#Date-Ideas-San-Diego-CA

[blackswangondola]

The Best New Date Night Idea to Hit North County San Diego!

https://blackswangondola.com/date-night-ideas/ - Looking for date night ideas? Join Black Swan Gondola for romantic and fun date ideas on our Venetian gondola. We specialize in amazing cruises for two that make your significant other feel special and loved. Visit blackswangondola.com for more information!

[groshanwilliam]

Looking for date night ideas? Join Black Swan Gondola for romantic and fun date ideas on our Venetian gondola. We specialize in amazing cruises for two that make your significant other feel special and loved. Visit blackswangondola.com for more information!

[wingsoffirenews]

Compilation of new(ish) WoF News!

The Darkstalker Graphic Novel will come out on November 4th, 2025 and will be illustrated by Jake Parker! Talons of Power Graphic Novel will also be coming out in 2025.

For some reason around 5 years ago, Lego set a blacklist on the Wings of Fire IP, meaning they couldn't make any merch with them. But as of recently, the IP has been confirmed by an employee to be unblacklisted, meaning it's possible that WoF Legos could be a possibility for the future!

Escaping Peril: Graphic Novel is out early in certain Barnes & Noble locations. Here's an official trailer!

On Instagram, Tui stated that there will be more WoF merch made in the future!

Here's a video of an interview Tui was a part of for The Flames of Hope's launch! Things to note: She says dragons currently think there's no animus magic but with the way the spell was cast it leaves a door open for future animus dragons & at the time Dan Milano (executive producer) said there was a planned release date for the TV show but it was a long while away.

Tui says if she could rename any character it'd be Scarlet because her scales are orange and not red/scarlet.

Book 16/Arc 4 notes: We'll find out more about Beryl, it will have nothing to do with Pantala and it'll take place somewhere we've never been before, Tui says the reason she's disappeared from socials for the past 2 months is cause she's been writing Book 16, Umber is planned to come back and be given a boyfriend (if she doesn't just give him his own Winglet), she wants to bring Blob back somehow, she also wants to bring back Auklet, she mentioned she can't say where Leaf and Ivy are at the moment due to potential spoilers, the book will take place after A Guide to the Dragon World, Tui watched/read a show/book for inspiration on Book 16 that she claims is the opposite of Life in The Underground that contains creatures she calls "the absolute cutest things" but she won't share what this show/book is yet until Book 16 is done (when asked if this means there'll be new dragon tribes, Tui says she can't say and is still deciding on what "it" is), Tui has a planned release date for the book but wont disclose it in case something happens to push it back, she says Peril and Sky will not meet in Book 16 but might make them meet in a Winglet instead, Snowfall will either get another POV in Arc 4 or we'll see her from someone else's POV, she doesn't want anybody else who's already had a POV to have one again in Arc 4, she says she wants to put Lynx in Arc 4 as well, when asked if there'd be a new continent she said she'd like to see Pyrrhia and Pantala on the same map alongside "something else," Tui says there'll be a new ship written in Book 16, right now Tui is working on backstories for new WoF characters that'll appear in Book 16.

Tui says Book 9 was the hardest book to write and says Kinkajou would've happily taken the POV from Turtle which is why she's such an important character in the book.

Tui was inspired to write WoF based on her favorite book series Pern, saying that her idea for WoF at first was to write a book series about dragons' POVs and how they feel about humans.

Voting for where the first FanWing Fest will take place is still ongoing! Places include San Diego CA, Decatur GA, Minneapolis MN, Portland OR, Dallas TX, Boulder CO, Chicago IL, St. Louis MO, Philadelphia PA, Salt Lake City UT, Washington DC, Northampton MA, Southern Pines NC, and Austin TX! It'll take place in April-June 2025 and Tui will be present to read a bit of Book 16, plus there will be other activities planned. The fest will take place in around 3-5 of the most voted cities.

There's currently submissions open for people under 18 to submit their WoF art to be used in a picture booklet that'll be sold at the FanWing Fest. You can only submit one piece per person and the contest ends January 17th, 2025 at 11:59PM EST. In total 250 illustrations will be included. AI art is not allowed and the art must be submitted by your parent/guardian. The illustration must be on a single sheet of unlined 8.5 x ll paper in a portrait orientation, and all submissions must be sent through the website. The file must be named with your first + last name. The art pieces themselves will be judged around February 3rd, 2025 and will be picked based on imagination, creativity and interpretation of the WoF series. Winners will be contacted through email around the same day.

Special Editions for books 2-5 are set to release on September 2nd, 2025. Each will be $10.99 and will have exclusive content, including new covers!

Tui claimed Wren's second favorite dragon is Deathbringer.

Myles Warden, someone who worked a little on the WoF TV show, stated on Twitter that when the show was cancelled, they were pretty far into the show's development.

Although poor quality, this is Tui's concept art for Pantala.

During an interview back in 2021, Tui stated: She chose Snowfall to be The Dangerous Gift's POV because both Starflight and Turtle weren't very active POVs for their arcs' 4th book, her first idea for the third arc was of Pantalan refugees coming to Pyrrhia, she says Snowfall thinks both Winter and Qibli are annoying, Tui likes to look at WoF fanart, when The Brightest Night was just being written is when she had the idea to make a second arc, she likes to leave bread crumbs in books for potential future books, she plans to make a sequel to Dragonslayer and she wants to write more Winglets, she says Kinkajou was easy to write, she likes writing fierce dragons into her books, she has a draft where the boulder to the DoD's cave is animus touched, she says if she were a dragon she'd be a RainWing with a second choice of SeaWings and third choice of LeafWings, she usually gives herself 6 months to write a book, she says Peacemaker will never get Darkstalker's memories, she says something happened with The Lost Heir that made her have to rewrite it with different characters, Peril and Sky and Winter were originally going to also be DoD, Sky's original name was Ember, originally in Darkness of Dragons Darkstalker was going to talk Qibli out of "something" but it was scrapped because Darkstalker would've been too convincing, originally NightWing moon powers were always going to be fake, she got the idea for Darkstalker when she kept getting fanmail trying to understand Chameleon and Morrowseer which made her want to write a bad guy on the outside who was complicated on the inside, Cliff and Qibli are based off Tui's three-year-old son.

In a different interview from March 23rd 2021, Tui stated: She avoids reviews of her books because she doesn't want to get upset and potentially interfere with her work (she said Sundew and Willow's relationship didn't seem weird to her when writing it and believes LGBTQ+ representation should be represented in her books), she has an idea for what the Rainforest Kingdom was like while Sunny was gone during the Brightest Night and would like to make a graphic novel about it, she heard about the WoF Roblox games and thinks they're really cool, she has a melody in her head for The Dragonets Are Coming, she reads her own books once they're published so she doesn't forget anything she's written about, she confirmed dragons don't have eyelashes and that she instead imagined them batting their eyelids like humans, she often rewrites the prophecies she makes to get them perfect, she says it was hard to come up for The Dangerous Gift's title and she came up with 50 different ones before choosing one, she'd like to make a mini series for Ivy and Leaf, she came up with the dragon tribes through inspiration from Animal Planet, she originally believed Anemone would challenge Coral someday but is against it now (saying Coral is a decent queen who makes mistakes from time to time), she thinks the Great Ice Cliff reminds her of Twitter but didn't explain how, she names dragons with things relating to their tribe to help her remember them, she says Mink is based of a friend of her son, she says the reason Snowfall hates Tundra is because every time she appears to remind her of her responsibilities she thinks she's failed in some way, she thinks she's most like Sunny but says there's piece of her in every character she writes.

Tui claims she sees Starflight and Cricket as neurodivergent alongside Whiteout.

Tui considered Swordtail to be The Flames of Hope's POV but went with Luna instead.

Tui claims one out of many reasons Scarlet wanted to kill Glory was because Glory became queen of two tribes while her own life was going downhill.

Tui has expressed interest in the past on making a Winglet for Cobra and Vulture.

The Winglets are being translated to French and will be called Destinies.

We'll be getting graphic novels for Arc 3 and and that The Lost Continent Graphic Novel will be released roughly a year after Darkness of Dragon's graphic novel. Tui says she's most excited to see The Poison Jungle as a graphic novel.

Right now, the WoF TV show is on step 6 of 100 towards completion, and Tui has hinted something "good and important" has just happened with the show that has her very excited. Right now the show is in the writer's room and the script is currently being worked on.

Tui says she has a list of every character's theme song, with Winter's being That's How You Get The Girl by Taylor Swift and Luna's being I Can Do It With A Broken Heart (she didn't say who it's from).

Tui says Snowfall will likely get together with Lynx in the future and that she had chemistry with Sky, but Tui thinks Lynx is better for her compared to Sky.

Tui says if Blaze had won the war, the IceWings would've ruled over the Sand Kingom and that Glacier would've been Book 6's POV, struggling on figuring out how to run 2 kingdoms. If Blister had won, all of Pyrrhia would be set down a dark path. And if Burn had won she'd be a decent and strong ruler, but that she'd be a threat to the Dragonets of Destiny.

