#B.B. Baker

[mollypondfromwritingspace]

Book Characters/ context part 1

HS Era:

Molly Murphy is a 15-year-old who has been given to her dad 2 years ago. She's currently in high school, trying to juggle homework, friends, etc., alongside finding out that her dad is a superhero and adjusting to a whole new life. She is very prone to getting into trouble, but is a good kid on the inside. She's very lively, and everything is either the best or the worst thing to ever happen to her.

enter love interest. Deuteronomy (Dew) Demerez is one of a set of triplets that go to her school. He's very smart, and sort of the calm to Mo's storm. He often gets pulled into her schemes, and will be the one to get her out of trouble a lot of times. He also is a secret romantic, writing love poetry in secret. Dew is very good with words and can talk his way out of (or into) just about anything. Eventually, they start dating, and she gets to know Dew and his brothers and his dad, like family.

There's Hector, who's very cocky, and thinks he can do what he wants. This only works up to a certain point, which he'll push every time. His intentions are (almost) always a way to help either himself or his brothers. Also, he's surprisingly good with money despite hardly ever having it.

There's Louis, aka Lou, who is spacey AF to the point where other people often think he's high, but that's Just How He Is. He's got a heart of gold, though, and is the most likely to help someone out.

Then there's Don, the boy's father. He's got the style of your typical dad (i.e., white New Balances, Hawaiian shirts, etc.) and is like a second (third?) dad to Mo. He's sensitive, caring, and gentle but also can be strict when he needs to be. He's raising the boys on his own, but he's doing his best and honestly doing a great job.

Speaking of dads, Drake Murphy is Mo's and her little sister's. Grayson, aka Gray, stayed with her dad her whole life , and she's now 11. Drake tries his best to keep up with both her and Mo, but the stress of going from going from 1 to 2 kids over 2 years takes its toll sometimes. He is a very loving dad, though, if a bit high-strung. He's also protective, almost to a smothering extent, but can be persuaded to back off occasionally.

Levi Palmer, Drake's best friend, helps out a lot. He's a relaxed, goofy guy who's almost the opposite of Drake, but they get along great. He's very level-headed and often ends up as the mediator when fights do happen. He's also a pilot and loves airplanes and flying. He teaches Mo how to fly an airplane before she can even drive, much to Drake's chagrin.

Gray is Mo's younger sister. She's a feisty, tomboy of a eleven-year-old with the biggest heart and the biggest mouth out of everyone. She loves sports, animals, her dad, and her sister.

Mo's classmates /other characters.

Julia Douglas is one of Mo's best friends. She's very outgoing, rebellious, and seemingly super confident, but on the inside is very worried that she's doing something wrong. She has a huge family, mostly friends of her dads that she calls aunts/uncles. (One of which marries her dad later on). Her dad and most of her aunts/uncles are actors, and Julia feels like she needs to follow in their footsteps. However, once she expressed a desire to do something besides acting, her dad threw a hissy fit, which started an arguement that ended with him telling Jules that she was getting ""too rebellious". Jules' response was "Oh really?" and then to start listening to punk music, dye her hair, and generally just do minor things to give her dad a heart attack once a week. So, as a comprimise, Jules was allowed to go to public high school. She still hasn't given up the punk "phase", and appears to genuinely like it, much to her dad's dismay. But also there are people like Beau Baker (aka "B.B") and Peter Perry ("Pete") who will help her and her dad through whatever happens. Also, her father Daniell ("Dan" or "Danni"), and his best friend (Pete) are dating at this point. Dialogue: Julia: "On a scale of one to ten, how bad would it be if-" B.B.: "At least a twenty."

Julia: hmm. *starts to do it anyway*

B.B. : don't even think about it A comparison: Drake: prove to me that you can be responsible with this 2001 Nokia before I even think about getting you a smartphone. Vs. Danni: here's an iPhone 10 (or whatever's newest) go nuts, kid.

Marigold Wallace (or Mari) is another one of Mo's best friends. Her older brother Dickie goes to the same school as them and is super protective of his little sis. Mari is very annoyed by Dickie, but at home, they get along pretty well. She's also kinda annoyed by Julia, as Mari's more of a nerdy, almost honor student type, and Julia's more of a rebellious skater kid type. They're still best friends though, much to the amusement/bewilderment of Mo.

Anna Sullivan ("Anne") is one of Mo's classmates. She's often involved in schemes with her brothers, and is very smart. She is easily manipulated, usually by Aaron. She has 3 little brothers, Aaron, Shiloh, and Tyler, which are 3 years younger than her. They go to school with Gray.

Dickie Wallace is in the grade ahead of Mari. He's super stressed about getting into a good college, etc, and seems kinda upset that Mari doesn't seem to be as concerned as he is when it comes to, well, anything. He's super rule-following but secretly kinda welcomes Mari and her friends' "rebellious behavior" that he occasionally gets dragged into (aka 2 am Taco Bell runs because he's the only one that has a car). He mellows out a little after a while, partially due to their dad talking with him, telling him to chill. Turns out, the main reason he's so worried about Mari is that he knows that due to {circumstances I haven't figured out yet} he's probably not going to be able to go to college(realized somewhere at the beginning of the 1st book), so he desperately wants Mari to succeed where he can't. Mari, meanwhile, isn't even sure she wants to go to college but feels so pressured that she ends up going anyway.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2nd era: . Mari comes home from college (either halfway through or with her degree) and has dropped out, because she doesn't feel like it fits her. . also discovers that Julia, now an actress, now has three adopted siblings (technically her uncle B.B. adopted them, but she's so close to them that they're practically her siblings) that she carts almost everywhere. When she's not with them, people are forever calling/contacting her to come to get them out of their hair. She loves it and them. She's kinda like an "enabler" (or at least that's what people call her lol) to them. She gave up acting for a while, but with her siblings coming from an acting background, she ended up going back to it. She's kind of mellowed out, is now a lot more chill, and is a lot more comfortable with herself.

. Logan Walter ("Lo") is 13 years old, and a sarcastic little you know what. He loves learning about things, especially history, and likes to make up songs to teach his younger siblings things. Julia says she'd be lying if some of those songs didn't teach her a few things too. She'd never tell him that though, he'd just try to sing to her 24/7 and she doesn't think she could handle that.

James Walter ("Jamie") is 11 years old, and the sweetest one of the three. He's also super spacey, and very gullible. He also is always eating random things or trying to, and anytime he's around, you'll always hear someone say, "Jamie, take that out of your mouth". Usually, it's Julia.

Diana Leeann Walter ("Dee") is only 9 years old, but you'd swear she was a teenager from the way she talks. ("Call me Dee-Dee, and you die") Most people are split about whether she got her sassiness from Julia or Logan, but everyone agrees that she's cute. She knows this too with an arrogance that only little kids can get away with. She can butter up anyone and everyone, especially adults. . Mo is now working security for one of the richest men in the city with Finnley Carter ("Finn"), the man who knew her parents well and looked after her a lot as a kid. Turns out, they both moonlight as superheroes. How did she get this job? Well, turns out, that this rich man is Samuel McMiller, Dew's great uncle. He knows about Mo's secret identity and was impressed by Mo's talents, (plus it helped that Finn, already his security man, and Dew, his nephew, talked Mo up a lot), and decided to give Mo a shot. Also, Mo and Dew get engaged and later married. Dew is Samuel's assistant/protege

Samuel McMiller is Hector, Dew, Lou's great uncle, and Don's uncle. As stated above, he's one of the richest (if not the richest) men in the world, and very much has the personality of an old miser to an outsider, but has a heart of gold, and loves to go on (and drag his family on) international/global adventures. He's very protective of his money, but even more protective of his family, or at least Hector, Dew, Lou, and Mo. Don and Samuel's relationship is rocky, to say the least. He sees Don as a man who hasn't lived up to his potential, and Don sees Samuel as an old miser who doesn't seem to care about anybody. Slowly, they've begun to set aside their disagreements "for the kids".

