#Aaron McMahon

[voguesriot]

MASTERLIST & WHO I WRITE FOR…

🔱 i didn’t want to be a halfblood… percy jackson & the olympians

i write for: luke , clarisse , book!percy , book!annabeth , grover , leo , the stroll brothers

SUNBURN ✶ luke castellan social media au

DON’T HURT YOURSELF ✶ luke castellan social media au

NOBODY’S BUSINESS ✶ part two of ‘don’t hurt yourself’, luke castellan social media au

🏴‍☠️ i will be king of the pirates! one piece

i write for: sanji , zoro , luffy , nami , shanks

🕸️ i am the one and only spider-man… spiderverse

i write for: any peter parker variant , miles morales , miguel o’hara , spidergwen

🍷 always check the sleeves! saltburn

i write for: felix , oliver , farleigh , venetia

🎧 no band like the strokes… inhaler

i write for: ryan , josh , elijah , bobby

🎞️ sorry if i forgot to thank anyone, unless you were mean to me, bye! celebrities

i write for: timothée chalamet , jacob elordi , charlie bushnell , dior goodjohn , alex turner , archie madekwe , harry styles , reneé rapp , gene gallagher , aaron taylor johnson

🏎️ it’s just an inchident… formula one

i write for: charles , max , carlos , oscar , logan , lando , daniel , mick , jenson

[rocktoberr]

2024 Rockies as text posts 2/_

[badmovieihave]

Bad movie I have Edward Scissorhands 1990

[purfectstormzz]

Masterlist 1

(Celebs)

A/n: stories that I’ll write in the future will be added on here

Elijah Hewson

End game

I wanna be yours

Enchanted

Million Dollar Man

Robert Keating

It’s not living, if it’s not with you

Alex Turner

Baby I’m yours

Carlos Sainz Jr

Red (Taylor’s version) (serie)

• I knew you were trouble (part 1)

•The moment I knew (part 2)

• Red (part 3)

• The last time (part 4)

• Begin again (part 5)

Daniel Ricciardo

The Alchemy

Logan Sargeant

We’ll be alright

Bradley Will Simpson

Risk it all

Sebastian Stan

Think I need someone older

My love mine all mine

Who I write for:

F1:

Charles Leclerc

Carlos Sainz Jr

Lando Norris

Lewis Hamilton

Daniel Ricciardo

Logan Sargeant

…

Musician’s

Elijah Hewson

Alex Turner

Harry Styles

Josh Jenkinson

Robert Keating

Ryan Mcmahon

Bradley Will Simpson

…

Actors:

Sebastian Stan

Chris Evans

Timotheé Chalamet

Charlie Gillespie

…

Fictional characters:

Aaron Hotchner

Bucky Barnes

Dean Winchester

Sam Winchester

Dallas Winston

Victor Tan

…

Request are always open!

[queerliblib]

Any recommendations of westerns with queer themes? I want gay cowhands!

Hello! definite western themes in the following - in our collection;

Frontier by Grace Curtis

Upright Women Wanted or River of Teeth by Sarah Gailey

Lucky Red by Claudia Cravens

a few others we don’t have yet but hope to purchase soon;

Riding the Storm by Franci McMahon

Bittersweet by Nevada Barr

His Fresh Start Cowboy by A.M. Arthur (& many more by this author!)

Cowboys of Cade Ranch series by Greta Rose West

All God’s Children by Aaron Gwyn

[mardybummers]

rules & writing list!

hi everyone! i just wanted to post some rules & general guidelines for my blog. i want you all to enjoy my work. if you are ever confused if a certain request is against my rules, don’t be afraid to ask!

navigation pinned wattpad

𖦹 my most recent work; n/a

𖦹 currently working on; london girl, tyler owens.

𖦹 my request box is currently; open.

𖦹 i am partial to writing smut, i can and will deny your request if i think i cannot write it properly or if it’s illegal, non-con, unethical, etc.

𖦹 i do not write anything regarding a physically/ mentally abusive relationship.

𖦹 i do not write ship fics ( character x character. )

𖦹 please do not spam my inbox with your request; i’ll get to it as soon as possible!

i currently write for;

𖦹 she’s got a boyfriend anyway! the 1975

matty healy. george daniel. ross macdonald.

