#McCann suits

[movfie]

Oliver Phelps being fitted for a McCann Bespoke suit

11/20/2024

[fantasy-and-freedom]

everyone (almost) !! (forget the Arbiter and Walter and Molokov and Viigand for now)

[mensuited]

[redravened]

thinking about mary hatford.

wide-eyed young british girl coming from old mafia money meeting this suave polish man with flaming hair and stunning blue eyes. Too charming to be true but to alluring to leave - he promises her freedom from her family, from this life she didn't choose. He's a millionaire, he's handsome, and she's young and beautiful and she'll be safe. His smile doesn't reach his eyes - she ignores it.

She meets his parents - odd crooked smiles and thick polish accents, welcoming nevertheless. They die soon after. She finds bloods on his suits and cuffs, his house smells like metal and the air near his basement's thick with something nasty. She ignores it.

They get married, a gorgeous ceremony which her family begrudgingly attends - and then he turns on her. He's a demon - he locks her up in their bedroom, bruises on her skin and blood in her teeth. His money is of blood and his tales of inheritance were lies. She cries and cries and cries, wishing she hadn't ignored it all. But Mary's not stupid. She knows how to run.

One bag to her name, for he'd confiscated her money, and a loaded gun in her waistcoat. The day of her almost departure she feels nauseous - she blames it on stress before she upends her guts into the toilet.

Baby Nathaniel - named after the bastard, of course. But she got his middle name - Abram, always her Abram. He looked just like his father, but walked the same height as his mother. Inherited his horrible temper, but she had tried her best to beat it out of him.

They were going to take him away - they couldn't, not her Abram. If he failed, failed their damned test of their stupid little sport, he could die. Running with him was dangerous, but Mary knew how to run properly. One bag for both of them and a loaded gun, just like all those years ago, though her beauty was aged by postpartum and her soul-sucking husband.

Him and his lackies catch up to them after twenty identities - Chris McCann and his aunt Sheila. Mary is cornered, and she knows she won't make it. She throws herself into a car and tells Abram to drive for his life - one of them had to make it. It was never going to be her.

She tries to hold on, she really does. Abram drives fast and well, she's ever so proud of him. But her vision is spotting black and her blood is running out, out, out, out. Mary Hatford is out. She's gone. She dies with hopes that Abram could make it, make himself happy, make his own life.

One of them had to.

(thesis moodboard)

[thousandfourhundreddays]

van mccann x singer reader pls!

Masterlist

A/n I can only apologise for my severe issue with making promises I can’t keep ahahah. I don’t even know how long ago it was that I said I would write some stuff for Van and so many of you guys’ requests have been neglected in my inbox… BUT I had a couple of Van x singer reader requests so here it is, however I didn’t stick to that completely but I kinda love this so hope you enjoy anyway!!! Also kinda based on Hourglass because I lack all kinds of creativity lol. LOVE YA❤️‍🔥

Waste My Days

“You’re strugglin’” his voice floated down the line, worry seeping into his words. You sighed into the silence of your hotel room, rolling over in bed, eyes flicking across the room to see the time on the clock. 2:36 am.

“I’m ok… it’s just been none stop for so long. I’m exhausted but I just can’t get any rest” Van waited, giving you time to talk, knowing this could be the most insight into your mind he’d been able to get for a long time.

“I love being on tour, I really do. Especially this one, this has been the best yet, I’m just…”

“Exhausted” he finished for you, sensing that you were struggling to find the words.

“You know it”

Boy, did he know it.

-

“How did you sleep?”

“God, I slept so good, the best I’ve slept in weeks Van, I’m telling you”

You heard his chuckle crackle down the line. “Dreaming about me again ay, babe?”

“Always”

-

“Y/n! Your phones ringing!”

Your head shot up, following the sound of the voice that shouted across the floor of the arena. Eyes wide, you sent a look to the sound technician, a silent plea to let you have just one minute. Once you saw him nod, mixed with a slightly annoyed shrug of his shoulders, you jumped down from the stage to find your phone.

“Van?”

“Hiya, darlin’. Was about to give up then, thought you weren’t gonna answer”

“Sorry, soundcheck.” You explained, listening to him drag on a fag in some city far away.

“Aye, me too, just finished. Sorry I interrupted”

“You’re never interrupting” you replied quickly, “I’ve been dying for you to call.”

-

You felt the peel of skin as Van lifted himself off of you, a rush of oxygen filling your lungs as he flopped down next to you into the damp sheets.

One week, one singular week where your tour schedules aligned. Van came to stay at yours, with no other plans than to eat, sleep and in Vans words, “love on you”.

You watched as Van reached over to the bedside table for his cigs, you couldn’t help but reach out to him, your finger tracing the shape of his ribs through his pale skin before you heard a clatter of books fall to the floor in Vans attempt to clear a space for the mug that now doubled as an ash tray.

“Oi, don’t be messing my place up!” You poked at the space between his ribs.

“Oi!” He squeaked in that classic Van McCann squeak, flinching, trying to escape your hands, holding the now burning cigarette high above your heads as he tackled you.

“Van, watch that!” Grasping his arm, already picturing the holes that he would burn in the sheets.

aka, the best week of wasting days together.

-

“Vaaaan” you sung down the line, “please hurry!!!!!”

“Alright, babe, alright. I’m coming!” He laughed,

“I know but we have a lot of catching up to do, you know” he could practically hear your smirk through the phone.

“Oh babe, so sordid” He teased, lowering his voice into a growl so the whole of Tesco’s wouldn’t hear him. “You’re the one who wanted wine!”

“All I really ever want is you, Van”

-

“Babe! Come ere’!”

Vans voice echoed through your bedroom over the sound of the shower.

Pushing on the en suite door, the bathroom flooded with light, revealing his face peeping round the edge of the fogged shower screen, hair wet and silently reaching an arm out for you. You smiled, keeping eye contact as you pulled his old tshirt over your head, quickly loosing your underwear and letting him pull you towards him.

Van twirled you round, pressing your back against his chest, arms tangled together across the front of your body under the water.

“I’ve been thinkin bout baby names” he whispered ,

“Oh yeah?” You laughed, classic Van you thought, “A bit premature, no? I’m not even pregnant”

Van moved to rest his cheek on the top of your head, pressing a kiss to your hair before untangling his arm from yours, watching as he reached out to write on the glass.

L, Y, L, A

“Like the Oasis song” he whispered.

[nerds-yearbook]

