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anonymoushouseplantfan · 5 years ago

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#FaveOutfitFriday--All Time Kate Faves

One of the things I love about Kate’s fashion is that she thinks long and hard about her choices and tries to tailor the outfits to the events. Sometimes it doesn’t quite come out right (leopard skirt, jeggings), but I feel there's always a method to the madness.

So my favorite outfits aren’t necessarily her showstoppers. However, they are all (except for the last one!) outfits where she simply nailed the event perfectly, and the clothes are meaningful as well as beautiful.

1. Chanel Tweed in Paris.

The cost of this outfit made my jaw drop, but it was a masterpiece of diplomatic dressing. Gorgeous, professional-looking tweed from a classic French brand with perfect accessories that gave it a British twist. This was a tough pick, I’m sure, because she had meetings with terrorism survivors and kids on the same day, and the suit was perfect for both. It was sober enough for the terror attack event and friendly enough for children. This was a hard day to dress for and this outfit nailed everything perfectly. She also looked absolutely gorgeous. I’m also giving the outfit bonus points because the shoes were a re-wear.

2. White McQueen Suit in Poland

I can’t say enough good things about this look. This was, imo, a showstopper arrival and probably the Cambridges’ #1 tour arrival of all time (yes, it beats Pakistan. Sorry, ombre dress fans). The British suit was lovely, the hair was bouncy yet professional, and the accessories freaking matched Charlotte’s dress. The whole thing also matched the colors of the Polish flag.

I particularly love the fact that Kate chose a neutral color that made Charlotte the center of attention. The outfits screamed “Look at my little girl, isn’t she gorgeous.” This was an epic “proud mom” moment, and it made the European tour feel very personal, like a neighborly visit more than a diplomatic tour. I noticed these little touches during the “cozy like a family visit” Irish tour, and now I’m starting to see them in the other tours. It also resulted in amazing magazine and newspaper covers.

3. Maternity Glam in Sweden

I don’t think I have to explain this. Absolute show-stopper dress. Perfect hair and accessories. Absolutely suited to the occasion and the location.

4. Burberry in Belfast

I know I’m going to get pushback on this one because it’s just a beige coat, but I am looking at context here. This was Kate’s big moment after her engagement. Her image up to this point was that of London party girl in Issa dresses and jeans and no one had any big fashion expectations from her. This coat was a huge moment for her because it was the first “big” label she had worn. This coat said, “I’m a contender” and “I’m a force to be reckoned with.” It was also a British brand, a perfect style for Belfast, and had tons of trademark buttons. This will forever be one of my favorite Kate pics simply because of the mischievous “Yass, I came to slay, bitches” smile. She knew she nailed it.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1364152/Prince-William-Kate-Middletons-Belfast-pancake-tossing-surprise-visit.html

5. Green McQueen for #MeToo Baftas

This was a crazy hard event because of the all-black dress code. To wear black would be to make an inappropriate political statement, and to not wear black would be to throw abuse victims under the bus. Kate finessed it perfectly with a dark green gown and a black ribbon AND she also managed to look gorgeous and glamorous.

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paper-n-ashes · 4 years ago

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Sarah my love!!! From the music asks list may I ask 17, 18, 19, and 20? It always seems like our music tastes overlap so I can't wait to hear the answers to these. Hope you're having the loveliest day <3

Issa, my sweetest honey. Took a while with this because I had to do some THINKING. Oh boy. I am so sorry because I can’t talk about music without going into unnecessary detail.

17. What songs remind you of very specific events or people when you listen to them?

See most songs do this for me, but there’s one that sticks out more than most.

Love Lies by Khalid and Normani. So, a fairly chill song right? Now, I fell in love with this song right when I was detoxing and withdrawals were fucking me up big time. This song, for some reason, I played on repeat while I paced around my house because I couldn’t sleep, and walking helped to settle the restless leg syndrome I was experiencing. I still adore this song because it’s funky as hell, but also reminds me what a fucking SHIT time in my life that was, which helps prevent relapse.

18. Top 5 favourite songs of all time?

This is the hardest fucking question ever? It honestly depends of the day. And my music taste has a wide spectrum so GOD this is going to be difficult. I’ll try to diversify from my different playlists.

I Don’t Trust Myself (With Loving You) - John Mayer - A classic favourite of mine. The whole Continuum album is a masterpiece, but this song is so effortlessly smooth and funky. Settles me right down.

Sudden Desire - Hayley Williams - This song means, just, SO much to me. Has fuelled so much of my writing. It’s definitely off beat and alternative, but I couldn’t love it more.

Rules - Doja Cat - OKAY but this is the song I never tell anyone I love. But it was my most played on Spotify last year HAHAHA. Because it is a fucking banger. And if you don’t feel like a boss ass bitch listening to it, I honestly can’t help you.

MANTRA - Bring Me The Horizon - Literally like nothing else on this list. This tops my emo/heavy music playlist. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve belted this on the way home from a shitty shift. SO cathartic.

Where Did The Party Go - Fall Out Boy - Yes this one song narrowly edges out the rest, but actually the whole fucking album is my pinnacle. Literally my favourite band and album of all time.

19. Put your library on shuffle and say your favourite lyric from the song that first comes up.

Okay Spotify is dumb and doesn’t let me really shuffle all of my playlists, so I’ll just use my Writing Songs playlist

Roses/Lotus/Violet/Iris - Hayley Williams (I adore ALL the lyrics to this song, one about not comparing yourself to others, but here’s a beautiful verse)

‘I have seen your body And I have seen your beauty They are separate things Pretty, pretty, pretty things But I am in a garden Tending to my own So what do I care And what do you care if I grow?’

20. What songs are your ‘go-to’ songs when recommending new music to people?

I can’t do individual songs, but rather some artists I recommend taking a dive into, and my favourites of theirs

Rufus Du Sol - Hypnotised + Brighter + Like an Animal + Eyes

Hayden James - Better Together + Just Friends + Favours + Hold Me Back

NOTD - So Close + Keep You Mine + I Wanna Know + I Miss Myself + Wanted

PVRIS - Death of Me + Old Wounds + Gimme A Minute + Dead Weight + You and I

Against The Current - weapon + that won’t save us + Voices + The Fuss

Au/Ra - Ghost + Assassin + Panic Room + Ideas + i miss u

JFC. This got long. Sorry again.

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iwaisa · 4 years ago

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issa i hope u know that my whole plot for imessage games was so dumb to me when i thought ab it😭😭😭 DONT WORRY I KNOW U CAN PULL IT OFF also y-yams🥺🥺🥺🥺 cute 🥺🥺🥺

BUT IMESSAGE GAMES WAS AN ABSOLUTE MASTERPIECE 🤩🤩

it’s gonna take a while for my brain juices to begin working because this is already really hard LMAO

also hehe yes it’s yams 🥰🥰

#issa replies #friends; sue!

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yaachtynoboat711 · 5 years ago

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The Plus One

A/N: Allow me to break once more from Fonder to give you all this Oscar fic mini-series (literally two, maybe three chapters). Here’s all the fluff your hearts can handle before I resume with Chapter 7 and 8.1 I know it’s late, but this is for @sonofnjobu ’s WIP FF. I had wisdom teeth taken out last week so I was out of action. This fic is very descriptive and interactive, so please, enjoy!

Word Count: 2.7k

Warning(s): FLUFF, possibly some errors/typos

Sunday mornings— the days of rest and recreation for you and your fiancée Winston. Lately, the two of you would spend half the day planning the wedding with you all’s planner. Sometimes, you and Winston would maybe get up before 10, no later than 11 to lounge around. Yet, this Sunday morning wasn’t like any other Sunday. No ma’am: this Sunday was filled with the preparation and the attendance of the 91st Academy Awards in Los Angeles! You’d been in LA since the week of your Jimmy Kimmel interview for further wedding planning, final Oscar-related consultations, and just a well-needed breather.

Within the past few months, you’d been working on Maryland’s suit lawsuit against the Trump administration. While in California, you’d met with the lawyers responsible for the state’s lawsuit. You and your partners hit the ground running after Christmas break and basically moved into the firm during the government shutdown and the weeks following. Around this time last year, you were face-first in your cases. You’d be damned if you would once again miss the opportunity to be Winston’s plus one for the awards ceremony due to work.

Your phone’s alarm began sounding off at 9:45 a.m. You decided to turn in the night before while Winston attended Common’s pre-Oscar party. It must’ve been Opposite Day. It would be you going out and Winston stayed in. Usually, you’d be snuggled up in your man’s arms sleeping. Instead, you were on your stomach, head to the side and resting on top of your hands. Dead to the world. You did,however, match Wins’ fly and slept in a new gold megabonnet to match his velvet durag (you’d bought him 10-15 new durags for Valentine’s Day). By the time your eyes reluctantly opened, you noticed that he was gone. Before you could curl your lip and whimper, you picked up your phone to find Wins’ text to start you off for the day.