Speaking of adventures, a lot of times these pop up under the guise of checking out some international/global property he has either invested in/bought or is thinking about doing so. So he calls up Mo ("I'm going to need someone from security out there in case something happens, you're the only one I fully trust" etc), Dew ("Lad, if you're going to take over for me, you'll have to learn how to {insert applicable thing- somehow he always comes up with at least one}"), and whoever else he feels like (usually at least Don, Lou, and Hector), tells Levi (who has taken on a job as Samuel's pilot) to fire up his engines, and they're off on a presumably safe voyage. However, between the six of them, either someone does something to royally mess up a major thing, or something unrelated happens but they investigate anyway. By the time all's said and done, they're all exhausted and head off home. Mo always has the best stories to tell Mari, Anna, and Julia (and whoever else will listen) when they get back. Mari and Julia have each been on exactly one trip with them, and swear they have no idea how Mo handles them.

Finnley Carter is Mo's mentor, and is like a third (fourth??) dad. It's unclear what happened between him and Mo's mother, but it is clear he still wants to be a part of her life. Mo at first was wary of this, but after a while, is okay with him being there, especially when she finds out about him being a hero. That was when she was 14. Nowadays, he's like family to her and vice versa. Goofy, dorky, and a klutz, he doesn't seem like the hero type, but he can be downright scary if he has to be. He's got a kind heart and an incredible mind. He was originally hired as an accountant for Samuel and can count at the speed of light. He likes to joke that he's won every "guess the amount of _ in the jar " contest in the state.

Drake and Finn have a complicated relationship. At first, their personalities majorly clashed, and they were constantly arguing. Now, they've mellowed out, thanks to time, patience, and "the kids" (Mo and Gray, possibly Levi)

Gage Grant (G.G.) is Don's cousin, and, according to rumor, is the luckiest guy in town. Things, opportunities, and especially money seem to fall in his lap, without him having to do hardly a thing. He seems to be snobbish about it, which has distanced him from the rest of the family. In reality, he is deeply jealous of Don, who has a family, is close to Uncle Samuel (sort of), and seemingly has the whole white-picket-fence dream that G.G. has wanted his whole life. Don, meanwhile, thinks that G.G. is a snob, and is jealous that he never had to work for a thing.

Efry Dalesome is Don and G.G.'s other cousin. He's very oblivious, but very adventurous and often ends up in trouble because of it. Often, Don or G.G. will be dragged into his shenanigans as well. Efry has a heart of gold though, and always tries to make up for his mistakes. He's very well-loved by the family.

Gabriel Griffin is the city's greatest inventor. He and Bruce team up quite a lot, and he frequently makes inventions for Samuel McMiller. He and Don are also good friends, and Mo, Dew, Hector, and Lou all look up to him. He's quite absent-minded, and also has a heart of gold.

Era 3: Julia and her family get into various shenanigans. Also; a wedding happens eventually

in addition to Lo, Jamie, and Dee, several other family members can be developed more in this book

the main story here is that Julia's dad and her uncle Pete are getting married. The story would be centered loosely around Julia's feelings about it, as well as the Sibs'.

also, at some point after this, Jules and Mari get married .

B.B. is the Sibs' (Logan, Jamie, and Dee) father. He's clever, sarcastic, and is great with kids (which is great, considering he now has 3 of them). He was who Jules went to about half the time with any problem she had. Heck, sometimes she'd even just come over to nap. You'd think that would change as she got older, and as the Sibs entered the picture, but she only came over more, to the point that people often joked about Jules living there. B.B. and Danni are long-time friends, having met at the same audition way back when. B.B. is just about the only person who can tell Danni off (that he'll listen to anyway).

Peter Perry is the other person who can tell Danni off since he's Danni's fiancé/eventual husband. He's very down-to-earth, and a sweet, caring soul. He's the other person Jules can turn to, and often does, with just about anything. He probably knows more about her than anyone. Pete and Danni have been dating for a few years now, but they've been friends for longer than B.B and Danni. They're very close and have moved in together. He gave Jules the place he was living in, much to Jules' happiness.

Daniell Douglas (Danni) is Julia's father. He's very egotistical, although that side of him has seemed to mellow a little since he started dating Pete. He's still very oblivious though and doesn't always realize when he hurts Julia's feelings. He also doesn't have a lot of common sense, and, while Julia used to hate it as a teen, she thinks some of the stuff he does is hilarious now. He can be caring when he wants to be and does love Jules in his own, weird way.

Somewhere in this, Jules and Mari realize they're in love with each other. Everyone else already knew it years ago.

[jedivoodoochile]

"I hate rankings about who is better. I don't deal with technique, I deal with emotions."

I'm no longer interested in hyper-technical, funambolic musicians who are not able to convey emotions. Better four notes expressed with soul than a thousand without. Think of Robert Johnson, B.B. King, Chet Baker, and Joao Gilberto.

Charlie Watts was for me the essence of the Stones' sound, without doing spectacular acrobatics. Many will disagree. I've read a lot of publications about lists of musicians but for me, music is not competition, it's sharing."

- Jimmy Page.

[thenighttrain]

books read in 2023

finally continuing my yearly tradition. all rated out of 5 stars. bolded are my faves!

The Daughters of Izdihar (The Alamaxa Duology, #1) by Hadeer Elsbai ★★★☆☆

A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland ★★★☆☆

Last Violent Call (Secret Shanghai, #3.5) by Chloe Gong ★★★☆☆

The Magician's Daughter by H.G. Parry ★★★★☆

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi (Amina al-Sirafi, #1) by Shannon Chakraborty ★★★☆☆

The Lies of the Ajungo (Forever Desert, #1) by Moses Ose Utomi ★★★☆☆

The Surviving Sky (Rages, #1) by Kritika H. Rao ★★★☆☆

The Will of the Many (Hierarchy, #1) by James Islington ★★★☆☆

Immortal Longings (Flesh and False Gods, #1) by Chloe Gong ★★☆☆☆

Gods of the Wyrdwood (Forsaken, #1) by R.J. Barker ★★★☆☆

To Shape a Dragon's Breath (Nampeshiweisit, #1) by Moniquill Blackgoose ★★★☆☆

Fourth Wing (The Empyrean, #1) by Rebecca Yarros ★★★☆☆

The Third Daughter by Adrienne Tooley ★★★☆☆

After the Dragons by Cynthia Zhang ★★★★☆

Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang ★★★★☆

White Trash Warlock (Adam Binder, #1) by David R. Slayton ★★★★☆

The River Has Teeth by Erica Waters ★★★☆☆

The Drowned Woods by Emily Lloyd-Jones ★★★☆☆

All That’s Left in the World by Erik J. Brown ★★★☆☆

Fury of the Dragon Goddess (Adventures of Sik Aziz #2) ★★★★☆

The Water Outlaws by S.L. Huang ★★★★☆

My Dear Henry: A Jekyll & Hyde Remix by Kalynn Bayron ★★★☆☆

Serwa Boateng's Guide to Vampire Hunting (Serwa Boateng, #1) by Roseanne A. Brown ★★★☆☆

Hamra and the Jungle of Memories by Hanna Alkaf ★★★★☆

Bonesmith (House of the Dead, #1) by Nicki Pau Preto ★★★☆☆

Garden of the Cursed (Garden of the Cursed, #1) by Katy Rose Pool ★★★★☆

Race to the Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse ★★★☆☆

Don't Want to Be Your Monster by Deke Moulton DNF

The Buried and the Bound (The Buried and the Bound, #1) by Rochelle Hassan ★★★★☆

The Meadows by Stephanie Oakes ★★★☆☆

If Found, Return to Hell by Em X. Liu ★★★☆☆

Amari and the Night Brothers (Supernatural Investigations, #1) by B.B. Alston ★★★★☆

Starter Villain by John Scalzi ★★★★☆

Amari and the Great Game (Supernatural Investigations, #2) by B.B. Alston ★★★☆☆

The Chalice of the Gods (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #6) by Rick Riordan ★★★★☆

