#April Star Interiors

[aprilstarinteriors]

Why Go For Interior Decoration With Mindful Decluttering?

Mindfully decluttering your home has numerous benefits that go beyond just tidying up physical spaces. As life evolves, some items may no longer serve a purpose or bring joy.

Many people are enthusiastic about diving headfirst into decluttering, eager to see visible results quickly. While this enthusiasm is commendable, rushing into decluttering without a clear plan can lead to frustration and wasted effort.

Letting go with compassion

We often hold onto things out of habit, nostalgia, or fear of letting go. Whether it's due to lack of time, uncertainty, or emotional attachment, decluttering with mindfulness means approaching the process with kindness and understanding. You can ask the Minneapolis interior designer and make a list of things you need to remove from your home.

Navigating transitions with clarity

Transitions in life, such as retirement, moving, or major life changes, often prompt the need for decluttering. Mindfully tuning into your relationship with your belongings during these times helps you make decisions that honor your present and future self. Allow the St Paul interior designer to make these transitions in your home decor.

Seeking support and guidance

During emotionally challenging decluttering sessions, reaching out for support can make a world of difference. Whether it's from friends, family, or professional organizers, having a support system from the Minneapolis interior designer can help you navigate the process with greater ease and compassion.

Embracing emotional release

Decluttering isn't just about physical objects; it's also about releasing emotional baggage. Items tied to past traumas or losses can hold significant emotional weight. As you declutter with the St Paul interior designer, you're not just creating physical space; you're also creating space for renewal and growth. 

Decluttering can be a challenging journey, especially if you're tackling a significant amount of clutter. Ask yourself if keeping the item aligns with your goals and if it brings you joy or serves a practical purpose. Once you've clarified your goals and motivations, it's time to create a decluttering plan with April Star Interiors.

[fuckyeahmeikokaji]

Meiko Kaji (梶芽衣子) on the 1983 Showa Retro “Star & Interior” calendar (昭和レトロのカレンダー★スター＆インテリア)

[eurotrip]

1970 Aston Martin DBS from The Persuaders driven by Roger Moore.

The most famous Aston Martin DBS is without doubt the one which appeared in the 1970’s British television series The Persuaders. Although it appears to be a V8, the car featured in the series was in fact a straight 6 equipped with DBS V8 alloy wheels. Chassis number DBS/5636/R, was registered as BS 1 (although in real life PPP 6H) and was painted in Bahama Yellow.

This DBS in the hands of Lord Brett Sinclair, was without doubt one of the stars of the series, opposite the DINO 246 GT driven by mischievous American Danny Wilde. The series was broadcast in Britain on ITV from 17th September 1971 to 25th February 1972, and in France from 3rd October 1972 on the ORTF’s second channel. It soon became a major hit. Unfortunately The Persuaders came to an end after only one season and a total of 24 episodes which are now considered cult TV. The "Bahama Yellow" DBS is fondly remembered by many, and several 6 cylinder and V8 DBS’s have been painted in the same colour by car owners who are also fans of the series.

Between April 1994 and Autumn 1997, the original DBS driven by Roger Moore was totally restored by Aston Works Service in Newport Pagnell and both Roger Moore at Pinewood Studios in 2003 and Tony Curtis at the Cheltenham Literature Festival in 2008 (two years before he died in 2010) signed the interior of the boot lid. DBS/5636/R is now owned by Ed Stratton who maintains the car with care but does not hesitate to drive it as often as he can, for the greater pleasure of the series fans.

[snek-panini]

Today's completed book is a bind of Glimmer, by @tawnyontumblr (hi, it's me, the person who asked to bind your story way back in April). This story is a Good Omens human au about sex workers in the Regency era, and it's gorgeous and lush and fantastic. Sexy and vulnerable and all the good adjectives. Go read it if you haven't yet, it's wonderful.

This is another legal-size quarto, my second (of 4; more are on the way). It really is an addictive size, and perfect for fics this length. The cover is done in this really pretty red damask lokta paper that highlights different parts of the image depending on the angle of the light. I was toying with the idea of binding this fic, and when I found this paper I immediately bumped it up the list because it's so perfect. The spine is dark gray lineco book cloth that I simply cannot resist putting on spines. I realize this is a pattern and I do not care. It's softer visually than black and it coordinates with everything and I will not stop.

More photos under the cut!

What did I tell you, it coordinates with everything. I used silver foil HTV for the title, and I elected to put it just on the spine so as not to cover up any of the floral patterns on the cover. Honestly, I thought about it but just couldn't bring myself to cover it up. The interior of this one has some very fancy fonts and I wanted one for the spine but they were all too spindly. But this one's a good compromise, I think. Delicate but straightforward.

Top view. I really wanted to do custom end bands for this one, for maximum luxury, but it was too thin, so it has pre-made black ones. They sort of disappear in the photos but make a nice contrast in person. I am totally in love with the starry endpapers even though they are only scrapbook paper from Joann's. It was surprisingly difficult to find something that looked good with the red cover, because plain solid colors looked too lackluster and most prints were too bold with the floral, not to mention a lot of colors clashed with the red. But I love these gray-on-gray stars. They're perfect. And a lot of the fic takes place under cover of darkness, and stars are a symbol of hope, and this fic's about wanting to escape your current circumstances, so it's kind of thematically appropriate. I'm going to say it is, anyway XD

So I think the title page is my favorite part of the bind again. I found this vintage valentine graphic on rawpixel for free and it's probably the most opulent thing in the whole typeset. The sort of uneven ink distribution is on purpose and adds to the vintage feel. I remember thinking about a year ago that my title pages were too plain and I needed to level them up somehow, and with the batch of binds I've been posting for the last week or two I think I've done it. The fonts here are called Annabel (the one with the trailing ends) and Victorian Decade (the swirly one that my bindery name is in). Both are available for free from DaFont. I did have to get a little tricky with the line spacing to get them to print correctly, but it was worth it. I wanted opulence for this one.

And that's that! I hope I did the fic justice, because I couldn't be more pleased with the outcome.

[ourshadowstallerthanoursoul]

The howl

"It is apparent that Zeppelin lead singer Robert Plant deserves his growing reputation as the most sexually exciting personality in rock. But he deserves more. Plant is more musician than he is pretty goldilocks rock and roll star. He has the guts to get into a blues like 'Bring It on Home' and the range and musical sense to do something with it. Additionally, there is the Robert Plant howl. It starts in the airless womb of an electron tube, lodges itself in the main columns of the building, is conducted to bedrock and is now entombed in eternal torment in the interior of the Appalachain range."

- From the April 2, 1970 Charleston concert review by Ray Brack

[don-dake]

R I P L E Y (2024)

***Contains SPOILERS***

A review (of sorts, but more a rambling opinion piece that veers off the main subject occasionally).

So I've watched R I P L E Y (2024), all eight episodes of it. One word: Bravissimo!

As someone who loves the Ripliad series of novels by Patricia Highsmith immensely, and having watched all the Ripley film adaptations there are thus far — Plein Soleil aka Purple Noon (1960), The American Friend aka Der Amerikanische Freund (1977), The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), Ripley's Game (2002), and Ripley Under Ground (2005) — I went into this new series (released on Netflix on April 4th) with expectations…

Not high, for I've learned it's never good to have high expectations or you'll more than likely just be setting yourself up for disappointment…but with expectations all the same!

Thus far, my favourite Ripley film adaptation had been 2002's Ripley's Game starring John Malkovich as an older Ripley. Had been. Until this series that is! I still love Ripley's Game a lot of course! (heh!) And there really should be no comparison given it's two different mediums and the two Ripleys are portrayed from different times of the character's life.

So saying, this new series definitely sets a new standard for a Ripley adaptation! And as someone who love the books a lot, I'm glad this series is very closely adapted from the first book!

The decision to go for a black and white cinematography, I was skeptical about that at first but after looking at the trailers and reading on the director's reasoning for going B & W with this, I can understand why, and generally agree with his decision.

Though at times, especially when looking at the wonderful interior sets, I'll be wishing I could see it in all its colour glory and thinking what a waste it was not to have it in colour, but that is but a minor hitch, for the B & W cinematography is done with superb mastery and skill, and it's hard to find fault with going this route. And it does contribute to getting into the film noir feel from films of yesteryear.

On the actors, I was skeptical on Andrew Scott as Ripley at first, but I'm happy to say he has proven me wrong and his Ripley, while not as young as Ripley should be at the start of the novel series, is one that is characterised the closest, and if Showtime/Netflix has any plans to adapt the rest of the novels, Scott will be perfect as an older Ripley, I think!

Maybe that was/is the plan…that's why Scott was chosen even though age wise, he doesn't quite fit in the beginning…one can hope! (heh!)

Moving on, just a brief rambling on the other main actors/characters because I'm getting tired:

Love Dakota Fanning as Marge Sherwood, she was exactly how I imagined Marge to be as I read the (first) book. A superb performance by Fanning I'd say!

Johnny Flynn as Dickie Greenleaf was underwhelming for me partly because in my eyes, Jude Law was/is the perfect Dickie (even if his — Law's — American accent was/is questionable), but partly also because I find Flynn is lacking charisma (sorry, Flynn fans!), I didn't get the sense of what was so fascinating about this Dickie that Ripley would be so enamoured with him or his lifestyle, enough to kill for it.

Perhaps the fault lies partly with the script too for I felt we the audience didn't get to see more of what drew Ripley to Dickie, besides his obvious wealth and status.

Eliot Sumner as Freddie Miles. Now this was the character that underwent the most drastic change as compared to the book and the 1999 The Talented Mr. Ripley film adaptation. In both the book and the 1999 film, Freddie was described (and portrayed to perfection by Philip Seymour Hoffman in my opinion) as an American with carrot-red hair, stocky, loud and all round obnoxious from miles away sort.

