#Subtle references to Hamilton

[formulawolff]

ii. eighteen minutes - t.w.

pairing: reserve fem driver!reader x toto wolff

word count: 2.5k

warnings: morally gray individuals, slow burn, sexual content (intercourse), allusions to sexual content, cursing, marijuana use, references to alcohol use, lots of power imbalance, questionable boss x employee dynamics, light toxicity, slight controlling tendencies from toto

a/n: here’s the second chapter of my new baby. i really like the direction of this fic & i hope y’all do too. also, i really wanna clarify and say that the reader, toto, and max are NOT supposed to be good people. they are supposed to be written as people who have flaws + make mistakes. i hope y’all enjoy! <3

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ────── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ────── ･ ｡ﾟ☆:

“look at you! come on now, do a little spin for me.”

sucking in a breath, you swivel on your heel, turning in a tight circle. lewis nods in approval, his tongue swiping along his lower lip.

“who knew a fire suit could look so good on someone? if you’re not careful, you may have quite a few drivers in your dms later. me included!”

“stop,” you hiss through gritted teeth, “it’s a little tighter than i would like in some areas.”

lewis’ lips purse, the british driver eyeing every inch of the suit, “that’s not necessarily a bad thing–”

“could you stop harassing our sweet girl?” 

george strolls through the entrance of the garage, arms folding over his chest. lewis rolls his eyes, mouth forming a pout as george plucks a strand of hair from your right rib-cage, “how come you get to be that close?”

“because i don’t sexualize her every five seconds,” george mutters, shaking his head, “how are you feeling? nervous?”

“nervous?” a dry laugh erupts from the base of your throat, “i’m clenching my cheeks right now. i’m afraid i’m going to shit myself.”

“it’ll pass,” george shrugs, “soon the adrenaline will kick in and you’ll be fine. don’t stress yourself out too much. it’s only qualifying.”

“it’s only my first qualifying in formula one,” you counter, wiping your slick palms on your suit, “it’s only my debut as one of the few female drivers in a male-dominated sport. it’s only the first time the other teams will get to watch me drive and–”

“you just want to look good for red bull,” lewis waves a hand, “don’t act all coy over there. we’ve seen your interviews. we know you have an interest in joining the dark side.”

“the dark side?” you arch a brow, “what does that mean?”

“you’d be under the helm of christian horner if you went over to red bull,” george exhales, his hands settling on his hips, “that’s a no-no in the mercedes handbook. so, we refer to it as the dark side.”

“oh,” a slight wave of shame blazes within you as you sense the subtle scrutiny radiating off the british drivers as they pick you apart, anticipating your response, “i just wanted to showcase my capabilities, that’s all.”

“there’s no harm in that,” lewis whistles, “after all, a lot of seats are up for grabs. several long-term contracts for drivers are going to be up after the season. 2025 is going to be one interesting year. that’s for sure.”

“indeed,” george nods, “not a lot will change around here though. i’ll be sticking around. so will lewis.”

at george’s statement, you notice the way lewis tenses up, almost freezing in place. yet, he loosens up the moment another individual enters the paddock, the driver bearing a meek smile.

“howdy, toto!”

“guten morgen,” the team principal is almost cold, showing no emotion as he approaches the three of you, “i assume the two of you briefed our little hase on our strategy for qualifying this weekend?”

“yep,” lewis dips his head, “she’s chomping at the bit to get a hot lap in!”

“ah!” the team principal’s head turns in your direction, a smug smirk now apparent, “is that so?”

fuck you, lewis hamilton. fuck you big time. 

“yup!” you swallow thickly, shifting in place, “i’m ready!”

in reality, there was nothing more than you wanted in that moment to be in max’s arms, snuggling against his chest as his hands roamed, rubbing gentle circles into your back. 

as much as you shunned those feelings that bubbled to the surface whenever he was near, there was one thing that you could not deny. 

he knew how to make you feel safe. 

and god did you wish he was at your side, your fingers intertwined together. even the sound of his voice was enough to soothe your nerves.

if only he was here right now.

if only.

due to the nature of formula one’s guidelines, in order to replace george, you would have to participate in at least one of the practice sessions on the track. which, since qualifying was considered a practice session, you would be given the okay to compete. however, there was the more petrifying aspect of it all.

qualifying determined the grid.  

if you did not perform, then mercedes would be at the bottom of the grid, fighting their way to the top in order to earn points. if you did not manage to snag a position in the top ten, then you would not earn any points. 

and no team wanted zero points. 

especially at the beginning of the season where a high-caliber team like mercedes wanted to make a statement. 

so, it was up to you to set that tone. 

to prove that you were not only a worthy competitor, but also that you were capable of earning points. 

talk about a pivotal point in your formula one career.

a point which would hopefully last more than eighteen minutes. 

hopefully.

“all right,” toto clears his throat, placing a hand on your shoulder, “come with me. we’re going to go on over to the car. i’m going to have you meet with bono, marcus, and james. they are going to give you a little insight about the new upgrades to the car, along with some adjustments we’ve made since sakhir.”

“sounds good,” letting out a shaky breath, you follow the team principal’s lead, dipping your head to fellow members of the crew as they wave, circling around you like vultures. they appear eager, poised to pounce at any given moment. with every passing second, the tension in the air thickened, a buzz beginning to grow among the garage. 

of course, they were talking about you. 

this was the first time you were going to be behind the wheel of their car. the car that they had worked tirelessly on over the course of weeks, if not months. the car they had poured all of their passion, their energy, and their resources into. the car that required numerous donations and sponsorships to build, craft, and perfect. 

a car that was worth millions. 

and it was up to you to ensure that the car came out unscathed, without a single scratch or dent.

some pressure that was.

and god, was it starting to weigh on your shoulders.

“before you speak to the team, i need to tell you something.”

you pause, cocking your head, “yes?”

toto leans forward, his mouth hovering merely millimeters by your ear. 

“don’t fuck this up, hase. the moment you get behind the wheel of that car you are going to do one of two things for me. one, you manage to qualify in the top ten for tomorrow. or two, you crumble under the pressure and crash the car.

if you crash the car, you’re fucking done. you will never step foot inside brackley ever again. i will release you from your contact the very moment you make it back to the paddock. so don’t fuck this up, yeah? i’m sure you don’t want to lose your cushy little lifestyle in the reserves.”

a shiver courses down your spine, fear bubbling up in the pit of your stomach as he towers over you, wearing a sickeningly smug grin. however, that terror only lasts a second, dissipating as retaliation takes over. it’s fiery and hot, your jaw clenching as your fists form tightly wound balls. 

“fuck you,” you manage to spit out, “fuck you, toto wolff.”

“that’s exactly what i wanted to hear,” he coos, breath hot as it fans against your ear, “good girl.”

“fuck you,” you sneer, “if you utter so much another word to me, i’m crashing the fucking car.”

toto wolff couldn’t help but let the satisfaction course through his veins as you glower, folding your arms tightly against your chest as you make your way over to the huddle of engineers and crew. you were almost stomping, your steps a little louder than usual. 

he had you right where he wanted you.

tensed up, fury filling you to the brim. your brows pinched together with dismay, a frown etched across your features. the toes of your shoe tapping away against the floor, itching to feel the wheel beneath your fingertips. impatient as ever, the fear of loss mixed with the desire to win creating a dangerous yet lethal mix. 

a loaded gun, merely seconds away from firing. 

to toto, this was necessary. 

this was the only way he was going to make you a champion. 

you see, toto wolff made no mistakes.

he was a calculated individual, carefully plotting and carrying out every single move when it came to the decisions made by the team. no detail, no matter how miniscule or trivial was finalized without his permission. no contract was signed without his presence. no calls were made without his knowledge. 

so, the decision to replace george with the reserve driver for the first grand prix was not a decision that was made lightly.

in his eleven years at mercedes, the team principal had witnessed it all. with eight constructors’ championships, seven driver’s championships, and a stake in the team, toto was a dominant force in the world of formula one. he had seen his fair share of controversies, faced backlash from the media, and harbored his secrets. 

although he thought he had seen just about everything there was to see in formula one, that all changed the moment he saw your face. 

