#Europe Coach Tours

[i-think-pictures]

Bus at the Faroe Islands

[trainsinanime]

I wonder: Do Americans know about american school buses? Not their existence in general, but how they're seen overseas.

Over here, they're one of the symbols of America, on par with the Statue of Liberty, the flag, the Eagle, and well ahead of any chain restaurant you can name. People won't know any US states, but they will know these vehicles.

The thing is, here in Germany, we don't have dedicated school buses. The general idea is that kids go to school on their own. When that's not practical, they're expected to use (and given free tickets for) public transit. Public transit is designed around this requirement; there are many places where there is a bus, and anyone can get on it, but the route and timetable really only makes sense for school children. In case a dedicated school bus is really needed, that's generally subcontracted out, and the lines either use something like a Sprinter Van for smaller routes, or a normal city or interurban bus (often a used one that's a bit older). School trips are normal public transit, or a rented bus, typically a coach or regional bus.

It's not a perfect system, in the past couple of years there's been an epidemic of people bringing their kids to school in their cars instead of letting them walk, which is less than ideal. It is what it is. But building a dedicated network of public transit lines only for students, and building dedicated vehicles only for that, has never occurred to anyone here.

Of course we know about these buses, from movies and such, but they're as foreign here as cacti or pick-up trucks (actually we're seeing more and more of these here) or yellow cabs (all europeans will assume all cabs in the US are yellow until they actually visit).

You do see these buses here at times, because people still generally like the idea of the US, even if they have a lot of issues with a lot of details, and so folks bring them over, along with stretch limos and stuff (also not really a thing here). And of course, if someone goes to all that trouble, they don't do it to haul school kids, they rent it out for city tours or as a party bus or whatever.

So you see these yellow things as a symbol of faraway places, scenic vistas, some vague undefined idea of freedom that doesn't necessarily hold up to any contact with reality, and it's just a huge part of the whole US aesthetic.

And then you go to a student exchange with the US, and you finally get the chance: You yourself get to ride in one of these iconic chrome yellow buses! It looks just like in the movies! You get in, you drive in them a little…

…and you realise they're shit. Just the worst buses in the western world. Terrible suspension. Uncomfortable seats with weirdly high backs (so they don't have to put seatbelts in, they just restrict how far kids can fly in an accident). Everything made out of the cheapest materials. Turns out the reason why the US uses school buses like that instead of normal modern city buses, which the US has, is to save money and because they just hate kids.

And then it hits you why US Americans say "as American as apple pie", a dish that is made and enjoyed literally anywhere in the world, instead of "as American as yellow school buses". Of course the Americans already knew all this. They got tortured by these things forever. It would never occur to them to see this as a symbol of America, it's just a normal part of life for them. It's a symbol of school and school life and sometimes normalcy, and tells us that these actors getting out of it are supposed to be teenagers, nothing more.

But most people in Europe have, of course, never ridden on these buses. So when they see them in movies and TV, that's a giant big yellow signifier that we're not in Hessen or Wallonia or wherever anymore. A symbol of a different world, one that may be at most a once-in-a-lifetime-experience for most people, just like a picture of a tropical beach, Mayan Pyramids, the Great Wall of China, or Hildesheim (there's no reason to go there twice). And I think Americans don't know that, and that's fascinating.

[cierraonline]

They’ve been dating for a while pookie I’m sorry

anywaysssss

Did You Miss US?

chapter two: did you miss us?

warning: none

masterlist | previous chapter | next chapter

XXX

UCONN GAMPEL PAVILION  

University of Connecticut  

Storrs, Connecticut

Okay guys, we’re back…. Did you miss us? ‘Cause we missed you! - Sasha James UCONN's PG

Whistle blows

“Listen up,” Geno Auriemma, the man with the plan—the man who built stars and legends—UCONN’s women’s basketball head coach with nearly 1,000 wins under his belt, announced. “This season, I will not be your head coach—” The older man was interrupted by gasps that filled the room.

Thirty young women stared at him, mouths agape in shock, while his staff stood behind him in support. “Now calm down. I’m not going anywhere, nor am I retiring. This year, your head coach will be one of our own…. Sasha James.” With that introduction, the brown-skinned girl walked into the stadium and stood next to her mentor, essentially a father figure to her.

“Aahh,” all the returning girls jumped up, rushing to Sasha and pulling her into a tight embrace in congratulations.

“That’s my wife!” Paige pointed to her partner with a wide smile, knowing how much this meant to Sasha.

“Okay, get off me,” Sasha laughed as she tried to push away the arms and hands. “Sit down, y’all are embarrassing me,” she added, mainly addressing her best friends. Once everyone returned to their original spots on the bleachers, her expression turned serious. “So, this year we’ll be following my coaching plan for the women’s basketball team, which was approved by the athletic director, David Benedict,” Sasha said, pointing to the white man who raised his hand in greeting, as it was the first time some players had met him. “First on the list is our Europe tour, a team bonding and learning experience.”

“Really!?”

“Shut up!” The girls jumped up in excitement, thrilled at the prospect of traveling abroad for team bonding.

“Now, we have a problem,” Sasha began, watching the players’ faces grow worried. “There are 30 of us, half of whom are red-shirts due to either prior injuries or eligibility situations. A portion of those who aren’t red-shirts don’t get time on the court because skills aren’t being picked up quick enough. With that, we’re just wasting space and resources. At the end of last season, an email was sent out stating that although the season is over, we want you all to be prepared and in top condition. Freshmen, you got the same email after confirming your commitment to the team. So, before we leave for our trip, we’ll be cutting off the dead weight. Today, you’ll be doing multiple drills and rounds, and if we believe you’re performing well, you’ll stay. If not, I’m sorry, but this will be your last day on the team, regardless of scholarship status.”

Internally, the players felt a bit of panic, but overall they believed they were the best—after all, they’d made it this far.

“You will also have to play according to my standards,” Sasha declared, making the tension rise further. “The goal this season is to win like it has been for the past five years that got us to win Big East Conference and the Final Four. I don’t like losing and I won’t start this season. I like no-score games—it brings in publicity, which brings in money for the department and us as players. I need to know I can trust you all to win without relying on our heavy hitters to play a full game with no breaks. Last season, we recycled the same five players. This year will be different. We have five  players planning to enter the draft, and we need to put them in the best position to be seen and recognized.”

“Are you guys scared?” Geno asked from beside Sasha, observing his players’ reactions. “You should be. We’re still falling behind on basic skills that should come naturally to us. We’re not rebounding properly, not making fast plays, and not thinking smart on the court. There’s no more depending on the starting five or your status to save you.”

“Everything will be tested and calculated, and by the end of the day, the staff and I will be left with the best 14 players to continue with the athletic department. That means 16 of you will be ending your college basketball careers today,” Sasha nodded, watching her teammates exchange glances, wondering who would stay and who would be shamefully dismissed. “Let’s start with suicides—15 on each side, meeting in the middle. Let’s go,” she clapped her hands and took a seat on the bleachers.

Giving them a moment to get into position, Geno blew the whistle, and the running began. “Ramirez is lagging behind; her speed hasn’t improved since her freshman year,” Sasha noted to Geno, who nodded in agreement, jotting down the player’s name.

“Ayanna’s speed seems to have improved since her injury,” Chris Dailey commented, pointing at the sophomore.

“Alright!” Geno blew the whistle. “Line up!” The players stood in a straight line as the staff observed them. The goal of this elimination round was to test speed but also endurance—who looked tired and exhausted? This would show who had taken the offseason seriously and who hadn’t.