2024 Freddie is slim-built, androgynous looking, with a cherub face and British…he's practically a whole different character except in name.

As such, it's unfair to compare I guess, but having envisioned Freddie as described in the book for so long, helped along by PSH's award-worthy performance, I'll just say this is not the Freddie for me.

But, that doesn't mean Sumner's Freddie was bad. In terms of being almost a foil to Ripley, Sumner's Freddie is still quite effectively annoying.

Special mentions to Maurizio Lombardi and Margherita Buy as Inspector Ravini and Signor(in)a Buffi (Ripley's landlady) respectively! I enjoyed watching these two characters.

Also a special mention to Lucio (Signor(in)a Buffi's cat), who, had it been able to speak, Ripley would certainly have silenced! (heh!)

Last but not least, a special mention to John Malkovich as Reeves Minot.

I was so excited when I first saw Malkovich in the trailer because not only is his casting a nice tribute to his turn as Tom Ripley in Ripley's Game (2002), I thought he would be playing Herbert Greenleaf at first, but he turned out to be playing Reeves Minot! Even better! Gives more hope that new seasons of R I P L E Y (2024) may happen!

Those who have read the books will know that Reeves Minot is a recurring character in the later books — I can't really remember how many exactly, it's been some time since I last read them (and I should again!).

To sum up, I did enjoy this series tremendously and will definitely rewatch many times to come, and I hope we'll get further adaptations of the other books with the same standards as set for this one!

P.S.: I've seen a few people mention “this (R I P L E Y) is like Saltburn!”. I never heard of the film Saltburn before looking at some opinion pieces, but after looking it up, dare I say, Saltburn ripped off the Ripliad stories and its characters (the Ripliad books first came out in the 1950s) and I think it's more appropriate to say “Saltburn is like Ripley”!

[scotianostra]

On September. 27th 1938, Queen Elizabeth, the world's largest ocean liner was launched on the Clyde.

The Queen Elizabeth was the sister ship of the Queen Mary, which was christened four years earlier, I covered this yesterday.

Unfortunately, her role as a luxury liner was short-lived - with the outbreak of the Second World War the following year, the Queen Elizabeth entered service in February 1940 as a troopship and didn’t return to her original role until October 1946.

The Cunard line’s enormous luxury ocean-goer was built on the river Clyde to sail between Southampton and New York, named after the Queen Consort (later the Queen Mother).

Following the outbreak of World War II, the security of Queen Elizabeth became a major concern for Cunard-White Star and the British Government. It was not safe to keep the ship in Scotland, as it was well known that she was a tempting target for the Luftwaffe.

Queen Elizabeth was painted in military grey before departing Clydebank for what was rumoured to be a short journey to Southampton. However, once in open sea the ship’s course was altered – Queen Elizabeth’s maiden voyage was to New York!

Thus, the untested and untried ship – then the world’s largest ocean liner – made a secret dash across the Atlantic to the safety of America. She arrived unannounced in New York, surprising officials and New Yorkers alike. Queen Elizabeth berthed alongside Queen Mary, Normandie and Mauretania Queen Elizabeth was requisitioned for wartime service on 13 November 1940.

The ship sailed to Singapore where she was refurbished into the world’s largest troop carrier. During the works, defensive armaments and a degaussing coil (to protect against mines) were fitted.

On 11th February, Queen Elizabeth sailed from Singapore bound for Sydney, Australia, arriving ten days later. Here the conversion into troop ship was completed and Queen Elizabeth undertook her first trooping voyage to the Middle East, carrying troops to Suez.

Queen Elizabeth later sailed to Canada, and carried troops to Sydney, while in 1942 the Admiralty considered possible future uses for the Queens. Their trooping capacity meant they were the most valuable large troop transports in service. When the USA entered the war in December 1941, the future use of Queen Elizabeth along with Queen Mary changed. Ultimately, the ships were most valuable operating the trooping service on the North Atlantic, and following a major overhaul Queen Elizabeth commenced this service. She remained in Government requisition for the rest of the war.

At the end of the war, Queen Elizabeth was famous on both sides of the Atlantic. The ship, which had carried over 750,000 troops, now commenced work repatriating those troops as well as the war brides.

Queen Elizabeth was released from Admiralty service in 1946. Her post-war overhaul and refurbishment was carried out both on the Clyde and at Southampton. This overhaul saw luxury passenger interiors installed aboard Queen Elizabeth, in preparation for civilan transatlantic services. Additionally, ship was painted in Cunard livery, while the machinery was overhauled.

Queen Elizabeth was given her full sea trials, and then officially accepted by Cunard. The ship made her maiden peacetime passenger voyage to New York on 16 October 1946.

Queen Elizabeth proved a popular ship and over the coming months the ship was well booked. On 17 April 1947, Queen Elizabeth ran aground near Brambles Bank as she made her approach to Southampton in thick fog. The ship was later successfully refloated.

In September 1951 Queen Elizabeth made her 100th peacetime transatlantic crossing. But as more passengers took to airline services, Cunard realised that they needed to upgrade Queen Elizabeth in order to keep her relevant in a changing world with a particular focus on longer duration cruising

As such, during a refurbishment in January 1952 the ship’s fuel capacity was increased allowing her to sail longer distances without refuelling. Additionally air-conditioning was fitted throughout, to allow the ship to undertake voyages into warm climates. Four years later, Queen Elizabeth was fitted with stabilisers, which greatly improved passenger comfort.

When Pan American World Airways flew the first Boeing 707 service across the Atlantic, the future for Queen Elizabeth was in doubt. By 1962 the decline in the number of passengers on the Atlantic shipping service (they had moved their business to airliners) led to an announcement that the ship would be used more and more for cruises.

Cunard gave Queen Elizabeth another major overhaul in Greenock, which involved an interior refurbishment and the creation of an outdoor swimming pool on Queen Elizabeth’s aft deck. This was combined with a new lido area which, it was hoped, would allow the ship to attract more cruise passengers.

Sadly, the 1966 Seaman’s Strike meant that the refreshed ship was laid up in Southampton for a number of weeks, which further impacted on Cunard’s financial viability. On 8 May 1967, Cunard announced the fates of the two Queens. Queen Mary was withdrawn from service later that year, while the Queen Elizabeth was to be retained until Autumn 1968, by which time it was hoped the QE2 would be ready as her replacement.

Queen Elizabeth was initially sold to a group of Philadelphian businessmen, who intended to turn her into a floating hotel in Florida. The ship made her final transatlantic crossing on 5 November 1968 before she was withdrawn from Cunard service.

Once in Florida, the ship was opened to the public, however this venture didn’t last and the ship was closed in late 1969. In 1970 the ship was auctioned and bought by C.Y.Tung, Hong Kong, who planned to convert the liner into the world’s largest Floating University.

Re-named Seawise University, the ship sailed for Hong Kong to be converted. The transformation was almost complete when a series of fires broke out aboard the ship, causing her to burn out and sink in the harbour, a sad end to a beautiful ship.

You can find more pics and info on the link below, including an 8 minute video. Among the pics you will see that although Queen Elizabeth was a luxury liner, it was not this way when it was in service during WW2, troops were crammed into every available space.

[tremendouskoalachild]

Evolution of Vernestra Rwoh art

April 2020: concept art reveal (art by who? i haven't been able to find out).

Notably, her lightsaber is blue in this art. Her hair is ambiguously black/purple and tied in a bun.

January 2021: first appearance (cameo in Light of the Jedi and main cast in A Test of Courage) - pictured on AToC cover and interior art by Petur Antonsson.

Vernestra is wearing her concept art clothing but her lightsaber has her final purple color. Her hair is purple as well and in a distinctive long ponytail.

February to May 2021: The High Republic comic appearances as a minor character, with art by Ario Anindito.

Her tattoos are present in the previous art but more visible here. She is wearing her hair similar to her original concept art. This is also the first time we've seen Vernestra in the brown outer robes.

June 2021: variant cover of The High Republic issue 6 by Marco Turini.

July 2021: cover of Out of the Shadows by Ario Anindito and Grzegorz Krysiński.

Vernestra's hair seems pinker here, though it's probably because of her lightsaber's reflection.

December 2021: Vernestra's story in The High Republic Adventures Annual 2021. Cover by Stefano Simeone and variant by Derek Charm, art by Yael Nathan.

This story takes place an undefined number of years before the main book plot, and lets us see Vernestra's Padawan braid. Her hair is a lot purpler on the covers and blacker in the comic. She is also wearing a Stellan-style white cloak over her robes.

January 2022: Mission to Disaster with art by Petur Antonsson.

She looks similar to the illustrator's previous work on A Test of Courage, though we get a good look at her outer robes this time.

February 2023: the reference book Chronicles of the Jedi with art by Yihyoung Li.

Here we see Vernestra in ceremonial Jedi robes, standing next to her taller student, having a hyperspace vision, and wielding her lightwhip. All iconic aspects of her character.

April 2023: new concept art at Star Wars Celebration.

The colors are a lot more vibrant than in the original art. It is also one of the very few times we see her smiling instead of calmly focused or in combat.

April 2023: YA boxset cover art by Tara Phillips.

This is the closest close-up we've seen of Vernestra, showing her tattoos in detail.

October 2023: Japanese edition of Out of the Shadows, with art by 5Health.

The cover art especially makes her eyes look blue-ish.

November 2023: phase 3 concept art by Ario Anindito.

Big change! First time we've seen her outside of Jedi clothing. Her hair is very purple, and obviously shorter.

March 2024: cover art for Defy the Storm by Corey Brickley.

First canon appearance of her phase 3 look, closely following the concept art.

