#Byron I love you with all my heart I promise to be with you forever

[burningvelvet]

Some notes and excerpts sent to Lord Byron from his many admirers — AKA, the Regency era version of sliding into someone's DMs:

“Dear Lord — A person whom you know well, and whom you have deigned to look on with some regard, taken by your extraordinary attractions awaits you this evening at ten o'clock in the back room of the Café San Fantin near the Fenice theater: do not be absent, my adorable Lord, if you do not want to force me to commit some indiscretion. Do not fear any sinister event; love me, though anonymous, as much as I love you, and I will be happy enough. Yours forever — if you want me — just now from home.”

“Milord — Excuse, my dear, the liberty that I take in sending you this note, but seeing you last night at the theater of San Benedetto my heart was smitten by you. Having no possible means of being able to speak to you, I have boldly taken the chance of writing you this note. If you accept my inclination that I feel for you, l will await your answer and will remain with the hope of embracing you if you would favor me with a simple reply by the bearer of this.”

“Being up to date on everything that concerns you, I knew of your new loves — daily you are offered rendezvous— all run after you because I permit a mere fifteen days to go by without seeing you — understand me. No longer an admirer, in order not to suffer your tricks any longer — but believe of me what you will — P.S. Tomorrow evening at eight o'clock I shall have the luck of seeing you.”

“From Home 25 Oct. 1818. Most Esteemed Lord — I would not have come to the Theater this evening except for the pleasure of being able to see your worthy Person and to let you know that I would like to spend, if you do not mind, a few moments in your House this evening after the performance. Awaiting this favor, I have the honor of declaring myself at your esteemed commands — most affectionate Servant — Eleonora de Bezzi.”

“Most Esteemed Sir — Although women are not the first to write, this time I permit myself to take the liberty, in order to let you know that if you favor me by taking the trouble to come to this Friend this evening at nine o'clock I shall have the honor of your charming company for a moment; otherwise there is no way for us to speak. Meanwhile I have the honor of offering my feeble service. P. S. I beg you not to let anyone know that you are coming to visit this Friend of mine.”

“A poor wife bows before your Lordship to ask for some help knowing how generous your beautiful heart is. I know that I am too bold, but the good report that I have heard of you, Sir, gives me courage to come before you, Milord; if my face were sufficiently pleasing to you I would consider myself fortunate to enter into some part of your beautiful heart, but I know I am not worthy and so I ask for your charity. Meanwhile I kiss your hands and declare myself your Most Humble Servant Suzana.”

“Are you ill? but why do I feel worse than you? Sunday evening after eight eternal days will I be able to see you? Yes.”

“Excellency — I wish to know if on Thursday at the appointed hour you will be available. The wise change frequently.”

“Tuesday at the theater Signor Petretin was in a box with you — bravo — after what you promised me, to let yourself be seen with him? If I were not in a very bad humor I would make you laugh by telling you what happened to me with the servant Marietta. If you are not engaged tomorrow evening with Signora Cortessi, at whatever time you like I shall come to see you — addio.”

“Having returned from Padua, I learned that in Benzona's circle it was being said that you made sacrifices for me — I, who know that I never inconvenienced you in the slightest matter, am surprised indeed by this gossip, and I beg you to do me the justice that I merit on this subject — I am certain that you are not the source of such a lie, for I do not believe you are capable of wronging someone who does not deserve it — addio, pardon.”

“I know that you divert yourself in your Gondola; I know about your romance with the Girl of Dolo; I know about the frenzies of Madame Segati; I know everything: and knowing everything — I also know that I am a fool still to concern myself with you. Friday I shall leave for Padua; I would like to say goodbye to you first. If your amorous occupations permit, you may see me tomorrow evening at eight o'clock. Farewell most noble Englishman, believe me with our customary excessiveness — your admirer.”

“You will forgive me for taking the liberty of sending you this simply to learn the reason I have no longer had the honor of seeing you since that day, given our understanding to see each other on Sunday. Subsequently I was deprived of it. Having had the pleasure of seeing you again at the ridotto on Sunday evening, I take courage to send you this letter through my maid. I await your reply. Yours affectionately — Giuliella.”

“Lord — Let an unfortunate Girl enter into your heart if she is ever to remain among the living.”

[nityarawal]

2/2/2024

Math= “Love Bomb You Anyways,” *2+2= 4

Morning Songs

“Of Course,” We Love You,”

Elon Drones

“Of Course I Love you,”

Drones

Of Course I Love

You

Anyways

Hashtags

Of Course We'll

Love 

Love Bomb You

We Promised

“It's Hot!”

Eloning 

Love More Than

Anyone Before

Anti-Harem

Choose To Love

A Gay Man

With All Our Hearts

Fearing Anti-Semetic

Smear

Big Love

Weaponizing

Symmetry

Motherhood

“Thunder From Down

Under,” Tragedies*

Surgeries

Anomalies

Hearts

Balls

Broken

Love With, ”All

Our Hearts,”*

“Love Eternal,”

Love Our Stars

Love You Starlights

Agape Valentines

Love You Mammas

Aunties

Even If You

Can't All Have

A Nitya Nanny

For Eternity

I'll Leave You

My Songs

I'll Share My Songs

You Can't Break Up

With Me

Because You Never 

Triangulated Me

With Government

You Can't Break Up

With Me

Because You Never

Matchmaked Me

You Can't Divorce

Me

Because You Never

Conned Me

You Can't Silence Me

Because You Never

“F'd” Me

Because Vegas 

Never Got Me

Into Her Lair

Got Alot Of

Free PR

“Egypt Station”*

Gay Cabarets

No Tips

Just Condemnation

“Space X” *

Kidnappings

“Solar City”

Eric Budd

Crypto Cons

“Boring Company”

Obviously Not

Trillionaires

Tunnels

Gold Alot Of Doje

Lost

Was That With

Ambitious

Dojo Bernards

Or Joel’

Swingers

Oleg Vydra

Day Traders

Born Again Kyle Cleveland

Lost The Spiritual

Center

We Gave You Goddesses

Chandra

Made A Fountain

Of Me Bathing

Pouring Water

Over My Head

We Gave You

Goddesses

Vayya Died Of

Breast Cancer

We Gave You

Goddesses

Helen Lost

Her Uterus

After She Married

Our Principal

And All Her Female

Organs

Bad Choices

Augmented Breasts

Diabetes

We Gave You

Goddesses

Ayni Raimondi

Was My Angel

Botticelli

Rolling Out Of

Bed

Masons

Millionaires

Pilots Fought

Principal Daddy

And Buzzed Around Her

Head To Be

Her Forever Dad

AirBnb Feds

Raped Us With

PNC Pfizer Banks

Into BBVA AI

Rewind Scams

Close Rewind YouTube

Close ElonMusk@Rewind.com

Close The Silencing.org 

Cohens’

Byron Katie Coaching

Centers For Cons

At Courts

With Abi Odam

John Hochman

Ivette Havasi Hochman M.U.M.

Hungarian Greencard

Spies

And Monika Fodor Mullen 

On Football Crimes

Headhunting My

Xs

Grooming Maxes’

And Jacks

Probation Officers

Soldiers

Beyonce Lost 

Her Pants 

Cher’s Back 

At Court

Elephant

In The Room

Is Our Children

Moms’

#FreeBritney

Elephant In The Room

Is Our Sisters

Gone

“Ganesh”

Remover Of 

Obstacles

Dr. Wally

Daddy’s Pilot Mason

Airforce

Hooker

Elephant

In The Room

Is The Mergers

With Brazil

Russia

S.C.O.

Elephant In The Room

Was When

The Little

Russian Giggolo

Cackled 

At Sharon Stone’s

Who-Who

Leg’s 

Wide Open

In “Basic Instinct,”

Rapunzel 

Giggled

Until

She Lost

Custody

Of Her

Kids

Elephant In The

Room

Is Elon Crying

#Rockets Tears

Rape

Extorted

Son Transed

Vivian

Trying To Shake

The Lineage

Karma

By Airforce 

Labs

Nazi Spies

Since Elon’s

Grandpa's Days

But Especially

Trying To Shirk

Errol Musk

And His 

Accomplices

Like

Ben Shaphiro 

On Parody

Rap

Sporting Dog Collars

Spoiled Boys

Can't Fulfill

Woman

Molded Last

Knight Standing

With Neuralink

Robotics

Keep On Singing

Genuine

More Flattering

Eloning

Eternal Love

Forever

Moms 

Peace,

Nitya Nella Davigo Azam Moezzi Huntley Rawal 

*Inspired By “Settings By Mona,” XO

**”Thunder From Down Under,” Is Adam Steck's Famous “Vegas” Gay Cabaret. 

*** “The Boyfriend,” Musical My Friends & I We're Trolled At Since M.S.A.E Maharishi School Of The Age Of Enlightenment.)

**** Elon & I are partners on Rewind- and I’m a silent investor on all projects he's involved in due to data crimes by our associates on various corporate/AI/Matchmaking/X/Twitter Cons. They obviously originated on Facebook with political hookers. I'd like to bow out of all US Corporate services and be sovereign when we rebuild for sincere Martians. We're done servicing court hookers- even our beloved BFFS that gingerly sold us and our children on black market. 

[phoenix-flamed]

When had Jill settled against him? He hadn't noticed; and it wasn't that he minds the gesture, in fact it brings him immeasurable joy. It forever tugs at the corners of his mind that the young girl may very well loathe him for bringing her here -- and if she did, he would not blame her in the slightest, despite how happy Clive and Joshua and he are to have her within their home.

Within their family.

It's a precarious situation, showing affection towards Jill. Questions and concerns swirl within his mind: what if he makes her uncomfortable? What if he crosses a line with her? His gaze lowers for a moment in contemplation, then he moves a hand behind her in order to gently squeeze her shoulder. It's a gesture of attempted reassurance that he oft offers to Joshua in particular, and it's a start, or so he would like to think. After all, the last thing he desires to do is ruin this moment, this rare opportunity to speak with Jill openly.

Elwin's smile only grows at her instructions, and the subsequent explanation. "I had no idea," he admits, voice unwavering in its youthful curiosity and interest. Full glad is he that the servants are so kind to her, aiding her with her beloved hobby. (And if they had been unkind instead, he would have had words with them over it.) There's a thoughtful hum, followed by a nod of consideration. All the while, he works on cutting the stems of the flowers to varying lengths, glancing over at her as he does for approval -- or further guidance should his handiwork need altering.

It's when the princess falls quiet that his hands pause again in their assigned task. With a slight tilt to his head, the Archduke glances down at her. "Please, continue. There is no need to hold back your thoughts -- and knowledge." As if to further encourage her, his smile broadens, almost to a grin -- eyes lighting up with an idea: "When we are able to visit Eastpool again, we can see if Lady Hanna will let you join her in tending to her flower garden. She, too, loves flowers, you know. I'm sure she would be more than happy to take you under her wing."

Memories of Eastpool come flooding back to him; of summers past, of adventures with Rodney and Byron, of poor Hanna patching them up every time they would return with one too many cuts and scrapes from their recklessness(which Elwin and Rodney usually led Byron into).

The inquiry is a fair one. There is no easy answer; the difficulty is worsened by the inkling that he and the Duchess are not of one mind in terms of Jill's future. Still, like most things the couple disagree upon, he is unwilling to back down from his position on the matter, and so he answers her honestly once more: "What becomes of you will be your choice."

Less of a statement, and more of a promise. Elwin's brow furrows deeper. The smile does not dwindle. Calloused fingers finally resume their duty. "You had no say in coming here, but when you are of age, should you choose to return to your family -- you have my word that I will see you arrive safely back into their arms."

There is a concern, however. How much does Jill know about her homeland's current state? Does she know how dire the spread of the Blight has become? Guilt mingles with shame, both at having not told her the full breadth of the situation himself as of yet, and at still being unable to find a solution to their plight.

But for now, best to enjoy this moment. There will be time to discuss that future once he and King Warrick know with more certainty that nothing can be done to halt the progression of the Blight.

"All I ask is that you remember that you have a home here as well, where you will always be welcome," the man adds, tone quieter now as he lays bare his most personal thoughts and feelings. A hint, perhaps, or a glimpse into his heart, where only the most trusted are able to glean. The flowers are, once again one by one, handed down to her. "I want a better future, for you and for the boys. Those are my plans for you, my girl. A better future." A better future than the lives you three have now, so full of war and strife and sorrow.

her eyes twinkle when they look to his. listening intently. thankful is she that this feeling... one so heavy... is not something she suffers from alone. someone such as powerful & large as the Archduke felt the same. a shaky breath releases. at some point she had scooted closer to him. resting her head gently along the side of his arm. it felt good releasing these thoughts to someone other than Clive. she always felt the Archduke himself could fix many problems, but he was never around as much as his wife, much to her dismay. moments like these were rare. she would not waste them. this would be a cherished memory, surely. such a conversation between them felt so natural. for once she did not feel like the burden others made her seem to be.

an image arises in her head of a young archduke with the chocobos. in her mind does she think of Clive with Ambrosia. there's a warm smile on lips. him & his father had much in common, even little things. she quite enjoyed listening to Clive read. she could do it herself, as she too enjoyed the escape that reading provided, but it was much more enjoyable when he would read to her. he became a performer. he brought the roles to life. gave different characters different voices. he was a bit ridiculous, but it brought her joy. ruined the idea of reading by herself. a tiny giggle slips at the image of his father doing the same, but for the chocobos instead.

❛ would you cut some of the stems to different sizes? that way I can weave them and make the entire crown full of flowers. ❜

she had learned the hard way that keeping the stems too long created too big of a crown & not very many flowers. a one of that size would work for him, but certainly not for her.

❛ some of the servants helped me learn how to preserve the flowers... did you know that there's a lot of ways? ❜ a smile forms, thinking to the flowers Clive had brought back to her from his travels that hung preserved on her walls. ❛ the first way is simply drying them and pressing them into something.. but I can't turn them into a crown if they're squished. the petals are too delicate. but I like to put them on display. once the crowns are done, they help me take them somewhere they can dry out. they're not as soft when they do that, but... they last as long as I care for them very delicately. ❜

a slight tint to cheeks appears as she'd rambled. she enjoyed learning new things, particularly about flowers. she found it incredible the things plants could do in general. there'd been times she watched the botanists create medicines, she wanted to ask if she could partake. but she was far too little & far too busy with etiquette classes. things she was wholly uninterested in. she had yet to be allowed to explore a passion... which would always make her wonder. so as she weaves the stems within each other, she can't help but ask.

❛ Clive and Joshua are always so busy now... but I am not... not with anything important. ❜ a frown. ❛ what will become of me, Your Grace? surely there are plans for me. I just do not know of them. ❜

that is what makes her feel so sick.

[f-dee]

MidCinJp 6th Anniversary 

CG of the Princess and the suitors celebrating 6th Anniversary. Thank you Cybird! Thank you IRIASU! 

