#Shed Conversion Ideas Australia

[swissboyhisch]

The Aussie BBQ Experience

Pairing: Nico Hischier x Reader

Summary: You finally got to take Nico home to Australia. He got the true experience of an Aussie BBQ.

Word Count: 2770

Warnings: Uh none I think. Lyrics about sex at some point.

A/N: Shout out to @alwayshughes for allowing me to bounce ideas off of you ❤️

THE MASTERLIST JOIN THE TAGLIST HOCKEY DISCORD

Off season meant spending time with family and travelling to the boys of the NHL. For you and Nico, you were heading to both of your home countries. First stop of the trip was Australia, back to your small coastal hometown. The place where you were born and raised until you decided to go to college in the US.  It was the first time Nico had come home with you. He had met your close family when the NHL had an exhibition game in Melbourne and some of your family came over to meet him but never saw your home.

You had made it to Australia a couple days before. Spending time with your parents in your childhood home while you two acquainted yourselves with the timezone. But by the time the week had finished, you two were back to life. Ready to take on the weekend. Which was good because your mum organised a family barbeque and bonfire to celebrate you being home. Oh and the derby was on. Knowing your parents, everyone was invited.

The weather was great for a winter Saturday. No rain in the last two weeks meaning a dry bonfire pile. Warm in comparison to the ice rinks that Nico felt at home in. Everyone was due to come over just before 2:30 in the afternoon for the start of the footy. Leaving you and Nico to do whatever you want during the morning. You took him around your town, showing home where you grew up. The schools you attended throughout your childhood. Which studio you danced at. You stopped by a beach side cafe to have breakfast. But you were back home before 1 so you could help your mum make food. 

When you got back home, your sister and her girlfriend were already there. Music was playing whilst your mother and sister were in the kitchen preparing the food. Tash, Kendall’s girlfriend, was outside helping set up the yard with your father. From what you could see outside the kitchen window were all the plastic chairs around the glass table that your parents had since you were a kid. Actually everyone you knew had the same glass table. And the large pile of branches that were just out past the shed. 

“What do you want me to do?” You question as you enter the kitchen. 

You mum turned away from the stove, pointing to a bag of groceries sitting on the counter. “Can you make the two cheese boards? You’ve always had a knack for doing those.” 

“Yeah, easy.”

“Can I do anything?” Nico asks, hating sitting around while he could be helping. 

He got set up cutting up the potatoes for the potato salad your mum always makes for these types of things. You set yourself up on the kitchen island with everything you need. Kendall had put on your parent’s playlist as AC/DC was currently playing. Soon Tash joined you all in the kitchen where she was set up on the salad making station with Kendall. 

Kendall came over to your little area, “How was the end of the season?” 

“Crazy, still can’t believe the boys actually won the cup!”

Nico laughed, “Honestly, it was all a blur.”

“Yeah because we all got absolutely smashed after the cup game and then for the next week straight.” You got your phone out and pulled up the folder of pictures you had from all the cup stuff. From games to the parade. “God, it was a blast.”

Nico pressed a kiss to your cheek as he walked by you on his way to the fridge. Making you blush bright red which Tash pointed out with a laugh. The conversation stayed on hockey and all the things that had happened during Nico’s playoff run. That was until your Nan walked in with your dad carrying bags of stuff behind her. 

“Nan!” You grin, rushing forward to hug her. 

The petite woman embraced you tightly. “You look lovely sweetheart.”

“I haven’t even gotten ready yet.”

“Nonsense.” Your Nan looked past you to where Nico was standing beside Kendall. “And you must be Nico. I'm glad we can finally meet.”

Nico was pulled into a hug as well. He stood a whole foot and a half above her. “It’s lovely to meet you. I’ve been told so much about you.”

“Don’t believe all the nice things you hear,” Your mother cuts in, smiling at her mother.

“Don’t let Paul hear you,” Your nan smirks, “your husband loves me.”

“The best mother-in-law I could ask for,” Your dad responds as he comes and kisses your mum’s cheek.

By 2:15, all the food had been prepared. The chips in bowls ready for everyone to arrive. You had retreated into your room so you could change. Just into a pair of simple denim jeans and a singlet. Later, you found a red flannel you had stolen from your dad when you were a teen. Surprisingly it still fit. A pair of thongs were your choice of footwear. Nico kept what he had on from this morning, a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. He wasn’t that cold but he had a hoodie for later in the night.

When the pair of you went outside, your dad handed Nico a beer from the esky while you got handed a glass of Jacks and dry. On the TV was the pregame footy, West Coast vs Fremantle were to play at 2:30. The derby. Kendall and Tash had found their spots around the table with Molly, Kacey and Dan. In Kacey’s arm was your niece, Charlotte who you had yet to meet. 

“Oh my god!” You didn’t expect Kacey and Dan to make the trip from the city. Kacey got up and placed the 5 month old in your arms. Charlotte was so cute. “She’s so precious.”

Nico peered over your shoulder at the baby in your arms. He had seen many photos and videos that Kacey and your other two sisters had sent you two but it didn’t do the baby justice. 

“Wanna hold her?”

“Sure,” Nico grinned. You gently passed him Char, watching as he stood next to your chair, saying side to side. His eyes fixed on the bub in his arms. 

A voice broke over the chatter. “When did my best friend push out a baby? And why was I not informed?”

That made you turn your head quickly to the side gate. Your best friend stood there in all her glory, holding a fridge pack on her arm. You got up quickly running to hug her. It had been months since you had seen her in person and it was about time. 

“Nico and I don’t have kids yet,” You tell her as you two moved to the line of eskies against the wall.

“Yet,” she responded with a smirk. “Look at him though, he’s a natural.”

“You want to push a baby out of your vagina?”

You two share a laugh and settle around the table as well. One by one, family and friends rocked up. All hugging you and Nico, happy to meet him for the first time. Everyone had gotten there by 2:25, not willing to miss the first centre bounce of the game. Bowls of chips, different dips and the cheese boards you had prepared were brought out before the game for everyone to snack on. 

“We’re an Eagles family, Nico,” Your dad informs Nico as the two take a seat on the other side of you. 

Nico laughed, “You’ll have to explain the game to me as we go.”

“Spook hasn’t shown you AFL yet?” The use of your childhood nickname made your siblings laugh. 

“We’ve watched it before but I still don’t get it.”

“Main thing is if the ball goes between the centre of the middle two posts, it’s a goal. 6 points, it’s worth. Then between the inner posts and the other posts, it's a behind. 1 point,” Your dad explains.

Centre bounce happened and everyone was cheering. There was a mix of eagles and dockers supporters in attendance. Soon Kennedy was tackled to the ground by one of the Dockers’ players. 

“High tackle!” You shouted at the screen. Multiple people agreeing with you.

Everyone watched as a free kick was given. Kennedy kicked the first goal of the game making the Eagles fans cheer. You and your dad, either side of Nico, stood up and clapped and cheered. By quarter time, Nico was getting into the game with everyone else. He had even shouted at the tv with your dad.

“Want another drink?” You asked after you had finished your glass. It was quarter time meaning time for toilet and refill. 

“Bush chook for me,” Your dad answers, shaking his near empty can.

“Uh same,” Nico responded, a little confused with the name.

 The same happened for half time and three-quarter time. Within the final quarter the score was close. 89 to 72 with Eagles in the lead. Final minute the Dockers had caught up making the score 96 to 97. Dockers in the lead. 

You dad and his best mate were pacing as everyone watched on. The players were playing roughly and tackles happened left, right and centre. You watch on as Jamie Cripps goes to mark the ball, jumping on the back of his opponent. Making the speccy but coming down badly. His body crunching as he lands on the grass under another body. Nico winces, swearing he could feel his arm being shattered just but watching him.

“Ouch. That’s gotta hurt.”

Surprisingly, Cripps clambers up from the grass, wiping the dirt from his hands. He was given the mark and allowed to kick it. He waited, trying to find someone who would be clear of Dockers players. He found one and booted the ball a quarter way down the field. Oscar Allen marked the ball just within the Eagles’ 50 metres. Nico was up with your dad clapping and cheering along with him.

“Let’s go Allen!”

He put the ball on the ground while he put his mouthguard in his sock, waiting until the siren sounded. Fans waited with baited breath. He had to get a goal to make them win. He picked the ball back up and lined up his kick. Allen took a couple steps before kicking the ball straight through the middle of the posts. 

Nico and your dad cheered loudly, you were up with them. All the Eagles fans around the table were happy with the outcome. Another year of bragging rights for the team. The best team in the West. 

Once the game had finished, and the team’s anthem sung, the tv was turned off and the speaker turned on. The playlist consisted of music you had grown up with; Pink Floyd, AC/DC, The Angels,  Paul Kelly, Queen all included. The barbeque was fired up as the sun set. You had turned on the party lights while everyone enjoyed themselves. After dinner, your dad would light the bonfire like normal.

You sat around the table with the women of the family, chatting and catching up. The men around the barbeque all holding a drink in their hands. Kids running around the backyard and jumping on your old trampoline that surprisingly hadn’t rusted too badly just yet. This was a common thing within your family and friend group. 

“Dinner!” Uncle Glenn called to everyone.

One by one, everyone lined up at the food table with paper plates. The table was filled with all the sides that your mum had made earlier in the day along with other people’s sides they had brought. All the meat had been placed there too. You grabbed a chop, two snags and some salad. A bit of potato salad and some of your aunt's Mexican style salad. You couldn’t forget the two pieces of white bread for your snags. One with tomato sauce and the other with bbq sauce. 

“Want some tomato sauce?” You ask Nico.

“You mean ketchup?”

You roll your eyes. You should have known he’d say that. “You know it’s not ketchup. Stop trying to piss me off.”

He smiles, pressing a kiss to your cheek and taking the bottle of sauce from you. Once you have everything, including the plastic cutlery, you two take your seat again. Everyone just enjoyed their food while the music played in the background. Every now and then someone would break out into song, singing Khe Sanh by Cold Chisel. 

“Wanna come help me Spook?” Your dad called as he walked towards the bonfire pile with a jerry can and torch. It was night now and it was time for the bonfire. 

You lit up. Growing up, you had always loved fire thanks to your dad. Sure it was weird but the flames were hypnotising. Nico and many others followed behind you two. You got passed the jerry can of diesel to tip onto the pile. Just like you had watched your father do many times over the years. Once you had stepped back to a safe distance beside your father, mother and Nico, your father lit a match and flicked it onto the pile of branches. It went up in flames with a woosh. Everyone was enjoying the warmth and the music playing in the background.

Nico wrapped his arm around you and brought you in front of him to cuddle. You leaned back into him. It was nice to be able to be yourselves without worrying people watching you. He kissed the top of your head swaying in time with ‘Never Tear Us Apart’ by INXS. 

“I was standing… You were there…” You sing, turning in Nico’s arms so you could face him. “Two worlds collided and they could never, ever tear us apart.”

This song was special after watching your parents dance to this song in the kitchen many times throughout your childhood. You had always wanted a love like theirs and you had found it. Standing here amongst your family wrapped in Nico’s arms. It was all you could ever wish for. 

The night came to a wind down in the late hours of the night. Most people had left or found a spot to crash for the night. Leaving a few awake. Those that were, were sat around the glass table that at some point was dragged closer to the fire throughout the night. Yourself and Nico were snuggled up beside each other, you dad and uncle there as well as Kendall and Tash. Music was still playing in the background. Loud enough for you all to hear that ‘Animals’ by Nickelback was playing.

“Oh god,” Kendall groans when she realises which song was playing.

“Huh?”

“So come on baby, get in. Get in, just get in.Look at the trouble we're in,” You dad sings. 

You grew up with the song. Singing it from such a young age. Oblivious to the actual meaning of the song. You even knew it word for word. It was a must have in the family road trips. You’ve lost count how many times your mum has cringed at you and your father when this song came on.

“And that was when she started screamin' that's my dad outside the car. Oh please, the keys, they're not in the ignition.” You shifted to face Nico, pointing to him whilst you sang the next line. “Must have wound up on the floor while we were switching our positions.I guess they knew that she was missing. As I tried to tell her dad it was her mouth that I was kissing.”

Nico blushed bright red. You were singing these lyrics to him, in front of your dad. Sure, you dad was nice. Nico and him had always gotten along. But he was 6’3, built, tattoos on his arms, a long beard. He looked scary. But to his family he was the BFG. Nico included that sentiment.

It wasn’t until the early hours of the morning that you and Nico stumbled to your bed. Changing from your jeans into a Devils shirt you had stolen years ago from Nico when you first started sleeping at his apartment. Nico just wore a pair of sweats to bed. Both of you snuggled under the covers. The fan above you going full blast

“I love you,” You whisper into the darkness.

Nico pressed his lips to your shoulder, “I love you too Spook.”

“Not you too.”

He chuckled at your reaction. Repeating the sentence once more, pulling you tightly against him before you passed out. 

TAG LIST

@findapenny @mp0625 @hischierhaze @11zegras @lvrzegras @francesfarhadi @cixrosie @daisysthings @jayrami3

[marisdinh]

Week 5: Exploring Digital Citizenship and Social Media Activism.

In today’s digital landscape, the concept of digital citizenship is more important than ever. It embodies the ways in which individuals engage with online communities, participate in political discussions, and express their viewpoints. As I navigate through social media daily, I've come to realize that just by being online, we become active digital citizens, whether we intend to engage or not.

Take TikTok, for example. The platform's algorithm often surprises me with a variety of topics and hashtags that I didn't actively seek out. My For You Page frequently features the hashtag #ClimateCrisis, which has become a crucial hub for climate activism. Users share informative videos, personal stories, and calls to action, shedding light on pressing environmental issues. Even if I don’t actively participate in these discussions, simply being aware of the conversations surrounding #ClimateCrisis makes me feel like a part of this engaged community. This experience highlights the idea that digital citizenship can manifest in many forms, even through passive engagement (Bennett & Segerberg, 2013).

Moving on to Instagram, the influence of social media activism is hard to ignore. Infographics detailing social injustices frequently flood my feed. During the #StopAsianHate movement, for example, users shared compelling infographics about the rise in anti-Asian violence and ways to support the community. Similarly, during Pride Month, many of my friends share posts tagged with #Pride2024 to highlight LGBTQ+ issues and celebrate diversity. While I may not always be the one sharing these resources, the volume of information available creates a sense of collective action and community involvement.

What strikes me about this form of activism is its accessibility. Infographics are typically straightforward, easy to understand, and often include practical suggestions for further action. Although I believe that social media activists should strive to go beyond simply posting infographics and make tangible contributions to the causes they support, it’s also essential to recognize that raising awareness through these posts is far better than remaining silent. As users' feeds become inundated with a single topic, it becomes increasingly challenging to ignore pressing societal issues (Nishikawa & Taneja, 2021).

