#Mike Connell

[artjipson]

Happy 30th Birthday! The Connells' 'Ring' – A Melodic Gem That Rings True 30 Years Later

A very happy birthday — the big 3-0 — to ‘Ring‘ from The Connells! This record was life-changing for me. After this record and through the music, I met the future Mrs. Dr. J. Immediately after the release of this album, I started a newsletter ‘Boylan Heights’ named after the band’s second full-length record and through that experience made lifelong friends. That was followed by a fan site for…

[demifiendrsa]

Grammy Awards 2024 Winners:

Album Of The Year: Midnights, Taylor Swift; Jack Antonoff & Taylor Swift, producers; Jack Antonoff, Bryce Bordone, Zem Audu, Serban Ghenea, David Hart, Mikey Freedom Hart, Sean Hutchinson, Ken Lewis, Michael Riddleberger, Laura Sisk & Evan Smith, engineers/mixers; Jack Antonoff & Taylor Swift, songwriters; Randy Merrill, mastering engineer

Record Of The Year: “Flowers,” Miley Cyrus; Kid Harpoon & Tyler Johnson, producers; Michael Pollack, Brian Rajaratnam & Mark “Spike” Stent, engineers/mixers; Joe LaPorta, mastering engineer

Best New Artist: Victoria Monét

Song Of The Year: “What Was I Made For? [From The Motion Picture Barbie],” Billie Eilish O’Connell & Finneas O’Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish)

Best Pop Vocal Album: Midnights, Taylor Swift

Best R&B Song: “Snooze,” Kenny B. Edmonds, Blair Ferguson, Khris Riddick-Tynes, Solána Rowe & Leon Thomas, songwriters (SZA)

Best Country Album: Bell Bottom Country, Lainey Wilson

Best Musica Urbana Album: MAÑANA SERÁ BONITO, Karol G

Best Pop Solo Performance: “Flowers,” Miley Cyrus

Dr. Dre Global Impact Award: Jay-Z

[neomachine]

i just know he went hard when ok computer released in 1997

[billthedrake]

CAMP DADDY

"You got this, Carter," I heard from behind me. It was Dave, the guy at the camp I'd bonded with the most.

I wasn't sure I had it. Over the last week we'd done a lot of challenging stuff... long hikes, swimming races, rock climbing, you name it. But the spelunking was freaking me out a little, between the darkness and the tight spaces. I didn't realize I had claustrophobia, but I guess I did. I was hyperventilating.

"Come on, relax, bro," my buddy said. "One inch at a time. I'm right behind ya, man."

I pushed through. And once I cleared into a bigger part of the cave, I saw more headlamps ahead. I unclenched my held breath.

***

I'd been a real fuck up of a teenager. That's why I was here at this Outward Bound camp. Strike one was shoplifting and getting caught for it. Strike two was yelling at my dad and calling him a piece of shit, on his birthday no less. Strike three was the ketamine use. The next weekend Dad was shipping me off to this godforsaken place in the woods upstate. He wasn't going to pay for baseball, college, or my car if I didn't go. So I did.

The first couple of days I gave a bunch of lip to the counselors. I couldn't stand their fake-cheery demeanor or their 12-step BS. "Stay strong," we had to say at the end of each "huddle" meeting. Like it was fucking church.

But I was smart, smart enough how to play this. I knew I should just lay low, go along with it enough. It was just three weeks.

It helped that I bonded with Dave the first day. He was another baseball jock and cynical too. We made fun of the Sunday School teacher vibe of the lead counselor Mr. Connell. Only at Outward bound we were supposed to call the counselors by first name.

Dave had been there a week. "At least all the physical stuff is good exercise," he said. "I'm actually getting in really great shape for next season."

It was true. There was a gym, too, in the common room of the main cabin basement. Kind of a basic barbells and benches kind of gym but a lot of us jocks would work out together, until I got annoyed by them too. Other than Dave, they all bought into the 12 step crap.

I started talking to Pete, a punk guy with a shaved head and a permanent snarl on his face. He was cool. He wasn't just cynical, he'd talk back to the counselors. But one day he was just gone. No Pete.

***

Maybe unconsciously I was trying to get Pete's fate. Get out of this fucking place. I thought three weeks would go fast, but a week and a half had drained me. I mouthed off to Mr. Connell. Sorry, to "Mike." He smiled in that fakey way and tried to be zen about it. But I was getting to him. After dinner I sulked on my own. I'd started to realize Dave was in on it. Playing normal to get my confidence and win me over to the Program.

I was wallowing in self-pity sure, because I knew I was crushed out on Dave. I'd hidden the gay thing pretty well my last few years, but now I didn't have booze or pot or drugs to push my feelings down. Maybe that's why I was acting out, I don't know. My body was just a mess of hormones and my brain a bunch of conflicted thoughts.

***

I woke up in a room that was identical to the two-bed cabin I'd been sleeping in with another guy Zach. Only it wasn't the same room and there was no Zach. On the other full bed a man sat reading a book, kind of a big beefy-but trim older man, dressed in joggers and a zip-up athletic top that clung to his thick muscle. I thought it was a sex dream, but the second I realized it was real I jolted awake, sitting up straight in my small bed.

"Wait, who are you?" I blurted out. This man wasn't one of the counselors. He was older, with salt-and-pepper hair trimmed short. Probably in his early 50s.

Patiently the man set down his book. He didn't have that fakey-nice look but was on the sterner side of normal. "You can call me Daddy," he said. He had a smooth tenor voice.

This was weirder than a dream. "What the fuck?!" I yelled. "I'm not fucking calling you Daddy. Where's Zach? Where are the other guys?"

He shrugged. "You didn't like the other guys," Daddy explained. "We had to change plans."