Happy Anniversary MidCin! 

Byron...my love (≧◡≦) ♡ I promise I will be with you no matter what, for all eternity! I love you with all my heart!  ( ˘⌣˘)♡(˘⌣˘ )

[maemelany]

Fixing The Broken Series (Prologue)

Masterlist 

Prologue, Part 1 , Part 2 

Author’s note: Guys! After reading sooooo many stories on Tumblr, I’ve decided to write one myself. It’s my first one, and I hope one of many more to come. I hope you like it. I thought about this one after realizing how short the break was before the filming of Infinity War and Endgame (Literally one month). I thought it must have been hard for all of them. And then it made me think how harder it could have been for Chris if he was married. So here it is, Fixing the Broken.

It’s a love story full of angst, very sad parts (because that’s my thing) but remember, it’s a love story. Here’s to the happy, the tragic and the tears (there will be a lot of tears) and I really hope you like it!

Summary:

People say that time heals all wounds. In your case, time made it worse.

You’ve been married to Chris for five years, but his absence spoke louder than his words. After 5 years of trying, you’ve decided that you’ve had enough, and you left him. But Chris doesn’t want to let you go; he doesn’t want to give up on your marriage.

Would he be able to fix what you consider irretrievably broken?

Hope you enjoy! 

word count: 925

Absence, that common cure of love – Lord Byron

This time, you’ve had enough. You’ve been through everything with your husband, but this time you have to call it quits. As you pack your clothes in a big travelling bag, you realize you’re really doing it, you’re leaving your husband after five years of marriage.

It’s not that you don’t love Chris. You love him more than your whole life. When you said yes at the altar, you meant it. You said forever, and you meant it. But last night, as you were sipping your wine in front of another Netflix tv series you’ve started out of boredom, you’ve realized you never signed for this.

This being loneliness. When you got married in front of your families, you promised to be there for each other for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish, till death do us part. The keyword here is to be there. How can you even respect your vows if you’re not present?

Of course, you knew you were getting married to one of the busiest actors in Hollywood, but frankly, you naively thought he would make some effort for you. Of course, you would never ask him to do that. Essentially for two reasons, first, you loved Chris too much to keep him from doing the thing that gives him the most joy. Your husband loves what he does. The way he gets excited about every project in which he’s involved. The light in his eyes when he talks about his characters, you would never take that away from him. Secondly, you wanted the decision to come from him. When you first met him, you bonded on your mutual love for Boston. Naively you thought that marriage would deepen his roots in the city, and he would prefer to stay here more.

Well, needless to say, that you couldn’t have been more wrong. You got married right before the beginning of the filming of Infinity War. It made you laugh when you realize you didn’t even have a proper honeymoon. Then there was the week you spent in Scotland because Chris thought it was a good idea for you to come since they were shooting some scenes there for the movie. You have always been something he scheduled between his busy life. He only wanted to spend time with you when it was convenient for him. When there was some spare time in his busy schedule.

The worst part was actually after Infinity War. You thought you would finally have time with your husband. A time you could both spend enjoying your early marriage days, but again you were wrong.

You had one month, and that was it. Before you could even blink, Chris was gone again to film End Game. Of course, That one month was amazing. The thing with Chris was that whenever he was near, you felt on top of the world. You loved him so deeply. Just him being there was more than enough. During the month between filming Infinity War and Endgame, you and Chris would spend days in bed, around the house playing with his nephews. You would watch them playing in the pool, Chris making them laugh. You imagined him doing the same with your own children, and the thought made your heart so full of joy.

But before you could blink, the bliss was already over. He was gone again. You tried to hold on that month. Every time you felt lonely, you would watch the videos of you both on your phones, but it wasn’t enough. As much as you wanted it to be enough, it just wasn’t. You also visited his family, spent time with Chris’ mother and sisters and children. Again, it was nice, comforting while it lasted, but not enough.

You needed your husband, and your husband was simply not there.

So, when after Endgame, when Chris got involved in more and more projects, it hit you.

It would never end. Chris will never stop being everywhere but with you. You would never be enough for the love of your life.

So, there you were, so tired you couldn’t even cry anymore. Honestly, you didn’t even have tears left to cry, as Ariana would say.

With your bag ready, you went downstairs. You were so grateful that Dodger was with your sister-in-law. You couldn’t bear your baby watching you leave. As you passed by the open living room, you saw the picture of you and Chris hanging on the wall, and your heart fell even further. You realized you were actually doing it. It took all the courage you had inside of you not to back down and call him. You knew that even the sound of Chris’s voice would make you want to stay.

But you also knew that you weren’t really making the decision. Chris made it a long time ago. He chose to be away; you were only respecting his choice now.

You close the entry door, and it felt like you were closing a huge chapter of your life: the happiest and yet most tragic one.

You meant it when you said forever. You really did. But forever cannot happen when the person you’re supposed to share it with is not here. There’s a reason the vows say till death do us apart. Death was supposed to be the only thing that could do us apart. Chris chose to not be here. Chris chose absence over love.

[cappymightwrite]

What are your thoughts on Ned Stark ?

Hi!

I have conflicted feelings on Ned. Probably just below Stannis, he's the Westerosi man most in need of therapy, in my opinion. Actually, that's an interesting comparison — Ned and Stannis, which I know has been commented on before. They're alike in many ways, in terms of reserve etc., which makes the fact that Robert saw Ned as his true brother all the more painful to Stannis (though of course this is never explicitly stated). But anyway, back to Ned.

There's certain things I struggle with in regards to Ned, even though I understand the reasoning behind his actions, or rather, inaction. So, it makes thinking back on him in a wholly positive and fond light somewhat difficult, as I suppose it must be for Sansa in a way, as well as for Jon, once his parentage is revealed. I don't wholly dislike him though, I actually value him a lot, I just take issue with:

Him never apparently trusting Catelyn enough to be honest about Jon's parentage (+ the way he avoids telling Jon, to some extent)

No matter how loving they were... there is this unresolved (and now forever unresolved) barrier at the heart of their relationship, an unequal exchange of trust, which was within Ned's power to lift, to make fully mutual. But he didn't. Now, he had his reasons, self-sacrificing and seemingly honourable as they may appear, and certainly the narrative required this secret to be kept. But even so, in terms of how I regard his character? It rubs me the wrong way because he never gave her the opportunity to sympathise and fully understand him, he cut himself off from that. And yeah, maybe it might not have improved Jon's situation all that much, but he never gave Cat the opportunity to think of him differently, in a way that wasn't dictated by the social mores of their world:

It had taken her a fortnight to marshal her courage, but finally, in bed one night, Catelyn had asked her husband the truth of it, asked him to his face.

That was the only time in all their years that Ned had ever frightened her. "Never ask me about Jon," he said, cold as ice. "He is my blood, and that is all you need to know. And now I will learn where you heard that name, my lady." She had pledged to obey; she told him; and from that day on, the whispering had stopped, and Ashara Dayne's name was never heard in Winterfell again.

Whoever Jon's mother had been, Ned must have loved her fiercely, for nothing Catelyn said would persuade him to send the boy away. It was the one thing she could never forgive him. She had come to love her husband with all her heart, but she had never found it in her to love Jon. She might have overlooked a dozen bastards for Ned's sake, so long as they were out of sight. Jon was never out of sight, and as he grew, he looked more like Ned than any of the trueborn sons she bore him. Somehow that made it worse. – AGOT, Catelyn II

"It was the one thing she could never forgive him" — yeah, me too honey! Ok, sure, we don't know for sure if Cat might have "overlooked" Jon's uneasy place in their household "for Ned's sake", if she knew he was actually her nephew — the world would still believe him to be Ned's, so to outward appearances the awkwardness is still there. And yeah, we don't know if she could have "found it in her to love Jon", but the truth certainly would have made it far more likely! But Ned decided that it had to be this way, that only he could participate in carrying this secret. So, I hurt for Cat AND Jon really.

I get why he doesn't tell Jon the truth. I understand his warped logic, how the trauma of his past informs this sort of self-punishing mentality of I must keep this honourable promise made of love till the day I die even though to the outside world it will appear as a stain upon that very honour... and to punish myself further for failing Lyanna I will never unburden myself to anyone, this is my cross to bear alone. I understand that, it's very manpain-y. But the problem is... it doesn't just punish Ned, it punishes Cat and Jon, and his other children too! Because they are by no means blind to this elephant in the room of their parent's marriage, and it's hard to rationalise:

He looked at her uncomfortably. "My aunt Allyria says Lady Ashara and your father fell in love at Harrenhal—"

"That's not so. He loved my lady mother." – ASOS, Arya VIII

Your father loved your mother, but he also had a child with another woman, whose identity he would never talk about. Your father loved your mother, but his dedication to this secret ultimately trumped being fully honest and open with her. It's hard not to feel that Ned's present came second to making up for the "sins" of his past. This is why he desperately needed therapy, lol, because (to take a line from my Byronic Hero meta) Ned's "traumatic past informs his present life," and to the detriment of that present life and those present relationships as well. But hey, that's the tragedy.

Also, I think his whole I'll tell you the truth when I next see you to Jon is really sketchy, because when exactly might that be, Ned? An avoidance tactic if I ever saw one. But really, I don't think he'd be emotionally equipped to have that conversation anyway... he might have said he'd tell him someday, but deep down, I'm sure he hoped he may never have to. And then he conveniently dies, taking the secret with him (or so we think)!

Allowing the death of Lady

Bran's wolf had saved the boy's life, he thought dully. What was it that Jon had said when they found the pups in the snow? Your children were meant to have these pups, my lord. And he had killed Sansa's, and for what? Was it guilt he was feeling? Or fear? If the gods had sent these wolves, what folly had he done? – AGOT, Eddard IV

"And for what?" Yes, quite. I don't really have much to say on this... I think this passage speaks for itself. There's probably some other things I could talk about, but those are my main two gripes.

That being said... what I value about Ned are his words of wisdom

The thing about Ned, for me, is that despite the unmaliciously meant pain he inflicts on his loved ones (which I do understand the reasoning behind, the trauma that informs it etc)... he's still ultimately a figure of hope to me, a notably flawed, but no less significant, ideal within the narrative too. And I think you need that — we need the memory of Ned as readers, and so do the Starklings. So, I love him more for what he represents, rather than his parenting and lacklustre husbanding skills. I value the fundamental truths he emphasises through his words, and the legacy of those words, embodied within his children.

For example:

"Let me tell you something about wolves, child. When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives. Summer is the time for squabbles. In winter, we must protect one another, keep each other warm, share our strengths. So if you must hate, Arya, hate those who would truly do us harm. Septa Mordane is a good woman, and Sansa… Sansa is your sister. You may be as different as the sun and the moon, but the same blood flows through both your hearts. You need her, as she needs you… and I need both of you, gods help me." – AGOT, Arya II

Honestly, people can "squabble" about which Stark sibling is more important, more this, more that, till the cows come home. But that's what it is... "squabbles", and it misses the mark completely about why the Starks are the heart of the series. They are the Starks, plural. They may be different from one another, but they are "pack", and come winter, (TWOW, to be exact), once reunited they will "protect one another, keep each other warm, share [their] strengths", because those are the values Ned taught them.

These are the things to remember, despite all the hellishness. This is why Ned's death wasn't in vain, it wasn't an edgy twist, or the first whiff of grimdark... because his legacy didn't end with him, it lives on, it is felt throughout the series, right up until the most recent book:

"Be that as it may. My father sat where I sit now when Lord Eddard came to Sisterton. Our maester urged us to send Stark's head to Aerys, to prove our loyalty. It would have meant a rich reward. The Mad King was open-handed with them as pleased him. By then we knew that Jon Arryn had taken Gulltown, though. Robert was the first man to gain the wall, and slew Marq Grafton with his own hand. 'This Baratheon is fearless,' I said. 'He fights the way a king should fight.' Our maester chuckled at me and told us that Prince Rhaegar was certain to defeat this rebel. That was when Stark said, 'In this world only winter is certain. We may lose our heads, it's true… but what if we prevail?' My father sent him on his way with his head still on his shoulders. 'If you lose,' he told Lord Eddard, 'you were never here.'" – ADWD, Davos I

I love this line so much, and I love that it comes from Ned, that just as we are gearing up to head into the darkest parts of the series (because Winds is apparently going to be very dark)... we have this light, this hope, this "what if we prevail?" And it's connected to this repeated refrain about the certainty of winter — "in this world only winter is certain" vs. "winter is coming" — which is closely tied to Ned as a character. So, yes, "winter is coming", but don't be decieved into thinking that that spells disaster, that no warmth can be found, for there is always darkness before the dawn, just as there is always a winter before the spring... and in the winter the wolves shall "keep each other warm", they will "prevail."

In conclusion

Whatever his flaws and mistakes, and there are several, at the end of the day... I will love Ned for giving us hope, for reminding the readers, and characters, of what is really important — to take strength from your loved ones, to give them strength in return, and to not give into despair, no matter how harshly the snows might fall and white winds blow. Yes, it's not certain whether they'll live, but likewise, it's not certain whether they'll die either... and that's where you find the hope, the light against the grim dark.

So, for me, he's a character who makes my heart sink, but then he makes it swell again. That's the duality, and it's a choice which you put most stock in... I'll choose the hope he inspires every time ;)

[nellygwyn]

BOOK RECS

Okay, so lots of people wanted this and so, I am compiling a list of my favourite books (both fiction and non-fiction), books that I recommend you read as soon as humanly possible. In the meantime, I’ll be pinning this post to the top of my blog (once I work out how to do that lmao) so it will be accessible for old and new followers. I’m going to order this list thematically, I think, just to keep everything tidy and orderly. Of course, a lot of this list will consist of historical fiction and historical non-fiction because that’s what I read primarily and thus, that’s where my bias is, but I promise to try and spice it up just a little bit. 