Reflecting on this week’s readings, I've realized how much of my political and social awareness derives from my social media interactions. The mutual connections I share with those I follow further amplify this impact. As I engage with like-minded individuals and hashtags, it’s evident that this phenomenon is common and will continue to grow in significance. The concept of hashtag publics plays a critical role in facilitating connectivity and organizing activism, as these hashtags serve as linguistic markers that help users find and connect with related content, forming "ad hoc issue publics" (Bruns & Burgess, 2015).

In conclusion, digital citizenship encompasses not just the act of being online, but also the ways in which we navigate, engage, and participate in discussions about political and social issues. Through hashtags and infographics, we can raise awareness and foster meaningful conversations, even if we’re not always at the forefront of activism. I’m curious to hear your thoughts on this! How do you perceive your role as a digital citizen? Do you feel that social media has changed the way we engage with important issues? Share your insights in the comments below!

References

Bennett, W. L., & Segerberg, A. (2013). The Logic of Connective Action: Digital Media and the Personalization of Struggle. Information, Communication & Society, 16(1), 39-60. doi:10.1080/1369118X.2012.760861.

Bruns, A., & Burgess, J. (2015). #Auspol: The Twitter Hashtag Australia Can’t Live Without. The Conversation. Retrieved from The Conversation.

Kaye, D. B., & A. T. (2021). TikTok and Political Participation: Engaging Young Voters Through Digital Media. Journal of Political Marketing, 20(1), 25-43. doi:10.1080/15377857.2020.1791030.

Nishikawa, H., & Taneja, H. (2021). Digital Citizenship: The Impact of Social Media on Civic Engagement. Journal of Media Ethics, 36(4), 211-226. doi:10.1080/23736992.2021.1983752.

[blondebeautyz]

SlimCrystal Australia Reviews: Is SlimCrystal Safe? 

This SlimCrystal reviews will guide you in selecting the perfect hydration companion that not only keeps you hydrated throughout the day but also offers various health benefits. SlimCrystal water bottles have recently become a subject of widespread discussion and interest.  They have sparked considerable conversations across different platforms. I conducted an in-depth investigation into the SlimCrystal water bottle to determine whether the buzz around it is just hype or has merit. Continue reading for our comprehensive analysis of the SlimCrystal water bottle. 

Overview of SlimCrystal 

The SlimCrystal Bottle is a special kind of water bottle with nine different natural stones inside. These stones are Amethyst, Clear Quartz, Moonstone, Citrine, Carnelian, Sodalite, Red Agate, Red Jasper, and Green Aventurine. People say these stones can help you lose weight in a healthy way, keep your digestion going well, and keep you feeling energetic and young.  You should try to drink 2-3 liters of water from this bottle every day to get the best results. This way, you get the good stuff from the stones and also help your body stay healthy and youthful over time.  Click To Access The Official Website Of SlimCrystal

Overview of SlimCrystal

How Does SlimCrystal Work in Your Body?  

SlimCrystal is a water bottle that uses the old idea of using crystals for health in a new way. It has nine different natural crystals in it that mix with your drinking water. Drinking from this bottle could make your body work faster to burn calories, helping you lose weight without having to follow tough diets. This bottle isn’t just nice to look at; it’s filled with a special mix of crystals that are picked to help you lose weight. Drinking this special water could boost how fast your body burns food by a lot. The idea is that these crystals give their energy to the water. When you drink it, you might feel more energetic, younger, and closer to the body shape you want. In short, SlimCrystal gives a new twist to the old practice of using crystals for health. The stones in the bottle help control how much you eat and cut down on extra snacking. It’s a natural way to help with your health and losing weight. Visit the SlimCrystal Official Website & Place Your Order!

How Does SlimCrystal Work in Your Body?

Is SlimCrystal Safe? 

SlimCrystal is designed with the goal of helping people lose weight safely through the method of crystal healing. This unique water bottle is not only aimed at assisting with weight loss but is also considered beneficial for people struggling with obesity. The selection of crystals in SlimCrystal works together to enhance the water's nutritional and healing properties. This special water is said to support effortless weight loss, improve digestion, and boost energy levels. By incorporating SlimCrystal into your daily routine, you could potentially shed unwanted pounds and lead a healthier, more comfortable life. According to the manufacturer, the crystals within the bottle have the ability to purify the water, contributing to your weight loss efforts. Additionally, this enhanced water is believed to nourish your digestive system and help you look younger for longer.

Benefits of SlimCrystal in Weight Loss 

SlimCrystal features a collection of healing crystals, each bringing its own set of advantages to aid in weight loss and overall well-being: Red Agate Crystal: Recognized for its healing effects, it can soothe various ailments, including easing menstrual pains, which indirectly supports weight management by reducing discomfort-related stress and overeating.  Amethyst: Acting as a natural tranquilizer, it wards off negative energies and fosters a sense of peace. This reduction in stress can help prevent stress-induced eating, contributing to weight loss.  Colorless Quartz: Known to boost memory, focus, and energy levels, this crystal also strengthens the immune system, supporting the body's overall health and aiding in an active lifestyle.  Green Amethyst: Encourages equilibrium, diminishes stress, and enhances energy, facilitating a more balanced and energetic approach to weight loss and health.  Carnelian: Boosts mood, enhances circulation, and clears the mind, which can contribute to better decision-making about food and exercise.  Moonstone: Improves both physical and emotional strength, while also alleviating stress, creating a more favorable environment for weight loss.  Citrine: Increases creativity and the drive to exercise, making it easier to maintain a healthy lifestyle and pursue weight loss goals.  Green Aventurine Stone: Often associated with prosperity and love, this stone is also celebrated for its restorative properties, which can contribute to a more positive and motivated mindset for losing weight.  Sodalite: Helps in curbing hunger and boosting metabolism, supporting adherence to a healthy diet and facilitating more efficient weight management.  (BIG DISCOUNT) Click to Buy SlimCrystal for the Lowest Price

Benefits of SlimCrystal in Weight Loss

SlimCrystal Reviews: What Do Customers Say After Use? 

Many users of SlimCrystal report significant improvements in their self-perception after incorporating the bottle into their daily routines. They share stories of achieving personal and professional goals, feeling a surge in motivation to tackle challenges they once thought were beyond their reach. Customers highlight the ease and subtlety of the weight loss journey with SlimCrystal, noting that it doesn't feel like a traditional diet. On average, users experience a loss of 20 to 40 pounds over a span of three to six months, showcasing the gentle yet effective nature of this approach. Another notable benefit mentioned by users is the stabilization of blood sugar levels. Individuals with previously high sugar levels report a return to normalcy, suggesting that SlimCrystal may play a role in enhancing metabolic functions and helping the body operate more efficiently. This product is celebrated not just by its users but also by professionals in the health and wellness industry, including doctors and chiropractors. The consensus among these groups is that SlimCrystal offers a safe and beneficial opportunity for self-improvement and the achievement of health-related goals. With no reported negative effects, SlimCrystal comes highly recommended as a positive addition to anyone’s lifestyle, aiming to enhance well-being without adverse impacts.

Price of SlimCrystal 

For those interested in purchasing the SlimCrystal water bottle, the official website offers attractive discounts, potentially saving buyers up to $200. There are a variety of package options to choose from, catering to different needs and preferences: A bottle of SlimCrystal costs $117 plus shipping and comes with a free bonus. Available in a pack of two bottles for $197, with free shipping and 2 bonus bracelets To make this purchase even more appealing and secure, SlimCrystal comes with a 60-day money-back guarantee. This policy ensures that if you are not satisfied with your purchase for any reason, you have the option to contact customer support within 60 days of your purchase to request a full refund. This guarantee makes trying SlimCrystal a risk-free investment in your health and well-being.  (DON’T MISS OUT) SlimCrystal Best Deal Yet – Click to Buy

Price of SlimCrystal

Can I Buy SlimCrystal in Australia? 

Yes, SlimCrystal is available for purchase in Australia. Interested buyers can acquire the SlimCrystal water bottle directly through its official website. This unique water bottle is crafted to aid in healthy weight loss by enriching water with the energy of crystals. While browsing, customers in Australia may come across various package deals and might also find special discounts or promotions applicable to their purchase, making it an attractive option for those looking to integrate this innovative approach to weight loss into their daily routine.

Conclusion 

In conclusion, our SlimCrystal reviews explored the innovative SlimCrystal water bottle, highlighting the combination of hydration and natural crystal healing. This product emerges as a beacon for those seeking to enhance weight loss and improve well-being effortlessly. Through examining its advantages, customer feedback, and the principles of crystal healing, SlimCrystal emerges as not just a hydration tool, but a step towards a healthier, more balanced existence.  We invite your feedback! If you've experienced SlimCrystal or are intrigued by crystal-infused hydration, share your journey with us. Your stories contribute to our community and encourage others to pursue wellness.  Explore more with Blonde Beauty's extensive range of health, beauty, and wellness content. Our blogs offer further insights, reviews, and tips to help you lead a more vibrant life. Discover more with Blonde Beauty and continue enriching your body, mind, and soul.  Read the full article

[joeygoldy]

The Paramount Significance of Vocabulary Building in IELTS Preparation

Exceling in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) requires a multifaceted approach that extends beyond the rudiments of grammar and basic communication skills. An often underestimated yet pivotal factor in achieving excellence in the IELTS Sri Lanka exam is the cultivation of an extensive vocabulary. This article provides an in-depth exploration of the critical role of language building in exam preparation, shedding light on how a robust lexicon profoundly influences a candidate's performance across the four fundamental modules of the test. The IELTS Sri Lanka course fee varies depending on the institute and the duration of the program. Interested individuals are advised to directly contact the respective training centres for accurate and up-to-date information on course fees.

Why do IELTS?

Undertaking the IELTS English Course in Sri Lanka (International English Language Testing System) examination can offer numerous benefits, particularly if you are considering studying, working, or immigrating to an English-speaking country. Here are some compelling reasons why individuals often choose to take the exam:

IELTS is recognized and accepted by over 10,000 organizations and institutions worldwide, including universities, employers, immigration authorities, and professional bodies. This global recognition makes It a valuable credential for individuals seeking opportunities internationally.

Some employers, particularly in industries that require strong communication skills, may request scores as part of the hiring process. A good score can demonstrate your proficiency in English, which is often a crucial skill in the global job market.

For individuals considering immigration to countries like Canada, Australia, or the United Kingdom, scores are often a mandatory part of the immigration process. Immigration authorities use the results to assess an individual's language proficiency, which is crucial for successful integration into a new country.

Vocabulary Mastery and IELTS Listening.

The Listening test stands as a litmus test for a candidate's ability to comprehend spoken English in diverse real-life scenarios. A rich language forms the bedrock for accurately deciphering the subtleties embedded within conversations, lectures, and discussions. Beyond facilitating a nuanced understanding of audio prompts, an expansive vocabulary equips test-takers to swiftly grasp the meanings of unfamiliar words and phrases, ensuring a smoother navigation through the auditory challenges. Moreover, an adept language becomes a potent tool for recognizing synonyms, offering candidates a strategic advantage in decoding questions effectively.

Vocabulary's Integral Role in IELTS Reading.

The Reading section unfolds as a multifaceted challenge, presenting candidates with an array of texts spanning academic articles, newspapers, and magazines. Cultivating a diverse language becomes imperative for unravelling the meanings of intricate words and expressions intricately woven into these textual landscapes. A well-honed vocabulary not only enables candidates to navigate passages with agility but also empowers them to extract key ideas and respond to questions with precision. Furthermore, a broad vocabulary enhances a candidate's ability to discern paraphrased content, an artful feature often employed in Reading tasks, thereby elevating their proficiency in information retrieval.

Vocabulary Proficiency and IELTS Writing.

In the Writing module, candidates face a meticulous evaluation of their ability to express ideas coherently and employ a range of language with precision. A strong vocabulary operates as a catalyst for articulating thoughts with depth and clarity, thereby elevating the quality of essays and reports. Examiners, discerning connoisseurs of language, actively seek varied and sophisticated language use. A rich language allows candidates not only to meet these expectations but also to surpass them, resulting in a distinctive and compelling linguistic expression that contributes significantly to higher band scores.

Impact on IELTS Speaking.

The Speaking component of the exam is a dynamic platform that assesses a candidate's ability to communicate fluently and express ideas with flair. In this context, a diverse vocabulary assumes a pivotal role, empowering test-takers to articulate thoughts clearly, elaborate on responses, and transcend the pitfalls of simplistic and repetitive language. The strategic incorporation of synonyms and advanced language not only showcases a higher level of language proficiency but also positively influences the examiner's perception of the candidate's overall speaking ability, contributing substantially to an enhanced performance.

Proven Strategies for Vocabulary Building in IELTS Preparation.

a. Read Widely and Critically: Delve into a diverse array of written materials, including books, articles, and essays, to expose yourself to a rich tapestry of words and expressions, thereby expanding your language organically.

b. Utilize Vocabulary Lists Strategically: Tailor vocabulary lists to align with common themes, and consistently review and practice with them to reinforce learning systematically.

c. Engage with Authentic Materials: Work extensively with sample materials to immerse yourself in the vocabulary commonly encountered in the exam, enhancing your ability to navigate diverse contexts with confidence.

d. Actively Participate in Conversations: Engage in meaningful conversations with proficient English speakers to apply and reinforce newly acquired language in real-life situations, fostering both retention and practical application.

e. Implement Vocabulary in Writing: Actively integrate new words into your writing endeavours to ensure they become an integral part of your active language, fostering a sense of confidence in utilizing a diverse range of expressions with finesse.

In summary, the cultivation of a robust vocabulary emerges as a cornerstone of success in the IELTS exam, profoundly influencing a candidate's performance across all four modules—Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. Acknowledging the paramount importance of vocabulary building in IELTS course in Sri Lanka preparation and committing time and effort to expanding one's lexical repertoire is not merely a preparatory strategy; it is an investment in future academic and professional endeavours in English-speaking environments. Embracing this comprehensive approach to vocabulary enhancement positions candidates on a trajectory towards achieving not only commendable band scores but also a mastery of the English language that extends beyond the confines of the exam room. With dedication to vocabulary building, test-takers can confidently navigate the linguistic demands of the IELTS exam and beyond.

[sydneytowing]

The Ultimate Guide to Site Shed Transport: Tips and Best Practices

Site sheds are important buildings in construction and other industries because they give workers a place to work, a place to store things, and a place to use the bathroom. But Site Shed Transport can be hard if you don't plan and know what you're doing. In this final guide, we will look at tips and best practices for site shed and Container Transport Sydney in a quick, easy, and safe way.

Choosing the Best Way to Get There

When moving a site shed, choosing the right way to do it is important. One popular choice is Tilt Tray Towing Sydney, done with a special truck with a hydraulically moving box. This method allows site sheds to be moved safely over rough ground or uneven surfaces. On the other hand, site sheds can be shipped over long distances using Container Transport Sydney.