I was freaking out now. More than in that dark cave. I jolted up and ran to the door. This cabin wasn't in a big compound but was attached to a single small room with a window overlooking the mountains. I looked back on the bed. The man was surprisingly calm, like he expected my reaction, or worse. That was one thing that made me try to check my emotion, to use my head. I knew how these fuckers worked.

"This is kidnapping," I said. I was realizing I must have been drugged to be moved entirely to this new place.

Daddy shook his head. "Fraid not. And we suggested to your father that we extend your stay here to two months. He agreed it's needed. We'll add more if takes all summer.

I broke down. Tears welled up in my eyes. I wasn't going to let this asshole see me cry, and yet I already was. Defeated, I sat on the bed facing away from him.

"It's OK," he said, with terse reassurance. "It's tough here. I'll make breakfast for when you're ready."

***

I gave him the silent treatment. Unlike the Outward Bound counselors he didn't try to make me talk. Maybe he was giving me the silent treatment too, maybe he realized a one-way conversation was useless.

I got dressed and while Daddy was showering up, I stepped out of the small cabin. There was a trail, and it had to lead somewhere. I took one look back into the cabin, then took off.

Fortunately the trail split a few times so if Daddy followed me he'd have a hard time catching up. I don't know why I hadn't thought of escaping before.

I got lost. Real fucking lost. The deeper into the woods I got, the less sense I had of where to go. The day went on. I got hungry. I kept walking. I expected to hear a highway or cars or people or some sign of civilization. Nothing.

I was freaking out. I stopped and sat on a tree trunk. Crying. There was no Dave urging me on. No "stay strong" mantra. No other guys. It was just me, fucking up again. My stomach rumbled, and I felt thirsty. It was getting dusk. I couldn't believe I'd have to sleep out here, but my big fear was wondering if I'd ever get back.

I heard rustling on the trail. Then saw a flashlight and the dark imposing figure of a 6'4" man coming my way. It was Daddy.

"Here," he said, offering me a sandwich and water. "Have this, then we'll head back."

I was too grateful and relieved to mouth off. But on our walk back I had a realization. "You knew I was here," I said.

"Yes," Daddy replied. They probably had a tracking chip in my clothes somehow.

"And you made me wait here alone."

"Yes," he admitted. "You had to learn the hard way, Carter." There was an undercurrent of empathy to his voice.

***

It took me a couple of days, but I opened up. And once I started talking, you couldn't shut me up, it felt like. I talked about my problems, and Daddy listened. It was like a therapy session and a buddy conversation, from breakfast till night.

Daddy was the first man I told I was gay. We were sitting on the Adirondack chairs outside, enjoying the view of the mountains and the sunset and I just went there. I confessed my problems dating girls and the times I got erection problems during sex.

"I told them I was drunk, but I wasn't," I said.

"I'd have done the same," Daddy said in his mellow voice.

That caught me off guard. I tried to read him, but he was still an enigma to me. A flash of me wondered if he was into men. The dude was jacked for his age, and I got a flash of excitement imagining him having sex.

Daddy was counselor, captor, friend, and father figure rolled into one. "What's your deal, man?" I asked. Not hostile like before, but probing. "Here I am spilling my guts out and I don't even know your name."

He smiled but just kept his even manner. "You don't need to know name, just Da..."

"I know," I interrupted. "You're 'Daddy.'"

Something about my exasperated tone made him smile. And maybe relent. "I did Outward Bound when I was your age. I acted out, got into trouble," he explained. "The Program set me straight."

"Was the program as unconventional when you did it?" I gestured around to the isolated cabin where I was more or less hostage.

That got a grin. "More so."

I was curious. "Did you have a Daddy?"

He nodded. "I did." He took a sip from the can of soda. "Later he taught me how to be a Daddy."

I still didn't get whatever psychoanalytic babble the Program was tapping into, but Daddy's words did make me think.

"You know what makes me, mad?" I asked.

"What?"

"This shit's probably working."

That got a chuckle. "You'll be glad when it's over Carter."

It was dark now and it felt darker out here in the middle of nowhere. "You ready for bed, kiddo?"

It was the first time Daddy used that nickname. But I replied I was.

We'd talked so much we were pretty quiet now as we went inside and got ready for bed. Normally Daddy slept in a T-shirt and shorts but that evening he peeled off his shirt. In the lamplight I could admire the powerful chest muscle and ripped abs. Best of all that DILF body was covered in a trimmed coat of salt-and-pepper fur. Before Daddy I didn't realize I was into older men. Now, I had to check my gaze.

"It's ok to look, buddy," the man said. His voice was as soft and encouraging as I'd ever heard it.

"What?" I replied in a checked grunt.

He tossed the shirt aside and turned to face me directly. He was a masculine god, even more alluring for his quiet nature. "It's OK to look," he repeated. "That's what Daddies are for."

The words were fucked up but they gave me a boner, instantly. I couldn't help it.

Daddy saw and was unfazed, peeling down his joggers to show off his soft genitals. That cock was meaty and matched the low-hanging full nuts in their shaved-smooth sac. It wasn't the first cock I'd seen of course, but it was the first live one I'd seen in a sort of sexual situation.

He walked over and pulled down the bed sheets. Daddy's backside was just as magnificent as his front. Strong back and a meaty round ass, the kind I didn't know 50-something men had. But Daddy had one.

My body was shaking, nervously, but the man was acting normal, getting into bed and pulling up the sheet to his abdomen. He gave one more look over.

"If you want to join me Carter, that's your move."

I didn't know if this was some Outward Bound trap or mindgame. A part of me didn't care, I was so horny. It's as if my brain couldn't stop my body from slipping out of my bed and crossing over. The one thing that gave me courage was seeing Daddy scoot his bed to the side to give me room to get in as he lifted the sheet a little. I could see a flash of his erection, even, thick and meaty like him.

"Stay strong, kiddo," he said softly and I nodded, getting into the bed to join him, my body shaking.