[enha-hirose]

ENHYPEN KAI HIROSE'S PROFILE

Personal Information:

Stage Name: Artemis

Birth Name: Kai Hirose (히로세)

Date of Birth: April 17, 2001

Position: FOTG, Main Rapper, Lead Vocal, and Main Dancer.

Nicknames: Riri, Ari, Rosey, Hiro, and Kai

Zodiac Sign: Aries

MBTI: INTJ

Nationality: Korean-Japanese

Training Period: 2 and a half year

Blood Type: B

Facts about her:

Hirose was born in Tokyo, Japan but her family also maintains a residence in Seoungbukdong Village, Seoul, Korea, thus, allowing them to be able to travel back and forth between two countries.

Hirose's father holds the position of CEO at a prominent Japanese multinational investment holding company while her mother is a renowned chef. In addition, Hirose has an older brother who is two years older than her and who is also actively engaged in the business world.

Kai is a proud cat mom to two feline companions, Tsuki (Moon) and Hoshi (Star), who undoubtedly hold a special place in her heart.

She has a passion for baking pastries, using it as her love language to express affection.

Not only does Hirose demonstrate proficiency in classical instruments such as the violin, piano, and cello, but she has also delved into the realm of martial arts, having learned taekwondo and honed her equestrian skills through horseback riding.

She has a driving license and a pokemon collection (mostly pikachu).

However, it's Hirose's early fascination with archery that truly sets her apart. Starting at a young age, she dedicated herself to the sport, mastering the art to such an extent that she was able to compete at prestigious events like the Tokyo Olympics and the SEA Games, making her nation proud as she won gold medals in both events.

She is a huge fan of Red Velvet and BTS.

She was casted by Big Hit Entertainment when Hirose caught the eye of BANG PD himself during a BTS concert in Japan who recognize her overflowing potential.

She made a surprising lovely appearance in the BTS Highlight Reel, assuming the roles of J-Hope and Jimin's partner. Her exposure made her earn a substantial and passionate fanbase. From then, J-hope and Jimin immediately took her under their wing and treated her as their little sister.

She had a cameo and acted in the movie "The King" in her pre-debut.

She spent 2 years of intensive training with TXT which solidified the bond between Hirose and the members. The boys were actually hoping and looking forward for Hirose to be their female member.

She ranked 1st in the final episode of I-Land.

Hirose is often described as a tsundere, displaying a mix of a tough exterior and a warm, caring interior, revealing her softer side to those close to her. Despite her initial aloofness, her actions and gestures speak volumes about the genuine affection she holds for her friends and loved ones.

The I-Land trainees affectionately nicknamed Hirose as "Archer Siren" due to her exceptional talents, combining her mastery in archery with a voice so enchanting it's reminiscent of a siren's call. The trainees also acknowledge her as an all-rounder.

In the 1st episode of I-Land, Hirose and Heeseung were in a powerful sub-unit that left everyone in awe. Their synergy and breathtaking performance not only earned them full votes and set a high standard for the competition right from the start.

Hirose has forged strong bonds with all ITZY members, fostering particularly close friendships with Ryujin and Yeji, Aespa's Karina, IVE's Yujin and Gaeul, StayC's Isa, Viviz's SinB, and Red Velvet's Wendy and Irene.

Hirose has endeared herself to fans not just for her artistic talents but also for her pure and compassionate heart. Demonstrating her commitment to philanthropy, she donated 50 million won to aid the victims of a devastating forest fire in Gangwondo. On February 14th, 2023, she extended her generosity further, contributing another 50 million won to support those affected by the earthquake in Turkey.

Likes: classical music, mocha bread, rose tteokbokki, spicy and savory flavors, Harry Potter series, baking, traveling, coffee, photography, color green and blue, archery, and painting.

Dislikes: dust (she is allergic), tapping noises, injustice, unreliable and arrogant people, mint choco (she can tolerate it), loud crowds, disorganization, crying, invasive paparazzi or fans, and selfishness.

[underspacegame]

We are less than a month out from our Early Access launch. Excited? Sleepless? Suffering from splitting migraines as you try to parse documentation that’s useless to you because Google’s search capabilities have been gutted by corporate ineptitude and your previous talents of being able to figure out solutions and leverage online resources are now useless in the vast overwhelming face of tools that have become completely mediocre in their relentless idiotic pursuit of profits via the lowest common denominator that have degraded any utility to the point of unusability and it’s 3AM and your cat is screaming at you because she wants you to play with a plastic fish she brought you and you’re not supposed to be up this late and you accidentally dropped your last pain medication pill that might have made you at least capable of falling asleep down the drain?

No? Well then, good. Yeah. Let’s talk Early Access and what to expect, to better set your expectations and illuminate what���ll be in and what’ll be not-in.

The thing I want to emphasize over everything else is that we are a very small and overly ambitious team working on a VERY large game with a scope that dwarves even many AAA releases. As it stands and when it launches the amount of content that will be in, at launch, is massive. I have no doubt that many of you will be spending hundreds of hours dredging up every perverse secret the galaxy’s hidden away.

At the same time, we’re a VERY small team. Outside of our asset creators, the only person doing coding, bugfixing, UX, QA response, server integrity, mod support, etc, is me. And just me. This isn’t so much a single developer spinning multiple plates as it is a human trainwreck trying to twirl an entire restaurant, to the severe detriment of his health and sanity.

With all this in mind, our Early Access launch will not launch with the full scope of features and content planned for Underspace. Significantly, multiplayer will launch in a very early state that does not include NPCs, bosses, or the multiplayer campaign. On the singleplayer side, several questlines, extended ship customization and cockpit textures, and many planetside and station interiors will not be included in launch.

These features or content exist or are implemented in a working state, but are often heavily, HEAVILY untested or unpolished, to the point where keeping in game before they’re at least in a state I'd be comfortable with is not something I’m comfortable with.

Before you go off creating posts on various imageboards and badly rebranded social media sites decrying the Underspace apocalypse, keep two things in mind: these features are not gone or cut from the game. It’s much like Todd Howard’s kind smiling visage: even if you can’t see it it’s still there. Watching and waiting. When Early Access releases in April, we will be putting out a nice big roadmap showing a huge amount of upcoming updates to the game. These updates will be staggered out as major releases, which will include these missing pieces of content.

This also includes features or elements such as voice acting, bugfixes (as Early Access is always buggy), and further mod support.

The second thing to keep in mind is that Underspace, when it launches, will still launch with the majority of its content and the vast majority of its game features implemented. This includes the singleplayer main campaign, over 40 quests, all bosses, all points of interest, all factions, star systems, random missions, storm hazards, equipment, flyable ships, and probably many more things I’ve lost in the hazy maze that is my fried brain currently.

It has been a long long time coming, almost seven years in constant development. None of this would have been possible with the support of our backers and community, but there’s still more to go. Contributions, supporting us during the Early Access period, and of course relentlessly shilling it your friends will all help us massively, in no small part because this will also let us dedicate more resources to improving the game and getting it out in a reasonable timeframe that also, coincidentally, doesn’t overwork me to death.

And… that’s about it! If I survive, I hope to see you out in the stormy skies on April 10th!

[daisyishedwig]

So my plan was originally to do these recaps every month, but that didn't happen. So instead, here's a reading recap for the first 6 months of 2024 in which I read 99 books, a concept that is still insane to me considering my goal for the year was 50. Pictured are my highlights, the god-tier books that left me screaming or the ones that I left feeling like a new person.

And here is the full list of everything I've read so far this year. (Bolded are the books pictured and italicised are books reread)

January My Dear Henry by Kalynn Bayron 4/5 The Seven Husband of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid 5/5 Padawan by Kiersten White 5/5 Dark Heir by C.S. Pacat 5/5 You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayron 3/5 The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones 5/5 Teach the Torches to Burn by Caleb Roehrig 5/5 The Star Host Trilogy by F.T. Lukens 5/5 Most Ardently by Gabe Cole Novoa 4/5 Harley Quinn: Die Laughing by Jimmy Palmiotti, Amanda Conner 3/5 Coffee Boy by Austin Chant 5/5 Star Wars: Vader: Dark Visions by Dennis Hopeless 3/5 Caroline’s Heart by Austin Chant 5/5 Stranger Things: Flight of Icarus by Caitlin Schneiderhan 2/5

February Self-Made Boys by Anna-Marie McLemore 5/5 Pretty Boy by Jett Masterson 1/5 The Prince’s Dearest Guards by Beau Van Dalen 3/5 The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab 5/5 A House Unsettled by Trynne Delaney 3/5 Bunt! Striking Out on Financial Aid by Ngozi Ukazu 5/5 The Chalice of the Gods by Rick Riordan 4/5

March  By Any Other Name by Erin Cotter 5/5 From Here to Eternity: Travelling the World to Find the Good Death by Caitlin Doughty 4/5 Family Business by Jonathan Sims 5/5 Hook's Tale: Being the Account of an Unjustly Villainized Pirate Written by Himself by John Leonard Pielmeier 4/5 Mapping the Interior by Stephen Graham Jones 4/5 Ouran High School Host Club by Bisco Hatori 5/5 Peter Darling by Austin Chant 5/5 Night of the Mannequins by Stephen Graham Jones 3/5 Darling by K. Ancrum 5/5

April The Candy Shop War by Brandon Mull 2/5 A Worthy Opponent by Katee Robert 5/5 Circe by Madeline Miller 4/5 The Never King by Nikki St. Crowe 4/5 Ben and Beatriz by Katalina Gamarra 5/5 Hide: The Graphic Novel by Kiersten White 3/5 The Darcy Myth: Jane Austen, Literary Heartthrobs, and the Monsters They Taught Us to Love by Rachel Feder 4/5 The Dark One by Nikki St. Crowe 4/5 Their Vicious Darling by Nikki St. Crowe 4/5 Ledfeather by Stephen Graham Jones 5/5 The Fae Princes by Nikki St. Crowe 4/5

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[goldencherriess]

Getting washed away in you.

