#Park Avenue Player

[ijustmissyouraccenths]

Town Pizza

A chance backstage encounter with an old friend reconnects Tessa with Mitch and introduces her to Harry Styles, sparking an unexpected connection that could lead to a new chapter in her life.

Part one of two

Word Count: 4540

Five Years Ago

Tessa was no stranger to late nights. As a dedicated college student balancing a full course load with endless study sessions, her days often stretched long past sunset. Once she wrapped up her classes and poured over her textbooks in the campus library, she would make her way downtown, where the familiar streets of Highland Park buzzed with life.

Her destination was always the same: Town Pizza, a cozy, inviting local restaurant tucked away just off the main avenue. With its weathered brick facade, glowing neon sign, and the mouthwatering scent of fresh dough wafting out every time the door swung open, it had earned a reputation as the best spot in town to grab a late-night bite.

Town Pizza wasn’t just a restaurant to Tessa—it was a second home. For the past two years, she had worked there as a hostess, greeting familiar faces and newcomers alike with a warm smile and guiding them to their seats. She knew the rhythm of the place by heart: the hum of conversation blending with the clatter of dishes, the rush of the kitchen staff calling out orders, and the gentle hum of the jukebox in the corner playing old rock ballads and soft jazz.

Even on nights she wasn’t scheduled to work, Tessa could often be found there, nestled in her favorite booth near the window, savoring a hot, dripping slice of their signature cheese pizza. The crust was perfectly crisp yet soft enough to fold in half, the cheese melted into a golden, bubbling blanket, and each bite was a comforting blend of tangy tomato sauce and rich, savory flavors. It was a simple pleasure after a long day—a reward she looked forward to during the toughest weeks of exams and papers.

For Tessa, Town Pizza was more than just a restaurant; it was a sanctuary. A place where she could escape the pressures of college life, connect with friends, and savor the familiar comforts of a meal that never failed to make her feel at home.

Over the course of the two years she had worked at Town Pizza, Tessa had crossed paths with countless people. Some were regular customers who came in like clockwork, ordering the same dishes and sharing snippets of their lives. Others were coworkers who drifted in and out of her life like passing seasons. Among the revolving door of faces, she had formed a few meaningful friendships, but none as important as the one she shared with Mitch.

Mitch was one of the cooks in the back—a tall, lean guy in his late twenties with scruffy facial hair and an easygoing smile. His long dark hair was always tucked beneath a well-worn baseball cap. He had a quiet, laid-back demeanor that masked a spark of restless energy, the kind that made you believe he was meant for something more than flipping pizzas in the dimly lit kitchen of a pizza restaurant.

Despite his humble job, Mitch possessed a rare talent: he was an exceptionally gifted guitar player. Music wasn’t just a hobby for him; it was his passion, his lifeline. On slow nights, when the restaurant was quiet and the staff had a moment to breathe, Mitch would sometimes bring his guitar and sit in the back, fingers dancing over the strings with a grace that seemed almost otherworldly. The melodies he played were a blend of blues, rock, and something uniquely his own—a sound that could transport you from a bustling pizzeria to a smoky underground club in some far-off city.

Tessa had always admired his skill, watching from the sidelines as he lost himself in the music. She often teased him about his "double life"—cook by day, aspiring rock star by night. And though Mitch always shrugged it off with a laugh, she could see the truth in his eyes. He enjoyed making pizzas, sure, but it was a job, not a dream. His heart belonged to his guitar and the songs he wrote late at night in his tiny apartment he shared with a roommate, hoping one day someone would hear them.

So, it wasn’t a complete surprise when one day, Mitch walked into the restaurant with a different kind of energy—a nervous excitement that made his usual calm demeanor seem almost electric. He found Tessa near the front, organizing menus, and called her over with a grin that stretched wider than she’d ever seen.

"My roommate—you know, the one who works at the studio," Mitch began, a hint of excitement already creeping into his voice.

Tessa couldn’t help but laugh, rolling her eyes in mock exasperation. "Your only roommate, Mitch. You make it sound like you’ve got a house full of them."

"Yeah, yeah, smartass," he replied, waving her off with a grin. "Anyway..." He leaned in slightly, his voice lowering as if sharing a secret. "He got me a gig. A real one."

Tessa straightened, her curiosity piqued. "Go on."

"Okay, so there’s this singer—he’s recording his debut album at the studio. Big deal, right? Well, his guitarist bailed last minute, didn’t even show up for the session. Total disaster for them." Mitch paused for dramatic effect, his dark eyes gleaming with anticipation. "So, Ryan—you know, my roommate—he recommended me to fill in. Said I’d be perfect for the sound they were looking for."

Tessa’s eyes widened. "Wait... seriously?"

Mitch nodded, his smile stretching wider. "Yeah. The singer listened to my demos, and guess what? He agreed. Just like that. I’m in."

Tessa felt a wave of excitement wash over her, matching his energy. "Mitch, that’s huge! You’re actually doing it—you’re getting your foot in the door!"

"Yep," he said, his voice a mixture of pride and disbelief. "First rehearsal tomorrow night. Studio session after that. If it goes well..." He trailed off, but the implication hung in the air like a spark ready to ignite.

"If it goes well," Tessa echoed softly, the possibilities stretching out before them like a horizon. She could already see it—Mitch trading the heat of the pizza oven for the heat of stage lights, his music finally finding the audience it deserved.

What Mitch conveniently left out was a crucial detail—this wasn’t just some up-and-coming local artist trying to break into the scene. The singer in question was already well-established, a household name in the industry. This was someone who had spent years touring the world, graced the covers of countless magazines, dated a supermodel or two, and, oh yeah—had been part of one of the most iconic boy bands of their generation.

Maybe Mitch kept that little fact to himself because he didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. Or maybe—just maybe—it was because the singer happened to be none other than Harry Styles, the same Harry Styles that Tessa had been quietly (and not-so-quietly) obsessed with for years.

Mitch had heard her gush about him enough times to know how she’d react. The posters on her dorm wall, the playlists full of his solo albums, and the countless “what if” conversations they’d had over late-night slices of pizza. If he told her now, she’d probably lose her mind—or worse, start asking a million questions that would only make him more nervous.

But there was another reason Mitch held back. If things didn’t go well—if he bombed the gig or didn’t live up to the expectations of a global superstar—it would be a lot easier to shrug it off as just another missed opportunity. No harm, no foul. But if Tessa knew it was Harry Styles, the stakes would feel higher, and the sting of failure that much sharper. So, for now, he decided to keep it simple. No need to add extra pressure. He’d tell her—if it all went well. And if it didn’t? Well, some things were better left unsaid.

Present Day

To say it went well would have been a massive understatement. It didn’t just go well—it went immaculately well. Mitch didn’t just fill in for a session; he blew them away. His skill, his sound, his ability to seamlessly adapt to the music—it all clicked perfectly. By the end of that first gig, there was no question: Mitch was hired on the spot.

What started as a last-minute fill-in gig quickly turned into something much bigger. Within weeks, Mitch found himself on the road, touring the world with Harry Styles. He played sold-out arenas, stood under blinding stage lights before thousands of screaming fans, and soaked in the electric energy of cities he had only dreamed of visiting. When he wasn’t performing, he was in the studio, not just playing but co-writing songs—earning a reputation as a talented songwriter and collaborator.

His hard work and dedication didn’t go unnoticed. One day, a producer approached him with an offer he couldn’t refuse: the chance to record his own album. It was a dream come true—an opportunity to tell his own story through music, to step out of the shadows and into the spotlight as an artist in his own right.

Meanwhile, life was taking a turn for the better for Tessa, too. After years of late-night study sessions and hard work, she graduated with her degree and landed a job in New York City as an editor for a prestigious publishing house specializing in children’s books. It was everything she had hoped for—a creative, fulfilling career in a city full of possibility.

Though their paths had taken them in different directions, the bond between Mitch and Tessa remained strong. From opposite sides of the globe, they kept in touch—through late-night phone calls, postcards from faraway cities, and the occasional video chat. Mitch would regale her with stories of life on tour, while Tessa shared tales of the quirky authors and illustrators she worked with. Both of them were living their dreams, and in their own ways, they knew they had helped each other get there.

Tessa’s phone buzzed on the coffee table, cutting through the quiet hum of her New York apartment. She reached for it, glancing at the screen. Mitch. A smile tugged at her lips as she answered.

"Yello," she greeted playfully.

"Hey, Tess!" Mitch’s familiar voice came through, warm and light. "I’m sure you already saw my name on the caller ID, but, you know… just in case." He chuckled softly.

Tessa leaned back into the couch, already feeling the excitement in his voice. "What’s up, rockstar?"

"Well," he started, a hint of anticipation creeping into his tone, "I don’t know what your plans are tonight, but… I’m in town. Got a show. And, well, I’d love it if you came out. Met the band. You know, the band."

Tessa froze for a second, her heart skipping a beat. "Harry?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Mitch let out a long, dramatic sigh, clearly enjoying the moment. "Yes, Tess. Even Harry. I might’ve told him a few stories about you, and now he’s insisting on meeting you."

Her eyes widened, and she gasped again, louder this time. "Wait—not the ones where we got drunk at Town Pizza, right?"

Mitch’s laughter boomed through the phone. "Oh, definitely those ones."

Tessa groaned, half in horror, half in disbelief. "Mitch!"

"Hey, don’t worry," he said, still laughing. "Harry thinks they’re hilarious. He said anyone who can keep up with me on tequila shots must be a legend."

Tessa shook her head, a smile creeping back onto her face. "I’m going to kill you. But fine—I’m in. Just text me the details."

"Perfect," Mitch said, the excitement clear in his voice. "It’s gonna be a night to remember, Tess. Trust me."

Mitch had sent over the details: the venue, the time, and who to speak with once she arrived. Just as he promised, it turned out to be a night she’d never forget.

Getting in was surprisingly effortless. She approached the entryway, where a pair of imposing security guards stood by the ropes. "I’m on the guest list," she said confidently, giving Mitch’s name as they checked their clipboard. With a quick nod, they ushered her inside, and before she knew it, she was being escorted to a private box with a perfect view of the stage.

The energy in the venue was electric, the air buzzing with anticipation. Then, the lights dimmed, and the crowd erupted as Harry took the stage. Tessa leaned forward, mesmerized. He had a presence that was impossible to ignore—effortlessly charismatic, commanding the room with every note he sang, every step he took. His voice was smooth and soulful, weaving through melodic verses that had the audience hanging on his every word. He moved across the stage with a natural grace, playful and confident, making it feel like he was performing for each person individually.

Tessa couldn’t take her eyes off him. It was one thing to see him in concert videos or magazine spreads, but in person, Harry was magnetic, larger than life. The way he engaged the crowd, the easy smile that never left his face, the glint of mischief in his eyes—it was impossible not to be captivated.

As the final song echoed through the venue and the applause thundered around her, Tessa felt her heart pounding with anticipation. Meeting Mitch again after so long was exciting enough, but the idea of finally meeting Harry Styles? It felt surreal, almost too good to be true.

After the show, a member of security appeared at her side and politely motioned for her to follow. They led her down a series of winding hallways, each turn taking her deeper into the labyrinth of the backstage area. The hum of the crowd faded behind her, replaced by the quieter, more intimate sounds of the post-show scene—distant laughter, the clatter of equipment being packed up, the low murmur of conversations.

As they passed through door after door, Tessa’s mind wandered back to Harry. What would he be like in person, away from the bright lights and roaring crowds? Would he be as charming in a quieter, more private setting? She imagined the warmth of his smile up close, the possibility of hearing his laugh firsthand.

She shook her head, trying to rein in her excitement. Of course, she was thrilled to see Mitch—he was her friend, after all—but meeting Harry? That would be historic. A once-in-a-lifetime moment. And as the security guard opened one final door, leading her into the heart of the backstage lounge, Tessa couldn’t help but feel that something extraordinary was about to happen.

The door swung open, and Tessa stepped into a spacious backstage lounge that exuded a laid-back, effortlessly cool vibe. Soft lighting bathed the room in a warm glow, and the hum of conversation mixed with the clinking of glasses and distant echoes of post-show laughter. A few members of the band were scattered around, chatting and unwinding from the night’s performance.

Her eyes immediately scanned the room, searching for the familiar face she’d come to see. And then she spotted him—Mitch, standing near a leather couch, a drink in hand, laughing with a couple of crew members. His eyes lit up the moment he saw her.

"Tess!" he called out, breaking away from the group and making his way toward her. He pulled her into a warm, familiar hug, the kind that instantly melted away any nerves she’d been feeling. "You made it!"