Favourite fiction books of all time:

The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock // Imogen Hermes Gowar

Sense and Sensibility // Jane Austen

Slammerkin // Emma Donoghue 

Remarkable Creatures // Tracy Chevalier

Life Mask // Emma Donoghue

His Dark Materials // Philip Pullman (this includes the follow-up series The Book of Dust)

Emma // Jane Austen

The Miniaturist // Jessie Burton

Girl, Woman, Other // Bernadine Evaristo 

Jane Eyre // Charlotte Brontë

Persuasion // Jane Austen

Girl with a Pearl Earring // Tracy Chevalier

The Silent Companions // Laura Purcell

Tess of the d’Urbervilles // Thomas Hardy

Northanger Abbey // Jane Austen

The Chronicles of Narnia // C.S. Lewis

Pride and Prejudice // Jane Austen

Goodnight, Mr Tom // Michelle Magorian

The French Lieutenant’s Woman // John Fowles 

The Butcher’s Hook // Janet Ellis 

Mansfield Park // Jane Austen

The All Souls Trilogy // Deborah Harkness

The Railway Children // Edith Nesbit

Favourite non-fiction books of all time

Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman // Robert Massie

Love and Louis XIV: The Women in the Life of the Sun King // Antonia Fraser

Madame de Pompadour // Nancy Mitford

The First Iron Lady: A Life of Caroline of Ansbach // Matthew Dennison 

Black and British: A Forgotten History // David Olusoga

Courtiers: The Secret History of the Georgian Court // Lucy Worsley 

Young and Damned and Fair: The Life of Katherine Howard, the Fifth Wife of Henry VIII // Gareth Russell

King Charles II // Antonia Fraser

Casanova’s Women // Judith Summers

Marie Antoinette: The Journey // Antonia Fraser

Mrs. Jordan’s Profession: The Story of a Great Actress and a Future King // Claire Tomalin

Jane Austen at Home // Lucy Worsley

Mudlarking: Lost and Found on the River Thames // Lara Maiklem

The Last Royal Rebel: The Life and Death of James, Duke of Monmouth // Anna Keay

The Marlboroughs: John and Sarah Churchill // Christopher Hibbert

Nell Gwynn: A Biography // Charles Beauclerk

Jurassic Mary: Mary Anning and the Primeval Monsters // Patricia Pierce

Georgian London: Into the Streets // Lucy Inglis

The Prince Who Would Be King: The Life and Death of Henry Stuart // Sarah Fraser

Wedlock: How Georgian Britain’s Worst Husband Met His Match // Wendy Moore

Dead Famous: An Unexpected History of Celebrity from the Stone Age to the Silver Screen // Greg Jenner

Victorians Undone: Tales of the Flesh in the Age of Decorum // Kathryn Hughes

Crown of Blood: The Deadly Inheritance of Lady Jane Grey // Nicola Tallis

Favourite books about the history of sex and/or sex work

The Origins of Sex: A History of First Sexual Revolution // Faramerz Dabhoiwala 

Erotic Exchanges: The World of Elite Prostitution in Eighteenth-Century Paris // Nina Kushner

Peg Plunkett: Memoirs of a Whore // Julie Peakman

Courtesans // Katie Hickman

The Other Victorians: A Study of Sexuality and Pornography in mid-Nineteenth Century England

Madams, Bawds, and Brothel Keepers // Fergus Linnane

The Secret History of Georgian London: How the Wages of Sin Shaped the Capital // Dan Cruickshank 

A Curious History of Sex // Kate Lister

Sex and Punishment: 4000 Years of Judging Desire // Eric Berkowitz

Queen of the Courtesans: Fanny Murray // Barbara White

Rent Boys: A History from Ancient Times to Present // Michael Hone

Celeste // Roland Perry

Sex and the Gender Revolution // Randolph Trumbach

The Pleasure���s All Mine: A History of Perverse Sex // Julie Peakman

LGBT+ fiction I love*

The Confessions of the Fox // Jordy Rosenberg 

As Meat Loves Salt // Maria Mccann

Bone China // Laura Purcell

Brideshead Revisited // Evelyn Waugh

The Confessions of Frannie Langton // Sara Collins

The Intoxicating Mr Lavelle // Neil Blackmore

Orlando // Virginia Woolf

Tipping the Velvet // Sarah Waters

She Rises // Kate Worsley

The Mercies // Kiran Millwood Hargrave

Oranges are Not the Only Fruit // Jeanette Winterson

Maurice // E.M Forster

Frankisstein: A Love Story // Jeanette Winterson

If I Was Your Girl // Meredith Russo 

The Well of Loneliness // Radclyffe Hall 

* fyi, Life Mask and Girl, Woman, Other are also LGBT+ fiction

Classics I haven’t already mentioned (including children’s classics)

Far From the Madding Crowd // Thomas Hardy 

I Capture the Castle // Dodie Smith 

Vanity Fair // William Makepeace Thackeray 

Wuthering Heights // Emily Brontë

The Blazing World // Margaret Cavendish, Duchess of Newcastle

Murder on the Orient Express // Agatha Christie 

Great Expectations // Charles Dickens

North and South // Elizabeth Gaskell

Evelina // Frances Burney

Death on the Nile // Agatha Christie

The Monk // Matthew Lewis

Frankenstein // Mary Shelley

Vilette // Charlotte Brontë

The Mayor of Casterbridge // Thomas Hardy

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall // Anne Brontë

Vile Bodies // Evelyn Waugh

Beloved // Toni Morrison 

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd // Agatha Christie

The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling // Henry Fielding

A Room With a View // E.M. Forster

Silas Marner // George Eliot 

Jude the Obscure // Thomas Hardy

My Man Jeeves // P.G. Wodehouse

Lady Audley’s Secret // Mary Elizabeth Braddon

Middlemarch // George Eliot

Little Women // Louisa May Alcott

Children of the New Forest // Frederick Marryat

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings // Maya Angelou 

Rebecca // Daphne du Maurier

Alice in Wonderland // Lewis Carroll

The Wind in the Willows // Kenneth Grahame

Anna Karenina // Leo Tolstoy

Howard’s End // E.M. Forster

The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 3/4 // Sue Townsend

Even more fiction recommendations

The Darling Strumpet // Gillian Bagwell

The Wolf Hall trilogy // Hilary Mantel

The Illumination of Ursula Flight // Anne-Marie Crowhurst

Queenie // Candace Carty-Williams

Forever Amber // Kathleen Winsor

The Corset // Laura Purcell

Love in Colour // Bolu Babalola

Artemisia // Alexandra Lapierre

Blackberry and Wild Rose // Sonia Velton

The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories // Angela Carter

The Languedoc trilogy // Kate Mosse

Longbourn // Jo Baker

A Skinful of Shadows // Frances Hardinge

The Black Moth // Georgette Heyer

The Far Pavilions // M.M Kaye

The Essex Serpent // Sarah Perry

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo // Taylor Jenkins Reid

Cavalier Queen // Fiona Mountain 

The Winter Palace // Eva Stachniak

Friday’s Child // Georgette Heyer

Falling Angels // Tracy Chevalier

Little // Edward Carey

Chocolat // Joanne Harris 

The Watchmaker of Filigree Street // Natasha Pulley 

My Sister, the Serial Killer // Oyinkan Braithwaite

The Convenient Marriage // Georgette Heyer

Katie Mulholland // Catherine Cookson

Restoration // Rose Tremain

Meat Market // Juno Dawson

Lady on the Coin // Margaret Campbell Bowes

In the Company of the Courtesan // Sarah Dunant

The Crimson Petal and the White // Michel Faber

A Place of Greater Safety // Hilary Mantel 

The Little Shop of Found Things // Paula Brackston

The Improbability of Love // Hannah Rothschild

The Murder Most Unladylike series // Robin Stevens

Dark Angels // Karleen Koen

The Words in My Hand // Guinevere Glasfurd

Time’s Convert // Deborah Harkness

The Collector // John Fowles

Vivaldi’s Virgins // Barbara Quick

The Foundling // Stacey Halls

The Phantom Tree // Nicola Cornick

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle // Stuart Turton

Golden Hill // Francis Spufford

Assorted non-fiction not yet mentioned

The Dinosaur Hunters: A True Story of Scientific Rivalry and the Discovery of the Prehistoric World // Deborah Cadbury

The Beauty and the Terror: An Alternative History to the Italian Renaissance // Catherine Fletcher

All the King's Women: Love, Sex, and Politics in the life of Charles II // Derek Jackson

Mozart’s Women // Jane Glover

Scandalous Liaisons: Charles II and His Court // R.E. Pritchard

Matilda: Queen, Empress, Warrior // Catherine Hanley 

Black Tudors // Miranda Kaufman 

To Catch a King: Charles II's Great Escape // Charles Spencer

1666: Plague, War and Hellfire // Rebecca Rideal

Henrietta Maria: Charles I's Indomitable Queen // Alison Plowden

Catherine of Braganza: Charles II's Restoration Queen // Sarah-Beth Watkins

Four Sisters: The Lost Lives of the Romanov Grand Duchesses // Helen Rappaport

Aristocrats: Caroline, Emily, Louisa and Sarah Lennox, 1740-1832 // Stella Tillyard 

The Fortunes of Francis Barber: The True Story of the Jamaican Slave who Became Samuel Johnson’s Heir // Michael Bundock

Black London: Life Before Emancipation // Gretchen Gerzina

In These Times: Living in Britain Through Napoleon’s Wars, 1793-1815

The King’s Mistress: Scandal, Intrigue and the True Story of the Woman who Stole the Heart of George I // Claudia Gold

Perdita: The Life of Mary Robinson // Paula Byrne

The Gentleman’s Daughter: Women’s Lives in Georgian England // Amanda Vickery

Terms and Conditions: Life in Girls’ Boarding School, 1939-1979 // Ysenda Maxtone Graham 

Fanny Burney: A Biography // Claire Harman

Aphra Behn: A Secret Life // Janet Todd

The Imperial Harem: Women and the Sovereignty in the Ottoman Empire // Leslie Peirce

The Fall of the House of Byron // Emily Brand

The Favourite: Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough // Ophelia Field

Night-Walking: A Nocturnal History of London // Matthew Beaumont, Will Self

Jane Austen: A Life // Claire Tomalin

Beloved Emma: The Life of Emma, Lady Hamilton // Flora Fraser

Sentimental Murder: Love and Madness in the 18th Century // John Brewer

Henrietta Howard: King’s Mistress, Queen’s Servant // Tracy Borman

City of Beasts: How Animals Shaped Georgian London // Tom Almeroth-Williams

Queen Anne: The Politics of Passion // Anne Somerset 

Charlotte Brontë: A Life // Claire Harman 

Goddess: The Secret Lives of Marilyn Monroe // Anthony Summers

Queer City: Gay London from the Romans to the Present Day // Peter Ackroyd 

Elizabeth I and Her Circle // Susan Doran

African Europeans: An Untold History // Olivette Otele 

Young Romantics: The Shelleys, Byron, and Other Tangled Lives // Daisy Hay

How to Create the Perfect Wife // Wendy Moore

The Sphinx: The Life of Gladys Deacon, Duchess of Marlborough // Hugo Vickers

The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn // Eric Ives

Dancing in the Streets: A History of Collective Joy // Barbara Ehrenreich

A is for Arsenic: The Poisons of Agatha Christie // Kathryn Harkup 

Mistresses: Sex and Scandal at the Court of Charles II // Linda Porter

Female Husbands: A Trans History // Jen Manion

Ladies in Waiting: From the Tudors to the Present Day // Anne Somerset

Ghostland: In Search of a Haunted Country // Edward Parnell 

A Cheesemonger’s History of the British Isles // Ned Palmer

The Butchering Art: Joseph Lister’s Quest to Transform the Grisly World of Victorian Medicine // Lindsey Fitzharris

Medieval Woman: Village Life in the Middle Ages // Ann Baer

The Husband Hunters: Social Climbing in London and New York // Anne de Courcy

The Voices of Nîmes: Women, Sex, and Marriage in Reformation Languedoc // Suzannah Lipscomb

The Daughters of the Winter Queen // Nancy Goldstone

Mad and Bad: Real Heroines of the Regency // Bea Koch

Bess of Hardwick // Mary S. Lovell

The Royal Art of Poison // Eleanor Herman 

The Strangest Family: The Private Lives of George III, Queen Charlotte, and the Hanoverians // Janice Hadlow

Palaces of Pleasure: From Music Halls to the Seaside to Football; How the Victorians Invented Mass Entertainment // Lee Jackson

Favourite books about current social/political issues (?? for lack of a better term)

Feminism, Interrupted: Disrupting Power // Lola Olufemi

Revolting Prostitutes: The Fight for Sex Worker Rights // Molly Smith, Juno Mac

Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race // Reni Eddo-Lodge

Trans Britain: Our Journey from the Shadows // Christine Burns

Me, Not You: The Trouble with Mainstream Feminism // Alison Phipps

Trans Like Me: A Journey For All Of Us // C.N Lester

Brit(Ish): On Race, Identity, and Belonging // Afua Hirsch 

The Brutish Museums: The Benin Bronzes, Colonial Violence, and Cultural Restitution // Dan Hicks

Things No One Will Tell Fat Girls: A Handbook for Unapologetic Living // Jes M. Baker

Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women White Feminists Forgot // Mikki Kendall

Denial: Holocaust History on Trial // Deborah Lipstadt

Yes Means Yes: Visions of Female Sexual Power and a World Without Rape // Jessica Valenti, Jaclyn Friedman

Don’t Touch My Hair // Emma Dabiri

Sister Outsider // Audre Lorde 

Unicorn: The Memoir of a Muslim Drag Queen // Amrou Al-Kadhi

Trans Power // Juno Roche

Breathe: A Letter to My Sons // Imani Perry

The Windrush Betrayal: Exposing the Hostile Environment // Amelia Gentleman

Happy Fat: Taking Up Space in a World That Wants to Shrink You // Sofie Hagen

Diaries, memoirs & letters

The Diary of a Young Girl // Anne Frank

Renia’s Diary: A Young Girl’s Life in the Shadow of the Holocaust // Renia Spiegel 

Writing Home // Alan Bennett

The Diary of Samuel Pepys // Samuel Pepys

Histoire de Ma Vie // Giacomo Casanova

Toast: The Story of a Boy’s Hunger // Nigel Slater

London Journal, 1762-1763 // James Boswell

The Diary of a Bookseller // Shaun Blythell 

Jane Austen’s Letters // edited by Deidre la Faye

H is for Hawk // Helen Mcdonald 

The Salt Path // Raynor Winn

The Glitter and the Gold // Consuelo Vanderbilt, Duchess of Marlborough

Journals and Letters // Fanny Burney

Educated // Tara Westover

Bookworm: A Memoir of Childhood Reading // Lucy Mangan

Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? // Jeanette Winterson

A Dutiful Boy // Mohsin Zaidi

Secrets and Lies: The Trials of Christine Keeler // Christine Keeler

800 Years of Women’s Letters // edited by Olga Kenyon

Istanbul // Orhan Pamuk

Henry and June // Anaïs Nin

Historical romance (this is a short list because I’m still fairly new to this genre)

The Bridgerton series // Julia Quinn

One Good Earl Deserves a Lover // Sarah Mclean

Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake // Sarah Mclean

The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics // Olivia Waite

That Could Be Enough // Alyssa Cole

Unveiled // Courtney Milan

The Craft of Love // EE Ottoman

The Maiden Lane series // Elizabeth Hoyt

An Extraordinary Union // Alyssa Cole

Slightly Dangerous // Mary Balogh

Dangerous Alliance: An Austentacious Romance // Jennieke Cohen

A Fashionable Indulgence // KJ Charles

[papermoonloveslucy]

ELLIS IN FREEDOMLAND

Spring 1952

Directed by Abby Berlin Produced by Roland D. Reed Written by Arthur Hoerl Music by Albert Colombo Choreography by Alex Romero

Synopsis ~ A 82 minute, technicolor promotional film for salesmen of Westinghouse appliances, featuring the voices of major Hollywood celebrities. Westinghouse claims its electric appliances "freed women from the drudgery of housework." The first half involves dream salesman Ellis at work; the second focuses on the "Spring Sales Event," called "Freedomland."