G.I. Joe the Movie was released on August 14, 1987. It was meant to be a theatrical release, see the death of Duke (Michael Bell), and have a topless scene with Zarana (Lisa Raggio). The production went longer than predicted so the Transformers movie was released first, which ended up having a huge impact on the Joe movie. Because Transformers the Movie underperformed in the theaters, it was decided to release the Joe movie as a direct to video and TV presentation. Because the Transformers movie recieved so much backlash from killing Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen), dialogue was added explaining Duke didn't die but went into a coma. The topless scene was story boarded but the scene was altered in the final film with a swim top. Most of the new characters introduced were the new recruits (Lt Falcon - Don Johnson, Kunoichi Jinx - Shuko Akune, Chuckles, Law - Ron Ortiz and Order, Big Lob - Brad Sanders, and Tunnel Rat - Laurie Faso), Sgt Slaughter's (Robert Remus), Renegades (Mercer - Kristoffer Tabori, Red Dog - Poncie Ponce, and Taurus - Earn Boen) and the mutants from Cobra-La (Pythona - Jennifer Darling, Golobulus - Burgess Meredith, and Nemesis Enforcer - Cullen). As Cobra Commander (Christopher Collins/Chris Latta) was facing a mutiny by Dr Mindbender(Brian Cummings), Baroness (Morgan Lofting), Destro (Arthur Burghardt), Zartan (Zack Hoffman), Tomax (Corey Burton) and Xamot (Bell), Pythona arrived and convinced Cobra to steal the BET device. The mission failed, Serpentor was captured, and Cobra Commander retreated his forces to Cobra-La. There Golobulus revealed that Cobra Commander was an escapee from Cobra-La. Also that Cobra-La had secretly manipulated Dr Mindbender into creating Serpentor (Dick Gautier). While Lt Falcon was court martialed by the Joes, Cobra Commander was put on trial in Cobra-La. The movie also featured the familiar Joes and Cobras Low Light (Charlie Adler), Wet Suit (Jack Angel), Blow Torch, Lift-Ticket (both Bell), Motorviper (Gregg Berger), Iceberg (Burghardt), Beach Head (William Callaway), Quick Kick (Francois Chau), Zandar (Cullen), Dial-Tone (Hank Garrett), Hawk (Ed Gilbert), Slip Stream (Dan Gilvezan), Roadblock (Kene Holiday), Bazooka (John Hostetter), Doc (Buster Jones), Gung Ho, Ripper, Televiper (all Latta), Lady J ( Mary McDonald-Lewis), Letherneck (Chuck McCann), Cross-Country (Michael McConnohie), Snow Job (Rob Paulsen), Mainframe (Patrick Pinney), Flint (Bill Ratney), Buzzer, Shipwreck, Monkeywrench, Hector Remirez (all Neil Ross), Thrasher (Ted Schwartz), Scarlett (B.J. Ward), Alpine (Lee Weaver), Torch, Wild Bill (both Frank Welker), Lifeline (Stan Wojno), and Jackson Beck as the narrator. ("G.I. Joe the Movie", Movie, Event)

[basileus]

SEATTLE KRAKEN PLAYER PRIMER

I promised the beautiful @madroxed a Seattle Kraken current player primer so she can get into a West Coast (best coast) NHL team and then I went mad so it ended up too long for ask box without a read more. So here it is for your enjoyment, babe. 🦑

IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW:

1. When Kraken started playing their first season in 2021, there was a lot of discussion about the expansion plan, how many years they would take to become as successful as other expansion teams (cough VGK). That plan… has not fully panned out. So even though they made it to the playoffs last year, they're not super successful this season and likely won't squeeze their way into a wild card spot. This is okay because the Kraken are full of love.

2. This is important enough to say twice: THE KRAKEN PLAYERS ARE FULL OF LOVE. They don't need to be good if they're having fun and being friends! And they are!

3. Kraken has no captain right now, just four As. Democracy, baby! Every game there is tons of talk on reddit about how it's a good thing because it's made the guys closer, or how it's a bad thing because they don't have a leader and they keep losing. IDK, it's just our thing. There will be a C eventually.

4. There's a joke on tiktok that Kraken is a team of beautiful shy horses, treated badly on their last teams and now learning to love again. Keep this in mind when you see them interacting with Coach Hakstol. They all deserve to have their hooves (skates) farrier-ed gently, ribbons braided into their manes and to be tenderly fed sugar cubes. Anyways.

5. Haha, Seattle runs on love and tentacles.

THE OLDIES:

- Jordan Eberle (Jordy, Ebby, Ebs, Ebber) - Ebs was MY MAN for the longest time because I was soooo fond of him and the mid aughts pre-McDavid Oiler rookie crew. Now he's 33 years old, everyone calls him dad, and just had his 1000th game ceremony. It makes me verklempt.

He just signed a 2-yr contract this month, which people agree is mostly because of his role on the team and less because of his points (which are just okay).

He is also a noted Nickleback fan :(

Also, Jordan Eberle... naked... singing.

- Jared McCann (Canner, also Jordan's on-ice wife) - Kraken's lead scorer right now. Has the saddest backstory ever (he's had troubles with his teams since draft) but the Kraken team loves him. I love him too. Jordan was in his wedding party! Fun fact: Canner is the one who KISSED Ebs' head after an OT win this year, the organization framed & posted the picture, and it's the most romantic thing that has ever happened on Kraken ice. Recognized PC gamer boy. He also wears really really ugly hats with his game day suits.

- Philipp Grubauer (Grubi, The German Gentleman) - Gruuuuu. The more experienced goalie on the team. Noted horse girl (loves horses, there's a video all about his volunteer efforts with them). Gets a lot of undeserved shit from dude fans for being a conservative goalie, the man is NOT gonna move. He straight up close lined a player yesterday because they got too close to his crease lol.

- Vince Dunn - You already know this guy. Feral, but also submissive and breedable. I sent you the "screaming with a bloody face" vid but here's one where he drop gloves for a Matty hit and another from Juniors where he fights OFF ICE. His nickname is Dunner but because he's a pretty princess, he also goes by "Vincess" in hrpf. He's very popular this season both for his looks and his performance this season. Unfortunately injured right now due to a bad hit. Noted "gamer (fornite) boy" lol.

- Adam Larsson - You also know this guy. Big Cat. Quiet but a leader to the D rookies. Surprisingly funny - he's a silent prankster and the custom t-shirts this season with his face on it were a hit. Outside the hrpf space, he's engaged to a beautiful blonde Swede and about to be a dad this month.

- Jaden Schwartz (Schwartzy) - Peak millennial. Is it wrong that I think Schwartzy is the hottest Kraken after Vince? Because I don't care. He gives hot dad, with two dogs with girl names.

He changed his hockey number to match his sister's who died of cancer :'( Has been injured a lot this season and we miss him :'(

- Yanni Gourde (Gourdo) - FERAL!! FRENCH (CANADIAN)!!!! A tiktok star, sassy, charming, and also part of the team leadership.

Married and dad to little girls, who he has allowed Matty to babysit, if you can believe it. There was a super cute vid of them at the pumpkin patch this year. I'm a proud member of the GOURDO IS HOT club but even people with bad eyes and no love for goofy faces love Yanni.

- Andre Burakovsky (Burky) - You might remember him from his Cap or Av days. He's a beautiful little bird who is so good at scoring but so broken. The man has two Stanley Cups but he's played like 2 games for Kraken where he was both healthy & productive lol. People ship him with Gru sometimes in hrpf because they have cute nicknames for each other and also vacation together. He also just had a baby like two months ago so my sisters and I call him a teen mom even though he's like 29, lmaoo.

- Pierre-Edouard Bellemare (Belly) - His shirt is always off in every video I have ever seen him in. Handsome. Beard. French, like literally from France, but we won't hold it against him. He's an older guy who was brought in to help the team with offense (which we badly need).

- Oliver Bjorkstrand (Bjorky) - I always describe Bjorky as like a less handsome Dylan O'Brien if he played hockey. A chill, smiley dude who cares a lot. He played in Portland for the Winterhawks back in Juniors and I saw him a lot there! He's playing super well this year, he even was at the ASG!

THE YOUNG ONES:

- Matty Beniers (Matty, Benny) - OUR BEAUTIFUL FIRST DRAFT EVER. A baby boy. Ebs and Canner are his mom and dad. If you're on tiktok, he made that viral "Yes, Yes, Nope, Nope" sound while mic'd up.

He's growing up :') but also is having kind of a bad season :'( Part of the planned growth of the Kraken team though!

- Will Borgen (Borgy) - One of the baby D. He kinda looks like Canner but more frog. Matty and Borgy are roommates & pretty much BEST FRIENDS during the season. There's a lot of good locker room videos of them giving each other shit. He has also bullied Karts lol. Self describes himself as a little deer.