“Ramirez, your speed hasn’t improved. Anderson, you look tired, and you’ve only ran for 10 minutes. Bennett, your speed is inconsistent. Davis, Geno feels you’re not giving us your best because you’re overconfident, thinking we can’t replace you. Lastly, Jones, Coach Dailey feels your maturity hasn’t shown any growth. I’m sorry, girls, but you’re off the team. Tomorrow, you’ll have a meeting with David to go over the next steps.” 

Sasha moved on to the next drill. “Alright, let’s do dribbling drills. I want a relay race with 12 on each side, from the left side of the court to the right. The winning side is safe from elimination.” Sasha didn’t have time to watch the eliminated players cry over their lost positions. She needed a winning team—budget-friendly, hardworking, and serious about the chance they are given.

“Flores’ handles are sloppy,” Geno shook his head in disapproval as the player lost control of the ball twice before reaching the other side of the court. “Ines is doing better than last season. Keep a close eye on her.”

“Garcia is looking down too much,” Chris Dailey noted.

“What do we think about the freshmen?” Sasha pointed out Kamorea Arnold, who seemed to have a strong grip on the ball.

“With freshmen, we don’t need perfect; we need to see that there is room for improvement and how fast they can implement corrections,” Geno advised, advising for  Sasha to not expect perfection from the freshmen class. “We want people to see that we create stars, but we also nurture growth and progression.”

“Flores, Garcia, Harris, Johnson, and King, you’re dismissed,” Geno announced, prompting one of the girls to sob and plead for another chance. “You’re seniors, but we have yet to see evidence that shows the progress you made since you’ve been in this program for three years.”

“I plan on entering the draft this year!” Harris cried out.

“You shouldn’t have entered the draft when you’ve haven’t been getting much playing time for the past two years and had no playing time in your freshman year,” Sasha said, moving on to the next test. “Freshmen, you’re safe. Please grab your uniforms, practice schedules, and packing lists.”

“Thank you!” they squealed with big smiles, running to where Chris stood at a foldable table.

“Let’s make this interesting,” Sasha continued. “Geno, Chris, David, and I will each choose a player to save.”

“Paige,” Geno nodded at the blonde, who exhaled in relief before running to the table where Chris stood.

“Nika,” David selected the Croatian player.

“Azzi,” Chris smiled at the league’s best shooter next to Sasha.

“Aaliyah,” Sasha chose.

“Thank you,” Aaliyah whispered as she passed by her friend and teammate, heading to Chris for a congratulatory hug.

“Alright, let’s do rounds. I want to see smart plays… choose your teams,” Sasha directed the remaining players, who were more nervous than ever. With a whistle, a game on each side of the court began, and the returning players played harder than ever. Some stood out for the right reasons, while others didn’t.

“Caroline is thinking smarter; she’s stepping into that leadership role we’ve been waiting for her to take,” Geno commented, watching as she quickly passed the ball to another player instead of holding it and risking a blocked shot.

“Amari’s passes are getting faster,” Sasha noted as the player did a no-look pass to her teammate.

“Aubrey’s defense is improving, especially in blocking and holding screens,” Geno added.

“Alright, line up!” Sasha blew her whistle. “Lewis, Mitchell, Nelson, Parker, Rodriguez—thank you for the time you put into this team, but you’re eliminated,” she announced, watching as the remaining players huddled together, sharing tears and congratulations. “The rest of you, let’s start making corrections faster and implementing them. You’ve been here; you know the standards. It shouldn’t take the last round of eliminations for things to start clicking. We need it to click the minute you step onto the court. Got it?”

“Yes,” they answered, nodding.

“Well, go get your stuff. We’ve got a trip to pack for,” Sasha smiled, clapping her hands.

“Don’t ever put us through that again,” Aubrey jokingly pointed at Sasha as she and Amari pproached her.

“I had to try to get rid of you somehow. Isn’t this your fifth year?” Sasha laughed, nudging the girl’s shoulder.

“Don’t get jumped!” Aubrey laughed.

“Go get your stuff before I have Geno kick you out too,” Sasha rolled her eyes, showing off her playfully sassy side.

taglist @averette98 @hedidnotpleaseme @unknown5397 @girlyglitterprincess @sunwalker355 @akiracutie @pinkandlilacroses @bennybabyyy @pbueckerslover @pbueckers @okimreadynow @blackbarbie96 @blue-whiteuc @randomhoex @tyler-adaline @espersonalsj @hidden-kay1 @kayckeny @chip-the-teapot @woso-scotland @rickflagfine88897 @amourrnini @hon3y-girl @apreer @stfuzoeyy @50shadesofdeville @rebecca-woso @yourmom-25s-blog @lxonix-ac @kaliblazin @klexiasblog @selenalei @thenewprophecysworld @areyourlightsup @billiesrighthand @lordfarquad-k @rhearipley-69 @vvaaaall @dandelions4us @kluvsspongebob @bratyee @bilssharky

[azzibuckets]

For the Love of the Game [Pazzi | Part 3/10]

paige bueckers x azzi fudd

summary: paige and azzi find themselves in a very sticky situation, with only one way to get out

a/n: none of this stuff is accurate to the time line in real life but who cares

word count: 1.4k

masterlist w/ all parts

“Two weeks in and you’re already causing problems.”

Azzi shrunk under the critical stare of Geno Auriemma. Although Geno was a physically stout man whom she would’ve towered over had they been standing, he was still extremely formidable in his legacy as a basketball coach. This was the seven-peat titled NCAA coach of the year, who’d guided UConn to eleven nattys and USA to three olympic gold medals, and he was glaring at her.

“I’m sorry, sir, but-,”

“And you,” Geno interrupted, fixing his reproachful frown on Paige. “You’re going to be captain this year, and this is how you lead the team?” The blonde shifted uncomfortably in her seat, glancing haughtily at Azzi. “Frankly, I’m very disappointed in you. The fact that multiple of your teammates had to inform me about your behavior is very concerning.” Paige hunched her shoulders and stared at her feet, looking like a puppy who’d gotten kicked to the side of the road.

Geno focused his attention back on Azzi. “Cursing at your teammates? You signed the player contract, Fudd. We don’t tolerate foul language or bullying of any kind. Do you know what the punishment is?”

Azzi’s mouth went dry. “I don’t know, sir, but I promise I can explain.”

Geno’s eyebrows dipped down, and his mouth was pulled into a firm line. “The punishment is suspension from all non-NCAA pre-season team activities. This includes next month’s tour in Europe, since we’re only playing exhibition games.”

Everything went blank. Azzi’s heart raced, disbelief coursing through her veins. She’d only been at Storrs for two weeks, and she was about to get kicked out of the European tour that she had been looking forward to so much. What would this mean for her? She’d miss out on team bonding, and even more importantly, wouldn’t be able to debut for UConn with the other freshmen. She’d be behind, and all her teammates would hate her, and the sports news outlets would go crazy with gossip over her suspension and-

Paige’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts. “Geno,” she said solemnly, “I have to tell you something.”

Azzi gaped at the blonde. Was Paige about to play the hero by admitting that she was the one who had started all the arguments?

“Azzi and I are dating.”

Okay, that was very much NOT what she had been expecting to come out of Paige’s mouth. She shifted in her seat, about to speak out in horror because the mere thought of dating Paige made her want to throw up, when she felt the other girl lay a palm on her knee.

Geno looked between the two of them, surprise evident in his eyes. “You two? Dating?”