that was the exact moment in which toto wolff’s entire world came to a screeching halt. 

that was the moment in which he knew he had to have you. 

he knew he needed you at mercedes. 

no matter the cost. no matter the stakes. no matter the risk.

he had lewis hamilton to thank for that. 

it all happened one race weekend in zandvoort. toto could recall the memory perfectly, down to the exact minute. he could remember the way lewis was toting you around, your arm entwined with his. it was in the garage, as lewis was giving you a tour, showing you around a little bit, introducing you to a few prominent members of the team. 

at first glance, toto was under the impression you were just another fuck for the british driver, another innocent girl that fell victim to the bachelor’s charming ways.

that all changed when lewis introduced you as the prodigy of prema racing, the one who shattered records and obliterated barriers.

the next world champion pf formula two. that was, if you played your cards right.

the next face of the mercedes team, if toto played his cards right. 

as fate would have it, you did earn that title. 

in turn, that achievement ended up changing the trajectory of your life. it opened up numerous doors, more than you ever thought were possible. brands reached out to you through social media, inquiring about sponsorships. fans praised you across social media, stating that you were a trailblazer for the world of motorsports. 

most importantly, it opened the door to formula one. 

you had toto wolff to thank for that. 

with the help of lewis, he was the one who got the ball rolling on your contract. he was the one who took a chance on the hot-headed, bratty driver. he was the one who called you, inquiring if you wanted to sign a two-year deal with mercedes. you would be in the reserves, but you would be on the team, nonetheless. 

although you were not the first or second driver sitting in a seat, toto was well aware of the potential brewing within you. 

which, was partially the reason why you were competing today. 

he wouldn’t have made the call if he did not believe in you. 

as you slip into the car, he lingers at the helm of the control panel, sliding on a pair of headphones. 

“one, two, radio check. hase, can you hear me?”

your voice, so sweet and delicate, floods his ears, “i can hear you, toto.”

“good, good,” he tuts, “okay team, let’s have a good qualifying, yeah?”

as the remainder of the crew finish the check, the team principal’s gaze fixates on the reserve driver. her helmet was a little too big, but he could make out her lashes as they fluttered, her head bobbing along as the team buzzed about, ensuring that everything was in perfect order. 

a member of the crew flashes toto a thumbs up, signaling that it was time.

“all right hase,” with every fiber in his being, the team principal fights a grin as you mimic the wave of a princess, a gloved hand rotating back and forth as the car lurches out of the garage.

“es ist zeit zu gehen.”

the second you sailed on to that track,, your foot pressing on the gas, any doubt or fear dissolved, replaced by nothing but pure, electrifying adrenaline. 

“all right ms. reserves,” marcus’ voice seeps into your right ear, “let’s see what you can do.”

when it came to qualifying, all it took was one lap. 

one singular lap to prove yourself. 

and by god, that’s what you were going to do. 

you were going to prove yourself that you were more than just a body in the reserves. you were going to prove to the world of formula one that you were dominant on the track, just as you were in formula two. you were a world champion. 

the only woman in your sport to ever accomplish that magnificent of a feat. 

one of a kind.

the longer you were on the track, the more you realized how your body longed to be behind the wheel. the bells and whistles of the car came easily to you, really. natural, even. just as you had practiced in the simulator. 

your reflexes were sharp, on point with every turn of the chicane. your feet rotated back and forth between the gas and brake with ease, almost as if they had a mind of their own, like they knew this circuit by heart. 

before you knew it, you were sailing back toward the pits, to the mercedes garage. the chatter of the radio was almost like white noise to you, as you had paid no mind to the voices that filtered in and out of your helmet. part of you felt a sense of guilt for not listening to the engineers or crew. although, at the end of the day, you were the one driving the damn car.

coming to a halt at the garage, you pit, flipping the visor up. members of the crew swarm your car. yet, the only one you really make out is toto. with his broad stature and powerful aura, he was truly hard to miss. 

the team principal leans over, one hand resting against the halo of the car. 

the other taps your helmet, the corners of his lips tugging into a broad smile. 

for the first time, you make note of his dimples. how they soften his chiseled features. 

and for the first time, you can’t help but notice how gorgeous toto wolff is when he smiles. 

“congratulations, hase,” a chuckle rumbles in his chest, his hand lingering on your helmet. 

“with the fastest lap on the track, you’ve made it to the second session of qualifying.”

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ────── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ────── ･ ｡ﾟ☆:

taglist: @sweetjellyfishland @ts1m1kas @bxuzi @racecardilfs @bblouifford @justacornerofmybrain @irishmanwhore @noooway555 @sleutherclaw @okdokeygryssel63 @jeannealicette @marknolee @allyisalright-blog

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

The Current event makes me smile since it kind of confirms a headcanon I had that the Great Seven have animated movies based on them. Makes me wonder about the plot of the movies

Disney should get on the Twisted Wonderland AU Animated Remakes. What is Ursula was a good witch, what if Scar was right to take the throne and did he take it from Mufasa? (Or whoever is the stand in for him)

The Evil/Beautiful Queen...actually GOOD?

Yeah, it makes sense! Since the Great Seven are historical figures and the stuff of legends, surely there would be popular media made in their image. It’s like how the Disney fairy tales borrow from stories in the public domain or how there are historical retellings and reinventions (Hamilton, anyone?).

I believe TWST has mentioned films based on their own stories and history before too, but purely in the animated sense rather than live action. In book 3, Ace and one of the Atlantica Museum guards talk about an animated movie based on the tale of the mermaid princess and her prince; this movie is said to have come out ~30 years ago, which corresponds with Disney’s animated The Little Mermaid. Ace compliments the movie’s soundtrack too way to stroke your own ego, Disney/j.

Later on in Tapis Rouge, the characters discuss other films based on the Great Seven, including one Queen of Hearts movie. A Sea Witch movie is also mentioned; in it, she “goes gigantic” and also sings as she brews potions. The Octatrio quite enjoy this particular film.

(Side note: Another anon once suggested to me that people probably also write fanfics of Neige and Vil since they’re celebrities… Think like “My mom sold me to One Direction?!” Wattpad kinds of fics, but replace One Direction with Vil or something. You can read those post here!)

It’s… interesting this event specifically has Vil promoting a live action adaption of an in-universe animated film about the Beautiful Queen—an animated film which was the first full-color animated movie AND it originally released close to 90 years ago. They also reference the funding issues that Disney suffered while producing Snow White + inviting bank employees in to preview the movie to acquire more investments, stating that the studio that made the animated Beautiful Queen experienced the same. The in-game live action is even slated to come out “NEXT YEAR”. They’re not being subtle here with TWST’s references to their own version of the irl Disney Snow White (the live action is coming out in 2025, the OG is also almost 90 years old, etc.). I wonder if the EN server will actually get Tapis Rouge around the time of the irl release of Disney’s live action Snow White as part of a promotional campaign? 😂

UPDATE: There are even more not-so-subtle references to Disney animations in part 4 of the event, including discussion of cel animation, rotoscoping, adding blush to the characters, and how Disney brought in real animals/observed the “real thing” to help with animating similar scenes or subjects. They also cheekily say that most animation nowadays is CG 💀

I know some books under Disney publishing try to show alternate tellings or show the villains in a more sympathetic light, but I don’t know that they would ever commit to fully animating a film like that. It definitely would not happen in the style of traditional animation, Disney no longer seems well-equipped to handle that task 😔 I feel like it would also be pretty niche or might not get overwhelming positive reception with recent audience calls for “true bad guys” instead of twist or sympathetic villains (though I’m not sure what percentage of people watching Disney actually have this opinion).

I do wonder how those “AU” films would work though…? It wouldn’t be as simple as suddenly turning the G7 into “good guys”. The scenario and other characters would also have to drastically change. TWST doesn’t necessarily make the original “good guys” “bad” in a world where the villains are historical figures; we still hear plenty of positive or neutral stories about the achievements of the mermaid princess and other Disney heroes.