The Fragile Threads of Power (Threads of Power, #1) by V.E. Schwab ★★★☆☆

The Hexologists (The Hexologists, #1) by Josiah Bancroft ★★★☆☆

Foul Heart Huntsman (Foul Lady Fortune, #2) by Chloe Gong ★★★☆☆

Darkhearts by James L. Sutter ★★☆☆☆

The City Beautiful by Aden Polydoros ★★★★☆

Séance Tea Party by Reimena Yee ★★★☆☆

The Prince's Poisoned Vow (Infernal War Saga, #1) by Hailey Turner ★★★☆☆

The Emperor's Bone Palace (Infernal War Saga #2) by Hailey Turner ★★★★☆

Beholder by Ryan La Sala ★★★★☆

Curious Tides by Pascale Lacelle ★★★★☆

The Forest Demands Its Due Kosoko Jackson ★★★☆☆

Reforged by Seth Haddon ★★★☆☆

The Scarlet Alchemist (The Scarlet Alchemist, #1) by Kylie Lee Baker ★★★★☆

Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White DNF

The Spirit Glass by Roshani Chokshi ★★★☆☆

Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Törzs ★★★☆☆

All That Consumes Us by Erica Waters ★★☆☆☆

Frostheart (Frostheart, #1) by Jamie Littler ★★★★☆

The Vanquishers (The Vanquishers, #1) by Kalynn Bayron ★★★★☆

When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller ★★★☆☆

Dark Moon, Shallow Sea (The Gods of Night and Day #1) by David R. Slayton ★★★☆☆

Dark Heir (Dark Rise, #2) by C.S. Pacat ★★★★☆

[xipiti]

Black women like Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Big Mama Thornton, and Betty Davis were the vocal bibles for rock and roll. These Black women, along with others like The Shirelles and Lavern Baker established the foundation of the genre. Their vocal Blackness and swagger was emulated and duplicated by white rockers of the blues revival in 1960s like Mick Jagger who wanted the vocality of Blackness without the presence of Black musicians on stage. Their popularity eclipsed the contributions of Black women in rock. Then came Tina Turner, the original disruptor. A patron saint who returned rock to its original home of auditory Blackness.

Born Anna Mae Bullock in 1939 in Brownsville, Tennessee, Tina Turner was raised in Nutbush, a city 50 miles from Memphis. The daughter of sharecroppers, she accompanied her parents in the fields where she spent her early childhood picking cotton. As a young girl, she found solace in her hometown’s church choir. The church remained a constant, while she experienced extreme ups and downs in her life — the separation of her parents, spousal abuse in the home, death of close family members. When she was 16, she moved to St. Louis to live with her mother. While there, she would frequent the city’s nightlife scene, where she saw the band Kings of Rhythm perform for the first night. On a night in 1957, she took control of the microphone and sang “Darling, You Know I Love You,” a song from her childhood icon B.B. King. Enamored by her performance, Ike Turner (who would go on to be her abusive husband) hired her to perform alongside the band. It was then that little Anna Mae Bullock started her transformation into Tina Turner.

[whatilistenedtoatwork]

From September 25th to September 28th, 2023

25-09-23

WIND ROSE “Shadows Over Lothadruin”; GRANT GREEN “Nigeria”; EMMYLOU HARRIS “Blue Kentucky Girl”; SONIC YOUTH “EVOL”; LUCINDA WILLIAMS “Sweet Old World”; SLAYER “South Of Heaven”; RUN-DMC “King Of Rock”; BEYONCE “B’Day”; B.B. KING “B.B. King Sings Spirituals”; DESTINY’S CHILD ”Destiny Fulfilled”; SWEET MEGG “My Window Faces The South”; LUCINDA WILLIAMS “Ramblin’ On My Mind”; CROWDED HOUSE “Afterglow”; ALEXANDER O’NEAL “Hearsay”; TRICKY “Angels With Dirty Faces”; JENNIFER HUDSON “JHUD”; RANCID “Life Won’t Wait”

26-09-23

JULIAN COPE “Autogeddon”; RONNY JORDAN “The Antidote”; THE WATERSONS “A Yorkshire Garland”; CONWAY TWITTY “Conway Twitty Sings”; THE BIG BOPPER “Chantilly Lace”; LORDE “Pure Heroine”; HELLOWEEN “Walls Of Jericho”; CHUBBY CHECKER “Twist With Chubby Checker”; ADRIAN MITCHELL & LEON ROSSELLSON “A Laugh, A Song, And A Hand-Grenade”; JACK SCOTT “Jack Scott”; OZZY OSBOURNE “No More Tears”; B.B. KING “Lucille”; RAY CHARLES “The Genius After Hours”; VERUCA SALT “American Thighs”; THE WATERSONS “For Pence & Spicy Ale”; JANELLE MONAE “The Age Of Pleasure”; DAFT PUNK “Random Access Memories”        

27-09-23

WHITNEY HOUSTON “My Love Is Your Love”; DIZZY GILLESPIE, STAN GETZ, & SONNY STITT “For Musicians Only”; PLANXTY “Planxty Live 2004”; MACHITO & HIS AFRO-CUBA ORCHESTRA “Kenya”; THE PRODIGY “Experience”; SUZANNE VEGA “Suzanne Vega”; WAYNE SHORTER “Speak No Evil”; BO DIDDLEY “Go Bo Diddley”; SPINAL TAP “Break Like The Wind”; THE DECEMBERISTS “The Crane Wife”; BUDDY HOLLY “That’ll Be The Day”; REUBEN WILSON “The Cisco Kid”

28-09-23

MOODYMANN “Forevernevermore”; ALESTORM “Sunset On The Golden Age”; THE FUTUREHEADS “News And Tributes”; COUNT BASIE “The Atomic Count Basie”; ANITA BAKER “Rapture”; REEL BIG FISH “Turn The Radio Off”; THE WONDER STUFF “The Eight Legged Groove Machine”; BEYONCE “I Am… Sasha Fierce”; DINOSAUR JR. “I Bet On Sky”; OUTKAST “Idlewild”; CARIBOU “Andorra”; MANITOBA “Start Breaking My Heart”; RAY CHARLES “Modern Sounds In Country And Western, Volume 2”; CHUCK BERRY “Chuck Berry In Memphis”; THE OFFSPRING “Ixnay On The Hombre”

[ask-the-shorty-squad]

First.. I need to give you these..

*Gin hands Fuyu for pieces of paper.*

"15.5% Sara Chidouin ••• HS Student"

"9.9% Naomichi Kurumada ••• Boxer"

"9.5% Keiji Shinogi ••• Ex-Detective"

"8.8% Q-taro B.B. ••• Baseballer"

"8.2% Shunsuke Hayasaka ••• Office Worker"

"8.0% Anzu Kinashi ••• HS Student"

"7.7% Reko Yabusame ••• Singer"

"7.5% Mai Tsurugi ••• Baker"

"6.6% Alice Yabusame ••• Murderer"

"5.3% Ranmaru Kageyama ••• HS Student"

"4.9% Megumi Sasahara ••• Detective"

"3.0% Kazumi Mishima ••• HS Teacher"

"2.7% Kanna Kizuchi ••• Mid. Student"

"1.3% Gin Ibushi ••• Elm. Student"

"1.1% Hinako Mishuku ••• Mid. Student"

"0.0% Shin Tsukimi ••• Self-Employed"

*What.. Are these.. Percentages?*

These are.. 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬.

*But.. Gins is.. "1.3%" and Shins.. "0.0" He never had a chance did he..? And wheres Nao and Kai on here?*

Kai, Nao, and Joe.. Those three werent suppose to be apart of the Death game.. So they got.. 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐝. Woof...

*Kai.. Nao.. And a boy named Joe.. Executed.. Just because they werent suppose to be apart of it..?*

They cheated.. Big sis Nao could've lived, but.. Uncle crab stache cheated and gave Big sis Nao the Sacrifice card...

He didnt even care about Kai!! His own son!!

*Son? Wait.. Uncle Crab stache.. Is that suppose to be..*

*Gashu Satou.*

To think someone would go as far as to let their child die, Woof!!!