"Of course I did," she said, grinning as she pulled back. "I wouldn’t miss this for the world. The show was incredible, Mitch. Seriously, you guys killed it out there."

Mitch shrugged, a modest smile playing on his lips. "Thanks. It felt good tonight." He glanced around the room, then leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. "So… ready to meet the man of the hour?"

Tessa’s heart skipped a beat. "Wait, he’s here?"

"Yep. He’s right over—" Mitch stopped mid-sentence, nodding toward a corner of the room. Tessa followed his gaze, and there he was: Harry Styles.

He was casually seated on a low armchair, one leg crossed over the other, deep in conversation with a couple of people. Dressed in his signature blend of vintage and modern—a tailored jacket, a loose, printed shirt, and rings glinting on his fingers—he looked effortlessly stylish, like he had just stepped out of a fashion editorial.

Tessa’s breath caught in her throat. He was even more striking up close. His hair, slightly tousled from the show, framed his face in soft waves, and his eyes—bright and full of life—seemed to take in everything around him with an easy charm.

As if sensing her gaze, Harry glanced in their direction. His conversation paused, and a slow, genuine smile spread across his face. Mitch raised a hand in greeting, motioning for him to come over.

Harry stood and made his way toward them with a relaxed, confident stride. Each step seemed surreal, like time had slowed down just for this moment. Before she knew it, he was standing right in front of her, towering slightly but with a warmth that made him feel instantly approachable.

"Tessa," Mitch said, the pride evident in his voice, "this is Harry."

Harry extended a hand, his smile reaching all the way to his eyes. "Hi, Tessa. It’s great to finally meet you. Mitch has told me a lot about you."

Tessa took his hand, her fingers lightly brushing against the cool metal of his rings. "All good things, I hope," she managed to say, her voice steady despite the fluttering in her chest.

Harry chuckled softly, a low, melodic sound that sent a shiver down her spine. "Mostly," he teased, casting a playful glance at Mitch. "Though I did hear a few stories about some wild nights at a certain pizza place."

Tessa groaned, shooting a mock glare at Mitch. "Oh, those stories. Great."

Mitch laughed, clearly enjoying himself. "Hey, I had to give him the full picture."

Harry grinned. "Don’t worry. I like a good story. Especially when there’s tequila involved."

Tessa couldn’t help but laugh, the initial tension melting away. "In that case, I guess you know all my secrets."

"Not all of them," Harry said with a wink. "But there’s always time for that."

For a moment, the world seemed to shrink down to just the three of them—Tessa, Mitch, and Harry. The noise of the room faded into the background, replaced by the easy flow of conversation and the palpable excitement of the moment.

"Come on," Mitch said, gesturing toward the lounge area. "Let’s grab a drink and catch up."

As they moved toward the couches, Tessa couldn’t help but marvel at the surrealness of it all. Sitting down with Harry Styles, chatting like old friends, sharing laughs and stories—it was the kind of night she never imagined would actually happen.

And yet, here she was, living it.

They settled into the lounge area, Tessa perched on the edge of a soft leather couch while Mitch took a seat beside her. Harry sat across from them, lounging comfortably in a way that made everything he did seem effortlessly cool. A server passed by, and Harry waved them over with a gracious smile.

"Drink?" he asked Tessa, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"Sure," she replied, trying to maintain her composure. "Gin and tonic, please."

Harry nodded and placed the order before turning his attention back to her. "So, you’re an editor?" he asked, leaning forward slightly, his genuine interest evident.

"Yeah, for a publishing house in New York," Tessa explained, her nerves settling as the conversation shifted to familiar territory. "I work with children’s books—helping authors refine their stories, shaping the final product, that sort of thing."

Harry’s brow lifted, intrigued. "That sounds incredible. I imagine working with children’s stories must be a lot of fun."

"It is," Tessa said, her face lighting up. "It’s rewarding, too. Seeing kids connect with a story or a character—it’s kind of magical."

Harry smiled, his expression warm and thoughtful. "I’ve always believed stories have a way of shaping us. The ones we read as kids, especially—they stay with us."

Tessa nodded, surprised by how easily the conversation flowed. "Exactly. They help us understand the world, make sense of things that might be confusing or scary."

Mitch, ever the supportive friend, leaned back and grinned. "Tessa’s being modest. She’s brilliant at what she does. She’s already got a few bestsellers under her belt."

Tessa blushed, giving Mitch a playful nudge. "Stop it. You’re making it sound more glamorous than it is."

"Nothing wrong with a little glamour," Harry said, raising an eyebrow. "Besides, I think it’s impressive."

Their drinks arrived, and they each took a sip. The conversation continued effortlessly—touching on everything from Tessa’s life in New York to Mitch’s whirlwind tour schedule. They laughed over shared memories of Mitch’s early days, balancing late-night gigs with shifts at Town Pizza.

"So, Mitch tells me you were the queen of trivia nights back then," Harry said, a playful smirk on his lips. "Is that true?"

Tessa laughed. "I wouldn’t say queen, but I held my own. Mitch, on the other hand, was terrible at it."

"Hey!" Mitch protested, raising his hands in mock defense. "I wasn’t that bad."

"You thought Pluto was still a planet," Tessa reminded him with a grin.

Harry chuckled, clearly enjoying their banter. "Well, if we ever need a trivia partner on tour, we know who to call."

Tessa smiled, feeling a warmth settle over her. The nerves that had initially gripped her were long gone, replaced by a sense of ease. Harry was, despite his global fame, incredibly down-to-earth—funny, kind, and completely disarming.

As the night wore on, the lounge began to thin out. Band members and crew filtered out one by one, but the three of them remained, lost in conversation. Mitch excused himself for a moment to check on something, leaving Tessa and Harry alone.

For a moment, there was a comfortable silence, the hum of the city faint in the background.

"You know," Harry said softly, his gaze meeting hers, "Mitch talks about you a lot."

Tessa tilted her head, curious. "Oh? All good things, I hope."

"All good," he assured her with a smile. "He says you’re one of the smartest, most driven people he knows. And from what I’ve seen tonight, I’d say he’s right."

Tessa felt a flush rise to her cheeks. "Well, Mitch has always been a good friend. We’ve been through a lot together."

Harry leaned back, his eyes thoughtful. "It’s rare, isn’t it? To have someone who really knows you, someone who’s been there through all the ups and downs."

"It is," she agreed. "But I’m lucky to have him."

Harry’s smile lingered, and for a moment, Tessa felt like they were the only two people in the room. There was something about the way he looked at her—like he was seeing more than just the surface, like he wanted to know her story.

"Tell me something," Harry said after a pause. "What’s one thing you’ve always wanted to do but haven’t yet?"

Tessa considered the question, her mind flicking through possibilities. Finally, she said, "Travel. I’ve always wanted to see more of the world. Europe, especially. I want to visit the places I’ve only read about in books."

Harry’s eyes lit up. "Europe’s beautiful. You’d love it. There’s something magical about standing in a place with so much history."

"Maybe one day," Tessa said, a hint of wistfulness in her voice.

"Why not soon?" Harry asked, his tone light but sincere. "Life’s too short to wait for the ‘right time.’"

Tessa smiled, the idea suddenly feeling a little less distant, a little more possible. "Maybe."

As Mitch returned, the moment shifted, but the connection lingered. The night might have been winding down, but something told Tessa this was only the beginning.

The night continued with laughter and stories, but as the minutes stretched into hours, reality began to pull Tessa back. She glanced at her phone, the time glaring at her like a reminder of the early morning waiting for her.

"I hate to say this," she began, her voice reluctant, "but I’ve got to head out. Work calls, and my boss isn’t exactly a fan of late-night adventures."

Mitch frowned. "Already? Come on, Tess, you’re in New York! You live for this kind of thing."

Tessa chuckled, standing and smoothing her dress. "I do live for this kind of thing. But I also live to keep my job, and they expect me bright and early tomorrow."

Harry, who had been quiet for the past few moments, leaned forward slightly, a subtle crease forming between his brows. "You’re leaving?" His voice was soft, and there was a hint of disappointment in it that made Tessa pause.

"Yeah," she said, meeting his gaze. "As much as I’d love to stay and keep hanging out, responsibility calls."

Harry nodded, though his eyes lingered on her a moment longer. "I get it. Work comes first." He hesitated, then added, "But I’ve really enjoyed talking with you tonight. It’s rare to meet someone so… genuine."

Tessa felt a flutter in her chest at his words. "I’ve enjoyed it too," she said sincerely. "This has been… surreal, honestly. In the best way."

Mitch, ever the supportive friend, stood and gave her a quick hug. "You know I’m always a call away. Don’t be a stranger, okay?"

"Never," Tessa promised.

As she turned to leave, Harry stood as well, his hands slipping into the pockets of his tailored jacket. "Before you go…" He paused, almost as if weighing his next words. "Can we exchange contact info? I’d like to keep in touch, if that’s alright with you."

Tessa blinked, surprised but pleasantly so. "Yeah, of course."

They exchanged phones, fingers tapping quickly as they saved each other’s numbers. When she handed his phone back, she noticed he had saved her name with a little book emoji next to it.

Harry glanced down at his phone, a small smile playing on his lips. "Now, if you ever need a trivia partner or someone to discuss children’s literature with, you know who to call."

Tessa laughed. "I’ll hold you to that."

"Please do," he said, his tone light but his eyes earnest. "And next time you have a night off, maybe we can grab a coffee or something. No crowds, no backstage chaos."

"That sounds nice," Tessa said, her heart warming at the idea.

As she made her way to the door, she glanced back one last time. Harry was still standing there, watching her with a soft smile, as if he wasn’t quite ready for her to leave.

"Goodnight, Tessa," he said, his voice gentle.

"Goodnight, Harry," she replied, feeling a spark of something new and unexpected.

As she stepped out into the cool New York night, her thoughts swirled with everything that had happened. Meeting Harry Styles, connecting with him in a way she hadn’t anticipated—it all felt like the beginning of something she couldn’t quite define yet.

And as her phone buzzed with a new message from Harry—Safe travels. Don’t work too hard. :)—Tessa couldn’t help but smile.

Maybe this wasn’t the end of the night after all. Maybe it was just the beginning of a new chapter.

[couldawouldashoulda50]

From Completely Different Worlds

A/N - Introducing a fic idea I had after the Maple Leaf's annual Easter Seals Skate event. I decided to try and write a something I know a little bit about, having worked as a PSW several years ago. I reached out to @misshoneyimhome about the idea and she graciously agreed to collaborate with me on this fic. Together we have spun ideas and I cannot thank her enough for reading through my long ramblings and giving feedback and encouragement, all the while she's got her own life to tend to. Brief Synopsis - this is a strangers to lovers trope with William Nylander and OC Loren Girard. William and Loren meet at the Easter Seals skate and sparks fly. Loren is cautious and shy as she still suffers from the memories from her ex-boyfriend after years of exploiting her every vulnerability. William of course is the polar opposite and they each feel a strong and instant connection with their first meeting. The two are truly from completely different worlds but a deep admiration grows between them....and this is their journey. Warnings - profanity, seizure disorder Word count - 5.3k

Chapter One - The Easter Seals Skate

“Jesus Christ Loren…you’re gonna end up killing me,” Gary said, his low and gruff voice travelling up to her ears from the back of the van.  Gary’s specific speech pattern always elongated words, like an unintentional drawl, and Loren could only groan and roll her eyes as a response.

“Hey - enough out of you.  It’s either you or me, pal…. I’d like to see you try driving in this traffic.  It’s insane…” Loren retorted, nodding towards the heavily congested westbound 401 highway in Toronto.

“A three-year-old could drive better than you” Gary quipped followed by his slow but voracious laughter.

“Jeeesus Gary - cool it, I gotta listen for the directions or else I’m going to end up getting lost.  Then you can forget about getting to the arena before our session starts,” Loren warned as her brows furrowed, trying to navigate the hydraulic mobility van towards the required exit off the highway.

Gary got the message and didn’t make another peep.

Loren manoeuvred the van from Kipling Avenue through the parking lot entrance of the Ford Performance Centre where the annual Skate for Easter Seals Kids with the Maple Leafs was to take place.

Loren breathed a long sigh of relief when she saw accessible parking spots available near the entrance for the skate participants. She carefully pulled into a spot, ensuring there was enough room for the wheelchair ramp to extend from the passenger side.

Loren sat still for a moment to try and settle her nerves.  Not only did the drive from Aurora to their current location in Toronto feel like she was driving in a Formula One race at certain points, but she was also about to take one of her most treasured people to meet members of the Maple Leafs.  She was beyond excited for him to finally have his dream come true and the anticipation made her heart race and stomach flip all at once.