There are also times when the same story diverges into multiple separate stories that seemingly have no connection to one another. For example, there is a story where a princess marries a street rat (clearly referencing Aladdin) and they live happily ever after in spite of the difference in their social statuses. However, there simultaneously exists a story in which the Sorcerer of the Sands saves a princess from being deceived by a fake prince (also referencing Aladdin). The same goes for the mermaid princess (Ariel)—there is both a story referring to a “mermaid princess” who married a human prince and also a different story (clearly still pulled from the same film) about a mermaid who made a deal with the Sea Witch to find true love but broke her contract in the end.

Very cool idea, just not sure where it would lead or it it’s feasible or worth it monetarily for Disney.

[agendabymooner]

the royal wildcard ! esteban o. x ofc (british princess!actress!ofc)

summary: albertine ‘albie’ spencer was born months before her parents got divorced and years later, she plays a massive role as a royal rebel and a certain alpine-renault’s partner. somehow, the british media didn’t get a glance at another surprise that came directly from the source.

content warning: princess ofc without the princess manners, esteban ocon is a nerd and i love him ur honour, vine + hamilton reference (nothing cringe i promise), royal family issue, absence of father and mother figure, wedding/marriage announcement, pierre gasly appearance

note: changed my profile and posted this! i couldn’t go to sleep knowing i should just post this now. press the photos to view the whole posts. enjoy xx

masterlist

tagged estebanocon

liked by pierregasly, mickschumacher, lance_stroll

user1 you and your what 😀😀

user2 say sike rn albie.

user3 is that a croissant in estie’s hand

user4 why are you worried about the uneaten croissant? she literally just called him husband 😭

albertinespencer he accidentally dropped the croissant

user3 STAWPPPP HE ACTUALLY DROPPED THE CROISSANT? 😭

lance_stroll he actually made you a spider-man fan oh my god liked by albertinespencer

albertinespencer i was being watched as i changed my watch background

kitty.spencer that mask is not a good disguise if you were to ask me 😂 liked by albertinespencer

albertinespencer we hardly tried 😂

kitty.spencer i’ll teach you more about disguising when you and estie visit uk 😉

user5 i can no longer sleep knowing that estie is now prince esteban

user6 this is the wildest of all wildcards to have happened this season ngl

estebanocon i didn’t think you’d see me looking at that photo of you and spiderman 🥲 liked by albertinespencer

albertinespencer but i love you for it, my darling ❤️

pierregasly next time invite me on one of your trips smh 😠 liked by albertinespencer

albertinespencer i didn’t know one piece of french comes in a pack of two did i?

tagged albertinespencer

liked by joshoconnor, harrystyles, charles_leclerc

charles_leclerc siuuuuuuuu liked by estebanocon

user1 the subtle spiderman things 😭 he got her hooked on marvel fr

user2 diana’s ring being matched with esteban’s own has got to be the sweetest shit i can cry on 😩 how long have you two been planning this??

estebanocon i’ve had it in my mind for two years!

user2 STAWP you’re making me fall harder for you

kitty.spencer you two are so perfect together 😍😘 liked by estebanocon

estebanocon this is a lot coming from you kit! ❤️

landonorris can’t believe that MY PRINCESS is married to my friend

user3 now bow down to prince estie lololol you too georgerussell63 alex_albon

alex_albon i always pegged her as a jude bellingham fan tbh

georgerussell63 meh, she gave mason mount vibes :/

albertinespencer 🥲 i support west ham

alex_albon boooooooo 👎

user4 short wife 🤝 tall husband liked by estebanocon

albertinespencer stoooop because you’re goofy smile literally had me when i walked down the aisle liked by estebanocon

albertinespencer like i almost tripped love 😩 i almost lost half of our dignity in one go liked by estebanocon

albertinespencer it doesn’t matter as long as you know i’d fall for you in a literal sense, anything hardly matters liked by estebanocon

albertinespencer here’s to the time we have ahead of us mon cœur!!! i love you so much estie 🍾🥂💕 liked by estebanocon

estebanocon you’re one of a kind, ma reine 😍

bonus !!!

[pityroadart]

since the tags on my Lewis hands painting have mostly been along the lines of #WATERCOLOR?! HOW? (thank you!!) I figured I may as well do a wee step by step of how I painted the skin)

(disclaimer: I did not take many photos of the different stages, so you'll just have to trust the power of my narration)

(above) first up: the reference was from the Met Gala, as posted on Lewis Hamilton's Instagram. I can't take credit for the framing/pose — that was all the photographer

here's my cleaned up sketch and the first couple layers — I did a wash of colour on the hands first (quin burnt sienna PO48 quin maroon PR209 pigments my beloved, the best for warmer/deeper skin tones), added in a layer of shadows in the same colour to build structure, then got the inky black background in (mostly burnt umber PBr7 & French ultramarine PB29 I believe, with a bit of Roman Szmal's shadow grey too)

I kinda wish I'd left the background like that, but hey this whole piece was an experiment so I'll learn from it next time

next I added in further shading to the hands — again with the same skin tones as before, in different concentrations depending on the area, with the addition of some redder and darker tones too where needed. I also painted in the tattoos here — making sure they're under a layer or two of watercolour settles them into the skin like a real tattoo, rather than them looking sharpied on

And then! this is where the magic happens, and the part I'm most pleased with: by the stage of the first image above, the shadows were great in terms of position/shade, but felt a bit too blocky and stylised for the piece. So, if you get to the same issue (whether painting skin or clothing or anything with softer and more rounded contours), what you wanna do is:

make a pool of incredibly diluted skin tone mix on your palette. Literally, just water with a subtle hint of colour, roughly the same value as your highlights

get your softest brush. Nope, softer than that. In watercolour brushes, 'springy' is the opposite to 'soft', so you want bristles that don't really bounce back to their original shape if you push the wet brush against a firm surface. I'm using the Silver Black Velvet brush I've been using for the whole painting, but ideally a squirrel/sable or synthetic sable brush is gonna work

gently paint that diluted skin tone wash over the whole of the area (the hands, in this piece). This is why you want your softest brush, so as not to disturb the paint underneath too much. It also helps if the pigments you've been using are more staining (resistant to lifting). In general, phthalos and quinacridones are most staining, and granulating pigments least so. I've been using earth quinacridones here, which are moderately staining. Using good quality 100% cotton paper also helps

before that diluted wash is dry, get some paper towel and dab out the highlights. This keeps the edges softer and more natural than if you just painted around them

the wash you applied should have been just enough to soften those hard edges of shading you had previously, leaving lovely soft and more realistic transitions. Ta-dah!

then, off-camera, I added the darkest shading, painted in the gold, and felt it was missing something so added some scribbly highlights in 'ivory' coloured pencil. And that's that! It did involve a lot more swearing and complaining than I've just made it seem, but the skin part at least was something I'm used to.

[allergictocolor]

Character Profile - Morticia Addams

“The real head of the house and moving force behind it. Low-voiced, incisive, and subtle; smiles are rare. This ruined beauty has a romantic side, too, and is given to low-keyed rhapsodies about her garden of deadly nightshade, henbane and dwarf’s hair. Generally indulgent [of] the often sinister activities of the children, but feels that Uncle Fester has to be held in check. Her costume is always the same - the form-fitting black gown, tattered or cut to ribbons at the elbows and feet. Occasionally, she will wear a shawl. Her voice is never raised, but has great range. Contemptuous and original and with a fierce family loyalty. She never uses a cliché except to be funny. She is a thoughtful hostess in her way and, if a guest needs anything, he is advised to scream for it. The children are instructed to observe the amenities and always kick Daddy good night.” - Chas Addams

Charles Addams claimed to have thought up her name while leafing through the yellow pages in a phone book (they used to deliver books full of local phone numbers to our houses!) when he stumbled upon the listings for Morticians. People speculated as to whether she was based on any of his three wives, but he denied that vehemently. He just happened to love thin, pale women with dark hair, and managed to marry the woman of his dreams three times. Though he did marry his third wife in an Addams family-themed wedding in a pet cemetery, so make of that what you will.

Carolyn Jones was cast in the 1964 TV series, despite not being taller than their Gomez, John Astin. He wasn’t a tall man by any account, so I’m assuming she was the best Morticia in the auditions and had the best chemistry with their leading man. Their chemistry on screen was excellent, but also the right amount of comical. While Gomez was frequently overcome with passion whenever Morticia spoke French, or any other foreign language, Morticia often brushed him off. There were other things to do. They could get carried away later.

