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superfan99records · 7 years ago

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Why Super Fan 99?

Super Fan’s name comes from a line in the cult 90s comedy ‘Swingers’. “I’m gonna make Wayne Gretzsky’s head bleed for super fan number 99 over there” You can watch the clip here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaAtavKP0-4

Our first logo incorporated ice hockey sticks in reference and was designed by British illustrator Nicholas Stevenson. Our current logo was created by Chicago based artist Shaun Miller. The label was born in August 2014.

What Styles of Music Does Super Fan Release?

We love all music which can transport you to a different time and place. In the past we have released powerpop, psych, dreampop, Americana, new wave and on occasion slightly louder indie-rock type stuff too. The common through line which links all of our releases is rich melodies that you can’t shake from your head.

I Work in a Record Shop, How Can We Stock Super Fan?

Sure! We don’t have distro at this point but are happy to stock you direct at cost price. Please mail us and we can work out the best way to get our releases in your store. Contact details are at the bottom of this page.

I’m a Radio DJ, How Can I Receive Advance Music to Play on My Show?

We send out WAVs along with press releases around four weeks prior to release. All exposure is good for a tiny label like ourselves so we’d love to hear one of our tunes get a spin on your show or podcast however small it may be. Don’t be shy, drop us a line and we’ll see you are added to our mail out. Contact details are at the bottom of this page.

I’d Like to Receive Advance Copies for Review, Can I Be Added to the Press List?

Of course! As with radio we hugely appreciate all press however small, even a tweet or a repost on Soundcloud is massively helpful to help get word out. Drop us a line and we’ll make sure you are added to the mail out. Contact details are at the bottom of this page.

I’d Love Super Fan to Consider Releasing My Music, Do You Accept Submissions?

Very much so. We love hearing your music and listen to every single submission. We are always on the look out for new artists to work with but should add that to date have only released one artist from a submission. Soundcloud or Bandcamp links are preferred along with a few lines about the project. Alternatively you can go old school and use snail mail to send a tape or CD. Contact details are at the bottom of the page. If we like it we will be sure to get back to you.

I’d Like to Be Notified About Pre-orders For Limited Edition Releases, How Can I Find Out Before They’re All Sold Out?

Many of our releases are extremely limited and can sell out in a day so it is best to subscribe to our mailing list to be notified as soon as they are on sale. Drop us a line with ‘hello’ in the subject line to the email address at the bottom of the page.

What Formats Do You Release On?

We are open to releasing on all formats, the more creative the better. In the past we have put out tapes, 5” lathes, 7” vinyl, 8” lathes, 10” lathes, 12” vinyl and CD as well as digital.

What Is A Lathe?

Lathe cutting is a process which utilizes a cutting method to record sound grooves on to a disc. It is an alternative to the modern practice of pressing vinyl with metal plates. This means you can do shorter runs unlike vinyl which is often made in runs upwards of 100.

Why Are Lathe Cuts More Expensive Than Regular Vinyl?

When a lathe is cut each copy must be set up by a human and the music is played out in real time like when you dub a cassette. This ancient technique is a delicate and time consuming process, essentially each copy is unique unlike mass produced vinyl. They are however lower fidelity often with some surface noise. Many consider them to be playable pieces of art due to the care which is taken in hand making them. All of our records are cut in Tuscon, Arizona and then shipped to us in the UK. This also adds to the cost due to import charges. They are however very collectable with some of ours trading for £50 on Discogs.

What Is £100 Pop Vids?

We set up £100 Pop Vids to make music promos to help promote our releases. The first was for Queen of Jeans track ‘Dance’ From there we continued to make more and have since made videos for Lolipop, Lame-O and Burger Records bands. Every video cost under £100 to make hence the name. We enjoy testing the boundaries of DIY video making. A great idea doesn’t have to cost the world.

Can I Do Work Experience at Super Fan?

We have been asked this a couple of times which is really lovely. At current the label is essentially a one man operation run out of a small studio flat. Like many small labels it is run on top of a day job so evenings and weekends are spent keeping things ticking over. We sadly don’t have the space or need for extra people just yet but please do still say hi as there may be other ways you can get involved. We’re always keen to meet photographers, graphic designers, illustrators, videographers, basically anyone who may be able to lend their skills to future projects.

I’d Like to Book a Super Fan Band, Who Do I Speak to?

We release bands from all over the globe spanning from the UK to France, the US, China and beyond. Obviously that means on many occasions it may be difficult for a band to reach your part of the world but you never know. Their tour may just be headed your way so feel free to mail us and we can put you in touch with the artists management or agent.

What Else Does Super Fan Love Outside of Music?

(in no order) Fulham FC, Guitar Pedals, Our cat Denny, Tiki Bars, The English Countryside, French New Wave Cinema, NBA Jam, Moomins, Peanuts, Tape Machines, Buffy, Dawson’s Creek, Apple Jacks, Nudie Suits, The Duplass Brothers, John Hughes Movies, Sofia Coppola Movies, Casio Watches, Zines, Daniel Clowes, Nintendo, Greta Gerwig and Travelling by Train.

Anything Else I Should Know?

Whether you are an artist/label/promoter/blogger/dj/fan we believe music is to be shared and celebrated. It is not a competition but more an ongoing discussion in which everyone is welcome. Say hi, let’s be friends. Super Fan loves you.

E: [email protected]

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cessanderson · 5 years ago

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Our ugly laundry room https://ift.tt/3cE2xtp Sara @ Russet Street Reno When we moved in here in 2015, there was one room that didn't get touched at all. No paint, maybe even no cleaning beforehand. It was ugly as hell, and we moved all our junk in and never looked at most of it again. The floor was dated linoleum with bumps and missing pieces, the walls were typical 70s paneling, and the visible drywall was stained and full of drywall nailheads sticking out. Also, the ceiling tiles were browning, uneven, and the track for them was BLACK. Whyyyy? I made it my goal to fix up this room during our stay at home order. Here it is now!

But just to give you a visual, here is what it was looking like on a daily basis. It was bad, real bad. I hated doing laundry in here, and that is mostly because there was just no room. We had that massive steel shelving unit that was mostly loaded up with junk, so we went through it all and threw a ton of stuff away. Mostly old paperwork. Guys, I had pay stubs saved all the way back to the year 2000! I took this photo after I'd already removed a lot from that shelving unit.

I would constantly be tripping over clothes while trying to wash and dry loads, because I didn't have any room in there to store full baskets. It was so embarrassing!

And to get to the furnace was a shimmy situation, so many things needed to go.

My goal for this room was to update it without buying any paint. I thought a fun idea would be to use up some random sample cans of paint to kill two birds with one stone. I knew I didn't have enough to do the whole room with one, so I looked online for a rug that might tie some colors together. I stumbled on this one at Wayfair, and was sold when I saw how my available colors would work with it! I decided to use Wythe blue on one wall, Palladian blue on the other, and some leftover Anew Gray (the color in the boys' rooms) on the biggest wall. The Fusion Mineral paint 'mustard' color looks nice against the rug, but it just looked like baby poo on the wall. I will not buy paint sight unseen online again!

The only bummer is that the sample jars were satin, and I typically hate satin paint on walls. Since it was 'just a laundry room' (that was my mantra throughout this project haha) I am ok with shiny walls. I started by priming all of the paneling, trim, and cabinet boxes/doors with BIN.

** Note the whole two rolls of TP and two rolls of paper towel we had in the house when I was doing this project. Luckily, we hit the jackpot with a whole 12 pack of TP since this photo! **

I rolled the primer on the paneling and it sanded up so nicely. I even rolled BIN onto the black track of the ceiling, since I intended to paint the ceiling tiles and track later.

Next up was the trim paint used throughout our house, Behr Satin Ultra Pure White.

I noticed something after I painted the trim, our vinyl window looked very yellow and ugly next to the fresh white. The people we bought this house from put the most basic builder windows possible throughout this house, and they are all yellow and gross. I decided to try a magic eraser, and it worked surprisingly well!

I am not sure these windows were ever cleaned.

I also used the magic eraser on the laundry tub, which was brand new and sparkling white when we had it put in a year ago. Not bad!

Painting the ceiling was the first time I had an 'oh crap' moment. Obviously, you normally want to remove ceiling tiles before painting them because they aren't attached and just push up when you apply pressure, but I couldn't since they were very brittle and I would 100% break them all trying to remove them.

Rolling worked ok for the first light coat, then I went in with a brush to really get into the crevices. The bonus is that the paint acted as a glue to hold the tiles down and make it easier to paint without it pushing up each time. Dang, those tiles were gross.

After the ceiling was painted, I turned my attention to the floor. I had a few beers last month and decided to order flooring for delivery from Lowes for this room. It is 4x36" long peel and stick tiles that I used in a closet in our downstairs bedroom, and I found it pretty easy to work with.