You sat up on your elbows and smiled at the sight of the two white waffle bathrobes staring at you. The longer robe read “Duke” in crimson stitching, while the other read “Abdullah-Duke” in blue stitching. When you got out of bed, you caressed and carefully observed your robe. Baby boy ain’t skimpin’ on the quality of these robes. Ol’ extra ass. You quickly went into the shower, waterproof speaker in hand. From City Girls to Megan Thee Stallion to Kurt Carr and to Broadway soundtracks, your 25-minute shower performance was one for the books. Once you’d finished showering and doing your Oscars skincare routine, you went back into the bedroom to find Winston stretched out on the bed, his gapped grin stretching from ear to ear.

“Well, good morning, Mama Bear. That was one helluva performance you put on in there.” He looked you up and down like you were the last oxtail, slowly licking his top lip. “I see somebody likes their new robe.”, Winston complimented as he watched you walk towards him. He re-adjusted his stance so you could straddle his lap.

“Good morning to you,too, Daddy Bear. I don’t like it at all—I love it.”, you said in the crook of his neck as you kissed it repeatedly.

“You ready for today?”

You paused, going through the day’s mental Rolodex of events. “Of course—we’ll be together. You’ve been on an Oscars red carpet, I haven’t. Guide me. Show me your ways, Master Duke.”, you said dramatically. Winston’s deep, almost maniacal laughter sounded in your ear. He stared into your light brown eyes and smiled. Kissing your fivehead, he said, “You’re so dramatic. Of course. I’m excited for tonight...like very excited.” He kissed your ring and then your lips. You cheesed like the spoiled princess you knew you were. The two of you continued to cuddle, which eventually led to your lips finding their way onto his. Just as his curious hand ventured underneath your robe, there was a knock on the hotel suite door. Your head fell back in frustration and you reluctantly got out of Winston’s lap and smoothed your robe out as you walked to the door.

Winston whistled. “I hate to see you go, but I love watching you leave.” He tucked his lip under his top row of teeth.

“Shut yo corny ass up...Gabe.” Your face twisted and you placed an emphatic but playful tone on “Gabe” before sticking your tongue out. You looked through the peephole and opened the door for your assistant Jacqui, your wig stylist Maya Elise, and your makeup artist Alicia (your usual glam artist Justin was out of the country. It was time.

Not long after your glam squad arrived, Winston’s team came trickling in. The last-minute decision to get a two-bedroom suite instead of one was paying off. You and Winston broke off into different rooms and began your transformations.

Two hours and a whole Gillette advertisement later, you were reunited with your big head for lunch. When you emerged from the room, you were taken aback to see your fiance sporting an immaculate low fade. His beard was trimmed just right, enough to know it’d been flourishing in its growth. Ahh, my favorite seat looks like a meal for real. He stood feet from you in his white robe, giving you one of those looks.

As if on cue, your twin sister Farrah knocked on the door.

“Li, I’m so sorry. The one time I try to work on something last-minute, I’m almost an hour late. Where’s your room?”, Farrah said as she tried to catch her breath. She was holding your dress in her signature purple garment bag across her arms.

“ Rah! It’s okay, Boop. First off, slow down. Secondly, I’m over here.”, you pointed your fan behind you indicating where to put the dress. You excused yourself and returned to your room.

Farrah was an up and coming size-inclusive fashion designer and most importantly, your fraternal twin sister. You and Farrah were on completely different ends of the same spectrum. Growing up, you were often fighting her bullies on her behalf because she was a pacifist to the core; a terribly sensitive and somewhat reserved Cancer. She graduated from the same high school as you at 16, two years after you did. She graduated with her BFA in Fashion from North Carolina A&T, where she’d met her would-be husband and star Defensive Lineman for the Philadelphia Eagles, Braxton King. Professionally, She went by Issa Jenae, her two middle names. Though she and her family had just moved to Philadelphia from Boston, she spent most of her time in LA and New York. Nearly 85% of your dresses were designed by your sister. So, naturally, she was elated to design your Oscars dress.

Your sister was hanging the garment bag up on the closet door when you got back in. You were anxious to see the dress, as you had no idea what it was going to look like. When she asked you what you had in mind, you replied that you wanted something that was “subtly Wakandan”. With the help of Black Panther’s costume designer and Oscar nominee Ruth E. Carter, Farrah was able to make your wish shake. One of the advantages of having your twin sister design your dresses was that she’d knew you better than any other designer could. Your off-shoulder gown was fittingly inspired by the Jabari tribe with the purple and gold-threaded triangular pattern on the exterior and the gorgeous interior satin royal purple lining. The slit on the right side showed just enough of your thigh tat. Like the other dresses she’d made for you, it was customary for Farrah to hand-sew an insult of some sorts somewhere into the dress. Today’s insult: whore, sewn into the left side of the slit’s opening.

Being that it was one of the many inside jokes you two shared, you searched tirelessly for the insult. When you finally discovered it, you let out the ugliest sound as began laughing. “Bitch, you play too fuckin’ much. Whore? Really?”, you commented as you began unzipping the dress.

“Why not? I wasn’t the one sleepin’ with half of Black Hollywood, now was I?” You stared at her in pure disbelief. That raggedy bitch just airing your dirty laundry out there, but if the roles were reversed, she’d call your umi with the quickness. She was the true Cancer. “Exactly. I rest my case. Now go change, whore.”

You muttered some dirty words and passive aggressive wishes under your breath as you carefully slipped into your dress. Farrah zipped you up and spun you around to get a better look at her masterpiece of a dress. With your wig on and your shoes and accessories still needing to be put on, your transformation was almost complete.

You toyed with the idea of what kind of accessories you’d wear for tonight’s activities. Simplicity won you over for your picks. You wore three necklaces: a choker-like gold bar with “Khalida” written in Arabic, your everyday rose gold “K”, and your gold zodiac pendant. In addition to your 2nd engagement ring, a local Black jeweler allowed you to wear their oversized black fleur-de-lis cocktail ring (it was Mardi Gras season, after all) for the awards ceremony. In an unusual twist, you decided to wear a bracelet. This bracelet wasn’t just any other bracelet—it was a gold bracelet shaped as scissors (a shameless Us plug for your fiancé).To finish the look, you wore your cowrie shell and gold link anklets. You were ready to fuck that carpet up.

Once Maya-Elise finally laid the baby hairs on your half-up half-down Yaki blowout wig, you walked out of the pits of hair hell one last time. For the first time in history, you were ready before Winston. This never happened. Like...ever. Instead of seeing Winston, you were, however, greeted by your bonus family sitting in the living area of the suite.

“My daughter! Has Winston seen you yet?!”, Mama Cora remarked as you twirled for her.

“No, Coco, because for the first time ever, I’m the first one ready. You know this never happens. Wait—he didn’t dip, did he?”, you asked as you tried to peak at his door.

“Of course not! He wouldn’t ditch the most beautiful woman in Hollywood—not in his right mind,at least. I’d actually have to rough him up.”, Cindy joked.

You and Jacqui walked out to the suite’s main balcony take pictures for the ‘Gram. Six Vogue-worthy pictures later, Jacqui uploaded the photo set with “Dark-haired YAAncé” as the caption. You walked back into the suite to see a handsome thick figure with his back towards you. Winston was so wrapped up in his conversation with his barber Red that he didn’t realize that you’d been outside, yet alone beat him getting ready.

“I wonder what Yaa’s wearing tonight. She mentioned something about there being purple somewhere in the equation? I don’t know...I never know with that gyal of mine.”, he chuckled as he shrugged.

Red’s shoulders bounced in laughter. “I mean...why don’t you ask her? She’s right there.” Red looked around his solid physique to acknowledge your presence.

“How am I going to ask her if she’s not rea—”. Winston turned his head in the direction Red had pointed to. Noticing something different, he whipped around once more, this time, turning his whole body around towards you. The two of you stood maybe two feet apart, taking in each other’s ensembles and beauty.

You were in love with his low fade, especially after the Sisqo phase for the New Years Trip (there could be only one platinum blonde in this relationship). Red got him right for tonight. Then there was the tux. THAT. FUCKING. TUX. It didn’t help that he was already thicker than three-day-old oatmeal. His suit was just fitted enough. In true Winston C. Duke fashion, he couldn’t just wear a basic tux. Nope. Hell nawl. The jacket had white piping on the lapel and the pockets, along with two white bands on either arm. The pants had the white stripe going down either side. Surely, the ancestors wanted to see you cut up over your man and how delicious he was looking. As you undressed him with your eyes, you’d caught his little intentional lip bite and lick. It was subtle enough for only you to catch it.