“Yeah,” Paige shrugged. “We uh, wanted to keep it on the down low. So that we wouldn’t distract the team. So we decided to act like we didn’t like each other, but we might’ve taken it a little too far.” Paige chuckled, and Azzi had to restrain from rolling her eyes. Even she could tell that Paige’s laugh was forced.

Geno opened his mouth to respond when his phone rang. He looked down and grunted. “Give me one second,” he said before picking up the phone and slipping out of the room.

As soon as the door closed, Azzi swatted Paige’s hand that was still on her lap. “What the hell was that?” She hissed. “I don’t know what kinda weird kinky stuff you’re into, but dragging me into this is not cool.”

Paige’s eyes narrowed. “Just trust me, okay? I might be an asshole, but not enough to get you kicked off our trip to Europe. Just follow my lead.”

Azzi was about to protest, not understanding how telling Geno they were dating could save her ass, but he stepped back in before she could. Paige squinted at her, as if to make sure she was in on the plan. Azzi was completely and utterly confused. But she didn’t know what else to do, and she really wanted to go to Europe. So she decided to go along with Paige’s schemes, at least for now.

Their coach interlaced his fingers, resting his chin on them. “So what you’re telling me is that you two are in a relationship? A romantic relationship?”

Paige nodded, a little bit too enthusiastically, before taking Azzi’s hand in hers. She tried not think about how soft and warm Azzi’s hands were. “Yeah. I promise you that Azzi didn’t mean anything. She just gets a little bit too into her role sometimes, you know?” Paige smiled fondly at her, and it seemed so genuine that Azzi herself was almost convinced that they were dating.

“I promise, though, that there’s no bad blood between us. None at all.” She squeezed Azzi’s hand, signaling that it was her turn to shine.

“For sure!” Azzi’s voice came out high pitched and squeaky. Feeling Paige’s hard side eye, she cleared her throat and tried again. “There’s nothing but love here. Right, sweet cheeks?”

Paige winced, and Azzi realized that that might not have been as smooth as she’d thought. But the blonde forced back a smile, coming to her rescue. “Geno,” she said pleadingly. “Do you have to suspend Azzi?”

Geno took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes with a sigh. “I’m having a hard time believing that you two are dating.” Both girls nervously waited with their breaths bated. “But,” he continued, “since you guys apparently are, I now have a request for you. My daughter Paula is doing a little video series on the team this year as part of her assignment for her film class. She’s been wondering how to approach the personal life segment, but now you two just opened a wonderful opportunity for her!”

Paige and Azzi exchanged looks. This was not what they thought they were getting themselves into.

“If you could help Paula with her assignment, by you know, showing the dynamic between you two and how that can translate to chemistry on the court,” Geno paused, studying them over the rim of his glasses, “I could possibly see about giving Azzi a lighter punishment. Like cleanup after practices. Nothing as severe as suspension from the Europe tour.”

“Send Paula our numbers,” Paige said immediately.

Geno’s face brightened, and he looked at them with a pleased smile. “Great! I expect both of you to keep your relationship professional during practices and games, but other than that, you have no objections from me.” He sat back in his chair with his arms crossed. “Have a good day, girls,” he dismissed.

The two basketball players hurried to leave. Once outside and walking down the corridor, Paige turned to Azzi. “Sweet cheeks, really?”

Azzi blushed furiously. “Stop,” she complained. “I didn’t know what else to say.”

“Okay, honey buns,” Paige smirked, elbowing her gently in the side.

They fell into silence as they walked. “So what do we do now?” Azzi finally asked. “Pretend to date?”

The taller girl furrowed her eyebrows. “I guess. But just to make it clear, I don’t have feelings for you. I’m doing this because we can’t start off our season without one of our players, especially one as…promising as you. It’s for the team’s better if you’re in Europe - it’s for the love of the game.” She stared straight ahead as she spoke, avoiding eye contact with Azzi.

“Okayyyy,” Azzi trailed. “What’re we gonna tell the rest of the team?”

“They can’t know,” Paige responded quickly. “Did you see how all the stuff we said to each other got back to Geno? We’re gonna have to pretend in front of the team too.”

Azzi halted in her steps, realizing the full extent of what they were about to do. “You realize this means that we’ll have to act like a couple basically all the time right? We’re always with the team.”

The corner of Paige’s lips turned up. “What?” she asked. “You scared you’re gonna fall in love with me?” When she saw the look on Azzi’s face, she said in a more serious tone, “Don’t worry. We can always break up after Geno’s kid finishes her assignment. I think the issue is making everyone believe we’re dating after…you know.”

Azzi nodded, deep in thought. “We can say that in the meeting with Geno, he forced us to spend time together and we just kinda grew on each other.”

Paige made a noise in agreement. “It’ll be kinda hard, though,” she said. “Not being mean to you.”

“Shut the fuck up. And for the record, I’m straight. I will absolutely not fall in love with you.”

“We’ll see about that, sweet cheeks.”

[pastlivesandpurplepuppets]

Actor Matthew Settle, having personally auditioned with Tom Hanks for a number of leading roles, won the part by delivering steely performances of key scenes. During the casting process, Hanks branded Speirs “a dark character.” Settle unequivocally embraced this categorization as filming commenced in England.

[...]Ron conveyed to Dick. “This TV business is all smoke and mirrors anyway. They can put my nametag on some guy and pretend it is Sparky. They are faking the combat scenes with a stand-in playing Sparky, so why not finish it up that way? I am just not up to the hassle and pressure of an interview. This is not what you want to hear, but I want to be candid about my situation.” Few were more disappointed in Speirs’s decision than Matthew Settle. Many of his fellow actors forged enriching relationships with the veterans they portrayed. Settle was denied this luxury. “It seemed as though he wanted to shy away from the whole process of Band of Brothers,” Settle later noted of Speirs. “He wasn’t quite sure in what light it would leave him.” Because filmmakers lacked Speirs’s direct input regarding his more controversial traits, they “presented the idea to the audience and let them decide whether or not he had killed prisoners and perhaps his own men,” said Settle. “I think that was tastefully done. But perhaps that was why he wasn’t open to being spoken to.”

The absence of Settle’s mysterious character in episode one of Band of Brothers permitted the actor to discover his character in other ways. While the rest of the cast shot the series introduction in England, Settle retraced Speirs’s steps across Europe on an odyssey of his own. He visited France, toured museums, and sought out sites where Speirs had fought. Settle ventured into the Bois Jacques, discovered Easy Company’s foxholes, and was warned to watch out for live ordnance as he did so. At Foy—where Speirs embarked on his iconic run—the actor traversed the wide field and was amazed to see dwellings in town that still bore scars of battle. He ventured all the way to the Eagle’s Nest in Germany. “It made it really come to life for me,” Settle said of the journey. “I’m very happy that I was able to do that.”

Deprived of the ability to converse with Speirs, Settle searched for perspectives on leadership in battle. In addition to reading several Ambrose books, he leaned on Captain Dale Dye—the film’s technical advisor who himself was a decorated combat veteran. “You gotta help me find this guy,” Settle implored to Dye. “Who is he? What’s his tone?” The subsequent coaching greatly benefited his performance: “I had a natural finality that served his character well.” On film, Speirs was stern, direct, and honest. Settle relished interpreting the Speirs mystique—a colorful balance of bravery and secrets. He naturally considers the Speirs scene at Foy his favorite of the miniseries.