However, this room had missing tiles, large humps in the flooring, and lots of stuff to cut around. I improvised for missing tiles by spreading some tile mastic in the space and it worked pretty well.

I started initially at the far wall, then realized how dumb that was and started at the doorway instead. Luckily, I was able to pull up the few I'd already done and reuse them under the washer and dryer. It was so annoying to cut around the pipes and water heater, but I did a pretty good job with only a few wasted tiles.

When I got the first large section done, it was very cool to see the change.

The laundry tub isn't screwed down, so I was able to slide the tiles right under the legs. I did have a hard time with getting flooring under the dryer, since we didn't want to disconnect anything. With Shaun's help, I was able to slide it forward and back until all the pieces were in. I was also able to pull up and reposition anything that didn't lay correctly the first time. But by far the hardest part, was the last row. Of course each piece had to be cut lengthwise, which is very difficult. I ended up making a template with pieces of the backing paper and it worked pretty well.

I just had to remember that I wanted the straight edge to be on the bottom, cut edge to the wall, so I had to reverse the template when I put it on the back to mark and cut.

As you can see here, I didn't remove any of the trim because I wasn't sure if it would ruin the paneling. I wanted to preserve as much as possible without making a big disaster out of this room. The last row isn't perfect, but it's actually pretty good. I can always add a small piece of quarter round or caulk to finish it, but *spoiler* I'm definitely not going to.

Notice all the shavings from trimming each board painstakingly to make them fit.

When the floor was all the way in, I turned my attention to the paint for the walls. I did that part last because I still wasn't sure what colors would go where, and the floor is very easy to cover with plastic.

I had JUST enough paint to do the far wall with BM Wythe Blue, the wall with the door BM Palladian Blue, and then I used leftover SW Anew Gray on the wall with the shelving unit. I also had the unpleasant task of trying to fix this mess around our outlets and light switch:

I used a patch kit from Home Depot, and it was super hard to get the results even. With an extra big switch plate cover, it's fine now. After the paint was up, it was time to work on the details for the cabinet doors and get them rehung. I spray painted the brass hinges and screws, as well as an existing hook rack, with Rustoleum Satin black. Side note: do you all have 15 random cans of spray paint in your garage or basement too??

This rack used to be an oil rubbed bronze and I preferred all black. It is the perfect size for this spot, so I got to hang it right back up in it's existing holes.

It was so fun to watch the transformation take place! I wanted to spend as little as possible, but I did want to add a few details to really make it pretty in here. One of those details was these amazing knobs for the cabinet doors. They are only $20 for 4 on Amazon! I was scoping out something similar on CB2 for $13 each, so this was an absolute steal! They are heavy and seem like real stone.

I love the brushed brass base and marbled black top. So chic!

I also found the perfect hooks for some hanging planter holders I already had. I found these hooks on Amazon, and they are just what I needed.

The plant hangers are no longer available from Target, I've had them sitting around for a year or two and finally had the perfect spot for them! I did need a pot for the other one, so I snagged this one on Amazon and it's the exact color I wanted!

I also bought a couple simple robe hooks for hanging stuff to dry from Home Depot. Yeah, it's a little crooked, but so is everything in here.

I wanted to add a little personality, so I reused an old frame and made a little sign in Photoshop. I smile whenever I see it and didn't have to buy anything. It's just a framed piece of paper.

I used an old vase I've had since the Russet street house to hold my dryer balls. Also, dryer balls are pretty useless in my opinion. Oh well, they look cute. I also got a super cute macrame wall hanging to cover the ugly access door to the electrical panel. I'll give you a guess where I got it. Yes, Amazon. I love it!

And here are some full room shots.

The floor and rug were worth the splurge! This flooring is actually very cheap, $1 per piece/sq ft. I bought 85 pieces and I didn't end up needing that much.

So happy with the cuts around the water heater!

The 3x5 rug was $109 on Wayfair and I love it! It's flatwoven, so I plan to put a pad underneath. It does shed a lot, but it's worth it for a wool rug. In this picture below, you can see the hump in our floor where the edge is slightly raised. I'm ok with the way it looks, but hopeful that it won't crack. If it does, I have a lot of extra pieces!

The ceiling turned out pretty good, now I need to replace the yellow light cover.

My favorite spot is the window.

And my favorite part, the before and after photos!

This collage really cracks me up, because it shows what really had to happen to make this room the way it is...lots of decluttering!

I would love to make a DIY laundry basket dresser like this one by Ana White, but it will have to wait until things are more normal and I feel comfortable going out to buy the materials. Here is the cost breakdown for this project including tax: Flooring $88 Rug $116 Wall hooks $2 Planter hooks $15 Cabinet knobs $21 Blue pot $23 New plant $5 Macrame wall hanging $21

Total: $291

Having a pretty laundry room: Priceless!

#Russet Street Reno

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lothrilzul · 7 years ago

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How about; 3, 4, 9, 17, 19, 22 and 23!

3. What are other people likely to notice about them first?

If she wants to be seen, it will be her welding goggles and silvery hair, then her vitiligo immediately after that. If she doesn’t, then their buddies suddenly collapsing from a shot or a bleeding wound on themselves out of nowhere. When she met Danse he probably noticed her cyan hard hat. (I forgot to mention her headgear in that chapter)

4. See in part one. :) (X)

9. What were their hobbies pre-war?

She always was rather handy, and having Codsworth helped to free her from housework, so she was able to focus on DIY things. She loves to sew and is familiar with a screwdriver as well. She likes to read (novels and comics alike!) or to have a drink after work with friends, bonus point if there’s a guy to hit on (looking at poor Roger). I might come up with a few minor hobbies, but I think these detail her enough.

17. Which faction/group(s) do they dislike, and why?

General Winter of the Minuteman has just met (the first living members of) the Brotherhood of Steel. She plans to utilize them to find the Institute then to part ways because their ways don’t quite resonate with her work as Agent Whisper. Little does she know yet.

She’s quite fed up with the Institute (for kidnapping Shaun and other innocent people) and the Gunners and Raiders (for committing crimes against her settlements, settlers and other people of the Commonwealth). Also not fond of Vault-Tec.

19. What do they love the most about their romantic partner(s)?

She loves how caring, tender yet passionate Danse is, adores the way how he voices his opinion, even copies his vocabulary sometimes and is awestruck how perfect his body is. But what makes her shiver is his voice, especially if it’s loaded with passion.

22. Do they have any memories that make them physically cringe with embarrassment?

Maybe her whole affair with Roger. She would go back to kick her younger self in the ass for having sex with him, though she wouldn’t want to forget the platonic part of the thing. She wishes they wouldn’t go any farther.

23. Describe their butt. You heard me.

She’s not a soldier/fitness lady type, but she walks a lot, especially after the war, so I’d say it’s not too soft, and not too hard. There’s enough to grope but it’s not overflowing, and she definitely doesn’t have cellulites. She has some stretch marks though, she forgot to cream her skin only once late term and boom, there go tiger stripes.

#sole survivor winter #sole survivor ask #my answers

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danmacfarlane1 · 5 years ago

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“Dan MacFarlane Skateboarding Explained story”

I was first exposed to skateboard instruction at "Bobby G Skate Camp" in Fresno California in 1988. Visiting Pro Instructors were Bill Danforth, Steve Steadham, and Steve Schneer. Later I attended Lake Owen Skate Camp in 1993 where Eddie "El Gato" Elguera was the pro Instructor. I was already a good skateboarder, so I didn't get instruction from them, but watching them properly instruct rubbed off on me.

In 1995 I moved to Encinitas California, and got a job at Magdalena Ecke YMCA, where I taught at their skate camp. My co-workers were legendary skaters Ocean Howell, Marcus Wyndham, Jeff King, and Neal Mims. Amazingly the first skater I gave instruction to was Shaun White. He was 8 and I was 18 and he walked up to me, asking how to do a frontside grind on a ramp. I quickly taught him and he was happy, and I was happy about it. The spark was lit for instructing as I saw the result from articulating how to do a skate trick to someone.

Beginning in 2000 I would instruct hundreds at Vans Skatepark in Houston, Sun City skatepark, and Dex Skateparks where I developed my own Super Effective Teaching System and Techniques. In 2001 I got a job at Lake Owen Woodward Skatecamp as a pro instructor, and I realized this would be the place where I would film my idea for Skateboarding Explained: The Instructional DVD.

Skateboarding Explained took years of experience to develop and it has helped has helped countless people Learn To Skateboard and Improve Quickly. It's recommended by some of the best skateboarding magazines and the New York Times. The DVD sold over 200,000 copies, and is translated into Japanese and Italian languages. It has been on the Netflix DVD rental platform since 2007. The SE app with NHS Inc. had over 500,000 downloads. There was also a "Skateboarding is not a crime" and "Bullet" skateboard by NHS Inc. which was sold in Target across the nation. It was also placed in libraries across Canada.