𖦹 i heard the piledriver waltz… arctic monkeys

alex turner. matt helders.

𖦹 i just can’t find my honest face! inhaler

elijah hewson. josh jenkinson. robert keating. ryan mcmahon.

𖦹 it’s murder on the dance floor… saltburn

felix. oliver. farleigh. venetia.

𖦹 ain’t no love in oklahoma! twisters

tyler owens. kate carter. scott. jeb. boone.

𖦹 stay gold, ponyboy… the outsiders

dallas winston. darrel curtis. sodapop curtis. ponyboy curtis.

𖦹 we’re fated to pretend! celebrities

timothée chalamet. jacob elordi. jack schlossberg. harry styles. gene gallagher. john f kennedy jr. aaron taylor johnson. cillian murphy. mike faist. josh o’connor. john f kennedy. bobby kennedy.

thank you all again, lots of love! 💋

© mardybummers (2024—) all rights reserved.

[always-rolling-my-eyes]

I’ve been thinking about it and there honestly needs to be a season of Feud about all the behind the scenes drama of Charmed

I mean, look at this mess:

-Aaron Spelling hiring Shannon Doherty just a few years after firing her from 90210

-Alyssa Milano vs. Shannon and Alyssa getting Shannon fired

-Alyssa dating Brian Krause and Shannon dating Julian McMahon while all this was happening

And it didn’t stop after the show ended. We also got:

-Alyssa vs. Rose McGowan

-Holly Marie Combs flip-flopping every other damn day

-The original cast and writers starting public beef with the reboot cast and writers

I mean, the material writes itself. The show ended almost two decades ago and they’re still bitching about each other on podcasts and panels

Someone call Ryan Murphy because I really need this to happen. It would be horrible for women, but amazing for me

[firstdegreefangirl]

I'm gonna be greedy and ask for your #4, your number 16, your #64 and your #98!

PLEASE be greedy, I love talking about my playlists!

4: Aaron Burr, Sir from Hamilton: Listen, this one was kind of a cheat, because it's the first song alphabetically in my music library. So any time I get in the car that I'm not already on a call or listening to something else, it plays automatically until I reach over and turn it off. I did not listen to this song as many times as Apple Music thinks I did.

16: Smoke & Ribbons by Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness: I just really REALLY like this song. My favorite lyric, without a doubt, is hey now, it's all forgiven, good luck and bad decisions. I toyed with a couple of fic titles, but so far nothing has stuck yet. Maybe soon?

64: Love and Great Buildings by Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness: Zombies on Broadway is my favorite AMM album, first of all. It's gotten lots of play time since I was in college, and I come back to this song in particular a LOT (obviously, since it's on my top 100, lol). I really did think I'd used it for a title in something, but it's not coming up on my ao3 so I guess not? Either way, I play it a lot while I'm in the kitchen at work because it's got a good beat for cooking to.

98: Snapback by Home Free: I'm honestly surprised this one made the top 100, because I only discovered it a month or so ago? But Snapback has long been one of my favorite Old Dominion songs, and then I found this great a cappella country group and they made it BETTER!

Drop me a number 1-100 and I'll tell you what song it is, and why I like it/why I think it's on my Replay/Wrapped!

[asian-heart-92]

A Real American Hero fancast (part 21)

Rupert Grint as Tormod S. Skoog/Tripwire

Oscar Isaac as Gabriel A. Kelly/Barbecue

Armie Hammer as Aaron McMahon/Ambush

Eric Winter as Gregory B. Boyajian/Slip-Stream

Tom Hardy as Copperhead

Stanislav Ianevski as Cliff V. Mewett/Airwave

Robert Pattinson as Edward O. Jones/Altitude

Paul Giamatti as Robert D. Owens/Major Altitude

Lateef Crowder as Shadow Tracker and Asa Negra

Ki Hong Lee as Ian M. Costello/Avalanche

[deesarrachi]

tagged by @transfemtunachan

“Put your playlist on shuffle and post the first ten songs, then tag ten people. No skipping!”