[...]A 1,000-person tent was erected on site for a gala and the screening of a ninety-minute compilation of Band of Brothers scenes. Amid all the activities, Matthew Settle finally conversed with his character in the flesh. “When I actually met Speirs, he seemed like he was stoic and quiet and passive,” Settle recalled. “He definitely seemed like a person that may have been hurt once or twice in his life.” The actor’s observations of Speirs during the debut itself were even more affecting. “I sat next to him and Winters as they watched the invasion on screen together,” said Settle. “I honestly just watched the two of them. I couldn’t help myself…. It was powerful. They were reliving it.”

Settle regretted that his interactions with Ron were so fleeting. “I never really got into any deep conversations because Speirs was always very hesitant to talk about anything deeper than just the weather. A lot of the vets would approach him and he would say, ‘Which war?’ I don’t know if he was pretending not to remember them or what.” Speirs’s question was likely an earnest effort to distinguish those who served under him at different stages of his career. Self-consciousness of his hearing loss further precluded him from active conversation.

~ Jared Frederick & Erik Dorr

[blairamok]

starting the day off strong with more asks.

what are A & C’s favorite costumes and performances? (Also, on a personal question note, could you please explain off-season shows? You said Azi does them but as I know nothing of skating I have no clue what that means.)

hell yea.

i think one of crowley’s favorite programs is his queen medley, along with its costume that i’ve affectionately titled flash (bastard). it’s a retired competitive program that he does mostly for galas now.

one of aziraphale’s has to be his sing, sing, sing program in which he wears a bow tie and suspenders that he can playfully tug on, another gala performance (and very much inspired by this performance). i’m staying lowkey on their upcoming season programs but i can say for aziraphale that he doesn’t particularly like a lot of his recent competitive programs because gabriel has a lot of say in what he does for competitions, as coaches usually do.

as for shows! there are touring ice shows such as stars on ice or fantasy on ice (and many many more) that employ skaters during the off season, featuring group ensembles as well as solo performances by some of the more prestigious skaters. that’s all there really is to it! aziraphale would likely be with a company that tours europe, or possibly even japan (like fantasy on ice) as he is insanely popular over there. most tours usually last about a month or so. crowley isn’t much for shows right now, he’s currently living comfortably off competition winnings and sponsorships

[cartermagazine]

Today In History

Leontyne Price, world-renowned opera singer, and the first African American singer to achieve an international reputation in opera—made her formal debut at the Metropolitan Opera House on this date January 27, 1961.

Both of Price’s grandfathers had been Methodist ministers in Black churches in Mississippi, and she sang in her church choir as a girl. Only when she graduated from the College of Education and Industrial Arts (now Central State College) in Wilberforce, Ohio, in 1948 did she decide to seek a career as a singer.

She studied for four years at the Juilliard School of Music in New York City, where she worked under the former concert singer Florence Page Kimball, who remained her coach in later years. Her debut took place in April 1952 in a Broadway revival of Four Saints in Three Acts by Virgil Thomson and Gertrude Stein.

Leontyne Price performance in that production, which subsequently traveled to Paris, prompted Ira Gershwin to choose her to sing the role of Bess in his revival of Porgy and Bess, which played in New York City from 1952 to 1954 and then toured the United States and Europe. The year 1955 saw her triumphant performance of the title role in the National Broadcasting Company’s television production of Tosca, and she sang leading roles in other operas on television in the next few years.

CARTER™️ Magazine

[king-calycanthus]

It’s 1994, just over 10 years since their first brush with the Upside Down. 

Steve still lives in Hawkins, in a little house of his own on the outskirts of town. His life isn’t wild or exciting but he wouldn’t want it to be. He’s had enough of that, to be quite honest. No, he’s comfortable and safe and, most of all, he’s happy.  He’s got a nice job in town, coaching at the middle school, and volunteers at the community centre when he can. Somehow, he’s once again found himself to be a beloved figure in Hawkins, but instead of the weight of his high school crown and the cruelty that came with it, it’s because the town knows him as someone who cares, someone who puts himself out there to help and support the community. The kids come and go, so do Robin and Nancy. Only Max, Lucas, and El still live in Hawkins, but Steve sees everyone else often enough.

He misses Eddie. Of course he does. Between touring and recording new albums and photoshoots and interviews, there’s not much time to come back to Hawkins since Corroded Coffin got big. Still, they call regularly and Eddie sends him the cheesiest ‘Wish You Were Here’ postcards from every stop on the road. Steve has a shoebox full of them, and his favourites are stuck to the fridge with colourful magnets.

The most recent tour ended a few weeks ago, but the band is in LA writing a new album that Steve knows he’s going to listen to on repeat as soon as he can get his hands on it. Last time they called, Eddie told him he wouldn’t be back until Christmas, and Steve finds himself wondering if July is too soon to start counting down the days. School is out for the summer so he’s bored out of his mind and at a complete loose end, so his mind constantly wanders to the calendar. He tells Robin as much when she calls, and is only slightly perplexed when she asks him insistently if he’s sure he’s got absolutely nothing on for the next couple of weeks. Yes, he’s sure he doesn’t. There’s refurbishment going on at the community centre so there isn’t even anything happening there. Robin ends the call with a cryptic ‘just making absolutely, completely, 100% sure’, before hanging up and going off to enjoy the rest of her vacation in Europe.

A few days later, just as Steve is settling down to sleep, he hears the sound of a vehicle pull up outside his house. From the amount of noise it makes, he knows it has to be something big. Before he can get the chance to check it out for himself, though, there’s a tapping on his bedroom window.

When he pulls back the curtains, he’s shocked to see Eddie standing on his lawn, pelting rocks at his window like they’re teenagers in a movie. Behind him is what can only be Corroded Coffin’s tour bus, with all its fancy custom decals and tinted glass. Eddie is grinning widely and Steve finds that it’s contagious as he opens the window and leans out.

“Eddie, what the hell are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be in Cali!”

“I thought I’d surprise you.”

Steve laughs, unable to contain his joy at the ridiculous theatrics.

“It definitely worked. You brought your tour bus?” he asks, incredulous.

Eddie’s eyes sparkle in the summer moonlight.

“Well, it’s no Winnebago, but I figured it would do the trick.”

Steve’s heart stutters in his chest. He’s never quite been able to live down his ‘six kids and a Winnebago’ comment, but he knows that Eddie knows exactly what it means to him. And, in turn, Steve thinks he knows exactly what Eddie is trying to say with such a grand gesture.

“What do you say, big boy? Still up for that road trip?”

Surely the question has to be rhetorical, because they both know there’s only one answer.

[its-time-to-write]

ch. 3 - hustling for the good life

table of contents comments and tags give me serotonin otherwise i look like this 🫨

it could be love

“God, why did you let me do that?” Natalie groans as she clomps into your room. “I feel like I got hit by a truck.”

You grin as you continue putting on makeup. “As if I can control anything you do.”

“You’re my boss,” she grumbles, “You’re literally supposed to be in charge of me.”

You open your mouth to disagree, but are interrupted by a knock at the door. 

Natalie jumps. “Oh shit, I forgot Keeley’s coming over.”

“Lucky for you, I didn’t. Why do you think I’m so put together right now? I’d way rather be in my pajamas.”

Nat waves her hand as she heads for the door. “Nah, she wouldn’t care. Hey Keels!”

“Hi babe!” says a grinning Keeley. “Brought you coffee.”

“You’re a lifesaver,” Natalie groans. “Fuck me, that’s amazing.”

“I’m almost ready,” you call from the bathroom, “and then we can sit on the couch.”

“Take your time!” Keeley calls back.

You make your way to where she and Natalie are seated.