Getting the Site Shed ready

Before moving a site shed, it is important to get it ready correctly. Start by putting away all loose items, closing and locking doors and windows, and ensuring that fragile parts are well protected. It is also a good idea to check the site shed carefully for any damage or structural weakness.

Getting Help from Professionals

You might want to hire professional transport services to ensure the site shed transport goes well. Look for reliable Interstate Machinery Transport Australia, specializing in accident towing, moving forklifts, big machinery, and trucks. These experts have the knowledge, experience, and tools they need to work with different types of site sheds and equipment safely.

Making the Site Shed Safe

Securing the site shed before transporting it is very important to avoid damage or accidents. Use good-quality straps, chains, and supports to attach the shed to the car that will move it. Ensure the site shed is well-balanced and centered on staying stable during the trip.

Think About Weight and Size Limits

Before you move a site shed, you should find out what size and weight limits are in your area. If a load is too big or heavy, it may need a pass or other special plans. By following these rules, you can avoid delays or fines that aren't necessary.

https://mtaust.com.au/Images/inner-bg6.jpg

Talk to transportation service providers.

A key part of a good site shed move is properly conversing with the workers. Give exact and thorough details about the shed's size, weight, and special needs. Clear communication allows the transportation company to make the right plans and use the right tools for the job.

Conclusion

Site shed removal might seem hard, but it can go smoothly if you know what to do and plan. You can ensure the trip is safe and efficient by choosing the right way of transport, preparing the site shed well, and hiring professionals.

Remember to lock the shed well, stay within the weight and size limits, and keep the transport service providers in the loop. With these tips and best practices, you can easily handle site shed transport, whether you need to move gear in Sydney or across Australia from one state to another. So, the next time you need to move a site shed, remember these tips for a smooth and successful Interstate Machinery Transport Australia.

[art-of-manliness]

Podcast #886: What the World of Psychology Gets Wrong About Men

Several years ago, the American Psychological Association issued a set of guidelines for psychologists working with boys and men. Guideline #1 says: “Psychologists strive to recognize that masculinities are constructed based on social, cultural, and contextual norms.” Guideline #3 says: “Psychologists understand the impact of power, privilege, and sexism on the development of boys and men and on their relationships with others.” My guest says that these guidelines miss the mark, and are just one indicator of the way in which the world of psychology misunderstands, and consequently underserves, men. Dr. John Barry is a psychologist, the co-founder of the Male Psychology Section of the British Psychological Society, and the co-author of the Perspectives in Male Psychology textbook. Today on the show, John unpacks the issues with thinking that masculinity is purely a social construct and that men’s problems grow out of their power and privilege, and how these issues prevent men from getting the help they need. In the second half of our conversation, we discuss the surprising origin of the idea of toxic masculinity, what really defines masculinity, and what effect internalizing a negative or positive view of masculinity has on men. We end our conversation with what works for men’s mental health and well-being if you don’t want to go to therapy, and what you should look for in a therapist if you do. Resources Related to the Podcast * The Centre for Male Psychology * Introduction to Male Psychology and Mental Health course * AoM series on the origins, nature, and imperatives of manhood * Manhood in the Making by David Gilmore * Iron John by Robert Bly * AoM Podcast #761: How Testosterone Makes Men, Men * Rational emotive behavior therapy * Men’s sheds associations in Australia and the US Connect With John Barry * John‘s website * John on Twitter Listen to the Podcast! (And don’t forget to leave us a review!) Listen to the episode on a separate page. Download this episode. Subscribe to the podcast in the media player of your choice. Listen ad-free on Stitcher Premium; get a free month when you use code “manliness” at checkout. Podcast Sponsors Click here to see a full list of our podcast sponsors. Read the Transcript The post Podcast #886: What the World of Psychology Gets Wrong About Men appeared first on The Art of Manliness. http://dlvr.it/SmGP73

[fatehbaz]

The Solo Lagoon lies at the northern extremity of the Kadavu island group in the south of Fiji.  In the local dialect, solo means rock, which is all that is left of a more extensive land that once existed here. Ancient tales recall this land was abruptly submerged during an earthquake and tsunami, perhaps hundreds or even thousands of years ago. [...] Our boat raced on, towards the lighthouse built on remnant rock in 1888. The people with me, from Dravuni and Buliya islands, told how on a still night when they come here to fish, they sometimes hear from beneath the lagoon the sounds of mosquitoes buzzing, roosters crowing and people talking. Every local resident learns strict protocols upon entering the realm above this underwater world … and the perils of ignoring them. [...] If you take more fish from the lagoon than you need, you will never take your catch home. 

[S]uch beliefs in underwater worlds [...] likely represent memories of places that really were once submerged. Several groups of people living throughout Fiji today trace their lineage back to Lomanikoro, the name of the drowned land in the Solo Lagoon. Though there is no written record of the event, it is believed submergence reconfigured the power structures of Fijian society in ways that people still remember. Similar traditions are found elsewhere.

In northern Australia, many Aboriginal groups trace their lineage to lands now underwater. A story told decades ago by Mangurug, a Gunwinggu elder from Djamalingi or Cape Don in the Northern Territory, explained how his people came from an island named Aragaládi in the middle of the sea that was later submerged. “Trees and ground, creatures, kangaroos, they all drowned when the sea covered them,” he stated. [...]

In northwest Europe, meanwhile, there are countless stories of underwater lands off the coast where bells are said to toll eerily in drowned church steeples. Such stories abound in Cardigan Bay, Wales, where several “sunken cities” are said to lie. In medieval Brittany, in France, fisher-folk in the Baie de Douarnenez used to see the “streets and monuments” of the sunken city named Ys beneath the water surface, stories of which abound in local traditions.

Indeed in many cultures across the world there are stories about underwater worlds inhabited by people strikingly similar to ourselves, cities  where benevolent bearded monarchs and multi-tentacled sea witches organise the lives of younger merfolk [...]. Fantasy? Undoubtedly. Arbitrary inventions? Perhaps not. Such ideas may derive from ancient memories about submerged lands and the peoples who once inhabited them. And if we allow that some of these stories may actually be founded on millennia-old memories of coastal submergence, then they may also have some practical application to human futures. [...]

In the 200,000 years or so that we — modern humans — have roamed the earth, the level of the ocean, which currently occupies over 70% of the earth’s surface, has gone up and down by tens of metres. At the end of the last great ice age, around 18,000 years ago, the average ocean level was 120 metres or more lower than it is today. [...]

We know that observations of memorable events can endure in oral cultures for thousands of years, plausibly more than seven millennia in the case of Indigenous Australian stories of volcanic eruptions and coastal submergence. So how might people’s memories of once populated lands have evolved in oral traditions to reach us today? [...]

Stories of people occupying undersea lands also abound in Indigenous Australia. They include those about the yawkyawk (or “young spirit woman” in the Kundjeyhmi language of western Arnhem Land), who has come to be represented in similar ways to a mermaid [...].

In the central Pacific islands of Kiribati, meanwhile, it was once widely believed worlds existed parallel to the tangible one we inhabit. Entire islands moved between these, wandering through time and space, disappearing one day only to reappear some time later in a different place. Humans also moved between these worlds [...].

Sometimes the inhabitants of these worlds were believed to be equipped with fish tails, replaced with legs when they moved onshore.   An ancient ballad from the Orkney Islands (Scotland), where such merfolk are often called silkies, goes:

I am a man upon the land

I am a silkie in the sea.

At one time, the people of the Aran Islands (Galway, Ireland) would believe they had spotted the island of Hy-Brasail far to the west; scrambling to reach it in their boats. No-one ever did. On the other side of the world, the fabulous island named Burotukula that “wanders” through Fiji waters is periodically claimed to be sighted off the coast of Matuku Island. [...]

Their stories became enduring oral traditions — intended to inform and empower future generations.  And to show us that the past is not without meaning; it is not irrelevant to our future.

-------

Images, captions, and text published by: Patrick Nunn. “How ancient beliefs in underwater worlds can shed light in a time of rising sea levels.” The Conversation. 19 August 2021.

[everythingthemoontouches]

Hiiiiiiii~ I wanna know your thoughts/opinions about my placements:

-Libra Sun in 8th house

- Aquarius Moon in 12th conjunct Rising

- Capricorn Mars in 11th at 10 degrees

- Pluto sextile Rising?

Thanks u so much🌸🌸🌸

If you ever start an occult business I feel like you'd have the prettiest setup because of that Libra sun in the 8th. Libra is beauty, grace and tact personified.

The sun usually doesn't do so well in Libra cuz your ego is influenced a lot by the people around you. However, if you can master the fine line between doing and receiving you're set.

Funeral directors could have this placement. Property lawyer. Libra is about justice after all.

☀️Sun in the 8th :You could accidentally shed light on things people are trying to hide - infidelity, debt, money laundering, tax evasion. The occult mysteries of the world could be something that your soul longs to uncover.

♒Aqua moon: how much do you like space movies / fiction? I'm guessing a lot

♒Aqua moon : makes more I think statements than I feel statements.

Masters at cutting people off cold turkey.

Exalted Mars : you go out and get shit done. Professionally you're seen as the success archetype. Even your social media handles could reflect a well groomed, rich / successful aesthetic. You project a classy, stable, prosperous image. I think this is a great placement for a long, stable, money making career. You may be good at mobilizing support. Mars in the 11th could indicate that in order to make money, you may need to be on your feet. Or lead an active lifestyle. Capricorn Mars in the 11th could enjoy being a part of hiking or mountaineering trails. You may choose to surround yourself with people who challenge you to grow. Healthy competition can be a bit of an aphrodisiac. You know those boss babe influencer pages taht teach people how to level up, get their finances in order, dress respectably and just get their life on track? You're astrologically placed for success if you decide to pursue that.

Capricorn Mars women are usually attracted to slightly more mature and financially secure men. You've probably held high standards for the men you allow into your life.

You mention aquarius moon conjunct your ascendant so I'm guessing that's your rising sign too?

If so, you probably come across a little aloof with really innovative ideas. You give off the vibe that you improve whatever groups you're a part of. So you may be someone people think is good at networking /making friends. I know some people describe aquarius as the mad genius innovator archetype. I find that in some cases this can translate as seemingly lazy behaviour. This laziness can actually be what prompts them to improve the efficiency of long tedious processes. How do you minimize the amount if work you hsve to do? By increasing the results of each step you perform.

Aquarius ascendants are usually practical, fair and not too emotionally expressive. Especially around people they don't know really well. As I reread this, I'm reminded of Chef Reynold from Masterchef Australia. He is in season 12- creates the most beautifully moving desserts all with a super stoic or closed off expression on his face because he is super focused on his work. Is this something you could relate to?

You could be a really interesting person and well read. Have a bunch of hobbies, someone who can hold their own in conversation. Since both your sun and moon are in air signs, you are able to communicate effectively and in a clear, logical manner. I mean, we would have to look at your mercury too, but unless it was under some really negative influences we are safe in believing that what you intend to express is what people take away from what you say.Personally, this is something I really struggle with cuz my mercury sits in the 12th.

As someone with Pisces in the firsthouse, you have an ethereal beauty to you. Probably quite easy going and may have been really susceptible to manipulation in your younger years.

Moon in the 12th. Intensely creative. Add to that you're an aquarius/Pisces rising with an 8th house sun? There's a heavy mystical /spiritual energy about you. Something otherworldly almost. If the moon has malefic impacts this could cause insomnia, addiction issues and a sense of not feeling a sense of identity. Or taking on people's energy sub consciously. I believe the fact that your moon is in Aquarius could would make you less susceptible to other people's influence because of its logical and thinking nature.

Aquarius moon likes to build their own community rather than feeling super attached to their birth family - I'm not saying they don't have great relationship with family, they're just people who like to go out into the world and find their own corner.

Your closest friends may be people who live far away, whom you may have met online.

Aquarius moon natives usually love taking a nap. Feeling stressed? Take a nap? Bored? Take a nap. Uninspired? Take a nap.

Do you make music at all? Neptune ruled first house and moon in the 12th could mean you're really blessed when it comes to anything remotely creative.

you could be a natural psychic. A tarot reader I appreciate uses her paintings to channel. I feel like you could do really well if you went down a similar line. Do you receive ideas in your sleep a lot?

Pluto sextile rising? You radiate sex appeal. Power. People may feel like their life is about to change when they meet you. For the worse or better is up to them. You may come across as intimidating without meaning to.

Pluto sextile rising, Capricorn Mars, and Neptune's influences tell me that you may have a bit off an untouchable vibe to you. I'd normally say that your sun in Libra could make you appear more pleasant / non threatening if it wasn't for the fact that its placed in the 8th house. It's like there's no escaping the occult sciences with you. I personally would catch a flight to get to any Halloween parties you decided to throw

I hate to fangirl but I feel like if you were an artist and I were to come across your art, I'd feel deeply moved, like seeing a painting by someone channeling source energy.

Now I understand that some of this may be more relatable than others. That would give you a clue as to which Planets have a greater influence on you currently...

[romioneficfest]

Mid-way Digest

Good afternoon and thanks for all the positive input on the 2020 Romione FicFest. We have had an amazing number of entries and still plenty of time to submit even more.

For those who are fashionably late to the caverns and have missed the first half of the festivities, Dragon is here to make sure you’re not missing out on any published fic for the fest.

So, without further Ado...

3am (Shell Cottage); Rated T: Brief Summary: Ron sneaks out from a sleeping Hermione while she’s recovering at Shell Cottage and feels his emotional cup overflow. He’s reminded that he means more than he thinks to Hermione.

Afterglow (Bringing home Baby Hugo); Rated K+ Brief Summary: After Romione brings home their second child, they take a day off with all three of them in bed— and take a moment to rediscover how beautiful they think the other is.

The Clash (Hermione admits she is wrong); Rated M (Not Ace Safe) Brief Summary: Sexy times and a disagreement at pub trivia

Day 2:

Hugo and the Dragon Pants (Pants) Rated K+ Brief Summary: Hermione and Ron parent stubborn little kids; Hugo is excited about his new pants.

Rosaceae (Roses/Flowers); Rated K Brief summary: Spending an afternoon on the Hogwarts grounds near the end of their sixth year, Ron watches Hermione struggle to master a new spell as he feels something burgeoning in his chest— something he should have paid attention to many years before.

His Favourite Part of the Day (Shell Cottage); Rated K Brief Summary: Ron loves everything about the woman he loves—her passion, dedication, and drive especially. But it’s also wonderful when that takes a backseat…

Teaspoon Vindication (Shell Cottage/Hermione admits she is wrong); Rated K+ Brief summary: After escaping Malfoy Manor, Ron comes to visit Hermione in her room at Shell Cottage, and does the one thing that may be the hardest for him— talking about his feelings.