You fanned yourself harder the closer you got up to him. Shit, that nigga was looking delicious. Winston and everyone else laughed at your speechlessness. Your mouth was totally agape and your head shook. You finally pointed your white coffin-shaped nail at Winston and looked around the room to make sure everyone else was seeing the same meal you were looking at.

“Are you gonna say something, K.D.?”, Winston asked as he closed your mouth and lifted your chin in one smooth motion with one finger.

“Baby...sweetheart...honey bunches...Chris baby…answer me this one question...”, you stammered.

“Yes?”

“Who the fuck told you...TO LOOK THIS FUCKIN’ GOOD?! LIKE, WHO GAVE YOU THE RIGHT AND THE PRIVILEGE?! THE NERVE OF YOU! THE ABSOLUTE UNMITIGATED GALL, THE NEGROSITY OF YOU, ON THIS 24TH DAY OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF MY NATIONAL ANTHEM!”,you gassed, punching your hand and pointing your acrylic nails and clacking them against each other every which way for dramatic emphasis.

Winston doubled over in hysterical laughter, to the point of tears, at your response. “Wow, I must say, it does feel good to be on the receiving end of your gassing. I knew I had to come with it if I was going to be your date tonight. If I haven’t learned anything else about you in all these years of knowing you, it’s that no matter where you’re going, you’re gonna bring it. You’ve kinda forced me to step out of my usual tux zone and further into the world of high fashion...all without knowing what your dress looked like. I think I did pretty good, dontcha think?” He finally closed the gap between the two of you and held your small hands into his big hands.You rolled your eyes to keep from laughing. You weren’t going to give into that Gabe Wilson-level corniness.

“Ehhh...you did aight. Ion know who you tryna dress up for, but you cute or whateva.”, you said nonchalantly.

He lowered his voice to where only you could hear, “I must say that you, my dearest Khalida, the love of my life, are looking sublime right now. I don’t even care what you have in store for the after party look, I just know that in this very moment, I’d have you on this table if everyone weren't here.” You smirked.

“You know, I had the same thought about you when were eating lunch. I’m happy our freakiness is in tandem.”, you paused to look around the room, “Now let’s go and flex for the ‘gram, shall we?”

Everyone crowded both elevators to the lobby to get a full glimpse at the soon-to-be Duke’s. The lighting in the hotel’s courtyard was perfect—a studio could never.

“Alrighty...the lighting’s good here, love birds.”, Jacqui reported as she searched for the perfect late afternoon light. The two of you walked to the exact spot Jacqui deemed appropriate. He insisted that you walk before him, just so he could check you out from the back. He gazed in amazement as he noticed the highlight on your shoulders when the sun kissed them. The purple and gold in your dress both complemented your caramel skin. Winston bit his lip as all the thoughts of sin and lust bombarded his mind. God, you outdid yourself when you created her. He finally caught up to you and promptly rested his arm around your full waist, pulling you into him. The two of you stared into each other’s eyes, cameras or people be damned. As Jacqui caught the candid shots, the two of you whispered nasty sweet nothings into each other’s ear. After spending 20 minutes in the courtyard, Jacqui escorted you and Winston to the hotel’s service entrance, where their SUV was waited patiently for you all. As the two of you looked at the SUV, Winston squeezed your hand. “You ready, Dr. Abdullah?”, he asked as he looked down to you.

“When you are, Mr. Duke.”

The two of you shared three deep breaths before loading into the car, eager to show up and out for the Oscars.

I GOT THE TAGLIST IN THE BACK! @muse-of-mbaku @kumkaniudaku @eriknutinthispoosy-deactivated2 @whoramilaje @mbakusthrone @mbakuwife @crushed-pink-petals @supersizemeplz @inlovewithmakeupcomicsanimelove @jackburtonsays @randomwordprompts @bartierbakarimobisson @wakandan-flowerz @blackpantherreblogs @babygirlofwakanda @eerythingisshaka @washyourlinens @turn-thy-paige @doublesidedscoobysnacks @wakandas-vibranium @oceanscorazon @oshasimone @destinio1 @sonofnjobu @teheeboo @sarahboseman @iamrheaspeaks @chaneajoyyy @lovelynervouschaos @cay-cah @coonflix @katasstrophey @mareethequeen @jozigrrl @great-neckpectations @jellybean531 @yofavcocoa @storibambino @maya-leche @blackgirloneshots @royallyprincesslilly @texasbama @ljstraightnochaser @certifiednatural @abeautifulmindexposed

#dukeandthedoctor #winston duke x oc #winston x yaa

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gaycrouton · 6 years ago

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Hey! If you’re looking for a prompt, I’m really in the mood for some post-revival happy, domestic fluff and/or smut. Something that includes Jackson & baby #2 maybe?

So I randomly remembered I had this sitting in my google doc, it’s a little shaky, and totally out of my comfort zone - but I hope you like it. No Jackson, just little domestic snippets of Mulder, Scully, and their love child.

Mulder always thought he’d die alone. That’s not in the self-deprecatory sense, just honesty. He didn’t think he would ever find someone that would put up with him. Someone who would willingly want to, at that. He was obsessive, he was intense, and he had a hard time opening up to people. Let alone the fact that his head was constantly in the sky looking for aliens and UFOs, missing any opportunities that were right in front of him to make human connection. But he supposed the anecdote was right: if one’s head goes high enough, they’re bound to find an angel. He sure did. A scientific, rational, passionate angel.

Scully.

With her red halo and ability to absolve him with her touch, give him penance with her words. He thought he was lucky enough just having her. Living side by side with the woman who meant the world to him. Then, in some cosmic phenomena, someone else came into his life.

Katherine Mulder-Scully. The ultimate combination of the two of them. A little girl with hair as red as a fox, and eyes so blue he found a new sky to get lost in. He thinks the nurse might have been concerned with how much Scully and himself were crying. Born exactly on the due date, 7 pounds and 11 ounces, and in perfect health. After years of struggling with this or that, he was happy he finally had something so exactly as planned.

Scully said fatherhood suited him. He hoped that was true. When she cried in the night, he’d be running. If she needed a diaper change, a bottle, a hug, or a kiss, he was right there. He was at the beck and call of an infant and he’d honestly have it no other way.

“She’s a daddy’s girl, you know that, right?” Scully teased him once as he bounced the giggly girl on his lap.

“Why do you think that?” he asked, peppering the giggling baby with kisses to prolong the music in the air.

“The first time she crawled was to get in your lap, her first steps were in your arms, she wails if you aren’t paying her any attention,” Scully laughed.

“May I remind you that you were right beside me for all those examples. Impossible to determine,” he offered.

“No, I know I’m right,” she praised with a smile, placing a kiss to his shoulder. “No grudges here, I understand completely where she’s coming from,” she added, wrapping her arms around him as she made faces at Katie.

Then the little baby confirmed Scully’s hypothesis. “Dah-dee,” she babbled, grabbing onto Mulder’s nose, her favorite part of him. Mulder and Scully gasped and turned to each other in proud enthusiasm.

Her first word.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When she was three, she went through an ‘everything makes me cry’ phase. He liked to argue it was harder for him than it was for her. Every time those bright blue eyes filled with tears and her bottom lip quivered, he felt like he wanted to do the same. Scully teased him a lot for being the most emotionally invested father in the world, but behind her teasing tone he could see the adoration and happiness she really felt. What could he say? He just wanted his girls to be happy.

Her crying wasn’t out of not getting her way, like with most three year olds; it was out of a profound empathy that Scully liked to joke was genetically passed down from him. He didn’t know about that, but what he did know was that he loved his daughter. The daughter who cried hysterically when she saw a sick person on the tv, when a dog on the street didn’t appear to have an owner, whenever she realized the world was mean, despite his best efforts to shield her from that one truth.

Once she spontaneously started crying during breakfast, big, fat tears that rolled down her cheeks like waterfalls. They had just been eating when she stared between them for a moment, as if truly seeing them for the first time, before the waterworks started. They had no idea what could have caused her outburst. When she was able to catch her breath, she whimpered, “Is daddy sick?”

Mulder looked down at himself. He was wearing an old grey t-shirt and some sweatpants. He hadn’t had taken the time to brush his hair since it was Saturday and they had nowhere to go, but he didn’t think he looked that bad.

“Why would you say that, sweetheart?” Scully asked kissing her cheeks as if she could kiss away her distress.

Her face crumpled and she turned to Scully, keening to the gods “No red hair!” From her throne on her stool, she pointed a chubby finger at his offending head, glaring at the strands of brown hair through an ocean of tears.

