such a priority even from the opposite side of the country.

* * * * *

Gabby propped her phone up against a stack of textbooks on her desk, smiling when Glen’s face appeared on the screen. He was leaning back on a hotel bed somewhere in New York City, his eyes a little tired but his grin lighting up as soon as he saw her.

“Hey,” she greeted, noticing the faint lines of exhaustion around his eyes. “Long day?”

He laughed softly, brushing a hand through his hair. “You have no idea. But I want to hear about you. How was your day?”

Gabby rolled her eyes, amused. “My day was nothing compared to yours. You had back-to-back interviews, red carpet events, and probably got to eat fancy food. Meanwhile, I went to the grocery store, paid bills, and folded laundry.”

“I still want to hear all about it,” he said, his voice low and warm. He leaned forward a little, as if by sheer will he could get even closer to her through the screen. “Come on, don’t leave anything out.”

With a playful eye-roll, she recounted her day, describing her trip to the mall and her struggles finding parking. Glen listened like it was the most fascinating thing he’d heard, chiming in with little jokes and plenty of encouragement. She could tell he genuinely cared about the little things, and it made her heart skip a beat.

After a few moments of quiet, Glen’s voice came through softly, a hint of excitement in his tone. “You know...I was thinking. When I get back to L.A., maybe we could plan to do something together? Just us.”

Gabby’s smile widened, and she leaned closer to the screen. “Like a date? Or just hanging out?”

“Maybe both,” he replied with a grin. “We could grab dinner somewhere cozy, maybe take a drive along the coast, or even just spend a lazy day in. Whatever you want—just as long as I get to see you.”

She laughed, feeling her heart flutter. “I like the sound of that,” she admitted. “Any idea when you’ll be back?”

“I think I’ll have a couple of days free next week,” he said, glancing off-screen as if mentally checking his schedule. “I’ll keep you posted, but I’m not waiting any longer than I have to.”

Gabby’s cheeks warmed as she bit her lip, loving the idea of him going out of his way to plan something special. “You sure about that? You might be exhausted by the time you get back. I understand if you want to rest or if you need sleep.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Glen said, his voice low but sincere. “Seeing you is worth it. Besides, something to look forward to is exactly what I need to get me through this press tour.”

For a moment, the distance between them didn’t seem so big. The way he looked at her through the screen, like she was all he wanted to focus on, made Gabby feel as though they were already together in that cozy little moment he was planning.

After a while, she noticed his head dipping slightly, eyes blinking a little longer than usual. 

“Glen,” she murmured gently, “maybe we should call it a night. You need some rest, and you’ve got a full day tomorrow.”

But Glen shook his head, fighting a yawn. “No way. Talking to you has been the best part of my day—don’t take that from me.” His grin softened, and he looked at her with a kind of adoration that sent warmth spreading through her chest.

Gabby chuckled, feeling her cheeks heat up. “Well, I suppose I can’t argue with that,” she murmured, her smile softening. “But as soon as you start snoring, I’m hanging up.”

“Fair deal,” he laughed. “Just… don’t hang up yet.”

They spent a few more quiet minutes together, talking about little things and the plans they’d make once he was back in Los Angeles. Gabby could feel herself getting lost in his voice, realizing that even from miles away, Glen somehow made her feel closer to him than anyone else ever had.

* * * * *

The morning sunlight filtered through the curtains of Gabby’s living room as she settled onto her couch, remote in hand. She flipped absentmindedly through the channels, letting the hum of morning shows fill the background. But her fingers stilled when a familiar face appeared on the screen, seated on a sleek studio chair, his easy smile lighting up the room.

Glen.

Her heart skipped as she set the remote down, turning up the volume. He looked as polished as ever, dressed in a tailored suit jacket and black tee that complemented his broad shoulders and relaxed charm. The host, a charismatic woman, leaned forward with a warm smile.

“So, Glen, your latest movie is shaping up to be one of the summer’s biggest hits. How does it feel to have such a blockbuster under your belt?”

Glen chuckled, his voice smooth and confident. “It’s been incredible, honestly. The whole team worked so hard, and seeing audiences respond the way they have—it’s just the best feeling.”

The host beamed. “And you’ve been everywhere lately—red carpets, premieres, interviews. How do you manage to stay grounded with such a demanding schedule?”

He shrugged with a slightly boyish grin. "I'm really lucky to have a great support system. Family, friends...they're always there to support me and help keep me grounded. I also moved back to Austin last year and I think getting out of Hollywood and being able to enjoy my time off back home has helped a ton."

The conversation drifted to his upcoming projects, but Gabby couldn’t help but admire how effortlessly he navigated each question, balancing humor and humility. Then the host leaned forward conspiratorially, her voice taking on a playful lilt.

“Of course, fans are curious—your star is rising quickly, and you’ve become quite the heartthrob. Is there anyone special in your life right now? Or are you still single and enjoying the ride?”

Gabby’s breath caught, her grip tightening on the arm of the couch. Glen’s expression didn’t falter; his smile softened, but his eyes held steady.

“Well,” he began, his tone measured, “I think some things are best kept private in my life. But I will say, I’m very happy right now.”

The host raised her brows knowingly. “A mystery, huh? Fair enough, Glen. We’ll just have to keep guessing for now.”

As the interview wrapped up and transitioned into a commercial break, Gabby stared at the screen, her emotions swirling. His response had been perfect—diplomatic without dismissing her or their relationship entirely.

Yet the weight of what his public life could mean for her settled on her shoulders. What if he hadn’t been able to deflect the question so smoothly? What would happen when people found out about her? Would they scrutinize her every move? Would they think she wasn’t good enough for him?

The rest of the day passed in a haze of overthinking. She couldn’t shake the image of Glen in that studio, handling the spotlight with ease, while she felt like a shadow on the edge of his world.

That evening, her phone buzzed, Glen’s name flashing on the screen. She answered the FaceTime call, her heart lifting at the sight of his familiar grin.

“Hey, you,” he said warmly, leaning back against the headboard of his hotel bed.

“Hey,” she replied, her tone softer than usual.

His brow furrowed slightly, and he tilted his head. “What’s on your mind? You’ve got that look.”

Gabby hesitated, then decided to tell him. “I watched your interview today.”

“Ah, the morning show,” he said, smiling. “What’d you think? Did I embarrass myself?”

“No,” she said quickly. “You were great. It’s just…” She trailed off, biting her lip. “That question about your dating life—it threw me a little.”

Glen’s face softened, his voice gentle. “Gabby, I meant what I said that night in the truck. I want to keep what we have private for now. Not because I’m not proud of you—believe me, I am. I just… I want to protect this. Protect you. Until you’re ready for any of that attention.”

She nodded, her voice quiet. “I just worry. What happens when people do find out? Will they… approve?”

His gaze locked onto hers through the screen, steady and sincere. “I don’t care what anyone else thinks. I care about you. And I’m willing to do whatever it takes to keep us strong—whether that means late-night calls, carving out time to see you, or keeping this under wraps for as long as you need. And whether people like you or not doesn't matter. You make me happier than I've been in a long time, and that's all I care about.”

His words were like a balm to her nerves, and she felt herself relax.

“Thank you,” she murmured, her lips curving into a small smile.

“Don’t thank me,” he replied, a teasing glint returning to his eyes. “Just promise me you’ll keep talking to me if things start to be much. I want to know what you’re thinking.”

Gabby smirked before saying, “I’m not sure you want to know all my thoughts.”

“I do. I want to know every single one of them.” Glen encouraged. “Promise me that you’ll keep talking to me?”

Gabby nodded, the weight on her chest lifting. “Yes, I promise.”