Tui claims Winter will find love eventually (that isn't Moon) but right now he has growing to do. She mentioned she's fond of both Winter and Qibli but right now Moon and Qibli are together, but stated they're both young and anything can happen in the future.

In a different interview Tui stated: Krakens do exist in WoF by that no other mythical creatures exist in the series, Tui said if she did make a spider tribe she'd name them WebWings.

[black-arcana]

ARCH ENEMY Announces Spring 2025 North American Tour With FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY, BAEST And THROWN INTO EXILE

Swedish/Canadian/American extreme metal titans ARCH ENEMY have announced a spring 2025 North American tour. The massive trek will kick off on April 14 in San Diego and run through May 16 in Atlanta, including several stops in Canada. All dates are listed below, along with key spring festival appearances, such as Sonic Temple and Welcome To Rockville.

"We can't wait to reconnect with our amazing North American fans this spring," says ARCH ENEMY's founding guitarist Michael Amott. "We're bringing FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY, BAEST and THROWN INTO EXILE along for the ride. Prepare for an unforgettable night of pure metal mayhem. See you soon!"

ARCH ENEMY on tour with FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY, BAEST and THROWN INTO EXILE:

April 14 - San Diego, CA - The Observatory North Park April 15 - Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern April 16 - San Francisco, CA - The Regency Ballroom April 18 - Portland, OR - Roseland Theater April 19 - Seattle, WA - Showbox SoDo April 20 - Vancouver, BC - The Pearl April 22 - Edmonton, AB - Union Hall April 23 - Calgary, AB - MacEwan Hall April 25 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Complex April 26 - Denver, CO - Summit April 28 - Minneapolis, MN - The Fillmore Minneapolis April 29 - Chicago, IL - The Vic Theatre April 30 - Detroit, MI - The Majestic Theatre May 02 - New York, NY - Palladium Times Square May 03 - Worcester, MA - The Palladium May 05 - Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of The Living Arts May 06 - Silver Spring, MD - The Fillmore Silver Spring May 08 - Montreal, QC - L'Olympia* May 09 - Toronto, ON - Queen Elizabeth Theatre May 10 - Stroudsburg, PA - The Sherman Theater May 11 - Columbus, OH - Sonic Temple** May 13 - Charlotte, NC - The Underground*** May 15 - Daytona Beach, FL - Welcome To Rockville** May 16 - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade*** May 18 - Milwaukee, WI – Milwaukee Metal Fest**

* No FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY but featuring MARTYR ** Festival appearance ***No BAEST

ARCH ENEMY's twelfth studio album, "Blood Dynasty", will arrive on March 28, 2025 via Century Media Records.

ARCH ENEMY's 2024 European co-headline tour, "Rising From The North", with IN FLAMES, wrapped up on November 5 in Helsinki, Finland.

Michael stated about "Blood Dynasty": "This new album pushes the boundaries of what we've done before — it's everything you've come to expect from this band, and then some! We can't wait for you to hear it and feel the energy we've poured into every track. Welcome to the 'Blood Dynasty'!"

Next to the limited deluxe editions that feature two exclusive bonus tracks, fans can direct their attention to the limited liquid blood vinyl that is exclusively available in the band stores and limited to 666 copies.

Issued in July 2024, the "Dream Stealer" single marked ARCH ENEMY's first new music since the release of the "Deceivers" album, which came out in August 2022.

"Dream Stealer" was mixed by Jens Bogren and mastered by Tony Lindgren at Fascination Street Studios. The accompanying music video was directed and produced by Patric Ullaeus.

Four months ago, Amott told Pulp Magazine about "Dream Stealer" and ARCH ENEMY's plans for new music: "We've been staying busy for sure and are really focused on writing and recording new stuff in between the touring we're doing. I'm kind of always coming up with new musical and lyrical ideas though — I just keep going as it's what I enjoy doing anyway. Making music is a natural process, and it's pretty much a daily thing, so it can be hard to pinpoint exactly when everything was conceived. I do, however, actually remember that the initial seed for 'Dream Stealer' was written during a songwriting session I did with Daniel [Erlandsson, drums] in Los Angeles, California, two years ago, and then it's been rearranged and updated a lot till it reached its final state that you're now hearing."

Asked if it was a conscious decision to go back to the "classic ARCH ENEMY" direction and approach with "Dream Stealer", Amott said: "I've seen some seriously great feedback from the fans, and that's always very encouraging, of course. Personally, I don't know if I’d necessarily say 'Dream Stealer' is a throwback to the sound of the past, but I get what they mean — the song has the energy and speed that is very exciting and infectious. Maybe there is a hint of vintage ARCH ENEMY in there, and why not? I'm looking forward to playing it live on stage — I think it is going to be intense as hell."

ARCH ENEMY played its first concert with new guitarist Joey Concepcion on April 24, 2024 at Musinsa Garage in Seoul, South Korea. The show was part of ARCH ENEMY's 2024 Asian tour.

In December 2023, ARCH ENEMY announced that it had "amicably" parted ways with longtime guitarist Jeff Loomis.

Jeff, who was the main songwriter in his previous group, NEVERMORE, joined ARCH ENEMY in late 2014, but was not involved in the writing for the latter act's last two albums, 2017's "Will To Power" and the aforementioned "Deceivers".

ARCH ENEMY is:

Alissa White-Gluz - Vocals Michael Amott - Guitar Joey Concepcion - Guitar Sharlee D'Angelo - Bass Daniel Erlandsson - Drums

Photo credit: Katja Kuhl

[askhunterclarington]

"You couldn't handle me even if I came with instructions."

Wait, is that HUNTER CLARINGTON they kinda look a lot like GAVIN LEATHERWOOD, don’t they? I heard the TWENTY year old is known as the ELITIST around McKinley. It seems like they auditioned to be in THE DALTON ACADEMY WARBLERS which is so lame? People at campus have said they’re HARDWORKING, but don’t be fooled since they’re also MERCILESS. Rumor has it, you can find them at LACROSSE and the WRESTLING TEAM (CAPTAIN) when they aren’t belting show tunes. Their entire vibe revolves around GREEN EYES AND WHISKERS, LACED UP BOOTS AND MILITARY FOLDS and LONG RUNS ON THE BEACH AT SUNRISE but no one pays attention to that here in Ohio.

Auditioning with I don't want to be by Gavin DeGraw

From the outside looking in, Hunter had the perfect upbringing. The perfect family, the perfect home, and the ability and support in whatever he dreamed of pursuing. From the inside though, that was the farthest from the truth. His father sets the rules, and Hunter follows them. With the threat of losing a multi-million dollar inheritance and his father's chain of businesses looming over his head constantly, there aren't many other options, leaving Hunter feeling pretty helpless. His father is a strict man, and one that doesn't mess around. So when Hunter is told to "Jump!", there's no other response besides "How high?"

This incredible amount of pressure is what lead Hunter to take certain matters into his own hands in high school. Stealing the trophy of his school's rival wrestling team the day before a big competition seemed like a good idea in the moment but almost landed him in hot water. Hunter had been told by his father to win at all costs, and what better a way to throw off the other team's focus than taking their most treasured possession? When his father found out, he was able to talk the principal out of a suspension with a nice donation to the school. His father had his own form of punishment though, sending Hunter off to military camp to straighten out his rebellious ways.

Hunter isn't sure exactly at what point things shifted at home, all he knows is that he went away to military camp during summer break of his freshman year of high school, and when he came back his parents were practically strangers inside their own home - purely putting on a front for others in public. His father isn't subtle about the many other women catching his attention these days, and Hunter has no idea why his mother is still hanging around and hasn't left yet. Maybe it's the money - or maybe she's hanging onto some delusion that he'll realise an error in his ways and change. Whatever it is, what Hunter does know is that it's left him with a great bitterness when it comes to love and relationships. Mess around, have fun, and leave in the morning before the other person wakes up. That's the motto he lives by, and it hasn't let him down so far. Some would think it's an incredibly lonely way to live, Hunter would call it safe.

Hunter's main focus now is finishing school, and doing his best to excel in his extra-curricular's with a pretty intense training regime. Maybe if he can do those things, his father will be proud and he'll finally get the love and recognition he's always hoped for.

BASICS OF HUNTER;

Full Name: Hunter Pronouns: He/Him Hometown: San Diego, CA Birthday & Star sign : January 4th - Capricorn Relationship Status: Single Sexuality: Bisexual (unexplored) Occupation: Student Sports/clubs: Wrestling team (Captain), Lacrosse (Defender) Glee club: Dalton Academy Warbler Major: Business

WANTED CONNECTIONS;

Ex-Situationship: There was chemistry, there was a connection, talking, casual dates etc. But for some reason one (or both) just couldn't commit. Enemy : Pretty self-explanatory. They cannot stand one another. Could be something that's happened in the past, a general differ in character, anything really. Gym Buddy: Everyone needs that support system to help encourage them in those days where you really just aren't motivated. *Definitely open to anything else also! If anyone is looking for something to be filled and think Hunter could be the man for the job, I'm more than happy to assist!