Scully’s face took on that impenetrable mask of an adult trying not to hurt a child’s feelings by laughing at them, but struggling to contain their adoration. “You’re worried because Daddy’s hair isn’t red?” She asked, her voice drenched in amusement.

Katie haphazardly pulled at a strand of Scully’s hair with a fist as she held it up to her own scalp, a crimson masterpiece.

Mulder’s heart overflowed with love. In his daughter’s world, her hair was red, mommy’s hair was red, so something must be wrong with daddy. Seeing the big fat globs of tears streaming down her face at the prospect of something setting him apart from them made him want to rush over and smother her with love. So he did.

He kissed her all over and reassured her that he was healthy, even though he was a brunette. In true Scully fashion, she had to tug on his scalp to make sure everything checked out before believing him. Then, as if she hadn’t been bawling a moment ago, she sniffled and asked, “Do you wan’ red hair?”

He was curious what she would have offered if he said yes, but he just shook his head. “Nope, it doesn’t matter what color hair I have, because I spend all my time looking at you and mommy.”

He received two beaming smiles, and an affirmation that he’d made the right choice. “Good,” she stated, picking up her neglected Cheerios. Scully burst out laughing and he couldn’t help but join her.

She insisted Katie’s empathy came from him, but only someone with Scully blood had ever cared for him like that.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When she was four, Scully brought her into his office and he could tell it was going to be good from the way Scully was biting back a smile. The smile that screamed “Our daughter did something adorably cute, but she’s taking this very seriously and I don’t want her to think I’m making fun.” A smile they each wore multiple times a day. As they got closer to him, Katie all the sudden seemed to get shy and buried her face into Scully’s pant leg, peeking at him over the stretched fabric with a mischievous smirk as she held something behind her back.

“Hello my loves, what’s going on?”

“So,” Scully began, amusement dancing in her eyes. “Katie saw on the calendar that next Sunday is father’s day-”

“Tha’s you!” Katie squealed, jumping up once on impatient feet.

Mulder gasped and opened his eyes in mock-shock, “Really?” he exclaimed.

The little girl took a step over so he could see her nod her head enthusiastically, still grabbing onto Scully. The taller redhead snorted lightly before continuing, “-but someone got a little excited and wanted to celebrate right now.”

“Celebrate?” he asked. Katie had been too young to understand the past few years, so usually Scully and him just celebrated in bed when the evidence of his fatherhood went to sleep.

“She made something for you,” Scully explained. She bent down so she was closer to eye level with the blushing little girl. “Go show him, okay? He’s going to love it.”

Katie regarded her with her big eyes before they latched onto him. Slowly she padded her way towards him and he held his arms out to lift her onto his lap. “What did you make sweetheart?” he asked, kissing her ruby ringlets.

Instead of answering, she shoved a piece of paper at him. He took it gently and looked at the top.

1040 U.S. JOINT INCOME TAX RETURN

He glanced up to Scully and she mouthed ‘other side’. Flipping it over he saw an elaborate crayon drawing. In the middle there was a figure with brown spiky hair and a big smile holding up a shorter, smiling red headed figure with black high heels and an even shorter red headed figure with manic curls and a smile so big you could see all her teeth. “Oh, Katie, is this us? I love it?” he praised earnestly.

“Mhm,” she affirmed, nodding her head so hard her whole body moved. She pivoted on his lap so she could point. “Tha’s you, a-and you’re holdin’ up me an’ mommy,” she explained.

“Wow, I must be really strong,” he exclaimed.

“Mhm, mhm, look, I gave you mus-muscles.” Taking a closer look, he saw that she quite literally made him more muscular than he’d even been in his entire life. “Because-because, you’re so strong an’ you always hug me and mommy and I like it when you pick me up,” she rambled adorably, stumbling over her words a bit in excitement.

Mulder looked up and saw Scully using a hand to cover her smile, enraptured by the scene in front of her. He kissed her temple a few times until she squealed in laughter. When he stopped a different part of the drawing stood out to him and he pointed at a red rectangle attached to his neck. “What’s that Katie-bear?”

“Issa cape,” she proclaimed. “Because you are my sooperman, an’ you always make me feel safe and you al-always take care of me. An-and you make me happy. See,” she said pointing to the smile on cartoon-Katie. “You make me smile an’ I love you!” she declared, pointing to all the hearts surrounding them. She had to have at least drawn close to one hundred hearts in waxy precision.

“I love you so much, Katie,” he whispered, hugging her tightly against him. It was hard to get the words out through the clenching of his throat. His face felt hot and he could feel the tears pooling in his eyes as his lip quivered.

Scully must’ve noticed because she walked around to the other side of him and placed a kiss on his head, rubbing circles into his back, misty-eyed herself.

He felt so loved. So unconditionally loved.

When he was a child, safe and loved were just dreams he had intermittently mixed within the nightmares. He got disdain and resentment, and he was determined to give his daughter a better life. Hearing her so innocently confirm he was doing that was overwhelming. In her eyes, he did no wrong. For a man tainted by self-doubt, it was the best gift he could receive.

“Daddy are you sad?” she asked, bringing an uncoordinated hand up to wipe at his face.

He grabbed the tiny little hand and brought it to his lips, placing a kiss to her palm. “No, honey. You make me so happy. I love you and mommy so much, you two are my whole world.”

“But you’re cwying,” she said, kissing his cheeks like her mommy did for her when she was sad.

“Because he loves you so much he can’t contain it all in his body,” Scully explained from above him. He could tell by her voice she was having a hard time containing her love in her body too.

“You guys are silly,” she giggled, hugging him back.

His journey started when a little girl was taken away from him, and never in his wildest dreams did he imagine it would end with him getting the gift of bringing a new little girl into the world.

A little girl birthed by the love of his life. His, hers, theirs.

#x files fanfic #msr fluff #msr domestic #mulder and scully #my fanfiction #gaycrouton #prompts

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malifikook · 6 years ago

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3:15

Leaving you is the last thing Jungkook looks forward to - but every time, like clockwork, he has to.

warnings: issa bit sad, full of fluff, smut but not explicit smut, it’s my first fic so bear with me:P

song reccs: Cartier, and 3:15 by BAZZI, in that order.

Jeon Jungkook was enamored by many things in life. As a single child born into a wealthy family, Jungkook had been exposed to the fineries boys and girls of his age would only dream of. Silk suits at the age of seven, trips to Paris and Hong Kong at twelve, Rolex watches worth 70 K on his wrist at sixteen, and luxurious sport cars at eighteen. In no aspect of his life was he lacking.

Growing up also under his very refined parents’ taste, the boy seemingly grew up with an eye for catching wonderful masterpieces, hidden beauties in seemingly ordinary things. He’d often spend time walking quietly down the cobblestone paths of London, sitting underneath the cherry blossoms of Japanese trees in contemplation, and diving deep into the waters of the Hawaiin Coast in hopes for something, anything-

Because Jeon Jungkook was always searching for something, someone, because the paper of money against his fingertips as he paid for a new TV set, or the revving of his sports car while driving way past the limit on a highway refused to spark up that burning he once upon a time felt.

And one thing that captured Jungkook’s attention far quicker than any Renaissance painting or Bowling center was you.

You you you, the girl who he had spotted across the library when he had snuck out to get away from work tucked away in the corner of the large large building with piles and piles of books stacked beside your busy working hands as they flew over your assignment paper.

You who glanced up with dangerous furious eyes when he accidentally spilled coffee over your work while stumbling to yank out a seat in front of you while simultaneously keeping quiet.

You who had heavy eye bags underneath your eyes and a hastily pushed back glasses sitting atop of your head as you scrubbed at your eyes with the heel of your palms. You who Jungkook had stared at with his arms folded atop of each other on the library table as he stared at you with your head in your hands; who Jungkook had gazed at for only a few moments and had started to find the traces of glint in your eyes, the pretty curve of your lips that looked so fine.

With a silent expression, Jungkook had left you blinking, gazing up after him as he disappeared around the corner only to reappear a few minutes later with two fresh coffee mugs in his hand. Leaning down so he was at eye-length with you, he had stretched out the coffee and asked in a hush whisper, “Do you like art?”

And just like that, you two had hit it off, meeting up in the library every day. Jungkook had found out so much about you, from the way you hid in the back rows because there were a group of rude jockeys from your school that sat in the front, to the way you preferred to tie your hair up in a ponytail because- “It’s clean and simple.”

Oh but heavens there was nothing simple about you.

Everyday Jungkook had entered dressed in his impeccable suits and listened to you with curious, sparkling crescent eyes as you ranted about the day’s work and duties that you absolutely loathed. The way your brows furrowed whenever you grew particularly irritated, to the way you tapped your fingers against the side of your temple whenever deep in thought – Jungkook watched it all, drunk you all in as you sat in your habit, and he couldn’t help the warmth that creeped inside of him whenever you greeted him while leaning against the table, books clasped in hands and hair tied up.