In 2007 I was on Michael Strahan's DIY Network TV show "Backyard Stadiums" as a visiting pro guest, and they showed clips from Skateboarding Explained on the show. Behind the scenes, I taught Michael Strahan how to skateboard. This show was listed in TV Guide and the Hollywood Reporter, and it aired repeatedly for over a year.

I went on to do my own "Skateboarding Explained" camps, clinics, and private lessons, which led me to create the first ever Skateboard Instructor Certification System for my instructors.

- 2009 I instructed nearly 20 Disney Stars at the Teen Choice Awards.

- 2012 at NASA Johnson Space Center, I did demos and spoke on the benefits of skateboarding.

- 2014 I led the instruction at he first ever Adaptive Skate Clinic with Sean Malto.

- 2017 I trained the workers at Largest Skatepark In North America, North Houston Skatepark, with the Skateboarding Explained certification system.

Skateboarding Explained The Instructional video still sells on Amazon.com, and iTunes, and I'm still teaching.

Right now I'm instructing "Skateboarding Explained" skate clinics at Missouri City Skatepark on Saturday mornings. All ages and skill levels are welcome. Sign up at mctxparks.com or call 281.403.8637

I also teach private lessons where I Guarantee my students of all skill levels and ages will learn 2 -10 skate tricks per hour, On All Terrain. Many of my students have gone on to be sponsored amateurs and pros. This is because teach more than just skate tricks. I teach how to think like a pro. When you think what a pro thinks, and do what a pro does, you will get similar results. There is NO substitute for my private lessons and coaching. Contact me to sign up. Will travel.

Dan MacFarlane 713.387.9664

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daddyfuckinlonglegs · 5 years ago

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Arlen Glass has one of those unboxing channels aimed at kids, but it's not about the size of the haul, just about what neat things the toys can do. Sometimes he does DIY toy fixing and repaints, and it's a really positive, comforting, Bob Ross type experience.

Kent Connoley has, predictably, one of those niche comic book channels, deep dives into why the change in artist in Grognak #257 could be interpreted as an au, the Easter eggs hidden in the background, and what that au means for the Unstoppables. He's got a cult following, especially popular when he talks at length about his favourite characters, their motivations, their various appearances, just general fan-girl stuff; he's trying to be serious, but he's just so sweet and excitable that his passion rubs off on others.

Maccready, on the back of the success of his other videos, starts a follow up channel, fresh boy stuff, flipping bottles, mediocre parkour (he's not great but it's a laugh), skateboarding, fidget spinner tricks, twirling pencils, y'know the sort. He and Duncan (sometimes Shaun too, but he's kinda camera shy) do stupid food challenges from the comments like eating food that doesn't go together and prank calling their friends. It's messy, and stupid, and a huge hit with pre-teen kids.

Under pressure from his associates, Nick also starts a true crime/unsolved mystery podcast, detailing cases both old and new. His voice adds a layer of gravitas to the more bizarre ones, and, due to demand, he does a three episode special on his personal favourite mystery - it actually helps turn up new leads (though no significant in road) to the mysterious stranger cases.

Dogmeat is actually the star of his own Instagram, mostly photos of him sprawled aesthetically in a pile of leaves in the sunshine, or dressed up for different holidays. He doesn't care, he just loves all the scritches it earns him from strangers.

The vault tec rep has a motivational, nlp type show, self hypnotics and general questionable science, but all with the goal of making people more confident, achieving their goals and pushing through dark times in their lives. He's low key a multi-level marketer, but sometimes his products are kinda good?

What sort of internet users would the companions be? Like who's the sad nihilist meme shitposter, who has a youtube channel and what's it about, who has a pretentious inspirational quotes aesthetic blog, that sort of thing. Ellie, DiMA, and Father included just because I think it would be amusing.

Ada runs a general mental health and wellness blog, dedicated to helping people manage their mental illness as well as just general tips for staying emotionally well. Her blog gets really popular around finals week, when the panicked students need her advice on managing stress and anxiety. Her techniques are guaranteed by many a therapist and psychologist.

Cait’s channel is solely dedicated to posting fortage of assorted bar fights. Most of which she is involved in. A friend films them for her, and she posts them later along with a picture of how she looked after the fact. Some of her videos are her just doing increasingly dangerous shit to see if she can. Front flipping off the roof, for example.

Codsworth has one of those “how to adult” blogs where he teaches people about landscaping, how to get stains out of clothes in an emergency, how to make coffee in a mug using only a microwave and some coffee grounds. Also assorted other posts about properly doing the laundry for people moving out of the house for the first time.

Curie is the science side of literally any website she can manage. She probably has a “fun science fact of the day” that she posts every morning. She’s like a Bill Nye on the scene, being nothing but sweet to everyone she interacts with, no matter how hostile they are. She has been known to stumble into some unsavory content on occasion, but always with only the desire to educate on what is and isn’t scientifically possible.

Danse’s fitness inspiration blog is actually full of good advice. He has meal plans, workout models, and a couple videos of him demonstrating proper form for difficult exercises. Constantly features other blogs and transformations as motivation for those struggling. Posts motivational quotes as well. Has a collection of workout shirts with said quotes on them.

Deacon has a very successful makeup YouTube. His everyday looks are absolutely to die for, but his most popular videos are the ones detailing his disguises, etc. The most interesting thing is that he is never his own model, and instead gets a variety of guests that he puts the makeup onto. Everyone has to wonder who he really is, and there are tons of theories.

DiMA runs a zen/aesthetic blog with sprinklings of philosophy. He has some meditation and yoga tips, as well as a lot of nature shots that are just generally soothing. It’s a great study break blog. If you stay on it too long, though, you will inevitably run across a post that makes you question the entire nature of your identity and the universe.

Ellie wishes her twitter was just a shitpost generator like everyone thinks, but in reality it’s her trying to make light of her real life. It holds legendary tweets such as “When your boss gets kidnapped and you’re wondering if it’s ethical to forge a recommendation letter” and “Fellas, if you put another guy’s memories in your head, is that gay? I mean, you’re sharing a body with another dude…”

Father has one of those blogs that you probably will end up blocking at some point in time. You followed it at first, thinking it would be similar to Curie’s, and it is, on occasion. However, he also tends to get tangled up on the wrong side of ethical and moral debates, and you’ll get tired of seeing the discourse in your feed every morning.

Gage doesn’t actually post original content, he just comments on other people’s stuff. Literally an internet troll. He loves to try to get a rise out of people, and he considers internet arguing to just be a pastime. It’s probably to distract himself from the chaos of his own life, so he feels like he has control over something, anything.

Hancock runs a YouTube channel that’s just full of his own high ramblings. Essentially he just turns on the camera, gets high, and goes about his usual shenanigans. Sometimes he has guests on the show, mostly Fahrenheit who accidentally gets featured when she wanders in on him. But he’ll take pretty much any guests, as long as they’re willing to get high, too.

MacCready has a gun tips YouTube channel which is mostly just him showing off his sick sniping skills. His son makes frequent guest appearances, helping his dad demonstrate how to use proper gun safety with handguns and the like. His safety videos are really solid, but his most popular ones are of him shooting the bullseye on the target in increasingly difficult positions. For example, standing on his head.

Nick runs a blog mostly dedicated to dad jokes, but there’s also some pretty solid life advice on there. He’s the unofficial dad/grandpa of thousands of people across the internet. He’s somehow active 24 hours a day, and is always ready to give crisis comfort to one of the many people he’s adopted. The jokes are funny, too, but no one is willing to admit it.

Old Longfellow has a YouTube where he details both hunting and alcohol, sometimes both. He reviews certain alcohols, shows off his favorite drinks, and is always drunk by the end of his videos. This includes the hunting ones. Sometimes, he just baits creatures that are three times as strong as him to see if he’ll live. Whatever he posts is always a wild and entertaining ride.

Piper is trying to run a legitimate news blog, but mostly she gets labeled as a conspiracy theorist. She tries to fight back with facts and accuracy, and she has a huge following. She’s never sure which of her followers are legitimately interested in what she has to say and which ones are just there to laugh at her “crazy” ideas.

Preston likes to run his own little diy and gardening blog. He loves to post his composting and recycling tips, as well of pictures of his garden and latest recycling project. He quietly encourages people to make a living for themselves instead of relying on someone else for their livelihood. The number of things he can make out of a pickle jar is impressive.

Strong has a literature analysis blog. He’s got a specific taste for Shakespeare, going on for huge paragraphs about the subtext and picking apart all the jokes and innuendos while still maintaining a huge respect for the works. Every so often, he lets his followers give him something to read and analyze, which led to the most epic demolition of 50 Shades of Gray anyone had ever seen.