It was during a long double shift at the group home, where Loren worked as a support worker, when she found the fundraiser for Easter Seals.  The fundraiser would allow participants a chance to skate with members of the Maple Leaf organization, players both active and alums.

Armed with a rush of adrenaline, she sifted through the information packets on the Easter Seals website, and mentally formulated a plan to make this happen for Gary.

With permission, Loren posted excerpts of Gary’s history, including his exceedingly difficult beginnings, where several of Gary’s medical issues went undiagnosed for far too long before coming into the folds of the subsidized organization he now was with.  Loren posted pictures of Gary’s ultimate Maple Leaf fandom; his signature blue bedroom, Maple Leaf throw blanket and matching pillows, banners, pictures, hockey cards and the unlicensed and unnamed Maple Leaf Jersey he bought for himself years ago from a large discount chain store.

With the added help of Loren’s parents, the registration fee was generously covered and overall, Gary’s campaign was extremely successful with raising just over $7,500.00 for Easter Seals.  Eventually, Gary and Loren received the big news that they were selected to attend the skate with the Leafs event.

Because of the work she put in to make this happen, naturally Loren was chosen from the staff to go with Gary to the Leaf’s practice facility.  Aside from being the obvious choice, Loren could skate which made this even more exciting in Gary’s mind.

Gary could not imagine a more perfect day; his favourite worker, speeding him around on the ice and being introduced to as many Leafs players as possible.

As March inched along, Gary had Loren make a giant red ‘X” on each day that had passed off his Maple Leaf calendar which Loren bought him for Christmas.   Although Loren’s financial situation was not terribly flexible, she wanted to ensure Gary had at least a few presents to open, having no family of his own.  Loren’s family has unofficially adopted Gary and always helped Loren with gifts to give Gary for Christmas’ and birthdays.

A few days before the event, Gary was constantly asking Loren questions about the details of the day.  Every day, he asked the same questions:

Does she know how to get there?

Are her skates sharp?

How long is the drive?

What time do we leave?

Will the whole team be there?

What is she wearing?

And every day she answered him, jokingly telling him if he asks her this stuff again, she’ll have to get the duct tape out.

When March 15th finally arrived, Gary had awakened excessively early; he had been bathed, shaved and was dressed in all of his Leaf gear hours before Loren’s arrival.  He wheeled himself back and forth from one room to another all throughout the morning, trying to pass the time before Loren walked through the door.

Loren arrived well before her shift began at 10:30. The very moment she stepped through the door, Gary’s already at her to get ready to leave.

“Thought you’d never get here” Gary said in his typical teasing manner, as Loren removed her boots at the door.

Loren glanced over at Kathy, her co-worker, and shook her head, as she smirked to herself.

Kathy stepped back and crossed her arms, looking at Loren “And look at you there, Miss I’m-gonna-get-me-a-hot-hockey husband today…you with your Matthews jersey on.  Isn’t he single?  If he is, one look at you in his jersey, he may not be for long,” Kathy said with an over-pronounced wink.

“Aren’t you the one looking for a hot husband?  ‘Cause it sure ain’t me…” Loren teased back.  “I wouldn't mind meeting Nylander though - I like his game.  Oh, no, maybe not…I’d get all tongue-tied and not be able to speak - I bet he’s way too like ‘I’m the guy’”, Loren said, mimicking a snob.

“Oh - if only Shanahan was single, I’d climb him in a heartbeat.   Just to be a hot 25-year-old again…” Kathy sighed with a smile, acting overly dramatic.

“Are you talking about me?  I’m 29 and broke…that pretty much sums me up” Loren muttered, followed by a chuckle.  “And you already have a husband, anyway”.

Kathy laughed “Ahhh yes, that old lump on the couch this morning…my husband. He said he hopes you see Jake McCabe - maybe get a picture of him and send it along if you can?  Mmmmm - he’s another one I’d love to have some alone time with”, Kathy said, not quite under her breath.

“Jesus, Kathy…. go and cool off outside” Loren quipped.  “But yeah, for sure, I’ll try…all I know is that there’s two rinks and the players are split between the two, so there’s no guarantee which player will be at which rink”.

“Will you two just stop your yapping - let’s gooooo…” Gary said impatiently as he backed his wheelchair away from the kitchen table and headed toward the front door.

Kathy and Loren stand there watching Gary with their arms crossed.

“Gary, I know you can tell time.  I’m actually early…I’m not even supposed to be here right now” Loren reminded Gary, knowing he is anxious to get on the road.  “Look, I know this is important but hey - I’m the whole reason you’re getting to do this so cut me some slack, ok?  We’ll be on our way soon, I promise,” Loren said gently.

“Gary was up at 6am apparently, so Julie got him bathed at least before her shift ended,” Kathy added.  “Hopefully you’re not going to be too tired to even have any fun there, Gary”.

“Alright, listen Gary, we’ll have to take the 401 there since we can’t use the toll route - sorry buddy.  I just can’t afford the fees to take the 407 even though it would get us there faster.  We need to be there an hour before your session starts, ok?  So, I’ll get that neck pillow for you…so you can snooze on the ride down?  It might do you some good if you do,” Loren said, patting Gary’s shoulder.

Loren busied herself gathering all the supplies and wheelchair accessories that Gary would need for the afternoon.  Loren silently reminded herself repeatedly to get the anti-tip bars for his manual wheelchair that were removed previously for some unknown reason.

It’s not long before Loren has accounted for all of his medical and personal supplies packed in a backpack and hung it on the back of Gary’s chair.

As Loren washed her hands in the washroom, she took a long look in the mirror and recounted the light-hearted exchange with Kathy.

29 and broke Loren thought to herself.

29, broke, and single came the next thought.

Loren paused at the sink; her head dropped as she inhaled deeply.

29 and healthy.

Broke but a homeowner.

Single and free.

These thoughts entered her mind and quickly superseded the negativity.  This is what she chose to remind herself of when she got down on herself.

Not wanting to tempt fate - or maybe it’s just logical given Toronto traffic - Loren decided to leave 45 minutes early just to ensure they were guaranteed extra time.  After all, loading and unloading Gary from the van was nothing like the average person getting in and out of a vehicle.  Ramps had to be lowered, hydraulics had to be in working order, vehicle safety checks, and harnesses had to be fastened to multiple spots on his wheelchair and tightened to ensure his wheelchair would not shift during the ride.

It wasn't long after Loren pulled the van onto the highway to head down to Toronto, she looked in the rearview mirror to see Gary’s head leaning on his neck pillow, fast asleep.

Now that Loren had reached the arena, even though she was a bit frazzled, she shook off her anxiety. She hopped down from the driver’s seat and opened the van's side door. One by one, Loren released Gary’s wheelchair from the multiple harnesses. As she wheeled him onto the hydraulic ramp, a group of kids walking by watched as Loren lowered the ramp using the control panel.

One of the kids passing by called out how cool Gary’s van was which made him laugh, and he followed up with a wave.  Loren was relieved as in her experience, kids on the occasion had not always been kind to Gary, or others she had supported who were disadvantaged.

Loren grabbed her freshly sharpened skates, locked the van and navigated herself and Gary to the entrance, where they would be signed in for their session.

There were throngs of people everywhere, but thanks to the friendliness of the multiple coordinators and volunteers, Loren was directed to the proper stations, and eventually, the pair were cleared to enter the doors for Rink #1.  Not long after, Loren was able to find a suitable spot to change into her skates.

Gary quietly sat in his chair, taking it all in.  Loren watched his expression from time to time wondering if, given his past, how he must be truly feeling to be inside this rink, on the cusp of meeting his beloved team.  The team that was likely the only constant thing he ever had in his life.

Once Loren was ready to go, another volunteer ushered them toward the gate that would be the easiest to head out on the ice with a wheelchair.  By some small miracle, Loren and Gary were amongst the first in line, and eventually, the gate was opened, and they headed out onto the ice.

As if he was meant to do a rookie lap, Loren skated around the perimeter with Gary first, and then toward the middle of the ice as more people began to arrive.

Loren could hear Gary chuckling and a quiet “wooooo” would escape from his mouth every so often.

It was when Gary first spotted Ryan Reaves come out onto the ice that he really let his excitement show.  Ryan was followed by Morgan Rielly, Jake McCabe and John Tavares.  There were people milling about everywhere looking to get as close as possible to each of the players making an entrance.

“Holy shit, Gary - do you see them? I cannot believe you’re going to get a chance to meet them!” Loren said, leaning over his shoulder.  “Who do you want to try meet first?”

“Yeah - let’s do Reavo…” Gary said, loud enough for his voice to carry.

As Loren looked to her right, she could see Auston Matthews signing autographs from the bench along the boards.  Gary hollered “Auston Matthews” loud enough for Auston to look over and wave.

Loren found herself even more star-struck than Gary. Her cheeks, which had started as a nice rosé, now felt like they were blazing just from seeing the players she had only ever seen on TV.

Ryan looked over his shoulder as Loren and Gary approached the line to meet him.  Loren certainly stood out to Ryan as she effortlessly and gracefully skated with a wheelchair through the obstacle of people whether they were in wheelchairs, sledges, on foot, or on skates.

Ryan finished up with a small group of kids that had surrounded him and eventually made his way over to greet the pair.

“Hey - how’s it goin?  I’m Ryan,” he said, extending his large first for a bump with Gary’s.

“I’m Gary….and this is the old ball and chain,” Gary said dryly as he pointed over his shoulder.

Ryan’s laughter reverberated off the boards and the glass.

“Really Gary? Jeeeezus,” Loren laughed, extending her hand to the handsome and towering forward.  “I’m Loren, Gary’s support person”.

In mere seconds, Gary had launched into a one-man comedy routine, and teasing Loren became the main act.  Gary had always had an extremely dry sense of humour and Ryan’s boisterous laugh only further encouraged Gary’s comedic attacks on Loren.

It wasn’t long before Ryan had motioned for a few of his teammates to come over and hear his new buddy, Gary, incessantly rib his beautiful support worker, who (thankfully) seemed to be able to laugh along with Gary’s sarcastic repartee.

“Hey - Willy!” Ryan hollered, followed by a very pronounced wave for him to come over.

As Loren glanced to her left, she was not at all prepared for the immediate and intense feeling of raging butterflies in her stomach as William Nylander skated towards the group, smiling wide as he scanned the faces standing there.

“Willy, you gotta meet Gary here,” Ryan motions to Gary, and Gary extends his fist towards William for a quick touch of their fists.

“Hey Gary - nice to meet you, man”, William grinned.  He looked to Loren and introduced himself.

“Hi there, I’m Willy,” he said, flashing his usual debonaire smile.

Loren could feel the sudden pressure of blood rushing to her face.  Her brain was telling her to keep calm, which she came to realise that she was failing miserably at.

“Um, hi - yeah, I know…I’m…uh…” Loren trailed off, visibly flustered as her mind went completely blank.

5-alarm heat had risen into Loren’s neck and face, enough to elicit a layer of perspiration under her collar.

Gary batted Loren’s arm, shaking his head and scoffing at her as she tried to collect herself enough to even utter her name.

“Sorry…. Will - um, yeah…. I’m Loren, Gary’s support person” she managed to finally say, shaking William’s hand.

Fuck Loren…. good work, nice job she chastised herself in her mind.

As though Gary could read Loren’s thoughts, he muttered as he says “Good job” over shoulder to Loren, scoffing once again and chuckles as the rest of the group does the same.

“She can’t even remember her name and she gets paid to look after me”, Gary said as he continued his teasing remarks toward Loren.  “Christ, she almost killed me on the way here with her driving,” he said, a little too matter-of-factly.

The group of players erupted with laughter.

“Gary - ” Loren began to warn.

“You know what she does?  She jabs me with my insulin needle” Gary chuckles.

“Gary - I do not jab - “ Loren’s mouth dropped, and she glanced apologetically around at the group, shaking her head as she started to laugh.

Gary kept going with his chirps. “I don’t know if she’ll even be able to get me home…. she’ll get lost.  Christ, she gets lost in a parking lot”.

That did it.  Loren hung her head in defeat as Gary slapped the arm of his wheelchair laughing loudly.

More laughter from the players filled the air, along with William’s iconic giggle, as Loren smiled and nodded her head saying “Hey Gary - remember our conversation before about the duct tape?  I brought some, just in case…wanna keep testing me?”

Hearing her innocent threat and the overly dramatic eye roll from Gary made William laugh even louder.  Loren may have lost most of the verbal battles versus Gary but with that one come-back, it seemed to have the desired effect.