Pairing: Young! Remus Lupin x Fem! Reader

Word count: 7.8k (oops!)

Summary: Y/N is a loyal maid. Remus is a writer in the making. Both of them embark on what would become a fate sealing trip.

Warnings: angst, fluff, mentions of drinking, implied suggestive content, emotional abuse, manipulation, Sirius being the best wingman out there, Remus being the definition of a gentleman, love confessions, Titanic AU

Masterlist

10th of April 1912

She knew it before her worn out shoes stepped onto the deck. She felt it in the electrifying air, in the sparkling, brand new decks, in the humming of the waves. The salty air hit her in soft winds. It was the very first time she was boarding a ship.

RMS Titanic.

They called it the ship of dreams, the ship of possibilities. It was bound for New York City, a brave destination to those who dared.

She was just a mere servant, though. Her hands were scarred by now, always scrubbing the floors or helping in the kitchen. Rough skin, but a soft heart. Y/N looked all around, taking in the sights. There were some seagulls soaring in the air and spying down at the people boarding the ship and saying goodbye with tears in their eyes.

''Do you reckon mother would be satisfied on the trip?'' a young boy's voice asked.

''When is she ever?'' another voice, this one much deeper responded.

Sirius and Regulus Black.

Ever since she can remember, Y/N worked for the noble house of Black. Her mother was a servant, and then she became one, learning how to clean the potatoes naked, for how long to boil the beef, how to iron a shirt, how to always be careful around the house, to never upset the mistress. The only help they ever got was from Kreacher, a poor house elf, who had a much crueler fate than Y/N and her mother ever had.

She learned how to keep quiet, eyes cast down and head lowered. ''Know your limits, girl!'' mrs. Black said to her the first and the only time Y/N looked her in the eyes and defied her. Since then, she knew her place.

Y/N looked towards the brothers, wind ruffling their ebony hair. She remembered the early days when they used to play in the garden, before she was dragged to the kitchen and given an apron. She was six at the time.

Regulus rolled his eyes, before he settled them on her. ''I'm sure the salty air will get to her head. Maybe she'll calm down. Everybody loves a trip away from home.''

Y/N smiled softly. ''I've never been away from home.''

Sirius grinned, before taking her arm, and took a few steps forward, as if they were going for a walk. ''Behold! The whole world at your feet, miss! The destination? The stars!''

She laughed, while shaking her head. ''Ever the dramatic, Sirius! I think you should become an actor.''

His eyes shined and he opened his mouth to say something, but a booming, strident voice that resembled the shards of a broken glass, interrupted him. ''Come along, Y/N! Stop fooling around!''

Her smile fell off her face and she took a step back, letting her hand fall limply at her side. She turned her whole body towards the voice, shivers coming up her spine. The ice-cold gaze of Walburga Black pierced her through and Y/N gulped. ''Take this luggage and bring them to my suite. I don't want to hear any complaining!''

''Yes, ma'am!''

''Now!''

''Yes, ma'am!''

She tried to ignore the pity gazes of Regulus and Sirius. She tried to ignore the churning she felt in her stomach. She tried to ignore the tears threating to spill over. She almost tripped twice, her arms aching from carrying the luggage. Her heart stopped in wonder, though, when she entered the ship.

She never saw this much grandeur in her entire life. Not even the finest silverware of Walburga could compete with this ship's interior, with big, sturdy stairs greeting her, with a clock proudly looking over the whole room, light coming through the glass ceiling. Awestruck, she remained rooted to the spot, already forgetting about the luggage. Her eyes sparkled at the sight of it all.

A stark whisper broke through. ''Know your place, girl!''

And she was pushed forward.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

Her room was modest. It was a small room but she found no reason to complain. The sheets were clean, she had a bathroom and a bed. It was more than enough. She took a seat on the soft mattress, looking all around her. There was only one small window, letting the light stream in. Her shoes tapped against the floor as she walked to it.

The ocean was sparkling, scales of light playing on the surface of it. The deep blue of it almost drew her in. The waves lapped at the sides of the ship, splashing drops of foams onto the window.

If she closed her eyes and took a breath in, she could almost taste the salty smell of them.

Growing up, the only thing she ever saw was the back garden of the Blacks and the kitchen of the house. She never experienced the rocking of a ship or its almost alive, screeching metal walls. She never experienced the kisses of the ocean.

Y/N let those thoughts wash over her before she brought herself back to reality. She was expected in mrs. Black's suite in five minutes. A large soiree was to be held tonight in the restaurant, and Her Grace had to look the most dashing, if not the most expensive.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

Y/N's hands worked through the material, tying the strings of the corset, the smooth silk kissing her fingertips.

''Tighter, girl!'' the voice of Walburga commanded her.

''Yes, ma'am.''

''I have to look the best tonight. There will be important people at the soiree, plenty of opportunities. I'm the head of the family, after all. Wouldn't you say so, dear?''

Her voice got sickly sweet at the end and Y/N almost froze. ''Yes, ma'am.'' she replied, before she tightened the corset to its limit, the material hugging the waist of mrs. Black, hiding her tummy and curves.

'''Much better.'' said Walburga, looking at her through the mirror. ''This is why I keep you around. My faithful maid.''

Y/N cast her eyes downwards. ''Thank you, ma'am.''

Suddenly, Walburga's gaze hardened. ''I expect you to be close to us at the soiree.''

She didn't back down. She knew her place. ''Yes, ma'am.''

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

The restaurant was as grand as she imagined it to be. Glass doors. Lavish carpets. Carved into the wood chairs. Chandeliers. Her steps were silent, as she walked onto the oh-so-ever soft carpet. Her long skirt hid her ankles and she felt the urge to take off her shoes just to feel the fibers of the carpet tickle her feet.

''Stop gawking around, girl! You'll make us the laughing stock!'' hissed Walburga Black through her teeth, before plastering a smile at an exquisite, middle aged man coming up to introduce himself.

Sirius, who witnessed the exchange, lightly touched her elbow, and steered her away from his mother. ''Do not take it to heart, Y/N. Don't let her words get to you. She doesn't know you like I and Regulus do. And she's too ignorant to ever try to get to know you.''

She gulped, but smiled anyway. ''Thank you, Sirius. That's very-''

''And the young lady?''

A manly voice interrupted her, freezing her in the spot. Walburga's nervous and false laughter travelled all the way to her ears, imprinting itself in her mind, much like a broken record would forever be stuck on repeat. ''Who?''

The gentleman who was still speaking to Walburga repeated his question, firmly this time while eyeing Y/N. The young girl gulped, feeling drops of sweat rolling down her back.

Mrs. Black turned toward where Y/N and Sirius were at, and with a fire burning in her eyes, she replied, venom rolling down her tongue. ''Oh, her? She's just a maid.''

The gentleman's gaze turned cold and he turned his back to her, without sparing another glance in her direction.

Y/N felt her lungs closing in and she took a step back, her eyes flitting around. ''Excuse me.'' she hastily whispered before taking off. Sirius' voice drifted through the crowd, calling her name. She payed no mind to it. She couldn't hear anything except a ringing in her ears, reverberating in the walls of her being. She pushed through, taking turns around the corridors, almost tripping several times before the open sky and the salty air greeted her. Stars were twinkling softly in the inky and sticky-looking sky. The cold air filled her lungs, calming her down.

Tentatively she stepped towards the banister, letting her hands rest on the cold metal. Her eyes caught sight of the waves hitting the side of the ship, swallowing it whole. The ocean was of the most dark blue, resembling tar and drawing her in. She leaned over, trying to catch a glimpse into the abyss. The waves splashed her face with salty and cold droplets, wind playing with her hair.

''You can't see the bottom.''

Gasping, she turned around, coming face to face with a young man dressed in shabby clothes. He seemed to have outgrown them for quite a long time because the coat's sleeves were barely reaching his wrist. He was wearing his hands in his pockets, slightly hunched over because of the cold. His sandy hair shined in the moonlight and his honeyed eyes stared back at her, sporting a kind twinkle. ''It's deep. Way deeper than it may seem at first.'' he added, his voice soft.

For a moment, she was at a loss of words, hands gripping the banisters until her knuckles turned white, and eyes wide. Then, her voice found the courage to speak up. ''How deep?''

He shrugged. ''Probably eight thousand meters? Deep enough to drown if you don't know how to swim.'' He regarded her with a curious look, kindness still present in his eyes. ''Do you know how to swim, miss?''

Her voice trembled. ''No.''

''Then, if you were to fall over, I would have had to jump in.''

''Jump in?''

He started to smile. ''If you fall, I fall.''

Y/N gulped, not taking her gaze off of him. His smile was enticing. ''I'm not falling whatsoever.''

Still keeping his distance, the young man replied. ''Then, be careful.''

She nodded her head, ready to reply but Sirius' voice echoed in the night. ''There you are, Y/N! I've been looking everywhere for you and-'' Sirius stopped short, catching sight of the young man. Eyebrows scrunching, he looked towards Y/N. ''Is this young man troubling you?''

Hastily, she replied, while shaking her head, still gripping the banister. ''No, no. He- um, he saved me.''

''I did nothing, miss. Nothing a noble man wouldn't do.''

Sirius, eyes lit up and eyebrows raised up, turned towards the blond man. ''Oh, did he?''

Nodding her head, Y/N replied. ''He stopped me from leaning too far.''

''Is that so? What's your name, sir?''

Still looking at Y/N, the shabby looking man replied. ''Remus. Remus Lupin.''