W-Wait!! Hold on!! So.. Kais father.. Let Kai just kill himself?! He didnt have any guilt or remorse?!

That bastard even killed his other son, talkin' bout Ranger. He let both his sons die without even a hint of guilt or sorrow. It's probably why Kai cant give you any info, probably hurts too much to wanna remember such a game.. Such a father... Even thinking back makes me sick to my stomach.

*It made the others even sicker. Especially Teru. He had pure rage, disrespect, and disgusts for neglectful and abusive fathers. Mostly due to having one himself. The thought of such horrid men always left and foul taste in his mouth. And the reality of what they had done to him and his friends never eased or changed that flavor. It only made it worse.*

What makes it worse is that there are people in this world just like him if not worse. It's truly disgusting.

[allsoymadestore]

Tina Turner, rock and roll icon, dead at 83

Tina Turner, a soul and rock powerhouse known for her octave-defying voice and mesmerizing stage moves, has died at the age of 83.

She died Wednesday in her home in Switzerland after a long period of illness, according to a statement from her publicist. In her 2018 memoir, Tina Turner: My Love Story, Turner detailed a litany of health issues she had dealt with since 2013, including a stroke, intestinal cancer and kidney failure. Her second husband, Erwin Bach, donated a kidney to her in 2017, saving her life.

In a recording career that spanned six decades, Turner found fame both as a solo artist and in a duo with her first husband, Ike Turner. With the latter, she was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and became a staple of the U.S. pop and R&B charts in the 1960s and '70s. The duo's high-energy soul and rock was informed by Tina's disparate vocal influences. She grew up listening to country music, but had many idols: '50s R&B singers LaVern Baker and Faye Adams; gospel great Mahalia Jackson and rock pioneer Sister Rosetta Tharpe; blues legend B.B. King; and soul greats Ray Charles and Sam Cooke. Accordingly, she had a malleable and versatile voice, and could unleash a scalding rock growl, or dip into her lower register and sing the smoky blues or velvety R&B numbers. One of Ike & Tina's most well-known songs, "River Deep, Mountain High," was even a Phil Spector-produced, orchestral-gospel triumph.

An agile vocal interpreter, Turner also made other people's iconic songs her own — adding a tone of yearning and desperation to The Beatles' already-pleading "Come Together," and layering on more of a country twang to The Rolling Stones' "Honky Tonk Women." Her signature tune, a fiery transformation of Creedence Clearwater Revival's laid-back "Proud Mary," became a showcase for her sultry soul drawl and raspy rock 'n' roll yelp. The latter song won Turner her first Grammy Award, for best R&B performance by a duo or group with vocal. She would win eight Grammys overall — including best female rock vocal performance for three years in a row during the '80s.

In addition to her vocal prowess, Turner had a commanding stage presence that was often characterized as "electrifying." This descriptor somehow always seemed like an understatement: At the microphone, Turner vibrated with energy, like a simmering pot about to boil over, and she possessed natural athleticism that translated to lithe but powerful onstage dancing. "Someone once called Tina 'the female Mick Jagger,'" Rolling Stone's Ben Fong-Torres wrote in 1971. "In fact, to be more accurate, one should call Mick 'the male Tina Turner.'" (This is no mere critical hyperbole: In the same Rolling Stone feature, Turner herself insinuated that Jagger studied her moves rather closely when she and Ike toured with the Rolling Stones in 1969.) Naturally, when the pair teamed up for a barnburning cover of the Jacksons' "State of Shock" at Live Aid in 1985, the combination was incendiary.

"I'm so saddened by the passing of my wonderful friend Tina Turner," Jagger said in a statement on Instagram. "She was truly an enormously talented performer and singer. She was inspiring, warm, funny and generous. She helped me so much when I was young and I will never forget her."

Born Anna Mae Bullock on Nov. 26, 1939, Turner grew up in rural Nutbush, Tenn., but also spent time in Knoxville, as her parents moved there for work. Growing up, she had a distant relationship with both her father, who abandoned the family when she was 13, and mother. But performing came naturally, and became her solace. In Tina Turner: My Love Story, she describes music-filled shopping excursions — being 4 or 5 years old and being paid by salesgirls to sing radio hits she had memorized — and the exhilaration of leading her cousins, half-sister Evelyn, and sister Alline in pretend stage shows. Later, she honed her performing presence further by singing at picnics with a regionally famous trombonist named Mr. Bootsy Whitelaw.

Turner moved to St. Louis at age 16 to live with Alline and her mother, and began going to the famed East St. Louis venue Club Manhattan, where she first saw Ike Turner & The Kings of Rhythm. In 1957, she ended up joining the group after her impromptu performance of B.B. King's "You Know I Love You" wowed the bandleader. The troupe was eventually rechristened the Ike and Tina Turner Revue, highlighting her elevated role.

By all accounts, Ike was excessively cruel toward Tina, both personally and professionally. "Looking back, I realize that my relationship with Ike was doomed the day he figured out that I was going to be his meal ticket, his moneymaker," Turner wrote in My Love Story. She then described how she was a last-minute replacement to sing on "A Fool In Love" — which became the duo's first hit, reaching No. 2 on the R&B charts in 1960 — and was impressive enough that a label head told Ike to make Tina the group's centerpiece. "What went through Ike's head when he heard that advice?" she continued. "He had to find a way to protect his interests, and that's when the trouble began."

Over the years, Turner has been open about certain aspects of their time together, although she told the New York Times in 2019 that she's never divulged all: "I think I'm ashamed. I feel I told enough." But Ike was mentally controlling — for example, he rechristened her "Tina Turner" and then trademarked the name, both without her consent — and physically abusive. She was nearly penniless when she left him in 1976, while the pair were on tour in Dallas. "I walked out without anything and had to make it on my own for my family and everyone so I just went back to work for myself," she said during a 2017 appearance on The Jonathan Ross Show.

Turner had released two solo albums while still performing with Ike, 1974's Tina Turns the Country On! — a stripped-down LP featuring her take on songs by Bob Dylan, Dolly Parton and Kris Kristofferson — and 1975's rock-oriented covers album Acid Queen. Her first entertainment forays post-split geared toward mainstream fare — the game show Hollywood Squares and Cher's variety TV series — and cabaret-style live concerts, as well as two albums that didn't chart. She also recorded a sleek, electro-pop take on the Temptations' "Ball of Confusion" on Music Of Quality & Distinction, Volume One, an album released by Heaven 17 members Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh under the name B.E.F.

The year 1984 would be pivotal for Turner. She dueted with David Bowie on the reggae-influenced title track of his Tonight LP, and finally achieved widespread mainstream success on her own thanks to the blockbuster Private Dancer. As with "Ball of Confusion," the album embraced the decade's slicker, cutting-edge production values — in fact, two songs were co-produced by Ware — while still highlighting Turner's muscular voice and eclectic influences.

The album's tracklisting included the Mark Knopfler-penned title track, as well as covers of tunes by David Bowie ("1984"), the Beatles ("Help!"), and Ann Peebles ("I Can't Stand the Rain"). Private Dancer also featured her first and only solo No. 1 hit, the vulnerable and luxurious "What's Love Got to Do With It." The single, which also won Grammy Awards for record of the year and best female pop vocal performance, boasted a cathartic, lived-in vocal performance that ushered in her sophisticated second act and cemented her reputation as a survivor, a tag and aesthetic she embraced.

Turner's commercial renaissance continued as the decade progressed. She co-starred in the 1985 film Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, which spawned the dramatic power ballad "We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)" and the Grammy-winning "One of the Living," and racked up more hits with the Bryan Adams duet "It's Only Love," breezy seduction "Typical Male," and the empowerment anthem "The Best." With her spiky wig and power miniskirts that showed off her legendary legs, Turner also became an early MTV icon: She performed at the first-ever MTV Video Music Awards in 1984, and won best female video the following year for "What's Love Got to Do With It."