William found himself instantly drawn to Loren. Her classic beauty was evident, but it was her sweet and funny disposition that fascinated him. He could see she was different from most of the girls who constantly vied for his attention and affection. William admired how she interacted with Gary, noticing her kindness and genuine care. The way she handled his teasing showed how close they really were. At the very least, she seemed to have a good sense of humor.

“Hey Gary, you want me to take you for a skate?” William asked, bending down slightly to keep in Gary’s line of sight.  Turning to Loren, William asked if she would like to join them for a few laps around the ice.

Before Loren could respond, Gary interjected with “Yeah, she’d like that.  She thinks you’re cute…”.

Loren drops her face into her hands from sheer embarrassment, while William laughed and said, “I think she might jab you again with your needle if you don’t stop teasing her there, Gary”.

A low laugh was Gary’s response.

William pushed Gary’s chair towards center ice while Loren skated beside them.  It’s not long before the trio were laughing with some light-hearted banter, thanks to Gary’s mildly sardonic commentary.

After a couple of laps around the rink, Loren realized there were so many others waiting to meet William so she offered to step in and start pushing Gary herself.

“Thank you so much for taking Gary for a little spin - we don’t want to keep you from seeing everyone else that came today, right Gary?”

As Loren leaned over Gary’s shoulder to have a glimpse at his face and make sure he heard her, Loren’s heart sank.   Gary was slightly slumped over to one side of his wheelchair and his mouth showed a very pronounced droop.

Immediately recognizing the change in Gary's behaviour, she turned to William and spoke quietly.  “I’m sorry William, I have to try and get Gary off the ice; I think he’s about to have a seizure”.

Before William had a chance to respond, Loren pushed Gary to the closest exit, by the entrance for the zamboni.

Just as Gary’s chair reached the pavement, his body began to seize.  Gary’s seizures were not new to Loren, and her experience quickly showed as she engaged his wheelchair brakes and stood in her usual position behind Gary, monitoring the time from the start of the seizure.

Ryan, Max and William stepped off the ice toward the spot where Loren was with Gary.  The men stood close by and watched as Loren spoke soothingly in Gary’s ear, softly telling him he’s ok - that he will be ok - and that she’s there with him all the way.

Concerned about their new buddy, William and Ryan stepped forward alongside Gary’s chair trying to provide some additional support.

Loren looked at the men apologetically.  “Thanks so much but it’s best if you guys stand back.  Gary could grab a hold of one of you, your hand - anything - and unknowingly hurt you…his hands are like vice-grips right now, so it’s better to stay clear.  But I really appreciate you both trying to talk to him.”

A couple volunteers at the event had been made aware of Gary’s episode, and helped the Paramedics find Loren.   The organisers swiftly offered a spot in the therapy room for Gary to recover and be examined once his seizure ended.

William watched as Loren and the Paramedics continued to monitor Gary.  He watched Loren calmly watch the clock, provide information to the Paramedics and talk to Gary without missing a beat.  As he skated off to continue signing autographs for the remainder of the session, William’s heart broke a little for Gary, having only spent 10 minutes out of the hour-long event, meeting the players in attendance.

Before long, William watched as Loren disappeared with Gary towards the locker room.  He fought the sudden and profound urge to slip his skates off and run after her.  It was an unexpected sensation for William to want to console a total stranger; yet Loren’s magnetism had already pulled him in, and all he wanted now was to be next to her.

The remainder of the session passed quickly and one by one, the players made their way into the locker room.

Loren remained by Gary’s side as he recovered after the seizure.  He was exhausted and slightly confused and found it difficult to verbally engage with anyone.  Loren had her hand on his back as lay on one of the beds where the players would often receive their various treatments after practice.

Ryan and John Tavares had already made their way into the room and showed obvious worry as they spoke with Loren.

William made his way over to Loren and when she spotted him, she smiled at him warmly.

“How’s he doin’?” William asked, shooting a concerned look toward Gary.

“I think he’ll be ok now - it just takes a lot out of him so we’re letting him rest a bit more before I take him home.”

William paused, unsure if any of his questions would be considered off limits or impolite.

“Can I ask something?  How did you know - like, how could you see that it was going to happen?”

“Sometimes I just manage to catch a change in Gary’s behaviour.  I’m not always right - but given the circumstances, with where we are, meeting you guys, all the people and activity, even the lights…he went from his little comedy routine to not being able to speak or move.  It’s called an aura - a change in behaviour before the seizure takes hold,” Loren explained.

William had a million questions and was eager to ask them all, just to be with Loren as long as he possibly could.  But he second guessed whether he should, knowing that Loren had begun to look weary from the after-effects of Gary’s episode.

“Are you doing ok?” a gentle smile spanned his face.

“Me?  I am - thank you again for trying to help earlier too.  I hope I wasn’t too harsh…I just didn’t want to see you, Gary or anyone else get hurt.” Loren said apologetically.

Before William could respond, two members of the event committee for both MLSE and Easter Seals approached Loren and William and apologised for interrupting.

“Hi, I’m Thom Comrie and this is Natalie Singh - we helped organise the event.” Thom said as he shook Loren’s and William’s hand.  “Gary brought in one of the highest totals for this fundraiser, and we were so sorry to hear he missed most of the skate.  We were hoping to get some more information about Gary before you leave?”

Loren glanced at William and thanked him for coming to check on Gary.

“I’ll be back in a few minutes to check on you before you go,” William said and reluctantly walked towards his stall in the adjoining locker room.

“Willy - Willy-um - Villi-um….how’s it goin’...I haven’t had a chance to talk to you since we’ve been here.” Mitch said as he changed his t-shirt.

“Hey Mitchy - buddy…it’s good, I think…goin good,” William chuckled.

“So what was going on there - you took that guy out for a skate and then next thing I know, he’s gone.  And….who’s the girl with him?” Mitch said under his breath, looking to see if there was anyone else around.

“The guy’s name’s Gary and right after I took him around the ice a couple of times, Loren - the girl…his support girl - you know - saw that something wasn’t right, and he ended up having a seizure.” William explained quietly.

“Shit, really? Awh…that’s too bad…I heard some of the guys saying he was cracking everyone up by chirping…what’s her name again?” Mitch said.

“Looor-eeennn - Jesus Mitch, you have the worst memory sometimes,” William teased.

“Fuck you dude - look who’s talking…saying I have a terrible memory when you’re the one that leaves shit behind everywhere we go,” Mitch laughed. “You’re forever on fucking - what - TikTok using the Find my Phone feature because you lost your fucking phone…again…” Mitch continued ribbing William.

“Ah yeah, ok - whatever buddy,” William smiled as he messed with Mitch’s hair.

Max and Auston walk from the kitchen area to the locker room, arguing about some nonsense.

“So, what’s the verdict fellas - you wanna meet at Mitchy’s restaurant for 8:00?  Give Willy some extra naptime?” Max laughs, giving William a wink and a nudge.

“Yeah, he might need it if one of those waitresses from last time wears him down to take them home.  Actually both girls were making a play for him so yeah…tag team situation for sure”, Auston smiles at his long-time friend and teammate.

William just laughed along with the rest of the boys, but truth be told, he hoped neither were working.  Both waitresses were blatantly fawning all over William the last time he was at Mitch’s newly opened restaurant, so much so that once the bill was settled, he swiftly disappeared through a back exit.

After Auston and Mitch departed, Max stayed behind with William.

“Hey, uh…what happened to Gary?  Fuck he was funny cracking off on his caregiver.  Imagine her looking after you every day - she’s fucking stunning”, Max said, smiling and wide-eyed as he looked at William.

“They’re still here - in the therapy room.  I was just about to go back there to say goodbye,” William nodded his head towards the doorway.  “You coming in?”.

Max motioned for William to lead the way.  As they entered the adjacent room, they watched Loren slowly and carefully transition Gary from the bed to his wheelchair.  Gary’s body was extremely stiff and weak, and Loren ensured she was fully stabilised as she had to bear most of his body weight.

Loren quietly talked to Gary as she fastened him into his chair and reassured him that they would be home soon, and he could rest some more before dinner.

“How ya’ doin’ Gary?” Max said, trying to sound upbeat.

Gary could only muster a quiet “okay”.

Loren smiled at the players and thanked them again for their concern.  She was pleasantly surprised that either of the men thought to drop by before they left.

Despite feeling like she made an ass of herself in front of William during her introduction, she had long filed that moment in the back of her head. In its place, she had felt a certain kind of comfort in his company during the short skate they had together.  He was just easy.  Easy to talk with.  Most certainly easy to look at.

Max kneeled beside Gary’s chair. “I’ve gotta take off.  Gary, buddy…feel better, ok?  It was great meeting you and I hope to see you sometime soon, ok?  Maybe get the old ball and chain to bring you back down to see us again?”  Max turned toward Loren and grinned, giving her a hug.  “So sorry you guys missed out on today. Maybe the organisation will do something for you guys.”.

Loren was totally overwhelmed with appreciation.  “I think they’re working on something – but you all have been incredible; I am just blown away by all of the care and concern you guys showed.”

“Well, I’m glad they’re looking into it. I better be off – Loren, take care…hope to see you again.  Willy - see you later, pal,” Max said as he patted William on his shoulder.

Loren turned to William.  “I cannot tell you enough how much I appreciate everything you did for him today.  It really means the world to Gary; you made his whole decade by taking him out for that skate.”

William smiled and looked toward the ground as he blushed.

“It was no problem, honestly.  You two are pretty funny when Gary gets going with his jokes,” William chuckled.

“Like an old married couple, eh Gare?” Loren said as she placed her hands on Gary’s shoulders.

William paused as he glanced at Loren and then Gary.

“Hey, well…listen, I would love to know that you got home ok…here, I’ll give you my number,” William said, and he stepped forward to show Loren his phone screen.

Loren’s stomach flipped.

His number??  Loren screamed inside her mind.

Once again, she felt she failed miserably at keeping her composure, and her hand shook a little as she typed in the digits into her phone.

Loren could feel the heat rising in her face, but nevertheless she managed to speak.  “For sure, I’ll let you know that we got home ok.  Thanks again, William.  It was so nice meeting you.”

William opened his arms for a hug and as Loren hugged him back, she couldn’t help making mental notes so she could always return to that moment in her memory.  She tried to memorize everything. Where his hands were placed on her body as he briefly held her. His scent which was so dizzying and delicious that it made her feel weak in the knees.  The few seconds Loren spent in William’s arms, triggered something inside of her that she could not quite place.  She spent the entire drive home racking her brain trying to figure it out.  With the Friday afternoon commute fully underway, Loren was grateful for the distraction trying to pinpoint that sensation she felt when William hugged her.

Eventually, Loren’s mind drifted to the other interactions with the players and personnel throughout the afternoon and she felt a mix of being drained and exhilarated at the same time. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that it was definitely an unusual afternoon.

She could hardly wait to pull into her own driveway at her own house, draw a hot bath, change into her comfortable clothes and sit back with a glass of wine. Until then, she allowed her mind to rewind and replay every moment she spent in the Swedish superstar’s presence before she snapped back to reality knowing that she’s never going to see him again.

[doomandgloomfromthetomb]

Shellac - 7th. Street Entry, Minneapolis, Minnesota, October 29, 1994

Guest post! This one comes from friend-of-the-blog Xopher Besinger — a loving tribute to Shellac of North America and the late/great Steve Albini ...

When Steve Albini passed away this past spring the underground music world lost a champion and a crucial resource, both technological and philosophical. But he wasn’t only an engineer, studio owner, and opinionated online presence Albini was also a singular guitar player and for the last 33 years member of the power trio Shellac along with Bob Weston of Volcano Suns and Todd Trainer from Rifle Sport & Brick Layer Cake. The band carved out a special niche, where Wire and Gang of Four overlapped with AC/DC, shearing away all unnecessary elements until the music was compressed down to a single razor blade guitar spinning off coruscating shards of metallic sound over a massive, unstoppable rhythm section and sometimes some yelling.

They made several studio albums, but Shellac was primarily a live band, part comedy act, part blistering noise unit, always conducting shows with the laid-back ease of a long running house band. Toward the end shows were as full of familiar bits and gags as much as new songs but this show, from October 1994 in front of a rowdy home turf crowd (c’mon everyone knows the 7th St Entry was their home) approaching Halloween the band is still very new, a couple of singles had appeared the year prior and the first full-length, At Action Park, came out that month but not everything had completely settled just yet, even the infamous Q & A sessions appear here in nascent form as Albini just fields specific questions about Montana.