“Thanks for doing this, love,” Keeley says. “I haven’t done many interviews, so when your PR firm asked me to do one with you all freelance-like, I said yes before I had time to worry about being rusty!”

You laugh and say, “No worries. It’s nice your boss lets you do other things like this.”

“Oh yeah, Rebecca’s great,” she agrees. “And she’s a really big fan. She’s been following you ever since your first album came out. Think most of the team have, actually. The boys think you’re fit. I even caught Roy listening to your new album the other day!” She laughs. “That’s my boyfriend. He’s one of the coaches at Richmond. Oh my god, you don’t know what Richmond is, do you?” she asks in response to your vague confusion.

“I know Richmond the place, I just don’t know about whatever it is you’re saying. I assume it’s football?”

Keeley nods. “Yeah, they’re not half bad actually. Mostly. Well, they still struggle sometimes, but Jamie’s a ringer. He’s got half of Europe swooning over him.”

Right. Jamie. That must be the same Jamie you met last night. You make a mental note to google Jamie Richmond football later.

“You’re going to have to come to a match before you go back to America. You’re here for a month, yeah? That’s plenty of time to get you in. And don’t be intimidated by Rebecca, she acts all scary but she’ll be over the fucking moon to meet you!”

—

Keeley was not joking about Rebecca. She is tall with perfect hair and makeup, with posture that most chiropractors would envy. She sneaks you in the back of Nelson Road Stadium almost a week later for what she says is “proper football.”

It’s certainly entertaining. Jamie at least looks like he has total control of the field at all times, scoring two goals that keep Richmond at a tie with the opposing team. He can fake out other players and communicate with the other Richmond boys in a way that’s almost like a dance. You wonder what he would look like at the party the other night, and if his rhythm translates elsewhere.

The match is over, and Rebecca asks if you’d like a tour of the building. 

“We can wait up here in the box until everyone else clears out,” she says. “Or we can sneak into my office and raid the snacks I have hidden.”

“Snacks,” you reply immediately. “Definitely snacks.”

—

The trip to Rebecca’s office is one filled with giggles as the four of you do your best to make it through the building without anyone recognizing you. Your hat is pulled low over your eyes as Rebecca drags Keeley, Keeley pulls you, and you lock hands with Natalie.

You peek in the locker room on the way to the stairs and catch a glimpse of Jamie. You can tell it’s him by the hair. He’s shaking the shoulders of a grinning Sam Obisanya. You smile and continue on your way.

Rebecca locks the door behind you and kicks off her shoes with a sigh. “Oh it’s been a good day,” she says.

Keeley’s rummaging through Rebecca’s drawers and throwing snacks to you and Natalie on the couch. 

“Every day we don’t lose is a good day,” Keeley explains. “We’ve had this killer tie streak going, and the team hates it but I think it’s better than losing all the time.”

You nod and say, “I get that. Wouldn’t fly where I’m from, but I get it.”

You pass a good half-hour talking and eating, and it feels nice to be with people who don’t give much of a shit who you are. Keeley’s exposing Rebecca for having a consensual workplace relationship while telling stories of when she and Natalie were first starting out and sharing a flat with four other girls. 

“Fucking wild,” Natalie says with a shake of her head. “What my parents were thinking when they let me move to England at that age, I don’t know.”

You all dissolve into a fit of giggles, and almost miss the knock at the door. Rebecca catches it and calls, “Who is it?”

Probably Roy, Keeley mouths.

“It’s Jamie,” says Jamie. “Wanted to see if Keeley’s with you.”

You exchange looks as you silently debate whether or not to open the door. 

“Is now a bad time?” Jamie asks, voice muffled. “I can come back later. Keeley, if you are in there, Roy’s being a prick about dinner tonight, so can you tell him to fuck off and stop being a grumpy old twat? Fucking annoying. And I wanted to ask if you have any more parties with that one girl we were talking about? Anyway, I-” 

He’s cut off by Keeley unlocking the door and swinging it open. 

“Oh hi Keeley. Ladies.” Jamie’s cheeks grow bright pink to match the tips of your ears.

Fuck, when was the last time someone made you fucking blush? If you had to guess, probably Kyle Sandoval in high school, inspiration for your debut album and, apparently, Jamie’s favorite song. 

You’re so caught up in your reverie that you miss Jamie and Keeley’s conversation, only tuning in when Jamie says goodbye to you by name. You say bye in the softest, most not-you voice ever and pretend to ignore Natalies subtle jab into your side.

You allow yourself exactly fifteen seconds to watch him as he walks away, hair still damp from the shower.

Oh shit. Oh shit, this is so not good.

Keeley shuts the door behind her and zeroes in on you.

“So, what’d you think?” she asks with far too much glee.

She knows NOTHING, you remind yourself.

You feign ignorance. “About..?”

Natalie rolls her eyes and smacks your arm. “About JAMIE, you dumb bitch! You’re totally into him.”

Rebecca perks up and asks, “Ooh, have you two met before? Because I honestly could see you two together. The footballer and the singer,” she says, spreading her hands in the air like her words are written in the sky.

Calm. Be calm. You scrunch your nose. “I mean, we sort of talked at Isaac’s. He seemed nice, I guess. But it was dark and we didn’t really talk about much, and it takes a lot more than that for me to like someone.”

“But you think he’s fit,” Keeley interjects. “I saw you check him out as he walked away.”

“And you were blushing,” Natalie adds. “You totally were. I saw your ears and they were bright red.”

You shrug. “Alright, I’ll admit he’s attractive. But come on, he’s just another pretty, famous face. He’s probably on his way to have a one-night stand with some model then fall asleep dreaming about how glad he is that he has no commitment in his life. Or, he acts like the perfect boyfriend while cheating the whole time, then breaks it up when the public starts losing interest. It happens all the time. I’m not interested in that right now, plus I’m only here for a month. Then I go back home and start touring around the world. That’s some major commitment. Tell me, what footballer wants a girl like that?”

There’s a pause as Rebecca and Keeley look at each other, then back to you. “Jamie,” they say in unison. “Jamie would want that.”

table of contents

[upontherisers]

my mota OCs as olympians because i have to

mahalia - reigning gold medalist in women’s tennis but not the favorite because of the injury struggles. she has a fiery relationship with her doubles partner, fellow princeton alumni john egan. know for a mouth and a temper, plays with tactical precision and crazy speed, and is not someone you want to get in a fight with on twitter. she has a nike campaign and a racquet you can buy at dick’s sporting goods and outfits that have her fans making edits of her to meg songs on tiktok. doesn’t play about her parents. is coming into this olympics with less fire than usual, but her best playing in two years. some think she learned from the injury, some think it’s getting a new coach, but everyone can agree that it’s definitely not getting a new training partner in john egan, who seems to be the only person seeing the old mahalia on the court.

bucky - back to back tour champion. hasn’t medaled at the olympics yet, but after a roller coaster first five professional seasons, he’s held it together these past two seasons mostly due to a coaching switch. bowman seems to pick the problem kids. charming, strong, looks good in wristbands, has an undefinable relationship with a woman who could knock him unconscious with a tennis ball. he seems to linger around mahalia more and more as they fight less and less. they even stood with each other for the parade of nations. has a real shot this year.

hazel - beach volleyball, plays with sheila hartman. third olympics. got silver in her first, bronze in her second, and is chasing that elusive gold using momentum from the best professional season of her career. played on a national championship indoor team at stanford and everyone assumed she’d go pro in europe like her older brother did, but she joined the beach circuit instead. she’s found lots of success there, but there’s always been a “what if” hanging over her head. maybe this year she can prove that she’s right where she needs to be. is very friendly and welcoming to new players, but it’s no more mr. nice guy come game time

jack - two-time indoor volleyball olympian, first time beach volleyball olympian. it’s worse on his knees but easier on his shoulders. (there’s definitely something going on between him and hazel keene, right? or is it just me?)