Hogwarts, A History, A Mistake (Hermione admits she was wrong); Rated K Brief summary: Hermione’s mistake delights Ron.

Day 3

Going Back without you (Ron’s Bedroom); Rated K/K+ Brief summary: After the Battle of Hogwarts, Ron and Hermione decided to go their separate ways, thinking it would be for the best. However, a few days before Hermione is bound to go back for her eighth year, Ron begins to think that may not have been the best idea.

Shattered Hearts (Fred’s Funeral); Rated T Brief Summary: The afternoon after Fred’s funeral, Ron sneaks off to his bedroom. He breaks down and is comforted by Hermione.

A space to grow into (Hermione’s office); Rated K/G Brief summary: Ron shows Hermione an empty house.

A different kind of Apology (Anything Goes!) Rated K+ Brief summary: Ron has just returned, fresh after destroying the locket, and Hermione has never been more furious: though he, undoubtedly, expects her temper to subside after a few hours —as it usually does—, night falls again and she still refuses to talk to him. What she doesn’t expect, though, is that he’ll try anything for her to forgive him.

To Listen (Hermione admits she is wrong) Rated T Brief Summary: Rose is home for her 17th birthday and once again, she’s at odds with her very strong-willed Mother who can’t quite grasp that Rose is almost nothing like her Mum.

Day 4

What If? (Shell Cottage) Rated K /K+ Brief Summary: The night before their plan to break into Gringotts, Ron finds Hermione and tries to ease her fears.

Hope for the Summer (Hogwarts, Quidditch) Rated T Brief summary: Hermione daydreams about the coming summer while her friends play quidditch.

Need a Hand? (Hair) Rated T Brief summary: Grimmauld Place is wreaking havoc on Hermione’s hair: the humidity, closeness, and heat is making it frizz up more than usual. Ron gives her a hand and, in the process, discovers her touch is something he could definitely get used to.

Broken (Shell Cottage) Rated PG/T Brief summary: He found her on the landing, relieved that she was still here, but broken for her.

Wands (Wand) Rated G / K Brief summary: Arthur reunites Ron and Hermione with their wands.

Day 5

A Stroll through the Park (trainers) Rated K / G Brief summary: A child with light-up trainers sparks fear and a conversation.

Hermione’s Boyfriend (Hair) Rated G / K Brief summary: Ron reassures Hermione after she has to cut her hair.

Safe Harbour (Shell Cottage) Rated T Brief Summary: In a brief respite from the war, Hermione finds comfort with the sweet redheaded boy she loves.

Reconciliation (Ron talks about the Snatchers) Rated T / PG-13 Brief summary: After Ron suffers a nightmare, Hermione is there to comfort him.

Missing Trousers (Pants) Rated M (Not Ace Safe) Brief summary: Hermione’s brief stint with working from home has not been going well: Ron is terrible at housework, he’s bored out of his mind, and —on top of all that— the racket he’s making as he apparently turns the house inside out is totally shattering her concentration. So when he barges into her office, determined to get her to pay some attention to him, she decides to get back at him by teasing him a little before she attempts, for what seems like the millionth time, to get back to work.

Day 6

A light in the Dark (Wedding Day) Rated T Summary: Ron has been seriously injured during a mission and Hermione is keeping watch beside his bed in the middle of the night.

Namesake (Wand/SC/Hermione’s Wrong) Rated T Summary: On the anniversary of Dobby’s death, Ron and Hermione pay their respects.

Out with a bang (Fred’s Funeral) Rated T Summary: Anxious to help Ron, Hermione approaches George with an idea.

New Possibilities (Anything goes) Rated T;  Not Safe for Ramadan Brief summary: In the evening after the third Triwizard task, Ron comforts Hermione about the future laying in front of them.

The Kinks in the Plan (Arthur’s Shed) Rated T Not Safe for Ramadan Summary: Harry and Ginny join Ron and Hermione mid-discussion.

Day 7

Like a Whisper (Fred’s Funeral/Ron’s bedroom) Rated K/G Brief Summary: He is paralyzed. her voice will take him where he needs to go.

The Moment I Knew (Their Wedding Day) Rated K+ Brief Summary: At he and Hermione’s wedding, before they take to the dance floor for their first dance as husband and wife, Ron delivers his groom’s speech and talks about the moment he knew Hermione was the One.

Last Match of the Season (Hogwarts, Quidditch Match) Rated T Brief Summary: There were times Ron questioned the sanity of returning to Hogwarts to do NEWTS… and this was not one of those times.

Watch my Stuff (Trainers) Rated T / PG-13 Brief Summary: Modern Muggle AU - A redhead asks Hermione to watch his stuff, and she gives an unexpected answer. She gets an even more unexpected response.

Relative Potency (Hair, Australia) Rated T Brief Summary: Due to the stifling heat in Townsville, Hermione, Ginny and Harry all get haircuts. Ron considers this an expensive and irresponsible move.

Day 8

Ignoring Ron ( Day 6: Ron’s Bedroom) Rated T / PG-13 Not 100% Ace Safe Brief summary: Muggle AU- it’s a few weeks before they take their A-levels and Hermione is trying very hard to ignore her infatuation with her best friend. Any possible triggering/warning tags: nudity mentioned, alcohol, drunkenness, not ace safe thoughts?

A Movie Night, in Three Acts (Day 10: couch) Rated K. Ace Safe. Brief summary: Family movie night at the Granger-Weasley household seems to be a competition of who’ll hold out the longest without falling asleep. Tonight, as always, Ron takes the crown. Warnings/Triggers: None.

Fallout (Day 2: Ron talks about the Snatchers) Rated T Brief Summary:  After a post-DH nightmare, Ginny makes a few suggestions. Warnings/Triggers: Implied PTSD

Unsaid Things (Day 10: Couch) Rated T+++ / 16 Brief summary: Ron comes home to Hermione, and she has a million questions she wants to ask him. Any possible triggering/warning tags: cursing, crying, brief non-sexual nudity, blood mention, brief description of criminal violence and death

The Last Time (Day 7: Anything Goes) Rated M Not Ace safe Brief summary: They agreed not to do this, but can they resist?Any possible triggering/warning tags: Tiny bit of angst (resolved), sexual tension (resolved? Not likely with these two!)

A Peculiar Discovery  (Day 7: Anything Goes) Rated T / PG-13 for language Brief Summary: A confrontation between McGonagall and Ronald Weasley over a certain petrified girl. Any possible triggering/warning tags: Rude language and my dreadful English. I apologize to the heirs of Shakespeare, but, I was really dying to publish something on Romioneficfest.

A Surprise Visit  (Day 12: Crookshanks) Rated K+ Brief summary: After escaping the Shrieking Shack, Ron has spent the past two days alone in the infirmary as his leg heals— and he’s going mad with boredom. Lucky for him, there’s a certain someone who’ll defy the rules she’s usually hellbent on following to pay him a visit. Any possible triggering/warning tags:  N/A

Positive (Day 12: Hermione pregnancy) Rated T Brief summary: Hermione pays her husband a visit in his office, surprising him with life-changing news. Triggers: Strong language/cursing (or Ron’s regular mouth?); mentions of sex; pregnancy (?)

Tell me I’m pretty    (Day 11: Blanket) Rated T Brief Summary: A quiet evening on the roof, talking celestial bodies, opens up more than just the nighttime sky. Triggers: mentions of insecurity

Penannular   (Day 7: Anything Goes) Rated M   Not Ace Safe Brief Summary: Ron gets an owl on a Sunday after brunch at the Burrow and realizes that some things have to change in short order. Content Warnings: financial insecurities, Locket remnants, harsh language, Smutty stuff, dealing with Director Robards

Put a sickle in the swear jar   (Day 11 - St. Mungo’s) Rated PG / K+ Brief summary: Ron is having one of those days… (bit of a post-Hogwarts domestic day in the life) Any possible triggering/warning tags: one bad swear, blood, allusions to Ron and Hermione doing it.

A Long Night   ( Day 2 - Hermione’s Office) Rated K / G Brief summary: Hermione is slaving away in her office over paperwork. However, her redheaded husband knows just how to cheer her up. Any possible triggering/warning tags: N/A

Halloween at the Burrow  (Day 8 - Skirt)  Rated K Brief summary: Halloween has been a yearly affair at the Burrow ever since Teddy Lupin declared it was his favorite holiday, and this year is no exception. Harry and Ron, with little Rose in tow, are convinced they have the best costume this year— but their wives may give them some competition. Trigger/Content Warnings: None

The Moment  (Day 13 - rings)  Rated K+ Brief Summary: Escaping Percy’s wedding for some alone time leads to the big moment for Ron and Hermione. Trigger: fluff, fluff and did I mention fluff?

The Setting Sun  (Day 7 - Anything Goes) Rated M  Not Ace Safe Brief Summary: The war is over, and they’re home. The Burrow is too busy, too frantic. Ron thinks that an afternoon and evening out near Stoatshead Hill will be enough of a get-away for now. Content Warning / Trigger Warning: Language, nudity, al fresco behaviour, Not Ace Safe

Lose Yourself   (Day 4 - Quidditch) Rated K+ / PG Brief Summary: Rose Weasley Granger is about to step on the biggest pitch of her entire life, one that she has been training for almost her entire life: The Quidditch World Cup Final. Before she is off at the starting whistle, she needs validation from the one person whose approval she desperately needs. Content Warning: Oliver Wood’s guest commentary.

In Another Universe  (Day 8 - Date Night) Rated T Brief summary: (Modern-Day University AU) Hermione Granger, brightest young lady her age, completed her PhD in Linguistics at 25. Ron Weasley, a quantum physicist with a penchant for unkempt hair and loose ties… well, he’s getting there. However, Granger has agreed to spend a night out at a pub with him, and he’s going to try his hardest to woo her with what he knows she likes best: intelligence. Tags: mentions of alcohol, the word “damn”

Day 15

No Regrets  (Day 10: Someone walks in on them)  Rated T Brief summary: While on the world’s most boring tour of Hogwarts Ron decides to fix one of his biggest regrets. Any possible triggering/warning tags: Kissing, Sexual Innuendo, Heavy Petting

A Good Day  (Day 9 - Wedding Day)  Rated K / G Brief summary: Hermione takes a brief moment to herself during her honeymoon to think. Any possible triggering/warning tags: None.

Guard Duty  (Day 6: Vest, Ron’s Bedroom, Day of Fred’s Funeral) Rated K Brief Summary: One more day in Ron and Hermione’s life and one more promise is made. Trigger Warning: mention of death, grieving

Helping her Relax  (Day 10: Someone walks in on them) Rated PG-13 /T Brief summary: Ron tries to help Hermione relax at work, but things don’t go quite as planned. Any possible triggering/warning tags: Allusions to sex, intense snogging and fondling. Not ace safe.

Million Galleon Idea (Prompt/Day: Day 13: Ron explains something he’s invented for George)  Rating: G Brief summary: Ron invents the perfect piece of baby clothing. Any possible triggering/warning tags: none

Hide and Sneak  (Day 8: Cloakroom at the ministry)  Rating: G Brief summary: Hermione loses Rose. Any possible triggering/warning tags: none

Career Change  (Day 12 - Hermione is pregnant with Rose) Rating: PG Brief Summary: ‘I don’t have this urge to keep fighting. Content warning: none

We’ve got time (Day 7: Anything Goes)  Rating: PG Brief Summary: Somehow, subconsciously probably, she ended up at the library. Trigger/Warning: N/A

Growing Twilight   (Day 11 - Blanket)  Rated MA  Not Ace Safe Brief Summary: After a delightful al fresco moment, Ron and Hermione talk what she learned in how to care for Ron, and why things went sideways during their sixth year - including Ron’s deep thoughts on the matter. Content Warning: MA Rated content, non-explicit oral, mentions of the bird incident, Ron’s Insecurities

Christmas  (Day 8: Skirt) Rating: T Brief summary: ‘You saw me in uniform every day for six years!’ Warning: Alludes to sex, swearing

Reputation (Day 8: Skirt. Cloakroom at the ministry.)Rating: T Brief Summary: It’s been many years since the Battle of Hogwarts, but it’s still sometimes necessary to break into the Ministry… even if you work there…Possible triggers/tags: Implied shenanigans

Food, or a book  (Day 9: Their wedding day)   Rating: M  Not Ace Safe Brief Summary: Ron and Hermione discuss how to break the news to their family and friends. Possible triggers/tags: swearing, implied shenanigans.

[studentville-struggles]

A Double Life

Chapter 5!!

A self-indulgent Daniel Ricciardo fic.

Summary: Returning to old passions results in the start of chaos and living a double life. We say we hate chaos, but the thrill is unlike anything else.

Words: 1,941

Masterlist // Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4

F1 was no joke.  

PhD’s were no joke.

You were exhausted. Exhausted didn’t even begin to cover how you felt. Were you dying? Who even knew at this point.  

One monday your legs finally gave out as you were walking into university, collapsing from the exhaustion you were fighting. Thankfully you had just made it into your building, the porters quick to call a medic. You actually ended up having to take a couple of days off of lab work and go home and just spend some time sleeping and spending time with your parents. Your supervisors were so worried for your health and the stress you had been putting yourself under they pretty much banned you from the lab for a week.  

You still did the workouts you needed to and prepped for races from home. You just did everything on more than five hours sleep. The luxury. It was so damn needed.

Speaking on the phone to Lando one night, the two of you becoming closer friends since being team mates and him checking in more frequently since finding out about you collapsing, you had been joking about how nice sleep was. 

“I used to think that being ordinary was boring. Now I’d do anything for a 10 hour nap and a chippy.”

Your little exhaustion moment had scared you a little bit. You’d always managed to do everything. You could have two intense lives and work it. You had felt that for the last three years you mastered juggling a double life. Was it finally coming to crumble around you? Was this it, was the dream over?  

You wouldn’t allow it. You couldn’t. Youd fought so hard for this, to have your cake and eat it. It was never meant to be easy and you knew that, this was just one more thing to overcome. Once you had your PhD you would be able to live any life you wanted. You might even be able to sleep seven hours a night on the regular.  

You would make this double life work for a little longer, you had to.

Having re-evaluated routines and switching things up so that you could make the most of both lives whilst still being healthy, you were feeling confident, comfortable and it was growing with each race that passed. Sure, not all of the results were what you dreamed off; after all you were yet to tip Lewis off his pedestal, but you were getting there. Getting the car to do your bidding was the first half of the challenge. Now you just needed to do that, but better than every one else on the track.

The other thing to come out of your health scare; especially after some of the drivers have commented on your less deathly appearance was an interesting change in your friendship with a certain Australian.  

Sure, you had the big change from thinking he was rude to being caught smiling at his texts, to hanging out in Australia at the start of the season. That you had kind of seen coming; but this? This was unexpected, and you weren’t quite sure what to make of it currently.