- Joey Daccord (Joey, Dacs) - Baby goalie. Gives the F1 recaps on tiktok. One of the biggest joys of my year so far was chanting "Joey" in the crowd after his shutout in the Winter Classic. Sometimes he strays too far from the net and makes boo boos. We love & cherish him.

- Kailer Yamamoto (Yamo, Yams, Yammer) - Little man. So little. Great at shootouts & stealing teammate's jerseys. He's the only Washingtonian on the team. Was a Oilers rookie and I've heard he featured in the whole Draisital hrpf narrative thing (idk I'm not an Oilers fan rn lol). Has a terrible goatee right now.

There's a funny af tweet about a reporter seeing a huge cheering section for him at a game and assumed it was friends & family but went over and it was just random people rooting for Yamo purely because he's short.

- Ryker Evans - The newest baby D. Has the deadest eyes you will ever see but he also spent an entire Firebirds youtube interview series just hanging out in a child's pool. He's played great since being called up from the Firebirds and we love him. So new he doesn't have a Breaking the Ice sheet yet :( Also his middle name is GARTH!

- Tye Kartye (Karts) - It's important that you know his last name is pronounced like "Cart-che" but even the announcers say "Car-ti-eh" like the jewelry brand. A quiet-ish sweetheart but also kind of spicy while playing. Rooms with Ryker. They're flirty and have been since the Firebirds. Scored his first NHL goal in his first NHL game, during the Kraken's first ever playoffs!

- Cale (& Haydn) Fleury - REAL LIFE BROTHERS. Not actually related to Flower. Haydn is on the Lightning now and we miss him. Cale mostly plays for the Firebirds but he's developing well and has gotten called up several times this season.

- Ryan Winterton (Wints) - A goofy little baby. He's still playing mostly with the Firebirds but he had his NHL debut this season.

- Shane Wright - I don't actually know his nickname. (EDIT: I have been informed it is Shaner or Wrighter!) Big boy. Our SECOND DRAFT EVER. Playing with the minor leagues right now. We'll see him playing a line on Kraken next season or so, probably (?). If Coach Dave is willing.

THE OTHERS (THAT I OFTEN FORGET ABOUT):

- Brandon Tanev - Turbo. He's fast. Has beautiful long hair. Keeps getting hit by pucks because he's in the way. Fun fact: he helped start the 'Kraken are horses' thing because there was a video on Tiktok where an equipment manager was adjusting his skates and they used a hoof care video sound and it went viral. We might lose him when he's a free agent and that's fine.

- Jamie Oleksiak - Big Rig, Riggy. In my shit list right now because he's playing bad and I hate his stupid credit card commercial that they always play during games. Member of the 'my sister is prettier and a better athlete than me' club. People speculate there's a chance we might lose him over the summer when his no-trade clause opens up as well. He's often Borgy's d-partner, and he and Borgy are very very sweet though.

- Tomas Tatar - Tuna, he's fun and nice. I like his accent. Sometimes I forget he exists.

- Eeli Tolvanen - Tolvy. I also sometimes forget about him. Sorry. He's a buddy to everyone on the team though.

- Justin Shultz - Shultzy, he's fine. Gets injured a lot. Not the best player. I think we're gonna lose him eventually too.

- Brian Dumoulin - Dumo, he's also fine. He's won a couple Stanley Cups. Cute baby face for an older player but he gives a kinda empty brain, 'there's not a thought behind those eyes' feeling lol.

HOPE THIS HELPS. I ALSO HOPE THEY DON'T CRUSH THIS PRIMER OVER THE OFF SEASON WITH TRADES LOL but who knows. Whatever happens, happens. Just remember this team runs on love (and tentacles).

[winniethewife]

It's time that you won.

(Llewyn Davis x OC!Rose Thorne)

Chapter 6: Whether I'm easy, or whether I'm true

Last Chapter ~ Next Chapter

Words:1124

As the year goes by, things seem to fall into place, the summer days pass by, the album releases and it does quite well. Llewyn finds it ironic how quickly the opinions of so called friends change when suddenly he’s doing well. How suddenly Jim and Jean were reaching out to hang out, How Pappy was suddlenly begging them to come play the gaslight, suddenly everyone was flocking, and for the first time, He could care less. What he did care about, was Rose. It was early and the days were getting colder, the nights longer, He swore she got more beautiful with every passing day, and he knew he loved her more with every passing day.

Llewyn watches Rose as she look over the selves at the bookstore, she already had a collection of poetry under her arm as she looks. Her fingers glide across the spines of the books as she sees what she might want. Llewyn puts his hand on her lower back, Love in his eyes as she turns to look at him.

“Getting bored Darling?” She asks with a smile on her face.

“No, No…Okay maybe a little bit.” He chuckles. She smiles and leans in to kiss his cheek.

“Let’s get going, it’s almost lunch time anyway.” She walks over to the register and pays for her book before they leave. He wraps his arm around her as they walked along the sidewalk, keeping her close to him. He leans in to kiss her temple.

“Love you Sunshine.” Llewyn whispers in her ear.

“And I love you Beloved.” She whispers back.

~

They had been invited to a party, Llewyn was Hesitant about it but Rose kept reminding him that this is how they make it in the business, connections. Llewyn looks at himself in the mirror, He was rather dressed up for the occasion, Rose had insisted on getting him dress clothes earlier in the year, the suit jacket and slack paired with a dark blue button up, he half smiles at himself in the mirror. He felt like things might actually be going right for once. Just as he was about to go look for Rose she came in the bedroom, freshly made up her hair down, the of the shoulder blue dress hung just above her knees as she walks over to her vanity, Opening her Jewelry box and grabbing her favorite earrings. She was singing softly to herself as she was focused on the task at hand.

“And what's that to any man, whether or no. Whether I'm easy, or whether I'm true, as I lifted her petticoat, easy and slow, and I tied up my sleeve for to buckle her shoe” She sang softly as she looks in the mirror. Llewyn came up behind her wrapping his arms around her waist.

“You look fantastic...” He says as he buried his face in her neck, taking in the smell of the perfume she was wearing.

“Thank you darling. You look dashing as well. I told you dress clothes would come in handy.” She takes her necklace out of the Jewelry box and without a word Llewyn takes it and moving her hair gently He clasps it around her neck, leaving a kiss on her skin as he runs his hands along her shoulders and down her arms.

“Ready to go?” He asks, his voice soft and low as he admires her beauty.

“Yes, we should probably get going don’t want to be late.” She smiles and turns to him, her hand reaching up to his face, holding it gently for a moment. He presses into her hand. These moments of domestic bliss are something he never expected to get in this life time. They smile at each other.

“You get your purse, I’ll go hail us a cab.” Llewyn says as he starts for the door, a warm feeling in his heart.

At the party there are a lot of unfamiliar faces, these kinds of soirees hosted by record companies for the investors to rub elbows with the talent. Terribly boring but a necessary evil. Rose had spent a lot of time talking to everyone while Llewyn had stood by her side, giving her hand reassuring squeezes as the night goes on. Watching as she talks about the music and where she gets inspiration, about the folk songs she learned from her mother. All the while, Llewyn stands by her. Eventually they finally have a moment alone. They sit in a corner on a loveseat in a corner. Rose sighs and lets the mask of the professional fade as she leans back into the upholstery. She looks over at Him a tired look on her face. Llewyn’s eye brows rise and he uses his hands to mimic the action of smoking, a silent question. Rose nods with a smile.