She called him “Querido”, “Mon Cherie”, and “Bubele”, a yiddish nickname that wasn’t continued with subsequent Morticias. The show established that Morticia held Gomez in the palm of her hand (left, below). Unfortunately, both because it was a sitcom and because it was the 1960s, there had to be hilarious misunderstandings that undercut her power over him somewhat. In more than one episode, she was given reason to doubt that Gomez really loved her, and was driven into the trope of the worried housewife, fretting over what to do. It always worked out in the end, of course. Sitcoms always do.

The TV show is where Morticia started the habit of cutting the heads off of roses, making bouquets of only the stems (right, above). She spent a lot of time tending her various plants. She had an African strangler named Cleopatra, which continued in other incarnations later on. In the show, she fed it “hamburger meat”. On camera, it looked like meatballs or very small burgers. It threatened to eat a few people, but Morticia assured them that humans gave Cleopatra heartburn.

1960s Morticia indulged in painting more than later versions of her. They didn’t always show what she was painting, but often showed her behind an easel, working on something. When they did show the painting, it was something unusual. More frequently, they simply said what she was painting.

She was also seen knitting frequently. Sometimes she would be knitting a scarf that was well over 20 feet long, looping around the living room furniture. Other times, it would be a sweater with a very long neck or extra limbs, likely a reference to the comic below, which was also referenced in the 1993 movie Addams Family Values.

While her mother, Hester Frump, was played by Margaret Hamilton (the wicked witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz), and Morticia herself was described as a witch in the series, the witchcraft was mostly implied. She was shown “smoking”, producing smoke by simply crossing her arms and concentrating, but she didn’t tell fortunes or mix potions like her mother-in-law Grandmama Addams does. Once they got to 1991, Anjelica Huston’s Morticia stated that she was a witch, and that in school she majored in “spells and hexes”.

Huston’s Morticia is level-headed and fully assured of herself. When things go badly for the family, she’s the one who holds everything together. Like her co-star Raul Julia, she is my generation’s gold standard for the character.

I think Morticia takes a little step backwards in the musical, suddenly being unsure of herself because she’s showing a few wrinkles. Bebe Neuwirth was amazing on Broadway, but Gomez would never be bothered by his wife showing her age. He loves everything, and he loves his wife even more. She should know that.

The 2019 animated version of Morticia is wickedly wonderful. Here, she does show some kind of magical powers, unless producing thousands of spiders to make a walkable bridge is just gross and not actually magical. She also talks to her deceased parents on a crystal ball, a form of communication repeated in the 2022 Netflix series.

In the Netflix series, Catherine Zeta-Jones’ Morticia is a side character so far, so we only see her in a few episodes. We know she has psychic visions that are positive, the polar opposite of her pessimistic daughter, but we haven’t seen any of her visions. She’s also madly in love with Gomez and as easily carried away as he is, which is a problem for their embarrassed children. We’ve been told we’ll get a better look into Wednesday’s home life in season 2, so it’s likely there will be even more of Morticia there. Maybe we’ll even see Cleopatra!

[ask-chubby-hamilton]

“And i uh- shot him 49 times in the chest..!”

John wad standing next to a dead guy, he was speechless as the stared at it, wondering how it got there.

Alexander walked into the living room, finishing off what he was eating before looking at the dead guy.

[firstprince-ao3feed]

Every nation ought to have a right to provide for its own happiness.

Every nation ought to have a right to provide for its own happiness. https://ift.tt/iQqD0mw by imaginentertain "And that's when Henry knows: He doesn't ever want to go back." -- "This is very formal," she says eventually. "Sending a request for an audience with your grandmother." "Yes, well, this needs to be done formally," Henry says, "it needs to be done right." And in that moment Henry sees his mother stiffen a little beside him and he knows she's realised. She's put the pieces together. If he's not here to ask for permission to marry then— Henry takes a deep breath, rolls his shoulders back to lift him up to full height, and draws on all the courage he can muster. "I have come to inform you that I wish to abdicate," he says, just as he'd written and rehearsed, "and I would therefore like to petition Parliament as soon as possible." -- Title is from Alexander Hamilton's letter on foreign policy. Because what else could I use? -- Book canon compliant. Words: 11971, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English Fandoms: Red White & Royal Blue - Casey McQuiston Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: M/M Characters: Alex Claremont-Diaz, Henry Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor, Shaan Srivastava, Beatrice Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor, Catherine Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor, Queen Mary (Red White & Royal Blue), Philip Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor Relationships: Alex Claremont-Diaz/Henry Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor Additional Tags: Book canon compliant, mostly fluff but canon angst, with boys deeply in love, and knowing they're forever, Henry wants to abdicate, and that's like a whole thing over here, our politics really are something, in which Jen makes subtle references to old TV shows and weird TV channels via AO3 works tagged 'Alex Claremont-Diaz/Henry Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor' https://ift.tt/su9NOqP August 29, 2023 at 12:55PM

[hepbaestus]

Thoughts on Knives Out (2019)

I watched the second one first without even knowing that there was a first film. So here's my thoughts on Knives Out (2019).

All I know is that Chris Evans is in this film.

Oooo creepily fancy ancient manor

Those masks are creepy

That door is cool, it's like half a coffin door

Oh no, he's dead!

Oooo the new generation these days, always stuck on their technology.

CHRIS EVANS!! (Of course his name is Ransom)

Good ol' Benoit Blanc

I love that Donna is so easily scared

Jesus Christ, Jacob, at 16 is already into politics??

Meg is so pwetty.

I still don't like the accent

Why the fuck is there just a Hamilton reference in this film?

I mean you already are shit talking about your baby brother.

Isn't this the film where Chris' character goes on a long speech about how he killed Fran?

It looks like it is.

Is he cheating?

Oh he is.

Those eyes are creepy (the ones behind Harlan)

This is where all the lies get told.

I forget how much American tuition costs for university

The guy practically lives in a Clue board, well you see.

Jesus those stairs are creaky

That wall of knives is on the sleeve of this films dvd and they point to a certain character (I don't know which one though)

Poor Martha

"Don't be seen." Gets seen by Harlan's mother

All those letters have the same emblem in the top left corner of the page.

I recognise that woman (Fran) who's talking about her cousin, I don't know where from. (She's in Violent Night, that's where I recognise her from)

I also recognise Donna (she was in the big bang theory and in Wednesday)

None of them can get where Martha's family is from (they've said Ecuador, Uruguay, Brazilian, etc.)

Sitting in the dark, ominously, as you do.

"So, how about it, Watson?" There's always a Sherlock reference somewhere in a murder mystery.

Oh shit.

Oooo blood on the converse.

It is this film!!

His first name's Hugh?

CSI KFC? So funny.

The lotus biscuits!! They are some good and cheap biscuits.

Of course, family discourse at a will reading.

Also who names their kid Hugh Ransom Thrombey

I love Ransom's character. I know he's not morally right (none of them are to be fair)

"Matter of fact, eat shit." God I love this character.

I like how they're all separated in their seats by family and how Ransom's at the far back away from everyone else.

I really like Ransom's scarf, cool patterns.

This will is going to cause a lot of uproar, I can feel it

This will reader is not professional at all

They all go to Martha Cabrera?!

I love Ransom's reaction.

Melinda accusing Martha of having sexual relations with Harlan but using the word 'boinking' is so funny to me

The way the camera is picked up and shows Martha's anxiety is really cool.

Goddamn Ransom shouldn't be as funny as he is.

I like the beemer. It's a nice car.

It's the iconic knitted jumper!!

This man's is good.

Detective Blank? Can't even get his name right, jesus.

Meg is finally seeing the bullshit of her mum.

Nevermind. Jesus Christ Meg.

Jesus Christ, Walter is just another rich asshole

Oh shit, Norfolk county medical centre got set on fire.

Rip Fran.

That's a big lake.

Overall score: 9.5/10

Whoever thought of the plot of this film and Glass Onion is a fucking genius.

Oh Fran's alive?? Cool.

ITS THE FUCKING SPEECH!!!! HELL YEAH!!

Oh Fran's dead, shit.