[airkewld]

September 7th 2023 | Cores for Heroes Submission | M. Ford | 1963 Beetle

I served in the USMC from 05-09. I went through boot camp at MCRD San Diego and School of Infantry at Camp Pendleton CA. I was sent to 7th Marines in 29 palms the end of January and February 14th we left for Iraq. I had to learn everything on the go, baptism by fire. My 1st tour was in a town called Husaybah Iraq, on the boarder of Syria, and the Euphrates river. Was a wild west kind of town. My 2nd tour was in a small town called Kubaysah, just outside of Hit Iraq. My journey took me to Baghdad to testify against two bad guys we caught throwing grenades at our patrols. The best part of that trip was swimming in Sadam Hussain's pool, and i have the picture to prove it! My 3rd and last tour was in Karma and NE Fallujah, sadly having to leave my post early I was sent home due to my Dad's untimely passing. Upon arrival back in the States I also lost my great grandmother within two days of being home, grateful I was able to tell her goodbye, wish I could have had that closure with my Dad. My Dad and Uncle Dave brought me up with a love of cars and Racing. My first car was a 69 bug that I drove while in HS and sold it before I joined the USMC. I regret selling it to this day and no pictures remain of it. My favorite past-time was cruising in my 69 bug all over the Columbia River Gorge corridor and county back roads. After moving from Oregon to Texas I decided it was time to build something. So I found a 1963 that I am currently restoring from the ground up. The theme for this bug will be USMC, going to call it the "Teuful Hunden" bug or as most people know it "Devil Dog". It will be painted red, with gold doors and rims, the Marine Corps colors. This build is really helping me find parts of me I left over seas. It's going to be a long build being a disabled veteran and on a budget. I have been ordering all the new body panels first. Was going to order a pro beam with disk brakes and a Freeway flyer with disk brakes from Air kewld but having a chance to win them is really awesome of you guys. Thanks for the opportunity and your time. M. Ford USMC

M. Ford is entered into our Cores for Heroes Program here - https://www.airkewld.com/Cores-for-Heroes-Program-s/2532.htm

To date, we have 12 submissions to win and we have raised $445 dollars of our $10,000 goal.

In our honest opinion, the US Armed Force members, are so under-appreciated. The PRO's are finally in a place to put a plan together that helps everyone that participates, but more importantly, those who served or serving.

Details will slightly change as we get more context, but here's the idea.

I want to give back to those who have fought for our freedoms, regardless of our political beliefs. I didn't fight for my country but my father did and he is fighting PTSD, mental disorders, agent orange, etc., etc. I get to build products for the greatest clients in the world because of it. So, how do I make something happen?

The PRO's need cores. The AirkewldArmy has cores. Within the AirkewldArmy community, reside members of the US Armed Forces that want/need/could use a boost in their life, whether it is financially or upgrades to their favorite VW.

To give some context on our Core Program, the PRO's need certain parts to make our PRObuilt Line of Classic Volkswagen Drive-Train Components. In the past, the PRO's would print out a prepaid shipping label and rebate an order if our client/s sent that core in and it checked out. Payment would be reimbursed to the client, store credit or trade for something else, would take place. With a unique but small twist, a BIG change can make a humongous difference.

If our current or past clients, the AirkewldArmy, sent their cores in, based on a value proposition, the PRO's would give them the opportunity to win two ways. The first, for every $10 in core value, would be one entry on a quarterly drawing to win Airkewld Swag, like work shirts, tee's, hats, stickers and air fresheners, $100 gift cards to Airkewld.com or even a $500 Visa/Airkewld gift card. The second, for every $10 in core value, once the PRO's accrue $10,000 in cores, the PRO's select a Hero, to receive a Complete Airkewld Drive-Train Package or $10,000.00 (Our CEO would fly to them and personally hand them the check), delivered to their door, FREE of charge. Heroes would enter by telling their story, both about their military experience and passion for their Classic Volkswagen.

Airkewld receives usable cores. The AirkewldArmy wins FREE Stuff. Together, the PRO's and the AirkewldArmy show appreciation to someone who deserves better, our Military Heroes.

Who's ready to make a difference today?

[chorusfm]

The Decemberists – “Burial Ground”

The Decemberists have returned with “Burial Ground,” their first new song in six years. They’ve also announced some new tour dates. Tour Dates 04/30 – Kingston, NY @ Ulster Performing Arts Center 05/02 – Boston, MA @ Roadrunner 05/03 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Paramount Theatre 05/06 – Toronto, ON @ Exhibition Place – Queen Elizabeth Theatre 05/07 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE 05/08 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore Philadelphia 05/10 – Washington DC @ The Anthem 05/11 – Durham, NC @ Durham Performing Arts Center 05/12 – Atlanta, GA @ The Eastern 05/14 – Dallas, TX @ Majestic Theater 05/15 – Austin, TX @ Bass Concert Hall 05/17 – St Louis, MO @ The Pageant 05/18 – Milwaukee, WI @ Riverside Theater 05/19 – St Paul, MN @ Palace Theatre 05/21 – Chicago, IL @ Salt Shed 05/22 – Detroit, MI @ Royal Oak Music Theater 05/24 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium 07/12 – Bend, OR @ Hayden Homes Amphitheater ^ 07/13 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater 07/15 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Bellwether 07/18 – San Diego, CA @ Humphreys 07/19 – Tucson, AZ @ Rialto Theater 07/20 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren 07/22 – Santa Fe, NM @ The Bridge at Santa Fe Brewing 07/23 – Denver, CO @ The Mission Ballroom 07/24 – Sandy, UT @ Sandy Amphitheater 07/26 – Missoula, MT @ Kettlehouse Amphitheater 07/27 – Spokane, WA @ Spokane Pavilion 07/29 – Vancouver, BC @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre 08/03 – Troutdale, OR @ McMenamins Edgefield Press Release The Decemberists will head out on an expansive North American tour with both spring and summer legs. The tour kicks off on April 30th in Kingston, NY at the Ulster Performing Arts Center and wraps up in August on the West Coast. Highlights include the Brooklyn Paramount Theater on May 3rd, the Salt Shed in Chicago on May 21st and the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on May 24th. The band will return to their home turf, wrapping the tour in Troutdale, OR on August 3rd at McMenamins Edgefield. VIP pre-sale begins tomorrow,  Wednesday, February 7th at 10AM Pacific. The tour will go on-sale to the public this Friday, February 9th at 10AM local time. Full tour dates listed below. For 20 years The Decemberists have been one of the most original, daring, and thrilling American rock bands. Founded in the year 2000 when singer, songwriter, and guitarist Colin Meloy moved from Montana to Portland, Oregon and met bassist Nate Query, keyboardist Jenny Conlee, and guitarist Chris Funk, The Decemberists’ distinctive brand of hyperliterate folk-rock set them apart from the start with the release of their debut EP 5 Songs in 2001. After making their full-length debut with Castaways and Cutouts in 2002, the band signed with Kill Rock Stars for the release of the acclaimed albums Her Majesty the Decemberists (2003) and Picaresque (2005), which was produced by Chris Walla. The 2004 EP The Tain – an 18-minute single-track epic – made the band’s grand creative ambitions clear.   Around this time the band’s permanent line-up fell into place with the arrival of drummer John Moen, and they made the unexpected leap to Capitol Records for their first major label album in 2006. Fans’ concerns of whether the band would alter their trademark sound quickly vanished when they delivered their most ambitious and audacious record to date in The Crane Wife, a song cycle produced by Walla and Tucker Martine (who would become a longtime creative partner) that added elements of ‘70s prog, hard rock and even quasi-disco to their palette. The album was met by wide acclaim from The New York Times, Rolling Stone, SPIN, Stereogum, and was named Best New Music by Pitchfork.   Three years later, The Hazards of Love – a full-length concept album based on Meloy’s idea for a stage musical - was a Top 20 hit. In 2011, they topped themselves yet again with their first #1 album, The King Is Dead, which featured the GRAMMY-nominated song “Down By The Water.” After their 2015 album What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World, which included the #1 AAA radio hit “Make You Better,” The Decemberists changed up… https://chorus.fm/news/the-decemberists-burial-ground/

[abductionradiation]

Queens, NY -- Uruguay-born artist Juan Wauters will be releasing his sixth studio album Wandering Rebel on June 2 via Captured Tracks. Last week, he shared newest single “Nube Negra” featuring Y La Bamba. The ruminating song spans just under 3.5 minutes long, with an acoustic guitar-driven instrumental. There’s a folk-y core to the track that gives the song a narrative style, emulating songs that unravel a story as it goes on. “Nube Negra” is a traveler’s song - from the lyrics touching on escapism (even though you can’t escape problems that will inevitably follow you wherever you go) to the soft western layers, giving the song a touch of adventures in the Wild Wild West.

On the track, Wauters shares: “Nube Negra” was written and recorded in NY with Carlos Hernandez. The song and the video touch on the idea of relocating to a new town in search of a new life, leaving one’s problems behind without realizing that those problems will follow us along. Once the song was written we wanted a guest singer for the Nube Negra (black cloud) part and thought Luz’s voice (Y La Bamba) would fit well, given the mysterious qualities of her voice.