Llewyn pulls out a pack of clove cigarettes, He keeps a pack for Rose because it’s what she smokes, when she smokes, which isn’t as often as he does. She took one with a smile and they stop for a moment. Rose places the cigarette between her lips, Llewyn scoots closer and takes her chin in his hand and holds his lighter to the cigarette lighting it for her, a seductive smile on his face as his dark eyes meet hers. She takes a drag, pulling the smoke into her lungs before blowing it into his face in a flirtatious manner. Llewyn chuckles and kissed her cheek, still holding her chin. The smell of cloves on her breath and the sweet feeling of her soft skin under hers was intoxicating, he drew away for a moment as she took another drag. She smiles at him, god that smile, it was better than any drug on the planet, Llewyn would do anything to get his fix of her. He presses his lips to hers, taking the smoke from her mouth into his as they kiss in the darkened room. He pulls away and exhales as he looks at her deviously.

“You...You are nothing but trouble.” Rose says with a laugh before flicking the ash from the cigarette.

“But you like that about me.” He insists as he leans back into the loveseat, pulling a cigarette for himself out, the scent of the tobacco mixing with the clove as he takes a drag. They share the peaceful moment together before it’s inevitably interrupted by another well to do person with too much time and money on their hands.

“Do you think you’ll ever tire of this? The fame? The success?” Someone asks Rose. She looks over at Llewyn.

“I don’t know, I think as long as I am in good company, I’d be happy doing anything.”

~

Masterlist

[movfie]

James Phelps being fitted for a McCann Bespoke suit

11/20/2024

[apcseo]

Top 10 Advertising Agencies of Delhi NCR India in 2024

Explore the top 10 advertising agencies in Delhi NCR for 2024, where creativity and innovation converge.

In the lively world of Delhi NCR, where ideas flow and innovation thrives, advertising agencies play a big role in shaping how brands connect with people. Let's take a look at the top 10 advertising agencies in Delhi NCR that are making waves with their creative work and smart strategies.

Ogilvy India: Ogilvy India is like a big star in the advertising sky. Based in Gurgaon, they've been making amazing ads and clever plans for a long time. They're really good at making brands famous and using new ideas to reach people.  

Dentsu Webchutney: Dentsu Webchutney is all about the internet. They're experts at making cool stuff online, like ads that pop up on your phone or videos that make you want to click. They have offices in Delhi and Gurgaon and know how to use technology to make ads that get attention.  

Apppl Combine: Apppl Combine is a full-service marketing agency making waves in Delhi NCR. With a comprehensive suite of services, they're experts in branding, advertising, and digital marketing. They're known for their creativity and reliability, making them a top choice for businesses looking to make a mark in the market.  

JWT (J. Walter Thompson) Delhi: JWT Delhi is part of a big family of companies that know a lot about advertising. They're experts at telling stories that make you feel something. Whether it's a funny ad or a touching one, they know how to make ads that stick in your mind.  

Havas Worldwide India: Havas Worldwide India is all about connecting people with brands in a special way. They think advertising should be about more than just selling stuff – it should be about making a real connection. They use data and creativity to make ads that people actually like.  

McCann Worldgroup India: McCann Worldgroup India is famous for working closely with its clients to understand what they need. With offices in Delhi and Gurgaon, they offer a lot of different services like making ads, coming up with ideas, and using digital tools to reach people.  

Grey Group India: Grey Group India is part of a big network of companies that are really good at advertising. They're experts at coming up with new ideas and making ads that people remember. They help lots of brands look their best and stand out from the crowd.  

Publicis India: Publicis India is known for its smart ideas and forward-thinking approach. They use data and technology to make ads that get results. They work with big brands and small ones, helping them reach people in new and exciting ways.  

Wunderman Thompson India: Wunderman Thompson India is really good at using creativity and data to make ads that people love. They're experts at understanding what people want and making ads that speak to them. They help brands make a big impact in the world of advertising.  

Leo Burnett India: Leo Burnett India is known for its creative ideas and strategic thinking. They've been making ads for a long time and know how to make brands look good. They help brands tell their stories in a way that people remember.

In summary, these top 10 advertising agencies in Delhi NCR lead the industry with their creativity and innovation. From Ogilvy India's and Apppl Combine’s ground-breaking ideas to Leo Burnett India's strategic thinking, each agency brings something special to the table, helping brands connect with people in exciting ways.

This post was originally published on: Apppl Combine

[denimbex1986]

'I almost knock into Andrew Scott before I see him. He’s just dashed out of the Tate Modern, frantic and slightly late: “There’s just so many entrances!” he exclaims. His patrician forehead crinkles, and the brown eyes charmingly plead: Forgive me! He was just inside, picking up his membership card. Surely he can get in for free? “Excuse me,” he huffs, “I’m a fully paid-up member.” Then he flashes the broad grin that seduced a legion of Fleabag viewers, and we’re off.

The plan today is to meander in a loop along the Thames. On a midafternoon Friday in London, this involves much ducking and diving through crowds, which suits Scott just fine. The weather is one of those bright, springlike days that convinces you that winter is over—except the rain-swollen river is now sloshing ominously onto the pavement. We slow down to regard an underwater section of our route. “I don’t think we’re gonna get through there,” he says. “I’ve probably got a hole in my trainers.”

We head for the road instead, words pouring out of the 47-year-old actor in that mellifluous Irish lilt, peppered with “you knows” and interrupted frequently by his laugh. It’s no surprise that his colleagues quickly become friends: “It was clear from the moment that I met and worked with Andrew that he was an exceptionally gifted actor,” says Julianne Moore, who starred alongside Scott on Broadway in 2006’s The Vertical Hour. It was both actors’ Broadway debuts, though Scott has juggled screen and theater from the start. “I’ve always done both,” he says, though he acknowledges modestly: “I used to do maybe a few plays a year and one television show. Now maybe it’s kind of the opposite.” That’s somewhat underselling his dramatic accomplishments. Scott has won two Olivier Awards, for the experimental A Girl in a Car With a Man in 2005 and Noël Coward’s Present Laughter in 2020. He has performed in productions of Eugene O’Neill, Oscar Wilde—he’s played Hamlet, too, and was nominated for an Olivier for that as well. “Scott gives carefully controlled, thrillingly virtuoso physical performances,” wrote The Guardian last year, when he performed eight roles from Uncle Vanya by himself, in a much-lauded West End solo adaptation of the Chekhov play. (A New York transfer could not be confirmed when this piece went to press, but seems highly likely.) “He wore his talent so lightly and modestly,” Moore says. “He was joyful and fun and an amazing partner to have onstage and off.”

Scott was born in Dublin, sandwiched between two sisters; his mother is a teacher and an artist, and his father works at an employment agency. As a child, he was brought to art galleries and theaters. A performance by the great Irish actor Donal McCann in Sean O’Casey’s Juno and the Paycock when he was 11 or 12 made a lasting impression: “There was just something about the power in his stillness—people think that, in theater, it’s all about the grand gesture, but stillness onstage is absolutely mesmerizing.”

An eerie stillness characterizes all of Scott’s performances as well. As Moriarty in Sherlock, the BBC One show that catapulted him to fame in Britain in the 2010s, he requested fewer lines to play up the villain’s spookiness. And then there is that agonizing stretch of silence in Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Fleabag right after its titular protagonist confesses her love. Has the line “It’ll pass” ever been delivered with so much pathos? Scott’s acting is all submerged passion; when he does speak, his words have depth. “Andrew has an intensity and a precision in his work,” Moore tells me. “I love his vulnerability, the way his eyes glitter onscreen.”