For the first time that day, she felt at ease, reminded that no matter how chaotic his world seemed, Glen was determined to make her part of it in a way that felt safe and real.

Gabby stifled a yawn as their conversation began to wind down. She had curled up in bed, her phone propped up against a pillow as Glen’s face filled the screen. His voice, low and soothing after a long day, made her feel as though he were right there beside her.

“I think I’d better let you get some rest,” she murmured reluctantly. “You’ve had such a long day.”

Glen smiled softly, his eyes warm despite the exhaustion etched on his features. “You need rest too, you know. We both have big days tomorrow.”

“Yeah, but yours involves cameras and people. Mine is just chores and cleaning,” she teased.

He chuckled, the sound rumbling through the phone. “Still important. Now go to sleep, beautiful.” His tone dropped slightly, tender and sincere.

Gabby’s heart gave a little flutter. She tucked her blanket around herself and grinned. “Goodnight, Glen. Sweet dreams.”

“Goodnight, gorgeous. Sweet dreams to you too." He responded.

As the call ended, Gabby set her phone down, her smile lingering. Glen had a way of making her feel cherished, even from miles away.

[dertaglichedan]

Georgia man sentenced to nearly 500 years for facilitating dog fights, abusing animals

A Georgia man was sentenced last week to 475 years in prison for facilitating dog fights and abusing animals, which included 107 dogs seized at his property in November 2022, authorities said.

It's the longest known sentence involving dog fighting anywhere, state animal crimes resource prosecutor Jessica K. Rock, also a special assistant U.S. attorney based in Georgia, said by email Monday.

Rock said by email that defendant Vincent Lemark Burrell, 57, denied being involved in dog fighting in court. It wasn't clear whether Burrell would appeal. His attorney did not immediately respond to a voicemail message Monday evening.

The case launched in 2022 when an Amazon delivery worker reported to authorities that several dogs were tied up with heavy chains on the defendant's property in Dallas, Georgia, about 30 miles west of Atlanta.

On Nov. 8, 2022, Rock, Paulding County sheriff's deputies and local marshals were on hand to search to the property with a judge's permission, according to Rock and officials' statements.

Sheriff's officials said in a statement at the time that the dogs were pit bulls, though canines described as such are often mixed-breed. In a statement Thursday, the district attorney's office did not mention a single breed.

Prosecutors ultimately alleged 107 dogs were on the grounds with signs of abuse, including some observed as underweight — with the grounds apparently lacking food, water and shelter — and many dogs restrained with logging chains in close proximity, "a tactic that serves to build dog aggression," the Paulding County district attorney's office said in its statement Thursday.

Burrell was arrested the day of the search based on allegations of facilitating dog fights and animal cruelty, the sheriff's office said in a statement after the search.

Another group of dogs among the 107 at the property was found in a basement living with urine and feces on the ground, the sheriff's office said.

Evidence at Burrell's property linked him to dog fighting, the DA's office said in a statement Thursday. The evidence is alleged to have included a treadmill designed for dogs, a breeding stand, a break stick "used to pry open the jaws of a dog during a fight," documents linked to other "known dog fighters," a first aid kit for injured dogs, veterinarian-only medication and sales contracts for dogs.

Prosecutor said in the statement that a veterinarian examined the dogs and found some with removed teeth and scars from fighting.

The county seize the dogs under a federal warrant, and they were ultimately taken in by a nonprofit organization, Friends of the Forlorn Animal Rescue, NBC affiliate WXIA of Atlanta reported.

Among the dogs found was Baby Shark, 8 weeks old at the time, authorities said. In photos with prosecutors last week, she showed off her adult size and smile. Rock alleged Baby Shark was one of the dogs intended for illegal fighting.

Prosecutors K.C. Pagnotta and Jessica K. Rock pose with Baby Shark.

"He was breeding them for the purpose of dog fighting and so she would’ve ended up in that life had we not taken her from him," she said by email.

Superior Court Judge Dean C. Bucci sentenced Burrell to 475 years based on his conviction by a jury last week on 93 counts of dog fighting and 10 counts of cruelty to animals.

"The judge sentenced him to the maximum amount allowed by law," Rock said.

[qrfit]

It is with a very heavy and sad heart that I announce the passing of my Granddaddy, Robert at the age 93. 😔 Our tall, handsome patriarch who could light up any room he walked into.

He was an Army veteran. He was the bearer of my fitness genes. He walked 5 miles a day until his late 80’s! He loved music and taught us to love and appreciate all genres. He was loved. And, he loved mightily! 8 kids, 32 grandkids, and I can’t even count how many great-grandkids.

He taught us so much and was always good with the hugs and jokes. Nobody had his laugh. Hearing it was always something special. But, the biggest thing he taught me was to be myself, unapologetically. To accept who I was and to own it, outright. He had a swagger that he passed down to us all.

[nice-bright-colors]

What's your favorite job that you've had?

What place was your favorite to live?

Thanks @heatherannchristie for these questions. Once again, I had to turn back in time to recall those memories. I’ll try to be brief in my answers.

Favorite job: In the last 35 years, I’ve held 10 positions at 5 different companies (not including starting my own business in late 2020). My favorite job was working in the Grocery Dept at Jewel Foods in the burbs of Chicago. We screwed around all the time, sometimes worked overnights, and always found the “damaged” whipped cream cans. Meaning, we would suck out all the nitrous oxide in a few cases of whipped cream, and report the product as damaged. Then hang out inside the dairy cooler until our heads were clear again.

A very close 2nd, was the job as a laborer at UPS (back when it was privately owned). My starting pay as a Teamster was $8.50/hr (1991-93)…and basically got to work out for 4 hours a day. I lost around 65 pounds in the first 3 months, it did wonders for my self-esteem. Although some people thought I was seriously sick, and my own mother thought I was addicted to crack cocaine. My diet included 2 pots of coffee and 2 packs of cigarettes a day, and I was the healthiest of my entire life.

Favorite place to live: in the last 50 years I’ve lived in (2) states, and approximately (8) different locations. Hands down, the favorite place is out here in Colorado. I’m about 13-15 miles away from the Flatirons (small mountains in front of the big 14ers). All of which I can see from where I live. This was the best decision of my life to move here, and only took 23 years after we Honeymooned here.

The runner up was the apartment we had just outside Chicago. The building had 12 units on 3 floors. 5 out of the 6 units on the front half were occupied by people who were already friends, stood up in each other’s weddings, became lifelong friends, or were related to each other. Imagine living the life of the TV show Friends, with (6) different couples. (One couple moved out, but were replaced with others that fit right in).

We would open all the doors and have huge parties with a few hundred people. We constantly sat in the hallway drinking beers after work. Kidnapped home decor from each other. I even stole the food off my friends grill by climbing over the balcony when he wasn’t looking. Ahhhh to live your fullest life in your early/mid 20’s again.

30 years, 7 kids total, countless pets, 1 divorce, and only 1 death…and we still call each other “neighbor”.

Please note, this was a time before advanced cell phones, let alone cameras on phones.

…and I had considerably more hair.

[jpbjazz]

LÉGENDES DU JAZZ

WADADA LEO SMITH, UN INNOVATEUR MÉCONNU

Né le 18 décembre 1941 à Leland, au Mississippi, Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith avait d’abord joué de la batterie, du mellophone (une sorte de cornet) et du cor français avant de passer à la trompette. Enfant prodige, Smith a composé sa première pièce musicale à l’âge de douze ans. Durant ses études secondaires, Smith avait joué et occupé le poste d’assistant-directeur des ensembles de cors et clairons de son high school sous la direction de Henderson Howard.