That's genius. Omg.

Also quite disgusting.

What.

Ohhhh it was a fake knife.

That is one clever letter!

It's really nice that she was the one given everything, the only person involved that was humane and not selfish.

The mug!

Such a subtle message to the family.

[screechingzephyrr]

So i finished watching the first season of CBS Ghosts, so this is the sequel to my first impressions post. My brain is preventing me from coherently creating thoughts but i know if i dont post this now i will never post it ever.

My thoughts in a big unfiltered list (sorry):

--Isaac is still my favourite character and he is going to forever live rent free in my brain. Him constantly gasping dramatically, him saying Hamilton was “fiNEee” with an eyeroll as hes battling with his love for theatre and his hatred for Hamilton. Icon behaviour. And Isaac and Nigel are so sweet and i love them so much. Everytime he pushed Nigel away i was screaming crying throwing up, silly guy behaviour over here.

--Nigels accent made me fucking wheeze as a british person, its so posh its hilarious and i love him for it

-The contrast between The Captain’s repression and Isaac’s acception is really great and i love them both dearly.

--Trevor is better in my brain now, he barely hits on Sam anymore so uncomfortableness has been vanquished and his backstory made me like him more. I like the twist and how he’s different from Julian with the fact that he didnt die in the act. Im separating them more in my head

--Jay is slightly better i guess? yeah thats it. hes allowed to exist, his and sams relationship still dont really have the right vibes for me but idk its probably just me

—Isaacs and Hettys relationship is so adorable like go off besties gossip about men but very specifically nigel

--Okay im going to be honest some of the episodes dragged and werent really enjoyable for me? maybe its because i thought there were thirteen episodes and when i was finishing episodes ten i was like hyped like “ok im nearly finished lets go!!!!” and then i checked and saw there were EIGHTEEN.

--Episodes i liked a lot / loved:

8)DND

9) Alberta’s Fan

15) Thorapy

16)Trevor’s Pants

17)Attic Girl

18)Farnsby & B

(Mostly because they had Isaac +Nigel in some of them. Also you can see the massive gap which is when i began to lose hope in existing)

--Episodes i hated:

13)The Vault

(BURN IT WITH FIRE. Elias’ ghost power made me want to scream and i had to mute it and fastforward it at on point bc my secondhand embarrassment was too strong for me to handle. The only good part of this episode was when Elias went down -into hell im guessing- and the ghosts screamed collectively. That was funny )

--The humour is really different from BBC ghosts. CBS is less subtle and very outright! i did laugh out loud quite a lot (Mostly bc of Isaac tbh. Also “Oskar is squirrel”).

i do think that its more “in the moment” type humour, if that makes any sense? like i laugh in the moment but i cant remember any jokes from it that i would reference in daily life, BUT maybe thats just because im comparing it to bbc ghosts which i had an allconsuming obsession with and can quote whole parts of episodes off the top of my head and which i influenced my parents into watching it too so we both know the jokes. so yk. its probably just me (again lol)

--also, CBS ghosts treats the Ghosts deaths in a very lighthearted way. None are very heartbroken over their deaths and many easily tell the stories of how they died. I do like this but sometimes they try to have some emotional moments?????? i mentioned this before but they literally have no impact

compared with BBC ghosts which treats each Ghosts death with varying degrees of poignancy, its very different and a nice change

— im glad i got to see more of Sasappis and Flower, theyre both icons tbh. im still wondering where Crash is?? Ive seen him maybe three or four times and one of them was in the background?

UHHH so to conclude,,, i think its a mostly entertaining show with interesting characters! Ive been rewatching a few episodes ive really liked. The episodes i didnt like as much would serve as good background noise i think.

[danieladiamonds]

The Symbolism Behind Rose Gold: What Makes It Special?

Rose gold is one of the most loved metals in the world of fine jewelry, and for good reason. With its rose-toned color and ever-rising popularity, rose gold uniquely blends elegance, romance, and timelessness. Rose gold is also widely loved for its durability. Made by combining gold with different alloys, rose gold is the perfect choice for a ring that will stand the test of time. In this blog, we will take you through the history, composition, symbolism, and top trends around rose gold jewelry while understanding the reason behind its appeal as contemporary jewelry.

The History of Rose Gold

Origins in Russia

Rose gold, initially termed “Russian gold,” originated in Russia in the 19th century. It quickly became popular among Russian Jewelers and aristocrats. This early version of rose gold was created by combining pure gold with copper alloys, which led to the warm and pinkish tone of the metal. Its unique color and lavish appearance quickly captured the eyes of those who valued fine craftsmanship.

Victorian Era and Beyond

Rose gold gained a massive following during the Victorian era, especially in the British Empire. With its dreamy and sophisticated character, it quickly made its way into the world of jewelry design. The Victorian era was big on floral and nature-inspired designs carved with the utmost intricacy and rose gold beautifully blended into these design outlines.

You can often see variations of color in Victorian-era rose gold. This was mainly due to the lack of rules surrounding gold alloys during that period.

The Goldsmiths often took liberty over the ratio of metals based on their artistic instinct, which led to the difference in color. Antiques and estate jewelers will refer to this in-between color as Hamilton Gold. When you buy Victorian rose gold jewelry, remember that the color will be very different from modern rose gold jewelry. You should expect more coppery tones and less of the bright pink hue that you might associate with rose gold. Victorian gold is so in demand because it has a certain beautiful warmth, which modern pieces lack, and it flatters any skin tone.

The return of rose gold in the 1920s was its complete solidification into being thought of as eternal. The “Trinity Ring” by Cartier intertwined three bands of yellow, white, and rose gold together. It became an iconic symbol of elegance and innovation. Rose gold, again here, showcased its strength of being able to accompany other metals while maintaining its unique appeal. This very ring was highly instrumental in bringing rose gold back into the mainstream public, and it has held a firm place in the realms of high fashion and fine jewelry ever since.

Modern Revival

Fast forward to the 21st century, and rose gold has become a loved metal worldwide. Modern rose gold tends to have a pure pink cast with slight coppery tones of the Victorian era. Rose gold is extremely valuable today owing to its unique color and versatility-from engagement rings to simple, everyday accessories. It has strengthened the timeless charm of rose gold and showed how it adapts itself to ever-changing fashion trends.

Composition and Creation

What is Rose Gold?

Rose gold is an alloy made by mixing pure gold with copper and, occasionally, a small proportion of silver. The mixture produces a peculiar pinkish color that gives it a distinctive character among all other varieties of gold alloys.

The proportion of gold to copper defines the intensity of the color; the more copper component is in the alloy, the more affluent and darker the shade of pink it achieves. Therefore, the color adjusted may vary depending on the proportion of copper used. Rose gold color tones vary from subtle blush pink tones to more vibrant pink tones.

Variations in Color

One of the exciting aspects of rose gold is its color: depending on the mixture of alloys, rose gold really runs the gamut in color. It ranges from pale, delicate pink to deep, rich rose; the lighter shades are achieved with less copper and more gold, while the darker shades have more copper.

Symbolism of Rose Gold

Romantic Significance

Rose gold is best known for its association with romance and love. The metal’s pinkish color invokes warmth, affection, and passion, which is also why it is widely used in engagement rings. The symbolism of rose gold lends an additional layer of meaning to such pieces, adding value beyond their inherent sentimental worth.

Elegance and Uniqueness

Besides its romantic symbolism, rose gold is treasured for its sophistication and uniqueness. Its unique color distinguishes it from the standard yellow and white gold metals. Even though rose gold is growing in popularity by the day, it is still considered a unique metal choice for your jewelry pieces.

Feminine Appeal

Rose gold is often associated with modern and feminine vibes. The blush pink tone of this metal brings out the elegance of your jewelry pieces, making your entire look more delicate and graceful.

Rose gold also blends well with a wide range of skin tones, and its popularity in modern fashion trends deems it a favorite among many women seeking jewelry that combines classic and contemporary styles.

Popularity and Fashion Trends

Modern Jewelry Trends 

Rose gold has become a staple in contemporary jewelry, which is evident in its enduring popularity and versatility. From engagement rings to wedding bands to fashion-forward jewelry, rose gold has made its way to some of the most prominent jewelry styles. Making it a go-to choice for many leading jewelry designers and fashion enthusiasts. The fact that Rose gold can blend so well with a variety of metals and gemstones further contributes to its widespread appeal.