As a child, Scott was sent to drama classes to get over his shyness. He still remembers his first role, as the Tin Man in a production of The Wizard of Oz. “I felt completely free,” he says, seemingly transported to the moment he launched into “If I Only Had a Heart” onstage. “I felt joy—that’s the word. Not only did I feel it, but I felt that other people felt it when they were looking at me…. Some intuition told me as an 11-year-old: ‘You have to be this expressive, that’s what theater is!’ Nobody taught me that. I just felt it.” Then he swerves to avoid a clutch of tourists on Tower Bridge, and the reverie is lost.

These days, walking around London is something of an ongoing pastime for Scott. During the press rollout for Andrew Haigh’s Golden Globe–nominated romance All of Us Strangers, he and costar Paul Mescal went to their PR engagements on foot. One day, two boys on bikes clocked the pair and started chasing after them in an alarming fashion: “We escaped them—it was quite fun, actually!” Does he ever feel slightly protective of Mescal, two decades his junior? “Not any more than I would with any of my other people in my life. Because he’s got his head screwed on, you know? I absolutely adore Paul,” Scott adds, though he wants to make one thing clear: “Bromance is not the word that we associate with it, because neither of us are very bro-ey.”

Waller-Bridge, who has known Scott for 15 years, describes him as “an absolute pixie of mischief.” When asked to elaborate, she continues: “I could write a novel. But I love how naughty he is. He has the magical ability to make you feel instantly present—no matter what’s going on in your life, you’re suddenly there in the moment and feeling joyful. I think that’s what it’s like to watch him as an actor too…like he can stop time with his honesty.”

Between 2020 and 2021, Scott also traversed the lengths of the Thames, pondering the script from Ripley, his upcoming eight-episode project for Netflix, in which he plays the titular protagonist. “Quite unusually, I got sent all eight scripts at the same time,” he remembers. Steven Zaillian, the screenwriter behind Schindler’s List and Gangs of New York and the director and writer behind All the King’s Men, had written all eight at the outset.

Tom Ripley is crime novelist Patricia Highsmith’s slipperiest literary creation; a pathological liar and murderer with whom she felt a strange kinship—she sometimes signed letters with some variation of “Pat H., alias Ripley.” It is not so much a spoiler as an ongoing feature of the books that Ripley, despite splurging on Venetian palazzi and Gucci suitcases, never gets caught. If anybody comes close, there is always a conveniently located oar or glass paperweight nearby. Ripley, in other words, is the hero of the tale. “That’s why he fascinates so many,” says Scott. “There’s been so many iterations of him. I think it’s because people root for him.” Actors like Alain Delon and Dennis Hopper have tried the role; Matt Damon played him as an obsequious, lower-class naïf; John Malkovich, as a slimy, camp killer. Scott’s Ripley is different; a watchful loner escaping rodent-infested poverty, more at home among art than he is around people. Musician and actor Johnny Flynn plays his first victim—the monied Dickie Greenleaf—and Dakota Fanning is Dickie’s suspicious ex-girlfriend. “I find Tom quite vulnerable,” Scott tells me. “I don’t think he’s necessarily lonely, but I certainly think he’s solitary…. He seems to me by his nature that he just can’t fit in. He’s trying to survive.”

In Ripley, Zaillian extracts maximum Hitchcockian dread from every creaky footstep. But most sinister of all is Scott’s face, which exhibits a sharklike steeliness throughout. It’s a performance that exudes queasy force. Is Ripley a scammer, a psychopath, or both? “There’s so many things lurking beneath him that I’ve been very reluctant to diagnose him with anything. I never thought of him as a sociopath or murderous,” Scott declares. “It’s up to everybody else to characterize him or call him whatever they want.”

As we weave through tourists near the Tower of London, barely anybody notices Scott, save for a faint glimmer of recognition among mainly young women. He seems to draw reassurance from it. “I don’t like to think about it too much, if I’m honest,” he muses of fame. “I find it a little bit, er, frightening.” He is known but not blockbuster-recognizable, although he is in the upcoming Back in Action with Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx. What stunts did he do? “I can’t give that away, I’m afraid, or somebody from Netflix will come and shoot me in the head.”

What’s been on Scott’s mind the most hasn’t been acting at all, in fact, but art. As a 17-year-old, he was offered his first movie role on the same day he was given a scholarship to study painting. He chose acting, but has recently been thinking about Oliver Burkeman’s philosophical self-help tract from 2021, Four Thousand Weeks, which makes the case for focusing on the five things you truly want to accomplish. “For me at the moment, it’s like, What do you want to do? What do you want to say?”

He scrolls through his phone to show me his work. There’s a watercolor of a couple arguing in a restaurant in rich reds and greens, line drawings of friends and people on the beach, and two self-portraits. “It’s a bit weird,” he acknowledges of his depiction of himself, all bulbous forehead and Pan-like tufts of hair. His brisk, nervy lines are reminiscent of Egon Schiele or Francis Bacon, who turns out to be one of his favorite painters. “Well, God, I’ll take that,” he mutters at the comparison. He would like someday to go to art school. “I don’t ever regret it,” he says of acting. “But I suppose you just get to a stage where you think, What else? That’s one of the big painful things in life for me, where you can’t quite live all the lives.” As he gets older, he feels the tug toward revisiting old working relationships, including with Waller-Bridge: “We’ve definitely got things cooking,” he smiles. “I’d love to work with her again. She’s just a singular, wonderful person.” For her part, Waller-Bridge says: “I’d love to see him do a fully unhinged slapstick comedy character. Someone who is outraged at everything, all of the time.”

As we round the pavement and the Tate Modern looms back into sight, he recalls a poster he received in 2017—a monstrously large graphic that detailed every week in a human life span. “It’s your entire life if you live to 80—you have to fill in all the bits that you’ve already lived,” he remembers in awe, “a visually terrifying gift.” What did he do with it? “I didn’t hold on to it for too long.” Easy come, easy go: We finally finish our loop around the Thames and, as Scott disappears back into the throng, anonymous just the way he likes it, it occurs to me that the actor has many lives to live yet.'

[popculturebuffet]

Trailers for Paramount Plus series Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the Knuckles spin off have come out with the Turtles coming in summer and Knuckles coming on April 26th. Thoughts so far based on these trailers?

Tales of the TMNT: I was already really hyped for this one but the animation looks good. I WAS curious how they'd do it, as the style of the film isn't something you can really replicate on a tv budget easily, so going 2d hand drawn was a briliant move and it keeps the sketchbook style well. It looks good and I can't wait to see what it does. It is, MOSTLY a very good time to be a tmnt fan and I only say mostly because I fear what Jason Aaron might do to the IDW universe and HOPE my fears are unfounded.

Knuckles: Knuckles I'm excited enough for but still have some reservations. The basic concept.. is really good. This Knuckles has also seemingly lead a solitary life like Sonic and Tails but never had the deep desire for a home or family the way they did, so him getting bored and restless with domestic stuff and not being able to adapt fits and him hitting the road to find some purpose works.

I do like Adam Pally and while I was iffy on Wade's inclusion at first as it screamed "quick find a side character to go with knuckles", the warrior thing works better in the trailer: He simply WANTS to be better and Knuckles is the first guy to ever believe in him.

Villian wise i'm a bit iffier on the two suits sent after knuckles as it feels like a bad move to have humans one on one fight sonic and friends: ther'es a reason robotnik uses mechs. It just feels.. off. That said Robotnik's mysterious former ally intrests me: Why did he and robotnik part, why is he only showing up now and what exactly does he want. Granted it's because a large part of me is hoping for SCU Snively, which is very unlikely and I admit Rory Mccann looks nothing like snively.. but I honestly wouldn't mind a radical rewrite since we already have Robotnik's designated sidekick for this universe.