This show probably isn’t a holy grail to anyone except for me, I remember seeing the show flyers up around Dinkytown when I was briefly attending the University of Minnesota, but I was still 18, not old enough and without a fake id. The sound is a bit rough on this audience tape, plenty of dance music bleeding in from the First Avenue main room next door (a normal hazard throughout the 90s) and drunken crowd chatter but the band is clearly in their element, teasing Minneapolis icons Morris Day & Arcwelder’s Bill Graber and battering the hell out of the songs. Albini has obviously been listening to the also recently released Jon Spencer Blues Explosion album Orange as he exhorts “blues explosion! number one blues singer!” several times. The setlist draws mainly from the singles & first LP but there are a few surprises, such as the mellow coda to “Rambler Song” from their split single with P.W. Long, an early version of “Disgrace” and of course “Spoke”, which was the normal closer in the early years but didn’t appear on an album until 2007.

As always there is a healthy amount of back-and-forth between the band and crowd and even amongst the band onstage, but Shellac always made it clear that those interactions were as much a part of the gig as anything. This holistic view might be one of the reasons the shows were so memorable, it wasn’t just a band playing music to an audience, the talking, the tuning up, the waiting for the show to start, the lines to the bathroom, the obnoxious people in the crowd, the songs you had never heard before, were all given equal weight as components to the experience. And that to me is what this recording captures, the full weight of seeing them, with all those other things included.

I am going to miss seeing them dismantle the hecklers, I am going to miss the way they could flip from goofy to visceral to transcendent in the matter of seconds, but more than anything I am going to miss that biting, clanging guitar at the start of “Billiard Player Song” cutting straight through everything. Everything. So, grab a cigar, a match, and people who don’t care if you smoke it and loudest speakers you can find. Requiescat!

[omegaremix]

Omega Radio for December 11, 2013; #38.

God Is An Astronaut “Shores Of Orion”

Pigface “Kiss King (High High High)”

Versus “Janet”

Beck “Pay No Mind (Snoozer)”

Flipper “Ha Ha Ha”

Melvins, The “The Bloat”

Nirvana “Pennyroyal Tea”

Defiance, Ohio “Lambs At The Slaughter”

Ride “Like A Daydream”

J.J. Paradise Players Club, The “Safety Word”

GVSB “Park Avenue”

Swans “You Know Everything”

Bailter Space “Retro”

Helium “XXX” (edit)

Joanna Gruesome “Tugboat”

Unrest “Coming Hot And Proud”

Shop Assistants, The “All Day Long”

Black Tambourine “Dream Baby Dream”

Killing Joke “Eighties”

Elastica “Vaseline”

Pussy Riot “Putin Zassal”

Jesus Fucking Christ “Bloodshot”

Holy Shit! “Clara’s Future”

Screamers, The “Vertigo”

Rusted Shut “Buy Me A Jesus”

Unsane “The Bloat” + “Ha Ha Ha”

Sex Pistols, The “No Fun”

Deluxe broadcast; all guitars, all rock.

[cloverdaisies]

SLOW IT DOWN: LEE JUYEON pt 1

✩˖ ࣪‧₊˚໒꒱⋆✩ ✩˖ ࣪‧₊˚໒꒱⋆✩ ✩˖ ࣪‧₊˚໒꒱⋆✩ ✩˖ ࣪‧₊˚໒꒱⋆✩

# Slow it down, make it bouncy, 지금부터 fly좀 다른 spicy, 청양고추 vibe

✩˖ ࣪‧₊˚໒꒱⋆✩ ✩˖ ࣪‧₊˚໒꒱⋆✩ ✩˖ ࣪‧₊˚໒꒱⋆✩ ✩˖ ࣪‧₊˚໒꒱⋆✩

a lee juyeon x reader imagine

contains mature themes e.g risks, violence, dangerous driving, suggestive themes reader discretion is advised.

✩˖ ࣪‧₊˚໒꒱⋆✩ ✩˖ ࣪‧₊˚໒꒱⋆✩ ✩˖ ࣪‧₊˚໒꒱⋆✩ ✩˖ ࣪‧₊˚໒꒱⋆✩

hi (your name) you’ve been invited to play RACEFORTIME!

… \

Do you accept the invite YES OR NO?

✩˖ ࣪‧₊˚໒꒱⋆✩ ✩˖ ࣪‧₊˚໒꒱⋆✩ ✩˖ ࣪‧₊˚໒꒱⋆✩ ✩˖ ࣪‧₊˚໒꒱⋆✩

… \

CONGRATS! you chose the right option and escaped permanent elimination let me search for a party to put you in…

… \

FOUND! you are now apart of party 11.. enjoy the game…

“y/n i know you didn’t just join that fucking game” kevin, your best friend looked over your shoulder to the computer screen resting on the desk beneath.

“why not? it looks fun.” you replied with a chuckle watching as his face exploded in horror.

“it’s not fun until you’re either- you know- killed by it or I DONT KNOW killed doing something for it.” he choked on his words slightly, pacing the room and throwing his hands dramatically in the air.

“that’s just a myth, some people just get addicted to it and end up being killed because they go to far.” you rolled your eyes, turning around to scroll through the game rules.

"that's because you literally cannot the leave the game! do you not remember johnny? he tried to leave the game so he could go to his math exam and suddenly dropped dead in the theatre?- LISTEN i’m not even meant to mention that in case they end up coming for me for talking about it! why? why did you do thi-”

“listen kevin, it was my idea and johnny already had existing health problems it was just a coincidence, plus since school is over i’m bored and want some fun in my life.” you laughed at the boy’s concern and patted the top of his peachy little head.

“listen if you do this to yourself i want no part in it. you might be my best friend but i’m not risking my life for that game.” he sighed, but was shortly cut off by a jovial tune that hummed from the speakers of your laptop.

…/

hey! (your name) you have your first task to complete! remember there’s clues all over the city! don’t skip any pointers!

../

- find the key hidden in a mailbox the west corner of 67th street

…/

- your mode of transport is linked to a chain and lock near the bike shelter on west avenue.

../

- hop on and join a specific competition in town as a rider and win

…/

- meet player #109 without explicit mention of racefortime

../

you have 3 hours to complete!

./

WIN OR LOSE? good luck!

✩˖ ࣪‧₊˚໒꒱⋆✩ ✩˖ ࣪‧₊˚໒꒱⋆✩ ✩˖ ࣪‧₊˚໒꒱⋆✩ ✩˖ ࣪‧₊˚໒꒱⋆✩

“kev, you have to take me to 67th street now.” you turned around with a glimmer of adrenaline lighting up in your eyes.

“i’ve literally just said i’m not getting involved.” he folded his arms in an indefinite refusal, but softened his posture as your soft puppy eyes shone back up at him.

“i can’t drive! and there’s no way i’d get there in time without you. plus if things were like you said, wouldn’t i die if i didn’t complete the task.” you were using his own words against him, in a cruel way but yet you found it still unconvincing that a game had some sort of sorcerers ability to kill people

“fine. but that’s it! i’m out.” he grabbed his car keys, observing the 2:58:54 that lit up both your phone and laptop screen.

——

kevin drove you into the city, picking up speed wherever he could as the dark night had settled in and by the time you guys had reached 67th street the timer hit 2:36:43.

“it could be any of these mailboxes y/n! this is a death wish!” kevin put his face in his palms out of stress before exhaling and parking his car on the curb of the west corner.

“it’s a branded game kevin, there has to be a clue somewhere.” you laughed observing each mailbox, as you strolled past them until you saw a smiley face sticker with the eyes crossed out with graffitied handwriting which read “good luck!”.

“calabunga.” you smiled, using the lever to open the box and retrieve the black key placed inside. “let’s go.”

kevin huffed as you sprinted back to the vehicle eager to feel the adrenaline seep through your veins.

——

kevin dropped you off at west avenue, giving you a hug before explaining his reasons for not being able to stay.

“take care of yourself and don’t get hurt. please call me if you need me.” a line he had gotten used to saying at this point considering your lifestyle he was used to your flighty antics. but it seemed like this time you’d gone a little too far.

there were multiple bikes chained up near the bike shelter on west avenue, but it wasn’t like you had time to eliminate each one. one motorcycle stood out in particular, it was jet black, clearly a brand new build with a huge silver smiley face pad lock attached to a clunky metal chain on the side.

you inserted the key in hopes of it being the right one and sighed in relief when the chain loosened and lock burst open.

“nice bike.” a butter smooth voice hollered from behind you, you turned to see a pink haired boy behind you, covered in tattoos and piercings.

“thanks. just got it.” you replied with a chuckle, pushing the bike forward out of the shelter.

“do you know how to ride it?” he asked cocking his eyebrow up slightly.

“not really but my dad used to ride em, so it can’t be there hard.” you laughed nervously, swinging your leg over the seat and settling on board.

“how about i drive you into town, since i think i can see what you’re playing and you take it from there?” he suggested, watching your face contort as you battled the decision in your head.

“i don’t know. i think i’ll be fine.” you replied, not trusting his sinister appearance and judging eyes.

“how else would you get there without having a clue how to ride it?” he made suspicious eye contact with you, his facial expressions seemingly trying to tell you something.

he’s a player.

he must had been told to pick you up and take you into town.

“ah. i get it. yeah, sure you can take me into town.” you smiled, clocking his nervous movements and sigh of relief at your acceptance of the offer.

“thank you.” he puffed out in gratitude quickly hopping on the bike, and handing you the singular helmet hung on the side.

“do you not need this?” you asked hopping on the back behind him. he turned around with a look on his face that read “are you serious right now?”

“no, who where’s those? now quick we only have 1 hour and 50 minutes.” he shrugged off your words and with that he started the engine, waiting for you to pull the helmet over your head and place your hands around his waist before speeding off onto the main road into town.

——

hollering, yelling, the sound of smashed bottles and a heavily a intoxicated crowd lit up the nightlife in town as they all gathered round main street gearing up for one of the most exciting street races in town.

pulling on the brakes, the pink haired boy slowed arriving at the riders bay at the beginning of the street, there were multiple boys who were just like him, accessorizing in tattoo sleeves and thick silver jewelry.

“okay, the main race starts in 10 minutes. don’t talk to anyone, there’s some wrong people around here.” he told you within a genuine tone, seemingly as he frowned.

“why are you-” you were about to ask why he was telling you this information before he started the gas on the bike again.

“i’m sorry.” he spoke just above a whisper in remorse.

“for what? you’re not stealing my bike, are you?” your tone rose slightly, eyes lighting up red in the reflection of the brake lights.

“RIDERS GEAR UP.” a loud voice chanted through a megaphone as each motorcycle began lining up down the street.

“i have to.” he laughed, driving away from you as you attempted the run after the boy.

“shit.” your legs soon grew tired and it was no use running after him at this point considering he was driving away at what felt like 90mph.

if what kevin said was true, you were dead.

you had no bike to race with and time was ticking down like sand, 1:05:34, the clock on your phone read with a sad smiley face beneath it. “uh oh” a robotic voice echoed through your speakers. it knows my bike was stolen?

you shrugged it off, watching as girls jumped on the back of their boyfriends bike ready for the race to start. you ran past each rider, asking if you could just by any chance, hop on the back of their bike for the race. but you knew you couldn’t mention the game, or the time you had left in your phone and most of them refused laughing at you pathetically.

“hop on mine.” a sultry sweet voice beckoned from behind you, a jet black haired boy with sharp facial features and a silver lip ring faced you, seemingly catching a glimpse of your phone screen which read 1:0:30.

without a second thought, you stuffed your phone in your pocket and slid on to the back of his bike.

“thank you.” you sighed in relief, looking around for a helmet to wear but there wasn’t one. “do you not have a helmet?”

“RIDERS YOUR RACE BEGINS IN… ” the megaphone voice echoed through the street, riders reviving their engines and the crowd spitting, hollering in excitement.

“no. just put your arms around me. hurry the fuck up there’s no time.” his tone grew serious and you rushed to wrap your arms around him as the traffic lights flicked between red and amber.

“READY.”

“SET.”

“GO.”

each driver released their brakes, shooting down the street at speeds above 100mph with no fear of consequences.

that rush of adrenaline you craved, rushed through your vessels as the motorcycle sped through the night, passing each street lamp at exhausting speeds, eliciting high pitched whistles and screams from the crowd behind the barricade.

the kind boy driving you wasn’t rushing yet, he capped his speed at 90mph for the first lap falling to the back of the hoard of vehicles crowding at high speed.

“we’re behind. we have to win.” you yelled into the boys ear over the overwhelming sound of roaring engines.

“i know but just wait until-” he shouted back but was largely cut off by the sound of screeching metal and a silencing crash as two riders brutally collided.