Turner continued to be a commercial force into the '90s, notably thanks to the 1993 biopic, What's Love Got to Do With It. Based on her 1986 autobiography, I, Tina, the movie starred Laurence Fishburne as Ike and Angela Bassett as Tina. Both actors were nominated for Oscars, while Bassett won a Golden Globe for best performance by an actress in a comedy or musical. Turner herself also received a career boost, as the soundtrack song "I Don't Wanna Fight" became a worldwide hit, cracking the top 10 in the U.S. In 1995, she landed another prestigious honor, singing the slinky, elegant James Bond theme song "GoldenEye" for the titular film.

Turner, who moved to Switzerland in 1995, started easing up on her workload in the late '90s and '00s, and ended up retiring after a 50th anniversary tour in 2009. However, she was still an active steward of her own legacy; in fact she also worked closely on the development of Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, which opened on Broadway in fall 2019. And at the 2008 Grammy Awards, she performed a showstopping version of "Proud Mary" with Beyoncé. With hindsight, it's easy to interpret the moment as Turner passing the torch to a younger musician. However, the performance also once again reaffirmed that she was squarely in control of her rich musical legacy.

Source: https://www.npr.org/

[loveroftoomanyfandoms]

Reader/B.B. is definitely crushing on 'Peter the cute customer/photojournalist' and is operating under the saying of 'the way to a man's heart is through his stomach', lol. She just *might* be baking some new treats to share with Peter in upcoming chapters (as well as helping Peter make something of his own towards the end).

Thank you for the compliment about Ian! I love creating OCs, especially when they're Reader's friend/emotional support/ cheerleader (or mortal enemy as is the case with Kelsie from Cooking Up Love -- I had a blast writing her). We'll definitely be seeing more of Ian; after all, he's

Yes, Peter is very relieved to know that not only is Ian not B.B.'s boyfriend, B.B. is very much available. Maybe he'll have to take her up on her offer to drop by when he's in the neighborhood after Spider-Manning... 🤔

(And let's be real, he's not going to be in a huge hurry to fix/replace his coffeemaker, lol.)

I actually do have an idea for a scenario in which Peter gets more bread tossed at him, so hopefully I can fit it in. 😉

And thank you! I'm not much of a chef/baker at ALL but I enjoy being able to describe how tasty everything sounds!

Of Coffee and Cinnamon Rolls - Chapter 2

Pairing: TASM! Peter Parker x F!Reader

Rating: T

Story Summary: Peter's coffee maker has broken, leaving him in need of a caffeine fix. Luckily, there's a new coffee shop right by the Daily Bugle... With a beautiful barista inside.

Warnings/Tags: Meet-Cute, Coffee Shops, Strangers to Friends to Lovers, Dual, Alternating PoVs between Peter and Reader, minimal use of Y/N

Word Count: ~4k (this chapter got LONG)

A/N: It's taken me freaking FOREVER, but here we finally are with chapter 2! Hopefully future updates won't take me as long.

Tagging @tarzinnia since they've been patiently waiting for an update!!!

Ok, what else needs to be done? you thought to yourself as you bustled around the kitchen in your shop. You had worked your ass off to make your dream of owning your own business a reality, and today that dream was finally coming true, so needless to say... You were nervous.

You grabbed your to-do list off of the prep table and gave it a quick scan. Cookies are bagged, cake pops are finished, muffins are good to go, croissants are ready, banana bread is sliced, cinnamon rolls are done…  

You glanced at the clock. You had way more than enough time to shower and then relax for a bit before things would get busy again.

You made sure your oven was off before heading upstairs to your apartment above the shop. 

You hurried through a shower before changing into something nice enough to wear for your interview and photos, but still comfortable enough to work in.

And speaking of photos...

You grinned. Not only had you been pleasantly surprised to see the hot skater boy-esque customer from the morning come back into the shop in the afternoon right as you had decided to close, but you had been even more pleasantly surprised to find out that he worked for the Bugle and had been the one to suggest that they cover the opening for the paper. 

You had made a flimsy excuse to give him your number and was surprised to receive an incoming text from an unknown number right as you had finished prepping dough for the next morning’s baked goods and popping it in the fridge to chill overnight.

Hi, Y/N. This is Peter.

Peter Parker. 

From the Daily Bugle?

You had quickly washed your hands then sent a reply, a wide smile spreading across your face. Yes, Peter, hi, it's good to hear from you. What's up? :)

Sorry to bother you, but I just thought I'd text you so you'd have my number in case you had any questions about the interview tomorrow.

Oh it's not a bother at all. You've got perfect timing, actually. I just finished prepping dough.

Oh, what are you making?

Well for the opening we're going to have cookies and cake pops in addition to the regular baked goods, which'll be croissants, muffins, banana bread, and of course, cinnamon rolls. I was just trying to get a head start on the dough since I'll be making extra goodies for the grand opening.

Oh man, that all sounds amazing. I'm going to want to try everything.

Lol, I'll be sure to set one of each aside for you. It's the least I can do as thanks for the free publicity.

So what are you up to?

About to attempt to fix my coffeemaker before I have to head out for my other job.

I'll let you get to that then. Good luck!

Thanks. 

You glanced at the clock. You still had an hour and a half until your interview, but maybe Peter was up and wouldn't mind you texting him?

Morning, Peter! you typed. Any luck fixing your coffeemaker?

A few minutes later your phone lit up. 

Peter had sent you a photo of what you assumed was his coffee maker, except it was in pieces. It was captioned, Are there supposed to be leftover parts?

You laughed before sending your reply. Definitely not that many, lol.

You bit your lip. You know, you're more than welcome to come by early if you need a caffeine fix. 

...Only if you want to, of course.

No pressure.

You nervously chewed on your lip as you waited for his answer. After what seemed like the longest 10 seconds of your life, Peter's reply came through. I'd love to. Be there in 15?

You grinned. Sounds good. See you soon.

You set your phone down on your bathroom counter so you could fix your hair, then took another look at yourself in the mirror. Guess this is as good as it's gonna get.

You headed back downstairs to the shop, fixing yourself a cup of coffee before sitting at a table to wait for Peter.

You looked around, smiling to yourself. You had chosen decor that you thought made the shop feel open and welcoming while still somewhat whimsical and hoped that your customers felt the same.

Suddenly there was a tap on the door.

You looked over and grinned when you saw Peter waving at you. 

He was dressed similarly today as he had been the day before, in jeans and a long-sleeved shirt with a buttoned-up flannel over it. His hair was styled in what you assumed was a purposely messy, just-rolled-out-of-bed look and he was wearing black plastic-framed glasses. Damn, he is *hot*.

You waved back before getting up and walking over to the door to let him in. "Peter, hey. Come on in."

"Hi." Peter stepped inside and waited for you to lock the door behind him. "How's it going? All set for the opening?"

You nodded. "Yeah, actually. I live above the shop and couldn't sleep so I went ahead and got everything ready, but I've now found myself with an extra hour to kill."

You gestured to the table where your coffee sat. "Have a seat and I'll get your coffee ready."

You moved behind the counter as Peter set his bag down at the table. "Want anything to eat?" you asked.

Peter shook his head. "No thanks, I warmed up a cinnamon roll before I left."

You nodded and the machine to brew. "So how are you this morning?"

Peter shrugged. "Had a bit of a long night at my second job, but I'm good."

"Glad to hear that, despite the long night." You waited until the machine shut off and brought Peter his coffee. “Here you go.”

Peter smiled at you. “Thanks.”

You sat across from him and took a sip of your own beverage. "So what is the second job, if you don't mind me asking? Wait, let me guess... Private investigator?"

Peter laughed. "No, what gave you that idea?"

You shrugged, unable to help but smile at his adorable chuckle. "I dunno, it's the first thing that popped in my head that required a camera besides being a photojournalist."

Peter shook his head. "Actually, it has nothing to do with photography. I'm a security guard."

"Oh ok, that's neat. Where at?" You grimaced. Ugh, way to sound like a stalker.

You shook your head. "Wait, I'm sorry. I realize that sounds extremely nosy. I just meant that I'm planning on being down here late most nights doing prep for the next day, so… I mean, if you happen to work nearby you're welcome to drop in for a cup of coffee or some leftover pastries."