"There," he grinned as I finally settled into a lying position next to him. I could feel the heat of his body even if I was afraid to touch him still.

"You're first time with a man?" Daddy asked.

"Yes, Daddy." It was the first time I called him that. It made him smile, which made me glad.

His fingers touched my flank. I was still wearing my shorts but was shirtless and the skin contact felt incredible. This wasn't faking it with a girl.

"You're a very handsome young man, Carter," Daddy said in that soft tenor voice of his. "I'm honored to be your Daddy."

With that the mean leaned in and placed his lips against mine. It was my first kiss with a man, and nothing prepared me for it. A tingle went up my body and my prick surged even harder in my shorts. Particularly when Daddy's tongue pressed forward between my lips and into my mouth.

I was following his lead. Daddy was my coach at that moment. Coach in life and Coach in sex. I couldn't have dreamed of a better one. It was intense and sexual and passionate, but we also took our time.

As we got into it, I got the courage to feel him. His hairy, muscular, warm body. I reached down and touched his cock, hard and alive in my grip. My first dick, and one I'd never forget.

The way I moaned made Daddy pull back from the kiss.

"You like that, buddy?" he grinned.

"Yes, sir," I hissed.

"You like dick," he said with assured ease. "Don't let anyone make you think you're a lesser man because of it."

"No, Daddy," I replied, gripping his boner one last time before relinquishing it. I had to feel up the rest of him, too. More.

He slipped my shorts down, at least from one side till I decided to help him out. My dick was sap-wet and as rigid as I had ever remembered it being.

"You're not the only one," he said. "Not the only young man into dick. Your buddy Dave..." he started.

That jolted me in surprise. "For real?"

Daddy nodded. His hand now circled around my crotch before his fingers grazed my boner. "For real."

I don't know if it was jealousy or something else I was feeling. "You do stuff with him?" I asked.

The man shook his head. "No. He has a different Daddy," he explained, pausing before deciding his could share the information. "Connell."

Well, fuck me, I thought. The last thing I would expect.

Now Daddy's lips were on my neck, kissing me as his hand alternated between massaging my smoother body and stroking my cock. "You up for the full ride tonight, Carter?" he asked.

If he'd asked me that even an hour before, I would have chickened out. But the body contact and the sexual intimacy made me want it all.

"Yeah, Daddy, I do," I answered. "Stay strong, right?"

That got a laugh. He leaned up. I'd never seen him look so hot, so handsome. "Yeah, kiddo... that's right. Stay strong." He leaned in for another kiss, softer this time. It felt right. Righter than right.

Then he started working his way down, kissing my chest and abs, feeling me up some, telling me he was going to take his time.

I got my dick sucked for the first time. I got my balls licked. Then Daddy urged me to pull back my legs and proceeded to give me my first rim job.

I decided then and there that two months here wasn't going to be enough. I hoped my Dad would keep me here the whole damn summer.

"Oh fuck!" I hissed. It was stimulating and naughty and tickling at the same time. I loved getting eaten out. I didn't have anyone to compare it to, but Daddy was a pro. Eager, intense yet also working in some finesse to keep it intersting.

I slowly relaxed my hole. My whole body was relaxed, in fact, lying back into the bed, looking up at the ceiling as I kept my legs pulled back for Daddy.

The first finger entry caught me by surprise. I looked down to see Daddy's brown eyes fixed on me, as he worked his finger in and out.

"Stay strong, buddy," he urged softly.

"Fuck yeah, Daddy," I replied. Trying to be his good soldier. Daddy was gonna make me a man that night, and I wanted to be all man for him.

He finally pulled back and reached over. I didn't even notice the little jar there before, but Daddy unscrewed the lid and dug in. There was some liquidy grease that coated his fingers.

And now my asshole. Damn, it made his two fingers feel incredible going in. And out. And in again.

"Yeah, you're hungry, kiddo."

I grunted. Those fingers were feeling intense in a great way, but short circuiting my thought. I flashed to think of Dave, imagining Mike Connell doing this to him.

A third finger now breached my relaxed ring. It gave a few gentle prods then pulled out.

"You're ready."

The man scooted in place, his hard dick standing straight up from his hairy crotch that was still darker brown than his chest hair. I had felt but not gotten a real good look at his cock, but Daddy was real thick and maybe 6.5 inches in length. The guy was horned up, too, judging by how rigid his meat was. He slathered some of that grease on his boner and pushed it down to line himself up.

"The entry might be tough," he warned. "Or not."

"You better not say, 'Stay strong,'" I joked.

That got a laugh out of the man. "You're all man, Carter," he said.

And like that his cock was breaching my hole.

"Unnfg!" I let out, before I caught myself. The sting surprised me. It didn't hurt too bad, but the unfamiliarity of it freaked me out some.

Daddy's hands rand along my abs, gently, coaxing me silently to relax. I tried, until I was successful. More dick slid into me. The man was patient, but I could tell he was really turned on.

I was getting my cherry taken away, and I was thrilled, particularly when Daddy's cock bored deeper. Weirdly, the deeper the man went the better it felt. Daddy felt bigger than 6.5 inches. Maybe I'd underestimated his size, maybe it was just the psychological effect of having him buried inside me.

"Fuck yeah, kiddo," Daddy growled. "Take it."

I looked up at him. The man was a stud who knew what he was doing. "You done this before?" I asked. "Taken a guy's virginity?"

The question caught him off guard. It was almost like he didn't want to answer me. But he looked down with those soulful brown eyes and replied, "I have, Carter. Many times." He pulled his hips back and thrust in. THAT felt fricking amazing and I held onto his meaty arms. Then again. "But I care about each and every one," he added. His thrusts got faster, as Daddy intuited I was receptive. "I care about you, kiddo."