Smith avait reçu sa première formation musicale de son beau-père, le compositeur et guitariste Alex “Little Bill” Wallace, un des pionniers de la guitare électrique avec le groupe Delta Blues. À l’âge de treize ans, Smith avait d’ailleurs commencé à jouer avec Delta Blues et d’autres groupes traditionnels locaux. Smith avait poursuivi sa formation musicale lors d’un séjour dans l’armée à Fort Leonard Wood, au Missouri en 1963, puis à la Sherwood School of Music de 1967 à 1969 et à la Wesleyan University de 1975 à 1976 où il avait décroché un diplôme en ethnomusicologie.

DÉBUTS DE CARRIÈRE

Après avoir joué avec différents groupes de rhythm & blues, Smith était devenu membre de l’Association for the Advancements of Creative Musicians (AACM) en 1967 avant de co-fonder la Creative Construction Company, un trio mettant en vedette le violoniste Leroy Jenkins et le saxophoniste Anthony Braxton. Dn 1971, Smith avait fondé Kabell, sa propre maison de disques. Smith avait également formé un autre groupe appelé New Dalta Ahkri avec des musiciens d’avant-garde comme Henry Threadgill, Anthony Davis et Oliver Lake.

Dans les années 1970, Smith, tout en pousuivant ses études en ethnomusicologie à l’Université Wesleyan avait continué de jouer avec Braxton. Il avait aussi enregistré avec la Derek Bailey's Company. 

ÉVOLUTION RÉCENTE

Devenu Rastafarien au milieu des années 1980, Smith avait commencé à utiliser le nom de Wadada. Également professeur, Smith avait enseigné dans de nombreuses institutions scolaires au cours de sa carrière, dont l’Université de New Haven (1975-76), le Creative Music Studio de Woodstock, dans l’État de New York (1975-78) et le Bard College (1987-93). À partir de 1994,  Smith avait enseigné à la Herb Alpert School of Music du California Institute of the Arts, où il avait dirigé le programme d’improvisation afro-américaine jusqu’à sa retraite en 2013.

Malgré sa retraite de l’enseignement, Smith avait continué d’animer des ateliers, des résidences et des classes de maîtres dans des institutions comme l’Université Harvard, le New England Conservatory, la New School of Music, l’Ithaca College et la Georgetown Day School. Smith est également l’auteur de plusieurs traités musicaux, dont Source a New World Music: Creative Music, qui a été publié au Japon en 1976 après avoir été publiée initialement par Kiom Press en 1973. Publiées d’abord en 1981, ses Notes (8 Pieces) ont été rééditées dans une version élargie en Italie en 2015. En 1996, Smith avait également présenté une conférence à Copenhague, au Danemark, sur le concept d’Ankhrasmation devant plusieurs artistes, scientifiques et philosophes. Enregistrée pour la télévision danoise, son entrevue avait été télédiffusée en septembre 1996.

En plus de la trompette et du flugelhorn, Smith jouait de plusieurs instruments non occidentaux comme le koto, le kalimba et l’atenteben, une flûte de banbou originaire du Ghana. Il enseignait également des techniques de fabrication de certains instruments. Très intéressé aux musiques du monde, Smith avait particulièrement étudié les musiques africaines, japonaise, indonésienne, européennes et américaine.

En 1998, Smith et le guitariste Henry Kaiser avaient publié Yo, Miles!, un hommage aux compositions les moins connues de la période électrique de Miles Davis. Dans le cadre de cet album, Smith, Kaiser et les autres membres du groupe avaient enregistré leurs propres versions de classiques de Davis ainsi que des compositions originales inspirées de l’oeuvre du trompettiste.  Si les albums suivants de Smith, Sky Garden (2004) et Upriver (2005) avaient été enregistrés avec un autre groupe de musiciens, Michael Manring était toujours le bassiste de la formation. Smith avait également publié plusieurs albums avec son Golden Quartet composé à l’origine d’Anthony Davis aux claviers, de Malachi Favors à la contrebasse et de Jack DeJohnette à la batterie. Après plusieurs changements de personnel, l’alignement permanent du groupe est maintenant formé de Davis au piano, de John Lindberg à la contrebasse et de Pheeroan akLaff à la batterie.

Dans les années 2000, Smith avait enregistré pour la compagnie de disques Tzadik de John Zorn, ainsi que pour Pi Recordings. En 2008, Smith avait enregistré avec son quartet un DVD intitulé Freedom Now. Résident de New Haven, au Connecticut, durant plusieurs années, Smith a contribué à y développer un environnement propice au développement de la musique créative, un concept basé sur l’harmonie spirituelle et l’unification des cultures à travers le monde.

Dans ses compositions, Smith utilisait souvent un système de notation graphique qu’il appelait "Ankhrasmation" et qu’il avait développé à partir de 1965. Smith avait utilisé ce concept pour la première fois en 1967 dans le cadre de l’album ‘’The Bell: Three Compositions of New Jazz’’ d’Anthony Braxton. Le concept d’Ankhrasmation avait joué un rôle déterminant dans le développement de Smith comme artiste, chef d’orchestre et éducateur.

Les concepts musicaux d’Ankhrasmation ont été exposés dans des musées américains majeurs comme The Renaissance Society de l’Université de Chicago qui avait présenté en octobre 2015 la première exposition de ces langages musicaux. En 2016, le Hammer Museum a présenté une exposition intitulée Made in L.A. mettant en vedette les compositions de Smith et lui avait décerné un Mohn Award for Career Achievement en guise de reconnaissance pour son talent et sa résilience. Les compositions de Smith ont également été présentées au Kalamazoo Institute of Arts au Michigan, à la Kadist Art Foundation de San Francisco, au Museum of Rhythm Łódź, en Pologne, et à la Clemente Gallery de New York.

Lauréat de nombreux prix, Smith a notamment remporté en 2008 un FONT (Festival of New Trumpet) Award of Recognition. Il a aussi été finaliste en 2013 pour un prix Pulitzer pour l’album Ten Freedom Summers, une collection de compositions regroupée dans un coffret de 4 CD inspiré du mouvement des droits civiques. L’album s’était mérité plusieurs honneurs, dont un MAP Fund Award (2011), un Chamber Music America New Works Grant (2010) et un National Endowment for the Arts Recording Grant (2010). L’oeuvre était commanditée par la James Irvine Foundation, la Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation et de la John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship (2009-2010). 

Élu compositeur de l’année par le magazine Down Beat en 2013, Smith avait remporté trois ans plus tard un Doris Duke Artist Award et un doctorat honorifique de l’Université CalArts. En 2018, l’American Academy of Religion avait aussi décerné à Smith un Religion and The Arts Award. L’année suivante, Smith s’était également mérité la UCLA Medal, le plus important honneur pouvant être décerné par l’Université de Californie à Los Angeles. La Jazz Journalists Association a accordé plusieurs honneurs à Smith, dont celui de musicien de l’année en 2013 et de duo de l’année (pour sa collaboration avec le pianiste Vijay Iyer), de compositeur de l’année en 2015 et de trompettiste de l’année en 2017 et 2022. En 2022, Smith avait également remporté le Vision Festival’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Il avait aussi obtenu trois bourses du National Endowment for the Arts (en 1972, 1974 et 1981).

Smith a également été élu compagnon de plusieurs institutions comme l’Atlantic Center for the Arts (2001), la Civitela Foundation (2003), la Jurassic Foundation (2008), la United States Artists en 2021 et la  Yale Center for the Study of Race, Indigeneity and Transnational Migration (RITM) en 2022. Smith a aussi reçu plusieurs commandes du Los Angeles Philharmonic. L’album de Smith ‘’America’s National Parks’’ avait également été sélectionné comme un des meilleurs albums de 2016 par le New York Times, le NPR Jazz Critics Poll et le magazine The Wire. L’album a aussi été choisi album de l’année dans le cadre du 65e sondage des critiques du magazine Down Beat. Smith avait d’ailleurs fait la couverture du magazine à deux reprises: en novembre 2016 et en août 2017. Smith a également été élu artiste de l’année par le sondage des critiques du magazine Jazz Times en 2016.