But one day, when Jungkook entered in his usual flair, this time wearing an Armani black suit with his traditional Dior perfume, he slowed down as he took in your sight. Hopped up on the long table, you sat with your hair hanging down, eyes sparkling with your hands tucked under your body as you swayed your legs. The satchel that you had slung around your shoulder pulled at your shirt, slipping it off slightly to expose a hint of skin.

Smiling up at him, you had jumped down off your seat and had strode over to him until you stood directly underneath him, raising your eyebrow up. “Don’t I owe you a coffee, Mr. Jeon?”

That night, after flirting dangerously over two coffees and a muffin, you two stumbled back to your apartment, a tiny thing really, but big enough for the job, and the way Jungkook had hooked your thigh around his waist and kissed you made you feel so so loved. And the whole night, amongst the way he oh so patiently ate you out and fucked you so deep he knew his neighbors would call him up the next morning to ask about his new lover, Jungkook found himself thinking fuck all those other bitches, this is what I’ve been searching for.

Now, laying against the Moroccan silk red sheets you had grown fond of, you watched with teasing eyes as Jungkook’s mouth fluttered open and shut as he danced at the edge of sleep, eyebrows furrowing as he desperately tried to reign the last few seconds of rest, digging his nose deeper into the pillow.

You couldn’t help the soft smile that etched it’s way onto your face, and you picked up your bare arm that glinted with bling – a lone rose gold Cartier bracelet Jungkook had bought you because you look so pretty in pink – and tickled at the boy’s nose, cooing when the boy in question jerked at the sudden contact.

“Kook,” you murmured, shifting closer to now blink through your lashes and find Jungkook’s blearily opening, full of haze as he swallowed thickly. You carried on. “You have a flight in two hours, baby.”

Jungkook squeezed his eyes at that, groaning deeply as he shook his head vigorously in a firm no, arm shooting out to tug you close and picking his body up so he could hover over you, his eyes and body now full awake as he gazed at you underneath him, both hands planted on either side of your face framed by your open hair – just the way Jungkook liked it - as you blinked up owlishly at him and fuck he didn’t want to leave -

“One hour and fifty eight minutes and counting babe,” you cheekily smiled up at him and though Jungkook wanted to laugh like he usually did, this time he didn’t feel like it.

There was something inside of him, something that ached and pulled at his weakly woven strings that held him together; something that made him regret every step he took as he sighed and rolled off the king sized bed to walk to the washroom and get ready.

And when he stepped back out, a half hour later dressed to perfection with his hair styled back and hopping on one foot to get that blasted sock on, he looked up to search for you and had found you standing in his silk black shirt, back to you, as you gazed at something in your hands.

Jungkook said nothing but crossed over to you after finally getting the socks on and sliding his arms around you and leaning his chin on your shoulder to see what you were so intently looking at:

His boarding pass.

Tilting his chin so he could press a kiss there, Jungkook murmured, “Baby?” And you gave back a surprised hum as if you hadn’t noticed him till then, chest lifting for a second as he heard you sniff and that’s when Jungkook squeezed his eyes shut, fingertips halting on your waist.

Leaning back slightly, Jungkook pressed a kiss to the back of your head, closing his eyes as he felt you sigh heavily and lean back into him. It was always like this. You two meet up, spend the bare minimum time, and soon Jungkook will get a call saying he has to be back at work.If it was up to Jungkook, he’d book you a one way ticket with him, because fuck it all you made him feel so alive, and Jungkook was willing to push everything for you, to feel you when he woke up like this in his penthouse with you wrapped up in his clothes, and that bright bright smile all belonging to him.

“Hey,” Jungkook murmured when he heard you sniff again and fuck maybe neither of you had ever thought about going beyond just this – whatever this was- but Jungkook couldn’t bear the sound of you crying, couldn’t fucking even for a second. “Look me in the eyes baby.”

Through teary eyes and smushed lips as you tried to contain yourself, you gazed up at Jungkook as he cupped your cheeks, your own hand going up to join his, as he leaned forward to press his forehead to yours, noses touching as you both stood still, drinking in the moment, etching it into your memories for the long times alone to come.

“Dance with me,” Jungkook smiled, and the goofy smile made you smile weakly, before allowing him to tug you to the middle of the wide spaced apartment, the ceiling to floor windows allowing the dark night sky to illuminate the room with it’s scattered stars.

The slow dance you two followed was a mess, and probably off beat to the imaginary tune playing in your heads, but wrapped up in each other’s arms was enough, enough that you two did not have to even try, because this was exactly what you two were doing:

Dancing around each other, playing that dangerous game with a matchstick stuck between your teeth and the first person to drop it would catch flames.

But dear god, as Jungkook smiled and leaned down to capture your lips, hands sliding to the small of your back to pull you up and closer, with the stars shining silver against the obsidian sky, he realized that he’d dropped the stick a long time ago.And since then he’s been burning, flames sparkling and sizzling inside him that made him yearn for you even more, made him want to dress you up in the finest and show you off, just to show that you’re his, that fuck he’s yours as well.

When Jungkook found himself time to leave, he leaned down to pick up his briefcase before walking to the door, you’re hands intertwined as you murmured in hush tones to each other.

And when Jungkook opened the door to leave, he turned around and swept you up in a hug, peppering kisses all over you before taking a step into the hallway, eyes flicking down to the silk shirt you wore before giving you a wink and disappearing.

With a small smile, you closed the door and padded across the room to snuggle back into bed when you spared a glance at the clock that read 3:15, and outside the apartment where you lay, Jungkook was sliding into the limousine that was waiting for him, sparing a glance at his heavy watch to check the time 3:15.

You both smiled.

Quarter after three, the time where you both said what you meant.

#jungkook #jungkook smut #bts #bts smut #yoongi #hoseok #jimin #taehyung #namjoon #seokjin #smut #first time writing #jeongguk #jeongguk smut

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hampsteadheathharry · 5 years ago

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MY RANKING OF ALL THE SONGS ON FINE LINE:

1. Adore You (I FUCKING LOVE THIS SONG. I FUCKING LOVE ERODA. I WANT SOMEONE TO LOVE ME THIS UNSELFISHLY)

2. Golden (ONE OF MY FAVORITES!!! A true banger. Makes me want to drive down Pacific Coast Highway with the boyfriend I don’t have)

3. To Be So Lonely (ANOTHER ONE OF MY FAVORITES. THE SOUND IS SO DIFFERENT. MR.STYLES IS A TRUE GENIUS)

4. Fine Line (Bon Iver is that YOU? A beautiful song. His vocals....WOW SIR. So peaceful. Makes me have hope again after the way he snatched my heart right out of my body with these sad heartbreak melodies)

5. Sunflower, Vol. 6 (This shit was written on shrooms and I have no doubt about it. It’s so happy and psychdelic-y. Also, him making random crackhead noises at the end. A WHOLE FUCKING MOOD. A MASTERPIECE)

6. Cherry (Okay I didn’t expect to like this song, but I really did! It’s soft and it’s sad and pathetic (in Harry’s own words) and I love it. Not a huge fan of the conjuring sounding voicemail at the end tho....imma just skip that shit)

7. Lights Up (the perfect first single. The beginning of him figuring out who tf he really is)

8. Falling (this shit hit me in my feels. He’s questioning everything he is and it made me sob.PERIOD. A true masterpiece. It really shows his vocal abilities)

9. TPWK (sounds like it should be at the end of a Disney movie. It’s happy, it’s joyous. It’s everything Harry exudes on a daily basis)

10. She (Its a more mature version of woman and it’s good, but I feel like it drags on a bit too much)

11. Watermelon Sugar (I don’t love it, but I don’t hate it. Low key skip it sometimes. Sorry pls don’t kill me)

12. Canyon Moon (Issa a skip. I’m sorry. I don’t vibe. It sounds too country mountain??? for me. I never liked the great outdoors and this song is SEEPING THAT vibe. SORRY ONCE AGAIN DONT KILL ME)

#harry styles #fine line #my review

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soultagious · 6 years ago

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The Awakening of Complex Simplicity – Teedra Moses

Before I get into to the wonderful connection between Ahmad Jamal , Teedra Moses, and Nas; I want to talk about my connection to the iconic Teedra Moses album called “Complex Simplicity.”