Westinghouse Electric Corporation was founded on January 8, 1886 by George Westinghouse (1846–1914). The corporation purchased CBS in 1995.

Live Cast

Robert Rockwell (Ellis Homan) is probably best remembered as biology teacher Mr. Boynton on the Desilu series “Our Miss Brooks” (1952-56). Although not the first to play Mr. Boynton, he assumed the role on radio and made the transition with the show to television. He played Viv’s handsome match in “Lucy Digs Up a Date” (TLS S1;E2) the second installment of “The Lucy Show” in 1962. He then played night school teacher Jack Scott in “The Not-So-Popular Mechanics” (HL S5;E23). He continued working until 1995 and died in 2003 at age 82.  

Robert Carson (Phil Pryor, Westinghouse Representative) was a busy Canadian-born character actor who appeared on six episodes of “The Lucy Show” and made five appearance on “Here’s Lucy.” 

Byron Foulger (Andy, Night Watchman)  played the leader of the Friends of the Friendless in “Lucy’s Last Birthday” (ILL S2;E25). He appeared on “The Lucy Show” in “My Fair Lucy” (TLS S3;E20) and “Lucy Meets the Law” (TLS S5;E19).

Ann O'Neal (Customer in Mink) appeared in more than 100 films in the 1940s including the Lucille Ball film Lover Come Back (1946).

Betty Furness (Herself, Spokeswoman for Westinghouse) was an actress and model who became the face and voice of Westinghouse in many television commercials. When “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour” was sponsored by Westinghouse, Furness appeared with Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz in commercials for their products. 

The Starlighters (Vocals) was a singing group that performed mainly as backing vocalists, frequently backing Jo Stafford as well as many other artists on a number of singles. They also performed songs in cartoon and live short films and the feature films Song of Idaho (1948) and With a Song in My Heart (1952). 

Voice Cast

Lucille Ball (Lina the Laundromat) was then filming the second half of her first season of “I Love Lucy” playing Lucy Ricardo, although her voice alone was familiar to radio audiences as Liz Cooper in “My Favorite Husband.”

Edward Arnold (Speedy the Range) lends his deep baritone voice to the role. He appeared with Lucille Ball in Roman Scandals (1933) and Ziegfeld Follies (1945). He died in 1956.

James Mason (Frosty the Refrigerator) was a three time Oscar-nominee who appeared as Lucille Ball’s Angel in Forever Darling (1956).

Percy Kilbride (Drip the Dehumidifier) was best remembered as Pa Kettle in a series of films from 1947 to 1954. 

Jerry Colonna (Chop-Along Waste-Away the Garbage Disposal) was a comic sidekick of Bob Hope on radio and television. In 1966 he played Smithers, Lucille Ball’s chauffeur on “Bob Hope’s Leading Ladies”. 

Andy Devine (Lanky the Water Heater) brought his high-pitched raspy voice to the film. He was known for his many appearances in westerns on both the small and big screen. 

Marie Wilson (Dinah the Dryer) is best known for playing the title role in the film and television series “My Friend Irma”.  Later in 1952, Wilson and Lucille Ball were both part of “Stars in the Eye” celebrating the opening of CBS Television Center. Coincidentally, Gale Gordon’s mother Gloria was also in “My Friend Irma” and on “The Lucy Show” Mr. Mooney’s off-screen wife was named Irma in her honor. 

Maureen O'Sullivan (Pearly the Dishwasher) played Jane in the early Tarzan films.  Her career lasted from 1930 to 1994. In 1987, Lucille Ball and O’Sullivan were two of the many stars in “Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood”. 

Mannequins

Jack Mulhall appeared with Lucille Ball in Broadway Bill (1934).

Alan Hale Jr. (Hunter) will forever be remembered as the Skipper on “Gilligan’s Island” but also appeared with Lucille Ball on “The Lucy Show” and “Here’s Lucy”.  

Iron Eyes Cody (Chief Running Water) made a career of playing Native American characters despite the fact that he was of Italian ancestry. He first worked with Lucy and Desi in 1940’s Too Many Girls and 1942’s Valley of the Sun both as an Indian character. He played an Eskimo in a 1959 episode of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour,” but is probably best remembered as the Indian that sheds a single tear in the ‘Keep America Beautiful’ ads that ran from 1971 to the 1980s. He played a Navajo Medicine Man in “Lucy and the Indian Chief” (HL S2;E3). 

Willie Best (Chauffeur) was one of the most popular African-American actors of Hollywood's Golden Era. He starred alongside some of film's great comedians including the Marx Brothers, Bob Hope, Laurel and Hardy, and three films with Shirley Temple. He did one film with Lucille Ball: Muss ‘em Up (1936). 

Karen Sharpe appeared on the “Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse” in 1959.

Mickey Simpson appeared with Lucille Ball in the 1939 film Panama Lady. 

Anthony Sydes (Bobby, the Boy in Buster Brown Outfit) was 8 years old at the time of filming. He left the business in 1958 and died in 2015 at age 74. 

With...

Lisa Abbott, Mildred Coles,  Richard Crane, Nancy Hadley, Noreen Michaels, Crystal Reeves, Darla Ridgeway, Anne Rubin, Carol Lowe, Frances Zucco

Uncredited Cast

Ralph Brooks (Stove Demonstrator) appeared in four films with Lucille Ball, as well as “The Lucy-Desi Milton Berle Special” and “Lucy Goes to Las Vegas” (TLS S3;E17). 

Sam Harris (Showroom Guest) did a dozen films with Lucille Ball before appearing in the audience of Over the Teacups in “Ethel’s Birthday” (ILL S4;E8) and playing a subway passenger in “Lucy and the Loving Cup” (ILL S6;E12). In between, he was a wedding guest in Lucy and Desi’s film Forever Darling (1956). Along with Monty O'Grady and Murray Pollack, he was in the airport when “The Ricardos Go to Japan” in 1959.

Stuart Holmes (Showroom Guest) appeared with Lucille Ball in Lover Come Back (1946) and Critic’s Choice (1963).

Hans Moebus (Washer / Dryer Demonstrator) appeared as an uncredited background performer in hundreds of movies and TV shows, including the Lucille Ball films DuBarry Was a Lady (1943), A Woman of Distinction (1950) and The Facts of Life (1960). He was seen on the dock during the “I Love Lucy” episode “Bon Voyage” (ILL S5;E13) and part of the riverboat chorus in “Lucy Meets Arthur Godfrey” (TLS S3;E23).  

Charles Sherlock (Television Viewer) appeared in three feature films with Lucille Ball from 1935 to 1963.

PART ONE - DON’T MEET COMPETITION, MAKE IT!

Westinghouse Rep Phil Pryer meets salesman Ellis Homan at his office on the department store showroom. Ellis tells Phil about the time he dozed off at his desk and the mannequins came to life: menswear, formal wear, beach wear, and (inexplicably) an American Indian in full regalia. Frosty the Refrigerator (James Mason) gets Ellis’ attention to demonstrate his frost-free features, as well as his unique butter tray and meat keeper. 

Ellis then has a conversation with Speedy the Electric Range (Edward Arnold) about all its features. Ellis even makes coffee and cookies for Mabel, a mannequin standing in for a ‘prospect’.  

MABEL: “Ellis, you’re cute. I wish you were a dummy.”

Ellis then has a chat with Pearly the Dishwasher (Maureen O’Sullivan) and Chop-Along Waste-Away the Garbage Disposal (Jerry Colonna), who sings during his demonstration. 

Lanky the Water Heater (Andy Devine) is upset because no one pays him much attention. Pearly draws Ellis’s attention to the drip who has shown up in the showroom lately, the Dehumidifier (Percy Kilbride) who promises to rid homes of damaging dampness.

Chiming in (literally) Lina the Laundromat (Lucille Ball) and Dinah the Dryer (Marie Wilson) sing their greeting. Known as ‘The Westinghouse Twins’, they often finish each others’ sentences and speak at the same time - all in aid of showing that they are a perfect freedom-fighting duo in a home. Ellis demonstrates a typical wash cycle. 

PART TWO - FREEDOM FAIR

Back in the present, Phil tells Ellis that Westinghouse is sponsoring radio and television coverage of the summer’s 1952 Republican and Democratic conventions, with ‘Get Out the Vote’ programs to follow. In the meantime, Phil tells Ellis about the big Spring Selling Event - Freedom Fair.  The event will be rolled out in the April 11, 1952 issue of Life Magazine and the April 16, 1952 issue of the Saturday Evening Post. On television, it will be announced by Betty Furness on “Studio One”.  

After Phil leaves, the scene changes to a typical suburban couple’s bedroom where the morning alarm has just gone off. The bedraggled housewife dances through the home trying to get ready for the day ahead - despite the fact that she does not have any time-saving Westinghouse electric appliances. As the harried husband downs a quick cup of coffee and dashes off to work, the song begins (with offscreen vocals by the Starlighters) and the frustrated housewife realizes just how much work she has ahead of her to clean her home. Just then an ethereal voice sings the name “Westinghouse! Westinghouse!” and there is suddenly a handsome young salesman ringing her doorbell. He sings:

“They say that Lincoln freed the slaves, With that I disagree. Women have been slaves for years Till Westinghouse set them free!”

He whisks her away to ‘Westinghousewives’ Heaven’ where all the products we previously saw demonstrated are extolled in joyous song, some even have angel wings! The housewife (still in her curlers and pajamas) ducks behind a cloud and is suddenly revealed in a diaphanous white gown complete with apron!  Amid a large group of ballet dancers, the Westinghousewife and Salesman dance in blissful happiness.

At the last moment the Starlighters appear and sing to us about Westinghouse, while the dancers swirl merrily around the May Pole!

Stereotypes

This film is obviously aimed at a male sales force. All the ‘prospects’ are assumed to be female and referred to in such terms as “the little lady”. The female mannequins are only interested in Ellis as romantic partners. Clearly, housewives were the main target of male salesmen. 

The film also presents a stereotypical black chauffeur, the only person of color in the cast. The actor is asked to pull comical faces that make him appear silly - the source of humor

“Mmmm. There’s gonna be a watermelon missin’, ‘round here.” 

Needless to say, that an American Indian chasing a scantily clad Caucasian woman around the store plays on stereotypical images of predatory Native Americans. The actor playing the Chief is Iron Eyes Cody, who, despite his name, was born Espera Oscar de Corti, an Italian-American. When trying to communicate all he says is “Ugg!”

Homosexuals don’t escape either. A man with an effeminate manner and lisping voice wearing a coonskin cap swishes in to say “Hello, Fellas” with a toss of the raccoon tail he swans off. The two men in suits look uncomfortable and deny knowing him.

Voice casting reflects gender stereotypes of the time. Cooling and heating appliances are voiced by men while washing appliances are voiced by women.

Trivia

Lucille Ball’s participation in this film may have influenced or been influenced by the fact that for the first season of “I Love Lucy” Lucy Ricardo had a 1951 Westinghouse Frost-Free refrigerator in her kitchen - very similar to “Frosty” - the model shown here in the film. It was widely promoted in print publications and on TV during 1951. Previously, the freezer cabinet had to be thawed manually when frost and ice built up in and around it.  

LUCY: “Didn’t you watch the conventions on television?”

Phil tells Ellis that Westinghouse will take out extensive advertising on radio and TV during the Conventions. In July 1952 both the Republican and Democratic National Conventions were televised live from Chicago. Although the conventions were also televised in 1948, few Americans owned a TV set to watch them. This time, an estimated 70 million voters watched the broadcasts, which ended with the nominations of Adlai Stevenson II and Dwight D. Eisenhower. There is a popular myth that Stevenson lost the election because of backlash from interrupting airings of “I Love Lucy” with hour-long campaign ads. Perhaps from Westinghouse?  The conventions were mentioned on “I Love Lucy” (appropriately) in “The Club Election” (ILL S2;E19) which aired in February 1953. However, it was filmed in September 1952, when the reference would have been much more timely.  By the time it eventually aired, Eisenhower had been inaugurated and the conventions were a distant memory. 

Distribution: Who Saw It - The film series reached 25,000 dealers in 75 cities in a single week. Released in Technicolor and in 16mm. Longest of four dealer promotion films in a two-hour series produced to promote Westinghouse home appliances.

The wall calendar above Ellis’s desk matches the calendar for January 1952, which was likely the filming date. The calendar depicts a loaf of bread with the brand name redacted for filming. On the table close to the bottom of the frame are copies of Life Magazine. Later on, Ellis makes instant coffee from a jar labeled Maxwell House Coffee, although the dish washing detergent and the food in the fridge are obviously props with no brand identification.  The laundry soap, however, is clearly labelled ‘All’ but is not in their usual bright colored packaging. 

Blooper Alerts! 

Dates! Phil tells Ellis that Freedom Fair will be announced in the April 11 issue of Life. However, the issue is actually dated April 7, 1952, not April 11. Interestingly, copies of Life Magazine are used as set decoration in Ellis’s office. Similarly, the April 16 edition of the Saturday Evening Post is really dated April 12.  

Weather Forecast! The put-upon housewife at the end of the film realizes her wash is still on the line when there is a sudden cloudburst (she does not own an electric dryer). The next moment, she answers the door to the Westinghouse Salesman and it is a clear day. Not really a blooper, just an indication that Westinghouse makes a rainy day into a sunny one - at least in the movies!

Fast Forward!

“Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse” was a television anthology series produced by Desilu Productions. The show ran on CBS between 1958 and 1960. Two of its 48 episodes served as pilots for the 1950s television series “The Twilight Zone” and “The Untouchables.” It also presented 11 of the 13 episodes of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour” after its initial sponsorship by Ford.  

In joining forces with Desilu, Westinghouse canceled their other anthology series “Studio One” which ran on CBS from 1948 to 1958. 

To kick off the partnership between Desilu and Westinghouse, a similar film (informally titled “Lucy Buys Westinghouse”) was produced which depicted Lucy and Desi giving a Westinghouse Executive a tour of their studio, formerly RKO. All through the tour, much to the dismay of Desi, Lucy is trying to order appliances for her dressing room from the executive!  At the end, Lucy appears inside a Westinghouse dryer - hiding from Desi!  Like Ellis in Freedomland, this film was only shown to Westinghouse employees. Unlike Ellis, it was filmed in black and white - only later colorized for home video. Throughout the film, Desi mispronounces the company’s name as “Westin-Gouse” and its spokesperson as Betty “Furnace”.  