dora - 100m and 400m hurdles. two timer. she’s fucking fast. always has her nails did, hair did, and face beat on track. always smiling. dating fellow columbia law student and olympian rosie rosenthal, a triathlete. hops the into the stands to hug him when she wins. has darren, delilah, and her grandparents’ names drawn on her shoes. wants to be a sports agent for black athletes when she retires.

rosie - proud boyfriend first, law student second, olympian third. not here to win, but brings home an honorable bronze nonetheless. dora definitely makes tiktoks about being a world-class athlete and student at the same time and rosie is in a lot of them and the world is in love with him but he’s the most married man of all time without being married.

vera - women’s eight rower, bow. top of the field in her sport, less than 5k followers on the instagram, incredible husband and beautiful, loud husky at home. she’s living the life. advocates for mental health in sports and coaches rowing when she’s not competing. rowed with ginny in college and hopes to defend her title from last olympics. has a smattering of tattoos and approx 12 piercings in each ear. married to u.s. men’s soccer player ben demarco (not playing this season due to injury but followed his wife to paris. making hab content on ig and tt)

ginny - women’s eight rower, seat 6. daughter of two olympic rowers. her two oldest brother, danny, and second youngest brother, peter (at the olympics) row quadruple sculls and quadruple sweep respectively. her youngest brother nathan is a ncaa champion eight, just like her. she and vera match their outfits each race, including hair and jewelry (up to 2 piercings, ginny ain’t doing all that).

lola - 50-200m freestyle. swims a crazy anchor leg for the women’s and mixed relays. the only person happier than her when she wins is fellow swimmer john brady.

bobbie - indoor volleyball, middle blocker. 2x ncaa player of the year and 4x first team all-american lighting europe tf up in her first professional season. but is it enough? her father, robert chambers, was on the last u.s. men’s team to win gold and she’s expected to outmatch his legacy by defending the u.s.’s title.

dolores - park skateboarder who takes on the course in wired headphones and not only does she not get tangled, she normally wins. soooooooooooooo bisexual.

[swissboyhisch]

Canada vs Europe

Liked by crosby87, penguins and others

ivylemieux: One last training before game time. Hiya boys 🙋🏻‍♀️ tagged: crosby87, jackhughes, colecaufield and anzekopitar

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crosby87: Hi, I'd like to ask you not to post more pictures of me

ivylemieux: No.

crosby87: okay, well I tried 🤷🏻‍♂️

taycrosby: Look how smiley Sid is. We've all missed you so much! Liked by ivylemieux

user: I can't wait to see these games!

colecaufield: bestieeeee 🫶🏻

jackhughes: 🫶🏻

ivylemieux: my favourite bromance

user: We know you have the goods. Please post them.

anzekopitar: good seeing you kiddo

tkachuk19: why didn't you post a picture of me :(

ivylemieux: Matty the Ratty you don't need to have your ego inflated more

tkachuk19: but bub 🥺

mcdavid97: suck it up Tkachuk

Liked by jackhughes, ivylemieux and others

laurenmatts: First time seeing an ice hockey game. Thankfully, I have a coach to help me understand icing 🤭 tagged: ivylemieux

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user: even I don't fully understand what is or isn't icing

ivylemieux: Thanks for coming with me on this little trip around the country ❤️

user: Around the country?!

laurenmatts: Always willing to spend time with you 🫶🏻

friend2: you two are stunning! Liked by laurenmatts and ivylemieux

user: imagine never seeing a hockey game 😭

macematts: why didn't you take me 😡

laurenmatts: girls' weekend obvs

macematts: says the girl currently hanging out with a ton of guys

ivylemieux: there is wives and girlfriends too

Liked by jackhughes, ivylemieux and others

hockeycanada: Our favourite captain is in the house cheering on our boys 🇨🇦 tagged: ivylemieux

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user: this is such a great photo

user: 🫡🫡🫡

taycrosby: couldn't just pose normally?

lemieux66: You expect her to be normal?

crosby87: you'd be crazy for that

user: this family is great

user: 🥰🥵

ivylemieux: gotta support the best 🫡

usahockey: so us?

euroallstarhockey: No it's us 💁🏻‍♀️

hockeycanada: who does she play for? oh that's right us. It's us.

user: She’s so cute!

timhortons: We love her 😍

ivylemieux: stahppppp 🤭

Liked by leondrais, nhl and others

mcdavid97: What a way to kick off the Hockey Exhibition tour. tagged: leondrais

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user: love that he also used a picture of Leon

user: What a game! As someone who has never seen a hockey game before... Wow you're a great player

leondrais: we'll get you in the next city

mcdavid97: just win against the US tomorrow?

anzekopitar: yeah we will, don't mind Leo

user: They're besties your honour

ivylemieux: Canadaaaaaa baby

tkachuk19: United States baby

mcdavid97: CANADAAAA

jackhughes: USAAAAAA

nylander29: EUROPEEEEEEEE

user: Guys.... did you see Matt and Ivy watching the game together? Matt even came to support Connor!

ivylemieux: Hate to tell you but I made him come

edmontonoilers: Our favourites playing against each other?! NOoOoo

Liked by calgaryflames, ivylemieux and others

tkachuk19: The three stooges are back together 😈 tagged: ivylemieux and mcdavid97

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user: I honestly forgot these three were best friends

user: right? it's so weird that Mcdavid and Tkachuk don't constantly fight

taryntkachuk: Bring her home will you?

tkachuk19: 🫡

bradytkachuk: your wish is our command 🫡

user: One of my favourite things about these three is the fact the boys go with Ivy to the other's games. Even though they're rivals. Just super sweet.

tkachuk07: oh no, watch out Australia 🫣

lemieux66: Wouldn't want to be there

user: Best friend goals

user: The chaos 😂

ivylemieux: missed you two knuckleheads 💕

mcdavid97: are you sure?

tkachuk19: Yeah, you hitting us doesn't say 'I Miss You'

ivylemieux: and the tackles that took you both to the ground? What did they say?

laurenmatts: Those tackles said "You better win'

TAG LIST:

@penny4yourthoughts @mp0625 @hischierhaze @11zegras @lvrzegras @francesfarhadi

[tartrat]

Big Reputation, Big Reputation

Sorta a sequel to this post. More below.

You see, they would probably change the colour that her hair fades into, depending on what song she reappears in next, but honestly the hot pink is too iconic to me now.

I’m surprised at how quick i finished this one. Like whenever i start and finish something in within 24 hours it looks off, but this a one actually looks good for how quick i did it.

I cut off the shoes because i didn’t want to finish them (i hate drawing shoes). The mesh part of the body suit was done by creating another layer, filling in the necessary parts with grey, using the noise tool to make it look like mesh, and making the layer a medium layer and lowering opacity.

Am i still salty about Reputation Taylor’s Version not being announced at the end of the Europe leg of the tour? Yes, so this is how i cope. It’s so funny how every other era got more than one outfit, and now the tour is almost over and this bodysuit is still the only reputation outfit in the tour. Speak now has like ten just for Enchanted. Granted it is a really cool bodysuit. At the end of time when everything is just dust floating through space, the reputation bodysuit will somehow still be intact just floating through the void. What I’ve learnt is that the rep bodysuit isn’t leaving anytime soon.