“THAT. that’s why you want to be behind.” he silenced you as you looked back gobsmacked at the fatal scene. shards of metal and bike parts still flying in the air almost decapitating you and the boy.

it was almost the final lap, riders being eliminated by obstacles one by one, crashing and setting fire to their vehicles.

turning the last corner, the boy picked up speed, racing towards the front of the competition, neck and neck with the rider beside you. looking to your left you saw the familiar pink haired boy, racing on the stolen bike towards the finishing line. he smirked, leaning to his right and almost clashing with your vehicle.

“Juyeon doing charity work? Awhh.” he cooed over the racketing sound of his engine, giving a name to the boy that had helped you enter the race.

“Fuck off, thief.” you hollered back, watching him smile and and shake his head, eliciting an overtaking match between Juyeon and himself.

00:00:30

“Juyeon! We have 30 seconds left!” you shouted over to the boy in front, he nodded and ramped up the speed one more time.

with that, the pink haired boy fell behind, the finishing line within arms length, the thrill of winning biting at you.

a tacky horn sounded as you crossed the finish line,

00:00:00

YOU WIN!

your phone screen lit up with digital confetti, the flash light turning off in a staccato pattern as the bike came to a hault.

“Yes! We win!” you squealed, hugging the boy as a thank you, he smiled slightly looking up to something with a cocky grin.

“Yes, we did indeed.” he spoke mysteriously, you followed his eyes up to the large billboard screen on one of the skyscrapers in the city.

both yours and juyeon’s face lit up on the big screen with a banner that read:

“POWER COUPLE? RACEFORTIME BIKE RACE WINNERS”

you covered your face in embarrassment, shying away from the camera as juyeon wrapped an arm around your shoulder smiling and waving - eliciting the crowd of girls gathered around with their phones to squeal.

“remember to upvote me, as your favorite player!” he said into the camera, giving it a heart which contrasted his dark mysterious appearance, leather jacket and piercings.

your phone began to chime with notifications, follows on instagram, messages from classmates, and a score in the top right corner began to rise.

Congratulations! (your name), you’ve surpassed 1000 supporters on RACEFORTIME.

“you gain popularity from this?” you asked curiously watching Juyeon smile back down at you.

“hell yeah. you’re talking to the most popular guy in the game.” he showed you his screen with a proud glint in his cat-like eyes.

player #109: JUYEON LEE

WINS: 25

SUPPORTERS: 1.3m

“what’s your name?” he asked clicking on to the search bar of the app.

“y/n.” you replied with your name and username, a banner notification popping up at the top of your screen to say he’d followed you.

“thanks by the way, juyeon.” you smiled at him, watching him check his bike for scratches crouched on the floor.

“no problem, if you need anymore help let me know. it’s hard to survive this game.” he spoke solemnly, looking over his shoulder at the pink haired boy sat at the sidelines with his head in his hands.

as you began to walk off, you looked up to see kevin stood at the sidelines with a look that replicated death itself. an appalled, gobsmacked “o” for lips and eyes sunken in fear.

“you’re so dead when we get home.” he whacked you over the back of your head slightly, and escorted you back to his car despite distressing that he wasn’t coming to pick you up at all.

you turned back one last time to catch eyes with the mysterious juyeon lee, hopping back on to his motorcycle yet still watching you walk away.

you waved shyly, seeing a smile creep on to his face before he lifted his hand to wave back.

hopefully this wasn’t the last time you’d see him.

✩˖ ࣪‧₊˚໒꒱⋆✩ ✩˖ ࣪‧₊˚໒꒱⋆✩ ✩˖ ࣪‧₊˚໒꒱⋆✩ ✩˖ ࣪‧₊˚໒꒱⋆✩

hello my daisies !! dedicated to @winterchimez for a late bday present <3 ahhh i love this concept so much and hope you enjoyed too!! this is one of my favorite storylines yet <3

✩˖ ࣪‧₊˚໒꒱⋆✩ ✩˖ ࣪‧₊˚໒꒱⋆✩ ✩˖ ࣪‧₊˚໒꒱⋆✩ ✩˖ ࣪‧₊˚໒꒱⋆✩

[weirdwyvern]

Collection of observations so far on Pokémon Legends: Z-A

It'd be reasonable to assume that PLZA is going to be based around the same time period as Haussmann's renovation of Paris, a major public works initiative focused on city modernization (by the day's standards). This included taking down a lot of medieval neighborhoods and replacing them with avenues, squares, and parks, as well as installing extensive water-based features such as sewers, aqueducts, and (of course) fountains. Haussmann was eventually dismissed bc he was being way too extravagant with spending (along with other political stuff etc etc), but the modern-day layout of central Paris still directly echoes his designs.

The renovation period lasted from 1853-1870, which would put PLZA in roughly the same timeframe as PLA; the Meiji Restoration (also called the Meiji Renovation, ironically) began in 1868.

However, the aesthetics they've chosen for the announcement trailer are giving me pause. Though the drafting/sketching portion certainly has an old-timey feel to it, the use of a holographic, wireframe style to show the city feels markedly futuristic. In addition, one of the humans we see (the woman sitting at a table next to a Klefki) appears to be using a smartphone. Whether or not we're gonna have another Arc Phone situation has yet to be seen.

This could just be a way of expressing "here's what Lumiose is PLANNED to look like far in the future, and this game is going to be focused on building towards that future." As there was a "Not actual gameplay footage" disclaimer at the beginning there, we can assume that nothing shown in the trailer is necessarily going to appear in-game – tho I'd imagine at least some of the models are going to be utilized (two birds, one stone).

With how Pokémon has played around with ancient/futuristic dichotomies (Unova, Paldea) and time travel (Alola, Hisui, and…many others tbh) in the past, though, it'd be interesting if PLZA wound up being a futuristic isekai to complement the distant-past adventure of PLA.

All that said, if PLZA is set in the past: We are all but certainly going to see young (or at least younger) AZ.

Very interested in this logo! Presumably it's comparable to that of the Galaxy Team, though unlike that one, it doesn't share much resemblance to the logo of its region's future evil team (Team Flare). The most similar organization logo we've seen thus far would be that of the Aether Foundation.

The only theory I have at present is that it could potentially be related to Diancie, which was first introduced in Kalos. The logo could be a stylized version of the incomplete ring & glittering gem around its neck.

Adjacent to that: I get the feeling that the Anistar City Sundial is going to have some level of importance to the plot. In XY, the Sundial allows the player to upgrade their Mega Ring + locate more Mega Stones throughout the region. As the Mega Evolution symbol was prominently displayed at the end of the presentation, we may get to learn some more about it and its origins – especially that bit about how it supposedly descended from space.

Other assorted notes:

We may get to see Camphrier Town – or, at least, Shabboneau Castle – during its heyday!

The A in PLZA's logo shares a similar construction to the marking on Xerneas' chest. It also has a plantlike pattern on it, which would connect to Xerneas' ability to induce life/growth…or it could be interpreted as a veinlike pattern, which would connect to Yveltal's design. It could also be completely unrelated to the Aura Trio lmao

I want to see Emmet so bad. Put both of those muppets in situations. Also I want double battles back please I'm begging and pleading stop making me fight 3+ enemies with only one Pokémon on my side–

[engineer-gunzelpunk]

Traintober 2024 Day 2: The Game

from the Victorian Railways Newsletter , September 1949

A bit of a history related post today, I am going to natter a bit about railway footy.

The Victorian Railways Institute, a school set up by the VR to educate their employees, had its own amateur Australian Rules competition. This was not uncommon in Victoria where company leagues could spring up in particular avenues of employment (there even a State Bank league for bank employees).

Nor was this uncommon with railways generally, as some of the Big Four railway companies in Britain provided sporting clubs for their employees to participate in.

But the VRI Football League was notable for having players within it that competed in the major leagues as well, the top tier Victorian Football League (the one that is now the Australian Football League today) and the second string Victorian Football Association (which exists only as a rump to the AFL now).

The teams were generally made up of enginemen and staff from various railway lines (Coburg Line, Essendon Line, Heidelberg Line or "Suburban Line"), stations (Flinders Street Station), divisions (Car and Wagon, Goods, railway police), workshops and marshalling yards (North Melbourne Loco, Melbourne Yard, Spotswood). Its to be noted that they did not all compete at at once, seasons running with a few teams on the park according to availability.

They apparently played on Tuesday afternoons and were unpaid, though umpires were paid £2 for the afternoon.

The league competition apparently did keep running until recently but I need to do more research.

Information on hand regarding the VRI-FL is a little difficult to get through so I mainly cribbed this info from "What A Journey" by former VR Station Master Thomas Yates and these fellows here.

[handeaux]

Why Did Cincinnati Abandon Cricket To Become America’s First Baseball Powerhouse?

You can blame the Civil War for Cincinnati becoming the home of professional baseball. Well into the 1860s, this was a cricket town with “town ball” and “base ball” taking a distant second place to bowlers and wickets.

The curious researcher can still find references to Cincinnati’s early cricketeers today, but most often as footnotes to the history of baseball. However, it is not too much of a stretch to say that baseball would not have prevailed in Cincinnati without the boost it received from the old-time cricket clubs.

Cincinnati’s cricket clubs were formidable opponents, hosting international matches with Canadian teams and participating in home-and-away rivalries with cricket clubs in Chicago, Cleveland and Pittsburgh. Cincinnati cricketeers were professionals long before the nascent Red Stockings decided to pay their players.

Cricket was most definitely an Englishman’s game and Cincinnati before the Civil War was largely a city of English origins. The Cincinnati Gazette [6 October 1853] summed up the popularity of the “manly old game”:

“Cricket matches are now quite in fashion. We see notice of them in numerous exchanges, East, North and West. Wherever Englishmen are found, there a Cricket Club is found with them.”

Although Cincinnati newspapers carried stories about out-of-town cricket matches as early as the 1820s, local cricketeers didn’t get organized until the 1840s. The Queen City Cricket Club convened in 1843 every Thursday at 2:00 p.m. at “Wade’s Woods” northwest of the intersection of Liberty Street and Central Avenue. By 1845, the Western Cricket Club offered some stiff competition to the Queen City club and the two teams battled it out on grounds located “at the foot of Eighth Street” in the Millcreek bottoms near the Whitewater Canal. It appears that the players were solidly middle-class – salesmen, plumbers, carpenters and shopkeepers – the sorts of folks who could spare a weekly afternoon to indulge in outdoor recreation.

By 1850 the Union Cricket Club, apparently a merger of the Queen City and Western clubs, was the dominant local team. Cricket grounds were hard to come by and the Union Club played variously at the Orphan Asylum lot where Music Hall now stands, on a wood-ringed field off Madison Road in East Walnut Hills, near the canal in Camp Washington and at the back of what later became known as Lincoln Park, location of Union Terminal today. From time to time, reports indicate that adherents of “town ball” or “base ball” also made use of the Union Cricket grounds, but only on days when the cricketeers were otherwise occupied.

Among the Cincinnati cricket stalwarts back in the day was Jonathan Hattersley, born in Sheffield, England, in 1835. Hattersley emigrated to the United States as a young man, arriving in New Orleans and working his way up the rivers to Cincinnati. After a failed start as manager of a weaving operation, he set himself up as the sales agent for a number of British steel refineries. He later joined the firm of Thomas Turner, manufacturer of cutting and slicing equipment. Hattersley married the owner’s daughter, bought out his father-in-law, and set up a saw manufactory with his son, Harry. Before the Cincinnati Fire Department went professional in 1853, Hattersley battled blazes with the Franklins, one of the amateur companies active in the city. He was among the founders of the Western Cricket Club and later became president of the mighty Union Cricket Club. His office in the saw blade factory on Third Street served essentially as the club’s headquarters.

The Union Cricket Club dominated Cincinnati cricket from the 1840s into the 1870s. Its bench was so deep that the club supported two teams – the stars and a farm team both under one roof. While the “first eleven” participated in matches from Chicago to the East Coast, the “second eleven” kept the hometown fans occupied by playing clubs from Northern Kentucky, Lawrenceburg and some smaller Ohio towns. The Union Club even challenged a championship English club then touring the states but couldn’t reconcile schedules. About half the Union Cricket Club players were paid professionals.

It was Jonathan Hattersley who recruited George and Harry Wright to Cincinnati from New York’s stellar St. George Cricket Club. Although the Wright brothers carried the original Cincinnati Red Stockings to baseball glory, they arrived in the Queen City as professional cricket players. Harry Wright was also from Sheffield, born the same year as Jonathan Hattersley. One may assume they had met in childhood. In an interview with the Enquirer [20 August 1875], Harry, by then manager of the Boston Red Stockings, recounted his arrival in Cincinnati:

“I was under contract, and was offered very fine inducements to leave New York. When I arrived in Cincinnati cricket was all the rage, but it finally subsided, and from the club I managed the old Red Stockings of that city was organized. I would like to say in this connection that the uniform I used as the cricketer was adopted by the Base-Ball Club.”