I'm gonna pull out my handy dandy car-aoke playlist for this one:

Flowers - Hadestown OBC

2. If I Didn't Care - Amy Adams & Lee Pace

3. Love and Great Buildings - Andrew McMahon

4. Take Me Or Leave Me - Aaron Tveit and Gavin Creel (from Miscast)

5. Gives You Hell - All American Rejects

6. Ja-Burr - Leslie Odom Jr (Digital Ham4Ham back in 2016)

7. If It's True - Hadestown OBC

8. One Song Glory - Aaron Tveit as Roger

9. Love Will Tear Us Apart - Fall Out Boy cover

10. Hands Clean - Alanis Morissette

I continue to be very bad at tagging people for these! And ten is a lot of people! If this sparks joy and you wish I had tagged you, then I tagged you in spirit.

[somedayistodayoth]

oth character chart

Jude Baker || FC: Thomas Doherty || Age: 24 || Producer @ Small Independent Company in Tree Hill

Bethany Mikhailov || FC: Greta Onieogou || Age: 25 || Unemployed

Lily Roe Scott || FC: Shelly Hennig || Age: 26 || Entrepreneur  

Benny Augustus || FC: Jacob Elordi || Age: 29 || NHL Professional Hockey Player

Nick Laurent || FC: Lucas Bravo || Age:33  || Author 

Logan Evans || FC: Nick Robinson || Age: 28 || Medical School  

Chuck Scolnik || FC: Aaron Taylor Johnson || Age: 28 || Tattoo Artist 

Kennedy Reese || FC: Crystal Reed || Age: 31 || Lawyer

Stephanie  Walker || FC: Antonia Gentry || Age: 23 || Crime Scene Technician @ Tree Hill PD

Alexander McMahon || FC: Gavin Caselegno || Age: 24 || Engineer @ Boeing 

Hyacinth Marshall || FC: Danielle Campbell  || Age: 24 || Socialite/Model  

Gabriel Martinez || FC: Taylor Zakhar Perez  || Age: 29 || Pilot

Sebastian Levy || FC: Nicholas Galitzine || Age: 24 || Finance 

Adrienne Hunter || FC: Meghann Fahy || Age: 29 || Social Media Content Manager @ Thud Magazine

Dylan Montgomery || FC: Adelaide Kane  || Age: 26 || Pediatric Nurse @ Tree Hill GH

Jacob Lee || FC: Byeon Woo-seok  || Age: 28 || Sports Physician

[imaginyimagines]

Sleeping with A Friend -- Ch. 1

This is another AU story that I have been working on for the last month or two, it's about my main OC Sabrina McMahon, semi-retired professional wrestler and now football coach and personality on the Pat McAfee Show. She has a playful and somewhat flirtatious banter with regular weekly guest, NFL superstar Aaron Rodgers. They get along just fine on the show, but in person it could take another turn entirely.

Chapter 1

Today, it was an unusually full studio at the Pat McAfee Show. And well, it still felt surreal to Rina as she walked in to get settled for the day's show. A couch on the right-hand side of the desk was Pat's, where Rina's station was usually set up. Today, she will be joined by both Aaron Rodgers and AJ Hawk, who typically participate via video. Setting her bag down on the floor and out of frame, the former Green Bay Packers teammates and friends entered the studio space. Before she could claim an end seat, both Aaron and AJ sat down on either end of the couch. Rina must've made an audible noise of annoyance because Aaron commented: 

"Ooh, now Rina has to sit next to me; sorry bout that." 

"Why are you sorry?" AJ asked since both he and Rina needed clarification about that. 

"She hates me," the longtime quarterback said with a wide grin. 

"I do not," Rina disagreed emphatically, dropping her purse to the ground. Rina straightened up, hands on her hips, clearly taken aback by Aaron's bold statement. She gave him a mock glare as she walked over to the couch. "Hate is a strong word," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I would just... prefer not to sit next to you."

Aaron's grin only widened, clearly enjoying the playful tension. "Uh-huh. Right. So, you're just choosing to sit next to me because?"

Rina shot him a look as she plopped down next to him. "Because I have no other choice."

AJ leaned back, shaking his head with a laugh. "The tension's palpable. I'm starting to feel like I'm in the middle of something here."

Rina rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress a smile. "You guys are ridiculous." She shifted slightly on the couch, ensuring an exaggerated gap between her and Aaron. "I'll have you know; I don't hate you. I just don't like you very much."