Overall the series looks decent, and I do look forward to it, but i'm on the fence a little. We'll see.

[a-captions-blog]

[Image descriptions: A series of graphics titled, ‘Queer Books to Add to Your Library.’ Each is sorted according to the original pride flag colours and meanings. The graphics show each book with its cover, title, and a short summary. Long descriptions follow.

Pink = Sex

Park Cruising by Marcus McCann: Park Cruising takes a long look at the men who cruise for sex in urban parks. Human rights layer Marcus McCann uses park cruising as a point of departure for discussions of consent, empathy, public health, municipal planning, and our relationship to strangers.

Secret Historian by Justin Spring: An intimate friend of Gertrude Stein, Alice B. Toxias, and Thornton Wider, Steward maintained a secret sex ife from childhood on, and documented these experiences in brilliantly vivid and and often very funny detail.

The Male Gazed by Manuel Betancourt: Featuring deep dives into thirst traps, drag queens, Antonio Banderas, and telenovelas—all in the service of helping us reframe how we talk about (desiring) men—this insightful memoir-in-essays is as muh a coming of age as a coming out book.

Whore of New York by Liara Roux: Why would someone ever voluntarily become a sex worker? Liara Roux writes about the salacious details leading up to her decision to become a career sex worker, and the unexpected truths she learned while working in the industry.

Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert: Eve Brown is a certified hot mess. No matter how hard she strives to do right, her life always goes horribly wrong. So she’s given up trying. But when her personal brand of chaos ruins an expensive wedding (someone had to liberate those poor doves), her parents draw the line. It ś time for Eve to grow up and prove herself—even though she’s not entirely sure how..

Red = Life

I Hope We Choose Love by Kai Cheng Thom: what can we hope for at the end of the world? What can we trust in when community has broken our hearts? What would it mean to pursue justice without violence? How can we love in the absence of faith?

A Spidle Splintered by Alix E. Harrow: It’s Zinnia Gray’s twenty-first birthday, which is extra special because it’s the last birthday she’ll ever have. When she was young, an industrial accident left Zinnia with a rare condition. Not much is known about her illness, just that no-one has lived past twenty-one.

People Change by Vivek Shraya: Vivek Shraya knows this to be true: people change. We change our haircuts and our outfits and our minds. We change names, titles, labels. We attempt to blend in or to stand out. We outgrow relationships, we abandon dreams for new ones, we start fresh. We seize control of our stories. We make resolutions.

The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw: You may think you know how the fairy tale goes: a mermaid comes to shore and weds the prince. But what the fables forget is that mermaids have teeth. And now, her daughters have devoured the kingdom and burned it to ashes.

Tarta Americana by J. Michael Martinez: A suite of poems that channels the legendary singer-songwriter Ritchie Valens to examine and question mid-twentieth-century conceptions of race and art, identity and desire.

Orange = Healing

Hijab Butch Blues by Lamya H: A queer hijabi Muslim immigrant survives her coming-of-age by drawing strength and hope from stories in the Quran in this “raw and relatable memoir that challenges societal norms and expectations” (Linah Mohammad, NPR).

The Cancer Journal by Audre Lorde: Moving between journal entry, memoir, and exposition, Audre Lorde fuses the personal and political as she reflects on her experience coping with breast cancer and a radical mastectomy.

You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeka Emezi: Feyi Adekole wants to learn how to be alive again. It’s been give years since the accident that killed the love of her life and she’s almost a new person now—an artist with her own studio and sharing a brownstone apartment with her ride-or-die best friend, Joy, who insists it’s time for Feyi to ease back into the dating scene. Feyi isn’t ready for anything serious, but a steamy encounter at a rooftop party cascades into a whirlwind summer she could never have imagined: a luxury trip to a tropical island, decadent meals in the glamorous home of a celebrity chef, and a major curator who wants to launch her art career.

How We Show Up by Mia Birdsong: A provocative, essential guide to community and solidarity from an activist, community organizer, and thought leader whose viral TED talk has been viewed more than 1.5 million times.

The Tea Dragon Society by K. O’Neill: In the bewitching Tea Dragon Society series, two-time Eisner Award-winning creator K. O’Neill offers three stories featuring the enchanting world of Tea Dragons.

Yellow = The Sun

A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers: It’s been centuries since the robots of Panga gained self-awareness and laid down their tools; centuries since they wandered, en masse, into the wilderness, never to be seen again; centuries since they faded into myth and urban legend.

A Phoenix Must First Burn by Patrice Caldwell: Evoking Beyonce’s Lemonade for a teen audience, these authors who are truly Octavia Butler’s heirs, have woven worlds to create a stunning narrative that centers Black women and gender nonconforming individuals. A Phoenix Must First Burn will take you on a journey from folktales retold to futuristic societies and everything in between.

Hi Honey, I’m Homo! by Matt Baume: For decades, amdist the bright lights, studio-audience laughs, and absurdly large apartment sets, the real-life story of American LGBTQ+ liberation unfolded in plain sight in front of millions of viewers, most of whom were laughing too hard to mind.

In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Bernnan: Elliot doesn’t want to fight, keeps saying the wrong thing, and is definitely the grouchiest human in fantasyland.

Mouthful of Forevers by Clementine Von Radics: Clementine von Radics writes of love, loss, and the uncertainties and beauties of life with a ravishing poetic voice and piercing bravura that speak directly not only to the sensibility of her generation, but to anyone who has ever been young.

Green = Nature

The Flowing Wand by Sophie Strang: A deep exploration of the regenerative and magical secrets of sacred masculinity hidden in familiar myths both ancient and modern

Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss: A taut, gripping tale of a young woman and an Iron Age reenactment trip that unearths frightening behavior.

Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant: The ocean is home to many myths, but some are deadly. Seven years ago the atargatis set off on a voyage to the Mariana Trench to film a mockumentary bringing to life ancient sea creatures of legend. It was lost at sea with all hands. Some have called it a hoax; others have called it a tragedy.

The Devouring Gray by C. L. Herman: After her sister’s death, seventeen-year-old Violet Saunders finds herself dragged to Four Paths, New York. Violet may be a newcomer, but she soon learns her mother isn’t: They belong to one of the revered founding families of the town, where stone bells hang above every doorway and danger lurks in the depths of the woods.

Queer Ducks by Eliot Schrefer: This groundbreaking illustrated YA nonfiction title from two-time National Book Award finalist and New York Times bestselling author Eliot Schrefer is a well-researched and teen-friendly exploration of the gamut of queer behaviors observed in various animals.

Turquoise = Art and Magic

Dinner on Monster Island by Tania de Rozaria: In this unusual, engaging, and intimate collection of personal essays, Lamba Literary Award finalist Tania De Rozario recalls growing up as a queer, brown, fat girl in Singapore, blending memoir with elements of history, pop culture, horror films, and current events to explore the nature of monsters and what it means to be different.

Eyeliner: A Cultural History by Zahra Hankir: From the acclaimed editor of Our Women on the Ground comes a dazzling exploration of the intersections of beauty and power around the glob, told through the lens of an iconic cosmetic.

Black Futures by Jenna Wortham and Kimberly Drew: Kimberly Drew and Jenna Wortham have brought together this collection of work—images, photos, essays, memes, dialogues, recipes, tweets, poetry, and more—to tell the story of the radical, imaginative, provocative, and gorgeous world that Black creators are bringing forth today. The book presents a succession of startling and beautiful pieces that generate an entrancing rhythm. Readers will go from conversations with activists and academics to memes and Instagram posts, from powerful essays to dazzling paintings and insightful infographics.