X6, to everyone’s surprise, is the sad nihilistic memer. It takes literal years to pin him to his content, because nobody would expect he’s the one making the casual depression and anxiety memes. He has the largest following of anyone, because his memes honestly are funny and relatable. He’s now constantly irritated by everyone he knows as they ask him if he’s okay, though.

#Couldn't help it #These were so good i had to add more #fallout 4 #Companion reacts

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thecomedybureau · 8 years ago

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The 100 Best Things in Comedy We Were Witness to in No Particular Order of 2016

2016 is officially, finally, thankfully over (as long as you don’t think about time largely being a human construct, a new number of year doesn’t make things automatically better, and Trump becoming POTUS).

So, it’s time for our year end list, The 100 Best Things in Comedy We Were Witness to in No Particular Order of 2016.

For reference of how we do our year-end, best of lists, which is a far cry from most other comedy best of lists anywhere else, check out our lists from past years: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015.

Got it? Great.

Here’s 2016′s edition:

1. Jake Weisman's Send Up of Peter Travers Reviews-Rolling Stone has gone through so much recently, you might have forgot this amazing NSFW parody that Weisman made of Travers movie reviews.

2. Rory Scovel’s set on Conan Where He Went Into the Crowd-Rory Scovel pushes the envelope in stand-up in the best ways imaginable and this latest Conan set is evidence of his juggling of being fearless and silly at the same time.

3. Conan Without Borders-Conan O'Brien's trips overseas to Berlin and South Korea highlight every single comedy gear that Conan can shift into and proves that he can almost make any situation hilarious.

4. "Killer" by Matt Kazman-Kazman achieves one of the best comedic payoffs on screen in 2016, including film and TV, with this incredibly crafted short film.

5. The Jackie and Laurie Show-Jackie Kashian and Laurie Kilmartin found a way to make a podcast where comedians talk comedy and have it be original, damn funny, and crucial.

6 Hebecky Drysbell-Reigning all time UCB Cagematch champions Heather Anne Campbell and Rebecca Drysdale showcase such virtuosity as an improv duo that is as hilarious as it is, when we think about it, beautiful.

7. Chris Estrada-If you’re looking for diamonds in the rough right now, we’d say catch Estrada’s next set and you’ll see how great his jokes are drawing from his life growing up in LA.

8. Cool Sh*t/Weird Sh*t's Neighborhood Walking Tour-the LA outfit of the experimental comedy show brilliantly took its audience, one night, around the block and staged such moments as a couple fake fighting in a real Food 4 Less, a woman crying trying to explain the plot of a movie in a Walgreens, and running into an adult orphan waiting to be adopted off the street.

9. Womanhood with Aparna Nancherla and Jo Firestone-Nancherla and Firestone compliment each other so well in being goofy on this show that goes through absurd explanations of “womanhood” that it should be the next web series that gets made into a full fledged TV show.

10. Fleabag-Phoebe Waller Bridge has the UK's fantastic, epic answer to You're The Worst.

11. Giulia Rozzi's True Love-Rozzi’s hour achieves what a good rom com achieves by skewering love and all of its faults as much as it celebrates it.

12. Mike Leffingwell's 12 Angry Men: The One Man Show-The concept of a single man doing a solo show adaptation of the classic courtroom drama 12 Angry Men is funny enough, but Mike Leffingwell then pulled off performing it perfectly.

13. Josh Sharp doing an hour while dipping in and out of singing D'Angelo's Untitled (How Does It Feel?) with a live band-Sharp's stories are wonderfully crafted and told, and then, accentuated by his lovely voice singing D'Angelo’s most well known song like there's no tomorrow.

14. Not Safe with Nikki Glaser's Remote Segments-Glaser fed porn stars lines for scenes, visited a foot fetish convention, and highlighted sex in such a fun way that wasn’t attempted by any other TV show.

15. Last Week Tonight with John Oliver's Make Donald Drumpf Again-Oliver and company's take down of Trump was one of the best researched, strategized, written, executed pieces on Trump during this whole election cycle.

16. Disengaged-Jen Tullock and Hannah Utt's web series following a lesbian couple rushing into marriage was one of the best pieces of romantic comedy we saw in 2016

17. [F*ck This] Late Night Show with David Brown-In a way, David Brown sees Eric Andre’s rebellion against the traditional late night format and raises it some more chaos. He has a separate creative team ruining his talk show as it happens via flashmobs, waterboarding, etc.

18. Baron Vaughn’s Blaxisential Crisis-Baron Vaughn’s latest album oscillates perfectly between deep and crucial issues of race, class, purpose and flights of imaginative fancy putting Vaughn almost in a class by himself.

19. Crabapples with Bobcat Goldthwait and Caitlin Gill-the odd couple pairing of Goldthwait and Gill is unlike anything comedy has seen before. Because it lives in truth (they really are roommates), it’s one of the best hosting duos in comedy today.

20. Megan Gailey-Gailey, with her stand-up, is simultaneously an undeniable delight and a force to be reckoned with, which only doubles up how delightful she is to watch.

21. Liartown USA-When it comes to parodying covers for books, magazines, Netflix menus, etc., Sean Tejaratchi might just do it better than anyone as you can see above.

22. This Bill Burr joke: “How many Toyota Camrys do you have to see before you realize most people’s dreams don’t come true?”-We usually refrain from transcribing jokes out of context and in print, but we haven’t stopped laughing at this searingly honest joke from Burr since we first saw him work on it several months ago and felt it imperative that it be on this list.

23. Sing Street-The 80s, Ireland, young love, and diegetic musicals get married perfectly in this film by John Carney that spent far too little time in theaters.

24. Derek Sheen's Tiny Idiot-This album made it clear that Sheen could be an heir apparent to Patton Oswalt, bu very clearly has his own, unique comedic take on the world today.

25. Stephen Colbert's Close to His Election 2016 Live Special-For once, the world got to see the real Stephen Colbert who is so intelligent, well spoken, caring, and one of the only people that could pull of dealing with immediate aftermath of an impending Trump win on TV.

26. Will Hines' A Soundly Defeated Man-Hines, in a series of sketch vignettes, takes the comedic self-deprecation to a new level of artistry by showing how defeated one man really can be.

27. The Lobster-Yorgos Lanthimos might have made the best dystopian rom com in recent memory and, possibly, for several years to come.

28. Jena Friedman's American C*nt-Friedman is unrelenting in her dismantling of the patriarchy amongst other several other controversial issues. She handily deals with them in this special, placing her in a very important position in comedy going forward in 2017.

29. Jamie Loftus-Loftus is that amazing rare breed of comedian that blends dark, absurdist humor with genuine vulnerability and she can do so in her stand-up or through own self-styled animation (ex. doing her own animations for old tapes of how to tell children about someone dying).

30. Chris Duffy's You Get a Spoon-Duffy’s NYC based, curated variety show is filled with so much positivity from celebrating the favorite things of his favorite performers that you almost can’t leave the show without a smile on your face (or winning a prize).

31. Bear Supply-The quick, music fueled scenes of Mike Castle, Shaun Boylan, Joey Greer, Jordan Bull, Morgan Christensen and James Heaney is impeccable improvisational comedy.

32. The Cooties-Musical comedy is alive and well with the satirical power pop songs of The Cooties.

33. Aparna Nancherla’s Just Putting It Out There-Aparna’s album is proof positive that her wondrous version of self-deprecation can be ultimately uplifting.

34. Hunt for the Wilderpeople-Taika Waititi continues his film streak with a charming-as-can-be film about a troubled youth surviving in the wilds of New Zealand.

35. Don't Think Twice-Mike Birbiglia gets really close to hitting too close to home for some people in comedy, but that draws out one of the best depictions of life in comedy (or attempting to do so) that has ever been put into a movie.

36. The Opening of The Pack Theater-The DIY, punk rock, spirit that runs in the veins of much of LA comedy got a new, wonderful outlet at The Pack Theater.

37. Jetzo-Chad Damiani and Juzo Yoshida mash-up improv, clowning, kimonos, dramatic live musical accompaniment, and breaking the fourth wall to make the marvelous whirlwind known as Jetzo.

38. DJ Real (Nick Stargu)-SF comedian Nick Stargu’s alias DJ Real mixes an uncanny command of musicianship with an über-clever style of comedy that dazzled and had us doubling over laughing at the same time.

39. Daniel Webb-Hailing from Austin, TX, stand-up comedian Daniel Webb is a splendid rush of charisma that probably has a better Obama story than almost anyone you know.

40. Laurie Kilmartin's 45 Jokes About My Dead Dad-Kilmartin’s special, born out of jokes she tweeted while her dad was passing away, is so darkly funny and has an unmistakable humanity, which has us rethinking that maxim of comedy equals tragedy plus time.

41. Kristin Rand-LA got a brief glimpse of the unstoppable charm of Rand when she moved here from Denver and was all the better for it.