This is funnier in context with the Kapyy Vigilante shit piece i made, since in that i just headcanon that Talia keeps a bunch of these outfits in her wardrobe lol. Adding on to that, she doesn’t remember why she bought them, maybe for a party or something but otherwise she can’t remember.

What if i just keep doing this and put more coaches in the era’s tour outfits? Like i genuinely can’t even think of anyone. Maybe Sara in the yellow blue 1989 combo, but otherwise i can’t think of any other ideas.

Bonus doodle that takes place after the previous post’s bonus doodle:

[kjxlll]

wip wednesday!!

thank u for the tag and for starting this today @arokel!!!!

i am going to continue beating photo into the ground for wip games. sorry

(cw internalized homophobia)

Logistically, Bobby knew it wasn’t good for him; to foster a friendship so secretly laced with something deeper. Sure, he liked Don as a pal– he wasn’t being disingenuous. But lingering in the locker room became walking home together, and walking home together became studying together, and eating together, and before Bobby knew it they were good friends. Real friends. Not just teammates. And each time Don went out of his way to spend an extra few minutes with Bobby, or remembered a small detail about him, or touched his hands in the shell, Bobby would later find himself lying in bed, wracked with guilt and wishing– for everyone else’s sake– that he wasn’t so weak.

He shouldn’t have let it get this far. It’s the most selfish thing he’s ever done. And he’s going to stop it.

They’re going to row in Berlin, Don will go home, and Bobby will tour Europe with Chuck and Roger. Then he’ll have plenty of time to get over it and come back and be a good, clean assistant coach. Everything will go back to normal.

[seeminglyranch87]

Taylor & Travis Timeline

December 2023 - part 2

December 10 - Chiefs v Buffalo Bills, Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City.

Travis Kelce arriving ahead of game

Taylor flies into Kansas City to attend the Chiefs game with her cousins, Travis' cousins & friends at Arrowhead Stadium

Travis made a brilliant play contributing to a touch down but was denied due to a team mates penalty.

During the game, NFL announcer and former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo referred to her as "Travis' wife" while on the air with announcing partner Jim Nantz.

"As you see, Kelce's wife, Taylor Swift, in the audience," Romo pointed out, quickly correcting himself and saying, "I'm sorry -- girlfriend."

"Not yet," Nantz said in response.

Chiefs were defeated 17 - 20.

Taylor and Travis leave the stadium together

Taylor and Travis together with team mates, coaches friends and family gather at Miracle Pop Up Bar

Travis' barber shares a photo of Taylor and Travis (x)

Lots of photos emerge from the party with Taylor and travis taking photos with friends - these have been cropped...

December 11 - Taylor is nominated for a Golden Globe for The Eras tour movie.

USA Today reports that Taylor has donated $1 million to a Tennessee tornado relief Fund (x) after a Tornado ravaged the state on Saturday 9 Dec.

ET article (x)

According to Cheterah Jackson, a Columbus, Ohio-based real estate agent and friend of Travis', the couple rented a luxury bus to transport their group and reserved the Christmas bar in downtown Kansas City for friends and family. 

Jackson tells ET, "My boyfriend Calvin Locke... is Travis' friend and has known him since the 7th grade. We were in the suite at the game, which was filled with family and friends."

"Taylor is an absolute sweetheart. She is very down-to-earth and kind." 

"Taylor and Travis are so in love. It was so cute seeing them together and I can see them getting married"  

December 12 - Taylor returns to NYC. Pictured with Miles & Keleigh Teller

December 13 - New Heights Ep. 68 airs (x 5:05)

Jason and Travis limit talking about Taylor although when the brothers chat about the No.1 & No.2 sales of NFL jerseys in the UK, they give credit to Swifties for helping with the success of topping the sales and Travis gives a "shout out to Kylie and Taylor." Travis suggests that perhaps they could "find our way over there this off season and say hello to everyone in person" and record a live show in the UK. Jason replies "we also got an opportunity to do one in Australia - we could make it a world tour"

Any one know of an international pop star who may be touring in the UK and Australia in 2024 that coincides with the NFL off season? Are the Kelce brothers hinting that Travis and perhaps Jason will join Taylor on tour next year? It should be noted that Patrick Mahomes has also raised the idea of possibly catching the Era's Tour in Europe in the off season too...

The boys answer "No Dumb Questions" from handle "metal-as-hell", a reference to Taylor's TIME article calling Travis "metal as hell" when he publicly declared his interest in dating Taylor.

Taylor Swift's 34th Birthday - Taylor heads to Banzarbar, NYC with friends to celebrate her birthday into the early hours of the morning - Happy Birthday Taylor! The paps even broke out into song to sing Taylor "Happy Birthday". Note Travis remained in KC with commitments to the Chiefs. This was expected.

December 14 - Taylor and friends share photos from the birthday celebration the evening before (x)

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A post shared by Taylor Swift (@taylorswift)

December 15 - Taylor is named Billboard's No.1 Greatest Pop Star (x)

It didn’t seem possible that anyone could have a year this dominant: not this deep into the streaming era, not this long after the oft-proclaimed death of the monoculture, not when the entire industry seems to be in crisis over how to capture and hold onto listener attention. It was a year not to be judged against Swift’s 2023 peers, but against the entirety of modern pop history. 

There is no wasted potential with Taylor Swift, no what ifs – the chance was there for her to have one of the greatest years any pop star has ever had, and you know that she grabbed it. Taylor was here. No one who was around for her 2023 will ever forget it.

With reference to Taylor's relationship with Travis, Billboard's Andrew Unterberger says:

... rumors were beginning to swirl about her and Kelce. The Chiefs star had become increasingly coy in his comments about the pop icon, saying he’d invited her to come see him play a home game (after he’d seen her Eras show in Kansas City that July). She did indeed do just that on the September 24th, with her presence at Arrowhead sending both the worlds of sports and pop culture into a frenzy, and leading to numerous posts and videos of non-football-conversant Swifties sharing the sport’s rules with one another, so they could better understand what was happening in between the shots of their hero in a private box with Kelce’s mom Donna.  From then on, every Sunday (and a couple Mondays and Thursdays) of 2023 was overtaken with Taylor talk: Would she be showing up at the Chiefs’ next game? What other celebrities would she be attending with? What kind of Kelce swag would she be wearing, and what would that mean about their relationship? What do you mean Kansas City is on a bye week?While Swift’s short relationship with Healy was extremely controversial to Swifties and her long relationship with Alwyn was largely uninteresting to everyone else, her love story with Kelce – a well-liked, unproblematic figure, a Super Bowl-winning superstar as an athlete with enough of a Q rating as a celebrity to host SNL – was universally accessible, and found near-100% public approval. You didn’t need deep grounding in Swift Lore to understand the relationship, because it just felt right: the All-American athlete dating the All-American pop star. 

Go to part 1 of December 2023

Go to part 3 of December 2023

Return to the timeline

[extranenas]

the final of 2018 | part one

pairing: luka modric x reader

genre: fluff…?

plot: being on a mens soccer team was hard- but having to be in the world cup finals and play against her husband…?

extra: so for the sake of the story, reader was born in france (but yknow race isnt specified but yknow u got french residency😭😭)

masterlist

july 15, 2018 | 3rd person p.o.v

today was the 2018 world cup finals in russia. throughout the entirety of her career- she worked up to finally make it into the damn final, to taste what people said she'd never do, win the world cup.

yes, she is a woman who played on mens teams, she always did. people always said she had a talent that was undeniable- something she couldnt hide and was huge. something that marked her as the greatest woman player to grace the iconic green grass.

starting out in psg's mens team at age 18 in 2006, being the talk of the game because it was a girl on the mens team in 2007, who soon had went to croatia to play around with one of their teams. her trip there caused up in her meeting her future husband and father to her kids.