After finding out about your little incident, Daniels’ entire energy changed. He was visibly concerned about you, whether you were better now, how you were doing getting everything under control for good. His reaction to discovering the in-depth extremeness of your routine having binged watched your show – he claimed it was a curious interest to occupy his flight but you knew it was to be nosey and you didn’t mind that – was even stranger He had effectively cornered you at the paddock in China with a written out list and spluttering of expletives with the general message of “what the fuck, no wonder you're exhausted.’.  

The frequency at which you two texted and chatted was steadily rising as your friendship bloomed but after his discovery of ‘the incident’, it had sky rocketed. Both in general conversation, but also in his concern for you overdoing things. He’s started to make a point, like Lewis often does, to ensure you take a bit of time for you and to relax; so movie and game nights are now a little thing you get when you meet up for a face to face catch up.

The vibes between the two of you were shifting ever so slightly and you weren’t entirely sure where there were setting themselves.

---

You were very lucky in that your family would often come to support you, especially your mum and dad. Albeit your mum couldn’t watch half of the races due to her fear that her little girl was going to be hurt, but she was there every chance she had.  

As the season progressed and you were getting some races closer to home, you felt it was about time to invite the main group of people who were yet to see this side of you. Given the intense patience and grace they had given to you, supporting you though everything and allowing your camera crew all access; it was time to invite your boss. Well your other boss. Your supervisor.

Getting back into the swing of things at work in the lab after the Spanish Grand Prix, you felt it was finally time to give back to your lab family.

“I’d like to take you to work next week, and maybe a few others once I check numbers.” Your supervisor knew what ‘work’ meant for you but with more and more people questioning your regular three day weeks, you were starting to feel like letting your two worlds collide a little more.  

“Where is work next week? Monaco?”  

“Yup. I’ll give my media team a ring and see how many we can take including hotels and go from there”  

“Including?!”  

“Full VIP, would be rude of me not to.”  

A short phone call later, with some rough numbers figured out, you had five full VIP passes at your disposal. Given you rarely have guests at Grand Prix’ they allowed a few extra tickets this time. As one would imagine with a free weekend in Monaco, the academic staff in your research group snapped up those tickets in no time. Of course, with the amount of time spent in your offices and labs, you were safely assuming three of the five had no idea what your job was, though were very curious as to how and why it was taking you to Monaco.  

Academic life was no joke. Everyone was busy, everyone had very little free time. Watching sports was only done by super fans really. There weren’t any motorsport super fans in your office and somehow both your show and driving career had still remained unquestioned. How that was true with the camera crew still following you around, you had no idea.  

You had sent out a rough, and very vague itinerary, reminding them to be ready to leave work at 6 pm on Wednesday, heading straight to the airport. You had also sent strict dress code instructions- the smarter end of smart casual, knowing that they would likely, if not definitely, be appearing on camera.  

With some of your team meeting you at the airport, ready to get your race weekend media started, the confusion of your university colleagues was growing. It peaked as they had you film a short clip to start the weekends media off, it was only a short Instagram story, post hair touch up, to say hi to fans.  

“Hey guys, just me taking over the Instagram stories! We’ve just arrived at the airport to head over to Monaco! Can’t wait to see you guys this weekend and I’ve even brought a few colleagues from the university so you’ll be seeing my two worlds collide as well! See you soon!” Waving at the camera, you cut the video. With all thumbs up from your team, you uploaded it to your team Instagram, views piling in almost immediately.  

“Rachel what the hell do you do?!”

“Oh you’ll see soon enough, I don’t want to ruin the surprise now.” You teased, surprisingly enjoying the suspense.  

Walking up to the private jet having gone through security with ease, the shock was only increasing, though you everyone was feeling very excited for the flight now they saw the plane. Things were fairly calm after this, the journey quick, smooth and you avoided giving too much away.  

Arriving at the hotel you sent everyone off to their rooms, giving timings for meeting the next morning. You would be leaving before them to start greeting the media and doing some press conferences before your track walks, and so had arranged for a few cars to be sent for transferring the rest over to the main hub. Once they were all happy with the plans, not that you’d given many details, merely timings, you could head to your room where Daniel had snuck over waiting to reunite.  

He had many complaints about spending the evening having your catch up in a hotel when he had a perfectly good home a few minutes away. At some point during the evening, after the food had been demolished, the words said and a crappy Netflix original on the tv, the two of you had fallen asleep. When you woke a couple of hours later, you were awkwardly hunched on the sofa still, somehow having entangled yourself with Daniels body.  

Realising that it was far too late to send Daniel home, you both needed sleep if you were to survive the media day, and you couldn’t send him on his way in the small hours of the morning. Trying not to wake him too harshly, you start untangling yourself from the mess of legs. With Daniel starting to stir, you grab his hand, wordlessly pulling him from the sofa, over to the hotel bed.  

Still in the silence the middle of the night brings, Daniel shed the majority of his clothing, slipping under the covers in only his underwear, with you following soon after as you quickly change into your sleepwear.  

For something so foreign in your friendship, the ease and comfort at which you snuggled together, falling asleep again under the covers, was almost unnerving. Almost. In your sleepy state, you couldn’t recognise that, only time would reveal that.  

--

Having snuck off to begin your media day trackside, you were eager to see your lab colleague's reaction to where they were. It was as you were heading back into McLarens hospitality that you, as well as the whole group, could see the full magnitude of this job and how it differed to the Rachel they were used to seeing in the office.  

“You’re a driver?”  Shock? Disbelief? You couldn’t quite tell but the reaction was  

“Yes”

“What the fuck? But you’re in the lab like 10 hours a day”

“Now you know why I don’t have time to get things done otherwise in my three-day weeks.”

Once the shock wore off, the excitement and initial questions had settled, you set the group up with timings for the day and let them wander round the paddock freely as you headed back to your meetings, promising to see them during the lunch break.  

Having your worlds united felt good. It felt as though some of the pressure you hadn’t realised was there from keeping them separate, was melting away.  Although the feeling that was beginning to bubble away every time you bumped into Daniel was very close to being a distraction.

You needed to drive; just get in the car and block everything else out. 

[sweetsmellosuccess]

Sundance 2021: Day 4

Films: 4 Best Film of the Day(s): Mass

Mass: Predictably, Fran Kranz’ film opens with a shot of a church, but the title turns out to be a reverberating double entendre   —  both the religious service towards forgiveness; and a term commonly used in conjunction with a multiple-homicide shooting event. The church, Episcopal it turns out, is the agreed-to meeting place for two sets of grieving parents: Gail (Martha Plimpton) and Jay (Jason Isaacs), whose teen son Evan was killed some years before in a high-school massacre; and Linda (Ann Down) and Richard (Reed Birney), whose son, Haden, was the shooter, before killing himself in the school library. They have agreed to meet, long after the lawsuits and legal wrangling have been settled, to possibly provide answers and solace to one another. As can be expected, the atmosphere is fraught with tension  —  a setting Kranz, an actor making his directorial and writing debut, expertly mines before the couples arrive, with a kind but overenthusiastic church administrator (Breeda Wool), fretting about the details of the food arrangement  —  and the couples, wary, at first, of letting things get hostile, work diligently to avoid disagreement by staying mild (an arrangement of flowers Linda brings is speculated upon a great deal). Eventually, however, the four wounded parents get down to more brass tacks, Gail and Jay eschewing their therapist’s call for them to avoid “interrogation” questions, to get at the root of what they are after. In truth, as Kranz has the characters cannily come to understand, there are no details that shed new light, no explanations that help rectify what they’ve lost, only a grim understanding that, as parents, they are all subject to the laws of chaos and chance. Unsurprisingly, Kranz has an actorly sense of conflict and explication, but, despite the limited setting (this could easily have been an adapted play), he gives his actors plenty of room with which to work, and the quartet are more than up to the task. They are each terrific, and given opportunity to shine, but it’s Plimpton’s monologue near the end about her son that becomes the film's singular tour-de-force moment, a scene with so many hooks and edges, it sticks to you like velcro. Kranz is careful not to overstep his dramatic boundaries, difficult given the potentially melodramatic elements of the story, and allows his actors enough time to breathe so it avoids feeling polemic or preachy (an early scene with Gail and Jay in the car before they arrive is a scintillating bit of set-up, where words are spoken, but our attention, like that of the characters, is entirely elsewhere). No easy answers, thankfully, just brutal realizations that can’t be avoided.  

A Glitch in the Matrix: By this time, documentary filmmaker Rodney Ascher has carved out a sort of niche for himself: As with Room 237, and The Nightmare, he has gathered up fringe thinkers displaying a sort of group psychosis in order to explore other ways of seeing, and interpreting, our world. His docs don’t come down on either side of a given conundrum  —  are any of the far-out, would-be explanations of The Shining in 237 the least bit sensible? Is it possible in The Nightmare for people experiencing the horror of sleep paralysis to share in the same horrific vision?  —  but he carefully doesn’t contradict any of his subjects either. His new film, an exploration of what’s known as “simulation theory,” concerns a pattern of thought described back in 1977 by the heavily adapted science fiction author Philip K. Dick during an appearance in France, suggesting, Matrix-style, that all that we think we see and know is actually an intricate virtual reality, brought to us by an unseen technological force. True to his form, Ascher interviews numerous applicants to the theory  —  many of whom portrayed by VR avatars in their own homes  —  including scholars, practitioners, and skeptics, and bolstering their arguments with an assortment of other media, from Minecraft, Philip K. Dick-based films, and crude computer animations, to video games, and youtube videos. The views are intentionally conflictive  —  one subject suggests the very idea of such conflict is the basis of the simulation  —  and anything but conclusive, but, of course, that’s the very point. Less unsettling than The Nightmare, one of the few true horror movies of the documentary genre I’ve ever seen, save for the account of Joshua Cooke, who pled guilty to killing his parents in cold blood after cementing his belief that the ideas portrayed in The Matrix were completely real. Listening to his step-by-step description, from prison, of his descent into madness, and where those impulses took him, is to drop into first-person shooter psychosis.

Coming Home in the Dark: Both Australia and New Zealand are blessed with spectacularly beautiful land that is filled with wide-open, terrifying vast spaces in which any amount of evil may lurk. In dark, violent films like Wolf Creek and Killing Ground, all that beauty and space is turned on its head by far more chaotic inclinations, rendering brutally effective, and stomach-churning sadism as a means of displaying the horrible duality of the land. Kiwi director James Ashcroft attempts to add to this cinematic legacy with this film, a murder-abduction sort of thriller, in which a family on a camping trip in the wilds, is brutalized by a pair of killers they come across. In a twist that at least one of the killers, Mandrake (Daniel Gillies) would have us believe is a coincidence, it turns out the patriarch of the family, Alan (Erik Thompson), used to teach at the abusive orphanage school in which both Mandrake, and his partner, Tubbs (Matthias Luafutu) suffered as children. It’s not a believable conceit, which Ashcroft seems to readily admit, but because it makes the connection, the film attempts to work as a kind of metaphor for the violence which we didn’t perpetrate, but also did nothing to stop. Mandrake as an avenging angel, foisting Alan’s lack of empathy back onto him in violent spades. It’s difficult to fault a film for not being transgressive and shocking enough, exactly, but despite the theatrics of the situation, and Mandrake’s coldly comic engaging of the couple in “regular conversation,” it doesn’t have the heart to be as effective and unsettling as it needs to be. It plays it too safe, which saves the audience from being plunged into the all-too-realistic terror of, say, Killing Ground, but also dilutes the stronger point it wants to make about systemic brutality.

The Blazing World: Related to the 17th Century Margaret Cavendish novel in basic concept, Carlson Young’s feature debut walks a wobbly line between linear narrative, and neo-gothic opera  —  only with a soundtrack instead of singing. The story concerns a young woman, Margaret (Carlson), who loses her twin sister to a drowning accident as a child, but has imagined ever since that her sister lives in some alternate vortex of reality, heralded by a grinning demon, Leonid  (Udo Kier, of course). Coming back to her childhood home before her battling parents (Dermot Mulroney and Vinessa Shaw) move out altogether, Margaret meets some old friends, does some drugs, and finally enters the fantasia-like world that Leonid has been beckoning her to for most of her life in order to find her trapped sister. There, she must amass a series of keys, plucking them from demon versions of her parents, and confront her own guilt and pain in order to unlock her twin and set everyone free. It would be easy to say Young’s reach far exceeds her grasp, but the fact that she was willing to attempt such an audacious project says something about her artistic chops. And for every moment that hits wrong, there are several more that work in interesting ways. Her aforementioned use of music, and sound design invokes a kind of Kubrickian aesthetic, and her commitment to her vision is palpable. This likely won’t be the best film she ever makes, but it does portend to a filmmaker worth keeping an eye on, going forward.

Sundance goes mostly virtual for this year’s edition, sparing filmgoers the altitude, long waits, standing lines, and panicked eating binges  —  but also, these things and more that make the festival so damn endearing. In any event, Sundance via living room is still a hell of a lot better than no Sundance. A daily report.

[blondebeautyz]

SlimCrystal Australia Reviews: Is SlimCrystal Safe? 

This SlimCrystal reviews will guide you in selecting the perfect hydration companion that not only keeps you hydrated throughout the day but also offers various health benefits. SlimCrystal water bottles have recently become a subject of widespread discussion and interest.  They have sparked considerable conversations across different platforms. I conducted an in-depth investigation into the SlimCrystal water bottle to determine whether the buzz around it is just hype or has merit. Continue reading for our comprehensive analysis of the SlimCrystal water bottle. 

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SlimCrystal is a water bottle that uses the old idea of using crystals for health in a new way. It has nine different natural crystals in it that mix with your drinking water. Drinking from this bottle could make your body work faster to burn calories, helping you lose weight without having to follow tough diets. This bottle isn’t just nice to look at; it’s filled with a special mix of crystals that are picked to help you lose weight. Drinking this special water could boost how fast your body burns food by a lot. The idea is that these crystals give their energy to the water. When you drink it, you might feel more energetic, younger, and closer to the body shape you want. In short, SlimCrystal gives a new twist to the old practice of using crystals for health. The stones in the bottle help control how much you eat and cut down on extra snacking. It’s a natural way to help with your health and losing weight. Visit the SlimCrystal Official Website & Place Your Order!

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SlimCrystal is designed with the goal of helping people lose weight safely through the method of crystal healing. This unique water bottle is not only aimed at assisting with weight loss but is also considered beneficial for people struggling with obesity. The selection of crystals in SlimCrystal works together to enhance the water's nutritional and healing properties. This special water is said to support effortless weight loss, improve digestion, and boost energy levels. By incorporating SlimCrystal into your daily routine, you could potentially shed unwanted pounds and lead a healthier, more comfortable life. According to the manufacturer, the crystals within the bottle have the ability to purify the water, contributing to your weight loss efforts. Additionally, this enhanced water is believed to nourish your digestive system and help you look younger for longer.