42. James Fritz's Still Together-The way Fritz exquisitely channels rage and bleakness into this debut album is magnificent.

43. Roast Battle-What started as two open mic’ers fighting in a parking lot has now earned its way to a March Madness style tournament shown on Comedy Central and we’re betting that Roast Battle still has much more potential ahead of them.

44. Josh Fadem-Fadem made a return to performing more regularly in 2016 and his magnetic positivity and pure, unabashed goofiness (complete with impromptu costumes) definitely got us through the whole of last year.

45. Sam Jay-Jay moved to LA from Boston and took her insightful, brash, unfiltered comedy (that happens to come through the lens of being a newly married lesbian) and has become a the LA scene favorite almost instantly.

46. Dave Waite's Dead Waite-Dave Waite's latest hour takes being a goofball to new heights of brilliance.

47. Of Oz The Wizard by Matt Bucy-Absurdity doesn't get more pure than Bucy's re-editing the classic film version of The Wizard of Oz and alphabetizing the entire thing, start to finish.

48. This Friday Forty-Most other quiz shows can’t compare to Scott Gimple and Dave Holmes' This Friday Forty that not only has topical trivia, but fantastic sketch characters to introduce said trivia.

49. Jay Larson's Human Math-Few comedians so deftly explore the minutia of human nature like Larson does on this album.

50. Josh Gondelman's Physical Whisper-Gondelman's craftsmanship in observational humor is exceptional on this album and accentuated nicely by his sunny stage persona.

51. Kyle Mizono right after the election-There was a lot of raw nerves exposed in comedians right after Trump's win and few did it so purely and well as Mizono. For a whole set, she screamed her jokes with legitimate fury, but without being off-putting (well, if you’re not a Trump supporter that is).

52. Lady Dynamite-Maria Bamford’s truth and Mitch Hurwitz’s wildly imaginative way of making episodic television combine for a comedy series that is blazing its own trail at a time where that gets harder and harder to do in a show about the life of a comedian.

53. Hail, Caesar!-The Coen Brothers’ latest comedy set in Hollywood’s Golden Age is one of their sharpest and most beautiful works that has plenty of scenes that could be amazing short films on their own.

54. Moses Storm's Sweater-Moses Storm never ceases to amaze us as he, this time, wore a sweater that had several strings attached to it for audience members to grab so they could literally be connected to him while he's telling a story.

55. Full Frontal with Samantha Bee-Samantha Bee has cemented a legacy in her short time on the air with her take-no-prisoners-and-then-some style of satirical news coverage.

56. Gene Wilder and Fidel Castro's New Year's Rockin' Eve (in Limbo)-UCB’s Beth Appel and Rose Marziale put a hell of a show to end 2016 with as they used the whole of the UCB Sunset complex to have an immersive comedy show (a la Sleep No More) that included karaoke with dead celebrities, a fake newsroom, and the woods where Hillary Clinton is living.

57. Morris From America-Chad Hartigan’s refreshing coming-of-age story following an American black kid trying to grow up in Germany with his single father hit a very sweet, feel-good note that everyone needs to see (especially since it had a short theatrical run).

58. Britanick’s “The Foul Line”-Though BriTANick had gone a few years without a new video, this absurdist folly makes up for all that time lost.

59. 20th Century Women-Mike Mills' latest is a great follow up to Beginners and is an award worthy comedy that might actually be able to compete with heavily favored dramas this year.

60. Three Busy Debras-The comedy trio of Three Busy Debras got to play Carnegie Hall through this devilishly fun crowdfunding campaign.

61. Paul F. Tompkins' on Political Correctness-One of comedy's best gave one of the best explanations of political correctness' necessary role in comedy.

62. The Dollop-Shining a light on the dark corners in American history is as important as it has ever been and Dave Anthony and Gareth Reynolds do so with a devilish laugh and their effortless riffing up comedy gold.

63. Floor Knobs-This AOK sketch from Heather Anne Campbell is one of our absolute favorites and, rather than spoiling anything, we'll just leave it at that.

64. David Gborie’s Late Night Stand Up Debut-Gborie takes an unexpected move in his opening to this performances that sets up a truly wonderful late night stand-up debut.

65. Cholofit-Frankie Quinones' cholo exercise guru is done so well that it leaves you wanting it to be a real exercise program.

66. Oh, Hello-John Mulaney and Nick Kroll took two characters from just being a small bit to the heights of Broadway. George St. Geegland and Gil Faizon are just so fully realized and funny that it doesn’t matter if you miss one of their references or not.

67. Chris Garcia's Laughing and Crying at the Same Time-Garcia meshes deeply personal stories and utter silliness that do the album title justice.

68. Cole Escola-Escola’s solo show follows him playing several outrageous characters (switching wigs and costumes while on stage) allowing for another fun layer in between the cavalcade of delightful, short monologues.

69. Catastrophe season 2-Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney have kept their devastatingly funny look into an unplanned family up to the very high standard they set in season 1.

70. Triumph the Insult Comic Dog's Election Watch 2016-Robert Smigel might have not known that having a dog puppet on his hand roasting people to their face for years would be the perfect preparation for covering the 2016 election (on both sides of the aisle), but, as the handful of Hulu specials prove, it really was.

71. Joel Kim Booster’s set on Conan-Just telling the story of being adopted by a Midwestern white family from Korea and being gay is fascinating enough, but Joel Kim Booster made that story blisteringly funny on late night.

72. Angie Tribeca-Physical comedy and sight gags would almost seem out-of-turn in comedy these days, but the proudly silly Angie Tribeca on TBS is thankfully changing all of that.

73. Trump vs. Bernie-While ‘Trump vs. Bernie’ will probably be a presidential candidate match-up that more people will long for than ever, Anthony Atamanuik and James Adomian's Trump vs. Bernie will go down as one of the best bits (that includes the live tour, the Fusion series, and album) of comedy to come out of one of the worst elections in U.S. history.

74. Joe Pera’s Set on Seth Meyers-Pera’s weirdness is one-of-a-kind in comedy as it’s very warm and inviting. He got to share that with the world with his set on Late Night with Seth Meyers.

75. Vice Prinicpals-When Danny McBride and Walton Goggins’ diabolical teachers one-up, in the best way, any other teachers in any other comedies that go off-the-deep-end in this HBO series.

76. Brad Neely's Harg Nallin' Sclopio Peepio-Neely's latest creations seems to offer up bits from the weirdest corners of Neely's mind and this animated sketch show is all the better for it.

77. Hari Kondabolu's Mainstream American Comic-Much is deservingly said about Kondabolu’s expertise in talking politics, class, race, etc. in his comedy, but this album also shows that his comedy is stellar no matter where you fall on the political spectrum.

78. Jon Glaser Loves Gear-Glaser does meta comedy better than almost anybody else working right now and his new show on TruTV is proof of that.

79. How to Win at Feminism by Reductress-This whip-smart manifesto about feminism solidifies Reductress’ place in modern satire next to The Onion and Clickhole.

80. Great Minds with Dan Harmon-Harmon getting to spend time with some of history's most notable figures ended up being one of the best shows that the History Channel has done in years.

81. Derrick Brown-Very few poets can reach the point of being laugh out loud funny and still deeply emotive quite like Brown, both on stage and in his book, Uh-Oh.

82. Natalie Palamides' solo show Laid-Palamides makes a solo show that's so absurd and funny, it might almost be in a unique category of its own.

83. W. Kamau Bell’s Semi-Prominent Negro-Bell explores all of today’s hot button issues (racial inequality, transgender identity, gentrification, etc.) comedically, as he is very skilled at doing, but does it in such a jovial way that they don’t seem so controversial anymore.

84. Other People-Chris Kelly’s hilarious and heartbreaking movie based on his own life in dealing with the passing of his mother from cancer is one of Kelly’s finest work, which is even more impressive as his first feature done while being an SNL writer.

85. Emo Philips improvising with Jason Van Glass-Emo's comedic prowess is so great that he can improvise with Van Glass like they're a veteran improv duo.

86. Return of MST3K-Of the things from our childhoods that are being brought back, Mystery Science Theater 3000 returning with a sweeping mandate in the form of a record breaking Kickstarter campaign is one that deserves to be revived.

87. Wyatt Cenac’s An Angry Night in November-Cenac’s EP captures lightning in a bottle (it’s his set from his weekly Night Train show) of immediate post-election comedy that is pure, raw, and biting.

88. Justin Sayre’s Gay Agenda-Sayre makes a compilation of his “meetings” as ‘Chairman of the International Order of Sodomites’ that give a hysterical look into the many great, complex layers of LGBTQ life.

89. Ahamed Weinberg-Both as a stand-up and a filmmaker (watch Rasberries), Weinberg is on a path to being another great modern comedy multi-hyphenate.

90. Jon Dore Gets a Bad Backstory-Dore once again shows how to toe the line when entering the darkest territories of comedic material and do so successfully while being utterly absurd.