Daddy was taking me there. Physically and psychologically, he was showing me how amazing getting fucked could be. The man wasn't rough, but he pumped faster and harder. He was teaching me I loved it that way. I held on and looked up at him and felt my prick quiver.

"Fuck me, Daddy!" I hissed.

"Yeah, kiddo. Daddy's got ya." His body seemed in control but his breath was ragged and heavy. The man was turned on like hell.

That thick cock seemed a blur inside me now, its way in my tunnel greased up and the heavy hard rod punching some spot inside me.

I dind't realize I was so close to cumming until Daddy's greased fist wrapped around my bone. Not even needing to stroke it, just touching me made me fire off. I saw white, and my body felt hot and tense, then it all got released with a series of cum shots firing out of my young jock body.

I tried to keep my vision, to look up at Daddy in gratitude. To watch his own O face take over form the calm, collected surety of his experience. That got tossed out the window when Daddy came. He was as lost in pleasure as me. That made me happy.

We crashed together. Holding onto one another's hot sweaty bodies, them our lips meeting to kiss again.

"Oh buddy," he hissed finally. Like I was the one who'd done him a favor. Maybe I had.

We didn't talk after, we didn't need to. Instead, Daddy held me in a spoon position and we drifted off to sleep. At least for a few hours before we had sex again.

***

The next week, Daddy had me pack my backpack, and he led me back to main compound. I would have been sad our alone time was over, but I knew it wasn't going to be our last. Daddy didn't have to tell me. I just knew he'd be in my life from now on and me in his.

Punk dude Pete was back. His hair had grown out and was in a military buzz and his snarl was gone. Dave though was the one who welcomed me first with a bro hug. The other guys followed suit.

I wondered how many of them had a Daddy.

***

I was part of the Program now. Welcoming the newcomers. Bonding with the cynical ones. I'd been where they were and knew what they were going through. I'd been a fuck up, too.

Two months went by quickly. My Dad was there to pick me up. He had an apprehensive look on his face. Connell told me that Dad had been updated on my progress, but after what my father had been through maybe he was nervous I'd not been truly changed.

I had my mobile phone back, and I'd already looked at the last messages multiple times. "Stay strong, kiddo - Daddy." Then "You better stay in touch. Love ya, Carter."

I took one last look and tucked my phone into my pocket before running over to give my Dad a big hug.

"Damn, Sport."

Dad hadn't called me Sport in ages.

"Thank you, Dad," I said. There would be more to say later. But the look on his face was a huge reward. His fingers grazed behind my ear as he held my head steady and looked into my eyes. Like he was reunited with a son he'd lost for real.

"OK if we break up the journey home?" he asked, snapping out of his spell and grabbing my bag from me. "It's a long drive."

"Of course," I said.

We got settled into the front seat and Dad started the car. We made some small talk, and Dad caught me up on life back home. Though I didn't miss much, other than maybe Dad re-treating the wood on the back deck.

We were winding down the mountain and re-entering civilization. At least if these small, one-traffic-light towns counted as civilization.

Dad shifted from the small talk. "So... you survived OK, Son?"

I nodded. "More than survived, Dad. Thrived." I had bought into the whole Program now.

He seemed pleased. "I, um... heard from an old Army buddy of mine," he said. Something in his tone seemed laden with meaning. "He said he got to know you real well."

I blushed. I knew damn well my father was talking about Daddy.

"Yes, sir. We got real tight."

Dad had a good idea of what I meant. He gave a gentle nod and glanced over at me. "I'm glad to hear."

I was chubbing up in my jeans now thinking about Daddy. "OK if I go visit him sometime, Dad?" I asked.

Dad's voice got quiet. "That can probably be arranged."

I thought maybe I freaked my dad out. But we were quiet for a lot of that drive. It had been around 3PM when I'd checked out of the Compound, and it was getting dinner time.

I loved diner food and after two months of Outward Bound meals, I was ready for a real restaurant meal. I scarfed down my food, which amused Dad. "Looks like they haven't been feeding you, Sport," he said.

"They definitely don't believe in creature comforts," I said. I pulled out my phone. "This might have been the hardest thing to live without." I mostly was checking to see if Daddy sent me another message.

Dad laughed. Then he got serious. "So... no hard feelings, Carter?"

I sighed. "God, Dad. After what I did to you? What I put your through? I don't know how to make it up to you."

"You don't have to make anything up to me, Son. Just stay on the straight and narrow. At least till you find yourself."

I took that in. "I'm finding myself, Dad. For real."

"That's all a father can ask," he said.

Dad was normally not great at expressing emotion, and already he was itching to get the check and pay for the meal.

We drove a little bit more. Dad had me find an available hotel that wasn't too expensive. I don't think I realized until we checked in how long of a day it had been. Emotionally as much as anything.

I decided not to check my phone again. Daddy and I would find a groove to correspond and to meet again. I trusted him.

After I brushed my teeth, Dad was in one of the beds, watching TV on low volume. He wasn't build quite as strong as Daddy but his upper body was solid, and he had the same soft furry chest. As I stripped down to my briefs, Dad's eyes watched me furtively. Probing me with soft expectation.

I took the initiative this time. Just feeling Dad's eyes on my half-naked body was all the signal I needed. Pausing at my own bed, I turned back to him. "Ok if I join you instead?" I asked.

Dad was too scared to reply. But he nodded and slid over.

Only when I got into bed with him did I realize that Dad's bod was more solid than I initially thought. His clothes always hid the hard tone of his muscle and he had some love handles that stopped shy of a beer belly.

Our kiss was soft and taboo as fuck. Dad's hands clung to my body, like eagle talons. I pushed my tongue into my father's mouth and felt him plunge his back. Dad didn't kiss like Daddy did. It was hard and needy.

Just as impetuously he and I stripped down our underwear. Our dicks were a lot alike. Longer, regular thickness, with a gentle curve to the right, heaving leaking. Like twins. Dad looked down at mine, like I did at his.