Beyond Jewelry

The influence of rose gold is not limited to jewelry. This beautiful concoction of different alloys and metals has entered other industries, including fashion, technology, and interior design. In the fashion industry, the rose gold tone is often used to achieve statement pieces and looks. Rose gold has also taken over the world of technology, making it a favorite color palette for gadgets and electronics. Interior designers widely use this color tone to accentuate the warm and inviting atmosphere of the house while reflecting on the versatility and broader appeal of this color.

Durability and Maintenance

Durability

Rose gold is mainly famous for its durability. This durability is due to its copper content, which strengthens the alloy and makes it resistant to scratches and dents. As one of the most durable metals, rose gold retains its beauty and functionality over time despite regular wear and tear. This resilience makes it an ideal choice for engagement rings and wedding bands prone to regular wear and tear damage.

Care Tips

The best way to care for your rose gold jewelry pieces is to prevent exposure to harsh chemicals, such as those found in cleaning products, perfumes, or chlorine, as they can easily damage the metal’s finish. Clean your rose gold pieces with a soft cloth to remove dirt and restore their luster regularly. The more time you take to care for your rose gold pieces, the more they will serve you over the years.

Conclusion

Rose gold jewelry owes its popularity to its rich history, stunning color, and symbolism. Its beautiful color makes it the perfect piece of jewelry for modern, romantic, and elegant vibes.

Whether you are drawn to its romantic appeal or unique aesthetic, Daniela Diamonds has a wide inventory dedicated to bringing the finest rose gold pieces to life.

Discover the Timeless Beauty of Rose Gold at Daniela Diamonds

Explore the outstanding collection of rose gold jewelry at Daniela Diamonds in New York. Whether you are looking for your dream engagement ring or jewelry for a special occasion, our collection will be a unique addition to your jewelry box. Visit us to find your dream rose gold piece of jewelry, or customize one with our experts today.

Original Source - https://danieladiamonds.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-rose-gold/  

[samsmediaproject]

In this update, I’m highlighting the visual research inspired by the photographer Gingerlillytea, whose work has significantly influenced the aesthetic direction of Alice in Kirikiriroa.

1. Romantic and Surreal Imagery:

Gingerlillytea’s Style: Known for her ethereal and dreamlike portraiture, Gingerlillytea’s photography blends romantic and surreal elements, capturing a sense of otherworldly beauty and emotional depth. Her use of soft lighting, delicate compositions, and enchanting settings perfectly aligns with the project's aim to evoke a whimsical Wonderland atmosphere.

2. Integration with Kirikiriroa Landscapes:

Transforming Local Scenes: Gingerlillytea’s approach to capturing romantic and surreal visuals provides a valuable reference for reimagining Hamilton Gardens and the Waikato River. Her ability to create dreamlike atmospheres will help in blending local landscapes with the fantastical elements of Wonderland.

3. Techniques and Inspiration:

Visual Techniques: The subtle use of color grading, focus, and composition in Gingerlillytea’s work will guide the photographic techniques for the project. Her influence is evident in the preliminary visual experiments, where similar methods are being used to enhance the surreal and romantic qualities of the project.

Next Steps:

Applying Techniques: The visual insights from Gingerlillytea’s photography will be applied to the final photographic shoots, helping to create a cohesive and immersive experience that marries the local setting with the magical world of Alice in Wonderland.

[sugirandom]

This is more for my own personal reference but also to share

Sometime late last year I read that someone started a challenge where they were going to read a book every month in 2024 and I have tons of books that I haven't read as well as the tendency to just buy more...especially since we tend to find books at Goodwill (a second-hand store or I guess like a pawn shop?)

So I decided to do it, I mostly read non-fiction and informational more than fiction but here's what I've read so far... I plan to reblog it when I read more as the year progresses. I will give my thoughts in brief!

January: The Handbook for Highly Sensitive People: Very helpful and empowering because I don't really have a sense of community as an HSP so it was good for my soul to read this.

February: Idiot's Guide to Ayuverda: Nice comprehensive introduction and guide though I don't think it's quite the right approach for my lifestyle. Also didn't like that the author assumed all he readers were female/ had almost no advice for men following this lifestyle.

March: Living with Tinnitus and Hyperacusis: Good book overall with some helpful advice but like most books about these topics Hyperacusis is a little more lacking in info and there's a lot of assumptions that it is caused by the Tinnitus though for me...I had Hyperacusis waaaay before I ever had Tinnitus (sadly developed it later in life due to antibiotics) and if given the choice to only get rid of one i'd chose to get rid of Hyperacusis but alas...most people don't have Hyperacusis or if they do it's not permanent so not enough research is there...whereas tons of people get Titnnitus...the struggle is real.

April: The big brain book: Development, Function, DIsorder, and Health: Find the brain a very fascinating thing so I enjoyed this book very much even though it felt like a textbook, i wasn't upset at all. Also great pictures.

May: Sleep right in five nights: Old book from my Poppy, mostly relied on Cognitive Behavior Therapy which I have yet to use effectly so... we'll see.

June: Mythology by Alexandria Hamilton: Nice to read overall but honestly should be titled Greek and Roman Mythology because she mostly talks about that with only two very short chapters about Norse Mythology which caused me to mourn cause I know the least about it of those three. Also i still remember your very subtle attack on Egyptian mythology, will never forgive. Everyone writes about Greek and Roman mythology so I'd say you don't have to get this one...I literally wrote the author's name on only this one because I am bitter...I mean I don't regret reading it but...still bitter.

[inke-ri]

Sat down to watch ep 2 of Percy Jackson and realized I never posted my thoughts on the first episode! Oops. I hadn't intended to basically liveblog it but alas. Oh well, figured I'd post it anyway!

---

- God hearing Percy's very baby voice reading the book's intro gave me chills. That was fantastic

- I love how they immediately set up the Mist

- Blackjack? :o

- Percy actually playing Mythomagic, that's cute. I think I like him not knowing about it all in TTC better (mostly cause he keeps getting annoyed at it) but this is neat. Maybe he's embarrassed by it like how people try to ignore their Hamilton phases lol

- Sequence between Sally and bby Percy was perfect btw, god

- Not feeling this mr Brunner yet, too dignifed for a guy who dresses up in armor and swings a sword around in class, but lets see what happens when the horse comes out

- Percy and Grover trading sandwiches, babies <3

- Did they not animate the water grabbing Nancy or was that just me

- Hang on, that was it? Ms Dodds looked so cool but there was no sense of urgency whatsoever with that fight? And Riptide just? Shook? Did it pop out on its own? Is the sword alive now? Dont Magnus Chase me btw OTL

- IDK it almost feels like it was an accident? I liked how in the books Percy messily but instinctively knew what to so. And that's not how the Mist works, people would definitely see SOMETHING jumping Percy

- I like that Percy's wearing a blue shirt tho

- ... also was that Rick Riordan

- That's some unnecessary drama between Percy and Grover :/

- Lowkey sad they cut everything about Percy genuinely trying his hardest to study for Brunner's class and failing. Chiron also didn't make that big of a blunder in the show either.

- That said I like Percy fidgeting with his hands in that scene

- I also wish he had failed school bc of his anxiety and dislexia frankly, as well as just showing more of how big of a troublemaker he was BEFORE the museum tour, not bc of the Nancy situation. Guess it was cut for time?

- Wait. we skipping the Fates? Seriously??

- Eddie! Kinda like what they did with him actually, before he kinda just let Gabe do whatever he wanted with Percy and only piped up when it started to get ugly.

- Okay so Gabe IS abusive - I like the line about picking up Sally's cellphone - but also kinda? Not as bad as he should be? I guess this is "aggressively mortal" and enough to mask Percy's scent? idk Gabe's behavior explained Percy's attitude so well but since he's been stripped of a lot of said attitude I guess this is consistent?