Aaron leaned in, pretending to take offense, but his smirk never left. "Ouch. Don't like me very much? That stings, Rina." He dramatically touched his heart as if her words had truly wounded him.

AJ, always eager to fan the flames, chimed in. "Yeah, man, that's cold. You're going to take that?" He turned to Rina, giving her an exaggerated look of concern. "You breakin' his heart like that?"

Rina, clearly enjoying the banter, shot AJ a pointed look. "I'm just being honest. There's no love lost here."

Aaron raised an eyebrow, leaning closer to her. "No love, huh?" He glanced at AJ, then back at Rina. "I think you're just playing hard to get."

Rina shook her head with a laugh. "Yeah, that's it. You've figured me out."

Aaron chuckled, leaning back as if pleased with his cleverness. "I knew it! Rina, you're waiting for me to make the first move."

AJ jumped in, clearly loving this angle. "Oh, this is juicy! Should we start taking bets on how long it takes for Rina to crack?"

Rina crossed her arms, trying to look unfazed. "You both are ridiculous. I'm not cracking; I'm just here to do my job."

AJ was practically cackling now. "Man, this is like watching a rom-com," he said, mocking the overdramatic dialogue with a high-pitched voice. "Will Rina finally realize that deep down, she's in love with Aaron? Stay tuned, folks."

Rina groaned, but she was fighting a grin. "Please. This whole conversation is ridiculous. I do not hate you, Aaron."

"Sure, you don't," Aaron teased, leaning back with a mock-serious expression. "I can sense the disdain radiating off you already." Rina rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress a smile. 

"It's not disdain; it's just that I have to deal with your antics in person now." AJ laughed, shaking his head. 

"You have no idea what you're in for. Aaron is way worse live than on screen."

"Hey!" Aaron feigned offense, touching his chest. "I'm a joy to be around."

"Joy, huh? Is that what you call it?" Rina shot back, settling into her seat beside him. "I'll need an extra coffee just to keep up."

"Good idea," AJ chimed in. "You might need a whole pot to survive today."

"See? I'm not the only one who thinks you're a handful," Rina said, smirking at Aaron.

Annoyed or not, it kept bothering Rina that Aaron thought that she hated him. Indeed, there were people she didn't like and a few that bordered on hatred, but Aaron wasn't in that group. They disagreed on many topics and, therefore, argued/debated passionately. As she listened to the top news coverage, she watched Boston Connor holding up his whiteboard to show Pat a specific point. This gave her an idea, so she pulled her iPhone from the pocket of her jeans and opened up a new text message.

From: Rina To: Aaron Msg: What can I do to show you I don't hate you?

Like back in college, Rina attempted to act like she wasn't texting someone sitting beside her. But she couldn't help herself and peeked over at Aaron as he retrieved his phone to read her message. A grin appeared on his face as he typed out his reply. Soon enough, the phone in Rina's hand vibrated, letting her know the message had been delivered.

Rina held her breath, curious about Aaron's response. He looked over at her, still grinning, and typed back quickly.

From: Aaron To: Rina Msg: How about you admit I'm the most charming guy in the room?

She couldn't help but laugh at his over-the-top reply. Rina typed back just as quickly, a smirk on her face.

From: Rina To: Aaron Msg: Not happening. I might concede that you have a certain… charisma, but charming? Please.

Aaron pretended to be offended, dramatically clutching his heart. "Ouch! That hurts, Rina," he said loud enough for the cameras to catch.

AJ, catching onto their exchange, chimed in, "I think Rina's just scared to admit she likes you, Aaron."

Rina shot AJ a playful glare. "I'm not scared; I just have standards."

Aaron leaned in closer, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "You know, I can work on that. Just give me some time."

Rina rolled her eyes, but a smile betrayed her amusement. She typed again.

From: Rina To: Aaron Msg: How about you focus on being less annoying today?

He laughed, shaking his head.

From: Aaron To: Rina Msg: No promises. But I'll try to keep the charm levels up.

Rina couldn't help but smile, realizing the playful tension between them wasn't as one-sided as she thought. She felt more at ease as the show progressed, ready to keep up with whatever antics he had planned.