Clapping his hands, Sirius voiced. ''Well, that settles it! You are to be invited tomorrow evening for dinner, eight sharp. We'll meet in front of the clock. I expect punctuality.'' Turning towards Y/N, he stuck his arm out. ''Come, Y/N, the night's still young.''

Finally, breaking away from the banister, she wrapped her hand around Sirius' arm, maintaining eye contact with Remus. His eyes twinkled like stars in the sky. He bowed respectfully. ''Have a good evening, miss.''

Her face burned, and she broke eye contact. Leaning towards her, Sirius whispered. ''He seems like a well-mannered man.''

She shyly shrugged, lost in thoughts. As struck by lightening, she turned towards him. ''You invited him to dinner! What about your mother? And what about me?! I can't take dinner with you, it's just not proper!''

''Do not worry about it. I have a card up my sleeve.'' said Sirius, gently tapping her hand.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

11th of April 1912

Y/N regarded herself in the mirror, turning around and trying to smooth the wrinkles of her one evening dress. It was quite simple (she didn't have the money for a fancier one). The dress was the colour of dry olives, her sleeves coming to an end in a lacy manner. The white of the lace started to yellow, time having had its saying.

A knock on her door pulled her from her reverie. ''Y/N? It's me.'' Sirius' voice travelled through the door.

''Come in!'' she replied, her voice strained with emotion.

Sirius' lacquered shoes tapped against the cheap floor, a dress draped over his arm. He stopped short when he saw her fidgeting in front of the mirror. His eyes met hers through the reflection. ''Good evening.'' he said, slightly worried.

''I have nothing to wear.'' she announced.

His lips were pulled into a grin and he raised his arm, showing the dress. ''I think you do.''

Shock painted her features and she turned around. ''That's your mother's dress, Sirius!''

He nodded, as if that was the most obvious truth in the world. ''Indeed!''

''I can't wear it!''

He scoffed, rolling his eyes. ''Of course you can!''

Y/N shook her head, colour leaving her cheeks, eyes blown wide. ''I cannot! It's just- I can't, Sirius!''

''And why is that?'' he replied, voice laced with sarcasm.

''Because, because- I'll get in real trouble! I could get fired for that! You know how your mother can get! She'll throw me off the property, with no penny to my name and just the clothes on me. I'm not even payed enough to put aside some money!''

''Calm down! She won't find out.''

Pointing a finger to him, she replied. ''How can you be so sure? You won't be the one kicked out!''

Sirius gasped, putting his free hand to his chest and feigning hurt. ''I'm wounded! You can be so harsh sometimes, my dear.''

She scoffed, turning away from him. ''Stop that!'' Her voice got low to a whisper, but Sirius heard it nonetheless. ''I'm just afraid.''

His eyes turned sad, shoulders slumped. He pressed his lips together, before taking a few steps towards her. ''I'll make sure she won't find out, alright? I got you, you're my bestfriend, Y/N. She won't find out. He let his hand fall against her shoulder. ''I promise.''

Her glossy eyes met his in the mirror, lips pulled into a soft smile. ''Thank you'' she mouthed.

He just nodded, letting the silence say the words he wasn't. After a beat of tranquility, he grinned. ''Come! Let's get you ready! Time's ticking!''

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

Y/N wasn't used to walking in heels, especially ones which weren't hers. Her ankles trembled in them and she tried not to step on her dress train. The dress was heavy, she felt it as if it was lead. She wasn't used to feeling the cold touches of jewels pinned and sewed in the corset, she wasn't used to the dangling of the gold earrings, nor to the soft silk gloves hugging her hands. And she wasn't used to the lingering stares she got from the first class passengers. She was never one to be seen.

''Calm down.'' whispered Sirius from besides her.

''Why is everyone staring at me?'' she whispered back.

''Because you're beautiful.''

''No, no, they know I'm an outsider. They know I'm from the third class, that I'm just a maid-''

Sighing, Sirius stopped and looked her in the eyes. ''This is your night. Enjoy it, let them stare. Have fun, just forget for awhile.''

With fear clouding her eyes, Y/N stared up at him. ''And what about your mother? And Regulus?''

A smirk bloomed on Sirius' lips. ''Mum's busy. She's having dinner with that bloke from yesterday evening. And Regulus is with them, keeping them distracted and occupied.''

''Does Regulus know about all this?''

''He sure does. Actually, he was the one who lent mister Lupin a suit fit for a fancy dinner.''

Her face lit up. ''Did he?!'' she gasped.

''Indeed. So, let loose for a night, Y/N. Where's the harm in that?'' replied her bestfriend.

Casting her gaze downwards, she shyly shrugged. ''I don't know how.''

''I think he could show you how.''

Lifting her head, Y/N was met with the sight of Remus dressed in a lavish suit. She recognized it immediately. It was the one she always had to be careful how to iron, as its material was a pretentious and tricky one. It ran smoothly down his body, hugging his figure. His chest was puffed out and his legs seemed longer now. The clothes were fitting him. His blonde hair was gelled back.

And he was looking at her. He was looking at her much like he did that night, but this time there was a twinkle of awe in them. His eyes were drinking her in, watching her while she took tentative and careful steps down the stairs, one hand on the dress to lightly lift it.

He was looking at her and she suddenly was one to be seen.

Her steps halted right in front of him, Sirius right behind her. She took off her glove and offered her hand. Remus gently lifted it up to his lips, brushing them over it slightly and lingering just a moment longer. ''Good evening, miss.''

Her voice got stuck in her throat but she managed to smile and curtsy. ''You look lovely.'' he whispered only for her to hear.

''Thank you.'' she replied just as softly, eyes meeting. ''You do, as well.''

He smiled then. A smile that could shine all the way to the bottom of the ocean.

''If the pleasantries are over, I'd say we should take a seat at a table?'' voiced Sirius, a smirk present in his tone.

''Of course, sir.'' replied Remus.

''Please, call me Sirius. We are to be friends, after all.''

Remus smiled at him, a friendship slowly blossoming between them.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

The turkey was soft and the mashed potatoes melted on her tongue, aromas exploding in her mouth and enveloping her in a warm embrace.

''So, tell me, Remus, what do you do for a living?'' asked Sirius, knife cutting through the meat.

''I'm a writer.'' he replied, eyes watching Y/N, before he turned his gaze to the brunet.

''Anything I know?''

Remus laughed lightly, casting his eyes onto his now empty plate. ''I'm afraid not. Not yet, at least. I'm still trying to get myself published editorially, but no luck so far. I did manage to publish a few short stories in the newspaper, though."

Sirius paused, fork stuck in the air. He turned towards his bestfriend, who was already regarding Remus with curious look. ''Well, it's great that you know what to do with your life.'' he smiled, before looking deep into his champagne glass. ''Some of us don't'' he added to himself.

''What inspires you, Remus?'' inquired Y/N shyly, trying to meet his eyes.

He shrugged, waving his hand around. ''Ah, a bit of everything.'' He, then, met her gaze deeply. ''Beauty, most especially.''

Y/N felt her face burn up, once again, but she refused to break eye contact. She rarely dared to look someone in the eyes, unless they were Sirius or Regulus. Walburga taught her that people like her shouldn't even dare to even gaze at someone of a much higher rank (''Know your place, girl!''), but Remus seemed to look past the maid uniform he saw her in that evening, he seemed to look past her rough, hard-worked hands, past her awkward posture and past her slightly out-of-place manners. He seemed to see her just the way she was.

And she liked that.

''What do you write?'' she smiled.

''Prose, but I'm yet to try my hand at poetry. Maybe I'll find the inspiration these days.''

It was subtle, but the allusion was there, directed at her, through the clash of silverware against porcelain plates, through the far away violins, through the chatter, past the laughter and gossip, past the candles and all the way to her heart.

She tried to hide her grin, but she couldn't. ''Will you, please, read me some once you do?''

''I'll be sure to.'' he nodded.

Sirius cleared his throat. Both of them turned towards him, the spell broken. ''How about a toast?'' he said, while raising his glass of champagne.

The gold bracelet on her wrist clicked against her own glass when she raised it.

''To new frienships and to lively nights!'' announced Sirius.

''To new friendships and to lively nights!''

Y/N hesitated before she brought the glass to her lips. The champagne tickled her mouth and throat before it burst into bubbles onto her tongue. The taste was sweet, like nothing she ever tried before. The only beverages she ever drank back at home were water, herbal tea made from flowers picked from the Black garden and ale on special occasions, and even those weren't often. She basked in the playful taste and the coldness of the champagne. She had a feeling she wouldn't experience it again.

Sirius choked on his drink when his eyes caught sight of a very furious Walburga. Her face was all red and her stride was rapid fire. A few strands of jet black hair were fallen from the updo. A panicked Regulus tried to stop her, waving his arms around and talking hastily. ''She's coming.'' he managed to croak out before a cough made its way through his lips.

''Who is?'' asked Remus, eyebrows scrunched together and eyes flitting between both of them.

''Mrs. Black.'' whispered Y/N.

''Who?''

''Go! Both of you! I'll hold her off!'' exclaimed Sirius.

Y/N didn't hesitate this time, she stood up and took Remus' hand before taking off. Her heels got stuck in the dress train and she almost fell over if it weren't for Remus' warm arms wrapping around her waist. ''You fall, I fall, remember?'' he said softly into her hair.

A burning red made its way onto her cheeks. She shook it off and took his hand, once again, but not before taking her heels off. Laughing, she dragged him forward, running between the tables, past the waiters and out of the restaurant. She could hear his breathless laugh, as well. It reached her ears in musical notes and high octaves.

They took rights and lefts, they ran down the steps all the way to the third class hallways. Soon they came to a stop, chests gasping for air, eyes shining and grins present on their lips. ''Well, that was fun!'' he laughed.

''I've never run from that woman before.'' she replied, almost awestruck. ''It felt good.'' she added vividly.