-  Sally hiding away and feeling the rain was nice. Feels like she's hiding away from all the mess that is her marriage. Also Poseidon maybe? They DO call him Stormbringer in the book - kinda ironic here tho since we know it's been raining a lot bc Zeus is mad lmao. I also love how young she looks since she was basically a teen mom

- That said I wish we'd seen how angry Gabe and the situation had made Percy instead of him just looking like a lost puppy. Just him angrily stomping to his room then immediately RELAXING when he saw his mom would have been perfect.

- ... do we really need another diAngelo reference. Again. I liked that Nico and Bianca were just random kids in the books at first y'know.

- No seriously between this, Mythomagic and a potential Blackjack... Dont Marvel this, show, PLEASE dont "I understood that reference" me 40 million times :/

- ... Sally is? Shutting Gabe up? Making him say please? Book Gabe would never ever let them go to Montauk after that, lmao. Is this really the kind of guy you're gonna MURDER at the end of the season?? Does it really warrant THAT? With this setup, it feels like it's leading up to ditching his crumpled backside with humiliation and hundreds of thousands of dollars in bills for all the appliances, not actual death. It just doesn't feel like either Percy or Sally are truly at the end of their rope with him.

- Idk I thought they were going to start with more subtle signs of abuse and then have that /moment/ when Percy realizes Gabe has been hitting Sally, and all the subtlety would fade away. Book Gabe is worse, but you get the feeling of Percy being used to it. It makes the moment he realizes it's much worse hit like a gut punch, which is what I expected them to emulate. Guess that's that then :/

-  Percy still looks like a confused puppy instead of being relaxed with Sally/angry at Gabe/happy about Montauk. Pls don't let this become a trend I know Percy being clueless and dumb all the time is a sin the later books did to him but,,, not here,,, not with this,,,

- it took me a moment to realize that was Kronos bc that did NOT sound like what a voice that seemed to come from the bowels of the earth should lol

- Ok, so I guess Sally crying while Percy's asleep is proof she's been holding back a lot. Maybe they had her stand up to Gabe as a hint that she's desperate and it's not something she usually does? That recontextualizes things, but, idk. Still think it would hit harder if they had made Gabe more menacing. You don't need to keep the physical abuse, but, idk, just shoot the same scene with Gabe's lines having more venom to them instead of that condescending vibe. Or at least not end it feeling like Sally "won" the argument, which is what it felt to me. Gabe at least coming out on "top" would tie it up more neatly imo. Maybe the line about not a scratch on the car or else?

- Unless she's crying cause she knows she's about to loose Percy. mmmmm.

- Interesting that they changed it from Percy always knowing Montauk was where Sally and his dad met.

- Btw Percy's actor is KILLING IT here

- Oh. Oh! So Sally's the one telling him? Oh, I'm gonna miss the mystery and terror of realizing a monster is after you, almost being FORCED to accept it. The absolute shock of seeing Grover with goat feet. The surrealness of being told the greek pantheon is real just after your mom dies, that distinct feeling of Percy barely believing it bc he feels like he's in a daze after he looses Sally.

- I do like the delivery of the scene tho, Sally is very awkward, it does feel like she rehearsed something akin to this and is so tense she cant get it out like she wanted. relatable lmao

- AGAIN SCOBELL IS KILLING IT GO BABY GO

- Loved the way Sally teared up too - really in line with the book - tho that would have stopped Percy dead on his tracks, he wouldn't push her like this, even if he was frustrated. It was another sign that Sally was at the end of her rope, how Percy refused to push her as most kids would bc he loved her so much and knew she was already so fragile thanks to Smelly Gabe

- I thought Grover felt a little too... Grown up I guess? But y'know what, I'm warming up to this cadence of his voice. Makes sense since he's like 28

- The "happy" music feels so offfffff,,, definitely missing the terror and urgency here. big sad

- Yea ok nvm Grover is wayyy too in control here. what did they do to my scaredy baby where is his anxious chewing and the bleating where IS IT GIVE IT TO ME

- Also he's 24? Huh, I guess I need to double check later

- ONCE AGAIN where is the sense of fear it's just Percy tilting his head and realizing its the Minotaur in one go like?? he's not even standing up??? /I/ barely noticed anything except for a vaguely bull shaped blob chasing after them

- No "shh!! names have power". I expected it since its a rule dropped after series 1 but I always liked it :(

- When is Grover gonna freak out or bonk his head and pass out pls he's too in control of the situation here ;-;

- Is it just a Giant Bull now? And did they decide to make Zeus 0.2% less of a jerk than he is and not have him crash the car?

- Oh! Grover is down at last! Okay, at least there's thaaaaaand he's up again. GREAT :/

- Sally's speech is great but once again ZERO sense of urgency. She can back and forth with Grover for minutes while a GIANT MONSTER is right after them. Also why is she making Grover promise to keep Percy safe? I thought it was at least leading up to a River Styx oath to set up the series but no??? This feels kinda ooc of her? Are they doing away with the Council of Cloven Elders and having THAT be the reason Grover goes with Percy bc. I would not like that.

- Okay, kinda warming up to the Minotaur design. Wish they kept the half-human bit of it but anthro cow works too. Fun fact I occasionally imagined Bessie being the one with long ears so this threw me off for a bit lol

- Not sure about how to feel about Sally being the one to tease the Minotaur with the coat. I GUESS its not too different from Sally being the one to tell Percy to jump sideways, but the thing is I don't like how giving that to her left Percy's own confrontation with it

- Like he just CHARGES IT, that's supremely stupid :/ Percy actually thought strategically about it even if he was terrified and angry, he was able to control himself enough to be smart about it!

- We also miss out on him doing it bc he already lost his mom and couldn't loose Grover

- Also did he hit it with Riptide in that lateral move he does in the book? Isnt that THE move that kills it?

- Riptide is being your resident Spidey-Sense again BUT AT LEAST THE SWORD GLOWS ITS BEAUTIFUL I'M SO HAPPY.

- I actually had a moment of "oh, they made it sparkle?" and then it hit me that its the celestial bronze glow and I cheered lmao. I expected it to be a little more subtle so it took me a second but this is SO COOL.

- I like that they still have Percy climb on its back but it feels too sanitized: grabbing the horn, being able to hold on with just your knees on to a slippery animal IN THE RAIN in order to have a cool stab-in-the-head shot.

- Like the sequence isn't BAD, per se, it just lacks that frenzied, barely thinking, just surving, angry and hurting vibe of the book. It's like they sucked all of the emotion out of it even tho its more or less accurate.

- No Percy dragging Grover down to camp, crying, calling for his mom? CRIMINAL. You cast a little kid! Let him be a little kid!!

- At least the credits are pretty

---

Final thoughts: I guess I shouldn't have been surprised, but I sort of expected that, given how much Riordan shows up in the credits, this would have been more book-accurate. And even if it wasn't, he went off about how the actors may not look like the characters, but they embody the "feel" of them, and that's enough, which so far holds up - Walker Scobell being the absolute winner so far, kid can ACT - with the notable of exceptions of Grover (too in control, too serious, not really the scaredy but brave satyr he is), Chiron (yea, he definitely feels too old and dignified for my tastes. He feels like someone who teaches theory, not practice.) and Smelly Gabe.

So I think I expected the same out of the show. But I actually think it's more akin to the Hunger Games: pretty accurate if you go through it scene by scene, but with so much nuance, emotion and context missing.

Regardless of how negative this sounds, I actually enjoyed the episode! It just caught me off guard, how... lifeless is a bit harsh, it's more like a lot of the emotion was sucked out of quite a few scenes, it felt like they were just hitting plot points I guess? Regardless, I'll adjust my expectations accordingly. I DO genuinely like the THG movies, and I assume if I apply the same separation between adaptation and book to this show it'll be a lot more fun.

(The one thing I wont forgive is the score tho. It's SO generic. Almost like a discount superhero theme at times. Sad.)

[stagesofbalding]

Crown Balding Stages: Tackling the Top of Hair Loss

The journey through different stages of crown balding is often an unexpected and challenging experience. It's a pervasive issue that impacts individuals regardless of gender, with both men and women seeking ways to address this specific pattern of hair loss.