"You're all grown up, Carter."

"Yeah, Dad." I reached down and touched his cock. My dad's cock. He wasn't Daddy, he wasn't my first man, but the forbidden aspect made it off the charts. "I gotta learn to be your son again, though."

Dad gulped. His eyes grew misty wet. "You never stopped, sport. Not even this last year."

We kissed. Dad was responding to my soft approach, like I'd responded to Daddy's. My hand ran along his strong chest and his softer middle as we made out. I felt every bit of guilt for how I'd treated Dad and it was coming out in the only way I knew. Like Dad, I wasn't good at expressing emotion.

But I was good at this.

I broke off the kiss with a playful smile. Dad seemed to be trying to read what I was thinking. I let him wonder a minute longer.

I scooted down, kind of kneeling on the bed, till I was face to face with the dick that made me. I touched it again, feeling its poker hot heat and its steel rigidity. I could smell his masculine scent.

"Sport..." he urged, as if telling me something.

His next words caught in his throat as I took his dick into my mouth. I paused a second. Daddy had instructed me in this, but my father's cock felt particularly dry until I summoned up some extra saliva. Then I went down on him, slowly, teasingly.

I was going to make things up to Dad in the way I knew how.

He placed his hand on my head, softly cradling it as I lovingly blew him to completion.

***

The next morning when Dad was in the shower I sent a text.

"Daddy, you didn't tell me you knew my father."

He was up and the reply was quick. "You had to find out for yourself." Then, "I hope you can be a junior counselor next summer."

I thought of what next year would mean. Being off at college, enjoying some independence. Making new friends.

But I knew that meant nothing. "You know I will," I wrote.

"Stay strong," Daddy replied.

"Stay strong," I wrote back, then set down my phone.

[allamericansbitch]

Hi everyone! Here’s the newest addition to my Creator Shoutout Series (january 29 - february 5)! For info about the series, I explained it in the first post here, but generally, it’s to show appreciate to editors and their creations that i love from the past week. To track this series or look at previous shoutouts, please check out the tag on my blog *creatorshoutouts. Have a great week everyone!

taylor swift: lavender haze music video gifset by @tswift

only murders in the building: 2x05 gifset by @trueloveistreacherous

the last of us: 1x03 gifset by @buckysbarnes

taylor swift: lavender haze as album covers gifset by @newromantics

normal people: connell waldron gifset by @birthdaysentiment

everything everywhere all at once: screenplay gifset by @milflaszlo

taylor swift: midnights era music videos gifset by @eliorperlman

the last of us: 1x03 gifset by @heartmis

succession: shiv roy in season 4 gifset by @kenshivrome

taylor swift: web weaving gifset by @thatwasthenightthingschanged

the last of us gifset by @attackoneyebrows​

ethel cain: sun bleached flies gifset by @usercannibal

taylor swift: midnight rain gifset by @taylorswiftdebut

wednesday: enid sinclair gifset by @wednesdaynetflix

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the last of us: bill x frank gifset by @obiwan

everything everywhere all at once gifset by @shegos

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the last of us: bill x frank gifset by @nickoffermen

taylor swift: lavender haze edit by @rep-meow-tay-tion

glass onion: tv tropes gifset by @justaleapoffaith

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sharp objects: 1x04 gifset by @moonlight

set it up gifset by @daisylouisejohnson

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the last of us gifset by @elliejoel

stranger things: max mayfield gifset by @seaoftr

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the office: 2x01 gifset by @jackharlows

10 things i hate about you: kat stratford gifset by @riley-keoughs

taylor swift: lavender haze gifset by @frankieslewis

the last of us: bill x frank gifset by @theedorksinlove

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stranger things: steve harrington gifset by @enbyeddiemunson

wednesday gifset by @tylrgalpins

gilmore girls: jess x rory gifset by @highqueendreamgirl

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the last of us: 1x03 gifset by @maygrant​

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the last of us gifset by @richardgrimes

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the menu: margot gifset by @kitherondale

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[that-darn-clown]

so. had an interesting thought about tghh!Cassidy and his autism. and by "interesting," i mean fucking hilarious.

so like. some context:

as i've mentioned before, Cass is semiverbal. the way this ends up manifesting for him is...similar to selective mutism, but different enough that it's clearly Not That. like, at his best, he's able to talk using short sentences and phrases without too much difficulty, but still stays pretty quiet most of the time. the different tiers of this are:

Most Comfortable (at home with family, or with the Emily's): see above. this is where you'd probably hear him talk the most, and with the least difficulty.

Out In Public/Surrounded By People (ex. Daycare, Pre-K, Freddy's, Fredbear's, school if he'd managed to live to that point): can still talk, but heavily prefers not to. responds with single word answers or short phrases, but speech sounds more forced or "odd." again, had he lived, he probably would've learned sign language and used it to communicate where possible.

Straight Up In Distress/Having A Meltdown (see Fnaf 4 minigames, or most of the time during the period between Andrew's Death and The Bite of '83): can hardly speak, but can make sounds. any speech he does make is usually extremely forced, and it sounds like he's effectively choking the words out. mostly communicates in one word answers/short phrases relating to whatever he's in distress over, or about getting it to stop (i'd say to see the only actual dialogue we get from him during Fnaf 4, where he's begging Mike to let him out of the Back Room in Fredbear's, and where he's begging Mike and his friends to not put him in Fredbear's mouth. that sort of thing)

he stims in a lot of ways! flapping his hands (especially with long sleeves...totally not projecting, not at all), rocking a bit while sitting down, bopping his head to music, chewing his thumb or sleeves (depending on if he's around family or loved ones who won't judge him, or if he's in public), doing the Pop Cat Thing (i do this myself. you probably know what i'm talking about), humming various lil tunes to himself, and i think he'd have a vocal stim of just saying things like "boop" to himself. or while booping the noses on his plushies. that kind of stuff.