Peter shrugged. "It's fine. I just kind of fill in wherever I'm needed, which usually makes for a pretty flexible schedule but also long days, hence my immense and near-constant need for caffeine." 

He took a sip of his coffee. "But, uh, yeah. If I happen to find myself in the neighborhood I'll text you, if you don't mind?"

You smiled with relief. "Yeah, that'd be great."

The next hour flew by as you and Peter continued talking. Peter told you about growing up with his aunt and uncle, about his love of science, and about how he had gotten interested in photography, and in turn you told him about your own childhood and what had led you to want to open your own coffee shop.

"My grandmother taught me how to bake," you explained. "And she always added a splash of coffee to the wet ingredients for whatever we were making. 'The coffee is the secret ingredient,' she would always tell me. ‘But the true secret can only come from within’."

"So what is the true secret?" Peter asked, seemingly intrigued.

You shrugged. "I don't know. She said I would figure it out when the time was right."

Peter huffed out a laugh. "Well if you haven't figured it out yet I can't wait until you do. Your cinnamon rolls are excellent as is."

Your face heated. "Thanks."

Suddenly there was a knock on the front window.

You looked up in surprise then smiled brightly when you spotted your best friend, Ian, waving at you. You had made plans to go out to dinner with him that evening to celebrate the grand opening of Bean There, so you were pleasantly surprised to see him now. 

You stood. "Oh, sorry, hold on a second.”

You went over to the door and unlocked it, letting Ian in.

"Hello, love," Ian said in his crisp British accent before giving you a kiss on the cheek.

"Hey, sweetheart," you replied. "What a surprise, I thought I wasn't seeing you until tonight."

Ian shook his head. "I just wanted to stop by on my way into the office to wish you good luck on your opening today."

You smiled. Ian had been your biggest supporter while you had been working to procure the space for your shop and had helped you with choosing the furniture and decor. "Aww, thank you, honey, you're so sweet."

Ian glanced over at Peter, curiosity evident in his eyes. "I tried texting you, but I guess you were busy.”

You patted at your pockets, realization dawning on you that your phone was still sitting on your bathroom counter. "Oh shoot, I must've forgotten my phone upstairs."

Ian shook his head. "It's fine, darling, no big deal. I'm just glad I got to see you."

"Me too." You turned towards Peter. "By the way, this is Peter Parker, the photojournalist from the Bugle . Peter, this is Ian."

"Nice to meet you," Ian said, walking over and shaking Peter's hand.

"Same to you," Peter replied.

"Want anything before you go, sweetheart?" you asked Ian.

Ian grinned in reply. "Oh, darling, you know I can't resist your banana bread." 

"Peter, you want some more coffee?"

Peter looked hesitant, as if he felt bad about accepting your offer. "Uh, sure."

You picked up Peter's cup and walked back over to the coffee machine, grabbing a fresh to-go cup for Ian and putting 2 pumps of strawberry rose syrup and 1 pump of white chocolate syrup in it before programming the machine to brew both his and Peter's coffee simultaneously.

"Have you tried Y/N's banana bread?" you heard Ian ask Peter.

You looked over at them as Peter shook his head. "I've only had her cinnamon rolls."

Ian let out a pleased sound. "It's incredible, mate. Then again, everything she makes is incredible, and trust me, I've tried it all."

"Ian was kind enough to be my taste tester while I was perfecting my recipes for the shop," you explained to Peter, your face warming at Ian's praise as you steamed some milk to add to his coffee.

"Anything to support my girl," Ian said with a wink. “And to get free pastries.”

You finished making Ian's latte then boxed up 2 slices of banana bread for him to take with him. "That reminds me, though..." 

You brought everything back over to the table. "Peter, I boxed up a sample of everything for you. Remind me to give it to you before you leave."

You handed Ian's banana bread and coffee to him. "Here you go, sweetheart. Just like you like it."

Ian took a sip and nodded. "Mmm, perfect as always. Thanks, love."

He gave you another kiss on the cheek then whispered in your ear, “You go, girl. He is gorgeous.”

You giggled and nodded. "I agree."

Ian straightened. "Bye, darling, love you." 

"Love you too. See you tonight."

Ian turned towards Peter. "Nice meeting you."

Peter gave him a slight wave. "Yeah, you too."

You followed Ian to the door so you could lock it back behind him.

You walked back over to Peter and sat once again. “Sorry about that.”

Peter shrugged and cleared his throat. "It's okay. So, how long have you been together?"

Your brow furrowed. "Who, me and Ian?”

Peter nodded, a slightly confused look blooming across his face. “Yeah.”

You shook your head. “Oh no, Ian's not my boyfriend." 

"Oh, he's not?" Peter's cheeks pinkened adorably. "My bad, I just assumed..."

"It's fine, it's a really common misconception. Ian and I have been best friends since 4th grade so we're super close, but it's not in a romantic way at all." 

You and Ian had met on Ian's first day as a new student in your class. You had invited him to sit with you at lunch and had been inseparable since, including spending summers together in England to visit his mom when she had moved back after his parents had divorced while the two of you were in high school and living together as roommates in college.

You let out a light laugh. “Besides, I don't think Ian's husband would be too pleased if I made a move on him, especially since I not only introduced them, but also was Ian's best woman at their wedding.”

Peter laughed. "Yeah, that might make things a bit awkward."

You bit your lip. "I'm, um, I'm actually not seeing anyone at the moment. Been too busy focusing on my career and trying to open my shop. Kinda difficult to find time to date when you're constantly working, you know?"

Peter nodded.  "Yeah, I get that."

You took a sip of your coffee, trying to come off as nonchalant. "So what about you? Seeing anyone?"

"Oh, um, no, I'm not seeing anyone either right now." Peter hesitated momentarily. "Uh, like you said, too busy with work and stuff."

"Yeah."

Peter jumped slightly as his phone rang. He reached into his pocket to pull it out, briefly looking at the screen before swiping to answer the call. “Excuse me a minute. Hey, Betty, what's up?”

You stood, not wanting to eavesdrop on Peter’s conversation.

Peter glanced up at you. "Oh, uh, actually, I'm already here. Uh huh, yeah, sure. No problem. See ya."

He hung up. "Betty said she'll be here soon. She tried to call you."

You nodded. "I should probably go get my phone in case my employee is also trying to reach me. I'll be right back, okay?"

Peter nodded. "Yeah, that's fine. If Betty gets here before you get back, you want me to let her in?"

"Yeah, that'd be great. Thanks."

You got up and headed behind the counter to wash your cup then ran upstairs to grab your phone, taking a moment to breathe before returning downstairs to find Peter talking to the reporter who had set up the interview with you the day before. 

You smiled. "Miss Brant, good morning."

"Hi," Betty replied.

"Can I get you some coffee?"

“Yes, that would be great, thank you.”

"Something to eat? We have croissants, muffins, banana bread, and cinnamon rolls, along with cookies and cake pops for the grand opening."

"Sure, I'll take a cinnamon roll. Thank you."

"Peter? Sure you don't want anything?"

Peter thought for a second. "Well, maybe a piece of banana bread?"

You nodded with a smile. "Coming right up."

Peter pulled out his camera as you walked over to the display case. "Mind if I take a few pictures? I want to get some test shots in before the official opening."

You shook your head. "That's fine."

You plated Betty and Peter's baked goods along with a croissant for yourself and made Betty's coffee while Peter took a few photos.

You slid Peter's slice of banana bread over to him. "Here you go."

Peter took a bite of his banana bread as you carried Betty's coffee and cinnamon roll and your croissant to the table. "Mmph, this really is delicious."

You smiled, pleased that he liked it. "Thanks."

"Okay," Betty said, turning on a digital recorder. "I'd like to get started, if that's okay with you."

You nodded. "Sure."

Betty cleared her throat. "This is Betty Brant with the Daily Bugle interviewing Y/F/N Y/L/N, proprietor of Bean There, Done That. So, Ms. Y/L/N…"

"Y/N, please," you interrupted.