Queer Magic by Tomás Prower: Queer Magic provides nourishment for LGBTQ+ souls and their allies who are interested in learning about the significant prescence and influence of queer folks throughout history. Explore fascinating insights into queer relationships and spiritual practices from different regions of the world.

Queering the Tarot by Cassandra Snow: Tarot is best used as a tool for self-discovery, healing, growth, empowerment, and liberation. Tarot archetypes provide the reader with a window into present circumstances and future potential. But what if that window only opened up on a world that was white, European, and heterosexual?

Blue = Serenity

Three Simple Lines by Natalie Goldberg: A haiku is three simple lines. But it is also, as Allen Ginsberg put it, three lines that ‘make the mind leap.’ A good one, he said, lets the mind experience ‘a small sensation of space which is nothing less than God.’ As many spiritual practices seek to do, the haikus spare yet acute noticing of the immediate and often ordinary grounds the reader in the pure awareness of now.

Body Work by Melissa Febos: Memoir meets craft master class in this “daring, honest, pyschologically insightful’ exploration of how we think and write about intimate experiences—‘a must read for anybody shoving a pen across paper or staring into a screen or a past’ (Mary Karr)

Amateur by Thomas Page McBee: In this “refreshing and radical” (The Guardian) narrative, Thomas McBee, a trans man, sets out to uncover what makes a man—and what being a “good” man even means—through his experience training for and fighting in a charity boxing match at Madison Square Garden.

On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden: A ragtag crew travels to the deepest reaches of space, rebuilding beautiful, broken structures to piece the past together.

Wash Day Diaries by Jamila Rowser: From writer Jamila Rowser and artist Robyn Smith comes a captivating graphic novel love letter to the beauty and endurance of Black women, their friendships, and their hair.

Purple = Spirit

God Themselves by Jae Nichelle: Let this book be a celebration of queerness, Blackness, and love. Let these words be a modern church, these poems a holy space.

Dear Senthuran by Awkaeke Emezi: Through candid, intimate correspondence with friends, lovers, and family, Emezi traces the unfolding of a self and the unforgettable journey of a creative spirit stepping into power in the human world.

Dark and Deepest Red by A.M. McLemore: Summer, 1518. A strange sickness sweeps through Strasbourg: women dance in the streets, some until they fall down dead. As rumors of witchcraft spread, suspicious turns towards Lavinia and her family, and Lavinia may have to do the unimaginable to save herself and everyone she loves.

Sacrament of Bodies by Romeo Oriogun: In Sacrement of Bodie Romio Oriogun interrogates what it means to be queer, male, and Nigerian. In this groundberaking work, Oriogun seeks to understand how a queer man can heal in a society where everything is designed to prevent such restoration.

Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars by Kai Cheng Thom: At once a love letter and challenge to the traditional transgender memoir, Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars is a playful, surrealist dance through queer coming of age. \End ID]

[Reblog plain text: Avatar

I'm listing Queer fiction that I've read for this list. If folks want to see more queer fiction and nonfiction to check out, this list here and this one are fairly comprehensive.

Other queer fiction to add to the above list: Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki (first published in 2021) I adore this book so much. It's about a violin teacher who has to collect one more soul in order to complete her contract with the devil (so the devil won't take her soul). She finds a homeless trans girl and meets the (secret) alien owner of a donut shop (that hides a spaceship). The prose in this blew me away. It's so damn gorgeous, especially with how music is described. I could almost hear the music lifting out of the pages. It's also the queerest book I ever read, and it makes me so happy.

Annie on my Mind by Nancy Garden (first published in 1982). About two teenage girls who fall in love and swear to stay true each other despite the challenges faced by both. One goes to a Catholic school, who cracks down hard on LGBTQIA stuff, and the other goes to the city's public school. It's a gorgeous tale and one of the first LGBTQIA books I read. I read it over and over again as a source of comfort.

The Color Purple by Alice Walker (first published in 1982) Seriously, one of the most iconic and ground-breaking LGBT novel ever written. It focuses on the life of Celie as she grows up and must contend with abuse, being married off to a man she doesn't love and is abusive, and how she falls in love with another woman.

Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown (first published in 1973) This is the third LGBT book I ever read. It had a lesbian cult following for awhile. It explored Molly Bolt's life, and how she understood her sexuality from a young age. Molly ultimately rejects gender roles and binaries, and it's a lovely coming of age and romantic story.

Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters (first published in 1998) Nan is smitten with a male impersonator named Kitty. They go to London and shenanigans happen. I honestly loved reading this one, and the romance between the two is sometimes angsty but also so sweet. It's about gender experimentation and queerness and how these two survive in Victorian London.

An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon (first published in 2017) I absolutely adore anything Rivers Solomon writes to be honest. It's about drama and intrigue on a generations spaceship, which became regimented and ruled by oppression, generations after humanity left earth. Our heroes fight back against the oppressive systems on the spaceship, and there's all sorts of LGBTQIA characters (some are even nonbinary!).

Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James (first published in 2020) This book has some amazingly beautiful prose. It's also very graphic in describing certain types of violence and sex. It's about a mercenary hired to find a missing boy, but the world in which these people live is full of mythic wonders and monsters. It's a bit of a hard read with some of its themes, but the way Marlon constructs his sentences with gorgeous imagery leaves me breathless.

The Deep by Rivers Solomon (first published in 2019) This book blew me away. It's about a mermaid culture that develops undersea by pregnant African women thrown overboard during the slave trade. One mermaid, Yetu, who carries the history of her people in her head, flees to the surface, and discovers the true history of her people. (And also has some super adorable scenes with the woman on the surface.) Yes, it's about intergenerational trauma, but it's also about the freedom of this mermaid culture to love whoever they wish.

Dreadnought by April Daniels (first published in 2017) Loved this one. Danny gains powers when a superhero dying in front of her passes his powers to her. She's faced with transphobia, sexism, and abuse at every turn, but it also celebrates her coming into herself as a trans queer woman. We need more queer trans superheroes, honestly! (Also, she reminded me a bit of Nia Nal in Supergirl, who is a trans superhero named Dreamer. Mostly because of their personalities having a lot of overlapping traits. :) )

This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone (first published in 2020) Absolutely breathtaking prose and wonderfully gorgeous romance. It stars two time agents -- Red and Blue are their codenames -- who are imbroiled in a time war. They're on opposite sides, but the slow burn is exquisite. Just love this novella to death.

The Bermudez Triangle by Maureen Johnson (first published in 2004) It's about three friends who are separated for a few months. Nina returns from her summer adventures with stories of her and her crush, but then she witnesses her two best friends kissing. The shenanigans, drama, and growth that ensues was both hilarious at time but also heart-wrenchingly real. I truly loved it, and sometimes I still think about these three friends and how they navigated relationships together.

Am I Blue?: Coming Out from the Silence by Marion Dane Bauer (first published in 1995) This is one of the first LGBTQIA anthologies I read. It's a collection of short stories about LGBTQIA folks coming out and navigating societal crap while coming to terms with their gender identity and/or sexual orientation. It brought me to tears in some places, and helped me find the courage to come out myself as queer.