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Yes, SlimCrystal is available for purchase in Australia. Interested buyers can acquire the SlimCrystal water bottle directly through its official website. This unique water bottle is crafted to aid in healthy weight loss by enriching water with the energy of crystals. While browsing, customers in Australia may come across various package deals and might also find special discounts or promotions applicable to their purchase, making it an attractive option for those looking to integrate this innovative approach to weight loss into their daily routine.

Conclusion 

In conclusion, our SlimCrystal reviews explored the innovative SlimCrystal water bottle, highlighting the combination of hydration and natural crystal healing. This product emerges as a beacon for those seeking to enhance weight loss and improve well-being effortlessly. Through examining its advantages, customer feedback, and the principles of crystal healing, SlimCrystal emerges as not just a hydration tool, but a step towards a healthier, more balanced existence.  We invite your feedback! If you've experienced SlimCrystal or are intrigued by crystal-infused hydration, share your journey with us. Your stories contribute to our community and encourage others to pursue wellness.  Explore more with Blonde Beauty's extensive range of health, beauty, and wellness content. Our blogs offer further insights, reviews, and tips to help you lead a more vibrant life. Discover more with Blonde Beauty and continue enriching your body, mind, and soul.  Read the full article

[a-man-for-hire-and-his-archives]

The End: extraordinary true stories that inspired right-to-die comedy drama

by: Frances Whiting, News Corp Australia Network for Geelong Advertiser

Writing confronting new comedy-drama series The End took Samantha Strauss back to her own beginnings.

Back to Queensland’s Gold Coast and its shimmering light; back to her childhood home with E Street actor Marcus Graham smouldering from posters on her bedroom walls; back to her ballet shoes, tied with pink ribbon, and back to a family story that has whispered in her ear for decades.

The End — produced for Foxtel by See Saw Films, the team behind award-winning films The King’s Speech and Lion, plus television series Top of The Lake — is an exploration of how we live, die, and all the messy business that goes on in between.

Back to her beginning for The End, screenwriter Sam Strauss. Picture: David Swift

It centres on young palliative care doctor Kate Brennan (Frances O’Connor), a woman devoted to prolonging her patients’ lives as long as possible.

Kate’s mother Edie Henley (Dame Harriet Walter), however, has other ideas. Following decades of unhappiness, and an unwelcome discovery about her late husband’s fidelity, Edie decides to take her own life.

The attempt is unsuccessful, messy and distressing so Kate — living on the Gold Coast, having long ago fled the small pocket of England where Edie still resides — decides to bring her mother to Australia.

Moving Edie to a five star, Gold Coast retirement village, despite its manicured gardens and aqua aerobics classes proves, not unlike Edie’s unsuccessful suicide attempt, both messy and distressing for both women.

But like the light that dances over the Gold Coast’s sweeping beaches just before dawn and dusk — a light locals know as the “magic hour” — it is also the start of something equally magical.

For Strauss, increasingly in demand as a scriptwriter and producer, and the co-creator of the hit Australian teen drama series Dance Academy, writing The End, was, in part, her own family’s story. It was also a springboard to the ongoing debate about the right to live – and die – as we want to.

“I grew up in Southport on the Gold Coast,” Strauss, now 40, says from her home in Sydney.

“So filming there was a homecoming of sorts for me.

“I moved back in with my parents for a time, it was great, I got my washing done and food cooked, it was heaven,” Strauss laughs.

“I loved filming there. It’s been a mission of mine to show the Gold Coast in its true beauty, I don’t think there’s ever been a show that’s done that, stripped away all the glitz, to go into its Hinterland, and its quieter places, and of course its beautiful light, that magic hour.

“We did one incredible scene with 100 nude extras at dawn at Currumbin Beach,” Strauss laughs, “and I think what we all really enjoyed was filming at a retirement village in Hope Island, where we used the residents as cast members, and they were absolutely wonderful.”

Strauss’s love letter to the Gold Coast opens with a harrowing scene of Edie’s botched suicide attempt thousands of kilometres away at her home in England, a scene that has its origins in Strauss’s own family history.

“I had a grandmother whose husband died by suicide and she had also gone through cancer and all sorts of things.

“She had been living in New South Wales, and my family were on the Gold Coast, so she moved there to live in a retirement village.

“She was 80, and she had this incredible brain, and artist’s soul, and when she first arrived she was not happy, she wore brown dresses and was sort of all hunched over.

“I remember my mother and father were worried about her, and my mother said, ‘We need to treat this place like high school and get her into the cool group’,” Strauss laughs.

“Not the Queen Bee set, no, but the naughty ones, the rebels. Mum bought a round of drinks for everyone, there was a great restaurant there and quite a party scene, and away she went.”

Six months after her arrival, Strauss chuckles, her grandmother had swapped her shapeless, brown shifts for bright red dresses, was dancing on table tops, and had acquired both a zippy new car and a best friend named Pamela.

Pamela is delightfully played in the series by beloved Australian actress Noni Hazelhurst, who viewers first meet when she greets Edie with a Welcome basket and a cheeky “We’ve got champagne, we’ve got gin, we’ve got Xanax …”

Strauss shows a nuanced understanding of the rhythm of retirement homes like Emerald Fields; beneath the table top dancing there are stories of loves lost and longing; of lives well lived and otherwise, and raw, honest exchanges on declining health and approaching death.

This is because Strauss herself became a part of that rhythm, moving in with her grandmother at her retirement village, where the kindling for The End was first found among its Zimmer frames and zumba classes.

“ I was in that strange place where I was a bit lost,” Strauss remembers.

“I had just finished my film degree (at the Gold Coast’s Bond University) and she had a spare bedroom, so I moved in with her for a while.

“I really liked all the conversations I had there, one 80-year-old woman told me how she had worn out her vibrator, and I liked the idea that you can change your attitude at the very end.

Life and soul … Noni Hazelhurst plays the sassy Pamela. Picture: supplied

“I liked the idea that you can grow old in a way that is fun and not depressing.

“Obviously where my grandmother lived was a very nice place, but I like that it felt like a time of not withering away, but growing.

“There’s a scene where Edie puts a torch under her chin and says ‘I’m a glow worm, watch me glow,’ and that’s what it felt like for us watching our grandmother just sort of blossom again there.”

Strauss says it was also a time of reflection among the residents, including her grandmother, on dying.

“Some of them went to workshops on how to end their lives, they followed (euthanasia advocate) Philip Nitschke, and they were very clear on what they wanted, as was my grandmother.

“When it was the time of her choosing to go, she wanted a glass of whiskey and a Nembutal and that was her plan.”

Instead Strauss’s grandmother’s cancer returned and she died soon after the diagnosis.

“I always had that discussion with her on how she wanted it to be.

“My father is a doctor and death and the right to have a say in your own death has always been a very open discussion in my family. Dying with dignity is something many people believe in and want to happen, as is palliative care, and I have enormous respect for palliative care nurses and doctors.

The right-to-die debate is brought into focus in The End by Brooke Satchwell, who plays one of Kate’s patients. Picture: supplied

“I wanted to show both points of view with The End, and a lot of it is about this hard stuff, but I hope it’s done with a lens that finds the humanity in it, in the idea that whenever things seem impossible, there is light as well.”

Strauss has had experience with that too, turning a very dark time in her own life into light when at just 18 years old, and a promising ballet dancer, she broke her back.

“I had danced all my life, and was pretty determined to make it my career.

“I danced for about 50 hours a week in a hot tin shed in Bundall (a Gold Coast Suburb) with these truly terrifying teachers who would just yell at you.

“There was no nurturing and it was hard for my sensitive, writer’s soul, but I loved it.”

Then, Strauss says, one day during an outdoors training session, an instructor “pushed me too hard” and she broke a vertebrae in her back, shattering both her movement and her dreams.

“Basically I lay on a couch for a year, in between X Rays and treatment, and I can see now I was probably depressed, while my parents looked after me. They were totally there for me, and it can’t have been easy.”

But Strauss’s couch time was not wasted; she read obsessively, escaping to other worlds when her own seemed so hopeless.

Sam Strauss relied on her own experiences to create The End. Picture: Mark Taylor

“I read this book called Alex, the story of an Olympic swimmer by the New Zealand author called Tessa Duder. Because I could relate to it, that book saved me,” Strauss says emphatically.

In the book the title character is an athlete who must rise above personal tragedy to achieve her dreams; and somewhere in its pages, Strauss too found the strength to get off the couch and chase hers.

“My mum made me get off the couch, actually,” Strauss laughs, “but reading all those stories made me realise I wanted to be a part of that, to be someone who told stories too, and so I enrolled at Bond to do a film degree.”

One of Strauss’s first assignments at university was to write a short film. She set hers in a retirement village, and so the first flickers of what would become The End were born.

Like the series she would one day create about it, Strauss too, has come full circle.

The End debuts on Foxtel on February 2. Sunday, only in The Binge Guide: exclusive interview with The End’s Harriet Walters and Frances O’Connor.

credits: Geelong Advertiser Australia

[insanityclause]

As Hollywood contemplates the risks and uncertainties around going back into production in the coming months after coronavirus-imposed shutdowns, strategies for scaled-back sets are beginning to emerge. Producers Brian Kavanaugh-Jones and Chris Ferguson — from the companies Automatik (“Honey Boy,” “Bad Education”) and Oddfellows (“Child’s Play”), respectively — have created a proposal titled “Isolation Based Production Plan,” which Variety has obtained.

They began working on it weeks ago, sending versions of the multi-page document to colleagues and industry friends asking for feedback about what in the plan would and would not work. It would be most directly applicable to lower-to-mid-budget movies, but elements of it could be used for other types of productions. The proposal — surely one of many being worked on at studios and production companies in the entertainment industry — sheds light on what types of precautions will need to be taken, and what sacrifices might have to be made for Hollywood to get back to work after the production shutdown that occurred en masse in mid-March.

Kavanaugh-Jones and Ferguson spoke with Variety reluctantly about the plan, because of the sensitivities around scaled-down sets, particularly with unions. They also expressed qualms about speaking out in the current environment, when the idea of going back to work has been politicized, becoming yet another toxic division in the United States. “I wouldn’t want to be misconstrued as advocating for the reopening of production,” Ferguson said. “We’re just building ideas around maybe what could happen when it feels like the right thing.”

They emphasized that their two companies have no timetables to get back into production, and said that the copy of the plan was the fourth or fifth draft of it. Ferguson called it “a living, breathing document.”

The document, as it stands, would require entire production teams to follow stringent rules to minimize the spread of the coronavirus. The entire cast and crew would be in a two-week quarantine before they would begin production, and would be tested. It’s not laid out in the plan, but Kavanaugh-Jones said he envisions treating the production like one in a “distant location,” where “a small crew takes over a hotel that has been aggressively cleaned, and they live there full-time completely quarantined.”

After they complete their quarantine, the proposal lays out that they will be divided into three pods: Pod 1 would be the on-set cast and crew, Pod 2 is base camp (makeup and hair, catering) and Pod 3 is set design/prep. Pod 1 would be a minimum of 17 people, plus the cast — including a director, cinematographer and one on-set producer. Any stunts or VFX supervisors would be additional members of the on-set crew. “I think what we tried to do was apply the indie model to this document,” Kavanaugh-Jones said.

He acknowledged that many actors, directors and other members of production would not want to do it. But others might: “I think there are going to be some people that say, ‘Yeah, I’m up for it. I’ll go self-isolate in a hotel room for 14 days, and have my food delivered by a specific delivery service and wipe everything down and be really aggressive about that, so that on day 15, I can go shoot something with my coworker-slash-castmate who’s done the same.”

In the proposal, costumes, props and sets would also be put in quarantine. Locations and sets would be dressed, and then sealed for three days (or whatever the most conservative estimate is) “to allow viruses on surfaces to die.”

Each pod would have a position called a “quarantine supervisor.” The document contains a job description: “They will each be responsible for supervising and enforcing quarantine and disinfecting protocols. They will also be regularly disinfecting and cleaning common surfaces throughout the day. The Quarantine Supervisor will also check in with each crew member in their pod and check their temperatures.”

The job of quarantine supervisor is, Kavanaugh-Jones said, a “made-up role.” They don’t expect doctors or nurses to take on those responsibilities: “Those folks need to be working at hospitals right now,” he said. Ideally, they said, quarantine supervisors would be unionized health-related specialists with extra training specific to COVID-19.

The production, according to this plan, would also have remote staff, such as the line producer, production manager, buyers and post-production staff (editor, composer, sound mixer).

The changes to production in this plan would be profound, and aesthetics would be affected as well. Hair and makeup, usually a department working on multiple actors at once, would be a single person working on one actor at a time — and not on set. “Makeup application tools & supplies will be purchased per cast member and used only on that individual cast member,” the plan states. “These supplies will be kept in individual cast bags. Cast will remove their own makeup to limit contact at the end of the day.”

Throughout the interview, Kavanaugh-Jones and Ferguson mentioned the types of movies that could be made under these strictures. “Could you go make ‘Avengers’ on this kind of production plan? No,” Kavanaugh-Jones said. “Could you go make ‘127 Hours’? Yes.” Ferguson added that a movie like “300,” Zack Snyder’s effects-heavy 2007 film, something that put “a lot more weight onto post production rather than physical production” could also be produced within these rules.

One dictate of the proposal is that “scripts must be developed and modified to minimize day players” because “there will be no day players” — which would be a huge change for the industry, if implemented widely. The iconic Australian soap opera “Neighbours,” produced by Fremantle Australia, is starting up again next week, without extras and day players. According to the Deadline report about “Neighbours,” the show will use “crew members already on set doubling as background performers,” inflaming several readers in the comments section, who cited SAG-AFTRA’s rules against such things. (SAG-AFTRA does not have jurisdiction over Australian productions. Without seeing this plan’s specifics, David P. White, national executive director, SAG-AFTRA, told Variety: “We have deep concerns about any premature effort to commence production without appropriate safety protocols in place. We will continue our collaboration with industry representatives to develop a responsible plan for a safe return to work, and will aggressively protect SAG-AFTRA’s jurisdiction.”

Additionally, the plan’s proposed bare-bones crew will surely agitate IATSE, the union that represents below-the-line workers — nearly all of whom are out of work right now. But Ferguson and Kavanaugh-Jones emphasize they want to adhere to union rules, and the proposal has a provision to make sure that’s clear: “The production will have to budget for additional days of crew members who will not actually be called to work in order to comply with their jurisdiction’s regulations around minimum hire,” it reads. (IATSE did not immediately respond to a request for comment.)

Additionally, the plan proposes that “shoot days” will be limited to “10-hour days.” Ferguson said that aspect is crucial, because with long days “it’s just going to be impossible to not get sloppy.”