En plus d’avoir été interprétées par le groupe de Smith, le Nda-Kulture Ensemble, les compositions du trompettiste ont été interprétées par plusieurs groupes de musique contemporaine dont le RedKoral Quartet, l’Orkiestra Symfoniczna NFM (de Wroclaw, en Pologne), l’AACM-Orchestra, le Kronos Quartet, la Da Capo Chamber Players, le New Century Players, le LA Phil New Music Group, la Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association, la San Francisco Contemporary Music Players, la Contemporary Chamber Players de l’Université de Chicago, le S.E.M. Ensemble, le Southwest Chamber Music, le Del Sol String Quartet, le New York New Music Ensemble et le California E.A.R. Unit. 

Durant plus de deux décennies, Smith avait également écrit de la musique pour de nombreux groupes, y compris des oeuvres de longue durée qui prenaient quelques jours pour être interprétées en entier, comme ‘’Ten Freedom Summers’’ (2011, RedCat, Los Angeles), et “Tabligh” pour double ensemble (Golden Quartet and Classical Persian ensemble à Merkin Concert Hall, à New York, en 2006) (Golden Quartet and Suleyman Erguner’s Classical Turkish ensemble (Akbank Music Festival à Istanbul en 2007). La composition la plus imposante de Smith intitulée “Odwira” avait été écrite pour un grand total de douze orchestres et avait été interprétée au California Institute of the Arts en mars 1995. Les oeuvres pour piano solo de Smith ont été interprétées par de nombreux artistes, dont Ursula Opens, Marilyn Crispell, Mr. David Rosenboom and Ms. Vickie Ray. Smith a également composé pour des ensembles de musique classique.

Reconnu à la fois comme trompettiste, multi-instrumentiste, compositeur et improvisateur, Smith a collaboré avec plusieurs sommités du jazz au cours de sa carrière, dont Anthony Braxton, Leroy Jenkins, Roscoe Mitchell, Henry Threadgill, Lester Bowie, Joseph Jarman, Cecil Taylor, Steve McCall, Anthony Davis, Carla Bley, Don Cherry, Jeanne Lee, Tadao Sawai, Muhal Richard Abrams, Ed Blackwell, Kazuko Shiraishi, Han Bennink, Marion Brown, Charlie Haden, Malachi Favors Magoustous, Jack DeJohnette, Vijay Iyer, Ikue Mori, Min Xiao Fen, Bill Laswell, John Zorn, Ronald Shannon Jackson et Frank Lowe. Smith a enregistré plus de cent albums comme leader ou co-leader au cours de sa carrière. Parmi ses plus récentes parutions, on remarque Wadada Leo Smith String Quartets Nos. 1-12 (2022) et The Emerald Duets (avec Pheeroan akLaff, Andrew Cyrille, Han Bennink et Jack DeJohnette également en 2022)

©-2024, tous droits réservés, Les Productions de l’Imaginaire historique

[buttercup-art]

CROSS OFF THE ONES YOU’VE DONE (IC). Please, repost !

STOLEN FROM: @hyperionhugo (hi!!)

TAGGING: Anyone who wants to do this!

(adding a read more because it's a long list)

1. HAD SEX

2. BOUGHT CONDOMS

3. GOTTEN PREGNANT

4. FAILED A CLASS

5. KISSED A BOY

6. KISSED A GIRL

7. USED A LITTLE PAPER BAG FOR LUNCH

8. HAD A JOB

9. MISSED THE SCHOOL BUS

11. LEFT THE HOUSE WITHOUT YOUR WALLET/PURSE

12. BULLIED SOMEONE ON THE INTERNET

13. SEXTED

14. HAD SEX IN PUBLIC

15. PLAYED ON A SPORTS TEAM

16. SMOKED WEED

17. SMOKED CIGARETTES

18. SMOKED A CIGAR

19. DRANK ALCOHOL

20. WATCHED “THE BREAKFAST CLUB”

21. BEEN OVERWEIGHT

22. BEEN UNDERWEIGHT

23. HAD AN EATING DISORDER

24. BEEN TO A WEDDING

25. MADE FUN OF SOMEONE FOR BEING FAT

26. BEEN ON THE COMPUTER FOR 5 HOURS STRAIGHT

27. WATCHED TV FOR 5 HOURS STRAIGHT

28. BEEN LATE FOR WORK

29. BEEN LATE FOR SCHOOL

30. KISSED SOMEONE IN THE RAIN

31. SHOWERED WITH SOMEONE ELSE

32. FAILED MY DRIVERS TEST

33. RAN A MILE IN LESS THAN 10 MINUTES

34. BEEN OUTSIDE MY HOME COUNTRY

35. BEEN ON A ROAD TRIP LONGER THAN 5 HOURS

36. GOTTEN MY HEART BROKEN

37. HAD A CREDIT CARD

38. BEEN TO A PROFESSIONAL SPORTS GAME

39. BROKEN A BONE

40. BEEN UNHAPPY ABOUT YOUR WEIGHT

41. WON A TROPHY

42. CUT MYSELF

43. HAD AN STD

44. GOT ENGAGED

45. BEEN ON A DIET

46. TRIED OUT TO BE ON A TV SHOW

47. RODE IN A TAXI

48. BEEN TO PROM

49. PLAYED IN A DRINKING GAME

50. STAYED UP FOR 24 HOURS OR MORE

51. BEEN TO A CONCERT

52. HAD A THREE-SOME

53. HAD A CRUSH ON SOMEONE OF THE SAME SEX

54. BEEN IN A CAR ACCIDENT

55. HAD BRACES

56. LEARNED ANOTHER LANGUAGE

57. KILLED A BUG

58. BEEN AT A YARD SALE

59. BEEN TO A JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE

60. WORE MAKE UP

61. TALKED TO SOMEONE VIA WEBCAM

62. LOST MY VIRGINITY BEFORE I WAS 16

63. HAD MY WISDOM TEETH TAKEN OUT

64. KISSED SOMEONE A DIFFERENT RACE THAN MYSELF

65. SNUCK OUT OF THE HOUSE

66. BOUGHT PORN

67. HAD A VIRUS ON MY COMPUTER

68. HAD ORAL SEX

69. DYED MY HAIR

71. GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE

72. WORE SOMEONE ELSE’S CLOTHES

73. VOTED IN AN ELECTION

74. RODE IN AN AMBULANCE

75. RODE IN A HELICOPTER

76. CAUGHT THE STOVE ON FIRE

77. GOT IN A FIGHT

78. BEEN ON VACATION

79. BEEN IN AN AIRPLANE

80. BEEN ON A BOAT

81. HAD SURGERY

82. BEAT A VIDEO GAME

83. FOUND SOMETHING VALUABLE ON THE GROUND

84. MADE A SURVEY

85. STALKED SOMEONE ON FACEBOOK/MYSPACE

86. PRANK CALLED SOMEONE

87. BEEN TO A LIBRARY OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL

88. SPENT OVER $100 SHOPPING IN ONE DAY

89. CUT YOUR HAIR AND HATED IT

90. PEED OUTSIDE

91. WENT FISHING

92. HELPED WITH CHARITY

93. TAKEN A PREGNANCY TEST

95. BEEN REJECTED BY A CRUSH

96. BEEN SUSPENDED FROM SCHOOL

97. BROKEN A MIRROR

98. FAKED SICK FROM SCHOOL

99. OWNED A PET

100. BEEN TO SIX FLAGS

[doomednarrative]