From: Rina To: Aaron Msg: Last chance for requests to show you that I don't hate you.

Rina sent one last message before she would let it be when she got another response from Aaron.

[baseballreport]

American League Starters: C Adley Rutschman, Orioles 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays 2B Jose Altuve, Astros SS Gunnar Henderson, Orioles 3B José Ramírez, Guardians OF Aaron Judge, Yankees OF Steven Kwan, Guardians OF Juan Soto, Yankees DH Yordan Alvarez, Astros American League Reserves: SS Carlos Correa, Twins 3B Rafael Devers, Red Sox OF Jarren Duran, Red Sox UTL David Fry, Guardians OF Riley Greene, Tigers 1B Josh Naylor, Guardians 3B Isaac Parades,  Rays C Salvador Perez, Royals 2B Marcus Semien, Rangers SS Bobby Witt Jr., Royals OF Kyle Tucker, Astros American League Pitchers: Tyler Anderson, Angels Corbin Burnes, Orioles Emmanuel Clase, Guardians Garrett Crochet, White Sox Logan Gilbert, Mariners Clay Holmes, Yankees Tanner Houck, Red Sox Seth Lugo, Royals Mason Miller, A's Cole Ragans, Royals Tarik Skubal, Tigers Kirby Yates, Rangers National League Starters: C William Contreras, Brewers 1B Bryce Harper, Phillies 2B Ketel Marte, Diamondbacks SS Trea Turner, Phillies 3B Alex Bohm, Phillies OF Jurickson Profar, Padres OF Fernando Tatis Jr., Padres (injured) OF Christian Yelich, Brewers DH Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers National League Reserves: SS CJ Abrams, Nationals 1B Pete Alonso, Mets 1B Luis Arraez, Padres SS Mookie Betts, Dodgers SS Elly De La Cruz, Reds 1B Freddie Freeman, Dodgers OF Teoscar Hernandez, Dodgers 3B Ryan McMahon, Rockies OF Jackson Merrill, Padres DH Marcell Ozuna, Braves OF Heliot Ramos, Giants OF Bryan Reynolds, Pirates C Will Smith, Dodgers National League Pitchers: Tyler Glasnow, Dodgers Ryan Helsley, Cardinals Jeff Hoffman, Phillies Shota Imanaga, Cubs Reynaldo Lopez, Braves Chris Sale, Braves Tanner Scott, Marlins Paul Skenes, Pirates Matt Strahm, Phillies Ranger Suarez, Phillies Robert Suarez, Padres Logan Webb, Giants Zack Wheeler, Phillies

[aaronmaurer]

Music I Liked in 2023

Every year I reflect on the pop culture I enjoyed and put it in some sort of order.

Although I didn’t discover a lot of new artists in 2023, many of my favorites put out new records that I really enjoyed. Rather than forcing them into any sort of order or tiers this year (since that could honestly change day-to-day), the following recommendations are simply presented in alphabetical order by artist. Check them all out!

Or, failing that, here’s a playlist of songs from my top 15(ish) records for your sampling pleasure:

Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness – Tilt At the Wind No More

I’ve found Andrew McMahon’s post-Jack’s Mannequin output to be a little hit-or-miss, but the most recent two albums, this one included, hit in all the right ways. A collection of perfect power pop-punk walls of sound like album-opener “Lying on the Hood of Your Car,” lead single “Stars” and my personal favorite, “Submarine,” that grow on you with each listen and invite sing-alongs at every chorus.

Belle and Sebastian – Late Developers

Less than a year after releasing 2022’s excellent A Bit of Previous, Belle and Sebastian delivered another winning collection of indie confections in Late Developers. From warm blankets of melody like “Give A Little Time” and “The Evening Star” to the chamber pop of “Will I Tell You A Secret” to the synth-rock dynamo “I Don’t Know What You See In Me,” one of the catchiest songs I heard in 2023, the record is proof Stuart Murdoch and Co. still have a lot up their sleeves.

blink-182 – One More Time…

As a fan of 2019’s Nine, I wasn’t convinced that a reunion with Tom DeLonge was essential for blink-182 to make worthwhile music, but I’m still glad the guys could patch things up and get back into the studio together. One More Time… may not be quite as expansive as its predecessor, but it’s a solid addition to the band’s discography with shots of adrenalized pop-punk infused with the experience of age (though not necessarily maturity…).