"Y/N," Betty corrected. "Tell me a bit about yourself."

You told Betty much of what you had already told Peter, about baking with your grandmother as a child and how she had left you enough money to start your bakery. "I really miss her," you said, "but I know she's watching over me."

"And how did you come up with the name of your shop?" Betty asked.

You grinned. “My best friend Ian actually suggested that name. I wanted something catchy and memorable so he and I bounced around ideas until we arrived at ‘Bean There, Done That’.”

Betty smiled. "Care to share any of the rejected names?"

"Oh gosh, there were so many, and they got more and more ridiculous as we went on. Let's see, there was 'Caffeinated Bliss', 'Let's Get Roasted', 'Java the Time?', 'Espresso Yourself', and 'The Daily Grind', to name a few." 

You and Ian had drank several bottles of wine at his kitchen table together while coming up with the perfect name for your shop so several of the rejected names had been hilariously inappropriate. “I also considered naming the shop after my grandmother but ultimately decided against it.”

Betty nodded. "I see."

She asked you several more questions while Peter took a few more photos of both you and the shop, then finally turned off her recorder. "Okay, I think that's all the questions I have for you. Thanks for your time."

You nodded and stood. "Thanks for your time as well."

You walked over to the counter and picked up a couple of bakery boxes you had packed while you were getting everything set up. "Here, I packed some baked goods for you and the Bugle staff."

Betty nodded. "Thanks. I'm sure everyone will appreciate it."

She turned to Peter. "Peter, I'll see you at the office later."

Peter nodded. "Yeah, see ya later."

You walked Betty to the door. “Thank you again for your time.”

“You too,” Betty replied. “I'll email you a link to the article once it's live.”

You nodded. “I'd appreciate that.”

"Is there anything else you need to do before the opening, anything I can help you with?" Peter asked once Betty had left.

You shook your head. "Nope, I think everything is set."

Your phone rang, Olivia’s name flashing across the screen. "Oh, sorry, one second. Hello?”

“Hi, Y/N,” Olivia replied over the phone’s speaker. “It's Liv.”

“Oh, yeah, Liv, hi.” You had hired Olivia, who was working her way through college and thankfully had experience as a barista, part-time for weekday mornings but had asked her to come in today for the grand opening since you weren't sure how busy you would be.

“Just letting you know that I'm on my way and will be there in a couple of minutes.”

“Okay, great. I'll see you in a few then.”

“See you soon. Bye.”

“Okay, bye.”

You hung up. "Sorry about that. That was my employee, Olivia. She was just letting me know that she'd be here in a minute so I could open the door for her."

You checked your watch then grabbed your outdoor chalkboard sign, on which you had written ‘Grand Opening! Free samples inside!’. "Actually, it's close enough to 8 to where I think I can just go ahead and open."

Peter walked over to the door. "Here, I'll get the door for you."

You smiled at him as he held it open for you. Hot and a gentleman too. Swoon. "Thanks."

Peter shrugged. "Of course. Oh, that reminds me, I need to get some posed shots of you out in front of the building before you get too busy."

You nodded as you set the sign out front. "Oh, yeah, sure. Where do you want me?"

"Let's see…" Peter stepped back a bit. "How about here next to the sign?"

You moved to stand beside it. "Here?"

Peter shook his head. “Maybe a bit closer?”

You stepped sideways a bit. “How about now?”

Peter checked the shot. "Yeah, that's perfect."

He took a few photos, then checked to make sure they were okay. "Alright, we're good."

You grinned. "Great. Thanks, Peter."

"No problem."

The two of you headed back inside, you pausing to flip the sign on the door from closed to open. “I need to go grab the first batch of samples. One second.”

You went to the kitchen, where you had set up individual bite-size portions of everything on two large, round trays covered with clear domes. 

You brought them out and set them down on the counter before putting a little tag in front identifying what each tray held. “Okay, now I think we're all set.”

A minute later, the bell above the front door chimed and Olivia walked in. 

“Morning, Y/N,” she said with a friendly smile.

“Morning, Liv,” you replied. “Thanks for coming in today.”

Olivia nodded. “No problem. Happy to help out.”

You gestured to Peter. “This is Peter Parker. He's taking photos of the opening for the Bugle. Peter, this is Olivia.”

“Nice to meet you,” Olivia said as she grabbed her apron off of a hook by the door to the kitchen area.

Peter nodded. “Yeah, you too.”

You rubbed your hands together. “Okay, Liv, if you take the coffee machine, hopefully we'll start getting some customers in soon.”

“Are you expecting a lot?” Peter asked.

“Fingers crossed. I know that this area is busier during the week than it is on the weekend -- which is why we're only open for four hours on Saturday -- but we sent out a mailer advertising the grand opening with a coupon good for a free baked good with purchase of a coffee today only, so hopefully we get a good turnout.” You looked towards the door as the bell chimed, butterflies fluttering around your stomach in both excitement and nervousness. “And actually, there's my first customer! Let me get to it.”

You and Olivia spent the next two hours serving customers and refilling both the display case and sample trays while Peter took photos. 

“Thank you, come again!” you said to what felt like your millionth customer as the shop finally emptied. “Phew.”

You turned towards Olivia. “Liv, you wanna grab you something to eat and take like a 15-minute break? I'll call you up if I need you.”

Olivia nodded. “That sounds great, Y/N. Thanks.”

“Okay,” Peter said, quickly scrolling through his photos as Olivia left to go take her break. “I think I have everything I need.”

You nodded. “I really appreciate you suggesting that the Bugle cover the opening.”

Peter shrugged. “It's not a problem. Always happy to help out a new business, especially one with such delicious treats.”

“Oh, that reminds me.” You grabbed the bakery box full of goodies you had set aside for him. “Don't forget your samples.”

Peter nodded and took the box. “Oh yeah, thanks. I really appreciate it.”

You pointed towards the coffee machine. “Did you want a coffee for the road? I mean, since your coffee maker at home is still broken.” Not since I'm enjoying having you around and am trying to delay you leaving, even if it's just by a minute or two.

“Yeah, I'd love one.”

“Okay, 1 sec.”

You brewed his coffee, resolutely trying to ignore his eyes on you, then brought it over to him. “Let me know how you like the pastries.”

“Will do. Thanks.” Peter glanced at the door as a couple of customers entered. “So I'll… see you around then?”

You nodded. “That’d be great.” 

“Great.” Peter stepped out from in front of the register so you could help your customers. “Thanks again for the coffee and stuff.”

“No problem.”

You watched as he left, taking advantage of your customers being distracted by studying the menu board to wistfully sigh to yourself. Hopefully I'll see him again soon.

[itstremmy]

[soundgrammar]

Jymie Merritt (1926-2020)

[musiculture-fr]

Code T.R. 808

Venez lire l'article sur Le Site Des Musiques Métissées Et Urbaines.  La légendaire boite à rythmes TR-808, l'un de instruments de musique électronique les plus vénérés et recherchés au monde est définitivement un emblème des années 1980.   http://www.musiculture.fr/code-t-r-808/

[thenighttrain]

Congrats on completing your reading challenge! As someone who’s struggling to read this year, this is peak queen behavior 👑 Any faves from the ones you read?

thank you<3 i hope you find something you enjoy soon! yep these are my faves so far, mostly fantasy but beholder is horror and starter villain is scifi!

Garden of the Cursed (Garden of the Cursed, #1) by Katy Rose Pool

Amari and the Night Brothers (Supernatural Investigations, #1) by B.B. Alston

Starter Villain by John Scalzi

Beholder by Ryan La Sala

The Buried and the Bound (The Buried and the Bound #1) by Rochelle Hassan

The Scarlet Alchemist (The Scarlet Alchemist #1) Kylie Lee Baker

Blood Over Bright Haven M.L. Wang

[odk-2]

B.B. Cunningham - Pagan Rock (Pagan Love Song) (1960) Nacio Herb Brown / Arthur Freed / Blake Baker Cunningham, Jr. (Arrangement) from: "Jig Saw" / "Pagan Rock” (Pagan Love Song)           "Hot Rockin' Music From Memphis:            The Cover Recording Company Story"            (2000 Compilation)

B.B. Cunningham

[sambvcks]

crawl home to her, b.b. x reader

chapter one // body’s working on empty

summary: bucky isn’t as receptive to this new life of his as everyone had hoped. he’s cold, sharp-tongued, and closed off. except to the tenant across the hallway from him, who always wears pajamas and bakes a dozen too many of his favorite cookies

warnings: food, nothing too bad this chapter!

word count: 1.5k-ish

author’s note: i thought my marvel phase ended five years ago...here we are again. i haven’t written in awhile so please be kind! title and chapter titles taken from hozier’s ‘work song’.