My bestie @catgirladjacent tagged me in a little "20 questions for fic writers" ask game so :3

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

12 currently

2. What is your AO3 wordcount?

29,178. I mostly write one shots lol

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Currently I have on my ao3 published fics for FFXIV, Pathologic, Resident Evil, Borderlands and Gotham Rogues. I don't really actively write for any of those except FFXIV and Resident Evil these days however, along with various Kamen Rider shows and some BG3 stuff.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

God this is gonna make me cringe cause it's all older stuff I don't like as much anymore lol except for the RE ones

Help Me, Heal Me - 191 kudos

I Think She Knew Everything You Are - 196 kudos (nice)

He Always Held Him When He Cried - 98 kudos

No Sleep - 93 kudos

You Are Yourself - 77 kudos

5. Do you respond to comments?

Usually yeah. I rarely get them so it's nice to see when people do actually leave them

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Surprisingly as much as I Love writing angst, none of my published fics actually really end on an angsty note. The closest would have to be "Doing Your Best (And Still Failing)" because it was written about my WoL A'cera after losing his first fight with Zenos during Stormblood, so it's a bunch of his raw emotions from the encounter.

7. What is the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Probably "Just Exhale", which is my personal take on the end of the MSQ for Endwalker with my WoL Alyx after they land back in the Ragnarok following the encounter with Meteion.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Nope, never have

9. Do you write smut? If so, which kind?

Only in my rp's with Tibby lol, or Occasionally something that won't ever get published that's just for myself. Usually it's oc/canon stuff that's just self indulgent for the sake of it ~

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest crossover you’ve ever written?

No lol it takes a Lot for me to enjoy crossovers unless it concerns toku stuff since those actually happen in canon

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Nope

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Not that I know of

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Hmm sort of? I hash out ideas with friends sometimes but I do all the actual writing for anything I publish myself

14. What’s your all-time favorite ship?

If we wanna go solely by what I've actually Published? Hades/Hythlodaeus/Azem or Wol, I really like writing my personally FFXIV stuff when I'm in the mood. If we wanna go off of unfinished wips by number tho? Hoffstrahm and Chreon by a fuckin mile, those two fucked my brain up for long spans of time

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

There's a few honestly:

"Kiss me baby with your hapsburg lip," one of my many Hoffstrahm wips in my au verse shared with Tibby about Peter having to sew up Mark's face after the bear trap incident, only in this au it's much more comedy than horror

I have at least 5 different Hellhopper fics in my drafts, I would like to finish ONE of them at least someday

My fuckin multichapter Hotline Miami BikerJacket fic aughhh. I havent given up hope with it for how much of it I actually do have plotted out but god it'd take so long to write

I have a whole little various connected one shot series I was working on as a fix it series to the OOO 10th vcine, would love to finish them but I would have to rewatch OOO to pick the character voice back up for it

16. What are your writing strengths?

Dialogue, it's the thing everyone always points out to me that they enjoy in my writing and it's usually always the starting point for my fics

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Prose lol. I struggle so hard sometimes with connecting scenes and describing whats happening when people aren't actively speaking. I've gotten better at it but it took a lot of conscious effort to learn it

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

I rarely do it, most things I write are in my native language media already, but whenever I do it I usually just italicize it, write it in English and make mention of the language switch in the paragraph somewhere so the reader knows it's happened

19. First fandom you wrote for?

DRAGON BALL Z BABEYYY I'm not ashamed of that I still love DBZ so much. I was so shameless and wrote my own oc to be Vegeta's cousin in one of my first fics and I had fun doing it. They've long since been deleted, not because I Wanted to do so but for other reasons I don't feel like going into rn.

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

"Help Me, Heal Me" by far out of my published ones. It's my most solid out of them and I feel like I really nailed Chris and Leon's dynamic well in it, it's the one I'm most proud of ~

Hrmm let's see, I think I'll tag @silenthillmutual, @lunar-gl1tch, @skajador @adrianicsea and @stickers-on-a-laptop for this one ~

[nerendus]

Okay, under the button since it's like almost two hundred movies, but I want to start making some progress on watching these films, but despite it being two hundred, my brain says that it is still a small list, so I am once again looking for more movie recs. 🙇