boygenius – the record & the rest EP

A lot of the 2023 indie rock discourse revolved around the first full-length record from Lucy Dacus, Phoebe Bridgers and Julien Baker’s collaboration, and while I like it quite a bit, I find it doesn’t quite cohere enough to hit the heights of the individual outputs of each artist (or their 2018 EP) for me. That said, when it goes, it really goes — the soaring harmonies of “Not Strong Enough” prove it deserving of every Song of the Year accolade it’s been nominated for, and “Satanist” is a winkingly fun riff-rocker (that is to say, they picked the right two songs to play for their SNL performance this year). The valedictory lap of the rest EP is a less essential, yet nice, treat from a trio of excellent songwriters enjoying a breakthrough year.

Fireworks – Higher Lonely Power

I missed the train on emo stalwarts Fireworks’ early 2010s heyday but got onboard with this new record thanks to a couple podcast and blog recommendations upon its release on New Year’s Day 2023. Call it “Faith Deconstruction: The Album” – an interrogation of American Evangelicalism and rumination on life after it. The opening screamo burst of “God-Approved Insurance Plan” quickly cedes to more melodic and probing tunes like “Megachurch,” “Jerking Off The Sky” and “Blood In The Milk.” The beautifully wistful album closer “How Did It Use To Be So Easy?” may very well be about a romantic breakup, but to my ears, it might be narrated by God themself, assuring the listener that “you could be happy without me:” the ultimate “come to me all you who are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you rest,” when the burden is religion itself.

Foo Fighters – But Here We Are

The Foos’ strongest effort since 2011’s Wasting Light sadly comes in the aftermath of drummer Taylor Hawkins’ death (as well as that of Dave Grohl’s mother). The vibes hearken back to their 90s best, with melodic prowess to match the more hard-rocking moments.

Peter Gabriel – i/o

More than two decades after his last album of original material, Peter Gabriel’s completed i/o arrived in December 2023 (after monthly song drops throughout the year). Worth the wait, the record comes in multiple mixes (I am currently partial to the Bright-Side Mix) and features his uniquely accessible art-rock, blending moody atmospheres with big pop hooks. While Gabriel reflects on the darkness in the world and our technological age, he shares moments of great hope and uplift, none more so than the record’s closing salvo “Live and Let Live,” a gorgeous tribute to peace and unity and those who came before that we can look to for guidance.

Gorillaz – Cracker Island

Gorillaz’s latest record is a very vibe-y affair, awash in hazy, vaporwave-inflected synth grooves without sacrificing any of Damon Albarn’s aptitude for writing indelible hooks. This collection of songs is one I’ve returned to time and time again since its February release.

Great Lake Swimmers – Uncertain Country

The latest collection of indie folk from Toronto’s Great Lake Swimmers has an inviting, communal feel that is easy to get lost in. This is partially attributable to choral accompaniment on a number of songs as well as several snippets of studio banter that bring the record to life, pushing against the isolation of the pandemic era during which it was conceived. The beauty and hope of the songwriting (and its reflections on the natural world) shine a light out of that darkness.

Grouplove – I Want It All Right Now

Another shimmering collection of hook-laden songs find California collective Grouplove firmly in their zone of cathartic sing-along rock mixed with quieter ballads. While I Want It All Right Now doesn’t necessarily reinvent the wheel, it slots right in among the best of their output.

Joy Oladokun – Proof of Life

Proof Of Life is one of those records that seems at once both familiar and fresh, as Joy Oladokun shares introspective reflections on race, faith and sexuality with impeccable artistry. Collaborations with the likes of Manchester Orchestra, Mt. Joy and Chris Stapleton add texture to the mix but take nothing away from her own voice which rings out strong and clear. A favorite of the year.

The National – First Two Pages Of Frankenstein & Laugh Track

The National overachieved this year by releasing two full-length records less than five months apart. First Two Pages… is a bit more subdued overall and I think I currently prefer Laugh Track as a whole, but I wouldn’t eliminate any tracks from either. Both albums reward repeat listens and have a lot to offer fans of the band.