This comprehensive guide will explore the progression of crown balding, uncover its underlying causes, and highlight the most effective treatments currently making waves in the hair care industry. With a focus on high-quality, problem-solving content, we aim to provide practical solutions for those navigating the complexities of hair loss at the crown.

What Causes Crown Balding?

Crown balding, or vertex balding, is a common pattern of hair loss. In men, it's typically a progression of male pattern baldness, while in women, it can be a sign of female pattern hair loss. Genetics play a pivotal role, but factors like hormones, stress, and certain medical conditions can also contribute to thinning at the crown.

Crown Balding Stages: Deciphering Male Pattern Baldness

Male pattern baldness, clinically known as androgenic alopecia, is a prevalent form of hair loss in those assigned male at birth. The Hamilton-Norwood scale, a widely recognized measure, delineates seven distinct stages of this condition, providing a framework for understanding the progression of hair loss, particularly at the crown. Here's a closer look at each stage:

Stage 1: The journey begins subtly, with minimal hair thinning that may go unnoticed around the temples. The crown remains unaffected, often making this stage easy to overlook.

Stage 2: A slight retreat of hair at the temples forms, hinting at the classic receding hairline. This stage may also introduce a minor thinning at the crown, setting the stage for more noticeable changes.

Stage 3: The hairline recession becomes more pronounced, especially around the temples and crown. A bald spot may emerge on the crown, signaling a move into more conspicuous stages of hair loss.

Stage 4: The crown bears witness to significant hair loss, and the hairline's retreat deepens, potentially taking on a "U" shape from a bird's-eye view.

Stage 5: The hair loss saga continues as the crown and hairline further surrender to baldness, creeping toward the back of the head. A narrow bridge of hair may still connect the front and crown, but its presence is diminishing.

Stage 6: The front and top of the scalp join the narrative of baldness, as the two previously separate bald areas merge. The connecting strip of hair vanishes, leaving a more pronounced bald expanse.

Stage 7: The final act sees baldness embracing the sides of the head, leaving behind only a horseshoe-shaped ring of hair that graces the lower back and sides of the scalp.

It's crucial to recognize that hair loss is a personal and variable experience. Not everyone will follow these stages sequentially, and some may find their hair loss journey taking a unique path. Treatment options for male pattern baldness are diverse, ranging from medications like Minoxidil and Finasteride to surgical interventions such as hair transplants, as well as non-invasive approaches like platelet-rich plasma therapy and strategic hairstyling to camouflage thinning areas.

Understanding these stages is essential for anyone looking to tackle crown balding head-on, providing a roadmap for treatment and management of this common condition.

Early Signs

The initial stage is often subtle, with slight thinning that may be hard to notice. This stage is crucial for intervention to prevent further loss.

Progression

As balding advances, the thinning becomes more pronounced, and the scalp becomes visible. At this stage, treatments can still be effective in slowing the loss and promoting regrowth.

Advanced Thinning

In the advanced stages, the bald area at the crown expands, connecting with receding hairlines, leading to a more noticeable bald spot.

Treatment Options

Minoxidil and Finasteride

These FDA-approved medications can slow hair loss and stimulate regrowth. Minoxidil is applied topically, while Finasteride is taken orally.

Hair Transplant Surgery

For those looking for a permanent solution, hair transplant surgery can redistribute hair from denser areas to the crown.

Innovative Solutions

Emerging treatments, such as LLLT (Low-Level Laser Therapy), show promise in stimulating hair follicles and promoting growth without invasive procedures.

Embracing the Change

While treatments are available, embracing balding as a natural part of life is a valid and often empowering choice for many.

Start Your Natural Journey CLICK HERE, Get Your Online E-Book Copy!!!

[f1]

Pundits drop references to Taylor Swift during Fernando Alonso's qualifying lap at the Azerbaijan GP

Sky Sports pundits drop hilarious references to Taylor Swift during Fernando Alonso qualifying lap at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix amid the pair's romantic link Fernando Alonso has been romantically linked with pop sensation Taylor Swift  Formula One pundit Karun Chandhok couldn't help but reference Swift on Friday  He added fuel to the fire on Monday with a cryptic TikTok post on social media By Charlotte Daly For Mailonline Published: 07:29 EDT, 29 April 2023 | Updated: 07:29 EDT, 29 April 2023 Formula One pundit Karun Chandhok couldn't help but reference Taylor Swift during Fernando Alonso's lap in qualifying at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Alonso - who has returned to the top of his F1 game this season after teaming up with Aston Martin - has been linked with pop sensation Swift. He added fuel to the fire by posting a cryptic TikTok online - which was captioned 'Race Week Era' as Swift coincidentally heads off on her Eras tour.  Alonso cheekily hinted at the rumours by sharing a video of himself scrolling through his phone as Taylor's hit song Karma played in the background. He then looked up and winked at the camera as he cryptically addressed the rumours, sending fans completely wild. Formula One pundit Karun Chandhok couldn't help but reference Taylor Swift during Fernando Alonso's lap in qualifying at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix He added fuel to the fire by posting a cryptic TikTok online - which was captioned 'Race Week Era' as Swift coincidentally heads off on her Eras tour Therefore, Sky Sports pundit, Chandhok, couldn't help but reference the pop sensation as Alonso made his way around the street circuit on Friday afternoon Therefore, Sky Sports pundit, Chandhok, couldn't help but reference the pop sensation as Alonso made his way around the street circuit on Friday afternoon. Chandhok and David Croft were discussing Alonso's opening lap on Friday afternoon when they dropped the first Swift joke.  Chandhok said: 'Fernando Alonso's found a bit of blank space there ahead of him… with Lewis Hamilton half a straight ahead.' Crofty couldn't help but laugh after hearing his Sky Sports colleague reference Swift's hit 2014 song 'Blank Space'.  Crofty was also heard saying: 'Alonso is currently the fourth fastest car, perhaps some would say he is driving a getaway car, maybe that might cause some bad blood'.   The not so subtle remark was in reference to Swifts 'Getaway Car' song from 2017 and her hit 'Bad Blood' from 2014.  They were also heard referencing her songs: 'Don't blame me', 'Style', 'Would've Could've Should've', '22' and 'Mastermind'.  One of the remarks was:  'Number 22 is not Alonso's favourite car number but a Swift check of the facts and it might well be.' Crofty continued: 'On the subject of 22, which is now of course our favourite song and number...'.  Alonso will most likely find the funny side of their commentary given he captioned his TikTok 'Race week era' on Monday.    Share or comment on this article: Pundits drop references to Taylor Swift during Fernando Alonso'S qualifying lap at the Azerbaijan GP via Formula One | Mail Online https://www.dailymail.co.uk?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490

[independentartistbuzz]

Mister Rabbit is making a “Subtle Tribute” to the musicians who came before us

Inspired by legends like Paul Westerberg, Wilco and Constantines, as well as relative newcomers like Phoebe Bridgers and Ruston Kelly, the Hamilton, Ontario band Mister Rabbit has formed a sonic palette that is both familiar and refreshing. Their raw and honest songs are delivered by musicians who know what it feels like to be a version of themselves and want nothing to do with it anymore.

Their debut album, End of History Illusion, features the focus track “Subtle Tribute” which is a song about wanting to be wanted, and how important that simple fact can be to people’s self-worth. Frontman Jeff van Helvoort spent a lot of time throughout his teens and twenties trying to deal with unrequited love and he wrote this song while he was in search of that.

The title comes from one of the song lyrics which references “Hold My Life” by The Replacements, hence the “Subtle Tribute” to those much-admired songwriters. 

Take a sneak peek at the 10 track LP End of History Illusion with focus track “Subtle Tribute.” 

Watch the video here: https://open.spotify.com/album/4Qn3s9JVlFwHLq3zuuVxTS?referral=labelaffiliate&utm_source=1011lwJht8iZ&utm_medium=Indie_Believe&utm_campaign=labelaffiliate

These songs were inspired by the band’s desire to create, and try to compassionately tell others’ stories, while keeping a connection to themselves. They worked with legendary Toronto producer Jeff McMurrich (Constantines, Alvvays, Jennifer Castle), recording engineer Matt Snell (Dua Lipa, Banners), and mixer Peter Van Helvoort (bassist of The Glorious Sons and Jeff’s brother.)