1. Requiem for a Dream

2. Pacific Rim

3. War Games

4. Sharp Objects (2018) dir. Jean-Marc Vallée

5. Les soeurs Brontë (1979)  

6. Crimes of the Future

7. Videodrome

8. Jackass

9. Novitiate (2017)

10. The Sons of Katie Elder

11. El Dorado

12. Raw Deal

13. The Running Man (arnold)

14. The Mist

15. Black Mountain Side

16. In The Mouth of Madness

17. The Fifth Element

18. The Many Saints of Newark (will watch show first)

19. James Bond series

20. Resident Evil (seven thousandth watch)

21. The Boy and the Heron

22. Moulin Rouge

23. Bill and Ted (second watch)

24. The Day The Earth Stood Still

25. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 

26. Jurassic Park (second watch)

27. Robocop

28. The Perks of Being a Wallflower

29. The Boondock Saints

30. Legally Blonde (second watch)

31. The Fog (second watch)

32. Llamageddon 

33. Hellraiser

34. Candyman

35. Shaun of The Dead (second watch)

36. Scarface

37. The Shawshank Redemption

38. Ghost in The Shell

39. No Country for Old Men

40. Kill Bill series

41. The Wolf of Wall Street

42. Watchmen

43. Lone Wolf and Cub series

44. Last Night in Soho

45. Throne of Blood

46. Fargo

47. Hereditary

48. David Lynch:: The Art Life

49. Wayne's World series

50. I Am Legend (second watch)

51. Grease 

52. Good Will Hunting

53. The VVitch

54. Leatherface

55. Fantastic Planet

56. Blue Velvet

57. Pulp Fiction (second watch)

58. Twister (second watch)

59. Donnie Darko (second watch)

60. Tales from Earthsea

61. The Secret World of Arrietty

62. Late Spring (1949)

63. From Up on Poppy Hill

64. Rashomon

65. Intermezzo

66. Casablanca

67. When Marnie Was There

68. The Wind Rises

69. The Tale of Princess Kaguya

70. I Married a Witch

71. David Bowie: The Last Five Years

72. Vampyr

73. Kill Boksoon

74. Glass Onion series

75. The Wonder (2022)

76. Hook (1991) (second watch)

77. Time Trap

78. The Yin Yang Master

79. Hold The Dark

80. All Quiet on the Western Front

81. The Cloverfield Paradox

82. Reservoir Dogs

83. Spider-man (2002)

84. The Karate Kid series

85. Unknown Cosmic Time Machine

86. The Good Nurse (2022)

87. What Did Jack Do?

88. Banyuki

89. Amina (2021)

90. The Colony (2021)

91. Cities of Last Things

92. The Metamorphosis of Birds

93. The Mirror (andrei)

94. Andrei Rublev

95. Nostalgia (andrei)

96. The Sacrifice (andrei)

97. Ivan's Childhood (andrei)

98. The Steamroller and Violin (andrei)

99. Sunset Blvd (1950)

100. Ikiru (1952)

101. Seven Samurai (1954)

102. Citizen Kane

103. Dr. Strangelove

104. La La Land (2016)

105. Noriko's Dinner Table

106. The Godfather

107. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

108. The Good The Bad The Ugly

109. Mad Max Fury Road

110. Goodfellas

111. Indiana Jones series

112. Fight Club

113. Galaxy Quest

114. Dunkirk

115. Groundhog Day

116. Star Trek movies

117. Full Metal Jacket

118. Pink Floyd: The Wall

119. Naked Lunch

120. The Iron Giant

121. Chinatown (1974)

122. Minority Report

123. Velvet Goldmine

124. Dogma

125. To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newma

126. The Prestige

127. Annie Hall

128. Taxi Driver

129. Dead Poets Society

130. The Matrix

131. The Green Mile

132. Django Unchained

133. Your Name

134. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

135. Inland Empire

136. The Elephant Man

137. Lost Highway

138. Woman in the Dunes

139. Meshes of an Afternoon

140. Tokyo  Decadence 

141. Limbo (1999)

142. Maps to the Stars

143. The Machinist

144. Under the Silver Lake

145. The Northman

146. Kingdom of Heaven

147. The Grand Budapest Hotel

148. The Revenant (alejandro)

149. A Clockwork Orange

150. Incendies

151. Apocalypse Now

152. Knight of Cups

153. Once Upon a Time in America

154. Valhalla Rising

155. Inception

156. Interview with a Vampire

157. But I'm a Cheerleader

158. Angels in America

159. Pan's Labyrinth 

160. Clue

161. Asteroid City

162. Anastasia

163. Jo jo rabbit

164. Fantastic Mr. Fox

165. Rambo

166. Mission Impossible 

167. Suspiria

168. Jarhead

169. Macbeth

170. Mishima: A Life In Four Chapters 

171. Visions of Ecstasy

172. The Handmaiden (2016)

173. The Fly (cronenberg)

174. Dead Ringers

175. Tenet

176. Sicario

177. Vanishing on 7th Street

178. Invasion of the Body Snatchers

179. Gladiator

180. Once Upon a Time in the West

181. Children of the Corn

182. The Revenant 2016

183. Transformers series

184. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

185. Gaslight (1944)

186. The Road

187. Vesper

188. The Hills Have Eyes

189. Tentacles

190. Die Hard series 

191. Freddy Got Fingered

192. The Day After Tomorrow 

193. The Song of the Scarlet Flower (Teuvo Tulio, 1938)

194. Jane Eyre

195. Northanger Abbey (2007) 

196. Lady Chatterley`s Lover (2015)

197. LA COLLECTIONNEUSE (1967) dir. Éric Rohmer

198. The Lion In Winter

[lilli-sturmreiter]

in the 90s, even southern tennessee used to get snow every year, enough that we usually got at least a week off school at some point around january. in something like 93 there was a blizzard bad enough that there were drifts so high it shut the city down for three days, and even after it was calm enough to reopen the streets in our neighborhood weren't clear, so we had to walk like a mile and a half to a grocery store (i would have been 8 and my brother 5 at the time, so this was particularly rough for our mother).

now we *maybe* get three or four inches total, if anything. not at once. for the entire year. lucky if there's enough to actually stick to the ground, much less cover the grass.

The lyrics "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas, just like the ones I used to know" hit differently in the age of climate change

[surveys-of-a-fatgirl]

16.

What what applies

1) I have green eyes.

2) I come from a rich family.

3) I have a Deadjournal.

4) I know how to operate a vehicle correctly.

5) I have been in more than 2 car accidents in the past 12 months.

6) I have a motorcycle permit or license.

7) My father is over 50.

8) I have a boyfriend/girlfriend.

9) I listen to rap music.

10) I’ve never done anything I say I really regret.

11) I cheated on one of my exes and they don’t know about it to this day.

12) I slept in a bathroom once.

13) My favorite color is neon orange.

14) My school colors were red and white. 

15) I wish I knew my mother better.

16) I look older than I really am. 

17) I am a Scorpio.

18) I detest spiders with every fiber of my being.

19) I am pro-choice.

20) I consider myself to be an intelligent person.

21) I was alive in 1989.

22) I have a broken heart.

23) I remember a lot about my first love.

24) I will die and bring no secrets to my grave.

25) I hate driving on ice or in snow.

26) I am Japanese.

27) I speak a language most people don’t understand. 

28) My vision is perfect.

29) My favorite band is From First To Last.

30) I am left-handed.

31) My favorite drink is Mountain Dew.

32) I am a Grammar Nazi and I am proud of it.

33) I don’t have a twitter. And I’m cool with that.

34) I am single.

35) I am pretty personable. 

36) I let moodiness take over sometimes.

37) My mother is well taken care of.

38) My father makes more money than my mother does.

39) I play the lottery

40) I only like dark chocolate.

41) I have eaten already today.

42) I want to conquer the world and rename it something else.

43) I am a virgin.

44) My favorite animal would not make a good pet. 

45) I often contemplate throwing my computer out the window. 

46) I have a distaste for anything made with cheese.

47) I am hispanic.

48) I hate chores.

49) I am a neat freak.

50) My hair is brown

51) I am short.

52) I am afraid of dying.

53) I love someone very dearly and would give my life for them.

54) My email is not hotmail, yahoo, or aol.

55) I have been seriously depressed in the past.

56) I have had the Chicken Pox 

57) I enjoy reading the newspaper.

58) I like online shopping better than going to the mall or to the store. 

59) My place of work is less than 20 miles from my home.

60) I have social anxiety.

61) I’m lazy.

62) I am too nice for my own good.

63) I really should be doing something else.

64) I like to debate.

65) I enjoy/enjoyed high school.

66) I think that I am nice-looking or sexually desireable.

67) I clean my room at least once a month.

68) I’ve lived in an apartment.

69) I like the city more than the country.

70) I listen to country music.

71) I am listening to music right now.

72) I’ve been to a rock concert. 

73) I like listening to wind chimes.

74) I have been skinny dipping before.

75) I wanted to be a super hero when I was little.

76) I remember being born. 

77) I don’t trust politicians.

78) My hair has been dyed in the past year.

79) I have more than 2 piercings.

80) I am female.

81) I love being different.

82) I’m incredibly sarcastic.

83) I like to play videogames. 

84) I am lactose intolerant. 

85) I keep a journal.

86) I’m sensitive.

87) I cry more than most people think I do.

88) My favorite movie genre is Comedy. 

89) I have sang in public before.

90) I enjoy dancing.

91) I’ve gone clubbing with friends.

92) I am 18 or older.

93) I have never tried to do a cartwheel.

94) My dad made me a treehouse when I was younger.

95) My mother drives a truck.

96) I wanted to be a lawyer when I was younger.

97) I watch CSI.

98) I want to dye my hair an unnatural color.

99) I have wasted more than 5 minutes on this survey.

100) I watch football on Sundays.

[marsoffmute]

TO LISTEN LIST ♡

albums i will listen to !