The New Pornographers – Continue as a Guest

Any year with a new New Pornographers record is a treat and Continue as a Guest is a winning addition to the Canadian indie rockers’ catalog. A range of diverse instrumentation including synths and woodwinds adds new colo(u)rs to the band’s palette and although the pandemic-influenced lyrics delve into isolation and malaise, it doesn’t come at the expense of their trademark popsmart melodies, adding up to an enveloping listen I kept on repeat for much of the year.

Paramore – This is Why

Following the new wave-influenced After Laughter, Paramore continue to evolve their sound with This Is Why. The post-punk-leaning production creates space for jagged guitar riffs, grooving basslines and driving percussion while Hayley Williams’ dynamic vocals glide over top. Can’t wait to see where they go next!

Sufjan Stevens – Javelin

Javelin marries Sufjan’s gift for intimate balladry with his penchant for excessive sound collages, in all the best – and most heartbreaking – ways. Songs often begin softly and soon explode into multi-layered vocals and instrumentational flourishes, with deeply felt lyrics about love and loss. What first seemed like a breakup album was made all the more poignant by the revelation that it was inspired by the death of his long-time partner earlier in the year.

BONUS! A Few More Recommended Listens From Perennial Favorites

Andrew Bird – Outside Problems

Dave Matthews Band – Walk Around the Moon

Manchester Orchestra – The Valley Of Vision EP

Metric – Formentera II

Noel Gallagher’s High-Flying Birds – Council Skies

[goalhofer]

2023 Colorado Rockies Roster

Pitchers

#18 Ryan Feltner (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio)

#20 Peter Lambert (San Dimas, California)

#21 Kyle Freeland (Denver, Colorado)

#26 Austin Gomber (Winter Garden, Florida)

#32 Chris Flexen; Jr. (Newark, California)*

#39 Brent Suter (Cincinnati, Ohio)*

#40 Tyler Kinley (Davie, Florida)

#43 Connor Seabold (Newport Beach, California)*

#45 Robert Anderson (Wichita Falls, Texas)*

#46 Nick Mears (Rocklin, California)*

#48 Germán Márquez (Ciudad Guayana, Venezuela)

#49 Antonio Senzatela (Valencia, Venezuela)

#50 Ty Blach (Aurora, Colorado)

#51 Karl Kauffmann (Bloomfield Hills, Michigan)**

#52 Daniel Bard (Charlotte, North Carolina)

#54 Matt Koch (Cherokee, Iowa)*

#57 Tommy Doyle (Fairfax County, Virginia)

#58 Lucas Gilbreath (Broomfield, Colorado)

#59 Jake Bird (Valencia, California)

#60 Victor Vodnik (Rialto, California)**

#61 Justin Lawrence (Jacksonville, Florida)

#63 Noah Davis (Huntington Beach, California)

#64 Gavin Hollowell (Franklin Township, New Jersey)

Catchers

#16 Robert Wynns (Poway, California)*

#35 Elías Díaz (Maracaibo, Venezuela)

Infielders

#7 Brendan Rodgers (Lake Mary, Florida)

#12 Sean Bouchard (San Diego, California)

#13 Alan Trejo (Downey, California)

#14 Ezequiel Tovar (Maracay, Venezuela)

#24 Ryan McMahon (Santa Ana, California)

#30 Harold Castro (Santiago De León De Caracas, Venezuela)*

#44 Elihuris Montero (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic)

Outfielders

#9 Brenton Doyle (Warrenton, Virginia)**

#15 Hunter Goodman (Arlington, Tennessee)**

#19 Charlie Blackmon (Suwanee, Georgia)

#22 Nolan Jones (Bensalem Township, Pennsylvania)*

#23 Kris Bryant (Las Vegas, Nevada)*

Coaches

Manager Harry Black (Longview, Washington)

Bench coach Mike Redmond (Kirkland, Washington)

Hitting coach Hensley Meulens (Willemstad, Curaçao)

Assistant hitting coach Angel González (San Juan, Puerto Rico)

Assistant hitting coach P.J. Pilittere (La Puente, California)

Pitching coach Darryl Scott (Yuba City, California)

Bullpen coach Jonathan Cornelius (Thomasville, Alabama)

Bullpen catcher Kyle Cunningham (West Palm Beach, Florida)

Bullpen catcher Aaron Muñoz (Phoenix, Arizona)

1B coach Ron Gideon (Hallsville, Texas)

3B coach Warren Schaeffer (Vandergrift, Pennsylvania)

[thenonconformistcurmudgeon]

The Sidekick

Another medical procedure.  They seem to come with some regularity with age. Whether it is you or your partner, one never gets fully used to one of you being wheeled out on a table to be subsequently put under for an operation. Vital signs taken, review of current medications, reviewing the procedure, signing the consent forms, reviewing goals and possible outcomes, awakening from being knocked out and aftercare instructions.