Wright glosses over what specific factors caused the “rage” for cricket to “subside,” but baseball scholars generally point to the Civil War, which brought young men from all over the United States together and gave them a great deal of free time when they weren’t busy shooting each other. Simon Worrall, writing in Smithsonian Magazine [October 2006] describes the wartime conditions that promoted baseball over cricket:

“A year before the Civil War broke out, “Beadle's Dime Base-Ball Player,” published in New York City, sold 50,000 copies in the United States. Soldiers from both sides of the conflict carried it, and both North and South embraced the new game. It was faster than cricket, easier to learn and required little in the way of equipment: just a bat (simpler to make than a cricket bat, which requires sophisticated joinery), a ball and four gunnysacks thrown on a patch of ground, and you're ready to play.”

By the time the war ended, Cincinnati seethed with baseball fever. Even Jonathan Hatterley’s son, Harry, took up baseball, catching for the junior-league Pickwicks in Cincinnati. A group of young executives – many of them Civil War veterans – organized the Cincinnati Base Ball Club on 23 July 1866 and quickly allied with the Union Cricket Club, who already had very nice facilities ready for play. According to Harry Ellard’s 1907 “Baseball in Cincinnati”:

“In 1867 the club moved to the grounds of the Union Cricket Club, with which was made a quasi alliance. These grounds were situated at the foot of Richmond Street. They were used in the summer for cricket and baseball and in winter were flooded and used for skating purposes, where great enthusiasm was manifested in this winter sport, with a series of interesting carnivals.”

Harry Wright and his brother George were convinced to give up cricket to lead America’s first professional baseball team. The rest, as they say, is history. Still, Harry, George and the rest of their team did not totally abandon cricket. It is not often reported that the Cincinnati Red Stockings, during their undefeated inaugural season, actually played a cricket match. In San Francisco, on 28 September 1869, the Cincinnati baseball team engaged the “All California Eleven.” According to Ellard:

“For the sake of variety and amusement they played a game of cricket with the California eleven, in which they showed that they could play cricket as well as baseball.”

The former cricketeers now known as the Cincinnati Red Stockings prevailed 118 to 79.

[nicofms]

( jack gilinsky .  cismale .  he/him )  - the  new  york  city  resident ,   niccolò ‘nico’ costa ,  was  seen  sporting    armani    on  park  avenue  today .  the  twenty - five   year  old  is  a  nba player   in  the  city  &  has  been  here  for   two years  .  since  being  here  ,  they  have  been  told  to  be  manipulative   ,  but  also  resilient ,  who  really  knows  !  according  to  nycslam  ,     nico engaged in a locker room fight at his previous team before being traded  .  anyways  ,  guess  we'll  find  out  for  ourselves  !  [  az  ,  20  ,  est  ,  he/him ]

i. STATS !

full name : niccolò 'nico' costa

gender / pronouns : cismale ( he / him )

age : twenty - five

birthday : september 21st

zodiac : virgo

occupation : nba player ( point guard for the new york knicks )

height : 6 ' 5

sexuality : heterosexual

ii. BIO !

niccolò costa was born in florence, italy to two italian parents. well off was a way to describe the life nico lived even at a young age. his mom was a retired super model and his dad was a successful businessman. he lived in various parts of italy throughout his childhood and traveled frequently. when niccolò turned 13 his parents decided to move to los angeles, california at the request of their son. nico was always given what he wanted and when the boy came to his parents about wanting to move to america, in hopes of making his basketball dreams a potential reality, they didn’t think twice.

teenage niccolò arrived in california with a goal in mind and once he set his mind on something, there was no one that could stop him. so he practiced and practiced whenever he could, mastering any sort of skill that could attribute him to being the best player he could be. he had a successful high school career, winning back-to-back-to-back national championships with his high school team, and in his senior year he got offered a full ride, not that he needed it, to the university of kentucky where he had a great first season.

niccolò got drafted by the toronto raptors right after his first year of playing college basketball in the university of kentucky. he had a successful rookie year, coming in second for the rookie of the year award and helping his team have a successful playoff run. his success as a player only grew in his second year, leading the raptors to the number one spot in the eastern conference. unfortunately, his season came to an early close when he broke his leg just a couple of games before the playoffs. 

heading into his third year, nico felt like he had a lot to prove. there was a lot of doubt on him being able to play at the same level in which he was playing at before his injury. making it his mission to prove that he could, nico became less of a team player and more about him. this caused a lot of tension between him and his teammates and coaches. his team failed to make it to the playoffs that year and a lot of the blame was put on him.

his fourth season had an immediate rocky start. the team couldn’t seem to make anything work and niccolò kept getting blamed. eventually, by the first half of the season the news broke out that nico was being traded to the new york knicks. admittedly, he wasn’t a fan of the move because he had too much pride to be happy about a trade he didn’t request. landing in new york, he felt he had even more to prove and he seemed to be redeeming himself by helping the knicks come back in the second half of the season.

nico has lived in new york for two years now since being traded. he’s found his peace with it but will still refuse to show to people that it was not his choice. and now in his sixth year in the league, nico wants to win. no more almosts or runner up spots, but an actual championship or award.

iii. PERSONALITY !

he grew up treated as a golden child so he's very self - centered and selfish. he can definitely be a hot head and rude / mean. he'll always do anything to get what he wants which causes him to be both determined but also manipulative. he can be a flirt but he typically just assumes girls would want him, his ego is huge. outside of his asshole exterior, though, he can be a softie if he feels safe enough to show that type of vulnerability with someone. and if you're one of the few people in his list of ' maybe not - so - terrible humans ', he'll take a bullet for you.

iv. WANTED CONNECTIONS !

possible friends ( probably one best friend as his right hand man / woman )

enemies / people that dislike him ( most likely has a few )

exes

flings / fwbs ( past or current )

family connections ( cousins, family friends, siblings ??, etc. )

these are just some ideas more can be plotted / discussed !

[archoneddzs15]

Sega Saturn - SEGA AGES Volume 2 Space Harrier

Title: SEGA AGES Volume 2 Space Harrier / SEGA AGES VOL.2 スペースハリアー

Developer/Publisher: Sega AM2 / Rutubo Games / Sega CS1

Release date: 17 July 1996

Catalogue No.: GS-9108

Genre: Shooting

Many of the older British gamers who may be perusing my site may remember one of the first places that had the full-sized hydraulic Space Harrier cabinet, Alton Towers (the place which at one point in time was famous for their Sonic partnerships, to the point they had a Sonic Spinball and hotel room). Whenever I ask British game players about Space Harrier in the arcades, they always mention the one in Alton Towers Amusement Park. It's a legend to the older gamer (^v^).

Anyway, Space Harrier just like many of the Sega Ages games is a pretty close conversion of the arcade original. This was the game that really got my parents into games way back in 1985. Later in 1987 my mother bought the Sega Master System version and would play it for hours. I remember being amazed at the Master System version actually having speech and a secret character. The 1988 PC Engine version developed by Dempa for NEC Avenue also kept that magic alive too. That magic happened again when my colleague first bought this Saturn version in 1996.

Space Harrier is best described as an After Burner in a fantasy land. Same style of play really. Just blow away everything in sight while avoiding the enemy's attacks. Sounds dull, doesn't it? Well, I guess it would be if it was any other game but Space Harrier's whole atmosphere has that magical charm about it. It could be because of the strange fantasy worlds, or it could be that soothing Space Harrier main theme that keeps you playing. Whatever it is, it sure works.

[angelloverde]

"Mo Soul" Player Playlist 11 October

Lil AntBeatz - Nas

The Park Avenue Experience - Boogie Blues

From The Void - Groove Flow

Above The Gods - Tropical Feeling

Wind Down Before Spirits - Enchanted Kiss

Chillout Your Mind - Dress Up

Will Sessions - Shake It Up, Shake It Down

Poldoore Feat. ASM - Hourglass

Corridors Feat. Tendayi - Rewind

MC Big House - Protocol

Christopha - Back In Time

Jordvn Emanuel - Mountains

Ron Trent Feat. Azymuth - Melt Into You

Alexis Evans - Let Them Loose

Chris Joss - Outta Your Funk

If you really want to enjoy music and help musicians and bands, buy their lp’s or cd’s and don’t download mp3 formats. There is nothing like good quality sound!!!

(Angel Lo Verde / Mo Soul)

[djmossback]

Spacebar 07/20/24

Third Space Saturday

The Tracks

2100 hrs

Brothers Johnson, Strawberry Letter 23 (12 Inch)

Grace Jones, I Need A Man (12 Inch)

Junie Morrison, Techno-Freqs (12 Inch)

Wire, Ahead (12 Inch)

KC and The Sunshine Band, I’m Your Boogie Man (LP cut)

Judas Priest, Metal Gods (LP cut)

George Clinton, Do Fries Go With That Shake (12 Inch)

One Way, Cutie Pie (12 Inch EP cut)

Beastie Boys, She’s Crafty (LP cut)

Booker T. & The MG’s, Hip Hug-Her (LP cut)

Average White Band, Pick Up The Pieces (LP cut)

Foreigner, Urgent (12 Inch)

ZZ Top, Cheap Sunglasses (LP cut) (2200 hrs)

Emotions, Best Of My Love (LP cut)

Michael Jackson, Rock With You (7 inch)

Sanford and Townsend Band, Smoke From A Distant Fire (LP cut)

Dazz Band, Let It Whip (7 inch)

Gap Band, Outstanding (LP cut)

Robert Palmer, You Are In My System (7 inch)

Roots Manuva, Again & Again (12 Inch)

Sade, Hang On To Your Love (12 Inch)

Dillinger, Cokane In My Brain (7 inch)

Simple Minds, Don’t You Forget About Me (12 Inch)

Vince Staples, Norf Norf (LP cut)

Flying Lizards, Money (That’s What I Want) (LP cut)

Dry Cleaning, Scratchcard Lanyard (7 inch)

Mary Jane Girls, In My House (12 Inch)

Donna Summer, I Feel Love (12 Inch)

Berlin, The Metro (7 inch)

DEVO, Snowball (7 inch)

Tilt, Arcade Funk (12 Inch)

Eddy Grant, Electric Avenue (LP cut)

Toni Basil, Mickey (7 inch)

The Clash, Rock The Casbah (7 inch)

Cheryl Lynn, Got To Be Real (7 inch)

Lakeside, Fantastic Voyage (LP cut)

Steve Miller Band, Abracadabra (7 inch)

Run DMC, Walk This Way (12 Inch)

Nazareth, RAZAMANAZ (LP cut)

Amyl & The Sniffers, Some Mutts (7 inch)

Kingsmen, Louie Louie (7 inch)

Kenny Rogers & The First Edition, Ruby (Don’t Take Your Love To Town) (7 inch)

Police, Roxanne (7 inch)

Go-Go’s, We Got The Beat (7 inch)

Bauhaus, Bela Lugosi’s Dead (12 Inch)

Madvillain, America’s Most Blunted (12 Inch)

Cameo, Word Up (12 Inch)

Skee-Lo, I Wish (12 Inch)

Pet Shop Boys, West End Girls (12 Inch)

Eiffel 65, Move Your Body (12 Inch)

Kylie Minogue, Can’t Get Blue Monday Out Of My Head (12 Inch)

J.J. Fad, Supersonic (12 Inch)

Ohio Players, Love Rollercoaster (12 Inch EP cut)

James Brown,I Got You (I Feel Good) (7 inch)

Del Tha Funky Homosapien, Mistadobalina (LP cut)

Kendrick Lamar, YAH (LP cut)

Leroy Sibbles Nicodemus, Rock Steady Party (12 Inch)

Barbara Lewis, Baby I’m Yours (LP cut)

0113 Finished

The scenery

TASTING NOTES

I spent the day not thinking about the set, preferring to head into Spacebar “cold” to see what developed. But, I had spent a fair amount of time since my last set combing through online lists and the singles section of the local Record Hut to find some fresh material. And, a lot of it found its way onto the decks and into the ears of the listeners at Third Space Saturday. I do love the format of the single. I’m not necessarily attached to the extended mixes; often I will play the LP cut included on the single, or the 7” mix if it is on there. I like the focus of the shorter versions, but sometimes the songs lend themselves to the stretched-out format. Just depends on the song, as always.