send recommendations in my asks

1. gnx- kendrick lamar

2. sharpen your teeth- ugly casanova

3. andromeda- linus

4. whenever, if ever- twiabpaianlatd

5. what a devastating turn of events- rachel chinouriri

6. nothing feels real- bleach lab

7. radio retaliation- thievery corporation

8. dragon new warm mountain i believe in you- big thief

9. idlewild- everything but the girl

10. the early four track recordings- of montreal

11. three cheers for sweet revenge- my chemical romance

12. stratosphere- duster

13. k’s tape- jamie turner

14. agony- take care

15. best buds- mom jeans

16. boyhood- birth day

17. trick- alex g

18. death consciousness- have a nice life

19. the now and never- what is your name

20. summer death- marrietta

21. sports- mobo

22. blue lines- massive attack

23. koln concert- keith jarrett

24. dimanche à bamako- amadou et mariam

25. the miseducation of Lauryn hill - lauryn hill

26. for lovers- lamp

27. fireworks and rollerblades by benson boone

28. human- rag’n’bone man

29. ye vagabonds - nine waves

30. neil young - harvest

31. dolly parton - jolene

32. youssou ndour - set

33. chet baker - chet baker sings

34. cowboy junkies - the trinity sessions

35. mark lanegan - field songs

36. portishead - dummy

37. afro cuban all stars - a todo cuba le gusta

38. my beautiful dark twisted fantasy- kanye

39. momento,- dinos

40. kind of blue- miles davis

41. the doors- the doors

42. the diary of alicia keys- alicia keys

43. mr freedom- gabin

44. william onyeabor- william onyeabor

45. black classical music- yussef dayes

46. love and hate- michael kiwanuka

47. good kid, maad city- kendrick lamar

48. the score- the fugees

49. get rich or die trying- 50 cent

50. all eyez on me- 2pac

51. unreal unearthed- hozier

52. do little-pixies

53. blue lips - jpeg mafia

54. illmatic - nas

55. WANTINGWANTINGWANTING- deity of chaos

56. title fight- shed

57. persona- half-life

58. 4eva is a mighty long time- big krit

59. this could be texas- english school teacher

60. the stranger- billy joel

61. part one- the west coast pop experimental band

62. manc- skullthepierre

63. to forget- wishing

64. either/or- elliot smith

65. from a basement on the hill-elliot smith

66. songs of leonard cohen- leonard cohen

67. hurting- sign crushes motorists

68. cinema- the marias

69. days before rodeo- travis scott

70. welcome- slaughter beach, dog

71. when the pawn…- fiona apple

72. any other city- life without buildings

73. tear jerky- sparkly deathcap

74. stick season- noah kahan

75. no place like home- vacations

76. power andre 99- silica gel

77. desire- bob dylan

78. rumours- fleetwood mac

79. fine art- kneecap

80. perverts- ethel cain

81. gemini rights- steve lacy

82. complete recordings- the liverbirds

83. in the aeroplane over the sea- neutral milk hotel

84. intercontinental- joe pass

85. we’re all down the rabbit hole- the last whole earth catalog

86. harmony of difference- kamasi washington

87. cardinal- pinegrove

88. no thank you- little simz

89. lord of the rings soundtrack- howard shore

90. stone roses- stone roses

91. help!- beatles

92. making movies- dire straits

93. square 1- blackpink

94. for those which wish to exist- architect

95. the part where i become a ghost- nicoteens

96. blue suicide- coma cinema

97. koori woman blues- marlene cummins

98. fruit for flies- the army, the navy

99. its a shame about ray- lemonheads

100. into a pretty room- lots of hands

101. are you experienced- jimi hendrix

102. milira- milira

103. open the door- lazy day

[weeklydoseoffeelgoodtunes]

Top 100 of 2024

1. Sabrina Carpenter- Espresso

2. Hozier- Too Sweet

3. Artemas- i like the way you kiss me

4. almost monday- can’t slow down

5. Chappell Roan- HOT TO GO!

6. Dillon Francis & REI AMI- Rainy

7. Teddy Swims- Bad Dreams

8. Mae Muller- Me, Myself, & I

9. Teddy Swims- The Door

10. Declan McKenna- Mulholland’s Dinner & Wine

11. Little Big & bbno$- IT HAPPENS

12. beabadoobee- Beaches

13. Hemlocke Springs- sever the blight

14. WesGhost- BORED

15. Billie Eilish- LUNCH

16. Chappell Roan- Good Luck, Babe

17. BLK ODYSSY- Want You

18. The Marias- Run Your Mouth

19. ROSÉ & Bruno Mars- APT.

20. bludnymph- Deserve Each Other

21. almost monday- she likes sports

22. Washed Out- The Hardest Part

23. Layto & WesGhost- IOU

24. The Beaches- Takes One To Know One

25. FIFTY FIFTY- SOS

26. Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars- Die With A Smile

27. Toro y Moi- Tuesday

28. Quinn XCII- Melt

29. Quavo & Lana Del Rey- Tough

30. Billie Eilish- BIRDS OF A FEATHER

31. Tyla- Water

32. Cage the Elephant- Neon Pill

33. LAUREL- 45 Degrees

34. AWOLNATION- Panoramic View

35. Fat Nick- Alone Again

36. Lyn Lapid & Whethan- Cruise Control

37. Fireboy DML- Oh My

38. twenty one pilots- Routines In The Night

39. Rema- Trouble Maker

40. Ariana Grande- supernatural

41. Kenia OS- Tortura

42. Deorro- Me Caes Muy Bien

43. SASAMI- Slugger

44. Porter Robinson- Cheerleader

45. BEL- Are You Okay?

46. Sabrina Carpenter- Taste

47. bbno$- meant to be

48. Charli XCX- Von Dutch

49. Post Malone- Joy

50. Kendrick Lamar- Not Like Us

51. Danny Ocean- Si no no

52. Kungs, David Guetta, Izzy Bizu- All Night Long

53. Quinn XCII- Close Calls

54. Galantis & Hannah Boleyn- Little Bit Yours

55. Astrid S- First To Go

56. Cage the Elephant- Rainbow

57. SOFI TUKKER- Spiral

58. Zolita- Small Town Scandal

59. Fred again.., Anderson .Paak, CHIKA- places to be

60. Balu Brigada- So Cold

61. Blaqbonez- Emeka Dance

62. Rauw Alejandro & Mr. NaisGai- PASAPORTE

63. Charli XCX- 360

64. Zedd & Bava- No Gravity

65. Omar Apollo- Spite

66. Layto- HURT

67. Green Day- Dilemma

68. Wallows- Calling After Me

69. Myles Smith- Solo

70. Barns Courtney- Young In America

71. Zerb, The Chainsmokers, Ink- Addicted

72. XG- SOMETHING AIN’T RIGHT

73. Shaboozey- A Bar Song

74. Tommy Richman- MILLION DOLLAR BABY

75. Ice Spice- Think U The Shit

76. Milky Chance- Feeling For You

77. Vintage Culture & NoMBe- Pleasure Chasers

78. Suki Waterhouse- Supersad

79. Galantis & Neon Trees- Dreamteam

80. Fred again.. & Baby Keem- leave me alone

81. Koe Wetzel- Casamigos

82. RÜFÜS DU SOL- Levitating

83. HUGEL, Topic, Arash, Daecolm- I Adore You

84. The Moss- The Place That Makes Me Happy

85. Gwen Stefani & Blake Shelton- Purple Irises

86. Beach Weather- High In Low Places

87. SAINt JHN- Circles

88. BENEE- Sad Boiii

89. Asake- Uhh Yeahh

90. Stephen Dawes- Want Me

91. Blake Shelton- Texas

92. ENHYPEN- Sweet Venom

93. Sigala, Trevor Daniel, 24kGoldn- It’s a Feeling

94. Playboi Carti & Travis Scott- BACKR00MS

95. Kali Uchis & Peso Pluma- Igual Que Un Ángel

96. Mau y Ricky- Pasado Mañana

97. METTE- BET

98. Nicky Youre- Mile Away

99. Lil Uzi Vert- Chill Bae

100. Pale Waves- Kiss Me Again

[shculley]