91. Ron Babcock videos-A dying reel and an ad for his old CRV really showcase the cleverness and ingenuity of comedy’s Ron Babcock.

92. Reggie Watts’ Spatial-Watts’ latest special is his best and most ambitious one yet as it includes his beatboxing, a faux sitcom, tap dancing, and way more.

93. Alex & Jude-Alex Hanpeter and Jude Tedmori have figured out how to give slapstick, physical comedy the proper twist for 2016 audiences, which includes a literal bit of audience participation of making Jude a target.

94. Conner O’Malley-O’Malley takes satirical field pieces to a whole new level as he plays and wholeheartedly commits to dark, fully realized characters inspired by vaping, Alex Jones, and Cubs fans. He interacts with real people at Trump rallies, vape conventions and outside of Wrigley Field and goes along with whatever happens.

95. Doug Stanhope’s No Place Like Home-Stanhope has an amazing take on mental illness in this special and opted to shoot it in his own hometown of Bisbee, AZ. Overall, No Place Like Home ranks high up in Stanhope’s extensive catalog of stand-up.

96. “Tond” by Kelly Hudson-Hudson’s short film is one of our favorite bits of existential absurdity of 2016, a year seemingly saturated in nothing but questioning ‘what it all means’.

97. Brett Gelman's Dinner in America-Gelman's last special on Adult Swim is one to remember, especially for how searing the satirical commentary on race relations are in it.

98. Miguel Marquez-Marquez bridges a gap, almost literally, between art and comedy as his wry art installations are way funnier (intentionally that is) than nearly anything you’d see in an art museum.

99. Chris Fleming's Silver Lining-The week following the election seemed as hopeless can be if you voted for Hillary and Fleming offered up a powerful, albeit one with a bit of tomfoolery, message of hope.

100. Norm MacDonald on Conan-Not only is there the expected long, winding roads of Norm’s jokes and stories in this particular appearance, but Conan does an impression of Norm out of frustration that’s spot on.

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gillespialfredoe01806ld · 6 years ago

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A New Concierge Service Wants to Make Sure Your Nasty Breakup Goes Smoothly

fizkes/iStock

Love & Money is a MarketWatch series looking at how our relationship with money impacts our relationships with significant others, friends and family.

Breaking up is that hard to do—and a new company wants to help you soften the blow.

Onward is a new on-demand service that helps people pack, find housing, move out and move on when a relationship enters Splitsville.

Starting at $99, the New York City-based service offers a 10-day plan for short and long-term housing—such as a hotel, Airbnb, new apartment or co-living space—along with options and discounts for storage, moving services, packing and access to events to help singles beef up their social calendars. A 30-day, $175 package helps newly single folks furnish their new home, have someone assist with address and utility changes, and get discounts on moving company rates.

If you really can’t be bothered with logistics, $500 will get you squared away with finding new housing, assembled furniture in your new pad, a customized new neighborhood guide with recommendations for restaurants, bars, gyms and health studios and access to self-care options such as therapy or lawyers if needed for a three-month period.

New York-based Onward co-founders and childhood friends Lindsay Meck, 34, and Mika Leonard, 33, say they started the company after both suffered breakups of their own six months apart.

“We both had to move out and restart our lives. I was seeing a lot of the similarities between the emotional and logistical turmoil of it all,” Meck told MarketWatch. “It was really challenging and, typically, after a breakup you have to get going quite fast.”

The company soft-launched on Valentine’s Day in New York City and, the founders say, has since received almost 100 inquiries. The demographics are an even split of men and women, aged 25 to 40, the company said. They plan to roll out in other cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and D.C. in the coming year.

It’s the latest in a slew of new apps and services hoping to capitalize on time-poor and cash-rich people who yearn to take the awkwardness out of life. Instead of actually meeting people organically, for example, the app Meetup allows users to attend events based on their interests—from outdoor exploration to music and technology—so people can connect with other members and essentially meet friends on-demand.

Instead of having to ask a friend to pay you back for that coffee or lunch they owe you, mobile payment apps like Venmo eliminate the in-person conversation and cut right to the chase with a notification instead. In 2017, startup called Juicero offered pre-sold packets of chopped up fruits and vegetables to users willing to fork over $400 for the machines to do the dicing for them. People soon discovered they could squeeze the packets just as easily by hand.

There does, however, appear to be a market to help couples who are splitting up. A number of studies show that couples who co-habitate before marriage have a greater risk of splitting up, considering a little more than 50% of cohabiting couples ever get married.

Experts say having a service like this could help—as long as you’re not using it to avoid conflict or numb the pain or awkwardness related with severing ties with a partner. Having difficult conversations with your partner is healthy, they say, and processing how you feel is good.

“Be considerate of the importance of navigating how you end the relationship,” said Dr. Shaun Wehle, a clinical psychologist based in Indiana. “It’s a hard thing to deal with goodbyes. There’s richness in having the complex conversation.”

In other words, don’t just ghost your ex by moving out when he or she is not there. And don’t end the relationship, if at all possible, with a big fight either. “It could go both ways,” Wehle said. “You could be using it as a helpful service, but some benefits are going to be lost if you don’t have the challenging conversation of goodbye.”

That said, Wehle said the service could be especially vital for those who experienced a turbulent relationship and don’t want to look back.

A number of break-up themed businesses have opened in recent months trying to bank on heartbreak. An appropriately named BreakUp Bar in Hollywood, Calif. opened as a pop-up venue in time for Valentine’s Day this year giving singles a watering hole to flock to and not have to be surrounded by lovers.

But some of these services don’t come cheap: For a starting rate of $1,200, there’s a luxe Renew Breakup Bootcamp, which holds three-day retreats in upstate New York near Woodstock and in Malibu, Calif, bringing together intimate groups of up to 20 women. Attendees discuss feelings, stages of mourning and detaching with psychologists; practice yoga and meditation; learn about behavioral nutrition; and complete tasks like keeping a gratitude journal.

Even Facebook has a tool that lets you hide your exes from your news feed after a breakup so you can limit how much of them you see on the social network. That comes free. In return, Facebook, as per the social-media giant’s privacy policy, will collect your data so it can target you with more products and services.

Not everyone believes it’s appropriate to use an app to help speed the plow with a breakup. Paying to make your life easier to cut ties with a partner is a cop-out, says Chicago-based relationship coach Bela Gandhi. “You need to develop the strength to get through these kinds of traumatic experiences. Life is unfortunately filled with various traumas. It’s part of being human.”

It’s good practice to face up to difficult situations rather than avoid them, she adds.

“We have to develop that strong emotional core,” Gandhi said. “You’re going to have to get up, and get out of your house and put one foot in front of the other and live life again. The only thing that will help ultimately is time. You need to understand what happened, and how do you not get into a situation like this all over again. Invest your funds in personal growth.”

The post A New Concierge Service Wants to Make Sure Your Nasty Breakup Goes Smoothly appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

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itsworn · 6 years ago

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The Flyin’ Fridge: Homebuilt 10-Second Turbo-LS 1980 Ford Fairmont Wagon

“That happens all the time…” Lebanon, Tennessee’s Shaun Potter adds after a passerby briefly interrupted our photo shoot to offer his admiration for the work on Potter’s 1980 Ford Fairmont wagon. “…but reactions like that are why I built this car.”

Casual automotive observers readily offer thumbs-up to shiny, swinging ’60s muscle cars. But it takes the keen observation of an enthusiast to appreciate infusing a tired people-mover rescued from the dustbin of uninspiring automotive appliances with a healthy shot of horsepower and ingenuity. This LS-swapped, turbocharged Ford Fairmont wagon personifies the sentiment of “built, not bought.”

The 41-year-old Tennessean had his eye on the white wagon for some time. “I drove past this car every day while taking my kids to daycare. I saw the weeds around it get taller and taller. One day, the owner was out walking his dog. I immediately whipped it into his driveway (probably startling him). I asked if the car was his and if he considered selling it. He replied, ‘No.’”

“I thanked him and apologized for the intrusion before he said, ‘No, I hadn’t considered selling it, but that doesn’t mean I won’t.’ We struck up a deal and I picked it up a few days later.”

While loading it on a trailer, the owner warned, “Be careful. The car is full of wasp nests.” The straight-six powered Fairmont had seen better days, but Potter had plans…

Potter’s previous projects include a 1991 Mustang coupe. Keen Ford nerds recognize that the Ford Fairmont shares its platform with the 1979-’93 Mustang. This shared lineage makes the Fairmont familiar territory for Mustang owners. Potter explains: “I wanted this car to be a cruiser. My kids love local car shows and taking rides in the vehicles I’ve built, however, my Fox-body with a rollcage makes this impossible. So I took all of the suspension, rearend, and fuel system out of my drag-only ’91 coupe and bolted it directly to the wagon.”