horrific! sensory! issues!! doesn't like bright lights and loud sounds. there's several foods he doesn't like because the Texture Fucking Sucks. if his clothes aren't soft/they feel like sandpaper? won't wear them. he doesn't like the feeling of chalk on his fingers but still plays with it anyway because he finds it fun. it's a similar situation with dirt (basically he doesn't like the feeling of dry stuff sticking to his fingers...but he's got no problem with wet or even slimy stuff-)

special interests! plushies, sewing, stuff along those lines. also would've gotten into baking when he got older and i take no criticism on that. also would've gotten into a lot of morbid shit too had he lived. just reads these old mystery novels, short stories that are. really interesting for an Elementary School Student to be reading (think stuff like The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell and The Landlady by Roald Dahl), and is just very fascinated with how stuff like anatomy works. the kid also likes horror movies. so just let that all sink in.

carries around his plushies (or A plushie) as comfort items. if he went to school, i can see the teachers just letting him keep them with him because They Aren't Dealing With His Dad. Fuck No. (even in a timeline where no murders happen, William probably still scares people. he's not only Really protective over his kids and takes their side in almost everything, but he's also a REALLY tall guy. he also just has the constant wide-eyed, unhinged hare-esque look. it definitely doesn't help).

so, with all that out of the way. here's the funny thing i thought of:

in the good timeline, where everyone lived and Cassidy got to go to school, i like to think that eventually his teacher (and just. most of the staff, let's be real) started to suspect this kid had something up with him (specifically autism) and decided to have "That Discussion That Teachers Apparently Have With Parents When They Strongly Suspect Your Kid's Neurodivergent" with William.

so they pull Cassidy into the principal's office to have a meeting with him, William, and the teacher. they basically tell William "hey, we think your son's autistic. maybe get that checked out? either way, we're willing to help how we can." they then have to tell him "no, this isn't a bad thing and we aren't insulting your child. please sir calm down" because he thinks them calling Cassidy autistic was like. saying it was a Bad Thing (remember, this is. the 80s, unfortunately. so you can see why he'd be worried).

Cassidy, during all of this, is sitting there and doing his Pop Cat stim while he (impatiently) waits for this meeting to be over. the kid just wants to go back to lunch and eat his turkey and cheese sandwich in peace >:/ (< also has issues with his routines being interrupted. this kid hates Fire Drills for multiple obvious reasons)

then, in the middle of all of this, William drops a bombshell of:

"Well, why would his behavior be odd to me? I used to be like that when I was his age. I'm even still like that now, for God's sake."

so now Cassidy's 4th grade teacher and the principal have to deal with the "should we tell him/who's gonna tell him" moment of "Oh Dear Fuck, There's A Possibility That Mr. Afton, THE Mr. Afton, Is Autistic."

and then that unravels into the realizations of, in this order:

Oh Fuck, Michael And Elizabeth Are Probably ALSO Autistic. Which Explains A Lot

Wait...Michael And The Emily Twins Seemed To Act Kind Of Similar. Like, They Got Each Other In A Lot Of Ways That No One Else Seemed To. Oh Jesus-

Wait. (Remembers What Henry Himself Was Like During Parent-Teacher Conferences...And Meetings In General) OH FOR FUCK'S SAKE-

and that's how Cass's 4th grade teacher and the Elementary School Principal discovered that the entire Afton and Emily Families were autistic. This Explains A Lot. Including Freddy's And Fredbear's.

This means so much to me you have no idea

[the1920sinpictures]

A November, 1930 Thanksgiving Day menu from Mike Connell’s grandfather’s restaurant, “Connell’s Grill” in Elmira, New York. From Mike Connell, FB.

[terriwriting]

100% certain this was a money-laundering scheme that attracted more attendees and attention than the organizer expected.

"Everyone who showed up for open mike night bought lots of coffee and pastries" is plausible. "Our sold-out theatre show drove people to buy merch through our online store" is plausible. "My restaurant has a couple of big lunch rushes every week" is plausible.

However the hell you want to describe this event? Not a plausible cover story.

[eightfifteen]

74-75 by The Connells comes out while they're living together in college and already in a relationship and Will sings along to it all the time to annoy Mike

He's like "remember when you loved me in 84 and then abandoned me in 85? remember?" and Mike is scowling the entire time because "it wasn't like that!" and "it was one day!!" and sometimes even "you abandoned me in 85 to go to cali!"

but Will is just going "i was the one who let you knoooow! i was your sooooorry ever after!! 84-85!"

And Mike is mad but also Will looks so adorable so what is he going to do about it.

Sometimes Will is too sleepy/distracted to sing along to the whole song but still every single time without fail he sings/screams '84-85' over the refrain

[my-chaos-radio]

Release: January 1, 1993

Lyrics:

Got no reason for coming to me

And the rain runnin' down

There's no reason

And the same voice

Comin' to me like it's all slowin' down

And believe me

I was the one who let you know

I was your "sorry ever after"

'74-'75

It's not easy

Nothin' to say 'cause it's already said

It's never easy

When I look on your eyes

Then I find that I'll do fine

When I look on your eyes

Then I'll do better

I was the one who let you know

I was your "sorry ever after"

'74-'75

Giving me more and I'll defy

'Cause you're really only after

'74-'75

Got no reason for comin' to me

And the rain runnin' down

There's no reason

When I look on your eyes

Then I find that I'll do fine

When I look on your eyes

Then I'll do better

I was the one who let you know

I was your "sorry ever after"

'74-'75

Giving me more and I'll defy

'Cause you're really only after

'74-'75

I was the one who let you know

I was your "sorry ever after"

'74-'75

Giving me more and I'll defy

'Cause you're really only after

'74-'75

Songwriter:

Michael Collier Connell / Douglas John Macmillan / George Harris Huntley / Stephen Jacob Potak / William Jr Wimberley / Timothy W Harper / David Dowell Connell

SongFacts:

"'74–'75" is a song by American band the Connells from their fifth studio album, 'Ring' (1993). The acoustic ballad was released as the album's third single in 1993, but it did not chart in the United States. It would later become a European hit for the band in 1995, reaching the top 10 in a total of 11 European countries and peaking at No. 1 in Norway and Sweden. It also charted in the top 20 of the United Kingdom. Since the Connells never had another hit, they are widely seen as a one-hit wonder.