Yes, these things — the 10-hour days, paying crew members not to work — would cost more, Kavanaugh-Jones said: “Everything in that document, everything we’re thinking about is how to prioritize safety over everything else. And if that means that things are going to cost a little bit more or extend a little longer, we’ll just have to decide if that’s possible or not.” Productions in France, he added, have worked 9 1/2-hour days for years.

Whether insurance companies will take a chance on any productions is an open question, and whether financiers would still back a film insured except for a COVID-19 cutout is also a huge question mark. “So how much collective risk are we willing to take as a community?” Kavanaugh-Jones wondered. “That’s going to be the question over the next coming months.”

As for when production might begin again, every answer is imaginary. Whether it’s July, like the TV networks hope it can be, or August or September — no one knows. “Neighbours” starting up again, and film and television production resuming in Sweden and Denmark recently will certainly provide test cases — not cautionary tales, one hopes.

“There is going to be real change and upheaval through all of this, and people are going to have to get really creative and smart,” Kavanaugh-Jones said. “It’s so devastating for so many people. And ultimately that’s the goal of the document — to start the conversation about getting people back to work.”

[artificialqueens]

Not Casual At All: Things Left Unsaid (biadore) - Miss Alyssa Secret

Not Casual At All continues with 5,500 words of biadore smut and feelings, based on the prompt of Danny surprising Roy in his dressing room.  Set this past Wednesday 8 May, before Adore appeared at Rain on Saturday.

Related fics:

ABCD dressing room

What Happens in the Sewing Room

I tried for shameless, plotless porn, but failed spectacularly.  - MAS  

********

Bianca paused across the dressing room threshold, leaning back on the closed door with eyes closed and taking a deep breath.  Opening her eyes, she met her reflected gaze in the mirror with a sigh.

Two shows in one day had them all exhausted, the marathon of a musical so different from her own comedy tour.  Staying in one place for an extended amount of time was wonderful, but the intensity of performing daily (and going from boy to queen in less than twenty minutes) was the trade off.

Even out of drag, meeting fans at the stage door - while always enjoyable - meant she was still wearing Bianca.

Bianca’s name was the one people called out, the one signed on programs and tickets.

Bianca was also the reason that Roy Haylock, costumer by day and sharp-tongued comic by night, was able to travel the world and perform for thousands of fans at sold out venues.

A reporter in the Philippines asked what he would be doing without Bianca.  Leaving aside that she had always existed in his head in the form of biting commentary, it wasn’t a particularly difficult question to answer.  Roy had been more than satisfied draping and designing for Broadway and coming home to his shoebox of an apartment with Sammy and Dede.  Life wasn’t empty without Bianca, just different.

Without her though, he never would have had the experience of Drag Race.  Without Drag Race, Bianca wouldn’t have met Adore and Courtney and Darienne.  And without them - especially Adore - he might not have let down the wall around his heart. 

Tossing his Sharpie on the table, Roy pushed his glasses up and ran a hand over his face.  Being in different corners of the world was hardly unusual, but even the group text was no substitute for spending time in person.  He’d been spoiled by those weeks at home, meeting up with friends for brunch and shopping downtown.  Evenings out at the club or bar dancing and drinking with Adore and her endless supply of wigs.  Lazy days with Danny on his couch talking over everything, followed by nights in the same bed. 

Although he tried to tell himself he missed the sex (true), having Danny around meant more than that and it hardly happened every time they were together.  What did you label having regular, non-committed sex with your best friend?  Friends with benefits was too superficial, and ‘relationship’ felt too shallow to describe the kind of connection that went beyond anything physical. 

Sex with Adore, with Danny, was easy and satisfying.  It was interrupting a movie to suck each other off, a sleepy handjob after waking up together, or (one memorable time) pausing in the middle of fucking for conversation because Danny remembered a new restaurant he wanted to try.  Above all, it felt safe falling into bed with someone he trusted.  It was familiar and undemanding, no awkward morning after, with someone who already knew their way around his house, never mind his body. 

Non-committed didn’t mean fucking tons of other people, at least on Roy’s part.  He wasn’t joking about never knowing whether someone was genuinely interested in him or just wanted to get into Bianca’s wardrobe.  At the end of the day, needing to keep some things personal and private won out.  But asking Danny for - or even talking about - that kind of commitment would be unfair when they were on different continents several months out of the year.  

Speaking of separate continents, they wouldn’t cross paths again for months - Adore’s tour in Australia and Europe out of sync with Bianca’s engagements. 

Someone knocked on the door and he straightened from his slouch at the vanity table, twisting his lips into a smile from their introspective frown. 

“Yeah?” 

The knocking continued. 

“You can come in,” he called, wondering if it was some of the theatre staff who were still being far too polite.

He turned as the door opened, and had half a breath to be surprised before Danny lifted him off the chair into a hug. 

“What-“ The strength of his grip squeezed the air from his lungs, and for a moment Roy let himself relax completely, balanced up on his toes and faces buried in each other’s necks. 

Danny finally let go (and had he waited for him to lean back first?), lacing their fingers together tightly.  He was still carrying an overnight bag and smelled like stale airplane air, clothes rumpled (although with her closet, it was difficult to tell what was intentional and what was yesterday’s laundry on the floor).  There was a hint of eyeliner smeared on his lower lids and a dusting of glitter on the temples along with a few days’ worth of stubble, skating the edge of gender construct as ever. 

Roy opened his mouth to say something, but the sudden tightness in his chest choked the words back.  Instead, he squeezed Danny’s hands in silence, soaking in the warmth of Adore’s sweet smile on his face. 

“Hi.” 

******** 

Danny took a moment to really look at him, taking in the loose black sweater and pants, the slouchy knit hat, and exhausted brown eyes.  Even in his oversized glasses and without paint, he could see traces of Bianca clinging to Roy.  It was more than the red stain of lipstick, something about the way his shoulders were tense as if he couldn’t relax enough to shed her presence. 

Dropping the bag, he sat down and pulled Roy onto his lap with only minor protest.  Roy always ran cold out of drag, and he immediately wrapped both arms around him again.  The weight of his head came to rest on Danny’s shoulder, face hidden against his neck. Despite the days of rehearsals and backstage mayhem, he didn’t seem to be noticeably thinner than when Danny kissed him goodbye a few weeks ago.  Relieved that Roy was at least taking care of his body, Danny focused on his energy as he spoke. 

“What are you doing here?  Not that I’m complaining, I just - aren’t you and Bunny hosting at Rain on Saturday?”  Roy didn’t bother lifting his head, words murmured between them. 

“Yup.” 

“You aren’t staying, are you?”  The question was more of a statement, shaded with a hint of wistfulness. 

“Yeah,” Danny shifted their weight enough to slide one hand underneath the baggy sweater, arm curved against bare skin, “I gotta go back tomorrow night.  I was kind of hoping you’d let me crash with you.”  

The way his body sagged into Danny’s arm was both concerning and something that he’d think about later.  Preferably when he wasn’t completely sober, because his situation with Roy was simultaneously the simplest and the most difficult relationship he had in his life. 

Roy raised his head after a moment, not to reply but to rest their foreheads together.  He smelled like coconut oil makeup remover and the musty aroma somehow present in all theatres no matter how new. 

“What are you doing here, pussyface?” 

As if Roy didn’t already know.  But maybe he needed to hear it said out loud? 

Danny carefully extracted one arm, wrapping fingers around the back of his neck to squeeze gently. 

“I’m here for you, Willow.” 

******** 

Being at a loss for words was becoming a pattern tonight, one that was unfamiliar to Roy.  Clown face or not, he usually had a quick answer; Danny taking a trans-Atlantic flight to see him for less than twenty four hours was something else.  His mental Rolodex didn’t have any entries under ‘Best friend: what to do when they do something completely impractical that you shouldn’t encourage but are very happy they did’. 

There wasn’t any need to fill Danny in on how the show was going so far, no small talk to fill the air.  They’d covered that and more via text message and phone calls. 

“Have I mentioned,” he kept his tone light, “that you’re crazy and I love you?” 

The Adore smile was back, the one that curved her painted lips into a bracket of mischief.  Without lipstick, it settled on Danny’s mouth and only widened when he spoke. 

“Not today yet, but I know you were busy.” 

“I’m glad you’re here.  I’m supposed to tell you that you shouldn’t have wasted money and time when you’ve got a gig coming up, but…” Roy was already aware of the calculation in the back of his mind of how much time they really had together. 

“My turn to do something for you, bitch.” 

“Yeah?” 

Danny could usually read Bianca, and by extension Roy, with little effort.  Except this time, he wasn’t sure what exactly he should do, only that he couldn’t not follow the feeling tugging at the pit of his stomach that Roy needed him.  That feeling had led him to buying a plane ticket before he’d even stopped to consider if it was a good idea.

“Yeah.  I’m yours for the next twelve hours.  Thirteen.  Fifteen?  Whatever it is before 5 pm tomorrow.” 

Voices and footsteps passed outside the door, and Roy inhaled sharply, physically unmoving but the slightest emotional step away that prickled against Danny’s intuition.  He talked casually about energy all of the time, but being with Roy made him aware of everything that much more.  Without that sensitivity blunted by a buzz of any type, it felt like he was pulling back and Danny wasn’t going to let him. 

“Stop it.” 

“What?”  Roy frowned, not sure what he was referring to.  “I should take you to meet everyone.  There’s one of the girls in the cast who you’d love, and-mmmmphhhh“ 

The kiss effectively silenced his attempt to follow what should be proper hosting behavior and Roy lost himself in it without a struggle.  Danny’s mouth was soft against his, the way he flicked the tip of his tongue against the inside of his lips familiar and welcome.  Their mouths moved together slowly in a rhythm of licks and caresses that kept the kiss undemanding.  He could feel the heat radiating from Danny’s hand underneath his shirt, fingers fanned out to press firmly between his shoulders.  His own were buried in Danny’s hair, tugging in a way that was less controlling and more about anchoring them closer together. 

They pulled apart a moment later, Danny’s tongue darting out to catch the threads of saliva connecting their lips. 

“What do you need?”  He spoke the words against Roy’s mouth, not kissing but breathing the same air.  “Like, I’m cool with meeting the other guys if that’s what you want.  Or we can hit up the spots from the last time?  Or go back to yours and…” 

Danny paused for a breath, then frowned and leaned back enough to make steady eye contact.  “If you want me tonight, I’m yours.”  

I’m always yours, even when I’m with someone else. 

“However you wanna do things.  I mean, we don’t have to fuck, like of course I’m down if you are, but-“ 

Without Bianca’s blue eyes, Roy’s were soft with exhaustion and what might be a little bit of relief.  Danny waited, impatient but forcing himself to be still. 

“This- this is good.  Right here, us.” 

“Okay.”  If that’s what Roy wanted, Danny was happy to spend another hour making out in the dressing room.  He’d half expected him to insist on going out, maybe walking the London streets together, or going back to his rented flat and fucking each other into the mattress.  They’d done both over the years, and everything in between, but the slow kissing spoke more to Roy’s emotional state than anything else.  Roy always kissed confidently, sometimes dominant and demanding (Danny enjoyed those, usually because they accompanied the kind of rough sex that left them both coming hard), other times gentler and so sweet it made his chest ache strangely to think about.  Tonight though, his kisses felt almost tentative, as if he was afraid that Danny would change his mind if he pushed too hard. 

“Hold on,” he murmured, gripping Roy’s hips until he took the hint, wrapping his legs around Danny’s waist as he stood.  There was a high table by the window already half covered in bouquets and vases, and Danny pivoted to set him down there. 

“Remember the last time?” Roy laughed quietly. 

Danny paused for a moment, thinking about them in the bathroom of another dressing room a few months ago.  The position was the same, but the mood a polar opposite - hungry lust that night versus sensual comfort in the here and now.  He watched as Roy settled with his back to the wall between windows, clearly replaying that night as well.

“Yeah, but no corset no one waiting on us.  Right?” 

“Shouldn’t be.  Who else knows you’re here?” 

Danny moved to flip the lock on the door, also an improvement from the ABCD venue.  “Just John and Mom.  And the guy who let me in, he wanted to see my ID and everything and said he’d only do it if I signed his ass for his girlfriend.  Oh, and the blonde lady.  Faye?  She said hi when I was coming up the stairs.  And uhh, maybe some people I passed in the hall?” 

Instead of becoming impatient waiting for Danny to finish the list, Roy looked more amused with every name, reading between the lines.  “Okay, so half the cast?” 

“…yeah.  What did you tell them?” 

“Nothing to worry about, pussyface.  Just every dick pic you’ve ever sent me and that video of-“ 

“Hey!  You said you deleted it when I asked you to send it!” 

Roy chuckled, not the showy laugh but something quieter and more intimate. 

“I’m kidding.  And I couldn’t delete it, what else am I going to jerk off to in the tub?” 

“You know,” Danny narrowed his eyes, “I still can’t always tell when you’re serious.” 

That set off a Bianca cackle of glee. 

“Get back here, bitch,” he accompanied the words with a tug on Danny’s shirt.  “I missed you.” 

******** 

Ten minutes later, Roy’s sweater was off but otherwise they were still where they started, necking like teenagers in the backseat of a car with hands above the waist.  Danny was careful not to mark him, nothing that couldn’t be covered up easily.  He might not care right now if his castmates knew what they’d been up to, but Danny really was trying to work on the whole professional thing.  

Roy’s ankles were crossed just below Danny’s ass, and he used them to pull their bodies closer.  He groaned against his lips when the erection Danny had been successfully not grinding into him made contact with his thigh. 

“Was wondering if you were too tired from the flight,” Roy teased. 

“Hey, I can’t help it!”  He’d been trying to let Roy set the (extremely slow) pace and not push for more.  “You make me hard.”  Something else was contributing as well, but he kept that to himself for now.  

“Save it till we get back?  Should be a taxi outside, and-“ Roy was already hopping off the table and shoving clothes into his bag. 

“I can, but we don’t have to wait if you don’t want.” 

Slipping his glasses back on, Roy pinned him with a look.  “I really don’t have anything on me in here.  And-“ 

Danny cut him off again, actually ahead of Roy’s infamous over-preparedness for once.  Way ahead.  Possibly the only time, but he’d take it.  He reached into the outer pocket of his own bag, coming up with a travel sized bottle of lube and a condom. 

“Ta da!” 

As he watched, Roy licked his lips and closed his eyes briefly.  When they opened again, he shivered in anticipation at the hungry expression.  Danny recognized the signs of suppressed arousal, and moved closer until they were toe to toe.  

“You can have me right here,” he whispered intimately, “if that’s what you want.” 

“Considering what I’d like to do, you’d be more comfortable at mine.” The calmness of Roy’s voice was belied by his hands clenching against Danny’s sides.

“Nuh uhh.  I’m ready.” 

“…what?” 

“Airport.  Delta lounge.  I told you, I’m here for you however you need.” 