US Tour Dates:

Thur, June 1 - Hudson, NY - The Half Moon Fri ,June 2 - Freeport, ME - Desert of Maine Sat, June 3 - Cambridge, MA - Lilypad Sun, June 4 - Philly, PA - Kung Fu Necktie Tue, June 6 - Columbus, OH - Rumba Café Wed, June 7 - Louisville, KY - PORTAL Thur, June 8 - Rock Island, IL - Rozz Tox Fri, June 9 -Chicago, IL - Avondale Music Hall Sat, June 10 - Detroit, MI - Lager House Mon, June 12 - Atlanta, GA - The Earl Tue, June 13 - Charlotte, NC - Petra's Wed, June 14 - DC,DC - Comet Ping Pong Tue, June 27 - Seattle, WA - Substation Wed, June 28 - Portland, OR - Doug Fir/ Monqui Fri, June 30 - San Francisco, CA - Cafe Du Nord Sat, July 1 - Modesto, CA - Greens on Tenth Sun, July 2 - Los Angeles, CA - ECHO Mon, July 3 - San Diego, CA - Voodoo Room at House of Blues Wed, July 5 - Phoenix, AZ - The Rebel Lounge Thur, July 6 - Tucson, AZ - Club Congress Fri, July 7 - Albuquerque, NM - Sister Sat, July 8 - Denver, CO - Hi-Dive Mon, July 10 - Oklahoma, OK - Res Head Tue, July 11 - Austin, TX - The Ballroom Wed, July 12 - Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall Thu, July 13 - Denton, TX - Rubber Gloves Fri, July 14 - Nashville, TN - Third Man Sun, July 16 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Made

Connect with Juan Wauters:

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

[bayareamastermind]

Business Growth Conferences 2023

2023 is here and conference season is upon us. As more businesses continue to use content marketing, social media marketing, and digital marketing to grow their businesses, it’s time to choose which business growth conferences you’ll be attending in 2023.

But first, are business growth conferences the right fit for you and your business? Not necessarily…

Why should I attend Growth Marketing Conferences?

As I often share, there are three main levers you have to grow your business. Growth marketing conferences are about increasing the Quantity (Q) of qualified leads coming into your business.

If you’re looking to fix other parts of your business – for example with funnel conversion optimization – a business growth conference with a marketing focus may not be the best fit.

Who should attend a Business Growth Conference?

Depending on the size of your business, you may be attending yourself, or you may be sending your Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), your Social Media Marketer, or the team in charge of your brand development, user growth, customer acquisition, or overall business growth.

It all depends on the size of your business – and the focus of the conference.

More on that below.

What happens at a typical growth marketing conference?

Like many industry conferences, you can expect a lineup of guest speakers covering all aspects of growing your business.

Speakers include experts on a range of topics including social media marketing, content marketing, digital marketing, performance marketing, growth hacking, data driven marketing, and email marketing.

You’ll often find vendors on a trade show floor who can help business, for example as expert marketing bloggers, or as a topic specific marketing expert.

Top speakers may be paid keynotes, or even just experts who’ve seen success in their business that are sharing what they’ve learned with attendees like you.

Fortunately for us business owners, the growth marketing stage is full of expert speakers from some of the fastest growing companies sharing their content marketing strategies and growth insights.

2023 Digital Marketing Conferences

With more conferences moving back to in person at long last, attending growth marketing conferences is easier than ever and less virtual than during the pandemic.

While many annual growth marketing conferences haven’t announced their 2023 dates yet, a number of them have, and it’s never too soon to register and book travel and accommodations.

The Best Growth Marketing Conferences to Attend in 2023

Traffic and Conversion Summit 2023

Sep 12-14, 2023, San Diego, CA, USA (+ Virtual)

Every year, thousands of the world’s smartest marketers descend on San Diego, California to learn what’s new, what’s hot, and what’s actually working RIGHT NOW in digital marketing.

Because digital marketing changes so quickly with so many changes just in the past few years, now more than ever, digital marketers need to continue coming together to learn what’s new, what’s hot, and what’s actually working RIGHT NOW in digital marketing.

TrafficAndConversionSummit.com

GrowthHackers Conference 2023

Dates TBD, San Francisco, CA, USA (+ Virtual)

The GrowthHackers Conference is coming up on its 8th year. After 2022’s entirely online event, 2023 should be a refreshing return to in person with real, actionable insights on the challenges, frameworks, and results achieved with experimentation brought to you by world-class practitioners.

Prepare for practical ideas you can implement to help your team turn the learnings from experimentation into your next competitive advantage.

GrowthHackersConference.com

MozCon 2023

August 7-9, 2023, Seattle, WA, USA

MozCon is “Not Your Typical Marketing Conference”. Taking place once again at the Seattle Convention Center in Seattle, WA, you’ll get to immerse yourself in three days of “non-stuffy networking” and expert sessions delivered by industry leaders in SEO, search marketing, mobile, conversion optimization, local search, and more.

Become One with SEO and learn from the digital marketing industry’s best and brightest.

moz.com/mozcon

Growth Marketing SUMMIT 2023

June 22nd, 2023, Alte Oper – Frankfurt am Main, Germany

The Growth Marketing Summit is Europe’s biggest conference for digital growth and optimization. Like-minded optimizers from around the world unite and share topics that move the digital world and learn from world-class talks.

The growth marketing SUMMIT is less about Conversion Uplifts. Rather, it is about a data-driven, customer-oriented and agile approach to scale sustainably.

GrowthMarketingSummit.com

SXSW (“South by Southwest”) Startups Track 2023

March 10-19, 2023, Austin, TX, USA

The SXSW Conference provides an opportunity for global professionals at every level to participate, network, and advance their careers. With 25 Tracks of programming across a variety of formats including Keynotes, Featured Speakers, panels, workshops, podcasts, and more, the Startups Track is not to be missed.

Topics featured in the Startups Track include new products, new markets, new ideas, new business models, new approaches to funding, new strategies for inclusiveness, and new entrepreneurial hotspots.

Each year, SXSW calls upon its creative global community to help identify innovative new ideas and the visionaries behind them.

SxSW.com/conference

Confab Content Strategy Conference 2023

April 30 – May 3, 2023, MINNEAPOLIS, MN, USA

Confab is an event for people who care about making content more useful and usable for everyone. And no, you don’t have to be a content strategist to attend! If you lead, design, build, or manage digital content, Confab is where you belong.

Confab attendees know content is more than “just the words” and their program is designed to help connect the dots between the different fields of practice that focus on all kinds of digital content—for websites, apps, marketing, services, support, chatbots, and anywhere else people need content to get a job done.

Each year, the carefully curate the Confab program from hundreds of talk proposals to ensure you’re getting the best ideas, insights, how-tos, and inspiration.

ConfabEvents.com

HubSpot’s Inbound 2023

September 5-8, 2023, Boston, MA, USA

Inbound 2023 is HubSpot’s annual event, and it’s one that you don’t want to miss if you’re in sales, marketing, or customer experience. The event is filled with workshops led by industry experts, inspiring events, and fun experiences. It gives you an unprecedented opportunity to network and learn about new business ideas.

If you’re looking to have new experiences and grow your expertise, here’s INBOUND 2023 should be on your calendar.

Inbound.com

Choosing the Right Growth Conference to Attend

With so many choices, do you go to a growth hackers conference or a summit or attend one of the many marketing conferences out there?

Pick what fits your schedule and your budget.

You’ll find speakers, networking, and vendors at all the conferences often with some overlap of experts, attendees, and vendors going to more events than you could ever fit on your calendar.

Also consider your goals.

Are you looking to meet vendors or suppliers? Focus more on the trade shows.

Are you looking primarily for networking opportunities? Focus on the larger events with more attendees.

Are you looking to learn? Focus on the conference with the right tracks/topics for you.

[thedistrictroleplay]

ID:

Name | Nickname | Age:  Briar Beckett | Briar | 30 Birthday | Astrology:  May 19, 1991 | Taurus Pronouns | Sexual identity:  She/her | Lesbian  Birthplace | Raised:  San Diego, CA  Residence:  Columbia Heights  Occupation:  Private Detective  Faceclaim: Conor Leslie

TRIGGER WARNINGS: overdose tw, drugs tw, infidelity tw, homophobia tw

TIMELINE: 

1860s- Hawthorne Vineyards and Hawthorne Winery are founded in Northern California.

1980s- Dorothy “Dottie” Hawthorne marries David Beckett. Her family’s winery money pays for his med school tuition and supports the family while he’s an intern. They move to San Diego for David’s school and work.

1990s- Briar is born in May 1991. Her secret half-sister is born in April 1992. Her younger sister is born in March 1993. Briar grows up to resent the outdated and hyper-feminine lifestyle her mother pushes on her while her father is physically and emotionally absent.

2000s- Briar is accepted into Georgetown University, which allows her to escape some of Dottie’s control, at least during the school year. She majors in English, planning on being a novelist. She gets her first girlfriend but keeps it a secret for the sake of keeping the family peace.

2010s- The Hawthorne wine empire celebrates 150 years of existence with a huge party at the Hawthorne vineyards. Briar waits until the last tuition check clears and she graduates before coming out as a lesbian. The Becketts basically disown her. She moves to DC permanently and starts working in a PI firm as a receptionist. Her sister overdoses around the same time, but thankfully survives. Briar eventually gets her PI license and opens her own agency in Columbia Heights.