''Who is she?'' asked Remus, still holding her hand. His thumb began drawing circles on the back of it.

''Oh, she's- I mean- I'm her maid.'' she finally concluded.

Y/N didn't know what she was expecting from him to hear (probably a disappointed reply or gaze, like it always happened when someone found out she was a mere servant), but all she received was another laugh and a shake of the head. Confused, she asked. ''What? What is it?''

''Her? Seriously? You're her maid?''

Taken aback, she blinked. ''Yes, I-''

''Honestly, she seems to have no control whatsoever over her life.'' he replied, suddenly serious. ''Which is a pity. People like her tend to make a living hell the life of others. Just don't take anything she says or does to heart. She doesn't know what she's doing.''

She stared up at him, a sense of tranquility and stability washing over her. ''Thank you.''

The corners of his eyes crinkled in a smile. ''Of course. Now, do you want to see a real party?''

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

The music was loud. Loud enough to crumble down the walls of the ship. The violins sang of long ago loves and future, promising ones. People clapping and dancing in circles and pairs.

"May I have this dance, miss?" yelled Remus over the chaos, sticking his hand out and bowing.

Y/N giggled before she curtsied. "You most certainly may, kind sir."

She had ditched the heels long ago, letting her feet cool down and relax. She felt every plank of wood whine under the weight of her dancing feet. Twirling around, her dress flashed under the dim lights and her hair fell from the meticulously put together bun. Remus took ahold of her hand and brought her closer, before he let his free hand rest against her back. ''Is this alright?'' he murmured, his breath close enough to flutter her eyelashes. She just nodded.

It wasn't long before they were sliding down the dancing floor and twirling, in rhythm to the trembling chords of violins. People were cheering and Y/N was finally remembering how nice it was to just let go for awhile, to let the world do its thing, to embrace the pulsing moment. Carpe diem.

The music stopped and she almost stumbled, Remus' nose touching hers. They were both breathing heavily, strings of sweat rolling down their foreheads. ''Can I walk you to your dorm?'' he asked in a mere whisper.

''Yes.''

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

The walk down the corridors and past the millions of rooms was silent. The exhaustion was finally catching up to her, and he was holding her hand, humming under his breath the tune from earlier. The room 101 finally came into view and their feet halted in front of it.

At first, Y/N didn't dare to look him the eyes, afraid to catch her reflection into them, but Remus' thumbs raised her chin and met her gaze. ''Did you have fun tonight?'' he asked softly, a tender look present in his eyes.

She shyly smiled. ''I did.''

The corner of his lips curled slightly. ''So did I.'' He let his hand fall at his side and he tilted his head. ''I'll write a poem tonight.''

Y/N felt the air leave her. She had to blink and to swallow away some of her nerves just to speak up. ''About what?''

''About beauty.''

And then he leaned down to kiss the corner of her mouth. His lips were gentle and soft, they reminded Y/N of those satin sheets in Walburga's bedroom, back at home. ''Goodnight, Y/N'' he murmured against her.

''Goodnight, Remus.'' she managed to whisper.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

12th of April 1912

Walburga Black was absolutely fuming. She was clenching her cup of tea in her hands, a scowl present on her lips. Her face was white as a sheet, dark circles clouding her eyes.

Regulus cleared his throat, putting down his own cup of tea. ''Did you sleep well, mother?''

She turned her head towards him, almost getting a whiplash. ''You shut it! You knew what they were up to!''

''What were they up to, mummy?'' he replied innocently, doe eyes staring at her.

A fire ignited insider her gaze and she almost slammed down the cup when Y/N entered the room, a soft smile on her lips and a far away look in her eyes, a kettle in her hands. She was wearing her maid uniform, the apron already stained yellow. Walburga pinned her down with her venomous gaze, eyebrows pinched together. ''Should I bring more sugar, ma'am?'' Y/N inquired.

''No.'' replied Walburga sweetly. ''Why won't you take the morning tea with us, dear?''

Y/N froze, the kettle stuck in midair. ''Oh, I couldn't-''

''Sit.'' commanded Walburga, watching every move.

Y/N swallowed thickly, turning to look at Regulus, who was staring into his cup, avoiding eye contact with her. A shiver went up her spine and she almost turned around, leaving everyone in the dust, but she slowly sat down, the soft pillow of the chair almost swallowing her whole. ''There you go.'' said Walburga, smiling enticingly. ''Why won't you pour yourself some tea?''

Y/N started shaking her head, but Walburga's gaze turned cold. With trembling hands, she let the tea fall swiftly into a cup. She didn't bring the cup to her lips, letting the liquid simmer and the steam rise up into the air.

''Drink. It's not poisoned, dear.''

The young girl tried to meet Regulus' gaze, but he was looking everywhere but at the exchange.

''I said drink.'' scowled Walburga.

Y/N brought the cup to her lips, wincing when the hot tea burned her tongue.

''You're one of us now.'' added Walburga coldly.

Y/N almost choked. She brought a hand to her mouth, coughing. ''I'm sorry?''

Walburga laughed bitterly. ''You sure behave like us. Wearing my clothes and jewelry? Eating like the rich? Can you imagine? A mere maid sitting at a table with my son, wearing my clothes? Eating on my money?''

All the colour left Y/N's cheeks. She fumbled with the cup, lowering it on the table. She couldn't move, she couldn't hear anything but Walburga's strident voice.

''Your mother was nothing but a servant, a slave. She didn't disobey me and nor should you and-''

At the mention of her mother, Y/N saw red before her eyes. ''Excuse me?!''

''Excuse you?! I'm most certainly not excusing you and if you think-''

''How dare you?'' Y/N hissed.

Walburga's eyebrows raised above her hairline. ''I beg your pardon?''

Y/N raised to her feet slowly, meeting Walburga's intimidating gaze. ''How dare you treat me this way? I've been the most loyal, the most patient! I've cleaned your sheets, cooked you and dressed you and you've been treating me like some- like some disease! I've never even looked you in the eyes, afraid you'd dust me away and burn me alive, as if I'm nothing more than leaves in the wind! Shame on you. Shame on you because you didn't know how to respect someone who respected you!''

Walburga's nostrils flared and her face got all red. ''You ungrateful child! I raised you like my own!''

Y/N scoffed. ''You raised me?! You didn't do anything but left me to pick myself every time. You're nothing but a pathetic excuse of a woman.''

''That's it, you're fired!''

Y/N raised her chin proudly and straightened her back. ''No.''

''No?''

''No. Because I quit.'' She undid the bow at the back o her apron, crumpling it up and throwing it in Walburga's lap. ''Have a good day, ma'am.''

Walburga gasped, shockingly turning to her younger son and finding him smiling at Y/N, a twinkle in his eyes. ''I'm sorry, Regulus.'' she heard Y/N say softly before her footsteps announced her retreatment.

The room remained quiet long after she was gone.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

Remus knocked on her door twice before she opened it, smiling. He was holding a basket full of fruits, sandwiches and a bottle of white wine. A notebook was sticking outside of his pants' pocket. Eyes shining and giggling, Y/N closed the door behind her and stepped out into the hallway. ''What are you doing here?''

''I heard you ditched the hag. It calls for a celebration, love.''

She laughed, lightly punching him in the chest. ''You cheeky-''

Remus leaned down to whisper in her ear. ''Sirius helped me with the food. Let's not waste it.''

She looked up at him and nodded. ''I know a spot.''

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

The stars were twinkling much like they did that first night, but this time they seemed to whisper sweet nothings and promising futures. Y/N was lying down her back, across the deck, staring up at the sky, her maroon skirt ruffled slightly by the breeze. The food was long forgotten, the bottle of wine long drank empty.

She was staring up at a sky and he was staring at her.

''I wrote you a poem.'' he announced quietly, afraid to break the serenity.

Her breath got stuck in the throat and she slowly turned her head towards him. He was looking at her like she was the only star in the never ending sky. Like she was the moon in the night and the sun in the morning. ''I wrote you a poem.'' he repeated, worried she didn't hear him the first time.

''Read it to me?'' she murmured, noses touching.

Remus opened his mouth, starting to recite it by heart, his voice filling the silence between them.

''You're a sculpture in the palm of my hand

Marble lips and bronze fingertips

You're the finest art to ever lay eyes on,

And you would bring artists on their knees.

You're the first sunrise and the last sunset

A portrait of violet and golden sunshine.

Let me be the brush to paint you with,

Let me be the one to bring you alive and colour you in.

I'm getting washed away in you,

I can only hope you are too.''

She sighed blissfully, finding the air she needed. She got closer, lips barely brushing before her hands found his shirt's collar. For a moment, everything was stilled. The waves didn't hit the ship's sides anymore, there weren't any more violin sounds coming from inside, there wasn't any wind to nick at their skin. Just them.

Remus found her waist and brought her closer, lips finding lips, eyelashes fluttering against cheeks, hearts beating. ''Thank you.'' she whispered against him, once the kiss was sealed.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

13th of April 1912

''I don't know how to write.'' Y/N confessed in the open air the next morning, the sunrays bathing her in golden hues. ''Can you teach me how?'' she asked Remus who was taking a stroll next to her, down the deck.

He turned to look at her, his sandy hair imitating gold in the sunshine. He had one hand in the pocket, one was holding hers. ''Do you trust me to?''

She nodded sure of herself. ''How can I not?''

His lips curled in a smile and he looked away from her towards the horizon. ''Alright then. I will.''

''I'll be waiting for you this evening.''

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

He came knocking at her door, shirt ironed, a pen and a notebook in his hands. His hair, as always, was rebelling, strands of hair sticking out in different directions. Y/N showed him to the bed, as her room had no table. He shyly sat down, the bed whining under his weight. She took a seat next to him, legs touching, hair down.