During that time, the cast often did long-form commercials for Westinghouse. Here, Betty Furness and Vivian Vance join Lucille Ball to talk about the 1959 Westinghouse washing machine, the same type of appliance Ball voiced in this film seven years earlier. 

Naturally, during this period Lucy Ricardo had the most up-to-date Westinghouse appliances in her Westport home. Like this two-toned refrigerator and freezer.

Back in New York City, the Ricardos owned a Westinghouse Clock Radio! 

The Handy Dandy vacuum cleaner was actually a Westinghouse model! 

In 1954, Lucy made breakfast with her Westinghouse "Grill-n-Waffler" Waffle Iron - if only she can remember to pay the electricity bill, that is! 

Lucy squeezes oranges for juice with her Westinghouse Model #FM-511 Food Crafter with juicer attachment (sold separately). 

Lucy owned two different models of the Westinghouse Commander Super-Corox Range. This 1950 model was used during season one...

...and this 1954 Model on a later season. It looks similar to the 1950 model, but the controls have a different layout.

In 1953, ownership of a washing machine was a point of contention between the Ricardos and Mertzes. The appliance used in the episode is labeled Epernay (a fictional brand). In actuality, it is probably a Launderall Horton 500 with gas stove handles affixed to the sides to help move it back and forth on the narrow porch.

Lucy uses the washing machine (a lot!) in Yours, Mine and Ours (1968). It is impossible to see what brand it is. 

Coincidentally, in April 1952, “I Love Lucy” did an episode titled “The Freezer” (ILL S1;E29) where Lucy and Ethel want to buy a home freezer to economize, but end up buying a walk-in model instead. In Jess Oppenheimer’s book, he states that newspapers and magazines were full of ads for home freezers at the time. Once they came up with the idea of Lucy getting trapped in the freezer, they had to abandon the home freezer idea for a larger, walk-in model.  

In 1966, a TV musical titled “Evening Primrose” with music by Stephen Sondheim and a book by George Furth, also explored the idea of department store mannequins coming to life. Anthony Perkins starred. 

The idea of anthropomorphized laundry room appliances was also explored in the 2004 Broadway musical Caroline, or Change, in which actors played embodiment of the Washing Machine and the Dryer.  A revival of the musical was on track for Broadway but interrupted by the Corona Virus pandemic. 

In 1987, the film Mannequin starring Andrew McCarthy and Kim Cattrall also explored the idea of department store mannequin coming to life. It was partly based on the 1948 film One Touch of Venus, although in that film, the mannequin was a statue. 

[babylon-crashing]

HEAVEN AND EARTH, scene 1

“It came to pass … that the Creations of Jehovah saw that the Mortal Daughters were comely, thus they took love from all which they desired.” ~ Genesis.

“Woman wailing for her demon lover.” ~ Coleridge.

After Lord Byron.

SCENE I.

Midnight on an oaken and cragged hill near Mount Ararat.

[Enter Anahit and Lusine.]

ANAHIT

Let the menfolk sleep. It is the hour when they who love us most descend through the dark clouds that lord over Ararat … how my heart beats!

LUSINE

Let us proceed upon our invocation.

ANAHIT

The sky is black. The stars are hidden. I shiver.

LUSINE

So do I, but not with fear.

ANAHIT

Sister, I love Azaziel, too, more than – ai ai ai, too much! What was I going to say? Goosebumps appear each time my heart grows lascivious.

LUSINE

Where is the unrighteousness in loving a celestial soul?

ANAHIT

But, Lusine, dear Lusine, my Lusine, I think I love Jehovah less now that his flesh-bound mystery loves me more. This cannot be good, though I know I'm not wrong to love how I love.

LUSINE

Cannot be good? What would you do instead? Marry some boor of a man who'd have you toil and spin into an early grave? There’s old man Noah's boy, Japhet. Girl, I've seen the way he looks at you. Marry him, sister, and you will bring forth nothing but dust into this world.

ANAHIT

I do not care what form Azaziel takes. If it appeared as male or female I'd love it just as hard. But I am glad it is neither. I cannot outlive it. When I think that its immortal wings will one day hover over the grave of a girl which so adored it as much as I do then death becomes a little less terrible. But I pity my love all the same. Its grief will rock the ages, or at least mine would if I were the Nephilim and it simply … perishable.

LUSINE

Some days I think the divine are just as fickle as the men who dream them up. On bad days when the mean spirit catches me I think your paramour will fine some other amusement that bleeds during the full moon and forget that it once loved little Anahit at all.

ANAHIT

Lusine, you are much more cynical than me. If Azaziel can find love once I am nothing but shadow and memory why would I begrudge what I love such honest pleasure? I know I am young but I know it will weep for me once I am gone.

LUSINE

If I thought Samiasa was as fickle as that I'd find me a new Nephilim to make my hips buck. There's, what? Five others to choose from? But enough talk. It is time for our invocation, sister. It is the hour.

ANAHIT (singing)

Slave of Jehovah. Flesh without sex.

From whatever star you Nephilim draw

your glory. In the eternal depths

of heaven, you, “The Seven,”

infinite space, infinite love, bright

wings, now hear! I love you more

than the skies, more than my sighs.

A girl made of blood and clay in

your eyes. You walk many worlds,

you set the fire that burned down

Eden’s gate. Immortal essence.

Immortal fate. I love you beyond

sin, beyond fear. An Adamite

calls to you here! Hear me!

Appear! Without you this

is hell, my darling Azaziel.

LUSINE (singing)

Slave of Jehovah. Wandering star!

Samiasa in the upper air. My sex

without flesh. My darling. My love.

I have known men and cherubim.

I have listened to their lies as they

promised me endless love if only

they could have what lay between

my legs. If only they could touch.

Ghouls. In the depths of heaven,

you, with your, “Seven Rules,”

never once condemned me for my

desire, my ache, my thirst. Many

fear your androgynous form but

I do not. An Adamite calls to you

here! Samiasa! I sing for you. I

await you. I love you. This is

how I will live forever. In you,

dear one. In you.

ANAHIT

Sister! I think I can see them making their way to us. Look how bright the night has become.

LUSINE

How queer! The clouds glow blue and pink from inside as they pass through them, as if the clouds were made of purple and red stone.

ANAHIT

But if our menfolk ever saw this sight!

LUSINE

They would blame it on witches, which they always do when they see something divine that they disapprove of.

ANAHIT

Look how Ararat's summit glows! The clouds are parting.

LUSINE

They have touched earth! Hurry sister, love waits for us on giant wings. Samiasa!

ANAHIT

My Azaziel!

[Both women exit.]

[hillbillyhippiemusicreview]

POST #24- J’s Year in Review 2019

Jesus Christ it’s 36 degrees and dark at 5:30. The most depressing time of year for me. I owe my friends a few reviews and keep putting them off. I’ll do them tomorrow. Hell, maybe when I have time over the weekend I’ll get that one out I promised a few weeks ago. Here I am, sitting on the couch trying to figure out which record I want to highlight next. It’s a daunting task. A lesson I’ve learned over the past year. I need to get those reviews out but my mind (and ears) get the best of me. What do I do instead? I listen to a couple of records and skip right to the end. What I mean by end is that cliche year in review article that all music journalists put out with their favorite artists, songs, records, and shows of the year. This is all new to me. Shortly after the new year I decided it was time for me to get in the game. I don’t have much to offer but I wanted to put my perspective on paper. My first article was a piece about Tyler Childers raising awareness and getting a large donation of bottled water for the citizens of Martin County, Kentucky. I knew about Martin County. I didn’t know how deep it went. It wasn’t the meet and greet and small solo set that made me want to write about my experience. It was Tyler’s words. It was the raw emotion and the choked up words that inspired me to be a writer. I wanted as many people to know about this event as I could possibly get the word to. Be it 5, 10, 20 or even 30 people that read the article and learned about the plight of the citizens of Martin County have been in for years. That maybe 5, 10, 20 or even 30 people that may learn how to contact their representative and ask questions. I hope it inspires people to learn about their community and lend a helping hand to those in need. That event was last year, but it inspired my path this year.

Let me begin by saying that I have met some of the most amazing people over the past 12 months. I will touch on as many of those people as much as I can. I am going to highlight the music that has moved me over the same amount of time. I’m gonna forget people. I’m sorry in advance. I could put a list of my top 10 albums out but that just wouldn’t be fair. To be honest, there is one album that stands head and shoulders above all others. It’s not even a competition. How do you compete with amazing art? I look at it like its a steady stream of good shit coming out and keeping my playlist full.

Album of the Year (Any Genre)

Sound and Fury - Sturgill Simpson

Why?

It’s f*cking amazing. Earth shattering. Ground breaking. LOUD!

Sturgill Simpson took everything you thought you knew about him and his music, threw it out the window of his muscle car, and backed over it about a hundred times. This man does not give a shit. I screwed up on my first listen. There are two ways this album should be heard. 1) On a turntable with the volume turned as loud as it can possibly go. 2) Watching the accompanying anime movie with the volume turned as loud as it can possibly go. Unfortunately I did neither. Most of my first listen was a track at a time on my phone or in my truck. Dead. Wrong. If I had it to do over again I would most definitely start with the anime.

I get it. Anime is not for everyone. If I could give someone a starting point with anime, it would most definitely be Sound and Fury. This album is The Wall of our generation. After my first listen I posted, “Album of the Year Any Genre”. I fully stand by that assessment.

Favorite Albums of the Year

This is where I will most definitely make someone mad or make myself mad for leaving off someone who deserves to be included.

Home - Billy Strings

Favorite Tracks: Away From The Mire and Watch It Fall

Country Squire - Tyler Childers

Favorite Tracks - Creeker and Peace of Mind

Stranger In The Alps - Buffalo Wabs and the Price Hill Hustle

Favorite Tracks: Buffalo’s Canon and Stewball

Between The Country - Ian Noe

Favorite Tracks: Barbara’s Song and Methhead

Seneca - Charles Wesley Godwin

Favorite Tracks: Hardwood Floors and Seneca Creek

Chris Knight - Almost Daylight

Favorite Tracks: I’m William Callahan and Go On

The Wind - Eric Bolander

Favorite Tracks: Closer to that Flame and Ghost

Josh Nolan - Kind Heart to Follow

Favorite Tracks: Makin’ Eyes and The Honeysuckle

Nicholas Jamerson - Floyd County All Star

Favorite Tracks: Patience and Floyd County All Star

High Expectations - Sean Whiting

Favorite Tracks: Melody and Misery

Songs Only A Mother Could Love - Wayne Graham

Favorite Tracks: By and By and Every Evil Thing

On The Hilltop - Nic Allen and the Troubled Minds

Favorite Tracks: Cheap Pills and Wine and For Heaven’s Sake

Cheap Silver and Solid Country Gold - Mike and the Moonpies

Favorite Tracks: Cheap Silver and Danger

The Gospel - The Local Honeys

Favorite Tracks: Amazing Grace and Let the Church Roll On

Full Moon/Heavy Light - Ona

Favorite Tracks: Young Forever and True Emotion

Trial and Error - Vintage Pistol

Favorite Tracks: Lay It Down and Leave Me Behind

The Pilot Light - Derek Spencer

Favorite Tracks: The Witches of Appalachia and Lit By Moonlight

We Fall, We Break - Walter DeBarr

Favorite Tracks - Wicked Eyes and We Fall, We Break

Alive at Hillbilly Central - Arthur Hancock

Favorite Tracks - Take Me Back To The Country and Kenton’s Outdoor Seating Area

Cuz I Love You - Lizzo

Favorite Tracks: Truth Hurts and Juice

I have to give a shoutout to some amazing visual artists for their work on some of these records. Jimbo Valentine and Colonel Tony Moore did an absolutely amazing job on the Country Squire album art. With Valentine’s futuristic hillbilly aura and Moore’s gritty comic book background, their collaboration is my favorite album artwork in some time. Honorable mention goes to Nashville Tattoo Artist, Squishy Eyes. His work for Billy Strings’ home is colorful and visually stimulating. I definitely want some skin art done by this guy!

Next. Let’s talk festivals. Jon Grace burst onto the scene this year putting on not one but two music festivals. Jon and I go way back. We’ve been to country shows, rock shows, heavy metal shows, nu metal shows, Ozzfest. You name it and we were probably in the vicinity. Laurel Cove Music Festival was Bell County’s first foray into the music festival scene and it started with a flash of lightning, then another, then a shit load of rain. An outdoor music festival being held at a beautiful natural amphitheater turned in to an indoor show in the conference room at Pine Mountain State Park. It was a tough decision to make, but in the end, it was worth every minute. The lineup came together in short order and provided us with two days of blistering sets. Jon then put together the FREE Cumberland Mountain Fall Festival in downtown Middlesboro, KY. Featuring local and regional talent for another two days of fun and music. 2019 set the bar high for live music in Bell County.

Festival of the Red is located in the heart of the Red River Gorge area and put on three days of camping and music. The only downside was that I was only there on Saturday. My buddies Blake and Dave packed in the truck with Dave’s little boy Waylon to make the two hour trip to Slade to catch up with old friends and new.

Master Musician Festival is a yearly mainstay in Somerset, KY. Tiffany Finley and company put together a stellar lineup year after year. My wife and I went for the day on Saturday and returned home with memories that we still laugh about months later. I first want to give a shoutout to the staff of MMF for enduring a brutal storm and having the integrity to cancel the headlining act in the face of severe storms. We were devastated that we missed out on a Jason Isbell set, but we are also blessed that we were not injured in a stupid storm. The party rolled on to Jarfly and into the wee hours of the morning.

This brings me to the granddaddy of them all.

Kickin’ It On The Creek.

The Roberts do it up right on Ross’ Creek. The 5th Annual Kickin’ It On The Creek held on Byron Roberts’ farm is something every music fan should experience once in their life. I went to Irvine in June to attempt to buy tickets in person. I left the house Saturday morning around 4:30. My anxiety hit when I got into town and parked and saw the line stretched nearly a half mile down the road. What do you do though? You hop in line! My friends Jon and Daniel arrived about an hour and a half ahead of me and were about 15 people in front of me. Throughout the morning we made conversation with both veterans and newbies alike. The vibe was jubilant. It was almost like a family reunion atmosphere, and this was just the presale. Long story short, about 3 hours later we get to the front of the line when Byron exits the store to announce the tickets were sold out. My friends who were 15 people in front of me were the last group in. It made me ill to realize I was that close. Never fret, the next step was an online sale that supposedly sells out in seconds. Over the next few weeks, karma would smile on us as we were able to purchase enough tickets so everyone in our group of friends were able to procure tickets. Now the wait.