Roy’s gulp was audible, and Danny’s smile widened.  Apparently Bianca was the one picking up Adore’s traits, and not the other way around.  Glancing down, he could see a bulge outlined by Roy’s thin pants, nipples hard against the fabric of his tank top. 

“In fact…” Danny trailed his hand across Roy’s chest, tweaking a nipple through his shirt before sliding down to cup his growing erection.  “I’ve got a surprise for you.” 

It took a moment for the words to register, and Roy’s mouth was dry when he finally spoke. 

“More than just being here?” 

Danny caught Roy’s hands, lifting them to run his tongue over the sensitive skin between his fingers.  Truth be told, he was a bit uncomfortable, but the thought of doing something for Roy who was always a generous lover…well, it didn’t take away the slight awkwardness, but it was worth it. 

He guided their joined hands behind his back, nudging Roy to slip his hand under the waistband of his jeans.  His fingers skated over the edge of the jockstrap, squeezing a little more aggressively as they moved towards the center.  Danny locked their eyes together, tongue flicking across Roy’s palm as his other hand pulled aside the thong and came in contact with silicone. 

Danny had precisely six seconds between Roy finding the plug and then finding himself face down across the table.  All traces of diffidence and hesitation gone, he ground his clothed erection against Danny’s ass and grabbed a fistful of hair to yank his head back sharply.  His eyes were dark with want when their gazes met, breath fanning hot over Danny’s cheek. 

Roy paused for a fraction of a second, waiting for Danny’s slight nod.  The kiss he pressed to Danny’s temple was gentle acknowledgement before using his grip to shove him back down roughly.  His hands made quick work of Danny’s fly, jeans dropping to the floor for him to step out of and revealing the black straps hidden underneath.  Roy moaned low in his throat at the sight.  Danny’s ass was just as gorgeous as his thousands of Instagram followers knew, framed and lifted by the underwear, but he wasn’t bending over for them. 

He took the opportunity to look his fill, discarding his own loose pants and shirt and giving his cock a few slow strokes.  Danny wiggled his ass enticingly, and Roy could see him grinning against the tabletop, reflected in the lights on the window.  He squeezed one cheek and then the other before slapping Danny’s hip sharply. 

“You fucking cunt,” he groaned, affection warring with lust in his voice, “I can’t believe you.” 

Danny responded by reaching back to wrap his fingers around Roy’s cock, rubbing the head firmly against his ass.  “Only for you.” 

It was meant to be seductive and smug, but the quiet sincerity hung in the air between them, even as Roy could feel himself leaking over Danny’s fingers.  There was that thing they didn’t discuss.  

He leaned forward to kiss the back of Danny’s neck, fumbling for the condom as nimble fingers smeared the wetness down his shaft.  Danny’s thumb flicked over the slit, and Roy moaned out a curse, unable to resist thrusting into the tight grip. 

Pulling back reluctantly, he rolled the condom on and reached for the lube, running a teasing finger along the strap of Danny’s thong.  As he popped open the bottle, he took the opportunity to hook his finger underneath and stretched the strap before letting go abruptly.  It pinged back, the sound of elastic striking the silicone overshadowed by Danny’s surprised yelp. 

“Motherfu-“ 

Roy repeated the action, wicked grin forming as Danny whined. 

“I’m not fucking anyone’s mother.  Pussy isn’t-” 

“Fuck off.”  Danny twisted to look at him over his shoulder, face gone serious.  “Bianca isn’t invited tonight.” 

The automatic response was ninety five percent Roy, but he knew what Danny meant. "Sorry.“

“Hurry up, I’m fucking horny as fuck.”  Danny’s voice was back to playful, and Roy drizzled a generous amount of lube over his cock, hissing at the cool liquid. 

As soon as he set the bottle down, Danny was shimmying out of the thong, jockstrap still in place.  Pressing his chest against the table, he spread his legs a little wider and Roy was treated to the sight of dark purple silicone against skin shining with slickness that had nothing to do with his cock.  He’d have to remember to ask Danny later about fingering himself open in an airport bathroom… 

Tracing the base of the plug with one finger, Roy leaned forward until he was nuzzling right under Danny’s ear.  “Sure?  Last chance to change your mind and we can do this in a bed.” 

Danny looked up through heavy-lidded eyes.  Even Adore at her most seductive had nothing on his kiss-bitten lips and the invitation written in the curve of his back.  Roy knew full well it wasn’t surrender or submission.  Sex between them was as hot as it was precisely because they both kept a modicum of control. 

“Fuck.  Me.” 

The velvet-smooth, whiskey-deep demand went straight to his cock, balls tightening.  Straightening, he pinned Danny to the table with a hand between his shoulders and pulled the plug out before pushing all the way in in a single powerful thrust.  A loud moan that rose to end on a breathless whimper punched out from Danny’s lungs, and Roy let go of his shoulder to slap the hand over his mouth instead. 

He dropped the body warmed silicone and wrapped his fingers around the crest of Danny’s hip, gripping just below the band of his jockstrap.  It took a few seconds for the thrill of feeling Danny snug and slick and oh so hot around his cock to settle into something manageable.  When it felt like he wasn’t teetering on the edge of coming, he pulled out almost all the way before snapping his hips forward again once, twice, a dozen times in quick succession. 

Danny’s hands braced against the windowsill, shoving back to meet Roy’s thrusts.  Reflected in the glass, he looked drunk on lust, eyes unfocused and cheeks red above Roy’s hand as he pulled in harsh breaths through his nose.  Each slap of his hips meeting Danny’s ass was followed with muffled moans and whines vibrating against his palm. 

Danny gripped the sill with knuckles gone white, fighting for the leverage to match Roy’s forceful fucking.  Roy was thick enough that he’d be feeling the stretch for hours after they finished, even with the ample preparation.  Every thrust pushed his hips against the edge of the table, bursts of friction against fabric an insufficient tease for his own painfully hard cock. 

On any given day, Danny wasn’t particularly inclined to bottom for most of his partners.  Besides the physical discomfort, it was difficult to be that vulnerable, and equally challenging to come during the act of fucking itself.  Roy was, as ever, an exception.  They still had occasional moments of awkwardness, but it was so much easier to manage when you weren’t worried about what the other person was thinking.  The sound of Roy’s moans alone, the barely audible whimper when he bottomed out, the half-choked back fucks and so good he forced out, were pure erotic music.  Coupled with what Danny could see reflected in the window…more than enough to keep him hard and leaking. 

The vanity bulbs cast their corner of the room in harsh light and shadow, washing out colors and bringing details into sharp contrast.  Roy’s eyes were mostly closed, mouth open as he gasped for air, lips and chest flushed a dusky hue.  His hair was soaked with sweat and clinging to his forehead, stomach muscles flexing with every powerful thrust.      

Shifting his chin up, Danny set his teeth against Roy’s palm and bit down.  He felt so open, but it wasn’t enough.  Not yet.   

Their eyes met in the glass, Danny’s heavy with desire and Roy’s glazed over with pleasure.  He slowed the rhythm of his hips, pulling his hand back from Danny’s mouth as he buried his cock deep before leaning down.  Danny’s whimper in response was drowned out by Roy’s husky growl as he clenched down.  Turning his head, he met Roy’s mouth in an awkwardly angled kiss. 

“Still okay?”  The hand that had been squeezing bruises into Danny’s hip came up to stroke the hair back from his face. 

“…yeah.  M’good.” 

Roy shuddered at the sound of Danny’s sex-ruined voice, hips giving an involuntary jerk.  He curved his fingers around Danny’s cheek in an intimate gesture at odds with the roughness moments ago. 

“Do you -  oh fuck…do you want to change?”  

Danny nodded, pushing his chest off the table and wincing as Roy pulled out.  He boosted himself up to lie flat, smiling thanks when Roy tucked his discarded sweater between his head and the painted brick.  The jockstrap joined the pile of other clothes on the floor and he planted both feet on the edge of the table, legs spread wide around Roy’s hips. 

Black-nailed fingers carefully traced his stretched hole, slicking it with more lube before sliding inside to stroke the cool liquid onto heated flesh. 

“Fuuuuuuuuuuuccccckkkk,” Danny breathed out, palming his own cock and smearing sticky pre-come across the shaft.  The moan turned into a series of whimpers when Roy moved his hand aside, replacing it with his own fingers. 

”Don’t gotta.”  Danny caught his hand clumsily as Roy reached for a condom.  “ ‘m clean.”

“Bitch,” that was definitely a stare Bianca borrowed from Roy as he paused mid-stroke, “why didn’t you tell me before?”

”Not walking back with your cum dripping out of my-“ His words cut off with a moan when Roy deliberately twisted the fingers still knuckle-deep in his ass.

”When have I ever- never mind.”  

Tossing the condom aside, he licked a wet stripe from base to tip, smearing pre-come over his lips, then curled his tongue around the leaking head to draw it into his mouth.   Danny thrust up into heat and tightness, cock sliding over Roy’s swollen lips as he sucked and finger-fucked him.  Two fingers became three, Roy’s moans matching Danny’s with every thrust as he lost himself in pleasuring him.

Danny tugged on his hair a minute later, and Roy let his cock fall from his mouth reluctantly.  He stood with a kiss to a trembling inner thigh, slipping his fingers out. 

“Ready?” 

“Mmmmhmmmm.” 

Danny pressed his shoulders against the table, arching up in invitation.  He kept his eyes open, locked on Roy as he pushed back in slowly.  Catching one of Danny’s legs in the crook of his arm, Roy tipped his hips up to slide in deeper than before.  He paused there, buried to the hilt in Danny’s ass and rocking gently.  

“Fuck…” ��If Danny voice was lust-drunk before, he sounded positively fucked out now.  “Oh fuck, B…”  

“Yeah? S’it good?”  Roy kept up the barely-there roll of his hips, fucking into him in a way that made them both moan and Roy wish that he could feel it without a layer of latex between them. That was something (the one thing?) they’d never tried, mutual avoidance of even discussing the possibility.  Roy told himself it was only because it was too risky despite precautions… too much like commitment.

Danny wrapped his free leg around Roy’s trim waist, slipping against sweaty skin and fingers tracing the line left from the corset.  He clamped his heel against the small of his back, effectively preventing Roy from pulling out more than a couple of inches.  Every movement Roy made inside of him felt exquisitely sensitive, from the stretch of his sore hole around the thick cock to the spark of lightning up his spine when he bottomed out.  

Reaching up, he traced over Roy’s throat, fingers traveling across his chin to caress his lips.  Roy caught a teasing finger gently between his teeth and wrapped his lips around it.  Mimicking the actions performed on Danny’s cock, he sucked the full length and lavished attention on the fingertip with his tongue while moaning around it.

The wet pop when Danny pulled his finger free went straight to his balls.  He tugged Roy down until their lips met, hips setting up a counterpoint to the deliciously slow fucking.  Roy always kissed with his eyes open, something that Danny didn’t understand but appreciated in the urgent kisses as they panted into each other’s mouth.  Despite the obscenely sexual context, his eyes held a different kind of intensity mingled with lust.

When Roy tilted his hips a little further up, the new angle provoked a breathless whimper.  He concentrated his thrusts until he heard it again and focused on driving his cock into that spot over and over, Danny’s whimpers mingling with his own satisfied moans.  Danny’s hand dropped from behind his neck, knocking aside bouquets to clamp onto the edge of the table.  Petals scattered around and underneath him and onto the floor, filling the room with the heady scent of roses.

Roy slid his hand underneath Danny’s head, fingers gripping sex-tangled hair as he pressed their cheeks together, needing to be somehow closer.  The motion pushed Danny’s leg further back against his chest, nails digging into Roy’s arm with every thrust.  Maintaining his white-knuckled grip on the table felt like the only thing keeping him anchored, the only thing keeping Danny from blurting out endearments and pleas and promises on each breath.  

He bit down on Roy’s shoulder when he felt his free hand slide between them to circle his cock, jerking him off in tight strokes.  The relentlessly deliberate rhythm of fucking was driving them both to the edge.  Moments later, a wordless, high-pitched whine meant Roy was close, chasing his own orgasm and determined to bring Danny along.  

“Oh fuck…” Roy’s exclamation was barely audible over the sound of their bodies meeting.  “Close, angel.  Can’t…M’gonna-“

Danny clenched down around him, growling against Roy’s shoulder before releasing it from his teeth.  His voice was raspy, ruined when he whispered, “Let go.  Come for me.”

Roy inhaled sharply, driving his cock as far in as possible, and came with a strangled moan. Danny kept up a string of satisfied murmurs and yes, that’s it as Roy rode out his orgasm, hand gone slack between them.  

Letting go of the table, he pushed the nerveless hand aside and rapidly stroked himself, hips rocking to rub the head of his cock against Roy’s stomach.  Roy was still coming down when Danny arched underneath him and cried out his own release, whimpering as he tensed around his over sensitive cock.

Danny opened his eyes an indeterminate amount of time later, legs dropping to hang off the edge of the table.  Roy wasn’t precisely dead weight on his upper body, but it wasn’t far off.  His hand moved to the slick place where they were joined together, caressing the still-throbbing shaft before shoving Roy back with his knuckles.  

“Out.  Sore.”

Roy was gentle pulling out, but he still winced at the slide.  Catching the expression before he could hide it, Roy frowned.

“Too hard?”

”Nah.”

”You’re supposed to tell me if it hurts.”  Roy paused with the condom halfway off, concern written over his face.  “Pussyface, I’ll stop.  You know that.”

”Nuh uhh.”  Speaking in more than single syllables seemed like too much work. “S’good. Just…” Danny’s lips twitched into a hint of a smile, “you.  You’re big.”

Roy huffed out a breath of laughter, reaching for a makeup towel and bottle of water to clean them off.  He soothed the skin with soft touches as he swept away lube and sweat before wiping the cum off their bodies.  A twinge of guilt tugged at him when Danny hissed as he held him open to run the towel gently between his legs.  

Tossing the damp towel into a pile, he held out his hands.

”C’mere.”

They ended up collapsing on the nearby couch together, Danny half on top of him.  The silence was filled with breathing slowly returning to normal, air now stuffy with the smell of sex and crushed roses.

”Thank you.”

Danny raised his head at the quiet words.  Roy wasn’t usually chatty after sex, preferring to communicate in touch until they finished coming down. 

Unsure of the meaning, he answered with a noncommittal, “Mmmm?”

”For this.  Doing this for me.”  Danny tried to prop himself up further, pausing when Roy’s arms tightened around his shoulders.

”What…?  I got off too.”  He pushed against Roy’s chest until he loosened his grip enough for Danny to see his face.

Roy’s dark eyes were half-lidded in sated pleasure, but they were filled with the same intense something from earlier while they were fucking.

He chose the next words carefully, even as he still wasn’t quite sure why it felt important. 

“Anything for you, Willow.”