2020s- Briar is digging into her parents’ past (hoping it will help her reclaim the remains of her trust fund) when she learns of the existence of her half-sister. Confronting her parents, she learns Dottie helped David conceal the child’s existence. She tries to learn as much as she can about her half-sister, debating whether she wants to meet her.

BIOGRAPHY:

Briar Rose Elizabeth Beckett was born on an unusually stormy night in San Diego. There had been a drought for several weeks now, and the sky finally opened up as Briar Rose was preparing to make her arrival into the world. The life that followed would be stormy as well, with Briar Rose often rebelling against the wishes of her socialite mother and surgeon father. Dorothy “Dottie” Beckett (nee Hawthorne) was an heiress to the Hawthorne wine empire, famous for their vineyards in Northern California. Dottie met David Beckett when they were in college, and she married him shortly after graduation. It was her family’s money that would put David through medical school and support him during his years as an intern.

Briar Rose would come to hate being a member of the Hawthorne dynasty. She loved her sibling, but her relationship with her parents was rocky. David was often absent, working long hours at the hospital and preferring to spend time with women other than his wife (a fact that Dottie was aware of, but Briar Rose and her sibling were not). Dottie, as the matriarch, could be controlling. She wanted her children to be proper socialites the way she had been. This meant years of ballet classes and attending debutante balls (all the girls in the Beckett family were expected to have their own as well). Briar Rose was never happy with these dated ideas of hyper-feminism, but her mother often held her trust fund over her head as a weapon to get Briar Rose and her sibling to do as she wished.

Freedom arrived at 18, when Briar Rose moved across the country to attend Georgetown University. Here, she dropped the Rose from her name, being known only to her classmates as Briar. Here, she experienced her first real romantic relationship. It was with another woman in her American literature class, and they would remain a couple throughout most of their time in college. She would come out to her classmates in her freshman year as a lesbian. But she kept her sexuality hidden from her family, wanting to keep the peace and not wanting her parents to cut her off in the middle of her education.

After the final tuition check cleared and Briar had her bachelor’s degree in English, she came out to her family as a lesbian. Dottie was horrified, stating this meant all her dreams for Briar were ruined. David was furious, realizing that she’d kept it a secret until after they paid for her education. Her parents cut her off financially and emotionally, but Briar didn’t care. She moved to Washington DC permanently. While she wanted to be a novelist, her need to pay the bills resulted in her getting a job as a receptionist for a local private detective. The woman took Briar under her wing, mentoring her and helping Briar get her own license. When the time came Briar left to start her own business in Columbia Heights, and has a small agency with an apartment connected to it.

This would come to hit close to home recently, when Briar learned of the existence of a half-sister that was kept secret from her all these years. She was digging up dirt on her parents in order to get them to turn over the remains of her trust fund when she discovered money being deposited into an account every month. More digging revealed this was going to one of the nurses David worked with, to pay for the care and education of a child he’d had out of wedlock. Flying to California, she confronted her parents with this bombshell. But she was shocked when she learned her mother already knew of her father’s various affairs. While Briar was furious at her father, she also blames her mother for tolerating her father’s behavior and helping him to cover up her half-sister’s existence.

Briar returned to DC with the knowledge she has a half-sister living in the area. While a part of her is reluctant to have anything to do with the product of her father’s infidelity, another part of her is curious to meet this sibling she never knew. And she knows on some level that it's not fair to blame her half-sister for her father’s actions. Besides, as a private detective, she’s always had a hard time minding her own business.

Briar is written by Lauren.

[fanfic-corner]

Bed Sharing

I created this list probably about a month or so ago, and I remember being so hopeful for the finale. I never dreamt we would get semi-canon Destiel, but I also never imagined the finale would be that disappointing. I will be posting a list of 15x20 fics, but for now, take this fluff and ignore your problems for a while.

Lock and Key by tricia_16 on AO3. (144,500 words).

Tags: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Bookstore Owner Castiel, Musician Dean Winchester, Friends to Lovers, Keeping Secrets, Mutual Pining, Flirting, Sexual Tension, Slow Burn, Smut, Virgin Castiel, Angry Sex, Dubious Content, Recreational Drug Use, Fluff, Dating, Song Lyrics, Sharing a Bed, Happy Ending.

My Rating: 5 stars.

Description: In a world where people get songs stuck in their heads whenever their soulmate is singing out loud, Castiel discovers that being soulmates with an aspiring singer/songwriter can be taxing, to say the least. Finding said soulmate, learning that he's the most attractive human being on the face of the earth, and then not being able to tell him he’s meant for you? It turns out that's even worse. Not having a soulmate is just the icing on the cake on an already crappy life, if you ask Dean. He wants to sell his songs, but he's terrified of singing them himself. He wants to be a mechanic, but he's stuck selling parts, instead. He wants to kiss the ever loving fuck out of Sam's girlfriend's boss, too, but the guy's holding out for his soulmate, which of course means Dean doesn't even have a shot....right?

Notes: The pure terror that struck me at the end of chapter one nearly made me dip out of this, but I stuck through it, and was 100% rewarded with the ending (I screamed. I think everyone is worried about me now).

Stand By Me by whelvenwings on AO3. (31,252 words).

Tags: Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Post-Apocalypse, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Mutual Pining, Slow Burn, Hurt/Comfort, Sharing a Bed, Slow Dancing, Smut, First Kiss, Canon-Typical Violence, Touch-Starved Dean, Love Confessions.

My Rating: 5 stars.

Description: Dean Winchester has been alone for a long, long time. When he and Castiel happen to find each other - a couple of survivors in a world that’s been all but wiped clean - Dean’s looking for his brother; Castiel is looking for something to look for. They stick together, because neither of them much wants to be alone. They hate each other at first, of course. Dean hates Castiel for being weird and quiet and ironic and antagonistic and proud. Castiel hates Dean for being blunt and reckless and coarse, for drinking, for refusing to talk about how he feels and just pretending everything is fine. Most of all, they hate themselves and each other just for being alive. What right do they have to be alive? No one else seems to be. But against his own will, Dean starts to notice things about Castiel that he likes. Starts to hope that Castiel might like him, too. And together, they start to fight for a world where they're both alive - and that's a good thing.

Notes: I know I have recced this multiple times before but it is one of my all time favourite fics so I won’t apologise! It is so cute, and it has everything you could ask for in a fic.

Partnered by K_K_TiBal on AO3. (28,112 words).

Tags: Minor Donna/Jody, Minor Eileen/Sam, Detective Dean Winchester, Lieutenant Castiel, Undercover as Married, Suburbia, Drug Use, Sharing a Bed, Pining, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fake Marriage, Falling in Love, Love Confessions, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, First Kiss, Demisexual Castiel, Demiromantic Dean Winchester.

My Rating: 5 stars.

Description: Dean didn't think that his life as a detective could get much worse after Castiel was promoted to lieutenant. Castiel was a stickler for the rules, had no sense of humour, and never seemed to give Dean a break, even though they used to be partners. But then, despite all of their questionable history, the two are asked to go undercover on a case in the wealthy suburbs of California. . . as a married couple.

Notes: I am screaming, that was so f*cking cute! And the artwork was gorgeous, too. Also, now I ship Jody and Donna. Cas gave off such Holt vibes in this, I was convinced I accidentally started reading a Brooklyn Nine-Nine fic (do those exist?)

the cost of a thing by quiettewandering on AO3. (74,198 words).

Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fake Marriage, Human Castiel, Protective Dean Winchester, Touch-Starved Castiel, Mutual Pining, Jealous Dean Winchester, Slow Burn, Depressed Castiel, Fake/ Pretend Relationship, Sharing a Bed.

My Rating: 5 stars.

Description: 16 months ago, Cas became human. 12 months ago, Cas left the bunker and a broken-hearted Dean behind. Now they must work a case together, where married couples are dying mysterious deaths and the only way to earn the neighbors' trust is by pretending to be married. Slowly, Dean finds that he loves being in a relationship with Cas, fake or not, and Cas finds his loneliness retreating, despite the harsh reality looming right around the corner. As Dean and Cas navigate this fake, but all too real, relationship, can they find the monster that is on a mysteriously motivated killing spree before it’s too late?

Notes: So cute! My favourite trope! And, as an added bonus, the sharing of a bed. 

flowers in the backyard by justkeeponwriting on AO3. (34,710 words).

Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Homeless Castiel, Domestic Fluff, Sharing a Bed, Minor Character Death, References to Depression, Angst with a Happy Ending, Smut.

My Rating: 4 stars.

Description: After Uncle Bobby’s death, Dean goes to check up on the cabin that he’s inherited. Dean hasn’t been at the cabin for years, but he knows Bobby hasn’t renovated it in ages, so he isn’t very thrilled to be saddled with it. Upon arrival, he notices that unlike he expected, it’s not unoccupied, nor falling apart – instead, a stranger called Castiel has made it into his home.

Notes: This was such a relaxing and gentle read, I nearly fell asleep after I finished it! Cas & Dean’s tentative relationship was written absolutely beautifully, too.