I’m not a festival virgin by no means. I was fortunate enough to go to three Bonnaroo festivals in the early 00’s. Needless to say, I had an idea of the festival life. However, I can’t begin to explain the giddiness that my wife and I felt driving to the festival that Thursday evening in late September. We made it just in time to set up camp and catch Bedford Band and one of the acts I most looked forward to, Buffalo Wabs and the Price Hill Hustle. The family atmosphere was in full effect. We were home. On Friday we were treated to sets by a variety of artists handpicked by the Roberts family. Favorites included Luna and the Mountain Jets, Crownover, Laid Back Country Picker, Green Genes, Jericho Woods, Vintage Pistol, Magnolia Boulevard, John R Miller and the Engine Lights, Town Mountain, and the ‘Lectric Wooks. Saturday favorites included Abe Partridge, Padre Paul Handleman, Wayne Graham, William Matheny, Senora May, Ona, The Wooks, Arlo McKinley, and festival headliner Tyler Childers. I’m already thinking about KIOTC 2020.

This year was magical. I heard amazing music, saw amazing music, introduced my children to amazing music, and most importantly shared with with my wife. I met lifelong friends and have several shows to look forward to in 2020.

Upcoming shows I’ll be attending are The Wooks, Arlo McKinley, Eric Bolander, Charlie Woods and Deep Hollow, and Dave Shoemaker at the Bell Theater on December 21st. 2020 brings Morgan Wade/Kelsey Waldon, Town Mountain/Buffalo Wabs/Geno Seale, Billy Strings, and Sturgill Simpson/Tyler Childers. The festival circuit is also ramping up with dates set for Laurel Cove 2020.

-Josh Trosper

*This is an independent review. The Hillbilly Hippie Music Review was not compensated for this review.

*The opinions expressed are solely that of the author(s).

[not-hereforit]

Gallavich Soundtrack

Alright friends, I’ve compiled a list of all of the songs used in Gallavich scenes (plus a few individual scenes), and let me tell you, reliving Gallavich musically is one of the best (& sometimes heartbreaking) things ever.

Spotify playlist here & song breakdown under the cut! (anything with an asterisk (*) means it wasn’t available on Spotify)

What I Said by Alien Crime Syndicate “Iiiiian Gaaaallagherrr!” Mickey’s first appearance

It’s Thunder and It’s Lightning by We Were Promised Jetpacks Ian’s studying with Mandy at the Milkovich house and hooks up with Mickey

Wham Bam by Clooney Mickey & Ian go for round two at the baseball field

Nothing to Lose by The Marys Ian & Mickey caught in the walk-in by Frank

Drink While We’re Young by Red Devil Squadron Ian looks for “that look” in Mickey’s eye at the high school

Guided Missiles, Misguided Men by Holy Fever Mickey tries to sell to idiot kid at shop & Angie convo

Hysteria by Ceremony Mickey & Ian run from security after Mick beats up Ned

The Store by Toothpick Warriors Robbing Ned’s mansion

Oh by FIDLAR Ian looks for Mickey in abandoned building but Mickey won’t talk

Diamonds by The Lisps Ian goes to confront Mickey before his wedding

Bad Blood by Ana Egge Mickey holds back tears after Ian tells him he’s enlisting and he can’t bring himself to stop him

Canyons by Paw City Mickey retrieves Ian’s photo from magazine then punches bathroom mirror

Dirty Work by Sydney Wayser Lip asks Mickey if he’s heard from Ian, tells him he’s missing

Heat by Barrie Gledden* Mickey finds Ian at the club/lap dance

Wind Me Up by Taxi Doll* Mickey tries to convince Ian to come with him after lap dance

The Boy’s Had His Fun by Cold Shoulder* Mickey carries Ian after he passes out outside the club

Into the Darkness by Will and the Indians* Mickey watches a passed out Ian sleep & is caught by Svetlana

Take a Chance by Bosshouse* Mickey blows Ian

Move Like U Stole It by ZZ Ward (Paul Oakenfold Remix) Mickey kisses Ian at the club

In My Veins by The Fieros Mickey confronts Ian outside after he pulled a knife on Kenyatta

Pick Me Up by Between Borders Carl sees Mickey sleeping in Ian’s bed, asks if he’s Ian’s boyfriend

Fisherman by The Peach Kings Mickey leaves for the baptism after telling Ian yes they are a couple

Sleep Forever by Portugal. The Man Ian kisses Mickey on the head outside the bar after the brawl with his dad

Feelin Good by The Stevenson Ranch Davidians Mickey working as a respectable mover

Run Boy Run by Mom’s Basement Mickey runs errand (beats up Patel)

Black Soap by Ex Cops Ian is riled up after the confrontation at the soldier’s funeral

All A Lie by The Bixby Knolls Ian tosses Mickey’s shit in the yard during his cleaning spree

Man Child by Redgrave Ian runs away with Yevgeny

Discoloration by Dawn Golden Picking up Ian from police station & car ride home

Lost Soul by Dark Matter Ian’s admitted for a 72 hour psych evaluation

Peace Love With You by Moroccan Knights Mickey gets ready to go see Ian in the hospital

Go! by Soft Swells Mickey stumbles around drunk and trips over Ian’s jacket

Racketology by Breed Mickey plays guitar drunk and naked

Falling Together by Mason Brothers “Sorry I’m late.”

One More Minute by Locksley Mickey gives Ian his pills & tells him no caffeine

Walkin’ by Wild Party Mickey gives Ian a donut so he won’t take his pills on an empty stomach

Basic Instinct by The Acid Baseball field fight/hookup

Love Is A Battlefield by Pat Benatar Mickey & Ian drunkenly sing on their way back to the Gallagher house

Cigarettes by Coby Brown Ian & Mickey try to fight off the MPs

Don’t You Start by Sleepy Kitty Sammi taunts Mickey & Fiona after the MPs take Ian

Where the Ocean Is by Shadow Shadow Mickey headbutts Ian’s photo, leads to scene of Ian lying in truck cab

Marble by Bronx Cheerleader Ian lays in grass outside trailer, Mick calls (phone background now pic of them)

Hyperflowers by Los Waves Mickey runs to Ian after he calls to tell him he’s back

Going Out Fighting by Minutes to Midnight Mickey runs, shouting at Sammi while she shoots at him

Livin’ in the Fire by Motopony Ian and Svetlana visit Mickey in prision

You And I by Margaret Glaspy Ending credits after Ian finds out Mickey escaped

Skulldiggin by Black Joe Lewis Ian waits for Mickey at the docks and is kidnapped in a van

HEAL by Strand of Oaks “Let’s ride.”

Just What You Feelin’ by Kemo The Blaxican In the car driving to Mexico then pulling over so Mickey can hit that

Swing Ya Rag by T.I., Swizz Beatz Mickey & Ian hookup in the car after kicking Damon out

Crashed Cadillac by Bot’Ox Mickey finds Jesus at a Quinceañera 

Volca by Born Rivals* Mickey and Ian go to get money at the bank

I Ain’t the One by Spoon Ian watches Mickey cross the border into Mexico

Sunrise by Broken Bellows Ian walks to his cell

Pink + White by Frank Ocean Mickey shows up as Ian’s cellmate (Previously: Endgame)

Hot for Hagar by The Ginger Faye Bakers Ian & Mickey get frisky in the morning/the mayonnaise debacle

When You Smile by Floral Fauna Ian is brushed off by guard when he asks for a new roommate

Baccarra by Cardova* Mickey & Ian race to shiv Chester

Petty Thieving by FEET Ian attempts to throw his parole

Ad Blue by FEET Ian’s released from prison

I’ve Been Wrong by Food Court The Gallaghers throw Ian a welcome home party

Firebreather by Lead Pony Mickey tries to escape from prison via medical waste bin

Might Be Right by White Reaper Mickey chases shoplifter at Old Army/mall

Let’s Go by Clear Blue Fire Mickey catches a parolee for Paula

Deliver Me by TRUETT Mickey agrees they need to kill Paula

Eyes on You by 3 ONE OH Ian & Mickey suspect each other of killing Paula

Cramp by Shawn Lee (Skeewiff remix)* Ian asks neighborhood officer for advice about lawyer, gets marriage idea

Kidnap Runaway by The 1900s Mickey meets Ian at Patsy’s

Off My Mind by Ben Reneer Ian & Mickey get engaged at Patsy’s

Explode by City Silos Ian & Mickey realize neither one killed Paula

Happily Sinking Heart by Mother Sun Ian doesn’t sign the marriage license

Soul Sucker by Lead Pony Ian falls down stairs after Mickey punches him

Fuckin’ Love It by Naked Elephant* Mickey makes a ruckus arriving via vespa

Red Anxiety by Floral Fauna Ian and Liam leave on errand to buy Mickey’s engagement ring

Broke the Cup by Lead Pony Ian goes to talk to Mickey, tries to give him promise ring

Bad Idea by Bad Sea Empire Mickey rebuffs Ian, Ian pees in vespa

Rescue Me by OneRepublic Ian arrives at the bar with Cole

All the Good Things About You by Imperial Mammoth Ian & Mickey watch the band perform at bar

This Life by Vampire Weekend Ian beats up Byron and proposes to Mickey

Inherent Vice by Midnight Divide Mickey and the Gallaghers when Lip announces he’s moving

Let You Go by City Silos Mickey confronts Terry outside the Gallagher house

Livin’ On A Prayer by Bon Jovi Ian has Mickey serenaded at The Alibi

Son by Deep State Mickey robs drug den for wedding money

It’s You by Rebel Kicks The wedding venue is on fire

I Kinda Like It by Them Vibes Mickey grabs shotgun to go after Terry

Cannonball by Dirtwire Debbie tells Mickey to nut-up, they’re gonna white trash the wedding

Champion by M. Rivers Gallaghers and crew come up with idea to try The Polish Doll for a venue

Obsession by Joywave Mickey & Ian arrive at The Polish Doll, lie to owner

Blue Bell by Golden Daze Ian & Mickey take in the sight of their new venue

Face to Face by Rex Orange County Guests arrive for the wedding, final preparations for the ceremony

Lights Down Low by MAX Ian and Lip talk, prepare to begin the ceremony

At Last by Etta James Ian’s song choice for Mickey to walk down the aisle to

Morning Flowers by Brock Tyler Mickey and Ian exchange vows

Raising Hell by Kesha (ft. Big Freedia) Ian & Mickey walk down the aisle as husbands

Coming Out by Joywave* Ian & Mickey dance with family and friends at the reception

Firework by Katy Perry Ian talks to Debbie about missing Monica

Perfect by Ed Sheeran Mickey & Ian slow dance

Wake Up by Fialta Mickey & Ian wake up in their honeymoon suite

Perfect Day by Turf Club* Ian & Mickey after Terry shoots up their suite

[kaedix]

All that’s best of dark and bright

In which Shirayuki left Clarines to live with the Lions of the Mountain.

Title is from the poem by Lord Byron, “She Walks in Beauty”.

Chapter One: I loved him, once

Chapter Two: My place, my home

Chapter Three: Oft died the words upon our lips

Chapter Four: Never too far

Chapter Five: The truth we didn’t choose

The wedding was, understandably, over.

Kit ran down the aisle past Zen, beside herself. A low murmur began as the crowd shuffled around in their seats.

Shirayuki turned to Akiko.

“Akiko, please go be with Kit,” Shirayuki said quietly.

Akiko stared at her mother with wide eyes but nodded obediently. “Yes mama,” she said, and quickly made her way down the aisle after her sister.

Shirayuki took a deep breath and followed soon after, storming up to Zen and snatching his wrist.

“Let's have a chat,” she growled, pulling him out of the clearing and into the nearest open building - a food preparation area that was thankfully abandoned.

“What are you doing?” Shirayuki yelled, releasing Zen more aggressively than she intended.

“I thought I should be here for this,” Zen said coolly, standing apart from her now that he was free. “She's my daughter, too. I thought you would be happy to see me.”

“What did you expect me to do? Greet you with open arms? Kiss you and hug you and thank you for gracing us with your presence?” Shirayuki threw her words at him like knives. “Well I'm sorry that I'm not completely thrilled that you showed up in time to ruin my daughter's happiness - ”

“Shirayuki, honestly - ”

“Oh, are we speaking honestly? Okay, Zen, honestly - I never wanted to see you again. You made your choice and it wasn't us. So why - ”

Shirayuki made a loud noise of frustration, throwing her hands into the air and turning away. “No,” she said. “No. I'm not doing this right now. I need - I need to go find Kit.”

“Don't I get to say my piece?” Zen said abruptly. “I'm upset too.”

Shirayuki rounded on him so fast she was sure Zen saw his life flicker before his eyes.

“I don't want to hear anything you have to say,” she said in a low, dangerous voice. “Now, if you'll excuse me, your highness, I need to go comfort my distraught child.”

Shirayuki turned on her heel and was part way out the door when Zen yelled, “You're not being fair, Shirayuki! I want to be here. I want to be in her life. I should have been invited. What about your other daughter? I assume her father will be at her wedding. Why am I not given the same courtesy?”

Shirayuki turned to him once more, exhausted with the back and forth.

“He wouldn't come. I haven't seen Obi in years.”

The air changed. Shirayuki froze. She realized what she had said, and -

“Obi?” Zen asked feebly.

“I have to go,” Shirayuki said, not caring to elaborate any further. She stepped out the door, clearing away the angry tears streaming down her face.

Kit was inconsolable, and Akiko was at a loss.

“This was my perfect day!” Kit screamed, the rouge their mother had put on her cheeks just a few hours earlier now tracked through with her tears. “Why would mama - why would that man - ”

Kit sobbed harder, ripping the crown of pearls from her carefully pinned head, sending strands of hair and small white flowers flying. She threw the pearls across the room, breaking a few of them as they hit the wall - Akiko winced and only felt a little guilty for wishing her sister would be more grateful for all the trouble they went to getting those for her.

“Get this thing off me!” Kit shrieked, trying to reach back and unbutton her own dress. “I'm going to rip it off!”

“Kit!” Akiko finally stepped forward, grabbing the buttons of her sister's wedding dress and undoing them as swiftly as she could. “Kit, please. Can you just - take a moment? Breathe?”

She finished undoing the buttons and placed a firm hand on Kit's shoulder.

“I'm going to go get you some tea,” Akiko said softly. “I'll be right back.”

Kit nodded, sniffling.

Akiko hurried as fast as she could down the stairs, praying that Kit would be more agreeable in a few minutes.

When she returned to the room with the tea, Kit had changed into a nightshirt and removed a few more pins from her hair.

“Here you go,” Akiko said, offering the tea.

Kit took the cup half heartedly. “Thanks,” she said, taking a small sip. Her shoulders sagged. “I'm sorry I yelled.”

Akiko bit her lip, sitting next to Kit on the bed. “It's okay,” she reassured her. “I'm sorry for - how today has gone.”

Kit looked up at the ceiling, tears rolling down her cheeks. “I knew it was too perfect,” she said, and a small sob escaped her. “I had a feeling this wouldn't go through. I should have known I'd be doomed to be a spinster all my days.”