In 1988, my older sister was captivated by Anita Baker’s “Giving You the Best That I Got ” cassette tape. Although I was only 6 years old and unaware of heartbreak and love, Anita became a favorite to me. Her deeply soulful love ballads, sultry voice, and signature dance/sway mystified the Soul and R&B charts of the 80s and beyond. African American women received a gift of ballads that explored love and passion. Anita Baker dominated the soundtrack of my life until I stumbled across the instant vintage masterpiece called “Complex Simplicity”.

Complex Simplicity couldn’t have been released at a better time. During August of 2004, I relocated from a small Louisiana town to the soulful hustle and bustle of Chicago. Little did I know, Complex Simplicity became my weekend soundtrack as I navigated the rewarding but often disappointing love scene of the Windy City.

In 2004, Teedra Moses solidified herself as the “Anita Baker” for young women that were hip enough to slide her debut CD into the soundtrack of their lives. Finally, African American millennials had a sistah that gave us goosebumps as we listened to her lyrics of love, secret crushes and self love. Lets be clear, Teedra Moses has solidified herself as a strong and everlasting soulful voice in the industry. To clarify, Teedra Moses does not live in the shadow of Anita Baker but Complex Simplicity provided the same insight to my generation the same way that Anita Baker’s early albums did during her early career.

On the writing of the Songs of Complex Simiplicity

Approaching the 15th year anniversary of Complex Simplicity, the album’s timeless production and sincere songwriting deserves an encore. Reading some of Teedra’s earlier interviews speaks to her effortless natural talent of songwriting.

“I mean most of those records were written in my mirror. I had mirrors on my closet doors in my room when I lived in Pasadena at that time when I was writing that album. I would just fall so deep into myself. *Laughs* I would have a beat on, and I would just be in the mirror in my vibe, and my room was all red, and I just remember it being such a great color at the time because it surrounded me so much. And I would just be in my room, and I probably looked a hideous mess, but in my head and in my mind I was on. And I would just be in the mirror singing to myself, free styling, and that’s how that record came out. ” Teedra Moses

Connecting “Be Your Girl” to Nas and Ahmad Jamal.

We all love and adore “Be Your Girl”. We can appreciate the shy soulfulness of this track. 15 years later, Teedra Moses Fans became delighted to know the full back story on the making of “Be Your Girl”. Teedra Moses was featured on Issa Rae’s Pieces where she gave us the truth behind the sound and lyrics of the song. Teedra revealed the connection between the song, Nas and Ahmad Jamal. The song was sort of a secret crush’s love letter to rapper Nas. Nas created a track called “One on One” that sampled elements of Ahmad Jamal’s The Awakening. Since Teedra was a distant admirer of Nas, Teedra decided to take elements of Nas’s One on One to make the timeless track “Be Your Girl”.

It doesn’t get better than that right?

In the next coming months, Soultagious will touch on the greatness of Ahmad Jamal samples through hip hop. Ahmad Jamal’s contribution to soul and hip and hop deserves a post of it’s own.

LISTEN TO “THE AWAKENING PLAYLIST” ON SPOTIFY

Let Celebrate the Legacy of Teedra Moses. It is rare to find an album that sounds current whether it is played in 2004, 2014 or 2024. The lyrics and melodies will forever be relevant to anyone that has or desires to experience the crush, the relationship, or even love lost.

Take a listen to a playlist curated by Soultagious that is inspired by the connection between Teedra Moses, Ahmad Jamal, and Nas. Enjoy the sounds of Teedra as we take a listen to songs from her debut album and beyond with a little lagniappe sprinkled throughout the playlist.

Be sure to checkout the amazing tracks released by Teedra Moses after the success of Complex Simplicity. Teedra has churned out a plethora of bangers such as “I Told You”, “Love Devine”, “Whole Lotta Sex”, “R U 4Real”, “Something Real”, “Get it Right”, “So Special”. The List goes go on and on….bangers after bangers.

Let’s Celebrate the Legacy of Teedra!

#teedra moses #ahmad jamal #nas #spotify #music #issarae #spotify curator #vinyl #vinylcollection

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katinabias · 6 years ago

Link

The Awakening of Complex Simplicity – Teedra Moses

Before I get into to the wonderful connection between Ahmad Jamal , Teedra Moses, and Nas; I want to talk about my connection to the iconic Teedra Moses album called “Complex Simplicity.”

In 2004, Teedra Moses solidified herself as the “Anita Baker” for young women that were hip enough to slide her debut CD into the soundtrack of their lives. Finally, african american millenials had a sistah that gave us goosebumps as we listened to her lyrics of love, secret crushes and self love. Lets be clear, Teedra Moses has solidified herself as a strong and everlasting soulful voice in the industry. To clarify, Teedra Moses does not live in the shadow of Anita Baker but Complex Simplicity provided the same insight to my generation the same way that Anita Baker’s early albums did during her early career.

On the writing of the Songs of Complex Simiplicity

Connecting “Be Your Girl” to Nas and Ahmad Jamal.

It doesn’t get better than that right?

In the next coming months, Soultagious will touch on the greatness of Ahmad Jamal samples through hip hop. Ahmad Jamal’s contribution to soul and hip and hop deserves a post of it’s own.

LISTEN TO “THE AWAKENING PLAYLIST” ON SPOTIFY

Let’s Celebrate the Legacy of Teedra!

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kevrocksicehouse · 2 years ago

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Vengeance.

D: B.J. Novak (2022).

Vengeance opens with two late thirtyish yuppies (writer-director B. J. Novak and John Mayer in a perfect stunt-casting cameo) celebrating their carefree bachelorhood (“Dating someone more than a month is just a serving suggestion” “If I know what someone’s parents do for a living, I’ve hung out too long.”) as though they’re about to be hit by a romcom love bug. Then the movie swerves into Novak’s Ben Manalowitz hearing “the worst phone call you’re ever going to get in your life” that tells him his girlfriend Abilene (Lio Tipton, seen only on video) has died of a drug overdose. Ben, a New York writer looking for his next big story is as shocked that his sometimes-hookup called herself his girlfriend as he is by her demise, but he let’s himself get guilt-tripped enough to travel to the Texas backwater to attend her funeral where he realizes Abilene has talked him up as his fiancée and the family considers him practically a son-in-law. He rolls with it (Asked to speak, he says “Abilene…….loved music. I know that…….I know that”) but balks when her brother Ty (Boyd Holbrook channeling Woody Harrelson) says “You and me are gonna take her killer down and get vengeance” until it occurs to him that he’s sitting on primo murder podcast material.

So Novak serves up a story mixing modern literary satire (The Great American Podcast as the pretentious white guy holy grail), mistaken identity comedy, some red state/blue state frisson (funnier and more subtle than what John Stewart tried to do in Irresistible), a family’s tragedy, a sordid murder mystery, and what could have been an overstuffed mess actually works. He gets good performances from Holbrook (who injects his manic good-old boy energy with just enough grief), Issa Rae as his encouraging but pragmatic editor (“Get the story. Stay safe.” Ben: “Not in that order.” “In that order”) and a surprising one by Ashton Kushner as a zen-master record producer. There are plenty of laugh-out-loud lines (Ty: “This (town) is the most wretched place and I’ll never leave.” Ben: “That’s how I feel about Twitter.”) and plenty of unexpected twists (Ben isn’t the only person misrepresenting himself). I wish Novak had more deeply developed Abilene’s story as Ben starts to realize how sad and complex her life was, and the climax, though suitably shocking, doesn’t work any better than when Robert Altman used it in The Long Goodbye – in both instances it closes down the movie instead of opening it up. But the coda in which Abilene’s mother (J. Smith-Cameron) has a coded, but profound conversation with Ben, is a small masterpiece of acting. And Novak sells that climax. As on The Office, he is a master of smarm, as condescendingly oleaginous as Charles Grodin, but he convincingly displays the quick minded intelligence that can put the whole story together (a hilarious subplot about petulantly territorial law-enforcement officials becomes central to the plot) as well as the capacity to care about what needs caring about. Novak has made a first-rate debut film that showcases his talent and lives up to his ambitions. A small comic gem.