In contrast to his previous ‘91 Mustang coupe, Potter was determined to do all the work on his Fairmont Wagon himself—even if that meant the results were less than perfect. “I’m not afraid to fail,” says Potter. He was eager to try his hand at a turbo LS swap: “5.3-liter engines are so plentiful and cheap that when I break one, it’s cheaper buy another salvage engine than rebuild one. Too much boost? No problem! Just load another bullet in the chamber and try again.”

The body of the wagon carries the bumps and bruises of its past as a family hauler. The patina is unique. “I wanted to keep as much of the car intact as I could. I’m not even Catholic, but I keep the rosary dangling from the rearview mirror because it’s part of the car’s history.”

There were some areas of the wagon that needed cosmetic attention, however. Potter replaced the carpet with a fresh red rug. “It’s hard to believe, but you can find replacement carpet for Farimont wagons.” The headliner also needed replacement. “I was tired of bits of disintegrated headliner blowing in my eyes while driving. I took a piece of the plastic interior trim to a fabric store and picked a pattern fitting for a Griswold-style family truckster.”

The DIY-or-die approach continues underhood. “As you can see, my friend Mike Edwards is helping me learn to TIG weld. Aluminum is especially difficult. Even if it’s not perfect, at least I did it myself.” Engine management is also new territory for Potter. Using a MegaSquirt 3 EFI system, Potter does all the tuning and relies heavily on the advice of others. Potter even had his eleven-year-old son try his hand at tuning while his dad does the driving.

Potter appreciates that his wife and two kids not only like riding in the car, but support the family patriarch through long nights in the garage. Shannon Taylor at Boost Addicts in Madison, Tennessee helps Potter provide tuning advice…and long-block cores when Potter misses the mark. Steve Pruitt, James Rowlett, and Shane Groshong at Steve’s Automotive provided additional tuning guidance and advice.

Potter is unfazed by criticism. “Everybody on the internet is going to tell me all the things I did wrong, but I don’t care. I did this all myself. It went 10.59 at 136 mph on 13 pounds of boost. That’s a lot faster than I expected.”

TECH NOTES Who: Shaun Potter What: 1980 Ford Fairmont Wagon Where: Lebanon, TN

Engine: The 2008 GM 5.3L is a salvage yard find. A stock bottom end surrounds a Trick Flow 228/230 “Sloppy Stage II” camshaft that squeezes Brian Tooley Racing 0.660-inch lift valve springs in stock aluminum 706 cylinder heads. Potter uses a Cadillac CTS-V oil pan to clear the Fairmont’s tubular crossmember.

Induction: The major motivation for Potter’s wagon comes from a Precision Turbo 88mm turbocharger. Potter fabricated the hot and cold side plumbing linking it to factory exhaust manifolds and a stock 2008 truck intake manifold. Potter welded a sump in the Fairmont’s fuel tank, which feeds Twin Walbro 255 lph pumps and Bosch 210 fuel injectors a steady diet of E85.

Electronics: Potter and his son tune the MegaSquirt 3 electronic fuel injection system that controls the turbocharged 5.3-liter mill. Potter says: “I built the wiring harness for the engine management system and rewired the whole car. I actually enjoyed that part more than I thought I would.”

Transmission: Cameron Powers at CPR Transmissions built the GM 4L80E overdrive trans that is fortified with a Jake’s Performance recalibration kit. It receives torque from a PTC 9.5-inch non-lockup torque converter that footbrakes to 3,500 and flashes to 4,100 rpm.

Rearend: The third member was plucked from Potter’s ’91 Mustang coupe. The Ford 8.8-inch features Ford 9-inch ends and 33-spline Moser axles. The 3.08:1 gear set is highway friendly, but the spool makes U-turns a little dicey.

Chassis/Suspension: Since Potter’s Fairmont shares its platform with Mustangs of the era, finding go-fast suspension parts was as easy as swapping them from his 1991 Mustang coupe drag car. First, Potter stiffened the chassis with his own “through-the-floor” subframe connectors fashioned from 2 x 2-inch square tubing. The front coilover suspension includes Strange Engineering single-adjustable struts, Viking 200 lb/in springs, a Team Z crossmember, QA1 control arms, and spindles from a 1995 Mustang. The rear features UPR upper and lower control arms, Dakota Mustangs’ instant-center brackets, and get this: a kid’s-sized football in the right rear spring to even out his drag launches. A Flaming River manual steering rack points the wagon down the strip.

Brakes: Stopping hardware includes more from the Ford parts bin including 1995 Mustang front rotors, 2001 Mustang front calipers, a 2001 Mustang master cylinder, and a rear brake package from a 2001 Ford Explorer.

Wheels/Tires: The rolling stock is the only external cue that this wagon means business. Black SVE Mustang drag wheels measuring 17 x 4 (front) and 15 x 10 (rear), hold 26 x 17 Mickey Thompson Sportsman S/R and 255/60R15 and Mickey Thompson ET Street S/S radials, respectively.

Paint/Body: Potter goes to great lengths to retain the body’s “patina,” that is, the outside of the wagon is untouched. He washes it…sometimes.

Interior: Nearly forty years of hauling families took their toll on the wagon’s carpet and headliner. New ACC carpet replaced the original fuzz, but Potter takes special pride in the headliner, refurbished with a pattern that his wife dubbed, “Uncle Lewis” (a nod to a character in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation). “I chose the material because I wanted a ‘cantankerous old man’ look, but as soon as she saw it, she said I hit the nail on the head and immediately came up with the description. She even helped me lay the fabric on the backer board, keeping the lines straight from front to rear.” The MegaSquirt EFI system occupies a tentative place on the trans tunnel, as Potter has yet to find a permanent mounting location. A B&M shifter is perched prominently over the middle of the bench seat, but Potter plans to use the factory column shifter at a later time. “I’m not sure the detents of the column shifter are compatible with the 4L80E.” A tachometer occupies the space where the original speedometer was located. With a fuel gauge on the left, Potter explains, “I use my phone’s GPS as a speedometer.”

The post The Flyin’ Fridge: Homebuilt 10-Second Turbo-LS 1980 Ford Fairmont Wagon appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

from Hot Rod Network https://www.hotrod.com/articles/flyin-fridge-10-second-turbo-ls-1980-ford-fairmont-wagon/ via IFTTT

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markssailingthecrisscolfership · 7 years ago

Text

Gather for Gratitude with Shaw Floors at St. Jude

Gather for Gratitude:

“Success in life has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself. It’s what you do for others.” ~Danny Thomas, St. Jude founder

I love those words.

I’ve shared the quality and integrity behind the Shaw Floors brand but now, their generous heart! I recently had the opportunity to travel to Memphis, TN to celebrate the Shaw StyleBoard relationships and to experience St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, an organization very near and dear to Shaw. Shaw Floors is a very generous contributor and the visit was eye opening to say the least. Life changing!

ABCs according to the little ones at St. Jude

The tour hosted by a sweet former patient (thanks, Eliza) was so interesting and positive filled with stories and facts. I’ve never been surrounded by something so important before. Here are some pretty amazing key points about St. Jude:

Families NEVER receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food, because all a family should worry about is helping their child live.

Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20% to more than 80% since it opened more than 50 years ago. St. Jude is working to drive the overall survival rate for childhood cancer to 90%, and we won’t stop until no child dies from cancer.

St. Jude freely shares the discoveries they make, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children.

What an honor to walk those halls, to be a guest.

Pictured left to right (rubbing Danny’s nose for good luck!): Brittany//Addison’s Wonderland, Roeshel (Me!)//DIYShowOff, Rhoda//Southern Hospitality blog, Beth//Home Stories A to Z, Cassity//Remodelaholic, Heather//At the Picket Fence. Missing: Vanessa//At the Picket Fence, Amy//Blissful Bee.

St. Jude – patron saint of lost causes and desperate cases.

children’s artwork lines the halls

Highlight of the trip: Seeing the halls lined with bright colored murals and children’s artwork helped to create an environment of smiles and hope, learning of the amazing work being done daily filled my heart with so much…hope! But getting creative and crafty with these sweet little faces was the best part of my trip! Giggles and smiles and paint and just a glimpse of happiness in what isn’t an easy experience. Such troopers! It really puts life into perspective.

{confetti celebrations on last day of chemo}

Target House was gorgeous – so many people coming together to supply everything needed for families to keep their focus on their #1 priority: treatment and care for their little loved ones. Built in 1999, Target House is a free home away from home for families and patients receiving long term care at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

room designed by Shaun White

Patients who stay at St. Jude Target House receive a handmade quilt, made by Target employees!

Amy Grant music room

Art Studio at Target House

Brad Paisley gathering space at Target House

{painting by Brad Paisley}

I expected to be overwhelmed with sadness and there is no denying my personal underlying broken heart for what those babies and children (anyone really) dealing with serious terminal health issues but the environment was warm and welcoming with cheerful colors, red wagons in place of wheelchairs and inspired hope and smiles.