2007 | 3rd person p.o.v

when psg had decided to go on a tour around europe, they had went over to the balkan side where croatia resided. they had contacted dinamo zagreb, one of the major croatian teams to come over to paris as a "training help" of some sort.

they wanted to show what it was like to train like one of the most well known team- what its like to be on the bigger stage than what they were used to.

when they had arrived at their training facilities- they didnt expect to see a girl in the front of the field with the coaches and managers.

a girl was the player everyone was talking about in the soccer world? this famed player was a girl?

2007 | lukas p.o.v

she went around and shook everyones hand, introducing herself- i found out her name was ___- the captain of the team. i thought it was weird cause why are we training with the womens team?

wait... there's guys coming out instead of girls. is she the captain of the mens team?

"i forgot to mention- yes i play on the mens team- yes im the captain of it. i know this is extremely rare to see a girl- best be known a 19 year old girl be in this position but youre seeing it now."

i nod as she chuckled after her clarification. she was the girl everyone talked about... she was quite pretty too… maybe this wouldnt be bad?

present  | 3rd person p.o.v

people always doubted the girl who was on this level- spewing nonsense like she couldn't be compatible with the mens team- shes too weak and yet she probed them wrong every time. it was unheard of for a girl to do that- but it didnt  mean it was completely new.

what was new though- was dating your (well future)  teammate. throughout 2007 up to 2010, the pair of luka modric and ___ was the ultimate pair on the field and out of. they even went so far to get married in 2010 and two years later, soon their daughter had donned the modric-___ last name. after that, their twin boys in 2016 had also donned that name as well.

even though they went through the troubles of being teammates then rivals while being lovers out of the game- they thought they were used to it. used to the times when ever luka had scored- shed come up running to him- jumping onto his back and giving him a huge kiss on the cheek.

used to the times hed yell from excitement as she did the slide trick- the trick where shed kick the ball under some player and immediately slide between them and score that goal the team desperately needed.

used to the times where hed immediately hug her after every goal she did- kissing her forehead as the crowd roared from the stands. they were used to working and against together on the field.

but it was never at this level. despite cheering on eachother and their team to win the world cup- saying they'd support either one no matter who won it- they never thought theyd get it to the point where they were against eachother on the world cup final.

the country who hasnt won at all and was only 27 years old, and the team who won the 1998 world cup.

three minutes before kick off | ___ p.o.v

i looked around the filled stadium- the atmosphere had never failed to impress me. the cheers, lights, overall pride was just... beautiful... the chance of your country winning... the people who believe you will take them to the top... its just... beautiful...

i soon saw kylian walking up to me- placing his hand on my shoulder as i put mines on top of his- looking at him with a smile.

"if we win... then... what...?"

"we have the best time of our lives, ___. youll be the best of the best- if your husband isnt already 'great' enough."

i let out a tiny laugh- soon looking at the stands to find my kids, adeliene, matteo, and santiago. i wonder how hard it is for them to support your parents when both of them are going against eachother.

i sighed as we got into the lines when they played the national anthems. i sung mines with pride as the other team did with theirs. i soon look around my body to check if anything was out of place- my eyes immediately glancing to my arm with the captains band around it.

i reluctantly walked out of the line with my countries flag to the front of the field to exchange the banners. i wait and see luka walk up with the red, blue, and white flag that had donned the crest in the middle.

i smile before shaking his hand and exchanging the flags- quickly pecking his cheek before whispering.

"good luck mon amour..."

"good luck to you moja ljubav..."

i nod before walking back to my spot- feeling more guilty now that there's a chance that i might steal my husbands dream of winning the world cup.

before i knew it- kickoff was going to start in a few seconds. i immediately got to my spot as a midfielder- yet tried to find my husband on the other side of the field. i did- and blew him a kiss- one he grabbed and took with a smile.

i soon thought about our conversation from before- what would- could- happen.

flashback | 3 person p.o.v

she sat on the hotel room- looking up at her husband with a conflicted face as he looked outside.

"amour...? how do you feel...?"

"... confused... guilty...”

"lukita look at me, please."

she watched as he slowly turned to look at her- his face filled with worry and dread. this wasnt the first time he went to the world cup final- yet this was worser than the one before. she soon got up and cupped his face- kissing his nose.

"baby... i know its hard for the both of us- we both want to win... i know amor..."

"but i dont want to go against you- its so hard to have to be your rival- to pretend we hate eachother whenever youre on the opposite team when i love you with my whole heart and soul- i cant do it on the other cups level... draga... i cant do it on the world cup level... i just cant..."

"i know but... one of us is gonna win... we have to do it whether you like it or dont. baby, if you win, ill be so glad, so happy you finally get what you deserve, something you always worked for...”

"but you... you deserve it more than i do... i want it but-"

"no buts... baby you deserve it... and if i manage to win, i swear ill dedicate every goal to you- every damn goal. it doesnt matter who wins, we still love eachother very much. we'll forever be lm10 and __5... forever...

to be continued 🫶

[hangmansradio]

Corroded Coffin were touring their third album, selling out venues up and down the country. Mainstream media had gone quiet on album number two, already bored with their own vitriol. But album three was darker, heavier, and had thrown the band into the stratosphere, followed everywhere by sensational headlines about Satanism and cults. The more the media tried to poison them, the bigger they seemed to grow, and what had started as the usual six month tour had been extended, the venues increased until they became stadiums. Europe was calling, and so was Japan. There’d been talk when the new decade hit that the nineties would bring the death of metal. Manufactured pop bands were certainly riding the charts, but Corroded Coffin had never been interested in a top ten hit, and in the metal scene at least, they were thriving.

Steve tried to call Eddie as much as possible, but they were both busier than ever. Steve coached both basketball at the high school during the week, and then baseball on the weekends. And so many people wanted a piece of Eddie that he was rarely free to speak, especially now they had a new manager who insisted on all phone calls being patched through him first. Steve had called a dozen times only for Alan to tell him <i>not right now Steve</i> and hang up. It was torture. They’d never gone so long with no communication, and yet Eddie was <i>everywhere</i>. On the news, in the magazines, on the radio... And then Steve would come home and the reminders were constant - Eddie’s clothes in the wardrobe, Eddie’s favourite mug unused in the cupboard. Steve was going out of his mind. He ate dinner alone, as he did most nights, staring at the TV without watching it. All the kids had moved on, leaving Hawkins just like Robin had, off in search of new opportunities and communities that weren’t so close minded. Steve would have gone too, but he loved his jobs and with Eddie gone so often it seemed pointless to move somewhere and settle in without him. Steve didn’t see it as a big deal that he felt lonely sometimes. He’d grown up in an empty house, his parents returning only for Christmas so they could play happy families a few days each year. Besides that, they might suddenly crash in on his solitude every few months, which was almost worse than the loneliness. They kept his allowance topped up and made sure he didn't want for any material thing, but their love had never been something he could ask for. That was what made it so hard to be alone now. Eddie was so free with his love, showering Steve in it whenever they were together. Even when they’d first officially met, their conversation angry and awkward, Eddie had been a physical being, like he didn’t know how to exist without touching the nearest living thing. And Steve had been so different, uncomfortable at first, only used to physical touch when he was hooking up with someone - and that had definitely been off the cards with Eddie back then.

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