#vengeance #bjnovak #review #issa rae #kevrock

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hayle64 · 4 years ago

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55 to crossn traffic off pico n vermont make me think we was better off walkn . switchin between lanes if i held the wheel , me knowin no better when tryn to calm the sex drive when i wasnt in your neighborhood . tonight the moon was half , the arrogance was real , it’s that time of the hour god we mixed that together n the night became a masterpiece . wish i was romantic , lickn my lip before i bit the wrapper fora stick of gum . night clear , not a cloud in sight , “who invited u here” , i said the bitch u probably tryna fuck now watch out . me , him , him , him , only four of us but the pack formation maybe made it seem like it was the whole team . strawberries wit the leaves missin , high rises the layout lookn like all the windows open . girls who look like number one n unrealistic , a girl in angel white colours witta body i bet any body here noticing . spot blown n music poppin , she sees me lookn , she’s not lookn away an fora few seconds i made sure i wasn’t either . i think i suck at controlling my first thoughts , i know nights like these the reason why me n the woman im suppose to be wit losing communication . the only thing missin here was the songs that promoted violence . marcus staring at me like wake the fuck up . honestly rn if anything was said to me that wasn’t from her it would’ve felt like i only spoke spanish . time leap so real , she asked to see the phone . i looked away too long , she passed it back i didn’t think anything of it . iono nights like this are the type of nights u go back to inna dream . we gotta hour before the sun comes up , lemme take the shirt off before i pass out . scrolling through the contacts i find a name ive never seen . angel white issa headcase , if i don’t call u i was busy dreamin bout how u was dancin on me all over again

(if we fucked could i treat it like it was all mine)

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jmsa1287 · 7 years ago

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A Year in Review: The Best 25 TV Shows of 2017

yeah yeah this is late. deal with it!

With Peak TV rising and rising, not yet bursting an inevitable bubble, the quality of shows over the last few years has been incredibly impressive. It seems like almost every network - from the Big Four to smaller cable networks (and even places outside what we consider television) - has at least one show that has a rabid fan base. But with so many top-notch shows from which to choose, the viewer starts to have higher standards. Dropping the ball -- even a little -- can break a season of TV these days. "Mr. Robot" Season 3 was demur, the new season of "Catastrophe" was solid but spun its wheels a bit and the final season of "Difficult People" was the gone-too-soon show's worst albeit delightful. Unlike the last few years, there were less series (both new and returning) that I loved and more that I thought were very good. Below are the best 10 TV shows of the year, all of which I did love. We may be reaching a breaking point of quality vs. quantity but 2017 did offer us one true masterpiece, which comes in at number one on this list.

25. The Good Place Season 1-B / Season 2-A (NBC)

24. Fargo Season 3 (FX)

23. The Girlfriend Experience Season 2 (Starz)

22. Legion Season 1 (FX)

21. Search Party Season 2 (TBS)

20. Baskets Season 2 (FX)

19. Stranger Things Season 2 (Netflix)

18. Rick and Morty Season 3 (Cartoon Network/Adult Swim)

17. Master of None Season 2 (Netflix)

16. Girls Season 6 (HBO)

15. Mr. Robot Season 3 (USA)

14. American Vandal Season 1 (Netflix)

13. American Horror Story: Cult Season 7 (FX)

12. The Deuce Season 1 (HBO)

11. Mindhunter Season 1 (Netflix)

10. Insecure Season 2 (HBO)

Issa Rae and Larry Wilmore's "Insecure" continues to be one of the most modern and funniest shows on TV. Deeply realized and stylish, "Insecure" is a 30-minute delight that showcases the black experience of young people living in L.A. Sex, relationships, dating and class are explored in the comedy and the show's MVP Yvonne Orji's Molly remains one of the best characters on TV.

09. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Season 1 (Amazon)

"The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" is a breath of fresh air in an otherwise cynical and dark TV landscape. Bright, bubbly and simply delightful, the new comedy is only boosted by its stellar cast, namely the titular star, the fabulous Rachel Brosnahan and costar Alex Borstein. From its styling (those coats!) to its set pieces (1950s New York City!), "Mrs. Masiel" is a special show with a strong feminist viewpoint during at time when independent women were sidelined.

08. Better Things Season 2 (FX)

Pamela Adlon's "Better Things" improved with its second season, as the co-creator, star and write directed all 10 episodes. "Better Things" may be a moving half-hour comedy about family but it's also one of the most cinematic with Adlon pulling out some truly stunning shots unlike any other TV show (or movie) this year. Meditative and resilient, "Better Things" proves itself again to be a daring and insightful show.

07. Neo Yokio Season 1 (Netflix)

"Neo Yokio" is not for everyone. The anime created by Vampire Weekend front man Ezra Koenig is niche as niche can get: "Mourning the death of a recent relationship, an elegant and fashionable demon hunter struggles to stay afloat in the elite society of Neo Yokio," reads the show's synopsis. But "Neo Yokio," with its all-star cast (Jaden Smith, Jude Law, Susan Sarandon), is a hilarious series that skewers New York City's millennial one percenters with precision. It's a subversive and innovative show that's a whole lot of fun.

06. Nathan For You Season 4 (Comedy Central)

In its fourth season, "Nathan For You" continues to be an incredible mind-boggling show that pushes the boundaries of storytelling and comedy. Creator and star Nathan Fielder tests viewers limits of humor, putting himself in truly uncomfortable situations that are often flat out mean towards unsuspecting people. From exposing the problems with Uber to essentially sneaking a bomb into a sports stadium, the fourth season of "Nathan For You" was capped off with modern TV masterpiece, "Finding Frances."

05. Feud: Bette and Joan Season 1 (FX)

The first season of Ryan Murphy's "Feud" came months before the #MeToo movement. But it examined the way in which (older) women were treated in Hollywood, following frenimes Bette Davis and Joan Crawford while filming "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane" in 1962. But "Feud" goes beyond the making of that movie, delving deep into the renowned actresses lives and what made them who they are and, more importantly, why they had such a tumultuous relationship with each other. With an all-star cast (Jessica Lange, Susan Sarandon, Alfred Molina, Stanley Tucci, Judy Davis, Jackie Hoffman, Kathy Bates, Catherine Zeta-Jones and more), "Feud: Bette and Joan" was as entertaining as it was enlightening (and visually stunning).

04. The Young Pope Season 1 (HBO)

Daring and exceptional, "The Young Pope" was Paolo Sorrentino's singular vision impressively executed. Though bogged down by memes and Internet jokes, "The Young Pope" was a wild ride that featured Judd Law's best performance to date as the titular young (and hot!) pope, American Lenny Belardo. The miniseries could have been read as an early critique of the Trump administration (though it was made before he was elected into office), "The Young Pope" was a sumptuous and dazzling show full of breathtaking Italian vistas, nuns playing basketball and CGI kangaroos. It may have not always worked but "The Young Pope" was auteur TV at its finest; a thoroughly enjoyable watching experience without compromise.

03. The Leftovers Season 3 (HBO)

In its final season, "The Leftovers" again proved to be one of the best shows of the decade. A brilliant and deeply moving drama with some of the best performances of the year (Carrie Coon, Justin Theroux, Amy Brenneman, Christopher Eccleston, Ann Dowd), the show bowed with grace. For all its oddities (sex boats, penis scanners, oh my!), "The Leftovers" had a tone like no other show, balancing existentialist questions with bizarre humor. Showrunner Damon Lindelof, who got major flack for the "Lost" series finale, closed "The Leftovers" story with a fascinating ending, that will forever let the mystery be.

02. Big Little Lies Season 1 (HBO)

Outside of "Game of Thrones," "Big Little Lies" may have been the biggest - and most talked about -- show of the year. And rightfully so. The drama treated its stellar cast as multi-dimensional and complicated women with fully realized wants and desires. Reese Witherspoon gave the best performance of her career - a 40-year-old Tracey Flick as Madeline Martha Mackenzie. Same for Nichole Kidman, whose slow-burning performance as battered wife Celeste Wright was marvelous and captivating to watch. With supporting roles from Shailene Woodley, Alexander, Zoe Kravitz and Laura Dern, "Big Little Lies" was a stunning drama that put the murder mystery on the back burner. We're lucky we're getting a second season.

01. Twin Peaks: The Return Season 1 (Showtime)

David Lynch and Mark Frost pulled off the impossible by returning to the world of "Twin Peaks." Nearly three decades since its unceremonious cancelation, "Twin Peaks: The Return" was not a nostalgic reboot cash-grab full of cherry pie and coffee. It was a profoundly moving show with audacious storytelling and bold filmmaking. It explored aging unlike anything TV or in film has done before, it examined the plight of trying to change the past, and it was a critique on the way in which we watch TV. Lynch and Frost subverted every preconceived notion of what a "Twin Peaks" revival would mean: Fans did not get the wholesome good guy F.B.I. agent Dale Cooper for the majority of the series. Instead Kyle MacLachlan gave four incredible performances as the mindless Dougie Jones, Cooper's evil doppelganger Mr. C, the chilling Richard and, yes, as Agent Cooper. Just like the original two season of "Twin Peaks," "The Return" will undoubtedly change TV. With concerts at the Roadhouse, experimental montages of the atomic bombs, and long takes of a janitor sweeping, somehow 18 hours of "Twin Peaks: The Return" was still not enough.