The rest of the trip gave us a little sneak peek and small taste of Memphis – The Peabody hotel (the duck walk!), Iris Restaurant, Itta Bena and BB Kings. Wow! What fun!

These girls and I were honored to enjoy such an experience, to learn more about this life changing organization! Thank you, St. Jude for all you do. Thank you Shaw Floors for the opportunity to make a difference by sharing with our readers.

So while I wasn’t “walking in Memphis”, hanging out there to experience a small taste and to understand the heart and soul behind the St. Jude name really touched me.

So, you guys? The Thanks and Giving campaign is coming up! And I didn’t shave my head to raise money but Danny Thomas also spoke these words…

“I’d rather one million people give $1 than one person give one million dollars.”

Those babies, those children, those teens, those smiles and those giggles should be at home surrounded by family and friends this holiday season. They’re so brave and so precious, going through so much! Please join me by clicking the link below to give what you can (no amount is too small) to support St. Jude’s efforts!

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO GIVE

That saying “together we can make a difference” really does hold true. Let’s show those tracking that link above be overjoyed to see one million+ visits and gifts from our thoughtful caring DIY/home community!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart, friends!

from http://ift.tt/2zUk3KC

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cessanderson · 7 years ago

Photo

Gather for Gratitude with Shaw Floors at St. Jude http://ift.tt/2iSX089

Gather for Gratitude:

“Success in life has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself. It’s what you do for others.” ~Danny Thomas, St. Jude founder

I love those words.

ABCs according to the little ones at St. Jude

Families NEVER receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food, because all a family should worry about is helping their child live.

St. Jude freely shares the discoveries they make, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children.

What an honor to walk those halls, to be a guest.

St. Jude – patron saint of lost causes and desperate cases.

children’s artwork lines the halls

{confetti celebrations on last day of chemo}

room designed by Shaun White

Patients who stay at St. Jude Target House receive a handmade quilt, made by Target employees!

Amy Grant music room

Art Studio at Target House

Brad Paisley gathering space at Target House

{painting by Brad Paisley}

So while I wasn’t “walking in Memphis”, hanging out there to experience a small taste and to understand the heart and soul behind the St. Jude name really touched me.

So, you guys? The Thanks and Giving campaign is coming up! And I didn’t shave my head to raise money but Danny Thomas also spoke these words…

“I’d rather one million people give $1 than one person give one million dollars.”

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO GIVE

Thank you from the bottom of my heart, friends!

http://ift.tt/2iR4OXT Roeshel

#DIY Show Off ™ – DIY Decorating and Home Improvement Blog

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exfrenchdorsl4p0a1 · 7 years ago

Text

Donald Trump Is A Big Reason Why The GOP Kept The Montana House Seat

Republican Greg Gianforte’s triumph in Montana’s special House election on Thursday spoiled the plans of Democrats hoping for a major symbolic victory against President Donald Trump.

But But Montana, where the president remains broadly popular, was always a dubious place to harness the energy of the anti-Trump backlash.

In fact, having Trump in the White House was almost certainly an advantage for Gianforte, who staved off a challenge from Democrat Rob Quist, a folk musician, by some 7 percentage points despite allegedly manhandling a reporter on the eve of the election.

Trump won Montana by more than 20 percentage points in November. And Ryan Zinke was reelected to the House seat by 16 points. (Trump tapped him as interior secretary, triggering the special election.)

In that same election, Gianforte ran for governor against incumbent Democrat Steve Bullock. He lost to Bullock by 4 points, notwithstanding Trump and Zinke’s big wins.

This time around, Gianforte played the Trump card whenever he could, calculating that if the election were a referendum on the president, he would actually stand to gain more than if it were not.

Speaking to voters at a campaign event in April, Gianforte framed his candidacy explicitly as an opportunity to support the president’s agenda.

“Does the Trump train pick up speed or do we put on the brakes?” he said.

And Gianforte welcomed the support of the White House and associated figures. His most prominent campaign surrogates were the president’s eldest child, Donald Trump Jr., who visited the state twice to campaign for Gianforte; Vice President Mike Pence, who also came out to stump for the candidate; and the commander-in-chief himself, who recorded a last-minute robocall for the campaign.

It’s too soon for there to be a backlash [against Trump]. Jacquie Helt, Montana Democratic Party

“The lesson here, and I think frankly even around the country, is that it’s too soon for there to be a backlash,” said Jacquie Helt, a vice chair of the Montana Democratic Party and the state director of the Service Employees International Union.

“It takes a while. People want to dance with who brung them,” Helt added, referring to her fellow Montana voters. “They also, I think, are reluctant to admit that they made a mistake.”

Given that reality, Quist rarely focused on Trump as an individual, or the mounting scandals surrounding the alleged ties of his campaign associates to Russia.

He instead mounted a populist bid to paint Gianforte as an out-of-touch “New Jersey billionaire,” whose 2009 lawsuit against the state seeking to restrict public access to a river adjacent to his property made him a less reliable guardian of Montana’s public lands. (Gianforte made his first fortune as a tech entrepreneur in New Jersey, before moving to Montana in the 1990s.)

In the campaign’s final weeks, Quist took full advantage of Gianforte’s murky stance on the unpopular Obamacare repeal bill that the House passed. The Democrat repeatedly slammed Gianforte for telling lobbyists in private that he was “thankful” for the bill’s passage, even as he declined to stake out a position on it in public. He even devoted his closing ads to the threat Gianforte would pose to Montanans with preexisting conditions.

Jorge Quintana, a Montana Democratic National Committee member and veteran of Democratic politics in the state, credited Quist’s campaign for keeping the loss margin so close.

“We’re only five months into his administration. Trump won the state by 20 points,” he said. “Tonight, Quist, a brand-new candidate who has no experience in this, came up seven points short.”

Another factor working against Quist was that Gianforte’s most damaging moment ― the now-infamous “body-slamming” of Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs ― occurred on the eve of the election, when more than two-thirds of the votes had already been cast through absentee ballots.

Gianforte was charged with misdemeanor assault over the incident.

In an audio recording of the altercation, Jacobs asks Gianforte about his position on the health care bill in a polite tone. The tape then cuts to the sound of a loud scuffle in which Gianforte can be heard berating the journalist as a frazzled Jacobs says that the Republican “body-slammed” him and broke his glasses.

The account of a Fox News reporter who saw the incident corroborates Jacobs’ version of events, adding in graphic detail how Gianforte had taken the reporter down with his hands on his neck and proceeded to punch him. Gianforte initially denied wrongdoing, but during his victory speech on Thursday night, apologized for his behavior.

Seats like this are winnable ― but only if we get in early, organize and fight to win. Charles Chamberlain, Democracy for America

Earlier on Thursday, rumors coursed throughout the state that many Montanans who had already voted for Gianforte were having buyer’s remorse.

Derek Oestreicher, the director of Montana’s elections and voter services and a political appointee of the Republican secretary of state Corey Stapleton, estimated that his office had received roughly a dozen inquiries from voters interested in changing their votes on Thursday morning. He got more questions from reporters interested in knowing whether voters had sought to change their ballots than actual voter requests, however.

A fiery debate has predictably erupted over whether Quist could have overcome even these disadvantages with earlier help from the party.

Although Quist raised sizable funds on his own, he got crushed in outside spending. Republican political action committees spent $5.6 million on behalf of Gianforte and against Quist, compared with just $700,000 spent by outside groups trying to elect the Democrat, according to an analysis by Roll Call.

In March and early April in particular, Republican groups were able to tie Quist to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and attack his financial peccadilloes with a limited response from the Democratic side.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which works to elect House Democrats, virtually ignored the race until the middle of April. It eventually injected a total of $600,000 in the race, a fraction of the sum it has spent on a special election in Georgia’s 6th congressional district, where the party believes that filmmaker Jon Ossoff has a clearer path to victory.

“Seats like this are winnable ― but only if we get in early, organize and fight to win,” said Charles Chamberlain, executive director of the progressive organization Democracy for America, in a statement reacting to the election results.

Other critics were less subtle.

Would've helped if the Democratic Party got behind Rob Quist.

— Shaun King (@ShaunKing) May 26, 2017

As for the Democratic National Committee, chairman Tom Perez took over the party body less than two weeks before Quist secured the Democratic nomination. Under his leadership, the DNC ultimately mobilized its email list to raise funds for Quist and ended up sending a staffer to assist with digital efforts.

Quintana, a voting member of the DNC who backed Perez’s candidacy for chair, defended the body’s role in the race.

“The DNC did everything the campaign asked it to do,” he said. “It would have been nice if the DCCC had gotten in earlier and harder. We’re used to being outspent here.”

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repwinpril9y0a1 · 7 years ago