What Happened In Vegas by Ltleflrt on AO3. (18,447 words).

Tags: Sam/Eileen, Alternate Universe - No Supernatural, Teacher Dean, Photographer Castiel, Las Vegas Wedding, Secret Relationship, Sharing a Bed, Switch Dean, Switch Castiel, Fluff.

My Rating: 4 stars.

Description: Long time friends Dean and Castiel are road tripping from Chicago to San Diego for Sam and Eileen’s wedding, and a pitstop in Las Vegas turns into drunken love confessions and a surprise marriage. Turns out the pining has been mutual this whole time, but now they’re finally together and on cloud-fucking-nine. Until they remember that this trip isn’t supposed to be about them. To avoid undermining Sam and Eileen’s important weekend, they decide to keep their new relationship status a secret. They’ll keep the heart eyes toned down and their hands to themselves, but the struggle is real.

Notes: Oh my lord, this was absolutely hilarious (especially that last piece of art - I totally lost it) and adorable. I can totally imagine Dean and Cas getting a cheesy Vegas wedding, and we can all dig Elvis (sorry).

Stories Are Made of Mistakes by wildhoneypie on AO3. (4,942 words).

Tags: Human Castiel, Diners, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Bisexual Dean, Sharing a Bed, Slow Burn, Slow Build, Case Fic, Domestic, Didn’t Know They Were Dating.

My Rating: 4 stars.

Description: In which Cas is human and doesn't understand basic concepts like: clothing, Mythbusters, moisturizer, and Greek food. Dean is...Dean and doesn't understand basic concepts like: boyfriends, language, how to tell your friend that he's a walking miracle, and when not to quip.

Notes: This was so cute and I live for human Cas. I also love the recurring ‘no fucking quipping’ joke in this, although the idea of Cas swearing broke me a bit!

Sharing the Rain Dog by almaasi on AO3. (19,837 words).

Tags: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternative Universe - Historical (1999), Fluff, Romance, No Angst, Accidental Dating, First Dates, Rain, Dogs, Pets, FBI Agent Castiel, Musician Dean, Singer Dean, Flustered Dean, Domestic Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Moving In Together, Living Together, First Kiss, Sharing a Bed, Cuddling, Smut.

My Rating: 4 stars.

Description: When some asshole hits a dog with his car and drives off, the first two people on the scene are Dean and Castiel. Castiel's an FBI agent with a plane to catch, and he doesn't have time to take the dog to the vet. Dean's a musician, and he doesn't have the money. An agreement is reached: Dean goes, Castiel pays, and they'll exchange details and meet again to work things out. But who gets the dog? Sooner or later they're going to realise that having shared custody of one pitbull isn't ideal. She needs one home, not two. One stable, loving home...

Notes: Rain Dog was so cute, and so was flustered Dean! The hitting a dog joke is starting to get out of hand, though.

This Game We Play by destieldrabblesdaily on AO3. (1,195 words).

Tags: High School AU, Friends to Lovers, Fluff, Bed Sharing.

My Rating: 3 stars.

Description: Dean and Castiel have been best friends since they were little, and sleepovers are a common event. They've always loved playing the game where they draw out letters on each others backs and try to guess what the other is writing. Even though sixteen seems to be a bit too old to still play the game, Castiel uses it as a chance to silently confess something that he's been wanting to share with Dean for a long time.

Notes: This was adorable. I am 100% here for Cas and Dean being childhood friends.

Minty Fresh Kisses by almaasi on AO3. (7,905 words).

Tags: Fake/Pretend Relationship, Motel Rooms, Teeth, Dean in Love, Human Castiel, First Kiss, Pancakes, Sharing a Bed, Fluff, Dean POV, One Shot.

My Rating: 3 stars.

Description: Dean teaches a newly-human Castiel how to brush his teeth properly. Things don't go according to plan – but for once, the unexpected development actually presents a more promising outcome.

Notes: This was so sweet, and Cas was so cute as a human! Also, I love fics where Sam is just done with the constant sexual tension, it always makes me laugh.

Wee Little Love Child by almaasi on AO3. (10,649 words).

Tags: Fluff, Romance, Kid Fic, Team Free Will, De-Aged Sam Winchester, Cursed Sam Winchester, Mistaken for Being in a Relationship, Sam Winchester ships Dean/Cas, Matchmaker Rowena, Parent Castiel, Parent Dean, Affectionate Dean, Love Confessions, First Kiss, Sharing a Bed, First Time, Friends to Lovers, Domestic Fluff.

My Rating: 3 stars.

Description: After being magically de-aged, little Sammy is under the impression that Dean and Cas are his parents. He wants to know if they're in love, but they can't (or won't) give a consistent answer. The thing is, they have to grant Sam's greatest wish in order to reverse the curse, but they can only do that as a pair. What does Sam want most? For Dean and Cas to express their true feelings. Aloud. To each other.

Notes: Aw, I love Rowena, and I am 100% here for her cursing Sam just to get Dean and Cas to stop being idiots and actually get together.

I’ve said it before and I will say it again: the fans are in control now. We control the Supernatural content we are getting, so please create the ending you would want to see. And, if anyone wants to talk or rant or suggest a fic, I am always here.

[blackswangondola]

Romantic Anniversary Date Ideas To Celebrate Your Special Day

https://blackswangondola.com/ - Your anniversary only comes around once a year & it's the perfect time to show that special someone just what you mean to them. When you are looking for anniversary date ideas in San Diego, CA, look no further than The Black Swan Gondola Company. We specialize in a variety of gondola boat rides that are sure to leave your significant other feeling special & loved. Visit blackswangondola.com to know more!

[groshanwilliam]

When you are looking for cute anniversary date ideas in San Diego, CA, look no further than The Black Swan Gondola Company. We specialize in a variety of gondola boat rides that are sure to leave your significant other feeling special and loved. Visit blackswangondola.com to know more!

[klaineccfanficlibrary]

Any fics where Kurt dates someone before he meets Blaine? preferably if they're both in high school or college

Ride by @nellie12

Blaine is pretty popular in his city of Long Beach, CA. Summer is here and he’s ready to spend it with friends- BMX bike riding in the skate park and surfing when the waves are perfect. Flirting with girls is a definite. But when a new kid from Ohio shows up, Blaine finds himself wanting to share all these things with him, too. But Kurt’s just his friend, right?

~~~~~

Clash by AntarcticBird 

Blaine is a sexual free spirit with a bit of a reputation, Kurt doesn't do casual. It should be impossible, and yet Blaine just cannot stop thinking about him.

Written for this gkm prompt.

Note: You need to be signed into an AO3 account to access this fic.

~~~~~

(not) the one for me by @klaineanummel

There were a few things Blaine Anderson was looking forward to about the college experience. Falling in love with his new best friend’s boyfriend was definitely not one of them.

~~~~~

Spectrum by ohmygodstopit [PDF]

Kurt, studying in NYC, is a self confessed size queen, but none of his boyfriends, including his current flame, have ever measured up. Thankfully Blaine, his best friend since high school, is hung like a horse and more than willing to help him out.