In the song, singer Mike Connell nostalgically reflects on the passing of time and how people he used to know have changed now. The music video, directed by Mark Pellington, features students from Needham B. Broughton High School's Class of 1975 and compares the photographs from their yearbook, with how they look and have aged since then.

The accompanying music video for the song was directed by Mark Pellington. It was shot at Needham B. Broughton High School in the band's hometown Raleigh, North Carolina in 1993, and features members of the Class of 1975, juxtaposing yearbook pictures with footage of the same people as they appeared in 1993. On November 14, 2015, to mark the 40th anniversary of the 1974–1975 class, a remixed video of the song was released, showing the class members as they looked 22 years after the original video was released.

[legendaryten]

Ian’s Blog 27th October 2024

On the 13th October one of my traditional song recordings was played on the Brum Radio Alternative Roots show with Mike Davies. You can hear it at about 47 minutes into the show. Here is a link to the show and in chronological order the list of songs and tracks which were played:-

www.mixcloud.com/BrumRadio/alternative-roots-with-mike-davies-13102024/

Ellie Gowers - Love In A Park (On A Sunday Afternoon)

Mary Lee Kortes – Born A Happy Girl

Bryony Williams - You Are Here

Peter Sarstedt - Beirut

Catch The Rain  - Catch The Rain

Mary Lee Kortes – Fingernail Moon

Jake Aaron - Watery Moon

Daria Kulesh - Sea To Skye

Luas  -  White Hare

Lowri Evans - Saddle  Up

Janet Devlin – Red Flag

Dotts  O’Connor - What Good Are My Tears To You

Joshua Burnside – Marching Round The Ladies

Mary Lee Kortes - Well By The Water

The Legendary Ten Seconds – My Grandfather’s Clock

Stick In the Wheel - The Cramp

Little Lore – This Building Is Condemned

Red Sky July – Stones & Brambles

Hailey Benedict -  Things My Mama Says

Grayson Capps – Early Morning Rain

Ray Cooper – Falling Like Thunder

Mary Lee Kortes -  A Greater Good

Fairport Convention – The Happy Man

Matt Owens  and Mississippi MacDonald - One Trick Pony

A Tale Of Two – Devil Did The Deed

Jesse Terry - Native Child

Raven Reid – A Johnny Cash Night

Ruby Kelly – St Elmo

Jenny Burtis - Future Homemakers Of America

Angeline Morrison – Quiver in The Heart

Mary Lee Kortes - Green Sand

Kiely Connell  - Damn Hands

Scott McLatchy - Don’t Tell Mum

Brad Strang – Horses And Dogs

Mary Lee Kortes - Will Anybody Know That I Was Here?

Broken David - When You Haven’t Done Well

[projectionboothpodcast]

On this special episode, Mike spoke with actors (and musicians) Ryan Donowho and Rab Raco about their 2024 film Art of a Hit. Directed by Gaelan Connell and co-written with Charlie Saxton, the film is a horror film about a band making their new album in a spooky French castle. https://www.spreaker.com/episode/special-report-art-of-a-hit-2024--61245771

[ulkaralakbarova]

In order to protect the reputation of the American space program, a team of NASA administrators turn the first Mars mission into a phony Mars landing. Under threat of harm to their families the astronauts play their part in the deception on a staged set in a deserted military base. But once the real ship returns to Earth and burns up on re-entry, the astronauts become liabilities. Now, with the help of a crusading reporter, they must battle a sinister conspiracy that will stop at nothing to keep the truth hidden. Credits: TheMovieDb. Film Cast: Robert Caulfield: Elliott Gould Col. Charles Brubaker: James Brolin Kay Brubaker: Brenda Vaccaro Lt. Col. Peter Willis: Sam Waterston Cmdr. John Walker: O.J. Simpson Dr. James Kelloway: Hal Holbrook Judy Drinkwater: Karen Black Albain: Telly Savalas Hollis Peaker: David Huddleston Walter Loughlin: David Doyle Sharon Willis: Lee Bryant Betty Walker: Denise Nicholas Elliot Whitter: Robert Walden Control Room Man: James B. Sikking Capsule Communicator: Alan Fudge Vice President Price: James Karen F.B.I. Man Number 1: Jon Cedar General Enders: Hank Stohl President: Norman Bartold Dr. Bergen: Darrell Zwerling Dr. Burroughs: Milton Selzer Horace Gruning: Lou Frizzell Mrs. Peaker: Nancy Malone Jerry: Paul Picerni Alva Leacock: Barbara Bosson Reporter (uncredited): Bob Harks Film Crew: Casting: Jane Feinberg Casting: Mike Fenton Set Decoration: Rick Simpson Production Design: Albert Brenner Original Music Composer: Jerry Goldsmith Director of Photography: Bill Butler Costume Design: Patricia Norris Sound mixer: Jerry Jost Stunt Coordinator: Bill Hickman Makeup Artist: Michael Westmore Location Manager: Ron Underwood Assistant Director: Irby Smith Art Direction: David M. Haber Producer: Paul Lazarus III Director: Peter Hyams Special Effects: Henry Millar Associate Producer: Michael I. Rachmil Editor: James Mitchell Still Photographer: Bruce McBroom Script Supervisor: Marshall J. Wolins Hairstylist: Emma M. diVittorio Boom Operator: Joseph Kite Special Effects: Bruce Mattox Special Effects: Robert Spurlock Camera Operator: James R. Connell Title Designer: Dan Perri Movie Reviews: John Chard: It’s a pleasure alright, and I don’t feel guilty about it at all!. A NASA space mission up to Mars fails to get off the ground due to major technical problems. Fearing funding could be taken away and wishing to avoid embarrassment, the powers that be decide to do a fake landing in a studio. With the astronauts forced to pretend that they are actually up on Mars, and fighting with their own personal belief systems, the government executives in charge fear that the fake flight could come to light. Upon learning that the outside world actually thinks they crashed upon reentering the earths atmosphere, the astronauts run for their lives knowing that the government can’t afford for the men to stay alive. Capricorn One is an excellent conspiracy picture that sadly seems to have been largely forgotten. Even today we are still hearing mooted stories of the landing on the moon actually being fake, so here director and writer Peter Hyams takes it and crafts a thrillingly taut piece of work. At the films heart is Elliot Gould’s (his great 70s work under valued) intrepid journalist, Robert Caulfield, after being nudged in the ribs by one of his friends at NASA, is himself under threat of death from shadowy government types who will think of nothing to offing him along with the astronauts. The film is split into two very significant halves, the first half is the set up, the conversations before and after the fake landing are clever and crucially attention grabbing, and of course we get to know our characters with the right amount of time. The film then shifts for the second half into a quality thriller chase movie, our main protagonists pursued by the government assassins courtesy of two gun toting helicopters. Jerry Goldsmith’s score brilliantly becoming part of the chase sequences, making the helicopters seem like death stalking machines operated by no man alone. We even get Telly Savalas joi...