Top Albums of 2024

100. Helado Negro - Phasor

99. Geordie Greep - The New Sound

98. Horse Jumper of Love - Disaster Trick

97. MGMT - Loss of Life

96. Ekko Astral - Pink Balloons

95. Iron & Wine - Light Verse

94. Phosphorescent - Revelator

93. Kelly Lee Owens - Dreamstate

92. Porridge Radio - Clouds In the Sky They Will Always Be There For Me

91. Christopher Owens - I Wanna Run Barefoot Through Your Hair

90. Laura Marling - Patterns in Repeat

89. Cloud Nothings - Final Summer

88. Wild Pink - Dulling the Horns

87. Fred Thomas - Window in the Rhythm

86. The Decemberists - As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again

85. Lightning Bug - No Paradise

84. Julia Holter - Something in the Room She Moves

83. Friko - Where we've been, Where we go from here

82. Shannon & The Clams - The Moon Is In the Wrong Place

81. Metz - Up on Gravity Hill

80. Chanel Beads - Your Day Will Come

79. Ty Segall - Three Bells

78. Bright Eyes - Five Dice, All Threes

77. of Montreal - Lady on the Cusp

76. glass beach - Plastic Death

75. This Is Lorelei - Box for Buddy, Box for Star

74. Omni - Souvenir

73. Babehoven - Water's Here in You

72. Dehd - Poetry

71. 2nd Grade - Scheduled Explosions

70. Jon Hopkins - RITUAL

69. Rosali - Bite Down

68. Ducks Ltd - Harm's Way

67. Nap Eyes - The Neon Gate

66. Oso Oso - Life Till Bones

65. Duster - In Dreams

64. Nilufer Yanya - My Method Actor

63. The Chisel - What a Fucking Nightmare

62. Molchat Doma - Belaya Polosa

61. Clinic Stars - Only Hinting

60. Chain Cult - Harm Reduction

59. Hovvdy - Hovvdy

58. The Cure - Songs of a Lost World

57. Drug Church - Prude

56. Magdalena Bay - Imaginal Disk

55. Joe Goddard - Harmonics

54. Font - Strange Burden

53. Floating Points - Cascade

52. Waxahatchee - Tiger's Blood

51. SPRINTS - Letter to Self

50. Godspeed You! Black Emperor - No Title as of 13 February 2024 28,340 Dead

49. Mount Eerie - Night Palace

48. Future Islands - People Who Aren't There Anymore

47. Chubby and the Gang - And Then There Was...

46. DIIV - Frog In Boiling Water

45. Split System - Vol . 2 LP

44. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Flight b741

43. Cassandra Jenkins - My Light, My Destroyer

42. The Smile - Wall of Eyes

41. Camera Obscura - Look to the East, Look to the West

40. Adrianne Lenker - Bright Future

39. Foxing - Foxing

38. Corridor - Mimi

37. Hurray for the Riff Raff - The Past Is Still Alive

36. The Bug Club - On the Intricate Inner Workings of the System

35. Still House Plants - If I Don't Make It, I Love U

34. Peel Dream Magazine - Rose Main Reading Room

33. Meatbodies - Flora Ocean Tiger Bloom

32. IDLES - Tangk

31. TR/ST - Performance

30. The Voidz - Like All Before You

29. Advance Base - Horrible Occurences

28. Jack White - No Name

27. Wishy - Triple Seven

26. Mannequin Pussy - I Got Heaven

25. High Vis - Guided Tour

24. The Smile - Cutouts

23. Thee Oh Sees - Sorcs 80

22. SLIFT - Ilion

21. Cold Cave - Passion Depression

20. Crack Cloud - Red Mile

19. Father John Misty - Mahashmashana

18. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Wild God

17. Midwife - No Depression In Heaven

16. Cold Gawd - I'll Drown On This Earth

15. Adult Jazz - So Sorry So Slow

14. Jamie xx - ln Waves

13. Four Tet - Three

12. Vampire Weekend - Only God Was Above Us

11. Jessica Pratt - Here in the Pitch

10. Fontaines D.C. - Romance

9. Caribou - Honey

8. Mount Kimbie - The Sunset Violent

7. Bonny Light Horseman - Keep Me on Your Mind / See You Free

6. English Teacher - This Could Be Texas

5. The Goalie's Anxiety at the Penalty Kick - The Iliad and the Goalie's Anxiety at the Penalty Kick

4. MJ Lenderman - Manning Fireworks

3. Blue Bendy - So Medieval

2. Mk.gee - Two Star & The Dream Police

1. Cindy Lee - Diamond Jubilee

[beefwords]

Towers

Jason Sanderson is an unobtrusive man. He lives alone in his apartment in Tower 252, on the 5th floor. He has a cat. He has a suit and tie. He has light brown hair he knows is thinning. He has dark brown eyes he wishes didn’t need glasses to see. He has a light smattering of freckles that he hates with a passion, on white skin he thinks is either too clammy or too dry. He has a mole on his calf that he ignores in the hopes it is not cancerous. He is fat, and quite embarrassed about it.

He is one of at least 5000 residents in Tower 252… give or take a hundred or so. The top stories are mostly work spaces, stores, and other such things. And there are apartments with more than one person in it. He figures it still rounds out to about 5000 residents either way.

The Towers are all 100 stories tall, with 50 apartments (give or take) per story. There are 8 industrial elevators per tower, each having a designated route of floors that they stop at and timetables for when they stop, with overlap between their routes. The elevators are constantly running, automated beasts determined in their climbs to deliver people to their destinations. There are 8 sets of stairs that only the desperate use. Jason is lucky– he works from home, unless he is needed in person for a meeting or particularly nasty problem on floor 93, where the company is located. He prefers it this way. He doesn’t think his coworkers or neighbors particularly like him, and he’d prefer neutrality to hate.

His mother lives on floor 10, alone. She works at the call center for the same company he does. He visits once a week on Saturdays for dinner. He despises Saturdays. But he loves his mom, or he tells himself he does. It would be rude if he didn’t. She makes a lovely green bean casserole, anyway.

Jason Sanderson is a creature of habit. He wakes at 6 am for a simple breakfast of coffee and toast, feeds his cat, showers at 6:30 am, dresses, brushes his teeth, and is ready for work by 7 am. He works from 7 am till 12 pm, where he takes a break for a lunch of a cigarette on the balcony and half of a store bought sandwich (he does his grocery shopping on Saturdays, after meeting his mother) and a small packet of potato chips. At 1 pm he returns to work, and works and works and works until 5 pm, though sometimes he must work until 6 pm or 7 pm depending on how desperate things are in the office. Regardless, at 5 he (usually) will change out of his work clothes into his lounge clothes, watch tv or read a book, and at 6:30 pm he will eat a microwave dinner with a glass of lemonade (diet) and a scoop of vanilla ice cream (non dairy).

And, on rare occasions, after dinner, after most people are winding down for the day, he will walk down five flights of stairs and exit Tower 252. He doesn’t like to make a habit of this. It feels like something that isn’t Allowed. But there’s no one stopping him, no signs saying he can’t leave– in fact, one must exit the building if one wants to take a rare day bus to visit a relative or friend in one of the many other towers dotting the vast expanse of concrete and sky.

Every mile in a grid pattern, a tower stands. They all look the same, save for their identification number printed on every side, every ten floors.

Jason likes to sit at the base of Tower 252, watching the sky darken and the windows of the towers lighten, smoking a cigarette, and wonder if any of the towers are at all different from Tower 252, and if maybe there might be someone else wondering the same thing from their tower, wherever they might be. He wonders if the concrete ever stops beyond the horizon. He wonders where the supply choppers are kept, as they chop across the sky from one tower to another. Is this all the world has to offer? And who maintains the silly looking roads, tiny little perfect lines striping across the featureless gray of the concrete? How long would it take him to walk to Tower 253? How many Towers are there?

On these nights where he ventures outside, he often finds himself panicking at the thought of being locked out, and will return after 15, 20 minutes. He hops on whatever elevator will take him to the 5th floor in the shortest amount of time, and he will return to his apartment, nervous that someone might see or hear him and ask what he is doing, but no one ever does. Sometimes he wishes someone would.

He dresses for bed, brushes his teeth, and crawls under his covers, his cat curling up next to him and purring as he drifts into unconsciousness. He rarely dreams, which he is grateful for.

And then his routine will begin again in the morning.