~~~~~

Off Limits by @munchkinpandas24

For once in Blaine Anderson’s life he was pretty happy with how his life was going. He had an epic college experience with his best friend Jamie. They partied way too much, studied way too little and slept with their fair share of the best ASU had to offer. But one rejection letter later and Jamie was moving to San Diego to pursue his PHD while Blaine got accepted to the doctorate program at their Alma Mater. ASU without Jamie didn’t make sense to Blaine and he was not happy about it. To top everything off Jamie asked Blaine to look after his little brother Kurt who was starting his freshman year of college. Kurt wasn’t the little kid he pictured when Jamie asked Blaine to let him move in and it was clear things were about to change even more than Blaine had expected. In short, Blaine Anderson was screwed.

~~~~~

Collide by @scatter-the-stars  

Kurt Hummel is having a terrible week. On top of his car breaking down and his laptop dying at the worst time possible, finding his boyfriend cheating on him is the final straw against the camel’s back. A night of drinking is much deserved. But waking up in bed with star quarterback Blaine Anderson is something he doesn’t need. Determined to forget it and move on, he finds that hard when Blaine has other ideas. At first wanting nothing to do with the biggest playboy on campus, somehow Kurt finds himself agreeing to being friends with Blaine. It’s a friendship that opens his eyes to the guy he never really knew. And soon finds him wanting the one person he maybe shouldn’t want.

Happy Reading! - HKVoyage

[arsalan-modjbafan]

Listen guys I'm pretty sure it was James Patel that killed that girl in my apartment that night after my first party at the chateau

If not a combination of them

And it was probably Travis stealing from everyone to pay his rent for awhile

Before subletting to Zach , perhaps

Once Ben Ryckman took my car keys and had me sleep on the couch

Their was a period of the night when I was blacked out

I recollect dancing with a super hot girl in red 👗

Then I don't remember much until they took my car keys in a swingers fashion

By then the entire house had been disbursed the party had ended it was around four AM

I think the Del Ray Club apartments would have had security camera footage of that

Part of it had to do with being able to get Texas registration stickers for my mother vehicle by way of phone calls when they expected me to perhaps change to CA plates and. Registration... But even then... I knew I weren't gonna relocate to California on a permanent basis

Pioneers technology in audio behavior control methods

Maybe I danced with a marine drop outs date or a dumb airforce cadettes cousin or something or another

They probably shot some gay porno like South Park where Cartman puts his penis inside Butters mouth as he's asleep and spreads the photos around their elementary school campus

I'm sure they recorded some gay porn because

Call on Andrew figure row ah and Kyle Bon Ich E to set the record straight

I get what he means that he fought for me and why Stephen and I was the last two pledge recruits for them

They was trying to pump their member numbers up

Dean Ekpa were pimping Christina off her facebook profile almost instantly in the first pledge class meeting where

Brandon the WR from San Diego jumped on the opportunity

I think they was all mad I was published in China. And didn't even write about it in my college entrance paper. A few of those guys was in China on study abroad trips

Ryan kept saying Beta is the gay fraternity

And I didn't believe him at first

But after awhile. I realized all those 4.0 recruits for their initial class was mostly gay men

Which is why he took his own life

In such a dramatic fashion , show at the Holiday inn, NJ. Stolen Samsung Tab A at the best Western in... New Brunswick, NJ

Hank thanks the mechanic for that free oil change. What a fella.

If I had to guess.

That's why you all keep chasing dead end leads

Izizi

He took that secret to the grave

I think basically they thought my birth mark was a tear drop tattoo on my face

I'm sure what happened were my mom used a cigarette to give me that mark to give me an edge or something 😂😜

And in the USA. All these people had wild ideas about how such a young kid would have. A tear drop tattoo.

Karlie Kloss is a dump truck.

Always has been. Always will be.

Anyone who would do me that dirty for starting up studiopineapple out of the condo my ex father has gifted me on Christmas

Is totally trash 😂

🍅 grilled or baked or broiled. Very tasty 😋

I'm basically a British Naval fleet commander now. I bow..

Mystery theater solved 👌🙌👍 dogggg pound six pho 👊#️⃣💷 1 to 2 💵 dollar at 2010-2011 🎎

[detectiveguapo]

A couple of days ago, I came out of Tumblr hibernation to say that I was working on something and here it is. As per usual, it’s a drabble that turned into a 3486-word one-shot. Featuring Miguel Galindo (duh) and YOU (or a character of your choice; I have one in mind but I’ll keep her a secret for now). 

Warning: Sexual Content 

--- 

Arouse

Summer of 2009 - Santo Padre, CA

A blur of neon lights swirl across your eyes as the brass and accordion swell with the sounds of Santo Padre’s annual summer fair. The desert air tastes like cotton candy with a heat that surprises you in the back of the throat. It’s customary when La Feria’s in town that you and everybody’s cousin come out to gorge on elote and tacos, ride rollercoasters on rickety tracks, and watch people in this dying town momentarily forget they live in this dying town.

Your best friends are all about tradition, and as much as you hate to admit it, so are you. So you indulge and join them, because, really, anything is better than spending another Friday evening home alone, wallowing in sadness over your cheater of an ex-boyfriend. It’s been six months, but it still stings — like a papercut that refuses to heal. Why would it when you insist on picking at it with questions of whether you should have followed him to San Diego instead of staying here to work at your tío’s restaurant? You think moving out there would have solved the distance problem, which caused the unwanted celibacy problem, which made every college-aged girl an irresistible temptation in your ex’ eyes. He can’t help it; he has needs. It’s tough when you know he’s wrong, but you still blame yourself for not doing enough to keep him happy.

You’ve never been at your best when threatened with the fear of being alone.

—

The crowd grows denser as you pass through the stretch of colourful carnival games. Desperate for cool relief, you wrap your hands around your hair sticking to the back of your neck. A cool breeze rushes up the length of your spine, and you close your eyes, savouring the sensation before it’s gone. When you open your eyes, the first and only thing in focus is a face so sharp and crystal clear that everything else blurs into the background. You hold his smouldering gaze. You follow every line and every curve of his face, memorizing the slope of his nose and the mischievous curl on the corner of his lips. That steady thrum of a heartbeat drowns out the noise, and time has conspired to stand still for just the two of you.

Until you hear your name. You break the stare, ducking your head as hair falls over your flushed face. Someone takes your hand, and it takes a second before you realize it’s your friend dragging you farther into the crowd. “What’s wrong with you?” She laughs, totally indifferent to what had just happened. “It’s like you’ve seen a ghost.”

—

As the night deepens from a haze of purple to black, you go through the motions of listening patiently to stories you’ve heard before. You love your girls, but your head’s not present in the moment. You try not to give yourself away, but you’re searching through the throngs of people, hoping to catch a glimpse of that man in the blue shirt. Maybe your eyes were playing tricks on you; maybe it was just a mirage of a gorgeous man. God knows you’ve been thirsting for affection from the opposite sex. As much as you hate to admit it, your ex-boyfriend had a point — long distance relationships are nearly impossible because you lose that ability to have sex whenever you desire. It’s frustrating. And ever since you broke up with him and blamed yourself for simultaneously not doing enough and doing too much for someone who didn’t deserve it, the frustration has only grown tenfold.

You’ve tried. You’ve gotten close with your own fingers, but you’ve just never gotten to that place. Last week, you agreed to go on a date with an old acquaintance from high school before you chickened out when he asked you if you wanted to cap off the night in his apartment. You’ve always been known to go after what you want but, lately, it all feels as if there’s nothing worth wanting.

Except a strawberry-chile raspado.

—

The man scoops shaved ice into a plastic cup and prepares your treat right in front of you. Your mouth waters at the mere thought of the sweet and spicy flavours on your tongue and the refreshing ice down your throat.

“Dos piñas, por favor.”

The voice is warm and deep like thick honey poured into a glass of intoxicating amber. A flash of blue creeps into your periphery, and you find yourself standing shoulder to shoulder with, what you thought was, your desert mirage.

He looks straight ahead, just as fascinated as you were moments earlier, but this time you’ve got something new requiring your utmost concentration. You study him from the corner of your eye, noting his clean-shaven face and his genetically-blessed bone structure. He’s well-dressed — almost too well-dressed for La Feria — but he carries himself with so much confidence that he doesn’t look out of place. He’s got a boyish charm to his features, but the lines on the corner of his eyes suggest he’s older than you, but not by much — maybe in his late 20s.

“Aquí está su fresa y chile, señorita.”

He smells really good, too. Like being cloaked in expensive leather while sitting in front of a crackling fire in a log cabin nestled deep in the Northern California woods.

“Your raspado,” the stranger says, while handing you the plastic cup with the domed scoop of red shaved ice.

“Sorry. Thank you.” You say quickly, taking the cup from his hands, skin stirring upon contact. A little bit of the ice falls onto the back of his hand. “Shit. I’m so sorry.” You grab a stack of paper napkins on the counter to help wipe it off, but he’s already ahead of you, placing his hand to his mouth and licking the trail of sweet, red juice. Not once does he stop staring at you.

Suddenly, the thought of submerging your body in a vat of shaved ice doesn’t sound all that terrible. It’s boiling hot, your cheeks are burning, and your limbs feel so loose, they’re melting. Your heart races. Your breath quickens. It’s been a while since you’ve genuinely had this feeling but you recognize it straight away. You’re aroused.

—

“Holy shit!” Your friend manages to yell and whisper at the same time. “What was that? You and that guy were totally eye-fucking back there.”

“What?” You scoff. “We were not.”

“Who is he?”

“I don’t know.”

“Well, you have to find out.” She pushes you back in the direction of the food stall, where he’s still waiting for his order. “Go!”

“No way!”

“Why not?”

“Because he ordered two drinks so he’s probably getting it for his girlfriend or his wife.”

“Nope.” Your friend says, crossing her arms over her chest. She nods in their direction, and you look over your shoulder to see the man hand one pineapple shaved ice over to his mother. “Awww, isn’t that so sweet? Total hubby material.”

“Lorena,” you warn her.

“You’re so into him.”

“Cállate.”

She rolls her eyes and flips her long, dark hair over her shoulders. “Ay, maybe you should let him fuck all that negative energy out of you.”

You playfully shove her and make a disgusted face, but in your head you’re thinking that may not be the worst idea in the world.

—