[c-40]

A-T-4 097 Euro-Rap Pt.3: Great Britain

Grandmaster Richie Rich - Check It Out the first record from London DJ and co-founder of Gee Street Records Richie Rich (Richard Morgan)

Broken Glass - Style Of The Street Manchester b-boy troop Broken Glass and Liverpudlian DJ Greg Wilson with Andy Connell and Martin Jackson of Swing Out Sister et al. Kermit who would go onto be in the Ruthless Rap Assassins and Black Grape and Fiddz are the rappers. Greg Wilson tells all here https://electrofunkroots.co.uk/articles/broken_glass.html

Style Of The Street was originally on the completely fabricated Street Sounds UK Electro compilation. It's a bit of a shame they thought they had to invent a scene because the UK was releasing so def electro. Anyway, Greg Wilson will not let it lie https://electrofunkroots.co.uk/misc/uk_electro.html

Rapologists Featuring Flakey 'C' And Early Daze - The Hip Hop Beat - Kids' Rap The Kid in Kid's Rap is Whiz Kid who released Play That Beat Mr. D.J. with G.L.O.B.E. and was married to Betty Boo. The instrumental Street Mix is my preferred mix but here's the vocal. The Rapologists changed their name to Universal Funk, central to them was Herbie Laidley of the Mastermind hip hop sound system who mixed many of the Street Sounds Electro albums

Junior Gee and The Capital Boys - Check Us Out Junior Gee had already put out Caveman Rock the year before. Check Us Out was written and produced by Tony Williams of the Funk Masters, they're best known for Love Money

Family Quest & Automation - Outer Space 84 Rap b-side to an electro version of Atmostphere's Dancing In Outta Space. In 1986 Family Quest won the King Of The Streets competition on Mike Allen’s legendary Capital Radio show, their vocals flip between American accents and London

As you can hear rap at this time sounded quite different in the UK, France, and Italy. In the UK an effort not to sound like our American cousins was already beginning. The UK had a strong sound system culture and the Saxon DJs like Papa Levi were developing a distinct British voice, over the next decade the same would happen in UK rap. Some bright person could write a PHD about the development of rap in Europe and each European countries relationship with the US, immigration, and their colonial pasts. Perhaps because the UK has a rather weak cultural identity that UK rap imitated the US more closely? The early 1980s was the time of race riots so it’s easy to imagine the appeal of African American culture over the Black British experience for young brits

There were a few novelty or spoof rap records put out in the UK in 1984, like The Baron Knights' Churchill Rap. In the British music hall tradition we have spoken interludes to dip into which you can hear in Noël Coward and becomes the whole of Rex Harrison performance of Why Can't The English? in the musical My Fair Lady, it's the mixture of these two traditions Pet Shop Boys and The Flying Lizards tap into. Music hall songs also used call and response with audiences

The Flying Lizards - Sex Machine

[shammah8]

Kings dream. Kings declare. Kings prepare and then kings are generous. You're called to be a King! Will you live like a servant who's not enough and always complains and has no dream? Or will you live as a king, begin to dream, begin to declare, begin to prepare and begin to generously give? You have to choose.

I want you to open your Bible with me in Genesis, Chapter 37. I just want to read a few verses and I want to share with you just some thoughts on this theme, Kings Dream. Kings Dream. We're just talking some of the aspects about kings in these coming weeks, but you're called to be a king. How many knew that, you're called to be a king? You're called to be a king.

You are one. It's just a matter of knowing that you are, knowing that you are who God says you are. He says you're a royal priesthood. You can't be royal unless you belong toroyal family, so when you and I were born again into the family of God we became royalty, kingly seed, the seed of our Father, king of kings is within us. When you're born again you're born by the word of God. His spirit comes in. There's a DNA implanted in you and I and we become kingly. Trouble is catching up with who are now we're in Christ👌Mike Connell

[biotech-news-feed]

OSP had a great conversation with Mike Connell, chief operating officer, at Enthought. The discussion centered around aritificial intelligence (AI) which have been the buzzwords in pharma and a number of other industries for at least the last year. #BioTech #science