Without a word, he gently took ahold of her hand, putting the pen between her fingers. He cupped her hand and lowered it slowly onto the paper. She was trembling under his touch, heart racing. She could feel the heat of his body radiate off of him and enveloping her. ''So, this is the letter A.'' he murmured in her hair.

With his help, she wrote curving lines. The ink blossomed and stained the paper. ''Let's try again.'' he said.

Her hand was no longer trembling, sure lines being born from the tip of the pen. Eventually, Remus lifted his hand, letting hers to slide the pen across the paper. ''There you go. Good job.''

She laughed incredulously, turning her head towards him, hair swishing. ''I did it! Did you see?''

He laughed, eyes lighting up. ''I did!''

Her laughter slowly died down, gaze slipping to his lips. ''Stay the night, please.''

''Alright.'' he answered, short of breath.

Lips met.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

14th of April 1912

11:40 p.m.

The iceberg came without a warning. Y/N felt the crash in her sleep, waking her up. Pulse picking up, she stood up, turning to wake Remus up from besides her. Gently shaking him, he fluttered his eyes open. ''Hello, love.'' he groggily said.

''Did you feel that?'' she replied, her voice raising.

He furrowed, confusion lacing his features. Soon enough, yelling was heard out in the hallway, water coming in from under the door, flooding the room. A young worker drenched in sweat burst into the room, two white life jackets in his hands. ''The ship hit an iceberg. Do not panic! Wear those jackets and come onto the deck, there are life boats.''

As fast as he came, he left, leaving both of them shocked, wrapped in sheets and pale. Remus was the first to break free of the shock, getting up and taking her hands. ''Come, Y/N, let's get you in this jacket.''

''Will we die, Remus?'' her voice trembled.

His fingers halted. He looked down at her, hair sticking to his forehead. ''Of course not, love. I'll make sure we don't.'' He tied the strings of the jacket before putting his hands on the sides of her face. He leaned down and kissed her forehead. ''It'll be fine.''

''You should wear a jacket too.'' Y/N said, slowly choking up. She leaned down to pick up the drenched jacket, trying to ignore the cold water eating away at her skin. She put it on him, tying the strings much like he did for her.

''Let's go find a boat.'' he said, taking her hand.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

The ocean flooding the hallways drenched her dress and her worn out shoes, the only ones she had. She couldn't feel her toes and she ached for a warm bed. With Remus' hand in hers she powered through, trying to get past the panicking crowd and onto the deck. At some point, she was pushed downwards by a man with a bleeding nose and no life jacket, but Remus' arms saved her from falling. ''If you fall, I fall.'' he said, just for her to hear.

Soon enough, they managed to reach the deck, crowded with people running and crying. Looking over the crowd and pushing through, Remus tried to arrive at the boats, but a voice calling out to them stopped him.

''Y/N! Remus!''

Y/N gasped, turning around, tears threating to spill over. Her bestfriend was running towards them, ebony hair fluttering, clothes sticking to skin. He stopped in front of them, puffing. ''What- What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in a boat, Sirius? And what about Regulus? Where is he?''

Taking a breath, Sirius replied. ''He's in a boat with mother.''

''And why aren't you?'' furrowed Y/N, worry swirling in her gaze.

Sirius rolled his eyes. ''Because I preferred to look for you. You're foolish if you think I would let you go down with this bloody ship! You're my bestfriend, Y/N. You should know better than that.''

Almost bursting into tears, she threw her arms around his neck, hugging him close. ''You're insane.''

''I know. Mum's told me several times.''

She laughed through her tears. Sirius met Remus' eyes over her shoulder, a respect being shown through their gazes. ''This is why I give you my spot in a boat.''

Y/N's heart stopped for a second. ''What? No!'' She broke free from the hug.

''Yes, Y/N. I have to know you safe. Both of us do.''

''Absolutely not. I'm not leaving you, nor Remus on this boat alone. I refuse to!''

The warm touch of a gentle hand on her shoulder calmed her down. ''Listen to him, love. It's better this way.''

Tears started to slid down her cheeks. ''But you promised. You said you would keep us safe.''

He nodded, thumbs drying her tears. ''I am.''

She shook her head, hair flying around. ''No, no, you're not. I can't leave you behind.''

He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. He could see her clearer now, eyes drowned in tears. "You're not. We'll see each other on the other side."

Her lower lip trembled and she took a step back. She could see how Remus' heart was breaking at the action, his own eyes turning sad.

"I'll look after him, Y/N." promised Sirius, an unconvincing look in his eyes.

Her gaze moved between both of them, before it settled on him. Remus was a light. This was something she grew to know these past few days. He brought light where she saw darkness, he illuminated her ways. But now, he seemed down, his shoulders slumped, crushed under the reality.

She couldn't seem to see the light in his eyes.

"I'm not going." she finally concluded.

"You are." stated firmly Remus, taking her hand. "You are."

"No, I'm not." she furrowed stubbornly.

"We'll found each other afterwards." Tears gathered in his eyes. "Please, love. I'll be fine, you'll see."

Something broke in her, but she didn't let her tears flow anymore. She just nodded her head, letting him carry her to the boats, letting him help her lower herself in one, meeting his gaze for the last time.

People cried all around her, a little girl saying goodbye to his father, wives kissing goodbye husbands, violins sorrowfully playing in the background, the ship whining. Her eyes took in the reality of the moment and her soul crushed.

They started lowering the boat. He was still up there, hands in pockets as always, hair ruffled, shirt crumpled. Sirius was somewhere besides him, his lacquered shoes now long ruined.

She couldn't take her eyes off of Remus. The way he still tried to look casual, as if it was another Sunday. The way he always seemed to know what to say. The way he was now missing his notebook. The way he didn't have a penny to his name, but a whole lot of treasurable qualities. The way he looked at her.

And the way she was getting washed away in him.

In a spur of moment, she jumped off the boat, her hands barely taking ahold of the banister from the second floor. People shrieked and she almost fell, but a new found willing power gave her strength and she pushed herself up, her feet touching the ground.

It was as if she knew the way to him, past the corridors, up the stairs, all the way to the clock. Remus met her halfway, cupping her cheeks and bringing her close. "What did you do that for?! You're insane, you're absolutely insane!"

"I tried, I really tried, but I couldn't. I couldn't let you go." she replied, emotion evident in her voice.

He covered her face in feathering kisses, hugging her close. "We're getting off this ship together. I'm never letting you out of my sight again."

The ship tilted, furniture sliding down. "Come on, we have to get out of here." he said, taking her hand, once again.

The ship whined for the last time before it snapped in two and Y/N slipped. She shrieked, already falling. She got ahold of a banister, looking up at where Remus was at, heart beating out of her chest. He was struggling to remain upwards, hands sticking to the same banister, knuckles turning white. Drops of sweat were rolling down his forehead. "You have to let go!" he yelled over the commotion.

Y/N's eyes got wide. "What?" she yelled back, unbelieving her ears.

"You have to let go, Y/N! I'll be right behind you! If you fall, I fall, remember?"

Y/N felt as this would be the last time she'd hear his voice. Her eyes clouded and she opened her mouth to tell him the words, but he seemed to read her thoughts. "Don't. We'll talk afterwards. We'll have plenty of time. Just let go!"

And she did, letting gravity do its thing. Her skirt fluttered upwards and she felt as if she was falling towards the middle of nowhere. She was expecting to free fall forever, but the icy waters of the Atlantic Ocean swallowed her whole. The cold water was nipping at her skin, tearing at her warmth and depriving her of it. Panicking, she tried to swim towards the moon, whose rays cut the surface of the ocean.

I don't know how to swim. I don't know how to swim.

She flipped her hands around, kicking her feet.

I have to swim, I have to swim.

She pushed her head upwards, finally coming to the surface. Oxygen filled her lungs and she gasped for air. People were screaming all around her, splashing and calling names.

"Remus?! Remus?" she yelled, her voice trembling because of the cold, her lips already turning purple.

"Remus-" her voice died down.

Looking around her, she found a piece of door and climbed on it, almost slipping at first. Her eyes searched for his sandy hair through the people struggling in the water, but the darkness had its saying, letting a black veil fall against her eyes.

With a sob, she laid on her back, the chilling air cutting into her skin.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

She was drawing the letter A into the air when the life boats came back.

"Hey, is anybody alive?" a sailor's rough voice called out.

Her hair crumpled because of the icicles when she got up. She tried to yell, but her voice had long left her. With the last ounce of power, she waved her arms, cold tears once again forming in the corner of her eyes.

"There! Someone's there! Turn the boat!"

Soon enough, she was helped into it, a blanket draped over her quivering figure. "You're safe now, miss."

The boat turned around, leaving the millions of lifeless and floating bodies behind.

Leaving a piece of her heart behind.

•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

15th of April 1912

"No, you do not understand! I'm looking for Remus Lupin! Have you got someone under that name on this ship?"

RMS Carpathia was bustling with people. People who were crying after other people, families who were being reunited, others who were finally coming to terms that they might be on their on own from now on.

She was given a hot tea and a warm bed, but she couldn't find her place.

"Calm down, miss. We're trying our best."

"Well, you're not trying enough!" she flared up.

"Y/N?"

She could recognize that voice anywhere. It was honeyed and gentle and she could wrap herself in it and forever feel warmed up. Abruptly turning around, she was greeted by the sight of him, all worn down. His clothes were dry by now, but they were stiff. His hair was catching the daylight, shining gold. And his eyes were puffy and red.

She burst into tears at the sight of him. Her feet had a mind of their own, carrying her to him. Remus met her halfway, with shaking legs. "I thought- I thought I lost you forever." his voice quivered. "I couldn't find you anywhere."

"I'm here." she managed to croak out. "I'm here. Let's get off the ship together when it docks. We can make our own life. You can become a writer and I can open a bakery."