You love your girl friends but you also want nothing more than to kill them in this moment. The teasing is relentless. And now that they’ve caught onto you being “hot for the hot guy”, they’re making a conscious effort to stalk him around the carnival. You follow him a few feet away as he walks the fairgrounds with his mother, your heart warming as he places a hand on the small of her back to guide her through the crowds.

She pulls him toward a line for a ride. He puts his hands up and looks like he’s telling her it’s a bad idea, but she insists, smiling brightly at her son. As soon as they fall in line, your friends are dragging you to the same ride of spinning, vomit-inducing cars.

He doesn’t even notice you’re standing right behind him until your friends start giggling, pretty much giving away the fact that you’ve been following him all night. The stern expression on his face softens and he smiles at you and your friends, before turning back to his mom to place an arm around her shoulder.

As you approach the gate to the ride, his mother steps out of line. “No, no creo que pueda hacer esto.”

“Mamá, esta fue tu idea.”

“Lo sé,” She says as she takes another step back, looking over her shoulder like she’s in search of something or someone. “Pero no puedo, Miguel.”

“Mamá.”

“No. You stay in line. You’re already the next one to go,” she tells him with motherly authority. “Encontraré a tu padre.”

Miguel hesitates to follow her but stops when he sees her flanked by two burly men in black. He breathes a sigh of relief and shakes his head, and a seed of doubt plants firmly deep in your belly. You already know he’s not from around here, but something in your gut tells you he isn’t supposed to be here either.

The alarm bell rings and the gate opens. As the tide rushes in, you hear the faint laughter of your friends standing on either side of you. They exchange a knowing look and, in hindsight, you should’ve known they had something up their sleeves. As you near the brightly-coloured two-person cars, you feel a nudge toward a very specific red car decorated with metallic gold lightning bolts.

“What are you doing?” Panic rising in your voice.

“Trust us,” they say as they practically shove you into the tiny space next to the man you and your friends have been stalking all night. Before they abandon you to a slow death, one of your friends leans into your ear. “You’ll thank us later.”

Neither of you say a word as people climb aboard the cars and the outdated speakers make their choppy safety announcement in both English and Spanish. Arms and legs in the car at all times. Seat belts securely fastened. Eyes straight ahead so you can pretend the sexiest guy you’ve ever laid eyes on isn’t studying you with a morbid, heated curiosity.

“What?” You blurt out. “Do I have something on my face?”

Miguel chuckles but doesn’t answer the question, leaning back into the seat to look straight ahead.

The ride starts like a gentle cycle — slow rotations around a pole smattered in multi-coloured, seizure-inducing lights. As if a traffic light signalling GO, green flashes before your eyes just as you feel that first contact of skin. The back of his fingers brush along your thigh. They linger even as rainbow bursts into vision and the ride picks up speed.

As you spin in circles, metal tentacles raise you high up in the air and drop you in stomach-turning speed back to earth. The first time the sudden drop hits you, your hand grabs onto his knee. You’re about to let go (even if you don’t really want to) when he turns his head to face you. Miguel’s shaking his head. Streaks of neon burning brightly behind the sly smile.

It emboldens you and you grip tighter, your hand rising higher up his leg. He follows your lead, fingers tracing the top of your thigh, dancing hotly over smooth skin, pressing down with every sudden drop. The tips of his fingers disappear under the hem of your short dress, teasing you and making you ache for him to go that extra distance. But he doesn’t. Not yet.

His eyes are molten chocolate, fixed on yours like he’s daring you to go even further. You don’t know if it’s the ride or the man in front of you, but you’re dizzy, your stomach feels light as air, your nipples are sharp points poking through the thin material of your dress, and your panties are soaked.

The ride slows down like a spinning coin flopping on one side. And it’s over just like that. Miguel pulls away, head looking straight on and hands nowhere near your body. You miss him already — the way he touched you, the way he looked at you, the way his breath kissed your face you could almost taste his sweetness.

When the ride finishes, you’re both breathing a little heavy. You think this is the point he runs, never to be seen again. Instead, he surprises you when he takes your hand and helps you hop off your red thunderbolt. He ushers you down the line of people leaving the ride and, momentarily, you spot your friends just outside past the gates. You begin to raise your arm to wave in their direction, but he pulls you the opposite direction before your friends have a chance to see you.

Everything you’ve ever been taught about strangers and avoiding dangerous situations fly out of the window when this man is holding your hand and leading you into a white canvas tent. Miguel unzips it, guides you in, follows you inside, and zips it closed until you’re swallowed by darkness.

You don’t even have time to ask him what’s going on before you feel a pair of strong hands on your waist, pulling you flush against him. Immediately, you become aware of the fact that the arousal you felt on that ride was shared unequivocally with this man right in front of you. He’s hard. He’s pressed up against your body and he’s turned on because of you — and if that doesn’t make your body ache in need for him, surely a kiss will.

Miguel’s lips find yours in the dark. Warm and soft and pliant — he searches to be satiated. You wrap an arm around his neck, deepening the kiss, pulling him backwards until you bump clumsily into an equipment crate. He lifts you and settles you on top, positioning himself between your open legs.

Hot kisses pepper your neck, and he asks if this is ok. And you want to scream that it’s more than ok, but all that comes out is a catlike stretch to expose your neck and a throaty “yes.”

Hands explore your hips, your back, gripping your neck before gently tugging at hair. Miguel’s a mix of tender and rough. A mix of beauty and danger.

You kiss along his jaw until you find his mouth. Your tongue swirls with his. Your fingers trail along the edge of his jeans to pop off the button, shimmying them down his thighs, which feel sinewy with muscle under your touch. “Eager,” he says with a quiet laugh, almost as if he’s mocking you. But you don’t care because you know he wants you just as much. You can feel the weight of him pressing against your inner thigh, and you scoot just a little bit closer, squeeze just a little bit tighter.

He hikes up your little dress to your waist, one hand reaching higher to cop a feel of your tit, thumbing your nipple into a stiffer peak. Next, panties are off so quick, they drop from your ankles onto the floor — gone forever. Whoever finds them when the lights are on is going to be in for a surprise.

Fingers are on you, in you. You gasp at the sudden breach but you savour it like every morsel of the best meal you know you’ll ever have. He breathily laughs into your kiss as he discovers just how wet and wanton you are, like he can read your mind and figure out how long you’ve gone without this kind of intimacy. You moan when he slides his coated digits across your sex, thumb and forefinger manipulating you to a level of arousal you don’t think was ever humanly possible.

You’re seeing bright lights dance across your shuttered eyes. The work he’s doing is testing your limits not to scream, but you don’t think the carnival music is loud enough to drown out all the noise your body is begging you to make. So you repress. And he only works harder. You’re panting now. Sweat beads at your temples as he retrieves his fingers and runs them over your lips like a hot glaze. Without words, he orders you to take them into your mouth. It’s so fucking dirty, but you secretly love it. Your taste on your tongue, you take his two fingers deep in your mouth, gagging when he hits the back of your throat.

Miguel is quick to kiss you fierce. “You’re so fucking hot in this little dress.” He kisses you again, tongue darting out to wrestle with yours. “I bet you had no idea what you were getting yourself into when you were fucking me with those eyes out in public.” He sucks on your bottom lip. “So naughty. I could tell you wanted to hold more than just my knee on that ride.” He grinds his clothed erection against your sex and you both moan in anticipation. “You think the ride’s over? Baby, I’m about to give you the best fucking ride of your life.”

In seconds, he’s got his underwear off, a condom ripped open, and the tip of his cock probing at your entrance. He kisses you longer and harder, and just enough to stifle the moan when he enters your tight heat. It’s been a while since you last got fucked, but even then, you know you’ve never been stretched full like this, never had someone reach you in places that surprised you. “Fuck me.”

“That’s what I’m trying to do.” Miguel rocks into you, settling himself down to the base and breathing out a “holy shit.”

Scooting yourself to the edge of the crate, you wrap your legs around his hips. He grabs a handful of your ass, kneading the flesh before pulling you completely off the edge. And, holy shit is right, because he delivers on that promise to give you the best ride of your life.

He lifts you effortlessly, rising and crashing down on his cock. You wrap your arms firmly over his shoulders, grasping onto his back, feeling the muscles work under his shirt. His breath is hot on your neck, hot grunts matching the breathy moans you can’t contain. You’re already so aroused that it doesn’t take very long before the relentless pounding and the way he’s sucking on your neck and the filthy words in your ear take you over the edge. Your whole body is electrified. It feels like you’re shaken from your core and everything is tighter and looser at the same time.

Miguel groans as he feels your release wrapped around him, and it seems like he’s coming close as well. He plants you down on the equipment crate, and leans over you, forearms on either side of your head. His eyes are so intense they scorch you; it almost feels as if, in that moment, he’s branding you like cattle. Something about the way he looks at you hurts your pride, but you love the way he feels too much to push him away. He fucks you. Harder. He fucks you so good tears well up behind your lidded eyes. Faster. Your belly tightens like a coil put under so much pressure it can only spring free. Deeper. He buries himself deep, deep inside you; he kisses you gentle and sweet while his fingers brush over your clit. It releases the pressure and you’re crashing again — this time, with him as you feel his heart pound like a drum against your chest.

—

When it’s all over, it’s over. Miguel doesn’t say anything except you should leave first. Once you’ve pulled your dress down your legs and tied your knotted hair with an elastic, he unzips the tent and motions for you to leave. The light from outside filters into the tent and you get a clearer picture of his stoic face. You stand in place for a few seconds and he blinks with impatience. You want to see him again, but you’re under a very strong, chilly impression this was only a one-time thing for him. That, maybe, it’s something he’s already regretted.

You lower your head and begin to walk past him. This night was incredible. A night to ruin all the succeeding nights trying to find something that can even come close to replicating what you felt in that dark, dingy tent. But you deserve better. You deserve someone who can return what you give. And, just from the distant look in his eyes those last few seconds together, you know Miguel is not going to be that someone.

He doesn’t even bother asking you for your name.