Akiko tried her hardest not to roll her eyes and remind Kit that she was only twenty years old and hardly a spinster - instead she rubbed circles on her sister's back and let her cry.

“Taketsu will never come back to me,” Kit sobbed. “It's over. I can feel it. It's over forever.”

“Shh,” Akiko whispered, hoping she could just assure Kit without speaking because she had no idea what to say.

Kit quieted after a few minutes, taking soft sips of her tea. She stared off into nothing.

Akiko's gaze came to rest on the discarded wedding dress in a heap on the floor, and she quickly stood to retrieve it.

“What are you doing?” Kit asked through sniffs.

“Picking up your dress,” Akiko answered plainly, shaking out the fabric as she held it out in front of her.

“Don't. Just leave it.” A few more tears slipped down Kit's cheeks. “It can lay there in a wrinkled mess forever to remind me of my failure.”

“Kit,” Akiko said, unwilling to be illogical one more second, “this is not your failure. Something a little - unexpected happened at your wedding ceremony, so what? That's not anything you can control. And I would bet my life that Taketsu would still marry you even in the next ten minutes, if you asked him.”

Kit sniffed again, and Akiko counted herself lucky that her sister was too drained to argue back.

Quarter of an hour later, Shirayuki nervously climbed the steps to Kit's room. Her heart dropped when she saw Kit in a nightshirt and disheveled hair, looking despondent while Akiko patted her back. Both girls looked up as she cautiously entered the room.

“Kit?” Shirayuki's voice quivered. “Kit, I'm so sorry.”

Kit stared at her mother with watery eyes, teacup shaking in her hands.

“Who is he, mama? Who is that man?” Kit asked. “Is he really my father?”

Shirayuki took in a deep breath. “Yes,” she said quietly. “Yes, he is.”

Kit's flow of tears began anew. “You said he died.”

“I did,” Shirayuki replied slowly.

“You lied to me, then.”

“I...did,” Shirayuki repeated. “But only because the truth is a little more difficult and it was easier to pretend - ”

“Who is he, then?” Kit asked.

Shirayuki closed her eyes tightly, steeling herself. She bit her lip.

“His name is Zen Wisteria,” Shirayuki said, her voice defeated. “He's the second Prince of Clarines. I came to know him when I lived there many years ago.”

Akiko's mouth fell open, and Kit's teacup dropped to the ground, luckily only spilling a small puddle of the leftover tea.

“Wait - you said - wait,” Akiko stuttered. “Prince?”

“Mama,” Kit said. “You're still lying to me.”

“I'm not,” Shirayuki said, exasperated. “You see why it would be hard to tell you? I didn't know how to - how to explain - ”

“I've been grown for a while now, mama!” Kit shouted. “I think I could maybe understand if you told me you were some prince's concubine and I was the unfortunate product - ”

“That's enough!” Shirayuki yelled, feeling a hot anger boil up inside her - only to be followed by a deep sadness that quenched the heat and left her cold. She covered her face with her hands.

“Kit. That wasn't right for you to say,” Shirayuki heard Akiko scold quietly.

Shirayuki sat in silence long enough to gather herself before speaking again.

“I was never - a concubine,” she said, her voice wavering only slightly. “I loved Zen, and we would have married if his older brother had thought it agreeable. But it didn't work that way. He and I both made choices. And I chose you.”

Kit sniffled, wiping her nose. “I just - I don't understand, mama.”

Shirayuki moved to kneel in front of Kit. She grabbed her daughter's shoulders and looked into her blue, teary eyes.

“I know,” Shirayuki said. “And I'm so sorry. I will help you understand everything. Okay?” She shook her gently. “I promise.”

Kit nodded, still tearful. She leaned forward into her mother's embrace, and Shirayuki beckoned Akiko to join them. She held tightly to her two girls, praying that they would be able to be patient with her.

A minute or so passed when Shirayuki heard the door downstairs open and shut loudly. Loud footsteps sounded from below.

“Shirayuki?” A panicked voice called. “Shirayuki, are you here?”

Shirayuki recognized the voice immediately, and she released her daughters and stood to call down the stairway.

“I'm up here, Kazuki,” Shirayuki said, and she heard his footsteps on the stairs.

When Kazuki entered the room, he was pale and wide eyed, immediately putting Shirayuki on guard.

“What's wrong?” she asked, reaching for him.

“Maikelle,” Kazuki said, panting. “She's having the baby. She's asking for you.”

[jandjsalmon]

American Horror Story is starting THIS WEEK! And it’s the Murder House/Coven Crossover. I’m more excited than I should be - but I’ve been gathering nostalgic fanfiction recs to share with everyone and came up with nearly 100 fic recs… in case you have nothing to do until Wednesday. 

The absolutely lovely @lgbt-representation-is-beautiful  made me this wonderful gif of one of my favourite scenes in Season 1. Thank you, Aries. You rock.

To start - my most favourite is Sucker Love by @tjoek-blog (7/?) which is probably forever a WIP - but it’s PERFECT and delicious and if you haven’t read it you have to.

Okay so now I have to talk about my lunchtable girls. They are quite literally some of the most talented writers in any fandom anywhere. Gorgeous human beings whom I love and pretty much everything they write is amazing and worth reading. I’m going to give you a short list of fics written by each of them - pretty much fics that I would call “Required Reading” if you are an AHS fan.

Firstly - let’s talk Lola. @bleuwrites wrote I Think You Should Know I’m Damaged (12/12 - M) which was the fic that started our friendship. She wrote Lemonworld (4/4 - M) - a canon fic where Violate ends up essentially parents to a little girl. Beat The Devil’s Tattoo (9/9 - M) which featured a grown-up Violet who comes back to the house. All I Want Is Everything (1/1 - M) - featuring Tate and a grand gesture. Rara Avis (1/1 - M) - an AU that was set before Tate shot up the school. The Ghost who Walks (7/7 - M) and Policy of Truth (1/1 - M) - both of which are amazing. And then of course Waiting Here (1/1 - M) which messed me up in the best way possible and to this day might be the saddest AHS fic I’ve ever read.  Lola is a goddess. You should read her work.

My PaigeyWagey. @feelavalanche or ScarlettWoman710 (as she is also known as) is and always will be a beautiful mermaid of awesomeness. She nearly killed me with The House always Wins (1/1 - M) and Serve the Servants (1/1 - M). I think my forever favourite by her is I Will Follow You Into the Dark (1/1 - M) - and I still think of it often. Paige is also SO freaking good with post-canon fics like All We Are is All We Are (1/1 - M) and  Miss The Misery (1/1 - M) and Drain Me (1/1 - MM) and the ever so dark Milk It (1/1 - M). She’s written award winning fics like Tatemae, Honne (1/1 - M) and  Dive in Me (1/1 - M) - which has some of the best writing in the whole fandom - I was literally overly emotional.  And of course we’d never forget the fic she co-wrote with Linds. The Curve of Her Lips (12/12 - M)

Speaking of Linds. Oh my dear @ohhyellowbird - whom I love. Talented and sharp and utterly amazing. She wrote Tabula Rasa (1/1 - M) and Something To Talk About (1/1 - M) and Monster (1/1 - M) and Color Theory (1/1 - M) and Blue Lips (1/1 - M) and my most fave Make War (1/1 - M) which was gorgeous. 

And of course Gracie. @whatwouldflorencedo or GrayGlube. Gracie is gonna be famous one day. She is the angst queen. Dark and amazing. Moral Dust (1/1 - M) was my first GG fic - but all of them that followed were equally as amazing. The Antique Children Series (2 fics), The Grieving Process Series (2 AMAZING fics),  Druxy (1/1 - M),  Ophistographs (2/2 - M), Don’t Look Back You’re Not Going That Way (1/1 - M),  Limerence (2/2 - M),  Jungianism (1/1 - M), and  Eleven, twelve, thirteen (1/1 - T) and of course Toska  (1/1 - M). Seriously… every thing this woman writes is gold. She is going to buy and sell all of us someday. Read it all. This is just a handful of her amazing work.

And lastly dear Stella. Shootingstella wrote a TON of super fun stories but decided to leave the fandom and remove most of her work. Thankfully, I saved it all so I can read it any time I want. BUT you unlucky people can only read what she submitted for the Fic Exchanges - so you should read them just to get a taste of how talented and lovely she was. My most favourite was You Have Been Weighed (1/1 - M) but she also wrote Neptune Oyster (1/1 - M) and The Burning Man (2/2 - M). You are truly missing out on Wake and Copy Cat and Hoarders and Latex I Love Yous. It was a really wonderful time to be a fangirl.

And of course there are other stories by other amazing authors that you may have forgotten about - but you should take the opportunity to read them and enjoy them before the new season starts.

Oh, How It Burns by applythepressure (16/16 - M) Summary: Oh, how it burns. Oh, how he burns her.

Limp by pheromones (5/5 - M) Summary: “Romeo couldn’t live without his Juliet, Sid couldn’t live without his Nancy, and Tate Langdon certainly couldn’t live without his Violet Harmon.”

Mine Is Forever by aaronlisa (1/1 - M) Summary: Tate learns the hard way that promises made to ghosts and houses don’t really amount to much in the end. 

About a Girl by paceyourself (10/?) Summary: Every heart has a pain. Fools hide it in their eyes while the brilliant hide it in their smile and someday you’ll realize the damage that you’ve caused. Violet/Tate, AU, 1993.

Spirit Desire by GinHermi (1/1 - M) Summary: She wants him, no questions asked. He was her desire, and the house seemed to agree. She watched him and drove him mad. But are her intentions out of pure need or are they of something outside of herself? Violet haunts Tate and he haunts her right back.

As The World Falls Down by applythepressure (3/3 - M) Summary: Are you still sad, Violet, after all this time?

Lick the Flame by Gwen Brunye (1/1 - M) Summary: Violet’s fantasy involves a blonde boy in shiny black boots…

The Darkness Claims by A Dirty Little Secret (1/1 - M) Summary: Sitting at the dining room table with her chin in her hand, Violet laments everything her mother has become. She contemplates briefly the idea of being alone once again, and the summons slips from her lips before she has a chance to reconsider.

Truth or Dare by Cheers My Dears (9/9 - M) Summary: Reading his patient file left Violet feeling confused and a little scared. Maybe playing a game will help her sort through her feelings

i think i made you up inside my head by howlsatthemoon (3/3 - M) Summary: This house is filled to the brim with ghosts, but you are the only monster. / AU. If Tate was alive and Violet was dead. Set in 2011. Three-shot.

For the Sake of the Community by Chinesebakery (1/1 - M) Summary: American Horror Story with a touch of Heathers. A sociopathic Violet story.

Skittish Figs by EvangelineG (1/1 - M) Summary: Tate and Violet contemplate her parents decision to sell the house and discuss.

Tate’s Conscience by TheDevotchka (17/17 - M) Summary: Tate hates high school. He hates his girlfriend, fake friends and his ‘promising track career’. It’s not what he wants. He wants her… the pretty, peculiar new girl. Only problem is? She can’t stand him and he can’t seem to change her mind.

We’ll find strength in pain by ChrysX  (17/17 - M) Summary: 1963. Dr. Ben Harmon, after the loss of his wife, Vivien, decides to take a psychiatrist’s position in Briar Cliff. He and his daughter Violet arrive at the Asylum with the hope of a new beginning.

An Illustrated Book About Birds by Nokomis (1/1 - T) Summary: Violet adjusts to the house while coming to terms with her new knowledge about Tate. Post-1x06.

Never Let Me Go by GinHermi (11/11 - M) Summary: 1960’s AU. Choosing between duty and love is never easy. She had a choice to make no matter the scandal that would befall her. If it came between separating from him forever and breaking her duty, she would choose wisely. Heart or mind?

Coming Dead Last by Rune-Spirit (1/1 - M) Summary: When the house moves Travis to set his sights on cozying up with Violet, Tate doesn’t take too kindly to it and has to rescue her from his overzealous advances.

Free like the Birds by aaronlisa (1/1 - M) Summary: In the end, Tate will do anything to have Violet’s love.

sharpen up those dragging hooks by littlelindentree (1/1 - M) Summary: After they scare the first family out of the house, Violet begins to punish Tate.

The Box Under the Bed by emergencycaptivation (1/1 - M) Summary: Tate and Violet were childhood friends, and after years apart, they are reunited for a few memorable Valentine’s Days. 

Coming Home by TheDevotchka (2/2 - M) Summary: Tate Langdon shot up his high school in 1994 and walked away from it. Now, he’s back to finish what he started.

The Finish Line by  howlsatthemoon (1/1 - M) Summary: She catches him in the backyard, dozing off in the gazebo, the sunlight reflecting off his golden hair and the hint of a smile on the pink of his lips. A worn copy of a collection of Byron’s poems and plays lies forgotten across his lap, the page folded where he’d been before he drifted off. This is when she likes him best. / Moments with Violet and Tate that we missed.

And then of course there was the @ahs-exchange. I ran a fic exchange for four rounds and some of the best fic in the fandom (some mentioned above and some not mentioned) were shared there. Here are the links to the Master Lists:

Round 1 - Round 2 - Round 3 - Round 4

SOoooo the new season is upon us. I hope you get through all these stories and celebrate with me! YAY for AHS Apocalypse. 

[f-dee]

Byron’s Birthday Date, preview, MidCinEng

Byron... my love...(≧◡≦) ♡  every moment I spend with you makes me love you even more 。.:☆*:･'(*⌒―⌒*))) you make me so happy! I love you truly, with all my heart! I just want to be with you forever! ( ˘⌣˘)♡(˘⌣˘ ) (/^-^(^ ^*)/ ♡

[lauscar]

Fic rec’ (update 05.03.2018)

Ok so I had this idea for a long time to do a masterlist of fics that totally took my breath (and my time and mind btw) away. There are so much of them that I forgot a lot of them but I will edit it every time I remember one or find a new one. It turned out that I mostly read exo ^^  Anyway if you like a fic I highly recommend you to check the author’s masterlist because I just put my favorites but they often have written a lot more ! I promise you won’t regret it ! Have fun !

Edit : I added a few stories and the synospis of the author when there was one

Exo

All

Chronicles of the wolf  by @fairyscribbles (OT12, series, Wolf!au) ONGOING

monster by @mint-yooxgi (series, Yandere!au) ONGOING : He’s infatuated with you. You’re his, and there’s nothing you can do about it.Everything about you drives him crazy. He will stop at nothing to have you. Forever in the shadows, creeping…Creeping…Creeping…

Street racers by @yeolology (OT9, series, Street racer!au) ONGOING : “Kim Minseok runs the biggest business in the illegal streetracing scene - fixed bets. He needs racers. He needs behind the scenes guys. He needs a crew.”