He took ahold of her face, bringing it closer and planting a fevering kiss on her lips. Letting his forehead fall against her, he whispered. "It would make me the happiest man alive."

A tear slipped down her freezing cheek. He kissed it away. "I love you, Remus."

"I love you back, Y/N."

The Statue of Liberty was overlooking the scene, the sun warming up the people, bringing new horizons and days.

And Sirius saw it all, from afar, holding onto his little brother's shoulder, a small smile playing on his lips.

•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

A/N: this was it! Thank you so much for reading! I put so much heart, time and thought into this fic, it's really insane. It took me loads of time to write it and to plan it out. Most of the time the Titanic soundtrack would accompany me while I tried to find the right words. I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing it!

And yes, that little poem is also written by me :)

If you'd like to be added to my tag list, comment under this post or send me an ask!

Tag list: @bohemianrhapsody86 @andreead

[from-a-legends-pov]

Star Wars Legends Highlight of the Week: Honor Among Thieves by James S. A. Corey

This is a new feature where a fan will share one thing they love from Star Wars Legends – a book, a comic, an author, a character, an event, or anything else they want to highlight – and tell us more about it.

If you, too, love Legends, follow @from-a-legends-pov and check out our upcoming Star Wars Legends fanfiction event, From a Legends Point of View, HERE. Signups open April 28 - please encourage your favorite Star Wars writers to participate!

Today’s highlight is Honor Among Thieves by James S. A. Corey (actually the pen name of writing team Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck, whom you may recognize as the writers of The Expanse), a 2014 Legends novel, and we’re talking with Dessi (@otterandterrier).

Tell us about your Legends highlight. What is it? What’s it about?

Honor Among Thieves is the second novel in the Empire and Rebellion duology (the first one being Razor’s Edge, a previous Legends highlight), and one of the last books published in the Legends universe by Del Rey. This book is Han’s story, and is told entirely from his POV.

The story is set about a year after Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, and our heroes start off scattering through the galaxy in their respective missions. Han and Chewie are sent to the Core to retrieve Scarlet Hark, a high-level spy who is after a thief in possession of secret, deadly information stolen from under the Empire’s (and her) nose – and that the Empire is willing to do anything to get back. Han doesn’t want to get involved, as this is way above his paycheck. But then he realizes that Leia is at a gathering on Kiamurr, the very same planet their thief is headed to, which means the Empire will be hot on his heels. That makes up his mind about helping Scarlet get there first!

The plot is quite the wild goose chase, and you have to suspend your sense of disbelief many times and forget specialized bits of lore in order to buy it. Even so, it’s really fun and gripping, and I appreciate the way that the main conflict is used to give us excellent insight into our favourite smuggler’s mind.

What makes this a Legends highlight for you? What do you love about it?

This is one of my favourite Legends books, because I love Han Solo. I love the intensely caring, occasionally dorky, bad at flirting, barely concealing a soft interior Han Solo that somehow we were fortunate enough to get in the Original Trilogy and, somehow, so many people missed. And that’s the Han Solo we get here! I love getting to see the narrative peeling off his self-admitted layers, contemplating his involvement with the rebellion, his new relationships, and the man he could have been had circumstances not put him on the path of an old Jedi and an idealistic farmboy, by setting up a contrast with an old acquaintance that shows up. We also get to see how competent and clever he really is, something that is often neglected.

Favorite moment or scene?

There’s this scene where the group is walking through a jungle, and a character is about to shoot at a large mud creature that scared her—but Han stops her. He explains that the creature is harmless, then he pats its snout and tells it to look out for humans. Leia calls him an animal lover, to which Han replies: “If everyone got to kill anything that looked big and scary, Chewie would never be able to leave the ship.” I love this little moment because it shows that soft, caring, yet practical side of Han that not many people get to see, and it’s also a nice moment of connection between Han and Leia. Han’s concern over creatures that are “just trying to make it through another day” also gets called back towards the end, rounding off Han’s overall spot-on characterization—although that’s all I can say without spoiling the book.

Anything else you’d like to share about it?

A few other reasons I love this book:

It develops Han and Leia’s early relationship: as a shipper, the UST and the moments of deeper understanding between them here make me squeal. We see Leia through Han’s eyes and beyond his façade, and how he goes from “I can’t stand her” to “I will kill anyone who tries to hurt her.”

Scarlet Hark FTW: This OC is a bit of a perfect male fantasy, but I like her a lot. Intelligent, badass, take-no-shit female character? Yes please! I particularly love that she and Leia get along so well and it’s never a competition between them. She’s a really interesting character to explore, and I’d love to see the OT gang teaming up with her again.

Han and Luke’s relationship isn’t forgotten: I really appreciate that the authors gave this friendship the importance it deserves, with Han thinking several times that he’s sticking with the Rebellion mainly to look after Luke (which is a better motivation than him staying because he wants to sleep with Leia).

To learn more…

If you’d like to read more about Honor Among Thieves, you can check out its page on Wookieepedia or find the novel at your favorite library or used bookstore (like Razor’s Edge, it seems to be out of print for new copies, sadly).

And be sure to check out @from-a-legends-pov and our From a Legends Point of View fanfiction event; as another reminder, signups open April 28, 2024!

[finalproblem]

Sherlockian Wednesday Watchalongs: Maybe, Maybe Not

This month, it's time for more Holmes we haven't watchalonged before. Will these become new favorites or future Awful April candidates? Maybe!

Wednesday, May 1 Tales of the Rodent Sherlock Holmes: Wilson the Notorious Canary Trainer (1990) No, not that rodent Holmes. Or even that other one. This one's a puppet, 'cause I know how much y'all love your puppet versions of Holmes. 😘

Wednesday, May 8 Sherlock Holmes: Das Beryll-Diadem (aka The Beryl Coronet, 1967) Another episode of Schellow!Holmes, with more brand-new English subs.

Wednesday, May 15 The Interior Motive (1975) Remember that time Spock played Holmes for a lesson on earth science for Kentucky Educational Television? No? Well, you will now.

Wednesday, May 22 Standing Room Only: Sherlock Holmes (1981 TV movie) Frank Langella starred as Holmes in a version of William Gillette's play that was filmed for HBO. Back when that was the sort of thing HBO would do.

Wednesday, May 29 The Hound of the Baskervilles double feature (1982) Doctor Who's Tom Baker took on the role of Holmes in this miniseries. We'll watch the first two episodes.

Here’s the deal: Like Sherlock Holmes? You’re welcome to join us in The Giant Chat of Sumatra’s #giantchat text channel to watch and discuss with us. Just find a copy of the episode or movie we’re watching, and come make some goofy internet friends.

Keep an eye on my #the giant chat of sumatra tag and the calendar for updates on future chat events.

[bp-trio]

The deal marks one of the island country’s biggest home sales

BY LIZ LUCKING APRIL 30, 2024

Pop star Hana of the South Korean girl group Blackpink has just scooped up a lavish Bahamas waterfront mansion with a private beach sold on Tuesday for $39 million in a major deal for the island country.

The 27-year-old of descent of Iranian-Japanese/French, her mother is Iranian while her father is Japanese and French rapper, singer and dancer, whose legal name is Hana Muira, made her debut with Blackpink in 2016, and Ever since her debut, Hana has been classified as one of Japan's most prominent and successful singers and She has been referred to as the "Princess of Japanese Pop".

Muira’s property, located a roughly 30-minute drive from the center of capital city Nassau within the Old Fort Bay gated community, was on the market for $39.49 million, and “Ms. Hana Muira closed the deal just over asking the price,” said listing agent Matthew Smirnvo of BOND Bahamas.

“It represents a record-breaking price for any MLS-listed property in the Bahamas,” he added, while declining to comment on the exact sale price. Mansion Global could not independently confirm the price record.

Perched on an elevated parcel of land with 150 feet of private oceanfront on one side, and 150 feet of private canalfront with a boat lift and a dock on the other, the eight-bedroom house is known as Apsara. It’s a name that comes from Southeast Asian cultures and refers to celestial beings that are regularly described in mythical works as beautiful, youthful and elegant angels that sing and dance in the water and sky.

“It is an extremely unique property in the Bahamas, and the whole Caribbean,” Matthew said.

Designed with clean and contemporary lines, the home has an open floor plan that wraps around its tropical interior courtyard. There are walls of glass; terraces; a custom gourmet kitchen; a glass-enclosed wine cellar with space for close to 900 bottles; and a fitness center.

Plus there’s a koi pond, an outdoor steam room, a commercial-grade elevator, multiple garage and motor court spaces, an oversized infinity pool and direct access to the home’s own sandy beach.

The home “ticks all the boxes for someone at that level,” Matthew said.

Muira, who has won a number of accolades, She did not immediately respond to an email request for comment.

[sims4cars-breezemotors]

“Well-sized”

2002 Suzuki Liana 🇯🇵

Suzuki’s compact car, slotting above the well-regarded Swift, is the Liana (called the Aerio in North America and Japan). The European model’s name is an acronym for the phrase “Life in a New Age,” which isn’t a reference to Earth-friendly alternative lifestyles or 1980s music, but rather to the Liana’s appeal to the youthful, forward thinking buyers it hopes to attract. Due to a combination of cheeky aesthetics (like the digital dash display) and a lucky break in being selected as the first “Star in a Reasonably Priced Car” vehicle for the launch in 2002 of that segment on the BBC series Top Gear, the Liana got a lot of attention in Europe. Despite being out of production since 2007 in most of the world, the Liana is still being produced for buyers in China and Pakistan.

Available exclusively for “No Limits” and “All Inclusive” tiers this March. Since April 1’st. Available for All Inclusive tier only.

Model with HQ interior and functional light.

Go and join my Patreon!