It is really hot in Boise – not just summer heat, but triple-digit temperatures every day for weeks on end. I got sweaty just loading the rig. When I got downtown, there was a huge event of some sort happening in Capitol Park, with several streets blocked, and I worried that I would have trouble finding a parking space. But I found a space really close, and rolled my gear into the elevator. Nothing worked. The door wouldn’t even close. I text Will, and am surprised when he appears at the elevator. We lug all my gear down the stairs, past the line going upstairs to the speakeasy. Evidently, the fire department had visited just before I got there, because the fog machine had tripped the fire alarm. Will is working the door, and I recognize absolutely none of the bar staff.

I’m later than I wanted to be, so after I set myself up, I hurriedly weigh my options. I usually start with a song that has kind of a fanfare intro, but tonight it seemed appropriate to ease into things, so I chose “Strawberry Letter 23” by the Brothers Johnson, a new 12” single I acquired last week. My first hour is a combination of 12” extended versions and LP cuts; going from Wire to KC and the Sunshine Band to Judas Priest to George Clinton sounded better in person than it looks on the page. The bar scene is ebbing and flowing as usual, but it’s summer, people are outside, or in the mountains, or hunkered down in the most air-conditioned spot they can find.

I put on a long Grace Jones single, and Will gives me a tour of the changes coming to the bar. The room that used to house the print shop is cleared out. It’s going to house more machines, and be a separate space within the space. The music will still be there, but there will be more options for people, and a better use of the space, which was not generating enough use before. It will be good to give people more places to hang, to be with their people. Our sound volume is lower, which I kind of like. It presents the music better, and makes things more comfortable.

My son shows up with a posse. He comes into the booth and greets me. I express my unease, how I feel like I’m aging out of such things as nightlife, and fun, but he is unconvinced. Says I’m fine. He heads out on the floor with his crew, and I lose track of him for a while. About a half-hour later he comes back up to say goodbye, introduces me to a friend, and they ask about the Grime record I played. Roots Manuva. They dig it. I told them I couldn’t see anyone reacting to the music one way or the other, aside from the kid who came up and scrolled through the new internet jukebox that’s on the wall by the bar. They assured me that people were vibing, even the youngsters. It was good to hear, and I noticed people moving to the beat after that.

After Sam leaves, I don’t see a single person I know come in for the rest of the night. I am ok with this. Not that I don’t love the support from people I know, but I’m also a realist. I know it would require great effort for me to be out downtown on a Saturday night, so I understand what it entails.

I’ve hardly played any 7” records, mostly concentrating on longer 12” mixes from my new acquisitions. It feels really good. I’m putting things together in the right places, there are very few technical gaffes from me, and I generally feel good about how I’ve put records together.

The Donna Summer 12” single “I Feel Love” is a record I’ve been looking for my entire adult life, and now it’s mine. The 8-minute version did not disappoint! The mechanized spine of the song, the repetitive bubbling riff, it was the first record I heard from her, and I instantly became a fan. The simplicity and directness appealed to me, as did the four-on-the-floor kick drum.

I put a different Nazareth track into the mix, RAZAMANAZ. (I don’t know, it just seems to work better in all caps.) I had it cued and ready to go, but I then reversed course, and instead of following it up with RUN-DMC (again with the all caps!) I switched the order, and played “Walk With Me” first. It worked. The Nazareth track is like Motorhead, with a “better” singer. I need to find a better copy of the record, though. It was kind of worn. So is the Bauhaus record I plucked from a dollar section a while ago. Even though it’s got an audible (and visible) scratch on it, it plays through, and the surface noise doesn’t detract – it kind of adds something to the sound of “Bela Lugosi’s Dead.” It’s kind of a gothic doppelganger to the Donna Summer record – repetitive, atmospheric, less busy and more organic. Music is amazing that way. Very disparate intentions coming through, and changing the way things sound. And you don’t stop/you go on and on/til the break of dawn.

The thing is, though, a lot of the old 7” records from the ’50s and ’60s still sound great, even with the wear. The record players they were made for were not like the Hi-Fi players for classical and pop records of the day, and by pop records, I mean things like Doris Day, Johnny Mathis and other adult music. I’m fascinated by how time takes language and meaning and metamorphosizes it to fit the needs of people, of audiences, of commerce. You don’t/can’t control it, but you can ride it, and see where it goes.

That is the essence of what I am trying to do: follow the through line, and paint pictures, express myself, play things that sound good to me, communicate a feeling and vibe to people. I didn’t put Amyl and the Sniffers next to the Kingsmen and follow it up with Kenny Rogers to be a clever show-off, I did it because I thought it would sound good, that they were all good records, and the juxtaposition would make a listener reconsider what those songs were about.

Or, they could just vibe to the beat.

I’m so happy I get to do this, and I’m glad to have the opportunity to contribute to Spacebar Arcade. I sometimes feel I should be doing more – get on the microphone and get the party started, as it were. It’s just not me. All I can do is show up until they tell me not to. It’s a tough business. It’s not complicated, but it is unpredictable. You can do everything right, and still fail. Luck is underestimated by our culture. Being in the right place, at the right time, doing something you love and believe in and being rewarded? It’s not a given. Trust this: it’s just business. Pivot. Change course. Listen. Be true to yourself.

Next Third Space Saturday for me is on September 21st, 2024. I’m taking August off for Holiday. Just like a European.

[thearistocratsblog]

1. Map Drawing Challenge

Materials: Blank paper, pen or pencil, a map of NYC for reference.

Instructions:

Choose a neighborhood or borough in NYC.

Without looking at the map, draw the main streets and landmarks from memory.

Compare your drawing to the actual map and note any differences.

Repeat with different areas to gradually improve your mental map of the city.

2. Route Planning Game

Materials: Paper, pen or pencil, MTA subway map.

Instructions:

Write down two locations in NYC (e.g., Central Park to Brooklyn Bridge).

Plan the most efficient route using the subway, including transfers.

Compare your route with a navigation app or MTA map to see if it matches the optimal route.

Increase the complexity by adding more stops or alternative modes of transportation like buses or ferries.

3. Landmark Connection

Materials: Paper, pen or pencil.

Instructions:

Write down a list of landmarks in NYC (e.g., Times Square, Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty).

Connect the landmarks by drawing lines and writing the street names or subway lines that link them.

Try to create the shortest or most interesting routes between the landmarks.

4. Street Name Scramble

Materials: Paper, pen or pencil.

Instructions:

Write down the names of streets in NYC but scramble the letters (e.g., "Broadway" becomes "dwayBroa").

Unscramble the letters to reveal the correct street names.

Challenge yourself by using less familiar streets or mixing in historical or cultural notes about each location.

5. Neighborhood Quiz

Materials: Paper, pen or pencil, list of NYC neighborhoods.

Instructions:

Write down clues about different neighborhoods in NYC (e.g., "Home to the High Line" for Chelsea).

Guess the neighborhood based on the clue.

Add a time limit for an added challenge or make it a two-player game where you take turns giving clues.

6. Public Transit Puzzle

Materials: Paper, pen or pencil, subway map.

Instructions:

Write down a start and end point in NYC.

Draw a grid representing subway stops and lines.

Plot the route on your grid, including transfers and connections.

Check your solution against an actual subway map to see if you found the best route.

7. Daily Commute Simulation

Materials: Paper, pen or pencil, list of common destinations.

Instructions:

Choose a starting point (e.g., your apartment) and a daily destination (e.g., work, favorite café).

Write down the steps to get there using different modes of transportation (e.g., walking, subway, bus).

Include estimated times and any landmarks or notable stops along the way.

8. Intersection Identification

Materials: Paper, pen or pencil.

Instructions:

Write down pairs of intersecting streets (e.g., 5th Avenue and 34th Street).

Identify the landmark or notable location at each intersection.

Create a map of these intersections and their landmarks, connecting them with lines.

These games will not only help you improve your navigation skills but also deepen your knowledge of New York City's layout, landmarks, and transportation system. Enjoy playing and learning!

Gpt made these for me to improve my navigation skills. I'm just putting it here for safekeeping

[terrainofheartfelt]

A Gossip Girl Moodboard—Summer in the Hamptons

Unlike the rest of us, sex, lies, and scandal never take a vacation. Instead, they take the Long Island Expressway and head east to the Hamptons. Some would say summer is their busiest season. Think Park Avenue, but with tennis whites and Bain de Soleil. The players change but the game remains the same.

[necroangelz]

💉🫀

『 💉 』

a kin memory

as sunny from omori, i remember kel falling off the swings at the playground when we were children. we liked to do these little contests to see who could swing the highest. kel always won, but its fine because i simply enjoyed swinging (the wind, watching the sky 'move' above me, feeling like I'm flying) and being with him (hearing his laughter, his loud brash voice, and just being around his infectiously good mood). once he got into a lil accident when he was trying to get off his swing and ended up launching himself across the playground sand. he was fine. we made sure he was more careful when he played on the swings again

『 🫀 』

a game i played + an infodump

i recently got hooked on the Sanrio game "hello sweet days" thanks to one of my friends and God i am obsessed w this little dressup community game

if anyone else who sees this plays the game as well, my friend code is "5k47c6" add me!! (⁠｡⁠•̀⁠ᴗ⁠-⁠)⁠✧ tell me here if uu added me tho so i can follow back :3

also here's a silly little account that posts renders of the Sanrio characters in the game, i actually discovered it first before downloading the game && i... didn't realize that it was a game i could actually play! LOL

ramble time below vvvvv

here's some of the outfits I've worn!!

some rares and S Rares i pulled ehe

i have lots more other rares but these are the only ones i have screenshots of :P

and also here's some photos of my current house layout ehe!!!! idrk what theme im going for in my house bcz i don't have a lot of cool furniture yet from the featured banners but i think my home is rather cozy > < it's mine so that's what makes it awesome (⁠≧⁠▽⁠≦⁠) i love decorating it w all the plushes I've collected

one thing i love about this game is the community aspect makes certain things much easier

like fur example. each player has a plant in their house. there's lotz of diff plants in the game && all the plants bear diff fruit obviously. watering uur own plant && others' plants gives uu exp && coins (quite a meager amount tho) and it's part of quests sometimes

&& when the plants bear fruit, other players can pick uur fruit and get normal fruit! 6 normal fruit is required to attend a party! (bc uu have to contribute treats oooobviously)

when enough people have taken fruit from uur own plant, then uur own normal fruit turns into rare fruit! && when uu have 3 of the same rare fruit uu can be the one who throws parties!

does that sound convoluted. idc it makes perfect sense to me in the game (⁠ʘ⁠ᴗ⁠ʘ⁠✿⁠)

so here's where the community part comes in. there's different forums uu can post to, but the most important forums (to me) are the water, fruit, && party forums. when someone wants ppl to water their plant, they post in the water forum and include what town they live ingame. when someone wants ppl to take fruit, they post in the fruit forum. && when someone holds a party, they post in the party forum

see this makes thingz SO much easier.

there's a quest where uu need to water 8 plants from a specific town (my melody park, hello kitty avenue, etc. bc remember this is Sanrio). now uu could spam the "walk" button && go to random houses and pray uu find someone who lives in the town that uu need.

but it's faster w the forum! bc uu just open the water forum and since everyone states which town they live in, it's easy to find ppl who live in the town uu need fur the quest!

and if uu wanna attend a party but uur low on normal fruit, just open the fruit forum! easy as that!

&& when uu get enough normal fruit from picking other ppls fruits, then uu can find a party to attend in the party forum!! i luv checking out posts in the party forum and see which party to attend based on the plushes i can get if i attend :3 (bc diff rare fruits used to start a party = diff plushes that the host and attendants can receive)

so yeah that's the main thing i wanna infodump about. i think the gacha could still be a bit better but if uu just keep logging in every day, even just to do basic quests, it still helps ^_^

I'm aiming to get 2k coins so i can pull 7x on the aurora aquarium banner and 7x on the moon horoscope banner bc i like the aesthetics :3 i might pull on the brown leopard banner too but it's not my top priority rn. I'm a gambling addict tho so sometimes i do 2-4 pulls on other banners just to take the edge off LMAOAOOA (when uu pull for the first time on a banner the price is cheaper! then it goes up on the 2nd time, up again on the 3rd time, until it goes up and stops at the 4th time i think)

I'm hoping to pull on banners w darker colors though. i don't fancy the light cutesy colors very much

[never-read-enough-books]

When they are enemies to lovers. And the tension has been eating them up. But then they stand close and he looks at her lips and says : " Fuck it" >>>>>>

Fourth wing - Rebecca Yarros

Park avenue player - Vi Keeland