Good girl by @xiumin-on-this-shit (OT12, series, Mafia!au) COMPLETE

I am an Alpha by @xiumin-on-this-shit (OT12, series, Wolf!au) ONGOING

The Cartel on @kpopfanfictrash actually it’s a collab between several authors (series, Miafia!au) COMPLETE : It’s 1970′s Florida and the most wicked cartel on the eastern seaboard is at the peak of crime and thievery. Each member designed to execute exactly what they’re meant to - each a cog inside Byun Baekhyun’s well-oiled machine. Every king needs a court though; a worthy entourage to ensure his continued power. In order to deal the cleanest product, sometimes you have to get your hands dirty.

Xiumin / Kim Minseok

Take care of you by @xiumin-on-this-shit (series, Mafia!au) ONGOING

Gamestops and Lollipops by @yeolology ONESHOT : Minseok owns a shop full of curiosities, and you love it with all your heart. You can’t help but wonder if there’s something else you love there too.

Blood lust by @thesammtimes (Vampire!au) ONESHOT : Vampires have always been hidden creatures, creating complex strategies to avoid being discovered. You had always believed them to be a myth, something parents invented and threatened their kids with if they ever wanted to stay out late.

Lay / Zhang Yixing 

Sovereign by @yeolology (series, Royalty!au) COMPLETE : “Two kingdoms are at war with another, and being the illegitimate warrior, wildcard princess, you’re appointed to the war council - along with the youngest prince of your allied country, Prince Yixing. He’s too liberal, too idealistic, believes he knows best no matter what - but you’re exactly the same.”

The boxer by @soobadnoonecanstopher (series, Boxer!au) COMPLETE : You make your way into a local boxing gym, looking for someone who is willing to teach you self defense. The quiet man who runs the gym is unwilling to take you on as a student and you are forced to prove yourself worthy of his instruction.

Little big secret by @gwaenchanhajagiya (series) COMPLETE : “You’re Zhang Yixing’s little big secret.”

Suho / Kim Junmyeon

Higher by @3kpop2jagi1 ONGOING

Deranged by @heebiejbies (series, Psychiatric!au) ONGOING : The effects of childhood abuse can have a life-long impact. Suffering many years of this form of abuse, Suho is one example of what these effects can be. With a total of 11 alter personalities inside himself, he finds himself in a constant state of mental instability. While his doctor struggles to unscramble the puzzle that she calls his mind, she also struggles to unscramble their true feelings for one another. However, could his case be more complex than she can handle?

Chen / Kim Jongdae

Caffeine by @3kpop2jagi1 (series) COMPLETE : No matter how much sugar you add, coffee is still bitter in the end

Abounded by @nunchiwrites (series, Slave!au) ONGOING : “Y/n, you don’t have to do this far for us, we’re only slaves…”   “That’s exactly why I have to do this, though. I won’t let those corrupt people decide who deserves freedom or not. If this doesn’t happen now, either someone else will do it, or we’ll all be enslaved and hope for everyone will be lost.”

Byronic by @3kpop2jagi1 (Vampire!au) ONESHOT : When you decide to stay at an old castle to gain inspiration for writing your new vampire novel, you end up getting a little more insight than you’d expected.

Byun Baekhyun

Black and white by @baekingpancakes (series, University!au) COMPLETE : Baekhyun is the typical heartthrob that always gets what he wants.. until you came along.

Reticent by @forexcapism (Badboy!au) ONESHOT

All’s Fair by @3kpop2jagi1 (series) COMPLETE : Let the game begins

Park Chanyeol

Devil’s advocate by @nunchiwrites (Demon!au) COMPLETE : Ever since the moment she fell from the sky, that angel has belonged to me, and I always take what is mine.’

D.O. / Do Kyungsoo

Denouement by @yeolology (Soulmate!au) ONESHOT : The world is black and white to everyone. At least, until they reach 18, and realise who their soulmate is or meet them for the first time - and then colour will burst into their life, one shade at a time. You’ve been desperate to graduate high school and move away, but you can’t run from fate.

Kai / Kim Jongin

99 and Marlowe by @kpopfanfictrash (Soulmate!au) ONESHOT : “You can’t eat solids, only liquids until Thursday.”

Oh Sehun

Scars by @forexcapism ONESHOT (but there are sequels now) : Everyone is born with a soul mark somewhere on their body. Their soulmate has the same mark. New technology has been developed that can remove the mark, but at great cost.

Unforeseen forecast by @theluckyyyoneee (series, Playboy!au) ONGOING : A bet that Sehun thought would be too easy to win turned out to be harder than he thought…

Playing with fire by @sheisdreamingsheisdreaming (Demon!au) ONESHOT : A demon has unknowingly taken interest in you, but having a pikie best friend and a witch for an aunt has filled you with more than enough knowledge for his tricks.

B.A.P.

Moon Jongup

The wife of a future mafia leader by @sheisdreamingsheisdreaming (series, mafia!au) ONGOING : You knew your father would spend his remaining years in dept and you probably would to. But you didn’t think the son of the family your debt went to would want to marry you on his own will, there had to be something more. It was time for you to see how dangerous he really was.

Our contract by @sheisdreamingsheisdreaming (oneshot, Demon!au) : How could there be a man a so low in life that he summons a demon to be his friend?

Zelo / Choi Junhong

Living with the murderer by @sheisdreamingsheisdreaming (series, Gang!au) ONGOING : You’re parents are dead and you’re old enough to live on your own. So how on earth is it fair that you have a government worker staring you down in front of the house to your parents murderers?

BTS

All

Sevice series by @jimlingss (series) COMPLETE : Do you need a service in the area of love?  Look below and maybe you’ll find something you’re looking for!

[ohwhatamessiam]

Self Control - Chapter 4

Summary: The morning (and couple days) after your indiscretion. “Every High Has a Come Down” by Anarbor and “Drugs and Candy” by All Time Low (both on the playlist) fit this chapter really well.

Pairing: Professor!Chris Evans X TA!Reader

Word Count: 1.9k

Warnings: Language, bad decisions.

A/N: Hey y’all, I’m back with Chapter 4! Thanks for your patience, and I’m warning that it might be another week or two before Chapter 5 is done. I have final projects, presentations, papers, and tests due next week. But good news, after that I have a month out of school, which means more time to write and update!!! A thank you to @fangirlisms-22​ for helping me with this one! Here’s the Spotify playlist for the entire fic. I love feedback, so send me your thoughts, feelings, wishes, etc!

Tags are open for this story, so send me an ask here to be added to it or my permanent list!

Self Control | Masterlist

The chirping of birds outside the window wakes you. Opening your eyes slowly, you find a bare chest under your cheek and you nearly bolt upright. An arm is wrapped around your back and your leg is tangled with another. Soft snores leave Chris’s lips and you find yourself smiling until you realize what has happened.

You slept with a married man.

Sure, he's separated from his wife, but he hadn’t said anything about a divorce.

They are still married.

And he is still the Professor to your TA ass.

You glance over your shoulder to find that the English department’s hallway is still dark. No one had come to their offices yet. No one had seen anything. You let out a sigh of relief before turning back to Chris. You do not want to wake him, but you need to get out of his grip and away from this ticking time bomb of a situation.

You lift his arm gently and slowly, listening to his snores to make sure he is still asleep. Once you are able to get out of his grasp, you roll onto the floor as gracefully as possible, which is still rather clumsy, and causes a thud. Chris lets out a little groan and shifts his shoulders, and you place his arm back on the couch. He rolls onto his side but stays asleep.

You let out another relieved sigh before pushing yourself off the carpet. The sun is starting to peek over the horizon and you check your phone to see it's after 5 am. You yank Chris’s shirt off and leave it on his desk chair before finding the rest of your belongings on his floor. Once you look almost as put together as you had the night before, you grab your bag and move to his door.

You glance over your shoulder one last time, catching a small smile tugging on Chris’s lips in his sleep and you hesitate. He looks so peaceful and happy, you want to crawl back onto the couch with him. But you shake your head and turn your back on him.

No.

You would not give into this attraction anymore than you already had.

Your involvement with him only spelled trouble, and you knew if anyone found out you would be the one on the chopping block. You would lose your spot in the graduate program, and would most likely lose your writing career as well.

Pushing his door open slowly, you creep out of his office and out of your anxiety. This is a one time thing, and it is over. You let the door close softly behind you before you continue down the hallway. Straightening your spine, you let out another deep breath before exiting the English department.

One slip up was all last night was, and it wouldn’t happen again.

Chris calls you a couple hours after you left his office, but you let it go to voicemail. He leaves one surprisingly, saying when he woke up he was sad to find you’d left but that he was thankful for the night before.

When you don’t respond to him over the next two days, he calls again and leaves another voice message. That time he asks you to call him back or text him, but you do neither of those things. You want a clean break from him, to get him out of your system. He is too tempting, too intoxicating. Being near him makes it impossible for you to keep your resolve, and you are desperately clinging to your determination as it is.

He sends you several texts on Monday where he suddenly changes his tune. He apologizes for what happened Thursday night and promises it wouldn’t happen again. He says he understands that no matter how good it feels for you two to be together, it can’t be, and that he respects your decision to restrict contact.

You refuse to answer him again, because you know the second you do, you lose your backbone.

You walk into class Tuesday with your head held high. None of the students pay any attention your way, but the second you lock eyes with Chris you feel proud of yourself. You force your legs to carry you to your desk, and even as you turn your back to him, you can still feel Chris’ eyes on you. You pull out the assignment worksheets after you sit down and you raise your gaze to find Chris glancing over his shoulder at you every couple seconds.

Thankfully, Tom approaches you not even a moment later, and you give him a polite smile as he sits in the seat next to yours. The class is in the middle of their Romanticism unit, and they spent the week before with Lord Byron and Percy Shelley’s poetry. This week they're beginning Keats, Coleridge, and Wordsworth’s works.

Tom pulls out his laptop before turning to you, “Did you have a good weekend (Y/N)?”

You look at him, “It was alright.” The corners of his mouth perk up at your words and you decide that he is a welcome distraction from Chris. “How was your weekend, Tom?

“It was good,” he nods at you. “I started my paper that’s due next Thursday.”

“That’s good, which poet did you decide to write on?” you ask as you angle your body towards him.

“Uh, Keats actually,” Tom says as he glances at you nervously.

“As your grader, I technically am not allowed to be biased toward a paper’s subject. But Keats has always been my favorite Romantic poet, so you picked well.”

He grins and lets out a small chuckle, “That’s good to hear.” He opens his notes as you begin to pull out your laptop. “Um, I might actually stop by your office hours Thursday or next Tuesday, depending on how far I’ve gotten into this paper.”

“Sounds good,” you assure him. The sound of feet walking off the hollow platform at the front of class, echo through the auditorium. “You’re more than welcome to stop by.”

Chris approaches you with a stern expression, his hands tucked in his pockets. He clears his throat as he makes it to where you and Tom are sitting. “Hi Tom,” he starts, giving the boy a polite smile. “I’m looking forward to reading your next paper.”

“Oh uh, thanks Professor Evans,” Tom grins nervously. “I was actually just telling (Y/N) I’d probably stop by with questions for her sometime this week.”

“I’m sure it’ll be great,” Chris assurs him. “But remember, (Y/N)’s not the only one with office hours.” Tom’s cheeks blush a little at his words and he drops his gaze.

Chris turns his focus to you, a small smirk tugging on his lips. You glare at him. “Uh, (Y/N), do you have the assignment sheets for today?”

“Yep, right here,” you answer as you hold them up. “I was just about to hand them out.” He nodded at you, but his eyes continued to bore into you.

You slide out of your seat and give Tom a tiny smile as you hand him the paper. Chris doesn’t walk away from you, so you shoot him a sharp glance over your shoulder. He holds your gaze for a moment before taking a step toward the stage, and backing down. You turn back to the students and put on a polite smile.

You two are not going to discuss this here.

This is a professional setting, and you wanted to keep it that way.

When you finally sit back down and focus on the class, Chris makes sure to keep his eyes averted from you.

No one bothers to come to your office hours, so you sit alone in your almost closet sized space and do the attendance points for the day. Once you finish with that, you start brainstorming pieces to submit to Robert for publication.

You jot down your ideas but your mind easily drifts to Chris’s behavior in class. He seemed so worried at the beginning of class, and after you had shot him that warning glance he’d avoided you altogether. You hoped that meant he was finally taking this serious, and that he wouldn’t make another move towards you.

And as much as that helped your mental stability, your heart felt a little heavier knowing you were over.

You start packing your bags quickly as your office hours end, wanting to get out of the department before Chris comes back to his office after his last class of the day. As you start to zip up your bag, a knock comes from your door. You turn to it hesitantly but open it.

Chris is standing there with his hands in his pockets, looking puppy dog like. “Can we talk?” he asks quietly, leaning his elbow against your door frame.

“Um,” you start.

“We need to talk, (Y/N).” He steps into your office, closing the door behind him. “You can’t ignore me forever.”

“I’m not ignoring you,” you respond, stepping behind your desk to create space between you two. “We just need to keep our distance from each other.”

“You know we can’t do that forever.”

“Well, I’m gonna try,” you shrug, dropping your gaze to your desk.

Chris lets out a frustrated groan, “I don’t want you to try.” He begins pacing back in forth in the small space. “I’m trying to do what you want, (Y/N). I understand that this is risky, but it doesn’t stop me from thinking about you constantly. It doesn’t stop me from wanting to talk to you about anything and everything. This feels right. You feel right to me.”

“Chris, don’t,” you whisper the warning, afraid of what might slip from your lips next.

“Do you really want this all to go away?” he asks as he stops in front of your desk. You cross your arms and try to harden your gaze, attempting to keep yourself in check. “Do you really have no feelings for me?”

“I uh, I think it’s best if this goes away,” you stumble, your brain desperately wishing to ramble, to tell him the truth. Of course you have feelings for him, and when you're together everything seems easier. But you needed your lips to not say those things.

His gaze drops and his expression turns dejected, “I’ll leave you alone then.” Your pulse is beating in your ears and you hate this position you're in. Your career is important, you’d wanted to be a writer forever, but you also deserve to be happy. You deserve to find joy in your experiences, experiences that could help you find inspiration. You just want that happiness to not be with him.

But you can’t change how you feel, and honestly, you don’t want to.

He shuffles to the door and just as his hand hits the knob, you let out a deep breath, “Don’t.” He hesitates, glancing over his shoulder. You feel your emotions flood from your brain to your lips. “I can’t deny how I feel about you, and-.” His brows lift at your words. “This-, us, it feels right to me too.”

He turns from your door slowly, his brows furrowing. You aren’t sure who moves first, but all you know is that his lips are on yours, and you want them to never leave. You wrap yours arms around him and kiss him back softly, savoring the feel of him.

He pins you against the wall of your office, causing your bodies to bump together and you pull back from his lips for only a moment.

Leaning your head back, you close your eyes.

“Well shit,” you whisper.

But you're smiling.

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