[ read on ao3 | series masterlist | inbox | join my taglist! ]

[ NEXT ]

Five minutes into their first session, Bucky decided he was going to make Dr. Raynor’s job as difficult as he possibly could.

It wouldn’t be an impossible task, seeing how this whole ordeal depended on him opening up and talking, two things that he had abandoned decades ago. Her unwavering stare was nothing more than a challenge, these fifty-minute sessions once a week were nothing more than a slight inconvenience to his lackluster day to day routine. He would play along, do whatever exercises she asked, and feign stability until he never had to see her again.

“Since this is our first session together, we’ll take it easy.” She promised with a forced upturn of her lips before whipping out her notebook.

Suddenly, it felt like he was encased in bulletproof glass in Berlin again. He remembered that the last time he had been forced into receiving psychiatric help, it hadn’t exactly gone to plan. His chin fell to his chest, hands wringing together as he thought of any excuse to request a different doctor. 

“Let’s begin.”

It was already getting too hot to wear leather gloves and his heavy jacket. New York’s heatwave was supposed to be the highest on record this year and while kids popped open fire hydrants in the street, Bucky would be settled on the hardwood floor in the back corner of his apartment, waiting.

Waiting for what, he wasn’t quite sure.

It was a fairly nice apartment, newly renovated and practically barren. Government issued and funded, of course, and he had spent the first night pulling the furniture from the walls to the center of the room in search of bugs and cameras. He found thirty-four, destroyed them under a rolling pin, and they hadn’t come to replace them. Message received.

The one thing he really liked about the apartment building were his neighbors. The price tag for a one bedroom was substantial to say the least and only older couples could really afford it. No children, no dogs, no outsiders. The only break from his undisturbed routine would be occasionally helping Mrs. Johnson down the hall carry her groceries as she struggled to get the door unlocked with her brittle hands.

They affectionately called him James and the older women were quick to get a hold of his arms, saying things like “They don’t make them like you anymore, James!”. He swallowed the bile prickling at the back of his throat as he nodded, and they moved on to telling him about their single granddaughters.

It was almost nice, his routine. Almost.

Outside of those small encounters, he spent most of his waking hours jogging in the park and cooking the same three meals. He had his appointment every Wednesday with Dr. Raynor, but that was it. He’d take two trains back to his apartment and wouldn’t emerge again until he needed groceries two days later.

It was when he was returning from one of his biweekly grocery trips, a paper bag settled on his hips, that he spotted you outside his door.

He stilled in the hallway, taking a quick step back to peek around the corner without being spotted. His breath stalled, his ears picking up your soft humming and the crinkle of plastic as you set a bundle of cookies at his doorstep, the only one without a mat. His eyes flicked to the other doors, where identical bags of cookies sat propped up, tied with blood red ribbons.

His shoulders relaxed. No threat.

The bottom of his grocery bag suddenly gave way, fruit rolling in every direction. Bucky fell to his knees, glove clad hands snatching up everything he could reach as quickly as he could manage. You were faster, though, and scooped up a plum that had rolled your way, offering it over as he tried to balance the rest of his groceries in his arms.

“Thanks.” He was quick to sweep past you, hand digging in his pockets for his key.

“James, right? Ms. Robinson downstairs is like, in love with you.”

“Yeah, but, uh-“ Dr. Raynor’s instructions from their last session rang in his head, as much as he tried to tune her out: make connections. “You can call me Bucky.” He cleared his throat. “And Mrs. Robinson is far too good for me.”

“Bucky it is then.” You trailed him down the hallway, “Y/N.”

Bucky tried to sneak a glance at you from the corner of his eyes, which was harder to inconspicuously do now that he had gotten a haircut and couldn’t hide his wandering eyes behind long tresses. Young was Bucky’s first thought. much younger than the other renters in the building. Bright was next, followed by much too smiley for a Tuesday morning.

Pretty, he admitted as he turned his back to unlock his door. Maybe in another life he would have lingered in the hall, his so-called effortless charm seeping through as you swooned at the very thought of a date with James Buchanan Barnes. But that life was long gone, and instead he rushed to retreat.

“Oh, don’t forget these.” You swooped down to collect the bundle of cookies you had left at his door, handing them to the hand that wasn’t delicately balancing the pile of groceries he still held against his impossibly broad shoulders. “Oatmeal raisin, super-secret family recipe.”

He was back in the doorway of his ma’s kitchen, watching his little sister balance on a wobbling stool as she struggled to crack and egg with her little fingers. He can so distinctly see the pale green of the cabinets, remember the fight his parents had when she begged for that shade of green while his dad had wanted white. Of course, she won.

“These are your brother’s favorite.” His ma whispered to his sister; her flour covered hands reaching for the age faded index card with their grandmother’s script detailing the ingredients. “Our family’s recipe. One day, you will make these for your children. And your children’s children.”

Rebecca, still so young and with a hatred for smelly boys deep in her bones, giggled at the mere thought as her fingers fished out the bits of eggshell that snuck their way into the bowl. She wiped it away on the spare apron tied twice around her waist, much too big for her. 

Bucky would never see her grow into it. He would be drafted only a few months later.

In the meantime, he would bundle half a dozen of them in a tea towel and split them with Steve on the walk to the movie theater. Steve would begrudgingly admit that Buck’s ma made the best cookies, but his made the best brisket. They’d sneak in through the back door and do it all again the next weekend, until they ran out of weekends together.

“Oatmeal raisin are my favorite.” He admitted, accepting your offering like a stray cat does to the first scrap of food from a stranger.

“I think you’re the only person under the age on one hundred to ever say that.” You teased, backing away to the door adjacent to his, “Anyway, don’t tell me things like that. I’m a stress baker and with finals coming up…” You winced at the image of the dozens of batches you would surely be whipping up in the coming weeks.

“Finals?”

“Law school, one semester left.” You fished your own keys from your back pocket. Bucky barely held in the scoff at the shiny Spider-Man keychain that dangled from your fingers. “You?”

“Oh, no. I haven’t been in school in what feels like…a century.”

“Well, I’m all alone here and as much as I would love to, I can’t eat everything that I bake. So, expect a few dozen muffins and cookies every few days.”

“No arguing from me, doll.”

You both lingered in the small hallway, only a few steps apart, each leaning against your respective doors. Keys in each hand, with no intention of using them any time soon.

“Law school, you said? How do you afford a place like this?” Bucky was sure he was the only recently pardoned fugitive under this room.

“Well, this used to be my grandma’s apartment and it was handed down to me in a maybe no so legal way. If the landlord asks, I’m an eighty-year-old woman who doesn’t know how to work her answering machine.”

He huffed a laugh, mostly because that wasn’t particularly far from how he felt with today’s tech. The flip phone that Dr. Raynor had described as archaic sat heavy in his back pocket with only three names programed into his contacts. Don’t get him started on his television.

“Nice to meet you, Bucky.”

With that, you each stepping into your respective apartments. Bucky stalled at his door for a moment, listening as you locked and dead bolted your door behind you. He sighed, dumping his half-ruined groceries on his barren kitchen island.

The next day, he’d have another appointment with Dr. Raynor. This time when he’d say I’m trying, as he did each week, it wouldn’t be a complete lie. His phone buzzed in his back pocket.

2 New Messages

From: Sam

You coming up this weekend?

Don’t ignore me this time. He’s getting worse, Buck.