This time it’s my turn. I tried all sorts of alternative therapies to avoid a medical procedure.  There was meditation, exercise, walking, Pilates, no gluten, high gluten, Rolfing, Reiki, massage, sleep deprivation, excessive sleeping, no TV, TV binging, no social media, acupuncture, acupressure, chiropractic, spinal manipulation, biofeedback, and colon hydrotherapy. None were effective.

My symptoms were worsening. Jack was becoming a dull boy.  No matter how hard I tried, the mind remained fuzzy. Ideas would come but dead end. I knew my condition had to be treated when the story on the literary/film sidekick had no legs.  You know, the second banana.  The Ethel Mertz’s of the world, Ed McMahon, Tattoo, Igor and your usual cast of characters such as Watson, the Supremes and Willow from Buffy. So many sidekicks. Robin, Kato, Emily from Devil wears Prada, Jimmy Olsen, Lois Lane, Moses’ brother Aaron, the Apostles.

Of course, some of my favorite sidekicks have fallen in to disfavor or forgotten about.  There was Bernardo from the TV show Zorro.  A great sidekick.  He played a deaf mute who was only actually mute so he could listen in to conversations when no one thought he could hear and then later relay information to Zorro.  There was the Cisco Kid’s sidekick Pancho. Pancho’s malapropisms left Cisco in a state of disbelief. The show ended with a joke and the characters saying, “Oh Cisco! Oh Pancho!” Dialogue that is hard to beat.

The sidekick often provides plucky comic relief, a foil to the hero, with a ceiling to what heroic actions they can perform.  The sidekick often has more personality, funnier, has greater character depth than the lead who is often stiff in his heroic form. The sidekick is usually a loyal best friend but there are a variety of types of sidekicks. The sidekick can be bumbling, a caretaker, a confidant, a conscience, cowardly, a girl Friday, hypercompetent, a butler, a kid sidekick, overly restless, or yes-man.

So here I am, awakening from anesthesia after receiving treatment for Writer’s Block. I think it may have been effective as ideas are coming full throttle.  Stories from the sidekick’s perspective.  Maybe a story of a sidekick convention where sidekicks meet and talk over how to break free from the hero or better yet how to revel in their sidekickism. Sidekicks share techniques on how not to outdo the hero but remain emotionally whole. A subgroup of sidekicks who discuss wearing tights and how to look attractive but not be sexier than the hero. A grief support group for sidekicks when the main character dies or decides to run away to the Caymans as the hero role devoured them. A story about sidekicks going out on strike for better pay and working conditions but the protest line withers as the heroes call for them to immediately appear by their side. Perhaps reality TV shows.  Sidekick survivor, Sidekick big brother or Keeping Up With the Sidekicks. Wisecracking sidekicks, a competition of sidekicks cracking wise. The host throws out typical dull hero dialogue and the sidekicks have to come up with witty retorts.

Perhaps a story about the sidekick’s romantic life and how their devotion to the hero meddles with their love life and spawns anguish. Could also focus on the emotional health of the sidekick’s partner, the sidekick’s sidekick.  Perhaps a story about the bad guy’s sidekicks, better known as henchman or minions. The henchman is notoriously a devout yes-man.  A story about a sidekick who converts to minion or a minion who converts to a sidekick. There is no bigger zealot than a convert. The minion’s emotional life is clearly a literary vacuum that needs to be filled. 

I overhear the medical team conferring. They say treatment was ineffective, we will have to do another procedure.  I say what do you mean?  These story ideas are visionary. They start to inject the knock out drops in my IV line.  Everyone is a critic.  They say count backwards from 100.  99, 98, 97…