The Priory of the Orange Tree (The Roots of Chaos, #1) by Samantha Shannon (first published in 2019) I adored the characters and worldbuilding in this novel; the gorgeous prose and immersive storytelling had me enraptured. Plus it's hard to resist any book that has folks riding dragons. It's also one of those books where I shouted, "That's so gay. These two better get together in the end." Queen Saban and Ead (who is a magic user posing as her aide) fall in love, and yes, it's a slow burn, but it's also full of angst, fluff, and just 'awwww' moments. There's also the plot at large about evil dragons wanting to enslave the world, but well, I sort of got more invested in Saban and Ead. lol I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel.

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula Le Guin (first published in 1969) This book had a profound effect on me as it got me thinking of gender fluidity, and gave me courage to experiment more with gender. It's about a human ambassador who goes on a mission to Gethen, where androgynous and intersex humans live in a very gender fluid culture. The people on Gethen can become either sex depending on their partners. It's a fascinating book, and caused quite a stir when it first came out.

The City We Became by N.K. Jemisen (first published in 2020) I adored this book. All the characters are some flavor of queer (except for the white gal who represents Staten Island). The gist of the story is that sometimes cities come alive, and they chose human avatars. New York City ends up choosing an avatar for each borough to help protect its main avatar, who is being attacked by a Cthulhu-like entity. Damn good story, fantastically colorful characters, and gosh, I just adored it.

The Will of the Empress by Tamora Pierce (first published in 2006) This is the final book in the Circle series (The Circle of Magic Quartet, The Circle Opens Quartet). Our four friends, who form a family of their own, travel to the kingdom of Namorn. There they encounter drama, espionage, kidnapping, and court politics. Daja, one of my favorite of the four, discovers she's gay, and her romance is adorable. I read these four - Sandry, Tris, Briar, and Daja - throughout my pre-teens and teenage years. I sort of grew up with them, so I have a soft spot in my heart for this book.

Followups of Queer books I either am in the process or reading or is on my to read next list that are not on the lists mentioned above: Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir The Prophets by Robert Jones, Jr. The Stars and the Blackness Between Them by Junauda Petrus Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree Ash by Malinda Lo Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire

My tags for the thoughts on the books listed in the images from makingqueerhistory: \End PT]

[Tag transcriptions: #I have one-fourth of these books already [smiley face] #There’s some great ones listed #I absolutely adore Becky Chambers Monk and Robot series – a Psalm for the Wild Built #Queer magic and Queering the Tarot were fun reads too #How we show up by Mia Birdsong really helped me get perspective on how we can build up solidarity and community #A Phoenix Must First Burn was absolutely lovely anthology with majority being Latinx (and often LGBTQIA) characters #I’ve been trying to find a copy of Black Futures for awhile now but it is for some reason incredibly expensive so I can’t afford it yet #Honestly all the books I own in this list were fantastic reads. \End transcription]

Read the rainbow!

[teemoonley]

James McCann Hit By Pitch To Face T-Shirt

Relive the dramatic moment with the James McCann Hit By Pitch To Face Shirt. This design captures Baltimore Orioles catcher James McCann’s reaction after being struck by a pitch from Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Yariel Rodriguez during a July 29, 2024 game. The shirt features a graphic of McCann with cotton swabs in his nostrils, highlighting his resilience and determination despite the painful hit.

Made from high-quality, soft cotton, it ensures comfort and durability, making it ideal for baseball fans and sports enthusiasts. Available in tee shirts, sweatshirts, and hoodies, and in a range of sizes for men, women, and youth, it comes in various colors to suit your style. Wear this James McCann Hit By Pitch To Face Shirt to celebrate McCann’s tough performance and the thrilling moments of the game.

[jrpneblog]

Was Leeds the turning point?

The thought going through my mind this week is just whether that win on Boxing Day against Leeds United was the turning point in North Ends recent poor form and the turning point in Ryan Lowe`s extremely brittle relationship with the fan base. Although it came after a poor defeat at Swansea the manner of the victory against the Peacocks gave reason for hope that the manager will finally make the systems suit the team and that he has listened to the Sage advice of Peter Ridsdale with regards to high octane comments in certain Radio interviews. Even though I had personally reached the end of the line after the defeat at home to QPR I still want North End to win every game and not lose just to hasten a managerial departure. It is a big four days coming up and four points from Sheffield Wednesday and Swansea would see North End going into the new year in better shape.

It was a long old journey on Xmas Friday, down to South Wales, to see North End get done in the 95th minute of a game that we really should have won. It was clear from the start that the manager had not gone to concede and keep it tight at the back. After an even first half we went a goal down early in the second which forced a change of plan. Millar was introduced and the impact was immediate after the Canadian fired us level with a superb goal. From that point we really should have gone on to win the game but we sat back and defended when we should have been going for the winner. Alas we conceded an almost carbon copy second goal leaving a long trip home with nothing for the 246 hardy souls who made their way to the Liberty Stadium.

It was a sell out at Deepdale at lunchtime on Boxing Day and the biggest home attendance for 52 years as 21,816 were inside Deepdale for the visit of Leeds United. There wasnt a great deal of confidence going around before this game started with regards to North End`s chances but right from the kick off we more than held our own in this encounter. A good even first half saw the teams go in level at the break and when Millar crossed for Browne to head home early in the second period Deepdale was alight. Leeds had a few minutes earlier been reduced to ten men and North End took advantage. We very much held our own until seven minutes from time when McCann conceded a penalty and the scores were level. However North End were not done and with eighty nine minutes on the clock Millar cut in from the left and rounded two defenders before sending a curling shot into the far corner to give North End the three points and set Deepdale on fire. It was a very good win against a good team and just the tonic needed after the defeat at Swansea.

On Friday evening 7.45 ko we entertain Sheffield Wednesday at Deepdale in a game that looks winnable on paper but as we all know this Championship has a mind of it`s own. Looking at the Owls away record you would fancy a large bet on a home win because out of twelve league games away from Hillsborough, Wednesday have won one, drawn one and lost ten with a minus sixteen goal difference to boot. It is just the sort of game that causes an upset up and down the land but especially in this division. I hope Ryan Lowe plays the same side he played on Tuesday afternoon and the same formation. I just think we look far more effective, defensively, with two lines of four playing yet still allowing the wide men to do their stuff on the flanks. It looks like and should be a home win on paper but we know what paper did and North End will need to be very near their best to take all three points under the Deepdale lights.

As the Sheffield game sees out 2023 we then make the trip to the North East for our first game of the New Year when we visit the Stadium of Light for a game against Sunderland 12.30 ko. The Black Cats have a slightly quirky home record this season having won seven and lost five of their twelve league games so far this term. with a goal difference of plus four. One thing that may well be in North End`s favour is that Sunderland have a huge FA Cup tie at home to Newcastle just a few days later and perhaps one or two minds may well be elsewhere on the day. Nevertheless this looks a tough assignment on the face of it and the manager may well change things around up on Wearside. No doubt that four points from the Sheffield Wednesday and Sunderland game would be a very good return for North End and if achieved the seven points gained over the festive period would be decent enough.

And finally this week:- it appears that VAR will be in force when we go to Chelsea in the FA Cup on January 6th. It will be a new experience for me and I would suspect many others to be actually inside the Stadium as VAR plays out. Im not a great fan myself as I fear it brings more arguments to the game than it settles but I am looking forward to seeing it in action live.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

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MATCH PREDICTION -

Sheffield Wednesday (H) League - Home Win

Sunderland (A) League - Draw

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JR`s HIGH FIVES

Manchester United to beat Nottingham Forrest 6/5

A £5 Stake returns £11.00 on bet365

SEASONS STATS

Returns £86.00 Stake £105.00

Percentage profit+/-loss - 18.10%

Predictions 21 won 8 lost 13