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symoneysamone · 4 years ago

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Girrrlll this whole fit and you Issa masterpiece

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popularmolds · 7 years ago

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Best rap, 2017

In 2007, I thought I was very fast. That fall, I was one of the top sophomores at the Minnesota high school cross country state championships, which, believe it or not, are very competitive as far as high school cross country state championships go. Then it was winter. There’s no indoor track season in Minnesota; I played hockey, like I had for my entire life to that point, but I also ran 60 miles a week in toques and gloves and terrible things called “wind briefs.” I got ambitious and decided that in the spring, I wanted to be the fastest 15-year-old in the state, the Midwest, maybe the country.

But in the first week of outdoor track, in the middle of a mile repeat workout we were running on the sidewalk (there was snow on the track), I felt bones splinter. There were stress fractures up and down my left tibia.

Every afternoon for the next twelve weeks, I had to find a ride from my high school down to a suburban YMCA, chosen because it had a reliably deserted pool. I needed to get in some sort of cardio with zero impact on my bones. If you’ve never seen someone water run, it looks like a recurring nightmare playing out under fluorescent lights: a skeletally thin person in the water, upright, making all the movements he or she would make on the track, but moving impossibly slow, back and forth, end to end. It’s like quicksand. I would sweat and strain and grit my teeth, but I was barely moving.

A couple weeks into my muggy purgatory, my friend Collin burned me a CD of an obscure album he’d found on a Wordpress blog. It was called Brokelore and was by someone named Grip Grand––clearly from the Bay, but we couldn’t find anything else about him.

It blew me away. I listened to it every day, to and from the Y, in headphones or out of those primitive aux hookups that plugged into the cassette decks in my friends’ cars. He sounded gruff and grizzled, but we had no idea what he looked like. (Eventually, Collin found a short interview Grip had done with a blog, but we assumed the press photo was of the blogger, not the rapper. Sorry, Grip.)

The record’s mostly self-produced; the beats have a little grit and a lot of warmth. Grip’s voice is tough, but elastic enough to bounce and bend and let the humor through. Grip is quick and witty, but threads the record with these incredibly earnest love letters to rap: "96 Tears” is an extended lyrical exercise, “Hip-Hop Classic” is the sound of someone pounding his fist on a computer desk, searching. There’s a song with Percee P (”Paper Cup”) and a song where Grip thanks Percee P for dropping that verse (”Showtime (That’s Entertainment)”). There’s “Handle That,” which was probably conceived as a parody of popular rap styles at the time but got mutated along the way and sounds like a good-faith alien transmission; there’s distortion and vocal modulation and lines like “While you pretend to be sick like Ferris Bueller / Grip Grand drop gems like a careless jeweler.”

But it’s called Brokelore. This was a few months before the financial collapse; this was Oakland and San Francisco and the shadow of the early tech boom. Sometimes Grip and his Rec League comrades broach this with a light touch, cashing bad checks and skirting tax forms. (One of the album’s highlights is the remix of “Poppin’ Pockets,” where Grip and A.G. (!) rap joyously about having absolutely zero money.) Then there are the graver moments: “Out of Service” is a half-dreamed conversation with a factory worker who’s in limbo at a bus stop; it’s tearjerking but never treacly. “Tomorrow” is sorrowful.

And then there’s “Love/Drama” which––this is not an exaggeration––is one of the most deeply felt rap songs I’ve ever heard. It’s structured as a letter back to a writer who ripped his last record, Welcome to Broakland. An artist responding to criticism looks defensive––and that’s the point. In the space of a few bars, the song unspools into a catalog of Grip’s deepest fears as an artist.

“My whole albums’s a jack: “Impeach the President?” Yo, how done is that? Tribute to early rap? DIY ethic? No, a piss-poor producer—take my name off the credits.”

The song wraps up with a venomous couplet:“You’re so astute brah, every minute flaw, you heard it / Can’t wait to hear your album, it must be perfect.” But he’s not brushing off the critic. “Love/Drama” isn’t about brushing off a detractor, it’s about scratching and clawing and stretching $10 in groceries for a whole week, pouring yourself into a record only for it to be...fine. The kicker, then, is that Grip Grand internalized all of that and made a masterpiece.

I say all that to say this: I don’t know if I would have found Brokelore today. Ten years after the fact, it’s ostensibly my job to find and write criticism of rap music, including obscure releases like this. But the economics of the media industry are strange: while it seems clear that people still want to discover new music, it’s difficult to get anybody to click on articles that present it. Music discovery has moved mostly to the curated playlists at streaming sites (so, radio) and there are fewer and fewer places willing to publish full-scale album reviews for artists who are untested or unsigned. I don’t spend enough time in pools.

Of course, there are still massive communities of rap fans who dig for new material. But as it becomes more difficult to make a living covering it––and with the collapse of the blog world, which was invaluable for fans and artists in the mid- and late-2000s––there’s less time and attention given to smaller artists. Especially the kinds of time and attention that can be turned into money. (On that count, I physically recoil imagining how much bleaker the Bay Grip rendered on Brokelore has gotten.)

The good news is that rap is in an exceptional place right now. There are vibrant underground scenes in cities across the country. In 2018, I’m resolving to take time, stay still, and appreciate rappers who would otherwise go uncovered.

Notes/methodology: This list, obviously, includes both songs and albums. In most of the cases where either an album or a song from it could have made my top sixty, I chose whichever entry would rank higher, i.e.- I think “The Story of O.J.” is one of the ten best rap things from this year, while 4:44 as an album would rank a couple dozen spots lower. There are exceptions. “We Ball” would probably be among my top ten entries, but I wanted to give a nod to Meek Mill’s album because it hasn’t left rotation since it came out. Similar case with Boosie: “Webbie I Remember” could easily be in my top five, but BooPac should be on everyone’s radar, even if it’s ninety minutes. Slow down.

60. YG, “Pop It, Shake It” 59. Smooky MarGielaa, “Stay 100” 58. YBN Nahmir, “Rubbin Off The Paint” 57. Freddie Gibbs –– You Only Live 2wice 56. Muja Messiah & Roc Marciano –– Saran Wrap 55. Frosty Da Snowmann, “Oh My Gawd” 54. Wiki –– No Mountains in Manhattan 53. Greg Grease –– Down So Long 52. Chris $pencer, “Shark Wrestling” 51. Chief Keef, “Can You Be My Friend” 50. P.O.S –– chill, dummy 49. 2 Chainz –– Pretty Girls Like Trap Music 48. Young Dolph, “100 Shots” 47. Roc Marciano –– Rosebudd’s Revenge 46. Bbymutha, “Roses” 45. Sahbabii, “Pull Up wit ah Stick” 44. Nef the Pharaoh, “Bling Blaow” 43. J Hus –– Common Sense 42. 21 Savage –– Issa Album 41. Cardi B, “Bodak Yellow” 40. Deniro Farrar, “Can’t Touch Me” 39. Lor Jugg & Bandhunta Izzy, “Back At It” 38. G Herbo –– Humble Beast 37. billy woods, “Police Came To My Show” 36. French Montana, “Unforgettable” f/ Swae Lee 35. Rich Homie Quan –– Back to the Basics 34. Lil B –– Black Ken 33. Nipsey Hussle, “Rap Niggas” 32. A$AP Ferg, “Plain Jane” 31. Young Thug –– Beautiful Thugger Girls 30. Migos –– CULTURE 29. Playboi Carti, “Magnolia” 28. Why Khaliq –– The Mustard Seed 27. Snoop Dogg –– Neva Left 26. C Struggs, “Go to Jesus” 25. Lor Choc, “Fast Life” 24. RJ, “Blammer” 23. Tee Grizzley, “First Day Out” 22. OMB Peezy, “Lay Down” 21. Boosie –– BooPac 20. Meek Mill –– Wins & Losses 19. Kodak Black, “Patty Cake” 18. Drakeo –– Cold Devil 17. Don Trip & Starlito –– Step Brothers THREE 16. milo –– who told you to think??!!?!?!?! 15. 03 Greedo –– Money Changes Everything; Purple Summer 03; First Night Out 14. DJ Quik & Problem –– Rosecrans 13. Nocando, “1998″ 12. Goldlink, “Crew” f/ Shy Glizzy & Brent Faiyaz 11. Mach-Hommy –– Haitian Body Odor 10. Lil Uzi Vert, “XO Tour Llif3″ 9. Jay-Z, “The Story of O.J.” 8. G Perico –– All Blue & 2 Tha Left 7. Kendrick Lamar –– DAMN. 6. Tay-K, “The Race” 5. NBA Youngboy, “No Smoke” 4. Future –– HNDRXX 3. Armand Hammer –– ROME 2. Creek Boyz, “With My Team” 1. Open Mike Eagle –– Brick Body Kids Still Daydream

#rap #hip-hop #hip hop #best rap #best rap 2017

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